Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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I took this a few days ago. The only thing that’s changed is the status of the vines. The freezing temps we had a the other day killed off the morning glories and moonflowers. And maybe the zinnias – I have to check.

I’ve been staying indoors because it’s been cold and I’m still suffering from jet lag. Much harder to deal with on this end of the journey than it was on the other end. We’re still waking up at 5 am. I still fall asleep in my chair at 6 pm and then at 8 pm and beyond. It’s like I’m drugged. And my brain still feels a bit fuzzy, though much less than it did when I first got home.

We didn’t want to come home, so there’s that. Some of this might be due to a major let-down. I love our home, of course, and it’s tremendously comforting, but there’s nothing like the stimulation and excitement that comes from traveling in another country.

Sigh.

I thought I’d take a break from writing about the trip today because I suddenly had doubts. Are you enjoying these posts? Are they too long? Should I condense the rest of the trip down to one or two posts? I never really tailor my blog posts due to insecurity about what I’m writing, but I found myself wondering this morning if what I find exciting and wonderful about a very personal trip might not be boring to you.

I haven’t heard from some rather constant commenters and I stopped blogging for a week and a half (my choice, of course) which means I lost ad income. Would you rather I got back into the normal blogging about my daily life routine?

Let me know.

I did go into Manhattan on Sunday to work with an actor who will be replacing the male lead at the end of November. Manhattan was Manhattan: loud, full of car horns honking, with major traffic jams and all the crap and crowds that are a part of Times Square. I have a soft spot for NYC, but somehow London and Paris – cities with an enormous amount of traffic – seem to function very well without the endless honking of impatient drivers.

Anyway, let me know what you think! I have to get ready to go over to Rick and Doug’s for some brunch.

Happy Tuesday.

 

 

Comments

  1. love … love … love the travel accounts- i know my ‘going days’ are behind me, so it’s wonderful to enjoy faraway places via your beautiful pics and interesting text- i also enjoy the ‘everyday life’ days too … good writing by an intelligent blogger makes for good reading, and your take on what is going on in this messy world is greatly appreciated (i’m in the ‘reddest’ part of this ‘red state’ and it’s such a relief to know there are actually others who share my thoughts and concerns)-

    all regards- enjoy your frosty mornings-

  2. I love to read whatever you want to write. I do need to see a bit more of Stella, but that is the only thing I can think of. But I understand it is a bit difficult to take pictures and cook at the same time. I am glad you are still missing Paris and London. That means you two had a fantastic time. I love to hear about fantastic times and travels. Keep the pictures and posts on your trip coming!

    • I’ll try to show some more of Stella soon. I understand the need to see more of her – I told her I had missed her when we came home!

      Thank you, Tana!

  3. Good morning! Welcome home. I very much enjoy your vacation posts. My husband and i have been planning a trip and this is fun and helpful. We, too, already assume we will not want to come home. We were recently in a small town in CA for 4 days and keep chatting about that wonderful community and if we had a cool million! HA! New places and experiences wake up your being. Please continue sharing.

    Autumn is here in CO as well. Froze the beautiful flowers and now its 75 deg. Huh. But the trees are spectacular outside my window and the bird fests in the birdbath keep us laughing.

  4. I love hearing about your travels! Please continue to share your experiences and photos. You have a wonderful way of making each place you visit come alive! I would love to go to Paris and London again…..you bring back wonderful memories.

  6. I enjoy reading about your trip and seeing your pictures.
    You & Don had a wonderful time & it makes for interesting reading.
    Thank you!

  7. I love reading about your trip, and looking at your beautiful photos. I will never be able to travel abroad so this is a wonderful opportunity for me to see these cities through your eyes.

      • This Linda says the same thing. As of this moment, travel abroad seems unlikely in the near future, but I can enjoy seeing and reading about your trip. I also enjoy reading about your work with actors, your life at home, and whatever else interests you.

  8. Pleeeeease don’t stop writing about your travels! I doubt I’ll ever visit Paris so am enjoying your pictures and your observations so much. I’ve been to London twice and can’t ever get enough of it – seeing it through your eyes brings back cherished memories. And I simply can’t wait to hear about Edinburgh, a city I fell in love with!! Don’t doubt our interest in your travels, Claudia – for those of us that can’t travel right now you are helping with our wanderlust!

