Whatever Wednesday - I am Back

 I am back. Did you miss me?

Ray and I were in  Costa Rica.   Now, I am playing catch-up.

As a travel teaser, here's a red-eyed frog we saw on a night walk.  He's a little friendly fellow, not to be confused with the red poison dart frog.

More pics and descriptions to come.  Costa Rica is gorgeous. Lots of variety in the nature and regions.  From rainforest to cloud forest to volcano and finally beach - I'll be bringing you plenty of posts.

I'll also  catch up  and read your blogs.  Until then, this frog has his eyes on YOU, my friends.

Monday Moments - Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid

 1980s space program.   Anything was possible and women were finally admitted to the program.

Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid brings to life the intensity of the NASA Space shuttle program. 

Joan Goodwin has been obsessed by the stars forever.  She's admitted to the 1980 Houston's Johnson Space Center along with exceptional candidates - Hank, Griff, Lydia, Donna, and Vanessa Ford.  They all bring varying skills. 

Unlikely friends.  We watch them prepare for their first flights and learn to trust each other. Joan also finds a love she never imagined.

December 1984 - a mission changes it all (life as Joan  knows it) in an instant. 

Reid truly sets a great backdrop, offers us interesting characters, and a  very real plot line. 

What can happen beyond  the limits?    Read and find out.  

Finally Friday - Wuthering Heights movie

 Enjoyed a lunch and movie time a few weeks ago with some of my pickleball ladies.  Jason's Deli had a nice variety of soups, salad bar, and sandwiches. I went with roast beef on rye with provolone. Classic and tasty. 

Onward to Wuthering Heights starring Margot Robbie as Catherine and Jacob Elordi as Heathcliff. This is NOT your ancient Sir Lawrence Olivier version. This is a bit more heaving bosoms and innuendo. I'm not sure if Emily Bronte, the author, would approve. 

The filming and photography were gorgeous. Margot and Jacob had chemistry. He was suitably brooding and the moors were enshrouded in mist. 

My group had mixed reactions.  One cried at the end over unrequited love.  One preferred the old black and white film.  I was mixed. I would have edited it quite a bit. I'm not a prude, but there were parts that were unnecessary. 

I remember reading  the book a long, long time ago, but truly did not remember the story line.  I will say Catherine annoyed me quite a bit. Oh well, it will go to streaming soon enough. I do not think you need to pay for  the theater. I enjoyed the afternoon with the ladies and that counted for a lot. 

Happy Friday the 13th (again! remember February).  Hope you have a good weekend.  

Whatever Wednesday - The Phoebe Variations by Jane Hamilton

 Browsing new fiction at my local library and this author, Jane Hamilton, jumped out.  Such a good writer. And now her new book, The  Phoebe Variations, proved up to her  standard. 

cover blurb - Seventeen year old Phoebe Hudson was never interested in her birth family. But on the cusp of her high school graduation, her adoptive mother, Greta, insists on a visit to meet her  biological parents and siblings. The encounter is a jolt, a revelation that derails Phoebe. 

Hamilton takes us on Phoebe's journey. She runs away to her  friend Patrick's home - the Asylum. She can blend in with his thirteen siblings. This adolescent rebellion soon spirals into a whirlwind of transformation and self-discovery. 

Phoebe questions everything. Is her friend Luna really looking out  for her? What of Patrick's  brothers? Musical prodigies and they are impressed with Phoebe's piano skills.  As the variations of music calm her, the variations in her life prove to be quite a path of choices. 

I really enjoyed this book. Phoebe is a strong protagonist. She is conflicted at that age and yet growing wiser by the page. The author weaves a musical theme and there are appropriate crescendos.

p. 315  phoebe reflecting back on those days: What I wanted more than anything was for a single composition of his (Bach) to exist past the end of Earth. .... Eventually note by note new creatures would begin to understand that the universal principle, the one true principle for any world, for every world, was inside the music.  

Monday Moments - Zoom zoom

Part 3 for our DFW Car and Toy Museum adventure - Porsche

Ferrari!

Super Cars

Oldies

And throw in  some fancy campers. 

Our feet were tired but our eyes were full after this fun adventure. Thanks for riding along. 
 

Finally Friday - More Rides!

Here's Ray in a very happy place - Race Car Alley of the DFW Car and Toy Museum.  Here's part 2 of our adventures in  our own backyard - i.e. thirty minute drive.  Our visited lasted over two hours and a lot of steps.  We could easily come back and no doubt catch details we missed. 

The museum  owner loves Volkswagen

He has all kinds

Here's a land/water vehicle

Gotta love some super car spiff

zoom zoom and fly away with Pegasus

Go  support local museums!
 

Whatever Wednesday - DFW Toy and Car Museum

A random February Friday, Ray and I set out on an adventure. Over in Fort Worth, TX is the DFW Car and Toy Museum.  It opened in  April 2024 and is quite the experience.  Ron  Sturgeon, a very wealthy man, decided to put his collections on display and let folks see it for free.  It's also an event/party rental place. 

At age seventeen, Ron's father died and left him and his twin brother homeless with absolutely nothing. Ron, always a go-getter, got odd jobs, owned a junk yard that he sold for a ton of money, worked on Volkswagon Beetles (he still has his original 1965 car), and slowly prospered. Today, he gives back to the community in multiple ways and is still wheelin' and dealin'. 

I liked this Rolls Royce

Everyone should have a coffin  car

 And hey - how about a vehicle that was owned by Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead

As you can tell, this was a fun place.  More  to come in the next post.