life with the furry and feathered crew

Brandi Carlile

Awesome voice - she can really belt out a song.  Great band too.  You can get her songs on iTunes.

The Sum of Us

I don't know why I haven't reviewed rental movies before.  The Sum of Us is a story of relationships, loyalty, and tolerance - but it is not heavy-handed.  Russell Crowe plays a gay guy in Sydney, Jack Thompson is his very cheeky dad, who pops in on Russell and his new boyfriend making out in the bedroom to enquire what the boyfriend wants for tea in the morning.  "Piss off dad!" is the reply he gets.  Dad gets his own girlfriend, who isn't so tolerant of the son.  Dad though is willing to forsake his own happiness because he can't and won't be ashamed of his son.  Unfortunately, Dad has a stroke and son has to take care of him.  It's not maudlin though because Dad is still pretty cheeky.  An excellent movie that showcases great talent.

After watching The Sum of Us, I thought of the interview with the screenwriters of Brokeback Mountain.  They had a bit of trouble finding actors for the cowboy roles because of the fear of stigma attached to playing a gay man.  Huh?  Russell Crowe wasn't apparently hurt as a result.  It also shows that we have a long way to go still to achieve true tolerance.

Sidetrip to casino

On our way home yesterday, we stopped at a casino.  Big gambling trip. 

We each started with $10, played the slots -- Terry managed to come away with $23.47 while I lost all mine. 

Jarah, a creature of habit

Most nights Terry gets in bed before me.  Jarah however waits until I get in bed before she jumps up on the bed and lies down on Terry.  Go figure. 

A Dog Year: 12 months, 4 dogs, and me

A perfect book for me.  Like the author, I first had a calm, big, loving dog - Terra - and then a very energetic and smart dog - Jarah.   His dog stories strike a sympathetic chord.  His premise - that the right dog comes along in your life at the right time - is one I believe whole heartedly.  Any dog that lands in his life is a lucky dog.  The first Border Collie that came into his life needed that luck.  Headstrong, willful and unloved in its previous home.  The second BC is more like Jarah, sweet, loving, smart and willing. He takes herding lessons, while we are agility nuts.  More similarities than differences.  Good book.  Good person.  Good dogs.  A perfect formula.

Obedient (sort of) Jarah

Today in obedience class, Jarah held a stay well, but it was supposed to be a SIT stay.  After about 20 sec or so, she would flop to the floor.  I'd return to her, lure her into a sit, move away.  20 sec later, flop to the floor and we'd repeat the scene.

Down stay was much better, as you might have guessed.  Except that several giggled at her lying on her side and then rolling onto her back.  Instead of the "down" position, it was more like the "dead" position. 

"Firewall"

The only saving grace of Firewall was Harrison Ford, who is on my list of hunks.  Other than that, I've seen this movie 4 or 5 times - some with Harrison Ford and more with Bruce Willis.  The plot, such as it was, involved Harrison Ford as a security expert at a bank in Seattle (lots of Seattle scenes).  He has a lovely, perfect family - a younger (of course) wife, and 2 precocious kids.  Would be modern day bank robbers kidnap his family to "convince" Harrison to co-operate.  So he does.  But then when his family is not released, he steals back the money, depriving the bad boys of their ill-gotten gain, and spectacularly saves his family.  There, now I've spoiled the ending for you.  Guess you won't need to see it after all.

Outrageous!

From a declassified document reported on by BBC news:

And, in a grand finale, the document recommends that the United States should seek the ability to "provide maximum control of the entire electromagnetic spectrum".

US forces should be able to "disrupt or destroy the full spectrum of globally emerging communications systems, sensors, and weapons systems dependent on the electromagnetic spectrum".

House concert

A local folk singer, Jean Mann, gave a private house concert at a friend's house.  She had a sweet voice and her accompaniest was stellar.  He played mandolin, slide guitar (I love slide guitar), guitar, and accordian.  I suspect that was only a small sample of instruments he actually could play. 

I've been to house concerts before - my neighbor in Canberra used to host various music school opera singers as a benefit for a local charity.  Even though opera is not my fave, just hearing the songs without all the pomp of a production is nice. 

Recent trip to Sequim

Sequim (pronounced "skwim") is in the rain shadow of the Olympics, except for the days we visited.  Although it rained - but not too hard - for most of the time we were there, only Jarah got really wet.  Something looked too inviting on the other side of a barbed wire fence, so she launched herself between the wires and into a marsh.  Up to her neck.  "OH!  This is wasn't what was supposed to happen."  What a surprised and panicky face she made.  Luckily, she extricated herself before Terry and I had to wade in to pull her out. 
(Pictures soon to be posted.)