Screen on the Green at Chateau Gahan

Last night Chateau Gahan hosted the high school youth of our church for an outdoor movie night. We had 20+ kids who spread out on blankets under the stars, surrounded by the sweet intermittent glow of lightening bugs. Once the movie was over, I stoked up the chiminea and the crew got to making s'mores.

NOTE: If you've ever thought about getting a chiminea, treat yourself. One of the best things about my patio. We use it all year round. Since I love being host to Harleigh and her friends, it's an instant source of relaxation and good chat time for teens. Who doesn't love staring at a crackling fire?

I used pillows and oil lamps from last weekend's shower. Popped a bunch of popcorn, loaded big metal tubs with ice and sodas. Harleigh even re-purposed the sarees and outdoor rugs from the shower to decorate the treehouse.

I've done zero plantings this Spring and Summer because I've been so absorbed with house fiascos, so this event jump-started a little gardening just to make the porches and yard look nice.

If there is one thing you treat yourself to this week . . .

. . . make it be the 3D version of Coraline. Magical, dark and visually spectacular beyond any animated movie I've seen. Not for children by any means. The theater was packed full of them and they were more interested in their Skittles.

Don't wait for this one to come out on video. Needs to be seen on the big screen, preferably the 3D version.

Sunday Warm-Fuzzy

Harleigh told me about this, we watched it, I cried like an idiot.

It's about time . . .

We've been singing the soundtrack here at Chateau Gahan for years now. When I got an email today from Ticketmaster about Wicked coming to the Fox theatre here in Atlanta in October, I jumped at the chance to see the musical that Harleigh and I know by heart. Date day for the Gahan Girls coming up! A nice lunch out and then a matinee performance. Can't wait.

Can't Get Enough

We went out and bought the soundtrack, we went out to brunch and talked about the scenes we liked best, we've been singing all the songs around the house and even in public places with little care about who looks at us funny. We're pretty much obsessed with Mamma Mia. Here is one of my favorite scenes. As a single mom with an only daughter, you can guess that I was having trouble keeping it together during this number. This isn't the whole song, just a small part, so as I sat in the theater I agonized keeping in the chocking sobs for much longer than this 41 second clip. I was a sucker for all the slow, sappy songs, and Harleigh loved the more upbeat Abba dance numbers. There's something in it for everybody. OK, enough for now.

Mamma Mia, bring your Kleenex

Harleigh and I have been waiting and waiting for this movie to come out. We saw it tonite and I didn't want it to end. Harleigh said the whole movie made her want to cry because the music made her so happy. We have the soundtrack from the Broadway musical, and the music from the movie version is even better. I was a teary-eyed baby just reveling in the joy of watching the friendship between these women and of course the relationship between the mother and daughter. If I wasn't in lip quiver mode, then I was smiling and singing. Everyone in the theater (not an empty seat!) was singing and clapping at the end. And you just have to think what fun they had making this movie. Ahhhhh . . . we might just go back tomorrow and see it again.

The scenery is breathtaking and the hotel she runs will make your white-washed, vintage, beachy self wide-eyed just taking it all in. Worth seeing on a big screen, although we will be buying it as soon as it comes out on DVD.

Teary-Eyed Kick-Off

Driving home from work last night, daughter's doing movie night with girlfriends, mom's got the house to herself, stopped at the grocery store to pick up some things . . . I'll rent myself a movie! Now Harleigh and I often watch movies together, but to watch one by myself feels almost indulgent, an event to be savored. My friend Tim had told me about Into the Wild so that's what I picked up. It stars that hunky, brooding skateboarder dude from Lords of Dogtown.

Hunkered down in the rumpus room, all the lights off, sound of rain outside, all smiley and full of myself at the week that lays ahead. What was I thinking when I rented this one?!?!?!?!? Oh------ my------gosh. It was beautifully sad, poignantly intelligent, a true story, chock-full of memorable but subtle performances by big stars, and just the most depressing movie I think I've ever seen. I cried — not in that hard, the-tears-keep-coming way like when you watch Beaches — but a cry that you just sorta feel coming from deep inside, that's fueled not just by what you're watching but by other personal stuff that manages to seep in.

Glad I can say that I've seen this flick, but, needless to say, for a grand kick-off night to the fun and homey adventures that brand this break, I should have grabbed Hairspray.

My daughter was meant to live in another era . . .

My daughter is a big fan of old movies. Since she's been little, she's always loved musicals — Oklahoma, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, White Christmas, to name but a few. And the romance of days gone by has always fueled her imagination. I remember a time when she was about 8 years old and desperately wanted a vintage bathing cap. We bought her one, and off to the neighborhood pool we went. She wore a plush full-length terry bathrobe over her one-piece bathing suit and a big-brimmed straw hat and big sunglasses a la the gals in the 40's when they headed poolside. I think she might have even put on a pair of high-heeled mules to add to the aura.

Back in early 2000 we took a train trip up to Baltimore. Trains in old movies were always so cool. The porter, the dining car, the train station, even stepping out of a train is elegant. Harleigh dressed the part for our trip. She wore a long dress-up dress, lace-up Victorian boots, her hair up in a bun, and she carried a hat box. Once in the train, she changed into a fancier long dress for dinner in the dining car. And our private room was the neatest thing ever. Everything compact. What a trip. What a girl.

Here is a poster I got her for Christmas this year which I have to take to get framed. So Grace Kelly.

Gideon

Our boy Gideon is, as of yesterday, 10 months old. He was born on St. Patty's Day. My daughter named him after one of the brothers in one of her Top 10 movies Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. He was always her absolute favorite brother. (The movie just lends itself to lots of those discussion questions . . . which bride would you want to be, who do you think is the cutest brother, which dress would you want to wear . . . .)

Our Gideon just happens to be the youngest of his litter as was the movie-Gideon the youngest of his brothers. Anyway, he's cute as all get out. In this picture he's lying in his favorite nighttime sleep spot, under our foyer desk. My daughter's Vera Bradley bookbag is on the chair. I liken this picture to an ad — Ralph Lauren has his blonde and regal Labrador Retrievers and Vera Bradley has her moppy and oh-so-cuddly Old English Sheepdog.