Classic Movie Friday!

Miracle On 34th Street (1947)

Maureen O’Hara   Natalie Wood

John Payne   Edmund Gwenn

The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade has started when Kris Kringle (Edmund Gwenn) discovers Santa Claus (Percy Helton) is drunk! Outraged, Kris Kringle finds Doris Walker (Maureen O’Hara) the woman in charge. After reporting the inebriated Santa, Doris and Kris Kringle decide Kris will take the place of the tipsy Santa. Returning home, Doris learns her daughter Susan (Natalie Wood) is at the neighbor’s, Fred Gailey (John Payne) apartment. He has romantic interests in Doris. He is also an attorney.

Soon, Doris’s daughter Susan meets Kris Kringle and decides he really is Santa Claus. Doris has not raised her daughter to believe in Santa, fairy tales or such nonsense. While Doris tries to explain to Susan, Kris Kringle isn’t Santa, Doris sends for Kris. However, while speaking with Kris, he insists he is Santa Claus! So, Doris checks his employment information and discovers Kris Kringle really believes he is Santa! Well, this leads to a questionable psychiatric evaluation by a questionable psychologist (Porter Hall). The nefarious psychologist isn’t a nice guy and Kris Kringle ends up in Bellevue! How rude!!! The case goes to court, Fred Gailey is representing Kris and that’s where the fun really begins.  🙂

I don’t have a favorite Christmas movie, but I think this film is very cute. I think Rick and I watch it every year.

I like the costumes Maureen O’Hara wears in the film. Shoulder pads are obviously in style! She looks great. She’s a business woman and dresses as such. She’s divorced and a single mother.

Do you have a favorite Christmas film??? Let me know.  🙂

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Ramblings And What Not ~

Good morning Peoples! Brrr. It is cold. As I write/type/enter this, the wind is blowing and I am wrapped up like a warm burrito! A few days ago it was beautiful. There wasn’t any wind and it was crisp and frosty. I walked to the bakery. Rick picked me up on the walk home because he needed to go to the store and purchase a new faucet for our bathroom sink. Our old one was leaking and he couldn’t repair it. We have a shiny new faucet in our bathroom now,  🙂  But, anyway, he wanted me to go with him. So! There you have it.

And now our refrigerator is dying a slow death. This morning I noticed it clicked and then hummed. Then it was quiet. Then it clicked and hummed again. It’s a pattern. I soon discovered everything in the freezer was thawing. YIKES! We do have a refrigerator in our basement, so I carried food downstairs and put it in the refrigerator in the basement. And! Rick is sick. He’s been sleeping for hours. He won’t eat, but he did drink a big container of juice.

Your favorites at the cottage in November ~

November 9, 2018, Classic Movie Friday, Whatever Happened to Baby Jane (1962)

November 9, 2018, Fall Time, Cozy Time Book Tag

November 10, 2018, Blogger Recognition Award!!!

November 10, 2018, A Terrible Beauty by Tasha Alexander

We had a nice, quiet, restful Thanksgiving! I forgot the stuffing for the turkey! Really??? How did I do that??? Everything else was great. I made homemade bread. I do it the old fashioned way. I knead the bread on the countertop and let it rise in a warm place. The scent makes my tummy rumble. Our entire home smells like homemade bread. There’s nothing like hot, bread fresh out of the oven with melted butter. We had incredible cherry pie and mashed potatoes and a salad. Rick had turkey. We watched football all day. Rick likes the Dallas Cowboys and they did win. I like the Denver Broncos and they didn’t play football on Thanksgiving. The day after Thanksgiving Rick put up the Christmas tree and I decorated it.

Bundle up in your wooly hat, scarf and mittens, put on your warm boots and coat and scurry on over and meet Tari Hann!  🙂  She reads cozy mysteries and writes reviews. She has a nice blog, so skedaddle on over and meet her. Stay awhile.  🙂

https://cuddleupwithacozymysteryandadachshund.blog/

Favorite Word ~

curmudgeon  🙂

Much love ~

Kathy

 

The Vesatile Blogger Award

It snowed during the night or the early hours of the morning, so, it’s a nice time to curl up in a warm, cozy spot and do some blogging.

I’ve been nominated for the Versatile Blogger Award. My blogging friend at   https://honestavocado.wordpress.com/   nominated me!!! A BIG THANK-YOU!!! Put on your winter attire and your skates and skate on over and meet the honest avocado. She has a fun blog.  🙂

Rules ~

• Thank the person who gave you the award and link to their blog.
• Nominate other bloggers that deserve the Versatile Blogger Award.
• List seven (7) facts about yourself.  🙂

Facts About Me ~

1.) I love popcorn! That’s right I do.  🙂  I usually only have the treat at home. I make it the old fashioned way. I pop it on the stove, in oil, and I butter it. Yummy!

