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Day Three Hundred Forty-Three

February 19, 2021 at 10:22 am by Claudia

It snowed most of the day and night and it was snowing when we got up this morning. But surprisingly, I think we got about 3 inches at most. Don is out there shoveling right now, so I’ll have a better idea when he comes back in. We’re supposed to have more snow on Monday, but after that, temperatures will be in the forties with some rain and a lot of snow melt.

It ended up being a lovely cozy-day-inside with Don recording a song and lots of puzzle work from yours truly. I know how lucky we are. We have power and heat and shelter and food. My heart breaks for the citizens of Texas who are suffering during this crisis. It didn’t have to be so devastating.

And Ted Cruz continues to be an ass. Not only is he an inciter of insurrection, but he’s also a guy who takes off with his family for Cancun in the middle of this crisis, leaving his dog behind in his ‘freezing’ house. And then he lies about it and blames it on his kids. I vowed not to write about politics for a while, but this isn’t politics. This is dereliction of duty, plain and simple.

On to something else:

Almost done. This puzzle, The Piano Lesson, is one of my all-time favorites. I took piano lessons for eight years and I well remember sitting in my teacher’s living room waiting for my turn. I also remember several of us crammed into that same room for our recitals.

It’s perfect. She obviously lives in NYC, perhaps in a brownstone. She has a loft upstairs where she sleeps. Lots of bookcases, a birdcage, cactus plants on top of a radiator cover, framed photos of musicians, tchotchkes, including miniature pianos, a statue of a composer (perhaps Beethoven?), a miniature Eiffel Tower. A poster of a Glenn Gould concert. One child is playing the piano. Three are waiting; two with arms crossed, one studying her music. There are mugs and hot chocolate(?) and some sort of cake waiting on the table. A comfy sofa, flowers everywhere, an umbrella stand near the entrance.

I loved working on this one because there was so much detail –  little objects and hidden gems that were unveiled over time. Speaking of flowers everywhere, that unworked area is filled by a hanging ivy plant.

I’ll miss this one.

Next up:

From 1964, Art Shop.

And I’m going to order more.

Don is still shoveling, but it’s obviously easy to clear because he’s not using the snowblower. Good!

Stay safe.

Happy Friday (which I keep thinking is Saturday.)

Filed Under: Don, jigsaw puzzles, snow, winter 29 Comments

Day Three Hundred Forty-Two

February 18, 2021 at 10:20 am by Claudia

Thank you for all of the wonderful comments on my anniversary post! They mean so much to me. Let’s face it, everyone wants to feel appreciated, and reading your words made my day.

Thank you. Thank you for being here, for interacting with me and fellow blog readers, for making me laugh and cry, for keeping me honest.

On to another year!

Yesterday’s progress.

I really love The New Yorker  cover puzzles. I received another one in yesterday’s mail. The artwork is always compelling and I learn a lot about the artist’s style while working the puzzle. I worked on it a lot in the afternoon, right after we filled nylon stockings with salt, tied them off and put them on top of the ice-filled gutters, which was a challenge. Finding nylons was also a challenge, since I rarely wear them and did a thorough reorganization and purging of my dresser not too long ago. I found some old tights, which I cut up and used, but we needed more of these ‘snakes’ so I went back to the bedroom and found some way back in a drawer. Excellent. I did this before, several years ago, and it worked. I had completely forgot about this solution until a reader’s helpful comment reminded me of it.

Today? Snow. In fact, it’s snowing outside right now. Don just ran up to the store for a few things because after this morning, it will be snowing heavily through tomorrow. My guess is another 6 inches. Next week, we have a warm-up coming. And rain.

I’ve had my fill of winter, thank you very much.

Still reading Mrs. Tim Carries On – I’ve been concentrating so much on the puzzles that I haven’t read as much as I normally do. Nor have I done any more work on the dollhouse. (I will, I’m just not real inspired at the moment.) Let’s face it, jigsaw puzzles are my thing at the moment. Once Spring arrives, all of that will change as I head outdoors again. But for now, with the endless lockdown, they really save my sanity.

Still staying away from the news. That is also saving my sanity.

Stay safe.

Happy Thursday.

 

Filed Under: jigsaw puzzles, snow, winter 34 Comments

Day Three Hundred Forty-One

February 17, 2021 at 8:57 am by Claudia

And…another puzzle started. Interestingly, the black border was troublesome for a while because it became clear that the pieces were in the wrong order. But darned if I could figure out where the error was. So I looked for the connecting pieces that began the actual cover illustration and as I found them, I figured out what I had done wrong. After that, I went for the title.

We’re due for a boatload of snow tomorrow. (Will this ever end???) Don is currently trying to find some salt for the driveway and every place we usually buy it is out. Oh boy. A big snowstorm headed our way and a shortage of salt. Luckily he just found a couple of bags and is on his way to pick them up.

But the happy news of the day is this:

Today marks the 13th anniversary of this blog. Yep. 13 years!

I almost forgot, but fortunately, I had marked it in my planner.

I’ll be honest, there are times I consider shutting it down. Especially now, when I have very little interesting subject matter – at least, in my mind. But Don always reminds me that I wouldn’t be happy with that decision. I’d regret it. He’s right.

Writing a post every day has been a part of this blog for at least 9 or 10 of the 13 years. That daily writing commitment has been a good thing for me. I’ve always found writing to be cathartic and the discipline of sitting down, gathering my thoughts together, and crafting a post has provided structure for my mornings.

The blog also functions as a journal and I can’t tell you how many times I find myself wondering when something happened, search the blog, and quickly find the date.

Blogging has expanded my world and I’m very grateful for all the people I have met over the years. Followers come and go, just as friends come and go. But the relationships I have found through this medium are very real. I never consider them virtual. You are my friends.

I’ve never been a niche blog and it took me a while to realize that only writing about one thing – decorating, for example – would drive me nuts. Most bloggers that do that are interested in making money from their blogs. That’s absolutely fine. I briefly entertained revamping the blog to turn it into a money making venture several years ago. (We freelance and let’s face it, trying to do that made sense.) But it isn’t me. It felt false. I finally accepted what this blog was and is. A daily sharing of my thoughts and my life and my interests. That’s how I started out and that’s where I will remain.

Thanks for being here. I love hearing from all of you, knowing you’re out there, reading your thoughts. Without you, this would just be a virtual journal for me, myself, and I. This is much more rewarding!

Stay safe.

Happy Wednesday.

 

Filed Under: blog 52 Comments

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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.

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