Design Centre part deux

Well today was the big appointment at the Design Centre. I didn't get a wink of sleep last night (OK...I'm exaggerating a little, but I swear I woke up and looked at the clock every hour!) I stuck to my guns pretty much on not going overboard on upgrades and everything is very neutral in colour.

Here are a few pics from my final choices...the full album is available on my Facebook account.

Kitchen cabinet in Maple "Wild Apple" - yes, I upgraded from the basic line. (thanks for your feedback Monette!)
Counter top in Tuscan Marble.
Floor tile - Corte Milia Silver.

Kitchen cabinets, counter top and main floor floor-tiles again.

Bathroom cabinet Vermont Classic in natural Maple.
Counter top in Poritico Marble.
Floor and wall tile in New Albatroz Grey.
Brushed chrome handle (closest to cabinet door).

Yep, bathroom again. I steered clear of coloured tiles because I don't want to be restricted decor-wise and the patterned tiles and borders go out of vogue so very quckly.

Broadloom 35 oz (yes, I got the upgraded under pad) next to the floor tile. No the carpet isn't pink...just photographs that way. OK...here's a better shot of the carpet. Bottom row centre.

The bedroom en suite upgrade was ordered, a rough in 3 piece bath in the basement, and a couple of extra cable jack rough-ins ...and presto! We're done!

Now I just have to wait for them to build it! Here's a shot of the site from yesterday....

A shot I lovingly call "Men @ Work"....and now I can't get that song from the 80's out of my head! Arghhhh!

Design Centre

I was out at the Design Centre this morning to check out all the different samples etc. for the new house. My appointment is in just over a week's time to go in and make final decisions on various items. Carpet, cabinetry, countertops etc. Naturally I took my camera...but I am not about to upload all the pics here. Instead, drop by my photobucket account and have a wee gander ...and if you have a suggestion/preferance or observation, please do not hesitate to leave a comment here.

Holls almost over...*sigh*

So I am back to work on Monday...and so far haven't made much of a dent on my other things on my "to do" list - but that's OK, this has been a well deserved break. I've made a point of hitting the gym every day and I'm happy with my progress - although the scale is playing a daily game of "gain 1lb...lose 1lb" just to keep me on my toes. I appear to have entered the twilight world of the plateau and I just have to grit my teeth, not lose hope and battle on through it.

I've been studying the package for the promotional exam daily, making copious notes, drinking gallons of coffee and realising that my brain isn't the sponge it was back in my school days. I was one of the lucky ones who never had to study for tests or exams back in school...but it seems with age I now need to learn some study techniques. Any tips from our resident school teacher would be gratefully appreciated!

So what have I been up to? Well last Friday J. , her bf and I hit the "Taste of the Danforth" street festival in Toronto. A celebration of all things Greek - food, drink, music, culture. We had a wonderful time...but as you can see from this pics it was crowded beyond belief!

Saturday, I was at a pool party with friends, but sadly again it was a tad too cool by late afternoon to tempt me into the water. The food was good however and the company ever better - kinda sad in a way that summer is just about over and this was probably the last pool party of the summer.

The traditional "Jello Shot"

Sunday I was photographing sewer pipes (as previously noted), Sunday night I had a date with a guy I have known for a couple of years - but have successfully been able to duck up until this point. He invited me out to watch the meteor shower. Well, we never saw the promised meteors but it was a very starry night and we had a pleasant enough time. I have been avoiding him since as I really don't think we have much in common.

Tuesday was a date of a different kind. A guy I have known for several months...and who plays games like no tomorrow. We agreed to go to the movies...and then he was "incommunicado" from that point on. My response...fine! Screw 'em! And I went to the movies by myself. The Bourne Ultimatum...two thumbs up. Guy in question is deleted from my cell, blocked on msn and can go forth and multiply as far as I am concerned. (The fact he never called is immaterial).

