Okay, okay, here ya go

The whining people, the whining! :o) Nah, I love ya, thanks for poking me now and again. So where was I? It's Sunday, so let's start with a week (month?) past, week ahead post.

Last week

Needlework
layer and quilt ALQS

Outside
Clearing, stumping
weed garage bed

Inside
this week's room: powder room

Well, yeah, that all got done.

I've called an end to the clearing for the year, unless, of course, I manage to get everything else done that needs doing outside, and the weather holds. There are a couple of big trees that really ought to come down, though. Wonder if I could find a guy around here with a chainsaw... It's been a beautiful autumn in New England and I've spent some time just about every day outside, doing the Aesop Ant routine, while the grasshoppers are hopping about in a panic about the approaching cold. We could get six feet of snow tomorrow and be just fine.

We've built 2 more raised beds for next spring's planting. The strawberries will get moved over there, and the raspberries as well. They'll go in next to the orchard (the trees of which have been suitably staked and bunny proofed.) We've scouted out a couple of big maple trees to tap in March and cleared paths to make getting to them easy (well, as easy as getting to a tree across a field of snow in March can possibly be.)

The campfire wood has been moved back closer to the firepit (well, duh.) And the bed in front of the house is planted with shrubs. A better retaining wall might wait until spring, or might still happen this fall, again weather willing. I've ordered some bulbs from the High School music department fundraiser and will tuck those in when they arrive. If I have the time, I'll order another couple of yards of soil and cover the new beds and build up the front a little better. If I time it right, I can go into winter with damp soil that will freeze solid enough that it won't erode too badly with snow melt. Again, that time issue.

There are still leaves to rake (they're holding on late this year) and gutters to clean, but there's still time. We had a big wind on Tuesday that knocked a lot of the leaves off, but the last green ones are hanging tight. The weather is starting to chill, we've had highs in the mid-50s for the past few days, and the overnight frosts are becoming more frequent. Maybe I'll get some outdoor window washing done too. or not.

And I've made time to sew. The ALQS will go in the mail this week. It's been done for a while, but with a November deadline, I figured there was no harm in holding off on mailing it. The harm, I think, would have been NOT holding off. Personally I hate the pressure of an unrequited obligation. When the ALQS quilt was done, I took a deep breath and jumped into this one with both feet. I've long admired Hunter's Star quilts, but never, ever realized how much work is involved. Holy moley! Each block of this, there are 16, has taken me an hour or more, plus cutting time. AN HOUR! In the 20 or so hours I've got invested in this top I could have made two or three of my standard scrappy toss-em-in-the-air square or HST based quilts. But I like the look, and it's a commission I gladly accepted for a dear lady who retired unexpectedly from the Elementary School. I'm happy to have a part in thanking her for her work. I also completely lost my resolve and volunteered not only my time, but a quilt for a silent auction / talent show fundraiser in the spring. Late spring. whew!

I registered to be a substitute at the elementary school and have been called a couple of times. Let me just say that those who choose to be kindergarten teachers are special, special people. They're either saints or certifiable. Maybe both. And being a lunch lady? Even more fun than you think! There's a possibility of a longish term position (medical leave) in the next little while. If I think I'm organized now, I'm going to have to step it up double to keep on top of things then.

The internet seems to have survived my inattention (go fig!), I've gone to bed exhausted every night for the past month, and have woken up refreshed and ready to do it all again. Mostly. There are a few things this week that require immediate attention. My dryer appears to be perimenopausal - it runs super hot, then switches to cold and then back to hot again for no apparent reason. I've ordered a new heating element that should arrive for me to install on Thursday. That's the plan. And with the colder weather, the annual "shove stuff around in the garage enough to make room for at least one car" routine has to happen. Did I mention Scott's new car? Pretty, yes? And 30 mpg. Not a fan of convertibles myself, but I understand it drives just fine with the top up too. We may just have to see... ;o)

This week

Dinner Menu
Sunday - roast chicken and oven potatoes
Monday - potato bacon soup and cheese bread
Tuesday - mac and cheese
Wednesday - chicken and dumplings
Thursday - spaghetti and garlic bread
Friday - beef stew and biscuits
Saturday - pizza
Sunday - BBQ pork roast with egg noodles

Needlework
layer and begin quilting quilt for Louise

Outside
gutters?
rake leaves
plow on to the tractor
make appointment to get snow tires installed
clear space in garage for Scott's car
figure out door problem

No school Thursday and Friday
Lunch with Kathy on Friday
Tori Girl Scouts delegates meeting (Montpelier) Saturday