Early morning light here at the cottage.
Well, not tremendously early, as I slept in this morning. That, my friends, is a rare thing.
Lately, I seem to be fascinated with light – the way it shifts and changes as the day goes on.
One thing you have to say about our cottage: it’s lived in. I rarely stage a photo, though I might move a pile of laundry or do some much needed straightening up, but as a rule, we are an ‘as is’ household. What you see is what you get!
The World Series has moved on to a seventh game. Oh boy. That will be a nail biter. We’re cheering for the Cubs, but both teams have played so well and are so evenly matched, who knows what will happen? As a girl who has lived on both coasts, but is still a Midwesterner at heart, I’m thrilled that both teams are from the heart of the Midwest.
As Don said this morning, with the constant stress of the election (don’t get me started on the latest developments) do we need more stress? I guess we do, because we will be watching the game tonight. I don’t know about you, but I am counting the days until November 8th. Time seems to move so quickly nowadays – Don and I constantly remark on how quickly a week goes by – yet the days leading up to Election Day seem to crawl. Time moving quickly, while simultaneously moving slowly. How can that be?
I went to Michael’s yesterday to get some craft paint.
They were playing Christmas music.
As you well know if you’ve read this blog for any length of time, I have a rule: No Christmas until the second week of December. Of course, when I say that I’m referring to decorating my cottage. I do know the retail world needs to start the Christmas extravaganza earlier than that. But November 1st? Cripes, Thanksgiving isn’t until the 24th!
And it was the Jackson 5 singing Santa Claus is Coming to Town.
That is why I stay out of big chain stores as much as possible. For my holiday sanity.
It’s going to be 72° here today. Just the other night, the temperature dropped to 29°. My head is spinning! I think it may be a good day to clean the windows – one of my least favorite jobs in the world, second only to cleaning the bathroom. I never seem to be able to do it without streaks. I’ve tried using newspaper and all the other suggestions I see out there. Still streaks.
But, even with streaks, the windows will be clean. Hopefully.
New post up on Just Let Me Finish This Page – Five Short Takes on Five Novels Recently Read.
Happy Wednesday.
I don’t like hearing Christmas music too early, either…and it’s too early! I must admit, though, that I start playing it the day after Thanksgiving, so I can make it last longer. Now, I’m off to start in on a stack of work to be done. I have piles still on hold from moving and the hurricane! Talk to me about time going so fast and so slow at once. Ugh!
I bet you’re still settling in, Shanna. Thank goodness that darned hurricane didn’t do any damage!
I’m not much into sports, but am hoping the Cubs win. And…the nail-biter, stress of tonight’s game is a welcome stress from the “other” stress (you know what I’m talking about you Nasty Woman – hahaha). I’ve seen Christmas decorations (and food in the grocery stores) for weeks now. What’s up with that? To me it spoils the fun of the holiday to have it start (literally) months prior to the date. The play of light I find fascinating and beautiful. Ever changing and interesting. Soothing to watch.
I am, too. Go Cubs! Yes, starting it so early is so blatantly commercial and it weakens the real meaning and joy of the holiday.
I’m excited by the World Series this year. Such good play and it will be wonderful whoever wins but I must say… Go Cubs! I am so sick of this election. I plan to got vote today and just stay away from all the trash talk as much as I can. I’ll be anxious about the outcome but that’s all I can say about this right now. Had a great family dinner last night.
As for Christmas so early, I hate it. I want a month to concentrate on gratitude and then enjoy the Christmas fun. I see so many bloggers get burned out on Christmas weeks before it arrives because they start too soon! OK, off my soapbox now.
Wishing you a good day. I hope the lines aren’t too long but I’m going to VOTE!!
Me too. It’s a very exciting Series!
I see that with bloggers as well. The competition to decorate their homes early, all the Christmas posts. And then what do they do? Take it all down on Christmas Day. It’s ridiculous.
I am also thrilled that we are at Game 7! I would like the Cubs to win, but if Cleveland wins it won’t be the end of the world for me. ;-)
We celebrate Christmastime in our house from December 1 through January 6. Though admittedly, we start playing a bit of Christmas music the weekend after Thanksgiving …
My husband works in retail, and they had overnight shifts last week to set up Christmas/holiday displays. That’s how the corporate office wants it, so …
I bet the corporate office wants it that way! And every year it seems to start earlier than the year before!
