Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to You!!!!

We went up to Sundridge today to get a pic for the Christmas card I will send to all of our guests from 2012. This is the pic I chose. You can see the ice starting to form on the lake. The water looks really blue. Last week when I was here, it was gray. Interesting.

Please reserve your time for 2013 as soon as possible. Remember, we offer you a compact gem. The front room has the kitchen/dining area. The backroom has the bedroom/bathroom. Very suitable for a couple or a small family. Included in the rent of $125 a night is a gas barbeque, canoe, row boat, two adult bikes and two children's bikes, tv with vhs tape player, radio, shallow water for 450 feet, great fishing, boating, swimming, close to town and all it has to offer.

The Ontario Northland Railway has been canceled so there is only one or possibly two freight trains a day.

Remember - Book early!!!! Hope to see you again or for the first time in 2013!!!!

Just When You Think You Are Finished!!!!

Just when we thought we were all done with renovations, the roof leaked. We went up one day in the fall to spend a few days and there were the water marks on our new ceiling!!!! Not impressed. This was a job we had expected to do next year not this but.......It is done and looks great. Like cedar shakes.

4 or 5 Weeks Until the Cottage Closes!!!

The leaves are changing and falling from the trees. Gorgeous time to come north!!! The time is limited that is left to rent this gem for 2012. Good time to make a reservation for 2013!!! The cottage will open again in May of 2013 for visitors. There are still 4 or 5 weeks left this year. The Canada geese are gathering on the lake and doing manouvers. Two out front, then a big batch and then one at the back squwacking. They are so entertaining to watch.

Mid August 2012

 Child Labour!!!



We have been giving the outside a new look. Old look made new. Good to get some help even if it did paint like it was putting frosting on a cake.



Thought we were going to have bird wars but everyone got along. The baby ducks are just about the same size as the adults at this time of year. Please don't feed the little dears. They are coming up on the deck now and we have never fed them. Full of hope and inquisitive!!!

Just love to sit on the deck and look out over the lake. I wonder if it will ever become old hat but I doubt it as it always seems to be changing in some way. Love this gem!!!

The Train Runs Through Town.....

Here are our famous or is it infamous grandbabes waving at the train as it passes behind the cottage. This little passenger train goes north and then south every afternoon. That is until it is cancelled by Ontario Northland as it usually goes by minus occupants. There are also freight trains that use this line. The railway line runs right through town. At one time the local bank was right beside the track and the movement of the building constantly caused problems with opening safety deposit boxes!!!!! Can you imagine!!!!?????

Can you believe it is August already?

On Monday we headed up the highway for 30 minutes and checked into our cottage as it wasn't rented!!!! We stayed until Thursday morning. It really is a lovely location and a great place to spend some time!!! One night I sat on the deck and watched the clouds gathering and changing over the lake waiting for rain. We did get a little but not what the whole area needs. The total fire ban continues in the north!!!!

On Wednesday afternoons there is a Farmer's Market in Kidd's ( the hardware store and building centre ) parking lot. Great produce and great prices!!! There is a lot to do in the area if you need and like things to do. You could walk to the market or ride a bike. It is very close. The location of the cottage is a great one right at the south end of town.

A trip to the dump these days always results in a bear watching. Last time I was there, there were two cubs. This time just this big fella. The town garbage is collected on Wednesdays and the bear population seems to know it!!!!!

This week at The Barber's Cottage

We have just returned from 5 days at the cottage. We had a great time. On Monday, friends brought our red canoe up and we were able to take it out. I found it much easier to handle on my own!!!!

As well as the canoe, the row boat got it's oars this week. Here Ray is heading out into the lake for it's maiden voyage. Both of these mighty craft are at the cottage and are there for
your use and enjoyment. There is a safety kit in the closet which you must take out with you and two PFDs for adults. Please play safe.

We also took up our bikes. Mine is gorgeous. It is a very unique model. White wall tires, big and fat. Extra large seat. No gears. Peddle backwards to stop. She's a beauty. Ray's bike on the other hand is a work in progress. Both suffered from being on the back of our RV years ago when we hung out at the ocean. Ride at your own risk. Have fun and be safe!!! We rode into town and it was a great ride. The area is so flat. So condusive to bike riding.




I think I mentioned before that we put a water line out into the lake which is fine for the shower, toilet, sinks but for drinking water you have two choices. You can bring your own drinking water OR go into town and find the local watering hole. This constantly flowing tap is located on the west or left side of main street near the municipal office and the library. We drank it this week and we are fine!!! This whole area is inundated with artisian wells.

For the Shy Folk out There!!!!

 This is the bathroom area without the screens up.

This is the bathroom area with the screens up but they could still be placed in any number of ways.

