Most of the boxes on the main floor have been unpacked. There are a few that I just haven't gotten to yet, but the main areas are settled. My kitchen is a work in progress as I figure out where to best store my cooking equipment.
The other area that is still getting settled is my office. Squeaks likes to spend the day watching the traffic from the front window.
I cleaned up my Mom's old radio and put it in the corner of my office. It is a TrueTone radio/record player from the 1940s. She told me that it was her first purchase after starting her first job after graduating high school. The outside took some 'elbow grease' to get cleaned up, but I think it looks beautiful now. Not bad for having spent probably 50 years in basements (hers and then mine). The inside mechanisms are all still there, but they are in very bad shape. If I can find someone to do the labor for me, I'd like to pull out the old parts and replace them with a new turntable and Bluetooth speaker.
I originally had hoped to have my office be a combination office and craft room. After Ed and I traded rooms (he couldn't fit all of his crap things into the space he originally wanted, I ended up with it. I traded knowing that if I didn't he would complain constantly about not having enough room. He remembers things differently. He says I wanted the office with smaller square footage and no closet.) I went about trying to figure out how I'm going to manage in a smaller area.
My knitting needles have a nice place to hang and I have a dresser that will be used for some storage.
Most of my craft stuff will stay in the basement. I don't have room for the bookshelves that I originally envisioned. My son-in-law said he'll build me a craft room in the basement. I'm going to have to take him up on that offer once I get my mountain of stuff organized.
I'm looking forward to sitting on the deck during the summer and enjoying the view. We've already seen ducks and geese on the pond. The wooded area on the opposite side is visited by many birds. I've heard a Great Horned Owl several times now during the night. I just hope that area stays natural and doesn't get developed.
We are completely enjoying being so close to our grandson. I babysit Jameson on Fridays. It's tiring, but I love every minute of it. He is growing so fast! Lately he's been watching football and is cheering for the Cincinnati Bengals. I'm trying to get him to say 'Who Dey!!' He tries but it's not quite there yet.
After several months away, I'm back to having a few projects to work on. I'm taking a class at one of the shops in town to make the Loveland Shawl by Toni Lipsey. It is Tunisian crochet. My hands had trouble working the hook at the start but I'm getting the swing of it now. I've made a few mistakes and can see my tension isn't the same at the start and the end of the rows, but it's my first real Tunisian crochet project so I'm not beating myself up.
Last time I posted I mentioned that I was going to start the new year with a new knitting project. I pulled out my project bag for Letho by Natasja Hornby
I don't know what I was thinking, but Letho is not the relaxing knit I thought it would be. Don't get me wrong, I am thoroughly enjoying making this cardigan. It's just not a quick, easy knit. I've never made any Natasja Hornby patterns before, but I have seen her interviewed on Fruity Knitting. I should have realized that her patterns are complex with interesting construction. I am certainly learning a few things while making this. I've decided I'm going to take my time to make sure I get the result I'm hoping for.
There's no rush. I'm not going anywhere.
