Happy New Year Y'all!

Happy New Year Everyone! Happy 2009!
Jacques has snuggled down as deep as possible in the cushions and put his paw over his nose in that cute way that cats do - and I should really be in bed, but I don't think I've really adjusted back to east coast time yet. That's what a four day weekend will do for you! But I did get lots and lots done. :) And so I'm sitting here, listening to Joan Baez's Christmas Album, because really Christmas isn't over until Tuesday anyway, and working on a blog entry.
I'm still spackling like mad on the doorway in the studio. But I think it just needs one more good sanding, the addition of the molding, and then I can paint. It's not perfect, but it will do. I've sort of lost interest in this project. It's the last of it, but I just can't get my rear in gear to finish it. Part of that problem is the guilt. I'm teaching a new class in the spring and instead of working on this doorway I should be working on my syllabus and coursebook. I avoided that though by starting a new project!
I tackled the stairwell. Ok- so I should say I tackled the stairwell - again - but it's been a while. I finally finished stripping the banister to the third floor, and then because I couldn't stand the sides I started stripping them too. And as things go when you start on them it's like a gigantic domino chain. I had to strip the ends of the boards because Henry Sanding Floor left the hideous green paint on the edges and it looked atrocious. And then one wonders, well? what do the sides of this look like? Sure enough, it was all beautiful wood. And of course some of the Citrus Strip dribbled down one of the spindles and when I wiped that off - what do you know, more beautiful dark wood. I've sort of resolved that I just need to strip the whole darn thing. Maybe I'll finish next year and keep the Citrus Strip people in business in the mean time.
Downstairs I couldn't take state of the back of the stairs so I painted those high gloss white.
At a glance it looks better than it did, but on closer inspection - not really. I think I'll be stripping these as well. And I also really need to tackle that post at the bottom of the stairs.
And was this a really important job to get done this weekend? NO - . . . a much bigger issue arose when I got home from LA.
I got my first real heating bill. $368.90. Ouch.
My bill in November wasn't so bad - only $150. - so I'd figured I was fine. I kept the heat at 65 most of the time unless I was home over the weekend then up to 70. WELL, after getting that bill I marched right down to the thermostat and turned that sucker down to 58. That lasted until Friday morning when I had to break the icicles off of my nose and I decided to turn it up to 60 - but that is IT! I broke out the wool socks, double layer of sweat pants, and wool sweaters. Today I was even wearing a hat downstairs. And the biggest culprit of all (besides the guys keeping the window in the bathroom open while they work - which can't be helped) is the back room on the first floor. That was a big project yesterday. I cleaned it up (first of all) and then finally got the back window to shut. Covered both windows with plastic, covered the back door with a heavy drape fabric and taped up all of the cracks where the wind is leaking through. I covered the doorway with another curtain. It looks pretty silly but it works. The old bathroom door will fit nicely down there and I think I will put it up, maybe next weekend. I will have to cut a kitty door in so that Jacques can go potty - sigh - and then I'll have to train him how to get through it. I'm telling you - a big line of dominoes… (That lovely pink color will be leaving at some point also.)
It wasn't all work on my house. I did get to knit. Before I left for So Cal, I finished this sweater:
Now, I'm telling you I followed the pattern. All of the measurements add up and everything. But the darn thing doesn't fit right. I even blocked it. I think - either the model in the picture has stick arms, OR, the pattern people lied. I'm going with "they lied." Because I did what they said - and it ain't workin'. I have to take substantial parts of it apart and redo it in a way that makes sense for me. This is compounded by the fact that I only have one ball of yarn left to make the collar, and I want to work on the other sweater. But I did so much work, and this really won't be that hard, but it's similar to the doorway in the studio - I've just lost interest. However, if I don't finish it - I can't wear it. So. . . I'm psyching myself up to take it apart.
In the meantime - I started the other sweater. It's a Vogue pattern and I'm crossing my fingers that I don't run into similar problems with this one because I'm using thinner yarn than I'm supposed to (because it was soo beautiful!) and I'm making things up as I go along here too. Well, then I only have myself to blame.

I finally did tackle my syllabus and course book today, and that's moving on quite well. I'm pretty excited about that class. Hope they like it too. I also baked bread. It's good but not as good as it should be. I didn't use enough rosemary. Thank goodness you get three batches of starter. I get another crack at it next weekend.
Tomorrow it's off to work again. We are cleaning and painting the lab. Lots of color. How else would it be?