Rescue, 911

As I was titling this post, I remembered a bit from a comedian I heard on TV, years and years ago. He was talking about how the camera people from "Rescue, 911" were always RIGHT in the middle of the action, as it was happening. His closing line from the bit was "So, if you're out by the ol' swimmin hole, shooting some beer cans, and a camera crew shows up, RUN!"

Nothing as dramatic as a snake bite or 15 car pileup happened to us last night (THANK GOODNESS), but we did have our first dog-related medical emergency (well, situation. It wasn't an emergency).

We have started taking Pup out for walks, both to acclimatize her to being on her leash and out in the neighborhood, and to try to tire her out so that she'll sleep longer at night. We had noticed that she was scared of shadows when we took her out at dinner (it's pitch-black up here by 5:30 pm), so we took the big flashlight with us to light her way.

We got her out the back gate, and started walking. Pup was whimpering and pulling hard in the other direction, so we turned and let her lead (we don't have a harness yet, and sometimes she pulls so hard she chokes herself), and she (Okay, probably Too Much Information coming up) had two Number Twos...and the second one had blood in it. Not good.

So, we scooped her up, ran her back inside, and pawed through the Puppy Info pack that our vet had given us. Inside was the number for the 24-Hour animal hospital that he recommended, so we called in, bundled her into the car, and hurried over (well, hurried as fast as we could with a crying puppy and slippery roads).

Two hours later, we had our diagnosis- Giardia, also known as Beaver Fever. Luckily (!!!!) she had pooped in the vet clinic as well (on a pad!), so they were able to do an analysis and they saw the cystic form of the protozoa that causes Beaver Fever. They gave Pup some meds, which we squirt into her mouth from a syringe every morning for three mornings, and told us to keep an eye on her and bring her back if anything changes.

We got home at just after midnight, and I had a little breakdown. Not only is Pup sick, but we have to wash EVERYTHING- our clothes, towels, blankets, anything that she's touched or sat on or slobbered on, and we have to bathe her again- which makes me so sad. We're going to have to wash her bed. When we picked her up, we took her bed and rubbed it all over her mom and littermates, so that she could sleep with something that smelled like home. And, now she's going to lose that. That just breaks my heart.

So that's what's new at the Homeowner household. We're maniacally washing our hands every time we finish playing with her or take her out, because Giardia can be transferred to humans, and just trying to keep Pup comfortable. She's not eating, which worries us, because she was SO HUNGRY the first couple of days, and she's a puppy, and she's a Labrador Retriever...a breed known for practically eating themselves to death. We did read that loss of appetite is a side effect of giardia, so hopefully in a couple of days she'll be feeling better and eating more. We've also noticed she's really restless when she sleeps...she'll sleep for about 45 minutes, then get up, walk around her bed, flop down, and go back to sleep. Hopefully that passes too.

So, anyway, that's all at this end. If anyone has any tips for caring for sick puppies, we'd love to hear them- we just know the rice-and-hamburger dinner for soothing tummies, and to give her KaoPectate (the plain kind) if she can't control her bowels. But, if anyone else has some words of wisdom, I'd love to hear them!

And, from the Homeowner Household to yours, have a safe and Happy New Year. Stay tuned in the early New Year- not only are there going to be more photos of Pup and the ongoing Basement Reno, but I'm going to detail the Homeowner's Budget Challenge, and I *may* even share my New Years Resolutions!

Should I post? Yes, yes I should.

This one is going to be short. I'm exhausted- I haven't operated on this little sleep since University, which I finished 3 years ago.

Since I didn't do it yesterday, a quick recap of our Christmas Extravaganza:

December 24- Headed to Edmonton to spend Christmas Eve with my family (we had already had Christmas with Mr. Homeowner's family on December 21).

December 25- Headed to Vermilion, to spend Christmas Day with my dad's family (aunts, uncles, grandparents, everyone!)

December 26- Returned to Edmonton from Vermilion, hung around the house, digesting.

December 27- Met with the Wedding Officiant, and went to my mom's cousin's annual Christmas Open House.

December 28- Packed up, picked up our pup, and headed home!

Yes, we ate too much, spent too much time in the car, and slept too little, as I'm discovering now...

It's hard dealing with a puppy that wasn't ever trained to go to the bathroom outside, and even harder to deal with her when it's 3 AM and she just woke up and wants to play, and howls and screams (seriously, she screams) when you ignore her. At this point, I would like to remind everyone that we share a wall with our neighbor- who chose NOT to get a dog, and would probably enjoy sleeping through the night (just for the record, so would I!). So even if we can tolerate the noise while we try to teach her who are the Alpha dogs, we don't want to alienate or upset our neighbors. In that vein, we took the pup next door to meet our neighbors, and to check in if they've heard her. So far, so good- they thought she was super cute, and claimed they hadn't heard anything so far. So, we'll hope the trend continues.

As well today, my mom came down to look for wedding dresses...we have it narrowed down to two, which is good, but not good enough, as we need to get a dress ordered by the middle of January to get it in time for the wedding in August. But, we're already planning a return trip for her, so we can make a decision.

Also, today was the Pup's first walk outside- she was very good (for Mr. Homeowner- she doesn't really listen to me). She did very well during the day, but as it got dark, she was more and more hesitant to walk in the shadows. We're going to take her out for her next walk with a flashlight, to see if that helps things. Walking also helps tire her out, and as every dog owner knows, a tired pup is a well behaved pup. Ask me again if I'm a fan of that philosophy at 3 AM when I'm trotting around the block with a pup in tow.

And, finally, the Pup had her first grooming this evening! We gave her a brush, trimmed her nails (only nipping her once), and gave her a bath (which she wasn't such a fan of- she whimpered the whole time), and then brushed her again when she was dried. It looks like her dandruff is clearing up, and her breathing is less wheezy and her nose doesn't run anymore, so we think those symptoms were just a stress reaction (and she hadn't been bathed for a couple of weeks when we picked her up).

Anyways, that's the run down for today. I am looking forward to tomorrow, as it's the first day since the middle of December that we don't have anything scheduled or anything pressing to do....as crazy as it sounds, I'm looking forward to NOT putting on makeup and doing my hair.

I promise I will post photos tomorrow- I'm seriously too tired to get the camera cord.

Dog owners- any training tips? Especially tips for getting her to sleep through the night, and to stop her barking/yowling/screaming/whining when she's shut in her exercise pen (even though we're still visible, and she has toys and water inside)? Leave me a comment!

THE PUP IS HOME!!!

So, we're home in Calgary...and the pup is home too! We picked her up yesterday, with my parents, and then drove back home. She was good most of the way- she fussed a lot initially, but as soon as she had a potty break, she was fine again. She actually slept most of the way home, which was good. Last night was fairly sleepless for Mr. Homeowner and I, as every time her collar jangled, we were wide awake, making sure she was okay. She's a good sleeper, though- she'll drop off anywhere, and she didn't cry at all last night...which may have been because Mr. Homeowner and I both camped out in the living room with her.

Today we took her to the vet to get all checked out (clean bill of health!) and to set up her immunization schedule. She was very good- she even fell asleep on the table! We then took her to two different pet stores getting the last few things we needed- food and a crate and toothbrushes- and we've discovered that she's great with strangers- sticks her nose out and licks their hands- but she hates the car so far. She cried the whole time we were moving. But, we'll work on that.

