a proper blog post...

 Oh, I've been here there and everywhere, just busy.  I don't like to neglect the old blog too much.  

Kathryn and Darius and the little ones, Achilles and Rhys, have moved into their new place, just last evening.  They don't have all of their stuff yet, it's being shipped across the country in a pod, but they have enough for now.  The house seems very quiet and empty, they were here for over a month.  I got used to holding a cuddly footy-pajama-ed baby Rhys in the morning while her mama got her a ba-ba.  Achilles would wake up with his hair all messy, and he'd be a bit cranky, and Kathryn would turn on "Curious George", he'd cuddle on the couch with his juice...yes, it's too quiet here now.

I won't be sitting around all day whining about it though, Mariel is picking me up in a little while, then we're picking up Molly Rose, and going on a little adventure, to a couple of wineries in the Finger Lakes.  It's a beautiful day, blue skies, and it'll be 75, absolutely perfect...

There is a project in my kitchen, an old medicine cabinet that I'm re-doing.  I forgot to take a before pic, as usual, but it was an oak cabinet from when we built our house.  One of the girls had chalk painted it a sage green several years ago.  I removed and discarded the old handles, I had some brand new ones I had gotten on clearance a while ago, silver ones:  spray painted them black, they look spiffy.  I also removed and spray painted the hinges black.  Then, a nice coat of primer, then a coat of Sherwin Williams Urbane Bronze, one of my favorite colors.  It'll need another coat, then back on with the hinges and doors, and I'll take a picture.  

Renovating things like that is satisfying, and it's better to reuse than buy a junky new one.  There's bathroom vanity in orange-y oak I have to re-do to match it, which we got from Marketplace, in very good condition.  (It's for the house that Sam and Grace are moving in to)

This fine morning, after I did a coat of paint on the cabinet and doors, I wiped down my cupboards.  White are nice, but they need a lot of upkeep.  My hands hurt from painting, Paul and I went to the house Sam and Grace are moving in to, yesterday afternoon to paint the walls.  I think I have carpal tunnel syndrome, my hands just ache all night long after painting.  I am almost ambidextrous though, can paint with either hand and I kept switching.  I was doing the cutting in/trim, Paul was rolling.  I think the rolling hurts worse.  

Oh, the joys of getting old!

But, the joys of going to the pool for water aerobics!  I absolutely love it.  It's almost miraculous how much better I feel afterwards.  I am so very thankful I'm able to go.  Also, I've made some friends in the class.  There are just some nice people in this world.  People need other people, and I think the whole lockdown stuff has really made us appreciate just being together.  One of the nice ladies lost her twin brother last summer, and is still reeling from it, one woman lost her son a few years back to an overdose, and...does the hurt ever go away?  To be able to talk about things, and to connect with each other, is really a gift.  

Tonight is activity club, and tomorrow I'll go help Kathryn get settled in.  This weekend we'll work on Sam's house, and there's a church picnic on Sunday.  I'm making cupcakes for that, thinking to get some cute little American flags to put on them, maybe strawberries and blueberries too.  

Okay, I just went in the kitchen for a second cup of coffee, and oops, I ended up painting the other side of the doors and started putting a second coat on the cabinet, then had to stop myself.  Mariel will be here soon, and I'm not dressed yet, because I have to do that thing where I blog until the last minute then hurry hurry hurry.

Camping season is coming up, and I'm excited.  We'll be tenting, ugh, but other than that, ha, it'll be fun.  I mean when you're old and fat and you have to lie down on the air mattress, and then in the morning, you have to get back up, that alone is a challenge, and that is if you're lucky and don't have to get up to go to the bathroom in the night:  it's a long lonely trek to the bathhouse, and no way is this old lady going to squat in the bushes, no way no how at this campground...nope.  Well, I SAY this, but never say never...if you get any sleep at all, it's a bonus.  

Anyway.  I used up all of my time, now I have to hurry hurry hurry!!!!  Bye for now!  I'll take pictures of the wineries and of the cabinet when it's done!  Have a good day!