Have a safe and Happy Halloween

We had a great time last night at our neighbours annual Halloween Bash , this is only the second time we have gone but it is a great time to let loose and have a good time , it is so fun to get dressed up , Todd was Jason from Friday the 13th , he got that mask on Ebay and I picked up the coat and waffle shirt at Value Village which is like Salvation Army , he used cooking oil to dirty up the shirt as well as some fake blood as well as making knife holes in it , I tell you it was pretty scary , the girls had a lot of fun with it , Mason did Todd's nails with brown and red polish , they looked so gross but great ...could you imagine opening your door to this guy , we even got to scare our friends 14 year old daughter and her friends that were watching scary movies , that was too fun .

I have to admit I love this photo of me , I look so creepy , the contacts we bought for Mason at a comic book convention but she couldn't get them in her eyes , which was a score for me as I could wear them easily for my Glampire get up , the teeth really made the look , but I could barely talk with them in , I had the biggest lisp.

We make quite a couple don't we.

Sophie is also a big fan of the fun events of Halloween we all love it .

Here are our friends Lisa who is the Bride of Chuckie , and Craig who was Chef Ramsey , lots' of fun ...

Hope you have a Happy Halloween we are just gearing up for some stunning makeovers , Mason is an 80's diva , which I think I can help her with seeing as I was a teen in the 80's and Sophie is going to be a Witch for the first time ....be safe.

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A mudroom evolves {before and after photos}

Here is a good before and after diagram , you can click on the image to make it easier to view if you have a small monitor like me...

I thought I should show you how our "mudroom" and I use the term loosely it is really our entry has evolved over the years , this is how it looked when I started this blog , the kids were small and the low hooks easily accommodated their size but they grew and so did the wall treatment to allow for longer coats and growing children. As you can see I removed the outdated checker patterned ceramic , that we chose , which seemed so cool way back when but which quickly became outdated.

I notice how icy everything seemed , adding earthy neutrals has really warmed this house up. I much prefer my simple bamboo blinds , I also feel the addition of the black interior doors adds a little polish and glamour and the newer slate floors are much easier to keep clean and add a rustic appeal .

Now that I have added this half wall this space feels complete and more useful and I am happy it doesn't infringe on the living space as much anymore , I imagine it will help keep drafty winds from chilling us in the living room in the upcoming winter months as well.

I think it looks like it has always been there , which makes me very happy , I didn't want it to look like an after thought.

Front door open view.

I am still on the look out for the perfect mat , still haven't found it , this one all though cute and wool and traditional , it is too busy , do you know of the perfect rug ?let me know , I do not want sisal or sea grass , we live in Canada we need a hard working yet attractive rug.

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Sort of Review of Iceland Airwaves 2010 Festival - Two New Blogs Soon

Change my name

This is the last & final post on this blog.

I was in Reykjavik one WE before Airwaves running around my 101 habitat to obtain some Pré-Airwaves feeling.

Enjoyed some bands that I heard for the first time live:

Two Tickets To Japan, Morning after Youth & Coral @ Rock Bar Dillon on Thursday 7. October

Valdimar @ Sodoma on Friday 8. October

BOB @ Faktory (working on their 2nd album) on Saturday 9. October

My Review of Airwaves '10

Pré-Airwaves - On Tuesday I enjoyed 7 artists @ Faktory. Thank you Runar Magnusson!

On Wednesday 8 gigs @ Faktory.

On Thursday 5 (venue) + 4 (off-venue) gigs

On Friday 5 (venue) + 4 (off-venue) gigs (2 bands not on stage @ Airwaves)

On Saturday 6 (venue) + 1 (off-venue) + 1 backstage/soundcheck @ NASA (Hellvar)

On Sunday 4 gigs (off-venue) + 1 short movie screening (Where's the snow?!)

Best Foreign Bands (as usual I had my focus on the Icelandic Artists)

2 Danish artists

Selvhenter with 2 female drummers - nice mix with Runar & friends on stage

Spleen United

Best Icelandic Artists (in my humble opinion alphabetically!)

