A New Year, A New FO

It's finished! My Charlotte Sweater, from Rowan A Season's Tale. I thought it would be a little fancy because I would need to wear it over a nice high waisted skirt or dress because it it styled quite short, but I was happy to throw it on over an extra-long t-shirt and some cute jeans. I stll have to weave in some ends and I really did not block it, but now that it is together I will give it a nice press. I really should have read the directions that said, "Pressing garment pieces will make seaming up neater and more professional looking", or something to that effect. I basically disregarded that part, since I have a tendency to plow ahead without reading carefully when it looks self explanatory (I figured I have seamed up my share of sweaters; how different could it be?). Well, I discovered that I should continue with the blocking plan from now on- When I went to seam the tiny shoulder seams together, they were quite sloped instead of straight, which I would have straightened out with blocking. I also had some confusion as to which part of the necklines were the side front vs. the front, and the side backs vs. the back when picking up and knitting the neck ribbing. I probably could have defined that much better had I blocked. I was just being a little lazy because the pieces were looking exactly like the book to me! So, I figured I was in great shape.

Well, here are the stats on the lovely thing:

Charlotte Sweater from Rowan's A Season's Tale, scoop neck version.
Size 38 bust-(second largest size)-I didn't want it to be too shrunken looking.
Yarn- Kid Classic (recommended yarn)in Crushed Velvet.
Knit on size 7 and 8 needles, a real mishmash of straight Takumi Bamboo needles (8)and old fashioned metal (7), then the neck ribbing was done with a size 7 Bryspun circular.
Start date: October 2006. I did all four pieces and realized on EVERY piece that I had not changed needles after ribbing OR that I had used size 8 for the entire thing. I frogged the ENTIRE thing and it nearly became a jacket. After a little bit of that, and the realization I was going to have to design a color scheme from mail order sources, I scrapped that idea and went back to the Charlotte!
Picked up again: November 2007. Finished: December 30, 2007.
Other modifications: I sewed the entire sweater together and picked up the neck ribbing stiches and knit in the round, so I had to add a few stiches evenly around. It took me a minute to realize that the directions wanted me to leave an edge open and work back and forth, but I was already forging ahead. I only knit 10 rows before, I was quite impatient to finish. I am usually so patient! The second picture shows a little bit of how tiny the shoulder seams are and how nice it looks.
All in all, a really easy, really cute little sweater and I now have something that looks as the Rowan designer Kim Hargreaves intended it to look because it looks just like the picture!
Anything I would do different- maybe shorten the sleeves, even more although they are a nice shortish full length, I do like the versatility.
I will leave you with a look at our Christmas lights, they are coming down tomorrow! Hope you had a delightful holiday season! We are finishing ours with some serious snacks and some classic 1889 Coca-Cola bottles (and perhaps a little champagne, too!).
For tomorrow, I am ready to put only healthy food in us and also watch the portions! I am looking into the best plan possible for losing 20 pounds. It has really crept up on me this year and I don't want everyone who hasn't seen me in a while to go, "Dang! she has put the weight on!". I have never consciously gone on a diet or program before, I have -always- been on the "Eat as much as possible, at all times" plan...that is definitely NOT going to work anymore. Kind of helpful talking about it! I am going to focus on my energy level and not stuffing myself. I want to look great for my fortieth this summer! Wish me luck, I will need it!

Happy New Year, may it bring you renewed energy and inspiration! Keep it going and don't give up!

White Space

There is white space appearing in the house. Beautiful and glorious room to live in! could it be that there will be all kind of un-claustrophobic spaces for our children to play? Could it be that I am actually getting all of my stuff in order?

That is what I want, I am moving toward it!

I have acquired 2 books recently that have been helpful with my general direction- Lead or Get Off the Pot! and The Secret. Point taken with both of those. There is no need to focus on fear and what ifs, just create what you want and get out and pursue it, and use some common sense while you are doing it. I could possibly lead my children while I am at it, that is good practice!

