If We Were Having Coffee…Fireworks, Films and Felines

Morning friends!

If we were having coffee I would invite you inside the house for coffee and apple cider donuts because this…

definitely says it’s way too humid to sit on the porch! The soupy New Jersey air is actually attempting to infiltrate the house but we’re keeping it at bay thanks to the air conditioning. The cat’s kinda annoyed because she can’t keep a proper eye on the squirrels. I’m just happy I don’t need to leave the house. D-Man left an hour ago to mow his mom’s lawn before it got too bad but I’m hoping he’ll stay in after that.

If we were having coffee…I would tell you we went out with friends last night to see the film “Yesterday.” I quite enjoyed it. It certainly helps if you are a Beatles fan since so much of the movie centers around their music but, it was a sweet story anyway. Absolutely no CGI, explosions or aliens which was a nice change from most of the other films we usually go to see. (Which reminds me, “Spider-Man Far From Home” is definitely on next weekend to-do list!)

If we were having coffee…I would ask those of you here in the United States if you enjoyed any special Independence Day celebrations? We have a lot of traditions for that holiday.

Miss Dee and I always attend the town “Miss” pageant the evening before. The winner this year was a former student at the elementary school where I work so that always makes it fun. The newly crowned “Miss” then rides in the town Fourth of July parade the next morning. After the parade (which was a rather hot and humid event this year), we head to my father-in-law’s home for a BBQ.

My in-laws have a lovely house and a large yard in a very wooded area. We always make sure to cover ourselves in bug spray since they also have zillions of insects! My FIL ends the day by setting off fireworks, a tradition that has made me nervous since my children were wee. It makes me even more nervous now since Mr D is old enough to help light them!!! Happily we made it through another year with no casualties although one box fell on it’s side and started shooting out stars in random directions. That was exciting.

We usually end the night by attending our town fireworks. Traditionally, this is a nice way to end the day but this year Miss Dee and I were both wiped out. I suspect it was mostly because of the heat, so we decided to opt out. We both took long cold showers and then watched the first episode of Stranger Things 3! For us, this was every bit as exciting as the fireworks!

If we were having coffee, I would tell you that we acquired a new kitty this week. He was abandoned in front of an animal hospital where one of my son’s friends work. She told him that if they didn’t find a home they would have to take him to the shelter. We have been looking for a friend for Darby since we lost our sweet senior cat Chrissy earlier this year so we thought we’d give him a try. He’s all dark gray and quiet the charmer, always rubbing against you and purring, very dashing so we’ve took to calling him Dash. The vet said he seems to be about 3 years old and well cared for. He is currently living in the laundry room and we’ve been introducing him to Darby slowly. There’s been a bit of hissing but I think they’ll work it out in time. Stay tuned!

Miss Darby is still considering whether or not a new brother is a good idea?

Well, if we were having coffee, we would probably agree that Ive been monopolizing the conversation! Time for you to tell me what you’ve been up to. Let me refill you cup. Have you done any traveling? Seen any movies? Read any good books?

I’m so glad you stopped by. Don’t forget to visit our host Eclectic Ali, see what she’s been up to and visit the rest of the Coffee Share Gang.

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If We Were Having Coffee…3/11/17

If we were having coffee…I would (quickly) welcome you in and slam the door right behind you. There is a fridge wind fighting to get in this morning and I am determined to keep him at bay. I feel as if the March Lion is doing battle with the March Lamb. We are expecting a snow storm on Tuesday here in southern New Jersey so I guess the Lion still has control at least till then. Personally, I’m more than ready for Spring!

Nevermind the weather. Come in. Sit down. I have coffee or tea or hot chocolate ready to warm your bones. You might notice that I am using my very cool  Friends “CENTRAL PERK” mug that Miss Dee gave me for my birthday this past December. As you can see, it’s very large so I only use it on the weekends when I have unlimited coffee time. There are lots of other cool mugs for you to choose from; two Marvel Avengers , a Hershey Park (the sweetest place on Earth), another from Disney World, or Miss Dee has a mug from her graduation that says “THE TASSEL WAS WORTH THE HASSEL.” I’m sure she wouldn’t mind sharing. Which ever you chose, I promise to fill it with something strong and hot!

