Merry Christmas Week 2017

Some whimsy and calm before the storm. All the packages are wrapped with care awaiting squeals of little girls - Makyla is 9, Skylar is 2, Dakota is 7 months, and Abby (no doubt playing it cool) is 13.
Plenty of fun under the tree for all.  We are very fortunate to be able to overindulge at Christmas time.

Family events begin on Saturday 12/23 and carry on through the weekend.

Then back to work for me on Tuesday and a blog break until after the New Year strikes.

I wish everyone all the best for the season. Peace on Earth, Goodwill Toward ...All!

More reviews, blather, and pics in 2018. I look forward to catching up with everyone then.

Meanwhile - Merry Christmas.  Good health and good cheer.  Happy New Year, too!

Fabulous Friday - Snow

 I landed in PA on Saturday 12/9 and teensy flakes were falling. By Saturday afternoon, it was all so pretty!

 Saturday evening I looked out my Dad's kitchen window and saw a deer in the neighbor's yard.  Wow

 Sunday morning the sun shone bright and the snow glistened

So pretty.  The best part was the roads were fine and I could catch up with friends for brunch.

Now, that's a good snow - light and fluffy and melty! Plus Christmas lights looked very pretty at night - reflecting off the gleaming white.

Wacky Wednesday

 Sunday December 3rd our little writing/reading group gathered to celebrate Christmas, writing, and friendship. We enjoyed a fabulous meal cooked by Becky Thorne. We shared Christmas stories - some of our own or pieces we enjoyed from other sources. I pulled out something my mother saved from Mrs. Baldwin's Second Grade Class. Yes, I was a writer even back then.

Then we began a Christmas swap with wrapped used books that we chose to bring from our own libraries. Quite a collection that we switched, swapped, and fought over.

 Interesting that Bonnie Pemberton brought a book called Pemberton. No relation, but she said it was quite good.  I believe Peggy ended up with that one.

We were missing a few people (Stacy, Ann, and Beth), but this wacky group included
Lauren, Peggy, Bonnie, Me, plus Deb and Becky.

Naughty or Nice, it was a Word Gathering Festivity.

Monday Moment

Here's our back yard decorations.  The pergola offers a whole new dynamic.

Thanks Ray for climbing up and down the ladder.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

Book Review - Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng

Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng is HOT.  Oh yeah. From the opening line -  Everyone is Shaker Heights was talking about it that summer: how Isabelle, the last of the Richardson children, had finally gone around the bend and burned the house down -  to the last page, you will be mesmerized by this story. The characters are vivid. The writing is brilliant. And  this book “explores the weight of secrets, the nature of art and identity, and the ferocious pull of motherhood – and the danger of believing that following the rules can avert disaster.” (cover blurb)

Shaker Heights is a community that conforms. And the Richardson family is key – Tripp (football star), Lexie (smart and popular), Moody (name fits), and Izzy (non-conformist). The kids chafe at the bit to be unique but it’s not in their DNA.  Enter – Mia Warren and her daughter Pearl. Enigmatic artist and a young scholar. They rent the Richardson’s second house and become a part of the “family”.  And yet, there’s conflict. Mia does her art, but also cooks and cleans. She also encourages a fellow immigrant woman to challenge for custody of her child from a Richardson best friend. The whole area is in an uproar. Meanwhile, Pearl is best friends with Moody, but ends up dating Tripp……how’s that brotherly love going to  end? Lexie dates another guy, ends up pregnant, and uses Pearl’s name when she visits a clinic. Issues? Heck yeah. And Izzy. Oh Izzy……she’s transfixed and inspired by Mia’s photography and approach to the world.

No wonder there’s a conflagration on many levels.  Celeste Ng has written an incredibly smart book. She knows people and delves deep into the psyche.  I really liked this book and shall not give any more spoilers.  The house burned down…………..and………….

Little Fires Everywhere will be on end of year lists for 2017. It’s hot. Check it out. 

Almost Wordless Wednesday :Lori and Longwood Gardens

 Here is my baby sister, Lori, celebrating her birthday (11/25) at Longwood Gardens.
They are glorious. I've been there in the past - lovely light displays, the gardens themselves, and a wonderful fountain show.

 See what I mean?  Feeling the spirit?

The reds and yellows are apples!

Tis the season!

Book Review - Origin by Dan Brown

It’s tough to read a Dan Brown book featuring his Professor Robert Langdon, and not imagine actor Tom Hanks running around exotic locales figuring  out the mystery. The movie is already on the pages. Origin is no different.  Edmond Kirsch is a genius billionaire and futurist who is about to make a bold announcement that will stun scientists and the world. He was a student of Langdon, and claims his breakthrough will “answer a fundamental question of human existence”.

