Weblog 325
May 6, 2012~ 12:00 am
Just one week and one day shy of the wedding....(holy COW! I can't believe it! It seems that this year there was January.... then May!) The weather too has turned balmier and it's more like summer, but I hope our 'Marriage Monday' is a bit cooler because I tend to get cantankerous in heat. Soon, very soon we'll be on our way to Gettysburg and enjoying ourselves after the ceremony, just as the ink on the certificate is dry.
(That's supposed to be us, as represented in that brilliant Russian rendering of the 'happily ever after' part of the story 'The Firebird'. LOL!) I ADORE all those colors!
While I was browsing on Friday evening, I found a delightful site with a treasure trove of Russian enamels, toys, fairytales and porcelains. Just click on this charming doll
and see for yourself...get LOST in the vivid colors and folklore. I LOVE enamels with colors so bright they GLOW. (That reminds me....there's one store right on the square in Gettysburg called 'Codori's', and they feature a huge variety of art, jewelry and boxes from Russia. It's one of my favorite places to stop when we're down there, and I'm sure this trip will be no exception. Codori's and antique stores are such fun for me that I'm drawn like a moth to flame.
Friday evening Wayne and I spent with daughter Holly -by herself. Gary and the grandkids had gone camping for the weekend and Holly had to work, so she stayed behind with the two dogs and various other pets, so we had a good time talking. You know, when your children are grown and have children of their own, it's rare to have solo time with them- it doesn't happen often, and it's nice to 'catch up' on a more intimate level now and again.
Saturday I had a movie from Netflix, and I was anxious to see it since I'd read the book a couple of years ago and enjoyed it thoroughly. We watched
I couldn't WAIT to see Viola Davis' performance as Aibeleen, and she was terrific as the main character, but for me it was
Octavia Spencer as 'Minny' who stole the show. WHAT A FACE....what EYES that woman has! Yes, her role was saucier than character Aibileen-- she was a spitfire, alright, but Ms. Spencer was mezmerizing in everything she did onscreen. My favorite relationship in the film- unlike the book, where I was drawn most by the unfolding story of Aibileen and Skeeter -the movie's friendship between Minny and Celia Foote
captured my heart. There was such deep affection, trust and JOY between them. I have to say though, I honestly believe 'The Help' misses on the big screen by being basically a 'woman's movie'. (SHUDDER, SHUDDER) ..... and it's because the portrayal of racial tensions and inequality were somehow supplanted by a second theme of female cliquishness and cattiness. Men could not be as strongly affected by the film due to its emphasis on the hierarchal pecking order of competitive females doing their very worst at controlling one another's lives.
It was a compelling film for me to watch but honestly, I think had I been a male--- I would have been looking desperately for even ONE, FULLY DEVELOPED MALE ROLE ---and finding none. The men are cardboard props, and even the hellfire cauldron of the deep south in the midst of the turbulent early 60's was not permitted to overshadow the scornful, petty nature of a group of spoiled white women in their protected enclave of status-seeking and 'control by scorn'.
The movie is much shallower than the book. It comes across as a kind of 'Heathers' on steroids. LOL!!! (If you want to watch a REAL film about racial issues, I suggest 'To Kill A Mockingbird'.... 'Mississippi Burning', but not 'The Help'.) It's a good film but not a great one, and it's certainly tailored to a female audience. (Ask any lady out there if she can remember a time in life- usually in adolescence, when one girl group or another made all the rules and some were frozen out, and she'll say yes.) That's the MAIN theme of 'The Help' and it's too bad it didn't strive for something larger than that. Simply by giving it social context (or trying to), did not render it any bigger.
After Wayne left for the evening, I was hopeful there'd be some significant 'extras' on the DVD about the history of social upheaval at that time, but nope. There wasn't a scant trace of something more ambitious.... just 'deleted scenes' and trailers: as I said, it's a 'good movie'- but it could have shaken the house down.
'The Help' settled way too easily... it settled for 'entertaining' without having to reach too far.
May 8, 2012~ 8:15 pm
I have two work days under my belt and I'm plowing through to get as much done before the wedding and honeymoon all next week as physically possible. So far..... so good. :)
I had a lovely surprise thank you card from Bill in the mail, and it's very exciting to get a hand-written appreciation card from the Birthday Boy. It was a lovely 'masculine-looking' thank you... and that delighted me! Here's the front
and this is what he wrote INSIDE
I'd gotten Bill a couple of things from 'FAT BRAIN TOYS' online. It's a really neat online place to shop for kids! Everything ships out right away with no extra charge.
