Wow - that's all I have to say

By the end of the week you will be amazed at the changes to the outside of the house.. And then next week I think the siding will start to go on. The framers are just loving this job because it isn't just a regular house - with all the timbers frame work in the front it is giving them something interesting to work on.

This area on this side of the house is quite big - everyone keeps asking Tim what he is going to do with it. Hummm - plant some trees for sure but other than that we don't know yet.

I loved these close up pictures so I thought I would put them up tonite. I have to make them smaller to put on the blog but if you click on them I think they will come up a little bigger. Tim is beside himself over the big timbers going up on the front and back. I will post those pictures by the end of the week.

I also realized I haven't taked a really good picture of the whole roof done yet. I like it so much. Not all the windows are in yet because there was a bit of problem with some of them so they are waiting for new ones to come.

The front looks so awesome with the beginning of the porch and beams going on.. Not so flat across the front.

Will definitely take a picture of the whole roof done tomorrow..

This side of the house as I have mentioned before is the kitchen window. It is 4 feet high by 8 feet long. That is quite the window. My sink will be right in the middle of it.

I am used to having a window the size of the kitchen sink. This is going to fun.

Restful day at home

Today was a much needed restful day spent at the cottage. I am feeling just a little overwhelmed with all the house decisions etc. It was nice to just have a quiet day at home before the week starts all over again.

Tomorrow morning I have to be at the vet's for 8:30 am - I have been trying to catch a urine sample from that silly dog of mine all week - ya right - good luck. lol. She seems to be feeling just fine these days but they have to make sure her infection is all cleared up and they are still looking at the addison's disease. I don't understand it all - but I guess her test signs are not looking like they want them too so they are going to check her electrolytes again tomorrow also.

Thought I would share some inside pictures of the upstairs today. This is a picture of our bedroom - it's a lot bigger than it looks. The bathroom is on the right and the walkin closet on the left. This window overlooks our barbeque area and trees on the right hand side of the house. The sun sets on the other side so it should stay fairly cool.. But then we are going to have a heat pump which also gives us airconditioning.


You will all be wanting to come and visit us when it gets too hot.


This second picture is taken in the ensuite - you are looking at the area that the claw tub is going in. I can hardly wait to have my first bath with some of Julie's smelly stuff in it.








This picture is taken just outside our bedroom look at what will be the top of the stairs. To your right will be a 5 foot wall at the top of the stairs and the open area is on the other side of that wall.

Looking down.. more pics

There you go - now you can see from top of the stairs down into the entrance way. The last picture is taken looking the other direction into the open area and on the right is the door to the upstairs bathroom - for the guests.... yes, that would be those of you remember that

IT'S ONLY A FERRY TRIP AWAY

It was a long week...

Hello everyone. Well thank goodness this past week has come and gone. I am so not enjoying this part of building a house and can't wait till it's finished.

One positive thing today was - I met the builder at the house around noon and showed him the countertop I had chosen - 'HE LIKED IT' .. yahoo. Right about now you are all saying to yourself - 'who care what the builder thinks - it's Sherry & Tim's house'. Well, yes it is our house but right from the beginning we told the builder we wanted and needed his help when it comes to these decisions because he knows way more about Arts & Crafts Bungalow's than we do.

He has been very good - he is very careful to acknowledge it's our house and at the same time give us direction when we ask or need it.. and we do need it. It is nice to have a builder who not only builds one at a time but also takes pride in doing it right. I think it is as important to him as it is to us. Sometimes he lets his excitement show thru about the house - Tim and I get a little smile when we see that.

He showed me some tile for the floor today that I liked very much and I knew Tim would love so he is going to go on a hunt this weekend for some other choices for floors and the fireplace etc. Tim and I met at a lighting place in town this afternoon and spent 2 hours looking at lighting and picked out all different stuff than we did on Saturday in Nanaimo. We liked the help we got today much better and the direction she pointed us in was very helpful and will be much closer to the budget - which is good. This stuff takes HOURS & HOURS & HOURS.

NEW BARBEQUE

An Open Dinner Invitation

Tim and I bought this baby awhile back.. Oh my - our friends Chris and Rick in Kelowna have always had this amazing barbeque that cooks like a dream. I never thought we would get one like that - but here it is. So anytime you want to come for dinner - give us a call.

