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February 2, 2022 at 10:01 am by Claudia

Well, over the course of two hours, I managed to fit a grand total of 6 blue pieces into the puzzle. At this pace, I should be done by July.

We’re in a bit of a warmer patch today and tomorrow – it’s nice not to have to run a drip from the faucet – but on Friday that will change. And it will be subzero again on Saturday. Such is the weather merry-go-round of January and February. One piece of good news, the forecast is for just an inch of snow and ice on Friday, rather than the larger amount of the previous forecasts. Fingers crossed that this forecast holds true.

I finished the Julia Dahl and have started this book, Slow Horses by Mick Herron. I found it last year at Oblong books and it’s been in my TBR pile ever since. At least one of you told me at the time that it is a great series. I’m only about 20 pages in.

At the same time, I’m reading:

The Wood by John Lewis-Stempel, a book I’ve had for a couple of years. Lewis-Stempel is British and he writes about nature. So many people I follow raved about this book. It’s written in a monthly form, starting in December, so I’m going to read December and January this week so I can eventually read February when it’s February, etc.

Some new outfits arrived in yesterday’s mail – made by Qiuilizo, who made that adorable blue hooded jacket and pants that Imogen modeled for you recently. I’ve been wanting some casual wear for the girls and these fit the bill.

She made the bags, as well.

I can’t stand it, these two sisters are so cute!

Once again, I am in awe of the talent out there, people who are creating and designing clothes for these dolls. When I think back to my grandmother making doll clothes for every doll of mine from Tiny Tears to my Barbies, I cannot comprehend how she did it. But, bless her heart, she sat down at her little sewing machine in their den and created beautiful clothes.

And I have none of them now. My mother either gave them away after I moved out of the house or, more likely, my sisters inherited the dolls and clothes and my mom gave them away after they had grown out of playing with dolls. Whatever reason, how I would treasure having some of the clothes now. I do have quilts Grandma made, thank goodness.

Is there a toy or doll you had as a child that you still have? Or that you wish you still had? I’m curious.

Stay safe.

Happy Wednesday.

An Audience And A Sunset

January 31, 2022 at 9:32 am by Claudia

Saturday’s sunset:

Another very, very cold morning! I turned the heat down a bit too low last night, so it’s taking a long time for our 131 year old house to heat up. Both Don and I were having a hard time this morning with winter and cold and snow and being stuck in the house. So, while drinking our second cup of coffee, we did a gratitude list.

It helps.

January is nearly over and then February. March is always wintry but a change is slowly occurring by then, so it doesn’t seem quite so bleak. I don’t mean to wish away time but I do think knowing we’re done with January helps.

The puzzle has entered the ‘pulling my hair out’ stage, where I have to examine pieces by shape – in different positions, different light – in order to try to fill in the empty spaces. It is such slow going! I limit my time there so I don’t start screaming and scare Don.

We taped an audition in the den yesterday, which took no time at all now that we’ve found a good spot. Afterwards, I realized that we had an audience.

Between the girls and the animals, there was quite a large group attending the performance. Appreciative, I think…one could say ‘rapt.’

I am going to force myself to read a chunk of The Missing Hours by Julia Dahl today. I’m having trouble getting into it and normally I love Julia Dahl’s writing. Maybe it’s because the main character hasn’t gone missing yet and right now the story is about 18 year olds and drugs and sex. Frankly, that bores me. I want to smack them. But the number of pages in this book is on the short side and I think this is one where I have to get some sort of rhythm going in order to ‘get’ it. At least, I hope that’s the case.

Okay, friends. Stay warm!

And stay safe.

Zoe and What Are You Reading?

January 26, 2022 at 10:27 am by Claudia

Speaking of the desk, Zoe decided to perch there for a while yesterday.

You’ll notice she’s wearing the new red and black boots.

Of all my girls, Zoe most reminds me of me as a child. I had thick brown hair, bangs, big dark brown eyes, and I was a serious kid who worried a lot. My hair was long, which is the only difference.

I guess Zoe is my “mini me.”

Waving hello to all of you.

I finished Cloud Cuckoo Land last night. Simply extraordinary. Anthony Doerr is an incredibly gifted writer. There’s no way I could summarize the plot here, as it’s complex, but suffice to say, it’s an ode to books and libraries and the human spirit, which spans generations, countries, space, and time. A book to savor and take your time reading for the sheer pleasure of it. I still can’t stop thinking about it. I spoke about nothing but that book to Don this morning during our coffee time on the sofa. I couldn’t stop!

I read a lot and, of course, you know I love mysteries. But if I had to sum up the most powerful and extraordinary books (and I’m talking new books) that I have read in the past 10 years, I would list these:

All the Light We Cannot See – Anthony Doerr
Station Eleven – Emily St. John Mandel
A Gentleman in Moscow – Amor Towles
Hamnet – Maggie O’Farrell
Cloud Cuckoo Land – Anthony Doerr

And I have Towles’ newest, The Lincoln Highway, here in the den.

But first I’ll read Julia Dahl’s newest mystery, The Missing Hours, which I purchased at the Mysterious Bookshop when I was in NYC. I reviewed Dahl’s first three books and was an immediate fan. (She lives in Brooklyn, by the way.)

Which leads me to my favorite question for you (one I’ve neglected for too long.)

What are you reading?

Stay safe.

Happy Wednesday.

Currently Reading

An Audience And A Sunset

Zoe and What Are You Reading?

Lambs Like to Party

A Note

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