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You are here: Home / Archives for On The Road

On The Road: The Good and Bad

September 21, 2014 at 8:07 am by Claudia

wire thingy with flowers

The good news is that Scout seems to be settling down. Her anxiety level has decreased and she seems to be adapting to this new and strange living situation. As long as I take her to the park a couple of times a day, I think she’s willing to put up with hotel living. Bless her heart, she loves an adventure, as long as she is convinced I’m sticking around and am not about to abandon her. I love her spirit.

The bad news – and it’s always the case when I stay in this hotel – is that the music from the clubs/bars that surround this hotel is unbelievably, and I can’t say that strongly enough, unbelievably loud from Thursday to Sunday. The thuds of the bass can be felt and heard in every room in this hotel. I wear ear plugs every night so that I can sleep, and even then it can be difficult.

And, for a town that is essentially a ghost town on the weekends, there is a lot of activity this weekend. There are events in the park, accompanied by loud music, walkathons…and this morning I woke up to the police closing off the paid parking lot that is right outside my window. Temporary platforms have been erected and now, at 7:30 am, we are being treated to a voice on a loudspeaker. Apparently there is some bike race slotted for today.

Hey, I’m all for Hartford getting people into the city to spend money and celebrate, but I’ve only been here 3 days and I’ve already been overwhelmed by sound pollution.

Maybe I just happened to arrive on an especially busy weekend? Fingers crossed.

The nice thing about staying in the apartments is that the thundering bass from the clubs is a non-issue. I just have to get through the next two weeks and then I’ll have some relief.

Of course, here in the hotel, I can have a free breakfast every morning, though I seldom partake in it, and a buffet dinner Monday – Thursday. I often stop off and grab a salad and a roll. I obviously avoid the meat entrees. And the staff is always very friendly and helpful.

I stayed here for five weeks the first time I worked at Hartford Stage. That’s a long time. I got to know everyone fairly well and many of the same people are still on staff.

Rehearsals are going well. For the first few days, we are working with the actors playing Hamlet and King Claudius and some of the students who will also be in the production. Next week, the entire cast will arrive. The costume designs are gorgeous. The set design is striking. And we’re working on one of the greatest plays ever written, so how can I not be inspired?

Happy Sunday.

ClaudiaSignature140X93

Filed Under: On The Road 23 Comments

We’re Tired

September 20, 2014 at 8:20 am by Claudia

I’ve been awake since 5 am. Whenever I wake up during the night here in the hotel, I automatically check to see where Scout is. Most of the night she was by the side of the bed, but she wasn’t there at 5. So I turned on the light and saw her sleeping out in the living room. Okay. Back to sleep.

But no. The alarm went off at 5:15, just as I was drifting off to sleep.

Shouldn’t Housekeeping automatically check alarm clocks when someone has just checked out?

It didn’t make me a happy camper.

We moved rooms yesterday, right after my rehearsal ended. I did it rather efficiently, I must say, packing the hotel cart, rolling it out the door, onto the elevator, down three floors, down the hall and into the new room. Twice. Then Ms. Scout joined me. She was very excited, but I told her not to get her hopes up – we weren’t going home just yet.

She’s a bit better, still anxious, but so exhausted from the past two days that she’s sleeping more. The new room – it’s actually a suite – is the one I’ve been in twice before. It’s much more spacious. The other room was rather small, like a very small studio apartment, and there was a post in the middle of the ‘entrance’ that was annoying. This is one of the larger suites, with a separate bedroom. Scout gets restless during the night and she likes to move around, so this space will allow her to roam to her heart’s content.

hotel room 1

I brought the quilt I made for our now-gone-bed from home. This bed normally has a duvet and you know I don’t like duvets. Plus, the quilt just makes things cheerier. That red quilt is the quilt that is usually in front of my blogging chair. Scoutie uses it when she’s in the tunnel. Speaking of beds, I now truly realize how incredible our new bed is. This bed is giving me a backache.

hotel room 2

There’s a sofa and a chair. And that is Scout’s other quilt, which is usually in front of the loveseat in the living room.

hotel room 3

Desk and television. There’s a television in the bedroom, too.

hotel room 4

Little kitchenette, with a refrigerator (hidden on the left) a dishwasher, two burners, but no oven, unfortunately. I brought two non-slip mats from home so that Scout can have some traction on the vinyl floor.

Do you see that look in her eyes? Pupils dilated? That’s the look I’ve seen rather consistently for the past two days.

But she loves the park, thank goodness. She’s already been there once this morning and I’ll take her again, I’m sure. I have a long day of rehearsal and I’ll have to run back to the hotel on the lunch break to check in on her.

Yikes, I am tired. And if I’m tired, Scout must be absolutely exhausted. Hopefully, she’ll sleep a lot while I’m gone today.

Happy Saturday.

ClaudiaSignature140X93

Filed Under: On The Road, Scout 25 Comments

Pacing

September 19, 2014 at 8:11 am by Claudia

Scout is driving me nuts.

She paces. She pants. She can’t relax. I had to wrestle her to the ground a couple of times to get her to go to sleep. She walks to the bathroom. She looks in the closet. She paces. She paces. And she paces some more.

She usually adjusts more easily and quickly than this. She’s clearly stressed and unsure about what is going on.

I’m trying to be patient.

She does love the park, however.

scout in hartford 1

That part of the whole thing is cool. She sniffs. She explores. She loves it.

It’s just the hotel that she’s unsure of.

And to complicate things, and what about this isn’t complicated, I didn’t get the room I requested, but it will be available later today. So after rehearsal, we have to move again. Then, in two weeks, we have to move again – into the apartment.

I don’t remember her being this crazy when she stayed at an apartment here a year ago. Or when we stayed overnight at Don’s apartment in New Haven. She just can’t relax.

This is hard on her. Consequently, it’s hard on me.

I have to leave her to go to rehearsal today, so I hope she can finally relax. At the very least, all this anxiety should tire her out, don’t you think?

scout in hartford 2

I’m more than a bit frazzled myself.

New post up on Just Let Me Finish This Page.

Happy Friday.

ClaudiaSignature140X93

Filed Under: On The Road, Scout 41 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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