I don’t have the itch to repurpose things like I used to. Not many years ago I’d get positively giddy over a neglected piece of furniture at a thrift store. Last weekend, I completed a job out of necessity, not for the thrill of it.
…
“If the women don’t find you handsome, they should at least find you handy” ~Red Green
Lucky for me, my husband is both!
…
I scroll Twitter and see the millionth tweet from someone who drove past somewhere and saw that people weren’t masked. My blood pressure rises. How can some people STILL not get that this virus is killing people indiscriminately? It’s insane. I shake my head. That moment of GAH! on social media can be the one thing that keeps a person’s head from exploding. But for me, it might be the final thing that makes my head pop off its mooring.
…My first apartment in Wingham had a huge kitchen and livingroom, with a loft-like bedroom and bathroom at the top of a steep set of painted stairs. A few times, when my panty-hosed feet met those steps, Lisa went bye-bye. I recall slipping all the way down, my endless fall finally broken by cracking my noggin on the wooden door at the bottom.
…“New toilet’s in!”
…Hands up, anyone who loves scraping layers of paint off a metal door? Anybody? Bueller? I didn’t think so. …
Forgotten CDs Play on As Drink Coasters Dec 19/16
CDs, once the brave, new technology for recorded music, were left in the dust by digital technology. And in the dust is where they sit, in piles or on racks. Even though we might not listen to them much anymore, they’re difficult to part with. But a quick walk through any second-hand store will show you how little value they have today. Now that almost everything is downloadable, merchants can’t seem to get rid of CDs at any price. …
My blowdryer and hair-straightener bug me. When not in use, they just lay there on my bathroom counter, cords tangling and getting caught in a drawer and a cupboard door. They easily slide off the countertop onto the floor, or worse, one of my tender toes. …
A DIY Gift for Book Lovers Dec 19/16
We are a nation of book-lovers. For many people, a couple of shelves full of beloved books provide comfort and make us feel at home. Even though we’ve embraced E-readers, there’s still nothing like cracking the spine of a brand new book. …
…just open it again. That’s how doors work! …
Eight years ago we refreshed our kitchen. This house was a disaster when we bought it. That’s how we got a great deal on it! And the kitchen was useless, old, and gross. We replaced just about everything including the countertop. Derek knocked out a wall and his brother, Howie, created extra storage. In other words, we made it work. …
If you’re on the Internet, you know clickbait. It’s often headlined with something that ends with, “You Won’t Believe What Happened!” or “He Never Imagined THIS!” And then you click through a series of slides and bring revenue to a company – possibly Diply here in London – whose owners get paid by the click. The more you click, the happier the ad placers are. …
It appears that I won’t be writing House Proud for Sun Media anymore. My column has been running across the country for about 9 years now, but the marketplace has changed and the newspapers sections are getting smaller. But my terrific friend Erin had a great idea.  …
As you likely know, I’m a bit of a decor nut and a crafty person. Derek has a creative mind and he’s good with a saw and hammer. We have collaborated on countless projects and enjoy the process. So it only makes sense to us that we take it to the next level. …
For her birthday, my brother gave our Mom a flat-screen TV. Unfortunately, it didn’t work with her old TV stand and the size of stand she wanted wasn’t easily found unless you had an unlimited budget. Derek said, no worries Ma, we’ll make you one! …
Derek had the shell of an old radio. We have a couple of intact ones upstairs but this one was in no shape for a prominent display area. It was missing chunks of veneer, the speaker cloth – not to mention a speaker – and a piece of one corner of the footing was broken off in a jagged mess. …
Knowing I’m a sponge for how-tos and home decor stuff, my brother sent me a link to some easy home projects on the long weekend. …
Our guest bedroom has a hardwood floor with an odd little corner that was covered with some very old-school stick-on tiles. …
House Proud: A Penny For Her Thoughts, Sun Media, March 22-24Read More »