This will be my last post before the trip. Things around here could certainly be better....my son has strep throat, my daughter has a cough, and I've been in agony from a dental procedure that happened on Friday. I was in the dentist's chair for two hours; it took the specialist eight needles to freeze me and it was a nightmare. I have never known such unrelenting pain in my life; this rivals childbirth. I haven't eaten a real meal since Thursday - it hurts to talk, to walk, to breathe. Last night, didn't sleep a wink - the pain was like a red alarm in my mouth, not letting up for a second. If you aren't in pain, you have nothing to complain about, and we take it for granted - not being in pain. When I get through this, I think I'll be a changed person. 

Suffice it to say, the holiday spirit is somewhat lacking. It's only been in the last couple of hours where I can actually see the light at the end of the tunnel - I'm just starting to feel some relief.  When the pain was at its worst, I thought of the recent massacre in Connecticut, which I can't even talk about... I thought, "I can handle anything. Anything but that."
What kind of a world is this? How can there be a god? Lorenzo said it seemed wrong that our lives just go on in the face of such horror, but they do. Life is cruel and unfair.

*     *     *     *

Anyway...

I have this thing about the house being spotlessly clean before we go anywhere, and I was so grateful to my lovely daughter who cleaned out the fridge and pantry cupboard for me; it was one of the jobs I really wanted done before we left. My sons have been great too - even the sick one. Lorenzo has the energy of three men, thank goodness, so I've been leaning on him a lot. I feel so useless - today I got groceries, returned library materials, filled up the truck, and when I came home I had to lie down. I am keeping my fingers crossed that I'll have some energy tomorrow - I still have some errands to run, and I want to wash all the hardwood floors before we leave. And I have to pick up bunny pellets... oh these animals - I feel so guilty leaving them behind.

Well, this is it. Tomorrow we pack, and we'll crank the Holiday Jazz and have a stiff rum & eggnog  - I could use one.

I wish you all a very Merry Christmas - I'll see you again in the New Year.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The cottage is on hold until further notice.
With our trip just around the corner, there is too much to do around here...

It's really great when your kids tell you at the eleventh hour that their shorts are too small. Try finding shorts in December. Then my daughter needed flip-flops and luckily we were able to locate a pair at the mall. I'm mostly worried about my animals, even though my immensely capable cousin has graciously offered to take them on. I wonder if Sachie will think we've abandoned her. And will Marcello protest his new housing arrangement by biting everyone with his scary bunny teeth? He has been known to dislodge Christmas tree ornaments - last year he stretched out under the tree every day. I think it reminded him of being in the forest before he was "rescued" by the shelter people. He's probably still choked about it.

I'm actually not worried about him - he's a rabbit. But dogs are different... This is why pets are a real pain in the butt. You care about them so much that you end up never going anywhere. Just for twelve days away, I have to pack: hay, rabbit pellets, greens (parsley, cilantro, etc) dog food, dog snacks, food bowl, leash & collar, rabbit cage, bunny litter box, sticky roller, Eureka hand-held vacuum for all the pet hair.... It's ridiculous. At least (gulp) they'll have each other...(sniff)

I've been so enjoying our little wooden Christmas "tree" that I've been thinking that our days of buying expensive live trees may be over. There is something wrong about chopping down thousands of trees only to toss them out with the trash after a few weeks. The argument that they're cultivated for this purpose doesn't make it any less wrong to me; trees have souls. And plastic trees are an environmental disaster - don't even get me started.

Therefore, in the spirit of eco-friendliness, here are some festive ideas that do not require the destruction of any living thing and they're made from recycled/found materials:

These are made by a company called "Impossibilitree." The six-foot model gets suspended from your ceiling (which is a little weird) and costs a whopping $425.

This iron & wire Christmas tree is from Crate & Barrel, but I don't think they offer it anymore. In any case, I think it's cute, and if you have a bunch of wire coat-hangers you don't need, maybe you could fashion your own. There's a project for the kids! Fun for the whole family...

These are laser-cut wooden trees that are becoming more popular, but I think they look too much like those cheap balsa-wood planes my brother used to play with...

What a great idea! Stack a bunch of books into a tree-shape and wrap some lights around it. Very cool, and you can show off what an avid reader you are...

How about collecting some sticks and logs and making a table-top tree? The good thing is, when you get sick of it you can toss it in the fireplace and roast marshmallows over it...

This contraption is made from recycled aluminium. Looks like you could use it as a race-car track for the kids...

I think this is my favourite one of all. It looks so organic and humble. I'm going to make one of these - I just have to gather up driftwood when we're on Mayne Island, drill a few holes, and there you go. Who knew that driftwood could have so many uses?

There's something really nice about using things in nature that don't have to be destroyed. If you really need the piney scent in your house, gather up some cedar boughs and place them around the house.


