Here we are. Knee deep in a Practically Canadian fall. Leaves are falling faster than a broken thermostat in January…and I’m just looking around wondering how the heck this happened. Anyone else?
With our move back to Minot I’ve gained some clarity about some things I’d like to do while we are here. First of all, I’d like to further pursue the gifts God has given me in regard to teaching and speaking on Biblical topics. Second, I’d like to create a beautiful house from something pretty shabby. And third, I’d like to share my life here in Minot in hopes that I can shift the negative perception of what living in Practically Canada looks like…into something positive. Maybe even desirable.
So I guess, this space as well as my social channels will be a North Dakota lifestyle blog.
Yes, I know. This isn’t where you’d expect to find a lifestyle blogger. And the North Dakota lifestyle might not be as hotly sought after as…let’s say…an east coast lifestyle or swoon-worthy southern design. This, however, is the life I’m living. North Dakota is a quirky, weird, great place. It’s a place where the strangest things happen. It’s a place whose story isn’t being told. So I’m going to start telling that story.
At least as I see it.
I’ve put off starting to write this series for quite some time because I don’t want anything that I find silly to offend the dear locals that I love so much. So please know that everything hence forth written about North Dakota comes from a place of love. A special place in my heart reserved for the quirkiest, kindest, most bizarre place I’ve ever called “home.”
So I decided to start doing a thing. I’m calling it Minot Mondays because I like alliteration.
On Mondays I’ll be posting about life in Minot. Things to do. An anecdote. A gallery of photos. I don’t really know what all will crop up, but I’m reserving one day each week to pursue my goal of shifting the general perspective on what life here really looks like. So that when someone gets relocated here for whatever reason…their blood won’t turn to ice as they start thinking that life as they know it is over.
This is where I need your help. If you know someone new to the Practically Canadian region (AKA Minot), or someone about to move in, or someone who has lived here a while but still hasn’t found their groove–send them my way. Invite them to follow along with the blog, on Facebook or Instagram. I’m eager to grow a community of friends who want to thrive in the North Dakota lifestyle.
To kick off our first ever Minot Monday, I’ve compiled a few lists that will start to put the myth to rest that there is “nothing to do” in Minot. There’s tons to do. And since it only takes about 15 minutes to get anywhere in town…it’s all accessible (and because us Practically Canadians are thrifty, it’s usually surprisingly affordable!)
These lists are not exhaustive. Just some highlights that piqued my interest. Fo a full list of things going on, go the the Visit Minot website. Also…I’ll note that this list doesn’t include recurring events that happen all the time. We’ll talk about things like story times (there are story times and activities for littles happening nearly every week day!), trivia nights and sports some other time.
Special Stuff Going on For Kids This Week:
10/22 High Air Ground Tie Dye— $15 gets you jump time, a shirt, tie dye supplies and a drink (spots are limited)
10/25 YMCA Halloween Family Fun Night–$3/child or $15/family. Obstacle course, treats, games, haunted house and Dizzy the Clown. (PS, Dizzy the Clown is a pillar of the community. If you don’t know of Dizzy the Clown, people around here will know you’re new in town.)
10/27 Gymagic Skeleton Hunt Open Gym –($15 age 4-14) Skeleton hunt followed by open gym. (PS, look into their regularly scheduled open gym times. It’s only $5 for all ages and I’ve heard it is awesome!)
Halloween Events for Grown Ups (well…teens and grown ups)
There’s a lot going on since Halloween is on the horizon. If I hear anyone complain that there was nothing to do for Halloween, I’m going to be ticked.
Haunted houses are happening at Dakota Square Mall, the Haunted Forest, and the Library. There are creepy Escape rooms happening at Minot High. Halloween parties are happening at East End, the Moose, and the Little Chicago Pub District. For a costume event that isn’t Halloween related, hit the Hangar Dance. It’s golden era themed and looks super fun. Oh–and there’s a movie in the park. It’s Hocus Pocus, one of my nostalgic faves ever since I watched it with my favorite babysitter waaaay back in 1993. (Don’t judge me.)
We’re in the red-hot center of a military move. I don’t often write about military life. Partly because there is so much confidential–I don’t want to write something that I shouldn’t, or compromise the safety of our troops in any way. A bigger part is that I often don’t understand military life, even though I’m smack dab in the middle of it.
