We saw "The Huntsman: Winter's War" Sunday. Some folks go these movies for things like plot and characterization (???). Me, I go for spectacle! Look at that dress! Emily Blunt appears to be wearing a train of unraveled scouring pads! ching, ching, ching. When they're dealing with baked-on grease in the kitchen do the scullery employees chase her around, pan in one hand and detergent in the other? Best retro CGI nod goes to the mechanical owl from the original 'Clash of the Titans". They poured white enamel over the owl and it looked almost as cheesy as the original. I LOVE these movies!

Christmas Newsletter! Everyone's favorite!

Rowland & Scott Holiday Newsletter 2014

 

Hey!  Have y’all heard about this Skype deal?  It’s just like on the Jetsons when Jane would press a button and a screen came down and she could see her friend while she talked to her but Jane hadn’t done her face or hair yet so she held up, like, a mask of her face in front of her real face …what?  Oh yeah.  This was the Year of the Skype at our house!

Gerry’s daughter Tirzah and her kids Zach and Savanna are a hoot!  They love to Skype while giggling non-stop and taking turns running off to find another toy to show us. Zach likes to use Extreme Close Up, then we can count the feathers on his toy parrot.  Savanna models her costumes – this Halloween a shimmery butterfly with a 10 foot wing span!  We Skyped with Gerry’s sister Suzanne and got to see her lovely home!  Skyped with Gerry’s niece Julianne and her daughter Joy!  And one time?  With Julianne and Joy?  Joy and I were crocheting At The Same Time.

What a treat to see Gerry’s folks on Skype, courtesy of Suzanne’s mobile wi-fi!  Corrine and Hank are in their 90’s and look great, we chatted and laughed! 

Gerry’s son Joel is engaged to be married!  The lovely and talented Amy is Joel’s fiancée.  They’re on the island of North Haven, Maine, population little. Joel finished the house he’s been building and then celebrated by nailing an evergreen bough to the roof of the house.  Maine!  It’s the home of fun. 

The highlight of Gerry’s year was a four-session class on low-head dams and water trails held at Drake University.  He really loved hearing about how much is going on with rivers in Iowa, as he is The Father of Iowa Water Trails.  Huzzah!

My friend Carol has been working in the Philippines for what, 12 years?  8?  A long time.  Surprise!  We have not been to see her there.  But we love Carol so it’s great to Skype with her.  We got to see her house and the fabulous school library over which she rules.  I’m telling ya, it’s like being there with her only without the crushing heat suffocating me like a hot marshmallow pillow.  Maybe next time she’ll show us something exotic!  But not people eat-y.

My niece Kate and her husband The Amazing Ethan had a baby boy in August and named him Otis.  Otis is delightfully round and cheerful. Otis may be the one I contact about Skyping with the Colorado family.  He’s what, almost 5 months old?  About time he learned some responsibility.

 I love retirement.  I lunch with friends, read and read and crochet and make cards.  I’m still behind on birthday cards.  I know!  I can’t believe it either!

We joined a book club at our local library branch.  Gerry is the only guy but he makes up for it by studying every book.  When anyone has a question, all heads turn to Gerry.  I contribute by expressing my opinions as facts.  We are such stars I’m surprised anyone else bothers to talk.

LOVE having my sister Kay in town!  She’s so much fun and has the nicest little house in Beaverdale.  That’s right, she’s in our neighborhood!  Along with our niece Kelsey! Now if we could only lure my sister Janet over from Urbandale we would own this pop stand.  We could shake down the local businesses.  Oh, you don’t want us hanging around making scathingly sarcastic remarks?  $20 please.  Each!  Don’t think we can’t weaponize sarcasm?  We can. 

Gerry and I are enjoying our lives, and hope you are enjoying yours.  We leave you with one last thought:  The New Star Wars movie comes out next year!!!   Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh!

