What is it about workmen, that they end up driving you completely crazy? We've had three different home renovation jobs on the go for the past two weeks now, and none of the workmen we hired showed up when they said they would. Drives me mental.
Job #1: replacing a rotten beam beneath the deck, just under the front door. Since it was a relatively small, but uncomfortable job (who wants to crawl in the dirt underneath a house?), we initially only found one builder willing to give a quotation for the work. Cost? $4,000. ?!?!?!? Eventually, through my sister-in-law, we found someone else, who does this kind of odd construction work in his spare time. His bill was only $400 - but he showed up to do the work over a week after he said he would.
Job #2: replacing the foundation of our old shed. At the moment, it's basically balanced on a couple of old beams, which have begun to shift and wobble. Unless we do something, the shed itself will eventually collapse. As it's also in a slightly weird location, we're going to have the whole structure lifted, moved a few feet to align it with our lot line, then set it down again on a proper, poured concrete foundation. Again, we only found one builder willing to quote - I won't tell you how much it's going to cost because I'm still in shock, frankly. So these guys were meant to show up Monday...but we've yet to see them. I wouldn't mind so much, except that we had to totally empty the shed in preparation - and in consequence, my dining room is currently packed to the rafters with things like lawnmowers, bicycles and garden tools. The snowblower is out on the deck, covered by a tarp (which is hardly secure).
Job #3: re-finishing the old wood floor upstairs on the hallway landing. Might as well get all the messy jobs done at once, right? The landing upstairs has a painted floor - it's the only bit of wood floor in the house that's not been properly refinished. The flooring guys were scheduled to start this morning. When they hadn't shown up by noon, A. rang them. Apparently they'd 'forgotten'. *rolls eyes* However, at least they appeared after lunch and started work. Today they sanded off all the old paint, and applied the first coat of varnish - there's two coats still to come, and I'll post pictures when the job gets finished. Which I hope will be by Saturday - but given how things have been going, who knows?
07 June 2007
05 June 2007
03 June 2007
Venezuela Bound
So...this summer, A. and I are taking our first 'real' holiday in three years. We're off to Venezuela from 30 June to 12 July. Our friends C. and P. are getting married in Caracas - he's Canadian, she's Venezuelan, but they both live in London at the moment. It seemed like the perfect excuse for a vacation - and when will we have an excuse to go to South America again?
That said, ever since we committed to the trip about two months ago, I've been getting a bit worried. Venezuela isn't the safest country in the world at the moment - so we're following C. and P.'s recommendations for places to stay and things to do. There will be a small Canadian/British contingent at this wedding, so I imagine we'll end up banding together and travelling around, both for frugality's and security's sake.
The itinerary at the moment is:
The Los Roques islands look stunning. All the islands of the archipelago constitute a national marine park, so there is next to no development - no hotels, no restaurants, no shops. Only one island has accommodation, and this is all in 'posadas', which it seems are a bit like B&Bs (we're staying at one called 'La Gaviota', which has been fully booked by C. and P.). Days are to be spent visiting different islands by boat, sunbathing, snorkeling/scuba diving, fishing, kitesailing, etc. Sounds like heaven.
Still trying to decide what we'll do for the three days we have in-between wedding ceremonies. There's not really enough to keep us busy in Caracas for that time (not to mention that the city is probably the most dangerous place in the whole country, crime- and social unrest-wise), so we wanted to get out and explore a bit. Initially, I'd hoped we could visit Angel Falls; seemed silly to go all the way there and not see the world's highest waterfall. However, it's a long haul from Caracas, deep in the Amazon jungle. I then found out that vaccination against yellow fever is strongly recommended for travel everywhere in the country beyond the northern coastal areas. After doing some research, I decided for various medical reasons that I didn't want to be vaccinated for yellow fever...so this has put the kibosh on Angel Falls as a destination, unfortunately. It may be just as well, however. It seems that all but the most expensive organised tours to the Falls are very, very basic - involving a day-long boat trip each way from the nearest town, jungle trekking, and two nights of camping (in hammocks). Given that I don't deal with insect life very well, I can't say I was too thrilled at the thought of open-air jungle camping. I'm a bit too much of a princess for that sort of thing, I guess!