There are so many pieces to this lifestyle that are always moving. And so many things about this life that cause me anxiety, stress and even things that trigger depression. I often don’t share because I am usually not in a positive headspace to share anything productive. (My words would probably just confuse anyone who read them!) But something is shifting. With this move things feel different. Even though this is maybe the craziest move of all, I have an uncanny calm. Today I’m going to harness that and write a little about our move.
Every move is different. If you know someone in the military (or married into it) I hope this will give you some insight. If you are in, or joining via marriage–I hope this will help you see that you aren’t alone. We’re all doing crazy things to make it work and get our families resettled. Even if it means flying cats across America and living out of a suitcase for months at a time.
So, without further ado, here’s what our move process has looked like this time around.
Like all moves, military or otherwise, our move started long before we packed up our bags and took one last family photo in the driveway. Because of the structure of Derek’s job, we knew a move was on the horizon quite a while ago. And, yes…the rumors are true…we made it known that we preferred to return to Minot. In this life you don’t always get your preference, but this time it worked out. And we praise God for that!
Now, you might know that I have a deep love for South Dakota and I’ve had a passionate affair with our house there. I didn’t write too much about it, but I loved it from the first moment I laid eyes on it. I knew it was special. Yes, I’m a house whisperer. No judgment please.
I’m always attached to my home, but this one was different. Derek and I have hopes of returning to Rapid City. And if we are going to return at some point, we’d like to come home. To our home. Canyon Lake Cottage.
And quite frankly, if we sold the Cottage–we couldn’t afford to buy it again now that it isn’t falling apart at the seams.
Loving a house is all well and good. But it does open a big can of confusing when it comes to moving across state lines. Since we want to keep our Rapid home, in hopes of coming back, that meant finding a way to make our house self-sustaining (read: we can’t pay two mortgages) while we’re away.
At first we thought Derek would be headed for a short term training assignment for his job in Minot in June/early July. If that was the case, Gideon and I would stay in Rapid City, find a renter to move in in the fall, and we’d all meet up in Minot, buy a house and have a nice, smooth move.
But things changed.
Derek’s training got pushed back to August, but he still needed to report to his new base at the end of June. Since we don’t like volunteering to spend time apart, unless we really need to–we decided we’d all move up to Minot in June.
And that’s what we did.
After lots of praying, we decided to open our house for the summer as a vacation rental via AirBnB. (I’ll be writing about that experience once the summer wraps up.) We moved furniture and personal items. We bought extra beds and dressers. I installed locks on closets to create “off limits” spaces. I decorated and photographed. Derek lined up (amazing) friends who would take care of turn over and lawn care. We asked for advice from everyone we could find with any experience in the short term rental game.
We listed and booked through Labor Day in three days. Praise God!
Things haven’t been without hiccups, but the summer has gone more smoothly than I could have imagined. It’s been so fun to share our favorite place with vacationers.
So that was one piece of our moving puzzle was taken care of.
With all moves (especially the military variety) there are many unknowns. When we were packing up to leave for the summer, we didn’t know what kind of house we would buy (a fixer or something move in ready.) We didn’t know if we’d end up renting for a while. Or how long we’d really be gone. Derek would be gone for training from August until November, but Gideon and I might be in Minot, Indiana, or come back to South Dakota.
It was so stressful deciding what to pack and how much to bring. We have two cars and a small trailer, and at the time, very little idea of how long we’d be gone. (I’ll also be writing on that later.)
After marathon days of planning, packing, praying, and good-byes we loaded up the cars. Derek drove with Panda cat and the trailer. I drove with Gideon.
When we got to Minot, we spent about 10 days living in a hotel. Then we moved in with a friend from church. She’s an older woman, and one of our favorite people on the planet. She has been kind enough to provide us with bedrooms and a kitchen and company and game nights and all the comforts of home until we close on our house. Gideon adores her, and is quite smitten with the retirement living lifestyle.
If you follow me on Instagram, you know we’ve house hunted and despite our preconceived ideas of finding a place that needed minimal work, we are in the process of purchasing the biggest project of our lives. (More on that to come.)
I have trepidations, but we’ve earnestly sought God in this whole process and this is where we find ourselves. I’d like to say I can imagine the adventure to come, but I don’t think I can even begin to comprehend the ride in store for us.
So here we are. Derek is in yet another state for training. Panda cat is being fostered by our lovely, kind friends. Gideon and I are taking bids from contractors. The process of getting “settled” has been so long and drawn out, but every day we get a little closer. Here are the “steps” we have left until we are officially fully transitioned back to life in Practically Canada.
