Try, try again...

At last I feel it is time (again) to attempt to purchase our house.

Everything we have is sold- our condo, our duplex, our savings are exhausted. Now essentially all we have is a few earthly belongings in a small storage unit and a few small pieces of furniture that we took with us across the country. On the plus side, now that we have `purged` ourselves of all we had perhaps this can pave the way for the final successful attempt at home ownership.

We have chosen to offer on a very retro, vintage 1970s inspired home that has many wonderful varieties of wallpapers, and gardens filled with lawn ornaments, gnomes, ducks, signs, lights and other trinkets. The garden shed has a plethora of horns and racks adorned to its outside, and the home itself has lovely popsicle stick shaped brown shutters at every window. Very lovely =) In fact the garage doors have a quirky kitschy hand painted mural as you can see here. And it is very lovely- I will feel badly for a moment when I Tremclad over it. Someone *did* try to paint something there that they were enjoying.

The thing I love about homes like this though is the opportunity to make things the way that you want. I loooooove that! And typically you can get these places a little cheaper (like we are hoping to here) with the knowledge that yes, you can expect to do likely a few years worth of renovations.

This home will need mostly paint, wallpaper removing, more paint, some flooring upgrades... but otherwise, really just cosmetic changes. Structurally it appears to be good.

I am really ready to move forward from the chaos of 2011! I would happily trade off my spare time spent removing wallpaper, pruning and gardening, painting and prepping for a space I could call my own. Happily..!

This *has* to be the time that it happens....!

Happy New Year

Thankfully 2011 is over.
Welcome, welcome 2012- let's invite all good things into this year!
2011 was a difficult year. We moved (again), we sold or gave away just about everything we owned -furniture, household knick knacks, even all of our properties are now officially sold and gone. Now that I am "back home" I literally have my health and a pension left to my name, and a few boxes of personal effects in a storage unit.
I am glad, however, to be here and to announce (officially) that we are starting a family in 2012. We look forward to welcoming someone(!) here mid June this year. A Gemini (unless he or she comes late) born in the Chinese Year of the Dragon to his Rooster (Gemini with Aquarius rising) dad and Ox (Aries with Gemini rising) mom. I think this is all a good fit. Certainly the timing could not be better since I enter last year of my thirties this coming March. But (waves finger indignantly in the air) I am and will maintain that I am "IN MY THIRTIES"... so there.
It feels like much more of a new year and a clean slate having purged so much from my life all year in 2011. All has been stripped down, all has been cleared away, the future is paved and clarified. All there is to do now is simply - move forward.
Welcome 2012. Let's go...

Your beliefs become your thoughts

Your thoughts become your words

Your words become your actions

Your actions become your habits

Your habits become your values

Your values become your destiny.

~Gandhi

Make 2012 a year in which you believe that you can do it. You CAN do it...

Officially it is today that Winter Solstice arrives. December 20 and December 23 solstices occur less frequently than December 21 or December 22 solstices in the Gregorian calendar. The last December 23 solstice occurred in 1903 and will not occur again until the year 2303. A December 20 solstice has occurred very rarely, with the next one occurring in the year 2080. Whatever! As long as the days get longer now!
Are you ready for Xmas? I spose we are; I enjoy the little get togethers and year end celebrations at various people's places. Funny- we were just talking a few weeks ago about how we would like to ask people what their family traditions are, and out of the blue without asking in the first place, people have been volunteering this information to me lately! One person's family opens presents on Xmas day a couple at a time, a person at a time, then takes a break for breakfast or coffee and returns to the gift sharing. It takes them hours to open gifts. How cool! Another person loves the meal, and wearing the stupid crepe paper hats from the Xmas crackers, and the family dinner experience. I do enjoy Xmas very much, but I really like New Years Eve also. I think a tradition of maybe a family dinner where each person reflects on their year in a sharing manner would be really neat to record on a camera for future reflection.

What are your traditions? I would love to hear. Please leave me a comment and let me know!