I especially love parting with projects that will never be completed. I just feel so unburdened. Sometimes I think about stuff and I puzzle that I actually got rid of it. I just assure myself that whatever it was,it was not in it's prime and I know when it is time to get rid of stuff. Time to go finish some things now.

All It Takes Is Time

Hey Everybody,

I am actually working in the semi-uncluttered office, and stuff is leaving every day! Also, things are picked up on the main floor and the rest is definitely tackle-able. Wow, I am feeling great.

A big plus that got my blood pumping today is Rob's and my tenth wedding anniversary!! Thank you, sweetheart, for always being there and supporting me in everything that I do. We have had a wonderful 12 years together, and now we are enjoying our boys so much as well. Thanks for the Dyson, too, it really rounds out my life in the creature comfort department. I had fun fiddling with it today, I love it!

In general, I am feeling great about life. My Year End reflections include feeding my family and self more fresh healthy fruits and vegetables, getting more sleep and being less hard on myself. Remembering that others have their own worries, too, I am not the only one- so I should just get out there and forget myself more! Remember that I can be of help and be in more of a readiness mode.

The Illusion of Progress

Oh my! It looks as though I will be getting super happy today, only to get super ultra crushed by my inability to keep things up. I am cleaning the office. I have come to terms with the fact that the tininess of the room is not going to support the power positioned desk and the sheer amount of crap that I own. That means the crafts have to go away from here, is will be strictly business in here, Mom's business business and personal business. Then there is Daddy, relegated to his teeny tiny corner closet. Actually, he really likes it. He has made his custom built-ins, filled it perfectly with his stuff (it fits an amazing amount), and I think it is a nice man cave for him.

It is such a cleansing experience to put away files and throw away paper I don't need anymore! I am also trying out the idea of only keeping out things I want for decoration and nothing else. I am actually quite optimistic this time, even though my past should make me more cautious. I seem to be always in the middle of a reorganization project. Tomorrow is Christmas Eve and I would just love to be feeling carefree about the office and our clutter in general! I just can't get stuff out of storage like I do. Plus, I am not certain that everything that I own has a specific home. I need to work diligently to ensure that everything does! Oh, I wonder how long all of this will take? I have been at it for about 3 hours now, with no end in sight. As much as I would like to be creative,I just want to go with the flow and having a clean and organized space will make everything better!

But then, there is the rest of the house to think about. Yikes.

Bringin' It Indoors

We are putting up our tree today- Hooray! That means 'getting it out of the closet upstairs'. Yes, we have an artificial tree. We found a skinny Martha Stewart one that fits our room perfectly. It is pre-lit and alleviates a lot of problems, from watering the tree and spilling and leaking, to tangled malfunctioning lights (we have plenty of those outdoors), and the disposal of the tree afterwards and the proper cleaning out and storing of the tree stand. One time when we lived in Woodland, I think the yucky tree stand stood out on the porch for months. It was inexcusable and I have no idea why it happened but we always seem to have some type of a stumbling block with getting that tree stand put away. We are just not great finishers on those extra things. We also have one of those scary wall heaters that look like they could dry out a tree just like that and I don't need the worry that our tree will be a fire hazard. It has actually enhanced our Christmases the last few years by making it a little easier to get all of the trimmings out. I actually love my fake tree.

Don't get me wrong. I love fresh cut. We used to get tree cutting permits every year and go up the 503 towards Cougar and cut ours right out of the woods and bring home, it was awesome. I have a great memory of when we did this in my '69 VW bug, and it was right after the roof rack blew off the top of the car going down the I-5 (!), so the only way we could secure the tree was to close the doors and tie it down to the top of the car and pass the rope though the windows. when we were done, thinking we were so clever, it suddenly dawned on us that we couldn't open the car doors. So in the 30-degree snow, we had to climb into the bug throught the windows Dukes-of-Hazzard style and drive like that about 30 miles home! Good times.