Get the house appraised.
Gideon and I are headed to Indiana to visit family. Why not since we are homeless and already living out of suitcases?
Find a long term renter for the Cottage in Rapid City–it’s available at the end of September if you know anyone looking!
Go to South Dakota, supervise the movers as they pack up all our worldly possessions.
Come back to Minot, close on the house.
Get our cat and all move into the “new” house.
Get moving on major “must do” projects before the Big Freeze settles in.
Welcome Derek home in November.
See we’re basically done.
And now that I’ve written this big update my mind feels free to write about all the other things buzzing around in my head! Like how to pick a fixer-upper. How to live out of a suitcase for months at a time. How to find contractors. And of course, plenty of posts on how to love life in Minot!
We have very few, true holiday traditions. Easter is always iffy since weather in the Dakotas is highly unpredictable. Somewhat frequent summer burn-bans make 4th of July sparklers hit and miss. Our Thanksgiving table is always set for company–but we never really know who will be dining with us. Christmas and New Years are usually spent traveling–and those plans never seem to materialize until a week or so before December 25.
Valentine’s Day is different.
We don’t do anything elaborate for Valentine’s Day. Sometimes we go on a date. Sometimes we don’t. We might eat dinner out. Or maybe we just eat at home. I guess it’s really as unpredictable as the rest of the holidays. But we do have one tradition, and it might be my favorite of the whole year.
I don’t know how it started. I think I happened across this photo of beautiful, homemade ice cream sandwiches in an issue of Martha Stewart Living. And since V-Day falls right smack-dab in the middle of the coldest part of winter (for those of us in the midwest) I thought I’d give it a try. (Here is her recipe. The cookies are a lot like the traditional ice cream sandwich cookies you can buy in the store. I made these a few times, but I had a knack for over baking them.)
I’ve been making homemade ice cream sandwiches for about 6 years now. Every year they get a little better. This year our treat was sweeter than ever because I shared my favorite edible Valentines with not one handsome boy–but two!
Maybe now that Gideon has joined our household we’ll create more traditions. Even if that doesn’t happen, hopefully he’ll always look forward to ice cream sandwiches in February. Perhaps he’ll want to help me make them even when he’s too big to be confined to a Bumbo seat on the counter.
Because I love this tradition so much I want to pass on my recipes to you. I’m a big fan of the traditional chocolate cookie sandwiches. (Like Martha’s above.) I’ve tried several cookie recipes, but this recipe from Handle the Heat is the best one I’ve found yet.
The cookies are soft and chewy–even when they’re frozen. They’re easy to make. The ingredients are usually already in my kitchen and the recipe is well-written and easy to follow. (The only down side is that they can’t be cut with a cookie cutter.) I’ve never made the cookie butter ice cream mentioned in her recipe, but I can only imagine it is di-vine!
I scoop the batter with a medium cookie scoop. Don’t be alarmed that the cookie dough looks thin. It’s more like a batter than a dough. I find that the cookies don’t spread too much and they come out light, airy and a little puffed up at first. Just don’t let their delicate look trick you in to over-baking them. They’re meant to be a little gooey.
As they cool they flatten out a bit. (Oh, and I should mention that they are delightful to eat on their own. Or topped with peanut butter. Just saying.)
I’ve used lots of different fillings over the years too. The first year I did store-bought strawberry ice cream–just like Martha. Later I did vanilla. Then two years ago I got an ice cream maker for Christmas.
Best. Gift. Ever.
Well–one of the best gifts ever. Especially for an ice cream lover like me.
This is the one I have and if you have a KitchenAid, I highly recommend it. It’s easy to use, affordable, and makes a perfect sized batch of ice cream.
This year we filled our sandwiches with this Maple Nut ice cream from The Cookie Writer. It. Is. So. Good. I’ll definitely be making it again. It pairs perfectly with the chewy-gooey brownie cookies!
If you are going to try your hand at making your own ice cream sandwiches here are my top three tips. (Here’s a quick FYI. I don’t do elaborate staging for photos, as evidenced by the pile of used bottles waiting to be washed behind me.)
Freeze everything before assembly. They are much easier to put together if everything is solid.
Uniformity is key. Use a cookie scoop to size out cookie dough. I also use a round biscuit or cookie cutter sitting on top of a cookie as a guide for filling it with ice cream. It gives a nice clean edge and consistent filling.
