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Bird Sightings

February 22, 2020 at 10:45 am by Claudia

Saturday morning. Sunny. Cold, but not as cold as yesterday. We’ve had four sunny days in a row and I’m not taking that for granted. It’s lovely out there.

We had a busy day yesterday, both of us off running our respective errands. But the larder is now full, every box has been checked, and we can now relax for the weekend. Though Don, swearing yesterday that he just wanted to stay home all day today, has suddenly made an appointment to get his hair cut and has all sorts of ideas in his head about what he wants to do – what we should do. He wakes up quite early and has been up since 5 am. I got up around 6:45 and, not being a morning person, am still waking up. I don’t think we’re going to be on the same page today!

Yesterday I heard a mourning dove for the first time in several months. The mourning doves around here take off for part of the winter. I was so happy to hear that beautiful sound. We saw a cardinal (they’re around all winter) and we saw two bluebirds. I know bluebirds are seen in the Northeast, but I never see them here during the spring and summer. In fact, I’ve only seen them once before and it was during the winter a few years back. I think it was in February or March. I love bluebirds, so I was grateful for an unimpeded view of them yesterday. I hope they hang around again today.

I heard a little birdsong this morning. Is it a sign of an early spring?

Other than that, still reading, cleaning, laughing and, this morning, talking with my husband about how much we love Paris.

Happy Saturday.

Friday Thoughts

February 21, 2020 at 9:16 am by Claudia

Sunny, but boy, is it cold out there!

I can’t believe it’s already Friday, but here we are. We have to recycle today, buy groceries, and run a few errands. Not very exciting, but very necessary.

Last night, we tried 3 different series on Netflix and Amazon Prime. All of them were new to us. In each case, we watched about 5 minutes, turned to each other and said “No.” We ended the evening watching a couple of our favorite Dick Van Dyke Show episodes and felt much better. There’s something so comforting about that show. An amazingly talented cast, wonderful writing- it takes us back to our youth and all those nights sitting around the television set with our respective families. We need some comfort these days and that show makes us happy.

I also spent a good chunk of time watching Michael Jeter sing “Let’s Raise a Glass” from the musical version of Grand Hotel. Jeter gives one of the best performances I have ever seen in my years and years of watching and performing in musicals. Something triggered that memory yesterday and I found a clip of it being performed at the Tony Awards. I played it for Don and he was amazed, so much so that he had me play it again. And again.

I saw it live during its out-of-town tryout in Boston, where I was living at the time. I had very little money, couldn’t afford a ticket, but in a wonderful fluke, I won a ticket in a radio call-in contest. I loved the musical, but to this day what I most remember is Jeter’s electrifying performance. And I mean electrifying. He brought the house down. I have never seen anything like it. The audience shot to their feet at the end of the number, cheering and shouting. These were the days when standing ovations weren’t routine as they are today. Today, almost every performance gets a perfunctory standing ovation. In those days, you had to earn one.

If you are so inclined, google “Let’s Raise A Glass,” and “Tony Awards” and you’ll find it on YouTube. The reaction from the audience at the Tony Awards is much the same as the reaction in Boston. Jeter died much too young at the age of 50. He was enormously talented and brave and wondrous.

Okay. Duty calls. I must get going.

Happy Friday.

Plants, Movies & Books

February 20, 2020 at 11:04 am by Claudia

I do my best to keep this fern going during the winter months, knowing that if I can, it will blossom once it’s outside again. But there are lots of dead fronds along the way, lots of vacuuming, lots of worrying. As long as I see new growth – and I do – I know it’s okay. It’s just in dry, inside-the-house, winter mode.

This is the only place I can keep it – upstairs in the office – where it gets enough light and we aren’t bumping into it all the time. I have to do some nifty maneuvering to get to my desk but I’m a pro at it now.

We watched Dr. Strangelove last night. It was on TCM. It’s one of our favorite movies. Don had been in the city all day and as he was doing something in the kitchen he mentioned that he’d like to watch something funny that night. As if on cue, we saw that Strangelove was on. It’s simply brilliant on every level.

It’s quite cold here today and I think it will remain that way for a few days. But it’s partly sunny, so I’m happy. Actually, I don’t mind the cold. I grew up in Michigan and have spent most of my life beyond the Michigan years in the Northeast. That’s really all I know, except for 8 years in San Diego, which were nice and refreshing for a while until I realized that I missed the seasons. Even my Southern California born-and-bred husband now loves winter.

I’m reading Hi Five by Joe Ide. This is his fourth book in the IQ series. I can’t recommend his books enough. Ide is a terrific writer, funny and irreverent and Isaiah Quintabe, IQ, is such a wonderfully drawn character. When I learn that Ide has written a new book, I’m so happy. After my experience with Lock Every Door, it feels so good to read a book in which the plot is complex, as are the characters, and I know I’m being guided along by a pro.

We’re going to lay low today and hang out here in the cottage. I’m looking forward to it.

Happy Thursday.

Bird Sightings

Friday Thoughts

Plants, Movies & Books

Lambs Like to Party

A Note

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