The landscape has changed so much! Leaves on the ground, flowers decreasing, the light changing. It’s definitely autumn around here. I have to get out and do some weeding, but I’m still a wee bit tired from the job in New Jersey. Don has been urging me to rest.

I love autumn, but it leaves me a bit melancholy, as it means winter is just around the corner. But mostly, I love it and it’s always quite beautiful around here. The black walnuts started dropping leaves a month or so ago. The maple leaves are turning gold, and the limelight hydrangeas are turning pink. (I’ll get some pictures today.)

I just finished Daniel Silva’s newest mystery and returned it to the library yesterday. While I was there, I picked up another book I had on hold. I now have two rather large tomes to read before the end of the month. One is due on the 25th, the other is due on the 30th. I have mapped it out; I have to read a certain number of pages a day in order to finish both of them on time. Will I finish them on time? Stay tuned.

The news that Robert Redford passed away has left me feeling so sad. Don, too. What an amazing man he was; so talented, so dedicated to his work and to Sundance and to the environment. His was a noble life and we are all better for ‘knowing’ him. I had a poster from Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid  on the wall of my dorm room. Three Days of the Condor  and All the President’s Men  are two of my favorite films. And his direction of Ordinary People  was simply exquisite. He was a true movie star in the best sense of that phrase and there aren’t many of them left. He was also an extraordinarily good man. Rest in Peace.

The girls are getting a change of clothing. Four down, many more to go.

Stay safe.

Happy Wednesday,

For two basically sedentary senior citizens, we’ve been awfully busy lately. I’ve been going back and forth to the theater in New Jersey, Don had a gig this past weekend, along with having to borrow a truck to get there. He also had a theater audition in NYC on Monday and got a call back for yesterday, so he had to go into the city twice. This morning, we have to film a self-tape audition for a movie and on Friday, I go back to New Jersey.

Plus, I mowed the front lawn on Monday and weed whacked everything yesterday.

Don’s audition was for a play on Broadway. Before you get excited, he’s pretty sure he didn’t get the part. BUT, the good thing is that he auditioned for a very famous British director who was terrific and kind and clearly loves working with actors. When he called him back for a second audition, he gave Don specific adjustments to work on. Actors love that. So, Don ended up having a great experience which reminded him that he is a very good actor and that acting is what he loves to do. I had an experience like that several years back and I know what that feels like. You remember: “Oh, that’s right! I’m really, really good at this!” It’s a huge high. So I’m very happy for him.

He saws lots of actors there that he knows and are in his same age range. One of them walked up to Don and asked if he was Don Sparks and when Don said yes, he said he’d worked with me. I remember him and it was at Hartford Stage. A lovely man

But, we’re tired….a good tired, though.

I’m going to take it easy today and tomorrow before I have to head back to New Jersey on Friday. Then I work on Friday and Saturday, check out of the hotel on Sunday, and head home.

Yesterday, while Don was gone, I was watching goldfinches in the garden. All photos taken from inside the house.

Enjoying the birdbath.

Three of them were in this patch of coneflowers, munching on seeds.

(I think he saw me.)

Goldfinches are beautiful and they happen to be one of Don’s favorite birds. I wish he had been here to see these bright flashes of yellow, flitting throughout the gardens.

See you on Monday,

Stay safe.

Happy Wednesday.

These two traveled with me to New Jersey.

I was only gone a couple of days and the work itself was easy. I saw a run-through of the play (it’s wonderful!) and took notes. The next day I spent some time with the actors to give them notes. Then I headed home. I was supposed to stay there Saturday night as well (in a hotel) but it became clear that I would be able to leave early on Saturday. I let the theater know and they were able to cancel the reservation for Saturday night.

The hotel was nice, but they had the worst tap water ever. I couldn’t believe how bad it tasted! I went downstairs to buy a bottle of water and the woman working at the front desk gave me some empty bottles to fill up from a water dispenser in the lobby. The next morning, I had to pull on some clothes, go downstairs, and fill them up again so I could make some coffee in my room.

Then, the kicker: I headed home as a line of dangerous storms was set to hit NJ and the Hudson Valley. I had made it to the NY Thruway when a deluge came down and it lasted for about 30 miles. I could barely see the car in front of me. Everyone slowed way, way down. I was clutching the wheel and my body was so tense I could barely stand it. I haven’t been through a storm like that in years. Needless to say, I was exhausted by the time I arrived home.

This particular gig is a lovely one. The cast is so talented and fun and kind. Darko, as always, is a dream to work with. I’m very grateful. The hassle is in the logistics – the travel back and forth, the insane drivers in New Jersey, the Garden State Parkway, the toll booths that pop up at an exit requiring “Exact Change” when you had no idea that was going to happen. And you have very little change.

I could tell you stories all day long about this particular commute. And I have to do it again this weekend. I will be there until Sunday this time, because I’m watching and taking notes on evening performances. But then, I’ll be done.

Don’s gig went well, but he was going through the same kind of thing. His friend, who lives about 45 minutes north of us, drove to our house and picked Don up. Then they drove to the friend’s house where Don dropped him off and left from there to go to the performance site. He was driving his friend’s old truck that required the use of a stick. After the performance, Don drove home. And then on Saturday morning, he drove to his friend’s house, took him out to lunch, and then said friend drove Don home. He was exhausted from worrying about the stick. Thankfully, he didn’t grind any gears. (We are so grateful for the generous use of the truck and his friend’s time.)

We were both wiped out on Saturday night.

I had to stop the ads on the blog temporarily because ads were suddenly appearing where I didn’t want them. BIG ads. Hopefully, my ad company will fix this situation today.

Stay safe.

Happy Monday.