My Monday...

So we've been scraping wallpaper from the dining room walls. It's a long, dirty process as we have not been able to get the guy who borrowed the steamer to return it... There were three or four layers of paint over three layers of wallpaper over this charming aqua paint. Here's my dining room wall as of right now:

I'm sort of digging it. It's "squatter chic". All we need now is some graffiti and maybe a broken bong and a burn mark or blood stain or something on the floor.

Yeah, right?

Nope. We need the steamer. And a sander. And a beer.

I think we'll be able to paint soon. I picked out the living room color and we're going a shade darker for the dining room... very very soon I'll be posting the "after" pic.
It is really fun to be doing something to make the house "ours" - you know, other than the loan and the title. My mom has been a huge help and y'all know about my dad. Gotta love the parents. I don't know how much of it is that they feel like they have to go above and beyond after the whole saving-my-sister fiasco. I wasn't all that quiet about how much I resented how much help she got without asking or appreciating it. They have never helped me paint or move or anything before. I'm sure that part of it is that they're excited about the first home thing, but my sister's situation has clouded how I feel about their help. Maybe I'm being too sensitive. (Maybe??) It is entirely possible that they have always intended to be this involved. Maybe not. It doesn't really matter. I so appreciate the help and advice and it's fun to have this kind of time with them.
Here's what else I did today:

I went to Kerri's house to watch (and heckle) The Bachelor and What About Brian? and started working on a scarf. Yes, this is the "Thank You" handspun from Julie. Yes, it is a dream to work with - it's so soft. I don't know exactly what I'm doing - I started with basket weave and then decided that was too dense for a whole scarf and so I did some k2tog, yo just for fun. Now I'm in stockinette land... I don't know what to do next... I don't want to run out before it's long enough. Maybe I'll frog it and start over with some larger needles. The yarn is so pretty and soft that I really want it to be light and airy - hmmmmmm.
I know you can't really see the needles but I got my KnitPicks Options needles today. Seriously, all of you holding out for the peer reviews? Buy the frickin' needles. The join is really smooth and the needles feel really good.
And it was fun to get them all situated in their little case.
I have a problem. Seriously.
I need a distraction so that I don't stay up and knit all night, starting eight or nine new projects just so I can try out all of the needle sizes - you know, because I can.

(Oooooh, Halloween candy! Score!)