Me, my house and i
Me, My House & I with Brigitte Gall follows the trials and tribulations of stand-up comedian, actor, and first-time homeowner Brigitte Gall, as she renovates a turn-of-the-century home in the city.
The house has character to spare but needs plenty of TLC: Tools, Labour and Cash. Brigitte’s got the tools – she’s been collecting them since high school. She can do the labour since she’s got time between gigs. As for the cash? Well, as a first-time homeowner things might be a little tight but Brigitte is determined and enterprising.
Gemini Award Nomination
Nominated for Best Practical Information Series
Summit Creative Awards
Bronze Winner | Category: Movie/Film Music Website
Episode 1 “Moving Day”
Meet Brigitte Gall. Meet her husband, David, sort-of. Meet her new old house, built in 1907. As we get to know Brigitte, she gets acquainted with her new home and discovers it in desperate need of some TLC: Tools, Labour and Cash. As with any home purchase, security comes first. So the first order of business for Brigitte is to install a security system and change the door locks and, while she’s at it, get herself some lovely new doorknobs.
Episode 2 “The Stripper”
Brigitte needs a table for her dinner party. What better way to find one than to scrounge around in the pile of stuff the previous owners of your house left behind in the garage? As luck would have it, they left an old table. It’s in rough shape, but nothing a little elbow grease can’t fix. Right? In other Avon Lane adventures, Brigitte’s lovely paw “prints,” a housewarming gift from her dog Torchy, get a place of honour in the dining room and Brigitte shows us how she lights up a room – and not just with her mega-watt smile and wicked sense of humour!
Episode 3 “One Step At a Time”
After the broken down front steps of Samuel (Brigitte’s pet name for the house) swallow her keys and make her late for an audition Brigitte decides it’s time for some serious demolition work. This involves a very methodical and well-planned execution which consists of one part smashing, one part chopping and one part prying. Then a lot of measuring, math and cutting. And voila a new front porch!
Episode 4 “The Red Purse Diaries”
It is a well-known fact that a woman cannot and should not be kept from the singular pleasure of enjoying some cold, creamy, satisfying ice cream (preferably eaten straight out of the container). However, some strange forces are at work in the house of Gall, forcing Brigitte to have a meltdown over her melted ice cream. Could it be that her refrigerator/freezer is on the fritz? What about those flickering under-cabinet lights? Someone or something is keeping her from exercising her basic human right to eat ice cream straight from the tub! No longer willing to be a hostage to her appliances, Brigitte takes charge and decides its time to renovate the kitchen.
Episode 5 “The Great Cover Up”
As the old pop song goes, “One thing leads to another…”. Perhaps this is the theme song of Brigitte’s life – or maybe this was the song she was dancing to in her living room when her neighbour spied her. Things like that can happen when you don’t have any window coverings! Her quest for privacy leads her to tearing out her dining room carpet and installing hardwood floors before hanging blinds in the windows. Now what exactly does bad green carpeting have to do with privacy? It’s that special brand of Gall logic where one thing truly does lead to another.
Episode 6 “Totally Stoned”
Brigitte and her Polaroid camera are at it again! This time she snaps a few photos of her neighbour’s garden in an attempt to duplicate its look at her own house. The photos come in handy at the garden shop since all she has to do is point to them and say, “I want this!” Luckily, she recruited her friend Murray to help her rip out the old weeds and install a new stone walkway and retaining wall. And luckily, she wore a sports bra to give her much needed support during the jack hammering phase of this project.
Episode 7 “Shaking Beers in the Park”
Is it true that a cluttered desk is the sign of a genius? If so, then Brigitte must be a charter member of Mensa. Her home office could use some help in the organization department. Not to mention in the flooring department. It seems that her office is afflicted with the same disease her dining room was – ugly-green-carpetitis. How’s a gal supposed to keep track of auditions, home projects, and other stuff in a room that looks like an office supply store just exploded in it? Some spruced-up used office furniture, a new floor, and a new and improved ideas board does the trick. But what about that pesky mouse problem in the rest of the house? The adventure continues!