She's so cute, we can barely stand it. She's a porker- 4.35 kg (about 10 pounds), she snorts when she cries too hard, and she snores when she sleeps. She LOVES the snow- sticks her nose and her bum and her paws in it and chomps at it- and she eats like she's never seen food before (honestly, if you didn't know us, and if she wasn't roly poly, you'd swear we never fed her), and she runs in that loping puppy gait that just gets me every time. AND, we've already found the spot on her tummy that makes her leg twitch when you scratch it. We're awesome parents!

And, of course, I have to post some photos...

Photo with her sisters and brother. She's the one with the red collar

Waiting to get taken home is exhausting.

All 4 pups in their sleep mode.

Mr. Homeowner and Pup!

For scale, that's a banker's box. She's so chubby!

Mr. Homeowner, for scale.

When we fed her, she was so excited that she pushed the bowl under the shelf...with her head still in it.

Awww....pink puppy belly!

The Pup, doing her best Tootsie Roll impersonation.

Sleep mode: Initiated.

I have a couple of videos on my camera that I'm going to try to post as well.

But now, back to bribing the Pup to potty outside.

Homeward Bound....

Well, today is the last day of the Homeowners' Christmas Road Trip. It's also the last day of my Blogroll of Love series. Don't cry, though, I'm sure this will pop up again as my brain once again becomes starved for ideas.....

So, my final installment of the Blogroll of Love is:

Brooke and Freeland and Marital-Bless (tie)

What can I say? I'm a voyeur. I like reading about what's going on in other people's lives- their joys, their struggles, the changes that they're going through. I love reading about people who are different from me- who live in a different place, who believe in different things, who find different things important. I think that's how you truly become a well-rounded person, by exposing yourself to those who are different from you. And, the fact that Brooke and Freeland know our friends Peter and Anne gives me such a kick...yes, I blogroll stalk. In fact, that's how I found ALL the blogs in my Blogroll of Love- by clicking on titles in other people's blogrolls and seeing if I liked what popped up.

So, that's it for the Blogroll of Love for this year. Up next: The Homeowners return home, fatter and probably lazier from sitting in the car for so long! Stay tuned!

Um....the Day After Boxing Day

Okay, lame title. But I really can't think of anything else.

Onward to the Blogroll of Love! Today I love:

The Typing Makes Me Sound Busy

There really isn't much I can say about this one. I find the narrator hilarious- her sense of humor and her cynicism remind me of, well, ME. Her LOLHouse posts are classic! There really isn't much more to say, except READ IT. I can't even recall where I saw her blog on a blogroll, but I now make sure to check it every day.

Boxing Day!

Okay, any American readers may not know what I'm talking about, but Boxing Day in Canada is a big deal.

Not only are there unbelievable sales on (think Black Friday, for you American readers), but it's a Stat holiday, so no one is working...and it falls on a Friday, so everyone got an extra long weekend! Yay!

Anyways, on to the business at hand...

Next on my Blogroll of Love:

Baltimore Rowhouse

This is the chronicle of Corey's total reno on his Baltimore Rowhouse. I love how he's tackled many of the projects, big and small, all by himself (or with the help of his lady-friend), and how he's interspersed that with help from professional contractors. I find that when many people contemplate a reno, they assume it's all or nothing- you either do it yourself, or you hire someone. Corey shows that you can really find a balance between the two, based on your strengths, your weaknesses, your budget and your timeline.

And, from a personal perspective, I love seeing what he's doing with a long, skinny house. Our house is long and skinny (although wider and shorter than his!), and it can be a challenge to decorate and lay out (I never thought we'd fit all the rooms we wanted into our basement!), so seeing someone tackle a rowhouse is a refreshing change from all the Arts and Crafts-style bungalows and 1.5 stories that populate the blogosphere (not that I don't love those too...I just can't relate as well!)

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

Since Mr. Homeowner and I will be away for the next several days, visiting family, eating waaaaaay too much food, and spending much too much time in the car (last year we put 1000 km on the car in 3 days...this year, it will be a titch more, but over 5 days), I won't be posting about the reno (not only are we not there, but the workers aren't there either!)

Instead, I'm going to share a few of my favorite blogs with you, and a bit on why I like them. I don't link to all of these from my blogroll, simply because I don't want it to be miles and miles long, but rest assured, I do read these on a regular basis!

Today we're going to start off with:

Confections of a Foodie Bride.

I am by no means a gourmet chef. I can cook, sure, but I rarely attempt anything that involves reductions, demi glazes or fancy attachments for a KitchenAid stand mixer (mainly because MY standmixer is from the 70's...the attachments are the beaters. Period). So, I love reading blogs of people who not only cook, and cook well, but who experiment. In the last month, Foodie bride has made granola bars, homemade hot chocolate mixes, caramels and chocolate peppermint bark.....none of which make an appearance in the Homeowner household unless they're store bought! I also love how she takes photos of the IMPORTANT steps (I know how to chop onions, thanks, food bloggers...I don't need a photo!), and how few of the recipes call for extremely obscure ingredients (increasing the chances that I could actually attempt one of her recipes.....you know, if I wanted to).

But what I love the most is how her passion for cooking shines through in every post. I love that....and I wish I was that passionate about anything that I did!

We Have Carpet!

Just like the title says, we have carpet! It feels FANTASTIC underfoot- totally worth the $500 upgrade!

As well, all the grouting for the backsplashes and the shower was finished (so now we just wait for it to cure for a month before we get it sealed), and our washer and dryer were FINALLY hooked up! After THREE MONTHS of hauling our dirty laundry hither and yon, we can finally wash our socks and "unmentionables" in peace!

But, again, in true homeowner style, no progress is untempered with an issue....our floor (our BRAND NEW, SCREWED DOWN FLOOR) squeaks. There are lumps in the carpet. And there is a weird line, right in the middle of one of our landings. We don't know if it's a seam, or if it's just something weird with the carpeting, but we're going to get it checked out after Christmas. *Sigh* I chalk it up to "It's the day before Christmas and I'm on vacation after this install" apathy. It's honestly a good thing that we've already blown past our deadline, because I'm much calmer about all the screwups and delays and roadblocks. We have no deadline to meet, so why get worked up about a delay? But, this is why I was pushing so hard for completion on December 20....I know what it's like to have to work right up to the holidays. Your brain switches into autopilot and you coast until you can safely run for the bus. That is when mistakes are made. And, look at me, proving myself right. Anyways. I'm confident it will all be rectified in the New Year!

Here are some photos:

Our laundry pair in their new home!

Our freshly grouted tile! I love it, it looks fantastic!

Our lovely plushy carpet!

The weird line- running vertically, about a quarter of the way across the landing, coming in from the right. Ugh.

Our basement....

actually looks like a basement!

Well, since it's Christmas Eve, Mr. Homeowner and I are off on a little road trip. We're heading over to his parent's house this morning, then we're heading to Edmonton to my parents' house. On Christmas Day, we're heading to Vermilion to see my dad's family, and on Boxing Day we drive back to Edmonton. On the 27th we're meeting with our wedding officiant and going to an open house hosted by my mom's family. And, finally, on the 28th, we pick up our pup and head back to Calgary. We are going to be spending SO much time in the car (and the rest of our day will be consumed with eating, digesting, sleeping to aid the digesting, and cramming as much puppy training information into my head as possible) which will either kill any scrap of motivation that still resides in my soul, or give me such extreme cabin fever that I work myself into a frenzy for the next week, ensuring I return to the office in the New Year completely exhausted. Either way, stay tuned!

And, from our house and our family to yours, have a Merry Christmas! I hope Santa brings you all everything that you wanted!

Back(splash) in the game!

Well, it wouldn't be the Happy Homeowner Basement Reno without a little "one step forward, two steps back" action going on.

