Time funs when you're having flies

Is it already mid-late February!? Holy heck!

So, haven't heard much about the cottage of late. Word on the web is that the lake has been somewhat mushy this winter, so I'm really glad we didn't have to cart a cottage-worth of furniture across the lake on a trailer this year. An argo went through the lake at our marina, and apparently a snow-mobile went through en route to the island. EEeeeee. (Argo's are pretty neat. I think I want one. Cool, they're made in Ontario!)

Here's the latest satellite shot of the lake, for kicks and giggles:

This shows Lake Ontario, but you can see Rice Lake running NE-SW just above the lake. Simcoe is mostly open water. DANG. This was from Feb 9, by the way. I guess that's what happens when most of the winter its been about 4 ºC. It's kinda cool that you can see where the snow line starts. The fact that the lake is lower than that, and the mottled colour of the lake tell me it's not well frozen.

Ice out should happen early and quickly. Last year we were ice free by the end of March, with docks going in on Easter weekend (in hindsight that was foolish, as a strong wind-storm tossed them pell-mell about the lake). I wonder what we'll see this year.

I've spent all of my available free time since late October sewing for dance. First it was 15 character skirts for ballet:

Then 5 costumes--tops and stretchy shorts-- for jazz (sorry, no photo yet), the princess's jazz solo (song: "Baby I'm a Star" by Prince, hence the star costume),

And finally her ballet solo tutu. I figure I've got at least 40 hours sunk into that one right now, but that's partly my own fault because I complete scrapped the pink part and started over when I didn't like it, and I've pulled the tutu-net bottom apart a couple of times, too. I'm fussy, I guess.

It's not quite done in this photo. Since it was taken, I've smoothed out the skirt, tacked the lace trim to the netting, and stitched on the lace shoulders. It's pretty, if I do say so myself. I think I might add some more rhinestones to it, too.

I still have to paint and add rhinestones to 5 pleather jackets for her jazz group and make a handful of "Prop Daddy" t-shirts for the Dance Dads prior to our first competition, but the big costume push is over.

Then I can turn my focus to finishing the princess's bedroom curtains, making the cottage curtains/pillows I've been putting off FOREVER, and start scheming a bit about what I'm going to put on the living room ceiling at the cottage, and what I'm going to do with the Junky Bunky renovation. Maybe I'll spend some time with my dear boy, too, who gets the short-end of the stick with all this dance nonsense happening.

No rest for the wicked.

I must be particularly naughty if this schedule is any indication. Gah.

I'll try to post some things now that my brain is shifting into cottage gear again. Bunky plans, bunk bed scheming. Ceiling plans. Random projects (planters, anyone?)

Let me know if you've read this by giving me a "Yay!" down  ↓ there ↓, just so I know if there are any readers left.