Wordless Wednesday Wow

Pictures are courtesy of my sister.  My dad is having a bumper crop of rhododendron.

(I have some movies to review and books. However, I've been floating in the pool a lot. Tough to write when swimming.)

Happy Wednesday. Almost June!

Memorial Day 2018

Memorial Day.   Remember and honor

War with its million horrors - Percy Bysshe Shelley

There never was a good war or a bad peace - Ben Franklin

Peace hath higher tests of manhood
    Than battle ever knew  -  John Greeleaf Whittier

Friday Filler Fun

Last Saturday we attended the birthday party for Skylar who turned 3 early May, and Dakota's birthday is today - age 1.

Life is good when you are wearing a birthday princess dress.

Happy Birthday!

And now happy start to Memorial Weekend - use your sunscreen, everybody.

Wednesday Wow

While I enjoyed a weekend of art museums and local theater, Ray was tramping the countryside in San Saba.  He enjoyed a visit to his aunts, did not see snakes, and took some artsy pics there.

For a brief period, the cactus are in bloom - wow!  Bursts of color

And after an all day rain on Friday, his Saturday dawned clear. Ray looked up while walking and was struck by the sky, the tree, and the composition. I am dang proud of him.  Thanks, Ray for sharing.

That's our Wednesday wow........

Book Review - Everything I Never Told You

Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng is just brilliant writing that sweeps you into a family saga. I was captivated by this story – curious, caring, and interested.

Cover blurb – “Lydia is dead. But they don’t know this yet.” What an opener of a tale about a Chinese American family living in 1970s small town Ohio. Lydia is the favorite child, and her parents are determined that she will fulfill the dreams they were unable to pursue. But that’s a lot of pressure.  When her body is found in the local lake (not a spoiler), the delicate balance act that has been keeping the Lee family together is destroyed, tumbling them into chaos.

Hannah, the second daughter, plays second string. But now she has to deal with the shadow of Lydia. What happened? And she’s her own person who misses her sister, cares about her parents, worries about her parents, and tries to make up for the huge missing link that is Lydia.  Nathan, the son, also has to grasp the gravity of Lydia dead. It’s all surreal.

Parents, Marilyn and Lee, both worked hard to overcome a “mixed” marriage.  Dealing with prejudice can take its toll too.  This book has so many layers of issues, but it does not beat you over the head as you read it. You just flat out care – you care about the parents and where they are coming from. You care about the pressures on youth these days. And there’s a sadness too. Celeste Ng captures a family in chaos and pulls the past and present together with her story. Everything I Never Told You will grab your gut and not let go.

Local Theater - Lone Star Love Potion

Support your local theater.  I enjoyed a cheap Saturday night ($22) at Onstage Bedford. The group did Lone Star Love Potion - an adult farce.  It was corny, slapsticky farce and yet had enough twists and turns to keep me interested.  The actors worked hard and gave it their all. The small theater was sold out and I was five minutes from home.  What's not to like?

Who was scheming over whom?  Who was jumping into bed with whom? Property, a potion, a will...oh, there's trouble over land, and you can bet that multiple parties are involved.  The heiress, the butler, the neighbor, and the lawyer....all might have a hand in the game.

This was silly,  amusing fun. And I was out past 10 pm on a Saturday night......big time!!!

Movie Review - Tully

Tully is part of a trifecta and is not for everyone. I personally love director Jason Reitman, writer Diablo Cody, and actor Charlize Theron.  I loved Juno, Young Adult, and now Tully proved trickier but good. Had to think, not for everyone, seriously – not for everyone, and yet well done. A couple  behind me  - the woman kept saying “ I don’t like dark movies. This is dark. It’s depressing. I don’t like this.”

I wanted to turn and say – Crap, lady – just leave!!!!  But no, I contained myself and she shut up for most of it.  Yes, you had to THINK!!!!

Charlize plays Marlo – pregnant in her 40s with two kids.  One – Jonah – is a challenge – definitely on the autism spectrum and being kicked out of his school as “quirky” in kindergarten. Not good. Husband (the ever patient and solid Ron Livingston) is working hard and giving it his best but is still clueless.  His brother (Mark Duplass) is highly successful and  he and his wife just have it all. Marlo and crew are scraping by.

So we watch her waddle, give birth, and then try to be the perfect mom for all. Can she make the cupcakes?  Can she help Jonah? Is she setting a good example for her daughter? Tough call.  The brother has offered to pay for a night nurse – a woman who will come in, help, and allow Margo to sleep, pull herself together, and be what she needs to be for the family.  Too good to be true?  Mackenzie Davis is Tully – a free spirit young lady with lots of New Age wisdom. We watch Margo relax, seemingly get her crap together, and become the mother she needs to be.

But there’s so much more to this journey.  Motherhood is hard.  Motherhood in the 40s is harder.  This movie has weird twists and turns…….you have to go with it to complete the full creation.   Like I said, it’s odd and yet it works.  Charlize Theron is just beyond fantastic – she can play dumpy and feeling awful, and then be luminescent and real and beautiful. If you see this, you will root for her.

But it’s a tough one!   Enjoy??