Is there anything better than starting a new year feeling organized and decluttered? I am sure there is- but that is still tops on my list. I was excited to get home from work today to discover that it was up there on NJs list too:). We still have a ways to go, but we made leaps and bounds of progress today, sorting through closets, setting aside piles to donate, starting to put holiday stuff away. Check out our new bookcase- we love it!
After living here for, what-5 years, I just today realized that the shelves in one of the kitchen cupboards was adjustible. This, of course, lead to a complete revamping of what was located where. Added bonus was an organization of all of the spices. Cashew was a big fan of this now empty box.
Today, well – getting up was a case of the Mondays, but once I was actually out of bed, I managed to get all of last nights dishes loaded up into the dishwasher and the dining room re-assembled and back to normal. I love, love, love coming home to a clean house rather than coming home and knowing a lot of chores await. I was excited for Nick to wake up and find all of that stuff done too!
After work today, Pinot and I set off to Lake Needwood for a bit of a fall hike. She didn’t get too long of a walk yesterday, with Nick’s and my run in the morning and all her playtime with CJ last night, so getting her something out of the normal routine (i.e. walks around the neighborhood) was in order. Nick and I ran the hiker/biker trail that begins up by Lake Needwood yesterday, and today I knew to go armed with the camera for some great fall foliage shots, today with the intent of heading around the lake.
Lake Needwood is one of those places around DC that we didn’t discover right away, but now that we know it’s there – (a) it’s amazing how far away from the city you can feel walking around and (b) hooray to it being actually really close to our house! It pays to live in the boondocks. Ha ha ha. Actually, I’m starting to think that I wouldn’t mind owning a house over that way, if we end up here for good. Providing that I can start telecommuting a couple a times a week, I’m getting too old for the Gaithersburg-Fairfax commute.
And so, today we bring you a selection of 5 photos – your choice on which one is the picture of the day. 
With the exception of the photo of Pinot and I, these are all iPhone shots! It’s not saying much for your point and shoot camera if the iPhone is taking better pictures on a day like today. (Nope, I didn’t bring the good camera. Maybe there is another leaf peeping excursion in my future?!)
As a side note on fall foliage, isn’t this xkcd comic the best?
Got home and started on dinner. I think I was chopping for a good hour or so, but it was well worth it because I think this may be the best soup that I’ve ever made from scratch. (Gingered Squash Soup ) If you have a lot of veggies laying around the house, this soup – with my modifications anyway – comes highly recommended!
Our last souvineer. . Now we just need a couple C batteries…
Eastern European themed food for book club tonight- how appropriate given our recent travels. (Skeletons at the Feast by Chris Bohjalian, recommended.). I made galumpkies- yum, these were closest to my memories of them and darned close to the ones we recently had in Poland! nick made dumplings…. Aaah, love the aftermath. I did tell him to boil more water…. Doat.
Tasty food, great company- what more could you ask for? (ok, maybe a maid to clean the kitchen;))
But when I left for work today there was a mountain of clean laundry on the floor right here. Took me about 4.5 hours after work but -yay-
I think I’ve gotten the house back in shape! Tonight miraculus husker victory made the evening:)
Yesterday was a long travel day and for some reason (ahem jetlag) I was up by 5 today despite having the day off. Woohoo, our Netherlands pottery from Delft came today, I was worried we’d miss it with the trip…
I’m sort of impressed that I was only at work for 3 days this week, and I have enough extra hours to take 
Monday off (I thought I was going to be at work on Monday! Well, I’ll probably still work a bit from home, but still…nice to not be stuck to the office chair the entire day.)
Anyhow, the house is feeling fairly organized, vaccuumed and all my laundry is done and folded if not yet put away. Actually made dinner tonight from our latest CSA goodies, and roasted/pickled some beet salad for this weekend. I actually got my car vacuumed out and completely cleaned today too, which I’m really excited about since it’s the first time it’s been deep cleaned like that since we got the pets. (ever?) Anyway, lots of pet hair is now not in the car any longer. Woot woot!
But – the most exciting thing about today is that we went through and booked the rest of the hotels/hostels for our trip! We cranked through a good week or so of ‘different city each night’ and got everything set up tonight and I’m totally excited about it. In honor of the trip, now coming up in less than 2 weeks, here is another rough map of our trip plans!
Much more reflective of Nick’s morning than my own (thank goodness) – Cashew has, it seems, been playing a literal game of cat and mouse this morning. Nick’s quick camera skills, so early this AM, were taken before she released her prey only to begin the chase once again.
How wierd is it that there is a mouse in our house, when – other than Cashew – we’ve never seen any evidence of one? Does this mean we have more? Where are they coming from – we’re on the 3rd floor for heavens sake!
Let me reiterate again – ew, ew, ew. And since NJ took off early this morning, I wonder if this means Cashew will be leaving me a present when I get home from work. Gross. (How bad would it be if I waited for my manly husband to come home and take care of it for me?)
On a brighter note, for me anyway – YAY to someone bringing tomatoes in to work this morning! It makes getting here early all the more worth it – yum!
Apparently, someone has moved in next door while we’ve been on vacation. Nick has seen our new neighbor, the owner of this lovely mat outside door #6, and he appears to be an older gentleman with a tatoo of his dog on his arm. Hrmmm.
