Watching a movie- “Unfinished Song”

Watching a movie- “Unfinished Song”

I watch a lot of movies but often not the current ones that are the BIG hit of the day. I see most of my movies at home watching them on Netflix. 

I used to go to the movie theater a lot in the past and enjoyed it but found as it became more and more expensive and the movies not much to my liking I switched to DVDs and then to streaming movies. This way I control what I see and the amount of sound I can stand. In movie theaters I found the sound level to be either far too loud or it seemed everyone whispered. Add to that the constant smell Of popcorn ( I really dislike the smell) and I decided home viewing was a better deal at least for me.

So last evening after I had made our usual cups of cocoa, I settled down and found a movie that looked like it might suit me. I have to say here many movies on Netflix do not but then I turn them off. Some movies are just awful these days!

The movie I chose was “Unfinished Song” or as I found out later called also “A song for Marion”. This is an English film about older people. Marion is played by Vanessa Redgrave., a great Actess. When the film opens. Marion is dying but she still loves to sing and has joined a choir of happy and diverse, older folk at the local Senior center. Her husband Arthur played Terence Stamp is a grumpy old guy who can't see good in anyone including his son but he loves his wife but can't seem to show it. The story continue and the choir enters a competition and through it ,relationships and problems get resolved. It is funny and sentimental at times but just a good honest movie to watch. I really enjoyed it.

Shrove Tuesday/Pancake Day

Shrove Tuesday/Pancake Day

This year we remembered Pancake Day.

Sometimes we remember a couple of days after the date and this year with all the other things going on and the crappy weather so unlike our normal Spring weather ,we might have forgotten but we didn't.

Mike prepared with the eggs, milk, lemon , butter and maple syrup. He found the old falling-apart British cook book and he was ready to go.

We rarely eat pancakes at any other time of the year and hardly ever the type found at fast food restaurants – those pile high rounds of thick spongy almost cake- like pancakes covered in jam and ice cream.

But our pancakes are truly special. Mike has finally figured out how to make enough at one time and can keep them hot so we can actually sit down together and eat the feast and enjoy good Mardi Gras conversation.

The pancakes were really good . Hot and swimming in the real maple syrup we had brought back from Canada , they were a delightful way to celebrate the day.

I did my bit. I found my old shiny beads to decorate the table.

Who knows maybe next year we'll find some masks as well.

If we remember....

The Sleeping Dictionary by Sujata Massey

The Sleeping Dictionary

An excellent  novel set in India when it was under British control. It is very readable and through it you will gain insight into the caste system and culture of India and the British domination of that land at that time.

Above all you will find the story of a young girl Pom ( her name changes about 5 times throughout the book) whose family is swept away in a flood. The book tells of her trials and tribulations in growing up.She works at becoming educated.

She survives by becoming a forced prostitute, losing a child, and eventually working for the love interest of the story, an English civil servant called Simon. During her time as librarian /housekeeper for Simon she becomes involved in the political struggle for indian independence and the tension during that time is well written.

An unusual title for a book but you find out in the book that it was the term used by European men who needed to quickly learn the Indian language and the quickest way to do it was to sleep with a young Indian girl.- A sleeping dictionary.

The author has made a very interesting web site about the book.

http://www.sujatamassey.com/sleepingdictionary.html

Daffy-Down-Dilly

Daffy-Down-Dilly

Has come to town
With a yellow petticoat
And a pretty green gown
Daffy-Down-Dilly.

At least we thought that had finally happened when the weather turned suddenly warmer and all the daffodils started to bloom. It looked like we would have a lovely show. A friend told me this is because we have had lots of freezing weather this January and February and daffodils like this and that makes them suddenly bloom when the warm weather comes.

It has unfortunately only lasted 3 days as last night we had another freeze and now most of the lovely yellow blooms are lying flat on the ground again.I hope they stand up again when the weather gets warmer again tomorrow.

Poor Daffy down dillies.

I wondered where this name had come from and found out it is from the book “Little Daffydowndilly” by Nathaniel Hawthorne , known better for his book “The Scarlet Letter”.

Lola and Stella growing up

Lola and Stella growing up

Our grand dogs are growing up fast and when I saw their photo that Chrissy had taken I just knew I had to paint them again.

 This acrylic painting was from that photo taken when they were about 5-6months old. They have almost doubled in size since then as they are now over a year old.

Grandad made the frame for the painting and we  gave them  this painting as a gift in the hope it will remind them of their beautiful pups for years to come.

A Windy day in Texas

Who Has Seen the Wind?      

BY CHRISTINA ROSSETTI

Who has seen the wind?

Neither I nor you:

But when the leaves hang trembling,

The wind is passing through.

Who has seen the wind?

Neither you nor I:

But when the trees bow down their heads,

The wind is passing by.

As Mike and I drove down Highway 35 West , one of the major freeways in Texas today you certainly could feel the wind. We were heading down from Argyle to Fort Worth for a doctor's appointment.

The sun was shining , there were blue skies with grey/blue clouds forming to the west. The temperature even early at 10 am was warm for February almost 70 degrees in fact it was too warm.I suspected a change in the weather was imminent.

We didn't notice the wind until we reached the highway which goes through a very rolling prairie type area with little in the way of trees or large buildings to shield the highway. The wind was blowing really hard and it threw the cars almost into the next lane especially as you traveled over the high overpasses.

When we got to a high point that over looks the city of Fort worth in the distance you could see what the high winds were dragging in from West Texas. There were thick yellow grey clouds of sand and dust almost making the city disappear as in a fog.

Fortunately the windy fog cloud had dissipated by the time we came out of the doctor's office it was a clear bright day again Still windy though.

Such is the weather in Texas in February.

Cold , Ice, Wind, and blazing Sun. Take your pick . It changes every day.

But don't ask for Rain. It never comes.

Gratitude

Gratitude

we are very grateful for all our pets

As I sat down this evening to write my blog I checked my email first to see if there was anything I needed to answer.

One of my good friends had passed on a video to me called gratitude.

http://www.youtube.com/embed/gXDMoiEkyuQ

This comes from one of the well known TED lecture series and this a very special one.

The photos in the video are just amazing and well worth seeing but the commentary in it makes you really understand the many things that you can be grateful for as you go through each day.

Nature in all it's glory

It opens your eyes to so much we all take for granted.

We have so much to be grateful for.

I am very grateful that my friend passed on this video to me and now I am passing it on to you.