The Daddy and the Avery

I love this photo of Sean and Avery; it's the perfect bookend to this picture.

Keep On Juicin' On

Today is officially day 1 of my (hopefully) 30 day juice fast. I've tried several times since my first juice fast in January of 2013 but I've never made it the full month. Right now I'm out of shape and carrying around way too many el-bees and so I am forcing myself to go full tilt boogie one more time. I have new juice recipes that I have tried and loved, rewards for each pound lost, lists of things to do when I'm off work so I won't just think about eating, and will only keep juice-able goodies in the house. That way there's no chance I'll cheat and consume a full bag of Dave's Killer Boomin' Berry Bagels (have you had these? So good!). I've stocked my fridge with loads of organic fruits and veggies to make into homemade juices, as well as pre-made juices from Trader Joe's (their Pineapple Juice is heavenly!), Telula, and Suja Elements to help me when I don't have the time to whip up a real juice. I've also added a half hour P90 workout to my usual daily routine to build up strength and add some muscle. Yari at work turned me on to aiming for a gallon of water a day and so here's hoping that with the extra H2O and all this juice that my skin will soon be pure perfection! I am determined to reach my goal weight and to feel stronger than ever. Time to re-watch Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead and get pumped up and ready for this reboot. Wish me luck!!

(ps - I purchased this app and so far I'm loving it! Definitely worth the price of admission.)

My Door

Should the stars align themselves, I will soon be seeing my home away from home in Dublin again very soon. Just waiting to see if the flights are cheaper in March...cross your fingers for me!

Grrrr.... From Günther!

With Zach

Today I hung out with one of my favourite people on the planet. We talked about our love of the tiny house movement, lacrosse, ancestry.com, travel wishes, and To Kill a Mockingbird, among many other things. Zach is such an easy person to be with; he's genuine and honest and kind, plus he indulges me in my love of selfies!

Forest of the Subconscious

In September of 2010, Melissa and I discovered Forest of the Subconscious at Grounds for Sculpture which leads to my favourite piece in the entire place, Heart's Desire by Gloria Vanderbilt. Prior to entering, I instantly felt that I needed to record my walk and I'm so glad I did. (Please forgive the sketchy cinematography - it's very Blair Witch.)

From Grounds for Sculpture:

Fashion designer and artist Gloria Vanderbilt and Seward Johnson collaborated to create the Forest of the Subconscious, considering every detail of the space, from its winding pathways and trees to the artwork to be included in this unique environment. The Seward Johnson Atelier enlarged one of Vanderbilt’s ‘Dream Box’ works from its original 12” cube to the 6’ work entitled Heart’s Desire that stands in the Forest of the Subconscious today. The area’s meandering pathways run between rows of weeping white pine trees and weeping Norway spruce trees. As the tree canopy grew in, an understory of shade plants was added to complete the scene. This garden opened to the public in 2008.

Wise Words from MLK

(photo c/o Alexandra Billings IG page!)

Opening Day

September 21st, 1996 I saw Citizen Kane at the Ritz Twelve movie theatre at 7:30 pm for six dollars. My calendar entry is as follows:

watch On Her Majesty's Secret Service and try to see Citizen Kane at 2:40, got lost, home, family over for Dad's B.day get together, chat, at 7pm go to the new Ritz 12 in Voorhees and see Citizen Kane. It is absolutely brilliant. Orson Welles kicks ass! Home at 10pm after dropping Her Maj. at Bl.B. Video, go to bed around 11:30

(photo kidnapped from cinematreasures)

January 2019 Books of the Month

Instead of cataloging all of the books I have read over the course of a year, I'm gonna do it month to month. Here's what I listened to or read last month:

The Jamie Lee Curtis Collection ¹:
- Is There Really a Human Race?
- When I Was Little
- ♥ Tell Me Again About the Night I Was Born  - Ms. Curtis' stories are cute but this one was a stand-out. It's the story of a child being told of the night they were born and of how their adoptive parents fell in love with them. It was original and very sweet.
- Today I Feel Silly
- Where Do Balloons Go?
- I'm Gonna Like Me
- It's Hard to Be Five

♥ The Mouse and the Motorcycle ¹ by Beverly Cleary - B.D. Wong did such a wonderful job narrating! I was LOL-ing and clinging to his every word.

* And Then There Were None ¹ by Agatha Christie - I had seen (and thoroughly enjoyed) the 2015 mini-series and the book was good as well. Glad that they made the adjustments from the original, and then second titles, which were offensive to say the least. If they hadn't, I never would have had any interest in the book and I'm glad I did. Oh, and Dan Stevens was a fine narrator.

