Well, it's been a heck of a summer!  Here's a quick recap of some of the things I've told you in more detail in previous months... Our oldest DH, who has been my assistant for the past few years, moved to Waterloo, as I'm sure I told you... so now I have to do all my work myself, LOL.   I'm sorry to say this has slowed down progress quite a bit, (GBG), but she stayed a couple years longer than she planned, so no complaints here...

We finally decided on kitchen counters, and they are now installed, and the backsplash is almost done (though I haven't grouted any of it yet) - this is in our house, and we call it Renovation #1...

But we lost the tenant at our apartment, so took the opportunity to do some upgrades (Renovation #2), and have new tenants moving in this weekend. 

We were planning to fix up another place for rental - what we call the Little Blue House or LBH, LOL - then my parents decided THEY wanted to move in there, as the place they're in is a bit big for them, and costs more to heat (they used to live in the LBH a few years ago)... so we did some touch-ups to the place they're in (Renovation #3), and put it up for sale.  We have a conditional offer, waiting for a house to sell in Peterboro, so loud prayers, fingers, toes, and eyes, crossed that the buyers house sells and the deal closes soon, LOL.

However, that means we have to hurry and get the LBH done (Renovation #4), and this is the biggest job right now, as we gutted the downstairs, and reversed the kitchen/living room setup.  I told you last month, how we opened the ceilings in both rooms, and put in extra cross-bracing - so the ceilings now have 24" squares, formed by beams.  We're leaving the ceilings open, as the rooms are kind of short (its an old house), and it makes them feel taller, so we had someone in to paint this, but then did a bunch of filling and touch-ups, and now its looking great! 

Last weekend my sister and I painted and papered the new kitchen, and I got a chair rail up and the big window framed, but can't do the door trim until after the new flooring is laid.  Today dad and my DH (my two Bill's, LOL) are over there putting a closet in the livingroom (by the back door), and finishing up some gyprocking (we also upgraded the insulation while we had it gutted, so now have to put the walls back)... and my Bill and I are hoping to lay a new linoleum floor in the kitchen tomorrow... then the new cupboards and countertop can go in (this is a beginning of October job, so more about that next month) ...

I'm also putting a wood laminate floor in the new livingroom, as soon as they're done mudding and painting... but I have a show this weekend, so will also be next week before flooring happens.  The guys are going to level up the floors upstairs, and then my folks can move in at that point... <whew>.

Fortunately, Bill is home to help with all these plans, because unfortunately, he was laid off last month... so he's also busy looking for work, and has had first or second interviews with about a dozen companies, and two look especially promising.  We are really hoping and praying for one of them, as everything else means a move... and we're talking a move to Holland, Finland, Germany, the UK, or Vancouver, (sigh), as that's where the work is for his talents.  Any of which would be an adventure, but very disruptive of our lives at this point!

We had the Studio Tour this past weekend, and I won't talk about that much as it was work (wink), but it was a lot of fun, talking to stitchers, and people who don't know one end of a needle from the other, LOL.  Christine Allen, of Christine's Swedish Weaving was a guest artist at my place, so was also lovely to visit with her between visitors...

Anyway, that's what my life looks like right now (GBG), running in all sorts of directions (as usual), learning some new things I can't wait to share in my TIPS blog, or new charts, and looking forward to seeing many of you at Kingston or at Creativ in the next few weeks... keep well, and HAPPY STITCHING!