What I'm reading and watching!

Harry and I had a little spate of going to the show there for a few weeks - well, two movies isn't really a "spate" but for us maybe it is!

Anyway, Harry wanted to see Bridge of Spies, so off we went.  As you can see, it had Tom Hanks - and a cameo performance by Alan Alda, always a treat to see him - although he didn't crack any jokes!

It was a well-done film - the LA Times and the New Yorker agreed with us too!  That doesn't happen often!  It was pretty tense, well-acted, and had a lot of "feel good" moments too.

I'd say give it a look-see and tell me what you think!

Somehow the new Grisham novel got by me without any fanfare - I usually order it weeks ahead of time.  Saw a full page ad in the Times for the day it came out - and ordered it on Kindle.  

It's actually kind of a disconnected string of stories - they come together - except for the first one - it seems very random in fact - at the end.  Although it's vintage Grisham, it's not his best work.

It did keep me up late finishing it however!

Note:  Re-reading the blog for errors, I noted that I had reviewed the novel The Martian - upon checking, I had not - I only reviewed the movie.  The novel started slow for me - and actually ended slow until I started skipping all the scientific stuff!!  But it was a good read - didn't detract from the movie either - actually enhanced it for me.

So now I'm looking for book number 56!

What's entertaining these days!

I read The Martian a few weeks back, and reviewed it here too.  I'd heard there was a movie and had mixed feelings about seeing it.  But Harry wanted to see it, so we went last night.  It is a very entertaining movie - that is, it does what movies are supposed to do:  take you on an adventure to a different place!!

Matt Damon does a very credible job of portraying a man trapped on Mars, and the supporting cast seem well-chosen.  Much of the novel is left out, but movies and books are supposed to be different.  I'm not sure I'd tackle the book now that I've seen the movie, but I am glad I read it before.  There is much more detail in the book - not all of it entertaining but very informative.  And as I read, I kept imagining what it would look like on the silver screen.

Read it, see it.  Let me know what you think!

We visited the Grand Canyon last week - and had a wonderful time.  I was really taken with all the history and architecture there, so I got this book.  It is well-written and full of facts and figures that gave real life to what we saw.

Mary Colter designed a number of the buildings that still stand at the South Rim.  She was rare for her time - a working female architect who influenced an area and an era.  She also designed the lunchroom at Union Station in Los Angeles - that will be my next stop I think!!

A great long weekend!!

We are usually in a time constraint when we go to St. George for the marathon, but this time we weren't!  So we stopped to see my Uncle Peter in Mesquite - at the Virgin Valley Heritage Museum where he works!!  It was great to see him in his "natural habitat!!"

 

It was great to have Bonny and Team Bolander join us this year.  She and Harry ran/walked together.  It was a long haul, but she made it!!  (It was her first and Harry's 23rd marathon!)  It was about 10 degrees cooler than had been at first predicted, so we were all grateful!

 

Ara came down from Provo - so great to see her - and Bruce brought his bike so he could shadow the race for a bit - then he and Ara just followed along with the car.  I manned the finish line - and actually had enough time to listen to the first session of conference!!

 

So sad to leave everyone - didn't realize how much I missed Ara Grace!!

 

  

After watching the first session of conference, we left St. George for the Grand Canyon, South Rim.  We were able to listen to most of the second session except for patches where the signal went out - so we just pulled over and listened until it was over.

I had only ever been to the North Rim - and the South Rim is way better!  It was magnificent!!  We got caught in some rain, found shelter in a visitor's center, then headed back out.  We were rewarded for our diligence with an exquisite rainbow - that slowly morphed into a double rainbow!!  I'm pretty sure I've never before looked down at a rainbow!!  It was pretty spectacular.

 

The rain and the clouds and mists only added to the beauty.

Learned a lot about a female architect - one of the pioneers in her gender - who designed many of the buildings at the South Rim - Mary Elizabeth Jane Colter - this building was called The Lookout!!  Wonder why??  We saw lots and I bought two books - so watch for more than you ever wanted to know about the Grand Canyon in upcoming posts!!

We drove home about mid-morning on Tuesday - lots of rain by then - but a nice drive home - listening to Louis L'Amour's The Ferguson Rifle.  I am sold on driving with a Louis L'Amour novel - a little hackneyed but the plot's are compelling!!

Today we celebrated Deacon's second birthday with cake and candles - and he was one happy boy.  I'm not sure he has "birthday" figured out, but he was up for celebrating.

I also went out to Mom's to visit with Alice and also take her to the Flyaway.  I was sorry that her trip coincided mostly with our trip away - she is off to Korea for six months - I will miss her!!  But we are good correspondents!!