We’re grabbing the advantage of some early morning coolish weather to open all the windows and air out the house. Thank goodness for air conditioning, but there’s nothing like fresh air. Today promises to be very hot and humid, so we’re enjoying it while we can.
Don and his friend decided to drive back a little earlier than they’d originally planned, so I had to scurry to clean up my temporary work space in the kitchen and move the Top Secret Project back upstairs.
If You’re Don: Stop Reading Here.
I managed to install the sliding doors and the trim around them, as well as the window over the doors. I’m happy to say they work. Insert sigh of relief here.
I’ve had to contact HBS because the roof came with some damage on one corner and I don’t think I can correct it. They have great customer service, so I know they’ll take care of it for me. I’ve plenty to do in the meantime.
It’s not every Top Secret Project that gets its own bark cloth cover, now is it?
I’ve just finished reading a great police thriller by Jane Casey – After the Fire – that I’m going to review today on Just Let Me Finish This Page. Casey is a British author and a well-known one. I hadn’t read any of her books and, since we’ve actually had some Twitter conversations, my interest was piqued. This book is part of a series centering around Maeve Kerrigan, who works as a policewoman in London. I was so impressed that I’m going to go back and read the rest of the series. Here’s the link to the review.
Don had a fabulous time at the Festival. He’s tired but happy.
New blooms every day on the hollyhock – my 2015 Surprise Plant.
Happy Monday.
I’ve been getting up at 4:30 am to open the house and turn on the fans. We don’t have any AC and it has been getting up past 90 degrees. Then half the house gets closed up by about 7am and the other half closed up at around 11am and it stays livable until about from 4 pm when all bets are off. But it actually hasn’t been unbearable, thank goodness. Also at 6pm some windows can be opened away from the sun, but no fans. That would bring in too much hot air. I don’t like this very hot weather. September, I’m looking forward to you. I love your new project. I am knitting. I don’t work well in hot weather, but today and the rest of the week should be cooler, so I can get back to much needed work.
Isn’t it amazing – all the elaborate plans and things we have to do to keep a house cool? You win today’s contest, Tana! I hope you have some time to enjoy your knitting today.
Hi Claudia! Your Top Secret Project seems to be coming along so well. I’m in love with it (and that item that was delivered whilst Don was conveniently away…sigh…it looks perfect!). We had some lovely breezes over the weekend which made it bearable, and even pleasant, at times. Now we are back to the heavy dose of humidity. Enjoy the windows open as long as you can!!
I think that by about 11, I’m going to have to shut all the windows!
It was 93 here yesterday and then a storm rolled in and it dropped 33 degrees. We needed the rain badly. I bet it’s coming your way today.
We need rain badly, too. I looked at the level of our river yesterday and it’s really low. Hopefully, some rain is on its way!
No rain here…we need it badly for the wild fires. Not close to me but in other areas. Foggy mornings and sunny afternoons, as usual this time of year. Glad Don is home with you. And that the build is coming along!
We’ve been getting a little fog lately. I love foggy mornings!
I love the little sliding windows and doors, except that I would be constantly playing with them. It’s a civic holiday here today, so we are off to check out a new store called Anthropologie that just opened. Never heard of it, but we”re looking for some wallpaper and it looks like quite a nice cross between a department and DIY store. Hooray for holiday Mondays!
Anthropologie is very big here in the States, Barbara. Sometimes pricey but really beautifully designed and lots of beautiful things to buy.
Love those sliding doors! The humidity has left the state…for the week I believe. But, the storms that were predicted went to the east of us…and we could’ve used the rain. The windows are open…hopefully for the whole day! ;)
We need rain very badly! I just looked at the forecast and nothing is due until Friday.
Your Black-Eyed-Susans are looking bright and cheerful..I am enjoying mine too..I love that volunteer Hollyhock of yours…It’s good that you got the top secret project hidden before Don got home..Did he get to see Judy Collins??..Stay cool today!
No, they left early because they were so tired. Don’s seen her in concert before, so he opted for home and a shower!
Highly impressed with your construction skills and looking forward to the finished project.
Here we are closed in from April through mid-October thanks to high temperature and humidity. In the 1830s an early resident confided to her mother — in a letter in the library’s history center — that she was wearing only her very lightest dresses of cross-barred muslin and hadn’t worn drawers “since June.”
Oooh! She was daring, wasn’t she?
That, and sweltering. She was from Maine, poor thing.
Any sign of Lil Miss from next door? I’m hoping her “busy time” is over and the next time you see her she’ll be wearing a fashionable little white cone around her neck – LOL! Have an as-cool-as-possible day… :>)
Last night I went outside to let Scout out about 10 o’clock and noticed our front porch motion detector was on. Sure enough, Ms. Amber was out – AGAIN. And yes, she was still in heat. It was too late (I thought) to call next door and I was frankly tired of trying to herd their cat. So I just went to bed. No sign of her today.
You know there will be kittens. I don’t think those people were as interested or engaged in getting her fixed as you and Don were!! That is very sad, and quite irresponsible.
Glad you had success in your building project over the weekend!
We are back into the upper 70’s and low 80’s this week with low dew points. But, we missed all of the rain that went south and east of us. We do need it quite badly. Have some sprinklers going today. Take care & stay cool!!
I can’t understand why they didn’t get her spayed long before this happened. It IS irresponsible, but I also know they love their cats. I just decided that I can no longer stress about the whole thing – it feels as if I’m the only one putting in any effort on this one.
We’re due for an extremely humid day tomorrow, but then the humidity plummets for the rest of the week, thank goodness. I love the new “secret project.” Are hollyhocks a hummingbird flower? They’re so beautiful. My friend gets hummingbirds at her blue morning glories, but I’ve yet to see one at mine. Have a good week, Claudia.
Donna
I don’t know. I see very few hummingbirds around here, though I spotted one the other day near the liatris. My morning glories haven’t bloomed yet, but I’ll keep an eye out for hummingbirds, Donna!
Constructing such a room would be an exercise in patience for me, but I can see the appeal. I really like the transom window; actually, I like any transom window.
Have fun with the building and decorating of Don’s studio.
Karen
I love transom windows, too, Karen.
Just catching up on blogs. I babysat today and boy am I tired. Both Grands at one time is almost too much for this Grandma. Tiger is of course use to all my attention and now the baby needs to be held and fed and put to sleep and he is all up in it. Almost 5 hours! I will do it again on Wed and Fri. Then next week just the baby as Tiger goes back to school. I can do it, but it’s so tiring. Anyway, glad you got to air out the house. It was a bit cooler today but still hot hot hot.
hugs,
Linda
I don’t know how you do it, my friend. You’re a good Grandma! Hang in there – just get through this week and then you’ll be down to one grandchild at a time!
I envy you the hollyhocks – mine are not doing much at all – stunted growth with some rusty leaves! 95 here again today, 97 tomorrow, so what plant would even want to put energy into growing – hopefully a rain producing thunderstorm in the late part of the day.
Your ‘undercover’ project looks interesting Claudia.
I have just one hummer coming to the feeder and still to capture a photo – it’s just too fast!
Hugs – Mary