Here are the still photos I've uploaded so far from the Hawai'i trip.
You can see the set on flikr here.
-t
Showing posts with label domestic bliss. Show all posts
Showing posts with label domestic bliss. Show all posts
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Thursday, June 3, 2010
House Husband
My parental leave started on Sunday afternoon after church. Of course, that didn't exactly mean that work stopped right away. I still had to move a bunch of stuff out of my office (my computer, some unfinished work files, etc.) to set up a home office for the summer. If I were a better person I would simply walk away, but I'm afraid that my to-do list is just a little too daunting! For example, if we are going to send out a fundraising appeal letter this summer, then I need to write it!
But the main work this summer is, naturally, taking care of little Henry. He's been a champ. His routine is a pretty simple 2 hour cycle. When he wakes up from his nap, he gets changed and fed. Then he's pretty alert and happy for a while. He likes to roll around on the floor or be held or play with blankie. Sometimes, if he seems bored, I'll put him in the "Circle of Neglect" (which is a bouncy chair thing with lots of activities that make noise and flash lights and things when he plays with them). Then after about two hours have elapsed he starts to get tired and a bit cranky. The naps that follow are typically about 20 minutes (though he sometimes has a longer nap in the afternoon) and everything starts again.
One of my concerns has been about how much I will actually be able to get done while taking care of Henry. So far... a surprising amount. The key is to use the 20 minute nap times efficiently to do the stuff that can't be done with him in hand. Taking a shower, for example. But then there are a lot of things that can be managed with one hand (the other holding the baby). And then there are lots of times when he is content to simply be near me while I'm paying attention to something else.
So far I've been able to get things done. I've taken him grocery shopping and to the liquor store and with me to meetings and lots other activities. No problem. To mow the lawn I simply strapped him to my chest with a Baby Bjorn and got to work.
He seems to be pretty happy with it. He enjoys new things and places. And random people occasionally want to get a close look at him.
So the first week of being a house husband has gone extremely well, thanks for asking!
-t
But the main work this summer is, naturally, taking care of little Henry. He's been a champ. His routine is a pretty simple 2 hour cycle. When he wakes up from his nap, he gets changed and fed. Then he's pretty alert and happy for a while. He likes to roll around on the floor or be held or play with blankie. Sometimes, if he seems bored, I'll put him in the "Circle of Neglect" (which is a bouncy chair thing with lots of activities that make noise and flash lights and things when he plays with them). Then after about two hours have elapsed he starts to get tired and a bit cranky. The naps that follow are typically about 20 minutes (though he sometimes has a longer nap in the afternoon) and everything starts again.
One of my concerns has been about how much I will actually be able to get done while taking care of Henry. So far... a surprising amount. The key is to use the 20 minute nap times efficiently to do the stuff that can't be done with him in hand. Taking a shower, for example. But then there are a lot of things that can be managed with one hand (the other holding the baby). And then there are lots of times when he is content to simply be near me while I'm paying attention to something else.
So far I've been able to get things done. I've taken him grocery shopping and to the liquor store and with me to meetings and lots other activities. No problem. To mow the lawn I simply strapped him to my chest with a Baby Bjorn and got to work.
He seems to be pretty happy with it. He enjoys new things and places. And random people occasionally want to get a close look at him.
So the first week of being a house husband has gone extremely well, thanks for asking!
-t
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Project: Wood Cradle
I made this wood cradle to hold the firewood delivered two weeks ago. It came just in time for the first real snow. It holds about half a cord of wood and has good air circulation and keeps the marks left on the deck to a minimum. It's made out of pressure treated, weather resistant 2"X4"s and weather-resistant deck screws. It took me an afternoon to put together with a circular saw and some other basic tools. I stapled a water-proof tarp to the frame to complete it. I could have just stacked the wood on the deck, but it might have left marks on the deck. So I'm very pleased with my little construction project.
But it gets worst--one of my projects right now is making some new cutting boards from some left over wood I found in the wood scrap pile in the basement. I made the initial cut with a handsaw, but I couldn't get enough material off with a sanding block to clean up the cut surface, so I bought a Jack Plane and used that. Figuring out how to use the Jack Plane took some experimenting, but it's a really satisfying tool to use. It makes nice little paper-thin rolls of wood. It was so nice that I actually took Betsy down into the workroom and she got to try it, too!
I'm such a nerd.
-t
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Tuesdays for Vision
As usual for Tuesdays I was returning calls and planning liturgies. Then we had our regular staff meeting. The day is ending with a very good Fundraising Meeting that was productive and useful.
