dream home

Well, I am making use of my fancy walking stick I bought last year, at least. My toe is still swollen and very tender. But I have found a sweet spot on my heel where I can put pressure without sending searing pain throughout my foot. It doesn't seem to be broken, but it doesn't really matter - pain is pain. All this means more time spent in cafes, sitting on comfy chairs by the window.... and I don't have a laptop.

Anyway, before all this happened, I took myself off on a house tour to see what I would get if I held the winning ticket for the Princess Margaret Sweepstakes. You can view the house, with a virtual tour and long detailed description of this 3.6 million dollar home that comes furnished by Lynda Reeves (a local designer and editor of House&Home magazine) by visiting helpconquercancer.ca. But, I had to experience the opulence for myself.

It is a large house, modelled on vacation homes in The Hamptons, specifically the one in Something's Gotta Give, which I haven't seen, so the references were lost on me. After seeing the model home in Oakville, I googled the one from the movie and noticed that the Long Island house was much, much brighter. And more casual and cozy.

Nothing is spared. It is a keyless entry (as someone who is always losing her keys, I love this feature - it reads your fingerprints). The kitchen floor is heated, there is an amazing picture window over the sink and tons of storage. Two dishwashers and an industrial 10 burner gas stove with a massive range hood. The stainless steel appliances and cabinets make it look a little less casual in my view, but I like the space.

(the steel cabinets are on the other side - to balance out the enormous stove)

There are lots of big windows where you can look out on your tiny bit of yard surrounding the house. And the neighbours in their small, single storey 1950 ranch style bungalows. I feel a little sorry for them, having to deal with hundreds of people wandering by to view the house for the past couple of months. And the fact that now they have this totally out of place large (but beautiful) house in their neighbourhood.

The most striking feature I noticed while walking through the living room with the cathedral ceiling and the upstairs corridor that overlooks the same living room was the incredible amount of wasted space. For a 6,500 sq ft home, the rooms were not oversized and there were only three bedrooms (and six washrooms!) but there was still an enormous amount of wasted space. Then again there was also an enormous amount of storage. OMG, the storage! It was everywhere!

I like these hinges, which were also predominent on every door.

There was even a dogwashing station in the wide mudroom.

And I want this freestanding bathtub.

Monday AMuse

from Germany

from Sussex

from LA

from Dallas

from Nottingham

Happy MOVEMBER everybody!

owey

I think I broke my toe. Stubbed it on a frozen pumpkin.

Well, if you saw a pile of leaves by the curb and you had to walk through them to get to the sidewalk, wouldn't you be tempted to kick your way through? Of course you would.

You just wouldn't expect a pumpkin to be sitting underneath the leaves, would you?

Monday Amuse

hallowe'en candy

In the news tonight was a segment about how some people are handing out healthy snacks for 'Hallowe'en candy'. Indeed, some people aren't even handing out candy, but have stocked up on stickers and little toys instead. As someone who used to be diasppointed with those little boxes of raisins (no matter how good they actually were, they were not candy or chocolate), I say piffle. One of the highlights of this Hallowe'en Season - I was actually wished a Happy Hallowe'en twice today - are those wonderful packages of little chocolate bars. Except that those mini Mars Bars are so mini now that I end up eating six times a many as I would have normally to get my fix.

A friend of mine was all flustered over her kids' costumes - one is going out as a ladybug, another as a gingerbread man. She could have bought the suits, but decided she could make them just as easily. Well, sorry, nothing is just as easy as buying a ready made suit. Anyway, I'm sure they will be cute. Her eldest son is going as a Mad Man, specifically, Don Draper. I don't think he actually knows who Don Draper is, except that his parents keep referencing him and he gets to wear his grey ring bearer's suit from a summer wedding he was a part of. It may be his last chance to wear it, so he has been granted his wish. He has a dark blue pillow case for his loot bag and she has written Crown Royal on it in elegant gold script.

We got to talking about the costumes of our childhood (mine in the 60s, hers in the early 80s). And the tears when the wonderful costume had to be covered up with a winter coat or rain jacket against the cold and damp.

Gone are the days of putting an old bedsheet over yourself and calling yourself a ghost. Or wearing your dad's old shirt and becoming a hobo. It turns out she does not remember those decorated plastic poncho like thingies that we wore, along with the plastic masks that made your face sweat.

Really, those ready made costumes have come a long way, baby.

I remember going as Zorro, at least once, but I believe I just had a mask and a towel wrapped over my shoulders and a silver foil covered umbrella to brandish about as a sword. Maybe I might have had something similar to this Lone Ranger costume, but I doubt it. Surely I had nothing this cheesy?
And just in case the hair wasn't enough (and yes, I did have Farrah Fawcett Hair) this dreadful depiction has a photo AND a name to let the candy giver know exactly who you were.

I don't get any trick or treaters at my door, but I do have a bowlful of candy. I even found one of those candy necklaces that were so much fun to wear to school and slowly destroy by eating piece by piece. But I won't be dressed up. Then again, will my penguin decorated flannel pajamas count? I understand it will be close to freezing on Sunday night. Hot chocolate and mini Mars bars. Yum.

Monday AMuse

I have been going to see a few plays in Stratford (Ontario) this past summer and have just about fallen in love with the place. It is a lovely town, on the Avon River.

Mostly it is known for the Shakespeare Theatre Festival it holds every summer which attracts many tourists and prominent actors.

It is also the birthplace of a certain teen sensation... who has written an autobiography that is worthy of a reading by a prominent Canadian actor
(as seen on a satirical television news show, This Hour Has 22 Minutes)

my eyes are resting

I am still kicking around, although you may not have seen much of my presence of late. Work has gotten a bit out of hand. It has zapped me of my wakefulness and energy. And my muse.

Being useful makes me feel good. I usually like being able to help people out. Then there is the asking of help with your deliveries while you are on holidays in Georgia, or North Carolina or wherever, and having the suggested 80 newspapers balloon into 145........ I am exhausted from helping you out.

I fell asleep on the couch with the tv on - again. Actually, the on/off button on the remote is still broken, so the tv is almost always on as I am too lazy to actually wander over to the set and find the little on/off button to turn it off (or unplug it). Anyway, just wondering.... can anybody out there explain the attraction of the Jersey Shore?

Anybody?

I didn't think so.

My eyes need more rest.

Monday AMuse

This has been around for awhile, but I just discovered it, so maybe it will also be new and amusing for some of you.

sitting one out

There was a brief moment of breath holding. We were both sitting at a patio. Someone I have not seen for many years - how long has it been anyway? 10 years at least, I'm sure. There is a reason we have not seen each other, yet it surprises me a little that we have never run each each other until now.
There was no sign of recognition. No flicker of of the eyes, or a quick turn of the head to follow my progress to the table in the sunny corner. Nothing to show that I was at all familiar. I was ignored and I ignored back.
I read my book, drank my coffee and listened to their conversation. It was not enlightening, nor even remotely interesting. I thought about how I would respond when I got up to leave. Would I be tempted to nudge the chair as I squeezed past? Would my bag accidentally hit a head? Would I stand in front of the table, directly in line of vision and dare to be noticed? Would I deign to speak?
But I realized there was no desire for contact. There was really nothing I wanted to say.
That feeling in the pit of my stomach never actually materialized.
And that felt good.

Except, how could I not be recognized???

Monday AMuse

Something to do when all the pumpkin pie is gone and the turkey, or tofurkey has been eaten


this is so cool

click here for link, then click on PLAY. take your hand of the mouse and sit back and enjoy.



Happy Thanksgiving to all who are celebrating today!