Sunday, November 24, 2013

The Ugly, the Bad and the Good

Good morning everyone :)

Welcome to the SUNSHINE blog - where you'll find nothing but happiness and sometimes just a little bit more than you bargained for :)

Well we're here - in the new place - in a state of shock ......................

Where do I begin?
Let's see now - oh maybe Soda falling into the pool would be a good place.
Into black water that was frozen over slightly...............
Or when she fell down the stairs?

Or.................ok - queasy stomach readers leave my blog immediately.
AND I DO MEAN IMMEDIATELY - I WON'T TAKE OFFENCE -
AND THIS IS TRULY A WARNING FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART.

When we put the original offer on this house - we were told they had seen a field mouse now
and then in the Fall of each year - they would catch it and that would be it.
I can't remember if I told you guys that our inspector discovered it was more than an occasional problem from the looks of it - and so we added a clause to our promise to purchase that the building would have to be professionally fumigated - AND PROFESSIONALLY CLEANED - before we could go ahead with the purchase.
We received a copy of the fumigation invoice and a promise that the clean up was scheduled.

So we moved on Friday - and by Saturday night the kitchen underwent a major transformation


 It's completely demolished as you can see


What you can't see - ( ok - this is the last warning - if you keep reading - and you throw up - I absolutely cannot take responsibility. ) is the approximately 2 tons of mouse droppings that came out of the pantry - and the dish cupboards - I'm talking it rained down - the utensil drawers - dead carcasses in traps underneath the built in cabinets where they were just left to rot ( with no way to remove them other then demolishing the kitchen ) skeletons - the works.
I will NOT be showing you photos of that mess, don't worry, lol, I'll just let you start off your week feeling sick to your stomach instead LMHO.

By the time you read this we will have already contacted our lawyer to see what our next step should be -

John says - I hope you're not going to discuss this on your blog
Suzan says - Yes, I am John
John says - THIS HAS TO STOP - YOU CAN'T KEEP PUTTING ALL OF OUR EMBARRASSING
SITUATIONS OUT THERE FOR EVERYONE TO SEE
Suzan says - I'm not really embarrassed to tell you the truth - I think the seller should be mortified though

AND THIS IS HOW I DON'T MAKE ANY SENSE AT ALL.
Our lawyer is a lawyer who does a lot of work in our field ( the wonderful world of fabric ) and so he knows a lot of people we know ...............

Suzan says - I hope XXXXXX doesn't go around telling people we know, about this problem
John says - WHAT THE HELL DOES IT MATTER - YOU'RE TELLING EVERYONE ON YOUR BLOODY BLOG !!!!!!!!!!

Touche I suppose.
Except I feel like I'm telling the people I feel comfortable enough about it -
Like I said - I don't make any sense sometimes.

Want to see some more photos?
Ok !!!
FIVE layers of floor have been removed - those boys worked their butts off let me tell you


John and James ( his son ) removed all the carpets from the bedrooms - and most of it from the stairs


 And John started removing the linoleum from the master bedroom floor


Here's the linoleum that was under the carpet in the office - I swear to you I remember this pattern from my childhood - I'm not sure if it was a common one - but it just looks so familiar - my girlfriend thinks she had it in her bedroom as a little girl
Ahhh - the good old 60's - in all it's glory


John says - Well I suppose we could live with it for a little while
Suzan says - If a little while is a week - then yes I suppose we could - but not a day longer than that
John says - We can't do everything in a week - are you insane?
Suzan says - NOT everything - but that linoleum is going - fast ...............
John says - We may have to end up getting new floors

But THAT is not going to happen - I know that with all certainty..........

We're kind of at a standstill now because we have to wait for the plumber to get here - and then the electrician...................
Next weekend the plywood should go down in the kitchen - and the drywall should go up -
I'm off tomorrow to order the window and the cabinets ( and possibly select the counter top which I'm pretty sure is going to be quartz )

And that folks, is the UGLY and the BAD - I'm afraid it's going to be awhile before you get to see the GOOD.....................:(

There's no place to go but up at this point - as far as houses go - because it absolutely cannot get any worse.

John screams - Where's the box with my boxers?
Suzan says - I have no idea -
John says - Well that's not good enough - I need them
Suzan says - Plenty of men don't wear anything under their pants - don't make it sound like an emergency.
John says - I'm not walking around without underwear on - and I don't give a damn who does -
Suzan says - So go buy some - just go buy yourself some boxers -
John says - I'M NOT BUYING NEW BOXERS - WHEN I HAVE A TON OF THEM BURIED SOMEWHERE IN THIS HOUSE................
Suzan says - You're willing to buy new floors for 4 bedrooms - rather than remove linoleum - but you can't buy yourself new boxers?????

There's female logic.......................and then there's..........................none whatsoever

You all have a wonderful ( hopefully sunshiny )  Monday ☼
Much love,

P.S.  This was not meant to be a depressing post LMHO - but I'm documenting this entire journey so you get to see every step of the way - warts and all ♥
It'll make the end result all that much sweeter .....................

UPDATE - KITCHEN TODAY


YOU CAN SEE MORE PHOTOS  HERE

AND THOSE STAIRS?  THEY LOOK LIKE THIS NOW


MORE PHOTOS HERE

Thursday, November 21, 2013

The Eagle has landed ( moving day )

We may lose and we may win
though we will never be here again 




So open up I'm climbing in
and take it easy....



I have to say this has been one of the most stressful selling and buying processes you could ever imagine.
From our current home not having the right documents ( certificates of location ) and scrambling around to have them corrected at a cost you would NOT believe ( through no fault of our own - because we had used the previous owners paperwork and our notary at the time did NOT notice any discrepancies when we purchased it )  and apparently being under insured and frantically trying in 24 hours to up the coverage to a million dollars ...................( for the building which is jointly owned by us and the lady that owns the upstairs )
( my next rant will be about insurance companies - as soon as I can calm down enough to rant about it properly ) despite all of it - today is the day - ready or not........................