Episode 8 “Garden of Avon”
Brigitte’s garden has been looking a bit empty ever since she built that lovely retaining wall. It’s just a pile of dirt with nothing to retain. In order to qualify for the garden part of “Better Homes and Gardens” Brigitte gets acquainted with some new plants and shrubs. But before the landscaping can being, she hangs a refurbished iron plant bracket just above the garden and, in the process, breaks off a piece of her house. That’s okay – the foundation didn’t need that particular stone anyway!
Episode 9 “Let There be Light”
Brigitte’s garage is jammed full of stuff left over from the previous owner and she needs room to work. What’s the best way to get rid of unwanted stuff? A garage sale! And all the proceeds go toward the “Brigitte Gall Home Improvement Fund.” Since the garage is a little dark for a work space, Brigitte takes her wad of bills to the Habitat for Humanity Restore, where she finds inexpensive windows for the garage. Once she sheds some natural light on the situation, she builds a workbench for herself.
Episode 10 “Coming Out Of The Closet”
Happy anniversary to Brigitte and David! To mark this important date, Brigitte buys David a new golf club. To keep it a secret, she attempts to hide it in the master bedroom closet. The only thing is the closest jammed with clothes and shoes. No room for any secret hiding spot. What’s a girl to do? Keep in mind that the girl in question is one who asked for a sliding compound power mitre saw for her anniversary gift. So what does this girl do – she builds herself a brand new walk-in closet with lots of room for a secret hiding spot.
Episode 11 “In The Gutter”
As much as she against the clear-cutting of forests, Brigitte has to do something about the tree growing in her gutter. She enlist her friend Ron James to give her a hand taking it down. And before long he’s also helping her put a new one back up. Wait a minute; this wasn’t part of the deal. So Ron decides he needs to get his safety boots… what he doesn’t tell Brigitte is that he left them in another time zone! Ron never returns so Brigitte enlists the help of handy-man extraordinaire Anthony Sayers. The garage and porch get gutter makeovers while Anthony gets a sugar rush when Brigitte serves him her grandma’s secret lemonade recipe.
Episode 12 “Backyard Bliss”
Brigitte’s fence is falling down! This isn’t a new nursery rhyme but a simple statement of fact: the backyard fence falls over after Torchy the dog uses it to make a break for it. Maybe he wanted to get out of the way of Brigitte’s latest home reno project. Or maybe he was trying to get away from Brigitte’s singing. Whatever the reason, he gets all fenced in as Brigitte creates the Tuscan-style wall of her dreams.
Episode 13 “Sitting On The Fence”
When we last saw Brigitte she was in the middle of building a Tuscan-inspired wall in her backyard to replace the dilapidated fence. Now, Brigitte and Anthony find themselves up against the wall as they continue their adventures in cement-land. Using lots of new and serious tools like an air nail gun and a cement mixer, Brigitte’s Tuscan dream becomes a reality.
Season 1
EPISODE GUIDE
Episode 14 “Lost and Found”
How many pieces of luggage does it take to install a gas fireplace? One. Fresh off the boat from a Caribbean Cruise, Brigitte discovers that she has the wrong suitcase. Lucky for her, the person who has her bag also owns a fireplace store. After the bag swap, Brigitte gets all ‘fired’ up and decides that a gas fireplace is just what the house needs.
Episode 15 “The Big Boy”
It’s a good thing Brigitte decided to make poached pears for an upcoming party, otherwise she wouldn’t have found her beautiful new chair (where else but in the produce aisle of the grocery store?), wouldn’t have taken a sledge hammer to her old bookshelves, and wouldn’t have plastered, wallpapered, painted and installed crown moulding the living room! And she would never have seen the Big Boy.
Episode 16 “Motorcycle Brigitte”
Brigitte has discovered the fountain of youth. Get a motorcycle license, and take a crowbar to your floor!! A trip to the tile store and a chance encounter with a motorcycle instructor fires up Brigitte’s passion for the open road and cool leather clothing. If life is a highway, Brigitte’s riding on it full throttle!
