The singing birds seem to be entranced with the Aquitania.
I noticed the change in their position the other day. Are they fascinated with ocean travel? Are they pondering landing on the deck of the ship, thereby bringing delight to the passengers?
(No doubt the change in orientation happened when I was dusting, but I like to think they turned toward the ship.)
Yesterday was taken up by a long phone call with my neighbor, who is from Russia. She was enormously helpful in clarifying some of the Russian pronunciations. I’m very grateful for her help. Then it was off to the Podiatrist for Don’s follow-up appointment. The cellulitis is getting much, much better, though, as I suspected might be the case, the doctor wants him to be on antibiotics for another week. His words to Don: “Chill out. Elevate. No commuting into the city.” (Too much walking.)
Needless to say, Don is going a bit crazy. I was in the same housebound state when I badly sprained my ankle so I understand. There’s only so much you can do from your chair….
Today I’m doing more prep work on Anastasia. I am traveling to Hartford tomorrow afternoon; just for the day, mind you. The actors are doing a read-through of the script. (I hope they sing, too!)
Monday’s mail also brought a package from my longtime blogging friend, Sheila.
She sent us wildflower, morning glory and forget-me-not seeds for Scout’s Garden. And she added two adorable pairs of gardening gloves. Sheila, this is the perfect gift for us and we are so grateful for your thoughtful gesture. We miss her. We are still in mourning. And we’re so looking forward to that time, hopefully in a few weeks, that we can break ground, prep the soil, and start planting her garden.
From Sheila: “I sent one box of wildflowers for Scout and one for Riley. The pink Morning Glory vine is for Scout, the blue for Riley, and the Zinnias and Forget Me Nots for their parents to cut and enjoy inside.”
And she sent pink gloves because we originally met while participating in the meme Pink Saturday. I’m so touched.
Thank you, dear friend.
I’m reading Beach Music by Pat Conroy, but it’s taking me a while to get into it. That’s not due to his writing, which is superb, it’s more likely due to the crazy week we’ve had. At over 700 pages long, I guess I’ll be reading this one for a while!
Oh, one more thing. Have you seen the new HBO documentary about Nora Ephron? I was a big fan of her work, both on the printed page and on screen, and this new documentary, It’s All Copy, has been produced by her son Jacob Bernstein. It’s wonderful. Run, don’t walk, to HBO to see it. We loved it and are planning to watch it a second time.
New post up on Just Let Me Finish This Page.
Happy Wednesday.
Oh, thank you for the tip about Nora Ephron. I miss her! I’ll have to look for the show somehow, as we no longer have satellite or cable tv. She was just the best. I have a couple of her books of essays and they are so good.
The documentary is excellent, Dana. You really get a sense of the person behind the fame. Lovely.
Sheila, you are remarkable!
She’s pretty wonderful!
What a wonderful gift package! How thoughtful. And to remember just when the two of you met is remarkable to me. I have a horrible memory. I like your first picture of the birds. It truly does look like they’re gazing upon the ship as if they’re trying to decide just where to land. I’m glad to hear that Don is getting better. Sitting still is never easy, especially at this time of year.
Blessings, Betsy
Oh gosh, it sure isn’t! I am also getting cabin fever, which has not been helped by this weather, Betsy!
Hi Claudia. Glad to hear that Don is on the mend (even though it is slower than he…and you…would like). And those two little birds – precious. Although I really like Pat Conroy’s writing…his language…I struggled to get through Beach Music.
It’s been a slow one. I think I just need to find a chunk of time to sit down and read enough so that I can get caught up in the story.
Claudia, I really like the picture of the ship. The two birds look like spring to me, such a pretty color. You are certainly keeping busy.
Feast or famine, Doris. Either I’m really busy or I don’t have enough to do!
