Spring is here, and so is the work! Painting begins - April 10th - 25th

Picture from last week. Spring definitely has sprung in Horseshoe Bay. Gorgeous. Not much snow on the mountains though. The tops should be totally white at this time of year.

Well, spring is here with warm temps in the afternoon and then winter snuck back in for a week. Lots of rain and wind for several days. Snow back on the tops of the hills across the lake. I've been itching to get my bedding plants in, but it's way too cold. Greenhouse has stuff in it, but I have heat on. The rest of the plants are snuggled into the garage after a shop at Costco in Nanaimo and Country Grocer had their annual "Flat Sale", which is one day only this year.

Roy and June dropped off 2 Dungeness Crab this week for us. Delicious!

Tuesday, April 14th, we met Jason at Brunch on Third for breakfast as he was dropping off his trailer for servicing in Duncan.

There's even been a day of "snowing" on the hills across from us with some very ugly weather. Wednesday is a "do nothing" day.

The next day it looked like this.

Wednesday I even made Ray waffles. He watched a baking show, hoping to inspire me, and that's what Anna was making lol

The painter did not come Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday due to the weather. We had to move the greenhouse next to the planters waiting for the painting to be done so I can place them. 

Primer on the facia trim to be painted red. Apparently there was no primer put on originally which is why the paint keeps bubbling off, according to Kevin, our painter.

Thursday, Jason came and helped Ray set up the frame for the new gazebo. It will be twice the size of the old one, providing more shade which is needed. Olaf spent his time with the guys and up in the front with me.

When they are done it should look like this.

I started something as Mike and Debra also upgraded their gazebo this year. Theirs is 16 x 12 feet. It took 3 guys, 2 days to finish. Ours is taking longer as it's only Ray and Jason plus it's a bigger one.

I kept busy in the front, planting the rest of the veggies for the greenhouse and planting herbs in my vertical garden. I will add bedding plants for colour once it gets warmer outside.

The greenhouse will be a jungle when it grows. :) 3 tomato, 2 sweet pepper, 4 zucchini squash, 2 cucumber plants, strawberries and lettuce.

I also planted 2 bean and 6 snap pea plants for the back deck in pots with trellis's. I can't move planters onto the deck until the painting is finished. Another week at least. It's been pretty slow getting it done with 3 days of rain and only one guy. Apparently 2 more guys are coming next week to get it all done.

Too funny, Ray was going through his dresser getting rid of some old t-shirts and came across a Christmas Present for me he bought, hid and forgot. lol

Friday, Jason, Amelia and Olaf came back to the lake. Jason worked on getting the rest of the gazebo together while I kept Amelia busy. Amelia and I planted beets and carrots in my patio planter.

Olaf was relegated to the back deck as they poured concrete next door and I'm sure Mike wouldn't have wanted dog prints in his new sidewalk! Unfortunately the roof panels were really tricky and the boys ran out of time. Jason will be back on Monday.

It was a busy day in our cul de sac with Roy and June getting their lawn replanted, we had a painter and Mike had a cement mixer and crew for his concrete. Once everyone left Amelia could ride her scooter and bike.

She ran out of energy late afternoon as she is getting over a cold.

While she was resting, I moved all the bedding plants from the garage to my mini greenhouse. Six baskets and lots of starters for my planters. It's too early to plant them until the end of the month. I also have to wait until painters are finished with the trim and fir posts on the deck and front of house.

We both got lots of cuddle time.

Amelia went to bed on time at 7:30, and I think asleep within 5 minutes. Fortunately for me, she slept straight through until 5:30 in the morning. 

Saturday after our usual morning, it's time for Amelia and I to make pancakes. She got big enough that she does all the measuring and mixing ... I just cook them.

Our outing  today is going to the Duck Pond Park. 

There are tons of river kayakers there. A school group from Shawnigan Lake, about 50 teenagers. Amelia is fascinated.

Off course no trip to the Duck Pond Park is complete without a stop at Tim Hortons for a donut!

Back home Ray took Amelia over to the beach next door to fly here kite as it was a little windy. Unfortunately it died down so they were unable to keep it in the air very long.

Next job, peeling apples for our apple pie for tonight's dessert. She used her special knife to cut the apples into pieces.

The rest of the afternoon she spent building a fort and playing with magnatiles etc.

Dinner was Wor Wonton Soup, she likes it lol

ime

Another busy day. This time though she took an hour to fall asleep. It might have had something to do with Ray tickling her instead of cuddling before sleepy time!

Sunday morning, we went for a short boat ride. She was bored after 10 minutes lol

We decided to have a campfire and roast weiners for lunch. Mommy arrived at 11:30 am and we went for another boat ride. Amelia got to drive this time. We were impressed at how well she did. Olaf's first boat ride this year too. He wasn't too sure about this at first.

Lunch Time.

Kristi and Amelia left at 1:30 pm back to Nanaimo. We relaxed for the rest of the afternoon.

Monday, Jason arrived by 9:30 and the guys went back to work on the gazebo. Painter didn't come as he had a family emergency.

There was some "blue air" coming from the dock area, so I made myself scarce lol.

We took Jason out for lunch at Jake's and then they guys were back at it finishing the roof. Of course I took the picture with their mouth full.

By 3 pm the gazebo roof was done and Jason on his way back to Nanaimo to pick up Amelia from daycare. Thanks a bunch Jason! Now we just need to add the curtains, move deckbox to it's new location, and Ray to fix the lid. Finally hang the solar lights and move the furniture down to the dock.

Our neighbour Todd, coming home for a coffee break! 

I finished filling up the vertical gardens with dirt and then planted some flowers in between the herbs. This garden is officially planted.

Ray's latest puzzle finished.

Tuesday, Kevin arrived to paint and realized that the cream colour paint was white so he went back to Duncan to have it tinted darker. He wasn't back until about 10:30 to start today. He quit just before 2 as it started to rain. Seems this painting work will never be done. We are into week 3.

Wednesday, Kevin came back and had another guy with him. They finished the one side of the house and I asked him to start on the back deck. I'm anxious to get my planters there and cannot until they get the painting done. They managed to get most of the trim work done and will finish tomorrow.

Thursday, the painters (2) arrived and continued on the trim work and finished. After lunch they began the light sand on the fir posts and doors, prepping for Sikkens stain. They finished the doors so had to keep them open until 8:30 pm and air out the house from the stink of the stain.

We had to keep the doors open until 8:30 pm for the stain to dry before we could close up for the night.  The first few hours after painting is really stinky but it cleared out pretty fast once it was mostly dry.

Friday, Ray worked down on the dock fixing the deck box. New piano hinge on the lid put on and ready to be bolted back down to the dock. After moving 2 planters onto the sundeck, I went down to help ... I mean stupidvise lol. 

Painters here at 9 and finished up the trim work and painting sikkens on the gazebo. It sure looks nice and bright. A couple more end posts to be painted and it will be done.

After lunch the guys moved to the front of the house for trim and sikkens they will also finish trim on right side of house. Tomorrow Kevin will come back by himself and do the front shakes first thing before it gets out hot and any other touch ups. The painting will officially be finished! That means by Sunday I can start moving and planting my planters. 

Best laid plans .... Kevin has not finished, his wife called him to come home. He will be back on Monday and hopefully that will be the last. Apparently he still has some of the black trim to do, one window trim on the side and then all the fir by the front door.

It's too windy today to put up the curtains in the gazebo, otherwise it is ready to go. Stay tuned.