I usually do a year in review, but this has been a different kind of year.
We did travel, LOADS of travel, out west twice and to Virginia twice to see the ponies. 22 states. It's been a year for 2, I guess.
I started a couple things I will likely keep up in the new year. One is learning Swedish. I am just shy of level 4, about 1500 words. I am still flat amazed that I can remember even half, but I did a 300 word quiz on Tuesday and only missed 3. That's a 99, or, as Chan would have once graded her own paper: an A++
The other is book reviews and listing what I read. Not all of it, I have read some books so crappy that going BACK over it in my mind afterward would be like raking nails on my mental blackboard. But it's been good for the brain. With just Ben left homeschooling and him doing nearly all his own work now, I have less mental stimulation than I'd like. It's been good for the old noggin to get some use.
I did not hike 1000 miles this year, and I am a night short of camping 30 nights. So, neither of those happened. But, I did work toward my goals which is more than I can say for myself some years. Ha!
Okay, I guess I did a review.
For 2017, I have (surprise) hikes planned with friends old and new. I am ending the year with 35 new FB friends. I'll eventually freak and unfriend half or more, but they are local (in the state anyway) and like to hike so I will see how that goes. I need something to focus on with the kids getting older and finding people who are active seems like a better idea than some I have had.
I am planning to start the AT in April, no plan to finish it, though there's this little back-of-my-head voice that sometimes cheerfully pipes in with 'but we COULD'. Yeah. Right NOW the plan is to hike to the Smokies, though I have to say hiking to Hot Springs is appealing and I really want to do all of VA. Maybe half this year? I'll start with the first 167 miles and see. Baby steps.
No other big travel plans yet. Matt wants to do a long trip in the summer, J has stirred up my interest about a visit, Ben will graduate in the spring and that will change a good bit. So lots of potentials, which is good for a new year.
Showing posts with label review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label review. Show all posts
Monday, January 2, 2017
Friday, June 26, 2015
Jurassic World
I wanted to go to the drive in as our first 'summer movie' and see Jurassic World, but they paired it with what appears to be a movie about a masturbating teddy bear.
So, we went to a matinee instead and here are some things we fixated on.
Claire, the female protagonist, wears HEELS the WHOLE MOVIE even when running from dinosaurs and walking through the jungle and they are not sensible kitten heels, they are teetery spiked tall things. Ben is worried the actress will have ongoing pain for the rest of her life. He also was annoyed that the dinos had tracking devices, but no one knew where they were at any given time unless they were told to find them.
Megatron I mean Indominous rex is cobbled together from T-rex DNA and using the tried and true methods of the first movie (and the book!) they fill gaps with 'other' DNA. Okay, I get that and I get that they souped her up to be bigger, badder and cooler because normal dinos are boring 20 years into the theme park experience. What I don't get is why they used tree frog DNA to 'make it acclimate to a tropical environment'. Um, didn't ALL dinos live in what was essentially the tropics? Or is that my second grade education kicking in, where all dinos were grey and lived in the swamp? So then do ALL the other dinos in the park have tree frog DNA?
What other DNA is in that thing? It had thumbs and a long memory and was devious and enjoyed killing for the sake of watching prey fall. I call human. Owen even says, "That thing out there? That's no dinosaur." I also think the next movie will have some kind of hybrids, like Dwayne Johnson size and up dudes with scales and spikes. Because-what good is a scientific application if it can't make you rich? Since the theme park experience was becoming dull and since many tourists were made into snacks, I foresee no more entertainment value in the science. Nothing generates revenue quite like war and religion and the age of dinos fossils fly in the face of Biblical teachings, so military it is! (Just take a peek at a church with two 'campuses' within a half hour of me and probably you, Daystar.)
Plus, in the lab at the end-spines in sci-fi blue glowing tanks. Human...ish spines. I bet that's the weak point, our puny spines can't hold up a skull covered in spikes and filled with jaggedy teeth. Women routinely get backaches from hauling around boobs all day.
Back to the plot:
I don't think pterosaurs would eat humans. I think they ate fish and besides, chubby white tourists would be way too heavy, even for a 12 foot wingspanned critter to lift. Take into consideration that they probably also had hollow bones (like birds!) and they would weigh about as much as a dog. But, I do think they could peck a hole right in your face and probably kill you after they landed on you since their faces were basically 1/2 dagger. The question is-would they see humans as edible? (I am seeing where some had wing spans of 30 feet and weighed 550 pounds. Shit! That's HUGE. Spoiler Alert: none are that size in the movie.)
I had no problems at all withStar Lord Owen the Zookeeper's approach to raptor training. I can't get a 20 pound dog with a brain the size of a 2 ping pong balls to learn to shake, so I can't gripe on reptile training techniques other than to say Reptiles Magazine says your lizard simply won't understand the use of a clicker. I know dinosaurs are their own special branch and not REALLY reptiles, but that's what I have to work with. It was a little odd that he had zero idea there was a new Rex in town. And speaking of the I rex, why was it miles away from the other attractions? They were not planning to move her because they were obsessing over the enclosure and the exhibit was to open in 3 weeks time. They had to copter in to see her! Were they planning on buy more copters or just installing a new monorail track. In under a month.
