Comfy Cozy Cinema: Somewhere in Time

On September 19, 2024September 19, 2024 By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Comfy Cozy Cinema21 Comments

Hello everyone!! Lisa from Boondock Ramblings and I are back to watching and sharing about comfy cozy (and sometimes, chilling) movies for the fall season. Feel free to join in with us!! Our link will be live for a whole week after we post about a movie.

This week’s movie is Somewhere in Time, another Lisa pick. I was looking forward to it because I am a Michigander, and this movie was set in and filmed at Mackinac Island, somewhere I have been many times. Although, never back in time.

Somewhere in Time stars Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour, two of the most beautiful people I have ever seen. Their attractiveness onscreen was almost unreal. Lisa and I were texting each other while watching the movie, and I told her that Jane Seymour actually looked like artwork to me.

According to the manufacturer (this what the Amazon entry states) “Somewhere in Time is the story of a young writer who sacrifices his life in the present to find happiness in the past, where true love awaits him. Young Richard Collier (Christopher Reeve) is approached by an elderly woman who gives him an antique gold watch and who pleads with him to return in time with her. Years later, Richard Collier is overwhelmed by a photograph of a beautiful young woman (Jane Seymour). Another picture of this woman in her later years reveals to him that she is the same woman who had given him the gold watch. Collier then becomes obsessed with returning to 1912 and the beautiful young woman who awaits him there.”

This movie, for all the time travel science fiction of it all, is a romantic love story, filled with gorgeous gowns and the timeless beauty of the Grand Hotel. That porch! The movie made the most of it too, with lots of long shots of it. I have never walked on it, but I know you can pay $10 to do so, if you are not a paying guest at the hotel itself. That seems worth it to me!

Ok back to the movie. I think this is a lovely story, but if you look too closely at it, it might seem weird. On the surface, it could be a story that is about a man who falls in love with a portrait and wills himself almost violently back in time to find the woman in the portrait. The woman herself has a guardian/protector who has known her since she was 16 and thinks that she belongs to him, which might feel a bit icky. So my suggestion is, don’t look to closely at this story. Enjoy it for what it is – a love story between Richard and Elise, one that transcends decades. Connected souls through time. If you read the Stephen King book 11/22/63, it reminded me of the love story in that book. Which honestly makes sense. Somewhere in Time the movie, is based on a book written by Richard Matheson, who is a horror/fantasy/science fiction writer, and Stephen King has mentioned him as a creative influence in the past. You may know Matheson best for the story I am Legend (and yes the story was way better than the movie for that one).

Lisa looked up the book Somewhere in Time, and read that there were some parts left out of the film version, that tied it all together a bit more cohesively. I don’t want to say what though, as that reveals the ending!

My favorite part of the movie is when Richard and Elise are just casually sitting on the floor of her room, all rumpled from *ahem*, eating fried chicken, and laughing together. It just felt so natural, less like acting, and just like two friends/lovers hanging out. And come to find out, Seymour and Reeve fell in love during the making of the movie. Seymour admitted this at the TCM festival in 2022, as reported by EW.

Well, here comes the story that I’m officially telling you now, because Chris and I, when we made the film, we literally fell madly in love..

Sigh. A love story within a love story.

Overall, I really enjoyed this movie! It was so neat to see places I have been, and Billy and I would exclaim, hey we have seen that, or look! we have been there. The Round Island Lighthouse is a place we have seen, the lawn where Elise and Richard walked, I have seen the Grand Hotel many times. In fact, it is one of the first places on the island that is visible as you approach the island by ferry boat. It is just really a beautiful building. And if you are ever a tourist on Mackinac Island, be prepared – you can buy all sorts of souvenirs that tout this film. I believe there is even a festival or a weekend centered around it every year!

Next up is Ladies in Lavender, starring none other than Maggie Smith and Judi Dench! (I believe Dame Judi Dench graces our movie list three times this year!)

Did you watch along? If you did and want to link a post, you can post below until next Wednesday. You don’t need a blog though, you can also just comment below!

