I have had trouble getting back to my blog. Am thrilled I managed it today.
No new photos ready, but we are heading back to Asia in a few weeks. Going sailing with our friend Norm, so good photo ops.
We are living in our garage apartment that we built last year, because we are in to the rebuild of Southwinds. It is gutted and they are preparing the roof for the dormers so that they will have an inclosed work place for the winter.
So I will round up some photos and try to update my tale.
It has been 4 years that our things have been in storage. I am so eager to have our things around us, settled in our new spectacular place. Patience is the lesson in this life, for me.
Stay with me, more to come.
Tuesday, September 22, 2015
Thursday, February 19, 2015
Oh my heavens, 5 months later!!!!
I can not believe it has been so long. I am sure all buddies following this have long gone. So this is for me. If you are out there let me know, eh?
The garage is finished, but not until after we left for Asia in November! And we thought start May, finish July. HA! But it is lovely and we are happy with it.
We had some spectacular flying in the Fall. The skies were blue, the colours out of this world, and we had the time to go for gorgeous flights. There are some great advantages of Tim being retired.
We headed off to Singapore end of October. We took two bIG empty suitcases for our friends still there, Rod and Nancy, so they could send some things back with us.
I was thrilled to be back and see my few friends. But it closed a door for me. That was then and this is now.
My yoga retreat was in Bali. It was only okay. No fault of their planning. The problem was with me. The hotel was set in to a very steep hill. From the lobby to my room, one hundred steps up a hill. From my room to dining on the beach, two hundred steps down. And up. My knee (mcl) was at its worst and it was excruciatingly painful to take those steps. So I had room service in my room, I didn't go to all yoga classes, and it was a bummer. So much a bummer NO PHOTOS!
Back to Singapore to meet Tim, and we went on a bike trip to Viet Nam. 5 days on the Mekong Delta. We had a van travelling with us, so if my knee was not happy, I could ride in the van. Well, my knee was okay, but day 3 I fell. My knee was really scraped. In the moisture and heat it was very unhappy. So I rode the van YUCK. To get from the roads (no not roads, paths) to the van I had to be driven by a motor bike. They tied the bike on another motorbike. It was quite a road. My bike on the motorbike ahead was much wider than half the two lane path. It was quite an adventure.
The ride was great. Another girl fell and was with me in the van. The surroundings were very wet. Jungle. Rain. Mud. She stopped at a ferry dock, put her foot down, it slipped out from under her and she fell in to the Mekong River. You have never seen anyone move faster than her getting out of that filthy brown water. So I had company in the bus.
A balloon filled motorbike!
We then went to visit Norm on his boat. We thought for five days. Well getting the boat ready took five. Parts to be ordered, to arrive, to be modified, attached, get working. And it went on. At any rate were in the Marina, in the stinking heat, but a wonderful time with dear Norm.
A beauty sunset.
On our way. A stop at Railay Beach, where we had already been twice. But before we were at the hotel looking at those gorgeous sailing boats anchored off shore. Now we were one of those beautiful boats.
This are tokens left at a cave on the beach. They look familiar? They should. Yes, it is called Penis Cave. Not sure why people leave these there......
Tim at the beach acquiring yet another skill. Twirling a baton. Maybe his next job will be with a marching band.
The spectacular hong islands in the background.
Norm's daughter, Talia, and her friend joined us on the trip. They would take the dinghy from where we were anchored off shore and go in to party all night. Ah to be young!
Ah to be young AND bright and chipper the next day to take the helm!
The two of us happy happy.
The two captains solving the problems of the world.
We took a night at the end of the trip to stay overnight in a lovely place. This was our room, our villa, our cabin. It was just as charming as it looked.
I now have a major catch -up. We are out west. It is February. I will fill in some of that chapter next time.
Thursday, October 9, 2014
Oh my it has been so long
Why things are so busy I do not know.
Our garage plods along. It is a gorgeous colour of navy blue. I am thrilled with the colour. I have not seen any home/garage with this colour. I will take a pic which I am sure will not show it to advantage.
We have been working with a designer. He is wonderful. Gerald. He saves us much wandering the internet. We asked him to give us some ideas for the house next year. He said he would come up with a few. He sent the first one and we said don't bother with any more. We LOVE what you have designed. The work on the house should start next Sept 2015.
The navy just does not copy. This looks flat and dull. It's not. It is rich.
I am in the sprint position to head back to Singapore. The last six months, YES SIX MONTHS. have been interesting. The planning of garage takes a great deal of time. Buying anything involves searching on the internet, then shopping an hour away.
I got out of doing yoga. The summer classes, which are done on a private dock were just okay. I think any class would be a distant second to my experience in Singapore. Also the classes started at 8:30. Just that little bit earlier. I am relishing sleeping, after years of very poor sleep. So I just don't make it for 8:30.
