• Oh boy. Those lilac buds give me hope. Yesterday was unseasonably warm and everything outside took off like a shot. (Dare I say it was too warm? Would that make me ungrateful?) I picked up more rocks on the grass that were thrown there courtesy of the snowblower. I put the cushions on the glider. I watched baseball. We lost. I took more photos of McCoy. I read my book. I took a bath.
Exciting stuff, right?
• May I be honest? Blog posts that consist of lists do not interest me. At all. This is the current trend and the fact that it’s the thing of the moment is because someone, somewhere said that readers love lists. And they probably do. I’m sure everyone’s stats say that those are pretty popular posts. Maybe something to do with shorter attention spans? Or is the idea of a list just inherently attractive?
I am not a fan. I’ve never been, even when the lists were in the form of magazine articles. When I scan my daily reading list, if the words “10 Things You Can…” or “15 Ways to…” come up, I move on. No visit that day.
The posts usually consist of ideas pulled from other sources on the internet, stuff I’ve already read or am aware of anyway, so there’s really nothing new there. I also feel a certain pressure, in a strange sort of way, when I see a list. Does that mean I have to read every item? Do I have to give everything equal time?
I know. I’m probably the exception here. But I wish this current trend would quietly take a hike.
Oh, and the word “trending” as in “Currently Trending on Twitter”…? Every time Don and I hear it, we groan. Stop with the trending.
• I know several of you have seen this series on Netflix, but if you haven’t – think about watching Derek. Don’s been trying to get me to watch it for a while now and this week I caved in. Oh my goodness. I am so, so glad I did. Conceived, written, and directed by the brilliant Ricky Gervais (who also plays Derek) it is the most wonderful, life-affirming, funny and deeply moving show I’ve seen in ages and ages. Ricky plays Derek, a man who is challenged – whether he has learning disabilities, is developmentally disabled, or autistic, we don’t know, nor does Gervais ever give it a name. Derek works in a nursing home and sees the good in everyone. My favorite thing he says is that it’s more important to be kind than clever or good looking.
Amen to that. That’s what we’re here for; to love and be kind.
Gervais is amazingly talented. This series is a blessing, my friends. If you get Netflix, I urge you give it a try.
All that, and Gervais speaks out for animal rights – vociferously – online via Twitter and Facebook. Bravo. I’ve got a major crush on this guy.
• I have six different McCoy reference books. You see four of them here.
What happened to the one on top, you ask? Well, many years ago when we were living in our rental cottage in Westchester County, we adopted our Riley. Riley had not been socialized, had been kept outside on a chain for most of his life, and was eventually found living on the streets of a city in New Jersey. He was very much like a wild dog. On his first night in our house, he ate some of my yarn. A few nights later, he found this book. Riley apparently liked McCoy Pottery.
Oh that boy. I miss him so much that it hurts. I’ve never replaced the book because I love seeing this talisman of our first days together. It’s a tangible memory of my boy. And it makes me smile.
Years later, in this cottage, a much gentler and happier and socialized Riley surprised us one day by chewing on a book about birds.
I still have that, too.
Happy Sunday.
I hope Riley has a library in heaven.
Me too, Tana. I hope he’s chewing on some books about pottery and birds and dogs and all things beautiful (and tasty.)
Good Sunday Morning Claudia, My first puppy Puddles, chewed the corner of my Betty Crocker cookbook. I still have the book also! The movie recommended sounds like I will love it as I work with special needs children. Have a great day. Doris
You too, Doris. I bet many of us have stories about books being chewed by our dogs!
Love Ricky Gervais. I’ll have to check this series out. Thanks!
You’re welcome, Shanna.
Hello! I still have mementos of all my sweet dogs and cats. I just cannot let them go. It’s not much, favourite toy, all of the collars, blankets, etc. To me, it would equal tossing out all of the Christmas cards/Birthday cards your children hand-made for you. Yes, I have all of those cards!
It was warm here yesterday, 76! I miss being able to look out a window and see all of the buds on the trees and flowers. Even though I do have a ground-floor apartment, we don’t have trees or flowers. So, I am going to do what I can on my patio. I so miss gardening.
I hope you have a warm and restful Sunday. Hugs to all of you.
Deb
Plant some pots full of flowers and plants and put them on your patio, Debbie. Then when you look outside, you’ll see only lovely green, growing things. I did that when I lived in my first apartment in San Diego.
Good Morning Claudia…sounds like Spring is around the corner. Yes I agree on the list posts, if I see them now I just click off of the blog without reading but I guess many people love them…(also hate the endless tablescape ones).
Our dogs…oh what sweet memories.
Agreed on the tablescapes. Maybe it’s because it’s just not my thing?
My dogs. I have so many memories and they make me smile. And cry, too.
We too have chairs, books, and even wooden knitting needles with teeth marks. Oh well. If I were one to worry about things like that I wouldn’t have had so many dogs. I miss them all. When I was teaching writing to a class of third graders, I was to use the prompt “I wonder….” . I gave the example of; I wonder if when I die I will see all of my old dogs running up to me to greet me. I had 25 reassurances that I would. Nice thought.