Yesterday, quite a bit of work was done in the basement- the slate flooring was completed and grouted, the backsplashes were finished, and the carpet on our stairs was ripped up in preparation for the new (extra cushy) underlay and carpet going in today (hopefully!).

They look nice, BUT....

The backsplashes are (A) too short (they're only 4.5 inches, instead of the 6.5 we requested) and (B) the backsplash in the laundry room was supposed to be laminate to match the countertops, not tile. And, the grout may be the wrong color!

First things first: we're planning on keeping the backsplashes on the bar and the vanity, even though they're too short. It will save us money (by cutting down on tile costs), and in all honesty, it looks fantastic. We are really happy with the work the tiler has done, he does a great job...and it would be a travesty (not to mention a waste of time and money) to rip out the tile just for being too short. Now we just have to hope that our mirror (which was ordered based on a 6.5 inch backsplash) doesn't look stupid ending 2 inches below our bathroom light fixture.

For the laundry, however, I really want to change the backsplash. It's a small room, and there is already SO MUCH going on in there- the tile floor is assorted colors, our washer and dryer are red, and our countertops are dark laminate with subtle white veining. The tile backsplash works fine for the bar and the vanity, because the tile color matches one of the colors found in the granite. But in the laundry room, the tile matches NOTHING....it's just another color, another shape, another texture, and I think it makes the room too busy. I'm hoping that we'll be able to stain the tile and grout it darker, so that it doesn't need to be ripped out...but if the tile is coming out anyway, we'll just put in a laminate backsplash that matches the countertop.

And, the grout on the floor looks like it's the wrong color, but it changes as it dries...so we'll keep you up to date on that!

I've already been in contact with Eiffel, and they say it will all be fixed, but after the Christmas holidays. I totally understand that- the trades want a break (and it IS December 23, after all)....and to be perfectly honest, Mr. Homeowner and I want a break too! It's been stressful trying to get everything done by the December 20 deadline...but now that we're way past that, the pressure is off.

Some photos:

The backsplash on the bar. Notice the color difference between the countertop and the edging on the undermount sink? Yeah, that's how much dust is coating everything now. Gross. Reno tip: CHANGE YOUR FURNACE FILTER OFTEN, especially when they're at a stage where there is a lot of cutting.

Close up shot of the backsplash tile. The color of the tile is a pretty close match to the lighter stone in our granite, and it's just a touch darker than our walls. Once it's grouted, the diamond pattern will fade a little, and make it a little more neutral....right now I find the diamond backsplash against the granite a little busy.

The backsplash on the bathroom vanity.

And, the incorrect backsplash in the laundry room. I know it looks okay now, but I just don't like it...and I think it's going to grate on my nerves after a while.

And, finally, our naked stairs, awaiting the new underlay and carpet!

Counter point!

Well, not just counters. There were counters, floors and a sink, but "counters, floors and sink point" doesn't make much sense.

Yes, on Friday our embattled granite countertops were installed, as were the slate floors, and our hastily chosen bathroom sink. I'm hoping that the basement will still be done on Wednesday like we were promised, but I'm not holding my breath. The floors still need to be grouted; all the light fixtures need to be installed along with the switches and the plugs; the bar fridge needs to be installed; the laundry room sink, toilet, shower fixtures and all the faucets need to be installed; the sound system and security systems need to be finished; the carpet (and underlay) need to be installed; the doors need to be hung; and they need to clean. That's a lot, and they have today and tomorrow.

Like I said, I'm not optimistic. But, here are some photos!

The Laundry room floor. Um...it's very colorful. VERY colorful. The sample in the store did not look like this- it was dark greens and greys and grey-greens. But, we put in simple, dark laminate countertops, the walls are neutral, and the light fixtures are fairly plain, so I don't think it will be too busy. And, the reds and oranges will help tie in our red washing machine.

Here is the bathroom floor. I have a suspicion that the tiler picked through the boxes of slate to get as many dark colored tiles for the floor as he possibly could. We DO have granite on the vanity in the bathroom, we have a tile backsplash, a tiled shower and a laminate cover on the sewer lift in the corner of the bathroom- so there is a lot going on (visually) in this room. I'm glad the floors aren't as crazy as the laundry room.

The bathroom vanity, with our sink, picked sight-unseen.

The bar, with our fantastic undermount sink. In the left of the photo, you can see lines in the dust on the countertop...THAT'S how much dust is floating around our house, even with us changing the furnace filters. Gross. If a contractor ever tells you that there will be minimal impact on your life due to finishing your basement, whip out this photo and laugh in his face. Your sinuses will thank you (mine are currently threatening to take me for everything I'm worth in the divorce)

And, because I think it's funny, the template from our bathroom sink. If it's still there tonight, I may steal it to make a trivet. A really, really heavy trivet. But, the way I see it, we paid for the whole length of granite, so why shouldn't I get to keep the template?

That's all for today...stay tuned to see if the impending deadline is motivating our workers, or if the Christmas Spirit carries more clout.

We've got a handle on things!

Well- handles AND knobs, but that wasn't nearly as catchy.

Yesterday we had the door handles and drawer pulls installed in the basement, and the tiler showed up to start his work. It was almost 8 pm by the time he finished the shower and went home! I'm glad things are getting done, but I *do* feel a bit bad...yesterday afternoon Eiffel had their Trades Christmas Party in the afternoon, and I'm pretty sure the tiler missed it because he was working. :-( Hopefully he'll be okay with it once he gets paid! So, Mr. Tiler Man, if you're reading this (which you probably aren't!), I'm sorry I forced you to miss your party in order to finish tiling the shower.

Some photos:

The Bar! You get your drawer and door fronts as a set, and by going with a flat front drawer and shaker-style door, instead of doing shaker style for both, we saved TWENTY FIVE PERCENT off the cost of our bar cabinets. That is INSANE.

The Bathroom Vanity!

And our Shower! I couldn't fit the floor in, but it's a 2x2 inch tile mosaic which matches the walls. I *LOVE* the shower. The tiler did such a good job, and it looks absolutely fantastic.

And, I talked with our project manager already this morning...our countertops are being installed as we speak, AND the cabinet designer is taking responsibility for all the issues that arose from him not measuring anything out. So, yay! And, it's Friday, AND it's almost Christmas, AND I spent the morning finding hilarious Christmas E-cards to send to our friends.

Some of my favorites:

I thought this one was hilarious, but the language wasn't totally SFW (safe for work). I'm sure you can all figure it out.....it rhymes with "trucking", okay?

This is my second favorite!

I LOVE this site- their tagline is "For when you care enough to hit SEND". They are just the right amount of cynicism tempered with brutal honesty to be Homeowner-approved! And, it turns out that I *DO* care enough to hit send! I think my grinchy-heart just grew three sizes today!

P.S. The 5 cards above were all taken from someecards.com

Another Short Post!

Again, not that much to report, but there was more progress in the basement yesterday:

Our Vanity has doors and drawers!

Our linen cupboard has doors and crown molding, and the pump cover has doors and countertop (the countertop lifts off, and the front panel with the doors screws out of the wall, so you can have unobstructed access from all sides in case of repairs)

Our washer and dryer have a home!

Our Laundry sink has a counter and doors!

Lori from Eiffel is coming over this evening to do a reconciliation (the second last one!)....I'm hoping that we'll be able to chat about our expectations, their expectations, and why (and how!) things have turned out the way they have, timing wise. So, tune in tomorrow for that gem....

We started picking up supplies for our pup- we have her bowls, a leash, a training collar (which we're not sure if we're going to use), a brush, nail clippers, pee pads (for when she's in her enclosure in the house, in case of accidents- we are going to train her to do her business outside!) and 2 more toys. Now we just need beds and an enclosure for her, and we should be good, for the first bit anyway.

