We wish you a Merry Christmas...................

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and the absolute happiest of all New Years !!!!!!!!!!

with as much love as can be carried over the internet

John says - Could you wish everyone a Merry Christmas from me too?
Suzan says - My pleasure sweetheart
Suzan says - Even if I have to go and create a new signature just for this post
John says - Huh?  Can't you just type my name in?

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Blue Christmas !!! ( and a door reveal )

French Canadian Teenager - David Thibault - channels the King perfectly - and I DO mean perfectly -

Amazing!!!

Celine Dion - I do believe you have some competition here lol

Way to go David




On another less exciting note here's an update on the upstairs doors - with the veneer stripped

BEFORE ( not the same actual door but one of them and they all had the same veneer on them )
You can see the post on these doors ( and my discovery of what lay beneath them )HERE

Almost AFTER

I'm thinking of painting the upper panel the same color as the walls..............jury's still out on that one though

BUT - I found the door frames at Home Depot - 14.99 for the entire frame " kit " - which I think is a great price for lovely detailing on these old doors - for such a tiny landing ( and it IS extremely tiny - there's a lot of doors - 4 bedroom doors - a bathroom door - and 2 closet doors - and all but the 2 closet doors have this molding installed on them )

And remember this panelling ( which was basically throughout the entire house - doors and all

Well I'm ALMOST ( again with the " almost " - sorry about that ) finished painting out the stairwell - which is the only place this panelling will be staying by the way
Thin moldings had to be added to hide some " buckling " issues - I'm afraid this house is going to have a lot of moldings and caulking lol - A LOT !!!
But isn't the blue and white soooo much better then that dark panelling?

The floor specialist will be here bright and early to start on the stairs................so I have to make myself scarce for the day - you all have a great Friday -
It IS friday, right?

Much love,

Christmas in the great outdoors...............

Sigh..........................
Next year - without a doubt...............next year - outside my kitchen window

For those of you down South - you can keep your balmy temps for Christmas - I wouldn't trade
snow for anything in December ( but it can leave immediately after - I'm fed up of it by January )
Maybe you have to be from a cold climate to " get it " - but in my corner of the world nothing
screams Christmas like tons of snow :)

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It's wrapped up in every single memory I have of Christmas

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                         of crooked snowmen with carrot noses and raisin eyes and cast off scarves

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                                   and contests to see who could make the biggest snow angels

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                                             and red toboggans that we dragged up hills

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                                                 in ice castles and forts and snow ball fights

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                                           and tongues sticking out to catch snow flakes -

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                                             It reminds me of hot coco and snow days -

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                                     of mittens and hats lovingly knitted by grandparents

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                                             and woollen socks that felt itchy but warm..................

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of dark mornings and a bowl of porridge before heading off to school

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                  Of white lace up skates that always left our toes numb - but our cheeks perfectly rosy

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     and the magic of that first dusting that always looked like diamonds had been scattered across the land

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And as much as I complain about snow ( and I do - oh believe me I do ) the first snow fall always does a                 little something to my heart - it usually means Christmas is right around the corner and.......................
                                 and I just can't think of Santa Claus without thinking of snow

                                               It's the reason he wears boots after all :)

                                                Let it snow - let it snow - let it snow !!!
                                                                   ♪  ♪   ♪   ♪
                                                    ( as long as we've nowhere to go )

I'll take door number 1 please................

Mornin' all :)

Remember when I made my discovery of  " The mystery of the panelled Door " ?
( Hey I wasn't a Nancy Drew fan for nothing you know )

Ready to see what was behind the panel?

and remember this one? ( of which there are 2 side by side in the landing - the master bedroom and the office )

Here we go

admittedly there's some work to do on them lol - but still - I just love them
those plastic " tiffany " panels are gone-zo - like outta here - as in make like an egg ..........and beat it

here's the bathroom door

so here's the killer -
this entire house ( almost ) is covered in that cheap panelling that was HUGE in the 70's - I seem to remember it being in every basement in Montreal at that time...................

so why I was surprised to see these doors were covered in THAT panelling I have no idea - but I was!!!
it was like - no - really?  even the doors? lol

they simply turned it around and used the "flat" side!!!

ok - so that's the end of the door story ( until I sand and paint them of course ) but here's a little huge story that I keep forgetting to share with you.

Most of you know that John and I had decided we were going to take a vacation at some point in the New Year - I did a post on it a while back ( and I'm too tired to go find the link to it lol )
What you don't know is that the money is flying out of our bank account faster than we can keep track of it - and so we kind of thought we would forfeit the vacation for luxuries like - oh I don't know - a kitchen floor?

