Claudia — Page 1038

Caroline Wants Equal Time

April 13, 2016 at 9:01 am by Claudia

Yesterday, as I was wandering around the downstairs, I thought I heard someone talking.

But Don wasn’t home and it wasn’t me, so how could that be?

Curious, I tried to find the source. As I moved nearer to the den, the voice grew louder.

I might have guessed. It was Caroline and she wasn’t happy. Once I got her to calm down and speak clearly, I understood. Apparently all these posts of mine about Roseville Pottery and my growing collection have ticked her off.

“Where are the photos of my Roseville? And why do I only have four pieces?”

“Well, Caroline,” I said, “The answer to your second question is simply that it’s very, very hard to find miniature Roseville Pottery. There is only one source and I think I’ve found all I can find.”

She wasn’t happy.

I quickly interjected, “But I can take a few photos of your Roseville and some of your other pottery. I’ll post them tomorrow, okay?”

This seemed to do the trick. At least, for now.

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There you go, Caroline. She does have some pretty pieces, doesn’t she? Like me, she prefers to display them, rather than actually use them to hold flowers. “They’re works of art,” she says. “They don’t need flowers.”

Left to right: Bleeding Heart vase, White Rose vase, Columbine vase and Fuchsia vase. (These are exact replicas of life-sized Roseville vases, by the way. I looked them up in my reference books.)

She urged me to take more pictures.

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She loves this vase in the den. Barbara gave it to her.

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And she loves the pottery in her cabinet. Although I should urge her to straighten that cream colored vase on the right. It’s going to tip over.

Am I stating the obvious here when I say that Caroline seems to be modeling her collection after mine? Right down to the Singing Bird? They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. I guess I should be flattered.

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I used to have a couple of these Fiesta pitchers. I regret selling them.

Hmmm. I wonder if I should collect them again?

Then it would be me copying Caroline who originally copied me. If you know what I mean.

I wrote a post about beloved children’s author Beverly Cleary’s 100th birthday, which was yesterday. I’d love you to come by and share some of your favorite Beverly Cleary books with us.

Happy Wednesday.

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Tuesday Thoughts

April 12, 2016 at 9:41 am by Claudia

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I tried. Really, I did. But it’s so dark and rainy this morning that it’s almost impossible to get a decent photo of this china cabinet. On a good day, a photo of anything in the den is problematic, but on a rainy day? Oh my goodness, it’s frustrating.

I just wanted you to see where I decided to place the green Ixia Vase. I like it there.

Just to identify the patterns for you, from the left: a Magnolia cornucopia in green, a pink and green vase in Peony, a large vase in Zephyr Lily, a candlestick in Gardenia, the vase in Ixia, a Bleeding Heart candlestick, a vase in Snowberry, and a small bowl in Bushberry.

I tried to get a picture of the other shelf to no avail. Another day.

Yesterday’s work day in NYC went smoothly, as did the bus trip in and out of the city. But I was tired when I got home, having risen especially early so I could catch the bus and make it to rehearsal with a little time to spare. Now, I have a bit of a break before I have to work again on Anastasia. If it wasn’t raining, I’d be outside right now, starting my garden cleanup! Drat.

So I’m inside instead, reading a very good mystery (which I will soon review on Just Let Me Finish This Page,) writing this post, as well as a post celebrating Beverly Cleary’s 100th Birthday, which is on JLMFTP today, and hanging out with my husband. Not bad.

The weather report has promised sunshine for the afternoon. Seems doubtful, but I remain hopeful.

We just finished watching a six-episode series on Netflix that was simply wonderful. It was made for Netflix and filmed in Britain – it’s called River. It’s a police procedural with a huge twist and the acting by everyone is superb, especially that of Stellen Skarsgård in the title role. He knocked our socks off. Brilliant. If you subscribe to Netflix, give it a try. It was so good, we’re sorry it’s over!

