We finally got Titanic last weekend from our local library. It can be hard to locate slightly older movies now that there are no video stores anymore, and I wanted to share this flick with my kids ever since they got interested in Titanic lore a few months ago.
"We get to watch Titanic this weekend!" I told the kids. They screwed up their faces and said, "We don't want to watch it. It's too violent!!" What? It's not violent, just tragic. (OK I forgot that one guy does get shot.) Still they were opposed.
I tried a different tactic. "Anthony, remember when Titanic came out and it was so huge, everyone was talking about it. And some parents wouldn't let their kids see it because there are boobies in it." Anna played it cool and said, "Well, I'll let you decide if I should watch it." Colin remained doubtful.
Saturday night we cued up the movie, and they both sat down to watch. It's a long show - 3 hours. Anna got hooked on the love story; Colin was fascinated by the mechanics of the ship. The kids sank lower and lower on the couch, one curled up on each side of me.
Finally, the ship went down.
"I love you, Jack!" said Rose.
"I want you to promise me you're going to live," said Jack. "And I want you to hold on to that promise."
"You have to pause the movie," said Colin. "I have to pee."
"Now?!?" said Anthony.
"Yes," said Anna. "I have to go, too!"
So we paused in the middle of the dramatic emotional climax for a potty break. They both liked the movie, and fortunately no one had nightmares.
Anna got the music for the theme song from her piano teacher. Titanic lives on...
Thursday, March 01, 2012
Monday, February 20, 2012
Benefit Concert
Remember Jump Rope for Heart? At my kids' school they still do it. Mostly it seems like a big bribe, all these neat prizes you can win if you raise a lot of money. And then there's the day when you jump rope in the gym while wearing a red Tshirt.
Kids aren't allowed to go door to door anymore (too unsafe, according to the school) (too embarrassing, according to me). They are encouraged to ask all their friends and family for donations. Anna wanted to email everyone in my address book, something I was not cool with either. My sister Emily and I both donated $5. I took the donation envelope to work, but everyone I work with makes poverty wages, so that got another $1.
So one day Anna announced she was walking her dog, and started to leave with a stuffed satchel over her shoulder. "What's in the bag?" I asked. "N-n-nothing!!!" she stammered guiltily. "Just show me," I said.
She produced a hand-made poster that said:
BENEFIT CONCERT FOR JUMP ROPE FOR HEART!
BY ANNA LASTNAME, AGED 10
SUNDAY AT 2 PM
(ACTUAL ADDRESS)
$2 DONATION
"Oh, sweetheart," I said. "This is great, but you can't go posting your name and address, inviting people to our house, all over the neighborhood." She was crestfallen. "We'll think of some other way for you raise money." Reluctantly, she agreed.
Fast forward to the next Sunday. I had boxes everywhere, putting Christmas decorations away. (I don't keep my decorations up that long; its just been that long since I posted). A polite young man knocks on the door and says, "Hi, my name is Alan G. Is Anna Martin having a benefit concert today?"
"Um, Anna! Your friend is here for a concert." Anna looked sheepish and scared. She had told some classmates about the benefit concert, but forgot about it after I nixed the posters. This boy's mother had driven him to our house! "How long is this going to last?" he asked. "Five minutes," I promised, and told Anna she had to follow through. The boy relayed it to the mom, who was waiting in the car. I rounded up Colin and some nice neighbor boys who were playing outside.
Anna wasn't exactly prepared, so first she played a song on the piano. Then while she got herself "ready" Colin played a song on the piano. Then Anna returned with her song notebook, a spiral full of lyrics she's written herself. She backed up to the wall looking nervous, took a deep breath, then sang two of her creations. She did great. You can tell Taylor Swift is a major influence on her songwriting. Then Colin came out with a jar that had a post-it note on it that said, "Tips." Alan put $5 in the jar and left.
I was so proud of Anna! I don't think she realized it would be that hard to actually throw a Benefit Concert, but she didn't crumple. Unfortunately, she still didn't raise enough for the prize she wanted.
Kids aren't allowed to go door to door anymore (too unsafe, according to the school) (too embarrassing, according to me). They are encouraged to ask all their friends and family for donations. Anna wanted to email everyone in my address book, something I was not cool with either. My sister Emily and I both donated $5. I took the donation envelope to work, but everyone I work with makes poverty wages, so that got another $1.
