Renovation: Tidying

We're getting closer!

It looks as if today will probably be the last day of work before the walk-through.

Hopefully most of the stuff on our punch list will be completed today.

We are excited to be able to put our stuff back where it belongs and not feel as if we're living in a storage container.

I must say that I'm very happy with how we stored things because we've been able to access everything we needed during this time (outside of one book that I wanted to grab to reference - but it wasn't a necessity).

I have been slowly cleaning things (usually more than once) and putting back things that won't get in the way of the little fixes that still need to happen.  I put the shower curtain back up and put the hand soap and lotion back in the guest bathroom.

We haven't been able to do anything in the master bedroom because there are a bunch of little areas that need to have the grout filled in.  With dark tile and dark grout, it's apparently difficult to tell where the grout goes while it's wet, so some areas don't get any or don't get enough.

They have to be filled in later.

I put back some of our artwork.

This one was an anniversary present last year from my parents (thanks!)

The doily in the embroidery hoop was crocheted by my maternal Grandmother, Dorothy.

She put it in the hoop, too, to use as an artwork and I love that idea!

Look how wonderful the lights look - we choose well!

Assuming the grout and paint fix-ups get completed in the master bedroom, we might be able to move the bed back in there and sleep in our real bed!

Though we have been sleeping well once we got everything situated.

Here's what I wore on Sunday (new dress!)

It has a really cool vertical blue and turquoise snake-print.

photo taken in the bathroom at church - love the furnishings!
dress: Calvin Klein (eBay)
shoes: Aerosoles (DSW)
bag: Betsey Johnson (Amazon)
camisole: Target
glasses - I never cite my glasses! - Kate Spade

I have had people ask how I go about shopping for clothing on eBay, and I must say that it's dangerous UNLESS I am buying exactly the same designer and exactly the same MODEL but in a different print.  For example, I have multiple versions of this Calvin Klein wrap dress that I bought at Ross and I LOVE them all.  But Ross doesn't have any more and hasn't for a few months now (maybe they're a winter thing?), so I started checking in with eBay every week or so to see if any popped up.

I know what size I want, and I know exactly which cut of the dress I want (I like the version that's a true wrap dress with long sleeves and I like the 3/4 length sleeve version with a v-neck and ruching at the waist).  I tried on all the versions in a real store before ever ordering online because I don't trust size charts or photos to tell me if the dress will be flattering or fit well.

It's been warm here, and humid (for us).  Yesterday it got to 104, and Juvy was happy to come in and roll around on the nice cool tile (obviously before I vacuumed and mopped again!)

Then she sat up in the cat scratching tower and looked cute.

Claude was eager enough for some cuddles that she jumped up on the couch right next to Allistair!

This is sort of unheard of!

Allistair didn't even really bug her - he just flipped upside down.

And then Stephen draped himself over the arm of the couch and we all relaxed together.

Eventually, Allistair had to go watch birdies, so Claude was able to spread out a little

Wookit those fuzzy widdle paws!!!

So fluffy!

And this sweet profile . . . 

"Rawr!  I got the camera cord!"

I have been reading a lot of fiction again lately.

The way I typically find good new books is by typing authors I like into Amazon's search page and seeing if they've written anything new lately or if there are any "customers who searched for this item also bought" recommendations from Amazon.

Well, I found that the woman who wrote one of my top books of all time, Eva Rice (the book is "The Lost Art Of Keeping Secrets"), had written another book in 2013, and it was available!!!

It arrived yesterday.  I almost don't want to read it.

If this one is as delicious as the other, I have a delightful journey ahead of me!

This isn't exactly fiction, but sort of.

I'm a HUGE Star Trek fan, and I found that there are these companion books to the series.

This is the one for The Next Generation.

I don't know if I can choose a favorite Star Trek series; I love them all for different reasons.

Buy it here!*

I recently also bought this one:*

Here's another book of fiction I recently read and enjoyed.

I think it would make a great movie.

It has sort of a science-fictiony love story.

Buy it here:*

I hope you take the time today

to read something that expands your mind and touches your heart!