We’ve been working hard on transforming the computer room into a craft and computer room. Kevin has not only agreed to share his precious basement space but has also volunteered to build me a huge table and shelving unit. Of course, this means that he has gone to Home Depot every single day for the last week but that’s fine by me.

In a way, the whole project reminds me of freeway construction. For what feels like years, all you see as you idle in gridlock is a bunch of closed lanes that look perfectly fine interspersed with random bits of large machinery and equipment. The workers always seem to be on a cigarette/coffee break whenever you drive by and even though it has been months and months you swear you see the same piping and concrete blocks lining the side of the road every day. Right when you decided it is all a farce just so people could make you sit in traffic for hours on end, it’s all over. In the span of a day the road way goes from one lane open, three closed to a perfectly new four lane highway. Wham. Instantaneous road.

You see, my craft table has been in a mild state of chaos for the last month or so until suddenly I came home the other night and there it was, ready for the final round of drilling and glueing. After days of what seemed like little progress (but lots of mess) suddenly my table emerged from beneath the sawdust and strangely cut two by fours.

It’s massive and wonderful. As I type this, Kevin is applying the final protective coating so that when I arrive home tonight, I will have a table to call my own. Don’t worry, I’ll take pictures so you can turn green with envy and drool all over your computer screen as you gaze at Kevin’s creation.

For me, of course, the best part has just begun. Now, I get to organize. Right now, my photos and scrapbook stuff is in the dining room closet. The guest bedroom holds my sewing machine and quilting supplies. The kitchen table hides most of my drawing supplies. Meanwhile, the living room has most of my cross-stiching. Upstairs bedroom is my calligraphy station and the oil room holds my collection of rubber stamp and card making stuff. So you see how desperate the situation was. By my calculation, my next hobby would have to be stored in the bathroom as I am out of rooms to fill.

Lucky me, I now have the joy of gathering together all my odd ball projects and doing what I do best. Organizing. Yup, you guessed it. I’m already planning the placement of shelves, the purchase of drawers, the arrangement of hanging files. I figure it should take me a good month before I have everything settled right where I want it. Once it’s all there, I’m going to have to quit my job in order to free up enough time to pursue all these great projects but I figure that’s a small price to pay for happiness.

My very own little space. I can hardly wait!

Kevin is in for a tough summer. It’s his own fault, really.

Yesterday, the sun came out. Now in Portland, this means you rush into the attic to dig out your shorts and sandals hoping that by the time you unpack and change, the clouds won’t have rolled in yet. So while I was frantically digging through my sweaters looking for my tube top, Kevin was outside cleaning the Barbe.

Yup, that’s right. Sun = summer = BBQ. Even though it is just the beginning of spring, the temperature did reach a balmy 58 degrees which is close enough for Kevin. He whipped together that old charcoal grill which had sat dormant all winter. Piled on the coals and a generous helping of lighter fluid, and made fire. (He also asked me why he can’t use lighter fluid in the fireplace. Sigh.)

I believe at this point I had changed into summer gear and located a pair of sandals only to be horrified at the pale and icky color of my toes. This called for drastic measures so I began an emergency application of nail polish.

Meanwhile, Kevin prepared the first marinade of the season. This is a very important action as it will define the rest of the grilling season. After going all winter long, I figured Kevin might be a bit rusty on the exact proportions of his secret sauce but I was too busy applying my second coat of polish to really watch what he was doing. After letting the coals heat for 20 minutes or so, he headed outside with the pork chops and the fate of the summer resting on his shoulders.

Sure, it smelled good cooking but BBQ always smells good. Artie planted himself right next to that BBQ and just drooled and drooled and drooled. That was a good sign. Twenty minutes and a few turns later, Kevin emerged from the smoke with a plate of smoldering chops.

We tasted…. and they were delicious. Absolutely scrumptious. OK, maybe we had just missed the taste of BBQ. Maybe we were especially hungry after working all day long in the yard. Maybe the direct sunshine activated some long dormant taste glands. All I know is that was the best BBQ I had eaten in ages.

After stuffing our faces (and Artie’s), we rolled away from the table and groaned around our puffed bellies. Although it was delicious, Kevin knew he was in trouble. That first BBQ set the bar and it set it high. Now, for the rest of the summer, he was going to have to match that showing. I don’t know how he’s going to do it, but I’m going to stand by him.

On a side note, I did manage to enjoy the sunshine. Fully prepped, I sat on the deck, shivering, but refusing to go inside and put more cloths on. Besides, it was like 60 in the direct sun. And that’s practically tropical. I’m surprised I didn’t burn.

‘Cause it’s never too early to start them on books.

$7,000 – you told me we only got $5,000 back!!! Where were you going to put the other 2K? And, what was that Pool Cleaning Truck doing outside our home this weekend?

You’re going to have some questions to answer when I get home MRS. Mclaughlin…

I sometime read things in the newspaper and have to stop and wonder if they are really true. This story is so out there I can’t even begin to understand it. Too bizarre.

Kevin was a very good uncle this weekend and there are more Baby D pictures too see and enjoy. The chunker is now in the 100th percentile for weight. Is there anything cuter than a fatso baby????