Review-Granny Square Love by Sarah London

My dear mother sent me a Chapters gift card for Christmas, so I got to browse through the book store, which is always fun.  I decided on this book, Granny Square Love, by Sarah London.  So far I have made her pattern for a hot water bottle cover, and I love it! It's a very bright colored book, she is not afraid of color, which has been giving me courage to try bolder color combinations.  There are patterns for seat covers, pillow cushions, a tea cozy, afghans, and many many more.  If you are hunkered down for the winter and have odds and ends of yarn in your stash, this is the project book for you! 

Scrooge - 1970 (Albert Finney)

This is my husband's favorite Christmas movie of all time.  Albert Finney plays the title role in Scrooge.  It's a musical version of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, so you all know the story.  What makes this movie special is the music, one great show tune after another.  And the best ghost of Christmas present ever!  Plus, Alec Guinness is really funny as Jacob Marley. Our favorite song is "Thank You Very Much", and I tried to link it here from Youtube, but I'm having technical problems with that site, so go check it out if you have the chance. 

Carving Angels - Review

My friend, Diane, wrote this wonderful book.  I have been looking forward to reading it for quite a while, and it's turn finally came.  (Sometime I'll take a picture of the 'to be read' pile that's often on my bedside table.)

Carving Angels is a sweet Christmas tale about a retired elf named Papa Adam.  Papa Adam was once the chief woodcarver at Santa's workshop, but lost his vision, retired, and has been living a quiet life.  His little granddaughter brings him a piece of wood one day, and challenges him to pick up his tools once again, despite his handicap.  The two embark on a wonderful journey of discovery that leads them to save Christmas.

This is a lovely story, and Papa Adam's tale of rediscovering his talents and finding out that he still has something to contribute was very inspiring.  I work with senior citizens, and so I recognized the sadness and frustration that Papa Adam felt at feeling like he no longer had a purpose.  Everyone needs to have something to work at, and a reason to get up in the morning. 

Diane, thanks for writing this beautiful story of faith and courage in overcoming obstacles!

Check out Diane's delightful blog at On The Border.

The Stump Farm

There was a display of the books by Robert J. Adams at our local library.  He is a local author, raised in Edson, Alberta.  I picked up a copy of his first book, The Stump Farm.  I am so glad I did, what a wonderful story of growing up in Northern Alberta!  It takes place when he is a very little boy, about six or seven, around the time the soldiers are returning home from WW2.  His dad is a cat skinner (operates heavy machinery), and they live out in the middle of nowhere, on a farm where their most prolific crop is the stumps of the trees they cut down for firewood.  It's a collection of the various scrapes and mischief a little boy can get into, from losing his rubber boots in the ruts of a logging road, to being chased by a neighbors dogs, to surviving the rules of the playground at school.  I have to say I enjoyed a few belly laughs while reading this, and I think his mother was a saint!  If you're interested in a glimpse of life in rural Alberta in the 1940's, this book is for you. 

The Princess Bride - 24th Birthday!!!

I was flicking through the channels this morning, when who should appear on a morning news broadcast but a reunion of some of the cast of The Princess Bride !!  I stopped, of course, to watch Robin Wright, Chris Sarandon, Wallace Shawn, Billy Crystal, Carole Kane, and Cary Elwes reminiscing about what it was like to be part of a movie that has ended up being an absolute classic.  It was charming, I grinned from ear to ear, and vowed to re-watch the movie this weekend. 

This film came out in 1987, and was directed by Rob Reiner.  It was not a big hit in the theatres.  However, it grew into a cult classic, with devoted fans, and then fandom spread until it became an actual bonafide classic in its own right, even making it onto top 100 movies of all time lists!  The movie is based on a book, written by William Goldman, and if you get your hands on the book it's an even bigger treat.  I have owned three copies of the book over the years.  One was lent to a friend, never to be seen again.  I hold no grudges, I wouldn't give it back either.  One was read over and over again until the covers fell off and it accidentally drowned in the bathtub.  I'm on my third copy, and make no promises. 

