Comfy Cozy Cinema: The Five Year Engagement

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized6 Comments

 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’s movie was The Five Year Engagement, starring Emily Blunt and Jason Segal.

So this one was my pick. I apologize. Lol. I don’t watch a lot of comedies, but I remembered this one took place partially in Ann Arbor, Michigan and that the soundtrack was all Van Morrison songs, which are two things I liked. I also remembered that professor’s house which was really cool. There is a Frank Lloyd Wright House in Ann Arbor, and now that I am writing this, I wonder if they used it for the movie. I however did not remember the humor or language all that well.

The synopsis: When a series of setbacks interfere with their wedding planning — and their lives — a couple starts to question their commitment to each other.

I mean and that is really it in a nutshell. Jason Segal (Tom) is an up and coming chef in San Francisco, and his girlfriend turned fiancée Emily Blunt ) Violet is a psych grad waiting for a doctorate program. She is waiting for Berkley, but then gets an offer from the University of Michigan, and this uproots their whole lives, despite Tom’s assurances that moving would not be a big deal for him.

I think the point of this movie is that Michigan sucks the life from you, and destroys all hope. It’s these gray skies man, I tell you!

No I am kidding. Although the Michigan parts were not super flattering I still found them funny because they are exaggerated truths, a caricature of Michiganders. The hunting season being a big deal, knitting, making homemade beer and mead and foraging. The crazy facial hair.

I live about 45 minutes from Ann Arbor, and it is the city where Wyatt’s hospital system, Michigan Medical (U of M) is located. We spend a lot of time in Ann Arbor, and it is a pretty cool town. It is very diverse, and you can find million dollar homes interspersed with frat houses and sorority houses and student housing. It has a lot of great restaurants and parks, with theaters and bookstores and in general, it is just pretty neat. It was cool to see places we recognized in the background, and of course the restaurant where Tom ends up working, Zingerman’s Deli, is pretty famous for their sandwiches around here.

This movie is pretty simple, but it has a great ending. I also love a scene where Violet and Tom are arguing, and Tom says he needs to be alone, and when Violet gets out of bed to sleep on the couch he tells her not to leave because he wants to be alone with her there. It is so something I would say.

Overall this movie is about the journeys a relationship can take, from the very high highs to the not so greats, and back again. With maybe some drifterish, serial killer facial hair, knitted tuxedos, and old stale doughnuts.

And I was “wright!” It is the Frank Lloyd Wright House!! According to the blog upstaged by design, it is known as The Palmer House (and you can rent it if you have the cash) and was built in 1950. They have lots of other neat trivia about the design and architecture in this movie on their blog, so it is worth a read to pop over there too! You all know I am sucker for the setting and details like that.

Again, I apologize. This movie was weird. I didn’t remember it too well and I should have watched it again before picking it. Lol. It was much raunchier than I remember!

Next up is The Young in Heart, starring Frank Sinatra.

Don’t forget to pop over to Lisa’s blog as well!

Mini Book Reviews: In the Company of Witches, Ghost Business, and Play Nice

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized7 Comments

I am making my way through my fall TBR and I am loving it. Why do I just save these books for fall? I love them all so much. I should read them all year!

First up, In the Company of Witches by Auralee Wallace.

Ivywood Hollow has a reputation for its calm, restorative atmosphere. This time of year, one could reliably expect upon entering its doors to be greeted with a fire, gently cracking in the hearth, soothing classical music playing in the background and divine scents emanating from the kitchen.”

In the Company of Witches is a perfect read for fall. It is cozy and warm, with atmosphere and quirky characters, witches and ghosts, and that quaint small town feel. I really enjoyed this book about Brynn, her eccentric aunts, and her haiku writing uncle Gideon. Oh and I can’t forget Dog and Faustus. This book feels like the beginning of fall and would be absolutely wonderful paired with a cup of hot chocolate. Just make sure Izzy hasn’t charmed it before drinking it. And the ending was so sweet and made me a little bit teary – and the author herself commented on my Instagram post, saying that it made her a bit teary as well!

“Nora’s garden was a sanctuary. There was no better word to describe it. Even though she had tended to it daily, it had a wild feel, lush and overgrown. It was a the type of place where you wanted to dance in the moonlight, trailing your fingers over flowers, or laze away a hot summer’s day listening to the wind rustle in the trees.”

