Love Actually

On Sunday, I went to the Alamo to watch the "Quote Along" version of this movie and I had a great time.   It was actually billed as a girls night and a special deal.  When we arrived, we got British flags to waive for the Prime Minister (Hugh Grant), fans of our favorite characters (choices were Hugh Grant, Colin Firth & Bill Nighy) and Christmas poppers that we were supposed to pop for our favorite kiss.

The movie begins with Hugh Grant talking about love in terms of the arrival gate at Heathrow Airport where we see hugs & hugs & in terms of 9-11 and he points out that as far as he knows, no one called with hate messages before they died.  He points out that love is actually around.

We follow a group of friends over the 5 weeks before Christmas.  Old rocker Billy Mack (Bill Nighy, always a delight) is singing one of his old songs, Love is All Around with the word Christmas substituted for Love.  His sidekick is his longtime manager Joe.

Our Prime Minister is Hugh Grant, who immediately falls for Natalie, a member of his new staff, 

The Prime Minster's sister is Karen (Emma Thompson) who is married to business owner Harry, who is tempted by a slutty employee.

Sarah and Carl are Harry's employees who are in love with each other but family circumstances take all of Sarah's time.

Juliet (Keira Knightly) and Peter (Chiwetel Ejiofor) are getting married and both think Peter's best friend Mark (Andrew Lincoln) dislikes Juliet when the opposite is really the truth.

Jamie (Colin Firth) goes away to Portugal to get over hearbreak and write his novel.  He ends up falling for Aurelia in spite of their language barrier.

Daniel has just lost his wife and is left with her grieving son Sam, a little boy with a crush of his own.

Jack and Judy are porn stand-ins and are nice but if they weren't there, it would be ok.

Colin & Tony are characters who are everywhere doing all kinds of odd jobs.

Each story is pretty fun and the ways they interact is fun.  I saved my popper for Jamie and Aurelia's kiss.  

I had a hard time choosing favorite character for my fan but I love Bill Nighy in just about everything I've ever seen him in and he's my favorite in this movie.  Colin Firth usually wins that prize.

This is actually a movie that grew on me...I liked it the first time but I love it more with each viewing.  And it was even more fun at the theater.  I did see a few men hanging around but most viewers were goofy girls like me who loved the movie.  I'd certainly do it again and I'll watch for the special nights again in the future.

Christmas Brunch 2014

Christmas Brunch 2014
Kyle,Jan, Maura, Lorraine, Robbie, Cathy, Deb, John

Several years ago I started having Christmas Brunch at my house for my little orphan friends but stopped after my dad moved in as he was uncomfortable with too many strangers in the house because of his hearing.  Today, I had the first one since I lost him.

John did waffles & pancakes, Robbie did the eggs, I did the bacon, sausage, biscuits & gravy and I think it was outstanding.  No one left hungry!!

After everyone left I sat down on the couch and then about an hour later!!  I guess I was tired!!

Hello Country Bumpkin

Last night we got to sit in the Chancellor’s box for the basketball game!  I’ve been in a box before but it was just to sit…I’d never gotten the full treatment before.  We had staff members greeting us, offering us cocktails and sodas and there was brisket, chicken & sausage and chips and queso.  We met the Chancellor and Mrs Chancellor and they were very welcoming.  They have courtside seats so only came up at half time to meet and greet but I enjoyed meeting them.  John and I were with strangers (and non-basketball fans, apparently) but we both enjoyed our time.  Robbie & Kyle sat in our seats and our seats are so close that I could have pelted them with popcorn, but I didn’t.  I did have to laugh at them eating popcorn they had to pay for!!  And the biggest bonus was the parking pass…no parking in Levelland for us this game!!

While it was fun to see how the other 10% lives, our seats are better and even though we have to pay for our own snacks, we can be loud and rowdy in our seats where it was a little hard in the box considering we were apparently the only fans there.   But I was impressed, nonetheless and I’d do it again anytime.  

Holiday Failure

I am a holiday failure. 

