Boy, is it steamy here! It’s unbelievably humid. And it’s rainy. Yesterday, I spent some time with Rick at our local nursery and we felt as if we were in the Amazon Rain Forest! The windows are steamed up. My camera lens gets foggy as soon as I go outside. All day long.
Needless to say, we’re staying inside.
We’re getting a lot of rain. I got caught in a big downpour yesterday. It was the kind of downpour that only seems to happen in the summer; out of nowhere, suddenly you’re in the middle of a torrential downpour, where you dare not exit the car until it stops, or you have to duck under an awning, or run inside a store.
I snuck outside in the early evening to take some photos, all the while, wiping off my foggy lens. We have three zinnias in bloom now.
I started cleaning the inside of the dollhouse yesterday. The previous owner glued down the carpet and the kitchen floor. Let’s just say they used a lot of glue. Overly generous amounts of glue. Now I’m trying to figure out how to pry that glue off the floors and the seams between the walls and the floors. Not sure yet how to do it without damaging the floors – I’ll have to do some research. Thank goodness for the internet!
I also cleaned up my desk. I hadn’t been spending much time in the office over the past few months so it needed some work and I tried to ‘arrange’ Don’s bags of show souvenirs and gifts from the producers that were everywhere. He has yet to sort it all out and I needed to forge a path to the window and the air conditioner.
I’m so enjoying my reread of A Gentleman in Moscow. It’s so beautifully written, so evocative of a certain time in history. The characters are wonderful; for me, they’re like old friends. You know that feeling when you crack open a beloved book to allow yourself the pleasure of reading it again and you read the first page and your shoulders drop and you sigh with happiness?
That’s what I’m feeling.
Before I forget:
My friend Melanie, a longtime reader of this blog, sent me this sticker and magnet.
I love them! The magnet is currently on the refrigerator, but I’m wondering if I might put it in my car…hmmm. Thanks so much, Melanie!
Happy Tuesday.
My husband loved A Gentleman in Moscow and it is in my ‘to read’ pile. He can’t say enough good things about it. Glad you enjoyed it as well.
I agree with your husband! It’s simply extraordinary. Thanks, Tisha!
agree about humidity … ugh! glad you (and i) have air conditioning.
glad don has some souvenirs from “escape to margaritaville” … tangible reminders of a (cool) job well done. whether i’m in a tougher time of life or not, that’s part of how i “decorate” … always keeping out to see photos of loved ones and souvenirs of extra-special times … to remind me that i am loved, that good things happen and to start planning the next thing. :)
also, if you both want don to go on tour with “etm” in 2019, i hope that happens!
glad you can work on the rescued dollhouse and will enjoy re-reading “a gentleman in moscow”. with a couple projects in the works, i’ve decided to save that book until cooler weather this fall. maybe my focus will be better then!
happy tuesday.
kathy in iowa (who also needs to clean her desk)
Don has a lot of souvenirs from the show! Good memories.
Darn it, now I want to run out to the library and get A Gentleman in Moscow! But I have a big reading pile here already…I don’t dare abandon it just yet. I get in trouble in libraries…I come home with much more than I can possibly read in 2-3 weeks. When all the while, I have literally hundreds of books here I haven’t even read yet.
It’s humid here today, too, though at least it’s sunny. I was just outside weeding (lame attempts), cutting flowers to put in little vases, and cleaning off the porch and patio from all the fallen leaves and debris from the past few days of rain. I came inside with soaking wet clothes. I’m now relaxing in the AC and a fan blowing on me and then I will get in the shower.
You’re very welcome for the little gifts – glad you liked them!
I run into the same problem at libraries, which is why I haven’t visited mine in a while. I know I’ll want to check out a lot of books and then I won’t be able to read them all and then I’ll feel guilty!
I was going to complain about the humidity (was 85% in blaring sun at 8:30am; mid-80s temps and rising fast on the thermometer); humidity that was NOT supposed to come with this week’s heatwave in SoCalif, But I won’t whine, because your swamp is worse than mine!