If we were having coffee…I would start off by asking you how you’ve been. It’s been a while since I’ve had a chance to join the Coffee Share (in fact, it’s been so long that I didn’t realize that it changed hosts!) so I’m afraid I’m a bit behind. Is everything well in your world? Everyone healthy? Have you seen any good movies or read any good books?

Things around here have been chugging along. Nothing too extraordinary is happening. We are a bit excited because my niece, Anna, and D-Man’s stepsister, Regan, are both about to have babies so of course we are awaiting news on that. This is the second baby for Anna. Anyone who has been following this blog for a while might remember the shower Miss Dee and I threw for her when her first (Squish) was born two years ago. She and her guy will be welcoming another little boy to their family. We can’t wait to meet him.

Hubby’s step sister, Regan, is also having a little boy. This is the first for her and her husband. They live a few hours away, up in Hoboken so we don’t get to see them too often. Miss Dee and I attended her baby shower just last week over at my in-laws house. Personally, I find showers, as a whole, a bit of a snooze to attend and, (speaking as an introvert), terrifying  to be the subject of, but it’s always nice to wish the soon-to-be parents well and see all the cute things they receive. We a gave a gift card and books, of course. I make it my mission to start every child’s library with a few good stories.😊

In other news, Mr D and three of his friends are driving to Florida for their spring break next week. It’s a thirteen hour drive to where they are going in Daytona Beach and as a mom, I’ll admit, I’m a bit freaked out but they are a pretty responsible group of young men and they’ve planned it out well. The other moms and I have put together a “survival kit” containing snacks and sunblock and of course we will be expecting regular texts and calls while they are gone. If I was 21 again, I would see this as a great adventure too so I can’t fault them for wanting to go. Doesn’t mean I won’t worry though.

If we were having coffee…I would tell you that my friend Urszula and I went  out last night to see the movie Lion and I must say, if you haven’t already seen it, I highly recommend a viewing. It was written by a man named Saroo Brierley and telle his life story. Brierley was born into a loving but poor family in India but was adopted by an Australian couple after he got lost as a child and ended up homeless on the streets of Calcutta. Twenty-five years later, he went back to India to try and find his family. Dev Patel plays the character, Saroo, as an adult and an amazing young man named Sunny plays the child Saroo. It was one of the best films I’ve seen in a while.

If we were having coffee…I would tell you that I certainly have enjoyed our drinks and conversation! I would also remind you to visit Nerd in the Brain so that you can enjoy the rest of the Coffee Share Posts. May the rest of your weekend be super-fantastic!  I hope you are able to surround yourself with the people and things you love the most.

If We Were Having Coffee…4/16/16

If we were having coffee…I would invite you in and pour you a cup of strong hot French roast. For non-coffee drinkers I can offer tea or hot chocolate. There is iced tea and lemonade if you prefer. Miss Dee, who is suffering from an allergy induced sore throat, is sipping some green tea with honey and lemon. I’m sure she would share.

The weather here today was absolutely fabulous! Finally, after the craziness of last weekend! The sun shone with abandon and the temperature was well into the 60s. Hubby completed his first lawn mowing of the season and I was able to finally clear out my flower beds and do some planting. I put some zinnias in the pots by the deck and planted some sweet basil in my herb garden. The lemon mint from last year has already started growing and I think I will pick up some  oregano and dill as well. Yum!

Since the evening was so nice, we decided to invite my mother-in-law over for a barbecue. Hubby dusted off the grill and made hamburgers for us and a turkey burger for himself. I added some home made mac and cheese and a salad. We enjoyed a wonderful leisurely dinner on the deck while our resident rabbits hopped around the yard having their’s. Ahh! All is right with the world once more. 😊

If we were having coffee…I would tell you that Mr D missed the first BBQ of the season but it was for a really fun reason. For the last month or so, he’s been helping out his old high school baseball coach with this year’s team, so the coach invited him to come along with the team on a trip up to Cooperstown, N.Y. They left early this morning and were scheduled to tour The Baseball Hall of Fame this afternoon. Tomorrow, the team will actually get to play a game on the field there. Pretty neat, huh!? Mr D visited Copperstown once before, about eight years ago with his father and grandfather but being there with the team must be really cool. They will be back tomorrow evening so I will hear all the details then.