Episode 17 “She’s So Vane”
What do you do when art and life collide? Call up your girlfriends. Brigitte and the girls check out a ballet and discover that the newest member of the troupe has more talent and good looks than you can throw a headband at. Days later, after attempting to shingle her roof, Brigitte calls in the big guns – “Holy tutu, Batman” – if one of the roofers isn’t the fleet-footed god from the dance troupe! Time to call the ladies! Brigitte and the girls enjoy the ‘view’ while discussing the merits of being a dancer and a roofer.
Episode 18 “A Bra Too Far”
Brigitte’s been nominated for an award for her performance in a TV/Internet special. She’s feeling pretty confident about winning until an errant shoe crashes through her bedroom mirror ending her good luck streak. Several broken mirrors later Brigitte finally gets back on track. After shopping for a new bra to go with her new dress and with a little help from a bedroom make-over that includes a new cork floor, a fresh coat of paint, new window treatments, and a fabulous built-in closet, Brigitte’s feeling a lot luckier. Maybe her bedroom makeover should be nominated for an award or two as well!
Episode 19 “Tap Gun”
Brigitte has an audition for an all-tap revue coming up in a week. Problem is she hasn’t tap danced since she was 12. After picking up the latest in tap wear (look out Michael Flatley), Brigitte hits the living room floor to work out her moves. Before long the floor is destroyed! Will our off-off-Broadway baby refinish the living room floor before she shuffles off to Buffalo? And more importantly, can she do it before she hosts this months’ book club meeting in her living room? Between sanding, staining and varnishing Brigitte rushes to finish the book before book club as she frantically practices tapping for the audition. She’s a maniac – a maniac – on the floor!
Episode 20 “Saving Private Pavlinek”
Brigitte uses a workshop makeover as a chance to turn one of her girlfriends into a lean, mean, carpentry machine. Brigitte’s friend Teresa is a supply teacher and has been asked to teach a high school construction class. Problem is she knows nothing about construction. Turning to Brigitte as her mentor, Teresa learns most aspects of home repair, just in time to teach the class. With the skillful eye of a pro, Teresa shows the class the proper technique for cutting with a circular saw… oh, and she offers a little advice on a good moisturizer.
Episode 21 “Bingo Dabbin’ Blues”
Brigitte’s addiction to Bingo pays off big when she wins the Super Prize – a backyard hot tub. The person calling the winning numbers – none other than resident carpenter and moonlighting bingo caller – Anthony Sayers. With Bingo on the brain Brigitte and Anthony go about building a uniquely shaped deck that surrounds the hot tub. This is no small feat, or deck for that matter. With a variety of heights and angles to contend with, this challenging deck turns out to be a masterpiece!
Episode 22 “The Flower and the Fountain”
A leading role in a romantic film set in a turn-of-the-century Tuscany village gets Brigitte in the mood for romance. She decides she wants Tuscany in her backyard and adds a new stone wall and fountain. By the end of it, Brigitte has transformed her backyard into a wonderfully romantic retreat! She even offers it up as a set for the film.
Episode 23 “Camp Gall”
Brigitte’s friends are going camping and Brigitte decides she needs to check her gear out before she goes. Before long she is camped out in the backyard. This motivates her to build an outdoor fireplace so she can enjoy cooking in the great outdoors. In between brushing up on her favourite outdoor activities, like fishing and canoeing, Brigitte finds her inner stone mason. With a few cinderblocks here and some firebricks there, Brigitte (along with a little help from Anthony) comes up with an amazing home-made barbeque. She even offers up a few tips on splitting wood! Not that all this searching for her inner lumberjack helps – her friends show up in the biggest RV known to man.
Episode 24 “A Stand-Up Girl”
Brigitte has some new neighbours. Two little girls – Ryley, who’s seven and knows more about tools than Bob Villa, and Jayden, who’s four and is the Princess of Snacks. With Ryley’s prowess in the do-it-yourself department and Jayden’s timing with the snacks, Brigitte takes on the task of building a gorgeous pergola fence to enclose her backyard. As the project goes on, Brigitte realizes that she and Ryley are two peas in a pod. With a love of tools and sense of humour to match they end up talking shop and telling jokes all day long! By the end, Ryley’s mastered the craft of humour and booked her first stand-up gig!
