John and I watched all five seasons over the course of a month or so, although I honestly lost track of exactly how long it took us to watch. He had already watched season one and I happened to be sitting with him while he was watching a season two episode and he said he thought I'd like it. He offered to re-watch season one and off we went.
I really have to say that the first two seasons and probably the third were GREAT. I really enjoyed the four main characters and how each brought a different facet to their friendship. Meredith Hagner (the blond on the left in the above image) is the airheaded actress and pulls it off magnificently. But the star of the show? The one who made me LOL? John Early who plays Elliott (the one in the yellow suit and sunglasses in the above image.) I mean, roll on the floor, laugh your ass off.
However, when seasons four and five came along, even Elliott's amazing sense of humor couldn't save the show. Classic example of "jumped the shark." Let's just say that I did not invest all that time to have the series end in a zombie apocalypse (::major eyeroll::) I am not a zombie person to begin with, but this just totally went off the rails.
So, feel free to watch seasons one-three and then find something else!
If you watched it, what did you think?
Gilded Age on HBOMax
This will be quick as we didn't even make it through the first episode.
Julian Fellowes, who created Downton Abbey, also created this series. I thought, "Brilliant! I loved Downton, so I'll love the Gilded Age." And you can't go wrong with Christine Baranski!
Major snooze-a-palooza! Way too slow.
If you watched it and enjoyed it, I'd be interested to hear what specifically you liked about it.
So many things to love about this movie. A lot of it was shot on the North Shore of Massachusetts/Cape Ann, which is where I live and work, so it was fun recognizing landmarks in scenes. It took place in the 70's/80's- my era. Ben Affleck. Already has a "real" Boston accent, so no need for a cringe-worthy fake accent. Lastly- a well written "slice of life" story.
Watch it- you'll thank me.
If you watched it, what did you think?
Books: Here is a book that I've read since the beginning of the year and rated an A+, A or A-.
Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi
Description:Gifty is a fifth-year candidate in neuroscience at Stanford School of Medicine studying reward-seeking behavior in mice and the neural circuits of depression and addiction. Her brother, Nana, was a gifted high school athlete who died of a heroin overdose after a knee injury left him hooked on OxyContin. Her suicidal mother is living in her bed. Gifty is determined to discover the scientific basis for the suffering she sees all around her.
Rating: A. While this isn't exactly "light" reading, it's an extremely well written story about real life issues. I was empathetic to the characters and when Gifty wanted her mother to get out of bed so so much, I could feel that longing. The only reason I didn't give it an A+, was the somewhat random interjections of biomedical jargon- almost like an excerpt from a science textbook.
Have you read this book? If so, what did you think?
John has been watching this over the past few years (it started in 2016) and I just happened to catch part of an episode from the last season while sitting with him. I was intrigued. A loudmouth brash blonde lawyer paired with freakish Billy Bob Thornton- why not?
I started at the beginning (there are four seasons total). I REALLY loved the first season. It was funny, heartbreaking, and totally drew me in. I couldn't wait for the second season...
You don't want to touch the second season with a ten-foot pole. I watched one episode and thought it was strange. I mentioned it to John and he immediately said, "Yeah, you'll probably want to just skip the second season COMPLETELY." Say what??? I didn't give up that easily and watched the second episode and said nope. Too.freaking.weird. (Crossed a line weird, if you catch my drift.)
Onward and upward. I watched the third season and was underwhelmed. It wasn't nearly as odd as the second season (although it had its moments), but every episode was set in the same place with little variety. It bored me.
Next? The fourth season was TERRIFIC. The storyline was fascinating (big pharma) and Nina Ariandas (who plays the loudmouth brash blonde lawyer Patty) was fabulous. She really makes the show, in my opinion. While Billy Bob Thornton is an accomplished actor, Ariandas is amazing.
Unfortunately, that was the last season and (allegedly) there will be no more. If you haven't seen it, I recommend seasons 1, 3 (just be prepared for dullsville, but you need to see it to be in the loop on the progression of the relationship storylines), and 4.
As mentioned above, I loved Nina Ariandas and her portrayal of Patty in Goliath. I was interested in what else she was in, so Google told me she played Vivian Vance (Ethel Mertz) in this Amazon Prime original movie. On top of that (before I dumped Twitter), Mandy Matney (host of the Murdaugh Murders Podcast, which you need to check out) tweeted that it was a fabulous movie. SOLD!
