Sunday afternoon

Are you getting tired of seeing pictures of the colt? I can't help it, I'm in love. Every time I look outside he's doing something sweet--curling up like a dog--or staring down the neighbors' four annoying dogs who bark at him every time they are let loose, or running wildly, kicking his back legs as he goes.

3 A.M.
No, it isn't and I'm not awake writing or doing anything else at that hour in recent days. It's the title of Phyllis Hotch's incredible book of poems (3: A Taos Press) whose subject is aging and Alzheimers. Sounds depressing, right? No. The poems are neither depressing or trite. It's a book to give to anyone you love who is or may be going through something similar. It's hopeful and true. Her book launch party yesterday was a huge success. There was standing room only at the SOMOS Salon on a very very hot early Saturday evening, but no one left the room where she had us all mesmerized by her words. I was so pleased that I could go, leave Ron at home where he was perfectly fine at last.

movie news
Late last night in the dark quiet, I watched the newest version of Anna Karenina. I hadn't seen it nor read reviews, I'd forgotten it existed until I came upon it surfing, unable to sleep. It was fabulous! I loved the the theatricality and the cinematography. It was way over the top in style and in spite of that it still got to the heart of passion and doom. It was, as one critic said (I read them this morning) "bizarre yet beautiful".  Toward the end it got so complicated though, that I looked forward to the inevitable train and the end of her suffering. As someone else said, "all those codes of honor and all this doomed, damned love." Knightly was gorgeous as Anna. Vronsky (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) was the perfect young and completely besotted lover. I love those over the top romantic movies and operas -- like Moulin Rouge, Shakespeare in Love, Pride and Prejudice and (heart be still) La Traviata. Bigger than life. Perhaps it's the undiluted Italian blood in my veins.

I'd rather end up wishing I hadn't than wishing I had -- wouldn't you?
              (dialogue: friend of Anna's)