We just got back from spending three days at our little gem of a cottage with our two grandbabes. Everything worked well!!!! We are open for business and ready to rent!!! There are vacant lots on each side of the cottage for added privacy. One neighbour is from Alberta and the other side is from BC!!! I hear they both come for about a month a year. Even more privacy!!! This is a lovely place to stay for a couple or small family.

We are so almost there......

Presenting, the kitchen!!! We have hot and cold running water today. It is so exciting. The water in the cottage comes from the lake so don't be drinking it!!! There is a place in town where you can get wonderful drinking water for free. There are two 10 litre jugs in the cottage that you can take downtown to fill for drinking water if you choose. I will take some pics of the place to get water at a later date along with some other Sundridge sights!!!

This is where you can sit and eat with a wonderful ocean, ok, lake, view. I am reupholstering two chairs to match the valences and will add a pic of those when we take them up. There will also be two directors chairs. I refinished the table and put 6 coats of varnish on top to protect it. You can also see the new baseboard heaters here which will come in handy on cold fall mornings. There is a ceiling fan in this room and the bedroom/bathroom.

I am in the process of making a drape for the closet on the right. The two little cupboards hold entertainment stuff like VCR tapes for the wee tv we are taking up. There are also two antique puzzles that I will probably put together under a tablecloth sometime this summer. Next it the fridge that seems to be working fine. We are going to switch the doors to the other side. One step down next to the bedroom/bathroom.

 I'm wondering if this futon is too big for the room. It is a double size. The cottage now sleeps 4 all in the same room. You can see the new queen sized bed that is still under wraps!!!! We almost took our jammies to the cottage this morning and spent the night but we changed our minds. You can see the bedding waiting on the bed!!!! Next week we will stay for sure!!!

 Here is the bathroom corner. I'm thinking about constructing a screen to go around the toilet and shower area for those who are far more modest than we are!!! What do you think? I'm going to make a mirror to go over the sink. I'll show you later.

Let me tell you a story about our counter top. Our friend and neighbour made a counter top for his kitchen when he redid his kitchen this past winter. I just loved it and wanted to make one too so we did. We constructed it out on the porch and when it came time to bring it inside - we couldn't pick up the over 270 lbs of concrete to make that happen!!!!! Our son-in-law came to the rescue and brought it on home!!!!

 I buried numerous treasures in the concrete like shells from all over our travels and jewels!!! One of a kind for sure!!!! Love it!!!!

This is a very comfy chair that we got with the cottage. There weren't a lot of contents - one barbe, one chair and one boat but we managed to get them all!!! Since it doesn't fit the colour scheme it got allocated to the porch. A great place to sit and watch the water activity.

How cute is this??? Sure hope any renters remember to water the plants!!!! On our next visit, I intend to sit on this lovely porch and have an icy cold beverage!!!!!!!!! Hope to see you here soon!!!

Contact Us....

For more information please call Val at 705 636-1679 or email me at vassheekey@bell.net .

As of Monday May 21 or How I spent my Victoria Day!!!!

This is the wee bathroom corner in the backroom. Once I saw the floor with the old and new panelling I decided we needed to paint the walls so ......... A queen sized bed is going to be added to this room on Wednesday and if you don't want to sleep in the same room as your bathroom, this isn't going to be the cottage retreat experience you are looking for.

This is the primer coat on the walls because we are painting raw wood, it just sucks up the paint like a sponge. The backroom is going to be the same colour as the front room - an off whitish colour with Cadbury Chocolate coloured trim. I wondered why I liked this colour until I saw it on the trim and then I knew where I had seen that colour before!!!!

Now we are in the frontroom. Three of the kitchen cupboards are here. Another drawer cupboard is now to the right and then a 24 inch stove which is hiding right now to the left. This is the water heater which is going to be installed in a wee building outside right under the kitchen window. There is also an upper cupboard going to the left of the window.

For the last two mornings, we have arrived at the job site at about 8:30 in the morning. It is just gorgeous as you can see. Can't wait to stay here!!!! Can you?

Hey, look at the new 10x10 deck that got built this week. I actually sat in a chair on it yesterday. Just lovely!!!! You can also see the new screen door. The actual door door is going to be red. The deck is naturally shaded in the afternoon by the near by trees.

Hear is our awesome neighbour helping us install the kitchen cupboards and building a concrete counter top. It was so much fun. I put down lots of jewels and shells and rocks and only hope we will still be able to see them when we install the counter top later this week. It is going to be ground and polished and treated and will hopefully look like marble when finished!!!!

The counter top has been covered with plastic and left to rest for 3 days until it is ready to be unvailed. It is going to be very exciting!!!

Don't forget, to make a reservation email me at sheekey@bell.net or call me at 705 636-1679.

Wednesday, May 2nd, 2012

It was a big day at the job site today. Our sewage line was connected to the main line going to the town sewage line. When we arrived at the site we were delighted to see Ray's boat floating!!!! It even had a motor attached and no water on board!!!

