If you need to pick up something today for Mom (for her breakfast, lunch, supper or snack) here is a wonderful shop to visit. 

1018 Wellington Street West
Ottawa, Ontario
K1Y 2X9 Canada

Hours:
10am – 6 pm Tuesday to Saturday
11am – 5pm Sunday
We are closed Mondays and all major holidays.

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There was an article in the Ottawa Citizen today about a family that built a solid wood fence in the front yard to screen off the neighbour and the neighbour’s garbage bins.  The fence is solid and over 8 feet high – in the front yard.  So, someone complained and the by-laws have kicked in.  According to the article, if no one complains, even if the fence does not meet the requirements, the city will not take action.  However, when there is a complaint, the by-law officers show up and the fence needs to be changed.  I expect the owner to appeal but it seems that there will be little recourse and her fence will have to be either removed or cut down to the approved height. 

Who wins?  No one.  The fence builder has made her point but it is going to cost her some money.  The neighbourhood has lost because the fence is inappropriate for the street and a bit of an eye sore.  The neighbour is suspected of calling the by-law office (and maybe he/she did and maybe it was someone else).  The article did say that there was an acrimonious relationship between the two and I can imagine that the fence was the preferred solution by the owner but…..  everyone looses in the end.  

Sad, isn’t it, when good fences do not make good neighbours?  

If you are considering a fence, please look up the by-law requirements.  If you are wanting to exceed the limits, have a good discussion with the neighbours to ensure that you will not have to have the fence removed.  

Photo credit:  ”Fences are made for those who cannot fly.”  Elbert Hubbard

You can’t always get what you want.

But if you try sometimes you just might find

You get what you need.

When you are shopping for a house or for furniture for your home there are going to be some limitations on getting what you dream that you want.  These can be budget, location and  condition for the house.  They can be budget, room size, style, availability and a whole lot of other factors that will start you narrowing down a furniture purchase.

Sometimes I look at those huge homes with front foyers that just look magnificent.  I want a grand entrance with a round table in the middle and a huge bouquet of fresh flowers.  Well, I don’t have what I want but I do have what I need.  A front door, a little table for keys and mail and a small hall closet for coats and boots.  Most days I am satisfied with this and then I look at Houzz photos and well…….

I find that I have what I need.

Photo credit:  Purple Bouquet

On Thursday last week, the Canadian Federal Government announced that the Mint will no longer be producing the penny and that it will be pulled out of circulation.  Apparently is cost 1.6 cents to produce a penny.  Millions or maybe billions of pennies are in jars and couches, the bottom of purses and on sidewalks (where no one thinks it worthwhile to stoop and pick them up).  We grumble about the amount of change in our pockets so we should be happy that one of our coins is going out of circulation.  However, the penny has contributed to English language idioms and expressions.  What we will do when there are no pennies.  Imagine the following conversation with a real estate buyer:

“Well, Cathy, here is that two bedroom condo you wanted to see.  Nickel for your thoughts. (Wait a minute the nickel may go the way of the penny so best to think ahead.)  Quarter for your thoughts.   If you’ll just let me put my two quarters in, I would like to point out the granite counter tops and upgraded lighting fixtures.  To a lot of people, those wouldn’t be worth one silver quarter, but I know you like these types of upgrades.  The owner of the last condo we saw was a quarter pincher and wouldn’t upgrade.  As a result, he is only going to get a quarter on the dollar for the things he did do.  I see the owner coming into the parking lot, just like a bad quarter, he always shows up.  Guess we need to be quick.  It will cost you a pretty quarter to move into this building but over time you will see that a quarter spent here is a quarter earned.”

I will remember that, if I take care of the pennies, the dollars will take care of themselves.

RIP Dear Penny

Photo credit:  1974 Canadian Penny (Reverse)

There are a myriad of home improvement shows on television.  Homes are improved, updated, changed and sold and it all looks so terrific.  I recently saw one of these shows and the “paint expert” recommended a Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter HC-172 colour for walls.  He said it had a hint of green.  I have a lot of green in my home and thought – wow, I could do grey walls that would update my home and still be okay with the furniture and furnishings that I own.  Off we went to the paint store and got a small paint chip to take home, reconsidered that this would not be big enough to test and bought that little can of paint and a piece of test board to place around the home depending upon the time of day and the light.  Well, it might have been the best bit of money spent in the month of March.

We did a paint sample that is 24″ by 24″.  I really wanted this colour to work but it doesn’t.  Sad but true.  The grey might have a green undertone but it is a blue green and looks even bluer when placed against the mossy greens in the house.  We have saved a few hundred dollars in paint and the work of my husband and our painter.  I have heard that doing the sample is important but couldn’t really see the value of it.  Now, having seen the big sample and how it shows that the colour is wrong, I am an HGTV / Nate Burkus / Cityline believer.

