At Home With Ailsa

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Okay, on with the Show!

That's just me, Ailsa, with Aidan leaping in front of me and my little dog, Tia, looking on, as always -- I was looking for the other pictures, but I can't find them, so this'll have to do for now -- and, yes, those are my Thigh High Boots, and they are surprisingly comfortable, but not all that great for Vacuuming and doing the dishes -- yuff, yuff! They're fabulous if you haven't bothered to shave yer legs in a while, or if you're heading out to the Club! Or not...

Oh, and Thank You sooooo very much for checking out my Advertisers -- that's what allows me to keep my Site 'on the Air', so-to-speak!!

Friday, February 6th, 2004. Hey, Baby-Cakes! You look stunning, today! (That's far better than, "You look stunned, today...", so if you feel like using my compliments later on when you're in contact with real live people, watch you don't mix them up, then find yourself all alone at the Lunch Table! No, no. We don't want that! ha,ha,ha!) Well, I actually left the house, yesterday -- I went up the DeVry to have lunch with my wonderful friend, Araya. We used to work together at DeVry -- he still Teaches there, and really enjoys it. It's funny when you return to an old workplace, because the second you walk through the doors, you feel like you should just head to your old desk and resume working! It was great to see some familiar faces, again, though, and have a few 'adult conversations' -- not that I don't loooove discussing Pokemon and all about the intricacies of building castles out of Lego with Aidan...! Makes me anxious to get back into the regular working world again. Soon enough, I suppose, soon enough.

My Site is doing better, financially, so I really thank each and every one of you who have clicked on my Sponsors -- that's how I 'stay alive', so-to-speak -- that and the Buffwear Sales. Think about me whenever you see a School, Team or Group who might need to raise some money -- either for Charity or for good old-fashioned Profit! Anyway, maybe DeVry will start the ball rolling with the College Crowd by putting DeVry on a Buff! You never know... it's always good to put ideas out there when you're in Business, since the idea in your mind won't grow if it never sees the light of day, right?

Speaking of Being in Business, did you see The Apprentice last night? That's such a great Show! I love the difference in the Male/Female Dynamics... and it's interesting to watch them when they are trying to sell something -- I wonder what thought process went through some of their heads to have a look of misery on their faces. Or when they are arguing close to where they're trying to sell something... what is that all about? It's Rocket Science, I tells ya! I cannot stand aggression -- maybe some folks love it, but it turns me off faster than anything else.

I experienced that first-hand, last Spring when I went in to a WalMart to buy a new Patio Set (I still bought it, but at my local WalMart, instead, where there's never anyone fighting...), and there was a Manager fighting with her Male Employee. Very ugly scene, and I was shocked, especially at WalMart where they're known for their good attitude. Well, not at that particular store. And the same thing happened at Home Depot, where the Service was soooo bad, I have never been back in, and it used to be my favorite store. Ah, well... I feel very strongly about good service, which generally means service without any fighting! That's not too much ask, is it?? ha,ha,ha!

Okay, that's enough fun for me for one day -- now I have to go start cleaning! That leads me into the ...

Tip of the Day: When you are about to put your House on the Market, clean it with a certain degree of ruthlessness. Bring some giant Garbage Bags or Boxes, and take everything you never, ever wear, read, eat, play with (you decide what all that means! ha,ha,.ha!), pack it up and give it away or throw it out. Give away whatever is even remotely useful to someone else, then toss the rest. First thing, this morning, I tackled the Pantry. It's the big 9' X 5' Walk-In Pantry, so there was a surprising amount of stuff in there that I've accumulated in a relatively short amount of time. I dumped all the old Hallowe'en Candy -- from two years ago... and the old Christmas Candies.

Of course, the main reason I cleared out the Pantry was because I was shopping at Costco, yesterday, and I wanted to make lots of space for all the new treats! But still, it looks waaay better, now. I filled a whole garbage bag full of old sweeties and half-eaten bags of chips and crackers. So now I need to get to work in my Master Bedroom Closet -- you know, it's about the smae size as my Pantry, now that I think of it... but Dwight has all sorts of old Hunting and Boating Magazines stacked in MY bit, and I want the space for new outfits I just got, so they can be packed up and stored in the garage... and that Dwightie better be a whole lot nicer or I'll have to pack him up and send him out to the Garage, too! ha,ha,ha! All in an effort to clean up, of course!

And now for your Daily Pic Fix!

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Here are some 'Before and After' of the Sunroom Doors. The First shot is before we had the Doors Painted, then the next two are from the inside of the Master Bedroom into the Sunroom, then from inside the Sunroom. Pretty, huh? We're really pleased with how all the Doors turned out -- thanks Mark and Brandon (The Painters!)!

Thanks for swinging in to see me, today! See you on the Weekend!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!!

Well, here we are, almost at Valentine's Day, again, so here's a wee link if you are out there lookin' for a little something special! Good Luck!

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Thursday, February 5th, 2004. Hi, Honey! You're Home, with me! Ain't that lucky? ha,ha,ha! I got up this morning to the most beautiful Full Moon -- hmmmm, that sounds a little awkward -- outside in the sky, above the mountains ... still no good? har, har!Well, I'll show you the pictures I took, then you'll see how lovely the view is from here. And for some reason, whenever there's a Full Moon in the morning, the sunrise to the East is even more spectacular, so I was going from one side of the house to the other to snap some great shots. I'll transfer them from my camera into the computer and post them for you, today.

Did you see American Idol last night? They booted off one of the fellows I thought was great -- George Huff, I think his name was... maybe they'll bring him back later like they did before. I thought he had a fabulous voice, and so what if he looked a little bit older? 'Older folks' (is that me?? ha,ha,ha!) have money, too, and we buy records -- I mean, CDs! The other fellow I liked who did get through is Erskine -- I didn't catch his last name. The girls I haven't decided on, yet.

And then on The Bachelorette, I think they might have been recruiting for 'Meredith Men' at a Pharmaceutical Convention -- is it just me or have you noticed a very high percentage of Pharmaceutical Salesmen? Hey, that's not a euphemism for 'Drug Dealer', is it? ha,ha,ha,ha! I loved when Mr. Confrontational (Ryan who was booted right off 'the island'!), who was 'very intuitive', did not get Meredith's body language or Kelly Jo's cross-armed stance when he went after them ... it's a good little Show to demonstrate to losers what happens when you're confrontational with the opposite sex, or just in general. Yes, everyone loves confrontation, especially girls! And the 'In-your-face, I can't seem to shut up' variety is particularly appealing! ha,ha,ha! So I like Chad, Matthew and Ian, although he looks like a commitment phobe from way back, but he is really cute! And wealthy -- you know I like that in a man! ha,ha,ha! Have you clicked on my 'Marry Rich' page, yet? It's just a little tongue-in-cheek look at Dating, if you'd like to read it!

Tip of the Day: You know how we've been chatting about money? Well, there's a lot of discussion over how much you should have in the Bank before attempting to purchase your own place. I think a lot of the decision should be dependent on they type of job you have, and the level of stability it provides. If you have a volatile boss and no contract, I would say that it would be wise to save up for about 6 full months worth of Savings -- that includes enough to pay the monthly mortgage, groceries, gas, and all your utility bills.

Now, if you have a great Contract and amazing Job Stability, you can probably get (or already have..) a good Line of Credit from the Bank, so you can use that if need be, although this is never a good use of money if you can avoid it, since you have to pay it back soooo quickly. Still you should have at least 4 to 6 months of Monthly expenses put aside, just-in case.

Or get yourself up to $10,000. in the Bank, which is a nice safety cushion.

There is a situation when I think you can get around this great big Bank Account before you purchase a Home if that sounds like it's going to take you waaaay too long to save up... if you can make an absolute commitment to yourself that you will take any job rather than no job if something should happen, God Forbid, that causes a sharp downward fluctuation in you regular income (you lose your job and now you're broke...). I'm surprised at the number of Professionals (it generally happens in this group, because they tend to have more preconceived ideas of what type of job truly suits them, but if you're down and out, and the mortgage needs to be paid, 'A job that pays money' will be your best bet! ha,ha,ha!) who would choose to lose a house over taking a job they might consider to be 'beneath them'. Good to get rid of that crazy attitude and save your Financial Beeeehind!

Thanks for coming in to see me, today! See you tomorrow!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!!

I'm off to get you the pictures from this morning -- be right back!

Okay, here I am! And here's your Daily Pics Fix!

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Here's the Morning Moon over my favorite 'clump of trees'! And then on the Opposite Side of the House, the Mauve Sunrise -- what a feast for the eyes, this morning!

Aidan (my little 4 year old son!) is building a very fancy castle beside me, here, as I write, and I just remembered what he said to me last night that I thought you'd get a kick out of... I asked him if he'd like Chicken Fingers for dinner, so he says to me, "Ah, no, Mummy. I don't eat Chicken Hands...', and he stormed off! Hilarious! Kids -- they're soooo entertaining! ha,ha,ha,ha!

Doesn't this remind you of the little cards you used to hand out to your friends in Grade Four? ha,ha,ha! Remember all the fancy Doilies that were always around on Valentine's Day? I used to looove those!

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Wednesday, February 4th, 2004. Hey, Baby! What up? Feb. 4th, already -- only 10 more days until Valentine's Day, so I've been working on my Valentine's Day Goodies Page all morning. It's fun finding stuff that I think my Readers will like -- of course, I mostly go with whatever I happen to like, but figure you're probably quite a bit like me... anyway, if you're making an online Valentine's Day Purchase, please, oh, please pop into my site and go through me -- why not? I would love that -- then it's like a little gift for ME, too! And tell all your wealthy friends, too -- plus, make them tell us all how they got so wealthy -- we all want to know! ha,ha,ha!

I need to get some new Tubes of White Dap so I can go around the house and fill in any wee nail holes on the Baseboard. You can buy Dap at any Home Improvement Store -- it's amazing stuff. Oh, and if you need some 'filler' around an older Bath-tum or Shower Surround, pick up a tube of Silicone. It's easy to use (just pipe it out like you were icing a cake, if you already are familiar with that process!), and it's a good 'Quick Fix'. The only thing is that the house is sooo big that there are a zillion little holes to fill and make the baseboard look perfect, so I'm thinking of getting another quote from our new 'Painter Guys' -- that would free me up to do even more work on my Valentine's Page! Now that would be fun!

I happen to be watching Dr. Phil while I'm writing this, today, since I've had soooo much Laundry and other exciting Housework to do, today... oh, my life is endless fun, that's for sure! ha,ha,ha! Anyway, they're talking about Financial Security and the lack thereof... I really wish they would take some serious steps to add Curriculum in every High School and College to teach young people how to manage their money. It's crazy not to teach them when they're young, so they'll be all set with the knowledge and abilities to handle their money as soon as they start earning it. It looks like Governor Arnold in California is taking some big steps in revitalizing the School System, there, so maybe he'll be in the forefront of Financial Education... Just think how it changes a Society when people know how to make their own money, how to use it wisely so they're not broke al the time, which in turn makes them happier, which lessens crime, abuse, dissolution of marriage, better parenting...the list goes on and on. Seems like a good investment to me!

I used to really struggle with money issues -- no one had ever taught me anything about money -- the only big message was that I should never set my sights too high. Now that's a lovely message... really encouraging! Ah, well. A lot of people in my generation got that message... we're changing that, now, with better parenting skills, and greater self-knowledge, but there's still a ton of mixed messages we get from all sorts of authority figures.

One of the most annoyink phrases is that 'Money doesn't matter'...puh-leeease... that's the craziest thing I've ever heard! It matters plenty, and it's critical that your children know that right off the bat. No matter how much you earn, your kids should know that everything has a value, and they should value everything. That's a nice little catch-phrase, ain't it? ha,ha,ha! Anyway, so many little folks (and some big ones, too! Some in their late forties!!) don't have a solid understanding that you have to know how much something is, how you would save to get it, and why you shouldn't get it all if the equation just won't work out. There are very few things that you absolutely have to have, so let your kids know the difference between necessities and extras.

You know where a tremendous amount of money goes where it should be carefully weighed out and isn't, all in the name of a 'Dream'? No, not houses -- Weddings. Yep. Can you believe the cost of a Wedding, these days? Man. That's just one of the reasons we Eloped...I had a big fancy Wedding the first time around (I'm on Marriage # 2, right now! Look out Lucky Number Three! ha,ha,ha,ha!), which I did not want. That stuff gets waaaay out of control, and the levels of expectation are through-the- roof...then the expense is crazy. A couple should look long and hard at who the Wedding is really for, then see how they can make it a great Event without starting off their life as a couple in financial ruin.

The important thing about Money Management is to know what you can really afford and when. If you desperately want something, just wait until you have the money to pay for it -- that's not so bad... and if it's a House or Apartment, choose something that is completely in your Price Range, that'll still give you plenty of money on the side to live the rest of your life with...I think one of the main reasons people get into Financial Trouble is concern over how they look to others -- in terms of what they wear, where they live, where they vacation, what school their kid goes to... and gift giving -- a tremendous amount of money is spent on other people so they'll continue to think highly of you. If you can afford lots of lavish gifts, great, but if it's just a wee token to show how much you care, all the better. You're own Financial Health is far more important than what anyone else might think of you. Be your own judge on that one! (But do not feel compelled to change your name to 'Judy'! Although I do think it might be fun to dress up in a Robe every now and then! ha,ha,ha!)

Tip of the Day: You know what is really handy in the Kitchen (other than your spouse, from time to time! yuff, yuff!)? A good pair of Scissors. I always keep a couple of pairs of Scissors for cutting packages open, but also for cutting up salad and cutting directly into a big pot of soup, after the veggies are cooked and I want the String Beans to be a bit smaller... Just open the scissors and stick them in the Dishwasher after each use, just like you'd deal with regular cutlery. Works for me!

And now for your Daily Pics Fix!

Here are some more current pictures of the Bar on the Lower Level. I think it's 9 1/2' Long and about 3' Wide. Dwight got the Sink in and the water running, so that's good. Now he has a couple of Tiles to put in, the Backsplash, then some Maple Trim around the Countertop and we're done. That's my Office in the Background -- I'm about 30' from the Bar Area, maybe a little further...

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And that's the Pool Table in the Third Picture -- the Steam Room is through the first angled door you can see past the Pool Table. The Cabinets match all the rest of the Maple Cabinetry in the house, so it's a nice continuous look.

Thanks for swingin' in for a wee visit! Say, how 'bout you bring a friend along some time? The new Rules and Regulations (I haven't actually read them -- who has that kind of time?! ha,ha!) have done a real number on my site traffic (now it's harder to find me...), so if you know someone you think would enjoy my Site, send them along, please! I appreciate every little bit of help from my wonderful (and very, very good looking!) Readers! ha,ha!

See you tomorrow, Baby! Ailsa!!

Of course, here's a link for you to buy a little something! Ah, well, you can start saving yo' money on February 15th! ha,ha,ha!

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Tuesday, February 3rd, 2004. Hello, Darling! Honey-Pie! Little 'Fun Slice of Life'! ha,ha,ha! Ah, I love a complimentary phrase, don't you? It's be hilarious to greet your co-workers -- or better yet, your Boss! -- like that, wouldn't it? They'd give you a Special Pass to go straight in for the Sexual Harrassment Seminars, which are very, very useful in making grown adults giggle, then yawn, then get annoyed. Really, what it all boils down to is that if your co-worker really does like you (as a friend...), then it's okay to make little jokes and kind-hearted comments, but if you're the creepy one, best just to shut up... of course, it's a little tricky to tell that to the creepy one, because they always perceive themselves as 'suave'!

The Painters (Mark and Brandon!) are all done, and they did a fabulous job! I'll go take some pictures, this afternoon, of the Sunroom Doors and the Newly White Office, Pantry and Laundry Room Doors, too, and I'll post them tomorrow. What a difference it made Painting them White. Those particular Doors are all French Glass Doors, and I had wanted to leave them the Natural Wood, but Dwight wanted them White, and I conceded to that. Whatever... the White is beautiful, so it was really a win-win situation. The cool thing is that now that the French Glass Doors are White, the Bevelled Edges on the Doors are all reflecting green, which is very pretty, especially in the Sunroom where there's a lot of other Green Stuff.

Did you see Average Joe Hawaii, last night? What I like about that Show is how lots of men and women can see what women really go for. The funny thing is I can't remember any of the Buffed out guys's's' (Think Homer Simpson! ha,ha!) names... oh, you know what I just realized? I was going to say I couldn't tell them apart because they all look pretty much the same, but then it occured to me that I haven't actually looked at their faces -- maybe in passing, but it's hard to stop looking at their muscles! ha,ha,ha,ha! So there, I've been caught out! And we haven't had much of a chance to see their personalities, yet, but as the Show goes on, you can see that personality often comes before looks. But then there's that little thing called 'biology' that kicks in, and women are ruled by it, for the most part. It often comes back to the old 'who would be the best one to procreate with?" You have to think about that! You don't really want to make a big pile of little dorkie children -- that's what Darwin said (I'm not sure that's a direct quote, but it was somethin' like that! ha,ha,ha,ha!)!

Tip of the Day: This Tip comes from Mark the Painter (pretty sure he didn't have his name legally changed to that -- I'm making an easy reference for you -- ain't that nice of me to save you from using any extra brain cells? I don't want you to tire yourself out, in case you're still at work! ha,ha,ha!). If you have any larger holes in your walls, from construction or moving furniture (if it's from somebody's fist going through the wall, get rid of them first, then fix the hole when they're long gone...!), wad up some newspaper and place it in the Hole. Of course, no need to overload it, or that would just be even worse...(!), then you put some putty over that and smooth it out with a trowel. Let it dry and sand it off very lightly using either Sand Paper or a Scotch Brite Scrubbie Sponge (get it wet, wring it out...). Give the area a wee coat of paint to match the color already on the rest of the wall.

Now, if you don't know exactly what Shade the Paint is, you can take a wee chip off the wall (remove an Electrical Cover and sneak a piece of paint from there...), and take it to any Paint Store. They can run it through their computer and give you an exact match. Cool, eh?

And Now for Your Daily Pics Fix!

Have you ever seen a 'Sun Dog'? Sounds like a muscle-bound guy on a beach, don't it?? No, no... It's like a little Rainbow, only they happen quite often around here, and I don't remember seeing this in other places I've lived, so I thought I'd show you what they look like.

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The first picture is out of Aidan's Bedroom -- the two Childrens' Bedrooms upstairs both have Bowed Windows, which I think is a lovely feature. All of the pictures are looking toward the East, and there are Farmer's Fields across the River from our house, so that's what you see in the Background. The second shot is out the Front Entry Doorway -- lots of Windows there, too! The third shot is out my Laundry Room Window -- I have a fabulous view to look at while I'm doing the Laundry! That means I'm far more likely to do the Laundry if I like the Room! ha,ha!

Thanks for popping by to see me, today! See you tomorrow!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!!

Can you believe it's almost Valentine's Day? Hey, you know what would be fun? You could send me your Valentine's Stories (good or bad! ha,ha!), and I could Post them on my Valentine's Goodies Page! Drop me a line at buildyourownhouse@hotmail.com.

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Monday, February 2nd. What up, Daaaawg? I'm feelin' ya, Baby! Holla!! Did you see the Super Bowl? And a part of Janet Jackson you thought you'd for sure have to pay to see?? ha,ha,ha It was jus' a leettle accident, though, certainly not anything carefully planned and choreographed by two of the world's best dancers... ha,ha,ha,ha! Now that's comedy! Did you laugh yourself silly when you heard that explanation? And what a great Game -- you know I'm thinking if they had a little 'extra' entertainment like that at every game, I wonder how the Ratings would go? Somebody oughtta check that out!

Well, it's Groundhog Day, and the wee beastie says we'll have another 6 Weeks of Winter ... yes, and in Calgary, I think that means another 12! Ah, well. Thanks Goodness we have a nice big house to curry up in! And it's very bright and sunny here, so even though it's often bitterly cold outside, if you can just stay in and look at it, it's very pretty!

Hey, did you catch the First Episode of Survivor, right after the Super Bowl, yesterday? Man, we love that Show! Just looking at Beaches makes the Winter go by a whole lot faster, plus we all love all the human drama! Cara really likes Alicia, I like Rupert and Evan (and Roger, but I'm not so sure how long he'll last in this particular Game...), and Dwight was chatting too much during the Show, so I don't remember who he likes... he is always very interested in tha pretty girls, though! ha,ha! Everybody watches for their very own reason .. ! You know what bugs me? When Actors diss any Reality Show for not being valuable or good Entertainment. What a pile of crap -- I'm a Writer, and there's a whole thing that Writers lose out on some work (as do the Formal Actors...) because of these Reality Shows, but look at how many other people are employed by them... I think there's room for everybody, and let the Viewers decide what they like. Clearly, they've made their decision -- Reality TV Stays! Yippee!

The Painters are here, again, today -- even jobs that might seem 'little' are often very time-consuming. It's always important not to attach your own estimate of how long any particular job will take, especially if it's not your area of expertise... even when it is your own area, any job can take a lot longer than you initially think just because of all the things that can go wrong, or aspects of the job you might have overlooked.

Tip of the Day: No matter what Home Improvement Project or Home Building Deal you're planning out, over-estimate the time by at least a month to three months, depending on the Project. It's surprising how much time can just fly by when you're busy waiting for something to be done. You'll be waaaay less stressed if you allow for the time in advance, then you won't be panicked if it doesn't all happen on any particular day. Remember -- Less Stress means More Happiness, and you definitely want that, right?? ha,ha!

And Now for Your Daily Pics Fix!

I've got Pictures of a Snowy Day, since it's Groundhog Day and we're all checking to see how much more snow we're gonna get -- except for all the lucky ones when live in the Land of Perpetual Sun and Sand!

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The first picture is out the Dining Room Window to the North of the Property -- that's the top of the Deck Railing on the Back Deck. See how it has a Trellis Center? That's very useful if you want a Deck with more privacy, but still want to look out. The middle shot is out the Dining Room Windows, too, but with a view to the West. I like that 'Clump of Trees'... Then the Third picture is out my Sunroom Windows to the Southwest (just like the Airlines, only not nearly so much fun!! ha,ha!).

Thanks for comin' in for a wee visit! You look lovely, as always! ha,ha!

See you tomorrw! Feel free to bring a Friend! Ailsa!!

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It's the Weekend Update! The 31st & the 1st. Hi, Honey! You're Home! And you look fabulous! Have you been working out? Standing up, then sitting back down, again, so as not to wear yourself out? Me,.too, so I hope that's an effective exercise! ha,ha,ha! Our Painters worked really hard all day, so the vast amount of the work is done. It's funny having a lot of work done when you're in the house -- it's very different from when you're in the middle of the 'regular building stage' when nobody is in the house, yet. People who are involved in a lot of Home Renovations know what it's like. You just need to be aware of all the things you regularly do, then don't do them (like, it's huuuugely inappropriate to nap in the same room where the men -- or women! -- are working...ha,ha!)!

I just can't believe it's the End of the Month, already! Man, there's Saturday to prepare for the Super Bowl, then Sunday IS the Super Bowl...it's a whole weekend event! And then there's Valentine's Day before you know it! So this is the ideal weekend to conveniently 'forget' about any diet of any sort so you can indulge in all the fun food items found at any great Football Party! And perhaps have a Beer or Two!! Have a Cheers for me, too! ha,ha!

Tip of the Day: I got this info from Mark, our Painter who was at the house, yesterday. He was telling me that your walls have to be perfect for Darker Colors of Paint, and Lighter Shades are great for 'slightly imperfect' walls. So the Tip is "If you have imperfections on your walls, choose a Light Color for your Walls". I would think this would be particularly useful in renos when you're stripping wallpaper. That's soooo hard to do, though, that I would be way more inclined to cover over the old wallpaper with a thick neutral shade of wallpaper... Thanks, Mark, for the great Tip!

 

And Now for Your Weekend Pics Fix!

It's our sweet little Tia! That's her new sweater she got for Christmas (that and two new 'babies', and yes, they both squeak!).

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And the third picture is Tia running like mad to get back into the house in this freezing cold weather -- funny!

Thanks for swingin' in for a wee visit!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!!

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Friday, January 30th, 2004. Hey, HEY, Hey! Finally, the Weekend is almost here! It's been a crazy cold week here -- it's very restrictive to your life when it's sooooo ludicrously cold... I had to go for one teensie weensie walk, and my face was soooo cold that it was literally painful. Won't do that, again. Your skin can actually freeze in a matter of seconds -- ugh. That ain't right! There's reason to move South, right there! ha,ha,ha!

Mark is painting in my Office, right now -- so it's very, very paintie. I think I'll cut this short and move to a room that's already done! I just took a picture of Mark, in case you want to hire him for your Painting Work He's working with Brandon, and Aidan is running around chatting with them all day! They're working on the Trim Work and the Doors. Turns out there are 19 Interior Doors and 6 Exterior Doors. That saves me a whole lot of work, and they make it look easy! ha,ha!

Hey, did you see The Apprentice, last night? We love that show! I am particularly fond of the way Donald Trump is able to market his own products on the Show -- The Trump Game Board (must see where we can get that!), the Trump Golf Course, the Trump Airlines... funny! It's the Ideal Marketing Set-Up! I hope they have a project where they have to make a Website Profitable -- I desperately need some help with that, and I'm using the Show as a very entertaining learning device! So far I've learned the "Sex Sells", so I'll have to see what I can do with that! ha,ha,ha!

Tip of the Day: When you're Selling Your Home, set Three Prices. The Listing Price, The Price You Want to Get out of your Property, and the Amount you absolutely have to get out of the Property to move on. Know these numbers in your head before you start to do anything. The very last number is the one you want to use when you're looking a a New Property -- it's a 'just in case' amount. Of course, the 'just in case' number becomes irrelevant if you're not in a hurry, so the longer you can take, the better off you'll be. Panic is not a pretty thing!

If you use a Realtor, let them know your Second Number, and let them know you're serious. You know that little Show, Buy ME!, I was telling you about, yesterday? Well, the Realtor on that Show took their house from $185,000. down to $150,000., then made the Buyer feel lucky to sell at that. That's not nice, and that was after he sold them a house that was too expensive for them, so they would have to cover the spread, and that can ruin a family. Not good. But you are ultimately in charge of everything that happens to you, so watch out for shady behaviour, and guard against it. You have to practice saying "No, Thanks. That won't work for me". Then turn around and walk away. Get yourself a new Agent.

And Now for Your Daily Pics Fix!

Here's Mark painting in my Office! Turned out, I couldn't stop typing, so I just stayed in here and had a great chat with Mark while he was working! I'll link them on my Business Page so you can contact Mark and Brandon. (For Work, not dates! ha,ha,ha!)

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Thanks for popping in for a wee visit! See You Tomorrow!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!!

I got a letter to Ask Ailsa, yesterday, involving The Lord of the Rings and Jewellery, so that lead me to eBay.ca, the Canadian version of eBay, and I couldn't believe the deals on eBay! Man! ... and I was just thinking I shouldn't buy any more jewellery for a while... of course, now that I've seen it, I've changed my mind on that one! ha,ha,ha!

< >< > < > < > (Australia)

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Thursday, January 29th, 2004. Hello, Darling! Honey-Pie! Sweet Thaaang! How you doin', today? I've been reading more of my new Deepak Chopra book, The Spontaneous Fulfillment of Desire (Harnessing the Infinite Power of Coincidence), and the whole thing is really about harnessing your thoughts and making that work for you. It might sound obvious, but it's really tricky to really figure out what it is you truly want and why you want it. Try it for a while and see if you can narrow your desires right down... and no, not just for some Movie Star Date, although if that really is your main desire, hey, good luck with that! Since you're on MY SITE, my guess is there's a big Dream House in your Mind, somewhere, just waiting to be built, so focus in on that, what you want it to look like, where you want it to be, and why you want a house like that. Those are more difficult questions than they first appear.

My most difficult question is 'Why do I want to make so much money?'. That seems like a silly question, at first glance, but I need to figure out if the root of my desire for cold hard cash (that's what my 4-year old Aidan calls it! ha,ha!) is just so I can have any Freedom I like, and it'll be my choice what I do. I've had my ability to choose my own life curtailed for so long that Freedom is still at the very top of my List, but I need to be sure that when I do get some Free Choice, I make good, positive changes, and not just change for the sake of change.

There's a lot of work going on around here, today, and there will be over the next few weeks, getting the house all finished up -- just the last wee touches. The Glass Door for the Steam Room will be in next week, and it's my job to convince Dwight to have the Door Hang from the Right, and not the Left. Doug, our Glass Guy, was telling me that you typically hang a Bathroom Shower Door so that the Shower Door opens toward the Towel Rack. The idea is to get out the Shower and reach for the Towels -- not have to get all the way out the Shower to walk all the way around the door to get the towels... So I talked to Dwight about it last night, and I'll have to do the same every night until he agrees. Now, why won't that boy just agree on the first day and get it over with?? Men! You have to talk to them! (Nicely, or it won't work at all! ha,ha,ha!)

Hey, did you happen to see that new Show, Buy Me!, last night? It's supposed to showcase how stooopid the home owner is, and how great the Realtor is, but it totally reverses it for us, because the whole thing makes us livid! The worst things that happened were that the Realtor took the Home Owners over to see new houses waaaay outside of their Price Range. Of course, the couple 'fell in love' with the property, then they were 'desperate to sell'. They signed an agreement to sell their own home within Two Weeks. That's the craziest thing. And then the Home Owner was annoyed that it would 'take that long'... what is that all about?? Think how quickly a couple of weeks go by. She thought the House should sell in Three or Four Days...silly.

Really, it's all about Expectations. Choosing a House out of their League. Thinking their house should and would sell in 3 days... that nobody would notice all the repairs that needed to be done on the Older Property. When people are new to the Real Estate Game, they should not be lied to -- I hate that. There's nothing wrong or bad for business by being honest and doing what's right for the Clients. There are very few businesses that would survive such unsrupulous behaviour as we saw with the Realtor on that Show. Sad. I hope everybody gets to see it so they can see what to watch out for -- on both sides, because one can't exist without the other.

Tip of the Day: When you are ready to Buy Your Own Home, get Prequalified with any Bank (hopefully On-line and through me site -- ha,ha!) FIRST, so you can tell your Realtor exactly how much you are ready to spend on a Home. When they start taking you to places that are not within your comfort range, stop the trip and say again, "This is how much we are willing to spend, please take us to homes in our Price Range." If you get an attitude, get another Realtor. There are lots of great ones, so don't get bogged down with a crappy one. Remember, they're there to help you wade through the Home Buying (or Home Selling) Experience, not to make your life a living hell, so if you feel out-of-control, let the whole thing go and wait a bit.

And now for your Daily Pics Fix!

You know how I was telling you about the Radiant Heating System, yesterday? Well, here's the Lower Level with the Radiant Heat Tubes before the Cement was poured over the Floor. We have 9' Ceilings, Downstairs, which I highly recommend for any Lower Level. And if we ever Build a Two-Storey, we'll go with 9' Ceilings on the Lower Walk-Out Level, then 10' Ceilings on the Main Floor, then Vaulted on the Top Floor. Looks nice that way!

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Thanks for swingin' in to see me, today! See you tomorrow!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!!

Oh, hey. Since the Super Bowl is coming up this Sunday, you can Click on my Gambling Page to place a Bet, if you're so inclined! Then you can be a big winner, too! ha,ha,ha! And now for that Dream Home...!

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Wednesday, January 28th. Hey, Baby-Cakes! Oi, I'm late, today! We've had the Glass Guy and the Painters here, this morning, so it took me forever to get to the Computer! First things, first, right?? Plus, I was busy reading and replying to my Fan Mail, which is a whole lot of fun! I love your letters -- write me anytime you like! Just click on the Fan Mail highlighted area and you can have a wee look at some of the letters I get. Lately, I've had a series of 'Dating Letters' -- but they're specifically for me, and we all know how mad Dwight gets at the mere mention of me going out on a date! ha,ha,ha! Those Husbands can be like that, you know! ha,ha,ha! I can't post those letters, even though I'm sure you would enjoy reading them, too, but the last one started out nicely, then slowly went down a path that was just a little this side of crazy! I had to delete that one!

Cara is home, today -- she's in between Semesters, so she has the rest of the week off. And that's how I know that Ryan Seacrest, of American Idol Fame, has a new Talk-Show, On-Air with Ryan Seacrest. He is hilarious, so if you happen to be home in the afternoon, check it out. And of course, American Idol is always entertaining. We loved Rueben Studdard, and it was great to see Clay Aiken on Ed last Friday. Remember I was telling you that the Producer and 'Big Star' of Ed, Tom Cavanagh, went to Queen's University (I have Two Degrees from Queen's University ...), and I think we were both there at the same time. Must find that out! We're just happy whenever anyone does well -- that's a good way to be, right??

Tip of the Day: You know how the Radiant Heat System had a little Leak the other day? Well, Dwight has a Tip for you if you happen to have Radiant Heat in your Floors, or are planning to get it. Always have one spare Zone Valve in the house so the Radiant Heat System can be repaired quickly and easily. Each Zone Valve costs about $150.00 -- they're little, but essential to the job. Think of it like a Ring -- it's little but you won't get anywhere without it (maybe that's just me!!ha,ha,ha!), and fairly pricey (also ME!!)!! ha,ha!

I'm thrilled to see my new favorite Group, Outkast ("I Like the Way You Move") is at Number One. The things you can keep up with when you have a Teenager! ha,ha!

Hey, I made a new Valentine's Day Page, last night -- check it out when you have a minute!

And Now for Your Daily Pics Fix!

Here are a few shots of the House at the Front -- I went out early in the Morning just before Christmas -- the light was amazing, and I couldn't let the opportunity go by to capture these shots! That's Full Moon in the Background of the First Picture. After I got back in the house, the Moon was setting over the Mountains, and that was stunningly beautiful. There's always something nice to look at out here!

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Oh, yeah. See the Row of Trees around the Circular Driveway? That looks very cool. In the Spring we'll get a bunch of Trees to go over by the Hot Tub Sunroom Deck. I just have to convince Dwight of that -- wish me luck!

Thanks for popping by to see me! See You Tomorrow!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!!

(Candian Singles can check this one out, too!)

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And this one is good for everybody -- you really ought to be Single, though, or somebody's gonna be mad! ha,ha,ha!

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Tuesday, January 27th, 2004. Yo, yo, yo, what up, Daaaawg?? ha,ha! So funny how words change over time, ain't it? Years ago I think I was such a stickler for correct English (ironically, when I was an English Teacher at the High School Level...), that it would not even have been conceivable for me to even think "Ain't", let alone say and write it! Ah, the times they is a-changin'!! har, har! Remember that incident in the Florida Schools when the English Teacher was wearing a T-Shirt that said "I Is a English Teacher", and she lost her job over it? Now, I hope everyone has their sense of humor firmly in place these days so that kind of craziness never happens again!

You know what I wish they would teach in School? The Art of Conversation. It's like a Lost Art, these days! Have you noticed that a lot of folk are great at talking about themselves, or even better, the weather, and the conversation never takes on a 'Two Person-Thing' -- except in the roles of Talker and Listener. "I'll talk endlessly about myself and perhaps a series of people I know and you don't know, and You Listen." Yes, that's one way of having a conversation. The other way is to each share information, and throw in a few jokes along the way, just for fun, and to ensure the other person doesn't nod right off in the middle of your diatribe about dirt and how incredibly and surprisingly dirty it can be... I know, you might perk up at the word 'dirty', but once you realize the person is actually droning on about DIRT, you'll have to zone out, again! ha,ha,ha!

You know what would be really funny, now? I can show you al sorts of pictures of Dirt, just for a laugh! Then you can drone on and on about it at the water cooler, then have the same conversation about four more times, then occasionally bring it up in Meetings and such. Everyone will looooove it -- you can sense that by the way they scrunch their nose up when you greet them. And if you feel an uncomfortable silence in the middle of the conversation, you could bring up some people you know (who they don't know...) who also like Dirt, and everything they've ever said about it, preferably verbatim, because that's waaaay more entertaining. I think. Well, try it and let me know how it all works out for you! ha,ha,ha,ha! Okay, I'm just amusing myself, now, but that's okay every now and then, right?? ha,ha,ha!

Okay, I've got to go put the Gin back in the Cupboard...I'm kiddink! It's Wine! No, no, no. The most I've had is a wee bite of Chocolate!

Tip of the Day: Oh, we had a water leak on the Radiant Heat Pipes, yesterday. I did a whole page on How to Deal with Household Emergencies, so that was useful because I had to quickly turn off the Water Valves. Of course, I called Dwight right away, and luckily he happened to be pulling into the Garage, so he fixed it. Now one thing that I didn't know was that after you shut off the Water Valves that appear to be closest to the Leak, you have to look to see every direction any water could travel so you cut off the Flow from all directions. Dwight told me to shut off the Water Tanks, too, and I hadn't thought of that.

Make sure everyone in your house knows where the Main Water Valves are so that if there is ever a problem (especially with this crazy cold snap, these days!), you can prevent any damage to your home from leaking water. That can save you thousands of dollars, and a great big hassle!

And Now for Your Daily Pics Fix!

Here's some Dirt! That's what One Full Load of Dirt looks like, in case you are ever doing a bunch of Landscaping and need to know that, or you just love looking at dirt!

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And here are some pictures of the Water Valves -- You could write MAIN WATER VALVE in Black Permanent Marker right on the Pipe, if that would make it easier to recognize in a hurry, if you're mechanically challenged, like me! ha,ha! That's the Radiant Floor Heating System in the last picture, so you can see why that was a little tricky for me to figure out! It's a very cool System, though, and I can't imagine having a Tiled Floor without Radiant Heat in a Cold Climate -- it's too cold on your feet... All the tiled areas and the Whole Lower Floor of our House have the Radiant Heat in the Floors. Keeps you nice and cozy!

Thanks for swinging by to see me, today! Y'all Come Back, now, ya Hear? No, I can't say that!

See you tomorrow! Later, Baby! Ailsa!!

New Lighting can change the whole look of your house, so if you're in the Market, click in and have a wee look!

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<It's easy to shop at Lighting Showplace with features like Best Sellers, Most Popular, Special Offers and New Products. Browse the large selection of Bathroom Lighting, Ceiling Lights, Chandeliers, Hanging Lights, Lamps, Wall Sconces and more.>

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Monday, January 26th, 2004. Hello, Hello, Hello! It's always so lovely to see you! And you smell good, too -- have you bathed this week? That is a better plan than the 'Once a Month, or so, depending on who's coming over for a visit...' I know, that did seem like a practical and time-saving idea, but in the long run I'm not sure how well that one pans out...! ha,ha,ha! Hey, it's Ellen Degeneres's's' Birthday, today! She's so funny -- and she looks pretty clean, too! har, har! I happen to be watching the Birthday Bash as I'm writing -- I hope I always have a set up this great, what with being able to watch TV while I'm working,'n all!

We finally got the Trim done around the Steam Room Door -- YaaHoo! Man, that took a long time! I got out to Paint the Trim on Saturday, then Dwight and my Dad put it up, yesterday. Dwight is all excited at having another man to work with! I took some pictures of it last night, so I'll put them on the Site today. Now we're anxious to get the Steam Room done. It's a funny thing, since you forget about it sometimes, because I've never had a Steam Room, but now that it's almost done, we really want to get in there and try it out! It has seating for Four, but you'd have to really like the other two (or other one, depending on how your marriage is going! ha,ha,ha!) for that to be comfortable! It's not the same as a Hot Tub where you really can't see the other people (just their faces!).

Tip of the Day: If you are thinking about Renovating, consider changing out the Trim Work around the Doorways. And the Baseboard, too, if possible... You don't have to do all of it at the same time -- you can do one Door at a time, or one Room at a time. The Baseboard that is anywhere in the 4" Range looks fabulous, and will really accentuate your Wall Color. Incidentally, this might be a good time to give your Walls a Fresh Coat of Paint!

Just so you know, it takes forever to get the Corner Cuts right with Baseboard, so forget about the Ads on Television that say it'll take oh, about a half an hour...nope. It's always better to know what you're really up against before you get started on a Project. I would think it would be safe to say that each Room would easily take a Day -- at least! That's for the Whole Room and the Doorway. That's just Installation Time, though -- first you have to Remove the Old Trim, Perhaps Freshen Up the Walls, Go Buy the Trim and Special Tools for the Job, Cut it, Paint it, Place and Cut again, then Nail it in place. We use an Air Nailer (shoots nails into the wood -- very cool tool! You can use Finishing Nails (they're Little and Thin) and a Hammer, though, and it'll work just as well (although not as fast...).

And now for your Daily Pics Fix!

Here's the New Trim around the Steam Room Door. Doesn't that look great? We love it!

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Thanks for Coming in for a wee Visit, today! Now I have to go out and Brave the Cold! Ugh, it's Minus 25, today -- now that ain't right!! ha,ha! Can't wait to get home to warm up at the Fireplace!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!!

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It's The Weekend Update! How you doin', Baa-By?? I hope you got to sleep in, today! Man, I never did get out to paint the Trim, yesterday, so now I have to do that first thing before I get side-tracked by anything else ... I'm fairly easily side-tracked, if you can imagine that! ha,ha,ha! I had a not-so-good phone call from the Glass Place (they still haven't shown up to measure the Steam Room Glass Door...), and the secretary wants me to measure the Doorway myself. Hmmmmm. That's not good. For one thing, the Steam Room Door is very expensive, and has to be Custom Made, so there's no way we would take that chance on measuring it ourselves -- it's not about whether we can measure it, it's a responsibility thing with the Glass Company.

You know one thing we always do? We give the Owner of any Company the benefit of the doubt. We've had employees over the years who could have caused major problems in the Company if they had been left in charge, and we know that often the Owner is not aware of the actions of an employee. It's best to contact the Owner directly to talk with them -- especially in Construction, but I would imagine that rule applies to a variety of businesses.

Ugh, Dwight just came into my office to 'see if I had Writer's Block...' Man, that is soooo annoyink! Only a non-writer would ever say that out loud! With any luck he'll find something else to do and stay out of my office! (And I say that with the teeeeeensiest amount of affection! ha,ha,ha!)

Hey, remember I was saying that I can't stop thinking about the Round Stairwell, and how I could design a Home around it for a Future Build? Well, here's the web address -- I haven't had a minute to contact the Company (except that they have supplied us with Products for the Stair-Rail in this House...). Anyway, it's the Weekend, so you might have a spare minute to check it out -- it's good for 'Food for Thought'! http://www.prestigerailings.com -- I like the Giant Round Stairwell -- it's a little like a big Keyhole...Let me know if you like it, too!

Tip of the Day: It's a little 'Exercise' or 'Muscle Control' Tip. Every time you are sitting at your Desk, watching TV, or in the Car, be aware of your Stomach Muscles. Instead of letting them flail around (now that's a beautiful image, ain't it?? ha,ha)!), make a conscious effort to pulling them in to flatten your Stomach. This goes into the category of 'every little bit counts'! Did I tell you I used to be a Fitness Instructor? Yep, Back in the Day!

And now for your Pics Fics!

Here are a few more pictures of the Dining Room -- right after we Grouted the Tile (I loooove Grouting -- I really do!). There's a gorgeous Mountain View through these Dining Room Windows (also throgh all the Windows on the West Side of the House...), but I love to look at the Mountains when we're eating. It makes for a very nice 'Dining Experience'!

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Doesn't Tia look cute? She has her own Page, if you haven't been in to see her, yet!

Thanks for popping by for a wee visit! Tell all your friends to swing in to see me, please!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!!

 

I'm a little Traveller (but not short and stout, like in the Tea Kettle Song! ha,ha!), and it's fun to live in another Country to get to know the people and experience a whole new way of life. Thought you might like to have a wee look at this!

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< Want to live and work in Australia? Find out if you qualify in minutes. FREE Online visa assesssment. >

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Friday, January 23rd, 2004. Hello, Darling! Honey-Pie! Cream Cake! You'd think I skipped Breakfast, with all those food-related names, eh? ha,ha,ha! No, no, I had my favorite Apple Crumble. And we accidentally ran out of Milk, which is easy to to in this house, since we have Three Fridges, so everyone makes the assumption that there must be a Store of Milk or Bread in another Fridge, you just can't see it in the Kitchen Fridge... anyway, that led me to a really great little discovery. I drink a tremendous amount of Tea, and I happen to like my Tea with Milk, so I was not very happy about the prospect of having my Tea, this morning, 'sans milk' (without milk, in case you don't use French for Fun and Games, although very little profit...! ha,ha!). I remembered that I had bought a bag of Powdered Skim Milk, just for a situation like this, so I rumaged through the Pantry until I found it, and put 2 Teaspoons in my Tea.

I know, so far it's a riveting story! But here's the great thing -- I checked the Label to see how many Grams of Fat were in the Dried Skim Milk, and after getting my calculator to figure it out (Math doesn't agree with me in the Morning! ha,ha!), it turns out that there are .024 grams of Fat per Teaspoon of Dried Skim Milk Now I was going to use Coffee Mate, which I am fond of in my Coffee (tastes yucky in Tea... but I was desperate!), so I went to check the Fat Grams in that, and there's 1 Full Gram of Fat per Teaspoon. Typically, I use 3 or 4 Teaspoons of Coffemate in my Coffee (that's why I drink Tea), so that's a lot of extra Fat per day that could easily be eliminated. Every Fat Gram that you can eliminate from your Daily Routine makes a big difference in your Weight Loss or Weight Maintenance Plan.

You know how I've lost over 30 pounds over the last year, right? Well, I think I got stuck at the last 5 to 10 pounds (we'll see how that goes!), but now I'm thinking that I've stumbled onto a way to get anywhere from 10 to 20 grams of Fat per Day out of my regular Diet. I didn't want to look at the Fat Grams in the Milk (I like 2% Milk...) for my Tea, since I have no intention of not drinking it, and I don't like it without milk... So now I'm going to use the Dried Milk, since it didn't change the flavour of my Tea (so I like it!), and I can cut out those Fat Grams. You can give it a try, too, if you're watching your weight. Or you've run out of milk!

Hey, we actually cut the Wood for the Trim around the Steam Room Door -- which means I better get out to the Garage, today, to get it painted before Dwight gets home. Then we can put it up this weekend. In case you're wondering what I wear when I'm painting, I switch from my Black Miniskirt (that I wore right through the entire Build! -- It's 'Mini-Skirt Building!! ha,ha!) over to my Blue Miniskirt, and a sweat shirt that I no longer care about... That's just me -- I don't care to be boxed in by anyone's expectations of what I should look like when I'm working... unless I'm at a real job, when I tend to wear a Suit -- with a Mini-Skirt! Ah, well. You can't take the 60's out of the Girl, and that's what I grew up with, so that's what's comfy for me! Come to think of it, I don't think I even own a pair of pants ... Dwight used to get on me about that all the time when I first moved here (8 and a half very long years ago!!), because he didn't think I looked 'Western Enough'. Well, for some folks, that's a good thing...! har, har!

Tip of the Day: Since I'm on my way out to the Garage to Paint some Trim-work as soon as I'm done my Daily Update, today's Tip is for Painting Trim. I've had to paint, literally, thousands and thousands of Trimwork for this house, so I've developed little tricks to make the job faster and easier. The first thing is to Use Three Saw Horses instead of Two Saw Horses to hold up the Trim -- that way it won't sag in the middle, which is particularly important when the lumber is anywhere from 10 to 14 Feet long.

The next thing is to use a 4" Sponge Roller, along with a 3" Paint Brush, especially when your Trim-work has a lot of Grooves in it. I always paint each Edge of the Trim First, then go back and do the Face of the Trim. For realy Deep Grooves, I use the Brush, first, then go over it with the Tip of the Roller, then use the Roller normally to leave a nice smooth Finish.

And then Good Lighting, and plenty of Heat where you're Painting, so the Paint can Dry quickly. I put the finished pieces up against the Wall, in a standing Position, so they don't accidentally stick together. That crazy Dwight stacked my last batch (I paint them 9 at a time...) on the Floor, so now I have to re-do them -- like I don't have enough work to do... aaaaah! Anyhooo, good thing I enjoy painting!

And now for your Daily Pics Fix!

We had a huuuge issue at the beginning of the Winter Season (I think it started in September, this year..!). Anyway, I pulled all the Mitts, Hats and Scarves out of the Top Cupboard and put in a Row of Individual Plastic Containers -- one for each member of the Household. So far, so good, although I still have to go find Dwight's Gloves for him, even though his basket is the first one in the cupboard...

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The Third picture is the Dining Room from the Second Part of the Front Entry. I couldn't find this picture, yesterday, but here it is today! It's very cheery and sunny, just like ME! ha,ha,ha,ha!

Okay, I'll see you tomorrow! I'd better get on my Blue MiniSkirt and start Paintin'!!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!!

 

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Thursday, January 22nd, 2004. Happy Chinese New Year, My Crazy Little Monkey!! That's right, it's the first day of the Chinese New Year, and it's the Year of the Monkey. Apparently, this will be a year of Quick Change (hope that doesn't mean 'plenty of quarters and dimes...' ha,ha,ha!). So accordingly, Accordian Players will do very well if they can adapt quickly to change, although I gotta say that if you're still playing the Accordian, or just learning how to play, speedy change may not be your forte! ha,ha,ha! Ah, well. Go ahead and play us the Polka Number, then we can get on with our day... "I've got the Polka In Me!" How come that never took off? It's a mystery, ain't it?? har, har!

Dwight brought home a Flyer from a local Stair Railing Company the other day, so, of course, it's on my desk right in front of me, and I have the pamphlet turned to the page with the gigantic Circular Stairwell on it -- I'll see if I can get you the picture, too -- anyway, I can't stop thinking about the Circular Stair... Now I want one, too! Must try to figure out how big the Upper Floor would have to be to accomodate it... Our Stairwell area takes up a great big area, already, and we have a big house, so it's going to be a little tricky. I'm thinking that a Giant Square Home would accomodate a Circular Stair Design. I think I could reconfigure this house to make that fit... I'll need to work on that for a Future Build.

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Are you watching Ellen Degeneres, yet? I hope so -- she's hilarious! And she has an Skunk and Gopher Problem. The Skunk Problem I would imagine is a whole lot more annoyink! Plus, I thought this Ad was funny! Anyhoo, I know how to deal with a Gopher Problem, but it can be pretty time consuming, labor-wise. You dig a trench around the Property and put in a 2 Foot Mesh Fence under the Ground, then the Regular Mesh Fence goes on top of that. Now, if you have a really big Property, that's difficult, and if you live in an area that prohibits fencing of any kind, it'll be impossible, because they just run in...! And if the wee animals (Pesty and Smelly, if you've named them...) are keeping a close eye on you, and they know where the Driveway is, forget it.

As for Skunks (and no, not just a hideous Ex that you may think of as a Skunk...) can be caught in Traps and removed to a different area -- and not a neighbor's house, even if you think the Skunks would fit right in at the neighbor's...ha,ha,ha! You want to find a place really far away ... across a major Highway... no, I'm kiddink! Maybe to the Woods out there somewhere. Or call the Local Animal Control Center. They know everything! I had to call them last year about a couple of Coyotes that were making me nervous, but they're gone, now, so I think they moved to Florida. Lucky Beasts! ha,ha! (Of course, I'm visualizing your hideous Ex caught in a Trap and being dropped off in the Country! ha,ha,ha,ha! Ah, the things that amuse me!)

So if you have any little Tricks to get rid of any sort of 'Unwanteds' (including the Ex!!), drop me a line and we'll put it on the Site. I put a couple of other ideas on my Landscaping Page, so you can have a wee look through that if you are having an issue.

Oh, hey. Did you see The Apprentice last night? What a great Show! You can really see how a whole Group can be affected by one 'Bad Egg'. Man, can you imagine either working FOR or WITH that obnoxious little Sam? Try imagining being married to someone like that (lucky me -- already been there -- won't go down a road that crazy again!! And, no, I'm not secretly referring to Dwightie!! ha,ha!)! But that is the Personality Type that can do very well as an Entrepreneur, so we'll see if he just disappears in a cloud of fury or creates some amazing new Product. You never know.

And I'm sorry to see that the Women are still bickering so much. And what's with all the Touching? If I'm having a meeting with someone and they touched me like that, I would have to keep backing up -- that's too annoyink! Can't stand that. and if someone happens to be crazy, that kind of thing is often, 'touch, touch, touch, grab...', and that's what happened on the Show. I just don't get why some women won't follow the basic rules of business... However, the Women are winning every single Event, which is great! So far, my favorite 'Girl' is Amy, and I do not like Kristina, I think her name is. I like the Country Boy -- I think he's a Mortgage Lender...anyway, he's very calm -- I like that in a Leader. Crazy -- no. Calm -- yeah, okay.

Tip of the Day: In keeping with the idea of Staying Calm and Keeping Your Stress Level Down, whenever you find yourself all Stressed Out, make a conscious effort to relax your face. That's where the Stress and any Reaction register immediately. You'd be surprised at how you can calm your thoughts by calming your face. And you'll stay 'Wrinkle-Free', too! Try it the next time you wrinkle up your face in reaction to any situation at all. It's a cool little technique! Oh, yeah, it helps to take a really deep breath and let it out slowly... it'll become second nature to do this after you've tried it a few times.

And now for your Daily Pics Fix!

These are the Dining Room Drapes -- we carried the Same Deep Green Silk Drapes and the Eggshell Sheers through the Whole Front Area of the House -- the Front Entry, the Great Room and the Dining Room. It looks really pretty.

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The Third Picture is of the Sunroom at Night -- I rarely close the Curtains, except to keep the Sun Out on really Bright Days. Tia loves to bask in the Sun, so she likes the Curtains left open -- she told me in her own cute little doggie way! ha,ha,ha!

Thanks for Swinging in for a wee visit! See you tomorrow!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!!

Hey, you know what? This Company, Truestar Health, has a special Promotion for their Affiliates (folks like MEEE!) -- they are giving away a Soft Top Mercedes Benz to their Top Affilliate, so I was thinking that maybe, just maybe, you could help me out and click on to see their Program! Now, wouldn't I look great in a Soft Top Mercedes? ha,ha,ha,ha! Thanks in Advance! Ailsa!!

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Go to Truestar Health for a Free Health Analysis now!>

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Wednesday, January 21st, 2004. Hi, Honey-Babe! Hey, you know what I forgot to mention, yesterday? I just got these new DeVry Banners for my Site -- did I tell you that I used to Teach at DeVry? What a lot of fun, and I had fabulous Students, some of whom are great friends of mine, now. That's the cool thing about Teaching Adults -- they can become your buddies, and you can learn a lot from them. For the Curious Reader, I used to Teach Public Speaking, which I adore, and English. Now there's a big surprise! ha,ha!

It's a funny thing how people tend to put you in a Box, no matter what your Profession or Career Choice. I happen to love Teaching all sorts of Students. I am particularly fond of Special Education, because I have a very big soft spot in my heart for anyone who needs some extra help, but I also love Teaching Adults who are looking to Improve their Lives... I guess that's why I wrote this Site, right?? Anyway, it's easy to categorize people into tight little boxes, but it isn't very useful. Each person is sooo multi-faceted that you never know what they're capable of -- that's the great thing about keeping your mind open...

Also, I've been in Contact with Bobbi at the University of Phoenix Online, since I think I'll do another Degree Online. I don't have time to go and take any Classes away from the House, and I like to work on my own, anyway, so it's a really good option for me. It's a great option, to take Courses online. You can take any Level of Degree (Associates Degree, Bachelors, Masters or Doctorate, and there are a Ton of Professional Level Courses you can take to increase your Salary or Get a Promotion -- hopefully both! ha,ha!) Online, now, too, which I think is an amazing opportunity.

You know how I love to 'Bust a Myth'... one thing that a lot of High School Students are told (it's drummed into their heads...) is that they have to be a Top Student with a 95% Average to ever get into College or University. I'm here to tell you that isn't true, unless you're heading off to an Ivy League University. I know now, as an adult, that pretty much Any Degree is a Good Degree, once you're in the Working World, so if you or your child wants to pursue a Higher Education, don't let the old Myths hold you back. Often you can be accepted into a College Program as an Adult Student if you've been out of High School for a Full Year (hopefully Working or Travelling...). Sometimes there's a condition that you need to get a particular Grade Point Average in that First Course to continue on with the Program, sometimes not. Either way, it's worth a shot and could open a whole new future for you or your kids.

Hey, did you see the State of the Union Address in the States, last night? I just caught a bit of it on the Nightly News, and I am constantly amazed at the level of concern over Same-Sex Marriage. I stand by my claim that everyone should have the right to be miserable.. oops, I mean married! .ha,ha,ha,ha! I'm kiddink! I'm sure somebody has a great marriage! (You can write to me -- give us all your secrets! ha,ha!) Maybe that's another place where I can 'Bust a Myth'! Sounds like some sort of fancy new dance move, don't it? ha,ha,ha!

Oooh, The Apprentice is on, tonight! Yippee! We love that new Show! What a great way to learn a little sumin' sumin' about Business. And I really hope we get to go back into his House, because I need to have a good look at his Fireplace Mantel -- I think it was all Mirrored, which is a very cool idea. You'll enjoy the human drama, too and it doesn't hurt that the 'Contestants' are good-looking, too! It's okay to live vicariously through someone else, ain't it? ha,ha! I'm gonna call it 'Entertainment with an Edge'!

Tip of the Day: This Tip comes from my Daughter, Cara -- she's 15, in case you're new to the Site! Anyway, Cara is wearing Make-Up, now, so she had to find a good (and easy!) way to remove the Make-Up... and it's particularly good for 'Stage Make-Up', if you happened to be gettin' yourself all dolled up at night! har, har! Anyway, the Tip is to Put some Lubriderm Hand Cream on a Paper Hankie (Kleenex), then wipe the Make up right off.

I found this little trick particularly useful after I had the Lasik Eye Surgery. You can't really touch your Eye (or Eyes, depending on whether both eyes were done... I only had my Left Eye done...) at all after the Surgery, but eventually you'll want to wear Eye Make-Up, again (if you're likely to wear make up already -- who am I to judge?? ha,ha,ha!). After Corrective Eye Surgery, you'll want to be extra gentle with you eyes, so the Hand Cream on the Hankie works really well. Before the Eye Surgery, I just used my favorite Anti-Bacterial Hand Soap and Baking Soda... you know I'm a Baking Soda Girl!

And Now for Your Daily Pics Fix!

Here are some more Curtains -- these ones are in the Sunroom off the Master Bedroom -- it's really pretty! See the Holdbacks in the First shot? Holdbacks can make a really big difference in how the Windows look. When you have a great view, you don't want to cover it up -- just 'Framing it with Draperies' is the thing to do. We carried the same Soft Sage (They look and feel like a soft suede) into the Bedroom, too, so it's a nice soft contnuous look. Very lovely!

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All the Drapes and Window Coverings are from Linens 'N Things, one of my favorite Stores for Home Decorating. The Artwork is by Cara Roy, a wonderful Water-color Artist in Florida. My Mum and Dad got us a Series of her Work -- it's beautiful. I'll check and see if she has a Website...! Of course, we love her name -- Cara!

Thanks for coming in for a wee visit! I'll see you, tomorrow!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!!

 

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Tuesday, January 20th, 2004. Hey, Sugar!! Have you heard that song, "Sugah', How'd You Get So Fly?" I'm pretty sure they wrote it for you! Cute little Song for a Cute Litte Reader! ha,ha,ha! (Come on, there's probably some tiny part of you that still sees yourself as 'little'! ha,ha,ha!) Oh, that reminds me -- did you catch 'Big Loser Hawaii' -- no, wait... that's not right... "Average Joe Hawaii" -- that's it! ha,ha,ha! Man, that has to be one of the funniest Shows on TV (on Monday Nights, anyway!). All the Studlies arrived on the Island in last night's Episode, and the poor old guys were hoping against hope that at least one of them was the Captain of the Ship and it was just some sort of new Dating Experience. ha,ha,ha!

I love that Show because it really does put Personality before Looks, since even when someone looks fabulous, if they are a total jerk (male or female!), you can't stand to look at them, anyway. It's true... but the other thing that is very true is that there is a Myth out there that if someone is Good-Looking, they couldn't possibly be nice, and there's not a chance in hell they'd be smart or productive... now really, who made that one up? I think it might have been one of the Average Joes, in an effort to dissuade the girls from them! ha,ha,ha! Jerks can be any size, shape, shade, nationality -- you name it. You'd be surprised (and perhaps you already have been surprised by what's in 'the package', once you've opened it! ha,ha,ha!) Likewise, Great Folks can come in any package, too, so I like that they present all that stuff on Average Joe -- plus, you get to see that lovely house in Hawaii! Hey, start taking note of the Lighting on these Shows -- they're all using Blue and Mauve Up-Lighting that I love...very cool!

Hmmm, my Glass Guy still hasn't come over to measure for the Glass Steam Room Door. I don't like to call over and over again, but I'll put in one more call, then see what happens. Dwight has some Painters coming over, tonight -- he won't let me ("Let Me" -- can you belive that?? Like it's a special honor to Paint the Doors... ah,well, that's the Building Life!) paint the Doors in the House. We have something like 20 doors, including the French Glass Doors which I wanted to leave Natural, but Dwight wants them to be White, so White it is. I'm done with fighting about color! Let the Boy have what he wants! .Really, it's not worth fighting about little things in the house, especially if it doesn't affect the overall Property Value -- if it did, I would do it my way and put up with the pouting! ha,ha,ha,ha!

Tip of the Day: When you're at a stale-mate (no, that's not the new name for your spouse...!ha,ha,ha!) with your Partner, use the Art of Negotiation and find a reasonable compromise. Sometimes a reasonable Compromise is just giving in and letting them have their way, if that'll keep the job moving along. Or make life a lot more pleasant. I really did fight Dwight on the Window Dressings, though, and the Wall Color. Oh, and the Addition of the Sunroom and the Size of the Kitchen Island, but those were really important, and Dwight loves them all, now. I knew he would -- it was just a matter of him seeing it first, but the job has to be done before you can see it... you can see the little annoyink circle of fun that was!! ha,ha,ha!

Dwightie desperately wanted Blinds on all the Windows, but that wan't gonna happen -- not in this house. Some houses suit them, and some really need soft, luxurious curtains, and this house screamed out (or was that me? ha,ha,ha! No, I don't like to shout!) for soft and luxurious!

And now for Your Daily Pics Fix!

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Here are some of the Curtains -- I'll put some more on, tomorrow. Dwight said, "Absolutely no Gold...", so these are "Bronze" (ha,ha!), and he loves them. He had some bizarre notion in his head about what 'Gold Drapes' would look like. Apparently, it was some distant memory from the 70's, where I think Dwight still likes to live, if his taste in music is any indication! ha,ha,ha! I bought him a new Stereo for Christmas, and the first CD he put on (at least it was a CD, but he was excited when he thought it had a 8-track, if you can believe that!! ha,ha,ha!) was Boston. That's okay, I like Boston, too, but then after a few songs Cara ran into her room to get some more up-to-date music! Ah, the Past. It's an easier place to livefor some folks!

Thanks for Swinging in for a wee visit! See you tomorrow!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!!

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Monday, January 19th, 2004. Hey, Baby! Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day!! It's a big day in the States, but it should be everywhere because of the incredible work Martin Luther King, Jr., did, right? Believe me, Racism and Bigotry exist in every Country, and his words and actions are felt throughout the whole world. At the very least, we can take a wee minute to think of the Oppressed People in any Given Society (look Outside the Box...) and see what we can each do to make things better.

Well, my Purple Finger has been down-graded to a Mauve... what a weird experience that was -- I hope that never happens, again. But I did find out some information that I didn't know before that might either help you to avoid it happening to you, or to recognize it if it were to happen... You know when you're carrying Bags of Groceries or a Tin of Paint? I'm constantly carrying around Tins of Paint, so is a concern for me, now, because you tend to carry it in the crook of your fingers, and that can create a lot of pressure on your fingers, which can cause a blood vessel to burst. Yuck, I know! At least you won't immediately think you're having some really horrible thing happen! Still, check it out with the Doctor if it does happen to you...

Hey, have you heard that The Wayne Brady Show is going to be cancelled?? One of my Faithful Readers, Theresa (Hi, Theresa!!) told me about that, then I heard it on the Show, this morning. Now why would they take such a great Show off the Air? Maybe another Network can pick him up, because he has a very positive, upbeat Show. I'll Link his Name for you to click on and send a message that you would like to see The Wayne Brady Show stay on the Air (anybody's Air!), if you would like to support it. The Internet is an amazing little tool to exercise your Voice, so why not see if we could start a Grass Roots Movement for this?

Wayne had Montel Williams on his Show, today, and he was talking about his MS -- Montel has his own Website that you might like to Click On to find out more about MS. You can make a Donation, too, for MS Research (it's all about the Research, ain't it? Wonder why we don't open up the Big Government Wallets for Research?). His Site is www.montelms.org. Montel was mentioning his interest in Legalizing Marijuana, specifically for Medical use, which seems painfully obvious to me -- it's bizarre how one 'drug' can take on a whole world of it's own, when all sorts of other addictive 'stimulants' are no problem at all. It's mostly just Politics, and we all know how very useful that is in the management of Health Care.

Now, you might have heard that Canada has been making some big changes in the Medical Use of Marijuana, because it is such an effective 'drug' for MS, some Cancer Treatments, Pain and Nausea Relief, which is huge for Aids Patients... really, I don't get why this has become such a big Political Issue and not a Medical Issue. (Just for the Record, I did try this once when I was 21, and it made me horribly ill, so it ain't for me -- I happen to like a wee Drink every now and then -- but it is very useful for a whole lot of people in need of it, so Change has got to happen...)

Are there any Inventors out there -- or someone with a pile of dough sitting on the Table, just wondering where to go now?? ha,ha! I just thought of a cool product that could help distribute the weight of a Tin of Paint or your Bags of Groceries -- it could be a molded piece of plastic about 5" X 4" with a curve to hold the weight... You could slip it under the Handles so it would be better for your Fingers!

Tip of the Day: It's a little Weight Loss Tip, or a Tip for Staying Healthy... when you go to the Grocery Store, Start in the Fruit and Veggie Aisle, then make your way all the way aroung the Outside of the Store (not outside the store, although then you'd really be losing some pounds -- ha,ha,ha!). All the 'Staple' Foods are around the Perimeter, so if you hit those sections, first, you won't have nearly so much room in your Cart for the 'Extras' that add all the pounds. Except for the Cereal Aisle where you'll find the Rolled Oats, and the Baking Aisle where you'll be able to pick up the Barley or Whole Wheat Flour for the Apple Crumble Recipe!! I hope you're all enjoying that little treat! Let me know how it works for you!

And now for your Daily Pics Fix!

The First Picture is of the California Knockdown Stipple Ceiling. It's our favorite choice for a nice, clean ceiling.

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It has a nice sheen, and is a Classic Look, so it's very Practical. You can see the Pot Lights -- they are very nice and never go out of Style, either. Some Lighting is very 'Year-Specific', and it's probably wise to steer away from that, especially if you are looking at re-sale value in the future...

The last Two Pictures are more recent pics of my Office it's a very pleasant work space, that's for sure!

Thanks for Coming in for a Wee Visit! See you tomorrow!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!!

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You know what I've wanted to do for a while but still haven't figured out how to do?? That's right, Start a Newsletter! Man, you're clairvoyant! (Or maybe just your first name is 'Clair'...)

Whatever your name is (and please write and tell me!), the main thing is that I don't know how to do a newsletter, so I thought I'd just set up a Page on my site (you're at www.buildyourownhouse.ca, in case you were wondering...) where I can just add my Daily Thoughts and some really useful tips.

Every so often I'll throw in a useless tip, just for fun! We can play 'try to spot the difference between the useful tips and the useless tips'! I know, that's not a really good and efficient title for a game, so I'll have to come up with something waaaaay shorter...right after I learn how to do a newsletter! ha,ha!

 

Let's get started, shall we?! Oh, yeah. If you could do me an enormous favor and tell as many people as are on your e-mail lists, who haven't already blocked you for God knows what reason, that my little website exists and is chock full of fun and exciting info, like 'How to Turn Off Your Toilet', and other equally stimulating things like that, I'd be thrilled. And perhaps rich ...ha,ha,ha,ha! I'd share it with you, though...I really would, Clair.

 

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< Find a top Realtor and Earn Cash on your Sale>

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Here's what to Copy & Send! (Hey, a Giant Thanks to all of my clearly brilliant and kind Readers who have passed along my little Site Message -- looks like my Site Traffic is growing dramatically! Now if I could just turn a profit!! Feel free to 'Click Away' on any ads that look appealing to you!)

