You can see the frost on the ground and on the shed roof through the window. It got very cold last night. And it will tonight, as well. All the porch plants are in the house, which makes for a crowded floor by the front door and by the dollhouse here in the den. There’s one more very cold night coming up next week, but then it will stay in the 40s for a while. So I can’t let the plants die just yet. It’s not in me.
For the first time in several days, the sun is shining. Don and I were chatting this morning and we both acknowledged that it makes for a real change in our moods. Even though it’s freezing out there at the moment, it’s sunny. I’ll take it.
My goal for this weekend is to stay away from the news as much as possible. I texted for several hours yesterday and I may do some more of that this weekend. But listening to endless speculation about what might happen on Tuesday is, in the end, not very helpful after you’ve heard it the first time. I’m going to clean, listen to music, work upstairs in the office/studio, finish my book – the kind of task on which I can focus and lose myself.
I’ve been rereading Still Life, Louise Penny’s first book in her series. It’s like spending time with an old friend. Meeting Armand Gamache for the first time as he meets the inhabitants of Three Pines for the first time is delicious. The perfect books for me during all of this insanity. I may just reread all of them in order. We’ll see.
My needs are simple. I ordered new underwear, more socks, and new pair of flannel pajamas and they all arrived in Thursday’s mail. I’m set. Strange, isn’t it, how new undies, socks, and pajamas can make one so happy?
We were saddened to hear of the death of Sean Connery. There is and will never be anyone like him. Rest in Peace.
Happy Birthday to my nephew, Dave, (Meredith’s son) and to my brother-in-law, Ron. Both of them Halloween babies.
Stay safe.
Happy Saturday.
Having birthdays to celebrate and having a sunny day are both wonderful, and so are socks, new undies, and fresh flannel PJs. One thing Covid has taught some of us is that what really matters are small comforts (beyond the basics of shelter and food and medical care). Re-reading Louise Penney is also a joy. I think I’m going to follow your pattern. I introduced my husband to her a few months ago and he’s a fan now too. Love seeing Don’s music studio. Off to a good start today. May watch a scary movie (they seem so tame now that we’ve lived thru a national nightmare). Do you and Don have a favorite? I love Val Newton’s Cat People–good acting, good story, and beautifully lighted B&W. Whatever you do, hope it brings you more comfort.
We’re not all that into scary movies. But we do like to watch very, very badly done scary movies!
Stay safe, Nora.
You mentioned very badly done scary movies…the movie Krampus comes to mind. Have you seen that one?!
Christy
I don’t think I’ve every watched that one!
We watched a very bad scary movie on TCM the other day, wish I could remember the title!
Stay safe, Christy!
such a pretty view … don’s studio, the shed, art, plants and sunlight in your very cozy home (will ignore the frost) for you!
your weekend plans sound good. getting stocked up feels good, doesn’t it? enjoy!
similar stuff going on here … except for having no outdoor plants to bring in. i have seven plants. the norfolk island pine is doing very, very well as is one pathos (or maybe it’s a philodendron?). the rest are probably not going to make it. sad … and weird considering all the afternoon sun they get. thought about getting some new ones at a nursery today, but need to figure out what the problem is. there’s a 99% chance that it’s me … i am generally an over-waterer. ???
need to get going on stuff … grocery shopping and deliveries and then visiting with some members of my family! :)
remember to turn clocks back an hour before bedtime tonight.
happy, safe saturday!
kathy in iowa
Always err on the side of not enough water. Overwatering kills plants.
Stay safe, Kathy!
Anything with Sean Connery is worth watching: The Hunt for Red October, even The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. He was a galvanizing presence, gone to Valhalla.
Yes, he was.
Stay safe, Leslie!
I too am staying away from the news this weekend. It’s sunny and cool here so a perfect Fall day. I’ll go see the Grands in their costumes later and just putter around the home today. More crafting and as always organizing! I’m trying to keep my self on a positive road. Hugs!
Me too! Stay positive, my friend!
Stay safe, Linda!
Think of you and Don so often as we watch from Canada with great hope that things will soon turn around for everyone. Take good care of yourselves this weekend ~ I love your plans to take time from all that is happening!
We take solace in the sun when the snow is here and seems never ending. But we get soooo much sun so that always helps. On the days that are dark and gloomy, those are my “in the studio days” with a mug of tea and good music. OR a day to be wrapped up in warmth and watch movies or read good books!
