I did actually finish up one gift yesterday.... Yay!  And today there is hope that I will finish up yet another, though the final stages of blind-stitching the binding do NOT make my hand happy.  Obviously I will need to work in short bursts, with long periods of resting (reading!) in between.

One of yesterday's accomplishments was to try out the baking soda and water paste on the oven.  No I did not take a before picture. 

(just take my word for it... it was BAD!)  

It obviously needs a second round of paste in spots, 

and the racks still need to be scrubbed down.... 

Still, the baking soda made an incredible difference, used no toxic chemicals - and was so easy! Here is what it looks like now after I wiped it down later in the day.  MAJOR improvement!!!!!!!!!!

Now that it's light outside I plan to venture the few steps to the hot tub.  The thermometer on the back porch is only reading somewhere in the 30s (!), so I'll have to make a run for it in my robe.