New Kitchen

The girls are 18 months old now and are very much into turning the knobs on the stove, peering into the oven and "helping" me cook. It was time for a play kitchen.
We have a tiny space at the end of our counter and I wanted one that would fit and still be fun. I also wanted wood and for it to have a realistic, contemporary feel. After a long night of scouring the web, I landed upon this very helpful review from the folks at ohdeedoh.
The Educo Gourmet Kitchen fit all my requirements and was within my budget - score! A few clicks later and it was on its way. Assembly was a breeze and it seems very sturdy and well made, I am hopeful that it will survive triplets.
When the girls got up this morning, they saw it from down the hall and made a bee-line for it. I had this dish set that we received as a gift and also bought them this coordinating cookware set. I wanted to go with metal or wood, but let's face it, plastic hurts a lot less when it hits you in the head or lands on your toe. Green Toys products are made from recycled plastic and are cute and durable; I'd recommend them.
Internets, this is why I had children.

Putting the "Play" in Play Suit

Summer has officially arrived here in the North East and we've had a string of lovely weekend days, perfect for herding three little girls out of doors. We recently met up with Aunt Tory for a picnic and the girls wore their Oliver & S play suits that she made them for their birthday. These little ladies have a lot of clothes (thanks, Grandma) but based on Sunday's field test, the play suits may just become their summer uniform. Take a look:

Contemplating the dizzying heights from the top of an old stump.

"It doesn't look that far down, I think I can make it."

Built for stretching and bending.

"Don't put the stick in my mouth? I don't know what you're talking about, I'm just holding this stick."

And, the activity of choice, illicit stair climbing onto the bandstand. Not pictured, running around said band stand (Mommy was too busy preventing stage diving to take a photo.)

Thank you, Aunt Tory, we all love the play suits!

Triplet Supply List, the essentials

As I have been packing away the baby stuff to make room for three mobile little girls, I have been reflecting on how we managed to minimize the amount of "gear" we needed. There are almost no items that weren't used, and used a lot. It's quite amazing how little babies really need in the first few months, even when you have three of them.

For what it's worth, my list of essential items for triplets:

A local support group. Seriously, even if you are not the support group type, the advice and understanding (not to mention the used clothes and baby items) that you will get from veteran parents of multiples is invaluable. There are also lots of triplet blogs with different approaches and experiences.

Help. My mother-in-law lived with us for the first six months. Having her here allowed us to be the parents we wanted to be: every baby got held for every feeding and rarely did anyone have to cry while waiting for a sister to be fed/changed/bathed/soothed. Believe me, there was still plenty of crying, but everyone's needs got met in a gentle and loving way.

Diapers, wipes, some kind of diaper cream. I couldn't talk my husband into using cloth diapers but know other triplet families who did.

A dozen big flannel or muslin receiving blankets for swaddling. Our girls loved being swaddled until they could actually bust out and get their arms free at about 6 months.

A fuzzy blanket each for wrapping the baby in to take places and throwing over the car seat.

Sleepers and the little diaper shirts (we didn't use onsies because they just got dirty and were a pain to get on/off when the girls were small. If you do laundry every 2-3 days, you can easily manage with a dozen of each. My girls didn't wear "real clothes" for weeks.

Triplet moms to be: don't let anyone talk you out of nursing/pumping! I nursed two babies for six months and pumped for all three until they were ten months. I had a great milk supply (~75% of what they needed) and found it very manageable. That said, I don't know any triplet mom who was able to exclusively nurse all three from day one. You may be able to get there eventually (I wasn't), but you will likely work towards it over the the period of weeks or even months. Rent a hospital grade pump, it makes a huge difference.

A few different types of bottles and nipples to see what the babies like. I thought I would use glass bottles but didn't like them at all and am so happy I bought three and not three dozen.

Co-sleeper for having the babies sleep in your room. We got one that converts to a pack and play. Our girls didn't sleep in a crib until they were ~3 months old and that was only because they grew out of the co-sleeper. The girls didn't move into separate cribs (in the same room) until they were moving around and disturbing each other, around 4 months or so.