Episode 25 “Something About Ted”
Brigitte’s sneaky neighbour Ted drops some not-so-subtle hints about the sorry state of her garden. In fact, he drops them right at her gate in the form of new plants and patio furniture. With some advice from Ted and help from her good friend Murray, Brigitte transforms her backyard into a personal Valhalla! Lots of great plants, some massive flagstones and a ton of gravel are the perfect recipe for an aching back – and the most beautiful backyard on the lane!
Episode 26 “In the Toilet”
Arts and crafts and ceramic fixtures do not mix! Brigitte finds out the hard way when a glue gun project gone wrong takes out her perfectly good toilet. Brigitte is in between gigs and has become a sloth personified. Before long she is hooked on late night infomercials and begins racking up charges on the credit card. A few glue guns, juicers and self-help books later, Brigitte ends up on a journey through a complete bathroom make-over. All bathroom humour aside the completed project turns her bathroom into a spa-like retreat.
Season 2
Episode 27 “In Lieu of Loo”
Brigitte takes on the “unusually usual” for a photography assignment and runs into problems when there’s no room for the ballerina in her power room. Does this sound like the kind of “usually unusual” situation in which Brigitte “usually” finds herself? And we know Brigitte’s solution to problems in the home – renovate. She simply must have a larger powder room. And that means another one of Brigitte’s favourite things – a sledgehammer. She takes down a wall and moves a door to expand the space and to make room for the new sink and toilet. Then, with new vinyl flooring in place, there’s plenty of room for photography worthy of a gallery showing. Maybe even a sale.
Episode 28 “Doctor’s Orders”
A trip to the doctor reveals that Brigitte is not the only one who is sick. Her house is sick too! Her basement has toxic mold and needs a cure, stat. Brigitte calls in the big guns to help her out. Mold removal experts gut her basement to get rid of the nasty mold spore varmints because her basement “ain’t big enough for the both of ‘em.” Insulation professionals spray polyurethane foam insulation on the walls to keep warmth in but mold out. And air quality experts clean her ducts, install a humidifier, a HEPA filter and a Heat Recovery Ventilator. Brigitte can now breathe easily. Why, it was as easy as climbing on a horse.
Episode 29 “I Gotta Box”
Brigitte needs some work on her right hook, her jab, her left upper cut…well, Brigitte needs work on everything when she lands a role as a female boxer. She’s a little out of shape. She decides to build a home gym so she can run, lift and punch her way into top fighting condition. Her basement is now mould-free and newly insulated making it the perfect place for her boxing fitness centre. Brigitte installs a DriCore base topped with laminate to give her a durable cushioned floor on which to practice her footwork. She paints the ceiling to provide an illusion of greater height. After some drywall and a paint job, she has a gym that would make Rocky proud.
Episode 30 “Handle Like Eggs”
What do French doors and a broken egg have in common? They both lead to brilliant ideas from Brigitte Gall. After a practice with her Jazz Band, (a band that needs a name) Brigitte is enjoying the view through the beautiful French doors of a friend’s kitchen. A raw egg hits the floor and in a flash Brigitte knows that her band should be called “Handle Like Eggs,” and that she needs French doors in her kitchen! This leads Brigitte to two things that she loves most – destruction and creation. She and Anthony dig out the sledgehammers to take down the wall to make room for the new doors. Destruction is fun! And when she’s not busy with that, she’s creating a new song for a Radio Contest. At the end of it all, Brigitte has a brighter kitchen, an award-winning song and a whole new appreciation for Anthony’s talent with drywall, and a trumpet.
Episode 31 “Busted”
It’s simple, really. Brigitte just needs to retrieve a power nailgun that she loaned to a neighbour. But Brigitte gets a lesson in the “Good Neighbour Code of Conduct” when she follows a trail from house to house in search of her cherished nailgun. Oddly enough, each house that Brigitte visits on her journey has an attractive feature that she wants to add to her own place. First it’s a three-sided fireplace, then a granite counter, then a new paint colour. In the end, it’s not so simple. And as soon as Brigitte gets sprung from jail (the big house, the iron bar hotel, the slammer…) she’s able to enjoy a cozy dinner in the glow of her new fireplace, on her comfortable newly-upholstered chairs, in a dining room with an inviting new colour that makes a lovely backdrop for the mug shot and the fingerprints.
