Before and After :: Powder Room

Powder Room

In preparation for Christmas we did a number of home renovations. One of the first places we have really conquered (more than just paint) was the main floor powder room.

Before

You may remember what it looked for before. 10 year old lino, stained wood crown molding as a chair rail, wood toilet seat, toilet paper holder and towel bar.

We decided to tile. 16"x16" porcelain tile. Logan put down the mortar and I laid the tile.

After 24 hours of jumping from the kitchen to the living room Logan did the grout.
The toilet and the sink were in the kitchen for what felt like forever. We even had Dan stay over night for a job interview with the new fixtures in the kitchen.

After 48 hours we sealed it and the floor was done.

After the floor was ready we started painting. I figured that with the dark colour already on the bottom we should probably do two different colours again. The bottom colour is two shades darker than the brown colour in the kitchen.

The top colour is the same as the brown in the kitchen.

Here it is finished. New towel holders, new faucet, nice chair rail.

I think it looks great. On the wall is the candle holder from the gift exchange.

Christmas Exchange

On the 15th we hosted our 2nd annual Christmas exchange. It was also the warm up to Christmas as we hosted 12 people for dinner.

Jason, (Charlie), Stef, Craig

Tyler, Jen, Logan

Jason, Megan, Jonathan

Raveigh

Cris

And myself

We did pot luck, I supplied the roast and everyone else brought the fixings. The food was delicious, the mood was festive and Charlie wore his Santa Hat.

We had a gift auction that was very tame this time around. Logan, the game hater, picked the only game in the pile.

And I walked away with a gift that we put in. A fun geometric, wall mounted candle holder. It was a coveted item as it was stolen three times. It stayed here and is now hung in our newly renovated bathroom.

One of the gifts (the other that we put in) was Twister. We had a rousing game.

Winter Weather

Yesterday winter really began. It was wild. Stef and I were out Christmas Shopping and it was snowing like crazy. There were winter storm warnings on the radio, "10-15 cm of snow". There was quite the snow drift in front of our door when we returned.

Logan worked at 5:00 and I had a show. So I dropped Logan off at work at about 4:15 and hit the Deerfoot. From Country Hills Blvd to Beddington (the very next ramp), it was regular winter driving. Not that bad, just snowy. That is where the driving ended. I didn't move faster than 20km the whole trip. The road was packed with people just rolling along. I was pretty relaxed, I had left myself an hour and a half to make my 25 minute drive. I started to get a bit angry when the three lane Deerfoot suddenly had four lanes. Okay, no one really knows where the lines are. But then the taxi pulled out of the "fourth" lane and created his own lane. That is when my temper started to rise.

I had to be at work at 5:30. At 5:28 I pulled off the Deerfoot onto Memorial and came to a stop. A solid stop for the first time my whole trip. It took me over 20 minutes to make it off the ramp. At this point I was attempting to call the theatre and let them know. Well, my phone rang busy and said "network busy". Great.

I finally pulled into the parking lot at 6:18. Two hours after I set out. Nearly an hour late.

A house upside down

As the days tick away toward Christmas we add more decorations and more cheer. I know that I haven't posted pictures of the newly painted living room. But that may not happen for a few more days. Everything is a bit upside down and a mess and we continue to spruce up the house.

We couldn't put up the Christmas Tree until we had painted. Now that that is done we moved onto Christmas in the living room. Tree first.

I picked up a barrel of ornaments from Michael's of red, green and silver. I love my cylinder vases and the ways it can change for the season.

We have had the outside Christmas lights up since Nov 1. We thought that with the weather still being nice we should take advantage.

You may have noticed the amount of snow in this picture. Sunday we had a bit of a blizzard. I believe we racked up somewhere between 5 and 10 cm of snow. It was quite the day.

Charlie enjoyed the snow. We let him out onto the untouched blanket on the deck.
He seems to like the snow. You may not be able to tell.

Christmas Party

Tonight was Logan's work Christmas Party. It was held at Aussie Rules, a great dueling piano bar. I was pretty sad 'cause it was a two show day for me and I was not able to join until after the evening show (10pm ish). The little time I was there was a hoot.

To add to the fun:

There were door prizes. Each of our tickets won.

First a Sony Blu-Ray Player!

And then Guitar Hero III for the Wii.
How Fun. Especially since we only paid for one ticket. The ticket included dinner. As I was not going to be joining till almost the very end of the night they just gave him my ticket for free. So a $40 ticket, good fun, and a couple hundred dollars worth of electronics.
And because we haven`t had a picture of Charlie in a while:

We have hardly any snow at all. This photo is a couple of weeks old. But he loved discovering snow! He really had a good time eating as much as he could. He was locked in the kitchen for many hours that week we had snow. He would stay out there till he was shaking from the wet snow and come in with his skin matted with snow.

