Don — Page 115

Fog, Dogs & Gratitude

November 30, 2016 at 9:03 am by Claudia

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Another foggy morning here in my neck of the woods.

I love foggy mornings. There’s something mysterious about them. Something other-worldly. And then I hear Fred Astaire singing “A foggy day in London town…”

It’s very cozy around here this morning. We’re watching the fog shift and change, drinking our coffee and feeling grateful. Sometimes I have to remind myself to stop and utter thanks for what I have. It’s tempting to compare my life with others, and though I am much better about that than I used to be, comparison still creeps in there from time to time.

The sheer and utter truth is that I am blessed: a husband who loves me and who I love in return, a cozy little cottage that provides a roof over our heads, bills that are paid for the month, heat coming from the oil burner, food in the pantry, a family I adore and a sister who is simply the best sister ever, a little nephew who sounded so cheery and so happy last night that gratitude for his recovery from the seizure that happened just a week ago filled me up from head to toe, friends and colleagues who challenge and support me, work in my chosen field – I’ll stop there, but goodness, there’s so much more.

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I took this picture the other day and today, as I was editing it, I realized there are birds flying by that big, fluffy cloud. I love surprises like that.

I don’t think I’ve ever shared the next picture with you. I took it before I started blogging – somewhere between 2006 and 2008. It was for the cover of Don’s first CD (no longer available) called “Dogs in the House.”

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Don keeps it in a frame on his desk.

We had to do some maneuvering to get this photo. We opened the window and took out the screen and then Don had to hold out some treats to get the dogs to come to the edge of the opening. Over and over again until we got this shot.

Of course, we rewarded their patience with our shenanigans with lots of treats.

Oh, those sweet faces. How I miss them.

Another rainy day ahead for us and then a bit of a warm-up tomorrow and Friday. On Friday, we’re going to go on a tour of the Catskill Animal Sanctuary! I’m so excited. I’ll take lots of pictures, I promise.

Happy Wednesday.

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Reading As Escape

November 16, 2016 at 9:27 am by Claudia

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I try to get good photos of the moon. I do.

But I don’t have the right kind of lens, don’t have a stretch of level ground on which to plant a tripod, and it gets so dark around here that the ‘night’ setting on my camera really doesn’t do it. Ah, well.

Yesterday was a rain-filled day and it wasn’t the drizzly kind of rain we’ve been getting, but a very good soaking rain. It was dismal out there, but much appreciated. I drove to the bookstore for reading therapy. Though I am vigilant and am doing everything I can right now to stay energized for the fight, I also need to escape, always hoping that when I come out of Reading World, I’ll find it was all a bad dream.

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I’ve already read the new Flea Market Style. Loved it.

Country Living, Christmas edition. I’ve never been too crazy about Christmas issues of favorite decorating magazines. I’d rather see any interior sans holiday decorations. I find them distracting. But I caved because I need…you guessed it….an escape.

The newest Lee Child – Night School. You knew I would buy it. I’ve read them all and cannot resist a new Jack Reacher mystery. Jack Reacher, as written by Mr. Child. Not the Tom Cruise version – I don’t want my image of Reacher to change from the picture I have in my head.

I know I’m rather firm about all of this, but that’s how I feel. I won’t watch Bosch either – the series that centers on Harry Bosch, as written by Michael Connelly. Nothing against Titus Welliver, who is a fine actor and, in this case, looks rather like Bosch as written by Connelly. But I have a picture in my mind and I guard it.

And I’ll be doing the same thing when there is a series – or is it a movie – of Robert Galbraith’s (J.K. Rowling) series centered on Cormoran Strike. She is so specific in her description of Strike that when I saw a photo of the actor cast in the role, I thought, what??? Producers and casting people always seem to go for the more handsome and marketable version of a character. In Cruise’s case, about a foot shorter and 60 pounds lighter, with a completely different hair color.

