memory lane

Eversley Public School

This photo from the Country Day School website shows the original one room school I attended and the new two room building that was added when I was in grade six.  I can't find a date for the school, but there is mention of Henry Frost, 1816-51, the originator of music education in Ontario schools, who taught in the Eversley school in 1850 and 1851. 

The church from my previous post is just across the road off the bottom right hand corner of the photo.

On the old school you can see the two doors in the photo - girls used one, boys the other.  Inside was a hall for coats, past this was the classroom.  There were more tall windows on the other side of the building; the side that shows is the north side.  You want to minimize the windows there - in winter the winds blow straight across the fields!

St. Andrews Presbyterian Church, Eversley Ontario

Metscan posted a photo of a church in Finland that reminds me so much of this little church that is in the village where I went to public school.   Her version is much taller and grander, and has a bell tower!, but the stone construction and the window shape is very similar.

This little church was built in 1848. 

Black and Grey

Gazing at my closet the other night, and I noticed how little colour there is.  The turquoise and gold in the photo are both scarves.  The rest, jackets, sweaters and tops are almost all black, grey or white with one purple and one brown exception.  Pants are even less varied.  Am I this depressed? 

I do feel that bright colour is more for young people.  Plus since my hair is gray now, I'm not into the fall shades I used to wear.  Lately it's been all about clear colour and blue/grey shades, partly because that's what is available right now and partly my preferances.

Duchesse's recent blog had a theory that lighter fabrics and brighter colours reflect/cause a happier more attractive life.  She had a friend who made a decision to change her wardrobe this way, and ended up with a lighter spirit and a new love in her life.  Interesting thought.

One question would be which changes first, the inside or the outside?  I may try to add a bit of bright and see what happens!

Napping

I wish I had someone to take a picture of me today.  I was napping on the couch with a cat on my legs, a cat next to my shoulder and Rory's head in my lap, all four of us asleep.  Comfort is having warm bodies to curl up with.

Of course I wasn't going to let this dog on the furniture at all, but then he's had digestive problems the last few days.   When he wouldn't eat yesterday I took him to the vet, spent the amount of a new pair of shoes (but decided I get more value from my dog) and he's put on a bland diet, a prescription and Pepcid A/C antacid tablets.  He's been quite subdued, so when he wanted to cuddle I couldn't resist.

More minimalism

The struggle to purge continues.  I am now down to seven pairs of jeans from twelve.  That's a 40% reduction.  I also have two bags of miscellaneous stuff to take to Goodwill.  If more goes out than comes in, there will be progress toward a more stylish and wearable wardrobe.

I have excess in my hobbies too.  I need to finish some of my knitting projects before I start something else.  So tempted to start the Cloud Chaser vest.  And buy new yarn for it too, when I have 40 km of yarn stashed!  The temptation of 'more' tends to come ahead of contentment with looking at what I've already got.  Starting a new project more interesting than completing an old one. 

So much acquisition, so hard to let go.  Why is that?  I wonder if humans are genetically programmed to hunt and collect as a survival thing.  Or is it greed - do I think of the money I've spent and want it back?  It's not going to happen!  It won't make money sitting in my closet, basement or where ever.  And I'm not a sales person type. 

negative

There's a blogging challenge going on to limit what you wear to twelve items.  I can't get into it.  Seems to me I should be trying to wear everything in my closet in rotation.  If I've bought it and I don't wear it's just a waste.  I buy on a whim and then never wear the new item.  It hangs in the closet or is lost in the drawers while I go back to the same few things over and over, mostly pants and sweaters. 

The concept of limiting your wardrobe artificially when so many have no choice in the matter just doesn't appeal today. 

I'm a bit down today anyway, a bit angry too.  My friend B. died on Friday.  Died or killed herself, or was killed; the police are calling it 'suspicious'.  There's alcohol and an abusive ex spouse involved.  Only God knows the truth. 

Rest in peace B, your suffering is over for this round.

Renovation Upstairs

The work upstairs continues slowly.  I'm taking the paint off the baseboards, it's a big job.  Everything else looks clean and new, so I just couldn't leave them with 47 coats of paint.

Need to tackle the trim on the windows too.  Since the drywall is thinner than the plastic, some shims will be necessary to get the trim back on level.

I find it interesting that the original baseboard finish was a faux woodgrain.  The wood itself is not hardwood, but they added this effect.  The base colour is the honey tone, with the darker overlay with a varnish type material.  Then lines have been dragged in to give the grain effect.

Some of the doors in other parts of the house were finished like this too, under several layers of paint.