Saturday, January 13, 2018

Week in Review - 1/13/2018


It's been a tough week new-wise -- the mudslides in CA have been on my mind for several days - those poor people, families swept away, unsuspecting in the middle of the night.   

This week has resulted in a warm up for a few days here. In fact, temps reached the high 50s yesterday, followed by lots of rain and wind. Cold temps will be coming back and then some snow mid week.

I spent this week with 3 days of yoga, some movie time, some reading time and a few lunches out.  We also spent some time talking about some spring getaways -- something to look forward to after this harsher than normal winter is over.

We saw (2) great movies this week -- 


I LOVED The Shape of Water (2017), Sally Hawkins is amazing (loved her in Maudie as well). I didn't expect my husband to really enjoy this one but he thought it was well done as well. I also loved that we saw it at our favorite Indie theater, and did lunch a favorite restaurant nearby.

The movie takes place during the 1960's space race in Baltimore, the story explores the unexpected love between the mute cleaning lady Eliza (Sally Hawkins) and the mysterious amphibious creature (Doug Jones) trapped at the government facility she works at. When Eliza escapes with the creature thanks to the help from a gallery of colorful characters, we see the bond between woman and creature grow.  Beautiful fantasy type love story.

We also watched a good movie on television that we had missed on the big screen.

A Family Man (2017) is one of those films where a  forty-something upper-middle class husband and father who works too much and doesn't appreciate the simple things in life endures a catastrophic twist of fate and changes his tune. This movie as well as, The Shape of Water brought more than a few tears to my eyes. 

Bookish Things



Small Great Things is my book group read for January. I actually read this one when it first came out and thought it was very good. This time I listened to the audio version in preparation for our meeting.
Small Great Things is going to be a movie starring Viola Davis and Julia Roberts, and I'll definitely be looking forward to this one.

I liked the audio version very much as well - 4.5/5 stars.

In progress - 

This novel is very well written, but a tough read because of the sometimes graphic, subject matter. Turtle Galveston is a fourteen year-old girl being raised by her whacked, survivalist father in northern California. I'm at the 70% point on my Kindle.

Hope everyone has a nice weekend.

29 comments:

  1. Glad your temperatures have mitigated a bit. We are in full swing of our cedar pollen season (my worst allergy). It's always the way in Dec-Mar. However, we haven't had horrible cold weather much (for us anyway). Glad you got to go to yoga and have some time out with movies and lunches. One of the book groups that I attend off and on is doing SMALL GREAT THINGS in April. I want to read it and attend that meeting. Have a good week, Diane!

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    1. Poor Kay, I was never troubled by allergies but this past year I'm beginning to wonder. Small Great Things is a great discussion book.

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  2. This has been such a wild winter as far as weather is concerned... sure hope things settle down a bit. My siblings in CNY had record warmth yesterday - 61 degrees! - and it's single digits and snowing now. Not sure My Absolute Darling is for me. Have a good weekend, Diane!

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    1. Yes, it was 59 here one day and freezing cold again today. Enjoy FL.

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  3. It is very sad - the victims of the mud slide . The 'blizzard' here, kept us inside for a week. Now a warm spell with cold around the corner. I hope you have a great week.

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  4. I only started hearing about The Shape of Water since the award buzz. I am not sure how I missed hearing about it before. I will have to check it out!

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  5. The mudslides are only a block or so from my house so this past week has been particularly difficult. Knowing that neighbors and friends have lost everything, including loved ones is devastating. But, our house is fine and we have stayed. Now we have no gas, but hope it will come back in on a couple days.

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  6. I feel terrible for those affected by the mudslides. Such a tragedy. It's one thing to lose property, as horrible as that is, and even worse that people lost their lives. I am glad you are enjoying your movie-watching and reading, Diane. I hope you have a good weekend too!

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    1. So true Wendy. BTW - I was happy to read your mom did well with her surgeries. Have a good week.

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  7. Yes, those mudslides are so horrible. It sounds like you had a pretty darn good week.

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    1. Thanks Brian - despite 59 degrees one day and 12 today we try not to complain about weather reading what others must contend with.

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  8. A friend of mine mentioned seeing The Shape of Water but I'm not sure it's for me.

    I am so over winter right now, I could scream.

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    1. Kathy, I think you would love Shape of Water. I didn't think it was for me but, afterwards I was so happy.

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  9. It is very sad to hear about the loss of life due to the mudslides (after the fires) in parts of Southern CA. We had a lot of rain, all at once.
    Thanks for sharing your thoughts about the movies and books. Have a good weekend, Diane.

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    1. I'm happy that the weather wasn't too severe for you. Hope you have a nice week.

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  10. I am going to see The Shape of Water tomorrow. I hadn't realized that one of the characters is played by Sally Hawkins. I loved Maudie!
    I spent the week reading Dune by Frank Herbert for a reading group that meets today. Somehow I had never read it. I thought it was great!
    We had a relatively minor mudslide that went right down our street. Once again we were lucky because our house is set up from the street.

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    1. Judy, I hope you love Shape of Water as much as I did. I never read, Dune. Glad you enjoyed it.

      So happy you did okay during the mudslides.

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  11. I couldn't make it through My Absolute Darling. It was graphic, but that's not what bothered me...it was more of the lack of propulsion to the story.

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    1. Sarah, I just finished My Absolute Darling and yes, it moved way too slow but, I felt addicted and loved the writing.

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  12. Fires, mudslides etc., California can not get a break. I feel so bad for them. I haven't seen those movies advertised where I live. They both sound good.

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  13. Beautiful quote! Aren't the news just too much sometimes? Anyway, so glad to hear you guys went out for a good movie. I totally want to see The Shape of Water! Hope you have a wonderful week ahead!

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  14. Weather erratic all over the world. In Melbourne right now very hot but different heat to Sri Lanka.

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  15. It's cold here and I'm not a fan. Plus my poor little heat pump can't keep up with below freezing temperatures! Both movies sound good though I'm unfamiliar with both and My Absolute Darling sounds great! Have a fantastic week!

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  16. I was really hoping that all the awful tragedies and unrest would be left behind in 2017, but those mudslides in CA are truly heartbreaking. Can we all just get a break?! I'm feeling guilty for enjoying such nice weather on the Oregon coast, even as it rains and the wind blows. It's nothing compared to what the rest of the country is going through with subzero temps, ice and snow!

    I want to watch both of those movies and will wait for the first to hit the DVD status since we no go to movie theaters.

    I have Small Great Things on my shelf ever since I got the ARC... must get to it this year! I also plan to read My Absolute Darling. Several of my trusted blogmates have read it and I think, in spite of the subject matter, it will be worth my time.

    Stay warm, Diane!

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  17. The mudslides and how it all happened really seem like a bad dream. I'm sure all those folks though they'd be safe inside. I mean, who even thinks of their home falling off its foundation?? I don't thin that area has ever seen flooding or slides like that before.

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