Episode 32 “The Champ Part 1”
Brigitte is the “Rock, Paper, Scissors” Champ! She is hot. She is on a roll. She is ready to move on to the next level. She is…tearing her lucky shirt out of the agitator of her washing machine. It’s destroyed. With no lucky shirt, what are Brigitte’s chances in the next “Rock, Paper, Scissors” round? Stay tuned to find out more. But in the meantime, there’s no chance that Brigitte’s going to live with that washing machine another minute. She’s buying new and she’s moving her laundry upstairs. Good-bye, boring linen closet with the ugly doors. Good-bye, snot-green carpet. Hello, front-loading washer, stackable dryer and fold-out ironing board.
Episode 33 “The Champ Part 2”
Brigitte is on the ropes in the “Rock, Paper, Scissors” tournament. She’s struggling. Her confidence is down. Her lucky shirt is gone and a substitute can’t be found. Brigitte has to go back to the basics. She has to ask herself, “What would Rocky do?” Rocky wouldn’t give up, that’s what. Brigitte goes on a physical and mental training spree. She works on her “Rock, Paper, Scissors” style, and she works on her new upstairs laundry room. With the plumbing in place, she and Anthony prepare the floor, install the equipment and hang the new doors. Her training pays off. She’s the “Rock, Paper, Scissors” champ. And she has a championship laundry room.
Episode 34 “If the Shoe Fits”
Brigitte gets a contract to write a commercial for Micro-Sprong Shoes. She’s inspired. She is a creative genius. She has the vision. She can’t wait to see her masterpiece go to air – on a 20-inch TV? With rabbit ears? That won’t do. Brigitte decides to turn her junk room into a new home entertainment screening room. A new paint job and new Berber carpet provide a perfect backdrop for her big honkin’ plasma screen TV, surround sound speakers, and lounge chairs that she could live in. Oh, and we can’t forget the popcorn maker. Brigitte is moved to tears watching her commercial creation on the big screen. Who woulda’ thought that Micro-Sprong shoes could look that good.
Episode 35 “Hey Neighbour”
Brigitte loves to cook. Brigitte loves art. Brigitte is the perfect person to provide the appetizers for her friend’s art showing. Grilled Artichoke Hearts, Poached Chicken in Brandy and Vegetables in Lemon Thyme Sauce. Sounds delicious. And it looks good too, at first. But then a stubborn cupboard door kicks off a series of disastrous events. Before the thyme even gets to meet the lemon, Brigitte’s kitchen is a mess of broken chairs, fire extinguishers and blackened chicken. She needs to clean up and she does it Brigitte-style. She’s having so much fun with the sledgehammer and crowbar that she doesn’t consider where she’s going to cook for the next month. Hey Neighbour! Brigitte makes herself right at home at her neighbour’s house. Maybe a little too much so. In fact, Brigitte only has time to get the plumbing and electrical roughed in and the insulation in place before he’s already had enough. And she still has to explain the doughnut holes and nacho chips to her art friend…
Episode 36 “Bottoms Up!”
Brigitte’s kitchen still needs some work after she cleaned her kitchen right out of her house. Okay, a lot of work – like cabinets, countertops, lights and appliances. And she gets all the inspiration she needs to speed things up when she wins the “Golden Bum” prize. Her hero, the Bare Bottom Chef, is coming to her kitchen to tape an episode of his cooking show. He’s going to fulfill his promise of “having your bum in butter” in her very own house! Can she get the new granite countertop on time? Will she ever find just the right stools? But yes, finally her kitchen is “TV friendly” and she’s ready for lights, camera, action. The chef’s specialty, Bare Bottom Bacon Butty, is almost complete when Brigitte slips up and, well, the chef ends up with his bum in butter, all right. So much for the autographed copy of his book…
Episode 37 “Sleepless”
A run of sleepless nights has Brigitte contemplating life in its many rich complexities. You will die from a lack of sleep before you die of starvation. The average person can fall asleep in seven minutes. Not Brigitte! She can’t sleep so she’s off to her workshop at 2:00 a.m. with no one but her radio and “Late Night with Leonard” (I’m just someone to talk to…) for company. She builds a new bench for her front entrance. No luck. She still can’t sleep. She buys a new bed, new sheets and a new duvet. Something’s still not right. The next night Leonard keeps her company again while she adds some copper leaf to her headboard. While she works she hears a surprising phone-in call to “Late Night with Leonard.” It’s a phone call that REALLY scares sleep away. Could it be Anthony? The phone call inspires her to pull those pictures of David out of storage. Finally, with a new-look bedroom, the warmth of her husband’s photos on the wall and a really great goose down pillow, Brigitte drifts off to sleep.
