~Kitty ~ Corner~

It was a good, but busy week. Good, because after three months of illness I am once again able to drive . . . busy, because after three months of illness I am once again able to drive!

Took the Oldest to the bank to open his first bank account . . . ran lots of long-put-off-errands . . . met with girlfriends to plan another friend's bridal shower. . . ran all over town looking for supplies for invitations . . . picked up the Youngest from school each day as well as constant post office runs after reopening my Ebay shop. After all those weeks pining after freedom from the house I am so ready to never leave it again! Or at least not for a couple days . . .  

I did manage to get a little kitty love in with this fluffy guy and his brother. There's always time for a furry lap warmer in the winter. In fact, a cat on the lap is a good excuse not to get up for awhile. They make you to a rest.

And as far as furry friends go, this week I also managed to finish up this felty for a dear friend's very belated birthday . . .

I had fun designing him and adding some details . . . who doesn't want a kitty with 'hi' on their behind? It's a lot nicer that some of the stuff my living/breathing fur-balls have brought home on their behinds. ;)

Anyway, I hope she likes him!

Also wanted to share a little corner of my home. I thought it was pretty bathed in a quick moment of sunlight earlier this week.

And then there are these two handsome boys to make it shine as well.

And my small collection of vintage brown transferware. The dainty little creamer was a gift from a sweet friend. Isn't it lovely all lit up with sunshine?

And speaking of sun, we were lucky enough to have a sun-filled, dry Saturday today. The Husband and the Youngest did some tidying up in the garden while I did some well overdue dusting/cleaning/picking up in the house. And the Oldest spent the whole day at a videogame convention. *sigh*

At least we will all be together tomorrow for sure. . . in front of the tv, eating artichoke dip while sweating bullets and shouting at the top of our lungs. Yes, there's football tomorrow! Go Hawks! :)

Cheers!

9:15 PM - By Unknown 0

~New~

Some new goodies are perking up my living room and making me very happy!

A new banner hanging from the mantle spells out 'HAPPY NEW YEAR' in snowflakes and vintage glass beads. I had lots of fun making this a couple weeks ago. And in a couple more weeks it will be time to think of something else to welcome Valentine's Day.

A new throw blanket for snuggling into. My old one was becoming a rag and wasn't even keeping me warm. I bought this one last weekend with some birthday money . . . it is SO incredibly soft. I absolutely love it- and so does Quinn as you can see. He's modeling just how soft and snug it is, which is very kind of him. He's very obliging that way. However, when it comes to sharing the blanket you will find that to be an entirely different matter. Don't let that sweet face fool you: his claws are sharp and he's not afraid to use them.

Finally, a new table lamp to help light up a dark corner. Also purchased with birthday money. I'm very pleased with the height and quality of light it gives out- it's just right for reading or stitching in the evening. 

So what's new with you? :)

8:00 PM - By Unknown 0

~Bread and a Book~

 I just finished putting the bread machine to work and now the whirl of the paddle can be heard out in the kitchen. It's a triumphant sound as I haven't made bread (or much of anything) since I got sick. It's been months since that sound has been heard or the house has smelled like heaven as it bakes. The clean up, however, has not been done yet as the above picture proves. My knees are still very painful so the ten or so minutes it took to stand and measure ingredients into the bread machine will now require a good 30 mins of sit down time to make up for it. Clean up will have to wait.

The other sound I'm hearing is the constant spattering of rain and wind against the windows. It shakes the panes of this old house and makes it sound like someone trying to break in. I took this picture while I was still out in the kitchen- that's my view from the kitchen sink and as you can see 2 o'clock in the afternoon here looks no different than early morning or late evening. I wish it was bright and white with snow, but we just don't get much of that in the good ol' Pacific Northwest. However, we also don't get -0 temperatures either, so I won't complain (too much) ;)

A treasure came in the mail a couple days ago- a little treat I bought for myself with leftover gift card money. Another book by Gladys Taber to add to my humble collection! And it's one I have not read yet, so I'm savoring the anticipation of digging into it. 

Doesn't it look well with the others? I found Gladys and her books a couple years ago after being introduced to them by the lovely Susan Branch. And of course I'm hooked . . . and of course, they are out of print and hard to come by. And of course, that makes them even better! :)

4:05 PM - By Unknown 0

~Monday Stuff~

A new week.

