Optimism and accomplishments...

This week has been a little bit better than previous ones. The back room is clean (barring vacuuming, which I can't do, because my vacuum is kaput). The kitchen is nearly clean (the floor is done, most of the dishes are clean and put away, I just need to buy a paint mask to sweep the ceiling and walls and then scrub all the surfaces). The livingroom requires a bit more work. The front hall is clean. I've gotten rid of a stupid amount of outgrown and/or damaged clothing, books and other stuff I just don't need to hang on to. Things are coming together! And since I'm off this weekend, maybe I'll take the opportunity to walk up to the Tulip Festival with the kids :)

My knitting, on the other hand, has me frothing at the mouth. I was watching a movie, working away on the dishcloth blanket, when the cable of my circular needle popped off. ARGH. This happens to me on a frighteningly regular basis. To the point where I never want to see a circular needle EVER AGAIN. I'm done. I refuse to buy yet another $10 piece of equipment that's going to break at the worst possible moment, so I've given up on the dishcloth blanket and I'm giving the intended recipient a Baby Surprise Jacket I had lying around instead. It's beyond cute, so I'm not concerned about that. I'm just seriously peeved about the circ.

I've decided to restart the blanket as a ten-stitch. Ten-stitch blankets don't require circular needles, because the most you'll ever have on the needle is - go on, guess. That's right - TEN STITCHES. I can handle that. And the ten-stitch will be gifted to yet another expectant mom. Nearly done the granny square lapghan though, so at least there's been progress there :)

The sprouts are doing okay, but I'm not tempting fate by photographing them. The little bastards would just take advantage of the situation to all go and die on me. I'm not sure what I'll do with them when I go to Chicago for four days at the end of the month. I think I'm going to drag the kids to Lac Leamy tonight for a walk :) I haven't been able to use the treadmill (see Monday's entry), and I need to get moving. Taking the stairs at work and planning ahead for meals has helped though. In two days, I'm down 4 lbs. Holy hell, those stairs... I work on the 5th floor, you wouldn't think that walking up 4 flights would be that hard, but even coworkers who are in good shape are seriously winded when they arrive. I have to rest somewhere between 3.5 and 4.5 to catch my breath, but that will improve with practice, I imagine.

Last night's dinner was flank "steak" (two inches thick - it says "roast" on the package, but I've never seen a roast that flat and steak-like) with fiddleheads. YES! Fiddleheads are in season! The kids and I very much enjoyed them last night. Tonight will likely be meatballs with steamed veggies and either couscous or quinoa. I'm sharing this video because it's just how I feel right at the moment :)