Have been up since 5:45am doing all my outdoor chores because today is supposed to be brutally hot, worse than yesterday, and we already had a outage before 7am which is just SO not what we need (nobody has back-up generators out here!). They warned us yesterday about it; some kind of natural gas issue I don’t understand (the power grid and excessive use). We’ll hover at 100+(F) for the next three days and won’t get out of the 90s til next Monday, or so says the Nat’l Weather Service; well above ‘normal’ (by 15 degrees) even for summer here but, you know, nothing is much normal anymore.
Before my husband left for work, he said: “Have a plan.” Like, what? Wrap myself in wet towels I guess if the A/C can’t work. I swear I was so hot last night that I thought about putting the bed linens in the freezer; I’ve read that can help, like just long enough to really cool the cotton. (We try to give the a/c a rest at night; our unit/system is old. Keeping my fingers crossed about it. I worry for people who don’t have a/c; and the dogs left outdoors in yards with fur coats in sometimes hardly enough shade. When I was a kid, Mom would always bring in the dogs by noon [or earlier] so they could be cooler inside the house even though nobody had a/c in those years.)
I just noticed our purple sage is fried to a crisp and it’s supposed to be drought-tolerant and able to endure the hot weather. It had gotten a dunking but it’s south-facing and everything on that side of the house gets beat up in the harsh sun; my poor roses. We’re just ‘waiting’ for the city to lower the boom on water usage but, so far, no restrictions, unlike last year and the previous years. So, that’s a positive although most of us have learned to be darn good water savers.
A nap this hot afternoon sounds good. I’m tired. Been doing laundry til deep in the ‘cooler’ wee hours because the washer/dryer is in our uninsulated garage so it’s a hot mess out there. I hate that my schedule is dictated by weather but it seems like EVERYbody all over a lot of the world is suffering in too much heat. Gosh, look at London…
Good luck with the un-glue job. You’re working in such a small space. Little abandoned doll house will be so pretty when you’re done with it!
I remember living in San Diego and never needing AC. Those days are gone. It gets very hot and humid there now.
Claudia, totally off topic: Have you and Don caught on youtube, the Carpool Karaoke segment from the James Corden late-night show, when he and Paul McCartney tool around Liverpool some weeks back? It’s already got like 28 million hits in a really short period of time. I think I’ve easily watched it 10 times and I swear every single time I bawl my eyes out, I guess because McCartney is just so loved and, of course, it’s our youth and the soundtrack of our lives, him and The Beatles. Nostalgia! I’ve now got three favorite segments of Carpool with James and it’s McCartney, Adele and Bruno Mars. VERY entertaining! And James is so into it; you can tell he’s having a grand time.
Now I want McCartney’s new album, which of course is the very strategic marketing at hand but who cares, I just loved seeing him and hearing the stories. I had just seen him on that Ronnie Wood (Stones) Show on AXS-TV where Paul recounted some really good tales, one particularly funny one about him and John Lennon in the earliest days of what would be their band. We need these smiles and laughs. I had McCartney’s picture on my bedroom wall when I was a kid, a torn page out of my Tiger Beat magazine when I was still in elementary school. One of my fave memories of my late cousin, who died in a tragic car accident a couple of weeks after he graduated from high school, is him playing over and over and OVER again on his record player (we didn’t call them turntables then), “I Want To Hold Your Hand.” We couldn’t get enough of it. Over 50 years later, to think McCartney, Mick Jagger, Beach Boys (sans Wilson brothers) are still making music and touring, almost inconceivable.
Who can ever forget The Beatles on Ed Sullivan? I’ll never forget it. It was a family event. Momentous. And we lived it. We were ‘there’. So, so lucky. Younger people can’t understand that we just hadn’t heard music like it before and, wow, after you heard it once, you OWNED it.
I wasn’t THERE-there, like at the Ed Sullivan show in the theater audience. I meant watching it on our television sets in the living room. I’m sure you could’ve gone house to house in the neighborhood and everybody was watching the same thing at that moment.