If we were having coffee…I could tell you all about this show Miss Dee was watching earlier on the food network. I can’t remember the name but the two young women who host the show travel all over the country looking for the most decedent sweet shops and bakeries they can find.

This episode featured a place in NYC that makes ice cream filled donut sandwiches! Yes….you read that right! They dip the top of the donut in any icing you want then add nut topping or sprinkles or what ever; then you choose three scoops of ice cream for the middle (some of the ice cream flavors were amazing too);  they put the top on and then drizzle the whole thing with caramel or chocolate syrup.

OMG! I may actually have been drooling by the time they were finished describing it. The hosts said that most customers bring a friend because this mega calorie treat is just too big for one person. Can you imagine!?! Seems a bit over the top for me but hey, who am I to judge.

If we were having coffee…I would ask you about your week? Has spring sprung in your neck of the woods? What kind of things have been keeping you busy? While I was taking a break earlier, I caught part of my all time favorite “feel good” movies…”While You Were Sleeping” with Sandra Bullock. It is such a sweet love story that I can’t watch it without smiling. Do you have a favorite “feel good” film? How about a movie that always makes you tear up no matter how many times you’ve seen it? For me, that would be the final scene in “Field of Dreams” when Ray get to have a catch with his dad. Gets me every time.

Well, I guess I better stop flappin’ my gums and let you head over to Part Time Monster and catch up with the rest of the Weekend Coffee Share. Thanks so much for stopping by! I do so enjoy our chats!

Ready for my Oscar fix…

Oscar and I have a long-term love hate relationship. In fact, Oscar has been with me longer than my husband. I haven’t missed an Oscar telecast in over twenty-five years. My husband accepted this when he married me, just like I accepted his devotion to the Philadelphia Eagles. In fact, he refers to Oscar Night as my “Super Bowl” and he does his best to make it a special night for me by bringing me cheese and wine and keeping the kids out of my hair. You know, everything short of actually watching the show with me (hey, I don’t watch the Super bowl with him either).

There have been many years when I was over-the-top excited about the upcoming award show. The glitz and glamor and the fabulous dresses, just the chance to see Hollywood’s elite go all out. These were also years when I had an emotional investment in who received an Oscar. This includes the year Paul Newman won the Lifetime Achievement award; the Meryl Streep years (what an amazing actress she is); the “Lord of the Rings” years; and any year when I’d actually seen ALL of the movies that are nominated for Best Picture. That doesn’t happen anymore. Although this year, I’ve actually seen three of the ten films nominated (never mind that one of them is Toy Story 3, it still counts). My husband and I went to the theater to see “Black Swan” (fabulous performances but a very creepy movie) and saw Inception on DVD (very intense and tricky to follow but Leonardo DiCapra makes it worth the ride). So I’m more in the loop this year than I am sometimes. On my “still want to see” list is “The Kings Speech” and “The Kids are Alright”.

This year I’m kind of looking forward to seeing what James Franco and Anne Hathaway can do as co-host of the show. They’re attractive, entertaining young people and they seem to have some chemistry going. Besides, I can’t wait to see what Anne is wearing!! Now that my daughter is 12 and a bit of a fashionista herself, she watches the Pre-Oscar Red Carpet show with me and we debate on the best dresses. My favorite dress of all time would have to be the one Grace Kelly wore the year she won for “The Country Girl” (see above). I’d love to hear other people’s choices.

My twenty-three year old nephew moved to Hollywood this September to break into show business. He got an apartment a few blocks from Hollywood Blvd. Not a very desirable neighborhood to live in but a great location if you want to go to the Kodak Theater (where the Oscars are held). So I was chatting with him on Facebook the other day and I said “Are you going to go down to the theater on Sunday to watch the stars walk the red carpet?” His response: “I dunno, I hadn’t really thought of it.” Seriously?!! What’s the point of being in Hollywood? I’ll tell you one thing, when he becomes famous and is nominated for an Oscar, he better invite his favorite Aunt to be his date!