Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Stress Reliever

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Life has been very busy lately. And it’s only going to ramp up once filming starts. Yes, everyone is worried about a strike, but I’m choosing to put that out of my mind as much as possible. In the meantime, I’m coaching Ben every day lately, there’s a read-through on Saturday, I’ve had to invoice the parent company for my coaching so far and had a great chat with one of the accountants who is wildly funny, I’ve had COVID protocol information sent to me from NBC/Universal, I had to schedule a PCR test for 2 days before I have to be on the set…lots of communications coming my way. Ben said the same thing yesterday.

In times of stress, what do I do?

Play dolls.

Mid-morning yesterday found me dressing the girls in dresses from Rose and Cacao. The woman behind these imaginative clothes lives in England. I just love her style. The red shoes came from England as well; from a seller who sent a pair to me a couple of months back that never arrived. She was so responsive when I said that I never got them and immediately dispatched a replacement, which arrived the other day.

As soon as they were dressed, I ran to the stairway, posed them, took a picture or two, then ran upstairs to coach Ben. There’s this one place on the lower landing that gets some light from the skylight. Really helps on a cloudy day.

When I take a moment to play with ‘the girls’ my stress level goes down. As soon as I try a new outfit on one or both of them, I show Don, who – God bless him – gets it and responds appropriately.

I have to take a minute to say how supportive he has been through this very busy time, how often he stops to tell me how proud of me he is, how willing he is to listen to me when I need to talk, and what a great sounding board he is. I lucked out with this guy.

Stay safe.

Happy Thursday.

 

 

Surprise Bloom

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Well, look what I saw from the bedroom window yesterday morning! I thought I was seeing things so I went outside to investigate. One lone beautiful bloom – about two months after they normally bloom. The same thing happened last year. I did see another bud but I don’t think I’m going to see a lot of flowers at this time of the year. It’s been fairly warm for October so far, but we can get snow and hard frosts and have.

A nice little anniversary present!

Speaking of our anniversary, thank you for all the lovely comments. We had planned to go to a restaurant in Woodstock that has a beautiful outdoor dining area, but I ended up having to work. So,  Don got Chinese food take-out from a place in a neighboring town which we just learned about. This little area we live in suffers from a lack of good Chinese restaurants, so it’s been ages since we’ve had any – in fact, I think it was several years ago in NYC. Oh, it was good! And we have leftovers, which is always nice.

It was a busy day but we kicked back in the evening with good food and a Nordic Noir series.

Today, tomorrow, and Friday, I coach Ben. The director called me the other day with some things he wanted adjusted – all good ideas – so we’re doing that. I’m in a different world now and I’m aware that in this world, people can get fired at the drop of a hat – unlike theater. There are a lot of people with input; production companies, money people, directors. It’s a bit overwhelming, honestly. And we’ve basically been working in a vacuum up until now, so it’s good to have feedback.

And then there’s the possibility of a strike.

I have to fight the urge to just toss it all and  stay here in my little nest.

New things can be hard.

So, I coach, then I help Don self-tape an audition. That’s our day today.

By the way, yesterday and the day before, there was a sweet Carolina wren singing on our porch, flitting from chair to chair. Right next to the picture window! Maybe one of our wrens was visiting the old home site? It made me very happy.

Stay safe.

Happy Wednesday.

 

Twenty-Three

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23 years.

How lucky I am to have met this man. To have decided – finally – to take a risk and open myself up to the possibility of a healthy relationship. To face all my fears about commitment; feeling smothered by the ‘demands’ of another person, losing my independence, worries that I’d be bored by that person within six months. I’ve never felt smothered. I’ve not lost my independence. And I’ve never been bored by Don Sparks.

He is everything I dreamed of and more.

Thank you, sweetheart, for asking me to marry you. Thank you for everything you are. Thank you for the most joyful and wonderful years of my life. Thank you for 27 years together, 23 of them in official wedded bliss.

Stay safe.

Happy Tuesday.

Lambs Like to Party

Lambs Like to Party

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