You can find Lisa’s post here!

And here are the rest of our movies and post dates.

Wednesday Morning Coffee Catch Up

On September 18, 2024 By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized21 Comments

Hello everyone! This might be a long post today, so you may want to put the kettle on or refill your cup, and settle in. I just have so much to share! We have had the final culminations of a lot of big projects, plus some other fun (and not so fun!) things going on as well. Well, you will see.

First up – the ramp!!! Billy and a bunch of our friends and family have been working hard all summer to build this ramp for Wyatt, and on Saturday, they came so close to it being completely done. It is for the most part, done. It is useable and complete – we just need railings for our own wild child to be out there. I don’t need this kid zooming off the side! However, it is done and can be used with supervision and assistance right now. This was such a huge and major accomplishment, and I am so thankful to all of the people who contributed and to Billy of course for having the ability and knowledge and talent to do it.

Please ignore the state of the rest of our yard. It was very neglected this summer while this was happening. The ramp is very long, to accommodate the pitch dropping at the appropriate rate. The other option would have been lots of bends and turns and Billy thought this would be a better way for kiddo. Since it is so long though, we added an extra few feet to make the deck part wider and we are turning that into an outdoor play spot for Wyatt, complete with a wheel up painting easel that one of our friends is making him! This is going to be such a huge thing for Wyatt. He can get out into his own backyard, play, have some independence. I am feeling so grateful for this gift!

So that was Billy’s project done – I had one of my own that I had been working on all summer. Cub Scouts! I have to say getting this pack up and running from scratch was more complex than I had anticipated – but it was 100% worth it. More than worth it actually, especially after seeing all the kids, our scouts, playing together and having such a good time at our first meeting. Yep, we had our first meeting! It was just big smiles, on kids and on parents, and that warmed my heart. The kids learned about some of the pack laws and the oath, we gave them their t-shirts and handbooks, they made a keychain lanyard with a bead for every quality (a scout is kind, etc), and they played a get to know each other game, that was low pressure. Instead of being forced to speak or come up with something on the spot, which would have been hard for some of our kiddos, we gave them all paddles that said “Me too!” and when someone named something they liked, like spaghetti or books, they would raise their paddles! It was a good way to show them how they are the same. Also, Wild Child was there and having her own good time, racing around the church social hall. You can see her little head there, next to Wyatt and his grandma.

I mentioned that not all of our happenings were happy! Somewhere in between scouts and home, Wyatt managed to get stung by something. He never said anything or cried, so we didn’t know. At around noon the next day though, I looked down at his hand, which was super red and swollen, and about passed out. We ended up taking him to the ER since he had cellulitis last year. The doctor did not think it was cellulitis, he thought that it was just the normal reaction to a sting, but did prescribe antibiotics just in case, along with zyrtec and hydrocortisone cream. The next day his hand looked perfect – just in time to meet the Detroit Tigers!

Our scouts had the opportunity to meet the Tigers, in a “Kids Take the Field” event! One of our parents arranged it, and it was so cool. The kids were able to go on the field, meet a player, get their game ball, and their names were even up on the scoreboard, in the positions that they were in. It was really cool! Wyatt got to meet the catcher, and hang out at home plate. It was really amazing opportunity, and something they will never forget!

It was his first MLB game too; I told him not many people get to go on the field and meet a player their first time there!

Our last few weeks have been a whirlwind and now Wyatt is dealing with a cold, which has not been fun. Rest will do us both good! Then it will be back to a full school day and our fall activities!

And that is it from me today! Whatever you do today, do something that makes you smile – even if it is just taking five minutes to yourself to relax.

Cozy Fall Reads (Not Spooky!)