Next, Ghost Business by Jen DeLuca

“Setting the place on fire anytime was a bad idea, but during a hurricane? That seemed especially negligent.”

Ghost Business by Jen DeLuca was one of my most anticipated reads of the season and it did not disappoint!! This book was fun, funny, adorable, and at times, vulnerable. Sophie and Tristan both run rival ghost tours in the same small town in Florida; Sophie has the hometown advantage, having lived there her whole life and knowing all the stories, yet Tristan is a natural showman with flair. This is definitely going to be my Friday book buy!

This enemies to lovers story is so endearing and I just loved both characters, along with the rest of the characters from the town, including Cassie and Nick from Haunted Ever After. While it takes place in Florida and during some very hot months, the ghost vibes make it perfect for a fall read – especially for where I live, with its unseasonably hot weather right now.

I also sort of love that I finished this on October 1, a very significant date in the book.
This is all small town charm, enemies to lovers, and Tristan is a bit of a cinnamon roll, my favorite. As for spice, there was some, but not super open door explicit. So maybe like a rating of red pepper flakes on pizza?

Definitely read this. Maybe have some red wine on hand, and plan on ordering a pizza!

And last but not least, Play Nice by Rachel Harrison.

“Darling, what other people think of me is none of my business.”

This was my first time reading a book by Rachel Harrison and oh my gosh did I love this book. I could not stop reading it, much like Clio could not stop reading her book, in the book. 😂 Clio is a feisty fireball, all about appearance and being seen, her image, and snarky, quick witted repartee. She is also a bit of a brat. She knows it and owns it. That is until she is up against her past and things she can’t see – or maybe unsee.

I feel like that is a big theme in this book. Appearances, how we are seen, how we are perceived, what it means. I sort of loved how the author explored this idea through Clio’s job, through her mom’s book, through her sisters. It was really well done, especially as the main plot of this book was about a haunted house.

I loved every character in this book despite all of them being flawed, the story, and the look at how women are treated as well, when they may have issues. “The world will drive a woman insane, then point and laugh at them “

This book was funny, scary, and ultimately a five star read. 😈

I am linking up with the monthly book link up I co-host with Lisa at Boondock Ramblings, A Good Book and a Cup of Tea.

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

Sunday/Monday Post!

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized7 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!! We have been very busy socially this month so far! Lol. I think we are making up for our “lost summer” due to Wyatt’s surgery and recovery. We have been having a good time but this mom is getting tired! Lol. This weekend we visited a “haunted bookstore” for some shopping, spent Saturday creating Halloween decorations, then going to an outdoor movie at my brother’s, then yesterday our Blackbirds went on a nature walk and “insect encounter” on Belle Isle, then Wyatt, Billy, and I went to the Detroit Zoo Boo. Phew. I am so ready … for our busy week. Wyatt is having a great time though so it is worth it.

What I Read:

I read Play Nice by Rachel Harrison and Ghost Business by Jen DeLuca. I really loved both of them!! Play Nice was scarier, while Ghost Business was just like a cozy little romance. It is not set in the fall really, but had enough of a vibe that made it fun spooky. Plus it fit this unseasonably hot weather we are having here. One more day, and it seems like we will have better temps.

Reading This Week:

I recently read In the Company of Witches by Auralee Wallace and I loved it, so I am looking forward to Late Night Witches. And hopefully by the time I get to Falling Like Leaves, we will have some actual Michigan fall weather around here!

Posted Last Week:

The Gilmore Girls Episodes That I Love to Rewatch

Hello October!

Comfy Cozy Cinema: A Knight’s Tale

Friday Morning Coffee Catch Up

What We Are Watching:

We are watching along with our Comfy Cozy Cinema, that I am co-hosting with Lisa from Boondock Ramblings. We just watched A Knight’s Tale, and this week we are watching The Five Year Engagement, which I picked for the humorous depiction of Michigan. It is more than just the little jokes about Michigan though, and I hope you all enjoy it if you watch along!

We are also watching the cartoon Haunted Hotel, and we restarted Twin Peaks. I LOVED Twin Peaks as a teen and wanted to be Audrey Horne. I still want to be Audrey Horne, maybe. Billy and I were watching and can’t get over how much we still love it, and we both agreed I have been chasing that aesthetic my whole life. It is so weird and creepy and sad but it is so good. Very Lynch.

And that is it from me this morning! I have an eye appointment soon and I should probably get ready! I hope that whatever you do today, you do something that makes you smile.

Friday Morning Coffee Catch Up

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized12 Comments

Hello everyone! After a few hot weeks after a false fall, we had a cool night last night. There was an actual chill in the air, and it was glorious. We stayed outside until the fairy lights came on then headed inside where we made sure all the windows were open. This morning I was practically freezing making coffee in my kitchen! I of course loved it before retreating back to my bed with my hot cup of coffee. It is cooling on my nightstand as I type!

We have been having a good time around here – in school, and out of school. Last weekend we woke up and headed down to Toledo early on Saturday morning to meet my cousin and his family at the Muddy Maumee Book Festival. Well, we really met Mike’s wife Michelle, and their three boys, because Mike was working there. With Wyatt added, there was big boy energy happening! My cousin Mike is the Chief Engagement and Enterprise Officer (a title I just looked up because I knew he was some sort of administrator there but I didn’t know what) and I am so proud of him. Anyway, we will get back to that part in a minute. Let’s start with the book festival.

The festival was all independent authors from around the area – some even as far away as Grand Haven Michigan and southern Indiana! This was the first year that it was held at the Glass City Riverwalk in Toledo, which seemed like a perfect place to have it. They all had their books on display, and were happy to answer any questions the kids had. My cousin’s oldest boy is also a bookworm and asked the authors great questions about the books. Michelle and I were lucky to get out of there with only a few purchases each! Billy ordered a set of dragon books for Wyatt from Ryan Null, a clean fantasy author based out of Indiana, called The Flare Chronicles, and I picked up a book for myself from Michigan author Mark Love, who writes romance! I bought an early copy of a collection of short stories by various authors, including Love, called Inkspell’s Enchanted Holidays. After we shopped and chatted and I gathered bookmark business cards from every author, we had a nice lunch at the restaurant there, called The Garden by Poco Piatti. They had the best pizza, seriously.

After we ate, my cousin gave us a guided tour (using an 8 person golf cart which Wyatt thought was awesome) around Glass City. We hit all the major attractions of this 70 acre park. It has a 7 mile loop around the river with a 1,000 foot long trail (The Ribbon) for ice skating in the winter – and they even provide skating sleds for the disabled community, and cute little huts for fires and s’mores and whatever when you need a break, which you can reserve. We saw it all – the mural, the field of histories, which was my favorite. They are a field of glass orbs, and each one has a laser engraved image from a member of the Toledo community, that relates to their own personal history. Then each one has a code that can be looked up online to read more about the object. It is really well done and intricate, and ties it personally to the area. I absolutely loved it. History and art and community connection!! We saw the slag ladles, which is something Billy and I are familiar with living in an area with lots of steel mills, the kayaking cove and even some sites that are soon to come, such as a place to camp! It was really amazing, and for some reason I never put it together that it is called the Glass city because of all the glass manufacturing that happens/happened there, by companies like Libby and Corning.

We had a great time and headed happily home, full of books and history and moments with family.

Billy and I were having a big day Saturday, because we also went on our first date in like a year. I had bought tickets for an Edgar Allan Poe speakeasy all the way back in August and the day had come! Billy’s mom came over to watch Wyatt for us, and we made our way to another big city on the river, this one north – Detroit, of course.

So, this event was four readings from Poe, each one preceded by a drink pertaining to that reading. It was amazing. It was run by just six people, from start to finish, the drinks, the serving of the drinks, the readings, and it was all done so smoothly. When you get there, you are directed to a waiting room, that has drinks and just a few snacks, and tables. My cousin had been to this performance a few days before, and tipped me off that you can wait in line at about fifteen minutes to start, which we did. When they opened their doors five minutes later, we were among the first to find our seats – center stage, second row. Perfection. Then there is the intro, the first drink was served, and the first performance began. And that continued for the next 90 minutes. I did not drink all of my four drinks, I would have fallen over or died or something. So I drank about a quarter of each drink, so that I could taste it and enjoy it but still have the ability to watch the performance, try the other drinks, and not be a puddle on the floor when it ended. No need to get all messy. The performers did a phenomenal job setting the mood and atmosphere, and delivered a magical performance. I was spellbound! They did readings from The Pit and the Pendulum, The Fall of the House of Usher, Annabel Lee (I love it!) and Cask of Amontillado. It is hard to pick my favorite, so I won’t!

Sunday we spent just relaxing and resetting for the week, which I greatly needed. Then most of this week we spent schooling, therapy, and other just life things, except for Tuesday. Tuesday we met my brother and the Hurricane at the Henry Ford Museum. We had a great time, walking around, hanging out with the kids, putting Wyatt’s little flat George Washington places, until it happened. Wyatt threw up. He still occasionally has nausea from his meds and it got him on Tuesday. He threw up however, right in front of the lunch counter where I was paying, in a restaurant with a bunch of people eating. It was one of those horrid moments, where you feel terrible for your kid but also want the floor to swallow you up. My brother was there thankfully to lend a hand, cleaning Wyatt up for me so I could clean myself up, as I took the brunt of it and then I took my kiddo home. He napped for about 30 minutes and woke up perfectly fine. It was just not a great meds morning. We are having a redo next week, when we go to a different museum with Devin and Hurricane girl.

And Marsha, those pumpkins made me think of you!

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

Comfy Cozy Cinema: A Knight’s Tale

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

 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’s feature is A Knight’s Tale!

When Lisa told me her list of movies and I read this one on it, I was so excited. I love this movie so much! Billy and I have watched it countless times over the years, it is just such a fun movie!

First though, let me just say had he lived, I think Heath Ledger would have done such big things. He was already on his way, and had been in so many movies with so many amazing performances. Rest in Peace Heath.

This movie as summarized by Rotten Tomatoes: “Peasant-born William Thatcher (Heath Ledger) begins a quest to change his stars, win the heart of an exceedingly fair maiden (Shanynn Sossamon) and rock his medieval world. With the help of friends (Mark Addy, Paul Bettany, Alan Tudyk), he faces the ultimate test of medieval gallantry — tournament jousting — and tries to discover if he has the mettle to become a legend.”

“He’s blonde! He’s pissed! He’ll see you in the lists – Liechtenstein!”

Heath Ledger plays William Thatcher, who upon the death of the knight he was page for, assumes the role of a knight himself, with the very fun moniker of Sir Ulrich von Liechtenstein – which is highly entertaining to hear Paul Bettany, in his role as Chaucer, say. I remember being all nerdily excited about the whole Chaucer and Knight’s Tale when this came out. Lol.

William slowly begins to be a force to be reckoned with, and he collects his own court of misfits along the way. Kate the blacksmith, who I love, Paul Bettany as Chaucer who really did add so much excitement and build up to the jousts and the movie itself, Mark Addy as Roland, a more down to earth, sensible character within the coterie, and Alan Tudyk as Wat, who is fabulously funny in everything he is in. They are like a little medieval found family, and I love it.

There is of course romance, with William courting Lady Jocelyn, played by Shannyn Sossaman. (whatever happened to her?)

However, the best part of this movie is the music. I loved this era of introducing modern music into different eras, like all of Baz Luhrman’s Romeo and Juliet and Moulin Rouge, and of course Knight’s Tale (not Luhrman, A Knight’s Tale was directed by Brian Helgeland). Them dancing to David Bowie was the best! It never fails to make me smile and bop along.

We of course have to have a villain, and Rufus Sewell as Count Adhemar was brilliant. You seriously hated him. Billy and I still like to deliver his line “You have been weighed, you have been measured, and you have been found wanting” about certain things (not each other obviously). Sewell was so scheming and scathing, and smug, and just….creepy. He was sooo good at playing the bad guy.

But the best part of this movie was William Thatcher visiting his father. It brought a tear to my eyes, honestly. And that is another thing Billy and I say to each other as well, when we need a little inspiring – we tell each other we need to change our stars, just like William.

And that is what this movie is about deep down isn’t it? Once you remove the dance numbers and music and silliness, it is about hope and believing in yourself and believing things can change. And if you need something that makes you smile, makes you laugh, and gives you hope right now, A Knight’s Tale is the perfect movie for all of those.

And that is it from me today! Stay tuned – next week we are watching and talking about The Five Year Engagement!

Pop on over to Lisa’s post too! You can find it here! Today is Little Miss’s birthday so it will probably be up a little later!

Hello October!

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized12 Comments

Hello October!! You had better bring cooler temps because September was confused about what fall means! I am so ready for my hoodies and overalls and sweaters and this weather has not been participating in fall.

