Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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You are here: Home / Archives for life

Fulminating

September 19, 2018 at 10:19 am by Claudia

Why that title? You’ll see later in the post.

Lots of leaves on the ground and on the roof. The very old maple starts dropping its leaves fairly early. It isn’t officially autumn but it sure looks like it around here.

Don’t tell me it’s time to start raking again. I’m not ready for it.

I had a bit of a meltdown last night. As you know, I headed out to buy jeans yesterday and, as always, it was a depressing experience. Most difficult was the realization that I had gained a lot  of weight. More than I had realized. Nothing like the funhouse mirrors in a store to shock you into reality. I found the whole experience so disheartening. I was a very thin woman well into my late forties so I was, I admit, spoiled by never having to watch my weight. All that has changed in the last 20 years and I often don’t recognize my body.

After making my depressing purchases, I came home. Don called to check on me and I shared my emotions. Later last night, as we were watching television, I found my thoughts circling back to my recent professional heartache. People I trusted completely betrayed me, each in a very particular way. The remembrance of that, along with my feelings about my body, made for a very insecure me. I guess, even though I’m usually pretty strong about what happened to me professionally, I’m not quite past the hurt.

Fortunately, Don was there and I cried in his arms. I’m feeling a little wiped out this morning but I suppose I needed the emotional release. Letting it out aids in healing.

We won’t even go into my anger over what is happening to Christine Blasey Ford, the brave woman who stepped forward, knowing it would change her life forever, to speak out against Brett Kavanaugh.  She is a patriot. Yet, her life has been threatened. She has gone into hiding to protect her family and children.

I saw posts on Twitter that gave her home address and phone numbers as well as calling her a b*tch. I reported them. But the damage was done. If I hear one more white republican male cast aspersions on her without even hearing her side of the story, automatically choosing to believe the man rather than the woman, I am going to slap someone – preferably, one of the smug members of the Senate Judiciary Committee. This is also coming from some women, which is even more appalling.

What have we come to? Death threats? Publishing private information? (Also called doxxing.) And then they have the gall to say (every time) “Why didn’t she come forward sooner?”

F them.

It happens rarely now on the blog, but it did happen the other day, so I will reiterate this. If, by this time, anyone supporting the liar-in-chief is still reading this blog and leaves a comment in support of IT, the comment is deleted and the commenter is blocked. This is my piece of real estate on the web. I pay for it. We would not invite anyone who supports that evil thing into our cottage because that support means tacit or overt agreement with a whole litany of evil things; bigotry, racism, misogyny, white nationalism, sexual assault, putting 12,800 children in cages, stealing children from their families, xenophobia, lying incessantly, trying to take away our rights, mocking the disabled, mocking a war hero – you can fill in the rest of the blanks. Not invited into my home on the web either. The time when I would try to have meaningful dialogue with a supporter is long past. It isn’t possible. It isn’t worth my time.

Okay. Deep breath.

Let’s close with a pretty fading zinnia. So lovely.

That beauty is what I’ll focus on for the rest of the day, partly to preserve my sanity, but also to remind myself of what truly matters.

Happy Wednesday.

 

 

 

Filed Under: life 78 Comments

An Early Monday

September 10, 2018 at 7:17 am by Claudia

I’m writing this post earlier than usual because guess who has been up since 4:30 am??? Not one, but both of us! I have absolutely no idea why we both woke up so early. We just did. But it’s too early and my brain feels foggy and my eyes feel stingy.

Some nap time this afternoon, please.

It’s raining quite heavily and will be raining all day long. We’re having brunch with Rick and Doug later this morning. We want to see them before they leave for Europe and I have to get my instructions for taking care of their plants while they’re gone. No sooner will Rick get back than we’ll be taking off on our trip. So we won’t see each other very much for the next 6 weeks.

A little rose blooming yesterday.

Morning glories from my early bloom plant. The Heavenly Blues have yet to sport a single bud and I’m getting very impatient.

I’ve never had so many zinnias! Ever. More and more blooms every day. I don’t know why this year is different. But I’m very grateful!

I forgot to mention something yesterday. The 1-2 punch involves two separate incidents, which is why I used that term. In one of the incidents, I contacted someone and received a phone call right away and that person apologized profusely and sincerely. I have no doubt about the sincerity. It doesn’t change what happened or how it left me feeling, but I do want to make sure I make that known.

Two incidents. Two jobs. Quite a bit of expected income lost.

Moving on.

Don has downloaded the Babbel app and is learning some basic French words and phrases. He’s so darned cute. I can hear him listening and repeating words as I write this. I took four years of French eons ago and a lot of it is coming back to me, but I think I could use some Babbel myself.

Okay. More coffee needed.

Happy Monday.

Filed Under: flowers, garden, life 40 Comments

Stronger

September 9, 2018 at 9:58 am by Claudia

Yesterday, I was putting on my shoes to go outside and retrieve the mail when I saw this:

I ran for my camera. This little one was so sleepy that I was able to step outside and take photographs without disturbing him.

When I purposely made a little noise, I got this:

I remained there for quite a while and then I quietly went back inside. Let him sleep. The mail could come later (it was only a bill anyway.)

Sweet little goldfinch. It’s sort of puffed up. I often see the mourning doves like that, especially when they’re resting.

I’m hanging in there. Thank you for your support. It was an awful day yesterday. Simply awful. But I feel stronger today and I’m slowly putting things in perspective. It’s a lesson I’d rather not have to learn, but learn it I have. It’s not as dire as “Don’t trust anybody” – I’d hate to go through life that way. It’s not my nature.

But “Be wary!” works for me.

I am really, really good at what I do. This I know. This I’ve heard from hundreds and hundreds of people throughout my career. Not only do I have the mastery of my skills, I am compassionate and kind. There’s no better combination. And if this sounds like I’m tooting my horn, I’m not. I’m just calling it as it is. So I’m damned if I’m going to let this crap affect my confidence or my absolute knowledge that I am an excellent coach. As Don, who has been coached by me several times in the past, says, “It’s their loss.” And I can guarantee they’ll feel that loss.

They’re not bad guys. Not at all. They behaved badly.

I’ve definitely learned that I’m expendable. But let’s put this in perspective; I know this has happened to many, many people in all sorts of professions. I’m not special.

Yes, it hurt me deeply. But I am strong.

It’s 63 today – 30 degrees less than it was a couple of days ago. My head is spinning. I did mow yesterday and that helped. I used it to sweat out all my anger. To curse out loud because no one could hear me over the sound of the lawnmower. To concoct emails in my head in which I told them off. That kind of thing. And the good thing is that I got all of that out and now I’m not going to communicate with them at all. That would just be to make me feel better. To teach a lesson. I used to feel the need to do that when I was younger. However, the older I get, the less I am inclined to do that because it’s all about ego. It’s all about feeding my ego when I’m feeling fragile or wronged.

And the lawn looks great, which is a bonus. I also did a bunch of other chores.  And then, having not slept a whole lot the night before, I collapsed. We watched Die Hard  last night, which I haven’t seen in many years, and it was the perfect antidote to my sorrow. You can’t help but be completely engrossed and it’s such a good film!

Today I might mow again or I might just read. And heal.

Thank you, my friends. Your support meant everything to me yesterday. Bless you.

Happy Sunday.

Filed Under: birds, flowers, garden, life, theater 42 Comments

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Welcome!

Welcome!

I live in a little cottage in the country with my husband. It's a sweet place, sheltered by old trees and surrounded by gardens. The inside is full of the things we love. I love to write, I love my camera, I love creating, I love gardening. My decorating style is eclectic; full of vintage and a bit of whimsy.

I've worked in the theater for more years than I can count. I'm currently a voice, speech, dialect and text coach freelancing on Broadway, off Broadway, and in regional theater.

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