On September 16, 2024August 14, 2025 By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized9 Comments

Hi everyone! So last week I posted my own personal Autumn TBR (which is gigantic and I will never read all of those books), but most of the books I like to read around this time of year are scary or witchy or spooky, and not everyone likes that. And honestly, I will probably burn out on it if I read even half of the books I have listed in my TBR. Knowing that about myself, I had a back up list of books to switch in as needed. I mean, I am sure there will be times I don’t want to be creeped out and just want something utterly fall but also…comfy. Or as Joanne said it perfectly – “I want cozy fall books about hayrides, and leaf peeping, warm drinks and special treats… sort of Hallmark movie but set in fall!”

And I get that too. Like I could live that vibe everyday from September until December ( or all year, let’s be honest). So, I went looking for more. I had a few in reserve, but not a ton. It seems if you want this feel, there are a lot of cozy mystery or cute little rom-coms, but I did find a few others as well. So this list is kind of like when you go to the orchard and are presented with different types of apples, you know? Macintosh (my favorite), Granny Smith, Honeycrisp..the list goes on and on. Some are better for baking, some for eating, some are tart, some are sweet, but hopefully something for everyone.

Romance:

This Laurie Gilmore series is all the rage right now. I see it everywhere!! Apparently it is supposed to feel like Stars Hollow – and peep that author’s name! If I read correctly, it is a pen name and is mimicking the Lorelai Gilmore character name. I have heard this is a very steamy series so keep that in mind if that is not something you really enjoy in your books.

Given Our History || Awkward in October

Given Our History is a book I spotted in a video on Liv’s Library, and it is all fall academic vibes, something I totally love. I am pretty sure I am picking this one up at some point in time. Awkward in October appeals to me as well, but I am awkward no matter the month. It is all New England in autumn, with a fixer upper house. I am here for it!

Falling in Love || Autumn at Apple Hill

I have to admit, the puppies on the cover sold me on Falling Inn Love. And so did the mention of an Inn. I have a thing for certain settings, and hotels/inns are one of my go-tos. Plus the FMC looks like she has glasses and so do I, so, there. Autumn at Apple Hill is as Hallmark as you can get – the book was made into a Hallmark movie!

Just to note – I do not know the pumpkin “spice” level of these books as I have not read any of them yet.

Mystery:

Well-Offed in Vermont || Put Out to Pasture || The Spook in the Stacks

I have had Well-Offed in Vermont on my list forever and ever. I just love that cover! As for Put Out to Pasture and The Spook in the Stacks, I really enjoyed them both. I am a big fan of both of those series, the Farm to Table series by Amanda Flower and The Lighthouse Library Mystery series by Eva Gates. Both of these books give that autumnal vibe without involving anything supernatural or too scary!

Cold Clay || Berries and Bones

I mean, it’s me. Of course I am going to include books with animal protagonists. I am all about an anthropomorphic book. I have read the first in the Shady Hollow series and thought it was so cute! I really need to read this second book, which is set in the fall. Maybe this fall I will get to it. And while I am at it, I should read Berries and Bones which was on my fall TBR last year as well… there are just too many books out there. I love this cover, it makes me feel all super fall and like I need to eat lots of pancakes and drink a big Vermont steamer.

The Rest:

Crow Talk || Autumn

These two are contemporary, literary fiction books, that are a bit more serious than the previous genre books above. I think they both sound absolutely fantastic.

The City Baker’s Guide to Country Living || The Simplicity of Cider

Ok, so The City Baker is technically a romance, but this just seems to have a different feel to it than the others. And it sounds phenomenal. I have read The Simplicity of Cider, and it was wonderful. It is magical realism, which is a favorite of mine, and I felt like it was just such a heartwarming read about cider and orchards and family.

The Cider Revival || Pumpkinheads

I have read both of these and loved them, though they are obviously very different! The Cider Revival is a nonfiction book about the history of apples and orchards and cider, and it was so interesting! I highly recommend it. Pumpkinheads is a YA graphic novel that is set in pumpkin patch/orchard, one of those that has everything, and is more like a mini-festival or amusement park even! It has young love and uncertainty, and all the autumn feels you could ever want.

Now, it’s time to cozy up and read! Will any of these make your list this year?