A couple of weeks ago we purchased a car - and while at the dealer, the salesman, before finalizing the paper work, pointed to a CHRISTMAS tree where there were envelopes hanging all over it.
( and you can read about my thoughts on CHRISTMAS trees - one of my " rants " from last year - HERE

Salesman says - I'd like you to go pick an envelope
Suzan says - What's in them?
Salesman says - Well you can get from 50.00 up to 500.00 off the price of your car.
Suzan says - Let's do it!

I stood on my tippy toes - and reached as high as I possibly could - and grabbed an envelope by it's corner

Salesman says - Ok - open it up
Suzan opens it up -
Suzan screams -
Suzan screams - and laughs - and screams again
Suzan slaps the Salesman on the arm.  Hard
Salesman winces slightly.

Other customers are looking at us - other salesman are coming by -
Who is this crazy lady screaming her fool head off -
Did she win 50 dollars?
She must have won the whole 500.00 to be acting like this?

BUT THE SCREAMING LADY WAS SCREAMING BECAUSE SHE HAD JUST WON A 5 DAY CARIBBEAN CRUISE............................!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Suzan says - You never mentioned that I could win a vacation!!!
Salesman says - No one's ever picked that envelope before - to be honest with you I don't bother mentioning it at all because it's disappointing.

Holy Crapoli - I won the trip!!!!!!!!!!
Looks like we'll be getting a kitchen floor AND a vacation lol
And solid wood farmhouse doors -
Oh it's just all too much, isn't it?

God help us all if I ever win the big lottery - the person next to me would be black and blue to say the least :)

We set sail from Florida sometime in end Feb or early March - we have several dates to choose from and haven't decided yet.

Have a wonderful day y'all ( practising my southern speech )
xxx
Suzan and John
( AKA - The Professor and Mary Ann )

P.S. we've never been on a cruise before - so this is really a spectacular win :)

Talking Crazy Talk...................

John says - You're nuts
John says - You're out to lunch
John says - You're flat out crazy
John says - You're touched
John says - You're not normal

KITCHEN BOXES WAITING TO BE UNPACKED
CURRENTLY SITTING IN THE FRONT PORCH FOR ALL THE NEIGHBORS TO SEE AS THEY WALK BY

And it dawned on me this week -

He's probably, without a doubt, right on the money

I never actually gave it much thought before -
I just assumed I was " fun " but the sad reality is perhaps I AM a few bristles short of a paintbrush.

He's not the first to say it.
Far from it.
My ex thought I was crazy too.
And come to think of it, most of my friends say it also ( it doesn't count if they're shaking their heads and laughing, when they do so )
My kids have even accused me of it ( but they've earned the right, I have to admit )
And some of you guys have even alluded to the fact from time to time!!!

I've never been diagnosed - so what if I am, in fact, as crazy as a loon?

WHO, IN THEIR RIGHT MIND, WOULD HAVE BOUGHT THIS HOUSE?

Seriously?

Only someone who was
Nuts.
Out to Lunch.
Flat out Crazy.
Touched.
Not Normal.

That's who.

And if that's the case - then this house adventure is entirely John's fault - really - how can someone who's
" not all there " be held accountable for these decisions?

I mean if you're going to let the crazies run the loony bin than you're going to have to accept the crazy decisions they make, right?

And if you can't see that than that means you're probably bat shit crazy as well -

Sooooo, John's either
Nuts.
Out to Lunch.
Flat out Crazy.
Touched.
Not Normal.

Or a completely irresponsible caretaker.

Whatever, I'm absolving myself of all blame from this point forward.

It may all be worth it in the end - but wow - this one's a tough one...................
BUT last night we slept in our bedroom - it's not quite finished ( decor wise ) because I can't find the boxes with my decor in them lol - BUT WE HAVE A BED IN A BEDROOM -
These are not final reveal photos - just a sampling - and a messy one at that -

I whipped the curtains open to take this photo
John says - half asleep - What the hell?
Suzan says - it's too dark in here to take a photo
John says - Do you plan on taking a photo with me in the bed?
Suzan says - I don't mind - if you'd like to stay in it, that's ok

Even Soda was a little aggravated

And as much as I hate a t.v. in the bedroom - when there's nowhere else to sit in the house basically - let me tell you, a t.v. in the bedroom is a GOOD thing................

