Well, I had started a post before I left for Stitches East in Hartford, CT, but somehow never got it finished and put up. I'm back from Stitches (more about that later), mostly caught up on work (limited by internet problems at the office) and settling into routine here at home. Yesterday I actually found myself with a whole day without appointments, errands to run, kids to pick up or jobs that absolutely had to be done. Sooooo, I finally got to do something on my LIST. I painted the bathroom! Well, I started anyway. I cleaned up the walls, brought out the paint, brushes, rollers, dropcloth, etc., and started. I finished the ceiling, and all the cutting in with the wall paint at the ceiling, around the window, door, and vanity.
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| finishing up the ceiling |
Getting started was really the hard part, and the prep took quite a bit of time. Today I scraped and sanded the trim around the door and window, then painted the walls. Then I went out and ran errands! Woohoo! This has been on my list since last spring. I even bought the paint last spring. Tomorrow I should be able to finish up the trim and then it will basically be done. Some time later I will take the door off the hinges and sand and paint it, but that project will need another solid day or two so we won't have to live for too long without a door on the bathroom.
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the new color - lighter shade of green
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finished wall
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| window needs trim painted |
On the knitting front, I am lucky enough to be able to attend Stitches East most years. Now that it's situated in Hartford, CT (about an hour's drive from my house), it's even easier to get to. Stitches was a little odd for me this year though. I'm not sure what it was: Tropical Storm Irene aftermath and not feeling quite caught up or on top of things yet, having a host-daughter added to the nuclear family, or just bad alignment of the planets, but I was just not ready for or excited about Stitches. I prepped at the last minute and got my homework done and my suitcase packed (I go with a friend and we stay with her friend, about 15-20 minutes outside the city) and arrived on time but I just wasn't "into it." I had signed up back in June and took more classes than I usually do - Almost the Works. I had a class the first afternoon, which meant that I couldn't drive out for my son's cross country regional championship meet as I have done in the past. Not a biggie. I think it bothered me more than it bothered my son. Classes all day Friday and all day Saturday, and a Sunday afternoon class. A lot of the time I just felt tired and was battling headaches. On the upside, I didn't spend as much money in the market because I didn't have as much time. I really enjoyed my classes too. I had two themes going. My first two classes were Swedish techniques: twined knitting (tvåändstickning) and Bohus Stickning (knitting). The next two were Reversible Cables and Two Sided Fabrics. Hopefully I will use some of these new techniques to knit up more of my stash yarn.
Snow is forecast for this weekend and two of the three kids are going to the Homecoming dance tomorrow night. Sounds like a good time for british murder mysteries and knitting!
Shelley in CT
