A Favor
Dear friends, may I ask a favor of you?
I have ads on this blog that generate a small income for me. Small is the operative word here. You see, that income only comes when a reader clicks on this blog. It doesn’t come from an email subscription to this content or from a reader. I am thrilled that so many of you read this blog in a reader or via email and I know that each of you has your preferred method of content delivery. I’ve done my best to give you as many options as possible. But in doing so, I can also lose potential income if readers never click over to this blog.
I love writing this blog. I’d do it for free and did, for many years. But I now write and compose a post every day. I do book reviews. I try my best to provide good content. I’ve invested in a camera for better quality photos. Keeping this blog running requires a monthly financial commitment on my part.
When you get your email delivery of the day’s post or see Mockingbird Hill Cottage in your reader, could you occasionally click over to the blog itself? Like everyone else, we have our financial challenges. If you can visit the blog itself, it sure would make a difference in my income. You don’t have to click on the ads, nor would I ask you to. Just visit the blog. A simple click….easy. Thank you.
The Dollhouse
I spent several hours wallpapering the dollhouse bathroom the other day.
Oy.
It’s messy and, at times, frustrating. This particular room was not, to put it kindly, assembled as tightly as it should have been by the original owners. Sounds like real life, doesn’t it? So there are quirky things to work around.
I chose this pattern because I wanted to make more of a statement in the bathroom. It also came in aqua and that was my first choice, but I have a lot of aqua in the house already, so I went for this golden yellow.
The window and door need to be trimmed out. I’m waiting for more trim and molding to arrive in the mail. I also have a sink/vanity coming, but it’s on backorder. I don’t know how much exploring, if any, you’ve done on websites that sell miniatures but here’s something I don’t get: so many of the bathtubs and toilets available have flowers painted on them. Why? I don’t see that in mini refrigerators or stoves or kitchen cupboards. So why in the bathroom? I’m not kidding, I’ve been looking at fixtures for over a year and 90% of what I see is slightly out of proportion and flowery. When is the last time you saw flowers painted on a bathtub in real life?
Oh, and mini refrigerators: boxy, unrealistic, slightly out of proportion. Another source of frustration. I would love to see a mini refrigerator that looked like a SMEG, for example, that had the curves of a slightly retro look. I’ve seen a couple of tutorials on how to make one….but I’m not necessarily good at that sort of thing. If anyone out there has a suggestion, please pass it along!
I hope my trim pieces arrive by tomorrow…it would be nice to work on the dollhouse over the holiday. In the meantime, I just may put in a wood floor for the office/craft room/studio, which is the only room that I haven’t touched yet. I’ve got some ideas for that space.
Mixed Feelings re: Thanksgiving
It’s just us for Thanksgiving this year, as it is most years. Our families live in Florida and Michigan and Illinois and California. We debated whether we should cook a Thanksgiving meal. Yes, Thanksgiving is a time to give thanks, but we give thanks every day. I think there is a lot of undue pressure to have a big feast, spend lots of money and be surrounded by family. Not everyone has family or can be with family members at this time. Many people are alone. Many are hospitalized or in nursing homes. Many are homeless. And this year, with certain store chains having made the choice to be open on Thanksgiving, many people will find themselves having to work on what should be a holiday. (Don’t get me started.)
Holidays are lovely but, frankly, they can be too much. Too much hype, too much pressure to do what everyone else is supposedly doing, too much pressure to be with family, too much everything. I have mixed feelings about all of it. Maybe this is due to being apart from our loved ones on Thanksgiving and Christmas for so many years. Maybe it’s due to the fact that the holidays can be very hard indeed for those struggling with loneliness or addiction or depression. We have a Norman Rockwell idea of Thanksgiving and Christmas and, while no one loves Norman Rockwell more than I, I question just how real that idea is for most people.
All that being said, I know that Thanksgiving is a meaningful time for many – a time to be with family or friends, to dine together and give thanks. After deciding to not go through all the hoopla this year, yesterday found us driving around running some errands. Don suddenly said he wanted to buy some Tofurkey (the vegetarian version of turkey) and cook it on Thanksgiving. That led to a discussion of mashed potatoes and biscuits and a vegetable…..so I guess we will be having some sort of feast here at the cottage.
The weather looks to be very messy and potentially dangerous out here in the East. I think I’m glad we’ll be at home.
Happy Tuesday.
don’t forget pumpkin pie!
The thing about thanksgiving is the leftovers, Claudia…and pumpkin pie for breakfast the day after is a wonderful thing :)
If you don’t have snow yet I imagine you will soon enough…we are getting it now :)
Ah yes, I do love the leftovers, Deb. And pumpkin pie – though Don isn’t a big fan of pumpkin pie for some reason!