 

Hey, I found this cool new site that's supposed to be All About Building, but really has All Sorts of Interesting and Topical Stuff that You'll Really Like (and might make you Rich!)...Click on when you have a minute! (Please!) www.buildyourownhouse.ca

 

There, now you can just Copy and Paste this off to the rest of the world! WooHoo! We'll have all sorts of new friends before we know it!

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To Save Build Your Own House to Your Favorites, just hit Control D and follow the directions from there.

Come in any time!

Ailsa!

(I'm looking for a 'Favorites' Button and a good Counter -- I'm not sure why my old webmaster took it off, but now I need to find a new one...)

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Hey, let's get to know each other a little better! Drop me a line and tell me about yourself, your favorite part of the Site, and any particular topic you might like me to deal with... building related or otherwise! You can write to me at:

buildyourownhouse@hotmail.com

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It's always good to Check Out eBay! They have a fabulous Real Estate Section, as well as pretty much everything else!!

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Breast Cancer Research & My Other Ideas for Charitable Giving!

I just got this info from my friend, Karen, so please click on and have a wee look!

 

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Okay, so I really like this Company -- they have a Great Executive Staff (yep...now I'm making friends in high places, all right! ha,ha,ha!), which means a lot! Plus, don't we all want to Be (and/or marry!) a Millionaire?! ha,ha,ha! Then we can all build houses with lovely Negative Edge Pools, right?? har, har!

Here it is! The Brand New Bruce A. Berman Ad!! Yippee! Just in time for Holiday Giving for you and the folks you know!! ha,ha! You can all be Rich (then they won't be comin' to you for money -- now won't that be nice??)

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Hey, guess what? My Pal, John, an Ad Executive at Bruce A. Berman, was telling me that they have a new Program where you can get some of their Products FREE!! WooHoo! Learn How to Be Rich, fer free!! ha,ha! Just follow the Link above until I get the new Banner Ad, and it'll take you to the Free Stuff!

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< Save up to 80% on printer cartridges >

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Are you worried about another Power Outage or getting ready for yet another storm?? We are constantly running out of batteries (those little 4 year olds go through a LOT of Batteries!ha,ha!), so here's a useful link for you.

<Find ALL of your batteries at batteries.com!>

Speaking of Power Outages, I've been checking into Wind and Solar Power Systems for a while, now. Dwight is particularly interested in Ground Heat (Geo-thermal Heating...). There must be a great way to create our own Power, so I'll let you know what I discover -- I'm just a little Researcher -- I really, really love to research all sorts of stuff! I'm like an Information Junkie (More Information, Less Heroin! Now there's a good motto! ha,ha,ha!).

Wind Power is my favorite Topic, right now, right after 'you know what', which reminds me, Sex in the City starts it's new season up here in the Boonies (they make Canadians wait and wait for the really great shows ... some kind of reward for living in Canada...no, wait, that's all the extra taxes you get to pay... Hey, when we came back from our trip down to L.A. this summer, I thought they should have had a giant sign at the Border "Thanks for Coming Back, eh!" Then in little letters, it could say something like, "Here's a Pound of Canadian Back Bacon -- Please Consider Staying!"...We're always soooo polite! ha,ha,ha! Lately, I've taken to calling Canada , "Canad'uh", which I find very amusing.(I'm constantly trying to amuse myself!! ha,ha! Just thought I'd share that with you, so you can have a wee laugh, too!)

< CanadaDrugs.com is the leading online pharmacy in Canada offering Americans' average savings of up to 50% on their prescription drugs. CanadaDrugs.com is the only IMPAC certified pharmacy in Canada. >

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Great Shopping -- From Mortgages to Chocolates!!

(That's My Shopping Page, in case you were wondering!!)

Here's a little taste of what's on my Shopping Page! Cool, huh??

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<Largest online selection of home and office furniture> <Weekly Furniture Specials!>

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It's the Weekend Update for Saturday & Sunday, January 17th/18th. Just in case you've been hiding out in a Mole Hole -- I don't know what you're up to on the Weekend! ha,ha,ha! Hi, Honey! I'm sooo glad you swung by for a visit! Hey, did you see the new Counter thingee when you first Click on to my Site? It comes up on the Top Bar and you can go on that to leave me a Message and Rate My Site -- cool, eh? I have absolutely no idea how it got there, so I hope it's a Free service! ha,ha,ha! But that'll be a good way to get to know one another, and I don't have to do any extra work -- now that sounds good to me!

Well, my Weekends are geting really busy, and Dwight hates when I work on the Computer, so now I'm going to do a 'Weekend Update' to save a wee bit of time...I got my Purple Finger checked out at the Doctor, and it turned out to be a Burst Blood Vessel. Eeeeew, I know! It's bizarre .. who even knew that could happen? Turns out that it's happened to some family members, too, so it may be something you might come across, too, so if your finger starts to swell and turn blue, don't panic like I did -- apply Ice, massage it lightly, and take advantage of the situation and try to get in an extra nap -- it's worth a try! My finger is still all purle, and I can't wear any Rings on that Finger (my Wedding Ring Finger, ironically enough -- you know how everyone is always praying for a Sign, just One Big Sign...and now my ring finger looks completely crazy... who knows!

Tip of the Day: Hey, Dr. Phil had a whole Show on The Art of Negotiating a Deal on Friday, and I didn't have a chance to mention it to you -- he had some good ideas, though. One of the Myths of Buying a Home, though, is letting someone know you like it, let alone Love it. I don't see anything wrong with that -- it won't harm your Deal -- the Seller already knows exactly how much they'll Settle at, so the fact that you like a Property doesn't change that number. The Seller might even be more likely to help you get into the Property if they know you love it, because then they'll really like you. That's Human Nature, and something they didn't cover on the Show.

Typically, if you are Putting in an Offer on a House (not a New House or a House Sold by a Builder -- they rarely alter their Price...), you are generally safe to offer from $1,000. to $9,000. under the Asking Price if the Price is under $200,000. The Higher the Price of the Home, the more you can try to Bargain, but be aware that the more the House Costs, the less likely it is that the Seller needs to Sell. It's worth a Try, though, and it probably won't hurt just discussing the Price. Land is also the Sort of Property that rarely has a Negotiated Price -- they'll tell you how much they want for it, and you pay if you really want it! That's just the way it is -- Land is always at a Premium, especially in or around the City.

And Now for Your Weekend Pics Fix!

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Well, these are some High Quality Pictures, ain't they?? ha,ha! Ah, well -- that's where Cara gets the Bus to her Fine Arts High School. If you click on the Picture, you'll be able to see the bus. We all look forward to the sun coming up earlier so it's nice and bright when she gets on the Bus! That's right at the Corner of Our Land -- about 295 Feet from the Deck off the Sunroom.

Thanks for coming in for a Visit on Your Busy Weekend! Drop me a Line on that New Site Rating thing -- it'll be fun to read your Messages!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!!

< Wow Earnings - get paid to read email and more... >

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Friday, January 16th, 2004. Yo, yo, yo...what's happenin', Man?? I've gotta say, you can really carry off that Pimp Hat -- it's not a look for every body, but it looks stunning on you. Let me know if you make any extra money, "by accident"! ha,ha,ha,ha! Well, the weirdest thing happened to me, this morning -- that's why I'm sooo late Posting, today. My Ring Finger on my Left Hand turned Blue, then Purple, and it felt like it was going to explode. It was ludicrously painful, and I thought it was an early sign of a Heart Attack, so right after I made Cara's Lunch and sent her off to School (I'm a typical Mother -- kids first, health second...) , I went to get Dwight to show him my hand. I was going to say 'my finger', but that didn't sound right...har, har! Now it's about 5 hours later and my finger is still all purple, but it's not throbbing anymore, but it's still very weird! Yuck. This can't be good!

I'm not going to do any Construction Stuff, today, although Dwight wants me to go around and fill in any Nail Holes that need to be filled with White Dap. Have you ever used that Product? You can get it in a bunch of colors, and it comes in a Tube.You cut the end off the Tube and apply the Dap directly to any wee holes you might have. I use it when I'm Painting Trim, too -- sometimes you'll get a piece of Trim that has a bit of a bash in it, so you can fill it, then paint over it. Works really well. Maybe I'll do a little bit of work -- ugh, I hate feeling guilty if I don't do it! I might just be better off if I learn how to either live with the guilt, or not be so easliy guilted into things... hmmmm... my finger says, "No!". ha.ha.ha,ha!

I fogot to mention that I was in for a Pap Test the other day -- I know, that's fascinating, but I only tell you to remind you to pop in yourself or send in a woman you love (that's open for lots of lifestyles, don't it? ha,ha!). Now, there's a story here, of course, as always... that was the Third time I had made an Appointment for the Pap Test in the last six months, and it had taken me a year and a half to find a new Doctor out here (it's very difficult to find a Doctor in Canada -- it's a myth that our Health Care System is fabulous -- it ain't!). So that meant that it had bee almost Two Years since my last Pap Test, and I was very upset about that, because it is a critical Test for identifying Cervical Cancer... So when I wnet in for this Third Appointment (each of the other times I was told the Doctor wasn't even in the day they had scheduled the appointment for me...), it turned out that I had been scheduled for yet another time when my Doctor wasn't even in, but I was lucky enough that the Other Doctor was willing to take me in, and he was not only a great Doctor, I learned more than I ever have in all these years of Gyno Appointments...

It turns out that I was still within an acceptable time frame, since up to two years between Appointments is okay, but the Once A Year is still better, if it's possible. And I also learned that the Pap doesn't test for Ovarian Cancer -- you need to have an Internal (all the ladies know what that Test is!) to check for any Swelling of the Ovaries.... Okay, that's it for medical stuff, but it is very important to have all sorts of Check-Ups to keep yourself healthy. I really believe that is the New Wave of Medicine and Health Care -- to work harder to Maintain Good Health, rather than only tackle things when all hell breaks loose. You know what I mean... my poor little purple finger is taking up most of my thoughts, today!

Tip of the Day: If you have an Injury or something happens that requires an Ice Pack, put a bunch of Frozen Peas in a Ziplock Sandwich Bag -- or God Forbid, if it's an enormous area that needs to be covered, just use the whole Bag of Peas! And if you've never tried Tiger Balm for any sore spots (muscular...), keep an eye out for this Product -- it's very effective for Hot, then Cold, Relief.

And now for your Daily Pics Fix!

Here's our little Deer Family -- they come out for'Dinner' in the early Evening. I love the color of the Sky at this time of Day -- it's almost Surreal!

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Thanks for coming in for a wee visit! Enjoy Your Weekend, and swing in to see me when you have a minute!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!!

 

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<Visit Blackwelder's Furniture On-line for quality furniture at affordable prices!>

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Wednesday, January 15th, 2004. Hey, Baby! What's Up?? No, no, don't give me any details... it's jus' a leeettle colloquialism!! ha,ha,ha! Did you get a chance to check out some of the New TV Shows, last night? There are two new (or new to me!) Real Estate Shows that we caught -- one was Canadian and the other one was a British Show -- Buy Me! and Selling Houses. It's all very entertaining for us because they show you the Buyer, the Seller and the Realtor, and some people are just a bit condescending to the others, which we do not care for at all -- when did it become acceptable to 'talk down' to someone you're working for, hmmmm? These Shows should serve as a wake up call for everyone, no matter what side you're on, so that there's mutual respect all around.

I thought the one guy who happened to be the Seller was going to have a heart attack when the Realtor called him into her Office, much like the Principal calls you into the Office -- everyone (except for the really good ones...) can relate to that horrible sick feeling in the pit of your stomach, in the anticipation of something bad... but it was just a little trick -- ha,ha! They had sold their house! Now, who does that? Craaaazy! If only it were dealt with like any other normal Busines Transaction -- can you imagine having a Business Meeting and the other person thinks it would be very entertaining to make you feel ill before you find out about the Deal?? ha,ha,ha! Ah, well.

Now there were quite a few Myths (or Blatant Lies, depending on how kind you want to be in reference to the 'Myths'...) about Selling and Buying. One big one is the amount of time it takes to Sell a House. The couple who wanted to sell their house said they wanted it sold in a week. Puh-leeease! A week is a tiny amount of time -- it's not good for your Heart to put that kind of a time-frame on anything, especially something as big as selling your home. That sets people up for a sense of failure, when it's not a practical thought to begin with. It's not in any way uncommon for any home to be on the Market for 3 - 6 months. That's no big deal. So don't get yer knickers in a knot when you're about to Sell! ha,ha,ha! Just realx and know that there's a Buyer for Every House. It's true. Just a matter of them swingin' by, is all. So you let go of the time frame, and you let go of the stress.

Dwight was all mad when the Buyer had the Inspector come over to check out the Furnace -- you know Dwight looooves a furnace story! ha,ha! Well, the guy takes a look at the furnace and says it's okay. Dwight was beside himself -- "That's not right -- he's gotta do a Carbon Monoxide Test!" I said to Dwight the Inspector would come back with an estimate of 10 Grand to have the stuff in this older home fixed, and wouldn't you know it -- the estimate came back at $8,000 - $10,000....surprise, surprise! Most Inspectors are good, but there are some out there who really don't know what they're doing. Sometimes Two Inspectors would be wise... This is a job for a 'Word of Mouth' guy, since you'll want someone you can trust.

They also did a thing on 'Impulse Buying' about houses -- that's the silliest notion I've heard all week! You know right away whether you love a new house...when we walked into our last house, I remember standing at the Kitchen Island and saying to Dwight, "I have to have this house!" And I meant it -- and thankfully Dwight agreed! You get a 'feeling' for a Home -- one house we walked into and I should have liked it, but I got a terrible 'feeling' from the house, so I walked right out. Well, didn't the Realtor reem me out for doing that -- yes, he was a lovely, lovely man, and no, we didn't buy through him... So critical never to be mean (or demean) the Woman -- she's typically the one who makes the House Buying Decisions! YaaHoo for that!

Tip of the Day: When you're ready to Buy or Sell a Home, take your time and follow your heart and budget. Don't get talked into buying more than you can comfortably afford (and that's your decision, not anybody else's -- we could afford an enormous house on our next buy, but that isn't part of the new plan, so the whole 'Oh, you can afford it' schpiel won't work on us -- we know our own plan and we'll stick to it -- after all, that's how we got into this house!! ha,ha,ha!).And by the way -- I fell in love with this Land the moment we set eyes on it, so if you ever wondered if 'Love at First Sight' really exists, I think it definitely does when it comes to Real Estate! (It's probably 'Lust at First Site' for all the other kinds of Love ... although hopefully not when you're out buying a new Pet... har, har!)

And now for your Daily Pics Fix!

Here's the Dining Room and Great Room -- Dwight and I walked up and down the Land when we first bought the Land to find the best location for these two Rooms, since you always want a fabulous View from there. We were completely focussed on the Mountains, and didn't realize how beautiful the View to the South and East was until quite a bit later -- that's how the Sunroom 'came to be' -- I looked behind me one day when we were out poking around the Land, and said to Dwight, "Schmimie (my name for Dwight...), look at the View! We need to add more Windows!" So I went home that night and stayed up 'til 2:00 am to re-design the house to include the Sunroom. Then it took me another month or so to convince Dwight that it would be a great idea -- now, of course, he takes full credit for the Sunroom! Men -- you have to let them think they thought of it, first! ha,ha,ha!

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Thanks for coming in for a wee visit! See you tomorrow!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!!

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< Wow Earnings - get paid to read email and more... >

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Wednesday, January 14th, 2004. Yo, yo, yo, What up, Ba-aby?? Well, I'm glad the 13th is over -- it didn't turn out to be very lucky day, after all -- in fact it was very stressful, so I was glad to get back home and lock Aidan in the House! That wee boy -- I thought he was done with the crazy running, but apparently not... it's horrifying when he is taken for a walk and slips away, then starts running. Literally. That's why we have so many locks in our house -- it's the safest environment for him. He's 4, so he should be old enough to know not to run at the first opportunity, but he does it just the same... so we spent the whole ride home going over the Safety Rules ... until he fell asleep. And thank goodness there was some great music on the radio for me to listen to -- I love that song, "What you doin'? I'm at the Holiday Inn..." I sing away without really knowing the words, but it makes me feel a whole lot better!

Dwight got home early, yesterday, so he finished Putting the Tile on the outside of the Steam Room Door, where you would step out. That way, the wall won't suffer any water damage, so that's a good thing! Still no word from the Glass Guy... that happens a lot whenever you're doing any Development or Renovation -- you always have to plan for potential delays. We find it amusing when folks think their Build or Reno will be all done on any particular day --"My Reno will be done on July 16th -- that's what my Contractor said..." ha,ha,ha,ha,ha! That's called 'A Date on the Calendar', but rarely is it anything but that -- it's just the way it is. The vast majority of Projects involve more than one Sub-Contractor, so getting things done by any one particular date doesn't happen often, unless your Contractor was wise enough to give a Date far enough in the future.

Tip of the Day: When you are talking with your Contractor or Builder, be sure to ask for an 'Outside Date' for whatever work you're having done -- that'll be a more accurate time frame for when the work will really be done. And please, oh, please don't schedule a Party or Celebration around the Anticipation Date for any Project. Also, it's very common for people not in the Trade to have a wee look at a project and put their own End Date on it -- "How long can it take to Install a Bathroom...??" Depending on the age of the Property, it can often take a lot longer than you might think... The Floor might need to come up, the walls removed and replaced, the plumbing might be as old as the hills and needs to be replaced... all sorts of things, so count on at least the amount of time your Contractor says, then maybe add a month, just to be safe.

Now here's your Daily Pics Fix!

You know how I was telling you that I rely heavily on the Beauty of the Sky to get me through the Winter, since I'm one of those people who needs plenty of color in their lives? So here's a nice mix of Orange, Purple and Yellow. Nice, huh?

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Thank you for coming in for a wee visit! I'd love it if you took a minute to have a look at my new Advertiser -- that's the only way I can stay 'on the Net'..., so I really appreciate your support!

See you tomorrow, Baby!

Ailsa!!

< Own Your Own Direct Mail Publication! We are growing like crazy and we want to make you part of it. We are partnering with professional sales people to help them jump start their very own, extremely profitable, direct mail publications. Direct mail publications are one of the most powerful ways for businesses to get the word out about their companies. What is a direct mail publication, you ask? They are those colorful, 8 1/2 by 11 papers that you get in the mail advertising everything from car dealerships to Chinese Buffets; from pizza shops to supermarket coupons. These papers are typically 24 to 36+ pages in length with an average cost to the advertiser of $1,000+ per page, that's a whopping $24,000 to $36,000+ for each paper you send out. The profits are HUGE! Best of all, you will send one out one or two times per month. Do the math. You've got to check us out. Get more info at: http://themetrogiant.com/dealership-cg/ >

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Tuesday, January 13th, 2004. Hi, Honey! You're Home! And always so very nice to see you! Your center Tooth is looking very sparkly and clean ... is that Gold?? ha,ha,ha! Just a nice little visual to get you off to a good start! The 13th -- Lucky 13 -- always a good day for me, and I hope it turns out to be for you, too. I'm guessing it's all in how you perceive the number that really determines how lucky it'll be, but whatever the reason, I love the 13th!

Hey, remember how I thought the Memory Card for my Video Camera was a little pricey? (sp??) Well, I installed it and it will hold 3205 Pictures! Can you believe that?? Cara thinks it's hilarious that they threw in an extra 5, like getting 3200 shots wasn't enough! ha,ha,ha! She's very funny -- I love a witty kid! So I think that was a great price, now1 See, it's all in the Perception!

I'm taking my Dad down to Lee Valley, today, so he can choose whatever Wood Carving Tools he likes -- it's a great Store. They have a huge selection of Hardware for your Cabinetry, too. I'm pretty sure the Founder of this Store is a Queen's University Grad, too, so we like to support it -- my Dad and I are both Queen's Grads.

Tip of the Day: If you want to quickly Update you Kitchen Cupboards (or a Set of Furniture for the Bedroom, or the Bathroom Cabinets...), consider Taking out the Old Hardware -- Pulls or Knobs on the Cabinetry -- and replacing it with some nice new Hardware. You'll be amazed at what a difference that makes. Make sure you measure the distance between the original holes so you can match up the new Handles, or just switch completely to knobs (sounds like a little useful dating advice, too -- ha,.ha,ha!).

And now for Your Daily Pics Fix!

These are the new pieces we had to hang up with the Screws and Plastic Anchors. They were both pretty heavy -- especially the Mirror, so we wanted them to be really secure.

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These are in the Master Bathroom, so you can see the Walk-In Shower reflected in the Mirror.

Thanks for popping in for a wee visit! See you tomorrow!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!!

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Here's a little extra something for you -- it's from my very funny friend, Wayne, who happens to be a Major in the Military, which proves that you can hold a High Rank and still be funny! ha,ha,ha! Scroll down on the Link and Read the Description!

Many of us are looking for that second vehicle. Check out the EBAY link. Seemed like a great deal, Bidding has closed but it is worth the read.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2451949558

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You know how I was saying I was going to try some different Affiliate Programs, to see which ones will work out best for me in my quest to make my Site Free to View, but still make a reasonable Profit? Well, this is an Ad for the Company where I get my Business Cards, but through a different Program, so we'll see if that works out better...

< Stop scratching your phone number on a dirty napkin! Get a personal business card FREE! Click here >

Frankly, I think everyone (and perhaps your Dog, if your Dog is a Mover and Shaker! ha,ha,ha!) could benefit from having their own Info on a Business Card. Whether you're in the Dating Game, Work for Someone Else, or Have Your Own Business, it's easier to 'schmooze' when you can quickly hand someone (lots of people, because you never know who someone knows who could change your life...) your Business Card. It's neat and tidy, and a great way to leave a lasting impression.

< >

This is the new Affiliate Program I'm checking out -- I wonder if you still need to have a Website to Join these Programs -- I think the new thing is to have people join who might like to include an Ad in their e-mails, and generate a little Home Income from that... check it out -- you're on the computer (obviously...!), so it can't hurt! And if it pays for your next trip, all the better!

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Cool -- look what I just found in my E-mail! iPod is waaaaay cool, and a great little gift for yourself (because you love you, and why shouldn't you have something fun to play with, hmmmmm?? Or get it for your Kids, then make them lend it to you...)!

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< Bursting Bubbles puzzle game - free trial download for the PC >

 

Monday, January 12th, 2004. Hey, Baby! What's Up? Did you enjoy your Weekend? I hope you were able to fit a little fun in there -- that's always good, right?? We had our Birthday Party for my Dad, and that was great fun -- lots of deeeelicious Cake and great converation! Well, did you watch the People's Choice Awards, last night? I guessed it on quite a few categories, but I was surprised by the Shows that either weren't nominated or weren't chosen. The O.C., in particular -- I was sure they would have won a big Award, since it's such a great new show. Joan of Arcadia walked away with that Award, which is still good because that is a smart little Show. I started watching that with Cara, and it's really well done. It's good to watch certain Shows with your Teenagers -- it'll keep you connected and might even spark a whole new line of conversation!

Hey, have you ever been thrown a Curveball in Life? Really, who hasn't, I guess... but still, when one comes your way, and you're really not expecting it, it sucks, don't it?? Ah, well! I always have a bunch of Plans (yes, they do all include a set of House Plans, but that's a whole other story!) up my sleeve -- "If this happens, I'll do that; if that happens, I'll do this..." Just so I know that I'll have a direction from wherever I am. Now those crazy curveballs come at you so fast and from a direction you didn't expect it to come from, that can really throw you a loop... You know what? I'm thinking I'm just going to stop playing ball with the folks who throw those stooopid curveballs, and I think that might solve my problem!

My Glass Guy hasn't come over to Measure for the Steam Room Door, yet, so I'll have to give him another call, today. Must remember. Dwight's supposed to pick up the Double Head Shower Fixture for that room -- that'l be cool -- I can't wait to see that. It's a full life, all right!! ha,ha!

I have a little 'Pet Peeve', today -- outside of the curveball thing... you know what drives me up the wall? Professionals who call ME and don't say who they are, and acknowledge the Company they're with... ugh. Isn't it just a given that you should say who you are immediately in a phone conversation? And that's terrible for schmoozing, too, since I don't want to do business with anyone that stooopid... I figure if they can't master that one tiny little thing, they'll be a pain in the shirt to do business with. Now that doesn't always apply if I've known the person for years, but when I get a 'Cold Call' like that, the "Just try and figure out why I'm calling and who I might be...". Nobody wants to play '20 Questions' with some one whi is trying to sell them something...that's just craaaaazy -- especially on the phone... I think you get so used to e-mail where you can immediately see who it is and what they want -- it's so much more useful.

Tip of the Day: If you have a really heavy Picture or a Framed Mirror to hang up, and you're worried about the weight, use either a Screw or a Plastic Wall Anchor, then the Screw, and that will really hold the Picture up, no problem. And when you're hanging pictures up and you're not completely sure how high to hang them, go a little lower than you might ordinarily go. Have someone else stand back and have a look -- often it looks perfect when you're holding it, then you take a step back and see you need to move it by an inch or more...

And now for your Daily Pics Fix!

This is the Master Bedroom -- see the Three Pictures above the Bed -- it's particularly important to hang pictures that could potentially fall on you -- that ain't good! Definitely use a plastic Wall Anchor for those ones!

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When you're hanging Two, Three or More Pictures in a Group, you can stagger them, hang them in a Row, or Group them Evenly together. You have to be extra careful with the measurements when you're grouping them together. I got Dwight one of those fancy schmancy Laser Levels, but he hasn't taken it out of the package, yet (it was a Father's Day Gift...), but I would imagine it's very useful for this type of project if you actually did take it out of the package...! ha,ha!

Thanks for stopping by for a wee visit! See You tomorrow!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!!

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< Need legal help? Access attorneys in your State for less than $1 a day. Fill out a simple form and speak to an associate within 24 hours. Absolutely no obligation. Not available in FL and TX. >

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< Enter Sony VAIO Laptop Computer Contest - We are giving away free Sony VAIO laptop computers. No purchases necessary and free to enter. >

 

Sunday, January 11th, 2004. Good Morning, Sunshine!! Are you ticking things off your 'To Do' List, or has the List completely gone out the window, like at our house? ha,ha,ha! Ah, well, we always have good intentions! At least we got the house all tidied up for a little Birthday Party we're having over here, today. My Parents are in Town for a Visit, and today is My Dad's Birthday, so it's the first time in 15 years since I've been able to celebrate his Birthday with him, so that's a great thing! I got an enormous cake (Black Forest Cake!) for my Dad, and a special little White Cake with Fruit and Cream for my Mum -- why not have one for each of them, huh? I don't get to see them very often!

Actually, the Bakery where we get our Cakes is unbelievable -- I'm not as much of a 'Cake girl' as you might think -- there are very few that I actually like, and since I am being 'watchful' about what I eat, I figure that it has to be really, really good to make a special treat worth it... so these cakes are incredibly delicious! I get them at The Dutch Pastry Boutique in Calgary -- they actually have Four Stores, here, and the one we go to is the Willow Park Village. If you're desperate for a fabulous cake, now, too, you can call them at 403-777-1224. I'll put them on my Business Page, too, for later!

We won't have any time during the day to get any work done around the house, but maybe we could at least measure the Doorway in the Steam Room -- all I got done, yesterday, was cleaning the Steam Room -- not nearly as exciting!

Tip of the Day: Well, since I've been cleaning all day, it's a Cleaning Tip -- Put a Container of Cleaning Product in every Bathroom in the house, so that whenever you happen to think about cleaning the Bathroom, the products you need are right at hand. This sounds sooo obvious, but I could never remember to buy so many bottles of the very same cleaner -- it seemed excessive whenever I was in the store, but it dawned on me that it would be far less expensive than hiring a Cleaning Service, and I'd be a lot more likely to actually clean the bathrooms more often... anyhooo, Dwight was very happy to see everything sparkling. There's nothing he likes better than an immaculate home! (Sometimes good, sometimes a leeettle bit annoyink -- not too bad for today, though, since we have a good reason for cleaning -- a Birthday Party!)

And now for your Daily Pics Fix!

Here are a few pictures of the Stages of Tiling around the Fireplace, in case you want to give this a try!

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Whenever you are Tiling any Project, you just need to find the Center and work your way out. That way, it'll be nice and even. And, yes, that's Dwight Tiling away -- this was one of the few 'no-swear' projects! There weren't any annoying 'glitches', and Dwight has a very cool Water Tile Cutter that cuts the Granite Tile 'like buddah' (like butter, for the three folks who aren't familiar with that dialect! ha,ha,ha!).

Thanks for stopping by for a wee visit! See You tomorrow!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!!

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Saturday, January 10th, 2004. Hey, Baby-Cakes! Welcome to the Weekend!! Funny how the first Weekend after a big Holiday feels extra-nice, eh?? And Cara is almost at the end of her First Semester of High School (High School in Alberta goes from Grade Ten to Grade Twelve...), so she'll be on 'Vacation' (technically it's a time for Study!) again soon enough. We all love the idea of sleeping in during the Week -- it's like a special treat!

You know what I've been thinking about for a while, now, that I can't really understand? Why do we have kids starting School sooooo early? We never used to go to School that early -- what ever happened to the good ol' 9:00 - 4:00 routine? Is it purely to accomodate working Parents? If so, why on earth do they have to go to Work so early? So now our little kids (some not-so-little...) are getting up at 5:00 and 6:00 in the morning. Surely this isn't necessary. That can't be good for their development -- remember how much sleep you needed when you were a kid? I don't know that I ever saw a Sunrise until I was old enough to stay up all night (was there drinking involved?...who can remember?? ha,ha,ha!)!

When Cara was really little (from 2 to 5), I remember it was next to impossible to even find a Child Care Program that was open early enough for the Mum to drop their Child off and still get to their own job on time, so I have no clue how Parents do it now... it must be a logistical nightmare! Anyhoooo, I wonder what would happen if people started some sort of Grass Roots Movement to get the Schedule changed back to the 9:00 - 3:30 or 4:00 so our kids can sleep a bit more in the morning, not be so rushed, and then not have nearly so much time after school to get into whatever it is they are getting into... I think it might start with a Capital T, or an S....

Oh, and no good reason why everyone else has to go to work so early, either -- better yet, why not really stagger the hours so tht Rush Hour Traffic is cut down... did you ever get to go into work after 9:00am, and the road was completely clear, so you got there in no time at all (just like the amount of time it took you when you did a 'practice run' from your new House to your Work before you actually moved in?? ha,ha,ha!)? Reality -- it's a little annoyink, ain't it?? har, har!

Okay, so I really strayed from the whole Building Thing, today -- ah, c'est la vie! (My favorite Languages Teacher, John Zikopolous at Bayside High School just outside of Belleville, Ontario, Canada, who spoke God Knows how many languages... anyway, he used to pronounce that phrase 'Ah, sest la v-eye'! Hilarious! In case you don't speak French, it's really pronounced 'Ah, say la veee'. There, now you can go and impress your friends... you might want to give them a head start on the drinks, though, then they'll really laugh! ha,ha,ha!)

I think we're going to get the Header done on the Steam Shower Entry, today -- I need Dwight to cut it for me, then I'll get it painted. We can set some Tiling done while the Paint dries, then we can install the Door Surround -- just in time for the new Glass Door! Those are great Saturday Jobs!

<> Hey, the People's Choice Awards are on this Sunday Night -- can you Bet on those? Here's a quick link if you want to check that out! Is it too early for Ellen to win an Award for her new Talk Show? And will Wayne Brady be up for an Award? Oprah and Dr. Phil are neck and neck for always being great, then the new Sharon Osbourne Show is very cute... very good Celebrity Guests, too... For Night-Time Shows, We love Sex and The City, The Sopranos (but I don't think they were on all last year, were they? I can't remember, now... I'm just looking forward to the Next Season!), Survivor (there should be a Reality Category!), Will & Grace, Malcolm in the Middle, The Simpsons (because it's consistently witty and it ought to be recognized...), and my favorite New Shows, The O.C.,Arrested Development and Two and a Half Men. Oh, and Bernie Mac -- he's hilarious! There's a lot of great TV on, these days -- remember when we had one or two shows to choose from, and one of them was 'One Day at a Time'?? I think that Show taught more than one generation of women that they could live on their own and be okay... that was a brand new concept to be openly discussed waaaay back then! Oh, the times they is a'changin'!! ha,ha!

Tip of the Day: If you have the Opportunity and the Time, before you Make a Final Offer on a House, do a 'Trial Run' during the Week when you really would be going to Work to test for the actual amount of time it will take to get there. If you absolutely love the House (or Condo, or anything else you want to purchase...), resolve to getting up a little earlier and just find a Radio Station you love to listen to, or get some great new CDs for the Commute! Oddly enough, sometimes the Comute can be the best part of the day, depending on how your day goes! ha,ha,ha! At the very least, go ahead and time a regular drive to where ever you want to go (I test for the nearest Town, Hospital, Shopping Area, Schools, etc. Everything that I go to is within a 7 - 10 minute drive from my house, which is pretty funny since we live in 'The Country', but we're actually just outside of Town! It took me way longer to get to the same destinations when I was in the City -- who'da thunk that??)

And Now for Your Daily Pics Fix!

So here's the Lower Level Living Room Fireplace -- that's a long name, eh?? It took me a very long time to convince Dwight that it had to be done -- I don't know why he put it off so long... but once you get started into a job like that, it doesn't take all that long to complete, then it looks fabulous when you're done! Oh, and there's my favorite Ellen, too! I can see this from My Office, too, so it's all very pleasant to look out at! Now if I could just get Dwight to help me build a Mantel!!! ha,ha,ha! Baby Steps, I know, I know!

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Thanks for swinging by for a wee visit! See you tomorrow!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!!

< Lower your mortgage payment and consolidate your debts. Lowest mortgage rates in 40 years. Receive up to 3 great offers with Goapply.com. Bad credit – no problem. No obligation. >

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Friday, January 9th, 2004. Hello, Friend. Partner! Special Pal... so nice to see you! What a beautiful sky, this morning. I just realized, today, that you can see the Horizon to the East and to the West at the same time (well, not at the exact same time, because then you'd be some sort of fish....). That's pretty cool, here, because the Sunrise is so spectacular, but the colors seem to reflect onto the other horizon, over the Mountains, so when the Sunrise is really Red and Purple, it's like a light Pink and Mauve over the Mountains... gorgeous! We'll take all the color we can get at this time of year, too! That's what keeps us going until the Spring when everything turns Green, again!

Hey, did you catch Mark Burnett's new Show, The Apprentice, last night? That is a fantastic concept for a Show -- Mark Burnett is pure genius! And to pair up with Donald Trump -- "The Donald" -- man, that's truly remarkable! It's like a Whirlwind Course in Business, except it's really interesting and fun!! They pitted the 'girls against the guys' in a business competitoin, and it was very interesting how women and men act so differently in a Group Process. I could never understand why anyone would want to 'squabble' in a Business Meeting -- where would the idea come from that in the middle of a meeting a 'Squabble' should break out? That ain't good! And slightly counter-productive! ha,ha!

There are some Women who are just spectacular on the Show -- Dwight was drooling -- he loves a smart, beautiful business woman!! ha,ha,ha! And we got to watch 'The Short Man Syndrome' develop in front of our very eyes! Ironically enough, that's the only name I remember from the Men's Group -- Sam. I liked him at first, because he seemed to be very inventive and entrepreneurial, then he started standing up at the Board Room Table, which is incredibly annoying Board Room Behaviour, so I loved it when 'The Donald' told him to sit down! ha,ha,ha! And we all learned that Wimps and Crazies don't do nearly as well in Business as you might think...! har, har!

I'm just watching Ellen as I write this (man, I love My Office!!), and she has Sherri Sheppard on, this morning. She is absolutely hilarious! Think I'll write and see if Ellen can have Sherri Sheppard on as a regular guest! E-mail is great for creating a nice pathway for Viewers to interact with the Shows they really love -- it's an amazing bit of technology! Oh, yeah, if you're not sure who Sherri Sheppard is, she's the extrememly voluptuous (I loooove that word!!) one on Less Than Perfect, which is a very witty little Show that I think will really hit it big-time!

Tip of the Day: We were in a terrible Cold Snap, last week, and much of Canada is in another one this week, but tons of folks live in cold enough climates that a) they want to leave for a vacation (somewhere sunnier and hotter!), and b) when it gets too cold, it could burst their pipes (plumbing...!). This is a Tip from Dwight -- when you go on Vacation, especially when you're leaving behind some really cold weather, be sure to shut off your main Water Valve. That way, if (God Forbid) a Pipe Breaks when you're gone, your house won't be damaged by the Water.

And Now for Your Daily Pics Fix!

Here's what the Main Water Valve will most likely look like, unless you're in a much older home, in which case it might be a Round Handle. What you want to do when you go on Vacation (or if there's a Water Line Problem at another time...) is to Turn Off the Main Water Valve. The Rule is 'If the Handle is In Line with the Pipe, It's Open, and if it's Perpendicular to the Pipe, it's Closed'.

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And there's my fabulous Office! I just love it!

 

Thanks for swinging by for a wee visit! See you tomorrow!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!!

You know how I was saying I was going to try some different Affiliate Programs, to see which ones will work out best for me in my quest to make my Site Free to View, but still make a reasonable Profit? Well, this is an Ad for the Company where I get my Business Cards, but through a different Program, so we'll see if that works out better...

< Stop scratching your phone number on a dirty napkin! Get a personal business card FREE! Click here >

Frankly, I think everyone (and perhaps your Dog, if your Dog is a Mover and Shaker! ha,ha,ha!) could benefit from having their own Info on a Business Card. Whether you're in the Dating Game, Work for Someone Else, or Have Your Own Business, it's easier to 'schmooze' when you can quickly hand someone (lots of people, because you never know who someone knows who could change your life...) your Business Card. It's neat and tidy, and a great way to leave a lasting impression.

< >

This is the new Affiliate Program I'm checking out -- I wonder if you still need to have a Website to Join these Programs -- I think the new thing is to have people join who might like to include an Ad in their e-mails, and generate a little Home Income from that... check it out -- you're on the computer (obviously...!), so it can't hurt! And if it pays for your next trip, all the better!

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Cool -- look what I just found in my E-mail! iPod is waaaaay cool, and a great little gift for yourself (because you love you, and why shouldn't you have something fun to play with, hmmmmm?? Or get it for your Kids, then make them lend it to you...)!

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Thursday, January 8th. Hey, HEY, Hey!! How you doin', Baaay-bee?? I hope everything is flowing along for you, preferably in the direction you want!! If not, now's as good a time as any to change your way, and see where you end up... change is good, and you can't really stop it, anyway, so might as well try to steer it a little bit, yourself!

I've got to remember to call our Glass Guy today to come and measure for the Glass Steam Room Door -- Dwight finished the last few Tiles in there, last night, so now I'll need to go in and Grout the whole Room in preparation for the Door to go in.

Oh, and Dwight got the Bar Sink hooked up, so now we have running water in the Bar! WooHoo! And I finally got a new Memory Disk for my Video Camera, so I can get you some really fresh new pictures! Hey, what's up with the vast Mark-Up on the Memory Cards? That must be about a zillion % Mark-Up! Ah, well, I love them, so I'll continue to buy them, and maybe some company will start to sell them for less -- if I ever find one, I'll be sure to tell you!

Hey, Ellen and her guest, Mandy Moore, were on Riding Lawn Mowers, today -- very funny. I learned how to use the Riding Lawn Mower this past Spring, because it turned out that Dwight was allergic to the Plants in the back garden, whatever they are, but they grew to about 3 feet high, so someone had to go out there and mow it, so eventually I tried it. The first time I went out, Dwight had the Thing set at 'Rabbit Speed' (I think it's designed for the Pre-Reader in the Family, but whatevah...! ha,ha!), which is apparently the fastest speed.

That did not go well at all, because I felt totaly out of control and I was sure I'd hit a rut (or some really big Weeds!) and roll right over, so I made Dwight shut it off and didn't go back out for another try until the Weeds got to about 4 feet high, and I thought I'd better try it again! So this time I set it at Turtle (the slowest rate possible and still able to mow the lawn!), and I was off and running ... or putting, depending on how you look at it! As I got used to the 'lay of the land', I was able to increase the speed of the Riding Lawn Mower, and now I can just jump right on and go like a rabbit!! ha,ha,ha! Not now, of course -- it's the middle of our crappy winter, but when Spring rolls around, again, watch out!!

Did you notice I changed things around a bit, today? Now the Daily Update can be at the Top of the Page, which will save you some 'scrolling time'! And it's the 'Eighth', so maybe you'd like to try a little bit of Numerology on your own -- the Number '8' is considered a very lucky number for Financial Success, especially in 'The East'. And hey, if it's good enough for millions of folks, it's good enough for us, so see if you can use an 8 in some financial thing and see what happens. Who knows what'll happen? Try it and see.

Tip of the Day: The next time you're having your Picture Taken, put your tongue behind your teeth if they happen to be open... not all the way through your teeth -- then you'll just look like a moron, and hanging right out will probably not be yer best look, either...depending on the reason for the picture...har, har! The next time you see a magazine cover, start taking note of this little Photography Trick -- and then go ahead and try it! I'm tempted to go with the last two ideas, of course, because that's just the way I am, and I love a good laugh, but the chances of someone actually taking my picture are slim to none, so it'll be a while before I even get to do that!

And now for your Daily Pics Fix!

Here's Cara Mowing the Lawn -- we eventually all took turns out on the Riding Lawn Mower -- now how does Hank Hill steer and Drink Beer at the same time? I need some kind of 'Drink Holder'

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And there's Dwight out on the Riding Lawn Mower. You can see there's a good reason we have a Riding Lawn Mower rather than a regular one -- there's a lot of Grass to cut! You have to wear Ear Muffs when you're mowing, because the noise is fairly substantial. There are Trees and Bushes to get around, and the occassional rut (just like life!! ha,ha,ha!), so you have to speed up and slow down accordingly. It's a lot of fun!

Thanks for swinging by for a wee visit! See you tomorrow!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!!

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Wednesday, January 7th, 2004. Hi, Honey! Welcome 'Home'! And you look 'goigeous', too! Well, I finally ordered my new Business Cards -- it's hard when you think you might be moving at some time in the relatively near future to buy new things like that, since you're inclined not to put on any information specific to your current living arrangement, so the Business Cards are put on hold for ages. Well, I just got the 250 Package (it's Free, too -- I'll get you the Link!), but I couldn't resist the handy dandy Card Holder and some Sticky Address Labels -- I've been meaning to get those since we moved in here, so at least I'll have them before we move out! I never did get around to getting them in our last house, and we were there for five years!

< 250 FREE color business cards! An $85 value! >

That's it -- I'll have to break down and go shopping -- if I could put it off, I would, but we're starting to run out of stuff -- I really keep my Pantry stocked up, too, so that's definitely saying something! Ah, well. I'll have to brave the cold... Dwight put an extra heater in my Van, so when you plug it in, it pre-warms the vehicle, so that's a good thing. I'll have to make a List and see if I can stick to it even a wee bit! Hard to do at Costco!

Hey, did you hear that theory that 6 or more cups of coffee (or hopefully other caffeinated drinks, like my favorite Tea!!) per day can cut down the risk of developing Adult Onset Diabetes? I'm guessing that means without all the delicious Creams, Foams, Chocolate Shavings, etc., etc. that makes the coffee so tasty! I hope my little Tea habit will be beneficial in that area, too, since Diabetes is a concern for me, and the main reason I decided to lose the weight last year. (And keep it off this year -- and every year after that!)

Oh, I finished reading Ellen's new book, yesterday, and the end of it is soooo funny -- there's a whole 'bit' about your dog talking to you that is absolutely hysterical! If you haven't picked it up yet, I would happily recommend it for some fun, light reading!

Tip of the Day: It's not too late to take your Christmas Tree (a Real One!) down to your local 'Shredding Place'. The Town or City will generally use the Shredded Trees in Local Gardens, so that's a nice thing for your Tree to do, right? If you're not sure where to take your Tree, you can click on your Town and follow the links to the Waste Section -- in Calgary, Alberta, it's www.calgary.ca/waste . I'm pretty sure you have up until January 11th to take your Tree in for Recycling, here, and it's probably about the same everywhere else.

And now for your Daily Pics Fix!

Since we're chatting about Recycling (and who isn't? ha,ha!), how about recycling your cool little Coke Bottles? Kids love these, and they're only available from time to time, so we started popping them in the Dishwasher (Top Shelf at an angle... same way for plastic bottles you can re-use for Water Bottles... then you'll be more likely to drink more Water, less Pop or Juice, and that's good for your health, too!).

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Aidan loves pouring his juice through a funnel into the Coke Bottles, then he sits at the Kitchen Island with his drink in hand and feels very grown-up! It's pretty funy! Oh, and here's a little tip for your kids, and perhaps even for yourself... every time you give your child a drink of juice, pop, or anything sugary, give them a 'Water Chaser' -- it soon becomes a habit, and then they are rinsing the sugar out of their mouths, and drinking more water, too. See how it could be good for you, too?? When we were out at a party a while ago, Aidan asked for a 'Water Chaser' when he was given some Pop to drink -- hilarious!

And there's one of my Glass Cabinets -- I like the glasses in order and color-coded, partly because it looks nice, and partly because we have tons of space, so why not, right? ha,ha! (I'm not crazy...really!! The pigtails standing straight up -- that's just a fashion statement... har, har!)

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Tuesday, January 6th, 2004. Hey, Babe!! S'up?? ha,ha! Don't forget to nod your head, like you're waaaaay cool! Oh those crazy kids! I'll have to keep this really short, today, because we have a familiy thing going on... that needs my attention, first.I'm trying a new Affiliate Program, today, and will be experimenting with different Programs until My Site makes a reasonable enough Profit for me to continue working on it -- it's incredibly time-consuming, which is okay for now, but if I do go back into the Regular Workforce, I'll really need to stream-line it. We'll see how it all works out... Pretty much everything that I do is Trial and Error (I look forward to the day when there are fewer 'Errors'!! ha,ha!), but I always believe something worthwhile is worth a shot!

Actually, now that I think of it, that's a pretty good Life Lesson -- there are tons of things that we do that never quite work out, but the stuff you can learn from those situations can be put to good use in your next project (or Marriage, depending on what we're talking about, here...ha,ha!) (Maybe your Relationship IS a Project -- I can't really see you, I'm just pretending about that, in case you thought that maybe those 'special powers' were real... nah... jus' a leeettle joke!! ha,ha!). Anyway, even if you have some kind of crazy idea you'd like to try, then you find you can't stop thinking about it, go ahead and give it a shot.

Well, yesterday I had a very weird day - I'm monitoring any type of Mood Swing so I can see if there's a pattern of any sort -- who knows -- I'm in my Forties, now, and I know anything can happen! Might as well keep track, so I can manage my life well -- a good little goal, no??

Now, here's the Upside to my crappy day, yesterday -- I was sitting at my Desk and I happened to pick up one of my new Calendars for '04, and it was Gardens of the World. I loooove Gardens -- can't get enough of them! And wouldn't you know it? I had just finished creating a New Travel Page for my Site, and had mentioned that I love Myrtle Beach in South Carolina, and the Azalea Gardens in Georgia -- well, the Calendar had a picture of the Callaway Gardens in Georgia, so I typed that into my Search Engine, thinking that some pictures of Flowers would cheer me up, and didn't I happen upon a fabulous Source for all sorts of Gardens! It's www.arboretum.org or www.gardenguides.com -- these Links will List all these great Gardens, including a couple of my all-time favorites -- Descanso Gardens in La Canada, California (pronounced 'La Cahnyadah'), and Butchart Gardens in Victoria, B.C., in Canada. I think they are two of the most beautiful Gardens in the World -- I think I need a 'Shot of Green', since our Landscape is varying shades of White and Grey -- thank God for the Ever-changing Sky out here!

Tip of the Day: Use Your Calendar for more than just Appointments and Birthdays -- develop a litle System that you can remember where you can keep track of how you're feeling Emotionally and Physically, especially if you're female -- we always have so many things going on that it's good to keep track -- that way, you can be more aware of anything that becomes cyclical -- like the Third Thursday of each month you are going to require vast amounts of delicious White Chocolate...oh, wait, that's me, and yesterday was Monday... ah, well, you get the drift! It's always easier to deal with any problem if you can determine the root cause of it, see if it repeats itself, then you can at least know how to recognize it when it rolls around again -- and you can buy your 'Chocolate Necessities' in advance! ha,ha,ha!

And Now For Your Daily Pics Fix!

Here's another good idea for your Old Calendars -- the chances are really high that you chose your Calendars because the Pictures appealed to you -- Puppies, Flowers, Girls -- oh, that's Dwight's Calendar in his Office... (it's huuuugely inappropriate...). Anyhooo, you can get some really lovely Frames at Walmart, and Frame the Pictures from the Calendars.

Here's a little example of Four of the Framed Pictures I did from Last Years Calendars -- surprise -- they're almost all of Flowers or Garden Scenes, then some for Aidan's Den of Cute Puppies! Oh, and I have some particularly gorgoeus Frames (they were Dwight's and he had pictures of Wolves -- Robert Batemans, but still, those Wolves creeped me out...!), that I put pictures from One of Dwight's old Calendars (he has special ones made up for his Company of Banff and Alberta), and they are hanging in a group of Three in the Main Hallway. I like to Group Art together when it has a constant theme.

<Art.com - Prints & Posters!><Hanging and Displaying Art><Walmart.com><>

Oh, and you know how I was planning to make my own Frame for my new Poster of The Neptune Pool at Hearst's Castle in California? I picked up a 4' X 3' Piece of Board to use as a Back Board, but when Cara and I rolled out the Poster and it was about 8 Feet Long! Who would ever have guessed? I thought I had checked it out, but I must have opened it part of the way and made an assumption it was a regular sized Poster... ah, well. Back to the Hardware Store! I have a great Wall Space for a Piece that size, though -- there's a wall in the Lower Living Room that is looking for some really big art!!

 

< Lower your mortgage payment and consolidate your debts. Lowest mortgage rates in 40 years. Receive up to 3 great offers with Goapply.com. Bad credit - no problem. No obligation. >

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Monday, January 1st, 2004. Good Morning, Sunshine! Always nice to see you! It's the First Day back to 'Normality' for most of us... Thank Goodness for that, because that's all the holiday I could take... it's like a little taste of what life would be like during 'The Retirement Years'. Yuck. Waaaaay too annoyink! Did you know there is a huge rise in the Divorce Rate for the Retirement Crowd? Yep, and it's because 'The Husband' is finally at home, and he thinks 'The Wife' (and incidentaly, if anyone is still out there referring to their spouse as 'The Wife', it's time to move into the year 2004 and go with 'My Wife', or go mad and call her by her First Name...) should continue doing all the things he thinks she's been doing around the house all those years... so then he's on Vacation, but he thinks she should continue to do her work...ugh. So I had a little taste of that. Must remember to keep working!! ha,ha,ha!

It's so nice to see Ellen and Wayne, again -- I missed their laughs in the morning, and they were only gone for Two Weeks! And thankfully we're back to normal TV -- hey, if you haven't caught Arrested Development or The O.C., they're two of the Best TV Shows on, these days -- hilarious!

My Mum and Dad are flying into Calgary, today -- it'll be nice to see them, again. Calgary is a funny City to live in (or Near, in my case...), because it's kind of in the middle of no-where, if you are from somewhere else, but once you live here, you feel very central to everything! It's a very weird thing! And when we're going to go on any 'Big' Vacation, it's very difficult to even consider going to Ontario, Canada (where My Parents live...), because there's such a tiny amount of time to go on vacation, we want to go somewhere that's pretty much Guaranteed to have Great Weather and Beautiful Beaches... so it's a great thing that they come out here!!

Oh, here's a Site I think you might like to check out -- from my new pal, Cory. It's http://www.new-trends-in-home-ideas.com -- Your source for Home Designs, Modular Homes, Custom Homes, Solar Homes, Home Cinema, Home Automation and More. It's always fun to find new Sites.

Tip of the Day: It's the Beginning of the Year, so it's a great time to get yourself all organized with your Financial Life. Start by getting a Notebook and a File Folder -- those nice ones at <Walmart.com> for, oh, about $5.00. This isn't a High End job -- just a functional way to keep track of your Bills and your Money. The more you know about where your money goes, when it goes there, and how much is left, the happier and healthier you'll be financially and in every other area of your life, too, since Money Worries suck, and can cause great pain all around, right? Now, Dwight doesn't know what Financial Pain feels like, because that boy has never had to worry about it, really -- he thinks he does, because he thinks about it a lot, but he's never had to worry about how he would buy food or any other necessity.

Every time you sit down to pay your Bills (if you do Phone or On-Line Banking, which is a lot less time-consuming...), take a minute to write down every Bill you pay, and the Date you Paid them. Write down your Balance on each of your Accounts (Savings, Checking, Separate Savings...) so that the amount of money you actually have is in your Mind.

Then, take all you Bills and File them according to the Company or by the Month -- I prefer to File by the Month, because I find it easier to retrieve information when I need it later. That's what your fancy schmancy File Box is for!

Oh, and if you want a really, really easy way to save Thousands of Dollars a Year, cut One to Three Shopping Trips out per Week or per Month, depending on how often you shop now -- it's pretty easy to do, but you have to make a conscious choice to go into the Shops. I started this last year, and I saved our family over $6,000. -- that's a lot of money (I cut out One Trip to Costco per Month, averaging about $500. per Trip... don't tell Dwight!!) And we're all fine -- there's always plenty of stuff in the House -- what happens is you get into the Store, see all the great stuff, and Buy, Buy, Buy. But you don't wanna be Broke, Broke, Broke, so go ahead and cut out some Shopping Trips! (Hey, why don't you stay home and crack open that Bottle of Gin at the Back of the Cupboard?! ha,ha,ha! You'll still have fun and it'll be waaaay cheaper! Don't do this to excess, either, though, or that might just cost you Half of Everything you own, if you're married!! ha,ha,ha!)

Now let me go get you some new Pics!

Okay, well that took me ages to get back to the Pictures!! I was side tracked by some very nice Sites I'll tell you about, tomorrow.

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I finally took the Christmas Tree Down -- that's always hard to do, since it's soooo pretty! Now this Corner where I always put it looks really empty to me -- I'll need to go and get some enormous Tropical Plant or Tree to replace the Christmas Tree... wonder how I can do that in these crazy frigid temperatures?! It's Minus 30 Celsius, again, and your skin can freeze, so little Plants don't fare well in this weather, either... perhaps I should look at geting a gigantic Silk Plant... I'll let you know what I come up with -- those are Aidan's little Jungle Chairs -- he likes to 'camp' in the Living Room! ha,ha,ha!

Thanks for popping in for a wee visit! See you tomorrow!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!!

 

Well, it's probably your first day back at Work in the New Year, and you might secretly want to have a wee look around to see what else is out there for you... here are some great Links for ou to check out -- think I'll have a wee look, myself!! ha,ha!

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<Climb Up The Ladder!>

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Sunday, December 4th, 2004. Hey, Baby-Cakes! Only one day left of the Holiday, and I can hardly wait for everyone to go back to Work and School!! Then I can get my own work done, again! Whenever everyone is at home, I have to run around and cater to them (well, I don't have to, but I do, for whatever reason...), so when they're back to their regular schedules, I'll get back to mine... Yipee! More work on my Site!

Dwight has been very busy working on the Bar, and has 90% of the Tile on the Countertop, and has the Bar Sink Installed. It looks great -- wouldn't you know it -- I just got my Computer to accept the photos from my Digital Camera (it stopped temporarily for some unknown and incredibly annoyink reason...), and my Memory Card ran out -- I've now taken about 1500 pictures of this House! And so I need a new Memory Card so I can take a whole lot more!

He's been working away at the Steam Room, too -- only a few Tiles left to do around the Window -- it's a Faux Glass Block Window -- lets the light in but absolutely nothing else -- and you can't see through it! Dwight's going to pick up a Double Headed Shower Fixture -- cool, eh? I've never seen it, but it sounds cool, so I'll get a picture of it for you, too!

Tip of the Day: Teach Your Children All About Money. It's soooo important, and so many of us grew up not knowing anything about how to manage money -- it was a Big Secret. Aidan goes around saying he's gonna be "Filthy Stinkin' Rich", so I asked him how you get rich, and he says, "You buy Really O'State!" . So True! But it's good to start your children young with a solid understanding of money -- how to spend it, how to save it, and how to be careful doing both. They should be very aware of the Value of Money, and Know How to Save for an important Item. Even very small children can learn this.

For Older Kids, make sure they have a Bank Account, and have them make at least one deposit a year. If they have a job of any sort, they could put a portion of their earned money into their Bank Account. The important thing is to get them used to operating with one amount, and saving another.

And Now for Your Daily Pics Fix!!

These are three shots of the Sunroom Deck, off the Master Bedroom. the Hot Tub is in this Deck, and the Deer stroll by in the Evening -- although I haven't seen them in this extreme cold -- I wonder where they go?

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It's amazing how much the Sky Changes color, even in the course of an hour. Endlessly beautiful!

Thanks for coming in to see me -- my 'numbers' are really up, so you must have told your friends about my little Site -- Thank You!! I could use all the help I can get!! (Like everybody else... except for maybe Donald Trump, but that's a whole other story, I'm sure!! ha,ha,ha!)

Hey, have you seen Extra's new Mansions & Millionaires? What a great new Show -- check it out when you see it! You'll get lots of new ideas for your own homes!! ha,ha,ha!

See you tomorrow!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!!

Expert Satellite does TiVo, too -- We've had Satellite since we moved out to the Acreage, and now I can't imagine going back to Cable. It's waaay less expensive, and you gat a huge selection of Shows, including The Sopranos -- remember it starts again on my Birthday, March 7th!! Can't Wait!! Check them out -- they're a good company.U.S. only, though... I'll see if I can find one for other countries, too!

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< Switch from cable and get up to a 5-Room DIRECTV system for Free including Free Installation, Shipping, DVD Player and 3 Months of HBO>

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Saturday, January 3rd, 2004. Hi, Honey! You're Home!! It's so nice to see you, and might I say how lovely you look, today?! Positively stunning! And apparently I'm looking quite a bit better, too, now that my terrible, awful Hangover is gone! Ugh. Must add that to my New Years Resolutions -- 6. Don't get ludicrously Drunk... there, and I added one other one, which brings us to lucky Number 7. Learn How To Use My Cell Phone. I've only had it a mere two years, so I thought it was high time that I figured out, once and for all, how to use my Voice Mail. Well, it only took about an hour, much like learning how to manage my Website -- it's always a matter of making up my mind to learn something, then actually learning it. You can't teach a closed mind, or a fearful one (I was scared of anything technological, but not any more!! YaaHoo -- I'm Free!!).

Well, you know how I just put our House on the Market, right? I was thinking about what else we would Buy after this House is Sold -- we won't make any purchases at all until this House Sale is Final... anyway, I was looking at some Property in the Town closest to us, Okotoks, Alberta, and there was a house we drove past last week that was up for sale and very pretty. Dwight and I estimated it was about 10 years old, and it was in a very nice part of Town. Dwight happened to see it in the Paper, today, and it is listed at $599,000., which is not a bad price given the Home, but it reminded me of a 'Rule of Thumb' (even though I hate the origin of that phrase, it is useful sometimes...) that we always follow when we're choosing a Piece of Real Estate, that you might like to keep in mind when you are making a purchase.

Now, you know me, and I'm not one to stay anywhere forever and ever, so I really can't imagine buying a 'Final House' where I would live for the rest of my life -- I'm hoping that would be at least another 60 years, or so...! ha,ha,ha! Anyhooo, I would never buy a Property that I didn't firmly believe would go up in value by at least $50,000., hopefully $100,000. or more. Buying in really good neighborhoods, Buying New, Buying Substantial Homes or any House with Land will generally ensure that. And we tend to steer away from any home that may go up in value, but would require a lot of work (and money) to bring it to that level. If you were planning on making the Home your 'Dream House', I wouldn't worry about that so much -- just go with what you love.... or whatever you can afford, since any home is a dream home when it belongs to you, right??

You know one of the main reasons I felt it was necessary to develop My Website? I am very concerned about Young People (that makes me sound 'old', doesn't it? ha,ha,ha! You know what I mean buy 'Young'!!)getting themselves established in their own home (usually an Apartment or Condo...), and for Everyone Else who hasn't Purchased Their Own Home before Retirement. I think the best way to prepare for Retirement is to have your Own Home (ANY Home) bought and Paid for before you actually Retire. If I can make the whole Home Buying Idea easy enough to understand, then a whole lot more people will be all set for their Retirement. I used to be very worried about Older Women not having enough money to maintain themselves on (and Women at every stage in the Game...), but Men can also fall into the Renting Trap, and find themselves in a difficult way when the Retirement Years roll around. If you know someone who would benefit from the information on my Website, please send it along to them -- it's great to help lots of people!!

Tip of the Day: If you are in a Cold Climate, it's good to replace your Filters for the Furnace every Month or so. Dwight says the newer Furnaces are easy to change out the Filter -- they just Slide out from their little Resting Spot -- they are usually 16" X 25" or 20" X 25", and you can pull out the old one and read the Size. Filters can be purchased at pretty much any Hardware Store. They're about $2.00 a piece, or so, so it's an inexpensive way to keep your Furnace running efficiently.

And Now for Your Daily Pics Fix!!

This is the Sunroom off the Master Bedroom -- this is what it would look like if you just strolled in -- very pretty! I was reading the new Ellen Book the other day (not the Hangover Day!!ha,ha!), and I laughed myself silly. It's hilarious! The Sunroom is my favorite room for Reading.

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Thanks for Swingin' in for a wee visit! It's always nice to see you! I love to get your Letters, so Drop me a line and let me know all about you (well, not ALL about you, that's a little weird, but a Fair Bit about you would be good!! ha,ha,ha!)

See You Tomorrow!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!!

Oh, I just found this Site -- they have a great selection of all sorts of Home Products -- switching out your Lighting in a Renovation can really Update Your Home in a hurry, and it's easy to do. They have some seriously cool Lighting on this Site!

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Friday, January 2nd, 2004. Hey, Baby!! Well, it's a good thing I wrote and posted my Daily Update for January 1st the night before -- ugh, I had the worst hangover all day, yesterday! That is the last time I drink a whole bottle of champagne... turns out, Dwight didn't like it, and after the first glass, it seemed better than the last...anyhoooo, I'm never doing that again!! And right in the middle of the morning (oh, around 12:30pm ...), it crossed my mind (slowly, and with far too much movement!) that I had to put the Meat on for the Steak Pie. So I had to drag my behind into the Kitchen to make the Steak Pie, then right bck to bed-- and that was my first day of the Brand New Year!! Ah, well, dinner was delicious! I'll need to post the Recipe for Steak Pie -- maybe tomorrow...

I'll keep today's Update short, since I'm posting this at night, too, and I'm pretty sure I'll be sleeping in tomorrow, too! Oh, and since I was 'Under the Weather' all day, of course that led me to think that "The Weather" would be a good name for a 'secret friend', that way you could say You're a Little Under "The Weather", and you could probably get away with that... anyway, I just happened to be thinking about that! ha,ha,ha! You have to keep yourself amused when you're too hungover to move!

Tip of the Day: Well, the obvious Tip is 'Don't Drink A Whole Bottle of Anything All By Yourself'! That's the useful sort of information you can find in here every day! And sometimes a Building Tip, too! ha,ha,ha!

And Now for Your Daily Pics Fix!

Here's my Dining Room -- there's room for Three Dining Tables, if you had a really big Dinner Party. I like to put out Two Smaller Tables for Parties -- you can put all the Treats and Other 'Real' Food -- it makes for an Easy Party without crowding the Main Table.

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Thanks so much for popping in to see me! Until tomorrow, my friend!

Later Baby! Ailsa!!

Here's a Link to Target, and a really useful Tool Set for the House... everything you would typically need to maintain your place or fix any little thing!

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<Portable 56-pc.Tool Kit>

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January 1st, 2004!!! Happy, Happy New Year, Honey-Babe!! I hope you brought the New Year in 'In Style', or at least enjoyed yourself, whatever you were doing! And now on to a fresh new exciting Year!! Brand Spankin' New! What do you have planned? Did you make any New Years Resolutions?

You know what I thought would be fun to do this New Year? Write a List of 5 Great Things you did over the course of the Last Year, then Write a new List of 5 Things you would Like to Do (I think it would be okay to put a person's name on there, but probably a good idea to keep that under your hat, if you know what I mean....and I'm sure you do!! ha,ha,ha!), or Things you would like to Accomplish in this New Year!

Here are MY Lists, then you can make your own in your head or on paper -- it's good to put things in writing, though, because they seem much more substantial that way, then you're far motre likely to actually DO them...

5 Great Things I Did Last Year:

1. Had Lasik Eye Surgery, and now I'll never have to wear my Glasses again -- it's one of the best things I've done in my whole life!

2. Completed the Work in Our House, and now I'm ready to 'Move On'. House looks fabulous and I've loved living in it -- it's one of the biggest 'Creative Endeavours' of my Life, and I can't wait to do it again!!

3. Learned how to Manage my Own Website, turned it around from getting 35 Hits in a Month to over 75,000 Hits Per Month -- not bad for a girl who just learned how to use the Computer and 'Get on the Internet' a little over 3 years ago!! (Before that I could never remember how to turn the Computer ON, and the 'Internet Highway' was some imaginary 'Freeway in the Sky' that I had absolutely no clue how to get on!! ha,ha!)

4. Lost 30 Pounds -- WooHoo!! I don't know where it went, and frankly, I never want to see it again!! ha,ha! Thanks to my little Apple Crumble 'Diet Plan', no eating after dinner, and my favorite Stepper and Hand Weights -- and Voila! It's all gone! Now it's easy to keep it off, because I looove the Apple Crumble so very much!

5. Went to California -- I really needed to make a trek down there to see if it's somewhere I would like to live, again. I wanted to make sure I wasn't living out a crazy fantasy -- that I would be able to visualize myself living there and living in Prosperity, which I can, and plan to do A.S.A.P.... I'll keep you posted on that one!! ha,ha!

And, of course, I am always a Great Mother and Wife, and a Good Little Worker. That's just a Given for me, though, so that doesn't really need to be included!

Now for My New Years Resolutions --

1. I Will Maintain My Apple Crumble Plan, and Keep Exercising.

2. I Will Make Some Big Desicions about my Life, even though they are really difficult to make.

3. I Want to Return to the World of Work -- I miss actual Human Contact, and I miss Teaching.

4. I Want to Make My Website even Bigger, Increase my Traffic by at least 3 X -- if My Readers each Told a Handful of their Friends -- much like the Breck Shampoo Commercial from the 70's(!), I'd be able to Accomplish this, no bother! (hint, hint! ha,ha!) And I absolutely need to make my Site Financially Sound, so I can continue to devote my time to it... let me know if you have any ideas!!

5. I Want to Sell This House and then make some Wise Real Estate Decisions right after that...

Well, there you have it -- that was easier than having to come up with TEN Resolutions, right?? ha,ha!

(Who doesn't want to sneak a peek at your Astrological Forecast for 2004?!)

FREE One Week Forecast from Astrology.com!> <Get your free in-depth AstroProfile >

Quick Tip: Today's Tip is a Parenting Tip, but it can be useful for the rest of your life, too -- yesterday Aidan took a big spill over his Toy Car that he was racing around the House, and he fell face first onto the Tiled Floor...needless to say, he hurt his mouth pretty badly, so I immediately scooped him up and rinsed out his mouth, then gave him a cuddle on the Couch. Now that crazy Dwight came over to Aidan and says, "Holy Crap!" I had to send Dwight away, because (and this is the Tip!) the best thing you can do when all hell breaks loose or anyone at all gets hurt is to Stay Calm and pretend that things are waaaay better than they might seem. There's no point in scaring the kid (or anyone else...), because that won't make them feel any better. That's why, when (God Forbid!) the Paramedics arrive and see someone with their leg barely hangin' on that 'Everything looks good...', because they need the person to be calm...

Also, the promise that something good will happen makes for a very fast healing process -- we told Aidan that we could take him to McDonalds to the Play Area when he was feeling better, and it was all I could do to keep him in my lap for a few more minutes, he was so anxious to get to the Play Area! You can promise anything you like -- it's always fun to look forward to any type of a Reward or Treat, ain't it?? ha,ha,ha!

And now for your Daily Pics Fix!

Here's my Lovely Great Room -- it's very pretty and comfy. See all the cool Vaults in the Ceiling? The Vaults run North-South, and East-West. Oh, there's Tia's little Bed right beside the Big Settee -- it's huge, and she loves it!

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I thought this was a nice 'Celebratory' Ad!! Perfect for all the 'Big Games on Today! (Oh, and if you're not into Football, every other Sport is on this Site, and you can bet on cool things, too, like the Grammy Awards, 'n Stuff!)

