I didn’t get to do any work on the dollhouse yesterday because I came to the conclusion that I wanted a different width for the floorboards. That wood should be arriving sometime today and I suppose I’ll start in on that over the weekend. But I did conclude that I need to sort through all the crap on my desk and clean things up a bit, so that’s on the docket for today.
I did finish this:
It’s called A Night at the Opera and it was difficult and fun.
Don loves this one.
Sometimes I encounter a piece that clearly belongs to another puzzle, even though this puzzle was new and never opened. This is the one that was in this particular box:
And I wonder, what new puzzle owner will find he’s missing this exact piece?
I finished The Moving Toyshop, which I enjoyed. I’m not a big reader of classic British mysteries, as a rule. I’m not sure I’d read another Edmund Crispin, but who knows? He certainly knew how to weave an almost unsolvable plot. I had no idea “whodunit” until the end. The writing is smart and witty. Somehow, though, this particular section of the mystery genre is slow going and somewhat tedious for me.
Now to choose what’s next: Mrs Tim Gets a Job or A Chelsea Concerto? A Chelsea Concerto is nonfiction and written by an artist who lived in the Chelsea section of London during WWII. I’ll see what my mood indicates later today.
Things I’ve been thinking about lately:
The Young People’s Concerts television series of the fifties/sixties, conducted and narrated by the brilliant Leonard Bernstein. As a child, I loved them and never missed a performance. I’ve watched some clips lately and heavens, they were wonderful! Bernstein was, in addition to his genius as a composer, conductor and writer, a born teacher.
Being able to dial a number on our rotary dial phone and find out what the weather forecast for the day was or what the time (at the tone) was. I sort of miss those days. I think our local weather number (in the Detroit area) was WE-21212.
Calling information (411?) to ask a human being on the other end of the line what the phone number was for so-and-so. I’d often have short chats with the operator. Miss that, too.
Stay safe.
Happy Friday.
That totally made me laugh! I remember calling the time and that weather number. I haven’t thought of that for years. Glad you got your shot. It’s kind of a surreal feeling isn’t it? All that anxiety taken down a peg or two.
Eileen
It is surreal. And I find I still want to hunker down at home, where it’s safe.
Stay safe, cousin!
We named our eldest daughter Chelsea, after a few things that we had connections to …. the district of Chelsea in England (family lives there), the Chelsea neighborhood in New York, the song “Chelsea Morning” by Joni Mitchell and the first movie we saw together “On Golden Pond” and the lead character Chelsea was played by Jane Fonda. Love her name and there was never a 2nd thought it would be perfect for her.
I wrote recently on my blog that I was missing 2 pieces from my brand new Susan Branch puzzle. But this week, both have magically appeared. One was under the couch cushion and one under a rug. I was sure it had been sent to me with these 2 missing …. so strange you ended up with an extra piece!
Enjoy your day. We’re off to sit in the warm sun and listen to the last bits of snow melt.
X Chy
Yes, I think Chelsea Clinton was named because of Chelsea Morning. You’re in good company!
It’s not the first time I’ve ended up with an extra piece, Chy. It’s rare, but it’s happened at least twice – maybe three times.
Stay safe!
I was a 411 operator. I retired in 2005 with 24 years service. Only job I ever had until four years ago I got a job at a casino. I just finished reading Winter Solstice. I found it at a thrift store for fifty cents. I really enjoyed it. Like you I did not want the book to end.
How interesting that you were a 411 operator, Olivia! Did you like it?
Stay safe!
I remember calling for the correct time a lot! and using 411 but I don’t think we could call for the weather. Now the cell phones have so much info for us if only I can remember what to push. And technology keeps giving us new gadgets when I haven’t even figured out the old ones yet!!
Even my granddaughter who is one and a half can get “Alexa” to play music for her. Imagine!
I have refrained from anything “Alexa” thank goodness. Or “Siri.” I draw the line on that stuff!
Stay safe, Ellen.
Oh, the idea of going off to the Theater!!!! I can hear the click of heels on the sidewalk, and the low rumble of voices and excitement as one walks toward the venue. Even an event such as a grade school concert or Middle/High school concert or play or musical. College and Community theater. Someday soon, we all hope!! Vaccinations will help get us there. Idiot Governors such as in Texas and Mississippi WON’T.
Have fun cleaning and straightening. It is always such a good feeling to complete those tasks. But, for me at least, they are never-ending. Take care.
I could just wring the necks of both of those Governors. And we all know what will happen. Cases will spike, hospitals will be overwhelmed, and they’ll have to do what they should have done in the first place.
Stay safe, Chris!
I miss all those things too. I was always calling “time” — I have no idea why; it was just fun. And information. My family phone numbers and old, old addresses are some of my passwords. I don’t think I will ever forget them!
