"This is where I leave you."

Helena, Janis and myself went to see "This is where I leave you".  We were prepared for another one of those silly comedies but were very surprised when it turned out to be quite funny.  I would recommend that you go and see this one.

"The Altman family doesn't get along, and they haven't all been together in years. But when the patriarch dies, the whole clan is expected to fulfill his final wish and sit Shiva for him for an entire week. Now newly divorced, newly jobless Judd Altman has to travel home to face his dysfunctional family, including his hot-to-trot psychiatrist mom, his sarcastic older brother, his unhappy sister and his too-perfect younger brother in an effort to see if family bonds will prevent them from killing one another."

The Cast consisted of many familiar faces.

Jason Bateman as Judd Altman, one of the four combative siblings of the Altman family and the protagonist. He is married to Quinn, whom he recently caught cheating on him with his boss.

Tina Fey as Wendy Altman, one of the four siblings; a responsible mother who is married to Barry and has 2 kids. She is the ex-girlfriend of her childhood friend Horry.

Adam Driver as Phillip Altman, one of the four siblings; the playboy of the family who is nothing like his father. He is the baby of the family who has grown into perhaps the most troubled of the lot.

Rose Byrne as Penny Moore, Judd's high school crush.

Corey Stoll as Paul Altman, one of the four siblings; the no-nonsense brother who is responsible for the family business. He is married to Annie.

Kathryn Hahn as Annie Altman (changed from Alice), Paul's wife. She and Paul have been trying to have a baby for a long time.

Connie Britton as Tracy, Phillip's girlfriend.

Timothy Olyphant as Horry, Wendy's ex-boyfriend, who still lives with his mother across the street from the Altman family home due to a brain injury he suffered when he and Wendy were dating.

Abigail Spencer as Quinn (changed from Jen in the novel), Judd's estranged wife, whom Judd left after discovering her affair with Wade.

Dax Shepard as Wade Boulanger, a shock jock radio personality and Judd's former boss, whom Judd discovered having an affair with Quinn.

Jane Fonda as Hillary Altman, the oversexed widowed mother of Judd, Phillip, Wendy and Paul. She is a celebrity psychologist, having written a highly-successful guide to raising children.

Aaron Lazar as Barry Weissman, Wendy's husband.

Ben Schwartz as "Boner", the family’s young rabbi, who tries to bring a cool, modern edge to their faith’s longstanding traditions of mourning.

Cade Lappin as Cole Altman

Debra Monk as Linda, the Altmans' neighbor, mother of Horry, and Hillary's best friend and confidant.

Will Swenson as the Altmans' father, who makes a brief appearance in a flashback.

(Courtesy of Wikipedia)

I have worked on a few items since my last post.  I turned this rather fragile old child's/doll's chair from this.....

To this......

Painted and shabbied a couple of small occastional tables....

Unfortunately I forgot to take "before" pictures....

And turned this, whatever it was.....

into this cute pet feeding station.....

And lastly, painted and shabbied an older style spice rack...

All of these items will be for sale in my Boutique and talking about my Boutique, this is the new sign we all purchased together to go on the outside of the old warehouse where we sell our wares.

My stinking cold is finally on the way out, almost four weeks.  It really put a bit of a dampner on my visit to see the grandkids, but it's certainly heaps better than it was.

As usual, I will leave you with a few photos of my favourite grandkids (I only have two, LOL) and I hope that you will continue to stay healthy and happy.

Until next time...

Hugs, 

Movie with the girls!!

Went to the movies with two lovely ladies, Carol and Claudette, so we were the three 'C's', LOL.  We all pretty well enjoyed it, but it was nothing like the biblical story we all grew up on, apart from the Ark!!

"As a young boy, Noah witnessed his father, Lamech, being killed by the young king Tubal-Cain, who wanted to seize Lamech's land.

Many years later, Noah is living with his wife Naameh and his three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth. After seeing a flower grow instantly from the ground and being haunted by vivid dreams, Noah decides to travel with his family to visit his grandfather, Methuselah.