One thing that came out of that meeting was the importance of developing Case For Ministry. Basically, I need to articulate, in writing, a vision for the future of this church. I've been working on this in my head and with the congregation for the last year with a variety of different strategies, so it makes sense to finally put in writing and be a bit more formal. I've learned a lot in the last year about the emerging sense of what COTM can be. I don't think it's over-stating things to say that I even some inkling of God's intention for this church. So I'll write some stuff down this week and then get some feedback from people.
Yesterday I started another woodworking project. I'm building a frame to hold firewood. I managed to almost finish the project but then I lost the sunlight and had to stop (working with power tools in the dark is tough even for a Ninja Priest). But if I hurry home now I ought to just manage to finish screwing the frame together....
-t
One thing that came out of that meeting was the importance of developing Case For Ministry. Basically, I need to articulate, in writing, a vision for the future of this church. I've been working on this in my head and with the congregation for the last year with a variety of different strategies, so it makes sense to finally put in writing and be a bit more formal. I've learned a lot in the last year about the emerging sense of what COTM can be. I don't think it's over-stating things to say that I even some inkling of God's intention for this church. So I'll write some stuff down this week and then get some feedback from people.
Yesterday I started another woodworking project. I'm building a frame to hold firewood. I managed to almost finish the project but then I lost the sunlight and had to stop (working with power tools in the dark is tough even for a Ninja Priest). But if I hurry home now I ought to just manage to finish screwing the frame together....
-t
Monday, November 3, 2008
Drapes
Betsy and I finished making our own custom drapes for the dining room. You can read Betsy's take on the project on her blog. The fabric was leftover from when my sister, Lynne, reupholstered the dining room chairs that now live in our dining room--so everything matches nicely. I made a wooden valance and Betsy sewed the fabric. That done, we combined the pieces and screwed in in place. Done!
Today I did some yard work in preparation for winter. I still haven't built a wood cradle, but since the car is acting up I'm postponing the trip to get the lumber. I'm going to go drop the car off at the Suburu dealership when I finish his blog. Since Friday it's been making a knocking sound in time with the rotation of the rear wheels. I'm nervous that this will be an expensive repair.
-t
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Snow
The first snow fall is coming down in Toronto as I write this. I'm not sure if it will stick on the ground or roads, but I already see, glinting in the moonlight, a little accumulation on roofs and car hoods. A number of people are going to be surprised in the morning. I hope it doesn't stick around, I haven't built a wood cradle nor gotten a delivery of firewood to fill it! Mixed hardwood--save $50 stacking it yourself. I need to remember my leather gloves to avoid splinters--the stuff you learn as you inevitably transform into Middle-Aged-Man.
Still, the snow is comforting. It's quiet in the house--Betsy is asleep in the next room with a kitten curled up near her feet. I'm thinking about when I'm going to have time to get the wood delivered and the last of the apples canned. When did I become so domestic? An old friend (Kim from NJ) sent me pictures of her newborn. I don't know how long Betsy and I will last without one ourselves. We wait because money and time are scarce, but that isn't going to change. A mother I respect, one of my parishioners, told me a year ago, "Tay, there is never a right time." Sigh. The first snow and I get all mushy....
On my mind--a dozen different church programs that I need to get rolling. I need to raise a bunch more money before year end for the church. At the very least we need to finish paying for the Piano and the Mural. Ideas have arisen for various concerts and events, and they are good ideas. But they still require me to make phone calls and expend energy and good will to make happen. And I worry because there there are at least four pastoral visits I should make this week--it seems hard to imagine I'll do it all.
The good news is that I'm not alone. Just today I received promises of help from two very dear and competent people willing to volunteer their professional skills to COTM. Both are well known to me and love me dearly even though I hardly feel that I've earned it from either. One such gift came at the very end of the day. I had just finished meeting with the Daycare Board at around 8:30 PM when I ran into a friend who volunteered, cheerfully, to help with some big events coming up. I was so tired that I could only give a quiet and solemn "thank you." Nothing peppy or exuberant. I recalled words from my detailed pre-ordination psychological profile: "Projects affable and agreeable social facade." Well--I didn't have that to give just then, so I was understated in my relief, promising to myself that I would make it up to her later in a public way. Moments like that remind me that there is something bigger at work in the life of the church than anything I could ever accomplish by wit or charm or even skill. Humbling to do all that you can and realize it's insufficient and find others making up the difference.
And the snow falls silently tonight. Just enough of a dusting to remind people that it's time to stack firewood and finish canning apples.
-t
Still, the snow is comforting. It's quiet in the house--Betsy is asleep in the next room with a kitten curled up near her feet. I'm thinking about when I'm going to have time to get the wood delivered and the last of the apples canned. When did I become so domestic? An old friend (Kim from NJ) sent me pictures of her newborn. I don't know how long Betsy and I will last without one ourselves. We wait because money and time are scarce, but that isn't going to change. A mother I respect, one of my parishioners, told me a year ago, "Tay, there is never a right time." Sigh. The first snow and I get all mushy....
