Summer Update

Howdy y'all!

I have been thinking about this blog.  I don't post as often as I'd like - some have told me I should do it daily but I see very few blogs that update daily.  I'm good with doing it as I can.  I will try to post more frequently.

So, the kitchen was going along boomingly until I threw my back out and lost motivation. Boo.  Good news on that front though - I'm going to do what I do every day and project manage the damn thing till it's done. Yay?

I want to build the equity in my house and perhaps get into investing in real estate. It can be done and I know I'd be good at it.  Just waiting to learn what I need to learn from the 'rents after the seminar they will be going to in October from the illustrious Scott MacGillivray.  Stoked!

Over this past weekend, my dad, Garth, came over with his chainsaw and took down 3 trees for me.  Before you rant at me - I don't like taking trees down but these were not the healthiest and in really bad spots.  The two in the front being gone make a HUGE difference! The front yard looks so much bigger now and there's the added bonus of being able to see oncoming cars while backing out of my driveway.  See below.

The upper photo is before any work was done.  Huge difference!

Moving along....

This summer I took Aislinn out west.  We flew out to Comox and spend 2 fantastic days with Irene, Blaine and the boys.  We toured the area, had a hot dog and marshmellow roast on Goose Spit beach, went to Goats on Roof, Cathedral Grove and UVI Marine Centre. I fell in love with the Island and am determined to move out there in 9 - 10 years.  No mosquitos, no snow, ocean is minutes away and the motorcycle season is a lot longer!  Win, win, win and win!  Got a great vibe out there too! 

We then toodled down island to Mechosin to visit a couple of days with Nat, Greg and their two kids.  First day went to Tyler Beach to find beach glass, next day went whale watching! Awesome!  Saw 5 Orcas about 50 feet from our boat.  Orca Spirits is the whale watching group to go with folks!So wonderful to spend time with them and meet Jasmine in person. 

We ferried over to Van where Paula and Miila picked us up.  Then the fantastic road trip through the Rockies over the next 3 days.  We picked fruit, visited vineyards and a cidery (?), drove through Glacier National Park, etc.  Fantastic!  We spent a week with Paula and loved it too.  Our final 2 days of this memorable trip were spent with Nat, Glen and miss Neko.  Great 2 days and then flew home.  Had such a wonderful time - going back in 2 years! 

I must give kudos to Dale for helping us out with flights and all of my friends for having us over.  Thank you all from the bottom of my heart - the trip couldn't have happened without you.

Here are a few photos of our trip.

 

There you have it - until next time!

Kitchen Progress Update

Howdy y'all,

Thought I'd update you on the kitchen progress - although this will be a pic-free post as I want to do a 'Big Reveal' once it's complete - more drama and impact doncha know.

So, 2 weeks ago I spent Wednesday, Thursday and Friday building the boxes for my cabinets.  My oh-so-awesome parents helped me install them over Saturday and Sunday.  Mom and I installed some doors and I finished up the rest.  One set of doors still to go up as I had some custom pot drawers built.  They'll go up this week.

So. Frigging. Exciting.

Haven't had cabinets in a longggggggggggggggggggggg time....

Hinges need to be tweaked to adjust the doors and drawers but won't take long.  And of course the handles and knobs need to be installed.

My quartz countertops came Friday last week and hoo boy are they sexy!

I don't quite know what to do with all the surfaces and storage.  It's a little overwhelming... ;-)

Saturday Mom and I will be tackling the ceramic back splash.  Be still my beating heart.....

Okay, left to do:

• Grout said tile once done
• tweak doors
• Install handles and knobs
• Paint and install cove molding at ceiling
• Install crown on upper cabs
• Install trim on bottom of cabs
• Put on toe-kick
• Add various bits of trim
• Install exhaust fan
• Make mason jar pendant lights and install
• Drink copious amount of sangria or whatever alcohol to celebrate the finished farging kitchen

So that's it for now my little turtledoves.

Have a great night,
Colleen
xo

The Heavens Parted and The Angels Sang...

because the first DIY reno project in the house is DONE!!!!

Yes, you read correctly.  And it's not the kitchen - yet. Making huge strides with it and will be done in a few short weeks!

No, my fine friends, my walk-in closet is finished.  This evening it is still pristine and empty.  I'll be transferring my clothes and purses from Aislinn's closet over the next day or two.