On the way, they come upon a group of people recently killed. They adopt the lone survivor, a girl named Ila, who was wounded in the attack and has become barren. Noah and his family are chased by Tubal-Cain's men, but are able to seek refuge with fallen angels known as the Watchers. The Watchers had been forced by the Creator to remain on earth as stone golems for disobeying the Creator and helping humans after they had been banished from Garden of Eden. Humans had attempted to enslave and kill the Watchers, but Methuselah helped them escape and was befriended by them.

Noah receives a seed passed down from Eden from Methuselah. He plants the seed and an entire forest grows from it within seconds. Noah announces that all the wood will be used to build an ark, and Noah's family and the Watchers begin construction.

Eight years later, as the Ark nears completion, animals start to walk into the ark and are put to sleep by incense that Noah prepares. Noah goes to a nearby settlement to find wives for his three sons but finds that the surrounding lands have been running short on food and the humans, led by Tubal-Cain, have become savage and cannibalistic. He becomes convinced that the Creator wishes for the human race to end and abandons his effort. Back at the camp, Methuselah blesses Ila, and her barrenness is cured.

Ham decides to go to the camp himself and find a wife. He encounters a frightened young girl named Na'el. She is willing to go with him as the flood begins, but on their way back Na'el's foot gets caught in an animal trap just as Tubal-Cain's horde marches on the Ark. Noah forces Ham to save himself and leave Na'el behind to be trampled to death.

All of Noah's family gets in the Ark except for Methuselah, who chooses to die in the flood. As the Ark is launched, the Watchers sacrifice themselves to protect it from the oncoming horde, allowing them to ascend into Heaven. As the flood drowns the remaining soldiers, Tubal-Cain manages to stow away on the Ark. The king is found by Ham and befriends him, playing on anger toward Noah for allowing Na'el to die.

Ila discovers that she is pregnant, and soon after the rains stop. Naameh, Shem, and Ila inform Noah of this, but the patriarch says that if the child is a girl he will kill her to satisfy the Creator's wish to destroy humanity. Noah asks for the Creator's counsel but finds no answer. He resolves to follow his plan, despite Naameh's unsuccessful attempts to dissuade him.

Months pass, and Ila and Shem build a small raft to escape Noah, but Noah burns it just as they prepare to leave. Ila goes into labor and gives birth to twin girls.

Meanwhile, Tubal-Cain is able to convince Ham to help kill Noah. Noah is lured by Ham to the aft of the ark on false pretenses, where he is attacked by Tubal-Cain, Ham, and Shem. As they fight, the Ark hits a mountain, injuring both Noah and Tubal-Cain. As Tubal-Cain is about to deliver a killing blow to Noah, a repentant Ham attacks and kills Tubal-Cain. Noah searches the ark for Ila and the twins and finds them, but decides to spare their lives.

As the family departs the Ark, Ham decides to leave them, still angry at Noah. Noah explains that he didn't kill his grandchildren because he had nothing in his heart but love for them. Noah blesses the family as the beginning of a new human race. They watch as the Creator sends a rainbow from the sky, covering all of the Earth, signaling his promise to never destroy mankind with a flood again."

Courtesy of Wikipedia.

Having said that, go out for the evening and see it.  Be warned though, if you are a Biblical scholar, you probably will not agree with quite a large chunk of it - just don't forget..... it's entertainment!!

A couple of pics of my darling grandkids from the Fall.....

Katherine and her best friend Savannah at Anna's house...

And my buddy Rhys and his little sis Katherine.....

I hope he will always be her protector!!!  Can't wait to see them, couple more weeks and I'll be on the Greyhound bus on my way.

So, my friends, take care and I'll talk to you again soon.

Hugs, 

Good for a laugh!!

I wasn't expecting to be writing another post so soon, but it is movie night tonight and Janis, Helena and I went to see the movie "The Heat", so funny, apart from the bad language, but if you can get past that then you will be in for a treat.

