Sarai Henderson's Blog, page 257

R.I.P. Anton Yelchin

It seems like more and more these days we are losing young people to senseless tragedies and accidents. It's really heart braking. These young people whether they are actors or not should be remembered for the amazing people they were.

If you haven't heard by now, actor Anton Yelchin was found pinned by his car during the morning hours of June 19th. By the time anyone came for him he was already gone. It seems to be a terrible accident that took this young man's life. In honor of all the achievements in film that Anton has made, lets take some time this week to watch one of his movies.
I've compiled a list of movies that I have personally seen of his and would recommend to anyone.

Any of the new Star Trek reboots.
Star Trek (2009)  Star Trek - Into Darkness (2013)  Fierce People (2005)  Alpha Dog (2006)





















Terminator - Salvation (2009)   





















Let this be a sad reminder to keep your loved ones close and always tell them you love them, because you never know when they will take their last breath. R.I.P. Anton Yelchin.

The Midnight Trail - Part Six

Part Six,
My sobs came out uncontrollably as I sat under the oak tree and let the day wither away around me. My vision was blurred and I was beginning to feel the pressure in my head from a long hard cry, not to mention the ache in my leg that was driving me nuts.
In the distance I thought I heard my name being called. Shelby, Shelby. At first I ignored it. There wasn’t anything there, but as the nose came closer and I was sure that my name was being called, I wiped the tears from my eyes and stumbled to my feet.
“Who’s there?” I called out into the forest hoping that whoever was coming could help me get Chris back to the road. “Is somebody there?”
The forest was quiet again. I listened for the sound of foot steps coming closer through the underbrush, but there was nothing. My name wasn’t being called anymore. The birds had stopped chirping and the wind no longer rustled the leaves in the canopy above. There was nothing, not even the sound of the river close by.
I turned around, looking for anything moving in the trees around me, my feet the only thing making sounds.
“Hello?” My voice was shaking and quiet.
“Shelby.” A familiar voice sounded behind me, startling me out of my skin. I turned around quickly nearly stumbling over my own feet to come face to face with my brother, Jarrod.
“What are you doing here? You’re dead.” My voice caught in my throat as I spoke the words. He had been gone for months now, but yet here he was standing in front of me.
“Shelby.” His words were calm and slow. “Are you going to let this young man die because you’re feeling sorry for yourself?”
A single tear rolled down my cheek as I glanced down at Chris who was still unconscious on the ground under the tree. He looked so pale already. “I don’t know what to do, Jarrod.”
Jarrod smiled at me, that knowing grin that he always gave me when he knew that I was holding back. “What happened to me was not your fault. You did the best you could to save me, but right now, you are letting this young man die when you have the strength to bring him to safety. You must save him Shelby.”
“But how?” I threw up my hands in defeat crouching down to check Chris’s breathing.
“You’ll find a way.” Jarrod’s words were distant and quiet. I turned back to look him in the eyes and he was gone, vanished into thin air like he was never there. I glanced around the small clearing trying to find him, but he was no where to be seen. He was gone.
As I looked back down at Chris’s unmoving body my mind suddenly cleared. He was going to die if I did nothing and I couldn’t just sit here and allow that. Thought started to form a plan, pieces of something that I had once been taught by my brother a long time ago. There was a way, but I would have to move quickly.

Now that Shelbyhas a new direction and a clear mind will she be able to get Chris back to the road before his injures take him. Find out next time on The Midnight Trail. 

Ronan's 6th Birthday Pictures

Every year for my boy's birthday, I take them to a park and take some photos of them that show of their personality, and no one has more personality than Ronan. He is a fun packed fire cracker, full of energy and imagination. There is nothing that this kid hasn't tried or wants to try. He also never stops moving, not even when he is sick. Love my medium boy!