*     *     *     *

I've been thinking about how challenging this time of year is for so many people. I find Christmas to be the most difficult season, and I often feel vaguely depressed which in turn makes me feel guilty because I have no reason to be. Maybe it's the fact that it's pitch dark outside by 5pm, it's raining everyday, the kids no longer play with toys or believe in Santa Claus...and then you hear the appeals for the food bank, the Coats for Kids drives, the stories about families struggling to live in grinding poverty...I don't know how people manage these days on their salaries - I really don't. Children are expensive - clothes, shoes, jackets, hair cuts, field trips, etc. Our grocery bill alone is about $1500 a month. You wouldn't believe how much teenagers can eat. So how do people come up with the money for presents, a tree, a turkey, and all the trimmings? It must be so hard.

Lorenzo mentioned giving some money to the downtown east-side this year, and I said I'd rather make a donation to the Empty Stocking Fund or some other bureau which can benefit families. I'm so sick of the drug addicted east-side sucking up a million dollars a day in tax-payer's money while occupying one of the best parts of this city. No one can afford to live downtown, but there they are. A million dollars every single day while children are going to school hungry, without coats, and without any sort of Christmas to look forward to. People who are working hard but unable to make ends meet deserve support; the rest can bite me. Call me hard-hearted but I'm sick of drug addicts and all the resources they require in order to continue being drug addicts. Do I sound like Ebenezer?

I was on the phone with a friend of mine who said she'd like to slip into a coma and wake up to find that Christmas is over. We had a good laugh, but what's so sad about this is that it doesn't have to be this way. If we could just decorate our houses, bake some cookies, and cook a nice meal, it wouldn't be stressful at all. It's the shopping, the buying, the pressure of racking up credit cards, family conflicts - this is what saps the joy out of it for many people.

Mostly for me, though, is the pain of knowing that I'll never get to re-live the years when our kids were little. Those were the best Christmasses. We have our daughter on video telling us how she heard reindeer on the roof - and she knew it was Rudolph! It's absolutely priceless. And one year, Lorenzo agreed to be Santa Claus at the annual school pancake breakfast. I was playing Christmas carols on the piano... It seems like yesterday.

Ho Ho HO!

                                             Lorenzo Claus

Another rainy November day!

No matter, we're leaving for sunny Mexico in exactly 14 days. Yay!

Last night Lorenzo and I sat in his car parked on Hastings St. and talked for an hour. This is what it's come to if we want to have an uninterrupted conversation. The kids are driving us nuts. So we've decided that the only way to cope with three teenagers on this vacation is to keep ourselves in a constant state of mild inebriation...

Anyway, I have to share this...my 18 year-old niece was singing at a club in Vancouver this evening. As luck would have it, tonight was also the high school Christmas concert in which our younger son was scheduled to play drums in the band. He came home sick and was laid out on the couch. Lorenzo really wanted to see our niece sing, so he suggested (with barely contained eagerness) that perhaps he was too sick to perform; he offered to call the band teacher and explain. (I know this makes us sound like awful parents, but what the hell - we're music lovers.)

My son, with a cloth on his head and his eyes closed, groaned - "No Dad...I can't let them down. They're counting me." Because what would a Christmas concert be without our son alternating between the timpani and the cow bell on "It's a Marshmallow World" ?

Luckily, he is enough of a musician to know that one of us needed to see his cousin sing. He's very proud of her. So my brother and I headed down to the Railway Club to see his lovely daughter perform.

She's not even old enough to be playing in clubs yet, but she's already a remarkably talented young woman. She sang very well tonight, but I wasn't able to record anything. Here is a link from when she was in high school. So proud of my pretty little Madeline....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMpW_QduN9I

Today's blog:  Holiday Decorating on a Dime!


It's nearly December, and around this time we usually begin decorating the house for Christmas.

Because we are going away this year, I wasn't sure if I'd bother. But tonight my daughter and I suddenly felt the urge to pull out the seasonal glitter, and we realized that you don't need a tree to make your house feel happy and festive. Sometimes less is more.

Here is my holiday table-scape. This is a little wooden "tree" that I bought at The Bay last year for about $15. I planned on bringing it to the cottage, but tonight I pulled it out of storage and dressed it up a bit....

Two strings of lights and a wicker star on top and voila...I think this makes a pretty acceptable holiday tree. Here we have a sofa table from Craigslist, a lantern from Homesense, a wooden tree found at a Boxing Day sale and a couple of candles. It's all you need, and it didn't cost very much. Decorating should never be costly - use what you have, look for bargains...




Usually I decorate the fireplace mantle with fresh trimmings or holly borrowed from my neighbour's tree, but this year I just arranged some Christmas bulbs with candles in between. The big glass bulbs are actually light fixtures. I found them at a yard sale - I thought they were so cute, and I have a weakness for amber-coloured glass; it is the warmest colour...

A dime-store tea light placed in front of a tree decoration that has a little mirror in it makes a sparkly show piece...

So, candle holders from the dime store, inexpensive Christmas bulbs, and tea-lights from Ikea. (no one makes better tea-lights than Ikea). Just place shiny glass things together of a similar colour, add some candles, and you can make a very merry mantle...

Here's another idea that is practically free. Find some interesting twigs and branches. I collected mine from our property on Mayne Island...