So, I've got the Lonely Planet guide and have been doing a little research into alternative destinations, on the northern coast. I was quite interested in the city of Coro, which is apparently very historic (and is designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site). However, I think we may now look at spending some time in Henri Pittier National Park. It's only a few hours' drive from Caracas, and has quite a range of geographical zones - deciduous forest, rain forest, cloud forest, and Caribbean coastline. This lodge, located in the park, is apparently highly recommended - I've sent them an email today to see if they have vacancy for the time we'd like to visit. If they do, we'll probably book - ideally, we want our whole stay organised for us, so we don't need to be concerned about security issues. The fact that they have English-speaking staff is key, as our Spanish is non-existent.
So that is the plan. We depart four weeks from today!
That said, ever since we committed to the trip about two months ago, I've been getting a bit worried. Venezuela isn't the safest country in the world at the moment - so we're following C. and P.'s recommendations for places to stay and things to do. There will be a small Canadian/British contingent at this wedding, so I imagine we'll end up banding together and travelling around, both for frugality's and security's sake.
The itinerary at the moment is:
- arrive the evening of 30 June. We're all booked in at the Hotel Paseo Las Mercedes (which is apparently in a very good, safe neighbourhood).
- free time in Caracas, 1-2 July (P. is planning a couple of little excursions around the city, to keep us entertained)
- wedding no. 1 (civil ceremony), 3 July
- out-of-town trip (location to be determined - see below), 4-6 July
- wedding no. 2 (church ceremony - the 'real' wedding), 7 July
- free day in Caracas, 8 July. Less than a mile from our hotel is the Centro Sambil - the largest mall in South America. Heh heh.
- to the beach, 9-11 July. We're off to the Los Roques Archipelago.
- depart Venezuela evening of 11 July, for overnight flight back to Toronto.
The Los Roques islands look stunning. All the islands of the archipelago constitute a national marine park, so there is next to no development - no hotels, no restaurants, no shops. Only one island has accommodation, and this is all in 'posadas', which it seems are a bit like B&Bs (we're staying at one called 'La Gaviota', which has been fully booked by C. and P.). Days are to be spent visiting different islands by boat, sunbathing, snorkeling/scuba diving, fishing, kitesailing, etc. Sounds like heaven.
Still trying to decide what we'll do for the three days we have in-between wedding ceremonies. There's not really enough to keep us busy in Caracas for that time (not to mention that the city is probably the most dangerous place in the whole country, crime- and social unrest-wise), so we wanted to get out and explore a bit. Initially, I'd hoped we could visit Angel Falls; seemed silly to go all the way there and not see the world's highest waterfall. However, it's a long haul from Caracas, deep in the Amazon jungle. I then found out that vaccination against yellow fever is strongly recommended for travel everywhere in the country beyond the northern coastal areas. After doing some research, I decided for various medical reasons that I didn't want to be vaccinated for yellow fever...so this has put the kibosh on Angel Falls as a destination, unfortunately. It may be just as well, however. It seems that all but the most expensive organised tours to the Falls are very, very basic - involving a day-long boat trip each way from the nearest town, jungle trekking, and two nights of camping (in hammocks). Given that I don't deal with insect life very well, I can't say I was too thrilled at the thought of open-air jungle camping. I'm a bit too much of a princess for that sort of thing, I guess!
So, I've got the Lonely Planet guide and have been doing a little research into alternative destinations, on the northern coast. I was quite interested in the city of Coro, which is apparently very historic (and is designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site). However, I think we may now look at spending some time in Henri Pittier National Park. It's only a few hours' drive from Caracas, and has quite a range of geographical zones - deciduous forest, rain forest, cloud forest, and Caribbean coastline. This lodge, located in the park, is apparently highly recommended - I've sent them an email today to see if they have vacancy for the time we'd like to visit. If they do, we'll probably book - ideally, we want our whole stay organised for us, so we don't need to be concerned about security issues. The fact that they have English-speaking staff is key, as our Spanish is non-existent.
