Media Monday #7 - Secrets Edition

Masterpiece Theater - Downton Abbey  I love period films and enjoyed this new series.  There is no shortage of family secrets.  Since the final show ended with the announcement that England was now at war with Germany, I am hoping that they have a second series to see how the lives of the Crawley family and their staff change with the coming of WWII.

Miracle in the Woods - An enjoyable "Hallmark" type movie.  Two estranged sisters are at odds over their recently deceased mother's will and discover a long held family secret.

A Lesson in Secrets (8th in the Maisie Dobbs series) - I LOVE this series.  Shortly after her mother's death, Maise enters service with the Rowan family.  One day the bright Maisie is caught in the library, the forward thinking Lady Rowan introduces her to Maurice Blanche who becomes her mentor.  Maisie balances her household duties with studies and is eventually enters Cambridge.  Maisie leaves college to enlist as a nurse during WWI.  After the war, she returns to complete her education and continues her mentoring relationship with Maurice, eventually becoming his assistant and a private investigator in her own right.  In this eighth book, Maisie is asked by the British Secret Service to investigate St. Francis College for any activities not in the best interest of Britain.  A member of staff is murdered, several others are hiding secrets and the popularity of the Nazi Socialist Party is increasing among the social elite as harbingers of the coming WWII become apparent.

This series is best read from the beginning as the backstory, challenges and changes faced my Maisie are what make this series so interesting.

A Great Weekend, Followed by Media Monday #7

Friday

 

After a brutally cold, wet and dismal few days (did you know you could have snow flurries with thunder and lightining at the same time???), the sunnier and warmer weekend started off with Dinner and a Movie with my DS.

MENU

Despicable Me-atloaf

Vector Veggies

Moon Mashed Potatoes

Cinna-Minion Apples

Saturday

We attended Lady Lions Alumni Day at SLU and the ceremony retiring the jersey number of Robin Roberts.  She is just as wonderfully warm in person as she is on "Good Morning America".  Robin's family was there for the big event.  Her sister Sally Ann is a longtime anchor for New Orleans WWL-TV and lead everyone in singing "Happy Birthday" to their mother who made 87 that day.  I watched the clips on GMA this morning.  DS wanted me to let you know you can catch a glimpse of us as the camera pans across the crowd.

Sunday

I finished my Mardi Gras scarf before going to Mass and just in time for the first parade of the season.  The high temps just reached 60 and there was hardly a cloud in the sky.  We get another cool front tomorrow returning high temperatures to the 40s with another warm up for next weekend's parades.

We came home to some wonderful slow cooker BBQ pork sandwiches with beans and cole slaw on the side topped off with a slice of king cake I picked up from Nonna Randazzo's Italian Bakery and Cafe.  Though they do not use the traditional purple, green and gold decorations, their cake is yummy with maybe a little citrus peel (?) in the light, sweet dough.

On the Stitching Front

I have a huge project on my plate for the next 3 weeks, but I plan to set aside time each day to do a little stitching on my WIPs for the Flippin' January Challenge, so check back for and update.  I am going to kit up some knitting for a take along project (school pick-up, etc.) so I can have them all done by Thanksgiving for Christmas presents.

Media Monday #7

Here is a little of what I have been reading, watching and listening to:

 Sherlock - Season 1 - * * *

What would it be like if Sherlock Holmes lived in the 21st century instead of the 19th?  It is a fresh take on Conan Doyle's most famous character.

The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler  - * * * * *

During the Nazi occupation of Poland, thousands of Jews were kept in ghettos, Irene and her collaborators placed Jewish children with Polish families.  She saved 2,500 children before she was turned in to the Gestapo.

Dr. Who - Season 1 - * * *

A quirky (and sometimes creepy) sci-fi trip through time and space.

I also finished The Sandbagger's series by watching Seasons 4 and 5 (I hate cliff hanger endings at the end of a series) and I have been reading cookbooks like novels - something about the cold weather just makes me want to read about food.

Stay warm and keep stitching!

Media Monday #6

I have not had any time to do stitching lately . . . and I am suffering withdrawal symptoms.  Here is what I have been reading and watching lately . . .




Father Tim (of Mitford) and Cynthia finally make their long awaited trip to Ireland, but nothing goes as planned.  Another wonderful story from Jan Karon.




DVD - A wonderful grown-up love story.

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I am enjoying exploring these recipes.





Media Monday #5

Knitting Board Basics:  A Beginner's Guide to Using a Knitting Board with Over 30 Easy Projects

by Pat Novak

In the Green Kitchen:  Techniques to Learn by Heart

by Alice Waters

The Art and Soul of Baking

by Cindy Mushet

Kneadlessly Simple:  Fabulous, Fuss Free, No-Knead Breads

by Nancy Baggett

Albert's Memorial

To keep a promise to their dying friend, Harry and Frank  "steal" Albert's body to bury him on the hill in Germany where the three fought side-by-side in World War II.  Unprepared for the task and feeling their age in this younger and fasterpaced world, they set off across Europe in Harry's black cab.  After becoming lost in France, they pick up a young German hitchhiker who helps them find their way, accept their own mortality and put to rest the ghost that has haunted them all.

Media Monday #4

Doughnuts by Lara Ferroni - So many yummy recipes, where do I start?

Candleford to Lark Rise Season 3 - I love this series. 

 

The Sandbaggers:  Set 1 - The First Principles - An old Cold War spy series with a cast of old favorites.