On my mind--a dozen different church programs that I need to get rolling. I need to raise a bunch more money before year end for the church. At the very least we need to finish paying for the Piano and the Mural. Ideas have arisen for various concerts and events, and they are good ideas. But they still require me to make phone calls and expend energy and good will to make happen. And I worry because there there are at least four pastoral visits I should make this week--it seems hard to imagine I'll do it all.
The good news is that I'm not alone. Just today I received promises of help from two very dear and competent people willing to volunteer their professional skills to COTM. Both are well known to me and love me dearly even though I hardly feel that I've earned it from either. One such gift came at the very end of the day. I had just finished meeting with the Daycare Board at around 8:30 PM when I ran into a friend who volunteered, cheerfully, to help with some big events coming up. I was so tired that I could only give a quiet and solemn "thank you." Nothing peppy or exuberant. I recalled words from my detailed pre-ordination psychological profile: "Projects affable and agreeable social facade." Well--I didn't have that to give just then, so I was understated in my relief, promising to myself that I would make it up to her later in a public way. Moments like that remind me that there is something bigger at work in the life of the church than anything I could ever accomplish by wit or charm or even skill. Humbling to do all that you can and realize it's insufficient and find others making up the difference.
And the snow falls silently tonight. Just enough of a dusting to remind people that it's time to stack firewood and finish canning apples.
-t
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Ceiling Fan
Monday I installed a ceiling fan in Betsy's office. This is a very satisfying item to cross off the Honey-Do list. Installation was not straightforward as the electrical junction box in the ceiling was merely attached to the side of a joist rather than under it--it was never meant to carry the weight of a fan. So on the advice of a friend wise in such things I ended up screwing the mounting bracket for the fan into the joist a few inches off center from the junction box. That left a nasty looking hole in the ceiling. So next I used scissors to cut a piece of cardboard to fit the hole perfectly. I took that downstairs and traced the pattern onto a piece of thin scrap wood. I cut it with a handy scroll saw that Betsy gave me for my birthday a while back. Betsy happened to be painting something white, so I had her paint the patch to approximately match the ceiling. Voila! She has a fan in her office. After that it's time to crack open a beer and watch football.
-t
-t
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Moved In
Okay, everything that should be at 20 McMaster is now here. We've even managed to get the internet up and running. Our friends from Farnham helped us with the last bit of the move (cleaning the Farnham House) and then bought us take out and champaign, which was a great way to relax after the move.
Now we are coasting into tonight expecting a nice sleep in our old bed in it's new place.
-t
Now we are coasting into tonight expecting a nice sleep in our old bed in it's new place.
-t
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Packing
The last couple days have been busy between church stuff and preparation for the move. On Monday I spent a few hours waiting for the technician from Rogers to arrive and set-up our cable, phone, and internet connections--this he did with little drama and a thick accent. Rogers uses outside contractors to do this kind of work, and they can vary widely in skill. I've noticed, however, that the more services you install at once, the more skillful technician they send. This guy, for instance, brought various diagnostic gear with him to make sure our connections would work. But his skillfulness did not prevent him for accidentally disconnecting the cable to the unit upstairs! This bewilders me all the more since both I and the guy that lives upstairs told the cable guy that there are two units in the house and please don't cut the cable upstairs!
Meanwhile, I replaced a dated overhead light in the kitchen with a more modern Ikea version. Installation was straightforward.
Betsy and I have been making trips to hand-carry delicate, precious things like art and crystal. This evening we've been packing up our clothes and a few other things that will make tomorrow smoother. A crew of guys are coming tomorrow morning to pack everything up except the bed. We'll have one last night here and then Thursday they will come with the truck to cart it all over to the new place down the hill.
At times like this obstructions seem to come out of thin air. Last night, for instance, a car collected a nail in a tire and deflated. Luckily, I bought an air pump a few months ago and was able to pump up the tire long enough to get to a place where they can repair the flat, thus sparing the spare.
At work I've been frustrated with the challenge of getting the lighting in the children's chapel underway. I still don't have an electrician or electrical plans and the scaffolding goes away on Friday! Susy expects to be done with the painting tomorrow! Of course, doing the work after the scaffolding goes away won't be impossible, just a little less efficient and little more expensive. Ah, well.
So the next 48 hours will be especially crazy!
-t
Meanwhile, I replaced a dated overhead light in the kitchen with a more modern Ikea version. Installation was straightforward.