Here we come


Trust me you would not have wanted to be around me this week......................if you thought I was a little nuts before - I've been bouncing-off-the-walls-ready-to-be-committed-borderline-manic lately :)

We went by the house last night - walked in - turned on the lights - looked at each other in a state of panic and said almost at the same time " what have we done ???? "  lol
Every room looks half the size now that it's empty - how is that even possible?
It's too late to change our minds at any rate - we're in for the long haul I suppose.

I want to thank all of you - each and everyone of you for following me on this journey so far - I've read every single one of your comments - with more gratitude than you can imagine............in between packing.
You guys were my breaks in the day.
I suppose I'll see you next week with my first makeover - or my first nervous breakdown - whichever comes first - in the meantime please keep me in your ♥'s - where I'll be safe and warm. Please?
Ok - it's official now - I'm going off line ( as in the computer is now getting packed ) and that fills me with more dread than I care to admit.

See you all Monday - bright and early - with a demolished kitchen, hopefully LOL

Much love,

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

I WANNA live there Wednesday # 63

Good morning everyone -

I was going through my files last night and came across this post - it's here in the neighborhood that I'm leaving tomorrow - thought I'd put it up since the work on this post has already been done :)

Victoria Home built in 1898
Rowhouse
719,000  ( a steal in this neighborhood for a 3 storey home !!! )
4 bedroom - 2 baths - 1 powder room
1805 sq. feet
Realtor: LYNE FRIGON



Gorgeous Fireplace - and those windows?  LOVE














These doors are just the prettiest thing..................









Have a wonderful Wednesday all -
Today we're off to the notary to officially purchase the new home..................
And tomorrow all pandemonium breaks loose LOL

Much love,

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Decision time is fast approaching

Decisions - Decisions - Decisions

We'll be purchasing our cabinets from Ikea
I will NOT be having the metal legs but rather a standard kick plate on the bottom

I have to tell you I'm really loving this soft grey 
I think it would be just beautiful with white countertops 
( and my black window ) 
( and that's how fast the intention of an all white kitchen can fly out the window )




             But I'm completely torn about it - and think perhaps I should be going with white for neutrality -
                                                                     Thoughts anyone?
                                                         Want to help a drowning woman?
                                          You'll feel better about yourself if you do - I promise



Go with my heart and get white marble ?




or my brains and get white quartz ?
( trouble - stain - scratch resistant )
sort of looks like marble without all the maintenance, right?
This is going to be the most expensive single purchase
for the kitchen so I HAVE to get it right




I think I found the window though
I went back to the black window post
and added it - but since I don't think anyone
goes backward on my blog to see if I've amended a post
I'll show it again now lol

Have no idea what it costs - we'll go look on the weekend I suppose
but it's a European style shutter window - because it opens on the inside
and has no bar in the middle
and OMGOSH - I'm LOVING that hardware - look at that little knob!!!
Is that the most charming window or what?

I'd forfeit the ceiling tiles to have this
( if it's over budget - and I can guarantee it will be ) 
and afterall a ceiling can be added at any time really

I might even give up a fridge and stove to have this LMHO
( and possibly my right arm ) 

Oh - did I mention it comes in black?
I still have this vision in my head
like a tattoo on my brain
and I'm liking the break between the 2 windows after all


Found these panels while cruising around Reno Depot
( Home Depot's competition here in Canada ) 
OK - I HAVE TO FIND SOMEWHERE TO INSTALL THIS
13.95 a panel - made of MDF - you install them with glue and nails 
add a chair rail to the top edge
and paint paint paint
( white white white ) 
Are they fabulous or what?
Instead of the same old - same old - bead board panelling 
( of which I'm a lover of - but I've done it so often I really am ready for a change )

This will make a HUGE impact for not a lot of money don't you think?


Wonder how hard it would be to turn this


into this 
because this is the one I meant to buy LOL

AGA KHAN'S GUEST HOUSE ( click to see all the images )
source - Huffington Post

I'll be at the notary's this morning - signing off on our house
And then I'll be at the notary's tomorrow morning - buying our new house
and then I'll be moving the day after that

Time to shed a few tears
Pull out some more hair
and try to make a few dreams a reality 

Much love

Sunday, November 17, 2013

Black Windows.................

I LOVE THEM - especially against an all white background
and although I know  "the best laid plans of mice and men oft go astray"
I can guarantee you my new kitchen will have a black window.

source

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I painted the living room window in the house we're leaving








A little while after I had finished John made window grids out of " molding " so it ended up like this
( I always meant to spray paint the grid and never got around to it )  I was SO proud of him
I always meant to spray paint them black - but never got around to it :(


But I DID get around to painting the french doors in the entrance way black as well - ( although there again I never got around to painting the transom above LOL )


Anyway, you just know these windows will be painted black, right?  Along with the door
( and for WLU - Wood Lovers United - the front door is NOT wood - it's a composite material made to look like wood - which in my world is the worst kind of wood )


 The black window may be the first thing I go shopping for !!!

source
And I'm really really loving this one ( have no idea how much it costs - but really love it ) of course it would have to be in black - love the hardware - and the fact that there's no bar in the middle.
It would suit the style AND age of our new home perfectly!


There's something so European about it, n'est pas?
Especially paired with WHITE

Moving in 4 days everyone :)

Can you believe this?
I mean, really, can you believe this?
BECAUSE.
I.
SIMPLY.
CANNOT.

Lots and lots of last minute stuff to do today - being the last weekend here and all :)










Party Time !!!
White Lace Cottage                             My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia                 Savvy Southern Style