Main Bath - a work in progress

Things around our house sometimes happen at a snails pace  .  .  .  . like this main bath makeover.

One of the things I loved about this house when we bought it, after looking at several cookie cutter houses, was the 2 large 4-pc bathrooms with huge vanity space.  I still don’t have anything stored underneath because I also have a hallway closet.  Anyways I’ve started the bath on the main obviously because guests use it more. 

Suddenly my design ideas ran dry.  With all the magazines stacked in my office you’d think I had lots of ideas but no, I was frustrated, so I just began with paint.  It was so nice to get rid of the horrible hospital green. 

Eventually the entire vanity and counter will be removed and replaced with a new vanity or just a pedestal sink and a beautiful floor to almost ceiling cabinet to display nice bathroom ‘stuff’.  This won’t happen till we do the flooring and the kitchen probably. 

Anyways, here’s some photos for your enjoyment.  Please refrain from saying “what was she thinking?!”  I think this is the perfect time and room to try out some new ideas.  Have a look.

nope, this isn't the finished bathroom vanity . . . I wish though

~my inspiration from Hooker Furniture/Decorative Chests

looks almost the same right? 

except for the different color and design.  

The detail is hard to see in this picture

still working on the wall decor

the original just after painting

original - trust me they were in bad shape

I started with white because originally I thought the white would 

show thru nice when distressed - NOT

~see my helper?

it was too dark and I hated it, 

so I looked to Hooker Furniture for inspiration

I sanded them again to rough them up, 

obviously revealing some of the white paint

ta-da

Now for a new accent rug to cozy up your bathroom experience and of course wall décor.  I’m leaning toward a huge picture OR black and white old photos.  Who knows.

Thanks for reading or just looking at the pictures.

Bonny

To Milo

Milo Steven Boisselle

Born July 26 – 2016

This little bundle added to our family needs his own blog post!

He is 6 weeks already and I can’t believe it.  It was that long ago that we all waited and waited and waited.  Then all of a sudden it happened!  Now, he’s in our lives and we are blessed.

Here’s a few photos of Milo.

day 10

a little apprehensive about today

isn't she beautiful! 

Milo is not thrilled with his new outfit

the day we all met Milo (one day old)

see the champagne on the counter - 

of course we had a toast!

proud daddy

no he's a bit young for the Penquin game

taken at the mall on day 10

I'm praying for the best news today

Milo gets his new outfit for the big day

Grandpa Boopie brags he has the touch.

four generation picture with Greg's mom, Alice, at the baby shower

proud Uncle Craig

first camping trip for Milo

Uncle Luke, I know you're grinning!

hey Boopie, what are you two talking about?

I can tell you exactly where I was on July 27, when Greg and I first heard of his appearance in our lives.  We knew nothing about him, we actually didn’t even know he was a ‘him’.

I had left the hair cutters and was heading to get groceries.  As I drove I was getting text messages.  When I stopped at the lights, I quickly checked my phone and read a few words from Craig, “Are you KIDDING ME???”  I had no idea what he was talking about.  Then I get a text from Greg that I can hear in the car.  He says, “better check your text from Crystal”.  I do, while driving, because now I am in high alert mode.  All I see is a baby blanket, which I recognize immediately.  I’m almost to Sobeys, so I drive in and park.  I look closer to Crystal’s text.  “Look what we brought home today!”  and not only in there a picture of this baby blanket but also and pair of small feet in the corner of the picture.  What!!  By this time my cell rings and Crystal and I talk in real.  It was, in truth, a little weird.  I never expected it to happen like this.  I’m sitting at Sobeys realizing I’m a grandma and we get to see ‘him’ tonight.  After talking with Crystal, I drive home to see Greg.  I know he’s going to be ‘over the moon’.  He’s just showered and as I enter our bedroom we look at each other with huge grins and say to each other, “Boopie!”  “Mim!”.  It was a time for happy tears.  I’ll never forget these moments.

That evening we gathered at Crystal and Mick’s home along with Craig and Luke (Luke drove back from Edmonton) and held Milo for the first time. 

But the grey cloud still hung in the air and we all didn’t want to talk about it. 

10 days.  We had to wait 10 days for Milo to be officially in our family.  Those 10 days were extremely hard on Crystal and Mick.  Oh how they have walked a long and sad road and I only hoped and prayed that this time it would end different. 

It did.

If you want to read Crystal and Mick’s blog, here is the link.  I assuming they will post again soon and you can read their side of this journey. 

  

Dear Milo, 

we love you very much and 

promise to do our part in 

loving you, 

spoiling you, 

rocking you, 

tickling you,

 and  

all the other things a grandparent does.

