We had a great long weekend up north. Both of us want to spend more time there during the fall. My travelling didn't make that possible this year but we are going to make it a priority next year.
Was tempted by a KLM seat sale but didn't act on it. For those who are interested, the sale ends today. As part of my research, I found a nice apartment in Budapest for when I'm ready to go. There are lots to chose from on Homeaway.
I for see 2012 as more of a reflective year. I'm already feeling that way. Lots to digest after the changes of this year.
It has been a challenge eating out with our dietary restrictions. We have been told that once off the offending foods for a few weeks, interaction with them will create symptoms. D has been at it for 6 weeks now and he gets stomach cramps immediately after eating dairy.
I haven't been off of things long enough to feel it much. But apparently, once our 6 months are up, we will be able to re-introduce the foods in a moderate way without total relapse. One thing I have noticed is my energy has gotten better. Too soon to tell if it is just coincidence.
Happy Halloween!
Monday, October 31, 2011
Friday, October 28, 2011
Shiny New Office
I know of a colleague who has just opened their new office -- At a cost of $80K. It's a really sleek office. Designer furniture, coffee maker etc.
In reality he does the same job I do but in a larger city center which can demand more payment, about $20 more than I charge.
I find myself thinking to myself, is that difference worth the large start up costs? When does the break even point happen? What about the stress of carrying such an amount fresh out of school with plenty of school debt?
I don't know all the numbers so cannot figure out the bottom line. It just makes me nervous. And I forgot there would be a fairly pricey commercial lease on top of that.
As unglamourous as my office is compared to his, I know I can pay my overhead with less than a day's work. However I get no bragging rights for playing small. People don't admire that.
They may just assume I cannot afford to do it any bigger and feel sorry for me since I've been at it for a much longer time. When in reality, I live a pretty full life. For me, that's what really matters.
In reality he does the same job I do but in a larger city center which can demand more payment, about $20 more than I charge.
I find myself thinking to myself, is that difference worth the large start up costs? When does the break even point happen? What about the stress of carrying such an amount fresh out of school with plenty of school debt?
I don't know all the numbers so cannot figure out the bottom line. It just makes me nervous. And I forgot there would be a fairly pricey commercial lease on top of that.
As unglamourous as my office is compared to his, I know I can pay my overhead with less than a day's work. However I get no bragging rights for playing small. People don't admire that.
They may just assume I cannot afford to do it any bigger and feel sorry for me since I've been at it for a much longer time. When in reality, I live a pretty full life. For me, that's what really matters.
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Good News Bad News
Bad news about the new to me snow tires. They have less life than I was told/expected. They do pass safety and I've been told I could try and see how they perform and decide from there.
I've sent an email to the seller with the findings and hope he will do the right thing and send me some money back.
We are heading up north for a few days to A -- Do our close the cottage part. The plumbers may have already done their part. B -- Soak in some great fall air and atmosphere. And C -- Have dinner at one of our favorite restaurants.
The much tracked Bank of Canada rate stayed put. Now that I'm not involved in the heavy pre-payment scene anymore, I actually missed the 9 am press release. Normally I have that page up and waiting anxiously.
I've sent an email to the seller with the findings and hope he will do the right thing and send me some money back.
We are heading up north for a few days to A -- Do our close the cottage part. The plumbers may have already done their part. B -- Soak in some great fall air and atmosphere. And C -- Have dinner at one of our favorite restaurants.
The much tracked Bank of Canada rate stayed put. Now that I'm not involved in the heavy pre-payment scene anymore, I actually missed the 9 am press release. Normally I have that page up and waiting anxiously.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Inspired Living
D getting his new bike has inspired me to bike more myself. I feed off the excitement of others. It's fun. That's why I like reading blogs and meeting interesting people so much.
His first ride was very successful. He couldn't believe how fast he got and and much easier it was to go uphill while still having a few gears left to go either way. It felt like driving a sports car.
We are looking forward to increased home time in 2012 to cultivate our local interests more. I also want to get to the next level in health and fitness.
