Weekend Update

It's been a week. Oooh, boy it's been a week. I was the afternoon program mom at pre-school on Monday and Wednesday. That effectively wrote off both days, since, really what's the point in starting something when I've gotta put it away two hours later anyway? I didn't get into my groove until Thursday, but when I did, wooo! Stand back!

Quilting - I finally got around to dropping those two little quilts for Katie in the mail. She loved them (whew) and there was a nice little check in the mail yesterday. :o) I haven't worked on the Nesting Robin in weeks, but I think that will change this evening. All 5 "clues" have been revealed, I wonder if I can have it done before Christmas? The Kissing Hand (done), Harold and the Purple Crayon (done), the Giving Tree, Make Way for Ducklings, and The Polar Express. Watch this space for updates. ;o)

Knitting - the mystery project continues. Holy cow, how much yarn could two dumb skeins hold, anyway? (uh, that'd be 223 yards. ) Maybe I will take a picture and hope Tori doesn't peek. She really has no interest in my little slobber puddle here, I'm sure. She rolls her eyes at the mere mention. And if she does peek, and she does see, she's a smart enough girl to never breathe a word.

Joy - Oh, Joy. There's another mistake, but I'm not telling, and I'm not fixing it, since it's small and work-around-able. And with 28 count linen, maybe mom won't feel the need to count threads. And if she does, perhaps Tori could have a word with her about keeping it to herself, hmmm?

Squirrel Work - As I mentioned the other day, dwindling daylight brings out the squirrel in me. I haven't found the missing Channel Pivot Pin to attach the blade to the tractor, so I'll order one, and that can be a job for next weekend. $3.50 for the pin, $8. shipping. ugh. Tori and I got the final lawn work done in the front and north side of the house this afternoon. I have a few days of sun this week before (maybe?) snow on Wednesday. I'm certain I can get the rest of it done in time. And if not, well, it'll be covered with snow, right? So who cares?

And finally (but certainly not least), this. When we built this house, we really didn't know what kind of pendant light we wanted for over the breakfast bar. Scott found these black hanging lights at Home Depot for almost nothing - they weren't (too) awful, and like I said, they were cheap. So that's what we had. For seven years, that's what we had. I've never liked them, but it seems Scott became very fond of them. He can visit them in the box in the garage. The new lights were delivered by UPS about 2 weeks ago, and on Friday, when I decided I could live with the mess on the counter no longer, I put them up. Much better. They are counterweighted so they can be raised or lowered very easily. I suspect that won't happen, but I like the way the pulley system looks. And the brushed pewter matches the drawer pulls and cupboard door knobs too.

Oh, and I started over again with the 35 Days again today. Tomorrow should be easier, everyone will be somewhere else. ;o)

2 days in,33 oops. 35 to go.

I'm starting over. I had a big whining, swearing, throwing, hissy fit a few minutes ago. It wasn't pretty. It's served it's purpose, but not my GREATER purpose. So I've made a cup of tea, and since we return to Standard Time tonight, if it keeps me awake an extra hour, well so what? I'll catch it up in the morning.

Today started too early - before 6 is ungodly on a Saturday, but Tori was going to the Girl Scout State Conference and was being picked up at 6:45. For her to be up, I needed to be up, and if I'm up, I'm staying up. So I threw in some laundry, got the trash and recycling rounded up, tidied the kitchen, and was ready to call it a day by 8:30. ;o)

The first week of November always kicks the squirrel in me into high gear. So the oil tank is filled, and both vehicles too. The tractor has a fresh oil filter, clean winter weight oil and a new air filter, just for fun. The plow is NOT attached since a small pivot pin is missing. Hmm, 4 year old boy, missing gun-shaped piece of tractor. Think there's a connection? No doubt. I washed the outside of the windows I can reach with the ladder, and checked the gutters I can get to.

The truck needs the snow tires on and an oil change. I'll pay someone to do those. And I need to get some bulbs into the ground. One last run over the lawn with the mower (with the bag to catch the clippings for the composter) and I think, I think we're ready for winter. Honestly? Can't wait. I haven't given up control of the thermostat yet, so the heat has not been on yet. It was tempting at 6 this morning though, when it was 19º outside, and dark, dark, dark. I put on some socks instead and made a pot of coffee. It got lighter, it got warmer (relatively - high of 44º today) and I put off the cost of heating for one more day. By the time I sat down with the paper and a croissant at 9, it was almost bearable. ;o)

Seeking Inspiration from the Wisdom of Others

Two things today. Neither is explicitly needlework-, cooking-, going-, seeing-, doing-related, at least not as I've shared here before. Persevere, just a moment, please. As my weird little Cute Boyfriend would say "Un momento, por favor." (thanks, Dora)

First. November is NaBloPoMo, National Blog Posting Month. Sign up, post every day for the entire month of November, and win a fabulous! New! CAR!! Or not. I'm not going to officially play because I can't bear the disgrace of public failure, but I'll try privately anyway. Watch Zan, and Tanya go! Their blogs are infinitely more interesting than this puddle of slobber. But slobber I shall for the next thirty days, or dehydrate trying.

Second. My theme for this NaBloPoMo production. Christine Kane offers up a remarkable challenge. For the next 5 weeks, commit to being complaint-free, whine-free, criticism-free, gossip-free. Slip up? Start over. Her 9 reasons for doing it are, in her words, irresistable. So how could I? Resist, I mean. I saw the link to Ms Kane's site on someone else's blog today. I don't recall who that was, but when I find you again, you're getting credit. So there. ;o)

Edit - thanks to Sheila, I discovered my jumping off point toChristine Kane's wise words. It was Jen's blog, Bayou Quilts. How I got there, though, I don't know. Jen wasn't in my Bloglines. Is now though. :o)