And since it's also a scanner, I have been able to start scanning some of our wedding pictures -- hooray! I have a lot more left to add, but this is a start!
P.S -- a picture of Bruce and me -- we were judging how long it would take to row across to the island!
I failed to take a picture of the yarn I bought, but my mom has one here! I bought yarn for my mom to make me a pi shawl, and also splurged on a skein to make myself a fashion-type scarf. Here is Abigail winding the yarn from a skein into a ball (making it much easier to work with).
We took a quick stroll in the town square by the yarn shop...
We then ate a high-society lunch at McDonald's drive-thru :), made a quick stop at Home School Hangout, took Abigail to her OT session, and even managed to squeeze in a quick visit to JoAnns. A happy, full-of-good-company, textile-ishly stimulating day!
and the girls were inside, where my mom and I did quick chores and then sat down to our sewing machines. As you'll see in the pictures, the cats -- especially Nyki -- were always at hand to help, too! Some of the highlights...
We got my current quilt "sandwiched" (i.e. all the layers put together and ready to quilt). The cats were especially helpful as we laid out all of the fabrics and thoroughly de-wrinkled them by smoothing out each layer with our hands. Sorry for the (over?!)abundance of cat pictures on this one, but they're just so cute!
Our magnum opus for the week, though, was a remake of my full-length red wool swing coat. More than once now I have tried to part with it because it's just taking up space...and more than once I have been unable to execute my typical unfeeling clutter-purge with this one. It has sentimental significance for me because my dad bought it for me "just because" back when I was single career woman, 13 or so years ago now. I admired it, and he surprised me with it. I wore it in NY as a single woman; I wore it in Chicago as a newlywed; however, I haven't worn it at all since moving to Georgia. It just isn't appropriate for southern winters...think "overkill"! The idea of remaking it into a less dramatic and more practical pea-coat struck me earlier this year...I floated the idea to my mom (without whom I would never tackle a big project like that!), who was game for it...and now we've conquered it! It was a BIG project. I'm so glad we did it...and it's not something I'm hoping to do again anytime soon! I still have to pick buttons for it and decide whether to add belt loops, but those are minor details. :)
(Nyki only grudgingly shared the ironing board with us...she was convinced it was there as a fish-watching perch for her!)
I hesitate to use the "after" picture (below), because it does not do justice to the lovely lines and shape of the coat...but you get the general idea of the difference, at least...and I will share one of me wearing it sometime this winter!
Our week flew by wayyyyy too fast, but at least we have stuff to show for it!
As soon as school and lunch were over, David headed outside to start his painting project. Yesterday we finally bought some craft paint so that he can paint the wooden stuff he built a few weeks ago. He donned the paint smock that used to be his daddy's (thirty or so years ago!) and is totally engrossed in his project.
Abigail is happily ensconced with a book to read, enjoying her solitude and munching away at her lunch, calling me occasionally to ask for more feta cheese chunks. Life is good. :)
... we harvested and ate our first-ever fresh-from-the-garden cantaloupe. It was delicious!
I love our garden and I'm so thankful that we can have one!
Later this month we'll plant our fall garden...after the sweet tastes of summer will come the crisp savories of fall...carrots, peas, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower...mm-mmm!
And for you food-fiends out there, here's a close-up of the delectable desserts...have I mentioned YUM?!
Here they are, done with our first day (below)! (No, they're not making the peace sign.) Abigail is signing "K" for kindergarten and David is signing "2" for second grade. (How are those possible?!)
When we got home, I washed the van and David scrubbed out the pool. After we filled it up, the kids played in it for quite a while until the rain started. It seems kind of crazy that we're just getting it out now, during our last week of summer vacation, but this is also the first week of summer vacation that we're all healthy! Besides, the kids will continue to enjoy it in the afternoons for the next month or so, even after we start school.
We stopped at Target on the way home today; we participated in a medical study this past year related to Abigail's CP, and at its conclusion, they gave us a Target gift card as a thank-you gift. Each of the kids picked out a new toy (Bruce's and my portion went to mundane household needs...boring but necessary!). David got a Lego police helicopter kit and went right to work on it as soon as we came inside.
Success!
I started a couple of painting jobs (more on that in another post) while they played. Now I'm tending to chores and the kids are both sprawled out reading library books. The rain is coming and going, the house is peacefully silent and smells like fresh-baked bread...a nice ending to any day, and especially to one that started out with an unpleasant event. :)