I was the unfortunate messenger of bad news recently. The ceiling of my office storage room sprung a leak. The building has a flat roof. I don't know what's involved in fixing it. Hopefully it won't be a hugely expensive ordeal. Nice to be a renter!
I've pretty much given up hope with finding reasonable air fares out west this Christmas. However, we have secured flights in Feb for a couple a weeks.
It will coincide with D's annual guys ski trip so that will save him an extra ticket purchase. Which doesn't hurt his feelings as he has drained his dream account on his new toy.
His first ride was very successful. He couldn't believe how fast he got and and much easier it was to go uphill while still having a few gears left to go either way. It felt like driving a sports car.
We are looking forward to increased home time in 2012 to cultivate our local interests more. I also want to get to the next level in health and fitness.
I was the unfortunate messenger of bad news recently. The ceiling of my office storage room sprung a leak. The building has a flat roof. I don't know what's involved in fixing it. Hopefully it won't be a hugely expensive ordeal. Nice to be a renter!
I've pretty much given up hope with finding reasonable air fares out west this Christmas. However, we have secured flights in Feb for a couple a weeks.
It will coincide with D's annual guys ski trip so that will save him an extra ticket purchase. Which doesn't hurt his feelings as he has drained his dream account on his new toy.
Monday, October 24, 2011
Great Guy!
Meeting the fellow who sold me his tires and rims was a highlight of our weekend. He was younger than I had expected, D thinks between our ages. And so enthusiastic! His energy was contagious.
It was really obvious he was wealthy, happy and non apologetic about his success. A great positive energy to be around. Most people we see who want to be wealthy appear to be trying too had to make others notice them. It didn't hurt that he was naturally really good looking, fit and stylish.
This guy is one of the few people we've met who is joyfully living and enjoying his life and has the means to realize some pretty cool dreams.
When his third child was born, he had to get rid of his vehicle for a larger one, thus the reason he had tires and wheels to sell. We talked about how hard he was hit with depreciation as he bought his vehicle new in 2008. Oh well, he now drives a large Mercedes SUV that seats 7.
He told us about bringing his previous car to the track and how much fun that was. He drove the model up from what I drive which has 100 hp more but recounted with disbelief how there was someone in the group who was driving my model and was constantly on his bumper and passing him.
He remembers exclaiming out loud, "Where is that 100 extra horsepower?!" He figured the other guy had a heavier foot. I suggested maybe he was driving with the sport button pressed.
Told me to take care of the rims as they will still be worth a lot of money when I'm done with my car. That he hoped I'd be driving my car to pick up the tires because he missed his a lot and all the modifications he did on it.
He couldn't believe I had driven a Honda for 14 yrs and made the leap from that or I that had bought my current car used. No more than I could imagine buying his last car new. We were gaping at each other different reasons.
He also apologized many times for being 15 min late. He had emailed me but didn't have my number and worried I left. I like that in a person because it tells me they put a high value on their time and hates when they are wasting someone else's time.
I want to exude his energy and enthusiasm.
It was really obvious he was wealthy, happy and non apologetic about his success. A great positive energy to be around. Most people we see who want to be wealthy appear to be trying too had to make others notice them. It didn't hurt that he was naturally really good looking, fit and stylish.
This guy is one of the few people we've met who is joyfully living and enjoying his life and has the means to realize some pretty cool dreams.
When his third child was born, he had to get rid of his vehicle for a larger one, thus the reason he had tires and wheels to sell. We talked about how hard he was hit with depreciation as he bought his vehicle new in 2008. Oh well, he now drives a large Mercedes SUV that seats 7.
He told us about bringing his previous car to the track and how much fun that was. He drove the model up from what I drive which has 100 hp more but recounted with disbelief how there was someone in the group who was driving my model and was constantly on his bumper and passing him.
He remembers exclaiming out loud, "Where is that 100 extra horsepower?!" He figured the other guy had a heavier foot. I suggested maybe he was driving with the sport button pressed.
Told me to take care of the rims as they will still be worth a lot of money when I'm done with my car. That he hoped I'd be driving my car to pick up the tires because he missed his a lot and all the modifications he did on it.