So that is the plan. We depart four weeks from today!
30 May 2007
Vote for my Parents!
If you know me personally, you'll already know that my parents own a business in Cape Breton, manufacturing industrial rainwear and work/safety clothing. Last year they launched a new product - work coveralls which have a safety harness built-in, to be used by people working on rooftops, etc. Well, they've just found out that they've been nominated by a US safety website for Best New North American Safety Product of 2006. Who the hell knew the safety industry has awards?! Anyway, needless to say, if they won it would be an amazing boost for their business.
So, they need VOTES! I've been e-mailing people I know, asking them to vote, and posted a Facebook note about it too. If by chance you still haven't done so, please take a minute and go to:
http://safetyxchange.org/saxcies2007/vote.php
Choose 'Safety-Alls' (that's my parents' product), then click 'vote' at the bottom of the page. There's only one vote allowed per computer, apparently, and the voting closes this Friday, 1 June. Go on and give my 'rents your vote!
So, they need VOTES! I've been e-mailing people I know, asking them to vote, and posted a Facebook note about it too. If by chance you still haven't done so, please take a minute and go to:
http://safetyxchange.org/saxcies2007/vote.php
Choose 'Safety-Alls' (that's my parents' product), then click 'vote' at the bottom of the page. There's only one vote allowed per computer, apparently, and the voting closes this Friday, 1 June. Go on and give my 'rents your vote!
25 May 2007
The Queen
Feeling not too bad today. Spent yesterday in jammies, icing my jaws, taking industrial-strength ibuprofen, and not doing too much. Feeling OK so far this morning - though the doctor said people often feel worse on the second and third days after surgery. So, fingers crossed.
Last night I watched The Queen on DVD. I missed it at the cinema this winter because I was so busy with teaching, but was anxious to see it. It was very odd, reliving that whole week via the film. I was studying in England at the time, and remember looking at all those newspapers, with the headlines becoming more incredulous every day. I also went up to London the day before Diana's funeral, to join the crowds at Kensington Palace. It's something I'll never forget.
The film was really very good - Helen Mirren was outstanding, of course, but so was the rest of the cast. Though I still find it odd that it was directed by Stephen Frears - how does the man responsible for arty lefty 1980s dramas like My Beautiful Launderette and Sammy and Rosie Get Laid end up making a film like The Queen, which is ultimately so supportive of the Establishment? Kinda weird.
The funniest thing about The Queen was the DVD case. The rental company has now taken to printing these sanctimonious "Parental Guides" on the backs of cases. In the case of The Queen, the assessment was as follows:
Alcohol/Drugs: scenes of drinking
Nudity/Sexuality: bare-breasted statues
Violence: minimal
Objectionable Language: 1 (including one "naughty" British term)
Statues?!? "Naughty" British terms?!?!??!?!? bwahahahahah
(As far as I can tell, the naughty term was "bugger", by the way.)
Last night I watched The Queen on DVD. I missed it at the cinema this winter because I was so busy with teaching, but was anxious to see it. It was very odd, reliving that whole week via the film. I was studying in England at the time, and remember looking at all those newspapers, with the headlines becoming more incredulous every day. I also went up to London the day before Diana's funeral, to join the crowds at Kensington Palace. It's something I'll never forget.
The film was really very good - Helen Mirren was outstanding, of course, but so was the rest of the cast. Though I still find it odd that it was directed by Stephen Frears - how does the man responsible for arty lefty 1980s dramas like My Beautiful Launderette and Sammy and Rosie Get Laid end up making a film like The Queen, which is ultimately so supportive of the Establishment? Kinda weird.
The funniest thing about The Queen was the DVD case. The rental company has now taken to printing these sanctimonious "Parental Guides" on the backs of cases. In the case of The Queen, the assessment was as follows:
Alcohol/Drugs: scenes of drinking
Nudity/Sexuality: bare-breasted statues
Violence: minimal
Objectionable Language: 1 (including one "naughty" British term)
Statues?!? "Naughty" British terms?!?!??!?!? bwahahahahah
(As far as I can tell, the naughty term was "bugger", by the way.)