Let me refresh your memory - I don't actually have a closet in my room.  Oh - it looks like I do cause there's a door...

It's being coy - there isn't a full size closet cause it goes UNDER the roof slope.  Awesome. So for the last 2 years and 9 months (who's counting?) I've been sharing my daughter's big ass double closet with her.  You can't say she's not gracious...

I digress.

Look at this - BAM!

 

 

The floors will be painted when the windows can be fully opened cause it's gonna stank........

So excited to have this done! 

Have a great and blessed Easter with your loved ones and keep your eyes peeled for the finished kitchen post coming to your puter soon.

xo

Kitchen Progress and New Design

Good snowy day!  Not.  

Seriously, is winter ever going to end?!

Last week I took Monday and Tuesday off so I could do a hard push over a long weekend without peanut's company to accomplish a lot on the renos. I needed to do this to feel a sense of accomplishment and honestly, needed the kick in the ass.

Mom (my hero!) and I got 2 coats of trim done in the closet and I did another coat of cutting with the colour.  One more coat on the trim then the rods can go up, shelves and storage unit.  The floors will wait until summer - I'm going to paint them and windows will need to be opened!

The most progress we made though was in the kitchen.  Did my heart and soul good - I tell ya!

We got the ceiling sanded at the joints of the planks, all the walls sanded, primed and first coat of colour on!  Booyah! We also primed the trim.  Behold the awesomeness...

Still trying to figure out how to adjust image layout in posts...

Anyhoo, the white spots weren't due to laziness - cabinets will be going there so no point painting it.

Next steps - 2nd coat of colour, add trim to where ceiling and walls meet, prime and paint ceiling and trim, paint baseboards and trim, install cabinets, temp countertop until quartz comes (yay!)m make Mason jar lights and install.

Sounds like a lot but shouldn't be too bad.  I just keep thinking about how much better I'll feel when it's done and how much SPACE I'll be gaining back.

Until next time.

Lord Tunderin' Jesus

Happy New Year gang!

Wow - didn't realize how much time had lapsed since my last entry.

Well, to sum up the balance of 2013 - had the lumpectomy, didn't have cancer (only good thing that came out of 2013 - huge and I'm thankful) and yadda, yadda.

Wasn't sorry to see 2013 go to be honest.  Sucked.  Big time.

But I'm in a very different place now and 2014 is and will be AWESOME!

I'm actually motivated to work on my house again which is a good thing cause lord knows it needs it!  I am impatient to see my visions for my home (sounds pretentious but really not) come to life.  If only I had the dineros to make it happen sooner...

Okay - so what has been done lately you ask..

I had to start on the closet upstairs so that Aislinn's room can be done at a moment's notice.  Why you ask?  Because as a SECRET birthday gift for my sweet girl - my parents are giving the gift of a room renovation.  Kind of a gift to me too indirectly.  Let me repeat, Aislinn does not know about this.

So, when the contractor lets my mom know he has time, we have to empty her room and demolish the existing closet - hence the urgency to complete the upstairs closet.

It would appear I didn't take a before photo - bad blogger.  It's a walk-in closet at the top of the stairs just outside my room - roughly 5' x 5'with slanted ceiling.  It has nasty carpet and a built in that housed mouse turds and old nasty sheets left behind by previous hoarder owner (it felt like they were anyways *shudder*).  All were removed and are resting at the Cardinal dump.  Yeehaw!

Then it sat...and sat... and sat some more.  But in the last month or so, we did some patching and sanding.  Yesterday I sanded some more, wiped down and cut in the primer.  Today Mom (she really is the best) help me roll the primer on. Ta dah!  And like that we were ready to paint!

You see what I'm working with....  This will be my closet as I don't have a closet in my room.  I picked up the paint for the walls, trim and floor today.  We'll tackle that soon.  The photos don't do the closet justice - you really had to see the funkiness that it was before.

Then I gave in and picked at the loose, flapping piece of wallpaper in my room.  Every effing room in this house - except the office - has at least 3 layers of the shit.  I can't stand it.  Anyhoo, it came off sooo easily - trust me, I take it for the gift it is - the rest of it is going to be a major pain in the wazoo.  I took off a wall - I stopped myself because I didn't have the stomach to continue for now.  Soon, my pretty...

