Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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What Are You Reading?

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Taken from inside the bus as I made my way home yesterday.

Coaching went well. As usual, even though I coached for two hours or so, the day itself – from the moment I left the house until I drove up our driveway – was 10 hours long. Imagine what it’s like for Don when he has an audition; all that time for approximately 8 minutes actually auditioning.

It was a windy, rainy day, which is always a challenge in Manhattan. My umbrella flipped inside out at least 4 times. I was very happy to arrive home to a welcoming wave from Don and dinner ready to be served. He’s a great guy.

Speaking of that great guy, I told him that I didn’t want anything for my birthday, as I’d just had an incredible gift in our trip to Paris.

There was little gift bag, however. And in it was this:

A print of a picture of us kissing on the Seine. The story behind this: Don stopped a young woman and asked her if she would mind taking a picture of us with the Seine in the background. (You can see her shadow in the bottom right corner of the photo.) She took a few of us doing the usual standing side by side thing, and then Don suddenly and unexpectedly grabbed me and kissed me. For quite a long time! And this lovely woman kept snapping.

Anyway, isn’t it sweet? What a wonderful memory.

Today is sunny. Tomorrow will be rainy. I believe it’s time for a major porch clean up.

I’m reading The Essex Serpent  by Sarah Perry. I just started it yesterday while on the bus and I read a bit more this morning. It had rave reviews a few years back and won all sorts of awards, so I’m expecting a very good read.

Since I’ve told you what I am reading, will you tell me what you are reading? It’s my favorite question, you know.

Happy Saturday.

From Paris and London

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We received a faint coating of slushy snow last night.

It will be gone by late morning.

The cleaning frenzy continues. Yesterday it was the bathroom and half of the interior of the refrigerator. When I’m on a roll, I’m on a roll. Today, I’ll finish the refrigerator. I also have to finish reading a play that I’m doing a couple of days work on and write tomorrow’s post, which will be a book review.

Yesterday’s mail included two packages – one from Paris, and one from London. I must say, I was tickled by that!

I left my red beret behind in the lobby of the hotel in Paris. I bought the beret here, not in Paris, and it’s my favorite hat. That cheery red makes me smile. I realized when we were at the airport that I’d left it behind when checking out. I called the hotel and yes, it was there. Hoping they would consent to send it to me, I offered to pay for postage and provided my address.

They sent it gratis, those dears.

Note the description: beret oublié à Paris. Beret forgotten in Paris.

Don thinks that would be a good book title.

So happy to have it back again!

And from London:

The Winter edition of the Foxed Quarterly, Slightly Foxed. I have yet to read the Fall edition, so I’d better get going!

And last week I received another envelope from London, containing John Sandoe’s Christmas Book Catalog. It makes for excellent reading!

If only I could magically transport myself to London and hop on over to Chelsea for a long afternoon in John Sandoe Books.

Ah, well. This is the next best thing.

Don’s in the city this morning. I’m going into the city on Friday for a couple of hours of coaching. The rehearsal space is just down the street from the Port Authority bus station, so I will be in and out of the city rather easily.

Happy Tuesday.

Sunday

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Sunday morning; gray, cloudy and cold. A perfect day to stay indoors, do some chores, and read. I’m well into the book I am going to review on Wednesday and I’m finding it very compelling. I’ll be giving away a copy, something I love to do. I also started Strong Poison,  the first of the Peter Wimsey/Harriet Vane mysteries by Dorothy L. Sayers. I know I’m reading the Lord Peter Wimseys out of order, but it isn’t easy to obtain them all, so I’ll go back and read from the beginning when I’ve got a few more ducks in a row.

We visited a local framer yesterday to get a quote on framing our antique, or almost antique (1925,) lithograph that we purchased in Paris last year. We found it at the flea market in a permanent shop that deals in art, especially graphic art, like advertisements. Don and I are fans of graphics of all kinds, and we found an advertisement for coffee, coffee made by monks.

Don took this picture inside the art supply/framing shop. The print is more vivid than this picture indicates, but you can see it, at least. It basically translates to “No good coffee without composition of the monks.” It was an advertisement for Monk’s Coffee.

You can find this in modern reproductions in poster or canvas,  but this is one of a limited edition of original lithographs, mounted on linen, from 1925. The artist is René Vincent, who often used children in his illustrations.

We were enchanted with it at the time and even after it having been rolled up in a mailing tube for a year, find we’re still enchanted. It’s so lovely. The framer is terrific and has a great eye. We found a frame that we liked, and we’re using protective UV glass, which is also non-glare.

It should be ready in about two weeks.

Can’t wait to hang it in the living room!

Happy Sunday.

Lambs Like to Party

Lambs Like to Party

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