Why do I love this story/movie so much?  Number one, Rob Reiner is a genius, and made a practically perfect movie.  Number two, the cast is a-ma-zing!  Number three, William Goldman is a great screenwriter as well as author, and wrote some of the most quotable lines in moviedom.  Number four, true love, duelling, swords, giants, pirates.....need I say more?  For a girl addicted to fairy tales this movie has it all. 

Here are some of my favorite quotes from the movie:

We are men of action, lies do not become us. (Wesley)
As You Wish (Wesley)
Anybody want a peanut? (Fezzik)
He's still following us?  Inconceivable! (Vizzini)
You keep using that word.  I do not think it means what you think it means. (Inigo)
Have fun storming the castle! (Miracle Max and Valerie)
I'm not a witch, I'm your wife! (Valerie)
Never go against a Sicilian when death is on the line! (Vizzini)
Let me 'splain.  No, there is too much, let me sum up. (Inigo)

And of course, the Impressive Clergyman is priceless in everything he says!

This movie makes it onto my desert island pile of books and movies, definitely.  It's a keeper, and stands the test of time.  It's hard to believe it's been almost a quarter of a century since I've first seen it.  Forever a classic in my heart, I highly recommend The Princess Bride. 

Cold Comfort Farm - Review

Since I reviewed the gothic tale of The Tenant of Wildfell Hall last week, I thought I'd review one of my favorite satires this week.  Cold Comfort Farm is a 1995 British miniseries starring Kate Beckinsale.  It's based on a novel written by Stella Gibbons.

The movie is set in the 1930's.  Kate Beckinsale is Flora Poste, a recently orphaned 20 year old girl, who has been left only 100 pounds a year to live on.  Flora is a Modern Woman, who fancies herself a writer.  She wants to write a novel equal to Jane Austen's Persuasion when she is 53, and plans to observe people until then, as fodder for her book.  Flora is trying to find a relative to take her in, but she has 'only 100 pounds and doesn't play bridge', so none of her London relatives will do.  She sends out letters around the country to all her other relatives, and finds a promising answer from her family at Cold Comfort Farm.  Apparently, according to her Aunt Judith Starkadder, a wrong was done to Flora's father by Judith's husband, and the family owes her a great debt, so they will take her in.

Flora moves in with the Starkadders, who live at Cold Comfort Farm, which is an extremely grim, gothic, run down old place.  The family is run by the matriarch, Ada Doom, who saw 'something nasty in the woodshed' many years ago, and has ruled the family by fear ever since.  She rarely leaves her bedroom, but her word is law.  The rest of the family is equally crazy, with Ian McKellan putting in a great turn as the fire and brimstone preacher of the family, who warns all that there is 'no butter in hell to sooth your burns'.  Rufus Sewell is equally wonderful as the dumb, handsome cousin who works on the farm, but secretly wants to be a film star.  Flora marches in to the family and takes over, much like Jane Austen's Emma.  By the end of the movie she has turned everything and everyone upside down, fixing things just to her liking.

Be warned, this film is very quotable!  If you're addicted to great movie quotes you'll find yourself talking about woodsheds, and how there've 'always been Starkadders at Cold Comfort Farm', while everyone else looks at you like you're crazy.  This film is very tongue in cheek, making fun of those grim, dark English dramas.  You can watch it episode style on youtube. It has such a great cast, including Stephen Fry, who never disappoints. If you're addicted to period drama, and feel like a good laugh, this is the film for you!

The Tenant of Wildfell Hall - Review

The other day, while I was canning apples and making apple pies, and peeling pounds and pounds of apples, I grabbed Scott's ipad and set it up in the kitchen, right within range of getting splashed with flour and apple spatters.  Don't tell my husband.  My friend, Stacey, had told me about a great miniseries she watched on Youtube, called The Tenant of Wildfell Hall.  This is a joint CBC/BBC production, starring Toby Stephens, Tara Fitzgerald and Rupert Graves.  It's based on the book by Anne Bronte. 