Betsy and I have been making trips to hand-carry delicate, precious things like art and crystal. This evening we've been packing up our clothes and a few other things that will make tomorrow smoother. A crew of guys are coming tomorrow morning to pack everything up except the bed. We'll have one last night here and then Thursday they will come with the truck to cart it all over to the new place down the hill.
At times like this obstructions seem to come out of thin air. Last night, for instance, a car collected a nail in a tire and deflated. Luckily, I bought an air pump a few months ago and was able to pump up the tire long enough to get to a place where they can repair the flat, thus sparing the spare.
At work I've been frustrated with the challenge of getting the lighting in the children's chapel underway. I still don't have an electrician or electrical plans and the scaffolding goes away on Friday! Susy expects to be done with the painting tomorrow! Of course, doing the work after the scaffolding goes away won't be impossible, just a little less efficient and little more expensive. Ah, well.
So the next 48 hours will be especially crazy!
-t
Saturday, August 16, 2008
The Prodigal Priest...
Regular readers will probably realize that I've been taking my last week of vacation seriously. I really tried to avoid the church as much as I could. Alas, there were two important matters that did require my attention at the parish, but mostly I've just been taking care of errands and resting.
The big news is that we found a place to live. We decided to rent another apartment as we were having no luck finding a place in our price range anywhere near downtown. Renting we could spend a lot less and get something very nice and very close to the church. What we found was 20 McMaster Avenue. It's a house that was divided into two units. We'll have the ground floor and part of the second floor: 3 bedrooms with two full baths. We also have exclusive use of the backyard. You can see pictures on Betsy's Blog.
I think the cats will like the place, too. A few days ago Denise got out without her collar. Her collar has a bell on it that makes hunting more difficult. Sure enough, when she came back from her unhampered patrol she was holding a live mouse! She was so proud of herself. She strutted over to a corner of the kitchen holding her new toy, put it down, and then laid down next to it. The mouse sat there, stunned, for a few seconds and then made a run for it. Quickly but casually, Denise stood up and batted the mouse back and forth between her paws. By this time James caught on and wanted to play, too. When he got a opening he grabbed the mouse in his mouth and dashed away. I followed, and he seemed to realize that I was going to take his new toy away, so he stayed out of reach. Eventually I managed to get the mouse away from him and took it outside. Both cats were quite pleased with themselves.
Then, today, Denise brought a live pigeon into the house! It was still alive, but probably injured since it didn't seem to be able to fly. Betsy and our neighbor friend managed to get the bird outside. Sadly, we don't have pictures of either kill, although I'm very proud of Denise's skill. I'm sure she thinks that she is doing a great job defending us from the wild animals of Toronto.
BTW, I finished the video game "Grand Theft Auto IV." Well written, engaging. But it's definitely not for kids! Next up: Madden '09. My vacation isn't over quite yet...
-t
The big news is that we found a place to live. We decided to rent another apartment as we were having no luck finding a place in our price range anywhere near downtown. Renting we could spend a lot less and get something very nice and very close to the church. What we found was 20 McMaster Avenue. It's a house that was divided into two units. We'll have the ground floor and part of the second floor: 3 bedrooms with two full baths. We also have exclusive use of the backyard. You can see pictures on Betsy's Blog.
I think the cats will like the place, too. A few days ago Denise got out without her collar. Her collar has a bell on it that makes hunting more difficult. Sure enough, when she came back from her unhampered patrol she was holding a live mouse! She was so proud of herself. She strutted over to a corner of the kitchen holding her new toy, put it down, and then laid down next to it. The mouse sat there, stunned, for a few seconds and then made a run for it. Quickly but casually, Denise stood up and batted the mouse back and forth between her paws. By this time James caught on and wanted to play, too. When he got a opening he grabbed the mouse in his mouth and dashed away. I followed, and he seemed to realize that I was going to take his new toy away, so he stayed out of reach. Eventually I managed to get the mouse away from him and took it outside. Both cats were quite pleased with themselves.
Then, today, Denise brought a live pigeon into the house! It was still alive, but probably injured since it didn't seem to be able to fly. Betsy and our neighbor friend managed to get the bird outside. Sadly, we don't have pictures of either kill, although I'm very proud of Denise's skill. I'm sure she thinks that she is doing a great job defending us from the wild animals of Toronto.
BTW, I finished the video game "Grand Theft Auto IV." Well written, engaging. But it's definitely not for kids! Next up: Madden '09. My vacation isn't over quite yet...
-t
Monday, August 11, 2008
The House Hunt Continues
So we did, as it turns out, get pre-approved for a mortgage. The problem now is that it's virtually impossible to find a house in that price range that we would want to live in! Forget about living near the church or the University, even when we expand the geographic parameters of the search we just aren't finding much. Our Realtor is of the same opinion. So it seems increasingly likely that we just don't have enough money to buy into the Toronto Real Estate market right now. So... we leaning towards the rental option.
