Peacefield

I'll leave that answer to Muggle, since I've never heard that phrase! And yes, the coaches from both the 49ers and Ravens are brothers, so that's pretty cool! My team won't be playing the Bowl, AGAIN, but I might watch a bit of the game. I'm cheering for the Ravens because one of their players, Matt Birk, used to play for us so I'll support him . I'm mostly going to be watching the Puppy Bowl though. It's so cute! I believe it's on the Animal Planet channel and it's just a few hours of watching little pupplies playing on a miniature football field, and the halftime show is a bunch of kittens tearing around and playing as cats do. I'm sure you can see it online too!

Yes, Muggle, good o' Punxsutawney Phil has given me hope for an early Spring this year, woo! Thanks for the Bday wishes everyone! Tonight I'm getting cozy inside with a glass of Riesling while it's snowing like mad outside.

Hey guys! Have I told you lately that I've missed you? January did indeed go by very fast, but I'm all for that since it means spring is that much closer. It's been so cold, and it's no fun having to get up in the middle of the night just to run my car so I can make sure it'll start in the morning. Not too much going on in my world right now. We're very busy at work, and last weekend we had a housewarming party that went over very well . I had a great birthday today - received lots of phone calls and emails and lovely gifts. I'm going out to lunch tomorrow with a friend and then to dinner with my mom and another friend, which will be fun. I hope everyone's doing well and you all have a good weekend!

Love this thread, Janet! Thanks for starting it Everyone's libraries are lovely. Not so here in the frozen north of the midwest, ugh. This is the library I visit the most, mainly for their excellent book sales! Here is the Minneapolis Public Library downtown. Forgive us for that thingie on the roof... Here is the MN History Center, which houses the state's Historical Society Library, where I do a lot of my genealogy research.

Hey there and welcome to BCF, James! Do you have any favorite authors or genres you like to read?

HUGE thumbs up to watching a Coen bros film, Muggle!! Watch more if you can, they are hilarious! I saw Silver Linings Playbook yesterday which I liked a lot, and earlier in the weekend I watched One for the Money in passing, and it seemed okay. My mom has read the Janet Evanovich books and thought the film was really funny. I'm not convinced that SLP was Oscar-worthy, but I'm glad to see that Bradley Cooper can do other types of films besides crude comedies!

Happy Anniversary, Chesil! Well done, you I'm glad you guys are feeling better, Sofia. Here in MN we've had the most deaths as a result of the H3N2 strain of the flu - 27, with most of the victims being elderly The popular flu shot they administer doesn't cover this strain, however, so I've been reluctant to get one. I've never had one in fact. I just try to be really diligent about washing my hands and taking my daily vitamins.

I haven't seen enough of the films to make solid predictions, but I believe Lincoln will win a majority of the 12 nominations they received. As it should! It's superb . It's a long shot, but I'd love to see Moonrise Kingdom take hom the original screenplay Oscar. Wes Anderson isn't recognized enough for the brilliance he writes and gets on screen. With that being said, hopefully it's not just another night of owed favors being paid back between Academy members

Ditto Sofia and Muggle! We just have to make it through March and then we'll be okay, we hope. We've been in the 30's the last couple days and it's to be 38 here today so hopefully the warmth will make it's way west to you guys!

Those two I mentioned by Iain Pears are pretty heavy, especially Dream of Scipio. Sorry, Noll! Iain Pears does have a series of cozy mysteries that I loved as well, but not sure how into them you would be. They are just straight murder mysteries involving stolen works of art, which was why I was first drawn to them . Definitely not as heavy though. I think the first book in the series is called The Rafael Affair. Wtg on those books you just added to your Kobo! Happy reading!

Kylie. I don't... what were you... *sigh* I have no words.

And to you on your excellent taste as well, Chrissy! I Iove that painting so much. I just realized that! Can you imagine, a big piece of fondant on my knee? Look! It's a knee AND a cake! Thanks for your good vibes, as always.