Book Review - The Great Hunt - Robert Jordan

The Great HuntBy Robert Jordan
Ladies and Gents, there are somethings in life that take a little more time than normally should and this was one of them for me. I started this book while on vacation when I was eight months pregnant with my first child. For all of you who know me, you know that my first son is almost nine. Yes this book took me almost nine years to read. This shouldn't say anything about the quality of  the writing thought, it says a lot about how fast I read and how much time I have on my hands.
My husband has been a long time fan of Robert Jordan and he was the one that turned me on to these books. I started off with New Spring and quickly moved on to the Eye of the World. Loved them both. With the birth of my first son, I put The Great Hunt down and never picked it back up until recently. 
I love the world that the characters live in and am enthralled by the Aes Sedai and their use of the One Power. Its total magic and wonders that only a mind like Robert Jordan can think up. This was truly an epic fantasy for anyone to get lost in.
The characters are all torn apart and sent on their own adventures through out the book. The women to Tar Valon and the men on an epic journey to bring back the Horn of Valere. Somehow, through strange magic and even stranger circumstances, the group finds themselves in Falme, a city that has been over run by invaders. There are battles, Dark Friends and the return of Heroes from the past. The main Character Rand even comes to terms with his title, which we have been wondering about since the last book.
I loved this book and if you like epic fantasies then you will love t too. This one gets 5 out of 5 stars for all over content.  

Menu: Week 149

We had a busy weekend. Pictures for Ronan's 6th birthday, pictures of my sisters family, my little sisters bridal shower and dinner with the in-laws. And that was all on Sunday. What a weekend.

I also finished my second edits on my book and sent it back to my editor with a dedication and teaser excerpt. I think we are coming to the end, but I don't really know how the time line works. All I want to see now is my cover.

Here is the menu for the week Enjoy!

Monday- Creamy Tuscan Garlic Chicken
Tuesday- Nacho Skillet
Wednesday- Chicken Teryaki
Thursday- Mongolian Beef

Friday- Pork Schnitzle
Saturday- Spaghetti

Sunday
- Tuna Sandwiches

The Midnight Trail - Part Five

Part Five
Consciousness slipped in and out as my mind slowly came back to me. Before I could even open my eyes, my legs stirred, remembering the feeling of falling, but not landing. They weren’t broken, but my skin burned on my left calf telling me that something was wrong. I slowly opened my eyes, peaking into the sun.
Where was I? The ground around me was rocky, piled up on the ground like a fresh landslide from above. My body lay awkwardly on top of the boulders, with only a few small rocks scattered over my bare legs. The source of the burning was a large scrape on the outside of my calf. It was red and blood dripped down into my sock. It would heal, but I would have to keep it clean until I could get back to my car.
Pulling myself to a sitting position, I was able to get a better picture of what had happened. Above me, the rock that Chris and I had been standing on was gone. It now lay in pieces underneath me, a shattered mess of what it used to be. The river was close by, still bubbling, moving quickly down stream unaware that anything had happened. The sun was still high overhead, it was maybe two or three in the afternoon. I had lost a few hours, but there was still enough time to hike out before dark. It would be slow going with my leg being injured, but I could do it.
“Chris…” I called out wondering what had happened to the wayward young man. He didn’t answer. How could he have just left me here? Unless… My heart was pounding as I searched around the rubble frantically for any sign that he had fallen over the ledge along side of me. A few feet away I found him, his body limp, blood dripping from a gash in the side of his head, matting the hair to his skull. “Chris.”
My fingers were shaking as I searched for a pulse on the young man’s neck. His body was cold, but I couldn’t give up hope that he was still alive. He had to be alive. Patiently and quietly my fingers pressed against flesh, searching for the thumping of a heart beat. I nearly yelled with joy when I found it. Chris was alive.
There were a few rocks that had landed on his legs. I lifted them off him as best as I could, but with my hands shacking and the size of the rocks, it was hard to move them without causing more injuries, even to my own leg. Good thing Chris was unconscious or he would be cussing me out right now.
Slowly, I lifted Chris from his shoulders, trying to be careful with his neck, and dragged him from the rock pile. He came to rest in the shade of a large oak tree near the river where he would be shaded from the harsh sun.

