I felt very poorly yesterday – I think the sudden change in the weather from summery to 30 degrees colder and windy was behind it. I seem to suffer for a day or two and then I’m back to normal. Still, I tested myself for Covid yesterday given my upcoming trip to Wonderland of Play. Negative. It was just ‘the crud.’
Tonight, it’s going down to 27 degrees. Tomorrow, the same. So some of the porch plants will come inside for 48 hours. The impatiens are pretty scraggly, so I might just let them go. I will save the rest because temperatures will soon be warmer for a week or so. It’s my yearly struggle: when do I give in and let nature take its course?
I succumbed again. I saw this girl was up for adoption and was able to negotiate a very very good price. The original owner lives in Amsterdam, so she had a long journey to my little cottage, with the usual obsessive checking of the tracking number. For a few days there, I couldn’t get a consistent status. But she arrived safely on Monday.
First photo was taken late Monday afternoon:
She was customized by Dragonfly Blythe, the same person who customized Nina. Right after I made the decision to buy her, I read that Ola was no longer customizing. I’d been trying to message her for a while because I hadn’t seen any activity on her IG account and I was worried about her. And then, since she lives in Israel, I grew more concerned. I do hope the decision to stop customizing is only a temporary one because, to me, she’s a truly unique artist – there’s no one like her – and I adore her creations. (Someone did get in touch with Ola, by the way, and she and her family are safe, but she has friends who lost family members in the recent attacks by Hamas.)
Anyway, this is Prudence. I didn’t come up with a name until I opened her box and saw her up close – that’s a first. I’ll call her Pru. She has no shoes on because I’ve run out of shoes, but I rather like the barefoot look.
The next day, after a hair trim:
I love her eye chips. All four pairs are striking and perfect. That’s a rarity. There’s usually at least one pair I don’t like.
My only quibble with Ola is that she does something weird to the body and neck, She adds some sort of cement-like covering to the upper chest and neck to strengthen the body and therefore, if you want to add a different neck joint, you can’t. It doesn’t work. In this case, her head is wobbly, so a friend of mine is bringing a new body to Wonderland of Play. Nina needs a new body as well, with a proper neck joint as she can tilt her head.
But it’s a small quibble. I can change out the bodies/neck joints. Pru’s need is a bit more urgent than Nina’s so she’ll be fixed first.
If you’re able to zoom in on her face, you’ll see a gorgeous face up. Tiny, subtle little freckles, shadows under her eyes, beautiful lips. I love the way Ola paints a face.
Pru is now sitting on the edge of the shelf where Lily sits on the bed.
Don is quite impressed with Pru. (I think she’s one of his very favorites.) Thank goodness for a husband who fully supports this passion of mine. When he saw Sophie, my first girl, he immediately said “she’s a work of art.” Also, he understands that I’m happier when I can ‘play’ and that these girls have brought much-needed joy to my life, especially as I struggle with anxiety and a bit of depression.
Grateful.
Stay safe.
Happy Wednesday.
welcome to your pru!
glad the little quibble has a solution (soon!) and especially that ola and her family are safe (hopefully forever, a prayer i have for everyone).
also very happy for you and don to have each other. think of that … you two are perfect for each other and somehow (given all the other people, places, experiences, opportunities and choices in the world) met and knew you would be just great together … the grace of God. :)
glad your test came back negative. stay that way! good luck with the plants/decisions/ weather.
in between time with members of my family and tasks, i am now knitting a scarf for the church sale. i very much enjoy knitting, but am not enjoying this project. maybe it’s that scarves are generally long and repetitive and i don’t want long, repetitive tasks right now? or maybe that the yarn is acrylic and so feels scratchy (compared to the wool and cotton i knit with most often)? or that it is pink (chosen with the hope that a “barbie” and taylor swift fan might like it) and i prefer other shades more than bright pastels? not that it makes a difference … i am going to finish this scarf!
happy wednesday and thursday, everyone! stay safe!
kathy
I always found acrylics to be a bit more difficult to work with than cotton or wool. I understand!
