Movie Tuesday

We've been wanting to see A Most Wanted Man for a long while, but the starting times haven't been good for us. It worked out today, though. This was probably Phillip Seymour Hoffman's last performance before his death. Based on a John le Carre novel, the film takes place in Germany post-9/11. Hoffman leads an off-the-books team providing intelligence on muslim radicals in the country. I think we all enjoyed the movie, though the ending was disturbing as are most of le Carre's novels. This is a "go see," especially if you are a fan of Hoffman.

Three Sisters

I designed this bracelet and finished it yesterday. This is a ladder bracelet, but not a wrap. I'm going to make 2 others to wear with it so it looks like a wrap bracelet.  I call it Three Sisters after the three mountains in Sisters, Oregon. I wonder if my sister will visit there when she goes to Oregon. That's a place we were thinking of moving to long ago when we thought of moving out of state. They had a great pie place as I recall. Lots of snow, too.

Rain/demolition

We discovered that Thursday's big rain came into the house at the north end where the new construction is going on. The exercise room and living room rugs were soaking wet. We pulled back the carpet, removed the padding and had huge fans going day and night. The living room is sort of ok, but the exercise room still has some drying to do. Good thing we are replacing all the carpet.

OM Bracelet

Just finished today: turquoise Miyuki seed beads and brass heishe bracelet. The bracelet is fastened with a button and features two silver charms: a feather charm and an OM charm.

Movie Tuesday

Oddly, two interesting movies in a row. This week's movie was The Giver, based on the 1993 novel by Lois Lowry. Although conservatives think this movie is about the liberal suppression of their values, the author says she was inspired to write the book by her father's decent into Alzheimer's. Some critics bash the film for various reasons, but we three movie goers found it thought provoking and interesting. Jeff Bridges plays the Giver and Meryl Streep plays the hard-hearted leader of the community. I guess we liked the movie because we have read books and seen movies in our youth like Fahrenheit 451, Soylent Green, 1984, etc.

5-Wrap Bracelet

I finished this bracelet a couple of days ago. It's all one long, long piece.

Costochondritis.

What? I went to the doctor (pain management) yesterday to get an epidural for my neck. I was referred by the orthopedic surgeon, who said he thought the pain in my shoulder was coming from a pinched nerve in my neck. However, during the exam with the pain management doctor, she said it didn't sound like a pinched nerve. She though the sharp pain I felt in my chest when I moved my shoulder a certain way was actually costochondritis. (I still can't pronounce this.) She gave me a couple of shots of a steroid (I think) in the cartilage somewhere around my breastbone. If you want to know more, click the link.

Movie Tuesday

Best movie we've seen this year: The Hundred-Foot Journey. A new Indian restaurant opens across the street from a high class French restaurant in a small French town and a war of the chefs ensues. It's a romantic comedy with a lot to love about it. This is a definitely Go See movie. So go see it.

One More

Here's another photo one of the DAHA riders sent to me.

DAHA Trail Ride

And you thought nothing ever happens at the ranch...on Saturday, we hosted a trail ride for the Desert Arabian Horse Club. Nine riders showed up, anxious to try a new trail. Dennis led the riders on Connie's Loop starting over the hill in back of the ranch, going into the next valley and coming back on the road in front of the ranch. This is about a 5-mile loop and a pretty good workout for horses and riders.

It was a pretty warm day, about 88 degrees, but a beautiful day in the neighborhood. It was nice to see all the horses on the ranch. I miss my herd.

Shalla looks good for 26 yrs. old

Panorama

Movie Tuesday

Finally, a Movie Tuesday. Mom's back to normal (yea!) so we all went to the movies today. We saw Lucy, a controversial movie about the brain and how much of it human beings use. There are two schools of thought: In one, the reviewer things the premise is ridiculous and pretty much hate everything about it except, perhaps, the car chase. In the second, the reviewer thinks the haters of this movie just don't get science fiction.

So, how did we like it? I don't know how Mom and Dennis felt about it, but I thought it was an interesting (if wrong) premise that was interesting. Too much violence, of course, but, oh well. I didn't fall asleep, so that tells you something. Oh, and my sister wouldn't like it.

Raining and Pouring

It rained a little on Saturday, but really poured on Sunday. It was 66 degrees here at the ranch, down from 99. We really appreciated both the rain and the cool weather. Today it is clear and relatively cool. I like it this way. Is winter coming?

Mom's Patio in the Rain

Now this is really weird

Jimmy, who works here, and his wife, Lily, took a stroll on the ranch trail and found this hanging in the tree. We think the racoons made a meal of this very large crayfish.

New Addition

The new addition is coming right along. Here's how it looks from the upper back yard.

Vivian

Vivian came over yesterday (Friday) to make Mom lunch while I was in La Jolla for another ! doctor's appointment. As I was running out, I asked her if she could do me a favor and refill the hummingbird feeders. Mistake! She was on the step stool with one of the filled feeders in her hand when her foot slipped and she fell forward onto the cement. No one was around, so she dragged herself into the kitchen, got her cell phone and called me (but my phone was off because I was in the doctor's office), then she called Mom. Long story short, the people who were working at the office came over and called 911. Turns out Vivian's leg is broken in two places and she has to have surgery on Monday. I am soooooo sorry!