Quarry~ Thanks for mentioning Lorrie Otto and posting the link to that article. I hadn't heard of her, but that's a wonderful life story.
I haven't been checking in regularly because I've been so busy with trying to get this house into baby-ready shape. A former "room full o' crap" is now only about 1/4 full o' crap. Plus, I've been shopping for wallpaper and fabric and rockers, and cribs and car seats; and reading and learning all about cribs and car seats, etc. And air conditioning. DH decided he wanted us to get air conditioning for the house this year and I felt like I needed to get several different quotes and learn more about HVAC systems and condensers and furnaces and tax credits and tons and BTUs than I ever, or I should say never, wanted to know. I just feel like if I don't educate myself, we'll spend too much money and/or receive a bad/inappropriate system for our home, and get ripped-off. It's a compulsion of mine to learn as much as I can about something before deciding on a course of action or particular product. Of course, all this applies to baby planning too. Test driving strollers at Target and B'r'Us. Shopping for maternity clothes at every Ross (cheap clothes that fit, yay!) between here and the furniture stores in South San Francisco. Oh, yes, new bedroom furniture for DH and me. The nursery was formerly our "clothes room" with all our folded clothes stored in tall utility racks with wire baskets (as well as aforementioned miscellaneous piles o' crap in every corner). So I learned all about case goods (and dove-tail joints and drawer glides and veneers...) and how everybody from low to mid-range manufacturers all the way up to Drexel Heritage and Ethan Allen now makes their wood furniture in Asia. I told DH that we'd be shopping for a bedroom set that we're going to have for the rest of our lives, so I wanted it to be quality, and I wanted it to be beautiful to the both of us. We browsed online and drove to nearly every furniture store from San Jose to San Francisco looking at *everything* before settling on a gorgeous set by FFDM. It should arrive by the end of June.
A few weeks ago I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes. It freaked me out quite a bit, of course, until I learned more about it and discovered thru blood testing that my diet and activity level doesn't yet really require me to make many significant changes. I carried on with the planning and running around, and of course the yard work. Tis the season, you know, when everything bursts out of the soil and things need weeding and fertilizing, and I bought my usual assortment of coleus annuals and repaired drip lines and decided to add some astilbe and bleeding hearts to the front lanai and other such things here and there.
Did I mention I've been cleaning out the garage as well? Actually, I think I did in my last SotD post. So, guess who's just been also diagnosed with mild preeclampsia? I'm supposed to avoid stress AND stick to bed rest? Bed rest IS stressful!!! I have THINGS TO DO! I haven't taken the baby classes yet! Grr.
Everyone tells me everything will be fine. I know they're probably right. My BP is fine as long as I don't run around all day. I actually did some mild pruning on the rose bushes (about 15 minutes) after breakfast this morning and my BP is normal. I will manage my activity level. I will lay down. A lot. I'll read books and lounge with the cats. Maybe I could even get used to this.
My SotD is Badgley Mischka Fleurs de Nuit. Scored a full 3.4 oz tester bottle on ebay for $29.98 shipped. No box, but it has the cap. I love it!
am spending the morning in DSH's 
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