Well, I spent a great couple of hours pulled into this wonderful movie.  It's a beautiful story about a mysterious widow who comes to Cumbria and takes up residence in the remote, forbidding house called Wildfell Hall, with her young son and faithful retainer.  She keeps to herself, and seems cold and unfriendly to her community, with rather strict beliefs as well.  She is befriended by one of her neighbors, a handsome young farmer.  There is a scandal brewing, as the neighbors starts to speculate about her relationship with the farmer and also with another young gentleman of the neighborhood. I don't want to spoil too much, but the young widow has quite the back story, very tragic, and all is revealed in the end.  I even gasped a few times!  It was very gothic. 

The scenery was breathtaking, the costumes were all you could ask from a period drama, and the young farmer was suitably handsome, noble and constant in his affections.  The young widow was very dramatic and tragic as well.  I really got pulled into the story, and was sorry when it ended.

Here's my confession:  I'm not usually a Bronte fan.  I find their stories, in general, very gothic and sometimes violent, both in emotion and actions.  Heathcliffe, Mr. Rochester - no thanks!  Not my kind of hero.  Despite my basic distrust of total drama island, I have to say I really loved this story by Anne Bronte.  If you are in the mood for brooding period drama, give this film a whirl!

Book Review - Slow Death By Rubber Duck

Last week I read Slow Death By Rubber Duck, (How the toxic chemistry of everyday life affects our health), by Rick Smith and Bruce Lourie.  Scary!  The two authors decided, after becoming increasingly concerned about the toxins we come in contact with on a daily basis, to perform an experiment on themselves.  They sequestered themselves in a condo for four days, surrounded by the things that emit harmful toxins, and ingested, bathed, ate off and drank out of everything that could possibly contain toxins.  The authors then had their blood and urine tested, and the results are shocking!  In four days their levels of toxins had skyrocketed through the roof. 

Each chapter of the book deals with a different toxin that we come in contact with regularly, such as personal care products, antibacterial products, coating on pots and pans and the insides of canned goods, even garden hoses!  By the time I finished reading this book, I wanted to crawl under a rock, or go off the grid.  Not realistic.  However, the last chapter comes up with action plans and choices we can make as consumers to eliminate some of the toxins we are exposed to.  Such as switching from a non stick frying pan to a cast iron pan, eating light tuna instead of white tuna, using cloth bags instead of plastic bags at the store.  These are all things a lot of us can switch to, or are already doing. 

There is a lot of science in this book, and I am not science oriented.  I'm not going to lie, I skimmed a lot of the more technical stuff.  The authors have a great narrative approach, however, and use a lot of humor in their examples.  I feel better educated on the choices I can make as I bring things into my home.  My initial response to reading this book was fear, of course.  My second response was of apathy, as in it's everywhere, there's no escape, so why bother.  My third response was more reasonable, which is to read labels, be aware, ask questions and find solutions. 



There's Lead in your Lipstick - Book Review

The other day, my friend Kim lent me her book called There's Lead in your Lipstick.  I've been wanting to read this for a long time, so thanks, Kim!

This book is written by Gillian Deacon, who is a cancer survivor who has researched the toxins that are included in all the things we use on our bodies.  Make-up, perfume, shampoo, body lotion, soap, deodorant, all that good girly stuff that we love!  This book is a comprehensive guide to making your way through the cosmetic industry, and is very helpful in making informed choices about what you buy to slather on your face or body or hair. 

If you're interested in a comprehensive list, you can also go to the Cosmetics Database to find a guide to all the products out there, and a rating of their safety level. 

I know both this book and the database will help me make more informed decisions as a consumer.

