Okay, Stefani ;)

I forgot any IRL friends were reading! Most family and IRL friends don't even know about this blog. Okay, about me..... I hate the hot weather here and am so thrilled we've been getting lots of rain. I can see lightning as I type this!

We have been doing tons of work on the house - or builders have, anyway! When the (re)building is over (see March blog entry re collapsed pool room), we will have a nine-bedroom house = 0 !!! including a 3br rentable-once-fixed-up-to-the-tune-of-a-few-grand suite. We already had some hiccups today with trying to level wet concrete in a torrential downpour. Didn't turn out so great.

Filling in the pool:


Filled in, insulation, plumbing and underfloor heating partially done.


They also had to did up much of the back yard for the plumbing. What a mess!


Graham also helped a builder friend build our new front deck. What a difference it makes to the look of the front of the house. Here's the new deck, before everything was cleaned up.


And here are some flowers added even before the deck was quite done!


The plan is to make the new room into three bedrooms, a bathroom, and rec-room. Presumably the three oldest kids will move there, either two sharing and an empty guest room, or one occupying the guest room with the understanding that he will have to vacate it for guests.

We had a very high end designer friend do our plans, in return for Graham playing (music) at a party for him. He thought the rooms we wanted were WAY too small, but we had to realize the sort of places he usually plans and tell him we don't want the kids to spent much time in their rooms. They can sleep and dress there, and most of the rest of the time, be with their family in the main area! What a novel idea! LOL

I also decided to try a garden this year, but as the construction was going to be going on, I planted it in laundry tubs for raised beds. Working great. Here it is, from left: parsnips, cucumbers, peas, Swiss chard, and scarlet runner beans with radishes. I also have tomatoes and more beans in other parts of the yard and flower beds.


We went to a lakeside campground/resort for 3 days and everyone loved it, even me! It was just gorgeous there.
The beautiful setting


The view from our kitchen!!!







The view looking up! How can you tell we're in Canada?


I do plan on including more general photos if and as I can get my camera to download to my computer! But no, you ain't gonna get any of me!

Say, Stefani, do ya guys have a post box in the states?