I will be okay if Cleveland wins, too, but I really want the Cubs to win!
i agree with you, claudia, about chasing light, how time can both run and crawl and the dislike of washing windows/cleaning bathrooms and pushing any holiday (or election) weeks and months before its time. and sleeping in when you can.
happy Wednesday!
kathy in iowa
Oh windows! I wish I knew some sort of magical trick to get them streak-free. But even if I did, we get so much wind when it rains that they’ll be dirty again fairly quickly!
We heard someone say on the morning news the other day…that we, the country, has been at this campaigning thing for 600 days. No wonder I’m in such a grumpy mood! It was 71 here yesterday…rain today…good day to finish moving my son. Thank goodness he has underground parking.
As for baseball…go Cubs! I don’t know if they are the better team….but they have been without a championship the longest. So I’m rooting for them!
I heard my first Christmas song last week…couldn’t get out of the store fast enough. And, there are bloggers out there peddling Christmas decorations…I usually delete them this early. I personally like to enjoy my holidays…one at a time! Happy window washing! ;)
Campaigns for President are simply too long. And this one, this one is insanely long with an insane candidate.
How can we not root for the Cubs when they’ve been without a championship for so long? My Red Sox were in the same position a few years back and when they finally won, the fans were over-the-moon!
As you know, we’re huge Cubs fans here. Brian is supposed to be at work at 6 am tomorrow (he gets up at 3:15 am!), so he took some comp time so that he could go into work later tomorrow. It will be a nail biter game tonight, for sure.
It was 70 degrees here and sunny yesterday and now we’re in the middle of a great thunderstorm and temps only in the 50’s. Weird start to November.
Don’t even get me started on Christmas music in stores. Ugh! I will be staying out of Michaels (and any other stores playing Christmas music) unless I absolutely have to go there. Thanks for the warning. ;-) I know some people love Christmas music and they actually listen to it year-round. Not me. Not a fan of Christmas music in general…though I might listen to a few songs a week or two before Christmas. I know – each to their own. I wouldn’t be able to work in one of those stores, that’s for sure. I’d be running for the hills, screaming, with my hands over my ears, lol.
Oh, I know! I couldn’t stand it if I had to listen to it all the time. When I worked part-time in a Veterinary office, the music was on from right after Thanksgiving until the New Year and I thought I’d shoot myself!
Good for Brian! I know he wants to watch that game and I would hate for him to have to miss it. Fingers crossed for your Cubs, Melanie. We’re cheering for them!
Claudia, do you have a personal Facebook account? I would love to invite you to the inspiring group I have ever been a part of. It is exactly what I needed after all the division and strife this election ( and specifically He Who Shall Go Nameless) has created. It started small and now has over 280,000 members. It is filled with post after uplifting post written by women , and a few men as well, who are sharing what this election means to them. I will warn you, it will consume you, at least it has me. I have spent countless hours, reading , and reacting to these amazing positive stories. And as if that wasn’t enough, it’s also filled with more pictures than I can count of little girls who dressed as Hillary for Halloween. You need to an invitation to join, and I’d love to invite you if you are interested. .
Yes. You can find me under Claudia Hill-Sparks. Thanks, Linda.
Sadly our Walmart (the only place to shop here unless you drive an hour) had Christmas stuff out and trees up 3 weeks ago. I just try to ignore it. Mom is addicted to the Hallmark channel and they have been playing holiday movies nonstop for a week already. yuck.
Oh no – already? Holiday movies nonstop would drive me nuts! Hang in there!
I’m with you Bathrooms are my least favorite when it comes to cleaning. I used to clean a house that was in our village before I went into the Army. She would have me use Lux dishsoap and water to clean her windows. They really sparkled. And no streaks. I happened to catch ABC news this morning and they were talking about Christmas music. A poll was taken and about 55 % think Christmas music should start after Thanksgiving. I am glad to hear that there are stores closed on Thanksgiving. Really should be a time of family togetherness.
Gosh, I wonder if they even make Lux dish soap anymore, Trina!
And yes, absolutely, stores should be closed on Thanksgiving!
i wondered that, too, so checked about lux soap. according to wikipedia, “lux” soap is now “caress” soap in the united states.
kathy in iowa
Interesting!
