Up until this weekend, it has been a dry, dry summer. Suddenly, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, we've had storms and rain. More are expected today. I feel as unsettled as the weather. Restless and lazy all at the same time. We made eager, if tentative plans with friends over the weekend ("It's been too long! We miss you guys.") and let them flit away. Even the neighborhood was socked in. Waiting out the oppressive days.

Mandy-the-corgi went home, as expected, with her first applicant after a frustrating day trying to contact the SPCA. We weren't too disappointed, and I hope she had a nice weekend in her new home. I've wanted a corgi since I was in college and meeting Mandy renewed that interest. There were some pups listed in the paper, but about 2 hours away, and we just couldn't muster the energy. For someone who struggles mightily with impatience and a need to have things ordered just the way I need them, RIGHT NOW, I'm remaining remarkably relaxed and sanguine about this hunt for pup number two. Our dog is out there...we just haven't met her yet. And really, being so remarkably relaxed and sanguine is a new experience for me...I'd like to keep it around.

The SPCA frustrations of Friday were brightened by the arrival of this little package from Laura Kim Jewelry

Look what was inside! I took advantage of a sale she had last week, and I feel oh-so-lucky! I put on Pod #2 (the one on the right) almost immediately. All I need is someone to take me out to dinner to test-drive Maris (on the left). Check out her site...she does some lovely work. Pickins are slim right now as she readies for fall, but I can't wait to see what her next line brings. Shipping was prompt, and as you can see, even the packaging was pretty. Thank you so much, Laura...what a treat.

Remind me never to try to stain a bed when the humidity is over 400%. Seriously. I've made NO progress on that front, just waiting for the first pieces we stained to dry. The bluerainroom is almost shelf heaven, however, as we got the wood for shelves here and in the kitchen. Callum will finish helping me paint those today, and hopefully we'll get them installed this weekend. Progress on the pantry has me a little worried, since Neel has decided he needs to take down some cheap beadboarding and...wait for it...paint before we can put up that shelf. I'll keep you posted.

In knitterly news, the back of Jospehine is finished, I'm almost done with sock #1 of a pair basic two-circulars socks. Both of those knits are in a pretty fine gauge on pretty small needles (ones for the socks and fives for the sweater), so what better to do in the muggiest part of July but to cast on for this scarf on (marginally) larger #8s. I'm using Knitpicks Andean silk in olive, which I have much of...

Every night this weekend we saw this...

...and glory be...is that really rain? Even with Callum complaining that we never get to go to the beach because it always rains, we're soak, soak, soaking it up. Everything seems a little greener, a little more alive. Hopefully it will translate to the humans. I could use some perking up.