Stroller that the infant car seats can snap into. We bought a used Triple Decker and a single and double Snap and Go and used all three for different situations. When we moved up to a stroller that the babies actually sits in I tried out a bunch to find what I liked (and bought used). By that time you know other people with babies the same age and can benefit from their product testing before you spend your own money :)

For winter babies, the Bundle Me zipped covers or something similar for the infant car seats would have been awesome. By the time I realized how helpful they would have been it was nearly spring, so I didn't buy any.

I bought two slings, a Moby wrap and a Maya wrap and someone gave us a Baby Bjorn. The Moby was easier for me to carry two babies in but it was always a little awkward. I had visions of wearing one or two babies while wrangling the third but it didn't really work for me. I found that it wasn't possible for me to bend and lift a baby while making sure the other two remained correctly positioned in the sling (i.e. necks in neutral position and able to breathe). I did use the Baby Bjorn a lot as I walked our refluxy baby for hours (and weeks) around the neighborhood in the evenings.

Boppy pillows. Love the Boppy; great for nursing, bottle feeding two babies (one on either side of you) while nursing the third. They definitely helped me keep all three babies close during feeding times and when I didn't have a free hand.

Bouncy seats - the papasan style ones are great for newborns and up and our girls lived in these for months. So, so helpful for keeping one or two babies nearby and happy while feeding the third, or safely immobilized while giving one a bath or changing a diaper. We were given some like these from another triplet family.

Cradle swing - we had one baby who had reflux and wore ours out. It was this one and I bought it used from a nearby triplet family one desperate afternoon.

A doorway jumper. We have two that we put in doorways that are at right angles to each other and use them every day. They love to jump and laugh at each other and even the non-jumping baby gets in on the fun by crawling around the feet of the two jumpers.

I didn't buy high chairs until we were ready to start solid food at 6 months and then found ones that stack so we could fit them in our tiny kitchen.

Once the girls became more aware of their surroundings we started adding books, rattles, soft toys and two play mats/gyms but even the mats have been packed away (not the books and toys, of course).

Really, that's all we "needed" for the newborn/infant months. They really did go by in a flash. Who are these little people living in my house and where did my babies go?

Perfect Thrifting Karma

I found this awesome needlework the other day. I had a Chai in one hand and 9 minutes left on the meter but decided to pop into a thrift store I hadn't noticed before next to the post office. It's everything I like about Christmas decor, I love it so. According to the tag, this beauty had been there since 2007 and had been marked down to 75 cents. A dollar bought it along with half a roll of red and white striped wrapping paper. Score!

Christmas Elves

Christmas crafting is in full swing around these here parts, though I'm having to seriously revise my list of critical, must-be-done-in time projects. I did manage to carve out some time to make three little elf dolls as a thank-you gift for another triplet family that has passed on a ton of clothes and other items from their girls who are almost exactly one year older than mine. Let me tell you, triplet moms are awesome. They've all been there, they know what you need and they tell you you're going to be just fine. None of that "OMG, I don't know how you do it" or "I could never manage" nonsense that you hear from every stranger that comes within 50 feet of the triple stroller.

I used the free pattern that Hilary so generously posted a couple of years ago and stitched them up on muslin. For the back I used some retro fabric that I have been hoarding, thinking I would back a quilt with it. They have been tucked into a box and are on their way to three little girls who I hope will love them to pieces.

Baby Burritos

The week before the girls were born I waddled into my sewing nook and made a dozen large colorful swaddling blankets from Anna Maria's Folksy Flannel. I purchased a yard of each and squared them up with my rotary cutter and finished them with a rolled hem using my trusty serger. The remnants were also hemmed and added to my basket of wash cloths and burp rags so I literally used every square inch of fabric for this project. They were by far the easiest and most useful items I made for the babies. The Folksy Flannel is a wonderful weight for this sort of application and the colors are simply gorgeous; I can't tell you how many compliments I received.

The only thing I would do differently next time is to make them bigger. We swaddled our girls for a long time and once they got to be about 13 pounds they started to bust out of them. I made a few more from 1 1/4 yard pieces and they worked until we stopped needing them at about 6 months old. They are still in great shape (even after many washings) and I'm sure I will be able to re-purpose them at some point in the future. For now I'm keeping them in the bin with the teeny-tiny premie clothes that I can't bear to part with.

