I spent this morning doing what I like to do best: showing the house to someone who loves architecture. And it turned out that the photographer had been here years before, with the architect Andrew Geller. It was so interesting to talk to him about how the house used to look, about Andrew Geller's work and about his experiences renovating his own house.
We had great fun deciding on the best angles to shoot the rooms, or at least I did. I hope I didn't bore him with my constant questions and chatter.
I'll post more when I find out when the article is coming out. I can't wait to see the photographs he took in print and on the newspaper's site - the digital shots looked amazing. Until then, here's a really bad photo I took of the kitchen when we moved in.
Thursday, September 06, 2007
Another Andrew Geller fan
Wednesday, September 05, 2007
A little moment of madness
The newspaper phoned this afternoon to ask if they can send a someone to photograph our house for the article on Andrew Geller's work tomorrow at 9 am. As I had so much spare time I decided to wash the windows, at least on the inside.
I really don't know what possessed me. I can't wash windows. I've tried, believe me. Many, many times.
I've used Windex and Glassex and white vinegar. I've used soft cloths and paper towels and newspaper. I even bought one of those microfiber magic window cleaning cloths. It didn't get my windows clean but at least 10% of the price is donated to help stop domestic violence.
I would think the problem was me, my technique is lousy, except that last year Steven washed the windows outside and he did an even worse job. So bad, in fact, that I wouldn't let him clean them this Spring. I said I'd do it myself. And I have done, in the last hurrah of Summer. And they are horrible.
Other people have clean windows. How do they do it?
All window cleaning tips gratefully received.
Maybe the 70s are back
What I'm supposed to be doing is researching recipes for a party we are throwing on Saturday.
What I'm actually doing is being distracted by the kitchens at My Home Ideas including this almost garish (they call it vibrant) retro one from Sunset Magazine. It reminds me of the kitchen in The Ice Storm, one of my favourite movies about that era. But I don't think it's a look I want to create in my house, even if it feels contemporary. This simple kitchen that uses Ikea cabinets and quartz and laminate countertops appeals a lot, though.
OK, enough unproductive kitchen envy. Back to menu planning.
Tuesday, September 04, 2007
More photos of hostas
This is the bed right at the rear of the yard that I planted the summer before last. The peonies were hidden under weeds, and the rest of the bed was bare except for some suckers from the original rose bed. I dug up those and replaced them with hostas from other parts of the yard and three large leaved variegated ones I bought on sale that fall.
I actually told someone the other day that this bed was planted when we arrived, I had forgotten doing it until I was sorting through some photos from that summer. Looks like I could think about dividing these hostas again, we've plenty of bare spots where they could go.
I actually told someone the other day that this bed was planted when we arrived, I had forgotten doing it until I was sorting through some photos from that summer. Looks like I could think about dividing these hostas again, we've plenty of bare spots where they could go.
Monday, September 03, 2007
Dividing day lilies
Or how I spent Sunday September 2 Part II.
Digging up, splitting and replanting day lilies. Along the drive, in clumps around the tree stumps in this border, in more clumps by the lawn - next summer there'll be day lilies all over the yard. Yellow ones, orange ones and my favourite burgundy. Then it will all have been worth it.
Digging up, splitting and replanting day lilies. Along the drive, in clumps around the tree stumps in this border, in more clumps by the lawn - next summer there'll be day lilies all over the yard. Yellow ones, orange ones and my favourite burgundy. Then it will all have been worth it.
Newly pruned trees
Or how I spent Sunday September 2 Part I.
Just a little light pruning to let the sun shine on the lawn and increase our view from the kitchen window (in the far back of the photo) to the road.
Just a little light pruning to let the sun shine on the lawn and increase our view from the kitchen window (in the far back of the photo) to the road.
Planted split hostas
Or how I spent Saturday September 1 2007.
Split another 10 hostas and replanted 60! Yes 60!!!
Then I weeded. Steven power-washed the brick patio and paths. It's hard to say who was more dirty at the end of the day.
But in the battle with the yard we are definitely winning.
Split another 10 hostas and replanted 60! Yes 60!!!
Then I weeded. Steven power-washed the brick patio and paths. It's hard to say who was more dirty at the end of the day.
But in the battle with the yard we are definitely winning.
Saturday, September 01, 2007
Reminiscing
Yesterday we were interviewed by a journalist writing an article about Andrew Geller who was the architect of our house. Talking to her reminded us of things we'd forgotten while we've been updating this house. Forgotten or maybe suppressed.
For example, I'd completely obliterated from my memory the large rat sized whole in the garage and the unmissable odour of rat urine that permeated the area. Steven can't remember that the first things we put in the dumpster in July 2004 were several large closets that framed the back of the garage, to try and get rid of the smell. Several buckets of bleach and hours of scrubbing did the trick, but we had to repeat that over the course of many months.