Aw, sad -minus 16 you poor Winnipeggers. =)
Funny, we had another Pegger (who lived there about 30 yrs) over here a few days ago that has recently moved to Vancouver this summer. We were sharing our thoughts about moving here, about why other Peggers do or do not, what most Peggers think or conceive about the "Wet Coast". Although we all concede that sure it rains here more, the rain on most days does not even require an umbrella. Consider it mist, he says. Compared to Winnipeg monsoon drowning rain that falls out of the sky in buckets, floods the city and leaves you soaked to the bone in 5 minutes, this is not rain. If your idea of "rain" is that reference point, obviously if someone told you "it rains in BC" you would think it must really suck to live here! lol
Likewise we were comparing our ease of travel here, to there. This recent Winnipeg transplant says you know, this Skytrain business is pretty great. I have no need for a vehicle around Vancouver (true!) In fact for me to fly direct (a 15 minute flight) from Comox to Vancouver a few weeks ago it cost me $40 bucks. I walked 3 blocks to Skytrain, travelled into Metro Town to shop, travelled out to Surrey, hopped a bus and got to Langley for dinner. It's all at my doorstep, even from over here.
He was really excited that here he is, in BC in December, at plus 2, taking his Harley for a road trip from Vancouver up the inside of Vancouver Island with no difficulty. Be even better once he does that in February =)
Admittedly he chose to own IN Vancouver which is far more costly than living in an outlying community. Here in the Comox Valley an average home is 320k, I would average at. A starter home (a rancher, or smaller home) in the Courtenay or Cumberland area could cost you $250k. A mobile trailer -you're looking at 150k? Or less, or more depending where it is and how old. Condos range from $135-300 here depending of course whether they are ocean front or not. In Vancouver, right in Kitsilano, he purchased a condo there for 450k about 9 blocks down to the ocean. He also bought a pre-construction condo in New Westminster for 270k. You *can* buy NEW condos right near King George Highway in Surrey, off the Skytrain track, for just $135k. There IS affordable housing here depending on where you CHOOSE to live. Again-to be fair- condo fees in Winnipeg? I would argue these are $400 on average. Here? $150-250 on average depending on ammenities/ underground parking etc.
Funny how people pre-determine that BC means BRING CASH or that it isn't worth moving too; it's too expensive... it's too wet... it's too hard to make it. From three Winnipeg transplants living here in December at plus 6 in our oceanside town, I really feel for you guys. Neener neener. And merry hoho to all my peeps.... I miss you guys =)

cafe astrology : Early Friday, a New Moon occurs in Sagittarius. This lunation is a more potent New Moon, as it is a Solar Eclipse, and represents a new beginning in the mutable fire sign of Sagittarius. It's a time when we can focus on some of the constructive traits of the sign of the Archer--optimistic, enthusiastic, adventurous, honest, outspoken, independent--and consider how to positively incorporate these qualities into our lives. Now, we can focus on goals that will increase our understanding and awareness, give us courage to expand our horizons, and gain confidence and optimism through a broader perspective. We can too easily get lost in the details of mundane existence. With this potent Sagittarius energy, we can find ways to transcend these details of day-to-day
life and nurture our faith, hope, and vision. Because Sagittarius thinks in big
terms, we may have a tendency to overdo our expectations--something to watch
for. It's time to be a little more adventurous, and to set the stage for reaping
the rewards from our braveries, as little or big as they may be, in
approximately two weeks' time after the Full Moon occurs.

astrology.com :When Mercury is retrograde, everyone's thinking is more introspective; we tend to think about issues and concerns that relate to the sign involved. With Mercury retrograde this time in adventurous, freedom-loving Sagittarius, people with this sign prominent in their charts will be especially prone to such introspection. Sagittarius (the opposite sign to Mercury-ruled Gemini) is the detriment of Mercury, so Mercury here is even more erratic than usual, due to his weakened position. Sagittarius is not noted for tact or subtlety, and with Mercury stumbling along here, no doubt some people are going to have their hoof in their mouths, big-time. International misunderstandings due to faulty information are in the frame. Sagittarius is a Mutable Sign, so the other Mutables, Gemini, Virgo and Pisces are also likely to experience considerable conflict between heart and head, along with a good dose of typical disruption.

BC Medical Privacy?

I wonder how often this happens.

We applied for HIS medical coverage in July. Our paperwork was lost. We reapplied in August. The paperwork was wrong. We reapplied in late September. All of October we heard nothing. Today, we receive two letters from BC Medical.

The first letter said please send a copy of his Canadian Birth Certificate so we can confirm he is a Canadian resident. How irritating, but sure. The second letter is what stunned me.