Do it in two days. While this is easy, it’s also a tad time consuming. I find that making cookies and ice cream on day one and doing assemble on day two helps fit this treat into my lifestyle. Doing it that way also keeps it fun, instead of leaving me cranky that I’ve been in the kitchen all day.
For pretty presentation I wrap mine in parchment paper and tie them with baker’s twine. However, if you aren’t giving them away you can just store them in an air tight container. I’ve been told they’ll keep a couple weeks…but we eat them too quickly to know if that’s true.
Well, the time has come to make an announcement. And no. the announcement isn’t that I’m pregnant. I find mom life much more enjoyable now that Gideon can eat solids, nap without screaming and sleep all night long. I’m not quite ready to shake up this scene just yet.
I’m getting off topic already.
We’re moving…
to…
Minot!!
Yes. Those are exclamation points. And yes, I’m talking about Minot, ND. As in, only the best come north. All the way north to Practically Canada. As you can see, we are basically ready for our migration. We’ve already got the t-shirts (an no, we didn’t buy them strictly for this photo), awkward Minotauros hat and lefse sticks to prove it.
Now, you know I hate moving. And this time around isn’t much different. I’m not looking forward to it. I love our home and community here in Rapid City. My stomach is in knots just typing up this post. I’ve put off making this official for weeks and weeks. Sorry if you’ve recently asked about our next assignment and I’ve changed the subject…or never returned your text. It’s really hard for me to face the facts when it comes to moving.
However, if I have to be uprooted there are few places I’d rather call home than Minot, ND.
Unless it’s Maine. Then, yes, please pack my house up–you can expect me tomorrow.
I hear a lot of grumbling about Minot. Mostly from people who have never been. As I’ve told people in the past, it’s not a vacation destination, but it sure is a great place to come home to. I’m excited to return, not only to reconnect with some of the dearest friends I’ve ever known, but also (hopefully) to help shift the very negative vibes that exist about living there.
The reasons Derek and I like Minot so much are hard to explain. To be sure, it’s not the winters, wind or vast amounts of trees. Minot is the perfect place to pursue passions. People are eager to support new ventures (but not too new….because the locals are really slow on change.) There is community of people there who are striving side by side to make the town more fun, more inviting and more impactful.
It’s a place where an idea can become a reality, because you are usually only one or two acquaintances away from “the person you need to talk to.” It’s a place where you can pick up curling, square dancing, and accordion playing. You can be a story-time reader, an artist, an advocate. You can openly rollerblade without getting made fun of and have a “usual” order at three restaurants in town. I know, because I’ve done all those things.
I told you. It’s hard to explain. I’ll give it my best shot over the next few years.
Here’s a bit of timeline (because I know some of you will be asking.) Derek has to do a training refresher this summer. So, we’ll be headed up in the fall. Maybe before then to do a little house hunting. Basically I’m not sure when we’ll all be up and ready to unpack, but I do know it’s on the horizon.
And to everyone who put off coming to visit us while we lived in a tourist destination…Sorry, Charlie. In about 6 months if you want to darken our doorstep you’ll have to come to Minot.
I’m continuing to pray that God would renew my mind and heart when it comes to moving. So that this transition would be smooth and joyful–instead of wracked with anxiety and grief. I know God can do all things, and that kind of mind renewal for me would be a bigger miracle than Him cancelling our orders and making a way for us to stay put in Rapid City forever. If you are up for a prayer request, I’d love your intercession. While I’m nervous on the surface deep down, I think God has some really, really good things in store for us in Practically Canada.
So there. Now I’ve said it. It’s on the Internet and it’s official. We’re moving north. Uffda! It’s going to be oh-fer-fun!
This is kind of a scary day. Probably not for you. And really, it hasn’t been a scary day for me either. Until this point–at 4:30pm in a small town close to the surface of the sun (that’s what I’ve taken to calling this place)–when I sat down on the loveseat in a long-term hotel suite to write this post.
The loveseat’s upholstery is covered in all kinds of Southwestern designs…eagles and lizards and the kind of stuff that makes you think of cave murals, Mayan art and adobe dwellings…all in muted, ugly hotel colors: mauve, tan, a different tan, dirty green and dusty blue. Classic tapestry colors. It’s not hideous. But I miss my couch and my pretty house and the general Nordic theme of Practically Canada.