Coconut Cupcakes

Yeah, so I actually made this cupcakes back in July. But it snowed last night and when we woke up to a world covered in lovely fluffy white stuff, I remembered that I had promised to send the recipe to a friend many months ago (sorry, Kelly).

I started from this recipe, but made a few modifications that I think are essential to giving these just the right density. I made them gluten-free and they stayed moist and crumble-free for several days.

Cupcakes:

3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs + 1 egg white

3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3/4 teaspoon pure almond extract

1-1/2 cups gf flour*

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons buttermilk powder

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a standard-size muffin pan with paper liners.

Beat the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer or with a hand-held mixer until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer running on low, add the eggs and egg white, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Add the extracts and mix well.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the gf flour, buttermilk powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the batter and mix until just incorporated. Stir in the apple sauce.

Fill each muffin cup about 2/3 full with the batter. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Transfer the muffins to a baking rack and cool completely.

*I used the Gluten-Free Pantry French Bread & Pizza Mix, but you could substitute any all-purpose GF flour mix you have on hand, although I would recommend staying away from one based on garbanzo beans as these cupcakes have a rather delicate flavor that would likely get lost. I'm sure you could use regular wheat flour as well if you didn't need them to be gluten-free.

The original frosting recipe called for cream cheese, but my husband considers the addition of cream cheese to any dessert an "abomination" so I decided to try my hand at seven minute frosting instead. It was a snap to make and held up extremely well to the July heat and humidity. I will warn those of you unfamiliar with this stuff that it is very, very sweet (and delicious) but sweet. Ok, enough said.

I covered each cooled cupcake with approximately 2 tablespoons of the frosting which was plenty. The recipe made enough for at least two batches of cupcakes.

I then dipped the frosted cupcake into a bowl of shredded unsweetened coconut and, voila, a pretty and delicious cupcake emerged.

Semi-home made, crafting edition

I love giving hand crafted gifts, but there are many occasions when I can't find the time or summon the energy to pull together a Made by Elise original. Lately I've been whipping up last minute gift bags for purchased outfits, books and the like. They're quick to make and are a lovely way to individualize a present. And, quite honestly, the bag is likely to still be in use long after the contents have been outgrown.

This little bag was made for my niece's third birthday. I used some re-purposed linen from a dress I bought at the thrift store for $2 and appliqued on a Wee Wonderfuls Tulip Fairy Stitchette that I stitched up on linen a while ago and had hanging around. I even managed to use the hem of the dress for the top so the bag literally came together with three seams, four button holes and a yard of purple cording I found in my box of random sewing stuff (everyone has one of those, right?). Inside the bag was a little outfit I put together (but didn't manage to photograph) comprised of a Lazy Days Skirt in a printed corduroy and a T-shirt and tights from Target.

For a birthday gift for a certain one year-old, I made this simple tote from a fairy tale print purchased long ago from Superbuzzy. The handles are 3/8 inch grosgrain ribbon that I stitched on by hand, adding four buttons for detail. Inside was another Target outfit and a little board book that I thought would delight his hip Vancouver parents as much as the sushi-loving birthday boy himself (I was correct).

Next up, a new baby/new mom gift that I'm heading straight to the sewing room to finish.

I'm back!

Why, hello there. Remember me? I can't believe it's been five months since I posted but thankfully Tory has been doing an awesome job keeping the blog going in my absence. And the reason for my absence, you ask?

Yes, I am pregnant, and with triplets no less. Things were, shall we say, rough for many, many weeks and in addition to having no desire to craft or pick up my camera, I just couldn't defile this happy space with detailed descriptions of just how sick I was feeling. Things are much improved at this juncture and I am in full-on sewing, knitting and nursery planning mode. I need to take some photos of my recent projects and then I'll be back to share.

[Not this] weekend sewing

Another not-quite-as-easy-as-I-expected project from Weekend Sewing that I actually finished and photographed a few weeks ago. Thinking that one can't have too many bags, I decided to try the Everything Tote using some home dec weight Amy Butler fabric and a fun print from Heather's Mendocino collection for the lining. I had heard that there was an error with the pattern and checked the errata page before I got started so I knew how how much fabric I was really going to need, which was a good start.

