Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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Twenty-Nine

July 4, 2023 at 8:42 am by Claudia

Happy “Don and Claudia Met on This Date” day. Twenty-nine years ago, in fact.

Which means that October will bring our 25th wedding anniversary.

Who would have thought?!?

I’ll keep this simple and brief. This man is a gift from God and every day I acknowledge that truth.

We both carried a load of baggage when we met but somehow, despite our fears, we opened up about all of that quite early on. We wanted to be better at this. Cautiously optimistic, we moved forward. We always talked things through. We were granted the gift of time and space when Don had to go to Arizona for another commitment. No cell phones then. No Face Time. Just a land line on which we talked every Monday night, our mutual day off. We really got to know each other. By the time he came back to San Diego, we were ready for the next chapter.

I never thought I would marry anyone, not because I didn’t think I was deserving. It was more about my fear of getting bored with someone and of sharing my space with another human. Me: introvert who needed privacy and to have her things all in one place, under her control. Don: Extrovert, married before, impulse guy who would move in with me without blinking an eye because why shouldn’t we?

Somehow we worked it all out.

And here we are 29 years later, loving nothing more than spending the day together in our cottage.

Anyway, I’m grateful.

The 4th of July has never been a big deal for me and lately I’m not feeling very patriotic.

But our anniversary is.

Stay safe.

Happy Tuesday.

 

Filed Under: anniversary, Don 21 Comments

Monday

July 3, 2023 at 8:51 am by Claudia

Today is Meredith’s birthday! I have to call her, both to wish her a Happy day and to catch up. You know how I feel about her. There isn’t a kinder human being or a more giving sister or parent or friend. I pray that this  year things will get much better for her. She deserves everything good.

It’s a quiet weekend here – except for the fireworks that went off on July 1st (not the 4th) in the campground that is down the road. The fireworks went off right behind our property. No warning, no email to neighbors, nothing. They were so close and so incredibly loud that I couldn’t help thinking about all the wild animals and birds that must have been very, very frightened. And pets – you remember Scout went ballistic when there were fireworks. Collies have acute hearing and Scoutie was a Border Collie. We never left home on the 4th. I read on the local page that a dog was seen running frantically across a road during some fireworks.

Do we need them? No. I wrote a message to the campground on their Facebook page complaining about the fact that none of us were alerted beforehand.

Moving on.

Lucy has new eye chips.

They’re a greenish blue, depending on the light. She came with grayish chips and two pair of iridescent chips that – though beautiful – always seemed spooky to me. I want to replace another side-positioned pair as well. But that was enough for yesterday.

She needed a little color.

The doll spa has closed until further notice.

More rain on the docket today, though it’s sunny right now.

And humid.

Stay safe.

Happy Monday.

Filed Under: Blythe dolls, Meredith 22 Comments

Hair Cuts & Body Changes

July 2, 2023 at 9:14 am by Claudia

I mowed the corral and the back forty yesterday, with sunglasses and a mask on. Nevertheless, my eyes are irritated this morning. Thankfully, the air quality is back to normal as of today. So, you’d think I could run outside and do lots of stuff today, but no, it’s raining again and will storm this afternoon.

Ah well.

I trimmed Nina’s hair yesterday. It was just too long – all the way to the ground and then some. I’d been thinking about it for a while.

Then, for the 100th time, I had problems standing her up in the cabinet. The Obitsu 22 body I’d given her when she arrived here is very lightweight, so the heaviness of her hair – even with two inches taken off – would tilt her forward and I didn’t want her falling from the top shelf.  I decided to switch her back to her Obitsu 24 body (the one she came with.) It’s 2 centimeters taller and seems to be a bit heavier.

And little Olivia, the last of the girls still in a Licca body (I do not like them) got an OB 22 body and joints and she can now tilt her head!

First official head tilt.

You look great, Livvy!

I may change out some eye chips out today. The surgery is open all weekend long.

I sort of miss Olivia being the tiniest of the girls, but darn it, she deserves a head tilt and body flexibility!

Except for some minor eye surgery, today will be reading day. I have to catch up on War and Peace, as well as read a chunk of Babel, which is getting very interesting.

Stay safe.

Happy Sunday.

Tagged With: NinFiled Under: Blythe dolls, livvy, Nina 12 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.

Thanks for stopping by.

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The Dogs

The Dogs

Scout & Riley. Riley left us in 2012. Scout left us in February 2016. Dearest babies. Dearest friends.

Winston - Our first dog. We miss you, sweetheart.

Lambs Like to Party

Lambs Like to Party

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