An Amazing Find!

I went looking for some missing letters and journals and was not successful in finding them.  But I did find something else very exciting!

My Caboodle!  Which, as you know, (assuming you are a middle-class white female born in the early 70s and susceptible to advertising) is a handy (and cute) place to keep all your makeup.
 

AND IT STILL HAS ALL THE MAKEUP IN IT!
Note the matches from the Village Inn (from when every restaurant had matches and there were smoking sections, in fact, it was a big deal that there were NON-smoking sections) which were used to melt the eyeliner so it would be easier to apply.
 
Here are the teardrops I would sometimes affix to my face in high school
 
Here are some false eyelashes, an awesome turquoise pick (partially obscured by an excellent primer on eye makeup) as well as more things I stuck on my face and a very cool Avon brush that I had wondered, now and again, what ever happened to it.
 
Plus, two kinds of Avon eye shadow I borrowed from my mother around 1987 and never returned.

“Now you can go fishin’ for man!” Sara commented when I texted her the photos.  Instead I packed it all back up and hid it away for another happy surprise in a few decades.  But maybe I will go back for that brush.

Turkey Trot

Kelly and I signed up for the Turkey Trot back when I didn’t have to wear a coat when leaving the house.  Now I’m wearing a layer of long johns, pants, shirt and a jacket.  It must be Thanksgiving.
 
Some Pilgrims showed up to run.
 
This turkey looks like it’s already been slaughtered.
 
There were a lot of fun hats.
 
And headbands.
 
Pre-race photo.
 
There was an entire group of Thanksgiving dinner items. I first spotted “Sweet Potato” a kid wearing (what else?) an orange shirt.  The later saw Stuffing and Turkey.
 
The Turkey Trot ends in the Zoo and we stopped to look at the Leopards on our way out.  This one is investigating his Thanksgiving surprise.
 
I didn’t realize my camera was on the Fish-Eye setting.
 
Looks like my cat.  But much, much bigger.
 
Kelly’s wingspan is not as great as a California Condor.
 
But she’s giving the Bald Eagle a run for its money.
 

Special Edition

When the Oregonian was preparing all of us paper subscribers for the crappy conversion, they had a question-and-answer section about the Brave New World.  My favorite question was something like, “I always enjoy the Thanksgiving Sale Edition.  If you aren’t going to publish on Thursday, how will I know about the sales?”  The answer was something to the effect of, “Not to worry!  We’ll publish a SPECIAL Thanksgiving Edition with all of the ads!”

And so it has come to pass.
 

And so it is chock full of ads.  On the left:  the paper.  On the right:  the ads.

And that isn’t really even correct, because if you crack open that front page you will find it is 90% full-page ads.  The pile on the right:  straight to the recycle bin.  The pile on the left:  I read it.  But I skipped all the ads.

Three sentence movie reviews: Philomina

Judy Dench is one of the incredibly rare actors that seemingly everything she does is worth watching and this was no exception.  I was interested in Steve Coogan, an actor I had only seen in comedies*, taking a quite good dramatic turn.  Many small details in this film delight, especially for anyone of a certain age who has a mother of a greater age, and I was surprised to be shocked and moved as much as I was.**

Cost:  Free due to Regal Crown Club kicking me out a free movie.
Where watched:  Some huge Regal Theater in East Vancouver with Kelly and Margaret.***

*For me, most memorably as the short-lived director in the hilariously funny Tropic Thunder
**This was a solid film.  Recommended.
***”This is my first film in a theater since December.” said Margaret, who had recently returned from the Ukraine.  “This is my first film in a theater since yesterday.” said I, who needs to reign in her consumption of first-run movies, STAT!

Signs of the Hunger Games in Cosmetics.


Would Katniss be shooting naked?  Maybe if it was a really hot day.  But perhaps not.


I think the ad people haven’t really grasped that it’s not so cool to be from Panem.

Because when there is revolution afoot, don’t forget to apply makeup for best results!

Interestingly enough, the only time Katniss Everdeen is seen in makeup someone else puts it on her.  She takes it off as soon as she can.

Cooking Tales


Here are five pounds of home-grown potatoes, ready to be made into mashed potatoes for the holiday.


How is it that the vegan ended up seemingly the only full-time employee of the FoodDay staff?


I am bringing ingredients for cheese bread over to Kelly’s tonight.  I decided to specially make Sandwich Bread.  Two hours into the rise I realized the bread wasn’t rising because I forgot to put in the yeast.  Blast!  I ended up buying some sourdough.

Shrug and a return to the Laurel Uniform Project.

It’s getting really cold and I need to finish this shrug.  So here I go.  Look how much I took off the sleeves!  That would be the line sewn into the sleeve area.  Then I trimmed and bound.
 
Attaching binding on the edge of the sleeve.
 
And to the inside.  Matt’s out of town and I wasn’t in the mood for a self-capturing of the final product, so an official picture will come later.
 
And here we have a muslin of the Laurel Dress.
 
And here I am wearing it.  It’s too loose in the front, but guess what?  I’m going to sew it that way anyway.
 
The back looks good, but could be taken in a bit across the seat.  But guess what?  It’s getting sewn this way.

I’m ready to be done with the uniform project. Which isn’t really the best way to sew, but there you have it.

Three sentence movie reviews: Dallas Buyers Club

I found this movie to be a bit of a meander and repetitive and so I don’t recommend it if you like a tight, quick story.  However, if you are interested in great acting, or a well-executed period piece, this is your film.  Despite being difficult for me to look at*  Matthew McConaughey was a marvel, as was the always under-appreciated Jared Leto and the similarly appraised Jennifer Garner.**

poster from: http://www.impawards.com/2013/posters/dallas_buyers_club.jpg

Cost:  $9.00
Where watched:  Regal Fox Tower with S. North.

*Much too thin.
**Who had a great wardrobe of outfits my elementary school teachers would have worn.

Postcard from Ukraine

This is from Sofia who has the hobbies of photography, painting and listening to rock music.  She reports that “I also listen to such world-famous groups as Scropions, the Beatles, AC/DC, Metallica and others.”

Also, this painting is a Ukrainian National Pattern.  Man, we don’t have any national patterns here in the US!

It arrived bearing some great stamps.