I pin the right stuff and like the right stuff and I admire the beautiful pictures from Southern Living and I drool over the recipes from Paula Deen but the truth is, I don’t ever do any of it.

None of this stuff is what I grew up with for holidays.  Mom would do chicken and dressing or ham for Thanksgiving and Christmas and a simple fruit salad…apples,oranges,bananas,pecans,cool whip…and we all loved that salad.  Even my nephew thinks Thanksgiving needs that.  And she’d make pies.  And we all looked forward to it. 

I always think people all dressed up, eating off china and drinking wine look good, but it’s not for me. 

I’m invited places and I really do appreciate the invitations and as much as I like the family, they aren’t mine. Even when Steve used to invite me, I never felt welcome.  Because, basically, even they are all still strangers.  I have actually become my Uncle Raymond, my daddy’s bachelor older brother who was the last present under the tree, a few socks.  I have chosen not to be Uncle Raymond the last few years because I feel how he must have all the years.  Steve and I have agreed not to do holidays.

I hope there are thousands of good memories made.  I have mine.  And this year, and future years,

I choose to hold onto those and miss my family.  It sounds sad but it really isn’t.  I look forward to time off more than anything.

Maybe, someday, I will find something that changes my mind.

Sometimes it's hard to remember this...

Blood Sweat & Tears

I added the picture of the ticket last month but had not told any one why.  Blood, Sweat & Tears was the free 98 Kool concert this year.  After about a week of torrential rains, the fairgrounds were basically a mud hole.  And Tech had a rare Thursday night ball game so lucky for us, there were not a ton of people there.  As a side note, this concert is always on a Saturday night and there is alway a Tech game and I remember thinking woohoo...Thursday night concert...no conflict.  Except the game was on Thursday....

As usual, this is a band that was a potential fogey band, touring since 1967.  There were no members now who were probably even born in 1967 but they knew all the songs and maybe the real band still gets residuals in the home.  Bo Bice from American Idol sings lead now and he's got a great voice for BS&T songs.  A good time was had by all.

Bo Bice & Blood Sweat & Tears

With my crazy friend Lorraine

The Judge

Best picture of Downey/Duvall but this scene not in movie

I had really high hopes for ‘The Judge’ after seeing the previews.  I had not yet ready any reviews because I always wait to read them until after I have seen the movie so I can see if we agree.  This time, we don’t.

I thought this was a great movie.  I happen to find smart men sexy and I happen to like movies about relationships and families, along with a little mystery.  You know, a movie with a storyline that I have not already seen twice this week.

Robert Downey Jr plays Hank Palmer, a cocky Chicago defense lawyer who goes to his home town in Indiana for his mother’s funeral and ends up having to defend his estranged father, the Judge, against a charge that he ran over and killed a man he’d sentenced to jail 20 years earlier.  Robert Duvall plays the Judge.  Winning & powerful couple of actors and they played well off each other.  As the evidence mounts, more and more secrets come out about this family dynamic and there are some heartbreaking moments.  Great stuff.

There are some creepy, unnecessary moments…RDJ makes out with a girl in a bar and later we find there is a possibility that she may be his daughter.  Ick.  (Spoiler: She is not his daughter).  She could have been referenced instead of seen. There is an unnecessary fight between Hank and his wife that could have been explained away instead.  Dax Shepard is his usual annoying self as an attorney/antique salesman.  He could have been eliminated too.  And the movie was a little too long.

Some really good stuff from others too:  Billy Bob Thornton is the prosecutor, Ken Howard is the presiding judge and the little girl that plays Hank’s daughter, Emma Tremblay, is adorable and I think kids in movies are usually annoying.  Vincent D’Onofrio and Jeremy Strong play Hank’s brothers.  Vera Farmiga is Hank’s ever horny old girlfriend (and mom of icky make-out girl).   

I recommend it and if I had stars or something, I’d give it 3 out of 5…would have been a 4  at an hour and a half but it lost one star for 2 hours, 21 minutes.   It lost an editing star.