Mockingbird Hill Cottage — Page 1032 — Mockingbird Hill Cottage

The Ongoing Planning That Goes On In My Head

April 27, 2016 at 9:41 am by Claudia

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The sun has finally come out this morning after a day of rain yesterday. I can still smell smoke from the wildfire. I hope the rain helped to bring it under control and that what I’m smelling is just the residual smoke that will be hanging around for a while.

I sat at my desk yesterday, staring at the TSP, and got absolutely nothing done. I did come up with an idea for a desk, so it wasn’t entirely a bust, and I decided to hold off on the final paint color for the deck/porch until I add some stonework at the base of the building. See? Even though nothing seems to be accomplished, I realized later that I did in fact accomplish something, even if it’s simply sorting things out in my brain. Planning.

I finished the first book in the Harry Hole series, The Bat, by Jo Nesbø, which was excellent. Uh oh. I’m hooked on another series. Next up is Cockroaches. So I just might be taking a little drive to the bookstore today because once I’m hooked, I’m hooked. I have to get a dowel from Michael’s (which is right next door) and maybe some raisin bread from Target…

I just started That Darkness by Lisa Black – which is in the form of an eGalley from NetGalley. It was officially published yesterday, so I’ll write a review when I finish it. So far, so good. I’m thoroughly engaged.

What else? I’m trying to juggle the demands of Anastasia’s schedule with a couple of other small projects. Since I don’t know when they’ll want me to come into Anastasia next (this is all very complicated) and rehearsals in the rehearsal room will be winding down next week, I’m assuming I’ll be going to Hartford to watch a run-through on the weekend or early next week. But I have to wait for them to ask for me as I am contracted for only a certain amount of days. In the meantime, I have to go into the city sometime this week or next to consult on another project (about Martin Luther) so I think I’m going to try to get there tomorrow. And then I have to decide whether I want to take two days to go down to Washington D.C. to watch a performance of the other project (about C.S. Lewis) that I’ve been consulting on. That would be toward the end of next week.

This is the kind of stuff that is going on in my head most of the time, along with all the work I have to coordinate on the TSP. Planning – if only in my head.

Back to Jo Nesbø. If you like police procedurals, I think you’ll like this series. Extremely well-written and engrossing. I sat in my little old chair and read for several hours yesterday – completely into it – and had to shush my husband several times as I headed toward the end of the novel.

Happy Wednesday.

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Playing Around With The TSP

April 26, 2016 at 9:56 am by Claudia

Don: Stop here. Do Not Read This Post.

Gosh, I love the fact that I can go upstairs to the office/studio, shouting to Don as I go up the stairs, “Keep out!” and then shut the door, turn on some music, and play with the Top Secret Project. That’s precisely what I did yesterday.

Although this particular addition was put together a few days ago.

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It was a frustrating day to take pictures, so this is the best of the bunch. Well, there’s another one that might be a tad clearer. Anyway, I made this counter top. I had envisioned tucking that mini refrigerator under something and this is what I came up with. It couldn’t be simpler. Simple, my friends, is my particular skill set. It’s made out of mat board. The microwave sits on top, along with a box of Pepperidge Farm cookies and a canister. I’ve ordered an espresso maker that will also sit on top of the counter and a retro looking stool, so that the guy that uses this space can sit at the counter if he has a desire to.

Musicians have to take breaks, you know.

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I’m sure there will be other snacks on the counter and in the fridge. And some mugs for coffee.

I almost tossed this little countertop because the end result wasn’t what I had envisioned. But I’ve changed my mind for the time being.

Excuse the blue painters tape, but I’ve been painting some areas that needed paint and I’m also painting the deck outside the sliding doors.

There are several things coming in the mail, some of them from across the ocean, so it will take a while for them to get here. Oh, the excitement of anticipation!

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I moved the stereo over to the lounge area. Most of the time, I have no patience with trying to get the perfect picture, as you can see by the evidence of Don’s guitar stand just beyond the sliding doors and the fact that it is gray and rainy out there and I had to use artificial light so the edges of everything are slightly blurred. It is what it is.

Basically, I just wanted to show you the stereo.

I also cleaned the windows in the TSP. The clock is ticking on this project and I have more coaching to do on Anastasia as well as a couple of days on another production. Chop, chop, Claudia!

Today, more painting – I’m taking advantage of Don being in and out of the house today and also of the fact that I can’t do anything outside because of the rain.

Thank goodness for the rain! We have been in an unusually dry period here – there have been No Burn warnings for weeks. The humidity has been very low. So, the fact that the wildfire took off like it did is no surprise. Thankfully, this rain today should greatly aid the firefighters up on the Ridge.

We took a drive yesterday and could see the tall plumes of smoke coming off the mountain ridge. You could smell the fire everywhere, including here at the cottage.

Praying it will be extinguished today.

Happy Tuesday.

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Curves and Crabapples

April 25, 2016 at 8:59 am by Claudia

Yesterday was a hard one, as was expected, and when I found some of Scoutie’s white hairs on my flannel shirt, I lost it – sobbing in my husband’s arms for all the loss we have endured over the past two years.

Sometimes I think I’ll never be quite whole again. I know you understand. I move forward, doing what is necessary, trying to endure – and for the most part, I do endure, I do move forward. But there are periods of grief and despair. That’s just the way it is for now.

So let’s look at something pretty. My little crabapple tree has bloomed again.

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Is there anything prettier? Delicate pink buds that open as lovely white flowers.

This tree is over on the edge of the property and getting a photo or two involved climbing over fallen branches, avoiding pricky wild roses – it’s quite the challenge.

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As always with these beauties, the bloom time is short. I guess that makes it all the sweeter.

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Everything else around here, save for the Flowering Quince, is still coming out of the ground so it will be a while until I see any blooms.

And for those of you who either never saw or forgot about the curved roof of the Top Secret Project, here it is:

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See what I mean? It presents a problem. Can you shape plexiglass? I fear that is not in my skill set.

In other exciting news, I got a new pair of Muck Boots for working in the garden and around the property, after making do with some that I had grown out of and were wildly uncomfortable. Love my Muck Boots!

We have a wildfire on the top of our mountains that has been raging for two days. Send a prayer for the safety of the firefighters and all the animals in its path.

Happy Monday.

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The Ongoing Planning That Goes On In My Head

Playing Around With The TSP

Curves and Crabapples

Lambs Like to Party

A Note

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