Hope Springs

I saw the trailer for this movie, Hope Springs, when I took myself to see "Magic Mike" and thought, "I want to see that movie."  First I love Meryl Streep and I LOVE Tommy Lee Jones.  Plus it's about a long marriage and how they work to keep it together.  So cute.

Magic Mike

This past week I've been seeing trailers for Magic Mike..... I WANT TO SEE THIS!  Forget Fifty Shades of Grey, it's Magic Mike for me.  Channing Tatum, Matthew McConaughey, need I say more!

The Descendants

I recently finished the book The Descendants by Kaui Hart Hemmings.  I thought it was a good book, sad and definitely a bit depressing but a good book.  I really wanted to get it read so that I could see the movie, which I did yesterday.  They stuck pretty close to the book, omitting stuff that would have been nonsense.  I thought George did an excellent job in the movie, for a guy who has never been married or had children, he did a good job.  What disturbed me most, on a personal level, was the wife, Liz that was in the hospital bed dying during the entire movie, deteriorating each and every time they showed her on the screen.  It brought back flashbacks of my momma in her nursing home bed, whithering away day by day.  Good job make-up guys.  What surprised me most of the afternoon was the way the movie stayed with me and I'm not sure why.  I don't think it is Oscar worthy as a best picture, although I think Clooney did an Oscar worthy performance, but it stayed with me. 

Question of the Day

The question of the day at NaBloPoMo is "If you miss the first few minutes of a movie, do you still want to watch the rest of it?"

Well, of course I watch the rest of it.  For one thing if you pay good money, which is a lot now-a-days, I'm not going to waste it by walking out of the movie, no way.  Besides you could always stay for the next showing, if you really needed to.  My favorite part of the movies is the previews.  I absolutely love the previews and if I ride with someone who makes me late, let's just say this girl is not happy.  I've seen people walk into the theatre 15-20 minutes past the "Official" time, just in time for the movie.  How do they do that.  And if it is a popular movie where the seats might be limited, more reason to be there early.  I'm a bit anal about being somewhere early I must admit.  I HATE being late for anything.  I will arrive 30 minutes early if I have to.  It's a flaw or a gift whichever you might look at it.  All I can say is that if you are with me be prepared to be there early or ON TIME!

Floors, Chairs and Movies

Not much has happened in the bathroom the past couple of weeks except the finish of the floor, shower floor and shower threshold.  For two weeks it has been DEAD and I'm about to scream, but, next week it should all be people upon people.  The cabinets and woodwork will be done, the shower walls will be installed and outside the sod will be laid so we will quit bringing red dirt inside.  Ick.

Last night I came home to these hanging, temporarily.  I wanted air chairs for my birthday in June and they just now got here.  The Hubby surprised me with them, hanging after I got home last night from the girls night out for dinner and the movie The Help. 

He's decided that he likes them so much we may have to have a couple more.  They can't stay yet because the steel awning has yet to be painted or the concrete patio stained.  Soon, very soon!

Now if you haven't read the book or seen the movie The Help, do both.  The book was awesome and the movie was great.  We laughed and shed tears during both. 

Laughter, Tiara's, Dance and Awards

The weekend is over.  It is Sunday evening and I'm quickly posting so I don't miss a day here.  It is nearly 10 pm, my bedtime and it has been a great weekend.  We spent the weekend at the cabin and Saturday was an evening with friends eating, drinking a lot of wine while watching the Miss America pageant, with our own special commentary.  Yes, you did read right, lots of wine.  I have to admit I drank a bottle, not really a good thing but I did accommodate it on my diet!  The watching a pageant show wasn't on the agenda but when the guys went outside to smoke a cigar we descended on the television to quickly turn to something else but football and found the show.  What fun we had adding our own thoughts to what was happening.

Tonight we went to see Burn The Floor after dinner at the PAC.  It was pretty awesome but I was a bit disappointed that they hyped Ashleigh and Ryan from So You Think You Can Dance and they hardly hit the stage.  They would pop onto stage and dance a few steps about 3 times and off they went.  I have to say I much preferred one guy named Igor, yummy! 

On a side note, we went to see True Grit on Thursday...Great Movie!