This program makes me crazy sometimes. It won't let me add my 3rd picture of the barbeque on tonite.

I could kick the computer sometimes because of this stupid blogger program.. I have no idea why it won't upload the 3rd pic.. but it won't. So, I guess I will call it a nite and see you all back here tomorrow.

Plumbing.. visitors you now have a shower

Well, today was a better day. I can't believe it - I left the cottage at 8:15 to meet Tim and the builder at the house. We went over the whole house and discussed electrical. Where the plugs, cable and telephone outlets should go - and talked about lighting (outside and in). That took quite awhile but it was a good meeting. I then started the process of returning all the tile samples I had picked up from 3 different places.

Chilled out for lunch and a coffee for an hour and then starting looking at countertops. For those of you who don't know - I bought this hammered metal tray to go up above the range on the outside of the wood hood fan surround.

Hey - Tim and I are going to get to shower too.. but not to worry we will have walls around the shower and water. haha that's for Katie and Chris. They are in the midst of a water crisis in their basement suite. Kate turned on the water the other day and nothing came out. To make a long story short I guess there is some problem with the meter or something and guess what - The city of Abbotsford in on 'STRIKE'. Yep.. that's right. If you want to read all about it - check out the Lamourstewski Blog http://thelamoureuxs.blogspot.com/

Back to my day. I am positive I made one decision - I found the perfect countertop to go with my metal tray and maybe even the tile for the kitchen backsplash and island. I am feeling a little optimistic.

All of that took from 8:15 this am to 4:30 this afternoon. No time for the gym - boo hoo.

I guess I better get to those dishes I haven't done yet. I'm looking forward to tomorrow. I am going to Qualicum to meet Lil Kate's mom Dawn. We are going to do a little window shopping and have some lunch.. It will be such a nice break.

Decisions, decisions, decisions...

I am getting so tired of looking at tile.. I think I'm loosing it. I have a car load full of them. I eat, sleep, think all day 'TILES'. Tomorrow morning Tim and I have to meet the builder at the house to talk electrical. The electrician was supposed to meet us too - but Tim had to postpone it for one day because he was up in Port McNeil. He left on Monday morning and stayed over last nite and arrived sometime this evening while I was out hiking.

I signed up for these hiking sessions once a week. They are only for about 1 1/2 long but it is better than nothing and I haven't hiked in months so I think my hiking muscles have lost a little of their get up and go. I am a little stiff tonite.

This picture is starting to show the garage roof line comin on.. I just love.. It's one thing to see it on the plans and a whole other thing to see it coming to life.

When the floor was the only thing framed the house looked like is was going to be very small. But it just keeps getting bigger and bigger looking. The opening in the garage there looks like a door but it really is a window - they just haven't framed it in yet.

Wow - do you love this or what. The one neighbour we have looks across our two yards at this view. That is the kitchen window in the middle on the bottom with it's own roof. The window to the front bottom is in the entrance way.

Upstairs - far left is main bathroom - centre is open area (library area or something) far right is above the stairs going up to the second floor.

You can also see the two little windows in the breezeway between the back hall/entrance and the garage. Tim and I are waiting and waiting to see the porches and the roofs over the portches built on.. That is when it will really start to get exciting. I was very happy with the colour of the roof. I have been trying to put another picture up but the website is not cooperating with me tonite. The roof is a nice brown colour with some speckle in it..

Tile, Carpet, Lighting, countertops..... help a girl out

Last week was so crazy. I spent everyday out looking at carpet and tiles etc. Thought I had made some decisions and when I showed the main tile for the downstairs areas (that will be tiled) to the builder - well, he very nicely told me why he didn't think I would be happy with that particular product. But you know, when he said that I was kind of relieved because I had asked myself that morning when I stood back and looked at samples of my choices which were very nice - 'would I feel homey living with that look' - it's not a question of did I think it looked great - because I think the house in Murrayville looked awesome - but it just never felt like a favourite old blanket to me. Guess what my answer was - nope... so the builder saying what he did let me off the hook....

