Picture Walk in October

Saturday, October 8th was a GOOD day. It started out rainy and slow. My Mom and I watched "Still Alice" before the house woke up. We paused it while I ran my brother to a rehearsal. By the time I got home, my sister was up and ready to join in on our movie marathon. She wasn't crazy about that movie. Her exact words were, "I think I needed to see the beginning."

After that we watched Lady Jane Grey. Since the same lady who plays Bellatrix was playing Jane, it took some getting used to, but it was pretty well done. I think they MAY have gotten a little tired of me saying where the movie was mixing things up or skipping over important events in Jane's life.

After that, we started watching The Tenet of Wildfell Hall. Just so you don't think we're bums...We had rented these movies from the library and they were allll due. That rainy morning combined with a looming due date were the perfect combination for a movie marathon. We watched SOME of Wildfell Hall and then the rain started to clear up. I was getting stir crazy. For once, my sister had ZERO plans, so I asked her to go for a walk. We bundled up and I stuck my camera into my pocket....

I'm committing a pet peeve (sorry, Amanda)...I can't choose which of these pictures I like best. We'll call them (from top to bottom) 1, 2, 3. Which is your favorite?

These pictures required a bit of strategy. Sometimes I like capturing strangers right along with the scenery, but on this day, I decided not to. It wasn't busy, but it wasn't as dead as these pictures might lead you to believe.

We saw a friendly old man with two dogs who were JUST as friendly as their master. We saw a couple of guys lounging and chatting on the sea wall. I saw one guy sitting on the wall intently looking out onto the lake. Truth be told, there was something "dark" about him, but I envied him. He came down there by himself and sat for however long he wanted to. I wish I was brave enough and bold enough to do that.

We saw a couple of families out trying to take pictures. We saw some boys on their longboards. And then there was the couple that was meandering along the trail right along with us. It's always awkward when you find yourself wandering along at the same pace as someone. Do you speed up? Do you wait for them to speed up? Do you continue your pace even though it means that you're less than 10 steps behind them? I never know what to do in those situations. We passed them and then slowed back down.

It was beautiful and peaceful and refreshing. A sleepy town after a rainy morning really can't be beat. Picture walks with this sweet sister of mine are always in order. We talked and laughed  and caught up on things that we hadn't talked to death yet.

I keep wondering how much more of THIS we're going to have. In this town. Together. During a season where neither one of us is married or has a DIFFERENT family to take care of. This, my friends, is why I'm in no hurry.

Oh...And since the 16th of September, we've been collecting license plates. Normally we just spot them and write them down. We're up to 24 different plates now! My sister recently traveled to Ohio for her friend's wedding, so this one required a quick picture. I'm not sure I've ever seen an Ohio plate around here.

Julie, here are the pictures!!!! It's Friday. But I finally shared them. :)

What's something about your current season that keeps you content with it? 

Do you play the license plate game just for fun?

The Wait Was Over

My youngest brother has been a fan of Star Wars ever since he was old enough to choose his library check outs. He even exchanged letters with Lucas. Acting and creating and producing are in this boy's blood and I have no doubt that they will always be part of his life. His infatuation with the films and the story behind them is something I think very few people can really understand. He has gotten us into going to premieres, standing in lines to make sure we get decent seats, and designs costumes that get all kinds of compliments. The release of the latest episode of Star Wars was a reason for celebration in my family (on both coasts...). We line up two hours before the film started and stood in a BLIZZARD with nearly 100 other people doing our best to stay warm.

There was a double date going on in front of us. The group was made up of a barista, a bail bondsman, a dental student, and a guy who basically did a lot of listening. They were chatting away about the differences in drinks, a guy who got "dishonorably discharged" from some branch of the military and pretends to be a police officer serving warrants, as well as the makeup and decay process of teeth. I was trying my hardest NOT to listen too closely, but we were all standing within two feet of each other. Besides that, the dental student's umbrella kept getting my attention every time it got closer to my face.

There was a father and son duo behind us...They were exact imprints of one another. The father was telling his son all about his memories of going to see the original movies. They were friendly and even offered the time when they overheard my Mom ask about it for the third time in 15 minutes.

Then there were the guys from "Tuesday night swing" who got ECSTATIC about seeing some people they knew in the line. The thing is, we don't actually KNOW them. We all just know what the others look like...but, I saw the first guy's eyes light up with recognition and then watched as he turned his back to us and whisper shouted to the lady he was with "BEHIND ME!!! PEOPLE FROM TUESDAY NIGHTS!!!". He did it again when his buddy showed up. Both times I actually laughed out loud. Eventually, we all acknowledged one another and properly introduced ourselves.