Love all your McCoy!
Have a great day,
Eileen
I absolutely count on my dogs running up to me when I cross over. All the dogs I’ve loved – and that’s a lot!
xoxo
Claudia
Yes, it won’t be heaven if all my dogs aren’t there. And thanks for the tip about Derek. I so enjoy Ricky Gervais. Did you watch when he hosted the Golden Globes? Oh boy! I laughed so hard!
He’s fearless, isn’t he?
I enjoy your blog more than you know. I don’t often comment but wanted to tell you to keep writing what goes on in your life because that’s what I count on when I pull your blog up each day. I especially dislike blogs that pull from other sources and yours is one of the few that I regularly read. Love the pictures, too.
Thank you so much for your kind words, Deb. They mean more than you know!
For me it will be kitties that greet me when I cross over!! Love the ‘chewed’ book, such love you have for you babies. That is the book I just got and it’s pretty awesome. I might get one more. It’s an addiction I tell ya!! I do not like list posts, or those that give your ‘ideas’ compiled from other sources and endless tablescape posts, even if I do like tablescapes. How many photos of a plate do I need to see? I hope I keep my tablescape posts simple and interesting (if you are into that sort of thing). I don’t do them very often any more because after awhile they all start looking the same to me or they are so over the top that you KNOW no one ate a meal at that table. I digress! I might have a little time today to pick up a few plants. I need some green things in containers on my patio!!
hugs,
Linda
Oh boy is it ever an addiction! Love your thoughts on the tablescapes! Our tablescape here in this house is a plate with a fork and knife and a napkin on a tray!
Give that little baby a kiss for me!
Linda..I have a little wooden plaque hanging here that says “Heaven’s The Place Where All The Cats You’ve Ever Loved Come To Greet You”..I am counting on that to true..lol..Congratulations on the new baby girl..
Hopefully, Linda will see this, Nancy. I love the idea of that plaque. I’d love one that says ‘cats and dogs’ because I’ve loved quite a few cats, too. (I’m allergic, but that didn’t stop me from loving them!)
Nancy, I did see this. I love the sound of that plaque! Thanks for the sweet wishes for my Grandgirl! I am over the moon happy!
I’m on a yard work break…and was so happy to see your post in my in box. Gotta get more work done before it rains. We are working on a pine bed…it consists of varied evergreens, and hostas, and we are clearing out the pine needles…oh my…several inches of them! Then I’m going to get different varieties of hostas, put an edge on the bed, add mulch and call it done…should take another three days or so…we don’t quite work as fast as we used to…when did that happen? Love the Riley stories! ;)
I have to buy mulch, but I’m waiting for the perennials to grow a bit more so I know where to put the mulch. I don’t want it too close to the plants.
Oh, that Riley was a handful, but he was my sweet, sweet boy.
Oh, I think there are lists and lists. :-) Have fun with your show. We are watching one of a teacher, “Der Lehrer”, at the moment. I love it, I love him. The show is all about caring, Have a nice evening. Regula
My grocery list is a whole other thing, of course!
Oh, that word “trending”. I go on a rant every time I hear people using it like that. Am I the only one who thinks of a trend as something that “took over” for a period of time…. perhaps months or even years? On the Today show, every morning they talk about what is trending TODAY…. and it is usually nonsense of a photo from FB or a tweet or something, I wish they had come up with some other word than trending for something that seemingly lasts for less than 24 hours. SEE!! I rant about it!
Our weather has been just lovely the entire past week, but about to go back to the upper 40’s low 50’s and into the low 30’s at night with a chance of those icky white things flurrying from the sky. ugh.
We have little nibbles and nobs taken out on various things around our house, too. When I took out some of the Easter bunnies this year I found a wooden bunny that one of the dogs had chewed off the ears. I still happily set him out. Memories are always wonderful in most any form.
That’s rant I agree with Chris! I even hear it on the local news, which makes me want to scream!
I think it’s going down to the fifties here this week, as well.
Oh dear, I love lists. Mostly as a tool to stay organized, I think. I’ve been a listkeeper since I was a kid, and now have many in my journal, adding to them whenever something crosses my radar that I want to remember. Some have grown to massive proportions by now too, and are a lot of fun to read over. I have a quotes list, a one-liners list, all kinds of favorites lists [books, movies, music, names, sights, sounds, words], a list of people I admire, a list of all kinds of people [famous and not] I’d like to have lunch with, a list of funny license plates and bumper stickers I’ve seen, a list of places I’d like to visit, a list of people I think are geniuses, my ‘Big Quiz’ list of discussion questions and many more. Where I have specific memories or stories to tell I record them too. I think you may be right, that lists are just inherently appealing to some people. No way I would have replaced that McCoy pottery book either. How could anyone? Those chew marks are a tangible reminder of some very precious memories. It would be like tossing out your child’s baby shoes or something. No way. PS – love the photo of Riley with Scout – what a pair they must have been!