Back to the drawing board. I hate this stuff - really I do.. How can a person really be so bad at this. I have no idea what I am doing and I am so afraid that it won't look good or more importantly that I won't get the warm and cozy "I Love It Feeling" when all is said and done. As nice and lovely as our house in Langley was - it never really felt like me. So the big question is how and what is me? That is the question of the week.

In this picture you can see that the trim boards are starting to go up. There is actually two boards - one wider one on the bottom of the two and a thinner one on top.

Love that roof.. people around town are starting now to drive by and take a look. I have run into and talked to quite a few people who have seen it and stopped to take a look.

Wait till the big timber and the front porch go up..

The timbers arrived Friday - Tim was leaning
over smelling the wood - he has been waiting and waiting for them to arrive. They are a special order and the are huge timbers. Oh - I can't wait to see them up. This second picture is showing more of the roof up on the garage so now the two roofs are a mirror image of each other. It really is something to see. The plans were great but when you see it in real life it's quite stunning.

It keeps getting bigger and bigger...

The day I took these pics was the day I really started to get excited. I hadn't been to the house for a number of days - so when I drove up and saw that second floor and the roof line.. Wow - I was so impressed.

I absolutely love the roof line and it is just getting better and better looking as the work continues. It really is starting to look like a house now.

This is the front - they haven't put the porch on yet and actually they still haven't put in on.. I can hardly wait.. The builder has ordered special huge timbers to hold up the roof over the porch.

The open cavity on the second floor is actually part of the front spare bedroom. This is the room that will have Kate's 3/4 bed in it. The back bedroom will have our spare queen bed.

Moving around to the back - we have another open bedroom on the second floor. No porch with roof off the back yet either.

As you can see the back door with two windows on either side. Very arts & crafts. The doors are going to be solid wood doors in the style of the era.

The big hole is actually going to be a window in the den but I think they are leaving it like that so they can get in the house with materials easily right now.
Now move to the right and you see the garage starting to take shape.

The room above the garage is going to have all those angles in it that the older home used to have in bedrooms. That is where we have decided to put the computer, my tv, craft area etc.

The roof on the garage is going to look exactly like the one on the house. They just haven't gotten that far yet.

It's so awesome. We love it.. It is quite different inside from todays homes. The floor plan is something I think some people will like and others won't. It is very much the way things were done in that time.. The house was supposed to have a kitchen eating nook in it.. They were big back then but we chose to put a walk-in pantry instead and have an island that has stools around it - which of course they didn't do back then.

Playing catchup... sorry I had company

Well, we had a great week with Chris and Kate. They were able to spend some time away on their own for a few nites, then back with us for a few and their last nite they stayed up Mount Washington at the Lodge. On Sunday afternoon they came back to the cottage and packed and visited with us and then headed for the ferry. The weather could have been nicer which was kind of a shame but I think they enjoyed themselves anyway.

Okay for some house updates... I promise that this week I will bring you all up-to-date with pics and everything.

I hate to even admit how far things have progressed from these pics - This pic is taken from across the street.



This is taken from the livingroom looking into the entrance.

On the left is the front door with windows on both sides.

The closet is right there with the window on the right side of it.


This last picture is me standing in the dining room/eating area and looking into the kithen.

We are going to have an island with 4 stools around it and then right outside the kitchen is the diningroom - but I like to call in an extension of the kitchen.. I am not into the formal thing at all.

I love that big, and it is big window in the kitchen.

Catch up - part 2

This picture is taken looking down the beginnings of the back hallway. This hallway leads to the back entranceway. Off of this hallway is the bathroom, laundry room, and the 'Coat Room'. Yes, we don't have a coat closet like most people - we actually have a COAT ROOM. I guess that is what they had in those days - so it will be interesting to see how this looks when all is said and done.

Also off of the back entrance is a doorway leading into the breezeway which leads to the garage and upstairs to the room above the garage.

This next picture is taken from inside the kitchen looking thru the dining area to what will be wooden French Doors that will lead outside to our barbeque/patio area. We will have lots of potted plants, a water feature and of course the rest of the yard.

Can't wait to start that part - I want to become more of a gardener.

This last picture I am standing inside Tim's den looking across - thru the dining area and out the front livingroom window.

Wait till you see the next installment. .....

Today was just one of those days..

