Weapons was an unusual movie, not what I expected until the last thirty minutes, which were terrifying. Much funnier than I expected--for a while.
Sorry that PLURIBUS (Apple) is ending its first season this week. I really related to the central character. Just started a TV version of Anne of Green Gables. I have never read or seen it before. Off the Poirot kick. They run together after a while. I am enjoying Tony Shaloub's show on bread (HBO). Still rewatching MAD MEN. No doubt for me it was the best show ever penned for TV.
Hey, Kevin is taking me out to lunch today. What a great present.
Reading The Correspondent by Virginia Evans I don't usually like epistolary books so it may not work.
What about you? Done your holiday shopping?
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Holiday shopping? Ptah! It was done before Thanksgiving. Now, holiday wrapping... I mentioned last week that I planned to it that Monday, and I did, sort of. With Christina's Christmas village taking up all the table in the house (as well as two in storage in the garage) and with using the floor to wrap is never a good idea for someone of my age and back, I resorted to using my bed to do the wrapping. (My secret to wrapping presents is to use one part wrapping paper to twelve parts tape and the hell with pretty.) I wrapped all the presents, kind of. The problem with doing all your Christmas shopping early is that you may be bopping around a store and ce across an item that screams, "I'm a perfect gift for [fill in the blank]!" Eventually you end up with extra presents for everyone. Not a major deal. But when some of those extra presents are signed copies of a fantasy book for each of your three granddaughters, one should stop to think before wrapping them, rather than after. Wait. Didn't the author personally inscribe each book for each individually granddaughter? The you have to unwrap the present and check. Yep. Amy's book went to Erin, and the one signed "To Erin" went to Kaylee, and Kaylee;s book went to Amy. This also involves re-wrapping the presents and "the hell with pretty" philosophy of wrapping is magnified tenfold. Also, later that day, I found and extra -- unwrapped -- present hidden under my pillow (Reason #2 why wrapping on a bed is not a good idea.). Now, who the hell did I buy that one for? No idea and I'm not going to unwrap all the presents to find out. I'll just wait until Christmas day when all the presents are unwrapped and in full view and I realize who is missing a present and I'll reach behind me and magically pull it out, saying "Ta-da!"
Also, this is the week when I discovered that I am a scofflaw. I was pulled over Saturday in a random traffic stop and the cop looked at me strangely after I gave him my license and registration. He put the registration in front of my nose (he would not let go of it), and said, "Do you see the date?" I didn't, because the type was smaller than what my eyes could handle, so he pointed it out to me: It turns out that I have been driving an unregistered car. FOR THE PAST FIFTEEN MONTHS! I'm pretty good with keeping up with all of my civic responsibilities so I was confused. Don't they usually notify you when the registration is due to be renewed? I asked. Sometimes, he replied. That's when I realized that this was Florida and nothing should be taken for granted. He told me the state usually allows a couple of months leeway but, after that, it could mean big trouble. But he was kind, gave me a warning ticket, and now I will have to spend several hours waiting in line at the Department of Motor Vehicles later today.
This Tuesday we are evidently making gingerbread houses. My gingerbread house-making skills equal those of my present wrapping. I'm looking forward to seeing what my gingerbread hovel will look like. Also, probably on Tuesday, we will be picking the book for the first Erin's Family Book club read. Everyone gets to pick two books and the one we will read will then be randomly selected by computer. I'll post our choices and the final selection on my blog.
More to come.
Back again.
I made a mistake when I reported that Mark has a new black widow spider. It's actually a baby tarantula. If I don't find my flamethrower it should grow up to be about six inches across and soon start eating small children. Also Mark has started his venomous snake training required by his work. This should be a piece of cake because he has already had experience handling every type of venomous snake to be found in Florida. (There are six of them, I believe, not counting our governor.) Also on the animal front, Sage the cat
mistook the new bathroom mat for a litter box on the very day we bought it. Sage is eleven and may possibly be forgiven for the error. Mark discovered the accident and immediately threw out the mat. Now the bathroom has a newer, less soft and plushy bathroom mat. Walt spent Sunday taking apart, cleaning, and reassembling the large enclosure (6' by 2' by 4') for Ben the bearded dragon. Duncan keeps sneaking into my room to sleep on my pillow. NewerCat Rose still avoids me (and almost everyone else) like the plague.
I watch the latest Knives Out film and enjoyed it. I'm almost tolerating Dniel Craig's atrocious-to-me accent.
On the reading front, I read the latest Pentecost and Parker novel from
Stephen Spotswood, DEAD IN THE FRAME, a direct follow=up to the previous entry. I also read two books from John Creasy: BLOOD RED (original title RED EYE FOR THE BARON as by "Anthiony Morton"), a muddled, entertaining mess featuring John Mannering (and my FFB this week), and GIDEON'S MEN (by "J. J. Marric"), a tightly plotted, well-written nvel pulling together many threads, and further evidence why George Gideon is my favorite Creasey character. There's about 20 more Creaseys waiting for me somewhere on Mount TBR and I'll probably get to them more sooner than later. I also read Jack Seabrook's 1993 study MARTIANS AND MISOPLACED CLUES: THE LIFE ANW ORK OF FREDRIC BROWN, an exhaustive, detailed look at Brown's novels, short stories, and poetry; I'm not sure whether this has ever been superseded by another critique of Brown; I should check that out.
Enjoy your lunch with Kevin. As grandkids go, I think he's a keeper. Have a great holiday, Patti, and stay safe.
Patrick flies in tonight, Katie flies in tomorrow night. Diane has done all the Christmas shopping and she'll be wrapping today.
Hope the Holidays are fun for everyone! Stay safe!
I love it that Kevin is taking you out to lunch, Patti. I hope you have a great time. I've not seen Pluribus, but I've heard it's good. And I'm glad you're enjoying your re-watch of Mad Men.