Hi Claudia,
When you talked about Thanksgiving and the expectations we place on the holidays it was as if you were writing to me…I so agree, especially about Christmas. Our children are in NYC and Florida and this year we will not all be together for Thanksgiving . We love cooking turkey and the trimmings, because we like them, but there will be only six of us for dinner, not 25 or 30 as in the past. Thanksgiving is still me favorite holiday. As for Christmas, I think we (women) often “do it to ourselves” …we exhaust ourselves trying to make sure everyone around us has a good Christmas, constantly ramping up the expectations. Even keeping our homes “blog-worthy” is an expectations we can choose, or not.
I forgot that you have a dollhouse and enjoyed your post about wallpapering it. I really got “into” dollhouses a few years ago and completed three of them with my sister…so much fun, and addictive once we got started. Now I just need to figure out how to display them in smaller quarters…I’ll need to either be very creative or alternate displaying them.
I’ll definitely try to click on your blog every day…and not just for the ads:-)
Happy TofuGiving,
Cheryl
I have a Greenfield dollhouse kit here, Cheryl, that I haven’t even begun to start building. And where, I wonder, will I put it?
As for the blog worthy part of Christmas decorating, despite the pressure, I do not decorate one bit until the second week of December. That’s my rule. I may have a post up next week about my Necco Slow Globe (which I’ve written about before) but that’s it until later in the month!
I hope you enjoy your Thanksgiving meal and stay safe & warm!
Thank you, Debbie. The same to you and yours.
I agree with you about the too-muchness of holidays. Expectations abound, there is pressure to be happy and to have a perfect holiday; this is a set-up for disappointment and depression. And as you say, there are many experiencing loss, grief, ill health, loneliness and holidays tend to exacerbate those hard times. I suspect that holidays have more appeal to extroverts than to introverts. I think the media and retail business are culprits here in making the hype of holidays over the top. It takes thought and determination to shape a holiday into what works for you. Another area of life where we do have choices.
Yes, I’m sure it’s due to the media and retail – the same with Christmas.
I do love that we have a choice as to how we want to celebrate a holiday. I think it takes some years before we are willing to do it ‘our’ way. Another perk of being older!
And I do come to your blog the normal way, sometimes several times a day if I come back to read comments. Makes me happy to think I can contribute to a little income for you by visiting your blog; I’ll be sure to do it often!
Good morning, Claudia. Per your 3 topics today. 1) I visit blog every day now, sometimes several times a day—you can’t stop me! It’s an addiction. 2) tell me how tall and wide the Smeg has to be and I have an idea how I can create one. 3) Am off to Hartford Thurday morning (if the weather gods permit) to be with Noble and friends there. I am making spice cake mini treats with prunes in Armanac filling. I have a good pumpkin cheescake recipe for people who don’t like pumpkin pie, like moi. Have a splendid Thanksgiving and give Miss Scout a kiss for me. Tina
Let me think about the whole Smeg idea, Tina. Please give my love to Noble. I hope you can travel there easily and without any ‘weather’ impacting your trip. xo
For me the holidays changed when we no longer had small grandchildren running about. They bring such fun into the house. My son will be flying in, so it will be the three of us. But he and I do the whole Thanksgiving thing! He loves the cooking part and has been doing the turkey himself since he was 12. Enjoy your day with Don. I always click on your site by the way. Those pennies can add up!
Thank you so much, Dottie!
I am one of the rare blog readers that doesn’t use a feeder or email. I have my blogs categorized in favourites on my Macbook Pro (I have two main ones – eclectic and knitting, and yours is in the eclectic category), then just open them in tabs.
When I first moved to Canada I found it very hard to be away during American Thanksgiving. But over the years I have to say I have grown to love Canadian Thanksgiving. It is the second Monday of October, well ahead of Christmas, and has none of the hype associated with it that the American holiday does.
I am intrigued by your dollhouse. I have wanted a dollhouse for many years. I’ll have to look through your posts about it. Do you have any tips for someone getting started? I think I would have to buy a ready made dollhouse, since there really is no space to build one at the cottage where we now live. But it would be great fun decorating it and filling it with furniture!
Ah yes, American holidays seem to have a lot of hype, don’t they?
I wrote a post called “So You Want Your Own Dollhouse” a year or so ago. Here’s the link: https://mockingbirdhillcottage.com/2011/11/so-you-want-your-own-dollhouse/
It might be a good starting point, Kristie.
Thanks for the link!
You’re welcome!
Claudia glad you decided on what to do for Thanksgiving, I am glad ours will be small this year I won’t even have to get dresses up. I had no idea you could do so much with a doll house. I am truly amazed and find myself wanting one. I will need to do some research first before buying. I love the yellow print you found and am enjoying all the photos.
Oh my goodness, Dawn, they are such fun! You would love it.
Claudia, I read your blog through blogger dashboard. I am assuming that, since I have to click over to the blog site to read the whole thing , that takes care of it. I hope that’s the right way to do it. If not, I will put your addy on my desktop and go in that way. Am I right? Good comments on Thanksgiving!
That should do it, Casey. The Blogger dashboard requires clicking over to the blog and that takes care of it. Thank you, my friend.