The longest I've flown is from Minneapolis to London and I think that was about 7-ish hours, so I guess that's nothing compared to some of you, yikes! I'm sorry you guys have been stuck with the flu, Sofia! That's awful! I keep counting my blessings because I've managed to evade it thus far. I got my last print hung over the weekend (The Lady of Shalott by Waterhouse - which I bought in London!) so we are officially settled into the new pad. It feels good, and we'll be ready for a big shindig I'm having the last Saturday of the month. I managed to fall hard on the ice with my right knee last weekend though and while it doesn't hurt to walk on it, it's feeling a bit numb on one side so there must be some nerve issues Hopefully with icing, it just needs time to heal and will de-swell. All good normal-feeling knee vibes are appreciated!

Kylie, please tell me you've read the book-version of The Shining before seeing the film-version?? I love The Holiday, but sometimes grow tiresome of all the conversations and talking between Jude and Cameron. Not that I want them to be in bed every minute, but there's so much thinking and agonizing over relationships. I like much better how Kate and Jack are great friends but with the possibility of something more, you know? I do love the little house in the Cotswolds, and I also love the LA house. I would love room-darking blinds in my bedroom and hello! A wall of movies to watch! That'd be fun I watched Dark Shadows last night. Not something I'd watch again, unfortunately, but I did love the music!

See, now for some reason I loved The Lady and the Unicorn It's my favorite of hers, in fact. Noll, have you read anything by Iain Pears? It seems like you might like his book The Instance of the Fingerpost and another one, Dream of Scipio. You should check them out if you have time. I don't know why I just thought of those, but they popped into my head .

That's hilarious, Kreader! Thanks for posting Lost in Translation was on TV again tonight so I had to watch it to get away from the horrible football game I was watching. I love that movie so much. I own it but always have to stop and sit down for a few and enjoy it when it comes on.

For those of you who have yet to see Lincoln and The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, I highly recommend them! Especially Lincoln, which I absolutely loved. I didn't see a ton of films in 2012, but of what I did that one is my clear favorite. I never did get to see The Master, but I'd really like to before awards season starts. As for 2013 I'd really love to see: The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug - I won't ever turn down an opportunity to see Aidan Turner as a sexy dwarf for as long as I live! Hunger Games: Catching Fire - I'm kind of 'meh' about this one, but I need to see how things progress (even though I'm still clearly on Team Gale ) Star Trek: Into Darkness - Woo! Simon Pegg as Scotty!! Hitchcock - Love Hitchcock! Warm Bodies - This is a guilty pleasure for sure. The trailer looked really good though! Hyde Park on Hudson - I love Bill Murray in his dramatic roles, so I'm really looking forward to seeing him play President Roosevelt. The We and the I - This is a new one directed by Michel Gondry, who's a favorite of mine. Gambit - I believe this film was already released in the UK in 2012, but isn't being released here until this year. It was written by the Coen bros so that means I'm required to see it Inside Llewyn Davis - This is the Coen bros new film and I can't wait for it!! And last but not least, The Worlds End! Simon Pegg, Nick Frost and Edgar Wright are the gods of comedy and I can't wait to see this one. Love them all so much!

I slid a bit during the holidays, but this year is a whole new ball game. I'm trying hard to continue cutting out processed foods and stick more with fresh veggies, fruit and whole grains. Portion sizes are also a challenge but I'm up to it! I weighed myself on Tuesday and have been keeping a food journal, and will get on the scale again next week. I'm kind of following the Sonoma diet, but the term 'diet' seems too temporary for me, because really, I don't see myself going back to my old eating habits any time in the near future. I just need to be more serious now that I'm a forty-something. UGH! I hate that. Good luck everyone!!

Happy 2013, everyone! I for one am expecting it to be much better than 2012 and am looking forward to it! One of my many goals this year is to spend more time in the company of an open book, and to update here at BCF on how I'm progressing. I'm also determined to continue my family's genealogical research, and to stay on my path of healthy eating. Although as far as the latter goes, I'm giving myself special dispensation to eat freely on my birthday and another handful of holidays I'm hoping to travel to Toronto with my mom in September for the annual family reunion, and also spending a couple weeks up at the cabin this summer. I'd really like to throw in a couple short road trips to neighboring states as part of my ancestry project too. Oh! And of course I hope to be seeing plenty of good bands. I've got tickets to see the indie band Ra Ra Riot in March as well as tickets for Muse that month. I hope everyone has a wonderful week, good luck on your new job, Talisman, and cheers for a fab 2013!