Then I was gardening, and kneeling on stone. My knee hurt but I thought oh it will be fine tomorrow. But then tomorrow I was kneeling for another 4 hours. Oh well, it will take a little longer to feel better. Well, 6 weeks later it was still very painful, in fact more painful than the next day. Long story short I am doing physio for an MCL. So as a result, out of shape, out of exercising, and feeling it and looking it. Weight on. YUCK
Two weeks until we head back to Singapore. I can not believe it has been 6 months. As I think of packing, I have to tell myself, I do not need long sleeves, in fact not short sleeves, just tank top. We plan my yoga retreat in Phuket, go sailing with our dear friend Norm, go biking in Vietnam, and go to Laos. Be away about a month. Home end of November and then off to BC! Yikes.
We had visitors from Germany. Our nanny when Elizabeth was born, Annette Appel and her husband Berndt. It was wonderful to see them and to get together with the kids. A photo of 28 years later.
Norm came for a week. He is the gentlest, most friendly, interesting guy. I do love him. He has become a very important person in our lives.
The colours are as beautiful as I have ever seen them. Of course flying over them is spectacular. We
have had some lovely flights
But it is very much the end of summer. It is 7', windy and wet. We will start putting things away for the winter. We have a trip to TO and have been invited to the Toronto Art Show. We will pick up a painting we bought at the Affordable Art Show in Singapore last year. To save shipping we waited and had the gallery bring it over with their stock for this show. I am excited to see it.
Repatriating is tricky. We have come back to a new/old place. A place we know very well. but new to us as our home. We are living in a small town. Through the summer it had a vibrancy. But now it is grey Fall, and the population from 5000 to 350. We have an election which has a very divisive nature. The issues have polarized folks into for or against. It is sad to see.
Thanks for hanging in with me, blogging buddies.
Our garage plods along. It is a gorgeous colour of navy blue. I am thrilled with the colour. I have not seen any home/garage with this colour. I will take a pic which I am sure will not show it to advantage.
We have been working with a designer. He is wonderful. Gerald. He saves us much wandering the internet. We asked him to give us some ideas for the house next year. He said he would come up with a few. He sent the first one and we said don't bother with any more. We LOVE what you have designed. The work on the house should start next Sept 2015.
The navy just does not copy. This looks flat and dull. It's not. It is rich.
I am in the sprint position to head back to Singapore. The last six months, YES SIX MONTHS. have been interesting. The planning of garage takes a great deal of time. Buying anything involves searching on the internet, then shopping an hour away.
I got out of doing yoga. The summer classes, which are done on a private dock were just okay. I think any class would be a distant second to my experience in Singapore. Also the classes started at 8:30. Just that little bit earlier. I am relishing sleeping, after years of very poor sleep. So I just don't make it for 8:30.
Then I was gardening, and kneeling on stone. My knee hurt but I thought oh it will be fine tomorrow. But then tomorrow I was kneeling for another 4 hours. Oh well, it will take a little longer to feel better. Well, 6 weeks later it was still very painful, in fact more painful than the next day. Long story short I am doing physio for an MCL. So as a result, out of shape, out of exercising, and feeling it and looking it. Weight on. YUCK
Two weeks until we head back to Singapore. I can not believe it has been 6 months. As I think of packing, I have to tell myself, I do not need long sleeves, in fact not short sleeves, just tank top. We plan my yoga retreat in Phuket, go sailing with our dear friend Norm, go biking in Vietnam, and go to Laos. Be away about a month. Home end of November and then off to BC! Yikes.
We had visitors from Germany. Our nanny when Elizabeth was born, Annette Appel and her husband Berndt. It was wonderful to see them and to get together with the kids. A photo of 28 years later.
Norm came for a week. He is the gentlest, most friendly, interesting guy. I do love him. He has become a very important person in our lives.
The colours are as beautiful as I have ever seen them. Of course flying over them is spectacular. We
have had some lovely flights
But it is very much the end of summer. It is 7', windy and wet. We will start putting things away for the winter. We have a trip to TO and have been invited to the Toronto Art Show. We will pick up a painting we bought at the Affordable Art Show in Singapore last year. To save shipping we waited and had the gallery bring it over with their stock for this show. I am excited to see it.
Repatriating is tricky. We have come back to a new/old place. A place we know very well. but new to us as our home. We are living in a small town. Through the summer it had a vibrancy. But now it is grey Fall, and the population from 5000 to 350. We have an election which has a very divisive nature. The issues have polarized folks into for or against. It is sad to see.
Thanks for hanging in with me, blogging buddies.
Saturday, August 23, 2014
Yikes busy but progress to show
It has been ages. It is busy
This is a luna moth caterpillar. As big around as my fifth finger, and longer. Beautiful colours. One of the landscapers was studying this branch of a tree he was taking down. Then he got his phone out to take a pic. I went out to see what he was photographing, and this was it. The moth that comes out is big too. And exquisite colouring. Somewhat similar to this colouring. A soft green with big turquoise spots. Beautiful. I hope he stayed in the area and I might see him transformed.
I was at a wedding in the country and started to eat a rib of pork. A wasp was interested in the same piece. I thought I had shooed him away, but didn't and he bit me on the inside of my lip. Oh my, did it hurt. Benadryl did not help. It took about a week to go away. Ouch.
