When I was little, I really liked the picture book Two Good Friends, by Judy Dalton. I admired how the two very different friends appreciated their very different qualities. I related to Bear. Perhaps most children do. Iris, however, is a Duck. She gets it from Martin. I married a Duck! Akiva is a Bear. All dogs are Bears.

You can find a good reading of this short, sweet and messy book on YouTube.

We begin renovation on the kitchen. The window in the kitchen has had no architrave (this is the fancy word for the finishing wood that goes inside a door or window), and the walls have been messily ugly and painted with brush-wipings for the past 6 years.

First comes removal of extant objects.

The tile countertop is not removable from the cupboard units,

so Martin cuts neatly between the tiles to preserve the countertop for the future owner.

Within a few minutes of posting all the cupboards free on marketplace,

seven people inquire. Inquiries continue to pour in.