What was I supposed to do now? I wasn’t sure of the severity of Chris’s wound, but I knew that he needed a hospital. He could die out here and there would be nothing I could do. My mind screamed as plopped myself down under the tree next to Chris. Tears formed in my eyes, threatening to stream down my face. This was the second time in my life I sat next to someone and was forced to watch them die. First with Jarod, now with this stranger and it was all my fault. I feared the release I was looking for on this dammed trail was never going to be found.
Sydney seems to be in a lot of trouble. Will she snap out of her self loathing and figure out a way to save Chris, or will she watch him die the same way she watched her brother die? Find out in the next installment of The Midnight Trail.

June Movies

I really don't know why I end up with these weird movies on my DVR, but this is seriously weird. I guess it gives me something to pass the time while I work around the house or sit on the couch with a sleeping two year old in my lap.
Our first movie is Deadly secrets or also known as confession (2005) I don't know why it comes up with two names. On my DVR its deadly secrets, IMDB its confession. Who knows.
Any way, this movie has a young Chris Pine in it, one of my favorite Chris' of course. He plays a troubled teen in a Catholic school who accidentally kills someone. Their are a lot of priests and a pretty girl in it. To tell you the truth, I don't even know what the pretty girl has to do with the movie. He visits her a few times but the dialog really doesn't add anything to the story that we don't already know and all Chris' character can say to her is, "I like your face." Who doesn't?

You can check out the trailer here on IMDB if you like. I would give this movie a 2.5 out of 5 stars. It was a good movie to play in the background while I was working, but kind of boring to sit through.



Next up, Forsaken (2015) - My husband actually rented this one from Redbox. It looked pretty good and we like new westerns so we thought it was a safe bet. Plus, who doesn't like Kiefer and Donald Sutherland?

It was a little corny. You have the young man who went off to war and his home coming wasn't a very warm welcome. The town he grew up in is in trouble and of course the only one who can save it is the ousted young man. I've heard this plot a million times before, but with that being said, we enjoyed it. At one point, I turned to my husband and said, "He's about to be Kiefered!"

If you're looking for a date night movie, maybe pick this one up and have a good time with the Sutherlands.

I would give this movie 3.5 stars out of 5. Just because the plot is predictable.

Watch the trailer here at IMDB.




Last but not least we have Up in the air (2009) It has a great cast like George Clooney and Anna Kendrick. Love them, but the plot was slightly depressing. Like a huge slight.

The two main characters in the movie are trying to figure out the best way to fire people. Clooney's character flies around the country and fires people face to face, while Kendrick's character has developed an online approach to things and everything just goes down hill. People cheat on each other and break up with each other and lives are ruined all over the place. It was actually kind of boring. I watched it while I was folding laundry and at the end I just wanted to eat a lot of sweets and cry.

The acting was amazing of course and the plot was something I had never seen before, but it just sucked the joy out of me.

If you like this kind of movie I would recommend it to you, but other than that, not my cup of tea.

I give this movie 2 stars out of 5 for its boring and depressing nature.

If you would like to watch the trailed, check it out here at IMDB.

These are the movies of the week. If you have a film that you think I would like, please send me an email.

Menu: Week 148

It was a tough week for the family. One of our six kittens unfortunately died. We tried everything to keep him going but in the end he gave in to his injuries and passed away. The boys took it better than I thought they would but it was still hard to tell them. The boys named him Zero because he had zero tails. We decided to bury him in the garden and grandma even provided a grave stone that we painted his name on. He was a sweet little kitten that was given a short lot in life but died in the arms of the vet, warm, fed and loved.