Book Review - The Grand Sophy by Georgette Heyer

This is my friend, Georgette Heyer.  Well, she's not really my friend, but I wish she was!  She's written many of my favorite books.  Great hat, Georgette.

Out of the many books I have read by Georgette Heyer, this is my favorite.  The top of the pile.  And it's a big, big pile of books to be on the very top.  The Grand Sophy is the marvelous tale of Sophy Stanton-Lacy, who has spent her entire life following her father, the diplomat, around Europe.  Her father has decided to send Sophy for an extended visit to her Aunt, Lady Ombersley, and her large family of cousins.  The de facto head of the family is Sophy's cousin, Charles Rivenhall, since Lady Ombersley's husband is a gambler and a party animal, who has put the family fortune at great risk.  Charles is sober, strict, and since he has an independence and a mind for business, is trying to improve the family finances.  Charles and his fiancee have pretty much made the lives of the Ombersley family miserable, as they are very severe. 

Enter Sophy, fresh from the continent, full of grand ideas to save the family.  She turns everything upside down in her efforts to fix the affairs of the family, in a series of adventures and misadventures that leaves your head spinning.  Everything is tied up nice and neat at the end.  As usual, Georgette Heyer excels in writing characters that are both absurd and believable, and setting up situations that are wholly entertaining.  She has a command of the history of the Regency period which is to be greatly admired, and her grasp of the slang used at that time is amazing.  However, where she really shines is in her witty dialogue.  The Grand Sophy is definitely on my desert island pile of books. 

The Blue Castle - Book Review

There are some books that I love to re-read every year.  They are old friends that I love to revisit.  The Blue Castle is one of those books.  It is written by a beloved Canadian author, Lucy Maud Montgomery.  It is one of two novels she wrote for adults, although it is usually sold in the YA or children's section of the book store.  Don't be fooled by the cheesy cover art, it's not a Harlequin Romance! 

The Blue Castle is set in the Muskoka country of Ontario, Canada, which is cottage country now, in the early 1900's.  Valancy Stirling has just woken up on the morning of her twenty ninth birthday, an old maid.  She lives with her widowed mother and aged cousin.  Her position in the family is not enviable, she belongs to an old established family, yet is the poor relation:  plain, unmarried, with no way of supporting herself, and no obvious talents.  She is constantly outshone by her beautiful cousin, Olive, who is wealthy, gorgeous, popular, and engaged to a fine young man.  Her mother is cold, unkind and does not love her.  She is bossed about unmercifully by her entire clan.  Valancy's only escape is her dreamworld, her Blue Castle, a land of imagination where she can escape from her unhappy existance.  She also can escape into a good book, especially nature books by her favorite author. 

Valancy has been plagued with a pain in her heart for years, and it has been progressively getting worse.  She visits a doctor, and finds out she has a serious heart condition.  This knowledge gives her the courage to take her life in her own hands, and shake off the restrictions placed on her by her family.  Valancy leaves home to care for a sick friend, and has many adventures as she follows her heart.  There is a great happily ever after at the end, and a fine romance, but the real heart of the story is how Valancy blooms and grows under adverse conditions. 

The character of Valancy is universally appealing, she is a delightful underdog, and watching her true wonderful personality appear is so much fun.  Her family is really awful, Montgomery does a great job of making them really unappealing.  The family dinner where Valancy finally says exactly what she has always thought is so funny, and my favorite scene in the book.  As usual, Montgomery does a wonderful job of describing the beauties of Canada, and brings Muskoka to life.  For years my idea of a Blue Castle was a tiny cottage on an island surrounded by a beautiful lake, thanks to her description in the book. 

The Blue Castle would be on my desert island pile of books. 

Flylady Review

I'd like to spend my reviewing time wisely this week, by passing along the link to a website that I have found most helpful over the last many years.  I'm talking about the Flylady, baby!

