Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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Moving Forward

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Well, here we are. The last day of the year. I’m not one to do a lot of “It’s the end of the year!” celebrating. I’ve never been into the whole New Year’s Eve thing – most likely because there was always a party or two where the celebrating seemed forced and, really, just an excuse to drink. I’m all for quiet and reflective. In the end, time is a mortal constraint.

That being said, we will be celebrating quietly here at the cottage. No doubt we’ll be tucked in bed long before midnight. Some sparkling cider, some sweets, a good movie and a kiss or two. That will be perfect.

As with everyone on earth, we’ve had good years and not-at-all-good years. This year had incredible highs and a devastating low. The thing is, throughout it all, Don and I grew closer than ever. And that, for me, is priceless.

Don got to spend time in an apartment in NYC, he opened on Broadway, he had the wonderful experience of being in a show that audiences adored. He got to meet fans and, most importantly, send a little joy their way. I’m so, so proud of him.

I kept working on Broadway with Anastasia  and off-Broadway, as well.

We weathered the heartbreak of Escape to Margaritaville  closing too soon. Obviously, this was especially tough on Don. But we made it through that because we knew how blessed we were to have that opportunity to begin with; to run the show in La Jolla, New Orleans, Houston, Chicago and New York. To get to know Jimmy Buffett and the incredible cast and crew. It was all good. And it was all a blessing.

And we celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary in Paris. We got to visit London and Edinburgh. It was our dream trip and it was perfect in every way. We are blessed.

And that’s as reflective as I want to be. I don’t make resolutions. My goal is ongoing: Be the best person I can be, be kind, think less about myself and more about others, do all I can to make this world a better place for humans and animals.

It’s been a major challenge during this godawful administration. But the resistance will win.

And we have vowed to dance in the streets when that happens. Literally.

I wish for you a beautiful New Year’s Eve, whether you’re at a party, at home, or quietly celebrating with loved ones. Much love.

Happy New Year.

Stay safe.

Happy Monday.

Comments

  1. To you and yours: a Happy New Year! … and onward with ‘The Resistance’- I so look forward to dancing in the streets!!

    Regards, as always, from the piney woods of deep east Texas-
    barb

  2. I’m wishing you and Don a Happy New Year and happy health 2019. Quite at home with hubby is where I’ll be. Peace.

  4. I too will be home with my Don. We might have an early dinner out but then will be home for a quiet evening. I feel changes are coming, all for the best I pray. These times have brought to light what terrible things can happen to our country when our basic moral principles are not followed by those who lead. The only good thing to come from this is our strong resolve not to let it happen again. Happy New Year to you both and all good wishes for a wonderful year to come.

    • I have a feeling we’ll be stronger for all of this. We can never, ever let this happen again! Happy New Year!

  5. Happy New Year to you and Don and a blessed and healthy 2019! We (just the two of us and our dog, Stanley) will be celebrating at home, where it is safe and sane, with our traditional New Years Eve dinner of fondue.

    PS: We look forward to dancing in the streets, too!

  6. I also am reflective at the end of a year. no ‘parties’ for me. I’ve had a hard 2018 but I’ve come through it stronger and wiser and hopefully 2019 will find me getting healthier. What an amazing year you and Don have had. The highest of highs and some pretty darn big lows. Your love for each other, your friendship and care have shined in your blog. I am blessed to call you friend.

    • You are owed a wonderful 2019, my friend. I am blessed to call you my friend, dear Linda.

  8. Happy New Year to you and Don. Thank you for all the interesting posts you have written this year and the great photos Don has taken.. Both of you have enriched my life.
    May there be dancing sooner than later! I hope 2019 is better for the people of the world, animals and the planet.

    Peace to you both,
    Kaye
    Park City, Ut.

    • Hey, what about the photos I’ve taken??? (Just kidding, Kaye!)

      Happy New Year to you and yours!

  10. Your goal for 2019 and mine are much the same. No resolutions (except finding the actual surface of my desk) and living my best life.

    All happiness to you both in the coming year!