He couldn't believe I had driven a Honda for 14 yrs and made the leap from that or I that had bought my current car used. No more than I could imagine buying his last car new. We were gaping at each other different reasons.
He also apologized many times for being 15 min late. He had emailed me but didn't have my number and worried I left. I like that in a person because it tells me they put a high value on their time and hates when they are wasting someone else's time.
I want to exude his energy and enthusiasm.
Sunday, October 23, 2011
What a Saturday
What a marathon day yesterday. We ended up staying at a hotel the night before meeting my guy with the tires to save the long morning drive. The driving time was saved but the experience at the hotel I think shortened D's life.
There was a family who took up 3 rooms across the way and they were going back and forth amongst the rooms while letting the doors slam. After 11 pm, their neighbour told them to quiet down while D went down to the front desk to see if we could switch rooms.
Unfortunately the hotel was full. They did quiet down but were at it again at around 3 am, then checked out aft 5 am. We did our best to understand that with multi-family outings, it can be loud.
However, travelling with the family requires some learning that when co-habiting with others, new habits need to be cultivated in public spaces. This applies to supermarkets too.
The purchase of my snow tires and rims went through. The front tires were more worn than the rears which is understandable but were more worn than I had expected. I was worned about that due to the weight of the vehicle. What I am planning to do is use them in the back this season.
D got his bike fitting and pick up done earlier than scheduled. We had planned to go for lunch before his appointment but they were ready for him so we pushed through instead. There was an impressive level of biomechanical checks in the fitting. I found it fascinating. We definitely felt we got more than our money's worth.
My travel cancellation refund arrived Friday! It has been safely deposited. One less thing to wonder about. I was worrying about what I would do if it got lost and how long I would have to wait before they would re-issue another cheque.
It has been an early and busy morning. D got confirmation of our refund and bonus from our apartment rental owner and has booked our new spot. He was very grateful we were able help out.
We toyed with the idea of cancelling the trip in light of both of our recent expenses and food allergy findings. I am usually the queen of that, first for D. He feels it is my influence. I wasn't against it as I have done my share of travelling this year. But D really is looking forward to it so full steam ahead.
There was a family who took up 3 rooms across the way and they were going back and forth amongst the rooms while letting the doors slam. After 11 pm, their neighbour told them to quiet down while D went down to the front desk to see if we could switch rooms.
Unfortunately the hotel was full. They did quiet down but were at it again at around 3 am, then checked out aft 5 am. We did our best to understand that with multi-family outings, it can be loud.
However, travelling with the family requires some learning that when co-habiting with others, new habits need to be cultivated in public spaces. This applies to supermarkets too.
The purchase of my snow tires and rims went through. The front tires were more worn than the rears which is understandable but were more worn than I had expected. I was worned about that due to the weight of the vehicle. What I am planning to do is use them in the back this season.
D got his bike fitting and pick up done earlier than scheduled. We had planned to go for lunch before his appointment but they were ready for him so we pushed through instead. There was an impressive level of biomechanical checks in the fitting. I found it fascinating. We definitely felt we got more than our money's worth.
My travel cancellation refund arrived Friday! It has been safely deposited. One less thing to wonder about. I was worrying about what I would do if it got lost and how long I would have to wait before they would re-issue another cheque.
It has been an early and busy morning. D got confirmation of our refund and bonus from our apartment rental owner and has booked our new spot. He was very grateful we were able help out.
We toyed with the idea of cancelling the trip in light of both of our recent expenses and food allergy findings. I am usually the queen of that, first for D. He feels it is my influence. I wasn't against it as I have done my share of travelling this year. But D really is looking forward to it so full steam ahead.
Friday, October 21, 2011
Changes
It's perhaps a sign of the times. We got an email last night from the owner of the apartment rental in France asking us if we would consider finding a different spot because she has an opportunity to take on a long term rental contract.
As she may be losing her job and is expecting a baby, the extra security of the long term rental is needed at this time. She also offered us monetary compensation if we would be able to accommodate.
