The peaceful calm of an early Saturday morning after a night of not-quite-enough sleep has been shattered twice by the sound of a smoke alarm.
The first time, the piercing sound came and went very suddenly. Don woke up and came to the head of the stairs and we both acknowledged that we had no idea where it was coming from.
The second time, Don discovered it was coming from our bedroom and he dismantled the alarm. When he took it apart, a dead fly fell out as well as some other stuff. We’ve had the bug flying into the alarm problem before and maybe this is a repeat of that problem.
So far, so good. It’s clearly one of our alarms, rather than the ones we have that are wired into our security system, because we didn’t receive a call from the security company. Sometimes they are a bit too overzealous about immediately calling the local fire department without checking in with us first.
Oy.
Early morning. Ten morning glory blooms. Wowza! And Scout, of course.
Don’s leaving tomorrow and I got a call from Hartford Stage yesterday asking me if I could come in sometime this weekend to listen to the dialect work in their current show, which is in tech rehearsals. So I’m going to take Don to New Haven, help him unload, and then drive to Hartford for the afternoon. Then back to New Haven, where Miss Scout will be spending some quality time with her dad.
It adds a bit of hectic activity to the weekend, but doing it all in the same day without having to worry about Scout seemed like the best approach.
Totally unrelated thought: Why do I hear people referring to California as Cali nowadays? It irritates the h*** out of me. I lived in California for eight years and never once heard anyone refer to that state as Cali. Don lived there for the vast majority of his life and has never heard any of his friends or acquaintances or business associates say the word ‘Cali.’ We suspect it’s something that has emerged in the dialogues and lingo of the younger generation.
Note to them: Please stop.
And in keeping with my random thoughts: If you’re currently reading The Long Way Home by Louise Penny, please do not spill any of the plot beans, as it were. I am backed up and holding with books to be read and reviewed, so I am not going to get to it for a while. When I read it, I want to have the time to savor it. Which means I probably won’t be reviewing it, either. (We all know it would be a Huzzah! kind of review, anyway.)
Oh, and same thing for Personal by Lee Child.
No spoilers, okay?
Happy Saturday.
Hi Claudia
Love the photo of Scout in her corral and your property beyond, how wonderful to look out on that. Can’t get enough of those morning glories.
Yes yes yes – California native here, and I have never known a native to say Cali. Well except for my niece – also a native – but as you say, seems to be of the younger generation. Makes my skin crawl. Blech. Sadly I guess that just makes us the older generation LOL.
Happy happy whirlwind weekend!
Yes, I increasingly feel like a member of the older generation, Sally!
I can’t wait to read The Long Way Home. Unfortunately, I’m 26th in line at the library. It will be a while for me too!
But worth the wait, Kathy!
Your flower garden with Scout looks so beautiful. Another abbrerviation I cannot stand is “congrats.” It makes an ugly sound . As always thank you for your beautiful words and photos.
Take Care,
Kaye
Park City, UT
You are most welcome, Kaye.
Being a California girl, Cali makes me crazy too. FRISCO is almost worth smacking someone over! Have a good, but hectic day!
Agreed. Frisco drives me nuts, as well!
I’ve lived in Massachusetts my whole life and no one I know has ever referred to Boston as “Beantown”. It sometimes is referred to as the “Hub” by natives but NEVER Beantown. Always bugged me…….
Love the photo of Scout with the flowers. Pretty girl!
I lived there for 5 years and never heard it either. And you’ll be happy to know that I’ve never used it!
My smoke alarms not only make that horrible noise, they also have flashing lights! So lovely when they go off at 2 in the morning because there is a bug in them! Around here, people call us Michiana, a combination of Michigan and Indiana. Really bugs me every time I hear it. Do you ever watch Acorn TV? It is on-line and they have all British programming. I ask, as there is a new mystery movie, Still Life; Three Pines Mystery. It is based on the book by Louise Penny. I plan on watching it tonight, so I’ll let you know how it is. Have a safe trip today. Pets for Scout!