23 May 2007
Wisdom Teeth *ow*
I'm going into hospital tomorrow. I've an appointment in the oral-maxillofacial clinic to have my lower wisdom teeth dug out of me head. Ow ow ow.
I had my upper ones yanked years ago (by a dodgy NHS dentist in England, no less - but that's another story). I've been meaning to have the lower ones out for a while now, but kept putting it off. Since they're only partially erupted, I knew it wouldn't be a very straightforward process. But the recurring pain they cause is getting worse, so it's time I sucked it up and had the problem taken care of.
I'm hoping for a relatively speedy recovery, but I've heard stories of anywhere from 1 to 7-day recovery times. I'll just have to wait and see. Meantime, I need to stock up tonight on soups, ice cream, and the like - as well as a couple of movies, in case I'm feeling too wretched to do much other than lie on the couch these next few days.
I had my upper ones yanked years ago (by a dodgy NHS dentist in England, no less - but that's another story). I've been meaning to have the lower ones out for a while now, but kept putting it off. Since they're only partially erupted, I knew it wouldn't be a very straightforward process. But the recurring pain they cause is getting worse, so it's time I sucked it up and had the problem taken care of.
I'm hoping for a relatively speedy recovery, but I've heard stories of anywhere from 1 to 7-day recovery times. I'll just have to wait and see. Meantime, I need to stock up tonight on soups, ice cream, and the like - as well as a couple of movies, in case I'm feeling too wretched to do much other than lie on the couch these next few days.
22 May 2007
Landscaping Plans
The garden is coming along nicely this month. After a very warm start to May (where new blooms could be seen popping up every day), the forsythia is now in its full glory. The grape hyacinths look great, and the tulips are starting to come along. Not much of a daffodil display as yet (I think the soil where they're planted needs improvement), but the bluebells we planted around the base of the big maple tree last autumn emerged a few weeks ago and are very pretty.
Looking at the display, I'm nonetheless a bit worried that many of the plants in the main flower bed, running alongside our garage/shed, might not make it this year. That's because this summer will see a lot of construction and landscaping work on our property. The garage, in particular, is due for major work in a few weeks (it will be lifted, moved a few feet, and set back down on a new foundation). A. has been digging up some of the plants in that bed already, in preparation, and has put them temporarily into pots. We'll re-plant them once the structural work on the garage is complete, but there's a chance they won't make it. Given that among the plants in question is my beautiful purple clematis, I'm a bit angsty about it all.
Looking at the display, I'm nonetheless a bit worried that many of the plants in the main flower bed, running alongside our garage/shed, might not make it this year. That's because this summer will see a lot of construction and landscaping work on our property. The garage, in particular, is due for major work in a few weeks (it will be lifted, moved a few feet, and set back down on a new foundation). A. has been digging up some of the plants in that bed already, in preparation, and has put them temporarily into pots. We'll re-plant them once the structural work on the garage is complete, but there's a chance they won't make it. Given that among the plants in question is my beautiful purple clematis, I'm a bit angsty about it all.
18 May 2007
Televisual Goodness
After months of dithering (mostly because I couldn't find the time to sit down and do the research), yesterday we finally upgraded our cable package and TV system. We've now got HDTV and a DVR with multiple tuners.
The HDTV thing was really starting to bug me. We've owned a 27" widescreen HDTV-ready television for over two years now, but had never gotten around to getting an HDTV cable box and subscribing to the actual channels. Ridiculous, really. Now that we've done that, the difference is quite astonishing. We've got all the major networks in HDTV now, and the picture quality really is noticeable. I was just watching a travel programme earlier, and every time they showed a work of art, it practically leapt off the screen - the picture is amazingly sharp, and the colours extra-vibrant.
