Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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Sewing on a Featherweight

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Yes, I dream of owning a Featherweight (hence the dreamy picture) but I don’t own one yet. But I am lucky enough to have a friend here who has one. She has graciously offered its use while I am staying here. This particular Featherweight was her grandmother’s, so I am very honored that she trusts me with it. I finally had a bit of time today to figure out how to thread it and do some sewing. I am sewing the squares of my quilt together. This will take a long while because there are many, many of them. If my piecing skills matched the beauty of the Featherweight, all would be well. Nevertheless, it was nice to spend some time at the machine today. Thank you, Ingrid. Ingrid and I have known each other for many years. She used to work in the Costume Dept. at the Theater. She also altered my wedding gown so that I could breathe on my wedding day!

Classes are going very well. I’ve been teaching for 3 weeks now and the students are really lovely-talented, funny, smart and eager to learn. I find I have slipped back into teaching much more easily than I had feared. I’m even enjoying it. Who would have thought it? One of the most rewarding parts of this work has always been my relationship with the students. I’m still in touch with many former students, and now thanks to Facebook, even more! I’m also coaching my current students in a production of The Greeks. All of this keeps me very busy and that is a blessing. When I do have some free time, I get very homesick and miss Don and the dogs so much it hurts. But I am grateful and thankful for this opportunity to work with the students and get to know them.

More on the blogiversary giveaway soon.

The Teaching Begins

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Can you tell I am teaching again? My desk is this little table and it seems to have been overtaken by WORK! I had my first classes yesterday. I renewed my acquaintance with the second year students and met for the first time the first year students. So far so good. I have a lot of prep work to do each day as I haven’t taught for a long time. I’m also coaching a play that is in technical/dress rehearsals at night so my schedule is filling up. The busier the better, I think, as it helps ease my homesickness.

On another note, I just found out my Mom had to be hospitalized this morning, so please keep her in your thoughts and prayers. She is currently having tests done, and I hope we can get to the bottom of this mystery. It seems I am far away from all my family at a stressful time.

Good Morning!

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Let me start with these photos of the morning sunrise…glorious! I have an unobstructed view of the morning sunrise from the balcony of my apartment and this morning’s was just beautiful. Glad I woke up around 6 am!


I purchased these linens for a few dollars each. The tables in this apartment are wood, rather like something you would find in an office (from the 80’s). Two of them have deep drawers, like file cabinets. They are the same kind of wood that is used in the dresser in the ‘bedroom.’ If you remember, I used a runner to break up that surface. I have done the same with the tables. I have so many of these linens back home that I inherited from my grandmother. I love them, so I am happy to add to the stash.

Had to use the flash for the above linen, sorry! It is in a darker corner of the room.


Mockingbird Hill Apartment West is just about finished…that’s not to say I won’t add some things here and there, but I must remember that I have to ship all these things home!

Today is my day off, but I have lots of work to do in preparation for the beginning of classes tomorrow. By the way, I love my new printer and I think my husband will, too, when it is eventually shipped home to New York.

I mentioned in an earlier blog post about my search for a Singer Featherweight sewing machine to use while I am here. I saw 2 of them over the weekend in antique stores. One didn’t have a case, or any of the attachments, but was in pretty good condition. It seems that I could spend a bit more and get the extras that I need. The other one had everything and was in fairly good condition, but the owner of the store was going to ask way more than I thought was fair, and certainly more than I could afford! So the search continues. I want one very badly – I have all the finished squares for my quilt right here in the apartment and can’t do anything with them! I love Featherweights – they are little beauties!

More later.

Lambs Like to Party

Lambs Like to Party

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