Month: September 2024

Home Improvement

Do you ever wonder…

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…why did you wait so long to do a thing?

We’re having the back bedroom & kitchen floors refinished in the upstairs apartment this week.

It’s only taken 37 years!

I couldn’t be happier! They sanded & applied the first coat of finish yesterday, and there will be a couple more coats of finish today & tomorrow. They advertised “dust-free” sanding and it’s absolutely true!

You may recall that this space was listed on Airbnb for the past five years; this year, it’s been in flux. There were some bookings, then a family friend & her small family were in need of an in-between place to live for a few months, then Maddy & Viv were here…

While in this state of flux, I decided to scale back & revamp — including finally having the floors refinished in these two rooms. This was the earliest appointment I could get, and it was worth the wait! The floors look so much nicer & will be so much easier to care for, especially in the kitchen.

Instead of two bedrooms, I’m scaling back to one; moving the living room into the more spacious (and better lit) “second bedroom,” and creating more of an entry/office area in the small (cozy) space that was the living room. Eventually, I’d like to get some type of sleeper sofa in the living room (for options), but I’m not rushing in.

The plan is to get that all whipped back into shape, update all the photos, and get it back up on Airbnb by the beginning of October.

Fun fact: Years ago, when we occupied the entire house, the upstairs kitchen (minus appliances) was my Craft Room! It was the best with all that storage & a sink!

Weekending

Weekending

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It was a “short” one, so this post will be, too!

My favorite FOUR-YEAR-OLD came over on Saturday afternoon (with the rest of his family). I gotta say, we hit it out of the park with presents this year! Rusty & I gave him this cool tow vehicle/car combo with crane & hoist, the bed actually moves, and the truck makes sounds — engine, back-up beeps & horn — and they’re not even annoying!! They sound pretty realistic & they’re not too loud or shrill. He played & played with this set all afternoon, accompanied by his own very impressive sound effects. Kate gave him an airport play set and the jet had similar sounds — eventually, the jet started flying loops over & around the tow truck.

In other excitement, our favorite grocery chain just opened a new store in an old discount store building that’s been empty for several years, and it’s very convenient both from home & from work — I have my choice of four such stores now, more or less “on the way” from work, depending on route/errands-of-the-day. The new one is the best from home. Anyway, I was there twice over the weekend, getting the lay of the land. It’s nice!

I added some decoration to my car, too. (It really needs a wash!) The bumper sticker is from Modern Quilt Studio & I also have a shirt with that design — from their Kamala Quilt Pattern, which is free with a donation to Kamala’s campaign. I’ve seen people adapt that design to wall hangings, pillows & door hangers (especially useful if an HOA doesn’t allow yard signs, for instance). It’s pretty great.

WHP - Winter Happiness Plan

I lied… and I’m making a plan

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I lied… I have done a little knitting lately.

I’ve churned out three more dishcloths (ultimately headed upstairs for Airbnb guests) and, after a couple of idle evenings, started another last night (for us). I can practically do them in my sleep.

Do y’all read Modern Daily Knitting? Today’s self-care post by Max Daniels is all about making a plan for winter — specifically, making a WINTER HAPPINESS PLAN (WHP), inspired by a post by Amelia Greenhall last year. It’s brilliant! And I immediately sent a message to Kate & Ali proposing a monthly (at least) get together to cut & paste stuff, paint stuff, sew stuff… whatever, but TOGETHER for a few free & uninterrupted hours each month.

That, alone, makes me feel better about the coming cold months… but I will fluff up my WHP a little more in the next few weeks. Give myself some direction…

Have a happy weekend!

Uncategorized

Sixes & Sevens

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The calm after the storm? The unseasonably hot weather? The second year of sewer/street/sidewalk reconstruction in the ‘hood? Back-to-school schedule changes?

It was a busy summer, as may have been evident, and family is all now dispersed far & wide (Australia & Peru).

It’s mid-September but feels more like Hot August Nights (except it’s hot during the day — nights have actually been quite nice, windows open even).

I am seeing the light at the end of the concrete roadway, the crew in my sister’s end of the neighborhood is almost two months ahead of where we were last year, heavy equipment has moved on to another project, and “road closed” signs & barriers are beginning to disappear… still… OMG, I cannot wait for that project to be DONE & COMPLETELY DUSTED! (Everything is so dusty!)

I haven’t seen the kids as much, nor Ali… Davy is in school or daycare every day now (and a newly minted 4-year-old as of yesterday!), and Ali is working a lot! Davy’s already caught one of those stupid pass-it-all-around viral infections, but it’s not serious & we’re planning a belated birthday get together for Saturday (he should be better/not contagious). Yay!

I’m not really knitting anything that I love (it’s probably time to start seaming a big blanket!)… just feeling sixes & sevens, y’know? All the election stuff… that, too, has been… just everywhere…

…as of yesterday, that includes my own front yard! And it feels good because, wow, we’ve all been waiting for those HARRIS-WALZ signs (including our local Dem HQ) & there are just too many of the other kind in my neighborhood.

I wasn’t able to tune into the livestream on Sunday, but watched the Makers For Kamala recording on YouTube yesterday.

It was well organized and the speakers were great! And over $120,000 was raised during the livestream alone — more since, I’m sure, but I don’t know exactly where to find that information. Anway, it’s worth a listen/watch!

Unraveled Wednesday / Knit & Read

Unraveled Wednesday

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Today I’m joining Kat & the Unravelers for Unraveled Wednesday!

KNITTING:

I’m still working on a gnome…

…and it doesn’t look much different than last time, but it’s completely stuffed & weighted & off the needles. It’s been patiently waiting while I finished the sampler. I fumbled a few times trying to knit the nose last night, so opted for doing the beard instead. There’s still a nose to knit… and a couple of arms. I’m kind of meh about it… not my favorite, but the kids love gathering them up & playing with them. Davy especially likes the ones with long pointy hats — he calls them “wrecking balls” and uses them as such, too!

Meanwhile, another Mystery Gnome just landed, there’s a Mystery Shawl ready to cast on, Susan B. Anderson got me with her Reversible Tree + Snowman (aka, another sort of wrecking ball)… the mornings are cooler… it’s definitely Knitting Season!!

READING

I’m about half-way through On the Line by Eric Ripert and I’m really enjoying it… the amount of staff & attention to detail is incredible, which I guess is why lunch at Le Bernardin is in the area of $100. Per. Person.

A “new” book arrived in the mail yesterday. After reading about The Houses In Between on Cathy’s blog last week, I ordered a copy for myself. It sounded intriguing!