good news

So we found a new home. Well not new exactly. But certainly new to us.

After difficulties in an extremely active, hot housing market, we've had our offer accepted on a townhouse in Reston, VA.

For needleworkers, this means shopper's paradise.

May be time to change this blog's name...because I named this Needleworker Not In Paradise after moving here from northern VA three years ago.

Now on to the house details.

First, I have not seen this place. LOL
I am trusting my husband. LOL

Kitchen is large - eat-in - big enough for our current table - 15 feet of cabinets and counters - and has sliders out to the patio. Good grilling set-up. But the floor needs replacing. Cabinets are older, but kitchen hasn't seen much use. Appliances are not brand, spanking new, but new enough. Large dining room, living room with balcony. Master bedroom is huge with lots of closet space. Two more bedrooms upstairs. Basement level has bedroom and full bath. And rec room complete with wet bar and the seller is leaving us his pool table. A true bachelor party room will now become a family room.

We're happy with the school, with the commute options for DH. Love the community itself with all it's jog/bike trails and pools. And we'll be a five minute walk away from friends. Oh yeah. We're on the golf course, too.

So as they say, it's all good. I really wanted a house, but truly cannot afford to be spending over $500K on a house which is what we would need to do to buy something decent there. We saw some incredibly small, junky houses that are selling for that much money. You'd need another $200K to make them livable. Trust me, I am not being picky here. It's just ridiculous.

The packers arrive on Monday. We'll be driving away on Saturday after DD does graduation bash. She can sleep in the car. Going to spend some time inflincting ourselves on our in-laws. Good thing we like each other, as kids and I will be staying for a month...

Still Alive

Packers will be at our house June 20, 21, 22. Moving van arrives on the 23rd. DD will be graduating on June 24th. Kids and I will be leaving town on June 25th - after the all-night graduation bash... Leaving today for a bout of house hunting...

But I did find time yesterday to sort out some stitching projects. It's fun picking enough stuff to keep busy while not knowing how long you will actually be "homeless." I know I packed enough stuff to last for at least 6 months, when in truth it will probably be more like 6 weeks. I just want to be prepared! So I have a variety of large and small projects - everything from my UFO - Celtic Christmas - to a perforated paper ornament. I think I packed at least a dozen things into my two stitching bags.

Meanwhile the purging of the house hold goods continues. I made my last trip to Goodwill, though someone hasn't been through his clothes yet... I keep filling the recycle bin. And now need to start the pile for the stuff that doesn't go into the moving van. Could this be any less fun? Yes. It probably could be. Don't imagine either cat is going to be too thrilled either!

I will in all likelihood not be online at all the week of the 20th. But once I get to my in-laws house, I'll be back.

Cross your fingers for us on the house hunting!

gack

haven't died

am still very much alive

no free time

no stitching time

may be losing sanity...

In 3 weeks the packers will be loading our boxes and furniture onto a big truck...

I have a lot to do in the meantime

But I'll try to write more often!

have not fallen off the face of the earth

Well, May certainly is a busy time of year.

And I've had no time on the 'puter or time to stitch!

But both children attended the prom, looking mighty spiffy.

We got thru hosting a major regatta.

And DH has had an official Army retirement ceremony, even if he doesn't really retire until the end of June.

Too Much Happening

May here is absolutely crazy!

No time to stitch - if I could. I injured my right index finger tip with stupidity and a mandoline slicer. Sigh.

I am committed to be at a crew regatta all day Sunday, but Monday is DH's retirement ceremony. This should be a fun juggling act.

I'll try to check in by Wednesday to let you know if I'm still alive.

Meanwhile, I'll just be sitting in this corner mumbling to myself...

second wednesday of the month

It's EGA meeting night.
If this wasn't my second to the last meeting with this chapter, I'd skip it.

I feel like crap - usual monthly issues...

And I need to fix food for 40 people on Saturday, have the house clean, get the kids packed and out on Friday for their weekend regatta in Saratoga. Oh yeah. And my oven is currently inoperable.

Did I mention the newsletter that I need to have done and printed by Monday? And that I woke up at 2:30 a.m.

Second Wednesday of the Month

It's EGA meeting night.
If this wasn't my second to the last meeting with this chapter, I'd skip it.

I feel like crap - usual monthly issues...

And I need to fix food for 40 people on Saturday, have the house clean, get the kids packed and out on Friday for their weekend regatta in Saratoga. Oh yeah. And my oven is currently inoperable.

Did I mention the newsletter that I need to have done and printed by Monday? And that I woke up at 2:30 a.m.

long weekend

So Friday evening while DH and I are at a social event, kids are down at boathouse supposedly loading crew shells on the trailer.

But basically the S#$* hits the fan. The trailer isn't there. The person from the school who should be bringing, won't. Someone threatens to cancel the team's transportation for the next day. The athletic director turns off his phone. I guess I'm glad I wasn't home and that children did not call me on cell.

Everything eventually gets done. And on Saturday the full loaded trailer shows up. The bus shows up. And off we go to the most dangerous crew meet I've ever seen. The traffic on the river is not being managed. There are cruise boats and fishing boats everywhere.

DD's 8 boat manages to win after they have to restart their race 3 times. These girls are so upset with how things are going at the start line, that they can't enjoy winning their first race!
Boats are crashing into each other. There isn't enough room. And this continues the entire day. Boats coming into contact within the first 200 meters and the race gets called back. It's a wonder no one got injured. Kids are coming off the water visibly upset. No one is happy.

It was exhausting.

I had originally planned on going to Cedar Grove, Thomas Cole's house on Sunday, but decided Saturday night that we were all too tired and deserved the opportunity to sleep in. I, of course, got woken up by the cat at 6:30 a.m. Twenty pounds of furry love will do that.

We went out yesterday with the intention of buying a new printer, getting lunch, and seeing "Kingdom of Heaven." Accomplished the 1st two. But this theater only had matinee prices for the first showing on weekends. And tickets for subsequent shows cost $9.75! Ouch. Came home and went to a free organ recital instead. Was wonderful.

But no stitching done. Did get my little package from Nordic Needle with my Waterlilies - Distant Hills - that I need for Catherine Agnes. And a new skein of Waterlilies - Grape - which is much better than my first one. First one is pale lavenders, not bright purple to almost red. Also got a Caron color card, and 2 old patterns that were on sale - a Colonial type Santa, and an older Just Nan pattern that I have the charms for.

crack monkies

Minor vent.

someone keeps moving my choices down the list on Netflix.

Any Firefly fans here? This was recommended to me by someone whose opinion I value. I've been waiting a long time to view these DVDs. But everytime they get near the top of the list some moves them back down. To watch stuff like the old Star Trek series...

Is Firefly worth my making this an issue?

I wonder who that someone is...

NYC stash enhancement

Anyone who goes into the City needs to check out Strand Used Books - Strand Bookstore: 18 miles of Used Books, New Books, Rare Books and Out of Print Books

On my second trip there I scored the following:

2 Italian books - one is totally in Italian, but I got it for the pics
The other one combines a story with photos of some amazing stitching - Reggio Ricama Tells the Ars Canusina
Embroidery in Minature by Jean Brown
Yugoslavia/Croatian Folk Embroidery published in 1975
And my find for the day:
a slipcovered editon of American Needlework by Georgiana Brown Harbeson signed by the author and published in 1938

And what a glorious lunch we had at the Blue Water Grill in Union Square.

And such tittilating conversation! What a wonderful day...
Wish I could do that every week!