    Hope the jet lag lifts soon, it’s so awful when you arrive back home! Cheers, Martha

  9. Claudia, whatever you choose to write about is okay by me. Your travel posts assure me that there is still beauty and wonder in the world, no matter what is in the newspaper headlines. Also, being in the Deep South now, I love seeing your seasonal surroundings and changing scenery through your upstate NY window. As Susan Branch says, living in two places means that you’re always homesick for someplace. Thanks for bringing us into your world.

  10. I have loved your posts about your travels. It brought back my own wonderful memories. I thought the first time I saw Paris it was the most beautiful city in the world, I continue to think that. Thank you to you both for sharing.
    Kaye

  11. I love, love, love your travel blogging and enjoy your gorgeous photos so much. There cannot be too many photos! I also loved your description of NYC here as everything you say is what, as a tourist, I totally love about NYC.

    • Tourists can handle it because they’re there for a short time. When you live there or spend a lot of time there, it can be maddening!

      Thanks so much, Brenda!

  13. Oh yes, please keep writing about your travels. I’m waiting eagerly to go to London with you. Our son is going there next weekend to visit his girlfriend and I would love to be there again too, walking through Hyde Park and exploring Harrod’s. So yes, this reader loves your travel blogs.
    Blessings,
    Betsy

  14. You are now my favourite travel writer, so you will just have to keep posting! Thank you for sharing your lovely photos and enthusiasm for the city of light.

  15. I love everything your write about. Please keep blogging daily as this is my one blog i read everyday. I missed you while you were on your anniversary trip and can’t wait to read all about it.

  16. Oh yes, I am really enjoying these posts of your trip and hope they continue. We have been traveling ourselves with friends…we’ll be back tonight. So there hasn’t been a lot of time to comment. Please don’t stop…looking forward to more! ;)

    • Don’t worry about commenting, Donnamae. I was just checking in about it because I had been away from the blog for so long! Thank you!

  17. Claudia, I love seeing and hearing about your travels! I especially love the Paris posts because my family is from France (Brittany) and it reminds me of my family and heritage! I visited once with my mom and that trip was one of the last things she talked about before her passing -how much she enjoyed it! I love seeing it through your eyes! And I love those bookstores in England…I could go on and on!! Please keep sharing! Thank you so much!! I just totally enjoy your blog on any day!!

  18. I am loving your recent travel photos. I am re-visiting my trips to Paris and London, without having to hop on a plane or deal with jet lag. Plus, your photos of the Eiffel Tower are much better than I have from a few years ago. And, yesterday’s photos of the gardens transported me back to the lovely walks through them. THANK YOU!!!

  19. So. Maybe you’ve missed my comments? Anyway, I don’t think I am that important.

    I’m very busy in school these days (I’ve just talked about it with my husband) and hardly find time to read blogs.

    I very much enjoy seeing your photographs. It’s been years since I was in Paris and London. I was in NY in spring (with my sister and mother) and will treasure the memories for every. Honking? I don’t remember. It’s probably like all memories. The bad ones fade with time. Enjoy your cosy and comforting home.

    All the best! Regula

    • No, I’ve seen your comments!

      Honking you do remember if you live there – trust me! But it’s a great city.

      Thanks so much, Regula! I appreciate your thoughts.

  20. I love reading whatever you share with us. You are such a great photographer and your pics of Paris were just enchanting. You took me to a place I will never go! Thank you, Claudia!

  21. Are you kidding??? Of course, we want to read about and see photos from your trip. The world right now is a dark and troubled place, and we all need moments of pure happiness which your vacation posts provide. please keep them coming. :-)

  23. I love everything you blog about. You both have such adventures, where it is travel in Europe or simply buying a new stove 😊
    Do not doubt your ability to make us think about important situations or simply just cheering us up with a photo of a flower.
    Hope you both have a wonderful day.

  24. I join the majority in looking forward to more trip reportage, especially as we’re hoping to be in London and Edinburgh in the Spring and I’m looking for suggestions for new sights, and reminders of places to revisit.

  25. Absolutely love reading about your trip! You could go on for weeks about it and not be the least bit boring. It has brought back the most exciting 3 1/2 weeks of my life… The time I spent in France! I was just diagnosed with a brain tumor and said “If I am to die in 6-8 months, then its off to Paris I go!” . That was 12 years ago. Paris is magical! But seriously, thank you for sharing your wondering trip and feel free to continue doing so!

