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When You Don’t Want to Leave the Pages of a Book

March 9, 2017 at 9:48 am by Claudia

I moved my laptop back to the office yesterday after having it temporarily in the den during my illness/running back and forth to NYC. This morning? The wind is so strong and so loud up here that I feel like in the midst of a tornado! Yikes.

So I’ve turned on my Bose bluetooth speakers and I’m streaming some music to drown out the wind. Can I say that I’ve had it with wind? I’m not a fan, it makes me edgy, and we’ve had a lot of it over the past 3 weeks or so.

Don’s still under the weather, but this particular virus is different than the one I had and, it seems to me, much milder. Nevertheless, I’m making him take it easy over the next few days. He already had a doctor’s appointment scheduled about something else and the doctor confirmed it was a virus. We just have to wait these things out and drink plenty of fluids and rest. Too many antibiotics are overprescribed these days so we avoid them unless absolutely necessary.

I finished Rules of Civility  last night and I feel like I’m in mourning today. I cannot say enough about the writing of Amor Towles. He creates the life, topography, culture and flavor of a different era so vividly that you feel as if you’re there. In Rules of Civility, it was 1938 Manhattan. In A Gentleman in Moscow, it was Russia from 1922 until the 1950s. In both cases, I was entranced, completely transfixed. The characters are complex and completely three-dimensional. I felt as if I was saying goodbye to friends when I finished the books. As I lay in bed last night and first thing this morning, I found myself replaying moments from the story, missing my friends, missing that time. I didn’t want it to end.

Towles has written only two books – these two – so now I must wait a few years for a new one. Heavens, I love this man’s writing! I love it so much that I might have to reread them. As it is, I think I’ll have to trundle off to the bookstore today to find something that I can only hope and pray is as compelling. Towles has spoiled me.

Don’t stop, run to your bookstore or library and read these treasures.

The newest page on my calendar from Rifle Paper Co. Fabulous!

If you’re not watching Rachel Maddow, you’re missing a spy story more gripping than anything on screen or in the pages of a novel. We are riveted as Rachel takes the Trump/Putin connections and connects the dots. Each night, a new connection, a new confirmation of the information in Christopher Steele’s dossier. Far better than any fiction, far, far more important, and far more shocking.

The best thing on television at the moment, Of course, this is only our opinion – but we think anything else pales in comparison.

Happy Thursday.

 

Tagged With: Amor Towles, Rachel MaddowFiled Under: books, bookstores, Rachel Maddow, reading 32 Comments

Fog

March 8, 2017 at 9:48 am by Claudia

One of my favorite photos ever – from yesterday’s train ride south on the Hudson River. It was a rainy day and quite foggy. I snapped and snapped (with the iPhone) until I got the shot I wanted; mysterious, fog-shrouded, beautiful.

What is it with the person who gets on a train for a ride that will be approximately 90 minutes long, pull outs her phone, and proceeds to have a loud conversation that lasts the entire length of the train ride, stopping only when we go through the tunnel that will lead us to Grand Central because she lost the call? And the whole conversation was in a different language. It amazes me, the self-absorption of those who think all the other passengers are perfectly willing to put up with a loud conversation. That it’s their right to conduct a loud conversation. It’s so rude. Anyway, at this point, I was tired and I didn’t want to find another seat in another car, I knew this would be my last train trip for a while (thank goodness) and I shoved my ear buds in my ears and listened to one of my playlists.

That’s why I love the bus. The drivers make no bones about the fact that they’ll kick you off the bus if you have a prolonged, loud conversation. And the seats are more comfortable, to boot!

The run through went very well, though everyone seemed a bit tired. Tomorrow, they move into the theater.

Another shot from yesterday’s journey.

Don is feeling a bit better. He has a virus of some sort, though his is different from mine. I’m demanding that he take it easy and rest. There will be a lot to do in the next week. At this point, he’s scheduled to leave a week from today, but that’s fluid. He may stick around a couple of days longer. We’ll see.

I’ve got a week and a half before I go back to the city to work on Anastasia – this time for 6 days, staying in a hotel. I can’t wait to see it on stage.

It’s International Women’s Day. #neverthelessshepersisted.

Let’s just stick this in the post as a reminder to those (temporarily) in power:

Happy Wednesday.

Filed Under: Anastasia 44 Comments

March: You’re Driving Me Crazy

March 7, 2017 at 8:16 am by Claudia

Buds on the lilac bush.

Leaves on the wild honeysuckle.

Buds on the Climbing Hydrangea.

Not to mention the daylily leaves coming out of the ground that I keep covering up with mulch. It’s cold here and this weekend the temps are going down into the teens again. Next week, a little – not much – snow. March is turning out to be very changeable, indeed. And it’s driving me crazy.

Still congested, though I think it’s due to the recent extremes in the weather. Nevertheless, it leaves me feeling like I’m still fighting off this virus. And now Don isn’t feeling well. That started yesterday. Not sure what’s going on, but I’m doing my best to take care of him because he did such a good job of taking care of me. Poor baby.

But…I have to go into the city today for a final run through of Anastasia. Thursday, the cast moves to the theater and the long tech process begins. Very exciting!

I’m reading Rules of Civility  by Amor Towles and am enjoying it very much. And obsessively following my Twitter feed as this “administration” – I use that word very loosely –  implodes before my eyes.

As Dorothy Parker said, “What fresh hell is this?”

I have to get going, my friends. Today, work. Tomorrow, rest.

Rest in Peace, Robert Osborne. You were and are irreplaceable.

Happy Tuesday.

Filed Under: Anastasia, Don, garden 26 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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