We often talk about the days when there were only three networks. When something like the Beatles’ appearance occurred, you had a sense that the whole country was watching the same thing. Miss that.
Yeah, I often think about how life seemed simpler when we didn’t have so many choices. I’m behind the times and I have a friend who calls me a Luddite, AKA a dinosaur. I just feel that I have enough digital crap in my life already. But I’m really wishing I could watch The Crown on Netflix so I’ll probably cave soon…
My husband grew up in the rural middle of the country so, after even GETTING a TV, had maybe as much as three channels on the dial in total. Was diff for us in SoCalif/L.A. – – we always had three networks and four independents; and that was just with a TV antenna on the roof. Cable came much later. And we watched all the commercials as part of the entertainment whereas, now, I can’t wait to fast-forward thru them! And if you wanted to change the channel, you had to get up off the sofa and go manually do it on the TV set rather than go ‘couch potato’ with a remote. And, yeah, it’s fun to talk about this stuff with someone your own age because we all watched the same shows; there were only so many of them.
Like I just read today about retro recipes; the food our moms fixed for us in the 50s and early 60s; most of it was scratch cooking and few ingredients before processed food began (like boxed cake mixes, Kraft spaghetti and mac-cheese, etc. – – and my mom did incorporate a lot of that later on because she was just too busy trying to raise kids AND work in the family business, so it became a blend of scratch/ready-made; we got a lot of fruit Jello, that’s for sure!); also, these were the days before ‘fancier food’ came on scene for at-home cooks, such as French cooking with the beloved Julia Child, etc. – – I mean, my mom would never have attempted to make crepes or a Beef Wellington because she was frugal with ingredients (Depression-era kid) and, as said, short on time. Sometimes I miss my mom’s food so much, from my childhood, that it’s quite a yearning inside me. I never cooked, so it’s not like I can try to duplicate anything. But my dad used to do the same thing; he’d wax nostalgic over his own mom’s cornbread out on the farm. Maybe it all tastes better in our memories. But I miss it!
I’d give anything for piece of my mom’s banana cream pie. Or her rhubarb pie. I miss her.
I like tech, but I do miss the simplicity of my youth.
Yes, we saw it and loved it.
I remember Ed Sullivan and the Beatles and so, obviously, does Don. He may be the biggest Beatles fan in the world!
I had a huge crush on Paul and also had an “I love Paul” button that I wore!
I wish you still had that button!
Me too! Darn it!
Okay, we have the humidity, too! So annoying…as I type with cold, wet fingertips! (and mopping up puddles from the jar of pickles I just took out of the fridge, to make a sandwich) It’s a bad day for paper towels!
It is, indeed!
Hope researching ungluing will be successful. Do you need to remove the current flooring? You can’t just put new flooring on top? As asked by a person ignorant in all things miniature…
I have to remove the glue to make the floor level. Putting new flooring over it wouldn’t work.
The humidity levels have been unreal this summer! I regularly take a wiping cloth with me to constantly wipe my camera lens. I don’t like hiding indoors during the summer but we certainly have no choice this year. On the rare times lately when I’m outside, I’ve been waging war with our neighbor, a little red squirrel. Recently I discovered all of a sudden likes eating – EATING – the trumpet vine blooms! The other night while I stood watching and photographing a humming bird doing its thing at the flowers, the little rascal’s head popped up among the vines. While gazing steadily at me, he proceeded to pick and eat a blossom. Usually we get along fine. But this summer he’s trying my patience.
Oh, that squirrel is a scamp!
