Created during the summer of 1995,  in North Vancouver, BC,
by a loving daughter with Community Spirit.

My mother, Anthea Hinglish, made the decision to go to England to
care for her mother in her last months of life.  My grandmother had
been diagnosed with multiple cancers and did not have much time left.

I made the decision to put off a road trip across Canada and the US,
sold all my stuff (worldly possessions)
and instead stayed at my mother's house and look after things
while she was away caring for her mother and
emotionally supporting her father and siblings.

After seeing her off safely, I started thinking of some way to make her
eventual return home a little more pleasant to perhaps ease the emotional
strain of losing a loved one so close to heart.  I looked around the house
and garden thinking of a way to spruce it up for her.

...   
          'jungle back yard & garage'  old and new...
massive weeding, gardening, pruning, fencing replaced
painting, new topsoil, planting...
...
front yard path in front of house
 old (left view) & new (right view)
new paint, flowers, pruning, landscaping, gardening, replace/re putty window panes
 

Reality set in when I realized there was more do to then I had originally
thought...

'Jungle'

Way more!

So, I set about the challenge!

I thought about my mother's compassion for others, how she was
constantly thinking of ways to bring her community together with various
get togethers.  Sharing with friends in need of help or support, even though
she did not have a huge amount of anything herself.  She was always
considered to be the 'Block Parent' without the sign.  I also thought about how
she was working 2 back breaking physical jobs to make ends meet,
and didn't really have time to take care of the upkeep
with such a 'heritage style house'.

So I started making phone calls...

Lots of phone calls!

I explained the story of mum, her community spirit, years of compassion...

Friends, neighbours, and many near and far businesses
all started coming together to help!

This in fact turned into a full time job...well more than full time
(labour of love you might say) in fact I had to stop my
secretarial temping as this became so all encompassing
...and much more worthwhile

While it was very discouraging in the beginning with so many
businesses saying 'no'  after the 1st 'yes' it turned into a great
big, exciting snowball effect... taking on a life of it's own!

'Billboard of Thanks'
Listed Companies that helped out are: WaterWorks Power washing Ltd., ABC Carpet Sales Ltd, Pridemaster Cleaning Systems, Subway, The Coffee Roaster, Bulldog Disposal Co, Hollyburn Lumber, Canadian Carpet & Tile, Queen's Cross Pub, Gardenworks, Opus Framing, Robert's Construction, Canadian Tire, Carefree Greenery, Dominos Pizza, Pemberton Station Pub, Zellars, Wall Mart, Home Depot, Color Your World, Cambridge Furniture Restorations, Martha Stewart Living, Living Space Interiors, Z.95.3 fm, Everything Done Right Catering, Starbucks Coffee, White Dragon Kung Fu, Liberty Wine Merchants, Escents Aromatherapy, Lions Gate Leather Care, Canadian Heritage Design, Rogers Video, Caprice Park Royal Cinemas, Paine Hardware, Western Garden, Bosley's Pet Food Mart, Dependable Plating, Trygg Security, Haida Glass Ltd, Time Limousine, F & B Bobcat, Price Club, KC Fencing, KFC, Japan Camera, JR fm 93.7, Wittet Developments Ltd Plant Center.

Note at bottom of Billboard:
Very special thank you to all friends, and neighbours for all their gifts of time, energy and continuing support with 'Hinglish House'   1995
 

I would be so physically exhausted by the end of the day...
late into the night actually...
laying down to sleep at long last, upon closing my eyes
my brain would keep going ...
example?... flashing multiple choices of what colour the kitchen could be...
...
old kitchen                                   new kitchen
fresh paint, wood edge siding for countertop, ceramic tiling countertop, ceramic tiling back splash
 

That's how focused I was ... how determined to succeed.

Job Titles I held for this project:

Media Liaise,  Project Co-Ordinator, Volunteer Recruiter, Gardener, Painter,  Renovator (Interior & Exterior), Tiler, Decorator, Landscaper,  Entertainment Co-Ordinator, Courier,  Service & Supply Raiser, Artist, CEO, and Secretary Extra-ordinaire!
... and a few more titles I am sure!
 

The front door and porch
new paint, new brass numbers, new brass kickplate, door knocker & handle have been bronze plated, fresh flowers, painted exterior... and cleaned up!
 

...
old front door looking out        new front door looking out

friends & neighbours helping out

new front of house & yard

The back porch...
old   and   new
fresh paint, deck re-done, window panes replaced and/or re-puttied
...

Dining Room...
old   and    new
...
new paint, walls stripped, ceiling tiles replaced, furniture re-finished

The Back Yard "Jungle" and Garage
Massive clean-up, gardening, fresh topsoil, landscaping, rubbish removal,
entire exterior fence replaced, painting...
...

...

Living Room & Attic Room
old   &   new

...
...
fresh paint, window pane replace/re putty, decorating, fresh flowers, carpet removal...

There was also renovations, painting and decorating made to 2 other bedrooms, the bathroom, and the entire exterior of the house and garage were power washed and re-painted, massive rubbish removal
(mainly garden bits, tree stump, old fencing, anything falling apart or junk)

My story was picked up by:
Global TV (formally UTV), CBC, The Province Newspaper and The North Shore News...
and I was told  it was picked up in Eastern Canada in a major paper.

There were 5 television interviews ranging from the beginning, middle and finish (mum's surprise arrival home)
...
The story was on the front page of the Province Paper, and 2 stories in the North Shore News

In the end there was more than $30,000.00 worth of goods and services donated!
Not to mention all the time and energy of many friends old and new!

My Mum's quoted reactions:
 "I'm a very lucky woman",
"This is a mother's day gift forever I think",
"You're telling me my mother new about this?!"
 

I had of course let my grandmother know what was going on, but swore her to secrecy
... she did keep the secret, for the rest of her life. (rest in peace Grandma)

Mum did indeed have a smile on her face upon returning home, and I believe I just
might have helped ease her loss just a bit.

I very much enjoyed every moment doing  this project
and believe the  memories will always bring a smile not only to my face
but to all that enjoy my story as well.

When asked what is my greatest accomplishment in life... this one wins hands down!
My name is Michelle Kaiser... aka The Gypsy Mermaid

Web page created by Gypsy Mermaid Enterprises