Three Beautiful Things 01/17/10: Snug's Vet Visit, The Band's Visit, Comfort Food

1. Snug did something Wednesday morning out the backyard that's been bugging him. I thought he was doing better on Friday and Saturday, but this morning he was listless and uninterested in eating so I took him to the urgent care vet. He's okay. He needs rest. No arthritis or any of that stuff and his joints felt good to her. Snug was a very good boy at the vet and I was sure happy when I got in the car, turned over the engine, and The Cars "Let the Good Times Roll" came on the radio. Out of the corner of my eye I thought I could see Snug dog rockin' out a bit. He's shy about rockin' out, though, so he disguises it.

2. I hadn't watched a movie since summer time, for no good reason. I've simply been in a drought. I broke the drought tonight and watched a really sublime and richly satisfying movie by Israeli filmmaker Eran Kolirin entitled "The Band's Visit". It takes place in a 24 hour period when a police band from Alexandria, Egypt comes to Israel and they are misplaced in a remote place in Israel when they take the wrong bus. I'd never seen Sasson Gabai before. He's now a favorite actor of mine. His portrayal of the aggrieved, straight-laced, constrained band leader deeply moved me and the movie was also my introduction to the radiant Ronit Elkabetz, a lonely, invigorated restaurant owner who helps out the band members. It's a quiet, gorgeously slow moving movie, a piece of poetry about Israel, a refreshing change from all of the politically driven material we usually encounter from and about the Middle East.

3. The Deke's exhausted. I think it's another wave of grief she's feeling after the death of her brother. She asked me to cook dinner and gave me instructions: brown a pound of hamburger in onion; boil pasta; get out a casserole dish; throw the meat, onion, and pasta in the dish with a can of tomatoes, a can of Campbell's Tomato soup and a can of Campbell's Cream of Mushroom soup; sprinkle grated cheese over the top. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. It turned out great and pleased the Deke. Talk about comfort food!