Returning to normal

It’s been a crazy past few months. I’ve gone through three months of major house renovations, just finished two major community events in the past two weeks that committees I sit on hosted, and I start four weeks of vacation on Wednesday. Let me tell you – I NEED it!

The deck has yet to be completed – or even started. And I’ve given up on the baseboard moulding going up anytime soon, so I’ve been putting the furniture back where it belongs. The moulding might not happen for years. Nor the deck. I gave up on one contractor who was dragging his feet on it and hired another. I thought we had agreed to have it done by the end of this month, this month being JULY – but apparently the present contractor had some other month in mind. So I’ve given up on enjoying my favourite vacation past time of sitting on the deck. Until the deck is done, I really don’t have a patio either, since there are no stairs attached to the deck. I have to go out the front door and around to the backyard to get there. Not a huge deal, but it’s an inconvenience. Can’t do it in the dark because there are no lights back there and too many ways to trip while trying to get into the backyard.

Anyway, I’m just whining. I’m tired. The paver guys are mostly finished and the work they’ve done is beautiful. They nearly destroyed the backyard to do it, but it’ll return to life eventually. Now we have a large paved area just off the deck for a patio table and chairs. There is a small area under the fire pit that’s paved, so no more setting the grass on fire! Or sitting on plastic chairs that sink into the soft dirt if it’s been raining. There is also a paved pad for a greenhouse, which Mr. ZQ is planning to build for me. He’s already built two for me in the past, so he’s improving his design! And we finally, after five years, put a sidewalk in the front yard. I started that Allan Block wall in 2008. That took me two years to complete all by itself. Maybe this Fall I can finally plant the lilies and other flowers I want to put i the front yard. The pavers are a beautiful colour when they’re wet. If we decide to seal them, they’ll be more or less this colour all the time. We haven’t had a fire yet since the paving went down – either too busy or too rainy, but I’m looking forward to a few nights around the backyard fire while I’m on vacation.

We aren’t planning on any grand adventures such as we had last year while I’m on holidays. We’re just going to sit around and enjoy what’s been done of the renovations so far. And pick weeds. And work on the deck if the contractor decides to show up.

But I have other plans for my vacation as well… I finally have my sewing machine set up again. It’s been sitting in a corner in a spare bedroom since before the new windows were installed at the end of May! Oh, I’ve missed her. Last week I put her back where I had her. I mended one of my gardening gloves and made a quick cat toy out of a triangle scrap stuffed with some batting. Ginger, bless her little kitty heart, played with it for hours, batting it around the floor and chasing after it. I have no idea where it is now. I didn’t take a picture of it. Sewing a piece of fabric together was good enough. I’ll be spending the first day of my vacation making up for lost time – I’ll be fabric shopping!

Until next time,