A Christmas Carol

There are some very fun Video Links on the Theatre Calgary website that you should check out. Mainly the time lapse video of the set up of Christmas Carol. If you don't get a chance to get to Calgary to see the show it will give you an idea of the size of the show.

The show is huge. I know I have said it before. It is really causing me some back pain, and shin pain and forearm pain.

We painted the living room over the past few days. Behr Mother Nature Green. I will post photos once we are done. It is still a bit upside down. I wanted to paint so we could start decorating. You can't put up a Christmas tree in a room you want to paint before Christmas. So it is still being put together. Very soon.

Playing House

Today I got off the bus and walked onto our circle and approached our house. I could see the back of the house from the end of the circle as we are on the corner. As I clomped along in winter boots, mitts, scarf and back pack I felt like I was far to young to be playing this game. I had this flash that very soon we would have to pack up our over night bags and go home to our respective parents and get back to school. That is my house. Not just the house that I live in. Not my parents house. A house that I am responsible for.
Surely I feel that the bills are mine. That I go to work six days a week to scrape together a pay check for the bills to keep the place going. Those things are not lost on me. But I am sure you have all had those moments. How did I get here? I love it here. But for that short 2 minute walk it felt a bit surreal.
But soon enough I walked through the gate, up the steps of the deck, and into the kitchen where I was greeted by a puppy so happy to see me that he is almost flipping over and a big kiss from my loving husband.

Route 301

Now that we live out in the sticks I cannot walk to my downtown theatre jobs any more. I get to take the bus. Good 'ole reliable public transportation. This really isn't a big deal. Especially since bus fare is $2.50 each direction and parking is $27 a day.

We happen to live right next to a major bus route. It is called the BRT, what is stands for I don't know, but it is the express bus to downtown. It takes me 25 min on the bus and 20 in a car. It stops almost right out side our little circle. It comes around every five minutes in peak times, every 10 minutes on the times surrounding peak times and every 15-30 minutes in the middle of the day and evening.

Yesterday was my first real example of how bad this could be. Yesterday was a holiday. So the buses were running on holiday hours. I called to see if parking was on holiday rates and it was not. That meant there were only buses every half hour, and about 10 minutes sooner than I am used to. So I hurried my butt out the door to make it for this earlier bus. I had 6ish minutes to walk about a minute and a half. As I stepped onto the main road from our circle I see the bus at the stop. So I run. (I forgot to mention that I have a tray full of cupcakes that I was volunteered to bring for the birthday of our Scrooge.) The bus waits for me. I hop on and it is already full. I guess lots of people took the holidays as Monday and we are all trying to fit on one bus that is usually one every five minutes. I put my cupcakes on the "my bag is too big" holder and stood. The bus was like a sauna. I had my coat off before the next stop. To make matters worse the driver had a very heavy foot, both on the gas and the brakes. We lurched out in the sauna for about 15 minutes before I had to start calculating my options.
-sit down, then I won't be able to see out the front window
-open a window, I am so far away from one I wouldn't feel it if I opened it
-get off at the next stop and wait for the next, half an hour later I would be late
-just breathe through it and hope for the best.

When we were rolling over the Center St Bridge I almost thought I couldn't make it those last couple blocks. As we pulled to a stop I grabbed my stuff and was off the bus so fast. I sat on the wet, granite steps of the building we stop in front for 10 minutes before the feeling of throwing up had passed.

I felt sick for the rest of the day. Then I had to get on the bus to get home. In comparison, the bus ride was much more pleasant. Except that I still felt that my stomach was upside down from the first ride. Seabands and all I still felt like I might just chuck on the good ole 301.

It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas

Today is Saturday. Day Five of Eight rehearsals for Christmas Carol. Eight days. Then we move onto the stage for another Five days of tech rehearsals. Then there is an audience. Speedy!

One of the things about working in theatre is that it is all consuming. Rehearsals are from 10-6 Tuesday to Sunday. I start one hour prior to rehearsal starting and am supposed to stay only a half hour after - but that rarely happens, it is usually longer. And Monday is my only day off. Then we move onto the stage and work five days for 12 hours. I feel like I drop off the face of the earth for a couple of weeks. The nice thing about theatre is that it balances itself out in the end. After an all consuming rehearsal period we move into a show state. Eight shows a week, six days a week (just like the big boys on Broadway) That means that there are two days a week that we do two shows, so are at the theatre for 12 hours. But the other four days are just four hours. Still only one day off but I feel like I have time to do stuff. Especially around Christmas time.