The recommended paint didn’t work but the recommended process did.

Photo credit:  Paint Job

When you are selling your home, you want to let the light in and show off your bright and open home.  However, if you are living in the home and on a day to day basis people can see right into your home. you may lack privacy.  People who live in townhomes, condos, or in high density urban areas are most likely to have homes that are open to neighbours and street traffic.  Try walking around the neighbourhood at night and see how easy it is to see into some people’s homes.  You could stand on the street and watch the TV without any problem.  During the day, you could read the cereal box in the morning and find out the soup flavour that has been chosen for lunch.  

I like privacy.  I like the ability to walk around my home in my pjs.  I would prefer that these people never have the answer to my husband’s boxer or briefs.  There has got to be a bit of dignity left in life.  

One of the answers to letting in a lot of light but cutting visibility into and out of the home is to apply window wallpaper.  This is a fantastic product that can be purchased in a multitude of sizes or by the roll, easily cut to fit a window and applied with water.  Yes, water.  There is no glue involved.  

For example, the en suite bath has a 48″diameter round window that is right across from the back neighbour and street.  The window does not open.  What a challenge!  The first thing was to nail a thick tablecloth around the window until a suitable treatment could be found.  This blocked out most of the light.  Finally, I found a place that sold frosted window film and purchased enough to cover the window (with a 1/4″ gap around the edges to allow for shifting and application).  Much later, I found a wrought iron garden ornament that I installed into the frame.  All of this worked, until summer.  The room was too hot!   As a third layer, I had a company come in and measure and install a roller blind above the window that can be used during the summer to reduce the heat.  Whew.

The cling film can be cut up and used on other windows.  It is quick to apply and comes off easily because it is held on by water and static.  When the house goes on the market of the lease ends, the film can come off and be reused in another home.  

Sometimes revealing all is not a good thing.

Moving ranks right up there in stress producing activities.  Making a decision to move is almost worst than the actual activity.  Should you go or should you stay?

Some decisions are taken out of our hands.  The lease ends and the landlord wants the place back for his family.  Voila – you are out of there.  Your job is relocated to Timbuktu and you want an income.  Again, no brainer.  When the decision is about needs (some other person’s or your own) then moving is just about rolling up your shirt sleeves and getting to it.

Now, the hard part is when you have a list of wants and moving may or may not address them. Making the decision is stay may be about hope – I hope the neighbours move before I do; I hope the taxes stabilize, even for a few years (ha, ha, ha); I hope the renovations cost less than moving; I hope, I hope, I hope……

My advice, when moving is a want not a need, is to stay until you know for sure if you are going to go or stay. When will that happen?  I believe it happens when hope dies:

• the neighbours have nightly boom box loud parties and seem to have more not fewer friends;
• the taxes go up;
• the girls have proven that they cannot share a bedroom;
• your ex is never going to return;
• the real estate prices are no longer increasing and may, in fact, be dropping;
• etc

Some 12 Step programs members (and there may be one for people like me who move all the time) will tell you that you will know what to do when it is time.  Trying to make a decision, when you are ambivalent, is just an exercise in misery.   When is it time?  It is time when your hopes are met OR you have finally lost hope in the requirements to stay.  

Let go and get moving.

photo credit:  Ghetto Blaster

• Who takes the photos that will be used in the listing?  
• Will there be video?
• How many photos will be used?
• Do I, the Seller, have a say in which photos will be used?  
• Where will the photos be posted (websites)?

Photo credit:  Ace of Spades Card Trick Macro 10-19-09-02

 Last night we went out for Valentine’s Day (okay, a few hours before the stroke of midnight but so close to the 14th as not to count).  One of my favourite restaurants a few years ago was Allium on Holland Avenue.  For some reason, time passed and we had not been back.  In looking for a place to celebrate Valentine’s Day, I suggested Allium.  Monday night is tapas night and that allows me to taste a few things without ending up with a huge plate of only one type of food.  I was not disappointed!  We had great service, wonderful tapas and then for only $4.00 a half of a Banoffee pie (see the photo from the Allium website above to realize that this was not a huge serving but JUST RIGHT.  I saw a Jamie Oliver television show where he made one of these pies and it stuck as something that I would like to taste.  Mission accomplished.  It is made of graham crumb crust, toffee, bananas, whipped cream and shaved chocolate. Not something for every day but a treat.

Part of what made the evening was the variety of patrons in the restaurant.   There were a couple of families with school aged children, women out with their girlfriends, couples, and groups.  The atmosphere was lively and upbeat.  

I highly recommend a meal at Allium or (if you are like me and like variety) the Monday tapas evening.  Make a reservation just to be sure to have a spot.     Allium  87 Holland Avenue;  Ottawa, Ontario;  613-792-1313