A gem in Brooklyn and a blizzard hits

“A Tree Grows in Brooklyn” is not one of those films I have ever seen on tv in an afternoon , so trolling through ebay the other night, I was excited at finding a copy for peanuts. So on break at work, I set my laptop up and watched it.
It is a little gem of a film that relates the trials and tribulations of the Nolans, a turn-of –the-century Brooklyn tenement family. The father (James Dunn) is a charming drunk who dreams his life away, whist the mother (Dorothy McGuire) is the true backbone of the family, who holds everyone together against every crisis and hardship. Director Elia Kazan’s film reinforces the power of women, family and home to a needy American audience at the end of World War Two, and does so quite beautifully…………helped, of course, by a strong cast of women,namely McGuire, the fabulous Joan Blondell as Aunt Sissy and talented Peggy Ann Garner as the delicate Francie Nolan.

This afternoon the cold snap is well and truly here! so it is lovely to be sat in front of the fire watching Sunday films. Aunt Judy is coming for dinner later, which is nice in a way, seeing that it is Mothering Sunday http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mother, but I am slightly miffed as the weather has put pay to my clearing of the allotment for a couple of days

Changing your life , "Becoming Jane." and an interesting Gay blog

My back is creaking slightly after several hours on the allotment this morning. The weather was glorious but cold, very cold and the "mass grave" has been extended to fill almost half of my first planned plot. Hopefully I will complete the work tomorrow then get the rotavator out to mulch in Pippa's well rotted manure, thank God that Chris has a ready made shit factory

Fin is officially back to normal after his near death experience only 7 days ago! and has been bouncing around like a mad alec when I was trying to be supportive on the phone to a friend this morning. I have two friends that are both about to change one major aspect of their life is a fairly drastic way. One is planning to move from their home city after fifteen years or so ; the other is leaving a job they hated after 18 years. It was the latter that was having a "wobble" of confidence this morning and I hope I was the supportive voice on the end of the phone that they needed!
Both friends ,I feel are definitely doing the right thing, and although I am biased as I did the BIG LIFE change in 2005, I genuinely support them. I think that there is a potential for some people to be be paralysed into not trying something new when that is exactly what they need to do. You are a long time dead as they say..... When I finally decided to leave nurse management and a city which I loved to embark on the country life, I needed people to believe in my decision and to support it as I knew it was the right thing for me and Chris to try . So to these two friends, all I can say is "way to go!"

Becoming Jane (2007) is an interesting but unsatisfying story of Jane Austin's early life and loves. Although quite beautifull I just did not warm to Anne Hathaway's Jane, and warmth was something missing from the film I think. Filmed in the tones of muddy green and brown of an English winter, the cinematography echoed this absence of light and humour seen in say Sense and Sensibility (1995) and Pride & Prejudice (2005), but I guess the story of Jane herself should reflect the reality of her life rather than the romance of her novels! and that it did. I was just a little disappointed by it. Praise goes to James McAvoy, who was excellent as the smitten Tom Lefroy and the understated Laurence Fox as Jane's first and rather misunderstood suitor.

Had the biggest laugh of 2007 on the way to Llandudno as Janet regaled Chris and I with some of the quotes from a novel she is reading. The heroine of which,when she refused to take part in a certain activity stated bluntly

"I would rather pin my labia to an ant hill!"

The statement took us very much by surprise and I very nearly crashed the car on the A55 when Janet recalled it with a knockout deadpan delivery.

Found an interesting gay themed blog the other day that celebrates gay men and their contribution to the arts, makes fascinating and inteligent reading

http://gayfortoday.blogspot.com/

enjoy

"...all taken away" and total weight lost is 9.5 lbs

Another day another poorly dog! This time Meg is feeling rather out of sorts after being spayed this afternoon, and bless she looks sore and uncomfortable but unlike Finlay she doesn't play on it at all. Toileting duties have been somewhat complicated as George still hasn't done walking on pavements yet and Meg needs a slow and gentle time out. Hey ho.

Carole and I went to fatfighters earlier and I was pleased to have lost another 3 lbs this week so that is a total of 9.5 in two weeks! Perhaps I will be looking more like what I want to and less like John Thompson! watch this space................

Spring time at last! New windows and the flower show committee meets!

It's official! spring has sprung! The warmer weather and longer sunshine days have had its effect on the girls and today we have had our first egg in months! and a whopper it is too, no wonder there was some frantic clucking going on this morning.

Had a couple of hours sleep after nights and after the usual walk on the beach (Fin looking slightly more sprightly than yesterday) got home in time for the window fitter to do his stuff. The Bathroom and Chatsworth Room windows now look clean, tidy and NOT knackered 1980 eyesores! as they did and I can't wait for a long bath just so I can enjoy looking at them!!!

The workman had both windows fitted in an afternoon, and did a pretty good job, mind you our elation at Robina's first egg WAS slightly lost on him. (He smiled politly and somewhat weakly when Chris showed him the egg)

The Trelawnyd Flower show committee meeting finally took place at "Auntie Glads", this evening and it was lovely to finally formally meet the 87 year old powerhouse. Very Welsh, very friendly and with a keen interest in everything Auntie Glad seems to have a special place in the collective village heart. I know she is the unoffical mascot of the Trelawnyd Male voice choir, who she caters for, every Tuesday. The committee apparently always meets at her old house in the centre of the village and traditionally enjoys lashings of her tea and cakes during the agenda discussions! (Tonight was lovely fruit scones!- there goes my weightwatcher points! I did notice that the women in the meeting were given china cups while the men had more robust mugs!)