John and I watched it on New Year's Eve. It was a really good movie and very interesting. It chronicled a week in the production of the I Love Lucy TV show- the week where it's exposed that Lucille Ball "checked the box" (the Communist party box) on a voter registration form from years ago and the drama that ensued. (It also touched on Lucille being pregnant on TV and how the network bigwigs couldn't POSSIBLY allow a pregnant woman on TV. "Our viewers will question how she got pregnant!") There are also flashbacks throughout the movie to show how Lucy & Desi met, etc...
I had a hard time with Nicole Kidman as Lucille Ball, but Javier Bardem as Desi Arnaz was terrific as were Ariandas as Vance and JK Simmons (also in Goliath) as William Frawley.
Very entertaining; I'd recommend it.
If you watched it, what did you think?
Books: New Year, new blog resolutions. I'm going to switch up my book reviews. It's sometimes taxing to keep up with my reading and writing started to feel like a "chore." Thus, I will only share books that I rate A+, A or A- (we'll see how much that narrows the field!)
Here are some of the books I didn't previously review, but read recently (most likely read in December but potentially November) that I think are worth reading:
Kitchen Front by Jennifer Ryan
Description: Two years into the Second World War, and German U-boats are frequently disrupting the United Kingdom’s supply of food. In an effort to help housewives with food rationing, a BBC radio program called The Kitchen Front launches a new cooking contest – and the grand prize is a job as the program’s first-ever female co-host. For young widow Audrey winning the competition could be a chance to pay off her husband’s debts and keep a roof over her children’s heads. However, her estranged sister, Gwendoline, is equally set on success even if her own kitchen maid, Nell, is competing against her. And then there is Zelda, a trained London-trained chef desperate to succeed in a male-dominated profession - and harboring a secret that will change everything...
Loved, loved, loved this book- A+! If you read one book that I recommended, this should be the one (OK- maybe there were a few more really good ones...) Wonderful story-telling, drama, likeable characters, you name it- read this historical fiction book!
Matt Haig books
Completely unintended, but I read two Matt Haig books within a week or so of each other. The Comfort Book is exactly what it says it is. A book of reflections/quotes to bring calmness and comfort in this crazy world. My new favorite quote came from this book-
Don't absorb criticism from people you wouldn't ask for advice
::mic drop::
I immediately put this into play in my life. While it's not always easy to remember, it's so so true.
The Midnight Library is a bird of a different feather. Let's see if I can find a description of the book that covers it all. Nope. Here's a teaser: Nora Seed finds herself faced with this decision. Faced with the possibility of changing her life for a new one, following a different career, undoing old breakups, realizing her dreams of becoming a glaciologist; she must search within herself as she travels through the Midnight Library to decide what is truly fulfilling in life, and what makes it worth living in the first place.
It's a fantasy book (not my usual genre by any means) but I did really enjoy it. As a librarian, as someone who's made mistakes, as a fiction reader, and as a human. It's a truly interesting story.
Writers & Lovers by Lily King
Description:Blindsided by her mother's sudden death, and wrecked by a recent love affair, Casey Peabody has arrived in Massachusetts in the summer of 1997 without a plan. Her mail consists of wedding invitations and final notices from debt collectors. A former child golf prodigy, she now waits tables in Harvard Square and rents a tiny, moldy room at the side of a garage where she works on the novel she's been writing for six years. At thirty-one, Casey is still clutching onto something nearly all her old friends have let go of: the determination to live a creative life. When she falls for two very different men at the same time, her world fractures even more. Casey's fight to fulfil her creative ambitions and balance the conflicting demands of art and life is challenged in ways that push her to the brink.
I could gush over this book all.day.long. What does it for me is the setting/references to Cambridge. I grew up around Boston and went to high school in Cambridge, so I knew the places Casey went to and talked about it was like a trip down memory lane. (Even if you didn't grow up/live in Boston/Cambridge, you'll still love this story- trust me!)
Have you read any of these books? If so, what did you think?
Usually the answer to that question is "not much."
I usually have the "Sunday Scaries" and mourn the end of the weekend.
