Happy Halloween

Peeps wishes everybody a Happy Halloween. Having been fortunate enough to miss the worst of the storm, she dressed up in style.

I think she's the sweetest little thing I've ever seen.

Storm Day

With no mass transit and a supposedly record "Frankenstorm" on its way, we've been confined to the apartment today. Not knowing what would happen when (just like the media), I printed up lecture notes for later in the week and graded tests mindful that the power could go out at any minute. Preserving some battery power was essential so I've alternated between my laptop, iPad and phone to communicate with all those worried friends and family, keeping at least two charging at any time. If the power went out, I planned to use a laptop to watch movies and an iPad to read magazines or books (no light needed that way) and my phone to check news and important emails from work. It took Evan to remind me that I couldn't stream a movie from netflix or check email if the power went out as we'd lose internet as well.

For much of the day, I felt like a bit of a fraud--class was cancelled but it wasn't even raining and we didn't see much wind here either. Between work and instagramming the cats, I started feeling moderate levels of cabin fever but was grateful I wasn't experiencing anything worse.

As we're running out of boxes, I couldn't even pack for the imminent move, but at least some of the grading and course prep is complete for the end of the week. Hopefully, nothing major will happen and nobody will be hurt, but I'm very aware that this isn't over yet and a lot could change in the next few hours.

Coveting

We're selecting light fittings right now for the new place. Much as we have tried to balance style/cost/value (which has ended up in us making some expensive purchases), the lighting we like is really out of budget. We both agree that this pair from Restoration Hardware would be perfect but with their four figure price tags, we're just going to look elsewhere. To make matters worse, they are even more beautiful and substantial in real life.

Cover

I just received an exciting email--my book has a cover and it is lovely. After all the work, this is the detail that finally makes everything seem real. It reminds me that I have to get the acknowledgments into the press this week--too many people need to be thanked and I don't want to overlook anybody. I am so glad the press did such a good job--their cover designer really came through for me and I appreciate all her work. I'd show a screen grab here but I'm not sure if I have the right to show it as yet.

Renovations

We're moving in a month and renovating our new place at the same time which is one of many reasons why I've been slow in blogging recently. Finding an apartment to buy wasn't that easy--the parameters were limited due to respective commutes, size needs, costs and preference for a prewar building. With little on the market, others were looking for the same thing as us. Fortunately, we got a big place in a well maintained building we liked, but it looked like it hadn't been decorated since 1972. So, we went for pretty much a gut rehab and the demolition is now pretty much completed (bathroom down to the studs, kitchen cabinets entirely removed, no baseboards left and the lighting/electrics almost entirely redone.

I'm amazed at how much work is involved. I knew we needed a new kitchen and bathroom (from floor to ceiling), that the place needed to be entirely repainted white (every room was a different colour, none of them nice), the floors refinished and the baseboards replaced. That's not minor work. Thankfully the contractor is great and our architect is really helpful. Even the little details--replacing all the light fixtures, deciding on medicine cabinets, storage, etc--can take a long while, but we want this all done in a month. Today was kitchen day--we worked on the drawings and selected cabinets--and hopefully all will be ordered next week. Meanwhile I have revisions due on a paper, the book files will soon arrive so I'll have to look over the copyediting, and there is teaching.

With all the distractions, clothes have not been on my mind of late. I've shopped my closet. I can't fit into much of what I have but I'm making do for the time being. When it gets cold, I'm going to have to do some tactical shopping. Just two more months to go.

Instagram

One of the fun things about the iPad is taking photos and not having to look for the camera cord, wait for the upload and then find out they are huge and you're clogging someone's mailbox. As an owner of a smartphone with a particularly crappy camera (I covet iPhones but can't and won't pay that kind of money monthly), I feel like I'm finally catching up with something others took for granted long ago.

I'm particularly fond of Instagram and, of late, have spent many happy minutes taking pictures of the kitties and sharing cat photos with other likeminded, cat-loving souls. Here are a few of my favourite images of the trio who share our home, life and love.

Here's Remy

I'm Blue

And this is dear little Peeps

Back to School

The semester has started again and I'm wondering where the time went. I have completed my book, attended a conference, spent a month in England, worked on two papers, started another book proposal but there is still too much more to do before I go back into the classroom. And counting down the weeks is always more depressing and seemingly futile in September when you are wishing away the sunny days and looking forward to the cold--something I can never do.

We have a few adventures ahead in the next few months too, including moving into a new apartment that we have to decorate and renovate first. Closing should be in the next two weeks and then we have to arrange permits, buy kitchen cupboards, bathroom fixtures and fittings, appliances, etc. It's overwhelming as we've never done it before and we have to complete it all by late October as we have another overwhelming arrival on its way.

I've also been very good about not buying clothes. Today I nearly snapped and bought a Tocca dress from last fall on Gilt. I waited, thinking if it was still there, maybe it was meant to be. But when you haven't spent money on clothes in a while, it's more difficult to complete the transaction. I had other reasons for demurring too--I didn't get the dress when it was the same price last January, partly because the fabric was really thick, partly because I feared it would attract cat fur, and Peeps has the very kind of fine, silky floof that would result in a tortoishell dress, not a black one.

I also had an epiphany--the large piece of cashmere that I've had in my drawers forever would make a perfect dress in a similar style. For the price of lining, a zip, thread and a hook and eye--and some time, muslin and paper--I can make almost the same dress, and even make a cotton version from the same pattern. I've got a lot of fabric stored and with the move, it's time to make some new cushion covers and possibly some curtains anyway.