Runaway Ralph ¹ by Beverly Cleary - Meh. Not as much fun as the previous book in the trilogy.

Roald Dahl Collection ¹:
- ♥ The Fantastic Mr. Fox - Oh my gosh, Chris O'Dowd was unbelievably (dare I say) fantastic for this book! His voices and inflections were spot on and I just loved this story.
- * Esio Trot - Geoffrey Palmer; he's so good all the time and it was such a treat to hear him read one of the sweetest stories ever.
- The Enormous Crocodile
- The Giraffe and the Pelly and Me

At Bartram's Hotel ¹ by Agatha Christie - A bit of a disappointment from Ms. Christie.
♥ To Sir Phillip, With Love by Julia Quinn - The first silly romance of the year and it was really good!
* Dog Man and Cat Kid by Dav Pilkey - This series is just wonderful and always delivers a huge grin and a bunch of giggles.
* Gratitude by Oliver Sacks - I found Oliver Sacks' book An Anthropologist on Mars utterly fascinating when I read it years and years ago (thanks to former pal, Melissa who loaned me her copy!) and thought that this short book was a nice goodbye from such a great, great man.

Mostly I was listening to Infinite Jest so that's why I read so few books this month. Hopefully things will pick up a bit in the coming months, although I'm thinking of tackling The Odyssey and that will take up a bit of time to completely get through....

¹ - audiobook
² - abridged version
* - liked
♥ - loved
Any unmarked titles were, in my opinion, so-so.

Mary Shelley

(sketch from Helen Coldwell's IG account: @helencoldwell and quote kidnapped from pinterest)

Belated Galentine's Card

Look what arrived in the post from Miss Helen!

January 2019 Donations

4Ocean

I love this company but I truly detest that their ads are everywhere on YouTube. Shouldn't I be exempt from seeing these since I already back them? Kind of annoying. Regardless, I started off the year with a new bracelet and pulled my fifth pound of trash from the ocean through this purchase. 4Ocean is a fantastic organisation and supporting them makes me feel like I'm making up for those cigarette butts I buried at Ocean City during my teen years. (Did I really smoke on the beach?? Ugh...I fear I was never dumber in my life then from age sixteen to eighteen. Just completely brain dead - embarrassingly so.)

BUMBLEance - The Saoirse Foundation

The world’s first ambulance service specifically designed and tailored for children.
BUMBLEance is the official Children’s National Ambulance Service of Ireland.  We provide safe and comfortable transportation for Ireland’s youngest patients as they travel between their homes and hospitals, hospices, treatment centres, and respite centres nationwide. At BUMBLEance, we know how stressful it is to transport a sick child, BUMBLEance is with families every step of the way, with the comfort and safety of the children as our number one priority.

The BUMBLEance service is the first of its kind in the world.  It has all the amenities of a regular ambulance but it includes the all-important extras to make a sick child’s journey as safe, comfortable and entertaining as possible.  Our aim is to distract, comfort and entertain Ireland’s youngest and most critically ill patients as they travel to and from hospitals and paediatric treatment centres nationwide.

(photo kidnapped from hospitalfrc)

Please join me in the Low Budget Philanthropy movement and help out your community and beyond in the simplest way - donating any amount to whatever charity or organisation that you care about!

Adoption Day!

Last night I went to Ashlee's and surprised Miss Bailey with my old Cabbage Patch Kids. She went completely bananas!! More than once she looked at them and said "I love you guys!" Oh my gosh, my cold, dead heart melted a little at that. This kid is just too much!

The newly adopted threesome of siblings are preemie, Lorne Paddy (I always called him by his middle name), Rosemarie Felice (my first Cabbage Patch Doll and the bestest gift I ever got from Aunt Berne), and Michelle Stephanie, who once belonged to Amy, but she never played with dolls and so she gave her to me. I'm so unbelievably relieved to know that these cuties have been given a second life with Miss Bea as their new mommy!

(ps - Michelle's dress was hand crocheted for me by Godmommy Regina!)

My Valentine's Date with John Waters

What's a sad, lonesome spinster to do on the day dedicated to love and romance? She gets in her Mini Cooper and drives to Baltimore to sit alone at a table for two, surrounded by couples holding hands and listens to a seventy-two year old homosexual artist talk about whatever is on his mind.