Deb
I believe that’s a Canadian production. I’ve seen it mentioned on Penny’s website. I never watch movies or tv adaptations of books I truly love because I already have a picture in my head of the setting and the characters and I don’t want that monkeyed with!
Hi Claudia, I do not like the Cali name either. It is the younger generation, they want to shorten everything in the English language. Cool?? Who knows the reason, maybe the texting “generation”.
I love the way Scout’s walking area is surrounded by the flowers. That just looks so good. Hope Your trips work out great. Be safe. xoxo,Susie
The texting generation shortens everything, Susie!
Oh that CALI thing! I grew up in Calif and it wasn’t until my oldest daughter starting working for Google that I heard ‘Cali’ and now that she lives there that is what she says. I’ve used it so I don’t sound so ‘old fashioned’ but it’s weird to me. Definitely a younger generation thing!
Sounds like a long day but getting it done with Scout looked after by one of you is the best way for sure!
hugs,
Linda
It is the best way. I’d worry about her, otherwise.
I’m an ‘old’ native Californian who lives fifty miles from San Francisco and I, too, do not like Cali or Frisco. I have referred to San Francisco as ‘the city’ but never Frisco!
Hope you have a wonderful day!
You too, Cathy!
I totally agree about Cali and Frisco! If they want to shorten things, what’s wrong with simply CA and SF? Those I can go with.
Yes, and frankly, the sounds in the word, California, are wonderful and roll right off the tongue!
Just finished The Long Road Home. The only thing I will say is that of course I love, love, loved it. I hate that Cali thing, too. I love there for 11 years and I never heard that. xo Laura
Me either, Laura.
How strange we woke last night to the fire detector going off too. No fire just batteries going dead I guess, but we do have it wired into the electric directly too. Careful travels for all of you :)
Thanks, Dawn.
We left CA. two years ago. I lived there since 1959. I hated the name Cali when I lived in the state. I am sure if you moved back to CA it would not be the state you remember. So many laws passed that take away your freedom. Two years of experiencing lower prices on everything including taxes and gasoline makes CA just a distant memory. It no longer bothers me if the younger people call it Cali.
Oh, I still love California and wouldn’t mind living there again someday. Taxes are pretty high where I live and gasoline isn’t cheap, either!
Your flowers are gorgeous as usual. Texting I’m sure has had a lot to do with the shortening of words…and tweeting! I fear for the spoken language…if so many keep texting, there may not be any recognizable conversation. And yes, please don’t reveal any info about Louise Penny’s new book…I’m so far behind!! ;)
I worry about spoken language, too. And the seemingly lost art of sitting down with someone, tech-free, and just talking.
That is a pretty picture of Scout in her corral..She is looking well..Of course it must be the texting generation creating these short words..my but their fingers must get so tired..lol..Have a safe trip all three of you..what a busy day ahead of you Claudia..I hope you sleep well tonight..Let us know how the day went..
I will, Nancy. Thank you.
What luck that you can combine the 2 necessary trips into one and include Scout! I’m sure she thanks you for that!
It seems like all illnesses have to be abbreviated now, also. “I’m Jane and I have COPD. I’m DAVE and I have COPD”. I told my hubs I am glad my name is Chris because w/ 5 letters, it seems I must be safe!! I always think of cauliflower when I see that Cali abbreviation. We had 3 nieces & nephews and their spouses here from CA in August, and they said they had never heard anyone use that until recently, either, and their thought was it is a result of the texting era, also. Everyone is in a hurry and oh-so-busy!!
Have a safe and productive trip tomorrow!!
Oh, I hate those COPD commercials with four letter names. So annoying. Also A-Fib instead of arterial fibrillation, and Low-T for low testosterone. Give me a break!