What is Flylady, you ask?  Flylady is a lovely lady from the southern United States named Marla.  She is a doll!  Marla has created a website that shares her home organization system.  You see, she was one of those people who have a problem with clutter, and in desperation came up with a home keeping system that is so practical, one has to try it to believe it.  Mostly she focuses on forming good habits, and getting rid of clutter.  Because you can't organize clutter.  She is also very positive and encouraging, helping people take babysteps to a neat and organized home.  This is not a perfectionist system, one of her big pet peeves is perfectionism, which she believes leads to discouragement, disappointment, and a messy home. 

I started using her system years ago, when we were planning a big cross country move.  And if you're moving across Canada, that's a pretty big move.  I've been following her ever since, receiving daily email reminders about which weekly zone we're in, with little mini missions for each day.  She does have products available to buy, to help support her site, but I'm dirt cheap and don't order stuff over the internet. 

I invite you all to check out Flylady, I hope you find it as practical and useful as I have.

Lord of the Rings - Review

We had a bit of a movie marathon this past week, Scott picked up the new LOTR blueray special edition big shiny box release.  How many copies of LOTR should one family own?  Really?  One set?  We're in trouble, then. 

I first read The Hobbit when I was in Mr. Norville Mitchell's grade four class.  That was a good year.  I read The Hobbit, and all of the Chronicles of Narnia.  I tried LOTR a few times, but never made my way through it until I was 18-19 years old.  A short attention span, I guess.  Anyway, I remember reading in a long marathon stretch, which included a bout with the flu.  (I had some hallucinatory dreams about Smeagol when my fever was high.  Truly terrifying!)

Therefore, it was a very big deal when LOTR was made into a trilogy.  Scott and I saw all three in the theatre.  Then we bought each one when they came out on DVD.  And then the special edition with all the crazy behind the scenes discs.  We got that one, too.  And now, the big shiny special edition blueray, also with behind the scenes, how it was made documentaries.. Sigh. 


So, various groups of the children and parents sat down three separate evenings this week, to watch The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and Return of the King.  These movies really stand the test of time.  I'm sure you all know the storyline, and if you don't, go to the library and check out the books.  Read the books before you watch the movies, please.  I'm a purist.

I'm going to go out on a limb, and say I've never been a huge Frodo/Sam/Smeagol road trip fan.  Both in the book and in the movies, I'm always waiting/wading through their scenes to get back to my favorite parts of the story, which are anything with the riders of Rohan, Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, Gandalf, Faramir, Theoden, Merry and Pippin.  All the secondary characters and storylines are my favorite part of the trilogy. 

The new HD version of the movie is great, very clear and sharp.  But the story continues to capture and amaze me, from the time I was a little girl.  That's the true beauty of the trilogy, JRR Tolkien's classic tale.    This one gets a zillion thumbs up!

Dewey The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World

Dewey, The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World, by Vicki Myron with Bret Witter.  Published  by Grand Central Publishing, 2008.

My mother gave this book to my Aunt Holly, who is a research librarian, as a gift in the last few years.  Mum recommended I read it, but I always forgot to look for it at our local library.  The last time I was at our library, this was on the recommended reading table, shouting at me to pick it up and take it home.  So I did.

Dewey is the true life story of a library cat.  One cold winters morning, the librarian, Vicky Myron, checked the return books drop box, and found a tiny frozen kitten underneath the books.  She and the assistant librarian cleaned it up and did all they could to save it's life.  Thanks to their valiant efforts, the little cat, named Dewey, survived, despite being half starved and having frost bitten feet. 

Vicky received permission from the library board to install Dewey as a library cat, and the rest is history.  Dewey has become an internet sensation, with librarians all over the world waiting for updates on Dewey stories and pictures.  He has been the subject of documentaries as far away as Japan.  People would visit the little town of Spencer, Iowa, from all over the continent, just to see Dewey.