I didn’t realize you didn’t get the ads counted when I read you in a reader. I will always click on your blog now! Thanks for telling us! I enjoy the holidays but I always do it differently. I am not usually with family ‘on the day’ but I celebrate with them around the day. I am happy just to have time with my family when I can. Your dollhouse is looking really good!
Thank you, Linda! Celebrating them ‘around the day’ sounds very sane to me!
When you said holidays are “a time to be with family or friends, to dine together and give thanks,” I thought perhaps changing the order of expectations would make the day and, indeed, the season more pleasant. First on the list: GIVE THANKS, count your blessings, be grateful for the half-full cup. I’m not preaching, I’m reminding myself. What a wonderful life we have. Ole! Jo @ Let’s Face the Music
Absolutely first on the list. And it should be on the list every day!
Totally agree about the email feeder thing. I’ve written a similar note to my readers before and they are all very kind to click over and see me, but perhaps a reminder is due.
Great wallpaper choice.
It doesn’t hurt to remind your readers, Hope. I’ve found that some readers simply aren’t aware of it.
Good morning…!
I click onto your blog most every day. I have a routine of 3-5 blogs I visit regularly. I’m glad I’ve been doing it the preferred way, it’s so much easier to run down my bookmarked list while I have my morning coffee.
We’ll be having a small group this Thanksgiving..just my husband, our 18 year old son, and myself but we shall feast on 18 pounds of roasted turkey with all the trimmings. I look forward to making this meal, loving every step of preparation and enjoying a glass of wine while we tie up the loose ends and, magically get it all to the table. We love having plenty of turkey for sandwiches and turkey pot pie for the weekend……I’m getting hungry already :)
I tend to use bookmarks, as well, Lori. I’ve never really liked using a reader. If I subscribe to any blogs via email, I just use the email as an indication a post is up and I click on over to the blog.
Your Thanksgiving sounds like it will be wonderful. Enjoy!
Nous n’avons pas cette tradition de Thanksgiving chez nous en France.Depuis un bon moment on ne voit plus que des publicités de tous les magasins pour les jouets ,les cadeaux et la nourriture et pour moi c’est la saturation.
J’aspire à beaucoup de simplicité avec le quelque peu de famille que nous avons encore, c’est vrai qu’il faut créer de beaux souvenirs à nos petits enfants,comme ceux que nous avons, sans tout ce coup de commerce,et qui pourtant nous rendent bien nostalgiques.Quelle liberté pour moi de manger comme vous quelque chose de tout simple.
Claude
La saturation est trop pour moi aussi, Claude. Je tiens à garder les vacances simples et sans stress.
Around this time of year I’m especially glad to be Canadian and to have celebrated Thanksgiving in October. But this year, more than others, I’m irritated with the retailers. All over Canada the sales are advertising Black Friday – a purely USA day-after-Thanksgiving-phenomena. Now they are also advertising “black Friday prices all week.” Grrrrr. I applaud your plans for a simple holiday celebration with Don.
Although I use a reader, I always click into the blogs to read the posts. I like the full experience of seeing the blog with the side bars, the background, etc.
Stay warm and cozy. Have a wonderful quiet Thanksgiving.
Oh no! I was hoping Canada wouldn’t fall prey to the over- commercialization of the States!
I’m the same way you are – I like that full experience of the blog as well.
Happy Thanksgiving!
I live near Seattle and our Thanksgiving weather is supposed to be very calm and dry. We are lucky. I hate to see the northeast with such a storm brewing. I wish everyone would run out right now and get their groceries and stay home! You all could walk to a neighbors home (if you know them and they are friends) and enjoy a meal there. If you are with the one you love, what more could you ask? If you only have a glass of water and a hotdog and a good book, be thankful. Just everyone stay off the roads and out of danger!
I really love your dollhouse. The problems won’t keep you up at night like a real house would! I love the wallpaper and am rooting that you get your trims tomorrow.
We just did that. Ran out and bought groceries, got gas in the car and now we are snug at home. It’s sleeting a bit now, and this will all turn to heavy rain later in the day and tomorrow. Yuck.
Thank you for the info. about clicking over to your blog. I always thought that we had to actually click on the ad for you to get income, and I always felt a little guilty about not clicking on the ads :) Happy Thanksgiving to you, Don & Scout!
Some ads, like Google Adsense, require clicking on the ad, but the ones at the top of my sidebar from BlogHer simply require clicking on the blog. Happy Thanksgiving, Susan!
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE! The wallpaper! As you know, you will be my FIRST click every morning!! -Judy A-
Thank you, sweet Judy!
I always click on your blog, even though I receive it via email….I realize it makes a difference. I don’t think it’s realistic, or even practical anymore, to even try to emulate Norman Rockwell. It harkens back to days gone by…like our childhoods…a much simpler time. And let’s face it, we do not live in simple times! I’m happy for you that you are celebrating….even if it’s just the two of you…you are still a family! ;)
I miss that much simpler time, but alas, it is gone. And families tend to be much more spread out these days.
