Movie Review: Enola Holmes

 

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Let me start by saying that I was initially drawn to this movie due to the fact that Millie Bobby Brown is in it (she plays Enola Holmes.). Millie Bobby stars in the Netflix drama Stranger Things, which I've written posts about previously. I love the show so I figured anything with her in it MUST be good. (Same concept as when you like the cover of a book- it MUST be good/well written!)

Enola Holmes is a Netflix original movie that was released last week. The basic premise is this- while searching for her missing mother, intrepid teen Enola Holmes uses her sleuthing skills to outsmart big brother Sherlock and help a runaway lord.

Oh, but it's so much more!

Enola is raised by a feminist in England (when feminism wasn't popular) and has no connection with her brothers for the majority of her childhood. (The movie picks up when she is 16 with flashbacks to her childhood.) Enola's mother has taught her "life skills" and "book smarts" which serve her well when she needs to find her mother who has left and rescue the lord. Her brothers Sherlock (yes, that one) and Mycroft are strangers to her but she quickly follows in Sherlock's footsteps and develops a kinship with him. 

A quirk about this movie (which I imagine viewers either love or hate) is that Enola frequently talks directly to the viewers (or doesn't need words and shares body language.) I found this "breaking the fourth wall" to be endearing and appropriate for character/age. 

I was rooting for Enola to find her mother, save the lord (and break away from finishing school, which the mean brother Mycroft sent her to). 

I loved it- two thumbs up!

You might be wondering if this is a tween/teen/young adult movie. It could be but there are a few small parts with fairly graphic violence. It is based on a young adult mystery book series by Nancy Springer, which of course I will be checking out.

Watch it! I laughed a lot and was drawn in by the period scenery/costumes and the intrigue.

Quarantine Cooking

As I think I mentioned in some previous posts, we've been trying new (to us) recipes during COVID quarantine. From March to maybe June(ish), we weren't getting takeout, so no outside food and we HAD to mix it up.

I wasn't great about taking pictures, but here are a few I found on my phone and the recipes that went with them.

Let's start with the most glamorous/sophisticated of the recipes, shall we? 😆

Frito Corn Salad from Butter With a Side of Bread

I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised by how good this was! It's a perfect side for a cookout or a summer dinner. 

Some tips- this makes a HUGE amount, so 1/2 it if you are not serving a crowd. Do NOT put the Fritos into the whole salad if you don't think you'll eat it in one sitting. They get extremely soggy after being in the fridge (trust me). So, break it up into portions and only put the Fritos on each right before eating. Bacon bits- let's talk about those. We are not a huge fan, so we used considerably less than it called for and we decided that next time we make it, we'll use real bacon. But, this is just a preference.

Another basic recipe- Tuna Macaroni Salad from Spicy Southern Kitchen

I made this while it was really hot in July/August and had it for lunch several days in a row. (It's nice to have something cold for lunch during the brutally humid days of New England summer.)

The different thing about this recipe is using relish. Admittedly, I was skeptical about putting relish in, but it gave it the perfect little something extra!

Continuing with the summer theme, we made refreshing Copycat Sonic Cherry Limeade Slushies from The Farmgirl Gabs (with maybe a touch of vodka 😂)

The one thing I love at Sonic is their cherry limeade slush. Add some vodka and voila- a summertime adult beverage.

In terms of tips, I found when following the recipe exactly it was very cherry-ish. (I myself prefer more lime-ish) So, adjust, as necessary.

This next recipe is DELICIOUS! We've made it a few times and I'm always pleasantly surprised at how good it is. (In fact, I may have previously posted it, it's so good!) Pulled Pork Nachos by Katie's Cucina.

This one speaks for itself! We generally don't put bleu cheese on them, but for no particular reason. If you try any of these recipes, try this one!

This one does not look very appetizing, but it's definitely a sweet treat. Candied Walnuts from Sugar Spun Run.

We had an almost full bag of walnuts and so I consulted Pinterest on how I might use them. This jumped out at me. I had no expectations and again, I was pleasantly surprised. They went fast, so double up if you want them to last...LOL.

Book #39- Lavender Blue Murder by Laura Childs

Summary: Tea maven Theodosia Browning and her tea sommelier Drayton Conneley are guests at a bird hunt styled in the precise manner of an English shooting party. But as gunshots explode like a riff of Black Cat firecrackers, another shot sounds too close for comfort to Theodosia and Drayton. Intrigued but worried, Theodosia wanders into the neighbor's lavender field where she discovers their host, Reginald Doyle, bleeding to death. As Theodosia investigates, fingers are pointed, secrets are uncovered, Reginald's daughter-in-law goes missing presumed drowned, and Meredith is determined to find answers via a séance. 

Rating: B. While I love this series, this was not one of my favorites. (And I really wish that they'd give Theodosia's on-again/off-again boyfriend more attention!)

Book #40- The Falcon Always Wings Twice by Donna Andrews

Summary: When Meg's grandmother Cordelia hosts a Renaissance Faire at her craft center, the whole family is put to work: Meg handles the blacksmithing, Michael and the boys will be performing, and no one misses the opportunity to dress up in full regalia. When one of the actors performing at the fair is found dead—an actor suspected of mistreating one of the falcons, among other sins—Grandfather is a prime suspect.

Rating: B-. Similar to the above, while I love this series, this was not one of my favorites. It seemed to drag somewhat (and Renaissance Faires are not my thing.)

