Moved into the house yesterday, after picking up a mattress in a box to stick on the floor. Walmart is always my last choice and a rare visit, but after efforts to shop local fail, sometimes they have a solution. The ideal bedframe and box will just have to come later.

But, on the fruitless bed-shopping trip, discovered a really lovely large gateleg table in honey colored real wood (increasingly rare in these days of laminate) and got a great deal on it and its chairs (used). Looks like it was made for the place, and can serve as both desk and table for now. Took a friend who is much more into style and decor on the foray, and she helped me make some good decisions. I learned some new things about sofa shopping. Biggest obstacle right now on stuffed furniture--the stuff on clearance is all not the tweeds but the low nap stuff; cozy in winter but in this heat it makes me want to run for the hills. (Glad Fort Worth is having a little cool snap, we are also due for a monsoon-season break).

I may indeed shut off the water heater per SRS advice, but for tonight I want guaranteed hot water in my first shower here.

Meanwhile, enjoying the yard; there was quite an array of birds swooping around the porch as I stepped out this morning, rabbits, a huge thing I learned is a tarantula wasp, lovely clean breezes, assorted blooming weeds from recent rains. This evening an impressive cloud and sunset show, mountains for a backdrop. Grateful for such a retreat!