Much love
Loco Suzana
XXX

P.S. everyone wanted to know what an electric shovel was - at your service :)
It's just a mini snowblower really - it REALLY is an electric shovel - fantastic for walkways

From a Distance

From a distance................the world looks white and grey ♫

Monday - John says - The snow is going to start any day now - tell Gordie we need that bloody electric shovel back
Tuesday - John says - They're calling for snow - I need that bloody electric shovel back
Wednesday - John says - Have you spoke to Gordie - where's the bloody electric shovel?
Thursday - John says - I have a feeling we'll never see that bloody shovel again

I call Gordie -
Gordie says - Hello?
Mom says - Hi sweetheart - John says we need the bloody electric shovel back
Gordie laughs - Tell him I'll bring it by after work tonight
Mom says - Oh good - because John thought we'd never see it again
Gordie says - Tell him I sold it to a farmer in Siberia

The snow fell Saturday night..................
A lot of snow fell Saturday night.................

Suzan says - It's snowing pretty heavy out there - you should move the cars so that the snow removal service
can do the driveway
John says - I have no idea when they're coming - they're all over the place here
Suzan says - So maybe move them now - that way you don't have to think about it ...............
John says - Nah, I'll do it later.............

The snow removal truck has come and gone - and our cars are buried in snow.................

John says - Great now I have to dig the car out to go get coffee
Suzan says - Take the electric shovel
John says - It's easier to just use the regular one.

Suzan says - You could send someone to the BLOODY insane asylum - I swear to God John

We're in the midst of a blizzard here 

Suzan says - WHY DID YOU WANT THE ELECTRIC SHOVEL BACK THEN?
John says - Well you never know when you might need it ..................

From a distance - safe in the upstairs office - shaking my head in disbelief

You can't even see where the street starts - it's pretty bad out there - but at any rate - we have the electric shovel safe and warm in the porch - because hey - you just never know when that particular item will come in handy.

and now I'm about to put the bedroom together - as best I can - because I can't take sleeping in this room anymore................which is basically wall to wall bed -

which will ultimately be the guest room - so if any of you plan on visiting - bring your claustrophobia meds!!!!!!!

I just brushed on the final coat of paint on the floor - so happy I went with gloss - it look so pretty with the reflection of the window on it :)

I need someone to build me a window seat - for free - and who ever is willing to do that I would let them come play in the snow for a weekend ...................any takers?
I didn't think so

A dresser will most likely sit in front of it for now - temporarily you understand :)
Maybe I'll just sit on the dresser with a good book  ( like a Buddha - facing the outside and scare all the neighbors half to death )

Stay tuned for the reveal - woo hoo - you get to see a bed and a dresser LMHO

Have a wonderful day all!!!

Missing Body Parts....................

It's cold in Montreal -
I'll tell you how cold later on in the post - because I'm afraid you'll pass out if I tell you right away.

Remember I told you all how I was going to borrow some space from the mud room - create a built in space for the fridge?

The mudroom is NOT insulated - nor is it heated ( which would be redundant I guess since it's not insulated, so when you open the back door in the kitchen, you're basically outside ( covered but outside )

John says - I've been thinking ( very very dangerous ) that your idea for the fridge is a lousy one
Suzan says - WHY?  I think it's a fantastic idea
John says - Well you're just going to have a hole cut out on the kitchen wall and plunk the fridge there?
Suzan says - WHAT???
John says - That's what you said you were going to do
Suzan says - Do you think I'm spending all this money on our little chef's kitchen - and THEN I'M GOING TO JUST HAVE A HOLE RIPPED OUT IN THE WALL AND HAVE A FRIDGE DANGLING OUT OF IT???????????
John says - That's YOUR plan - I wouldn't do it - it's nuts - it's going to be freezing in the house...............

Now I'm not going to blame him entirely - it's so cold here - this has to be a case of brain freeze - he can't seriously believe what he's saying.

Suzan says - I'm having an INSERT built John - and INSERT - which will be a finished nook - a finshed AND insulated nook - for the fridge to sit inside of.
John says - NOW that's a good idea.............

How cold is it here?  It's freaking unbelievably cold
as in -30 celcius with the wind chill factor ( - 22 fahrenheit )  This is normally something that happens in January - not December.  And although the house is warm - every time I look out the window I feel cold.
I went downstairs to make a cup of tea and sit in front of the fireplace.............

Suzan says - Why is the fire off?
John - standing on a ladder painting - says - I'm sweating my ( insert male body parts here ) off
Suzan says - You don't have to be so vulgar about it - ( John is the least vulgar man I know - except, I don't know, in the last year or so he's pulled off some real zingers )
I didn't bother telling him that I'm freezing my ( insert female body parts here ) off

If you happen to see them while you're out for an evening stroll - please return them to
Prince Edward Street - you'll know the house - it'll be the one with the hole ripped out of the wall with a fridge protruding from it :)

There'll be a reward.