Today we looked at a rental house (actually, half a large house) that we really liked. It's even closer to the church than our current place on Farnham, the rent is a cheaper, and it's only a little less house (which is fine with us). Perhaps even more imporantly, we really liked the owner of the house. He's had it since the 1970's and obviously takes great pride in it's ongoing care and feeding. He also has a plan for it's continued improvement. He let us know that he really likes us, too, and that's a good thing. So we have one or two more places to look at, but it's going to difficult to beat this place....
-t
Today we looked at a rental house (actually, half a large house) that we really liked. It's even closer to the church than our current place on Farnham, the rent is a cheaper, and it's only a little less house (which is fine with us). Perhaps even more imporantly, we really liked the owner of the house. He's had it since the 1970's and obviously takes great pride in it's ongoing care and feeding. He also has a plan for it's continued improvement. He let us know that he really likes us, too, and that's a good thing. So we have one or two more places to look at, but it's going to difficult to beat this place....
-t
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Home
The trip back was long and difficult, but we made it. On Monday morning we managed to get in a last-minute trip to the Grand Bazaar to get gifts for various people before leaving town. Haggling is a must, and not as difficult as you might think. Typical pattern seemed to be approx. 25% to 33% off whatever the list price was. We got several old copper plate etchings and some tiles. I was also very pleased to find an inexpensive inlaid koran stand that will be perfect for the Contemplative Eucharist or any other situation where I was to read while sitting on the floor.
Packed up the flat in a hurry and then off the airport to wait for our flight to London. Easy Jet is one of those discount, no-frills airlines. I ended up sitting next to a man that was really too big for the seat. I was glad, glad, glad to arrive in London (at the Lutton airport). We missed our bus and had to wait for the next one, so we grabbed a bit of nosh and checked out the chapel at Lutton. Yes, Lutton airport has a chapel (so does Heathrow). They even have a full-time chaplain. The chapel was set up to be a multi-faith resource. Judging from the guestbook, it sees plenty of use.
We took the bus to Heathrow and spent the night in a shabby (but cheap) hotel with thin walls and a crummy mattress. Tuesday morning we took another bus to Heathrow and then parted ways (we booked our flights at different times and couldn't get on the same flights as a result). I went to Ottawa, Betsy to Newark. We were then both delayed many hours by thunderstorms over Toronto. I spent the time eating Airport food, sipping a drink, and reading Salmon Rushdie's new book, The Enchantress of Florence. It's a good book--very much in the style of magic realism. It's an entertaining fairy-tale for adults about the encounter between the world of renaissance Florence and Mughal India. Lots of magic and sex and humor and reflections about God and art and such good stuff.
At one point my flight from Ottawa to Toronto on the tarmac for about 2 hours while we waited for the weather to change. When it did, the flight was blessedly short. Just 40 minutes in the air. Met up with Betsy at the baggage claim. At that point it was like 5 A.M. Istanbul time, so we were pretty tired and ripe from traveling.
Cab home. Quick to bed. The cats cuddled with us in bed--glad to have us back. Today we are going to do some errands and recover. The house is in wonderful shape thanks to our house-sitters. We are glad to be home. Nice to be able to drink the water straight from the tap, etc. Incidentally, Betsy is feeling much better.
-t
Packed up the flat in a hurry and then off the airport to wait for our flight to London. Easy Jet is one of those discount, no-frills airlines. I ended up sitting next to a man that was really too big for the seat. I was glad, glad, glad to arrive in London (at the Lutton airport). We missed our bus and had to wait for the next one, so we grabbed a bit of nosh and checked out the chapel at Lutton. Yes, Lutton airport has a chapel (so does Heathrow). They even have a full-time chaplain. The chapel was set up to be a multi-faith resource. Judging from the guestbook, it sees plenty of use.
We took the bus to Heathrow and spent the night in a shabby (but cheap) hotel with thin walls and a crummy mattress. Tuesday morning we took another bus to Heathrow and then parted ways (we booked our flights at different times and couldn't get on the same flights as a result). I went to Ottawa, Betsy to Newark. We were then both delayed many hours by thunderstorms over Toronto. I spent the time eating Airport food, sipping a drink, and reading Salmon Rushdie's new book, The Enchantress of Florence. It's a good book--very much in the style of magic realism. It's an entertaining fairy-tale for adults about the encounter between the world of renaissance Florence and Mughal India. Lots of magic and sex and humor and reflections about God and art and such good stuff.
At one point my flight from Ottawa to Toronto on the tarmac for about 2 hours while we waited for the weather to change. When it did, the flight was blessedly short. Just 40 minutes in the air. Met up with Betsy at the baggage claim. At that point it was like 5 A.M. Istanbul time, so we were pretty tired and ripe from traveling.
