• Oscar Re-Cap
  
  Well, when I saw Rebecca's post reviewing the Oscars I saw no point at all in posting another one. Hers is spot on (for the most part anyway) and hilariously funny. I disagree on several incredibly important counts though. Issues that I feel compelled to bring to light given the seriousness of the occasion.
  
  Jessica Biel's dress: No, Bec, this is not a good look. I know you feel kindly toward Ms. Biel on account of her example of How to Get Ready For Your Own Action Flick, but really? This dress? This color? No.
• Gwyneth Paltrow's Acting Ability: Shame on you. I know you dismiss the likes of Shakespeare in Love and Emma as "chick flicks" and therefore only suitable for occasional viewing with your mother when she's mad at you and you want to extend the olive branch , but I feel you are far too dismissive of Ms. Paltrow's acting ability. AND while you may not appreciate her acting ability, it's beyond the pale to assert that she is an alien out to wreak havoc on humanity. I have it on good authority that she is not one of the Pod People. She just had the misfortune to employ one of the Pod People's hairdressers for the occasion. How silly of you to have fallen for their ploy.
• Penelope Cruz's dress: I know I'm in a minority among the family Oscar viewers (and probably among many fashion critics) but I liked Penelope's dress. I loved the color and while I agree that the train on the dress was a bit much, I thought she looked lovely. So there.

Since Rebecca did such a nice job with the Oscar review/recap, there's little more I can say other than to fill you all in on what she left about about the evening.

• She showed up late. Shameful.
• Because she and Bob showed up just as the show was starting they opted to share one ballot for their selections instead of taking the extra 3 minutes to make a copy. Apparently a mistake given the remainder of the evening.
• Because they shared a ballot, there were appalling altercations between the two of them throughout the night. Moral of the story? Don't attempt to fill out a ballot with another person, especially when a Barnes and Noble gift card for the person who correctly predicts the most winners is on the line.
• She found it necessary to ruffle her sister's hair numerous times throughout the night. This is definitely not a recommended practice. It annoys the heck out of Caroline, which means that the rest of us get annoyed at her annoyance, her sister's glee and Bob's egging on. Rebecca ended up getting kicked in the head though, so I guess they're even. (Caroline insists that the kick was an "accident". None of us are fooled. She's little, and looks lovely and sweet, but we all know better.)
• She and Bob drove well out of their way to bring me my glasses that I left at my parents' house.
• Bob purchased a darling little primrose for me to make up for his part in the Caroline Incident
• Spending time with my mother and daughters (and Bob too), even with the altercations and mussed hair, is absolutely one of my favorite things in the world to do.

Already looking forward to next year!

Oscar Anticipation

Ooh . . . tonight's Oscar night! I know, I know. Hollywood's superficial, artificial and Botoxed to the hilt, but I love it anyway. Well, except for the Botox. Lately every time I see actual laugh lines, crow's feet, or forehead wrinkles on an actor, male or female, I practically stand up and cheer. It's not just because I'm in my 40s now either, although that probably has something to do with it. I just appreciate seeing people who don't look like they've been abducted by Plastic-faced Pod People aliens in the middle of the night and set back down to star in the latest motion picture for a $20 million price tag.

While I love the Oscars, it isn't often that I get to see all of the nominated performances. This year was a particularly bad year for me. I only saw 4 of the 5 films nominated for Best Picture and few others. Regardless of my dismal movie-going habits this year, I will make my predictions for tonight's winners. With a bow of gratitude to Entertainment Weekly (my weekly Hollywood fix), here are my predictions for the "big" ones:

Actor - Leading:
Forest Whitaker
Actor Supporting:
Eddie Murphy
Actress- Leading:
Helen Mirren
Actress- Supporting:
Jennifer Hudson
Directing:
Martin Scorsese
Documentary Feature:
An Inconvenient Truth
Best Picture:
The Departed (please, please not Babel - what has to be the most dreadful film of the year)
Screenplay - Adapted:
Children of Men
Screenplay Original:
Little Miss Sunshine

Well, I'm off to get ready for a chocolate-laden Oscarfest with my mother and my girls. I'll check back in and give you my terribly biased and opinionated take on the evening's winners.

