Odds and Ends

So, it's been a pretty long week.  My mother-in-law was in town last weekend, and while here she reorganized our silverware drawer, which in turn inspired me to reorganize a few things of my own.  My home office, formally a pile of very old, very outdated newspapers, magazine, and, yes, bills, has now found a new home in our study (where it belongs, of course).  I added a loveseat and coffee table and suddenly it feels cozy and useable!

After that, I put some dividers in my bathroom drawers, and now my hair supplies have a snug place to nestle into when not in use.  Finally, I cleaned out my fridge, which was beginning to look a lot like Oscar the Grouch's Take-Out Emporium.  Now, however, the Container Store and I are close friends, and my fridge has definitely benefitted from the relationship!  Having everything in see-through containers also entices me to eat delicious leftovers and fresh produce, which is a true bonus since I've become very interested in the Raw Foods movement (see my other blog at www.zone7fitness.blogspot.com).

What has really taken up my time this week, though, is the planning of my sister's graduation party.  I hand-made the invitations, of which more than half are ready to go with tomorrow's mail.  I've also made the arrangements for the tent, chair, and table rental.  The cake is the next thing on my list.  I want something fun and creative, while also being tasteful (no pun originally intended, but now that it's there...).  www.plan-a-graduation.com has some really inspiring ideas, such as the one pictured above.  I think we'll come up with something AMAZING!  Of course, getting someone to make the cake we design might prove challenging...

Also, this past week, I've been pretty good about keeping up with correspondence, especially via snail mail.  For anyone out there who doesn't know, I LOVE to send and receive mail.  And it's nice to know that in the age of text messaging and emails, Mr. Parker (our mail carrier) still has a job.  Here's a postcard I made (with the help of stickers and stamps) to send to my niece, while also ensuring Mr. Parker's long and amusing career in the pushing of envelopes.  It only takes a couple of minutes and is sure to brighten both of their days (Found on back: Q: What did the boy octopus say to the girl octopus?  A: I want to hold your hand, hand, hand, hand, hand, hand, hand, hand).

So, now I only have to clean out my closet and pantry.  After that, I will be ready to move on to some actual work...

On My Needles

This is the current knitting project I'm working on. It's going to be a throw for my brother, which he can hardly wait for. Unfortunately for him, he does have to wait - I don't expect to be finished with it until this autumn...

Here's a close-up picture so you can see the detail. In case you're interested, I found the pattern in Easy Cable Throws: 7 Throws with Fun Cables to Knit.

A New First!

Like many of you, I'm sure, I have a straight-up Puritanical hatred of inertia. I'm always in motion, whether I'm running, biking, working, or cleaning the house. When I stop the physical stuff, I'm multitasking. There is no tv without a book, an application, the laundry, my laptop, or the latest knitting project.

Which is what makes having a baby so hard. Since my sweet little bundle of joy has arrived, I've quit working and dedicated myself fully to my son. Which is really going to turn into a hindrance for him if I don't find something else to do! So, I've decided to make a go at working from home. But, that means learning some self-discipline, which is where this blog comes in.

And although I'm very scattered, I'm going to commit to posting once a week, on Wednesday. So, here's to our new relationship - Cheers!