Bask, my friends, bask in the fugliness of 80's country wallpaper. *gag* Jerry looks less than impressed and he's a cat. The top picture shows the vast improvement of the questionable white wallcovering over the blue poo.

I'm on a roll people - keep watching.

Until then, keep calm and drink wine on.

Happy Labour Day!

Hola amigos!

Happy Labour Day!  I started the celebrations off by sleeping in until 7... But at least the cats are enjoying the day off and are still in bed.

The kitchen ceiling is installed!  Mom and I rocked it for 5 hours on Saturday but it's done!

'kay - apologies for the sideways pics - they saved on my laptop the correct view ie. landscape and I don't know how to rotate them (if I even can) in the post. :-(

Anyhoo, you get the gist.  They are tongue and groove pine - super labour intensive but look great with the vintage of the house.  I just need to lightly sand the butt joints, put up finish trim and then paint the ceiling. Then we can get on with finishing this effing project.  I've given myself till Thanksgiving.

I don't know where the summer went but good lawd!  It feels like it passed by so quickly.

Aislinn starts school on the 3rd and is looking forward to seeing her friends again.   I'm good with the positive attitude.

My task for this upcoming week is to start the new job hunt in earnest - kinda looking forward to it and kinda not.  But the end goal is a full-time job (the label- I work full time hours) doing project and facilities management/project management with paid vacay and hopefully benefits and pension.

Mentally, in a better place and just taking it day by day.  We all get into dark places but it's the getting out that tests your mettle.

Some money minding tips I've put in place for myself (just finished reading Gail Vaz-Oxlade's Money Rules):
I borrow my mags I want to read from my local library - free and no clutter!
Same with books
Borrow bigger tools that I don't need all the time instead of buying
Do what repairs I can and renos (with 'rents help - God love 'em!) myself

That's it for now gang - have a great Monday off!

SHE LIVES!!!

Yep - I don't EVEN want to look at the date of my last post.

But the important thing is I'm here now merrily typing away.

Wow - where to start?

This will be a pic-free post - just sayin'.

I get so caught up in the slow reno progress of my house that I get embarrassed to update the blog.  Then I remind myself that this isn't a home reno blog - it's just an update of my life. :-)

So, in no particular order:

The kitchen ceiling - tongue and groove pine is going in slowllllllyyyyy but surely.  It looks kick-ass.
Not sure if I mentioned before that my work buddy Franco came and did his drywall compound magic on my walls - not once but 3 times folks and well, it's a thing of beauty.  A light sanding and priming and BOOM!  We're ready for paint.
I started the closet at the top of the stairs that will be mine - it's stalled at the moment. The nice weather came and honestly, I lost interest in renovating cause I wanted to enjoy the weather.
Girlfriend did a Roller Derby Crash Course - pretty sure I was in the upper age limits of all of us there and PASSED AND was invited to proceed to level 2 as well as join the league.  All very cool and flattering until I found out the huge time and money commitment - neither of which I have. Boo.
Passed my M2 test and am ready to go.

Aislinn, my beautiful girl, turned 8 at the beginning of the month and I just don't know where the f!@# time went.  She is smart, funny, sassy and makes me laugh.  Lots of attitude in that little body... She's growing up so fast that I'm so proud of her and yet, it's so damn poignant.

The love life or more aptly, lack-of-love life is a joke.  It can only improve right? Right?

I gotta confess - I've been in a shittay place for the last few months.  It's not every day - more during the times when Aislinn isn't with me but holy shit when the day is dark - it's dark.  Too many times lately the only thing that keeps me on this earthly plane is my little boo.  Hard typing this cause that's not how I roll.  I'm using to being strong and now that I'm feeling kinda vulnerable and fragile - dealing with the dark ain't easy.  This isn't a 'poor me, feel sorry for me' rant - just stating where I've been.

I've also kinda hermitted myself away and not seeing a lot of my friends in the city - that's going to change cause I miss my peeps.

Anyhoo, no need to worry as I will bounce back - always do.  Just being honest and typing about how things are.

I hope you're all enjoying this summer - I'm enjoying the hot weather cause gawd knows, we don't get much of it for long.

Until next time, keep calm and sangria on.

Besos