So D and I got out our laptops and started searching. We've had a good relationship with her over the years and if we could find another place in short notice, we would help out.
We haven't been able to find another waterfront spot at anywhere close to the price we are paying but there are 3 we like which will cost what we paid plus the compensation we would be getting as it is coming in close to double.
I've made inquiries into one of them while the others can be booked instantly online so I'll give it til the end of this weekend to decide as we are heading out of town anyways.
I hope this isn't going to mean the sale of the apartment sometime in the future. I am projecting my own feelings onto this scenario when I say it would be sad if it came to that. But I don't know if it was bought originally as just an investment or not.
As she may be losing her job and is expecting a baby, the extra security of the long term rental is needed at this time. She also offered us monetary compensation if we would be able to accommodate.
So D and I got out our laptops and started searching. We've had a good relationship with her over the years and if we could find another place in short notice, we would help out.
We haven't been able to find another waterfront spot at anywhere close to the price we are paying but there are 3 we like which will cost what we paid plus the compensation we would be getting as it is coming in close to double.
I've made inquiries into one of them while the others can be booked instantly online so I'll give it til the end of this weekend to decide as we are heading out of town anyways.
I hope this isn't going to mean the sale of the apartment sometime in the future. I am projecting my own feelings onto this scenario when I say it would be sad if it came to that. But I don't know if it was bought originally as just an investment or not.
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Food & Life
Am still waiting for my travel refund cheque. They tell me it is "in the mail"... I'm doing my best not to think of it. On the other hand, the roof over charge payment came back so that's great.
I'm anxious to get the travel cheque because I managed to have spent it all and some (knowing it was coming) in Turkey buying a tiny silk on silk carpet (2 ft x 2 ft) and a sheet of original Arabic writing (blessing from the Koran). I'll see if I can get some good pictures of them and post them up. I've paid for them already but it would be nice to replenish my dream account.
The appointment has been confirmed also for the purchase of my rims. As it is a private sale, I will be paying in cash. Total price $2150. D has made an appointment for me to get them on my car in Nov. He has also confirmed with the plumbers to close our cottage as well. Nice to have things falling into place.
The big news is my food allergy test results are back and they are even less pretty than D's. I too am reactive to dairy and eggs as well as peanuts, almonds, pineapple, kidney beans and clams. Like D, I have no symptoms when I eat those foods but my body is fighting them on the inside.
Considering my favourite dish in Italy is "Spaghetti alle vongole veraci" (spaghetti and clams) and I just ate some in Taormina as well as pineapple daily and eggs at breakfast...I'm not a milk drinker or cereal eater but will take cream in coffee/tea and eat it in the form of whipped cream and such in desserts.
And the kicker is we are leaving for France soon and it is the land of dairy! D has already decided he doesn't care and will eat anything he wants as he figured if he never got tested, he would have gone his whole life not knowing.
I'm still in aftershock but right now I think I'm going to try and work around it. Breakfast will be the most difficult because I love my croissants and pain au chocolat...
I'm anxious to get the travel cheque because I managed to have spent it all and some (knowing it was coming) in Turkey buying a tiny silk on silk carpet (2 ft x 2 ft) and a sheet of original Arabic writing (blessing from the Koran). I'll see if I can get some good pictures of them and post them up. I've paid for them already but it would be nice to replenish my dream account.
The appointment has been confirmed also for the purchase of my rims. As it is a private sale, I will be paying in cash. Total price $2150. D has made an appointment for me to get them on my car in Nov. He has also confirmed with the plumbers to close our cottage as well. Nice to have things falling into place.
The big news is my food allergy test results are back and they are even less pretty than D's. I too am reactive to dairy and eggs as well as peanuts, almonds, pineapple, kidney beans and clams. Like D, I have no symptoms when I eat those foods but my body is fighting them on the inside.
Considering my favourite dish in Italy is "Spaghetti alle vongole veraci" (spaghetti and clams) and I just ate some in Taormina as well as pineapple daily and eggs at breakfast...I'm not a milk drinker or cereal eater but will take cream in coffee/tea and eat it in the form of whipped cream and such in desserts.
