Of Birthday Memories

Yesterday, my birthday, was one of those dark, mysterious days where the tall, bare trees remind you of forks piercing the sky and every house and building and lawn looks grey, grey, grey. 

But at least it didn't snow until we arrived home from our festivities.

Tom and I ate lunch at my favorite Chinese buffet, one surrounded with large windows (more greyness outside), but the music inside was lovely and stretched and continued the mood from the movie we had just watched at the theater down the street.

For we'd seen Sandra Bullock's new film, Premonition. Personally, I loved it, every slow minute of it. I mean, I wonder about these movie reviewers. Do they consume so much caffeine that their brains are always operating in fast-forward and so any normal-paced movie not an all-out thriller or one splashed with waves of car chases feels slow to them?

Premonition reminded me of the black-and-white movies of the old days, ones you didn't just watch for the plot, but for the scenery and clothing and handsome cars and faces. The interior of the house in Premonition charmed me. The house was a rambling 1920's one like those I walk past on the street next to ours everyday, only larger. I loved its wallpaper and fireplace and during other slower moments, I even enjoyed studying Sandra's face--what eyes and cheekbones that woman has! (Whatever happened to just savoring a film and its characters? Has that become a lost art to everyone except myself?)

Anyway, as my favorite reviewer said (in different words, skip the spoilers), Premonition is a great movie about family love, but it's not a movie for families. 

I agree. But if you are all grown up (and promise not to repeat the naughty words), and if you liked the movies, Deja Vu, Groundhog Day and Frequency, most likely, you'd enjoy this film. In parts, yes, it's scary, but for me, it never crossed over into becoming a horror film. At one point, though, I heard a husband behind us comforting his wife with, "It's just a movie." I smiled and thought, "Hey, that's my line."  シ

And then to top-off this grey, mysterious day, Naomi and her boyfriend came over in the evening with gifts and dessert and perhaps I appreciated all that I'd been given even more because of the places my thoughts had traveled earlier after seeing Premonition. Who knows?

And I do thank each of you so very much for your birthday wishes! How lovely to return home and find all of you here in some way, your comments and ecards and emails were appreciated far more than you know. Thanks for adding delight to my day!


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