snow — Page 42

A Bit of Everything: Snow, Dollhouse, Scout, Don & PBS

January 6, 2014 at 7:54 am by Claudia

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Even though snow can be a pain in the tush, it sure looks pretty on a sunny day.

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There are always fresh tracks on our front lawn and in the back forty. Usually the tracks are from the deer that share this property with us, but I often see tracks from other animals.

Unfortunately, yesterday and today have brought rain, then freezing rain, then rain again, so the landscape isn’t looking nearly so pretty. Our neighbors who have been away in Aruba (we shoveled their driveway the other day so they could pull in when they returned) just messaged us last night to say they were stuck there. I’m sure it’s due to cancelled flights and icy runways and all that sort of thing.

I’m thinking it wouldn’t be at all bad to be stranded in Aruba.

Dame Scout (she insists we call her that) had a wonderful birthday. There was a candle to blow out, a beautiful rendition of Happy Birthday (with harmony) from her parents, and a plate with special treats that was actually placed on the carpet in front of her and no one interfered or said “No, Scout!” She kept looking at us as if to say “Is this for real?” Then she went for it. Licking peanut butter off a plate? A little bit of doggy heaven.

Thank you for all the wonderful birthday greetings. Scout has a big old smile on her face and she thanks you, too.

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A faucet and handles arrived for the dollhouse bathroom. I installed them in about two seconds. If only real-life plumbing was this easy.

Speaking of the dollhouse, do you remember this photo?

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It’s the finished craft room/office for the dollhouse. Whenever someone pins something from my blog or repins something I’ve pinned, I get an email that informs me of that. Over the last few days, several people have pinned this photo, not on a miniatures board or a dollhouse board, but on real-life decorating boards. I’m getting such a kick out of that! Do you think they know it’s from a dollhouse? Of course. They have to know. I assume the planked walls are the draw, but who knows? Whatever the appeal, I’m getting a chuckle out of the whole thing.

Okay. Heads up. Tomorrow night at 8:00 pm, Don’s episode of American Experience, The Poisoner’s Handbook, airs on PBS. Check your local listings, of course, but this starting time seems to be pretty consistent around the country. It’s two hours long.

Now remember, American Experience is part documentary, part interviews, and part re-enactment. So Don will not be in every moment of the show. But he’ll definitely be there, playing Dr. Charles Norris.

We’re are really looking forward to seeing how the producers have put the whole thing together. It’s been nearly a year since he filmed in Prague. (Why don’t I get gigs in Prague?)

The Christmas tree is still standing. I’m just now beginning to get a tiny urge to put everything away. It’s not strong enough to act on yet. Maybe tomorrow? Or maybe after The Poisoner’s Handbook airs?

I have to order a headboard and a bed frame and a mattress pad and sheets for the new bed. I’ve got all sorts of possibilities bookmarked. Today is the day to make a decision. Wish me luck!

Happy Monday.

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Snow, A Table & A Party

January 3, 2014 at 8:20 am by Claudia

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Brrrr. There’s nothing like waking up at 6 am, grabbing a coat, hat and gloves and shoveling a path for Scout. Up the little hill, all the way around the dog corral and back down the hill again. Barely awake, coffee yet to be consumed, no bodily strength whatsoever. Like a wet noodle.

I came back in the door, ordered Scout outside, and collapsed in the chair.

I am just now coherent enough to start to write a post. There’s clearly a lot of shoveling on the docket for the day. I have no idea how much snow fell – several inches, for sure – but thank goodness it’s powdery. It wasn’t the heavy, wet kind that is so tough to shovel. It’s windy and cold here, with a wind chill that is taking the temp down to the zero mark. Tonight’s low will be 7 below zero. Yikes.

This is the time of year that I go into my fantasy world and pretend I’m back in Southern California with the warm sun on my face. A girl can dream, can’t she?

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This arrived yesterday. It’s my work table for the Craft/Studio/Office room in the dollhouse. Isn’t it perfect? I haven’t decided whether I’m going to stain it or paint it. I may stain it, simply because so many pieces of furniture in the dollhouse are painted. Then again, I may paint it.

