Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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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Recommending: A Book and A British Series

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another sunset

The gorgeous sunsets just keep on coming here at Mockingbird Hill Cottage.

Oh, friends, I’m sharing a book review over at Just Finish This Page that I want you to read. I hope I’ve written it in a way that makes you want to get a hold of the book ASAP and dive right on in. It’s titled Small Blessings: A Novel and it’s by Martha Woodroof. I simply loved it. I can’t say it enough. I know you will love it, too. It’s wise and funny and charming and moving and uplifting. So please stop by the other blog and read about the book. I don’t normally wax rhapsodic on both blogs about a book, but I am so much in love with this novel that I’m throwing caution to the winds.

Speaking of waxing rhapsodic, if you haven’t watched any of Last Tango in Halifax, do. It usually airs on PBS. I believe there have been two seasons. We caught the second season on PBS and are now watching the first season on Netflix. It stars Derek Jacobi and Anne Reid and a cast of wonderful actors. When I say wonderful, I truly mean it. Such amazing work by each and every one of them that Don and I are enthralled. It’s about many of the same things Small Blessings is about: second chances, the yearning to be loved, finding one’s way through life. Brilliant.

Also very, very happy that Newsroom is back on HBO, along with The Comeback. Sunday night was a happy night here at the cottage. This is Newsroom’s final season which makes me very sad, indeed.

tin from don

Don bought this little tin for me in New Haven. I love it. I don’t know about you but I have a lot of random crap. Love the graphics.

We’ve been taking Scoutie on walks on the grounds of our little library. She likes it there and she invariably does a little gallop down the sloping driveway. Adorable – a word I seem to be using fairly frequently to describe my girl. Can’t help it. The other day we walked by the little pizzeria in our town, succumbed to the aromas coming out of the building, and the next thing we knew, Don was inside ordering a pizza.

Here’s Scout, waiting with me for her dad to come out of that door.

waiting for dad

waiting for dad 2

He’s right inside that window!

Happy Wednesday.

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Lambs Like to Party

Lambs Like to Party

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