In the envelope was a letter stating sorry, the photocopy you have sent in is too dark to read. I look at the attached paperwork, which is a full application for BC Medical, 2 pages, none of which was ours. SOMEONE ELSE'S APPLICATION, with phone number, address, birth date, signature- all clearly legible, all in my hot little hands. I was horrified.

How often does this happen!?

What other information in the BC Medical system is going astray or ending up in someone else's hands!?

Worse yet, what if I were NOT an honest person- this is like receiving a golden ticket to identity theft! If this DOES happen even OCCASIONALLY, where is my information going!?

I immediately stuffed it in an envelope for return mail, not reading any further information about these people- I only caught their last name and province they came from.

I also immediately emailed MSP as well as the Health Minister to complain about Privacy Assurance.

Yikes. You know, with the information I had, I could have *phoned* the other people and let them know also that they information was breached and sitting on my kitchen counter. I had access to their cell phone number and could have done so.

Holymother... Today is a day of government agency let downs. Read here to find out yet another BC disaster currently in progress....

Duplex is getting (re)prepared for showing. Floors are getting sanded and varnished this week. Cleaning lady coming later this week to detail clean the place. A very good friend is coming to straighten and tidy and make presentable what otherwise is shabby left behind furniture by our last tenants. All those things that need to happen are slipping into place. Next month offers for purchase will coming rolling in.
Meanwhile back at the ranch, a mini vacation in Vancouver recently rejuvenated my batteries. I had no idea it was so affordable to FLY there directly from Vancouver Island, and a short 20 or 45 minute flight depending on where you depart from. $63 to get there, and just $43 to get back. This makes travel over to the mainland much more accessible. I was lucky to get back though- a strong rainstorm had swept the coast Friday to Saturday, cancelling ferry routes, Skytrain (light rapid transit system) and flights. A few travel plans changed on the way into Vancouver from the valley upon finding out what transportation lines were available. Much thanks to Kelly for driving me all the way into the heart of lovely Vancouver on the Wet Coast!
The island is noticeably drier than the mainland, likely due to the mountains and where the rain is inclined to fall =P.. British Columbia is an amazing province for the variety of climate zones that exist here. We have northern tundra, a wet green rain forest, a desert pocket in the south central area, we have plains and farm fields and rocky island shore. I'd love to do some BC staycations each summer and explore more of the province, like we did as kids. Maybe the same experience, but without a vehicle overheating or breakdown as seemed to be the norm in the early 1980s... Still, it was pretty great to head up the Canyon, check out ghost towns, camp on the island coast, walk through some pretty huge forests and beaches, and just see what's out there. I'll need to find an Airstream or a tow behind camper and get this plan in action =)

Our tenants were unfortunately unable to pay November rent. They were able to pay rent LATE every month since June (except September which was actually paid ON the 1st) which resulted in a written hand delivered warning letter, and several emails each month prior to each first reminding that rent was due and needed to be paid on time.
They left this weekend, and a mess of course, but also a fair amount of furniture that I'm not sure what they are doing with. At any rate with our home for sale, an empty unit is an empty unit and it is easier to show, and should be easier to sell.... as soon as I get the place cleaned and repaired....$$$$

Hard to believe it has been almost a month since I posted!

Temperatures are starting to dip although of course a milder, damper cold than what I have experienced in the past 3 winters. It's plus 4, but you feel chilled simply due to the moisture.

Speaking of which, this has seeped into the exterior walls here, and we discovered a rather large and unfortunate patch of black mold growing behind the couch. And behind the bed. And in the corner of the living room. We reported it to the landlord who came and inspected it, told us we could clean it up and be reimbursed and suggested a dehumidifier (which either we could buy or they could). I guess I expected a more serious response, like a dehumidifier immediately (as in within a day or two) delivered, a check up after to see if the mold was removed, etc. But none of this occurred. It was more like a giggly ew gross, and dismissed. I am quite disappointed and actually now that I think about it, I should have mentioned it to my doctor today during my physical due to the risk of exposure. This really is no laughing matter. Mold exposure (and really, just knowing there is moisture wicking through these exterior walls) is a sign of failure, either of a membrane or something structural. It is not only a health risk for tenants but a potential lawsuit for health issues against landlords if not adequately dealt with, and or building condemnation if real structural risk or real health risk is found. If it were me, that would wipe any smirk or smile off my face.

