Convoluted

I was having dinner at my local sushi joint last night when I witnessed the following exchange.

A university-aged couple walked in. The server showed them to their table, which had a booth on one side and chairs on the other. The guy headed for the booth seat.

The girl said, "Do you want the outside [chair] or the inside [booth]?"

He thought about it for a second and responded, "Do you want the inside?"

"Maybe," she replied. So he offered her the booth seat.

I had to laugh, not only because it seemed like such a passive aggressive way to communicate, but because I'm sure the hubby and I have had this exact same exchange before. More than once. Fortunately, he just laughs at me.

This is so silly. Why do we do this?

Kitty heaven

A lot of pets don't deal well with major changes like moving. So we were very relieved and pleased when Sherlock not only made it all the way to our new house without pooping in the car, but also seemed to love this new place right away.

Because the two places were such a short distance apart, we actually left him at our old place for a couple of hours while the movers unloaded everything into the new house. So by the time we brought him over, his new home was a city of boxes.

It has lots of rooms, closets, nooks and crannies to discover. Particularly while our stuff is still all over the place.

Every time I unpack a box and move it out of the way, there's even more to investigate.

 
And did I mention his new cat tree?

And a great lookout spot in the kitchen?

Yes, Sherlock is very happy here indeed. As are we.

Our last night

Here's our lovely condo before:

Annnd here it is now:

Yup. Tomorrow is moving day!

I've lived here for six and a half years. The first few years, I lived here with my brother, and then when I got married in 2009, the bro moved out and the hubby moved in. Living in 550 sq ft has been frustrating at times, but we've loved this cozy little home.

But we are very excited for our new home!

Nesting: yellow nurseries

The closing on our new house went very smoothly, and I am thrilled to have a new project to blog about. Back when my friends were up early on Saturday mornings watching cartoons, I was dragging myself out of bed to watch Debbie Travis' Painted House.

For whatever reason, the nursery is top of mind right now. (Nesting?)

I did end up going with BM Soleil on the walls and I can't wait to see how it turns out!

A simple furniture solution would be to get matching furniture. White is bright and easy.

From Ilovemybaby

Espresso is trendy and sophisticated enough to give the baby zone a little bit of grown-up style - after all, the parents will spend as much time in there as the kid!

From The Bump

But, an entire matching suite can be a bit stark. Perhaps because my parents were design-challenged creative, I grew up in rooms full of mismatched furniture. Once I did get the chance to decorate on my own and seized the opportunity to match my furniture, I have to admit I found it rather boring.

So, I plan to mix some white and some light-coloured wood and other natural elements. I find that wood tones add both airiness and richness to a space.

Love the white and honey frame with the woven baskets. From Coochicos

So chic! From The Design File

To that end, I definitely want to take a look at this crib from Costco. It's priced at $299.99 CAD which isn't bad for a solid wood crib (the drawer is fibreboard, I believe).

I've also been keeping my eye out for a used crib... there are good deals out there because some babies end up barely using their cribs at all. But if you go this route, please make sure to look up the brand and model for any recalls. Here is some good information from Health Canada about buying a crib.

Paint scheme

In anticipation of closing on our new house next Tuesday, I've been busying myself picking paint colours. Ideally, I would have loved to move in, figure out all the decor details, and then pick paint colours to coordinate (since it is MUCH easier to pick paint to match fabric and decor, than the other way around). But there is a huge appeal to getting the whole house painted while it's empty, not to mention that my nesting instinct will almost certainly drive me nuts if there are huge unfinished projects left hanging by the time Little Ringy arrives.

Anyway, I will post floor plans and room pictures later, but to give a brief overview, the house has three floors.

On the first floor, there is a den which will be used as an office and playroom. I wanted something fresh and fun for the kid, but still sophisticated and soothing for the office. I'm thinking along the lines of Benjamin Moore Palladian Blue, a lovely greyish aqua.

Benjamin Moore Palladian Blue HC 144

From Decorpad

I generally like neutrals and I absolutely love the cozy and calming feeling of grey-beige (or "greige" as some decorators have affectionately coined it) walls. Both staircases, the living-dining room on the second floor, the hallway on the third floor, and the master bedroom will be in something like Benjamin Moore Abalone.

Benjamin Moore Abalone 2108-60

From Darling-Est

While the master bedroom and most of the house will try to be all sophisticated-like, I want the other two bedrooms, one of which will be the nursery, to be a little jazzier in a soft yellow like Benjamin Moore Soleil. I'll also have the kitchen in this sunny colour.

Benjamin Moore Soleil AF330

From Decorpad

There are also three bathrooms... still some things to think about!

A spring-related conversation

The other day, I witnessed the following conversation between three university-age guys in the elevator.

Guy 1: April flowers bring May showers.
Guy 2: May showers? It's May flowers, right?
Guy 1: Oh, right. May flowers.
Guy 2: April showers bring May flowers?
Guy 1: Yeah.
- pause -
Guy 3: It's March.

Image from here

I cannot wait until spring! I think it's my favourite season. Hubby and I starting dating in March 2007, so spring always reminds me of a time when I was constantly giddy and happy. It can look a little gloomy before the buds open up, but you know it's going to happen soon. I love the optimism of it all.

Don't forget to set your clocks forward for Daylight Savings Time this Sunday!

Happy anniversary, Sherlock!

February 27 marked one year since we brought home our cat, Sherlock. In honour of this momentous occasion, I thought of posting things I've learned in my first year of pet ownership. (Neither the hubby nor I grew up with pets other than fish.)

I mean, Sherlock has taught us a lot, like:

1. Bowel movements, and the increased aerodynamic-ness you get from making one, are worth celebrating.
2. Cute eyes can get you a lot. But not everything.
3. The world simply stops when you snuggle.

But most of all, I've learned that love comes from a bottomless bag. You can't run out, and you can't give enough. Well, such is my ideal world anyway. Over the past year, I've seen this little furry guy grow more and more playful, cuddly, and generally awesome and I just can't stop giving him head pats, nose kisses and snuggles.

Happy come-home-aversary, Sherlock!