Movie -time

My goodness how time flies! Sorry for my absence. I hope you have been busy enough not to miss me too much.

Thursday I had dinner with a dear friend. I looked at a lot of delicious recipies in the collection of cookbooks she had. The frustration was with one book that explained in detail how to decorate cakes - they did not actually include the directions for the cakes. Ah well. I do not need the cakes anyway - and the decorations involved a LOT of mazipan! Anyway, after a good dinner we watched a movie: Beatrix Potter. I am sure most of you remember her charming books - Peter Rabbit and Jemima Puddleduck and so on. This is a glimpse into her life and how she became "published." It's a good movie, well-done, yet a bit of a "culture shock". You can watch it without fear of being embarrassed or beaten up.

But of course there is more to the film or I would not have titled this blog "movie-time". This movie has real potential as a discussion topic, especially in families with children ages 10 -12 and up. I found myself reacting strongly to Beatrix's situation when she wanted to marry. I do not want to give the whole plot away but the issue has to do with parental consent. If parents watch it before sharing it or if they watch it together with their offspring be prepared for many feelings to flare up over this issue and be ready to discuss them carefully afterward. I think this can lay ground work for some much needed level-headed thinking from all parties when the kids actually do want to marry. Of course we must also keep in mind how times have changed. But, just because times have "changed" it doesn't mean all changes are an improvement...

Why? Well let me give you a good example. Just last week I did something I have done many times before. I bent over. I felt a vaguely familiar "pop" in my side - the same "pop" I have felt when breaking a rib (same rib, this is the third time). This is a "change". I do not like this "change". I know it will heal, but I really would have preferred that it hadn't happened. On the other hand, it is a good reminder to take my calcium!

This brings me back to the movie. It is good and clean. It has some magic due to the vividness of Miss Potter's imagination and the realization in the film. It has charm due to the period and the clothes and manners. But it also has emotional impact and distress that can lead to some very good discussion - if one already has good communication with the younger set. It also has some predictable events.

What I wasn't prepared for was how strongly the film influenced me. I was ready to be pleased and entertained. But I was not anticipating my strong reaction to parental consent to marry. It kept niggling me until I could not resist writing about the film -hopefully without giving away too much.

So, what else have I done? Well in brief: I finished knitting a second sock (spun the wool myself) and now have a pair to fit one grandchild (I think it will be Sofia (#2) or Anisa (#3)). I finished making the phone pouch for my daughter (woven), I finished weaving half a sleeveless jacket - and will need to do some work on it, and I rewarped my Ashford Knitter's Loom to try making a quick dress for a child... Oh yes, I baked a pumpkin and have the pulp in the freezer awaiting need in a pumpkin pie. Again, for those in America, pumpkin here in Finland comes, in season, as a "pumpkin" and it is not yet available canned - until one does one's own preserving! Just like them "good ol' daze!" And I mean daze which is what those memories are.

Smiles,
Susanne