#3037 Oscar night

 

Have you ever heard the theory that people's interests change about every seven years?  I don't know about the time-frame, for sure, but I do think it's true that things you used to enjoy change over time. When I was a kid, I loved listening to American Top 40 and obsessively writing the complete Top 40 in a notebook every week. I grew out of that although I still love a good list. I used to listen to sports radio all the time and watch The Dan Patrick Show as much as I could. I haven't watched Dan in years now. There was a time when I would not dream of missing a Utah Jazz or Utah football game on TV. I still enjoy watching games, but it isn't something I make a point to do anymore. 

I used to look forward to Oscar night. I would try to watch all the films nominated for Best Picture back when there were just five or six movies on the list. I would plan my day so I knew I could sit on the couch for three or four hours and watch the show from the Red Carpet arrivals and interviews through the award for Best Picture. (I still like the Red Carpet but it's not as much fun without Joan Rivers!) I don't watch as many movies as I used to, though, and I've sort of lost interest in the pop culture of it all. I recognize the big name movie stars, but there are plenty of famous people I see on magazine covers and occasionally on Entertainment Tonight that I have no idea who they are. It's the same with the Grammys. I used to know most of the nominees, and now, not so many. 

Anyway, tonight is Oscar night, and there are ten movies nominated for Best Picture. I have seen three of them: Sinners, Hamnet, and F1. Actually, I have seen Sinners twice. It was good, and I am rooting for that movie to take home the statue. Hamnet was quietly wonderful; the actress who played Agnes, Jessie Buckley, is nominated for Best Actress in a Leading Role, and I hope she wins. She was fantastic. The last scene when she is seeing the play Hamlet in the Globe Theater is incredible. She made me feel all the feelings. I was surprised F1 was nominated for Best Picture. I enjoyed the movie, because Brad Pitt, and it's kind of a sports movie and I don't think you can go wrong with a sports movie, but Best Picture? It's kinda like when Maverick was nominated a year or two ago. I just didn't get it. Fun movies, but they don't seem to be in the same level as some of the other nominees. 

I'm planning to watch the last hour or so of the telecast so I can see the awards for Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Picture. 

Speaking of movies, there is a film coming out that I will see on the big screen: Project Hail Mary. I totally loved the book, and I'm excited to see the movie. I think we'll be having family movie night next weekend because all of us want to see it!

I do really like to go to the movies. I love seeing a film on a big screen, having some popcorn, and feeling the vibe in the theater with other people. It's just so expensive to go to the theater and I'm already paying for streaming services. Also, I don't go to the movies just to go (anymore.) I have to be really excited about the the film, otherwise, I'll wait for it to stream, although I might not watch it anyway. 

Are you planning to watch The Oscars?

xo

#3036 three things: Harley, a short walk, and Harry Styles

 1. Harley health follow up. I took Harley back to the urgent care vet this morning for a follow up on her appointment last month. Last month she had terrible runny poop, she looked emaciated and uncared for, and her leg was hurting. She had bloodwork, xrays, and got a bunch of medicine out of it (and it was quite expensive.) I'm glad to say that she is feeling much better. She hasn't gained any weight; she's still around 53 lbs and the vet wants her to put on about five more lbs. To do that, I'm going to add puppy food to her regular food because puppy food has more nutrients and fat to help puppies grow. (This is the recommendation from the vet.) Harley had a great time at the vet today. She really loves to go for rides and have new people pet her. She was such a good girl that I got her a pup cup from Starbucks afterward. Now she is sleeping off the doggie downer I have to give her before a vet visit. She is mellow at home but a totally bonkers Lab at the vet.

2. We went for a walk! Since I broke my wrist, I haven't taken the dogs for walks. I did walk Mac a week ago with MT because Mac is a bit easier to walk. She is content to amble along and smell all the smells whereas Harley just likes to walk and pull. Because Harley had some doggie downer on board, I decided to walk them around the block. I held the leashes with my left hand and they were very good girls. I had no problems or worries. My wrist is getting stronger, and I am whittling down the time I have the brace on my arm. I'm still sleeping with it on, but during the day, I have it off for longer periods of time. The wrist doesn't really hurt. It is stiff and doesn't have full mobility, but it's coming along. I can lift and carry stuff that I haven't been able to manage for awhile. I have a follow up with the surgeon on Tuesday, so I'll let you know what he says about my recovery and next steps.