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Wednesday, December 31st!!! Happy New Year, Baby!! Sweet Thing!! Are you all set for Midnight?? I wish we had something fabulous to do, but nope, not this year... perhaps I'll have something fantasic for next year -- one can always hope, right?? Dwight is an 'All or Nothing' guy, so if there isn't some huuuge party to go to, he wants to do nothing at all -- ugh. Ah, well, what are you gonna do? Aidan is still pretty little, so we'll stay home with him and Bring in the New Year together... Cara is lucky enough to go to spend the Evening with Friends, so that's good. We'll live vicariously through her!! ha,ha!

Back to Building -- Dwight brought home a Bar Sink, so we'll probably install that, today, then we can go ahead and Tile the Countertop for the Bar, then it'll just need a wee bit of Maple Trim, then the whole Bar will be done! WooHoo! And we have the new Trim in the Garage for the Door Surround for the Steam Room, so we can use the 'Time Off' to build that, too. It'll be good to get these little jobs out of the way.

Hey, what do you think about the Mad Cow incidents? Crazy. Not just 'Mad'!! What are Governments thinking to still allow Cattle and Other Animals to be fed with with Grains mixed with Animal Parts? Not only is this icky, it's absolutely been proven to be the root cause of this disease. Why on earth can't Governments take heed from other Countries who have already lived this nightmare, and only use Grains and such to feed the animals... that makes no sense to me.

Tip of the Day: Dwight was Downtown Calgary, today, fixing a Furnace in Business Building, and I wanted to know what a Home Owner would do if their Furnace Broke down in cridiculously cold weather like we're in right now. Luckily, the Business Building he was working in had a Boiler System, so the Building was safe enough from any damage from the cold, and we actually have Radialnt Heat (Water Heat...) throughout our House, in addition to the Furnace, but the vast majority of Homes will have One Furnace.

Dwight gave me a very, veerrrry long answer, but what it boiled down to, so-to-speak, was that the first thing you ought to do is Immediately Call a Mechanical Contractor. Look in the Phone Book -- or if you're in Calgary, you can call Dwight!! He owns D.K.Mechanical...( I put a Contractor Locator Ad on the Daily Update the other day -- it's good to know someone before an emergency, so I'll go get that for you so you don't have to look...). Then go and have a good look at your Furnace. If it's relatively New, it'll have a Panel on the Front of the furnace with a Red Light. If it's a Solid Red Light, you should be okay, since this is a good sign of it operating properly.

If the Light is Flashing, it'll flash in a Pattern, and the Code for the Pattern will be right on the Panel, so at least you could tell your Repair Guy (or Gal!!) what the problem might be.

And if you have a Furnace that is more than Ten Years Old, it's wise to get it checked out annually to make sure it's fine -- if, God Forbid, you have a burnt out Heat Exchanger or a Hole in the Heat Exchanger, that can cause a release of Carbon Monoxide into the House, which is to be avoided at all costs... Also, sometimes the Gas Companies will issue information about certain Furnaces that have become known as hazards (old ones...), and your Contractor will recognize the names. You can write to me if you have a question about your Furnace, though, if you're not sure about it.

And now for your Daily Pics Fix!

Well, here's the Bar, where we'll be working all day -- not the fun kind of 'work' you might think of doing 'At the Bar', and goodness knows there won't be any 'Pick Up Lines' at the Bar -- mostly, 'Can you pleeeease move out my way -- I'm tryin' to Tile over he'ah..." Think Tony Soprano! ha,ha,ha!

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Well, I hope you have a great Time on New Years Eve!! I'll see you in 2004!!

I Wish You All Love, Happiness, Peace, Prosperity and Great Health for The New Year -- then every single year after that, too!!! (Those are 'Party Exclamation Marks'!!)

Later, Baby! Ailsa!!

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Now, really, don't be pokin' your Computer with any coins -- you don't have to do everything you're told -- most things, but not everything! You can use this handy advice for the whole year, too! Useful information every day...sort of!! Thanks for Being My Readers! Cheers All Around! Ailsa!!

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Tuesday, December 30th. Hey there, Good Lookin'! Only Two Days left of 2003 -- I hope it has been a good year for you, and I hope for an even bigger, better year in 2004, then each year after that even brighter than the last! And I don't mean that in a Global Warming kind of way, neither!! ha,ha,ha! So I've been wiling my morning away reading all about Quantum Physics -- that's just the type of Thinkin' Gal I am! ha,ha! I'm reading Deepak Chopra's 'The Spontaneous Fulfillment of Desire', which is a beautifully enlightening book. At the very beginning, he asks the Reader to think carefully about the incidents and feelings about those incidents over the past day, then the past 5 years, to see the connections. And he wonders what changes you want to make in your own life that made you pick up his book in the first place.

Oh, I loves me some Deepak Chopra!! ha,ha! I have The Seven Laws of Spiritual Success on my Favorite Books Page, because I've been reading his books for years, now, and have always been on a quest for (or 'to', or 'in') Enlightenment. He is an absolutely brilliant mind made into matter! Perhaps one day I will meet him -- you never know!

The book I'm reading this morning puts me in mind of how this beautiful House ever came into being, though. You know how I designed this house, right? Well, I 'lived' in the House in my mind for a long time before we actually built it. I wanted to see how comfortable it would be, and if there were any design flaws I could work out before the Building Process began. I always write or Draw things out as they come to me, so it was really a matter of visualizing the best house plan for this Lot, drawing it, experiencing it in my mind, then coming out to the Land to draw it on the dirt, then making any design changes from that level. What a great way to Build a House!

The day we came out here to 'Draw the House on the Land', I was not happy with the configuration of the Laundry Room and the Walk-In Pantry, but when I drew it on the Ground with the back of my boot, it became very clear to me, so I popped into the Van to sketch it out. The area needed to 'flow' nicely from the Garage into the Pantry, then into the Kitchen, so that's what I drew.

So here's really the point -- whatever Project you have -- be it a life project, a house, a renovation, a new job or place to live, try it on for size in your mind, first. It's free, easy, and might save you a lot of heart-ache or bother down the road. We can fore-see the vast number of things that will happen to us, especially if you take off those annoyink Blinders (they're waaaaaaay out of style for 2004, anyway! ha,ha,ha!) and look at any situation with clarity.

Keep paper of any sort ready for you to jot down your ideas quickly before they're lost to oblivion -- that happens all the time, but a fleeting idea might spark a whole new life for you -- you never know (or maybe you do!!). That crazy Deepak -- look what an affect he's having on me, and I'm only a quarter of the way through the Book!!

I am getting the nicest letters from My Readers (that's You!!), and what a lovely, intelligent Bunch you all are! I really do hope that my Site becomes Financially Successful over the next Year, but in the mean-time, I still believe it provides a valuable service that doesn't exist elsewhere -- not for Free, anyway, and you know how I love Free Stuff! yuff, yuff!

Tip of the Day: I just discovered this, and it seems to be very effective -- I want to try it in a Face Mask, mixed with Honey, too, but I'll need to try it before I recommend it, of course! Anyhooooo, the Tip is to Break a Capsule of Flax Seed Oil and put it on any Dry or Inflamed Skin -- works like a charm! It's painfully cold up here, right now (Minus 18 Degrees Celsius, but with the Wind Chill, it feels like Minus 30 Degrees... yuck!). When the temperature is this cold, it really dries your skin out, and I seem to be very suseptble to it, perhaps because I don't really want to live in the Cold!! It's that crazy 'Mind-Matter Connection', again! ha,ha! Or maybe it's just absolutely freezing!

Now let me go get you some cool new pictures! Be right baa-aack!

And now for your Daily 'Pics Fix'!

Here's my Kitchen -- I had a terrible mishap, yesterday, involving a Glass Pot and my Flat Top Stove -- not a good combination. I put on a pot of Chicken Noodle Soup for the Kids, and left it to go something else, since I rarely do only one thing at a time, like most Mums... anyway, when I came back through to the Kitchen it was full of Smoke. The bottom of the Glass Pot had burnt -- I grabbved the pot and put it out on the BBQ -- the Pot was sooo hot that it burned a circle into the Wooden Section of Dwight's BBQ. Hmmmm... not good at all. Very frightening.

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I threw out that stupid Glass Pot (I never liked it anyway -- it was a gift from someone I didn't care for...), opened all the Windows and Doors, then I put on a Batch of Apple Cider and Cinnamon to replace the Smoke smell before Dwight got home... And then I went to see exactly where the Smoke Alarms are -- everything is 'To Code', of course, but sometimes it's even better to just take a practical approach to where Smoke Alarms should go. So when Dwightie got home, I told him what happened and showed him where I want to put a new Smoke Alarm -- right under the Cabinets beside the Stove. What with the Height of our Ceilings, it would have taken so long for the smoke to get up to the Smoke Alarm that there might have been an actual fire.

Oh, and I put an Open Box of Baking Soda in the Spice Cupboard beside the Stove. Baking Soda can be poured on a Flame to put it out safely. And I realized that I haven't unpacked the Little Fire Extinguisher from the Garage, yet, so I'll have to go and get that right away. Better Safe than Sorry, right??

 

Thanks for swinging by for a wee visit! Jot down those great ideas -- the crazy ones, too -- sometimes they're the best ones! See you tomorrow!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!!

Well, all the Huuuuge Football Games will be on soon enough, so if you think you know how it's all gonna 'go down', here's your big opportunity to make a Bet on Your Predictions!

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Monday, December 29th. Hello, Love! I actually used to know a really sweet wee woman who called everyone 'Lover' -- it was soooo funny, especially coming out of her mouth! Some words are only meant for (hopefully...) one other person, rather than, say, the Grocery Store Clerk, but hey, I don't know all of everyone's secrets, and you never know...! ha,ha,ha!

Wow, we're just watching Mansions & Millionaires (a new Show Dwight found...), and aside from the fabulous Scenery and places, they just said that the 2004 Olympics will be held in Athens. Now why wouldn't Ben Johnson be able to Run there? I wonder why he doesn't ditch Canada and run for Jamaica? That never made any sense to me... I wonder if there's some sort of rule about representing more than one Country during a Lifetime in the same sport, or something? And if everything is 'clean', and I'm sure you know what I mean, what on earth would the problem be?? I wish they'd give him a break and let him show what he can do. If he can still run as fast as before, why not let him compete, and if not, he'd be weeded out, anyway, right? If only these things were not so slanted... Really, I should call him...

Well, Dwight and I came to a Compromise on the Surround for the Steam Room Door -- We went down to Totem, our favorite Hardware and Lumber Store (yes, we have a favorite because we're there all the time and buy a lot of Building Products...) and found a nice pice of Crown Moulding for the Top Piece of the Door, then we'll use the same Trim that's on the rest of the Doors in the House for each Side -- it'll look really nice. So Dwight will cut the Lumber, I'll Paint it a nice Semi-Gloss White, then we'll install it. Easy schmeasy!! ha,ha! And tomorrow I can call our Glass Guy to get him to come and measure for the Glass Shower Door. The Steam Room will be done before we know it! WooHoo!

Tip of the Day: I just discovered a new way to make your Granite or Marble Countertops sparkle! I'm soooo excited -- I just tried it, and I knew it would work! That Dwight said it was a stooopid idea, as he always says until it works, then he claims the idea as his very own -- men -- you can't schmack them!! ha,ha,ha! So I got Dwight to bring home his fancy Buffer for Buffing his Boat (he kept the Buffer at his Dad's, for some unknown reason... probably because he's sad that he had to sell his fancy schmancy 21' Jet Boat right before we had Aidan -- there was noooo way I was getting back in that Boat when I was pregnant or after I had the baby, so we always joke that he traded in his boat for a Boy -- Aidan!!).

So here's the Tip -- Wash your Granite or Marble Countertops down with a mixture of Dish Soap and Hot Water, then Buff out the Countertops with the Electric Buffer. It's amazing! The Buffer comes with a little cloth cover that you can just toss in the Laundry for the next time. Now we have Four meanings for 'Get a Buff'!! Yuff, yuff!

And now for your Daily Pics Fix!

Here's my Wonderful Island -- I love it! It's huuuuuge! (That's the sort of thing everyone wants to either say or hear, right?? ha,ha,ha!) Granite is already a very nice product to work with, but when you use the Electric Buffer to Shine it, it's like a mirror!

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The Island is about 10' X 5', so lots of room for cooking and leaning, not to mention drinking at the Bar!

Thanks for popping by for a wee visit! See you tomorrow!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!!

Just in case you haven't booked anything for New Years, or you want to see if you can get in to see a Game!!

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<Find tickets for over 7,000 events at over 500 venues nationwide at TicketSellers.com>

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Sunday, December 28th. Hey, Honey-Babe! Three Days before the New Year -- can you believe that's another year down?? Where does the time go? Why, it seems like just yesterday I was 21 ... then 31, now I'm almost 41! Must be sure to make the next ten years really count, right?? It's sooo easy to let time pass and not make too many changes, but changes are what move us forward, so I'm very fond of them, in general. Even when bad things happen (and they certainly have for me...), everything creates Change, and if you welcome it with an Open Heart and Mind, you never know where you'll end up.

Ten years ago, it really looked like I'd be in some sort of a Big White Mansion in Jamaica, since that's what Ben wanted to build -- as far as I know, he did go ahead and build that -- I should call him to see for sure. And here I am in a great big house in Alberta -- I really didn't see that one coming, but it's great! Now, where on earth will I be in another Ten Years?? I hope I have a nice Ocean View!! You never know!

So, have you started thinking about your New Years Resolutions, yet? We used to have to sit at the table for ages to come up with 10 Resolutions when we were kids -- man, those were some of the longest hours of my life! I could never think of anything! Now, of course, I love to evaluate and re-evaluate my Life, to see where I've been and where I want to go next. Generally, I do this at New Years, My Birthday (March 7th...), and every September, since that's the beginning of a new School Year. And then often I do that when I'm Painting Trim in the Garage... anyway, when I think of my New Years Resolutions, I'll let you know... and you can write and tell me what yours are -- maybe we can make some sort of 'Group List'...or not -- that does sound a little weird! ha,ha,ha!

The Steam Room looks fabulous, and now we have to make a decision about the Surround for the Doorway. Dwight wanted to Tile around it, but I'm thinking it would look better with a Wooden Surround similar to a Mantel Piece, then we could mimick the look on the Lower Fireplace with the same sort of Mantel ... I drew a picture to help convince Dwight that it's a good idea, and I think he might go for it! YaaHoo! Now we have to go buy some more Lumber! As always!!

Tip of the Day: Well, a couple of 'oldies but goodies' (sounds like some people I know...ha,ha,ha!), but they're very relevant to the last few of days around here! One is to always keep a big bottle of Rubbing Alcohol on your Computer Desk (a big bottle of Gin is probably a good idea, too ...) and a Box of Paper Hankies (Kleenex, or whatever it is you like to call them -- hopefully not "Darling" ha,ha,ha,ha!). Then you can easily wipe down the Keyboard before you turn it on or after you're done if anyone in the house has a Cold ... or you can quickly wipe your fingers on a Hankie with a wee bit of Alcohol.

The worst thing is when someone you like is using your Computer, they sneeze, then they stay at the computer -- yuuuuck! Now if that were a Family Member or a Spouse (or Both!!), you would just yell at them to get a clue, but with someone you like, you have to be ever so delicate and wait until they leave to scour the Computer Room!

Do these Tips never end?? The second quickie one is to keep the Scotch Brite Scouring Pads handy for 'Wall Mishaps' ... that crazy wee Aidan drew on the wall the other day, and Thank God I had the Scotch Brite Pads under the sink, or Dwight would have freaked. Whoever that stooopid ad person was who came up with the idea to have the Mum smile when the kid draws on the walls needs a big skelp (Scottish for 'Smack' -- and that has nothing to do with cocaine, neither...! ha,ha!)... Just get the Sponge Pad wet with really hot water (wring it out, of course), and a wee drop of Squeezie (Scottish for Liquid Dish Soap -- sounds like more fun to say, though, right??), then make your way to the graffiti! Rub very gently, first with the Sponge Side, then with the Rough Side, using strokes and circles, and the mark will come right off. And then you will be free to go and find the little trouble-maker, and make them guarantee you it will never, ever happen again. For the fifth time... Kids... you can't sell them ... you're not even supposed to rent them out! Must teach him to be better!

I'm doing the Daily Update Page Backwards, today -- I found the Pictures first to match the Ad! You know how I was telling you that the view is always changing? It's cool -- it's a constant source of entertainment for me! I rarely close the Curtains because (1), there's no one around to peak in, and if anyone did, they have a faceful of Angry Tia!!, and (2), I don't want to miss out on one view! That's Country Living, though -- it's very differrent from living in the City.

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So that's Two beautiful Sunsets and one gorgeous Sunrise. Nice, huh? The Mountains are very 'Crisp', during the Winter Months when the Mountains are covered in Snow. Hey, I just remembered -- I used to get a great View of Snow Covered Mountains on my way to Work when I lived in Los Angeles -- Maybe I could live elsewhere and still see the Mountains every day! Must look into that!! ha,ha,ha!

Did you get Cold Hard Cash for the Holidays and now you need to Spend it? ha,ha! You know we live very, very close to the Rocky Mountains, so I really liked this Ad. Cool Store -- check it out!

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<Ski and Snowboard House - Prices Slashed! - Huge selection of K2, Salomon, Ride, Palmer, and more!>

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Saturday, December 28th. Good Morning, Sunshine! You brighten up my day! (Now you can hum the rest of the song to yourself!!) But you really do make my days nicer, since it let's me connect with a whole lot of people from the comfort of my lovely Office! Isn't that fun?? Hey, you'll never believe this -- guess what Dwightie decided to do all by himself (no pushing and prodding with a stick from me!! ha,ha!)? That's right, he finished Tiling the Steam Room all by himself! WooHoo! Now we just need to install the Steam Unit and the Shower Fixtures and we're all set... oh, and I'll need to give our Glass Guy a shout and have him come over to Measure for the Giant Glass Door... you need a really, really thick Glass Door for a Steam Room. I would imagine you could put on a regular Door, perhaps sealed or Tiled on the Inside, but Glass is much nicer and easier to manage, what with the Steam 'n all...

Has anybody taken down their Christmas Tree, yet? You can tell a fair bit about people by the amount of time they leave their Tree up...thaccording to my own little theory, the longer the Tree Stays Up, the More Relaxed and Easy-Going the Person is. What do you think? Of course, if you have a real tree, and you happened to put it up really early because you couldn't wait for Christmas (me, except for the Real Tree bit!!), then I suppose the Tree will have taken itself down by now, one clump of needles at a time! Then that theory will fall into the 'useless' category, but I'll keep it for myself because it makes me feel better about my ever-so-slight procrastination problem! ha,ha,ha!

I wish I'd had more time to read, yesterday. The funny thing about one person doing an actual job around the house is that the other person has to, by definition, work on something else, just to make the whole thing fair. So I cleaned and cleaned... that seemed like a fair 'trade-off'! So tomorrow I would like to have a look at the Mirrored Doors for the Laundry Room -- that's one of those wee jobs we've been putting off for ages. Dwight says he needs a special Drill Bit to Drill into the Tiled Floor before we can Install the Sliding Mirrored Doors, so we'll see if he has it in his Truck... Or maybe we can get the Grouting done in the Sunroom -- oh, to have 3 days 'off'!!

Tip of the Day: Well, today's Tip is 'Beauty Related', because even a Construction Girl likes to look good, right? ha,ha,ha! I heard a wee snippet on TV last week about some Girls who were paying up to $1500. for some sort of a Banana Treatment for their Hair, so I told Dwight not to throw out an old banana I was saving so I could try a treatment of my own, and as luck would have it, he didn't! Miracle of Miracles. So I tried the Banana Treatment on my Hair and it was fabulous! And only a teensy fraction of the cost -- oh, about 12 cents for the oldish banana, then about .002 cents for the Oil, so all in all, a pretty cheap Hair Treatment! ha,ha,ha!

So here's how to make your hair all lovely and shiney (is that how you spell 'Shiney'?? Who knows??):

Mash One Half of a Banana. It will be your very own special coice what you do with the other half... :)

Add about 1 Tablespoon of Olive Oil or Canola Oil, or whatever kind of Oil you happen to have (don't use any type of Oil you might require a 'pipe' in order to smoke it, though -- that would make it somewhat illegal, although not necessarily in Canada or Holland, but no one really understands the Laws to determine this... but it would definitely make your Hair Treatment a whole lot more than 12.002 cents per treatment! ha,ha,ha!).

Put this stuff in your Hair. It's fun! And a little messy, so maybe don't tell anyone you're doing this! I have Long Hair, so I only did the part after my scalp, since it did seem a bit icky, which is a scientific term for 'yucky'. Those crazy scientists -- they have a different word for everything, just like the French. And the British! har, har! Anyway, you put the stuff in yo' hair, then wrap in in Cling Wrap or whatever you call your 'Plastic Wrap', then wrap the whole thing in a Towel.

Go and find something relatively fun to do (not tooooo much fun, or the Towel and Cling Wrap will fall right off, and then there'll be banana all over the place, and that probably won't end well, so maybe just play around on the computer, be kind and sign up for some of my Advertisers on my Site (oooooh, I hope you choose this option!!), Read a Book, or something equally distracting from the Banana in your hair! ha,ha,ha!

Be sure to rinse it out really well, then Shampoo and Condition with your Regular Conditioner. Now your hair will be all lovely and Shiney. Shinnie. Shinie. Shimmey... no, just thought I'd see if you'd do it! ha,ha,ha,ha!

Okay, better 'Wrap this Up'! yuff, yuff. Gotta tie it all in, right?? Don't forget to rinse all the Banana out of your Shower before you get out, or that'll just end up another cleaning job for later!

And now for your Daily Pics Fix!

Remember when I was telling you about the One Piece of Artwork that influenced a huge amount of the Decorating? Well, here it is -- it was in with the couple of Hundred shots I was just able to transfer into my computer from my Video Camera, a few days ago.

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It's a Stevenson Print in an Old Frame that Dwight had a Spitfire in (that had to go -- I just couldn't look at that one more minute, so the Spitfire Picture is hidden away to find a new home at Dwight's Office, where he is free to put as many pictures of Boats and Planes as he likes!). The Colors are Varying Shades of Greens and Browns. You can see the Blues are reflected in the Windows and in some of the Silver Items. Ironically, we didn't realize that we had been so 'True to the Picture' until after we moved in and then we could see every color right there in front of us! Funny! A very good Decorating Tip, though, since you'll know for sure that you already love the colors before you fill your home with them!

Thanks for swinging in for a wee visit! See you tomorrow!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!!

P.S. I woke up, this morning, with a really sore throat, so I immediately made my Onion Drink -- that stuff is a miracle in a cup! I feel better, already, and I've only had one cup. Dwight hates the smell of the Onion Juice 'simmering', so I quickly took out the Onion Juice (I strain it into a giant Bowl with an equally giant sieve!), then covered the container with plastic wrap and popped it in the fridge. Luckily, I was already planning to make Turkey Soup, today, so I replaced the onions into the Big Soup Pot and added all the 'Turkey Parts' -- you know the parts(!), and some spices, so he'll never be any the wiser! ha,ha! And I'll get better!

I'm gonna have to go make a whole new page for the Onion, Honey 'N Lemon Drink, so you won't hurt your wrist scrolling down to find it! ha,ha! I'll get right on that!

It's always good to have a Contractor up your sleeve, so-to-speak! And it's much better to have someone in mind before an Emergency... this is a great National Service so you can find out who is available in your own Neighborhood. Plus, it's great to have a List of Contractors for the really Big Jobs, like a Major Reno or a House Build, right??

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Or If You're A Contractor -- <Click Here to Bid on Construction Projects>

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Well, I already had this Ad, then I chose another one, but I can't figure out where else to put this, so I'll just leave it for today, then move it later...)

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Friday, December 26th! Happy Boxing Day, Gorgeous! Do you 'Celebrate' That?? Really, I don't have a clue who came up with that one -- 'Hey, let's have fun boxing everything up and looking like we never did have any sort of celebration!' That sounds like the handiwork of a clean freak, don't it?? ha,ha,ha! Wonder if Dwight's Ancestors had anything to do with it, since that's just the sort of thing they would like!

That crazy Dwight wanted the kids to start cleaning up when they were only half-way through their Christmas Stockings -- I think it's great to have Wrapping Paper all over the Living Room while you're opening the Presents -- it's more festive that way... ah, well. We all tidied it up after everything was opened and before our Guests arrived, so all is well!

Thank God Dwight was true to his word at the Christmas Eve Party we went to, and he was the Designated Driver, so I had a GREAT Time!! We have the bestest, funniestest Friends, ever!! Lots and Lots of Fun! And so I 'tied one on', then had to come home and wrap more presents, so I had to do a little 'Plastered Wrapping' -- let me tell you, it's a lot faster, given that you don't care nearly so much how neat it is... I was telling myself that those little 'Elves' probably ain't that neat, either... surprising what you think about when your mind is in an 'altered state'! ha,ha!

You know how we have the Double Dishwashers, right? Well, they are a blessing, indeed, when there's a lot going on, or whenever you have guests (or dinner, in general!!). I'll need to figure out how we can possibly reconfigure any new Kitchen so I can always have the luxury of the Two Dishwashers. I'm thinking you could build out an Island to incorporate another Dishwasher, or add onto the End of a Countertop... it's funny how you can get so accustomed to something that seemed a little extravagant before!

Oh, hey! I did get two copies of Ellen's New Book, and it's hilarious! I started reading it in my Sunroom, yesterday, along with my zillions of Chocolates...but here's the funny thing -- since I've changed my whole diet and have really cut back on chocolate, I can hardly eat much f it -- a few dozen pieces and that's it! ha,ha,ha,ha,ha! Okay, that's just for my own amusement! But seriously, I did enjoy the flavors, but didn't want very much, at all... and tomorrow I can't wait to have my Apple Crumble, again. See how you can affect a change in your own life? Fun, easy, and tasty!

Well, Cara's waiting to get on the Computer, so I better cut this short!

Tip of the Day: If this is the year where you're going to Buy Your Own Home, make a concerted effort to start watching every Dollar to see exactly where it goes (it can be pretty surprising where our money goes!! Out late at night without us...wandering the Streets doing God-Knows-What...), and then start a Brand New Account where your 'House Money' will go. You can't touch it -- and you need to be vigilant in getting some money in there at least once a month ... sounds like something else, but that's a whole other story, and, frankly, a pretty short one! ha,ha,ha,ha! No, I haven't been drinking... in the last hour! har, har!

Here's your Daily Pics Fix!

So there's the Double Dishwashers that I looove, and then there's Aidan and Tia in my Sunroom where I love to read, and the entrance into the Sunroom through the Master Bedroom. Nice, huh??

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Tia was sooo cute, yesterday, because she was wearing her brand new Sweater -- she's looking more and more like me every day! Or maybe I'm looking more like her! Either way, it's all good!

Thanks for dropping by for a wee visit! See you tomorrow!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!!

< Get a FREE Cell Phone!!!! - >

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Wednesday, December 24th!! Happy Christmas Eve! Can you believe it's here, already?? And I'm just about finished my Shopping! Man, every time you think you're done, you remember there's someone unbeliveably important that you've missed, then you're off on another 'Gift Hunt', the only kind of hunting I like!

Every time I go into Aidan's Room, I find more Presents hidden in there -- he's having a tough time leaving the Gifts under the Tree, this year! Christmas is a tricky concept for the 4 and under crowd! ha,ha,ha! I had to wash his hair, yesterday (it's a huuuge procedure... and he screams bloody murder through the entire process, and of course I had the windows open and there are work crews outside a couple of Lots over where they're building a new house...), and Aidan's main concern is that his hair will change color! He spends a tremendous amount of time shouting, "My hair! My beautiful hair!". Poor little man -- because I color my hair (I'm Blonde by Choice!), Aidan thinks that his hair will most definitely change color, too...

You know what I wish all on-line Stores would do? I would love to see them all set up so you could make a purchase on-line, then have your Friends or Family go and pick thir Gifts up at a location really close to them. Forget the Shipping. Circuit City does this -- why can't all the Stores do it? Of course, I guess they'd need some sort of Giant Holding area to support this feat, so perhaps that's why... but there could be a special place over by the Customer Service Department, couldn't there? Must talk to someone about that for Next Year!

Dwight is watching Christmas Vacation, again, and they're just at the bit where the Griswald's are trying to Light their Christmas Lights -- you know what would be really cool? Christmas Lights that are Solar Powered, just like the little Patio Lights that use Solar Energy... wouldn't that be a great idea? Maybe someone can get busy working on that for Next Christmas! You can buy the Low Energy Bulbs, and they're good, but I'm thinking that if the Lights were completely run on Solar Energy, they could go on Trees that are too far away from the House to run a cord out to... plus they would save a ton of energy, and with the Power Outages in the Summer, that would be a step in the right direction. I'm surprised, really, that there aren't any Power Outages at this time of year, given the Energy Use over the Holiday Season.

Tip of the Day: If you're Heading out to a Holiday Party, or over to Someone Else's House for Christmas Dinner, be sure to choose a Designated Driver, first. I am endlessly annoyed with Dwight if HE is the Designated Driver and he has one, anyway...one is okay if you'll be there for a while, but that's it...Coke or Pepsi after that! We want to have fun and stay safe, right?? Party On, Dudes!! ha,ha,ha!

And now for your Daily Pics Fix!

Here's my sweet little Tia with my Christmas Tree Lights! I always put them all over the floor to see what I have available and what still works... and Tia just likes to hang about where ever I am -- doesn't my Office look lovely? I adore it!

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That's my Exercise Equipment behind the Settees -- it fits very nicely in there, and is much more convenient than having it in the Exercise Room, which is now the much more useful 'Gift Wrapping Room'! ha,ha,ha!

Thanks for popping in for a wee visit! I love visitors!!

See you tomorrow!

Merry Christmas, Baby! Ailsa!!

 

Drugstore.com has over 18,000 Cool Products to choose from -- it's true! I'm guessing you might just be a 'Last Minuter' like me, so this oughtta help! That, and you can't go wrong with Amazon!

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Tuesday, December 23rd! Hello Honey-Pie! Sugar Cookie! My little Fruitcake -- wait a minute... that ain't right! Scratch the Fruitcake -- in general -- no more icky Fruitcake! ha,ha,ha! See how some names work and others have the slightest connotation that your new-found friend might be nuts? ha,ha,ha,ha! When Aidan was really little, he used to always say,"Bait a minute...", so now we all say it for fun! His new thing is late at night, he wants all the lights out and everything really quiet -- "How's a guy to get a little shut-eye around here with all they'se lights on?!" It's the little things that keep me amused!

Hey, guess what? I figured out how to fix my VideowaveIII, so I can finally get you some Brand New Pictures!! YaaHooo! (That's Canadian for 'WooHoo', in case you're wondering! ha,ha,ha!) I'm sooo excited -- can you tell? Hey, do you know someone who never has any detectable reaction to anything? Don't you hate giving them presents, or any of your time at all? No? You love them?? You can't ignore your In-Laws or your Spouse will be mad?? ha,ha,ha,ha! As you might imagine, I have a big reaction to everything -- life is just waaaaaay more fun that way! We'll call the other ones the 'Dullies' -- they won't know, and even if they do, we'll never know!

Steve Martin is on The View, this morning -- I'm a major Steve Martin Fan -- I got all of his Albums (yes -- the pre-CD Days!) when I was a teenager and I used to recite them all off by heart ... along with every single Monty Python Skit! Now that's a good foundation for a life full of laughter, no?? He's sooooo funny -- I love his books, too -- in fact, I have one I keep on my Desk for when my computer is painfully slow 'posting' something to my Site... it's Steve Martin's Pure Drivel. Very funny! Ooooh, they just said that Steve Martin has a new book out, The Pleasure of My Company -- now I must get that, too! I'm a very good little consumer! I want to do what I can to keep the economy going! ha,ha,ha!

You know what I'm looking forward to most on Christmas Day -- other than watching my lovely children open their Gifts?? I can't wait to start reading my new Ellen Degeneres Book! And that Tower of Chocolates looks fabulous! Must remember to pick up some more Lemon Tea, since it's my new favorite flavah'! Tea is a great Anti-Oxidant, so it's the perfect treat! Especially the flavored Teas -- they're really delicious.

I have a little theory about Tea versus Coffee for Weight Loss and Weight Maintenance... well, for one thing, I almost invariably add Bailey's Irish Cream to my Coffee (because it tastes soooo good!! ha,ha), but when ever I have a cup of Coffee, not only do I add Sugar and Cream, it seems wrong to have a Coffee without also having a Treat... so that really adds up in terms of Fat and Carbohydrates.

Now with Tea, which I drink from the moment I get up until I go to Bed, you just drink it for it's own flavor, and I only put a wee bit of Low-Fat Milk in it. It's a clean taste rather than a creamy taste... not that I don't have the occasional Treat with my Tea, but it is occasional, not a given, and it's usually the Apple Crumble, which is tasty and good for you! I made up an enormous Batch on Sunday, so I'm going to bring it to my Friends so they can try it, too. That and some equally tasty Wine! ha,ha,ha!

Tip of the Day: So if you are trying to lose weight, or you're looking for an easy path to weight maintenance, I would try drinking more Tea, less Coffee. I think there's something to drinking Hot Liquid, too, especially in the vast quantities I drink it in, and that gives you plenty of Fluid Intake, too, which is always good, right? I'm very fond of Blackcurrant, Strawberry, Lemon and Apple Cinnamon Tetley Tea. Oh, and Twinings Earl Grey. You still get to have all sorts of flavors, but no Calories at all... except for the milk if you take it. And if you like your Tea sweetened, try Honey.

Oh, no! I just remembered that I haven't got my Best Friend's Gifts, yet! Man, better go take care of that!

And now for some really new pictures!!

It's time for your Daily Pics Fix!!

Finally, I can show you what our house looks like with the Lights Up -- Isn't it lovely? See the New Trees around the Edge of the Circular Driveway? It won't take them much time before they're huge, too!

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And this is the Back of the House -- the side that looks out toward the Mountains. I love all the Windows, since the View is constantly Changing, in that the Mountains and the Landscape have so many different looks, depending on the Light and the Weather, so it's very entertaining! No wonder we spend sooo much time in the Sunroom just gazing outside!

Thanks for swingin' in for a wee visit! See you again tomorrow!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!!

Oh, if you have some more Shopping you still have to get done, try my Amazon Page for pretty much anything you can imagine, My Main Shopping Page for a huge variety of cool stuff, or my somewhat older Shopping Page that I set up ages ago, but it has really cool stuff, too!

I love this Company -- what a great idea, especially when you're travelling around at the Holidays or for Business! Plus, my main contact at GoToMyPC is Aydin -- and you know how much I love that name!! ha,ha,ha!

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PC Magazine calls GoToMyPC "Revolutionary.">

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Monday, December 22nd. Hi, Baby-Cakes!! Have you started in with the Chocolates, yet, or are you saving yourself for Christmas? Last night I was standing in my Pantry, looking at all the Chocolate Treats in there, and I swore off all of it -- must get back strictly to my Apple Crumble Plan, I thought. Actually, I did have my delicious Apple Crumble for Breakfast, so I'm half-way there!! ha,ha! Anyhooo, it struck me this morning that I bought myself a Tower of Chocolate and it's under the Christmas Tree, just waiting for me! So forget the earlier vows! Maybe in the New Year! ha,ha,ha!

Oh, hey. I was going to tell you this last week, then I totally forgot -- I picked up a lot of special treats for our Holiday Party (remember that??), and one treat in particular has been the bane of my existence for the last couple of weeks... I got a huuuuuge box of Florentines -- they're delicious clusters of all sorts of nuts and chocolates ( a good joke comes to mind, but it ain't very Christmassy, so you'll have to make it up in your own head!! ha,ha!). Man, they're like the crack cocaine of chocolates for me!! One try and you're hooked! The Florentines are made by Lambertz, a Company that has been around since 1688, so they've had plenty of time to perfect their product, and perfect it they have! Yummmm! Of course, I bought them at Costco!

We didn't get one thing done around here on the weekend -- this is a funny time of year, because the Holidays take over everything, even when you actually do have time to work... you just want to sit around and think about all the Shopping you still have to do! I can't believe I'm still trying to put that off! Must get myself together on that! And I've written out two Holiday Cards (one Christmas one Hanakkah), and haven't mailed either of them. Snail Mail -- it's seems soooo annoyink! I still use it, of course, it just takes me forever to get around to it!

Tip of the Day: When you're Travelling and you know your luggage looks pretty much like everbody else's luggage, tie a couple of bright ribbons or strings to the handles. That way, when you go to the Baggage Claim, you'll be able to spot your Luggage with greater ease. Of course, if everyone and their dog goes with Red Ribbons, that would just be funny! And useless! Or you could have different 'messages' with the Ribbons -Red -- 'I'm looking for Love', Purple -- 'I Come From Royalty...', Mud -- 'I live in the Country' OR 'I Own All the Mud on My Ribbons!' OR 'I haven't washed in weeks...'You get the idea!

I'm off to get you some pictures!

And now for your Daily Pics Fix!

Okay, so here's MEEE and My Pantry! That's me 20 pounds ago -- I was a little 'Top-Heavy', if you know what I mean!! ha,ha,ha! And those are my favorite Thigh High Boots -- they're gorgeous! All my Ingredients for the Apple Crumble 'This is the Only Thing that Keeps Me from Chocolate' Diet Mixture and my vast amount of Unsweetened Applesauce are on the Back Wall of the Pantry... and the Butter is in the Fridge!

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I really need some nice new pictures of myself -- maybe over the Holidays!

 

Thanks for Dropping By, today! See you again, tomorrow!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!!

Well, you know I loooove Jewellery! It's not too late to pick up a wee something for Someone You Love!

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Sunday, December 21st. Hey, Baby! What Up?? We're watching Bowling for Columbine, right now (it's a Movie Weekend, and I can luckily watch movies and TV through my Office Windows -- WooHoo -- I never have to miss another Show!

Last night we watched Bruce Almighty, and what a great little movie! Very sweet with lots of laughs -- it would make a great Gift, should you still be out Shopping! I'm gonna make one or two more Shopping Trips, then I have to do a tad more On-line Shopping (through my Own Site, of course!! ha,ha!), then I think I'll be all done.

We're having Dwight's Dad over for Dinner, tonight, so I'll need to keep this short, since I'm the Chief Cook and Bottle Washer, so-to-speak! I'm just making a big Ham with all the trimmings, since that was Dwight's request. We'll have the Turkey Dinner on Christmas Day (then again on News Years Day... we really like Turkey!). That is one of the few meals Dwight is in charge of, since I cannot bring myself to put my hand in the Turkey -- yuck! I just can't go down that path!

Hey, I happened upon this really cool website with a direct feed to see the Santa Barbara area, which I looove! Go to http://www.centralcoasttourist.com/ -- you'll enjoy the Trip! The Site belongs to my new on-line pal, Don -- it's fun to find cool new Sites, ain't it? I hope to one day Build in that Area -- it's always great to have a 'Big Plan' up your sleeve, right?!

Man, that Bowling for Columbine is a really powerful Movie -- there's a really succinct American History that is both funny and compelling -- the way History should be taught in Schools so kids will actually take in the information and make it relevant to their lives...

Tip of the Day: If you want to Freeze your Left-Over Turkey, be sure to buy a fresh Turkey -- remember you can't 'refreeze' any meat. Now, I just buy a smaller Turkey and use it all -- I'll need to post my Recipe for Fabulous Turkey Soup.

And now in reference to the Bowling For Columbine Movie we're watching today, if you have any guns, for God's Sake (and the Sake of all those around you...), get a really good Gun Cabinet and keep them all locked up. The ammunition should be stored in a seperate place than the guns. And someone other than the gun owner should have the Keys. Ideally, I think there should be some sort of Police Station, or Gun Registry Place, where you could choose to keep your guns, that way children and women would be a lot safer... when someone wanted to go hunting, they could swing by the 'Gun Holding Place', show proof of their Hunting Draw, and give a time frame of when they'll be Hunting, and where they'll be hunting. Canada has spent a fortune on a Gun Registry that was a complete Farce, when they could have done something like this.

Now let me go get you some nice pictures!

So here's My Office -- it's fabulous! I'm in here working all the time, so it really needs to be great!

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It's all Glassed In, which allows me to see Aidan when he's playing around, down here, or watching a Show. See the fireplace over in the Corner? That has the Granite Surround, now, but my crazy VideowaveIII still won't work, so I can't show you that quite yet. I got my Dest at Costco, and I love it -- it came with a great Table-Desk, too, on the other side of my Office. I always like lots of room! All of the Artwork in my Office is Black and White, which I adore. I love the Shading.

Oh, and you can see the Bar in the Framing Stages over in the opposite area, by the Pool Table. Now the Bar is about 95% done -- we just have to get that Bar Sink in and Tile the Countertop. That'll take about one afternoon, so maybe that'll happen next week.

Nice to see you, again! See you tomorrow!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!!

Well, it's all about Food, today, and for the rest of the Holidays, so I thought I'd give you this Link to save you some Big Bucks!!

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Click here for complete details!>

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Saturday, December 20th. Hi, Honey! Welcome 'Home'!! It's always fun to come Home, again, ain't it? And I won't even try to pick a fight with you, or mention anything about your new hair style -- I love it -- I don't know what those those other people were pointing at!! ha,ha,ha,ha!

Have you finished your Holiday Shopping, yet? I was in my Gift Wrapping Room, last night, and that is an incredibly useful room -- everything is in there to wrap up the presents, and I had Dwight set up a second table so that I can sort the gifts on one table, then wrap them on the next table ... and I can still see the TV! WooHoo! It's hard to keep track of what you have for each person, so I need to lay it all out. You have to be sooo careful when there's more than one Child, because, believe me, they count it up! Everything has to be 'Even Steven'!

Which reminds me -- Aidan was looking to be paid for some job or another that he had done around the house, so I asked fim if he would like to have 1 Quarter or 5 Pennies -- true to all children everywhere, he went for Quantity over Quality, so-to-speak, and went for the 5 Pennies! Ah, kids...they're sooo easy to fool! ha,ha,ha,ha! And last week when Aidan was wasting something or another, in my effort to make him more responsible with his things, I said to him, "Aidan, these things cost a lot of money...Do you have a job?" So, of course, he says to me, "No, can you get me one??" That wee kid! He's sooo funny!

Dwight has finally decided that the Sunroom Tiled Floor needs to be Grouted, and the sooner, the better. YaaHoo! I've been waiting for that! After the last time that I mixed the Grout, myself, (with that enormous Mixer -- man, that thing is really hard on your arms and back... for me, anyway!), I made a mental note to let Dwight do the Mixing in the future, so that meant I had to wait for him to decide when to Grout the Sunroom... Maybe we can get a fair bit of stuff done around the House during the semi-Holidays. They are 'semi-Holidays', because Dwight has to manage the Business (he Owns D.K. Mechanical) on his own for a while -- that's what it is to be Self-Employed! But if it's not too busy, he can get home early and we can work around here. Fun, fun, fun!!

Oh, you know what little Project I really want to work on? No, not the WaterWall -- I desperately want to build that from my new design, but Dwight wants me to finish everything else around here, first, then build the WaterWall -- ugh. For sure, that means I probably won't get it built while we're in this house... ah, well. It's a very cool plan, and I definitely want to give it a shot at some point.

<Art.com - Prints & Posters!>

No, the Project I want to have a go at is the Framing of a Poster we got at Hearst Castle this past summer. It's the shot of the Neptune Pool at Night, so the colors would be perfect above the Granite Fireplace Downstairs... but the Poster is a very odd size, and I haven't been able to find a Frame for it, so my Mum suggested that we make our own Frame out of Baseboard, and I ran out to the garage to see if that would work, and it will! I told Dwight the idea, and we found some very thin 'back board', so we'll secure the Poster to the Backboard, I'll Paint the Trim, Dwight will cut it to fit the Poster, and voila, we'll have a nice piece of Art to hang up. I guess the glass isn't always essential -- might as well try it to see how it looks -- we can always add the glass at a later date, right?

Tip of the Day: Today's Tip comes from Theresa, then I have a wee bit to add at the end --

I would like to contribute with a tip of the day. I had a really bad experience today that I hope no woman (or man) has to deal with. My beloved was nice enough to put a new pair of windshield wipers on my car. We had rain & rain & rain this morning. Well the driver's side wiper came off!!!! I had never used that type of clip before & honestly, after standing 5 minutes in the pouring rain I still could not get it on again! I had to finish the last few minutes of my drive without wipers! Always know how to put your own wipers on! If it means a ruined manicure, it's worth it! It's better than being stranded or having to drive in an unneccessarily dangerous situation. It's as essential as all those other emergency items that you think of carrying in your car.

(You can tell for sure that is not MEEE, because I have never called Dwight 'my beloved'! ha,ha,ha,ha,ha!) Thanks for the Tip, Theresa! You can send your Tips in, too -- it's fun to hear from my brilliant Readers!!

Now for my addition to the Tip: Always keep a roll of Duct Tape (which is Dwight's true beloved...har, har!), and hopefully a Combination Tool Thingee with a Screw Driver, Pliers, and a variety of other tools all in one -- I'll see if I can get a Link for that so you can see what it looks like, if you're not familiar with it. Anyway, the Duct Tape is the really important thing.

< >CornerHardware have a great selection of Tools -- and other cool stuff, too!

If, God Forbid, your Windshield Wiper breaks while you're driving in a storm, pull over and fix it with the Duct Tape. If you happen to be sooo prepared that you have a spare Windshield Wiper, they can 'click out' of the bottom post, usually requiring a screw driver and pliers (thus the Combo Tool...). However, if you are like the vast majority of the population and your vehicle is not full of spare parts, just use the Duct Tape to Wrap it around the Wiper to either hold it in place until you can get home or to a Garage, or to wrap the Metal Bottom 'endie bit' (that's a technical name I just made up! ha,ha,ha,ha! Yes, I'm giddy... and what of it, hmmm??) to prevent it from scraping against the window... Seeeee, you just can't go wrong with Duct Tape!

And now for your Daily Pics Fix!

Here's our Master Ensuite -- I love the Glass Block Window (it's one complete Window, not actual Glass Bricks... you can just order it that way...). The light changes the window color all day long, which is pretty cool. I love this shade of blue, and there's a beautiful pinky-blue in the morning when the sun reflects off the Mountains, and the sky is all pink...gorgeous!

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Those are the Double Sinks, then you can see the Bedroom through the enormous Mirror that follows the Vault to the Top (!), and you can peak right through to the Sunroom and to the Sundeck, beyond -- very nice! And then, there's my favorite Shower -- it's fabulous! I just put a new Mirror up across from the Shower, so you can have a lovely view (so-to-speak!!ha,ha,ha!) while you're in the Shower!

Oh, you know what? It's not too late to make a Donation to the Toys for Tots Program sponsored by the Marines in the U.S. -- just go to www.toysfortots.org , or drop off any items you might have at your Local Community Center or Firehall. We can make the Holidays wonderful for everyone!!

Thanks for popping by for a wee visit! See you tomorrow!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!!

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Friday, December 19th. Hello, Daaaarling!! I hope you have a great 'Last Day at Work' before the Holidays!! Dwight's Dad (and Business Partner...) is heading out to see Dwightie's Sister, so he'll be working over the Holidays... that's okay, though, because Cara is home, so that's waaay less work for me! Maybe I can even sleep in -- that's by far my favorite part of the Holidays -- that and the Gifts and Meals! And the Carolling!! Christmas Carols always remind me of all the fun we had at Church Choir when I was a Girl (I'm still a Girl, just slightly larger and older!! ha,ha,ha!).

Dwight's heading off to Work, so I'll be rii--iight back!!

Man, that took me a long time! Dwight had some big, long story about the Weather ... always a riveting subject! ha,ha,ha! The two phrases that drive me up the wall the most, out here, are ,"Hot enough for ya'??", and "Cold enough for ya'??" And they are invariably followed by a "Yuff, yuff...", like that's THE funniest thing to ever emit from someone's mouth...

You know what's really funny? I do all sorts of 'High Level' work, then interspersed with that, I'm constantly checking to see if Aidan, our 4 year old boy, is still wearing his Undies!! How funny is that? Just your typical 'Corporate Mom'!! And there is a tremendous amount of 'bathroom talk', but not the 'potty mouth talk' like at the Office -- this really is all about the Bathroom!! And how to get Aidan in there more often! Ah, well... such is the life of a Mum, right?

I was saying to Dwight, last night, when we were discussing Aidan and the Toilet (see how it permeates your life??) that I have noticed such huuuge differences between raising a girl versus raising a boy -- girls take careful note of everything, and they can see how their actions cause a reaction, whereas boys don't seem to notice much at all... then I realized that by their very nature, they have this bred into them for Survival. If Men have to go off to War, Hunt Mastadonians (I hope those are Dinosaurs and not people, for goodness sake!!) (I looked it up and the word I was searching for was 'Mastadons'!!), they would have to be able to do a lot of things without thinking the whole thing through, right? And so, that makes me feel a whole lot better about my somewhat crazy little man, Aidan!! Thank God he's soooo very cute! Works for his Father, too! ha,ha,ha!

Tip of the Day: Okay, back to Building! I'll need to give Dwight a shout at work to remind him to pick up a Bar Sink for the New Bar by the Billiard Room. But that also reminds me of how you can update your Kitchen, Bathroom, or your own Bar by changing the Countertop. Typically, you can pry the entire Countertop off (Take the Sink Out, first -- get a plumber if you're not sure how to do that!), and replace it with Two Sheets of carefully cut 5/8th Plywood. You can Glue and Screw the wood together for extra strength. Usually, the Countertop is 24" Deep, but you can choose to make it 26" deep if the Cabinetry allows for that. It really shouldn't have more than an inch overhang, though, or it'll just look silly, and we want to avoid that, if only in the kitchen! ha,ha,ha! Then you can go ahead and Tile the Countertop!

OR, you can go ahead and Order some nice new Granite or Marble Countertops, or check out the New Faux Products that are on the Market, now. An Arborite Countertop is still a good option -- neat and clean, and very affordable. Check out the new 'Edge' options for the Countertops that are Custom Made -- they're very cool! It's like a routered Edge, only in Stone!

Your House will look fabulous in no time!!

Thank you for coming in to see me, today! See you again, tomorrow! Oh, and if you've been up all night wondering what on earth to get for MEEE (ha,ha,ha,ha!), just bring me some extra Visitors! I love Traffic -- the more the merrier, then I have a better chance of people clicking on my Ads, then my Site can make a Profit, then I can keep it going!! Now that would be a great gift!!

Now I'm off to get you some new pics!

Here's Your Daily Pics Fix!

This is a good selection of pictures to give you a good idea of what our Master Bedroom with Adjacent Sunroom looks like -- it's extra big and extra comfy! Just the way I like it!!

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You can see that Tia is often relaxing in here -- in the middle picture, she's exhausted from a hard day of deer-watching, so she's flaked out in the Sunroom! That's my favorite Reading Spot! The two doors on the opposite wall in the Third picture are the Walk-In Closet on the Right -- it has a cool 11' Vault with a nice Chandelier. The Ensuite is on the Left, and it's stunning, too. All very Pretty and Bright. Think my house is an accurate reflection of me?? I know that Tia and I match!! ha,ha,ha!

See you tomorrow!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!!

Happy Hanakkah and Safe Travelling, Everybody!!

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Thursday, December 18th! Hey there, Sunshine! Only one day left before the Big Holiday!! Can you believe it?? We can hardly wait to sleep in -- not Dwight and Aidan -- they always get to sleep in -- it's Cara and I who have to get up so early. Poor Cara -- it's still dark when she goes to get her School Bus in the morning, but it'll be light again by the time School goes back in in January. This is a weird time of year with the Equinox -- it gets dark here at 4:00pm, and the sun doesn't come up until about 8:00am -- makes for long, cold days and nights! Thank Goodness for the Beautiful Christmas Lights -- they really get you through the Season!

I love coming through to the Living Room in the Morning and seeing the Christmas Tree and the Fireplace all lit up -- gorgeous! The first thing I do in the morning is go around and flip on all the Christmas Lights, Kettles, Fireplaces... makes the morning really a lovely experience!

Well, I think I've convinced Dwight that the Steam Room is the next Project to complete over the Holidays... it looks like it'll only take a couple of Days to finish, since the vast majority of the Tile Work is done -- you have to go through an elaborate process to protect the walls from the Steam before you can Tile it, and we used a 16" Tile -- it's gorgeous! The Controls for the Steam Unit are already Installed (Dwight loves Steam Units!! ha,ha!), so it's just a matter of completing the Tile on the Door Surround and a little more Tile on the Upper Walls. Oh, and then Installing the Steam Unit, itself. In case you're wondering how much this sort of Steam Room would run you (it's a 5' X 8' Steam Room with Double Seats and Shower -- seats four, if you feel like inviting your friends over (!!) for a Steam...ha,ha,ha!), it would cost between $10,000. - $15,000. for the full Bathroom/Steamroom Combination. Everybody wants those things to be cheap, but they ain't!! Just the way it is... it's one of those jobs that is incredibly Labor-Intensive, and then the Steam Machine and the Fixtures are right up there in Cost. It's worth it in a House of this Nature -- I think I would put in a smaller version in the next house, 'cause, really, who are we gonna have over for a Steam?? But it's a cool Feature for this House! Oh, yeah, then we have to Order the Glass Door, which is ludicrously expensive, but gorgeous!

Oh, speaking of everything in the Building Process being really expensive (almost every project costs more than you think it will!), Dwight has been looking into increasing our Mortgage. Just a little, but enough to cover all the rest of the Projects that need to be done, like the Driveway and the Steam Room. Really, I can't think of many other Projects that are Big -- there are a few smaller things to do -- still some Base Trim to do, but I paint them and Dwight just bought a new Radial Arm Saw, so we can do that ourselves, and the Sunroom Tiled Floor needs to be grouted. Those are relatively small jobs, in the scheme of things. The reason we'd be able to easily increase our Mortgage is because it's an Open Variable Rate Mortgage -- my favorite kind of Mortgage, by far. They typically have the Lowest Mortgage Rate, which I like, and it's flexible enough for us if we decide to Build again...if we were to decide to Stay a lot Longer (more than 3 - 5 years), we would switch to a Fixed 15 Year Mortgage.

And just so you know, I would never, ever sign up for a Bi-Weekly Payment Plan for a Mortgage -- they're becoming quite popular, because they are supposed to cut your Total Payment Time Down substantially, but you can achieve the same thing by making One or Two Extra Payments (or Extra Lump Sum Payments) a Year on your Mortgage. Who needs the stress of having to come up with TWO Mortgage Payments per Month?? That's crazy, and too much for an average Family. I hate anything that creates Stress in a Family that can possibly be avoided, because that's never good for the Marriage or for the Children... Financial Stress Sucks, so you want to avoid that at all costs, so-to-speak! Make your life comfortable and easy, not stressful and crazy. Sounds easy, but is it? (That's Ellen's Line -- man, her Show is hilarious!)

That reminds me -- remember when we went to 'The Mall' the other night? Well, the only things I really want for Christmas is a copy of Ellen Degeneres' Book, The Funny Thing Is, and a big Box of really good Chocolates. I love to curl up with a great book,a box of Chocolates and a Great Big Cup of Tea and spend Christmas Afternoon reading in my Sunroom. Now that's my idea of Fun!! (One of my ideas....!!) On the way in to 'The Mall', I asked Cara and Dwight who they still had to buy for, and I was on their Lists, so I said again that I just wanted the Ellen Book, since I've already bought myself the Chocolates -- I asked Dwight to get them, but he claimed he couldn't find them anywhere... they're secretly hidden on the Gift Aisle at Costco!! I like 'The Tower of Chocolates', because it comes beautifully wrapped, so at least I don't have to wrap my own gift, which isn't nearly as much fun as it sounds...

Anyway, to make what is becoming a long story, short, I picked up my own books -- I also wanted a couple more Steinbeck Books after reading East of Eden in the Summer with Oprah's Book Club (a fabulous read!!), Ellen's New Book, and some Books for Cara (Aidan has all of Cara's zillion Childrens' Books...). After we got home, Cara says to me privately that Dwight already got me the Ellen Book, but didn't want to tell me in the car... or in the Book Store when I was holding another copy of it... So now we have Two Copies -- I'll need to find 'the Perfect Recipient'!!

Tip of the Day: This is a 'Project Tip' -- Be sure to do One Project at a time when you're doing a Revovation. It's soooo easy to run around the house and tear everything to pieces, especially right after you've watched a Trading Spaces Marathon!! Remember, that's TV Magic, right there, and they have the amazing Ty Pennington or Vern Yip... and their Budget in no way includes the vast amount of Labor for the Job at hand -- and they still only do One Room!

Have a solid look at the entire job at hand -- make a list of every tiny item that has to be done to begin the job and to bring it to completion. This takes time, but is an essential part of keeping the job on track once you get started, and let's you know right off the bat if you'll need to bring in a Professional. Oh, and always bring in a Professional when you're dealing with anything that could be life-threatening -- gas, electricity, fire, height, weight -- if it falls on you, that'd be your last project... that sort of thing. If you think you'll need to bring someone in, add that to the budget. Even get a quote before you rip any part of the House out... better to know than to be shocked at the price later, then already have the house ripped apart!

Let me go get you some new Pics...

And now for Your Daily Pics Fix!

Well, here are some shots of the Steam Room In Progress... it's very tricky to get a good shot of the interior of the Steam Room, and of course my stoooopid Videowave III is still denying me access to my own program...hate that! I won't be able to get Brand New Pics up 'til I sort that out... must find myself a Techie!!

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That's actually the same Tile in the Steam Room as on the Countertop in the Steam Room Cabinets. It can take on a different Hue according to the Light. Speaking of that, can you make out the Glass Block Window in the actual Steam Area? It's a cool feature. And I love the Diagonal Sinks -- Dwight got them at his favorite Plumbing Supply Store. Very unique. All the Bathroom Sinks in the House match, as do the Fixtures..

In the First Picture, you can see the Tiles are laid on the Diagonal on the Floor, and the same way on the Ceiling. That's one of the Built-In Benches on the Left Side of the Steam Room -- there's a Two Person Bench on either Side, facing each other. Oh, and there's my Unscented Lubriderm, which I could not manage without!! ha,ha! I'll post the Finished Pictures as soon as we're done the Steam Room and I can capture my Digital Pictures to my Computer!! Wish me luck on both counts! ;)

Thanks for popping in, today! See you tomorrow!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!!

I'm putting these Gift Basket Site Links on before Christmas and Chanakah (and let's not forget Kwanzaa, so another vairation on The O.C.'s 'Christmakah Holiday' would be 'Christmakahwanzaa', which sounds great to me!!) because you can never go wrong with a Gift Basket! And they're a great Last-Minute Gift!!

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Wednesday, December 17th. Hi, Honey-Babe! You know you're my favorite Reader!! It's true. It's because you're soooo smart and funny, not to mention good-looking! Okay, so here's how I really say 'smart' -- ''schmarmy" I know, it's a bit of a transition! You go from 'smart' to 'schmart' to 'schmarmy'! It seems like a direct and obvious link in my brain, which is slightly overcrowded with ideas... Dwight would hate it in there -- his brain is nice and neat and clean -- nothing cluttered in there! ha,ha,ha! (I hope he never reads my Daily Update!! ha,ha,ha,ha,ha!)

Man, I can't believe we're soooo close to Christmas -- next Thursday, already! And School is out on Friday -- so all the Travellers will be out Flying and Driving all over the place, and the Last-Minute Shopping is gonna be crazy.... I'm not nearly as organized for the Holidays as I usually am. Too many other things going on around here that Christmas has kind of taken a back seat, when it is usually the Focal Point of this time of year. Ah, well. I have to pop into Town (a whole 7 minutes away, but I feel like I have to go INTO Town -- isn't that funny, to feel like that when if we were in the City, you would think anything 7 minutes away was really, really close... ah, Country Living!) to drop off some more Gifts and stuff to the Community Center for the Families in Need. We have soooo much stuff for a wee boy, too, that I'd like to find out if there's a family where we could give them Aidan's things that he has outgrown, including his little Car Bed. Now, technically, Aidan still really loves the Car Bed, but Dwight thinks it should go, so I'd like to find it a new home for a wee boy who would love it.

Hey, you know what I think would make a really funny gift? We were in Helena, Montana, on our Trip this past Summer, and I thought it would be hilarious if they made Handbaskets in Helena with a Calendar of Pictures of Helena, then you could give the gift where they could go to 'Helena in a Handbasket'! ha,ha,ha,ha,ha,ha,ha! Yep, that's how my mind works!! It's lots of fun in there, plenty of activity! Which reminds me, of course, of Nativity, and that reminds me that I still haven't put out the liitle Santa's Village Light Up Set -- I think it's somewhere out in the Garage...I'll show you a picture of it -- it's very cute!

Well, I better keep this short if I'm going to get everything done that I need to do, today...last night I found myself with a few extra minutes, and there was some Dap in the Bathroom Drawer (doesn't everyone have Building Supplies in their Bathroom Drawers ... or just drawers in general?? ha,ha!), so I filled all the little nail holes on the White Trim that I've been meaning to do for ages, but couldn't find the Dap If you're not familiar with Dap, it's a great little product that comes in a convenient Tube to fill any little holes or cracks in your home -- it comes in a variety of colors, too, so you can match it to a number of things, or you can fill any holes then paint over the area.

Tip of the Day: Well, this is kind of a Professional Tip, so that you can stay current in your Profession or Chosen Field... I wish I had done this before, and now I have a lot of work to do to get my Status back to where it was before... So do yourself a big favor and Keep all your Certifications and Credentials up-to-date. Why there is an 'Expiry Date' on a Credential that you've earned in the first place is beyond me -- my Teacher Certification in Ontario, Canada, is good for Life, which is the way it should be, since those skills don't disappear... really, I think it's like a Driver's License, where you need to renew it every certain number of years, but what with a Shortage in Certain Professional Areas, it doesn't make much sense to me.

Oh by the way, one of my most used phrases happens to be,"That's crazy...that makes no sense at all!" I like everything to make sense, or I have to be able to make some sense out of it, or I find it incredibly annoyink! That's why I despise Injustice of any Sort, because it makes absolutely no sense...

I'm off to get you some pictures...

And now for your Daily Pics Fix!

Here's the Bear Table with the Santa's Village Set on it -- very cute, no?? And then I adore an Amaryllis Plant at the Holidays -- this year my new Amaryllis is about 10" Tall and a little 'rude' looking, so I'll have to wait until it blooms to take it's picture! ha,ha,ha! The one in this picture lasted until a couple of weeks ago, then I had to cut it back and put it in the Garage. You just leave the bulb in a cold place for a few months (3-6 months...), then bring it inside, water it and the whole thing starts again.. Very cool!

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And there's Tia getting into the Christmas Spirit out in the Garden on her Rope! She really has a great time playing around out there! Looks like she's looking for some Deer -- she just wants the teensiest nibble!! ha,ha,ha! Thank Goodness she'll never be able to get to them!

Thanks for Swingin' By, Today! See You Tomorrow!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!!

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Tuesday, December 16th. Hey, Baby Cakes!! Sorry I'm sooo late getting to my Daily Update, today! Cara is home sick, today, and I had to go back to bed, too -- it dawned on me around noon that we had both had the Clams at dinner, last night... ah, well. I had my favorite Apple Crumble for Lunch, because it's good for evening out your system, too (it's just a little tasty miracle!!), and I do feel quite a bit better. Next time, we'll go Greek!

So you know how I was saying I didn't care for going to The Mall? Well, I'm gonna have to rethink that one, since I scored the most fabulous Top while we were there. Dwight went mad for it! Now he's on a mission to figure out a place where we can go dancing, so I can wear it out. There used to be a bunch of really great Clubs with a nice variety of Dance Music, then they slowly dwindled away... Techno Music is good for about a minute, then I want to hear some words, in case I want to sing along!! Some Old-School would be nice... mixed in with some great new stuff.

Have you seen Ellen, yet? Her DJ, Tony, is like an identical double to my great friend, Jim, who is also a DJ (and a Civil Engineer...!). Anyway, I think it would be waaaaay cool if DJ Tony started up a Chain of Dance Clubs with the great music he plays on Ellen. Wouldn't that be great?? I'd go, and more than once in five years, which is the last time I went dancing... Oh, and hey -- I think Jim happens to be single, right now (although I'll have to check with him -- now that's really a 'Daily Update' kind of thing!!)... I think you know where I'm going with that ! I'm just a little 'Matchmaker!! I want to see everybody in Love!!

 

Tip of the Day: Today's Tip is a Financial Tip, and it sounds painfully obvious, but it is essential to getting yourself ready to Buy a Home-- get into the habit of paying your bills (in general!!) on time, and keep a written record of every bill you've paid. I wish I had started doing this a long time ago, because it really changes how you feel about things when you know you can glance back over what bills were paid and when, if there's a screw-up in the Billing. It was essential when I got those two crazy Power Bills this past summer -- if I hadn't had my records to prove what had been paid, they were going to give us an even harder time... that was incredibly annoyink to deal with!

I keep all my Financial Records for Bill Paying in a Regular 3-Ring Notebook -- you can pick them up anywhere, then I file the Bills away by the Month. Dwight wanted me to File them by the Company, but that doesn't work for me. I prefer to be able to go right back to any month in question and finding the bill directly. I have them all in a File Folder Box -- the ones with the Handles...

Then you'll know everything is in Order, and you'll be developing really good Financial Habits. Also, I keep every Document ever, just in case I'll need it in the Future. I think I used to be fairly casual about all sorts of Paperwork that I realize now was essential... won't do that anymore! So even though Dwight is a little more anal-retentive than I used to like, I have learned a tremendous amount about keeping on track Financially and keeping my Paperwork in Order. That will help you when you're ready to Buy a Home, or you want to Move Up!

Now let me go get you some pictures!

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Here's what you see when you first come in the House -- it's great to have a ton of space in the Front Entry, because we always have a ton of stuff to bring in (including a tremendous amount of Lumber and assorted Building Supplies!!), and whenever you have guests, everyone likes to congregate in the Front Entry for that 'last little chat', so lots of room is great!

Thanks for Dropping in for a Wee Visit! See you tomorrow!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!!

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Monday, December 15th. Hey, HEY, Hey!! (Did you go up a note on the middle 'HEY'?? ha,ha!) Did you have a fabulous Weekend?? Were you out Shopping, or are you all done, already? Cara desperately wants to go to The Mall (I'm not a Mall Girl -- I prefer Costco, Walmart and On-Line, but mostly, I don't like to Shop at all... except for large hauls at Costco, but then I don't have to Shop again for another 6 weeks -- that totally works for me! And saves money, too, so we can build an even Bigger House!! ha,ha!) (You know, I just re-read that first bit, and how could it possibly be that "I don't like to Shop at all"??? Really, I think that's what I tell myself as I unload the entire Van full of Stuff! Ah, well. Delusion has really worked for me over the years, so why stop now?? ha,ha,ha!))

Speaking of Building A Bigger House (you know how we are going to 'Move Down in Order to Move Up' ? Hey, I should make that a Whole Page --- that's a catchy little Title!), we had our First Open House. It was fun and relaxing -- we had Kenny G's Christmas Music on in the Great Room, and Remy Shand on in the Master/Sunroom, so we went from Room to Room, depending on where we wanted sit and chat, and which Music we felt like listening to... and the House was just sparkling, so it looked extra lovely!

You know what's fun about an Open House? Other than someone comes over and Buys Your Home?? ha,ha! You get to meet all sorts of really interesting people -- and they come right to your door! You don't even have to leave the house!! Now that's my kind of Meeting!! So we had some really nice people stop in to see the House -- they all loved it. It's a really pretty house -- I'm excited about the Prospect of Building it again -- the only question is Where!!

Plus, your House is nice and clean for the whole next week! WooHoo! And just in time for the Holidays! I think that's the only Open House we'll have for a while -- we'll have to see how the weather is, since everything is very much weather-related, here... if it's going to be Icy or there's a Snow Storm blowing in, there's no point in having one, although we do have enough rooms for everyone to stay overnight, if they had to!! ha,ha! Maybe if the Weather is nice and we're not doing anything else (like going out to Banff and Lake Louise -- it's gorgeous out there at Christmas Time!), we'll have another Open House over the Holidays...