Amiina as a sextet (with drummer & Kippi Kaninus) off-venue @ Havari

Barujarn with theremin @ Amsterdam

Captain Fufanu @ Tjarnarbio

Coral off-venue @ Backpackers Hostel (Laugavegur)

Ensimi @ NASA

Ghostigital @ Tjarnarbio

Gjöll @ Faktory

HAM @ NASA

Hellvar @ NASA

Mammut off-venue @ Hresso

Pascal Pinon @ Risid

Prinspolo off-venue @ Havari (+ I saw the générale the day before)

Reptilicus @ Faktory

Reykjavik! @ NASA off-venue @ Boston

Saktmodigur @ Amsterdam

S.H. Draumur @ NASA

Solstafir @ Sodoma

Sudden Weather Change go Ghostigital @ Tjarnarbio off-venue @ Boston

Vicky
Best Projection

Ghostigital Saturday @ Tjarnarbio

Hlodaklettar Evenings Tuesday & Wednesday @ Faktory

Best Outfit/Stage Costume

Captain Fufanu Saturday @ Tjarnarbio

Best Dancers on Stage

2 dancing queens on stage with Barujarn @ Amsterdam

Friends on stage with Ghostigital @ Tjarnarbio

Best Pregnant Singer

Singer of Worm is Green, like fellow female singers Björk did with KUKL, Heida i Unun with big belly on stage (baby doing pogo dancing I suppose)

Brightest Icelandic Hope

Nolo @ Venue

Best Anarchistic Singer

Siggi Pönk (aka The Punk Nurse) of Gjöll Tuesday @ Faktory

Best Cover Song

Sudden Weather Change go Ghostigital: with a cover of the song "Goodmorning"

Most Disappointing Gig

Evil Madness @ Faktory: "no evil, no madness, no Johann Johannsson"

Worst food & drinks

Sponsoring by a famous Dutch Beer.

Although they are obligated to give people water for free (Icelandic law), some bar personnel asked people to pay for the pure Icelandic, glacial H2O.

It is time to change the name (I don't like ALL Icelandic music/I even love non-Icelandic music) & re-invent myself.
You can follow my 2 new blogs entitled "Icelandic Music Maffia" & "Icelandic Music Museum"

(both abbreviated as IMM) .

Icelandic Music Maffia
A blog dedicated to independent music made in Iceland.

Icelandic Music Museum

A blog dedicated to the past of Icelandic music & Music made in Iceland

www.youtube.com/v/BjL6SWU7kP8?fs=1&hl&fmt=18

FIN - THE END
R.I.P.

I LOVE ICELANDIC MUSIC
October 2006 - October 2010

>>> GO TO THE ICELANDIC MUSIC MAFFIA FOR MORE WEIRD MUSIC <<<

ICELANDIC MUSIC MAFFIA

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PANCAKES ALL DAY LONG / ELECTION DAY, Tuesday, Nov. 2, 7:00 am - 7:00 pm

The Ithaca Rotary Club's 37th Annual Rotary Pancake Day is November 2nd, 7am to 7pm Election Day.

Pancake Day is one of our great annual events that makes Ithaca such a fabulous place to live! Held at the Women's Community Building,located on the corner of Cayuga and Seneca Streets in Ithaca, Pancake Day has become an Ithaca tradition where we gather to eat, make new friends and see old ones, speculate on election turnouts, and generally have a good time!

Please come-- If you've never attended this event before I can assure you after the first time it will become part of your family's tradition, too! Call your spouse or a group of your friends, just decide when during the day you want to meet, and put it on your calendar. Pick up the kids-- don't let them miss out-- because they all eat free!

Blueberry pancakes and yogurt join this year's menu along with the traditional staples of pancakes, scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, hash browns, applesauce, fruit, coffee, tea, and orange juice. Cooked and served on site by Rotarians and Youth Exchange Students, your meal will be hot and delicious!

Tickets are $7 for adults ­ kids under age 12 eat free! Proceeds from this special event are used to fund our International Student Exchange Program, so please consider helping sustain this important opportunity to promote international understanding and good will.

My husband, David, and I usually meet there around 6:00 pm, if you're there at that time, too-- then I'll look forward to a quick wave or hello!
If you're not in town for this event, just think of us enjoying the good food and company! But wherever you may be this Election Day, be sure to get out and VOTE!

Oh, and if you have friends in Ithaca whom you think might appreciate a reminder of this event, please send this to them!

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Station Gallery Holiday House Tour 2010

I am happy to let you know you can now get your tickets for the Station Gallery Holiday House Tours check out the virtual ticket link here , I hope you can make it , I am looking so forward to touring all of these great homes.The proceeds of this tour fund wonder arts programs so not only will you have fun but you will be supporting a great cause .

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Hope you are all ready for Halloween

Its about time I dug up all the Halloween decor for the kids , what fun and it really gets us all in the mood.

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God said Go Up and Jonah Went Down.

Jonah 1:1 Now the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying,
2 Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me.
3 But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.

