EVEN PUNK ROCK GIRLS GET THE BLUES

Even well intentioned comments can hurt, and well, this last week has been a tough one. That's my excuse for being away for a week. One of the girls at work keeps commenting on my appearance, I've already been feeling ugly, since we moved my hair and skin have gone completely hay wire, and though I hope she means well, right now I don't want to hear confirmation that what has always worked isn't working any more and I can't afford to fix it right now. So I've spent the week having pep talks with myself, watching Youtube videos about "mature" skin care and makeup and trying to feel better about how I look. Normally I have pretty high self esteem, so feeling insecure about something so trivial seems to make it worse!

It's raining here today after three days over 85 degrees, and the scariest wind storm I've ever been in. I was hoping to get a pair of ruby slippers out of the deal, but no. The plants are finally getting a good, deep drink of water and the dust is settling. I have a ton of dusting to do before Ms. Jane gets here in just a couple weeks. I also went out to the Quonset today and boy...I need to do some work out there cleaning and decorating.

living room

bedroom

kitchen




I have my work cut out for me. I do love having this space for my friends and family, a place where they can stay and not feel like their under our feet and we're not in their way.

back windows

I don't think I'll need to spend much money, well, famous last words. Thanks to Ms. Jane though I wt need to buy fabric for the windows. Just a few dishes, some bar stools a couch...o.k. it's adding up! and I almost forgot, I have to stock it with Mystic Mint Cookies! for Dad!!! We got rid of so much on our last two moves, things we didn't have room for in our studio, things that we didn't think we needed, now we could use them, oh well, no use crying over it now.

Nicks latest raised bed

On the wedding front...we finally found the Basque! and no Dad it did not involve throwing a lamb in the middle of Main Street and yelling here Basquey Basquey! I can say that I'm Greek and pretty sure there is some Merino in my DNA! The Basque Club owns the train depot and we want to make sure there isn't a problem standing outside saying I DO! The flower seeds I planted for bouquets are finally coming up and the grass is really filling in nicely! I can't wait to be Mrs. Nick! To officially be Corbin and Maddy's step mother and Caydens Yia Yia! That reminds me I need to find and fill a toy box for Mr. Cayden to have at Papou's house.

Who knows, maybe my rose will be in full bloom for the wedding! I can't wait to see what color it is!  I just found out that my brother Stefan will be taking photos for the wedding! Score! Free good photographer who I can black mail to make sure I get the photos I want!! Bet you didn't think of that did you Froggy Bottom? How do you know it's right? Everything just seems to fall into place. Even my hair and skin are starting to get normal again!

Well, guess that's about all. I'm going to try and be better about posting, it makes me feel better when I do.
Have a lovely evening!
xo

WHAT A LIFE

Yum! Fresh strawberries! There's something about strawberries that says summer to me...here it is...mid March and the strawberries in the local Red Apple store are sweet and ripe...and large!

This was just an average sized berry! When I saw these at the market I knew that God loves me!!! Everybody sing...Jesus loves me this I know...look at how the berries glow.

I'm still walking to and from work, it's only 25 minutes, a lot better than the 50 minute bus ride in Portland, and I'm loosing some weight too.

This was the view going to work at 7:30 am yesterday. How beautiful is that? It's been cool and wet and overcast for the last 5 or 6 days here but it's still not as bad as Portland. At least the sun comes out for a little while every day. Coming home I got to see this...

Can you make out the snow capped mountains in the distance? Ontario is really surrounded by a ton of beauty, you just have to look out, not just straight ahead. On clear days this view is truly spectacular.

Nick built me this cabinet the other day, out of scraps of this and that. I love it! It gives me an extra 17 inches of counter space which I desperately need! The other counter is only 3 feet long! I think we will paint it to match the drawer pulls and really funk it up. I like that it looks really weathered.