Comfy Cozy Cinema – The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

On September 12, 2024September 12, 2024 By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized11 Comments

Hello everyone!! Lisa from Boondock Ramblings and I are back to watching and sharing about comfy cozy (and sometimes, chilling) movies for the fall season. Feel free to join in with us!!

This week our movie was The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, with an all star cast. I knew we were in for a treat after seeing this powerhouse of a lineup.

I mentioned the cast, but let’s take a closer look. Bill Nighy, whom I love in everything, Dame Judy Dench, Dame Maggie Smith, Tom Wilkinson, Celia Imrie, Penelope Wilton – but I will say that the other actors held there own, particularly Dev Patel. He is an award winner himself but just a young actor compared to some of his co-stars.

Anyway, we were really looking forward to this movie. It has been on my to watchlist for ages, but I just never had gotten around to it. When Lisa picked it for our line up, I was pretty excited. Billy and I made a thing of it too, ordering Indian takeout to eat before watching, and it was just a nice little treat to watch the movie with these flavors so fresh in our minds.

The movie is about a group of retirees who through various circumstances find themselves en route to India, to stay at the Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, which has been touted as a place for the elderly and the beautiful. The website and brochure photos depict this hotel as a gorgeous vision of a hotel, that is also affordable for those who may be on a fixed income. However, the hotel is truly that – just a vision of the idealistic young man who runs it. It is there, there are rooms, but it is a bit of a shambles.

As I mentioned, the characters are all there for different reasons, and they all settle into the country very differently as well. Some go in with very preconceived ideas of the culture, some with hopes for finding things that were lost, some with hopes for the future, but all coming to terms with the stage of life they find themselves in. It was interesting to watch these characters come to terms with the transition they were in, finding their new place in the world, juxtaposed against the vivid liveliness of India. The music, the almost frenetic energy, the colors, the chatter and noise, the flavors of the food, was just so alive while these characters sorted through some very poignant emotions – and it was probably the best possible place to start a new life, in a place so overflowing with it.

I very much enjoyed this movie, and of course the cast. Dev Patel’s enthusiasm was contagious, and I truly believed in him. Maggie Smith was amazing, as always, and her character might have been my favorite of them all. I don’t want to go too into this sort of analyzation, as I don’t want to reveal anything or give anything away so I should stop here. However, Billy and I really liked this movie, and found it very moving. It was perfect for a warm early fall evening, with a bellyful of Indian food.

If you are interested in linking up with us, here is our linky! This movie is available to stream on Amazon Prime, Apple TV and Fandango at Home, and may be available at your local libraries!

Find Lisa’s post here!

Next up: Somewhere in Time! Post date Sept. 19.

Wednesday Morning Coffee Catch Up

On September 11, 2024September 11, 2024 By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Coffee Catch UP, Michigan8 Comments

Hello everyone! I am one tired mama this morning! I keep telling myself I can rest after such and such – and then something else comes up! Lol. Oh well – all too soon we will be deep into winter and not doing anything at all really, so it’s best to get out there and let Wyatt experience as much as possible while we can (and have some myself too)

Last Friday, we kicked off our school season with a field trip to The Henry Ford Museum. Wyatt is starting a big prehistoric unit in science this fall, and I love to try to find a field trip at the beginning of the year that correlates with something we are going to learn about. Lucky for me, we were able to squeak in under the wire for the Dinosaurs exhibit at the museum, two days before it was set to end. I am glad we made it, because we both had a really good time.

The artist who created these, John Payne, welded the metal and steel together to create these huge sculptures. Wyatt and I also talked about this, how art doesn’t have to just be paintings or sketches, it can be these enormous dinosaurs made out of steel, fire and heat. The exhibit is called Dinosaurs in Motion, and it is interactive. Half of the dinosaurs could be moved and manipulated using old fashioned pulley systems, and we could pull ropes, levers, spin wheels -there were all sorts of different ways to activate the pulleys. And let me tell you, those dinosaurs were heavy! Wyatt and I would be pulling or pushing together and sometimes I had to put my whole weight behind it. There was just one dinosaur I couldn’t really budge, and a young twentysomething man asked if we needed some extra oomph! I said yes and he helped Wyatt get that dinosaur really moving!