October, October. Probably one of my favorite months. I love Halloween! I have always loved Halloween, even the years I got strep throat and had to miss trick or treating. Because for me it wasn’t necessarily about the trick or treating, it was the build up. The fun cartoon movies that we watched. Our family trip to the orchard with all of my cousins, and then following it up with chili at my aunt’s house where we all carved our pumpkins together. Picking my costume and my parents making it. I was a cat once, a Scottish dancer, Scooby Doo (my mom hand sewed the most awesome costume for this), Minnie Mouse. Batgirl, that was another great one. We had so many traditions, and that is something I have tried to form with Wyatt as well. These family traditions. My cousin Brian and Devin (my brother) have this same feeling of nostalgia, and now Brian hosts family get togethers during the school year, and all of our kids play together, or make things together and I love it.

Trick or treating with Devin and Mermaid Girl and now the Hurricane in their neighborhood feels like the 80s. The streets are packed with kids, the homeowners are out in front of their homes passing out candy, and the houses are highly decorated, and the feeling is just so cheerful and full of community. Our own little Stars Hollow moment, I guess! There are fires (contained fires of course, not the Detroit Devil’s Night fires from the 80s and 90s) and the mood is high. I should really change Mermaid Girl’s nickname on here, she is no longer into mermaids and hasn’t been for a long time, she is more KPop girl now and has been for some time, but she is staying Mermaid Girl.

We have so many fun things lined up for the month! We have the Detroit Zoo Boo, an orchard outing (or two), our Blackbirds field trip to Belle Isle, our Blackbirds Spooky Not Spooky party, of course cousin Brian’s get together for the kids, and a Halloween bonfire at the farm with Blackbirds as well.

As for myself, I am looking forward to all the spooky books, apple ciders, bonfires, and doughnuts. Because I do love a doughnut. I am planning a few extra things for the season as well, for our family but I am still in the planning process so hopefully I can get them done! And I am also really looking forward to Lisa at Boondock Rambling and my Comfy Cozy Cinema, and our crafternoons. (I have info linked at the top of my blog if you are interested!) I have picked my embroidery back up and am stitching away now at night while we watch our shows and movies. And my stepmom gave me materials to play with jewelry making, but maybe I am not creative enough or something because I can’t figure it out. However, Cat who attends crafternoons is a jewelry maker so perhaps I will try when we are zooming together and get some tips….

We had a jam packed September. I think we were making up for our lost summer! I feel like October will be the same, and then I can relax into November.

And that is it from me today! I hope that whatever you do today, you do something that makes you smile!

Gilmore Girls: The Episodes that I Love to Rewatch

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized9 Comments

Sigh. Gilmore Girls. One of my favorite shows back in the day. I loved everything. I loved Lorelai and Rory, I loved that Rory loved to read as much as I did, I loved Stars Hollow and the small town quirkiness, the community involvement, the festivals and events, their love of coffee, and of course, Luke. I like to discuss which of Rory’s boyfriends was the best – and it is Jess obviously. I love Lane and her love of music and it was so awesome when Sebastian Bach was in her band. I love Paris. I love Sookie and Jackson. I could go on and on. And yes, fall is Gilmore Girls season, we can chug coffee and eat Chinese food and watch old movies, and dream that we are just living in the early 2000s again. Was life simpler then, or was it just that I was younger?

I don’t however watch the entire series all over again every year. I have watched it so many times, that I just don’t want to watch it all over again, again. I will however, let it play in the background as I am doing other things, and if I sit down to intentionally imbibe an episode for relaxation, I have some favorite episodes that I choose to watch. And that is the focus of this post. My favorite episodes.

I am not putting these in any particular order, although they may fall into order by season. We will see how this shakes out.

Season 1, Ep. 8: Love and War and Snow: I usually save this one for the cusp of winter for obvious reasons. This is the episode where Lorelai famously says that she smells snow, enthusiastically. And I totally feel her in this episode. I too enjoy walking around rhapsodically in the snow, the more snow the better! (as long as no one has to drive in it) In this episode Rory stays the night at her grandparent’s due to the blizzard, and Lorelai is unexpectedly alone. Until she runs into Max Medina, Rory’s teacher. And we all know where that goes (and not that far, jeez guys). Why I love this episode: The snow and joy of snow

Season 2, Episode 10: The Bracebridge Dinner: This is probably one of my very favorites. I love this whole idea, of this very niche themed dinner, the snow, everyone staying at the Inn, the horse-drawn sleigh rides. Why I love it: Everything!

Season 2, Episode 13: A Tisket, A Tasket: In this episode, the women folks make up picnic baskets and the men bid on them. When they win a basket, they get to eat the food with the woman who made it. (They also did this on Hart of Dixie and I loved that episode too) Pretty sexist but I still loved it. It was just a fun episode and Jackson and Sookie were so cute in it. Of course there are the tv twists, like Jess outbidding Dean for Rory’s basket (lol take that Dean!) and Lorelai and Luke have a picnic together too. Why I Love It: This falls into my small town cute community things love.

Season 3, Episode 7: They Shoot Gilmores, Don’t They? The Dance Marathon episode!!! How can anyone not like this episode? The costumes, the idea, the excitement, the nostalgia, and ooo the tension between Rory and Dean and Jess! Why I love it: All of it.

Season 3, Episode 9: A Deep-Fried Korean Thanksgiving: Two words. Dave Rygalski. I was just so happy for Lane in this episode, with her Dave Rygalski pretending to be a Christian guitarist so he could be at their Thanksgiving. It was just so cute and teenagery. I also loved\ Kirk and cat Kirk.

Season 4 Episode 14: Girls in Bikins, Boys Doin the Twist: This episode cracks me up and gives me anxiety. I never went on spring break in college. Not my scene. And that is my favorite part of this episode, when Rory and Paris give up trying to have the “normal” spring break experience and just are like we are nerds, let’s watch The Power of Myth. It’s good to know who you are and if you like to stay home and read and watch movies and eat pizza, then I want to be your friend. What I Love: Rory and Paris becoming better friends, how they nope out of spring break.

Season 5, Episode 7: You Jump, I Jump, Jack: Ok we all knew this iconic episode would be on here. It has the big scene with Rory jumping off of a tower with an umbrella. I love the setup of this party though. I mean obviously this is put on by the richy rich members of the Life and Death Brigade, so it is fancy pantsy. But I want to go to this party, minus Logan. Ugh I hated Logan!! His smugness, his just everything, his attitude just smacked of privilege and he was repulsive. However, he can throw a good party. In Omnia Paratus! : What I loved: the look of this party! All these white tents, candles, tables in the forest. Just so otherworldly and pretty.

Season 7 Episode 9: Knit, People, Knit!: I think we all know by now I love a theme. So of course I love this episode where the town gets together to knit to save the Old Muddy River Bridge. I am going to be honest, the last few seasons of The Gilmore Girls are not my favorites. Rory is insufferable, Lorelai never learns, Logan sucks, Dean sucks, I miss Jess. The only thing I really like about them is the slightest introduction of Sherrilyn Fenn’s character as Luke’s baby mama of the daughter he didn’t know that he had. I love Sherrilyn Fenn, I wanted to be her as Audrey Horne. Anyway, I liked seeing the ol’ Stars Hollows energy in this episode.

And that is it! Are you a fan of Gilmore Girls? Are you Team Dean, Jess, or Logan? Team Luke, Jason, Christopher, Max? Who is your favorite townie? (Kirk)

I hope that whatever you do today you do something that makes you happy – and I hope that you find that perfect cup of coffee, that perfect book, that perfect movie if that is what you need today.

Friday Morning Coffee Catch Up

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized10 Comments

Hello everyone!! We have been busy around here lately – a weekend full of fun events and then a week of appointments.

Let’s start with the blah. Wyatt had an extra therapy appointment, so we had three trips to his therapy this week. Then I had my regular routine bloodwork appointment that we all have to get, and then I also had my mammogram this morning. I scheduled it super early in the morning so that I could get it done before Billy had to go to work, and it was super eerie out when I left. Pitch black and quiet. I was the only patient in the building. It was a weird feeling but it was a very quick appointment! I even got my results already – I’m good. I had put off all of my regular appointments for Wyatt’s surgery and recovery, so I now have to catch up on them. Yuck. I go to the eye doctor soon, but I am excited about that one. I am ready for some new glasses!

