Saying Goodbye

Today Mum and I went to the empty house in Philly that has been in our family since 1916. Granny Roseanna was born there a few years later. In later years it fell into disrepair but walking through it today I was reminded of all the good times spent there over the years, the birthday parties celebrated, and movies nights in the late 90s. Here is a walk-through of the first floor, to give just a taste of the old place that was once a home I loved to visit.

(All the clicking sounds are my kneecaps! Christ, I'm old...)

Darcy-ness

This morning at 7:45 I found myself in the car dealership waiting on Roark's oil change. I brought along The Two Mrs. Grenvilles, loving that I would have a good chunk of time to sit in relative silence and really dive in to the story. Just before I cracked open the book I heard a voice across the room. I looked up in confusion and found a lovely woman asking about my bag, wanting to know if those were library date stamps on it. I told her yes and that I got it from Out of Print and raved about them. She thanked me for helping her get all her shopping for Christmas done and later informed me that they were having a BOGO. Buy one get one? Um, yes please! So I ordered myself a $30 The Color Purple v-neck and a Pride and Prejudice one was mine for freesies. How fab is that? Then I was scrolling through my saved posts on IG, looking to delete some, and came across a quote of Mr. Darcy's. (Clearly I need to re-watch P&P now!) Guilt for buying one more thing that I truly don't need seemed to instantly vanish into the ethers of this mortal coil, never to be felt again.

 

(photo kidnapped from littlemissbookreader's Instagram account)

Ted Lasso

Last night after work I went down to see Xavier, Mary, and the kids and scored at seeing all five and getting hugs from each! I've been laying low this month and most likely August as well, but I couldn't resist stopping by for an hour or so to chat and catch up. Xave told me about this new series that he and Mary binged on the other day, Ted Lasso. I had never heard of it but when I IMDb'd it I saw that it featured Jason Sudekis and was focused on UK football, so I figured I'd watch an episode or two in the garage. Fast forward to 3AM when Xavier and I finished the last ep of the first season. It is the best TV show I have seen since I discovered Hart to Hart. The cast is so diverse and the characters are real and three-dimensional. The writing is fast and witty and will have me cracking up and then sniffling back tears. 

(photo kidnapped from apple)

 

I went through half a pack of cigarettes watching Lasso, which I never do anymore, and managed to get home by 4 in the morning. True to my nuttiness, I snapped a selfie with Xavier in the garage and one later at 3AM since Jax was somehow still wide awake. Ted Lasso is definitely a show to watch more than once and I can't wait to see season two when it's all available!

Passed Down

Mama Rosie has been clearing out the old house (Aunt Berne and my cousin Alina moved to a swanky new place!) and she was getting rid of a lot of Godmommy Gina's possessions. One of the ones I snapped up was a lovely copy of the works of Lord Tennyson which belonged to my Granny Roseanna before she was married. According to the note on the flyleaf, the book first belonged to a Mrs. Tochtermann. After she passed away, her husband gave it to Granny Roseanna who claimed that it was her pride and joy. I have to agree that it is simply gorgeous.

Bailey Gets Spooked

I love this little clip of Bailey playing and then turning around to find her mother in the doorway. She does a double scream and then laughing and covering her face, collapses on the bed. Oh she is so cute.

(I asked and apparently the Barbies are hanging upside down because they are about to be eaten by a monster.)

June 2021 Books

♥ Keep Moving by Dick Van Dyke

* In the Body of the World by Eve Ensler - I swear I listened to this book before but I can't remember when. I love Ensler's honesty and writing and this memoir focusing on her cancer diagnosis and recovery was beautifully done.

And Furthermore ¹ by Judi Dench - The first time I remember seeing Judi Dench was in Her Majesty Mrs. Brown in the old Ritz theatre. I loved the movie instantly and her face became more and more familiar as I saw her in countless roles - Goldeneye, Ladies in Lavender, Chocolat, Shakespeare in Love, 84 Charing Cross Road, and Tea with Mussolini, but it was seeing her with Geoffrey Palmer over at my parents' that I really grew to love her. She was, to me, one of those serious British actresses. Seeing her as Jean and being silly and human made her feel accessible and I instantly warmed to her, committing her name to memory. 

