Waffling: May 2013

Friday, May 31, 2013

Bye Bye Wisdom Teeth!

Today is the day that I get my teeth out!! I am just getting the bottoms out, not all four, so hopefully all goes smoothly and I am not in too much discomfort. It my first time having any sort of surgery, freezing, or even dental work! So yes, I am nervous and I hope it is just over with quickly.

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If I remember my x-rays correctly, one of mine is "angular" and one is "vertical" so I hope that means the surgery will be very routine and straightforward. My upper ones are actually horizontal, but the dentist thought it was too risky to take them out so they are staying in- I hope they don't have to come out later!

It my first time having any sort of surgery, freezing, stitches, or even dental work! I don't even think I have had prescription painkillers before. So yes, I am nervous and I hope it is just over with quickly. But every dang commenter on here seems to have had this done so I know it will soon be over and I will be back to normal soon. Thank you to everyone in the recent weeks who have made me feel a lot more confident about this and given advice!

Have a great weekend!! I'll be back sometime next week. Follow me on Twitter if you want to listen to me complain in the meantime :)

Thursday, May 30, 2013

Balcony Trimmings

Now, where we last left off with the balcony, the beautiful new floor was laid, but there was a gap between the edge of the floor and the condo. This gap was caused by a one inch sealant (I guess against water getting in, so I can't really complain!). However the gap was uneven and it made the edging of the balcony floor look uneven no matter how many times Dad tried to cut them.

Dad came up with the ingenious idea of laying a piece of trim down to cover the gap and finish off the edge. So while we were at Home Depot picking up the new bathroom countertop, we took a wander down the trim aisle and spent a long time comparing the options. Finally we came home with two 8 foot strips of this odd shaped trim:

I'm not exactly sure what this trim is for, but the grooved back fit perfectly in the gap left by the balcony floor and lay nice and flat!

Dad also came up with the idea to attach it with outdoor velcro so that it could be easily pulled up if I needed to get the floor out for some reason (like if I had to replace a tile). I am all for solutions that don't involve tools! I haven't installed it yet (it is going to just go along the edge of the condo unit, not the railings), because I am still stick on colour.

Should I leave it white, paint it black to match the door trim, or reddish brown to blend into the floor?

Help a girl out!!

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Guess What's Here!

It is in a mysterious, giant box...

IT'S MY NEW VANITY COUNTERTOP!

Yay!! I am so excited! I got the call last week that it was ready at Home Depot for pick up (it was a special order) and I finally got the chance last night to rope my dad into helping me pick it up (Thanks Dad!).

I was sooo nervous that it was not going to be the right size, because it needs to be exact or it won't fit into the alcove that the vanity sits in. So when the Home Depot associate rolled it out I asked them to open the box so I could see that it was right and that it was the right size. I whipped out my measuring tape and was so happy to see that it was exactly 33.5" across! Now I only have to worry about whether I measured right :S

I don't know when I will get time to install it, what with getting my wisdom teeth out this weekend and then my summer of CRAZY starts (I am away practically every weekend), so for now the box will be a lovely decoration in my hallway. But hey- step one of the bathroom renovation is complete!

Now who wants to come help me install this? :)

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Coffee Table Ideas for Small Spaces

Living in a small space often requires getting creative with furniture and finding out what works best for you and your home. My living room is only 9.5 feet across so when it came time to find a coffee table, I knew I needed something more narrow. I lucked out in finding my great storage ottoman for only $100 and I recovered it with pretty fabric. It often moves from in front of the couch to at the foot of the bed, so it is very versatile in my space!

But there are lots of other options for coffee tables in small spaces so I thought I would share those today!

1. Acrylic or see-through

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A see-through coffee table can help make a space feel larger because they don't take up any visual space! They come in lots of sizes and shapes, and luckily are becoming more and more popular, so finding one used or for a good price is getting a lot easier.

2. Nesting Tables

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Nesting tables are great because you can use just the large one as a coffee table or side table and then pull out the smaller ones for larger gatherings.

3. A Pouf

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A pouf with a tray on top makes an adorable- and unique- coffee table. Plus, the pouf can act as extra seating, which is never unwanted in a small space!

3. Use Two or More Smaller Ones

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A grouping of smaller coffee tables allows for versatility in arrangement, as they can be moved around for social gatherings and act as a side table, or even extra seating

4. A Pop Up Coffee Table!

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I have always loved this West Elm coffee table, but it is too large and square for my space. I love how it pops up, so this can act as a table if you do not have one in your space. Bed Bath and Beyond actually had a model like mine (a leather storage ottoman), but that popped up! However I can't justify spending money on something I don't really need, however cool it is :)

5. TV Trays

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There are a lot of cute TV trays out now, or you could DIY some plain ones like the above image! The best part is that they fold up small and out of the way when not in use.

6. Get Rid of the Coffee Table!

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By employing a stylish alternative for holding your cup, like the one above, you can eliminate the need for a separate table all together. Just make sure you don't flail out at the end of an intense show, or your drink is going to go flying! You could also probably get by with a lap tray or just side tables as well.

Of course, a plain ol' coffee table can also work great in a small space, especially if it adds needed storage or style to your home. What kind of coffee table do you have? How do you use yours? I don't usually use mine for eating; It is for resting my feet and storing random stuff.

Monday, May 27, 2013

Update on DCP, Legs, and Teeth!

Hey there! I know a lot of you are enjoying Memorial Day in the states, and I hope you have a nice long weekend! Canadians had their May long weekend last week...but I am still a little jealous ;)

I thought I would do a quick update on my DCP treatment and other health things.

DCP treatment has been going ok. I ran through a few weeks of terrible blistering (not fun) so I took a week off to heal and dropped my dosage and I have been doing a lot better. I am still going in weekly, which is annoying, but I am loving the spring weather so I don't mind as much when I am leaving work at 2:00pm on Thursdays or getting up at 5:15am on Mondays (when I can go alternates according to when the clinic is and my own schedule). As for regrowth, I am finally starting to see some hair coming in. It is pretty sparse, and right now is mostly on the back and the sides and I joked to the doctor that I am going to look like an old man soon.

Anyway, I have always maintained not keeping my hopes up. This sparse hair is certainly not indicative that my Alopecia will go away. I have no idea what it will look like a few months, how long I need to do the treatment, or what happens when I stop. It is kind of annoying not to get enough time to sit down with the dermatologist and discuss all this, but now she is on maternity leave so my next appointment is with another doctor who may not know this treatment well. So who knows?

Moving on from that, I also saw a podiatrist last week about my recurring calf pains from running. It turns out I probably have a muscle strain. The reasons for this are that my right foot overpronates (I stand on the inside instead of the middle), I have arches that fall when I stand, and I have well developed calf muscles, which can lead to tightness. The good news is that I don't need orthotics! He recommended I do daily calf stretches to loosen the muscles, take some time off of running longer distances, and get better running shoes. If I start running longer distances I may need running orthotics so I am going to go back in a year for a follow up.

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I have done all that, plus I got a massage on the weekend! My friend Sarah and I went to Elmwood Spa in Toronto to relax and spoil ourselves. It was sooo nice and I think we are going to go back in a couple of months. My insurance actually covers about 5 massages a year so I plan on using them!! As for the shoes, I ended up getting Asics GT-2000.

Lastly, I am getting my wisdom teeth out on Friday morning (shudder) so I may be MIA for a few days next week as I will be preoccupied with sleeping and eating ice cream. Please feel free to leave some tips on what to eat after! I picked up yogurt, fruit, and spinach to make shakes, ice cream, meal replacement drinks, and some KD. I think that I have definitely covered the dairy food group :).