However, on this particular Sunday, I can say I love the following about it:
It's not really a Sunday- it's a second Saturday! Tomorrow is MLK Jr. Day and I have the day off from work. I am extremely thankful for an extra day!
Sunday (not just this one, but every one) is "change the sheets on the bed day." I really have to rank sleeping on clean sheets up there as one of my favorites things. So, even though it's only 8:00PM, I already look forward to going to bed!
I made Snickerdoodle Chex Mix. I may have extolled the virtues of this sweet treat in previous blog posts, but I'll do it here. Again. I make it for Christmas and we always end up with lots of leftover cereal that we don't eat, so this year I will make batches until there is no more cereal. It's the simplest recipe and if our house is like yours, you'll find if you turn your head, the entire batch will be gone!
I was able to make serious progress on one of the puzzles I got for Christmas. I love Charles Wysocki's art, so I expect that this will be beautiful once completed. Fun fact about this- the Amazon driver apparently didn't think it mattered if the box was crushed/broken open. Luckily, the pieces are in a plastic bag inside the box, which was NOT ripped. Of course, I say that now- watch, there will be one piece missing at the end.
I get to watch one of my top five all-time favorite movies, Sweet Home Alabama. Granted, it's the 7,675th time I've seen it, but it still makes me laugh & smile.
Plenty of stuff to love about this Sunday! I hope you've enjoyed yours, as much as I have enjoyed mine!
BOOK REVIEWS 2021
Book #3: The Frangipani Tree Mystery by Ovidia Yu
Summary: This mystery isset in Singapore in 1936. The main character, Chen Su Lin, is 16 years of age and had been afflicted by polio. Su Lin no longer has any parents. She becomes the nanny of a disabled girl, Dee-Dee Palin, the daughter of the Governor of Singapore, after dodging attempts to have her married off. The previous nanny, an Irishwoman, died from a neck injury sustained from falling off of a balcony a possible act of foul play. Therefore Su Lin takes over Charity's job. Su Lin decides to investigate Charity's death herself.
Rating: B+. I read all of the book in Yu's other Singaporean mystery series and really enjoyed them, so thought I'd give this one a try. This is the first book in the series and Su Lin is an endearing character. I will definitely read the next one in the series.
Book #4: The Day the World Came to Town by Jim DeFede
Summary: When 38 jetliners bound for the United States were forced to land at Gander International Airport in Canada by the closing of U.S. airspace on September 11, the population of this small town on Newfoundland Island swelled from 10,300 to nearly 17,000. The citizens of Gander met the stranded passengers with an overwhelming display of friendship and goodwill.
Rating: A+. This book came to me at just the right time. At a time in this country where there have been no "feel good" stories of late, I was glad to read this one from 19 years ago. While 9/11 was an absolutely horrific tragedy, the residents of Gander, Newfoundland were a bright light in a dark time. I can't stop thinking of the acts of goodwill that they performed, for not only the humans on the planes, but the animals, as well.
I absolutely positively loved this series! When I was young (8-10, I'd say), my Dad taught me to play chess. It was something we could do together and something he was (and still is) very good at. I think that's why I felt drawn to the series. In a nutshell, it chronicles the story of Beth Harmon's life as a chess prodigy. She goes from an orphan with nothing to the top of the chess world- beating the best players in the world. Great drama!
While it's a typical true crime series, with A LOT of the information repeated across multiple episodes, it's an interesting story. Maria Marta is an upper class Argentinian that lives in a gated community with her husband, who is said to have ties to some unsavory groups. One group of family members (and a doctor) says she fell in the bathtub, while another doctor finds multiple gunshot wounds in her skull. What has fascinated me about this is how differently crimes are handled in other countries. In this particular case, when an ambulance is called, the 911 operator basically asks for step by step directions on getting to the gated community. There's also a lack of police presence at the crime scene and this seems status quo.
Another winner! The cast is amazing. Amy Adams and Glenn Close give flawless portrayals of their characters. This is based on a book by the same name and chronicles an Appalachian family and their tough lives. (Tough is an understatement, but I struggle to find the right word.) Violence, drugs, hatred are the norm. This is one of those stories that really sticks with me, as it's so polar opposite of my life and everything I've experienced.