This and That Weekend

This weekend has been kind of a blur.  Saturday was the Alpha Rho Tau luncheon, my art group.  You know it is kind of weird that I was the youngest "member" at the meal.  There were two others, students from TU (University of Tulsa), who joined us because we gave them scholarship money to further their education, but basically I think I'm the youngest in the group.  I seem to have that happen a lot in things I get involved in.  Sometimes I can be the oldest but that doesn't happen often.  After the chit chat and yum yum we, my neighbor and paint friend (75 years old) Sheila and I headed home.  I rushed into comfy clothes to meet my dear friend C at the movie theater.  We wanted to see Burlesque.  Good movie, not great but good.  I absolutely cannot figure out how in the world Christine Aquilera has that HUGE voice.  Amazing!  Cher sang a bit too and was really good although not the best too look at anymore.  I love Stanley Tucci, her sidekick.  As C and I sat watching the previews, my favorite part of the theater experience, we noticed people, women coming in.  There were probably not less that 15 women at least over the age of 70 parading in that darkened room.  Some were even struggling the stairs but they made it and settled in for the show.  We had them above us, beside us and below us so we could hear some of the comments!  One part where the object of Miss Aquilera's affection was down to his backside showing we heard, "Oh My!"  C and I giggled and then, "That's hot!"  Oh my goodness.  That was so funny and cute too.  Definitely a people watcher kind of experience wouldn't you say. 

Yesteday, daughter B and had the open house of handmade gifts at our home.  She invited a few other crafters and for 4 hours the house was a buzz of holiday buying and selling.  She wasn't as pleased with the turnout but several of the people I invited came and bought.  I had my paintings of which none sold but I did sell many of the note cards that are made from the paintings.  It was fun but my legs and feet were in such pain from standing and milling around that I could hardly sleep last night.  Throbbing!  They are a bit better now. 

This week will be another round of hosting a dinner party with the same menu as last week.  We also have a cocktail party at a neighbors and hopefully I will get my massage and facial.  My massage therapist has been very, very ill for the past three months and so no massage for me.  Sad and achy. 

Signing off for now but don't forget the giveaway which will end on Wednesday at midnight.  Comment (with email or way of contact) and maybe post a link on your blog to enter.  This is to celebrate my 1,000 post so you have to post on it please!!!!!  HERE!!!!!

A Free Moment

I found myself yesterday with a free moment and instead of going home and drifting off on the couch I had a great thought.  I've been wanting to see the Harry Potter movie REALLY BAD and with a few hours to spare yesterday I flew to the theater to see it.  I arrived about 2:51 with the movie to start at 3 and found the parking lot almost completely empty.  YEAH!  That meant no kiddos!  My favorite part of the movies are the previews and there were no less that 10 at this movie.  I was in heaven.  I can't wait for the new Narnia movie and the Green Lantern and I think Green Hornet?!  It was kind of creepy that the only ones in the theater were men between the ages of 20-35, all with stocking caps on and a bit on the heavy side, creepy.  The one on the end aisle of my row, we were the only two, stocking cap guy guffawed at weird places and then cried when a character died.  Yes a creepy afternoon but I'm happy to have gotten to see the movie.  A dark kind of movie that really spent most of the time leading up to the final installment that I will surely see and own.

(Don't forget the giveaway...)

Splendor in the Grass

The other day I caught the old movie Splendor in the Grass with Natalie Wood and Warren Beatty and have not been able to let it go.  I absolutely love the last part where Natalie, in the character of Deanie, recites lines of the William Wordsworth poem: 

That though the radiance which was once so bright be now forever taken from my sight. Though nothing can bring back the hour of splendor in the grass, glory in the flower. We will grieve not, rather find strength in what remains behind.

You know I would like this said at my leaving this world, morbid as that sounds I just love these words and they don't seem to want to leave me this week.  It is also only a part of a very long poem with stanzas.  I find these words so beautiful and strong, don't you agree. 

One For The Money

Imagine my surprise when I was trying to remember the hot guys name from the Janet Evanovich novels about Stephanie Plum and RANGER, I Googled.  Woo Hoo...the movie, One For The Money is set to be released in 2011. 