Then there was the day that first winter when we went into the city and returned home to find that the previous day's snowfall had begun to thaw and water was pouring into the house from every window onto the newly laid bamboo flooring. That continued for the next few weeks. That's when we discovered that we didn't just need to replace a few windows, we needed a new roof as well.
I'd forgotten, too, about the hole in the window frame in my office caused by termite damage that we covered in plastic and duck tape for months while we tried to get replacements for the single pane, single hung windows. I won't forget, however, the trauma of selecting the replacement windows - trying to balance code with modernism and keep it affordable. ("Of course they'll match the existing windows, madam, they are custom made"). And then having them look just a little too much like double hung windows, after all... A bad day, better forgotten.
But there were good times, too. Like when we pruned the bushes by the bridge and revealed a pond and a stream under there. Or the day Verity moved into her bedroom and discovered the secret room at the back of her closet. Or the first morning walking down the back stairs when a shaft of sunlight shone through the window in the girls' bath and illuminated the tiles on the floor. Just like walking through a cathedral, it took my breath away.
House swap?
Our Little Bungalow left me a comment on my post about landscaping that led me to think that maybe housebloggers should think about swapping their homes with other home rehabers to get those pesky little chores done that we don't like doing or are beyond our capabilities. Of course being a swap, you'd have to be willing to share your particular skill set and do some hard work on a house other than your own. But at the very least you'd get to see up close what the renovations look like and maybe pinch some good ideas.
Friday, August 31, 2007
Today's little chore
He's been at it all day poor baby, 1000+ sq' of Bluestone that was black and green with mold and algae. Accompanied at all times by his faithful companion. Neither of them wants to come in until the job is completed. I'm just off to put the exterior lights on. I think they could be there all night, too.
Dividing the hostas
This is as far as I got dividing the hostas this week. Ten hostas split, oh about a hundred more to go.................
My hit tail
Browsing a very useful web marketing tool the other day I was interested in seeing how people get to my blog, and more especially what they are looking for.
It seems that they overwhelmingly want to know about two things: Toto Nexus toilets and Porcelanosa Ferroker tiles.
Although they'll find photos and brief descriptions on the blog I've never given product reviews. Until now.
Firstly, I absolutely love the three Toto Nexus toilets we put in this year. I will take a detour in this house so I can use them rather than the flimsy Kohler we have in the master bath, or even the 38 year old solid as can be one-piece American Standard in the powder room that used to be my WC of choice.
Because it is a couple of inches higher than standard US toilets, I find the Nexus just more comfortable. And their elongated shape makes cleaning the outside a simple task. As for the inside, a wider trap means no clogs and the flush is well, really reassuring.
Of course I bought them for their sleek design, and being slimmer makes them less intrusive in the bathroom. Or it should, but every time I see the maple wood toilet seats, I stop and think to myself: Man that's a good-looking toilet. The only regret is that I bought one with the basic plastic softclose seat. It saved a whopping $100, but it's not nearly so handsome, nor as comfortable as the other two. I will remember this when we do the master bath makeover and I think we'll go for the new Eco version then.
The Ferroker Copper tile, which we used on the boys' bath floor has even more people googling it, and I'm not surprised. It is a thing of beauty. I worried it would be too dark, that it would be too heavy to install, that the large tiles would look weird in such a small space and mostly that they would crack if I stood on them in the wrong place. I could have saved myself a lot of sleepless nights because they have been a joy. They anchor the room, they were challenging but not really difficult to install, they actually make the room look larger than before and they seem to be steady on the mud base. The most lovely thing about them, apart from the amazing coppery tone, is that they feel warm underfoot. All the other tiled rooms in the house are definitely chilly in the morning but these never do, in fact they feel cozy, almost soft. Is that psychological or does Porcelanosa have a secret heat retaining porcelain process I don't know about?
Whatever it is I'd recommend them to any remodeler, and for designer tiles they were less expensive than we'd thought (although still more than the original budget allowed!).
It seems that they overwhelmingly want to know about two things: Toto Nexus toilets and Porcelanosa Ferroker tiles.
Although they'll find photos and brief descriptions on the blog I've never given product reviews. Until now.
Firstly, I absolutely love the three Toto Nexus toilets we put in this year. I will take a detour in this house so I can use them rather than the flimsy Kohler we have in the master bath, or even the 38 year old solid as can be one-piece American Standard in the powder room that used to be my WC of choice.
Because it is a couple of inches higher than standard US toilets, I find the Nexus just more comfortable. And their elongated shape makes cleaning the outside a simple task. As for the inside, a wider trap means no clogs and the flush is well, really reassuring.
Of course I bought them for their sleek design, and being slimmer makes them less intrusive in the bathroom. Or it should, but every time I see the maple wood toilet seats, I stop and think to myself: Man that's a good-looking toilet. The only regret is that I bought one with the basic plastic softclose seat. It saved a whopping $100, but it's not nearly so handsome, nor as comfortable as the other two. I will remember this when we do the master bath makeover and I think we'll go for the new Eco version then.
