The Queue

We seem to be in a phase with projects planned and materials purchased, but not enough time to complete the project. Three projects are coming up soon, but I don't know when they're going to happen due to our spring travel schedule.

1.) This box contains the O.'s headboard for his big boy bed. We need to assemble it, stain it to match the bookshelf, finish, and install.



2.) This is the wood the Mom and Dad brought down several weekend ago, which will become O.'s castle. Fortunately for us, we will have help for this project (Dad and Mom again), but the weather needs to improve so that the help will travel.



3.) I don't have an actual picture of the last project, because it's just a cardboard box next to the garbage in the garage, and I think you can imagine that without a visual aid. Instead, here's a photo of where the box's contents will go. A storm door will be installed here, plus painting the front door white.


Until we have some time to tackle these projects, I'll leave you to ponder these mystery plants: What the heck are these, and why are they there?

These two plant appeared this spring in a hanging basket pot that held a Eucalyptus plant last summer. I left the pot outside all winter next to the house.




And this one? It appeared where the tarragon grew last year, but it's not tarrgon.

Easter Weekend

A blustery Easter weekend, but it's not raining, so we'll take it.



A lego kit was the big gift this year.



O. is learning about letters right now, so this special egg below was a big hit.


O. and I made an Easter cake yesterday. O. is my sous chef in training, and doing well. He can break eggs with the best of him. He's best at tasting though.

(don't worry, the lotion was not an ingredient)

A bit sloppy, but not bad for an inexperienced cake decorator who was fending off a monkey from eating the cake on the spot. However, he was heartbroken when told that no, we wouldn't be making the rest of the cake rabbit, ie the arms and legs and bunny tail.

Teaching the Old Chairs a New Trick

We finished reupholstering the dining room chairs last weekend. I think two months, five days for project conception to completion is our new personal record.

After much debate, we chose the Ebbtide patina print, at $45/yard. I had to order two yards instead of the measured amount, so it was a bit more than I wanted to spend. At least there was a sale for upholstery fabric when I ordered in January. Plus, Dad lent us the staple gun, and I don't think I used enough of his staples to put a dent in his supply, even. I think the whole project cost $62.



And $62 dollars well spent, I think. This dining set will be ten years old this summer, as it was purchased with wedding gift money. The table was the perfect size for our apartments of the past, but it's a little small for the current space. Some day we'd like to replace it with something bigger. But what? We don't know. That choice depends on the hypothetical flooring replacement, and there's no sense in trying to replace the dining set until we know what we want in the rest if the dining room/living room. And with the exception of the stained seat chairs, the set has held up well. Heck with the new seat covers and if you turn your head sideways and squint, from a distance, the set looks new again.

I tried to get a photo with accurate coloring, but I'm not having much luck. It looks grey/brown in the photos, but at home, in our light, you see more of the greens. In fact, I think I've subliminally chosen a fabric similar to the Dad's college chair fabric.



The new chair covers have been popular with cats and children alike. The photo below shows O. and E. sharing a chair and the warm sunshine. Neither are happy about having to share, but tolerating it well.


And finally: I've learned that Murphy's Law also applies to chair reupholstering. In the two days since I've finished his chair, O. has spilled most of a glass of milk on the chair. Twice in two days. I can't remember the last time he's spilled that much. Oh well, now I know that the extra fabric that I had to buy will be used eventually.

Signs of Spring

I'm always impressed by opportunistic plants, like these crocuses. One week ago, these were freezing beneath an inch of ice and a couple inches of snow.


I stamped the first two robins of the year. And I hear frogs in the creek. I don't think spring is here yet, but at least it's around the corner.