It was a happy thing to find in the mailbox after a grueling day. (Since I came home yesterday and went STRAIGHT up to bed, the heat just wilting me, today I felt in fine fettle.) I visited mum after work, THEN made a trip to Walmart to buy some decent duds. (Everything I own is from St. Vincent De Paul or some impulsively 'grabbed' Hawaiian MEN'S shirts on sale at a local drug store) so it was nice to splurge a bit.... I guess I'd have to call this my 'trousseau'. LOL!!! 5 pair of new jeans in different colors, 4 tops, 2 bras, 10 pairs of undies, 4 pairs of black socks, a pair of black, flat shoes and a pretty yellow floral nightie. (Oh! and two new FANS with METAL BLADES. NOT part of the trousseau, but I just broke two more plastic pieces of sh*t fans I'd bought at the grocery store last year. 'Wearable' or not, it's very exciting to have WORKING FANS again. And QUIET, too!) I don't know yet which pair of jeans and which top I'll wear on Monday for the wedding, but at least I'll have a choice now. LOL!!!
Oh, and today at work, who should pay a visit but the MALLARD pair who swooped down into some rather LARGE mud puddles created after our torrential rains last night and this morning, just as they did LAST year! They floated about, ducking their bills and having a grand old time. This is what they looked like
I DID snap a picture with my phone, but it came out so tiny it looked like crap. The photo above is from a nature site... but our pair could have been twins to those two. One of the fellas from work fed them the TUNA he brought for his lunch, and they LOVED it. I went out to see them twice because they made me so happy just staring at them. They swooped down low over the cars and headed straight for the mud puddle in a way that reminded me of little kids as they fly out of the house just as soon as their wading pool is filled in the summer.
The ducks stayed for an hour but my 'quacking' got the male quacking back at me, only to fly off in a huff, his mate behind him. (I guess I said something he didn't like. ) I love those two. I hope they show up again tomorrow.
***
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Just one week and one day shy of the wedding....(holy COW! I can't believe it! It seems that this year there was January.... then May!) The weather too has turned balmier and it's more like summer, but I hope our 'Marriage Monday' is a bit cooler because I tend to get cantankerous in heat. Soon, very soon we'll be on our way to Gettysburg and enjoying ourselves after the ceremony, just as the ink on the certificate is dry.
(That's supposed to be us, as represented in that brilliant Russian rendering of the 'happily ever after' part of the story 'The Firebird'. LOL!) I ADORE all those colors!
While I was browsing on Friday evening, I found a delightful site with a treasure trove of Russian enamels, toys, fairytales and porcelains. Just click on this charming doll
and see for yourself...get LOST in the vivid colors and folklore. I LOVE enamels with colors so bright they GLOW. (That reminds me....there's one store right on the square in Gettysburg called 'Codori's', and they feature a huge variety of art, jewelry and boxes from Russia. It's one of my favorite places to stop when we're down there, and I'm sure this trip will be no exception. Codori's and antique stores are such fun for me that I'm drawn like a moth to flame.
Friday evening Wayne and I spent with daughter Holly -by herself. Gary and the grandkids had gone camping for the weekend and Holly had to work, so she stayed behind with the two dogs and various other pets, so we had a good time talking. You know, when your children are grown and have children of their own, it's rare to have solo time with them- it doesn't happen often, and it's nice to 'catch up' on a more intimate level now and again.
Saturday I had a movie from Netflix, and I was anxious to see it since I'd read the book a couple of years ago and enjoyed it thoroughly. We watched
I couldn't WAIT to see Viola Davis' performance as Aibeleen, and she was terrific as the main character, but for me it was
Octavia Spencer as 'Minny' who stole the show. WHAT A FACE....what EYES that woman has! Yes, her role was saucier than character Aibileen-- she was a spitfire, alright, but Ms. Spencer was mezmerizing in everything she did onscreen. My favorite relationship in the film- unlike the book, where I was drawn most by the unfolding story of Aibileen and Skeeter -the movie's friendship between Minny and Celia Foote
captured my heart. There was such deep affection, trust and JOY between them. I have to say though, I honestly believe 'The Help' misses on the big screen by being basically a 'woman's movie'. (SHUDDER, SHUDDER) ..... and it's because the portrayal of racial tensions and inequality were somehow supplanted by a second theme of female cliquishness and cattiness. Men could not be as strongly affected by the film due to its emphasis on the hierarchal pecking order of competitive females doing their very worst at controlling one another's lives.