    • First of all, I’m so happy to hear that brain tumor is long past. Blessings to you. And I think I would do the same thing!

      Thank you, Ryan.

  26. I’m interested in reading whatever you want to write, Claudia. I especially love the travel posts, whether they be to cities far away, or little communities nearby as you and Don take drives and discover antique stores and gentle horses. I love posts about the different corners of Mockingbird Hill Cottage. I love posts about miniatures, miniature shows, the houses you’ve built. I love posts about your photography, as you and Don push yourselves to become better and better photographers and visual chroniclers of your life. I love when you reminisce about your family who are gone, and regale us with stories about family, whether biological or who have entered your life in another way. I love reading your viewpoints, whether about the current political climate, the theater, or current events. I love reading about what you think about will mowing your property, or how you love Peet’s (I’m drinking sips in between keying in words…) Hmmm, did I miss anything? You’re better than my morning paper…would you consider adding a comic strip, crossword and sudoku puzzles?!?! Haha!

    • Wendy, I love what you wrote here…I feel the same way! Claudia has shared so much of her LOVELY life with us here at Mockingbird Hill Cottage & has collected a wonderful group of readers, hasn’t she?!

      • Hi Christy, I’m sure you agree with me when I say Claudia is a rare and beautiful voice in the blog-verse! And I read a LOT of blogs…

  28. Yes! Love the travel posts and your daily posts about what’s going on. Your life is so different than mine and I’m fascinated by your life in the theater. I love your cottage and how carefully it’s curated.

  29. By all means, Claudia, please keep the travel posts coming. Mix them in with others but keep them coming! I love hearing about your trip. You do a wonderful job of describing where you went, what you saw, etc., and I love all the photos. So beautiful! My mom and I receive your blog posts via email and talk about them almost every day. We love you and your blog, Claudia!

  30. I too enjoy the varied entries you post. Your pictures and descriptive words are fun to see/read – whether Paris, London, New York or your neighborhood locations. The pictures/places you visited provide real-time views of the world. Travel pictures provide views of places I will most likely never see.
    I am a rare commenter but do enjoy your blog. I agree with Wendy T who said: “interested in reading what you are writing”. I enjoy your book references/reviews – I discovered Louise Penny through your blog; just finished books 1- 7 in Inspector Gamache series. Anxiously waiting on next book.

    Your posts will provide you memories of past experiences as you scroll back through your entries as your on-line journal. So good for you.

  31. I am loving the pictures of Paris and of anywhere you travel for that matter. I also love the pictures of your home, inside and out. You are really good at photography and the subject matters are always just perfect. You can talk about anything you want and I will love that too. It is wonderful to be able to hear from someone who sees almost everything the same way I do, when many around me , in SC, don’t. There is a reason why so many people read your blog. Please, just keep going as long as we can read.

  32. I agree with all of your readers. Keep posting. As I have mentioned to you before, you are my bright spot of the day. Don’t care what you write about, just write. It brings comfort to me. ♥

  33. I just get the biggest kick out of your travel adventures. Al of your posts are great but oh my, all the wonderful sights you’re sharing with us. I just love that!

  34. Are you kidding?? I have been counting the days till I “take my picture trip” with you and Don! I love look through there several times looking foe #21. Would love to have a couple printed out. Have you thought of selling a few to us devoted readers? Black and white prints. I would agree with you Manhattan all noisy and rushed must have lost some charm for that one trip. I have no hope of traveling there now with my oxygen in tow but do enjoy your journey. Hope you recover soon. Welcome home!

  35. I join the crowd in saying that I enjoy the travel posts. Hearing about other’s travel adventures and seeing their photos I find very enjoyable. Satisfies my curiosity and inspires my wishes to go some day. Thank you.

  36. Hi Claudia,
    Thank you, thank you, thank you so much for sharing every bit of your trip with us! I have seen everyone of your photos, and studied them with delight and a feeling I was there too. I should have thanked you before. I love London too, and Amsterdam, and probably won’t get to see them anytime soon, if at all, so I understand the magic they hold and appreciate your sharing your trip with us very much.

    Alice

    • I hope to get to Amsterdam some day. We couldn’t afford to go when my niece was living there and I was so frustrated by that! Thank you, Alice.

  37. PLEASE CONTINUE WRITING ABOUT YOUR TRAVELS. (Yes, I’m shouting) I’ll never make it to Europe so I’ll enjoy and learn through your stories. Love all of your writings and photos. Thank you for sharing.