Episode 38 “The Big Bang”
It’s a day of disasters for Brigitte. First, her friend, the hair stylist trainee, gives her purple hair. Then, while Brigitte is in the kitchen whipping up some “electric jelly” (vodka included) for an 80s theme party, a huge beam drops through her roof. Aaaahhhh! What’s a girl to do? Well, if you have a hole in your roof, there are two things you can do. Cry, or install a skylight. Brigitte chooses the skylight. In fact, she’s glad for the mishap because the new skylight brightens up the stairwell and provides better air circulation. It even has a remote control. When the installation is complete and Brigitte looks up to admire the new view through the skylight she knows several things: it doesn’t matter what colour your hair is when installing a skylight, she may never get the remote control away from Anthony, and, be sure to warn people when the jello in your fridge has vodka in it.
Episode 39 “My Head Hurts”
Brigitte’s almost done her kitchen renovation. She’s chosen the layout, the cupboards, the hardware, the appliances, the counter, the sink, the faucets, the paint… she’s made so many decisions, her head hurts. She just can’t make any more choices. Even her trusty design magazines are failing her. What should she do about the backsplash in her kitchen? Brigitte’s friends come to the rescue and decide that a white tumbled marble backsplash is just what her kitchen needs. That, and some bottles of wine to stock the wine rack. But Brigitte’s trip to the wine store brings an encounter with a snobby former acquaintance and her wine guru husband who wheedle an invitation to see Brigitte’s “little house.” Luckily for Brigitte, Anthony is full of surprises, as usual. He does an amazing job on the tile backsplash AND transforms Brigitte into a wine connoisseur. Too bad that he forgot to emphasize the “tasting” (not gulping) of the wine. By the time Brigitte is finished entertaining the snobby wine experts, her head hurts again, for a whole different reason.
Season 3
Episode 40 “And Justice for Gall”
A parking ticket, a traffic ticket and her car towed – what an exasperating week for Brigitte! Brigitte decides that a little ‘shopping therapy’ is in order to work out the frustrations. Of course, Brigitte’s definition of shopping isn’t necessarily what you might expect. No snappy dresses or smart shoes for her. But new stone for the front drive – now you’re talkin’! Brigitte gets to work tearing up the old asphalt but is soon interrupted by two of her good friends. We know they’re good friends because they bring a work crew with heavy equipment (and they provide drinks!) There’s nothing like an excavator, a front-end loader and a drink with a flower in it to make work go a little faster. By the end of the week, Brigitte has a new stone drive, friends that have discovered the “Zen” of home renovations and a happy work crew enjoying the hot tub.
Episode 41 “Pimp My Bike”
Torchy Marcellus Peden! Brigitte’s dog knows he’s in trouble when he gets called by all three names. A hole in Brigitte’s garage door is too tempting for a neighbourhood skunk, and Torchy, to resist. The result is a smelly mess and some new garage doors. Luckily, Brigitte knows the secret to cleaning up a skunked pet and soon Torchy smells fresh enough to enjoy one of his favourite pastimes. Like his namesake, gold medal cyclist, William “Torchy” Peden, Torchy loves nothing more than a good bike ride. (Well, running alongside the bike, at least.) And this time Brigitte has an extra special bike for the excursion. In exchange for some help with the commencement speech at his alma mater, Anthony helps Brigitte repair a replica of her childhood bike. Together Brigitte and Anthony rediscover that life (and bikes) should never be dull, boring or meaningless. Life (and bikes) should excite you, inspire you and, most importantly, be uniquely yours.