The other half of the dinosaurs were activated by computer, and you can see Wyatt at the controls in the one photo. All of they exhibits you could press buttons and make the dinosaurs roar, and flash lights like lightning and play storm sound effects; the computer versions you could do that plus use controls to move them around. It was really really cool, and I felt like we were in the movie Jurassic Park. Wyatt could not get over how big that T-Rex was, and kept giving it the side eye. He was a little skeptical of it at first.

The exhibit was a fantastic way to kick off school and I was so glad that we went.

On Saturday, Wyatt had like the perfect Wyatt day. Billy and I also very much enjoyed ourselves, especially the autumn weather that we were having! We took a drive out to Grosse Pointe Park, to a children’s bookstore named Coreanders. It was so whimsical, adorable, and I wanted to spend hours in there. It was not very big, but just big enough. The walls are covered in beautiful murals, including the entire elevator shaft. The elevator to the second floor has a window in the door, so that as you go up or down, you can view a mural on the way. It is spectacularly done. I was also so happy that they were wheelchair accessible!

There is also a cafe/ice cream shop in the back, and we of course had to pop in for coffee and cookies which we ate in the courtyard. It felt like we were in New Orleans, with the wrought iron, the brickwork, the garden. Tucked in and hidden about the garden were little garden statuary, little animals reading or just hiding, and we enjoyed looking at them all and picking our favorites. Also – the cookie was delicious, and was made at a nearby boulangerie, name LeRouge. Wyatt picked out a book, I picked out a book, and also grabbed a few cute bookmarks. I love them – they are designed by Ingrid Press and they are beautiful! I should never have looked up that website because now I want everything!

We walked around the cute little area, wandered through a farmers market that was just closing up but I still managed to buy a bag of loose tea from Outer Realm teas. I bought the Royal Tea and we are going to brew a pot up over the weekend.

When we went home, we painted as we had not managed to fit art in over during the week. Wyatt is studying Charley Harper for a few weeks and I wanted to fit in the first lesson. Then we had game night! I think all three of us crashed out that night!

Sunday was much more relaxed. I went to church in the morning, then we hung out at home for the afternoon, just relaxing and doing whatever. Dinner was an adventure though. We were planning on watching The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel for Comfy Cozy Cinema that evening, so we thought it would be fun to get Indian food as well. And goodness, I am so glad that we did. It was fantastic. We ordered from a place called Charminar Biryani House in Detroit and it was delicious. We couldn’t decide what to get, everything looked amazing, so we ordered Butter Chicken and Tandoori chicken, and split it with some buttered naan bread (Wyatt had a different dinner although he seriously missed out).

Needless to say, it was a very packed weekend. This week though, is a much slower pace right now. School, and finishing up some errands and projects for scouts tomorrow night – it will be our first meeting! I am super nervous about it! Tonight I still need to make game paddles for a game we are playing, and put together the little beaded keychain kits for every kit, that they are going to make while learning about the pack laws. (Be kind, etc) Wish us luck everyone!

Here are a few photos from the roll!

And that is it from me today! I hope you all have a wonderful day and do something today that makes you smile!

Top Ten Tuesday – Books That Provide a Much Needed Escape

On September 10, 2024September 8, 2024 By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized40 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

This week’s prompt is Books that Provide a Much Needed Escape. At first I wanted to interpret this as just comfort reads, then I realized that sometimes I need different escapes; sometimes I need the warm hug of a familiar, much loved book, sometimes I need an all-consuming thriller, and sometimes I need the solace of a nonfiction nature read.

Let me start with my comfort books. These are beloved books to me, that I have read over and over for one reason or another. Watership Down is my all time favorite book, the Little House series is just one that I have read almost every since I was a child. At Home in Mitford is just such a feel good book, full of good people, and Barbara Michaels – I don’t know what it is about her books but I have read them so much that my copies are literally falling apart.

