Drywall Patch Girl Update

So, yesterday I fearlessly took on patching some holes solo. No mentor to tutor me in person (which helps A LOT!), just me, my noggin and a good drywall book for reference I screwed in wood supports for four smallish holes. Measured, cut and screwed in pieces of drywall to fit and finally spread a first coat of compound.

Each hole presented its own challenge and I kept at it until I was satisfied. I must admit that they won't be absolutely perfect, but I did it ALL BY MYSELF! At the half way point I rewarded myself with a nice Italian beer - good for me!

You may have noticed that I am writing this in the wee hours of the morning. Couldn't sleep. Can't sleep. I woke up worrying about a work related thing [sic client]. When I can't sleep I try to remember to get out of bed and distract myself enough to get my brain to relax into slumber. So, here I am. I've check my work email and have figured out that my biggest worry is likely not true. I read a couple of blogs and now I am writing.

New problem: my tummy just doesn't feel right to me. I have a bad, bad feeling I have a touch of a tummy bug. I have NO TIME for a tummy bug! No time at all!

Good news: my wonderful friend, Tanya, came by last night and we did a marathon pack of the kitchen! That felt great! It is so much easier to pack when someone who knows you well plugs along and makes decisions for you.

Hubby and I move on March 23rd. I feel the countdown has begun.

Ok. Time for a couple of games of Ingenious and then try again for slumber. Fingers crossed for no tummy bug throw ups.

Four years

Hubby and I have been together for four years this week. Our first date anniversary was on Sunday and neither of us remembered until we were walking to our apartment from our house in the cold and dark. I remarked on the date and Hubby said, 'Gee, I hope you like those safety goggles I bought you today. Happy four years anniversary, Honey!' We giggled. (I do love my goggles. They have elastic to hold them tight against my face and go over my glasses. This 2D girl has to protect her one good eye, don't ya know!)

As an aside, I thank the goddess for nature's goggles - the eyebrow. Before I got my anniversary gift goggles, my good eye was saved when my eyebrow caught a big puff of ancient dust that fell on me when I pulled down an old plaster ceiling in the hallway. I still had to scramble to the wash out my eye a bit, but it would have been a real emergency had it not been for my eyebrow. Thank you, Eyebrow.

Well, four years and goggles. I really, really love my life. This relationship is the longest relationship I've ever had. I love Hubby with a ferociousness I didn't know I had in me. He makes me laugh everyday. He makes me breakfast everyday (it's true!). He is my best friend and favourite person to hang out with. I just love him to bits!

house gerbil in her wheel... running, running...

Here's a rambling entry:

Hubby and I are low on reno knowledge. Everyone has told us that we will learn as we go, but our learning curve has been a wee bit emotional. There's been tears, some stomping around and even a couple of self-degrading comments. We are lucky to have some friends and family who really know their way around a tool box and have time to coach us here and there.

Along with low reno know-how, we don't own a car. Under normal life circumstances we happily get around on our bikes, our feet and the TTC. A couple of times we've done the Rona/Home Depot run on the streetcar with our backpacks. Today we rented the Rona van to bring drywall & a pedestal sink home. Not owning a car has really put a kink in our plan to try to buy as much as possible from the Habitat ReStore. You really have to browse the store a few times a week to scoop the good products. We are considering renting a car for a month or 'leasing' a few days a week from a friend.

Right now the house is a reno mess. Dust and grit everywhere. Wires old and new exposed. Our porch is Toronto's new dump. Sometimes when I am at the house I get a little bit down. I can see in my mind's eye how it will be when we are moved in and cleaned up, but I know how much elbow grease has to go into the place to get it that way.

I've slacked recently on the packing. Hubby thinks I am crazy for having started so early, but I knew this pause would happen, that regular life would distract me and I would get lazy. It is hard to start packing again once I pause.

This week I think we will finally pick out kitchen cupboards for the basement apartment. Ikea? Home Depot? Rona? If you have experience with the options, please leave a comment.

Sigh. I know everything will work out. Sometime in the summer we will be sipping wine on our porch and look back on this time and smile. Can't we just skip all the elbow grease stuff and get to the wine sipping time?

Drywall Patch Girl!

I did my first ever drywall repairs today! Drywall repairs on our very own house. As I waited for my friend to measure, cut and insert drywall pieces, I walked around the house with my premixed mud and putty knife patching up little scrapes and nail holes. I'm addicted!

(I even prepped some holes and screwed in some screws!)

An absence

Our dear, dear friend died last week. He was a force, an adventurer, a loyal friend. He was generous and protective. He was creative, fun, and easy to be with. He was opinionated and unapologetic.

When I had a rough day at work this past week, I felt the familiar urge to dial his number and bend his ear.

No more complainy, commiserating calls. No more southern Ontario road trips to browse antiques and pottery and used books. No more sharing of Hubby's delicious pre-pottery class meals.

We miss him very much.

There is an absence in our life that cannot be filled.