Three days of intense work have transformed our house. My parents are arriving tonight, which meant getting a bedroom ready for them, moving my office to a downstairs room, and while we were at it, Bernie decided he might as well go all out and get the kitchen done. It is just gorgeous. I shall get my daughter to take a picture or two with her digital camera and post it soon.

In the meantime my mom and dad will arrive to fall rain. The zinnias are big yellow balls against the redbrown brick of the house and it feels...domestic, lovely, and like the approach of a fine October.