Odds and Ends

I'm really tired of apologizing for not blogging more. There are two ways to solve this problem - blog more, or stop apologizing. We'll see which one happens.

We've been busy bees around here - we visited my parents for a week up in Indiana, and since we've been back we've been doing house projects to get ready for the little one. Nothing really spectacular (and thus not really blog worthy), but we've cleaned out the room that will be hers (and this really was blog worthy, but I didn't take a before picture) - this involved the sewing table, three bookcases and hubby's desk moving into our (small) bedroom. I got a new desk (secretary) which will stay in her room for the time being, as we have nowhere else to put it. At least it closes up so we can't see my mess. The yarn still lives in her closet, but there is nowhere else for that to go either, and really, her clothes don't take up too much space right now! Hubby built her a lovely Ikea wardrobe for her hanging things, built a dresser for the others, hung shelves for goodies, replaced the ceiling fan, and I hung curtains. Now we just need a crib, something that keeps going in and out of stock at Target. Grrr. Pictures when her room is complete.

I've also kept hubby busy replacing the bathtub doors with a shower curtain in the hall bath, hanging shelves in our room, finally putting the "cover" pieces on two of the kitchen cabinets and putting in a filler piece around the turntable cabinet, putting a weather strip on the bottom of the front door, powerwashing the old paint off the trim, building a bench/kitty litter box for the kitchen, and stripping and sanding and painting new doors for all the rooms in the house (4). Whew! His only remaining big projects are to finish the doors, stain the bench, paint the window trim (inside and out) and clean/reorganize the garage. Oh, and build a crib when we get one. And he goes to four days of training next week, then back to work August 4th. It will be a miracle if it all gets done before the bean gets here.

I've been busy with a list of my own, mostly involving Christmas gifts that I can't show here and that aren't knitted (gasp!). I've got six gifts done, and our "family" gift that everyone gets - which is usually an ornament, but not this year! It needs just a few more things, and it's done. I'm also nearly done with the advent calendar I started last year right before Christmas, and I've finished embroidering the valances for the kitchen (pictures after hubby hangs the new curtain rods). I've been writing lesson plans and unit plans for novels for my sub, which isn't too much fun, but necessary if I want things to be done. Just a few more things to do, and I'll be mostly ready for her to take the class.

I have been knitting a bit, but these other things have taken a priority. I didn't knit much on the drive to Indiana, as it was a bit too warm with the sun shining in (and I'm warm all the time now). I did manage to finish up a scarf when we got home that needs to be blocked, and I'm close to being done with a baby blanket for a friend, but all the other knits are in pretty much the same state they have been. My list for today includes finishing up things that are nearly finished so I'll have blog fodder!

I do have some fodder for you. The lovely Theresa sent this cute washcloth for the bean - too cute! Thanks Theresa! The bean also received two handknit bibs from mom (not yet photographed), and a cute hat from a knitting/crochet buddy.

(I don't know why the picture is sideways, but I don't have the energy to deal with it. My apologies)

I've got some new yarn to show off, yarn store reviews, book reviews, and hopefully finished objects to share. I really do want to get back into the "groove" of blogging. I've been reading everyone else's blog, so I'm not sure what my excuse is, beyond lack of pictures.

Sorry for the novel post here - but thanks for reading this far! Oh, and I'm going to have a contest when we get closer to delivery, so stay tuned for that! Have a great Thursday!