This book felt as though she had been pressured to write it. She brushed the surface of relationships and focused primarily on performances and the theatre. I preferred the last half where she spoke of the things I was familiar with, but I think that someone who loves British theatre and knows the players and the plays, well, this book would be just right for them. I like memoirs that get very personal, but I respect Ms. Dench not wanting to spill the beans on her family and what not. However, after the twelfth time she mentioned Peggy Ashcroft I could hear my father’s voice saying, “Jesus, she’s got a hard-on for Peggy Ashcroft, doesn’t she?”  

♥ Here's Hank: Bookmarks Are People Too! by Henry Winkler and Lin Oliver - This duo can do no wrong.

Fran Lebowitz Reader ¹ - by Fran Lebowitz - Good Lord, I wanted to like this but Ms. Lebowitz is a dull narrator and the stories I read years ago that made me laugh, made me annoyed at how jaded and cynical they come across. Well written, there's no doubt, but content-wise, it's just not my thing. 

♥ The Wreckage of My Presence ¹ by Casey Wilson - From the moment she discusses being both a bed-person and a bath-person I knew instantly that this was a purchase I would not regret. The stories were hilarious and touching and I having Ms. Wilson tell these tales in her inimitable voice was nothing short of pure perfection.

Buddhism for Beginners ¹ by Thubten Chodron - I still have have no idea how to practice Buddhism. The worst thing about a Catholic education is that "religion" class consists only of the teachings of Catholicism, which is worthless. It's like having a course in mathematics that ends with addition. I guess the church figured that leading its followers to believe that there is only one way to think will keep us blind and not question anything. Funny thing is, I only know one practicing Catholic who was raised in the faith and stuck with it. Once most of us reached the age of reason and discovered that a majority of what we were taught was nonsense, we left the church and followed our own path in life.

Cack-Handed ¹ by Gina Yashere - If memory serves, I think Maria Bamford recommended this book. I'd never heard of Ms. Yashere before. This memoir had some good moments but my god her mother was exhausting. Overprotective to the point of strangulation. 

* The Rainbow Comes and Goes ¹ by Gloria Vanderbilt & Anderson Cooper - After the disappointment of Cack-Handed, which I thought would be funny, I needed a book I'd read before and could count on it keeping me interested. As good as the first time I listened, maybe better.

♥ All in All ¹ by Stacy Keach - What's not to love about Stacy Keach reading his life story? Just fabulous.

* Song of Solomon ¹ by Toni Morrison - I definitely prefer Ms. Morrison's stories that center around a female voice but Song of Solomon was another masterpiece. The next time I'm at Baldwin's I plan to see if there's a Cliff Notes for this up on the third floor. There's so much I didn't fully grasp and I want to read the background and interpretation and meanings behind things and re-listen to it, with a better understanding. 

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

Babycakes

I remember recording this television movie on an old VHS, which I think I still have somewhere, back in 1989. I watched it over and over and over and then once DVDs came out, I never really saw it again. Until the other day when I discovered a fab copy of it on YouTube. I loved Ricki Lake's character, Grace, because she was so fun and real and relatable. The basic premise is simple and formulaic - an "ugly duckling" gets made over and wins the heart of the man of her dreams. The big difference in this film is that no one changes Grace; she decides to embrace who she is and wants to be. Grace dresses in clothes that she chooses and does her hair in the style she likes. It's because she wants the guy she's crushing on to notice her and so she goes from trying to look invisible in dowdy grey clothes that hang on her, to bright, fun, youthful clothes that show off her sassy figure and turn heads. Craig Sheffer, an utter dreamboat if ever there was one, was perfectly cast. His portrayal of Rob was not your typical one-dimensional character just there for his pretty face. Rob has insecurities and makes mistakes. He falls for Grace because she's interested in him, in getting to know who he really is and she helps him to become more confident. It's such a great Friday night flick. If only I had some popcorn handy...alas, I watched it while munching on dried seaweed. It was yummy, but c'mon, it ain't popcorn.

A Postie from Barbara!

Lookee what arrived in my lonely little mailbox and brightened up my whole day.

Dear Lisa,

Sophie and I managed to get to Bavaria for a few days to assist my parents moving house and to visit this gallery in Munich. Now we're back home and there's a lot of work in the garden! Hope you're keeping well and making travel plans...

Barbara

Gone Camping!