Panda is here too. And because our current dwelling is comprised of limited space, I never forget her presence. Not because she’s overly snuggly and showering me with attention. No, I’m afraid she saves her cutest acts and best snuggles for Derek. After all we’ve been through, I’m old news….the person she goes to when she’s desperate {like in the middle of the day and Derek is working}. But definitely not first choice. No, no, no…I always know she’s here because no matter how much I clean–or how often a maid comes in–the air always smells a little bit like cat litter. Just a little.
Now I could open a window–if I were anywhere else. But on the surface of the sun, that’s just not possible. Because of the Skin Melt Factor–or SMF, for short.
Oh! That’s right. I got into this whole, “I’m scared,” thing and never bothered to mention exactly what’s happening. Isn’t it annoying when people start talking at you and you have no clue what they are going on about? Well–stop the smiling and nodding because I’m about to fill you in. {And waiting this long was an artistic choice. In high school they taught me to draw a reader in with an air of mystery and a good hook.} So, for those of you who haven’t hit the “back” button to return to browsing your Facebook feed, here goes.
In brief, today is scary for me because I’m doing something I haven’t done in a long, long time. Writing. I remember the day I stopped. I’d written a devotional on prayer. Prayer has consistently changed my life and worked miracles in my day to day. I love praying regularly with my church family–openly, honestly, with structure and purpose. I was learning about prayer by being surrounded with people who were more mature in their spiritual walks. I was becoming more passionate about prayer and I was seeing how the Body of Christ was supposed to work together. In turn, this was all fueling my private prayer life and walk with the Lord.
That evening I got a comment on Facebook that rocked me. It was negative and hurtful. I was walking a hard road anyway, and all of a sudden I was incredibly gun shy. I didn’t want the things I wrote to cause controversy, or something I loved doing to cause me fear and anxiety about how people perceive me or the strength of my faith. I was in a fierce battle with insecurity and up against raging spiritual warfare. When I sat down to write I was griped with fear. What if instead of glorifying the Lord, I was turning people away from faith? Who am I to be writing and teaching on Biblical truth? Who reads this stuff anyway? No one really wants to hear your lame stories. That was well over a year ago.
I might have written a few posts after that, but pretty much I stuck to showing only photo previews and businessy stuff. I’m not bummed that it happened, because it’s been nice to literally go days without looking at a computer or checking Facebook or getting a comment and wondering if with was nice or mean.
But here I sit on the surface of the sun–homeless except for this room–writing again. And I actually plan to continue. I’ve spent more than a year weighing this out. And I’ve come to the conclusion that more good and happy things have come from writing than, painful things. I don’t like to write about controversial things–I like to write about quirky things that help people learn and encourage folks to see the humor and beauty in the places they find themselves. I like to do this, I’ve prayed about it, so…here we go.
We are in New Mexico. The Minot episode{s} in my life have all but ended, expect for a guest starring role every now and then. My house has sold and someone new is calling it home. The movers kidnapped all my stuff and hauled it to a storage center in the desert. And I’m here. In a different dessert learning that just because heat is “dry” doesn’t mean it’s not miserable. According to the heat index, the dryness of the air means it actually feels less hot that the actual temperature. So when it’s 104˚F, it really only feels like 100˚. That’s why I developed my own index: The Skin Melt Factor. It’s the amount of heat radiated off of and reflected back from every available surface {rocks, asphalt, cement, bricks, wood…there is no grass here to soak it up} and the degree to which it makes my skin feel like it’s melting off of the bone. The SMF is very high here. It’s about a 10 at 7am, skyrockets to an alarming 37 by 2pm, and drops to a manageable 5 by 8:30pm.
Anyway, Derek’s been here since March. I just arrived at the beginning of the month. I stayed back in Minot to sell the house, wait for closing, enjoy one last Practically Canadian Summer. He’s here training until September. So despite the SMF, I’m very happy to be here. All kidding and sarcastic comments aside, I’m so glad to be here. I’m excited to be exploring the Southwest. I’m happy to be finding some local gems. I’m happy to have time to write and pray and workout and…most importantly dunk around in the pool. Mostly, it’s really nice to be back to adventuring with Derek and Panda.
Look at that post title. Is this seriously for real? I don’t know how it can be…because last time I checked Minot is amazing and I’d like to stay forever {or at least another 5 years or so.} But they are forcing me out. In the last month’s I’ve been closing up the photography biz, tying up philanthropic commitments and trying my best to ensure that all the honey pots I’ve stuck my hands into over the last four years will cap up nicely when I leave. I’d rather not leave a bunch of sticky fingerprints all over.