The raptors and I rex have a chat, which first was just confusing as the I rex was raised in isolation, but then it came out that she had raptor DNA as well in that mix, so...just like all humans can speak to all other humans via genes, so can raptors. Or, maybe I am being too high thinking. I imagine my father's dog, Butterbean, could 'chat' with other dogs even though he's being raised in doggie isolation. The raptors and I rex are the only females in the movie to speak face to face, but as they are obviously discussingStar Lord, I mean Owen, it does not pass the Bechdel test. Plus, technically, only the raptors have names.
I did like that they explained the dinosaurs appearance being not at all like dinos actually looked as human interference-they were patched together using what would look good and fill in the gaps. That explains why none of them have feathers when it's been decided that practically all of them did, even T rex. I won't go into the science of how just some cuttlefish genes in the soup could not attribute to the skin of the resulting animal changing colors like a cuttlefish. But I am totally behind the whole 'regular dinos are dull, let's make something cooler!" mentality and also riding baby triceratopses around the petting zoo. I am all over that! I hope while they were ramping up dino coolness, they also did something about those boring giraffes and monkeys at the poor folks zoos for those of us who can't zip off to Costa Rica.
I loved that the hero was the T rex from the original park. What is a T rex's life span? (I looked, 30 years!) Also, liked the plug for Ian Malcolm's book all in the movie, the many nods to the original JP and that the boss fight included a raptor riding a T rex into battle with the I Rex, who changed scale at whim and was ultimately eaten ON THE PEDESTRIAN WALKWAY by a (freakishly oversized) masosaur. Which means it could have hopped out and snacked on people at any point and didn't making it the single best-behaved meat eater in the entire four movie franchise AND the book. Good on you, masosaur! I am just assuming the cuttlefish DNA did not kick in and the I rex and masosaur did not chat a bit and swim off together. And make babies.
In all, despite our massive misgivings into the actual science of the movie (which is why I have tried and failed several times to write about... UGH...Interstellar) it IS a good monster movie and granted, I have never listed all the reasons my favorite X-Men could not do this or that with their humany bodies, including have boobs that size with such tiny waists, not to mention have the ability to phase through solid objects, make playing cards into tiny bombs, pop out some claws or, you know, FLY. Plus, in Sharknado 2, Wil Wheaton (and his wife) gets eaten by a shark on an airplane that is actively flying in the sky.
So I really can enjoy a movie for the sake of the movie and suspend my beliefs for a while. The main gripes in this movie are not the sci-fi bits, but what didn't have to happen that made me go HUH. The heels, the 20 year old engine with 20 year old gas and spark plugs and oil and coolant cranking and then rolling away on tires that had not gone flat or dry rotted and the belts did not snap, the high-traction plexiglass (that's sarcasm there) gyrosphere not leaving any sort of mark or getting any sort of mark from rolling around on the poop, grass and rock covered plains filled with dinos and you can't tell me some little shit hasn't tried playing bumper cars with the dinosaurs. No WAY that thing would not be on a track. And the fact that the boys had VIP access wrist bands, but were waiting in lines. And right now at Disney World you can track your party via their wrist bands on your phone. How were the boys lost for half the movie? Did no one at the park have the park app?
It's a fun movie and the layout of the theme park is awesome, it's totally believable as a space and you can go look at the park cams. It did miss that initial OOMPH of the first movie, coming up over the rise with Alan and Ellie and there were motherfucking DINOSAURS just WALKING AROUND. That was my Star Wars moment, the moment when you totally totally believe, "This is really happening!" Gray opening the window to his balcony, much like this movie, just didn't pack the same punch, though it was pretty to see.
So, we went to a matinee instead and here are some things we fixated on.
Claire, the female protagonist, wears HEELS the WHOLE MOVIE even when running from dinosaurs and walking through the jungle and they are not sensible kitten heels, they are teetery spiked tall things. Ben is worried the actress will have ongoing pain for the rest of her life. He also was annoyed that the dinos had tracking devices, but no one knew where they were at any given time unless they were told to find them.
What other DNA is in that thing? It had thumbs and a long memory and was devious and enjoyed killing for the sake of watching prey fall. I call human. Owen even says, "That thing out there? That's no dinosaur." I also think the next movie will have some kind of hybrids, like Dwayne Johnson size and up dudes with scales and spikes. Because-what good is a scientific application if it can't make you rich? Since the theme park experience was becoming dull and since many tourists were made into snacks, I foresee no more entertainment value in the science. Nothing generates revenue quite like war and religion and the age of dinos fossils fly in the face of Biblical teachings, so military it is! (Just take a peek at a church with two 'campuses' within a half hour of me and probably you, Daystar.)