  11. What a great New Year’s Eve post, Claudia. Reflective of the year past, encouraging for the year ahead. I hope for you, Don & all my MHC reader friends the happiest & healthiest of New Years. I’m not a religious person, but I am spiritual, so like you my biggest wish for 2019 is that the Universe in its wisdom – and its justice – will finally catch up with Chunky et al this year, serving him his long overdue “just desserts” and bringing to a crashing end this horrendous aberration in American history. Enjoy your evening – sounds like it’ll be sublime & quiet [just like mine]. Peace.
    ❤️

    #Resist
    #ProtectMueller

    • Yes. The Universe needs to right itself – in many ways, not the least of which is getting that man out of office!

      Happy New Year!

  12. We will be spending a quiet evening at home…maybe a glass of cheer, a movie…it should be snowing by then. Wishing you and Don, good health, much happiness and joy! I’m looking forward to the promise of a brand new year…hoping it brings much needed positive change to our country. Here’s to dancing in the streets! Peace! ;)

    • Dancing in the streets, cheering, and feeling as if a huge weight has been taken off our shoulders! Happy New Year, Donnamae.

  13. Have a peaceful end to 2018 but a warm welcome to 2019 to you and Don, Claudia. I’m not one to make resolutions either, as I consider growing as a person to be an on-going challenge and positive delight. As it has been every NYE since my children were born over two decades ago, NYE is no longer going to parties and falling into bed in the wee hours of the morning, miraculously NOT awaking with a hangover (I never did). Now, it’s a fun night of something sparkling, a special sweet (daughter is baking the classic much-loved by San Franciscans Blum’s Coffee Crunch Cake…she made the candy topping last night and will bake the cake and assemble today), and our usual board and/or card games. Sometimes we make it til midnight, sometimes we don’t. Tonight, an extra-special guest, a friend who has no one with whom to “celebrate” (son working, husband not interested) but loves board games. We say, “Come on over! We have plenty of Monopoly money, extra dice, and plenty of tokens!”

  14. We expect to be kept awake by fireworks. In previous years it was a big blow out at midnight. I’m waiting to see what my mostly republican neighbors do this New Year’s Eve. Maybe it will be a quiet one?!?!

  15. i understand it can take quite a while to format photos and write a post so thanks for taking the time to do those things, claudia … and especially for all the creativity, beauty, generosity, inspiration, positivity and strength you’ve shared over the past year here at mch and in other ways. you’ve let us into your lives and listened to us, answered every comment … thank you very much for all those things! also for the book and movie suggestions and peeks into the theatrical world!

    i hope and pray the year ahead brings you and don much good health, happiness and more exciting surprises (of the kind like when don got a lead in “etm” and all those unexpected wonderful things happened on your big trip)! and the opportunity to dance in the street!

    same wishes and prayers to everyone who reads mhc … i wish you all the best.

    i am spending the evening in with some family tonight. might be overnight, too, because of the forecast of “ice covered by snow”. it meant i could leave work early so there’s that … otherwise ugh, especially to ice.

    be safe, everyone, however you spend tonight and happy new year.

    kathy in iowa

    • ps … i intended no pressure with that “answer every comment” thing i said! i’m just impressed that you’ve done that (thoughtful ) … but it’s time-consuming! carry on as you wish!

      happy new year!

      kathy in iowa

    • I’d say it takes me a minimum of an hour and sometimes two hours to write a post. Most days it flows easily – others aren’t so easy. But I love it

      I hope you had a lovely evening and that bad weather didn’t interfere with your celebrating Kathy! Happy New Year!

  18. Happy New Year everyone!

    We saw the New Year in eight hours ago here in Melbourne by watching the fireworks on TV, (like many of you who read this blog, it seems) with our three little dogs safely by our side. It has been a very peaceful start to the New Year….it is warm and still with only the sound of the birds singing in the park behind our house and I am sitting up in bed with a coffe and my ipad, savouring it!

    You HAVE had an incredible year Claudia and Don and I thank you for sharing it with us…very generous of you.

    I wish you all a safe and happy New Year!

    Beverley

  21. We, too, are tucked in at home with the 2 Greyhounds and the sweet kitty. We had ice and snow today and it seems to be over now. yay. My kids who live in Madison have promised they will Uber forth and back to wherever they go, if they go. I am finishing the book “Radio Girls” so I can add it to my 2018 read list! It is quite good. I want to learn more about the BBC now!!

