Apartment-Dwelling K9s

THE ALL ADORABLE FAWN PUG PUPPY

PULI DOG FAMOUS FOR ITS MATTED FUR

    Dogs are great. You know, they're smart, cute and affectionate. The problem is, there is hundreds of breeds of dogs to choose from and they're all so loveable! Apartment-dwelling dogs are usually small to medium sized dogs, and even when you narrow it down to that you have purebreds, mixed-bred hybrid things with cute names that all end in -Poo and toy versions of this and that. 
    Since every responsible dog-owner knows it is unethical to get a dog from a pet store that likely abuses animals in puppy mills (especially in Quebec which has no animal right protection laws and Ontario that has very lax laws) or from puppy mills themselves that disguise themselves as loving breeders (you can usually spot these ones as they usually sell many different breeds of puppies all at once). Even with the small amount of family or professionally bred dogs left, narrowing one little pup is very hard. I have always wanted to adopt a dog who needs a good, loving home but our pound doesn't have smaller dogs!

     My love of dogs began with a friend's chihuahua who became my companion everywhere (and I mean everywhere from dentist appointments to the supermarket). We decided to get a dog, our first dog unknowingly from a pet store when I was too daft to realize what the poor animals went through before they arrived behind the glass stall. I bought a Pomeranian puppy for $800 that looked like an odd, alien cross between a mini Golden Retriever and a long-haired Chihuahua. I had fallen in love with the little guy and knew I had to have him. It was a sickly, puppy mill abused puppy that ended up having many health problems and remained very aloof. 
     For my fiancee's birthday I bought her the most adorable pug puppy in the world from a kindly breeder in the neighbourhood for $550. Our Pug, R, was so sweet and intelligent and well-trained we were so in love and our Pomeranian liked having a playmate. Unfortunately, when we had to leave our old apartment our dogs couldn't come with us and instead reside happily with an elderly, lonely relative who is very appreciative and grateful for the company of our sweet dogs (who we see often).
     It is hard to think of getting another dog after having such wonderful, amazing pets and I cannot imagine a new pet being as personable as our furry Pomeranian or as sweet as our Pug but then again, it's wise to keep an open mind. I know it would be too painful to get another pug or Pomeranian so other breeds I have in mind are:


Komondor
Pumi
Tibetan Terrier 

MY POMERANIAN & MY PUG PUPPY!

 Puli
Chow Chow
Basenji
Kishu (Japanese)
Long hiared Whippet
Portuguese waterdog
Otterhound
Portuguese Podengo
English bulldog
Japanese Spitz
Harrier
Jack Russell
 

Temporary Studio

   My Christmas has been merry thanks to the LL letting me know the Annex digs are ours for keeps, yay! It's a nice little Christmas present I wasn't expecting! The holidays has been a busy and expensive time what with all the gift-giving, driving (gas is $1.115 right now) and all that food so I'm grateful apartment-hunting days are behind me. 
   I did miss the IKEA Half-off sale which is a huge bummer but hey--there's always a good sale for a savvy sale-hunter! And from now until our move in date, we will be too busy to get stuff and probably too broke (thank you, amazing deals at the malls!) :) 
    I'm not worried--that's what improvising is for. We have a futon sofa that is huge and it can double as a bed until we pick up a proper bed at IKEA. The problem is, our bedroom is SO itsy I'm thinking of making that space into an office\wardrobe room and leaving the living-room area open concept with a bed\couch and the TV\office area. It sounds like it likely won't work though but maybe for a month that's what we'll do--while we settle in. 
     The studio idea is fine for now but when guests come they can have the futon when we get the bed for the teeny weeny bedroom. I don't care how small the wee bedroom is because it's a central, fabulous location and a wonderful street and neighbourhood--what's a little sacrifice? I have seen some chic studio apartments and the important part is just having functional stuff for a bit. I still plan to paint as soon as I get in but right now I'm a hoarder--I'm hoarding kitchen appliances, pillows, you-name-it for when we move out so we won't have to get anything but the essentials during that hectic time!

