The old 'girl' is getting a facelift. Yesterday we spent the day scraping the old paint off the exterior of the house. Ross spent the day building "skirts" for the sides of the front porch. Very pretty. I hear painting begins today! Hooray! This is a huge job and right before my surgery! I can't wait to see the final result!

The tap in the basement bathroom has been dripping constantly for months. Over the last few days, the dripping has turned into a steady stream. I've decided to take the matter into my own hands. I'm off to the hardware store for a universal washer kit, an O-ring and some silicone grease! Oh, and no butt-crack is involved in the repair of this bathroom faucet. I promise!

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UPDATE:

Faucet is fixed. No more drippy drippy. Done! How awesome am I? ROOOOOOAAAAARRRRRRRRRRR!

811 Windermere sold a few months back. While it was listed on the MLS, we decided to download the photos and keep them for future ideas for our own home. So, check them out here and see how our house COULD look (if we won a million dollars). I do really want the addition on the back. This post is for you, Craig!

Mario came and fixed our boiler.

Cost of:
a new pump $500
a new automatic feeder $120
a new relief valve $120
a new thermostat $120
cleaning the unit $100
Total cost for the repair: $1,048

Cost of having our house at 78 degrees: Priceless.

Mario is returning to vent my dryer this week...... Life is good.

YIKES! Today we sign the all of the paperwork for the house. We should have the keys Friday morning. Ross is visiting our house this morning to see if the tenant has left or not. I'll update later!!

We move next Saturday?!?! So why does my counter say 7 days? Huh?

We decided not to buy brand new appliances right now. Buzz is going to build us our dream kitchen and Ross wants a built-in oven and a cook-top and of course we'll have a built-in dishwasher.
This is the fridge and this is the stove.

We are going to buy an awesome washer and dryer, though! 3 down, 3 to go! (washer, dryer and freezer)

Now, I looove this stuff. I would love to create a beautiful space in the basement with this stuff. Put down some nice flooring and carpets, put in a fireplace (a fake one with an insert), have a huge builtin wall unit jobbie. Oh the possibilities.

Buzz has been showing me all kinds of crown moulding and ceiling medallions (I love that stuff and it suits our house perfectly). How do I get the sound of wind in the trees to my backyard? I wish I could transport it home. I can see the Ottawa River from my mom's front window.

Tomorrow Buzz and I are going to Ottawa. He's taking me to one of the stores he's just finished. We're going to go get some more ideas. Yay!

The upstairs bathroom fixtures are....aqua. Greenish blue. Bluish green?

Today I'm wearing a shirt with different shades of blue and a sage green. I've decided that I would like to paint the walls light blue. Bathroom mat will be slate blue - towels can be slate blue and sage green.

For the medicine cabinet - I'd like mirrors and lights - no wood.

Can't figure out what to do with the rest of the house yet, though.

We've been packing all weekend. There are about 30 or so boxes stacked in my dining room. Ross took the dining room table apart to make room. It's not so fun.

We're moving! Ross handed in our letter of notice today. It just hit me. We're moving. In this apartment, with ole Rosco, this is the longest amount of time I've ever lived anywhere. Probably Ross too for that matter.

Last night, when the storm was in full bloom, Ross and I stood in our bedroom window watching the light show and marvelling at the ton of water in our parking lot. I love our window. I love our view. Right now you can see green treetops - they kind of look like green pompoms of varying shades of green. I love watching the airplanes come and go from the airport and seeing the giant Canadian flag blowing in the wind from Molson's. For the start of the playoffs, Molson's changed the flag to a giant Toronto Maple Leafs flag. Tres patriotic! (Torontoiotic?)

I'll miss my gigantic bedroom. I'll really, really miss that. I'll miss the ensuite bathroom and the his and hers closets the most.

I'm very nostalgic today. One door closes, another door opens.We've always wanted a home where we could have friends and family over. You know, cozy dinner parties and backyard barbecues. It'll be some time before our house is ready for fancy dinner parties, but I look forward to all of the new memories and cherished moments in our new home.

