Reasons to Move

There is so much that I love about my house, but if there is one thing I hate it is the street that I live on... in the winter. To clarify, I have nothing against the neighbours (who are nice) or the location (which is amazing) or even the general lack of trees (which is tolerable) on my street. I simply hate the snow - the piles and piles of snow.

There is just no place to shovel this stuff as my house, and all the other houses on the street, are older and built close to the sidewalk. That means as you shovel your driveway, or front entrance, you are forced to put the snow in the same places over and over again, meaning the snowbanks get higher and higher.  Just  thinking about the winter every year has me dreading about how many snowstorms could hit Ottawa.

It doesn't look like much but what's crazy is that almost all this snow came down in one 24-hour period!

I've laughed before how much snow I get compared to my family in Toronto and how really, if you live in Canada you have to learn to love snow. Very true. However, mark my words: the day I sell my house is the day I am sick and tired with all the shoveling!

It's not that hard to shovel, but it's definitely my #1 reason to move! Rounding out the rest of major reasons to move would be:

1. Snow in winter (as mentioned).
   
2. Old House Problems.
3. Wanting more space - the call of the Canadian wild is always alluring.
   
4. Wanting to be closer to Margot, wherever she ends up (not a problem for awhile, thankfully!)
5. Just wanting to explore a different corner of the world.

Hmmm that's not that long a list. For now, I think we'll stay put. However, if the snow gods are listening to me, they'll go on holiday!

The Soft Food Club

Introducing...Margot...the latest member of the braces club!

It took a little longer to schedule an appointment to install them then I first anticipated, as we ended up going with an orthodontist who is a bit further away from our neighbourhood but who had a great bedside manner and rapport (which Glosette Girl liked) and a lower fee (which I liked) but we got there in the end.

A challenge that I didn't anticipate was that Margot's teeth have been a bit sore this past week so she can only eat soft foods. I had braces when I was a kid but I had no recollection of this (all I could remember was the "no bubblegum" rule!). That means: no meat (too chewy), chips or nuts (too tough), or even lots of fresh fruit, like apples (too crunchy). So she doesn't feel left out we're all eating the same thing. 

Fortunately (or unfortunately) I had some dental surgery last week and I'm pretty much on the same diet as Margot. 

Panda examining the braces to make they are installed correctly

She's slowly getting to the point where she can start chewing again but mostly we've been eating a lot of coleslaws and finely chopped prepared salads (couscous salads, etc.), scrambled or soft boiled eggs, pudding, milkshakes, smoothies, jello and soups. Yummy stuff but it's going to be a great day when I can tuck into a juicy steak again!

Old House Problems: Part Deux

Awhile back I wrote about how living in an old house came with an interesting set of problems. Flash forward four years and many challenges later, I stand by what I said.

The latest brew-ha-ha? Getting my new washing machine into my house.

Everything in a new house is built to certain predictable sizes: doors, windows, etc. The advantage of this standardization is that when you buy a new appliance or piece of furniture you can be pretty sure that it'll fit where it's supposed to because the geniuses at the appliance companies know that being able to fit something in your house is a nice perk. That means beds fit in bedrooms, dining tables in dining rooms and washing machines in... wherever washing machines go, which in our house means the basement.

No such luck chez my house. After our washing machine broke down over Christmas (fun!), I bought a new model. I was worried that it might not fit so I bought one of the smallest ones I could buy and I also  measured the door to the basement. It looked like it would fit... but I guess I'm not a mathematician because when the delivery guys arrived to install the new washer, not only could they not get the new washing machine in the basement but they couldn't get the old one out!

I was angry that day, let me tell you.

Fortunately, with the help of my brother-in-law, J, I was able to remove the basement door frame and get the old machine out and the new one down the stairs in a jiffy. 

The infamous basement door with door and door frame removed.

 

I took out some anger on the old washer

After this lil' MacGyver maneuver and a bit of touch up around the door, everything was smooth sailing.

Purring like a kitten...

So I guess everything worked out in the end but I hafta admit, sometimes I dream about living in the 'burbs where things just work the way they are supposed to!

A Bucket List Item for the Winter

Winter in Canada is looooong. You either embrace it and have fun, or you try and conquer it and...well, good luck with that!

Over the years I've tried many winter activities. There's skating, on Ottawa's world famous Rideau Canal or on our local rink. There's cross-country skiing, which is less exciting than alpine for some people, but the right amount of excitement for me. And there's tobogganing plus a few activities. 

But one thing I've never tried before is...dog sledding. That's one of those bucket list items that I've never been able to try before - until now!

Getting ready to launch

As a fun start to 2022, Glosette Girl, Margot and I have booked 3 nights in Notre-Dame-de-Pontmain, QC, which is a village in the Upper Laurentian region of Quebec.  It's just under two-hours away from Ottawa but it feels a world away. The snow is deep, the terrain rugged and the people hardy. In short, the perfect spot to enjoy a winter break and try something new.

The first thing you notice when you go dog sledding is just how many dogs there are. I was imagining a couple of dozen at most but there were 100 dogs yapping excitedly when we arrived at Expédition Rêve Blanc, which is the local dog sledding operator. 

It felt a bit overwhelming at first, but once we were on the trails, which meander deep into la réserve faunique de Papineau-Labelle, it was actually very peaceful. My favourite part was when we glided onto a frozen lake. With a smattering of snowflakes in the air and snow covered trees as far as the eye could see, it was magical.

After 10 minutes training we were off into the wilderness. Easy as that!

The guide, Thibault, led the way, followed by Margot and I on one sled, with Glosette Girl leading up the rear.

Thibault only spoke French but I figured out the most important details: brake when you go downhill (to avoid the sled getting ahead of the dogs), pedal off the sled going uphill (to help the dogs out) and then hold on! We also enjoyed a hot chocolate break half way through the two-hour experience, which was a nice touch.

The nearest dog, Buzz, is at the back of the team as he's less social with other dogs.

 

The dogs are bundles of energy but also very friendly

Honestly, it was super fun and I 100% recommend it to anyone needing a break from the worries of the world as it's one of those things that you will just enjoy in the moment.