Cultivars

Not as much as I'd like has happened concerning home improvement since my last post.  Last weekend, we had friends over on Friday night.  On Saturday, I subbed a morning class and then Bruce and I planted some blackberry branches we were given.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it lives. Even though we watched videos and read websites on how to plant blackberry cuttings, we still felt like we had no idea what we were doing.  We planted it in the back corner of our lot where nothing was growing.  Not even grass... is that a bad sign?

Bruce also bought me a pot of gorgeous lilac-colored chrysanthemums.  The thoughtfulness of the gesture melted my heart, because it harkened back to 2011 when I was pregnant with Emmie and he bought some for our last home.

Our front steps have a bit of fall cheer

On Sunday I went to work and then we did small things around the house.  Overnight, inexplicably, I got unshakable chills in bed.  I put on thick socks and a sweatshirt and buried myself under the covers.  By morning, I was feverish.  I couldn't stay conscious to take care of Emmie past breakfast.  I laid on the couch until Bruce came home from work at midday.  I don't remember much else about Monday.

I still wasn't better on Tuesday.  I had to call off work, which I've only ever done once before as an instructor.  Bruce's dad - bless him - drove all the way here, collected Emmie and took her back to his house.  I was able to get rest, and Emmie stayed away from my contagion.  I also went to the doctor, who checked me and found that I had tonsillitis but not strep throat.  She suspects I got some bacterial infection though, so until the lab results come back, she put me on an antibiotic as a precautionary measure.  Yuck!

The past couple days have been better.  Yesterday, I bought some craft supplies for a fun project.  I've had this huge world map that I got when I lived in Europe.  The best part about it is that it names all the countries according to what they actually call themselves.  So, for instance, it says "España" instead of "Spain".  The map's literally been around the world with me, from dorm room to apartments, rolled up and stored in Bruce's parents basement, to here.  It's been put up with sticky putty, tape, tacks, even gum.  It's torn in the corners and worn in places.  But I love it, and wanted to give it new life.

Thanks to Pinterest (making uncrafty people crafty everywhere!), yesterday I bought some Modge Podge, a foam brush, and a pack of 12" x 12" canvases.  After Emmie went to bed, Bruce and I measured out six areas of the world and cut into my map.

I brushed Modge Podge all over the canvas and fitted it to a piece of the map, then wrapped the paper around the back like a present.

After they dried, we hung the six finished squares over our couch, to replace a heavy, gloomy picture that was a throwaway from my in-laws.  It wasn't terrible (it reminded me of a canal in Belgium on a rainy day); it actually matched everything.  It just wasn't "us".  This map is more our style and pulls together the worldly feel we're trying to give each room of our house.  We're really happy with the results.  My world map has evolved, ha!

Now if we can just get rid of that couch cover.

Tomorrow's our Housewarming party!  The disappointment I felt at first has turned around as we've gotten a few more positive responses from people.  There's going to be like 25 people and it's going to be a blast.  It will be somewhat Oktoberfest-themed.  We'll serve brats and homemade potato salad - I have a recipe from a German friend's oma.  And, of course, beer.

We even got a housewarming present! Yesterday the UPS man brought us a package from my friend Lorelei - it was the book Young House Love by Sherry & John Petersik, who write a blog by the same name.  How sweet! She said it has been a huge source of inspiration to her and her husband as they fix up their place.  I can't wait to dig in!

This blog post isn't going to clean my house, though, so it comes to an end here for today.  I hope this party turns out well! Have a great weekend, too!