Last night I attended a potluck reception for the museum volunteers, and it was in the kind of house that is so well put-together and so beautifully decorated as to cause feelings of inadequacy the moment you step over the threshold. Lovely carpets (not a great idea in this house full of dogs) and furniture that looks like it came from Pier One (but higher end). Art on the walls, lovely kitchen and den and wet bar, etc. All of the bedrooms put together (we left our coats in one bedroom). Reminds me that this morning I need to sweep up the dogs' forest floor in the den.

We're back to warmer days (not hot - we're into the 70s and low 80s now) so I can still putter in the garden. If I mow this week I think the timing is such that the grass going dormant for the year will stay mowed for a while. The goal is to have the last mow out of the way so the yard looks good by Thanksgiving.