Oh, and it snowed again last night. Another centimetre. And it's still cold. It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas!

Pilgrim's Progress!

Um...that's a title of a book. I've never read it, but I thought it would be slightly more creative than "More Progress". Gimme a break!

The Cabinetmakers were back again yesterday- they got the frames of the rest of our cabinets assembled, and raised the upper cabinets on our bar so that our faucet would actually FIT....and work on our shower started!

The (newly spaced) bar!

Bathroom Vanity, complete with smaller sink-hole!

Linen closet and Pump cover

Laundry Counter, with hole for the sink!

Laundry Room- Washer and Dryer Wall. I have no idea what that little half-wall thing is for.

Shower Pan is poured!

As well, it snowed again last night, and it's supposed to stay cold for the next week or so....Calgary is going to have a WHITE CHRISTMAS! Yay!

Our Snowy Street- East

Our Snowy Street- West

This is what happens when you don't move your car in over a week- you have to dig it out!

We got about 10 cm of snow last night (yes, I know I flip back and forth between metric and imperial. It happens!)


Our Decorative Rock in our front yard- almost buried! And, a couple of these shots are blurry because it was so cold outside this morning that MY CAMERA STARTED TO FREEZE. Yes, indeed, welcome to Canada. I love it!

Yes, the post is a little light on actual TEXT, but there's really not that much to say, after you've seen the photos! There still is some debate over just HOW complete our basement will be as of Christmas Eve (our December 20 deadline is out of the question now), but I'm hoping. I'm also biting my tongue as I hear about the contractors complaining about the rush- Um, you KNEW when our deadline was. Take it up with the drywallers, trim installers and painters who felt they could take whole weeks off (sometimes more than one, in a row!), and not hold things up. I'm not easing up on my expectations because it's Christmas. Deal with it.

I got some ISSUES....

And anyone who knows me in real life just went "Tell me something I don't know!"

Now, Corey from Baltimore Rowhouse just did a post on the difference between an "issue" and a "problem". Allow me to paraphrase: An issue is something that's gone wrong, that you know how to fix. A problem is something that's gone wrong, that you DON'T know how to fix.

So, we have some issues. All I can say is, thank GOODNESS Mr. Homeowner went home early yesterday, so he was on-site to keep an eye on things and call me when input was needed.

When I last posted about the basement, I was concerned that things were not going to be finished. As it turns out, we're not going to be done by the 20th (which is only 4 days from now, if you're keeping track!), but we *may* be done by the 23rd. But, a byproduct of things being *almost* on time is that everything gets very rushed at the end of the line. For example, yesterday we had the cabinet makers on site, putting things together, the tiler was hauling in buckets of goop (yes, that's the technical term) and bags of cement, and the granite guys were on site, anxiously waiting for the cabinets to be assembled so they could measure for countertops.

Enter Issue #1.

Our vanity is 36 inches long. Hence, you'd think you need a 36 inch countertop. That's what our spec said. But the measurements from the cabinetmakers asked for a 37 inch countertop, and those are the dimensions that were laid out on the wall (yes, they traced the outline of the cabinets). We finally figured out that the extra inch was coming from a spacing piece laid between the wall and the vanity. So, 37 inch countertop it is. Doneski. Then, the granite guys laid out a template for our sink, so they know where to cut holes.

Enter Issue #2.

Our sink is too big for the vanity. Actually, it's not- the sink we ordered WOULD fit perfectly, IF the cabinet in the vanity was wider, and the drawers were narrower. But, the way the vanity was laid out, our sink would encroach on the drawer bank, making the top drawer useless. My first instinct was to send the vanity back to be remade by someone who actually MEASURED THE FIXTURES THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO CONTAIN, but that would have put us significantly behind schedule- as it is, we had to beg, plead, cajole and threaten to get our cabinets delivered and installed this week. So, the only other option was to pick a smaller sink. Our model (the Santa Fe) didn't come in smaller sizes, but our plumbing supplier sent us the specs for 3 different sinks, first thing this morning. I had about 10 minutes to make a decision- the granite suppliers were cutting our countertops AS I WAS DECIDING, and there was an Eiffel rep sitting at the plumbing supplier, ready to race to the granite guys with our sink template as soon as we'd chosen. One sink was in stock in their warehouse, one was in stock at a wholesalers, and one (the most similar to our chosen sink) was on backorder but due in this afternoon. Well, with the weather being cold and snowy, I wasn't going to trust that a shipment would be in on time, so that one was out. Then, considering there was an Eiffel rep sitting at the warehouse already, I made a snap decision- In stock, in-warehouse sink it is. Doneski.

Last night, after I figured out the cabinetmaker didn't actually measure any of our fixtures before designing our layout, I decided to double check some things myself. And it's a good thing I did...

Enter Issue #3.

The upper and lower cabinets for the bar were both installed yesterday. The uppers were hung about 4.5 inches from the ceiling, as we were putting crown molding at the top. As I was flipping through my binder, looking for the size specifications for the vanity sink (issue #2), I came across the specs for our bar faucet. Our 14.75 inch tall bar faucet. I headed downstairs with the tapemeasure and found the clearance between the top and bottom cabinets was 16 inches. 14.75 inches of faucet, plus 1.25 inches of granite countertop equals.....16 inches exactly. Our faucet was not going to fit under our cabinets. (Insert mad swearing here)

So, I phoned our Project Manager (who I had to call about the vanity countertop length anyway). I asked that the upper cabinets be raised to the ceiling, which meant that the molding around the top would have to be scrapped. Okay, fair enough. But, this also meant that the painted border in our rec room would have to be redone, to follow the contours of the upper cabinets (so that it doesn't look like we just slapped some cabinets up as an afterthought). The painters had to come back anyway, so that's not a big deal...but it now means the drywallers have to come back as well, to re-do the stippling. Damn.

All in all, I think we dealt with everything (and there was only one spectacular, crying meltdown, where I threatened to kick all the trades offsite until January, during the whole process). We have been promised our basement will be done by December 23...we will certainly see. This is going to be a busy week, I think.

Some photos:

The Bar- With the upper cabinets hung too low.

The Cabinets in the laundry room!


What will eventually be our tiled floors, the shower, and our backsplashes.

And, another shout-out to Target, the company my dad works for! Represent!

Snowstorm....OF DOOM: The Aftermath

Well, we survived. The snow has stopped, the sun is shining, and it's a lovely -30 degrees C outside. The intersections are polished to a high sheen, and any snow that wasn't cleared yesterday is now packed into rock-hard ice. Excellent.

As a final tally, we got about 9 inches of snow this weekend: 5 inches by the time I got home on Friday, 3 inches overnight, and another inch on Saturday afternoon.

But, let's take it back to Friday...

It started snowing at about 11 am.

The mass exodus out of downtown started at about 2 pm, with people frantically trying to exit the core and beat the weather (and traffic). Well, no dice, when everyone has the same idea- I heard stories of people taking 35 to 40 minutes to just get out of their parkades!

When I looked out my window and saw that 4th Ave looked like THIS:

at 4 pm, I knew I wasn't going to take the bus. Buses were going to be running behind, and I didn't want to sit in traffic, on a Friday, when I still had sidewalks to shovel. So, I headed for the CTrain, which is usually packed to the gills.

It was empty. I got a seat, no problem.

