Whatever Wednesday - Costa Rica Cathedral

San Jose, Costa Rica - a very old church founded in the 1600s - The Lady of the Angels.  This is the most recent iteration. Gorgeous

Stunning woodwork

Very spiritual

I love a dome

 Clear blue skies as a cross backdrop

Monday Magic of Costa Rica

Greetings and Happy Spring.   I am back indeed and now reliving the magic of Costa Rica by presenting you with a selection of scenery. 

Let's visit the Arenal Volcano region first.  We walked on the black volcanic ash sand, and saw huge boulders that were spewed by the power.  Last eruption was 1968. 
 

Some gorgeous flowers 

Ray's hand is contrast to the size of that leaf

More views

Stunning clouds. This was as close as allowed for the actual rim. 

Stay tuned - plenty more on the way

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. 

Monday Moments - Dave Barry: Class Clown

 I always liked  reading a Dave Barry column. He was proud of being a wise ass and always had a skewed way of looking at the world. This memoir  Dave Barry: Class Clown is quite humorous as he regales us with childhood shenanigans, high school class clown, and then a journalism career in Pennsylvania, which detoured into humor via the Miami Herald. 

He's a member of a literary rock band with Stephen King, et al.   As the son of Midwesterners, he learned a most important lesson: Never take anything too seriously, especially yourself. This laughter filled book is proof that he learned that lesson well. (cover blurb)

It's hard to give an example here of his humor because it's kind of the whole flow of stories he is telling. But his last column began: There comes a time in the life of every writer when he asks himself - as Shakespeare, Tolstoy, and Hemingway all surely asked themselves - if he has any booger jokes left in  him. 

I want  to stop before I join the hordes of people who think I used to be funnier. 

This memoir, Dave at age 77, still has the laughs and self deprecation.  It's worth a look and a chuckle. 

Finally Friday - Remember Game of Thrones?

Remember the Red Wedding episode of Game of Thrones?  Here's some of the setting and costumes. 

The Arlington Museum of Art has a very large show featuring all things GOT.  Costumes, swords, film clips.  It goes deep with each family and kingdom.  If it comes to your town, I recommend visiting the exhibits. 

Not the real Iron Throne, but kinda  cool

 Brutal show, brutal world.  

It was fun to peruse the exhibits and remember.  

Whatever Wednesday - Zosia Mamet's Essays

 It's  challenging growing up in show business. Zosia Mamet's Essays - Does  This Make Me Funny? is  a mixture of  humorous memoir incidents, bittersweet memories, hilarious observations, and some very truthful slightly sad, frankly scary confessions. 

Father - David  Mamet

Mother - Lindsay Crouse

Quite a formidable background, she grew up backstage at theaters as her mother worked. Zosia calls herself a nepo baby lite. Her big break was as Shoshanna on Girls. 

Her essays vary - navigating body issues, plenty of self loathing, wasted days and nights partying in Hollywood.  She writes of her years as a young adult pining for acceptance and love, her first attempts as an actor, what it means to  be a girl in the  world, and how to define yourself amid  the bustle of show business.  (cover blurb)

Zosia is very, very funny. Her story-telling is impeccable. She writes of a world I can't comprehend, and at times it's as if she steps back and says, "now this is bonkers".  Very self deprecating and quite brave.  I knew her name, but wasn't terribly familiar with her work. I may seek it  out to watch. I think she'd be a fun person at a luncheon, and it seems as if she's  in a good  place now - married, older, more  confident, and healthier.  

Thumbs up on  a quick read. I laughed out loud at times. 

Monday Moments - Year of the Horse and Post Olympic chat

I'm late wishing you all a Happy Lunar New Year.    2026 is the Chinese Year of the Horse

Cool  looking symbol. 

So, it  began last Tuesday and I'm  still waiting for some momentum.  Ha!

Actually, I've been very busy sitting on my butt and watching Winter Olympics. Thank goodness that is now  over and our television is off.  The  Olympics are addictive and I'm rooting for everyone.  Plus the winter sports are so  exotic - like nothing I can do or will ever try.  At any time, it's as if someone could die - fall off a mountain, leap and spin a zillion times, sharp  blades on ones feet, pointy  poles flailing about.  And how about  that cross country ski run that a dog joined - except that dog looked like a wolf and probably had folks going a bit faster, as in fleeing for your life. 

Whew!  Milan Cortina looked wonderful - gorgeous mountain scenery, crisp white snow, Stanley Tucci slurping pasta, Snoop Dogg with his unique observations. Hooray for the Italian athletes - they enjoyed  home field advantage and had a good medal haul.  Congrats to  all of  the athletes - win or lose, they are Olympians with mad skills, youthful exuberance, and incredible spirit.  Ciao!

Hope everyone has a little bit of Fire Horse in  them - Cheers. 
 

Finally Friday - Who Me?

 You know you needed a  Myles  moment.    Who  me?  What am I going to do?   Am I in trouble? 

Do I manage to make  the landing?   I'm on the move!!

Look at this stinker.  

My Nana Crowther would get such a kick out of this cutie.  Her saying was 'Snicklefritz"   Is that a word?   It was in our family. 

10 months old and filled with joy.  I love this little guy from afar.  He just exudes joy

let's make his future worthwhile....okay???

Have a super good weekend and find joy

Whatever Wednesday - Polar Plunge

Saturday February 7th was the YMCA Polar Plunge.  Yes, I paid the YMCA to jump into the outdoor pool. It was for a good cause and I got a very nice long sleeve shirt. 

Some water aerobics friends came too.  Those with pants did not plunge

Debbie, Claudia, me, Angie, and Ealane

Yes, I chose a minion cap for the fashion statement.  It was a balmy 55 or so  outside, but sunny and no wind. 

One of the lifeguards, Christine, had on her Frosty hat

 Proof I got in the pool  I did not jump. I walked in there and then over to the other steps.  

Then I went down the  water slide twice with an inner tube

Crazy,  huh?   It was invigorating and fun. 

Now back to INDOOR water aerobics

Monday Moments - President's Day

Today we celebrate venerated Presidents.  Those that promoted democracy, looked for the best in the American people. Truly believed in hope, dreams, and with liberty and justice for all

Somehow LOVE has to win out.  Throw in some RESPECT too

and Cheers to mattress sales!
 

Finally Friday - Valentine's Weekend

Happy Valentine's Weekend.  I hope everyone enjoys a nice one with family or friends. Or just treat yourself, or a pet.  Cherish a moment - whether on a walk, in a library, brushing your teeth. 

Comment to a blog friend - a nifty way to be in touch around the world. Hey, everybody - Big Hug

Mmmm, chocolate!

Ray's my Valentine.  Cheers,  love!