Gallimaufry

     Karen, who is the best half of my brother Dick's life, comes to my house every other day in this immense heat and waters the pots.  Those on the patio and around the house and the ones with cucumbers and tomatoes - and there are baby tomatoes.   Don't I keep telling you God puts good people in your life?

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     Last year, nephew Justin told us that he was going to be an extra in a movie called Gellhorn and Hemingway.    It stars Nicole Kidman and Clive Owens.  He showed us some still pictures, dressed in 30's garb and wearing a brown Fedora.  We had a free HBO weekend recently and I downloaded the movie - a lot of sex and violence so I fast forwarded through a lot of it - but kept looking for a fellow in a Fedora.  When Lora was here, she checked out the movie and spotted him, sans hat.  He is only in a very short scene but it was neat seeing him looking very Scovil - drink in hand and the infamous Scovil smirk.
      I want to send kudos  to our niece, Angela, Carol's daughter, who was her mother's primary care giver until the end.   Besides taking care of her mother, she ferried her children around  - to school and dance class, etc. - as if things were normal.  Part of the time her husband was away on business.  She is an amazing woman and I hope now she will take time for herself.  She needs to remember how precious she is.
      Last Sunday, the phone rang and the caller ID said it was an out of state call and I thought it must be a salesman until I heard nephew Mike's voice.  I picked up.  He was driving from Tucson to Phoenix to do some work for ESPN and decided to call his old Aunt.  We had a great conversation, catching up on him and his family.  What a treat.
      We saw on Facebook, that niece Debra got an internship to HawkWatch International, which I assume from the title has something to do with birds.  Deb has always been in love with the outdoors and wild life so this is a big feather in her cap (did not intend to make a pun) and we are proud of her and congratulations!
        Most of the people who read this blog are family, so this is a way to let you know what everyone is doing.  By the way, did I mention that grandson, Joel, not only graduated from UW, Milwaukee but he has a job  - yea, Joel.  His mom, Lora was just named buyer for all the fabrics for the Nancy's Notions Catalog and our youngest daughter, Maureen just started her Masters Program in Business Law.  Is it okay to brag on this interesting, busy second generation?

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      Because of the free premium channel's weekends, I have downloaded some pretty cool movies, In and Out, which just has great dialog.  Kevin Kline has to be one of the most underrated actors and Joan Cusack is so good in this movie.  Also downloaded Secondhand Lions - one of Vern's favorites - just a fun movie to watch and Colin Firth in The King's Speech.    I have watched it several times and kept thinking that the actress who plays Lionel Logue's wife looked familiar.  About the third time watching it, it dawned on me that it is Jennifer Ehle, who played Elizabeth Bennet to Colin's Mr Darcy in Pride and Prejudice.

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     One of the ladies I take the Eucharist to a couple times a month, said to me on Sunday that she was going to pray that God would "lay off" me for awhile, as I've had too many trials in my life recently.  I was surprised when she said that, I really hadn't thought about it in that way.  It's just 'Real Life 101' and you tend to take each day as it comes.   Life is what it is and I keep in mind one of my favorite quotes from Phillipians: "I am content in whatever state I'm in".  And I truly am.