Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Life in our little cottage in the country

Regrets and a Wardrobe

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I’m writing this post on Sunday as sort of a Sunday/Monday post as I will be on the road tomorrow morning.

First of all, I want to apologize for including my thoughts on commenting in yesterday’s post. Those thoughts haven’t changed, but including them in the post was probably too controlling. I struggle with this at times. It is  my blog, and I do have to have some rules. But, as an adult child of an alcoholic, I have issues with control and I think you saw that yesterday. This might well be a passive-aggressive apology, because the issue I mentioned does irritate me. However, I don’t want to be harsh or too controlling, either. So, please accept my apology.

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Instead of preparing for my trip, I spent yesterday afternoon on this:

Do you remember this jewelry holder that I found at an antique shop? (Only $20!) It’s been at least a year since I found it, maybe longer. I immediately thought it could be a doll clothes wardrobe. I used it as a photo prop for a while, but I did nothing other than that.

Then I saw some wardrobes on my Blythe feed and decided to finally do something. I had to add a “pole” for the clothes. The dowels I had on hand were much too thick for the hangers, so I went with a wooden skewer is usually used for shish kebob. I have a big pack of them, but I never use them for food. I cut it to fit the opening and then painted it green. I was going to try to build something to keep the pole in place, but I quickly realized my ideas were not going to work. Yesterday, I decided to look through a toolbox to see if there was something I could use. Sure enough, I found a couple of hex nuts that were the right size. So I glued them in place and inserted the pole and it worked!

I have to find a better drawer pull. Right now, I’m using push pins.

This drawer holds t-shirts.

And the bottom drawer holds extra shoes.

Of course, I still have lots clothes in the red suitcase, but this is awfully cute!

Okay, my friends. I’m off to the store to pick up some things I need for the trip, then to the gas station to fill up the car and check the air in my tires. I’m driving home on Wednesday. There may or may not be a post. It will depend on how much time I have before I hit the road.

Stay safe.

Happy Sunday/Monday.

 

Saturday Thoughts and Blog Etiquette

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♦ A week ago, we had over a foot of snow on the ground.

Yesterday:

There’s even less this morning as we had another 2 inches of rain overnight. It’s in the 50s this morning, but the temps are going to plunge about 20 degrees during the day.

I can’t keep up with it.

♦ Today I’m going to grab some things at the store that I’ll need for the trip to Rochester. I’m not taking the scenic route this time, just straight up the I-87 to Albany and then west on I-90. It’s all business this time. Plus, it’s not so pretty out there right now. As always, even though I’m frustrated by the lack of time with the actors, I’m grateful for the work. Don said he’s going to write a book called, The Way it Was: The Way Working in Theater Used to Be. He’s not, of course, though I thought it was a great idea. We were lucky, starting out in professional theater when we did. We worked with so many incredible talents, regional theaters were thriving and they were doing exciting and excellent work. Subscribers flocked to the theater. There were realistic periods of time allowed for rehearsals, tech, and previews. Don, working in theater since the age of 19, could tell you so many stories. He could have a subsection about working in television and film – something that has also changed dramatically and not for the better. I know that I will write about this off and on as I watch respected regional theaters struggle to stay alive.

♦ Speaking of Don, he has a habit of running a hand through his hair in a circular motion. It’s comforting and almost meditative for him. At times, I catch a glimpse of the hair configuration that is the result of this “swirling” and I laugh out loud and promptly take a photo. I’m collecting them.

Here is yesterday’s.

Don has more than a few weird photos of me that he trots out every now and then and we laugh ourselves silly looking at them. Same with these.

♦ Blog etiquette – I ran this by Don before I addressed it here, just to get a second opinion. He agreed with me, so here goes. I’ve noticed something lately in the comments. First of all, you know I don’t expect you to comment on every post, but I am grateful when you do. And I like that you share comments with each other as well.

What I don’t like is when you leave a comment on a reader’s comment but ignore me, the writer of the post. I’m the one who wrote the post that the commenter you are now addressing is referring to in their comment. It’s like going to a party and never once acknowledging the host. Frankly, it’s rude.

If you read and never comment, no problem. If you read and sometimes comment, no problem. But if  you read and decide you want to comment on something someone said, but can’t take the time to leave me a comment, that is a problem.

Be polite, please.

Stay safe.

Happy Saturday.

 

 

What a Week

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I’m wiped out. We’ve been very busy this week and we’re tired. The furnace/oil burner had to be repaired yesterday. Can’t wait to see that bill. We had been waiting since Monday for them to come and look at the problems. One was water leaking from a – I would say release valve, but it’s really a copper pipe. So I had to put a largish pan underneath the pipe to catch water, then go downstairs at least twice a day to dump the water. On Sunday, I noticed oil leaking as well. We now have a big oil spot on the cement. Anyway, that turned out to be a loose connection, and the water leak required a new part. We’ve had so many repairs in the last year. It’s disheartening. And expensive.

With the heavy rains following the foot of snow we had, we also have a wet basement. Since our home is so old, we have always had a wet basement but this was a lot of water! So it was rather like a deluge. The dehumidifier is working overtime.

Also, I’m supposed to drive to Rochester next Tuesday, but now it looks like we’re getting snow here (and in Rochester) so I might have to leave a day earlier than planned.

I watched and noted a run-through of Dial M for Murder – through a link on Vimeo. Also disheartening. I’ve had exactly one hour to work with each actor. That’s it. I can no longer do my work at the level I have in the past. And it’s not just me; the length of rehearsal time is less, which means the director and actors have to work way too quickly. If I didn’t need the meager amount of money I earn, I would retire. But I can’t turn down work.

Anyway, this has been a tough week for me, physically and emotionally.

Enough of that. Just needed to vent a bit.

Pretty Chloe in a hat and sweater made by Natalia in Ukraine. I don’t know how she does it! I can knit, but not at this level. The artists who make clothes for any doll, but especially Blythe, are so talented.

Reader Vicki requested a picture of this girl. She spotted her in a photo of the studio.

She’s a 16 inch fashion doll by Robert Tonner. She’s from his Ellowyne Wilde line. If you’re unfamiliar with Robert Tonner, just google him. He has been designing dolls of every kind for years and years. He sold his business a few years back, but has entered into a partnership with Rachel Hoffman (who owns a doll shop in Denver, CO) and every year they hold a Virtual Doll Convention where he debuts about 4 new dolls. I happened to discover this world of dolls last year and managed to snag this beauty at the last minute (several months ago.) She’s so gorgeous. Her name is “Bright Ideas.” The discovery of these dolls is what led me to Gene Marshall dolls.

My favorite line of his is Ellowyne Wilde and eBay is full of examples of those whimsical and magical dolls. They had amazing clothing and hair styles and beautiful faces. They are highly collectible. I’d love – someday – to obtain a few of those older dolls, but if I  can’t, I’m plenty happy to have my Bright Ideas.

I met Robert at Wonderland of Play. What a nice man! He told me that Bright Ideas was his personal favorite in his latest line. He also lives just about 30 minutes away from me to the north – so he’s a neighbor.

Okay.

Stay safe.

Happy Friday.

 

 

Lambs Like to Party

Lambs Like to Party

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