About Me

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Delta, British Columbia, Canada
I took very early retirement from teaching in '06 and did some traveling in Europe and the UK before settling down to do some private tutoring. As a voracious reader, I have many books waiting in line for me to read. Tell me I shouldn't read something, and I will. I'm a happy, optimistic person and I love to travel and through that believe that life can be a continuous learning experience. I'm looking forward to traveling more some day. I enjoy walking, cycling, water aerobics & and sports like tennis, volleyball, and fastpitch/baseball. I'm just getting into photography as a hobby and I'm enjoying learning all the bits and bobs of my digital camera. My family is everything to me and I'm delighted to be the mother of two girls and the Gramma of a boy and a girl. I may be a Gramma, but I'm at heart just a girl who wants to have fun.

Saturday, April 02, 2016

M is for MOVED IN

Welcome to Week M where M is for music, movies, monsters, mud, myopia, mothers, manners, malls, and messes.  I have decided to show you a bit of my new home since I finally got most of the artwork on the walls.  I still need to have my mirror installed over the fireplace because it's quite ornate and heavy, needing two strong men with excellent skills.  I would not want it to fall off the wall crashing into the marble fireplace surround!

Welcome to my foyer (or entry hall).  The door on the far right is the coat closet and the one on the left is the storage closet (actually a small room complete with shelves and hooks for things).  Adjacent to that is the front door. 
From inside, this is the front door with a nice mirror for me to check my lipstick before setting out and a little piece of art as you turn the corner.
Here is my custom kitchen with cupboards that have shelves above and drawers below, including spice rack pull-outs on the very right.  Below left, you can just see Tegan's eating area.  Note the flooring is slate tile.
From the front door, upon entering, this is what greets you - my artwork of Tuscany!  Also, a very special plaque (a gift from younger daughter) that reads "Learn to pause...or nothing worthwhile will catch up to you."
And to the right is the living room. Immediately on the left I've placed my nest of tables that used to be my grandmother's, then my mother's, and now mine.  The blown glass "gift" was a Christmas present from my sister a few years ago (a great conversation piece) and I bought the Tiffany lamp at a local fine furniture shop here in Ladner.
Then, continuing to the left is my leather sofa enhanced by my piece of art of an area in the Italian Riviera where I stayed for several days, visiting the Cinque Terre across the water.  The wing chair was one my late husband and I chose together back in 1986 but I had it reupholstered in 2006 when I retired from teaching.
Then we have the bay windows where I'm thinking of having a window seat installed where I can lounge, read, or simply admire with all the colourful cushions I'd buy. And then you can see where the mirror is going to be installed above the gas fireplace.
Here is the view across from the sofa and wing chair where I prefer to sit to watch TV.  And as you can see, I am still shopping for a dining table with a couple of chairs.  But the artwork is up!
Now we will go back through the foyer to the guest bedroom where there is no artwork on the walls, but the bed is made and has been used twice - once by my daughter and once by a good friend who helped me with the positioning of the art. A big room for a double bed and lazy-boy chair for reading.
And now we come to the master bedroom, which is all MINE!  Beautiful queen sized solid oak bed covered in a pale silver and cream comforter with matching shams, complemented by pale blue silk cushions embroidered with cream thread, and a one-of-a-kind musical china teddy bear. (It plays "Somewhere Out There, Beneath the Pale Blue Sky".)  The lamps are ones that my late husband and I chose back in the mid-80s and which have had three sets of shades.
Another angle of the bed with the door that leads into the double-sided walk-in closet and past that the ensuite.  The artwork, you may notice, (both above the bed and beside this door) are two that I purchased while on an Alaskan cruise with my younger daughter and are by the artist by the name of Iztchak Tarkay.  From online, here is what it says about him:  Tarkay was born in 1935 in Subotica on the Yugoslav-Hungarian border. In 1944, Tarkay and his family were sent to the Mauthausen Concentration Camp, until Allied liberation freed them a year later. In 1949 his family emigrated to Israel, living in a kibbutz for several years. Tarkay attended the Bezalel Academy of Art and Design from 1951, and graduated from the Avni Institute of Art and Design in 1956.
If you look closely, you will see that this bay window area is an extension of the bedroom.  There is room for a lazy-boy chair where I can sit and read or watch the TV on top of my dresser across from the bed, a lamp, my executive-sized oak desk and chair (bequeathal from my mother) and to the right, my printer stand on a book case.   So the entire room is bedroom/office.
I consider myself very lucky to have found this condo so close to my price range.  It's been almost completely updated with solid wood floors, that slate tile in the kitchen, paint, and the custom kitchen with all new appliances.  There is a fairly large outdoor deck/patio but although I don't really have a view, it is completely private.  All I have to do, though, is walk out the gate from the deck, walk 10 seconds down to the right to the gigantic courtyard where the gazebo and gardens are. (See last week's post.)