It was a compelling film for me to watch but honestly, I think had I been a male--- I would have been looking desperately for even ONE, FULLY DEVELOPED MALE ROLE ---and finding none. The men are cardboard props, and even the hellfire cauldron of the deep south in the midst of the turbulent early 60's was not permitted to overshadow the scornful, petty nature of a group of spoiled white women in their protected enclave of status-seeking and 'control by scorn'.
The movie is much shallower than the book. It comes across as a kind of 'Heathers' on steroids. LOL!!! (If you want to watch a REAL film about racial issues, I suggest 'To Kill A Mockingbird'.... 'Mississippi Burning', but not 'The Help'.) It's a good film but not a great one, and it's certainly tailored to a female audience. (Ask any lady out there if she can remember a time in life- usually in adolescence, when one girl group or another made all the rules and some were frozen out, and she'll say yes.) That's the MAIN theme of 'The Help' and it's too bad it didn't strive for something larger than that. Simply by giving it social context (or trying to), did not render it any bigger.
After Wayne left for the evening, I was hopeful there'd be some significant 'extras' on the DVD about the history of social upheaval at that time, but nope. There wasn't a scant trace of something more ambitious.... just 'deleted scenes' and trailers: as I said, it's a 'good movie'- but it could have shaken the house down.
'The Help' settled way too easily... it settled for 'entertaining' without having to reach too far.
May 8, 2012~ 8:15 pm
I have two work days under my belt and I'm plowing through to get as much done before the wedding and honeymoon all next week as physically possible. So far..... so good. :)
I had a lovely surprise thank you card from Bill in the mail, and it's very exciting to get a hand-written appreciation card from the Birthday Boy. It was a lovely 'masculine-looking' thank you... and that delighted me! Here's the front
I'd gotten Bill a couple of things from 'FAT BRAIN TOYS' online. It's a really neat online place to shop for kids! Everything ships out right away with no extra charge.
It was a happy thing to find in the mailbox after a grueling day. (Since I came home yesterday and went STRAIGHT up to bed, the heat just wilting me, today I felt in fine fettle.) I visited mum after work, THEN made a trip to Walmart to buy some decent duds. (Everything I own is from St. Vincent De Paul or some impulsively 'grabbed' Hawaiian MEN'S shirts on sale at a local drug store) so it was nice to splurge a bit.... I guess I'd have to call this my 'trousseau'. LOL!!! 5 pair of new jeans in different colors, 4 tops, 2 bras, 10 pairs of undies, 4 pairs of black socks, a pair of black, flat shoes and a pretty yellow floral nightie. (Oh! and two new FANS with METAL BLADES. NOT part of the trousseau, but I just broke two more plastic pieces of sh*t fans I'd bought at the grocery store last year. 'Wearable' or not, it's very exciting to have WORKING FANS again. And QUIET, too!) I don't know yet which pair of jeans and which top I'll wear on Monday for the wedding, but at least I'll have a choice now. LOL!!!
Oh, and today at work, who should pay a visit but the MALLARD pair who swooped down into some rather LARGE mud puddles created after our torrential rains last night and this morning, just as they did LAST year! They floated about, ducking their bills and having a grand old time. This is what they looked like
I DID snap a picture with my phone, but it came out so tiny it looked like crap. The photo above is from a nature site... but our pair could have been twins to those two. One of the fellas from work fed them the TUNA he brought for his lunch, and they LOVED it. I went out to see them twice because they made me so happy just staring at them. They swooped down low over the cars and headed straight for the mud puddle in a way that reminded me of little kids as they fly out of the house just as soon as their wading pool is filled in the summer.
The ducks stayed for an hour but my 'quacking' got the male quacking back at me, only to fly off in a huff, his mate behind him. (I guess I said something he didn't like. ) I love those two. I hope they show up again tomorrow.
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