What made Dewey so special?  He was a cat with a great personality, who loved people, and felt it was his job to represent the library and befriend one and all.  This book is full of great stories about Dewey and the people who loved him.  It's a box of kleenex kind of book, so be prepared at the end.  I loved the stories about Dewey, and the stories about the town of Spencer.  Thanks Mum, for recommending this book!

Review - Super 8

Scott and I took one of our kidlings and their friend to the multiplex the other night, and decided to catch a show ourselves.  Super 8 got two thumbs up from our oldest movie critic, so we decided to see it.  What a great show! 

The movie is the story of a boy who has recently lost his mother.  His dad is a deputy police officer for their little midwest town.  Things aren't going great for them.  The boy and his friends are in the middle of shooting a zombie movie on their super 8 camera, when they witness a massive train wreck.  Then things start happening in the town that are very disturbing.  That's all I can say, everything else would be a major spoiler, and I don't want to ruin your fun!

This film was directed and produced by J.J. Abrams and Steven Spielberg.  And boy, can you tell!  It has the feel of Spielberg movies from the 1980's and the great plot that comes with J.J. Abrams.  Super 8 captures the feel of 1979, with a few anachronisms, of course, but it really did feel like the late 70's.  I should know, I would have been 10.  Sigh. 

Super 8 does a great job of pulling you into that world that exists with kids, the one that the adults have no idea about.  Their relationships, sense of humor, personal goals, feelings, ideals, rules, values.  When I think about myself as an adult making decisions, it starts as a very young adult, like the kids in this picture.  These kids are independant thinkers who have a project to finish. 

The special effects are great, of course, and I have to say the train wreck scene rivals any action scene I've viewed recently, including X-Men Origins.  I also really liked the way for the first half of the movie you never see what's coming, it makes it really scary and suspensful. 

Warning to parents, despite starring some fine young actors, this is not a movie for small children.  There are language issues.  The kids have mouths full of sauce.  Also, there are drug references. 

The adults who are in this movie do a great job of supporting the cast of youths, but are really secondary to the plot.  It reminds me of Stand By Me, or The Goonies, or any of those movies back in the day. 

Since there are three members of our family who saw this and liked it, I'll give it six thumbs up!

Note, stay for the end credits, you won't be disappointed.

Inkheart Trilogy - Cornelia Funke

I recently read the Inkheart Trilogy, by Cornelia Funke. My daughter, Sarah, loves these books and has been encouraging me to read them for years. I'm so glad I followed her advice!

The series is set in Northern Italy, and the main characters are Meggie, her father, Mo, who is a bookbinder, her aunt Elinor, her mother, Resa, and Dustfinger, the fire breather. Meggie and her father have been living a vagabond sort of life, traveling for his profession. Her mother has been missing since she was a baby. During their many travels, Mo has been looking for a book - Inkheart. Many years before, Mo discovered that he had a special talent, whatever he reads out loud would come to life. However, if he read something out of a book, something from this world would go back into the book. While reading Inkheart out loud, some of the characters, namely the villain Capricorn, and his henchmen, and the fire breather, Dustfinger, came out of the book, and Mo's wife, Resa disappeared into the book. Mo and Dustfinger have spent years trying to find the book. Mo wants his wife back and Dustfinger wants to go home.

Then trilogy - Inkheart, Inkspell and Inkdeath, follow Mo and Meggie as they fight then villain, Capricorn, find Resa, and with the help of the author, Fenoglio, transport themselves back into the book.

I loved this series. Funke has created a literary world that draws you in. All the characterizations are wonderful, but my favorite is Dustfinger. He's very complex, fascinating character.

This is a YA series, but reads like a great classic novel. Cornelia Funke has done a wonderful job of creating her own world, full of flavor and color. it's really hard to put down!

Review - The new X-men Movie!!

