Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Thursday Thoughts

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Good morning.

• The snow has melted away. The porch impatiens died, but the calibrachoa, the big hanging plant, the pansies, and the lavender are still hanging in there, but with nighttime temps continuously in the twenties, who knows how long that will last? It will be interesting to watch.

• I shot a quick little video of my first dollhouse rehab, Hummingbird Cottage, for my doll account on Instagram. It’s my latest post there if you’re interested. I added some music, though I’m not very good at video/music yet. That account name is: sophieandherpals. If I could manage to embed it on this post, I would, but I’m not sure how to do it in this newer version of WordPress. Shooting the video served as a reminder of that experience and the fact that I started out knowing absolutely nothing about it. I had to figure it out as I went along. There are things I would do differently if I was doing it today, but that’s to be expected. Doing this sort of thing – filming the interior – starts to get my dollhouse mojo going, which I desperately need as we head into winter. All good.

• When I played a nurse (billed as Nurse Claudia, according to Jim) in the film, lots of forms had to be filled out because I’m not a member of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG.) The producers had to explain why they weren’t using a union member – it was an emergency. I had to sign lots of forms. But, as a result I’m eligible to join the union. But, if I wanted to do that, I would have to pay a $3000.00 initiation fee. Gulp. No can do. Money is tight and I’m sure not going to spend that amount of money to join the union when I’m sure I’ll never act on film again. The problem as I saw it was that if there are residuals involved in the future – and there will be – I won’t receive them because I’m not in the union. Don had to call SAG yesterday about something else, so he asked them about that. Turns out, if I’m officially SAG eligible – and I am – I’ll receive the residuals anyway. So that was a nice bit of news!

(I had already plugged my name into the “Are you eligible?” part of SAG’s site and found that I was listed there as officially eligible.)

• Current puzzle. Piccadilly Circus in London.

Stay safe.

Happy Thursday.

First Snow

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First snow. It started falling in big, fat, wet flakes yesterday evening. Thankfully, our local weather guys got it right. We got maybe an inch or two of wet snow that eventually changed over to rain. If it was ever icy, it didn’t last. The driveway is wet and clear and we are fine. We did enjoy seeing the first flakes, but it’s more fun seeing it fall during the day.

Because of the oncoming snow, we removed the two window a/c units (one of which is very heavy) and got the shovels out. I moved some heavy pots onto the porch from elsewhere on the property. Between the air conditioners and the pots, my back was feeling a little sore by mid-afternoon, so I stopped for the day  and turned on the heating pad. I’m feeling much better today. The only chore left to do in the next week or so is emptying the pots on the porch and moving them into my potting area in the shed. Oh, and moving the glider and chair cushions back to the storage space under the stairs. And bringing my little stone doves inside for the winter. Sometimes I forget to do that until well into December. One more – moving the Adirondack chairs to the shed.

I’m feeling the urge to string up some Christmas lights on our porch sooner rather than later. That may happen this week. Our neighbors have their lights up already and since their house is set well back from the road, it’s nice to see beautiful blue and white lights off in the distance.

Jim wrote me yesterday and invited Don and me to the premiere of Spoiler Alert  on November 29th in NYC. I said yes for me and when Don got home, he said yes. I think he’s even more excited about it than I am. Of course, we live in jeans, we’ve gained weight, and we have nothing appropriate to wear. And I hate shopping. Nevertheless…

Oh wait, I did buy that dress for the opening of Margaritaville. Does it still fit? All shall be revealed.

We’re excited about going of course. I’ll get to see Ben (the actor I coached ) again, and Michael Ausiello, the author of Spoiler Alert (the book) who became a good friend during our days on the set. And Jim’s husband, Todd. And we’ll get to see it in a room full of fans and people who have worked on the movie so it will be a lot of fun. Will Sally be there? I hope so. Neither of us have ever been to a movie premiere before. Broadway opening nights, yes. But not this.

Today we’re taking it easy.

Stay safe.

Happy Wednesday.

Weather and Life can be Messy

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I remember the days when our first snowfall was pretty; gently falling snowflakes with a magical kind of quality.

Instead, we’re getting this:

In other words, snow changing to rain changing to ice changing to snow changing to ice and then changing to rain.

This happened a lot last year. I sure hope this first ‘event’ is not going to be the norm this winter.

It all happens after it gets dark, so it’s not as if we can watch the pretty little snowflakes falling…

No snowblower, of course, but it wouldn’t really work with this stuff. I’ve heard anywhere from 1 – 3 inches, but our local weather guys who I turn to for the most accurate forecast are saying a coating to an inch. Fingers crossed!

We’ll see.

Do you think it might be time for us to remove our a/c window units? I’m thinking that is a resounding yes, so that’s on our agenda for today, as well as getting the snow shovels out of the shed.

I took a quick glance at the porch plants. They’re not dead yet, but it’s early in the day. I’ll know more later.

Sounds like a day for sugar-free hot chocolate, doesn’t it?

As for my thoughts on my upcoming birthday, a clarification. Feelings about aging and big birthdays are complex and I think it’s healthy to acknowledge and honor that. Of course I’m grateful that I’m still here. But that doesn’t mean that I can’t feel something beyond that. Life is complicated. Feelings are complicated. So, my replies yesterday reflect that.

There is not one of us who hasn’t lost someone too soon. I certainly have, starting with two children I routinely babysat who lost their young lives to cancer. I was 12 or 13, but they were much younger. Sadly, we often face heartbreaking loss at an early age. And since the age of 44, there has not been one birthday where I haven’t been acutely aware of the fact that I have been granted more years on this earth than my brother. Or more years than all my friends who died of AIDS. Or my student who was murdered.

And I am well aware that some of you have lost beloved husbands and children and my heart breaks for you. There are no words.

All of that is to say that life is not a Hallmark card. It’s tricky and complicated.

Don’t worry, though I have insisted on no presents – we’re stretched pretty thin at the moment – Don will be in a celebratory mood and will make the day lovely. I’m eternally grateful for his presence in my life. But that isn’t for 6 days, so in the meantime…snow and ice and messy weather.

Stay safe.

Happy Tuesday.

 

Lambs Like to Party

Lambs Like to Party

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