We are fortunate to live in a quiet area not far from the city centre...
buffered by Beacon Hill Park and the seafront is a couple of blocks away.
Birdsong, wind, and some local traffic sounds are what we usually hear.
Our peace and quiet has been disrupted by the heavy equipment that is on site next door excavating the lot for the construction of two homes.
You can see our bungalow and the close proximity to the digger.
A steady stream of trucks come by to transport the dirt...
It is rather like a truck parade.
The streets are streaked with mud
it has been raining so there are many muddy puddles.
I have been leaving home seeking peace and solace elsewhere.
Healthy lunch post Yoga today...
kale salad
2 egg omelette
Eaten in peace while the operator was on his lunch break.
Thank goodness for this timely gift.
The Yoga Studio
where
I am able to breathe deeply
sit on the mat
close my eyes
perform restorative poses
follow through the fluid sun salutation movements
which
restore inner peace and help achieve a sense of calm.
For this I am grateful...
There is an abundance of beauty in our neighbourhood.
Despite the rain I am getting out for my walks.
The noise and chaos next door is a great motivator!
Sipping tea
Lapsang Souchong
a smokey liquid that has an intensity that awakens the taste buds.
This large Emma Bridgewater mug in the Black Toast pattern makes me smile.
You can see my Spring and Summer shade of Lipstick
L'Oreal Everbloom
Next time I go to the pharmacy I am going to try to find a pink shade.
I'll ask the gals on staff as they are super helpful
it would be nice to have another colour on hand.
Hellebores are putting on a great display in The Humble Bungalow Garden.
So that's about all the news from The Humble Bungalow...
what's new with you?
I'll be back soon.
XO
34 comments:
The only time construction is enjoyable is when you're the one constructing. Hopefully the houses going up will be appropriate for the property.
Good thing you have your yoga classes to escape to.
Oh my goodness! Sounds like it will be a noisy summer; good you have calm places to escape to when the construction sounds are too much. Is that your house we're seeing over the fence? I'm curious, as I recall yours is a historic home, will the new homes be built in keeping with the style of yours? Or is your neighborhood a mix of styles and not all historic?
I cried when the woods next to our house was cleared for construction years ago. It is hard as new houses are squeezed into old neighborhoods. ( I love the new contemporary houses personally, but don't think I would be so happy to have them go in next to me!)
All the construction noise would become very tiring. But I imagine the little ones enjoy watching all the activity from your windows. I'm glad that you're finding peace in your everyday routines.
Hostess, I am so interested in knowing--what sort of houses will the two new ones be? Will they be Craftsman style like your house?
It sounds as if a ferry ride to a quiet small island is in your future.....
Ali
Too bad about the noise. Have you tried ear plugs?
Your kale salad looks delicious: recipes????
SAS
Your Saint James umbrella is very appealing Leslie ... much more so than the building work adjacent to your bungalow! I think you have the right attitude, taking yourself somewhere more peaceful during the day seems such a good idea. The building work won't last forever and best not to let it cause you stress and upset.
I can imagine that your grandson will have great fun watching the "diggers"
We had a huge number of houses built in fields near to our home and joked that whereas we took our two older children to see the sheep and the moles in the field, we'd take our youngest to see the "diggers"!
Sometimes development is inevitable...
Rosie
My husband and I have a cup of Lapsang Souchong every morning..Hope you can find peace from the construction noise this spring.
What wonderful beauty you've found in the middle of your "storm"!
That WOULD be a beautiful shade of lipstick (though I'm quite sure I couldn't wear it personally.....) Be sure to show us what you come up with!
I offer my sympathies as you deal with all the construction noise - it will no doubt be rather stressful - hopefully it won't take tool long!
I am looking forward to getting back to Yoga - so glad that it helps you to find some peace.
Too funny - I was thinking of starting my annual quest for the perfect shade of pink lipstick! I have never quite found the right one - don't want anything too, too bright but also don't want anything too beige or wishy washy - I'll have to see about consulting with the staff at the "Shoppers" beauty bar.
Today's Vivienne Files post also has me thinking about warmer weather clothes and what I might need to get through the summer - I think I'm being a bit optimistic as we are expecting an absolute deluge of rain throughout the day and it's quite cool again!
Our neighborhood is still recovering from Sandy four and a half years later. While the construction is loud and at times earth shaking, it is a sign of people getting back home. After being out of our house for six months or more twice, we are happy to be living in the midst of construction in our own home and neighborhood. Lots of huge trucks and noise but there really is no place like home. While the neighborhood has been happily watching each other reconstruct their homes, one new house going up across the street, not a Sandy survivor, way over the top construction for the neighborhood. That construction is annoying everyone. The context is all.
