I woke up with a sore back (sleeping on a 25 year old sofa will do that to you) and a foggy brain. This unbelievably humid and hot stretch we’re in is having its way with me, as well. Mostly, I just feel exhausted with absolutely no energy. I’m on my second cup of coffee now, so fingers crossed that it finally kicks in.
Don was out of bed for several hours yesterday, then he took a long nap in the afternoon. Slowly but surely, he’s doing better, but we have to remember that it takes a while to get back to normal.
Two sad sacks here at the cottage this morning!
We have one more day of this heat advisory. Last night we had thunderstorms and rain – we needed it. That also means I don’t have to hand water the gardens, just the porch plants.
We sat together on the sofa in the den last night and watched some episodes of Frasier. We were laughing out loud a lot (that almost never happens with most sitcoms) and boy, was that laughter good for the soul – especially for Don. Laughter is healing.
We stayed in during the day with the a/c on and I looked at miniatures on Etsy. By the way, I tried the grout on some test stones and it was messy and didn’t work. I may just leave it as is, because I certainly don’t want to ruin all the work I put in on that ‘stone.’ I’ll definitely seal it with a matte sealer and then, I think, I’ll move on to the windows (not sure what to do with them) and the door. Then, inside. I have more than few choices for wallpaper, which I will have to narrow down. One, in particular, keeps calling me for the big room downstairs. It’s a bit bold, so I’m hesitant. I think I’ll try two different patterns in the space and see which one works best. But first, I’ll have to do the downstairs floor.
Basically, I’m playing around with furniture, thinking through spacing, ordering what will be the kitchen island, which will separate the two spaces, thinking about how to make two beams for the ceiling, trying to come up with something for the windows that is different than the stuff that came with the kit, which I don’t like at all. And – ongoing – trying to make the door fit in the opening of this dollhouse I found at the dump.
There’s a lot to do. First up, seal the stones, but I think I’ll have to wait until it’s less humid so I can do it outside.
Okay. I was going to go the store this morning but I’m too out of it, so that will be delayed until tomorrow.
Stay safe.
Happy Monday.
I thought about a tiny writing tip and cake decorating bag to grout.
I have, too, but I think that might be too time consuming. But I’m not ruling it out, Suzanne! Thank you! Stay safe.
Dear Claudia, Hang in there…this too shall pass. Like you, I am deeply into my projects, currently piecing a second quilt for July, if you recall, I had been having tension problems with my machine. I looked up the manual online, singer.com/manuals, (I saw the Featherweight manual there too). I fussed around, but didn’t really solve the problem. I sewed with less than perfect stitches, something I don’t think you would do (-:. Then yesterday I had a sewing machine epiphany! I had observed how the stitches seemed best right before the bobbin ran out, then when I made a new full bobbin, it was back to imperfect. Well, Eureka! why not fill the bobbin only half way? No reason at all. So far, I’m on my second half-filled bobbin, and it’s working just fine. Peace be with you.
What a smart idea, Leslie! Good for you!
Stay safe.
Dear Claudia
Check out “The Frasier Project” on Facebook. A gentleman has built the Frasier set in 1 :12 scale. He also has some videos on YouTube. Another recommendation for you: “The Old Man & the Gun” with Robert Redford & Sissy Spacek. It includes a song by Jackson C. Frank, “Blues run the Game.” Just in case you and Don hadn’t heard of him, I wanted to bring him to your attention. (Furloughed librarian who can’t help but recommend books, movies, music.)
By the way I found your website awhile ago in the strangest way. Reading a Laura Lippman book and she included in the book one of my favorite singers. I was so excited. Then googled the singer and found out you were also a fan so checked out your blog, and have enjoyed it very much. By the way, my godmother, Gwendolyn Pike, was a vocal teacher, who taught in Midland and taught both Nancy Lamott and Cheryl Studer. So growing up I constantly heard their names mentioned. And was able to see Nancy in concert several times when she ca e home to perform.
I’ll check it out. I’ve seen miniature scenes from Rear Window and Friends and several other movies/shows. Such fun!
Thank you for mentioning your connection with Nancy Lamott. How powerful that must be! She had the most beautiful voice and I still can’t hear her without crying. Taken from us much, much too soon. Lucky you, to see her in concert.
Thank you Lucinda. Stay safe!
Oooh, it takes us longer to recover from any injury or illness, I guess like an old ball, we don’t bounce as well as we used to! That wasn’t really all that funny but it was what I was thinking. It makes me happy to hear how folks are enjoying their home places they have worked so hard to create and maintain.
