I have a plan!

Think back to the days of your first move - everything in the back of the car and then a U-Haul for the big stuff!  Well that's us, except in those days we used boxes!  Jonathan and I (with Rich's help for the big stuff) are doing it with Metro bags - you know, the recycleable grocery bags.  Big ones, small ones, medium size.....

Yesterday we moved almost the whole kitchen, leaving just enough stuff so that I could make a Rib Roast with all the trimmings for dinner last night!  It was a wonderful reward for a good day's work.  He even moved the bookcase and the wicker stand which means there's very little left to do in the kitchen.

 Blue bookcase in kitchen in townhouse

 Wicker stand in kitchen in townhouse

 New kitchen - photo taken from dining room

New kitchen - photo taken from living room entrance

I'm more than pleased with what we got done yesterday - the kitchen is always one of the hardest rooms to pack and move....but we were actually able to do it in 3 short trips.  Did I tell you the new place is only two blocks away?!?!  I seriously don't think I could move this way if it was any further.....

So now, I will give you the 5 cent tour.......the kitchen above and below the rest.....

 Front entrance and hallway - front door is in the centre - to the right, living room, etc. and to the left, bedrooms and bathroom

 The bathroom - your typical apartment size!  It's going to be interesting getting used to one bathroom again!

It's been 14 years since I had a place with one bathroom.....

 The living room - you can see a bit of the patio area (we're on the first floor - yeah!)

 The dining room and back door which leads to the patio

 The second bedroom (currently Jonathan's!) which is not a bad size

 The closet in the second bedroom

 The "master" bedroom (mine of course!) which is quite large although from this angle doesn't look it - you know me with the camera - useless!!!!

 The closet in the master bedroom (I am taking the doors off and you will see why once the furniture is in) - the previous tenant left me last year's calendar on the wall!

Last but not least - the hall closet - which is a whole story in itself but will work out just fine

So - the plan today is to finish off what little is left in the kitchen and start on the office/den.  I also need to figure out temporary window coverings for the apartment (the townhouse had blinds in every room so there was nothing to do).  Of course I already have "decorating plans" for the windows but I am on a strict budget and they will have to wait until I have the funds.  I think just some Walmart or Ikea blinds and that will have to do for now.  I was hoping to be able to use the curtains and rods I have from the house but the windows in the apartment are wall to wall so for the moment that plan won't work....

The good news is - most of my furniture is going to fit with no problem.  That was my biggest worry and I am very happy to say - is no longer a concern.....  It's just getting it over there that is a concern now!!!!  

I was hoping to paint first also but that too is going to be put on hold for awhile.   I actually have two gallons of paint which we had bought for the townhouse but when I got sick we stopped the painting, so I just need paint for the bathroom, bedrooms and kitchen but neither Jonathan or I are happy with the "new" paint smell so we will wait until we can open some windows to do any painting.  Besides, it's not in the budget right now, so we will survive until Spring with those "lovely" (ugh!) apartment cream walls.....

Okay - I need to get my act together (I'm hurting so I'm procrastinating) - take another Aleve and get to work on the office/den!  Needless to say - quilting is on the back burner for now....

Have a great day everyone and Happy New Year - it's going to be a GREAT year and you can quote me on that!

Jo-Ann 

Uh-oh!

Guess who's working again!  Jonathan!  That's twice this week - oh, if only there were sports events every day of the week.....

Still cleaning out the back room at the store - project by project, fabric by fabric, books, magazines and patterns.....unfinished quilts!  So, slowly but surely I am lugging it all home!  Keeping it organized is the key - so it all has a place and once the painting of the house is done (we're on temporary hiatus while Rich is working) it will find it's temporary home until it's done!?!?!

I promised myself that I would try to work on each project to completion and with Holy Snowballs I did just that, it's now at the store where I have the sleeve and binding ready to go on (hopefully tomorrow in between customers) - then the label and finally it will be hung in it's reserved spot.....

BUT, what I found while I was working on this quilt is that once I got to the quilting part - it was not consistant.  I found that there were evenings when I came home and just wasn't up to the task....not in the mood and since I didn't want to mess up the quilting I found myself looking for other stuff to do.....so I cut a quilt and I did some other "quilty" stuff but what I really felt like doing was piecing!  I have solved this problem now ------- and set Sonja (my Janome) back up again!   Now I'm ready to rock.....and quilt or piece!

Hmmm - what shall I do next?!?!  I'm looking for projects that I can complete in the next 24 days (I'm counting down to May 10th!) so, there are two quilt tops I can work on piecing and two layered and basted quilts I can quilt so......here we go!

I'm off to get started!

Have a great day everyone!

Jo-Ann

It's coming together!

By that I mean life in general!  The townhouse is amazing - I love it!  Rich has been busy painting and everything is looking great!  I can't believe how much has been done in a little over a month!  The whole first floor is painted except for the bathroom and that is awaiting my choices of a new mirror and light fixture but the colour has already been chosen......

He just finished the downstairs hallway today and what a difference a paint colour can make to a home!  From dark and dreary to bright and cheery!  (I'm a poet suddenly!)

Here's the before......sort of a grey taupey kind of colour......

Here's the after......butter yellow.....

It's like night and day!  He finished the kitchen last week, Thursday I think and now it's all on me to get it sorted but he even painted my old green bookcase blue for me.....it looks fabulous - really a bright colour!