Boys went back to school today. Husband back to work . . . not that he hadn't been there prior to the weekend. 

I sat in my chair with a hot cup of coffee and cream, wrapped in my blanket and warm cat on my lap, waved them all off and rejoiced in a quiet house. Quiet, but COLD! The sun we had last week has turned back to the usual Pacific Northwest grey and the forecast is calling for lots of rain and freezing temps. I say if it's gonna get this cold, it better just snow. Which it won't . . . sigh. :(

I spent a good part of my morning applying for health insurance online . . . and had to come to a halt when I needed to supply info. that the Husband is unable to find. I'm sure it will turn up, but it was a disappointment to not just get it finished. I hate doing that kinda stuff and don't want it hanging over my head, you know?

I've been working on some little felties lately . . . the one above was delivered to my Grammie just today as a belated birthday gift. When you are very ill for three months, you end up with a lot of belated birthdays! So currently, I'm working on another for a dear friend who celebrated her birthday last October- the day after the Oldest turned 14. Yes, I missed my Oldest son's birthday too! But he got a football- I don't think a stuffed felt animal would have worked. ;) 

Here's to another Monday and a fresh week ahead . . .

Cheers!

8:17 PM - By Unknown 0

~Today and Tomorrow~

Today: 

The sun shone nearly all day and made me yearn for gardening . . .
Plenty of banana muffins (made yesterday) were consumed, along with molasses cookies from my Mother. . .
There was laundry washed, floors vaccumed, groceries shopped for . . . but none of it by me . . .
Christmas was packed away. The Youngest helped. Never has there been an easier time of it as the only decorations brought out this year were stockings and only one box of ornaments for the tree. Bliss! . . .
Cats were played with. That's Quinn up there in a blur attacking his homemade cat toy . . .
Husband took me to Michael's to purchase embroidery floss for a project. Ended up finding a 'portable studio' to use for my crafting. It's really just a glorified lapdesk, but 'portable studio' is workin' for me . . .
Raviloli for dinner and a movie planned for later . . .

Tomorrow:

Sunday breakfast as a family (a mandatory Sunday tradition) . . .
Husband in the basement with football; me upstairs with some crafting (on the portable studio), tea, my book and more cookies . . .
Downton Abbey to look forward to in the evening (and a Husband who likes to watch it with me!) . . .

All in all, not a bad weekend! :)

Cheers!

8:16 PM - By Unknown 0

~Blue Skies But Cloudy Within~

Proof that there was sun and blue sky this morning . . . if only for a little while.

Agh, I'm tired today!!

Though at this point I'm quite used to being sleep deprived, this tired is a little different than my norm- more of an emotional tired than a real physical one. And coffee makes no dent in it- though I've tried.
. 
This is the kinda tired where you want to see no one, do nothing, and try nothing and not even your favorite occupations can distract you from it. You're cranky and pouty and annoyed with yourself for being so. It's the tired that finds you unable to start the creative project you planned, because in the mode you're in you know you'll just screw it up.

A tired where instead of enjoying the morning's blue sky and bright sun you spend all morning angry at your husband because during the night you dreamed that he cut down the blue spruce tree that used to be in your grandparents' front yard . . . years ago. And worse, he did so without asking you. And further more, when you confront him about it as he lounges on the couch, he answers you nonchalantly that you have no right to say anything about it because you're not the type of person who makes quick comebacks. 
Huh?!

Exactly.
That kind of tired.

So here I am, trying to put it out there so I can start moving upward and onward. There are banana muffins to bake and though I am still incredibly sore all over, I'm thinking that if I take it in small stints I may actually get them made. And I'm kinda thinking muffins and Earl Grey could make things a wee bit better. Especially paired with the book I've been reading . . . The Blue Hills, by Elizabeth Goudge. Does anyone else read Elizabeth Goudge? She's out of print but I adore her books. This one I happen to be borrowing from my mother as they're hard to come by. Yes, I'm definitely thinking a long stretch of reading and some muffins may be the answer here. 
I'm off to the kitchen- the sun just came out again. :)

Cheers!

2:32 PM - By Unknown 0