Chappaquiddick on Netflix (but released originally on the big screen in 2017)
To be honest, this was not a movie that I was interested in when it was originally released and so when my husband asked if I wanted to watch it, I was neutral on the subject. For those who don't know the story, it's about Ted Kennedy and a car accident he's involved in, in which someone dies. The cover-up ensues and the true power of the Kennedy name is shown. I'd say I didn't love nor hate this. It was OK. Some of it was fascinating- the lengths taken for the cover up and how almost everyone in Kennedy's camp was willing to participate in saving his reputation.
Books:
Book #52- The Astonishing Life of August March by Aaron Jackson
Summary:An irrepressibly optimistic oddball orphan is thrust into the wilds of postwar New York City after an extraordinary childhood in a theater. Abandoned as an infant by his actress mother in her theater dressing room, August March was raised by an ancient laundress. Highly intelligent, a tad feral, August is a true child of the theater –able to recite Shakespeare before he knew the alphabet. But like all productions, August’s wondrous time inside the theater comes to a close, and he finds himself in the wilds of postwar New York City, where he quickly rises from pickpocket street urchin to star student at the stuffiest boarding school in the nation. To survive, August must rely upon the kindness of strangers, only some of whom have his best interests at heart. As he grows up, his heart begins to yearn for love—which he may or may not finally find in Penny, a clever and gifted con artist.
Rating: A. I LOVED this book. It reads like a young adult book in some regards, but is extremely well written adult fiction. The character of August is enchanting and mesmerizing. The reader feels like he/she is on August's journey through life.
Book #53- The Operator by Gretchen Berg
Summary:Nobody knows the people of Wooster, Ohio, better than switchboard operator Vivian Dalton, and she’d be the first to tell you that. She calls it intuition. Her teenage daughter, Charlotte, calls it eavesdropping. Vivian and the other women who work at Bell on East Liberty Street connect lines and lives. They aren’t supposed to listen in on conversations, but they do, and they all have opinions on what they hear—especially Vivian.
Rating: D. D is for dull. The premise of the book is good but it fizzled out. Throughout the book the reader was led to a "secret" ending, which I found to be (again) dull. Too bad.
Book #54- The Daughters of Erietown by Connie Schultz
Summary:1957, Clayton Valley, Ohio. Ellie has the best grades in her class. Her dream is to go to nursing school and marry Brick McGinty. A basketball star, Brick has the chance to escape his abusive father and become the first person in his blue-collar family to attend college. But when Ellie learns that she is pregnant, everything changes. Just as Brick and Ellie revise their plans and build a family, a knock on the front door threatens to destroy their lives.
Rating: A. The summary above doesn't do the book justice. The generations before Ellie & Brick (and after them) make this a well-written family saga.
Book #55- The Mischief of the Mistletoe by Lauren Willig
Summary:Despite her dear friend Jane Austen's warning against teaching, Arabella Dempsey accepts a position at a girls' school in Bath, just before Christmas. She hardly imagines coming face-to-face with French aristocrats and international spies. Reginald "Turnip" Fitzhugh-often mistaken for the elusive spy known as the Pink Carnation-has blundered into danger before. When Turnip and Arabella find their Christmas pudding yielding a cryptic message, they are launched on a Yuletide adventure. Will they find poinsettias-or peril?
Rating: A-. This is #7 in Willig's Pink Carnation historical fiction series and is probably one of my favorites so far. The Christmas backdrop is charming and the cameo appearance by Jane Austen is a welcome surprise. However, Turnip Fitzhugh steals the show. In the prior installments in this series, he's a bumbling fellow that seems to fade into the background. I love that he was the main character in this one.
Book #56- Fortune & Glory: Tantalizing Twenty-Seven by Janet Evanovich
Summary:When Stephanie’s beloved Grandma Mazur’s new husband died on their wedding night, the only thing he left her was a beat-up old easy chair…and the keys to a life-changing fortune. But as Stephanie and Grandma Mazur search for Jimmy Rosolli’s treasure, they discover that they’re not the only ones on the hunt. Two dangerous enemies from the past stand in their way—along with a new adversary who’s even more formidable: Gabriela Rose, a dark-eyed beauty from Little Havana with a taste for designer clothes. She’s also a soldier of fortune, a gourmet cook, an expert in firearms and mixed martial arts—and someone who’s about to give Stephanie a real run for her money.
