Back home. I was really tired yesterday and getting packed, hauling everything to the bus station and the ride back home took all my remaining energy. I was very happy to see the cottage, where the snow, though still evident, has melted a lot since I left last Tuesday. It’s a rainy and gray day here and I’m told it will be that way all week long.
Yuck.
Of course, I came home to a cottage that was empty and the fact that Don is gone really hit me. His absence is felt, believe me – as he tells me when I’m away, the house just isn’t the same without him. As far as Don’s journey, he’s in California today and will arrive in LaJolla in the afternoon. First rehearsal is tomorrow.
When a new musical or play is in previews, it’s still in rehearsal. So, while public performances are going on at night, the afternoon is for rehearsing, rewriting, restaging. I know that some of that is on the agenda for Anastasia, so I will no doubt be back in NYC at some point. But for now, I have some time off.
Today is for mundane things; buying some groceries, picking up the mail, sorting through tax stuff so we can file an extension – that sort of thing.
And for reading. I took two books along to the city but I was so busy that I hardly read at all.
These are the two pieces I got at Fish’s Eddy. I said they were vintage, but I now know they were made within the last twenty years. This is a part of the Restaurant Ware line – made by Homer Laughlin (creator of Fiesta.) Homer Laughlin is still going strong today. I looked up the marks on the back of the saucer and it looks like it was made in 1999. I love this pattern – though there were only a few pieces left.
Awfully pretty restaurant ware, don’t you think? Since I really don’t need or have room for any new china, these two pieces are all I allowed myself.
Now…where to put them?
Missing Don, missing Anastasia, but happy to be home.
The winner of a copy of Garden Design is Melissa! Melissa, I’ve sent you an email. I need your mailing address.
I have one more book to share with you and I’ll do that sometime this week.
Happy Monday.
Glad both you and Don arrived safely. That Fish’s Eddy is drool material! So much to look at and choose from. The online version is just as bad. How does one choose?
Hope you have a slow-paced day.
It’s almost impossible!
Glad to know that Don made it to California without any significant issues like weather, and glad you’re back home and can get a rest-up day; settle in to the temporary ‘new normal’.
The dishes are so pretty. They’re still fairly close to 20 years old (vintage-y) and that brand will hold; you’ve got the eye for the good stuff, Claudia!
I really liked the colors and the pattern. I’m a sucker for flowers.
Claudia, Janet over at The Gardeners Cottage is contemplating making a change, it sounds like to either ‘privatize’ her blog, which I really don’t understand, or perhaps doing without it/ending it altogether. She said the internet is really getting to her. She had mentioned being criticized recently (for some of her content, which was very benign; just her decor; can’t imagine someone being mean about something like that, which is supposed to be pleasant) but I get the drift she might be having to wade through a lot of vitriol? Do you encounter that every day? How do YOU deal with it? I have so much respect for you blog owners and appreciate your time & effort; makes me feel bad if the blogs have become cumbersome. Would be interested to know your take on it, since you are that rare blog owner who is amazingly present to your readers most every single day.
I saw that post. I’m not sure what has happened to upset her. I like her posts. She is staunchly vegan, of course, and vegans tend to get trolled by idiots – both on blogs and on social media. I’ve been trolled several times when I’ve written about being vegetarian or about animal welfare. Of course, I have no idea if that happened to Janet.
Vitriol on my blog happens in the above instances, it happened a lot during the election because I didn’t back off from expressing my opinions, it’s happened when I write about being anti-hunting, or for gun control. It amazes me that people feel the need to spew their opinions in comments, rather than just click off the blog and move on. That’s something I learned early on in blogging. Sometimes I would leave a comment when I found a blogger’s post particularly offensive, but I eventually learned to simply move on. No one is forcing me to read that post.
All that being said, after doing this for 9 years, I sometimes contemplate moving on. I’m not ready to do that, but I DO think about it – quite a bit, lately. In my case, there’s the expense of maintaining the blog, the worries about hackers, the crap I had to deal with during the election, and the time it all takes.
Janet is one of the bloggers I’ve been reading for most of my blogging life. She is a lovely person (we’ve communicated privately many times.) Blogging involves opening oneself up in a way that can be subject to attacks by readers – and we all know that the internet provides cover for those who would never say in person what they say on the web.
Privatizing the blog means that only those who are subscribed and approved by the blog owner would be able to read it. I would keep the trollers out.
Thanks for your thoughts on the matter, Claudia. I can certainly understand the troubling aspects of being a blog owner now, and I’m sorry you’ve had to come up against some of the bad stuff. It takes a thicker skin but words CAN and DO hurt. I guess you have to look back at why you started a blog and did it fulfill its purpose for you…does it still? It’s like when you take a new pill…risk vs. benefit. But in the end, I think especially as we age…this age you and I are now…we’re seeking the best of the best for our heart and soul, what gives us ease and comfort and joy and inspiration like never before; how do we want to spend the time that remains, to protect our mental and physical health? Time presses down on us; it’s so valuable, and it goes by so fast. I sure don’t want to fill it up with any more negatives than I already have…
Happy to hear Don made it to California. The green in those dishes looks very vintage to me…lovely pattern. I can see why you wanted them. Where do you think you will display them? I think I’ll go exploring Fish’s Eddy on-line. Enjoy your day! ;)
I have no idea! I’ve got them on the kitchen table right now.