3. All Harry all the time. Maybe you know that Harry Styles released a new album Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally.  I like the music. On Monday night I watched the album release concert on Netflix, and it was enjoyable. He performed all the songs on the new record top to bottom, then he did a few of his older songs. The first single from the new record, Aperture, is an ear worm. I wake up singing it. If you have five minutes, I highly recommend watching this clip of Harry's performance of Aperture at the BRIT Awards. It looks and sounds amazing, IMO. 

Enjoy the rest of the week!

xo

PS I just noticed there is no mention of Stella in this post. She is absolutely fine and is a happy, noisy terrier. She still loves to catch a frisbee and run around the yard. She is the definition of play hard, rest hard.

#3035 for the women

 

I hope you've all had a great day.

#3034 spring refresh

 

new wee calendar!

Happy March! I feel spring in the air, don't you? The tulips in the dirt/flower patch between our house and the neighbor's house have started to sprout. The leaves on one of the maple trees are budding merrily. The other trees aren't doing anything yet, but they will. I know there is every chance that we will get snow this month, but I appreciate the weather we have had so far. Today was sunny and warm, around 60 degrees. The dogs were outside most of the day and I had the windows open in the house. 

Yesterday I went to get a haircut. I usually have one about every 12 weeks, but this time I went 15 weeks between cuts. Oof...my hair looked rough.

before

The same woman has been cutting my hair for nearly 25 years, and all during that time, she has been in the same salon at the same station. As a long-timer at my job, I can appreciate her longevity. I always like how she cuts my hair. She knows my hair and how to coax it into cuteness that I can not duplicate. 

after

I added the little flower-y frame with my sprocket printer. I am always amazed at how light my hair is getting as I grow older. It used to be so red. Now it is definitely strawberry blond with strips of white.

Wow! It is quite windy out now. I just checked the weather app and the high temperature tomorrow is going to be in the low 40s with a chance of rain. Good thing I haven't put away my sweaters yet.

That's all I've got today. I think I'll do a language lesson and crawl in bed to read for a bit. 

xo

#3033 lunchtime adventure

On Monday I had a lunch date with my friend Wendy from work. We were looking forward to having empanadas from Empanada Co. Unfortunately, we didn't check their hours ahead of time, and when we got there, we found out the restaurant is closed on Monday. 

In the same complex, there is (was) a kolach store, and we usually get a couple of kolaches while we are in the area. Unfortunately, the kolach store, Hruska's Kolaches, has moved, so that place was closed, too.

In the building behind the empanada store is a place called Wasatch Tap Room. It's part of the Squatter's Brewery group. I thought they might have a restaurant, so we walked over there and they were open, but unfortunately, it is just a bar, no food, so we left.

We looked at the map program to find restaurants near me. Sugarhouse, the neighborhood we were in, has a gazillion places to eat. A restaurant I've been to,  Fiddler's,  popped up as being nearby, so we decided to go there. It is classified as a bar, even though it has a big dining area and menu, so according to Utah laws, you have to show your ID even if you are clearly over 21 years old. Unfortunately, Wendy did not have her ID with her since I drove, so we left that place, too.

We decided to go to Pretty Bird because we knew where it was and we knew we could get in there easily. I had chicken strips and fries and it was really good. We were bummed not to have empanadas, but we have already made plans to go to Empanda Co on March 10, a Tuesday, so we can satisfy our taste buds. We might even find Hruska's new location and get a kolach as well!

#3032 injury update and February art gallery

I want to start by telling you I was able to watch the overtime period of the men's hockey match this morning, and I got teary-eyed when the U.S. scored and won the game. I did! I'm such a sucker for stuff like that! If you watched, you no doubt know that it was 46 years ago today that the U.S. hockey team beat Russia in Lake Placid. That was not the gold medal game, but it is the Miracle on Ice, and the U.S. team did go on to win the gold that year, and haven't done it since...until today.

I love watching the Olympics, and I think the winter games are my favorite. Of course, in a couple of years, when the summer games roll around, I might say those are my favorite. I really just love the Olympics. Watching the Games these past couple weeks has trained me for sitting in front of my TV for a few hours every night, and I am okay with that!

So it's been nearly two weeks since I had the splint removed following the surgery to put my wrist back together. I am wearing a brace about 60 percent of the time, including when I sleep. The wrist is getting stronger and has more mobility. It is also still tender, a bit swollen, and tires easily. Do wrists get tired? Yes. The scar is healing well, and I'm glad about that. I put Vaseline on it several times a day to keep it from drying out and to aid in the healing. Here is a a photo of the scar when I first got the splint off, and a photo I took earlier this week.