There’s not a day I don’t thank God for meeting Don. I often feel that choosing to move across the country to San Diego (of all places!) was brave, yes, but more than that, it brought me to the Old Globe and Don’s longtime affiliation with the Globe. We wouldn’t have met, otherwise.
Stay safe, Kathy.
Pru is adorable!
Thank you, Jenny! I’m crazy about her.
Stay safe.
Pru is a real cutie. Love the dark hair. She needs a sweater, Claudia. Feel better soon. Hugs, Elaine
Fortunately, she’s in our cozy and warm den!
Stay safe, Elaine,
I think Pru looks like Elizabeth Taylor as a child.
I read that the rights to “The Thursday Murder Club” were sold to Steven Spielberg.
Take Care,
Kaye
She does have that look. Also, a sort of 1920s look to her.
I’m sure Spielberg will do a good job, but I’ve got the characters fully realized in my head. And there they’ll stay.
But I will say hurrah for jobs for older actors!
Stay safe, Kaye.
Hi Claudia! She is Beautiful! Her history is in her eyes… solemn…. a little worried but hopeful. These girls are your “cast” for the little worlds they help us dream our way into. I have the same “problem” with my mini dolls (I need to be very careful who I add to the cast… they take on a life of their own!) but mine are the 1/12 scale dollhouse folk… some bjd’s, some porcelain, some run of the mill plastic, a couple are my polymer creations… they take me to that place we were supposed to leave behind as adults… the just for fun ‘what if” that children are so full of. I have just been telling my annual All Hallows Eve story on my blog (aboutmydollhouses.blogspot.com) which takes over my life for a few weeks every fall…. just in case you wanted a small adventure :) It is told in three parts so you would have to scroll back to the Oct 23 beginning post. But this is all just to say that I am with you when it comes to loving the escape these little worlds provide! I would love to see more of your girls more often! Stay safe and don’t be afraid to dream.
I’ll check out your blog, Betsy. Just remember, I am unable to leave comments on blogspot blogs. Who knows why? I have an account/ \and I still have a blog out there somewhere.
I am glad you have the same escape that I do!
Stay safe.
Hi Claudia. I have the same problem right now with leaving comments on blogspot blogs… except some international ones. (?) I suspect it is because my browser is not “chrome” or “edge” but simply old Mozilla. I’ve used it for years and don’t want to be forced to change browsers…. but this suddenly changed about a month ago and I have not figured a way around it. I, too have a google account and am signed in… but it tells me I am unable to sign in when I go to comment on other blogs which I have commented on for years with no problems! It is very frustrating! I keep hoping they will decide to let Mozillla be one of the “in crowd”…! Not too likely. :( I worry that blogs will be a thing of the past… no longer worth supporting.
Thanks for letting me know! :)
I use Chrome. Still can’t comment! xo
I like her lips!
I too suffer from anxiety (and I believe borderline depression/melancholy [diff from clinical depression, a bout of which I encountered twenty-something years ago]) although that’s a self-diagnosis; I work on it all the time. Sorry you’ve been feeling overall down, Claudia; hope today is better as the day progresses.
It’s sometimes hard (just more effort) to make conversation or write a letter when the brain is struggling more than usual, yet it can be strangely helpful to do just that, WRITE … because even when we think we can’t lasso all the thoughts and feelings, fears and worries, writing can sort of nail them down because it allows us to focus (just like reading shifts the focus, too; or when you’re absorbed with the Blythes; doing puzzles; gardening does it for a friend of mine).
So I’m hoping when you write for your blog, that posting is as helpful to you as it is interesting for us, your readers. I’ve been writing an occasional column for my small-town newspaper (for a year as of next month) and even when I think I can’t come up with a story, I find if I just start writing, the rest will come.
I do, too.
Yes, my depression is not clinical depression, just a tendency toward both depression and melancholy.
Thanks for your kind words, Vicki.
Stay safe.
I love that Don loves your Blythe addiction! Her face really is striking — so much expression in the mouth. What a lovely arrival! (But she does look a little cold… maybe a sweater atop that cute dress? And a new pair of shoes at the festival?