The flower show has been running for nearly 40 years and many of the comittee members have faded away with illness and age, so there seems a slight despiration in some of the remaining members to seek new blood to keep the tradition going and I am all too happy to be directed by them and to help out. I am actually looking forward to it

Mushroom crop number 1 & Little Children and Nu the film star

Taking the turf off the top of the allotment is back breaking work but I got stuck in for a couple of hours this afternoon, and I must admit one tiny corner does resemble something akin to a vegetable patch ( well actually it looks like a large untidy war grave!) The world and his wife have stopped to give me advice "oh you don't want to do it like this, you want to do it like that" sort of thing, but I am happy to do the work in a more laborious way,as it will help with the weightwatchers "weigh in".


Had a sneaky look at my mushroom crop this morning and hey presto we have a crop! smells something awful, but certainly might have enough for breakfast on sunday! cute little buggers eh?


Little Children (2006) was a big let down at Theatre Clwyd tonight. I suspect I would have enjoyed the novel by Tom Perrotta , as the brief explanatory narration excerpts were beautifully written and incisive,but to be honest I found the film lumpy and rather boring . Kate Winslet was ok and so was pretty boy Patrick Wilson (pic) but I couldn't just care very much about anyone of them....a fatal flaw in the film world! Nice to see Hazel though! apparently Hubby is getting jealous that I am accompanying her to the flicks so often! Hum so take her yourself!!!





Spoke to Nu briefly tonight before going out, having nu withdrawl at the moment and can't wait to meet up soon.She sent me some wedding pics tonight and I love this one as she looks very Hollywood! (nice mirror! by the way! )

Very Rita Hayworth in Gilda!!!!

ps Fin is still not right but certainly better! Presently is lying on the couch with me with his paw on the computer screen! oh ever the actor! pps..........................................................................................
I was at work yesterday for a 12 hour shift and when I got home Chris was all frazzled after looking after Finlay and the three others AND getting the dinner ready and all the other normal shit!....I was very grateful but had to laugh today as Carole from down the road told me that she had enjoyed looking after Meg, Maddie AND George ALL day on Sunday!............

Big Music

Jerome Moross wrote one great movie score and I could never believe he did not win an oscar for his magnificent musical theme for the 1958 film The Big Country (1958) which I listened to all the way home from work tonight!!!!!! It is my very favourite western, for many reasons other than the music (which can only be surpassed by the theme from Magnificent Seven) , It has Gregory Peck at his most virtuous ,Charlton Heston at his most handsome and Jean Simmons at her most beautiful! Was she actually quoted as saying during the long and arduous shoot "Who do I have to fuck to get off this picture?" Think I will watch the dvd later!
Love Burl Ives shouting at his no-good son Churck Conners " Crawl, you act like a dog, crawl like one! Crawl I said, crawl! ".....

Bringing Fin home, Helping Rol and back to normality

Chicken on the couch as a bit of a treat, and sporting his IV bandage like a medal, Finlay is back home and is asleep next to me. Not quite back to his usual self (a few wee accidents so far) but I will settle for what we have got. Chris is slouched on the sofa busy reading some biography about the Queen Mother (bless), Maddie is comatose on the arm chair and is farting peacefully, her stubby legs wagging; Meg and George are play fighting in the kitchen and Joan is wandering in and out and out and in, constantly in senile motion-! I can smile to myself just a little, things are just how they should be!

Caught up with old friend Rol this afternoon who has had the melancholy job of clearing his mum's house of furniture after her sad death last year. I am fully aware of how difficult and emotional this job can be and was happy to help albeit in a tiny and advisory way with some of her antiques! Wierd to hear him rather that to see him as he seems to have the thickest and Brummie accents now! a vast change from his original North Wales lilt! It was good to catch up! Very odd to think that we first met 26 years ago! how time flys!

Back to hospital tomorrow, as I am working all day am also on night shift Wednesday which is a bummer as the first meeting of the Trelawnyd Flower Show Committee is scheduled at 7pm. Yeap next weeks blogs are going to be so exciting!! watch this space

Animal hospital, weightwatchers and hopefull news

It has been a rollercoaster ride of a day. Managed to get hold of the consultant Vet this morning and went in to the animal hospital at 2pm with a very heavy heart. The consultant was a "jolly hockeysticks" type of woman who went through all the news clearly and concisely. Finlay's condition had improved with steroids, bags of fluids and a heavy dose of antibiotics, and the original diagnosis had seemed to have shifted from a brain event to a serious systemic infection of some sorts. She explained with a smile that he wasn't out of the woods by any means, but his neurology loss had reversed and he probably could go home tomorrow! I could hardly believe it as everyone had prepared us for his potential death only last night! I could have kissed her! A nurse in scrubs brought him out to see me and rather a sad ( and still connected to 500mls of dextrose saline) Finlay tottered out and hauled himself onto my knee with a weak but genuine open mouthed smile!. My boy was back!

Anyway enough of this emotion, the whole 24 hours has been all a bit much and Chris and I have been so touched my so many phone calls and good wishes from friends and family! Carole from down the road .......has been especially good looking after the three "little ones" when all this was going on! anyhow changing the subject.........................................................Yesterday I started work on the allotment which was bloody back breaking to say the least. Moving the rotavator is a cross between battling Charlton Heston's Chariot and hauling in a two ton Marlin, and I suspect digging the 40 foot plot will help with my weightwatchers point loss! (look at the silhouette of the stomach!) Mind you when we went to out weigh in yesterday I had lost ( wait for it!) SIX AND A HALF POUNDS!! Fat Bastard!