Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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Finished Puzzle and a Bit More “Surgery”

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A sign that my back is much better:

I resumed work on the puzzle and finished it this morning. It’s a New Yorker cover from 1943, “Fishing Bridge.” Finally being able to work on it again was very satisfying.

We’re having a stormy, rainy day and I am loving it. It’s rare when we get up in the morning – and we are early risers – with a storm rolling in. It was so lovely to sit here drinking coffee , listening to thunder off in the distance, which quickly grew louder. I sure don’t take rain for granted these days.

But that takes mowing off the table for today.

The other day when I was adding the neck joints to Sophie and Maeve, I decided to replace one pair of Sophie’s eye chips. There was a little incident with hot glue and Sophie’s eyelashes. I had no choice but to remove them. Sophie had very thick eyelashes that, along with the former downward tilt of her head, made her look sulky all of the time. That was okay and I would never have opted to change her eyelashes if not for the ‘incident.’  Though I do like lighter, more realistic lashes as opposed to the heavy and thick lashes some customizers add.

I briefly considered no eyelashes at all, but yesterday morning, I decided she needed some. I set off for Walgreen’s and picked out some false eyelashes. One pair didn’t work because the base of the eyelashes was too thick to fit in the slot in the eyelid. But the other pair did fit. You Tube, again. I cut the eyelashes to fit the slot, added a thin bead of Elmer’s glue – water soluble – and gently pushed them in the slot with a long straight pin.

If I end up not liking them, I can always change them out in another one of my “Dr. Frankenstein” moves, as Don calls them.

New neck, new eye chips, new eyelashes. My very first girl, Sophie, has experienced a mini-makeover.

I love her freckled face.

All Blythes have four sets of eye colors. I might replace one more set in the future, but for now, I think Sophie needs time to get over the trauma of neck surgery and hot glue on her eyelashes. The girl needs some rest.

These eye chips were made by Puppelina Eye Chips, a creator who lives in Spain. I have no idea how she does it, but they’re beautiful.

Don has an injury to his right hand that the doctor said is not a joint/arthritis problem but a muscle injury. So he is now wearing a brace that supports his thumb because the muscle injury is on the pad right next to the thumb. It’s a bit a pain in the tush and he took it off too often yesterday so he’s in pain. I have lovingly ordered him to keep it on today.

I’m watching you, Don!

Stay safe.

Happy Thursday.

The Funeral, The Girls and Some Rain

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I watched all of the coverage of the funeral yesterday on the BBC. It was beautiful, moving, stunning, powerful – I’ve run out of adjectives. Don left the house for a bit to buy some groceries in that period between the funeral and the service at Windsor Castle but yours truly watched it all – except to take a shower, get dressed, and make the bed. It will stay with me a long time.

As I said in some of the comments: the most moving moments for me were the corgis waiting for her at Windsor Castle, the lone bagpiper at the end of the funeral, and her pony standing at the side of the road. That one made me cry.

I’m still thinking about it today and I suspect that will continue. Rest in Peace, Your Majesty.

My back is getting stronger. I still use the heating pad, probably because I’m used to it and it provides a sense of comfort. I want to mow so badly but Don says to hold off until Thursday. Sigh. He’s most likely right and since he’s taken very good care of me over the past two weeks, I’ll honor his request.

You knew it was coming: doll updates.

Madeleine is wearing a dress that I purchased from a woman named Mila in Ukraine. Isn’t it lovely? She also sent 5 or 6 pairs of socks (including the ones in the photo,) the bag, a hair bow, and a hat.

The hat fits quite snugly and it never would have fit over Madeleine’s hair, so Pippa offered to wear it.

I crocheted a tiny version of the hat I’ve been making. It fits Lily’s head, but just barely. I’ll play around with it in the next few days – I think I want a slightly larger version.

Yesterday’s mail included a package with the neck joints I’m going to use for Maeve and Sophie. Gulp. It involves some cutting and drilling, so wish me luck. I may try it today, we’ll see.

And we had a thunderstorm with lots of rain yesterday. After this summer, we sure don’t take rain for granted.

I’m coaching tomorrow and that will probably be it until I can watch a run-through. It’s not the way I like to coach, but it is what it is.

Don’s making a pie today. Always a happy occasion.

Stay safe.

Happy Tuesday.

 

Wednesday Thoughts

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• It rained all day yesterday and, though we’re experiencing a lull at the moment, it will rain for several hours today. It should be partly sunny tomorrow. I’m anxious to see how this has changed the water level on the river. It was shockingly low last week. Hopefully, the amount of rain we’ve had will make a difference.

• I coach today and tomorrow, most likely for several hours each day. Since my brain feels foggy today (sinus) I’m sure hoping that I sharpen up soon! Long days, and then long days on the road on Friday and Saturday. I’ll be glad when my work on Jane Eyre  is complete. I plan on relaxing for a couple of days after I return home. And then I’ll have two days of coaching next week.

• We just passed the 31st anniversary of my brother’s death. I always think of him, of course, but especially in the early days of September. He had cancer, as you know, and while I was chaperoning a group of BU students at the Edinburgh Festival, he took a turn for the worse. My mom held off telling me because she didn’t want to upset me, at least, not until they knew more. I returned home before Labor Day and mom told me what had been going on. I immediately called my brother in the hospital. He seemed to be hanging in there, but he told his girlfriend he was tired of fighting. One night, he sent her home, insisting she get some rest. He died that night. He was only 44.

I didn’t meet Don until 3 years later. I wish they had had the chance to know each other.

• More experimenting with hats for the girls; a lighter weight yarn, some tweaking of the pattern, and here is the latest version.

Zoe is wearing her back-to-school clothes. I think she looks quite fetching in that hat.

Although, I was in such a hurry to get a photo in the late afternoon that I put the right hand where the left should be, and the left hand where the right should be!

I didn’t realize until later when I was trying to figure out why her hands looked weird.

Don sometimes calls me Dr. Frankenstein when I do something like replace eye chips. I think this little error qualifies. Don’t worry, the hands are now in the right place!

Stay safe.

Happy Wednesday.

 

Lambs Like to Party

Lambs Like to Party

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