So, it’s Sunday and it’s stopped raining. But it’s seriously humid. Just put the dog’s fan on.
We’ve had rain on and off over the past week, with temps around 20 C / 70-ish F.
The lawn is back to being green, the plants that want sun are grumpy, the sweet peas out front have gone mad, and I was stuck inside for much of Saturday so made corn soup.
Every time I meet a neighbour, we talk weather and feeling thankful that we’re above the dome. Continued good wishes to everyone managing through the hot weather.
I have not much today. It’s as if my brain just decided to be blank. We’re about to enter second-quarter earnings season and I’m hoping for a busy period workwise through mid-August. I’ve booked the last week in August off with plans to do not much beyond some nice lunches, walks and a visit into ‘town’ to do things I don’t generally have time for (eg, maybe TK Maxx and the Apple store, as I’m thinking the iPad will need replacing soon – it’s getting elderly). It’s more than a year since I’ve had a holiday and I’m seriously weary.
I’m wearing Perfumer H Ink as I write. I do like this less than Smoke but it’s good: interesting and resinous – perfect for grey and rainy as well as grey and humid. And goes along well with the almost constant salt air smell we’re getting right now.
I finished the most recent Daniel Silva Gabriel Allon book, the latest Venice book by Philip Gwynne Jones, watched Gardeners’ World. Now, at loose ends on books. If you have anything you’d like to recommend, please do.
Got Dolce dei Leche cake from Sara’s bakery. Absolutely glorious. First time she’s done it.
See, seriously nada, just nada nada nada. Will, I hope, have something much more interesting next week.
Hope your week was more eventful or exciting than mine. Anything wow you that we should all know about?
Pics Mine and Pexels
No perfume wows, but my best friend from the west coast is in town so we’re gonna go stroll through the nice mall and window shop, have a bite, and talk ourselves hoarse. Can’t wait! I’m wearing Escale a Portofino.
Oooh, have fun. Love those sorts of meet-ups.
LOL! M. Jacques has that same setup – the fan (HIS FAN, thankyewverrrrymuch!) pointed directly at his crate!
Joe also has a large blue cool mat, the corner of which you can just see. It’s not even that warm here but the fan has to be on and the mat out. Sigh.
It’s back to being hot here, we could really use some rain! Although not as hot as further south (like Phoenix) so I’m trying not to be cross about it. 92F forecast for today… I kind of like those summer doldrum times, nothing much going on, book reading and venturing to the farmers market for fresh tomatoes. I’ve been enjoying those Ben Aaronovitch books you recommended, and some older Ruth Rendell mysteries.
I would send you some of our grey, cool and rainy if I could. How do you dress for the heat? Good on the Aaronovitch. The last three — the Abigail novella, the proper RoL, and the last novella — were really good.
I’m reading the Lanvin Murders as well and enjoying it. It actually wasn’t as hot today- overcast and humid, but only about 80° in my ‘hood. I did laundry, which I have been putting off. I’m lucky that I have a washer and dryer in my apartment, but the place wasn’t designed to have it so the dryer basically just vents into the kitchen. So a few loads will make it quite tropical. But it was either launder the pillows or buy new ones, soooo..
I did get to the local Trader Joe’s to get some groceries, so I feel like I achieved something. So I’m watching the Lady Gaga tribute to Tony Bennett, which is wonderful. I actually got to see him in person about ten years ago. Great show.
You can get your pillows into a regular machine? My pillows have to go to the laundrette’s industrial size washer and dryer. Trader Joe’s wasn’t around (as far as I know) when I lived in the US. I’m really curious about them. Nothing equivalent here. Periodically I think about the shopping experiences I miss from NYC, like Italian delis with smoked mozzarella and cannoli, gourmet supermarkets, bodegas and proper green markets. Sigh.
It’s a regular large American one. A top loader, not one of the new front loaders which are about 1/2 the capacity. I can 9th do them two at a time, but I can do them. Which is great.
yup, I have a front-loader and it won’t take a huge load. Gets grumpy and unbalanced, at which point I have to turn off and do a spin before it will decide to finish. Rather irritating.
The newer units have those. They also have the “Ventless” dryers. I think of them as the “worthless” dryers because they take forever to get anything dry- how can you be saving energy and water if it takes 5 loads and 5 dryer cycles to do what my old, unattractive white box ones will do in one?
And don’t get me started on those stupid iceboxes with the computer brains that go haywire after 3 years and can’t be fixed..
Hey Cinnamon,
We are sitting around 20C too, middle of winter and mostly glorious sunshiny days. I’ve been wearing a singlet to walk the dog, hoping to get some Vitamin D.
After much pushing from a long term acquaintance I just read the first Jack Reacher book, The Killing Floor by Lee Child. Loved it and already bought the second instalment.
Bought The Lanvin Murders by Angela M. Sanders, the one maybe March (?) was writing about in a comment. It’s a fun story, halfway through, reading it as a palate cleanser between the Reachers.
Do you like powdery? I’m wearing a decant of Etoile d’Or by Volnay. It’s bloody lovely.
Just so you know, I love these rambling posts that tell about life somewhere else. There’s a bit of everything, including perfume. It was a satisfying read.
Portia xx
I’ve never done Lee Child. Will have a look. I think I was the one to mention the Lanvin etc books. She also did a series based around a witch in the Pacific Northwest which is fun. Indeed, it really was one of those weeks when I had nothing. A bit of brain freeze. As to powdery, depends on the fragrance. I still think about Laura Tonatto Dana …
Well then THANK YOU for mentioning the book. I’m loving it.
Dama is still available
https://www.tonatto.com/en/product/eau-de-dama/?_gl=1*csyvjn*_up*MQ..*_ga*MTU3NjYzMTA1OS4xNjkwMTkyNDUx*_ga_P1VXJRD810*MTY5MDE5MjQ1MC4xLjEuMTY5MDE5MjQ3Ny4wLjAuMA..
🙂 will go look. Have started making a proper, physical list of things I’m interested in with the hope putting something on it will keep me from buying it unless it’s serious love.
Portia –
Longtime Reacher fan, here. A suggestion: really pace yourself on them (an even bigger palate cleanser, as it were) – they are well-written but largely formulaic and I fear you will quickly tire of him, should you read too many; of course, I feel that way about a lot of writers so ymmv.
Visit M&S for their Discover, Discover Intense & Apothecary ranges too
hmmm, will have a look on website. I haven’t had unlimited time in town for quite a while.
I’m currently reviewing their Discover range of EdTs. They are all short lived. Two I find FB worthy, Warm Neroli, peaceful spa vibe & Soft Iris short lived cashmere cuddle. £6 for 30ml & £10 for 100ml. Worth a sniff