Picking Up the Pieces

Have I ever mentioned our house is TINY? I was thrilled to downsize a little over two years ago. Going down two flights to change the laundry was an enery drainer and now it is in the kitchen, which my husband despises and I love. It seems very European and functional. I found that 2400 square feet on three floors was a lot of space for toys and junk to be spread around. Now I find that toys and junk spread across 1100 square feet is difficult at times, and I honestly do not know how many toys got out in the main living area but it is just crazymaking. I am so not made for 3 loud little boys sometimes. They are cute and fascinating and just like me and all, but, gawd, get them out of my environment sometimes! I am inundated at all times with noise, mess, and pilfering of office supplies. They are all so industrious and busy and really love the art and will use anything to make it. Time to go throw a bunch of stuff on the table for them to go to town with so that I can knit, cook, surf the Internet and watch Project Runway reruns all at once. All the while netting $4000.00 a month at my home based part time job. At least I seem to be doing a good job at that right now, I should be poised to make a good 3K for December(4K a month was my goal a year and a half ago, I figured it would take about 2 years, I am on track). The only thing I changed was to watch my bank account carefully so I don't get my expenses screwed up (but I will eventually, probably...keep being careful! Don't buy yarn!), and also doing all of my follow up. Pretty much tackling the list every day. I also needed to include cleaning up on that list. I got Nicky some new shoes today, one is a pair of pirate slip ons you can see them in the corner of the second pic. He had his holiday portrait today!

I could do a little more photo styling for you, but I think that evoking sympathy rather than envy is more what I am going for in my blog. The envy I gan get later for 'when I finally get it all together'. I so want to be a tidy and perfect gay man. I decided I was indeed a fan of Victoria Beckham when she was quoted as saying, "I am so camp. I am such a gay man trying to get out." I didn't know any woman thought that way. Does anyone else envy tidy, fit, fashionable, talented gay men? I sure do, sometimes their lives seem simple and fun. We all know it is not good to envy, but isn't it great to admire?

Family Balance is Fun!

Hi there,

I am really happy to say that I have been acheiving what I have been bitching and whining that I have never been able to create. Some order and peace on a sustainable level. Just hanging out at home does make a difference.

Our Thanksgiving was very nicely quiet and simple. We had a lot of food, mostly done by Rob, and I had a day of knitting, playing with the kids and TV specials! Today is another TV specials day, it's OK because it is all of the Christmas kids' specials early this year. I am a little tired of cartoons, though.

My vest is never going to get worn because the sizing seems to be all wrong, and there is no way I want to undo it...the yarn was never purchased for a specific project anyway. I am actually in a sprint to finish this Charlotte pullover sweater from A Season's Tale in the maroon Kid Classic that Rob brought me from a yarn shop in Southport, England last year. I really petered out on it last year when I kept forgetting to change needle sizes from ribbing to stockinette and pretty soon everything was weird on it. I ended up frogging each and every piece save for the back and started over the other day. I have the front done,one sleeve nearly done and I left the other sleeve down by the ribbing. I wanted to have one sleeve done last night but that was really over-ambitious.

Rob has been at work on the house decorations all day today, he loves being the first! It makes me feel very competent being married to a man who is on top of his seasons. He is starting to hatch strange ideas about where to hang wreaths- from the accent mock-pulley in the front beam of the house? Smack in the middle of our upstairs top center window? That blank wall in our covered porch? I think wreaths are for doors but since this one lights up and the cord would have to go to where there is no power, he is trying to think of something else. The house looks awesome!! Thomas got to get on the roof today, too, which was a big adventure for him. Nicky wanted to go to the hardware store with Daddy and cry-cryed until he fell asleep, and Jack was just Mr. Awesome as usual. I am really, really content right now and it has to do with pulling my own environment together as well as I can and getting some help from my family, too!

Babyshambles

My house is a little bit out of order today. We have THREE sick boys home today, not even preschool for Nick! I am determined to keep things calm and still have a productive day of tidy and fun. I have the sewing machine running, because new clothes are a necessity and clothes money in not an option right now. I will get my work done first, and then clean and play. I'll let you know how it goes! Did I ever show you the Noro Silk Garden Clapotis? I think I am getting ready to send it off to Elaine now, it really needs its home and I hope she loves it and knows how much she is appreciated. She took care of Grandma for many years and told me purple is her favorite color, so there you go!

