Shopping!

 Yesterday I went and had routine labs drawn first thing. Then I came home and got Ralph, and we went to Lowe's to look at carpet. 

This is the one I picked for the sewing room.

Our handyman got the closet doors installed, and they look so good! We also bought a new room darkening shade for the room.

Two nights ago I had an epiphany. Swap the guest room and sewing room!

When the kids were little, the current sewing room was Manda's room, and the guest room was Steph's room. When Heather got married and moved out, Steph had moved downstairs to Heather's old room with the waterbed, so her room was a catch all room. A year or so later I took up quilting, and used the kitchen table to sew on. I decided I needed a sewing room, since people foolishly thought they should be able to eat on the kitchen table.

I told Steph that unless she wanted her room back, I was going to make it into my sewing room. I told her that several times. The day I was going to start moving things, she decided to move back upstairs, as it would be easier with Toast, her mini dachshund. 

So I waiting til Manda graduated and moved to Houston, then I claimed her room for a sewing room. I just never got around to changing it after Steph moved out. Steph's room became the guest room, which got a lot of use for a while.

Manda's room has one window, Steph's has 3, so it's much brighter. And while I have the whole house ripped apart is a good time to switch them out. 

We have the carpet company coming on Tuesday to measure both rooms. We'll have Manda's room done first, so we can move the furniture from Steph's room into it, so the handyman can fix the wall and paint in there, then we'll have that carpet put in, then the real transition can start!

The Best Weekend!

 I had such a fantastic weekend! Saturday morning I made 4 pounds of meatballs and froze them, then sat down to rest my feet. At noon, the phone rang and it was Steph.

Steph- I was craving a cheesesteak, so I'm at the Portland Airport.

Me- Do they have good cheesesteaks there?

Steph- No, but they have planes here, and I'm about to get on one to come see you for your birthday.

Me- speechless. 

She got here around 9 Saturday night, flew into Newark and rented a car- direct flight, and tickets on sale. Ralph and Heather knew she was coming!

Sunday was my birthday. We got coffee and doughnuts from Tim Hortons, then headed off to Heather's - it was snowing, but not expected to amount to much.

So many of my favorite people! Frank and Charlotte, Mike and Donna, Mike and Samantha, Ed and Jeanne, and of course Heather and Ed and the kids, and Steph.

We had such a fun party, so much laughter and love. 

Monday Heather came up after dropping Julie at school. Steph wanted to go thru my photo albums and boxes  to look for pix of her and David. We ordered out lunch, since it was Valentine's Day and we thought every where would be crowded. We did the same at dinner. Monday night we just visited.

Tuesday Heather came up again and they finished the boxes of photos. A lot of laughter and some tears. Then we went to Lamp Post for brunch, since chipped beef was on Steph's wish list. She'd gotten a cheesesteak on Monday, and Rita's Water Ice on Monday and Tuesday.

She left here around 2 to drive back to Newark and fly home to Dan and Mocha. It was such a fun visit!

Lincoln's Birthday!

 In honor of Lincoln, I made meatballs! Four pounds of them! I make them, Ralph has some immediately, and I freeze them in bags so he can snack as he wants to. 

We went to Lamp Post last week, he had his favorite wedge salad.

Sewing room redo in progress!

Painting is done!

Trim is done, new door is up! Closet door is ordered and should be in on Monday. Waiting for carpet guy to call me back.

A finish! Kind of toddler/baby sized.

A new start! A baby sized afghan kit. I'm almost done with all the kits that were laying around.

A pattern I want to look for, I love it so much!

I saw this on Facebook and fell in love! So many things I want to make!

It's February!

 It's now raining and 55 out! The snow is just about gone. 

A new project! As close to round as can be! It's from the yarn cakes.

I decided that it's time to redo the sewing room! When we moved here 30+ years ago, it was Manda's room, so of course there were posters all over, and stars on the ceiling, which pulled off the paint when removed. Old, old carpet. Paneling halfway up, wallpaper the rest of the way.

So we called our handyman, a friend of our neighbor. He shocked up when he said he could start the next day, which was yesterday. A scramble to empty bookcases, and spread miscellaneous stuff all over the house.

Ralph rigged a cover for the fabric until we could get totes.

Handyman is removing the paneling, which as it turns out, was glued on. Of course it was. To take the wallpaper off would be time consuming, and would damage the sheetrock, so he's putting thin sheet rock over top, which is what we did in Mom's kitchen. He'll remove the rug, fix the ceiling, sheetrock where needed, paint the whole thing, and add closet doors and a new door to the exercise room. It will look awesome!

The paint color I picked out. I think a neutral gray for the new carpet. And changing out the brown baseboard trim for white.

And then to do a lot of sorting as I put things back!