February 10

February 18

There were 12 stitches and a lot of bruising. You can see the bruising is mostly gone now - in fact, you can't see any in the bottom photo, but there is still a bit of bruising on the arm below where this photo ends. My next follow up with the surgeon is on March 17. I don't think I will have to do any physical therapy. I move the wrist every day and gently squeeze a stress ball to gain some strength. I do have some pain on the knuckle of my bird finger on the right hand when I make a fist. I'm hoping I can work through that with the stress ball.

I think I'll make my own little art gallery logo!

Since it's the last Sunday of the month, I thought it would be fun to show you some of the art I've made this month. Most of these are responses to Jill the Artist's prompts.

This first one I did on January 25, the day before the wrist injury. The prompt was "texture" so I attempted to create texture on the flowers by putting water down and dropping paint in. Then I scribbled around the flowers with marker. 

"Arrangement"

This next mess was done on Jan. 29, the day after the surgery. The prompt was "bridge." In my Percocet-clouded mind, I saw myself making a cool abstract of the Pont Sant'Angelo in Rome with St. Peter's Basilica in the back (the pink splotch.)  This was all done with my left hand. Umm...okay.

"Abstract Pont Sant'Angelo by Lefty"

I took a little time off to heal after the bridge prompt because it just wasn't very fun or comfortable to pain with the splint. The prompt for this next one is, big surprise, "owl". I did this one in watercolor pencil, and I think he turned out pretty well.

"Owl in watercolor pencil"

Usually I draw and paint my wee calendar before the end of the month, but this little piggy happened right around Valentine's Day. I think I might do all animals for the calendars this year.

my February wee calendar

The next prompt from Jill was to make yourself a Valentine. I went looked at some ideas on Pinterest, and I really liked a wreath of hearts that I saw. I finished it, then had the idea to add paint droplets to it, but some of the droplets were kinda big and reminded me of something yucky, so I decided to smear the paint and draw some extra hearts. It's not as cute as I wanted it to be, but that's okay.

"Heart Hug"

The prompt for this last one was "path". I took up a gray colored pencil and got after it.  

"Late Winter Path"

Yes, I do name all my little drawings because why not? I did do one tonight, but I just shared it with the Underground group (Jill's art and writing group), so I'll share it with you next month.

There are many things I haven't liked about breaking my wrist. It's been pretty sucky overall, and not being able to write or draw was one of the things I missed the most. I still have to limit the time I spend without the brace because like I said, my wrist gets sore and tired, but I am so glad to be able to write in my journal, and here on my computer. It was uncomfortable to type with the splint on. As for drawing and painting, I have a lot of enthusiasm for it, and I like to do it every day.

That's all I've got for tonight. Take care!

xo

#3031 three things: DNF

1. DNF. These three letters stand for Did Not Finish in the world of book lists. I love lists, as you may know, and I keep track of three lists on Goodreads: Currently Reading, Read, and Want to Read. If I have a pile of books, physical or electronic, I call that my TBR, the To Be Read pile/list. I just saw that Goodreads is going to add a DNF list soon, and I think that's cool because sometimes a book seems interesting and readable, but when you get to it, it just doesn't tickle your fancy. That's when it has to go on the DNF list. I used to tell myself that I needed to give a book 100 pages before I gave it a DNF. Now, I'm a little more picky and give a book 41 pages (100 minus my age.) Life is short and there are too many books out there to waste on a book that doesn't grab me in 41 pages. I have had two DNFs in the past couple of weeks.

2. DNF The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny. I have seen this book several "best" lists, so when it came up on Amazon for less than $5, I decided to get it on my kindle. I really like stories about people from India, and the premise sounding promising. Unfortunately, I didn't care for the writing or the characters I met. I gave it 52 pages, but there was no way I wanted to wade through the 600 plus pages of this book, so to DNF it went.

3. DNF Murder in the Mystery Suite. This book is a cozy mystery that I had on audio from the library. I enjoy a cozy mystery now and then, and I thought this would be a fun one to listen to while I'm cleaning the house or driving around. However, I really didn't care for the reader's intonations and the weird accents she gave to some of the characters. Maybe I'd like it better if I actually read it in book form? I was going to listen to it anyway, but then a book I'd had on hold became available and I was more interested in that one, so the cozy mystery went to DNF.

Do you ever DNF a book? How many pages do you usually give yourself before you give it up?