Mexican Train

Following lunch at Olive Garden and in between laughs, we engaged in a fierce game of Mexican Train.

Worth Avenue Stroll

Eleven walkers braved last night's threatening weather and enjoyed a delightful stroll on Worth Avenue. Along the way we stopped by and briefly shared in a Hanukkah celebration.

 

This evening Jane and I dined at TooJays and walked in Palm Beach.
Santa Claus, apparently knowing I had been naughty, passed by last night without stopping. I've resolved to change my ways and try to smile and be friendly to those who are difficult to like. ---  Last week we saw the movie, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. It is a well made movie which will, no doubt, receive a lot of notice. It is stressful with plenty of scenes most of us wouldn't want to share with family members. I recommend it only very selectively. --- We appreciated Serena's invitation to her seven fishes dinner Christmas Eve ( picture below). It is a tradition with which Jane and I were unfamiliar. Serena's was a very big culinary production.

Beautiful Morning

We had 18 walkers in paradise this morning. We enjoyed Bethesda-by-the-Sea Church garden and The Breakers Hotel.

Dining Out Holiday Party

For our annual Dining Out Group holiday party, Peggy Myers graciously hosted us in her lovely lakeside home Saturday night. Seventeen attended.

Shameless Profilgacy

Having seen six movies in six days (The devil made us do it.) I obviously don't have much time (or the memory) to comment much on them but I'll list them in the order I recommend them. You can click to get information and see comments of others.  War Horse (reviews) was Jane's favorite. The Ides of March (reviews) was my favorite followed closely by The Descendants (reviews). I recommend The Adventures of Tintin (reviews). The technology puts it in a class by itself. The Muppets (reviews) -- Yes, they're back -- is okay if you need more Muppets. And finally, New Year's Eve (reviews) is mildly entertaining but dumb.

Holiday HorseFest

Last Sunday afternoon we attended a really good equestrain event at the Myer Amphitheatre called Holiday HorseFest. I recommend you watch for it next year. Here are a few snaps below:

Another GOOD MOVIE & A Disappointment

Monday night Jane and I attended a pre-release screening of Martin Scorsese's new film, Hugo. We loved it. We expected something outstanding but it was even better than we hoped. It is an adventure film in well-used 3D. The performances are excellent. I recommend it for everyone. see reviews
The Joe Bonamassa concert at The Kravis last night was sold out and apparently well received. But for me, it was terrible. Joe Bonamassa may be talented but the music wasn't my kind and it was dangerously over-loud. Even with earplugs I couldn't stand it for longer than 5 or 10 minutes at a stretch.

The Week Past

This morning was our monthly City Walk (picture below). It was a beautiful day but the group was small because of a conflict with the Big "O"hike. Tuesday at the Kravis was The Munich Symphony -- excellent. But, for us, the best entertainment was at the new theater on Clematis St. where there is a great production by Dreamworks of Arthur Miller's play, All My Sons. We ushered there Thursday and agreed that everything about it is wonderful.  Go!                    Saturday, a week ago, we were honored to be invited to Billie & Jerry Henin's 50th anniversary party. (pictures)

Movies, Play, & Move To Amend

Tuesday at Kravis, The Adams Family seemed very well received. We didn't enjoy it as much as many things, but they did a good job. Thursday night at the Regal we saw two movies --- Tower Heist & Anonymous. Both, for me, were only so-so. Jane liked Tower Heist. They were both big movies and will probably get a lot of notice.

Most importantly this week, we attended a house party for Move to Amend. We hope this movement will generate a demand for an amendment to the U.S. constitution which will firmly establish that money is not speech, and that human beings, not corporations, are persons entitled to constitutional rights. We need to get behind it and show support.

J. Egdar -- Recommended

Last night at Muvico we attended a screening of J. Edgar with Leonardo DiCaprio in the challenging and convincing role of J. Edgar Hoover, warts and all, actually, nearly all warts, as we know. Jane and I both recommend it. They tried to get everything in so at nearly two and a half hours, it may be a bit long for some.

Where In The World Are The Holdens?

In case you might be wondering about the absence of blog entries, Jane and I are in Marysville, California visiting Jane's daughter, Kelly. We left home October 18 and expect to return November 5.
Last night we went to Scarysville, a street party, in this little town of Marysville. It was fun to see the little ones in costume --- quite a contrast to the similar event in West Palm Beach.
It was a surprise to see my picture in today's newspaper. Pictures

Halloween Card

Your Halloween Card

CityWalk & Occupy Lake Worth

Eight of us had a good walk on Worth Avenue this morning.
 
