Monday, January 09, 2017

Monday

An unusual day in an unusual month in, I'm hoping, not too an unusual a year.

Because Snowdrop has appointments later today, I'm not scheduled to care for her. Faced with a day that hasn't structure, I suggest to Ed we make it a date day.

Breakfast first. (And this is almost the last photo I take on this unusual day.)


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And in the afternoon, we do all that we love to do together on a cold but snowless winter day. First, we bowl. I'm not great or even good, but we have great fun competing and lifting and running and  hurling and encouraging each other through each miserable or successful roll. Ninety minutes well spent.

Next, we take in an early movie. We do not go to movies much: I pick up many handfuls of new releases on my long distance flights and the rest we rent from the library. But occasionally there comes along a movie that I am anxious to see on the big screen.  La La Land is just such a film.

Our local movie house has long ago transformed the screening rooms to make them tiered and more comfortable. But in the last year, three things seem to have changed: first of all, the ticket agent gives us one glance and then produces two discounted senior tickets. Clearly the visuals tell him we are in that category.

Secondly, the screening rooms have been completely transformed and upgraded once more. Every chair now is so large that it beats first class airplane seating. And the chairs can be adjusted to a nearly complete reclining position. How much comfort do we need, we spoiled people?!

Finally, the noise level at the time of previews (all horrific and violent) and commercials is deafening. I was concerned that we would not be able to sit through a movie if the sound was to be this loud.

But the sound during the film itself is just right. And the music is exquisite! And yes, I can see the story analogy to the Umbrellas of Cherbourg. Truly a beautiful film of sweet reminders how small moves and just a few words can push us to act in ways that have lasting consequences.

When we leave the movie, we see the snow -- not more than an inch, nothing you could ski on, but just enough to make it a pretty world once more.

Our final date day moments are at Brasserie V -- a restaurant where we sit at the bar, eat mussels and fries and enjoy the pleasure of getting food that is always the same for us, always good, always deeply satisfying. (A selfie.)


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One gets sentimental on nights like this. Life is complicated and requires some fine stepping and herculean efforts to keep one's spirits at a steady keel. Yet when you have days that offer so much gentle kindness, coupled with sweet sentimentality, it gives you reserves for future knocks and bruises.

Our date day gave me, gave us plenty of reserves.

The farmhouse shines brightly for us as we return home.


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3 comments:

  1. I am so happy you and Ed enjoyed your "date day". Kindness and tender feelings are to be cherished. Even after 44 years together, Jan and I still date and cherish every day we have together.

    By the way, after many weeks of being unable to comment your blog, I finally realized that my sign-in password had changed. All is working again and I can tell you how much I appreciate your writings and photos on Ocean.

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  2. A perfect low-key day together after all the hustle and bustle of the last weeks!
    La La Land is the only movie I'd care to see right now...

    For stay-at-home watching, I would recommend The Night Manager. Dan & I both preferred the book, by John LeCarre, but the movie/miniseries has much to recommend it, especially Hugh Laurie, and the actor who was the co-lead in Broadchurch, I don't remember her name, but she's amazing.

    btw, your scarf is excellent. :)

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    1. Oh hey! I was trying to remember Olivia Colman from the Night Manager. Googling, I found that the main actors in The Night Manager just won three Golden Globes. (I never watch those live shows with all the yak yak and all the commercials)

      Also, Meryl Streep, meh. I watched the clip online - and I just felt strongly that I was watching a mere performance - her voice so expertly choking up, and all the little starlets prettily tearing up, ugh what a cynic I am.

      I'll send you a link to Michelle Obama, showing the right way to go forward in a recent speech from the heart. Never mentioned the T word.

      "When they go low, we go high."

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