Two Movies

This evening I came in through the garage when I got home from running errands.  As I stepped into the house I noticed a light on in the family room.  I didn't leave a light on.  I moved in closer and realized the room was lit with the reflection of sunshine on yellow leaves.  The wonder of the moment made me smile.

I got my car back Thursday evening.  Annabelle looks good.  The best part?  The auto body shop meticulously washed her outside and detailed her inside.  She smells good, too.  I really missed my car.  Driving is one of life's pleasures.  There are days I could drive for hours.

The cell phone saga continues.  A week ago my daughter emailed back and forth with technical support.  More promises that the import would take just a few more days.  No such luck.  I called last night and after thirty minutes of conversation with tech support and time on hold I told the guy that I wanted to speak to a supervisor.  He transferred me to customer service where I repeated the story for the umpteenth time; that guy said that the situation needed to be resolved, that I was right to be upset.  Then he put me on hold.  When he returned ten minutes later he told me that their tech support was on the phone with the landline provider and that the situation would be resolved within the hour.  Where could they call me when everything was all set?  I gave my number, hung up the phone, and wished I had some way to bet money that I wouldn't get a call back.  I never did.  I would have called again tonight but I left my phone at work, and if this ever does get resolved I need my phone so we can check to be sure it will ring with the new number.

There is a reason to go through all of this with this particular phone company ~ they are the only progressive mobile phone company in the country.  A portion of their profits goes to the non-profit groups that my daughter and I believe in and want to support.  Plus, she gets unlimited free data.  My daughter has done the research - there is no comparable company out there.  This is one way we put our money where our mouths are, and in this case it means we spend a lot of time trying to fix something that may be unfixable.  I will call again tomorrow night....

The installation of railings is progressing, though still not complete.  Every section needs to be constructed from parts and made to fit.  No two sections are the same size.  Rails need to be measured, angles need to be cut, holes need to be drilled, balusters need to be fitted.   There have been problems.  Problems upon problems.  Replacement parts have been procured.  There's a lot of sawing, hammering, screwing, and trying again going on.  Three major wooden posts have taken a beating, so I've been repairing and painting around the construction.  The glow of finishing the deck has worn off, and the railing project has worn us down.  But it will get finished.  And we will be very glad when it is. 

Through all of the busyness and setbacks I have been able to count on the mainstay that keeps me sane:  I have been to five movies since Labor Day.  I have gone on weeknights and weekends.  I have gone with my daughter, with my husband, and by myself.  Some comedies, some drama, some good, and some just okay ~ each one has contributed to my mental health in a positive way.  The two that I would recommend, ironically, start with the death of the father in the family.   

This Is Where I Leave You is a comedy, with a few serious moments, that had my daughter and me laughing out loud.  Tina Fey and Jason Bateman play beautifully off each other, and Jane Fonda is as funny as she's ever been.  The movie is irreverent and raucous, funny and sensitive in all the right places.   

My Old Lady is a serious drama with a few light moments.  Kevin Kline, Maggie Smith, and Kristin Scott Thomas perform as in a play, allowing the story to unfold as it might in real life.  The evening I went I needed to be pulled into something other than what was going on in my life, and this movie was just the ticket.  If you like any or all of the actors in the cast, I don't think you will be disappointed.

Thank goodness for movies.

And thank goodness for all of you who comment here and continue to write on your own blogs.  I read more than I comment these days, but I do read and appreciate that connection to the world more than I can say.  It's easy to get weighed down with the day-to-day routines, irritations, and disappointments.  It helps to be reminded that I am not alone in any of it, that life goes on, and tomorrow is another day.

Thank goodness.