  38. So it’s pretty unanimous, keep writing about your trips. Claudia, I don’t know if you realize how much you mean to so many of us. You paint a picture with your words, you describe feelings and emotions with your words, you entertain us with your words, you encourage us with your words. I have not found anything you write about to be boring. You have opened my world to new things and I have found we share some things in common also. Your travels feel like you are sharing the world with us. You and Don are such interesting people and to share your lives with us has been and I hope continues to be a privilege.

  39. Oh, please don’t stop!! After reading your Paris posts, I couldn’t think of one single thing to even add or comment on. I read them twice and thought about them through the day. Today, I was hoping to be in London!!!! One or two more posts just will not due. We need more than that, filled with your wonderful details, stories and pictures. So please download the pictures and share with us as we finish your journey! I hope you can tell from all of the wonderful feedback of your followers that it is pretty much unanimous!! ♡

    • I can. It’s very heartening! Thank you, Chris! (And you don’t need to feel the need to comment. I was just unsure after being away from the blog for so long.)

  40. Of course I want to hear everything about your trip! I don’t know if I will ever get to Europe so I am living vicariously through you. I am especially interested in the food…what you enjoyed, if you were able to find vegetarian easily? And of course, anything else you want to share.

    • We found it surprisingly easy to find vegetarian meals in all three places! I’ll try to address that at some point. Thank you, Marilyn!

  41. You are like a friend I visit for a little while every day! I enjoy reading your posts whether it be travel, everyday life, the stuff going on in this country……just please keep writing! I love reading about Paris and London. I’m sure it’s as close as I’ll ever get to visiting those countries. Thank you so much for sharing.

  42. I love your posts — all of them. It is so generous of you to take us traveling with you and sharing your adventures! I am especially looking forward to your posts about London. I am glad that you and Don had such a wonderful trip and I am enjoying it, too!

  43. I would read your blog even if you only wrote your shopping list!
    Please don’t stop
    Siobhan

  44. LOVing the travel photos and “journal”. At this point in my life a journey such as your will be enjoyed through other’s eyes. Keep up the vaca photos as long as you want.
    And I do enjoy your “regular” blogging also.

  46. I have loved reading about your trip. I want to see everything you are willing to share . Keep blogging in the way you feel comfortable with.

  47. I’ve been enjoying the posts about your trip very much. In fact I’d say write more! Speaking for myself, I LIKE it when each photo is captioned, even if with just a couple of words. I have found myself commenting less in recent weeks, and I think only because you’ve been mostly at home doing the same old things the rest of us do – and which is TOTALLY OK I should add. So I just find myself with less to say – but I’ve been enjoying the blog as much as ever. Hope this is helpful to you, but overall I’d say do the kind of blog YOU want to do. “Make your own kind of music – sing your own special so-ong….” Peace. 🍁

    #Resist
    #ProtectMueller

    • Sometimes I don’t have a caption and that’s usually the case when you see an un-captioned photo. It just means I’m letting the photo speak for itself.

      Thanks so much, Janet!

  48. Hi Claudia,

    I wanted to finally take a moment to let you know that I really enjoy your blog. I was looking forward to reading updates about your amazing anniversary travels (happy anniversary you lucky, lucky girl!) as soon as you returned home to the cottage, so please keep posting (and we will keep reading!) until your heart is content. :) I found your blog about a year+ ago when researching O’Keefe & Merritt stoves and your posts about Stella came up in my search…I love Stella, I love your cottage, your collections (those egg cups!!!!), your beautiful dollhouses and all of the wonderful daily tales you share. You and Don are an adorable couple and I have been rooting right along with everyone here that he would find success with his photography – I really admire his work and how quickly he picked it up. As for politics, oh how I appreciate your insight. Living in a conservative area, I find it really hard to understand how so many can support everything that is going on as my heart is breaking & I am pulling out my hair!!!! Thanks for sharing, Claudia. It has been really fun getting to know you here at Mockingbird Hill Cottage (and instagram!) xo, Christy

  49. I loved all the travel photos. Write about whatever you want. It is a conversation.

    Jet lag is hard, especially coming home. I don’t know how people jet all over the world all the time.

    I am looking forward to more travel posts.