    Thank you, Claudia, for your posts. I know I have said it many times, but it truly is like having coffee with you every day. And I have come to know the many who comment on your blog almost daily and look forward to hearing from them, as well. I have been wondering about Vicki lately. I haven’t seen any comments from her in some time. Hoping all is well and she is just very busy or perhaps having internet issues.

    I have never been much of a dancer, but I promise, I will be dancing with all of the rest of your readers when that day finally arrives. Karma never fails. I don’t do resolutions, either. I do resolve to try and be a better person with more room for grace and to try and find peace and joy daily. And also to dance like a crazy woman when the moment arrives!!

    • hi, chris.

      i’ve been thinking the same thing, too … wondering and worrying about vicki! will pray …

      sounds like you have a nice night planned (minus the ice and maybe the snow, too) … enjoy!

      we had slushy weather earlier today, but think it’s done for a while … good … except the roads will probably turn slick like the sidewalks by morning. if i can’t be with my family, i want to be home and that’s where i’m at. i am not a partier … especially tonight. :)

      happy new year to you and your family.

      kathy in iowa

      • Kathy, I have been wondering for a while now, and hesitated to ask, but I do feel like we are all sort of “friends” on here, and figured others were also thinking about her.

        No, we are not partiers at all. I am such an introvert!! It is very quiet here this evening. Hope we all find peace & joy in the new year.

        • agree about the friendships and about being an introvert. thanks, chris.

          kathy in iowa

      • Vicki wrote a comment a while back expressing frustration and worry for a few friends who have had problems and she has ongoing worries about fire and issues in CA, and I think she just needed to pull back – sometimes one feels so overwhelmed that reading blogs or IG or any social media seems trivial. That’s where she is right now, I think. I haven’t heard from her since.

    • Hi Chris and Kathy! I had also been thinking about Vicki so I asked about her in a comment a few weeks ago, when all the fires were raging. Claudia seemed to think that she had just pulled back from social media for a while. I do hope that she’s doing okay and just taking a break.

      • to shanna …

        i hope that’s what she’s doing, just taking a break, being safe. thanks for the update. and happy new year to you and your family.

        and to vicki …

        i hope you and your family are well, happy, safe, together. i am praying for you. may 2019 be a happy, healthy year for you all. holler if there’s something i can do for you from here in iowa.

        kathy in iowa

      • This is what I gleaned from Vicki’s last comment on the blog: She wrote a comment a while back expressing frustration and worry for a few friends who have had problems and she has ongoing worries about fire and issues in CA, and I think she just needed to pull back – sometimes one feels so overwhelmed that reading blogs or IG or any social media seems trivial. That’s where she is right now, I think. I haven’t heard from her since.

    • Here’s to our dance in the streets! May it happen sooner rather than later.

      Vicki wrote a comment a while back expressing frustration and worry for a few friends who have had problems and she has ongoing worries about fire and issues in CA, and I think she just needed to pull back – sometimes one feels so overwhelmed that reading blogs or IG or any social media seems trivial. That’s where she is right now, I think. I haven’t heard from her since.

  23. Heartwarming post. Noble and I have our dancing slippers waiting to join you, Don and all as we dance in the street to welcome grace back into our lives.

    • The same for you, Nancy. I’m hoping you’re having a restful day today, as well. Happy New Year!

  25. Happy New Year Claudia and Don – thank you for a year of sharing your lives with your blogging friends, never miss a post. Looking forward to seeing the additions and changes to your latest doll house – love the fireplace and shelves on either side.
    Joy

  26. Well, I somehow managed to leave my New Year’s note on your previous post! 2019 is starting off well for me. Best Wishes for a wonderful 2019 at Mockingbird Hill Cottage!

  27. what a beautiful post.
    and as they say in your business … break a leg!
    do they say that when a new year is beginning also?
    oh. only when the show is starting.
    ah. well. forget the leg and just ENJOY!
    wishing you both the bestest and most deliciousness of years. it’s all good! XOXO

    • Nope – only when the performance is starting!

      I will enjoy, for sure. I hope you do, as well, Tammy!

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