Where I'm At

I was featured over HERE today as part of Barbara's "So Canadian eh!" series. Thank you so much Barbara for including me in your series. Pop over to read the other ones....Tommy Smythe was there once.

For those of you heading into a long weekend, drive safe, have fun, Happy Canada Day!. Just as soon as my laundry is dry, I am heading to Montreal with a car load of bits for Boy Child and DIL. Apparently, they are going to let me loose in their apartment to decorate...

Foster Boy Shaggy has gone to a new foster home. We are travelling over the next 2 weeks and so he had to move. He made a lot of progress and hopefully his forever home will show up ASAP so he can finally settle with a family.

Can't wait for my almond croissant and espresso in Montreal...

The (partial) Reveal

I decided not to undo the shrink wrap as these are heading to Montreal on Saturday. This is the chair seen in my previous post that I bought second hand and had recovered for Boy Child and my Daughter in Law. I hope they like them.

Does this scare you?

This post is intended to invoke terror in my Daughter in Law. Hello Tracy!  Are you scared? 

This is one of 2 chairs I picked up as a gift to her from me. Boy Child and DIL are getting slowly rid of their college day furniture and hand me downs and a design plan is emerging. They recently took down walls and made so big changes and now they want to re-decorate.

So when I spotted these chairs at a consignment shop, I immediately recognized how well made they were and how comfy they were. Tub chairs are usually really comfy and they make great small size seating in a living room, bedroom or even dining room. So, I bought them without approval from BC and DIL. Nothing like a Mother in Law calling up her DIL to announce she bought them some chairs...If my MIL had EVER done that I would be mortified and already fighting with the Raz Man about who was going to tell her the chairs were not staying. Anyway...that picture of the butt ugly chair above is the before. I am picking up the reupholstered chars at lunch and shall post them later today. In the meantime, I am going to let Tracy sweat....

FaTshion Outfit of the Week.

It's 100 F here in Toronto today. If you're a kid you could fry an egg on the sidewalk to test that out. I'm out with The Girls tonight for a few Mohito's on a breezy patio, which led me to this post...I was deciding what to wear and was reminded of an experience I had when I bought this outfit.

I absolutely love linen in these hot Canadian summers, although I find it difficult to find good linen pieces here. I found a fabulous little shop in Florida that not only has beautiful linen clothes from Denmark and Germany, they have them in my size.

I'm a big girl...size 10 feet and I wear a US size 16/18. Which make me a Plus Size in most shops, a Special Size at Bergdoff Goodman, relegated to Salon Z in Saks, and pretty well the back corner near the washrooms in most Canadian department stores, and FAT to all other shops and designers. I CANNOT find fashionable pieces in my size in Canada. I order a lot from the US, from Navabi in Germany (they have wonderful European brands) and a few random sites such as Svoboda for jeans. So when in Florida, I frequent this little NAMELESS shop and buy great summer pieces. 

I had a good selection in my size, and ended up at the cash with this lovely peachy/nude linen top, this pair of cream linen balloon trousers as well as a few other tops, pants and a bracelet. The sales woman was wrapping my goods and I said to her how glad I was that they carried clothes in XL and XXL as it was hard to find such lovely fashionable clothes.

 To which she replied..

"you know it's all about portion control, if you put less on you plate, you'll eat less and lose weight"

I was really pissed.

REALLY.

What business was it of hers to judge me that I eat large quantities of food. Does she think that I haven't tried eating less, grapefruit diets, pills, shakes, exercise, medical advice and every bloody trick in the book. When I met my LONG LOST |FAMILY, I noticed how similar 50% of them were in body type. There IS a genetic pre-disposition to being overweight, and that may be half my battle. I've been to a dietitian, counselling ,weight watchers etc and still can;t keep my weight down. 

I seldom overeat, seldom touch junk food, and always cook from scratch with nothing but fresh ingredients. My green recycle bin is always full.  No processed foods in our house.

On the other hand, I walk for 50-60 minutes a day, do yoga 3 times a week (at home video) and despite my weight, I have perfect blood sugar, low blood pressure, perfect cholesterol, heart rate etc. Other than a knee injury and arthritis in my hand, I am in good health. My doctor is pleased, although she does encourage me to keep active and my weight down to avoid future issues. She reassures me that I have a large frame and I am healthy.

I take NO Medication and other than antibiotics for strep, never have.

Having said that, I do know I am fat. I would like to be thinner. BUT, I don't need ANY comments from a self righteous sales clerk or any one else for that matter.

My own father, who was overweight himself, never failed to make a comment about my weight. Note to all Fathers, DO NOT ADDRESS YOUR DAUGHTER's WEIGHT. Don't even go there for 2 seconds.

Fat seems to be one of the last in the arena's of Social Faux Pas's and political correctness, that people still feel free to comment openly, laughingly and without fear of criticism. 

I've had many, many comments in my life. They all hurt very much.

Making comments to and about fat people is being a bully.

Take the statement "Look at that Fat Chick"

Now substitute the word FAT for

Black

Gay

Retarded

Crippled

Trailer Trash

These are things we DO NOT SAY anymore.