2.) Rick and I lived in the Marianas Islands for two years. I don’t know if I’ve ever mentioned that . . . mmm??? I mention it now because I think it’s an unusual place to live or even visit. I liked it there. It was island life. I remember when we arrived, I stepped out the door of the plane and it felt like I was slapped in the face with humidity. I haven’t felt humidity like that since I left the islands. We enjoyed Christmas at 80 degrees Fahrenheit! Santa arrived on a motor boat and we had Christmas in the sand!  haha.

3.) I really like lighthouses. What stories they could tell???

4.) I enjoy looking at decorating/interior design magazines. When I visit Barnes & Nobles, the first place I go ~ the magazine section. I grab a few magazines and walk to the food area, purchase a hot tea, sit in a secluded corner and read magazines.

5.) When Rick and I go out to eat, I enjoy breakfast. We rarely go out for lunch or dinner. I love breakfast. We have a few choice places in town we visit when we go out to eat. There’s nothing like pancakes, French toast, omelets, toast, croissants, fruit, yogurt, granola, scones, muffins, etc. Breakfast is the best!  🙂

6.) I love collies! Border collies! Rough Collies! Any collie. I love collies!

7.) Mac & cheese is my favorite comfort food! Yum!

Tag! You’re It!  🙂

This is difficult, so, I nominate/tag the first three (3) followers who read this.  🙂  That’s right! You, you and you!  🙂

Much love ~

Kathy

A Wrench In The Works by Kate Carlisle

A BIG thank-you to Berkley Prime Crime for mailing me a print copy of the book!  🙂

This is a fun mystery and the sixth in the series. I enjoyed it. Chloe, sweet and a little naïve, left Lighthouse Cove after high school heading for Hollywood. And, she has done well. She’s the star of a home improvement show on the Home Builder’s Network. Lighthouse Cove has an abundance of Victorian homes to be refurbished and renovated. So, the tv show decides to travel to Lighthouse Cove and renovate one of the Victorian homes. Shannon Hammer, Chloe’s older sister, is successful in her own right. She renovates these amazing homes. The tv show plans to include Shannon on several episodes. However, the tv shows executive producer is discovered dead! Not good! The entire crew is under suspicion.

Shannon is a take charge kind of girl. She has pluck. She loves her sister. And! Shannon has an interesting boyfriend!

“Mac was tall, dark, and gorgeous and had an air of danger simmering just beneath the surface.”

Now, how’s that for a description??? He’s an ex-Navy SEAL and now he’s a successful author. Mmmm. I think Shannon is a blessed lady. *ahem*

This is a very engaging mystery and had me guessing. I thought the story’s characters were friendly and relatable. I felt like I was part of the crew, working alongside everyone and having amiable conversations with Shannon and Chloe. There were a few interesting men. Oops!? Did I say that out loud???  🙂  The plot was good and the story moved along at a good pace. It was very well-written. 5 ***** stars!

Happy Reading!  🙂 

 

 

 

 

Giveaway!!!

Hello Peoples! Berkley Prime Crime is giving away a cozy mystery! YAY! They’re giving away, Eggs On Ice by Laura Childs! If you would like to win this book, just leave a comment below telling me you would like to be entered in the drawing. This drawing is for U.S.A. residents only. You must have a valid U. S. A. address to win. I’ll announce the winner Tuesday, December, 4th right here on this blog. Don’t be shy.  🙂

Much love ~

Kathy

My Hands Came Away Red by Lisa McKay

“Cori signs up for a mission trip to Indonesia during the summer after her senior year of high school. Inspired by happy visions of building churches and seeing beautiful beaches, she gladly escapes her complicated love life back home.”

“Six weeks into the trip, a conflict that has been simmering for years flames to deadly life on the nearby island of Ambon. Before they can leave, Cori and her teammates find themselves caught up in a deadly wave of violence . . . ” ~goodreads

Wow! I think I’ve been rendered speechless. I’ve been wanting to read this book for awhile, but it was difficult to find. Then, a few days ago, I walked into a used bookstore and they had it. I was so surprised. I bought it right away.

Cori along with a few other teenagers travel to Indonesia to help build a church. An innocent missions trip goes so wrong. When the village is attacked, Cori and her friends must flee into the mountains or risk being killed. This book really brought everything to life. The trauma, confusion and fear were well described. At times I cried. I trudged every step with them. I cheered them on.  This was a difficult book to put down. 5 ***** incredible stars! I highly recommend it!

Classic Movie Friday!