It's still sad to say goodbye, though.

No. No kinky gifts here. Ross picked me up from work and had a van laden with gifts!

I got:

a stepping stone that says "Welcome to My Garden" with a gecko sitting on it.

a big big wind chime

stained glass tea light candle holder thingy that matches our stained glass windows!

2 black cotton throws

big cow weather vane (Ross threatened to climb up onto the garage to install it)

a cow with a bell for a doorbell (I see he has a cow theme going on - don't get any ideas)

a miniature of my kitchen canisters - so cute!

a wine bottle holder (for the table)

Think he might be a little excited?

UPDATE: MLS listing was removed from the MLS website...AND a SOLD sign made it on the front lawn! Picture tomorrow(ish)!!!!

Ross took these pictures when we were in the house for our 2nd viewing.

We decided to go ahead and make them an offer they couldn't refuse!  We take possession on July 30.

This house needs some work. This is the house with the gold shag carpet, the mirrored tiles (with gold threads through them) in the foyer, the downstairs bathroom and the kitchen! The bathroom fixtures on the 2nd floor and the whole bathroom - UGH! Aquamarine. 'Nuff said. There is also some weird light rigged up for the bathroom. The best is all the stained glass in the windows! (hey, now I truly am the 8 Track Diva!)

As soon as we can get in there, we'll take some pictures (some BEFORE pictures!) and we'll blog our progress.

We tried. We didn't it. Not even close. Still looking. Rich people are stupid. Rich people suck.

765 Windermere Ave. This is the one from my last post.

We both think we really like one of the houses we saw last night. It needs paint, new carpeting throughout.... let me explain.

Gold shag carpet on the main floor. Mirrored tiles (with a gold pattern through them, no less) are the walls on the lower level and cover the hallway! So funny. The silver and black striped wallpaper over the basement stairs is our favourite. We're thinking of putting up a disco ball where the light fixture is above the landing. lol It's an old house, likely around 100. It has the same wood work as our house in Windsor had. The living room and dining room both can be completely enclosed with the french doors. (they have bevelled glass panes and glass door knobs! also just like in Windsor! I'm loving that!)

The kitchen needs Buzz's loving care for sure. The appliances are from the 70's (and the washer and dryer in the basement likely older than that). We'd need all new plus a dishwasher. The bathrooms are funny. One has all blue fixtures. The one in the basement has lots of mirrored tiles, then tiles just like in Jamie's bathroom around the tub, plus another kind.

The backyard is huge. We both thought it would be really great with a deck on the back! The front porch has been closed in, but not insulated I don't think so Ross wants to open it back up and have a big covered front porch. I kind of like that idea. :)

Oh yeah, the bedrooms. There are four upstairs. When you reach the top of the stairs, the rooms form a semi-circle around you. We'd tear down a wall to create a big master bedroom. I think we both looked at this house without rose-coloured glasses. We both saw potential. We saw the huge backyard! This is an estate sale and offers aren't being accepted until May 10. Ross's dad is going to come out and have a look with  us and give us an idea of what it would cost to de-ugly the place. We think/hope it is just surface stuff like carpeting, paint, appliances,etc.

Didn't get it. We're already on the hunt....

We signed an offer tonight. The offers officially are handed in tomorrow at 7 pm. I'm not sure when they'll let us know whether they've accepted our offer or not, but we hope to know something tomorrow night.

Off to bed to dream of mortgages.... instead of ZZZZZZzzzzzzzzz's I'll see $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

..Twas the night before the offer

and all through the apartment

Ross wasn't snoring

At least for the moment

The offer was signed and handled with care

In hopes that acceptance would soon be there

The offerers were all snug in their beds

While visions of dollar signs danced in their heads

Then out in the hall there arose such a clatter

I lay in my bed and thought "No matter"

For soon to our wondering eyes will appear

An accepted offer and " You'll soon be moving here".....

Tomorrow night we will be viewing 6-7 houses in the High Park area including 397 Quebec Ave. and a second view of my 2nd love, 21 Sproat Ave. I can't wait!