It has been going well. This is a show remounted for the third year and many of the players are returning. The Apprentice Stage Manager and the Stage Manager (thank God) are new. Being the only SM returning puts a lot of pressure on me. But I like the responsibility. The biggest theatre in Calgary is counting on me and my memory of what has happened over the last two years (having been here for both years). I feel like I know that show like the back of my hand. I also feel like it shows.

Yesterday I was introducing myself to the new wardrobe master. I walked confidently into his office and extended my hand in greeting. He greeted me with "Oh, you're Stacey. You're the one that knows everything." "Yup, that's me." "So when I am freaking out I should come find you. My new best friend." The conversation went on with some questions that he had and without thinking too hard I had all the answers that no one else could confidently give him over the last two weeks. I felt like I was having an out of body experience as I watched myself have a professional conversation in the field that I have studied, I was doing so confidently and I was the one supplying the answers. If only the little apprentice that worked on this show three years ago could have imagined this. I really felt like a grown up.

Unemployed Again

Today was my last day at the Home Depot. Yipee. That place was sucking the life out of me...and gave me the flu (currently) and bronchitis when I first started there, not to mention the other particulate I have inhaled. Oh I can only imagine what that place has done to my immune and respiratory systems.

I start at Theatre Calgary for Christmas Carol on Thursday!

Planning a big Halloween party for the 31st. Very excited. Have a spider theme for decorations and all of the food on the menu has creepy names. Should be fun.

And a cute picture to close. My boys napping.

Names other than your own

Many people have nickname. Most people in fact. Many people go by shortened version of their own name or words that seem to have no connection what so ever.

Some people call me Stace. Not many. I find it a very personal jump to drop that 'y'. Sometimes I mark the progression of a friendship with that leap. And sometimes it comes from the wrong person way to soon. For example, if we work together and speak one or twice a month and you jump to Stace when you want to ask a favour - not cool. If you just met me, it is Stacey. If I don't like you, keep it to my given name please.

There are some people that I remember when they dropped the y. Mr Taylor from elementary school. He was the cool teacher, everyone's friend. I was in Gr. 6 and thinking about running for student council. He called me to his office to encourage me to do so and then as I was leaving he said "Good luck Stac." Mr. VanD in high school was very similar. I was at that school the moment it opened and apart of the student council my whole stay. He was another one of those teachers that really cared. He has certainly affected my life in a huge way. We got along from the beginning. He called me Stace and it created a bond that helped me through high school.

There are other nick names that seem to come out of no where.

There is a gentleman at work who is french and calls everyone baby. Not is a gross kind of way. With his accent it doesn't even sound like baby but his own little word for friend. Guys, girls, doesn't matter "Ok baby". Sometimes he even goes so far as to call me baby girl because he thinks I look so much younger than I am. Today he asked if my husband calls me baby. I said "he calls me lots of things, baby, babe and weirder things like Stac (with a hard c)."

For a very long time now Logan has called me Stac, and then it turned into Stax. This has morphed into many variations of those.

I have two other weird nicknames that are very person specific. My mom calls me Stacer and a friend from elementary school that I speak to only on our birthdays (hers is the day after mine - at the same hospital in the same year). She calls me Slater - always has.

I suppose I shouldn't have told this very kind gentleman this. Now he calls me Stac.

Democratic Responsibility

I hope you all got out there and voted on Tuesday. Though it seemed to be a choice of the lesser of the evils-But isn't it always.

I did my duty in spades. I worked the election. A Registration Officer. I am the person that put you on the voter list if you were not. I did this job many years ago in a federal election while still in Regina. I remember filling out less than 25 forms (I didn't finish one package). I was told that Calgary Nose Hill, my riding, is the third fasting growing constituency in Canada. In anticipation of this they had two Registration Officers hired. We each had four packages of forms. We nearly finished all of them. Busy.

But way to go Canada. Lowest voter turn out yet. I guess most people felt that it was a $300-million dollar game of musical chairs. And what did we accomplish. Some say nothing. The result is the same as it was three days ago. Who am I to say. I just work here.

Thankful

Thanksgiving give you the opportunity to remember to be thankful. With the hustle and bustle we surround ourselves with, sometimes we just need a push, we forget to remember.

This thanksgiving weekend I had Friday and Saturday off and Logan worked. Stef and I went shopping. Halloween decorations for the party (we are having a Halloween party at our house on Halloween night), and Christmas shopping. It went well!

Sunday both Logan and I worked and Auntie Shelley was hosting Turkey dinner. I "accidentally" showed up early for work by an hour (so I was done at 6pm instead of 7 - the supper hour). It was the meal with the works. Followed by homemade strawberry rhubarb pie. Logan even got a chance to swing by for a plate.

