Making Progress

I'm making progress in tidying up the house before my husband returns.  Yesterday I wrote an an article, "How to have a weekend getaway in your home" and also spent 3 hours sewing.  The sewing project was sitting on my sewing machine, and cluttering up the bedroom.  Therefore, I decided to get started, and clean up the bits of clutter.  I also managed to sew a leg back onto my youngest daughter's stuffed frog.  I see she wants a cat tail sewed back on a stuffed cat, but I cannot find the body to it.  Hmm?

I have managed to take 1 very large load of recycling to the recycling center, and the kids put the leaves into the compost.  Once I have the odd jobs finished, I can get back to writing more articles.  Thankfully, the weather was windy today, and the laundry dried quickly outside.  I have several writing magazines that have not been read yet, and are sitting in a pile.  I've since stopped those subscriptions and have been borrowing from the library.  It helps tremendously on cutting down on clutter.  I'm also more prone to read them before they are due back, unlike if I get them in the mail.

Curtain from Jeans

I started to sew a curtain from old jeans.  The squares I am cutting are 10 x 10 inches.  I am making 5 squares wide by 8 rows long.  This curtain will help keep winter air from coming into the house via the garage.  It's heavy so it should help keep the air in the garage when anyone opens the door connected to the house.  It's hard to explain how it's built and how I'll be using it, but the dimensions will pretty much fit a doorway or the size of a half-shower.  I'll post the link to the directions on the S.C.R.A.P. blog for another way to recycle jeans.  The photo above shows one strip sewed together and a few cut squares.  This is the first time I have used a quilting pattern or used my rotary cutter.

Dead Mouse in the House

"Mom there's a dead mouse upstairs!"

That was the greeting I received this morning when I entered the kitchen.

I'm pretty certain I know which cat caught it too.  Jasper.  He was walking around the table sniffing, and the next thing I know, he's on top of the table looking around the counter tops.  Last night I heard a huge commotion in the kitchen.  This morning things were strewn about on the counter tops as well.  I'm glad they caught it, and glad they chose not to eat it. 

I think they all need a special treat today.

Hankering for another Crackly Pear Cake

I have not baked this pear cake since last year.  It was delicious.  We do not have pear trees on our property and we were unable to get them from a family member this year.  We plan to plant more citrus trees next spring. 

It would be nice to make this cake next weekend, to welcome my husband back from a week long business trip.  And while he's gone I think I will work on cleaning up the place, including raking leaves to add to the compost bin.  I think I'll spruce up the bedroom, take recycling to the recycling center and a few other chores my husband does not enjoy doing.  I need to have my writing space clutter free for the upcoming writing month as well.  I better make sure the fridge is stocked well and the kitchen decluttered too. 

The case of the missing box of tea bags

We all got a chuckle this morning.  Someone left the container that stores boxes of tea bags, on the kitchen counter last night.  This morning the boxes were all over the counter and floor, and one box was missing.  We found it in the living room, near the wood stove, full of teeth holes.  One of the cats smelled the catnip that is in the Tension Tamer tea bags, but he failed to get the box open.  We will surely laugh every time we open that box of tea! Most likely, it was Jasper.

Friday Sunrise

This morning's sunrise was full of changing colors.  It was fun to share it with my 8 year-old, who is well enough to return to school today.  We saw colors of peach, pink, gold, lavender, blue and yellow.  What a wonderful way to start the day today.  Not many kids take the time to enjoy a sunrise, but I try to share those moments with them when ever I can.

Progress on the next blanket

This current (crocheted) blanket now measures 68 inches wide by 21 inches long.  This pattern is much more challenging and requires more concentration.  The stitches used are basic, but it takes more thought and requires less distractions and interruptions, than the last blanket.