I’ve been cleaning and organizing and clearing closets and purging things I haven’t used in years. I’ve been doing a few minor repairs and shining everything up–all leading up to this day. The day I list my house online: For Sale By Owner. {See the Bisman listing here for additional details.}
Yikes.
Now I’m armed with photos and descriptions. I’ve done the math {which hurt my brain}. Math on square footage and interest and pricing and escargot…I mean escrow. Now that’s left is to find a buyer for what I consider to be the cutest, dreamiest, most fun, charming, darling, comfiest, dearest house in the greater Minot area. So take a look, snoop around the blog. This amazing place could be yours very soon {granted you have proof that you are pre-approved for a loan.} I’ve poured the last four years in to making this an idyllic home and I’ve loved {almost} every second of it. And now….it’s time to brag on this beauty. Scroll through and you’ll see photos and my favorite things about living at 900 3rd St.
The landscaping lends major curb appeal and it’s super easy to maintain. I love pretty yards, but I don’t like a lot of upkeep–so all the best are planted with hardy perennials that will look better and better each year. Bonus–there are loads of top-notch peonies and lilies so in the spring you can keep the house stocked with fresh flowers.
We love to be outside, and in the city a big yard can be hard to come by. This home has a supersized corner lot that’s fully fenced–perfect for kids, dogs, and yard games.
One of the most glorious things about living in Minot is the looong, perfectly temperate summer nights. Grill out on the deck, dine alfresco, and entertain friends around the fire pit on the patio. The patio is created from salvaged brick from a flood home. The patio is also great for hosting outdoor movie nights, pumpkin carving parties and dancing in the moonlight. There are even outdoor speakers for setting the mood. The buyer can keep as much of our outdoor furniture as they please–and the grill too! And neighbors? You’ll never live among finer, more respectful folks.
The inside of the home boasts restored charm alongside modern, eco-friendly upgrades. While this is a historic home, the house does have an open floor plan, which is great for entertaining and hosting large groups. The living room has fresh bamboo flooring which never gets too cold and is easy to clean. The chalkboard panels can be taken down–I pink swear I’m not hiding anything behind them. The buyer can keep them, or I can have them taken out–up to you.
The kitchen and dining room have Dura-ceramic tile that was put in just before we moved in nearly four years ago. I love having hard floors because they are so easy to keep clean in the winter when snow and mud get brought inside on boots. The dining room features a period inspired light and charming built in cabinets.
I love this kitchen because it’s got so much storage. There is cabinet space I’m not even using! It’s floor to ceiling. And the best part is this: the corner cabinets {top and bottom} are fitted with over-sized lazy susan’s so there is no wasted space! The second best part is this: a brand new Maytag convection oven. I’m in love with this appliance and I’d take it with me if I could. {No joke.}
The bedrooms in this home are very spacious for a house of this age. The master bedroom has lots of floor space and shows off hardwood floors original to the structure. An expanded closet was added to the room, giving it a nice, organized storage space.
The office used to be our guest room. There is plenty of room in here for a bed and two dressers. However–when we finished the basement remodel, this became a home office and where I store my art supplies. It’s not pictured, but this room also has a large closet fitted with clothing racks and rods.
The bathroom has incredible storage–a built in cabinet, where I store linens, and a shelving unit for towels. I had Derek build the custom pull out drawer because the shelves are so deep! This way no space is wasted. The shower has an awesome shower head and great water pressure {things you really don’t find out until you move in…but are nice to know in advance.}
The basement remodel was completed in July 2015. It’s waterproofed by Innovative Basement Systems, who offer a fully transferable lifetime warranty on their work. In simple terms that means it’s guaranteed that water will never come in to this space. Ever. We use this space as a guest suite, but it’d also make a nice master suite or home office. There is lot’s of storage down here, including shelving under the stairs and an unfinished “closet” space.
The washer and dryer are also down here, closed off in their own closet. Those appliances can stay with the house, as can the upright freezer. There is a 1 3/4 bathroom in the basement as well {toilet, sink, shower–no bathtub}. It’s new and the plumbing is guaranteed, as is all the electrical work–and the lights themselves are supposed to last about 20 years before they need to be replaced.
All in all this is the smartest, best purchase you could make. Help me spread the word by sharing this post with your friends who might be looking for a perfect place in Practically Canada. It’s really a great place to live–you can even walk downtown for dinner when the weather is nice–so let’s get selling!