Rating: A. To rate the 27th book in a series as an A is no small feat. Lula, Stephanie's sidekick is really the lynchpin of this series. She makes me LOL multiple times during each book and especially during this one. The Stephanie/Morelli/Ranger love triangle is starting to grate on my nerves, but I'll give it a pass because Lula made me laugh so much. 😅
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.
If only at the end of this 90 minute late 80's classic movie could we emerge from the theater and find out that the COVID-19 pandemic never happened. That is was just a figment of a movie director's imagination and not real.
I wish.
And I'm guessing 99.9% of people worldwide wish the same (I'm very literal and do need to account for that wackadoodle .1%.)
(Oh, and if you're not following along, I'm referring to the movie Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure.)
However, this is DEFINITELY not an excellent adventure and definitely not a 90 minute movie that we will emerge from.
Unfortunately.
I have a lot of things to write, but not sure I'll be able to get it all out in a coherent manner, but let's give it the old college try, as my Mom would say.
On Thursday, the company I work for gave the directive that we were to begin working from home starting Friday, March 13th. We got emails leading up to this directive that made me think in the back of my mind it was possible (bring your laptop home every night, make sure you can access the VPN, etc...), but honestly, I didn't think it could really happen. Because a directive to work from home meant things are serious...and that's tough to deal with (at least for me.)
So, on Thursday, March 12th, I packed up and said goodbye to the cubicle that I spend 40 hours a week in.
I brought my two monitors, docking station, laptop, keyboard, mouse, etc... home and my trusty in-home IT support guy set me up.
I am thankful that I have a nice space to work from and a view where I can see birds, squirrels, chipmunks, and (if I put my glasses on) deer.
But it's not the same. I can't yell over to Andrea in the next cube to ask if she's having trouble in Teams. I can't walk down to Terry's cube and ask her if she wants to go for a walk. And I can't go into Annie's office to sing whatever song is in my head at that moment (and grab chocolate.) Thus, the social isolation aspect of working from home has been tough. (But I do have that cute in-home IT support guy to chat me up when needed.)
I will say that it has helped when I and others turn on our camera during meetings. It's good to see people's faces and hear their voices. While it's not the same as in person, it's better than nothing!
I also realize that others still have to go to work during this crisis...to help others. I sincerely appreciate those who put their health at risk to help others. Doctors, nurses, other healthcare workers, grocery store and pharmacy employees. Thank you, thank you, thank you, and stay healthy.
Let's talk about something REALLY important, shall we?
Toilet paper.
This was taken the evening of Thursday the 12th at our local grocery store.
My food/paper goods panic started the night prior when I could tell sh*t was getting real. I volunteered to go to the grocery store on the way in to work on Thursday morning to at least pick up bottled water, since that's 90% of what we drink. At 8:45AM it was packed. I got four cases of water and while I wanted to get more, I knew I had to be on my way to the office.
During the day, I told John to work on a list and when I got home, I knew I would be going to the store. I needed something that I could exert control over since it felt like none of this was under my (or anyone's control.) After we ate dinner, I went to the store and piled up with basically anything I thought we might need. From meats to frozen food to bread to Pop Tarts to microwave popcorn. At that point they were out of eggs, pasta (although I got two random/off brand boxes of spaghetti), paper goods (as you can see above), and any type of cleaning supplies.
I felt like I was transported back to the Soviet Union. It was odd. Really odd. Eerie is more like it.
While I couldn't get toilet paper that night, we had enough to get us through the short term, so I laid that obsession to rest (temporarily.)
Over the next day or so, John and I discussed the fact that he's immunocompromised (due to being less than a year out from cancer treatment). I told him that I was worried about him going out into public and that I really thought it best he not do so. I was scared. I still am. Luckily, he came to the same conclusion and agreed that I would go out when we needed something.
It's hard to describe, but after having been through such a traumatic event (his cancer) and surviving it (which was exhausting and wore both of us down), my worry has been off the charts in terms of me getting sick or him getting sick again. This pretty much started right after we found out he had clean scans. I think all of the emotions I had to keep in check while he was sick so I could carry on were finally coming out. And now, with the pandemic, it's ratcheted up another notch. Thankfully, I have anti-anxiety medication that I can take when needed. And a loving husband and friends and family that talk me down when needed.
