Nothing much to report from the cottage. We’re both still sore and nursing our injuries. Between the two of us, we get things done. I actually vacuumed yesterday. I couldn’t stand all the stuff on the kitchen floor. But I did it slowly and carefully.
It’s cloudy here today, but the high will be 63 degrees. Yesterday, I put some recycling out on the porch and took some time to be there and get a whiff of spring in the air. I’m looking forward to cleaning up the porch and the property, washing the siding on the house, and cleaning the shed!
We’re going to watch Zelenskyy’s address to Congress this morning. It’s on at 9 am.
Sophie is wearing a new sweater from AuntieShrew, a seller on Etsy who lives in Canada. I really love it. Nicole’s knitting is beautiful. I love big, slouchy sweaters in my real life, and I love them for the girls as well. I briefly had Sophie’s hair in braids and then a pony tail. She’s awfully pretty isn’t she? My friend Susan – who crocheted that red cap for my girls – has a doll from the same customizer who could be Sophie’s twin.
I had a long and wonderful phone conversation yesterday with my best friend, Laural, We caught up on everything. I’ve known Laural since I was 12. We’ve been through so much together. Both Laural and my friend Jackie (who I’ve known since I was 4) know me in a way that no one else does. Think of it – Laural and I met not long after Meredith was born! She was just a baby. And Jackie and I met before we started kindergarten. There is a shared history that cannot be duplicated in a ‘newer’ friendship. I was in their weddings (I sang in them as well). Their parents were like second sets of parents to me. We were there for each other in happiness, tough times, through the death of family members, growing pains, everything. Jackie still lives in my home town and recently retired from a long career as an elementary school teacher. Laural lives in the Chicago area and had a long career in the theater – especially children’s theater. I also need to mention my dear, dear friend Kay, who I’ve known since she was born – I think we’re 3 years apart? Is that right, Kay? Her parents were my godparents and we spent countless hours together as kids. She lives in Florida now after having lived in Maine for many, many years. We also share that bond of growing up together, in and out of each other’s houses, knowing siblings and parents. You’ve seen her comments on the blog. I’ll write about my cousin, Eileen, in another post – she’s family and a friend, as well.
Thinking about friends today.
Stay safe.
Happy Wednesday.
So wanting to grant every wish to Zelensky & the Ukrainian people. Having watched the earlier news on France24 – the protests in Syria, rallying against the same enemy as the enemy of Ukraine – Syria still struggling after 11 years of Russian intervention to prop up Assad.
On the front of good friends, love that you have such dear friends in your circle & keep in touch. A mental review of dear friends goes back about 50 years since my family moved a lot. Sharon from Jr High days in Iowa is in Georgia, Cindy from days in El Centro is in San Diego County, and Sue from our days of working at SFO together slinging hash while finishing our college degrees now lives a mile from me.
Continue well. xoxoxo
Slava Ukraini!
Omg can you delete my post, Claudia
I obviously had a problem with editing tools on my phone. Gahhh
I edited it so there was no repeat text!
xo
Slava Ukraini!
Thanks, Martha.
Stay safe.
The speech was powerful but that video — whew. You cannot watch that and not be powerfully moved if you weren’t already.
Reading about your old friends made me smile and remember mine. My friend Nancy, with whom I’m still very close, I met when we were three and four. They moved when I was five, she was four. For years, it was our mothers who kept us in touch, until we could write our own letters. I wish I still had them. We have mourned each others parents’ and the death of her sister, rallied through illnesses, celebrated grandchildren and somehow stayed in synch politically! Same with a later friend who is now in Canada but I’ve known since high school. If I could only take five friends with me to a magic next world (not counting Rick, of course!), these two would be at the top of the list!
The video had me in tears.
Love reading about everyone’s longtime friends!
Stay safe, Jeanie.
Old friends are a treasure. Last week I had a call from a junior-high-school friend and though we’ve texted and e-mailed, we hadn’t talked in years. She sounded just the same as back then! So much water under the bridge. Probably close to fifty years since we’ve seen each other in person.
In other good news, our son-in-law just was just sworn in as an American Citizen! Yay!
Yes Claudia. You were the big sister I never had. You taught me to love theater and be brave. I was always in awe that you could act and sing on the stage. Meredith was the first baby in my life that I remember. She was adorable. We were so very lucky to have wonderful childhoods.
We were. And I’m so grateful to have had you and your family just down the street. That meant everything to me.
Stay safe, Kay.
Yay for your son-in-law! Congratulations!
Stay safe, Shanna.
Claudia it was so refreshing to open your blog today. You posted of things that restore and refresh. Spring and friendships AHH great mix to start the day. I enjoyed dinner out with friends last night . We laughed and I shared that my Ukrainian friends were accounted for and safe out of the country. We giggled like toddlers when our food order was confused as we knew the server misunderstood us. I then came home to a disturbing notice on my phone that my credit card had been compromised . Oh how annoying but still good news . Two little boys are safe and sleeping in Sweden. Confused but safe. May hope return and may love and hope overtake evil and fear .