My birds are singing right now since they don’t have a picture of a ship to stare at! I love the package of seeds for the memory garden. I bought a box of the wildflower seeds and when it’s a bit warmer I’ll plant them. I need some flowers this year in front of ‘Charlie’s window’. Happy to hear Don is on the mend. I opened my copy of Beach Music and I swear the printing was so small I can’t read it. I may have to search the library for a large print copy. Fun to get older isn’t it.
hugs,
Linda
Flowers in front of Charlie’s Window will be perfect, Linda. We need something to help in our grieving, don’t we?
My eyes get strained from computer screens and small print all too easily these days, Linda!
Glad you were able to get some help with the Russian…you have a wonderful neighbor! And, what a thoughtful gift! It’s the kind of gift that will keep on giving…and healing your souls. Love those two birds….are they McCoy? ;)
Yes, they’re McCoy. I have one in cream, as well. They may be my favorite pieces of McCoy.
Like you, I like to think the birds are seriously thinking of a trip on the high seas – just think of the delight of the passengers watching those two swoop and dive all around the decks and over the waves.
And, what a lovely gift for Scout’s garden – from seed, to seedling and colorful blooms to fill that little spot with beauty. A lovely tribute to your pretty girl.
I think the passengers would love those two pretty birds!
I can’t wait to get going in that garden…but I see snow when I look out the window!
How sweet of Sheila…you must have forget-me-nots in a memory garden…Tell Don this is a great time to catch up on reading books!
I forgot to tell you I got a nice paperback copy of South Of Broad at our local Goodwill for 97 cents…looking forward to reading it!
Oh great! What a good deal!
I keep telling him that. I’ve encourage him to visit our local library, even offered to drive him there yesterday!
Glad to hear that Don’s doctor had good news! Beach Music is sitting in wait on my night stand right now. Can’t wait to start! I love that man!!
Big Texas Hugs,
Susan and Bentley
I do, too, Susan.
I love you, Claudia! And I’m happy that you’re happy with the seeds and gloves. So glad we met on Pink Saturday many years ago. I thought then, and now, that you were one of the sweetest, most creative of the blogging set with the coolest blue glasses ever! And I’m very happy to be a small part of Scout’s and Riley’s garden. They brought me joy, too.
All good wishes to you and Don, and Don, keep that leg up!
Best with your play, Claudia!
xoxoxo
Sheila
You are so sweet. I couldn’t be happier that you are a part of their garden. xoxo
xoxoxo
PS
Love those birds, and I think they want to travel to England. That’s where this magpie would sail if she could!
As would I!
It would be so fun if they could fly to that ship and entertain the passengers!! Good job dusting! ?
Just received an email that My Reading Life by Pat Conroy is at the library waiting for me! I do order all my books in Large Print now. So much easier reading! Just finished All the Light We Cannot See this morning. Cried and cried at the ending.
Glad to hear Don is getting better. Sitting still is the hardest part.
Here’s to good neighbors. I bet she loved helping you with the Russian.
Such a sweet gift! Oh, Claudia, I hope our Morning Glories bloom earlier this year. I have seen a few southern bloggers who already have blooms!! I plant mine in early May and never have blooms until mid August! Can’t wait to follow the progress of sweet Scout’s garden.
The same thing with my morning glories and it gets so frustrating when there are buds about to open in September or early October and there’s a frost! I feel like I’ve been cheated out of all the blooms that could open and now won’t.
I always soak my seeds over-night. But I have recently noticed people saying that they cut or knick/ nick the seed before they soak them. Do you do that?? I might try that this year.
I always feel cheated out of weeks of blooms because they happen so very late in the season. And you are right, as some years we have a frost in mid to late September making their season even shorter!
I soak them and I nicked them one year, but not last year. Maybe I should do that again this year because they sure bloomed late last year!
I am so glad to read that Don is improving. And, many thanks for the Pink Saturday mention. I continue to hear of so many lasting friendships that began with Pink Saturday.♥
You should be proud of Pink Saturday, Beverly. It has been a constant for years – I have a lot of blog friends that I met through your wonderful meme. Including you!
