What a Week it Was!

As we turned the corner on Monday of this week we knew there would be a big push to get the deck, stairs, screened porch and some landscaping done by Friday in time for our party for Margot and Hadley, our brides.  Monday, it looked doubtful but the sun was shining, the crew of 9 showed up at 7AM and the hammers, staple guns, sanders and compressors were going strong.  The little digger arrived with a skilled driver and a landscaper who had a vision for landscaping around what we were calling the stairway to heaven as it just ended in the air.  We certainly hoped it would all come together but it looked rather challenging at that early hour of the day and week.

As we moved through the week, literally, the stairs started to take shape before our eyes and the sawing, sanding and painting took on a feverish pitch.  The lawn was covered with pieces of wood that were being prepped for the screen frames for the porch, each piece cut to a specific size, sanded and then painted with two coats of white paint.  The scaffolding was erected to begin the installation of the frames, some of which were very unique in their structure as they had to go around pillars in the round end of the porch.  Once they figured out their method, the screens went in pretty quickly.  There is more to this than I thought.

 

Tension mounted as we made it to mid week and still no sign of the railing.  Thursday morning our contractor, Troy Bean, drove into Montreal at 5:30am to pick it up at the warehouse.  He and the boxes for the railing arrived back at 12 noon.  The crew took off for lunch and to watch a video on how to put the railing together.   We were now 30 hours and counting before the party was to begin.  The team came back and started an assembly line of putting the sections of the railing together and then attached to the posts.  Such a smooth operation.

By 6:00pm we had a railing all around the porch and three sections left to put up on the screened porch.  Now at 24 hours and counting but we felt we could probably still have the party.  The deck was safe and the stairs were in and we were promised that the landscaping would be done so people could arrive and walk safely down the stairs and back up again.  Thursday afternoon the first guests started arriving for the house party and we were almost feeling ready.  We had cocktails and dinner on the porch that night and I think started to breathe again.  Friday morning the team was there to finish up the porch and the railing and put the final touches on the stairs.  They packed up all their equipment, stored the wood and rest of the supplies somewhere where it couldn’t be seen and believe it or not vacuumed the sawdust off the lawn!  We were now T-minus 6 hours.  The following pictures show what it looked like after Katie and my sister worked their magic on the porch and we had a party.  Best part of the whole evening, the caterer showed up!!!

It was wonderful and we certainly cannot thank our team of contractors for everything they did for us to make this event happen.  We had no control over the weather but it was the most beautiful night, warm and clear.  Just perfect.

Walking and Keeping Calm

 

 

Yes, I did walk this week.  It is what kept me going.  I know it is the best stress reliever for me so I took off for a 4 1/2 mile walk most days.  The dogs are happier and so am I.  I honestly can feel myself releasing the tension that is in there.  The other thing I did for myself this week was to wake up early and meditate for about 1/2 hour.  I am a big fan of the Oprah and Deepak Series of free meditations.  They are coming out with another one in a week.   Here is the link if you are interested.  Energy of Attraction starts on July 23.  Join me in bringing this wonderful practice into your life.  You won’t regret it.

Foodies

That’s what we are this weekend.  Lots and lots of good food and happy people.  Breakfasts were a treat with beautiful fresh fruit, yummy breads, a fancy croissant french toast, coffee and tea and juice.  We had the tennis and soccer to watch and people came and went grazing as they passed the dining room table.  A few folks worked off the food by swimming across the lake and one brave soul went over and back – yes with a canoe following them.  The porch works.  It provides a welcome space to gather and drip water after a swim or a quiet place to read a book on the swing.  Back before we did the renovation on the house we always had a screen door that squeaked when opened and slammed when it closed.  Guess what, we have one once again on the new porch.  It sounds like summer.

Found a great recipe for Mediterranean Pasta Salad.  It couldn’t be simpler and it packs a good punch for a quick vegetarian meal.

Ingredients
8 ounces multigrain farfalle Zest and juice of 1 lemon 2 teaspoons olive oil 1 13.5- ounce can artichoke hearts packed in water, drained and chopped 8 ounces fresh part-skim mozzarella cheese, chopped 1/4 cup chopped bottled roasted red bell pepper 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley 1/2 cup frozen peas

Nutritional Information

Calories per serving 420 Fat per serving 20g Saturated fat per serving 8g Monounsaturated fat per serving 2g Polyunsaturated fat per serving 1g Protein per serving 20g Carbohydrate per serving 50g Fiber per serving 8g Cholesterol per serving 45mg Sodium per serving 200mg Resistant starch per serving 2.4g
How to Make It

Step 1
Cook pasta according to package instructions, omitting salt and fat.

Step 2
While pasta cooks, combine zest and juice of 1 lemon and 2 teaspoons olive oil in a large bowl; stir well with a whisk. Add artichoke hearts, cheese, bell pepper, and parsley; toss to combine.

Step 3
Place peas in a colander; when pasta is cooked, drain pasta over peas. Shake well to drain, but do not run under cold water. Add pasta and peas to artichoke mixture, and toss well until thoroughly combined. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Hope you have a wonderful week, Love Louise