Yesterday morning, I sat out on the patio for a bit with a cup of coffee and a magazine. Mittens came outside and flooped in the shade of the steps. When I went inside to refill my cup I heard an odd whirring sound I could not quite place. It was the air conditioning, having kicked in as it should anytime the temperature inside gets to 85 degrees. At 9AM, the temperature triggered the air conditioner.

It's really hot. :)

Like any other sensible person, I went shopping. Stores are air conditioned for our comfort. Last Friday was a payday and all my bills are duly noted. The stores are air condititioned.

Part of my catalog perusing is in anticipation of my sister's threatened visit this Fall with the adorable niece. I have no spare bed, just a spare room (which isn't particularly spare, given the number of boxes in it). My goal was to purchase supplies with which to make a window seat, from which pillows can be pulled off to make a nest upon the floor. At the end of the day and several shops later, I had spent nearly $200 and had gotten:

3 huge leather and suede down-filled pillows
4 smaller tapestry-covered pillows
a plastic shelving system that could be (and is!) split in half to create the seats
a bolt of upholstery fabric from a thrift shop
a staple gun set with staples and a retracting tape measure (my old tape measure doesn't retract anymore)
a gift for Broos (it was on clearance...my inner Scotsperson had to buy it for him)
a cross-stitch book
2 paperback novels
2 nightie sets, two pairs of shorts, four shirts, board shorts and a bag for my niece
and
a pair of shoes (after all, this is my shopping adventure)

I meant to get a lamp for the spare room but with my arms full of leather and suede pillows, I had no hands left.

Did I ever mention how I love to shop?

Anyway, the assembled shelves with pillows atop them look suitably window-seat-like. According to the label, the shelves hold up to 600 pounds, so even the heftiest of visitors can sit comfortably without fear (not that anyone I know approaches this avoir du pois, but it's good to know). Mittens has already jumped up onto it and taken a nap, so it has his blessing.

I turned my wardrobe boxes over and currently, with the aid of an old blanket, have a dresser-sized stand on the opposite wall. If it cools down sometime, I will take the staple gun and apply some of the upholstery to the boxes so they match the window-seat.