    Kay

  50. Blog, blog, blog…I love reading about everything. It sure is better than the news. But, how about our Red Sox! #voteblue

  52. Hi Claudia!
    Keep sharing! Your photos are lovely and it appears everyone loves to hear from you.
    Glad you had a great visit too!

  53. You blog is one of my favorites so don’t change a thing. Whether it is just about what is going on around your cottage, trips to New York city, your gorgeous pictures of your Paris and London vacation, everything you post is interesting and real.

  54. Keep posting about your trip. Love all the pics. I took my first trip to Europe at age 22, many years ago and I agree it is transformative in so many ways. Overall I’ve been 5 separate times, and would go tomorrow if I could.

  55. hi, claudia.

    i love your travel and nyc posts for two reasons – i get to vicariously travel through your posts and, more importantly, i hear the extra happiness in your words about your trips and i am glad about that. keep posting about your trips as you want. i enjoy them!

    while i cannot at all relate to gardening and plant care (i don’t have a “green thumb” or currently have space for a garden), i love nature and learning about/looking at/being in it so i enjoy such posts and appreciate the care you give your plants.

    love the posts about decorating, your antiquing finds/collections and reading, too. those are things i like to do … but i also very much like the “slice of life” posts that have a little of this, a little of that, and learning about people whose lives are in some ways very different than my own (unlike you and don, i don’t, for example, act, sing or play musical instruments).

    thanks for asking, claudia, and for all you share.

    hope you and don are soon over the jetlag!

    kathy in iowa

  56. LOVE hearing all about your trip and all of yours and Don’s gorgeous photos. I hope to visit there some day. I am so glad you two got to go and enjoy it together. There were still so many things John and I had planned to do. So, enjoy it every chance you get.

    Judy

  57. I’m enjoying your trip posts – beautiful pictures by the way! It’s your blog – don’t tailor it to us – let it be your voice as that is what we all have been coming to this page for all along. I’ve had some personal family issues lately that have kept me from having much time to comment. And if it isn’t time, just feeling a bit down and not wanting to be social. I’m thrilled you and Don love Paris and London so much and you should treat yourself more often! We only live once!

    • I hope things are getting easier on your end, Karen. Take care. And don’t worry about commenting. I was just trying to gauge things as I’ve been away from the blog for a while. Thank you!

  58. Please keep sharing your travel adventures with us! I love it and am living vicariously through you!

  59. Hi Claudia,
    In response to your question, i just love the way you share your life; the adventures and the mundane,the highs and lows,your thoughts and opinions and the beauty of the moments along the way! Also, for me the vacation is a way of partaking of that and seeing sights and hearing about places that are unfamiliar to me. I love it all and am happy for you to share however feels right for you.
    Many Thanks and best wishes in finding your grounding again!

  60. I love the travel posts! I love the cottage posts and the Stella posts and the dollhouse posts, well you get the idea. Unfortunately I’m in the long goodbye phase with respect to my mom these days so the glimpses of normal (cottage, gardens) and awsome (Paris! London!) are appreciated more than you know. Thanks for what you do.

    Deb

    • I’m so sorry to hear about your mom, Deb. I understand completely. It’s all consuming and heartbreaking. Take care.

    • to deb …

      i wish peace, ease, happy times/ memories and all other good things for your mother, you and the rest of your family.

      i will be praying for you all.

      kathy in iowa

  61. From the response you don’t really need to hear from me but here goes anyway. I love all of your posts. I will never get to travel overseas so I enjoy seeing all the pictures. I’m glad you guys had such a good time! I enjoy reading everything you write about.

  62. Claudia, I love your writing. Please write about your travels. I’m garnering ideas for my daughter and me. We will be traveling to London and Paris in May. She finally gets her graduation trip 8 years late. And when you’re not chatting about your trip I love experiencing your everyday life. Also as a Canadian n I enjoy your take on what is happening in your country right now. One half of my family is American and who probably love Trump. Needless to say I don’t have much in common. So I guess what I’m saying is write what you enjoy. If you enjoy writing I will enjoy reading!

    • So glad you’ll be traveling to London and Paris with your daughter! Thank you so much, Ann!