Episode 42 “Seeing Stars”
Brigitte is in her hot tub. She is going to relax. She is NOT going to do any more home renovations. She is going to take it e-a-s-y. If only the support pole for the roof over her deck was not SMACK in the middle of the view from her new doors. If only she could extend the roof across to the other side then she could remove that pole and cover the entire deck at the same time. Soon she and Anthony are in demolition mode, tearing down the old roof. As they work, Anthony’s friend from the Astronomy Club drops by. Brigitte learns all about Ursa Major in the M81 cluster and that “Andromeda” is more than a sci-fi TV show. Soon she is an active member of the Astronomy Club and Anthony’s just a little jealous. But Brigitte soon discovers that she’s not ready for the serious business that is astronomy. Apparently they don’t think naming a mixed drink after a meteor is appropriate. At the end, Brigitte is back in her hot tub beside her new roof and freshly stained deck, a “Gall’s Meteor” in her hand. She takes in the beauty of the stars overhead. They’re beautiful, no matter what they’re called.
Episode 43 “Holy Matrimony!”
Brigitte is a bridesmaid for her cousin Amanda. As her gift, she is also hosting the wedding in her backyard. Brigitte surveys her yard, envisioning a simple yet elegant décor. Perhaps small branches painted white with sparkles and fairy lights. And grape vines wound with English Ivy. And the ugly white wall… the ugly white wall has got to go! A glass block wall is the perfect idea. But Brigitte’s plan for simple elegance doesn’t fit with Amanda’s idea of wedding perfection. The bridesmaid dresses? Not simple OR elegant. The cake? Amanda wants a multi-tiered fiasco. Brigitte pours out her troubles to Anthony as they construct the new glass block wall. Anthony gently reminds Brigitte that gifts can’t be conditional then reveals yet another talent. He’s a whiz with a mortar bag AND an icing bag. Anthony’s simple yet elegant wedding cake is the perfect finishing touch to Amanda’s perfect wedding day.
Episode 44 “Small Steps”
Brigitte and her friend, Melanie, head out to a nature trail for a day of hiking in the great outdoors. When Brigitte sees some rock climbers scaling a steep cliff, it gives her vertigo just looking at them. She could never do that. A relaxing soak in the rapids, that’s more like it. It’s so good that it would be nice to have some at home. Really nice… Brigitte is soon hoisting rocks to create her own backyard waterfall. And her friend, Melanie? Well, she can’t resist a challenge so she signs Brigitte up for a rock climbing course. Rocks, rocks, she is surrounded by rocks! Brigitte takes small steps in her indoor rock climbing challenge but soon she scales the wall. Outdoors? Well, maybe not. Maybe she’ll take up knitting. She’ll get to that just as soon as she climbs out from underneath her own backyard waterfall.
Episode 45 “The Lost Weekend”
Brigitte has her car loaded for a relaxing week at a friend’s cottage. She’s got everything she needs – her juicer, her martini mixer and her cappuccino maker. Imagine her surprise when she discovers that there’s no power for her favourite toys. Imagine her even greater surprise when she discovers there’s no indoor plumbing, or a phone! (And a few spiders too.) But she’s brave. She pulls up her Adirondack chair and prepares to enjoy the view of the lake. Imagine her surprise when the chair breaks through the rotten wood of the dock. Even on vacation Brigitte seems to end up in a lumber store. She stocks up with everything she needs to rebuild the dock. When it’s done, she’s all ready for a dinner of cold beans from a can, red wine and roasted marshmallows for dessert. Or maybe not. Soon Brigitte is enjoying a relaxing week away from it all – in her hot tub.
