There are times when I wish we could afford to hire people to do the weekly/monthly drudge work, like weeding/landscape maintenance, or house cleaning. I wish we could afford to hire someone to redo our kitchen and bathrooms for us. This afternoon has been spent working outside (me) and working in the guest bath (DH). We just got back from Lowe's with backer board for the tub/shower and new bath fixtures. Spent about $200. The tile will probably cost us about $125-$150, plus grout which isn't too expensive, and we already have the tools. It's going to be nice when it's done, but it would be nice to let someone else do all the work while we go out and play. The work I did outside wasn't difficult or even particularly strenuous, but it seems like there's always so much to do that I feel overwhelmed. I guess I do what I can and try to keep up with it. My parents told DH that for his birthday they will pay for half the wood for our new kitchen cabinet doors. That is a really nice gift, and one we both are grateful for. Speaking of the kitchen, I need to order the hinges and pulls and have them sent to my dad. In our kitchen we know there is particle board underneath the linoleum. DH is thinking that there might be some good wood subflooring under all of that, so that's on our list of things to look at. If there is, we'll finish that flooring and let the natural, original wood show, rather than tile over it.

Yesterday I made a handbag and a tote bag - both are reversible and turned out pretty cute. Once I got the logic of the pattern figured out, it went pretty quickly. I think I got the tote bag finished in about two hours, including cutting out the pieces. I may keep that in mind when it comes time to think about Christmas gifts this year. It doesn't take much fabric or interfacing, and the pattern was a gift, so it would make for stylish, inexpensive presents.