Movie Monday -

I really need to watch some movies, as my list just keeps getting longer. I have managed to watch a few though.

In You are Cordially Invited, shenanigans ensue, when two weddings are booked on the same weekend at a small resort. Reese Witherspoon plays the sister of one ride, and Will Ferrell plays the father of the other bride. It was cute.

Catching Fire: The Story of Anita Pallenberg It’s a documentary about the woman who was very influential with the Rolling Stones. She was a model and actress. She had a relationship with Keith Richards. They had three children together. After her death, her family found a never published memoir. The film includes much of her words from the document. It was interesting.

Dakota Johnson and Sean Penn star in Daddio. A woman returns from a trip and grabs a cab at the airport. During the ride, the cabbie and she exchanged thoughts and experiences. It was really good. I’m surprised that it didn’t get nominated for more awards than it did.

Recent streamers:

Sweet Magnolias Season 4 - Netflix

Hacks Season 3 - Max

MK out.

FO Friday - 3/21/2025

Don’t faint! Here are the aforementioned hats! All are made from leftovers!

Pattern is Copy.Cat C.C beanie.

Pattern is June Hat.

Pattern is Rocky Ridge Worsted.

Pattern is reverse engineered from Start Again. I don’t know how close I actually got the stitch pattern, but it looks close enough.

And the commissioned hat is finished. Pattern is #30 Cool Hats.

MK out.

WIP Wednesday - 3/19/2025

I know. I know. I owe my three faithful readers pictures of the hats I knitted on my trip last month. They’re coming. I promise.

In the meantime, The Kid told me that a friend of his from high school was wondering if I’d make him a hat similar to the one I made him for HS graduation 20-plus years ago. He wants it in green with white stripes. 

He’s the one with the purple with white stripes hat in the front.

Lucky for him, I had the yarn in my stash.

MK out.

Book Chat - 3/14/2025

The following are the remainder of the books I read in February. In full disclosure, I did have two long airplane rides, too short ones, and all that time riding in a car all over New Zealand. A girl’s gotta have something to do…

When We Were Friends by Jane Green

A fairly recent divorcée (Lucy) meets a younger woman (Elle) with shared interests. Baby, come fast friends. After introducing L to her friends, Lucy notices that things are not quite what they seem. It’s a short story, and it was good.

When We Were Widows by Annette Chavez Macias

Yessica is very successful in her field, but after an outburst at work, she is placed on leave and ordered to take grief counseling. Meanwhile, her mom and grandmother need a place to stay while their home is being repaired following a plumbing accident. Can the three women coexist without killing each other? It was cute. 

Grave Talk by Nick Spalding

A woman who has lost her husband visits the gravesite one day. She meets the brother of the person who is buried next to her husband. As they continue to meet yearly at the cemetery, we follow their friendship over the next 10 years. It was very good.

Tell Me Everything by Elizabeth Strout

The fifth book in the Amgash Series brings together my current favorite, quirky characters – Lucy Barton, and Olive Kitteridge. We are entertained with the stories they share with one another, and learn more about the usual suspects. I think I may go back and read more of trouts books. Insight into the “lesser” characters in this series might be gained. Anyway, I loved this book.

Nobody’s Perfect by Sally Kilpatrick

Vivian hosts a YouTube channel called Mom Scouts as a way to celebrate the small wins in life. Upon learning that her husband has been cheating and lying to her for a while, she gets rip-roaring, drunk and posts a video that goes viral. Then she starts dealing with the fallout, aided by her neighbors. It was a fun read.

MK out.

Book Chat - 3/6/2025

I read many books in the month of February. Here’s a few:

The Autumn of Ruth Winters by Marshall Fine

Ruth Winters doesn’t think there’s much for which to look forward in the remaining years of her life. She’s retired and widowed. To fill her time she has been babysitting for the young mothers in her neighborhood. Then, a couple of blast from her past come calling. It was such a delightful read.