I have soooo many Gifts in my Wrapping Room waiting for me to wrap them up -- thankfully, they don't harrass me, but I really should get on that so it's not overwhelming later... plus, Aidan's in there all the time sneaking a peek! Dwight needed his Book-Keeper's Christmas Gift Wrapped, this morning, so I quickly ran down and wrapped it for him -- he was going to just leave it for her unwrapped -- isn't that terrible? Not on any serious level of 'terrible', of course, just just a moderate, "Dwi-ight! Don't give her a present unwrapped -- Girl-45 -- that not be good!" So now it's all wrapped and very pretty -- much better! Men! You can't sell them...apparently...really must look into that! I'm sure there's a Site out there with content just about that!! ha,ha,ha,ha! (Now I'm just amusing myself, again!! ha,ha,ha!)

Sting is on Ellen, this morning, and he is absolutely hilarious! What a great Show!! Must pick up a copy of his Biography.

That reminds me -- did you see the Finale of Survivor last night? That crazy Dwight kept saying we wouldn't find out who the winner was until today -- Cara was trying to explain how they just Film it later, that would find out in a minute, but Dwight was holding firm to his little belief system...finally I had to intercede and tell Cara she'd just give herself a headache pursuing that line of thought any further, so she just let it go, and wouldn't you know it, the Show cut to the Los Angeles Studio Audience, complete with Johnny Fairplay's Grandmother, alive and well! Sooo funny!

Here's a quote from my Friday, Dec. 5th Daily Update:

Did you watch Survivor last night? We love that Show -- all those Beaches and Bee-otches, if you know what I mean!! ha,ha,ha! I do not like Sandra, but she might end up the Winner... I am very fond of Burton, but that's mostly because he's soooo good looking! I'm deep, that way!! ha,ha,ha! I always love that no one ever seems to know how to spell the person's name that they're voting out... of course, the last thing you want to hear on your way to Tribal Council is,"Say, how do you spell your name, again??" har, har!

So I called it correctly! WooHoo! Wish I'd placed a Bet! I never have time to gamble!! I like to 'Gamble on Real Estate', since I am wont to not make any money on an 'investment' -- now that would just annoy me! I hate wasting money of any sort, but if I knew it would be a sure thing, I'd go for it! But if you happened to make a Bet on Survivor and Won, drop me a line and let us all know! And if you were kind enough to make a bet through My Site, I thank you very, very much!!

Anyway, it was great to see two women in the Top Two -- you go, Girls!! And I hope Burton grows his Beard back, because he looks great with it, and that moustache has to go from Johnny Fairplay, unless he's looking at getting into some Movies of a 'Blue' nature! ha,ha,ha! Maybe he could be the Pizza Delivery Man...I can hear the music now, and, no, not because I'm watching those movies as I write... there's no time for that, what with all the great new Morning Television, now!! ha,ha,ha!

 

Tip of the Day: Well, today's Tip of the Day comes from my new pal, Theresa -- her e-mails are hilarious, and she's one of my wonderful Faithful Readers (and by 'Faithful', I don't mean that they never read anyone else...I'm surprisingly liberal about that! ha,ha,ha,ha!). So here's Theresa's Tip:

"With winter coming up & most of Canada using salt on ice, all our boots get those awful salt stains. try using household vinegar to wipe it off. safe on leather & effective. I had salt stains on my precious cowboy boots, tried it & it was wonderful. Another home remedy for you, lol."

Then she adds, " Well take care, catch the update tomorrow, I have become so addicted. lol..." Theresa

Thanks for the Tip, Theresa! I'm gonna try it, too! You know, in Alberta, they don't use very much Salt on the Roads -- they use Gravel and Sand. When I first moved here, I couldn't believe how many crappy Drivers there were that their Windshields were all cracked. Well, after my first year here, I found out the hard way that the reason everyone and their dog (they're sooooo loaded out here that they can afford an SUV for their Dogs, too! ha,ha,ha,ha!) had cracks in their Windshields -- the Gravel that is used to control the Ice on the Roads flies up and bashes into your Windshield, over and over again. So that's where all the cracks come from! But I'm still gonna try that tip on our Boots!

I love to get your E-mails, so feel free to drop me a line anytime. I've gotta get Theresa's letters on the Site, 'cause they're really funny!

Now let me go get you some pictures! Be right baaaa-aack! (That sounds a little Sheepish -- oh, great -- now we're gonna attract the Engineering Crowd...! ha,ha,ha,ha! There's nothing an Engineer likes more than a Sheep Joke! Or is that Cheap Joke?? Whatever...they're always up for a laugh!!)

Here's Your Daily Pics Fix!!

Have I shown you these, yet? I love this feature, and it took me ages to even find a Full Size Freezer, then a Full Size Matching Fridge. It was a pain in the shirt getting them, but they're wonderful to have! Now I can't imagine managing without that kind of space -- you never have to run out to the Garage or Downstairs -- wherever it is you typically keep your 'Big Freezer'. I don't know if this is good, or not, but I have Three Big Freezers and Three Fridges -- that can't be good!!

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So one of the cool things with this Fridge & Freezer Set is the Configuration of the Cabinets around them -- it looks great, doesn't it? The one Tower is for Cereal and Stuff, and the Other Tower is for Small appliances like the Toasters, extra Kettles, the Electric Skillet, The George Foreman Grill ... that sort of thing. Very functional. They only came in White when we were Building this house (which I really like, anyway, because it's neat and clean...), but I'll have to check and see if they have them in Black for the next Build, whenever that is!!

Don't forget that if you have Kids and want to proudly display their 'Artwork' (the best pieces are the most questionable ones!!), magnets will not stick to the Fancy Chrome Finish on modern fridges. They look fabulous, but I'm gonna need to stick stuff to the Fridge for a few more years, yet!! Chrome -- is that right? Must ask Dwight when he gets home!!

I just went to see what my Site looks like on the Internet (I work on it, then check to see how it'll look to you, my incredibly smart and good looking Readers!!), and I noticed that the Crown Moulding is not on the Cabinetry in the first two shots, but it is on in the third picture... it's very pretty -- Trevor and I put it up.

Oh, and I had all the Ribbon Lights up at the Front Entry (boxes and boxes of them...) in hopes that this year, Dwight would put them up. I want to wrap them around the Columns out in the Front. I think they're 10' Columns, so it would look great! But it ain't lookin' good for this year, so I put them back in the Storage Room under the Stairs (I hate wasting money or space, and the area under the Stairs is a great usable space for storage...). Maybe I'll drag them back up if it looks like Dwight will help me with them -- I don't like to get up that high on the Ladder, but that doesn't bother Dwight at all! I'll let you know how it works out!

Thanks for popping in for a Wee Visit! See you tomorrow!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!!

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Hey, if you have some spare time over the Holidays, this is a fun thing to do -- I do them, too!

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Sunday, December 14th. Hi Honey! You're Home!! What's that on your breath?? Chocolate? Chocolate Liqueur?? Well, as long as you have enough for all of us, it's all good! ha,ha,ha! Oh, yeah. Remember when I couldn't get that New Bottle of the White Chocolate Godet Liqueur opened? Dwight had to resort to getting some pliers out of the Garage to open it, but by then I'd already started in with the Hot Apple Cider and Spiced Rum (it's waaaay passed breakfast by this time in my little story! ha,ha,ha!), so I didn't have any. Well, wouldn't you know it, when I was in the Fridge last week looking for Cheese Strings for Aidan, didn't I see that cute little white bottle hiding behind the Milk...wasn't that lucky to find? So I had a wee bit, and it was as delicious as I had remembered it from years ago. Yummy. (That's the kind of solid Building Information you can get from my Daily Update! ha,ha,ha,ha!)

I spent waaaay too much time getting the Hand-Outs ready, yesterday. I needed to Print Out the Our House Is For Sale Page, since it's a really good page. I popped down to a local Specialty Copier Place, and man, what bee-otches are in there. They were so difficult to deal with. It took me two hours when it should have only taken half an hour at the most. I won't go back there, again, if I can possible avoid it. I wish Staples would offer a Service where you could Download from the Internet... I would have been far better off, there. Ah, well. The Hand-Outs for the Open House look great, so it was all worth it.

By the time I got home, it was time for Cara to head out for her last Performance in Shakespeares' Coriolanus and Dwight was heading off to a Hockey Game. So I started cleaning like mad to get the House all Prepped for the Open House. Now we're all excited about it! It doesn't even bother me to do all the cleaning on my own, because I'm the real driving force behind the Building Process, so if you're gonna push, you gotta do the background work, right? The House is just sparkling! Can't wait to show it!!

When we first showed people our House Plans for this house, and while we were in the Building Process, soooo many women said to me that I was crazy to want such a big house because it would be impossible to clean. You know what? The bigger the House, the less cleaning there is...it's true! And not just because I'm lazy er nothin' ...ha,ha,ha! It's because there's a space for everything, so cleaning is pretty straight-forward. Mostly it involves picking up a whole lot of toys and returning them to their rightful place... and Dwight loooooves to Vacuum, so that's his job! I look forward to the day he does it without swearing, though!! Not sure how it always spirals down to that!! ha,ha,ha!

The Kitchen and the Laundry took up a lot of time, but the Island looks fabulous when it's completely cleared off. You know I have a little 'quirk' about the Island...I like to have one full half of it cleared at all times...(it's a 12 foot square area -- I counted it up, today!). Now, someone in our house constantly puts empty glasses on my 'clear side' (that's where I do all the food prep...), and it drives me up the wall! Now what's gonna happen when we have an Island a fraction of this size in the next house?? Are there Laws about Selling Your Husband with the House? Maybe that would be practical -- he could fix anything they wanted, will occasionally do Yard Work...no, no. That's just a pipe dream! Plus, I might have to pay them for that Service, so forget it! I'm gonna need him to carry some Boxes, anyway!!

Tip of the Day: Before you have an Open House, get all your relevant House Information together, like the Taxes per Year, Heating and Air Conditioning Costs, what Schools are in the Area -- that sort of thing. Just think of all the stuff you would want to know before you bought a new home, and then you can have the info ready for your 'House Guests'!

And now for your Daily Pics Fix!!

Well, here's a funny little 'combo pack'!! I was looking for Dwight's picture so you could see just how easy he would BE to sell (I'm kidding, I'm kiddink!), then I happened upon these Deer Pictures of our wee Deer Family! They're all cute, ain't they?? ha,ha,ha!

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Thanks for Coming in for a Wee Visit! See you tomorrow, Sweetie!!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!!

 

Hey, don't these look fabulous?? Man, there's a good reason to move to the States, right there! The last time I was on their Site, I could send the Chocolate Strawberries to Friends in the States, but not to myself up here in Canada -- let me know if they've changed it, if you happen to be in Ordering for the Holidays!!

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Saturday, December 13th. Hey, Baby! What Up, Daaaawg?! ha,ha,ha! Well, well, well -- the 13th -- Lucky 13... it's always a lucky number for me! Why, I once got a Divorce on the 13th -- that was a particularly lucky day!! Cara and I have to go find a place where we can Download my new 'Our House Is for Sale' Page. I had the worst time trying to figure out how to trnsfer the picture part of the page into an e-mail or even Word -- man, I need to learn that! I miss Steve, my old Webmaster!! Remember he moved to Toronto to pursue his Big Comedy Career? Well, he's having a great time and I'm struggling away with my computer ... really must find myself a new computer guy!

Anyway, Cara and I will head into Calgary to Staples to see if they can Download the Sheet from my Site, then we'll get about 50 copies on heavy paper. Those will be the 'Hand-Outs' for people who come to our Open House on Sunday, and then for anybody else who happens to come and see the house.

It's funny -- you go through so many phases when you're about to put your house on the Market...we wander from room to room, saying,"We can't give this up..." meaning whatever room we happen to be in. "We can't give up the Sunroom..." "We can't give up the Great Room -- look at the Tree! It's soooo beautiful!" These are the deep and meaningful things we say to each other! Ah, well...on the flip side, we get ridiculously excited when we see a car drive up...it's just in our nature, I think! A Potential Buyer to us represents the beginning of the next Stage, and that's always great!

Dwight is going to stay Home with Aidan and get the Signs ready. It's a good idea to mark your Open House really clearly, so people can easily find you. And anyone who is actually in the Market to Buy a Home can spot those signs a mile away -- we used to squeal,"Dwight! Stop the car, stop the car! I think I just saw an Open House Sign!" I should make a Bumper sticker that says,"I Brake for Open Houses!", and "Will Work for Land!".

I went to Cara's School Play, last night -- they put on a Production of Shakespeare's Coriolanus. I think I know why it was one of the 'Lesser Known' Plays! har, har! But the kids realy pulled it off and did a great job. It was soooo hard to wait for Cara's fight scene with the biggest kid (and I use the term 'kid' very loosely!!) in the School. You would have been proud of me, though -- I didn't storm the Stage once! Isn't that something?? ha,ha,ha! But I did gasp loudly, as wuld be expected of any Mum, right??

You know what we do during an Open House (because we always Sell on our Own...)? We listen to Music, Watch Movies, once we had a Hot Tub (I think that was back in the 'extremely casual' days!! ha,ha,ha). Dwight actually showed that house in his Bathing Suit -- to two girls! Funny... The key is to be relaxed (not as relaxed as Dwight, but relaxed to a normal degree...) and enjoy your day at home.

And it is perfectly okay to walk people through your House -- who knows the place better than you? Especially for us, since we built it, 'n all! We recognize different 'Types' that come to Open Houses, too. There are some Folks who are coming in and feel a need to Diss the place, no matter what your house looks like (thye are usually renting a little hole somewhere, and have a need to feel or appear superior... We say, we're all in the same boat -- I'll be happy for you and you be happy for me -- it's better that way, right??)...those are the annoying ones, and they never, ever Buy the House, so we just discount them and thank them for coming by. I think it bothers them that you haven't responded to any negativity, and that throws them off -- that's fun! You have to look at the whole thing with a sense of humor, 'cause it can get weird.That's why the vast majority of people use a Realtor -- it's just more convenient for us to Sell on Our Own. We just view it as a Business Transaction, and Dwight and I both own our own Businesses, so it ain't no thang...! ha,ha,ha!

We had a bizarre Family come in the Last House we sold, and it was their mission to 'make the house crazy' to throw us off. It happens. They even brought their yappy little dog in, and Tia was going crazy. Needless to say, it quickly became a situation of chaos, and we were trying to write up the deal. When they left, I said to Dwight that if it was that chaotic writing up the Deal, the whole Process would be a nightmare, and we were right. Thankfully, they let the Day pass where they had to Confirm the Deal, so Dwight and I agreed to let them slip away. It's sooo much better to have a normal Buyer with no weird stuff attached. We're never in a hurry to move (there's always Great Land to Buy, right?), so we prefer to wait for the Right Buyer. (Anyone who can afford the house who isn't a total nutcase!! ha,ha,ha!)

Tip of the Day: Advertise, advertise, advertise! Whenever you are trying to Sell Your Home, Advertise it yourself. If your Realtor is also Advertising, great -- you can add to that. But never take a total back seat tot the Sale of Your Home. It's one of the biggest Financial Transactions of your life, so beign pro-active is a positive thing. This is not to say, getting in your Realtors way -- that'll backfire for sure...but tell everyone you know that your House is on the Market, Advertise in your Local Newspapers and On-Line, and make sure your House Sign is haning in a Location where potential Buyers can see it.

If you're doing your own sign, write your Number on there in Big Permanent Marker Numbers. It's hilarious how many people put their Number in Pen, Pencil (no kidding!), or in tiny writing. Most folks out looking will be in their cars, so the writing has to be big enough to read from the road.

Although I've been known to wade through a muddy field to get a phone number for some really nice Land, but that's just me!! ha,ha,ha!

Thanks for coming in, today. Pop in and see the Pictures on my new page --

Our House Is Up For Sale!!

 

See you tomorrow!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!!

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Friday, December 12th. Hey, Sugar Bear! Now there's a Term of Endearment I've never used, except in a joke with Cara last night -- so important to always laugh with your Kids -- they're hilarious! And Developing a Sense of Humor is wonderful for Developing the Mind! I always joke around with all my Students when I'm Teaching, too -- it's good for their Brains! I used to laugh myself silly when my guys labeled 'Severely Handicapped' could crack a joke that would break you right up ... that's the best feeling!

Sorry it took me soooo long to get to my Daily Update, today, if you're an Early Morning Reader... I've been working on the Our House Is For Sale Page, since Our House Officially went on the Market this Morning. For now, anyway...we're having an Open House on Sunday, so I wrote a great Ad for the two main Calgary Newspapers and submitted them On-Line -- man, I love the Computer -- so efficient! But I hate my stoopid Printer -- that thing has never worked... Dwight was supposed to take it back to Staples and exchange it, but instead he was convinced to put it in for Repair, which didn't work, so I'm left with no functioning Printer... annoyink! So I had to get a Page ready that Dwight's Secretary could Download for our Hand-Out Sheet -- that's what took me so very long ... that and the ten glasses of gin...no, no...that was yeshterrrday... I'm kidding, I'm kidding! I'll wait until Noon, fer sure....! ha,ha,ha,ha!

I still need to add some nice Mountain View Shots, but I'll do that in a minute... It's nice to have a new page where you can have a Quick Overview of the House -- and you can see how much a House of this calibre is in our Area. I'll tell you, I would love, love, love to Build This House in California -- man, it'd worth a fortune down there!! Now there's something to shoot for, eh??

Hey, did you see Survivor, last night? And I really liked Burton until he made those mean-spirited remarks... and what was with John's little thing about the 'girls barely sharing one brain...'? Shocking to see that Sexist Thinking is alive and well and on National TV!! Even Dwight was all excited when the 'Girls' finally voted off 'One of the Men'! And I think I'm coming around for Sandra -- although I don't care for the 'vengeance' trait that seems so very strong in her personality. Survivor is a Very Interesting Study in Human Personality and Motivations. And, of course, the Beaches are great, too!! And Jeff Probst ain't bad, either!! ha,ha,ha,ha!

Tip of the Day: When you're Prepping Your House when You're Ready to Sell It, make sure you walk around the house with an 'Objective Eye'... This is the time to remove the fifty extra pictures on the wall -- Simple and Uncluttered is best. Unless your House has a Gallery, but that's a whole other story!! We actually have an entire Wall Area that would make an excellent Gallery -- that's funny (and lucky!!)!

Clear off The Island, if you have one, and make sure that any 'disturbing' material is hidden away -- this is not the time to display your Vintage Porn Collection!! Hope that word doesn't lock me out of AOL 9.0!! We've been in some Houses that have some pretty shocking stuff around, which we think is hilarious -- you want to make your House as Nice as Possible to as many people as possible. The last thing you want to do is offend a potential Buyer, right??

And even if you think all the piles and piles of papers in the Living Room look great, and are there because one day maybe you'll read them, get them out of there, too. Just box it all up and hide it in the Garage or the Storage Area. Or just get rid of it ... that's always an option! You can use this Opportunity to 'Lighten Your Load', since you clearly intend to move, anyway, and get a bunch of stuff that you don't use anymore and Give It to a Local Charity.

Oh, speaking of Charity, I was on Ellen Degeneres's's's' (Think 'Homer'!!) Website the other day (to tell her about the 'Giving Tree' Party Idea -- where all you Party Guests can Bring a Gift for a Child, in case you're new to the Site!!), and she had a link to www.toysfortots.org . On Ellen's Show, today (I never miss it, I love it so much!), and she was saying that They are Down by 100,000 Toys, so they are in great need of lots of new Toys... You can Give On-Line, or you can take a Toy (or Toys) to any of their Drop-Off Locations. It's a great time to Give!!

Let me go get you some nice Pictures...

And now for your Daily Pics Fix!!

These are pictures of the Garbage Compactor, partly because it's a cool item in the house, and partly because I just changed the Bags this morning! I know, you wish you could spend as much time as I do cleaning, changing the Garbage, and other exciting things like that ... well, dry your tears and just keep reading!! ha,ha,ha!

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Garbage Compactors are a little Pricey to put in, but they're really worth it if you happen to live in the country, or you want to have very few bags of garbage to remove... It's cute, though, isn't it? Very Compact, so-to-speak! That's just a tiny portion of my kitchen, in case you were wondering. I think it extends another 20 feet to the Right, and about another 10 feet to the West (Left?? Who knows!!). Anyway, it's a nice size Kitchen with a lot of neat Gadgets!

Here's a little 'Garbage Compactor Tip': You don't have to buy the 'special bags' that come with your Garbage Compactor -- you can just 'Double Bag it' (like a really bad Date...yuff, yuff!), by using Two Normal Garbage Bags, and you'll be fine. And try to Change the Bags out every week to two weeks -- we went for waaaaaay too long when we first got it, because it just kept squishing everything down, so the bag was close to 70 pounds when Dwight finally removed it!! We'll try not to do that again!! ha,ha,ha!

 

Thanks for coming by for a wee visit! See you tomorrow!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!!

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Thursday, December 11th. Hello, Daaaarling!! Baby-Cakes! How goes your day? We're all full of Shakespeare around here, because Cara's Play, Coriolanus, is playing all week at her High School. Cara attends a Fine Arts High School with a great Drama Program -- she was warning me about 'the fight scene' that she's in, so I don't storm the Stage and take down the kid who has to go after 'her Character'!! I told her I was familiar with Shakespeare and his great need to have his Characters attacking one another... You know what was really cool about the High School I used to Teach in when I lived in Los Angeles? It was right around the corner from this gorgeous Park with a really Old Library of Sorts (not a regular Library....), and that Building actually housed Archived Works of Shakespeare. I used to go there all the time for Lunch and assorted 'other things'! ha,ha,ha!

I can hear Dwight poking around upstairs, so I better go see what he's up to -- be right back!!

Well, that took me waaaay longer than I anticipated. The Glass Guys from Geinow Windows came over to replace a Couple of Windows that had 'Pressure Cracks' in them -- that happens sometimes in New Homes, particularly the ones with gigantic windows -- that's us!! Thanks to Blake Ritchie and Adrian Laroche for doing such a great job of replacing the Window Panes so efficiently! I was amazed at the process -- I wondered if the whole Frame would have to come out, but they just remove the exact piece of Glass that's cracked and replace the pane. (Sounds like a simple solution to an annoyink marriage, too -- just remove the cracked part and replace it with a new one! ha,ha,ha,ha!)

I took lots of pictures of the Process, so I think I'll try to reinstall that annoyink Videowave III, today, to see if it'll let me work on it! Ugh. Can't stand software that sucks!! I'll love it again, as soon as I get it to work for me!! Sounds familiar!! yuff,yuff!

Aidan is spending a fair bit of the day in the Bathroom -- you don't want to know why!! Ah, well. That's Life with a Boy!! But it's a huuuuge Bathroom, has a great view of the Big Screen Downstairs, is within 25 feet of me (I'm in my Office, as always...), and he's got all sorts of toys and a Child's Couch in there, too. And the Steam Room is in that Bathroom -- Aidan is particularly fond of playing in there!

Well, Dwight has finally agreed to have an Open House this Weekend! WooHoo! I really think it's time for the House to go on the Market. I have a few plans up my sleeve, but one plan is to buy a nice (but smaller) home in Okotoks close to Cara's School, then keep the Equity from this House in the Bank until we find another Piece of Land we would want to Build on... we'll see how things go. That is a very practical way to Build on Your Own -- 'Buying Down' does not mean 'Buy Something Crappy'! It can easily take a good Two Years to Find a Piece of Land, Decide and Get Your House Plans, Get the Permits, then Build the House, so might as well have somewhere comfy to live during that Process, right?

Initially, we thought we'd Rent during that 'In-Between' time, then we realized that if we bought in a nice area, especially a Brand New Area, the House Prices will often go up a lot higher (and that increase in Equity can go directly toward the Next House, and before you know it, you're Mortgage Free!!), and we might as well make some more money in the form of Equity while we're waiting... we hate wasting time and not making money!! Or is that just meeeee?? ha,ha,ha,ha!

I need to call the Newspapers to get our Ads in for Sunday -- that's a good day for an Open House -- and we'll have it from 1:00 - 6:00pm. That gives lots of Potential Buyers time to pop out to see us. The 2:00 - 4:00 thing never works for us, and I figure that I've gone to the bother of Prepping the House, so why not have the Open House a lot longer? And if you're wondering whether this is a good time of the Year to Sell a House, any time is a good time, because there's a Buyer for Every House. People Buy Houses at all sorts of different times, so you can Put Your House on the Market any time you want to. Spring and Summer are the typical times to Market our Property, but if you're in-between, you don't have to wait if you really don't want to... Oh, and we Sold our Last House at this time of the Year -- this exact Weekend, in fact!! Maybe I feel it's a 'Lucky Weekend'!!

I think I'll create a Special Page on the Site for the House Sale. I'll let you know when I get that made. I better go work on the Ads for the Newspaper so I can get them in on time.

Tip of the Day: When you're Writing Your Advertisement for the Newspapers or the Internet, make sure you write a Good, Clear, Concise Ad. And always, always put the Price in the Ad. There's no point in a misleading Ad -- they're expensive, and you might as well put accurate information out there so that the people who come to see your House can actually Afford it. You will always have 'Lookie Looks', which I have no problem with, since it's always good to Dream, even if the House is out of your League at the moment -- maybe it's a Home for the Future!!

Oh, and make up a Great Hand-Out Sheet with a nice selection of Interior and Exterior Pictures and some Information about Your Home. It's great to give to all the People who come to See Your House. Then when they're on the way home, they can have a good look at your Place and remember what they saw. It's a Good Selling Tool!

Now Here's Your Daily Pics Fix!

I love these Early Pictures -- it's so much fun to see where the House 'used to be'! Doesn't the Vault look cool? We hired Bryce from Elite Drywall for all of the Drywall -- they're great!

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See all the Insulation in the Ceiling? I should see if I can find more of those Pictures, 'cause they look neat!

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Check out the Scaffolding -- you can just keep adding to it to make it any height you want...Dwight has a bunch of it, too, for when they're doing Ceiling Work.

The key to really nice Walls is the Drywalling and Taping. You definitely want to get a great Taper, so Word-of-Mouth is a good way to find one. Or if you know a Local Contractor, you can ask them who they like -- that's always a good bet.

 

Thanks for Swingin' By for a Wee Visit! I really appreciate any Site Support from My Readers, so if you see an Ad that appeals to you, please go ahead and 'Click On'!! Hey, that could be my new 'Catch Phrase'!

Click On, My Friend!!

See you tomorrow! Later, Baby! Ailsa!!

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Now for MY Words! This is a pretty cool Offer I thought you'd like -- this can always be Gift for Someone, or just keep it for yourself, which is exactly what I would do!! ha,ha,ha! Just tell your friends and they can get their own for free!

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Wednesday, December 10th. Hi, Honey! You're 'Home'!! And it's soooo lovely to see you, again! Your ears aer looking very symmetrical, today -- and that's a very good thing!! ha,ha,ha! (Asymmetrical Ears -- that ain't good!) So if you meet up with someone today, and you're struggling to find a relatively true Compliment, you can use my 'Ear Acknowledgement' ... you can't go wrong with that...and if the ears are heavily weighted down with a variety of metals and such, you can add, "And, say, are those Five New Earrings? You are looking stunning!..." You can chortle later, but you should maintain a straight face at the time. Friendly advice -- it's so very useful! ha,ha,ha!

Dwight's on his way out the door -- better go say goodbye to him! Be right back!

Well I'm baa-aack! And Dwight was all mad because I didn't wake him up three times -- I only woke him up once. I said it's time for him to be a real Adult, but he says,"I can't!!" Yes, I see that... Have you noticed that when you're Married, you each develop a tendency to rely heavily on the other one to do something you would normally have done all on your own? For Dwight, I'm the Human Alarm Clock (Cook, Maid, All-round Slave... whatevah!...), and I feel it is Dwight's job to do any driving, whatsoever, at night. I'm livid if I have to do any night driving at all. Now if I were Single (let's just say...), I'd have no issue with Driving at Night -- of course, I'd also live in a much Warmer Climate, and not be battling any Snow!! But still, it's weird how you can become so dependent on another person.

Tip of the Day: You know how we put the Christmas Lights on the Trees outside on the Weekend? Well, Dwight was telling me that you should always use the Shortest, thickest Extension Cord possible for the Lights. Then he went on (an on..) to say that the same thing applies to using Power Tools. If you use an Extension Cord that is too long, it can burn out the Motor on your Power Tools, so you definitely want to be careful with that!

And now for your Daily Pics Fix!!

It's kinda fun to look at the 'Beginning' of the House! Aidan always used to bring out his bucket and spade to build castles with the Dirt (there was a lot of dirt!!), and then you can see what the Basic Framing of the Beautiful Great Room looked like -- cool, eh?

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And there's my Dining Room Windows, all Framed out!

 

Thanks for swinging by, today! See you tomorrow!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!!

 

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Tuesday, December 9th. Hey, Sweet Thing! How you doin'?? I cannot believe how December is flying by ... man, there's always soooo much to do in this Month! Oh, speaking of 'Things to Do', Dwight actually Tiled the Fireplace Surround yesterday Afternoon -- Yipee!! He came home early and just started in on it -- and he was done by about 9:00p.m., which was a very useful day! The Fireplace looks fabulous! As soon as I get my Videowave III fixed, I'll post the new pictures for you...

I was thinking about different ways you could change the look of your Fireplace, and I remembered that you can Tile Right over Brick. I'll make that my Tip of the Day! It's amazing the difference it can make in your Room when the Fireplace Changes into something spectacular! Dwight is beginning to agree that a Mantel would be nice -- so I'll Draw out my Design, again, for him to peruse to see if he'll do it. It's always worth a shot!

There was a Full Moon this morning (and obviously last night... ha,ha!), and it is very, very cold, so oddly enough, that makes for a gorgeous combination! Surprising, isn't it? So I ran outside with my Video Camera to get some pictures of the House with the Christmas Lights on -- it looks sooo pretty! And all the Trees are covered in Pure White Frost, so everything is sparkling. That's the upside of living in a Cold Climate! The thing about the Full Moon is that it casts a beautiful Light on everything, which is quite unusual, so it's great to capture that to Film, so-to-speak... I hardly ever use a 'Real Camera' with Film 'n all -- I much prefer a Digital Camera.

You know how I was saying that our New Garage Door Guy (the fellow from the Company we bought it from...) was coming over, yesterday? Well, what a nice guy -- he completely fixed the Garage Door -- the Belt was way too loose -- I thought so, and so did Dwight, but it was good for a Service Technician to agree and actually fix it. And he even showed me how to Program the Door Opener from Outside -- we couldn't find the Instructions and had pretty much given up on it.

If you're stuck with your Garage Door Opener Pad, it looks like it's fairly Generic. Try punching Program then 8 -- that erases any initial Code (or the Code from a Previous Owner, if you've just moved into a new place...). It looked like he was keying in 357 Send, but I'll have to clarify that ... anyway, you should be able to Input your new number, then press Send. That should work!

And it turned out that it was the Door Sensors (the little Red and Green Lights at the Bottom of the Automatic Garage Door), so Keith fixed that, too. He was saying that the Sensors should have no problem 'Reading Each Other' (unlike a marriage -- ha,ha,ha,ha!) if they are installed correctly. Sounds like this is a fairly common problem, so if you have a bother with your Automatic Garage Door Opener, check that out, first. There's a Code that says the Sensors have to be 6" off the Floor, so if you have more than one Garage Door, and all the Sensors are at the same height, you got some trouble!! I would be inclined to have the Installer raise the Second (or if you're lucky enough to have a whole pile of Garage Doors...!) set of Sensors up a little, so they won't Cross Paths. That makes sense to me...

So it turns out the Keith Thomson, the Garage Door Technician (I'm not sure that's the right Title -- I'll have to ask him!) is also a Junior Hockey League Coach. Isn't that a nice thing to do? He has some really great Tips for Hockey Coaches, so I said to him that maybe we could do a Hockey Section on my Site -- why not?? We all have a huuuuuge variety of interests, don't we? And he's a great Technician, so I'll need to get his info and put it on the Business & Classified Page.

Of course, I can't let an Opportunity go past me (!), so I told him about The Buffs and what a great Fundraiser they are for Sports Teams, and he's going to be my 'Lead Man'... You can be, too...If you know a Team, School, Group, Company -- anyone with a Logo -- who might like to Get the Buffs with their Team Colors and their Own Logo on the Buffs, drop me a line. I'm always happy to 'Share the Wealth'!! You can write to me at buildyourownhouse@hotmail.com. I look forward to hearing from you -- tell me about yourself, too, so I can get to know My Readers better!! So that's what Keith is going to do, on top of his Technician Work.

Hey, is Star Jones from The View seeing Bob the Bachelor?? Hmmmm...that would prove that you can find True Love on TV -- just on different Shows!! ha,ha,ha! Now how much would the Networks pay for that Wedding?? I've been watching The View since it's very first Episode (I cannot believe I've been home soooo long!!), and they kept me sane and informed over all these years, so it's like a friend finding True Love, if that is the case.

Tip of the Day: Okay, so here's how you would Tile over a Brick Fireplace. Remember from the other day that you can always just Paint the Brick, but Tiling over the Brick with a Marble or Granite Tile can be stunning. If you prefer a more matte look, you can pop into your local Tile Shop to see if there's a Ceramic Tile that appeals to you. And there are a lot of gorgeous Ceramic Tiles that look like Marble, which are fabulous and easy to work with.

Tile is one of my favorite products for Home Development and Renovations because it's relatively inexpensive and creates an incredible look. Save money and look great -- sounds like a good motto for Life!! ha,ha,ha!

Here's How to Do It, so to speak...ha,ha,ha! Anyhoooo, you can cover the entire Brick area with Mortar and fill in all the crevices, and you can adhere the Tile Directly to the Mortar. Work on a small space at a time -- you would not want to get too far ahead of yourself and then the Mortar would dry...that ain't good!! I would work with the amount of space you would need for Two Tiles at a time, so the size would be dependent on the size of the Tile. If you have a huge Fireplace, try the really enormous new tiles, but generally, a 12" Tile will work really well. Oh. One of the keys to making this Tiled Fireplace look great is to keep the Grout Lines very small -- maybe a 1/16th" -- 1/8th" on the very outside. Just looks better that way.

Now, Dwight and I disagree (there's a big surprise!! ha,ha,ha!) on whether you should Grout with the Fireplace Tile. I say, Yes, absolutely, and Dwight says it doesn't matter (as opposed to "It don't matter much..." Ugh, that's just painful to mine ears...har, har!), since the Grout, in his estimation, is to prevent liquid and stuff from getting in between the Tiles, whereas I believe that the Grout exists for both Aesthetic Reasons (it just looks better!) and to prevent moisture or whatever icky thing from getting in there... Now our Fireplace Surround Tile is Emerald Pearl Granite Tile (it's pretty pricey -- generally you can get it for $27.00/Tile, so if you see a better deal than that, scoop it up! The Pearl Granite is the most expensive, but I love the Glimmer!), so I think I've convinced Dwight that we could use Black Grout, so you'll barely see it. We've used a Forest Green everywhere else this Granite Tile is in the House.

The other way to Tile over your Existing Brick Fireplace is to Sheet it with Plywood, but I would only do that if the Mortar Method didn't work...

Now let me go get you some nice pictures!

Here's your 'Daily Pics Fix'!!

These are two pictures of 'The Family Bath' -- really, the Childrens' Bathroom -- I adore the Shower Curtain in there -- I got it at Linens 'N Things, and it's one of the most beautiful Shower Curtains I've ever see, so of course I immediately bought it and put it up! And it looks great!!

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The Third Picture is from the Front Entry Bathroom -- see the set of 4 Framed Pictures? They're gorgeous! And guess how I made them? Some great Frames from WalMart (they have a great selection...) with some beautiful pictures from an old Calendar. We're almost at the end of this Year, so don't be too quick to throw out your old Calendars -- have a look through to see which pictures would look good, framed. And because most Calendars are Themed, it's easy to create a 'Set' for your Walls ... just get all Matching Frames and you'll be all 'set' in no time!! ha,ha!

 

Thanks for coming by for a wee visit!! See you tomorrow. Bring a Friend (even the obnoxious one ... that way they won't be able to say you never take them anywhere...ha,ha,ha,ha!)!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!!

 

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It's the Season for Shopping, so why not get a few more Deals? Here's a good Link for Deals for Stores and Restaurants.

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Monday, December 8th. Hi, Honey-Babe!! Did you have a great Weekend?? We finally got outside to get some Christmas Lights up -- they look gorgeous! We put the Tiny Lights on all the Outside Trees along the Front of the House, then Colored Lights on the Two Trees on either side of the Front Entry. Very pretty. It took me a long time to convince Dwight that that would look good -- he suddenly has become a 'Designer of Lights', up from not wanting any Lights up at all... but when you want a job done, you have to work with the workers... and that be Dwight! ha,ha,ha!

So Aidan, our 4 year old, got into the Christmas Gifts, yesterday. Yes, it was a big shock -- who saw that coming?? Dwight had a big fit about it, but I remended him later (after he was calm...) that Aidan is 4, and it's not the worst thing in the world that he opened a present meant for him... plus, that crazy Dwight kept bringing Aidan over to see me in their Cart (we were shopping together at Costco -- Dwight and Aidan with one Cart, Cara and I with the other...), so of course Aidan saw all the stuff I got for him. I'm thinking that Aidan will just be one of those kids who find out about Santa early... when we went through that transition with Cara, I just explained that 'Santa' is a lovely notion of Love and Giving, and she was okay with that, so we just continued on with Santa!

Dwight wanted to put a lock on my Gift-Wrapping Room (lots of the presents are in there), but I feel like Aidan needs to learn what he can touch and what he has to leave alone... it's an important lesson, and one I want him to learn. I don't want him to get the message that if it's not locked down, it's open territory -- that not be good, as Christmas Org would say!! ha,ha,ha!

Were you watching TV last night? Have you had an opportunity to catch Arrested Develpoment, yet? It's hilarious! Ron Howard does the Voice Over, and the writing and Acting are fabulous. It's part of the Sunday Night Line-Up -- The Simpsons (you know I love The Simpsons -- and I'll love them even more when they buy my Scripts!! ha,ha,ha!), Bernie Mac (thrilled to see his Show back...), Malcolm in the Middle, then Arrested Development. It's a great Line Up on a cold winter night!!

I just got a call from Dwight and the Garage Door Guy is apparently on his way -- I hope this is the end of these visits -- it's a brand new Door, rarely used (because we used the Garage as a Workshop for pretty much the whole first year we were here... and we still use it as a Workshop, there's so much extra Finishing Work to do in a House this big... it's about 5400 square feet, Fully Developed.

Let me post this part, then see how much I can get done before the Guy gets here...

I'm baa-aaack!! And now for your 'Daily Pics Fix'!

Here are some shots of the Attached Garage through the Building Process. It's all Drywalled, Painted and Heated, so it has a lovely Finish. The Garage alone is bigger than our last house! See how you can 'Move Up' when you Build It Yourself!! ha,ha,ha!

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And these are the Brand New Doors... that's Dwight putting the Border around the Edge of the Garage Doors. That's the bit that I painted White earlier this Fall -- looks great -- if I could ever get someone to take MY picture, I'd post it, but so far, no luck! Maybe one of my Faithful Readers could help me out!! ha,ha!

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There's Aidan working away in the Workshop Portion of the Garage! He's a real 'Wee Man', and refuses to use 'Stupid Baby Tools', he says!! And that's Dwight's Rider Lawn Mower in the Background, along with assorted Lumber 'n stuff...

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Thanks for coming in for a wee visit!! See you tomorrow!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!!

 

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This is the Canadian Tire Link -- they have a new Drill Bit Sharpener that Dwight is beside himself with excitement about -- so if you, or someone you know, also gets very excited about Drill Bit Sharpeners, here's the place to buy them! ha,ha,ha! This is where I bought all the Guardian Locks that we have on every door in the house (Exterior Doors...) to keep Aidan in and anyone else out...), and the Pop-Up Registers that will increase your Energy Efficiency to Heat or Cool Your House by at least 25%, which is significant!

Canadian Tire has a whole line of very cool Tools and Gadgets for around the house -- and tons of other cool stuff. And if you're in The States, you'll get the 'Canadian Discount of about 25%', thanks to our Canadian Dollar!! And if you find you need a Canadian Postal Code to 'get in' (you shouldn't, but just in case...), you can use mine -- T1V 1Z1. That'll work!!

 

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Sunday, December 7th. Hello, Darling! Man, you're looking lovely, today! Are your Eyes sparkling, or are they Pure Glass?? ha,ha! At the most, you maybe have one Glass Eye... One way or another, I don't want you to glaze over like I do when Dwight starts in with the Plumbing details! har, har!

Have you started your Holiday Shopping, yet? We were out at Costco to get a good handle on our Christmas Shopping, then I'll do the rest on-line. Do you know it's much less expensive to buy on-line than it is to go into the Store? You know why? It's because when you go int the Store, you see a million things you instantly feel you must buy. I call it the 'Gotta Have It' Syndrome...and I got it, Baby!! I'm endlessly amazed at the few people who can walk out of Costco with 2 or 3 little Items! How do they do that?? We can't seem to get out of the store without Two Full Shopping Carts -- ah, well. I'll put that down to the Party and Christmas...

Anyway, the rest of the stuff I'll buy on-line (through My Site, of course!! And I really hope you do your Holiday Shopping through me, too!!). I tend to go straight to the Products I'm looking for, or browse through a bunch of Sites until I find something really unique and cool, and not buy any pies or cakes along the way!! ha,ha!

You know the Gifts I was telling you about giving to the Needy Families in our Town? Well, it dawned on my last night (about 2:00 am when I was working on my Site!) that I had missed a really large gift for the Donation. I put 2 and 2 together and remembered that Aidan had said to me quite casually the HE was a 'needy child', and I had told him that all the Gifts were for children who really needed the toys... well, wouldn't you know it? I asked Aidan in the morning if he could quickly run and get any gifts we might have missed to take them into the children, and he ran to his room and brought out three more presents...! That Boy! He's a little trickster...! So I got them all back, and I'll take them in, tomorrow...

We're in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and we've had a lot of Road Constructuion, lately. A brand new Freeway just opened up a few miles from our House, which does wonders for making our Commute much faster (WooHoo!). Well, we took the new road to Costco, today, and it shaved 25 minutes off the drive because the road by-passes the City... it's a beautiful new road (yep, we love roads!!), and the Views from the Road are spectacular, especially down by the River. So of course all I could think of was the Future Housing Developments that will be sure to shoot up around the new road! Can't wait!

Here's an extra little Tip for you -- whenever you see a new roadway go in, watch carefully for new Developments to crop up, then go see if there's some Land you can Buy in there... You might even consider moving from your current home into a Brand New one -- the Home Values shoot right up in Brand New Developments! (YaaHoo! That's a great way to make a big pile of money! Which reminds me -- Aidan has been going around these days with a handful of coins, saying he's "Filthy Stinking Rich!!" Isn't that hilarious?! I bet he will be, too, what with all the personal positive affirmations, 'n all!! ha,ha,ha!)

Tip of the Day: Today's Tip is a Parenting Tip, but really you can use this through-out your life... Whenever you need to know the Truth of a Matter, or need absolute compliance ("Could you run and get me those Toys, please??"...), use a quiet voice, and talk as calmly and rationally as you possibly can. Trust me, this is a learned behaviour, but it'll get you far better results than immediately going down the 'screaming loonie' path! ha,ha! Sometimes it's next to impossible to pull this off, but try it a few times and see if it works for you.

You know one of the key 'people' this works for -- Tia, our little dog!! ha,ha,ha! She's a nervous we thing, and if she's been a bad girl, and she knows it, shell immediately do 'a widdle' all over the floor when you even walk toward her to give her a row! (A 'row' -- ryhmes with 'cow' -- is a Scottish Word for 'getting into trouble' or 'a scolding') So we've learned from Tia to talk gently and get her to understand -- otherwise, we'd be running after her with our bottle of Oxy-Clean and a towel!!

Oh, and in case I haven't mentioned it, already, Oxi-Clean really does eliminate any 'Pet Messes' or any other Stains -- it's the most amazing Cleaning Product on the Market, bar none. I would never be without it! I keep a big Tub of it in my Laundry Room, and make up Spray Bottles that can easily be grabbed for an 'Emergency Spill'.You know what's funny? Dwight is a total Clean Freak, and he was beside himself that someone was going to spill on the carpet at the party, last weekend. Well, someone did spill -- can you guess who it was? That's right -- Dwight! He's surprisingly forgiving with himself, though ... what would make him really mad if someone else did it is completely okay if Dwightie does it!! Aidan and Dwight -- they're two peas in a pod!! ha,ha,ha!

Now here's your 'Daily Pics Fix'!!

Here's Aidan, Tia and Dwight -- that's Tia's look when she thinks she's in trouble! Isn't she cute?? ha,ha,ha! That's Aidan and Dwight in our Master Bedroom looking through the Sunroom. The Third picture is of the Three of them out in the Garden -- that's actually the View from the Sundeck and the South and Front of the House. I couldn't get that in the shot from the other day... so here it is, now!

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Oh, and you can really see the Berber Carpet, too! Berber is very easy to live with, and particularly easy to clean, on the off-chance that somebody spills on your carpet!

 

Thanks for Swingin' in for a Wee Visit!! See you, tomorrow!!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!!

 

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Hi! This is a very useful Program -- I had the worst Worm in my computer in the summer, and this is a good source to ward against losing your material on your computer... :)

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Saturday, December 6th. Hi, Honey-Babe!! I hope you got to sleep in, this morning!! It's always fun to relax on the Weekend, until you have to get started on all your Weekend Projects... I think we'll have a look at the Fireplace Surround, this afternoon. I'd rather get that done than the Countertop on the Bar -- besides, Dwight still has to pick up a Bar Sink and Install it before we can Tile the Countertop, anyway. So the Fireplace it is! I'll let you know if I can convince the Boy to get it done!! I guess I'll be making French Toast for Breakfast -- that usually works in my favor! ha,ha,ha!

I finally found a place to bring in all the Gifts and Food we got from our lovely Party Guests for our 'Giving Tree' last weekend. It turned out the the Fire Department in our little local Town doesn't do that (the vast majority of Fire Stations in Larger Centers do accept Donations, though...), but they were very kind when I went in to see them, and they directed me to our Local Community Center where there is a Community Outreach Program.

So I went in and talked to a very lovely woman, Sherri, who is a Co-ordinator with the Okotoks Healthy Family Resource Centre, and they already have 39 families in need of Donations this Christmas. It was wonderful to be able to go in with our Baskets of Food and Gifts -- my hope is that tons and tons of people will pick up on this idea of having a 'Giving Tree' at their Holiday Get-Togethers so we can all raise a ton of stuff for people in need.

I need to give the Manager at WalMart a shout -- I think I saw a Donation Bin there, so I'd like to know if people who do have these Giving Tree Parties can easily drop off their Donated Items there. It would be great if we all had a really easy way to Donate our stuff. I'll find out and let you know. Everyone but Paris Hilton knows where WalMart is (ha,ha,ha!), so that would make a really good Drop-off Point. Plus, they always do wonderful things in the Community, so we'll see if that might work...

In the mean-time, go ahead and take your Donations to your Local Fire Station or Community Center. Sometimes Grocery Stores and Shopping Malls will have a Drop Off Location, too. the important thing is to get as much stuff as we can into the hands of those who need it. For the Holidays, and then the rest of the year, too...

Tip of the Day: Do you have an old Brick Fireplace that smacks of the Brady Bunch House? Not that Mike Brady didn't design a fabulous house, that's for sure...!! But if you want to bring your House up into the wild and optomistic future (2004!!), consider Painting the Brick. It's really easy to do, and makes the world of difference to the look of the Fireplace. You have to start with a Primer to coat the Brick -- it soaks up a lot of Paint. Then put your Chosen Color on -- one or two coats ought to do the job, and whammo, you're in the Present!! And then your friends won't constantly hum the Brady Bunch Theme under their breathes every time they come over, anymore!! ha,ha,ha!

Here's your 'Daily Pics Fix'!!

These are some 'Before and After' Shots of the Fireplace in the Great Room. I can't get enough of that picture -- I really love it. I hope I can solve that annoyink problem with my Videowave III so I can show you the Brand New Living Room Shots... with Drapes 'n Everything!!

This is an Extra-Large Fireplace, since the area is so large -- a normal sized one would have been dwarfed in this room, and looked silly. It's the same Fireplace Downstairs in the Lower Living Room. With any luck, and considerable persuasion, the Lower Level Fireplace will look like this by the end of this Weekend -- wish me luck!! (Note the goigeousLandscaping Fabric we used as Drapes before we put up the fabulous Window Treatments from Linens 'N Things!!)

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This is the Lower Living Room Fireplace -- looks just a tad plain, right now, don't you think?? This is pre-plants and other decoration, too!! Ah, well... you've got to start somewhere!! (Oh, the giant Elephant in the room, so-to-speak, is Aidan's 'Mimi' -- his favorite stuffed animal. He drags her all over the house, and occasionally makes her eat the dog's food, which Tia really appreciates! ha,ha,ha!)

And hey, check it out! I finally found the picture of the Christmas Tree reflected in the Mirrored Cabinet Door in the Kitchen! I looked everywhere for that the other day!! And, it still works with today's theme because you can see the Fireplace in it! Scooore!!

Thanks for coming in for a Visit!! See you tomorrow!!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!!

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Friday, December 5th. Hey, Sweet Thang!! How you doin'?? Friday, already! Where does the week go?? I was going to place an Ad in the Local Paper to Sell Our House, since we thought we'd 'Play the Market' (test the market to see who's buying -- we do that when we're sort of ready to sell, but not quite sure... that way, if there's a quick bite, fine, and if not, you pull the House off and wait for another Month to 3 Months...). But I could not get Dwight to commit to a firm Yes or No on that one, so I'll have to leave it until next week. The House looks gorgeous at Christmastime, so I think it would be a good time to Show it...

Did you watch Survivor last night? We love that Show -- all those Beaches and Bee-otches, if you know what I mean!! ha,ha,ha! I do not like Sandra, but she might end up the Winner... I am very fond of Burton, but that's mostly because he's soooo good looking! I'm deep, that way!! ha,ha,ha! I always love that no one ever seems to know how to spell the person's name that they're voting out... of course, the last thing you want to hear on your way to Tribal Council is,"Say, how do you spell your name, again??" har, har!

Hey, you know what I was thinking when I was packing up the Toy and Food Donations we got from our Generous Guests from our 'Giving Tree' at our Holiday Party, last Sunday? I was thinking that if each School, Business, Company, Library (and Holiday Parties, of course!!) -- anywhere that People Gather of Go Regularly -- and set up a Giving Tree and Food Baskets. Just think that if even 50% of all Students, Employees, Visitors gave one Gift and/or Food Item, how much Stuff we could Donate. Often people want to Give, but don't know where to take it, or they have a little bit of Money to Spend, so they feel like they can't Donate until they have a huuuge amount... We should change that because every little bit counts, right?

Oh, yeah. That reminds me -- you know what one of my favorite Fundraising Ideas is (aside from the Buffs -- I'd still like to see them for Every School and College, not to mention Teams and Groups...) the 50/50 Draw. Our Local Lions Club is holding one to Raise Money to Support the Alberta Games 2004 next Summer -- it's Sports-related... I don't get why these aren't used all the time for pretty much everything. Here's the very simple way the Lions Club put this Raffle together -- they have a little locked Box with a Stack of Tiny Envelopes and some pens beside the Box (in a Store). People who want to Support the Cause put a Loonie (a Canadian Dollar in Coin Form... -- not trying to shove some idiot into the envelope -- I tried but Dwight wouldn't get in! ha,ha,ha,ha!) into the Envelope, Seal It, then write your Name and Number on the Envelope. See how Easy??

At the end of the Day, they do a Draw for Half the Money they've taken in, then all that's left is to count the Money they have left and do it again... No Muss, No Fuss. Now I know there is a 'Gambling Controversy' in this type of Fundraising, but I'm pretty sure God's Okay with raising Funds for Good Causes, AND someone else can benefit, too. And the person who wins can always Donate their Winnings right back to the Cause, if they feel that way. I'm thinking He's more concerned about Criminal Behaviour and people cheating at Scrabble, or something...! ha,ha,ha!

Well, Dwight came home early, yesterday, to have a good look at the Hot Tub... that boy's craaazy! He was mad that it won't hold Water, and it's too cold to really work on it, so he says he's gonna 'Rip the Whole Thing Out...' There's considerably more swearing involved, but I'll spare you the details!! You probably won't recognize the words, anyway, because it's been soooo long since we've all seen The Sopranos...! yuff, yuff! So after he calmed down, I said to him that we were NOT going to Rip anything out -- I am going to call 'The Hot Tub Doctor'...I hope he exists, since I already told Dwight that I'd seen his Ad!! Ah, well. It's frustrating dealing with outdoor problems when your hands are frozen!

Oh, you know what's been happening, lately? I've been developing Allergies to a lot of different kinds of Foods and Drinks. I'd heard about that, that if you didn't have any Allergies as a kid that you could develop them in your 30's and 40's. Now here's the weird thing -- I can't Drink Apple Juice or Orange Juice Plain, but add some Alcohol and I'm good to go!! ha,ha,ha! So, of course that leaves me with no choice but to add Malibu Rum to my Orange Juice and Spiced Rum & Vanilla Rum to my Hot Apple Cider! No wonder my weeks are flying by!! ha,ha,ha,ha! But it must change the Molecular Structure -- that's my story, and I'm stickin' to it! har, har!

Tip of the Day: Well, I have a wee boy, as you all know, so Today's Tip is a Toilet Training Tip -- how exciting, I know!! But if you're a parent of a 'challening child', this might make your life better! If you're having a tough time Training your Child, have them make a trip into the Bathroom every 15 minutes. Gradually increase the time -- 30 minutes, 45 minutes, an hour, until your Child recognizes on their own when they need to head for the Bathroom. And keep plenty of Pull-Ups in stock!! They're a life saver!

It's a very strange thing when you're in a really nice Executive House when you have to Toilet Train. Definitely, you want to avoid any 'accidents', 'cause you don't want anything to get wrecked up, so it's a little trickier... So many of us are parents at a 'later' age when we have more 'stuff', and you want to make sure it all stays clean...

And Puppy Training is a little like that, too! You know what I would do with a new Puppy when you're training them? I learned this when Tia was really little, and we took her for a walk down to the River and she ended up getting a bug from the water she accidentally drank... Poor wee thing -- she was really, really ill, so I sent Dwight down to the Drugstore to get some Diapers, and put them on her. Solved the problem while we were waiting for that horrible bug to get through her... So the Puppy Training Tip is to go ahead and get some Diapers (we call them 'Nappies"!) and put them on your Puppy. Maybe not a bad idea for really old dogs, too, just in case!

Oh, did you see the new Ad I put on last night for Cornerstore Hardware? They're at the very top of this Page. You can follow the Link and then you can Ask Any Home-Related Question you like! You can ask me, too, of course, but it's great to have different Sources for Information!

 

Now here's your 'Daily Pics Fix'!!

These are shots of the Sunroom Deck -- it's fun watching the Progression of a Build. There's a Steel Frame underneath the Hot Tub so we could build it right into the Deck, which is cool. I took the 'Side Views' out of Aidan's Bedroom Corner Window.

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And the middle shot is from the Sunroom Deck looking back toward the Sunroom, which I love! It's hard to pin down which Room is my favorite, because every room is sooo very nice, but the Sunroom and my Office are right up there at the top of my List!!

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It's hard to see the Views from this Deck, since what we see with the naked eye is quite different that what the Camera captures, but it is a spectacular View, particularly if you like Trees, which I do!!

 

Thanks for coming in for a wee visit! Thanks you so much for clicking on my Advertisers, too! I really appreciate your Support!! See you tomorrow!!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!!

 

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Thursday, December 4th. Good morning, Sunshine! I hope it's a nice cheery day for you! The sun is just coming up over the Mountains, here -- it's all pink and light blue -- very pretty! (I can see the Mountains from my Office, when I'm not watching Ellen or my keyboard!! Must learn to type without looking at the keys! Aaah, that'll never happen -- I don't have that kind of time!!) We have a massive amount of Snow already, this year -- the Mountains are completely covered -- they look gorgeous! It's great for the Skiers -- they love it, and I think there's a good 2 feet in the Mountains, if not more. That's a lot for the beginning of December! We still have another 5 months of Winter!!

Oh, that reminds me -- there's an ad on TV late at night for a Mountain Resort out here, and they have a nice website you might like to have a peek at -- www.kickinghorseresort.com . It's fun to look at stuff like that!

We are having the worst time with our Garage Door -- Dwight actually got stuck on some ice on his way into the Garage last night, then after we finally got the Truck into the Garage, the Door wouldn't close with the Door Opener, so Dwight had to disconnect the Opener and close it Manually... so Dwight called the Company where we bought the Doors and they're going to come out to see if what the real problem is. Apparently there's some thing called 'cross-talk' (like on The View when all the 'girls' talk at the same time...! ha,ha,ha!). It can happen when you have more than one Garage Door and the Signals from one door get crossed with the signals from the other door. What happens is the litle Signal Lights at the bottom of the Doors feed over to the opposite door, so one door says to Open, but the other door sends the message to Close... so the Door gets stuck and someone ends up swearing...

Hey, have you heard about the new Male Birth Control Needle thing? I heard about it on the News a few weeks ago, and have been meaning to look it up on the Internet. According to the News Report, it's an Annual Needle and must stop Sperm Production for the whole year...must look into that -- wouldn't that be huge in preventing Teen Pregnancy?? That would change a lot of lives if we could, as a society, get kids into Full Adulthood before they had children of their own. And it would be great for women over 35 who really shouldn't be on the Pill anymore, if their husbands are too afraid to 'get fixed'... You know the phrase,"Let me fix you up" can carry a scary message for the 'Over 35 Male'!! ha,ha,ha,ha!! (You might be surprised at how much I'm laughing over that!! ha,ha,ha!) Drop me a line if you know anything about this new Birth Control Needle (it's out of Europe -- Spain, I think...), and I'll get it on the Site.

See how we're not just Building, anymore?? ha,ha,ha! But we're always Building -oriented, of course!! Did you see the new Show Extreme Makeover : Home Edition, last night? Ty Pennington is the Main Guy (you know Ty from Trading Spaces -- he's the very good looking and incredibly talented Carpenter...), and they took a '60's Home that badly needed Renovation and completely redid it -- it was amazing! Cara, our 15 year old, is the one who made us watch it -- it's wonderful to have a Teenager who has an interest and solid understanding of Real Estate and Building. That kind of knowledge will set her up for life, so we're thrilled! (If you know any Teenagers or Young Adults, please send my Site along to them -- the earlier you get started saving your Money and buying property, the better off we'll all be! More Money = Less Crime = Greater Happiness = Better Parenting, and the cycle continues...!)

They had a little blurb at the end of the Show about where you can go to get more info about the Show or to put your own name in for a Possible Reno on your home ... Go to www.abc.com , Keyword: home makeover . Hey, someone has to be picked -- why not you?? ha, ha! Oh, and Oprah has a Home Makeover with her fabulous Designer, Nate, that you can put your name in for on her Site, too. Click on www.Oprah.com and you'll find your way around, no bother.

Tip of the Day: Today's Tip is a Decorating Tip! When you are wondering what kind of colors should you redo your House, or Decorate your Brand New House, look to your favorite Artwork. The colors that you are drawn to are most likely found repetitively in the pieces you love the best. We have a very large Picture in the Great Room that has all of our House Colors in it -- it's a Stevenson. Even the Landscape here is reflective of the Picture! I didn't realize that until we moved in, and it was a rainy day -- the road looked like a river (the shim of the water on the road...), and it was almost identical to the picture! Cool, eh?

Let me go see if I can find a shot of that picture...I wish I could figure out how to get my stooopid Videowave to let me capture my new shots to my computer... then I could just go take new shots. Ah, well.

And now for your 'Daily Pics Fix'!!

Well, That's the closest I could find to a picture of 'The Picture' ... it's the picture to the Left of Oprah (see how it's all tying together, what with my earlier reference to Oprah!! ha,ha!). It's a Deep Brown Frame that had a picture of a Spitfire Airplane in it -- not happening in my Living Room, so I switched when Dwight was out one night (I was pregnant with Aidan at the time, and did things like that all the time!!) with a Stevenson Print. Much, much better!

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And the pictures of Tia are not only hilarious (Tia is endlessly entertaining to me!! ha,ha!), but she's looking right at the View that reflects the Stevenson Print in the Great Room. She's hangin' about in Aidan's Bedroom in these shots.

 

Thanks for coming in to se me, today! See you tomorrow!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!!

 

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Wednesday, December 3rd. Hey, Sweet Baby! How you doin'? Mid-Week, already ... and only 22 Shopping Days before Christmas! Yikes! Must get my Shopping done...over the last few years I've done my shopping Early, but this year things are so much 'up in the air', that I have done very little... I tend to buy a lot of stuff on-line (that's why I like my Shopping Pages so much -- I use them myself!!), then head into Costco for all my 'Local Gifts'. I love their Gift Baskets and have already said to Dwight numerous times to (For God's Sake, I always add...!!)get me the 'Tower of Chocolates' for Christmas, and a really great Book. That's really all I need to have a great Christmas Day! That and stuff for the kids, of course!!

Last week when I was shoping at Costco for our Holiday Party, I picked up a Dart Board. I used to love playing Darts when I was a teenager (then sporadically after that...! Mostly in Bars! ha,ha,ha!). My Dad and I used to like playing 'Around the World', where you have to get the Dart in each 'section' around the Dart Board. Back then, I would spend countless hours learning and practicing any new skill until I perfected it... I played the Flute (also the Clarinet, but that was when I was much younger... and the Piano, but never that successfully..), too, and spent at least 3 hours a day practicing. I think that's a good Life Habit -- to work on whatever you're doing, or enjoy doing, until you're really good at it. Why not? You never know where your Gifts are unless you work away at them, right?? (No ... not your Christmas or Chanukah Gifts ... your Personal Gifts and Talents... ha,ha,ha,ha!)

Getting back to the Dart Board -- so I wanted Dwight to put it up in time for the Party, but he refused... He says people might miss the Dart Board and get the Dart right in the wall. So then we thought we would get some sort of giant Cork Board to hang on the wall behind the Dart Board, then the whole thing got waaaay out of hand and the Dart Board is still in it's box in my Gift-Wrapping Room... Ah, well. I'll never change Dwight... But I do have the perfect spot for it on the opposite side of the Bar.

Hey, have you seen this week's Episode of The O.C.? Man, I love that Show. They have a running gag on celebrating 'Chrismakah', since one of the Main Characters, 'Seth', has a Jewish Dad and a 'Waspie' Mom!! ha,ha! Sooo funny! The O.C. airs on a Wednesday on Fox, I think -- we have Satellite, since we're in the country, so our favorite shows are typically on over and over again...! They deal with all sorts of controversial topics, too, but it's an incredibly well written and well acted Show. I hope it stays around for many, many more seasons!

We got our Garage Door fixed, again, yesterday. We're having a terrible time with the Big Garage Door -- but it looks like the problem has been solved, now. Apparently there's a little button on the back of the Garage Door Opener (you have to get up on the Ladder to see it...), and you can change the tension of the belt that pulls the Door up. I like to have a professional deal with anything where I think someone might get hurt, so the guys come out from Phil Mosig's company, 'High Country Overhead Doors'. Those guys are great!

Tip of the Day: There are a couple of easy ways to protect your Drywalled walls from damage from a Dartboard (or other games involving throwing sharp objects at a relatively small target!!). One is to put a great big Cork Board behind the Dart Board, or a big piece of plywood with the Dart Board attached to it, leaned up against the Wall. And keep the small kids (and people too stooopid to know better) from running in between you and the Dart Board when you're playing... And then get some Zoloft for the person who can't cope with anything that might be fun to do around the house! ha,ha,ha!

Now let me go get you some nice new pictures!

Here's your 'Daily Pics Fix'!!

I was trying to find a cool picture I took a while ago (because my Videowave III is still preventing me from capturing my brand new pics to my computer -- annoyink!!) of the Christmas Tree reflected in the Mirrored Cabinet Door, because it's a good way to show you haw nice a feature that is...

Anyway, you can see the Mirrored Cabinet Doors in these two shots -- if I come across the other ones, I'll post them for you, or just take new ones! Now that the Christmas Tree is up, again, it's nice to see how many times it's reflected in the house -- in the Cabinet Doors, the French Glass Doors, the Windows and Artwork -- it's like having a zillion Trees in the room! Very cool!

One of the nice things about putting in Mirrors instead of regular or 'fancy glass' in your Cabinet Doors is (aside from being able to look at yourself all the time! ha,ha,ha!) that you don't have to worry about how neat everything is behind the Cabinet Door... Plus, if you have a nice View, you'll be able to see it in the Mirrors. I love to look at the Mountains in the Mirrored Reflection, the TV (never miss a minute of any show, ever...! ha,ha,ha!), and the Christmas Tree. If you enlarge these shotsand peak 'into the cabinets', you'll see the Peak Windows reflected -- cool, eh??

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And since I've mentioned the Garage Doors so often, lately, here they are -- that's the Front and Side Views of the House. I think the Garage is 36' X 26', so an Over-sized Triple Attached Garage. The next time we build a house, provided there's an enormous Lot and we have a ton of money, will have a Five-Car Garage, which I think is very practical, what with Two Kids, 'n all!! ha,ha,ha! Oh, and these Views are 'Pre-Trees' -- we've put in about 28 Trees in the Front since then, and a bunch of Shrubs and stuff. Looks very pretty!

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Thanks for swingin' in for a wee visit! See you tomorrow! Feel free to bring a friend!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!!

 

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Tuesday, December 2nd. Hey, Baby! What up?? Man, I still can't believe it's December! And this month always flies by ... Aidan and Cara started their Advent Calendars, yesterday -- did you do this when you were a kid?? I used to go mad for the '24th', since it always had a 'double window' and a great big chocolate -- you can see I've always been motivated by chocolate! ha,ha,ha,ha! One year I got Cara a gorgeous Advent Calendar with little Religious Sayings for each day, which she did not appreciate...that really only works with kids when the Biblical Message is accompanied with some sort of candy or sticker! Ah, well! We're goin' with strictly chocolate Advent Calendars, this year!

You know what? I had to wait and wait for that first Section (right above!!) to post to my Site, so I was 'flipping through' some of the Sites in our Favorites File, and I happened upon this cool Astrological Site. Cara must have found it and saved it to Favorites (I hope you Save Meee to Favorites, too!!). Anyway, it's a great Site and you might enjoy finding out a wee bit about yourself! <Astrology Online>

Remember I was telling you that I wanted to get the Hot Tub filled before the Big Party? Well, we filled it, all right, and it all drained away..."that not good", as our old Neanderthal Friend, Org, woould say! And it looked so beautiful, what with all the water in it, 'n all! When Dwight went out to turn the Hose off, we could hear a trickle, followed by what sounded more like a stream... ugh! So, of course Dwight was very calm about the whole situation -- he shouts, "Oh, Great! Now we gotta rip the whole **&^*%$ thing out of the Deck!" The $ sign has to be in there in the place of a sweary word, since God Knows every thing like this costs a bundle... That crazy Dwight! So I said, "Just wait a minute and let me come out to see where the leak is..." So I put on my Coat and Boots (and looked liked Nanuk of the North's younger sister!! ha,ha,ha! And this was a warm day in Calgary!!) and went out to see what the problem was.

We have found over the years that whenever there is a really big problem, it's best to have more than one person look at it, just in case one person is still rational! ha,ha,ha! So Dwight had already checked all the pipes under the Hot Tub, and they were all Dry, which was a good sign. A whole lot of water had pooled in the Base of the Hot Tub Frame, so I watched to water until I saw a ripple in the water, so I showed Dwight and it appears that the water was leaking through one of the Jets in the Base of the Tub. Dwight drained the Tub entirely, and now we'll replace the Jets and see what happens, next. The odd thing was that the Water didn't start to leak out until the Tub was almost completely full -- the weight of the water must have forced the jet to leak. Ah, well. At least Dwight didn't rip it right out of the Deck, right?? ha,ha,ha!

Oh, I just got a call from Geinow, our Window Company. We've had a couple of the really big Windows crack -- that wind storm last week was insane, out here. Our Soffit and Fascia Guy,, Peter, just lives up the road on another Acreage, and he had his Cistern Shed blown apart! Can you believe that?? (In case you're not familiar with a Cistern, it's a big tank for holding water, often found on an acreage where they might need extra water, depending on how many gallons per minute the Well delivers...) Anyway, Shawn Lenders is the fellow who is helping us with the Replacement Process, and he's really nice. They have a great Staff down there at Geinow. Apparently, they can replace windows up to -15 Degrees Celcius, so we shoud be okay -- looks like the weather won't be too bad for the next little while.

