Thought you’d like to see me in full Boston Red Sox regalia, though I look pregnant here and I assure you, I’m not. And since I’ve lost weight recently, I must tell you that’s not my gut. The windbreaker is blousing out in an unseemly manner.
It’s a rainy Labor Day here in the northeast. Gray, drizzly and humid.
Don has to work today. In fact, he worked all weekend.
I’m bored.
Random thoughts:
:: Why does my Feedburner count change from day to day in such an extreme manner? Once day it is 7, the next, 50, the next, 792 and then 3. What the? I took the feed count logo off of the blog because it was so embarrassing.
:: I’m not a fan of blog posts that show photos from elsewhere on the web; specifically, a lot of decorating-type photos. Nine times out of ten, I’ve seen them already. I depart from that kind of post quickly. I’d so much rather see a blogger’s own photos – much more interesting any day.
:: Like clockwork, every year at this time I get the urge to knit or crochet. I’ve started working on the mammoth throw again while watching the Red Sox win and then lose their games with the Texas Rangers.
:: I bought the new Flea Market Style. It’s really wonderful – full of all sorts of neat ideas and interesting homes and totally fresh. Which leads me to another thought I’ve had lately. I hardly ever buy magazines anymore. I flip through them and often see pictures of homes I’ve already seen on blogs. Of course, being featured in these articles must be simply wonderful news for the bloggers involved and I’m happy for them. However, when money is tight, why would I buy something that has content that I’ve already seen? This world of blogging must be a tricky situation for magazine and book editors. On the one hand, it makes available countless possibilities for feature articles in a way that just wasn’t feasible years ago. On the other hand, many of us have also seen those photos and blog posts so they are no longer new and exciting. I suppose the same could be said of my Studios feature. Tricky stuff.
:: I have been blessed with the arrival of 2 packages in the last few weeks.
My friend Catherine, who hails from Sidney, Australia, sent me a box full of beautiful trims and laces and ribbons and fabric. She is in the process of moving her creative space to another room in her house and that involves cleaning and sorting and all that sort of thing. Lucky me! Catherine doesn’t have a blog yet. She writes beautifully and I’m hoping she starts one soon. Thank you, my friend.
Then my friend Sue, of Vintage Sue, sent me a box full of treasures. Sue writes one of my favorite blogs. Her husband is in the Armed Services and they are about to be transferred to Texas. She’s cleaning and sorting, just like Catherine, and I am once again the one who benefits from it.
I almost missed this package. I walked down to the mailbox one evening and out of the corner of my eye, spotted a box in the culvert that runs along the edge of our property. I thought it was trash that had blown there in the hurricane. Fully expecting the box to be empty, I realized it was heavy and addressed to me (and a little wet at one of the corners.) My only thought is that the mail lady thought she could balance it on the top of our mailbox. It didn’t work.
Sue remembered a comment I made on one of her posts and included this:
This is a beautiful Hull vase that Sue found while she was thrifting. One of the handles was broken but Sue knows that doesn’t matter a whit to me. Isn’t it pretty?
Just perfect for the studio. Lambchop had to approve, of course. Thank you, Sue.
:: I’m up to 2 cups of coffee a day. I can’t help it, I love it so. But that’s all I’ll drink. I swear.
:: I have read 13 out of the 15 Jack Reacher books. 2 more to go. Then I will suffer the agony of withdrawal.
Have a great day off!
Claudia, It is not only withdrawal, It is sitting on the edge of your seat, waiting for the next Reacher book to appear. Luckily, I am married to a man that likes them as much as I do. He grabs the new ones as soon as he sees them.
How about a couple of photos of the progress on your afghan? I would love to see how it is coming along.
HI CLAUDIA,
WHAT GREAT TREASURES YOU RECEIVED, I LOVE THE VASE. WE ARE HAVING A BBQ TODAY, IT IS CLOUDY HERE, NO RAIN RIGHT NOW, BUT HOT AND STICKY. SO MANY FLIES OUT THIS TIME OF YEAR.
WELL, YOU HAVE A NICE DAY, YOUR LOOKING GOOD….RIZZI
I’m just dying for a cute Lambchop like yours! Oh, what memories!
I don’t purchase many magazines either. I did subscribe to a couple last year and they sort of disappoint me with all the ads and so little ‘true’ content. No wonder they’re all going out of business.
Rainy, but MUCH cooler weather going on here this week and other than being a touch gloomy out there today, I am very much enjoying the change in the season.
Have a great Labor Day!!
Sounds like you are having a lovely morning. Love all the treasues you have got in the mail. You are so lovely that people send you things, I like that.
Miss you,
Mere
Thanks for pointing to vintagesue. Just read several of her posts, a treat.
Good visiting you today. Loved what you had to say. Fall is reviving.
– Joy
I haven’t been blogging much lately but there are times when life gets in the way. This is one of them.