The thrillers section. This part is more about the author and less about the book. These authors can just write books that completely engross me! And lucky me, I still have so many to read still from their backlist!

And finally, those nonfiction nature reads. I haven’t reached for one in a while, and while researching this post I realized I miss them. I feel like this winter I may be cuddling up with a few that I haven’t read yet.

John Lewis-Stempel is one of my favorites. I have read Meadowland quite a few times, and once I spent a month reading it out loud to Billy and Wyatt after dinner. (Wyatt wasn’t as excited about this as we were) The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating – this is probably one of my most recommended books, I tell everyone to read it. It is very scientific and you will learn a lot about snails, but I also felt there was something so peaceful to be found in its pages. World of Wonders spoke to my heart. I too believe our world is full of wonders and we need to approach them all with that childlike joy we used to. Finally, Braiding Sweetgrass was just such a journey with Kimmerer. Her words and writings are so gorgeous, and I love that she reads her own books for audio. I have read this and listened to it both, and I love the audio just a bit more.

And that is it for me this week! I can’t wait to see everyone else’s choices!

An Overly Ambitious Autumn TBR

On September 9, 2024September 5, 2024 By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized39 Comments

Hi everyone! I am so excited about autumn, but if you read here regularly then you probably already know that.

I of course have a loose plan of books I would like to read this fall. I say loose because I am terrible at sticking to a plan of reading. I might want to read something but then absolutely dislike it when I start it. Or I might simply just change my mind. I like to make a list yet give myself the freedom to walk away from it too. The best of both worlds!

September

I feel like I am already behind!

October

This is where it gets messy. I went with more cozy witchy or cozy paranormal romance with one horror this October and there are just so many that I want to read! I do have quite a few middle grade on this list though, so maybe just maybe I can read them all?

November

I want to sort of segue from spooky fall to comfy fall in my reading in November.

I also have a list of bonus books which I am sure I won’t get to but would like to read during the fall. There are just way too many books out there and not enough time!

Are any of these books on your TBR?

My Sunday-Monday Post

On September 8, 2024September 7, 2024 By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized33 Comments

My Sunday Post is hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer

Sunday Salon is hosted by Deb at Readerbuzz

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date

Hello everyone! Last week was a bit nutty at first, but ended very well. We had a very slow start to school, and I am not even calling it our first week. It was more like a practice run, although we did do a little bit of school work.

Read Last Week:

I felt like these two were the perfect transition books from summer to fall and spooky season. I really loved Every Time I Go on Vacation Someone Dies. I thought the narrator was so chatty and fun, and I just really enjoyed it. Haunting License sort of dragged for me a bit, but it was still cute.

Reading This Week:

I am going to start both of these, and we will see if I finish them both. I am thinking, probably not, but here’s hoping!

Posted Last Week:

Hello September!

Top Ten Tuesday – Books About Food (but not Cookbooks)

Book Reviews – A Few Mini Book Reviews

Comfy Cozy Cinema – What We Did on Our Holiday

Friday Morning Coffee Catch Up

Watching and Listening:

We have been watching the American Ghosts tv show, as well as The Great British Pottery Throw Down. We of course also watched our movie for Comfy Cozy Cinema, What We Did on Our Holiday. Tonight we are watching this week’s movie, The Great Exotic Marigold Hotel. I am looking forward to it!

As for YouTubers, Wyatt and I have been watching Liv of Liv’s Library, and Forgotten Way Farms, who is back from a few month hiatus. We also watched Desi of Darling Desi and Dainty Diaries, who had some very sad news to share. Tonight we will watch Morgan Long’s newest. Or maybe Randi Lynn Reed. It will be a tough call! Wyatt calls all these YouTubers our book ladies, and he is not wrong.

