August 4, 2009

Cottage gets a facelift and the weather finally warms up

VALOIS, New York, USA - The arrival of our amiga Laura Warner from Calgary meant that Casa Fitz/Fox has had two energizer bunnies in residence for the past week or so, resulting in a long postponed project getting underway: painting the trim on the house.

The cottage has always been kind of Wal-Mart white all the years I have been coming here. And in past years, one side of the house at a time, I have continued with that tradition, slapping on a generous coat of white paint, sometimes capturing spiders and other insects into the patina of the house.

Archeologists will probably thank me for preserving the bugs for study.

Sylvia and Laura paint front of cottage
Laura and Sylvia painting the blue trim

The effect is dramatic when added to the new open view out the front. With the cutting down of some huge trees that shaded the house (and kept a nice crop of moss growing on the roof), the front of the house is now the focus.

I don't know if the project will continue all the way around (as I put on more Wal-Mart white), but it dresses up the front quite nicely.

Arnold and Laura
Arnold and Laura getting to be good friends

At the same time as Laura and Sylvia have taken up painting as a hobby, the weather suddenly shifted from 70 degree days to 80-plus. And add some humidity into that. The net result is that we have been boating almost every day, including simply going out and letting the Spirit of Louise drift around while we go swimming.

We forgot our float toys the first day out and had to improvise. Laura showed us a Canadian invention that allows you to bob around in the water, and still have a hand free for the beverage of your choice.

And it works.

Life jacket floating diaper
Laura suits up for a water expedition

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