I agree wholeheartedly about looking at the same homes/rooms in different magazines or very often the same magazine in a few months down the line. One homemaker/business owner in Florida has changed her rooms so much she must get dizzy from the effort or has unlimited funds! But I must say her home is gorgeous and I’m probably lusting after it. ;-) So, nope, I’ve stopped buying magazines altogether also. I am learning to be happy with what I’ve got. And this decluttering has opened my eyes significantly to how much money I have wasted in the last 10 years. I’m ashamed of myself but hubs told me to not be hard on myself that I was simply trying to make my home lovely. He’s such a forgiving and lovely man. I’m so glad I have him to balance me out! ;-)
Also, I love Lee Child’s Jack Reacher novels. I have one to read but I’ve been so busy that I put it on the back burner for a while. I love him though. He can’t write fast enough for me. Have you tried James Patterson? I think he’s one of the greatest writers alive, honey.
xoxo,
Connie
When I first saw the baseball photograph, I wondered what you thought of the recent games against our Rangers! Sad for you they went our way, but glad for us! Hope you at least enjoyed the fun of an evening out at the baseball park!
I always love seeing your Lambchop! Can’t have a bad day after seeing that sweet little guy!
Hi Pretty Lady,
You’re so cute in your Red Sox regalia! It doesn’t look like you’re preggers at all…..boy we’re so hard on ourselves…..aren’t we?
You sure got some pretty stuff in the mail. I love getting packages, usually it’s stuff I’ve bought on Ebay or Etsy, but the few times I’ve gotten something random from a blogging friend, it just brings a smile to my heart.
Have a great week.
Hugs,
Meri
Claudia, I’m afraid to tell you this, but I saw an interview with Lee Child and he is all excited about Tom Cruise playing Jack. I cannot accept this. I’m still getting through the books, but like you I will be in withdrawal. Oh, and he has a new one out “The Affair”. So it’s not all bad news.
Love all your random thoughts and especially your goodies from good friends. Ann
I have decided to visit my library for some Jack Reacher books. I’m getting curious about this author. As for your coffee, Claudia, just enjoy it.
There are some magazines I still buy, but I realize I read blogs and Pinterest much more! Love your vase…I’m with you…a missing handle just gives her character! XO
You are so lucky! All the lace and trim is just so beautiful! It must have been like Christmas opening all of the boxes! Love the vase also. Older items are so beautiful Thay have so much more charactor then new things.
I will have to try the Jack Reacher books. I love it when people suggest authors. It gives me new authors to explore.
I agree with your thoughts on magazines. I let my miniature/dollhouse subscription run out. I just can’t pay the price anymore for something so repetive. Especially when I was reading it in one sitting. I think “the last straw” came when I saw the same article in this magazine and also in another magazine that a friend lent to me. Love my miniatures, but it seems like the magazines don’t have any zing lately.
Have a great day, Hugs, Teresa
It’s great to see you up and out at a ball game after this rough summer you both have been having. What a great fun time you had. I’m going to spend some time eyeing up all those wonderful treasures that have arrived at the cottage. You know what I didn’t even notice the handle missing till you pointed it out. It’s a keeper, too.
Love the red sox outfit! I was bored today too, but fine with me after a crazy week! Hope you have a great week!!
Go SOX!!!! You look fab Claudia.
Lovely gifts – you are definitely loved.
Hugs – Mary
How sweet of your friends to send these beautiful items.
Blessings,
Linda
Happy Day, Claudia. You two must have had so much fun at the game. I confess being a Yankees fan. Can you still love me? ;-)
Your vase is gorgeous, and I think it found the perfect home there with you.
I hardly ever purchase a magazine anymore. I do still have a subscriptions to Southern Lady and Victoria, but I am undecided whether to renew them. There is plenty enough eye candy via blogging for me,too.
I have been on a mission to finish all of Jane Austen’s books. I don’t know how I had managed to not read all, but I had. I recently finished Persuasion (which I adored), and I am now enjoying Emma.
Be sure to tell Don that I loved his nod to Abbey Road.♥
Hi Claudia…so cute, in your Red Sox outfit! Regalia I mean. My windbreakers blouse out unseemingly too :-) I know that’s not a word, but good huh? Thank you for stopping in to say hello . . . Nice to meet you! Susan
Hi Claudia,
You look great even if you do look pregnant. {giggles} ♥ I have thought about the same things concerning the magazines that feature the bloggers {and so many of them we have already seen}. It seems like they are staying in a circle of blogs and not venturing out to find a new circle. Someone needs to tell them to move on to a new circle of bloggers.
I’m sad that Interweaves Fiber Arts magazine has stopped publishing. It really did feature a lot of emerging and accomplished artists. Their art was very out of the box usually and I love that.
I’ve been looking through folders that I’ve had for over a decade…filled with magazine pages that I loved. Most of them are out of business now.
Anyhow….I love your treasures that arrived…and I’m the same way with pieces that are chipped or broke.
I want to invite you to a Quiltie Swap. I thought you would enjoy it. Pop in to read the details if you are interested.
Hugs,
Stephanie ♥