Les Miserables

   The other night, my son and I sat down to watch Les Miserables. He actually said that he wasn't going to watch it but would stick around for a bit. He also stated, something to the effect, that he couldn't stomach a whole opera.

   There are many stories intertwined that meld perfectly in this beautiful and majestic adaptation of the book written by Victor Hugo (also known for The Hunchback of Notre Dame).

   It begins with the peasant Jean Valjean (Hugh Jackman, totally unrecognizable, at first) - a man unjustly imprisoned, and all the other prisoners singing "Look Down" as they drag one of the French ships into its hold while being watched by the prison guards.

   Valjean, upon his release into parole is baffled by destiny, and hounded by his nemesis, the magnificently realized, police detective Javert (Russell Crowe).
                       

   Trying to forget his past and live an honest life, escaped convict Jean Valjean risks his freedom to take care of a young girl whose mother has died during a period of political unrest in Paris.

   Anne Hathaway plays the young girl's mother, Fantine. In a desperate attempt to support her daughter, she sells multiple things (hair, and teeth) and eventually becomes a prostitute. Anne Hathaway gives one of the most amazing performances, I have ever seen portrayed, all the while belting out "I Dreamed a Dream".

   This movie commandeers everything of 1815, France, the grit, the political turmoil, the strength in the hearts and minds of the people, and the fierce love of it's characters. The wonderful cast includes
Amanda Seyfried, Eddie Redmayne, Samantha Barks, Helena Bonham Carter, and Sacha Baron Cohen. (The last two actors will have you singing "Master of the House" for the next few days).

   The musical score is magnificent, and captures you from the minute it begins until the credits roll.

   My son, sat through the whole movie and has since downloaded many of the songs. He has just made a special request and asked me to buy the movie.

Yes, it is that good!!!!!

 

It Must Be Spring

   It must be Spring and not because of the date or the fact that one of my bushes has little buds on it, but because of the way all my animals are acting.
   The dogs (of which there are three) are acting insane. They are demanding to go out every few minutes. We let them out, they spend about 15 minutes outside and then they realize that it is still a bit chilly unless the sun is beating down on them, so they come back in.
   You are probably saying, "Why let them out that much?" Good question...Glad you asked.
   You see I have three very different types of dogs. The oldest, Molly (and meanest) is a Patterdale Terrier, she is small like a Jack Russell and black, she is almost blind and deaf (the reason for her meanness) but still feels that because she is the dominant dog that she has to kick start any barking. If anything happens in this house she must bark.
   Then we have the middle dog, Trapper (the largest). He is the smartest (bird dogs usually are) and best trained. He is the dog that is able to run around outside on his own and never leave our property. The problem with Trapper is, he can't make up his mind whether to be in or out.
   The last dog, is our two year old mutt, Butch. Half yellow Labrador (his head and his length) the other half beagle (height). He is very much duck footed and kind of resembles Tyrannosaurus Rex with his short little legs. Very lovable, very cute, but extremely stupid. We like to tell everyone that he has a sunflower seed sized brain knocking around in his big skull. His deal - wants to be where ever Trapper is (although, unlike Trapper, Butch does not listen.)
   So, they go in and out, in and out.
   Another wonderful aspect is, they have started the insane and needless barking. We close a cabinet, they bark. We walk into our own house, they bark. We say "hello" on the phone, they bark. A leaf blows by the window, they bark. It drives us nuts.

As I am writing this, all three dogs have started the insane barking again. I have to go, must sell three dogs Cheap!

Operator

   Does anyone remember the game, Operator?

   It was a game we played when we were kids. Everyone sat in a circle and one person would whisper in some one's ear. It didn't matter what you whispered in the person's ear just as long as no one else heard it. The person you whispered to then whispered what you said to the next person and so on, until the whisper went around the whole circle back to you.

   What normally happened was that by the time the whisper made it back to the person who originated it, what they whispered had become totally convoluted and not what they said at all.

   I have found that small town living, where something that one person says can make it around the town in less then two hours, and not be anything like what the original person said.

   Problem is, by the time it has made it around town it has turned into something mean and condemning to someone and everyone who has heard now believes it.

   Don't people know that spreading rumors can be one of the most devastating ways to hurt a person. I think more people should think about the kid's game Operator before repeating something. It never comes back the way it started.