The cast is:

Katherine Heigl ... Stephanie Plum

     My opinion - Wrong choice.  When I read the novels I only see Sandra Bullock but that is not to be.  From what I read Reese Witherspoon was also up for it.  Wrong.  Really wrong is Katherine Heigl but I have to qualify that to say I CAN NOT STAND her.  So, I'm a bit biased there.  She had better be good 'cause I will have to see the movie anyway. 

Jason O'Mara ... Morelli

     My opinion - YUMMY

Sherri Shepherd ... Lula

My Opinion - Perfect

Daniel Sunjata ... Ranger

My Opinion - Works for me

Patrick Fischler ... Vinnie Plum

John Leguizamo ... Jimmy Alpha

My Opinion - Will have to re-read the book

Debbie Reynolds ... Grandma Mazur
     My Opinion - Perfect

The Art of the Steal

You must check this independent movie out, "The Art of the Steal".  B told me about it so I watched it Thursday on the instant play on NetFlix.  Oh my goodness, for those art lovers it is very interesting.  It is a documentary about The Barnes Collection estimated to be worth over $25 Billion, yes, BILLION!  It has Cezanne, Monet, Modigliani, Picasso, Van Gogh, Renoir, Matisse, etc...  Amazing collection that was not offered to the public for viewing.  It was amassed by Albert C. Barnes, a co-developer of an early antimicrobial drug called Argyrol.  The house was located in a residential neighborhood (not unlike our Philbrook Museum in Tulsa) and became a school for artists.  Take time and watch the movie.  This is the trailer. 

 

Wild Hogs

Last night The Hubby came home after a Saturday of work at the office and at the Tulsa BBQ Challenge with a bouquet of flowers in his arms.  He hasn't done that in a while.  I fixed bacon and tomato sandwiches with tomatoes from Daddy's garden, a nice glass of wine while admiring the beautiful flowers and the evening was complete.  Since it is Saturday night TV and nothing on we decided to watch one of our Netflix movies, Wild Hogs.  He needed a comedy and it was the ticket for the evening.  He's been a bit, well a lot stressed with work so this was a nice evening. 

Friday afternoon I met a friend at the movies and saw the third installment of the Twilight movies, Eclipse.  We've seen all three together and it was a nice afternoon.  We made plans to see the new Eat, Pray, Love movie that is coming out as I'm reading the book right now.  Actually the Wild Hogs movie is kind of like we are feeling right now, tired of working too hard and ready for retirement but not quite ready in a lot of ways.  Perfect movie for us I can say.

Re: the Bucket List...my Rosetta Stone package for learning French arrived!

Rain, rain, rain

The weatherman promised scatterd showers with a let up on Sunday...well, he lied.  It rained all weekend at the cabin but that was really okay.  The Hubby and I spent much of the time watching TV, napping and staying cozy by the fire.  We have the NetFlix subscription and on of the pics we watched was "Burn After Reading."  Hey, why didn't anyone tell me that Brad Pitt had his brains splattered....ICK!!!

This morning The Hubby rolled over in bed and suggested breakfast...hmmmm...he suggested a trip to the local haunt for a breakfast out.  That was funny because I had just told Harri that eating breakfast out was my favorite meal to eat out and we never do it.  Was he eavesdropping in her cabin.  Was he a fly on the wall.  Anyway, it was yummy...

Quick snap of the hostas that are popping up and some of the flowers I planted last weekend. 

Good Saturday Morning

Good Saturday morning too all. What an absolutely beautiful morning. The Hubby and I decided to stay in town this Easter weekend 1)to dog sit the granddog, 2)to have Easter dinner with my family. Really hate to miss such an awesome day at the cabin (tomorrow rain) but that's okay. Last night I fixed a nice dinner, we shared a great bottle of wine and then spent the evening watching Slumdog Millionaire. I finished yet another baby blanket while the movie was on. I have to keep my hands busy and watching a movie is the perfect place to crochet.

