Claudia — Page 628

Cleaning and Sorting and Ousting

November 18, 2019 at 10:38 am by Claudia

We dodged a bullet last night. We were supposed to get a coating of ice, but as far as I can tell, we didn’t. When I heard the school bus arrive on time, I knew, without even looking outside, that it hadn’t happened. It’s been very cold here from the moment we came back from Paris, much earlier than usual. We usually don’t get this kind of warning in mid-November.

I reorganized and purged lots of the stuff in my dresser yesterday. I have to be in the right kind of mood for that sort of thing and I was. I pulled a chair up to the dresser and started pulling things out, making keep piles, making discard piles. It took me a couple of hours, but I’m very pleased with the results. Because we have so little storage space, an oddly shaped bedroom closet (which we share, by the way) and never enough storage for sweaters, jeans, etc., I think I just give up until I reach the point where I can’t stand it any longer. That happened yesterday.

I have a whole list of things I need to attend to.

It’s the eternal problem with a small house, especially a small house that was built in 1891. Not enough storage space. It feels like I’m always thinking about how to create storage here. It’s never-ending.

As they say, it is what it is.

Today is for grocery shopping, more work around the house, and, if I can find the time, more reading.

Happy Monday.

Sunday

November 17, 2019 at 10:38 am by Claudia

Sunday morning; gray, cloudy and cold. A perfect day to stay indoors, do some chores, and read. I’m well into the book I am going to review on Wednesday and I’m finding it very compelling. I’ll be giving away a copy, something I love to do. I also started Strong Poison, the first of the Peter Wimsey/Harriet Vane mysteries by Dorothy L. Sayers. I know I’m reading the Lord Peter Wimseys out of order, but it isn’t easy to obtain them all, so I’ll go back and read from the beginning when I’ve got a few more ducks in a row.

We visited a local framer yesterday to get a quote on framing our antique, or almost antique (1925,) lithograph that we purchased in Paris last year. We found it at the flea market in a permanent shop that deals in art, especially graphic art, like advertisements. Don and I are fans of graphics of all kinds, and we found an advertisement for coffee, coffee made by monks.

Don took this picture inside the art supply/framing shop. The print is more vivid than this picture indicates, but you can see it, at least. It basically translates to “No good coffee without composition of the monks.” It was an advertisement for Monk’s Coffee.

You can find this in modern reproductions in poster or canvas, but this is one of a limited edition of original lithographs, mounted on linen, from 1925. The artist is René Vincent, who often used children in his illustrations.

We were enchanted with it at the time and even after it having been rolled up in a mailing tube for a year, find we’re still enchanted. It’s so lovely. The framer is terrific and has a great eye. We found a frame that we liked, and we’re using protective UV glass, which is also non-glare.

It should be ready in about two weeks.

Can’t wait to hang it in the living room!

Happy Sunday.

As Yet Unpainted

November 16, 2019 at 9:54 am by Claudia

Do you know that I have painted 3 out of 4 walls in the kitchen? And that I’ve haven’t touched a paintbrush or roller in over a year? The side of the panty – where the plates are hanging – will be painted as part of that final update.

I guess I’ve left it because it involves moving the china cabinet and the bench and then finding somewhere to put them while painting everything.

2020 goal: Finish painting the kitchen, Claudia.

It’s very cold here today and windy. Too cold to clean up the porch and the porch plants. I was able to keep several of them alive until about 3 or 4 days ago. Then I saw the writing on the wall. So the dirt and dead plants need to be dumped on the leaf pile near the shed. The pots need to be stacked in the shed. Cushions need to be brought inside and stored somewhere. I don’t see any snow on the horizon except for flurries here and there, so I have some time yet.

Don is feeling better, though not tip-top yet. We watched Rachel Maddow last night because yesterday was so packed full of revelations and testimony and convictions (bye-bye Roger Stone!) I rarely watch MSNBC nowadays (must maintain peace of mind.) But sometimes, you just need Rachel.

Other than taking our vintage advertising print that we got in Paris last year to the framers for an estimate this morning, we’re hanging around the house today. Some bathroom cleaning is in order, as well as some laundry.

Happy Saturday.

Cleaning and Sorting and Ousting

Sunday

As Yet Unpainted

Lambs Like to Party

A Note

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