The Ferroker Copper tile, which we used on the boys' bath floor has even more people googling it, and I'm not surprised. It is a thing of beauty. I worried it would be too dark, that it would be too heavy to install, that the large tiles would look weird in such a small space and mostly that they would crack if I stood on them in the wrong place. I could have saved myself a lot of sleepless nights because they have been a joy. They anchor the room, they were challenging but not really difficult to install, they actually make the room look larger than before and they seem to be steady on the mud base. The most lovely thing about them, apart from the amazing coppery tone, is that they feel warm underfoot. All the other tiled rooms in the house are definitely chilly in the morning but these never do, in fact they feel cozy, almost soft. Is that psychological or does Porcelanosa have a secret heat retaining porcelain process I don't know about?
Whatever it is I'd recommend them to any remodeler, and for designer tiles they were less expensive than we'd thought (although still more than the original budget allowed!).
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Five minute fix
I've mentioned this before, but it's amazing how history repeats itself around here, there is nothing like someone announcing they'd like to visit your house for you to fix those little chores you've been putting off since, oh I don't know, June 2004.
This evening I stained this piece of molding that was missing for three years and has been begging to be finished for the past two months. Hurrah for me.
I also dusted, washed floors and vacuumed, even though I know that by tomorrow morning the two dogs and four cats will have shed enough to cover every surface with a thick layer of fur, and if I'm very lucky one of the kittens will have coughed up a pink or green fur ball on the white carpet and the other will have peed on my new duvet cover.
I'm glad someone gave me the impetus to do this though. Who knows how long we might have been living with an 2' untreated piece of wood otherwise?
This evening I stained this piece of molding that was missing for three years and has been begging to be finished for the past two months. Hurrah for me.
I also dusted, washed floors and vacuumed, even though I know that by tomorrow morning the two dogs and four cats will have shed enough to cover every surface with a thick layer of fur, and if I'm very lucky one of the kittens will have coughed up a pink or green fur ball on the white carpet and the other will have peed on my new duvet cover.
I'm glad someone gave me the impetus to do this though. Who knows how long we might have been living with an 2' untreated piece of wood otherwise?
Cobweb, fungus or something more serious?
I noticed a new decoration to the siding yesterday, one I haven't seen before. It's 2-4" across and 3-4" long with a curved edge. There are groups of them under my bedroom window and along the east side of the house, on the garage.
Does anyone have any idea what they are? They'll be coming down this weekend when we are power-washing, but I'd like to know if I should add it to the list of things that could potentially cause my house to fall down and thus I should worry about. Thanks.
Does anyone have any idea what they are? They'll be coming down this weekend when we are power-washing, but I'd like to know if I should add it to the list of things that could potentially cause my house to fall down and thus I should worry about. Thanks.
Construction in the Neighbourhood
Not having so much work to do on the house (although yardwork never ceases) means I have more time to get out and walk the neighbourhood.
Back in May I wrote about a 70s colonial that had been torn down and the construction that was underway on its replacement.
For a couple of months we all wondered about the style of the new building, especially the roof line, and now we can see it in all its glory: a post-modern Dutch farmhouse. The roof is cedar shingles and took weeks to complete. You can see from the side angle they've taken advantage of the views and especially the sunsets. I think they've used the same square area as the old house and angled it slightly differently but it seems twice as big. It also dwarfs the two colonials on either side. At least its not a standard McMansion, if anything it references the older houses in the Bay Crest area on the other side of Willow Pond. I can't wait to see the finished siding.
Back in May I wrote about a 70s colonial that had been torn down and the construction that was underway on its replacement.
For a couple of months we all wondered about the style of the new building, especially the roof line, and now we can see it in all its glory: a post-modern Dutch farmhouse. The roof is cedar shingles and took weeks to complete. You can see from the side angle they've taken advantage of the views and especially the sunsets. I think they've used the same square area as the old house and angled it slightly differently but it seems twice as big. It also dwarfs the two colonials on either side. At least its not a standard McMansion, if anything it references the older houses in the Bay Crest area on the other side of Willow Pond. I can't wait to see the finished siding.
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Guess what the cat dragged in?
Hermes is trying his paw at hunting. This morning he found this 5" caterpillar by the rhododendron outside my office window and carried it around for a while until I persuaded him to drop it in return for cat treats.
I wikipediaed it and it appears to be the lavae of a large sphinx moth. There's a much prettier photo here.
I've never seen one before but it could be the variety that lives on vines as I spent more time yesterday pulling them out.
You'll be happy to know that it survived the cat attack and it's crawling off to another bush as I type.
I wikipediaed it and it appears to be the lavae of a large sphinx moth. There's a much prettier photo here.
I've never seen one before but it could be the variety that lives on vines as I spent more time yesterday pulling them out.
You'll be happy to know that it survived the cat attack and it's crawling off to another bush as I type.
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