And the kicker is we are leaving for France soon and it is the land of dairy! D has already decided he doesn't care and will eat anything he wants as he figured if he never got tested, he would have gone his whole life not knowing.
I'm still in aftershock but right now I think I'm going to try and work around it. Breakfast will be the most difficult because I love my croissants and pain au chocolat...
Monday, October 17, 2011
Wheels and Deals
I've been sourcing out rims and winter tires for my car. D worked on it while I was away. The best price for aftermarket rims and good tires are in the $3200 range new.
I found a couple of online ads yesterday for used OEM rims with really good condition tires for $2200 - $2700. We are hoping to make an appointment to see them this weekend. And hoping they don't sell before we get there. They are 3 hrs away but we will be heading that way on Sat.
D just made a fairly large purchase -- A road bike. That's what we will be picking up this weekend. He has friends who are heavily into long distance racing and D is hoping to join in for next season. Next thing you know he'll be doing triathlons. Guess my pack muling days aren't over just yet.
We tried our hand at making Turkish coffee last night using the Cezve and coffee I brought home. It was too watery compared to what I had so we'll need to keep at it. D is loving the Turkish delight (pomegranate and pistachio) as well as the roasted pistachio nuts.
I was a bit worried as to whether they would allow me to bring the snacks back to the country because on our customs declaration form, it did mention nuts but in the end I believe it meant raw nuts vs processed. I was all ready to eat them up right there if it wasn't allowed. The nuts cost 90 TL a kilo and I had 1/2 kilo in my possession!
I found a couple of online ads yesterday for used OEM rims with really good condition tires for $2200 - $2700. We are hoping to make an appointment to see them this weekend. And hoping they don't sell before we get there. They are 3 hrs away but we will be heading that way on Sat.
D just made a fairly large purchase -- A road bike. That's what we will be picking up this weekend. He has friends who are heavily into long distance racing and D is hoping to join in for next season. Next thing you know he'll be doing triathlons. Guess my pack muling days aren't over just yet.
We tried our hand at making Turkish coffee last night using the Cezve and coffee I brought home. It was too watery compared to what I had so we'll need to keep at it. D is loving the Turkish delight (pomegranate and pistachio) as well as the roasted pistachio nuts.
I was a bit worried as to whether they would allow me to bring the snacks back to the country because on our customs declaration form, it did mention nuts but in the end I believe it meant raw nuts vs processed. I was all ready to eat them up right there if it wasn't allowed. The nuts cost 90 TL a kilo and I had 1/2 kilo in my possession!
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Back to Regular Programming
Am back from another great trip. I was happy to get home. Flights were delayed due to weather and luckily not to an Air Canada strike. Me and 2 others ended up at seats where the entertainment units malfunctioned.
10 hrs is a long time to entertain oneself when I had been looking forward to seeing 4 movies. We did get a 5% off voucher for our suffering. Thank goodness for my tablet.
Due to jet lag, I've been up the past 5 hrs doing bookkeeping, returning emails and taking stock of phone messages. Less to do on Monday.
This trip had a lot of travel built into it so I didn't walk as much as I usually do. D still thought I loss weight so that was good to hear.
I'm concerned about Athen's future. It was absolute gridlock when I was there as the metro and buses were on strike. I had arranged for private transportation because I didn't want to trust my luck. Those who didn't depended on taxis and paid through their noses to get anywhere.
It took over 2 hrs to get from the port of Pireaus to the Acropolis. 45 min is the norm. On the way back, a truck deliberately blocked the entrance to the port (which was flooded from the torrential rain) so it took nearly 3 hrs before I was able to get off.
People seemed so sad. The weather didn't help. It was 11 degrees Celsius with lightning and thunder and pouring rain. The wind was crazy. Many umbrellas broke and I managed to bruise myself from having the handle of mine so tight against me.
There were a few injuries as well. The marble steps and walkways at the Acropolis got really slippery when wet. My shoes did their job and gripped.