Listening wise, we are never too adventurous anymore. We have our favorites and sort of stick with them, which is why I don’t mention music too often here. Lord Huron, The National Parks are usually playing in the background if we have music on., unless we are in the car, where we listen to country. Lol. I did make an Autumn Playlist, and we have been listening to that too.

And that is about it from around here! How are you all doing?

Friday Morning Coffee Catch Up

On September 6, 2024 By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Coffee Catch UP, family, Michigan15 Comments

Hello everyone!! It is a rainy day here today, and I have to admit, it is making me feel all happy inside. I needed a rainy day. Wyatt and I are going to go slow this morning and then later on we are going to the museum to see the dinosaur exhibit before it is gone. When we get home, we are painting. It should be fun!

Where to begin? I will start with Billy’s medical procedure on Tuesday. It was a regular type thing that everyone gets at some point as they age, but it was the first time Billy had ever had anesthesia so it was freaking me out a little. They told me that they were only going to give him just enough for the short procedure, and that most people wake up immediately once back in the room. He spent the day before getting ready for this procedure (I am sure most of you can guess what this was at this point) and Wyatt and I kept busy doing other things which I will talk about next, and then we had to be at the hospital bright and early the next morning. I am all over the place, I apologize. I blame the fact that I am still drinking my first cup of coffee.

We were shown to Billy’s little room and they told me I could stay there while he was having his procedure done. I did take my embroidery with me, and so many nurses came in and looked at it while I was stitching. They all thought it was cute, and mentioned that they had been thinking of doing something like it. One nurse told me that she used to do it with her grandmother when she was little and would like to pick it back up. It was sort of neat how it was a conversation starter. And the anesthesiologist was right on – Billy started to wake up almost immediately when they rolled him back in. He was very groggy and doesn’t remember it but he was up (ish). We got a good report from the doctor and then we were on our way! Wyatt was with his grandma while we were gone and she reported that he did excellent as well – although he refused to eat or sleep while I was gone. So I need to work on that guys! We are just together so much. I don’t have many sitters available and then there is homeschool and his therapy anyway.. but we need to work on this.

So that was Tuesday. Let’s throw it back to the weekend. The Sunday before Labor Day we went to my brother’s for a fire, and it was such a relaxed night. Little Wild Child doesn’t give her parents a break though, she cracks me up. Mermaid Girl was a kid that would sit and color and play for hours in one spot – Wild Child never ever stops moving and running around and getting into everything. And she gives you the most mischievous smile as she does! She is funny. I did get her to sit down for a few minutes. She likes to put things into containers now (at that stage lol) and I took the game Qwirkle with me, which has a million little wooden tiles in a bag. So I dumped the bag and mesmerized her for a few minutes with them. Mermaid Girl was there too – she brought out a whole collection of cat stuffies and toys for me to view. It was cute.

On Monday, Wyatt and I went to Greenfield Village briefly. We were going to ride the train a few times and walk around but the bees and wasps were insane! I am not sure what the problem was but they were just swarming us it felt like. So we rode the train once around and then went to the gift shop instead – which Wyatt told me was his favorite part. Of course. Lol. I don’t even buy this kid stuff everywhere we go, so it is funny to me he likes to shop. He did pick out a sticker for his water bottle while we were there though this time and he was very happy with it.

Wednesday, Wyatt had therapy where he continued to do awesome, then in the evening we went to my mom’s senior apartment building because Elvis was in the house! My mom hasn’t been doing well with her mental health lately and it was nice to get her outside and doing something fun. And honestly, it was really fun. The impersonator did a great job and had many of the residents up and dancing. Wyatt was bopping along to the music, and even Billy and I were singing too. It was a wonderful evening to be outside too, perfect really. It was a nice night.

And now it is Friday! Pizza night! Field trip, art day. Tomorrow is game night and Sunday is when Billy and I watch our movies for Comfy Cozy Cinema – this week is the Great Exotic Marigold Hotel. We may have a few other surprises in store as well for the weekend, we shall see.

And that is that for today! I hope that whatever you do today, you do something that makes you smile!