The Fall Risk by Abby Jiminez

A woman with a stalker, meets her across the breezeway neighbor when a construction company mistakenly demolishes the staircase leading to their apartments. Spark start flying between between the two, while they wait out the days it will be before a new staircase can be built. I enjoyed reading this novella.

Lucy by the Sea by Elizabeth Strout 

Covid is coming, and William, Lucy‘s ex, whisks her way to Maine to wait out lockdown. Lucy is grieving the death of her second husband, David William is struggling with the separation from his youngest daughter, Brigitte. Together, they forge a new relationship and enjoy the company of Bob Burgess and his wife, Margaret. We learn more about the foursome and the other usual suspects in the Amgash Series. It was good.

Friends with Secrets by Christine Gunderson

Ainsley, the perfect wife and mother, and Nikki, the perfect mess seem an unlikely pair. The two come together to solve a situation that has a risen in Ainsley‘s life. It was a fun read.

Bummer Camp by Ann Garvin

Cat is summoned back to put out fires in the family business, despite having spent years distancing herself from it. Can she save the day? It’s quite the tall order. It was cute.

In the Company of Men by Carolyn Finch

In this historical novel, Etta Lynne lands a teaching job that was supposed to go to a man. The previous teacher was seemingly abducted, and until her whereabouts are known, the town wants to safeguard the womenfolk. Can she maintain her position, while enduring all kinds of discrimination and harassment? It was pretty good.

Hopefully, next week I will tell you about more.

MK out.

Movie Monday - 3/3/2025

The Oscars have come and gone. I was in the air, coming home from a little trip to NZ during the broadcast. Of course, I’ve caught up on the results. I don’t feel one way or the other about them. As I’ve said many times - ten nominees for Best Picture is just too many, but the Academy doesn’t listen. In the acting categories, some years, there are clear winners. In other years, it’s hard to choose between two people. Sometimes, all of the members in the field are equally good or equally bad. Anyway, I’m not super sad about missing the show - I just like watching movies.

One thing I did get to do on my 13 hour flight - I watched 3 movies!

Nickel Boys is about a young, Black man who was sentenced Nickel Academy for no real good reason, but this film is set in the Jim Crow 1960s; so, there’s that. He’s a bright person, who tries to remain optimistic. He befriends another resident, who tries to give him tips for survival in their abusive environment. It was sad to watch, but well acted. The film was nominated for 2 Oscars, incidentally. One was for Best Picture. It was good.

In Saturday Night, we get to see everything it took to get the first episode of the iconic show on the air for the first episode. The casting company did a pretty good job choosing the actors to play the principals - especially for Lorne Michaels, John Belushi and Garrett Morris. The movie is quite entertaining.

Saoirse Ronan plays a troubled young woman who wants to better her life in The Outrun. She leaves the fast environment of London to return to her hometown on the Orkney Islands of Scotland. There are challenges there too - her bipolar father, her very religious mother and the weather. Let’s not forget the weather. It is a beautifully shot, poignant film. I liked it.

Recent Streamer:

Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke - Hulu

Enjoy the rest of the week.

MK out.

Book Chat - 2/20/2025

I have so many books on which to comment. It’s a bit overwhelming. Let me tell you about a few now.

 

Oh, William! By Elizabeth Strout

The story continues. Lucy Barton and her ex-husband William embark in an adventure to find the family he never knew he had. I loved it.

 

The Answer is No by Fredrik Bachman

How does Lucas, an introvert, get sucked into leadership on hi homeowner’s board? All he wants is a night of video games and his favorite Pad Thai (which must have peanuts!), but then he answers his door. It was a cute short story. I liked it.

 

The Bookstore Wedding by Alice Hoffman

Isabel and Johnny have set their wedding date three times, but something always seems to get in the way of the event happening. Will they ever get married? It was another short story, and it was enjoyable to read.

MK out.