Carl and I always have Thanksgiving with his mom. My siblings either eat at home or go to their in laws. My parents are no longer with us. We’ve done it this way for years. But Christmas is different. We get together with my siblings on Christmas Eve night for dinner and a nice long visit at someone’s house, no gifts. We always have Christmas lunch with Carl’s mom. This year his brother and his wife and daughter have moved away so there will be four family members and a friend we’ve adopted as our own. Three years ago I had the flu and missed everything. It was a miserable holiday and I don’t care to repeat it. The Black Friday thing drives me crazy! I wouldn’t deal with those crowds if they were giving the stuff away. People have been camped out in front of a Best Buy for days. I just don’t get it.
I wouldn’t go out on Black Friday if you paid me, Janie!
Me either, Claudia! Not for any amount! Besides, I have the sneaking suspicion I’m no longer in the demographic the Black Friday advertisers are after anyways. Watch the news reports – everyone standing in line or camping out ahead of time is usually 30 or under! :>)
So glad you told us about clicking over to the blog and not just reading through the email. I will “click” from now on! :). Happy Thanksgiving to you and Don !
Oh, thank you very much, Tracy! Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.
I searched and searched also and finally found a bathroom set that had NO flowers or anything on it. Plain ole’ white. I unfortunately cannot remember where I got it though. It was an “economy” set bit I like it much better than others I’d found. Except for the really expensive ones…some of those are incredible but too pricey for me. Check on Etsy…..one lady has very cute Victorian tubs (with the faucets on the long side of the tub) that I remember liking but they were too big for my little cottage bathroom. I’m doing Santa’s Cottage but not for Santa..lol. It’s my lavender cottage. I also have the Tennyson and the Imagination House waiting for me to build, One of these days!
You can always help out at a soup kitchen on Thanksgiving. Whatever you do, enjoy the day!
I think I’ve seen some of those economy sets, Cheryl. I may have to get one, even though I won’t need the sink. I’ll also check the Victorian tubs because my bathroom is fairly large. We’ve thought about a soup kitchen and are checking into that.
Thank you Claudia for a wonderful blog! I am a new reader but already you are very inspirational to me. I redid our guest room so that I’d have a corner of it for myself. It is lovely to have the space.
I will definitely visit your blog instead of reading on the email. Appreciate the reminder.
Happy Thanksgiving.
Welcome, Julie, It’s so nice to meet you!
Have a little corner to yourself is worth it. I’m glad you did that!
Perfect is such an ugly word…. and that is what the magazines and so many blogs seem to focus on. Families are so different than they were in Norman Rockwell days gone by. We are far flung around the country and the world. I am so sad that our daughter and her husband won’t be with us this year for Christmas. They are living in India and their jobs are both at a very busy point. We have to understand. It isn’t easy, and it surely won’t be PERFECT, but even if they were here, things never ever have been perfect previously, either!! We celebrated our Thanksgiving last weekend w/ our son and DIL and the hubs sister. We are in left-over mode already and I am ready for them to be done with. It all works out. But, as we are on the couch w/ the 2 dogs on Thanksgiving Day, watching old movies ~ Christmas in Connecticut is on that eve ~ I know I will think it is pretty close to MY perfect, but far different than so many others. Good thoughts…..
I find that ‘perfect’ thing happening on quite a few blogs….I tend to stay away from them. I’d much rather hear about real life, Chris. I’m sorry you won’t be able to see your daughter and son-in-law this year but it sounds like you had a nice celebration last weekend. Christmas in Connecticut! I LOVE that movie!
Hi Claudia,
I have you saved to my favorites and click on you almost daily, sometimes twice a day. Does that work?
There are a lot of holidays that it is just the two of us. Sometimes we cook a holiday meal and sometimes not. We have gone to the movies at times but most of the time we stay home and watch movies or do puzzles. This year we are traveling to Oklahoma to our daughter’s house for Thanksgiving. Not sure what we are doing for Christmas.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Absolutely that works, Claudia. Thank you.
Safe travels to Oklahoma this year! Have a Happy Thanksgiving!
Don’t worry…I ALWAYS click onto your blog (and everyone else’s). I sometimes click on the ads too. There’s always a “Cleo” ad on yours for me. The web is watching me!!!! It knows I’ve placed another order. Enjoy your Thanksgiving. J
Funny how those ads seem to ‘know’ what we like!!
Claudia, I read your posts on bloglovin but click over to comment. Does that work to give you credit? I hope so.
It will be a quiet vegan thanksgiving here. Come on over to Arizona!!!! Cindy
Yes, that works, Cindy. Thank you so much!
Wish we could come to Arizona! I have a feeling the weather is better there than here!
I have your blog in the sidebar of my blog and click on it from there everyday. Does that count? I’m fairly computer illiterate and I’m lucky to just be able to type my blog and read other peoples, so if I need to do it differently could you explain it to me in “dummy” terms?
