On The Road — Page 96

On the Road: Nesting and Moving On

May 24, 2013 at 9:12 am by Claudia

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(Photos taken with my nifty-fifty lens on the AV setting, which deliberately blurs some of the subject matter.)

The quilt has been folded. I’m starting to think about packing. Do I take the flowers, which are in full, beautiful bloom, with me? What about that bottle of wine Darko gave me? I don’t drink. Who should I give it to? Have to take the books back to the library, but I want to finish the one I’m reading first. What to do?

Tonight is opening night and tomorrow Don comes to pick me up and I head home.

I really like this apartment, with its impossibly high ceilings and its pretty kitchen. I’ll miss it. Does that sound strange? It really isn’t. I’ve loved being here, all the while missing my home and family. I’m used to making a nest wherever I am and for many, many years I lived on my own in a series of apartments. I lived in a couple of studio apartments, then I graduated to two small rooms and then (the big time) three. In each of these abodes, I found a way to make it mine.

I did the same thing with this apartment. Remember this? (It’s on the sidebar.)

I am a solitary person who is chatty.

Truer words were never spoken. So when I’m on the road in what Don calls my “Mary Tyler Moore Life,” I enjoy it. I embrace it. This particular trip has been even more lovely with the addition of Mabel and a couple of creative projects to keep me busy and happy. Of course, my theater work is creative as well, but you know what I mean. It’s almost as if I’ve had my own little creative space/studio, separate from my home.

So, it’s with a bit of sadness that I prepare to leave. I love my cottage, my husband and my little girl. I can’t wait to see what the heck is going on in my now, I’m sure, weed-filled garden. I know that soon after I get back home it will be as if I never left. But, in the meantime, I am going to quietly revel in my adopted space here in Hartford.

It’s been quite stormy out here in the east, with unseasonably warm temperatures and lots of rain. More today.

By the way, do you keep up on Apartment Therapy‘s Small, Cool contest? I love it. Readers submit their impossibly small living spaces; winners will eventually be chosen by the readers. I love seeing how people cope with living in a small space. As a veteran of small space living, from tiny studio apartments to a tiny cottage, this sort of thing really floats my boat. Check it out if you are interested.

I’ll post A Favorite Thing right before I go to the theater tonight, but I have to be honest. I will be so busy today, tomorrow and Sunday, that I might not get around to comment on the links. Maybe I will. However, this might be a week where your hostess is otherwise occupied.

Happy Friday.

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A Thank You & Winding Down

May 23, 2013 at 8:56 am by Claudia

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I found this feather smack dab in the middle of a city sidewalk. It’s about 4 inches long. Is it from a Finch? A Baltimore Oriole? What do you think? It’s going home with me.

Edited to add: It’s from a Northern Flicker (Yellow-Shafted) – which is in the Woodpecker family!

Oh my! Thank you, thank you for the incredible conversation we had yesterday. For those of you who missed it, you can read it all here. I had no idea as I was wrangling with this topic yesterday morning that it would elicit such a strong response from all of you. Obviously, it struck a chord. The blogging world is ever changing. Some of the changes are wonderful; some not so wonderful. I’ve always compared blogging to being in high school and I’ve said that time and again on this blog. Wonderful friendships can be made, creativity can be encouraged and rewarded. But there are cliques. There are the ‘popular’ girls. There are mean girls. There are those who do their own thing, regardless of what is deemed popular. I had a great time in high school, but I was not one of the in crowd. I was in the theater/music crowd. I was never going to be a cheerleader and that was fine. I thrived where I was and found myself in the process.

Same thing for blogging, don’t you think?

Anyway, thank you. I found your comments stimulating and wise and funny and profound. Many of you raised points that I hadn’t thought of. What a great conversation!

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Two more days in Hartford. One last Preview performance tonight and then Opening Night tomorrow. Once again, I failed to ride the carousel. What can I say? And once again, I didn’t tour Mark Twain’s house or Harriet Beecher Stowe’s house. But, I’ll be back again in about 7 weeks. I’ll do all of it then. (Fingers crossed.)

Today I have to find a pair of shoes to wear tomorrow night. (I really hate shopping for clothes or shoes.) I’m hoping that I find something quickly because I have to be at a short rehearsal at 2:30. All I want is a comfortable pair of black shoes. I’ll let the younger members of the cast wear the strappy high heels.

It feels like a Friday to me, but Happy Thursday.

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Bird Watching in the Park

May 21, 2013 at 9:04 am by Claudia

Yesterday was my day off. I did a little grocery shopping, then I walked to the park with my camera and sat on a bench for an hour.

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There are lots of pigeons in the park and, contrary to the opinion of some people, I think they’re beautiful. Each bird had markedly different coloring and each was unique. This guy was the biggest of the pigeons and just a bit of a bully.

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Moments later, he took off.

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Coming in for a landing.

Then this little guy landed on the bench to my left.

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Is he feeding a nearby family?

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Then he took off.

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No, it’s not mine.

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All in all, a lovely time in the park.

I sweetly asked my colleagues to stop by the apartment and hold up my quilt:

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On the left is Mary. She’s the Stage Manager on this production. We’ve worked together before and are good friends.

On the right is Robyn. She’s the Assistant Stage Manager.

I lament the lack of wall space in my cottage. But as I looked around this apartment with its ceilings that are at least 17 feet high, I thought it would be the perfect place to hang quilts! Too bad it would involve drilling holes – a no-no in temporary housing. Ah well.

Today is another student matinee. The director is going on for another actor who had to go out of town for the funeral of a family member. Should be interesting.

I must take a moment to acknowledge the terrible tragedy in Oklahoma. The news accounts of the tornado are gut-wrenching. The photos of the destruction attest to its horrific power. My heart goes out to the citizens of Moore and to everyone else who has suffered inconceivable loss from this devastating tornado. You are in my thoughts and prayers.

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On the Road: Nesting and Moving On

A Thank You & Winding Down

Bird Watching in the Park

Lambs Like to Party

A Note

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