INCORRECT

Everyone has an issue, most are well hidden and not in the open. FAT is not a topic for ridicule. As I always told my kids, "You never know what people are dealing with. Treat them as you would your own mother, sister, girlfriend etc." And if your mother's fat, do you want people making fun of her?

As a sales clerk, you can help by finding clothes in the store that flatter bigger bodies and fit well.

So that's my FaTshion outfit of the week.

Over and Out.

Whale Song

Foster Boy is still grieving the loss of his home. While he's clearly bonded with us and happy to see us, and stays close at all times, he's still deeply saddened by his loss. He lays in bed until 10 am and won't touch breakfast until noon. Most labs bound out of bed with the first twitch of your toe in the morning. He feigns sleep, even as I try to waken him. He doesn't like to be confined. During the day he has free run of the house and the cat is secured in one room. At night we bring him to our room so the cat can roam the house.  In the evenings as we sit together, he on his blanket from home, he lays with his eyes open and makes a profoundly sad noise. A haunting combination of whines and soft cries, rather like a WHALE SONG. We slide his rug over to our feet and try to soothe him with belly rubs and ear scratches, and he eventually settles. Adopt a dog this weekend!

For those of you celebrating father's Day this weekend, I wish you a lovely day. I bought the Raz Man 15 trees to plant...I just need to put a ribbon on them and I'm all set.

Grey Highlands

Headed to the County of Grey County today to spend time with the In-Laws. After supper we headed over to my SIL's Alpaca farm. Such sweet faces these guys have...almost deer like in their faces and with the giraffe like necks they are quite comical. It was magic hour for the camera, and we declared the color of the evening green....in all shades from lime and chartreuse to the deepest forest green. On the way home FIL announced he had purchased bacon and eggs for breakfast so I as the only woman present, could make everyone breakfast. Old School. 

Foster Boy 3 - Shaggy

Photo from www.Lab-rescue.ca

Both the weather and the outlook for the weekend have improved with the arrival of Foster Boy 3. Shaggy arrived at lunch time with 3 bags of toys, 2 beds, 4 food bowls and a few days supply of fresh fruit and vegetables for snacks. He's been in another loving foster home, but this land lubber doesn't do well on their boat, and would prefer a life on the land to one on the sea. He's just met his first cat and although there will be no rubbing noses for a bit, I think he will be fine with her. He's a bit afraid of men, but we summoned the Raz Man home for lunch for a meet and greet, and all went well. For info, go to www.lab-rescue.ca.

Anyone in the Burlington/Oakville/Toronto area who is able to do an emergency foster please see below.

URGENT: Lab Rescue needs a foster home for a lab that 
is under stress from a difficult living situation. We have 
saved her, now she needs patience from a  foster with no 
cats, quiet environment. If you can assist please call 
289-997-5227.

Old-New Mix

Our Florida living room is a real mix of old and new pieces, making for a very relaxed vibe. The pottery barn sofa is slip covered in white linen, but because everyone seems to like napping on this massive sofa and curling up with their feet on it, I took two very old postcard quilts and covered the seating areas. They don't match in color, but I like the mix of the new linen and the old soft, many times washed cotton. They can easily be tossed in the wash rather than wash the entire slip cover. 

The wing chair was my mothers, and although 1980's dusty rose underneath, is slipped in white. The rug is new (Dash and Albert from my store), the pillows a mix of old bark cloth made into pillow slip and a few new ones from Pine Cone Hill. The coffee table was an old 1980's table that had a peachy tone and painted vines. While hip when I bought it, I painted it white. Farm stool in front of wing chair and blue painted end table are flea market finds. The metal table with the lamp on it was the Raz Man's creation. He had his metal shop copy an old metal locker that we found years ago. It's on wheels and I like the industrial vibe mixed with the cottage like furnishings. Old rose paintings and ancient seashells from auctions fill the gaps. This room is totally for lounging, napping and piling on the sofa for drinks and chatter. 

I thought it would be a good fit for Nita's Mod Mix Monday found HERE

For Lou.

Passe a Grille beach

John's Pass

This post is for Lou from Lou Boos and Shoes. She has a special fondness for Pass A Grille Beach and John's Pass.

Florida Kitchen

Oh, I'm going to miss the sunlight that streams through the windows of The Florida Kitchen. I'm actually going to miss the entire kitchen when we return home tomorrow to my slightly shabby Ikea kitchen. The previous owners installed a custom built, framed, solid cherry kitchen with blue eyes granite (has specks of blue crystals) and every built-in rack, pull out and do-dad imaginable. It's beautiful and functional and theydkid a great job with the design. I can't take credit for a single thing here. The original lead windows should probably be replaced with hurricane windows, but they are just too pretty to change.

We're making friends here in Florida. We've had two evenings with neighbors and feel totally at home with them. I'm torn between heading home and wanting to stay here for the summer. Today is for last day celebrations with a Vinoy Hotel breakfast, the Saturday Morning Market, an afternoon at Pass a Grille Beach and the evening at The Queen's Head pub to celebrate the Jubilee. Yes, we've found a little pocket of British here in St. Pete.