Well, its been a busy few weeks around here. First, my good friend came in for the weekend to do apartment hunting in DC. She's coming up for school and was trying to find that perfect apartment for less than 8 million dollars a month. Have you seen housing prices lately? its insane--especially around here in DC. She did end up finding something that she really likes and it will be ready just in time for the start of the school year.

Then, my parents came for the fourth of july weekend. it was great--my dad installed a new floor in my living room (goodbye ugly stained carpet!) and did a few other very necessary and wonderful things around my house. It is so nice to have a super handy dad!

Then, it was back to work for a couple of days to play catch up from the extended weekend. There was tons to do but everything is back to normal again.

I still haven't done a whole lot of knitting. I've been working on the clapper but I swear i'm stuck in this never ending ball of yarn hell. How does this happen? I swear it is several inches longer and the darn ball of yarn is still the same size. When I finally finish with this ball, I'm going to start the final ball of yarn and do the decreases. Maybe I'll actually finish the darn thing in time for some fall wearing.

I've also been working on a baby sweater for my sister. Shes due in the next couple of months so I am trying to finish the cabled baby jacket from zoe mellor's toddler knits. its adorable but, for many reasons, its not easy to get to into the groove of knitting.

My garden is going crazy--my patio looks like a jungle. It seems like every year, I put all the plants out on the patio and then my house looks empty, so I buy more plants. I don't know how I'm going to get them all in for the fall but thats a ways off, right?

Thanks for all the emails everyone--I've gotten quite a few nice notes and its meant a lot. I'll be making more than the occassional guest appearance around here as soon as I find the power cord to my camera. I guess thats the one really bad thing about having your house worked on--everything gets lost for a while.

Until then--heres a picture of one of my patio plants: