View from the balcony

We do get some nice views from the back balcony. 

Here's looking west to downtown.

 Unretouched colour. (Though my camera has a "happy" setting!)

Taken a week or so ago, when we had that summer-like weather and the cherry blossoms in full bloom. Sublime! Hard to believe there's still snow on the mountains.

 Looking north again. A lot less snow.

 Looking east! Pink clouds. (Martha this reminds me of the view looking north toward your house in the old days; we'd always see the sunsets reflected in your windows.)

 Snow!?

 This is a zoomed view of downtown, btw!

Meanwhile, some of us are working. Building closets!

Lighting!

Remember when Andrew did the cut-and-paste lighting plan? Fifty-two fixtures? Well, like magic, this week the electricians  started putting them in! 

This one is Katie's room. Look at the pretty shadows it casts!

Katie's room before (still quite a few of these around).

Katie's room after, with the light turned off.

Harry.

Before.

After.

Sconce at front door (three of these in the front hallway).

Alcove between the main floor bathroom and dining room.

Two of these near back door.

Dining room.

We're particularly happy with this antique in the front entranceway (blurry photo notwithstanding).

Living room. Another one from Antique Market.

Exterior front. Restoration Hardware.

Matching set on front porch. 

Amazing how they pull the place together, make it start to look finished.

More to come.

Katie's birthday party!

We broke the house in last weekend with a kid party belatedly celebrating Katie's birthday. Nothing like a pack of kids running up and down the stairs to make a house feel like home!

Buncha cuties!

 Classic Fifi: upside-down on the left.

 Love the accidental composition of this picture: the two conversations: LongXi with his hand on Abe's arm, Katie with her hand on Imogene's. Sorren watching one group, Aneko watching the other. (I think Fifi's still there too, under the coffee table.)

 Abe and LongXi seemed to really hit it off.

 Katie really enjoyed having her friends over!

 First treasure-hunt clue.

 Exciting treasures! This way, they filled their own goodie bags.

The madding crowd.

 The final clue led them to a pot of gold; Katie painted some of her rock collection with gold glitter.

 A couple of the "Parent Volunteers," as Fifi called them.

Katie plugging her ears for "Happy Birthday."

 It was Katie's idea to have a make-your-own-waffle party.

Pretty pleased that she used every topping on her double-decker creation.

The masterpiece.

Chatting with Angelo.

So happy with our new table! (plenty long even with just one of the leaves.)

 Looks like we hired a stylist for this shot! Those colours!

 Poor Gracie.

 Fifi taking care of Gracie.

Gracie (on back of couch) with her mojo back!

Admiring the hand-made cards.

Still haven't figured out who brought the "mash-staches."

Charlie Chaplin.

Countertops!

We are so happy with our countertops, thanks to a fantastic supplier we found in Richmond, Alpha Stone. (Oh! The things we know about now!) 

They have a huge -- I mean HUGE -- warehouse of granite and marble slabs that is a wonder to see. Even if you're not shopping for a countertop, it's a marvel to see hundreds of these massive slabs of polished stone. If you are in the market, they sell their own "no name" brand of engineered quartz at half the price of Caesarstone. They're very professional and friendly to boot!

Seamless.

Instead of a mitred edge that would make it half-again thicker, it was actually cheaper to just double it at the edge (seamlessly!). 

We've not yet found a piece of wood for the bar top, but love how the girls have decorated the temporary MDF one so much we're thinking of just having it lacquered.