Last Friday night Scott and I escaped to the local movie theatre to watch the new X-Men Origins First Class movie!  Just fyi, my husband is a big fan of comic books, from the time he was a little snapper.  So, there is a knowledge base there, he knows the background information.  I have become a fan of the superhero genre since our marriage.  Having four boys has only helped this along.  Needless to say, there were some hopes and expectations in this new movie.

A brief recap of the movie - the characters of Magneto and Professor X are visited as children, both with very different backgrounds.  Magneto survived the death camps of WWII, and Professor X lived a life of privilege, also rescuing a young mutant known as Mystique.  Flash forward a few years later, and the two come together against a mutual foe during the Cuban Missile Crisis.  They gather together a group of young mutants to defeat their enemy, also a fellow mutant. 

The casting of Michael Fassbender as Magneto and James MacAvoy as Professor X was great!  Michael Fassbender is very captivating as the tortured anti-hero, and I really saw his point of view.  If I had been in his place, I would have been hard pressed not to make the same decisions.  James MacAvoy gave a wonderful performance as Professor X, even as a young man he gave the impression of authority and a strong moral centre.  The other young actors were equally good as the side kicks, with great back stories and training scenes.  Kevin Bacon was horribly good as the villain.  I think this movie was a great retooling of a franchise.  It was very clean, good storytelling, and felt more like a cold ward spy thriller with people who just happened to have super powers.  The costume design was very fun, I loved all the sixties style fashion. 

For parents with younger children, I know they're all going to want to see this very badly, but I wouldn't recommend it.  Some of the themes are very intense, in particular the ones dealing with retribution and vengeance.  There is some sensuality, and one scene in which there is foul language.  It also is very violent.  I know it's a superhero movie, but it's not for children. 

I enjoyed the ethical struggle between Professor X and Magneto, despite their strong feeling of brotherhood to one another.  This movie really leans towards the side of Magneto, and helps you to understand both he and Mystique, making them  much more interesting as villains. 

I really liked this movie a lot, and I'm looking forward to future installments in this line.

U2 Concert Edmonton Alberta June 1

 A long time ago (18 months) in a faraway land (Alberta) a good looking fella bought his wife tickets to the U2 concert.  Then Bono needed back surgery, the concert was postponed, and the pair kind of forgot all about the concert for quite some time. 

The new concert, which had previously been scheduled on a weekend, was changed to a Wednesday night.  In June.  Which means chaos.  Hence, Jen sans makeup, just glad to be at the show.  Five kids at home on a school night who just had a supper of frozen perogies, with no parents around to tell them to get their pj's on and get to bed, it's a school night, don't you know?


 Here's a crowd shot, the show was sold out.  These photos are taken from an iphone, sorry for the quality.

And here's the claw.  Truly this was the best concert I've been to as far as the technical side goes.  It was an amazing light show, and the jumbotron screen was amazing, it lowered down and got all big and lacy looking.  The opening act was a band called The Fray, it wasn't really my thing.  I only know a couple of their songs, and the lead singer was the kind that closes his eyes while he's emoting.  Also not my thing.

Then there was a long break.  I decided to go to the ladies room before the band took the stage.  I walked into the foyer into a huge wall of people, then remembered how much I don't like to be touched.  Too late!  There were strangers pressing up around me from every side.  After half an hour of wiggling through the crowd to get to the bathroom, I managed to get back to our seats.  Scott then went to the men's room and was back in a flash.  Life really isn't fair for the fair sex, is it?

Finally, it was time for the show to start.  The sound system blasted Major Tom by David Bowie, and then the boys took the stage.  They strolled, lets just say.  No hurry, just moseyed on to the stage.  No pyrotechnics, no being lifted or lowered, no lights flashing, they just ambled out.  Very cool.  Nothing to prove. 