So, I rode the train and got off at 19th Street. By my house, 19th Street heads down a bluff, so the road is steep. So steep, in fact, that cars weren't making it to the top. The people behind them were forced to slow down, losing their momentum and getting stuck themselves....and so it continued, all the way down the hill. One delivery truck had his accelerator jammed to the floor- I could smell the burning rubber from the tires.

All the cars in front of the white car are stuck. Two of the cars, in fact, tried to pass a pair of vehicles that were barely moving, and got stuck themselves. Ah, momentum and friction (or, lack thereof, I suppose). They're beautiful things.

I made it home without incident,

and shoveled our walks, even though it was still snowing (it's better to try and keep up, instead of waiting for it to stop, and allowing it to get packed down as people walk on it). I also shoveled our neighbor's walks, because he mowed our lawn all summer, so it's only fair.

Then I kicked the snow off my shoes (note the snow line above the cuff of my jeans- that's how deep the snow was!)

and headed inside.

The rest of the night (and for all of Saturday) I just stayed in and stayed warm. I played some Wii, watched the Sex and The City movie, and read (and, shoveled some more, of course). It was lovely (except for the shoveling).

On Sunday, I ventured out into the cold- I did some errands and grabbed some groceries. Then I tidied the house (Mr. Homeowner got home from Phoenix last night, so I had to make it look nice!), baked some bread, and made a slow-cooker chicken stroganoff for tonight.

I have to say, driving the winter roads in a car (my previous vehicle was a Chevy Silverado Half Ton) wasn't as bad as I thought. I liked the fact that I didn't have an 8 foot empty truck box swinging out behind the driver's seat, but I don't like sitting lower than the other trucks and SUVs on the road- I'm more likely to get a rock in my windshield this way!

But, here are my winter driving tips:

- WINTER TIRES. I cannot stress this enough. "All Season Radials" do not cut it here. Your tires may be the difference between you making around that corner, or spinning out into a light standard. (That being said, I don't have winter tires- they weren't in my budget for this year, and Mr. Homeowner's car has winter tires, so for the rest of the winter, he'll drive on the really bad roads. I do have All-Wheel Drive, which helps, but I am definitely getting winter tires next year)

- If you start to spin out, DO NOT LET GO OF THE WHEEL. In inclement weather, I drive with my hands at 9 and 3 (or approximately thereabouts)- this allows for maximum maneouverability without letting go of the wheel.

- Take your foot OFF THE PEDALS if you spin out or go around a corner. Hitting the gas or brake while cornering can cause a spin, and if you're already spun out, hitting the gas or the brake isn't going to bring you back into control.

- Look where you want to go. Stare at that soft, pillowy snowbank, NOT at the light standard. Or, better yet, stare straight down the middle of the lane you wanted to be in before you lost control. Then aim the car there.

- When you're back under control, then hit the pedals- GENTLY. You're not going to rocket off the line anyway, so calm down.

- Other tips:

If you have rear-wheel drive, weigh the back of your vehicle down with sandbags for better traction on your driving wheels.

Clean all the snow and ice off your car for maximum visibility, and don't slam on the gas or the brake. Smooth, steady acceleration and braking are the way to go.

If you have somewhere to go, try and get there as early as possible. I was on the road at just after 8:30 am on Sunday morning. The roads and parking lots were empty, and it made everything a lot easier (hello, pull through parking spots!).

And, SLAM your back hatch when you close it. I shut it normally yesterday, and almost lost the groceries out the back of my car on the way home- when the "door open" dashboard light popped on, I visibly cringed at every bump I went over, looking into my rearview mirror to ensure my cargo was still in place. I have NEVER hoped for a red light as much as I did yesterday!

"Snowstorm of Doom"-watch 2008!

It's just after 11 am, and the snow's started. Here we go!

If you have a hankering to make your own (virtual) snowstorm, hit up the "Snow Day" website I have listed on my sidebar, and make your own snowflakes!

Snowstorm....OF DOOM!!!!!

Dun-Dun-DUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN.

Well, not really. Not yet anyway. Last weekend we got a good dump of "heart attack snow"- about 15 centimeters (about 6 inches, for you non-metric-ers out there) of nice wet snow. And it's been cold enough that it actually stayed, which I love, because I've had one brown Christmas my whole life (in 1998, it didn't snow in Edmonton, where I grew up, until New Year's Eve. Yes, it was just before midnight. Yes, it was magical). When I moved here, nobody told me that because of the Chinooks, Calgary rarely gets White Christmases.

Digression for those who don't know: Chinooks are warm moist winds that sweep in off the mountains during the wintertime. During a Chinook, the warm air trapped at surface can cause the temperature to increase by 10 or 15 (sometimes more!) degrees in one day, so the snow melts. The work "Chinook" literally means "Snow Eater", in one of the local Aboriginal languages (forgive me, I don't remember which one). Funny Chinook Story: In 1988, when Calgary hosted the Winter Olympics, there was a Chinook the week before the games started. All the snow melted, and they honestly didn't know if it would cool off in time to get more (either man made or from nature). It cooled off just in time, and the games went off without a hitch!

Anyways, since we haven't had a Chinook this week, the snow has stuck around, and now Calgary is in the midst of a "winter storm warning"- they're forecasting another 10-15 cm (4-6 inches) of snow between tonight and tomorrow morning, with cold winds out of the north. On Sunday, it's supposed to be -31 C with the windchill! The low pressure system started to move in yesterday night (the wind woke me up at around midnight), and the temperature started dropping this morning- When I woke up, it was 3 degrees C, by the time I left for the bus it was 1 degree C, and now it's -3 degrees C (-8 with the windchill!). People are already being advised to stay off the roads tonight and tomorrow, and to just hunker down at home. I wonder if this is just so that there will be fewer cars for the plows, graders and sanders to contend with as they head out to do their thing tonight.

I did have big plans to get lots of errands done tomorrow, so that I could relax on Sunday. But, I may have to scale that back to JUST the essential errands, depending on the roads. We'll see. Worst case scenario, I spend some time with MarioKart Wii!!

Oh, and there was no one working on the basement yesterday. I mean, why would there be? It's not like our deadline is in, oh, EIGHT DAYS, or anything...

And, a Happy Belated Birthday to our good friend Peter (of Peter and Anne)! Had we known, we would have at least sent a card....
(Peter seeing how he measures up against a dinosaur leg this summer in Drumheller)

So, it's Thursday!

I really cannot come up with a better title than that at the moment. Forgive me- Mr. Homeowner is out of town until Sunday night, and I do not sleep well when he's not home, so I'm exhausted. The poor sleep was exacerbated by the fact that our house still reeks of lacquer from the baseboards and casing, mixed with normal latex wall paint from yesterday. AND I had my braces adjusted yesterday, so my mouth aches. I can't chew anything, but am much too cheap to throw out perfectly good solid food, so I'm pretty much swallowing my food whole, which upsets my digestion. I can barely brush my teeth (seriously, thank goodness for mouthwash, because I don't think the light brushing I can tolerate is doing anything for my oral hygiene), and popping over-the-counter pain relievers will further upset my digestion. The only relief I can get is when I suck my lips into my mouth to pull my front teeth back. In all honesty, this discomfort is greater than when I got my braces put on in the first place! I was warned that this was a "nasty set of wires", as they're attempting to pull my teeth out and away from each other, to create more space to move things around, but jeez louise!

On the house front, the painters did manage to get most of the basement second-coated yesterday. However, there is still one long wall left, and some of the painted ceiling border, and I suspect the bedroom needs a second coat as well. Supposedly this is being left until January, when we do our final walkthrough with Eiffel and get the nicks and dings filled in. That bothers me a little bit- having to second-coat almost half our basement isn't a "touch up", first of all. Secondly, it's going to make it difficult to get furniture into the basement- we can move it all in, but can't set any of it up because the painters will need access to the walls.

