Hobbit-ish Potpurri: Digging Out

Hey Humble Readers,

Long time, no talk.  I'm recovered from my stomach flu/day of pure hell last week, mostly.  My tummy is still rather sensitive, but I'm doing ok and thankfully no one else in the hobbit hole contracted the wretchedness.  The only positive to come out of this is that I have busted through my weightloss plateau in a big way.  Of course puking and dry heaving for a full day can do that...

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The Shire, and indeed the whole mid to northern part of the province got slammed today with a doozy of a snow storm.  About an hour north of the Shire there was a major pile up on the highway that resulted in 300 (yes, 300!) injuries.  The highway was closed for several hours, and the injured were sent to hospitals in 9 different surrounding communities.  So much for spring, right?

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We did actually manage to go out on Sunday for the afternoon and evening.  I was feeling well enough to be out and about so long as we took it easy and I was able to stop to rest and drink water several times throughout the afternoon.  My MIL came up, even though the roads weren't the greatest, and spent the night.  My Beloved and I had lunch, toured a show home (more on that later), did a little shopping (shoes for my Beloved, Easter baskets for the wee-lings), went for dinner, and then to a movie (Identity Thief - so funny!).  It was so nice to just be together, not thinking about which wee-ling needed to be fed or bathed or distracted or consoled.  It was wonderful to be able to browse through stores I could never take the wee-lings to (like Pier 1), and to be silly with my Beloved.  I was completely wiped out when we got home and spent all day Monday on the couch, but it was worth it. 

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So, this show home we toured... It was a town home in a new complex that I would love to live in.  And when I say love, I mean luuuuuuurrrrrrrrvvvvvvvve to live there.  Seriously, the house would be perfect for us.  Four bedrooms (we would have a spare bedroom!!!), three and a half baths, finished basement, with a postage stamp sized yard that is cared for through the homeowners association (whose fees are less than half of what we pay now for HOA fees).  There are new schools being built nearby, and it's close to a great little shopping center with groceries, banks, and a Starbucks (I'm pathetic, I know). 

Canada's favourite handyman - Mike Holmes
One of my celebrity crushes.  :)

The best thing is the builder of this complex has partnered with Mike Holmes as a part of his Holmes Homes program.  That means that all the building materials and procedures meet Mike's high standards.  The best insulation, the best high efficiency appliances, hot water tank, and furnace.  Even lumber and plywood that is mold and moisture resistant.  The only negatives about this townhouse complex is that we aren't in a place *right now* to put down a down payment (but we will be in about a year or so), that it's in a brand new area of town so there's not a lot of trees or parks yet (but there will be!), and it's over the dollar figure that we have been toying with (but not so far that it would be impossible for us).  They are currently building phase one, so POTENTIALLY we could get in on future developments through this builder.  (And if you're interested, I pinned the floor plan on my Dream House board on pinterest.)

Even if this isn't in the cards for us in the future, it's incredibly exciting for me to be thinking about what our next (forever) home is going to be.  Less than two years, Humble Readers.  Less than two years. 

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I can't recall off the top of my head if I told you all this, but both my Beloved and I are getting new glasses this year.  He's actually already got his and they are snazzy!  It's no secret that my rx is pretty ridiculous.  I'm blind as a bat without my glasses and have panic attacks if I can't find them.  When the girl at the eyewear shop gave me an estimate on how much my lenses are going to cost I almost had a heart attack.  I've always bought the cheapest lenses, without any bells and whistles, but we have agreed that I need better quality.  Anywho, with both of us getting glasses we knew it was going to get expensive.  The good news is, my Beloved just did our taxes and we will be getting back enough to cover about half of our new eyewear!  The other half will be able to be put through on my Beloved's health benefits with work.  Yay!