Walking Backwards

We've been getting so much done around here, I'm starting to get optimistic about getting it all done before my middle of July deadline. I also talked to Joe about hiring someone to come in and help me give the house a good detailed cleaning before the fall semester starts and he agrees that it is a good idea. I'm going to count that as done on my part. The list of to-do's is till quite long, but if we keep knocking them out like we've been doing, I might have a free weekend before our four weeks of driving and flying and visiting all of creation begins. So, without further ado, this weekend's Baker's Dozen:

-1- Mop, mop, mop

-2- Clean, clean, clean

-3- Saturday I had to make lunch for my dad's belated father's day celebration. Mmmm, new potato salad

-4- My dad brings me a John Denver CD, much to Joe's chagrin. I torture him and the neighborhood by singing along while I fold laundry in the front room. It reminds me of my childhood.

-5- Saturday evening we had friends over for dinner (yes, two big meals to make in one day). I made spinach lasagne and used those no-boil noodles. There must be some sort of trick there that I'm missing because, while they didn't turn out bad, they were a little more chewy than I'd expect

-6- With our recent rains, my backyard has seen an influx of mosquitos. It is like Lord of the Flies back there. We have retreated to the indoors until they disappear or summer is over, whichever comes first

-7- On the lookout for a new water bottle as mine bit the dust this weekend after I stepped on it

-8- Took a trip to the local Indian/Pakistani market to restock supplies. Nan bread, black lentils and more spices than you can shake a stick at

-9- The local yoga studio has classes 50% off for the month of July. Looks like I have another thing to add to my agenda

-10- Visited a friend going through some hard times and brought her love and snacks

-11- Joe takes care of dinner by ordering pizza and ice cream while I'm in the shower. I'm proud of his accepting his limitations and not trying to cook. I'm signing him up to take a few cooking classes this fall to prevent some of the experiances we have had in the past.

-12- Tea, knitting, and going to bed early make a nice sign-off for this weekend

-13- We hung some pictures on the office/guest/craft room wall making it seem a little less empty. They are pictures that hung in my room while I was growing up and my dad found them while unpacking some boxes at his condo a couple of weekes ago. Joe says they're creepy, but they remind him of me, whatever that means, and when I showed them to one of my friends, Seanna, and told her the whole story, she said that they explain a lot. Hmmm, I like them, so they're staying. I hope our guests like Keane's 'big-eyed' girls: