Yesterday morning – Stella in light and shadow with Don’s “lost shaker of salt.” That was a gift from the producers. The other three sides have the names of the cities on the tour; Chicago, New Orleans and Houston.

Oil was delivered. (Side note: it’s jumped in price since the last time we ordered, a mere month ago.) We are relieved. Right now it’s about 20 degrees out there, which seems positively balmy compared to the last 3 or 4 days. Tomorrow will be warmer. But we’re due for some snow showers later in the day, so it’s cloudy.

The den late in the afternoon yesterday with the usual hodgepodge of books, papers, remotes, and more books. Do you remember the sign I found at Vignettes several years ago? It’s the Miss Keyboard’s School sign above the window. I feel in love with it and it hung above the piano for a couple of years until we found the lithograph of the Aquitania, which we quickly realized was a better choice for that wall. So I moved the Miss Keyboard sign to this place, which is rather perfect.

Don hit on the idea of collecting skeleton keys that we can hang from the little hooks on the sign.

The light that pours into this room from three sides makes it difficult to take pictures, but nevertheless, I keep trying. There are little hooks on each key, made to hold something or other that taught the young piano student about keys and octaves and sharps and flats.

I found three skeleton keys when I was antiquing right before Christmas. They are the beginning of our collection. We aim to search for them on our travels so that each new key tells a story – because you know we’re fond of a good story

The new leaf on the rubber plant has opened and it looks as if another one is coming up right next to it.

The peperomia has been doing a bit of acclimating, which necessitated the pruning of some leaves. I think – fingers crossed – it’s finally settling down.

I find I watch award shows less and less and the Golden Globes are usually a big old No. But we watched them last night for some reason. The fact that three female directors who were at the helm of three highly acclaimed movies were not nominated for Best Director is indicative of an industry that is still male-dominated. Patty Jenkins directed Wonder Woman, which was truly stunning and a huge, huge box office success. Dee Rees directed Mudbound, also highly acclaimed. And Greta Gerwig directed Lady Bird, which won some major awards last night. Note: Both Mudbound  and Lady Bird  should be in our mailbox soon, as they are SAG screeners, and I’m so looking forward to watching them.

Inequities exist in every profession and the film industry is no different than any other. But in the wake of disturbing allegations about men in power in Hollywood (I’m looking at you Harvey Weinstein and Brett Ratner and Kevin Spacey and James Toback and Bryan Singer) it’s no longer a dirty little secret that women are paid less, are sexually harassed (as are some men) and are still not on equal footing.

When I was teaching at Boston University, the President of the university was John Silber, who routinely paid women professors far less than male professors. It was a culture that was shocking in its male/female salary disparity. That’s part of the reason I left that position to take one in San Diego.

It still happens everywhere.

So hearing Oprah’s clarion call to women and men was simply stunning in its power and truth. I’m so glad I watched it. It was a cry from the heart. (If you haven’t seen her speech, make sure to catch a replay of it somewhere. It isn’t long and it’s totally worth your time.) Yes, indeed: #TimesUp.

Okay. Have to get moving. We’re headed over to Rick and Doug’s to see two dear friends who are coming for lunch. Trish and Colin are both actors and I first met Trish when I was living in Boston. She’s had a long career and was a part of Laurence Olivier’s acting company when she was just starting out. Imagine! She worked with Olivier!

Happy Monday.

2017 was A Tale of Two Worlds.

On the one hand, every day brought more heartbreak and anger, more fear and rage, all of it sparked by the corruption and lies, the massive dose of bigotry and racism and collusion with Russia coming out of the Oval Office and the “Administration” (I use that word laughingly.)

I still refuse to call him President. I’ll reserve that title for those who don’t desecrate the office.

I’ve been through the sixties and the anger and protests about the War in Vietnam. I’ve been through Watergate. I’ve never, ever been through anything like this. You all know how I feel as I’ve made no secret of it and have lost readers because I insisted on writing about the dangers of voting for that man – all of which have come true. I’d do it again in a second.

This has been one of the worst years in my life.