Monday I hosted Stef, Auntie Shelley and Uncle Gord for dinner. Ham, scalloped potatoes, green beans, salad and pumpkin pie. It was nice. Except that it was a bit rushed for me. Logan worked until 4am so slept most of the morning. He was in charge of much of the clean up of the house (with a lunch time kick start on my break). I worked from 7-4 so hurried home to start the cooking.

I have many things to be thankful for. And over the past couple of days I got to sit and remember. I have a beautiful home, with a loving (and handsome) husband, the cutest puppy on the planet, and I was able to share those things with my family whom I love and am thankful for. It also reminds me just how far away I am from our parents.

New Low

The Home Depot hit a new low this morning. They called us for "morning rally", which up to this point was just a staff meeting in the morning. Today, the worst happened. After all of the news and sales were announced they decided we were going to start doing cheers. I don't think so. If there was ever any incentive to hide in my aisle and claim to be helping a customer if approached later. There was clapping in rhythm and "drive sales" woo hoo. It was terrible.

Car, carpet and a free storm door

I said that I would update on our new car. We love it.

The screen door/storm door on our back door is bent, dirty, looks like crap and has an every growing hole in the screen that the puppy likes to stick his head through. While Janet was staying with us we checked out the selection at the Home Depot. I was told if I could hold out until Oct I would get a good deal. I watched "the best deals of the year" on doors go by as I held out hope that there would be follow through if I could wait until Oct. It finally paid off to work at the Home Depot. There was an open box door (that was missing one piece, the frame from one side of the door) that is regular $300. They are not allowed to sell this door if it is open and instead of throwing it in the garbage sold it to us for $50. That is right $50.

To sweeten the deal we had found three plumbing pieces (total ~$20) that we did not end up using from our very first trip to Home Depot after taking possession of the house. On the way into the store we returned the items to a gift card. I picked up a towel bar and ring that I had set aside (regular $45 and $35 marked down to $10) and then picked up the door. At the till we gave the gift card for the $73.00 total. She then asked for $2.53. I don't know where the mistake was but I am not complaining.

The door is all glass for a very clean look. But when you want to open the screen you pull the window down from the top and the screen unrolls down. It is very neat. The screen is all hidden away. Giving an uncluttered and clean look!
The day after the door I was walking toward the break room for my last 15 of the day and almost walked into a pile of carpet rolls with green markdown tags on them. "What do we have here?" $20-$50 rolls of carpet. I called Logan to measure the basement and then come into the store to pick me up after work. I grabbed a few hold stickers and put two on hold until after my shift. We ended up getting a further markdown. We got a roll of "Bow River Berber" 12'x14'6" and a roll 12'x 4'. It covers nearly the entire room. We are short about a foot between the stairs and the bathroom, the little nook there. I couldn't be happier with a $40 purchase!
We installed it ourselves. It looks pretty good.
The photo doesn't show where the seams are. The wall behind the chair there is a seam straight across. And then perpendicular to that seam from the middle of the door on the left. $40!

"I love my job, I love my job, I love my job..."

I have been using this as my mantra over the past couple days. Over the past couple of days I have been doing major manual labour. I love my job, I love my job. I spent six hours hauling pallets full of fully assembled cabinets from a trailer in receiving to the other end of the store in search of ONE cabinet for a customer. Six hours and 15 pallets. I found what I was looking for three minutes after my shift was over. 15 pallets, over a hundred cabinets, trouble twice for where I was stashing them all over the store and one very unhappy Stacey. The next day I spent four hours moving the cabinets from 5 rows in 6 bays into 2 bays. Dirtier and sweatier than the day before. The next day I came in to find another worker doing the same thing I did two days before - pulling pallets looking for one cabinet for a customer. For an hour I kept busy to avoid helping - but felt sorry for the buggar. So... I joined in, grabbed a pallet jack and pulled another ten pallets from the trailer. Yesterday, I had help, and took down two shelves (the actual wood and steel) from every bay and filled the shelves with the cabinets I had pulled out.

I had today off (just one day) and am back to work for five. I intend to work very little to make up for the last week of over working.

Hotel Kotlar

I had posted before about my parents being in town for Elton John and Logan's parents for a work conference. Following the check out of Lorne and Janet, Matt flew in from Vancouver. He was with us for a full week. There weren't any majors plans for his stay so it was a very relaxed week of hanging out. Matt checked out Rogues with me, we had dinner at Uncle Gord and Auntie Shelley's (where we had our little photo shoot) and went mini golfing. It was some good old sibling fun.

Art by Jonathan Glass

We had a very serious photo shoot while Matt was in town.

Photos courtesy of Jonathan Glass
Where's Matthew?

We had a good time. And I think with a little help from Photos Shop we should have some really good pictures for you mom.