Dog Days of Summer

Well it certainly has been stuffy and sticky around these parts.   Most nights find me in the pool reading or with some easy listening music on.   Rough life.

I can say I am happy to have my dining room back in order.  A bit of round and around with the contractor who admitted he would rather deal with my husband instead of me!   Probably BS but I liked it anyway.   It could have been that comment I made to him that he'd better sharpen his pencil or I'd get someone else!  I need to put up all the artwork but think I might pare it down a bit.  Funny when everything comes down off the walls and the room is empty, I am liking the less is more look.  I need to wait until my daughter can be my partner in crime to put things back.......unless I run out of patience and just charge ahead....which is probably the more likely scenario.

I knew I wanted a new shelf I had seen in Lancaster last fall so I took my iPad, downloaded an audio book and hopped in the car with a big cup of coffee yesterday morning.  I hit some favorite stores and missed some favorite stores but I was on a mission.  Intercourse, Bird In Hand, and Paradise, PA were crowded.  I realized my normal visits to Lancaster County are usually when a friend and I take a vacation day and go midweek.  Danged touristy types in my way just window shopping.    I think the black goes well with the black chair backs and the wrought iron pieces I have.

I bought this homespun table cloth but I am still debating it I should keep it.  It is actually two the same size with one folded as a runner.  They had a red one on display which I really like but I opted for the neutral tones.  I have 30 days to return them. Oh drat, another trip to Lancaster.   I guess I can suffer through.  Next trip I will go midweek and take a girlfriend.

I did manage a finish  or at least I plan to complete the stitching by day's end.   This is Hands on Design Square-ology.  It was in our goodie bag from my guild's spring retreat at Salty Yarns.  I hope to finish it as a mattress style pin cushion this week.  And then I need to get back to my two big projects that must have cobwebs on them due to how long I have let them sit! Oh and there is of course the Lizzie Kate Mystery Sampler which should be a mystery to everyone as to why I am so close to finishing but have not!

I just have the urge to stitch a ring on the ring finger.   I will try to refrain.  

Other than that I have been suffering through the heat along with everyone else.  There is a lot of BS going on at work that just brings a person down.  This past week was particularly bad resulting in sipping some adult beverages several nights in a row.  It did use a glass and didn't drink right from the bottle so that shows some restraint.  It kind of spurred me to visit my financial advisor and set the retirement date.  Good news, I can go now....but if I hang in another 3 years, that SS amount will be that much better... I set the date as 35 months.  I am making a daisy change to take to work with 34 loops to cut one off each month and then another 30 for each day of my last month.  I will display it proudly.  What a great feeling to not HAVE to work.   If it gets too bad, I can just give my notice.....or not! and be done.   I continue to work because I want to not because I have too.  It feels good to know that you have done the right things financially to set yourself up to be in a good place.  
Today's agenda, meet a friend for breakfast, prep and take some stitched pieces to the county fair which will be a first and could be the last time I do it.  I hope the critiques give suggestions on how to improve.  I can't drop them off until 2 p.m. which is kind of messing me up.   I don't want to be up to my elbows in yard work all sweaty and dirty to have to stop to go fair.   So I think I will pull out the sewing machine and sit on the deck and piece a quilt top I am working on.   I can pick right up when I get back from the fair and if I get hot I will just have to jump in the pool and cool off.   Yard work can wait until later in the week.

Have a great week all, keep on being crafty and stay cool.