AKAinNJ: Both ends and the middle...and both sides between the ends and the middle

I have been completely overcommitted these last three weeks, in case you wonder what's become of me.

I signed up to volunteer for the VNA who host one of the oldest and largest rummage sales in the state. So the Monday after school started, off I went. In the last two weeks I have logged 32 hours there. It's impacted the soup business, since I'm at the VNA all morning on Mondays, then dash home to get Holly then start soup in the afternoon. But the sale is next weekend, so I've only this week and next to go. The nice thing is that you get to shop once you have volunteered 30 hours. My best "find" is a nearly-new pair of UGG boots for Gillian. For $12.50!

Activities have started again: scouts for both girls and gymnastics for Gillian. Holly wants to take karate, and there is a TaeKwonDo place in the same shopping center where gymnastics is. So once her back-to-school head cold gets better we are going to try a class. I am fortunate that their activities are actually all on the same days. Tuesday is Girl Scouts (although opposite weeks) and Monday is gymnastics (and will be TaeKwanDo).

I've been walking, only twice a week, but it's a good start and I hope to up that to three or four times a week after the VNA sale. My tap class has started and I'm keeping up well. It's a lot less challenging than when I started back in January, so I'm getting it, at last! But after a summer of flip-flops my feet are taking a while to adjust to sneakers and tap shoes at this crazy level of activity.

We have also been besieged by birthday party invitations...at least two each weekend. I dread going to the post office because I'm afraid there's another small white envelope in our box! This weekend there are two again. But I'm cutting out to spend Saturday with Lisa. Ward can take them to pottery painting.

On Monday 9/8 we had the delivery of Ward's late grandmother's antique piano, with only three days notice. So we had to move furniture, clean, paint, etc. in a hurry. That's a story in and of itself...but we're glad to have it. Now we have to decide if Gillian or I start to learn to play.

Last Friday night I hosted my book group. We read "The Center of Everything" by Laura Moriarty. There were a dozen of us in attendance, and the last ladies left at 12:45! I wanted to get so many projects done before they came, but have been so busy that I only did a fraction of what I intended. But I thought that the house looked good, and everyone seemed to have a great time. I finally painted the sconces in the living room to match the fireplace doors that we bought last winter, and despite my fears and procrastination, they look great!

Here's the sconce, which used to be polished brass. Slowly we are eradicating our home of polished brass! Below that is the long overdue pic of my kitchen.

This Sunday we went to a 10th anniversary/reunion party for the Munchmobile. It was on the rooftop of the Star-Ledger parking garage in Newark and was pretty steamy. But it was a potluck and there was some AWESOME food there! I made Gazpacho, which was well received.

UPDATE: Check out the reunion for yourself...do you recognize anyone???