Busy beaver.

Pooch update: Heidi is feeling much better. While still a little more lethargic than normal, she's mostly back to herself, and the eye infection even seems to be going away, despite the fact that we've hardly been able to get her eye drops in (you'd think we were trying to kill her!). I bought her a little get well present, so I'm sure that helped, too. :) Also, everyone say a little pooch prayer for Lisa's pup, Macy. She's recovering from surgery and may have to go in for some follow-up tests next week. Love you, Macy! XOXO

It's been a lovely week so far -- sunny and warm. The perfect fall days! And something about the fall makes me feel homemakery, and my mind is buzzing with STUFF to do. I finally sat down yesterday and started work on my Heidi album. I've mostly come to terms with the fact that I'm just not creative enough to be a full-fledged scrapbooker. I've decided I'm an "album-er" -- ha ha. So the Heidi album is mostly just a photo album, but it has other fun stuff, too. Then I can be a little crafty, but there's not so much pressure. I ran out of pages last night, so after a mad search all over town for filler pages (arghh!!!), I ended up making do with recipe book page fillers I found at Hallmark. I'm about 75% done now, and I'm actually pretty pleased with how it's turning out.

While on my mad search for filler pages (and a new planner!), I discovered how awesome Westgate Plaza, right down the street from my house, is. Seriously, there's everything. A Staples, TJ Maxx, bagels, cafe, shoe store, pet store, scrapbook store. And I made a really cool find -- Nicola's Books. I've seen it a hundred times but never went in, kind of assuming it was a second-run book store or something. But I finally went in today and it's great! It has all the new stuff that usually takes me over to Borders, was cozy and inviting (I refuse to even go to Barnes and Noble because it's not cozy) and seemed like the kind of place you could just go hang out and browse forever. They also have stationary and photo albums, cards, and a lot of cool little gifts. I'll definitely be going back here (and just couldn't leave empty handed -- I picked up the Halloween issue of Martha Stewart Living, Simple Scrapbooks magazine, and a ghost keychain that boos). I wish I had known about this place earlier today because...

The new Wally Lamb book is out!!! I went and picked up my copy this morning, and I can't wait to get started!

Anyway, back to this whole productive spirit of late. Because I fell in love with the chocolate cookies at Whole Foods, and they're so damn expensive, I decided to make my own today (I posted the recipe a few weeks ago). I made two dozen, and while definitely not the same, they're pretty good. I think I bought the wrong cocoa powder, though, so they taste more like, well, pure cocoa rather than chocolate. I'll know for the next batch! Tomorrow I plan on picking up some leeks to take a stab at potato leek soup. Lots of projects in the works (well, in my head). I want to redecorate my office (paint it orange, perhaps?), "album" my Germany/Prague pictures from last year... I've decided I need to create a craft corner in the basement. Hmm... how much would a few tables cost??

So as a parting note to this post, and to the summer... Now that I've accepted that it's fall, we took Heidi for her evening stroll, and a rogue mosquito came and bit me right on the neck! As Larry would say, "Ain't that a kick in the ole gazebos?"