OK- back to toilet paper.
I went out on Thursday (the 19th, if like me you're getting confused) to get some more groceries and to look for toilet paper as we were getting low. None. No dice.
Ridiculous, but I was starting to panic about not having toilet paper.
I had a really bad day on Friday (the 20th) anxiety-wise and didn't sleep well and was up at 4AM on Saturday morning (the 21st). I decided since I was up and it was unlikely I'd get up this early again anytime soon, I went to the grocery store at around 6:30AM.
That picture you see above of the paper goods aisle? Same thing on Saturday morning. I bought a bit more food, brought it home, and then decided to step up my journey for the toilet paper.
The Target app (liar) told me that they had toilet paper. Nope.
I went to another grocery store. Nope.
I went to CVS. I see the single rolls of Scott toilet paper. (And hear the angels singing Hallelujah in the background). A woman was grabbing some and said, "Do you need some? I'll leave you some." THANK YOU! There were five rolls and I grabbed four, thinking someone might be desperate. She and I (6 feet apart) get up to the register and we start to notice that there are rolls of Scott toilet paper EVERYWHERE. Just piled up.
She gets up to the cashier and the cashier says limit of one roll per person. ONE? OK- now I know why people were dumping the toilet paper rolls everywhere. I think to myself that one is better than none and I'll hit Walgreens next. The cashier says to the woman, "I have some multi-packs back here- do you want one of these?" (Again with the angels singing Hallelujah in the background.)
So, let me get this straight. We can only buy one single roll of Scott toilet paper, but you'll sell me a multi-pack of 18 rolls? SOLD!
I stepped up and got the last multi-pack. Phew. I could now let that obsession go...for now.
I want to end on a positive note. I've discovered that there are certain things that are helping me get through each day.
A routine. A routine is huge.
Get up and shower as if you are going to work.
Get dressed.
Put on makeup (if you feel like it).
Each lunch at the regular time.
Take a snack break when you'd normally walk to the vending machine.
GET OUTSIDE. We have gone for a walk everyday so far (except one) and it's been amazing. I've never seen as many neighbors out and about as I have in the past week. And everyone's friendly (from a distance). I can honestly say that this has made me smile.
Exercise. The outside walk will do it, but if you want to do more, do it.
CONNECT with people. My friend Terry and I did a video chat. I did one with my parents today. Talk on the phone. Message. Send smoke signals.
Find something that will make you smile and be thankful for the day at hand, even though it may be a struggle. (And if you can't find it today, you'll find it tomorrow.)
February 22nd- a day that will live in infamy...for two reasons.
On February 22nd, 1980, the US Olympic Hockey Team beat the Soviet team- the "Big Bad Wolf." This became known as "Miracle On Ice." Not only did the US pull off an epic upset against the "enemy" Soviets, but many Americans felt that this was a "check" in the win column of the Cold War between the two powerhouses.
In 2004, a movie was made about this story- simply called Miracle.
It's one of my top 10 favorite movies of all time. It's such a feel good story and a reminder that the underdog can prevail. In fact, since the making of that movie, many professional sports teams have shown the movie in their clubhouses before important games to remind players of what can be done when you set your mind to it.
This is one of my favorite scenes from the movie- when the US Olympic Hockey Team coach Herb Brooks (played in the movie by Kurt Russell):
So many great quotes-
"Great moments are born from great opportunity."
"One game. If we play them 10 times, they might win 9. Not this game. Not tonight."
"This is your time. Their time is done. It's over."
"THIS IS YOUR TIME!"
Here's the final minute of the game with the call by legendary sports broadcaster Al Michaels:
From this, a legendary phrase was born- "Do you believe in miracles?"
Fast forward 40 years to February 22nd, 2020. Another "miracle" of the hockey variety takes place.
The Carolina Hurricanes were playing the Toronto Maple Leafs in Toronto. James Reimer (#1 goalie for the Canes) was injured only minutes into the game and soon exited. Enter backup goal Petr Mrazek. With a minute left in the second period, Mrazek was taken out by a Leafs player.
Enter the backup to the backup.
The emergency goaltender.