Tip of the Day: Whenever you have a 'Service Issue' that you need to deal with, be nice. A little kindness goes a long way. It's surprising how mean people can be, sometimes, and that rarely works out all that well. There is some mistaken idea that you can rant and rage, and people will work like mad for you, but it ain't the truth, let me tell ya' ... Soooo much better to be calm, rational and nice, and remember that you're dealing with another person, and they have a whole life to manage as well, so being mean or angry won't help anything along. Of course, if they are mean with you, then it's open territory, and you do what you gotta do, but go down that path last, and tread gently first...!

Now let me go get you some nice fresh pictures!

And now for your 'Daily Pics Fix'!!

I've always loved Bow Windows in a Child's Room, so I designed both of the Childrens' Bedrooms with a Bow Window. Aidan's Room also has a Window at the Side, because the View is so gorgeous that we didn't want to miss it -- thus the extra window!

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The Curtains in Cara's Bedroom and Den are Burgundy, and the Curtains in Aidan's Bedroom and Den are Green -- Sage Gren for his Bedroom and Deep Green for his Den. The great thing about Full Length Drapes (other than the fact that they look great!) is that they block out the Cold Air, and lessen Extreme Heat from the Sun. Very useful in keeping your Heating and Air Conditioning Bills relatively moderate. And it all about Saving Energy and looking gorgeous, right?? ha,ha,ha,ha! (And that's why having a nap on a Sunday Afternoon is essential... or something like that...! ha,ha!)

And if you think you can see a Vault in this room, you're right -- there is a Vault in almost every room upstairs, except in the Main Hallway and Bathroom, where there is a 10' Ceiling, which ain't too bad, either!! ;)

So glad you stopped by during your busy day! See you tomorrow!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!!

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Monday, December 1st! Hi, Honey-Babe! Happy December!! It's always a nice month, what with all the Lights 'n Stuff. We had our Big Holiday Party, yesterday, and it was fabulous!! We had a really good turn-out, and got a lot of Stuff to Donate for the Food Bank and Gifts for Children in Need. Thanks to all our Guests for being so very generous!! We all appreciate that! It's great to be in a position to Give, even if it's only a wee bit. One of my favorite days in Los Angeles when I was down there Teaching was my First American Thanksgiving, and I had enough money to give some away to a Charity for Local Veterans. It's good for everyone to Give when you can, right?!

Did you have a great Thanksgiving? Lots of Turkey and Trimmings?? Our Canadian Thanksgiving seems so long, ago, now, since we celebrate it in October... now I'll need to run out and get my own Turkey!!

Our Holiday Party was soooo much fun! I had set up all the 'Centers' with different types of Drinks, that way our guests could mill around and choose any type of Drink they happened to like, and there wasn't a big crowd in any one area. It really worked out well! I love everything really well organized so that we can all just enjoy the Party, rather than the 'Hosts' (us!) having to run around serving everybody... it's more relaxing to let everyone be self-sufficient and help themselves. Of course, I feel that way about all lives in general -- the better organized you are, the more self-sufficient you can be, then the happier you can become... and then we can all teach our kids to be like that, too!

You know what I realized half way through the Party? I had set the House up just like I set up a Classroom -- I always used to put different 'Centers' around the room so everyone could always find something interesting to do (or Eat & Drink, in the case of the Party!), no matter what. Once a Teacher, always a Teacher!! ha,ha,ha!

I was in the Kitchen for the vast amount of the Party, and I didn't even see Dwight until the very end of the Party -- I think he was on the Lower Level Playing Pool and hanging about the Bar area... it's a great House for Entertaining, since there's a different room for everything! And we had a ton of kids, too, but they didn't disturb the Adult Portion of the Party -- lots and lots of Fun!! Now I'm eating the Brandy Chocolates, since they happen to be on a little plate on the Island! They're delicious little chocolates all full of Brandy -- a perfect morning treat! ha,ha,ha!

Tip of the Day: Today's Tip is to Always to Live Withing Your Means. I know, I know. that seems soooo painfully obvious, but living beyond our means is one of the number one reason people get into tremendous debt, then can't find a way out of it. It's a terrible way to live, because you can't relax and enjoy your life when you know that someone else technically owns it. This is not to say that you shouldn't ever carry a debt -- there are good debts and bad debts... A Good Debt is something like a Mortgage or Money you invest in you Education, or something that betters your life. A bad Debt would be stuff you accumulate that you really don't need that costs more than you can afford. It's a good time of year to be mindful of that, since things can easily get out-of-hand at the Holidays.

We used to know a family who lived in a very nice area of Town in a particularly nice house, but when you went in, they didn't have a stick of furniture. They were living there because they had a tremendous need to appear to have 'made it'. Sometimes that need is for others to see that you've made it, and sometimes it's because it's a deeply personal need to make you feel that way yourself. It's critical to look at your life carefully, without blinders on, to make hard decisions that are best for your Financial and Emotional Life.

I was watching Suze Orman a while ago (Do you watch that Show? She's great -- she has a really practical approach to money, and I really like that...), and there was a woman on who desperately wanted to own her own place. She didn't have very much money to put down, but was looking at homes in the $400,000. Range. That's crazy. I don't get that...it's soooo much better to find something in your very own Price Range, then work your way up to whatever your 'Dream Home' is by Buying what you can Afford, now, then Selling when the Property has gone up in Value (and you're ready...), then Buying again, selling again... like that until you are Mortgage Free. Typically you can become Mortgage Free in about 5 moves, if you play your cards right.

One of the keys is to buy in a Brand New Area -- those places (Condos and Houses) will go up in value faster than in a more established area. You will have to put up with the rest of the Construction around you, but that's not much to deal with to make your life a whole lot better. I'd love to see everyone Own Their Own Home and be Mortgage Free by Retirement. Wouldn't that be great?? You'd never have to worry about where you would live or how you wouold pay for it. Especially now when we can live to a very ripe old age -- and if you run out of Pension Money, you can sell the Home and buy a Condo, then you'd have another stash of cash in the bank to live on... It's all about making the right financial decision at the right time, so you always live with ease, instead of struggling to live like you used to or want to in the future, but aren't ready for yet.

Well, my little 'diet' has gone out the window! All those lovely treats upstairs!! I must remember to make some more of my Apple Crumble Mixture today, so I am more likely to choose that than the Nanaimo Bars!! But I think I will have a few chips, just for fun!!

Now let me go get you some new pictures! Be right back!

And now for your Daily Pics Fix'!!

These are shots of our Master Bedroom -- very pretty! And spacious, too!! You can see the Interior Window that leads into the Sunroom -- I left the Glass out of it so I can lean through to water my plants -- works for me!!

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And here's Cara wearing a Survivor Buff -- remember I have that cool Wholesale Buff Connection? It's a good time to Order them with your Logo for your School, Team or Group -- you can put in your Order, then sell them (or give them out...) to your Students or Members. If you had 2,000 Students in a School, and you added a $10.00 profit to the Buff Price, you'd raise $20,000. for your School. That'll buy a lot of Instruments, Computers, Sports Equipment or Uniforms. You can Sell them in advance, then place the Order, so you know exactly how many to Order -- just like you Order your Year Books.

Drop me a line anytime at buildyourownhouse@hotmail.com for more information!

 

Thanks for coming by for a wee visit! See you tomorrow!!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!!

 

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Well, it's that time of year, again, when we need to get lots of Corporate Gifts! Lots of My Readers are Business Owners (that's what lets us Build Our Own Houses!! ha,ha!), and Others are 'Up There' in the Corporate World, so I thought this Ad would be useful for us all.

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<Holiday Business Gifts>

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Sunday, November 30th!!! Hey there, Baby Cakes!! Are you lolling about in your Bathrobe, enjoying your Sunday?? Hope so! I'll be cleaning, and getting the Food all set up for the Party ... can't believe it's Party Day, already!! You think you have everything done, then you go to see if yo' spouse has covered their area, and nope, not done... so you have to start in on that, too! I left the 'Hard Liquor' Drink Section up to Dwight, since he's more familiar with that than I am (I'm in charge of everything else... whatever...!!), and last night I went to set the Drinks out and he had two bottles available! Two Bottles!! I have reems of stuff, but he thinks he has enough -- looks like there'll have to be a 'Liquor Run' -- man, I gotta learn about Hard Liquor -- now where's the Course I can sign up for that?? Maybe they have a Masters Program, and it takes up a whole weekend a month!! ha,ha,ha!

I've set up two more Tables upstairs in the Dining Room (it's big, so no worries about space...) -- one in front of Each of the Big Windows. Oh, crap -- just remembered I have to go take the Shrimp Rings out of the Freezer!! Good thing I'm telling you about this! ha,ha! Anyway, one Table is for the Cakes and Assorted Treats, and the Punch Bowl, and the other Table is for the 'Real Food', like the Shrimp and Veggie Platters. Wonder what kind of Drink I should put on that table?? Must think of something, and fast!

I have a nice new somewhat slinky Black Dress for the Party -- it's always good to be comfy and look great! With any luck, maybe someone at the Party will actually take a picture of MEEEE, so you can see what I look like now, as opposed to the pictures from last year! And then all I need to do is get my crazy Videowave III to let me in to work (those programs drive me up the wall -- unless they're working, in which case, I love them!! Much like a partner, no?? ha,ha,ha!)...

I hope the 'Giving Tree' works out well -- I'll let you know how many gifts we get to give to charity. Have you thought about doing that at your own Party, or your Office Party? Just think of all the Gifts (or Food or Money...) we could give if we all did this at a Holiday Party! It would really be amazing!

In case you're new to the Site, a 'Giving Tree' is a little idea I thought of adding to our Party, this year, so our guests could bring a Gift for a Needy Child (and hopefully an Item from their Pantry, too!!) to put under our Tree. Then we'll take all the Gifts down to the Local Fire Station for the Fireman's Fund. Great idea, eh?? Simple, but I think it'll be really effective. I'll take some pictures of the Gifts, too, so I can show you what we collected.

Tip of the Day: When you're giving a great big Party (we hope to have well over a hundred people at ours...), make it easy on yourself by creating 'Serve It Yourself' Stations. It takes a bit more time, initially, to set them up, but once the Party gets started, your Guests can mingle about and help themselves to anything they like! And you can get stinking Drunk! No, no, no! Just kidding! You should maybe put on some perfume, if you think you might even stink a little... but you should feel free to imbibe ...after all, you're already at home, so you don't have to worry about Drinking and Driving (for God's Sake, don't do that!! And make sure your Guests don't do that, either -- we have extra beds made up, in case the Party runs into the night, and some people have to be poured into bed!!! ha,ha,ha! It's always good to be prepared!!).

So I'm calling this Party (because I have an unusual need to 'name' everything!!) a 'Mingle & Jingle' or 'Booze 'N Schmooze' Party!! Doesn't it sound like a whole lot of fun?? Maybe next year we can get some sort of gigantic Hall, and we'll all have a Big Party, together!! Now wouldn't that be fun??

And now for your 'Daily Pics Fix'!!

Here's the Dining Room -- that's Tia in every picture -- she follows me around the house -- it's really cute! She's going to spen the day in Dwight's Truck (windows down, of course...), in the Garage, which is heated...she loves the truck, and it's better for her not to see so many people -- that's just outside of Tia's comfort zone!!

So these are the Two Big Windows where the two extra Tables are Set up -- they look lovely. All the Drapes are from Linens 'N Things, in case you're wondering! I love that Store!! And I think the Kitchen/Great Room/Dining Room Area is about 1742 square feet -- I seem to recall figuring that out when I was busy re-drawing this house for a future build... and trying to scale it back a wee bit so it would fit on a City Lot!!

Hey, you know what I should do?? I should take pictures from each room in the House and give them each their own page...hmmmm...must work on that! I'll be sure to let you know when I get that done!

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Thanks for coming in for a wee visit! Always lovely to see you!

Until tomorrow!!

Ailsa!

 

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Check it out -- a Whole Year For Free! Can you tell I like those deals?? ha,ha,ha! I figure that if you made it onto my Site, you must love Homes (and perhaps Gardens...!), or at least know someone else who does, and the Holidays are quickly approaching, so why not see about this?? I really do love Free Stuff!! Then I can save my money to buy (build!!) an even bigger house!! WooHoo!

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Saturday, November 29th. Good Morning, Sunshine! How you doin'?? Can you believe it's the Weekend, already? Is time flying past you, too?? Better than it dragging along, I suppose! We had some crazy Chinook Winds, last night -- I thought some of the Windows would have blown in -- pretty scary... so it was NOT a good day to put water in the Hot Tub -- maybe today.

Hey, I was able to fix my computer, yesterday! WooHoo! Now I can work normally on my Site, again! I couldn't get any new Links on, add new letters, or reply to e-mails -- very frustrating... I went to www.pandasoftware.com and Ran the Scanning Program, and it cleaned all the infected files out of my computer -- isn't that great?? So the next time you have a bother with your computer, check that Site out and run the Scan My Computer Program. It's Free and it really works well.

I'm almost ready to put our House on the Market -- it'll be a hard house to leave, because we all love it so very much, but I think it would be best if we down-size and move into the City. It's always a tough call. We're mindful of it all the time, now, especially as we get ready for Christmas. We usually have a ton of Presents under the Tree, but this year we will focus on Giving to Others, and getting 'small gifts' for the kids -- literally, much smaller gifts, rather than the big things that I like to get...Aidan has enough enormous Trucks and things, and luckily, Cara is at the stage where she prefers CD's and 'Cool Things' rather than, say, a Play House! Cara's almost 16, so I think she'd rather have a REAL House!! ha,ha,ha! She's already checking out Apartments and Condos! Now that's my kind of Girl!! We're thrilled that she's interested in Real Estate!

You know, one of the reasons I developed this Site, in the first place, was to educate as many people as I could about How To Buy Their Own Home. It's something that is rarely taught in School, and is a key factor in doing well in Life. As soon as I figured out how to do it, I had a burning need to tell everyone else...that's the Teacher in me!! ha,ha!

It's next to impossible to stroll into the Bank and ask them how to go about Buying a Home, or even How to Save Enough Money (and if so, how much...) to Get that Home. Plus, it can't be boring, or no one will read it, right?? And then, of course, I thought Building a House was waaaaay cool, and everyone ought to know a little about that -- I love anything that'll make your life better, happier, healthier, and with a lot more money!! I've been dirt poor, so I know that ain't a better way to be!! That's a convenient myth! It's always much better to have Cash in the Bank!

Well, better go hang some more Pictures before tomorrow -- the Big Party! There are a lot of Cakes and Treats in the Fridge, ready for the Party, and Aidan is beside himself waiting for them to be served!

Tip of the Day: I had to make my Onion Drink, today, because with all the things happening around here, I felt like a might have a Cold coming on ... Dwight hates the smell of the Onion Juice, so I actually make it outside on the Deck -- I make it in my Electric Wok. The Tip is to use the Onions after you've drained off the Onion Juice (if you haven't tried this Home Remedy for Colds, give it a shot -- it's great!) in a Big Pot of Soup.

Just leave the Onions in the Pot, add a pitcher of Water, a Tablespoon each of Montreal Steak Spice, Red Peppers & Garlic Spice, and whatever other spices you happen to like, then about 4 Tablespoons of Parsley and Chicken OXO, some pre-cooked Chicken (cubed -- I buy it Frozen at Costco -- it's sooo easy to cook with!), a bunch of Veggies (Frozen or Fresh -- just toss 'em in!), and then half a Bag of Soup Mix (in your Soup Section -- it has dried Beans, Barley, Lentils ... that sort of thing). Now, if you happen to love Barley, add another 3/4 Cup of Barley -- don't forget to rinse the Soup Mix and the Barley. I think Barley is an Aphrodisiac, so let me know if it 'works for you'! ha,ha,ha,ha!

 

And now for your 'Daily Pics Fix'!!

Look what I found! These are pictures of the Lower Level right after Dwight Laid all the Tubing for the Radiant Heat -- cool, eh? I had the glamorous job of trimming about a 1000 of the little Ties that have to go around the Tubing. I think there are three areas downstairs, and two upstairs, so you can control the In-Floor Heat in different Rooms.

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Thanks for swingin' in for a wee visit! See you tomorrow!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!!

 

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Friday, November 28th. Hey, Good Lookin'!! Are you chock full of Turkey (and perhaps a few other things, too!!)? Man, I'm having the worst computer morning -- it keeps cutting me out...soooo annoyink!! Ah, well. There oughtta be at least a couple of Computer Guys at the Party, so I should be able to get the problem solved this weekend ... I hope!

So yesterday I was able to get two more rooms set up -- Cara's Den will be the 'Dance & Music Room', and Aidan's Den can be the 'Play Room', since all our Parties are 'Family Friendly'. It's hard for parents to find a Sitter for their kids, and we love to see all the children, and there's plenty of room for them, so it's nice to have everyone come on out.

Dwight has been working away madly at the Bar -- he got the Top Bar Tiled last night -- looks fantastic. That new Green and Silver Marbled Tile that he got is gorgeous! When you're Tiling a Countertop or a Bathroom Wall, you use a product that is ready-made called 'Mastik', so it's less time consuming -- you don't have to spend so much time mixing the 'Mud' before you can lay the Tile. Dwight figured out a way to get a really close cut with the Tile Cutter (his new favorite tool -- it'll take up to a 24" Tile -- very cool little tool!) -- I'll make that the Tip of the Day!

We had a Chinook Wind blow in last night, so now it's warm enough to put the Water in the Hot Tub. We haven't turned it on, yet, so we needed to wait for a relatively 'warm' day (anything above Freezing is a warm day here!! ha,ha!) to fill the Hot Tub, just in case there's any problem with the Jets or the Motor. It's a 10 Man Tub, so I think it's a bigger system than we've had before -- our other Hot Tubs were the 8 Man Tubs, so this one is a foot bigger all around. I'd like to get the Water in before the Party, since I've already told some of our friends to bring their Bathing Suits! ha,ha,ha! (Good way to get to know your friends better! ha,ha,ha!)

Hey, I'm watching The Wayne Brady Show while I'm writing this, and they just mentioned Calgary and Banff! That's cool that Wayne has been up here! You know what's funny when you start watching these Morning Shows? They begin to feel like your new best friends! I'd have any one (or all!!) of them over for a Cup of Tea and a Biscuit anytime!! ha,ha!

Tip of the Day: This is another Tiling Tip, and one that Dwightie just figured out last night! He says that if you want to get a really Close Cut, put a piece of Duct Tape on either side of the Tile where you're going to cut it (the Cut line). The way you usually do it is to make a pencil or marker mark on either side of the Cut Line, but when you need a really close cut, the Duct Tape is the way to go.

Well, let me go get you some nice shots of Alberta! And here's a website you might like to have a peak at -- I met these guys at the Calgary Outdoors Show. www.rockymountainliving.com

Now here's your 'Daily Pics Fix'!!

I was going to put on some of the Pictures from Elbow River Falls, because they're so gorgeous and smack of Alberta, but then I happened upon these two shots of the Last Chinook Cloud. It used to really freak me out when I first moved here -- the Chinook Cloud is a long Flat Cloud, but it arches right across the Western Sky. In most of the rest of the World, a long flat cloud marks a possible Twister, but here the Arched Cloud means that the warm winds are blowing in, and our snow will melt! YaaHoo!! So everybody loves when this Cloud rolls in!

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Thanks for coming in for a wee visit! Bring a cup of Tea to the computer (or Gin, I don't know all your secrets ... yet!! ha,ha,ha!) and it'll be like we're in the room together!!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!!

 

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Thursday, November 27th. Hey, Baby-Cakes! Honey Pie! Sugar Dumpling! It's the Day for Eating, so why not start now with some nice little names?? ha,ha,ha! Are you having a fabulous Thanksgiving? Poking around the house, back with your Family and Friends, maybe even having a nap later... see how your day goes!

You know, that crazy Explorer thing is still in my computer, so it keeps shutting me down -- incredibly annoyink!! I just lost a whole section -- I should have saved it every second word!! Anyway, I was telling you about all the stuff I still need to do before our Holiday Party on Sunday, and all the stuff I got, yesterday to keep people fed and 'happy' (yep, cases and cases of Alcohol!! ha,ha!) at the party.

Hey, I found some new Alcohol that I didn't even know existed until I was milling around the Liquor Store, yesterday. I had lots of extra time because when I arrived at the Doctors for my 'Pap test', they said my appointment was the day before, but the other Receptionist had told me the wrong day, then didn't call to confirm ... intensely annoyink since Dwight took some time off to stay with Aidan, and I had taken Cara out of school since she had an appointment, too...plus, I hate to waste a Doctor's time -- they're sooo busy, you want to get there right on time...and on the right day! It had taken me over a year to find a Doctor out here (we're just outside the city...), then 3 months to get the Appointment -- now a new one is scheduled for January 16th. What a pain in the shirt! Ah, well. At least I have an appointment -- many folks up here can't get in to see a doctor at all. That's the reality of the Canadian Health Care System.

Back to my little 'New Liquor Story'! I found some 'Vanilla Rum'! Have you ever heard of that? I've had Vanilla Liqueur, but not the Rum version. So of course I bought a giant bottle! My big plan is to put it out beside the Hot Apple Cider along with the Spiced Rum. I think that a little of the Spiced Rum and a Little of the Vanilla Rum mixed in with the Apple Cider ought to taste like Apple Pie, so I'm willing to be the 'Tester' -- as many 'Tests' as it takes to get the Drink right! ha,ha,ha,ha!

I actually got two big cases of Wine and a nice Variety of Other Drinks, including another Bottle of Godet -- it's a White Chocolate Liqueur -- have you tried it, yet? It's delicious! I really, really wanted to have a wee 'nip' of the Godet, yesterday after my very frustrating 'Doctor Episode', but wouldn't you know it -- I couldn't get the stoooopid bottle open! Aaaah! Then wight couldn't open it, and when Cara got home from School, she wanted to give it a try. No luck, so it's in the Cupboard waiting for a really strong guy to come over to open the bottle for me! ha,ha,ha!

Tip of the Day: Well, it's a 'Diet' Tip, since so many people worry about what they're going to eat, and how much, at Thanksgiving. My big Tip is to forget about all 'The Rules' and enjoy your Holiday Festivities any way you want to. It's not true that one day will ruin your physique -- that's ridiculous! Fuhgetaboutit!! It's never about 'One Meal' -- the problems happen when it's every meal, and quite a few snacks in between ... although I am definitely a 'snack girl'!! That's why I had to come up with the Apple Crumble Recipe, which is deeeeelicious, if you haven't tried it, yet.

Oh, yeah. Since this is 'Pie Day', followed by a 'Pie Weekend' (with any luck!!), try my 'Easy Schmeasy Pie Crust' ... it's delicious and Cholesterol-friendly -- not bad for any 'diet', either! (And you know how I feel about 'dieting'!! ha,ha!) Now, you'll need to 'scroll down' the Tips and Recipes Page, until I can figure out how to fix that, but it'll be worth it!!

Okay, one more thing -- I used to be dead set against using a Scale to weigh yourself -- I knew too many people who would let the number on the scale determine how they felt about themselves, which is awful. So I used to think it was better just to keep track of yourself 'in the mirror', so-to-speak. Now I realize that it's good to have a nice in-between, where you keep track of your shape in the mirror (check yourself out!!), and occasionally weigh yourself on an accurate scale. I think if I had done that in my first year in Calgary, I would have caught the weight gain earlier, then it would have been easier to deal with. And never worry yourself about a normal weight fluctuation of 5 to 10 pounds... but if you see yourself go above that, start eating the Apple Crumble and get yourself back on track. Or just eat it for General Health!! It's tasty either way!

Now let me go get you some pictures!

Here's yo' 'Daily Pics Fix'!!

Here's Aidan on my Total Gym -- I keep it behind the Couch, which is in front of the TV, of course! I love having my favorite Exercise Equipment in clear view and in a convenient location -- they get a lot more play, that way!! ha,ha!

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The Third Picture is the Kitchen 'Where da Party be at'!! Can't wait!! Now, must get some more cleaning done ... see you tomorrow!!

Thanks for coming in for a wee visit!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!!

And Happy Thanksgiving!!

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Wednesday, November 26th. Hi, Honey! Welcome Home!! Are you getting ready to Travel, today, or are you the lucky recipient of lots of Guests for the Thanksgiving Weekend? I used to love Thanksgiving in the States -- it's very different from the Thanksgiving up here in Canada. I was always amazed at what a major Holiday Thanksgiving was -- it's one of the few Holidays that absolutely everybody can celebrate, and it showed! At best, we get together and have a nice Family Dinner, but down in the States it was a whole long weekend of travelling, seeing friends and family, and many, many dinners... much bigger and better! So Happy Thanksgiving to all of my wonderful American Readers!!

Dwight has been working away diligently on the Bar, and it looks great! I think it may be done in time for the 'Big Party' on Sunday! He brought home a whole lot of the new 17" X 17" Marbled Tile, and it looks fabulous, so we'll probably lay that, tonight. Dwight put in an extra Electrical Outlet under the Bar so the new little Bar Fridge could slip into the Cabinetry with no wires showing. Looks great! There are quite a few 'computer people' coming to our Party on the Weekend, so hopefully I'll be able to commandeer at least one of them into my Office to see if we can't sort out the problems with my Computer and Video Camera, then I'll be able to show you the up-to-date pictures of the House.

Oh, yeah. Remember how I was telling you about some of the Companies I met at the Log Home Show in Calgary, Alberta? Well, here's another site you might like to check out -- www.hamptontimber.com -- their homes are spectacular. It's always good to see different styles of Homes to see what you really love.

Hey, did you catch The O.C. on Monday, or do you watch it on Wednesday Night? It's a great episode, but I won't say much more than it's an incredibly well written, acted and shot Show -- you won't want to miss it!

There, I had to kick Aidan AND Dwight out of my Office! Everywhere I go I have a little 'following'! Ah, well. And now here's Tia on my leg, waiting for me to play with her!

Today is 'Pap' day -- all the important tests in one week! Good to get them over with, and make sure all is well, right?! And I guess it's a little reminiscent of Thanksgiving! ha,ha,ha! These are the medical tests that can save your life, so make an appointment, if you've been putting it off!

Tip of the Day: It's a Driving Tip, for all the Travellers this Holiday Weekend.A really lovely Secretary at my old High School in Los Angeles told me this one morning when I was running late. I was really upset about it, and she said with amazing calmness that there was absolutely nothing so important that I should risk my life to get there. That might seem obvious to some, but I hear her words in my head whenever I'm tempted to pull into Traffic when really I should wait, just to save a few minutes. It's never, ever worth the risk. And for anyone who worries excessively about what other drivers think of you, always put your own safety before someone else's convenience. They can wait, too. Not in a crazy "Maybe I'll be turning in 15 minutes" kind of way...just drive with extra care and get yourself there safely!

Now here's your 'Daily Pics Fix'!!

Here are some really nice Sunset Shots, and one Sunrise Shot! Pretty, eh? I took all the pictures from the house! Not a bad place to live, at all!

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Thanks for Swingin' In! See you tomorrow!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

 

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Tuesday, November 25th. Hello, Darling! Can you believe it's only a month before Christmas?? See, it's not too early for me to have my Christmas Tree up!! It looks gorgeous, and it's wonderful to click it on in the morning -- brightens up the day from the very beginning!

I've been going through some of my old paperwork, lately, sorting things out, and wouldn't you know I found a ton of information about Log Homes, which I love. This house was originally planned to be a Log Home, but it works with any Exterior Finish (ours is Stucco), but I'll give you a good link to see a gorgeous Log Home. I met these guys at a Log Home Show in Calgary, Alberta, and their Show Home in their 'Hand-out' is stunning -- their Site is www.nevilog.com. I'll go through my pile of info and give you some more Log Home Sites, since they are a lot of fun to check out. Even if you're just dreaming about a home like that, in some deeply wooded setting, it's fun to check them out. Dreaming is good, right?? Otherwise, how would we know what we really wanted? ha,ha!

I've been going room-to-room this past week, making sure everything is going to be ready for the Party on Sunday. Today I'm going to figure out how I should rearrange Cara's Den to make it great for Dancing. It's a great big room, so I think I'll just push all the Furniture to the Sides and set up a table in there for Treats and the Music. And, of course, the Strobe Lights! Dwight is, surprisingly enough, opposed to this idea, so I'll set it up and close the door -- he'll never notice... and then the kids can have a lot of fun, too! I hope I can sneak into the 'Dance Room', too -- that might be one of the best rooms!!

Aidan has been running around making Forts all over the House, so the trick, this week, is to keep the 'Forts' to a minimum. Everytime I ask him to tidy up the area he's 'working' in, he says,"Yes, Sir!", quickly followed by "...but I'm not a clean-up boy, I'm a Scientist!" And lately he's been calling me 'Towel Boy' when he's in the bath -- so, of course I shout back (because I'm in the kitchen doing the dishes when he's in the bath -- there's a clear path so I can see him (he's 4!) -- "I'm a GIRL!" So now he calls me "Oh, towel boy-girl!" Ah, well! That's not the first time I've been called 'Sir'! I think it's funny and sweet, because I've taught many students over the years who have called me 'Sir' -- they just see it as a word of respect, and no gender is attached to it, so it's okay with me! And always good for a laugh!! ha,ha!

Tip of the Day: It's a Tree Lighting Tip! Do yourself a big favor, this year, if you haven't done this before, and get a Multiple Plug in Bar with a Foot Switch so you can put all your Christmas Tree Lights into the one Power Bar, then you can switch it on with your foot in the Morning or at night. Much easier than struggling behind the Tree to plug the thing in -- everything to make your life easier!!

Oh, yeah. You know a little trick to give your Christmas Tree more 'depth'? Put Ornaments on the inside Branches. The usual way to Decorate a Tree is to put the Ornaments on the very edge of the Tree Branches, but as soon as you add more color and sparkle to the interior of the Tree, you bring out the whole thing. I always put really sparkly SnowFlake Ornaments right in the center of the tree -- the lights reflect on them and they're absolutely gorgeous!

Now let me go get you some new pics!

And now for your Daily 'Pics Fix'!!

Well, I'm always making reference to Dwight, Aidan and Tia, so here they are out in the Garden (Lawn, if you're North American!!) Nice, huh?? ha,ha!

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Well, thanks for coming in for a wee visit! And thank you for Supporting my Site by clicking on my Advertisers, too! I really appreciate that!

See You tomorrow! Feel Free to Bring a Friend!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!!

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Monday, November 24th. Hey, Sweet Thing! Hope you had a great weekend! We got a fair bit of work done around here -- Dwight got the Top of the Bar Screwed and Glued in place, ready for the Tile. I've started counting up how many Wine Bottles (full of wine, of course!!) we have to get enough in for the Party this Sunday. I'll need to make some trips into 'Town' (!) to get all the Food and stuff.

I still have that incredibly annoying thing in my computer that keeps shutting it down in the middle of my work! It comes up as 'Explorer', then shuts the cursor down -- anybody else out there in computerland experiencing this? What an annoyink little bug!

Man, there's a lot to do, this week. I'll need to get outside and put the Lights on the Trees, and hopefully have time to wrape the Pillars with the Ribbon Lights. I found 6 Brand New Boxes of them in the Storage Room when I went in to get the Tree. I must have bought them last year, and couldn't get Dwight to put them up -- one year we hired The Light Kings, and they were great, but I don't think Dwight will go for that, this year...

Wow, Wayne Brady has the cutest little dog on, this morning -- 'Sweetie' -- this dog can do math -- no quantum physics, but still, that's a lot more than our wee Tia does!! And Ellen had Bernie Mac on -- I love him -- he's hilarious! I wonder what happened to his Show -- hope it starts again, soon. I have to assume it was not in a good spot, so hopefully we'll see it back on the Air very soon!

Let me post this to the Site before my computer shuts down, again...

Wel, since my stooopid computer shut off, again, I took the opportunity to run upstairs to make myself a quick bowl of my favorite Apple Crumble. It reminded me of a little trick I just learned to open jars, since I needed a new jar of Applesauce (Unsweetened, of course!). So that'll be today's tip! Hey, if you've been enjoying the Apple Crumble for a while, now, and have lost some weight, or seen a noticeable difference in your cholesterol level, drop me a line and we'll post all of our success stories on the Site! Won't that be fun?? It's great for Weight Maintenance and then just for General Health. Plus, it's really tasty!

Oh, hey. Since Thanksgiving is coming up, this week, you could make up a giant batch in a large pan -- just use the applesauce if you're in a hurry.... or regular sliced Apples if you have plenty of time...Your guests will be very impressed! ha,ha! Or try the Cheesecake, which is delicious, or the Peach Pie, which is unbelievably fabulous...

Yahoo! The O.C. is on, tonight! The sun sets at 4:30 p.m., now (!), so great TV brightens up our nights!!

And I put the Christmas Tree up over the Weekend, so I click on the Lights in the Morning, too, so it's more pleasant waking up in the pitch black! Maybe I'll have time to get some Ornaments on the Tree, then it'll look complete!

Tip of the Day: To open a stubborn Jar lid (and soooo many of them have an attitude, right??), gently tap the lid against a hard surface until you hear a 'pop'. That's the vacuum release, then the lid will open easily. Why, it only took me 40 years to learn that, too! But, you learn it, then pass it along... it's all in the 'better late than never' category of information!

Let me go get you some new pictures!!

And now for your 'Daily Pics Fix'!!

This is a funny little picture, because it's of the Deer Family through the 'Sunlight Panel' in the Front Door!

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And there's Aidan in the Front Entry Bathroom, right beside the 'door with the view'! The last picture is to show you the height in that Bathroom -- man, I love a Vault!! Too bad I don't have a shot of the Window in that Bathroom -- I love the Gold Curtains in there, but I think I didn't take the picture because I was mad at Dwight for not putting the Holdbacks for the Drapes up! ha,ha! Ah, well -- must make him do that!!

Thanks for Coming in for a wee visit! See you tomorrow!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!!

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Sunday, November 23rd. Hey, Baby Cakes! How you doin'?? I'm hoping that you, too, had a great night last night, so you couldn't get up early this morning to turn on your computer...! Dwight's watching a Chevy Chase Marathon on TV, so that gives me time to work on the computer -- and watch the Marathon, too!! Chevy Chase used to go to the same Video Store that I went to when I lived in Santa Monica, California, so that was cool...

We went out for Dinner, last night, to this great new Restaurant in Calgary -- Sopranos -- yep, it's named after our favorite Show! That's how we found it in the first place! But the food is fabulous and the ambience is very nice... and they had a Frank Sinatra-like Singer there, performing -- and he was really good, too! Very nice start to the evening. Then we headed over to the Annual Queen's University Christmas Wine & Cheese, which is always nice. It's good to keep in touch with your Fellow Alumni -- it's always an interesting Group, and you'll already have something in common -- you all went to the same School! (Well, that was painfully obvious!! ha,ha!)

So here's what I'm really thinking about, today. The Age of Majority Laws ... I really don't understand why we don't have one age across North America -- 18 across the board. It makes zero sense to me (and, oh, about a zillion others...) that an 18 year old can Graduate from High School, Go to College or Hold Down a Full-time Job, Drive,Vote, Get Married, Have Children, Go Off to War, but NOT have a Drink. The whole notion that you can pick up a Gun, but not a Beer, is ludicrous.

I like the European Model of letting your children 'sample' drinking at home with the parents, so they learn how to have a Social Drink, so that when the finally do reach the Age of Majority, they don't go absolutely mad and drink themselves into a stupor. Maybe if alcohol was not held over their heads like a big ol' carrot, they would enter into Adulthood with less of a need to go crazy when they got there. If we could teach our kids Moderation at a time when we still have some say over what they do (before they leave the nest...), I think we'd have a much better chance to keep our kids on track, later. We could all follow the Greek Model of 'Everything in Moderation' -- well, not everything, but at the very least, Drinks...

Looks like we're going to get some more work done on the Bar, today. Dwight found a new Tile that he wants to use, so we'll lay that out to see what it'll look like, first. We always make the 'Top Bar' 18" Wide instead of the more Standard 12" Wide -- it allows for a lot more room to put a Drink or Plate on the Top Bar without the risk of spilling.

Tip of the Day: The 'spilling' thing brings me to the 'Tip of the Day' for Parties -- Dwight is beside himself with worries about people spilling -- he doesn't deal well with stuff like that. I solve this problem with always having a Spray Bottle with the Oxy-Clean Mixture all ready made up -- and then I put one on each Floor, so any little spills can immediately be cleaned up. That stuff is truly miraculous -- it'll take out any stain you can imagine, so you can relax and just enjoy your Party (or life in general!!). You can even add it to a Steam Cleaner when you're really Deep Cleaning your Carpets, and it'll make them incredibly clean!

Now let me go get you some nice fresh pictures!

And now for your 'Daily Pics Fix'!!

Here's where a good portion of the Party will take place -- who doesn't love a Kitchen Party??

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Thanks for popping in for a wee visit! See you tomorrow!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!!

 

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Saturday, November 22nd. Hi, Honey! Did you get to sleep in, today? Hope so! Well, I went for my very first Mammogram, yesterday, and I'm so glad that I did. If you have to go in but have been putting it off (or know someone who does...), go ahead and make it a priority. I had a lovely Nurse-Technician, Maha, who made the whole procedure much easier. She put me completely at ease, explained how the X-Ray Machine worked (good information!), and was just remarkably kind. Thanks, Maha!

The whole thing only took about five minutes, and each X-Ray lasts for about 2 seconds -- that's the teensiest amount of time for a Test that can Save Your Life! They had a Video playing in the Dressing Room, so I watched that while I was waiting for my turn, and they had a website at the end of the video, so check out www.breastcancerinfo.com if you have any questions that you'd like answered about Breast Cancer Awareness -- they have a great method for Self-Detection, which, despite the crazy news item last year where they said Self-Exams weren't important (!)... can you imagine that?? Please, when information comes out that flies in the face of common sense, follow your gut instinct and forget the stories.

Man, it is absolutely freezing outside -- beautiful, but freezing! It went to -30 Degrees Celsius (ludicrously cold, if you're not familiar with Celsius!). This weather ususally starts in January or February, but here we are in November with 30 Below!! Ugh! We're all waiting for a Chinook to roll through -- they are the wonderful warm winds that blow in over the Mountains. I'll take a picture of the Cloud Structure for a Chinook, since it looks pretty cool!

Dwight has been working away on the Bar all week. I went out to the garage to help him cut the Top Piece of wood before we tile the Countertop. The Bar looks fantastic! Can't wait for my computer to 'get better' so I can get the brand new pictures for you!

Tip of the Day: This is a 'lumber-cuttin' Tip!! When you are the one who 'catches' the lumber when it goes through the Table Saw (the great big Saw), just level the wood (don't really move it up or down, unless the person feeding the wood through the saw tells you to...) but you can pull the smaller piece that is on the right hand side (the throw away piece...) outwards. This helps the lumber to move easily past the Saw Blade. I just learned that last summer, and now I think about it whenever I'm holding the lumber! Oh, yeah. And don't bother 'catching' the wood until it's about 6" from the fast-moving Belt -- that could result in a terrible injury, and no project is worth that...no matter what the person feeding the wood through the saw says ... just ignore them, and do like me! ha,ha,ha! So here's my new Safety Tip: Better Safe than Married! ha,ha! No, no. Just kidding! But Dwight can find a new helper if he thinks I won't worry about safety just to make him slightly happier!! (You gotta be extra kind to the 'Free Labor'!!) (Actually, I just had to kick Dwight out of my Office -- I like to be alone when I'm writing -- especially about him! ha,ha,ha!)

Aidan is running after Dwight, asking, "What's an Amp-Probe?" Yep, just your typical Saturday Morning banter between a father and his son! ha,ha! (An Amp-Probe' is a device for checking Electricity. I had to listen for the answer, too!! ha,ha!) Dwight is working away on the Bar, today, and Aidan just said to him, "Oh, Daddy. You're so helpful." He's very dead-pan about the whole thing -- hilarious! I can hear and see them through my Office, which is on the far side across from them.

Okay, let me go grab you some new pics!

And now for your 'Daily Pics Fix'!!

Well, there's where all the work happens! ha,ha! Thank God it's such a beautiful Office, since I spend sooooo much time in it!! In the Third Picture, just past Dr. Phil (!), you can see the Bare Bones of the Bar. That's when it was still at the Framing Stage. Now it's almost finished, so it'll be fun to show you the 'Finished Project'! Maybe you'd like to come over for a wee Drink -- make good use of the Bar!! ha,ha!

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Thanks for swingin' in! See you tomorrow!!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!!

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Well, well, well ... Guess what's back?? That's right -- The Stock Market! We pulled our money out of the Market to Build This House, since this is our Big Investment, right now, but when we sell the house, we'll be ready to get back into the Stock Market. Over the years, Dwight has done very well with Banking Stock, so if you believe in your own Bank, go ahead and Buy some of their Stock. You Bank there -- and you know tons of other people who Bank there... really, it's just numbers math... Generallly, it boils down to 'How much do we need this Product or Service', and how long will it stay around ... many of them will be around for our Lifetime (I'm thinking Oil & Gas...), so those are usually a fairly Safe Bet, so-to-speak!

I would have a look at the 'Tried & True' Big Stocks, Pharmaceuticals, Anything Produce-related, the Internet (yep, I think it's on the upswing...), anything Energy-related -- especially 'New Energy' (Wind and Hydrogen Based...), and then the old 'Buy What You Like' Theory... If there's a Product that you always Buy, or a Place where you always Shop, see if they have a Stock and Buy it. You don't have to have a massive amount of money to get into the Market, either, but you should use 'expendable funds' -- money that you can essentially 'play with'...not your Grocery or Rent Money!! ha,ha! Of course, if you're still Renting, it's probably wise to Buy a Home of Your Own before you Invest in the Stock Market. Everything is 'siutational' though -- sometimes Renting is the only functional option, so in that case, go aheaad and Invest! Good Luck!!

 

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Friday, November 21st. Hey, Baby! What up, Dawg?? ha,ha!Well, did you see Survivor, last night? My Boy Rupert had to go -- he was too big, too strong, and frankly, toward the end, just a tad too crazy...! Have you noticed that as soon as people on Survivor indicate that they are'The Puppet Master', all hell breaks loose and they're voted out? Ah, that crazy rush of Power! ha,ha!

I though Darrah and her barely detectable personality would have gone, last night, if Rupert had one the Immunity... hey, do you know someone like Darrah (or what we know of her from her limited time on camera -- Thank Goodness, or the Show would put you to sleep...). It's a shame to think that a person could get through life without any response to it. Maybe I think that because I don't 'get' people who don't have a reaction to anything -- they're just too dull for me to bother with. I love people who are 'story tellers', because they not only have a response, they put their own personal twist to it!!

I have to qucikly 'post' little bits and peices of my Daily Updates before my computer freezes up on me again -- soooo annoyink!! Hopefully, I'll be able to solve the problem, then get back to normal... thanks for bearing with me!

So I started putting the Christmas Tree up, yesterday -- man, that is a long process, especially when you're doing a million other things at the same time. I put the Base and the Top Section on (that's right -- it's a fakie!!), came down to my Office to do some more work on my computer, and when I went back upstairs, Aidan had taken over and put an interesting variety of branches on the Tree. And One Lone Ornament! Hilarious! He's soooo cute! Aidan loves Christmas.And we found the 'little Tree' - it's one of the Pre-lit 3' Trees, so Aidan put that up in his Bedroom, since Cara has a full-blown Christmas Tree up in HER Bedroom!! Now their rooms match, and that's so very important!!

I'm going in for my very first Mammogram, this afternoon. I turned 40 last March, and I just found out recently that the new thing is to start doing Annual Mammograms at 40. Who knew? I thought it would start at 45, but I'm very pleased that the Medical Community has changed the Age Requirement. I'm actually a little anxious about it, but I'll tell you how it went, tomorrow. Now, if you haven't been in for a Mammogram (and you is A chick...!! And just for the Record, it's often very entertaining for me to just 'talk wrong' every now and then... it's important to know the difference, though, or else we're just a big ol' pile of morons... ha,ha,ha!), go see your Doctor and get yourself in for a Check-up, if you happen to be in the Age Range (40 Plus...). Some States start at 35 -- and if, God Forbid, you ever felt a lump of any kind, get in immediately. Not all lumps are the same, so better to find out early -- at least it'll put your mind at ease.

Tip of the Day: Okay, this is a 'Breast Check Tip', and I think both Men and Women can benefit from this, possibly in more ways than one, but that would have to be consensual, and I barely know you...anyhooo, it involves my favorite Hand Cream, Lubriderm. If you've already had chilren, you might already do this, and it's quite a bit like the 'Soap in the Shower' method of doing a Breast Check. The Tip is to take a fair bit of Lubriderm Cream (or your own favorite cream!) and use that to moisturize and check at the same time, your Breasts. No kidding. It could save your life, so at the risk of everyone being a little uncomfortable (or not!! ha,ha!), it's worth sharing that! Don't forget that men can get Breast Cancer, too, so they should not be left out of all the fun!

Oh, and remember to eat lots and lots of Broccoli, Cauliflower and Brussel Sprouts -- luckily, three of my favorite Veggies!!

Okay, let me go get you some pics!

And now for your 'Daily Pics Fix'!!

These are the Trees across the Street -- gorgeous, ain't they??

You know what? I love all these pictures in a Group like this -- looks like something I would put on a Wall!!

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The picture in the middle is from the South end of our Property looking back toward the House. When you enlarge the picture, you'll be able to see the Sunroom at the end of the House before the Sunroom Deck was built. It was a really Frosty Morning, and I was out taking Tia for a wee walk (in the days before 'The 100' Rope'!), and the Light was amazing, so I ran backinto the house to grab my Camera and took this great shot. Man, I loooove my Video Camera! It's a JVC, in case you're wondering -- it takes Video and Still Shots -- perfect for me!

Thanks for coming by for a wee visit! See you tomorrow!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!!

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Thursday, November 20th. Good Morning, Sunshine!! Hope you make a fortune, today! And then every day after that!!! ha,ha,ha! Hey, did you notice I made 'fortune' in green? It's supposed to be a lucky 'money' color...and wouldn't you know I'm wearing Green, today?? Have you ever looked into the Study of Color? It's fascinating, really. When you change the color of your Outfit, you can change how you feel and how others perceive you. Cool, huh? Well, the same thing applies to your Home. There are some colors that are very soothing, and others that just annoy you .. so you wwant to steer toward the calming colors for your House.

The main color in our house is Snowdrift Suede, which is the easiest color I have ever used, and we love it. It goes with everything -- I particularly like it as a backdrop to varying shades of Green (Sage to Forest Green...) and the Wine Colors (and not just to match the spills, either! ha,ha,ha!). And it goes beautifully with the Maple Cabinetry, too!

Ugh. this stooopid computer is acting up, again! It looks like it's an 'Error 424', whatever that is! I'll be working away and the next thing you know, the cursor won't move, then it disappears... oi! So Annoyink!!

Back to the Topic -- Paint Color (or "What should you wear, today?" for your own 'personal colors'... remember when that was really popular?!) The main thing to keep in mind when you're choosing a new color for your current home or a brand new one is to consider the Resale Value. If you plan to live in the house forever, go mad -- anything goes, providing you have plenty of Gravol... just kidding -- I'm sure you have lovely taste! ha,ha! But if you're like me and can't see yourself in any particular house for more than 5 years (that's a stretch for me!!), stick with relatively conservative colors.

A great way to see whether you like some of the 'new' colors in a large area, go check out some nice new Show Homes. That's fun to do, anyway, but take careful note of the Wall colors, and think of whether it's a color you could easily live with for a good chunk of time.

My wonderful friend, Kim, who is an amazing Decorator, once painted her whole Dining Room a deep Cranberry Color, and it was stunningly gorgeous. You can go with a really strong color in one room, or on one wall, sometimes... Each room has it's own Character -- you'll get a good feel for each room, then you can decide on the color. Hey, I think Para Paints has a program where you can take a picture of your Room and/or House and key it into the computer -- then you can 'try on' lots of colors at the click of a button. Cool, eh?? I'll see if I can find that for you. Ask at your Local Department Store or Home Improvement Shop.

Man, did you watch that annoying Bob the Bachelor, last night?! Ugh. Cara and I were disgusted! And not just because he kept kissing Estella with the giant Cold Sore -- yuck!! Why didn't someone give that poor girl an Aspirin?? Must make that my Tip of the Day!! Really, a 'Friendship Ring'?? Are we back in High School, already?? "Here. Put this on your Right Hand ... maybe I'll call ya'..." Why not just a long Engagement, to be broken at a later date?

You know what my take on it is? I think that Bob is a Mover and a Shaker, now, what with his new pals, Oprah and Ellen (I wish I were so lucky!! ha,ha!), who knows how many more women he can 'Meet & Greet', so-to-speak! And what if Hugh Hefner happens to call him to invite him over to the House for little 'Get-Together'?? ha,ha,ha! Ah, well... our sweet little Bob has turned into a playah'!!

Tip of the Day: I wish someone had given this Tip to poor little Estella and her lip before the Final Show of The Bachelor! The Tip is to Dissolve an Aspirin in enough water to 'melt' it. Then put that Dissolved Aspirin directly on the Cold Sore. You can double the efficacy by mixing the Dissolved Aspirin with a wee bit of any over-the-counter Anti-Viral Gel. I make Dwight do this at the slightest sign of a 'lip problem', and it totally works!! Share this Tip with anyone you think might need to know it -- just say it casually... it's the sort of 'water-cooler' conversation everybody loves! ha,ha,ha! "Say, Bob, about that cold sore..." And now that's probably accurate! yuff, yuff!

Let me go get you some pics!!

Here's your Daily 'Pics Fix'!

I'm having the worst time getting pictures onto the site with this crazy Error 424... must figure out how to fix that! But here's a shot of my Kitchen (part of it...) where you can really see the Wall Color, and how nicely it matches the Maple Cabinetry.

Thanks for coming by! See you, tomorrow!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!!

 

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Wednesday, November 19th. Hey, Sweet Thing!! How you doin'?? Well, tonight's Bachelor Bob's Big Night! Are you following The Bachelor? Cara and I are addicted to it -- and I'm really gonna miss that house -- I looove the Blue Up-Lighting! It started snowing, again, last night, and it's supposed to snow until Friday (yep, that's a lot of snow!!), so we are soooooo thankful for great TV!! I love Ed & Bob 'Date Night'!! It's all very entertaining!

Man, my computer is screwing up left, right and center, this morning... I've lost my work three times, already! Annoyink! Well, in the stuff I lost, I was just telling you that it's a good thing I cleaned out the Hot Tub, yesterday, because it started snowing last night, and is still snowing, now. Apparently, it's going to snow for another 3 days... good thing it's sooo pretty!!

Tip of the Day: Thought I'd better get this in before my computer goes down, again! You know how you're in the bathroom, and the Waste Basket is overflowing, so you step on it to squish the hankies down so you won't have to go all the way back to the kitchen to get a big Garbage Bag? Then eventually, days and days later, you try to make yourself remember to get the stooopid garbage bag, and finally put the garbage out... So the Tip is to put a couple of Big Garbage Bags in each Bathroom, so there's one handy when you actually need it. Only took me 40 years to figure that one out!! Ha,ha!

Let me go get you some pics!

Here's your 'Daily Pics Fix'!

This crazy computer is driving me up the wall, today... but here's some Deer Pictures I took from our Sunroom Windows. It's incredible the way the Deer can camouflage themselves so well -- peer into the Trees to see them!

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Thanks for popping in for a wee visit! See you tomorrow!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!!

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Tuesday, November 18th. Hey, Good Lookin'!! Hope you're having a great day, so far! I have a very exciting day planned -- yep, I'll be cleanin' out the Hot Tub! I know, I know. You're jealous... you'd like to clean stuff all day long, too... You know, that crazy Dwight -- if he could get me to clean 24/7, then he'd be happy! Site, Schmite ...ain't there some cleanin' to do?? (Okay, that's not really what Dwight sounds like, but I happen to enjoy giving his voice into a Hillbilly tone, just for my own amusement...! ha,ha!)Ugh. But I am happy enough to clean out the Hot Tub, because the New Hot Tub Cover arrived in, yesterday, and it's gorgeous! We had it Custom made in Teal to match the Tub. Remember the little fight Dwight and I had over how to draw the Arc for the Corners, so the Tub Cover would fit perfectly? Well, we finally came to an agreement over how it was to be done (I let Dwight do it!! ha,ha!), and I have never seen a better fit on a Hot Tub Cover. It's really fabulous!

Ty Pennington, the incredibly talented Carpenter from Trading Spaces, is on Wayne Brady, today. He has a new book out, so I'll have to get you the link for that -- looks like he has a section on How to Build a Waterfall, so that would be good to know. Plus, he's really good-looking, so you could just look at the pictures -- you don't even have to read it! ha,ha,ha!

I really have to get the Invites out for our Big Holiday Party. I was sure we had three weeks until the big day, but it's only two weeks awasy, so better get on that! Then I'll start cleaning!!

Hey, did you see The O.C. last night, or do you catch it on Wednesday? Man, Cara and I love that show -- it's hilarious, and I happen to love their house -- surprise, surprise! And they have the same Wall Colors as us in their Hallway (this is the sort of information I get out of many a TV Show!! When I watch Survivor, I desperately want to jump in and show them how to build a decent structure!! ha,ha!). Anyway, everytime I watch it, I'm more and more anxious to return to my old life in California -- it's a great place to live. I was constantly amazed by the sheer amount of stuff that you can do, and how incredibly cheap it was to jump on a plane and head somewhere else...it's the perfect 'pivot place'. Plus, I love the Ocean -- it's endlessly beautiful.

Well, I guess I better get on with the Hot Tub Cleaning! It's full of ice, from the crappy weather we've been having, and it looks like we're in for another Snow Storm, tomorrow, so must get to that, today. And if there's any time left, I'm thinking of getting a start on Putting Up the Christmas Tree. It's time to put the Tree up when it's still pitch black an hour after I get up in the morning...!

Tip of the Day: Put your Chritmas Tree up in Stages -- it won't seem nearly as daunting. You can take your time and add a layer whenever you have a minute, then it'll be done some time before Christmas! I always start with putting the giant lights that Dwight insists on having on the Tree, in the middle, close to the 'core' ... oh, it's an Artificial Tree -- not only am I horribly allergic to real trees, I'd rather look at a real tree in a forest than in someone's living room...but each to his own, right?? I know the Season just isn't the same for lots of folks who love to have the Fresh Scent of Pine in their home. Anyway, it means I have no time-frame whatsoever for how long I leave the Tree up, and that totally works for me!! If you didn't see the pictures from Last Years Trees, just scroll down this page and you'll see why love the Tree so very much!!

Oh, yeah. Back to the Tip... I put the Little Twinkly Fairy Lights on next, then the Lights that have Flowers and things attached to them. I take my time putting up the Ornaments, and everyone likes to have a go at that. I love the new Deep Purple and Blue Ornaments -- have you seen them, yet? They're gorgeous! Have a very low resistance to beautiflu, shiny things (if you like Woody Allen, you'll remember his old girlfriend,"W.", the Roller Derby Girl, who also could be amused by shiny objects... little reference to that!!)

Let me go get some Fresh Pics for you! Be right back!!

And now for 'Your Daily Pics Fix'!!

So here's the reason why I have to clean out the Hot Tub, again... That's before the New Hot Tub Cover arrived!! Now I don't mind cleaning the Tub, again, because the Cover will keep it nice and clean!

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Here's a nice 'Snow Shot' from our jaunt out to Elbow River Falls, about 45 minutes from here, in Calgary, Alberta. I just thought you might like to see a nice Snowy Picture!!

 

Thanks for swingin' by for a wee visit! Always lovely to see you! Until tomorrow...

Later, Baby! Ailsa!

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Really, who doesn't looooove a Comfy Bathrobe?? I love mine!!

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Monday, November 17th. Hello. Gorgeous!! How you doin'?? I hope you had a great weekend. Mine was very stressful, when I realized my Site was Down -- funny how something you wouldn't have even known what it meant a few years ago can become a major part in your life, now... I've mentioned before that I'm still pretty new to Computers, so a lot of stuff still eludes me -- luckily, I'm a fast learner -- I just need someone to direct me through it, and I'm all set!

We had a weird thing happen - not 'weird' as in 'aliens arrived unexpectedly', more like 'weird as in annoying'!! ha,ha! No, what happened was just after I was telling our friends who stopped by for a wee visit that we never ever run out of hot water because of the Double Hot Water Tanks, we ran out of Hot Water...and just so you know, the 'Hot Water Tank' conversation didn't come out of no-where -- you can't just break into a normal conversation with some tidbits about Hot Water Tanks (well, Dwight can, but that's a whole other Contractor Story!! ha,ha!). We were downstairs looking at the Furnace Room and all the Cool Tubes that are there for the Radiant Heat System. We pointed out that we have two Water Heaters to provide for enough Hot Water for the In-Floor Radiant Heat, AND any amount of Showers, 'n stuff.

Well, yesterday morning I got up to a Cold Shower -- so I was not happy about that... I came out and told Dwight, who went down to check the Water Heaters, and it turned out that the "Therma-couple" had burnt out. Lucky that Dwight does this sort of thing for a Living! So he took it out, went into town to pick up a new one, then replaced it. Took about 5 minutes to replace and re-light it. Problem solved, and yes, I had a great shower, this morning!! YaaHoo!!

Tip of the Day: Check the "Therma -couple" first if you run out of Hot Water or if your Furnace or Fireplaces go out. It looks like a twisty Copper Wire, and should have a flame. If there is no flame, Dwight says you can just re-light it, but I know that would be outside of my own realm (I don't deal well with the possibility of fire anywhere near me...!). If you don't want to try to re-light it yourself, you can call a Plumber, Heating & Air Conditioning Contractor, and sometimes your Local Gas Company will come out and try to light it for you -- in case there's a gas leak. You don't want to play around with that!

Now, if the "Therma-couple" won't re-light, it needs to be replaced. It's a very inexpensive part -- Dwight picked it up for $7.00, I think. Sometimes he drones on and on about Plumbing Parts, so really I was just listening to get as much information as I needed for YOU, my lovely Reader!! ha,ha,ha,ha! Okay, that last line is mostly for my own amusement, because I'm laughing out loud, now!! ha,ha,ha! Hey, if you can't dis your own spouse, who can you dis?? ha,ha,ha! Is that how you spell 'dis'?? Is is 'diss"?? Whatever!! (Hey, I just checked my Oxford Dictionary, which sits beside me at all times... and apparently it can go either way, like some folks I know, but that's a completely, somewhat more interesting (!) story! ha,ha!)

Anyway, Dwightie says that if you need to call someone in to fix the 'Therma-couple', it would probably cost around $100. including the Service Visit, possible less... It's always good to know what these things cost in advance, right? And you can sound extra knowledgeable when you say on the phone, "I think it's probably the 'Therma-couple..." And just so you know, I had no idea what a "Therma-couple" was before this past weekend -- you never know what you're going to learn, eh?

Okay, let me go get you some nice fresh pictures! Noooooo, not of me in the shower -- although that would be funny (and might sreiously increase my Site Traffic!! And then more people would click onto my advertisers, which would be good for me... Hmmm, sounds like I'm trying to talk myself into it!! ha,ha!) -- but then someone would have to take it -- eeeewww!

And now for your 'Daily Pics Fix'!

There are a couple of reasons I've chosen these pictures -- one is to show you the Hot Tub without the Cover, because Dwight just picked up the new Teal Cover (Nicer than the old Brown one...), and is on his way home with it. I think he's bringing his new employee, Cane, whom he thinks looks like Dean Cane (of Superman Fame...), so Dwight always wants to call him 'Dean'... I'll take a picture of him, of course, then we can all decide for ourselves!!

You can see the Hot Tub without the Cover through the Sunroom, which off our Master Bedroom. See all the snow in it? Poor thing!

The other thing I wanted to show you in the 'Cluster of Plants' that I have in the Sunroom, right beside the Interior Bedroom Window. One, I love an Interior Window (a window that only leads to another room, not the outdoors...), and Two, when you put your Plants in a little 'cluster', it looks like a tiny Jungle, and who doesn't looove that?? ha,ha!

Oh, I see that Aidan must have snuck into that 2nd picture! That's funny -- he wants to be a big star and move to Hollywood. He says he's already been there, and all you need is a ticket to get in!! ha,ha! He also was trying to bargain with Dwight the other day -- Aidan says to Dwight,"Dad, you take me to Smugglers and Disneyland, and I'll massage your back..." Nothing like a fair deal!! Smugglers is Aidan's favorite Restaurant in Calgary -- it's an Adult Steak House!! Funny, eh?? What a kid!

 

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I put the Settee (sofa...) in the Corner, angled so I could get lots of plants behind it. Oh, there's my Steinbeck book on the little Table beside my Reading Spot!

Thanks for coming in for a wee visit! See you tomorrow!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!!

 

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Sunday, November 16th. YaaHooo! I'm back on 'The Air'!! Or The 'Net, as it were! Thanks for hanging in with me, if you were looking for my Site and couldn't find it -- the glitch in the system has been solved, and I'm back on track!! So, hello, Baby!! I hope your weekend has been great!

We really thought we'd get the Grouting done in the Sunroom, but with my Computer Glitch, I had to work on that, then I started on the House Cleaning in preparation for the Party. It'll literally take me a few weeks to get the House all set up for the Party, but it'll be worth it because it's always so much fun! Looks like we'll eaily have over a 100 people, so we should get a lot of stuff to go under our 'Giving Tree' and in the Food Baskets to take down to the Fireman's Fund.

I am really hoping to get the word out on that Party Idea. Just think how much stuff we could all donate if we took one item to a Party (or if you're throwing a Holiday Party, you can have a Giving Tree and/or Baskets...!). Wouldn't that be a huuuge amount of stuff for good causes?? There are all kinds of Groups in need of stuff -- the Fireman's Fund, The Salvation Army, Women's Shelters, Food Banks, Homeless Shelters, Churches...all sorts of Groups you can donate your 'Party Goods' to -- wouldn't that be sooo great! Then we can really enjoy the Holiday Season!

Since we didn't Grout, we had plenty of time to make our Guest List -- it keeps growing and growing. We have plenty of space, so no worries about how many people we invite, which is nice. I made out the Food and Beverage List, so it won't be too much work to get ready for the Party.

Tip of the Day: How to Throw a Great Informal Party!

Here's the stuff I think works well for a Winter Party -- it's all very Festive!

Hot Apple Cider in a Giant Pot, Wok or Crock Pot. Spiced Rum on the Side!! Yummy!

Great Punch, Non-Alcoholic. Vodka on the Side. Float some Sliced Fruit in the Punch -- looks lovely!

A Coffee and Hot Chocolate 'Station'. Baileys on the Side. (My Favorite!!)

A Wine Bar -- I just Set out a Nice Variety of Wine and Lots of Glasses.

A Bar Stocked with Hard Liquor. Mix on the Side (you know ... Pop and stuff!).

Lots and Lots of Ice!

Tons of Finger Foods -- Treats, Cheese & Veggie Platters, Shrimp Rings...

Some 'Real Food' -- I like to Serve Chili & Rolls.

That's about it! Not too hard to put together -- lots of nice Decorations, Napkins, Glasses, 'N All...

Oh, and I always have a Bowl of Cool Treats for the Kids on their way out the door.

Speaking of the Kids (we like 'Family Friendly Daytime Parties...), I set up their Treats and Drinks Downstairs. They can Watch Movies on the Big Screen, Go into the 'Dancing Room', Play with some Toys in Aidan's Den ... that sort of thing.

The Pool Table is Downstairs, so I would imagine their will be a steady group of men (mostly...) playing Pool for the good part of the day, so they can keep an eye on the kids!! YaaHoo!!

Treats for the Children are best if they are individually wrapped, to cut down on any 'cross-contamination', and if you know or have any kids, I think you'll know just what I mean ...! Ha,ha,ha! So Chips, Canned Pop, Small Chocolate Bars (they're eaten before they melt!!) ... it's easy and the kids will love it.

So the big key to the Success of an Informal Party is to have everything pretty much 'Serve It Yourself', that way even if the Host or Hostess has had the 'Mostest', if you know what I mean... the Party can still go on and everyone will have a great time. It's just a whole lot more relaxing for everyone if people can just mingle around freely, and eat and drink whatever they like.

You know a good name for this kind of Party?? A Mingle and Jingle Party! Ha,ha,ha!

So, pass this Giving Tree Idea along to your Friends, Neighbors, Pastors, Teachers ... the more people we get in on this, the more stuff we can give! Hey, we can all take pictures of our Giving Trees, and then I can post them on my Site! Then we can all check out your Living Room, too! Now, that'll be fun!

 

Here's your 'Daily Pics Fix'!!

These are from last Christmas, so you can see we didn't even have the Drapes up, yet, but it's still stunning!! This Great Room is sooo pretty! When the Tree is up, it's hard to get to bed at night, because you just want to curl up with a cup of Tea and watch the lights twinkle away, and listen to some nice Kenny G Christmas CDs!

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There's the Front Entry before I painted the Trim White -- it looked great, too! I really love Christmas -- can you tell? Ha,ha,ha!

Then in the Third Picture, that's my cool 'Bear Table' with Santa's Village on it -- it's hilarious the way it looks like the bear is balancing it on his feet, and gazing into the village ... probably looking for something (...or someone...) to eat! ha,ha! Oh, yeah -- I got that gorgeous Light-up Village set at Costco, the most wonderful of stores!

Oh, hey. I think you can see the Amaryllis in the Foreground of the First Picture. If you have never tried growing one from the Bulb Stage, give yourself a wee treat and grow one this year. If you start them about 6 weeks before Christmas, you should have them in Full Bloom in time for Christmas Day. They're absolutely amazing Flowers, and completely scent-free, for the other allergy-prone folks out there! I have a Link for them on my Books Page.

Click here to Get an Amaryllis!

 

Thanks for swingin' in! See you tomorrow!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!!

 

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Saturday, November 15th. Hi, Honey! How you doin'?? How's your weekend? Good, I hope! Looks like we're going to empty out the Sunroom to get it ready for Grouting -- WooHoo! Finally! Dwight's Dad brought out a bunch of wood for Dwight to continue building the Bar, so I hope that doesn't take precedent... The was we work the Grouting (when we're working on it, together) is Dwight mixes the Grout and puts it on the Floor, then I go in and clean it all off, making sure every Grout Line is really neat and smooth. There's a real art to it, so I enjoy that job a lot, and love the finished look.

That stooopid Videowave is still shutting me out, so I can't transfer my new pics onto the computer -- so annoyink! At least I was able to save the new pics from the Bar Building Process. It's fun to build a Bar -- I should make a new page for that ... Anyway, if you're thinking about Building a new bar of your own, the easiest way to build it relatively quickly is to purchase the base portion Cabinetry from your local Home Improvement Store. No kidding. Just decide what size your Bar will be (lay it out on the floor), then choose the appropriate Cabinetry. If you'd like to put a Sink in it, remember to pick up a Sink Cabinet Unit, too.

Now, putting Cabinetry together is a particularly tricky process, so we always hire a Carpenter to do that (yes, Trevor!!). You can try it yourself, but it has a 'swear factor' of at least 10!! ha,ha,ha! Once the Cabinets are assembled, you'll ned to connect them together (they're just screwed together), but they all need to be level. Sometimes they all need to be raised to your desired Countertop Height. Then you can Build a Frame for the 'Top Bar', and attach the Cabinets to that. Okay, this is totally gonna need it's own page!!

Let me go get you some pictures of how the Bar is coming along at our house!

And now for your 'Daily Pics Fix'!

The Bar is about 80% Done, at this Stage. All the Cabinetry is put together and set in place. The Plumbing and Electrical work is done, and the Main Frame has been Built. Dwight decided that he wanted to do the 'Finish' Board in Drywall, so I painted a giant piece to match the Lower Level Wall, and it looks fabulous. We'll Trim it out to look like the Bar has a nice continuous flow to the rest of the area.

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See that somewhat giant Fridge in the Corner? Well, that has to go. I bought it at Costco before we even started the Lower Level Development. Not a good idea! I should have known better, but I fell in love with the Fridge and had to have it. That's just me!! ha,ha,ha! So if you look like a fridge, watch out!! yuff, yuff!

The new little Fridge is sitting in front of the Cabinetry -- it's a much smaller Fridge and suite the space better. Dwight had to remove a whole section of Cabinetry that was in the way of the new Fridge, but it's worth it to sacrifice one thing to gain a better outcome, sometimes.

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We've decided to match the Tiled Countertop for the Bar to the Tile in the Lower Bathroom/Steamroom. It's a stunning Tile, and will look really nice. It's all coming together nicely!

Hey, thanks for stopping by for a wee visit! See you tomorrow!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!

