T-Minus 9 days!

Okay. This is me not panicking. In between signings this week–did you forget to run over to the Kroger in Alpharetta for my signing earlier tonight?–I’ve been intensifying the clean-up project. This morning I actually IRONED. Yes. I ironed the antique linen pillowshams for the upstairs guest bedroom, and the duvet covers. Also stripped the slipcovers from the dining room window-seat cushions and washed them. Wyatt loves to lounge on those cushions because he can look out the windows and plot his revenge on the squirrels and chipmunks outside who torment him on a daily basis. Unfortunately, Wyatt is frequently muddy and stinky. Fortunately, I made sure everything he might decide to lounge on around here is washable and bleachable. Bob the Builder showed up this morning and started to install the gorgeous oak cupboard he made for the kitchen. It looks even better than I hoped, and I promise I’ll post pictures once Roz, my painter, gets it stained. I had to make a run to my favorite hardware store to get brass hinges and pulls for the cupboard. Eugenia’s Antique Hardware in Chamblee is an absolute treasure trove of gorgeous vintage hardware, lighting and kitchen and bath doo-hickeys. Nothing there is repro, and the brothers who run it took over the business from their dad. If I were ever going to panic–which I’m not, it would have been today. I got an email from a reporter at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. They’re going to run a little piece about the Avondale Home Tour, and they wanted to know if they could come over and take pictures of my house in all my holiday finery. EEK! So far, there is no finery. There is only paint cans and ironing boards and tarnished silver and giant piles of stuff. However, we have a plan. All the curtains that I’m having made should be ready to start being hung on Friday. The window washers are coming Friday. Tom and Andy bought our Christmas tree tonight while I was at my signing, and I’ve made them swear by all that’s holy that they’ll put said tree up tomorrow, and that Andy will start ferrying the Christmas cartons upstairs from the basement. I may have to call in the posse to help me get this thing decked out….stay tuned…