So sad to hear that Nora Ephron will no longer be able to make me sob like Aunt Flow is coming to town! She brought us many great movies that I have spent many wasted weekend hours watching like When Harry Met Sally, Sleepless in Seattle, You've Got Mail and Julia and Julia. Let's take a look at the sets from some of these greats, shall we?
When Harry Met Sally
wagon wheel coffee table! Love that scene.
Sleepless in Seattle
via oldlad.com
You've Got Mail
Julia and Julia
RIP Nora. Thank you for your creative mark on our world.
He's gone. The most beautiful, wonderful, happiest, most loving cat in the whole entire world, is gone.
"No longer with us." That's the phrase Julie, his owner used. She called me at work today to let me know. "I've got some bad news," she said. I immediately stiffened. "Are you ready?" "I don't know," I responded, holding tight to the phone. She went on to tell me anyway in a voice resigned with sorrow. "Mugsy's no longer with us," she said.
I knew when she said it was bad news it had to be one of the cats. Mugsy or Bruno, his brother, but I suspected it would be Bruno. With his more adventurous habits, we had more than once commented that he was in danger of being hit by a car as he crossed the road.
"You're joking," I said. She was not. She proceeded to relate the story. February 11, one day after her birthday, a woman came to the door crying and asking if they owned a gray cat because she had just hit one. It was Mugsy.
Julie said that he had looked perfect, completely unmangled, as if nothing had happened to him. They laid his still-warm body down on a grassy knoll and prayed over him for a long time, but he didn't revive.
Mugsy. "The joy of the farm, the most wonderful cat in the world," Julie called him, and it was true.
She hadn't wanted to tell me on Sunday when she saw me in church (I was in Canada the day that it happened). I had asked after Mugsy and she'd said, "He's fine, as ever," with a nervous laugh. And I'd asked how Bruno was. "With his habit of crossing the road, I keep being afraid I'll hear bad news about him," I remarked. I now wonder how she kept a straight face.
I can hardly believe that he's gone. I can hardly believe that when I go back to the farm (and I am afraid to now), I won't be able to call, "Here, kitty, kitty," and see his smiling gray face bounding toward me as he runs full tilt to throw himself at me, in the rapturous way he had that made you feel like the most special person in the world. I won't feel the gentle pressure of his wet nose and soft cheeks as he "kisses" me cat-style by rubbing his face against mine. I won't feel his sturdy squirming body cuddled in my arms, or hear his thunderous purr, or feel his ever-active claws pricking my skin as he kneads my arm. I won't feel the softness of his long fine gray fur, or watch as he jumps on his brother, tackles him, and bites his neck. I won't be able to see him crazily whirling and jumping after dragonflies or leaves, the former of which he rarely if ever caught. I won't hear his "miaow" from somewhere in the rafters as he wends his way through the tangle of the barn roof, or the scrabbling and thud as he falls off something. I won't hear his frantic and rapid paw-scratching on the glass door as he stretches himself up and works away in a desperate bid to be let in the house. I won't be able to watch the funny way he jumps off my lap and runs to investigate the sudden water stream released by the bathroom pipe outlet. I won't see his intense and love-filled green eyes staring into mine. He was always smiling, always happy, always totally in the moment, always the clown, always loving. The most wonderful cat in the world is no longer with us.
Julie said they kept him for a few days while they waited for warm weather to bury his body. She didn't want to burn him. She hasn't yet found a good stone to mark his grave.
Why is it always the best ones that go? And why did it have to be by car? Mugsy always (I thought) stuck close to the house. He was terrified of cars. If one started up while he was in the vicinity, he would run. If you were holding him and a car went by on the road, he'd tense to flee. If it was in the driveway, you'd have a very tough job holding him as he scrambled desperately to escape. Bruno, his gentle brother, was the one who crossed the road. If either of them got hit, we thought it would be Bruno. In fact (ironically now) I always consoled myself that at least if we lost one, it would be Bruno (not that I didn't love him but I had a fiercer affection for Mugsy).
In the end it doesn't matter. Mugsy's gone, I hope he did not suffer and never knew what hit him. He will never adorn the farm anymore as its liveliest and lovingest denizen. Its smiling sunny fields and (to him) endless possibilities for amusement and play will be emptier and sadder now.
And I have lost a dear and wonderful friend.