It was nice heading into this super busy week off of a really awesome weekend. On Saturday, Billy and I took Wyatt out on our first big family adventure post-surgery. We drove down to Ohio to visit some of the marshes there, and did a little hiking on the trails. We were only about an hour from home, and it was nice to be in nature again. I really needed that! We heard so many birds, and we saw a mink dart across the trail! The water levels were really low – you could tell that our area has been in a drought.

We went to two different state parks, located literally right next to each other, Magee Marsh and Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge. Both had fantastic visitors centers, nice trails, including a driving tour, and to Wyatt’s delight, a gift shop.

Sunday was another busy day! We had our Blackbirds outing to the Detroit Tigers game, and it was such a blast. We didn’t go for the whole game, but arrived during the fifth inning. I knew Wyatt would not make it through the entire thing, and a few of the other families from our group did the same. The wheelchair area was only about 3 rows up from where our group was sitting so it was nice, we felt like we really were there all together. It was a beautiful day, not too hot, although it did rain briefly! Instead of fighting to get back up to the main concourse with Wyatt we just plopped a poncho over him and waited it out. He loved being in the rain. Everyone else in the lower section where we were had headed up and it was funny to see the rows so empty!

One of the mothers from our group has a niece that works for the Tigers and is in charge of the kids events. On Sundays, kids can run the bases after the game. Well, our group had it one step better. We got to go down before the rest of the kids in the stadium, take the special elevators down that the players’ families use, and we were on the field before basically alone. We were there while the players and their kids ran the bases, and then we got to go! It was so crazy being five feet from the players while we waited our turn. Even the parents were excited. The kids were all pretty pumped, even though they were a little nervous too. They usually only allow the kids to go, but for our group they allowed Billy to go with Wyatt, and then Chrissy to run with the little hurricane girl. Then afterwards, Billy, Wyatt, and I got a security escort back to the elevators with someone clearing the way for us through the crowd. It was such a great experience.

I am so grateful that our kids had this opportunity!!

We also started to decorate for fall and Halloween. Wyatt and I flipped on some fall ambience video on YouTube and found places for our decorations. (well, mostly me) We still have some to put out but we made a good start. I really love my dresser right now. It looks all fall and has a collection of books that I hope to read this autumn. It is up to ten books. Lol.

And that is it for today!!

I will leave you with some random photos from the past week.

And with that, I am out. It was an early morning and I am going to finish this coffee and maybe try to read a bit.

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

Comfy Cozy Cinema: Benny & Joon

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized11 Comments

 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 feature, and first of the season, is Benny & Joon!

I was a 90s teen/early adult and somehow I never saw this movie. Even though I had a huge thing for Johnny Depp back then. Somehow, I just never watched it. I am so glad that Lisa chose this one so I could rectify that wrong!

The quick synopsis from Netflix: “Benny is the overprotective caretaker of his mentally ill but artistically talented sister, Joon, who falls in love with an eccentric comedian.”

Benny has been the caregiver for Joon for twelve years, not all of them smooth judging by the sound of how quickly they go through housekeepers aka Joon minders, but it is working, at least on the surface. They are surviving, but not necessarily thriving. Benny spends his days at work and coming home and taking care of Joon, which basically means keeping her company and keeping her safe. Joon spends her days painting and reading for the most part, but she does have a tendency to wander unsafely and start fires.

Her mental illness in the movie is undefined, and unlabeled. I read online that that was something that was done on purpose, to represent and appeal to a broader audience, but her symptoms seem to indicate that she is schizophrenic. She has emotional outbursts that can be violent, throwing things, etc, hears voices, can possibly self-harm. After they lose their latest housekeeper, Benny has a conversation with Joon’s psychologist who indicates that Joon might be better off in a group home. Not because she is unmanageable, but because she might learn different ways to deal with some of her challenges that Benny is unaware of. Basically, the gist is that both Benny and Joon could use some changes in order to live their best lives.

When Sam (Johnny Depp) enters their lives in a very non-conventional way, things begin to change. He is also a quirky character, and serves as a bridge between Benny’s world and Joon’s. I actually spent a good deal of the movie trying to decide if he was also diagnosed neurodivergent, although it wasn’t ever said. Regardless, he was talented at slapstick, Buster Keaton style comedy, a great housekeeper, and he “got” Joon.

Of course there is a tension and drama and misunderstandings, but you will have to watch to see.

