Update: The outdoors

The backyard is slowly coming along, but we're pretty sure that next year will require a major overhaul -- ripping up the grass, putting down sod, proper borders for the mulch. Some things just don't turn out right on your own. At night, though, when the candles are lit, the torches are burning and the string lights are on, it's quite pretty.

Rock Garden No. 1 -- with cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, and two flowering baskets that are hangin' on

Basil, straight ahead -- 10 minutes later, all was turned into pesto

Rock Garden No. 2, side of the house: Green lettuce, red lettuce, and two more players to be named later

Sage and rosemary

Update: The basement

Ah, the basement -- the project I once thought would take me a couple of weeks is stretching out to almost a year. But now, there is progress. First, the before:

Inspection day, May 2010 (!!!)

And here we are today...

June 2012

Always a kitteh (he sort of follows me around like a dog)

Section by section ...

Look at my super-neat and clean laundry space!

Woody absolutely loves his rugs

Blackout curtains for all four windows

Runners from Crate and Barrel

Getting closer to finishing ...

Fun corkboards (also Crate and Barrel) for above the laundry table

Kitchen overflow (anything I don't use often -- keeping it dust-free)

Shelving

Benny checks out the kitchen unit

Who, me?

Update: The bedroom

OK, OK, OK -- I'll get back to blogging already. (You're welcome, Mom.)

I'm still angling to get new bedside tables, and Leeza has been commissioned to paint a piece for above the bed, but otherwise, it's just about done. Ricca came in and installed new plates, switches and plugs, as well as our new (itty-bitty) ceiling fan. I put up curtains, more pictures, and generally made the room look less like a spare room we barely live in.