My latest TV addiction

Now that the cooler weather has arrived here in the Great White North, I’m beginning to take notice of the new fall TV season. 

I used to be a huge television fan, but for about 10 years or so now I’ve found that television programming is pretty lame.  Investigative cop shows don’t do it for me.  Medical dramas don’t do it for me.  Reality TV doesn’t do it for me either – with one exception.  Home and design TV shows.  And lately I’ve discovered a new show that I’m loving.  9 by design.  It seems like I may be a little behind the times for this show, but what I’ve seen so far has me addicted.  You have got to check this show out. 

Bob and Cortney Novogratz are parents of 7 (yes that’s right - SEVEN) children who run SIXX Design, designing and building homes, most often for themselves, most often in New York City.   It’s not just the work they do, it’s how they manage to get that work done with such unbelievably busy, hectic lives.  Often their projects will begin with locating a property that has been torn down, or should be torn down.  Their design and build will result in a property that rejuvenates neighbourhoods and sells for amazing sums of money.

Their style is a mixture of modern and vintage and somewhat chic.  In fact I believe I’ve heard them say they don’t have a style.  They put things that they like together and it works.  Here are some examples:

     

Check out their website for more!  And if you have a chance check out their show too – it’s quite entertaining!

A very special anniversary!

This is a very special year.  Twenty five years ago 5 girlfriends and I left our hubbies and babies behind to spend a couple of days of girl time together.  Just 48 hours, that’s all it took.  Forty eight hours to cement a bond between six women that has grown much stronger over the last 25 years, none of us could imagine our lives without it.

We started out in 1986 in a tent trailer for one night, graduated to a weekend, added a day every couple of years at our favourite campsite in Central Ontario – Sandbanks – rollicking in the waves and sand dunes. 

By 2001 we decided that we deserved to graduate to a cottage, and of course you can’t reserve a cottage for less than a week in the summer right??!!  See where we are going with this???? 

So this year being our 25th, we decided we should treat ourselves.  After some research, we decided to venture across the Canada/US border and spend a couple of days at a spa resort in Stowe, Vermont.

 

We spent three nights at the Stoweflake Resort and Spa, enjoying their townhome accomodations and spa and pool facilities.  I was the only one who took advantage of the spa facilities with a fantastic 80 minute Jasmine & Honey Vichy Treatment – can you say “Ahhhhhhhh”? 

We explored the wonderful shops and restaurants in Stowe, and quickly came to the conclusion that this would definitely be a repeat destination!  And for the next 25 years we have included another two very special friends. 

Just to give you a sense of how close we have become, here is a tribute to my very special girls:

We have shared many a laugh, shed many a tear and learned so very much about each other – and ourselves. We are the shoulder to cry on, the compassionate ear to confide in, the helping hand to rely on and the infectious grin to giggle with. We have been through the birth of children, the passing of dearly loved ones, the celebration of weddings and the pride of graduations.  We have supported each other through illnesses, our own and those of our families, short and long term. We have shared the triumphs of our children, the drama of our extended families, the heartbreak of ended relationships and the excitement of new ones.   

I consider myself so very many times blessed to have so many very special women in my life. I would not be the person I am without any single one of them.

Happy 25th Anniversary Gals!!!