Wednesday I met with an old girlfriend H. for drinks on the patio at a local bar. Our reunion was thanks to Facebook - we had lost touch probably about 10 or more years ago. What I figured was going to be a hour or two bite to eat and quick pint turned into a 5 1/2 hour gabfest. She's now married, with 2 kids (the youngest being a mere 7 weeks old, so this was a big night out for her). We got caught up, marvelled at how well we still got along after all these years, and generally had a wonderful time, promising we'll do it again soon now that we have been reunited. In itself it's not a huge story, except our friendship came along in the most unusual of ways. As we explained later to the bar owner, who came to join us for a drink mid-way through the evening - we both dated the same guy. "Biff" my ex of almost 10 years ago had the unusual habit of remaining the very best of friends with all his exes. My girlfriend was his ex from high school...and again in their mid 20's (he has a tendency to have at least 2 kicks at the can as it were). When he and I got together in the early 90's it was a given that his exes were still a part of his life - in a totally platonic way. I wasn't totally cool with it...but H. and I hit it off like a house on fire. Although the bar owner's comment of "oh so you both slept with the same guy" elicited a chorus of "ewwww's". "Biff" - I am happy to report has married and divorced since our 7 year relationship broke up (to another ex that he re-dated for the second time around) and is now living common-law and is a proud new "poppa" with yet another "ex" who he dated back in the late 80's. We jokingly wondered when my second "kick at the can" was going to happen...but I think I will pass on those sloppy seconds thank you very much!

Back to skool....

So I am sitting out on the patio this morning, sipping my mid-morning coffee and leafing through the million or so flyers that were delivered last night with my local newspaper. The thing weighed a ton, and I mentally made note to check the biceps on our paper-girl - she's a trooper. Seems all the big-chain stores are out to grab everyone's "back to school" dollars judging by all the sales going on. I heaved a sigh of relief that I don't have to go through all that rigmarole and palaver anymore with the boy...and cast my mind back (yes, I know - the stone ages) to my own back to school preparations.

Back in those days there were no MP3 players, jump drives or laptop computers on the top of the list. Our back to school preparations generally consisted of making sure the school uniform from last year still fit...could that blazer go for another term? Couple of new white shirts, new P.E. knickers...and the obligatory new shoes that would leave you blistered and bleeding for at least the first month - until the calluses built up. As far as supplies were concerned I'd generally score a new pencil case, compass set, bottle of Tippex and maybe a new bag to lug everything back and forth to school with. Presto! We were done! My trust Casio scientific calculator survived through my entire comprehensive school career (unlike the boy who generally needed a new one every September...and managed to lose it by mid-November) - all I remember about calculators back in those days was giggling at being able to spell "boobless" or "shell oil" on it. We made our own entertainment back in those days! LOL

Let there be sewers!

OK...who ordered the rock garden?

OK, so most people wouldn't give a sh...but this to me looks like sewer pipes! (pardon the pun)

I'm soooo impatient for them to actually start BUILDING...argh! Would be nice to know what tiny wee plot is mine at least.

...but I will be patient...obviously this stuff is tres important. But wait...orange stick in the ground! Woo hoo...dunno what it means...but it's something!

Is there a better way to spend a Sunday morning than photographing sewer pipes?? Seriously!

Summer Holidays

I am on holidays from work :0) (as of a week ago to be precise, but I have been a tad lax in blogging as of late). Nothing planned specifically - no wondrous trips booked to far distant lands, no great road trips or "touristy" type activities on the agenda. Both the lack of a travel companion and the need to save funds for the house have dictated that this year's summer holls (much like previous years) will be spent in the "Costa del Back-garden" of "Chez Sue".

I deliberately didn't sign up for any overtime at work - unlike my last vacation in March where I worked so much overtime, that when I finally got back to work after my holidays, it didn't feel like I had had a break at all! No, these nineteen days are mine, all mine! (muhaha) To decompress, relax, laze around and basically do sweet F.A.

I do have a "to do" list - just so that I don't go back to work with absolutely nothing accomplished...but they are all menial things. "Sort bedroom closet/hall closet", "go to the library" "detail car", "go to the movies", "weed flower bed" etc. So far we can cross "detail car" and "weeding" off the list. In addition I've been to the hairdresser for a freshen up, made it to the gym every day and even treated myself to a manicure/pedicure/waxing.

Tuesday I went into work, but just purely to pick up my study package for the promotional exam. One hundred and nine pages to be precise. So for the past few days I have set aside a couple of hours a day to go over the material - I find if I sit out on the patio and study I am killing two birds with one stone. Getting a little sun (burn and freckles) and swotting for the test at the same time.

The weather this week has been beyond gorgeous! So my naturally whiter-than-white skin now has a lobsterish tinge, which I am topping up with daily sunless tanner applications. So now I look sort of orangey-red instead of just red...but it's better than nothing. I also decided to use this time off from work to try a detox-colon flush. I wont go into details, suffice to say a week and a half into the 3 week program it doesn't seem to be working so far. Poop - or should that be no-poop? (ahem...pun intended)

With the weekend right around the corner I do have a couple of activities lined up. Toronto is hosting it's "Taste of the Danforth" this weekend, which is basically a street festival celebrating everything Greek - lots of food, music and maybe a little ouzo. Some friends and I plan on hitting the event tomorrow evening, so that should be lots of garlicky fun! Saturday is another pool party - which I am looking forward to seeing as I haven't exactly been out socially since the last pool party June 30th. Hopefully the weather will hold out and I'll actually get some pool time this time!