The last book is a collection of speeches, essays, and articles written by the late, great Pat Conroy – A Lowcountry Heart. It just came out. I can’t wait to read it.

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Look who arrived in yesterday’s mail. Another Big Boy. This one is holding a Double-Decker. I haven’t had any red meat in well over 30 years, but I do remember loving a Double-Decker. My mom and I would sometimes go shopping and eat lunch at Big Boy. We always got a Double-Decker.

That makes three Big Boys, which, I told Don, now makes a collection. They’re behind me as I write this, staring at me.

And, because I miss them so, so much and I ran across this photo the other day:

Scoutie and Riley in the den. Scout in the “tunnel.” I miss them in my life and on this blog. I long for them, especially during this last week, where their presence would have been enormously comforting. I miss taking care of my babies.

Read Susan Branch’s latest post: We Have to Believe We Are Magic. Bravo, Susan.

Happy Wednesday.

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Slightly Random on Tuesday

November 15, 2016 at 9:16 am by Claudia

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• One more Big Boy arrived last week. It’s the one on the left. And another is arriving this week. Don is collecting them because he loves them and because they remind him of something very, very important that happened in his life, right outside the entrance to a Bob’s Big Boy out in California. A pivotal moment for him and one to celebrate.

I have to say that these little guys make me smile.

The vintage cowboy in the center is also a recent find. Don saw it at an antique shop and he fell in love with it. It’s now a pen/pencil holder.

And you’ve seen Roy and Dale before.

We have a curious combination of a modern-day restaurant chain and the Old West.

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• Uh oh! This arrived in the mail yesterday. This is #5 in the series: The Secret at Shadow Ranch. The dust cover is quite worn but there’s a clear cover over it which should protect it from further damage. Another period illustration by Russell H. Tandy.

Some of the books I receive come with a young girl’s name hand written inside the cover. I love that. I can just see that girl writing her name, claiming the book as her own. I promise to take good care of the books. I do.

I drew the names of the winners of a vintage Nancy Drew mystery this morning. The first winner, who gets my extra copy of The Mystery at the Moss-Covered Mansion is Debbie Price! The runner-up, who will received a package from Barbara containing The Mystery of the Brass Bound Trunk, is Julie Shaw. Barbara, good news! Julie lives in Canada, so sending the book won’t involve Customs!

I will send emails to both of you today because I need your mailing addresses.

• It’s a very rainy day here. “We need it, we need it,” I tell myself when I start to find the rain annoying. I just finished the new Michael Connelly – The Wrong Side of Goodbye. I have come to expect excellence from Connelly and I wasn’t disappointed. I recommend every book he has ever written. Truly.

I’m headed to the bookstore today to nab a copy of Flea Market Style, which is being published again and comes out today. I’m also going to get the new Lee Child, which came out last week.

• I will be changing the font for anything that might be termed ‘political’ but that is, to me, about human rights. So fair warning: if you simply don’t want to read about that on any given day, just scroll past it. Okay?

• A note about what is happening out there. Hate crimes are increasing. I told you the other day that a close friend of mine, a well-known man who I work with frequently, has an immediate family member who was just subjected to a hate crime and a threat, as well.

Yesterday, I heard from a former student who is a well-known actress (I won’t divulge her name). She has been subjected to attacks on Twitter, accusing her of trying to pass herself off as ‘white’ when she is Jewish. (She is Jewish and proudly so.) They’ve said “Nice try, Jew.” They’ve called her “Kike.”

And a man who is an avowed white supremacist, is anti-semitic, and who peddles conspiracy theories has been appointed to a staff position in the White House.

Message received.

But not tolerated. Not one bit.

Rest in Peace to the respected and excellent journalist, Gwen Ifill. We watched her every night on the PBS News Hour. She was what a good journalist should be in this land of pundit-filled cable news. She will be sorely missed.

Happy Tuesday.

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Fog, Dogs & Gratitude

Reading As Escape

Slightly Random on Tuesday

Lambs Like to Party

A Note

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