I don't know much about poor Pete Dougherty and my heart goes out to him for his drug addiction that I hear has the best of him again, but I love his band name to pieces-Babyshambles. I relate to it to the core of my being! It describes the condition of my house most of the time and makes me laugh when I should be crying. So I have to give him props for that. Hats off and fight your demons!

Halloween Fun

We are ready for a fun and low-key Halloween this year. No visitors except the candy seeking kind, maybe just a little trick-or-treating and passing out the candy, an early warm dinner, and some knitting for mommy! I do have a little work to do on the phone, but I think I can get that done early this evening or tomorrow.

We are in search this afternoon for a green t-shirt for Nicky's Peter Pan outfit and a full costume that Thomas finds acceptable. I really do have a little bit of work to do before I can relax- but I need to. I just want to watch movies and knit and snack!

Rob is home now and I had a fantastic weekend in Portland/Vancouver! I am just glad there were no expensive mistakes. My favorite times were watching Bailey at her soccer final and my plane ride home after having a nice brew and reading Vanity Fair, such a simple pleasure. the garlic fries were great, too. I think I am going to live now that Rob is home, it was really hard this time having him gone for some reason, I feel not only safer but more complete. I forgot how that is such a reality when he is here.

Adventures in Organization

Hi there.

I am going to be able to get a lot done today. I was asleep by 9:45 last night, and I kept waking up, looking at the clock, asking,"Is is morning yet?", and then I was surprised each time by how early it actually was. I was like,"No way can it be that early." Getting up kind of sucked, but now I feel pretty perky. Is this what normal people who get enough sleep feel like? Like they can be productive? Wow, I actually think I need to join the world and not the land of the cranky half-asleep folks. Like I can clean up, set goals, clean things and have a decent home, too. Silly me for thinking the world was messed up. It was actually me, sorry!

Okay, Better

This helps. It's Sizzle, by Wendy at Knit and Tonic. I am making it out of some stash yarn I got on clearance at my LYS last year. It is GGH Solitaire, and I have made some arm warmers out of it this yarn before (in a light kiwi color), so I am familiar with the yarn. It has some lycra in it so I am making it a size smaller so I can wear it fitted. We will see!

I am feeling a little more focused since I actually spent some time in the office. I have labeled my walls with post-its indicating which sides and corners do what Feng Shui-wise! I think I can make an impact right away, especially if I get right to it! I am watching a Property Ladder marathon, which seems to fit the bill television therapy wise, especially since Rock of Love is over with!! I just keep watching the message boards. My other current fave is Life of Ryan, I seem to be relating to the parents as well as the kids. I am even fantasizing about the parents working things out because I feel sorry for the kids. It does look as though they are moving on with their lives. I guess housewives need a little soap opera in their day even if they are working.

Hey, More Bitching! Fabulous!

Today was an irritating day. Actually, the whole weekend kind of sucked. I got the living room cleaned up, I avoided the office like crazy, and I progressed into a deeper fit of dissatisfaction and pissyness. I moved one couch and at least the living room is looking more ready for the meeting on Tuesday. I did scrub the kichen floor which was pressing for so long, I hate it so much. But I don't understand why I am like this. Am I really destined for my life to suck if I don't have medication or something? I feel like there is never going to be a balance and I am going to have to lie to myself about having a good attitude or whatever I want people to think of me. How am I going to be that successful and together person that I want people to see me as? I already know that I am horrible at so many things. My husband hates it when I am down on myself and tells me not to do that to myself, but I am really just trying to face myself, even if it doesn't sound nice. I really want to get better. I am afraid that I am destined to be unsuccessful and that it is out of my hands. I have problems!! I cannot manage this house, these kids and what I am trying to do! It is not supposed to be this hard! I am beside myself depressed. It will probably pass, but I don't know when all of this stuff is going to happen.