Despite the weather and traffic challenges, I learned a lot and the view from the top was pretty awesome. No time to do a lot of shopping or eating in the Plaka this time around. Because it was so cool, I had been dreaming of Moussaka but I needed to back to get to Rhodes on time.
I am not keen on returning to Athens until they get things sorted out. The logistics and state of the city (garbage and city works dept on strike...) isn't going to help their tourism sector. I saw a lot of unhappy people who were trying to make their way to the port to check in to their luxury cruise liner (Seabourn) having flown into Athens.
10 hrs is a long time to entertain oneself when I had been looking forward to seeing 4 movies. We did get a 5% off voucher for our suffering. Thank goodness for my tablet.
Due to jet lag, I've been up the past 5 hrs doing bookkeeping, returning emails and taking stock of phone messages. Less to do on Monday.
This trip had a lot of travel built into it so I didn't walk as much as I usually do. D still thought I loss weight so that was good to hear.
I'm concerned about Athen's future. It was absolute gridlock when I was there as the metro and buses were on strike. I had arranged for private transportation because I didn't want to trust my luck. Those who didn't depended on taxis and paid through their noses to get anywhere.
It took over 2 hrs to get from the port of Pireaus to the Acropolis. 45 min is the norm. On the way back, a truck deliberately blocked the entrance to the port (which was flooded from the torrential rain) so it took nearly 3 hrs before I was able to get off.
People seemed so sad. The weather didn't help. It was 11 degrees Celsius with lightning and thunder and pouring rain. The wind was crazy. Many umbrellas broke and I managed to bruise myself from having the handle of mine so tight against me.
There were a few injuries as well. The marble steps and walkways at the Acropolis got really slippery when wet. My shoes did their job and gripped.
Despite the weather and traffic challenges, I learned a lot and the view from the top was pretty awesome. No time to do a lot of shopping or eating in the Plaka this time around. Because it was so cool, I had been dreaming of Moussaka but I needed to back to get to Rhodes on time.
I am not keen on returning to Athens until they get things sorted out. The logistics and state of the city (garbage and city works dept on strike...) isn't going to help their tourism sector. I saw a lot of unhappy people who were trying to make their way to the port to check in to their luxury cruise liner (Seabourn) having flown into Athens.
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Off I Go
Good news came today in the form of a notification that my travel cancellation claim for my Buenos Aires trip has been processed and I will be receiving a cheque for the entire amount!
It took 3 weeks which I feel is very reasonable. I thought it was going to take 4 - 6 weeks. D will keep the cheque safe for me until I return. I leave tonight.
Have a great couple of weeks everyone!
It took 3 weeks which I feel is very reasonable. I thought it was going to take 4 - 6 weeks. D will keep the cheque safe for me until I return. I leave tonight.
Have a great couple of weeks everyone!
Friday, September 30, 2011
Travel Clothing Update
After a couple of months of use I have some feedback on the new travel clothes I bought. I wanted to see if there really was something to them and if it was possible to find clothing that didn't look like too stereotypical travel.
At a local hiking/camping store I found a couple of items on sale made by Kuhl. They happened to fit so I came home with their "Sierra" skirt and "Kuhl Jean". Both worked really well in Scandinavia. Really comfortable and looked urban enough to wear everyday and I have been.
I then ordered another jean and skirt (same style, different colours) online from Campmor for about the same sale price as my local store had no more stock.
I found them to pack well, light as anything and even water resistant. They looked a bit wrinkled at first after unpacking but once hung they straightened out. They also straightened out well when worn. Easy to wash.
My only issue was with the 2nd pant which fitted snugger than the first even though they were the same size. But I had lost weight after that trip so the first pair seemed a bit loose. After a few minutes in the dryer it shrunk just enough to be perfect.
There are many brands available. None of them I would call cheap. You can even get travel underwear which are supposed to dry in 3 -4 hrs after hand washing. Be prepared to shell out $25 - $35 a pair.
The main thing in common with all the pieces I saw was the strong feeling of durability. I think if you are in market, you'll probably only need a few key pieces and they will likely last you "forever".