After the show in the parking garage's elevator a young guy saw my purse and said, "Is that supposed to be a spiderweb on your bag? I like it." Then the girl standing next to him (she wasn't with him though) said, "I have that same bag." I look over and holy shit! She's got the same exact bag in her hand! I said to her, "ModCloth, right?" "Yep," and nodding to my bag as the doors open asks, "On sale, right?" "Heck yeah," I told her and then we wished each other a good night and I was alone with the guy. He said how sometimes he gets jealous that girls can carry bags because if he could, he'd be toting around all of his crap. I suggested, "Get a briefcase - you can rock that shit!" That scored a chuckle and as he got out on the 6th floor I told him to take care and he said, "You too, and happy Valentine's day, sweetie." So nice! I love little moments like that with strangers. Makes the world seem kinder and less enormous.

bonus: check out the Valentine I got from two of my favourite fellas:

AND, I woke up yesterday morning to find that both Barbara and Michel received their V-Day cards right on time!

Happy V-day from My Avatar to Yours!

Albums to Set the Mood

From my twisted, sad little mind I give you a Valentine's evening scenario and the music that should accompany a budding romance.

Scene: A strange but somewhat charming woman is seen in her home, clearly preparing for a romantic night with her new beau. She stands before her hi-fi, holding a vinyl record in her hands while talking to herself. 

I think I'll start the evening off with Somewhere in Time. It truly is cinema's most exquisite soundtrack. Ooo, is that a knock at the door? "Just a moment, here I come...well, hello! It's lovely to see you, too. Please, come right in, let me take your coat. Yes, it is frigid out there tonight! Why don't you have a seat by the fire. May I get you a drink? A gin martini? But of course, coming right up..."

While sipping cocktails near the hearth, the pair converse easily and are treated to the sounds of Nicola Conte's Bossa Per Due. It's nearly impossible to not feel a warm hum travel through your torso when this album plays. It instantly makes the couple smile and move a little in their seats to the rhythm of the music.

"It's about time for me to head into the kitchen. Care to lean over the partition and continue our discussion while I put on the timer for the (vegan) roast and set the table? Oh, would you be a lamb and light the tapered candles for me?"

Before tying her apron strings, our hostess puts on Music for a Bachelor's Den, skipping ahead a few tracks to Morris Stoloff's masterpiece, "Moonglow". 

The table is set, the dinner now ready, and the conversation in the kitchen has certainly turned up the heat between these two. Now it's time to move into the dining room. There's no reason to rush a romance and so in an attempt to cool things down let's bring out Donna Reed's Dinner Party, placing the needle on the second song, "Que Sera, Sera".

"So sorry, what was that? Who is this? Oh, yes, it's Doris Day. She does have a splendid, wholesome voice, doesn't she? I believe Andy Williams is singing the next song. He's another wonderful singer, don't you agree? Please, sit, darling, let's set our napkin rings aside and tuck in to this delicious looking feast. Could I offer you some wine? How nice of you to bring a bottle. This is actually from my favourite vineyard. Please allow me to make the toast...here's to many more evenings spent together just like this. Cheers! Mmm...this Cabernet is robust, isn't it? So aromatic and delicious... Let's begin, shall we? Would you be a dear and please pass the (Miyoko's) butter dish? Thank you. Oh these dinner rolls are simply divine, aren't they?"

Supper eventually comes to an end and that means that it is time for an after-dinner beverage.

"Oh, thank you, yes, I'm so pleased that the dinner was to your liking. I'm always a bit nervous with new recipes but it was good, wasn't it? Would you care for a cup of tea or coffee before dessert? Coffee? Wonderful. I won't be but a minute..."

What goes better with java than a little poetry? The soundtrack to Il Postino features famous voices reading the works of Pablo Neruda and concludes with whimsical instrumental pieces by Luis Bacalov. This album is the ideal backdrop for a transition from a savory meal to a sweet climax. While preparing the tray with cream and sugar the woman dreamily thinks to herself, Perhaps we will look longingly into each-other's eyes while listening to Rufus Sewell read Ode to a Beautiful Nude..."With a chaste heart, with pure eyes, I celebrate your beauty..."

After some delightful banter and more flirtation over a hot cup o' Joe and cappuccino, it seems just the right moment to indulge in some sweet morsels. What could compliment this more than the liquid caramel voice of Nat King Cole singing all of his Love Songs? 

"Well I don't know about you, but I am certainly ready for dessert. Could I interest you in some chocolate covered strawberries or perhaps a slice of Jewish apple cake? Maybe I could tempt you with chocolate mousse topped with whipped cream? I assure you it is absolutely scrumptious."

Finally having finished the last spoonful of dessert and feeling sated and satisfied, the next album is Remy Shand's The Way I Feel. The couple listen as he croons "All or nothing baby, is a feeling I know...Ooh this contemplation's turning up on its own...Oh your body's churnin', when livin' is rough...Well are you yearnin' or are you givin' it up..."