A 42-year old Zamboni driver named Dave Ayres came into the game.
Why am I calling this a "miracle?"
The emergency goalie almost NEVER gets into games. In the last few years, I only remember one other time this happened. It's almost like a position player coming in to pitch in a baseball game. Someone who normally doesn't play the position is thrown into the fire. I think that hearing these types of stories gives everyday people (non-professional athletes) a reminder that this could happen to anyone. Ayres played in the minor leagues for years. He stayed close to the game...and he got his chance.
Oh, and did I mention he was also the recipient of a kidney transplant?
GO DAVE!!!!!
Here's Canes' coach Rod Brind'amour's post game speech and Dave's reception from the team:
Did I mention he made eight saves and the Canes won the game??!?!?!
Book #6 of 2020: If At Birth You Don't Succeed by Zach Anner
Summary: This is a memoir of young comedian/filmmaker/YouTube star Zach Anner. Zach was born with cerebral palsy. He chronicles the different stages of his life and the challenges he faced- all with a sense of humor.
Rating: B+. I thought this was a very "real" account of someone with a disability's life. Anner doesn't hold back and shares things from going away to college to control of bodily functions to his first sexual experience (a real topic for adults with disabilities that I don't hear much about.) This was eye-opening.
Book #7 of 2020: A Long Petal of the Sea by Isabel Allende
Summary: This story begins during the Spanish Civil War, and spans oceans and continents' worth of political upheaval. When Franco's fascists defeat the Republican army, an exodus of thousands escapes into France. One refugee is Roser, a young pianist, widowed and pregnant with her first child. The chances for her survival become complicated when her dead husband's brother Victor offers her an "opportunity:" Get married – though neither of them wants to – because it will improve their chances at survival. Rating: A. I love Allende's writing and this book was no exception. This saga was rich with drama and deep characters (does that make sense?) Excellent story- highly recommend (and if you haven't read any of her other books, do that, too!) Book #8 of 2020: A Place For Us by Fatima Farheen Mirza
Summary: As an Indian wedding gathers a family back together, parents Rafiq and Layla must reckon with the choices their children have made. There is Hadia: their headstrong, eldest daughter, whose marriage is a match of love and not tradition. Huda, the middle child, determined to follow in her sister’s footsteps. And lastly, their estranged son, Amar, who returns to the family fold for the first time in three years to take his place as brother of the bride. What secrets and betrayals have caused this close-knit family to fracture? Can Amar find his way back to the people who know and love him best? Rating: C. I really really really wanted to like this book more, but I found it very difficult to get engrossed in. The characters were interesting but I just found myself slogging through mud trying to finish it. I can't quite pinpoint why. If you've read it, what was your opinion?
I honestly didn't know much about the movie, but had an idea of the general premise (I knew that this was a remake- come to find out one of many remakes over the years) and I thought, "If it has Bradley Cooper, it must be good." (I loved Silver Linings Playbook - probably one in my top 10 favorite movies of all time.)
The movie starts.
About 10ish minutes into it, I start thinking, "Wow, this no-name actress that's playing Ally is FABULOUS! She has a great voice and she's playing the inexperienced/scared soon-to-be starlet so well."
Not long after, Ally's father enters a scene.
Immediately I say to John, "Is that Andrew Dice Clay?"
Two hours later (yes, really), when the credits come up I realized that...
WAIT FOR IT...
Lady Gaga played Ally.
::mic drop::
So...I have no problem identifying Andrew Dice Clay, but don't have a clue about Lady Gaga.
Excuse me while I crawl back into my 80's/90's hole and don't come back out.
The five day holiday weekend is like a unicorn- does it really exist?
YES- it does- I'm living proof! The company I work for gives us two days off for the 4th of July holiday. This year, we had Wednesday (the 4th) off and then Thursday. I figured going in for one day after having two days off would be torturous, so I took Friday off, thus the five days holiday weekend!
Wednesday, July 4th
As it was to be in the 90's and we don't have central air conditioning, we figured it would be best to be inside and somewhere cool.
After getting a deal on Groupon for AMC Theatres (a $26 gift card for $13), we made the decision to head to the movies.
The pickings were somewhat slim, but since we both liked the original Incredibles, we decided to give Incredibles 2 a shot. (It's probably more accurate to say that this was more my choice than John's....see note re: napping.)
