'Gene Kelly: The Legacy' — Patricia Kelly on her late husband, plus exclusive Q&A

/

In one of the highlights of last month's Starz Denver Film Festival experience, Jim and I had the fabulous opportunity to attend Gene Kelly: The Legacy — An evening with Patricia Ward Kelly. As guests of Mrs. Kelly. What a fabulous treat it was.

Patricia Kelly on Gene Kelly

Patricia Kelly's two-hour, behind-the-scenes presentation highlighted her late husband's life and legacy in a sentimental, intimate manner no other biographer might be able to do. "Since I had the privilege of recording his words nearly every day for over ten years," Mrs. Kelly told me...

Read More

Quick, clever, crunchy gifts to make with grandchildren

/

This past weekend was a party-filled one for this grandma. Sunday was my family's annual cookie swap and Saturday was the Chex Party Mix Party.

The Chex what? you ask.

The Chex Party Mix Party was a special blogging event I was invited to in which several bloggers from the Denver area were filled in on how to make and gift — yes, gift! — Chex mix goodies in a variety of flavors. And, of course, we got to taste the crunchy stuff, too.

Chex Party Mix booth

I honestly had never thought of doing such a thing, but after...

Read More

Unexpected guests and GRAND Social link party No. 82

/

My family's annual cookie swap — which we started long before cookie exchanges were in fashion — took place yesterday at my sister's house. She lives relatively far up in the mountains, and life up there is a wee bit different than it is here in the city.

For one thing, during the holiday festivities, the neighbors came right up to the back door and begged to join our invitation-only party.

begging deer 

Needless to say...

Read More

Saturday movie review: 'At Middleton'

/

Many readers know I have a, well, history with the romantic comedy AT MIDDLETON, starring Andy Garcia and Vera Farmiga. I first saw the film at the AARP Life@50 Conference in Atlanta in October and afterward had the unexpected and delightful opportunity to meet — and hug! — Andy Garcia. The memorable moment was a fantastic closing to my AT MIDDLETON experience.

Quotes from AT MIDDLETONOr so I thought. Turns out that was just the beginning.

Through an interesting turn of events, I ended up covering the red carpet screening of AT MIDDLETON at the Starz Denver Film Festival in November. I photographed and spoke to not only...

Read More

I can keep a secret, plus four more things I learned this week

/

It's been a week of highs, of lows, of lessons learned. Here are those lessons, in no particular order:

telling a secretI can keep a secret better than anyone else in one particular group I'm a member of. I'm in a group that has a secret. It's a good secret. And I am the only one in the group who has not told anyone else even though we all agreed to keep it a secret. Which surprises me because though I typically have good intentions about keeping good secrets — bad secrets and...

Read More

Grinchy delights for grandsons

/

My grandsons had their first "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" viewing of the season the other day. 

The live-action version is a holiday favorite in their family, and oh, how it delighted them.

Grinch fans

The delight grew four times in size...

Read More

Wherein I share a sibling sandwich and grandchildren that aren't mine

/

I didn't get to spend time with my grandsons or their parents on Thanksgiving. The miles are just too difficult (and expensive) for either of us to traverse at this time.

Making up a smidgen for not getting to see the parts of my heart that live in the desert was getting to share a warm and cozy (and filling) day at my place with many of my mountain-based family members, immediate and extended. That included two of my six siblings — my oldest (Jeff) and my youngest (Susan).

Forget the turkey and taters, this was the sibling sandwich of the day:

siblings on Thanksgiving 

I don't believe we have ever...

Read More