Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Back Home

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Good morning!

I’m back home. I’m so glad I do not have to make that trip again! I will say that all four trips to and from Rochester were beautiful. Beautiful scenery and beautiful weather. I’m grateful for that. On the return home, Google Maps sent me on a different route for the last leg of the journey and that helped perk me up. I came home to a big hug from my husband, who was concocting a new recipe for dinner as a welcome home.

I drove directly to the hotel this time as I had a few hours before I needed to be at the theater. This time, my room was smaller but faced the Genessee River, so I had a lovely view. So much nicer than facing the parking lot, like my last visit.

At the last minute, I decided to bring Holly along for the ride because I had also packed some yarn to crochet another hat and I needed a model.

She liked the view, too.

My husband made the most wonderful dinner for me. The cooler worked beautifully, by the way. (I had no idea what was in the containers as they were supposed to be a surprise.) The contents: fried potatoes, thinly sliced, which is one of my favorite Don creations, and a vegetarian stir-fry full of tasty favorites. Oh my goodness! It was so appreciated after the long drive.

I headed to the theater to watch the final Preview. There were so many technical problems earlier in the week. These things happen. So a couple of previews had to be cancelled. I have to say it’s in great shape, despite all the stress earlier in the week. The cast is wonderful. The actress playing Jane did it in Hartford, as well, and she’s such a powerful and heartbreaking Jane. The actor playing Rochester is simply wonderful. They have terrific chemistry. The audience loved it and stood up immediately. I’m glad for the cast, but my side note is that standing ovations are a dime a dozen nowadays. In my earlier years in the theater, they were rare, so their impact was powerful. Now? People just stand up no matter what. Sigh. I’m not saying this cast didn’t deserve the ovation, just that if ovations always happen, they lose their power.

I took notes, talked to Elizabeth (the director) and Fiona (the dramaturg) and then got back to the hotel around 10:45. I called Don to let him know I was safely in the hotel, and took a bath, as my back was very painful after the drive.

The next morning, I finished crocheting the hat. I left a little later than planned because I didn’t want to leave any stitches still on the hook, so I crocheted like a madwoman. Hat? Finished.

I’ll let Holly model it for you (picture taken in the hotel.)

I’ve figured out the kind of yarn I need to use, so this one turned out perfectly.

I left Rochester around 9:40 and arrived home exactly 5 hours later at 2:40.

I regret to say that my back suffered from all the hours in the car, so I was in pain last night and am this morning, as well. It will get better. I have a few days free before I coach again and I’m going to baby it.

Coaching on Jane Eyre  is complete.

I’m happy to be home. It’s raining outside!

I write about 9/11 every year. This year, I’m simply going to acknowledge the date.

Stay safe.

Happy Sunday.

Thursday

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Foggy morning.

I coached a lot yesterday. These zoom sessions are particularly challenging because it’s more difficult to ‘read’ the person I’m working with when I’m not in the same room with him/her. I have to work harder. This particular zoom connection was dodgy, at best, so sometimes the coachee would freeze, or I would, or the sound would go in and out or we’d talk over each other and have to start again. Lord.

At the end of it all, I’m exhausted.

I have an even longer day today.

I’ll be glad when zoom coaching sessions are finished – most likely, at the end of next week.

And after today, I hit the road for Rochester on Friday. I’ll get to the hotel, check in, rest a bit, and then head over to the theater and watch the final preview. (The show opens on Saturday.) I’ll take notes, send them out via email, and then drive back home on Saturday.

Sometimes, I feel like I’m getting too old for this. Ha! I’m almost 70, so I probably am.

Dear husband is making me a meal of some kind that I’ll take along with me tomorrow (in addition to a sandwich for lunch.) I have a little cooler and some ice packs, so it will be fine on the journey to Rochester. I’ll pop it in the microwave for dinner before I head to the show.

Okay, my friends. No posts tomorrow and Saturday. Back on Sunday.

Stay safe.

Happy Thursday.

Wednesday Thoughts

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• It rained all day yesterday and, though we’re experiencing a lull at the moment, it will rain for several hours today. It should be partly sunny tomorrow. I’m anxious to see how this has changed the water level on the river. It was shockingly low last week. Hopefully, the amount of rain we’ve had will make a difference.

• I coach today and tomorrow, most likely for several hours each day. Since my brain feels foggy today (sinus) I’m sure hoping that I sharpen up soon! Long days, and then long days on the road on Friday and Saturday. I’ll be glad when my work on Jane Eyre  is complete. I plan on relaxing for a couple of days after I return home. And then I’ll have two days of coaching next week.

• We just passed the 31st anniversary of my brother’s death. I always think of him, of course, but especially in the early days of September. He had cancer, as you know, and while I was chaperoning a group of BU students at the Edinburgh Festival, he took a turn for the worse. My mom held off telling me because she didn’t want to upset me, at least, not until they knew more. I returned home before Labor Day and mom told me what had been going on. I immediately called my brother in the hospital. He seemed to be hanging in there, but he told his girlfriend he was tired of fighting. One night, he sent her home, insisting she get some rest. He died that night. He was only 44.

I didn’t meet Don until 3 years later. I wish they had had the chance to know each other.

• More experimenting with hats for the girls; a lighter weight yarn, some tweaking of the pattern, and here is the latest version.

Zoe is wearing her back-to-school clothes. I think she looks quite fetching in that hat.

Although, I was in such a hurry to get a photo in the late afternoon that I put the right hand where the left should be, and the left hand where the right should be!

I didn’t realize until later when I was trying to figure out why her hands looked weird.

Don sometimes calls me Dr. Frankenstein when I do something like replace eye chips. I think this little error qualifies. Don’t worry, the hands are now in the right place!

Stay safe.

Happy Wednesday.

 

Lambs Like to Party

Lambs Like to Party

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