Cab home. Quick to bed. The cats cuddled with us in bed--glad to have us back. Today we are going to do some errands and recover. The house is in wonderful shape thanks to our house-sitters. We are glad to be home. Nice to be able to drink the water straight from the tap, etc. Incidentally, Betsy is feeling much better.
-t
Friday, July 18, 2008
Ear Licking
Denise, my cat, has been especially affectionate with me since Betsy has been gone. Early this morning (circa 6 A.M.) she kept poking me in the head with her paw to wake up and pet her. This I did, but I'd quickly drift off to sleep again. But her tongue in my ear sure got my attention. Rest assured, having my cat's tongue in my ear feels as weird as it sounds.
Luckily, we've got some friends coming to house-sit while we're in Turkey to keep the cats company. I hate to think what they might do in desperation without some human contact.
The house is now back in order. I know Betsy was only gone for about two-weeks, but that's plenty of time for stuff to get messy. Not dirty, really, but just messy. There were a lot of things that needed to be put away or straightened up.
Today much running around and doing last minute errands....
-t
Luckily, we've got some friends coming to house-sit while we're in Turkey to keep the cats company. I hate to think what they might do in desperation without some human contact.
The house is now back in order. I know Betsy was only gone for about two-weeks, but that's plenty of time for stuff to get messy. Not dirty, really, but just messy. There were a lot of things that needed to be put away or straightened up.
Today much running around and doing last minute errands....
-t
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Our First Pick
BTW, I see no reason I can't be specific on here about the actual house we've found as a first pick. Keep in mind, I'm not 100% certain we can get the financing, etc., set up in time, but this is the first place we've looked at that I definitely would love to live in.
From the MLS listing...
Here's a link to more pictures. The place has a wonderful, open feel. The size is right for us (not too big). I wish it had a garage, but at least it does have parking pad out front. Also, the basement is a rentable apartment with a separate entrance. It's actually one of the nicest basement apartments I've seen. There is a full bath upstairs and a powder room on the first floor.
Cross you fingers...
-t
From the MLS listing...
General Description
This Is It! Wonderful Home In Fabulous Riverdale Area. Shows 10++ Generous Size Rooms, Open Concept, High 9 Foot Ceilings. Hardwood Flrs Thru-Out. Loft Attic For Great Storage. Great 15X16 Priv. Deck On Spectacular 144Ft Lot. Perfect For Entertaining Lovely Reno'd One Bdrm Bsmt Apt. Also W/ High Ceilings. Parking. Minutes To Subway, Shopping Etc.**** EXTRAS **** Incl: 2 Stoves, 2 Fridges, Built-In Dishwasher, Built-In Microwave, Garden Shed, Alarm System, Lights On Deck And Elfs.Excl: Dining Room Elf To Be Replaced, Dining/Living/Master Drapes.
Building
Building Type : House Cooling : Central air conditioning
Exterior Finish : Brick, Aluminum siding Storeys : 2
Style : Detached
Rooms
Main level
Kitchen : 11 ft ,11 in x 11 ft ,3 in
Living room : 14 ft ,1 in x 12 ft ,8 in
Dining room : 15 ft ,3 in x 11 ft ,11 in
Laundry room : 11 ft ,4 in x 5 ft ,1 in
Second level
Master bedroom : 12 ft ,3 in x 12 ft ,1 in
Bedroom 2 : 12 ft ,3 in x 9 ft
Basement
Living room : 13 ft ,5 in x 12 ft ,1 in
Kitchen : 10 ft ,8 in x 7 ft ,7 in
Bedroom : 11 ft ,9 in x 10 ft ,3 in
Here's a link to more pictures. The place has a wonderful, open feel. The size is right for us (not too big). I wish it had a garage, but at least it does have parking pad out front. Also, the basement is a rentable apartment with a separate entrance. It's actually one of the nicest basement apartments I've seen. There is a full bath upstairs and a powder room on the first floor.
Cross you fingers...
-t
Updates
Our Realtor and I found a house that would be perfect for us. But offers are due on Monday and there are already at least one on the table. That gives me two working days to put an offer together. The main thing to get worked out is the precise financing and pre-approval, etc. If I can get that worked out then we can put together an offer and then I can go abroad and have a local power of attorney sign anything on our behalf. Nerve wracking, but possible. Of course, if it doesn't work out and this house escapes us, that's okay, too. More fish in the sea.
In the mean time, I've got lots of project to finish up before my vacation begins. Not the least of these is putting the house back in order from its bachelor state. I spent a few hours on that last night and made a lot of progress. But I still have to clean the bathrooms, mop/vacuum the floor, and tidy up the living room. We are having some friends house/cat-sit while we are away, but I'd feel guilty leaving them with anything other than a ship-shape house.