Glad Don arrived safely in CA, he must have had a wonderful trip. I am sure the house seems lonely. Maybe you should have picked up a goldfish…my neighbor had one for years. Sparkle was it’s name. When she was away I would feed and visit daily. I think can buy “vacation food” must be time released or something. I would open the door and yell “Sparkle it’s me”. Silly but it was cool fish ( not being a fish person myself) Sparkle would go to the top of the bowl when i talked to it. Unfortunately Sparkle went to that big fish bowl in the sky on my watch..but we knew that day would come, for a “feeder fish” 10 years is a long life. Love the pattern and colors on the dinnerware. On line I did spend a bit, but in my defense they are to be gifts my girls will be 40 later this year. Recoup your energy and relax.
My dad had fish for years, but I’ve never been into them, Mary!
There are fish in a beautiful tank at a medical office I go to – very hypnotic to watch them – and my husband tells me it’s a saltwater tank that’s actually somewhat labor-intensive to maintain. He knows about these things because he had a few tanks of fish before we married, saltwater and what I guess you term ‘fresh water’ – a hobby since the teens. One tankful was in a house he lived in, in Iowa (with Wife #1). While they were away one time (stormy/snowy weekend), the power went out as well as some backup heater mechanism and he came home to a tank of frozen/dead, very expensive fish. He felt just terrible about it, especially because he’d tried to be proactive and protective. When I married him, like 15 years later, he came into my life with another large tank. He didn’t seem to mind cleaning it, transferring the fish to large buckets in the interim…until our three dogs ripped through the house, knocking over the buckets, sending fish flying in all directions, not to mention soaking our living room carpet with A LOT of dirty water. After that, he gave up fish tanks for good although I tried to reassure him that he was a conscientious fish ‘owner’ although there was no convincing him!
My worse story is that when I was a little thing, I thought it would be fun to see if the fishies could blow bubbles like I could. So, I dumped my bottle of bubbles into the fishbowl. Mommy was horrified to find Mr. Goldfish & Family in a bad way, holding back tears and not accusing, but instead gently trying to find out from me what possibly could have happened to the fish, going on to explain that the fishies didn’t need help from humans to blow bubbles. To this day, the memory of those poor little fish disturbs me; I just didn’t entirely know right from wrong yet, and I know Mother tried to be instructional (because I was a VERY sensitive child) but, gosh, it makes me feel badly all these years later that I was a goldfish murderer. I never see a fishbowl without remembering the incident; clearly it was a hard lesson learned.
Between my husband and I, we only enjoy fish as pets from afar now, for obvious reasons!
I had to stop reading about the demise of the fish – I can’t read about the death of animals/fish/etc. It makes me too sad. xo
The dish ware is beautiful! I wonder about the restraunts that would use that pattern….. fancy, or diner-type places…. I would guess a fancier place. A table all set, upon a cloth table covering, it would be lovely!!
Glad you both have arrived safely at your destinations. I bet Don is excited for the process to begin tomorrow.
We have had several dark days here, too. At least the rain will help the snow to melt away, and the moisture will be good for your gardens, too. Our lilacs are budding, the chives and the day-lilies are peeking, and the rhubarb is poking up, too. All good signs, indeed, even though it is still quite chilly. Hope you have a good Monday.
I would think a fancier place or maybe a sweet little cafe? Rain today. Tomorrow, maybe a smidgen of sun!
Love the dishes! Glad you got home safe and sound. Also glad that Don had such a nice, uneventful trip. I know you miss him. Hopefully, the weather will soon improve enough for you to get out and enjoy your emerging garden. The weather is gloomy here, but not much rain (and we are already 2 1/2 inches behind for the year so we really need it). However, the temperatures are warm and my garden is beginning to explode! I love this time of the year!
I can’t wait to start gardening, but right now? Too damp, too cold and there’s still some snow on the ground.
I’ll bet your cottage seems spacious after the “pod”. Such pretty dishes you found, too. Around here, it’s all painting, hanging shutters, recipe testing, and drawing. The heat is on down South! Enjoy your brisk Spring weather while you can.
I was thinking that on the bus ride home – that the cottage would seem spacious after that hotel room!
Welcome home. Know it’s not the same without Don. Beautiful pattern on the dishes. I love flowers on anything. Is Don in an apartment while he’s in La Jolla? Wondering if he decorated his temp spaces too!
Yes, they’ll put him up in an apartment. Don is not much for decorating his away-from-home space. His guitars will be his decorations!
It’s always good to get home but I know you miss Don. I had lunch with some of my Atlanta blogger friends today, it was fun. Makes a long day driving to Atlanta and back!
So glad you had a good time with your blogging friends!
Happy that Don made it safely to California. Those China pieces are lovely. Congratulations to Melissa on winning the book.
Marilyn
Thank you, Marilyn!
Welcome home. Of course you miss Don. Glad to hear he made it to CA safely.
Love those plates!
They’re pretty neat, aren’t they? Thanks, Melanie.
Very nice, indeed. Enjoy the cottage! Regula
Thank you, Regula!
Very pretty dishes Claudia! So happy that you and Don are safely where you need to be even though you are on opposite sides of the country…
Thank you, Nancy!
Oh this gray weather — it’s certainly not the thing to elevate ones mood. Though your new dishes certainly bring on some cheer. I think I have a few of these pieces packed away. Odds and ends I picked up in hopes of collecting a set. Looking forward to photos of your budding gardens and stories of Dons travels — happy you are both safe.
So gray here today Jay! My kingdom for some sun!