Mockingbird Hill Cottage
Good morning! I’m sorry I didn’t post yesterday but I’ve been feeling under the weather since Sunday. Yesterday morning, doing all the things I need to do to publish a post seemed beyond me.
So I took the day off.
And this one will be short because I need to rest.
We actually have a 2 or 3 days coming up with no rain. Go figure!
I’ll be back with more tomorrow.
Happy Monday.
Yesterday was beautiful and I spent a fair amount of time on the porch until the breeze became a bit more intense and pollen flew everywhere. The rain is supposed to hold off until sometime this afternoon and right now it’s sunny.
I’ll take it.
We had a FaceTime chat with Little Z yesterday. He is obsessed with elevators and knows pretty much everything about them. He’s smart as a whip, you know, and listening to him rattle off his knowledge is pretty darned amazing.
Don and I were telling him about the elevators that were around when we were kids, the kind that had actual elevator operators. We told him all about their uniforms and the little seat that came out from the wall of the elevator so the operator could sit if needed. We talked about the J.L. Hudson department store in downtown Detroit (and department stores across the country,) where the operator would announce the departments that were on a particular floor, so you knew what floor to go to for a certain item. Don talked about the famous outdoor elevator which was on the El Cortez building in San Diego.
This morning Don sent Z lots of photos and a newsreel about the El Cortez elevator. Z loved it,
As expected, Don and I chatted about it during this morning’s second cup of coffee. Everything is so impersonal these days. No more elevator operators (you just felt safer on an elevator when they were in charge,) no more gas stations where your gas was pumped, your oil was checked, your windows were cleaned and your tires were checked. I know they still pump gas in New Jersey, but I don’t think they do the other stuff. (Correct me if I’m wrong!) Robots doing jobs that real people used to do. And we all know how frustrating it is to get any sort of customer service on the phone. I could go on and on, but it’s a very different world nowadays. And a great deal has been lost because of it.
Don is off to take some portraits today. He did that yesterday, as well. Last week he took a photo of Chris Hayes (of MSNBC) and his family and friends. He has a house in our area.
The porch is looking good. The potted flowers are filling out and growing by leaps and bounds. It’s our summertime haven.
Happy June. May we have less rain please? And Happy Anniversary to my parents, who were married on June 1, 1946. What I wouldn’t give to call them up and wish them a happy anniversary!
Happy Saturday.
Two of my favorite things: the French match striker and the weathered blue table. Contrasts in texture always tempt me to pull out the camera.
I decided not to go to the Country Living Fair. I’ve been there several times in the past. I don’t want to spend any money right now and the less temptation of that sort, the better. The parking area, which is on a field, will be completely muddy. I’ve been there when it’s muddy and it’s no fun slogging through it. If I had some money to burn, I might have gone.
But here is the primary reason: we’ve had nothing but rain and thunderstorms for the past few days and we’re getting them again on Saturday and Sunday. Don and I both hit the wall yesterday – we were pretty glum all day long. Normally, we can pull out a positive spin on the endless rain and gray skies and wind and flooding in our area, but we just couldn’t get there yesterday. And we’re not special – everyone is having a hard time.
Today it will be sunny and 78 degrees. I am going to stay right here and enjoy my property and my porch and I’m going to do my best to revel in it. I don’t want to go somewhere else. I want to be here, at home.
If you’re curious about the Fair, you can search the blog for past posts about it. I’m sure there are some new vendors, but most of the vendors remain the same from year to year. And it’s lovely, really. They do a great job. Anyway, the search option is on the side bar. Just type in Country Living Fair and you should be get an idea of what it’s like. I’m so glad they have good weather for the start of the Fair!
Just finished Merry Hall this morning. Next up is Laughter on the Stairs, the second book in the Merry Hall trilogy.
My heart goes out to those areas that have been devastated by tornadoes, ravaged by flood waters. My prayers are with you.
Happy Friday.
