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| Preparing Feline Cupcakes |
Keene Friend goes in fro some surgery today (outpatient) that will hopefully remedy the very scary health issues he experienced earlier this year, please keep him in your prayers. A dreary day yesterday as some more tropical
like deluges meandered through was totally revived by serial calls from both “kids”
and the FBR. The Favorite Son checked in to report all was under control on the
New Hampshire seacoast. They held the ground breaking ceremony for his Portsmouth
construction project yesterday. He’ll soon have his office there, mere minutes
from home, as opposed to the multi-hour commutes he’s had to deal with for
years.
New Jersey reported in where the FBR
at first shyly and then with appropriate gusto announced the start to today’s
NFL season with a resounding “Go Pats!”. We’ll have to see if her Patriots’
fervor can survive growing up in the shadow of Giants’ (gag) Stadium. Writing
about that recalled another occurrence during her weekend visit with us. My
wife was talking about an errand she had to run and used the word “shopping”.
My granddaughter heard that word and came racing in from the other room
declaring clearly, “I want to go shopping!” This, of course, totally captured
her grandmother to see that her shopping gene which had bypassed the daughter generation
was apparently present in the littlest family member.
We were back at the theater last night
to see Tulip Fever. A historical romance set in 17th century Holland
involving the growing of tulips. You sometimes wonder where this kind of fare
comes from. The movie itself, despite a far too complicated plot, is buoyed by
the actors, even Dean Dehaane whom I rarely like. A young orphan girl is married
off to a rich merchant in order to provide an heir. The young gal is smitten with
the portrait painter her husband employs and hijinks ensue. There was great
attention to detail to bringing 17th century lifestyle to bear which mainly
involved the problems with quickly shedding their intricate clothing to get at
each other. There’s also the tulip craze which I still don’t fully understand
but seemed like a modern commodities market transported to a medieval tavern. In
the end even this stellar group of actors can’t lift the ponderous plot out of the
canal but it was a game effort.
I also finished the next book in L.E.
Modesitt’s excellent Imager series with Princeps. This book begins where
Scholar finished, with Quaeryt now married to the king’s sister and administering
the province he help put down the rebellion in. Wedded bliss is shortly
interrupted by a volcanic disaster in a major city and Quaeryt is appointed governor.
He’s charged with restoring order. Quaeryt's secret imager skills come in handy
to dispose of troublesome roadblocks both human and physical. Modesitt’s usual
painstaking attention to detail is on full display as is his adroit management
of his conflicted hero. I thought the governorship phase was a little plodding
in pace after the chaotic combat of the first book but the second half redeems
that. Quaeryt is sent to help his brother in law face a massive invasion which
features some fantastic close combat scenes that Modesitt executes so well.
Yes, I’m already on to the next book in the series.
I also knocked off the second movie in
my 100 bad sci fi films project. So bad it truly defies description, see movie
blog for my vain attempt. #2 out of 100
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