Death Comes to Pemberley by P.D. James

Been bitten by the Jane Austen bug

It’s never wrong to have tea and to read Jane Austen, it doesn't matter where you are or what time of the day it is. Tea is always a good idea and so is Jane Austen. Or maybe that just me, I can’t think of a time when I would say no to a cup of tea, you might say no to reading because you’re tired but you get the point.
I was listening to this podcast and they were talking about “Pride and Prejudice” and it was a guy that said he read it in pool halls in Nashville smoking cigars and drinking scotch. That would be fun to see, I can picture that, sounds like a scene in a movie. If I saw someone reading in a smoky pool hall and drinking I would not think he was reading Jane Austen.
They were also saying that “Pride and Prejudice” was having some problems getting translated back in the day and just like Sarah said much of the charm is in the language and it should be read in English if you can.
Cultural difference also got in the way. The Italians didn't get “Pride and Prejudice” or Mr. Darcy, “My feelings will not be repressed.” Apparently the Italian didn't understand why he would repress his feelings in the first place.
I have two library books that I should read but I want to read Austen so maybe I will read three books at the same time, what could possibly go wrong?

Happy Easter

Happy Easter everyone, it might not have been the best Easter for my great great grandmother though. I might be "getting my hopes up" but, I could be related to a woman accused of riding a cow to Blåkulla. Blåkulla is where witches went to celebrate the Witch Sabbath with the Devil. I have to start checking for facts... I won't mind having a witch in the family, knock on wood. But if that story is true I could also have Finnish blood in me.

Genealogy only sets you up for disappointment. You want to be related to cool historical people but in the end it's a bunch of farmhands and maids and you feel, "But I am too cool for that, surely there's a pirate in there somewhere. Or a Russian spy..." but there isn't. I am the result of a long line of farmhands and maids and a few of them born out of wedlock.

At least someone is still enjoying the snow...

Weird Science

What have I been up to, well I am having an 80’s movie marathon and I’m trying to watch some 80’s movies that I missed during my childhood. 

Name: Weird Science

Year: 1985

Country: America

Tea: Söderblandning, milk on the side because that’s how I like it

Snack: None

Expectations: 80’s fashion. I want to see pink, spandex and headbands. Some great hair and by great I mean big. It would also be nice with some 80’s music.

The movie does not disappoint, it’s so 80’s I want to get a pair of Reeboks and some tube socks. Oh and lots and lots of hairspray, rough and blue eye shadow! I was too young to wear makeup in the 80’s so I can make up for it now.

Don’t get the wrong, the movie is ridiculous but in an 80’s way so that’s okay. For some reason I kind of believe that these two guy can create a woman with a computer, a Barbie doll and this storm that shows up just because they need one. 80’s computers are the best computers.

Best part of the movie: All things 80’s, the fun dialog and an awkward looking Robert Downy Jr. 

I haven't been here for 3 years, I'm surprised I remember the login... I feel like deleting every embarrassing post but I won't. Maybe I should give this another try...

1. Yes
2. No
3. I don't care

This black thing is very depressing, I need to learn how everything works around here and change that if I'm going to spend time here again.

Red

Saw some wonderful stills from upcoming Red with Helen Mirren (and a whole bunch of other people) and I have to put it on my To-Watch list. Looks nice and I love Helen so I have to watch it. I like when I see movies with real actors and not just some busty girl who happens to be flavor of the month.

Way hotter that the silly plastic women of young Hollywood.

Love the dress she's wearing.

Heat…

It’s too darn hot for me… apparently yesterday was the hottest day in Sweden since 1994. I have been in bed a few days with headache and nausea. Today I bought myself a fan, I love my fan (but my mom said something silly, “You can get neck-pain from being too close to a fan” and I do have a little sore neck now, probably just my imagination). I trying to deal with the heat by drinking a lot of water and taking cool showers (but that makes me feel a little guilty because I’m wasting a lot of water).

Last time I check the temperature it was 33C outside. Too darn warm but I have to get out to the greenhouse and water the veggies, and the potatoes.

Any tips on coping with heat?

The Wolfman

I have not been watching all that many movies lately, and my horror movie challenge is… well I stared watching “Körkarlen” and it’s really boring so the whole thing is on ice at the moment, maybe I have to change that movie to something else…

Anyway… haven’t seen the original “The Wolf Man” but I did read a script for the one with Benico and I really really hope it was an early draft that has been changed A LOT because it was sort of crap. Oh and I don’t like when they toss in real characters in movies and it seems like Inspector Abberline is in the movie. Why? Is there a reason? I remember when I read the script and it said “London 1888” and went, “Okay, so that means Jack the Ripper will appear…” and he did...