We’re having two of our children and their families here for Thanksgiving. Both are driving over 350 miles to be here, we live almost exactly in the middle. Long weekends like this are the only chance we have to all be together because a normal today weekend is too far to drive over 1400 miles round-trip for them to see each other. That being said, I know that many unrealistic expectations are foisted on this an other holidays by many people. I just see them as a time to be together, imperfections and all and enjoy each other as we did in the growing up years. (Only now it’s easier on me. No being the parent and disciplining and being the “bad guy”).
Blessings,
Betsy
Yes, Betsy, that counts. Thank you!
Enjoy your lovely Thanksgiving with your family Betsy. It sounds wonderful!
I receive your blog through email. In order to read the comments I need to click to your blog.
I hope this counts as a look.
My husband has to work Thanksgiving. My son and I are going to Coco’s which is in the
Aquarius Hotel in Laughlin. My husband just works down the road. We are going to get him
a takeout Thanksgiving meal. We just live across the river from Laughlin. I am sure before
the meal we will be drawn to a few penny slot machines. Like you we have no family near.
My son plans to have dinner with his girlfriend that evening. All in all I think it will be a nice
holiday. Not like the ones with close family members because they have all passed on.
Life changes but I still look forward to the holiday. Enjoy your vegan meal. I always like everything
that goes with the turkey better than the turkey. Who you are with is what counts.
That definitely counts, Olivia. Thank you.
Your Thanksgiving sounds like it will be very nice – so nice of you to take that meal to your husband, especially when he has to work! I always liked the side dishes the best, even when I ate meat.
I always click to come over from my email Claudia..do you make more money if I click on the ads also?? If so I will gladly help out that way also..love the wallpaper..We always have a traditional turkey meal because we really enjoy it..We are getting hit by the big snowstorm today too..
Yes, but you do not have to do that. I wouldn’t ask anyone to click on the ads. Only do that if you are genuinely interested in that particular ad. If you click over from your email to the blog itself….that’s perfect.
Stay warm and safe, Nancy.
Claudia – I love your new bathroom wallpaper!! Simply divine! We will do Thanksgiving with my two sisters and all of our families at my sister’s – about 45 minutes away. All of the hustle and bustle is so much fun. It’s anything but quiet.
Judy
Isn’t that wallpaper pretty, Judy? I bet you will have a wonderful time at your sister’s. I know how close you all are. Have a wonderful day, my friend.
Hi Claudia, I didn’t realize ad income was generated by the number of people visiting your blog website. Needless to say, I’ll be clicking each time a new post come up! Like to help where I can even in small ways. This time of year is a mixed bag of emotions for me so I’ve cut way back on the number of decorations and obligations I’ve commited to in years past. That has helped tremendously! Love to see what others’ do for the holidays but I no longer feel the need to join the party. Recipes and cooking ideas still get me though! Your dollhouse is what drew me to your blog in the first place so I always love seeing what is new in the house. My dear mother, who passed in 2009, has an incredible dollhouse which she left to me. I just need to figure how to transport it from Missouri to my home in Texas. She had a real gift for miniature replication and such incredible ideas for her house. I have a corner saved for it and hopefully next spring I can bring it to it’s next generation home in Texas. She and my step-Dad built it from scratch so it’s truly a labor of love. Keep up the good work! It’s just me and by husband and son for Thanksgiving but I still do a smaller version of a feast for them and everyone has to share what they are most thankful for, even if it’s something very so small that we sometimes take it for granted, but don’t acknowledge on a daily basis. Our two dogs, three cats and assorted fish complete the holiday picture. Have a peaceful and warm Thanksgiving!
Brenda
There are different kinds of ads out there, Brenda, but the one I have at the top of my sidebar generate income from hits on the blog.
That dollhouse sounds absolutely incredible, Brenda! What a priceless treasure. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving with your family.
Hi Claudia- I learned a long time ago that subscribing to receive posts is prudent for my time and reading my most loved blogs I also learned to click over directly to the blog to help facilitate earnings. I always try to do that.
I also try to leave a comment when I read too. By switching my reader to Bloglovin – I hadn’t thought about those blogs … So thanks for the reminder. Happy thanksgiving! To you , Don , and Scout!
Love hearing and reading about your dollhouse you have any great ideas! ~Pat
Thanks so much for clicking over, Pat. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!
It is just Mom and I here and we always plan something nice for holiday meals. I have learned to take some short cuts that still give us a nice meal, but without as much work. We, like you, don’t have a dishwasher either, so that is always part of the plan……easier clean up. Since Mom is getting older each year, I want to make sure I always have a nice holiday for her and for myself. One day it will just be me, and I’m going to make the time I have with her the best I can.
Glad you and Don will do something nice for yourselves. Wishing you both a lovely Thanksgiving.
You are so thoughtful, Gina – making sure your mom has a special holiday with you. You’re right, it’s so important to treasure this time together. Happy Thanksgiving, Gina.
To me, the important thing about Thanksgiving is not HOW it is celebrated, but THAT it is celebrated. And my hope for everyone is that they have someone to celebrate WITH.
PS – I use getting the MHC e-mall in my Inbox as a reminder to go visit your blog on the Web [otherwise I’d forget]. Does that count? If not, please let me know. Thanks and have a wonderful relaxing cottage Thankgiving! :>)
Yes, that counts! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving, Janet!