  63. I love your posts and the sharing of your wonderful wonderful trip – a high light of each day, please keep sharing. I loved your instagram sharing too but your blog posts expand things so beautifully.
    Joy

  64. Hello Claudia – I’m British and think your blog is wonderful. I’ve so enjoyed your road trip to Europe and love to read your thoughts on my country. A girl friend and I travel to London most years in the Spring to see a couple of plays or musicals but seeing your recent time in Paris reminded me of the last time we were there, over a decade ago, with our teenage sons. We stayed in the same district as yourself. One night we arranged with the hotel to go on a coach trip around Paris and ended up sharing a mini bus with two delightful American couples. They asked how long had it taken for us to get to Paris and could hardly believe our flight was only one hour and thirty minutes from the North of England! In fact we had caught the 7:00 flight and were able to have breakfast at the Cafe Des Flores before 10:00! They said why don’t you do this every weekend! (I would if I could afford it) but they were right, sometimes you don’t always appreciate what’s on your doorstep!
    I especially liked your photo of McVitie’s Ginger Nut biscuits (cookies) – the secret is to dunk them in your tea xx

  65. Oh my goodness, please continue posting about your trip! After following you for several years, knowing you and Don have dreamed of this trip for so long, I’ve loved reading every word, and seeing every photo, both here and on IG. I’m much more active on IG these days, and don’t comment on blog posts (much), like I used to … but I still read your blog every single day. Anyway, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed being “invited along” on your beautiful travel adventure!

  66. You could write about the bark on trees and I would still read your blog. I just love your writing.

  67. I would love to read all the comments but too many. Most of us want to read of your travels, it seems. I have visited all the places you were but liked the memories. I don’t like what is going on here but it is home and I feel I can be an example of love and kindness. I am somewhat uncomfortable with your negativity but am trying to understand how you feel.. we all are entitled to personal thoughts and feelings. Maybe I have misunderstood your words about coming home, if so, forgive me. Continue to share your daily events, I love your cottage, your marriage and your work.

    • I think you have misunderstood my words. We loved it there and would like to have stayed – whether for a month or six months or forever, who knows? But I would be lying if I didn’t state that there are times during the past two years that I’ve considered moving. And many people who hate what’s going on would say the same thing.

      Thanks, Gayle.

  69. LOL–late to the party or should I say avalanche of responses, but by a quick glance, it seems the refrain seems to be thumbs up for travel journal. Personally, I’d be heart-broken not to be included in the rest of your life-changing journey. I love to travel and your writing and photos are so vivid that it’s easier than ever to travel by proxy. Day to day is wonderful, but when life gives you an opportunity for adventure, excitement and joy, especially in the midst of the bleak last two years, may we all revel in it with you! And also, thank you for being willing to share it with us.

  70. I always look forward to your blog. I enjoy reading all your memories and pictures of your trip, it’s like I was there with you.

  71. you have to ask!!! ???
    I’m supposed to be on a self imposed little break. and here I am!
    I just get sick of my own words. but YOUR words. and your pictures. . .
    I never tire of. xoxo

  72. It may be the timing, Claudia.

    The country is in a justifiable uproar about Pittsburgh. Even before this, there’s such tension around next week’s elections. I don’t even get out all that much but it’s on the lips of seemingly everybody with whom I come into contact.

    I personally can’t much fasten my attention right now on anything in my own life much less anybody else’s including yours (Paris, Red Sox, etc. – – you’re allowed your own personal joys and comforts; not taking away from that, not at all) except for my cousin who lived until very recently in Squirrel Hill of Pittsburgh for 27 years (her ex-husband, who I adore, still lives in their house less than nine blocks from the synagogue; my cousin herself is only mere miles from him having just moved into a home of her own within greater Pittsburgh) and she has lost a former co-worker to the shooting massacre in addition to a connectedness of acquaintances who’ve lost friends and family as well.

    Wonderful Squirrel Hill had always felt so family safe – – it’s where my cousin chose to raise her kids after leaving California to move East (she’s not a Jew although Squirrel Hill is predominantly Jewish as I’m sure you’ve heard on the news – – it’s a lovely, quiet ‘small town’ within the bigger city where the close-knit feel of neighborliness and familiarity has meant a lot). She’s going thru chemo for breast cancer since recent surgery, so she’s physically and mentally ‘spent’ (heartbroken now) and I’m really worried about her from afar because she’s somewhat-‘newly’ divorced (lots of big life adjustments) and I’m on the West Coast far away from her and she’s like my little sister, alone and trying to be strong but like a wounded bird I want to spread my big wings over and try to shelter and comfort her.

