"Ordinary is good"

I had to tell myself off a little today, after leaving a snobby comment on a friend's film blog. He had written a review of the Macaulay Culkin star vehicle The Good Son (1993), and kind of celebrated some aspects of this mainly unseen thriller. I stated rather haughtily that I wouldn't waste my time watching it, and on a moment's reflection I realised that there are some things that are thought to be "ordinary" and "middle of the road" that turn out to be quite brilliant if you give them a chance.

Last night I watched the wonderful One Fine Day (1996), and although rom coms are historically mostly viewed as popcorn fodder, I always thought that this sparkling 1940 esque comedy is a true movie classic in the Spencer Tracey/Katherine Hepburn vein.

For 90 minutes I smiled at George Clooney wringing every doe-eyed moment from his Charming New York reporter divorcee, who slowly falls for the considerable charms of the slightly neurotic business woman Michelle Pfieffer, and only in retrospect did I realise that it takes a truly brilliant film to illicit such a response.

In a similar way, I must now sing the praises of another "ordinary" artist. For Christmas my sister bought me the Susan Boyle CD, and today was the first chance I had to give it a good listening to. Now most of the tracks (madonna cover, religious hymns and elevator songs) left me a bit cold, but I was drawn a cover version of The Rolling Stones' Wild Horses and the haunting "Proud" (see previous blog).....Both were lovely but "proud" was a standout for me.

I should, I know, not be in such a hurry to condemn things I have not experienced. Pure "art house" film fans may have overlooked the joys of George Clooney's dimples..and indi music fiends may not have given the Sue Bou album a spin and therefore could well have missed out on a great deal of pleasure....keep an open mind John eh? hey ho!

Perhaps I will even give The Good Son a whirl

Susan Boyle -.Proud

To understand why I have posted this song read next blog

The Church bell

Who needs an expensive video camera?.......I took this video on my battered old digital camera this morning as the poultry looked on.
Chris is ringing the Church bell !!!!

Field update and a requested roll call

Another morning, another ice cold start.
The morning routine is practiced and now, almost relies on muscle memory rather than conscious thought. I no longer need Chris to assist with turkey tablet administration, and with a great deal of professional "joir de vivre" I can now corner Boris, sit on him, open his beak and drop in the required medication..literally within seconds; leaving him slightly stunned but unharmed with the whole affair! Gloria and the baby turkeys put up less of a challenge, and this morning I was glad to see that no more yellow poo could be seen in both turkey houses....I am guarded but I may pull all six birds through the blackhead threat.

Today is the last day of Chris' holiday, and although I love him dearly, I can't wait for him to get back to some sort of normality at the University. The combination of snow, cold, 4 dogs and a cat and a very small cottage and 24/7 Chris has jangled my nerves slightly (I know I am a pig!), I know too that I am a creature of routine, and getting back into it will be just fine and dandy!.

Anyhow I will close with an answer to an email I received yesterday from a very funny lady called Justine from somewhere in the wilds of Washington State in the USA.
She asked me for a roll call of our animals, and because I love making lists I am more than happy to comply with her request......so here goes:-

2 Welsh Terriers (Meg and William)
2 Scottish Terriers (Maddie and George)
1 cat with multiple leg fractures (Albert)
2 Pot bellied pigs (Gladys and Nora)
1 gay guinea fowl cock with a crush on Rogo the cockerel (Hughie)
6 adolescent guinea fowl that have not as yet been sexed
3 full grown cockerels (Bill, Rogo and the elderly Stanley)
1 immigrant cockerel (Jesus, the cockerel that turned up on Boxing night)
1 Buff Orpington cockerel (the sweet natured Scotty)
2 bantam cockerels (Pirrie and Roger)
2 adult turkeys (Boris and the slutty looking white turkey Gloria)
4 adolescent turkey poults (not named or sexed as these will be sold---gulp!)
6 indian runner ducks
1 orphan muscovy drake (Halleh-above pic)- who was brought up by Blanche the hen
7 golden buff orpington hens (Elizabeth, Lily,Sorrel,violet,Kate Winslett, Marion and Jessop)
2 partridge orpington hens (Shula and Jill)
1 white lace orpington that was dumped by the gate (Lillian)
1 runt hen with a dislocated hip (Bunny)
2 acarana hens (Sheila and faye)
1 pure breed excelsior leghorn (the highly strung Scarlett)
36 assorted hybrid hens including a few surviving elderly girls from my original coop (Mildred Pierce,Whoopie Goldberg, Raquel Welsh) and my champion broody hen Blanche, who has raised brood after brood of chicks and ducklings over the past few years