The Wizard of Oz (1939)

Judy Garland   Margaret Hamilton   Billie Burke   Clara Blandick

Ray Bolger   Bert Lahr   Jack Haley   Frank Morgan   Charley Grapewin

The Wizard of Oz is not my favorite film, but I do love the Scarecrow (Ray Bolger), the Tin Man (Jack Haley) and the Cowardly Lion (Bert Lahr). I think they’re comical and very lovable. We all know the story. Dorothy (Judy Garland) is running away from home to save Toto, her most beloved dog. After  meeting Professor Marvel (Frank Morgan), she decides to hurry home. In the process she is whisked away by a tornado and crash lands in the land of Oz. Soon after her arrival, she sets off for the Emerald City. Along the way she meets three unique characters who accompany her on the journey.

I’ve never wanted to take the journey to Oz. Nope, not for me. I don’t like the mode of transportation. To reach Oz, one would need to travel in a tornado!!! Nope. Nope. Nope. I do love the Scarecrow. For an individual who doesn’t have a brain, he sure does a lot of thinking. He trips over himself and has problems keeping his stuffing and he’s committed to the task before him.  🙂  The Tin Man is a great dancer. I love the way the steam comes out of his funnel on the top of his head. He seems sensitive/tender to me, for not having a heart. Mmm. The Cowardly Lion couldn’t be more lovable. He shakes so much when he’s scared, which is most of the time, it’s comical. His reaction to Oz the Great and Powerful is rich!  🙂  Toto is a hero in his own right. He’s as much in love with Dorothy as she is with him.

I must warn you, they do have a witch after them. Not good. Enjoy!

Christmas at Carnton by Tamera Alexander

“Amid war and the fading dream of the Confederacy, a wounded soldier and a destitute widow discover the true meaning of Christmas – and of sacrificial love.” ~goodreads

This is a sweet story. I thought is was touching at times. Aletta is a young widow, pregnant and with a rambunctious son. Her husband was killed during the war between the states. She’s struggling financially. With the bank threatening to foreclose, she discovers an advertisement for employment, applies for the position, only to learn that the position has been filled. As she is leaving the beautiful Carnton Plantation, where she applied for the job, she meets Captain Jake Winston. He was injured during the war and is recovering. Upon meeting him, she has another opportunity to gain employment. The Captain soon discovers he can’t seem to get Aletta out of his mind.

I have learned I can count on Tamera Alexander to write a good story. A Note Yet Unsung is my favorite up to this point in time. Christmas at Carnton is another good story. This was beautifully written and at times I found myself tearing up. Christmas at Carnton is an introduction to a new series this author is writing. Highly recommend for any age. 5 ***** stars!

Happy Reading!

 

 

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

 

Much love ~

Kathy

Little Women 2018

Little Women (2018)

Sarah Davenport   Melanie Stone   Allie Jennings   Elise Jones   Lea Thompson

Luca Grabreel   Ian Bohen   Stuart Edge   Bart Johnson

Hello Peoples! I am a popsicle! After church, Rick dropped me off at the bakery, where I savored a hot chocolate and read a book. I tried to walk home, but the wind chill is so frigid! Brrr. I sent Rick a text and he gave me a ride home.  🙂

I love the story, Little Women! And! I’ve always enjoyed the films. So, my friend, L, and I decided to see the new film, Little Women. I wanted to see the movie because I was curious. They put our favorite sisters in a contemporary setting and I decided to drive on over to the theater and take a gander. I should confess, I have mixed feelings about the new film. Once I settled in and got use to the new surroundings in the film, I was ok. It’s very much the same, only different!  🙂  I thought Meg (Melanie Stone) was done wrong! The actress was fine. I just didn’t feel like this was our Meg, the Meg we know and love. I don’t want to create any spoilers, but Meg wasn’t a drinker. The party she went to was to wild and the alcohol??? Really???

Jo (Sarah Davenport) was Jo! I loved the actress. She was very animated! I loved her style, especially the red shoes. The relationship she had with Beth (Allie Jennings) was precious.

Beth was every bit as sweet, lovely and selfless as I would expect her to be. I thought she was the one sister who understood Jo and could reach her.

Of course, there are two Amy’s in the story. And I’ve never cared for Amy. I’ve always thought she was spoiled and selfish. And, I felt this was true in this new film. We don’t see her falling through the ice in this movie. Amy does have an accident, but not on the ice.

The film moves back and forth from the past to the present. However, once again we have all the love, comradery and support we know and love from the four sisters. The men and Marmee are secondary. This film is about the sisters. As I reflect on the movie, I do have a warm feeling about it, but at the same time, I felt there was something missing. It dragged some and I found myself wanting it to hurry up just a little. I don’t want to discourage anyone from seeing the film. It just wasn’t my favorite, but I am glad I saw it.

Much love ~

Kathy