Comfy Cozy Cinema – What We Did on Our Holiday

On September 5, 2024September 5, 2024 By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Comfy Cozy Cinema, Uncategorized10 Comments

Hello everyone!! I am so excited to embark on year 2 of Comfy Cozy Cinema watching with Lisa over at Boondock Ramblings. We had so much fun last year and this year will be even better, I can feel it in my bones. We each chose a few movies, which I love because it makes us watch movies we would maybe never watch on our own. Lisa was my introduction to Cary Grant and so many good movies and I would never have gotten around to them without our buddy watching.

The movie of the week this week is What We Did on Our Holiday, which is a dark comedy starring David Tennant, Rosamund Pike, and Billy Connolly. Rosamund Pike and David Tennant have three children, and are going through a contentious separation. They are always fighting it seems like, and according to the kids, always yelling at each other. Lottie, the oldest, seems to be particularly sensitive to the situation. However, they have to suck it up so that they can travel as a family to visit Doug’s (David Tennant) family in Scotland for Doug’s father’s birthday extravaganza. His father Gordie, played by the delightfully hilarious Billy Connolly, has terminal cancer, and Doug wants his own little family to keep quiet about the separation and divorce proceedings. His brother Gavin (played by Ben Miller who also played Billy’s favorite DI on Death in Paradise) is loaded and is hosting the lavish affair. He is also married and has a teenage son.

Doug and Abi (Pike) arrive with the kids in tow, and we immediately sense that Lottie and her grandfather have a special relationship. It was very sweet to watch, as she seemed like she didn’t have a family member she really fit with until seeing her with Gordie, who seemed to actually listen to her – and give her pretty good if not always the most prudent advice. Billy and I both decided that real life Billy Connolly would be an awesome grandfather to have. As Gordie he was spectacular and was one of those characters you would love to actually hang out with – maybe we just want to hang out with Billy Connolly.

There is an undercurrent of tension and dysfunction between all of the adults in this movie, except for Gordie. Abi, Doug, Gavin, and his wife Margaret all have their issues and also issues with each other, in the case of Doug and Gavin, who do not have the closest relationship.

And this is where the craziness and hijinks begin. To say anymore here would be to completely spoil the movie though and I don’t want to do that.

I thought this movie was so fun – however, there are some heavier moments in this movie that just come at you. Thank goodness the kids add some levity, and dare I say, outshone everyone else in this movie? There were a few times I literally laughed out loud at some of their lines. And of course, at Billy Connolly’s lines.

Billy and I both loved the scene where Gordie has all of his grandchildren in his old truck, and they are heading to the beach. He lets the kids drive, meaning Mickey can toot the horn, while Jess yelled out the window, and Lottie, who is a bit of an overthinker and rule follower, steers. He controls the pedals. It was just really cute, and he tells Lottie “to live more and think less” which is actually really good advice. What a fun moment that had to be even to film for those kids, and had that been real, a fun memory for kids with their grandfather. I remember my own grandfather lived on a mountaintop in Pennsylvania and he had a collection of old cars, like real old, Model T’s and Model A’s. He would take me down the mountain in those cars at breakneck speeds and it was terrifying but also so much fun!! I am sure my parents didn’t think so, but I will remember that feeling and those rides down the mountain forever.

I also loved the way Rosamund Pike dressed in the movie. Is she not seriously so beautiful? These outfits were that quiet elegance and so classic, yet also casual which was perfect for her character in the situations she was wearing them.

This is just a heartwarming movie, and includes vikings and food fights and fiddle playing and it was just a really good watch. I particularly loved the very ending scene!

I am looking forward to the next movie, which is another Lisa pick (actually the first couple are all hers, then some of mine, then they get mixed up together). We will be watching The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and posting about it on the 12th! Feel free to post with us, the linky for each movie will be up for a week starting on the day of posting.

And today’s linky is here! You can find our posts and post your own. If you don’t want to post and just want to comment and read along that is fine as well! Just get cozy at home and enjoy!