At a local hiking/camping store I found a couple of items on sale made by Kuhl. They happened to fit so I came home with their "Sierra" skirt and "Kuhl Jean". Both worked really well in Scandinavia. Really comfortable and looked urban enough to wear everyday and I have been.
I then ordered another jean and skirt (same style, different colours) online from Campmor for about the same sale price as my local store had no more stock.
I found them to pack well, light as anything and even water resistant. They looked a bit wrinkled at first after unpacking but once hung they straightened out. They also straightened out well when worn. Easy to wash.
My only issue was with the 2nd pant which fitted snugger than the first even though they were the same size. But I had lost weight after that trip so the first pair seemed a bit loose. After a few minutes in the dryer it shrunk just enough to be perfect.
There are many brands available. None of them I would call cheap. You can even get travel underwear which are supposed to dry in 3 -4 hrs after hand washing. Be prepared to shell out $25 - $35 a pair.
The main thing in common with all the pieces I saw was the strong feeling of durability. I think if you are in market, you'll probably only need a few key pieces and they will likely last you "forever".
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Home Maintenance Update
Well the partial roof replacement has been done and we got the bill and it has been paid. There was a little glitch of being charged $60 more than invoiced but I believe it was just a slip of the hand when entering the amount. They are correcting it.
Yesterday we got a quote for our driveway replacement. The concrete company representative arrived first and we were pleasantly surprised at the $6400 quote. In our minds we thought it was going to over $10000.
He told us that people have this idea concrete is really really expensive when it turned out to be maybe about $1500 more than asphalt. That was his guess. The asphalt company hasn't provided their quote yet.
I just want an idea for budgeting purposes. Have not decided when to get it done. Outside of the main roof which we've already saved for, central air conditioning unit (to come someday), the driveway is the last of the big things on our house maintenance list.
Yesterday we got a quote for our driveway replacement. The concrete company representative arrived first and we were pleasantly surprised at the $6400 quote. In our minds we thought it was going to over $10000.
He told us that people have this idea concrete is really really expensive when it turned out to be maybe about $1500 more than asphalt. That was his guess. The asphalt company hasn't provided their quote yet.
I just want an idea for budgeting purposes. Have not decided when to get it done. Outside of the main roof which we've already saved for, central air conditioning unit (to come someday), the driveway is the last of the big things on our house maintenance list.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Artsy Stuff
One of the things I am most looking forward to on this next voyage is seeing Arabic Calligraphy done (hopefully in person!). I love the different forms of script found all around the world.
When I was younger, I remember getting a new calligraphy kit each year and doing pages and pages of writing in all different ink colours. I would love to take a formal course on it.
Turns out there are calligraphy guilds all around the world. I'm considering contacting the nearest one to find out if there are workshops available.
A current TV commercial for Hyundai features Mozart's Sonata in B flat Major reminded me I haven't touched my piano in a very long time. I played that Sonata for my grade 10 piano exam 21 yrs ago...gosh I feel not so young... :)
When I was younger, I remember getting a new calligraphy kit each year and doing pages and pages of writing in all different ink colours. I would love to take a formal course on it.
Turns out there are calligraphy guilds all around the world. I'm considering contacting the nearest one to find out if there are workshops available.
A current TV commercial for Hyundai features Mozart's Sonata in B flat Major reminded me I haven't touched my piano in a very long time. I played that Sonata for my grade 10 piano exam 21 yrs ago...gosh I feel not so young... :)
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Updates
My Naturopathic appointment has come and gone. Five vials of blood and $453 later, I'm set for now and waiting for results to come back in about about a month.
She recommended a more extensive blood test to me vs what D got because I've actually gotten hives from things (food and other) meaning I've had a history of quick reactions. I'm just glad we have some extended health coverage for such things.
I'm going to be gone soon for a couple of weeks so I am just going to enjoy myself and not worry about what I may or may not be allergic to.
I only need Euro and Turkish Lira on this next trip and got the Lira yesterday so I'm set. Just enough pocket money for small meals and stuff. Anything else will be on credit card. Euro, I usually have a stash of it at home so didn't need any more.
