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You are here: Home / Archives for Riley

Fog, Dogs & Gratitude

November 30, 2016 at 9:03 am by Claudia

11-30-foggymorning

Another foggy morning here in my neck of the woods.

I love foggy mornings. There’s something mysterious about them. Something other-worldly. And then I hear Fred Astaire singing “A foggy day in London town…”

It’s very cozy around here this morning. We’re watching the fog shift and change, drinking our coffee and feeling grateful. Sometimes I have to remind myself to stop and utter thanks for what I have. It’s tempting to compare my life with others, and though I am much better about that than I used to be, comparison still creeps in there from time to time.

The sheer and utter truth is that I am blessed: a husband who loves me and who I love in return, a cozy little cottage that provides a roof over our heads, bills that are paid for the month, heat coming from the oil burner, food in the pantry, a family I adore and a sister who is simply the best sister ever, a little nephew who sounded so cheery and so happy last night that gratitude for his recovery from the seizure that happened just a week ago filled me up from head to toe,  friends and colleagues who challenge and support me, work in my chosen field – I’ll stop there, but goodness, there’s so much more.

11-30-eveningskywithbirds

I took this picture the other day and today, as I was editing it, I realized there are birds flying by that big, fluffy cloud. I love surprises like that.

I don’t think I’ve ever shared the next picture with you. I took it before I started blogging – somewhere between 2006 and 2008. It was for the cover of Don’s first CD (no longer available) called “Dogs in the House.”

11-30-dogsinthehouse

Don keeps it in a frame on his desk.

We had to do some maneuvering to get this photo. We opened the window and took out the screen and then Don had to hold out some treats to get the dogs to come to the edge of the opening. Over and over again until we got this shot.

Of course, we rewarded their patience with our shenanigans with lots of treats.

Oh, those sweet faces. How I miss them.

Another rainy day ahead for us and then a bit of a warm-up tomorrow and Friday. On Friday, we’re going to go on a tour of the Catskill Animal Sanctuary! I’m so excited. I’ll take lots of pictures, I promise.

Happy Wednesday.

ClaudiaSignature140X93

 

Filed Under: animals, dogs, Don, Little Z, Riley, Scout 41 Comments

Reading As Escape

November 16, 2016 at 9:27 am by Claudia

11-16-moonrising

I try to get good photos of the moon. I do.

But I don’t have the right kind of lens, don’t have a stretch of level ground on which to plant a tripod, and it gets so dark around here that the ‘night’ setting on my camera really doesn’t do it. Ah, well.

Yesterday was a rain-filled day and it wasn’t the drizzly kind of rain we’ve been getting, but a very good soaking rain. It was dismal out there, but much appreciated. I drove to the bookstore for reading therapy. Though I am vigilant and am doing everything I can right now to stay energized for the fight, I also need to escape, always hoping that when I come out of Reading World, I’ll find it was all a bad dream.

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I’ve already read the new Flea Market Style. Loved it.

Country Living, Christmas edition. I’ve never been too crazy about Christmas issues of favorite decorating magazines. I’d rather see any interior sans holiday decorations. I find them distracting. But I caved because I need…you guessed it….an escape.

The newest Lee Child – Night School. You knew I would buy it. I’ve read them all and cannot resist a new Jack Reacher mystery. Jack Reacher, as written by Mr. Child. Not the Tom Cruise version – I don’t want my image of Reacher to change from the picture I have in my head.

I know I’m rather firm about all of this, but that’s how I feel. I won’t watch Bosch  either – the series that centers on Harry Bosch, as written by Michael Connelly. Nothing against Titus Welliver, who is a fine actor and, in this case, looks rather like Bosch as written by Connelly. But I have a picture in my mind and I guard it.

And I’ll be doing the same thing when there is a series – or is it a movie – of Robert Galbraith’s (J.K. Rowling) series centered on Cormoran Strike. She is so specific in her description of Strike that when I saw a photo of the actor cast in the role, I thought, what??? Producers and casting people always seem to go for the more handsome and marketable version of a character. In Cruise’s case, about a foot shorter and 60 pounds lighter, with a completely different hair color.

The last book is a collection of speeches, essays, and articles written by the late, great Pat Conroy – A Lowcountry Heart. It just came out. I can’t wait to read it.

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Look who arrived in yesterday’s mail. Another Big Boy. This one is holding a Double-Decker. I haven’t had any red meat in well over 30 years, but I do remember loving a Double-Decker. My mom and I would sometimes go shopping and eat lunch at Big Boy. We always got a Double-Decker.