It can be so invasive to have construction going on next door. When we moved to our cottage back in 2013 the lot behind us was having a cottage constructed and it was not only noisy, but also dirty as all the machines worked. Once they get past the framing up stage things should settle down, and you can hopefully return to normal. I wanted to thank you for the pasta sauce recipe you gave us a week or two ago, the one with the Italian sausage. I made it this week and it was delicious!
I can identify as they are currently building two new homes across the street from me - every time I back out of my driveway it is touch and go with the vehicles of workers, etc. I hope that these homes with fit in style with the rest of your neighborhood - everything here is mini-mansions of at least 5 to 6 thousand feet, this 'mansionization' is distressing, at least I am fortunate to be on a large enough property to be able to isolate myself a bit.
Oh I remember when you were building your home...I followed along on that incredible journey...it turned out so beautiful!
I think you are right...a noisy summer is in our future...my husband says that the excavation is the worst part of the process...hope he's right!
The 2 new homes will be ultra modern and boxy...our neighbourhood is a mix of old and new homes in many different styles.
I don't think the style of homes will bother me at all as the people who are moving in are delightful and will make great neighbours.
The cats are fascinated too and sit in the windows taking it all in!
They are ultra modern boxy homes...our neighbourhood is a mix of styles...most of the new builds are concrete and wood and quite boxy...I am sure there must be a better way pf describing the style but I am not the architect!
Ah yes...and a breath of fresh air too!
Am reading Laura Bradbury's book the Grape Village right now...she lives in Victoria and part time in France...have you read her books?
The kale salad is an easy peasy one right from the bag! Just mix up the ingredients in a bowl...ear plugs are not in my future!
The Saint James line of clothing and brollies are sold locally in Sidney at Baden Baden Boutique...they have a huge selection of the French made clothing...I do love the line but the prices are quite high...they are things on my list to "save up" to buy!
I'm working on accepting the noises...
not wanting to complain too much either as that gets dull very quickly!
I plan an adventure to the pharmacy very soon...I need to run some errands and will pop in and see what pink lipstick shades might work.
The over 50 Yoga and Osteo Yoga classes are really great because they focus on issues that older women experience...hope that you find a studio that has classes that suit you Margie.
Yes the quest for that perfect pink will be an exercise and one that I hope will not be too tedious...I can rely on the women at the local Pharmasave to advise me...they have trained eyes on which colours work best!
Oh but in your case the "construction is constructive" and very necessary to rebuild your community...a completely different vibe altogether...those sounds would signify a bigger more progressive movement. I can understand how you'd be happy with those thoughts in mind.
Glad to hear that you enjoyed the pasta recipe!
I'll stop moaning about this disruption very soon...I sound very much like a spoiled brat!
While doing my housework, I sometimes listen to an audiobook (borrowed from the library). I just use an app on my (older) iPhone and it works fine with my headphones. It blocks out some sounds, and often the readers are very talented portraying the different characters. Might be fun to try if the noise becomes just too much!
That is nice that you have already met the new owners and feel that will be lovely neighbours.
Thank you for another glimpse at life in the "bungalow".
Suz from Vancouver
You don't sound like a spoiled brat at all, Leslie! Constant noise from construction can be very wearing, although all the noise is inevitable, at least, thankfully, it will at some point end. It's good that you can take yourself away to find some peace throughout your day. I like the sound of your neighborhood - the different housing styles. In so many places, housing seems so cookie cutter. Your neighborhood sounds lovely.
These two homes will not be mini mansions as they are on a small lot...the owners had to apply for a variance as they are closer to the lot lines than the bylaws usually allow. The homes will be on several levels and I would guess that their square footage would be in the 2400 range... it will be interesting to see them completed and I will share that with you!
I have never listened to an audio book...our library has quite a few in the collection and that may be something to consider...you are very clever to be productive and listen to a book at the same time! I like this idea...
Well maybe not a spoiled brat but a whiner perhaps!
Our neighbourhood is definitely not cookie cutter...its a mishmash of homes and all with very different treatments, paint colours and gardens...it makes for some lovely walks exploring...I have shared some of my favourite homes on the blog before and I think you can search them by the label on the sidebar "neighbourhood"
I'm so sorry about all the mud,dirt and noise near your beautiful bungalow-it is really exhausting! I hope that they work only from 9-5 (I'm afraid-it is not so civilized here,they work from dawn to dark)
You have to find lovely places to walk and have some tea or coffee and find some peace
Dottoressa
They are pretty good about respecting the noise bylaws...the people who live near where the new highway overpass is going in are having to contend with trucks, noise and work well into the evening...sometimes up until midnight!
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