To Kill a Mockingbird

Bits of News

December 22, 2022 at 9:41 am by Claudia

• Today we start in with rain, snow, sleet and everything else under the sun. It will be dangerous out there for the next few days. Tomorrow’s high in the mid-fifties will drop almost 50 degrees overnight. High winds, also (you know how much I dislike that.) Insane. Lots of rain predicted, more than 2 inches. Yikes. And frigid temperatures on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. If we get any snow, it will only be a bit. And that seems highly doubtful. I know the same storm is dumping lots of snow on many of you. I’d much rather have the snow.

I guess I’ll have to blare Christmas music to mute the sound of wind.

• We watched The Bishop’s Wife last night. Love that movie.

• Don only needs 8 more subscribers to his YouTube channel to qualify for his own URL (a unique address on the web.) Thank you to those of you who graciously subscribed! Brenda, give a listen to “Nova Scotia” – I believe Don left you a message. He loved your comment yesterday.

• I received a lovely package from reader Kathy yesterday. In it were two lovely holiday plates from Target (we’re going to use them for the Linzer Tart Cookies I’m making this year.) And also included was this:

To Kill a Mockingbird published in Estonia! It’s the hardcover version with a copyright of 1964, just two years after it was first published in America. This is the original dust jacket and the illustration/artwork is stunning! Oh my. Thank you so much, Kathy! This is amazing. I wrote you a note in yesterday’s comment, but my question is: Where, oh, where did you find this???

• Update on my job offer – The woman who is coordinating the workshop managed to come up with some more money from the producers, so I will be paid my normal fee with a little extra money to cover six days of commuting back and forth from here to the city. It worked out! And, once I got out of the way, it was effortless. A lesson I have to learn over and over again. It turned out better than I had even hoped. So, that’s taken care of and I can work with dear Darko again. Hurrah!

• And finally, the last sweater-ornament-turned-into-Blythe-sweater. This one is modeled by Madeleine.

It’s been fun adapting these sweaters to fit on my girls. I, of course, will be looking for even more of these next year. I have 8 of them and goodness knows, all 12 of my girls should have one.

• Okay. Don is baking a pie this morning. I am baking cookies tomorrow. I have to run to the library at noon (they don’t open until then) to pick up a book that has arrived – Madly, Deeply: The Diaries of Alan Rickman. I could try to do it tomorrow, but the weather will be horrendous. As it is, I will be trying to get there and back before it starts snowing/sleeting/raining. The only other option is Tuesday and who knows if it will still be icy around here? This subzero weather that’s on the way is supposed to last through Tuesday or Wednesday.

Stay safe.

Happy Thursday.

Egg Cups and TBR Stacks

November 15, 2019 at 10:41 am by Claudia

A look into my egg cup cubby. You can see the silver egg cup in the top row, as well as just how petite it is.

Because of the cabinet doors, certain sections of the cubbies are partially obscured; the top row, for instance, which I haven’t shown here. And part of the bottom row. I can still put egg cups there, and do, but I can’t see them clearly without opening the doors. The same goes with the center cubbies, where you can see I’ve placed the cups to the left and right, because the frame for the doors hides part of each cubby. I hope that makes some sort of sense.

I woke up too early this morning and my brain is kind of fuzzy.

Also – my TBR stacks in the den.

I finished Gaudy Night. Loved it. It’s period in its style, and I find that fascinating, just as I love Wilkie Collins and Sherlock Holmes and Agatha Christie. I’m now moving on to more Dorothy L. Sayers, as well as the above stacks. But I have to read the book I’m going to review in the meantime, so that’s next on my to do list.

Don still feels poorly – these chest colds can hang around a long time. I’m going to have lunch with Rick today and then I’m going to come home and collapse.

We watched To Kill a Mockingbird on TCM last night. I don’t know how many times I’ve seen it now, but it has to be at least 40. Cried my eyes out.

“Miss Scout, stand up! Your father’s passing.”

Happy Friday.

Sun, Books & Potential Bookshelves

November 13, 2019 at 10:16 am by Claudia

It’s very, very cold, it’s windy, the porch plants are now dead, BUT it’s sunny.

I’ll take it. There is a distinct difference in my mood and my engagement with just about anything when the sun is shining.

Stella likes it, too.

So does the piano.

Don’s beginning to feel a wee bit better. He had a spurt of energy this morning and now he’s crashing. It just takes time, doesn’t it? He booked out (through his agent) for the week so he can kick this thing to the curb. In the meantime, we’re having hot soup, hot herbal tea with honey in the late afternoon, and the afghan is back in business.

I must share something with you. I had to hold off until the Paris posts were complete. A package was waiting for me at the post office when I returned from Paris. It was from reader Kathy from Iowa.

Two paperback versions of To Kill a Mockingbird – one in Russian, one in Hebrew.

Amazing! My collection of TKAM in different languages is growing and I’m thrilled.

Thank you, Kathy!

Wouldn’t it be cool if I eventually have an entire shelf full of these?

Speaking of shelves. Don’s old vintage dresser (which is currently falling apart) is in the upstairs hallway at the top of the stairs. My vintage dresser (not quite falling apart, but a bit of a pain in the tush) is in our bedroom. Available space, as always, is an issue in this house.

Don wants to get rid of the dresser. I’ve had my eye on an IKEA dresser that has clean lines and drawers that open and shut easily. We could fit two of them in the bedroom.

I’ve always envisioned that little niche at the top of the stair (which used to be my ‘studio,’ remember?) as a great place for a mini-library. We know that we need more bookshelves. I’ve got stacks and stacks of books sitting around and now that Don is reading rather voraciously, we’ve got his books, too. So we’re toying with the idea of installing shelves on both sides of the wall, with a little chair or ottoman in the middle. It would really make that area pop and it would allow us to have even more shelf space.

Perhaps it will be a winter project.

Stay warm.

Happy Wednesday.

Bits of News

Egg Cups and TBR Stacks

Sun, Books & Potential Bookshelves

Lambs Like to Party

A Note

Archives