Okay–now I have to link this page up to actual home-buying sites. Wish me luck.
I don’t know if I can remember a winter that has ever been as busy and fun as the one I’m living right now. I’ve had what feels like a blue million sessions for the Artists in the Schools program. I’ve had a few seniors request snowy portraits. A few babies have made their debut at the end of my lens. I became an aunt for the first time ever when my sis gave birth to the prettiest ginger baby you’ve ever seen. I’m in the midst of saying “good bye for now…” to one of the greatest friends I’ve ever had as she prepares to move to England. I’ve road tripped. I’ve been cat sitting. I’ve been ice skating and practicing my Tara Lipinski impression.
I’ve been busy with a thousand things. Which is why you haven’t seen too much writing here on the blog. I simply just haven’t been able to make time to sit and catch up.
But perhaps the best thing of all is my latest {maybe greatest} quirky skill. After years of searching, I’m finally learning to play the accordion. Yes. You heard me right.
Admittedly pretty much every ounce of free time I’ve had since bringing this bad boy home a week and a half ago has been tied up in practicing. It’s all pretty basic right now, scales, simple tunes, easy rhythms. I owe my friend Mary big time, because it was she that hooked me up with this beauty. She was kind enough to loan this accordion to me. To let me learn and decide if I want to buy my own.
As you can see, it’s gorgeous. Which is only part of its appeal. Inside the case there was a stack of accordion lessons that are copyrighted 1950. Adorably, they are called the “Modern Piano Accordion Course.” The colors are lovely and the graphics are so vintagey-cool I could squeal. Really, I think they are cute enough to frame. The lessons inside are sufficient for me–who had never touched an accordion before. I’m now working on lesson 7. I’m shifting between chords and working on treble clef fingering that “crosses under.”
I’m really thrilled. I really love it. {Can you tell?} As a collector of odd talents this will look quite nice on my proverbial shelf.
I’m eager to play for anyone who’ll listen. My neighbor kids just dropped by to see if we could play a board game. Before I let them bust out the Farkle I forced them to listen to a few songs. I’m still trying to make a Skype date work with my parents so they can hear the wonder that is me getting my polka on. {Do you think the fact that it hasn’t worked out yet is their way of telling me something? Nah.}
Anyway…on the blog next week, I’ll be telling you tales of cat sitting, tales of classroom art projects, and showing off a few photo sessions. I hope you’ll forgive the absence. I hope you’ll come and hang out and do life with me. It sure is fun.
In addition to writing to you about Katie’s Singing Telegrams last week {post here}…I also had the big-time fun of joining her on a couple of Valentine’s deliveries. Like I said, she’s my friend. As my friend, I want her to have good photos. And…if I’m being totally honest, I also really enjoyed watching her sing to strangers in a gorilla mask.
One delivery I tagged along for was at a local elementary school. The recipient works in the after school care program.
Upon entering the school in full Valentine-Gorilla garb, Katie immediately attracted attention. Kids were so curious about who she was and why she was in their school. One little girl turned to a friend and said, “Look, it’s a monster!”
Classic.
We found the target lucky guy in the cafeteria. He too, didn’t know what to make of this crazy gorilla. When she started strumming the ukelele and told him it was a “special delivery” just for him, he was pretty stunned. {See photo above.} He even stepped out and into the hallway…where he was followed by a singing gorilla, a co-worker, photographer, and hoard of kids. After the initial shock wore off, he was a great sport. The kids, while still a little confused really enjoyed it too. And I had a good laugh for quite some time, even after we left.
Seeing Katie in action was super fun. Now I’m really racking my brain to come up with someone to send a telegram to. So, if we are friends in real life–you and me–you’ve been warned. Someone in my circle will be getting a song in the coming months. It’s just so much fun!
Renew your zeal for the Bible with three days of exclusive devotionals! Interesting and relevant writings and reflection questions will remind you why the Word of God is so awesome. You'll learn a lot and you'll leave excited to know God more and grow deeper in your faith.
Your kick-start is on the way!
You've always dreamed of reading the Bible in chronological order. Now you can!
Getting my printable PDF plan is easy. It's not fancy, but it does fold easily into a bookmark, so you can keep it close by and easily see what's coming next. I hope you find it as useful as I do.
**Remember to check your PROMOTIONS FOLDER. Even if your confirmation comes to your normal inbox, the actual download may come to that pesky promotions folder instead!**
