Opening Windows, Closing Windows...

Last weekend was so delightful and perfect. Late May in NY is gorgeous, and I thought it was a perfect time to take care of our seasonal windows...

Our house faces West/Northwest, and we get all that bone-chilling Canadian air pounding through the front windows during the winter. So a few years ago we got wise and put storm windows on the front of the house. Every spring and fall I change them out.

I can now have a nice cool breeze in the living room...

...as well as the front hall. The groovy part about having screens on the front storm doors is that not only does it sweep the breeze into the whole first floor, but the second as well, since the stairs are right behind the front doors. I love this time of year.

But not two hours after I'd done all the window cleaning and swapping out with screens, did I see this...

Impending Storm of Doom on the horizon. Coming quickly. If I don't shut the front windows during a storm, we could have lamp and picture casualties. I kid you not - the winds are that strong.

And as quickly as it blew in...

...it blew back out.

This weekend, however, I'm keeping the windows closed BECAUSE IT'S TOO DAMNED HOT. It's 80 in the "cool" part of the house, and it's 85 upstairs. Mid-nineties and HUMID with a capital EECHHHHHH outside - and for the next few days. And so here I am, fan pointed at me, cold beer in my hands, doing the one thing that won't make me sweat too much. Blogging.

In knitting news, I have a bit of progress to share:

I have ALMOST finished my Blue Jeans Lace Leaf Shawl (Brooks Farm Primero courtesy of dearest Lorena at Rhinebeck last year). All I have to do is weave in two ends and block. But the thought of even touching the mohair while sweating gives me the hives. I have to do it this weekend, though - I'm planning on wearing it to an evening wedding next weekend. Then again, if it's this hot, I'll just wear it to Rhinebeck this year. It's very lovely - I did enjoy knitting my first ever lace shawl with such a precious.

And here we have Joe's Dark Lord Socks - Sunshine Yarn's Colorway That Shall Not Be Named. Simple garter rib, and such an easy, quick knit after the Monkeys and shawl.

And I received a lovely package in the mail this week...

From knittinkitties, my Ravelry not-secret swap pal in the Fiberflix group - basically it was a "vacation" themed movie and yarn swap, and she gave me some awesome movies that I don't have, some popcorn, beautiful yarn, and a book to read (funny parts only) to help me through the loss of Coz. She's such a sweetie, and I thank her VERY much.

My downstream pal evidently liked what I sent her - she was the organizer of the swap, and it was such fun - she is so sweet and lovely.

That's about it - today has been catching up in blogland (and Ravelry), as well as finally reclaiming the den. Most of the big stuff was already out of there, but this morning I finished with the decluttering, set the Roomba in to do its thing, dusted, washed windows, and now I'm about to mop the floor. Before you get too impressed, I think I've done this only once before in that room. I certainly don't make a habit of it.

And now...for mopping and mojitos!