On another note: Don lost a dear friend yesterday, a lovely woman who he first met when he was 22. Joan was part of a community of actors in Omaha, Nebraska at the time – where Don lived briefly. Years earlier, she had her own television show in Britain (she was British) and eventually ended up in Omaha, along with her mother and daughter. Don always said she reminded him of Julie Andrews. Many of those Omaha actors remain friends to this day and most of them ended up moving to Los Angeles, where Joan’s home was always a welcoming place for one and all. I met Joan when Don was performing in a play in Los Angeles. Since we lived in San Diego, he needed a place to stay and Joan insisted he stay there. She was simply lovely, kind and funny and warm and welcoming. She was a big dog lover and always had one or more dogs that she had rescued. She encouraged me to bring Winston along when I came for that visit and I did. I was utterly charmed by her. She had declined in recent months and her devoted daughter Kate nursed her through her final illness.

Don is devastated and very, very sad. She will be missed by many. Gracious and elegant are what come to mind when I think of her. Rest in Peace, Joan.

Happy Tuesday.

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Gratitude

April 11, 2016 at 7:00 am by Claudia

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As I head into Manhattan for another day of coaching work, I am feeling grateful. Not just for today’s job, but for a host of things.

• For a husband who reacts with surprised delight when I unexpectedly come in the door after three days away.

• In that same vein – for a husband who writes the most beautiful lyrics and is a true wordsmith, as well as a romantic. As I was listening to my playlist while driving home from Hartford, two of his songs came up and, though I’ve heard them many times, I was amazed at the beauty of his words.

• For work. For the chance to work at what I love and have loved since I was in the 7th grade. How many people get to do that? I know it’s rare. I don’t take it for granted.

• For inspiring colleagues who, in turn, inspire me.

• For Darko, who I first worked with in 2008, and who has been an inspiration ever since. I am very, very fortunate that he continues to want to work with me.

• For the actors I have the honor of working with. You know, 99.9% of actors are very nice people. There are a few bad apples, but I can probably count the not-so-nice people I’ve worked with on one hand. Maybe six fingers. And that, my friends, is after more than 30 years of doing what I do. How lucky I am!

• For my sister and her family. For my nephews and nieces and great-nephews and great-nieces. For a magical little boy named Z.

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• For a lilac bush that has flower buds, despite unexpected snow and ice and freezing temperatures.

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• For a climbing hydrangea with buds that were encased in icicles just over a week ago. I frantically tried to break them off, but I could only do so much. It has survived quite nicely. I’m not so sure whether the daffodils will bloom and there is definite damage to the day lily leaves and some sedum, but they’re pretty strong, so we’ll just wait and see.

• That being said, I’m grateful for a relatively mild winter after two winters in a row that were devastatingly harsh and seemingly endless.

• For Spring, which is technically here, but not so here during the past two weeks. I know it’s coming. The temperatures look as if they’ll be climbing toward the end of the week. Then I can get outside and do some much-needed cleanup work in the gardens.

• For the car my dad lovingly gave us when he decided to stop driving. It has made my life so much easier. I cannot tell you how much I appreciate it. Every day.

• For books and music and beautiful pottery and textiles and all the things we surround ourselves with here at the cottage. Layers of meaning, layers of words, layers of beauty, layers of well-loved things: they are the substance of our home.

• For our cottage. I walked in the door last night and fell in love with it all over again. You’d think I’d been gone for weeks, rather than three days. It is my safe place. It is our home. It is everything I ever dreamed of for all those years when I was living in studio apartments, or city apartments, or rented houses, or rented rooms. I loved all of those places and made each one my home. I didn’t need someone telling me to do that, I just did it. I’ve always done it. Anyplace I hang my hat is home, as the song goes. But this is different. This is something we never thought we’d have; two people working in the arts, earning a livable wage, but not a house-buying wage. At times, it’s been a struggle, but it’s a worthwhile struggle. We love it here. We NEVER take it for granted.

• For this blog and my other blog and for all of you. I’ve written about it many times, so I won’t say anything more. I’ll just say, again, how grateful I am for all of you.

• For all my former students – hundreds of them. I treasure our friendships and the time we spent together. Occasionally, I even get to work with one or two of them, many years later. What a joy they are.

• For my brother and my mother and my father and my father-in-law and Winston and Riley and Scout. Gone from this plane of existence, but with me every day. I love you forever. For grandparents and aunts and uncles and cousins and friends and colleagues and students who have graced my life and who have passed on. I love you forever. For childhood friends and pets who are no longer with us. I love you forever.

Oh, theres’s more. But that’s a good start for today.

Happy Monday.

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Caroline Wants Equal Time

Tuesday Thoughts

Gratitude

Lambs Like to Party

A Note

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