I absolutely loved The Swan Thieves, Noll, so you'll have to let us know what you think when you get around to reading it I also have Remarkable Creatures on my TBR list. My enjoyment-factor has lessened a bit with Chevalier's most recent books, but I'm still looking forward to reading it one day.

Ahh, Ella is the Queen, Kylie. Excellent choice! In the last couple months I've picked up: Battleborn - The Killers 2nd Law - Muse The Origin of Love - Mika Midnight Flowers - The Dig

Oh yeah! I completely forgot about those films, Kreader. Frankie, if you watch any of those you'll see what I mean about fish houses. Plus, they were filmed/set in Minnesota! Last night I half-watched J. Edgar with Leo D. It was pretty good, of what I saw, anyway.

Good idea, Frankie! We need to share the good-film-love HCJr is a great singer, and so good for jazz and the old standards! He's from New Orleans originally and I just can never get nough of his voice. The fish houses are usually about 12 x 12 feet (3.65 meters) square and are on skis so they can be dragged out onto the ice. People who haul fish houses most of the time own pickup trucks, and they pull them out to their spot on the ice. They are generally used over and over and yeah, put people (guys mostly) in a heated house with a fridge for beer and a fishing pole and they are good for days! I saw The Hobbit over the weekend which was excellent, and exhausting I might add! Lots of action and running to be had. Mr. Peacefield (Aidan Turner) looked great, as usual! Sunday night we watched Something Borrowed, and it was OK. Sort of a frustrating romantic comedy, but it had its moments.

Sorry I haven't replied to this earlier, Frankie! I've always loved Harry Connick Jr! He's been around forever and is an amazing piano player and singer. We used to play his music all the time in my parent's music store, since they were both jazz fiends. He started out in music way before his acting took off. One of his earlier movies, Memphis Belle is really good and you should try and check it out. He was also sweet in Hope Floats. Yes, movies set in Minnesota, especially the ones that take place 'up north' really go over the top as far as our accent is concerned. Luckily the Coen's are from MN and one of their last movies, A Serious Man, didn't have over-accented characters in it. ASM is a really good movie, btw, you should check it out if you can. You guys don't have ice-houses on the ice when you fish? A lot of people here do just go out onto the ice and sit on a bucket in front of their fishing hole, but people also go all out and get a little house. They are nice and toasty inside and some are really decked out with TVs, a fridge - the works! It gets to be quite a community out on the ice. There are roads and houses out there all winter long some years. All the actors in Stranger Than Fiction were great, I agree! Except for Saturday Night Live, I much prefer Will in a serious role (except for Elf) and really wish he would've gotten recognized as' Harold Crick' more. There is one film he did where he got divorced from his wife and was very bitter about it. I can't remember the name but he takes all of his belongings and moves them out to the front yard and basically lives there. I loved it. Ruth, I watched Christmas in Connecticut over the holidays too! We watched it out in CA last month and then bought it when we got home. Do you have it on DVD? If so, have you watched the little short film that's a bonus on it? It's really very sweet and touching. It's basically a re-telling of the night Jesus was born in Bethlehem. I saw and absolutely loved Lincoln. I also finally saw Breaking Dawn 2 (I know, I'm such a bad fan to wait so long), and it was a fitting end to the series. I watched Being Flynn last night and it was just okay. Robert DeNiro was excellent, but it was pretty depressing and sort of over-the-top melodramatic, if that makes sense. It was a true story though, so I guess I can't be too critical. I'm going to see The Hobbit tomorrow! Hopefully the future Mr. Peacefield will appreciate my being there

Another movie located in MN? What other films have you been watching based here, Frankie?? The one with Zellweger and Harry Connick Jr? I think it's called New in Town? Pssttt I think I remember not quite enjoying that one, but you never know, you might fancy it! Just remember we don't ALL talk like we're from Fargo I half-watched Stranger Than Fiction last night while I was making banana bread. I own the DVD so have seen it dozens of times and it's still one of my favorites.