Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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Random on Wednesday

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:: Greetings on a foggy Wednesday morning. The sun has just popped out as I write this. After several extremely gray and rainy days, it is most welcome. I am ashamed to tell you how overgrown our yard is due to the rain and the fact that I can’t use the weed wacker until Monday. The doctor has ordered me not to lift anything heavy for 4 weeks, severely cramping my style. I can’t lift Riley when his hips are bothering him or help him up and down the stairs. Can’t weed wack. Can’t move furniture. I did slip up a bit the other day when a dead limb from this maple fell to the ground. I immediately went out to the yard to clean up the mess, toting one part of the limb to a pile on the edge of the property. As I started to lift another section, the voice inside my head yelled, “What are you doing?!?” I dropped it like a hot potato. Sorry, Doc.

:: Scout had to go to the Vet the other day. She had a huge hot spot and yucky stuff in her ears. Allergies and humid summer weather are not a good combination for my dogs. At least Scout, however grudgingly, will let me put something in her ears. Riley? No way.

:: Our hot water heater is dying. Oh joy. This is just one in a series of things in this house that need to be updated or replaced. Our favorite repairman, Gino, who is also our heating oil guy, came over to look at it yesterday morning. The diagnosis is eventual replacement but for now we’re trying to baby it along. Gino is a swell guy. He didn’t even charge me for his time.

I need to win the lottery.

:: After almost 7 weeks without coffee, I grew tired of the endless stupor I seemed to be in every morning. I did pretty well. I really did. But it took me hours to wake up. That’s okay if one is still recovering from surgery, but not when one is trying to actually get something done. I gave it up for two reasons: it wasn’t good for my gall bladder, nor for my slightly high blood pressure. Well, the gall bladder is no more. So I made a deal with myself. One cup of coffee a day. That’s it.

Oh, how I missed it. Thank goodness I still had some Peet’s French Roast in the refrigerator.

:: I had been obsessing about a metallic rattle I kept hearing when driving our car. Don is perfectly capable of ignoring these things but I am not. The car was driving just fine but it is 10 years old. I stopped by our mechanic’s garage yesterday. A loose heat shield. No biggie. Sigh of relief! He’ll fix it when the car gets its annual inspection in a few weeks.

:: Lots of drama and worry continues on the parent front. I seem to spend a good portion of the day on the phone with my dad or my sister. I don’t know what we would do without my sister. Because my parents decided to relocate to Florida ten years ago, Meredith has been the one who has to handle all of the middle of the night phone calls and everything that goes along with aging parents. My crotchety parents are not always as grateful or appreciative as they should be,  but I sure am.

:: Look what arrived in the mail! My friend Meri sent us some jumping jacks! I suppose they are really for Don, as it is his collection. Lord knows, I have enough collections around here. Aren’t they cute? I promise another photo when they are hanging in their proper place. A big hug to you, Meri. Thank you.

:: I forgot to address a comment or two on this post. Florida Bird asked if I would post a tutorial on the fabric lampshade. To be perfectly honest, I did a sort of slap-dash job on it. So I don’t feel qualified to guide you through a tutorial. I’m fine with the way it looks, but I have a feeling a tutorial should be a bit more precise than my “grab-some-fabric-and-glue-and-if-it-doesn’t-fit-slap-some-more-fabric-on” way of working on this project. Also, Into Vintage said she was admiring the jar of cookies in the background. Well, they are cookies, just not for us. They’re dog biscuits for Scout and Riley.

:: If you’re interested, there is still time to leave a comment on my book review post. You might win a free copy of Just My Type, a book about fonts. You have until Thursday evening.

Okay. I’ve talked enough. Bye for now.

Porch Sitting

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We took advantage of a break in the humidity and sat for a spell on the porch. I sat on the glider and read with the sound of passing traffic and our neighbor’s riding mower in the background. Right after this photo was taken, Scout jumped up on the glider to join me and we rocked gently back and forth.

Mom is back home. And we know nothing – just like the last time she was hospitalized. She can barely walk and she’s exhausted but she’s happy to be home. There are some things that medicine cannot define or explain with a diagnosis. I think the slow process of a body shutting down is one. So much of that process remains a mystery. As it should be, I suppose. I am a person who always wants to figure things out, to find the answer. I can’t on this one. I just know that Mom is slowly letting go.

Some things in life should remain unexplainable and mysterious.

On a happier note, I received a package in the mail last week from my friend, Rizzi. That little dickens surprised me with this:

Isn’t this wonderful? Thank you, Rizzi – I was still feeling achey and tired on that day and this was just what the doctor ordered. Do you see that package of lemon cookies on the left? Even though I’m technically “not eating sugar,” these somehow disappeared. How did that happen?

Monday Morning

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Sun is flooding the living room of Mockingbird Hill Cottage. Such a beautiful, though hot, day! I plan to putter a little in the garden and perhaps whack a weed or two. Yesterday I washed the sheets and hung them outside on the line to dry. Heavenly.

Right before I left for Wisconsin, I planted some Liatris in the new garden bed. These plants grow very tall and are graceful and almost other-worldly. They are just starting to bloom.

The coneflowers are starting to bloom as well.

I love my garden.

Speaking of love, I must thank 3 of my blogging friends for some thoughtful gifts that have come my way in the last few weeks. My friend Spencer of Bellamere Cottage sent me a package that arrived while I was still in Wisconsin.

Oh my gosh! Remember the play program I have on display in the studio? It is from a 1940’s production of the play Claudia. This is the novel on which the play was based. I am thrilled! Thank you, Spencer.

Then my friend Sonja (who sent me the Roseville Pottery) said she wanted to send me something that would help me in my gardening.

Yippee! A garden rocker! I thank you, Sonja. My aching back thanks you even more! This is going to make my life so much easier.

And on Saturday, I received a package in the mail from Jan of BessieMary.

Inside was a scented bath pouch (to use in the bath or the shower) and a Healing talisman; such a lovely, compassionate gesture.Thank you, Jan. I will begin pampering myself immediately.

I am amazed and humbled by the thoughtfulness of my blogging friends. They are friends, plain and simple. And I treasure them.

Lambs Like to Party

Lambs Like to Party

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