Norman Rockwell didn’t have Norman Rockwell holidays either; he wasn’t exactly Mr. Warm and Fuzzy.
As for Black Friday, “ce coup de commerce” indeed.
No he wasn’t!
Black Friday and me just don’t get along, Margaret!
Luv your blog so well! Very inspiring. I always read it on your site so I guess I can click on the ads there? I will try it. Our Thanksgiving will be small also…just me, hubby and son. Ann Uncle who always joined us passed away last month so the family just gets smaller. Still lots to be thankful for. No shopping on our end nor eating out that day. Those people should be able to enjoy holiday with their family. But as long as people eat out and shop, places will remain open. Society has become selfish and greedy……Anyway hope your holidays are beautiful and restful.
You don’t have to click on the ads, Marsha. Clicking on the blog itself is enough. Thank You
I’m sorry your uncle will be missing from the celebration this year. Nevertheless, I hope your day is a happy one!
I always click on your blog from my email. I do not enjoy reading blogs via email, maybe it’s my old eyes. So I’m glad I’m doing it the right way. Things are a bit different this year: my daughter has decided to stuff a turkey breast for us, so I’m looking forward to that; and she’s baking the pumpkin cheesecake. She doesn’t like pumpkin pie either, but her recipe for cheesecake is so light and wonderful. But I have to admit, left over pumpkin pie and coffee on Friday morning is the best! There’s just the three of us, so it will be a quiet day. I see you sponsor Krochet Kids, what a great organization. Actually my daughter was going to apply for an internship w/them in Africa this fall, then things went haywire in Europe and she thought it best not to. So she’ll try for Peru this coming spring. I hope she gets it as it would be a fabulous experience. Decorating the doll house sounds just like problems with our own houses! Very funny to hear you say those things.
You’re right about pumpkin pie and coffee, Annette!
I don’t know about Krochet Kids – that must be an ad showing in AdSense. They often base those ads on what you’ve been clicking on in your browser.
Hi, Claudia! I always click the blogs I visit. I have bookmarked the blogs I try to follow and visit them more or less by alphabetical order (there are a lot). Here in Argentina there is not such a thing as Thanksgiving, but I think I´d like it. As for pumpkin pie, I have never taste it. Turkey sometimes, but it´s not a popular bird here. People eat chicken or cow or sometimes lamb when want to celebrete something. Lots of cow meat.
I love what you are doing with your dollhouse. I have two dollhouses, but they are not really dollhouses. They are wooden structures that are sold as dollhouses for Barbies, but the scale is not right for Barbies. One must paint them, for they are sol unpainted. Sometimes I found something for them, but mostly I built what I can. For some reason, dollhouses were never popular here, so our mothers and grandmothers never had one. And one cannot find one in a flea market.
I hope that someday you can find a dollhouse of your very now there in Argentina. I bet you’d like pumpkin pie, Veronica! It’s pretty tasty.
I will click over to your website now that I’m in the know! We will be having 6 for dinner at our cottage on Lake Ontario. Probably under 9 inches of snow! The snow is coming down now, thick but pretty! Happy Thanksgiving to you at your cottage!
I wish it was snowing here, Barbara! It started out as snow, but now it’s sleet and will eventually turn to heavy rain. Happy Thanksgiving!
The detail in your dollhouse is amazing! I don’t know how you do all that small, detailed work. You have more patience (and fine motor skills) than I do! I hear ya on Thanksgiving. It’ll just be me, Brian, Tim, a cousin, and a lonely guy from church at my mom’s house. All our other family members are doing their own thing for various, ugly reasons and will not be joining us. And, naturally I think of two people who still should be with us at the table – my dad, who passed away 15 years ago – and my son, Phil. Yes, we have a lot to be thankful for, but sometimes the holidays are also a reminder of what we’re missing.
Yes, the holidays can be especially poignant when loved ones are no longer with us. Bittersweet.
I hope your Thanksgiving is full of love and comfort and peace, Melanie.
I love your choice of wallpaper. It has such a warm, friendly, cottage feel. I get a bit frustrated when looking for items for my dollhouse. Sometimes the size is out of proportion, or as you stated, it is hard to find the right appliance. I do enjoy browsing through the miniatures on etsy. Hopefully your trim will arrive because that would be a wonderful way to enjoy the holiday weekend.
Big Texas Hugs,
Susan and Bentley
I could spend all day looking at miniatures on Etsy, Susan! Amazing.
I remember buying a chair on Ebay and a kit to make two side chairs. The chair was was too big – completely out of scale and the chairs were too little – they looked like kids’ chairs. It can be very frustrating. Have a lovely Thanksgiving!
Claudia, your blog is one of my favorites and I read it everyday. I have never left a comment but now that I know it generates income for you, I will! I am no longer a blogger since Blogpost mysteriously deleted my blog. It was mostly about knitting as I am not a DIY’er.
