My friend Carla reminded me that I'm still not blogging.  She actually had to pick up the phone and CALL me to find out what I was doing, because she can't find out from the blog anymore.  Never mind she hasn't done hers since, like, October!

Okay, well, it's been the holidays and all.  I've been fighting this sinus thing with vertigo that has kept me from doing much (especially climbing ladders).  But I've felt better last couple of weeks, so it's back to painting.  Ugh, when this house is done I never want to see another can of paint.

Last Saturday, I woke up at 5:30 a.m. to the sound of running water ... in my bedroom.  Yes, the water heater had sprung a leak, and the leak pan, which is supposed to drain outside, was clogged and leaking or overflowing or something.  So I had a mini-waterfall in the bedroom.  I climbed up into the attic and tried to turn the water off to the heater.  Then I guess I would have drained it by turning on a fawcet or something.  But I couldn't turn the valve, it was frozen shut.  So I put a bucket under the leak and called the plumber at about 7. 

Only minor water damage to the roof.  And a $2,000 bill for the new water heater.  But I guess it'll make our house that much more attractive when we sell it.

Today I've been painting trim in the stairwell while my handyman put new quarterround in the kitchen and replaced the door frame to Rob's office and fixed a hole in the floor.  He's really fast and he does great work--when I can get him here!  But he's quite in demand

I've been having great fun cooking with my new Calphalon skillet that I got for Christmas.  (Okay, I've made eggs and sauteed spinach.)  I've so far only looked out at the backyard with my new binoculars, but a new birdwatching expedition is in the works.

On etsy, I've been listing and selling lots of vintage items.  The vintage has taken over!  Yesterday and today I listed a whole bunch of vintage books.  I have no idea whether books will sell on etsy.  I do pretty well with jewelry and clothes.

As for writing, I've been noodling with a young-adult paranormal.  Now that I have a pretty solid synopsis I've actually been writing some pages.  Very slow going, though.  I find it very hard to work with workmen in the house, especially those plumbers.

Yesterday a big boxer dog came visiting on our block.  The orange cat across the street got into a confrontation with it.  He puffed up huge and arched his back and walked sideways to make himself look big and scary, and it worked.  That big ol' dog was scared to death and he ran away with his tail between his legs.  It was hilarious.  Guess that cat is the undisputed king of the block now.

Ah, one more small piece of news:  We lost two trees in the ice storm.  Not real trees, I guess, but some giant, overgrown shrubs along the fence line that are as big as trees.  It will take a chainsaw to clear them.

Hope you're having a great new year!

Kara