They could start playing Christmas music in September and I would be in heaven! It’s all such gorgeous music and to limit it to only a few weeks of the year is criminal imho. LOL
I love Christmas music, but I think it loses its magical quality – like anything – if it’s played all the time! It wouldn’t be as wondrous!
My daughter went to Michael’s yesterday also. She complained about the Christmas music too. She hates that Halloween and Thanksgiving seem to be leap-frogged over in favor of Christmas commercialism. This past Sunday, the newspaper was already stuffed with those thick toy catalogs. Go Cubs!
Too soon. Too commercial…
Thanks, Wendy.
I went to Bath & Body Works on Monday, Halloween, to pick up some feebies. The place was decorated with everything Christmas and Christmas music was playing loud. As I was checking out, I asked the clerk how she felt about all the Christmas stuff. She told me it had given her a headache and it was only 10:30am !!! Poor thing, I just wanted to give her a big hug and maybe a couple of aspirin.
Go Cubbies!!!!
That poor woman! Imagine working in a place and having to hear Christmas music from now til New Year’s!
I would be so very happy if the Cubs won ~ especially after the great come-back they have made. Growing up in Chicago and the burbs, it seems to be in our blood!! But, I have to say that Cleveland is a great team as well. I know that the best team will win tonight! So fun to have teams playing that aren’t in it every 2 or 3 years as it usually is. Go, Cubs go!!!!
I said the exact same thing to my husband this weekend. How does time go by SO QUICKLY, but this stupid count-down to the election D R A G S ??????? Beyond the stress, I feel fear, too. Isn’t that crazy to feel for an election?? Normally I feel anticipation. This is just plain nuts. I keep trying to figure out how it all happened…….. when exactly did the boulder rolling down the mountain start? How is this a representation of our country? I am truly astonished at what has happened. I am embarrassed.
I don’t even know if I would say it will be the best team. It’s the team that happens to play the best in this one game. They’re pretty evenly matched.
I am tremendously fearful. And with every new poll, I think, “What the hell are people thinking?” Have they drunk the cool-aid? Is it mass hypnosis? The information that has come out this week about Trump’s links to Russia and Putin are very, very alarming. I keep thinking of the movie, The Manchurian Candidate.
I truly cannot believe I am that out of touch with the rest of the country. Apparently I am. She has the President, First Lady, Vice President, Bernie, etc. all out campaigning for her. He has NO ONE. What in the world is happening?? I saw it happen here in Wisconsin with Act 10, and the extreme anger that the masses have for anyone who appears to have more than them. “Get the teachers!!!! Why do THEY have a retirement plan???” So, the demographics I see of his voters….. who have less than most ~~ please explain why they want a gilded idiot who surrounds himself with gold chairs and caviar?? WHAT IN THE WORLD DO THEY THINK HE IS GOING TO DO FOR THEM???????????? I truly am in tears just trying to figure it out.
Agree. If they have anger for anyone who has more than them, why are they supporting this despicable excuse for a man? He has more than them and it was handed to him by his daddy. He has never shown one instance of caring for anyone other than himself and his family. Why would they believe this liar??? I fell like I’m in a bad dream that surely I must wake up from!
I went shopping before halloween and they were putting Christmas stuff up!! Too early for me. By the time Christmas is here I will be hating it and wishing it over. As it is I am thinking of canceling Thanksgiving. All I get to do is cook and I am getting too old and tired to enjoy that! Also we need shorter elections!
Way shorter elections, Jan! I agree!
This Cleveland girl says “Go Tribe!!!” Christmas music starts for me right around Thanksgiving!! I love hearing all during the season…it makes me happy, which we will need after this long and drawn out election. #imwithher
Thanksgiving is okay! But not November 1st! Good luck to your team, Debbie, and good luck to the Cubs. We know for sure it will be an exciting night!
I think I can top hearing Christmas music in a store in early Nov. There are 2 [two!!] homes in my area who already have all their outdoor Christmas decorations wired up – and switched ON every night!! And they have been for several weeks now!! I completely understand getting everything ready while the weather’s good – you never can tell what this region will be hit with weather-wise – but why in the world would you switch your holiday lights on in October? Before Halloween?? First prize for Goofy goes to these folks, for sure…
PS – we had the EXACT SAME metal lawn chairs as the one you show in your first photo today – same color, same black armrests etc. I remember them as being EXTREMELY comfortable too, as you can rock/bounce a little in them. Now I have to ask which one of my siblings has them now. I think probably one of my brothers, since he bought Mom & Dad’s house and still lives there.