Poor Nick, yes I had to say it again, the truck project has turned typically Nick and is not going well at all. In fact courtesy of the JERK at NAPA AUTO PARTS it could have killed us. The shocks went in in a wind storm, luckily no one named Dorothy landed a house on him, but it could have happened! Then he found a missing lug bolt...you have to disassemble the brake to fix that...and once that was done and the bolt was in, brakes bled etc. we went to run some errands. The brake fell apart!!! Why? because a guy at Napa told Nick he didn't need a spring (one that was on the brake when he took it apart) and Nick took him at his word. Lesson learned...not everyone here is a decent person! One of these days these older guys out here are going to figure out that people do look at reviews on line, and a bad review can in fact hurt your business.



Well, we've been in the house for one month, yesterday, and we still love it! Plumbing and all. We've made progress turning it from a rental house into a real home, and there are lots more changes coming. An old house is truly a labor of love. Speaking of love I just found out Ms. Jane will be here May 10th! I can't wait! Buno is beside himself! She doesn't know it yet but I just might have a project for her, one that will be a big part of our new home! TEE HEE!

Hope all is beautiful where you are-
xoxo

HURRAY FOR GRUMPDOLF THE SALT AND PEPPER

Thanks to a lot of blood, sweat, tears and good old fashioned elbow grease, we have indoor plumbing once again!



Those are two pieces of pipe that had to be replaced. I am so proud of Nick, I know that this was a physical challenge, not to mention a test of patients, I honestly thought he was headed for a nervous break down at several points.

He had everything ready to be turned on by noon today. wouldn't it figure that the one part he really wanted to replace, and didn't, was the only thing that leaked! He got that old fitting removed, we had everything turned back on and now (cue angles singing) WATER! In the pipes where it belongs!


 Bruno seems pretty happy now that we can start filling in the giant hole and send the Orks back to middle earth!

I found this ominous sign in the dirt right before the water was turned on. I just knew then that everything was going to be allright and that Nick and I are meant to be here, loving and caring for each other and this beautiful old house. I will never again take for granted the joy of a flushing a tiolet!

I'm going to go help fill in the hole now. Hopefully I won't be sharing anymore plumbing pictures.

It really is a beautiful day!

THE EASIEST BREAD RECIPE EVER

There is something about baking bread. The smell of the yeast, getting your hands in the dough, kneading the dough. It's relaxing, it makes a house feel like home, and it makes Thursday night dinner special. The snow storm dumped about 3 inches of the white stuff in the yard, and was gone by about 2 in the afternoon, but that's when the temperature dropped, so of course Nick had to go out and play in his hole. I wanted to make sure he had a really good hot meal when he came back in. Spaghetti sauce, ground chicken, spices, pasta, o.k., we have a main course. For some reason we have no salad fixin's...what to put with it? Garlic bread! But it's late and bread takes three to four hours...alittle time on the internet and, viola, a quick, single loaf recipe on http://chickensintheroad.com/cookin/crusty-french-bread-and-more/ I changed it a bit, so here is the recipe.

Easy French/Italian Bread

1 cup warm water

1 package active dry yeast

salt to taste

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour



a pinch of salt



Combine water, yeast and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer (Kitchen Aid! Love) and let stand for 5 minutes to proof. This is where I went a little nuts! I added two heaping Tablespoons of pesto!

mmmm, pesto



The recipe says that if you want a softer loaf, more like Italian bread, add some oil, well pesto is mostly oil, right?

the magic of yeast

Add your flour, slowly and let the mixer do the kneading for you, I only needed about 2 1/4 cups of flour. Knead by hand about 5-8 minutes or in the mixer 3-5, until the dough is soft and elastic. Place in a bowl with a little oil, cover with a dish towel and let rise (this needs to be in a warm draft free place, hard to find in my house!) until doubled in size about 30-40 minutes.


 


before the rise



almost there!



Place on a baking sheet and form into a loaf. This is the tricky part, once you have your loaf all ready for the second rise...don't! Stick it in the oven and turn it on to 375 degrees! No second rise the oven does it for you! Don't preheat! Bake the bread for 30-40 minutes, bread is done when it sounds hollow when you thunk it, mine went about 45 minutes. How simple is that, fresh homemade bread in about an hour and a half! I hope you try this amazing bread, and check out the fun at Chickens in the Road!

I think maybe today I'll finish the window treatments in the bedroom, paint some rocks and maybe bake an oatmeal cake!

Hope you're having a beautiful day!