Mockingbird Hill Cottage

I am really, really tired today. I’ve worked hard on the dollhouse all week, the heat and humidity are back, I’m dealing with ongoing congestion. We found out a dear friend of Don’s died yesterday. I knew him as well, but he and Don go back decades. Then one of the women in my smaller text group heard from Joe. He hasn’t moved to the rehab facility. He’s still in the hospital and he’s very frustrated. The hospital wants Joe to go to acute rehab and Joe said he desperately needs to go there, but insurance is fighting it. He also said he is very, very weak and they are dealing with numerous problems caused by the ECMO machine – something I feared might happen.

Then I read a series of posts/articles about the drop in literacy in this country, something that is now being called “Post Literacy.” Much of it is due to smart phones, declining attention spans, with people losing the desire to read. If you search, you can learn about this. It’s depressing as hell.  I’ve run into it online – a bunch of younger people on Threads were asking authors to use “smaller words.” I was shocked. Professors are finding that students doing take-home exams cheated using ChatGPT – which is AI. Less and less Americans are reading books. People consume information in shorter spans but spend much less time engaging in critical thinking and “long-form reading and critical analysis.” Some of this I have pulled from Aaron Parnas – whose independent journalism I follow, and from a in-depth Substack post that Don forwarded to me.

It’s really bad.

And I felt a twinge of unease because I realize I am reading less and less. Lately the dollhouse has been taking up time, and the stress from the current administration can be all-consuming, but I’ve had to force myself to sit down with a novel and stay away from my devices. So, I too, am addicted. That has to change.

I’m beginning to think that the smart phone should never have been invented.

I’m taking steps to change that in my life. Turning off my devices, working outside more, and reading a LOT more. Reading has always been my greatest comfort and pleasure. I need to get back to it.  I started this morning – I read a chunk from the newest Maggie O’Farrell – Land.

I took this picture this morning:

I’m taking a break from the dollhouse today. I need a day off.

Stay safe.

Happy Friday.

What an insane week of scorching heat and humidity. It finally kind of broke yesterday – but it was still humid – and today, it’s cool and rainy. What a welcome relief! I’m still feeling under the weather, unfortunately. Crossing my fingers that I’m back to normal soon.

Even though the humidity was still strong, the lower temperature allowed me to venture upstairs to the studio and work on the dollhouse. I opened the window and turned on the box fan and set to work. I did some more prep painting in the stairway areas, and I redid the wallpaper in the kitchen. It was just as difficult as the last time, but, in the end, it will be fine.

Normally, I wouldn’t place a stove in front of a kitchen window, but in this case, I think I will. It is the star of the kitchen. Placing it on the wall to the right would be okay, but you’d only see it in profile. Though I try to make this little world as realistic as possible, sometimes you have to allow some artistic license! Big Stella is the star of our kitchen and I firmly believe Mini Stella should be the star of this kitchen.

Don asked me if I had a name for the Beacon Hill. The answer was no. Nothing has come to mind so far and since I have a long way to go, I’ve got time. Hopefully, her personality will shine through and I’ll just know.

Still have to do baseboards but I have to hold off until I am clear on the placement of a refrigerator (if I get one, I may stick with the smaller cupboard turned refrigerator under the sink) and/or hutch.

Today, I’m going to play with wallpaper and the front entrance/hallway. Wish me luck.

We had a lovely anniversary on Saturday. Low-key of course. Indoors, of course, because it was so hot outside. We reminisced about the day we met, which led to conversations about how fast 32 years have gone by. So grateful for that day spent with my friends from the Old Globe at the beach. Don and I joke about the guacamole I made that day for the party. It was the first and only time I made guacamole. We agreed that if he thought, “And she makes guacamole, too!” he was in for a big disappointment in the future.

Stay safe.

Happy Monday.