Ice Age 3 in the absence of Maruska

IA3 hadn't been on my list of must-see movies but Spike suggested we catch it, perhaps as an antidote to the heartlessness and impersonal offerings of the Holy man presiding over Maruska Hanak's funeral earlier today. It was stunningly clear that the poor old priest had no idea who Maruska was. Equally, he'd clearly taken virtually no time to learn anything about Maruska. So he spoke quite a bit about the suffering of Jesus Christ (who was mentioned enough times to make you wonder if he was in the box rather than dear Maruska). We heard about the Celestial Mansions, of which in our Father's House there are many apparently (like we didn't know that in second year Sunday School). And St Paul got a good mention.

I could hardly wait to escape. Maruska Hanak loved life. She never once thought or acted like a person who suffered. Maruska was thoughtful, modest, mischevious, funny and at times wickedly so. She liked being with people, laughing, 'a wee whisky' or some red wine (preferably free at functions). Maruska ate wasabi raw, darted out of any room she was in to light up her 'do-dah' (which she knew she ought not to smoke). Maruska gave ... her time, her commitment to causes she believed in, including the rights of people with disability, her love and friendship.

How long might it have taken that unthiking man of the cloth to ascertain any of the details about that Mauska, our friend who we will miss? Not long. She deserved better and we may yet find a way to raise a glass to her.

So I picked up Spike at the university then drove to Glebe Point Road with her and Sharon and Liana (who had accompanied me on the drive to the Northern Suburbs Crematorium ... a resting place of the kind I most definitely do not crave - let me rot in the ground with a Jacaranda above me). Liana left us to catch a bus at Broadway. Sharon, Spike and I dined at the Fair Trade Cafe on tofu, nachos and nasi goreng respectively. My rice was better this time than our previous visit when Spike's serving was thoroughly ordinary.

Anyway Spike suggested we catch the animated animals so we did but not in 3D. I doubt that immersive images through some plastic goggles would have added much to an otherwise so-so kids' movie. Simon Pegg's character Buck was entertaining but I could take or leave the rest, to be honest, and not because I'd had the day I'd had. Even the squirrel chasing the nut is a joke that has reached the end of its useful life. Will there be an Ice Age 4? Unquestionably. Will I bother with it? Doubt it.
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