FBI Special Agent Sarah Ashburn (Sandra Bullock) is a very skilled and effective investigator, but is despised by her fellow agents for her arrogance and condescending attitude. Hale (Demián Bichir), Ashburn's boss at the New York FBI field office who is being promoted, sends her to Boston to investigate a drug kingpin named Larkin with the promise that she would be considered as his replacement if she can solve the case while showing the ability to work effectively with others. Once in Boston, she is partnered with Shannon Mullins (Melissa McCarthy), a skilled but foulmouthed and rebellious police officer with the Boston Police Department. Ashburn's by-the-book philosophy clashes with Mullins' rugged and violent style of police work. Mullins discovers the details of the Larkin case by stealing the case file from Ashburn and insists on helping her. Ashburn reluctantly agrees, realizing that she needs Mullins' knowledge of the local area.

Ashburn and Mullins follow leads to a local night club owner and successfully place abug on his cell phone. As they leave the club, Ashburn and Mullins are confronted by twoDEA agents, Craig (Dan Bakkedahl) and Adam (Taran Killam), who have been working the Larkin case for several months and are worried that their case will be compromised. After viewing him on a screen in the DEA agents' surveillance van, Ashburn discovers that Mullins' brother, Jason (Michael Rappaport), was recently released from prison, having been put there by Mullins herself, and may be connected to Larkin's organization. Ashburn convinces Mullins to go to her parents' home to ask Jason for information on Larkin. On their arrival at the home, it becomes apparent that Mullins' parents and two other brothers still harbor deep resentment for Mullins' involvement in Jason's incarceration. Jason, who does not have any ill feelings toward his sister, tips her off about the body of a murdered drug dealer hidden in an abandoned car. Upon examination of the body, chemicals on the victim's shoes lead Ashburn and Mullins to an abandoned paint factory, where they witness a drug dealer being murdered by a member of Larkin's organization named Julian (Michael McDonald). The two apprehend Julian and interrogate him regarding Larkin, but are unable to extract any substantial information regarding Larkin's whereabouts.

The pair spends the evening in a bar bonding over several rounds of drinks. After a night of raucous drinking and partying, Ashburn wakes up the following morning to discover that, in her drunkenness, she has given her car keys to one of the bar patrons. After unsuccessfully pleading for the keys, Ashburn watches, along with Mullins, as the car explodes upon being started, having been fitted with a bomb. During the investigation of the explosion, the two discover that Julian has escaped from custody and may mean to harm Mullins' family. Mullins moves the family into a motel, but learns that Jason has joined with the Larkin organization in an attempt to aid the case. Jason gives her a tip about a drug shipment coming in to Boston Harbor. The FBI sets up a sting at the harbor to take down the shipment, but discovers that the ship they have been waiting for is actually only a pleasure cruise ship and Jason has been set up by Larkin. Knowing that he informed the FBI about the supposed drug shipment, Larkin attempts to have Jason killed, but only puts him into a coma.

Mullins vows to bring her brother's attacker to justice. Ashburn and Mullins interrogate Rojas and learn of a warehouse where Larkin houses his operations. After equipping themselves with assault equipment from Mullins' extensive personal arsenal, the two infiltrate the warehouse. Despite taking out several of Larkin's men with a hand grenade, the two women are captured and bound by Julian, who threatens to torture them with knives. Julian is called away by Larkin, but before he leaves the room, he stabs Ashburn in the leg with one of the knives. Mullins removes the knife from Ashburn's leg and uses it to cut the rope binding her hands. Before she can finish freeing herself and Ashburn, they are discovered by Craig and Adam. Craig begins to untie the two women, but is shot and killed by Adam. Ashburn and Mullins deduce that Adam is actually Larkin, having been working his own case from inside the DEA for several months. Julian reenters and is instructed by Larkin to kill Ashburn and Mullins while he goes to the hospital to kill Jason. After Larkin leaves, Mullins, whose hands have already been untied, manages to finish freeing herself and incapacitates Julian. Mullins then frees Ashburn and the two race to the hospital to save Jason.

