Definitely Worth the $9 for Me

Scott and I went to the movies this weekend with some great friends of ours, and we agreed to split off guys from girls since we had some different things in mind for the night. Cathy and I saw Evening, and I had read some negative reviews, so I wasn't so sure I would come out of the theater satisfied.

I loved the film. While I can see merit in the reviews which say that it is oversentimental or choppy in transitions, I loved it anyhow. In so many ways, it was like reading a book on the screen. The storyline transitions often from past to present because the main character, Ann Grant, is on her death bed thinking back to the various experiences and perceived mistakes of her lifetime. The older Ann is played by the amazing Vanessa Redgrave, and the younger Ann is played beautifully by my favorite, Claire Danes. The older Ann is cloudy from the pain medication and in the final stages of her life where she goes in and out of consciousness. While in this state, she mutters the name "Harris" aloud, and her daughters (played by Toni Collette and Redgrave's real life daughter Natasha Richardson) have no idea who this person could be. The audience soon learns that Harris was a memorable love affair for the young Ann.

The scenes are beautifully written and perfectly filmed, and you find yourself wanting to be present at the Newport wedding where Ann met Harris so long ago. Despite these beautiful images, the many messages of the film are what stick with me the most after watching it.

I love that it highlights the intricacies of female relationships without going overboard as a number of "chick flicks" do. Ann's relationship with her freind Lyla is emphasized in their younger days and again as an older Lyla (played by Meryl Streep) comes to see the ailing Ann. Ann's daughters also have their own set of problems that are complicated by their mother's condition, but it is also this situation that seems to bring everything into focus for troubled Nina (Toni Collette). Mother-daughter relationships are never perfect nor simple, and this movie is really honest in its portayal of that.

Most importantly, I love that Ann looks back on her life and remembers her times with Harris as important and worthy even though she went on to have a career, husbands, children, and grandchildren. Reminding her daughters that "there are no mistakes," Ann recognizes that Harris was important as he taught her how to be in love or "how good it can be" as she states it.

So often movies, books, and music interpret a perfect love story to be between a beautiful woman and the man that is "the one" for her. This film, on the other hand, reminds us that all relationships have their place and are important in the development of an individual. Whether the person is the one for you or not, he teaches you something very valuable about yourself, and as Meryl Streep's character explains, "we are mysterious creatures, aren't we?"

Review - Beach Read

I'm not usually one for scary books, but I was told that this novel was a "coming of age story" that just so happened to involve a murder. I am not quite sure that is the case, but I enjoyed the book nevertheless. It was pretty unsettling, though, and I am glad that I was reading it on a bright, sunny beach and not in my room on a dark, stormy night! Any movie or book that details some scary boogyman never really scares me, but if you throw in something spiritual or supernatural, I usually lose a bit of sleep over it.

The basic premise of Promise not to Tell is that Kate, the main character, goes back home to visit her aging mother in Vermont, and she becomes involved with a murder case that mirrors that of her childhood friend, Del. To complicate matters, Del has become somewhat of an urban legend as she is rumored to haunt the rural community where her murder occured, and Kate seems to received creepy messages from Del as she examines this new copy-cat crime. I can't say much more because the novel becomes a classic whodunnit with a great surprise ending. If you like suspenseful or scary stories and you are looking for a simple summertime read, I would suggest it.

Just read it with the lights on.

A Few Narrated Vacation Pictures for You

No trip to the beach can be complete without a trip to the Red Bar - one of my favorite places on the planet.

After the yummy dinner at Red Bar, we went for a walk on the beach at Seaside, another one of my favorite places. Here's Peyton and I walking on the beach. (above)

While we were at the beach, Peyton decided to recite a little Shakespeare. (Not really, but doesn't this picture look like it?) To be or not to be .... that is the question. My niece is so smart; she must take after me.

We then looked for shells on the beach. (See below with Aunt Katie and Uncle Scott.)
And then took a quick picture for Mom......

The rest of the trip was filled with lots of beach time where dorky people sit under the shade and read.....

In all honesty, even car rides and restaurant waits were fun, and it makes me grateful that I have a family I actually enjoy spending time with. Peyton even made Scott talk like Sebastian the whole time. (The fake Jamaican accent is not so charming now that we are home, by the way.) I'll leave you with a picture of all of us together (courtesy of our waitress at Fudpucker's).....

.....And the cutest butt-shot ever!

We're Back!

The beach was as great as always, and we all had a great time. I managed to finish a book while I was there, and there is a review coming soon. For now, pictures will have to do......

Melissa and me at Seaside - even with the black and white, can you tell which of us wears SPF 30?

The ocean feels so big for all of us, regardless of your size. Peyton was pretty fearless, though! This was when we were walking on the beach our last morning there, and she was saying goodbye to the ocean. So cute!

The obligatory posed shore shot - Scott and me.

Uncle Scott and Peyton - The pose is a bit ungraceful, but she was really intrigued that he was writing her name.

Melissa has a much better camera and she tooks lots, so there is more to come....oh yeah, and a book review as well.

June is almost over.....a reality that is very difficult for a teacher to embrace. Ahhhhh, the fleeting days of summer!

Summer Mondays at Aunt Katie's

I'm babysitting Peyton every Monday this summer. I think she's far more excited about the dogs and the neighborhood playground than anything else. This girl needs a dog.

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So THIS is why I read......

My Amazon.com shipment came in on Tuesday, and I have also been without a car for much of this week (courtesy of my husband who backed into a trailer at Home Depot, but that's another story, and it's all fixed now). The result of my week as a shut in? My pantry is clean and organized, my house is dusted and vacuumed, I baked a cake, and I read THE BEST novel I have read in a long time. It's 514 pages and worth every second that it takes to read it.