Total population 84
85 with Chris

Must go......the dogs need a walk and Chris is going to Church this morning and has been elevated to bell ringer, so I want to be back so I can hear him massacre the bell ringing rhythm again (last time it sounded like war had broken out!!!!!!!!!!!!)

NINE My Husband Makes Movies Marion Cotillard

Pity the video does not show her performance...it was lovely

NINE

My friend Johnny (showbiz expert and writer) absolutely loved Nine, which was a fact that worried me slightly as it has become a general rule that every film he has "adored, daaaarrrling", I have hated.
So, it was with an open mind that I went to see this Rob Marshall version of Maury Yeston's 1982 Broadway musical, and I must admit I did enjoy the majority of it.
Adapted from Federico Fellini’s celebrated film 8 1/2, the musical centres upon sixties cool cat Italian film director Guidio Contini (Daniel Day-Lewis) as he faces a crisis of confidence about the filming of his latest self obsessed film. During the run up to camera roll, he has cause to examine the female influences in his life and the mistakes he has made in the climb to fame.
Yes, all the stuff of a marvelous musical....and for the most part it delivers!, with a showy cast to die for, some impressive set pieces and glowing cinematography Nine is impressively in-your-face. Day- Lewis (never one of my favourite actors) is excellent as the destructive Guido, Kate Hudson is a fireball of energy as a vogue journalist who can dance like a vixen, and Penélope Cruz and Nicole Kidman are just fine as mistress and film star respectively. But, for me, it is Marion Cotillard as Guidio's wife, who steals the entire film . When she sings "My Husband makes movies!", she does so with such a cold, demure grace that almost hides her sad fury at his affairs, that she literally breaks your heart. For me, watching her sing this one song, was worth the price of the cinema ticket alone.
Mind you not everything in the film works so well!
Strangely enough the only Italian in the film, Sophia Loren is miscast as Guido's mother and I could have done without Stacy Ferguson's bosoms bouncing around so much.....but I guess those are small complaints in an otherwise entertaining and original film musical
8/10

Fantasy

I am tired and jaded today,which is probably a combination of a late night, several turkey wrestling matches and a busy day of chores. I have dozed on the couch all this evening (dribbling and snoring too!) and have not caught up with phone calls and friends gossip as I should have done!
As I was dozing I dreamt about my fantasy property! We saw it when we were looking for a cottage four years ago, and although it was not for sale at the time, the slightly jaded Victorian cottage set in its own grounds always caught my eye.
Now it is up for sale.....a four bedroom cottage with out buildings, a walled garden, orchard and an additional 3 bedroom adjoining workers cottage all set in 11 acres of land.
The cottage has been untouched and unspoilt by the horrors of new money, and so the sash windows are intact and the period features still on show......tired and dirty to be sure yet proud and quite magnificent!
ok the whole place is for sale for over half a million quid.....but for a couple of long minutes ,as I was snoring my best on the couch.....I dreamt of collecting apples from the orchard as my chickens watched
hey ho

Casino Night

We all went to my sister's house to take part in a Las Vegas "casino" evening last night. I think I lost the theme of the evening, as whereas everyone else was poshed up in DJs and party frocks, I dressed up as a redneck American tourist (no offence to any of my US readers!)
The stomach is padding believe me!!!

We played blackjack and roulette and was supervised by my Brother-in-law's son and his girlfriend who has just been to Nevada, (so were experts !)

As New Year was called in, we went into the garden and the icy weather to watch fireworks roar into the sky. The celebrations were made even more magical by the sudden appearance of a string of graceful fired lanterns that soared slowly over the town and then floated wonderfully over the sea each one illuminated by flickering candles

.... we all stood in semi silence, spellbound by the view......it was lovely