Back to All Fired Up

So this morning I picked up Jax and we headed back to Collingswood. We went to lunch and then to All Fired Up by 2pm. Jax killed it and did four ornaments plus a mini wizard in two and a half hours. It should come as no surprise that he made the wizard Gandalf the Grey. I tried again to make something cute and botched it up royally. The lil' piggy I drew is too small and he's all crooked because I was so annoyed at my third time clearing off the paint and starting over that I didn't line up my painting with the hole it will hang from. Ugh. But the little hearts around him turned out cute. 

The highlights from today were: 

• Walking in to the house and having Jax initiate a hug!

• Watching (and filming) Jackson walking ahead of me to make sure we made it to All Fired Up in time for our reservation.

• Some of the kids in the party room were singing a chant and clapping in unison and Jackson said, under his breath, "They've started a cult." Even the gal working at the table next to us laughed.

• A pit stop to the library to pick up my holds and use the peepod to clean the paint off. We exited our respective bathrooms at the exact same time. Then I got Flight of the Navigator and season one of Yellowstone. 

• Listening to our second Here's Hank audiobook this month - this time is was A Short Tale About a Long Dog. Jackson even clapped when Emily stood up for Hank and told their dad that stinky Nick McKelty was the one to blame. This was hands-down one of the best Henry Winkler/Lin Oliver books I've read yet!

• Scoring gas at BJ's Wholesale for $3.83 a gallon. (It's horrible to think of this as a good deal. I miss 2020 Covid gas prices!!)

• How cute Jax looks in my nerdy night-time driving glasses.

I spent over a hundred and fifty bucks today (not including petrol which would up it another fifty dollars) but it was so nice to hear Jackson say "That was fun." I'm thinking of how I would love to get a gaggle of friends together to meet at All Fired Up, book the big room and spend a couple hours gettin' crafty and creative. I think it would be fun! Jackson clearly will be first on the guest list.

Break-Up Mix Tape Songs

If I Were Your Woman - Gladys Knight and the Pips

Single - Everything But The Girl

Teenage Dirtbag - Wheatus

1000 Oceans - Tori Amos

Seasick, Yet Still Docked - Morrissey

Paper Bag - Fiona Apple

Grey Room - Damien Rice

Outside - Staind

Untouchable Face - Ani DiFranco

Ex-Girlfriend - No Doubt

I'm Hurtin' Inside - Bob Marley and the Wailers

Something I Can Never Have - Nine Inch Nails

Eat My Dust You Insensitive Fuck - Catherine Wheel

The Way We Were - Barbra Streisand

I Got It Bad & That Ain't Good - Nina Simone

Sad Lisa - Cat Stevens

Tear in Your Hand - Tori Amos

I'm Still Here - Tom Waits

Hope There's Someone - Antony & the Johnsons

Get Gone - Fiona Apple

Judi Dench

When I finally decide to give up my spiky grey faux hawk and go for a more grown-up lady look, I am 100% using Dame Judi Dench as my style inspiration. This woman is timeless in her beauty and classic in her sense of style. And she never seems to set a foot wrong in her acting, always turning out one brilliant performance after another. Legend isn't a big enough word for a doll of her caliber and stature.

Mr. Mercedes

Years ago Amy and I were discussing Stephen King and it turns out that we have zero of his books in common. All the ones I read, she hadn't and vice versa. One that she raved about was Mr. Mercedes. I checked it out online and saw that they'd made it into a TV series. I added it to my Hoopla faves but only just decided to start it. The first season has 10 episodes and I had 10 credits left in April. It was, as we said in the 80s, a no-brainer. I was beyond relieved to discover that Brendan Gleeson isn't the baddie. (Whew!) I absolute loathe, despise, and abominate Mr. Mercedes. Good lord, what a loser. Brendan is sensational as Bill and Holland Taylor as Ida, Bill's super classy, mega sexy neighbour, once again turns in a flawless, effortless performance. She's so authentic and real. 

(photos kidnapped from ew and tvfanatic)

Bonus!! I just read that the fourth season is to be released November 24th of next year.