So now you've had the tour of my new home that really does feel like home, now that I've been here a month.  Hope you enjoyed it, but you can't leave yet, because I know you want to see where Tegan sleeps.  Well, during the night, it's on the bed with me, but during the day, it's here:
Thanks to the magnificent Denise Nesbitt, creator of ABC Wednesday and the majestic Roger, our administrator for all his many hours keeping us all on track each week.  Also, don't forget about the many multi-tasking and -talented team of bloggers who visit each and every contributor each week to express mighty words of gratitude for taking part in this wonderful meme.

20 comments:

Liz Hinds said...

It all looks beautiful, Leslie!

Roger Owen Green said...

Nice, comfortable place! At least Tegan thinks so!

ROG, ABCW

Reader Wil said...

Thanks for the lovely tour of your house. It's really great and almost royal.
I wish you a long happy life in your condo!
Wil

photowannabe said...

I remember the nightmare of packing and moving from our home of 41 years....
You have done a MAGNIFICENT job of making your condo just perfect for you.
It's cozy and inviting. I love the picture of Tegan in repose.

Nonnie said...

Your bedrooms are a nice size. How wonderful to have room for a chair on which to read. Teagan looks really relaxed! And hardwood floors- love them. I notice you have a ton of storage too.

MelodyK said...

Wow Leslie, how wonderful.... it makes me speechless

Wishing you all the luck and joy!



Have a nice abc-wednesday-day / - week
♫ M e l ☺ d y ♫ (abc-w-team)

ellen b said...

Thank you for taking us on a tour of your new home. It really is a great space and you have done a lot in a month. Love the saying on that plaque your daughter gave you. Looks like you have great storage space, too. Enjoy getting more and more comfy in your home...

Dina said...

Wow, it is beautiful. Lucky you, to be AFTER the big move.
And you have a good artist on the wall.
Enjoy your new place!

carol l mckenna said...

Beautiful place you have and so well decorated ~ especially with your sweet fur person ~

Wishing you peace in your day ~ ^_^

Photo Cache said...

The place looks cozy. Paw of approval from Tegan I see!

My ABC WEDNESDAY

Arnoldo L. Romero, MLA said...

You have a VERY lovely place, especially with that beautiful artwork and all the special family pieces. I noticed that Tegan has a comfy looking dog bed by the bay window, but chooses to sleep on one of your lazy boys. LOL! That's just like our Greyhound, who does the same thing. You got to love them! Blessings on your new place, my friend!

Anonymous said...

What a beautiful house :)
Thanks for letting us take a look.
Have a nice day

Murthy K v v s said...

Well decorated rooms..good day.

Anonymous said...

Over all it seems well decorated and Tegan seems to have found a pleasant spot to sleep on.

Ann said...

A bay window with a big cushy chair would be a heavenly place for reading or listening to music. Good luck with your new place.
Ann

Joy said...

A magnificent job of organisation,it all looks very inviting.

Trubes said...

It's all looking good now Leslie, I love the floors.
There seems to be lots of storage space too.
I'm so happy for you, being able to turn your life
around after all your upset last year.
One very strong lady, winning through, despite all.
Just look at that loving Doggie Tegan, didn't take
long for her to settle down.
'C`est sera sera'.

love Di.
ABCW team.

silvioafonso said...

Adorei seu blog. Vou segui-lo
e se você achar que deve, siga
o meu também.

Um beijo,

silvioafonso




.

Ann, Chen Jie Xue 陈洁雪 said...

looks like you are ready for visitors.

Unknown said...

very nice
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