Thursday, February 25, 2016

Our Retirement Home Part Forty-One (Kitchen Cabinets)


Marie, January snow
The past two months have flown by as we watch the slow but steady coming together of our kitchen. Marc Lamothe from Toutanbwa, our "artisan eleeniste", has crafted some very beautiful pieces for us out of his small workshop and, as he and I installed them in the kitchen, Marie was hardly been able to contain herself. It has been over 4 years now that we have cooked out of a small campstove and oven and the thought of having a real kitchen is almost too much to believe! It was a bit of a challenge bringing the sections up the driveway with our truck and Marc's trailer and a story in itself that I will suffice to say should not be attempted in the dead of winter. We have had thaws and freezes and coatings of ice on our roads that would challenge the most adventurous but we prevailed in the end and will soon enjoy the fruits of our labours. During this time we had a chance to visit Grani-Bois, another local company in Lac Megantic who will supply our granite counter top, colour to yet to be determined. I also finished the last wall of the entranceway, installing the electronic panels for the solar system and Vennar system. We should be finished the installation of the island and final adjustments of the cabinets by the end of next week. Then it will be the setting up of the microwave, fridge, dishwasher, oven and the Jennair downdraft cooktop, finishing the overhead lighting, measuring for the counter top, installing the sink, putting in the backsplash and eventually dusting off the old cookbooks again!  gws


first piece going up!


Marc

from left- liquor cabinet, microwave oven, oven, dishes cabinets

fridge enclosure with broom cupboard to right

a good days work!


looking at slabs of Quebec granite

finished entranceway with thermometer, Xantrex solar system monitor & VenMar



Marc and Marie putting on the legs for the bottom cabinets 

bottom cabinets

sink enclosure

February thaw and our driveway

Marie on our road


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Saturday, February 20, 2016

Joshua's 3rd Birthday (The Deep Freeze)



The weekend of February 13th and 14th Marie and I celebrated Joshua's 3rd birthday, getting together with Lara and Jesse at their condo on Nun's Island. Joshua is finally filling out and interacting better with us and seems to be growing into a happy though reserved little boy. The weather that weekend was absolutely atrocious, the coldest we have experienced in over 20 years. The wind-chill was in the -40s and the proximity to the St Lawrence only emphasized how cold it was. We warmed up the best we could at the pool and sauna afterwards before heading home to another frigid forecast. While we were away the temperature had plummeted to -33, beating the old record of -25! Happily the cold snap was over in a few days and the unusually warm and rainy February weather for 2016 has returned.  gws






William beating on his grandpapa



Amy and Joshua with building blocks




Valentine's Day gift!





Joshua on his new train
 
Jesse showing Joshua how to operate his remote truck

 

at the pool with Amy




Marie, Amy and Lara in the sauna


view of St Lawrence and Champlain Bridge from sauna



heading home, Magog

Wednesday, February 10, 2016

Amy's 4th Birthday Party ("Frozen, the Sequel")

proud mama and papa

“I don’t care what they’re going to say. Let the storm rage on. The cold never bothered me anyway!"



Elsa, Amy and Anna

Marie and Joshua





Amy and the cast from Frozen

Amy and pinata




Christina and William, swinging at the pinata

Joshua's turn





scramble for candy!

Lara and Joshua

Amy blowing out the candles



 

 
Amy getting war paint

"Let it go, let it go...."

 
Isabelle, Christina and William


story time with Olaf, Elsa and Anna
 
later that same day at homethe stash


breakfast smiles with Rocio


We need Elsa to bring back summer!
 
gws