Every time I think I should go here or there, I end up staying home. I am so, so tired and I have to listen to my body and rest. I often fall asleep sitting up on the sofa. Last night I went to bed early and slept 8 hours. I imagine it will be much the same when I go back home – several days to recover.
Anyway, I stayed home yesterday. I worked on the puzzle that I started when I first moved here and that I’ve barely had time to touch since. And I finished it!
It’s called “At the Strand” as in The Strand bookstore, a beloved shop in NYC, just south of Union Square. It’s the one bookstore I haven’t made it to this trip. Jigsaw puzzles are very zen-like for me and having the luxury of time to work on it this weekend is just what the doctor ordered. Today, I may pop over to a toy store I visited a couple of weeks ago – they have New Yorker puzzles in stock.
So far this weekend, I’ve watched movies that make me happy. I’ve watched Charade twice, How to Steal a Million (with Audrey Hepburn and Peter O’Toole), and Casablanca. Today might be You’ve Got Mail and tonight on TCM? One of my all-time favorites – Pillow Talk, with Doris Day and Rock Hudson.
Seen on a walk past a restaurant on the corner:
What the heck happened here? Sad.
You know that I brought a stack of books with me, and have purchased even more since I’ve been here. I have yet to finish one. All my visions of reading time have gone up in smoke. When I do have time, I’m just too tired to concentrate. This experience has been exhilarating, inspiring, fun and grueling. Right now, all I can remember is the ‘grueling’ part of it, but soon those memories will fade away and I will remember only the good things – and there are many, many good things.
I have to drop my laundry off today and run an errand or two here in the neighborhood. Mostly, I’m going to take it easy as I have to be on the set by 6:30 am tomorrow and it’s way up on the Upper West Side.
And so it begins again!
Stay safe.
Happy Sunday.
Sometimes we’re so tired that our bodies give us no choice but to listen to them. Wishing you a glorious, lazy Sunday in NYC.
Thank you, Linda. I ended up talking a long walk, but now I’m beat. I have to go back out in an hour or so to pick up my laundry.
Stay safe.
glad that you’ve been taking it easy during your time off before the extra-long days begin again. a puzzle sounds good. so do movies (with popcorn) … “you’ve got mail” is a favorite … as is her apartment in that movie. as is tom hanks.
same with reading. glad you found some books to enjoy when not so busy and tired.
a while back, you said don was reading the first “wallander” book by henning mankell. did he like it? i’ve read some of them and enjoyed them. hope don does, too.
hopefully there will be a happy reunion for that big toy dog and a little kid.
done a bunch of little chores around here and will finish a few more, then go spend time with members of my family today. it’s cold and windy here, but we will bundle up and go for a walk, share a meal and later go for a ride.
i will also work on finding work.
hope you have a good day and stay safe and warm.
kathy in iowa
Love that apartment.
Don didn’t finish the Wallander book, only because he wasn’t in the mood for fiction at the time. I’ll probably read it in the future.
Stay safe, Kathy.
i get that. by far and for most of my adult life, when i do read, it’s non-fiction. don’t know why, but getting into fiction is harder for me. oh well … to read just about anything is a good thing.
xo
I’m definitely a fiction girl, but I’m just too tired to concentrate.
I would caption that photo “No Dogs Allowed.” And it fits my mood of late.
I still read here every day, but don’t comment much. I’m afraid that if I let that tap drip I won’t be able to stop the deluge of despair I’ve been holding back. Needing to concentrate on the bright spots in this current reality…for surely, there are some.
hej, shanna …
glad you can see the good things. may they grow, multiply, fill up your lives and push out the despair.
if you ever want to get the hard things and tough feelings out, i am confident that you would find (as i have and do) lots of support here at mhc. and in letting it all out to God. or, if you’d ever like to tell someone you will likely never meet and who would keep things private, i’d be glad to share my number.
keep taking good care of yourself. i’ll keep praying for you, your husband and everyone else.
xo
kathy in iowa
ps, shanna …
no pressure intended … just a hug (if you want) and prayers!
kathy
Thanks, Kathy. You are such a sweetheart.
I know you are under a great deal of stress and you must feel the need to ‘keep going’ or you’ll crash emotionally.