I’m so sorry about your credit card, Patricia!
So happy to hear that your Ukrainian friends are safe.
Stay safe.
I’ve always been a big fan of William hurt, so personal and a beautiful presence on screen. I loved what you said about him and his craft.
On another topic, the outfits for your girls are precious, and the craftwomanship is impressive. They are jolly good friends, over the years I found dolls to be excellent friends. In the last year they’ve been mostly packed away and I’ve even donated some in anticipation of having to move out of our house. I had sorted out some of my reproduction barbies, some that my sister had customized, but about a month later I realized that I didn’t want to be parted from them not only because of the reproduction outfits so well remembered from my childhood, but because of my sisters art. Luckily for me, my friend who is helping me pack up, had not gotten around to taking them to the donation center. This afternoon I think I’ll sort through their outfits and see if I can find any Irish green. I know you and Don don’t eat meat, but do you ever make a meal of mash and cabbage with some Irish soda bread? I think you have made scones in the past. Pre-pandemic I found a local baker who experimented with savory scones and they were scrumptious! Irish feast or not I hope your girls will have some shamrock tea cookies. And that you and Don will feel better and maybe play a few sea shanties. Stay safe
No, I’m not a fan of cabbage. It’s interesting – I am part Irish (Don is not) but I’ve never been big on St. Patrick’s Day, even as a child.
Glad you were able to keep your Barbies and their outfits, Nora!
Stay safe.
Zelensky’s speech was powerful. That video was remarkable. I spontaneously and shamelessly broke into tears. While I don’t know what they are…I pray that our leaders will make the correct decisions regarding Ukraine.
Old friends are the best friends….and are treasures in themselves. They knew us when, and still stood beside us…lol.
Move slowly and carefully…and enjoy your day! ;)
I cried my eyes out. We have to do more than we are doing. My heart tells me that.
Thanks, Donnamae.
Stay safe.
Friend memories are the sweetest! You made me think of ladies who’ve known me forever too, so now I’m reveling in memories of past adventures. And dreaming up future crazy stunts together! (Even if said stunts are merely girlie talks with no interruptions and someone else makes dinner!)
Whichever doll you feature for the day is my favorite. I wish I could knit, because that sweater is amazing.
And now, off to take a photo of a new lamb and maybe even that amethyst crocus…
Wishing you spring breezes redolent with hints of future warmth!
Thank you so much, Roxie!
Stay safe.
Listening to Zelensky I wept
As did I.
Stay safe, Linda.
sorry you are still hurting, hope you feel better soon.
Old friends are the best, as you say there is so much shared history and a link that cannot be broken
Jillxo
Those friendships are so precious.
Thanks, Jill.
Stay safe.
Zelensky’s speech was mighty ~ but the video! I cried and cried. There HAS to be more that we, as a country, as a world, can do. Each building, each road, every man, woman and child who is hurt or killed gives Putin another notch in that grotesque belt of sorts he brandishes like a wild fool. We must do more or he is going to mimmic Hitler and keep storming through more countries knowing the rest of the world is too afraid to do anything that would actually stop him.
Friends. Ahhhhhh. My best lives in Colorado. We met on the first day of 2nd grade which was 65 years ago. We still text almost daily. Such a special bond. They know us so much better than almost anyone else because of the span of history we share.
Have to tell you about our granddaughter who will be 2 on next Monday!!!! She LOVES her babies. She has several dolls and to watch her interact with them is delightful. Our DIL saw a post on Facebook Marketplace for some dolls and a few other things a UW Professor wanted to part with. They went to her home and they had such a fun time. She teaches French Literature and is from France. Our little one came home with 3 new babies. Oh, how she loves them. She keeps them in her little reading nook and lines them up every day to read them stories. It is just wonderful to watch. She packed them up in her backpack to come here on Monday so we could meet them, too. I thought of them when I saw your girl today. I hope her love of her dolls will last as long as has yours!!!!!
Glad to hear you and Don are feeling better. One day at a time….. take care.
I think we have to go in there and save them. Anything less won’t do it. I’m antiwar and I guess you could say I’m a pacifist, but we cannot leave them to fight this war alone. I cried my eyes out during that video.
I love this story about your granddaughter’s love of dolls! I wish I could virtually peek in and watch her play! She sounds absolutely adorable, Chris.
Stay safe.
Seeing what Putin is doing has me real worried. I wish Zelensky and all the Ukrainians the best in beating him. Hope we help them all we can.
Having those friends sounds lovely. I grew up as a military brat and married a military guy so I have no life long friends and might not be able to. A real good friend looked me up years ago to tell me that her life was ruined when the local base was closed. My fault, I guess.
We should all be worried about Putin, I agree.
I’m not sure what you mean about ‘my fault, I guess’ Because you moved away?
Stay safe, Jan.