Love,

Boopie and Mim

Journaling June & July

Wow, 2 months have gone by very fast!  It’s August already.  As I went outside with the dog this morning, the air felt different, probably just my mind thinking ‘August’. 

Suddenly I remembered the feelings of going back to school.  The cool, crisp mornings walking to school with your new clothes and books.  I have one very distinct memory of going to school and that is when we moved to Linden and I entered grade 8.  Ugh, how terrible to go to a new school in this grade!   The house mom and dad bought wasn’t ready for us yet and so we were offered a house just a few miles out of town to live in until then.  The fall sun was so bright in the mornings as it streamed into the living room, which was furnished and strange to me, and cast an orange glow on everything.  As mom prepared breakfast and our lunches,  I’d sit in the kitchen booth (I thought it was so cool) and wished I could stay home and play on the big yard and be with mom.  It looked like it would be a beautiful day.  Anyways, no such luck, my sister and I drove to school every day, down a gravel road then onto a secondary road that took us into town.  I had been to my new school only once to be enrolled and it seemed so large that I was unsure where my class was.  For those of you who know Linden school or any small town school, there was one hallway with maybe one turn left or right.  My sister and I drove to school every day and every day the sun shone in our eyes.  Seems like there were never any cloudy days.  It’s strange what our minds do with memories. 

So a little off track, but hey, that’s a bit about me you didn’t know.

So here’s what’s happening in news regarding Greg’s kidney transplant.  He is done taking Prednisone as of the end of June.  He may have to go back on it if he develops any of the old symptoms.  I was a little terrified to hear this.  All the memories crept back to those days when he could hardly move because of the muscle pain and vomiting, etc.  So far he’s been good except for the continued tiredness throughout the day.  I can’t take him to the mall anymore, it just tires him out too much.  He’s quite sad about that, NOT!

He still has supper ready for me each day and he’s a very good cook.  I hate the weekends because then it’s my turn to cook and well, let’s say, I’m getting the better part of that deal. 

So, this is the 2^nd testing for Greg where he’s fallen below the 15% kidney function.  One more testing and he’ll be ready for his transplant.  He actually received the official call that he was now on ‘the list’ for a transplant but has a donor.  The next month I have to continue to be careful what I eat and make sure to walk each day.  Hopefully when I do my blood pressure test this time, they will be happy with the results.  I CANNOT halt this transplant – not now.  

Here's a little glimpse into Greg's hospital room back in October 2014.  I've never posted photos till now.  This is a first.  There might be more to come one day, when I do a post just on his hospital stay.

My mom is now living without dad.  That’s the reality.  But whether she knows this or not, we know for sure she does not.  Dad finds it difficult still to start and end each day without her at his side in the Lodge.  When my sister told dad the news that mom was being placed ‘tomorrow’, he said, “it feels like the preacher just gave the funeral message”.  I get that.  You still have your loved one here on earth but they aren’t with you by your side everyday, like it used to be.  Mom doesn’t remember us visiting her or how long we visited.  She sometimes waits for dad before eating but I’m not sure she really knows she’s doing that either. 

Mom’s first placement was in Innisfail and we drove to see her about every other day.  Three weeks later we received the call that she could move into the Linden Nursing Home!  She would now be closer for dad to visit her anytime he wanted.  We were very lucky.  

My work schedule has changed and each week if different.  This each I have 3 days off, work 1 day, then have the weekend off.  I just finished working the August long weekend.  I feel sorry for Greg as he’s off weekends but has to entertain himself.  Then when I’m off and home the house is busy and loud as I house clean and do errands.  It’s not so bad when a Nascar race is on or hockey, but hockey is done.  I just hope things improve soon at work and I can get some hours back and be on a regular work week.  For those of you who say, ‘it’s no big deal’, it actually is for those of us who are older and have grown used to a Monday to Friday lifestyle.  This too shall pass.

We haven’t done as much camping this summer as we anticipated, just because of my schedule.  But we did get in a few great weekends.  

Saw this guy.  

He crossed the road in front of us and he was 

about 10 miles from our campsite.

My repainting projects have taken such a turn, for the worse, I have to admit.  I really miss painting a good project.  With everything going on around us right now, it’s definitely taken a back seat.  But today is still early and after I finish the house work, maybe I’ll pick a piece and tackle it.  Wait, I thought about painting the main bath (still hospital green) and continue that color down the hallway (still hospital green).  That would take care of ALMOST all the green except for the basement hallway and bath.  Whew! I can’t believe how much the past owners loved green.  This too shall pass.

So even though this post seems short, to me,  I’ve got to continue on and get other things done today.

Till next time,

Bonny