I have been watching... and reading... and buying...

Toy Story 3 is a scream.  And heart-tugging.  And everything you'd expect from those fabulously clever Disney-Pixar people.  Even the shortie film before the main feature was a blast - very reminiscent of the 'LSD-induced' dream sequence from Dumbo, I thought.
And I'm still torn between 2 favourite scenes: The Barbie-watching Ken model his wardrobe scene (nearly wet myself at this and wanted to try it out at home on the Hubs for a laugh) AND the Spanish Buzz bits.  So heart-thumpingly funny that I was very glad I brought some travel tissues with me. *whisper* I actually got a bit of a Buzz-crush at these parts.

I've just finished reading Liane Moriarty's 'What Alice Forgot' and loved it.  I knew I would because the fabulous Keris enjoyed it too.  It's all about Alice Love who has a fall at the gym and when she regains consciousness, she's lost ten years of her life, thinks she's 28, newly married and pregnant with her first child.  What she doesn't remember is that she's actually approaching 40, has 3 kids and is filing for divorce from her husband. And she's got issues with her sister.
I found this totally refreshing and loved the way it's told from 3 different viewpoints and mediums.  Great holiday read.  Go buy.

Until I read in the Radio Times that this new TV production was "Sherlock Holmes with texting", I wasn't the least bit interested in watching another take on the tired old fictional detective.  In fact after having seen the Robert Downey Junior/Jude Law film of the same name, to my mind nothing could top it.  Which, in all honesty, this didn't.  But at least it's Berluddy British - with proper British actors and I have to say that Martin freeman is an absolute star in it.  If you can catch-up, do.  You won't be sorry.

Hallelujah for the revival of the Maxi dress, people, that's all I can say!  After having spent the whole of last year's 5-star luxury holiday in Tuscany decked out in something I've only ever seen the local bag-lady get away with, fashion-wise, I am heartily happy that this year I can encase all my white, freckly wobbly bits top to toe in trend-setting style!
I've already bought three, and they look so lovely I'm amazed I didn't think of this before (like 12 months before would've been preferable - I still can't believe I was lying around a 5-star pool in cut-offs and t-shirts whilst everyone about me swanned around in fake-tans and push-up bikinis.  I can't even look at the photos for the shame).

Oh, and as part of the Transword Summer Reading Challenge, I'm over halfway through Curtis Sittenfeld's book, "Prep" which I'm enjoying although not altogether breezing my way through it - the chapters are Ssoooo long and my brain capacity is Sssoooo small in comparison and I'm beginning to get really irritated by all the weird names of the students she's studying with.  Here are some:

Gates Medkowski, Dede Schwartz, Sin-Jun Kim, Aspeth Montgomery, Little Washington, Dory Rogers, Nevin Lunse, Cross Sugarman, it goes on... there's a whole academy of names to get my head round - and I have a hard time remembering my husband's  most days.  Which is why the word 'baby' was invented.  Very handy.