Melissa at the office out in Portland has been sending me the best videos lately. My favourites are the ones where she reviews a movie while walking from the theatre back to the car. She's so stinkin' cute and vivacious. She's impossible not to love. Today Melissa went camping alone somewhere in Oregon, I forget where. About an hour ago I got two videos. Here's the one of her spot in the park before she set up her tent. Those trees are stunning and if there was a cabin instead of a tent, I would seriously consider camping there. But alas, I'll have to live vicariously through Melissa.

Troll Stickers

A couple months back I went a bit bananas and bought a batch of classic Troll Books stickers off Etsy for an unbelievable fifty-eight dollars and fifty cents. It was an absurd purchase but the fourth grader in me needed to have them. The girl that could never have enough stickers, who loved the ones from Troll Books above all others, the girl who was always out of place and unwanted, she deserved to be spoiled by the 45 year old that wished for a happier existence for that girl. Little Lisa Star, that shooting superstar sticker was made just for you!

Seen In Olde Richmond

We are Uncaged! We are here. Breathe in LOVE. Exhale fear.

The Latest Eye Candy

Coming to Fishtown

*WARNING FOR KAYLA - photo of spider pictured below*

Christmas in July

Yesterday afternoon I went to Ashlee and Sean's where Bailey and I kicked them (and Avery) out of the house. I brought over all my Christmas ephemera and Bailey and I were gonna make cards for her parents and lil' sis. We got them started but we will definitely need another couple days to get them just right. Bailey was so cute as she kept saying "this is the best day ever." All we really did was chat and eat chopped up fruit and veggies and pick out what paper pieces she would use on the card for each person. It was really just fun to hang out just the two of us for the first time ever. She's such a sweet kid and so easy to be around that I had as much fun as she did. Then when the parents were heading back we put everything away and broke out the Mayan map to work on. Avery came and helped and we made some progress. It was so nice to see them all, get hugs and catch up a bit on the lives of the grown-ups. Plus I got to spoil Farley and Bonnie with pupper treats!

On the Big Screen

Last night Zach and I went to The Colonial for the 9:45 showing of one of my favourite-favourite films of all time: Clue! We left over two hours before the show was to start and thank Christ for that because Phoenixville was a cluster-eff with next to no parking. We drove around for at least 25 minutes and then finally, just when I nearly threw in the towel, a spot appeared and we were golden. We still had twenty minutes or so until the show started which gave us time to peepod and grab Zach some snacks before settling in to our usual seats up in the balcony. The turnout was pretty good and I was stoked that this was gonna be a fab experience. Then as the last trailer played, a group of twenty-something assbaskets and their booze stumbled to their seats talking as if they were in their living room. I wanted to scream "How is this happening?" and "Be silent!" or more to the point, "Shut the fuck up before I fucking beat the hell out of every one of youse." It's as though they'd never been to a movie before. One or another of them was constantly getting up and going out for more booze or whatever and continued to "whisper" and be super annoying. But the movie was glorious up there, or rather down there, on the big screen. I was the only one that laughed when Martin Mull said, "I came into money during the war, when I lost my mommy and daddy." How did no one else find that to be utterly hysterical?! Anyway, we had a decent time and then as the drunkest of the jackholes were filing out, he stopped in front of us to slur something. I usually want to always be pleasing and get people to like me, until that line is crossed. When it is, watch out. I will be rude as hell and completely unapologetic. I looked at him and in my nastiest and most condescending tone said "excuse me?" and he started to ask a question that I think was supposed to be the set up for a joke. Something like, "what do you call a.... in the...." I don't like drunks. Never have. I don't find them funny or amusing. So I shooed him away with my hand and said something along the lines of "no thanks, we're not interested - BYE." He stumbled away and said something about "that was real shitty." I clearly made him feel small and that made me feel slightly vindicated. (Zach promised never to behave like that.) It was such fun to catch up with Zach and daydream about next August/September and maybe having him come along to Ireland with me if I am able to return to my home-away-from-home! It would be so great to show him all the best spots and maybe discover some new ones.

Arthur, Old Chap!

That brilliant artist across the sea sent me this incredible sketch of my darling Captain Hastings as portrayed by Hugh Fraser. I was GOBSMACKED. Helen just seriously can do no wrong. This card made me gasp out loud. It's absolutely perfect.