I had a minor OCD moment when I realized that neither the pattern or the errata mention that if you are using a directional print (like the orange I used for the lining) that following the pattern as written will result in the print being upside down on one side of the bag. This is because the bottom of the bag is placed on the fabric fold. I fixed this by cutting two pieces for the lining instead of cutting it on the fold so the octopi ended up all swimming in the same direction and all was right with my world. One other thing to note about the materials: you need about 1/2 yard extra for the lining fabric in order to be able to cut out the handle and binding pieces. Also, to give the bag some stability, I lined the binding and handles with a layer of flannel a la Bend the Rules.

Unfortunately, the pattern is just not quite right, although it's pretty easy to figure out what you need to do to make it work. For example, to create the gathering between the handles, the pattern says to gather the material until the two markings (where the handles join) are 12" apart. Well, they start out 12" apart, so you need to gather the material until it looks right to you. Because of this adjustment, the binding pieces end up being a couple of inches too long and you have to trim them flush with the raw edges before you add the handles. Also, the instructions for applying the binding and handles make no sense whatsoever. Fortunately, you can easily find better instructions for making a bag with bias tape binding and handles, there are a lot out there.

All that said, I quite like the way this bag turned out and would probably make another.

Not the skirt I planned to make

I had planned to make a yard-sale wrap skirt from Weekend Sewing. It looked like a simple project, so even if the notoriously bad directions led me astray I figured I had a good chance of making it work. The pattern call for 2.5 yards of 45" fabric and I had 3 of this summery Midwest Modern print on hand. Perfect, or so I thought. After I traced the pattern I noticed that there was no diagram for how to lay out the pattern pieces on 45" fabric. Strange, but I could deal with that. Until I realized that, in fact, it is impossible to cut out enough panels for the larger sized skirt from 2.5 yards of fabric. Or 3 yards. I estimated that I would need 8-9 yards of 45" fabric to cut out 9 panels; more if the print was directional (like those made by the author herself). No wonder there was no diagram for cutting out panels from 45" fabric; it can't be done.

Surely this error was due to some mishap as the book passed from author to editor to pattern testers and it would be fully explained on the errata page. Alas, no such clarification was forthcoming. Strangely, upon googling peer reviews of this book, I found only glowing praises, many citing the "excellent and clear directions". In my opinion, I don't think anyone test-sewed the yard-sale skirt pattern before the book went to press. I understand that mistakes happen, but please correct them, acknowledge their extent, explain what happened. Can you tell I'm a little disappointed?

Enough about the lemons, let's move on to lemonade. Or, in this case, a Barcelona skirt. I love this pattern, it having been a staple of my summer wardrobe last year. Since I used a lighter cotton than for the previous two, I lined this one with a lovely pima cotton that I found at my local fabric store. I was pleasantly surprised that lining it only added about half an hour on to the construction time. Fortunately the rain let up yesterday and I was able to get outside to take some photos. And experiment with my remote control and tripod. I even attempted some action shots: I love bloggers who are able to convey movement in their photos.

Yes, we're pretty happy to see the sun around these here parts.

Racing stripes

Another baby boy gift, this one for a sweet new cousin in Sarajevo. I was thrilled to be able to make another Oliver & S playsuit using some lovely light weight cotton, I can't remember where I found it. I am pleased to report that I think I have finally mastered the snap tape situation: it's a tricky maneuver on these tiny 0-3 month outfits, I have to say. Since he's a summer baby, I made two lightweight blankets using two of the Heather Ross Kokka prints and super soft flannel.  They are each about a yard square which I think is a very useful size. Finally, I wrapped it all up in a big draw-string bag (another Heather Ross print) and put it in the mail yesterday. Hopefully they will arrive by the time we see the little guy in person in a few weeks.

It was a bit of a relief to finally cut into the fabric that I bought about this time last year, intending to a make a quilt for an entirely different baby. Oops.

M is for Margaret, and for mine

I've been in a bit of a sewing slump lately. Not to say I haven't been sewing, it's just been less inspired and more utilitarian than usual. There has been some disappointment with one recently published sewing book with incredibly poorly written directions that is receiving rave reviews around the craft blog circuit (more on that later) but mostly it's been a feeling of "meh, seen/made that before, why bother" when I think of starting a new project. I suppose I've been looking for that project that would reset my crafting mojo, if you will.

Internets, I introduce you to my new muse, the Margaret Sling Bag. The pattern is available as a free download from the very talented and generous Elizabeth of Oh, Fransson! And Internets, if ever there was a cure for the crummy craft book blues, it is an Oh, Fransson! tutorial. Perfectly written instructions that were intuitive and easy to follow, correct measurements for fabric and materials, it was a joy to cut out and sew. Fabrics are one of my favorite Good Folks prints and a gingham linen that I bought before A Little Goodness closed it's doors (anyone know where to go for interesting linen these days?) The vintage button is one that I've been hanging on to for a while, I'm so glad I was able to use it here. It must have been a bridle decoration judging from the bits of dried out leather I scraped from the back of it, but it cleaned up nicely.

I made the cross-body version because I want a hands-free summer bag for biking and yard sale season, but the pattern also gives instructions for making a shoulder bag. The strap fit my rather long torso perfectly; the bag sits right on my hip and is very comfortable. It's the perfect size for my purposes, I can fit my wallet, camera, note book, water bottle and a snack with plenty of room left to stash treasures found along the way. One little thing I might do differently next time is to make the internal pockets a little deaper and also to set them a little lower, but it's a minor issue. In fact, I'm already pulling fabrics for the next one.

Spring Kitty

There's a lot of pink and green springing up in our garden right now. Just look at this wee kitty, isn't she sweet? I think I can sew up this Wee Wonderfuls pattern in my sleep by now, I've made just a few kitties and bears. The dress is a lovely Heather Ross Kokka print and the body is a pale pink baby corduroy that is super soft. I thought she needed a pair of shoes and a lace collar and she was ready for Spring.

It's been busy around here, five more days until I write my final final exam for my master's program, I can't quite believe it. I also have a some new and inspiring sewing books and am trying my best to make a dent in my fabric stash and not buy any new fabric.  I'll share more soon, hope you are having a wonderful weekend..

Happy Birthday!

Today is my brother's birthday, number 36 if I remember correctly. He is tall, funny and really good at making things. All sorts of things, but especially out of wood. A few weeks ago my husband spotted this vintage book in a local antiques shop and we bought it as a birthday gift. Hopefully the USPS and Canada Post got it to him on time.

I love the illustrations and tables of still-relevant data, I wonder if Dick Proenneke took a copy with him to Alaska? There's probably a logging app for the iPhone these days, but coverage is still pretty spotty out the woods.

Who knew that early 20th century lumberjacks enjoyed reading a few lines of poetry during their lunch breaks? I guess I figured they would be too busy singing.

Hope you have a great birthday little brother!

Another lap quilt

I promised my sister-in-law I would make her a lap quilt for her front room in her new house right after I made my mom's.  Well, her house isn't quite as new as it was, but I did finally finish the quilt and take it out to her on my last visit.  I was thrilled with how well the fabrics I chose went with her decor and recruited my niece and her side-kick Clifford to help me take some photos.

I used the pattern from Bend the Rules Sewing but increased the size to 50 inches square like I did the first time around. Our family is tall and I wanted to make sure someone could really cozy up under it.

Clifford wasn't really holding up his end of the deal, so Grandma stepped in for the final shot.  Can you tell that my love of red runs in the family?

Food for thought

I'm supposed to be studying for my mid-term on Thursday but I had to take a break and share my new recipe for beef stew. It might seem like a lot, but adding the entire can of tomato paste plus lots of minced onion results in a wonderfully rich and flavorful dish. If you are in the part of the country that is being hit with a winter storm today like we are, you might want to fire up your crock pot and give this a try.

