It was a busy weekend, and filled with good news, for a pleasant change!

The best news is my cousin Jill gave birth to the recipient of the Moo blankie in the wee hours of Monday morning! Joshua Samuel showed up around 2 a.m. with all the requisite parts in the proper places. I'm hoping to be able to go to the bris, which will be next Monday, and present the blankie. I wonder if I ought to bring a little something for Zachary, the big brother? He's 3 1/2 years old and I wonder if he will feel left out?

Second runner-up is probably my friend Kate getting engaged. Kate is a junior art director where I am working now, and I used to work with her fiance, who is an account executive at the agency at which I was freelancing before I came here. Both of them are really nice people, and I'm so happy for them! The engagement took place during their week-long Paris vacation, so that gives us that special I-got-engaged-in-France bond.

Continuing on, my friend (and maid of honor) Diana found an apartment yesterday, which is excellent news. It's on the upper west side near Columbia University, and it's going to be her first apartment, so she's excited and nervous.

At the same time Diana was looking, Ryan and I looked at a few apartments and found one not too far from where he lives now (10 minute walk) that we really like. It's just south of Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn, so technically it's Cobble Hill, not Brooklyn Heights.

It's a nice big floor-through on the first floor (up one flight when you get inside) of a brownstone, and it's got a big livingroom and bedroom, with a dining room in-between, separated by 2 sets of french doors. There's also a little office off the bedroom, and a nice-sized kitchen. Lots of great details, too. Not a lot of closet space, but Ryan has a HUGE armoire, and I think we can make it work.

We're pretty sure we want this place, but nervous about only having seen a few others. So Ryan's going out this morning with another broker (we went out with 2 yesterday) to see if there's anything comparable. If not, I think we're going to start the lease process. Of course, it's a slight gamble as we don't have a solid closing date yet for his place, but I have to move by December 1st anyway, so it's got to be done.

Closing out the good news, Diana and I finished off Monday by going to RK Bridal and picking out a color and style for the bridesmaid skirts! It's the skirt on the right in this picture and that is actually the correct color, I believe - it's called Amethyst, and it picks up the darker shade in the purple Artfibers yarn beautifully. I am really pleased that the skirts are cheap - only $69 on the store's "no frills" plan. You give them measurements, they order the skirts, and you pick them up or they send them, and you get the alterations done yourself. Since Leanne is out on Long Island, Lisa is upstate, and Kristy is in Hawaii, this definitely makes sense. Like I said, I'm very happy to save everyone some money and hassle.

That's it for the good news at the moment. Hopefully it will keep coming for a while. On the slightly bad news front, I think I will not make it to Stitch-n-Bitch tonight. I just realized during my morning status meeting that it was Tuesday, and I just have too much to do tonight. Laundry, etc. I can't wait until things calm down a little so I can get back to some serious knitting. I need to get those pattern request forms filled out so I can get started on the bridesmaidy tops!