While the mold was cleaned by my saviour BF, I spent my time searching online for somewhere else to live. We may have found a place but lest I jinx it, I will not say another word. My failure rate to date of announcing new homes has been extremely high, and this is not an area I ever wanted to be succesful in !

I am ever hopeful that our housing situation will one day be rectified. We have numerous little hurdles to overcome, despite being bombarded right and left with yet another roadblock or yet another challenge. It is coming. I know it is. I just don't yet know when.

If you missed this news last week, watch this tear jerker here about a woman (29) with her new hearing implant. Deaf since age 2, although assisted with hearing aid devices since- which (in her words) only help so much- this is her first time hearing everything. It's extremely amazing what medical science can do today. We can make the blind see (Corneal transplants), the deaf hear and -with further research- perhaps even create sperm from stell cells. Pretty amazing world we live in.

Must be Fall-Winter in BC, it's raining =) Not a torrential monsoon rain like Peg City, but a light wet drizzle that is seemingly continuous. Apparently sunny a little further down the coast by an hour, but up here a little overcast cloudy drizzly.
Pretty weak summer and sad to see it come to an end. I had vacation there mid September and was able to see 2 super hot days on the 9-10 weekend or so, then immediately the furnace was turned off and Fall wandered in. Interested to see what the "winter" brings. I'm sure a couple days of snow at best, and about a 0-2 degree mean average temperature. I'll see if I am right.
Everyone in this little household is hard at work (literally) - concentrating on paying the bills down and preparing for that one golden day when we can finally purchase a home. Duplex is for sale in Peg City; both halves up for grabs. We will see what offers come in next week... Likely still take some time to get a place here even if we sell for the right price, but certainly this is all a brisk walk in the right direction. Be nice to firmly plant ourselves here and grow roots. Certainly this is the place to be and the place to do it. If I haven't said it before, or haven't said it enough, I love BC.

New Moon just passed and I find that I noticed this one. Lots of beginnings and starts and things moving in a forward direction either with me, and or around me to other people. Someone's wife just got pregnant, my duplex is being listed, we have people interested, my other half got a good paying job & started work last week, we moved around all sorts of things in our suite to make life more comfortable, yada yada yada. Things feel very progressive this week... finally...

As I am sure many people are, I am watching the news of the world/global economy on a regular basis. I try each day to take the pulse by reading the online news and hearing what -if anything- has developed in Greece or the United States. Although it may seem as though we are "removed" or distant from these markets, Canada is directly impacted. It is much like a monkey see, monkey do situation. Okay, maybe that's incorrect- more accurately our economy is so well tied to the USA that whatever happens to them, happens to us.
Today the Canada dollar tanked by almost 3 cents. We are now under valued to the US dollar for the first time this year. We have been $1.03 or $1.06 or $1.02 to the US dollar most of this year. This has done shit for export-import, but maybe helped a bit with Canadians buying across the line or travelling there. Sucks for my sister, who just this weekend will be landing in California for vacation.
In a longer term vision, the World Bank is urging countries to continue to keep interest rates down, encourage consumer confidence and spending, which in turn generates income for the banks and enables them to lend. The question is balance. If you read the mortgage rate forecasts you see that they anticipate (and have actually for the past 2 yrs) an increase in prime rate. It hasn't climbed the way forecasted YET, but they anticipate a 0.75 point increase this year and next, well into 2013. They say prime will be 4.5 percent or so. Now, the sky has been falling according to these people for 2 yrs. Prime has historically always been under posted rates, in fact 77% of the time, variable wins. No need to panic in my opinion. However for people like myself potentially entering the housing market in the next 6 months or so, this is something to watch.
Feels a lot like a sit on your hands time anyways. Likely what we intend to do.

SEPTEMBER 5

Happy Birthday Freddy Mercury and Mirelly. Two amazing musicians in their own rights. =)
BICYCLE
CHAMPIONS
ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST
My three faves by Queen. I do love Bohemian Rhapsody but not nearly as much as these three.
Ode to the power of music:
Maria Aragon from Winnipeg
Maria with Lady Gaga Live in Toronto
Maria on Ellen
Far out.