Movie Review Monday - WAR HORSE

War Horse is an emotional, tear-jerking drama. Of course, with a name like War Horse, you don't expect a comedy. But for an animal lover it is a hard show to watch.

My daughter and I used to have our own horses (a paint and a quarter horse) so this was more difficult than I expected because Joey looked a lot like our paint. But, I tried to remind myself that a lot of this story would be absolutely impossible.

If he had been a quarter horse, maybe... this War Horse might have been able to pull a plow through rocky terrain but a thoroughbred...? I doubt it. They're built for speed not strength.

Of course, I believe animals are very smart. And, I wasn't at all surprised that Joey would remember Colin. That seemed very real to me. But, talk about being born under a dark cloud...this seemed like a horrific example of tragedy after tragedy.

All-in-all, I would definitely recommend this show. At it's core, it's a story about a boy and his first love (it could have been a dog - but in this case it was a horse). And, I love that he wasn't a cowboy. This relationship was built on more than driving cattle. It was a bond that started from birth.

Some of the cinematography reminded me of Gone With the Wind. It was epic.

I really enjoyed War Horse and I hope you do too. If you see it, let me know what you think, I'd love to hear your thoughts.

A Blast

Jacques Cousteau...a blast from the past. I didn't even realize he was a forgotten icon.

I was telling my kids that their father was listening to a lecture by Alexandra Cousteau, Jacques Cousteau's granddaughter.

"Who is Jacques Cousteau?" They asked.

"You don't know who Jacques Cousteau is...was?" I was shocked.

"No," they shrugged.

I guess that's what a public school education gets you.

No...I just couldn't believe it. I'd grown up with Jacques Cousteau and Lloyd Bridges and Sea Hunt and The Under Water World of Jacques Cousteau. But...that was years ago.

Still, "Don't you know who invented the S.c.u.b.a. gear?" (Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus)

Captain Cousteau was a pioneer in protecting the planet and preserving the oceans.

"If we go on the way we have, the fault is our greed and if we are not willing to change, we will disappear from the face of the globe, to be replaced by the insect."
Jacques Yves Cousteau

Late . . .

I didn't finish a couple projects in time for regular holiday gift giving but I finally finished them.

This first one is a short scarf I made for my daughter. It only took one skein of yarn. Then I bought a cute wooden button so she could clip it around her neck to keep out the cold breeze.



Then I made another scarf for someone special. I'm hoping to get it to her tomorrow night.



I'm thinking better late than never. Or. . . better warm than freezing :)

How 'bout you - any projects you're still working on...?

Word for Wednesday

WORD: Mompetition

What does it mean?

Do you know?

Take a guess, then scroll down to see the answer


Further




Further



Here's the answer, according to the Urban Dictionary:

The one-up rivalry that moms play making their child seem better, smarter, and/ or more advanced than yours. May involve two or more moms and any number of children, even full-grown.

She engaged me in mompetition insisting her son walked at 6 months and implying my son was slow for his age.

Failure

Not everything in life turns out. It's like fiction...and writing.

I was trying to make a bracelet out of my old Starbucks cards. I thought they were plastic. . . right? So, I could shrink them into perfect bracelet charms (do any of you remember shrinky-dinks?)

Well, I tried.

I took my cards and laid them out on wax paper

I punched a hole out so I could string them on a braclet
Then I baked them at 350.

Unfortunately, it didn't work.



But, just because that idea was a complete and utter failure doesn't mean I won't try another project.

It's kind of like writing. Just because one story is rejected doesn't mean I'll give up on writing. Why would one failure have to reflect on another?

I'm not going to give up. I'll keep trying to put my words into stories and my ideas into crafts.

DAVS DAG 2012

I know it's MLK weekend but there was another celebration going on here in town too. It was DAVS DAG

DAVS Dag is a Danish cultural celebration here in Portland. It's a time when Danes get together and speak in their native tongue and eat their customary foods--which means a lot of open-faced sandwiches and Schnaps...and beer and REAL Danish pastry - not the American abomination called "a Danish". A true Danish pastry is very similar to French pastries, they are light and flaky and oh so yummy.

Schnapps is a traditional drink that Danes drink. They celebrate by raising their little glasses and saying "SKOL", which is similar to when we call out "Cheers!"

"Schnaps" is a strong distilled alcoholic beverage. The English word schnapps comes from the German word "Schnaps". It can mean any strong alcoholic drink but usually refers to those containing at least 64 proof.

And, let me tell you, it may be served cold in a brick of ice, but it definitely warms you as it travels down your throat.

DAVS means Danish Ancestry Vintage Society. And DAG is translated to Day so it was the Danish Ancestry Vintage Society Day.

And no Danish celebration would be complete without food and lots of it.


Here are a few photos from our Saturday celebration.

This was my plate of food (not quite on my Weight Watchers meal plan but . . . I'll just have to run)
Here was my husband's plate:


Here is the Krangle (pronounced Clang-ah) I had as my dessert. It is an almond paste (marzipan) pastry

We toasted the Queen--Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, the New Year, and sang songs . . . of course in Danish.

All-in-all it was a delicious way to spend a day.

How 'bout you, any celebrations for you?

Martin Luther King Day

Celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day by volunteering in your community.

This holiday celebration is meant to mark the birthday of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Dr. King is famous for speaking out against violence and calming people in a time of riotous rebellion. He became the spokesperson for nonviolent activism during a time filled with anger, riots and violence and helped bring peace in an aggressive time.

The call for a federal holiday in King's honor began after his assassination in 1968. It was Ronald Regan who signed the law making the celebration a holiday in 1983. It was first observed on January 20, 1986.

If you believe in his philosophy and want to have an impact, in MLK’s honor, try volunteering in your community. Here are a few options to volunteer in Portland:

• On Monday, Jan. 16, volunteers will converge on Earl Boyles Elementary School, 10822 S.E. Bush St., to clean, weed and remove plants in the courtyard. For more information, call 503-200-3355.

• The Clark Center, 1437 S.E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., is looking for volunteers to help make a meal for residents on Monday, from 4:45 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., at its 90-bed transitional housing shelter for men. For details, call 503-200-3355.

• On Monday, Jan. 16, between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m., volunteers will plant 160 trees along the I-205 Multi-Use Path near the Parkrose/Sumner Transit Center, 9481 N.E. Sandy. Details: AndyM@FriendsofTrees.org or JennyB@FriendsofTrees.org.

• Volunteers will gather at 10 a.m. Friday at The ReBuilding Center of Our United Villages, 3625 N. Mississippi Ave. to kickoff the Martin Luther King, Jr. Weekend of Service.

• Celebrate the birth, life and work of Martin Luther King Jr. with a reading from his works, jazz gospel music and more. 6 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 15. Augustana Lutheran Church, 2710 N.E. 14th Ave.; free