i heart buster keaton...

After many suggestions from Netflix that I would like Buster Keaton in Sherlock, Jr., I finally sat down to watch it with the family. It is a silent film and black and white. I have never attempted to watch a silent film as I figured they were boring and I'm not a huge fan of slapstick. So I had low expectations and figured I could endure anything for 45 minutes (the length of the movie).

I was blown away! It was so funny and included the greatest moment I have ever witnessed in a movie. We actually stopped the movie to watch the particular gag again. Buster Keaton is a genius and incredibly athletic. He did all his stunts which are pretty amazing. Sometimes he looks like he's made of rubber or elastic.

Here is a scene where he is dreaming and enters the movie to rescue his fiance. It's not the funniest gag in the movie (the playing pool scene or the motorcycle scene is) but it shows his goofiness.


Or this where he wants to work at a soda fountain.


He is called the "Great Stone Face" because he doesn't crack a smile. No matter what happens to him (and a lot does), he retains a stoic face. It's really fun and endearing.

This one is a short scene from Our Hospitality.


Here is a clip from the movie The College where he is picked to play third base and obviously has no clue what to do. The other scenes from the movie include track and field, football and rowing and all are hilarious. He tries so hard.


I strongly encourage you to see Sherlock, Jr, then The Navigator, The General and The College. I'm pretty sure you can just watch them on YouTube.


He wasn't ever as famous as Harold Lloyd or Charlie Chaplin which is sad.


Since we like Buster Keaton, I think we will venture out to see some Harold Lloyd.

making laundry soap...

I do a lot of laundry and I normally get the detergent for pretty cheap with coupons. However, lately I can't find any good deals. So I turned to my good friend Google to see how hard it would be to make my own. Turns out, not hard at all. It's really easy and really cheap. Maddie will demonstrate.

First you will need the following ingredients:
Borax, washing soda (not baking soda) and a bar of soap. I use Fels Naptha, others use Ivory. I found all these in the laundry aisle of my local store.


Fill a pot with 6 cups of water and start heating it up on the stove. You're going to grate 1/3 bar of Fels Naptha and add it to the water to dissolve.








Once that is dissolved you'll be adding the Borax and washing soda to the soap mixture. Stir well.




No pictures of this step. Sorry! Pour 4 cups of HOT water into a container you'll be using to store the soap. Then add your soap mixture to this.



Then add an additional 1 gallon + 6 cups warm water to this mixture and stir.


And you'll end up with this watery soupy looking detergent. Don't worry. Let it sit 24 hours or so and it will gel up. It still won't look good and will be slimy but works great.


See? It looked better after I stirred it up but not much.


You can add some essential oils if you like smelly detergent. I prefer the scent of the Fels Naptha.

Here is the recipe:
1/3 bar soap (Fels Naptha)
1/2 cup Borax
1/2 cup washing soda (not baking soda)
Container (at least 2 gallons) to store detergent in
6 cups water for soap mixture
4 cups HOT water added to container
1 gallon + 6 cups warm water to container

Start heating 6 cups of water in a pot on the stove. Meanwhile grate soap and add to water until soap melts. Add the washing soda and the Borax and stir well. Remove from stove and pour 4 cups hot water into your container. Add your soap mixture to this and stir. Then add your gallon plus 6 cups of water and stir well. Admire your soupy soapy creation and don't freak out it will "gel" in about 24 hours. Use about 1/2 cup per load.

I think this recipe cost me about $1.25 to make. I'm not sure how many loads I did but it was a lot.

Enjoy!

diy...and a decision

Help! We recently added the shutters and I painted the front door red. Now I need to decide whether to paint the screen door black to match the shutters or leave it white. What do you think? I sure have tough decisions in my life.



Or black door?


After staring at our ugly shed for 5 years, I finally started painting it. Of course I need to do the trim and I'm not sure if I want to do black (to match the shutters on our house) or white (which I think makes it look too cute). I have other ideas to fix it up though.



Stripped and ready for paint.




It's been hot for the last few days so my kids have been doing this.




Lauren studying outside using the iPad for her Western Civ I Clep coming up.


and we saw this fly over:


I've never seen one in person.


Linked:
Remodelaholic, Domestically Speaking

random...

Playing with my 50mm 1.8 Nikkor lens that I've had for years and hardly use.



For goodness sake, don't crack a smile...








50mm doesn't have zoom obviously but it did okay.






For some reason I have wavy/curly hair today so I thought I would document it. Mostly because I'm so incredibly vain, ha-ha. Ava took this and I haven't taught her about shutter speed or aperture so it's a bit blown out (okay a lot blown out but see my hair!).

airshow...

Maddie ended up staying home from the Airshow so I took Ava instead. Even though the temperature got up to eleventy-billion degrees and we left early, we had so much fun.

What follows are a ton of pictures.

The headlining act: The Patriots. I had to hurry away after this picture since they were waiting for me to lead them through a practice run. Ha, ha, I wish.


I don't remember if this was the F-16 or F-15 or F-something else but it was impressive and so gorgeous.


Look at those lines...swoon.


Ava wasn't even as tall as the landing gear.


I think I was wondering how I could get up there. And if anyone would notice if it was missing for a few minutes or hours or days.


The amazing Hawkeye. The round disc is a radar.


They asked Ava to get it started. She had a bit of trouble.


The largest helicopter in the US Military, the Super Stallion.


We got to go inside.


Cute smiley face. I hope that isn't blood on its head.


I think Ava was taking a picture of the pilots in their cute jumpsuits. You know that's right. Go Ava.


In the cockpit of the Super Stallion. I was the pilot of course. I may or may not have made flying sounds and may or may not have tried to shoot down a few enemies. Of course I didn't, that would be a little immature. *clears throat*

I got to touch both the cyclic and the collective. Yay!


I don't know what this plane was but it was nice looking. I do know it was a Navy plane.


Again, me figuring out how to get in and take it for a spin around the pattern. No one would even notice. Maybe if I pull that ribbon it would do something.


The little Skycatcher that I flew in last Tuesday. It was so clean and shiny. Last time I saw it there were bug guts everywhere. I can't get over how cute the nose of that plane is. I just want to squeeze it. *squeeeeeze*


The really neat car with the interior like a F-16? I think? I don't remember. It looked fast.


The closest I've been to the Tower. They were right behind us and had really good seats. :)


Opening act: four planes and two jumpers. The airplanes circled the jumpers the whole time.


One almost looked like he was going to land on top of us.


The aerobatic acts were spectacular.


We didn't get any pictures of the F-18 Super Hornet but of course it was so amazing. I would love to ride in one. I think.

It was so fun touring the booths and hearing how excited the pilots were to talk about their aircraft or flying. And boy would they talk. And pretty soon you were surrounded by pilots or wannabe pilots all talking about the latest gadgets on their airplanes. I loved it.

Ava and I even ended up being photographed by The Oregonian newspaper.
http://photos.oregonlive.com/oregonian/2011/08/oregon_international_air_show_19.html

I wish we could have stayed longer but when your sandals start melting on the runway, you know it's too hot. I will definately be back next year though.