An Extra-Boring Page of Talk about Nothing

Since Facebook pictures will probably disappear one day (maybe blog pictures too - but we trust - and who will care?), I'll put the red beans and rice pictures here.

Mike is responsible for this whole meal.  I only contributed by eating it.  Twice yesterday and once today.  It's better the second day.(I did clean the stove and whole kitchen.)  

This is what Emily, Ryan, and Karen put together.  They added the black-eyed peas and a better cornbread and tea.  Looks wonderful.

I have to admit I didn't go outside yesterday, but I did get a lot of things done.  A nice rainy day to putter around the house.

Darby is not supposed to be in the kitchen giving pitiful looks, but I let her stay yesterday.  She was so afraid of being made to go outside that she was ultra quiet all afternoon and wouldn't make eye contact.

Her coat is awful, and she needs a haircut, but I'm embarrassed to take her to the vet this shaggy.  I got the trimmer and brush and worked on her some.  She hated that worse than going out in the rain.

I did stand in my sewing room and look at it.  I try organizing it, but my storage is haphazard, which is what it will have to be for right now.  When I sew, I pull down bunches of fabric and patterns and trim and usually have more than one thing going at a time.

So--- this is the sorry state of it yesterday morning.  I decided I would try to change just one thing a day.

I've let yarn and abandoned knitting and crotcheting projects take over this area.

This is a huge old TV armoire than I emptied of the TV and DVD player.  It's nice to hold all that messy batting and stuffing behind closed doors, but it could be neater.  It also hides my started but not finished projects.

The middle drawers are full of embroidery blanks and other things to do with machine embroidery.
The right drawers have - guess what? - fabric - mainly fat quarters.  The small boxes are color-coordinated scraps, which have outgrown that space and will be better off in that armoire.  I need more containers like that wooden CD holder that I found at Mike's parent's house.  It's a little small but perfect for containing fat quarters.  Patterns and books are on the bottom shelf.  (One box of patterns is in the bedroom for looking at.)

 The small plastic containers are embroidery thread and knitting needles and crochet hooks.  Plus all the other odds and ends I've collected.

 I know where things are in this corner, but it could use straightening up.  The saucer on the table is for drawing a curved corner not for the cat, although she did check it out just now.  It's nice to have a big cutting table, but there's just too much junk always on it.

This corner is almost okay - just needs neatening.

After a little despair and then a little work, I made this small improvement.

It's time consuming (but I secretly love it) to fold each piece of fabric around a 6-inch ruler to make them all the same size.  Amazing how much difference it makes.

I'm going to do more of that today and move those scrap boxes to the armoire.

I don't have plans for all that fabric and not sure why I have it all, but I'm ready in case of an inspiration.  With a granddaughter to sew for, the next few years should offer plenty of opportunities.

Mike has gone to meet his brother for a nice lunch at Chappy's.  I was invited but decided to let them have their Reubens and conversation.

My daily e-mail spring cleaning task today was to organize any nightstands or bedside tables.  I was happy to see that because I just did that a few months ago when I moved the ones I inherited from Mike's parents to take the place of my old ones.  Before I had one drawer and a big area at the bottom.  I like the 3 drawers.

Mine.  I'm not sure what Mike has in his --  I went and looked and of all thing, his top 2 drawers are empty.  I need to do something about that!

I'm pretty optimistic about power failures, I guess.  No flashlight but a candle (and no match or lighter).  A cute little travel alarm clock that will never be used since the phone and computer have more than enough alarms on them.

Second drawer is for the rare occasion when I can't sleep and need something to put me directly to sleep - logic problems.

One thing I need is a neater way of storing camera, phone, and laptop chargers.  The basket at the bottom is not doing that great a job.

I won't have much progress to report for tomorrow since I've done nothing today except vacuum the kitchen, den and garage rug and straighten the kitchen.  Vacuuming makes me think I deserve a cup of coffee and a nice rest afterwards.

I have to start work in 3-1/2 hours, so I'd better try to accomplish something.

Oh, more twins coming!  This time in Guatemala.  Dina announced today that they have 2 babies due in July/August.  So exciting.  What is it with twins lately?  So far, 2 little boys in Columbus, 2 more little boys in Cincinnati being born on the 17th (old friends from Thomaston), a girl and boy for our church nursery, and these 2 new little ones.  Makes our little girl seem lonely.