The Inside Scoop

Yesterday morning began less than promising when, after throwing on a dress and some shoes, I picked Baxter up to head downstairs and he peed on me before the elevator even had a chance to come up to the 20th floor. Although he was wearing his "elder wrap" with the Maxi pad inside, somehow it leaked. Not the best way to start a day, right? Yikes!

Further, I took on the daunting task of heading to the refuse area where there are a dizzying array of bin choices. I discovered the area tow days ago after wandering around several floors of the underground parking garage, helped, finally, by some folks I flagged down in a passing car.

Never having living in a high rise before, there is a lot to learn about living with others, including being super tidy, or else!

Bins on one side of the room...

and for some reason, yellow ones as well, which seem to hold the same type of recycling.

The other side has more bins, as well as a gigantic trash compacter. After you have exhausted your stash of recycling items, you put the rest inside the blue part, close the door and it starts making noise which startled me the first time but before long it will all become "old hat" as our late Mother would say.

I mentioned before how Baxter, in his old age, is having to learn new tricks, and the same holds true for us!

To get to our floor, I have to swipe the previously mentioned key fob on a button before it will lift us skyward. Many of you know that Vancouver is a hot bed of film and television production; the typewritten letter you see is a notice that parts of Granville Street, as well as the surrounding areas, will be closed due to filming next week.

What some of you are dying to see, rather than the outdoor scenes, is the condo, so here we go...very spacious and comfortable. Standing at the front door heading in..

There is a mirrored double closet to my right, as well as another one shown with my shopping bag hanging on the handle. Thanks be to Matt and Tom who gave me the roomy tote for Christmas several years ago!

The dining area..

You've seen the living area in the previous post, so no need to revisit that. Here's a look into the kitchen with a spacious pantry through the open doorway.

I'm grateful I had some training on a gas stove when I was helping Carol last summer, however, all gas stoves are not created equal, so learning this one is, well, part of this whole learning experience.

Our bedroom....not keen on making a platform bed up, but thankfully it is super comfortable. Either that, or I am so tired by nightfall from all the walking that anything would be just fine!

The master bath...

and the walk in closet with a dresser set up inside. Oh how I wish I'd brought more clothes!!

Here is the second bedroom...

Ha ha..how do you like my set up? I'm sitting on that tub as I type! This weekend we plan to purchase some sort of table, moving the bed closer to the door and placing the table by the window where I hope to sew and write.

And the second bathroom..

Told you I was giving you the inside scoop!!

The neighborhood is lovely with tree lined streets,

yet within two or so blocks, shopping and business areas begin, including the dry cleaners where I will pick up a few of Bruce's shirts today, hoping they are to his liking.

Most of you know that we could never afford this area on our own, and should you be wondering how expensive the real estate is, here's all you need to know from this sign posted adjacent to the building. CRAZY expensive.

When I am not out wandering the streets in order to purchase what I can carry to stock the kitchen, I watch the park below.

One evening, waiting on Bruce to come home from the office, I actually just walked around, coming across all manner of interesting places, including this shop just two blocks away.

Because I've been able to leave Baxter for a few hours at a time, (I feel as if I have a child again!), hopefully Bruce and I can actually go out to dinner alone. Maybe here, which is also a short walk away.

Close to the above spot there is a lovely park area, with huge blooming hydrangeas.

Along with seagull droppings everywhere!! I've seen only pigeons, Canadian geese, and more seagulls than I can count!

As I mentioned before, and probably will every chance I get, food is crazy expensive here, as in sometimes two, sometimes three times as expensive. For an example, my beloved can of refried beans that I purchase for about $1.25, cost $3.50 here. Because I have no spices at all, aside from my newly purchased salt and pepper, I am still on the hunt for someplace where they don't cost $9.00 a jar. Over time I hope to get used to it, but it certainly is quite a shock to my frugal system.

Yesterday, after Baxter settled down a bit, I walked back to the shopping area where Nordstrom is to purchase an electric kettle, taking a bunch of street scene photos along the way. That, my friends, is going to be so much fun. In an effort to keep this brief I've not included any today, but just you wait.

Always more to come.

yours truly,

Gail