April Already?

Hello April! I can hardly believe we're in the fourth month of 2008 already. How did that happen? I have been whirling around like a dervish, so this post will be a collection of random things.

The warmer weather has meant that my little tulips have popped up.

Even though I planted about 20, I realize that I should have planted about 100 to get the dense tulip-carpet I wanted. Oh well - these are really pretty.

There are some other plants starting to poke through the soil, but I forget what they are, so I guess I'll be surprised when they bloom.

JT has taken advantage of the warm weather and is spending a ton of time outside. Sam loves to roll around in the grass and amuse himself while JT works. And look - JT built us a new patio!

He did it by hand, with pavers and leveling sand and everything. I am so impressed--it's so much better than the clumpy grass/dirt that used to be there. Also featured: solar-powered lights that we bought more than a year ago and just hadn't installed yet. They come in handy for those 3 a.m. puppy bathroom breaks.

What little knitting I've accomplished in the past week has come while watching John Adams on HBO. Paul Giamatti is a brilliant casting choice -- our second president was a dour one, wasn't he? I feel like it's a good balance to all of the Bravo shows I've picked up as well. (Should I be concerned that Bravo has become my network of choice, at least until The Office comes back next week?) In any event, I plan to pop into Knit Happens tonight, at least for a little bit. I miss my knitters!

Anyway, I've made some pretty solid progress on Clapotis. I'm on my 4th ball (of 8), so I'm nearing the halfway mark. This is going a lot faster than I expected, which is good... if it doesn't warm up soon, I may even get some wear out of it before summer arrives. The Kersti is really nice to knit with and I'm loving the pale colors.

And, of course, there is the puppy that is running the schedule these days.

He met little Ava on Easter, and they were fast friends. At least until he licked her face, and then she wasn't so sure.

He has cute little bursts of energy throughout the day, but otherwise is a pretty chill puppy, as long as we leave a door open. He loves to plop down in a sunbeam and play with his toys.

He particularly loves his stuffed duck, which is the only toy he hasn't yet split open. (Several toys are now held together with duct tape until I can relocate my sewing needles.) And despite his little fusses from time to time, he's generally a delight.

Even if he severely cuts into my knitting time. At least he hasn't shown any interest yet in yarn...