I'm also aware that the owners want to show the house in the next week or two. Their Realtor (not ours) is shockingly disorganized for someone that wants to sell a $1.2 house. Neither she nor the owners have even set foot in the main or second story for a year. Needless to say, there a number of things that could be fixed/improved to get a higher selling value. For instance, there is a leak coming from the neighbour's side (it's a semi-detached house) that has damaged the wall in the bedroom. The root problem is being fixed as we speak (the roofers have been working for the last few days), but in the mean time the obvious water damage will be alarming to anyone looking at the house.
Nor have they scheduled an open-house, etc., etc. Since the landlords (or, perhaps more accurately their Realtor) has not been nice to us, I honestly don't feel the obligation to be particularly nice in return. So if they want the place to be immaculate than they are going to have pay for their own cleaners. And they are going to have to schedule showings around our schedule. Now, I would be inclined to be more helpful in the selling process if they were to agree to let us stay a few more weeks, but so far they have been unwilling to budge on this point--they want us out as soon as possible. And yet they want to list and sell the house while we are still living there.
The kicker was when the Realtor listing the place sent me an e-mail asking me to keep the lawn mowed. After the grass seed and the fertilizer and the watering and all the mowing I've done, this really pissed me off. Of course I'll mow the lawn. Obviously she didn't take the time to think, "What kind of tone in this e-mail would make the tenants most likely to be cooperative as we try to sell this place for the most possible?"
Obviously, I've got some emotions tied up with my (non-)relationship with the Realtor. Nor does it seem likely that we will ever have the chance to resolve those feelings with a heart-to-heart. I suppose if I were a better Christian I would call this person and express how I feel and give her a chance to tell me her feelings, etc., but at the moment I would rather hold onto my anger! God forgive me!
-t
In the mean time, I've got lots of project to finish up before my vacation begins. Not the least of these is putting the house back in order from its bachelor state. I spent a few hours on that last night and made a lot of progress. But I still have to clean the bathrooms, mop/vacuum the floor, and tidy up the living room. We are having some friends house/cat-sit while we are away, but I'd feel guilty leaving them with anything other than a ship-shape house.
I'm also aware that the owners want to show the house in the next week or two. Their Realtor (not ours) is shockingly disorganized for someone that wants to sell a $1.2 house. Neither she nor the owners have even set foot in the main or second story for a year. Needless to say, there a number of things that could be fixed/improved to get a higher selling value. For instance, there is a leak coming from the neighbour's side (it's a semi-detached house) that has damaged the wall in the bedroom. The root problem is being fixed as we speak (the roofers have been working for the last few days), but in the mean time the obvious water damage will be alarming to anyone looking at the house.
Nor have they scheduled an open-house, etc., etc. Since the landlords (or, perhaps more accurately their Realtor) has not been nice to us, I honestly don't feel the obligation to be particularly nice in return. So if they want the place to be immaculate than they are going to have pay for their own cleaners. And they are going to have to schedule showings around our schedule. Now, I would be inclined to be more helpful in the selling process if they were to agree to let us stay a few more weeks, but so far they have been unwilling to budge on this point--they want us out as soon as possible. And yet they want to list and sell the house while we are still living there.
The kicker was when the Realtor listing the place sent me an e-mail asking me to keep the lawn mowed. After the grass seed and the fertilizer and the watering and all the mowing I've done, this really pissed me off. Of course I'll mow the lawn. Obviously she didn't take the time to think, "What kind of tone in this e-mail would make the tenants most likely to be cooperative as we try to sell this place for the most possible?"
Obviously, I've got some emotions tied up with my (non-)relationship with the Realtor. Nor does it seem likely that we will ever have the chance to resolve those feelings with a heart-to-heart. I suppose if I were a better Christian I would call this person and express how I feel and give her a chance to tell me her feelings, etc., but at the moment I would rather hold onto my anger! God forgive me!
-t
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Closeness
I just talked with Betsy on the phone--she's working hard on her Greek. She misses me--I understand how she feels. Funny how a person becomes such a part of your life that you actually ache when they are missing for prolonged periods.
A stressful day. The housing search is nearly overwhelming. It's just too much data to crunch to make a decision. So I simplified the problem by creating a spreadsheet to make it easier to compare comparables. For instance, I one column is the miles of driving distance to get to church. This doesn't take into account things like distance to a the public transit, but it does give a sense of "closeness." And I simply have a 1-10 score to the kitchen rather than try to factor out all the pieces that go into a kitchen that pleases me, etc.