Book #41- Unlikely Companions by Laura Hess

Summary: Whether it's an umbrella cockatoo who's not eating, a depressed chinchilla, a pregnant potbellied pig, or a ferret possibly needing surgery, exotic animal vet Laurie Hess is at the front lines with some remarkable pets-and their equally eccentric, dedicated, and sometimes demanding owners. Follow a week in Dr. Hess's life as she tries to uncover the source of an unknown ailment killing some of her most vulnerable patients.

Rating: A-. I found this book to be fascinating! As someone who's only owned gerbils and dogs, I have been curious about the allure of exotic animal ownership, and this demonstrates that the bond between an owner and his/her dog is no different than an owner and his/her ferret. (Oh, and I was seriously hoping there would be no detailed snake stories. Thankfully there were not.)

Book #42- Bound for Murder by Laura Childs

Summary: New Orleans scrapbooking shop owner Carmela Bertrand's pre-wedding party is overshadowed when a friend's intended groom is murdered. Asked by the heartbroken bride to look into the case, Carmela must help her friend pick up the pieces while wrapping up a murder that has more than one lethal loose end.

Rating: C+. This is a separate mystery series from the one I reference above and I don't think I like it as much as the other. (I'd rather drink tea than scrapbook!)

If a Stitch In Time Saves Nine, Does that Mean 20 Stitches Saves 180?

"A Stitch In Time Saves Nine" has always seemed like an odd saying to me. (I actually had to Google it before I started writing this post to make sure I knew what I was talking about.)

Its actually a proverb (who knew?) that means if you sort out a problem immediately it will save extra work later on. 

So...if I did 20 stitches, I'm thinking I'm going to save a TON of time later on for things that could've been problems. (Meh...it doesn't really translate. Not all of my blog ideas can be gems.)

The whole point of this post was to share that I did 20 stitches in a cross-stitch kit that I bought for a quarantine hobby and let's just say it's highly likely that there will be no more stitches.

Yup- those are 20 stitches.

At the beginning of COVID/quarantine, I was doing jigsaw puzzles like a maniac- that was my go-to "hobby." Then, I got burnt out on puzzles so I took a break.

Instead of picking up calligraphy/lettering, which I have the supplies for (and I've done before and enjoyed), I decided to forge a new path. 

Cross-stitch.

I did cross-stitch maybe once before. Maybe 35ish years ago. 

I thought, "Oh, yeah- I can pick it up again, no problem."

Pfft.

I perused eBay for cheap "beginner" kits and thought that this looked pretty "straightforward" and ordered it.

Notice the "Learn a Craft" written in a child-like font. Maybe that was what drew me to it? (False advertising!)

Once I got brave enough to open the package and start reading the instructions, I knew I was in trouble. "Find the center and count 6 fabric squares down and 7 squares to the right." 

DO YOU KNOW HOW SMALL THE FREAKING SQUARES ARE IN THIS THING? 

I have pretty good vision- exceptional for things up close. I took one look at the fabric and knew it wasn't going to happen. So, what did I do? I sunk more money into this fledgling hobby.

I bought a standing magnifying glass with light. (As if the cross-stitch hobby doesn't make me seem 98 already, add a magnifying glass to the mix.)

I break out the magnifying glass, turn on the light, put the fabric under it and VOILA- I am nauseous and dizzy as all get out. It was ridiculous. 

So, essentially I quickly put it under the magnifying glass and counted the squares as fast as I could, stuck a needle in, and pulled it out from under the glass.

And then I did 20 stitches. 

And then? I said, "Yeah, I don't think so." 😂

I'll be picking up the calligraphy, which is much more of a "sure thing."

Book #36- Haben by Haben Girma

Summary: The incredible life story of Haben Girma, the first deaf-blind graduate of Harvard Law School, and her amazing journey from isolation to the world stage.

Rating: A-. This was an amazing story and one that I read at just the right time. Girma is an amazing human being. Her perseverance is a lesson to everyone, especially with all that is going on in the world right now. Thinking you can't do something doesn't seem like a valid excuse after reading her story. I was uplifted by it.

Book #37- The Family Next Door by John Glatt

Summary: This is the story of the imprisonment and abuse of the thirteen Turpin siblings and their dramatic rescue.

Rating: B-. When this story broke in 2018, I was drawn in. I couldn't believe that for years, this family flew under the radar and the parents were able to inflict the unimaginable abuse upon their children without being caught. The book didn't share that much new information that I hadn't already seen in the news, so I felt like it was somewhat of  a repeat. Also, it was a serious downer after the uplifting book I had just finished.

Book #38- American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins

Summary: Lydia Quixano Pérez lives a comfortable life in Acapulco, Mexico, with her journalist husband, Sebastián, and her eight-year-old son, Luca. Lydia runs a bookstore and one day befriends a charming customer, Javier, who appears to have similar interests in books. However, Javier is revealed to be the kingpin of a drug cartel. Sebastián publishes a profile exposing Javier's crimes, who then orders the slaughter of Sebastián and his family. Lydia and Luca escape the massacre, but are forced to flee Mexico, becoming two of the countless undocumented immigrants from Latin America who undertake the dangerous journey to the United States, taking a treacherous trip on La Bestia north of Mexico City.

Rating: A+. This was an AMAZING book. Fascinating. Honestly, I've read little about undocumented immigrants and their journey to "freedom"/the US. La Bestia, which is part of a train network that immigrants use to make their way north is dangerous and difficult to navigate socially. The lengths that Lydia went to for her son on this journey to keep him safe and alive were heroic. I was rooting for them to make it.