The puzzle looks terrific. I have what I consider two or three more “critical home tasks” to do before I will allow myself to start my new one. I was relieved to find a huge foam core board so I can move it off the table! That was holding me back. Today I deliver tax info to the accountant. I’m “free,” (to the degree that we are after our vaccinations have kicked in) but for whatever reason I have no desire to go out to shop. Tonight it’s leftover stew and salad and I may well make a nice dessert I saw online if I have all the ingredients. It’s a sunny day. Who knows? Maybe a little painting too. Somehow I feel both energized and scattered today!
Have a splendid weekend!
I find I have mixed feelings about going out and about. I’m clinging to this particular – safe – life we’ve been leading.
Stay safe, Jeanie.
This just in! Magpie Murders on Masterpiece — casting. Hmmm. What do you think?
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/specialfeatures/timothy-spall-to-star-in-magpie-murders/?subscriber=true&list_id=general
I like the casting, as I love the work of both those actors. If I remain true to my usual style, I won’t watch it, because I already have the characters in my head and I want to keep them the way I imagine them! Timothy Spall looks like he’s lost some weight!
You know…I haven’t thought about 411 in ages. I remember using it all the time. What a fun memory.
The puzzle looks great…maybe frame that one too? I finished All the Devils Are Here…it’s such a let down now that it’s done. And the big decision….what to read next.
Happy reading. Stay safe! ;)
No – if we frame a puzzle, we’ll only do one. They’re quite large and would take up way too much wall space, which is already at a premium.
Stay safe, Donna!
Have you read any books by Marcia Willett, an English writer? She does have at least one trilogy so you might want to google her and check out a list of her books. I think if you like D. E. Stevenson you will like her writing. Our library has some though not all of her books.
No, I haven’t. Thanks for the recommendation! I’ll put her on my list.
Stay safe, Joyce.
I have moved almost (next week) 31 times…tons of phone numbers…I remember the first phone number we had on an old black phone with a party line…4351…they changed it to LO24351…and then 5624351…I was in elementary school or before…I do NOT remember one phone number at any place we lived since that time…that one stayed with me. I remember sitting at the bottom of the steps…the phone was on a phone table…it was on the top…the phone book on second shelf…that table was my grandmother’s (we lived with her)…my son has it now…oh my goodness…talking to those friends…later had a princess phone in my room…fun times to remember…thank you…love the puzzle…prayers for you and Don and safety…won’t be long until the second shot…even safer…
My childhood phone number was LO-13149. Still remember it.
Stay safe, Brenda. When do you leave for Florida?
I spend too much of my time thinking about the past and how it seemed life was so much simpler without all the annoying technology we have to deal with today. Password was a game on TV, and a TV was a cabinet that you plugged in to a wall socket and voila! you had a choice of 3 channels. Living near San Diego, we sometimes got a fuzzy and fun Mexican channel. The channel tuner on our Curtis Mathis wore out and we used one of my dad’s golf pencils to wedge it in place. If the tube conked out, the TV repairman came. No wires, no contracts, no boxes, no remotes. We also had a huge 1920s Underwood typewriter which we all wrote our school papers on. Never had to plug it in or connect a printer. Just a ribbon and some white out (which had the added element of a fume high). And the big kitchen technology was the electric skillet. Again, plug it in and off you go. I’ve said it before, but if not the number one issue making my life difficult, then very close to the top is all the computerized stuff that can’t be jiggled or opened to unstick eyes, or have a cord replaced to keep it going. The stove top coffee percolator worked just fine to start the day, and the wind up alarm clock at night was always reliable. I feel like Andy Rooney right now! LOL
I have a lot of those memories as well. Don and I talk about them a lot. He grew up in San Diego – remembers watching bullfights on the channel out of Tijuana.
Stay safe, Nora.
i like that puzzle and understand why it especially resonates with you and don. might it be added to the wall, too?
fun memories. calling time and temperature, yeah. makes me think of my brother, sister and me being variously enthralled and/or jealous of our relatives’ having party-line phones where we could eavesdrop (snoop, really, and pretend we were spies). my aunt giving my mother a recipe for “seven-layer wonder bars”. the ker-chunk sound made turning the channel dial on tv. banana-seat bikes with the little bell you’d ring with a move of your thumb … and streamers. being able to stay out after dark without worry. playing flashlight tag, four square and red rover. white go-go boots. no worries, just shyness and a dislike of math class. happy times, for sure.
funny how a brief mention of one thing brings up so many other things. thanks for a little trip down memory lane. :)
going to bed early. long week and have to work tomorrow morning.
hope you have a nice weekend (time to enjoy whatever book you’ve chosen) and stay safe!
kathy in iowa
No, I’m not about to frame every puzzle I like! If I frame any of them, it will be the piano lesson.
Stay safe, Kathy!