New Desk!

Nothing says, "Happy Halloween!" like a new - and FREE - desk. Last night I saw on our neighborhood listserve that a decidedly un-IKEAlike IKEA desk was up for grabs. We went and fetched it and it goes really well in our sparsely-furnished living room. Buggy readily took to it, using the lower shelf as a climbing aid. With the exception of our mattress, drafting table and swivel chair, all of the furniture in our apartment was free. That being the case, much of it will also not travel with us when we move, but this desk is a keeper.

Speaking of moving, we weren't planning on vacating until the end of the year at the earliest, but we're finding as the temperature drops, it's becoming increasingly difficult to keep our apartment warm enough. Our bedroom was an addition to the building, and a poorly-constructed one, at that. The insulation around the windows seems to have not been a major consideration and, though Rob put up plastic reinforced with duct tape then hung blankets over them, the draft still wins! Our bedroom is freezing. When I had to finally break down and adjust the thermostat this past week the bedroom stayed as chilly as an ice box, all the warm air making a beeline for the cracks round the windows. Realizing that we'd be funneling all of my hard-earned money straight to the Equitable Gas Company if we stay here, we checked out two apartments yesterday. The first, an efficiency, offered the same rent but all utilities were included. We scratched the idea of a single room, though - just not enough space for the lot of us. The woman from the management company showed us a second unit that she had: a bright, spacious, high-ceilinged, window-filled one bedroom that fit the bill - $25 more for rent but included gas, which sold us. I could see ourselves occupying that apartment indefinitely (at least while we're in Pittsburgh), so we're in the process of applying for it. The move would be a piece of cake, too; it's only a block or two from where we live now. Here's hoping!

This is what happens if I take my hands off her ankles for a second when she's having her diaper changed; she tries to do the bare-bummed skedaddle every time.
She's always loved her baths.

Just look at those teef! She took after her mama and uncle Tay with that big gap-toothed grin. I love it.