I do hope cats get to heaven. Because if they do, the first one I want to see there is Mugsy.
Yesterday evening I sat down by the water near sunset, next to the old mill pond just downstream from where the water pours over a high dam. Three other people shared my spot, a dad and his son who were fishing, and the mom who sat on a bench and watched and chain-smoked.
A great deal of excitement ensued as a fish snagged on one of the rods. The father and son carefully reeled it in, ensuring that their lines didn't cross, and brought ashore a flopping fish of reasonable size. After it was unsnagged from the hook, the son excitedly called, "I'm going to go down here to clean it," and brought it down to the water's edge to a gravelled boat launch. Armed with a knife, he began to rip a slit in its belly up from the anal fin. However, he was somewhat hampered by the fish's flapping, so he abruptly stabbed it through the head. Once its movement had stopped, he carried on with the laborious, somewhat messy process of gutting, skinning, and cutting it into filets of meat. It took him some time, but he was obviously quite proud of his skill.
At one point, his father tossed him the headless body of a small fish and ordered, "Russell, cut me some bait." Russell, the flop-golden-haired little boy, proudly and manfully sawed it into two chunks, discarding the tail into the water, and tossed them back up to his father, who ribbed him about not being able to throw straight.
As I watched, I smiled. I thought, "That's a good thing for a boy to know. And if I ever had a son, I'd want him to be able to do that."
Since Oscar fashions tend to represent the best of the runways and runways tend to influence interior design I thought I could get away with this post. Clearly metallics, "sparkles" and structure are the big trends and I am curious to see how that will translate to the home. Let's just hope companies won't start bedazzling lamp shades! But if they do, I will probably be blogging about how much I love them! ha! And I must admit that I am such a poser because I call myself a movie buff however, I have not seen one of the films that was nominated for best picture. Not...a...one. Seriously? What have I been doing all winter? Its like a banner year for movie making and I have been staying at home watching The Bachelor. Note to self: Get out more.
Anyway, here are my fashion comments (as if you care). HITS
Kristen Stewart This is a current take on a really classic look. I wish she just enjoyed wearing it more...she looked so uncomfortable!
Rachel McAdams I might be alone on this one but I think this dress is stunning. It looks like a watercolor. I like her hair this color, her makeup was flawless and I covet the earrings!
Miley Cyrus I cannot believe that she had on one of my favorite dresses. I have never seen her look this good!
Elizabeth Banks I especially loved this color! But I wanted to rip that headband off her head. You're not 12. Sorry girl, your crazy funny though!
Maggie Gyllenhall I am sure she will get slammed for this choice and I normally don't like prints but there was something about this dress. And it seemed very...her. She looked gorgeous! (As if I know her.)
ON THE FENCE
Charlize Theron I know it is high fashion but I can't decide if I like this one or not. It did look like Stewart was behind her wearing lavender gloves and holding up her "girls." I kept waiting for him to step out.
Sandra Bullcok I was really hoping to love her's. It was her night. I totally lost it when she thanked her mom.
Demi Moore I liked it but maybe it is because it reminded me of my Peaches 'n Cream Barbie!
MISSES
Sarah Jessica Parker I didn't like SJP's dress. But it did remind me a bit of this...
Meryl Streep I think Meryl stole her dress from the set of this movie...
Jennifer Lopez It looked like a used condom. I am sorry but it did. As did her's...
Amanda Seyfried
Zoe Saldana I was excited to see her dress because I love her style but this just looks like unraveling brush fringe. I do not likey.
I also have a few general (and rather snarky) comments to make.
1. Who was in charge of the backdrop for these photos? Shag red carpet and yellow roses along the ground? Eek.
2. ABC couldn't get anyone better than Sherrie Shepherd and Cathy Ireland to host the pre-show?Clearly the were scraping the bottom of the barrel. Since I am probably next on the list, give me a call for the 83rd Oscars. I am happy to do it.
3. Gabourey Sidibe IS precious.
4. I know that Dentyne was a sponsor of the Oscars but I cannot stand to watch people talk with gum in their mouth. I bet all of their publicists were dying!
5. Cheers to the John Hughes tribute!But is anyone else concerned with how old the Brat Pack looked? I am. Because that means that I am old. I mean heck, Robert Downey, Jr. was wearing Blue Blockers!