All in all, Eiffel has done a great job with our reno. But, I suppose I had the expectation that trades work in much the same fashion as Mr. Homeowner and I do- we schedule tasks back to back to back, and work for a solid 8 hours. Now, I understand that when you're, say, holding drywall panels above your head, or framing, you can't work for a solid 8 hours, you'll be exhausted....it's very different from sitting behind a desk all day like we do! But it seemed like there were long lags between trades coming into our basement. I mean, it took close to 15 working days to get our drywall up, taped, mudded and sanded. I realize that the mud needs a couple of days to cure properly, but there were a couple of 4 day stints (and that's 4 WORKING days, I'm not counting weekends!) where nobody was on site and nothing was done. When we left for Maui, there was a reasonable To-Do list left for the trades, and less than half was actually accomplished (and, to this day, nobody has been able to tell me why). I mean, even last week, when everyone knows we're getting down to crunch time, people were on site to drop materials off, but nothing was actually ACCOMPLISHED. For a WEEK. When there were LESS THAN 15 WORKING DAYS UNTIL WE TAKE POSSESSION.

I know I'm not a renovation expert. That's why we hired Eiffel- because they do this all the time. They know which vendors to use, and how to schedule things. But I don't know if the trades are actually sticking to the schedule, or if they're bouncing back and forth between several jobs. I understand that we share the tradespeople with all the other Eiffel clients, but this is getting a little ridiculous! I don't know where the hold up is- if it's the trades, just not showing up to our job, or if it's Eiffel and their scheduling of our job versus the other jobs they're trying to finish at the same time.

At this point, we have 7 working days left until possession on December 20. The painting has to be finished, the ceiling has to be finished, the floors have to be laid, the shower has to be tiled, the sound system and alarm have to be installed, the cabinets need to be installed, the countertops need to be laid, the sinks and toilet need to be installed, all the light fixtures need to be put up and activated (and we want the bulb that the trades stole from our furnace room to put in their hanging light replaced!), the faucets need to be installed and hooked up, the mirror, shower door and closet shelving needs to be installed, the light switches and outlet faceplates need to be installed, and the miscellaneous fixtures (towel bars, etc) need to be hung. In 7 days. And we're already accepting the fact that the backsplashes and stairwell won't be finished until January.

I'm not overly optimistic that we are going to get a COMPLETED basement by Christmas. Will it be NOT a construction zone? Yeah, probably. But that's not the same thing as it being FINISHED.

Running on Fumes....

Well, if I could, I think I'd be further ahead today!

Yesterday Mr. Homeowner and I got home after work, and walked into a haze of paint fumes. It was like walking into a wall of chemicals. They had sprayed our baseboards, casings and at least some of the doors, and our trim paint has a sheen to it....so it smells WAAAAAY worse than your run of the mill latex paint. It was so brutal we had to turn on all the fans and open windows (and it's WINTER, people!) just to keep from getting a headache, and to stop the burning in our throats. Mr. Homowner reported that the painters were there again today, so I'm hopeful that this is the end of the painting (until we do our final, final touchups and the stairwell is repainted- but that's just one stairwell).

We also received our Ugly Sweaters in the mail....Mr. Homeowners sister and brother in law are having an Ugly Christmas Sweater party, and lemme tell ya, there are some UGLY sweaters out there. Mr. Homeowner's will be fine on it's own- I've got two words for you: GOLD GLITTER- but mine may need additional uglyfication. I mean, it's nothing I'd ever wear in real life, but it's not totally hideous. We'll see what I can come up with this weekend.

Mr. Homeowner is out of town until Sunday- he's off golfing in Phoenix for a long weekend. I do hope that he has fun, and I know that he enjoys it, but I miss him a lot when he's gone. I hope Sunday comes soon....

And, finally, I got my braces adjusted for the first time today. I have to admit, I wasn't expecting all my teeth to ache this much so quickly. The tooth pain, plus the paint fumes plus the lonliness may make for an interesting evening....at least with Mr. Homeowner being away, I don't have to share the Wii tonight....

New Pics of the Pups!

Last night we got another set of photos of the puppies- they are 4 weeks old tomorrow! We get to find out which one is ours in two weeks!

Nothing gets my day started right like looking at pictures of puppies!

Green Pup (male)

Pink Pup (female)


Look at how fat her little legs are! Awwwww.....

Yellow Pup (female)

I love how puppies sit with their back legs stuck straight out. So cute!

Blue Pup (female)

I also love how puppy tails stick straight up in the air, like a little flag!

I cannot believe that just 4 weeks ago, they were blind, deaf, helpless and almost totally hairless...and look at them now!

Okay, I think that's enough- I've used my quota of exclamation marks for the day....

The Birthday Gift that Keeps On Giving!!!!

So, Mr. Homowner turned 29 yesterday (heh heh...hope you don't mind that I shared that!). I wanted to get him a gift that was really special, to mark his entry into the last year of his twenties.

So, I started planning his gift back in October. I gathered information. I filled out application forms. I submitted full bloodwork and a total body scan (just kidding...but almost!). I enlisted the help of some friends and swore them to secrecy. When Mr. Homeowner started to guess what his gift was, I devised red herrings, to throw him off the trail (which was completely successful, by the way! I thought he was TOTALLY on to me!).

It was all worth it when he opened his gift on Sunday morning, and put the pieces together.

We're getting a puppy.

Now, before anyone freaks out, I didn't actually wrap up a DOG. I wrapped up 2 collars, a squeaky toy, two training books, and a dog tag, engraved with a name and our cellphone numbers.

Mr. Homeowner had a yellow Labrador Retriever growing up, Bailey. He loved her to pieces. It's been years since she had to be put down and his family STILL talks about her all the time. He's wanted to get a dog since we moved in together, but I always said "No, it's not the right time".

But, then, I actually started thinking about it. I mean, is there EVER a "right time" to do half the life changing stuff we do? Is there ever going to be a "right time" to stand outside when it's -30, waiting for a dog to pee? Is there ever a "right time" to have them barf on your floor? For that matter, is there ever a "right time" to have a baby, or go back to school, or move, or change careers?

The more I thought about it, the more I came to one conclusion: Mr. Homeowner and I are going to be working until we're in our 50's, if not 60's. So waiting until we're not working is not an option. We had big dreams to travel- to Australia, Africa, South America, Europe. These trips would have been several weeks long, and I didn't want to board a dog for that long. But, we just bought a house this year. We're finishing the basement, and we're replacing some of our furniture. That, in addition to the economic slowdown, means we don't have the funds to travel any farther than our own backyard for the next several years. So, really, why NOT get a dog? She'll keep me company when Mr. Homeowner is out of town or out at late hockey games. She'll ensure we get up off the couch several times a day, to exercise and play with her. She'll make sure we keep our house clean (Labs think that EVERYTHING is edible...even if it isn't).

So, I did some research. We wanted an English lab (stocky build, big square head, calmer disposition) instead of an American/Field lab (thinner build, longer face and nose, higher strung...Marley, of "Marley and Me" fame, is an American Lab. Shadow, from the Incredible Journey, is English). We wanted a purebred, to minimize health problems. We wanted a girl, because they're smaller. And we wanted her at Christmas, so that we could move our schedules around to be home with her for the first few weeks.

