If there's one thing you can count on in life...

It's that things are constantly changing. I just realized it's been 4 months since my last post. The time just kind of slipped by me. We are not doing any "major projects" here at the 2-flat and so I seem to have turned my focus elsewhere.

Steve & I went to Canada in August and had an amazing trip. As we were climbling mountains in Kananaksis Country ("K-Country"), I found myself thinking how renovation helped prepare me for the experience of climbing mountains.

Both involve endurance and delayed gratification. You work weekend after weekend on your house all for a long term goal. With hiking, you climb and push yourself to get to the top of a mountain, pass or ridge to gain the expansive view from the top.

Both are rewarding and provide a real feeling of accomplishment that money cannot buy. You did it. Yourself. You know you can do more than you think you can.


These are the gifts of DIY and the gifts of a good hiking trip. Endurance, self-reliance and joy at accomplishment.

Now, on to the more mundane tasks like weather proofing this house for winter.

This is the house that nature built...

We spent last week in Ludington, Michigan visiting Steve's parents. When we go there, we always get in a day of hiking and a short canoe trip.



As we walked the trail, the thought came to my mind that we were in "Nature's House". I studied poetry in college and sometimes it comes back to me. Not like it used to. I used to think in poems all the time, but when I got into the business world, that kind of went away.


I chalk that up to not being immersed in a creative workshop (as I was in college) and instead being immersed in the business world. I like when that poetic thinking comes back to me. To me that means that this part of me is still there, just kind of dormant for now.

Even a day hike is a lovely respite for my mind. Taking in the quiet and just noticing all the small details. Like this expanse of maple tree seedlings. I was really amazed with nature's abundance when I saw this.


Or this bit of a tree covered in moss that looked like a hand. "Nature's hand," I thought to myself.
Or this area where the dune and forest meet.

Some people need to travel the world to see things, but I am a firm believer that you can see quite a bit right in your own "backyard". Not that I am against travel in the least. But I'm all for being a tourist in your own town. It's amazing to me how many people rush through life and don't notice what's going on right beside them.

That's what a walk in the woods reminds me of.

Happy Summer!

I know I'm being a sub par houseblogger this summer. I have to admit we've been distracted this year.

After last year, I vowed this would be "the summer of fun," and we are keeping to that promise. Not that house projects are not fun- because they most certainly can be. And sometimes, you need a break.

Here we are at the Silver Lake Dunes in Michigan. We rented 400cc ATVs for a few hours and acted like bad-asses. No, I have never done this before, but it was a blast.

We were in Ludington visiting Steve's family for a week. Here's a shot of Lost Lake, where we spent a quiet afternoon.

It's important to let a dog really be a dog sometimes if you know what I mean.

I promise we'll be back posting about some projects. I need to post the awnings, which are now up and look great. And the pantry is on the horizon.

But in the meantime, everyone make sure and take a little time to swing in that porch swing, have a glass of lemonade, and get a little sunburn on your nose.

Time for Rejuvenation

And I'm not talking about light fixtures this time! This Memorial Weekend was just a little different from last year. If anyone recalls, last year we spent Memorial Weekend removing all the trim from the 2nd floor. Such began the story of the wood pile...

Steve and I went to Galena, which is a nice historic small town in Jo Davies County in Illinois. It's about a three hour drive from Chicago. Unlike most of Illinois, it's quite hilly and has lovely countryside.

We went canoeing, horseback riding, had massages, went antiquing and had some nice dinners out.

Of course, we had to check out the local architecture. Here is me in front of the oldest home in Galena. In Chicago, we have virtually no buildings this old because of the fire. Most of the homes were on the smaller size, but very charming nonetheless.



I really really love old ironwork.
Here you see the native and wild phlox, which was flowering everywhere and smelled beautiful. I wish I had taken photos of some of the gardens because there are some really great flower gardeners in Galena.

Unlike last year, we weren't working on the house, but I can assure you, we aren't going anywhere in that regard.

I'll be posting soon on the Front Door Re-Painting and the awnings.

Also, I keep noticing that the solid oak stairs to the basement have only one or two layers of paint on them. It is tempting me to relieve them of this brown paint. You know what they say about us strippers don't you? It's really hard to stop once you start on that road.

My Grandma's "2-flat"

As many of you know, over Christmas we visited my 93 year old Grandmother Tilly in England.

Grandma has lived in this "flat" since before I was born - a long time ago. When she and my Grandfather first bought it, it definitely qualified as a fixer-upper. There was no heat and she told me the kitchen had a dirt floor!


Grandma's flat is very homey. It's not a large home, but it has 3 bedrooms upstairs and a nice brick walled in yard.

We spent alot of time visiting in the living room and the kitchen while we were there. The above photo is my sister Kimberley, me, nephew Ciaran and my Mom.



Here's my Gran in the kitchen slicing apples for a sponge cake.

I hope when I'm 93, I am walking to the store to get my bread and newspaper and able to walk up a steep flight of stairs like my Gran does.

Just thought I'd share...

A very special holiday this year

You may have wondered where we've been. The photo at left of Tower Bridge should clue you in.

Yes, we went to England for Christmas!!!

For a pair of old house enthusiasts and admirers of great architecture and history, visiting London was pure heaven. We lapped it up like honey. I'll be sure and post photos on Flickr and a link when I get them organized.


The main reason for the trip was to visit my 93 year old Grandmother, who lives in Reading.

This was truly a very special Christmas for my family. My Mom, sister Kimberley and her husband Sean as well as my nephew Ciaran all made the trip.

We stayed in Reading thru Boxing Day (day after x-mas) and then Steve and I headed to London.

This is the first trip I've taken where I did not miss our dogs. I am evidently pretty codependant on my dogs. They seem to encourage this though, don't you think?
(Photo taken while packing for trip)

If you read the blog the past year, I'm sure you can imagine how overdue we were for a vacation. I am happy to say that I did not think about my job or tenants the entire trip. And I did not log onto a computer for 10 whole days.

I am hoping to make the warm and fuzzy feeling from all the great experiences with family and the amazing history and culture of London last until Spring!

Lesson Learned: Vacations are an absolute good.

New Year's Resolution: We will have more of them.

Looking forward to a great 2008 in houseblogging and otherwise! Happy New Year to all!