So one day Anna announced she was walking her dog, and started to leave with a stuffed satchel over her shoulder. "What's in the bag?" I asked. "N-n-nothing!!!" she stammered guiltily. "Just show me," I said.
She produced a hand-made poster that said:
BENEFIT CONCERT FOR JUMP ROPE FOR HEART!
BY ANNA LASTNAME, AGED 10
SUNDAY AT 2 PM
(ACTUAL ADDRESS)
$2 DONATION
"Oh, sweetheart," I said. "This is great, but you can't go posting your name and address, inviting people to our house, all over the neighborhood." She was crestfallen. "We'll think of some other way for you raise money." Reluctantly, she agreed.
Fast forward to the next Sunday. I had boxes everywhere, putting Christmas decorations away. (I don't keep my decorations up that long; its just been that long since I posted). A polite young man knocks on the door and says, "Hi, my name is Alan G. Is Anna Martin having a benefit concert today?"
"Um, Anna! Your friend is here for a concert." Anna looked sheepish and scared. She had told some classmates about the benefit concert, but forgot about it after I nixed the posters. This boy's mother had driven him to our house! "How long is this going to last?" he asked. "Five minutes," I promised, and told Anna she had to follow through. The boy relayed it to the mom, who was waiting in the car. I rounded up Colin and some nice neighbor boys who were playing outside.
Anna wasn't exactly prepared, so first she played a song on the piano. Then while she got herself "ready" Colin played a song on the piano. Then Anna returned with her song notebook, a spiral full of lyrics she's written herself. She backed up to the wall looking nervous, took a deep breath, then sang two of her creations. She did great. You can tell Taylor Swift is a major influence on her songwriting. Then Colin came out with a jar that had a post-it note on it that said, "Tips." Alan put $5 in the jar and left.
I was so proud of Anna! I don't think she realized it would be that hard to actually throw a Benefit Concert, but she didn't crumple. Unfortunately, she still didn't raise enough for the prize she wanted.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
My favorite pasta
But last week when I made it, the pasta kind of reminded me of Admiral Akbar.
"It's a trap!"
Saturday, December 31, 2011
December Post
Seems like after that binging of posting in November, I couldn't manage much posting in December! It was so full this year - Anna sang a solo in school choir, then she and Colin had a great piano recital, followed by the weekend of ballet performances. There were church choir rehearsals, which culminated in a nice Christmas Eve performance. We had a super holiday weekend with feasting and family. And I created a new drink for the holidays:
The Figgy Pudding
1.5 oz mulled vodka **
1.5 oz golden rum (I like Bacardi)
1.5 oz pear nectar
0.5 oz triple sec
0.5 oz port
Shake all ingredients over ice and pour into a chilled martini glass.
** Mulled Vodka
Combine 1 cup vodka with 1 tsp of premixed mulling spices -or- 1 star anise, 4 cloves, 1/4 stick of cinnamon, a few allspice berries, a shaving of nutmeg, etc. Let sit at room temperature for ~1 hour then drain.
Cheers, and Happy New Year!
1.5 oz mulled vodka **
1.5 oz golden rum (I like Bacardi)
1.5 oz pear nectar
0.5 oz triple sec
0.5 oz port
Shake all ingredients over ice and pour into a chilled martini glass.
** Mulled Vodka
Combine 1 cup vodka with 1 tsp of premixed mulling spices -or- 1 star anise, 4 cloves, 1/4 stick of cinnamon, a few allspice berries, a shaving of nutmeg, etc. Let sit at room temperature for ~1 hour then drain.
Cheers, and Happy New Year!
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Last NaBloPoMo for the Thankful Month
The good health of my husband
My mom and dad. I miss them.
For my dogs, Ruby and Gus
I am thankful for living, talking, and friends.
My wonderful family
For Life: God, Family, Friends
All my nieces and nephews - Anna, Colin, Paige, Graham, & Evelyn
For my Niece and Bro who saved me
I am thankful for the wind
For the whole world
I'm thankful for NM in July and August!
I am thankful for friends who are more like family!
I am thankful for fun!
Music
having a great family
all our pets!
I am thankful for my family and friends
My five grandchildren
The Food
I am thankful for Harry Potter
My family's love and support
All the good food
I am happy for the rain
For a job I love
For everyone here today
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Is November over yet?