Elise's Beef Stew

Marinade:
1 small can tomato paste
2 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
1/2 cup shallots, minced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 stalk celery, diced
2 Tbsp Montreal Grill Seasoning
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp ground thyme
1 tsp ground black pepper

1 pound flank steak, cut into 1.5 inch cubes
2 cups baby Yukon Gold potatoes, halved
4 carrots, cut into 1.5 inch pieces
2 parsnips, cut into 1.5 inch pieces
1 cup mushrooms, halved
1/2 cup red wine or beef stock
1 cup hot water

Combine ingredients for marinade in your crock pot and toss with beef until the pieces of meat are evenly coated. Add vegetables and toss briefly, then add liquids. With cover on, cook for 3-4 hours on the highest setting or until vegetables are tender, stirring every hour (I've never done it with this recipe, but I'm sure it would be fine to start it in on high for an hour or so then turn it down to low for 6-7 hours). Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.

Enjoy, and stay warm today.

don't know what you've got till it's gone*

A while back, I found this vintage Horner's toffee tin in a local consignment shop and knew I had to have it. I love old confectionary tins in general, but to find one that features photos from Niagara Falls, my birthplace, seemed particularly serendipitous. So home it came where it has since been filled with vintage buttons from a couple of other recent antique store outings.

A few years ago I tried to find the house we lived in when I was born. I had the address, a map and this photo from the family album plus my mom's recollection that there was a cemetery a block or two away. After driving up and down the road several times, and watching the street numbers disappear where the house was supposed to be, I had to admit defeat. It appeared that the house with the beautiful rose bushes in the back yard that my mom loved had been torn down and replaced by a Quickie Mart.

Even though I have no actual memories of this house, the fact that it had been bulldozed to make way for a strip mall disturbed me a little. Since then I've kept my eyes open for vintage memorabilia from Niagara Falls. In addition to the tin I have a few travel brochures from the 70's that are pretty neat - I love the old illustrations.

*lyrics by Joni Mitchell 

Baby Roboto

I just found out that some dear friends welcomed their third baby boy at the beginning of January. An impressive seventeen days late, eleven pound bruiser of a baby boy, no less. Wow, just, wow.

Fortunately I always have some pre-washed cotton onsies on hand and ready for embellishment at a moment's notice. I pulled out one in size 6-9 months along with my just arrived stack of David Walker Robots fabric and set to work. I hadn't added an applique of this size on a onesie before and was a little worried that my hand-sewn blanket stitch wouldn't be enough to keep it attached, but it seems pretty sturdy. And really, it's only going to fit him for five minutes or so, right?

I added this pair of the stay-on baby booties that I seem to be obsessed with knitting and whipped up a monogrammed drawstring bag to wrap them in. Hopefully Baby E. won't have grown out of them by the time they arrive.

In the mail - finally

I had the best intentions for a handmade Christmas last year, I really did. But then school and rearranging our house to accomodate month-long visitors took over and my plans went up in smoke. Things got so out of hand that I didn't even manage to finish my gifts for my niece and nephew which I feel pretty guilty about. And they were going to be such good gifts.


For my sweet niece, a patchwork pillow in green and purple to coordinate with her bedroom. The center panel is an embroidery based on the Wee Wonderfuls Peppermint Fairy Stitchette. I swapped her candy cane for a bouquet of flowers and the peppermints for sparkles and gave her a coordinating outfit to the fabrics I wanted to use. The fairy tale print fabric is from Superbuzzy, as is the green umbrella print and the purple/orange flower print. I put a hidden zipper along the bottom seam and lined the patchwork panel with muslin to make it a little sturdier. Plans are in the works for a coordinating doll quilt for the gorgeous doll bed that my brother made for my niece's last birthday.

And for my car and train obsessed nephew, a pillow based on one of the Christmas Wishes Stitchettes stitched on linen. The cars, stripes and blue/red fabrics were Superbuzzy purchases, but I'm sure I've seen these prints elsewhere. In all honesty, this didn't turn out exactly how I had imagined. I wanted to use train fabric instead of the cars, but it just didn't work so I swapped it out at the last minute. Also, I would have like to do the embroidery on black linen but for the life of me couldn't transfer the drawing satisfactorily. Anybody have any hints? Hopefully it's good enough to impress a four year-old boy.

I added an outfit for each of them and a couple of these awesome Glitter Balls to the box and sent it off this morning. Hopefully it will get there for Valentine's Day. Better late than never, right?