P.S. Hey, you know what's happening on my Home Computer? It won't let me in to see what my Site looks like on the Internet! So if you are experiencing any problems with my Site, write and let me know. I'm working like mad to correct any annoyink problems!!

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Friday, November 14th. Good Morning, Sunshine!! Can you believe it's Friday, already?? Did you catch Survivor, last night. Gotta say -- I'm very happy to see Burton back -- man, he is soooo good looking! Hey, a girl can dream, no?? ha,ha,ha! And everyone's turning on my favorite guy, Rupert! Doesn't always pay to be the best at everything... sometimes it can come back and give you a little bite!! ha,ha,ha!

You know, I haven't heard back from that Pediatric Dentist, yet, with "The Quote"... I feel very uncomfortable with the whole 'Surgery holds no risks' schpiel from the Doctor -- of course there are always risks involved with any surgery, and Aidan is only 4! I just dn't think I can go there. Surely there must be a happy medium where we can deal with his teeth without him having to 'go under'. I would do it in a flash if it were medically necessary, but I really don't feel like that's the case. Think I'll call them, this morning, to cancel the whole thing -- for now, at least.

Dwight's still kicking around the house -- his truck is in getting fixed, so he's using my Van this week -- which means I have to stay here (YaaHoo!! Not a bad place to be stuck at home!!), but it also means he doesn't have the space to haul a zillion tools and stuff. No Furnaces in the Back of my Van!!

I was thinking that I'd pop around the house and take some pictures of cool Interior Architectural Features that I like, and will definitely do again in the next Build. It'll take me a couple of minutes, but I'll go get those for you! I am particularly fond of a Vaulted Ceiling, and I love Interior Windows -- they're just cool, and they really open up the space.

I'll go get the pics for you! Be right back!!

Tip of the Day: When you're building your house, or having your house built for you, and you're putting in a Basement (many homes in Warm Climates don't require a Basement...), spend a little more money and have the Basement Ceiling Raised to a 9' Ceiling. What a difference that makes. I provides more space for the Furnace and/or Air Conditioning Duct Work, which allows for a much higher Ceiling, all around. Much nicer feel to the space.

Okay. I'm baa-ack!! And I've got some pics for you... but you know what happened? I went all through the house to get some great shots of some of my favorite Interior Architectural Features, then when I went to transfer them from my Video Camera onto the Computer, that annoyink box came up for me to Register the thing -- well, I don't have that knid of time, so I clicked the 'Later' button. I was able to save about 6 pictures, then it shut the program down. Ugh. Sooo annoyink! It's like buying a book, and some days you can't even pry your way into have a wee read! Why can't you just install it, use it, done?? It would be much easier, no??

Here's your Daily 'Pics Fix'!

Well, since I couldn't save the Architectural Shots, here are some pics of the Lower Walk-Out Level. You can really see the height on this Level -- that's what a 9' Ceiling looks like. Nice, huh? So that's my Office in the Corner, all glassed in -- that really is a very cool feature. Aidan plays Pool all day long (no toy trucks allowed on the Pool Table -- another of our crazy rules, according to Aidan!! ha,ha!) -- he loves the game, and it's great for his hand-eye co-ordination, too!

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In the second picture, you can see the new Bar -- Dwight has been working on it, again, after quite a long hiatus, but it's good to get back to that. The Bar is 9 1/2' long, 3 1/2' Wide, 36" in Height to the Sink & Countertop Area, then 42" in Height for the Top Bar. I like the Height at 42" for the Top Bar because it allows for a nice height Stool, and enough room for your knees if you happen to like crosing your legs when you're at the Bar, which I like to do!

And then there's the Lower Level Fireplace -- the one that Dwight just put the Fan (or Blower) in -- and that Fan really works, too! I use it all the time to heat up the whole room, now. Dwight wants to match both of the Living Room Fireplaces (one up, one down...), so I take it that he's going to put the Emerald Pearl Granite Tine as the base for the Fireplace Surround. Now I want a Mantel -- a great big mantel -- we'll see how far I get with that!! Maybe we can get to that, this weekend!

Okay, let me go see if I can fix that stooopid Videowave III Program! Wish me luck!! (Just for the record, I looove that Program when it's working -- I just get so frustrated when it shuts itself down for no good reason...!)

 

Thanks for popping by! See you tomorrow!!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!

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Thursday, November 13th. Hey, there, you gorgeous thing, you! Man, your hair looks good today! And are those False Eyelashes?? (They are?? Hmmmm... Don't worry -- I'm sure there'll be a Film Crew around sometime today to get a shot of your special new look...!) Har, har!

Well, I took Aidan (my little 4 year old boy, if you happen to be new to the Site, and if you are, "Welcome!") to the Pediatric Dentist, yesterday, and it was a very interesting visit, to say the least. Aidan loooved all the cool toys, and actually opend his mouth for the Dentist to have a peak... Aidan has inherited Dwight's Construction Sense and his terrible teeth when he was a kid...poor wee thing. So it looks like he might have to have a Surgical Procedure to correct his teeth. I guess I'll be getting 'A Quote' on howmuch that will cost, and that's never good -- when you have to get a written quote that takes a couple of days to make up, that's not a good sign!

You know, there's a real veil of secrecy over the Canadian Health Care System. There's a general illusion that we get free health care -- well, we certainly don't... Dwight owns his own Company, so he is considered 'Self-Employed', but when you tell some people that, they look at you like you don't have two cents to rub together... Man, that's annoyink!! The reason I tell you that little story is that we don't have any Dental Insurance, so all Dental Expenses are 'out-of-pocket'. And when I told them this fact at the Dentist's Office, they seemed to be about as concerned with HOW I was going to pay as much as how Aidan's teeth were... I don't know about that.... And I was asked how I was going to pay during my first phone call with them when I was just making the Initial Appointment. Maybe that's normal, but it rubbed me the wrong way... I'll let you know what the quote is. It'll be fun! Entertaining... We'll laugh out loud!

So, of course, I left the Dentist's Office thinking that I should immediately get a job with Health Insurance and Dental Coverage. And Aidan had sooo much fun in their Play Area that I felt guilty that he doesn't have a wee school to go to -- Cara used to love her Nursery School in California -- we both made many great friends, there! I came home and made a few calls -- we'll see what happens!!

You know how I was telling you about having a 'Giving Tree' for our Holiday Party Guests to bring a Toy that we can give to the Firemans' Toy Drive? Well, it came to our attention, recently, that people you come into contact with on a regular basis are often in need of all sorts of things -- food being at the top of the list, quickly followed by clothng. So now I'd like to add a couple of Giant Baskets under the Tree for our Guests to bring a Food Item, as well, to make some Food Baskets. So many of us are very fortunate, and taking one item out of your Pantry or out of the Cupboard barely makes a dint, so it's an easy way for folks to Give.

Tip of the Day: If you happen to be throwing a Holiday Bash, or know Someone who is, consider adding a 'Giving Tree' to the Party Theme. Just think of the amount of stuff we all have to share, and how much we could provide for some people in need! Hey, when you've had your Party, drop me a line to let us all know how much stuff you collected -- won't that be fun to see how much Good we can all do??

Oh, and please pass this message along to anyone you like -- the more, the merrier! (See the Christmas colors?? ha,ha! It's all very Festive!)

And now for your 'Daily Pics Fix'!

Hey, I just figured out how I could make the pictures 'stay apart' -- man, that was painfully simple, but it eluded me until now!! Three little 'asterisks', and now there are no more pictures all squished together! WooHoo!

It seemed appropriate to show you some pictures of my Pantry. When I first Drew the house, I had to come out to the land to literally 'Draw' the house on the ground. I wasn't clear in my maind about how the Pantry wouldplay iself out, and it's exact location, so I had to do a 'walk-through' in the dirt! I'm a little unconventional, but it totally works!!

My Pantry is a Walk-In, much like a Walk-In Closet, only shelved right around. Dwight would only let me put in Three layers of Shelves, which I regret -- think I'll add another row of shelving.... You can never get enough storage space, am I right?? ha,ha!

The Two French Glass Doors are side-by-side, one leading to the Laundry Room (good to have a door there to keep the sound in...), and the other leading into the Pantry.

The Pantry is 9' X 5', pretty much the same size as the Island, so I must really like that size! ha,ha! Oh, yeah -- you can see 'Tia's Sink' through the Laundry Room Door in the first picture -- we put in a big enough sink with a Spray Attachment so she can stand right in the sink to get washed on muddy days! I'll have to take her picture in there -- she's hilarious!!

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Thanks for swingin' by! See you all tomorrow!!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!

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Now what are the odds that I'd find an Ad with the Detroit Red Wings and the Toronto Maple Leafs on it?? ha,ha! I love every Team where I've lived or if I know someone on the Team -- plus, it's just fun to watch -- those guys are amazing athletes! I love the way they can get in and out of 'the box' as quickly as they can -- very cool.

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Wednesday, November 12th. Hello, Darling. That's right -- we're back in the '50's...or is that just how some people would like to live?? Hmmm... Well, I talked with my Mum, last night, about their trip to Cuba, where Communism is apparently a great thing -- that stooopid freedom -- people will do God-Knows-What with it, if they're just given a choice. Better for the Dictatorship to be in charge -- We don't see eye-to-eye on the whole issue of Freedom -- it's critical to me because I have been held against my will for so very long because of stooopid Canadian Law that lets my abusive ex-husband decide where I can and cannot live, because I had a child in that first and awful marriage. And so he gets to control my life until Cara is old enough to have the freedom of choice, herself...

Well, folks, I wasn't going to say anything about that whole fiasco, yet, but it looks like they're going to be dealing with it on Dr. Phil, and if I can help anyone else with my knowledge of the crazy system, then I should, right?? This isn't only in Canada -- it seems to be a pervasive problem throughout the First World, thanks in part to the Hague Convention. Much of my adult life has been a living nightmare, because of the unbelievable control that little nut has had over my life.

Did you know that when you leave a marriage -- for whatever reason -- the parent who doesn't have the kids has control over where the parent who takes care of the children gets to live? Yep. So if you add any abusive, controlling, or crazy characteristics to the 'other spouse', you're in for a horrible ride.

Frankly, I think it's a backlash against women in the Workforce, since often you have to move in order to get a job to support the children (d'uh!!). I used to get $30.U.S. from my ex as Child Support, so, of course, I was working to support my little family. And then the Court said that I was away from my daughter for 8 hours a day (egads! Sounds like a job!!), thus might have lost custody of Cara. See the nightmare? It gets much, much worse, but I won't get into that, now...

Here's what I'm hoping will happen -- we need to raise awareness about this issue, because it forces women who have left abusive relationships to stay nearby the father, which puts them all at great risk. There are so many stories on the news, these days. about mothers and children being killed at the hands of a father in the middle of a custody battle. That's a horrifying thing, and serves to keep women in a terrible relationship, out of fear of leaving.

I know. This is weighty stuff. I don't like to talk about it, much, either, but it is a huuuuge problem, and more people need to speak out about it. I'm fearful of our safety just writing this, and that's not right, is it? I shouldn't be held against my will in a Country I don't want to live in because I married the wrong man when I was 24... that's more punishment than the vast majority of criminals get in Canada. That's why I felt such a kinship with Ben Johnson, when I was seeing him. It's a bizarre thing for your life to be so vastly affected by one thing that is not technically illegal (not illegal in my case, at all...), preventing you from pursuing your own life and furthering your career.

Well, I know this won't go over well in some circles, but I guess this is a chance I have to take to help other people. And this is NOT to suggest that only women deal with this -- their are some Dad's out there coping with the exact same thing, it just isn't nearly as common.

What needs to happen is a realization by Lawyers and the Courts that when Custody is actually a Battle, there's a deeper problem, and typically it revolves around abuse. A real no-brainer, but one that seems to have eluded everyone... and Court Ordered Mediation never works when there's coercion and threats -- there's a big surprise! Puh-leease -- who comes up with this crap??

You know what I don't get? Why is it that you can just pop into a County Office and pick up a Marriage Licence, but a Divorce has to be handled by the Lawyers and the Court? When a couple doesn't want to be together anymore, the Court isn't going to force them back together, so what's the hold-up?? It's like we're living in the Dark Ages with this. And a woman should never, ever be punished because she had a child. What's that all about?? That's crazy.

Okay, I'm done with my rant... I'll go back to 'building stuff', tomorrow. I promise! You know the good thing, though? I'm one incredibly strong chick, now, and take chances like you wouldn't believe. Why not? I've been to hell and back, so the future looks pretty easy, compared to the past. Now I just look at everything as 'risk management', and 'how much can I make from that' (financially...!), not, 'can I survive another day'. Gotta tell ya, this way of living is much better!!

Tip of the Day: Don't get involved with anyone you can't visualize having to bother with on their angriest day for the next 18 years of your life. There, that oughtta cut down on the Pregnancy Rate, right there!! But these Laws need to change so women won't fear having a baby for the possible future implications they could be facing... that's not right.

Okay, still up for some Pictures?? Me, too. It'll lighten the mood! (That and a glass of wine, but you're probably way ahead of me, there...!!ha,ha!)

And now for your 'Daily Pics Fix'!

Here's our sweet little Tia -- she's always fun to look at! You can see she has a hectic schedule, what with all the running and looking out for deer, 'n all!

This is Tia on her 100' Rope -- that was a great solution to the 'no fence' rule in our neighborhood. She is free to run and run, but I always know she's safe. Great combo!! This is our back garden, by the way -- nice, huh??

Thanks for coming in for a wee visit! Maybe we can all work together to make life better for everybody! There's strength in numbers, so we'll see what we can do!!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!

 

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Tuesday, November 11th.Hey there, Honey-Pie! See, there's that crazy food reference, again! Shut up, Freud!! Well, it's Remembrance Day -- a day that is full of all sorts of memories for me... We used to alwsays go to the Cenataph in the center of Town for an Outdoor Service with my Family. Standing in the bitter cold for that short amount of time seemed like a much better way to Remember those who had Fallen then to be in a comfy Auditorium...

When I first moved here, I bundled up Cara, who was 6 at the time (cannot believe I have been here soooo long...! She's 15, now...), and we all went down to the Cenataph and stood there in the freezing cold (only one foot of snow, that year...!). 11:00am came and went, with not a soul around. We waited and waited, but no one showed up. I found out later that 'they' didn't bring the Veterans out until around 1:00 -ish! Since then we've just stayed home and observed Remembrance Day along with the TV Service. Ah, well. The important thing is to Remember.

So Cara had yesterday off, so she decided to decorate her Bedroom for Christmas! No kidding! When I went up there to say Goodnight to Cara, last night, there was a full-size Christmas Tree, fully Decorated with lights 'n everything... it looked gorgeous! Aidan kept running in and shouting,"Yeah! It's Christmas Eve, already!!". And yes, in case you're wondering, the childrens' Bedrooms are huge -- I can never understand why the Kids' Rooms are sooo tiny and the Master is absolutely enormous -- it could easly be more balanced, since kids need plenty of space for all their zillion things that they like to collect, right? (Just for the record, our Master is huge, too, but that's just because I Drew the House, so I just drew in what I really wanted! That's the easy way to get what you want!! ha,ha!)

I was in the Sunroom reading a little Dave Barry, yesterday evening, and I could hear Aidan ask Dwight a quick question ... Aidan wanted to know what Chanuka was. So Dwight tells him, "Oh, it's the Jewish Christmas"...So I had to say to Dwight later that that was one of the craziest answers I'd ever heard (!). Puh-leease. Here's the really funny thing -- Aidan actually knows a lot about Chanukah from Blues Clues, so he was quizzing Dwight! Now what are we gonna do when Aidan learns all about Rocket Science, Hmmm??? ha,ha,ha,ha!

Wow, I'm watching Ellen as I write this, and Earth, Wind & Fire are the Guest Band! One of my all time favorite bands!! I'll tell you, if you haven't seen Ellen and Wayne on their equally great Talk Shows, do yourself a wee favor and check them out -- it's always good to add some laughs and great music to your day!!

Gotta go get everybody up in time for 11:11am, so they can all observe Remembrance Day.

Tip of the Day: Today's Tip is for Fyly Away Hair -- no, not hair that's taking a quick trip to the Bahamas, although I wish MY hair could do that, and of course I'd have to go with it, to do all the combing 'n all... Anyhooo, the tip is to Put Regular Hand Lotion on your hair when it's still wet -- comb it in -- don't just leave it there in a big ol' clump -- that probably won't imporve your look!! ha,ha,ha! Or maybe it would... really, we should get to know each other better!!

If you happen to have long hair, and you want it to have some big soft waves, after you put the Hand Cream in it (I use Lubriderm Unscented), put it up at the back with a little hair thing like you're doing a Pony Tail, but pull enough hair through to create a loop. I'll have to take some pictures to show you that... that was a terrible description!! Ah, well! When you take it out, your hair will have a lovely wave. Then you'll look just like me, and we can be twins! YiPeee!! har, har!

Now let me go get you some Pictures!

Here's your 'Daily Pics Fix'!!

These are some of the River Views from Elbow River Falls, about 45 minutes outside of Calgary! The first picture reminds me of that great song, "Somewhere Down The Lazy River", which I've been singing in my head all morning!!

And here's my lovely daughter, Cara! It was freezing outside, but gorgeous just the same! Aidan kept running around shouting, "I just looove the outside doors!" Entertaining children!!

 

Thanks sooo much for swingin' in! See you tomorrow!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!

 

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Monday, November 10th. Hey, there, Honey Buns!! Now why do so many of my greetings, lately, have food references?? Think there's something Freudian, there?? ha,ha! Ah, well...what are you gonna do? I took yesterday 'off' from the computer, and we went out to the Mountains -- it's soooo gorgeous out there, so I took a whole bunch of pictures to show you. Especially if you have never been to Alberta, Canada, or live in a warm 'snow-free' environment, I thought you'd get a kick out of these shots. I'll put them on 'Your Daily Pics Fix'...

I happened upon this Link, this morning, for Vacation Rentals that I thought was cool -- it's a set up where you can actually rent someone's own House or Condo in really nice, fun locations. It reminded me of a Teacher Exchange Program they used to have when I was growing up -- my Dad was a Teacher, too, and we knew a lot of people who would 'switch' Houses and Jobs for a year so you could experience a whole other Culture, and bring your whole family. This is kind of the same thing, only it's great for a quick vacation... Plus, there's a Link for Myrtle Beach in South Carolina -- we went there every Spring Break for years and years -- I love it there!!

So we didn't get anything done around the House, this past weekend -- but we did get our List Done for our Holiday Party. There's a Day Off, tomorrow, for Remembrance Day, so after we pay our respects at 11:11a.m., we can get started on the Grouting in the Sunroom -- finally! There a few things I really want to get done before the Party -- the Fireplace Surround on the Lower Living Room needs to be done -- I have no idea why Dwight has been so resistant to getting that done...and the Downstairs Bar needs to be finished, too. It's such a big house that you really don't notice when these normally 'big' jobs haven't been done, yet, so it's fairly easy to forget all about them. So now there's a focus, again, so we can get the work done!

Poor wee Tia has been trying to cuddle up next to me all weekend (now, who doesn't want to do that?? ha,ha!), but there was a new Girl at the Groomers last week, and she used a massive amount of perfume on the dog...and we specifically have it written on her Chart and I reminded them when I called not to have any perfume, since I'm allergic to it. So I couldn't get anywhere near Tia all weekend... but she still kept trying to inch her way onto my lap! Sooo funny!

Tip of the Day: This is a 'skin tip', because I'm amazed at the healing power of Aspirin ... it's not just for Headaches, anymore! Here's what you do: Get a really tiny container (or use a teaspoon) and dissolve about 4 Aspirins with just enough water to cover them. If you have any skin problem (blemish or what have you...), put the Dissolved Aspirin on the spot. You can mix the Aspirin with a wee bit of whatever Skin Cream you might use to 'hold it in place'. Now, chances are high you won't do this during the day, or out on a date (!)-- try it at night when you're sleeping, anyway...

I discovered that little trick last year -- I love to experiment with Home Remedies -- it's fun, and I'm always thrilled when they work!

Okay, let me go get your Mountain Waterfall Pictures for you!

And now for your 'Daily Pics Fix'!

These pictures are from Elbow River Falls (straight out 22X, if you're heading out of Calgary!!), and it is absolutely stunning, here! The Waterfalls are all iced in, which is beautiful. The shade of Blue is gorgeous...

Can you see the Caverns at the side of the Rocks? Those were made from decades and decades of water erosion -- very cool!

Elbow River Falls is right in the middle of the mountains, and it's a great place to go for an Afternoon Picnic and little Hike. We love going there for a Weenie Roast -- always refreshing! I think it's good for your soul to get out into Nature for a while, to rejuvenate yourself! Plus, you get to Roast Marshmallows, which is always fun!!

Hey, if you ever want to save any of my pictures as Wallpaper for your Computer, I'm okay with that! You can 'repay me' by telling a few of your friends about my Site -- you're my best bet for getting the word out about www.buildyourownhouse.ca!!

Thanks for 'Clickin' In!! See you tomorrow!
Later, Baby!! Ailsa!

P.S. You know what?? I just went in to see how my Site looks on your computer, and the Font was enormous, so I took the Full Menu at the Top (which I put on in my efforts to improve Site Navigation...). Anyway, I hope that solves the problem, cause it's just annoyink!!

 

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Sunday, November 9th. Hi, Honey! You're Home!! And I'm soooo happy to see you! How do you like my Outfit? I made it out of Saran Wrap, just for you, and twenty of your closest friends... ha,ha,ha,ha! No, no, no. I'm kidding... just 15 of your friends,... and your Boss!! har, har!

Well, Dwight has finally agreed on a Date for our Annual Holiday Party -- November 30th. He kept saying he wanted to call everybody to see when they were available, so I had to tell him that either we set a definite date, or the party is off... so now we have a Date!! And I better get to the Liquor Store!! Not too soon before the party, though, or there won't be any left, then I'll have to go back over and over and over again...that's just too much driving, and it might snow between now and then! yuff, yuff!

Hey, you know what Drink I love to Serve at a 'Winter Party'? Hot Apple Cider with Spiced Rum and Cinnamon Sticks. It's incredibly easy, makes the house smell like Apple Pie (yum!!), and everybody loves it! I mix up a giant batch of Apple Cider (Apple Juice with about 3/4 the amount of water asked for, if it's from the Frozen Concentrate...) in my Electric Wok, which I looove (very useful kitchen tool ... which reminds me of Dwight... now, that wasn't very nice, was it?? I must stop being so very bad!! Perhaps tomorrow!! I'll see how my time goes! har, har!). I toss in a few Cinnamon Sticks, and leave the heat on Low all Day. I always leave the Spiced Rum beside the Hot Apple Cider, so guests can choose whether to have alcohol in their Drinks. I leave a container of Cinnamon Sticks beside the Cups so people can add one to the Drink if they like. It's Serve It Yourself, so if you've had a few 'nips' yourself, your guests can still 'imbibe'!

And of course I always have a huge amount of other Drinks... and Treats!! I'll have to think about what else I want to serve. It's all about the comraderie, though, so my Motto is to 'Keep It Simple, Keep It Fun'! The most complicated part of it might be adding a 'Toy Collection' of sorts -- where guests can bring a toy for a needy child and put it under our Chistmas Tree. I'd love to see a wave of Holiday Parties with a 'Giving Tree' -- just think of all the toys we could collect for all the kids who could really use a new toy to brighten up their lives... Think about it, and maybe you can have a Holiday Party like that,too! Of course, we all want to know about Your Parties, and how we can get there....ha,ha,ha! We could have some sort of 'Party Club' -- now that sounds like a lot of fun!! Anyway, drop me a line and let us all know how you're going to Celebrate the Holidays -- and if you have a great Tip (or Drink!!), tell us about that, too!

Tip of the Day: I rearranged Aidan's Bedroom, again, the other day (in a desperate attempt to get him to stay in his own bed!!), and I don't think I've told you how I keep his million and one 'guys' relatively tidy... I use Laundry Baskets. Tons and tons of Laundry Baskets. They're great, because Aidan can see what's in them at a glance, and can put his own toys away pretty much by himself. He's 4, so no matter how high his energy level is when he's playing, the second I say to him to start tidying up (generally, right before Dwight gets home, since he hates toys on the floor... really, I should tell Dwight sometime that Aidan is four, and happens to like playing with said toys...), Aidan throws himself on the couch/bed/floor and proclaims that he's "exhausted"! Now where does he get this trait to exagerate from, hmmmm??

Yesterday, Aidan says to me (late at night, right after I told him that he couldn't have any Coke before bed...), "Mummy, I hate listening to all of your rules..." He was very calm and serene about it -- simply stating a fact! My rules are stringent, all right... 'No Pop Before Bed', 'All Business and Widdles Must Be Done in the Bathroom', 'Don't bother your Father'... that's about it! It's a pretty tight set of rules!! Ah, well. He seems to be a fairly well adjusted wee boy!

Hey, if you're looking for some great Parenting Ideas (great for Teachers, too!), have a look at Barbara Colorasso's work. I saw her Speak when I was in my early twenties, and she had a profound affect on me. I modelled my Teaching and Parenting Styles after her. She's kind, moderate and smart. Good qualities to emulate. I also really love Steve Martin, so much of the rest of my life is modelled after him!! ha,ha!!

And now for your 'Daily Pics Fix'!!

Here's our sweet little girl, Tia, on her way to the Groomers -- 'Tia's Spa Day', I call it!!

The reason I like the first picture is because you can easily see the Pop-Up Floor Vent. These things are great for distributing Hot or Cold Air, as the case may have it... If you haven't got them, yet, go get a few and see what a difference they make. Tia's has on her Purple Leash, so she knows she's going for a Car Ride and is ludicrously excited!!

That's Tia heading off with Dwight -- nice View out the Front Entry, huh?? And there's our sweet baby in the front seat of Dwight's Truck -- she loves going for a ride! Isn't she cute?? No wonder we all love her so very much!!

 

Thanks for Stopping By for a Wee Visit!! See you tomorrow!!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!

 

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Saturday, November 8th -- a great day to make a lot of money, if you happen to believe anything tho do with Numerology or Eastern 'Numbers'!! ha,ha! Let's hope it's all true for all of us! Hello, Baby-cakes!! You're sure cute, today!! And I mean that sincerely, too!! 'Baby-cakes' reminds me, of course, of my Apple Crumble Mixture that I ran out of, yesterday. I really need to make up a new batch, this morning, before I eat any more tiny Hallowe'en Chocolates -- those crazy little chocolates are delicious!! But hey, guess what?? I was shopping with Cara and Aidan at Walmart, yesterday, and I found a nice little number (a slinky black dress -- yes, at Walmart!!), and I got it in MEDIUM!! YaaaaHoooo! So I was soooo excited, I "YaaHoo'd" all night, and I did the "I bought a Medium' dance, which is required by Law, as far as I know!! ha,ha,ha!

Hey, speaking of 'yaahooing all night', I'm 40, now, and clearly at my sexual peak -- and wouldn't you know it -- I'm married!! (ba-dum-bum!!) Now, what's a girl to do?? I do have an outlet, though -- writing. I'm sure that's a big surprise, right?? ha,ha! I used to write a lot of pretty racey stuff, including a whole Romance Novel that was intended for the Harlequin 'Hot' Series... yep! That's the sort of thing I like to do in my spare time!! yuff, yuff!

So I was thinking in the Shower, this morning (I do some of my best work, in there!! ha,ha!) about how I can really, truly make a solid living on the Internet through my Site (or Sites, if I were to start a new one...), and I was thinking about a Site Cara told me about, yesterday. It's a Site where this guy asks his 'audience' to send him a buck. Just like that. So, of course, that started meee thinking, "How can I get someone to pay a buck??" That, of course, lead to the idea (by now I'm shampooing my hair...!) that I could put my Steamy Romance on a Site, then have some sort of annual Login Fee or some system where you could start to read it, then just at the good part ("He slid his hand..."), Whammo! You'd say, "To read more, Click Here..." I don't know. Could work!!

Then I came across this eHarlequin Site that does that exact thing!! Who knew?? So here are the Links! You would be shocked, amazed and greatly (albeit secretly!! ha,ha,ha!) entertained by what's in a Harlequin, these days. Not much of the old,"Can I call you by your first name, yet, Mr. Jones?", says the damsel in distress. "No? You'd prefer to keep it formal? Okay, but after the Wedding, maybe I could find out your first initial..."

And if you think you'd like to try your own hand at Writing a Romance, or just get some good info on the whole thing, just follow these Links. Quizzes are always fun -- finally, you can find out what you're really like! ha,ha,ha,ha! I think that just goes back to the 'everyone wants to hear good things about themselves' human trait!! Hey, why not? Give yourself a wee 'personal boost'!! Let me know what you think about my 'Writing Site' idea! Could be a winner! (As opposed to a 'weiner'!!) (Sorry, an old joke, but one I am compelled to make everytime I happen to say 'winner'!!ha,ha,ha!)

Tip of the Day: Be Creative and Think Way, Way, Waaaaay Out the Box, if you want to make a big pile of Dough -- and not just for Cookies, neither!! Seriously, let your mind wander around all sorts of ideas -- you'll be amazed at all the cool stuff you can come up with. The trick is to write them down immediately -- funny how you can have a life-changing idea, stop to grab a snack, then Poof! It's gone! Then you're left thinking,"Now what was that great idea I just had?? Oh,yeah. Take out the Trash... (makes me think of a Trashy Blonde, sitting at the Kitchen Table ... on her way out the door! But that's just how my mind works!! ha,ha,ha,ha! You can see how I write this just to amuse myself, sometimes!! har, har!!) (And just so's you know -- I'm Blonde -- by choice! ha,ha! So it's okay for me to make a Blonde joke -- I just don't want to BE one!! ha,ha,ha!)

Now, let me go get you some new pictures before any tears start to flow!!

And now for your 'Daily Pics Fix"!

These are some pictures from our Trip to California in the summer!

The first picture is my one of my favorite bit of roads -- you know when you're driving along and you find a stretch that you just love?? Well, I used to live in Santa Monica, California, and I just loved the bit of the road where HWY 10 goes under a Tunnel and when you pop out from the Tunnel, there's the Ocean! It's gorgeous!

The Second shot is of Aidan at the Park outside of the Cheescake Factory in the Marina Del Ray. Now, really... why wouldn't I want to live there, again??

The next picture is the type of View I would really love to have out the Windows of my Dream House. I actually have a whole pile of 'Dream Houses', because there are so many gorgeous Homes to be built, but you get the idea!!

And the last picture is of Cara and Aidan on the Beach just up from Carmel. It's sooo very pretty there. A little chilly, though, so I would definitely head further South...!! ha,ha!

Oh, you know what I just remembered? I actually wrote that Steamy Little Romance years ago, but even then, I was heavily into Construction, so there's a whole bit where the Two Main Characters Renovate an Apartment Building -- no kidding! I must have thought about knocking down the walls of two apartments to create one huuuge one... oh, the stuff I think about, eh?? ha,ha,ha!

 

Thanks for swingin' by! See you, tomorrow!
Later, Baby!! Ailsa!

 

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Friday, November 7th. Hey there, Baby! Did you check out Survivor?? Rats, they voted off Andrew Savage, Mr. Armani... and I really liked him, too. Dwight said ,"He was nice for a lawyer", which I think was a compliment!! But at least Burton is back, and he makes me rethink the whole thing about dating younger men, although Dwightie hates the mere mention of me dating outside of marriage! ha,ha,ha!

And then John Cleese had a guest spot on Will & Grace -- very funny! I'm a long time Monty Python Fan, and he fit perfectly into that amazing Cast! Some great Thursday night TV, which we are really thankful for in our cold, dark climate!! ha,ha!

Cara has five days off this weekend -- I wish we'd had more advance notice, and we could have planned a little trip... ah, well. We never did make it out to the Mountains for a 'Weenie Roast', so maybe we can get that in...

What do you make of this big thing about Martha Stewart? I can't stand the idea of someone who is not a physical threat to the public up for that amount of Time. That's ridiculous... especially when you see really bad criminals walking away scot-free every day. A great big Fine would be in order, if that is what is decided, but jail time would be crazy. I think because it's such a grey area, and it's hard not to think they're going after her because of her status and her personality, which is what made her so successful in the first place... I hope the right decision is made.

Dwight hired a new guy, today, so it looks like we'll be able to get some more work done around here, this weekend. I'd like to finish Grouting the Sunroom, and I'd really like to do the Finish Painting on the Interior Doors. I need help getting the Colonial Doors out to the Garage, so if there's another fellow here, that'll work. I told Dwight that I'm definitely going to need another set of Saw Horses so that I can do two doors at once... someone took my extra set of saw horses to work a while ago, so I need them replaced. Yep, that's the kind of riveting conversation Dwight and I have! I know, know... you're jealous! Have another drink and you'll soon forget! ha,ha,ha!

Tip of the Day: When you're Painting Trim or Doors, use a Small Fine Sponge Roller, when you're doing them by hand. The roller leaves a nice finish, and you can use the Tip of the Roller to get into all the little nooks and crannies of the Trim or the Doors. It's a lot of fun to Paint -- it gives you plenty of time to think about your life... I've made many a decision while I'm out painting!

Look! You can see right through the Bedroom to the Sunroom, then out to the New Hot Tub Deck -- thanks to the Enormous Mirror and the Interior Window! Cool, eh? I looove Interior Windows -- a very nice Architectural Feature!

I just got a beautiful new Framed Mirror for the Opposite Wall in the Bathroom, and a gorgeous Framed Print of Tulips in muted Green and Tan Shades. Now I just need Dwight to help me hang them up, because they're heavy, so they'll need to be anchored to the Wall. I'll let you know how that goes!!

This is the Giant Mirror we had installed in our Master Ensuite. Nice, huh? The funny thing about taking pictures of a Mirror is that you can't really see it, especially if the Mirror happens to cover the entire wall! See those circular Black things on the Bottom of the Mirror before it was installed? Those are cool suction cups to lift it up, safely. Installing a Large Mirror can be precarious, so always Hire that job out!

So when I went to 'Capture' my latest pictures, today, there was a screw up with my Photo thingee, so I hope I get all these little problems with the computer sorted out before Steve leaves! I'll need to find a new 'computer guy' (I was going to say 'geek', but they get sooo defensive! ha,ha,ha,ha!) to help me when I get stuck!

Well, thanks for dropping by for a wee visit! It's always fun to have visitors!!

See you tomorrow!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!

 

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Thursday, November 6th. Hello Sweet Thing!! Man, you're lookin' fantastic, today! (I should get some sort of 'Ailsa Cam', much like David Letterman's 'Monkey Cam' -- now that would be fun!!And now Dave will need to get a 'Baby Cam'!!) I just sent Tia off for her 'Spa Day'! -- it's her day to go to the Groomers! She gets soooo excited when she sees her Purple Leash -- that's a sure sign that she's going for a car ride! Funny, eh?? I took some cute pictures of her, so I'll get them for you.

Now here's a weird thing -- my 'Tool Bars' are not on my Site, this morning -- hmmmm, must try to figure this out!

Hey, you know what I forgot to tell you that I saw on my way home from the Hockey Game the other night? I saw TWO Shooting Stars! Of course, I immediately made a couple of 'Big Wishes' -- hope they come true! I love making wishes -- it's a huuuge part of Scottish Culture -- that and Fairies! And Sweeties... often Fairies living in wee Sweetie 'Hooses'... You're to wish on everything...an eyelash on your cheek goes immediately to the back of your hand, then you blow it off, give your hand a wee kiss, then make a wish. All very involved, but I'm sure it's well worth it! ha,ha,ha! At least you'll be clear about what you really wish for, since you do it all day!

I'll have to keep this short so I can try to figure out what the problem is with my Site! Man, that's annoyink!!

Tip of the Day: Compliment everyone you come into contact with, today. Then do it again, tomorrow, and 'thusly' for the next month. Just see where it gets you -- I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. There's not a soul on this earth who doesn't like to hear good things about themselves -- funny how you can clear your schedule for someone who is nice to you, right??

It's a real 'people skill' to be able to give and receive compliments. And no need to lie....that's just uncomfortable for everybody. "You are the smartest person I've ever met" to someone with their tongue hangin' out and a couple of flies flying in and out just ain't gonna come off well (not that they'll notice, but still...and that would be very amusing for you...but you get the point! ha,ha,ha!). You don't really want to seem disingenuine, although that's fun, too... but try to find something good about everyone you meet, then say something nice about that feature. It's easier than you might think, and before you know it, it'll become a very positve habit, and I think you'll see lots of good things coming your way!

Now, I have had a handful of people in my life that I just couldn't compliment, mostly because I was soooo repulsed by them (physically or emotionally...), so it won't work then, and who the hell cares, right? Horrid people can easily be excluded -- they're an annoyance in your life and you're better off either cutting them out of your life completely, or keeping your contact with them at an absolute minimum, which precludes compliments! You might want to keep a handy insult up your sleeve just for them, although I can never bring myself to say any insults out loud -- I just save them for later, then make fun of the person in private, but that's just my little way of dealing with the yucks of the world!! ha,ha,ha!

Okay, gotta go solve this crazy 'puter problem!! Wish me Luck!

YaaHooo! Steve is still in Town (he's on his way to Toronto next week to pursue his Comedy Career...), so he was able to talk me through the computer problem -- Steve's my old Webmaster! Man, it's funny how you can become so dependent on color and italics to help express yourself!!

So now I can get you some pictures!!

And now for your 'Daily Pics Fix'!! (Finally!)

So this is the View down the Hall in the Lower Walk-Out Level. We made the Hallways extra-wide, because it just feels better (plus, we had lots of room to play with...). What you want to do when you're designing a Lower Level is to avoid a 'Tunnel Effect', which ain't good! Creating Rooms with a Corner Door at a 45 Degree Angle always looks good, and opens the area up.

That's My Glassed-In Office, which I love, then at the End of the 'Horse Shoe Hallway' is my Gift Wrapping Room. Believe me, that room's gettin' more play for gift wrapping than it did as an Exercise Room -- that's why I moved almost all of my Exercise Equipment out of that room and into the Lower Living Room. It was lonely exercising in there, and now I can exercise in front of the TV -- works for me!!

There's my Gift Wrapping Area with a giant basket for all the Paper in the Corner. I wanted to get some great big Cupboards for this room, but Dwight said, "No", so that was the end of that! Ah, well... must make my own money!! I don't care for the whole thing where I only have 'influence' over what can be done and when. That sucks! If only Dwight got that!!

That's my Serger Sewing Machine in the opposite Corner that I designed specifically for a Sewing Machine. I've only used the Serger a few times -- I insisted on getting it when I was pregnant with Aidan, and just the teensiest bit crazy!! ha,ha,ha! I was sure I was going to start a 'Dog Clothes Business'! I made some really cute little Christmas Outfits for Tia to wear on Christmas Morning -- that was, of course, before Aidan was born! And then along came Aidan, and he's a more than a handful, then the House Building began and that was the last of the Serger. I made an outfit for Cara's School Play, last year, but that's it. Maybe I'll get back to that -- soon as I have a few extra hours!!

Must Decorate my Wrapping Room!! Now, what should I put in there?? We'll have to start with some Trim, but Dwight has to go buy a new Radial Arm Saw, first... and I need to paint some more Trim!!

 

Thanks for stopping by! I love to see you, everyday! Say, I'd like to meet a few hundred of your closest friends, so bring them along, too! The more the merrier -- and hopefully someone will click on my ads -- you gotta pay the bills!!

Later Baby! Ailsa

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Wednesday, November 5th. Yo, yo, yo...What up, Ba-aby??!! I'm all excited, today! Guess what I did, last night?? I actually left the house! I know, it's hard to believe!! And in the snow, 'n all! Dwight got a couple of Complimentary Passes to the Hockey Game, and it was the Detroit Red Wings Vs. the Calgary Flames -- two of my favorite Teams, so that was enough incentive to get me to brave the roads! Plus, one of my favorite Students (back from my Teaching Days!) plays for the Red Wings -- #25, Darren McCarty. And when he scored a goal, I, of course, jumped up and shouted 'YaaHooo!', then immediately remembered that I was amongst a Calgary Flames crowd! Ah, well! It's fun to watch someone you know -- especially when they Score a Goal!!

And, hey! Guess who we were sitting beside? The 'old' Calgary Flames Goalie, Mike Vernon (yes, we had great seats!)...Dwight was pretty excited about that... Every time he goes to a Game, he ends up sitting beside a Player, so-to-speak! He was there with his Buddies, who seemed really nice. And I think I might have offered a little entertainment of my own for the fellows in our Row -- I finally had somewhere to wear a nice little 'low-cut' number out in Public! And wouldn't you know I'm lookin' pretty svelte, these days!! ha,ha,ha,ha!

And Ladies, there were a LOT of really good looking guys at the Game -- I'm tellin' ya, head to any Sports Event if you're looking for a nice guy! It's worth a shot, right?? Maybe you'll meet a 'Playah'!! ha,ha,ha!

Tip of the Day: This Tip is one that will make your 'intimate' life much, much better, and it'll make you healthier, too (or maintain good health...). Okay, if you're a little prudish, here's your early warning, so you can turn your head away for a minute. Avert your eyes, if you must!! ha,ha! So the Tip is to use Baking Soda every time you shower, and then whenever you're lucky enough to 'get together' with your partner... Hey, if it can clean your Car Battery, think of what it can do for your love life! ha,ha,ha,ha! (My parents are out of the Country, so it's safe for me to write this, today! yuff, yuff!)

Let me go get your Pictures for today! Be right back!

And now for your 'Daily Pics Fix'!!

This is the New Shower Fixture... And this is the whole Shower!

It's an oversized (to match the house -- ha,ha!)Shower Base (42" Diagonal), so it's a really good size. Everything is Custom in this size range, but it's worth it because it's gorgeous and very functional!

So go buy a bunch of Baking Soda, and get yourself a good Waterproof Container for the Shower (I use an old Kool Aid Container -- an old Icing Container will work, too, if you're poking around the house looking for a little container... I have a very pretty Glass and Steel container on the Bathroom Counter for Baking Soda -- it makes a gentle 'Face Scrub' mixed with Liquid Soap, and of course, I use it on my teeth, too -- with Toothpaste, not liquid soap! har, har!

Check out more of my Tips on my Tips & Recipes Page, if you have a minute! And please, oh, please go ahead and click on any advertisements that might appeal to you -- that's how I get paid from my Site!!

Take Care and Thanks for popping by! See you tomorrow!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!

 

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Tuesday, November 4th. Hey, Good Lookin'!! Say, can you point the way to the Bathroom... I mean, 'Powder room'? yuff, yuff! Are you getting yourself all ready to schmooze your way through the Holiday Parties?? You know what happened to me at a Holiday Party, last year? A lovely, brilliant woman asked me how many children I had, so I said,"2"...with a brief description. And then she poked me in the stomach and said, in a big loud voice, "And one on the way!" Hmmmm. I was standing there with a glass of wine in my hand, and had clearly already had another...so I said to her, "Noooo, it's baby fat..." So that's NOT how to schmooze!! And I'm not going to wear that Princess Cut Dress Style, anymore... and I really loved that dress, too. Must figure out a way to remodel it... And I've successfully 'remodeled' my body (Thanks, yummy little Apple Crumble!!), so hopefully no one will be poking my stomach, this holiday season!! ha,ha,ha!

You know how I was telling you about that Cholesterol thing, yesterday, because Wayne Brady was discussing it on his fabulous morning Show (just in case you haven't seen it!!) after he discovered his Cholesterol was too high? Well, I was thinking about the big things we did about lowering our Cholesterol and maintaining it at a healthy level, and one of the key things to add to your diet is Oatmeal. Now, I'm Scottish, so porridge is a staple in our diets, and I happen to be very fond of it. The old-fashioned way to have your porrigde is with heavy cream, but that has to go, so you can enjoy it with 1% or 2% Milk, and you'll be better off.

Not a big fan of porridge?? Maybe try it the Scottish way -- just add plenty of salt -- that's the 'secret ingredient' in much of the Scottish 'Cuisine'! ha,ha,ha! You gotta cut back on the salt, but not in the porridge. Oatmeal is pretty bland all on it's own! Follow the regular recipe on the Oatmeal Bag, but add about 3/4 tsp. salt for every 3 Cups of Water. I measure with my hand, so I think that's right. Dwight likes his porridge with Cinnamon and Brown Sugar, so you can go that way, too.

Even easier is to make up a big batch of the Apple Crumble Recipe -- it's really easy to make, and has lots of Oatmeal and Bran in it, and tastes delicious! You'll lose weight, too, and that'll help your Cholesterol! Scoooore!!

Tip of the Day: Put a Water Alarm in Your Furnace Room. We had a 'Water Alarm' issue right after we got back from Vacation in the summer, and I didn't even know that we had a Water Alarm... We'd been in the house for about a year, and hadn't had the Septic Drained (you should do it every year, or so, depending on the size of your house...), and Dwight was upstairs in the Giant Tub, and I was watching television Downstairs... Anyway, I could hear some beeping, and thought an Alarm Clock had been left on in one of the Guest Rooms, so I poked around looking for the Beeping. It turned out that the Septic Alarm went off in the Furnace Room.

Of course, I ran upstairs to tell Dwight the Alarm was going off, so he immediately put the plug in the Bath, so no more water could go down the Drain, then I ran around the house putting a stopper in all the Sinks, while Dwight went down and Shut off the Main Valve for the Water Supply. We have a Fully Developed Lower Level, so flooding would have cost a fortune and been a major hassle... lucky we had the Alarm!

Now, there are two different types of Water Alarms -- one to detect water that is leaking from your Water Heater, and one to detect water leakage from the Septic System (just for the country folk!!). The one for the Water Heater usually just goes on the floor beside the Water Heater. They are both an inexpensive way to save you a lot of time and money.

I did a whole page on Home Safety, if you want to go and check it out. It's good for everyone in the house to understand the Basic Home Emergncy Stuff, so everyone will be very confident about what they can do in an Emergency.

Okay, let me go get you some pictures!!

I'm baaaack!! And here's your 'Daily Pics Fix'!!

Here's Tia on the newly Grouted Dining Room Floor! How do you like my Curtains -- pretty, eh? I love them! All from

Linens 'N Things -- that's why I love that store so much. I popped outside to the Dining Room Deck to get a shot of the Dining Room leading into the Great Room -- looks great! So nice to finally get the Grouting done!!

Thanks for coming in for a wee visit!! See you tomorrow!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!

 

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Monday, November 3rd. Hey, Baby-Cakes! I know -- It's a little early to be thinkin' about 'cakes', but that seems crazy to me -- anytime is cake time, right?? ha,ha,ha! And that's why I had to come up with my functional weight loss plan (no screaming involved -- just Tasty Apple Crumble! Now that's an easy way to 'diet'! ha,ha!) It really does work, though, so try it if you'd like to drop a few pounds and get nice and healthy. Always worth a try!

It's snowing, again, this morning! Aaaah! And it's only the beginning of November! I think we're in for a very cold and snowy winter, but Dwight firmly believes that it'll be 'mild with very little snow' ... he's like a weather forcaster with their head stuck firmly in a snow bank! ha,ha,ha! When I first moved here to Calgary, I would say to Dwight, "What's the temperture like outside?", because he was typically the first one out. "Oh, it's balmy...You don't even need a jacket", so I would stroll out with a sweater and it's be -12 Degrees, which is apparently 'hot' to Dwight! Now I know the truth so I always just put on my gigantic coat and go! This crappy weather makes me do a little 'California Dreamin' ...

What's going on with all the people who have been displaced from their homes from the Fires, I wonder? Drop me a line if you're a Contractor down there, and we'll get you on the Site. One of the hardest things to do after a disaster is get the help to rebuild, since all of a sudden there's a massive demand for the same work. This can add to the frustration of the whole thing, and sometimes make it feel like it's insurmountable, but once you get started on any project, it always ends up better than before, and your life will be back to normal before you know it!

Hey, you know how I always watch Ellen and Wayne Brady while I'm working on my site (thanks to my wonderful Windowed Office!!)? Well, Wayne (Ellen and Wayne are like your new bestest friends, but you don't have to share any cookies with them...) was just saying that his Cholesterol is too high. We started dealing with this as a family about 20 years, ago, because we have a history of High Cholesterol. I studied it a great deal, and adapted my diet way back then (I was about 21), and have come up with lots of great recipes over the years that people actually want to eat.

You don't have to give up flavor to keep your Cholesterol down, that's for sure. Pretty much everything on my Recipes Page is fine, as long as everything you eat is in moderation. The Pie Crust was the first thing I adapted, since you 'got to get the lard out', so to speak!! The key to all those 'Diet Changes' is to find good alternatives to your current 'fare' that you love, otherwise, it's too hard to stick to, and you'll make a conscious or 'semi-conscious' decision that you'd rather have fun now, pay later... Now, you don't really want to do that, because it's surprising how quickly 'Later' comes along, then you'll be mad that you let yourself off the hook!

Better to make little adjustments you can easily live with, then add more as you go. I'm a real believer in 'A wee bit at a time goes a long way', except for some things, when I just want a whole lot! ha,ha,ha! But you get the point, right??

Tip of the Day: This is kind of a health tip for you and your family -- I always keep a bottle of Rubbing Alcohol beside the computer, so that I can wipe the key board off every so often with a paper hankie or little cloth. It's handy to have for people who don't want to leave the computer for 2 seconds to wash their hands after they've sneezed or, God Forbid, blow their nose... yick! So keep that alcohol handy (Rum for you, rubbing alcohol for the kids! ha,ha,ha!), and keep the germs to a minimum!

And now for your 'Daily Pics Fix'!

Here's Tia to look at whle I go 'get' the new pictures! That's the cute face she uses to distract me from working on my Site! I always have to stop what I'm doing to give her a wee tickle! Wouldn't it be great if we could all get a wee tickle during our work-day?? ha,ha,ha!

And now here's what we woke up to, this morning! Cara gets the School Bus at the Far corner of our Lot!

I was trying to get the shot so you could actually see the snow falling, because that's so pretty ... I don't know...can you see that?? And that's our poor little Hot Tub all covered in Snow!

Oh, hey! The O.C. is on tonight -- if you haven't seen it, yet, it's fun to watch -- pluas, you can study their houses to see if you can build one, too!! That's what I do!! ha,ha!

Thanks for swingin' in! See you tomorrow (feel free to bring a friend!)!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!

 

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Here's what I'm thinking about, this morning!! Maybe you are, too!!

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Sunday, November 2nd. Hey, Sweet Baby! (Okay, that is what I call our wee Dog, Tia, but tha's because I love her soooo very much, so it's a good thing, right??) So, how's yer weekend coming along? Getting any Projects done, or are you one of the lucky ones who can kick back and relax on the weekend?? I like to be a little of both! I've been reading my new Dave Barry Book, Dave Barry's Complete Guide to Life, which is hilarious, so I try to steal a few minutes here and there to pop into the Sunroom for a wee read. It generally doesn't last very long, since 'people' tend to follow me around the house, from room to room, so I don't get much time to myself! Good thing I'm so very fond of them!

Oh, yeah, That reminds me... the new Ellen Degeneres Book came out (ha,ha -- that's seems more than appropriate, for her book to 'come out', as well...!) last week, and if you haven't read her work, yet, it's hilarious! Laugh out loud funny! Also, if you want to make any kind of donation at all to the California Fire Disaster, Ellen has a whole page devoted just to that on her website, which very funny, too... click on, see if you can help...

I think I'll try to get Dwight to help me grout the Tiled Floor in the Sunroom, today. Then that's the whole Main Floor Done, in terms of Tiling. Man, that's soooo much work, but it's gorgeous when it's done. Hey, did I tell you that Dwight put in Radiant Heat in all the Tiled areas (except the Pantry, cause then the food would go bad, like a bunch of crazy criminals...), so it's very pleasant to stand on in the winter. It's a very nice feature! Especially in the Bathrooms, where you want your feet to be toasty in the morning! It's right throughout the whole Lower Level Floor, too. You put it down then pour the concrete right on top of it, so it's literally 'right in the floor'! Cool, eh? I'll get some pictures to show you.

Well, it's Sunday morning, so that means everyone will be waiting for me to come and make them a fancy scmancy Sunday Breakfast, so better get going! Hey, have you ever tried making your eggs in the Microwave? Sounds painfully simple, but I just figured this out a couple of years ago, and wish I'd been doing it for years... Try this : In a shallow dish, break about 8 eggs and a bit of milk -- maybe 1/3 of a cup... -- and whisk them all up. Put a lid on the dish and pop it in the microwave for the same number of minutes as the number of eggs you used. Just cut the eggs when they're done to look like 'Scrambled Eggs', and Voila! You've made the eggs without extra butter or oil. Of course, that'll give you more space for all the sausages and bacon! yuff, yuff!

Tip of the Day: This is a relationship Tip -- and you can guess where I thought of it! ha,ha,ha! Never fight with your spouse or 'significant other' or 'insignificant partner', as the case may be (!), in the car. It's never a good idea to distract the driver, even if you're mad. Just wait 'til you get home. Or say what you need to say in a relatively calm manner, so as not to disrupt the driving...I'm all about safety, honey! The older I get, the more I realize that safety is really the key... I mean, really, has anyone ever really resolved anything in the car?? Other things happen (not when you're married ... but you know what I mean...!), but not generally resolutions!

You know what? I wrote a whole lot of 'MarriageThings' a while back, in my 'bitter period' (only lasted a few years...ha,ha,ha!), but often 'bitter' turns into 'funny', so I'll have to poke around and see if I can find it for you!

Here's your 'Daily Pics Fix'!

See the Red Tubes? They run under the Tiled areas on the Main Floor, and all under the Cement Floor on the Lower Level. The Center Picture is what the 'Control Panel' looks like in our Furnace Room. It's a very cool system, Radiant Heat. That's Dwight in the green shirt and Steve on the Ladder. (Steve just finished his last day with Dwight's Company, D.K.Mechanical, and he's off to Toronto to pursue his big Comedy Career! Good Luck, Steve! We'll miss you!)

In the last picture, you can see the Two Water Heaters -- we never want to run out of Hot Water! (We're on 'Town Water' in the country, which is practically unheard of and wonderful, so no fear of running out of any water! WooHoo!) The thing behind the Water Heater is the Coil for The Air Conditioning. It gets very cold and very hot up here in Calgary, so you need to be prepared for both! That's what Dwight does -- Heating and Air Conditioning -- and that's how we were able to save up for this great big house!! ha,ha,ha! So 'extra hot' and 'extra cold' is good for us!

 

Thanks for 'Clickin' In'!! See you tomorrow!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!

 

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Saturday, November 1st! Wow! November! Hey, Baby! Are you 'undressed', yet? From your Hallowe'en Costume, I mean!! yuff, yuff! Aidan had a fabulous time out 'Trick or Treating'! After every house ( and we don't have very many in our little Estate Area, but for Aidan, there were millions of houses ... he was squealing, "Happy Hallowe'en" all night! ha,ha,ha! He started the day with his Batman costume, switched to his Caterpillar costume, then actually went out as 'The Hulk'. When you live in a Cold Climate, you always need to be prepared with a costume you can throw over your kid's giant winter coat -- so Aidan really did look like a little 'Hulk', because he's like a marshmallow in his winter gear! ha,ha,ha!

Dwight's home (he had to cancel his Hunting Trip -- WooHoo! The geese are safe for another year!!), and he's watching a Real Estate Show....there's a big surprise! It's either a Fishing Show or Real Estate! There are a few recurring questions that a lot of people have about Real Estate. The bottom line is that Real Estate is always a great Investment, and try to buy your own home (whatever size...) as soon as you possibly can, and that anytime is a good time to Buy or Sell Your Home. No need to 'wait 'til Spring', or think the only time to marlet your property is at the beginning of the summer. The concern there is generally from parents, who don't want their children to have to switch schools in the middle of the year.

I'll tell ya, as a teacher and a parent, it's not the end of the world if a child switches to a new school -- at any time. Sometimes it can be beneficial to the child (like a big move can be beneficial for you...). The Change affords you or your child the opportunity to 're-invent' themselves, should they want to. Especially in a situation of bullying or crazy stuff in one environment, can be eliminated by switching your environment. Sometimes, solving a big problem like that can be solved by one move.

If there is some aspect of the child you need to alter before the 'start fresh', make sure your child knows the problem and makes a concerted effort to change it. In a new school, they won't be dealing with long, long memories of past behaviour, and they'll stand a better shot at overcoming the problem. Plus, they'll learn how to make new friends, and adapt to a new environment, and these are skills essential for success later in life!

I'll have to transfer the Hallowe'en Pictures from my Video Camera to the computer so I can post them for you. And I took a couple of shots of some deer who were outside the Kichen window when I got up the other morning, but the sun was barely up, so I'm not sure how well you can see the deer. It's fun to wake up to stuff like that!

Now that it's November, and all the Christmas Holiday Stuff will be coming out, it'll just be a matter of time before I start to put up the Christmas Decorations. I am particularly fond of the Christmas Tree. I get around the 'It's too early for that Tree' from Dwight by gradually putting it up -- first the bare tree, then a few little lights...followed by an enormous amount of lights, then finally the decorations. My morning routine always involves a big 'circle, where I turn up the heat, turn on the kettles, switch on the Fireplace ,,, and soon I can add 'Turn on the Tree' to my little ritual! Can't wait!

Hey, when you have your Holiday Shopping to do (Christmas or Chanukah), swing in here for your Holiday On-line Shopping! Both of my Shopping Pages are full of cool stuff to send. I just sent Flowers to my Auntie Joyce through my site (FTD -- they're great!), and it was sooo easy. That's my new favorite way to shop! That and Costco!! ha,ha!

Swing into my Waaaay Better Shopping Page for FTD.com and Holiday Shopping! (Pleeease!!)

Hey, you know what they had on the FTD Site, that I hadn't seen before? They had a Breast Cancer Awareness Bouquet that comes with a little Breast Cancer Awareness Pin -- lovely gift idea! It's in the '$45 - $55 Range -- you can click on the amount you'd like to spend and they'll show you everything they have in that range -- fantastic selection, too! I'm like a walking advertisement for them, but I really do like them a lot! I'll get you the link so you can check it out.

Hey, Dwight just switched onto a show about Cuba, and my parents happen to be vacationing there, right now. Man, it's gorgeous! My Dad looks a little bit like Castro, so that's pretty funny! It'll be interesting to hear what it's really like over there...

Tip of the Day: When you are Selling Your Home, do your own Advertising. You can add your Realtor's Name to your Ad, but getting your information out there is critical. We hear all the time that "The Realtor has me on MLS -- that's enough"... nope. Not always enough! Advertising On-line and in your Local Paper is a great addition to MLS. Don't forget the value of 'Word of Mouth'. Tell everyone you know that you're selling your house ... you never know who else they might know who is interested in making a Home Purchase! You always want to keep in mind that you are ultimately in charge of the Sale of your Property, and you have every right to do what you need to in order to Sell Your Home.

I'm going to get your 'Daily Pics Fix'! Be right back!!

I'm baaaack!! Here's what our Hallowe'en looked like! That's Aidan in his Caterpillar Costume, and Cara in her 'Disney Princess' Costume! And, yes, my children were born really far apart -- Cara was born in '88 and Aidan was born in '99! Very careful planning, indeed! ha,ha,ha!

Here's Aidan Drawing the Face(S) on the Pumpkin! Safe and fun!

And here's 'The Boy' in his Hulk Costume that he actually wore to go out, and his 'Loot' from Trick or Treating! Lots of Fun!!

Thanks for swingin' in! See you tomorrow!!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!

 

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Friday, October 31st! Happy Hallowe'en, you cute little monkey! That's what you're dressed up as, right? No?? Those traits are from your Mother's side? I should have said, "You hairy little fiend"... yes, yes. That's much better! ha,ha,ha!

Well, what did you dress up as, today? And what are the 'chilluns' wearing?? Let me just say, I love a man in a tutu! They're just sooo 'delicate'!! Aidan drew a couple of faces on his Pumpkin, this morning -- if you have small children, and you want them to decorate a pumpkin, just have them draw on the clean pumkin with Black Permanent Marker. It's fun for them and no knives are involved! Aidan is standing beside me while I'm working, and he keeps saying, "Mummy, I'm trying to warn you there's a werewolf out there..." Seriously! That's the sort of thing Aidan is concerned about! ha,ha!

Dwight installed the new Blower in the Lower Livingroom Fireplace, last night. Man, that thing really gives off a lot of heat, which we need because it went to -17 Degrees, last night! Yikes! Those wee 'Trick or Treaters' are going to be freezing, tonight! Anyway, if you want to increase your Fireplace Heat Output, a Blower is a great idea. Now, Dwight had pre-wired for this, so I would think it's a good idea to ask your Mechanical Contractor or Builder to add this in while you're at the Building Stage, to make this easier to install. Still, it should be a fairly simple process to add into an existing gas fireplace.

Two of my favorite Design Shows are on this morning -- Designer Guys and Designing for the Sexes. They both have fabulous Designers, and there is a fair bit of heavy-duty Renovations, which I like... pulling out a kitchen or bathroom, and completely re-doing it -- that's the sort of stuff I love to do!

Are you thinking about updating your Kitchen or Bathroom? I have some great Tips on my Tips & Recipes Page, but here's a couple of 'quickies' that you can do to make a big change for a relatively small amount of money. Switch the Hardware on the Cupboards. You can do this on your Bedroom Furniture, too. It's surprising what a small thing like that can do to the look of a room. You can find all sorts of cool Handles and Pulls on-line or at your local Hardware Store. Remember to measure the distance between the holes of the current Handles so the new ones will fit without drilling (and filling!) new holes.

I'll put in some pictures of our Kitchen, so you can see what Tiled Countertops look like, and I'll tell you how to do that, tomorrow!

Tip of the Day: When you're thinking of Renovating, or you're developing a brand new area, think of the Room as a big empty space, and draw out the room as you would most like to see it. Then, depending on your budget, see what will work for you that fits with your new vision and your budget. If you want to keep your existing Cabinetry, but you want to brighten it up, you can always paint it. We did this, once, and it was a lot more work than I had planned on ... especially the Interior of the Cabinets! Next time, I would hire a Company that can 'Spray' your Cabinets. You can also just replace the Cabinet Doors -- just be sure to take very careful measurements! Hey, you can spray your Appliances, too, and the Bathtub, as well!

And now for your 'Daily Pics Fix'!

Here's the Island in my Kitchen. It's about 9' X 5 1/2', which made it big enough to put in Double Dishwashers. I think I will always figure out some way to put in two Dishwashers in any future house, too, because the convenience is great! And that's my view from the Sink -- there's a beautiful Mountain and Tree View from the Island and from every window on the West Side of the house.

The Counters are all done in a Emerald Pearl 12" X 12" Granite Tile. It's gorgeous! The Granite Tile on the Countertops was no more difficult to lay than regular Tile -- it goes on much like you would do Wall Tile in a Bathroom. We matched the same Tile for the Fireplace Surrounds, and the Bar in the Billiards Room. Very nice accent to the Maple Cabinetry.

Thanks for droppin' by! See you, tomorrow!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!

 

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Thursday, October 30th. Hey, you Sweet Thing, You!! Only one more day 'til Hallowe'en! Have you got the Costumes ready, yet?? Aidan asked me, yesterday, to "Sew me up a Superman Costume"! He has 4 different 'potential' costumes, but all of a sudden, it's Superman! Ah, well! Cara is planning to be Sailor Moon and A Princess. She was going to be a 'Goth Princess', but that Black Lipstick was just a bit over-the-top! She's stickin' with 'Pretty'!

Hey, given that it's Hallowe'en, 'n all, tomorrow, this is a good time for you to delve into the 'paranormal', which is not the same as 'abnormal' (like the 'Abby Normal Brain' in Young Frankenstein!)... There's a new site I've just come across in the last week. I had just 'put' the 'Moon Over Mountains' pics on this At Home Page, then I clicked onto Rose's Site, and wouldn't you know it -- her Front Page is -- get this -- 'Moon Over Mountains'! Cool, eh? Anyway, it's an Astrological Site with the best Forecasts I've seen in years -- I think you'll get a kick out of it. She does Readings, too -- maybe I'll do that, again. The last time I did that, it was a truly amazing experience, and it was amazing how much clarity it gave me. I never scoff at anything until I try it (then, I might scoff, but never before! ha,ha,ha!)

Her website is www.rosemarcus.com. Go ahead and have a wee look -- it'll be fun! You know my bottom line on Astrology (Western or Eastern)? If it makes you feel good about yourself, points out some of your positive Traits, and might help to lead you in the right direction, then it's all good! And just in case you're interested, I'm Pisces and a Rabbit (in the Chinese Astrological Calendar!). I hope to God that means I'm a Lucky Schmuck!! I could use a wee bit of extra luck my way!

Here's the funny thing -- you know where I first came across Rose's Astrological Forecast? In a Financial Magazine that we get! Whodda thunk that??

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We're still mired in snow, up here in Calgary, so all the Country School Busses were cancelled, so it's a 'Freebie' Day for Cara! And she still wants to go to school! Now that's dedication! We used to pray for Snow Days!!

Did you see Ed and The Bachelor, last night? I call it my 'Ed & Bob Night'! Seems appropriate. That's the closest I'll ever get to 'dating two men in one night', again! ha,ha,ha! I took careful note of 'Ed's' real name -- I thought it was Tom Cavanagh, I just wanted to be sure. He went to Queen's University at the same time that I was there -- cool, eh? It's a great Show, and I love the David Letterman 'Tidbits'!

The Bachelor is endlessly fun to watch -- Dwight loves it, too. It's a great Family Show, no??? ha,ha,ha! Good for Cara to see what dating can sometimes look like... Dwight primarily likes the Hot Tub scenes -- now there's a big surprise! And, of course, I am just as fascinated by the Blue Uplighting behind the Plants as I am by the Human Drama! But that's just me! yuff, yuff... But I thought fer sure that Meredith would stay another week -- I'm still rooting for Kelly Jo, though. She looks like really good 'marriage material'!

Tip of the Day: This is Garage-Related, because we had Phil here, yesterday, to fix our Garage Door. He was telling me about a terrible accident where two wee boys were playing in their garage, and the older brother pulled the Release Cord, causing the door to crash down on the other poor wee boy. Horrific story. You can easily prevent tragic accidents by being aware of the problem, to begin with, and taking actions to prevent them. The Tip is to Get on a Ladder and Duct Tape the Release Cord to the Door Opener. Make sure that everyone in the family knows not to play in the garage, and to make sure there are never any pets or children anywhere near the garage door when you're going to close it. Even with a 'Safety Sensor', it's better to err on the side of caution, right?

The other Garage related Tip is if you ever had a situation where the Power went out, or there was an Emergency and you had to get the Door Open Quickly, you (the adult!), can pull the Release Cord to Manually Open the Garage Door. Just good to know!

And now for Your Daily 'Pics Fix'!

Here are some of the Trees we just put in at the Front Entry. There are 5 Big Spruce Trees on one side, and 4 on the other, interspersed with smaller Trees and Shrubs. Looks lovely! Can hardly wait to put the Christmas Fairy Lights on all the Trees! It's very tricky to get a shot of what we actually see with the 'naked eye'. It's remarkable how many Trees are all around us -- this Estate Area used to be a Tree Farm, before it was Developed, so we totally scored with that!

So, First Picture: New Trees at the Front Entry. Second Pic: View from the Front Entry (it's all windowed, so lovely to look at!). Third Pic: View to the South of the Front Entry -- this is a stunning view -- we thought our whole focus was going to be the Mountains, but this Treed Area is soooo wonderful to look at, too. Fourth Pic: How we see the Trees out the Front Door or from any of the Windows on the Southeast Side of the House, the Sunroom and the especially the Sunroom Hot Tub Deck. Not bad, eh??

Well, thanks for coming in for a wee visit! Always lovely to 'see' you! Hey, wouldn't it be fun to really 'see' what we all look like? Maybe we all have the same smile! Who knows?? You could send me your pictures and I could try and figure out how to get them on the site! Could be fun!!

See you, tomorrow! Later, Baby! Ailsa!

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Hi! It's a 'Mid-Day' Pics Fix! The Snow Started to Fall, last night, and when we got up this morning, there was a ton of Snow! So of course I've got lots of pictures for you!

Look who's shocked at all the snow!! And that's how Tia deals with stress -- lucky dog!! ha,ha! Hey, there's my lastest Dave Barry Book that I'm reading, Dave Barry's Guide to Marriage &/or Sex, which was hilarious!

Poor wee Tia -- she spends a tremendous amount of time just looking at the snow, trying to decide whether she wants to go out in it, or not!! Usually, the 'or not' wins out!! ha,ha!