The HDTV box also has a DVR built-in. We had a DVR before (purchased as part of our home theatre system) but it only had a single tuner - so you couldn't watch one channel and record another, for instance, which was annoying. This new DVR has multiple tuners, so I can record shows on up to two different channels at once, while watching a third channel (or even another show recorded earlier!). It's pretty neat - I think it's the same concept as that TiVo thing they have in the US.
Given that we've got a rainy, miserable long weekend coming up, I think I'll be spending some time over the next few days learning how to use all these new features (and checking out all the new channels I've subscribed to - like BBC Canada, at last!).
The HDTV thing was really starting to bug me. We've owned a 27" widescreen HDTV-ready television for over two years now, but had never gotten around to getting an HDTV cable box and subscribing to the actual channels. Ridiculous, really. Now that we've done that, the difference is quite astonishing. We've got all the major networks in HDTV now, and the picture quality really is noticeable. I was just watching a travel programme earlier, and every time they showed a work of art, it practically leapt off the screen - the picture is amazingly sharp, and the colours extra-vibrant.
The HDTV box also has a DVR built-in. We had a DVR before (purchased as part of our home theatre system) but it only had a single tuner - so you couldn't watch one channel and record another, for instance, which was annoying. This new DVR has multiple tuners, so I can record shows on up to two different channels at once, while watching a third channel (or even another show recorded earlier!). It's pretty neat - I think it's the same concept as that TiVo thing they have in the US.
Given that we've got a rainy, miserable long weekend coming up, I think I'll be spending some time over the next few days learning how to use all these new features (and checking out all the new channels I've subscribed to - like BBC Canada, at last!).
15 May 2007
New Kitty Pics
The kittens will be five weeks old tomorrow. Last week, they started eating solid food and their mother is now beginning to wean them. Still, they have lots to learn, behaviour-wise, so A. won't be making them available for adoption for another three weeks.
In the meantime, here's some photos of them, taken over the weekend. Needless to say, they get cuter by the day, and love to play.
In the meantime, here's some photos of them, taken over the weekend. Needless to say, they get cuter by the day, and love to play.
12 May 2007
Gordon Lightfoot = the Business
Gordon Lightfoot show at the Metro Centre tonight. Very good stuff! Mind you, the voice is getting a bit reedy nowadays (he is 67, after all), but he put on a very professional performance, and he's a real gent. Oh, and he opened the show with "Cotton Jenny" - bless.
I'll post the setlist here tomorrow - it's not available online just yet. Here's the setlist. There were quite a few classics I'd have loved to hear tonight, but didn't ("Softly", "Song for a Winter's Night", "Mountains and Marion"). I suppose that's inevitable when you're dealing with a back catalogue spanning 40+ years. But damn it, I see he played "Canadian Railroad Trilogy" in Moncton last night - really sorry I didn't get to hear that one.
Cotton Jenny
Carefree Highway
Sea Of Tranquility
14 Karat Gold
Never Too Close
In My Fashion
A Painter Passing Through
Rainy Day People
Shadows
Beautiful
The Watchman's Gone
Ribbon Of Darkness
Sundown
The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald (yah!!)
INTERMISSION (yes, a 20-minute intermission between sets!)
Triangle
Hangdog Hotel Room
Restless
Clouds Of Loneliness
Waiting For You
Make Way For The Lady
If You Could Read My Mind
Baby Step Back
Early Morning Rain (did you know Elvis recorded this? I didn't)
Blackberry Wine
Old Dan's Records
Cotton Jenny
Carefree Highway
Sea Of Tranquility
14 Karat Gold
Never Too Close
In My Fashion
A Painter Passing Through
Rainy Day People
Shadows
Beautiful
The Watchman's Gone
Ribbon Of Darkness
Sundown
The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald (yah!!)
INTERMISSION (yes, a 20-minute intermission between sets!)
Triangle
Hangdog Hotel Room
Restless
Clouds Of Loneliness
Waiting For You
Make Way For The Lady
If You Could Read My Mind
Baby Step Back
Early Morning Rain (did you know Elvis recorded this? I didn't)
Blackberry Wine
Old Dan's Records
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