Exposed; A Gnome’s Destiny

   He sat on the table, his face still sticky. At least the temperature was comfortable in here, opposed to what he was subjected to last winter with the cold air outside. The snow, that was the worst part of it. The cold, wet, penetrating snow, which seeped into his every nook and cranny, and froze him to the bone. It snowed so much last year that it reached above his hat rim. The white film would cover his eyes for weeks. He missed the sun during those times.

    It bothered him also, how they would come outside to shovel and not bother to clean him off. He could hear them talking about him. Always the same thing, “Poor Oscar, we should really bring him in.” or “Look at Oscar, he’s a mess”. Never the less, they never did bring him in.

    Then, as if overnight, the winds changed, coming from the south now, bringing warm salty air to brush off the layers of white firn. The sun emerged, growing warm at first, but with each passing day, it grew hotter and hotter. His skin grew dry and brittle and his beautiful green hat began to peel. He could feel the rosy circles on his cheeks fade away, while the soft white of his beard sun-bleached out and the original dull wood shone through. Once again, he prayed for a change in the weather.

     There had to be more to his life than this. Back at the shed, where the old man sat every day, creating his cousins, they all knew that joy filled days lay ahead. As the old man sat, lovingly painting a face, a hat, a coat, he would tell them stories of past friends who had gone off to join other families and sit in beautiful gardens filled with honeysuckle and sweet roses. He promised that life would be filled with laughter and the warmth of a family’s love. He told them that they were the magical ones, who healed lonely hearts and who brought happiness wherever they traveled.

     Here he sat, dry, peeling and scorched, Oscar, the shunned gnome. This family has humiliated him and he wanted nothing more than to complete the cycle and rot away. They didn’t need a gnome; they needed a pet rock. Although, he has witnessed this family, sitting on the large rock across the lawn, laughing and sipping cold drinks during the hot days. If only they had remembered him, sitting over here in the overgrown daisies, parched and praying for a bit of cool water.

     Even his attitude was beginning to rot. Magical gnomes were always happy (at least that is what the old man said) that is why their cheeks were always so rosy and round. Then why was he left standing in the dirt, alone, on the worst of days and nights. Once, during a big storm, a strong wind lifted him right off the ground. It twirled him round and round then spit him out in the middle of the family’s fields. They found him days later, front hand broken off, his little gold bell, missing. The mother carried him back to his spot, all the while telling him, he was due for a washing and a paint job. That was…actually, he could not remember when that was.

     He was giving up hope. Seriously, anticipating the next big wind, to pick him up and blow him straight into the next county. He could not handle another hot summer or cold winter, he just couldn’t.

     Then yesterday, yes, it was just yesterday, when the colossal miracle happened. The mother came outside with her son. They went straight over to Oscar. They were discussing his ragged appearance, but they were walking towards him. “Oh no!” he thought, “Was this it! Was he going to end up part of the fire wood pile?” Oscar’s heart raced and he felt more paint peel off as he tried to contain himself.

     Gently, the mother reached down and picked him up, cradling him in her arms. “Poor Oscar.” She said sympathetically “We are going to get you back in shape”. She began to brush the dried dirt off his face and looked deep into his eyes. “Sorry, we let you get so rundown.”

    Oscar tried to smile but his wood was so dry he was afraid of cracking. Then he saw the boy open the back door and for the first time in his life, Oscar entered the house.

   He sat on the table, his face still sticky. He had been washed, dried, primed, and painted. The mother and son had done the whole thing in two days. Two whole days, of absolute, attention and loving for Oscar. When they finished, he had a beautiful, blue coat with a black belt, pewter trousers, and handsome black shoes. His warm little cap had also been painted pewter to match his pants. The best part was his smile and round rosy cheeks were back. He was happy.

   They had discussed putting him back in the garden, but changed their minds when the father came home. He was so amazed with Oscar’s transformation, that it was he who decided, that Oscar becomes an indoor gnome. “After all,” he said, “Norman is an indoor gnome”.

   Oscar didn’t know who Norman was, and he did not care. Never again, would he suffer the wilds of the great outdoors. Never again, to have extreme temperature changes. He was going to be an indoor gnome.

   The family invited friends over that night for dinner and the house filled with laughter and happiness. Everybody noticed Oscar and admired his new garments. He thought he could not be any happier, until later that evening, he was lifted from the table and brought over to a windowsill. There on the sill sat a small gnome in green and red. This was Norman and they became friends instantly.

   The old man had been right. His life, from then on was filled with laughter and the warmth of a family’s love. They were the magical ones, who healed lonely hearts and who brought happiness wherever they traveled.

Exposed; A Gnome’s Destiny by E. L. Gross copyright 10/3/2012