Thank you.

We ordered the kitchen cabinets!!!

On Wednesday we went to Ikea to order our kitchen cabinets.....................

I had built the kitchen online - but couldn't save it for some reason - so assumed someone at Ikea would help me out once I got there.

Suzan says - Hi - I'd like to order kitchen cabinets
Ikea staff says - Well we can certainly assist you - but we don't build it for you
Suzan says - That's fine - but I really do assistance - I couldn't save it for some reason
Ikea staff says - We'll be happy to assist you - we just can't build it for you - follow me

They plunk me down in front of a computer which is even slower than mine -
Ikea staff says - Ok you can start building your kitchen now

And I felt such an immense amount of pressure that I thought my head was going to explode.
So I called someone over

Suzan says - I really need some help here
Ikea staff says - We can help you but
Suzan cuts them off - I KNOW you can't build it for me - please don't tell me that again -
Ikea staff says - Okie Dokie - start building and we'll come by to help
Suzan says - but I need...............................
And they were gone -

Suzan says - John I feel like I'm about to experience Ikea Rage
John says - What the hell does that mean?
Suzan says - It means that I'm ready to slap someone - and that's not a good thing - because you happen to be closest to me at the moment
Suzan says - It means that if this computer wasn't screwed down to the desk I might throw it
Suzan says - It means -
John cuts me off - Ok Ok - let's get out of here

And we flew out the door - literally -

Last night I took my time and built my kitchen from home................

These are the cabinets we're going with ( kick plate will be installed on the bottom - the legs are hidden )

If I had been able to save the plans I could have showed you them - now you'll have to wait until it's installed but it includes a corner cabinet with a lazy suzan carrousel for easy access - 2 wine shelves on either side of the sink -a 3 drawer cabinet - a wide sink cabinet - 3 cabinets with shelves - and a cabinet book shelf beside the range area for cook books ( I'm telling you this for a reason LOL )

These drawer pulls - but in a Nickel Finish - ( although maybe I should have went with black to match the window that'll be installed - not sure - remember the window? ( you can see some gorgeous ones HERE

Suzan says - I may buy the black as well - and then I could change them out from time to time
John says - Who does that?
John says - Seriously - WHO DOES THAT?
Suzan says - Can you keep your voice down please?  We're at Ikea - people are looking at us
Suzan says - Anyway,  it's an affordable way to change the look of a kitchen instantly -
Suzan says - More people SHOULD do that, I think

The range " hood "

The fridge - ON SALE FOR 799.00 - OMG I COULD JUMP FOR JOY
( we paid well over 3000 for a very similar one 2 houses ago )

John says - It's too large for the kitchen
Suzan says - I'll figure it out -
John says - What are you going to do next - make the kitchen larger?

What I'm going to do - and I personally think I'm a genius for this idea - really a FREAKING genius -
is borrow some space from the mud room which is off the kitchen - and install this so that it's flush against the wall -

John says - It doesn't matter where you put it - WE WON'T BE ABLE TO AFFORD TO PUT ANYTHING IN THE DAMN THING ONCE THIS RENOVATION IS OVER
Suzan says - I'll buy some fake food from somewhere - and arrange it all pretty like.
John says - Smart ass - you know that?  You're such a smart ass

I am NOT a smart ass - I'm simply smart - I think that's what he meant really.

Because I got all of the above - ALL of it - every single item for
are you ready for this? ( including the hood and fridge )
2600 dollars -

Suzan says - I think I should be designing cost effective kitchens -
John says - I think you're a little too full of yourself
Suzan says - Can't you just say I did good John, can't you just say it - ONCE?
John says - You did good babe - actually you did really really good :)
John says - I wouldn't have thought it was possible
John says - Ok - stop it for God's sakes - Ikea is NOT a dance hall - why do you sing and dance all over the place - people must think you're touched...............

But he's not going to stop me from dancing - no way - I've earned it this time - and I intend to dance.....................

Delivery is scheduled for December 22 -
Now we have to get out tomorrow and pick the kitchen floor -
And make an appointment for the COUNTER MAN to come show us what he's got -
I'm really still leaning towards white marble - but I can easily be swayed with that one..................

The dream is fast becoming a reality everyone!!!!

The dream

Or my more affordable version of it anyway LOL
The only luxury items I can squeeze out of this kitchen reno are the window ( and I went overboard on that one completely ) and the counter.