I really enjoyed this movie. I somehow missed how good looking Aidan Quinn was in the 90s. And Johnny Depp and Julianne Moore look like such babies in this movie! Really they all do, Aidan Quinn and Mary Stuart Masterson, Oliver Platt. Sigh. Weren’t the 90s just like the other day?

Johnny Depp did a great job with the physical comedy in this movie. His acting otherwise was sort of all about with his eyes. Like he was just trying to emote the whole movie with them. Staring and trying to communicate with a look. This was the beginning of his career, and I could see where he was testing out new waters. Lots of this face though. This was probably due to the Buster Keaton mien he was embodying, as Keaton was known for his blank, stoic, deadpan faces. I did like when Joon compared him to Boo Radley though. I think Johnny Depp just didn’t have quite the stone face quality, although he tried. He is just too pretty and he looked like a sad little puppy. (that I just want to hug)

I also really liked the hard working, midwestern feel to this movie. It just felt very familiar and homey. Oh that reminds me -their house! I could not get over that house. It was amazing. I am all about a good setting and it was so full of character and charm, with big windows open to the outside, and rooms full of color and plants and paint and art and odd bits.

Overall, I really enjoyed this whole movie. I think everyone did a wonderful job capturing these characters, breathing life into what could have been a story that was predictable and flat.

Have you seen this movie? Feel free to share your thoughts here or link up! And be sure to stop by Lisa’s post as well!

Our next movie is: A Knight’s Tale. Another Lisa pick and one of my favorite comedies.

Black Cats Gift Guide!

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized13 Comments

Hello everyone!! It’s the time of year we are surrounded by images of black cats for Halloween, and I wanted to pay homage to these cuties! I love black cats, and I know I mentioned this in another post, that they are the least likely cats to be adopted. They are overlooked in shelters and rescues, as their more colorful cat companions usually stand out. And there is also the whole black cat superstitious thing too. I know that the whole Halloween association doesn’t help either, which is why I want to celebrate these beautiful cats, for who they are, and that is not as bad luck, but cuddly cats just like all the rest of the cats out there. I have read that in Scotland, a strange black cat arriving at your doorstep is considered lucky, and in Japan, they are seen as good luck and attract wealth.

I am an animal person, and I often buy animal themed things for my house. I am just like that. And it seems like these artists on Etsy feel the same way!

This post contains Etsy Affiliate links. If you were to purchase an item through these links, I would receive a small commission that I use to help purchase items for Wyatt. If you were to purchase anything through this post, I will also donate a percentage to my local animal shelter where I used to volunteer.

Black Cat Energy Tee – This tee is from Ellie Threads Co., located in South Carolina and it 100% made me laugh. It is so cute and honestly I think I need it.

This little peeking black cat mug is adorable, isn’t it! It is from Penarth Ceramics, located in Penarth, UK. I have a huge love of handmade mugs (and just mugs, let’s be honest) and I think this one is just so fun.

Can you imagine any better bookends to hold up your cat themed books? I know I have a bunch of translated fiction books with cats on the cover. These 3D printed black cat bookends are purrfect. They are made by Diggity3D, located in Georgia.

This first print is a linocut, and I love linocut. I actually just purchased a tee that has a linocut rabbit on it, from Etsy actually. The colors in this one, and the expression on that little face is just priceless. Although this is $14.00 and available from ArtLuxBoulevard.

And this little cutie is a mini oil painting, the perfect size to slip onto a bookcase. I always think it would be so hard to paint such small little things, and this is lovely. This little bookish cat is made by OilAura.

I love folk art and pottery, and I am in love with almost everything in this shop, the MagicGardenCeramics shop. This plate is so pretty!!

Ok. So I know I said the black cat Halloween association doesn’t help their image but it is totally iconic. And this mug that is a of a bat black cat has been on my wish list for a long long time. I love BreadandBadger although they are out of my price range. The price is totally warranted, as this is hard work and takes a lot of talent and time, so I am not complaining about the price – just saying that it would definitely be a splurge piece for me!

These tiny little clay cats are called luck cats, and I loved that spin on the whole bad luck myth. They are so wee and sparkly!

And finally, this beautiful linocut piece. I am in love with it. It is from the shop Society of Cranes located in North Carolina. I may need to get this one and hang it…somewhere. I can find a spot!

Now, if you need something more Halloween or fall minded, check out these suggestions from Etsy!

Do you have any cats? I would love to hear about them!