The Depths of Crapville

I have now officially arrived at the bottom of the barrel housekeeping-wise. I now know myself well enough that there is no way this is all going to get done and that I am going to be cramming until the last second for the house to be presentable. Because the cupboards have to be in order, the upstairs floor has to be mopped and the backyard has to be spotless! The things that nobody sees but me. The house HAS to look beautiful for Tuesday, yard, smells, children, food, EVERYTHING! I also have to be skinny and well groomed. With an agenda so expertly planned, you would think that I had spent the last five days on it, not the house. I just figure that I run out of housekeeping energy at about 3:00 most days and then after everyone's asleep then I can just catch up on the office work and the meeting stuff. Crazy, I am so tired then! Last night I was actually asleep at 10:00. Hopefully, I got repaired by the sleep. I am one cranky mommy, and I don't like being that way. How can I manifest beauty and inspiration when I haven't had a shower in 3 days and I have 3/4 inch roots and there isn't a single clean glass or towel? Not to mention the KITCHEN FLOOR (dum-dum-dum).

New Day, Same Mess

I must have some kind of a mental block when it comes to cleaning that I cannot break through.

I need to do that self talk thing where you say, "I can make choices that change my outcome". But really, this is kind of where I am at right now, and I have my head down shoveling and whenever an obstacle comes up, I freeze. It doesn't matter if the obstacle is a kid trashing or dropping brown sugar all over the floor or some email stating some kind of problem that is my problem all of a sudden (which it may or may not be). I have another meeting on Tuesday. time to call in the reinforcements. I cannot stand it. I need things done. Maybe I just need to get a sitter for a few hours while I do it. I am going to try and spend at least one hour in each room detailing it before then; then I would feel great. I am not too worried that sheer panic and embarassment will carry me through but I am also not happy abou thow it all ran last month with the heckling,the goofing and the breaking up of my meeting, I need to make it all more official and structured, and insert a lot more fun and informative. I need to find out what we are doing! I was inspired by reading that I affect my environment vibrationally and have the ability to transform things by the way I choose to move through the world. Now I just need about another 10 hours in the day.

Yucky Blucky House

Hey there,

Life is messy again, and what I mean by this is the house is a wreck. Wrecked by me and the boys. I was so desperate, I looked up Flylady today. I worked on the front porch for fifteen minutes-

So now that looks OK again, 100 square feet down, 1200 to go! Not counting the back yard. How do people ever live and keep things up and work and raise a family? It is not like I am asking for much. Just some semblance of cleanliness and relaxation. I think I am kind of a slacker but I can't seem to help it too much. It is like this: I am almost 40 and this is pretty much me.

I really don't mind housework, and I fear people coming over. I think I work on it all of the time but I guess I really just blob out a lot and drink coffee and look at the computer. It is time to put a little more effort into things. It is just so hard to start! I can see my world opening up when this stuff is under control. Trying to remember if there ever was a time when everything was how I wanted it, and there really never has. I wonder if I put a 40-hour workweek into putting things into order how it could look.

Something I really want to do is either go to the dump, or create an awesome dump pile. I also need to mow the grass, but I HATE mowing. that bag gets full in like 5 minutes, and am such a mess when I am done. It just sucks! I want to deep clean but I feel so paralyzed by these aggressive trashers (little boys) in my house. They are SO destructive, and at the end of the day I feel powerless to restrain them, I really do. They just drain me! Oh well, they are cute, they are mine and I did invite them after all!! And yes, they are awesome. Just too much sometimes.

I am so stuck in this cycle of boredom, chores and frustration and not enough retail therapy. Shopping is NO fun because I ALWAYS feel as though I am stealing from other things. I need to change all of that!! I keep telling myself that once I get the house straightened up then my head wil be in the right place to put my business in the proper perspective. I say, get that office shaped up now! I think my desk needs a wall. Calling my Feng Shui friend about that.

