Spring Blossoms

Sophie loves running and running on the beach.....


and Oh look, it is springtime once again!
Flowers are blooming and sprouts are sprouting!
The air smells sweet and the birds seem to know that we need to hear their melodic twitters.

But wait! What is this??
Is it snow? Or hail? No, it can't be......

Sophie investigates further, looking up...she sees that it's...
Cherry tree blossoms!! WOW!! So beautiful and lining almost every street!
Don't you just love spring??
(Sorry to all my friends and relatives in the snowy prairies....I couldn't resist! If it's any consolation, I wish you could be here to enjoy the flowers with us.)

Music or Lyrics?

Last night I took in a late movie with a marvelous friend. The film, "Music and Lyrics" stars Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore as an unlikely duo who end up writing a hit song together.
Grant plays Alex Fletcher, a self-proclaimed Has-Been in the pop music industry who now sings at high school reunions and theme parks regaling his glory days as one of the main pair that headlined a pop music group funnily enough called "Pop". We even get to see one of their 80's hit music videos in full black and white checker and cheesy over the top thrusting dance moves the group became famous for (an coincidentally lead to many hip replacements later in life!)
As Fletcher's career is winding down and he scrambles to find a way to stay a float as a musician, a current pop star, Cora, makes it known she enjoyed some of his earlier hits as a child and offers to let him write her a brand new song in a few days and to perform it with her to kick off her new tour.
Though excited by the offer, Fletcher was always the melody composer and never god at writing lyrics. His manager finds a lyricist who seems bent on dark and dreary and while they being to work on the song in Fletcher's bachelor apartment, he finds his regular plant watering girl replaced by a substitute, the chattery and hypochondriac Sophie Fisher. Sophie begins quietly finishing their lines of lyrics with quirky but catchy phrases and suddenly Fletcher is intrigued and the hired lyricist is out and he tried to convince Sophie she can help him write this new hit song.The dynamic between Grant and Barrymore sparks fun, wit and a natural romantic chemistry. The two work well in this comedic role; Grant is no longer his foppish, blustering self but a confident and comfortable musician who breaks through somewhat of a fear barrier and Barrymore excels at her typical sprightliness but with a hint of sadness and a touch of the pathetic as her character seeks to get over a past love and dare to love again.
Two of the supporting characters are also excellent in this film. Brad Garrett ( Robert of Everybody Loves Raymond) plays the eager suck-up of a manager, and Kristen Johnston (Third Rock from the Sun) plays Sophie's older sister and a crazed fan of Fletcher and "POP".
Though this movie never completely wowed me, the story stayed amusing and the characters seemed like someone we all might know. The romance was never contrived or forced, only simple, sweet and on the non-commercial side. (For example, when Fletcher decided to push around Sophie's past guy, instead of a typical fist-fight in a restaurant, Fletcher's arms are twisted, his face ends up in the butter and somewhere in the mix is a sharp dinner roll!)
The BEST part I found is the theme of this movie - Love can be separated into two parts like Music: the Melody which represents the good feelings and the passion, and the Lyrics, the words that are getting to know someone, finding out all about them and spending time together.
So if you are looking for a light, fun, and feel-good story that pushed the mold a little, go see Music and Lyrics!

Mini Vacation

Hey everyone,
I just wanted to fill you in on my fab mini-holiday to the lovely township of Langley! Yes, that's right good ole Langley. Ok, so the draw isn't Langley itself, but more the companionship of my wonderful sister and her newish husband. They let me come over for a few days to rest and hang out and shop!! Fun! My sister had some time off so we caught up and shopped up. I ended up with a few cool purchases of clothing, we both got a really neat retro wooden frame that holds several photos, a few books (yay, brand new books from my favourite author!), a couple movies and wouldn't you believe it...fish! Yes, I said fish. I went to my all time favourite aquarium store, Big Al's in Burnaby and walked back over on the ferry with a backpack full of fishy friends. Once they are all settled. I will take a photo or two. I got some really cool schooling fish that were way less expensive then what we can get here in Vic.

We also saw the movie "300"
Wow! What a decadent visual concoction of art, cinematography and CG effects!
True, I agree with what other critics have stated, that there isn't much in the way of surprises in regards to the plot, but the comic book style and browned, vintage-like colouring totally elevates this film from a simple slashing battle movie to an artistic and keenly thought-out story that stimulates and awes the viewer. For me, it was like unraveling some old parchment to read a story that came alive into epic characters and sweeping mythic vistas. What I also found incredible and worth remembering and replaying was the fantastic skill and drive of the Spartan soldiers, as well as the immensity and elaborateness of Xerxes and his army of "Immortal" slaves. Oh! Also the scene of the Oracle is amazing! The photography and effects, though eerie and unsettling, are very out of this world!

A few interesting points - and if you don't want to read this to spoil a few things....don't read on.
- All though the Spartans managed to fight and kill almost every enemy before them....they never seemed to have any blood on their mostly naked bodies.....Hmmmm, perhaps a magic, blood-repellent oil they glisten up with?
- The Queen should have known Theron, the would not quite live up to their bargain...."He said vs. She said" in the Greek parliament......I think the He's have it. (although I am glad she ended his part in the treachery!)
- Get a new wig master - some are just sooo bad.

My 2 cents!

My House...company worthy! Yay!

Yes, Ladies and Gentlemen, here it is!
My home!
Tidied. Cleaned. Unpacked. Decorated...and all cozy....Ooozy boo!
The pictures are not too snazzy, just quick ones last night from my phone. Apparently the flash wasn't on so they are a bit grainy and dark, but you get the idea.

Here is the fireplace and bookshelf.
To the right you go through the french door to get to the kitchen.
Bedroom is to the left.

Here is the living room.
It looks kinda squishy with a couch and a loveseat, but offers lots of seating for all my guests!!

My boudoir, with Sophie curled up on the bed.

More photos to come!!
And hey, anyone want to come over? Play some cards or watch a movie or some episodes of Friends or The Office?? What's that I hear? Party at Kir Kir's?? SURE!!