When the lady came out to welcome the crowd into the theatre, everyone cheered. The wait was over...

I really enjoyed the film and I can't wait to watch it again, but December 17th wasn't about a big premiere. It was about joining in on a moment my 15 year old brother has been looking forward to for a very long time. The excitement of FANS truly is contagious. I've been to the premiere of three or four films now and each time I am surprised at how excited I find myself becoming once I'm in the presence of people who have been living and breathing a certain story. It's a kind of contagion that I find myself thinking back on.

There were teenagers, grown men, and even old people who were anticipating those two hours with such GLEE that it was wearing off on everyone around them. I saw the smiles that seemed to take over their entire face. I heard exclamations and whispers of "I am SOOOO excited!!!!" so many times that I lost count. When the film was over and everyone sat in silence, I found myself wishing we could all sit around and swap thoughts. Was it everything they had hoped for?

Instead, we all filed out of the theatre in a kind stupor. The streets were silent. The snow continued to fall. The wait was over. It was 1am and the premiere of Star Wars 7 was becoming a memory.

The next morning we all slept WAY in and eventually made our way outside to take care of the snow. The memory had been made and I was a little surprised to see that the excitement wore on. That's the thing that sets true delight apart.

A week and a half has gone by. BB8 melted a little bit and is nearly lost to the massive amounts of snow that have piled up all around him. Underneath the piles and the drifts lies a reminder of one man's creation which has inspired countless others. Never underestimate influence...You never know how far your reach may go.

A Special Kind of Weekend

Sunday, April 20, 2014

This Tuesday is the perfect mix of gray skies, wind in the trees, puddles on the ground, and rain falling from the sky! I'd love to curl up with a book and something hot to drink....for now, I'll settle for looking back on this last weekend!

Friday was really warm and pretty. I spent the morning putting on a pot of sauce, chopping lettuce, making garlic butter, and baking some cupcakes.

 Heidi and her husband were coming and since her husband's birthday was Sunday, we decided to decorate the dining room and celebrate! :) Heidi said, "So...Whose birthday?"

 They were only here for a few hours but I really enjoyed the chance to just sit and chat with Heidi for a bit. My heart was so happy!

After they left I asked my brother to go on a bike ride with me. I am not one to ride bikes, but I really enjoy it and every now I borrow one.

We rode and talked and raced and chatted with a lady who was walking her two little dogs. I really should ride more often!

Saturday...After Bible study my Mom and I decided to go mattress shopping. She's good at spontaneously suggesting things like that.

While we were out we decided to see Captain America! Can I just say I really like Captain America? I think it's the whole American gentleman, big band loving, good old days thing...The movie was really good and so full of one unexpected thing after another. If you haven't seen it, go. If you have, let's talk about it!!!

Who is your favorite super hero?

What is your go-to meal when company is coming? 

 

Winter is for...Movie Marathons

On the weekends and sometimes in the evenings, I really enjoy having something to watch. Between Amazon Prime and Netflix, it is rare that I watch something I actually own.

Some of my favorites this winter have been:

Downton Abbey -  I've been going back through all of the seasons. I have always liked Carson, but this time around, I'm beginning to like Mary, A LOT. 

Which character(s) do you like?

Manor House - I really enjoyed this "survivor" type TV show. People accepted a challenge to live in and run a manor house up to the standards and only using what knowledge was available during the early 1900's. If the challenge was to great or they couldn't keep up, participants were replaced. Who knows how accurate it was, but I enjoyed a behind the scenes look and a direct contrast between our lifestyles then and now. 

Ballykissangel - This is a very clean  TV show about a little town in Ireland. It centers around a pub (where the town kind of hangs out) and one of the main characters is a Catholic priest.

Foyle's War - I love a good clean murder mystery TV show and that's exactly what this is. It's set during WWII, but the main focus is a little English village where Foyle still has crimes to solve even though war is at the forefront of the rest of the world's mind. 

The Newsies - Friends in Massachusetts introduced this to me years ago and I shared it with my family earlier this winter. A musical set in New York is bound to be good! 

Sabrina - I'm talking about the movie starring Audrey Hepburn. Do I need to say anything else? 

We're No Angels - Good for a laugh and a small dose of sentiment.

The Harvey Girls - This is an older movie starring Judy Garland. It's set in a town whose only attraction is the railroad and more specifically the jobs it brings along.

Are any of these familiar to you?

What's been on your watch list this winter?