In better news, Finished the first edits for my book and got them back to the editor. I can't wait to see what she comes back with. I'm also holding my breath until I get to see my cover art. This wait is killing me. I'm usually a patient person, but the wondering and the unknown is getting to me. I want to know!

I hope you enjoy this weeks menu!

Monday
- Garlic Basil Chicken

Tuesday
- Pork Shnitzle

Wednesday
- Beef Stroganoff

Thursday
- Chicken Noodle Casserole

Friday
- Crispy Parmesan Chicken

Saturday
- Tuna Paninis

Sunday
- Dinner with the In-Laws

Garden Part Two

The garden is growing nicely. The tomatoes have literally doubled in size and we should have a small tomato growing soon.

The poor tomato that my youngest son had fallen on and broken is growing back, although its a little stunted. It will survive.

My husband and I picked up some green bell peppers and lettuce. We also got onion and garlic. They are growing nicely in the new cinder block box my husband made.

We also plan on making a potato pool. Its a kiddie pool that you grow potatoes in. Its going to be really cool.

I'm super excited to watch my plants grow this summer and hopefully harvest some veggies also.

The Midnight Trail - Part Four

Part Four
The young man and I stared at each other awkwardly for a few minutes before he said something to break the ice. “My name is Chris.”
He held out his hand for me to shake. Reluctantly, I took it. “Shelby.”
“Nice to meet you, Shelby.” Chris had a smile on his face that was bright and inviting. Not like something I would expect to be worn on a serial killer. I was beginning to second guess my instincts. Maybe this guy was just another hiker on the Midnight Trail? But then again, he could want to kill me the minute I turned my back on him.
To break the ice, I wracked my mind to find something to say so Chris wouldn’t start asking questions about my imaginary friends that weren’t coming up from the waterfall. “So … What’s up over that rock?”
I pointed toward the small path where the young man had snuck up on me moments before.       It was almost hidden behind a few ferns that were growing out of the side of the rock, but it was there and I wanted to know where it went.
“That path right there? Well, that’s where you find the best view of the mountain.” Chris spread his arms wide, like he was showing me the land beyond the rock. “You can see for miles. Where the forest meets the mountain and beyond. There is nothing like it.”
He spoke with a nostalgic tone, looking off into the blue sky and allowing the sun to warm his face.
“Will you show me?” I had forgotten about my serial killer theory. The only thing on my mind was the thrill of what was at the end of the trail. I thought I had seen it all, but little did I know that the trail still held secrets that I had come here to uncover. There was nothing that was going to stop me from revealing them all.
Chris led the way past the ferns and up the small trail. The rocks were tall and there weren’t many hand holds, or footings to pull myself up. Chris scrambled nimbly up over the edge, disappearing from sight. Just when I thought he had left me behind, he leaned down with his hand out to help me up on top of the rock. I gladly took it this time and scrambled up.
There was a small gap between two large rocks that was easily jumped and a few small pushes to push through before the blue of the sun came into view, but that wasn’t what I had come for. It was the next sight that took my breath away.
Before me lay the entire world. Evergreen trees as far as the eye can see. Below lay the river, white rapids rippling over its surface. The mountain stood grand in the background of it all, with its white cap and blue-gray skirt. It glistened in the middaysunshine.
“Oh wow.” Was all I could say.
“I told you it was a better view.” Chris stood next to me on the edge of the rock face, his hands on his hips like he was king of the mountain. I had to give it to him, this was the most amazing view I had ever seen.
I took a deep breath, taking in all that I could. Committing it to memory so I would never forget, but what happened next I would never forget either.
The ground under my feet quickly dropped out from under me. For a second I felt like I was floating, but then I dropped into nothing, falling as I tried to grab onto the rock face as it fell away. I must have cried out, but the sound was muffled by the bone shattering crack of rock on rock. I couldn’t say how long I was falling, but it soon ended and everything went black.   

Do you think that Shelby will survive the fall? And what happened to Chris? Check back next week to find out what happens.