"Shall we retire to the den for chit chat and a pousse-café digestif? I have cognac, sherry...cognac? Perfect, I have a Courvoisier that's quite good..."

The woman pours two glasses and as she hands her dinner guest his snifter the first notes of Song for My Father from The Horace Silver Quintet begin to drift around the room.

"Please feel free to take off your shoes, loosen your tie, and make yourself at home. Do tell me more about this new merger you are working on...it sounds fascinating..."

Time slips through the hourglass. Dusk has become evening, evening slowly dissipates, easing into night. Now is the moment to put a little Johnny Mathis on the turntable. For when Mathis is on that can only mean one thing, time to get down to some red-hot necking. His album Open Fire, Two Guitars begins with one of the smoothest songs recorded by Mathis. He envelopes the room with his effortlessly lush voice, serenading the couple with, "Sitting on a cozy pillow...Poking ashes with a willow...Stirs a spark of old desire...". And if this evening goes the way they both think it might, let's bring it to a close with the intensely erotic Lost Highway soundtrack. 

In closing we the observers must take our leave, allowing these two some privacy as we wish them luck in their newfound love affair. 

What I Love About Amy

- No matter how long it's been since we last spoke, we are always able to pick up right where we left off. Never, ever have we had an awkward silence.
- Our childhoods and families are so intertwined and we share so many memories that she's more like family than a friend.
- Every single person in my life that has met Amy genuinely likes her. From my parents, Nana Irma (who sent Amy a five dollar bill in a congratulatory card when she graduated college - Amy went out and treated herself to some Krispy Kreme donuts), all three of my brothers (she is the only one of my friends to be invited to and attend Xavier and Dave's weddings), Bishop, Donna, Aunt Berne, Aunt Gina, Terri, Peter Parker (who oddly enough was so much like Amy it was scary. They both had a cat named Nermal. Like what the hell is that? And they loved Ghostbusters and Super Mario Bros. on Nintendo.) and Marina. She is the most like-able person ever. I can leave her in a room full of strangers and know that she will be able to strike up a conversation with all she encounters.
- Has a really good laugh.
- At my father's viewing he was eulogized by six people - myself, Marina, Fr. Michael, a cousin on my mother's side, and my father's cousin. The sixth was Amy. She was also the only one of my friends to visit my father when he was in the hospital. We didn't want a lot of people coming in and disturbing him, but Amy was absolutely welcome because my father always thought Amy was a great kid and she truly liked him in return.
- Was there for me during all my meltdowns through my teenage years and beyond - through my severest depressions. She didn't have to know mental illness to just be a support to me and a sympathetic ear when I needed it the most.
- She will laugh at damn near anything I say or do. Especially if it isn't even funny. I once held up my index finger and said, "laugh at this" and she did. For way longer than anyone would have ever thought.
- The brainiest, most intelligent person I know.
- Is a self-described tiger on the dance-floor and it is 100% true.
- Unbelievably compassionate and kind to everyone.
- She is conscientious of the environment (duh - she's an environmental chemist) and has changed my life in regards to limiting waste in all areas. Amy is one of those people that teaches by example, which is the best way to create change in the world. She is making me a better person.
- Caring and warm and generous.
- Fantastic sense of humour and a vivacious energy always surrounds her. She is forever with a smile on her face.
- A great partner to have when playing group party games. Everyone wants her - "Shotgun Amy!! I want the PHD on my team!"
- Has sent me a postcard from all of her vacations since at least 1988. I'm not so good at reciprocating but I'm getting better!

- Accepts me as I am and never seemed concerned with what colour or length my hair was, how much I weighed, the dark bags under my eyes, the age lines, or my bad skin. I pretty much never panic before seeing her because she alleviates all that with her unconditional love.
- Her sparkly blue-grey-green eyes and ginger hair are a lethal combination.

- Is the least judgemental person I've met.
- A great hugger!
- We both adore brownies and pie and cake and cookies and donuts and chocolate which means that our sweet tooths are BFFs too.
- She's open minded and accepting.
- Has excellent taste in music (especially classic rock) and was the last person I knew to use cassette tapes. This was up until about seven years ago. Most of the mix tapes were made by me, just so you know.
- She believes in me.

Historical Romances

I'm new-ish to the genre but these are the romance novels that were just such fun. That's what I love about reading these silly books - the escape. I really like that the females are not wimpy little whining brats who are helpless. Most of the novels I read have strong and realistic female characters. Here are my top ten to get one in the mood for a little holiday romance.

