books — Page 47

Buds

October 15, 2021 at 9:03 am by Claudia

The second morning glory is about to bloom.

If you look in the background, you can see some tiny blooms developing. In fact, they’re everywhere among both sections of morning glories.

Is this ‘blooming two months later than normal’ thing going to become a regular occurrence? Normally, we would most likely have had a frost by now and they would be gone. But, a quick scan of the weather forecast for the next two weeks shows no frosts. So…I think we’re going to get to see some pretty morning glories before I have to leave for the city. A lovely little autumn surprise. They, along with the still blooming zinnias, keep me going when all my pretty summer flowers are gone. I also spy a bud on the moonflowers, so….please, please, please…maybe I’ll get to see one or two?

I’m going to have to research this. Is it because of climate change? A very rainy and wet summer? Both? Neither? When I get some spare time, which is at a premium these days, I’ll see what I can find out.

I didn’t hear him this morning, but the Carolina wren has been hanging out around the porch for the last several days. A lovely gift, as I’ve really come to love those perky little birds.

Coaching Ben again today. Don’s car is in the shop. We have to clean the gutters today as it’s going to rain tomorrow. Waiting for our taxes to be filed at the end of the day – dreading what we might owe. It’s a nervous day for me, so I will try to be in the now, something my husband always reminds me of, thank goodness.

I’m reading The Lantern Men by Elly Griffiths. Then the newest, which is still in hardcover. I’ll be caught up at that point. I have books stacked up, ready to travel with me to NYC. I’m also going to order a jigsaw puzzle to take with me. As I get more and more information from the production company in my emails, I can see where we will be shooting on any given day, when we have meetings, that kind of thing. It becomes more real.

You do know that I won’t be able to share details on the days on the set? That’s not for public consumption. It’s not any different than my previous decisions to not share theater rehearsal information. I’ll share what I can, but the blog will more likely be about sights I see along the way, places I visit on my days off, that kind of thing.

Okay. Lots to do today and I have to get going. Fingers crossed for more morning glories. Fingers crossed for Don’s car and for relatively little money due to the IRS.

Stay safe.

Happy Friday.

Zinnias, Books & Baseball

October 11, 2021 at 9:49 am by Claudia

The zinnias, bless them, are still going strong, with new flowers still emerging. They are my late-in-the-season gift.

I am not a fan of Monday holidays. But here we are. I suppose I don’t like the fact that there’s no mail delivery, more than anything. Also, when I was teaching in an actor training program and coaching theater – and when I was an actress as well – Monday was our day off. Our only day off. So having a holiday on that day made going to the bank and the post office next to impossible. It’s a bit different now in that you can deposit a check with an app, but the post office is still an impossibility.

I finished The Stone Circle by Elly Griffiths and have ordered The Lantern Men, which is next. Then I’ll be ready to read her latest, which I believe is still in hardcover. I have a stack of books ready to take to Brooklyn with me, including the latest by Louise Penny, John Connolly, Amor Towles, and Anthony Doerr.

Imogen, sitting on the tiny cardboard suitcases I bought on Amazon. I needed some cute way to store the girls’ clothes other than the shoe box I had been using. I told her she could share everything with Sophia and she was delighted. I haven’t yet broken the news that they’re leaving home for six weeks. It’s too soon.

Red Sox again tonight. Last night’s game, for some inexplicable reason, was only carried by MLB TV, and we don’t subscribe to it. So major league baseball, despite their mission to gain a viewing audience, shot themselves in the foot. Most of their viewers rely on accessible cable tv to view the games and yours truly was not about to subscribe for one game. So, the evening turned a bit surreal as I held my phone and followed along with the game on both the Red Sox and MLB sites. Don sat on the sofa with his eyes closed while I announced balls, strikes, who was on base, etc. Since the game lasted 13 innings, this was a long and tedious process. Tonight, thank goodness, it’s available.

We won, by the way.

Okay. Have to coach Ben today.

Stay safe.

Happy Monday.

The River and Books

September 30, 2021 at 9:38 am by Claudia

The Hudson River from the train.

I’ve slept in a bit the last two days which tells me my body needs some rest. It’s become very fall-like recently – much cooler mornings, along with cooler days.

I did some cleaning and straightening yesterday. I wasn’t gone long enough to have to do any major cleanup, but I can’t guarantee what I’ll come home to when I’m living in the city. Don is good about straightening up; he has a little OCD so he has to have some order. But the cleaning that I do (and heaven knows, I’m hardly a clean freak) is not what he does. I’ll just have to let it all go and do what I can, when I can. But, for a girl who likes to be in control, this kind of thing is hard.

Frankly, what I seem to do a lot of is wash masks! Yesterday, I washed 4 of them. I’m determined to buy enough masks to get me through 8 or 9 days before I run out, as I won’t have time, or a washing machine in my apartment, to throw something in the wash any old time like I do here.

We went to get our boosters last night, but we didn’t get them. Turns out that though the Walgreen’s site let us sign up for an appointment, since our last shot was on March 31st, it’s not exactly 6 months until tomorrow. We were disappointed, but we understood. They told us to come by on Friday morning, so that is the plan.

We’re watching the final season of Goliath on Amazon Prime. It has a stellar cast, headed by the great Billy Bob Thornton, and this season is brilliantly done. Excellent.

I’ve started The Stone Circle by Elly Griffiths. I have so many new books to read. I’m saving them for NYC. Louise Penny, of course, the new Anthony Doerr – Cloud Cuckoo Land – which I preordered, the new Amor Towles – The Lincoln Highway – will arrive before I leave, the new John Connolly, and several others. They’ve been piling up because I’ve been in Elly Griffiths mode. Anthony Doerr wrote All The Light We Cannot See, which has to be one of my favorite books ever. And Amor Towles wrote A Gentleman in Moscow, which I have repeatedly raved about on this blog. I’ve read it twice and will reread it again and again. On my Top Ten Books I Have Ever Read list.

I love knowing I have all these treats saved up to read.

Today? Rest. Reading. Paying some bills. Checking our bank account because I’ve had to shell out quite a bit of money for cabs and Covid Testing and I have no idea how much is in the account. I’ll be reimbursed for all of that but it will take a few weeks.

Stay safe.

Happy Thursday.

Buds

Zinnias, Books & Baseball

The River and Books

Lambs Like to Party

A Note

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