Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Life in our little cottage in the country

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Day Three Hundred Twenty

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Once again, all my good intentions went by the wayside as I ended up spending time on the puzzle.

I can’t help myself.

Today, I promise to vacuum and swiffer, work on the dollhouse, and pay bills.

Just finished yet another long call with the IRS. When I paid our tax bill online on October 15th, I entered my social security number. But it never got credited (we’ve received late payment notices) because Don’s social security number is the primary number on the account. Because there is some end-of-the-year computer updating going on, every time I called, whoever I spoke to was unable to transfer the payment in order to credit it. Every person I spoke to was quite lovely and when it would fail, they would put a hold on the account so I wouldn’t be sent more letters and then they’d ask me to call back in two weeks. Today, it finally went through.

I’ve learned my lesson on that one. But, hey, it was the first time I had ever paid online.

It snowed yesterday. I’d say we have about 3 inches on the ground. It was quite lovely. We may get a bit more snow today.

I’m starting Winter Solstice  later today. Loved Jane Casey’s police procedural, Cruel Acts. She’s a wonderful writer. I always love it when I can’t quite figure out what will happen in the end.

I’m off to write out some checks and pop the bills in the mail.

Stay safe.

Happy Wednesday.

 

Day Three Hundred Nineteen

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This is what I ended up doing yesterday afternoon. I ignored the dollhouse and started on this. Both the dollhouse and puzzles are calming for me, but jigsaw puzzles (and crossword puzzles) are the most calming – a form of meditation, if you will. I love John Derian’s puzzles. As far as I know he only has three designs, the one I just finished, this one, and one of a cat. I’m not a cat person, so that particular design doesn’t call to me.

This is based on an old map of NYC. Here is what it will eventually look like:

We’re getting snow today. We’ll have somewhere between 1 and 4 inches by tomorrow. There is a chance for a winter storm with more accumulation next Sunday and Monday. We’re looking forward to watching the snow fall today. First of all, it’s pretty. But mostly, it’s something different. Since we’re basically indoors these days looking out at a barren landscape and every day seems the same, something like snow ends up being exciting.

These guys (all 8 of them) have now discovered our yard. This was taken from the kitchen window. We’re fascinated by them. Our neighbor has informed us that the rooster is aggressive, so we’ll make sure to stay away from him. On one hand, it’s slightly annoying to me that they are now free-ranging on our property, but on the other hand, they’re interesting and we get a kick out of them. And don’t they eat ticks? Am I remembering that correctly?

They sure do lay pretty eggs.

I’m almost finished with my book and then it’s on to Winter Solstice.

Stay safe.

Happy Tuesday.

Day Three Hundred Fifteen

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Good morning!

It’s currently sunny outside! Huzzah! We’re expecting snow squalls later in the day, so I don’t expect it to last, but I’m grateful that it is sunny now.

Okay. The gorgeous John Derian puzzle is finished:

This was taken late in the day yesterday. It’s my favorite, so far, of all the puzzles I’ve put together.

Enclosed in the box was a small print version of this puzzle. If I frame anything, I’ll frame that. I’ve never framed the puzzles I vowed to frame last year and now, months later, I realize I have no desire to. I now realize that idea is unrealistic – at least, for me. We already have a lot of art on our walls and there’s not room for large framed puzzles. So, it’s about enjoying the process, letting it sit on the kitchen table for a few days in all its glory, and then taking it apart.

On Inauguration day, two packages arrived in the mail. The long-lost package from Spain arrived! In it is the work of Sofia of Twelve Times More Teeny on Etsy.

Aren’t they beautiful? I have some of Sofia’s work in Hummingbird Cottage and I knew I wanted to order from her again. These will go in the hutch in the English Cottage aka Dove Cottage.

And speaking of Hummingbird Cottage, the grand dame of all my dollhouses, Caroline was thrilled to get a new table and chairs for the kitchen. You’ve seen the table, but here are the chairs.

In consultation with Caroline, a decision was made to order chairs with higher backs, a French Country look. I like these much better than the smaller chairs that were here previously. I have yet to style this table but I will. These are from an Etsy shop called Tiny Dwelling. Lovely work – and the owner of the shop has a lot of interesting items in stock.

And yesterday, the dollhouse wallpaper finally arrived! So I will be upstairs in the studio working on the dollhouse this afternoon.

Housekeeping note: I’ll be brief, because I’ve said this many times before. I had a comment from a Trumper yesterday. You can see it on yesterday’s post. Before I saw it (I had been working on the puzzle) other readers saw it and challenged that commenter. And a few of you replied to that comment later in the day. Anyway, I responded. You responded.

You know the rules. Anyone supporting that man and his administration is not welcome here. Period. I would not welcome that person in my home. And MHC is also my home. I’ve left the comment up, but I’ve blocked her. And I’ll continue to do that when necessary. Thankfully, it happens rarely.

I can do that because it’s my blog. A personal blog owned by me.

Also: someone left a comment a couple of weeks ago suggesting what I should and should not write about (this concerned politics.) She mentioned that I might be concerned about ‘offending my readers,’ which, in reality, meant her.

The obvious answer: No, it doesn’t concern me. I am a careful writer and work hard to be articulate and honest. but I’m not in this for numbers or lots of followers. This is my  blog. I pay for it. I maintain it. You get to read it for free. I’ve been writing it for almost 13 years. It has always been about my life and that includes my opinions. You can disagree with me, which this person did, and for the most part I will leave the comment up and respond to it, unless the commenter attacks me or says something so offensive that it has to be deleted.

I don’t tell other bloggers what to post. During the course of my many years of blogging, I learned very early on that imposing my opinions on other bloggers about their subject matter was not a good idea. (And I have strong opinions!) If I don’t like someone’s content, I can (and do) move on. But I don’t tell them what they should and shouldn’t post, whether on a blog or on Instagram. Neither should anyone presume to tell me what I should and shouldn’t write about here.

I don’t take kindly to it.

I see that all the time on IG. People peg accounts as purely about decorating or books or whatever and when that the account holder speaks out about an issue, they are offended and say “I don’t come to this account for (fill in the blank).”

Oh, you’re telling that person what they can and can’t post? That they have to be what you  want them to be? I think not.

Okay. I have to reiterate these things at times. But I promise not to do it too often. (I’m not sure I succeeded at being brief.)

Moving on.

Stay safe.

Happy Friday.

Lambs Like to Party

Lambs Like to Party

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