I love your Doll House as well as the interesting posts about coaching and Don’s adventures!
Have a happy Thanksgiving (even without the real Turkey).
Shirley (in Georgia)
Thank you, Shirley! I’m sorry about your blog being deleted! That’s too bad. Have you thought about starting a new blog?
Happy Anniversary!
Claudia,
I read all of your blogs. I hope that generates income for you. I didn’t see andy ads and I don’t normally click on ads.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Carol
It does. You never have to click on an ad on my blog! Just visit the blog.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Hi Claudia- I too love your blog and read it daily. I always click on it because it is on my “Daily Favorites” list. I don’t know anything about readers or email subscriptions. I’m glad that helps you!
I am enjoying watching your dollhouse progress as I am a miniaturist as well. I have to share a funny story. Several years ago I found a mini bathroom that I liked at a miniature show so I bought two of them. I was then contacted by my credit card company, they had flagged the purchase as suspicious because it was a rather large amount and the vendor I bought it from had “toys” in their name and they knew I never shopped at toy stores! If they only knew how many “toys” I buy for myself!
I love the wall paper you used. Do you know off hand who it’s made by?
Unfortunately my husband feels we should have his sisters here for holidays. One of them is fine but the other one he doesn’t even want to speak to the rest of the year so to me it really spoils every holiday having her and her husband here. Ugh.
It’s 8:00 PM here in Cleveland and the snow is getting worse here so I imagine it won’t be long before it heads your way. Stay warm and have a wonderful holiday!
Don’t they know that adults love toys??
The wallpaper is made by Itsy Bitsy Minis. If you google them, you’ll find the link to the website, Kimberly, They carry a really extensive range of dollhouse wallpaper. All of the wallpaper used in the dollhouse is from them.
Hi Claudia,
Although I get your blog delivered via email, I always click over to read it. Glad you got your errands done today. I did the same thing as I have no desire to be out in the wind and rain tomorrow. Hopefully there won’t be lots of trees coming down with this weather system. Keep safe and snug in your cozy cottage.
We are safe and snug in the cottage. It’s raining now and has been all night. Happy Thanksgiving Donna!
We’ll be at home as well. DD is in Alberta, DS is in Cambodia. We live in Canada, but will have a small Thanksgiving meal US style this year. Home is where the pets are these days! The meal will not be huge or made entirely from scratch, but it will be satisfying for the two of us. Soon we;ll be packing for the Christmas holidays though… and that’s a big deal.
Enjoy your Thanksgiving meal, my friend. We will surely enjoy ours! (Scout might even get some mashed potatoes.)
My 2 sons and I have decided to do something we have always wanted to do at Thanksgiving….feed the homeless instead of cooking! Although I don’t believe anyone should have to work on this day, we will be finding a Cracker Barrel later to enjoy our time together. But I plan to give a big tip to our waitress! Have a nice Thanksgiving. And by the way, one son is 35 and the other is 29 so proud they love to help others like I do!
Good for you, Becky! The very definition of what Thanksgiving should be. Much love to you and your sons.
Still have Dad next door and 20 something son living at home. I asked what is important for Christmas — been a little less fun since Mom died, and what part of Thanksgiving meal each really likes. I bought a cooked turkey breast, am using boxed dressing, since two of them prefer it, anyway and (gasp) bought pre-made pie crusts. My guy only gets “home made” pie once or twice a year. :) Most important to me is that my family is comfortable and reasonably happy. I love our family ritual of each saying one “thankful” just before Dad asks the blessing.
The big deal day, for our family has become my Dad’s birthday. The second week of December as many of us who can, gather at his house. The tree, culled from his own lot and looking rather Charlie Brownish, may need a few more ornaments placed on it. We get to give Dad gifts and sometimes we have found something we want to give each other, though we stopped “exchanging” gifts years ago. We often pull out stuff that we have unearthed to see if anyone else can use it before we donate it — outside the family. We are way over the pressure to have a magazine picture perfect holiday. (Truth is, we have never really done that, anyway.) We prefer to focus on each other and on our blessings. Sometimes I’d like to go all glossy and maybe I will. But, for now, this works for us.
My, how wordy I have become! Happy giving thanks day!
You sound as if you have found a wonderful way to celebrate Thanksgiving and your father’s birthday. Yay for you, Aunt Lou! Happy Thanksgiving.
Thanks, Claudia! This also resolves the in-law conflict. Have a lovely day. :)
Hi, Claudia. I understand your feeling about Thanksgiving, but I think that even if I lived alone I’d have a mini-version of the feast. Thanksgiving is as much about memories of holidays past as it is today’s festivities. Thanksgiving makes me happy – especially if someone else does the dishes!
Oh, especially if someone else does the dishes! Happy Thanksgiving, Marianne.
I don’t know if you know about this company or not. http://www.miniatures.com This one of the places I buy from. They do have a catalog (nice to have a hard copy) and also have even more on their website. A forum I like is from Grenleaf Dollhouses. A lot of eye candy on it. Plus even more tips that I would never have thought of. The people on this forum are very helpful! They just finished a contest and the results are beautiful!