Tim called early this morning to give me some bad news. One of the men he worked with at Imperial Paving had his hand severed off (6" above the wrist) yesterday. He was working at the plant that TJ is working at right now and his hand was caught in the silo door as it slammed shut. We are all just sick about the news and our prayers go out to the whole family at this time.

There was another accident with a pedestrian and a work pickup truck yesterday also. Another bit of sad news came on Monday - Tim will be going to the mainland on Friday to attend a funeral. A man Tim worked with at Imperial for many years - his wife passed away on the weekend. Tim phoned their place just two weeks ago and spoke to both the husband and his wife as he had been told that she was not well. Our hearts are heavy tonite as we try to take in all this sad news. Tim worked with these people a long time and in so many ways they are like family to him.

I will move on to a bit more chipper stuff now - Kate and Chris got back today - they were rained on pretty hard all last nite but stayed dry in their tent with a tarp. They are going to have some day trips for the rest of the week.

We fed the horses some apples again today.. They are starting to remember there is good food here and are coming to look for it everyday.

Tomorrow my friend Laurel is coming to dinner with all of us. A time for her to start to meet the gang.

We had lots of rain during the nite and this morning but it seems to be gone now. I think it will be somewhat sunny tomorrow. I'm kind of tired so will sign off now and get back at you tomorrow.

I will bring you right up to date on the house in the next day or two. You will be very shocked.

A year later ... and vacationing on the Island

Chris and Kate got away yesterday mid day for Tofino and camping . Their actual anniversary date was yesterday so I took a couple of pictures of them in the front yard just before they left.

The weather isn't great - but then Kate doesn't like it if it's really really hot so hopefully they won't get rained on too much.

They will be back on Wednesday for the rest of the week. It will be nice to see a bit more of them.

I had to go pick out roofing color today.. Oh my, the house is amazing. I am a little behind in putting pics up of the house but they will come soon enough. There is more to life and I want to share all of it.

Our landlords are so awesome. I think Tim and I will definitely miss having them so close and also this living in the country really grows on you.

I talked to the Vet today about Jessie's last tests. Good News. Her results looked not to bad at all - so for now she hasn't developed that kidney issue.. so glad.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY CHRIS & KATIE

"AN OFFICIAL ENGAGEMENT PICTURE "

One year today we celebrated Chris & Kate's wedding.. What an awesome day that was. Chris & Katie arrived yesterday for a weeks holiday. Today they are driving to Tofino to camp for 3 days and then they will be back to stay with us for the rest of week and will be doing some day trips.

I thought I would take this opportunity to go back a year ago and remember the day.

Looking over all the pictures has been fun. The kids have a great first year. They seem to have made it thru the first year without some of difficult bumps in the road that some couples can have.

TJ said once this year that he has never seen his sister happier than she has been this last year. We love Chris so much and are so blessed to have him in our family.

He in constantly amazing me - when he does all the little things he does to show Kate how much he loves her. What a good husband he has been. Keep up the good work bud.

MORE PICTURE MEMORIES....

More than a hole in the ground...

Well, I guess it's time to start giving some previews of the new house. Things have produced much farther that what you will see tonite.. But I do have to keep you guessing a little. I will give some different views to try to give you a feel for the place. I love the trees in the background.

The first picture is taken looking straight at the house from across the street. You can see the treed yard we have on the right and back of the house.

The next one is taken from the road and from the left side. That is the front door with two small windows up high on either side and then the front window. Of course the covered porch goes right across the whole front. It is a couple inches shy of 8 feet deep. I am really looking forward to sitting out there in the evenings and watching deer - (eat my shrubs). hahaha

This third picture is taken from the front right side. The two small windows at the front of the house are on either side of the fireplace. The big gap in the wall is where the french doors from eating area go out to our patio and barbeque and garden.. deer proofed is the plan.

This last picture is taken from farther up the road.. Good view of our treed yard and the small group of trees and old stump we kept to one side of the house.