And here's the View from my Laundry Room, today! Look at my nice new trees! They're all wind and snow-swept! Poor wee things! And there's the Hot Tub -- not so very 'hot'!! That crazy Dwight better order that Hot Tub Cover, today, because I'm getting a little tired of cleaning it out sooooo often. And there's the 'Snow Storm in Action' in the last shot. That's the Back Deck, and it's about 10:00 in the morning... in OCTOBER!

Well, the upside of this storm is that Dwight has cancelled his Hunting Trip -- not for me, but because the Geese are apparently a lot smarter than us and have left for the Winter!! So the Geese are gone and the Roads are bad -- the Boy's stayin' home. Good, 'cause I hate driving in bad weather, and we have a ton of stuff to do, this weekend!

Oh, and the 'Garage Door Guy' came and fixed the Garage Door, temporarily, until the new Parts come in. At least Dwight can get his Truck out of the Garage! And then I can get my Van back!! YaaHoo! Thanks to Phil from High Country Overhead Doors! I'll put him on my Business & Classifieds Page!

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Wednesday, October 29th. Hi, Honey! Welcome 'Home'!! How ya' been?? We've had a bizarre thing happen -- nothing too crazy, but it could have been a very bad accident. When Dwight got home, last night, and parked in the garage, the door wouldn't close properly. So, of course, he immediately got his tools out to fix it. And who was the helper? Me! So all through the 'fixing process', I'm saying to Dwight, "Take extra care -- this looks really dangerous..." Well, wouldn't you know it, after a fair bit of 'door manipulation', the double door crashed down from about 5 feet off the ground. Thank God I was up on the Stairs and Dwight was a good 10 feet away, but it was really scary.

Tip of the Day: (It's early, today -- Always call the Right Guy for the Job -- before anyone gets hurt. There are just some jobs that require a professional in the field, and the Garage Doors are definitely one of them. So Dwight called the guy and hopefully they'll be over today!

The Fires in California are all over the News, so I've been thinking about how you can prepare for a disaster. It's a hard thing to even think about, but it can make you feel better if you have a plan. God Forbid there were ever a reason you had to evacuate your home, but if you did, there are some key items you might want to take with you.

First things, first, the kids and pets! (Of course!!) Your Spouse (you'll need them to help carry stuff...!). Pictures and Personal Momentos -- not tooooo many -- just the really important ones. Legal Documents, including your Passports, Insurance Info, and other Documents that would be hard to Duplicate. Some Clothes and Toiletries. Just the Basics. It's surprising how much stuff we all accumulate that can all be replaced.

You know what I could never really understand? Why don't they call in the Army at the first sign of serious danger from these devasting Fires? I don't get that. Maybe someone out there in 'Computerland' knows... I should ask my buddy, Wayne, who is a Major, what the deal is...

If there is information on my site that you think might help someone to rebuild their house, please send this along to them. Every little bit of help is good in a difficult situation.

So I was looking through some boxes for my old Resume, yesterday, in case I want to Apply for 'an actual job', (I'm thinking about it... my site is still not profitable enough, but I'm still working away on it...), and I came across a whole lot of 'old writing'. I used to write Childrens' Stories -- 'The Greed Monster', that came with a catchy little song, 'My Cousins Are Coming, My Cousins Are Coming', 'The Fairy Princess Ballerinas', a Recipe Book with Pictures of Muscle-bound men (!), an old Script for Ben Johnson -- all about him, of course(!), an entire Romance Novel --'The Color of Love'... and Three Simpsons Scripts... That's a lot of writing that I've done absolutely nothing with! Man! I wonder what I should do with it all? I just put it all back -- I still need to find my resume!

I'll let you know how the Garage Door Guy thing goes!

Meanwhile, here's your 'Daily Pics Fix'!

This is the View from My Laundry Room, where I spend a fair portion of my day -- I know, I know -- you want to clean all day, too! It's a dream come true, all right!

And here's the New Sunroom Deck with the Hot Tub.

Thanks for swingin' in! See you tomorrow!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!

 

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Tuesday, October 28th. Yo, Baby, How you doin'??? Have you looked out your Hallowe'en Costume, yet? Cara mentioned to me last night at, oh, about 8:00pm, that she was going to need two separate costumes... so I think I've convinced her to wear her gorgeous 'Princess Dress' that she got from Disneyland when we were there in the summer. Cara doesn't want anything to happen to it, since it's the first really 'big' item that's she's paid for with her own money! Isn't that cute?? There's no point saving something forever -- might as well enjoy it while you have it, right? There's a good 'life lesson' for her (and us!). So after I write this I'll have to go out to the garage and see if I can find all her old Sailor Moon stuff, since that's her second costume-of-choice...

Hey, guess what? Today's the Day when Ellen Degeneres's's's (Think'Homer'!!)... new Book comes out! WooHoo! Her books are absolutely hilarious, and she is going to donate a portion of the proceeds to three different Charities : The Susan G. Coleman Breast Cancer Foundation, The Peace Games Program, and the American Red Cross, to help the people dealing with the aftermath of the terrible fires in California. So you'd be getting a great book and helping out some great causes, too.You can click on My Book Page, and check out lots of my favorite books (I have a lot!). I'll give you the direct link, here, too... I'll just 'go get it'... (Hey, you know what? You can swing by Ellen's Site to have a few laughs and make a Donation on-line to help the folks in the California Fires!)

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The Funny Thing is...

There was a Section on the News, last night, about Trans-Fats (not to be confused with 'Trans-Gendered Fats, which is an entirely different story...!), and it turns out I was right to stick with my favorite Butter!! Yipee! Thank God for that, since I really love butter, and never did have any intentions of 'switching over'! It's always good to know what all the ingredients are in your food, right?! So here's how you can recognize 'Trans-Fats' if they're not identified on the Label -- they can go under the name of pretty much anything that starts with 'Hydrogenated', 'Partially Hydrogenated', and sometimes just 'Vegetable Shortening'... tricky, eh? I don't get why the Trans-Fats can't be identified as art of the Break-down of the Fat portion of the Food Item. Maybe Consumers can have a wee say about this...!

I just checked my e-mail to my Site (buildyourownhouse@hotmail.com), and I got an Update from the American Humane Society. I have a link to them on Tia's Page (The Dog!), and they are very worried about the animals who are being affected by the Fires in California. So here's the Link to get some info on what's going on .. and maybe you'll see a pet you'd like to Adopt!!

www.americanhumane.org

 

Tip of the Day: Here's a little tip to help you clean out your Closets, Storage Area, or Garage (or all three!!) and help some other folk at the same time -- Did you know there are Bins all over your City or Town where you can drop off your gently used items? Now, don't be mean and throw out your spouse's favorite old Sweatshirt -- they hate that sort of thing!! Dwight threw out my favorite pair of Black Walking Shoes that I was just about to have re-soled, because he thought they were 'too old'. I'll tell you who's 'too old'...anyway, I was, of course, livid, because he was always throwing away my stuff, and never his own. Those days are pretty much over, now, because I told Dwight that he would be the next to go before any more of my 'stuff'... you say that sort of thing when you're married!! And then you go have lunch...but I'll tell ya, it's nerve-racking when you see Dwight strolling the house with a garbage bag!

Now back to the Tip! You can Bag up or Box any old clothes, blankets, toys, anything you have that would be useful to someone else that you no longer need, and drop it off in the Bins or a Local Drop-off point. Just a nice thing to do!

And now for your 'Daily Pics Fix'!

Here's Ron, The Landscaper (!), helping me put the Trees around the Circular Drive. It was a huuuge fight to get Dwight to agree to the Circular Drive, but we have the land for it, and it totally suits this house, so he finally agreed... and it looks great, of course!

Thanks for 'Clickin' In'! See you tomorrow! Later, Baby! Ailsa!

 

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If you're still looking for something cool for Hallowe'en, check out my Brand Spankin' New Shopping Page! There's a bunch of great stuff on there, and a whole section just for Hallowe'en Stuff!

Click Here for My Brand Spankin' New Shopping Page!!

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Monday, October 27th. Hey, Baby! What's up?? Can you believe it's almost Hallowe'en?? Cara loooves Hallowe'en, and Aidan likes the idea of it. Last year, he was all excited about the prospect of 'free candy' (!), but when it actually came time for him to put on his Costume (a giant Caterpillar...), he point-blank refused. Wouldn't do it. And he was very upset that other kids were coming to the door to get his candy... so the whole concept was lost on him! Ah, well. We'll try again, this year!

My favorite Hallowe'en Costume (and there have been a lot of great ones!) was the year I wore a Black Slip (yes, with a leotard under it!!) with a big Sash that read: FREUD. Yep. I was a 'Freudian Slip'... ha,ha,ha,ha! It's a great costume for a woman or a man -- I'm just thinking, it would be particularly funny for a man because of all the other implications! yuff, yuff!

Well, we got a tremendous amount of work done on the weekend. The whole Tiled Floor in the Kitchen, Dining Room, Laundry Room and the Pantry is done! Finally! I don't know why I couldn't get Dwight motivated to complete that job with me -- maybe because it seemed mainly cosmetic to him, but it looks fantastic, now! My knees are killing me, though, so no more kneeling for me for a long time! Lucky I'm Presbyterian! yuff, yuff!

Did you remember to turn your clocks back? It's my one opporutunity to correct the time on my computer -- without having to learn something new!! Dwight was going over his Insurance Programs again, last night,so it seemed like there were a whole lot of extra hours right there. On the upside of the Time Change, it's light out when I get up, now, and by the time it's dark again in the morning, the Christmas Trees will be up, so it's all good!

Tip of the Day: Surprise! It's another Grouting Tip! But you can use this to clean your regular Floors, too -- except for Hardwood Floors -- that'll take a team of experts... After you've Grouted your Tiled Floors, and the Grout has Set, wash them down with a Mop and a mixture of Hot Soapy Water with about a Cup of Vinegar in it. It takes the haze away from the Tile. I actually went over the Floors a few times to make sure the haze was all gone, to prevent 'people' from tracking the Grout Dust all over the house.

And now for your 'Daily Pics Fix'!!

Here's the Hot Tub before we were finished the Deck -- Tia is always strolling around it! The other two pictures are of the Hot Tub through the Sunroom, which is adjacent to the Master Bedroom. Oh, hey! You can see the New Railing through the Windows in the 2nd shot.

Dwight and I went out to measure the Tub for the new Hot Tub Cover, this morning. There was a 'discussion' over how to 'Trace the Arc' around the Corners, so here's how Dwight did it -- you get a large piece of cardboard (we used a pizza box from the weekend!), and hold it above the Arc. You trace the Arc from the bottom, by running the pencil along the edge of the Arc. I traced that picture onto another sheet of paper, then Dwight can Fax it to the Hot Tub Cover Guy, Bob, later today. We should get our new cover in a couple of weeks.

Okay. Better go get the dishes done! Thanks for coming in for a wee visit! See you tomorrow!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!

 

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Sunday, October 26th. Hello, Sweetie-Pie! How's your Weekend going?? Well, I hope! Ours has been very exciting, what with all the Grouting, 'n all!! Ah, this is the Life!! ha,ha! I have wanted to get this crazy grouting done for a long time, though, so I really am happy to get it done! Plus, I happen to really love grouting... that's just the kind of girl I am! I like to see a job well done (emphasis on the 'done'!!), and I am very fond of 'smooth lines'. Go figure!

So we got a fair bit of the Floor done -- all of the Laundry Room, Kitchen, Last Half of the Front Entry, and half of the Dining Room. It's such a huge space, that that is a lot of work to get done in one day! And now my arm is really sore, but I'll get over it -- it's all worth it to get the Tiled Floor done so I can put the House on the Market...

Hey, do you ever watch The Suze Orman Show? She's great! There's a link to her website on my Links Page, if you want to go check out her site. Anyway, she made a very interesting point about 'how you would paint your life, if you were to create your own picture'...Thought provoking, no?? I've always had a picture in my mind of my home in California, over-looking the Beach with a gorgeous Pool. Surely I can make that happen!! Must start planning, now!

I'm a firm believer in 'Visualization'. Have you tried this, or have you done this successfully, already? Write and let me know your story!! That's how we got into this house -- I visualized the whole thing, drew it, dreamt about it, then built it. And look how well that whole thing turned out!! And you can do it, too! If you're just getting interested in Real Estate, start by Cleaning Up Your Financial House, begin Putting Some Money Aside, and Then Head Out to Find Your Future Home. Start Small, and then Plan to Move Up in Time.

Dwight used to always have a 'Five Year Plan'. He wanted to live in one place for a minimum of 5 years each time, and I thought that was a crazy idea, because that plan didn't take into consideration the Market Place. When you're in the Midst of a Hot Housing Market, use that in your favor to Move Out and Up! Why Not? We would never have been able to afford this house if we had followed Dwight's old plan of staying in our Condo for those five years. We've moved twice in the last Five years (from the Condo, to a nice Moderate Home, to this Gorgeous Big House... And Dwight's glad I dragged him along for the ride!). And now I'm ready to move, again. That's just my nature.

Tip of the Day: Welcome Change. Embrace it. Find it. Teach your Children how to Manage Change with Relative Ease. It's a critical skill for everyone, now -- everybody needs to be able to cope with change, and the sooner you can show that to your children, the better off they'll be. It really is remarkable how resilient people are, what they can go through and come out smiling on the other end. It just takes Hope, Courage and a really great Plan (then a few 'alternate plans', should the first one not work out!!) to make your life great! I've been through the Fire and Back, so I don't fear Problems -- I just see them as Obstacles to overcome. Works for me -- it'll work for you, too! Hey, maybe you'll Build Your Own House right next to Mine on the California Coast!! ha,ha,ha,ha!! See you there!!

Here's your 'Daily Pics Fix'!!

The first Two Shots are The Moon Over the Mountains on it's way Down, in the Morning, which happens like this very rarely. The Third picture is the Full Moon coming up to the East of us, out the Front Door.-- the Views here are truly amazing!

Say, thanks for swingin' by for a wee visit! See you tomorrow!! Later, Baby! Ailsa!

 

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Aidan has been 'writing' his Christmas List for Santa every day, now, for quite some time! I'm tellin' ya, he's a Marketer's Dream Come True!! Check out Walmart for all their Great Deals!

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<Season's Hottest Toys at Wal-Mart>

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Saturday, October 25th. Hi, Honey! You're Home!! And I'm happy to see you, again! I really appreciate all my wonderful (and surprisingly brilliant...!) Readers!! Hey, you know what I did for fun, yesterday? Now this might seem crazy, and perhaps a bit self-indulgent, but I typed my own name into the Search Engines, just to see if I'd come up, and Whammo -- I did! WooHoo! And I came upon a whole lot of Sites and Site Owners with Ailsa as a Title!! Must make a new 'Ailsa' Page for you to browse through! ha,ha!

So today is 'Grout Day'! Steve is coming over to give us a hand, and I hope to get the Whole Kitchen/Dining Area/Laundry Room and Sunroom done. That's over 1500 square feet, but with three of us working, we should get a lot done, right?? And Steve and I have both devised little 'tricks' to get the Grouting done faster and easier, so we'll see how that goes!

We have to Measure the Hot Tub, again, for the exact measurements, and we have to 'Trace the Arc' on the Corners of the Tub before we can order the New Teal Hot Tub Cover. The old one was brown, and I didn't like it...Teal will be gorgeous!

I've contacted the Driveway Guys, to see if it's too late to get the Driveway Paved, so I'll let you know how that works out. It took me this long to convince Dwight that it's time to Pave it!

Tip of the Day: Actually, this comes partially from Dateline -- they had a story on people being able to obtain a copy of your car keys just from reading your I.D.# right through the Windshield. Have you ever heard of that?? Me, neither! So the Tip is to cover the Serial Number on your Dashboard with a piece of Duct Tape. Do we all own a ton of Duct Tape?? Yuff, yuff!

And now for your 'Daily Pic Fix'!!

This is the View from my Office on the Walk-Out Level. You can see how I never have to miss any Show -- not ever!! ha,ha! I always start my day, now, with Ellen Degeneres and Wayne Brady -- great music, great laughs, great guests... man, how will I ever be able to go back to work??? har, har! (Outside the 'Home', I mean!!)

Wayne is giving that sweet little girl a gorgeous Lab Puppy (aaaawww!), then there's his Musical Guest, Peter Frampton, whom I adore (!), and then there's Ellen..... and I can't quite see who's in that picture!! ha,ha! Ah, well. I'll have to make it bigger to see who it is!

Well, must get along to my 'real work'! Grouting!! I've just Saved some 'Moon Over the Mountains' shots, so I'll post them, tomorrow! See you then!

Thanks for stoppin' by! Later, Baby! Ailsa!

 

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<Ameriquest Mortgage>

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Friday, October 24th. Hey, Sweet Thing!! What's shakin', today?? Man, cannot believe it's Friday, already! Is the time flying by for you, too? Remember when 15 minutes seemed like forever?? Now years go by and I can't believe it! Must be an age thing!

I'm watching Wayne Brady while I write this, and he is sooo funny... plus, Peter Frampton is on, this morning! Man! I loooove Peter Frampton!! And he just gave a wee girl a Lab Puppy! Does it get any better than that?? I took a picture, so I'll get it on the site, tomorrow.

Did you see Survivor, last night? I thought they were going to get rid of my favorite guy, Rupert... he's like a Gentle Giant....It's great to watch Survivor when the weather starts to turn cold, up here. It was freezing yesterday, so seeing those gorgeous beaches always makes me feel better! Plus, I love all the Drama! And when Andrew wears his Armani Jacket with his Boxers, that's hilarious! And I think a trend that's definitely going to catch on, among the Desert Island Crowd.

Hey, I just thought of a great name for a 'Cake Shop' -- 'Dessert Island'. Wouldn't that be a fun place to go and have some lovely desserts?? Mmmm...must have some special treat, today! Diet, schmiet!! ha,ha,ha!

Oh, before I forget, remember how I was telling you that our favorite Employee, Steve, is leaving to pursue his Comedy Career? Yep, so now Dwight is going to need a new Employee. So if you know a guy who lives in the Calgary Area who wants to work for a Mechanical Company (D.K. Mechanical!), drop me a line. The hourly wage starts at $9.00/hr. That's my little plug for Dwight!

Good. Back to us!! ha,ha! You know what Tia, the Dog, does that is hysterical? When she comes in from her last 'trip out' at night, she 'speed eats'! She runs to her Dish, get one piece of dog food, then literally races over to her bed, eats it, then races back. This goes on for ages, and is absolutely hilarious! Must tape it for you!

Wow, Robert Downey Jr. is singing a Steely Dan tune on Wayne -- man, he's great! Who knew?? He has some serious talents!!

Tip of the Day: I figured this out when we were in the middle of an Open House years ago when we were selling our Condo.Dwight kept making a mess in the Front Entry Bath, so I had to keep running in with a cloth to clean it up... You know how neat everything has to be when you're selling your Home!

Anyway, the Tip is to always keep a little Face Cloth or one of those new Scotch Brite Cloths that clean any Mirror or Faucets without water or other Cleaners (very cool product!) underneath each Sink. Makes for an easy and quick clean up. The other thing I do for 'ease in cleaning' is to keep a thing of Kitchen & Bathroom Cleaner under each Sink, too. When you have to roam the house looking for some Cleaning Fluid, the chances are really high that you'll find something else to do (considerably more fun than cleaning -- although nothing is more fun for Dwight than cleaning...but let's say you're a normal person and not a clean freak...! ha,ha,ha!), and before you know it, 6 months have gone by and the Bathroom is still waiting to be cleaned!! ha,ha,ha!

Here's your 'Daily Pic Fix'!!

Hey, I just added the 'Big Pictures', so you can click on these little ones to get a better 'View'!

I just went through and 'put' the bigger pics on for all the pictures on this page! Scroll Down and Click away!!

That's the View from the new Sunroom Deck! Yes, that's the Highwood River in the Third Picture -- nice, huh?? The White Line is the New Railing. You can see how the Leaves have almost all fallen, already! It won't be long before the whole place is covered in snow, and that is just spectacular, so I'll show you that, too!

I'll need to get Cara to take some pictures of ME! Then I can show you my 'Before & After' shots -- but not before I get some good 'after' shots!! ha,ha,ha!

Oh, yeah. I've been doing the 'food management' thing for the last 10 months, or so, and then seriously for the past 6 months, and I've lost over 30 pounds, so I'm very pleased with that. Now I can go directly to the 'Medium' Sizes! YaaHooo! And no more worry about Diabetes, which is great! But here's a little 'Diet Tip' for you so you can still have a wee treat every now and then... If you are going to have a treat (which is healthy and okay!), try to make a conscious decision to have it earlier in the day rather than later (like right before bed!! ha,ha!). Then you'll have the whole day to 'work it off'...

Okay, gotta go! Aidan wants some Cake! Me, too!!

Thanks for comin' in for a wee visit! Later, Baby! Ailsa!

 

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Thursday, October 23rd. Hello, Gorgeous!! How you doin', today?? Well, I'm off to a late start, today... Cara, my 15 year old daughter, is off on a Retreat to the Mountains with her School Peer Support Team, and Dwight didn't have to go in early, so we got to sleep in... but we got up to a crazy Wind and Dust Storm ... Poor wee Tia di NOT want to go out at all! Ah, the life of a Dog! Does it appeal to you, every now and then?? Me, too! Plenty of cuddles and everyone always thinks you're sooooo cute! ha,ha,ha!

We went out to celebrate our Anniversary, last night -- with Aidan. He was busy arranging eveyone's Cutlery and the Salt and Pepper Shakers into some very intricate pattern so he could 'save the world'. Then he changed that to 'take over the world'...guess who loves cartoons?? Dwight has been particularly silent when we go out for dinner, these days, so I mentioned to him last night that I wondered what we would ever talk about if we didn't 'talk Real Estate'... it's weird. Now that we've decided to definitely put our house on the market (in mid-November...), it's funny to think of where we'll live, next...

Just so you know, I always think there's a time to buy something that's already Built, even though we CAN Build on our own. The tentative plan is to sell this house, buy much smaller 'in town', and sit on the money (from the Equity) until we find some Land that we like enough to Build again. We'll see. I couldn't get Dwight to even look at the properties available in Okotoks, which was annoying, but at least I know what's on the Market that might be appropriate for us. It's going to be tricky 'Downsizing' from this house, because there's just soooo much space, here...Steinbech used to say that people get used to their new life circumstances in 3 days, and I think that is true. Humans are surprisingly resilient, no??

You know what I coaught that crazy Dwight doing the other day? He was putting on my favorite Nikes!! Yick! That's just disturbing on a variety of levels, no?? ha,ha,ha,ha! And when a shrieked ("Aaaaaah", like that!) and told him to never, ever wear my shoes, he was mad at me for having a reaction. "What, I just want to wear them for a minute..." Ick. Those are my favorite running shoes -- I call them my 'Construction Sneakers", and I don't want them all stretched out! And I mostly don't want my husband wearing my shoes!! Man!! Eeeew!

Tip of the Day: Well, I'm tempted to make my 'Tip' 'Find a husband with big feet', but that's probably been done before... har, har!! So my real tip is more for the 'Pre-building stage'. You know how I was telling you about the Wind Storm? When I designed this house, I made sure the Attached Garage was on the North Side of the House, to act as a shield against the Cold Norther Winds (they really are cold!). It's an easy way to save Energy and keep your House warmer in the Winter.

 

Here's your 'Daily Pic Fix'!

Okay, so these are the Views from My Office. I can actually see the Mountain Peaks from my Desk!! Can you believe that?? Scoooore! It's from the Landscaping that Ron did a couple of weeks, ago.

Oh, yeah. Ron has his Property up for sale right now, too. I'll add it to his page on my site (I put everyone I like who works with us on my Site!).

Thanks for swingin' in! See you tomorrow, Honey! Later, Baby! Ailsa!

 

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Wednesday, October 22nd. Hey you beautiful thing, you!! Hope you make a ton of money, today!! Hey, wouldn't that make a great new 'greeting'?! Except for your Socialist friends -- then it would have to be,"Hope we all make equal amounts of money, today, but too much -- don't want to rise above the 'Masses'!! yuff, yuff!

Well, it's our 5th Wedding Anniversary, today.It seems like such a tiny number for what often feels like an eternity!! ha,ha! Ah, well. Them's the Breaks! This is the Second Marriage for both of us, but bizarrely enough, we were both married on the same day, at the same time in our First Marriages, only 3,000 miles apart... weird, eh? May 9th, 1987. So we always say that we were married twice on the same day. It's sophisticated humor like that that keeps it all going...

It was pretty funny when we were building this house (which is really big, if you haven't noticed, yet...) and people would always ask how long we'd been married (which really translates into : How long did it take you to accumulate this amount of wealth, but whatever...!!), and we would quietly say, "Oh, about 2 years..."!! That's funny, though.

You know that old line, "We've been married for 47 years...2 of them happy..."?! Must try to avoid that!!

We got married in Santa Barbara, California, because I'm a California Girl at Heart ... and I didn't want anything more to do with Canadian Law in any possible way, since it sucks... that's right, I said it. I hate Canadian Law with a passion that almost equals no other... but more on that later...

Anyway, it was a nice little ceremony in a pretty little park in the middle of Town. I wanted to get married on the Beach, but it was decided that it was too windy... I got my Dress in the Garment District of Los Angeles (go there next time you're in L.A. -- you'll be amazed at the great deals!!), and our Wedding Rings in the Diamond District. We swung by a local Nursery and I got a ton of Roses, Some Assorted Greenery (that's the technical name for the green part of the Bouquet!), and a bunch of Ribbon, and went back to the Hotel to make the Boquets. Cara was our 'Flower Girl' -- she was 10 at the time and particularly cute! She spent the night before the Wedding practicing signing her name, which was pretty funny!

The Wedding was at 5:00 O'Clock, and I got dressed and did my hair in about 15 minutes -- it's easy when you have long hair -- you just put it up, and off you go! I'm all for an Elopement!!

Tip of the Day: Is it getting chilly in your house, yet? Here's a great way to increase the Heat Output on your Gas Fireplace...Dwight picked up a 'Blower' for the Downstairs Fireplace -- I'm not sure why he didn't get one for each Fireplace, but whatever... He says they generally cost around $100., and if you were to hire a Mechanical Contractor (That's what Dwight is...), it would cost under $100. to install it... roughly. The 'Blower' literally blows the Hot Air out of the Fireplace, so it heats up the room a lot faster. Anything that saves money and energy is good, right??

Here's your 'Daily Fix' of Pictures!! Hey, it's healthier than Heroin, am I right?? ha,ha,ha!

That's the Sunrise that I got up to the other day -- so I ran to get my video camera! See the Front Entry? I love that Top Window above the Door -- the View through that window is spectacular, and it's like a 'moving picture'. Very cool!

Thanks for coming in! See you tomorrow! Later, Baby! Ailsa!

 

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Tuesday, October 21st. Hey, Sunshine!! How you doin'?? Tomorrow is our 5th Wedding Anniversary, and I haven't got anything for Dwight, yet... I'm thinking I'll just get him some lottery tickets from the local Animal Shelter... I'm hoping that 5 is the 'Paper Anniversary', to make the Tickets acceptable! Plus, it's the 'Just see if you get Lucky' Gift...har, har!

Dwight's buddy, who is an Electrician (That's a useful thing to know all sorts of people in the Trades -- 'Will Work for Dinner'!!), was over last night, and the two of them had a look at the Hot Tub. Everything looks good, so the Tub should be up and running by the weekend... WooHoo! My shoulder is really sore from the painting last weekend, so it'll be nice to soak in the Tub, again!

Oh, yeah. Have you been to the 'Bathroom' page? Pop in when you get a chance and you'll see we put in a 'Double Tub' in our Master Ensuite Bath. The reason I mention it is that I have been in it twice since we moved in here. Twice! I don't know what I was thinking when we selected it -- you have to go in there together -- ick! I hardly ever get to be alone, and I miss being able to have a Bubble Bath all by myself, so the next Build will have a great big round tub... for one!! ha,ha,ha!

I'm watching Ellen, and she has a little Cold, today. Must write and tell her about my Onion, Honey 'N Lemon Recipe for Colds -- have you tried it, yet? It really works! It's especially good if you can't take medication (if you happen to be pregnant or nursing...), or you want to nip the cold in the bud so you can get on with your life, right??

I used to get a really sore throat every September when the new school year would start, getting used to talking loudly enough for my students to hear me -- that puts a lot of strain on your voice, so this recipe is great for that, too!!

Tip of the Day: Have you ever had a bother trying to get a Light Bulb out of the socket? We have a tremendous amount of the Flush Pot Lights (I think that's what they're called...), and when they burn out, sometimes they're easy to get ou and sometimes you just can't budge them. Well, our Electrician Friend, Todd, had a great solution that totally worked -- wear a pair of Dry Rubber Gloves when you remove the light bulb. It creates enough friction and stays still at the same time to get the stooopid bulb out, plus provides some protection on the off-chance that the bulb breaks in your hand...(for goodness sake, make sure you're not doing the dishes, notice a light bulb burnt out, and run over to deal with it right away -- yikes! That won't be pretty!! Just leave it for a few weeks until your rubber gloves are all nice and DRY!! ha,ha!)

Now, I did mention a very similar idea to Dwight on the weekend when he was swearing away at the light bulb over the Garage Door (it was really windy and he was up on a very high ladder trying to dislodge the light bulb... it was in there so tight, it just seemed impossible to get it out of there...). I thought that Dwight could have tried his Leather Gloves, but he refused... He has a bad habit of waiting for a MAN to come up with the same idea, then he'll try it... annoyink!! Maybe that's why I don't enjoy the Double Tub!! ha,ha,ha! It's beautiful to look at, though!!

Here's a couple of pictures of the Master Bedroom while I get the new pics of the Double Tub transferred to the computer... I just ran upstairs to take some pictures of the Bath.

So the first picture is an Interior Window, which is a very cool feature, looking into the Sunroom. It's nice to lay around on the bed and just admire the view out the Sunroom and look at all the plants in there... Very relaxing space!

In the second picture, you can see how high the Vault is in the Master Bedroom. This House is a Bungalow Walk-Out, so that meant we were able to carry the Vaulted Ceiling throughout the whole Upper Floor of the House, so it creates a lovely open, bright feeling in all the rooms. Cool, huh?? That door leads to the Master Closet, and it has an 11' Ceiling with a Chandelier! Who doesn't love a huge closet??

Okay, I got a whole bunch of new pictures onto my computer, so I'll put some nice new pictures on every day -- that'll be fun!

Here's the infamous 'Double Tub' in our Master Ensuite Bathroom.

I love that Glass Block Window behind the Bath -- it lets in just the right amount of light, but still allows for complete privacy. The Faucets that you choose can make a huge difference in how the whole Tub looks, even though it might seem like a little thing. Roman Tub Faucets are a lot more expensive than you might guess, so be prepared for some hefty price tags before you shop for them!!

Thanks for coming in for a visit! See you tomorrow! I think I'll put on the new pictures of a gorgeous sunrise I got the other morning... come on back over to see them!!

Later, Baby! Ailsa !

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Monday, October 20th, 2003. Hey, Baby, what's up?? You know what? It's pitch black when I get up in the morning, now. I hate that! Ugh. Soon it'll be dark when Cara leaves for school and when she gets home. I gotta tell ya, that's one of the things I really appreciated about living in L.A. -- as far as I remember, it was sunny all the time! Now that I like!! ha,ha!

I was out looking at all the nice new trees that we just put in at the Front of the House, and now I have to go get a ton of Christmas Fairy Lights to adorn them ... I think it's going to look gorgeous!! The Electrician (one of Dwight's old employees...) is coming over to hook up the electrical to the Hot Tub, this afternoon -- yipeee!! And Dwight has finally agreed that it's time to get the Hot Tub Cover -- I couldn't bring myself to go around him -- not worth the hassle... However, I think I might go ahead and get a quote for the Paved Driveway, since Dwight is still on the fence about that, and I'd like to see it done before the winter really sets in! Dwight finished all the Plumbing aspects of the Hot Tub, yesterday, so hopefully we'll get it up and running by the weekend! That'll be nice!

Let me see if I can't get you a couple of new pictures every day -- won't that be fun to look at? We love looking at other people's houses -- for ideas and just because it's fun to see how other folks live! ha,ha! I never did get out to take a picture of the Garage Trim that I painted over the weekend -- maybe today!

Here's a few pictures of my Sunroom, right off the Master Bedroom. Very lovely Retreat! Perfect for little dogs!! Tia has an excellent view of the Deer, Prarie Dogs and a variety of birds that she one day hopes to have a wee snack on!! ha,ha,ha! She takes her 'job' as a watch dog very seriously -- she's on guard day and night, except for nap-time, but that's pretty much the same schedule as lots of guards, so she's okay with that!! yuff,yuff!

Tip of the Day: I happen to be allergic to all sorts of scents, so my whole home is 'scentsless', if you will! It's hard to find products without any scent, but if you're in the same boat, you can find scent-free products at the Superstore, if you live in Canada. I hear that Tide has a new scent-free Laundry Detergent, so that's good. I can hardly make it through the Cleaning Aisle in the Grocery Store -- I wonder how all those zillion scents really affect us? Do you ever feel bombarded with smells?

For Make-up, Revlon has some of the best 'scentsless' products, which I use, and Lubriderm has a great hand/face/body cream that is entirely scent-free. Speaking of that, are you at the stage yet where you're slathering yourself with cream?? I think I started that when I was in my early 30's -- I remember seeing an Awards Show years ago where one of the women (very famous, but I could never remember their names, back then...!) had a smooth face but a particularly wrinkly neck, which clearly made an impression on me... so ever since then I've been putting cream on my neck and shoulders, too. Who knew??

Oh, yeah. And for soap, the Unscented Baby Soap is the best scent-free product for me -- I use it for Aidan, too, because I have to be able to breathe around him to give him lots of hugs, right?! You know, even Baby Products are chock full of scents -- I think that's too much for little babies, and I wonder if it bothers their little throats? Huggies has scent-free Diapers, and Kirkland Lake has scent-free Baby Wipes (I get those at Costco, of course!!).

For household cleaning products, I'm still okay with Citrus Scents, so that's lucky, but I use Baking Soda whenever I can, and regular Bleach. Speaking of Baking Soda (I'm the Baking Soda Queen!! ha,ha!), have you checked out my 'special tip' with Baking Soda on the Tips & Recipes Page?? ha,ha! Go ahead and try it, then write and tell me if it worked!!

Thanks for swingin' by! See you tomorrow! Later, Baby! Ailsa!

 

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Here's a couple of pictures of my Office on the Walk-Out Level. It's gorgeous, and a joy to work in, which is good, since I'm in here a good portion of every day!! That's the Pool Table in the Foreground of the 2nd shot, and my Exercise Equipment is behind the two settees (or 'couches'!!). We built the Lower Level with a 9' Ceiling, since that provides a much more open feel for a nominal cost difference. You can request a 9' ceiling if you're having a house built for you. You'll love the end result!

Sunday, October 19th. Hi, Honey! You're 'Home'!! Nice to see you, again! How do you like my Office, hmmmm? And I have a great view of the Big Screen (I had to adjust the location of the TV so I could watch my favorite Shows and work at the same time!!) See where the Bookshelves are down the hall? That was going to be an 'empty space' in the Furnace Room, so I said to Dwight, "Why don't we build in in like a little divet, and we'll find a use for it later"... when you're building on your own, you can make little decisions like that on the spur of the minute, so he reluctantly agreed and wouldn't you know it -- the space was perfect for my two bookshelves from my old office!! WooHoo! I really hate wasting space!

I'll get you the pictures from the inside of my office, tomorrow -- I have to 'name' them before I can put them on the Site. Oh, hey. Speaking of 'The Site', I am working tirelessly to make this Site even somewhat profitable -- to date it has strictly been a 'public service', brought to you by me, just because I feel so strongly about teaching people everything they need to know to get ahead with their own home (and all the other info I've put on the site ...). Anyway, I would love it if you happened to do your Holiday On-Line Shopping from my site! I have a Cool Shopping Page, the Waaay More Organized Shopping Page, the Amazon.con Page, and a Webmasters (and People Who Support My Site!) Page, so go ahead and click on to see what I have. Think of my site like a little Mall where parking is no problem at all! (Unless you have to fight for your Computer Chair!!ha,ha!)

Okay, that's enough begging for one day, until I need something else done around the house!! Ah, well! Such is life, right?! Well, this has been a really productive Weekend -- I finished painting the Exterior Trim on the Over-sized Triple Garage (so that's a fair bit of painting, and now my shoulder hurts -- lots of over-head work... must get that Hot Tub hooked up!!). I did it in White Exterior Paint, and it looks fantastic!

Dwight finished the Railing on the Sunroom Deck, so I'll go take some pictures of our new work, today.The Deck is unbelievably gorgeous, so we were out last night, around 1:00 am, to admire it. You can see Northern Lights from this deck -- very cool. Lots and lots of Stars, too, since it's really dark out here in the Country. We have a nice 'city view', too, so that's really pretty at night. Since I've had my Lasik Eye Surgery, though, I really can't see the Stars clearly, so that's weird. I just had one eye done, and I'm really pleased with the results -- that's the only down-side, but I can just get out the Binoculars to have a better look, right??

Aidan's running around trying to get someone to make him some waffles ... looks like no one wants to go out the the Garage (there's an extra Upright Freezer out there from our old house...) to get them for him, so I better go do it! Must be frustrating to have to depend on everyone else to do stuff for you!! Or fun, depending on how you look at it!! ha,ha!

Tip of the Day: When we were in the middle of building the Deck, some of the pieces didn't fit together, because they must have been from two different lots from the factory. So the Tip is to have a good look through your material before you start your building project to make sure all the pieces are identical, so everything fits, no bother.

The other side of this Tip is to Return any Item that doesn't work or isn't right for your job. We returned over $1800. worth of material at the end (ha,ha,ha -- there doesn't really seem to be an 'end', ever!!) of our House Build. You know, you can make a new habit of returning any items that don't work out for you. I never used to return anything -- stuff would just end up in a closet...when I moved here and had more time on my hands, I tried returning a few items I had purchased that weren't right, and it worked! Since then, I've made a point of returning stuff, and it can save you a lot of money, then you can get something else!!

Well, thanks for coming in for a wee visit, today! See you tomorrow, and bring a friend -- the more, the merrier!!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!

 

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Saturday, October 18th. Hey, Sweetie! How are you, today?? It's the weekend, so you know what that means -- even more work around the house!! Ah, well... such is the life of a Builder, right?? Good thing we love it!

I got the first coat of paint on the Extertior Garage Trim, yesterday, and today I'll put another couple of coats on -- it looks great, already, though! There was a considerable amount of indecision about the color for the Trim (Dwight is the indecisive one -- I'm the one who says, "Let's just get it done..." There's typically one of each in a partnership when you're building. Can't imagine the anguish if you had TWO people like that!! You'd never get anything done! (Of course, I suppose I've made a big assumption that there are only TWO of you in the relationship ... what if Bachelor Bob is busy getting all the 'Girls' to build him a new Shack by the Beach in Malibu -- no point in not putting free labor to good use, right?? He could use some incentive like, "Whichever one can Tile the fastest, wins ME, the ultimate Prize!!" And then they'd all learn a useful Trade so then the Network could run another Series -- Hot Women in the Trades...ha,ha,ha,ha!

You know what Show I would love to see? Okay, actively participate in, other than my favorite Ellen?? (Wouldn't it be a riot to work with Her?? Capital 'H', 'cuase She talks to God, 'n all...!) Anyhooo, remember Jen and Andrew Firestone from an earlier Bachelor? He wanted to Build their own house on his family ranch in Northern California. Well, wouldn't it be a lot of fun to watch the whole Building Process, from choosing the House Plans right through to them moving in?? Hey Network Guys, CALL ME!! We'll talk. Maybe have lunch!! ha,ha,ha!

Dwight's still here -- he's waiting for his breakfast, so better go!! He has been busy all week working on the Railing for the Sunroom Deck, which is absolutely gorgeous! Incredible. I would not have guessed that there was such a nice Railing System for this reasonable of a Price. The whole deck, not including the Hot Tub, will cost us about $4,500., which is a good price for a 19' X 22' Deck. Lumber and Labor are never cheap, but we saved on the labor (Dwight is cheaper than you might think!! ha,ha,ha!), so that's always good, right??

Tip of the Day: This is a Ladder Tip, and I just learned it, yesterday. I have been anxious about going too high up on the Ladder, but when a job needs to be done, it's amazing how need takes over the fear, and you just do whatever is necessary... Anyway, Dwight says when you want to make sure the Ladder is Stable and you're on a rocky or uneven surface outside, step on the First Rung with each foot on the outside of the rung. Use your weight and gently rock the ladder back and forth until the ladder has 'settled in'. Frankly, this was easier for Dwight to do than me, since it really didn't seem to move very much when I did it, so I used pieces of Lumber under the Ladder's 'Feet'! And then I make a quick plan of where I can jump and what I will do with the Paint Tray, just in case I fell... I can never be too careful!!

Thanks for Dropping By!! See you tomorrow! Later, Baby! Ailsa!

 

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Ailsa's Travel Page!

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And here are a few pictures of Aidan and Tia -- that's Tia on her 'rope' (which reminds me of a popular item when I was in University, particularly among the Engineering Crowd -- 'pope-soap-on-a-rope'...remember when everything was attached to a rope for 'greater ease in the shower'?? ha,ha,ha! Ah, the '80s -- they were some crazy years, all right!!

They're cute, ain't they??

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Friday, October 17th. Good Morning, Moonshine... wait a minute ... that was last night...okay, Hey there, Baby!! So glad you could swing by! I finally figured out how to make the pictures smaller -- I find that if I don't do something on the computer for a while, I completely forget all the steps that I have to do -- that's why I keep a giant notebookon my desk where I have all the info written down -- in long-hand, no less!!

The Chinook Winds rolled in, last night, so that means it will actually be warm enough for me to get that exterior garage Trim painted, today. If you're familiar with the Santa Ana Winds, they're like that, only they happen all year round. It's funny when they arrive in the dead of winter, because you can have a ton of snow and 30 Degrees Below 0, then the Chinook rolls in and it's 'summer', again. Makes the winters more bearable. (Must check the spelling on that!)

Hey, have you ever wondered if your life would be waaaay better if you just lived in a great big house?? Well, I'm here to tell you that your actual day-to-day life really doesn't change at all. It's definitely nice to have a gorgeous house, but any problems you had in your old place will move right along with you. I just went up to look at the calendar to see if I had any other appointments, today, because I like to have a clear schedule before I start the painting... so you can imagine my surprise when I saw that Dwight has already made his hunting arrangements and they're written on the calendar, but he didn't bother his shirt to tell me...hmmmf! That ain't good! And now he's mad that I'm annoyed at that... man. The other thing that is good about having a really great house is that you will put up with more stuff because you love the house so much. But if it's a choice between 'House or Spouse', I gotta go with neither. Maybe next week will be better...! Well, that's marriage! Ain't it grand??

Tip of the Day: This is another Grouting Tip, because I happen to be thinking about all the Grouting I still need to do in the Dining Room and the Sunroom... sometimes the work really does seem endless... anyway, after about 4 hours grouting the last time, it dawned on me that I should have worked on a small area at time, instead of trying to take on too big an area all at once. So what that boiled down to was that when I'm working alone, it's better to just do 2 or 3 tiles at a time, and NOT 10 at a time... it was much easier and faster, too! (You can easily do 10 tiles or more at a time when you have someone else to work with, though... this is just when you're on your lonesome!!)

Oh. I'm just watching Wayne Brady as I'm writing, here, and they had a cooking segment where they made some delicious looking Chocolate Chip Cookies...and they used Parchment Paper. If you haven't tried this, yet, I highly recommend it. I didn't discover how incredibly useful Parchment Paper was until I was about 35, so why not tell you, now?? I cut a piece of the parchment just shy of the size of the Baking Sheet, then you can use that for any cookies or anything else you would cook in the oven directly on a cookie sheet. Clean up is a lot faster, too, since you just throw it away! YaHoo! Less Cleaning!

 

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Ailsa's Travel Page!

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Well, here's a start! The first picture is of the 5 New Plants along the Stair Wall, and the second one is the New Railing on the Sunroom Deck. I'll get more pics up, tomorrow!! See you then! Ailsa!

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Thursday, October 16th. Hey, Good Lookin'!! How you doin', Baby?? Can you believe it's Thursday already? Survivor Night! WooHoo! Do you have ay favorites, yet? I'm particularly fond of Rupert, because I like his new skirt... and Tijuana, because she has a nice smile and she's good at encouraging people... always a good combination, right?!

I was able to download my new pictures (all the back from our Vacation down to California this summer... that's how long it's been since my computer was screwed up with that craaazy worm...!) onto my computer, last night, so I'll see if I can't get them onto the site, today. There are some great shots of my Office. I'll tell you, it's fun working from Home -- the commute time is about 1 minute, but that's because I have to heat my Tea up in the microwave before I start working...

Well, Dwight is busy planning away for his Hunting Trip, and it dawned on me that I never, ever go anywhere. Not alone, anyway. My last 'trip away' was to the Dentist, which is not exactly the Spa Retreat I had in mind... So now I'm trying to figure out what I should do and where I should go, all by myself...no chilluns, no husband...gotta say, I'm all excited about the prospect! I'm leaning toward a quick trip to L.A. to see my two favorite new Shows, The Ellen Degeneres Show and The Wayne Brady Show. Now that would be a lot of fun!! Must find a friend to go with!!

Did you see Bachelor Bob, last night? Man, I love the Blue Up-lighting behind the Plants -- I must get that -- it's soooo cool! You get so wrapped up with all the personal Drama -- lots of fun! I think I like Kelly-Jo -- she's kind of a 'down home' girl with a real sense of 'fun' about her... Dwight likes them all, of course (!), except for the nutty one!

Tip of the Day: Always ask for a Discount when you're buying a large quantity of materials for your Home Improvement, Decorating, or Building Projects. Can't hurt, and you could save a real bundle. Remember that you're spending a lot of money, so you should get a good price, good service and all with a good attitude, right??

When I went to purchase our Cabinetry, I had some chosen and went to talk with the saleswoman, and she was soooo nasty to me, that I turned around and left. Of course, I found fantastic Cabinetry somewhere else (Totem...), and bought a lot of it. The Service Factor of any big job is huuuge...it can mean the difference between an absolute nightmare and a gleeful experience...

You know what else used to happen to me when we were Building? (And this never happened to Dwight -- this is strictly something that happens to women...) Sometimes I would go straight into the stores from visiting 'the job site', and I would have some mud on my boots. What?? Horror of horrors... a girl with mud?? Anyway, some 'people' would glance down at my muddy boots (these aren't Designer Stores, either...) and assume that I didn't have the 'funds' to buy anything. Well, to those morons, heeelllooo... I own all the mud on my shoes, and I am thankful for every speck of it! So don't put up with mean sales people -- there are so many great folks out there to deal with -- might as well spend some time finding really good people, then your whole job will be better!

Thanks for coming in for a wee visit! See you tomorrow, Baby!! Ailsa!

 

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Wednesday, October 15th. Yo, yo, yo! What up, Daaa-awg??! I got up to a lot of Snow, this morning, so I got my Camera so I can show you Alberta, Canada in mid-October. I think this is our third snowfall this 'Fall'! I'll see if I can get those pictures posted to the site, today!

This is my wonderful friend, Steven Robert Johns' ( a Great American Artist!), Birthday, today. Must ask him if my lovely 'Readers' can come over to visit him at HIS Site!! I love the brilliant colors Steven Johns uses. You'd love his Art, too, if you're not familiar with it, already.

Some years I love the Snow, and some years I don't -- and I think this is one of the years that I don't. It's the driving in it that bothers me -- waaaaay too scary. When I lived in Los Angeles, people used to always ask me if I was afraid of the Earthquakes, but I had already put it into perspective with the immediate danger of driving in the snow for, oh, about 8 months out of the year (!) versus maybe one bad day a year... there's always something to deal with, right? Mostly a matter of being extra-prepared.

So I guess the Exterior Trim Painting is out for today!! The bizarre thing about the weather in Calgary is that it can snow today, then be hot and sunny the next day, so you can never plan your work too far in avance!

Hey, you know how I was saying about replacing your Floor Vents as part of the whole 'Baby-Proofing' Thing? We also had to search out some very solid Locks for our Exterior Doors to keep Aidan in. This Boy is soooo mechanically oriented -- when he was under a year old, he could work all the locks on every door, and was strong enough to open a Metal Front Entry Door. Can you believe that?? We used to call him our little 'BamBam'! (Flintstones reference for the TV Chanllenged!! ha,ha!)

Anyway, we have 6 Exterior Doors in this House, and it's impossible to monitor all of them at any given time, and Aidan is remarkably fast (he's 4, now...). So we installed 'The Guardian' Locks at the Top of every door on the Inside. They are attractive Locks, and relatively easy to install. I'll look around for an Ad for them, so you can get them on-line if you can't find them in your Area. I just found a Target Link -- they have a ton of Household Products, so you can check there... They're great for extra Security for yourself, too. (Prevent yourself from running madly out of your house, never to return... oh, no... Wait. That's probably more likely to be me!! ha,ha,ha!) Anyway, they keep Aidan 'in the house' and safe, so you might want to add these to your Baby-Proofing Efforts.

Tip of the Day: If you are living in an area that won't allow Fencing (and there are a surprising number of new areas with this lovely rule...), AND you have a wee dog (and by 'wee', I mean, "any dog slightly smaller than you...hopefully!), you can still keep your Pet(s) safe by Attaching a Long Rope to your Back Deck with a 'Dog Hook' on it. You can buy that stuff at any Department Store. Totally solved a huuuge problem for us, and now Tia can go out any time she likes, roam around the yard and still be safe. Now that's all good!!

Note: This may not work with your Spouse, who might get the teensiest bit testy when you try to attach the Rope...! ha,ha,ha!

 

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Tuesday, October 14th. Hello, Darling!! Do you feel like you're in an old movie, now?? ha,ha! I just had to run up and make myself a wee bowl of my favorite Apple Crumble -- have you tried that, yet? I've lost another 3 pounds, so I'll have to sew another button on my favorite black mini-skirt (I wear it all the time!!). I've got a whole row of buttons on the skirt, now! But that's a good thing, right?! ha,ha,ha!

I'm just watching The Wayne Brady Show while I'm writing this, and he's in the middle of Baby-Proofing his house. We had a terrible scare with Aidan when he was about 6 months old. It was the third day of 'crawling', and he managed to pull himself over to the Floor Vent (I was no more than 3 feet away from him, folding laundry -- as always!!). He stuck his little thumb in the vent, and when he pulled it back out, it got caught and sliced right into it. Horrifying. I bandaged him up and took him immediately to the Doctor's Office. His thumb recovered completely, probably because he was so young, but he could have damaged the nerves or lost the thumb, so I want to 'spread the word' about Metal Floor Vents.

Tip of the Day: Replace all the Metal Floor Vents with Plastic Vents when you're Baby Proofing. Good to do this in any home where your Child will spend a fair bit of time, like a Grandparent's or a Care Giver's home. It's always better to be safe than sorry, and Plastic Floor Vents generally range in price from $1.00 - $6.00, so it's relatively inexpensive.

You can use some really nice Wooden Floor Vents, too -- just run your finger along the inside of any groove to make sure there are no sharp edges or skelfs (now, what is the North American word for that?? Let me think... it's a wee piece of wood or metal that would cause you to get a 'sliver'... there, now you know!! ha,ha!).

While you're changing the Vent out, anyway, consider switching to the 'Pop-Up' Floor Vents. I've got them on the Power Page, to help you better heat or cool your home, and save energy, too.

 

 

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Monday, October 13th. Hi, Honey! You're Home!! This is a 'Holiday Monday', since it's Thanksgiving Day, here in Canada (or Canad'uh, as I call it, because of my bad attitude, 'n all!!ha,ha!). Well, I couldn't get any painting done, yesterday -- it was just too cold. Today ain't lookin' good, either, but you can never guess the weather in advance, here -- it changes drastically withing one day, which is truly bizarre. So I'm hoping we'll have some warmer weather later in the week so I can get that Exterior Trim on the Garage done...

We did work on the new Deck Railing, though, and I have decided that I should come up with a new rating system for how hard or tricky any particular Project would be -- I'll call it 'The Swear Factor', depending on Dwight's reaction to each job. I'd have to give our new Railing System a Swear Factor Rating of 8, since it wasn't nearly as easy, yesterday, as it was on the first day... Dwight had to go and make those Metal Plates, which then had to be drilled... then we had to get some Metal Washers to use as Shims to Level out the Posts. I had to'keep the peace' between Dwight and the Railing!!

Steve, my old webmaster,came over for dinner, last night, and he fixed up my Site for me -- I had 'lost' the Main Page, so he showed me how to retrieve it...anyway, I'm thrilled to be back on track!! Thanks, Steve!! Steve is heading out to Toronto to actively pursue his Comedy Career, so if you want to 'hire him for a gig', drop me a line and I'll pass it along!! Oh, and he got my VideowaveIII program to work, too, so now I can finally get my new pictures on the Site!! WooHoo!

Tip of the Day: Bolt a Metal Plate or an 8 " piece of a 2 X 4 underneath every post when you're building a Deck, particularly if it is High off the Ground, or if it is a Deck Railing people are likely to lean against (and who doesn't like to lean against a Deck Railing to better enjoy the View??). And try to balance your 'workers' (say, you and your spouse...!) with at least one positive person, since that negative perspective will drag you down an awkward, annoyink spiral, and the job will never get done... now, guess how I know that!! ha,ha,ha!

 

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Sunday, October 12th. Hey there, Sweet Thang!! How you doin', 'aday?? As usual, I was sidetracked on my way to write my Daily Update -- now, if I didn't get so much hilarious mail from my wonderful site reades, I wouldn't be soooo easily sidetracked, but I do, and I can't resist it, and I love it...so there.

I got a great letter from Angel, this morning, and she's hoping I can 'Hook a Sistah' Up'!! Sure! Let's set up a great Network for everything we all need -- Dates, Work, Careers...why not, eh?? We're all in some sort of position where we know someone ... so have a wee read at Angel's letter and see if you have someone in mind for her!! We'll all be little 'Matchmakers' together!! (I am a notorious Matchmaker -- I just can't help myself!!) So, of course, I had to create a New Page for all this proposed 'Matchmaking', so click here to check that out!! You might want to check out my Marry Rich Page, too -- it's plenty of 'tongue-in-cheek' fun!!

So we went down to the Hardware Store, yesterday (Totem, one of my favorite stores!!). Dwight wanted to show me the White Aluminun and Glass Panelled Railing System. I had an idea in my head of what it was going to look like (I thought it would be cheap and crappy...), and I couldn't have been further from the truth... the Railing System was gorgeous, so we measured it all out, bought it and brought it home. Dwight and I installed the Main Posts in under 2 hours -- I have never seen such an easy system to install!! And it looks incredible.

Our Hot Tub is a Teal and White Marbled Color, and the White Posts bring out the white in the Tub, which looks fabulous. The white also Frames the Deck better than the Black Railing would have, which is also something I would not have guessed. That's why it's always good to keep your mind open to your partner's ideas (unless they're truly an idiot, in which case you might want to check out my 'Hook Me Up' page one more time...ha,ha,ha,ha,ha!). The other thing that is really cool is when I'm sitting in the Sunroom (my favorite place to read and drink Tea!), the new railing appears to be a continuation of the windows in the Sunroom. Amazing!

The other day I was standing in our Master Bathroom with the door open, looking in the Mirror to see the Plants in the Sunroom (yes, I have all kinds of time for gazing...!), and it struck me that our Master Bedroom 'Area' is the size of an entire apartment or upper floor of a house! WooHoo! It's 800 square feet in the actual living area, then it goes up to 1240 square feet when you include the new Sunroom Deck, since the Sunroom is the 'Private Retreat' from the Master Bedroom, and the Deck is off the Sunroom... not bad, not bad!! It'll be weird to sell this house, since we love it sooo much. But we have always been lucky enough to sell our homes to people who love them as much as we do, so it's more like a 'House Adoption', so we know the house will be well loved and cared for!! I still think we'll put this house on the Market around Christmas time... I'll let you know!

Hey, have you seen the new Trading Spaces 100 Grand Episode, yet? Man, it was painful to watch them waste that kind of money... I really hate wasting money!! If you haven't seen this show, yet, the two main carpenters are a dream to watch -- Amy and Tye. Must check to see how to spell their names... they are amazingly talented! My favorite Designer is Vern, because I like clean, sophisticated lines (I'm not a big 'fru-fru' kind of girl!!). Lori (one of the Designers) spent $6,000. on some Drapes for ONE room -- and they were a little on the hideous sie, too!! Man, they could have gone to Linens 'N Things -- I bought all my Window Treatments for this whole house for weeeelll under 6 grand, and we have 38 huge windows!! But, all the designers are fun to watch, and you can pick up some great tips! We got 'hooked' on the Show when we were stuck in a Hotel in Hope, B.C. a couple of summers ago!! (Long story, some of it good!!)

Oh, you know what I'd like to do with our big Christmas/Holiday Party, this year?? I'd like to set it up where all our guests can bring a Toy for a Needy Child. Wouldn't that be nice?? I'll have to find out where I could drop them off ... When I was at Walmart the other day, I noticed that they have a whole area just for toys in the $10 - $25. range, and they were great toys! Think I'll start there, and see what I can accumulate in time for the Holidays. Be nice if we all tried that -- Holiday Parties with a Mission all over the world -- that would be great!! Oh, I just thought -- I wonder if Walmart has a section on their website where you can purchase a Toy that can go directly to Charity?? Must find out, then I'll get back to you and let you know!!

Tip of the Day: This one is for Decking, especially if you use this new Aluminum Railing System, which I highly recommend...! Put your Corner Posts in First, then measure from the inside of each post to determine equal spacing between the posts in the middle. And Dwight says to secure the Posts from underneath the Deck by bolting a Metal Piece, slightly larger than the Post Bottom to the base of the Post. He's off to his Dad's Workshop to cut the metal pieces, right now!!

And whenever possible, have Glass and any other highly breakable product shipped to your house. The cost of replacement will be much higher than any delivery charge... good to know!! .

And now I have to go and Paint the Exterior Trim around the Garage Doors! Rick the Paint Guy at Totem tells me you have until the temperature turns 10 degrees Celcius or about 55 degrees Farenheit to do any Exterior Painting, so I have to get out there this week before the winter sets in!!

Thanks for popping in!! See you tomorrow (and remember to bring a few of your friends!!).... Later, Baby! Ailsa!

 

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Saturday, October 11th. Hi, Honey! You're Home again, and not a moment too soon!! Are you excited about the weekend?? Is this your time to 'go commando' and give yourself a wee break from the 'undie-world', not to be confused with 'the underworld'! har, har! That, of course, reminds me of The Sopranos, and we can hardly wait for the beginning of the Final Season... Maybe we'll all get lucky and they'll start making Soprano Movies, so we're not cut off 'Cold Turkey' -- there's a little 'Thanksgiving Reference for my Canadian Readers, since this is Thanksgiving Weekend in Canada.

One year we were unable to get a Turkey (we left it too late and the stores had run out of them...), so Dwight went out and got 'Turkey Parts' -- can't tell you how extra-special that was!! Ah, well, it was clearly memorable, since I can't remember the other Thanksgiving meals!! (Probably due to the also traditional 'Thanksgiving Wine', but that's a whole other sordid story...!)

This year we will most likely be on our own for the Holiday, so it's lookin' like a good day for a Weenie Roast... we didn't make it out to the Mountains, last weekend -- all those Trees arrived, and they had to be dealt with right away. Trees aren't known for their patience... They're all in, now, though, and they look fantastic! Dwight says it isn't possible to put Lights on ALL the Trees, but I want to investigate this before I have to agree...! The trees line the Circular Driveway (I'll post a picture as soon as I can get that program re-installed into my computer...), and that would be soooo pretty at Christmastime, right?? Maybe you could mention that to Dwightie for me!!

Today we are going to decide what type of Railing will go on the Sunroom Deck, and with any luck, we'll get that built this weekend... Dwight is leaning toward an Aluminum and Plexiglass Railing, and I'm okay with that if the Metal is Black and the Glass is Grey... We have gone back and forth on this thing, but now I just want it done, so I'm sure we can settle on something nice. The whole key is to maintain the view while we're sitting in the Hot Tub... that's sooo important to have something nice to look at while you're steaming away!! We used to skip Church, sometimes, and say we were going to 'The Church of the Steamin' Hot Tub', which was, quite frankly, better for our relationship, since me running around desperately trying to get everyone to the Church on time was too stressful for our family... and now we can't get Aidan to keep his clothes on in Church, so we're in a 'holding position' for that right now!!

Tip of the Day: If you are looking for a relatively inexpensive way to update your home, or you're choosing the Trim for your new home, try some nice high moulding -- anything over 3 1/2 " should work. If you're doing a Reno, go ahead and remove the old moulding (this is a good time to paint, too, if you're thinking of a new wall color...might even be a good time to replace the carpet, too, if it's time for that, but that's pretty pricey...) by prying it gently off the walls.

Paint your new moulding -- I always use a 4" sponge roller -- you can use the tip of the roller for any tricky indentations in the Trim, then roll the whole piece of Trim with the flat part of the Roller. It leaves a nice finish. I use a Semi-Gloss White Paint, too, since I happen to like the crispness of the color contrast with our Suede Walls (color of suede -- not real suede... eeeew!!). Oh, and it's waaaay easier to paint the Trim before it goes on the wall, if that is at all possible. I set my Trim up in rows of 8 pieces on 3 saw-horses, since each piece is 14' long.

You will be surprised at how fresh and updated your place will be. Next, you might want to replace your Interior Doors (I'm fond of the White Colonial Doors -- they always look good...), or Paint the older doors to match your new Trim.

One thing to keep in mind when you're buying Baseboard Trim -- you will probably need a Radial Arm Saw for any Trim over 3 1/2", so keep that in mind if you plan to cut the pieces yourself. You can get a little Mitre Box, too, and that should work if you are willing to go a little slower and don't care for Power Tools. (And 'mitre' just means 'angle', for those new to 'saw-talk'!!)

Have a Great Weekend!! Thanks for swingin' in! See you tomorrow, Baby! Ailsa!

 

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Friday, October 10th. Hello there, Dream-cake! (I guess for me that would make you a lot like a Chocolate Cream Cake!! ha,ha,ha!) Well, I got sidetracked on my way to the Site...very surprising, I know! Any shiny bauble or new website'll do it!! Gems on the floor, something funny on TV (and there's a lot of great stuff on, these days -- Ellen and Wayne are really fun to watch in the morning! And, you can check out their Site's -- Ellen's Site is hilarious and Wayne's Site has a great Message Board!)... Anyhooo, on with the Show!!

So here's what I found out, this morning -- I'm at the Top of the Major Search Engines in a whole pile of Categories! WooHoo! Did I tell you my Advertising Budget (yes, imposed by Dwight, who thought it was a big waste of money...!) is $35.00 a year?! Yep! And then it's just Meee working my bee-hind off to make this Site work! Not bad for a 'computer-challenged' girl all by herself, huh?? ha,ha! Who knew??

Hey, you know what happened, yesterday? When I went outside to see how the Landscaping Guys (Ron and Al!) were doing, I was very pleasantly surprised to find them planting the Trees for me! Wow! What a nice treat! That saved me a huuuuge amount of time and work! Just goes to show you that it IS a good thing to wear Shorts on the Work-site! ha,ha, ha! NO, I'm jeest kiddink! It was a mini-skirt... yuff, yuff!

Aidan has been 'extra-sweet' since 'The Incident'! Funny little man. Every time he asks me for a new toy (Aidan is an Advertisers dream kid!!), I say to him, "I don't know. How do I know you're going to be good??" And Aidan, who has just turned 4, says, "Don't worry, Mummy. I will proooove it to you!" Then we laugh and move on... Humor works with children and adults, except with people you can't stand ... they're generally humorless nits! Try not to think about them!! Stick with the funny folk -- they're always soooo much more fun!

Tip of the Day: Here's an easy way to clean you Sink Stopper. Sounds little, but they're tricky to clean, and who has that kind of time?? Pop it in the Dishwasher, on the Top Shelf. It'll come out all shiny and clean... put your Sponges in there, too, and everything will look good!

Happy Thanksgiving to all my Canadian Readers! Who knows why we celebrate Thanksgiving so much earlier than our U.S. Neighbors! Maybe we weren't invited to the First Celebration, so we came up with our own, perhaps out of spite! "Fine, then. We'll just have our own, then!", the Canadians said snidely! ha,ha,ha! (Remember 'Snidely' on Rocky and Bullwinkle?? That's not an easy word to fit into regular conversation, but squeeze it in somewhere for fun, this weekend!)

 

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Be kind -- Call a Canadian!! ha,ha!

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Thursday, October 9th. Yo, yo, yo! What up, Ba-aaby?? Our Landscaping Guys are here, right now, and I just came back in for a minute to write this before I head back out to plant the 16 Spruce Trees that are going to line the Front Part of the Circular Driveway. We just placed them, now, and Ron is going to auger (dig!!) me the holes for the trees, so that'll save me a LOT of digging! YaaHooo! (You don't have to own a Cowboy Hat to say 'YaaHoo', although I DO own a Cowboy Hat..., you can just yelp it out whenever you're all excited or if someone says they're going to dig some holes for you!! Any time like that...! ha,ha!)

I can't get the CD thing on my computer tower to open so I can reinstall my VideowaveIII -- the thing that lets me get my new pictures onto my site. Very frustrating! Must get Steve over here before he heads out to really pursue his big Comedy Career! Steve was my webmaster who got the Site up and running, then he taught me how to run the site all by myself! I think he's going to start in Toronto, then head down to New York, so we wish him all the luck in the world, because he's hilarious!

I took Aidan to Canadian Tire, yesterday, and he was all excited because they have very cool little cars attached to their shopping carts. We got some cool stuff for the House (including those new 'fold up' garbage bag holders that are perfect for Recyclables, so I got two, and put them on the Back Landing of the Garage...), and everything went well until we got to the counter. Well, wouldn't you know it -- the boy could release himself from the 'car thing', so he did, ran back to grab a Lion King Video at the display beside the Checkout, jumped back into the car, and started screaming when I took it away from him... Every mother's favorite moment. Of course, this stuff happens when you can't just leave your cart, so you just have to work your way through it.I paid for the stuff and got that boy out of the store. Man. He's never done that before, and he will never do that again!

Now, Aidan spent the rest of the day very quietly contemplating how bad he had been, with many promises to never do that again... he was in shock when he went into the Pantry, carefully chose a couple of sweeties, handed them to me to open them for him, and I took them, walked calmly back to the pantry and put them back. Neither of us said anything -- he just made his way back to his games with a better understanding of what his Mum will not go for!

You know what has bothered me for a long time, now -- oh, about the last 20 years, or so, when I first started teaching... it's that relatively 'new' thinking that you have to always separate the child from their actions. Please. The child and their actions are synonymous. Teaching them that they are separate from their actions removes them from the responsibility of those actions, and this can have very serious consequences. Don't get me wrong -- I absolutely believe in instilling a very positive sense of self, but that has to be tempered with the child taking absolute responsibility for their actions. You are what you do, think, say and act -- no bones about it. Now, how did that notion get away from us as a society??

The key things to do when your child has gone mad (or 'gone bad', as the case may have it...!), are to Stay Calm, Be Serious, Wait for the Crazy Moment to Stop, then go over the incident with your child so they understand fully what they did, and why they can never, ever do that again. Have a reasonable consequence for the infraction, then discuss the problem again, followed by a Big Hug and some 'I Love You's', which is not the same as 'I love youse guys', although you can readily hear that in more than a few classy restaurants...! ha,ha,ha,ha!

Tip of the Day: Hire Local. That's the phrase for it, even with the questionable grammar! It's soooo important to hire people who will be working on your home (at whatever you're doing...) who can get to your place quite quickly. If they have to travel from waaaaay across town (unless your town has approximately 3,000 people, in which case, that would be about 2 minutes away...), you will be paying for the time it takes for them to get there, and often for them to get home, again...that's a lot of extra money. So if you can find someone in your own area, do that first. You'll get good recommendations from people in your own little area, too.

Of course, you don't have to compromise on the work you need done just to hire locally -- sometimes it worth bringing in someone special who is highly skilled at their job. It depends on the project at hand, your budget and your time-frame. Sometimes you just have to take whoever you can get, especially if you're at the end of a job, and need to get it done!

Well, that's it for today, folks! Thanks for dropping by! I'll see you, tomorrow!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!

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Hey, it's Thursday, and you know what that means!! It's Survivor Night! WooHoo! We love the Beaches and the Bee-otches, if you know what I mean!! ha,ha,ha! You can use this link to make a Bet on who you think will win. It's like a Sport!!