That makes three Big Boys, which, I told Don, now makes a collection. They’re behind me as I write this, staring at me.

And, because I miss them so, so much and I ran across this photo the other day:

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Scoutie and Riley in the den. Scout in the “tunnel.” I miss them in my life and on this blog. I long for them, especially during this last week, where their presence would have been enormously comforting. I miss taking care of my babies.

Read Susan Branch’s latest post: We Have to Believe We Are Magic. Bravo, Susan.

Happy Wednesday.

ClaudiaSignature140X93

Filed Under: books, collecting, Don, reading, Riley, Scout 65 Comments

Winston

September 3, 2016 at 9:42 am by Claudia

Feast your eyes:

9-3 winston

Our first baby. Winston.

He left us at the very young age of eight years old. Too soon and devastatingly so.

Right after Don and I moved in together in San Diego, we repaired the fence so we could adopt a dog. Within a week of moving in, we were at the Humane Society. The very first dog we saw was scared, bewildered and broke our hearts. As we read his tag, we learned his name was Winston and, at the age of eighteen months, he had been given up by his family due to ‘allergies.’ (We won’t go into how I feel about that.) We thought he was beautiful. He was listed as an Aussie Shepherd Mix.

9-3 winstoncloseup

But we made ourself look at many other dogs that day. The trouble was, we kept circling back to Winston. He had stolen our hearts. So we made our desire to spend some time with him known to the volunteers and they took us to a special enclosure where we could get to know each other. Winston and Don and I went inside. I set my handbag down. Whereupon Winston promptly lifted his leg and peed in it.

He had indeed claimed us. In the end, we had to wait a few days because they needed to do a fecal test. But he wouldn’t poop. I kept calling them, anxious to bring him home. Finally, they gave up on the fecal test and our new family member came to our house. We parked in the garage and escorted him to the back yard. Whereupon he promptly pooped.

That boy was all about marking his territory.

If you’ve seen his picture on my sidebar, you’ve noticed the pink ball. I asked Shanna to put the ball in the portrait. Winston was the only one of our dogs who always had a favorite toy and took it from room to room. If I went back to the den from the living room, he would pick that ball up in his mouth, walk to the den, and drop it at my feet. He loved his toys. One Christmas Eve, he sat facing the fireplace for hours (I have a picture) staring at his stocking. He wouldn’t move. Why? Because that boy smelled the vinyl toys.

A few years later, he became very ill, vomiting and losing weight. We went through all kinds of tests before we had a diagnosis. His pancreas no longer functioned. We had to give him a powdered supplement with his food from that day on so he could digest it and get the sorely needed nutrients. Until the day we discovered that he had a tumor on his heart, a year after we had moved East, he was happy and healthy and everything we had dreamed of in a companion.

Oh, he was a wonderful boy. He welcomed Scout into our home, after making clear who was boss. They were great companions. (And Scout welcomed Riley into our home, after making clear who was boss, as well!)

9-3 winstonframe

So, I wanted that ball in the painting. I also wanted him on the porch, even though he never lived here in the cottage. I like to think he made the move with us, unseen. And both Shanna and I had the same idea; to paint this one horizontally on the paper, rather than vertically.

The photos I submitted to Shanna were taken long ago, with a not so great camera and the dark background of our Craftsman home in San Diego. And Winston was black, which made it even harder to see details. Somehow she has managed to capture him beautifully. She is masterful with the eyes, isn’t she?

I can’t believe how accurate this is. This is the boy we have been mourning for 14 years. And now he is with his sister and his brother.

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Someday I’ll show you the view from Don’s chair, but this is the view from where I often sit. As Don said this morning while he was sipping on his coffee and looking at the paintings, “Our kids.”

I can never express in words how seeing these paintings, along with the sketch of Scout (also by Shanna) and my photograph of Riley and Scout – all of them together in their own special place – makes me feel. I can only say that it just feels right. They are our children, forever, and they’re still with us.

Thank you, Shanna.

Happy Saturday.

ClaudiaSignature140X93

 

 

Filed Under: dogs, Riley, Scout, Winston 44 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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The Dogs

The Dogs

Scout & Riley. Riley left us in 2012. Scout left us in February 2016. Dearest babies. Dearest friends.

Winston - Our first dog. We miss you, sweetheart.

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