It has also been one of the best years in my life.

We’ve been on a dual track here at the cottage. It’s as if we are living in two worlds simultaneously.

We work in the Arts. We have had our share of financial struggle. We have never had a lot of money (we still don’t) and we work as many of our friends work; on a freelance basis, with some years better than others and with all of it dependent on timing and the market and who likes working with us or who likes the way we look (that’s an actor’s life). There have been many nights and days where I have been constantly worried about money and how to pay the mortgage. That we have never missed a payment is more amazing than you could ever, ever imagine.

We’ve also gone through a period of time in which Don lost his father, I lost both of my parents, and we lost our beloved children – for that’s who they were to us – Riley and Scout. It’s been one heartbreak after another.

This year has been extraordinary for Don and me.  I worked on Broadway on Anastasia. Don was cast in Escape to Margaritaville  and began rehearsals for it last March, spending a few months in beautiful La Jolla. We were able to do both of those things because of the freedom we had for the first time in many years to be away from home at the same time. We had years of caring for an aging and fragile pet, necessitating that one of us be home at all times. Would I trade anything to have Riley and Scout back? That goes without saying. Nevertheless, that freedom hadn’t been a possibility for us for a long time. That we could work out of town on our respective shows and I could then fly out to La Jolla and take a leisurely and wondrous trip across the country with my husband is a miracle.

We found Stella on that trip and we did something that we had never done before. We took a leap into the unknown and decided to buy her and ship her across the country. Believe me when I say that was not us. But now, it is  us.

And then, on the heels of that decision, we found out that Don was headed to Broadway, but first, he’d go back into rehearsal and tour to New Orleans, Houston, and Chicago. And I would be able to spend time with him in New Orleans and Chicago.

New Orleans was new to me and I fell in love with that city. Chicago was an old friend that was the home of some of my family members and my best friend. Having the luxury of exploring both cities was such a gift. Being able to spend time with family and friends was priceless.

And now, here we sit, knowing Don has a job in the new year. Knowing that we’ll be able to spend time together in the city, that he will open on Broadway in March. What a gift this show has been to him. He loves doing it. He loves the cast. He loves his job. He continually says that it’s the best job he’s ever had. I am so, so grateful for that. Seeing my husband this happy fills me with joy.

How can 2017 be the worst and the best year at the same time? It’s right out of Dickens:

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair…

I’ve never had more concrete evidence of the truth of these words than I have had this year.

So, while I am happy, I am sad. While I am feeling peaceful, I am also angry. While I’m having wonderful adventures, I’m also fighting in our version of The Resistance. While I appreciate our many blessings in 2017, I am well aware of the inequities, the greed, and the corruption that has taken over those who should be fighting for us, but are choosing instead to fill their pockets and trash our most revered institutions. While we are feeling a bit more secure, we are aware that there are those who want to take those securities from us.

So, we fight. And we keep on fighting, while expressing gratitude for what we have.

Such a strange, terrifying, yet lovely journey this year.

On to the next.

Happy Thursday.

We are in a deep freeze and it’s friggin’ cold out there! And it looks like it will stay around for several days. If December and early January have lots of snow and cold, does that mean that it might get milder for the rest of the winter? (Asking for a friend – a friend who will be on her own for much of the winter.)

Such lovely late afternoon light yesterday.

New leaves are unfurling on the monstera deliciosa.

The paperwhites that sit on the table next to my blogging chair are opening.

I haven’t opened it yet. I know I’ll start crying.

I found this vintage putz sheep at the antique store the other day. It’s in great condition. It may be time to gather all my little putz sheep and display them together. Right now, one is on the shelf above my desk and two are in the cabinet in my office. These guys are in the den.

At least it’s sunny out there. But Don is getting the recycling together at the moment and he came in to say he can’t believe how cold it is. I’m running drips in the kitchen and the bathroom. Don’s on his way to a friend’s house to assist in getting him up and out of his bed and into a car (his back and neck are causing him tremendous pain) so that he can go see his doctor.

Stay warm!

Happy Wednesday.