Every single picture you post of your flowers gives me a lift Claudia. I can relate to your not liking the word Cali. It aggravates me so much to hear someone say MYBad, I think it means I’m bad but yuck. Also when someone starts saying the same phrase over and over about every situation. I don’t like hearing anyone say “It is what it is.” I know I should probably get over myself but when people abuse our beautiful language it seems such a shame to me. Hope you enjoy your weekend!
I absolutely detest “My Bad.” Your bad what?? Your bad foot? Your bad manners? Hate it. I think it also means something like ‘my mistake’ but in the end I don’t care. It isn’t a sentence. It isn’t even a phrase!
I’m guessing California is “Cali” because it’s so fashionable to abbreviate everything now. We used to say “as soon as possible” and now people actually say “ASAP.” Sometimes I read the comments attached to online articles, and I’ve been forced to bookmark a website page that decodes these acronyms or I’d have NO CLUE as to what people were talking about. The list I found is semi-unbelievable. If interested, it’s http://www.netlingo.com/acronyms.php. PS – is Scoutie a Border collie? I got to thinking she might be from your photo today. If yes, she’s the whitest one I’ve ever seen. Very few markings. But that must be an indication of royalty in the Border collie world. :>)
She is a Border Collie and she has large auburn spots on her side(s). And freckles on her nose.
Ha, I thought it was just me on the “Cali” thing! I don’t really know why it bothers me so much – all I know is that it irritates the heck out of me!
How long will Don be gone? Safe travels tomorrow!
He’ll be gone for 2 months, Debbie.
I too am a CA native and absolutely HATE ‘Cali’. And disrespecting The City with Frisco is criminal! Love your blog – love the variety of subjects you hit upon. Always a great read!
Thank you so much, Terry!
Personally I can’t stand when people shorten words. Is it really that hard to say Astros instead of Stros? Or Oh my gosh instead of OMG…it’s the same amount of syllables. Yesterday I saw a facebook post where they spelled ‘any’ as ne! Really?!?!?! Apparently we have a generation of texting addicted people who have forgotten how to speak and spell, if they were ever really taught. Ok, I’ll get off my soap box now .
I’m right there with you on that soap box!
Good day Claudia, Don & Scout – I had a smoke alarm go off one night during a storm and was home by myself. It scared me to death. Bella was howling and I finally just unplugged it after checking around the house and finding everything ok. We, too, have one wired into our home so I always figure that’s the safest one.
Judy
I hate when one goes off and you’re not sure which one it is! I plugged it back in yesterday and it was fine, so I think it was due to the fly. Poor fly.
Cali? I was born in and still live in California 52 years later. I have NEVER heard anyone refer to California as Cali! I must be living in the dark ages. Nonetheless, I don’t care for it and would not use the term .
Oh, they’re doing it – but it’s mostly, if not totally, the younger generation.
Scout is a lovely back drop for the Morning Glories. She looks busy.
You do have a hectic schedule! Lots of time in the car. I hope you have good weather, and I hope when you get back home you still have your flowers.
I have not started either of those books, but they are waiting for me too. Right now my company is here and that means late nights. So late that can’t read much before I am asleep. Next week things will be back to normal or what passes for normal around here.
I’ll be back tomorrow, Trudy. Then about 12 days or so until I leave for Hartford.
I am a California native, born and raised in Los Angeles, and I don’t know anyone here who says Cali. I absolutely love my state, and cannot imagine not having the Pacific ocean just minutes away. I drove to San Diego today, Claudia, and thought of you. My drive home was just beautiful. When I got to Oceanside, the sun was starting to set over the ocean. I am sure you can remember how pretty that is. It’s my favorite time of the day at the beach.
You’re making me homesick for California, Sandra!
Claudia,
The photo of Scout in the dog corral with the morning glories and other fineries blooming is just precious. Summer is failing and fall is sliding in now. The shadows are lengthening and the days are shorter. May your time apart from your love give you both times of refreshing and rejuvenation and may it seem but a short intermission in your time together.
Best wishes to you both in your work.
Susan from Mississippi