Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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Vaccines, Finishing War & Peace, and the Girls

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First of all, we got both our RSV and flu vaccinations yesterday. I was checking the availability of appointments at our local pharmacy and there were slots available in the afternoon. We were just planning on getting the RSV, but the pharmacist encouraged us to get the flu shot at the same time.

So we did. He was a nice guy but not the gentlest in terms of inserting the needle. Ah well. I felt a little funky in the afternoon and wondered if it was a reaction, but thinking back on it, I just think it was my sinuses/allergies. If it was a reaction, it was incredibly short and no big deal. Today, I feel fine – except for the fact that Don woke me up with a big snore at 4:15 am and that was it for sleeping. By the way, the snoring issue is much better as Don found something to insert in the nose to keep the nostrils open. This morning’s snore was a rarity.

Anyway – Covid next month and then we’re good to go.

Done; with one caveat – I didn’t finish the Epilogue. It was about ten chapters long, very dry, and was basically Tolstoy’s musings on historians, the path of history, etc., etc. By the time I was halfway through, I finally realized that I had indeed read the entire novel, plus many pages of the epilogue which were making my eyes glaze over, so I was allowed to stop.

It was a gift, this readalong. I don’t think I would have attempted it otherwise. I’ve read several novels that were over a thousand pages, so it’s not the length, necessarily. It was Tolstoy’s WAR AND PEACE and everything it symbolized that would have held me back and maybe the thought that it would be boring, as well. Of course, it was anything but that. An incredible, beautifully written book by a master.

I spent the afternoon on Wednesday redressing all of the girls. I was dealing with a little anxiety. I’ve found that grabbing one of the girls when I’m stressed helps to ground me, if that makes sense. I fell in love with them all over again. I thought it was high time to remove their summer ensembles and get them ready for fall and the start of school.

Here is group one. I’ll share more pictures tomorrow.

Holly, Zoe, and Katie.

Stay safe.

Happy Friday.

 

 

Mei, Spiders & A Question

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Okay. My first question – maybe my only question: Has anyone had the RSV vaccine yet? If so, how was it? They recommend getting it in September, so we’re contemplating doing that. At the same time, I’m masking now whenever I go out, so maybe I don’t have to worry?

Interestingly, after a stretch of time where weren’t masking, I’ve had to work hard to persuade Don to mask. He’s so used to not doing it. And he wasn’t really reading the information about the new variant or the numbers of people getting Covid. I kept mentioning all the people I knew who had it for the first time after 3 years of avoiding it. He would sort of wave me off because I think he didn’t want to deal with that reality. But he’s masking now. Obviously, when he has a gig, he won’t wear a mask while performing.

This will be our future, I think. A new variant every year. All thanks to those who insisted on not wearing a mask. Who thought only of themselves and not the greater good.

I have yet to pick a new subject to paint, I’ll force myself to make a choice today.

My favorite spider, weaving his web down by the road. He was in my main garden bed a couple of weeks ago – that’s a first.

Big news on the doll front, Mei has bangs.

An online Blythe friend suggested it. Her gorgeous angora hair is very fine and flyaway and it’s always been hard to keep it out of her face. I thought about it yesterday, talked to Don about it, and then….I just did it. I also trimmed the length of her hair about a 1/4 of an inch. I liked it very much, but then, when we were sitting on the sofa, I could see her with her eyes in this position “looking” at me. Was she angry? Was she saying “What did you do??” And ,as I reminded Don, they’re not going to grow back.

This morning, though, I looked at her and had no qualms about cutting them. I really like the way they frame her face. And her hair is much easier to handle.

That’s it. I’m so, so close to the end of  War and Peace! I think I’ll get there this weekend.

Stay safe.

Happy Saturday.

 

Margaritaville, Painting & Olivia

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♦ We’ve had long talks about Jimmy Buffet, Escape to Margaritaville, and the effect that project had on Don’s life. It was truly the highlight of his career and he is extraordinarily grateful, Any disappointments with the shortened length of the run have long since faded away. Years ago, in fact. Now, Don simply has gratitude for an opportunity that came out of nowhere at an age where he thought that kind of thing couldn’t happen. Gratitude for Jimmy, of course. Gratitude for the cast and crew and musicians, and all of the people who came to see E2M when it played in La Jolla, New Orleans, Houston, Chicago, and on Broadway. Extraordinary and devoted fans who made every performance completely joyful. I’ve never seen anything like it in all my years in the theater – and if I counted up how many productions I have seen, coached, and worked on, it would be in the thousands. I’ve never witnessed such happiness and joy in the theater.

Complete and utter joy.

Like these ladies, devoted Parrotheads from the Charleston chapter, who had seen the show several times and traveled to NYC for the closing performance. They were sitting next to me and we had a great conversation. When I finally said that Don (J.D.) was my husband, they were thrilled. He was their favorite. And during the last performance of He Went to Paris, when Don sang his wonderful solo and hit a very, very low note, I started to sob, and all three of them reached out to touch my shoulder and hold my hand. The spirit of these women was echoed in every fan who came to see the show. Good people, many of them chapter members who raised money for charities. I immediately thought of these women when we heard the news about Jimmy.

I was the recipient of lots of hugs from Jimmy on closing night and got to kiss him on the cheek. Lucky me!

And lucky, lucky Don for the gift of that incredible experience.

We miss you Jimmy. Rest in Peace.

♦ C’est fini.

There were lots of leaves on the ground in the photo of the Jardin du Luxembourg, and I added them, but I didn’t like what I’d done or how I’d painted them (not in my skill set, yet) so I painted over them. Now the promenade is leaf-free.

I’m not sure what I’m going to try next…I’ll be thinking about that today.

♦ Very, very hot and humid here. Truly dreadful. Grateful for working a/c and indoor pursuits.

♦ I had a great phone conversation yesterday with my friend Doug (the designer, costumer, and doll creator.) I just love him and I’ve felt that way since we first met when I was 17 years old. He’s just a fantastic human being. Yesterday, I got the lowdown on how he got involved with Gene Marshall dolls, as well as information on all the other dolls he created – at several points, having to travel to China to instruct the artists there on how to make the dolls and the clothing. He would sleep at the factory. It’s all so fascinating.

And finally, Olivia would like to point out that the limelight hydrangeas are turning pink and they match her dress!

Stay safe.

Happy Wednesday.

 

 

Lambs Like to Party

Lambs Like to Party

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