Bono was amazing, his voice is so strong!  The Edge was supercool too, it was so neat hearing all those guitar solos live.  I wish my sister could have seen Larry, the drummer, she kind of had a little crush on him in High School.  And Adam was keeping it all going with the bass.  They played some new stuff, and a lot of my old favorites.  The stage was set up so they could roam all over it, supposedly 360 degrees, but because of the set up of the stadium it wasn't really 360 degrees.  There was lots of political stuff in the concert, with messages on the jumbotron from Bishop Desmond Tutu and the recently released from house arrest President of Burma.  All in all, this was a great night, the weather was practically perfect (there was a small shower during Vertigo), and I'm so glad I finally, after all these years, got to see U2 live!

Nanny MacPhee Returns

Saturday night Scott, Jeffrey, Joshua and I curled up in the family room to watch Nanny MacPhee Returns.  I found it on sale at Blockbuster in the previously viewed section, and I really enjoyed the first one, so I thought we'd give it a try. 

To briefly sum up, the story is about a mother who is in charge of the family farm while her husband is away at war.  She has three rowdy children of her own, and is also taking care of her niece and nephew, who have left London because of the bombing.  Her brother-in-law is harrassing her to sell the farm, her children are running wild, and she works for a shopkeeper who is extremely aged and forgetful.  Into this mess arrives Nanny MacPhee, who says she has been sent by the War Office to help out. 

Nanny MacPhee comes to stay when you don't want her but need her, and leaves when you don't need her but want her.  She teaches the children five important lessons, like sharing, faith, working together, not fighting, etcetera.  There are some wonderful humorous moments, and the movie is touching but not preachy.  Emma Thompson is amazing, of course, as Nanny MacPhee, and Maggie Gyllenhall (sp?) is wonderful as the stressed out mother.  Rhys Efans is so great as the sleazy uncle, he steals the scenes he's in.  The children are all charming, and the special effects are really fun. 

My boys really liked this movie, and mentioned it again the next day how much they enjoyed it.  It does not talk down to children, and despite the magical story line, shows how real problems can be faced with courage, faith and good manners.  I would recommend this to any family.

Jari Love Get Ripped Review

My apologies for being late on these last few posts, it's been a busy week, and I also got to go down to Calgary to visit my Best Friend In The World, Stacey, and go to Time Out For Women.  Which was awesome, by the way.

My Friday review (yes, I know it's Sunday, Happy Mother's Day everyone!) is of a series of workout DVD's called Get Ripped.  I've been doing this series for the last two years, and I can really recommend them.  They were designed by a fitness expert from Calgary, Alberta named Jari Love.  I own the following from the series - Get Ripped 1000, Get Ripped Slim and Lean, Get Ripped To The Core, Get Extremely Ripped, and Get Ripped and Chiseled. 

Get Ripped, you say?  Seriously?  I never would have picked up this series except my friend, Caroline, went to a RS class where the instructor led them through a Ripped-style workout.  Caroline came home from the class and bought the tape, and had great results.  I noticed the difference in her, and when I asked, she told me all about the program.  So I went out and bought two of the videos, brought them home and watched them, and got a little scared.

The program is a weight lifting program, using light weights and lots of repetitions.  Lots of squats and lunges as well.  It uses compound exercises to increase the calories you are burning (for example, bicep curls combined with wide leg squats - ouch!)  Each dvd is about an hour long, taking you through a warm up, lots of groaning and sweating, and then a cool down.  Start off light and work your way up gradually, and you'll be pleased with your overall improvement in fitness and strength.

Most of the dvd's I own are from her earlier series.  They are a good overall workout, that you should do two or three times a week.  For the first three weeks I found it very difficult (let's just say I had a hard time walking up and down stairs), but after that, you feel really great.  I started doing weights because I work with seniors, and I have seen the importance of maintaining muscle mass as you age, and also the benefits of weight lifting include strong healthy bones.  Strong bones and good muscles protect you as you age, especially when it comes to falls.  I know, this is looking far into the future, but people start losing muscle mass in their late thirties or early forties.  Which is where I am, people.  Try it, I dare you!