I’ve thought each of the last four days was Friday and now it’s truly Friday.
Lots of rain and storms headed our way today. Don is currently out running errands. He’s picking up some hair clippers we ordered so I can cut his hair today, as well as stopping to get some produce. Exciting, right? (These days this kind of thing is exciting.)
I did a lot of work on the dollhouse yesterday, finishing one of the side walls:
One more side to go. I also have to ‘grout’ the blocks of stone and seal the whole thing. I like the way it’s turning out. It all depends on my attitude. If I’m not as patient as I would like to be, it seems to take forever. Yesterday, I was calm and patient and it flowed beautifully. But it is tedious, nonetheless.
This arrived yesterday for the kitchen:
It’s the same as the one in Hummingbird Cottage, but in green. I’ve been visualizing this stove on the same wall as the mustard-colored Welsh dresser. This little cottage will have plenty of color. I’m going for a slightly cluttered and cozy cottage, the kind the British do so well.
Today is my sister Meredith’s birthday. I am forever grateful for her presence in my life. She is an extraordinary person and I love her with all my heart. Happy Birthday, Mere!
Stay safe.
Happy Friday.
Oh. That baby Aga! And the “stone work” on your dollhouse is beautiful. Must you grout it? I think it looks perfect as it is.
Yes. It will be subtle, but without the grout, you can see the paint underneath. Stay safe!
Happy Friday!
You have worked hard on the outside walls, I’m sure that when you look back in the future, you’ll be so pleased you took the time to do it properly.
And a happy birthday to Meredith x
You are doing a beautiful job on the stone dolls house. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you, Elaine! Stay safe!
I have forgotten what the counting days signifies? I hope it’s not for when there is a proven vaccine available for all of us. There’s 121 days until our November 3 election when the big ass orange criminal will be voted out of his kingdom…unless he doesn’t make it to November 3.
Happy 4th of July
The count is how many days I have been in lockdown/social distancing. I started counting from the day everything changed for Don and me.
I hope he doesn’t make it until November 3rd. He should resign.
Stay safe!
I think a resignation on July 4 would be the greatest gift ever given to this country!! But we know he isn’t much of a gift-giver. Just a taker.
That brick work / stone work is just beautiful, Claudia!! Wow! And that lovely Aga!!! Sounds like the fun part is starting to fill your brain.
Hope you are having a good day. It is so very hot and humid here today. We were out watering before 8AM. The next several days are looking much the same. Glad we have the option to stay in with the AC going. Hoping that will block out some of the firework sounds we are bound to have over the next several days and nights. Our dog and cat are both petrified and that breaks my heart. So staying inside is a good thing right now.
Stay safe, everyone. Be smart. Be diligent. It seems that too many are floating down the river of Denial and the rest of us are paying the price.
Same here weather-wise. There’s thunder off in the distance but none of the predicted thunderstorms yet. Next week the temps will be in the nineties nearly every day.
Scoutie used to be terrified of thunder and fireworks. We couldn’t calm her down. It was heartbreaking.
Stay safe, Chris!
Hitting your stride, eh? Wonderful progress. Happy Birthday to your sister Meredith.
Our vet clinic had a Covid-positive worker so now they are closed until further notice.
My dear kitty has been on the path toward the end with kidney failure. Trying to keep her afloat with sub-cu fluids. Difficult to make that final decision; she’s been a good companion for 18+ years. Born across the street from us as a feral cat.
Anyway, another tidbit discovered – news to me anyway – did you know there is a DJT (Orange creature) State Park – Crikey! How can these things happen in a decent state like New York?!
Where? He probably paid to have his name on it. It’s all about branding for him. NY hates him, so that name will change soon.
I’m so sorry about your kitty. I understand how you feel. We did everything we could to keep our dogs going before we finally had to make that decision. Heartbreaking. xo
Stay safe!
hej, martha.
sorry for the tough news about your kitty’s health. i hope and pray that you and your kitty are comfy, spend all your time together … and that you have more time together here than might seem to be available. prayers for the vet clinic employee, too.
also, is there another vet in your area who could help if need be?
wish you both peace.
kathy in iowa (been down that road before so am sending you a virtual hug, if you want)
I can’t wait to see you create the rooms inside. I love English country cottage style.
and wishing happy birthday to dear Mere! I’ve enjoyed her blog so much thanks to you introducing us to it! and Little Buddy growing like a weed and still as adorably cute as ever.
you have a wonderful family and a lovely life! thanks for sharing it with all of us! xo
Little Z is getting so, so big! We can’t believe it. He’s the best.
Stay safe, Tammy!
Your new “home” is beautiful! Your perseverance is paying off.
I like your countdown – I have to add 4 days to it because my husband was not feeling well so we quarantined early. Thank goodness, he just had a really bad cold.
I am finishing a quilt and making a few more masks as it is raining and thundering here so no weeding today!
Happy 4th to you and Don.
Betsy
I was sick at the beginning of the quarantine, too, and it dragged on and on. I must admit I was a bit worried. But it was my usual cold/sinus/allergy stuff.