Love to all our family and friends   -----

Movie Time I

We have seen a lot of movies since summer started.  A Lot.  Let me tell you about them!  The most recent was Double Indemnity which the local indie, The Varsity, showed on their big single screen.  It was a little weird because some dude introduced the movie and mentioned it was on DVD.  Wait, I'm paying $5 to watch a DVD?  Totally worth it.  Glorious, rich, black-and white.  With the exception of Edward G. Robinson (whose dude was on the excitable side) the main characters were, let's say, restrained.  Barbara Stanwyck!  The woman kicks major caboose in the acting department.  At one point you know she's evil by the way she reacts to the Bad Thing.  She doesn't smile. She doesn't move her mouth at all.  She makes a tiny change in her eyes  - not narrowing them, maybe tightening her lids a scosche?  Wow.  The impact is all the more impressive as her eyes have to act just below enormous shellacked blond bangs.  Barbara Stanwyck!  Let us sit in awe.

Jesse’s Girl (OK, Woman)

Gerry and I have been driving past Jesse’s Embers for two decades and all that time I’ve been saying I’d like to eat there sometime.  Well sometime was last night, man!  I loved it!  Jesse’s is tiny, covered in dark wood paneling alternating with red brick.  That night the clientele was like us.  How shall I put it…? I know!  Nobody was edgy.  Gerry’s silver hair was in style.  You get the daguerreotype.  Gerry told the manager it was my birthday and you know it’s always my secret wish to get something for free on my birthday.  The dude delivered!  An individual cake with one candle – my favorite white cake with white frosting.   He did make the tactical mistake of asking if I wanted him to sing happy birthday.  Yes.  So I got a ‘happy birthday dear customer’.  Aces! 

Face Time

Gerry and I both love Louise Penny’s Inspector Gamache mystery series.  I checked the latest book out of the library and, charming spouse that I am, I let G read it first. The last novel had a miserable stinky ending and we were both ticked off at Penny.  So, you know, I just kind of casually wondered how the book was going.  I dropped little comments like: “I hope she cleaned up the mess she made in the last book”.   “I hope the duck comes back.”  “I wonder if Clara’s husband has been forgiven.”  Gerry revealed not a hint. When I noted that his expression didn’t give anything away, he started making faces at me!  The nerve!  I haven’t seen so many silly faces since I hung out with pre-teen boys.  Who were my NEPHEWS.  Sheesh.  Of course I would have actually been pretty cheesed if Gerry had leaked plot points.  But that man is ship-shape and Bristol fashion.  By the way, I just finished the book.  It’s FABULOUS!  Did she clean up the mess?  Not tellin’.

A Feat

I’ve had my sofa bed, oh, since eohippi roamed the earth.  Lately it has been sighing when I launch myself upon it from across the room.  Yeah, I don’t do that, but I’m not Thumbelina either.  I surmised the old thing has life in it yet - if it didn’t, it couldn’t sigh. So G (my spouse) and I decided to donate it.  Yippee! G and I cleaned it to a fare-thee-well, and I made arrangements for someone to pick it up.  We were very worried about them getting the sofa out of the house as it’s huge and weighs 1,537.8 pounds.  So the guys show up and they maneuver the thing through our tiny doors with barely a hiccup and THEN.  THEN.  One of the dudes slings the sofa bed over a shoulder and carries it down the steps.  One guy, one shoulder – swear to Artemis, I’m not making this up.  In the words of the immortal guy from television, Holy Crap! Who was that Unmasked Man?

Kit Kats™

 

I’ve always enjoyed Kit Kats but the chocolate-to-crisp ratio was not ideal.  You know what there was not enough of.  (Of which there was not enough?  Screw it.) Then I discovered Kit Kat minis.  There I was in Walgreens, eyes bulging, pulling my hair, trotting in place and making this sound:  “EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEee”.  Gosh all Friday, thank goodness this was only happening in my head! Since my hair is currently 3 inches long, pulling it is particularly painful.  Kit Kats! These mini beauties are the size of a Hershey’s nugget and the choco-crisp ratio is ideal!  Keep them in the fridge.  I’ve found the lettuce drawer provides optimum cool for freshness and chewiness.  The package states that a serving is 9 pieces and there are 5 servings in a package.  My head tilts back and I laugh ha Ha HA as well as one can while one’s mouth contains 4 mini Kit Kats, the tip of the snack iceberg.  But I’m rather proud of myself.  The last couple times I bought them they lasted 3 days!!! This self-denial is akin to wearing a hair shirt.  OK, a really silky hair shirt.  But it’s 93 billion degrees outside, so that would still count as a sacrifice, right?  Yes or no, still easier than eating only 9 mini Kit Kats at one sitting.