When I read the script some parts had a “Sleepy Hollow” vibe about them and it turns out that Andrew Kevin Walker has been working on this script as well.

Oh, I have to go and make some more tea before I start watching the movie… made I’ll find some snacks as well…

Name: The Wolfman
Country: UK/America
Tea: Rhubarb
Snack: Limpa with caviar on it.
Expectations: I like Benico and I like Emily and it’s Victorian times which I like. Hopefully there will be nice sets and costumes; I have more hope about the clothes being pretty than the movie being good.

Golem makes a little cameo, cute…

Thank God they changed the part when he (the werewolf) gets attacked by a crocodile and the wolves running around in London. Why are wolves always such weird psycho animals in movies? In the script I read the werewolf lets the wolves out from the cage at the zoo (after he’s been attack by a Nile crocodile) and the wolves just starts to hunt people in the streets, why? In “Day after tomorrow” the wolves also become weird killing machines; I just doesn’t make sense to me.

I must say that the movie, towards the end becomes a little tiresome for me. It would have been better if it was all taking place on the moors or in London, but if it was in London I would rather have followed the detectives work instead of the werewolf. Two hours is too much.

Best thing in the movie: Garden, houses and of course the topiary!

Turns out...

that I don't like marmelade. It's like jam on a cracker, who wants that, ew! But it's fun to make stuff but there will be no more marmelade made in this house, at least not by me.

Rhubarb marmelade

Rhubarb marmalade with ginger
1kg rhubarbs
1 lemon
1 orange
1kg sugar
1 table spoon of ginger

1. Rinse the rhubarb and slice it up and put it in a bowl. Grate lemon and orange peel and squeeze the juice out into the bowl and add HALF the sugar. Stir it around and cover it with cling film or similar and let it sit in room temperature for 12 hours.
2. Put it all in a pot and cook it for about 20 minutes, stir every now and then.
3. Add the rest of the sugar, little by little. Let it boil… heavily? (my cooking English sucks) without a lid for 15-20 minutes until it reaches 107-108C.
4. Take a little of the marmalade and add the ginger before adding that to the pot. (Why? I don’t know…)
5. Get warm jars for the marmalade, put the lid on right away and place the jars upside down until the marmalade is cool. (Why? I don’t know…)

It seems okay to me but I would add less ginger because it becomes very dominate. (Recipe found here, only in swedish)

French rhubarb marmalade
1kg rhubarb
1kg sugar
30g butter/margarine

1. Rinse the rhubarb and slice them into thin bits and add it with sugar in a bowl, cover with cling film or similar and let it rest of the night.
2. Pour the juice that has appeared over night into a pot and boil at heavily without lid until about half is left (why? I don’t know). Add the rhubarb and boil and stir. Add the butter when the marmalade is boiling the most.
3. Lower the heat and let the marmalade simmer for about 30-45 minutes. See if it has the right texture by putting a little of the marmalade on a plate and let it cool.
4. Pour it into jars, lid on and let the flavor develop for 24 hours.

I don’t know what’s French about it but it taste nice and has a pure rhubarb taste compared to the other one. I’m going to make some rusk next. (Recipe found here, only in swedish)

Rhubarb marmalade

I’ve found two recipes for rhubarb marmalade, if the word “French” is in the name I always think it sound yummy. But what do I use the marmalade for? Does anyone have a recipe for some scones or similar, something one can eat along with a cup of tea?

(I’ll share my recipes after I make them in case they suck I won’t waste anyone’s times)

Food Inc

When I was doing some research for the Oscars I came across Food Inc and I’ve been wanting to see it since then and now I finally did. It feels like they could have focus on one thing and dug a little deeper.

But it did make me want to grow even more food. I hate buying fruit and veggies in the store because you have to take one of those little plastic bags each time and they are so fragile you can’t save them and use them again. I need to come up with an alternative to these bags…

Repo! The Genetic Opera

God how silly… silly silly silly AND Paris Hilton is in it, what a waste of time. I don’t understand why anyone would put that thing in a movie. No this was not a very good movie, it didn’t suck but it was… If you like Avril Lavigne and think that stuff is punk then you might actually like this and you probably have three different hair colors and striped cut off socks as arm warmers. I like the idea, I enjoy musical and darker things but this wasn't really dark, everything just felt forced.

