Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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You are here: Home / Archives for O'keefe and Merritt

Busy, Busy

August 24, 2017 at 8:36 am by Claudia

I’m reduced to taking a photo of my feet propped up on the coffee table while the morning sunlight is peeking through the windows. On my iPhone because I’m too lazy to get up and retrieve my big-girl camera.

Here’s the problem in Hartford. I’ve been coming here once, sometimes twice, a year to coach for six years. I’ve explored lots of nooks and crannies in this town and it’s lovely. But I’ve been there and done that, so to speak. The days I usually reserve for ‘roaming’ are my days off and this time around, my days off are being spent back at the cottage because Don will be going away soon and Stella is coming and the yard needs to be weeded, etc. Rehearsal days, this week especially, are long and by the time rehearsal is over, I have to hightail it back to the apartment to make dinner.

And watch Rachel.

Hopefully, once we head onstage, I’ll have some free time during the day and I’ll take some walks and snap some pictures. I do love that. I haven’t been to the library yet (my favorite place) or the Capitol building or the Connecticut River. And I have to remind myself that I haven’t been here for a long stretch in anything other than winter weather for a while. I have to take advantage of blue skies and lovely August weather!

Don’s trying to track the stove but there was no update yesterday. That often happens to me when I try to track mail or a UPS package. He does need to know, however, since so many things hinge on when that stove is delivered, not the least is organizing his friends who are going to help load it onto the dolly and into the cottage. He’ll call the shipping company this morning.

In the meantime, since the Salvation Army is picking up our current stove today, he will be stove-less for several days. For Don, it’s an excuse to eat out, so he’s perfectly fine with that. Rick and Doug are currently in town for a few days and they had dinner with Don last night. The three of them had a great time and laughed themselves silly. That makes me happy.

Exciting times ahead. Don got an email from the Company Manager about housing in New Orleans, which reminds me that Don starts rehearsals in NYC on September 11th and then moves on to New Orleans (where they’ll tech the show and perform for a week) on October 8th. And then, he’s off and running until early December.

Yes, I will be in New Orleans at some point and my sister might join us there.

I will also be in Chicago. I have family and friends there and my birthday falls during the run as well as Thanksgiving, so I’ll have to figure out the best time to be there. I do have to handle things back at the house, so I’m not going to Houston. And Rick and Doug are moving here at the end of October and I’d like to be around when they first start to settle in.

Lots on the docket. But we’re grateful.

Happy Thursday.

 

 

Filed Under: Don, Escape to Margaritaville, Hartford, O'keefe and Merritt, On The Road 28 Comments

Monday

August 21, 2017 at 8:50 am by Claudia

Weeding turned into a big job yesterday, as they had taken over big swaths of the garden beds, so that took up a great deal of my time. And then I weed whacked. So I didn’t get around to the de-greasing, which I’ll tackle today.

Look how tall our butterfly bush is!

And these coneflowers are so tall and top-heavy that I have to keep propping them up against the trellis. The gardens are still thriving but I can see subtle signs of autumn’s pending arrival. There are leaves on the porch and in the gardens – there was one in the birdbath yesterday that had turned orange. Yikes. I’m not ready for that yet. Summer is my favorite season now that I’ve been living and gardening here for almost 12 years. August 30th is the twelfth anniversary of our move to the cottage.

Our girl starts her journey today. The shipper is picking her up at Antique Stove Heaven. We’re very excited!

I’m debating whether to drive back tonight or tomorrow morning. I don’t technically have to be at rehearsal tomorrow, but I’ll certainly stop by for a while and watch as Darko stages the second part of the play. We have limited rehearsal time and I need to be there as much as possible. As I have to buy groceries, I’m thinking that driving back tonight is the better option. After all, I’ll be back home on Monday to (hopefully) see our girl in her new home.

We watched Holiday last night on TCM. I’d seen it before but Don hadn’t. Katherine Hepburn and Cary Grant – it doesn’t get much better than that!

Our new stove will be named Stella, by the way, in honor of her journey to us commencing on the same day as the eclipse. Stella means star and the sun is a star. And she will be the star of our home. We’re waiting for you, Stella!

All right, my friends, I have to go. I have much to do today. If you’re watching the Eclipse, have fun!

Happy Monday.

 

Filed Under: flowers, garden, O'keefe and Merritt 35 Comments

The Shed And The Stove

August 18, 2017 at 9:12 am by Claudia

I’m so glad that Don is home and that he can coordinate everything to do with the stove. In addition, he’s been watering the gardens and the porch plants and cleaning out the area next to the shed, which looked like a dump. He made several trips to the recycling/transfer station. In the midst of all of this he found a tarp full of old shingles – it weighed a ton, old chicken wire, various buckets and one of our used air conditioners. Some of it we put there, much of it was tossed there by previous owners. Nothing exciting like the antique plate, but interesting, nonetheless.

Now, keep in mind that our shed needs a new paint job, but we’re not in any hurry to do it. It is what it is at this point. Here is what it looked like when Don finished the cleanup.

We really are on ‘the edge of wild’ here. There are woods behind the shed and woods to the left of this view of the shed. We’re thinking of putting pavers there. You might have noticed some items hanging on the side of the shed.

Don found this scrap of wood and made a sign. After all, Henry does live under the shed and we love him. In fact, Henry came out onto the ramp, not knowing Don was nearby. Once he saw Don, he scampered back underground.

The fish is made of paper and covered in plastic. Don found it buried under the dirt. We have no idea who dumped it there. But it sure looks adorable on the shed. I have a Michigan license plate that Don gave me – that’s going to hang there, as well.

Don has a strong streak of ‘whimsical’ and I love that about him.

I may be able to get home on Sunday and Monday – certainly Monday, but I’m thinking Sunday, as well. I want to clean our current stove and have a go at the sticky floor, because our vintage O’Keefe and Merritt is crated and ready to ship. We paid the balance (gulp) and the shipping and it should be picked up on Monday.

Antique Stove Heaven sent us lots of instructions, along with a couple of pictures of the stove right before it was crated. Do you want to see?

Our girl is almost on her way to her new home!

We’re thinking of a name for her. That will come, I’m sure, once she’s ensconced in our kitchen. Meanwhile…we wait. Don has lots of instructions from ASH as to what size dolly to rent, how to load her on the dolly, how to get her safely in the house. We have to do all of this ourselves because it’s not like we bought her from Sears or some retailer. If we were in Los Angeles, ASH would take care of all of that for us. It gives me butterflies, just thinking of it.

Deep breath, Claudia.

I have a lighter day today with just one coaching session. Robyn, our great stage manager, managed to get everyone in for an initial session yesterday and the day before. Tomorrow, a work through of the first half where I can see just what Darko has been up to. Any maybe – fingers crossed – home for a couple of days on Sunday.

Happy Friday.

Filed Under: Don, O'keefe and Merritt 36 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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