Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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Done

March 9, 2022 at 8:26 am by Claudia

It needs to be painted – that’s not happening this year – and the landscape is rather bleak right now, but this baby has a new roof:

We get a LOT of wind here and this shed is in the line of fire. After 20 years, lots of the shingles on the back slope of the roof had blown off. And so the leaks began. Even after our big clean out of the shed a couple of years ago, we had to group things inside the shed in places where there were no leaks. So all of our excitement about the relative spaciousness of the interior after the clean out was ‘dampened.’

These guys were great. They were done with everything – including replacing some shingles on the porch roof and creating a barrier so that we will not have leaks inside the screen door every time it rains – by 2:00. The town inspector came by and okayed everything. We are very happy with their work. The nails used on the shed shingles are longer than the ones that were there, so they should be more secure.

The dumpster is still here, but it’s supposed to be picked up today. Today…when we’re getting some snow. Everything finally melted and here comes winter showing its face again. Though we’re not getting much and tomorrow it’s supposed to reach the mid-forties, so it won’t be with us long.

Frankly, snow will make it look somewhat pretty again. We’re at that stage of winter where everything is brown and gray and both Don and I were saying this morning that it looks depressingly bleak out there.

Thank you, Spoiler Alert. You enabled us to pay for the roof repairs!

I’m getting an itch to start painting in oils again. I have to finish the puzzle I’m currently working on and then maybe one more? Maybe not. I have some ideas – I’d love to paint some of my egg cups. Don would like me to paint some of his guitars – wouldn’t it be neat to paint each of them and have them framed for his space in the office?

So, soon I’ll be transitioning the kitchen table from puzzle pieces to the easel.

I’m so glad the repairs have finally been done. There are many other repairs that need to happen around here, but the roofs were the top priority.

Stay safe.

Happy Wednesday.

 

Filed Under: life 18 Comments

Roof and a Troll

March 8, 2022 at 9:47 am by Claudia

I’m sitting in the office typing this because it’s too noisy in the den. The roofers called us yesterday and they’re here to put a new roof on the shed and fix the section of the porch roof that is leaking into our front door. Hurrah!

No more leaky shed roof. No more leaks in the door frame.

Other than that, there’s not much else that is new. We had a big wind/rain storm last night, as often happens when weather has been unseasonably warm. Today is breezy and windy and about 20 degrees colder.

I don’t know if you saw the comments yesterday from a woman named Terri Crider. They have since been deleted. Terri read this blog for several years and then Trump happened and her true colors were revealed. She turned into a troll. I’ve blocked her twice before and, in the desperation seen in Trumpers who can’t accept that he lost the election, she’s reappeared. Her comments, as you might expect, are mean spirited, ignorant, and full of lies. It’s sad.

It’s one thing if a commenter responds to me directly. I can take it. But she responded directly to comments from two of my readers and called them names. I’ve blocked her. Again. I apologize if you received any responses from her.

Sigh.

Current view:

They’re working fast. Fingers crossed that they get this done in one day.

Stay safe.

Happy Tuesday.

Filed Under: life 34 Comments

What to do?

March 7, 2022 at 9:23 am by Claudia

I’ll sure be happy when I can take some photos of the outdoors! Right now, it’s very bleak looking out there, though almost all of the snow has melted due to the warm temperatures yesterday. I opened the window in the den this morning and got a whiff of fresh spring-like air and I felt that little bubble of – what would you call it? Happiness? Hope? I don’t know what it is but I’ve felt it every spring since I was a child.

The warm temps will drop to the forties again tomorrow, but this little warm and rainy spell has shown me that spring is not far off.

But mostly, my friends, I’ve been consumed with rage and worry about the war in Ukraine. I don’t obsessively watch it on television, I try to limit that – but I do read about it. It’s heartbreaking what is happening to that country. And nothing I’m feeling is even close to what Ukrainians are feeling and going through. Putin needs to be stopped. And I feel we need to do more – that NATO needs to do more. I know all of the arguments (and heaven knows, they are valid) against a no-fly zone, and engaging the Russians directly, but Ukraine is fighting this alone and it doesn’t seem right. Are we always going to be held hostage by Putin’s nuclear threats?

I don’t begin to say I know the answers. I’m speaking from my heart. And let’s not forget that we’ve let other conflicts go on without lifting a finger.

And there you have it, I go in circles.

I’m sure you are feeling much the same.

I don’t feel very articulate today, so I’ll leave my thoughts as they are with a little apology for my meandering ramble.

Stay safe.

Happy Monday.

 

Filed Under: war 62 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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