SO many of my books are like that – old friends. My favorite book to re-read is “Rebecca.” I’ve probably read all the way through 7 or 8 times. Even though it could almost be categorized as a thriller, I don’t think of it that way. Maybe because of the wonderful long stretches of descriptive narrative. And for no rational reason at all, I keep hoping that – SPOILER ALERT – somehow Manderley won’t burn down in the end. PS – I love all your little Resistance goodies – I want them too! I have an ACLU bumper sticker on my car “Dissent is patriotic…” Love that one too. Have a good week & keep as cool as you can. Peace. 🌼
I, too, love Daphne Du Maurier and Rebecca is one of my favorites! I spent the eighties reading every book she ever wrote ( and a few were clunkers!) and there are several that are worth re-reading!
I loved Rebecca – I remember reading it when I was in my teens. Lovely book!
Oh, I was partial to Frenchman’s Creek by Du Maurier! It appealed to me at a certain age and time, so many years ago. The book was always better than the film/TV versions. (As is so often the case.)
I loved it too as a teen Janet..maybe it needs to go back on my reading list again!
I will definitely put A Gentleman in Moscow on the TBR list. This summer has been unusual weather wise….too hot…too dry…too wet. I hope it settles down for everyone….especially the humidity.
I’m making progress on my to do list….hubby is away doing his volunteer stint at EAA. But…I’m also taking time to read, watch nature programs…and goof off. I’m best at the latter! ;)
I worked outside in the humidity today, like an idiot. Not for all that long, but I’m wiped out!
That’s what I should’ve been doing! Instead I checked off three things on my to do list. Some weeds and I have a date in the morning…when it’s cooler! ;)
Still so humid here and rainy! I want to do more outside but yesterday was exhausting!
The humidity has been crazy high all summer. We have always had humid days, but never so very very many of them ~ and so many days in a row! It is like opening the door to go outside and hitting a wall. I feel like I am walking through molasses. Everyone stays in their houses all day, so it is kind of like winter, but a MUCH prettier view through the window!
Went up to the Dells this morning with a friend to go to the craft mall. The ladies said they have had a busy summer because it has been so hot. Even people on vacation don’t want to spend too much time in the heat & humidity, so they have had many shoppers.
Hope you have had a nice Tuesday. Good luck on the flooring. Sounds like a good pondering issue.
That’s how it feels here, as well. Horrible!
Still haven’t figured the glue situation out. More pondering ahead.
The craft mall sounds like fun…can you be more specific as to where it is? Thanks! ;)
Sure! We come into the Dells on Hwy 12. So if you were coming from Madison, it is just before you get into the “outskirts” of the Dells. It is exit 112 I believe (off of 12). On Fern Dell Rd. There are signs. It is a large red building and on your right. It is open every day except Christmas and Easter. There is also an Antique Mall right next to it. Once you get to right before Baraboo, the “new” Hwy 12 is 65 mph all the way to the Dells now, so you don’t go through Baraboo any longer. It is a fun place to wander through and find things you don’t need! And you don’t get into or near the “strip” part of the Dells (& all the crazy tourist traffic) at all.
Thanks Chris! I see a road trip in my future! ;)
I always love hearing about the areas people are from here on Claudia’s blog so, Chris, had to look up the Dells again. Refresh my memory about it. Wiki says: “On July 13, 1936, the temperature in Wisconsin Dells reached 114 °F , the highest ever recorded in the state of Wisconsin.” This is when a crafts mall is a very good thing! What are the crafts?
Lots of metal and wood. Stuff you see at outdoor craft malls for fairs, etc. Jewelry, candles, fabric crafts, etc. I think there are about 85+ “booths” that people rent and fill with their goodies. Some we walk right by, but lots of them have good stuff. I found a fun metal stake today for in my garden, and a sweet UW birdhouse to hang in a tree!! People were starting to add Fall things to their booths, and I always go at Christmas time to find some different kinds of things for presents.
How fun! I’d go crazy with all that stuff! I can’t believe where I live that I’m surrounded by row crops and orchards and my stupid town doesn’t even have a farmer’s market.
