He is an inveterate, enthusiastic shopper, as restless about poking about in various types of commercial establishments, as he is about employing himself busily on any number of projects he takes on out of curiosity and need, as the case may be.  If he embarks on a brief mission to pick up some hardware, he will also, most often, pop into nearby supermarkets or other purveyors of hard goods. 

I never know what he'll bring home; exotic cheeses, a basket of peaches (when we're in possession of a half-basket as it is), an artisanal bread, some new plants for the garden that have been half-priced by a nursery attempting to move the last of their spring-summer gardening stock, or a piece of outside furniture, which is what he brought home the morning before yesterday.

He had previously casually mentioned that it might be a good idea to replace the ornamental wrought-iron seating pieces we have in the small piazza he built years ago, in the centre of our gardens in front of the house, with a more comfortable accommodation that could seat two.  Even in very hot weather that particular area has a micro-climate of its own; it is shaded, far cooler than the backyard and there are always cooling breezes passing through. 

Along with the opportunity to catch glimpses, and sometimes more, of the ruby-throated hummingbirds that tend to flit around the flowers in the garden.  With the additional bonus of viewing the colourful gardens about us where the seating arrangement has been placed, enjoying the floral bouquet they present as they pass through their flowering periods.  Ours is a very quiet street with very little traffic beyond the residents' coming and going.

So, yesterday morning he set about moving the other outside furniture that he meant to replace with the new faux-bamboo seating arrangement, spent time putting the outdoor loveseat together, and we've now got a new area to refresh ourselves in the out-of-doors, an alternative to the deck, where sounds of pleasurable laughter from the rambunctious children behind us disporting themselves in their swimming pool are often intrusive to our relaxation.  Sounds anything but unpleasant, but unamenable to our needs.