Episode 46 “Duo Dog Food”
The Duo Dog Food Company has a new ad campaign in the works. Ordinary people and their dogs dress up like famous duos – Laurel and Hardy, Batman and Robin – to promote the product. Brigitte puts Torchy on a beauty and fitness program to get him ready for the part. They’re Inspector Clousseau and Kato and Brigitte wants Torchy to look his best. First, a bath. Brigitte is so exuberant during the bath that the shower curtain ends up getting destroyed. That’s all the incentive that she needs to begin a complete shower room renovation. And this isn’t any ordinary shower room. It has head and body showerheads and a steam room. Ooooo, la, la. In the end, Brigitte’s efforts pay off. She and Torchy look great on the Duo Dog Food can! They certainly look better than the dog food tastes…
Episode 47 “High Sticking”
Brigitte enjoys a good, old-fashioned game of road hockey with the neighbourhood kids, complete with cries of, “Car!” mad scrambles in front of the
net, and broken windows. Broken windows? Uh oh. Brigitte needs to replace her living room bay window and decides to do the dining room window too. Over the years, Brigitte has learned that the only way to go when disposing of construction materials is to bring in a small disposal bin. This is efficient and perfect for her, but not so attractive from her priggish neighbour’s perspective. Brigitte decides that if she can’t get rid of it, she can disguise it. She creates a canvas “bin cozy” with a painting of shrubbery and a white picket fence. It’s an idea the works so well that it catches on in the neighbourhood. Game on!
Episode 48 “Samuel’s Portrait”
Brigitte has always wanted an architectural drawing of her house, “Samuel.” It’s an idea that has Brigitte pondering life and art and the emotional reactions to creative ventures. It’s an idea that has Brigitte blinded by the white siding on her house. She decides two things. First, she needs to take a drawing class and second, Samuel is due for a little “nip and tuck.” That is, new siding. Brigitte does drawing classes by night and works with Anthony installing the new cement board siding by day. This leads Brigitte to two startling discoveries about Anthony. First, he’s never done siding before. This is the first time he doesn’t know how to do something! Second, when Brigitte attends her class on drawing the human form, she sees a lot more of Anthony than she intended.
Episode 49 “The Gall Ball”
Brigitte and David have to spend so many holidays apart that they decide to have one big bash to celebrate them all. It’s called the “Gall Ball” and it’s a Victorian-era masquerade party. Brigitte plans an 18th century meal (everything was eaten with the hands) and decorates her house with a Victorian flair. While Brigitte whips up Rosemary Citrus Rack of Lamb and Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Drumsticks, David runs a series of errands to take care of the last minute details. A mix-up with the costumes leads Brigitte to a case of mistaken identity and the kiss of a stranger. Or was it?
Episode 50 “Returning the Favour”
According to Brigitte, favours are like underwear; they come in sizes S, M and L. Small favours don’t need to be repaid. But medium and large? Oh yeah. When Brigitte’s friends come calling to ask a favour, they also drop hints about changes needed on Brigitte’s house. These favours add up to a lot of work! At the end of the day Brigitte has new mortar in her stonework, new front steps and a new roof over her front porch. But it’s all worth it when she gets a ride in Alana’s convertible, wearing Robin’s new leather jacket and boots with Tammy’s dog keeping Torchy company in the back seat. And her friends? Oh, they’re back at home working on their houses.
Episode 51 “Mr. Moneypants”
How did Brigitte end up in this ritzy neighbourhood while looking for a quaint antique shop? We don’t know how she got so lost but her misadventure
leads her to a startling encounter. Anthony standing in front of a mansion, beside a Lamborghini? Brigitte discovers more about Anthony’s secret life outside of work, and she likes what she sees. And for once, Brigitte gets to help Anthony out on a project at his house – redoing his daughter’s bedroom. New paint, new shelves, a new desk and a new duvet cover transform a child’s bedroom into teenager heaven. While the luxury is nice for a short time, when the project is done, Brigitte is back home on her front porch appreciating the beautiful simplicity sharing a PB & J “sammich” with the girl next door.
Episode 52 “For Sale”
Sunday morning – time to sleep in, relax and enjoy a leisurely cup of coffee because Brigitte has nothing to do. Wait a minute…Brigitte has nothing to do? Can that be right? Well, yes. The kitchen’s done, the yard is perfect, the upstairs is flawless, even the basement is a homeowner’s dream. Everything is done. That would be a good thing, for most people. But not for Brigitte. She’s a woman of projects. She needs something to do. The only thing left then is give the front door a fresh coat of paint and get “Samuel” ready for sale. But Brigitte discovers that moving on isn’t easy. First she has to find just the right buyer. And then, of course, she has to say her good-byes – to “Samuel” and to Anthony.
Season 4