Andy Williams Christmas Special - This was a wonderful opportunity to share one of my childhood Christmas memories with my DS.

The Bells of St. Mary's - What is not to love?!?! A MUST SEE!!

How to Train Your Dragon - Cute, but NOTHING like the book.  In the book, the dragons and Vikings are not out to destroy each other, catching and training your own dragon is a rite of passage.  Don't let the movie keep your kids from reading the book, the book is far superior.

Touch of Frost:  Season 15 - The final season, I will miss it.  The three alternate endings are heartbreaking.

Letters to Juliet - A light, sweet romance proving it is never too late to be the person you have always wanted to be.

Johnny Tremain - Classic Disney Americana.

Media Monday #3

In my DVD player:

 

Mr. Palfrey of Westminster - The Complete Collection

Owd Bob

Island of Grace

Playing for Time

MUST SEE!!

WARNING -
Graphic depictions of life Auschwitz

On my book shelf:

Thanksgiving:  A Time to Remember - Rainey

 

 In my CD player

One, Two Buckle My Shoe - Christie (Audiobook)

Jeremy Camp - We Cry Out

Media Monday #2

In Royal Blood, the latest in the Royal Spyness series, Lady Georgian Rannoch  is representing the British royals at a wedding in Transylvania.  Georgie, penniless and thirty-fourth in line to the throne, finds herself in a castle in the middle of nowhere with a bride with blood running down her chin, a poisoned guest, and herself betrothed to the loathsome brother of the bride.  Just like Catherine Morland of Northanger Abbey, Georgie's imagination begins to run away with her.

The early life of Pope John Paul II, from his days as a student during the Nazi invasion of Poland, his early years as a priest during the Communist occupation of Poland, until his selection as Pope.

The fifth book in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series finds Percy and the other heros in the midst of a battle with Kronos.  The Olympians have left Olympus to fit the titan Typhon, who almost defeated them the last time he was let loose.  Posiedan is fighting an underwater battle against more of Kronos' monsters and Hades is staying out of the war.   Can Percy and the other heros defend Manhattan and Olympus from Kronos and his army of titans and monsters?

Media Monday #1

Here is a little of what I have been watching and reading this week . . .

(FYI - It occurs to me, that it might seem that I watch a lot of DVDs, but we dropped cable two years ago, so except for about 3 prime time series, we only watch DVDs and I am usually folding laundry, washing dishes or stitching while watching.  I also like to listen to audio books while doing housework, so you might see a lot of those, too.)

Book of Ruth

An account of the story of Ruth and Naomi.  While obviously not a "big budget" film, the simple storyline makes for enjoyable family entertainment.  There were a few production issues that took away from my enjoyment of the film, for example, in the beginning Naomi is a little too well "made-up" and her son, Mahlon, has what I think is an Alabama accent. 

The Secret of Jonathan Sperry

Gavin MacCleod, of Love Boat fame, portrays Jonathan Sperry a kind-hearted grandfatherly-type who establishes a friendship with a neighborhood boy and his friends.  It is a wonderful family film that highlights the friendship and forgiveness.  A great film to share with your tweens.

Amish Grace

In October 2006, a gunman entered an Amish school house and shot 10 young girls, killing five.  Ida Garber (Kimberly Williams-Paisley) is a fictionalized parent of one of the murdered girls.  Keep your tissues handy for this inspirational story of extraordinary forgiveness.

The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan

If your tween liked the Percy Jackson series, they will also like the new Kane Chronicles series.  Carter and Sadie Kane are siblings raised apart who discover they are decendants of the ancient Egyptian pharoahs on both sides of their family.  This time it is the Egyptian gods who are real and like the Olympians of Percy Jackson, some are nicer than others.  Carter and Sadie begin by trying to save their father from the evil Set and end up having to save the world from an even more evil force of chaos.  The book is written using the voices of both Carter and Sadie, switching back and forth for each chapter.  This makes it great entertainment for both boys and girls with the added bonus of learning a little about Egyptian history and myths.  An extra bonus, if your child participates in Accelerated Reader this book is worth 18 points!
Note:  I listened to this on audio book and the two narrarators were excellent representations of the young Carter and Sadie.

Gingerbread Cookie Murder

A short story trilogy featuring Joanne Fluke's Hannah Swensen (my favorite), Laura Levine's Jain Austen and Leslie Meier's Lucy Stone.  All three are great cozy mystery reads.  The short story format makes it perfect for the holiday season (if you don't mind a little murder during the joyous season).

• "Gingerbread Cookie Murder" (Fluke) Hannah Swensen finds another dead body with her gingerbread cookies scattered at the crime scene.  A very quick read with an easy to solve solution, but very enjoyable with a couple of yummy recipes.
• "The Dangers Of Gingerbread Cookies" (Levine) Jaine Austen is spending Christmas with her parents' at the Florida retirement community they call home.  The community puts on an annual Christmas play, this year's play is The Gingerbread Cookie That Saved Christmas. When the gingerbread cookie, played by retired playboy Dr. McCray, falls to his death during the play's final act, Jaine must find the killer among the residents of the community.
• "Gingerbread Cookies And Gunshots" (Meier) When Lucy Stone discovers the body of Rick Juergens, whose five-year-old son Nemo disappeared, she senses foul play. Crumbs from a gingerbread cookie Lucy given to Nemo are found in the back seat of Rick's car.  Lucy races against the clock to find a killer before he strikes again.