It was good, but as with most sequels, not as good as the first one. The character of Edna is my absolute favorite and she only played a very small part in this film. Oh well. John got a decent nap during the movie...lol.
John had found a restaurant for us to try, but it being the 4th, it was closed, as were the next few we drove by. We ended up at MaryAnn's Diner in Salem, NH.
The inside was decorated with fun 50's diner/TV/movie decor. The food was OK. I originally wanted a lobster roll but they were out so opted for fried clams, instead. They were good but the batter was different- I can't put my finger exactly on how. John got fried chicken and waffles and again said it was OK, but he'd get something different next time.
Since we'd both slept poorly the night before due to loud air conditioner, we ended up heading to bed early. However, this happened first. (Wait for it...- no hostility there, right?)
Thursday, July 5th
We decided to head to the beach on Day 2.
It actually wasn't nearly as crowded as we thought it might be AND the water temperature was 67 degrees! That's as good as it gets here for the ocean in New England. I actually went in...up to my waist.
Did I mention that John & I are having a house built on the beach? Slow but steady, it's coming along. (Yeah, right.)
Here we are. Don't we look happy??? We are in our happy place (with my eyes pretty much closed, of course.)
Here are a few more. Check out the seagull with the crab in its mouth! (I wish I could've gotten closer.)
No trip to the beach (or at least Hampton Beach) is complete without fried dough! We trudged down the beach to Blink's Fry Doe (yes, that's how they spell it).
I get mine with cinnamon and sugar. You?
Friday, July 6th
Not sure I've ever mentioned how John & I met, but it was at a non-profit organization in Boston. I was still in college and was doing an internship there. John did the newsletter and graphic design for the agency. He asked me to proof a brochure he wrote and I corrected his spelling of the word millennium and the rest is history. But, I digress...
While we were both at the organization, we made some great friends with our co-workers. One of those is our friend Phyllis. Phyllis is great to just sit and talk with. She lives in Brookline, so we ended up visiting with her at her place and then having lunch at the Golden Temple just down the street. It was good Chinese food, but even better company!
Saturday, July 7th
We did grocery shopping on Saturday morning (see reality starting to creep back in???) and then drove down to Cohasset, on the South Shore of Massachusetts to visit with an have dinner with another former colleague- Maureen, and her husband Joe.
We had a pleasant pre-dinner drink with snacks on their deck (it was gorgeous out!) and then got the tour of the shoreline in Cohasset (with some amazing houses) and then headed to Bia Bistro in Cohasset.
It was great food, drink & company! I had a blood orange margarita which was delicious! Our dinners were also great- salmon for me.
Sunday, July 8th
A shopping day all by myself!!
First stop TJ Maxx, where yes, I did get the max for the minimum! (Pardon the craptastic lighting in the pictures.)
I got this cute magenta colored Life is Good t-shirt:
A grayish blue pair of shorts (I told someone recently that shorts shopping is worse than bathing suit shopping!)
A workout shirt for Pilates. Another grayish blue item. This is the back:
And my favorite! (The picture does NOTHING. It's much better on!) It's a Lucky Brand top and Jones NY capris. The blue/terracotta combo is ah-mazing.
I then headed to Burlington Coat Factory and got zippo. I hit another TJ Maxx (because you can never visit too few TJ Maxx's in one day), but didn't find anything there, either.
Next was Off Broadway Shoes (struck out there). I walked next door to Nordstrom Rack and got John a pair of Nike shorts and drooled over the Tory Burch & Coach shoes.
Kohl's was next. I had to return something and I ended up getting some towels, well they're actually bath "sheets." Since John is 6'4", he prefers a larger towel. I got Chaps towels that were on sale, plus I had a 20% off coupon, plus $5 in rewards!
I hit Macy's for some makeup and then went to Shaw's, as my co-worker told me they had the "good" flavors of PopCorners.
In case you can't tell, I had a GREAT five day holiday weekend. I'm glad I got to spend so much time with John and that we agree on activities that make both of us happy. I'm glad we got to visit with friends that we don't see that frequently. I'm glad I got to have some alone time shopping.
Now, can we just stop time and put off Monday morning coming????