Be well Claudia. Stay safe. Keep hope in your heart ….
X Chy
Thank you so much, Chy.
Stay safe!
Claudia,You have the right idea. I,too, am avoiding as much news as possible.Last year I reread Still Life and now I am rereading Deborah Crombie. Amazing how much one forgets! Sending love to you,Don and all of the virtual friends I’ve made because of your lovely posts.xo
Oh, great idea! I just might have to reread all the Crombies, as well!
Stay safe, Annette!
Claudia, that is an AMAZING photo; look at the light shining thru Don’s Studio. My gosh, how much do I love your doll houses AND your human house; let me count the ways … a sonnet for the day. (Along with Happy Halloween.)
And, tomorrow, Día de Muertos. The big, annual celebration at our local cemetery was canceled. We went there this morning and oh-my-gosh, SO many graves being decorated; lots of beautiful rusty-orange, yellow and burgundy florals for autumn, too; just lovely bouquets of flowers. I wanted to check on ‘my tree’ to see if it had started to turn the leaves any further but, nope, still very green except for a patch of orange/red here & there; we’re so late to show any ‘color’ of Fall in this part of SoCalif.; will be more into Nov & Dec.
It looks to me that they’d planned to still have the Day of The Dead event; the signs were made and the tents were up for the banquet tables (food). But clearly, so close to the date, they withdrew from gathering people, even outside. Wise move. They may have gotten some flack about it (group events; social distancing; with escalating virus; actually, I don’t know what they were thinking other than it was an outdoor event and the cemetery sprawls over 25 acres, but thousands of people show up for it [my city is about 90 percent Mexican-American population and this is a special holiday to many] and then the event-goers naturally visit & cluster [seriously draws a massive crowd and people have to walk in from streets away, wherever they can find parking]).
I’ll have to wait to Christmas now for my annual hunt for great tamales. I have never made them myself (although I’ve helped assemble them at parties); it’s a lot of overall work; labor-intensive although beloved undertaking. And the rich masa-chocolate drink called champurrado, which I actually know how to make since I love it so much (this is when we start drinking it, with Day of The Dead). When I was younger (childhood), my arm would get so tired stirring it on the stovetop, because it’s very thick; but, oh, the aroma (also very vanilla-y), and nothing better to warm up with on a colder afternoon at this time of year (like the 4pm sherry hour without the sherry!) and on into the holidays (also is delish for breakfast); just so synonymous with Christmas to me, particularly. (I live rich in Mexican culture, all my life, although I’m not Latina myself. I’m lucky to get the fringe benefits of these celebrations in my community. I can’t imagine how hard it is for people to give up these traditions this year; even our town’s Christmas Parade was of course cancelled. But I’m grateful for the precautions.)
Don grew up with that culture, too. It’s still very near and dear to his heart.
Stay safe, Vicki!
Sounds pretty cozy to me! Enjoy your new clothes & warm, safe environment.
Our kids & 11 month old are coming over for some Halloween dinner & her first celebration! I can hardly wait another 2 hours!!! I made lots of good food & “candy corn” cookies for us. Should be fun!
Have fun with your family, Priscilla!
Stay safe.
I always just love that view of your dollhouse and looking out. It’s such a welcoming home.
Today was cold here but no snow or frost, though I think like you, I’ll be bringing in some plants in a few minutes. It’s been a tough day and I feel like it was a total waste, apart from really getting into “All the Devils are Here,” which is Penny at her finest so far. I always wondered why they never made movies or mini-series of Penny’s books and then I found one on Acorn of “Still Life.” It wasn’t that it was bad, it’s just that the characters didn’t look like the characters. And that was incredibly frustrating for me! I like it better when I see them in my head.
Yesterday I had a physical (all well) and got the flu and pneumonia vaccines. Then last night I spiked a fever which kept going up and I didn’t sleep at all. My doc talked me down on the phone twice today — it’s most highly likely that the fever is reaction to the vaccines. And two years ago I would have thought nothing of it. This time it was just panic. Panic and exhaustion — a bad combo.
I’m steering clear of news, too. At this point, there really isn’t anything more I can do. Except just hope. You take care.
I never like adaptations of my favorite books so I don’t watch them anymore. I always like what I had envisioned much better!
Sorry about your fever, I hope it’s better now.
We hope. We do our best to trust in good over evil.
Stay safe, Jeanie.