The garage is above ground, enclosed in plastic, shingles on the roof. Tomorrow the siding, next day the windows, and Wednesday the cement floor. The electrical and plumbing to go. Tim is looking at a Danish toilet that does not require septic. Completely self-sufficient. More on the that later.
Our landscaping is done. I thought I would do the planting now. But we are doing stuff to the house, including reroofing, so I want to give the workmen 6' perimeter to work. So I am only transplanting the flowers I rescued before the landscaping started. The real garden will have to wait.
Our patio is lovely. In shade all day til about 4 in the afternoon mid August. Lovely to have shade to eat at, at lunch.
Hang in there blogging buddies. Who ever you are!
Tuesday, August 5, 2014
Some better photos.
No photo captures the real effect. At least not my photos.
From what will be a stone patio down to the lake with our dock and red Muskoka chairs.
These stairs are amazing. He works with a level to set them. He has a stone cutter to slice the sides of the stones to give an even edge.
From our dock up the steps to the digger at the patio. See our steps in to the water on the right. This is an alternative to digging a sand beach. Minimal change to the shoreline for water habitat.
Steps are sort of hidden a little from the dock. Lovely. Sand under the hammock. A sitting area that is right at the water but in shade all day.
Of course our other dock happily docking CF-LIL and our sea-doo named Evie. My mother (Evelyn/Evie) did not like sea-doos. But that was because they used to be so noisy. This one is quiet. I am sure she would love it. It is SO much fun.
Here is our plastic wrapped garage. That orange beam could hold up a 747, or an ocean liner, or a ....
The view will be lovely.
From what will be a stone patio down to the lake with our dock and red Muskoka chairs.
These stairs are amazing. He works with a level to set them. He has a stone cutter to slice the sides of the stones to give an even edge.
From our dock up the steps to the digger at the patio. See our steps in to the water on the right. This is an alternative to digging a sand beach. Minimal change to the shoreline for water habitat.
Steps are sort of hidden a little from the dock. Lovely. Sand under the hammock. A sitting area that is right at the water but in shade all day.
Of course our other dock happily docking CF-LIL and our sea-doo named Evie. My mother (Evelyn/Evie) did not like sea-doos. But that was because they used to be so noisy. This one is quiet. I am sure she would love it. It is SO much fun.
The view will be lovely.
So we are above ground. I don't even have an up to date photo. We have three guys working. Today they were on the ceiling of the first floor putting up the beam for the roof on the second floor. It is massive. Should hold up 10 times the weight of snow from this past winter. The regulations are just so overkill says our builder Al. Our cottage next door which has been up for 100 years has no such beam.
Again, this photo is out dated. I would update the photo but I have lost the wonderful lens on my iPhone. I dropped the phone from a height of 2 feet out of my pocket on a cement floor. It slivered into broken glass. So I found a guy who can replace the back glass panel of the phone for $20. Sounds great. But the camera lens is like it is covered in vaseline. So back to Bracebridge tomorrow to see about this.
It is fascinating watching this guy moving these rocks. The pieces are easily 4'X4'X 6". Huge. He picks them up and places them down like they are feathers. It truly looks like ballet. I am the first to tell him he looks like ballet.
We have been having great weather. No more bugs. Sitting at the dock good. A slight overcast, so not deadly hot. Just perfect. Workers have had dry days. But it is dusty work. My ballet dancer out front at the stone patio kindly sprinkled the hose on his work to keep the dust down.
It is very exciting. Slow motion, but exciting. I am going to go out now and take up to date photos to post.
Monday, July 28, 2014
Garage is above ground. Now it should seem to go faster.
It seems that this job is so slow. The prep work always seems to go slowly. You don't see the progress. And our builder Al says everything that can go wrong has gone wrong with the Township and permits and bureaucracy. I am totally happy. Remind me of this when I am steaming mad at the slow progress.
We have the cement floor poured, the inspector in, and the walls went up today. So we can see where the doors and windows will be. It is very exciting.
We had a family reunion on the weekend. The Callaghans. My mother's family. This very weird being a Callahan. My mom was a Callaghan, married Walter McAdam, so I grew up McAdam, and then I married a Callahan. So this was a reunion of my Mom's family. My great grandfather Callaghan bought here in Bala in the early 1900's. I am fourth generation on this land. And am named Callahan. It is sort of weird.
We had over 100 show up, some I had never met, grand children of my cousins. My Mother's progeny counted for over 30 of them! It was a wonderful day.
I just have to add photos of my kids. Alex and Heidi
Elizabeth and Steve.
My Aunt Gracey Callaghan, the lone representative of my Mom's generation. She is the widow of my Mom's brother John
Our place is a hive of activity. Along with the garage guys, we have the landscapers. Very exciting. Doing hard scape, rocks, stone patio, stone paths. The rocks they have are magnificent.
.
You are very patient if you are still reading. Thanks
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)