Where have all the mousies gone?

The kitty TV has been shut off...we came outside this morning to find that THEY MOWED THE GRASS!!! So, the field mice have moved on. Geronimo is sad about this. See the Extended Paw of Deep Distress?

And here are the boys hanging out together. After all, there are still birds, the occasional squirrel, and people walking their dogs.

The a/c is working just fine, but Mirando thinks we could turn down the thermostat a bit. These are two of his favorite summer spots. Geronimo mostly hangs out under the bed when it's hot.



Uh oh, Stefaneener, I may just have to start keeping a notebook to write everything down on. Sounds like it might be awhile before I have more brain function :) I seem to have lost my coordination, too, but that may be nothing new. Yesterday, after tripping over the same thing for the third time in an hour, I asked my husband, "Have you noticed I've been pretty clumsy?" And he said, "Yes, I first noticed it ten years ago (when we first met)." Hmmm. I may paint my toenails today, since I'm starting to appreciate that I may not be able to see/reach them for much longer.

Knitting: I think a steeked version of the French Press Cozy is a great idea. It would be a nice, stress-free first steeking attempt, I think. If it goes wrong, it won't take all that long to re-do. For anyone interested, here are the specs:
Yarn: Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride Worsted (Silver Sliver and Red Baron) - Less than half a skein main color, very little of the contrast.
Needles: Size 6 dpns (set of 5)
Gauge: 5 stitches per inch
Height: 10" (mine is a bit short, closer to 9")
Circumference: 16" (you could shave an inch or so off if you were going to have a slit for the handle
I cast on 88 stitches (2 coffee cups on each dpn) and after it was the height I wanted, I did three rows of k2tog all around, cut the yarn and pulled it through the remaining 11 stitches (NOT pulling tight so there's room for the ball on top)

Other knitting: I'm on the last set of increases on Hourglass Sweater, and still going on the Candle Flame Shawl.

Writing: Nothing new to report. I hope to have all revisions done by the end of next week.

Reading: Mansfield Park. Has anyone seen the film version of this that has Lady Bertram as an opium addict? Really awful adaptation. I don't remember the BBC version being much better, either. And I'm not just being an Austen purist--I actually quite like the Emma Thompson Sense & Sensibility, even with the changes that are made (and for a two-hour version, changes are going to have to be made, obviously). I felt it was in the spirit of the book. And I even liked the Gwyneth Paltrow Emma, though she's not my favorite actress. But I don't think they've ever done Mansfield Park right on film, unless there's an older version I haven't come across.

Holly, Matt's pretty stubborn, so I'll have to see if he really refuses to read Book 7. I think curiosity and HP addiction will triumph over stubbornness. Rain, I don't think 1,000 pages would be uncalled-for :) It's been such a long wait, and it has to last a long time! It looks like both Book 7 and Movie 5 might be out next summer...wow, that's a lot of Harry Potter all at once. I've seen the film Chocolat, but I've never read any Joanne Harris. I will have to add her to my list. I'm not sure if it's pregnancy hormones, but I'm in a comfort re-reading place right now. First, the Harry Potter, now Jane Austen, and I'm thinking it might be time for the Thursday Next series again. Maybe it's to do with preggo brain, and I sort of know I won't process something new properly. Not sure.

Cooking: In my very first weird pregnancy craving, I made pancakes for dinner Thursday night. I had been feeling a bit left out with no cravings except an increase in my fruit consumption.