On my drive to the library yesterday to return a book.

I always take the back way because it’s quite lovely by the river.

Well. It’s been raining for three days, and I am over it. Just when our basement dries out, it starts again. Yesterday was incredibly foggy – dangerously so. I really would rather have snow, though that can also be a pain in the tush. But it’s pretty. Pretty much all of the snow is gone now.

I have to go downstairs in a minute to empty the bucket in the dehumidifier. A daily chore.

I finished a book of short stories by Kate Atkinson (that was the book I was returning to the library) and now I’m reading this week’s chunk of Wolf Hall.

I’ve been thinking of my mom’s Shirley Temple doll – the Canadian version, rather than the version by Ideal. My mom never really liked her and in typical Grandma fashion, even after Mom requested the American doll, Grandma bought the doll in Canada. She’s got to be 90 years old now and she’s made of composition, as dolls in that era were. Part of the composition by the inside corner of one eye is missing. There’s a little hole there. And despite my efforts several years ago, her hair is a mess. Yesterday, I said ‘”Enough!” and I started to research how to curl her mohair wig. There are some good videos out there. I started to gently pick apart the mats in her hair, ordered some narrow sponge rollers and papers and, hopefully, I’ll set her hair this weekend. I have to cover her with a towel when I do that because you don’t want to get composition wet.

She’s lying on one of the suitcases that hold Blythe clothes right next to me here in the den. I have to do a bit more work on the hair mats today. Frankly, she looks better already because her hair is fluffed out. That’s not the look for Shirley Temple, of course, so – fingers crossed – she’ll have some nice banana curls soon. If not?  Oh, well.

I’d like to patch that hole in the composition, too. I’m researching it. I don’t care if it looks perfect.

I had 1950s versions of a Shirley Temple doll, but they were much smaller. I’d actually love to have a vintage Ideal Shirley Temple. I’ve always loved them. Shirley was the same age as my mom, who was also a Shirley. I grew up watching her movies with my mom and I’ve always adored her.

I suppose I’m too old at this point, At least, that’s how I feel today.

Mere just recovered from another case of Covid. I swear, I don’t understand people. Her work involves going to the house of whatever patient she is treating. In this case, the mother didn’t tell Mere that she’d just been exposed to Covid. She didn’t think she had it. But she did.

Okay. Have to finish cleaning out our kitchen junk drawer, something I have ignored for several years.

Stay safe.

Happy Friday,

One of our overflowing rivers. There’s been so much rain that they’re very high. I took this picture on the way to the library for one of our walks.

I almost didn’t post today, but I hadn’t discussed that possibility with you, so here I am.

Happy New Year!

Yet another gray day around here – we were excited to see little bits of snow on the cars and the shed roof. Sad, but true. Just a smidgen brings excitement because we’ve had NO SNOW. I know: “careful what you wish for!” But it would be nice, especially since the tree and the sparkly lights and ornaments are still going strong. Our beautiful tree is starting to dry out a bit, but there’s still no needle drop, so here it will stay.

We were in bed by 10:30 last night, after watching Dial M for Murder.

Today, I removed the 2023 calendar pages from my planner and replace them with 2024. Very satisfying! A fresh start.

We’ve been walking almost every day, and thought neither of us wanted to go yesterday, we did it. I suppose we’ll do it today, as well.

Today I start the Hilary Mantel Cromwell Trilogy with page one of Wolf Hall.  I’m back to reading more than one book at the same time, as I’m also knee deep into Michael Connelly’s newest, Resurrection Walk.

A low key day ahead for us.

I hope you had a lovely New Year’s Eve! Best wishes to everyone for a happy, healthy, peaceful, and joyous year ahead.

Stay safe.

Happy Monday.

Another, even better, photo of the burning bush. No enhancement whatsoever.

We will have frost on Wednesday so we’ll be seeing the last of the zinnias and, most likely, the leaves on this bush. I’ll be saying goodbye to my gardens, which is always bittersweet.

We had constant rain yesterday and today will be the same.

I finished The Last Devil to Die  by Richard Osman. This was his best yet. In addition to a complicated plot, his writing about Alzheimers disease, both from the viewpoint of the afflicted and from the observer is heartrendingly brilliant. I won’t give anything away, I promise. But there were so many times that tears came to my eyes as I read Osman’s words. Love and the family you choose: I’m still thinking about that two days after finishing the book.

An extraordinary read.

I’ve just started John Banville’s The Lock-Up.  I read Banville’s Snow  a couple of years ago and discovered his lyrical prose. He is a poet who happens to write police procedurals, among other things. I’m a big fan.

I’m also fiddling around with The World of Frankenstein, my latest jigsaw puzzle. It’s much more difficult than the one I just finished, so I expect I will be working on it for a while.

What else? Laundry today. Exciting, right?

I’m starting to make a list of things I have to take care of before I head to Wonderland of Play on Sunday.

“The world is too much with us.” That quote is one I repeat on a daily basis. I’m grateful for the escapes that take me to another a place; a kinder, gentler place.

Rest in Peace, Matthew Perry, taken from us much too soon.

Stay safe.

Happy Monday,