She recommended a more extensive blood test to me vs what D got because I've actually gotten hives from things (food and other) meaning I've had a history of quick reactions. I'm just glad we have some extended health coverage for such things.
I'm going to be gone soon for a couple of weeks so I am just going to enjoy myself and not worry about what I may or may not be allergic to.
I only need Euro and Turkish Lira on this next trip and got the Lira yesterday so I'm set. Just enough pocket money for small meals and stuff. Anything else will be on credit card. Euro, I usually have a stash of it at home so didn't need any more.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Housing Comparables
A new organic butcher has moved into our area and I'm looking forward to stopping by to see what they have. Since our last butcher moved we haven't had easy access to organic meat so we just cut back.
Now that it looks like we may have a good option again, we are hoping to go back to organic but continue at our lower consumption levels.
D and I really like real estate shows on TV. When I see couples our age or younger searching for housing in the $800K - 1.2 mil range I get fascinated at how they do it. Makes me feel like I am missing out on something.
So D went and calculated that an $800K mortgage paid bi-weekly over 25 yrs is not far from what we had been paying. So I guess if we really really wanted to, we too can afford to own something that expensive.
In reality, if I had to spend a million on real estate, I wouldn't do so on one property. I'd own a main house, a cottage/city bolt hole and an apartment in Nice/Amsterdam.
Based on what we already know of real estate costs in those places, it is very doable and would give us more joy than just one mansion. It helps to know our home when found in a city location would cost at least $700K and up.
Now that it looks like we may have a good option again, we are hoping to go back to organic but continue at our lower consumption levels.
D and I really like real estate shows on TV. When I see couples our age or younger searching for housing in the $800K - 1.2 mil range I get fascinated at how they do it. Makes me feel like I am missing out on something.
So D went and calculated that an $800K mortgage paid bi-weekly over 25 yrs is not far from what we had been paying. So I guess if we really really wanted to, we too can afford to own something that expensive.
In reality, if I had to spend a million on real estate, I wouldn't do so on one property. I'd own a main house, a cottage/city bolt hole and an apartment in Nice/Amsterdam.
Based on what we already know of real estate costs in those places, it is very doable and would give us more joy than just one mansion. It helps to know our home when found in a city location would cost at least $700K and up.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Food and More Free Stuff
We went over our customary 2 week food budget by around $35 due to surprise meat sales and we wanted to stock up. Now that we don't eat much meat, this shop is expected to last quite a while.
It never fails to shock us just how much we can buy if you shop what is on sale vs what you are craving as well as real food vs processed food.
Continuing on the theme of getting stuff for free, we are a bit peeved that our blue Air Miles program no longer offers the 2 for 1 movie vouchers. Really, they are the only rewards we are interested in getting from them.
As they are not available anymore, we will opt for $20 grocery gift cards instead. I remind myself it is still free...
It never fails to shock us just how much we can buy if you shop what is on sale vs what you are craving as well as real food vs processed food.
Continuing on the theme of getting stuff for free, we are a bit peeved that our blue Air Miles program no longer offers the 2 for 1 movie vouchers. Really, they are the only rewards we are interested in getting from them.
As they are not available anymore, we will opt for $20 grocery gift cards instead. I remind myself it is still free...
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Free and Not so Free
We received our 3rd $50 gas card courtesy of Mastercard today. It's fun to get something free, especially when the card doesn't cost us anything. Pretty much anything we can charge on the credit card we do.
The partial roof replacement has finally been done and when it gets charged on our Visa, we will be getting yet another gas card. We have been driving around more lately so free gas is definitely welcomed.
Our eyes were opened when we were at our local bulk food store to buy gluten free flour. Three scoops came to over $9! I don't know how people who have to eat gluten free can afford all the pre-made foods.
The partial roof replacement has finally been done and when it gets charged on our Visa, we will be getting yet another gas card. We have been driving around more lately so free gas is definitely welcomed.
Our eyes were opened when we were at our local bulk food store to buy gluten free flour. Three scoops came to over $9! I don't know how people who have to eat gluten free can afford all the pre-made foods.
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