Throw them in a vase, and hang a few decorations on them. Place some bulbs around the base...

I love these branches. Sometimes it's the really simple things that bring us the most pleasure...

...like Marcello the Bunny getting very curious and feisty. He loves it when there's a commotion going on. He was rummaging through the decorations, diving and leaping...he's hilarious.

What could be cuter than this face?

Moving on: I love lanterns, and the prices vary considerably. This one from Pottery Barn retails for $90.20.

This one from Restoration Hardware costs $159.

Both of these stores are absolute rip-offs, in my opinion. Everything they sell is made in China just like everywhere else. I bought my lantern at Homesense for $24.99 and I think it's just as nice. There was such a huge assortment that it was hard to make a choice. Tonight I filled mine with Christmas balls, but you could fill it with anything - pine cones, sea shells, rocks, candy...
(or a candle, obviously)

So there you go. A cozy, decorated living room for under $100. Put on some snappy jazz, pour a glass of wine, and enjoy...

*     *     *     *

The cottage will remain empty for awhile as we have weekend plans, but we're aiming to have all the trim painted before we leave for Mexico. I would have gone this week, but I was dealing with dental appointments. It was kind of depressing, but I was reassured by my dentist that my teeth & gums are healthy; I lost the tooth because the root canal failed. It happens, and you have to be philosophical about it, I guess. At least I'm not losing a limb or an organ, touch wood...

I came across another exceptional artist. Her name is Linda Heslop and she lives on Vancouver Island. Her art makes my stomach leap...I wish I could afford this one, but it's not in the budget right now. It's $495. for a limited print, and then you have to factor in the cost of framing.

I will scrimp on everything, except lighting and art. And sheets. Do not buy art because you need to fill a space on a wall, or because it matches the furniture. Take your time and search on-line. Wait a few months to see if it still moves you; if it still gives you a chill down your spine, buy it.

It's worth it, it will give you years of joy, and it's a good investment if you choose carefully.

                       Calm Before the Mist - Linda Heslop

On Friday night, Lorenzo brought the hardwood flooring over in a rented Budget truck. I knew the painting had been finished, but I was on edge waiting for his call. I was half expecting him to walk in and be completely disappointed. Much to my relief, he was extremely happy with the results, and he says the pictures don't do the colour justice. He says it looks fantastic. There's a few little spots here and there to touch-up but it's finally done! And it only took three painters...

You might notice that the paint colour doesn't go all the way to the top of the wall; this is because a moulding will be going across.

Here's a little trip down memory lane - I've tried to find pictures taken from a similar angle to give a sense of what's been accomplished...

Original gloomy cottage...

Demolition - bathroom ripped out, new windows installed...

New wiring, plumbing, insulation...

Pine panelling installed...

Priming...

Painted, ready for trim work and flooring! I love our new wood stove. It reminds me of Snoopy...

Here's a few other shots:

Original spooky stairwell. This is after Lorenzo replaced the bubbly amber-coloured glass with a new window and trimmed it out in the arts & crafts style that we prefer...

Prime job that took 30 hours...

All painted...


This is one area where Lorenzo didn't replace the wood; this is the original panelling. It's a bit rough here and there, but it adds character. I can't get over the difference paint can make. The stairwell before compared to now, is incredible to me. The original light fixture will be replaced. I have bought quite a few fixtures from Lighting Direct on-line, and the amount of money you can save is incredible. Here is an onion lamp by Norwell which retails for $329...

This one is made by Kenroy, and retails for $142...

Then there's this one by Transglobe which costs $112....not much difference, is there?

Or, I could go to Rona and get this one for $54.99...

If you're willing to snoop around on-line, you can find what you're looking for, or something close enough, and save a ton of money.




Here is looking toward the bathroom door from the hallway:

We borrowed the closet from the boy's room, and half of our daughter's room to put in a family bathroom...

New panelling installed...

Doorway is trimmed out...

All painted a lovely buttery cream colour. (Man on the Moon - Benjamin Moore)

This light fixture was supposed to be for the outside; Lorenzo made a mistake. This is the fixture I bought for the hallway...I found this onion lamp at Norburn Lighting in their clearance section. Forty bucks! It has seeded glass, which I really like.

In any case, he prefers the one he installed and maybe he's right. It looks pretty cute...

Here is one of my favourite spots in the cottage, before and after...

I am so pleased with the colour - it's a true butter cream without any hint of lemon. Lorenzo says the cottage feels so clean and airy now...



Here is a picture of the west wall...

Front door, before and after...

All in all, we are very relieved that our painting migraine is over. Lorenzo organized a little painting area for me on the kitchen table. I have to paint all the trim pieces, but I can't go over this week because I have a bunch of stuff to do, and we have a Christmas party to attend on Saturday. So this week is off. Anyway, once the trim is in, the floors will be ready to be installed. And then we move in - I can't wait. The new goal is spring break....

I can't believe how much work Lorenzo has done. Everything you see, he has done with his two hands. All of it! I'm so proud of him.

Until next time!