Taking a day off (it is Saturday, after all)

I just did some "spring cleaning," and I say spring because despite the fact that it's January, all of my windows are open and the thermostat is reading 70 degrees. Not too shabby for a Northeastern state. I made use of my AWESOME new Dyson vacuum, the purple "animal" version, which is just amazing. I mean, it was apalling to see what it picked up last week and this week (our old vacuum was apparently just moving dirt and fur around), but so satisfying to dump the vacuum container with one little click! So now I thought I'd post while I wait for my parents to come help wire outlets in our ever-improving kitchen.

In other improvement news, we got the final delivery of furniture courtesy of the in-laws that was in storage--piano, big TV for the basement, and a full mahogany dining room set. Now we are fully furnished (well, except for a kitchen counter and sink!). The movers did some "funny" stuff to the piano (like move it with one too few men), so I had my parents' long-time tuner come look at it, and he said all was A-OK. He also oohed and aahed over it. He looked it up in his book, and by the number on the piano determined that it was built in 1935. My grandmother-in-law bought it from friends in the late '40s, and my father-in-law and brothers proceeded to use it as a racecar track, so it was refinished (beautifully) within the past 20 years or so. It looks GREAT. Matter o' fact, here it is:

And, I've been working like crazy! Dear Husband is away for the next week, and I guess it's a good thing, because I've got so many projects going on in the next three weeks or so: magazine articles to write (2), social-science journal articles to edit (4), an impending education book to edit, and an upcoming flurry of proposal support for the research folks.

And, of course, I still try to hit my $1K power seller mark on eBay each month, but I'm not sure if I'll have time this month. If I don't keep it up, I lose power seller status. They do allow 1-month grace periods, but not two in a row. I may have to use it for January!

Parents just arrived (top down!) in the driveway...