I'm single this week: Anthony is in Ohio. I need to iron 12 ruffled collars for Sugarplum ballerinas. And catch up on some Glee.
I'll be on the couch.
I'll be on the couch.
Monday, November 28, 2011
Mystery SOLVED
Anthony told me he heard the rooster crow over the Thanksgiving holiday. It was a good news/bad news kinda thing: it confirmed I wasn't crazy, but also confirmed that someone is crowing.
He said, "You're right, it was definitely a rooster crow, but it was soft and far off sounding." Yes, that's it! "Anna heard it, too!" More witnesses! "Then she told me, Daddy, that's my phone."
She has the "rooster crow" as her text tone. If it's in the living room and you're in the kitchen, and the windows are open, it sounds just like its coming from the coop.
Put away the hatchet!
He said, "You're right, it was definitely a rooster crow, but it was soft and far off sounding." Yes, that's it! "Anna heard it, too!" More witnesses! "Then she told me, Daddy, that's my phone."
She has the "rooster crow" as her text tone. If it's in the living room and you're in the kitchen, and the windows are open, it sounds just like its coming from the coop.
Put away the hatchet!
Sunday, November 27, 2011
What I did today
1. Slept in!
2. Sang with the choir
3. Did grocery shopping for the week
4. Made individual pizzas for everyone
5. Helped the children practice piano
6. Cut Anthony and Colin's hair
7. Taught Bollywood aerobics
8. Made chef salads with smoked turkey (yum!)
9. Tested Anna and Anthony's chocolate chip cookies. So sweet how he showed her all his secrets to making perfect, moist, chewy cookies. She was very enthusiastic. The results were good. I tasted at least 4 oven-fresh cookies...
2. Sang with the choir
3. Did grocery shopping for the week
4. Made individual pizzas for everyone
5. Helped the children practice piano
6. Cut Anthony and Colin's hair
7. Taught Bollywood aerobics
8. Made chef salads with smoked turkey (yum!)
9. Tested Anna and Anthony's chocolate chip cookies. So sweet how he showed her all his secrets to making perfect, moist, chewy cookies. She was very enthusiastic. The results were good. I tasted at least 4 oven-fresh cookies...
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Becoming
We ate dinner tonight at an Indian restaurant. There was some fish on the buffet, so I made sure to get some for Colin since he's a fish lover. He ate a few bites then stopped.
"Did you like it?" we asked him.
"Yes," he said, "But it became spicy."
"Did you like it?" we asked him.
"Yes," he said, "But it became spicy."
Friday, November 25, 2011
News
So often, I call owners with bloodwork results and get to say, "Everything's normal: kidneys and liver, electrolytes and glucose, thyroid level, blood count, heart worm test..." and they say thank you, and I say, "Hey, I love giving good news!" It's so great to be the bearer of good news, the reassurer of good health. Fortunately, that is the case more often than not.
Other times, it's not good news. Like when I had to call a client and tell her the lump I took off her dog was not a lipoma (a benign fatty mass) but instead something sinister, so we'd better send it off for pathology. Then the pathology came back neurofibrosarcoma, a tumor very locally invasive (so it will probably regrow) and only 5% of cases metastasize. But we'd better take chest X-rays before I refer her for radiation therapy. Then on today's X-rays, there are little dots all through the chest.
I'll have a radiologist review the films next week, but meanwhile, no referral is indicated. And this brave woman, who runs marathons and hikes the Appalachian trail, hangs her head and cries. Then says, "This is a really bad design, these dogs that live lives so short, when there are all these ugly, evil people who live 80 years." I can't argue with that.
Other times, it's not good news. Like when I had to call a client and tell her the lump I took off her dog was not a lipoma (a benign fatty mass) but instead something sinister, so we'd better send it off for pathology. Then the pathology came back neurofibrosarcoma, a tumor very locally invasive (so it will probably regrow) and only 5% of cases metastasize. But we'd better take chest X-rays before I refer her for radiation therapy. Then on today's X-rays, there are little dots all through the chest.
I'll have a radiologist review the films next week, but meanwhile, no referral is indicated. And this brave woman, who runs marathons and hikes the Appalachian trail, hangs her head and cries. Then says, "This is a really bad design, these dogs that live lives so short, when there are all these ugly, evil people who live 80 years." I can't argue with that.
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