Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Mockingbird Hill Cottage

An Upside-Down Kind of Day

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Yesterday was one of those days where I felt mildly irritable and slightly ‘off’ all day. The simplest tasks went awry. You know what I mean? And through it all, I was completely aware that my reaction to everything was totally up to me, that I could change it all with an attitude adjustment. But I didn’t.

As the day went on, things got better. Don was having the same sort of day, so I guess we sort of wallowed in the whole thing. It was cold. Wintery weather is most definitely here – too early for our taste. An upside-down kind of day.

But I managed to noodle around with some things for the dollhouse. By the way, on an upside-down day, trying to maneuver fully adult human hands and fingers around the miniatures in a dollhouse makes for a lot of cursing.

Oh yes. Quite colorful, I might add.

I bought a little kit when I was in Chautauqua (now I wish I’d purchased two) and finally put it together.

sat little shelf

It’s a little Victorian corner shelf with wonderful scroll work that was laser cut. Once I got out the glue, it was very easy to put together. I was going to paint it, but I decided I liked it better ‘au naturel.’

Gosh, it’s hard getting good photos way back in the depths of the kitchen!

A while back, Linda, a generous reader of this blog, sent me a box full of kits from The House of Miniatures. One of them was for a cupboard that would function as the top of a secretary. But I had a different idea. I put it together yesterday. Then I stained, painted, and sanded it.

sat cabinet on wall 2

I wanted it to look vintage and salvaged. (I’d like one of these for our real-sized cottage!) I never liked the free-standing bookcase I had in here. It was really just a marker of sorts until I figured out something else to do here.  I stained the piece first with some antiquing gel, then I painted it and sanded it to show wear and tear. I deliberately left some parts of the doors unstained.

sat cabinet on wall 1

Then I put some of the books I’ve made on the shelves. There will be more added eventually.

(I took these photos late in the day.)

So, in spite of an upside-down day, I managed to create a couple of additions to the dollhouse. That makes me happy.

Happy Saturday.

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Not Already!

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first snow

What’s that I see on the roof of the shed?

That dreaded four letter word.

Though there isn’t very much on the ground and I’m sure it will melt away during the morning hours.

first snow 2

A view of the back forty. I’m sure the higher elevations around us got more snow. That’s fine. This is quite enough for me, thank you very much.

Good news. The repairman came out and looked at the washer yesterday afternoon and immediately figured out what the problem was. The lid to the washer wasn’t fully closing, therefore the switch that signaled the washer to start wasn’t working. I’m not sure which of these things started the problem, the switch or the lid, but the switch had to be replaced. I had warned Don that, even if we could repair the washer, we might have to wait for parts. But lo and behold, that particular part was on the truck. Within about a half hour, all was fixed. The whole thing cost us a little over $200, which is a good sight better than the $1200 it would cost us to replace the unit.

I don’t have to go to the laundromat today.

To celebrate, we piled into the car and took Scout for a walk on the library grounds. Then we took a little walk through town (it doesn’t take long) and headed home. She was happy. We were happy.

before the frost 4

The limelight hydrangeas with their faded autumn beauty.

Don wants to know what I want for my birthday. I never know. I need clothes desperately but he insists that new clothes should be a matter of course and not a birthday present. Likewise a winter jacket and snow boots. All of which I need. My boots have been too small for me for 3 years. My winter jackets are looking pretty ragged.

I’m a wee bit jealous, to be honest, because Don got to buy his wardrobe for Our Town (which was in modern dress) for $300. It was worth about $1000. Hand picked, hand tailored (he’s over 6′4″ remember) – he got it all, including shoes. I’m thrilled for him, because he needs all of it and some pieces will be very good to wear on auditions.

But voice coaches don’t get costumes, do they?

Maybe I’ll tell him I need new flannel pajamas – which I do. And maybe some of my favorite perfume.

before the frost 5

Or maybe something for the dollhouse.

A new post up at Just Let Me Finish This Page: something from my local library and some interesting links.

Happy Friday.

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Random on Thursday

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before the frost 3

Yesterday was warm and sunny and quite beautiful. (These photos were taken yesterday afternoon.) But it’s very cold this morning. Very cold indeed. Our winter coats are in a bin in the shed. I’m not ready to haul them out of there yet. I just can’t do it.

Today a repairman comes to look at the washer. By the end of the day, we’ll know whether we should repair or replace. Crossing fingers for repair. Pretty please?

Tomorrow, another trip to the laundromat. Each load is $3.00. That’s more expensive than the washers I used at the hotel and apartments in Hartford. So when I did the laundry last week, I just brought everything home wet and spent the rest of the afternoon drying it in our dryer, which is working just fine. It does end up being a day all about laundry, but what can you do?

before the frost

This morning I was visiting blogs and I saw a blog post by a young mom with a tutorial on how to make a cardboard house out of a box. In this case, she used a cereal box.

My immediate reaction was “Gee that isn’t new. I did that when I was a kid. I made houses out of shoeboxes and decorated them.” You know, the whole there’s nothing new under the sun thing.

But then I thought about it some more and my reaction turned to a resounding ‘Huzzah!’ Huzzah to moms and dads that are helping their kids develop their imaginations in this All-Tech-X Box Playing-Texting-Computerized World. Huzzah to parents and teachers who foster and nurture those Imagine It and Make It skills. Huzzah for re-using basic things we all have in our homes and transforming them to something fun and wonderful.

It’s natural to worry about kids today who play endless computer games and who use their phone as a permanent 11th appendage. But something like that little cardboard house gives me hope.

before the frost 2

Since it’s not even my birthday yet, nor is it Thanksgiving, I’ve already had to begin ignoring the various Christmas decorating posts I am beginning to see everywhere. Just as I hate walking into a store in October and early November to see Christmas merchandise everywhere – I’m talking to you Lowe’s and Michael’s and Target- I feel the same way about early Christmas decorating posts. Don’t get me wrong, I like Christmas. I like decorating, albeit simply, for Christmas.

But, my birthday is still over a week away! So I’m not clicking on anything Christmas. Here’s how it goes in my world: birthday, slight break, Thanksgiving, slightly longer break, Christmas.

No fuzzy lines.

The winner of a copy of My Sister’s Grave is Jo. Jo, just sent you an email – I need your mailing address so I can forward it on to TLC Book Tours. Congratulations!

Happy Thursday.

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Lambs Like to Party

Lambs Like to Party

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