My sleep last night was just full of dreams, lots of dreams. I woke up about 1:30 with a start. My heart was beating like you wouldn't believe. I dreamed I was being chased by a brown bear. There was roaring and running and screaming....AWWWWHHHHHH! Sorry, scared myself to death last night. I tried to go back to sleep but kept trying to go back to running from that stupid bear. Finally, I drifted back off and dreamed nice dreams, not sure what they were now but I didn't wake up scared again.

This morning we were up about 7:30. Got to sleep in a couple of hours. Nestled in with coffee and paper The Hubby started up the movie we began to watch last night, Letters from Iwo Jima. I think it is the opposite side of the movie we watched a few weeks ago, Flags of our Fathers. Intense movie I can tell you. So movie watching means begin another baby blanket.

Today The Hubby has left to hit the flea market and possibly go to the cabin. He can hardly stand it because it is time for the crappie to start biting. So he may or may not go and spend the night. I don't mind. I did tell him to come back before I had to leave in the morning for my Daddy's. I cannot manage to get the granddog, Mondo, into the garage to leave. He's just to big and will not budge. He will need to take Mondo back to his home and install him in his garage, which he likes. He does not like ours. We are going to have a family dinner at my Daddy's. He called me to let me know he had bought a huge ham and doesn't know what he is going to do with it. I took that as, "Please spend Easter here and eat." So I called the siblings and we are all going to show up. We will have the ham, again my famous oven roasted sweet potatoes (secret is jalapeno salt), oven roasted asparagus with red peppers, and deviled eggs. I am providing the veggies and eggs. The SIL is bring a salad and a dessert. I didn't ask Sis to do anything as she is is such a state of depression that would mean she would have to go out into the world. Ever since the heart scare she has been down the lowest I have ever seen her. They took her off her hormones and she has had the scare of her life so no wonder she is depressed. I hope the meds will kick in here pretty soon so she can get back to being the happy person she used to be.

Happy Bunny Day...

A Change of Scenery

As some that have read my blog have noticed I have changed the scenery here. I am a true Gemini as I have to change my surroundings in some way or another. I can be set in my ways and do like things not to change in a lot of areas, usually areas I have no control of but here, on this blog I DO HAVE CONTROL. So I have again changed my page. I just didn't like the old template and this one is simple but I love the colors I have chosen. Let me know what you think.

I know in my last post I said I was not going to venture out of the house, I lied. The Hubby called from the office (yes he works on weekends) and wanted to go to see The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. I found a time and so we went. The movie was for 3:25 but of course he had to make a pit stop first. We needed a new battery for the UPS system at the office for our security cameras and the place closed at 6. He came home to pick me up for the movie and the errand at 2:53 p.m. See the problem arising. I knew it. Well, we flew out to 51st & Memorial to Interstate Battery and finally left there at 3:13 for a 3:25 movie on the day after Christmas to 41st & Yale. Yeah, well we got into a bursting full parking lot at 3:24, found a parking space and then got into a massive line, in the cold to get tickets. I looked at the screen and the 3:25 start time flashed SOLD OUT. The next movie was 4:25 so we opted to go ahead and get tickets for the next one and wait. We went inside and bought popcorn and drinks and I saw that there was already a line for the movie. He was amazed. (He doesn't go to the movies much.) While in the food line the line dispersed into the theatre and we soon followed. We got good seats and sat to eat popcorn and watch the scroll ads over and over again. The Hubby decided to get up and take his jacket off but caught the lid of his Coke and pulled it right out of the chair cubby and onto the floor. #$^^#(***&##^&# Oops...Nearly the whole drink spilled on the floor. Oh well, $20 down the drain, literally. The movie finally started and we settled back. I'm not sure I like the movie. It was interesting and the special effects on yummy Brad were pretty cool, but the movie was very long. I thought they could have shortened it somewhat. Really, I don't think I would even watch it again on the TV, except to see yummy Brad again in his young stage.

The movie ended at about 7:30 so of course I was hungry. We went to Rick's American Cafe that has moved to 31st & Harvard, close to home. Nice to have a really nice restaurant close to home. I had a seafood pasta thing with mussels, shrimp, crab and scallops. I had mussels in New York the first time in October on our trip and boy still delicious. The Hubby had a huge steak, Cajun rubbed. We were stuffed. It was a nice date night with The Hubby.

