Monday, May 15, 2017

Things That Make Me Happy




Memories of our two trips to Amsterdam. One for six months and one for a week. The tulips dominate the landscape and Dutch culture in general. We lived across the street from the main flower market and the smell of flowers was much in the air.

Two good  movies this week. NORMAN with Richard Gere playing a fixer (or would be fixer) and THEIR FINEST about the British film industry making a propaganda film to buck up spirits. I love movies about making a movies. Do you have a favorite?


Remembering all the good times we had with my mother before her death in 2009. How horrified she would be by the presidency of Donald Trump. Happy Mother's Day, Mom.
Enjoying the Letterman bio although I sure don't come away thinking much of him. It is the story of how a man with little talent was able to get those with a lot to work for him. Maybe that is a talent.

Spending Mother's Day with my son, daughter-in-law, grandson and DIL's mother plus Phil. A lovely day. 

What about you?

21 comments:

Jeff Meyerson said...

DAY FOR NIGHT
HEARTS OF THE WEST
STATE AND MAIN
ED WOOD

James Reasoner said...

SINGIN' IN THE RAIN
NICKELODEAN

Jeff Meyerson said...

Seeing Paula Vogel's INDECENT. We both thought of how much our mothers would have enjoyed it. My mother did understand Yiddish and speak a certain amount of it. Also, when she was a girl, her mother had a restaurant on the Lower East Side that was frequented by the stars of the Yiddish theater - Molly Picon, Menasha Skulnik, the Adlers.

Jeff Meyerson said...

Can't believe I forgot SINGIN' IN THE RAIN.

Also liked Bogdanovich's NICKELODEON. And of course SUNSET BOULEVARD.

Unknown said...

I like the ones James and Jeff mentioned, plus BOWFINGER.

Jeff Meyerson said...

Yes, that was surprisingly entertaining.

James Reasoner said...

There's a movie called FADE-IN that I remember enjoying, but it's been so long since I've seen it, I have no idea whether it holds up.

James Reasoner said...

Not that it's anywhere near the level of most of the others mentioned, but there's a 1933 B-Western called SCARLET RIVER that's about the making of a B-Western movie. A fairly clever script and some cameos by a few big stars of the time. Worth watching if you ever come across it.

David Cranmer said...

The Player was a great film about films and my wife and daughter make me continually happy. Oh, and I always liked that picture of you and Phil.

pattinase (abbott) said...

Scarlet River is new to me. I will look for it. We just watched THE PLAYER a few weeks ago. Tim Robbins has sort of disappeared. Or maybe not and I have just missed him. Also Cynthia Stevens.

Rick Robinson said...

I can't think of a movie, but things that make me happy?

Tomorrow is my last radiation treatment, number 40 of 40. It's been a long haul going to the hospital every weekday morning for two months, but my exit interview with the doctor this morning was very positive. Follow-up test in a month or so will reveal the success.

The garden looks wonderful, though the rainy weather continues. We may have sunn and 70s by the end of the week.

Read a great short story last night by Raoul Whitfield, "Silent House".

Steve Oerkfitz said...

The Player and Truffaut's Day For Night.

Loving the nice weather here. Supposed to be in the mid 80's by Wednesday.

Jeff Meyerson said...

Great that you reached the end at last, Rick.

Patti, the first time we went to Holland we went on a tour and one of the places we went to was a humungous warehouse where they grew tulips, an amazing number of them. I think it was somewhere near the airport. When did you live there?

Jerry House said...

What made me happy this week:

Spicey in -- wait. No. AMONG -- the bushes

Since we bought this place, we've been slowly fixing it up. We pulled out the old stained wall=-to-wall carpets, among other things and have been (again, slowly) putting down press and stick tile until we decide what sort of flooring we want to end up with. This week, our two oldest granddaughters Ceili and Amy (along with an assist by the 4-year-old) scraped down the floors of the two front rooms and began laying the tiles. Later, Jack would sneak in and lay down some tiles on his own. I have to admit the four-year-old does a much better job than the 70-year-old would.

Grandson Mark lettered in high school cross country this week. (I haven't mentioned Erin, but when I checked out Bill's post this week about Famous Actors Before They Were Famous I was startled to find that Erin is a spot-on clone for a young Christina Ricci.)

Firehouse subs has this little bit of ambrosia called a New York steamer: pastrami, corned beef brisket, provolone, deli mustard, mayo, and Italian dressing. Now That makes me happy.

Mothers Day, especially this Facebook post from our youngest daughter: "On this Mothers Day, I wonder sometimes if Kitty House ever gets tired of parenting me. seeing that I am almost 43 years old, one would think I could be self-sufficient, but I continuously need Nana's advice and support. What do you think about me buying a zoo? What do you think about this boat we are looking at? Can you get this stubborn stain out of my shirt? Can you get those flowers Jack needs for school? What should I do about this? How do I fix that? And all of that was only in the last two weeks, let alone the last year. When Nana was recently in the hospital, it drove home how much I rely on Nana. It truly takes a village to raise a family and Nana is my village.Everyone should be as fortunate to have Nana in their village." [SIDEBAR: They didn't buy the zoo, but they bought the boat; she got the flowers; and she got the stain out.]

Checking out the old pulp magazines available to read on the internet. So much great stuff there.

May all your weeks be as happy for you and Phil as this one has been for me, Patti.

James Reasoner said...

Your medical update makes me happy, Rick. Also the mention of the great Raoul Whitfield.

Jerry House said...

And Rick's news also makes me super-happy!

pattinase (abbott) said...

Great news for, Rick. Great news for James, And Jerry is always full of good news.
Yes beautiful weather indeed, Steve.

Rick Robinson said...

Wow, thank you, everyone!

Al Tucher said...
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Steve Oerkfitz said...
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Gerard Saylor said...

Late entry. My original Mother's Day plans fell through but we were able to take my wife to a local brewery restaurant. My parents are slowly but surely getting things moved out of their local apartment to move back to their Illinois house.

I've been able to get some wood molding cut and attached at the base boards.
Having the torn metal on our lawn mower welded only cost $30.