The first thing they did was to dig this huge hole at the side of the cottage and put this concrete thing in. Inside the concrete was the mascserating pump which will chew up all of the waste from the cottage and spit it out!!! Yum......!!!!!

Then a trench was dug out to the lane where the main line is located going to the town sewage system eventually. The sides were collapsing constantly in the hole. It appeared to be very dangerous. They dug down about 7 feet so that the line we were joining into was above the water line. As quickly as they dug, the hole filled up with water. It was so great to have guys workin for us who knew what they were doing!!!!

Below you can see a neighbour who isn't convinced they know that they are doing!!!! They came out of the woodwork like flies to see what was going on!!!!! Biggest event on our street for quite a while obviously!!!!

Blogger is not being easy to get along with tonight. I can't delete the pics that are doubles so I appologize.

Above you can see Ray's boat afloat with ducks to keep it company. Then you get a peek at the new flooring we had installed yesterday. Finally you get to see what it looks like from the living room out. It really is a great view of the lake!!! I can't wait to stay here over night!!!

Plumbing and windows.

You may not have thought anything was going on at The Barber's Cottage as I haven't written in few weeks but believe you me, there are almost daily happenings there!!!! .You can't see here but the bathroom and kitchen are roughed in plumber wise. This shot shows the new kitchen window where you can do dishes and look out over the lake. Further down you will see the old kitchen window. The black space to the left is to be filled in and I think there will be an upper kitchen cupboard there.

 This shows you all of the new windows in on two sides of the cottage. When they arrived yesterday to install them, the windows were two inches larger than the previous openings so it took a bit longer than I thought it would. They are actually coming back on Monday to finish the job. The screen door is off ready to have the new one installed. There is also a porch 10 ft.X 10ft. planned for right outside of the door.

This shows two of the three guys that worked on the windows. Here the windows are out and they started talking about not being able to finish the job as they blew a fuse. See how fast Val and Ray can go the hardware store to buy many boxes of fuses!!!!! One new fuse solved the problem for the rest of the day!!!!

This is the original panelling that was in the front room. It is lovely. The grain really stands out. Bit dark for me so I painted it off white. First a sealer and then a great paint over that. Let me tell you about the touquoise colour of the panelling, doors and trim. In the 50's there was a train derailment near Sundridge and many towns folk went out to the site and helped themselves to souveners of paint from the train. It was all the same colour, this tourquoise. I hear it can still be seen in many of the older homes that haven't been decorated in the last few years!!!!!!

This is the original window over what is going to be the sink and counter top area. I love the new window that you see above in pic #1. You can see the old and new paint here too.

This is our view. The other day we had Canada geese, hooded merganzas, ducks and a loon just off shore. We have also had deer prints on the sand infront of the cottage.

I think we are right on target and will have the place ready to rent by mid June. The windows will be finished Monday. Floors are being laid Tuesday. Septic intalled Wednesday and the electrician is coming on Thursday. This is a great local. We have seen a train in the middle of the afternoon. I'm not sure how many a day there are but I will. I'm really eager to stay here and work out all or any kinks that may be associated with the property so that if you are coming as a renter, everything will work and you will have an amazing time!!!!!!!!!

Introducing - The Barber's Cottage

What a strange name you may say. Well, let me explain. The front part of the cottage, on the right, was originally the barber's shop from downtown Sundridge and back in the 50's it was hauled out to the south end of town and placed on this little lot. There are some interesting little features inside that I intend on keeping which relate to the shop aspect.

I'm not sure when the back half was added but I will probably find out!!! Interestingly, there is a single step going down to the second half. Hmmmm ya gotta wonder on the logic there.

The whole place needs renoing. It needs a septic and water system first. It actually does have hydro!!! As soon as the ground is workable we will get going on that. Windows are the next big job and that can start as soon as we get home.

As this point, I'm thinking the front room will be the kitchen dining area. Backroom queen sized bed, couch/sitting area and bathroom stuff all in one room similar to what we have at home. All of the panelling and flooring needs to be replaced.



About now, you are probably wondering why I bought this gem. Well, when I stood on the land, I turned to Ray and said, "This feels good." The lake, Lake Bernard, is large and is famous for being the largest fresh water lake in the world without an island. It is very sandy and shallow for a long way. Fishing is supposed to be good.

We had been looking at propeties all summer and this one just seemed like the right one. I love the reno process and am getting pretty excited about getting it going at the beginning of April.



This is where you park.

The property was bought as an investment and for rental potential. I think we should be ready to go by the middle of June. If you can build a house in 4 months, surely you can reno a little cabin in two and a half.

The rent will be $125 a night or $800 a week. If you are interested in renting this gem to be, please contact me at sheekey@bell.net .

I have set up this blog so that you can follow along with the renos if you choose and to give renters an opportunity of seeing all aspects of the cottage. Inside and outside.