After all this I identified some more properties I want to visit--but I'm far from being sold on any of them, yet. I think I know what Betsy and I will be doing with the rest of my vacation when we get back from Istanbul!
-t
A stressful day. The housing search is nearly overwhelming. It's just too much data to crunch to make a decision. So I simplified the problem by creating a spreadsheet to make it easier to compare comparables. For instance, I one column is the miles of driving distance to get to church. This doesn't take into account things like distance to a the public transit, but it does give a sense of "closeness." And I simply have a 1-10 score to the kitchen rather than try to factor out all the pieces that go into a kitchen that pleases me, etc.
After all this I identified some more properties I want to visit--but I'm far from being sold on any of them, yet. I think I know what Betsy and I will be doing with the rest of my vacation when we get back from Istanbul!
-t
Sunday, July 13, 2008
The Burning Fuse
Sorry I haven't been blogging like normal. Friday was crazy busy and Saturday was a loss because the power was out all day at the church (Hydro was replacing a pole that someone ran into many months ago).
The fuse is burning on the house project. I'm hoping to hit at least three open houses today. I'm hoping to drag along a couple I know that are smarter than me for advice and support. Hard doing this without the wife! I know--it's not worth it to get too stressed out, but a certain amount of anxiety is useful for getting stuff done!
Watched "2001: A Space Odyssey" for the umpteenth time last night. What a visionary film. An film that isn't ridiculed for beginning with the caption "The Dawn of Man" is worth watching, IMHO. Kubrick is definitely one of my favorite directors of all time. Right up there with Fellini and Francis Ford Coppola. Kubrick could do so much without words because he trusted the camera and the audience in a way that most directors/producers can't these days.
A fine day at church. Attendance still summer-soft. It will probably get worse when I'm away. But I felt very good about my sermon and good about a few one-on-one contacts I made after the service. It's nice to be able to give.
-t
The fuse is burning on the house project. I'm hoping to hit at least three open houses today. I'm hoping to drag along a couple I know that are smarter than me for advice and support. Hard doing this without the wife! I know--it's not worth it to get too stressed out, but a certain amount of anxiety is useful for getting stuff done!
Watched "2001: A Space Odyssey" for the umpteenth time last night. What a visionary film. An film that isn't ridiculed for beginning with the caption "The Dawn of Man" is worth watching, IMHO. Kubrick is definitely one of my favorite directors of all time. Right up there with Fellini and Francis Ford Coppola. Kubrick could do so much without words because he trusted the camera and the audience in a way that most directors/producers can't these days.
A fine day at church. Attendance still summer-soft. It will probably get worse when I'm away. But I felt very good about my sermon and good about a few one-on-one contacts I made after the service. It's nice to be able to give.
-t
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
A Quick Note About Housing
We just got 60-days notice that we have to move out of the Farnham house. The owners want to sell it. The timing is terrible--it means moving just as Betsy is starting her classes again. Plus she's out of the country and soon I will be, too. So there are many things to figure out and not a lot of time to do it in. Your prayers are appreciated.
-t
-t
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
This Makes Me Sad
Seen on Craig's List...
Reply to: sale-732157066@craigslist.org
Date: 2008-06-25, 1:41PM EDT
Are you tired and stressed out at the end of the day? Do you need a place to put up your feet and stretch out?
This Lane "Relaxor" recliner is designed to melt away your stress. Not only is it super comfy and soft, but it also comes with a built-in massage function! Just lift the cover on the armrest and use the attached controller to adjust the intensity and speed of the massage. The armrest also has a cup/bottle holder and a deeper bin for remote controls or snacks. No more reaching or bending over to rest your drink on the coffee table or floor. All this luxury and comfort can be yours for just $50!
Although everything about it still works, it is well worn. The upholstery has some damage from our cat's claws around the front corners. The chair comes apart into two pieces for moving.
--------------
Sigh, goodbye old friend...
-t
Blue Recliner Chair - $50 (Avenue/St. Clair)
Reply to: sale-732157066@craigslist.org
Date: 2008-06-25, 1:41PM EDT
Are you tired and stressed out at the end of the day? Do you need a place to put up your feet and stretch out?
This Lane "Relaxor" recliner is designed to melt away your stress. Not only is it super comfy and soft, but it also comes with a built-in massage function! Just lift the cover on the armrest and use the attached controller to adjust the intensity and speed of the massage. The armrest also has a cup/bottle holder and a deeper bin for remote controls or snacks. No more reaching or bending over to rest your drink on the coffee table or floor. All this luxury and comfort can be yours for just $50!
Although everything about it still works, it is well worn. The upholstery has some damage from our cat's claws around the front corners. The chair comes apart into two pieces for moving.
--------------
Sigh, goodbye old friend...
-t
Sunday, June 1, 2008
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