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Showing posts from June, 2010

Coming To Visit?

Kate's mum (really, that's how she spells it) is on her way from Australia for a visit. Problem is, she landed in Vancouver five days ago where she met up with MY mom and is having a marvelous time, touring Vancouver Island. The two of them (three, actually - our thirteen-year-old niece is along with Nonna for the ride) are staying Bed and Breakfasts, visiting Saltspring Island, shopping, sightseeing and meeting all my relatives. Kate and I are both happy that our mothers are getting along, but ... doesn't Nancy miss and want to see US ?????

The Pitter Patter of ...

We've decided to take in a stray. The lovely Autumn, a friend of Banana's, is coming to live with us. She and Banana have been pals for the past few years and have great plans of eventually exploring the big, bad world together. Circumstances have arisen that have lead to smaller steps towards their eventual independence. Autumn's parents (dad and step-mom) had been making plans to live and work around the world as soon as Autumn finished school. Autumn's dad (being a Sommelier ) has landed a job in the wine-making region of BC, starting pretty much now. His wife (as is custom) is tagging along for the season, and they both have plans to scoot to more interesting parts of the world (namely China) when the weather in the Okanagan cools down. Autumn wasn't ready to pack up and leave Calgary just yet, with a bosom buddy and a boyfriend in town. When word of her wanting to stay first emerged last fall, we offered up some space in our house. As the time got c

Projects

Although we bought this house with the intention of not doing any renovation projects, a few small ones have popped up. The most recent one is a refit of Kate's closet. After an abortive attempt to recess a set of drawers into the back of what looked like a false back ("Oh, hello structural roof support beam. I guess I shouldn't take the Sawz-all to you."), we had to re-drywall and revise our plan. And by "we" Of course I mean the royal We . Now I'm looking at a day and a half's work, *if* I don't run into any more surprises and if my luck that is masquerading as skill holds out. Whenever I start renovations, I always feel like a cork inspector at a leaky dyke.

Family Time

When I first heard of the upcoming family reunion in Langley this July, I quickly dismissed it as an event too inconvenient to attend. We are going to have houseguests during the weekend it is scheduled, it would be a lot of miles to put on the van and I can't just pick up and leave for the four days (two bouts of day-and-a-half drives) that would be required. That was my rationale. Lately, I've had little tugs at my heartstrings. I have a new second cousin who has turned a year old and I have not yet looked at him in person. I'm seeing e-mails from aunts and second cousins that I haven't seen for what seems like ages. I have an overwhelming urge to play cribbage (OK, I'm just making that one up). Anyways, I've decided to fly out, despite the houseguests. Kate is staying put, out of politeness, but I'm going. And in a last-minute decision, Brianna is coming with me. Isn't that nice?

El Presidente

Once again, I've decided to take on the role of President of the condo board where my parents live. Last year was my first try at this impressive-sounding (but thankless) position. Our condo board (as it exists) is what is called "self-managed." This means it has farmed out the tasks of bookkeeping, groundskeeping, errand-running and common area cleaning to different parties (all of whom need to be poked and prodded to keep in motion), with the frustrating tasks of condo fee processing left to whomever is on the board. When I signed up last year, I was keen to learn all about 'managing' a condo, and what an experience it has been. Two other condo owners volunteered to be on the board (with me as president), then promptly disappeared when it was time to do any work. These two both moved out of town and rented out their units, leaving me to deal with little problems like: water pipes leaking between two condos and causing water damage that has to be fixed.