Who doesn’t love a long weekend?

Posted on June 30, 2013 by Charlotte Copper

As it says in my bio, I live in Canada, eh!

Born and raised in Toronto, Ontario, I have always lived in and around what we call the GTA…Greater Toronto Area. I currently live in Stouffville, which is just north-east of the city.

This weekend marks Canada’s 146th birthday. Admittedly our July 1st celebrations are not as extravagant as the US’s July 4th parties, parades, and fireworks, but we try.

I volunteer much of my weekend at the local Stouffville Strawberry Festival. I think there are a lot less strawberry farms around Stouffville than there used to be, but it’s still a fun weekend to get the summer started.

Main Street is closed on Saturday, while vendors line the street selling food and crafts, and I always make sure I get my ice cream with strawberries from one of the church booths. Although Main St is only closed Saturday, there is plenty to do all weekend. The long weekend includes the movie-in-the-diamond (baseball diamond, that is), a comedy night, lots of music, and of course a few carnival rides for the kiddies. As with any good Canada day celebration, there is also cake & fireworks.

So to my Canada Friends…Happy Canada (long) Weekend!
And to those south of the border…Have a wonderful July 4th!

What do you plan to do with your long holiday weekend?

I love summer because of…

Posted on May 18, 2013 by Charlotte Copper

I have friends that love summer for all that the outdoors has to offer….golf, soccer, sailing, gardening, cycling, beach volleyball. Me? I love it for the movies.

I’ve got friends that say going to the movies is too expensive, and really when a 3D movie costs about $15 per person, plus another $15 for a pop & popcorn, they are right. But I would rather pay to see a summer action movie then pay to watch the grass grow and lose my balls on a golf course.

I usually see about 20-30 movies a year, with many of them opening in the summer, and I tend to avoid the “talking head” type of movies…romance, drama…those are the kind that can be seen on your t.v. without losing their impact. Actions movies are what top my list.

I start making my list of movies as soon as the preview magazines come out (yes, I have an actual list), and then I add to it as I go. My 2013 movie list is currently at 36, and I have seen 7 of them already. I won’t go to see all 36, some of them will get bad ratings and I’ll mark them as rental. Of course, there will be a few movies that I haven’t seen previews for or read about yet that will get added.

I judge most of my movie watching thru a site called rottentomatoes.com. I love this site!! I’ve been using it for years, and I know that 90% for a talking heads movie really means nothing to me, but that 50% on certain thriller types movies might still mean it’s a good movie. I’ve even gone to see movies that are at 25% because at least a quarter of the people liked it, and if it is my kind of movie then it is MY KIND OF MOVIE. (Admittedly I draw the line at spending that kind of money on anything less than about 20%.)

May is the kick-off for my summer movie obsession and I saw Star Trek Into Darkness last night. It is sitting at 87% on Rotten Tomatoes, and I LOVED IT!! (And not just because Chris Pine has gorgeous blue eyes.)
What are some of the other wallet-breaking movies I have on my list for the summer?
Fast & Furious opens next weekend, and Now You See Me the weekend after.
June offers up the Bling Ring (not usually my kind of movie, but I love Hermoine), After Earth, World War Z and Whitehouse Down.
For July, it starts with Dispicable Me 2 (really!), as well as RIPD, RED2 and Wolverine.
And right now the only one on my August list is Mortel Instruments.

So there are a dozen MUST SEE summer movies, and the list doesn’t even include my “maybe” movies.

Yes, I’ll still make it to the beach every other weekend for The Daughter’s volleyball, and I’ll get the flowers in and the garden cleaned at some point. More importantly though, I think I better start rolling the jar of coins I have sitting on my dresser so that I can have my movie and my popcorn, too.

Waiting for summer…

Posted on April 5, 2013 by Charlotte Copper

As I write this – a few days before actual post – I’m taking time to sit back, close my eyes and bask in the sunlight coming through my window. Like petting a cat or dog, sitting in the sun does something for one’s state of mind. When I first sat down I was grumpy, but I can’t help but smile as the beams fight their way through the winter’s dirt on my window. Even The Daughter sits down next to me to enjoy this golden moment. Therapy for the soul.

I was born and raised in the “GTA” – Greater Toronto Area – in Ontario, Canada. And yet after 40+ years, I find NO redeeming qualities in winter. I’ve got friends (DKC&J) who enjoy winter to the fullest with skiing, snowmobiling, and even making their own maple syrup, but me, as soon as that first snow flake falls, I’m wanting winter to end.

I can’t wait to trade my boots for flip flops, my sweaters for t-shirts, and my mitts for sunglasses.

The start of summer also brings with it the end of volleyball season which means no more nights spent in gymnasiums while The Daughter practices. Unfortunately, they’ll be replaced by nights on the soccer field. The Daughter is learning to referee this year instead of play, but I’ll still be her chauffeur. This does mean, however, I can do laps around the field, or sit in a comfortable chair and write or read, instead of coaching.

Soccer 2005

Soccer 2012

(After twelve years, I’m not actually sure yet how I feel about soccer ending, I’ll get back to you on that.)

I’m looking forward to the end of winter and snow, a quick journey through spring, and the eventual warmth of summer.

Of course, I wouldn’t be a good marketer if I didn’t mention that summer also brings with it the release of Silver Blade (July 24), but then that is just an added bonus!