Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Mockingbird Hill Cottage

  • About MHC
    • Disclosure
  • Dollhouses/Minis
    • Hummingbird Cottage
    • The Studio (Formerly TSP)
    • Dove Cottage
    • The Lake House
    • The Folk Art Dollhouse
    • The Modern Dollhouse
    • The Beacon Hill Dollhouse
    • Dollhouse Source List, Information and Tutorials
  • On the Road
  • Collecting
    • Roseville Pottery
    • McCoy Pottery
    • Egg Cups
    • Bakelite
  • Press
  • Privacy Policy
You are here: Home / Archives for Claudia

In My Efficient Mode

January 8, 2016 at 9:48 am by Claudia

1-8 livingroom

Here I was, ready to share a shot of the living room with you, a pretty view of the sunlight pouring into the room…and then I saw a pair of Don’s socks on the red chair.

Real life, my friends, real life.

This will be a short one, as I have to get going and run lots of errands today. I finished the script yesterday and now everything is about doing laundry, buying what I need, gathering all the bits and bobs that I need for my five weeks in Hartford.

Good news: I don’t have to live in the hotel for the first week and then move everything over to the apartments on my day off. I will be in an apartment from the start. Yay! One less hassle, especially since I’m still being careful with my ankle. The less hauling things around, the better.

Though I hate the thought of leaving my family, I find myself moving into my efficient ‘let’s do it’ mode, something I always do when I have to leave town. It’s the only way I can manage the separation and the tasks that have to be done.

Once again, I’ll take along a quilt for the bed and a quilt to hang on the wall and some pieces of pottery. I’ll buy fresh flowers and put them in a pretty vase and do everything I can to make my little apartment my own. And I’m buying a small humidifier, because those apartments get really dry in the winter.

More later – have to get a move on!

Happy Friday.

ClaudiaSignature140X93

Filed Under: On The Road 28 Comments

Thursday Thoughts

January 7, 2016 at 9:33 am by Claudia

1-7 piano

This was my view as I sat in Don’s chair watching over this girl:

1-7 scout

Worn and scuffed up wide plank pine floors courtesy of Riley and Scout. Thank you very much.

Even with moving back and forth from the office to the living room, I managed to finish my work on Act 4. One more to go.

The sheets arrived. Check. The books and a few other things from Amazon arrived. Check. The hose for the vacuum is still on its way. I have a lot of things to gather together and/or buy before I leave on Monday. Oy. It’s always exhausting, this prep for an extended stay away from home.

Did you see the Sherlock special on PBS on New Year’s Day? Brilliant, as always. We really loved it. Did you see The Kennedy Center Honors earlier that week? It’s always our favorite television show of the year. This year did not disappoint and if you missed Aretha Franklin’s performance of (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman, get Googling and find it on YouTube. Now. It was simply extraordinary. I’m not exaggerating when I say my mouth literally dropped open as I watched her sing.

Darko Tresnjak, my friend and the director of Romeo and Juliet, was in the audience that night and he said that as stunning as it was on television, her voice was even more powerful live – it rocked the entire theater. She puts all those singers who rely on auto-tune to shame. All she has to do is stand there and let it rip. She’s the real deal.

Last night’s sky was truly a Maxfield Parrish sky:

1-7 parrishsky

Beautiful.

New post up on Just Let Me Finish This Page: On the Simon Serrailler Series by Susan Hill.

Happy Thursday.

ClaudiaSignature140X93

Filed Under: life 44 Comments

On the Docket

January 6, 2016 at 9:18 am by Claudia

1-6 b&wdesk

A study in black and white.

Because this is what I’ve been working on for the past few days. And what I’ll be working on today.

This, and making lists of what I need to buy and/or pack for the trip to Hartford. I will be in the hotel I’ve stayed in before for the first week, then I’ll move to the apartments. Annoying, having to move, but it’s happened before. Productions overlap and there is one in Tech right now. It will open at the end of next week and then those apartments being used by the designers and director will be vacated and free for the rest of us.

I’m awaiting a few deliveries that I’m hoping will get here before I have to leave. First, a new set of sheets for our California King mattress because our current fitted sheet suddenly ripped; there was quite a large tear in the fabric, which grows daily. To say I was annoyed was putting it mildly. So I had to order new sheets and Cal Kings aren’t easy to find. I also had to order a new hose for the vacuum cleaner. Since I’m the one who puts most things of this sort together, it would be better if it arrived before Monday. And a refill for my Filofax (must have)….and two more books by Susan Hill. I’ve read the first four in the (so far) eight book series. I’ll write a bit more about Susan Hill and this, to me, incredible series on the book blog this week. I’m well and truly hooked.

In the meantime, I downloaded two Jane Casey mysteries on my Kindle. I read her most recent book and reviewed it, but it’s a series centering around DC Maeve Kerrigan, so I thought I would go back and read the books in order, starting in on them while I’m awaiting the Susan Hills. Casey’s books are very good, indeed.

Did I mention that Hartford’s main library is fabulous? That’s a definite perk that I will take advantage of while I’m there.

Today: Act Four. And Scout watching, because Don has to go into the city today to get new headshots taken.

And gosh, has it been cold around here! One extreme to the other – unseasonably warm temps and then, suddenly, below zero wind chills. Today, it promises to be a bit warmer.

Happy Wednesday.

ClaudiaSignature140X93

 

Filed Under: books, coaching, reading, Shakespeare 36 Comments

  • « Previous Page
  • 1
  • …
  • 1065
  • 1066
  • 1067
  • 1068
  • 1069
  • …
  • 1847
  • Next Page »
  • Email
  • Instagram

Welcome!

Welcome!

I live in a little cottage in the country with my husband. It's a sweet place, sheltered by old trees and surrounded by gardens. The inside is full of the things we love. I love to write, I love my camera, I love creating, I love gardening. My decorating style is eclectic; full of vintage and a bit of whimsy.

I've worked in the theater for more years than I can count. I'm currently a voice, speech, dialect and text coach freelancing on Broadway, off Broadway, and in regional theater.

Thanks for stopping by.

Searching?

The Dogs

The Dogs

Scout & Riley. Riley left us in 2012. Scout left us in February 2016. Dearest babies. Dearest friends.

Winston - Our first dog. We miss you, sweetheart.

Lambs Like to Party

Lambs Like to Party

A Note

Thanks for visiting! Feel free to browse, read and enjoy. All content is my own; including photos and text. Please do not use anything on this site without permission.

Disclosure/Privacy Policy can be found in the Navigation Bar under ‘About MHC.’

Also, I love receiving comments! I do, however, reserve the right to delete any comment that is in poor taste, offensive or is verging on spam. It’s my blog. If you’re a bot or a troll you’ll be blocked. Thanks!

Archives

All Content © 2008 - 2026 Mockingbird Hill Cottage · Log in