I want to tell you about two things. The first is a neat idea that my friend Dawn of Creative Cain Cabin came up with. Lucky me – Dawn asked me to co-host the party with her. It’s the Christmas Critter Felt Along. We’re going to be making 2 felt Christmas ornaments each month. Early in the month, we will post photos of the two ornaments, along with patterns and directions and a list of materials and then later in the month we will host a linky party where we can share our creations. So, by next Christmas, you can have 24 new ornaments. You can give them as gifts, or save them for your own tree. Here’s the neat thing: these are so quick and easy to make that you will be able to put them together in no time at all.

And you can make each one for about 20 cents. It’s that inexpensive. Dawn has written a great post about it today. Go on over and visit her post, and you’ll get an idea of what we will be making. So simple, yet so adorable. We will be posting the first two ornaments on January 8th, with directions and a list of materials, along with our own versions of each ornament.

I’d love to have you join in. I think it will be fun. And it takes very little time, which is a big plus for me!

I’m extremely late in posting this, blame it on the holidays, but the winner of a copy of The Seduction of Miriam Cross is Gina! I’ve already contacted Gina. I have some more reviews coming up in February, so there will be more opportunities to win.

Happy Friday.

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Friends, Gifts and a Gift to Ourselves

January 2, 2014 at 9:34 am by Claudia

We’re watching snow fall, waiting for the big wallop of a storm that is going to hit us later today and into tomorrow. All sorts of warnings, wind chills of 20 – 30 below zero expected, blizzard-like conditions overnight.

Oh boy.

I had a sleepless night. Why, I don’t know. Just one of those things that happens occasionally.

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Thank you, Scout. You’ve managed to capture the exact way I feel this morning.

Our friends, Tina and Noble, stopped by yesterday afternoon. Tina made the lamb costume and party hats for Scout and is immensely talented in all sorts of ways and Noble is a colleague of mine, a wonderful actor who I’ve worked with at Hartford Stage twice now. We had such a lovely time with them.

Tina, who is the one of the most thoughtful and loving people I know, brought gifts.

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A beautiful piece of vintage Pfaltzgraff pottery. I love this design and the color of the glaze.

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And this beautiful aqua pitcher, filled with flowers. I’m thinking Tina knows my favorite colors.

I was completely surprised by these lovely gifts. Thank you, dear Tina.

Tina brought two more items that won’t be revealed until Sunday. You’ll have to wait.

In other news, and this item is a biggie for us, we bought a new bed! We have a list of things that need to be fixed and/or taken care of around here. It’s sort of a Wish/Must Be Done List, which we’ve written on the kitchen blackboard. One of those wishes has become a necessity and that’s a new bed. We’ve had our queen-sized bed for almost 18 years. It’s been uncomfortable for about 5 years now and we wake up with sore hips, sore backs, sore everything. Plus, it’s too gosh-darned small for the two of us. Don is almost 6′5″ – I am just under 5′9″ – Don’s feet touch the very end of the mattress and I constantly complain about being pushed to the edge of my side of the bed.

We have a small bedroom. But, I think we can rearrange things to accommodate a California King-sized mattress. It will take some creative thinking, but we really need a bigger bed. King-sized won’t do it, because the length of the bed is the same as a queen. But a California King is four inches longer, so that’s the ticket for us. And it’s not as wide as a king, but it is 12 inches wider than a queen, that’s 6 for me and 6 for Don.

That means we have to buy a new bed frame and linens and a headboard, a necessity because of the slanted walls. We went back and forth on this purchase but, in the end, we realized that the quality of our sleep is important and that the investment will pay off over time. It will probably arrive towards the end of the month. Good luck to the guys who have to get it up the stairs. I’ll have to clear a lot of things out of the hallway studio before the delivery – as always in a small house, space is at a premium, including the space in which to maneuver a mattress.

Cannot wait.

Happy Thursday.

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A Bit of Everything: Snow, Dollhouse, Scout, Don & PBS

Snow, A Table & A Party

Friends, Gifts and a Gift to Ourselves

Lambs Like to Party

A Note

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