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The weather here has been glorious! 

Cool (even chilly) mornings and evenings, but up to the high 80s in the afternoon.

We haven't needed the air conditioner yet - and we'll wait as long as possible!

At an outside meeting I had on Thursday, 

we saw this horned owl in a palm tree!

I got closer . . . 

and closer still!

Only to realize later that I was taking pictures of his back!

Still, what a majestic bird!

We met with our first contractor last week, and have found another company from whom we'll get a second opinion in the next week or so.

One of our main issues at the moment is the flooring.

The flooring in the dining room was damaged by the water leakage, and we are waiting on a CSI-type investigation by our insurance company to find out if compatible flooring can still be purchased.  If not, we will definitely be having all the flooring in the great room replaced (and probably the rest of the house, too, since it's all either the same as this flooring or needing to be replaced).

If they find a match, we may still choose to have this flooring replaced because we need tile in kitchen and two bathrooms replaced, so we are considering doing the whole house in the same stuff.

Will keep you updated on that!

But before then, I wanted to capture some current photos of what our home looks like right now.

Here's our great room.

sneak appearance by Juvy, a black cat blending in
to the brown blanket on the couch!

Here's a pan to the left, where you can see the hallway (through the half-wall)

and the Foosball table!

Here's our kitchen.  I LOVE the blue pendant lights and our wonderful appliances, 

which we installed about five years ago.

Here's part of the master bedroom.  

I greatly anticipate the day we get rid of carpet for good.

I know most people disagree, but I think carpet is unhygienic, 

especially living in the desert and living with animals!

And here's the guest bedroom:

guest appearance by Allistair on the chest by the window!

and guest bathroom.

You can see that the tiles have cracked here due to

the shifting sands upon which desert homes are built.

There are some new strategies for dealing with those shifting sands now.

I talked to the second contractor yesterday, and he told me that there is a fairly new product that good flooring installers use that can prevent cracking in the future.  It is a rubbery membrane put down under the tiles, and when cracks form or increase in size, the membrane stretches and the tiles are less likely to crack.  What a great invention!

So there's a little tour!

And here's a bonus extra special treat for you on this fine day . . . 

A CUTE KITTY VIDEO!!!

Allstair loves laundry day, and frequently hides under the blankets as I'm making the bed

after washing the bedding.  But I found him!

Happy weekend!