Friday, January 11, 2013

Things I love


I inherited my beautiful blue-eyed Sigh Me from an artist and truly lovely lady named Cotsy Engle.
Cotsy died several years ago but when I met her she had two cats and a bird.  She was in her 90's, when she developed Alzheimer's.



There came a time when her family had to find a care facility for Cotsy.  It was then that her son asked me (no, he actually bribed me) to take the cats and the bird.  I already had a very old cat and my fear was that I would become 'the cat lady' in my own old age,  but ...well, some bribes are better than others.



I would go to visit Cotsy from time to time and we would sit on the sofa at the care facility and chat.   Cotsy eventually forgot my name but, for a long time, was  able to recognize me as a friend.



 One day she asked, "Do you have any pets?"
I replied, "Why yes, I have two cats and a bird."
She absolutely beamed when she replied, "Really? Well so do I."
So we sat and chatted that afternoon about our pets, who, strangely enough, had the very same names.



This is the only picture I have of Cotsy Engle.

(The bird is still in my house in Arizona with the renters. The other two cats have died--one from old age and the other from a scorpion bite--such is the life in Arizona. So for now it is just Sigh Me--and I am so glad I have her.  Thank you, Cotsy.)


I love country roads and quiet parks for spending the afternoons reading or walking or napping. These serene little places become my front yard for the day.  After dinner I might go to a movie before parking for the night.



And speaking of movies--wow! What a great year for the screen.  I have seen the following so far and here is my own critique--as if you care:

"Lincoln"--the movie was a great civic lesson and gave me insight as to the difficulties of passing the 13th amendment. Politics is much the same today.  The performances by Daniel Day Lewis and Tommy Lee Jones are superb and deserving of awards. (Esp. DDLewis).  I am not so sure about Sally Field.  She was good but I kept seeing her in all her other roles--and I don't think Mrs. Lincoln was that 'cute'.
"Life of Pi"--The photography is stunning.  The survival story is simple and the acting is very good  but see it for the sheer beauty of it.
"Silver Lining Playbook"--Wow!  The first 1/2 hour of the movie I wanted to leave--I just couldn't feel for the characters.  Then I fell in love with them.  There is a dance scene that is worth the admission to the movie--need I say more.  And Jennifer Lawrence deserves the nomination.  (I haven't seen all the other actresses so I don't know if she is the best)
"Beasts of the Southern Wild"--The movie is 'different' and jarring in its portrayal of poverty in Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana at a time somewhere in the catastrophic future.  The narration and performance by 6 year old Quvenzhane Wallis is beautiful and touching in the midst of so much ugliness.  Her charisma is compelling and the words spoken are like poetry written by a 6 year old. If you see it on my recommendation you will hate me but you won't forget her.
"Argo"--Great suspense and marvelous story-telling about the rescue of 13 hostages in Iran.  I knew very little about this and it was an eye-opener and I sat on the edge of my seat the whole last hour.  BTW, I love the path that Affleck seems to be taking with his movies.  He appears to be producing his films-- both as actor and as director--as a real craft rather than as the usual hollywood ego trip--but what do I know?
I still haven't seen Les Miserables, The Impossible, Django Unchained, The Master, Amour and more. If anyone out there has, please let me know what you think before I waste my money.


Sigh Me wants to know when they are going to make a movie about CATS!


 

7 comments:

  1. from daughter, Janice...

    Mom...here is a list of 10 movies about cats...and it doesn't even include the Garfield movies "Garfield, the Movie" and "Garfield, A Tale of Two Kitties", both of which were awesome! Please relay this info to Sigh Me!

    http://www.screenjunkies.com/movies/movie-lists/10-best-movies-about-cats/

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  2. And email from friend, Nancy....

    I have been catching up with your blog, and I want to thank you for your poignant and often funny insight to the places you pass through. Really makes my wanderlust kick into high gear.

    Nancy

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  3. Hi Toni,if you liked Argo I'm pretty sure you will like The Impossible. Very touching, don't forget your kleenex.

    Thanks for your blog.

    Nicole

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  4. Thanks, Nicole. I think I will watch "The Impossible" this weekend.
    And from my cousin, Jamie regarding Quvenzhane Wallis:

    http://www.dailycomet.com/article/20130111/wire/130119930


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  5. Enoyed the journey Toni....growing up we were not much on cats. Always had one around, in the barns, chasing mice and rats and stuff. I remember we had one big ol' gray cat that we named "Ben".....this cat stayed around for years....then "Ben".....had kittens...that was a shock....the cat was renamed......."Ben-Hur"

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    Replies
    1. Dang....forgot to sign post......Dean Lambert

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  6. I saw "Les Mis" last night. All I can say is, not my kind of film. The plot was really silly, senseless, and just unbelievable. Perhaps the book is better.

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