Daydreaming of Life in Castleton

(photo kidnapped from countrylook on Instagram - photographed by jameslloydcole)

Estelle

Film Quotes

•List Film Quotes You'll Never Forget•

• "A Mercedes is a thoroughbred."

• "...flames...on the side of my face..."

• "Don't throw me down, Clark..."

• "You know how stupid I am about doors."

• "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn."

• "Fasten your seatbelts, it's going to be a bumpy night."

• "Smells like they're cookin' a god damn cat over there."

• "I'm on vacation!!!" & "Get outta the car!!"

• "I can't help it if I've got a heavy flow and a wide set vagina."

• "Shelby, Shelby, drink the juice..."

• "Say no more." "I can say no more."

• "Frankie! Your mother forgives me!"

• "Angel, you are hell and gone from Cartagena."

• "This cow got in to an onion patch."

• "I'll never be big enug to pull anything..."

• "Coffey looks and he sees Russians. You have to look with better eyes than that."

• "Hey Russell, what'd you do to my mama?!"

• "Mrs. Simpson married the Duke of Windsor."

• "I wouldn't suck your lousy dick if I was suffocating and there was oxygen in your balls."

• "You retract that bit about my cunt fucking children!"

The Answers:

• Jack Weston - The Four Seasons

• Madeline Kahn - Clue

• Mae Questel - Christmas Vacation

• Christopher Reeve - Noises Off

• Clark Gable - Gone With The Wind

• Bette Davis - All About Eve

• Bruce Dern - The 'Burbs

• Richard Dreyfuss - What About Bob?

• Stefanie Drummond - Mean Girls

• Sally Field - Steel Magnolias

• Eleanor Bron and Paul McCartney - Help!

• Robert Loggia - The Ninth Configuration

• Michael Douglas - Romancing the Stone

• Jon Heder - Napoleon Dynamite

• Devin Ratray - Dennis the Menace

• Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio - The Abyss

• Dick Shawn - It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World

• Barbra Streisand - The Way We Were

• Mink Stole - Female Trouble

• Ralph Fiennes - In Bruges

Another Fab Car Seen In Runnemede

It's a Comet!

Love from Lucy

Guess who I'm seeing this weekend?

Chickpea Salad Swich

Last year I became obsessed with this sandwich. I'm a lousy cook, so when I can find something yummy and on the healthy side to have for lunches or whenever, I go whole hog. This was a recipe that made me feel so proud to be able to make and enjoy time and time again.

15oz can chickpeas (drained, rinsed, and peel off that nasty skin!)

¼ cup diced purple onion

½ cup diced red bell pepper

3 tbsp Veganaise

½ tsp: dijon mustard - garlic powder - onion powder

salt & pepper to taste

(The original recipe calls for 1 tbsp fresh chopped dill but I leave this out.)

- in a mixie bowl, mash the chickpeas

- add all remaining ingreds and stir

Easy-peasy!

(by Tasty, Rachel Gaewski and kidnapped from @mayavilleofficial Instagram)

I never really had...

...a conversation with my father. Sometime in the 1960s he caught me mitching from school and gave me an awful hiding. Ripped the clothes off me, lashed me with the belt and punched me in the eyes.

Best of All Fired Up

Seen In Collingswood

I wish I knew the artist's name. I love this homage to Jean-Michel Basquiat. It's fantastic.

Easter 2022

This here post is a mish-moshie hodge-podge of some of the silly postcards I sent out for Easter, plus cards I received, and also some pix from today; I mostly hung out with the kids - Syd, Jax, and Lucy - because let's face it, kids are way more fun than grown ups. We coloured and didn't mention politics once. It was bliss!

Are these bunnies hatching?

I miss remote learning...

Take this, ya blue swaddled bastard.

Drop it, sucker.

Ugh, I wanted to play Uno... - Weeeeeeeee!!! - Doug, I can totally see your junk, bro...

Did that kid just let out a fart?!

Gasp! No undies!!

My Easter cards plus a sweet e-card by Jacquie Lawson from Anne.

Amy and Don's chick and bunny from the farm:

And here are some snaps from today: