All in the family (but children of mine don't read this)

Time for a visual update. My renovations and flood recovery are continuing. The system seems to be that for every thing that gets added, one thing gets taken down. Like a wall.

All of which is good. I am amazed at the space hidden all these years in my house, consumed in awkward corners and unnecessary built-ins. I feel the house can breathe now, despite the disruption.

Here are the kitchen cupboards up and my contractor getting the floor ready for the floor guys this week.

Tons needs to happen but this is really starting to look great. All due to my husband's hard labour in the evenings and weekends, not to mention the disaster relief he has provided downstairs.

An unusual bit of news though was that his company would really like him to go back to Tennessee again until the spring. Stay tuned on that one, currently my circuits are overloaded at the thought.

Which means of course I have gone into creative retreat until I understand what's going on.

I am aware that December 25th is on next month's calendar and I have started to go into high gear on my Christmas projects. My own vision for the holidays sees me relaxing with a glass of wine and some baking in a nice living room once classes are over - not locked in the bathroom trying to finish knitting socks like last year until 3:00 a.m.

Once the Tennessee rumour started (not that I don't love TN but I would rather be there than get calls from there) I headed down to the sewing room and the few cleared surfaces and started three pairs of pajamas for my daughter using the excellent Jalie pattern she loves and which has unfortunately been discontinued. If I don't get recruited to help with the leaves today these will be more or less finished by supper:

No idea why this shot is off kilter except that this is consistent

I have also, thanks to Herman Cain (you are sooo lucky I am not writing a political blog) and other news stories, been able to get considerable work done on a son's sweater. Am still figuring out what to say to the other son who also wants a sweater - god I hope I am not heading back to bathroom knitting.

And finally the best for last. Here are my girls, Scarlett and her new sister Miss Heidi at Hallowe'en. Miss Scarlett in her pink dog suit done to her specs:

Now off for leaf avoidance.