In a huge presentation, guests are immersed in a multi-media event. But chaos erupts, there’s a murder, and the “discovery teeters on the brink of being lost forever.” (cover blurb). Robert Langdon must escape the Bilbao museum with Ambra Vidal, the museum director and fiancée to the prince of Spain, heir to the throne.  Ambra was a good friend to Edmond and now worried about a conspiracy. Key religious figures are disappearing, and perhaps the Cardinal is to blame. “Navigating the dark corridors of hidden history and extreme religion, Langdon must evade a tormented enemy.” Modern art, symbols, and the usual mumbo-jumbo lead Robert Langdon to clues to uncover answers.

Origin by Dan Brown is an amusing read. It’s breezy and skimmable, a fluff thriller that throws in a lot of blather to make it sound edgy. And it should be another chance for Tom Hanks to run around exotic locales. Thank goodness, he has job security.

Movie Review - Lady Bird

Lady Bird is the first artsy movie in a while that’s been on my radar, lived up to expectations, and is worthy of Oscars. High praise. Saoirse Ronan is a formidable young actress and her portrayal of Christine “Lady Bird” is amazing. She’s  a senior who wants to leave…just leave Sacramento – ready to fly the nest – head to NYC or anywhere. So her math grades aren’t awesome and she has an attitude, but she’s very open to new experiences. Chomping at the bit. 

She’s a young lady with doting parents. The key is her mother played by Laurie Metcalf (also Oscar worthy). The mom is a nurse/counselor for a psychiatric hospital and works hard. She also puts up with and fights “Lady Bird” on many levels, but it is with care and concern. There are too many great moments to mention in this “little film”. It’s about life, day to day interactions. It’s about Lady Bird surviving Catholic school. She cares and yet bursts at the seams to not be Catholic. She’s excited about her first boyfriend (Lucas Hedges) and then is disappointed. This movie is about traversing that senior teen year when you just aren’t quite a grownup but think you are.  And meanwhile, your parent knows you aren’t a kid, but just can’t let go.

Lady Bird is a gem with so many good moments. It’s quiet even when it’s loud. It’s funny even when it’s poignant. I am gushing and could see this again in a heartbeat. Go flap your wings, remember your potential at eighteen, and see this film.

Wordless Wednesday - almost

Thanksgiving Sunday - gorgeous day at Sundance Square in Fort Worth. I met a long time friend - Trish and her husband for brunch at Yolk.. Very tasty.

We do not have many pics of the two of us. So this a rare sighting together. Long time friends - we met poolside at Lincoln Green apartments - we were reading books!

Hello...it was fate!

Happy Wednesday many years later..........

Movie Review Madness - Coco

Coco is Pixar’s Hispanic reworking of the Wizard of Oz. I have not read that anywhere, but that’s what struck me.  There’s no place like home or family is at the heart of the story. It is a lovely story and movie. The animation is gorgeous. The story is rich. The actors who voice the characters are excellent. I highly recommend this movie for ages 6 and up. Based on the audience I sat with, those kids sat still, stayed quiet, and enjoyed the flick. Any child younger – NO. Do not bring them. Get a babysitter – no, I do not care if you are trying for family bonding. That is rude for the rest of the audience.

So – Miguel wants to play music, but it is forbidden in his family. On the Day of the Dead celebration, the family salutes the ancestors but one man is cut out of all pictures. Miguel is sure it is Ernesto de la Cruz – the greatest musician ever. So he steals Ernesto’s guitar from the mausoleum and is suddenly sent to the afterworld in a transitory state.  He must get approval from an ancestor to return and be able to pursue music.  But alas there are complications. Miguel gets help from Hector who worked with Ernesto. But there’s far more to that story……spoiler alert that I will NOT divulge.

Let’s just say it’s a race against time for great –great grandmother Coco to not forget her true love. This is the key to Miguel’s future.  There’s murder, there’s death, there’s humor, and there is the theme of life and family. All truly heartwarming and of course, it ends well.  Root for Miguel. Enjoy the brilliant palette of animation.  I really loved this movie and highly recommend it.

The Day of the Dead has a whole new meaning for me……

Book Review - The Burning Girl

Claire Messud has another compelling read – The Burning Girl.  I really liked The Woman Upstairs, so when I saw she had a new book I got on the library waitlist. It was worthy being in a queue.

This is a coming of age book. Julia and Cassie have been friends forever, but the dynamics change in adolescence – friendship, goals, and actions. From the cover blurb – The Burning Girl is a complex examination of the stories we tell ourselves about youth and friendship, and straddles, expertly, childhood’s imaginary worlds and painful adult reality – crafting a true, immediate portrait of female adolescence.

The author captures the ups and downs of girls, the struggles and competition when boys enter the picture, and the issue of family. Julia’s family is solid and caring. Cassie’s changes with a new stepfather. I enjoyed this story and felt the pain and heartache of lost and found friendship, deep history and concern even when paths diverge. Claire Messud’s writing is very smooth and her characters and story flow will keep you interested. Thumbs up on The Burning Girl.