Back To Bricking

But first...

I got up at 3:00 AM yesterday morning, worked a full 12 hour shift, as I normally do.  After work, I loaded up both dogs and took them in for their semi-annual heartworm preventative shot.  Yeah, that was fun, but we got through it and made it back home OK.  Oh, and while I was there, I made arrangements to board them for the Fiber Fun In The Sip festival.  So, I was back at home, planning on relaxing and knitting while watching TV for the rest of the evening. 

I guess I didn't think I'd done enough, because I went back outside, dragged out the lawnmower, and mowed the entire yard, including the part behind the fence.  That was definitely one of those What Was I Thinking moments.   It was dark before I was done, but I persevered and finished the job.  when I woke up bright and early this morning, the first thing I thought was, "HA!  I don't have to mow!"  So that was a good thing.

Since I didn't have to mow, I got dressed and when into town to the Farmer's Market.  They had some tomatoes this week, so I got some, and have already eaten a tomato sandwich. 

I also bought a jar of peach jam.  I'd thought I'd send these as Christmas gifts, but they're kind of heavy.  I'll probably end up just eating it all myself.

I was headed back to my car after making my purchases, walking past the big vegetable cart, when I looked down and saw some of this:

White squash!  My Aunt Martha used to make a squash pie that called for white squash, but it's so hard to find around here.  I got four of them, but I should have gotten more.  I can cook them down and freeze them for later.  If I go back next week, provided they give us another Saturday off, I'm going to. 

Since I was already in town, and since I didn't get to do my shopping yesterday -- that whole taking the dogs to the vet thing and all -- I went on to Wal-Mart and got that over with.  The southern summer head has killed my Viola, so I wandered through the garden center, looking for somethign ro put in that hanging basket.  I happened upon this Lysimachia. 

I'm not sure what the common name is for it.  Somebody out there will chime in and tell us.  Now, before we go back inside, here's a quick shot of my moss roses.

Well, since I found my Easy Off, I'm back to stripping the paint off my bricks -- or as Edna says, I'm back to bricking. 

It seems to be going faster this time around.  I don't know if it's because that side is smaller, or because I can get a better angle on it, and can use my right hand to scrub the paint off.  The hardest part is going to be getting back into this corner.  I don't know how I'll reach it, but I'll figure it out somehow.

BTW, ignore the mess on the floor.  I'll get it cleaned up eventually. 

The last thing I got done today, before settling in in front of the TV was to finally get my map hung in the bedroom.

I want to find a couple of lighthouses or compass roses to hang in that corner between the clock and the map.  I don't know.  I'll find something.  I still need to get my sister's lighthouse posters framed or mounted somehow, and hang them up.  Then the bedroom will pretty much be done.

In the midst of doing all that other stuff, I managed to finish the bumblebee hat.

Yay! Now I can cast on something with the new yarn Peggy sent me!