Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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Twelve

February 17, 2020 at 10:52 am by Claudia

The river that is just across the street from the cottage. I took this picture because Don had ventured out for a ‘short walk’ and when, an hour and a half later, he still hadn’t returned, I got a bit concerned. He was going to visit the river and then take a short walk. The river is a steep drop from our neighbor’s property, so I went there first to see if I could find him.

No dice.

Then I debated whether I should get in the car and look for him. While I was debating – and I was only concerned because he didn’t have his phone with him and he could have fallen – I walked around our property and took this picture:

Winter milkweed.

Finally, I grabbed the car keys and pulled out of the driveway. I ventured about 500 feet down the road and there he was, walking stick in hand, headed back to the house.

New rule: Take your cell phone with you.

He lost track of the time. I’ve taken to calling him Huckleberry Finn. Or should it be Tom Sawyer?

Speaking of the cottage, and picture taking, and Don, and adventures, today is the 12th anniversary of this blog. I hit publish on this date in 2008. Who knew I would still be going all these years later? I’ve been writing this blog for more years than I’ve worked at any job, whether it was that stint in an office in Detroit (7 years) or grad school (3 years), or another office job while I was applying for teaching positions (2 years) or various temp office jobs, or teaching at Boston University (5 years) or teaching at the University of San Diego/Old Globe MFA program/coaching at the Old Globe (8 years). I’ve been freelancing for the past 19 years, but that involves a long, long list of all sorts of  jobs.

I haven’t been writing daily for all 12 years, but I’ve been doing it for at least 7, maybe 8, years. I’m proud of this blog, which began as an experiment and still is in a way, though I’ve settled in rather nicely.

I won’t belabor this anniversary by writing too much as I’ve written about it in the past. But I do want to thank you for being there, for visiting this little corner of the Internet. If you weren’t there, I’d just be writing for myself and that’s nearly as much fun as chatting with you.

Sending all sorts of love on this February 17th.

Happy Monday.

Filed Under: anniversary, blog, Mockingbird Hill Cottage 86 Comments

A Bright and Snowy Monday

January 20, 2020 at 10:28 am by Claudia

A view of the snow outside. It’s actually quite pretty and today is sunny, so the light pouring into the house is bright as only light reflected by snow can be. No complaints here except it’s mind-numbingly cold out there. I mean, really  cold!

I assume you have been busy this weekend, whether with the winter storm or the long weekend, because yesterday’s post got only one comment. I think that’s the first time in almost 12 years of blogging that has happened! Well, let me clarify; when I started blogging, my first few posts didn’t get any comments because no one knew I was out there. It took a while to build up a readership. Anyway, you know I don’t pressure anyone to comment and I never will, but it did give me pause.

We’re laying low this weekend. We had a lovely day yesterday. Don made a fantastic brunch, he shoveled the snow (I didn’t have to!) and then we hung out together the rest of the day. We finished watching the new season of Grace and Frankie – I have thoughts about it but I won’t share them until everyone has seen it. We didn’t watch the SAG awards; we’re just not that into awards this year.

Don’s car is acting up, so we’re taking it in today. He has muffler problems, so I’ll follow him into town to make sure he’s okay and, of course, to bring him back home. The CR-V is 20 years old and hanging in there on a wing and a prayer.

I’m halfway through the newest Michael Connelly. Connelly writes so well that I instantly relax, knowing I’m in good hands.

For those of you who work and have today off, enjoy!

Happy Monday.

Filed Under: blog, books, snow 43 Comments

A Rainy Tuesday

November 12, 2019 at 9:54 am by Claudia

It’s a gray and rainy day here. Tonight, the temperatures are going to plummet and I may have to face reality – never easy – and let my porch plants go. There are too many 18 degree nights coming up for me to continue to cover them. It seems colder here than it usually is in early November. I hope that isn’t an ill omen for the coming winter.

I spent hours and hours yesterday trying to figure out my photo editing dilemma. Too involved to explain, but at the end of the day, I had a newer version of Lightroom and I succumbed to Adobe’s (the creator) required new subscription servic. Even though I owned my version of LR outright, having paid for it years ago, it is no longer supported by Adobe (which means they leave us no choice) and Apple is also going to stop supporting apps that have 32 bits rather than 64 bits. Just in case you think I know what that means, I don’t. I only know I got a warning from Apple the other day saying it would soon be impossible to use on my computer. And then I screwed up royally on something else to do with editing which made for a lot of hassles. I had to make the decision whether to upgrade to something that would eventually not work or bite the bullet and upgrade to a better solution now. Oh, and I upgraded to the wrong plan, had to cancel it, and then subscribe to the right plan. This took up most of the day.

Oy.

At the end of the day I was sore from hunching over my keyboard.

Don is still under the weather. On Sunday, when we went to the bookstore, he was feeling better. Yesterday and today, he feels worse. Chest colds are such a pain in the tush. Or more aptly, the head and chest.

I’m currently reading Gaudy Night  by Dorothy L. Sayers. For some reason, I’ve never read any Sayers, even though I’ve always known about her and well remember watching the BBC/PBS series from 1987 about Harriet Vane and Peter Wimsey. It starred Edward Petherbridge and Harriet Walter, both of whom were wonderful. Years later, I had the chance to meet Petherbridge (such a lovely man) and see Harriet Walter on stage in London. And – in life’s strange twists – Walter eventually ended up marrying Guy Paul, a friend of ours who was the original Grinch in the stage production of How the Grinch Stole Christmas, which premiered at the Old Globe Theater (and also starred my husband.)

As always, it’s a small world.

Back to the book…it’s wonderful! What a stylish writer Sayers was! I’m deep into it and am enjoying it very much.

I’m also about to start a nonfiction memoir that I will be reviewing next week: Body Leaping Backward: Memoir of a Delinquent Girlhood  by Maureen Stanton.

There’s a lot on my plate including a couple of days of coaching in the next few weeks. I have to do some prep work.

Happy Tuesday.

Filed Under: blog, books 19 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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