Here's the before.......just a white finish!

Now I love going in there in the morning and all my cookbooks are finally unpacked - the real decorating will soon begin.....

....and here's the bookcase.....once I get the dishes hung on the wall it will look gorgeous!  I'm so happy with this colour........

The living/dining room was the first room to get done but I'm still thrilled by the changes, this is the before.....

Simon is quite happy here and has just nestled right in, we kept him cooped up in the house for about two weeks after we moved but he's been going out quite regularly for the past few weeks and there's been no problem.  He doesn't ask to go out every day anymore and when he does he tends to come back alot faster.  I think he's just content that we took him with us....I suspect his previous owners left him to fend for himself in the neighbourhood.  (Simon adopted us after we moved into the house we just sold)  He's quite the personality and has taken over the house and all "his" possessions with renewed enthusiasm!

So now it's just a matter of putting up the finishing touches, like curtains and pictures and wallhangings and all those wonderful things that really make a house a home!  The things that comfort us!

While Rich was busy painting today I finally tackled the Snowball quilt and it's borders.  Got the first border on and once I finish the blog I will get to the second one, it's pieced so I wanted to get this done first.....also I am wavering on the border size so a break was needed.....

Barb is in the store this weekend filling in for me because I am home starting a course of antibiotics for an abscess tooth!  Not something I needed right now as I'm preparing for another surgical procedure.  Haven't got a date yet but I should know within the next week or so.....  I'm finally looking after some health issues that have been plagueing me for awhile!

I promised to post the recipe for the fabulous Parmesan Penne I served last Sunday and Monday so here it is.....this recipe makes about 12 servings, so you can split it in two or three if your serving 4-6 people.

1-1/2 lbs. ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 jar marinara sauce (28 ounces)
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divide into thirds
1/2 teaspoon allspice (yes allspice!!!)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 package penne pasta (16 ounces)
1/2 cup butter, cubed, divided in half
1/4 cup all purpose flour
2 cups milk
2 eggs, lightly beaten

Cook the beef and onion on medium until meat is done, drain.  Stir in the marinara sauce, 1/3 cup parmesan cheese, allspice, salt and pepper.  Let come to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes.  At the same time, cook pasta to package directions.

In a large saucepan, melt 1/4 cup of butter, stir in butter until smooth.  Gradually add milk, bring to a boil.  Cook, stirring constantly for about 2 minutes or until thickened.  Remove from heat and stir in 1/3 cup parmesan cheese.  Gradually whisk in the eggs until blended.

Drain the pasta and add the remaining 1/3 cup parmesan cheese and 1/4 cup butter, tossing lightly to coat.

In a 13" x 9" greased baking dish (glass is best) spread 1/3 of the meat mixture, half the pasta and half the white sauce.  Repeat, ending with the meat nixture.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until bubbly......

ENJOY!  I'm going back to quilting!

Have a great day everyone!

Jo-Ann

I got distracted!

There I was, feverishly working away on Snowballs and "Flakes" and totally focused on what I was doing.  It's good to stay focused - I get things done if I stay focused!  But, it was not to be......

Rich showed up and started painting the "box room" - otherwise to be known as the den/office.....here are the before photos......these were actually taken before the furniture was dumped in there on moving day......

He really had to work around the boxes and the furniture so we knew he was not getting the whole room done.....however, once he finished the area behind the bookcase and one other wall, it was time to start unpacking some of those boxes......I had to get started so that he'd be able to paint the rest of the room.....

I love the colour I chose - it's a really warm yellow and the bookcase looks great!

The other wall is coming along good too and now I can fill up the big cabinet.....

He had to stop there but there really isn't much more for me to do so he has room to finish the painting (hopefully later today!?!?!)....

Once this is done, I will actually feel like we can live on the first floor - of course the basement is a whole other kettle of fish - it has now become the box depot.....I'm already debating which room he should paint next.....either the kitchen or the guest bedroom!

There is a "bit" of work I need done in the kitchen and I also have to be prepared to paint the bookcase I have in there (part of the new decor) so I may hold off and head upstairs where pretty much everything is ready for painting......but it's coming along!

I even made time to make dinner last night!  Jonathan said "the food is great!"  Note the compliment to the food - not the cook!  This is the first time I've made a "meal" in the new house - getting used to a new cooking space and appliances is always a 50/50 prospect but it worked out great!  I had a half bag of small potatoes which I wanted to use up!  I was going to do Garlic Roast Potatoes but could not find the Olive Oil and am wondering if I really have any at this point.  In the end I cut them up, skins on, boiled them and added butter, salt and pepper and mashed them - they were fabulous!  I also fried up some mushrooms and made broccoli which I mixed and then served it all with Ketzizot - these are ground beef cigars which I mix with Matzo Meal and an egg, adding salt, pepper, fresh parsley and lots of cumin.  I fried them in oil (Mazola)....and they were also delicious.....we were both stuffed!  I even threw some Pillsbury Dinner Rolls in the oven to complete the meal!  It was great!

The plan for today is to finish unpacking the boxes in the den that I can put away and then get back to Snowballs and "Flakes".......possibly finishing up with a Farmer's Wife block while I relax upstairs.....better get started!

Have a great day everyone!

Jo-Ann