Monday, October 22, 2018

Things That Are Making Me Happy

Liked NOVEMBER ROAD a lot. Maybe not as much as THE LONG AND FARAWAY GONE though.
We got into THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE finally and it does have a lot of ideas to chew on. Continue to admire THE GOOD PLACE. It has more ideas in 20 minutes that most series have in a season.
Some nice fall days if only winter wasn't coming fast.
Celebrated Phil's birthday with our family, which was nice.
Went to friends' 60th. They eloped at nineteen. Their whole family flew in for the big day. Such a nice one at that.
The Lions beat the Dolphins in Miami!
What about you? 

14 comments:

Jeff Meyerson said...

I hate that we seem to be going straight from Summer into Winter. It was 80 into mid-October, but now we're having days (not just one) where it never gets out of the 40s. I'm take late November weather when we get to late November, but for mid-October it is way too cold and windy.

Unlike some of our friends, we still enjoy going to concerts and go see favorite singers and groups as often as we can, as long as they are playing reasonably close to us. This week it was Steely Dan, doing their annual (mostly) October "residency" at the Beacon. I think they are up to 9 shows this year and we went to one of the two AJA concerts. They start by doing that album (GAUCHO is another they are doing) start to finish, then do other stuff. We really enjoyed it.

I really liked Mary Robinette Kowal's Hugo-winning novelette "The Lady Astronaut of Mars," and then her first prequel novel about Elma York, THE CALCULATING STARS. THE FATED SKY was the sequel, basically the second half of the same story, as it picks up immediately after the first book ends. These days it is rare when I race through a book the way I used to when I was younger, but these books brought back that old feeling.

Nothing new on TV this week, though we did start the next series of the Danish DICTE and the Australian GLITCH. The most enjoyment I'm getting is probably rewatching the first series of THE WEST WING - though comparing Aaron Sorkin's fictional Bartlet administration to the real nightmare we are faced with every day is pretty depressing.

pattinase (abbott) said...

I hate to stop watching WW for that reason. It's like a different planet to hear people talk about serving the country and not themselves.

George said...

We woke up to 31 degrees outside this morning. I'm guessing my getting my snowblower tuned up was a timely move.

The Buffalo Bills continue their losing ways. The local Sport Talk Radio guys are already talking about the NFL Draft.

We had a wonderful dinner with my cousin from Boston (she travels a lot). There may be a chance she will be in New Orleans while we're visiting the Big Easy. So we may be able to meet up with her again! We have to hope the stars are aligned properly...

Steve Oerkfitz said...

I have November Road on my hold list at the library. Read Careless Love the new Peter Robinson and The Kill Jar a non fiction book about the Oakland County child killer of 1977-78. I live within 5 miles of all the abduction sites. It was never officially solved but the prime suspects are pretty obvious. Now reading the new Joe Ide IQ novel Wreckless. I enjoyed his first 2.
Surprising win for the Lions over Miami. Can't watch the playoffs. Seems like half the Boston team are ex tigers. Fall is not my favorite season. In Michigan it just seems to be overcast all the time.
I enjoyed The Haunting of Hill House although it has little to do with the book. Also liked a Netflix original movie called The Apostle.
Like Old Man and the Bank and Bad Times at the El Royale in theaters. Still have to see First Man. Didn't like A Star is Born.

pattinase (abbott) said...

Yes, it is cold here too, George. Sorry we will miss New Orleans.
I liked BAD TIMES for a while but it was way too long and it lost its quirky flavor and went with the cult leader cliches at the end. Seeing OLD MAN this weekend, I hope.

Rick Robinson said...

Both Barbara and I have colds, but got outside in our great Fall weather. Rain, badly needed, on the way tomorrow.

We watched game 7 of Dodgers - Brewers, happy with the outcome. Now on to Boston. Go, Dodgers!

The new cat has been adjusting, spending more time with us and less sleeping under the bed or in a corner. Still not the "people " cat we're hoping for, but in time... He's a good boy though, and we’re glad to have him.

I’m reading BILLY BOYLE right now, and enjoying it. It’s a WW 11 mystery.

Jeff Meyerson said...

Glad you're happy, Rick, but I can't think of two teams I'd less like to see in the World Series than these two. I generally root for the American League team, but there are exceptions - I rooted for the Giants to win all three times. But I could not support the Red Sox, even though if pressed I would certainly take them over the Dodgers.

Todd Mason said...

The kindness of friends near and far.

Jerry House said...

Celebrated my birthday early yesterday with watching the waves at the beach and with lunch at a local restaurant with the family. Good food, good people, diet blown.

Mark is doing well at college. He's managed to sneak his new ball python into his dormitory. One of his three roommates found out about the snake when he found a mouse (the snake's dinner) in the refrigerator. The other two are clueless.

Mark is woefully unprepared for the upcoming Pensacola Marathon in a few weeks -- a combination of blistering September heat, Hurricane Michael's visit this month, and the general hassle of starting college severely cut into his practicing for the event. He did really well in the marathon when he ran it before two years ago (17 overall and 2nd in his age group); this time his goals are less modest: 1) finish the race, and 2) don't be hospitalized.

The house is officially on the market as of today and should sell fast. Now all we need is a place to move to. I donated well over a hundred banker's boxes of books to charity because they just won't fit into wherever we end up, and handling and sorting the books did a number on my back, knees, and ankles -- none of which were in prime shape to begin with. It's sad to part with so many good books, but **sigh**

Erin's band won the last competition they entered. Woot! to the Gulf Breeze High School Sound Wave!

Jessie is doing great and will start her radiation treatments tomorrow. Hoping for continued good results.

Really enjoyed THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE up until the last episode which we felt was mawkish and not deserving of what had gone before. Started the third episode of DAREDEVIL.

The weather is beautiful, as is both my wife and my life. Happiness abounds here and, I sincerely hope, at Chateau Abbott.

pattinase (abbott) said...

Happy Birthday, Jerry!
Feel better soon, Rick and Barbara!

Gerard Saylor said...

Glad to say my sons's all three fall sports are over with. In a couple weeks I'll be wishing they had something else to do. Boy #1 got to go on the podium at the last mountain bike race of the season because the team was 5th in league standings.

Went to the new local brewery for a beer with my wife on Saturday. Looking forward to a Halloween party this weekend and a Scout camp out.

pattinase (abbott) said...

Boy, it's been years since I went to a Halloween party. Do give you an idea I went as Rhoda on Mary Tyler Moore.

Rick Robinson said...

Me too, Patti. We don't even turn on the porch light and give out candy any more. Three years ago we had only 6 kids, two years ago just 1 and last year zero. So why bother? Of course, being on a short, steep dead end street is part of the reason.

As for Halloween parties, I think it's been since high school.

Gerard Saylor said...

Our friends who host the Halloween party pick a theme every year. They are the same people who opened a small brewery and will host the party at the business. I'd hate having to prepare my home for 40 or more people. I'd not have the space anyway.

I know some people who will get a few hundred kids for trick-or-treat. One of them kept stats and shared his resulting chart of people per half hour. He's an engineer so he enjoys doing nonsense like that.

A short, steep, dead end street is fitting for Halloween but not for candy.