Going To Take A Break

When I'm at work, working away at my no - brainer job, or puttering around the house, or driving to the store, or whatever I'm doing, I mentally compose long, eloquent posts.  Oh, they're beautiful posts.  They'd made you laugh.  They'd make you cry.  They'd move you.

But when I sit down at my keyboard to type them out, my brain suddenly goes numb, and I stare at the screen and say to myself, "Wut r werds?"  It's why my posts have been so dull here lately.  Well, that, and there hasn't really been anything happening...

Therefore, I think I'm going to be taking a little break.   Oh, I'll still post from time to time, but it won't be every day.  BTW, Sunday's post is already written and scheduled, so after that...

So, the most interesting thing I have to tell you today is that I replaced all the innards in my toilet in the half bath.  Seriously.

I'd bought the parts over a year ago, and they'd been sitting there on the floor by the toilet ever since.  Any time I went into that bathroom, I'd look at that fill valve and flapper and say, "I really need to get those parts replaced."  Then I'd walk right back out without doing it.

Yesterday, with the lack of any major home renovations going on, I finally broke down and got er done.  Once I finally got started, it didn't really take long at all, and the best part is that toilet flushes so much better now!  And that's a bit of a sad statement of my life that I get so excited by a toilet flushing.  Sigh...that's why my blog is so boring...

After repeatedly flushing said toilet and squeeing like a fan girl, I went out back and split some wood.  That is a work out, I'm telling ya.  I hauled some up to the house in anticipation of the first frost of the year, which is supposed to happen tonight.

Also in anticipation of the first frost, I brought all my potted plants inside.  Then I cut some Zinnias and brought them in, too, to brighten up the place. 

I expect the cold will get the ones outside.  It's expected to get down into the 20s-30s at night for the next week, but I'm ready.  I've got firewood, hot chocolate, and plenty of knitting.

Speaking of knitting, I finished a Jayne hat except for the pom pom and weaving in ends.  I just tucked them out of sight for this picture.

The only thing is, I used a knitted on cast on instead of twisted German, and I'm not happy about the way the ribbing looks.  It keep trying to flip up.  I was hoping the ear flaps would keep it laying flat, but it doesn't look like they will.  Also, where I picked up the stitches for those ear flaps, it left big holes.

I'm hoping when I wash and block the hat, it'll cover those sins, since blocking covers a multitude of them.  Either way, someone next year will end up with a very special hat in his Blessing Bag.  Maybe more than one someone.  Read on, dear friend...

Determined not to let that cast on beat me, I cast on another hat -- this time using the correct cast on.

I was just very careful to cast on very loosely this time.  Now that I've kind of got the hang of that cast on, I might use it for all my charity hats. 

One last thing, I found the baseboard and chair rail I'd pried off the wall by my wood stove and put them back up.

I have some trim that goes against the bricks as well, if I can find it.  Then, of course, getting the mantle back up, and my little wood stove will be done.  Just that little bit makes the area look neater, and more finished -- despite the stains on the wood.  And the peeled paint.

And the floors that desperately need replaced...

But they'll have to do for now.  I'm not doing any more remodeling until I get my credit cards paid off and a significant bit of savings built up.   I just need to beg for overtime at work.