I didn’t feel too well yesterday morning, my back was really bothering me and I took it very slow all morning. I made arrangements though with Miss Marja, as we wanted to get to a furniture store to pick out some new furniture for her. Or rather, get some ideas for new furniture. I did finally perk up a bit at lunchtime, and once at the furniture store I was very happy to be there. We had an excellent time wandering about, looking at furniture, trying out beds, and taking photos of stuff we liked.

I even found what *I* want for a new set. I’ve had my current set since before Miss Butterfly was born, and it’s definitely looking and feeling the wear and tear. Plus, I don’t love it for the space, I think we could certainly do better. So, we’ll see, I want to get Mr. Ink back in there to take a look at it shortly. This time I plan to forego the loveseat option entirely, leaving space for two chairs instead of one, and a stand for all Mr. Ink’s indoor plants.

The other thing that happened yesterday was that my new vacuum was delivered! I had for years a vacuum I adored. I brought it with me to the new place 2 years ago, even though the bottom base had broken. I found that I could order a new base online, and I did so. Mr. Ink then spent an evening of time and foul language putting the new base on it. It then died less than 6 months later, it’s last gasp occurring in the last room to be cleaned of Mr. Ink’s family home during the epic clean out to put it on the market. It just went in the dumpster along with everything else that needed to go.

Due to our extreme time constraints, I had to run to a shop and grab another vacuum cleaner without doing much research. I didn’t spend much money on it at all, and I have HATED it with a passion these past 2 years. In fact, I would say that I’ve left 90% of the vacuuming up to Miss Butterfly due to this hatred. Clean floors are very important to me, it really makes a difference in my comfort level in my home. And a month or two ago, I had absolutely HAD it with the vacuum cleaner. I told Mr. Ink in no uncertain terms I would be purchasing a new one.

He seemed completely unsurprised, saying “You have said right from the start that this vacuum cleaner was a temporary solution.” I did a bunch of research, and picked out something I thought would work for us. It arrived yesterday and I took extreme delight in using it, cleaning all the floors thoroughly and relegating the old vacuum cleaner to the basement for clean up of the car or the unfinished basement floor. Since we have mostly hard floors, with only area rugs and one installed carpet in one room, I picked something that works fairly seamlessly on both, and that was such a joy. I also have a hardwood floor vac that may go in a future garage sale at this point, so easy is it to use the new one.

Miss Butterfly just wants to know if it means she doesn’t have to do that chore quite so often.

The cleaning of the floors did set off a string of indoor chores, so despite a really tough and slow start to the morning, the evening was wonderful in it’s productivity. Mr. Ink managed to finally finish working through his truck load of compost, so we’ve even got an empty truck bed again, useful in removing hard to deal with stumps, and, you know, MAYBE even for bringing a new couch home. HAH!

I worked hard yesterday morning on my Joji mystery shawl, I am almost done with the second section (Of clue one, the pattern instructs us to make two) so I am going to wait to show that off tomorrow. But, I also started another spinning project on the wheel. This one is a Loop! cloud, colorway agate.

I am not sitting at the wheel all that much right now, but the work I’ve done on it has been pleasant.

Yesterday’s weather was warm and windy, and we had a surprise rain storm this morning fairly early. I think I got up at around 6 as Mr. Ink was already up and about. It was nice not to have to be bothered with a morning watering of plants.

My huge line of peonies are beginning to bloom! I may even pick a bouquet today. My family hates this due to the ants, but I leave it outside for a bit, picking the ants off before bringing it indoors, and that seems to help immensely.

And in other pink news, my Wine and Roses Weigela is blooming. Mr. Ink helped it along a bit last year and while it looks a bit scruffy, it has doubled in size. This was already in when we arrived, but I was annoyed it didn’t resemble the lovely kind of drooping weigelas I see elsewhere. Now? Well, it looks like in a few years it may begin to fill in and droop nicely.

If we get the higher heats that are expected today and at the beginning of the week as well as all the rain in the upcoming week, things should be taking off even more dramatically than they already are.

Happy Mother’s day out there!