I hope you have a great Thanksgiving. Be careful with the weather you are about to get. Stay safe. Hugs, Teresa
I order from them all the time, Teresa. And I like having that catalogue as well – I turn the page corners down when I see something I like! I forgot about the Greeleaf Forum…I will have to go back and check it out. Thank you for reminding me about it. Happy Thanksgiving!
I click on your blog everyday. I don’t have a blog of my own, and so have all the blogs I enjoy reading daily bookmarked. I just go down the list. Funny, the blogs that I like the best – you all seems to be friends with each other. I may have to join this blogging group someday. I do like to write….
And I do love that bathroom wallpaper!
And I so agree the holidays are over the top these days. We try to keep it simple here. We only do the things we enjoy doing. Spending Thanksgiving with our two daughters, son-in-law, grandkids, and counting all of our dogs – there will be five here! Three of them are mine! I love my two grandpuppies too.
Have a nice Thanksgiving with Don and Scout!
I tend to bookmark my favorite blogs as well, Laura. It just works for me.
Yes, start a blog! Do it!
Our Thanksgiving will be simple and that suits me just fine. Happy Thanksgiving!
I meant seem not seems….LOL
xo
Since you’ve mentioned your age in a previous post, I’ve presumed that you’re not one of those women who is sensitive about such nonsense (thankfully), so in response to this post I’ll say isn’t it enlightening/nice/fun/a marvel/an epiphany/a relief to get to the age where you’re not chasing some manufactured identity and you have the freedome to realize that almost every American ritual is a lie in pursuit of corporate commerce? And that you can turn that realization into something true and meaningful for you and those dear to you?
I love this blog.
I am not sensitive about my age, Nancy. I can’t believe I’m this age, but I embrace it. And yes, to your question. It is all of those things. Shedding all that “I should do this….” or “Everybody does it this way” nonsense is very freeing!
Thank you for your wonderfully kind words!
freedom, not freedome. sorry
xo
Oh, and isn’t there a feature with most blog platforms that allows you to use a teaser paragraph instead of emailing the entire blog post?
Yes, but the feature is in the feedburner feed, I think. And maybe with the reader? I may have to do some tweaking…
I think it is in the Feedburner feed now that you mention it. Howeverrrrr, I automatically click on the link to your very pretty blog because it’s much more fun to read instead of reading the email version. Makes me feel like we’re visiting in your kitchen!
Hi Claudia,
I am happy to click away for you – please tell me if this works for you, I’m not a follower in the usual sense but I have you on my blog list on my sidebar and I click on that to bring me to your blog. Does that work or do I need to do something else?
I can totally relate to mixed feelings about the holidays having grown up in a dysfunctional household. As my Aunt put it, my father was the most self centered man she’d ever met – my therapist says a Narcissist … and I have come to realize of late that my mother was very depressed, although functional, which fed my confusion. So my parents, although ultimately good hearted people, had challenges which left them little room to connect with my brother and I. Holidays were slightly brighter thank heavens, than normal days but still marred and heavy. I’ll be sixty in January and I”m still trying to work all this out. Ever a late bloomer.
Wishing you a lovely holiday with your dear ones,
Sally
Yes, Sally, that works perfectly. We had some dysfunctional holidays as well, Sally. Maybe that’s why I am now perfectly happy with quiet, simple celebrations…
Happy Thanksgiving, my friend.
I wasn’t aware of the advertising policy so I’ve have switched you from my reader to my favorites list. I always enjoy seeing your cozy, lovely cottage, and you deserve compensation for all your work and thoughtful posts.
We too are having a two-person Thanksgiving this year, so we’re having roast duck with Chanukah-inspired sides instead of the traditional turkey dinner. This is the first time the two holidays have coincided and will not happen again for 79 THOUSAND years. I’m not Jewish, but it seemed like a great opportunity to try something different for a once-in-a-lifetime holiday. I am curious to see if we’ll find it decadent or disappointing.
Happy Thanksgivukah!
What a neat idea to combine the two! Happy Thanksgiving!
Hi! Claudia,
I am a stalking reader or closet reader (or whatever secret word we can come up with) and so I have never written to you. Yet, I feel drawn to you everyday and enjoy your posts. I will definitely click on your REAL blog page. I had no idea that it made a difference!
I am enjoying your dollhouse right now. I have built one in the past and it was so much fun! I now have 3 little granddaughters and 2 of them are now old enough to play with it and not destroy it. They are very imaginative with it and when they leave, I redecorate it in “my” style. I don’t have expensive furniture for it, but I am always on the lookout for an idea! When the Christmas miniature items at the craft store are at 75-90 percent off, I am there picking out tiny little hammers, or tiny wreaths, or even a motorcycle! I use those fancy woven bookmarks as runners and I like finding little tiny pieces of fruit when I can.
Enjoy your day and holiday weekend. You’ll have so much fun in your little house.
I love miniatures and I can tell you do, too!
Happy Thanksgiving!