Dream Home

 

 

So my question today is - do you have a dream home?? something you dream owning?? OR are you already in your dream home?

All my adult life I have lived in a house that I owned - me and the bank that is.  But that's not to say I didn't still have a 'dream house'.  Actually I flipped between 2 dream homes......... 

The first dream home was a loft in Old Montreal. 

 

I had visited one once - and fell in love with all the brick walls - the beams - the high ceilings....... the living right in the center of town 

The other dream home was a farm house style home..... 

 an older home - with quirky detail.  I do love quirky!!  It has to have a big porch on the front...... and a HUGE kitchen .... and maybe? a secret door or two?  (When I was much younger there was an old farm house near us... abandoned and probably condemned - but we kids didn't care we loved to play inside.  That house had a secret door that opened to a secret staircase that led to the second floor)

But awhile back I decided owning was not for me anymore - I rented and loved the freedom...... no more fussing when something broke - call the landlord ... no more worrying about travelling ... just lock up and go...

So when I moved here to be closer to Sir Steve and my daughters..... I looked in the East End cause the homes/apartments were older and quirkier.  My apartment was very quirky and old.... it was a lower duplex with a HUGE farm style kitchen.  It even had a walk in pantry!  There was a small cupboard style door in one of the walls.... and when I opened it  -- an ironing board folded out!
Sir Steve's lower duplex was huge!  and old with large moldings around the rooms and doors.  AND we have the nice big porch/deck out the front.

BUT I still have my dream homes............ 

Do you have a dream home? what does it look like?

Early Morning Visitor

 

 

So - we have a sump pump cause the basement is always wet.

So - the city decided (when they were here checking something else) that the sump pump hadn't been put in with a permit and therefore wasn't allowed.  UGH! (note - we didn't put it in)

The plumber arrived at 7 am to remove the sump pump............. 7 AM!!!  I haven't had my second cup of coffee....... the lil one is just eating breakfast...... the dog went ballistic cause there were strangers in the house.  (and after today we won't have a sump pump and we still have a damp/leaky basement)

And sooooo Thursday begins........... 

Old Traditions

 

 

Does anyone else remember the Sears Wish Book?? It used to arrive in the mail around the beginning of November.  My girls would pour over it for hours and hours..... eldest daughter used to circle everything she wanted in preparation for her letter to Santa. 

Our lil one doesn't really watch any TV - and certainly not commercial TV (usually movies on the Disney Channel when we do watch TV with her) AND of course no Sear's Wish book!  This lack of exposure to the commercial side of Christmas has it's pro's and con's.  Writing a letter to Santa has been difficult to put it mildly.  She had NO idea what she wanted for Christmas!!  No idea what the newest "must have" toys were.  Remember the cabbage doll craze?? I do - we had a helluva time getting them for each of our girls!!  

You'd think that would make Christmas a whole lot less stressful.  You'd be wrong!  cause how do you buy a lil one the BEST present EVER! if you don't know what the BEST present EVER is for her??!!

Yesterday a catalogue arrived in the mail......... a CHRISTMAS TOY catalogue from Amazon!!  I was SO excited! you'd think I was the kid!!

and better than the  Sear's catalogue - this one comes with activity pages and stickers and a place to write your list!! 

 Here's to updated Christmas traditions.

What is Love.........

 

Out of the mouths of babes......
 
A group of professional people posed this question to a group of 4 to 8 year-olds, 'What does love mean?' 
 
 
'When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore...
So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too.
That's love.' Rebecca - age 8
 
'When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You just know that your name is safe in their mouth.' Billy - age 4
 
'Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other.' Karl - age 5
 
'Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs.' Chrissy - age 6
 
'Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him,
to make sure the taste is OK.' Danny - age 8
 
'Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and just listen.'
Bobby - age 7 
 
'If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate.' Nikka - age 6
 
'Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt,
then he wears it every day.' Noelle - age 7
 
'During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling.
He was the only one doing that.
I wasn't scared anymore.' Cindy - age 8
 
'My mommy loves me more than anybody.
You don't see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night.' Clare - age 6
 
'Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken.' Elaine - age 5
 
'Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford.' Chris - age 7
 
'Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day.' Mary Ann - age 4
 
'I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones.' Lauren - age 4
 
'When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you.'Karen - age 7 


'Love is when Mommy sees Daddy on the toilet and she doesn't think it's gross...' Mark - age 6
 
'You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot.
People forget.' Jessica - age 8
 
And the final one: The winner was a four year old child whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife.
Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman's yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there. When his mother asked what he had said to the neighbour, the little boy said, 'Nothing, I just helped him cry.
 
Go be a child again today!........

It's Over

 

 

Well my birthday celebrations are finally over ......... Saturday eldest daughter and SIL came down to celebrate.  We had piles of Chinese Food - and lots of laughter - and of course more Birthday Cake!!!

 

Eldest daughter remembered that once ages ago - I said I had pandora jewelry envy - youngest daughter has the pandora charm bracelet.  Lo and behold - eldest daughter and SIL gave me my very own pandora charm bracelet.  The charm she added is a heart with an infinity symbol and the words "love you mom" engraved on the side.

 

My son in law - knowing my addiction to Reese's pieces (without peanuts!) gave me a huge bag of them........ 

 

and a box of Milk Duds 

 

It was a wonderful end to a week of birthday celebrations