I found a breeder just outside of Edmonton, who had a litter of yellows due around Christmas. So, I filled out the forms (So....Many....Forms!), sent in a deposit, and waited. Just in case, I requested a Chocolate female as a second choice. Unfortunately, the yellow dam didn't get pregnant...and there was one chocolate female left from another litter, who would be ready for pickup on December 23. It was meant to be!

Since we travel all over the province for Christmas, I set pickup for December 27, so we could get the pup and head right back home- I thought it would be easier for her that way. So, only 19 days until we get our pup!

Some Photos:

The Dad, Riley.

The Mom, Java.

And here is the litter! There are 3 females, and one male. We don't know which female we get until they're 6 weeks old. Their birthday was November 10, so they're almost 4 weeks old!

The Litter at 11 Days:

Green Pup (male)

Pink Pup (female)

Yellow Pup (female)

Blue Pup (female)

The Litter at Three weeks old:

Green Pup

Pink Pup

Yellow Pup

Blue Pup

So, we have three weeks to get all the stuff we need (bowls, beds, leashes, a crate, toys), read like crazy about what we're getting ourselves into, and puppy-proof our home! YAY!!! I am so excited...and so happy that I was able to surprise Mr. Homeowner on his birthday!

Happy Birthday, Hon!

Today is Mr. Homeowner's 29th Birthday.


Happy Birthday To You
Happy Birthday To You!
Happy Birthday, Mr. Homeowner,
Happy Birthday To Yooooouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu....
and many mooooooooooooooore!!!!!!!

Love you lots, babes!

Ahead by a Century.....

This is my official 100th post. Yay for me!

The truly ironic thing is that it took me almost 7 months to reach 50 posts, and then less than 8 weeks from there to get to 100. Ah, the joys of posting twice and three times a day!

Update on....Nothing, really

And, in case you're interested, the base and case was not done when I got home yesterday. The patches that had been applied to the wall were sanded, which was something, but we noticed that there were several divots in the stairwell walls that hadn't been patched...and there's still at least one more coat of paint to apply.....

I'm getting nervous, simply because we've been promised our basement in 14 days. They still have to finish the base and case, fill the rest of the divots, sand them, and paint. Then, the cabinets have to go in, the floors and tile shower have to go in, and the countertops have to go on...and there is still some HVAC that has to be completed (the cold air returns have no ducting connecting them to the furnace). The doors need to be hung, and all the hardware needs to be installed. We need the lights connected, and all the plug and switch covers installed, and we need the security system and sound system components installed. All in all, it's a lot to do, and it doesn't seem like there's a lot of time to do it in. But, I have been assured that everything will be ready, so I have to believe that!

Some Progress is better than No Progress!

So, it's not QUITE the post I was hoping to be making today, but like the title says, anything is better than nothing!

So, last week the finishing carpenter showed up and started installing our baseboards and casings (or, Base and Case).

There hasn't really been that much progress since then, but the painter did show up yesterday to patch until the cows came home.....witness:

In the stairwell going downstairs.

Patches GALORE!

More patches!

The little door leading to our crawl space.

Closeup of the base and case detailing!

I'm hopeful that the remainder of the baseboards will have been installed today while I was at work! Happy Friday!

Amanda = Miracle Worker

So I got two phonecalls from Amanda from Eiffel today.

The first one detailed how our "new" faucet, that we were forced to pick, was more expensive than the one we originally chose (that is now discontinued). My side of the conversation was really short : "[Plumbing supplier] can eat that difference. Too damn bad." I think there also may have been some swear words in there as well. But, at the end of the day, we were getting the faucet, the overage was NOT being added to our budget....and then we talked about sloths. And sheep. And how wet sheep PROBABLY smell like wet wool socks.

The second one let me know that we were, once again, getting the faucet we had originally ordered. The faucet which, mere hours ago, was discontinued and couldn't be installed, despite the fact that we'd ordered it in October. Part of my brain goes "Hmmmmmmmm"...and strokes it's chin thoughtfully, while skeptically raising an eyebrow- you have to admit, it's an interesting coincidence, that on the same day we refuse to pay for an upgrade, a faucet matching ours magically shows up. The other part of my brain goes "Woo hoooo! Now all the faucets match!" and promptly goes back to figuring out how we're going to finance the furnishings for our lovely basement...

So, once again, for the cheap seats, I LOVE working with the people at Eiffel. They get shizz done, and I honestly feel like they treat our budget as if it's their own money, which is fantastic. I can't wait to have them all through the house when it's finished and ready for our housewarming!

Still No Progress!

There hasn't been any appreciable progress on the basement since Monday. No more trim has been installed, the stippling on the bottom of the bulkheads hasn't been removed, and no more painting has been done.

In addition, the faucet we ordered for our basement:

is discontinued. They have the single lever version still available, which we've decided to take (if the faucet isn't going to match the rest of the ones in the other bathrooms ANYWAY, why waste time going back and picking something out, when you can use something from the same product line?)...but it boggles my mind that nobody thought to check this in OCTOBER when I ordered the damn thing! Why are you telling me this NOW, plumbing supplier!!!

I'm just trying to be zen about this whole process. Me getting all riled up isn't going to get anything done any faster, and it's just going to create conflict. We have been assured that our basement will be returned to us, almost completed (the backsplashes will go in first thing in the New Year, and we have to get the grout on the floor, shower, and backsplashes sealed a month after the tile is installed) on December 20....so I just have to trust that that is going to happen.

I sincerely hope that I"ll have an update post for everyone soon!

Electric Avenue....

So I mentioned on Monday that we had slipped into Soundsaround this weekend and slipped out with some major electronics.

We originally went in for a new receiver, to go into the basement (we already have one for the main floor). We found one that we liked, and it was on sale...as was pretty much everything in the store (a marketing tactic that's being employed by most retail outlets in Canada, to try and lure shoppers in)...so we looked at TVs. And the TV we liked had an associated price break on a Blu-Ray DVD player. And Mr. Homeowner's been lusting after a High Definition PVR cable box since they came out. And I wanted a Wii.

So we left with everything (except for the TV, which was too large to fit in the car and thus was delivered).

Yes, it was all expensive. Yes, we do have to pay for it. But my whole line of thinking is this: Once we get the basement finished, and furnished, and the house ready to go, we are NOT going to have the disposable income to go anywhere or do anything....so we may as well make the house a place that we want to be- whether we're hanging out just the two of us or entertaining friends and family. As well, we are trying to lower our budget by using as many of our current furnishings as possible- the kitchen table may end up in the basement, our current bedroom furniture (bought for $125 from a family friend) may end up with a new coat of paint in the guest room....we'll see. But I am confident that this splurge won't sink our budget.

And, as a side note, it's a good thing we did pick up the Wii, because Mr. Homeowner got Guitar Hero as part of his birthday present at his family birthday party last night. Yay!

That's it for today- there has been no progress on the basement since Monday, so there's nothing to report on that front, there's been no progress on the wedding planning since September, so nothing to report on that front, and my big budget post (and The Homeowners' 2009 Budget Challenge) is still forthcoming.

Stay tuned, and hopefully I'll have a basement update for you tomorrow!

AAAAAAARGH!!!!! Politics!

So, I always vote. Always. It's my civic duty to give my input as to how I want my city, province and country to be governed. This October, I voted again, despite being called to the polls four times in the last 18 months. But I voted. I looked into what the various parties stood for, and ultimately cast my vote for the party that I felt would be best equipped to lead Canada through the current economic slowdown.

But it was all for nothing.