                                                                                                

Jane and I attended the Occupy Lake Worth rally Saturday morning. This was our second week. It looks like it's getting a firm start with an enduring and effective presence. They are combining with Occupy Palm Beach County. The next rally will be October 22 at 100 Clematis St. in West Palm Beach beginning at 10:00 AM. Below are my pictures and relevent links.
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/occupy-rallies-gain-momentum-in-palm-beach-county-1914953.html

http://www.facebook.com/OccupyPalmBeachCounty
http://www.facebook.com/OccupyLakeWorth

This Week

Jane seems to be nearly back to normal after her hospital misadventure last week. Now we're working on airfares to Sacramento. Monday we went to former governor Claude Kirk's funeral at Bethesda-by-the-Sea where Governor Rick Scott and Ex-Governor Charlie Crist were in attendance. Tuesday and Wednesday we viewed the movies 50/50 and Dolphin Tale. Jane and I were of one mind on these stinkers. We were disappointed by both. Of Dolphin Tale, its only redeeming value was its story.
Saturday we went to the Occupy Lake Worth rally/protest and were delighted to find such an enthusiastic engaged gathering of 2 or 3 hundred people voicing diverse social and political concerns. There was a somewhat successful attempt to form small focus groups to organize purpose and message. It was peaceful and fun. The group consists of both young and old. I'm fairly sure there will be a much larger "Occupation" next Saturday. Keep in touch. You will certainly find it interesting. Videos

A Horrible Day

Yesterday was one of the worst days of my life; at least that was my perspective yesterday evening. I took Jane to the hospital in the morning to have another ablation. (Her atrial fibrillation came back a few weeks ago.) Her procedure was successfully completed around 11 or 12 o'clock. They accidentally dislocated her jaw without knowing it and when I went into the recovery room, I could see right away what happened when she couldn't close her mouth or talk. I had trouble convincing anyone of the problem. There wasn't anyone there who could perform the corrective procedure. They insisted on an unnecessary CT-scan and seemed to stall and do nothing all afternoon while Jane was in excruciating pain. Finally an ENT specialist came about 7 in the evening and fixed it. Today she is recovering well at home.

Jaw Dislocation Corrected
Atrial Fibrillation Ablation Explained
Catheter Ablation Animation Video

Moneyball

Last night we attended a free advance screening of Moneyball, staring Brad Pitt. We aren't baseball fans but we found this baseball true story to be one we'd recommend to everyone; It's engaging whether a sports fan or not. It's the story of Oakland A's general manager Billy Beane's successful attempt to put together a baseball club on a budget by employing computer-generated analysis to draft his players. It isn't perfect and not even a "must see" but it's well made and will doubtless get award nominations.

We just can't resist a good protest rally. Everyone has a cause and a voice. This was Wednesday afternoon on Okeechobee in front of Kravis.

Ten of us enjoyed last night's Dining Out at On The Border hosted by Billie Henin.

"To Everything There Is A Season...

...A time to weep and a time to laugh."

On this tearful day we remember that awful horror ten years ago. To all those who lost loved ones on that terrible day, I wish comfort and peace. The world and our society was changed on that day. I hope we will become more understanding, tolerant, and forgiving of each other. But I'm increasingly pessimistic.

We still aren't quite fully settled-in yet, but this week, in between medical/dental appointments, we managed to see the play, Greater Tuna, at Lake Worth Playhouse. We'd seen it years before and regard it as one of our favorites. They did a good job and we recommend it.
Last night at Muvico we attended a pre-screening of Contagion. It was okay and engaging with lot of action but not a "must-see."

Aerobics Class Collage

Pam Lyons, our aerobics instructor at UMD, photographed most of us in the class this summer and I took the liberty of editing her images and creating the collage below.

I hope you will enjoy it and share it with anyone who might be interested. I have too few email addresses so please forward it widely.
It may open to full size for you or only partially as it does on my laptop. A second click should open it fully.

We arrived safely home Monday afternoon feeling lucky to have had no major misadventures and to have met such nice Evergreen hosts along our route.

In Jane's hometown of Ashtabula, we were welcomed by Jane's longtime friend, June, who gave us her bed for five nights. In Atlanta we finally got to go to the world's largest aquarium.
We wish we could have stayed longer in Duluth.
                

Goin' Home

Our new Evergreen friends, pictured below, hosted us in Madison, WI and Valparaiso, IN on our drive to Ashtabula where we're visiting Jane's friends in her hometown. Also below see where we always stop when passing Madison, WI.

UMD Summer Memories

Memories of Summer 2011

Hikes of Summer 2011

Pam Lyons' Album

My Videos

My Blog

   

We had 18 on yesterday's hike along the lakewalk in Two Harbors.

On my laptop the pictures can be enlarged by a second click. Try it.
                 View Video