good things

I've admired the Good Things columns in all Martha Stewart publications for a long while now - there are always helpful hints and lovely ideas that I've found inspiring and useful - so it's very flattering to me that my address file has been featured in the latest issue of Weddings as a Good Thing. I especially like it that my address file is not shown as simply another item to buy, but shown rather as a useful way to put it to use that wouldn't ordinarily be considered. (by using it as a guest book.)

Speaking of address files, I very much want to thank all of you whole wrote such lovely comments and tips regarding my search for a woodworker. I very much appreciate all of your feedback! I am in the process of dealing with another source now, they will be getting back to me with samples and figures shortly, so - crossing fingers - hopefully I will have the files available again soon!

I am wondering, however, what is the proper etiquette on responding to blog comments? In the past I used livejournal, which has a nifty way to respond to comments directly, but using blogger for this journal I find this to be so limiting. I wish to respond to comments, so should I just do so via the blogging comment page and hope that somehow the person reads it eventually? A lot of the people who leave comments do not have direct contact information so I am not sure on the way to go about it. Any thoughts? 

Many other good things have been coming our way the past week or so too. The sunshine has returned - in fleeting days and moments, but here nevertheless! Every late winter / early spring Vancouverites get majorly moody. All the constant rain and grey of this place causes mopey, whiny, and grumpy residents... but when the sun comes out - look out! Someone might even give you a slight smile on the bus. Sunshine around here is a huge good thing.

The other good thing (the best thing that I heard of in a long while) is that our provincial government has finally approved funding for our elementary school! The school is planned to be  "state of the art" (what does that really mean anyways) and environmentally sustainable, and will mean so much to our fledgling community. And it also means that one day Addie will be able to walk to school, for it will be only steps from our door. 

One of the reasons that we decided to buy a home on the top of this mountain was the type of childhood Adelaide would have here. Here I can afford to stay at home and not have to put her in daycare. (but of course, if i ever have to do so, the daycare here is amazing and rated as one of - if not the - best in Canada) Here we have a enviromentally considerate sustainable community where there are forests to play in, the cleanest air, the sweetest neighbours, interesting scientists, professors, and authors strolling around all over, and we have run of the University. Here is o.k. to leave your stroller (or anything for that matter) outside overnight. No big-box shops allowed. And people passing you by actually smile, say hello, and stop to chat!

At first I was skeptical and concerned about leaving the harrowed ground which is Vancouver. There is such a stereotype here (is this the case in other cities??) that if you don't live in the city, you are a nobody! And I was used to living in the city, so I was feeling parinoid. But now, more and more, it feels like we really made an incredibly wise decision - since moving here to this peaceful place my stress levels have dropped almost completely. And when friends come to visit, they are always suprised at how beautiful our new home and neighbourhood is... "oh, I just assumed you lived across from some strip mall" is something I've heard many times! I love being here at our home. But if Addie and I ever wish, downtown is about 25 minutes away and the bus leaves every 4 minutes. Perfect.