Helen and Ben and Star

Just Arrived in the Post!

Lovely Lauryn's wedding invite arrived today and it gave me the warm and fuzzies seeing it read Lisa Star and Guest. Most weddings it's an invitation for me alone, since I'm the sad-sack lonely heart that could never find a date so why bother to ask. I mean, that's entirely true, but when Lauryn said I could absolutely bring someone I mentioned bringing Bishop and she got super excited. Lauryn and her sister have known him almost as long as I have, since their family friend is married to one of Bishop's besties, and they will be at the wedding. Former co-worker, Kat, will be there and Bish knows her and is friends with her husband. I have a feeling he's gonna have more fun than me since I only know Lauryn and Melanie and they are the bridal party. I'll probably hide outside and smoke, but it'll be so nice to see Lauryn on her big day. Keep an eye out for selfies with the bride coming this September to The Season of Plum and Cobblestone!

We met in August of 2016. It was our mutual love of Grateful Dead that brought us together. From our first concert (Sister Sparrow in Philly 11/11/16) to 3 day music festivals and sooo many other shows together. Music has been a driving theme in our relationship, so it only seemed appropriate that music (and the Grateful Dead!) play a part in our wedding.

And if you are wondering why we both call each other Chumpy....it all started with that jawn over there. Haha. But seriously, it all started as a joke, and over the last 4 years we evolved into Chumpy squared. :)

"You're Schmoopie!" "No, you're Schmoopie!"

The Mummy

I hadn't seen the 1999 version of The Mummy in such a long time and so when I saw it was available through my library I immediately placed it on hold. Oh, I had forgotten what fun this movie is! Brendan Fraser is perfectly cast as rugged and devilishly handsome and dashing while being a slight scoundrel so as to hide his sweet-natured goodness-at-heart. Rachel Weisz is utterly luminous as both the beauty and the brains of the team. I don't know why but my favourite thing she does in the whole film is her scream when Imhotep comes upon her. She screams like a real person, not that girly, high-pitched, dubbed scream but a full-on AHHHH!!! straight from her chest. With John Hannah as the mischievous sidekick and the rest of the cast, especially Bernard Fox, it's a perfect film and I don't know, it just made me so damn happy to watch over and over these past few days. 

(photo kidnapped from pinterest)

Cabin at Morris

This cabin at Morris Arboretum sure stirred up some grand daydreams...my own tiny cabin in the woods...beside a stream...a charming wooden bridge that crosses the babbling brook...the breeze rustling the trees...birds chirping and little forest creatures creeping through the foliage...oh, if only it were mine for real! 

Blobfest 2021 - The Last Day

Today's Blobfest double feature was, naturally, The Blob, followed by The Last Man On Earth starring fellow Gemini, Vincent Price, which I liked. I think one of the cooler bits this year was Aurora Gorealis hosting the Shocktail Hour. She was a real stunner and a total hoot. One of these days I'm gonna get the ingredients together to make her Boozin' Ooze and try it for myself. Maybe next year!

And here is Beach Creeper performing. They were really good! 

Boozin' Ooze

• full glass of ice in an old fashioned glass

• dump the ice in a shaker and add

• 2 oz tequila

• ½ oz cherry liqueur

• ½ oz of pomegranate liqueur

• ¼ oz. cacao liqueur

• dash of bitters

• shake til the shaker is good and cold

• pour back into glass and add more ice

• take a pitted Amarena cherry and muddle or smash it into a blob and place on top of the drink

Blobfest 2021

For the second year in a row I've been able to participate in Blobfest from the comfort of my own home. This year's line up included The Blob, of course, 4D Man which I saw a couple years ago on Svengoolie, plus Equinox and Last Man on Earth. I kept the whole weekend open so I could sit at my desk, write up postcards and watch some fun flicks. There was a glitch where my Watch button wasn't showing when I initially went to the Digital Screening Room and I started to panic. Natalia and Brett signed up (I sent out Colonial Theatre posties to entice friends across the country to join in the fun and these two took advantage!) so I texted for help after finding no info online. Her workaround didn't change my luck so I emailed Ryan who instantly messaged me back to call the box office. I did and within minutes she sent me a new link and Dash Daring appeared on my screen, ready to introduce THE BLOB!