It has been a long couple of months, and I have no idea how I am doing. I just go through life and let it happen sometimes. It is just the way I think I am made. I am asleep in a way and I know it. I just have to make that OK and still do what is right. I have to identify what it is I am doing, be aware of it, see if that is an OK thing and then make the necessary adjustments. It scares the shit out of me that I have already lived half my life and I don't even realize it. I am probably extra tired right now which doesn't help, but I would really like a breakthrough, but I am starting to get the feeling that I am not capable of it. Not capable of acheiving a clean house, a relaxed and enjoyable life, an organized and humming business and productive, secure children. I am being brutally honest with myself here. My husband is so supportive of me but I feel pressured by having to answer to anybody at all! That is not right of me because I know that he delivers on all kinds of expectations of mine and he is super cool with who I am, I just sometimes feel bugged by everybody! But as soon as I am left alone I am desperately lonely. It is like things are never right, and I am bored but I can't imagine being anything but.

On My Way to an Orderly Life

Well, I am not quite there yet! I have, however, procured two tall, extra-heavy, extra-deep, what looks to me like government issue file cabinets from craigslist for $15.00 apiece. I hauled them home and borrowed the neighbor-friend's handtruck to load them into the house. I will have to tell you sometime about ALL of our great neighbors. But these heavy things were so deep I almost couldn't tip the handtruck back with my arms, I had to reach over the top of the cabinet to the front and use my chin on the curvy part of the handtruck to lift it all back, I seriously did not know if it was going to yank back and do an awful thing to my head (all while T is watching and loving the crashing noise whenever the thing would come down again!). So, these monstrous things are greatly helping with our serious paper problems. I have a lot to do before Sunday a.m.! That's when I leave for my work Conference in Milwaukee, WI. SO EXCITED! I know I am going to be spazzed out after this! And a day off to myself in Milwaukee, time to go thrifting! Oh, getting a little excited there, here's the list of things to accomplish before Sunday (if I am Superwoman):

• create complete peace and order in the sparkling clean house with a delicious home-cooked meal each night.
• order the office so the desk surface only has my current projects on it instead of past stuff trinkets and tear outs of my country living image of 'what camping really looks like' (in my dreams, that is).
• clean and press my entire wardrobe.
• buff, wax, polish and tan my body.
• prepare tonight's show well before I have to load and go, and have dinner ready
• fix the haircolor so the Cruella look isn't Crue-yella.
• lose ten pounds.
• find the right blouse dress and shoes, plus some capri's, all for 2.00 each! plus tax .
• sew my Calvin Klein bias-cut pattern in my blue washed silk-yummy for the formal awards event.
• prepare a scrumptious and impressive dessert for our friend's house on Saturday.

I am usually just sort of looking for something, trying to get throught the moment as in the shot above. On a road trip, last summer. R is starting to get into the vacation mode and snapping photos and I all of a sudden just don't feel like having fun that way because someone needs a book, someone needs a drink, and someone else is shouting for something and I probably haven't gone pee-pee in a long time! with my lifestyle in mind (the raising kids lifestyle), I will probably have these things completed before I go:

• prepare for today's trip an hour before I go


• packed wrinked clothes for trip (iron when I get there).


• grab my cutest dress and shoes for the formal event.


• polish my nails and do a biore strip or two.


• find a white blouse at Target.


• fix dinner for tonight before I go.


• spend 30 minutes a day on the gazelle and avoid being a 'dairy cow'-no grazing or eating at night.


• put away most of the house.


• work two hours in the office and leave it at that.


• buy a nice dessert at the store for our friends.

That sounds ambitious enough for me! No knitting right now, I am reading my money and leadership books, plus I plan on bringing the Canturbury Tales (summer reading) with me on the trip. It will be entertaining when I am awake, and a sleep aid when I am tired! Last Saturday at a little guy's Bday party, there was an Astrowizard!! And we were talking about Chaucer who was incidentally, a wizard! I think I will also bring Mutant Message Down Under or Autobiography of a Yogi with me for some growth reading. Just trying to take the time to not be stressed out. I am so glad school is out! There are just so many stops and starts on school days and the blocks of time pass by so quickly. I know it is going to be a great summer. Just relaxing, doing our swimming, Taekwono, Judo and a little camping! A lot of shows for me but my work is fun and should lead to good things. I won't give you any details about my work here, just my website-www.liasophia.com/cherylfarmer, I needed this outlet to help balance my creative life because I need to remember me and make time for me because I do not have to be work obsessed, the reason I started doing what I do is to have it all, and I am definitely on the right path. I will quote one of my leaders who reminds me that I do not have to obsess, "There are no JEWELRY EMERGENCIES."

