While Paul has been working hard on the deck - I tackled the backyard. The postage stamp-size backyard made smaller by the circus tents which hold all of our outdoor stuff until the garage is built.

I fell in love with the Loblaw's gardening centre, good prices and little selection. Perfect combination for me. And fabulously the boxwoods I bought went on sale for $13 each (Toronto - Dupont/Christie and unfortunately the week after I bought the backyard plants) so I went back to pick up 3 more for the front of the house.


The front porch has seen some progress so I need to run out and take a picture. Paul has replaced the pillars and added the front step. Today was spent putting a tool together in the back circus tent - so more progress should happen tomorrow!

There has been great progress on our front porch this past week with Paul working furiously (furious as in working hard and yes there has been some cursing).

Devoted Jakob has been helping and is quite enamoured with the nail gun. I have to walk away during these times, probably because I have seen too many reports on TV and read too many stories in newspapers about men wandering into emergency wards complaining of a headache only to find they have a nail lodged in their brain.

Day 1:


Day 2 with Jakob:


Day 3/4:

It's wine time!

I blogged a while ago about Fuzion Shiraz-Malbec and its incredible combination of taste, value and price and now Fuzion has released a Syrah Rosé. Fabulous for drinking chilled on the back patio on a glorious day surrounded by friends (or alone - let's be honest). It's hard to find with its limited run, I recommend checking the LCBO web site (http://lcbo.com/lcbo-ear/lcbo/product/searchResults.do?ITEM_NAME=122424&ITEM_NUMBER=122424) to see what stores are actually carrying it - which aren't many, and those that do watch cases fly off the shelves as soon as they are stocked.



FUZION Syrah Rose

Tasting Note: Aromas of strawberries, sweet red fruit and blackberries on this minimum colour intensity wine with a slight yellow hue. An unctuous yet delicate palate with a good balance between sugar and acidity makes this rosé an easy sipping wine to be enjoyed by all.

Enjoy With: A perfect complement to light appetizers such as puffed pastry and cheeses. Serves well with all types of white meats.

Dry / Sweet: Dry, rosé wine, sugar content is 1.

Terroir / Region: Located in the province of Mendoza, one of the eight wine capitals of the world, this 100% Shiraz is produced in the mountainous area of central-west Argentina where grapes are hand-picked the first week of March.

Producer: With more than 40 years of winemaking experience, Familia Zuccardi’s growing repertoire of some of the industry’s most affordable wines has made this producer a favourite to serve. The family’s dedication, passion and innovation all come together to make this winery one of the best in Argentina.

Price: $7.45

Availability: Available through LCBO at select stores.

After holding my breath for a week, I can finally let out air. That slight breeze you just felt against your cheek was me and all my relief. I had my ultrasound today at Mt Sinai hospital and there is no cancer. THANK. GOD.

I have made the decision to talk to my oncologist about removing my remaining breast as a preventative against cancer even though I don't think I'm gene positive...but this stress of being tested every 6 months and worrying have they found something? Have they missed something? is wreaking havoc on my brain and life. The specialist today said that MRIs do not work well on me which is the first time I have ever heard that - now having had 3 of them. She said mammograms and ultrasound show more.

I'll have to talk to my oncologist about that.

To celebrate we have opened wine, grilled steak on the bbq and toasted our good health and all our friends who have supported us through this crazy time...again!

Jakob rocking the straight hair courtesy of the hair stylist who cut his hair today.

Jakob loved it and was very concerned about the impact of rain on his newly straightened locks. He was not impressed at all with mother nature. How dare she thwart his fabulous new look? How dare she!

Porch project status: parging done. (By Carlos, a man who speaks little English though has lived in Toronto for 15 years but is very cute and calls Jakob boss. Jakob offers him cookie pieces which he politely declines. Jakob says he seems like a very nice man.) Paul has just left for Rona to pick up a few things and will begin construction tomorrow!




What was interesting in tearing up the rotting porch is finding out that the parging our (evil) contractor was supposed to be responsible for when they rebuilt the foundation at the front of the house, charged at his inflated price plus his inflated 21% fee because it was considered a CHANGE ORDER, was not actually done. They only parged what we were able to see, the very corners.

But I will take a breath, stab a few toothpicks into the voodoo doll and let it go.

Back to the porch, I'm thinking of painting all the trim one colour, para paint P5221-62. I'm trying to find an online chip but for some reason am having a bit of trouble since Para only wants to show me colour pallets that THEY like.

Now because there is nothing more boring than parging photos, I'm also going to post photos of Jakob with Hamish, my $560 cat minus 2 teeth which I took today because Jakob has been home sick having vomited first thing this morning (all over 2 House & Home magazines and my Ikea catalogue...sob). I feel for Hamish, he's often the focus of Jakob's affection and attention and seldom gets the chance to walk.

My incredibly adorable husband has tackled the front porch as my mother's day present.





And also had time to surprise me with the most beautiful arrangement of flowers.


I am so much happier with the porch in this state: a work in progress with limitless potential versus a crack-den-look-alike and I don't miss the artificial turf in the slightest! We have a man coming tomorrow to do some cement work, some parging so that Paul can begin rebuilding the porch this Friday, once the wood arrives.

It has been an emotionally exhausting day. The hospital called to say that something has been found on my MRI and I need to go back next week for an ultrasound. My hope for a year without surgery seems to be fading fast.

I like to pretend that breast cancer isn't part of my life, and most of the time I don't really spend a lot of time thinking about it. Sure the scars from the mastectomy burn brightly but after I put on my t-shirt, admire my now flattened stomach from the reconstruction...poof, it's out of my mind.

Until the dreaded tests. One which is tomorrow...my favourite one: MRI time at Mt. Sinai.

No wonder I'm agitated, it's not just pms after all.

Wish me luck.

Scenes from Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0446029/) are being filmed in our neighbourhood with the park and a few houses being blanketed with fake snow. (Not our crack den obviously, sadly no place in the movie for my little horror.)

Satchel and a few of his friends have been hanging around the movie set on their lunch hour and after school and were able to meet Michael Cera who plays the main character in the film. MC is now Satchel's favourite movie star because frankly Satchel's adoration can be bought for $2. Unless it's me trying to buy him off, then the price goes way up and usually involves a trip to Toys R Us. After the scene was filmed, MC came over to the kids and thanked them for watching quietly and as their reward, took them to where they keep the soft drinks and let them grab one of their choosing.

I asked Satch what the scene was about and he said "I have no idea, but he was dressed kind of weird. Kind of old fashioned."

I said "Old fashion? I thought it was supposed to be the 1980s?"

Satch says "That's why, it's RETRO!"

I'm going to hang on to retro rather than old fashion when defining myself as I stumble into the closet most mornings half asleep, pulling out something to wear that was either purchased in the 80s (very old), around when Satch was born (1996 - kind of old), or when Jakob was born (2001) until now (considered new).

I do believe I have found the house numbers for my crack den house front courtesy of Design Within Reach: http://www.dwr.com/product/accessories/neutra-house-numbers-aluminum.do


With any luck they are in stock or at least will not take FOREVER to ship from the States...like my book shelves.