Claudia, Are you planning out Scout’s memory garden, or will it be a spontaneous riot of color? If planning, maybe a good project for Don? My new backyard is blooming! My azalea, which was very unhappy and not blooming for years, was transplanted during the re-landscaping. It is now a blazing pink mass of flowers. Irises have come out, so many buds on my one rose plant. It’s in the 80’s today, then a cooling to maybe a rainstorm this weekend, predicted to be the last of the El Niño rains. El Niño didn’t bring as much water as we had hoped for. Continuing to have short showers and saving gray water. Claudia, You’ll soon have Spring without fear of a cold snap….I wish for a long growing season for you.
I haven’t decided yet – plan or just go with it? Your garden sounds lovely, Wendy. I’m so happy to hear it’s doing well!
I hadn’t heard about the Nora Ephron documentary, and even though I don’t subscribe to HBO, now I MUST find it. Maybe they’ll post it on YouTube sometime soon. Nora is one of my personal heroes – no kidding. One of the people I want at my table on my first night in Heaven. Along with Winston Churchill, Jacqueline Kennedy and Beethoven [a family game we play on occasion – and relatives are a given so you don’t have to specifically ask for them – they’ll be there]. PS – the white snow is melting quickly here – and a rainy tomorrow should finish it off. Finally. ☁️
I feel the same way about her. I’ve read most of her work and have followed her for years, long before her movie fame.
Same here about the snow, too. It’s melting and tomorrow will be rainy, so goodbye snow!
I’ve been frustrated that I don’t have HBO because I want BADLY to see that documentary on Nora whose writing/films I love. It had gotten a lot of pre-publicity, so I was aware of it. If you ever caught her on a TV chat show, she was hilarious. Loved her. I’m thinking of subscribing to HBO again; I’m missing a lot of good shows.
Oh, don’t you have the nicest people who send you the nicest things?! Loved seeing the garden seeds and gloves. So sweet.
What is the likelihood that you just happen to have a kindly Russian neighbor when you need one!
I had to chuckle with the birds gazing at the ship. I like how your mind works!
Glad Don is better. It would be hard to leave him tomorrow if he wasn’t.
It’s noon and was 93 degrees {f} at 11:30 am PST here in SoCalif; hot and very, very windy. Dry, hot, annoying wind. Do NOT like it. How’s your weather for Hartford? Seems like a lot of driving for a day trip but I don’t know the geography. We may actually get rain here in SoCalif tomorrow…so, our weather is wild.
Claudia, if you had to pick your favorite Pat Conroy, which would it be?
I think it would be The Prince of Tides (fiction) and My Reading Life (non-fiction) – both are excellent.
I saw her on talk shows frequently and heard many interviews with her. Also read many of her articles/essays when she was writing for Esquire, etc. BIG FAN!
I hate those hot winds in CA! It’s going to rain for my trip to Hartford. All day long. Yuck!
Thanks for replying to my comments. It’s always so good of you to do that for your readers. Have a safe Hartford trip!
Thanks, Vicki. I just learned that Darko wants me to come for Friday’s rehearsal, too. So, I’m going to stay overnight.
What nice gifts!! I have a pair of the blue check gloves. I use them for free motion quilting so I can grip the fabric.
I always think of the movie Take Her She´s Mine when I hear Nora´s name. What a cute movie that was. I´ll have to check out the documentary. Pam
I love that blue check – it’s so cheery!
What a sweet gift.
Yes, very sweet, Deb!
Such a sweet and thoughtful gift! I love the idea of creating a special garden!
So glad to hear Don is doing better…
It is. I’m looking forward to planting those seeds, Linda.
I fell in love with your singing birds and when I saw on in a shop in South Carolina I just had to pick it up. Too cute! Can’t wait to find a place for him to sit. Maybe looking out at the waves would be good although I think he would like the woods better.
Glad Don is feeling better. Whenever you have to sit, all you can think about is all you want or need to do.
Love the gardening gift.
Love you,
Eileen
Oh, I’m happy to hear you found one, Eileen!
Love you, too.