Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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A Little Story

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I think I’ve written about this once before, but here’s the story of my first Valentine from Don.

Sometime in late January of 1995, we ended up in Ocean Beach, the place where we met each other in July 1994. Even though we look as if we were in the water, we were standing on the sand. Unbeknownst to us, a photographer from the San Diego Union-Tribune was standing on the Ocean Beach Pier, taking pictures. He was working on an article with a Valentines Day Theme. We did not know that our picture was being taken. He approached us and asked whether we would consent to having it printed in the paper. After some thought, I vetoed the idea. This was still early on in our relationship, and I didn’t want everyone at the theater, as well as my students, talking about it. I think some of my students knew about us at this point, but we were working very hard to keep it private. I had visions of it being posted on a board at the theater and was uncomfortable with that.

Don asked the photographer if he could have a copy of the photo, but the company policy was that you only got a copy if you consented to let them print it. Ah, well.

Soon after that, I left for the annual audition tour, where we auditioned prospective students in NYC, Chicago, and San Francisco. I was away for about two weeks. While I was on the last leg of the tour in San Francisco, I came down with the flu and was terribly ill. I finally had to leave SF a day early because I couldn’t work and being ill in a hotel is the pits. Don picked me up at the airport. I think it was February 13th.

I was still quite ill on the following day, but Don came over to my apartment to wish me a Happy Valentines Day. I think he had some flowers for me and a few other treats. One of the packages contained this framed photo.

What???? How did you get this? How did this happen??

Well. Don can be very charming, as you know. And relentless, if necessary. He decided to contact the reporter and see if he just might change his mind. It took a while, but Don finally persuaded him that we would keep it secret, would not publicize it, that it was something we could keep private. The photographer made a copy of the photo and Don picked it up.

And he surprised me with it on Valentines Day.

What a sweetheart he was – and is.

Later in the day after I had written my post on Wednesday, my eyes landed on this photo. It’s on the bookshelf in the den. I dusted it, tried my best to take a picture without glare coming from all the windows in the den, and here it is for you today.

My first, and still the best, Valentines Day gift from my husband.

(I miss being that thin. Don is stunned by his hair.)

Time marches on.

Stay safe.

Happy Friday.

Saturday

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Evidence that Don had a gig last night. This one was far from us – too far – so a lot of driving was involved. He got back after I had gone to bed. We don’t have a lot of extra room around here, so he carefully stashes equipment under the piano bench and behind the sofa. He’s too tired to lug it all upstairs and, of course, he doesn’t want to wake me up.

He says it went well, with an appreciative group of listeners. I love seeing him full of that post performance energy I know so well. He’ll crash later today, but he always gets a boost from performing.

It’s still warmish here and, as I said yesterday, it’s supposed to hit 59 degrees here today. I bet it will hit 60. Snow is coming on Tuesday, but not much, thank goodness. I heard birds singing this morning when I woke up and the Carolina wren was flitting between the porch and the hydrangeas, singing away.

Yesterday we went for a walk at the library. I took along my library card and phone in case I got an email that the book I’ve been waiting for had come in. I checked my messages right after the walk. Nothing. Came home, walked down the driveway to check for the mail – nothing yet. Invariably, once I’ve walked back up the driveway after checking the mailbox, gone into the house, settled into my chair, the mail truck arrives. Yep. It happened again yesterday. So back out I went to get the mail. Within about 20 minutes of arriving back home, I checked the library online account. You guessed it, the book had arrived and was waiting for me. So I drove to the library for the second time and picked it up.

These are quality problems, of course!

Oh, friends, I am longing for spring. I try to keep myself busy during the winter months, although I often feel like I’m on sleep mode, but once spring hits, I start to come alive again. However,  it’s only early February and even if the groundhog is right and we’re in for an early spring, it’s still far off.

Books and dolls and old movies keep me going. Oh, and Don, of course.

I hope you have a lovely weekend.

Stay safe.

Happy Saturday.

 

Saturday Thoughts and Blog Etiquette

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♦ A week ago, we had over a foot of snow on the ground.

Yesterday:

There’s even less this morning as we had another 2 inches of rain overnight. It’s in the 50s this morning, but the temps are going to plunge about 20 degrees during the day.

I can’t keep up with it.

♦ Today I’m going to grab some things at the store that I’ll need for the trip to Rochester. I’m not taking the scenic route this time, just straight up the I-87 to Albany and then west on I-90. It’s all business this time. Plus, it’s not so pretty out there right now. As always, even though I’m frustrated by the lack of time with the actors, I’m grateful for the work. Don said he’s going to write a book called, The Way it Was: The Way Working in Theater Used to Be. He’s not, of course, though I thought it was a great idea. We were lucky, starting out in professional theater when we did. We worked with so many incredible talents, regional theaters were thriving and they were doing exciting and excellent work. Subscribers flocked to the theater. There were realistic periods of time allowed for rehearsals, tech, and previews. Don, working in theater since the age of 19, could tell you so many stories. He could have a subsection about working in television and film – something that has also changed dramatically and not for the better. I know that I will write about this off and on as I watch respected regional theaters struggle to stay alive.

♦ Speaking of Don, he has a habit of running a hand through his hair in a circular motion. It’s comforting and almost meditative for him. At times, I catch a glimpse of the hair configuration that is the result of this “swirling” and I laugh out loud and promptly take a photo. I’m collecting them.

Here is yesterday’s.

Don has more than a few weird photos of me that he trots out every now and then and we laugh ourselves silly looking at them. Same with these.

♦ Blog etiquette – I ran this by Don before I addressed it here, just to get a second opinion. He agreed with me, so here goes. I’ve noticed something lately in the comments. First of all, you know I don’t expect you to comment on every post, but I am grateful when you do. And I like that you share comments with each other as well.

What I don’t like is when you leave a comment on a reader’s comment but ignore me, the writer of the post. I’m the one who wrote the post that the commenter you are now addressing is referring to in their comment. It’s like going to a party and never once acknowledging the host. Frankly, it’s rude.

If you read and never comment, no problem. If you read and sometimes comment, no problem. But if  you read and decide you want to comment on something someone said, but can’t take the time to leave me a comment, that is a problem.

Be polite, please.

Stay safe.

Happy Saturday.

 

 

Lambs Like to Party

Lambs Like to Party

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