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Scenes from Home

November 23, 2014 at 9:19 am by Claudia

Scenes from around the house this week – a touch of filter added. (Sometimes I like to play around with these things.)

Sundayshots2

Snoozing next to Dad.

Sundayshots3

Monty in the jungle.

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Light from the windows reflected on the wall.

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Birthday excitement through Daddy’s lens.

It’s been a good week. My birthday was scrumptious in every way. We bought material for some shelves in the den. (Now I have to sand and stain the wood before we put up the standards and brackets.) I have a very interesting story to share with you next week about ‘getting out of the way’ and letting the answer reveal itself and it has to do with Don. But that’s a post in itself. Anyway, that happened this week. I’ve been a bit lax in my reading habits this week – too many distractions. But I hope to better that in the next few days. Scout has had some rocky days, but she’s slowly feeling better.

Thanks for all the stimulating discussion on the part of yesterday’s post that concerned Bill Cosby. The friend of a friend I mentioned, who first told her story via Facebook (as did my friend)? Her story has gained traction because she’s a fairly well-known actress. It’s now on several sites on the web.

I’m afraid, for me, the votes are in. Too many similar accounts. Too many women with no ax to grind, only a need to tell their own story in support of every other woman who has been brave enough to speak out.

And I know someone who had her own ‘experience’ with Cosby.

There are no winners here.

Happy Sunday.

ClaudiaSignature140X93

Filed Under: life 25 Comments

A Birthday Recap & Bill Cosby

November 22, 2014 at 8:27 am by Claudia

Thank you for the lovely birthday wishes! Between this blog and Facebook, I was truly blessed by messages from friends near and far. Goodness!

My husband spoiled me, as usual. (I think he’s better at this sort of thing than I am.) The morning was spent on long, lovely phone calls with my sister and my best friend. Then it was off to our local tea room for tea and a sweet something.

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Birthday Apple Pie with whipped cream! Yum. Yum. Yum!

We love this little tearoom which is in a very old building in a neighboring town.

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We stopped off at our local cupcake shop and picked out four cupcakes, including one of these.

Another wonderful phone call from two dear friends that I’ve known for 30+ years.

Then Don made my favorite dinner – remember me talking about those faux crab cakes? Oh, lordy, it was good! Then presents and cupcakes.

birthdaygirl and scout

Someone was very interested in that cupcake. Oh, that girl! I believe I was making a wish when Don snapped this picture.

What did I get? Not one, but two pair (or is it pairs? the rules seem to be changing) of Nick and Nora flannel pajamas. For those of you who love them, I got the sock monkey design in red, and the macarons design in pink. Hello! I’m all set for winter. At this very moment, in fact, I’m wearing the sock monkeys. I got a bottle of my favorite cologne, Amazing Grace by Philosophy. I got a sweet bracelet. And somehow, Scout found a wonderful wooden egg cup from the forties! How did she do that? She is full of surprises.

My cup runneth over.

I couldn’t have asked for a nicer day.

On another note:

Bill Cosby has been in the news a lot lately. Many women have come forward to share their stories. They don’t know each other, but each of them has an eerily similar story to tell.

If you’re sitting on the fence on this one, let me tell you that one of my former students, who continues to be a friend and who is someone I trust implicitly, had an frightening encounter with Cosby in 1994. I won’t go into the details because it’s her story to tell, but she’s a smart and savvy woman who saw his dark side and got out of his house before anything could happen. That didn’t stop him. He kept calling her house after the incident, insisting that she needed to come to his house to work on her ‘acting technique.’

And if that isn’t enough, a friend of a friend had the same thing happen to her. Both of them are actresses. Both of them dodged the bullet. But clearly, many, many women weren’t as fortunate.

It’s one thing to read about it in the news and hold back, thinking ‘Bill Cosby wouldn’t do that!” Or watch the news, as Don and I did, and think that it sure seems like these women are telling the truth and know, at the same time, that it will be impossible to prove anything.

It’s another thing entirely to know someone who saw that reality.

America’s beloved icon isn’t a nice man. Image and reality are two very different animals, aren’t they?

I leave it at that.

Happy Saturday.

ClaudiaSignature140X93

Filed Under: birthday, Don, Scout 105 Comments

Mon Anniversaire

November 21, 2014 at 8:02 am by Claudia

rays of light

Il est mon anniversaire aujourd’hui.

I’ve retained a little of my high school French – un peu.

I remember being a child and thinking that my birthday, November 21st, must be the most magical, wondrous day ever. That November 21st was simply more special than any other day in the history of the world.

Do you remember that feeling?

It changes as we get older, of course. But I still get a little hint of that feeling every year on this day. It’s fleeting, but still wondrous. Thank goodness.

This is the first birthday of mine on this earth without my mother.

As I said in another post – a year of firsts.

So…bittersweet, wondrous, sad, happy, celebratory, fun. That’s the order for the day.

And Happy Birthday to Patricia, a reader of this blog who shares this birthday with me, along with the number of candles on the cake. (And let me add the name of faithful reader Mary D. – she is celebrating her birthday today, as well!)

Happy Friday and Happy Birthday to me!

ClaudiaSignature140X93

 

Filed Under: birthday 76 Comments

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Welcome!

Welcome!

I live in a little cottage in the country with my husband. It's a sweet place, sheltered by old trees and surrounded by gardens. The inside is full of the things we love. I love to write, I love my camera, I love creating, I love gardening. My decorating style is eclectic; full of vintage and a bit of whimsy.

I've worked in the theater for more years than I can count. I'm currently a voice, speech, dialect and text coach freelancing on Broadway, off Broadway, and in regional theater.

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