I got a call from the Vet today.. pooor Jessie. Where do I start. Well she is already on medicine for ear infection. She has a urinary tract infection (a nasty one). Her addisions disease is not as controlled as it could be - her electrolytes a little out of wack.. And to top it all off, they found protien in her urine. Wheaten Terriers can come down with this muscle wasting illness.. It has to do with the kidneys I believe. They think she may have that which means it can be managed for a few years but I think that is all. Not sure though. So, I have to get more medicine for the urinary tract infection tomorrow and give her more of her addisons medicine and have those levels checked again in a few weeks. And wait till they get the test results back on the other thing.. They said something about another change in diet.

Will keep you posted. She is feeling much better today and eating so this is a good thing.

Tim's TV room - hahaha

Yes - I call the living area of the Cottage - "Tim's TV Room" because I think the TV is the major focal point.

I am looking forward to having some fires in the fall in the wood stove. Mom Rosie - check out what is sitting on top of wood stove.. The copper teapot and coffee pot I brought back from Belguim - many many many moons ago.. Like when I was 17 years old.

As usual - it's evening and I am sitting in the den at the computer while Tim flicks. A guy has got to flick "I guess" :-)

We just got blinds put up on the windows today - wide, white wood blinds.. They look so nice and it will be so great not to feel like we are in a fish bowl at nite when it gets dark.

Kate and Chris - you have a blind on your room now too and I won't have to put cardboard up across our bedroom window tonite. I have been doing that to keep the bright light out in the morning as it wakes me at the crack of dawn... And seriously, I don't like seeing the wee hours of the morning.

Hallway and we are done....

This wall is the far side of eating area and on the other side of this wall is our bedroom.

This picture is taken a little down that same wall - you can see the door to our bedroom on the right and the door to the bathroom on the left.










The sign above the chair is new.. I just love it..

KEEP IT SIMPLE - is what it says. Trying to remember that these days.

I had to take Jessie (my dog) to the vet today. She hadn't eaten or drank any water for about 3 days and was getting very listless. The did some tests and gave her some fluids. She was feeling much better when she got home and actually ate and drank. So I guess I will find out tomorrow what is going on with her. She has addison's disease which is what they think the problem is.. hopefully just a change in meds. I am keeping my fingers crossed that I don't get any bad news.

SHE'S MY GIRL!!

I have been doing much better than I thought I would since I moved - but while Jessie was at the vets today - I got a little concerned if something were to happen to her right now it would be pretty hard to handle.

BROCKOLI STEW REUNION- The First Annual

First a little history ..............

TJ (Stewie) and Aaron Brocklehurst (Brock) played Junior A hockey together in Port Alberni 4 years ago during their Grade 12 year of highschool.
They also lived in the same billet home and used to say they were brothers. :-)

During that time Tim and I would take the ferry every weekend to Nanaimo on Friday or Saturday and head straight to the Brocks family home. Dez and Karen- Tim and I would drive to Port Alberni, watch the boys play, take them out for food after the game and then head back to Nanaimo where Tim and I would spend the nite. The Brocks were the most gracious hosts to us every weekend for months.

It has been 3 years since the boys saw each other - although they do talk to one another on msn to keep in touch. Brock has been at St Cloud State University in Minnesota for the past two years, so between the boys summer schedules with work and training etc. and of course that water between them - it had been awhile.

With Tim and I living on this side of the water now it was planned to make sure those two boys got a chance to see each other this summer... AND SO IT BEGINS

"BROCKOLI STEWY REUNION"

Chelsey's awesome art work.. yes, she whipped up this poster in no time. Look at those bulldogs on those jerseys.. Everyone just loved the poster - it was a huge hit .. Thanks Chels..

It was so great to see the excitement of seeing each other again. They are so much more grown up now but still characters and of course love being the center of attention.

I think us parents had a smile on our faces from the beginning to end of the nite. We had been looking forward to this nite for months.

Both boys had their girlfriends with them so a game of Bocci Ball was on.
Looked like they were having fun......

The fun continues...

GAME ON ....

TJ and Chelsey on the left with Brock and Randy on right.

TJ decided part way thru the nite that he had a tshirt very similar to Brocks - they always had very similar likes in clothes so we had a huge laugh over this. They are quite the pair those two.

So many memories and laughs between our families. Good times of catching up and just enjoying each other company.

Great food and great friends. This was the first of what we hope to be many more

"BROCKOLI STEW REUNIONS"