Sunday, August 29

Skipped my exercises this morning again, in favor of sleeping later. I needed the rest more than the exercise today.

Mother came over early to start a pot of autumn stew simmering. For the rest of the morning, she entertained herself with the Sunday newspaper and working puzzles, while I gathered laundry, programmed the DVR for this week's shows and movies, and played on my office computer. I enjoyed reading comments about the photos I submitted for a coffee table book. I got over 550 votes in just three days, and some of my snapshots are included in the "most popular" categories. None of this is enough to get my work into the book, but it sure has been fun communicating with other photographers and seeing their images.

The stew was delicious served with part of a loaf of yeast bread from the freezer. Mother went home after that, and Hubbie and I spent time cleaning shelves in the office.

I culled a stack of romance novels that Hubbie's cousin had given me years ago, but which I never read, because I'm not a real fan of the genre. I also discarded several self-help books. At my age, I'm probably too set in my ways to take advice from authors who probably know nothing more about how to should live life than I do.

We stored all of these books in a couple of the $2 totes we bought the other day. The totes will go to the storage building until the college or some other organization asks for book donations for a fundraiser. Clearing away these books left two shelves entirely free for better use.

Culling books made me want to choose one of the "keepers," curl up in a chair, and read. I renewed my vow to set aside one hour each evening to do just that.

Once we'd breathed dust and sneezed enough for one afternoon, Hubbie came down to relax in the den, and I sorted my swimsuit drawers. I tried on several old ones, setting aside those that I can wear a little longer with shorts over them, and discarded those that are hoplessly stretched out and threadbare.

After that, we sat down to watch the movie, "The Children of Huang Shi," a 2008, R-rated (for violence) film, starring Johathan Ryes Meyers, and Yun-Fat Chow. This movie is based on true events. In the 1930s, in war-torn China, George Hogg, an Englishman, leads sixty orphan boys to safety across the Liu Pan Shan Mountains, before they can be drafted as soldiers. Good movie.

This evening, we watched, "Mrs. Henderson Presents," a 2006, R-rated comedy-drama, starring Judi Dench and Bob Hoskins. In 1937 London, wealthy Mrs. Henderson (Dench) is widowed. Instead of leading a quiet life, she decides to entertain soldiers about to be sent into battle by producing an all-day musical variety show featuring nude women posed like portraits in a gallery, with their "midlands" discreetly obscured. Based on true events.