• In terms of blog photos, I alway feel limited at this time of year. I can’t run out to the garden and take lots of flower photos. I’m not traveling at the moment and the landscape around me is rather bleak. So I do what a lot of bloggers do and focus on the inside of the house.
But you’ve seen a lot of this before. Nevertheless, I remind myself that some newer readers haven’t and the idea is to find a new angle, a new take. Sometimes I’m successful. Sometimes I’m not.
The challenges of blogging every day.
• It’s Monday, it’s a holiday (drat! no mail!) and it’s friggin’ cold! Next Monday, Don will be back in rehearsals for Escape to Margaritaville. Our plan at the moment, once we find out when he can move into the apartment, is for me to accompany him and spend a few days there as we make his/our (he insists I call it ‘our’) apartment a home. That will be fun! I think I can be there at least 3 or 4 days until I have to return home to deal with snow and the subsequent shoveling required.
Hello, sweet Monty!
• Two big events are coming up in February. On February 16th, the Broadway Cast Album of Escape to Margaritaville will be released. Oh my goodness! And on February 17th, I’ll be celebrating TEN years of blogging. What??? How can that be?
And Don will start previews in February at the Marquis Theater on Broadway.
So I was wrong. That makes three big events.
• Real life here at the cottage. Two ukuleles. Pillows askew, laptop, headphones, sweatshirt draped on the sofa. I am documenting it because soon all of this stuff will be in Manhattan.
Sob.
Actually, I’ll miss him a lot, but I know he’s only a bus ride away and when it’s hard for him to get home – actors only get one day off – I’ll try to get into the city. Weather permitting, of course; it’s winter on the East Coast with snow and ice a distinct possibility on any given day.
• I managed to get my car out of the ice in which the two front tires were encased. First, I tried chopping the ice with our ice chopper. But every time I tried to do the old “put it in drive, then reverse, drive, then reverse” to get it out, nothing happened except the smell of burning rubber. Then I remembered that my dear father had covered the floor of the trunk with indoor outdoor rugs from Target, so I grabbed them, put them behind the tires, and I backed the car out. Smooth as silk. Of course, I then had to bring the rugs in and wash them. They’re still drying.
But I’m out. So I think I’ll run an errand or two today – just to do something.
• We watched Dunkirk last night, which wasn’t one of our screeners, but was available on pay-per-view. Since The Darkest Hour takes place at that time, with Churchill trying to find a way to rescue over 300,000 British soldiers stranded at Dunkirk, we thought Dunkirk would be the perfect companion piece. Both were released in 2017. Dunkirk is really wonderful. I was so tense during the movie – even knowing how successful it ended up being – and that’s a tribute to the direction, acting and screenplay. Beautifully shot. Beautifully conceived. Loved it.
Happy Monday.
Yay for getting the car out of the ice! Your movie reviews have me wanting to just curl up under a blanket and watch something fabulous! The sun is shining however and it’s a good day to run errands. Hugs!
We have had such a great time watching all these movies, Linda. Especially with the dreadful cold weather!
I always enjoy photos of your cottage.
Thank you, Carolyn Marie!
Enjoy your week, Claudia, and hope you gets LOTS of days in your pied-a-terre with Don!
It will be more fun spending time there come Spring, Wendy.
I just know you are going to have fun setting up your apartment in the city. How could you not? It’s a good day to run errands…here not so much. We actually got more than inch of snow…4+….it’s really starting to actually look like winter has come to Wisconsin! Enjoy your day! ;)
We’re getting snow tomorrow. Unfortunately, this winter has give us lots of snow already and it keeps on coming!
Ugh in the form of some snow today. As of yesterday morning the local weather person said our total accumulation for the season was at 4.7 inches. Normally we would have about 25 inches by now. We had about 4 or 5 overnight. Husband had a late start for school today. It is still sifting down, but quite lightly.
Hope you are able to get out and about today and find something interesting on your travels. Here it is a good day to stay in and read. I have Jan Karon’s latest, and am enjoying another stay in Mitford. I have been on the list at the library for a couple of months. I was so happy when it came up my turn! Hope your Monday is lovely!!
You’re lucky! I don’t know what our total so far is but it’s a lot! We have more coming tomorrow.
Just ran some errands. It was very gray and cloudy. Not the prettiest or most inspiring day.
i like your “potpourri monday” posts … and appreciate the efforts to find a new angle or freshness to your photos. i’m not complaining … i find your cottage so charming and your photos are great … but i feel that way about my own job (trying to find something new and fresh about it after 18+ years) so appreciate efforts by other people.
glad you and don will be able to spend time together in nyc while he’s on broadway! and that you got your car out! have fun!
kathy in iowa
We will. Not sure yet what day we’re heading in there, but it will most likely be Friday or Saturday.