I’m thinking of you, dear Shanna, and sending you love. If you need to vent, feel free to contact me.
love,
Claudia
Thanks, Claudia. I’m just dealing with a lot of things, as you know, but also lack of sleep, due to doggie health problems and doggie panic attacks. That just amplifies everything. But we are pushing through.
xoxoxo
Shanna, I think of you quite often, and am so glad to see your comment here today. I am sure you are exhausted. It was good to hear you are still reading. Reading is the lifeline of so many of us.
Take care, & please know that so many of us are thinking of and praying for you.
Thanks, Chris. I know we are all going through a lot right now—not just me.
Just catching up with your last couple of days, Claudia. Glad that you’re able to get some respite from your exhausting schedule. I would love to have a good browse around that bookshop.
We are just recovering from Storm Arwen which hit the north of the UK on Friday night, causing so much damage as well as snow.
Electric power has just been restored to my neighbourhood after 15 hours. My next door neighbour kindly made me a flask of coffee as she has a gas hob on her cooker, in exchange, I helped to set humane traps for the mouse that her cat had decided would be a suitable gift to bring into her bedroom in the middle of the night!
Happy Sunday
ugh.
praying for you and your neighbors, too, dee dee!
and the cat and mouse. thanks for using humane traps.
kathy in iowa
Thank you, Kathy for your kind words. I do hope that you’re able to find alternative employment soon.
thanks, dee dee … much appreciated and needed!
kathy
I’m so sorry about the storm. I saw some posts on IG showing damage to roofs.
How lovely to have a good neighbor, Dee Dee.
Stay safe!
Dee Dee, so sorry about the storm. The weather seems to be crazy everywhere. And the mouse!!!!!! You are, indeed, a wonderful friend & neighbor!!
Thanks for your kind words, Chris. You’re right about the crazy weather. As I left for work this morning, temperature was about 23 degrees, it’s gone up to 48 this evening!
We have the same favorite comfort movies!
I’m going to tuck in and watch You’ve Got Mail in a few minutes.
Stay safe, Carolyn.
So glad you are treating yourself to laundry service!
The poor lost stuffie; makes me think about the bedtime tears from the little pet owner. I hope they find it!
The woman in the puzzle looks the way I would imagine you looked in your 20s. <3
Hang in there.
I did look rather like that girl, Betsy!
Stay safe.
Claudia, it’s been weeks since I’ve commented, but I’ve read all your posts, sharing the ups and downs you’ve had. Pleased you have such exciting and challenging new experiences working on a film set. Four Blythes! I feel subconsciously pushed (in a good way) to start sewing clothes again for my daughters’ and my American Girl dolls. Sewing clothes for 18″ dolls is a LOT easier than sewing for my Blyth, who is currently wearing a 60’s hippie midi dress.
The abandoned stuffed animal looks like “Spot”, star of a series of children’s books that my daughters loved.
So sad to see it abandoned!
Stay safe, Wendy.
Wendy, I thought of Spot also!! He’s not under the bed or in the piano…he’s on those steps all by himself!!
Haha, Chris…I know which Spot book that is! My daughters loved lifting up portions of the pages to find Spot! I started a Spot quilt for one of my daughters years ago. I must dig it out and finish it. Even as an adult, she said she still wants it.
OH, it’s a wonderful puzzle!
I hope the week goes well for you, Claudia; rest when you can.
Thank you, Vicki.
Stay safe.
That’s a fabulous puzzle. I might have to order that one — I’d be very happy working that for a bit!
I loved the movies you described as some of your favorite happy movies. “How to Steal a Million” (which so many don’t even KNOW about) and “Charade” are two of my biggest faves and I have warm memories of seeing “Million” with my mom when it came out in the theatre. They were both at the peak of their physical beauty there! And the Paris locations in both — sigh…! Love “You’ve Got Mail,” “Casablanca” and “Pillow Talk” too! There are just some movies that you need to watch and feel happier.
It sounds like a good, laid back, day. You needed that.
I know! How do people not know about How to Steal a Million???
Stay safe, Jeanie.
Those days of rest came at a very good time! Do you shoot every day this week? Glad there were good movies to enjoy, and I so identify with sitting here and just dozing off. Hope you can purchase some new puzzles for the long months ahead. Have a good week and take care.
Yes, we shot Monday – Friday.
Stay safe, Chris.