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.
