The Burrow Gets Wired

Finally!  We got the Internet hooked up at The Burrow!  It's slow, but it's connected.  I spent the first night downloading music I've been waiting for, then next night writing a paper and emailing it to myself and the third night....

...Blue Screen of Death.

Yes.  My computer crashed.  How's that for timing?

Now there are some optimistic points to this tragedy.  Most importantly, my mother has her degree in Integrated Science and Technology.  Value to me?  She fixes computers! Additionally, she put a second hard drive the computer that *hopefully* has all my important things- photos, most music, papers, resumes, etc.  Unfortunately, it does not back up the music I purchase- I have to do that manually which I did not do after I bought $25 worth on iTunes.  My fingers are crossed that my main hard drive is okay, but my dearest mother said she will not yet comment on that. 

I also have my laptop, so Greer and I are still connected to the world but with a rather disorganized set-up. 

Speaking of organization, that's where my mind has been (in regards to The Burrow anyway!).  It seems I'm not the only one shifting the traditional Spring Cleaning to Autumn Purging (that needs a better name that doesn't sound like an eating disorder).  I'm finally taking a moment to catch up on some of my favorite home bloggers and que tenemos (what do we have?)?  Rene at Cottage and Vine is looking to take one room at a time and purge, purge, purge!  I love the pictures she posted... I love any photo of organized chaos that looks creative since I am looking for ideas. 

This one is my favorite:

Crazy but organized.  Colorful yet in the same tones (is that the right word?).  Just downright cute.  This has reinvented some ideas for my dance studio/office space. Hmmmm....

The kitchen photo is another good one:



A little on the plain white side for me, but I love all the personalized bottles!  I think I've found a new goal...getting all the spices and oils out of the generic bottles and transferring them to glass bottles with homemade labels.  Much prettier and more personal.  And chalkboard paint on the pantry!  What a great idea for the grocery list.  I like when decoration and function pair up.  Too bad The Burrow lacks a pantry.

Greer and I inherited/are long-term storing my sister's extra-tall shelves.  My father built the pair for her when she moved into her last apartment; a studio with a dividing wall and high ceilings.  She's now in NYC for grad school and trying not to move lots of furniture up there, not knowing where she'll be headed after.  Greer and I needed more bookshelves and a pantry and so two extra-tall shelves have a new home.

Tower shelf #1

We moved one into our slowly-coming-together bedroom.  It's rather empty so far because, as per usual, I am at a loss for what to store on it.  Books.  I know.  But which books?  And how to make it look like a nice shelf with photos and whatsits while still housing books?  Ah.  I need more photos and whatsits.

I know I'm not a photographer.. but you get the idea

The second we slid into the odd empty corner by the end of the counter in the kitchen.  A pantry!  Sort of.  Greer had the idea that it would be food overflow.  Nice idea, if we had enough money to have an overflow of food!  It's in the works, but it did make more space to organize all those jumbled plastic storage containers and create more under-the-counter space.  Now, we just need more glass bottles to transfer the spices and personalize our pantry.

I've also been learning how to use my father's woodcrafting tools to make an entryway bench/shoe cubby.  I cannot wait to finish it to take care of the giant mess of shoes at our door.  Then it's on to learn sewing so I can make a cushion for the bench. I'll post that project as soon as I can.

All of this while working part-time, taking 3 (except sort of 4) classes, teaching Zumba, shadowing OTs, taking the GREs, and applying to grad schools.  So yes...these projects are going to take a long time.

'Ta luego, queridas!