So much going on!

A few more projects to post from when Paul was gone and I was keeping busy...

We needed a chair reglued but with the curve in it, a clamp wouldn't hold, so bungie cords were used...

I painted our breakfast nook chairs... we have a very beige and white house and I figured some color to match our dishes might be nice.  It was a PITA and it's not a very professional job, but they sit behind this big counter thing and you can't tell they aren't perfect and the kids love them, so there!  I used about a can of spray paint per and used Rustoleum no-prime paint.  They also show food and crap on them way less than the white they were before. I also put some scraper things on the bottoms of the legs so they scoot easier.

I also replaced this receptacle/light switch.  Should have taken a before.  The light switch was this 1/2 flat toggle thing and the receptacle's 3rd holes were both broken, so the entire time I was sawing and sanding to make that bench the plug would fall out of the outlet.  Now, the upstairs of our house is aluminum wiring. If you don't know, in the mid-70s builders decided aluminum was cheap and  accessable and why not wire houses with it?  Um, cause it corrodes and stuff faster.  Anyways, so it's not just changing out, you also have to make sure you buy the right parts-most of them at the store say AL with a cross through it, ie: don't use on Aluminum.  You have to find ones good for copper and aluminum.  Which means there was one option on each part and they were only in white (I was going to stick with Almond since it's in the garage and bound to get grubby, but whatever)  and they were not quite the most expensive (commercial grade) but close.  Then I sanded the connectors to take off the anti-corrosion coating from the aluminum wires, then I put some anti-corrosion goop and connected up the parts. 

I also made up this laundry room stand from 1/2 a closet shelf organizer that Henri's not using-he's in the smallest bedroom-9x9 and we put his dresser in his closet so he has more floor space and I put in some Creative Memory Pod organizers.  Each has a name on it so the kids can put away their own laundry and bring down their dirty clothes.  The top red one is for ironing, lol, like that's ever going to get done!

I'm also cooking more since I don't have my freezer of meals at the ready and cooking  healthier, trying to drop some of my "moving" weight from eating all the chocolate instead of moving it...  this was so easy. I took some frozen fish, thawed it out and pan fried in a little olive oil with garlic spread powder from Costco, yum!  The beans are from the farmer's market, cooked just a little, with tomatoes from the plant in the backyard, basil in the backyard and some cubes of mozerella. The longer you let it sit the better it tastes.

I also put together a device charging station.  Next to this bookcase (those are binder clips holding the chargers up the back of the bookcase so they aren't hanging out and don't fall behind the case)  is a plastic bin with drawers and more chargers, headphones, devices that will fit in the drawers.

I also built a deck stair.  Just one.  The deck is 14 inches off the ground and was quite a step for the  little ones.  At the third hardware store I visited, a guy drew plans for me and another cut the wood for me, I just assembled and attached to the deck. It was a little expensive but heavier wood than I was going to originally used and some of the work came with it, so whatever!

It is about 12 feet long, so I took a 6 inch by 2 inch by 12 foot board, they cut up a 6x2x 8foot board for me into supports-I attached these every 18 inches with deck screws.  Then I took what looked like 1/2 a ladder and attached the 12 foot board to the exposed footing posts of the deck. Then I attached another 6x2x 12 foot board, now it looked like a doll ladder attached sideways to the deck.  I then capped it off with a 12x2x 12 foot board (sorry no pictures!) to make the step, so there's a box basically attached to the side of my deck.  I then watersealed the deck and step.  Which is good because we've been having some thunderstorms at night. I also replaced the weather stripping around the backdoor and painted the exposed pine that was used when the window frames in the kids' rooms were rebuilt after moving them down 6 inches when we were residing.

Right before Paul got home, I got a call that my grandpa who had fallen the week before was having issues with his speech and I started worrying and debating going home.  I have been able to Skype with him and he seems to be getting stronger every day for which I am so, so grateful.  We just got here to Canada a month ago and Paul was due to arrive home after 10 days away.  Paul got home and I got to spend some time via Skype with some scrapbook friends at the retreat I normally go to every year.  It was good to see them, esp since I'll also miss the annual convention we go to together due to my parents coming to visit.  We decided we need to Skype and scrapbook more often :)

I tried out the scrapbook and card group that meets at the library for 2 hours once a month.  There were about 6 ladies and it's facilitated by a woman who is about my age who works at the library.  We share supplies and tips and ideas and it was fun, I'd definitely do it again. I also found out about a card-making class once a month and book clubs that are coming up.  Between that and some extra time due to Paul being home, I made a few cards up from a paper pack that needed to be finished off... not enough 12x12 paper left to make scrapbook pages, but there was one whole paper and a 6x6 paper pack pad... Valerie helped me do the finishing touches...

 

So on to my current moving to Canada issue.  Trying to get a driver's license.  The website states that I just need to exchange my US license and bring proof of 2 years of experience as well as something to prove my address and I can get an Ontario Driver's license!  This is necessary so I can get insurance (3 x as expensive because the minimums are $1million) so we can register the car in Ontario.  We've successfully imported the car through RIV program (Registrar of Imported Vehicles), registering is the next step and must be done sooner than later.

 

So I ordered my driver's abstract before I left WA so I could get insurance, etc.  My license was issued 3 years ago, so should be no issue there for driving experience.  I printed out what I got online from WA DMV.  Ontario won't take it.  It must be mailed to you or gotten directly from DMV.  I leave in tears (it had been kind of a frustrating week with Paul gone and a small bout of homesickness). I call Paul and tell him to go into the DMV while he's in WA and get one. Luckily he also keeps his receipt because Ontario driver's licensing asks for it (remember their website says NOTHING about even needing an abstract)  I show them the one I brought last week. She holds them side by side the ONLY difference is the seal is slightly different color due to my printer. She takes them to her supervisor side by side. Still won't accept it, but they'll take Paul's with the receipt. The kicker? I take the kids out to the car and am about to send one in with the utility bill I took out with me when he arrives with his temporary license.  "How did you get the address on it without the utility bill?" I ask.  "Oh, they just took my word for it."  Unbelievable.  So if I ever get mine mailed to me from DMV, you better believe I'm bringing it in a sealed envelope and praying I can keep my trap shut about how annoying this is.  And sitting there until they give me a license. 

 

Now we can get insurance (we still have been advised to keep our WA policy until I get ON license) and get our plates this week.