     Happy Holidays!

the Junction

These are just some pics I took of the west Toronto Junction community back in the early fall. :) It is in this up-and-coming cool neighbourhood where you can find the Junction Arts Festival as well as a number of antique furniture shops and one of my favourite cafes, The Beet Organic Cafe. This neighbourhood is one near and dearest to my heart because it is where I grew up and went to school in the earlier half of my life so I have many fond memories. This neighbourhood has helped shaped who I am and it's just a funky, awesome part of the city!

Not only is it a safe neighbourhood, the characteristic 20th Century homes have not been lost to modernizing (yet). Crema Coffee Co. and the vegan cafe Rawlicious can be found in this trendy community, as well as Baan Thai, Rona, Trap Door and Delight. 

NICE TOUCHES

Everybody has a couch and a dresser but it's the way you dress them up that makes them unique. A vase of flowers, some Atlanta Hawks posters or an atlas makes the space unique and turns a house into a home. I was thinking of all the little ways I can make the apartment into a cozy little home. What nice accent pieces would really brighten up a space? I'm guessing my entire childhood teddy bear collection would look tacky but one cute, small bear on a bookcase would be cute and still remind me of the times I used to roll down leafy green, hilly lawns and make gimp bracelets and ice-skate with wobbly knees. What nice accent pieces do you have?

 

No to Bourgeois

I have changed my mind about the neighborhoods I want to reside in. I have crossed off my list Forest Hill and Yonge & Eglinton and in the future, the suburbs because I don't want to live in a materialistic, nose-in-the-air community. I think shuttling your kids in your Range Rover and sporting designer brand names is the epitome of ridiculousness. I would rather live somewhere where everyone is friendly, original, down-to-earth and caring. Who wants to live in an area where you're judged based on the car you drive and how many helpers you have (nanny, cook, gardener, etc)? I don't think there's community in that. The more likely a neighbourhood is branded "prestigious, exclusive" the least likely I'd want to live there. 

The new areas to trump those distinguished, snooty neighborhoods is the Junction and Roncesvalles (aka Roncey). I chose these two neighbourhoods or the area near and between them (like Dupont\Ossington\Davenport\Bathurst) is because I prefer to live in West Toronto than East\North Toronto and directly downtown. I think the city has a lot to offer in terms of diversity, originality and community in the right neighbourhoods. Keeping the ultra-rich in exclusive pockets and the super-poor in others just separates the city and makes it highly unfavourable to live in. I think the mediocre neighbourhoods with a mixture of rich, middle-class and lower-class are the most vibrant and the best example of Toronto's multicultural appeal. 

YAY for the Repeal of DADT!

As a lesbian, this is celebratory news and a gayliday in our city where hundreds of us homos got together to drink, eat cake and cheer on this remarkable fact. It's a step forward towards progress and something we have been watching in the news for some time while biting our nails in nervousness. The news came in last night for me and I had to call all my friends to share in the good news (which they already all knew). I'm always the late one to the party.

Music is the Sound of Life

APARTMENT THERAPY

APARTMENT THERAPY

APARTMENT THERAPY

I know I always touch on music but if you play an actual instrument how do you incorporate that into your home? Do you have a jam station in the corner of your living room set up with drums, guitars and keyboards or a closet where you stuff everything when not in use? Many books suggest hanging your instruments on the wall not only is it an artistic statement piece but it's convenient to keep it off the floor and have more room for pieces of furniture or walk space.

Here's how to hang a guitar on the wall, thanks to http/www.ehow.com
Things you will need: Power drill or Phillips Screw Driver, Guitar hanger or sling with included hardware, a guitar (duh), a wall (duhhh) and some skills. P.S. Hangers generally cost under $15 bucks.

1. You need to measure the bottom of your guitar head to the top of the head and make sure when you install your hanger with enough room for the guitar to hang without the trouble of touching the ceiling. I installed mine about 8 inches down from the ceiling and it worked out perfectly. Measure twice to make sure it's right. Once you have a location to place your hanger place it on the wall and use a pencil to mark the hole locations.

2.Your kit should include a drywall anchors. To install these you simply use your drill tip/screw driver to make a dimple in the drywall where you marked your whole in the previous step. Once you have a dimple you can screw in the anchors. With your anchors in place hold the hanger over the holes and use the included screws to secure your new fancy-amazing guitar hanger to the wall. Apply guitar and PRESTO! One amazing piece of wall art is installed.

And voila--it is finit.