Ever His Bride - Linda Needham
The Wicked One - Danelle Harmon
The Rogue Not Taken - Sarah MacLean
The Highlander - Kerrigan Byrne
Devil in Winter - Lisa Kleypas
Kisses, She Wrote - Katharine Ashe
Written in My Own Heart's Blood - Diana Gabaldon
She Tempts the Duke - Lorraine Heath
Romancing Mr. Bridgerton - Julia Quinn
Her Secret Guardian - Linda Needham

Ten Movies for a V-day Evening

- Dead Again - A neo-noir film from 1991 starring Kenneth Branagh, Emma Thompson, Andy Garcia, Derek Jacobi (oh god, I love that man!), and cameos from Miriam Margolyes, Campbell Scott, and Robin Williams. I remember seeing this when it first came out and really loving it. I watched it again recently and it's still a solid film.

(photo kidnapped from imdb)

- Enough Said - Nicole Holofcener is one of those writer/directors that can really capture every day people and show the joy and beauty of that. Of just being a regular person with an un-extraordinary job and a hum-drum life but still be interesting and alive. I absolutely adored this film and thought that it showcased the great talent of the two leads who were completely believable and wonderful as a couple experiencing love the second time around.

(photo kidnapped from moviebuzzers)

- The Giant Mechanical Man - An Indy romance that was inventive and unique and one that I have watched several times and it's always a treat. Jenna Fisher and Chris Messina were too cute together. (WARNING: there's a dream sequence where teeth fall out. Please feel free to skip this, as I have done. Yuck.)

(photo kidnapped from theseasonofplumandcobblestone - hey, that's me!)

- Edie and Thea: A Very Long Engagement - I had first seen this documentary in November of 2011 and have watched it a few times since and am always in awe of the love these two ladies shared.

(photo kidnapped from theseasonofplumandcobblestone)

- Romantics Anonymous - A French-Belgian love story about two painfully shy and awkward people that manage to find love and romance. Clearly chocolate is involved, and it's in French. I mean, does it get any more romantic than that?

(photo kidnapped from theseasonofplumandcobblestone)

- Rear Window - A classic Hitchcock film with two remarkable actors who effortless move from one moment to the next allowing the audience to become so absorbed that you have to remind yourself that you are watching a film with actors and not another character in the film looking into their windows and observing them. I have often put this film on and watched it numerous times in a row. I have loved it since childhood and it never, ever gets boring. (This is selected as a V-day movie because of the argument scene between Jeff and Lisa and how realistic it was and of just how much she was willing to push to get him to want to stay with her for good. To see that they may be so opposite but that doesn't mean they can't belong together.)

(photo kidnapped from gifer)

- Cloudburst - I stumbled onto this film in December of  2014 and I am telling you I was howling with laughter at some of the scenes. The casting of Olympia Dukakis and Brenda Fricker was spot on and I was so charmed by it.

(photo kidnapped from traileraddict)

- Weekend (2011) - In August of 2016 I watched this film and gave my mini-take on it in this post: This movie was excellent. I loved that it showed a realistic romance and the conversations that the fellas had in bed the morning after they'd met and hooked up was so authentic that I kinda forgot it was a film and that I wasn't peering through a keyhole. Tom Cullen and Chris New's acting were superb and I was so glad I picked this up at the library. Definitely a good movie about a one night stand that becomes something more.

(photo kidnapped from pinterest)

- Il Postino - Xavier and I saw this on St. Patty's Day in 1996 at the UA Theatre in Washington Township (please note that it was a matinee and cost me four bucks!!!) and I would see it two more in the theatre after that. I watched it again last week and it hasn't lost an ounce of it's originality and beauty. Massimo Troisi was so good and I had no idea that he had written the screenplay. The music by Luis Bacalov is outstanding. Just such a great movie.

(photo kidnapped from pastposters)

- Romancing the Stone - This film is just pure 1980s FUN! Not to be missed.

(photo kidnapped from themindreels)

How about we make this a top ten and a half post rather than just a top ten and include the following bonus:

- Julie and Julia - I truly wish that they had made a film called Paul and Julia because all of the moments between Stanley Tucci and Meryl Streep in Julie and Julia were gold. They showed the kind of love affair that sweeps you away and makes you smile and either hold your lover close or long to have that kind of passion with someone. Oh, it was so good. I advise fast forwarding the Julie bits and focus only on Julia (which is a damn shame because I really like Chris Messina and Amy Adams. Just not in this film).

(photo kidnapped from pinterest)

(Note that I try not to divulge what the films are about - this is done on purpose so that if someone is reading this, they will feel compelled to find out more and maybe give the movie a look.)

I ♥ Alfredo Aldarisio

I know I posted this way back when, however, the world's most romantic statement deserves a repeat on this blog, in honour of Valentine's Day.

(photo kidnapped from pinterest)

Love Lane Tiles