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Speaking of 'Who Will Win', did you see Bob, The Bachelor, last night?? That Show is hilarious (Plus, we really love the houses!!). Bob is like the Poster Boy for Polygamy! ha,ha,ha,ha! And aren't we all fascinated by that?? Hmmmm...

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Wednesday, October 8th. Good Morning, Sunshine! (Come on...is that your real name?? Just one you made up for fun??) You know what that reminds me of? This new thing where kids say, "Funner", or "Funnest", as in, "That party was waaay more Funner than Josie's -- probably because the Pussycats weren't the Most Funnest things there..."

Now, when did this happen?? I know I just used 'of' at the end of a sentence, for the grammar purists out there in Readerland (close to the Netherlands...), but that's because folks actually talk like that, and the correct way is just annoyink! But who started the 'more funner' and 'most funnest' thing?? Didn't anyone hear their English Teacher screaming in pain at the back of the room?? You can't ignore your Inner English Teacher forever, either -- it's that little voice (sometimes a quiet little teensie voice, from what I can tell...) that says,"It's More Fun", or "the Most Fun" -- no extra 'er' or 'est'... Course, she might be drinkin', so don't listen to everything she might come up with, and if it sounds like there's a yard-stick with your name on it, make a mad dash for the door...

Well, if I save one person from making themselves sound like an idiot in a job interview, or on a date, let alone at a Grammar Party (plenty of them around -- mostly a lot of reading and tea drinking!! ha,ha!), then I've done my good deed for the day! Whew, glad that's over, and I didn't even have to get changed out of my comfy velourish Bath Robe!! (It's the most softest robe...ooouch! That yard stick ain't the most softest thing , lady!! That Inner English Teacher's got the slightest little anger management problem... Okay, okay, I'll skip the 'most' ... This is the softest Robe to wear while I'm working. There, is that more better?? What?? Is that better? Good. Thank God that lesson's over!! Now I can get back to bed!! har, har! That's enough learnin' fer one day!

It's Wednesday, so that means it's Ed Night!! (No, not a guy I'm dating... Dwight hates it when I even mention dating outside of marriage ... he's funny that way!! ha,ha,ha!) It's one of my favorite night-time Shows -- a David Letterman Production, so you know the writing and everything else will be fantastic. Well, the guy who plays Ed, the main Character (I'll need to go find out his name, since it's very early and the smart side of my brain ain't up yet!! ha, ha!), was wearing his old Queen's Golden Gaels Shirt when he was playing Hoops with his buddy Mike on the Show. (Now I'm just dealing with Character Names...) Wouldn't you know it -- that's MY Alma Mater!! And I'm pretty sure that 'Ed' was at Queen's University at the same time I was there (I graduated from Queen's University in 1983 with a B.A., then again in 1984 with a B.Ed. -- I just turned 21 when I graduated... and I felt I was faaaar too old to still be in School! Man, what was I thinking???)

Anyway, on with The Most Bestest Tip of The Day: Speak good. It be workin' fer you. It really does make a difference...you can have soooo much fun playing with the language (I don't gots no problem, but maybe you gots a frien' who do...!), but always speak properly when it counts -- here's the easy way to tell if you can't get away with some 'colorful use of the language' ... If you can't swear in front of them, you can't use other fun language, either. Bottom line -- they'll be offendd by both, so speak properly until you get the job, or get married, then you're free to be yourself, so long as 'they' don't hear you!! ha,ha,ha!

Thanks for coming over for a wee visit! See you tomorrow! Oh, yeah, the Bobcat guy didn't show, yesterday, so it looks like we'll have to dig those trees in by hand!! Ugh! Ah, well. I'm the one who wanted 24 Trees!! It be worth it!! ha,ha!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!

 

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Tuesday, October 7th. Hey, you gorgeous thing, you! How's your day going?? I'm waiting for Dwight to leave so I can get to work, but he's still hanging around... and now I've just had to boot him out of my Office while I'm writing... ah, well. That's the life of the Self-Employed, particularly when you own the Company! ha,ha!

I've been watering down the new Trees until our Bobcat Guy gets here to shave away a neat row along the inside of the Circular Driveway. I'm going to line the Semi-circular part with some of the new Trees. I think I'll extend the left side of the Front Entry Garden in a winding 'path', if you will, back toward the Hot Tub Deck. That would hide the Air Conditioning Unit (we have 4 tonnes of Air Conditioning in this house...remember the Dwight is a Heating & Air Conditioning Man, so our heating and cooling systems are pretty fancy schmancy!).

Tip of the Day: This is for parents of children up until they leave the house! When you first make the bed for your kidlet (no matter how old!!), pull the sheets and blanket way over to the side they don't get into, and tuck them right under the bed. That way, when your kid gets up in the morning, they can just pull the Bedding on the side they slept on straight back up, and their bed is made in no time. Any little thing that saves time works for me!

Thanks for swingin' by for a wee visit! Later, Baby! Ailsa!

 

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<Smart strategies for a neat & clean home!>

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Monday, October 6th. Hey, Baby! How you doin'?? I've got to call our Bobcat guy, Ron, because we bought 18 more Spruce Trees, yesterday (The Tree Guy swung by, and we were going to get them over the next year, but it just turned out better this way...). So now we have 4 big Spruce Trees on either side of the Front Entry Door, along with a variety of smaller Shrubs, Bushes, and Smaller Trees... looks gorgeous, and now I can hardly wait 'til Christmas, because I plan to put Back Lighting behind all the Trees, then Christmas Fairy Lights on all the Trees at the Front! YaaHooo! It'll be fantastic!!

You know what's really funny that I just remembered, yesterday? Before we built our house, we had a calendar with a stunning Lodge all lit up at Christmas time -- it was the December picture, of course... last Christmas, when the house was covered with snow and all lit up with the Fairy Lights, I said to Dwight, "Oh My God! We're living in the Lodge!!" ha,ha,ha,ha! I gotta tell ya, it's great living in a Lodge! I'm not sure how we'll manage with Down-sizing, if we move back into Town, which we are seriously considering, right now. Tough choice! May after Christmas!!

I used to wait for Dwight to make the Final Decision on almost everything, and just plead with him until he agreed the job needed to be done, but I'm a changed woman, now, and I'm going to go ahead and make the decisions myself. Thanks, Dr. Phil!! We had a real issue about when I can order the new Hot Tub Cover (it's always about a Hot Tub Cover, ain't it?? ha,ha!). I'm the one who has to clean it all the time, so I think we should get the Cover immediately, and I think Dwight would just put it off indefinitely... that just doesn't work for me! So I'm going to go measure the Tub and order it tomorrow. I'll let you know how that goes!!

I'm just watching The Wayne Brady Show (I can watch TV through my Office Windows while I'm working on my Site -- lucky, eh??), and he did a 'Run around Epcot' at Disneyland in Florida (one of my favorite places, because it's endlessly fun and pretty!) -- the Canadian Bit was hysterical -- Wayne had on a Kilt (I love a man in a Kilt, of course, being Scottish, 'n all!). He did a wee dance number and it was soooo funny! That man is unbelievably talented! I'm hoping Wayne Brady will put out a Christmas Album, because I'm sure it would be great!

Tip of the Day: You know the easiest way to really clean your Stainless Steel Sink? In general, and especially when you're cleaning your house when you're selling it... Heat the water up first, then put the Stopper in. Pour in some Bleach (about half to one cup -- don't worry about measuring it...) and a wee bit of 'Squeezy' (Liquid Dish Soap, for the Non-Scottish! ha,ha,ha!). Fill the Sink about 3/4 of the way Full with really Hot Water.

Just leave it in the Sink for a few hours... I always throw in any sponges and other 'whites' that ain't as white as they used to be...Dish Clothes, Face Clothes I've used to clean the dog's feet... that sort of stuff. Go do something else and you'll come back to a magically clean Sink. I'm a Tea Jenny (I drink Tea all the time!), so I have to do this quite often.

The other thing you can do with this Water/Mixture is Clean the Floors. (Not Hardwood Floors -- they're a whole other story!!) I always use a Scotch Brite Sponge (wet and wrung out), and use my foot to go around and clean all the tiles. Just put the sponge under your foot and away you go -- it's good exercise, too! ha,ha!

Thanks for coming in for a wee visit! See you tomorrow! Later, Baby! Ailsa!

 

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Sunday, October 5th. Hey, Honey-Babe! How's your weekend?? Great, I hope! I'm not getting nearly as much done as I'd like, since I think I hurt my knees when I lifted the 8 foot tree onto the Front Entry Garden -- what was I thinking?? Man, it was soooo heavy, so instead of just leaving it and waiting for Dwight to get it, I dragged the tree up the slight incline and shoved it into place. And I was just checking to see how it would look... so now my knees really hurt!I'm not so sure a hike is such a great idea! Maybe later... However, the New Trees look fantastic, so it was all worth it!

You know what drives me up the wall? When people or companies use Statistics that are fraut with holes. I know, this might not seem like such a big deal, but when someone throws around a 'percentage of the total population who all experience the same thing', then they ought to know that their stats are right, and not made up. Not that it isn't lots of fun to make stuff up -- hey, Dave Barry (one of my favorite Funny Men!) has been making a very good living at that very thing for many fun years, now...

Here's what got me -- Dwight was reading me an article about people who sell their homes on their own versus people who use a realtor. (Of course, there's plenty of room for both, so I don't know why anyone thinks it 'one against the other'...!) The offending statement is that having an Open House when you're selling your home only results in a sale 1% of the time. Puh-leeease! What a pile of crap! Open Houses are a great way for all sorts of people to see what your house really looks like. Who cares if they're just curious -- maybe they know someone else your house might be perfect for -- the power of word-of-mouth is huuuuge! And who came up with that number? I know for sure no-one has ever asked us, much less taken an accurate poll...

We happen to sell on our own, because we always have a ton of time and lots of experience (and a great Real Estate Lawyer!). When we put the House on the Market, we offer a Finder's Fee -- why not? I think it's fair that if you know someone who wants to buy my house, why shouldn't I flip you a little 'sumpin, sumpin' for your trouble? A little compensation is always nice, right?!

As for the Open House idea, we have them pretty much every weekend while they house is on the Market, from 1:00 - 6:00p.m. I figure that I've already cleaned the house and it looks perfect, so why limit the amount of time for the Open Hous?. And we see it as a great time to read, chat, get drunk...no, no -- that an't right, I meant to say 'go over the new House Plans' -- just a little slip of the tongue! har, har!

When you're using a Realtor, that kind of time-frame won't work, but you can always have your own Open House, if you feel like it. It's your place, and you don't have to completely hand over the reigns if you don't want to. Work within your own comfort zone. The object is to get your house sold, and if you work diligently on your own or with a Realtor, it'll sell faster, and that's always good! You can click on my How To Sell Yor Home for more Tips on Selling.

Tip of the Day: Schmoooze, schmoooze, schmoooze! No kiddink! Talk to everyone you come across -- you never know who you might meet! You might make a great new friend, make a new business associate, create a new business deal, meet someone who can help your career or love-life through that new person -- it's endless! Good people skills will get you a long way, because you'll be personable and easy to talk to, and that'll find you more friends, associates and connections... see how it all works out?? It's totally worth it!

Have some Business Cards to hand out to all your new 'friends' -- now, don't be weird with this -- and you'll want to be relatively gentle in your approach so as not to cause a paper cut, since nobody likes a paper cut! Hmmm ... now I should go get you a Business Card link...even if you just have your name, contact number and e-mail address, it's a great way to stay in touch with 'new folks'. E-mail is ideal, because you can just send the teensiest of notes, and see what kind of response you get.

< 250 FREE color business cards! An $85 value! >

(There you go! I need some more, too!)

Thanks for comin' in to see me! See you, tomorrow! Later, Baby! Ailsa!

 

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Saturday, October 4th. Hello, Sunshine! It's soooo nice of you to come in for a wee visit! Would you like a cookie?? 5?? That's a lot, but okay...anything for my favorite Reader!! ha,ha!

I've got a little sick boy, this morning -- poor wee Aidan woke up with a cough, so I've given him some medicine and he's watching Scooby-Doo, all wrapped up in his favorite Blankies! I asked him if he'd like some Hot Chocolate, and he said,"No Schanks. That would make it more worser..." You can tell he's the son of an English Major, no??

When Dwight was out putting more screws in the new Sunroom Deck, yesterday evening, 'The Tree Guy' came by and had a whole truckload of trees with him, so we bought six of the 6 to 8 footers. We already had the Front Entry Garden ready for trees, and we were going to try shopping for them again, some day, but having them delivered right to your Front Door -- it doesn't get any better than that! (Well, it does, but we're talking about trees, here, so if you could just stay focussed, and quit letting your mind wander back into the ditch...har, har...)

So we ran into the house, quickly had some pizza (it was, of course, frozen and ready to go!) and right back out to plant the 6 trees. They look gorgeous -- and now I need some more! Must call the Tree Guy! It is truly amazing the difference Landscaping and Plants in the House can make on the overall look of your property.

Now, here's the weird thing -- I'm terribly allergic to Trees. This makes planting, working with lumber, and most of the things that I actually do, difficult to do... but I'm always determined to get a job done, and just try not to breathe too much around the wood, then make a big batch of my Honey, Lemon 'N Onion Drink. Fixes me right up! Today I'll try to see if I can make this more palatable for Aidan (he's 4!) by adding some Iced Tea flavouring and freezing it into popsicles...worth a shot!

Today we're working on the Sunroom Deck a little more, and with any luck we'll find the time to pop out to The Mountains for a Weenie Roast, which we all love! One of my all time favorite places is Elbow River Falls, one of the most scenic parks around! Dwight used to pop me out there whenever I didn't want to live in Calgary, anymore...so we've been there a LOT! ha.ha! So we better get our firewood all set to go, so we can have a nice campfire, too! YiPeee! Doesn't that sound like fun??? Maybe you could join us! I'll bring the Marshmallows, you bring the Matches, and I'll 'Meet 'cha there'!!

Okay, I gotta go see if I can get Aidan to eat something...

Tip of the Day: (I just about forgot!) When you're getting ready for the winter (this one's for all the cold climate folks!), 'Water in' your Trees before a Frost. This is called 'Freezing them in'. Seems to work! A million 'country folk' can't all be wrong! ha,ha!

And the Fall is a great time to Plant your trees, particularly Evergreens. They'll probably be dormant, already, and you can water them in, not have to worry about scorchingly dry weather, and they'll do really well.

Remember to dig a hole about one and a half times the size of the Tree Ball (the roots all balled up...), and to 'stomp it down' after planting. It's just like what it sounds like -- you stomp your foot all around the base of the new tree!

Don't forget to remove your Watering Hose from the faucet before it freezes! This can cause some serious damage to your house if you forget... that Tip is from Dwight, and he is, as always, emphatic about it! ha,ha! Me, I'm just sayin'....

 

Thanks for swingin' by! See you tomorrow! Hey, I'll need to bring my VideoCamera so I can show you just how lovely The Falls are, just in case you can't make it! ha,ha! And I'll have to figure out how to fix the thing that lets me transfer my photos onto the computer -- that stoooopid computer worm in the summer ruined it!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!

 

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<2nd Annual National Cookie Month Sweepstakes>

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Friday, October 3rd. (Friday is Sex and The City Night up here -- WooHoo! I'm talking about the Show, of course, because I'm married... har, har!) Hi, Honey Buns! You're looking lovely, today! And smart, too -- what a combo!

Hey, I'm getting some really nice Fan Mail (!!), so I've set up a new page just for it! Cool, eh?? You can write, too, and your letter will be read a million times, too (over the course of a year, of course...!) Must remember to find out if my Site Server can manage my new traffic!

Dwight and I were out on the Sunroom Deck, yesterday Evening, just in time to see the Deer Family stroll by (Tia, the dog(!), goes crazy when they come around -- she barks her heeee-ad off, as Aidan says(!), because she just wants the teensiest taste of the deer... she doesn't ask for much!). Back to the story... the view from this deck is so spectaular that we don't want to block it with the Lattice Railing, which is perfect for the Back Deck, where we need lots of privacy, but it won't work on the Sunroom Deck, so we're playing with different design ideas that will make the Deck safe for Tia and Aidan, maintain the view and look really unique.

I drew a quick picture of my new idea for the Deck Railing on an envelope for Dwight before he left, this morning, so he can check and see if he can get some Steel Tubing, since I think that would make a cool grid pattern in between the Posts... I also suggested thick dowling (wooden poles of varying widths...) and White or Black Metal 1" Bars...

Tip of the Day: Whenever you have a 'Design Dilemma', open your mind and let it wander around a whole lot of ideas -- you'll be amazed at what you can come up with! Think of all the things you want to accomplish with your new plan, let your mind go, and it'll just come to you. Draw it out right away so you don't forget your new ideas... it's funny how quickly the ideas come, and how quickly they head out if you don't write or draw it immediately! That's how I designed this whole house, everything in it, and our next houses (when we're ready to build, again!)... it really works! You can take your time refining your ideas, but getting them on paper first is essential...

Once you get into the habit of letting your mind wander about an idea, try it with everything -- it's the best way to find your own path! You might discover some new skills you didn't know you had, and who knows how far your new-found skills will take you!

Thanks for Coming in for a wee visit! See you tomorrow, Gorgeous! Later, Baby! Ailsa!

 

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< 250 FREE color business cards! An $85 value! >

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Thursday (Okay, now I've got the Day right!), October 2nd. Hi there, Sweet Banana Pie! I have no idea why it comes so naturally to me to 'bastardize' names for fun -- I call Dwight 'Schmimie' (pronounced schm-eye-meee!)... Here's how my brain works -- I went from Dwight -> Schmight -> Schmimie! But wait, it gets worse! It is not a long haul for me to go further with his name -- from 'Schmimie', we go to 'Schmima', which of course leads directly to 'Aunt Schmima', which I called him in Home Depot, once, and the looks we got were hilarious. Luckily, Dwight likes the whole thing, so that's good, right??

Anyhoooo... I was at the Dentist, yesterday, (my favorite Dentist, Dr. Darcy!) and he was saying that The Crest Strips really DO work! Cool, eh?? I think I have them on my Tips & Recipes Page, but I'll have to go check! It's hard to remember what all is in here after I've put it on the Site! I'll get you a link, though, so you can pick some up, too. I'll let you know how they work for me!

Here's a little tidbit I picked up from my new Hygienist, Jennifer -- poor wee Aidan has a tough time with his teeth, so Jennifer told me that the Fruit Roll-Ups that he loves sooooo much get stuck in his teeth and cause decay. Ick. That not good, as Thor the Caveman would say! So Aidan and I made a little deal that he can still have them occasionally, and he can give his teeth a quick brush after each treat. And Aidan agreed to it! You can try this, too, if you have little kids. Also, I had no idea Hygenist make such a good living -- if you're looking for a new career, check into that! No Kidding!(Or just be a Dentist ...your choice, really!)

Hey, are you watching Ellen, yet? I just about dropped when she introduced her new guest DJ -- I had to do a double-take, because he looked sooo much like a wonderful old friend of mine, Jim, who also happens to be a DJ (and a I think he's a Civil Engineer, too -- think that's his job title...). The voice was the same, the face was the same ...smile, sparkly eyes...sense of humor...I had to listen carefully to hear that his name is actually Tony. Man, is he cute! And a great DJ, too! You gotta check the show out! (Must drop Jim a line and see if he's single, for the young, single female part of my demographics! ha,ha!)

I happen to be watching Ellen right now (Elton John is on, which is remarkable!), and Ellen just mentioned that SHE likes Remy Shand, my favorite Artist, these Days... and so does Elton John! Maybe we'll see Remy on her show one day! Go Remy, Get Your Groove On, Go Remy...like that! ha,ha!

 

Tip of the Day: Are you thinking about a Kitchen or Bathroom Reno? A great way to quickly update your Kitchen or Bathroom is to replace or cover your current Countertops with a Tiled Countertop. There are gorgeous Marble and Granite Tiles that work really well in this space, and tons of more 'matte' tiles. Choose a smooth tile, though, so glasses won't topple over easily (okay, I'm mostly talking about wine glasses, and I'm in no position to know how many of those you go through every morning...ha,ha, ha!).

You can 'File Down' (or just saw it off) any rounded edge on your current counter.

Sand down the entire top (you want to create a rough surface) OR remove the old countertop and replace it with two cut sheets of 3/4 plywood.

Choose some nice 1 1/2 " Wooden Trim (flat in the center). Always buy Extra Trim and Extra Tiles for Cut Problems or Breaks...

Make sure your new countertop is secure before tiling.

Use a tight Grout Line for a Kitchen or Bathroom Surface -- I' say a 1/8th to a 1/16th Grout Line. Don't worry about the Grout -- it's really easy to clean. These countertops are gorgeous, relatively inexpensive, and fun to do. You'll be amazed at the difference!

Click here to See Our Kitchen Island.(It's tiled!)

(I just thought you'd like to see this House! Don't we all love looking at Houses??)

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Wednesday(!), October 1st! Good Morning, you sweet thing, you! Can you believe it's October already??? How did that happen?? Man, do you feel like time flies as you get slightly older? Weird, eh? Remember when a ten minute wait seemed to last forever, and now months fly by -- and in my case, years! What's up with that??

I got sidetracked 'on my way' to working on my site, this morning. Yesterday, I was checking out Wayne Brady's Website, and signed up for the Message Boards. It's like making new friends every day, and you never have to stop watching the Show! WooHoo!

You know what I would like to see, though? If you've been to some of the 'big' Message Boards, you might have noticed that they're all different, and some of them are really tricky to navigate... it took me agea to figure out how to Post a message, and that should have been the easiest thing to do -- and other sites have really good Message Boards, and it would be great to get back into the bit you're looking for, but it's too time consuming... maybe all the webmasters could get together for a few drinks (and many bags of Chips, since that's what webmasters live on...!)and make the Boards easier for 'Newbies' like me! There's only a few of us out there -- oh, maybe about 5 million of us! ha,ha!

Hey, speaking of a million people, thanks to all my wonderful readers passing on my site to their friends, who passed it along to their friends, my little Site will have waaaay over a million visits this coming year! WooHoo! Little ol' Meeeee! All by myself in my Office, too! With an advertising Budget of $35.00 per Year! ha,ha,ha! I am one diligent little worker! I'm determined to make this 'work', because it's all info that can make a lot of people's lives waaaay better! And that's always good, right?? So Thank you, Tank You, Schmank You Very Much for getting 'the word' out there! I couldn't do it without you! Now, if I could just figure out how to make a living at this, I'd be really happy! Click on any ad that appeals to you -- that'd be good for both of us! ha,ha!

Tip of the Day: Do you have one of those 'Low Flow' Showers? I really can't stand those things -- it takes forvever to have a Shower, so I don't know whose great idea that was...anyhoooo, I made Dwight replace the annoyink Shower Heads with the Hand Held ones -- they are great! One, they're very useful for those 'hard to get to places'...and Two, the Water Flow is much stronger! Really! And they're relatively easy to replace, too. You just unscrew the current annoyink Shower Head and screw in the new one. The instructions are actually clear enough to follow right from the package. You don't have to go with something really expensive, either -- sometimes the less expensive it is, the better it is...go figure!

The Hand-Held Shower Head that Dwight put in our Master Shower is a Grohe, Relexa Plus, Exquisit (yep, I have the box right in front of me, because I would never have remembered that!) Now, it's pretty fancy schmancy, with the Chrome Sliding Bar Attachment (that part requires a lot of fancy tools and quite a bit of swearing to install it!), but you can pick up any new Shower Head in your Price Range at your local Hardware Store. You know what? I just remembered that WalMart has a huuuuge new Home Section -- and they have a ton of Plumbing stuff -- in fact, that's where I buy my Painting Supplies -- and a zillion other things, some of them are things I actually need..! ha,ha!! Anyway, let me get a link for you to see what they have. Check to see if they have those 'Pop-Up Registers', too, since they'll save you so much in Energy Costs!

 

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Look what I just found?? <Generators at Wal-Mart> Cool, eh??

Here's the Link for Plumbing, Lighting, Painting, Decorating -- you'll be pleasantly surprised!

<Home Improvement at Wal-Mart>

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Tuesday, September 30th. Hi, Honey! You're Home! With Ailsa! (That's Meeee!) I took some pictures of the new potted plants I arranged symetrically along the Stair Wall in the Front Entry Area -- I'll post it as soon as I can figure out how to fix the photo-thing for my site... and I can add the new pictures of the Sunroom Deck -- the Hot Tub looks fabulous -- and some pictures I took last night when our 'Deer Family' were poking around on the hill outside of our Walk-Out. The sun was setting behind them, and it was gorgeous! Ah, the Country Life!

Hey, have you had a chance to catch the new Ellen Show? It's sooooo funny -- very cheery with great dance music! The other new (or new to me, since I'm not sure how long it's been on...!) show that is fun to watch in the morning (while I work on my Site!) is The Wayne Brady Show. He is hysterical, and his musical takes are hilarious -- plus, he's really good looking (of course, so is Ellen! ha,ha,ha!)! And if you happen to live in a country where Ellen's Show isn't on, yet, you can click on her website -- it's hilarious, too!

Tip of the Day: Freeze everything! No kidding! I don't know why I didn't figure this out a long time ago, but now when I buy pies, cakes, fresh cookies & brownies, pizza, rolls, lunch meat -- anything you would think you and your family will eat, but never do, then you end up throwing it out when you discover it in the fridge a mere two weeks later -- I divide them into individual portions (and often wrap them separately) and pop them into the Freezer. It totally works -- Everyone likes that first piece of cake or pie, then if someone wants a piece some other time, they just take out one piece. It cuts out the possiblity of eating something 'so you don't waste it'... This way, you can have a wee treat when you like (hopefully in the early part of the day, the best time for 'special treats'...). Much better for portion control and it'll save you a bunch of money, too!

As for the Lunch Meat and Rolls, I always cut the rolls before I freeze them and separate the meat into individual portions (2 or 3 pieces per 'package') so I can make lunch for Cara or Dwight as they need it, since it's no longer a daily given, what with the delicious French Fries they serve at Cara's High School!

Thanks for coming in for a wee visit! See you tomorrow (hey, go ahead and bring a thousand or so of your friends/ associates/ people you met once and can't get rid of... there's plenty of Cake in the Freezer!).

Later, Baby! Ailsa!

 

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Look what I just found?? <Generators at Wal-Mart> Cool, eh??

Here's the Link for Plumbing, Lighting, Painting, Decorating -- you'll be pleasantly surprised!

<Home Improvement at Wal-Mart>

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Monday, September 29th. Good morning, Brilliance! That's a good name -- it suits you perfectly -- smart and shiny! Juuuuust right! ha, ha,ha! I hope you enjoyed your weekend! We worked on the Sunroom Deck, and it is absolutley gorgeous! The views from that Deck are incredible...Mountains to the West, Forest to the East...and on Saturday Evening, the Deer came withing 20 feet of the Deck! We love the Deer -- they're a nice little feature of this house, and we didn't even have to pay for them...WooHoo! (Those Deer can't count very well, anyway, so you could probably trick them into taking less, but who has that kind of time?? ha, ha!)

You know what I think I'm going to add to the site? A bit about How to Recognize an Abuser -- I am uniquely qualified with 'insider information', but if it helps one other person to avoid or get out of a difficult situation, then it's worth it. I've been going over personality traits with Cara, who is 15 and just starting to date, so it's time for her to 'Know the Signs'...It's good information for both genders, because everyone ought to be able to spot the negative traits, to prevent or stop them from continuing or to keep at arms length from someone who has them. I think I'll add that to my 'Relationship Page'...

This week I have to get back to the Grouting -- man, there's an endless amount of that! Looks like I can get through about a 10 foot squared area working on my own, and easily double that if Dwight's working with me, but he's too tired after work, so I'm further ahead to get a wee bit done at a time than nothing at all, right??

Tip of the Day: Wear Black, White or Tan colored clothing when you're working outside and you see some Wasps. Dwight was stung, yesterday, when we were working on the Deck. Luckily, he didn't have a reaction (other than some choice words that the Wasp didn't seem to respond to... he's probably heard it all, before...!). Anyway, I didn't realize that I was wearing my painting sweatshirt, which is a bright wine color (no, not just a collection of wine stains... that's a different shirt! har, har!)...so the wasps were really attracted to it. I had to run in and change to a black shirt...I think it made a difference.

Oh, yeah. I don't know for sure whether this works, because Dwight wouldn't let me try this on him(!), but I remember when I was a wee girl, we sliced an Onion in half and placed that directly on the Sting. You know I am Onion-Baking Soda Girl (my two fave 'products'!), so I would definitely try this, myself. Also, Benedryl Cream is handy to keep around if you're doing a lot of outdoor work -- Dwight is okay with store-bought anything... it's just me who likes the 'Home Rememdies'...hey, wouldn't that make a good title for a Home Renovation Book?? Must keep that in mind for when all the Publishers start calling me!

Thanks for coming in to see me! See you tomorrow! Later, Baby, Ailsa!

 

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<1000 Nationwide Lenders Match You with the Lowest Home Loan Rates>

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Sunday, September 28th. Hey, Baby! What's shakin'?? I know, you've probably been greeted with that ten times already, this morning...well let me be the 11th! That's not such a bad position to be in -- 11th on your list. Better than not being on the list at all, right??

Ugh, I just had a terrible 'website' fright -- I clicked on the wrong thing and my Main Page disappeared from my screen! Aaaaaah! I'm still soooo new to this whole 'puter' thing! That's what Cara used to call the computer when she was little. One day, when Cara was 4 and we were driving along Santa Monica Blvd. (we lived by ourselves, just me and my kidlet...), Cara turned to me and said, in a desperate voice, "Mummy, I need a 'puter!". It was hilarious! I don't even know where she got that from, because at the time computers were not really commonplace. I had one at the back of my Special Ed. classroom, and I used to send my students back there to turn the thing ON! I could never remember how to do that! ha,ha! They would wheel their way back over to me to say,"Ailsa, you got to learn that!". Yes, my students called me Ailsa, and yes, I loved them all. Special Needs Students are a joy to work with, and they kept me sane during a horrible time of my life...

I think I solved the problem -- I'm not as fearful of the computer as I used to be, but the stakes are higher if I do screw up terribly. (Tia's right up on my leg -- she keeps pushing my hand away from the keyboard with her nose! She is the funniest wee dog!)

So we did get out to work on the Deck, yesterday. Dwight cut and placed the Boards while I cleaned out the Hot Tub. Turned out that the Tarp Dwight put on the Tub had a leak, so I had a lot of cleanin' to do, but now it sparkles and looks absolutely fabulous. Now Dwight says he's actually going to set it up -- it's been a real bone of contention around here. Dwight has a bad habit of thinking a job is insurmountable, until I convince him to get started on it (just so you know, we work together on every project...)... that is an easy mind-set to get into when you're building, so at least one partner in a relationship should have a positive outlook, or the job might never be done! I think it's a matter of balance... Almost every job is easier than you might believe it to be, it's just a matter of getting started on it.

Tip of the Day: Change your furniture configuration. Seriously! Over this past week. we've moved furniture all around, switching stuff from one room to another, and what a huge difference this has made in the functionality of the rooms!

Aidan had the old Dining Room Table in his Bedroom as a Giant Craft Table, and that worked for a while, but after I moved all the big exercise equipment out of my Exercise Room and into the Lower Living Room, it left the Exercise Room completey empty, except for the corner cubby area where my Serger is set up... Anyhoooo, I thought it would be more useful (and fun!) to have a 'Gift Wrapping Room' -- ha,ha! Really, who doesn't want that?? So we carried the Glass-Top Dining Table down to the new Gift Wrapping Room, just in time for the Holiday Season.

Last night (yet another exciting Saturday night around here!), I got Dwight to help me move the Double Bed in Aidan's Bedroom down to his Den, making that a much more usable space for any Adult Visitors who might swing by, and we took his little Car Bed and put it in his Bedroom. Much better! Cara's Den and Aidan's Den are side-by-side, so now they can also act as Guest Bedrooms -- one for the Adult Couple and the other for the Kids. (Cara's Den is set up with 3 beds...)

Often what happens with Furniture is we move in and put the Furniture in pretty much the same configuration you had in your old place, which is most likely the same as however your Mother had her furniture... it's habitual. Next time you're watching a Designer Show, take note of how they 'mix things up', then try it yourself. Stand back and visualize certain peices in a different location, and see how that works. I'll bet you'll be very pleasantly surprised!

Well, Dwight's up, now, so I'm going to go make Breakfast -- French Toast, his favorite. Here's a 'Freebie Tip'! Add about a tablespoon of Vanilla to Pancakes or French Toast mixtures -- it's delicious, and you'll use less Syrup, which is good for the old waistline!

Lovely to see you, as always! Talk to you Tomorrow! Later, Baby! Ailsa

 

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Saturday, September 27th. Hey, Sweetheart! Hope your Weekend is going well! Dwight got back really late from his Fishing Trip, and guess how many fish they caught?? That's right, NONE! So I can'y verify that whole 'marshmallow' tip, but he still claims it to be true -- it's just that the 'fish don't bite until Midnight...'! Yes, that seems like a fish -- the're little tricksters, from what I hear! ha,ha,ha!

Today the weather is supposed to be nice, so that means it's 'Deck-Building Day' -- again! It's never-ending. Whose idea was it for such a big house, anyway?? Oh, right...it was my idea! Ah, well. I really would like to get all the relatively 'little' things done so I can put the house on the Market around Christmas Time. It's soooo beautiful with all the Lights and the Christmas Trees all decorated! We have a tough time saying good-bye to the Christmas Trees, so I take them down gradually. (There's always more than one tree!) I put them up that way, too -- I have to graduate the process so Dwight doesn't freak out -- he's not the most pleasant 'Christmas Boy' -- he just finds it a stressful time of year, whereas I absolutely love it. So we're not exactly alike!!

On to 'The Tip of the Day': Don't plan a Big 'Fish Fry' until after the fish are caught! No, no, no...I'm just kiddink! Here's your Real Tip -- When you're Building a Deck, Start at the Far End of the Deck with the 'Full Pieces' of Lumber. That way, if the last piece needs to be cut lengthwise (which is almost always the case...), it will be tight against the house, and you won't see it.

The other Decking Tip is to use Screws instead of Nails to get a really nice finish. The nails tend to 'pop up' and you can trip on them, or cut your foot -- ick! That ain't good!

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<LowCostLending.com>

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Friday, September 26th. Hi, Honey! You're Home, and I made a pie for you...wouldn't you like to hear that for real?? Actually, I really do make Pies -- they're fun to make and delicious -- you could try my Peach Pie Recipe, or try to convince someone else to make it for you... either way, you'll enjoy it!

Well, did you watch Survivor?? Man, those Beaches are gorgeous! And the 'Survivors' ain't bad, either! ha,ha,ha! Were you obsessed with Pirate Treasure when you were a kid? What?? Still are?? Me, too! Mostly the big pile of Gems in a hidden trunk, but that's probably normal... that and finding a big Trunk full of Candies, which is Aidan's big dream! You know what would help those Survivors? Knowing How to Build a House, right? Sure, then they would know that a Roof and a Floor can really come in handy!

It would be fun to build an 'Ocean-Front' Property, no?? Out of Fronds! And maybe some Mud...

Well, this is Dwight's big 'Fishin' Day'! He worked like mad to get all his Lures and his Fishing Pole (the lucky ones... I hear it's a fine mix of Skill and Luck!) all set up and there's a yucky bag of Bait in the Fridge! He's going with a couple of his old friends, and he can hardly wait to get back into a boat for a whole day! Dwight had to sell his Jet Boat the week before Aidan was born (there was no way I was going to get into that boat at 9 months pregnant! So he traded in the Boat for a Boy -- not a bad trade!).

Tip of the Day: Yep, it's a Fishin' Tip! Dwight says that fish loooove mini-marshmallows -- but doesn't everybody?? Apparently, the mini-marshmallows are just the right size to go on the hook... he was quite emphatic about that. I feel strongly about it, too... wink, wink!

Thanks for coming in for a wee visit! See you tomorrow! (Turns out, I've got plenty of time to write a Daily Update -- still nowhere to go! Perhaps one day I'll have somewhere to go, but by then I'll probably get me one o' them fancy 'Laptops'!)

Later, Baby! Ailsa

 

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Hey, did you notice that the Stock Market is doing well, again?! Did I tell you that a fairly large chunk of the money we used to Build This House came from Dwight's Stock Market Days? Yep, he bought some Bank Stocks at $17.00 and we sold them at $65.00. Yes, I did make him sell them, and Thank Goodness, because after that they went straight up to $91.00 -- aaaaaaah! That wasn't my best moment... but right after that, they plumeted to $35.00, and Dwight would have missed the $91.00 mark, anyway, because it typically takes me a very, very long time to convince him when to make a move! So we made a big pile o' cash, which is always fun! And now it's All in The House! Good thing it's Gorgeous!!

<LowCostLending.com>

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Thursday, September 25th. Hey, Sweetie! What's happening?? Hey, drop me a line and let me know what's going on in your life -- and if you're planning a Build or Renovation, tell us all about it! I'll add your letters to the site!

Aaaeeye, I just had a bite of my Apple Crumble and burnt my tongue! Youch! Must remember not to put it in the Microwave for more than a minute! Still, it's sooo yummy it's hard to wait! Now, that's a good sign, right??

Hey, did you see the First new episode of The Bachelor? We love that show -- and not just for the Girls (and Bob, who is hilarious!) -- we watch for the Houses! You know what I would love to see? A website and/or Show dedicated to showing all of us 'House-Junkies' the fabulous houses that are featured on these Shows. I'm pretty sure there must be one Producer out there reading my Site instead of going to a fancy schmancy 'Producer's Meeting', just looking for new ideas! ha,ha,ha!

If you haven't seen The Bachelor, try to catch an episode and check out the Blue Up-Lighting along the Walls of the Front of the House. It's gorgeous, and now I want that, too! I think I can do that behind the plants on either side of the Fireplace in the Great Room ... you could try it, too, then all our houses would match! WooHoo! You'd always feel right at home no matter where you went because we'd all have exactly the same thing! I DID put those little tiny Christmas Lights around the Base of Each of the Plants, which looks really lovely, especially when the Fireplace is on and the rest of the Lights are out.

Tip of the Day: Use Plants to Decorate Your Home for very little. You'd be amazed at the difference a big plant will make. Start taking note of Designer Shows, and you'll see that the Large Palm Frond Plants (must find out what they're actually called!)are often added to bring in a lot of color and freshness into the room. If you have a tough time with Real Plants, have a look at the new Silk Plants -- that's what I have in my Office.

Yesterday I was shopping at Walmart (one of my favorite stores!) and I found 5 matching Green and Burgundy Clay Pots and 5 matching Green and Burgundy Plants (I'll run up and take a picture and find out what they're called...). They're gorgeous! I lined them up symetrically along the Stair Wall (no one knows what to call it, but it's the wall where a Railing would typically be -- Aidan was so little when we built this house that I was concerned that he would shoot his cars under or through a regular railing, leading to a terrible accident, probably involving Dwight, who always seems to be in the wrong place at the wrong time when it comes to 'accidents' with Aidan! So I designed a Solid Wall around the Stairs, which turned out beautifully...).

Anyway, today I have to re-pot my nice new plants. Wonder if I could figure out how to get Lighting in Behind them???

Oh,yeah. Price-wise, all the Plants and Pots came in under $100.00, which is great. Solved my Decorating Dilemma (yes, I just checked my Oxford Dictionary for the spelling on that! It's within easy Arms Length of my computer!) for under a hundred Bucks! Scoooore! My other options were Glass Inserts (my original design, and the Stair Wall was Framed in for that, so the next owner -- which may be sooner than later, since I'm thinking of putting our house on the market -- could still do that...) and a giant Mural. I also thought a huge mirror with a Mountain Scene Etched into it would have been nice, but Dwight said that was a stoooopid idea, so that ended that conversation...! Anyhooo, any of the other options would have cost between $300. - $1500., so that's a huuuge savings and now it's done, which is the important thing!

Dwight's going Fishing, tomorrow (painfully early, and I'll have to get him up...ugh!), so I'll give you a special 'Fishing Tip' after he leaves. He's going to a Lake about an hour from here, and is very excited! If only he felt that way about Grout! ha,ha,ha!

Thanks for Coming Over to My Place! See you tomorrow! Please, feel free to bring a few hundred of your friends, too! I don't even care if you don't like them...just bring 'em along and I'll entertain them, leaving you free to drink more, should that be your personal choice! ha,ha,ha! Later, Baby! Ailsa

 

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<LowCostLending.com>

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Wednesday, September 24th. Good Morning, Sweet Cheeks! (I know, I know -- that's a little racy, ain't it?? Well, perhaps I'm making reference to your face, and not where ever you might be thinking....or not! ha,ha! Now you'll never know!)

I've been trying to get a picture of the Breast Cancer Research Support Stamp on my Breast Cancer Research Supporter Page, and I can't seem to figure that out. Remember that I am really new to this whole 'computer thing', so when I run into a problem I have to have Steve over for dinner to show me how to do whatever I'm lost at... Must invite him over for a BBQ on the weekend! But the Stamp is very cool -- it looks like African-American Art, so look out for that next time you're buying Stamps (in the U.S.).

Hey, did you happen to catch the Oprah Age Defying Show? Great show, except for the snag-n-a-half who asked that poor woman (who happened to be 40) whether she knew what the hell she was doing wearing a mini-skirt....Puh-leeease. You know the great thing about being 40 (or any age, and a Free Spirit!!)? You can wear absolutely anything you want. Forget about 'The Rules' -- what do you care what some snagasuarus thinks of you??? I've been wearing a mini-skirt since 'way back when', and I hope I'm still wearing one at 120! (That's the age I hope to live 'til, and that's why it's soooo important for me to set up a steady income for life with The Internet and Real Estate!) Now there's a nice image for you -- but I also plan to look as good as possible for a really, really long time!

Tip of the Day: You know how I mentioned yesterday about going ahead and coloring your hair if you have been thinking you'd like a change? Well, here's another little tip from my Teaching Years. I used to Teach Grades 5/6, and one of the things we had to do was a Lice Check, which totally freaked me out. (I was very young and naive at the time... and that's when I decided to start working with Older Students...plus, the smaller kids didn't always get my jokes...Teaching is often quite a bit like Stand-Up Comedy, only you have to squish a Lesson in there amongst the laughs!)

Anyway, we used to let Parents know that if the regular Nix Treatments didn't work, they could try Hair Color in the same shade as their child's hair. And that old myth that you have to immediately run out and cut the kid's hair all off is simply not true -- just do the treatment, pop bedding into the Dryer for 40 minutes on high (and other soft toys the child has come into contact with -- and don't forget to pop the pillow in the dryer, too...). Wash the rest of the regular bedding and clothes. Most importantly, stay calm and make sure your child knows this is something easy to deal with and a common part of childhood for many, many children.

 

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Tuesday, September 23rd. Hey, Babe! Hope all's well in your neck of the woods (is that the new name for Central L.A.??)! I just had a bowl of my favorite Apple Crumble for One (Meee!) -- man, that stuff is sooo delicious, I never get tired of it, even though I have it every day. I've lost another 4 pounds, so that brings me to a grand total of 31 Pounds! WooHoo! (Think I was replacing food -- namely chocolate -- for something else! ha,ha!)

If you haven't tried it yet, mix up a batch and let me know how you like it -- remember, it's just a healthy and tasty treat, and you don't need to be on a Diet (Ugh -- I always hate that word -- food management is much better!) to enjoy it -- it's a yummy thing to add to your Daily Routine!

Tip of the Day: I colored my hair, yesterday (right after I wrote my Daily Update!), and I thought, 'Why not tell everyone how easy it is to take off about, oh, 5 years...unless you're 12, then maybe only a couple of months...' Anyhoooo, I use L'oreal B1, which is a nice shade of Blonde, and I think it beats any shade of Grey! Some people really suit Grey, but it ain't for me, Baby! So if you've been looking in the mirror and wondering if you should try to restore your old color or go for something brand new, give it a shot! You can always color it back, or just let it fade away... And the 'At Home' version (so-to-speak!) is a breeze. You can do it and watch your favorite TV Show at the same time!

Later, Baby! See you tomorrow! Ailsa

Click Here for The Apple Crumble Diet!

 

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< Lowest mortgage rates and the best service in the industry! >

 

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Monday, September 22nd. Hi, Honey! You're Home! (I think I like that one the best!) Well, did you see the Emmy's?? YaaHooo -- The Sopranos got some Top Awards! We can hardly wait for the new season! Great Show, though -- very fnny with all the Comedians! We always love to see all the Canadian 'Home-Grown' Comedians ... imported to the U.S. (where I hope to be soon enough! ha,ha,ha!).

We got a lot of work done on the Sunroom Deck, and it's fantastic -- the View from this Deck is sooooo beautiful. There was a tremendous amount of 'debate' over whether we should keep the Hot Tub or Not, but the Final Decision was made and we built the Deck around it. We had already spent so much in prepartion for the Tub -- special electrical stuff, a special Steel Frame for the Tub itself, craning it from where we bought it to our old house, then to the other side of our new house and then finally over to the deck, so getting rid of it would have been weird...!

Tip of the Day: One very cool feature that Dwight just put in the Master Bath and the Sunroom (and we bought another 5 of them for a variety of other rooms...) -- we put in Dimmer Switches. Such a simple thing, but the Dimmers are great for the Bathroom, especially in the middle of the night, when your eyes just don't like anything glaring! They cost around $25.00, and make a big difference for mood lighting, too. (The Bathroom Light that we did is right over the Double-sized Jet Tub and it's very nice in the Sunroom, where we like to sit and chat last thing at night. And soon we'll be able to get the Hot Tub hooked up and we'll be out there! WooHoo!)

Later, Baby! See you tomorrow! Ailsa

 

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< Lowest mortgage rates and the best service in the industry! >

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Sunday, September 21st. Good Morning, Sunshine! Isn't that a sweet name?? My little sister used to have a Principal who called her students that, and every little face would light up when she said it -- just shows you -- sometimes the smallest compliment can brighten your entire day!

Today we'll go out and get as much of the Deck done as we can (we finished the Framing for the Deck on Friday night... the Framing is the hard part!), then we'll put up a temporary Railing so no-one falls off. The Deck is a good 12' off the ground on the Walk-out side, so that's essential.

Tip of the Day: If you're still at the Planning Stage of your Build or Remodel, consider putting a Window in your Bathrooms. What a huge difference this makes! It lets you put on make-up in a natural light, saves energy from Light use, and is Aesthetically very pleasing. We have a Glass Block Window in the Master Bathroom above the Double Tub, another Glass Block Window in the Steam Room Bathroom downstairs (close enough to My Office that I could do some work on the computer, go have a Steam, then back to the Office for more work! ha,ha!), and a 4' X4' Regular Window in the Front Entry Bath.

The Glass Block Windows that we used come as one full window -- no leakage or uneven joints -- very nice and worth checking out at your Local Window Store! Most Hardware Stores carry Windows, now, so you can check there for prices.

Well, Dwight's just come into my Office, so I better go help him with the Deck! Enjoy the rest of your weekend, and see you tomorrow!

Later, Baby! Ailsa

 

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Saturday, September 20th. Hey, Baby! What's up?? It's the weekend, so plenty, I hope!

We got back to work on the Deck off the Sunroom after Dwight got home from work, yesterday -- finally! There are some jobs that just seem to be pushed to the back-burner, and this was one of them. I am anxious to get this deck done because it's the one with the Hot Tub, and we bought the 10 Man Tub a year and a half ago -- can you believe that?? It's just been sitting waiting on Dwight to install it! Talk about 'jumping the gun'! If it isn't set up soon, we'll miss the Fall Season (the part of the year when you can still go outside without your ears falling off! ha,ha!), then we'll have to wait for Spring. AAAAAH!

I'd really like to bring our Carpenter, Trevor, back to finish the deck (and not just because he's good-looking, either...!!), but Dwight insists on doing it himself... hmmmmm.

Hey, I've gotta thank all my brilliantly wonderful Readers for sending out the word to their friends about my little Site! My 'traffic' has DOUBLED in the last week! WooHoo! Now I just need to make the site turn a profit and I'm all set (Truth be told -- Dwight has been paying for the Site since it's inception, and has threatened to 'pull the plug' many, many times -- his words aren't that nice, so I'm paraphrasing, here...So please, oh, please click on a few ads so I don't have to listen to those words any more! AND, tell your friends to tell their friends -- just like in the Breck Shampoo Ads! Soon we'll all have much cleaner hair and bigger & better houses! ha, ha!)

Tip of the Day: This one is for you to look younger, and it doesn't include scrubbing away at Grout, neither! ha,ha! (Although some of that grout got on my face the other day when I was mixing it, and it DID cross my mind that it might make a good Facial Mask...pweeease don't try that at home -- I immediately ruled it out as an intensely stuuuupid idea!).

Trim or Pluck your eyebrows. I know, I know -- that does sound painfully simple, but over the past year, Dwight's eyebrows have suddenly gone mad -- and he was starting to look a little more like a Pirate and less like a Contractor! Eeeeks! That ain't good! So I made him stay still for two minutes and I gave them a little trim. Not a 'Judy Garland' kind of trim (and that's not to say that some men don't look fabulous with that style...). Just trim off those crazy stragglers that don't belong there!

One thing that's pretty funny that I've noticed since I had my 'Eye's Done' (Lasik Eye Surgery) is that now people can actually see my eyes, so I have to pluck my eyebrows again -- for a long while, there, I was just trimming them with manicure scissors! I am completely thrilled with not ever having to wear Glasses or Contacts, again, so it's all worth it!

Enjoy Your Weekend! Later, Baby! Ailsa

 

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< Lowest mortgage rates and the best service in the industry! >

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Friday, September 19th. Hey, there, Baby-Cakes! (What's that -- those delicious little 'baby' brownies that I was only slightly addicted to when we first started shopping at Costco?? A little taste of heaven -- that sounds exactly like you, yes??ha,ha!)

Well, did you watch Survivor? What a great show! Especially on the Big Screen... it's just like you're there, only you're all comfy and cozy and they're not! Man, a LOT of very good-looking people on the show, this year, many of them with their clothes off ... now that's entertainment! ha,ha!

Dwight mixed that grout for me, yesterday, so I was able to get some of the Tiled Floor in the second part of the Front Entry done -- I thought it would maybe take me about 3 hours, but it took me the whole day! I had to go and mix the grout again, myself, and I take back everything I ever said about that part being easy! Yikes! That is some seriously hard work! The Mixer is huuuuge, and only has one speed -- crazy fast, I think it's called... it makes your whole body vibrate, which is not nearly as much fun as it sounds! ha,ha!

I thought for sure that I'd get half of the tiled area done, but it was soooo much work all by myself that I got a much smaller fraction of that (let's just say about 1/8th, so I don't have to do any math!)... I'll give my arm a rest (I have an old Arm Injury from when a Special Needs Student attacked me years ago... still hurts when I overuse it) and get back to the floor on Monday.

Finally, the smoke from all the terrible fires in the B.C. (British Columbia, Canada) has dissipated and we can see the Mountains, again! September is a beautiful time in the Rockies -- the Mountains are Snow-capped and the sky in the morning is all Pink with this amazing shade of blue -- gorgeous! Very pleasant to wake up to! I get up, turn on the Fireplace, make some Tea and enjoy the View (for about a minute, then the rest of the day starts!).

Tip of the Day: When you're mixing the grout, be sure to wear your Safety Glasses -- it went all over the place when I was mixing it, yesterday! AND, don't leave it for any length to time between the time you mix it and the time you put it on the Floor. That crazy Dwight told me to 'leave it for a while' before putting it on the floor, which I did...and I carefully covered the pail of grout with a wet towel, went to 'refresh my make-up' (because it's sooo important to look fresh and pretty when you're grouting the floor...) and came back out to a pail of rock-hard grout. So I said to Dwight when he got home that 'a while' is NOT '2 minutes at the most'...but I did get to take a break, so it's all good! ha,ha!

Have a great weekend! Later, Baby! Ailsa

 

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Thursday, September 18th. Hey, Baby! How you doin'?? ha,ha! Can you believe it's already time for the New Survivor?! We all love that Show, particularly the Beach Scenes! That's how I got connected with the whole Buff thing -- Cara desperately wanted the Survivor Buffs, so I got them for her, and now I have the Wholesale Connection...it's all about connections, Baby! (I'd still really like to see the Buffs for the Major Sports Teams and Colleges, but also for all schools, too -- they're a great Fundraiser, and we never seemed to have enough funds when I was a Teacher! Maybe this'll really help -- there's more info on my Buff Page...)

Well, I cleaned out the Garage, yesterday, and found all sorts of things I'd totally forgotten about, and some stuff that I thought was long gone (like some of my old writing ... during my 'bad' days! Maybe I'll be able to Publish that one day! ha,ha!), and I cleared a big space for Dwight's Truck. I still have a work area for me and a separate work area for Dwight, so we're all set... except that my van is still outside, but that's okay for now!

And wouldn't you know it, Dwightie finally mixed the Grout for me to do the Floors, today, so I need to go get started on that. It'll probably take me a few hours. Grouting the Floor has been a real 'Bone of Contention' between us -- it's been driving me up the wall that it has taken soooo long to get to this job. Dwight showed me how to use the Giant Mixer last night, too, so I can add more water to maintain a 'creamed butter' consistency.

So here's my Grouting Tip for Today(!) -- 'Pipe' the grout between the tiles, just like you would pipe icing on a cake... You can buy a special 'Grouting Bag' at the Hardware Store, or just use a bag you already have around the house. I'm going to use a Large Freezer Bag, because they're made of a pretty heavy plastic, and I think it'll hold up to the weight of the grout. Wish me luck and see you tomorrow! You can check my Tiling Page to find out All About Tiling!

Later, Baby! Ailsa

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I totally looove Flowers, and I need to send some today to my wonderful Auntie Joyce -- she's been a tremendous influence in my life, and she's not feeling well... So I always put stuff on the site that I need and that you might like, too! Ain't that nice?? :)

<FTD.COM - Send Love, Send Flowers!>

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Wednesday, September 17th. Hi, Honey, you're HOME! ha,ha,ha! Hey, remember how I said earlier that Joe Schmo was a great show?? Well, I watched it last night and man, has it gone quickly downhill! The very first show was hilarious, what with the Pimped-Out Robe and the perfect party game 'Hand on the Hooker' -- you can't go wrong with a Hooker Game(!), but last night it was just sad and not at all funny... even the hilarious 'Schmarmy Host' couldn't pull it out of the water!

Ah, well. The new Survivor starts on Thursday, and the weeks just fly by after that! (A lot of 'Is it Thursday already??'... very good in a cold climate!)

I've got to go and clear a space for Dwight's Truck in the Garage, today. It snowed again last night, so he was mad at having parked his truck outside when we have such a big garage (over-sized Triple... I think it's 36' X 28' -- I should know, since I drew it, but I've forgotten, now!). But there's a lot of work going on in the garage! My Saw Horses are set up one side for all my painting (mostly Trim and Drywall... I've painted thousands of feet of Trim for this house!), and Dwight's work area is on the other side with all his tools and stuff, then all the extra stuff from the old house is kind of in the middle... that pretty much takes up all the room in the garage, so I have to go move stuff around, since I'm not quite finished painting the Trim...

Gotta go start cleanin'! See you tomorrow! And please, oh please have a look at my sponsors! I gotta build up my bank account! Hey, that sounds like a great name for may new site 'Build Up Your Bank Account'! Must give that some thought! ha,ha,ha! Later, Baby! Ailsa

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< Lowest mortgage rates and the best service in the industry! >

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Tuesday, September 16th. Heeellllooooo! Guess what we woke up to this morning?? Snow! Can you believe it -- Sept. 16th! Man, welcome to Alberteee (my name for Alberta, Canada!). I like to LOOK at it, since it's really pretty, but I can't stand driving in it ... these are the days when I'm happy to be AT HOME!

Aidan, who turned 4 on Sept. 11th, was sooo excited when he saw the snow, so he shouts,"YiiPeee! I can't wait 'til Santa gets here!" That crazy Dwight told Aidan last year that Santa comes when it snows, and I had to remind Dwight that it snows here, oh, about 8 months out of the year... so now Aidan is sure that Santa will be here any minute at every single snowfall!

We cut the Drywall for the Face of the Bar last night (I painted it to match the Lower Level Walls), and it looks fantastic. We'll Trim it out like the Walls, then put on a Granite Tile Counter, to match the Island upstairs.

Hey, have you seen that new show, The O.C.? It's great -- great location (California Coastline -- my favorite place in the whole world! Every time the show come on and I see the house with the Negative Edge Pool over-looking the Ocean, I say to Dwight, "That's what I want!" Each and every time - ha,ha,ha! Dwightie nods and goes back to sleep -- no, I'm just kiddink -- he doesn't want to miss one Bikini-clad woman, and there are plenty in this show!).

It's on here on Monday nights, so if you haven't seen it yet, check it out -- the writing, acting and camera work is great!

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Monday, September 15th. Hey, good-lookin'! (What ya got cookin'...sorry, just a little song to get you started! ha,ha!). Well, I got the Trees in and Dwight and I loaded a LOT of Bark Mulch into the Truck (3 loads!) and spread it all over the two Front Entry Gardens -- one on either side of the Front Door. I have to hurry and write this before Dwight heads out, this morning. I want him to mix up some Grout for me (the mixer is really heavy!) so I can Grout the Tiled Floor in the Sunroom. We have over 1500 square feet of Tiled Floor (not including the Tiled areas in the Bathrooms and Countertops...), so there's still a lot of work to do.

Better go grab him! Later, Baby! Ailsa

P.S. Later the same day -- Dwight said he didn't have enough time to mix the grout for me, again... wish I had paid more attention when Steve was mixing the grout so I could do it myself...see how important it is to be self-sufficient! I'll try again, tomorrow!

Grout Tip for Tiling: 1. Get someone to mix the grout!

2. Okay, here's the real tip! After you've 'placed' the grout in between the tiles and wiped the excess off, dip your finger in clean water and lightly pull your finger along the grout line. This will give it a nice clean line.

3. Also, if you are working on a really large area and you want to go faster, when the Grout is almost dry, you can use your Vacu-Flo wand attachment very carefully to remove the dry grout from the middle of the tiles. That can save you a couple of hours and a lot of wear and tear on your arm!

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Sunday, September 13th. Hey there, you gorgeous thing, you! (Hey, if everyone got a compliment like that every day, wouldn't the whole world be a lot nicer?! For one thing, everyone would be goin' around thinkin' to themselves, "Man, I am sooooo good looking, today! I know I'm doin' somethin' right!" And then there's be a lot more smiling, too! 'More Smilin', Less Frownin' ... that can be their new motto! ha,ha,ha!)

So, in case you were up all last night wondering (!), yes, I did get some trees, but only 3, and they're kinda little... there was a BIG 'discussion' at the Tree Stores (note the 's'...) about which trees to get, and I clearly said I thought we needed two 6' Evergreens, one for either side of the Front Entry Garden.

Well, wouldn't you know it...Dwight completely disagreed with that and we ended up coming home with two 4' Cedars (I think!) and one other cool looking flowering tree. When we went to 'dig them in', I said, "Well, they're sure little...", and Dwight says, "They sure are ... I don't know WHY you wanted those little trees -- I wanted two Big trees for that space..."

And so that why they say that marriage is soooo much fun. Yep, nuthin' but sheer fun and games. Well, mostly games, and hardly any of them involving 'hoops', except for the ones you have to constantly jump through! Whatevah! That crazy guy -- now we have to go back to another Garden Center to get more BIG trees, today... at least he finally saw the light... and you have to stay quiet about it, too, lest he change his mind again and we get nothing...

I have to go out and lay the Landscaping Fabric down (I weeded both of the Front Gardens, yesterday, in preparation for that...), then Dwight is going over to the 'community pile of Bark Mulch' (it's all part of the Condo Fees in an Acreage Estate Area) to load the truck up, then we'll spread it all around the garden. Should look neat and clean, just the way we like it.

See ya tomorrow! Later, Baby! Ailsa

 

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Saturday, September 13th. Hi, you, Clair, if I can call you that! Jeeest kiddink! I'm pretty sure you're name ain't 'Clair'... I'm up early this morning to make my Onion Juice -- Cara (my 15 year old!) came down with a Cold, yesterday, and I can feel one coming on, too, so I had to wait until it stopped raining to go out and make it! Dwight hates the smell of it...Dwight's motto is 'Health Schmealth', or I'm pretty sure it is...

Anyhoooo, I had to set up the Electric Wok (which is one of my favorite kitchen devices, and I would highly recommend for each and every kitchen!) on the BBQ on the Deck. It just smell like you're making a giant batch of Onion Soup, but if this shuts him up (that's a marital term for 'Oh, Honey ... you're soooo sweet...' or something like that...), good.

I just fill the Wok with Cold Water, peel and cut up 3 Onions, then carefully throw them in the water. It's Rocket Science -- it really is... Then I turn it up to the highest setting and do some work on the computer. See how easy???

I'll leave it to boil away for about 3 hours, or whenever I remember to go out and get it, strain it in a colander and pour the 'juice' into a container. I always cover it with plastic wrap, cause guess who hates the smell???

When Cara gets up, I'll make her a cup with Honey, Lemon and Vitamin C tablets -- they just melt all together. I like mine with just the Lemon and Honey.

This is an amazing 'cure' and definitely worth trying. I wouldn't advise taking a big whiff of it before you drink it, though. And I always have it with a 'Water Chaser', but I can't stop you from using a 'Whiskey Chaser', because I'm not sure where you live, plus, I don't want to disturb your morning routine! ha,ha,ha!

Well, gotta get back to bed! Why not?? It's a Saturday morning, and I didn't get anywhere with the whole 'tree' thing! I'll try again, today!

Later, Baby! Ailsa

 

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Friday, September 12th. I'm posting my little 'letter' early because Dwight's home, today, and he hates it when I'm on the computer....nothing like a lovely, supportive spouse, hmmmmm?? Anyhooo, since he's taking today off, I think I'll make this Tree-gettin' Day, since we desperately need more Trees in the Front of the House. I've wanted to get the Front Landscaping done for a long, long time, but someone I know doesn't think it's very important, so I'm gonna have to force this issue, then phone our Landscaping Guy (Ron!) to come and move some dirt for me! Hey, a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do! Wish me luck! I'll post some pictures of whatever I get done out there! Later, Baby! Ailsa

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<Hot skin care products this month at Greatskin.com>

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Thursday, September 11th. Here we are again at September 11th -- it's always going to be a day of sadness, I think, but also a day to remember all the good that is in the world. This is Aidan's Birthday, too, so we really have to temper what we say around him. Poor little man! He's having a great time playing with his new 'Fire Blaster' (it's part of the Matchbox Hero-City Series...). Very cool little toy -- it shoots the Fire Engine out of one bit into another, then goes down the slide thingee -- endless hours of fun! He's having a great 4th Birthday!

So take the opportunity to tell the people you love how much you care about them -- it's a good day for that, no?? And I want to thank you for coming in for a visit whenever you can, and supporting my little site! Talk to you Soon! Ailsa

 

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Wednesday, Sept. 10th. Thought I'd add the day, in case you're a little hermit, and can't see your calendar from your computer! ha,ha! (80% of all Hermits have Computers -- I just made that up, but you'd be surprised how many folks make up statistics to support their cause... I think their motto is "Statistics, Schmatistics", then they print anything they like! But if you're now obsessed with knowing how many hermits really have computers, you'll have to conduct your very own survey, in the back woods -- so, good luck with that! And send me the results -- I really don't mind so much if you make them up, too!) Oh, yes. Big and exciting changes every day!

Here's my Tip for the Day! Do you have annoying marks on your Painted Walls -- scuff Marks from shoes tossed off at the door, finger prints from people who can't seem to keep their paws off the walls (!), God knows what on your bedroom wall (okay, that's me -- and I really don't know what's on the wall, but I do know I better go scrub it off!)...anyway, you can make your walls look like new if you scrub them very lightly with a Scotch-Brite Heavy Duty Sponge. It's the Green and Yellow one, and I buy them in Bulk (of course!) at Costco.

Get the Scotch-Brite Sponge (do not confuse this with a large bottle of Scotch, but if you've already made that mistake, I think I might know what's on your walls... plus, a few more drinks and you probably won't be so terribly worried about anything, let alone the walls...!) and dip it into some hot, soapy water. Wring it out well.

VERY GENTLY rub the Scrapy Green side over the mark on the wall. I always use a circular motion, but that's probably because I really liked that part of The Karate Kid...

Be extra careful not to rub too hard, lest you'll take the paint right off, which will probably not be an improvement...

Turn the Sponge over and give the whole area one last wipe. You'll be amazed at what a nice job this does.

I use this technique for Trimwork before I paint it, too.

 

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September 9th. I'm just watching The Ellen Degeneres Show through my Office Windows -- this show is sheer joy! I love the way there's true interaction between Ellen and her Guests (well, so far just two Guests, but I'm sure there'll be lots more! ha,ha!). Set your VCR or TVO (I think that's what you call that device!) -- you'll laugh and smile your way through the hour!

I spent the first part osf the morning rearranging the Furniture in the Lower Living Room. I never seemed to get into my Exercise Room -- aaaalllll the way down the hallway... to use my Total Gym, which I love. So I dragged the Total Gym through the hall into the Living Room and finally found a good resting spot that I think Dwight will be okay with.

I took some pictures of the new room, so you can see where to arrange YOUR exercise equipment, so you won't have to struggle to figure it out -- all I have to do is figure out how to get my photo-thing to work! That crazy worm that got into my computer last month went in and screwed up a lot of things.

So now I've got my Stepper and weights on one side and the Air Glider and Total Gym on the other, and every piece facing the TV -- WeeHee! Hey, it's better to put your equipment where you'll actually use it than in a corner or special room where you occasionally glance at it... Now I'm putting a good hour in on my equipment every morning (during The View!), and whenever I feel like it during a Show at night. Any way you look at it, that's more exercise than before, and my kids are using the equipment, too!

 

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September 8th. Hey let's start with something really controversial, just for fun! I've never been one to evade an issue, which is why I can't say I care for very many politicians... What's up with the whole Gay Marriage thing? What's the big deal? Why can't Gay people get married and be just as disgruntled and mislead as the rest of us, huh?? It ain't fair! All the dishes, and bills, and annoying habits of a spouse (like they're still there...)... these things should be open to everyone.

In case you're wondering, I AM a religious person, but I really don't see an enormously angry God up there looking out for gay people who happen to love one another who also want to get married. I'm thinking he's after the truly hardened criminals...

And what happened to the 'separation of Church and State'?? Hmmmm? Didn't civilization, and I use that word lightly, use The Bible and God to justify all sorts of nasty things that we wouldn't dream of condoning now that we're waaaay smarter, and perhaps quite a bit more compassionate towards others? Think back a couple of Centuries ... or decades.

I am very concerned that the politicians will use this as a campaigning technique, which would be a real shame. Better to run on what they might actually do to make our countries better, safer, happier places to live. Perhaps they could stick to Tax Reform... or Education.

Okay, now for something light and fluffy -- Aidan's 4th Birthday is on September 11th (I know -- it's a difficult day to have a big celebration, but we make it great for Aidan ...). I'll be spending most of the week cleaning the house (my motto, for those wondering, is "I'll clean it if you build it", with Dwight, and so far, so good! ha,ha,ha!) and generally getting things ready for Aidan's Party.

The other thing that is really great is the new Ellen Degeneres Show started today. It's hilarious! And the other show that we caught last week that is just hysterical, particularly if you like all the Reality TV Shows (we do!), is Joe Schmoe on the Men's Channel (Spike TV on our Satellite System...). They're both laugh out loud shows, and we could all use a good laugh, right??

 

So, drop me a line and let me know what you think ... about anything!

Here's an e-mail address I can actually get into on a regular basis, AND it has a Reply Button!

buildyourownhouse@hotmail.com

 

Now, about the whole 'rich thing'...mostly, I just want to make this site self-sufficient, then make myself self-sufficient, then the rest of my friends...you get the drift! Please, oh please have a look through some of my sponsors. They really like that sort of thing! And send this info to your friends, colleagues, people you've met 'on-line' (hey, I don't know what you do after you've been to my site...)...

 

Hey, I found this cool new site that's supposed to be All About Building, but really has All Sorts of Interesting and Topical Stuff that You'll Really Like (and might make you Rich!)...Click on when you have a minute! (Please!) www.buildyourownhouse.ca

 

There, now you can just Copy and Paste this off to the rest of the world! WooHoo! We'll have all sorts of new friends before we know it!

 

Webmasters and People Who Like Our Site, Please Click Here!

 

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