Foxy Business

It was awakened it’s some ungodly middle of the night hour by the sound of footsteps on the roof outside my bedroom. When I open the curtain there was nothing to be seen but the tracks. But this afternoon…

It seems like the fox might’ve moved into the doghouse in her absence…

He’s definitely listening to us talking about him. But not deigning to turn his attention to us.

Progress in Nova Scotia

Many thanks to our friend and property manager extraordinaire

Theresa, her helper Susan and our new Carpenters who are moving things forward at our Nova Scotia house... even while we are away. The trimwork in the apartment is pretty much done and ready to be painted. Plumbing downstairs has been completed to lay the groundwork for future connections and renovation of the kitchen and main bathroom. The outside basement entrance has been rebuilt in Red Cedar from BC. Next week... the boys plan to tackle the new front door and windows facing the oak tree at the bottom and landing of the main house stairs... 🤞

The Other Old House

We are back in Whitehorse to move from one house to another. From Riverdale to downtown. Today I took the afternoon off and packed and unpacked our bathroom. Phew! 

Not cleaned yet, but ready for living! 


No beds in the downtown house yet. So we are still sleeping in the Riverdale house. Lots has been moved and we are in the middle of unpacking.

That’s our lovey new stove we just had installed. I think it makes the room. 

 We can’t unpack some things because we are hoping to get a few things in place, lime spray foam, carpet and shelves! 🤣

This Week At Our Old House

We spent some more time with the Tabby kittens our friens were fostering... and decided to wait on getting a cat for now. The new windows and doors have finally arrived after a 6.5 month wait. Trim is almost done in the Apartment. The workshop area of the Carriage House is organized and the brick path to the hot tub is laid. As usual... lots of firewood was moved and split... but not enough.

The Glory of Old Home Ownership

Yup. Big thrills on a Wednesday night- stuffing insulation around wooden window frames. Sigh. 

Workouts (And other Chores) In The Yard.

Always better with Labrador help...

Follow the Red Brick Road

The sheet metal work by Al Simms today to connect and install the air handling unit of our new heat pump... prompted Christopher to move a pile of miscellaneous bricks from our basement outside the day before. Sarah used this large pile of messy bricks in her yard as an opportunity to continue the brick path to the hot tub begun last spring.

Christopher planted the remainder of the ewe hedging, 3 trees in the 'mini orchards and generally worked hard around the yard... while the boss lady slaved away at her day job.

Fairytale Rosebush Tamed?

When we bought this house there was an enormous fairytale style rosebush with thorns so big they would take your eye out. It reminded me very much of the rosebush from the old cartoon The Rats of NIMH. 

Christopher worked with our fantastic groundskeeper/mechanic, Perry, to chainsaw the old bush. 

Over the past season it has rapidly put on new growth. It does not seem that any of it had flowers. As a result, and in consultation with gardeners world experts, we suppose that it is a rambling rose - which blooms on second year wood. Today while we were consulting about something in the carriage house, happened to look up and see old pieces of metal rods. We bent them into arches and they are now supports for the rosebush. It was a very dangerous project that we tackled together.

Tada! I hope to see blooms on them next year or they are coming out! 

THE MURMURATION

Please click on the video below... People think these birds are ugly pests. In Annapolis Royal we get to see and hear another side.

House Restoration Update

Life has been relatively busy since Sarah arrived in Nova Scotia. Not the same frantic busy activity of work preparing for Sarah's arrival... a different busy. Happily, while Christopher has continued to process the firewood clogging up the driveway (over 1/2 done now... Darrell has been able to get the skim coats done in the suite and upstairs hallway, prep in the attic for blow in insulation and put together temporary steps on the front entry. The perimeter of the basement brick walls (upper 1/3 of the foundation) has now been sprayfoamed.