Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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Scout Blogs: Street Life!

September 24, 2014 at 8:45 am by Claudia

I don’t get it.

I like my house. I like my dog corral.

I like to sleep on the loveseat.

I like knowing where everything is.

But what the heck?

Let me tell you what has been happening: A few weeks ago, Dad and Mom put me in the car. There was a lot of other stuff there, too. We drove a long time. Then we stopped and all the stuff in the car was moved to another place. So was I. The floors were slippery and I felt like I might fall. We went to a park.

Then, we spent the night. The next morning, Mom and I left that place. But Dad didn’t.

Huh?

We went back home. Everything was okay for a week or so. Then Mom started making piles of things and she started packing. She tries to pack upstairs so I can’t see her, but I know what’s going on. I mean, really, does she think I’m that dense?

Then she piled all that stuff in the car and we drove again. For a long time.

Then we ended up in a big building with lots of people. Mom says it’s a hotel. And that we’re in a Suite. But let me tell you, the first ‘suite’ we were in bothered me a lot. It was small, and something didn’t seem right. I couldn’t settle down. I had to keep sniffing and checking things out and I DIDN’T LIKE IT IN THERE.

So we moved again. This place is nicer. There’s more room. I can stretch out. And the smells are okay.

But I don’t get why we’re here.

Sometimes Mom leaves for a long time. Then she comes back for a bit. Then she leaves again.

I DON’T LIKE IT.

But I do like this place she takes me to, which is the only reason I’m putting up with being far away from home stuff.

scout on the road 1

There’s lots of grass and smells and poop and leaves and boy, do I like it! It’s called a park.

Mom usually takes me there a couple of times a day.

Yesterday, we went at lunchtime and there were people everywhere.

scout on the road 2

I mean, everywhere! And there are lots of people on the streets, too. Some of them stop to pet me. Everyone thinks I’m cute. And they all ask about my limp. (Mom gets tired of having to answer that question all the time. She tells them I have something called Arthritis – Mom spelled that out for me.)

I like people. I stop when they walk toward me. I wait for them to admire me.

Sometimes, they just keep going.

What??

Poop on them.

We go up and down in an elevator. I like that.

Everyone likes me here at the hotel.

They think I’m pretty. And they can’t believe I’m 15½.

Neither can I. I know I look good for my age.

scout on the road 3

I have to say that I’m liking this change of scene.

I don’t understand it, but I like it.

I miss my Dad.

He misses me, too. He talks to me on some thing that Mom holds up to my ear.

Can I let you in on a secret? I try to con Mom into taking me outside. I act like I have to take care of business, but I really just want to explore the street and the smells and the cars and the people. Sometimes, she’s on to me and she tells me to lay down.

But other times? I win and we go outside.

Ha!

Have to start bugging Mom again. I haven’t been to the park yet this morning. And I have to poop.

Bye.

Scout

Filed Under: Scout 48 Comments

A Big Book & A Vase of Flowers

September 23, 2014 at 8:22 am by Claudia

When I was out and about yesterday, and thank goodness I know how to navigate around West Hartford where I can visit Target, Trader Joe’s and Barnes & Noble all on the same road, I made a quick run into B & N. I was looking for a copy of Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott, a simply wonderful book about the writing process, and one that I own, but…you guessed it, it’s packed away in the shed. (I wonder how many books I have purchased that are duplicates of the ones that I can’t get to?) Given B & N’s increasing lack of books, it’s a miracle that I found a copy, but I did. And I have to say that this particular B & N, one I’ve been to many times before, has changed during the past year. Less books, more tchotchkes and games and stuffed animals. Like all B & Ns, I guess.

Anyway, I also ended up buying another book, which was on the remainder/sale table.

hotel-books

Believing the Lie by Elizabeth George. I have a bit of history with this book. I have checked it out from my local library on three different occasions, only to return it, because, at a whopping 608 pages, it was impossible for me to read it in the allotted 3 weeks the library allowed me to have the book. Well, I suppose it wasn’t technically impossible, I’m a fairly quick reader. But the pressure I felt to get it read ended up being too much for me. So each time I checked it out, thinking “This time I’ll do it!” I ended up defeated before I ever really had a chance to start it.

It was on sale for $7.98. Aha! Now I have it, I own it, and I’ll get around to reading it someday when I don’t have other books to read/review. By the way, I love Elizabeth George’s Inspector Lynley mysteries and I’ve read most of them. So I really do want to read this one!

From Trader Joe’s:

hotelflowers1

Because every hotel room and/or temporary apartment needs flowers. – preferably easy-care, long-lived ones like alstromeria.

hotelflowers2

Yesterday was my day off. Theaters almost always have Mondays as the day off. But, for some reason, the theater where Don is currently working decided to make Thursday the day off during the rehearsal process. So, even though we are 40 minutes apart here and were excited to be able to spend time together, we can’t. What’s wrong with this picture?

Have to go. Today is the first day of rehearsal for the entire cast. A long day ahead and I have to get Dame Scout over to the park before I leave for the day.

She insists on it.

In case you missed it, I posted a lovely interview with Deborah Crombie on Just Let Me Finish This Page yesterday.

Happy Tuesday.

ClaudiaSignature140X93

Filed Under: books, Don, flowers, On The Road 22 Comments

Settling In And Big News Over On The Book Blog

September 22, 2014 at 9:38 am by Claudia

ontheroad - scout sleeping

Little girl is adapting pretty gosh-darned well. I’m very proud of her.

She goes a little crazy when I return after rehearsal. But that’s understandable. After all, she is in a place that is not home. Not her kingdom. (You know what, Scoutie? I feel the same way.) But all in all, she is handling it so well.

Not bad for 15½, not bad at all.

And this girl loves the city streets. She likes seeing all the people, even going so far as to stop when she sees someone coming in the opposite direction, waiting for what she is sure will be extravagant attention. That isn’t always the case, of course. But most people smile and if I had a dime for how many times people have asked “Is she hurt? What happened to her?” I’d be on my way to a nice, fat bank account. I usually say that she limps, but a more accurate description would be ‘hops.’ She does a little hop on her right front leg. Arthritis isn’t easy.

And she loves, loves, loves the park. We go over there at least twice a day.

Oh, by the way, the bike races, loudspeaker, blocked streets (I had to do some major maneuvers to get to rehearsal) lasted until about 6 pm. Oy.

Growing around the property as I prepared to leave for Hartford:

aster-like weed

Pretty little flowers that one might call a weed, but you know I don’t do that. There are also little purple versions of the same flower.

rosebud

I want to officially thank my roses for returning for a second bloom in these early days of autumn. I wish I could wiggle my nose and transport myself back to the cottage every day to see what’s happening in the gardens and water the plants. It would only take about 15 minutes out of my day and I’d have the best of both worlds.

Seems like a perfectly legitimate request, don’t you think?

Today is my day off and I’m going to head over to Trader Joe’s. Since this kitchenette has no oven, I need some microwaveable meals.

And some fresh flowers.

And now, my big news!

I have something to share with you over on the book blog and to say I’m very excited would be an understatement. Deborah Crombie’s newest book, To Dwell in Darkness, comes out tomorrow. (I’ll be reviewing it on this blog a week from today.) I decided to take a risk and and ask her publisher (through TLC Book Tours) if she would be willing to answer some interview questions. She graciously agreed.

Isn’t that neat?

So hop on over to Just Let Me Finish This Page to read my interview with Deborah Crombie.

Happy Monday.

ClaudiaSignature140X93

Tagged With: books, Deborah Crombie, interview, To Dwell in DarknessFiled Under: books, On The Road, Scout 26 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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