What the…? Why would they have their lights on now? Do they not know that they are subjecting everyone else to their lights, as well?
Yes, you can rock in the chair and I do it frequently!
Yes, it is getting more difficult to ignore the annual commercial holiday onslaught.
I will be happy for the team that wins the Series and sad for the team that doesn’t. My habit is to root for the underdog, and I’m not sure who the underdog is this year. It IS stressful to watch, particularly when someone makes an error and you can see and almost feel his pain and disappointment. At least the games are a distraction from the other unsavory news. Can this be our last X-rated election, please?
Once upon a time, I had the immense privilege of attending a double-header at the original Wrigley Field. That was a great day.
It’s very exciting to see craft supplies on your blog, Claudia. Something fun to anticipate!
The underdog is the Cubs, simply because it’s been since 1908 since they’ve won a World Series. That being said, the Indians haven’t won since the 40s, so it’s been a long drought for both teams. As a Red Sox fan, who cheered them on when they finally won after not having won since around the turn of the century, I feel the Cubs pain. But both teams are excellent and I will feel badly for the team that loses. It’s always that way.
Yes. Please – no more X-rated elections!
I love Christmas music, too, but in December; however, our choir has to start practicing before then as our traditional concert is always the second December Sunday, on the “joy” Sunday of Advent. Takes a long time to learn the music with only a weekly practice…….
I sang in choirs for years, Judy. I understand!
I hear you on the marketing of Christmas so early, Claudia. In my grocery store today I saw the Halloween candy being replaced with Christmas goodies. Doesn’t that get stale? As far as decor, my home is small and cluttered and I would go nuts with week after week of green, red and gold all over! I do like the Christmas music and a craft store is a pretty good place to have it. Maybe someday it will light a fire under me to actually try making something with my three thumbs!
Go Cubs…1-0 right now and we’re leading!!
Yay, yay, yay! They won, Jane! That was simply the most exciting World Series game I’ve ever seen!
I have had success with using water + 2 microfiber cloths for cleaning windows. I dampen 1 with tap water to wash. With my other hand I use a dry one to dry. I do the same on my car windows. They must be true microfiber cloths to do an amazing jobs. I’m glad I don’t have a personal stake in the world series – so nerve wracking. The prez election is all the stress I can handle this month.
I used a special cloth my sister told me about when I was in Florida. Used it on my car windows, too!
I think Debbie and I are the only Indians fans here….Even though we lost, that was the most amazing game, wasn’t it (if you were lucky enough to watch it all), from both teams. Just fantastic baseball viewing! Very proud of our team. Class acts all the way, especially Terry Francona.
It was indeed amazing! By the way, we love Terry Francona, as well. After all, he was the manager of our Red Sox!
That’s right…I completely forgot that. I am sure he was the same way in Boston but he is very, very involved here in the community w/different organizations and foundations. Just a great guy. We are lucky to have him here.
Yes, he was. He’s a good guy! Now, if only he’d stop cramming food into his mouth all the time! I know it’s nervousness, etc, but Don and I can’t stop laughing when we see him doing that!
That Christmas music you are hearing is coming from my home. I started it more than a week ago. No jingle bells, but my Celtic music. Just beautiful. I loved your pictures of the light playing around your home. So lovely. Don’t follow sports, but the World Series this year was just so wonderful. Both teams haven’t played there in so long I think the entire country would have been happy if either one had won. It took our mind off of politics. That being said, I have taken the Zen route with the election. We deserve who we get. The end.
I don’t deserve who we might get! And I’m hoping we don’t get him!
The teams played so well and they provided much needed respite!
I, too, always left streaks when washing the windows, so my sweet husband took over that job. He uses a spray bottle of vinegar and water, and a squeegee (sp?) like one uses at a gas station on the car’s windshield. He rarely leaves a streak! He also took over cleaning the two bathrooms when we divided up our household cleaning chores. He is a treasure!
My husband has ‘supposedly’ taken over the bathroom cleaning, but truthfully, he’s hit and miss. So I have to do it.