Take care…
Thank goodness for our homes. They keep us sane! Stay safe, Kelly.
So happy to hear Don is doing better each day. It does take us longer to heal as we get older, and for me, it includes a lack of patience which certainly doesn’t help. I am getting better at it, but it isn’t easy!!
Hope you both have a peaceful day today. Our heat finally broke this morning and we opened up the house. By Wed the humidity is supposed to be back, and 90’s for the weekend ahead once again.
Neither Don or I are very patient about these things!
Thanks, Chris. Stay safe!
Glad to hear Don is doing better each day. I never could sleep on a couch…hope your back feels better.
While it is a tad cooler here, it’s still hot enough that I worked up quite a sweat this morning just pulling weeds. I finished half the yard….so I will finish the other half tomorrow. I long for the stamina I used to have…where did it go?
Take care. Sounds like you found the perfect afternoon project….perusing dollhouse stuff! ;)
I hear you. I feel the same way about stamina. Some days it seems like I’m as strong as ever – others? Not so much!
Stay safe, Donna!
Yeah, I think when you go out to the store you’ve gotta be at your most mindful, so best you stayed home to keep mending; think of all you and Don have been thru in the past week, just a lot of ‘tax’ on the body and brain. And I know what it is to wake up with a back like that when I too sleep on the sofa in my husband’s worst insomnia nights. Ow.
Today, I head to the store and to pump some gas, as well. I have to be very mindful!
Stay safe, Vicki.
Claudia, so glad Don is doing better. My Don had two deer ticks removed from his legs, both partially imbedded. Never seen the bullseye like that, about tennis ball size! He was very fortunate to not test positive for Lymes. He walks Cooper thru a land preserve and think that’s where he picked them up, however, we do live in the country and the deer are in the yard (eating my hosta and phlox!). We had very hot sticky weather last week and a huge thunderstorm yesterday. The heat/humidity does take it out of you doesn’t it? Take care.
It really does. I don’t function well in humidity!
Stay safe, Penny.
i am glad don is feeling better and hope he is soon all better. hope you, your back feel better soon, too, and can soon stop sleeping on the sofa. just takes way too long, doesn’t it? (i am not a patient patient!)
taking it easy sounds like a good and necessary plan so am glad you’re both doing that! and laughing … :) frazier and niles are great for that.
because that would be so tiny and require much patience and a very steady hand, i am curious … how did you apply the grout to the sample stones for dove cottage? whether you make another try for grout or just seal the exterior, it sounds like you are close to the fun part … decorating … hooray!
i am taking it easy here. after work, i get the necessary stuff done quickly, then paint, knit or write … things that let my thoughts wander and help me relax. and i listen to ocean wave or thunderstorm recordings at bedtime … enjoyable and helpful.
hope you’re keeping cool and stay safe.
kathy in iowa
I applied it with a toothpick.
Rest up, Kathy! Stay safe.
Good you’re taking it easy during this hot spell. If there’s one thing I’ve realized during this long stay-at-home period it’s that there will always time to get stuff done so don’t sweat it. Working on your miniature house is a terrific use of your time, imo. Temps have gotten down into the 60’s here but still with 81 percent humidity. Go figure.
Take care.
Kay
It’s been a very strange summer, Kay. More humid here than not. Sigh.
Stay safe!
Yikes! Sounds like heat/humidity are draining energy from us all over the place. I remember that Frasier was one of the very few shows that used to make me laugh out loud. Great writing and wonderful performances. Laughter IS healing. XO. Hope that you two both feel better and better each day. Thanks again for the lovely photos!
Brilliant show. We love it!
Stay safe, Nora!
Well, good news on improvement, even if it is slow. I can relate to the couchh things from Rick’s surgery last year — I finally ended up moving the cushions to the floor but still not close to comfy — especially in the morning.
I’m sorry about the grout but the wallpaper and interior sounds fun. Too bad you don’t have a flimsy cardboard mock up Where you could paste in the wallpaper before it goes into the house (or double stick tape it in) so you could live with each version and see how it works with the light and so. Or a shoebox the size of the room. But the good thing about going with the bold and having extras is if you really hate it, you have back-up! (As you can see, I know squat about doll housing!)
Have fun and take care.
I could do that, but miniature wallpaper is expensive, so that isn’t going to happen! I usually end up going with my gut.
Thanks so much, Jeanie! Stay safe.