Now, the other three parties have all banded together to overthrow the ruling government. The rumblings started when the Conservatives threatened to cut federal funding for the parties, and continued when they wanted to ban Public Servants from striking for three years. Now, even after the Conservatives have backed down on both those fronts, the assault continues, and it's plain to see that it's a blatant power grab. The other leaders are sick of being a bridesmaid, they want to be a bride, dammit, and they don't care HOW it happens...although, if they're asked, they claim it's because the Tories haven't tabled an economic stimulus package yet. Riiiiiiiiiight....if you believe that, I also have a bridge in Brooklyn I'd like to sell you.

I do detest talking about politics. It all smacks of one-upmanship, and baiting for the sole purpose of getting into a row (that's Brit-speak for fight, not what you do in a rowboat). But I absolutely cannot think about writing on anything else today. Here comes the rant.

I don't think the Liberals, the NDP, or any amalagmation of the two are capable of leading our country, much less with the addition of the Bloc. The problem with all three of these parties is that their view doesn't extend any farther than Ontario and Quebec- as long as they're happy, screw the rest of us! They have absolutely no problem destroying industry in Alberta and Saskatchewan, as long as Ontarians have jobs.

In the media, the Liberals and NDP claim they're upset that the Tories aren't doing enough to help "struggling Canadian families" in these harsh economic times. Well, for starters, the government is 7 weeks old- give them a minute. Secondly, I'd rather suffer for a couple of months while the government sorts things out, as opposed to instituting knee-jerk policies that end up doing more long term harm than good. And, finally, I have a very difficult time believing that the Liberals and the NDP care about the well-being of families everywhere...I have a sneaking suspicion that by "Struggling Canadian Families" they mean "Laid off, Unionized Auto-Workers".

Now, don't get me wrong. Unions have their place. They were formed with good intentions, in a time when many, many employees were gravely mistreated and exploited. But, now, they're being used as insurance- insurance against ever having to find another job. Insurance against ever having to work more than 8 hours a day without overtime pay. Insurance against losing your job to a replacement worker if you decide to strike. The union contracts that were negotiated with the Big 3 car companies are so insanely bloated, only a person with no concept of fiscal sense would find them sustainable. All things considered (salary, benefits, etc), your average UAW member makes $71/hour. SEVENTY ONE DOLLARS AN HOUR, for a high school graduate who puts dashboards in cars all day. When the Big 3 started shutting down assembly lines, the discovered it was less expensive to continue to pay the extraneous workers full wages, than fire them and deal with severance. That's utter madness.

I read in the Globe and Mail that working in the auto plants was seen as one of the few reliable jobs in Ontario, that would carry you through to retirement and allow you to concievably raise a family on a single income, and that people feel duped because these jobs are disappearing.

Um, people, that's called LIFE. Why should you be guaranteed a job for life? Why should you never have to worry about being laid off, or your job being given away if you decide to go on strike? Why should you not have to roll with the punches like the rest of us do? Why should you get a bailout, when none of the rest of us do? What makes YOU so special?

I work in the energy sector- I look for Oil and Gas. The "Green Initiatives" proposed by the NDP and Liberals would fatally wound my industry. Layoffs would be rampant and widespread, and the Prairie provinces would suffer a great deal, as their main employer floundered. Could *I* expect a hefty bailout, to help *ME* through the tough times? Um...I wouldn't hold my breath. What I WOULD do is get off my couch and get a job- any job. If there were no jobs, I would move. It's not rocket science.

I work hard. I worked hard to get into University, because I knew it was my best chance at the life I wanted. I worked hard to stay in University when I got there, and then when I graduated I worked hard to find a job. I certainly haven't had an easy go of employment- I've worked for 5 companies in 4 years, and was unemployed for almost 6 months. I refused to sign on for Employment Insurance, because I didn't want to be reliant on the government, DESPITE the fact that I paid into it. Now I have a job, that I do not like, but I get up every morning, get ready, and go in....because that's what grownups DO. However, the coalition "government" coming to power seriously threatens my ability to continue my career, and thus my ability to support my family.

I understand that Alberta is blessed to have the natural resources she does, and that not all the other provinces are as lucky. Yes, we have a main industry...that just happens to support the "have-not" provinces, and their bevvy of under-employed citizens. You'd think the government would want to protect that, instead of falling back on the old "government must provide a safety net" song and dance..well, where does everyone think that money comes from? Resource revenues and equalization payments... table those "Green Initiatives", and then wait and see how much money there is to support those "struggling Canadian families". It all smacks of jealousy- out here, we are reaping the rewards of our hard work, which isn't true elsewhere in Canada. The market is forcing unsustainable industries to change how they operate and run tighter, but that's not fair, so let's handicap VIABLE industries, so that we're all miserable together!

If anyone wants to live in a province that has a viable industry, there are more than enough jobs out here to go around..or, there will be, until the Three Mutineers get their hands on it.

I'm all for giving people a hand up, honestly, I am. I mean, without the National and Provincial Student Loan Programs, I wouldn't have been able to finish my degree, and without the Pension plan my grandma would have starved and been homeless. Social programs do have their place, many are underfunded, and this should be remedied...especially if the money would otherwise go to bail out a floundering auto industry.

However, I refuse to subsidize laziness and incompetence. I refuse to allow people to take the easy way out (bailouts, government programs), SIMPLY because they're easy....especially when it's MY money that is paving their way. I work for a living, whether I like it or not- why shouldn't you?

The Canadians elected a Conservative government. They don't have a platform based on cradle-to-grave social security. They don't have a platform based on guaranteeing everyone will always live in the style to which they're accustomed (or, to which they feel entitled). They don't have a platform based on making sure everything is fair. They have a platform based on those who work hardest reaping the greatest rewards, which is the farthest thing from fair in some cases. But you know what? They won. GET OVER IT.

Canada is not going to emerge from this economic upheaval unscathed. People are going to have to tighten their belts, and make do- even if this means not making $71/hour anymore, and there's not a thing that government intervention can do about that.

Additionally, this political upheaval is going to make the economic crisis worse for Canada- it will hurt our dollar, our stock exchange, and our ability to attract foreign investors to Canadian projects. It hurts our standing in the public eye as a stable, evenheaded country. The THAI are calling what's happened a coup, and they've barricaded their airports!

This is a shameful stab at power by the Three Mutineers. I can only hold out hope that the Governor General sees that Canadians deserve to have a say in the government, and calls an election.

End of rant. Back to regularly scheduled programming tomorrow.

Oh, and one more thing....

I posted as many times in November as I had in every other month COMBINED up until that point. Good times!

Happy December!

I cannot believe that it's December already. Where has the year gone? Seriously.

This past weekend was fun, and pretty busy....things kicked off Friday night with Mr. Homeowner's office Christmas Party, which was held at a lodge in Kananaskis, in the mountains just outside of Calgary. The food was fantastic, and I had fun dancing with Mr. Homeowner's coworkers.

Saturday found us back in Calgary, shopping for electronics. We ended up kitting out our basement, as well as bringing home a Wii....which we then played for the rest of Saturday. And part of Sunday. It's SO MUCH FUN, and you really move when you're playing- both Mr. Homeowner and I have sore arms this morning!

Sunday was fairly run of the mill- I grocery shopped, did some errands, and played some more Wii....and I also watched MTV's documentary on Britney Spears. There, I said it. I actually really enjoyed it- not that it's going to win an Oscar or anything, but it was a good glimpse into her life post-KFed, post-babies, post-headshave, post-rehab (twice!), post-hospitalizations (TWICE!)...Britney Spears is my dirty little secret ("I'm A Slave 4 U" is probably my favorite music video) and I sincerely hope that she's gotten help for whatever ailed (ails?) her.

Progress is being made on the basement- hopefully the next stage will be done by this evening so I can blog about it tomorrow!