Continuing Apace

The endlessness of our summer book club book finally behind me, I'm really enjoying this summer. I'm nearly finished with another Aubrey/Maturin book (best of the series, I think!). And I've finally started making a dent in the book on my bedside table- Mistress of the Art of Death. We selected it as our September book club book, so now I'm guaranteed to finally read it. I don't know why it's languished so long; even 20 pages in I am completely enthralled.

I'm still knitting nonbloggable knitting. I should finish the main section today at lunch, and when I get home and have access to another skein, I'll be able to cast on for the top edging. It's not terribly large or complicated, so I should be able to knit it and kitchener the two pieces together tomorrow. Which means I can cast on for another nonbloggable project! The excitement never ends.

This is, as yet, a delightfully unplanned weekend. G may go to a baseball game or go shoot photos someplace with a friend. I would like to hit up the farmer's market (either in nearby Courthouse, or possibly Eastern Market). I'll get to the gym with my gym buddy on Sunday morning. As for the rest? Just some baking and cooking, a lot of cleaning in the sewing room now that the wedding gown is gone, and of course knitting. I have the first two discs of Mad Men Season 2 to watch, and hope to get through them all while my fiance is out of the house.

All that should keep me busy, but I'm hoping to also do a little sunning on the porch outside our bedroom. I haven't made it out there yet, and it should be nice and hot and sunny this weekend. Perfect for finishing up my latest sea adventure, or getting more into the medieval mystery for book club. What a deliciously summery weekend I have ahead of me!

Shenanigans

It's been a lot of chores and such this weekend. Yardwork (oh the horrors! we're homeowners!) and I even washed my car. Note to self: pull out the step ladder, so you can actually reach the top of the roof. Also? Avoid getting another million scratches and dents. Sigh. My car is looking every bit of her six-plus years. I picked up a few dings myself, trying to clear out some ivy from the azalea bushes. I'm glad we're getting married in November- I think I'm less likely to cut open my legs and forehead raking leaves than doing summertime chores. I even started up my first container herb garden and tomato plant this weekend, and have high hopes for my very first "garden." Next year I'm taking over a lot more land and trying a full-on vegetable garden. I have a lot of reading and research to do first, though!

Since I was out playing with the hose to clean my car, George pulled out his long reclining beach chair, and I scrubbed it to high heaven. It's now perched on the roof of our walled-in porch (i.e, outside the bedroom door), and I am excited to get out and sun myself a little bit. I only do it in the name of preserving my skin from horrible sunburns. I used to go out and "tan" for twenty or thirty minutes a day when I lived in Aix. My skin was a gorgeous slightly darker shade of pale as a result, and I didn't burn the whole summer after I got home. Works like magic!

What else did I do... five gazillion loads of laundry... a long night chatting with my two favorite men, since Dad was up for a quick trip on Friday... good times. I still didn't cut out my veil, or my other sewing projects. But I am about half-done with my Hemlock Ring blanket (one enormous skein of Cascade Eco Wool to go!). I am well up to waist-level on the summer shell I'm knitting. And I finished two Sookie Stackhouse books. I also cooked a fair bit, in my ongoing quest to save money and feed us well and healthily. I think we're over zucchini and corn at the moment, however, thanks to our Washington Green Grocer box every Friday. We are eating gorgeous fresh produce all the time, now, and I've discovered some new fruit loves. G and I also made it over to the Courthouse farmer's market on Saturday, something I haven't done since I moved out of the neighborhood. I ended up with a lovely sterling silver chai necklace, and some fresh berries and locally-made ricotta for a delicious treat on Sunday. Also? Farm-fresh eggs. Boy oh boy do I want some urban chickens of my own. I could make frittatas daily!

I declare success on my weekend shenanigans. And this is a very short week! Thursday I'm taking the day off, and my folks will be coming back into town to attend a tasting at our wedding venue, and to enjoy the Fourth of July festivities here in the Capitol. Friday is the official holiday, so that makes this a super short work week! I can't wait to enjoy some serious knitting and crafting time, in between the fireworks and festivities.