That kind of list is different, Janet. It’s for your personal use. I make lists all the time – for shopping, for things to remember. I’m talking about the overabundance of Lists with a capital L in blog posts, which is a whole different thing, and, I think, a way of trying to gain blog visits, etc. There’s just too many of them! (I don’t fault anyone for trying to increase their page views, I get it.)
You’re right it’s like a child’s baby shoes. It’s part of me and Riley and I could never give it up.
I live by the motto “put your blinders on and run your own race”. I feel very sorry for those who feel the need to be trendy. We have this one short life and it goes by far too fast to be bothered with trends. Do we ever stop missing our beloved pets who have passed? I have not.
Big Texas Hugs,
Susan and Bentley
Love that. Run your own race. Amen, Susan!
Love that also. Run your own race! Going to add that to one of my art pages!
I find the lists annoying. I wouldn’t expect them to be gone anytime soon. Things tend to stay long after they are not welcome anymore. An example ‘the chevron pattern’. Will chevrons ever quit showing up on every painted or upholstered piece someone shows off on their blog? I remember you writing awhile back you are over the chevrons. Me too.
I never liked chevrons, even before they became the thing. I still see them, though, so somebody likes them, I guess!
I guess Riley made that book into a special edition..at least in your heart it is..Enjoy another pretty day!
Oh, I love that, Nancy. Thank you for that absolutely perfect way of describing it! Have a lovely day.
Isn’t is amazing how memories of our pets can tug at our heartstrings, even after decades?
It sure is.
I love your posts because you put a lot thought into them, even if the words seem just to start tumbling our of your brain! I don’t like lists posts either, but the exception is a couple of knitting blogs I read. At least the lists have links usually to an intriguing story or knitting pattern that I hadn’t seen yet. And don’t get me started with “trending”! I put that word right up (or is it down) there with mischievous…when did the extra “i” get into the pronunciation after the “v”?!??
I absolutely want my animals to meet me in the hereafter, right up there with dearly departed loved ones, especially my husband, the best friend I ever had whom I miss every second of every day.
Links are another thing – helpful links are great. That’s the kind of list I can get behind.
I know you must miss your husband terribly, Wendy. Sending you a big hug.
Stop with the trending… now that is trend I can support.
Wonderful story about the book and Riley. Animals are the best. Life wouldn’t be the same without them.
My first dog Daiquari also ate/read a few books. One was a book of myths that had been read by all the children in my family. Instead of making me mad, it just reminded me of when he first came into our lives and how much I loved him.
YEAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!! Tell Don “Thanks” for pushing you to watch “DEREK”. I just loved every episode and don’t forget to watch the special final episode, bringing the series to a finale. I was so enthralled with the series and the subject matter, gotta love Ricky, he did one fantastic job on it.
Hi Claudia-
Good Sunday evening to you and your household.
I’m undecided about lists on blogs– I do sometimes click over; but lose interest right away. I’m guilty of listing- I’ve done so in the past. But they aren’t written in such a way – that I’m imposing my opinion and think all readers should conform to the list. ;)
Rangers lost …again. The game was on at the restaurant tonight– and I couldn’t help but watch!
Riley wanted to leave you his mark DIDNT he?
I worked hard on my couch and Buster had a go at it right after I finished it– he chewed the wood on it. He also murdered my mini- blinds!
Just things. I still love him.
Have a great start to your week.
I guess we all have a dog-chewing story. I had a dog in childhood who would love to eat eyeglasses, somehow miraculously not injuring himself on the glass. One dog I adopted had suffered a terrible start in life, left for dead in a yard with distemper after other neglect and near-abandonment. He would always be ‘special needs’ but I knew of his story and spent every day at the animal hospital with him til he could come home with me (six weeks; it was a long haul and he almost died three times). My darling boy, we got him to ten years and, of all the dogs we’ve adopted (each one of whom were deeply loved and cherished by us)…and I don’t like to play favorites…he was most dearest to my heart. Just to see him up, on his puppy feet, and trying to be active…well, let’s just say I spoiled him (and why not?!), but every day to see him get better was a joyful one. He ate everything…my shoes, the wood cabinet edges in the kitchen, any books on lower shelves; my 33LP record album covers. I knew he was teething but I also wondered if he’d had some sort of deficiency from the disease and was craving something; frankly, we were just glad he even had teeth, as the ravages of the disease (and potent medications for it) caused all of his permanent teeth to come in pitted, when we were told he’d probably wind up with no teeth at all. So, I’d look at some of my good books, which I hadn’t thought to move to a better location, and try to turn around my dismay to simply being glad my little guy got his teeth and wouldn’t have to gum food for the rest of his life!
Uugghhh – I agree about the word “trending”! Makes me want to NOT read about, or participate in, whatever it is that’s trending. I thought it was just me :)