Singin' In The Rain

At last I was able to take Jackson to see a movie at The Colonial. I wasn't sure how he would feel about seeing a classic musical, but he did really like The Wizard of Oz and I kinda felt like Donald O'Connor's antics in Singin' In The Rain would win him over. I was completely right. Jackson's favourite part was when Gene Kelly pleads with O'Connor, while surrounded by crazy fans tearing at his clothes, "Cosmo! Call me a cab!" to which O'Connor complies with "Okay, you're a cab." Such an old joke but clearly this was the first time Jax heard it and he cracked up. I was once again amazed at how Debbie Reynolds, who was not a professional dancer, learned all the choreography and held her own with those two pros. All with a smile on her lovely face and making me love her all over again. I definitely have to give her book Unsinkable another listen. 

(NOTE: King Ad Rock t-shirts available at tees4togo)

Eastern State

Family friend, Heather, visited Philly with hubby, Ben, last week and sent me pix of their touring the old Penitentiary. It reminded me of the time I went with Zach back in 2019. Here are some more shots from the day. 

April 2021 Books

I've been watching more shows during work than listening to audiobooks lately and April was a dismal month. I only read four books! May isn't shaping up to be any better but there's always June! Here's what I read last month:

♥ Night by Elie Wiesel - It was not easy reading Elie Wiesel's experiences of the Holocaust but it was such an important story that needed to be told and I felt compelled to read it. I love stories of survival, of people that go through something unimaginable and are able to come out and move not beyond, but above the experience. To allow it to shape you in a way that makes you a better person. To not give in to hatred and anger but to build atop that which nearly destroyed them and create from it something extraordinary - a good life.

♥ Iris Apfel - Accidental Icon by Iris Apfel - After the last book I wanted something light and cheery. Iris Apfel is a beam of sunshine and joy and it was so lovely to read through the book about her life and see her fashions laid out. For when one thinks of Ms. Apfel, one most certainly thinks of her immensely brilliant clothes. 

** Anne of Green Gables ¹ by L.M. Montgomery - To start, I did not like Marilla. She annoyed me to no end. Anne was fun and kind-hearted and prone to falling face-first into mischief without meaning to do so, but she was absolutely guileless. It irked me that Marilla never showed Anne warmth or acceptance until the very end. Anne seemed so easy to love - Matthew liked her almost instantly - and I could just never understand Marilla. The narrator, Susie Berneis, also read The Secret Garden and she did a wonderful job on this as well. 

Monuments Men ¹ by Robert M. Edsel - I love real-life stories but this book felt like a text book and I couldn't really get attached to the characters. Definitely an important book that documents some extraordinary people but I wish it had been told more like a novel (think In Cold Blood) where the reader could become invested in the lives of the people hell bent on restoring and preserving some of the world's most important pieces of art.

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

15 - The Mountain

The Mountain

There's a man who wants to be a preacher or a prophet. He tells us that he has traveled the world and dined with celebrities and kings, that he has read entire libraries and can decipher the stars. "I have found the secret to happiness," he says. "And if you listen to me, I can solve all of your problems." Right now he's standing on a crate in the park, waiting for an audience. He's been there for days. Behind the park you can see the silhouette of a distant mountain that turns blue in the winter and purple in the summer. Tonight many of us will look out the window or sit on the stoop and tell the mountain our troubles, gazing at the clouds that gather around its peak like a crown while we puzzle out a problem or make a plan. We think the mountain is beautiful, but, best of all, it is quiet.

Actions should not be taken in pursuit of praise. Achieve your goals not through force but through sincerity. Wisdom requires modesty.

45

Today started off with a video from Avery and Bailey:

Then it was time to get outta bed and start my workout. Good ol' wii never forgets!

The rest of my day was smattered with wishes for a happy bday and a stack of cards in my mail slot!

One of the many cards I received was from big brother Wayne:

During lunch I enjoyed some homemade naan pizza with root beer and watched the Columbo episode Lovely But Lethal which featured (in a small part) Vincent Price, with whom I share a birthday! (Sidenote: same goes for Christopher Lee!) After bingeing on more Columbo eps it was off to Grounds for Sculpture for a bit. It was nice to walk around but I was disappointed in how many people were there on a weekday at 5:30pm. Plus the heat was horrific and my face was fifty shades of red. 

And I finished up the day with a pit stop to see Bishop. He gave me a 24-cup size container of homemade vegan chili, a big batch of white rice, and a mason jar of pickled onions plus a card. We got to chit-chat a bit outside and he indulged me in a silly selfie. The big bear hug with the genuine "I love you" was the perfect end to a very nice day.

22nd and Green

A stunning piece of architecture rests on the corner of my favourite number and my favourite colour in my all-time favourite city, the city where my life began. I just love this place and daydream about what it once was. I snapped this photo in the Fall of 2019 and just stumbled across it today in my catalogue of pix.

Another Ideal Spot

Love everything about this. The worn furniture, oodles of books, sunflowers, warm lighting and an open window.

(photo kidnapped from @stampsandstamps Instagram page - they also have a website: stampsandstamps.com which has oodles of photos to feed one's daydreams!)

Monday with the Blondies

Monday of Bday week kicked off by spending six hours with Isabella! We finally went to Goldie Falafel in University City. Bella ran in, grabbed the goods then we headed to a park to stuff our faces and chat. After that we drove to see Aunt June's grave (I'm hoping to have a headstone made for her within the next 12 months) which we found easily (shocking!) and spotted two super fuzzy and adorable foxes scootin' around the gravestones and mausoleums. Then a pit stop at MOM's to peepod and grab beverages for the ride back to Bella's. In the car outside we went bananas with selfies, pullin' as many oddball faces as we could conjure up.

Then I took a side-jaunt on the way home and stopped to see Xavier, Mary, and Jax. I even got a chance to swing with the young man for a bit. All in all, a pretty terrific day.

Texting with Uncle Al

My father was lucky to have two brothers who made for two really wonderful uncles. It would be nice if we saw eachother more often but it is what it is. Yesterday I messaged Uncle Alan and even through his texts he still makes me laugh.

Crispy Kumara Cakes

Ages ago I jotted down this recipe from Quite Good Food and decided to be brave and try it. Holy cow - it was easy and turned out delicious! I was shocked. 

½ large sweet tater (aka a Kumara)

2 tbsp flour

1 tsp curry powder 

maybe 1½ tbsp of oil for the pan

• peel and grate the swt tater into a mixie bowl

• add flour & spices plus grind in some salt and pep

• heat a lil' oil to medium heat

• squeeze handfuls of mixture together and flatten into patties

• add to frying pan and cook til golden brown

• serve with hummus or mayo (mayo is the only way to go for anything sweet p'tater, as far as I'm concerned!)  

The Flowers at Morris Arboretum