Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Flight of the Condor

And now for the great news!

With a bit of hustle, some good luck and the planets aligning, my folks and I have been successful in finding a new house to rent. Some of you are aware that we got our feet wet in the Toronto housing market, got approved and then proceeded to bid on some sweet homes. In the end we found ourselves surrounded by piranhas and charlatans, involved in bidding wars for houses worth less than the asking price, and in some cases needing major renovations.

We mutually decided that it was not the right time to buy and didn't want to risk being mortgage poor. Most of what we saw was not suitable or overly hyped/priced. Considering too that Mom is going to school in Jan 2010 and Dad is trying to climb the career ladder and make more $$$, we have put the buying plan on hold. We'll keep our eyes on the market but as one Realtor put it, the housing market in Toronto is obscene.

So onward and upward....

Our new house is situated in an emerging 'hood called the Danforth 'pocket'. Minutes to my Daycare and the TTC

The house is a semi, with a partially finished basement for storage only, three bedrooms, bath, living and dining room. The house also has a modest fenced in yard with real grass, and an enclosed 'mud' room off the kitchen. It's really the same basic layout as the home we are in now.

The best part is that it's super quiet. After spending a year on the extremely busy Coxwell ave, Dad is looking forward to a good nights sleep with out a 24hr TTC bus to disturb him. The map image shows this huge TTC yard but it isn't a noise or visual distraction.

The other great news is that there is a nice park with b-ball nets and a playground just down from the house. Did I mention my Daycare is within walking distance give or take 5-8mins? These points alone make this house invaluable. It may be a tad more pricey and is lacking laundry facilities but the convenience factor is huge. Plus we get to stay near all our friends!

We move in October 3rd and are looking for volunteers to help out.

Anyway, I suppose I should get going and start packing. We'll post pics of the move and of the house as it starts to really happen.

Jonah :)

P.S. - Cousin Yasmine had burned us a disc of photos but the disc was empty. Sadly, we don't have pics to post of her visit yet. Hang tight.

Monday, September 7, 2009

First, the not so good news...

Hello Friends, Family and Followers of J : D Blog,

I'm sad to report that we recently got news that our landlady is moving back into her home. As of October 31st, we will be leaving the comforts of 638 Coxwell for a new dwelling, hopefully in East York where we currently reside. We have enjoyed our year in this lovely house and have no regrets. We are confident that we'll find an even better place for all our stuff. We'll keep you posted and look forward to having some better news to share with you soon.

Also, in October we will be welcoming Ruth and Harry back to Canada for three weeks and promise to share our adventures with you as they happen.

But due to the current nature of our hectic schedule, Dad or I will not be posting to the blog as much. However, we promise to get ready a bunch of pictures from Yasmine's visit in August which we'll post this coming week.

We do hope to have our situation resolved by October so that we can get packing.
Keep your fingers crossed and say a little prayer to the housing deities for us .

Take care,

Jonah :)

'IF' by Rudyard Kipling

If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs and blaming it on you, If you can trust yourself when all people doubt you but make allowance for their doubting too; if you can wait and not be tired by waiting, or being lied about, don't deal in lies, Or being hated, don't give way to hating, And yet don't look too good, nor talk to wise.

If you can dream-and not make dreams your master; If you can think-and not make thoughts your aim; If you can meet with triumph and disaster and treat those two impostors just the same; If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools, and stoop and build 'em up with worn out tools.

If you can make one heap of all your winnings and risk it on one turn of pitch-an-toss, and lose, and start again at your beginnings and never breathe a word of loss; If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew to serve your turn long after they are gone, and so hold on when there is nothing in you except the will which says to them: "Hold On!"

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue or walk with kings-nor lose the common touch, If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you, If all count with you, but none too much; If you can fill the unforgiving minute with sixty seconds worth of distant run, YOURS is the earth and everything that's in it, and which is more-you'll be a man, my son!