Upon their arrival, Mullins rushes to find Jason. Ashburn, hindered by the stab wound in her leg, is unable to move quickly. Mullins finds Jason's room, only to discover Larkin standing over his bed with a syringe, intending to kill Jason by injecting air into his vein, causing his death by an air embolism. Mullins drops her weapon in an attempt to save her brother's life. Ashburn, having had to crawl to the room, then enters and subdues Larkin by shooting him in the genitals. With Larkin captured, Ashburn requests to stay in the FBI's Boston field office, having developed a strong friendship with Mullins. Jason is shown having fully recovered from his coma. The film ends with Mullins receiving a commendation from the Boston Police Department, with her family present cheering for her, having reconciled her.

(Courtesy of Wikipedia)

May as well mention all the wonderful new items I found today for my Boutique, some really neat things - hope I get to sell them...........

Well, that's it folks for now.  Have a great day tomorrow.  Hugs, 

The Great Gatsby

This afternoon Dawn called and asked me if I would like to go to the movies.  I was just about to leave to go to my Boutique to potter around but decided that this would be much more fun and I could go to the Boutique tomorrow whereas you don't always have the opportunity to spend time with a good buddy.  I had read the book many, many years ago but to be honest I really had forgotten what it was about.  I thoroughly enjoyed it, found it a little disturbing, but I would recommend going to see it if you haven't already.

"The Great Gatsby" follows Fitzgerald-like, would-be writer Nick Carraway as he leaves the Midwest and comes to New York City in the spring of 1922, an era of loosening morals, glittering jazz and bootleg kings. Chasing his own American Dream, Nick lands next door to a mysterious, party-giving millionaire, Jay Gatsby, and across the bay from his cousin, Daisy, and her philandering, blue-blooded husband, Tom Buchanan. It is thus that Nick is drawn into the captivating world of the super rich, their illusions, loves and deceits. As Nick bears witness, within and without the world he inhabits, he pens a tale of impossible love, incorruptible dreams and high-octane tragedy, and holds a mirror to our own modern times and struggles."

My dear friend Laurie's hubby is still waiting to be flown out for his heart surgery.  Unfortunately there was a helicopter disaster north of here and two paramedics and two pilots were killed, so that put back the air-ambulatory service locally and only the critical were air-lifted out.  Hopefully, he will have gone this evening or will go tomorrow.  He is still at the hospital which is the best place for him and dear Laurie has been back and forth visiting and it must be very stressful for her too.  She is such a fine lady, strong and true, but I know that she will be much relieved when this is taken care of.  Prayers still appreciated for them both.

I finally got my Boutique all moved out into two new rooms and I must say I am absolutely delighted with it.  I'm really proud of myself too, having done it all by myself, stubborn welsh woman that I am, but everything has a place and a place for everything.  No-one else can help you with that.  Before I show you a few pics of the final look, I would like to mention a young couple I recently met at their garage sale.  S. & I. had a few items that I would have liked to purchase but I didn't have the room for them at the time.  I asked them if they would let me know if they still had them in a few weeks.  A little while later I heard that they still had one of the items and were willing to deliver it to the Boutique and only wanted half the amount that they were asking at the garage sale.  The evening before my first full day in my new rooms they delivered it, a delightful desk (I thought I was buying a dresser 'cos all I remembered were the drawers).   It's cute.  Someone will love it, or it can stay where it is in the Boutique - looks good displaying some of my re-painted items.  (I was so touched by their kindness - this from strangers.)

Anyway, here are a few more photos of my Boutique.  Wish you could all come and visit (and shop, of course).  I have a lot of my own hand-made items, mixed in with new and thrifted items.  I spend most of my week dragging my shopping cart all over the place on my own, from one thrift store to another.  Sometimes even I am amazed at what I bring home.  Take a look............

It's been like winter outside today - the weather really is very strange, cold and blustery and it's going to be the same tomorrow I believe.  Back to jackets and jeans.

That's it for now.  I'm working on a few items at the moment, painting away like I'm in my right mind, LOL  God bless and take care of yourself and each other.  'Til next time.

Hugs,