    She lived overseas for many years and, frankly, at this point, I almost expect her to return there after her cancer treatment. I really think it could happen and I wouldn’t blame her; wish instead I could go with her. I know you can relate. The urge to escape is great for as much as any of us try to reassure ourselves.

    I really can’t write any of this without an urge to weep (I want my mommy!) and I feel like my writing isn’t coherent anyway; I’m a bit scattered. So, I’ll return to the enjoyment of your beautiful blog eventually, but I’m not ‘blogging’ right now; basically off the computer in general, just cleaning up some loose ends right now online; needing to unplug, with other focus. We all have our share of problems in adult life, don’t we. It happens that blog owners as well as blog readers sometimes must do this; take a break, try to simplify when a lot’s swirling around us.

    My best and loving wishes to you and Don and all of your community of readers here who are such sweet, supportive and interesting cyber friends. May we all be spared senseless tragedy. Christmas is coming; pray for peace.

  73. Are you kidding me Claudia??…if you don’t write about your adventures how will I ever see these wonderful things?…I know that I will never get to see them on my own and seeing your pictures and reading your posts are like a gift that you are giving to me!…Please Please post more anytime you want…I eat them up like candy!!…lol…Thank you both again for sharing!

  74. As someone who will most likely never go ‘across the pond’ I love your long posts. Your insight to another world is fresh and welcome. :)

  75. I enjoy the travel posts, too, and thank you for taking the time to share them. I have one question, though: when you’d posted you were traveling Norwegian Air, I’d made a comment with links on how they are basically union busters and tax evaders, and that maybe next time, given your values, you might consider flying on another airline, but I never found that post; did it go into the ether, or was it deleted? I thought maybe it was deleted because somehow it offended you and so was reluctant to comment afterwards. There are nefarious reasons Norwegian Air can sell such cheap tickets.

    Anyway, I sympathize with the culture shock returning home. America seems so unattractive after all the beauty in Europe, and we just do not seem to value quality of life as much. I live in an ugly place where my city (Ft. Lauderdale) seems hell-bent on eradicating every vestige of charm to build ugly, expensive dwellings. I stay for the weather, but lately, we’ve been considering retiring to somewhere in Europe, for the loveliness.

    When we get back from Europe, I enjoy the getting up early and going to bed early because its so different from my regular schedule.

    • It probably went into the ether – anything with links is not published right away. Anyhow, it wouldn’t have been at all helpful given I’d already bought the tickets.

      Thanks, Cara.

      • True, but it could have been helpful for dissuading anyone considering patronizing Norwegian. Most people have no idea what a bad company it is.

  76. Hi- First time visiting your blog- it’s lovely! I will enjoy browsing. I too worked in theatre for years- as a choreographer, and director in the Washington, D.C. area. I live in a cottage along the Eastern Shore.

    I look forward to checking back-

  77. Hello Miss Claudia, as I am commenting well into the 150 responses I believe you have your answer. We all loved your pictures and travel tales as you took us along. It did us all good to see outside this crazy political environment we are suffering with and to reinforce we are really part of a diverse, friendly world. We love all you share as it reminds us how alike we all are, please don’t change a thing.

  79. I, too, enjoy your posts, Claudia, whenever you write one. I am guilty though of not keeping up well, but I still enjoy reading about what you are doing and where you’ve been,

  80. NO NO NO NO the posts are NOT too long. They aren’t long enough! I’m very greedy and always want more. I am so enjoying ya’ll’s trip. Please don’t stop!
    jane-in-tx

  81. I’m so enjoying your travel logs. I am familiar with Paris and know London well and am looking forward to Edinburgh as I’ve only visited there once, 40 years ago when some friends and I toured Scotland for a couple of weeks. I can tell that you both did plenty of homework before you went as the places you visited are many and varied.
    I did comment on your St James Park instagram post, saying how much I loved it there. It bought to mind visiting my father who worked in a lovely old building across the road from the park. I lived in South London at the time and cycled over to see him and we shared a picnic in the park, a very happy memory. When I recalled that day, I realised it was the first time I had remembered him, since he died 3 years ago, when he was fit and well. All my memories of him prior to that were of his declining health and poor quality of life, so thank you Claudia and Don for bringing back such a perfect day!

    • What a lovely memory of your father, Fiona. I’m glad I was a part in bringing that memory back for you.

      My dad died three years ago, too. In fact, we just passed the anniversary on October 29th.

      Thank you, Fiona.

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