Appreciating Retirement!

I'm smirking today.  It is my first day of retirement that I am actually appreciating being retired!  It's the first day of school, and I'm NOT THERE!  How wonderful that feels, even though, instead, I'm raking rocks!  Amazing the things that can make you happy. 

Our addition is going well, in fact drawing to a close.  I never thought I'd see the day and there were some days I never thought I'd survive!  Needless to say, any kind of textile creativity has lain by the wayside over the past six months.  Altho there's been a bit of other kinds.....design decisions, paint colors, and deck designs! 

My retirement started out with three weeks in my chair with my foot broken.  Then I flew to Edmonton because my Dad broke his hip.  I was there six weeks.  Then my Mum had a heart attack.  I was there another two weeks.  These incidents resulted in them asking to move to my house so I've been working on making my house bigger since about March.  The paperwork is overwhelming, the permits and inspections seem a bit like make-work projects, but the contractor has been fabulous and my experience with construction has been a great one.  I'd recommend Denise Mitchell Interiors in Campbell River, BC to anyone, and 2 Hills Renovations as a contractor extraordinaire! 

It was a sad day when they took their tools and
left, with the only things left to complete being done by other trades.  The foreman, Dave, was here a lot and we got to know him really well.  A wonderful thoughtful and talented man.  Very attune to the people who will be living in the addition and made several improvements for their benefit.  He will be coming back for one more day, finishing up the front door and handrails on the deck.  As he was packing his tools I said "This feels something like ending an affair!"  He grinned and said "True, but I'll be back for a quickie!"  Needless to say he's just as fast with the sarcasm as I!! 

Above is a picture of he and Bob preparing to install a new picture window in our very dark living room.  A project I came up with in the midst of everything else!  A woman's prerogative right? 

Now, on to more appreciating retirement....and raking rocks!  I'm preparing the area where a new septic field was installed to be hydro-seeded at the end of this week.  I'm hoping it's grass before the winter rains hit so that we don't have two little dogs in the mud all the time!  Here's what I'm fixing up.  It's all covered in and back-bladed, but I'm raking it to level it as much as possible and get rid of the surface rock.  The idea is that if we can turn it into grass quickly, we can fill potholes and patch next spring when it's all settled a bit.  Wish me luck! 

Following my Dreams......

I've been absent from my blog.  I apologize to anyone who is following it.  Retirement is so busy!  I don't know when I found time to work!  But, I'm not really retired.....I've just changed how I'll be spending my days! 


I found a quote taped to the counter in the used book store I frequent and I loved it for it totally describes my life since retirement.....and as I think back, perhaps my life in general: 
I'm sick of following my dreams.  I'm just going to ask them where they are going and hook up with them later.  (Mitch Hedberg)   This quote sums up my life so perfectly I think it should be my mantra! 


My Mum and Dad had a terrible winter....Dad broke his hip and Mum had a heart attack.  I stayed with them for quite a while in February and March, as I explained in previous posts.  However, Dad has asked if they can come and live with us as they are finding the winters where they are to be more and more difficult.  He phrased it like this:  "You are going to build a studio at your new place aren't you?"  He was teetering on the edge of his hospital bed at the time.  I replied "Yes, but not for a couple of years because we have to save."  He then said "If we help you out with that, could we live in it until we kick off?"  I said yes, my husband said yes, and that's why I've been absent!  Needless to say, it has somewhat changed my retirement plans!

DESTRUCTION FIRST!  Removing this part of the deck gave me a one inch hole in my shin from a rusty nail..... Luckily, my granddaughter is more coordinated!

We've been building an addition on the house which will be home to Mum and Dad as long as they live and then my studio when they "kick off" as Dad so eloquently put it.  I've been busy shopping for finishes, cleaning up the construction site, painting tar on the foundation......just generally helping out in any way I can.  Phew!  These people start so early in the morning! 

However, I've been blessed in the designer and contractor that I found.  Denise Mitchell Interiors came up when I 'googled' "renovating a Pan Abode".  Here is what I saw:  http://www.denisemitchellinteriors.com/photo_gallery.php?gallery_id=27  I could not believe my luck when I read about that project and then saw that she is located in Campbell River, about half an hour from my home!  I called her and the rest is history.  Denise and her team got us through the process of designing the addition, getting the permits and all the stuff that would have had me screaming in frustration before anything got started.  I'd have offended the inspector badly enough to not pass any future inspections before we got to the starting point!  I can't say enough enthusiastically good things about my dealings with them. 

And then when it came time to build, she put me in touch with a contractor:  2 Hills Renovations:  http://www.2hillsrenovation.com/  Highly recommended for anyone looking to do any construction or renovations!  This is the view from the front driveway.  I LOVE that piece of driftwood leaning against the house!


Now a combination of teams like this is when you realize that God is looking after you.....they are so good at what they do, so caring about what they are doing, and so thoughtful about who they are building this for that I am amazed each day.  While I expected and had heard that building and renovating can be an experience that invokes stress and arguments..... to date I must say that I look forward to each new step in the process.  Dave Hunt is so incredibly thoughtful about us as the customer and my parents as the incoming residents that I am amazed each day at his knowledge.  Heis such a patient foreman and explains whatever I ask about, Steve  Hills is the contractor.  The two of them have worked together so often that they tease and hassle each other and make each day fun, whether it's hot and sunny or pouring rain!  They often make me laugh at their antics, but they make the entire project a pleasure.

Here is where we are today....a view from the back yard.  I think this week brings roofing.....altho I'm not sure.  I'm just glad that today blessed us with some sunshine after three days of torrential downpours.....at least I think that's what it was...... yellow, warm, bright....no water falling from the sky...that's sunshine right?

And with that little bit of sunshine today....my creative muse is back....look for great things happening!   Hopefully some finished projects! 

Imagine, Create, Discover....all those things.

Not a great picture (I'm not a good photographer).  And on top of this, I managed to change my camera to a different setting than usual, and couldn't get it changed back again. How?  I'll never know.... I'm actually lucky that I got pictures at all!  But all that aside, I liked what this said and asked permission to take a picture of it so that I could remember it!  This was in the entrance at the King Tut Exhibition in New York City. 

NASDAQ has a good point!

This was the rotating billboard for NASDAQ in Times Square.  I liked what it said.  In all truth, I took pictures of it out of order, as they rolled by on the billboard, and have cropped to place them in order here.  Good theory for life, art, and whatever you would apply it to don't you think?