If you read one book this summer, read this. For all you English majors, Special Topics in Calamity Physics is structured around chapters with titles that read like a syllabus outlining the canon - from the chapter titled Moby Dick (where we witness an unfortunate situation in a swimming pool) to Wuthering Heights (where the main character details her over-romanticized love interest) to Pygmailion (where she receives a makeover of sorts). It is the story of Blue Van Meer, a lovable heroine, whose father is a respected Political Science professor who schools his daughter in all things academic and raises her to be the most intellectually curious and well-read teenager imaginable. Blue has never lived a full year in the same place because her father chooses to keep moving from university to university, but he has decided to give her the gift of her senior year in one place this time - a small town in western North Carolina. Ironically, this experience leads to a greater adventure than her many previous travels because Blue befriends some interesting peers and an intriguing teacher who seems to have trouble drawing a line of privacy and separation between herself and her students.

The story is definitely a coming-of-age tale, but it develops a bit of a murder mystery twist, and there are unexpected moments in every chapter. I couldn't put it down! In the end it solidifies why we read. (Blue is definitely guided by her cultural lexicon.) But it also reminds us that there are aspects of our lives that are so far from intellect and also far more confusing than what the brain can sort out. Aside from this, it really is one of the most innovative and creatively written novels I have read in a long time (often including academic citations in Blue's rambling thoughts). Visit the website for more info. http://www.calamityphysics.com/ I cannot say enough positive things about this book.

Now I have to decide what to fill my beach bag with.....always so hard to follow up such a great book.

Ain't nothin' like a Southern wedding....

We spent the last weekend at my cousin Amanda's wedding, and everyone had a great time. Just as I picked up my camera to take the first picture, my battery died, but luckily Melissa had hers, so I've got plenty of pictures. Aside from marveling at food and flowers, the best thing about weddings is seeing everyone and catching up with friends and family, and since I have the best family in the world, this is even more fun!

Here's the happy couple after the wedding. Look how many kids! They had "bell ringers," "flower girls," "bible bearers," and "ring bearers."

Granchildren and Great-Grandaughter with my Grandmother and Grandaddy - My brother is very outnumbered!

Peyton loves to get down on the dance floor!

"If you happen to pass by 84, Charing Cross Road, kiss it for me. I owe it so much."

I received 84, Charing Cross Road as a Christmas gift, but I had not delved into it yet. It is a brief little epistolary novel, and I decided to take it with me last week. I read it in 2 sittings, and it gave me so much to look forward to as I was chaperoning kids and attending somewhat boring presentations for three days. It's a book you can't stop reading, and I love any epistolary work because it really feels like you are reading something you shouldn't be. (I'm not sure what that says about me. I'm nosy, I guess.)

The premise of the story is an American book lover (Helene) who adores antique books despite the fact that she has limited funds. She writes letters to Marks & Co., a London bookseller, and she forms a relationship with the store manager that spans decades. They become close friends who are very different in many ways, but they bond over their shared love of literature and a similar sense of humor. As suggested by the quote I included in my title for this post, Helene gains much more than antique books from her experiences with Marks & Co. The book has some funny moments, but it is also touching, and I finished the book wishing that the characters were close friends of mine. (Book Lovers, you know what I mean.)

It was the highlight of my week, and I'd definitely read it again. (I don't say that often.) Thanks, Cathy for the suggestion! Highly recommended.

If only we could all be this confident about our bodies.....

I just spent three days at camp with a bunch of high school girls. Seeing them makes me remember my high school days when my weight hardly reached the triple digits. This sort of thing could do a number on your own self esteem.

Then I go swimming with Peyton.

"I like my body.... and it's not because it's perfect. I accept it and wear it like a good dress." - Salma Hayek

I'm a Dancin' Fool

This weekend was full of lots of dancing. First there was Peyton's ballet recital where she was clearly the cutest one. (See above.) She is taking from my old studio which excites me and makes me a bit nostalgic for my own dancing days. As you can see from the photo on the left, I was much more excited about Peyton's recital than she was. Believe it or not, I am starting back dancing again this summer. I have not danced in about 6 years, so this is big. I am frightened at the thought of my thighs in ballet tights, but I'm going to give it an honest try.

As though one day of dancing was not enough, Scott's grandparents had their 50th anniversary party today, and it was a square dance. When I say square dance, I mean do-si-do, fluffy skirts, swing your partner, real live square dance. I was definitely a wall flower, but a good time was had by all, and it was definitely an adventure.

I am now off to Yearbook Camp with a crowd of high school girls. I am the lucky chaperone, so I will be back in a few days when I will really feel as though my summer has begun. Go Yearbook! I think I get a free t-shirt.

first fruits of summer

School is out. YAY! This means time to read. For one of the first times, I have no real desire to read something specific. (This is weird because I usually end the school year with s list a mile long.) I browsed in Target for a while last week, and this is what I discovered.

While it was a decent sort of beach read, I was not all that impressed. The story line seemed unfinished, and characters were not entirely developed. It takes place during "Freedom Summer" in Tupelo, Mississippi, and there was some mention of racial issues, but these also felt unfinished and sorely incomplete.

I am starved for good books, and I really need some inspiration before going back to school. I'd love to experience some good Southern Lit or Magical Realism specifically. Summer leaves me craving a good read, and my beach bag needs to be full when I go in a couple of weeks! Suggestions are welcome.