You know the story don't you? A whale became a fisher of men, swallowed up all the prophet and proved, you just can't keep a good man down.

Long story short, don't run from God. He's got your number and knows how to get your attention. Like you tell your kids, do what you're told as soon as you are told to do it. This eliminates having to go the long way around.

Why shouldn't we listen to our own advice and just obey God right away? We tell our own kids, “obey, right away, it could save your life.” Do they listen? Often not! But the drawbacks to disobedience are always negative.

What is the Lord asking of you today? Do it right away and be blessed.

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Up date on Mckay Hochstetler log home building process in North Dakota

waiting for log siding

Job site

early morning start, pretty silhouette

Front view dormer openings not on yet

Garage roof completed breezeway roof next

walk out basement back of house

interior beam roof system tongue and groove ceiling

walk out basement first  floor walls stacked and framed  

It is true that the recession is still felt by many in the building trades. However something is happening in North Dakota , where I am presently building where there is both a building and housing shortage.the homeowners have put us up in their basement as hotel space is not available or so costly it would price us out.
"The mayor says a few long-time local residents left town because they couldn't afford to stay when rent tripled. Oil workers make enough to push rent costs higher. " High rents, revenues as oil boom ripples through North Dakota by Dan Gunderson, Minnesota Public Rad

KILLDEER, N.D.—A massive oil reserve buried two miles underground has put North Dakota at the center of a revolution in the U.S. oil industry, a shift that has radically altered the fortunes of this remote area. BEN CASSELMAN read full article here.

And it is remote, take a look at the images of where we are building.

very nice large piers for the sun room

corner where jacuzzi tube will be , wont that be nice!

 note how window does not have it cut out , done to avoid wasting material

This will be chained sawed into the door opening breeze from garage going into house

On day 9 the semi truck comes again and we unload the beam roof system. As you can see , having a forklift on location is a must. It is frequent that multiple deliveries are involved while building your log home.

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Menanti Pagi

Hi everyone!
How're you all? Fine, eh?
I hope so... :)
Wanna post a poem right now...


Sebuah Puisi berjudul:

Menanti Pagi

 

 

Bulan sabit murung…

Bintang gemintang bingung…

Malam berlari menyeret janji …

Menjejakkan syahdu, menyepi…

Pohon, rumput dan ujungnya nan berkilau…

Menari dalam hijau…

Cinta putik nan tersembunyi…

Mekar mengantar benang sari…

Cahaya perak tersenyum berserakan…

Di kaki langit nan kemerahan…

Surya nan malu, berselimut…

Rindu-rindu tersaput kabut…

  Disini aku, memeluk kata…

Mencium, menikmati udara…

Dan disini aku, berdiri tanpa kaki...
Menyendiri, menanti pagi…

Alhmd, Puisi ini telah dimuat juga dimuat di koran Singgalang edisi Rabu, 27 oktober 2010. Beredar di Sumatra Barat Dan sekitarnya.

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Pillar no post

I got my pillar without a post , I didn't want this half wall to look like an after thought , what I came up with was creating the look of a pillar on the corner of the wall , it is exactly what I was looking for , a little more finishing and painting and a hook in my cubby and it will be all done .

I'm loving it .

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putting up walls and hiding clutter

We use our front parlour or living room nightly and this is my view , looking at coats and shoes has made me wonder over the years should I build a wall a partition , with a post , without a post , well as I often do I just went for it

I built us a wall , I even drywalled it , OK that is pretty simple stuff , but I did have to put it on my car roof to get it home , they cut a damaged sheet in half for me , made it much easier to move and it was barely damaged at all , and I was going to be adding lots of trim to this tiny wall anyway
I didn't want a skinny wall so I doubled up the studs to beef it up

I pushed on in a little marathon to get most of it complete before my husband got home , he saw the drywall in the driveway and became confused , thought I had damaged a wall or something..he's such a good sport , if the shoe was on the other foot I don't know if I would be so understanding , glad he likes my ideas if sometimes not in theory in reality and when executed.

I was able to get the bulk of the work done by last night.

I made one side a cubby , this will be my little space to hang my things nicely out of sight .

Lot's of finishing to do of course, it will look much better than this soon , most likely by the end of today , my only issue to decide is the post to do it or not ? right now I am thinking not because I have two posts on my staircase just steps away from the entry , I don't want it to posty in here ...I am going to trim this all out nicely and then I am sure I will know which way to go , so far the wall feels good to the space and is not in the way , we can still move furniture in and out when and if needed.

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