I hope by now you are feeling better — take another test tomorrow if you must just to be on the safe side but I suspect you are spot on — just the crud. I had a day yesterday that sent me to the cardio folks today (back on the heart monitor) and it’s always worrying at this time of year to have things go amiss when so much is upcoming.
We had snow and rain for Halloween (and only 17 kids, which was fine because we only had 20 candy bars). Today is sunny and 40s. I’m hoping to winter my geraniums in the basement so I brought them in last night and was glad I did. Here’s hoping you feel better later today!
She’s just fine, the heat is on and she’s very comfortable. Plus, she has socks on now.
I’m sorry you have to use the heart monitor again, Jeanie. Take it easy and don’t try to do too much. Sending you a big hug.
I just brought my geranium inside for the winter.
Stay safe.
I love Pru! So glad you have her. Enjoy!
She’s pretty neat, isn’t she? Thanks so much, Judy.
Stay safe.
Pru is georgous! I love her lips with the little wrinkles in them…looks so realistic.
I hope you don’t get the snow that hit us in W. Mich. We must have gotten at least 8″ (I think more in some places). It’s very wet heavy snow and I see we lost a branch on our mountain ash tree. My lilac bush looks like someone stomped on it and flattened it. It is so covered with snow It’s hard to know if it will bounce back or not. Our power went out at midnight last night and just came back about 3pm today. I can tell you I am too dependent on wifi and my phone. Thankful it is all back now.
There are still many without power and lots of tree branches down especially along the lakeshore areas.
There was no trick or treat last night. Most areas rescheduled for either tonight or Friday. I don’t ever remember Halloween being cancelled or rescheduled in my life.
Stay warm
and safe
No snow in our forecast. Some rain tonight but that’s it.
I’m so sorry you were hit with that – it would be wet snow this time of year so that’s why it was so heavy. Hoping your lilac bush recovers. They’re pretty sturdy, Marilyn. I bet it will. Hang in there! Glad to know your power is back on!
Stay safe.
Pru is quite lovely. She has a mysterious look about her. Can’t quite define it…must be something in her eyes.
Hope you are feeling better….enjoy your evening! ;)
Thanks so much, Donnamae.
Stay safe.
Loving Pru, she’s sweet. It’s so exciting to have the package arrive. She looks great after her hair trim. My old school friend looks just like your Pru. Enjoy
Thanks, Irene.
Stay safe!
Welcome to you, Pru!! Claudia, I was looking at Kohls.com and saw they have those little sweaters on the hangars as they did last year in the ornament section. I remember you saying you liked them and they fit a few of your girls!! I think they are $6 or $7.
All of my plants are in the house…..sunroom, (enclosed) front porch and some in the basement with grow-lights. I winter over about 40 or so.
Hope you are feeling better. These fast and furious turn-overs in the weather do have effects!! Take care.
I will check on those sweaters, Chris. Thank you!
If I had the room, I’d overwinter more plants, but I don’t.
Thanks so much, Chris.
Stay safe.
So glad your girls make you happy. I suffer from depression and anxiety at times too so I get it. I love gardening and decorating my house so that makes me happy.,..and my Golden Retriever, Gracie, makes me happy just by looking at her. She always makes me smile. My relatives in Chicago had snow on Halloween! Crazy weather! Take care of yourself!
Thanks so much, Deb.
Stay safe.
hej, deb. if you want, see below for my reply (i put the first one in the wrong place).
hope you are having a good start to your weekend!
kathy
hej, deb. :)
glad you have your gracie, other family members and gardening. also decorating (i very much enjoy rearranging … puttering … and occasionally making different covers for sofa and bed pillows, adding more photos or another piece of art on the walls). and old dominion. :)
i hope and pray those things help you against anxiety and depression.
i have chronic mild depression, attributed to grief. tried a couple different anti-depressants and am glad they help other people, but unfortunately didn’t find any change in my mood, only in how i physically felt and not in a good way (one made me feel super-tired, the other made my muscles feel jerk-y). stopped them with my doctor’s knowledge and approval, and do other things to feel better. things that are generally easier to do for being retired. :)
hope you have an easy day and great weekend ahead! stay safe.
hugs and prayers,
kathy