We've been here 3 weeks today - yesterday the oil tanks were filled - 838.00 dollars worth
And the propane tank was filled - 178.00 dollars worth

We have no idea how full either of them were when we moved in - ( even though I'm a genius - I have
s.t.u.p.i.d. moments from time to time )

John says - That better not be for a month
Suzan says - That's impossible - don't be ridiculous

OH DEAR GOD - PLEASE LET THAT BE RIDICULOUS -
Can oil actually be that expensive - I mean I know it's expensive - but not that crazy expensive?
That must last a couple of months?

John says - I shouldn't have been so quick to get rid of all the Demolition Garbage
Suzan says - Why?
John says - We could have burned it all to stay warm
Suzan says - Agh - winter's not that long
John says - It's most of the year here, are you nuts?
Suzan says - It's December already - in a couple of weeks it'll be January
John says - AND???
Suzan says - Than it's February - a very short month - and then we're in the last month of winter after that
John shakes his head - No one would believe what I have to listen to - no one....................

In the meantime - I've discovered the first positive thing about Menopause - really - I could just turn the heat off completely and be fine :)

Much love,

Welcome Home

John yells out - Hi honey I'm home.
Suzan says - Welcome home - did you have a good day?
John says - Any time away from here makes for a good day
Suzan says - Well that's nice to know  - I cleaned up for you -
John says - Very nice ( in the most sarcastic voice you can imagine )

I don't get it - I tried to make it as homey as possible LMHO

Even I - who just love the transformation process of turning something like this into something pretty - am discouraged by it if truth be told but I do know that the worst is over - and that every single day from here on in, it's going to get better :)

John says - You're not taking pictures of this for your blog are you?
Suzan says - Yes I am
John says - Oh for God Sakes - I'm trying to build business up - I'm selling high end fabric and garments - I don't need people to know what I'm living in.
John says - We went from a prestigious address to this hell hole
John says - in a high pitched voice - supposedly imitating me - Oh - it's going to be gorgeous !!!
Suzan says - And it WILL be - it just may take a leetle bit longer than I originally thought
John says - They'll be burying us - AND IT'LL STILL LOOK LIKE THIS - IT'S TOO BIG, THIS JOB!!!
John says - Why can't you just admit you were wrong this time.
John yells - IS THAT MY CASHMERE COAT THROWN ON THAT CHAIR????

Suzan says - Listen - with everything I have to worry about - I don't need to worry about your coat
Suzan says- Hang it up
John yells - WHERE??????????????????

Ok - I'm asking all of you dear readers - if I ever tell you I'm buying a fixer upper in the future - JUST STOP ME - REALLY - JUST STOP ME

The bedroom is so close to being done that I can taste it
What does a bedroom taste like, you ask?
Like fresh paint - and sanded floors and walls - and refurbished windows - and wallpaper and pretty curtains

Today I'm loving the wallpaper again LOL

AND guess what yours truly ( inspector clousseau - ette ) discovered today???

These wood inserts that fit the windows - they were in one of the closets in the dormers tucked way back

The clips are missing that hold them in place - there was duct tape on them - such a Canadian thing to do
I ripped it off - and put my frog tape on instead LOL

Still, I'm thrilled to have found them - they'll be spray painted black tomorrow to match the windows
( and I may use a little piece of black electrical tape until I find the right brackets because tape seems to be the way to go in this house :)

Want to see the kitchen ceiling so far?  It's only been primed so use your imagination 'K?
I had to come up with an alternative plan from the ceiling I originally wanted because the money is flying out the door - you can see the original coveted ones HERE - and I still love them with a passion - but too too expensive - and in the end I may just love these as much!!!
I'll tell you all about it when I do the " Kitchen Ceiling " post lol -
Such a great alternative to a standard ceiling - I really am loving it -
Which makes 2 things I love so far -
against the 4 million and 3 hundred and 62 thousand things I hate....................

 If anyone needs me - I'll be sitting in the corner of the bedroom - on the floor - admiring the view and wishing the bed didn't have to be put plunk right in the middle of that window - hiding the curtains..............

It IS going to be pretty - please tell me it IS going to be pretty ?

Oh and I'm just finishing off the bedroom closets -

John says - Where the hell are the knobs from the buffet gone?
Suzan says - Oh them?  I got bored of them on the buffet - time for a change..................

I'm missing my last house a little too much this week -

REALLY - a little too much !!!

Have a wonderful Friday everyone - I'm off to have a tooth pulled - in the midst of all of this - a tooth crumbled in my mouth this week - which means I now have to make a decision concerning a bridge or an implant.
I'd rather be choosing a kitchen sink :(

Much love,
Christmas is less then 2 weeks away - this will be the first Christmas in 35 years ( with the exception of 1 ) that I haven't had it here at home - Lindsay's going to do it at her place this year )
I may discover I like it that way LOL