It has thundered here all afternoon and still no big rain. We had a forecast of 100% chance of rain. Go figure!
Stay safe, Betsy.
Hi Claudia, it is a puzzle of another kind! And, I am looking forward to watching it come together!
Have a wonderful, relaxing Independence Day weekend!
And take care!
Kelly
You too, Kelly. Stay safe!
your creativity, eye for and attention to detail, and patience are on show … that dollhouse looks wonderful!
great work, claudia!
and that sweet little aga with all those details … that color goes with the windows. i used to have a very simple summer dress in that color. loved it. wish i still had it.
hope don’s errands went well and you’re keeping cool and safe!
grocery shopping done early because of the holiday. took a long time as the stores were packed. as i was waiting to check out, a man came right up behind me … way too close. i quickly turned and told him to stop and please move back a bit. he just looked at me and said, “i see you”. my response was “if you see me, then why aren’t you standing at least six feet away from me?” he didn’t say anything else, didn’t seem to think an apology would be nice and appreciated. ugh. i miss my family very much, was glad to see some of them today, now glad to be home.
hope you all have a nice night and stay safe.
kathy in iowa
Unbelievable. Why are people so clueless and, frankly, why do they lack common decency? I’m sorry that had to happen to you. I hear these stories from so many people here and on Instagram. It’s truly shocking. Stay home, relax, and stay safe, Kathy.
Love your new wee stove and the stone work is terrific. You’re right — everything works better when we get in the flow.
Isn’t that the truth? Stay safe, Jeanie!
The English cottage is going to be so charming; you’re doing a great job on it, Claudia! Really looking forward to seeing its progression. Your doll houses are simply the best.
Hot here in SoCalif today; will be a quite-hot 4th but it seems to be so over most of the U.S.; after all, it’s summer. We’ve had three ‘local’/short-lived wildfires in the past couple of weeks and I just pray it’s not a warning of what could come once we hit Sept-Oct-Nov in what’s usually dry and parched by then (exacerbated by the Santa Ana winds). I can’t imagine crowding into a wildfire-evac center in the time of Covid although I know people in other parts of the U.S. have already had to endure such a thing in weeks-past tornadoes and flooding. (I think there’s enough to worry about ‘today’ than forecasting too far ahead, so I’ll put this aside, Scarlett, and think about that tomorrow; but, wow, how I wish I could get even a little bit of your rain!)
My husband continues to not allow me to cut his hair (since January) and he’s sure not going in a salon or to a barber now, not with these exploding positive Covids (the number of cases) in our neck ‘o the woods. He’s very soon to be one of those silly old dudes with a ponytail. Yech. It just never worked out here to get a haircut. He saw how it was working once there was a reopening at where he usually goes and he just didn’t feel comfortable enough with their setup in terms of protection from the virus and other customers. (Really sobering to hear with this tsunami of cases in the West/Southwest, that the virus may very well cycle back around to the East/Northeast of the country [New York is doing so well!], so I apologize in advance for my stupid Californians who helped cause this by not wearing masks or adhering to social distancing, the restaurants and shops who didn’t comply with the rules for reopening, etc. [And then you’ve got Trump in South Dakota although I guess that’s considered Midwest, but just chilling to think of two weeks or so from tonight as to who might get sick, with those in the audience sitting close to one another and many not wearing a facial covering; can only pray for the best outcome, since I think the event is happening as I write this right now.)
We just (minutes ago) picked fresh zucchini, radishes, tomatoes and spinach out of the hillside garden; really fighting the gophers but they didn’t get everything, and this is a nice haul of good, organic vegetables; great to add to the larder here at 8pm-ish (still so light out at this later hour; will be a big, full moon tonight; our marine layer is gone and humidities have dropped, so it’s a lot clearer to stargaze). Our town was going to continue to have its fireworks celebration tomorrow, just with no spectators or seating at the site (although you can see the show from many points around the city while still maintaining human distancing). But they canceled it at the last minute today; I don’t know what happened or why. I’m a little disappointed. Clear skies; would have been so pretty. It will just escalate the number of get-togethers for backyard/illegal fireworks, at all hours (as has been happening for the past couple of weeks already; not little firecrackers or sparkly fountains but these ear-deafening ‘blasts’ in the night, just thunderous, like where do you even buy that ‘level’ of a firework, that sounds more like somebody blowing up a building or something?), which is hard on us AND our poor dog (again, loud and startling, never knowing when to expect it, sometimes as late as 3am [BOOM! BOOM!] whereas the organized, professional and sanctioned city display was always at 9pm and then done). Oh well.
Happy 4th anyway!
Let’s just say that the new clippers that Don bought weren’t the best and as a result, I cut Don’s hair very, very short yesterday. Gulp. He claims he likes it. We’ll see. Stay safe!
Claudia
, Thank you so much for blogging ! I really look forward to your blog each day.
You have done a great job on the dollhouse ! Your property is so charming.
Thank you so much, Sandy! Stay safe!