Merry Christmas, 2014!
It's hard to believe how fast this past month has gone by.
In fact, it's amazing how fast 2014 went by. We're days away from the end of this year...
It was an interesting year, that's for sure!
Quickly, before I forget, for all my friends who celebrate:
And Happy Holidays to everyone, whatever you believe in and celebrate during this special time of year...
Marilyn and I watched mass from the Vatican, then we watched "Calvary," with the amazing Brendan Gleeson. I'm not sure I can recommend it. I'm actually torn. There at some things about it I loved -- and Brendan Gleeson was certainly one of these. But there were quotes that I want to record. Amazing ideas that I loved! Still, it's a very, very DARK movie. Depressing in many ways. I was crying -- sobbing so hard -- at the end of the film. It was so sad. Even though I'd prefer not to spoil, there's no way I could discuss it without saying what I have.
After that, the movie "3 Godfathers," which a 1948 Western directed by John Ford, featuring a young John Wayne. I first saw this movie on TV -- all alone one day -- as a child. I think it was the very first time I ever saw John Wayne, by the way -- an actor I've loved my entire life. The film is based on the novelette of the same name, and the story is sort of a retelling of the story of The Three Wise Men, set in an American western context.
If you've never seen it, the story is about cattle rustlers Robert Hightower (John Wayne), Pedro 'Pete' Rocafuerte (Pedro Armendáriz) and William Kearney (Harry Carey, Jr.), who rob a bank. Kearney suffers a bullet wound and they have to flee into the desert, pursued by a posse. They eventually lose their horses in a desert storm and end up walking and in their search for water, they come across a covered wagon with a pregnant woman about to give birth. They help her and she names the baby Robert William Pedro after them. Before dying, she makes these three godfathers promise they'll take care of him. So we see these three men with this tiny newborn baby (the baby really looked like a newborn, too!) trek across a desert with almost no water, a few cans of milk and two books -- one about caring for babies, plus the Bible. They have no clue how to care for the child, and yet they manage. And they rely on the Bible to guide their way.
The movie impressed me as a child, and still impresses me today. It's both sad and yet hopeful, too. I was crying during it, too! I have to say I would strongly recommend it, even if you're not a fan of John Wayne or westerns.
I ended up awake all night long, not heading to bed until 8:00 a.m. But that was fine, as we had no plans for today, really. I got up around one, I think...
We spent the day playing with our iPads and watching TV. We have a game we like to play together, so we played it for some time.
We had one of our Amy's frozen meals for our dinner. At least these are healthy eating.
I did take out more Christmas goodies for our neighbors today. I have one more house to visit at some point, but she won't mind if I'm late.
And that was Marilyn's and my Christmas.
Blessings and LOVE to all of you, wherever you are, and however you spend this time of year!