Goonies

Yesterday my "friend" called and wanted to know if I was free for the evening. I was and she told me to be ready at 7 for a surprise. She arrived a few minutes after and then we spent a bit of time looking at the plans for our bathroom add-on and remodel then chatted with The Hubby about his hanging of his leg lamp party lights with his Daisy Red Rider BB gun and faux broken glasses. Then the conversation swiveled around to a couple of her children, of course.

All of a sudden she said, "We gotta go." So hopping in her car, I was taken to a destination unknown. (The whole drive there was a conversation on her third child.) A few minutes later we arrived at the movie theater. Ah...a movie. We got in line and she asked which movie I thought we were going to see. I looked at the marque and guessed Goonies. She smiled widely. The Goonies movie is one of my all time favorite movies and I have never seen it on the big screen so I was surprised it was on. The theater is running classic movies.

After the movie we had a nice 10 minute drive home talking about just stuff. When we pulled in the drive, I thought she would come in to visit or just sit in the car and talk, but she pretty much told me I needed to hop out so she could pick up her youngest at the airport. So the evening spent with my friend, which I have not had an extended conversation with since August, consisted of total conversation time of about 20 minutes, most of which was about her children.

Sorry had to get that off my chest. Although the thought about going to the movie was awesome. Am I being a petty nasty little friend. I feel like I am.
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Today we were supposed to close on the new property. We were supposed to close last Monday. Both days we have not closed on the property and I don't know if it will even happen. I think we are getting the run around and now the words "my attorney" have been tossed in the ring. The guy we have a contract with is in the middle of a divorce and the property is mortgaged, well, apparently the soon to be ex-father-in-law bought the mortgage and is dangling it over the poor guys head and is saying that the pay-off is more than was stated. EGADS....we are caught in the middle of a stupid divorce of which the in-laws are involved. The Hubby is really sad. He has been so excited about possibly moving the business there and expanding.

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Now to a very sad phone call. This morning at the office I heard my cell phone ring in the front office and B answered it. I heard her say, "Papa, what's wrong." It was my Daddy, her Papa. I rounded the doorway and saw tears welling up in B's eyes. I was terrified. It was bad but not as bad as I thought. She handed me the phone and whispered that it was Peaches, his cat. Daddy's little devil cat Peaches.

I took the phone and Daddy was crying. He just had to have her put to sleep and it was crushing him. I knew she had not been well but had no idea it was quite that bad. He was sobbing and said it was like losing Momma all over again. You see Peaches was Momma's cat, but Peaches and Daddy had bonded since Momma died and it was sort of like losing Momma again for him. Poor guy. On top of that my Daddy has never, I repeat NEVER had to make the decision of euthanizing an animal, a pet. Momma had always made that decision. Hell, in fact I had to physically take his suffering, dying dog out of his arms to have put down because he just could not do it. I feel so bad for him because now he is truly alone in that house. That cat was his company, his friend. I'm sure he is crying tonight. This has also been a blow to me. When Daddy said it was like losing Momma all over again I was immediately taken to a real low. As I have written before I'm still dealing with the loss of my Momma and my best friend Gail, along with the death of our dog in the midst of it all, nearly 3 years later. I've been trying to make a decision to see a counselor, a therapist as I'm still sad. So this morning just took me back down again.

No Country for Old Men

The Hubby and I went to see "No Country for Old Men" yesterday, a movie he has wanted to see for quite some time. It stars Tommie Lee Jones, Josh Brolin, Javier Bardem and a short stint for Woody Harrelson. Let me just say that if you have a weak stomach for blood DON'T go see it. I woke up this morning and Bardem's character was fully implanted on my mind, scary. It was a good movie, creepy but good till you get to the end of it and the whole theater went "What, that's it." It ended pretty crappy and very confusing. Josh Brolin was great and Tommie Lee was funny much of the time with his dry one-liners. Bardem was disturbing, very disturbing.

HOLD ON...The morning news just reported a shooting at the AMC 20 Southroads where we were last night...OK...an hour after we left a person was shot in the parking lot. I may not go to a movie again...uh no that won't happen.