But get "Phantom of the opera" instead and don't waste your time with this one.

Best thing in the movie: Sarah Brightman

Harry Brown

I really liked this movie, perhaps the first part more than the second but still. Michael Caine is excellent like always and there is something special about vigilantes. I like that concept and I’ll do my best to find more vigilante movies (do you know of any let me know).

Update on Mr Fox

I called early this morning and I was told not to feed him and to keep an eye out, the lady said I should call if I saw him again and they would come and collect him. He's too young to be on his own. I haven't seen him this morning though... I hope he's okay.

Since I can’t sleep

I found a funny page where people pronounce things. I like to listen to different native English speakers so I took a very Australian word, “Kangaroo”. A woman in America pronounced sort of soft all the way through, perhaps some force on the K. A man from Victoria said more like kangaROOO and a woman from West Australia said, kanGAroo. I pronounce it like the American woman.

I can see myself spending the next hour or so here listening to people pronounce things, Forvo

Lost little fox pup?

What seems like a little lost fox puppy is sneaking around. I don’t think it looks like a real fox, more like a wolf but we don’t have wolfs around here so… maybe it’s a dog? Either way it’s one scared little animal and I always get worried when animals are in trouble. He’s so tiny and you can tell it’s a baby, how will he get food? I have put some cat food out and water and tomorrow I’ll see if I can call someone and ask what to do to help the little thing. Dog barking, is he back? No, not back… he’s so little and cute. I want to keep him, but I won’t, but I will name him... Michael, or is that too obvious? I'm so worried, I won't get any sleep tonight and I will be up first thing in the morning to call someone.

Is it really so?

I’m trying not to get too carried away here but… IT LOOKS LIKE MY BITCHY NEIGHBORS ARE MOVING!! I feel like singing! Let's dance everyone! I love this song, not really but it's so funny!

Taking advantage of my online library

I don’t know why I doubt borrow more audio books from my library. I can borrow them online and listen right away. They all kind of books, a lot of nonfiction so why don’t I do this? I will from now on, it’s free and you can listen to a sample before you borrow it (you can only lend 5 books per week). When it comes to audio books the reader is very important, some are just so boring no matter how exciting the story is you can’t listen to it.

Read!

I’ll try to read more nonfiction books from now on. I can’t remember the last time I read one…oh the last book I read was one, and the three after that… but I somehow feel I’m not reading enough of them so I’ll read more of them.

Street art

Right now I’m obsessing about street art. Why not have art on the streets? I rather look at an elephant walking a tightrope holding an umbrella than anorexic photoshopped girls in underwear when I’m in the city. When I was out walking I kept an eye out to see what I would do if I had the talent and there were lots of things I would like to do. At the moment the people in my neighborhood don’t deserve any art though.

It is amazing the things people think of, and manage to create. Before I looked around on the net I didn’t think much about it and now I’m more open and thinking more on what can be done here? I can’t do shit because I’m useless but in my head I am brilliant and create lots of beautiful art.

When I looked around the internet I came across a trailer for a movie about British street artist Banksy and it looks like fun, reminds me of skateboard films. Banksy is one of those artists you have seen lots of thing by you just don’t know it.

So cute!

I did not have the time to get my camera but the other day a pheasant stopped by. Not that common but they make a quick stop around here as the move to where ever it is they stay for the rest of the year.

It did remind me that children today are... less educated perhaps than I was as a child, “Look mommy, a chicken!” I heard a kid yell when he saw it. Oh well.

It also reminded me that I want chickens and perhaps a golden pheasant, or a peacock.

Franklyn

Franklyn is a very beautiful movie visually but story is thin I’m afraid but very pretty indeed and I’ll keep an eye out to see what Gerald McMorrow (cool name) will do next. I like movies that have put money on “the look” of it and they have created a certain vibe, but that basically all there is in this movie. Not enough work on the actual story. Lovely darkness in it, I think it could have been a little bit more of that.


Apparently Ewan McGregor was supposed to be in it, don’t think it would have made the movie better but perhaps I would have heard of the movie earlier.

Feels like you can show any picture from this movie without spoiling anything.

I love Eva Green, something about her, she has that cunning secretive look and I hope she gets to play Catwoman if Catwoman is to make a comeback. And she's not a bad actress either.

As I said, not that much of a story but it’s the guys first feature film so I understand but I wish there was more because it’s so pretty. If you appreciate beautiful costumes and comic vibes then you can watch this movie and read at the same time and just watch it since there’s not much of a plot.