My husband’s sitting here and I’m telling him about your mall. He knows of the Dells because he grew up in the Midwest. He said of your crafts destination, “Sounds like Sawdust.” I said, “Sawdust what?” How can I be a Calif girl and not know about this, but I was clueless. Website says: “The Sawdust Art Festival features art demonstration booths such as glassblowing, complimentary hands-on art workshops, a children’s art booth, a Ceramic Center, as well as refreshments from four outdoor cafes and a saloon, live musical entertainment and more. The Festival sets itself apart from Laguna Beach’s other summer art festivals in that it is non-juried, so it plays a vital role in supporting the careers of many local artists. The Sawdust has expanded from its beginnings as a small show on a vacant lot on PCH to a nine-week festival set in Laguna Canyon on a cool three-acre, eucalyptus grove, complete with waterfalls. The Sawdust is Southern California’s most popular summer art festival.” Runs June thru Sept. Sounds like it’s just mostly outdoors where your crafts mall is indoors; makes sense because when our weather was ever NORMAL around here (hasn’t been for awhile now!), the beach environment would be cool enough for outdoors where I know your humidity/heat can be oppressive, which drives people inside.
I have kept a lot of things from crafts fairs; it’s some of the best stuff ever. When I was in my early 20s I bought a beautiful piece of stained glass with beautiful beveling off a guy in a booth, Sunday In The Park kind of event; gorgeous aquamarines and green glass like the ocean, which is why I bought it. A lot of arts & crafts where I live are seacoast/beach-spired. At the Renaissance Faire which used to be held near Malibu, I have no idea where they hold it now (have lost track of it), I bought this hand-painted wood mermaid which is a bit-larger than Claudia’s pull toys on the wall, I don’t know what they’re called, where her tail flips up when you pull the string. I just love her, she’s all pale pink like a conch shell and soft sea green; I’ve had her since 1977.
I guess today’s virtual crafts fair is Etsy. I don’t dare get into it or I’d lose my pocketbook!
Thanks for sharing today.
The humidity has been awful. Our poor air-conditioners do not get too much rest. We try to alternate using them. Good luck with the doll house and removing the glue,if possible.
Marilyn
I know! We have ours on constantly, though we turn the downstairs AC off at night.
Awful heat and humidity here too…humidity runs at 100 degrees a lot of the time!…Speaking of Zinnias when that horrible heat spell in the 90s and 100s was going on I decided to go to the greenhouse as I desperately needed soil to finish my container planting…I saw some beautiful Zinnias there and thought about how I have always loved seeing yours so I brought some home, watered them and thought I would plant them the next evening with the others…Imagine my shock when I went out the next evening and they were all burned to a crisp…I felt like crying they were such pretty colors and those were the only plants that I found that way!….There are actually books that I have read that make me smile when I see them on the bookshelf!…Good luck with getting the glue unstuck Claudia…maybe Goo Gone?
Oh, how sad! I would have cried!
I’m thinking about Goo Gone. The smell of it makes me crazy, but I’m going to do a test patch. Thanks, Nancy.
I must have missed a photo of the rescued doll house. I’m pleased you have a new “home” project. A few years ago you inspired me to start my own. I’ve always loved miniatures. I bought from a few of the craftspeople and resources you had mentioned here and tried to replicate beloved items from my own home. It was so much fun, and I kept the budget down. But it was daunting to find an actual house. Kits were expensive and I ordered a nice one, but neither my husband nor I had the experience or tools to assemble it. :-(. He bought me some nice “wood” storage boxes which we set on their sides and they worked pretty well. I papered a couple of rooms a hung curtains and framed “paintings” and and was very pleased. However, I had foolishly forgotten my three felines whose fabled curiosity involved redecorating every night. I was constantly hunting for the bedside lamp, the basket of yarn, the over the piano mirror that kept falling down. After a few months, the entire assembly was packed away. :-(. So I am especially entertained by your wonderful rooms and houses. I look forward to your progress with this and to see what design it inspires in you. A good project for our snowy winters when you’re not out shoveling the south forty!
Cats and dollhouses are an almost impossible combination! I’ll post another photo of the dollhouse later this week. Thanks, Nora!