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Back to My Accidental Dream Home
In a few days, season three of our temporary life in Slave Lake will come to an end and we’ll be heading south – home to the starter house we bought 30 years ago. It’s nothing fancy. My 1,050 square foot, ‘50s bungalow was never meant to be my dream home. We bought it because it was affordable and in a good neighbourhood. It was always our intention to pay this house off quickly, keep it as an income property and move on up. But, priorities changed when two kids came along. Neither The Consultant nor I had anticipated the emotional impact starting a family would have on us. Our…
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Home Is Where the Heart (Attack) Is
I am suffering from DRAT (Domestic Responsibility Anxiety and Tension). My life has gone from simple to not-so-simple in the course of an eight-hour drive and it feels like a tidal-wave has crashed over me. When I try to take in all that needs my attention, my heart pounds and I have to remind myself to breathe. Now that I am back in Calgary, I have to face my domestic duties, and then some. As I enter my home, after this lengthy absence, the presence of “stuff” overwhelms me. My den is piled high with useful and not-so-useful items, extra clothes that don’t fit or won’t fit are still stored in…
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Come Cook With Me, Baby!
In the year 2 or 3 BC (before children), my husband (The Consultant) and I enjoyed some of our weekend evenings in the kitchen together. It was social time where we experimented with new recipes and connected over a glass of wine, often toasting our own scrumptious creations. We ate late, sometimes by candlelight, and solved all the world’s problems while doing so. It was fun. Fast forward 25 years and The Consultant has a new favourite saying while in the kitchen. “Six feet, six feet,” he says, oscillating around the room with arms outstretched. This is a little idea he adopted from a family friend, chef wannabe, and good cook…
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Must Have vs Nice to Have
Part of my plan in preparing for my temporary move up to Fort McMurray was to take a one week exploratory trial run in order to check out our living space. I needed to find out what I would be dealing with in terms of day-to-day functionality. The condo turned out to be a pleasant surprise, with two bedrooms, two full bathrooms, open kitchen/living area, and a decent-sized deck with room for barbequing (a must-have) and a view of the Clearwater River from the far side. It was better than I had hoped. The condo is furnished so, after taking an inventory of the contents, I discovered our basic needs…