I do like epistolary novels, so I liked THE CORRESPONDENT.
Jackie doesn't love PLURIBUS but I like it a lot. Granted, episode 4 wasn't the best. Will finish BLUE LIGHTS this week. Very good, very intense show.
Watching THE ASSASSIN on AMC+. Keeley Hawes (who is always working, it seems) is a retired assassin who goes on the run with her estranged son (Freddie Highmore) when someone from her past (apparently) comes to kill her. Set in Greece, Albania and France, so far. Keeps your attention.
We finished series 4 of PERNILLE (Netflix), with one series to go. Her kids are still pretty awful to her much of the time, and she is OK with that. The last series (5) of BREAKING BAD gets darker and darker. Walter White is no hero. Jackie is watching two episodes of SUITS a day.
We're watching the first (of 14?) series of CHICAGO FIRE on Peacock. CHICAGO P.D. and CHICAGO MED to come.
We're waiting on FALLOUT series 2 until the episodes are all on.
On series 19 of SILENT WITNESS, also a dark show. Watching series 10 of THE GREAT BRITISH BAKE OFF. Rewatching NEW TRICKS, and started from the beginning again of the great DERRY GIRLS (Netflix), which I love. Many more, I'm sure.
We'll start our Christmas episodes tonight - THE GOOD LIFE, GAVIN & STACY, DARKING BUDS OF MAY, etc. Plus a few Christmas movies.
Can't believe you never saw ANNE OF GREEN GABLES! Megan Follows was the best Anne, I think. Her show was on starting in 1985.
We'll add WEAPONS to our list. Jackie had saved THE BALLAD OF WALLIS ISLAND, but when we started it, neither of us liked it at all.
The weather remains mostly cold and awful. Less than two weeks until we leave for Florida.
Enjoy your lunch.
My mother drives up today from Illinois. Boy #1 drives homeTuesday evening.
Shopping is complete, I think.
On the book front I heard THE VILLAGE AT THE EDGE OF NOON. Well, I mostly heard it. I would tune out at times and did not bother to rewind. A horror tale set in a small Russian village of vacation dachas. The village is closed off and weird things happen. I presume each odd thing is a riff on fable and folk tale.
I had a strong week of cleaning and purging.
- Got through two ignored book cases with lots of vacuuming and pulling items to keep or donate.
- Cleared out a large shoe box worth of miscellaneous computer and phone cords.
- Shredded a bunch of papers.
- Recycled old magazines.
- Regrouped a bunch of photos, photo albums, and negatives.
- Threw away dried-out markers and used crayons covered in dust.
- Also did a purge of old clothing.
The purge felt good and partway through my library hold for NOBODY WANTS YOUR SH*T came in and reinforced my determination.
Jerry, yes, normal states do notify you, New York sends a reminder THREE MONTHS in advance, then another at two months and one month if you haven't done your renewal. But Florida has more important things on its mind, I guess - book banning, stopping trans people from peeing, etc.
Patti, I have never read ANNE OF GREEN GABLES, but I bought a copy last year to read. Hopefully I will get to it this year. Don't remember watching it. Coincidentally, I just purchased a copy of THE CORRESPONDENT and I hope to read that one soon.
We are expecting rain on Tuesday and it will probably continue through Thursday. Friday we went to Chaucer's, the independent store in Santa Barbara that has been there in one location or another since we moved to Santa Barbara in 1979. I bought four books I did not need (because I have already bought so many since September). They were: THE CORRESPONDENT by Virginia Evans, a mystery by Canadian author Gail Bowen, WE ARE ALL COMPLETELY BESIDE OURSELVES by Karen Joy Fowler (suggested by Todd), and EUPHORIA by Lily King (suggested by Patti). We hardly ever go out on Sunday, but yesterday we made an early trip to Costco for pumpkin pie and fruit and other incidentals. Costco was a madhouse on the Sunday before Christmas.
We watched a COLUMBO for the first time in several months. It was about a chess player, with Laurence Harvey. Also POKER FACE and STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS.
Glen read EVERY DAY I READ: 53 WAYS TO GET CLOSER TO BOOKS, by Hwang Bo-Reum, translated by Shannon Tan. It is a short book with short essays on reading. He enjoyed it a lot and it was a quick read. Now he is reading THE SECRET GUESTS by Benjamin Black (pseud. of John Banville). Set during World War II, the two young princesses Elizabeth and Margaret are sent for safety to an estate in Ireland. A female English secret agent and a Garda Detective St. John Strafford are assigned to watch over them. Detective Strafford was in SNOW, published a year later, which both Glen and I have read. Glen is enjoying THE SECRET GUESTS.
Last night, I finished reading THE FROZEN PEOPLE by Elly Griffiths, the start of a new time travel/mystery series, I think. Ali Dawson is a detective in a Cold Case department, and the group attempts to solve crimes by going back in time for clues. I liked the characters, and the story was good.
So many good recs on here today. I read a book by Benjamin Black years ago and forgot all about that series. My lunch with Kevin was wonderful. He is open in a way my kids were not. Maybe the difference between a grandparent and a parent. They know you will always cheer them on. Watching TONY SHALOUB's cooking show made me want to go back and watch MONK.
Texas used to remind one 90 days in advance. Now they, like Florida, have more important things on their mind so it is now less than 30 days.
Big fan of Blue Lights. Wish they would just dump all the episodes at once instead of piecing them out one at a time.
So, Patti, or anyone--what in the heck is PLURIBUS (Apple) ABOUT? I know it got renewed. I know it exists. But, I don't have a clue after seeing their ads more than a dozen times, what in the heck it is about?
And if it is obvious and I am just an idiot, go ahead and say that. lol
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