Northwest winds are blowing in across the field as I read your post, thank you for the nugget of the “indoor/outdoor rugs”! While I don’t anticipate having to go out, it’s something to add to the truck. Thank you for the photos, I am new to the group and enjoy peeking in at homes! Have a blessed Monday.
It’s a good idea to have them on hand. My dad lived in Florida, so he put them in the trunk to cushion whatever he was stowing in there, but they sure work well for snow emergencies! Welcome!
I never get tired of pictures of your cottage! I always feel as if I have visited a good friend.
Oh, thank you, Dottie. That’s lovely.
In VT we had flooding rain on Friday, and a blizzard with about a 40 degree temperature drop on Saturday. Entirely crazy. Being a Buffalo gal, I wasn’t too phased, however, my car was also encased in ice, and it took me all day yesterday to get my gas cap off! I can relate …
I also thought Dunkirk was amazing – the sound was fantastic, and not normally something I pay attention to, but it totally mesmerized me :)
It’s been crazy. We have a huge, thick slab of ice on our upper driveway from Saturday when it was warm during the day and then the temps suddenly dropped. We can’t even break it up, it’s so thick.
Dunkirk was mesmerizing, indeed.
your pictures are not boring! I love to see a house like I would love to live in. I have a daughter who is very messy and drooly and I have to keep things arranged with her in mind. I like to see other possibilities. Also in our area, we do not have sunshine in winter except for great exceptions, so seeing yours is warming.
It’s always interesting to see what it’s like in other parts of the country and, I guess, to see how others live. Thanks so much, Jan.
the poignancy of the list of Don’s presence in the room… soon to be in the Manhattan apt …
but the fun and beauty of making “our” apt your home away from home… and to know that Spring is coming…
it’s all good darling bean!
and here’s to 10 years of making the mundane of life seem very special indeed. xo
Spring can’t come soon enough, Tammy! But I have no choice but to be patient. Thanks so much!
I always enjoy seeing photos of your lovely cottage!
I’m visiting my daughter in Iowa where currently it is 3 degrees with a wind chill of minus 20. More snow fell overnight. It’s really pretty, but boy is it cold! Stay warm, Claudia and Don, and enjoy your time together before Don returns to work.
We’ve had a lot of that kind of weather lately. It’s so cold!! Thanks, Lily.
I love those little bird figurines. They are adorable.
Marilyn
They’re McCoy Pottery, Marilyn. And you know I love my McCoy!
Am eager to see both “Dunkirk” and “The Darkest Hour.” And you’re 100% right, Claudia. It’s one helluva storyteller who can STILL make you tense & anxious about a story whose ending you already KNOW! For me the movie that best illustrates this is Ron Howard’s “Apollo 13.” I KNOW how things turn out, but still, NEVER fail to experience that heart-fluttering thrill when a wide shot shows the entire Mission Control room staff burst into applause after finally hearing the astronauts’ voices again on the loudspeaker after that heart-STOPPING radio silence period. Here’s to the storytellers – what would we do without them? Peace.
#Resist
#ProtectMueller
Oh, I have the same reaction with Apollo 13. And, though it’s fictional, Wait Until Dark. I’ve seen it so many times but man, does it make my heart race.
Also: in a different way – All the President’s Men.
Oh I totally agree on the other movies too. “All the President’s Men” is one of my top 5 of all time – if I ever get banished to a desert island, it’s going with me. I wonder what the pre-eminent movie of the Trump era will be called when this whole deal is over? “All the President’s Mental Illnesses” probably.
All the President’s Ignorance. How about that?
Enjoyed your fun post, Claudia! We’ve heard good things about both of those movies but haven’t seen them yet. Would you believe we’ve had 3 days in a row of sunshine here? That’s supposed to end tonight……sigh. Have a good week!
You’re so lucky! We’re getting slammed with snow today and tomorrow. Not happy!
Oh Claudia!…I think you and Don will have such fun setting up the new apartment!…Before I bought this place I used to have a great time with each new apartment I would move to…deciding where things would go…I never thought I would miss moving but I do sometimes…lol…You mentioned “Wait Until Dark” above…I must tell you that is one of my all time favorites….gives me chills just thinking about it!..I remember the first time I saw it was at a local theater with my oldest sister when it first came out!
It’s a great movie, Nancy!