Working Weekend

Thank goodness for DVDs! One rough weekend day at work down, one to go...sometimes it seems like all of local humanity saves that trip to the library for Saturday afternoon and Sunday...busy, busy, busy. Last night, in an effort to relax I watched two movies--Stephen King's The Mist (please don't bother---I like "scary stuff" and this was just a bit of fluff to watch while I did other things---fixing dinner, sorting laundry---)it was ooey and gooey, but scary? Not so much. Ridiculous---yeah, that's the word for it. I debated on which movie to watch later in the evening---it turned out to be a Javier Bardem film fest, of sorts---I decided to watch No Country for Old Men. More blood, guts, and buzzin' flies--but a good story. Not too sure about the ending though.
A co-worker recommended Love in the Time of Cholera---Benjamin Bratt and Javier Bardem--I'm saving this one for this evening, kind of a pre-new season of The Tudors kickoff.
I can't believe how I'm anticipating the new season of this show. We're having a bit of a "premiere" party here this evening--a work friend and my daughter will be sitting front row and center for The Tudors---complete with appetizers and drinks (no glogg this time--it's a work night). We all "love" Jonathan Rhys Meyers...the show is edgy---way too much sex---but it's a good story.

A few weeks ago, I watched August Rush (starring JRM)---if you suspended belief, this was an okay movie. Definitely in the chick flick genre, many missed connections---but the true star of the film is the young boy. What talent!

Saturday--Basketball, Papier Mache', and more Young Henry

Ms. Postalperson just delivered a book order from Amazon...I've looked through Papier-mache' Treasures before, and knew it was one I had to have. Teena Flanner has provided the ultimate guide to making vintagey papier mache' objects...all of the holidays are covered in depth with plain and simple instructions for obtaining the vintage "look". I've moulded papier mache' before, and have done some prep work with it, but the finished product has always seemed out of reach to me--this book solves the problem! It's beautiful and so informative.
My other purchase--Knitting Little Luxuries from Interweave Press. Interweave always puts out a quality product. The designs in this little book are wonderful...a Juliet scarf and brooch with one skein of angora...so beautiful! The pattern is one I'd have to pay particular attention to, but the end product would be well worth the process.

Last night my friend Beth came over for more Tudor "action". More Glogg was served...it's become quite the winter warmer-upper...and we watched three more episodes of The Tudors.

Today brings a double header basketball game--UE Lady Aces, followed by the Men's UE Aces--with proceeds going for breast cancer research. I'll be attending with a friend and her husband--both are die-hard Aces fans. Should be interesting, especially since I'm not a "sports" person. The company will be excellent though, and it's for a great cause.

TGIF

In anticipation of the "arctic blast" that is supposed to hit us this evening, I have a warming evening planned...kinda chick-flicky, but it will definitely take our minds off the cold outside! I've been raving about The Tudors since I watched it OnDemand early in the fall. While the history of it is a bit skewed, and Henry the VIII is a hottie instead of a bloated, syphilitic old monarch, it is a blast to watch. A friend from work is coming over to watch the first few episodes (again OnDemand...leading up to the new season beginning at the end of March on Showtime). I made another beef burgundy this morning, along with defrosting a loaf of Rhodes bread dough...the beverage for this very cold night...Glogg...from The Ski House Cookbook by Tina Anderson and Sarah Pinneo. Here's the recipe...

Glogg

1 1/2 cups vodka

10 cloves

10 cardamom pods

2 (3 inch) cinnamon sticks

1 (2 inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled

Zest of 1 orange

1 (750 ml) bottle inexpensive red wine

1/2 cup sugar

1. Combine the vodka, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon sticks, ginger, and orange zest in a small bowl. Set aside for at least 1 hour, or covered for up to one week.

2. Combine the wine and sugar in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer until the sugar is dissolved. Add the vodka mixture, return to a simmer.

3. Strain and serve warm.