The boy and I have been back and forth over the whole puppy debate again. He wants one...and deep down I don't, or at least I am not ready for one right now. I still don't know if it's been settled, but for now at least we are agreed we are not getting one right now. (Famous last words until he walks in the door with a ball of fluff I am sure!)

In other news...h'mmm... well there really isn't any other news. I was out at the construction site last week for the first time in almost a month, but from what I could see there was no real change from the last time I was there (hence no photos posted). My love life is still in mothballs. My pride is still smarting a wee bit from the Irish cop-cutie who didn't mind seeing me for the first month (April) ...but then decided the age difference was too great and he would "freak" if anyone found out about us. Ouch! So needless to say I have been feeling a tad "old" in the last little while. Order me up a vat of Oil of Olay/Ulay (funny how it has a different name this side of the pond). My gf J. has been very busy both with work and her own love life lately, so we haven't even been gabbing on the phone as much - never mind going out! Still perhaps it's for the best...gives me more time to study for my promotional exam in September.

Hope everyone is having a wonderful summer so far! :0)

Hooray! Hooray! I'm on holi-holi-days! (apologies to Boney-M)

It's been an awesome day! I was officially on leave as of 1500hrs est today, when I handed over the 11 and 12 division dispatch desk to the afternoon shift dispatcher and stowed my headset in my bag for the next 19 days! (Woot!)

This is the first time I have had "summer" (July or August) holls in more years than I care to even think about. So where am I off to? Well nowhere to be honest. It will be "Costa del Back Yard" for yours truly... but fear not gentle reader, I intend to have a relaxing and productive holiday at home, de-stressing.

So what made today awesome? Well ...heck, sad to say other people's misfortune, but it made for an excellent adrenalin filled day...and we all know what an adrenalin junkie I am. I sat down at my desk at 7am to relieve the night shift dispatcher to a home invasion (victim bound and beaten and suspects made off with some cash and "Special K" ....apparently that's not the cereal!) We had a take down of a stolen vehicle ...suspect apprehended (booyah!) We had a gun call - resident calling in a "sound of gunshots" ...a person with a knife call (homeless mentally ill person wandering down the street armed with a knife threatening passersby)...one officer got into a foot pursuit after a regular traffic stop turned into an assault (attacked the officer with a stick)...he left a large stash of Crack Cocaine on the passenger seat of his car- idiot! A lady jumped from a window of a local hospital in a suicide attempt and I had an officer get into a vehicle pursuit right at the end of shift. Talk about being hyped beyond belief! For a very small part of the city that is normally known as "sleepy hollow" it was incredibly busy for a Wednesday morning. I almost wonder if I will be able to give up dispatching (if and when) I ever get that promotion I am after. Speaking of which, I got the official "OK" today that my application has been accepted for the promotional race and I get to pick up my study package for the exam next week. First hurdle overcome...now for the exam...yikes! Study tips anyone?

The boy and I are thinking about a puppy. We had planned to wait until we had moved into the house before getting one, however he came to me the other day suggesting (and heck I hate it when his logic makes sense) that we look into getting the puppy now before we move...so that all the house training (and possible accidents) are over with now in this rented house and not on my new carpets and upgraded under pad in the new place. He has a point. So we've been looking into it. I am waiting for a callback from a breeder that one of the girls from work just got a puppy from a little over a month ago. The boy has never had a puppy...his past 2 dogs have been adult "rescues" ...so this is very special for him. We'll have to see what happens!

So now the next 19 days. My plans include getting some chores done around the house, that I have been procrastinating somewhat over, getting some sun, hitting the construction site for more pics, a trip to the Design Centre to check out the samples for my upgrades, a pool party, a street festival, at least 1 trip to the movies with the boy...and who knows what else. I don't want to head back to work feeling I have done nothing. The one thing I have categorically said, in no uncertain terms, with the exception of 1 shift I volunteered for weeks ago to cover our "Carribana Parade" this coming weekend, is NO overtime! I am taking these next 19 days (as selfishly as this may sound) for me ... and this 2nd rum and diet coke is going down a treat! :0)

"We're all going on a sum-mer holiday, no more working for a week or two..." (apologies to Cliff Richard)