While The Cat's Away...

So, while the guys are away, toughing out the late spring snow and cold in Colorado, I'm getting ready for a couple of stealth camping trips.  (Shhh...)  The first order of business is getting the new (to me) camping trailer set up for adventure.  

The new tiny home

In considering what to christen her, I feel I must take into account my former gypsy domiciles.  The back of "Big Red" served me well for many a foray into the wilderness and she is still the puller of my camping castles.  Her first charge was "Noah's Ark", the oversize cab-over camper I lived in with my 3 now grown children, their 2 dogs, 1 cat and hamster, when we were traveling prior to settling down in Arizona.  "The Egg" was our next small camping trailer, named by my youngest son, after our dear friend's favorite camper.  "The Egg" was traded in for our current model, which is a bit roomier and has a toilet and shower - a big plus for any extended travels.  I guess I will have to keep "rolling it around in my head", as my grandma used to say, as the appropriate name has not yet presented itself.

Big Red

Back to getting the trailer ready, it looks like she's gonna need two new tires.  I was hoping for just one, but upon closer examination, both of them look pretty worn and primed for a blow-out.  At least the spare is new...  I have yet to give the inside a good cleaning and inspect all the plumbing and electrical, but as soon as I have the tires on, she'll be good enough for local camping trips.  At least it's a step up from a tent or the back of the truck.  

Looks like the tires will have to wait at least a couple of weeks.  I guess I'll go for some day hikes instead.  White Horse Lake is close by, and is uncrowded as yet.  The trails are great for getting back into shape after several years of not much hiking.  I'll post some pics and info on that soon.  

Until then...Happy Trailers!

Bella - Review

http://www.bellamoviesite.com/

Bella, released in 2006 at the Toronto International Film Festival, is one of those movies that I really meant to see, but never got around to it.  Thanks to Netflix, I finally did, and wow, what a great movie!

The story, which takes place in one day, may get a little confusing as the backstory unfolds in flashbacks.  Jose, a soccer star who has just signed a lucrative contract, accidentally kills a small child and serves time in prison.  After his release, he works in his brother's restaurant as a chef, where he meets Nina, a waitress who has a brief affair (not with Jose) which ends in an unplanned pregnancy.  Nina's solution is to end the pregnancy, but Jose has other ideas, and Nina changes her plans (as shown in flash-forwards, confused yet?).  The subtle anti-abortion message is so powerful, that I can see why pro-life groups adopted this movie and helped to heavily promote it.  

I enjoyed the portrayal of Jose's family and particularly his interaction with his brother Manny, whose compulsive reactions Jose responds to with calm dismissal.  Such as when Manny fires Jose, who simply walks out the back door of the restaurant, then returns the next morning and cooks Manny breakfast as if nothing happened.

My favorite scene has to be Jose, sitting with a rosary in his hand, while Nina is taken into the back of the abortion clinic.  It's something you might miss, if you weren't Catholic, but to me, it screamed the power of Our Blessed Mother's intercession.

Bella is a story about imperfect people, living sometimes difficult lives and facing complicated choices.  It's about the power of God bringing awesome good out of our human weakness.

Blankets 4 Kids - Keeping Kids Warm in Prescott, Arizona

A sock monkey peers over the top of a fleece blanket, rolled up and tied with a pink ribbon.  Children scream with delight as they scramble for a seat playing musical chairs.  Free hot dogs, coffee and cookies tempt browsing parents as they choose from the many handmade and gently used blankets, jackets and other items at St. Anne's Roman Catholic Mission's Children's Day.  The church, located in Ash Fork, Arizona, 54 miles west of Flagstaff and 50 miles north of Prescott, is playing host to Blankets 4 Kids, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that collects and distributes blankets, scarves and hats to needy families in the Prescott area.  

The brainchild of Ron Campbell of Prescott, Blankets 4 Kids serves organizations throughout the surrounding areas, including Head Start, Women's Shelters, Pregnancy Centers, Police and Sheriff's Departments and local churches to name a few.  Blankets, hats and scarves are collected from drop-off points throughout Prescott and Chino Valley, see http://blankets4kids.org/dropboxes.html for a complete listing.

 

Volunteers collect, clean and sort donations.  Children's blankets are "packaged" with a stuffed toy and other "surprises" tucked away inside.  One little boy's face lit up when he opened his hand crocheted rainbow colored blanket and pulled out a soft yellow hat and scarf, just the right size to keep him warm next winter.

For more information, to donate money, blankets, hats or scarves, or to schedule an event for Blankets 4 Kids, contact Ron Campbell at 928-541-0483 or 4kid@cableone.net.  Visit the website at http://www.blankets4kids.org.