Have fun at your own Oscar party!

Old Friends and New Blogs

I wanted to take a moment and let you all know about my friend Kristin's new blog. Not only is she a lovely friend, quick with a warm smile and a ready ear to listen, she's an absolutely terrific writer. Kristin's equally at home writing insightful commentaries and laugh-out-loud anecdotes. Many's the time I've sat at my computer desk completely helpless with belly laughs.

Wondering why I used a vintage chocolate ad to showcase Kristin's new blog? Take a look at her blog and wonder no more. Country Mouse Comes Unhinged

A few other blogs that I've been really enjoying lately are:

SmilnSigh
A Happy Miscellany
Under a Blue Moon

Sooo many blogs out there to read! What a pleasure! I just wish I had the whole comment etiquette down. It still puzzles me. It's that New England Yankee reserve I think. I love getting comments so why I hesitate to comment on other's blogs never ceases to amaze me.

Off to read some more blogs . . .

GRRR!!!

What on earth is up with Blogger not letting me have paragraph breaks? This is unacceptable.

First it takes me forever to find time to post. Time where I'm not being badgered incessantly for something or another by someone or another. Then I have to find artwork. Why is it that I seem to have masses of clip art/image books and can never find what I'm looking for? I won't even tell you about my forays into Googleland for images. Those tales would raise the hair on your neck. Just a note. Don't attempt to look for "1940-50s Housewife images". Trust me.

Then, once that's done, I actually have to write the post. All very time consuming and labor intensive. Well, whether it is or not is beside the point. Blogger should make sure that the actual "new" Blogger actually works.

Sheesh.

Bliss

It's been a quiet day. One that has, for once, afforded me completely uninterrupted time. All of my children were busy and away from home. A rarity for this stay-at-home, homeschooling mother. My middle daughter worked today. My youngest daughter enjoyed the rare treat of time alone with my oldest daughter, watching a film at her apartment and playing with her kitten. Bliss for a 10 year old. Which allows bliss for the 40 something - time alone in a completely silent house.

Well, not completely since the dog WOULD. NOT. STOP. BARKING. TODAY. Of course, she might defend herself by saying that she was alerting me to (and of course, defending me from) terrifying and alarming things. Like the cat from two houses over. Or the car that had the audacity to pull into its driveway. Or, most infuriating of all, the beagle from next door. So, it was kind of, sort of blissfully quiet for me . . . Kind of . . . Oh well, I'll take what I can get.

Most of my friends would spend that time productively. Baking something luscious or crafting something amazing. I've told you all before how much I love those homey, crafty blogs out there. Those blogs filled with writings from those women filled with creative energy. I imagine myself in their homes. Seeing the moment that they arise to the lilt of songbirds. Watching them craft with the assistance of charming children and assorted animated animals who rush in with needle, thread or the perfect button. That is not me, I'm afraid. I might have the idea that I'd like to craft something, but the will to do so is often sadly lacking these days. Then again, if I had the assistance of charming children and darling animated creatures to do my bidding, I might feel a bit more inclined. No such luck, I'm afraid. The crafty, homey, cozy blogwomen, who look so nice, but obviously have nefarious intent, have absconded with all of the cheerful chipmunks, busy beavers, persevering porcupines (who also double as pincushions), and diligent doggies and have locked them away in their cottages. Probably keeping them from forming unions to protect their rights too. Ha! No wonder they craft so beautifully and prolifically!

Okay, so I'm reaching a bit for a reason that explains why they are crafting and I'm not. Time to put resentful Walt Disney images of little cottages scattered throughout the country with hard working animals and humans out of my head and concentrate on motivating myself.

It would still be easier though with a handy animal or two around to help though, wouldn't it?