The Thin Man – Dear Liza

Thanksgiving Day

Dear Liza,

Yesterday was Thanksgiving, a day for food and togetherness and family. We had lovely dinner here in Portland with Auntie Katie, the cousins, and Katie’s bestie Douglas. Auntie Bridgett is in San Diego with her family, and had her own holiday.

There was cheese and salami and crackers before dinner.

Then there was actual Turkey, bread Turkey, veggies, tofu, and cranberry sauce for dinner. We all ate just a tad tooooo much, I think.

Once the leftovers were put away, most of us headed to Laurelhurst park for a walk about. Kestrel found a great wizard’s staff, and Auntie found an even BIGGER branch. The shape was amazing and most of the bark was gone, leaving a smooth surface. They both came home and will be used somewhere interesting, I am sure.

Back at the house, we ate pie Douglas’s cranberry apple crisp, Katie’s sweet potato and pumpkin pies, and my apple crisp. Jasper had some pie, and then discovered that whipped cream is even good on snickerdoodles! We were still full from dinner, but they were all so good!

Then the ukuleles came out and the music started. Douglas and Katie sing so well together, it was a joy to be entertained. Cousin Jasper used his drumsticks in Grandpa Nelson’s muted bongos when drums were needed. Then Mouse the cat got some snuggles from her favorite girl.

As the energy began to lag, we pulled “The Thin Man” from the cupboard to introduce the kids to the wonders of William Powell and Myrna Loy. It was a fashionable, witty, delightful end to the day.

Katie packed pies, cheeses and those huge sticks into the car (“Cool Mom problems”, Jasper teased) and headed off to decorate her bookshop for the first big holiday shopping day of the year, Black Friday. She didn’t get to bed until after midnight, exhausted but happy.

I hope your day was lovely as well. Happy Thanksgiving!

Love,

Grandma Judy

What a Day! Part 2

Dear Liza,

After I had rested a bit, we continued my birthday by all working on the Gia Whitlock puzzle. It is so pretty! The colors are amazing and I love that I got to see her process on the SideStreet Arts Art Talk last week.

Then there was a delivery from our local flower shop, Flower Bomb! Grandpa Nelson had ordered a Spring bouquet. It is gorgeous! Hydrangeas, lilies, dahlias, two tiny tulips, even a Love Lies Bleeding. Sad name, gorgeous flower. The unusual color scheme of the bouquet coordinated exactly with the Gia Whitlock puzzle and Michele Maule birthday card, and looked great in our Nicole Cursio vase! It was amazing.

For dinner, we braved nasty weather and walked to Monster Smash, a great food truck just behind the Belmont Station tavern. We got burgers, fries, some cider and beer from the tavern, and ate in their very noisy, but socially distanced patio. It was weird being with people again, but felt good.

We got home before the storm hit, and got a delivery of an edible fruit arrangement from Auntie Bridgett’s momma Donna. That, with a little cheese, will be lunch tomorrow.

Then, as if the day wasn’t perfect enough, Auntie Katie and Cousins Jasper and Kestrel stopped by, bringing a wonderful ranunculus in an owl planter. It will live on the porch for now because I don’t want the pretty blooms beaten up by our spring winds.

I took these lovely people to see the allotment and we agreed that they should come and help me put seeds in the ground when it gets dry enough.

Our dessert was the lovely French creations we had picked up way back at the beginning of the day from the Pix 0 Matic Patisserie. They were delicious, delightful works of art. We ate them slowly and loved every bite. Our better selves knew we should save some for later. Nope. We ate them all up!

Being well fed and completely worn out by affection and good wishes, we curled up on the couch and watched William Powell and Myrna Loy solve crimes in The Thin Man, watched an episode of Foxes Afloat blog, and wafted our way to bed.

The Jane Avril pastry looks just like her poster by Toulouse-Lautrec!

What a great way to turn 65!

Love,

Grandma Judy

Black and White Therapy

Dear Liza,

Since we are staying in so much and we can’t get out for concerts or shows, movies and games have become more important in our evening plans.

Our household doesn’t like some very popular types of movies. The string of DC and Marvel comics-based super heroes do not thrill us. We don’t care for violence or explosions. I guess we are kind of old fashioned.

So, we like old fashioned movies!

Alfred Hitchcock’s classics are very well written and suspenseful while much less violent than modern movies of their genre. We enjoy them very much.

Old musicals from the 30s, 40s, and 50s are wonderful to watch when we need a break from reality, when going out for a hot dog can be a health threat and politics as usual has ceased to work for anyone but the politicians.

Last night we watched 1933s Flying Down to Rio, and it was delightful. Besides the incredible clothes and manic facial expressions, it was Fred Astaire’s and Ginger Rogers’ first movie together. They didn’t play the lead characters, but were supporting bigger stars, Dolores del Rio and Gene Raymond as star-crossed lovers. They only had one full-on dance number, “The Carioca”, but their humor and chemistry were obvious, and they went on to make nine more movies together.

So, in case you are old fashioned too, here are my (mostly) black and white movie recommendations:

The Thin Man series, starring William Powell and Myrna Loy as society detectives. The original is the best, but they are all good, with actors like Jimmy Stewart in unexpected roles.

Hitchcock’s movies are all good, but my favorites are Dial M for Murder, Rear Window, and To Catch a Thief.

Musicals : Anything with Fred Astaire and/ or Ginger Rogers, and movies with Gene Kelly and his casually athletic dance moves, like On the Town or Brigadoon.

I also like the old Katharine Hepburn/ Spencer Tracy pair-ups like Adam’s Rib and Pat and Mike. I am a sucker for smart aleck-y dialogue mixed with romance.

ADAM’S RIB, Spencer Tracy, Katharine Hepburn, 1949

I hope you enjoy some of these, and maybe discover some of your own favorites.

Love,

Grandma Judy