Preschool's Out, and it Must Be Time to Clean Today

Today was N's last day of the year at preschool. He has had grown so much! We had a picnic and graduation at the park. I have to say it is a joy to raise him as he is so agreeable and cute. He usually minds really well and is always cute and loving. I am such a lucky Mommy!

I try and try, but the messes at home keep catching up with me. I have a few books that pertain to housekeeping and Feng Shui. Even though the one I love the best (Clear your Clutter with Feng Shui by Karen Kingston) is missing, I probably have it memorized anyway. Success is going to depend on keeping the kids occupied and not tearing up their area while I straighten up and perfect things...Hello Television! That is so sad, but they are pretty good about TV and not obsessive so a little bit a day is totally OK with me. J could go overboard because he is an Asperger's kid and will get overly drawn in which isn't good, so I am going to try a timer for his viewing. I am just trying to start living the way I want to, neat and clean and I am done with disorder and I need to process the junk everyday! School papers, artwork, forms, work stuff, toiletries, cleaning products, jewelry because I sell it! I must enjoy this clearing process because I never seem to be finished with it!

Caution Driver Knitting

Hi there,

I thought I would introduce myself by sharing a little bit of my creative life with you. I am a sewer and knitter, and a quilter at times. I consider scrapping and gardening to be the highest of Home Arts, along with cooking. Home improvement, housekeeping and organizing are my passions. I read at night and on vacations. Want to see my summer reading list? OK, I was hoping you'd say yes! In no particular order (because I am just pulling them out of my new bookbag one by one):

1. Mutant Message Down Under by Marlo Morgan-just can't seem to continue right now!




2. A House in Sicily by Daphne Phelps-didn't crack once




3. Passenger to Frankfurt by Agatha Christie-done




4. Posession, a Romance by A.S. Byatt-about 28 pages, definiety good but takes concentration to follow story line




5. The Canturbury Tales by Chaucer-this is what I read when I can't fall asleep. I actually think it is really, really funny, though, and I truly have read over half of it.




6. The Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper-never cracked, it reminds me of Nelson's friend Anne Marie who was reading it about 15 years ago and thought I should probably read something different.




7. A Passage to India by E.M. Forster-I think I will actually love this when I do read it, but as of yet I have not.




8. The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver-about 5 chapters. Sad, depressing and ominous. I am afraid I cannot read books that decribe grief, pain or children suffering in too great of detail. I carry the sadness with me for too long, and If I try to ignore it, it just comes back to bite me later. So I left it at that.

So I guess it is a little ambitious but now that I have stated that I intend to read them I will just have to. Plus, I ended up giving the Doors book bag to Denise because she totally gets it. And me.

So, what did I really read?

Scarlett, the GWTW sequel;

SHERLOCK HOLMES;

An historical study of the Chesapeake Bay;

I wish I had more to report to you, but I seriously read Sherlock Holmes every night. I seem to forget enough about the stories to be able to re-visualize a whole new scene of the story every time once I get thought the entire series and back again!

I have a cute cottage but it is not fit for photos, I guess I could send a little demolition your way. This is from last fall and winter, which was out office and is now our two oldest's room, soon to be our middle and youngest's room. I love this color blue we ended up with; it is a little more denim-y than the hue we had before. The first photo is T in the new space, we had the walls and ceiling completely ripped out, then Rob rewired the whole thing including the end of the circuit which is up in another bedroom above (the wiring was 55 years old, cloth covered and dry as a bone, MAJOR fire hazard!) Then he redid everything and even constucted these ingenious structures to help push the drywall up to the ceiling and keep them in place while he screwed them in. Then, he leveled the sagging floor (a concrete slab) and then put down 3/4 inch plywood before laying the new wood floor. We love the results!