Plus, in the lab at the end-spines in sci-fi blue glowing tanks. Human...ish spines. I bet that's the weak point, our puny spines can't hold up a skull covered in spikes and filled with jaggedy teeth. Women routinely get backaches from hauling around boobs all day.
Back to the plot:
I don't think pterosaurs would eat humans. I think they ate fish and besides, chubby white tourists would be way too heavy, even for a 12 foot wingspanned critter to lift. Take into consideration that they probably also had hollow bones (like birds!) and they would weigh about as much as a dog. But, I do think they could peck a hole right in your face and probably kill you after they landed on you since their faces were basically 1/2 dagger. The question is-would they see humans as edible? (I am seeing where some had wing spans of 30 feet and weighed 550 pounds. Shit! That's HUGE. Spoiler Alert: none are that size in the movie.)
I had no problems at all with
The raptors and I rex have a chat, which first was just confusing as the I rex was raised in isolation, but then it came out that she had raptor DNA as well in that mix, so...just like all humans can speak to all other humans via genes, so can raptors. Or, maybe I am being too high thinking. I imagine my father's dog, Butterbean, could 'chat' with other dogs even though he's being raised in doggie isolation. The raptors and I rex are the only females in the movie to speak face to face, but as they are obviously discussing
I did like that they explained the dinosaurs appearance being not at all like dinos actually looked as human interference-they were patched together using what would look good and fill in the gaps. That explains why none of them have feathers when it's been decided that practically all of them did, even T rex. I won't go into the science of how just some cuttlefish genes in the soup could not attribute to the skin of the resulting animal changing colors like a cuttlefish. But I am totally behind the whole 'regular dinos are dull, let's make something cooler!" mentality and also riding baby triceratopses around the petting zoo. I am all over that! I hope while they were ramping up dino coolness, they also did something about those boring giraffes and monkeys at the poor folks zoos for those of us who can't zip off to Costa Rica.
I loved that the hero was the T rex from the original park. What is a T rex's life span? (I looked, 30 years!) Also, liked the plug for Ian Malcolm's book all in the movie, the many nods to the original JP and that the boss fight included a raptor riding a T rex into battle with the I Rex, who changed scale at whim and was ultimately eaten ON THE PEDESTRIAN WALKWAY by a (freakishly oversized) masosaur. Which means it could have hopped out and snacked on people at any point and didn't making it the single best-behaved meat eater in the entire four movie franchise AND the book. Good on you, masosaur! I am just assuming the cuttlefish DNA did not kick in and the I rex and masosaur did not chat a bit and swim off together. And make babies.
In all, despite our massive misgivings into the actual science of the movie (which is why I have tried and failed several times to write about... UGH...Interstellar) it IS a good monster movie and granted, I have never listed all the reasons my favorite X-Men could not do this or that with their humany bodies, including have boobs that size with such tiny waists, not to mention have the ability to phase through solid objects, make playing cards into tiny bombs, pop out some claws or, you know, FLY. Plus, in Sharknado 2, Wil Wheaton (and his wife) gets eaten by a shark on an airplane that is actively flying in the sky.
So I really can enjoy a movie for the sake of the movie and suspend my beliefs for a while. The main gripes in this movie are not the sci-fi bits, but what didn't have to happen that made me go HUH. The heels, the 20 year old engine with 20 year old gas and spark plugs and oil and coolant cranking and then rolling away on tires that had not gone flat or dry rotted and the belts did not snap, the high-traction plexiglass (that's sarcasm there) gyrosphere not leaving any sort of mark or getting any sort of mark from rolling around on the poop, grass and rock covered plains filled with dinos and you can't tell me some little shit hasn't tried playing bumper cars with the dinosaurs. No WAY that thing would not be on a track. And the fact that the boys had VIP access wrist bands, but were waiting in lines. And right now at Disney World you can track your party via their wrist bands on your phone. How were the boys lost for half the movie? Did no one at the park have the park app?
It's a fun movie and the layout of the theme park is awesome, it's totally believable as a space and you can go look at the park cams. It did miss that initial OOMPH of the first movie, coming up over the rise with Alan and Ellie and there were motherfucking DINOSAURS just WALKING AROUND. That was my Star Wars moment, the moment when you totally totally believe, "This is really happening!" Gray opening the window to his balcony, much like this movie, just didn't pack the same punch, though it was pretty to see.
Thursday, October 16, 2014
Home Again
Our second week was MUCH drier than the first, we did not have any big park plans, so we just came and went at random almost.
The drive home was uneventful, no cops or flats or smoke billowing from under the hood. All things I am very grateful about.
We got unloaded and unpacked and did laundry most of Saturday, went to Dae's birthday that evening and spent Sunday messing with photos and running local errands.
Ben finally went down with the cold he has been skirting, yesterday was rough on him. I have tried to bolster him with extra vitamins and sleep, last night we went grocery shopping and I brought home lots of nutrient-packed goodies, though he ate the surprise chocolate first. That's actually not a surprise. I fed him hot cereal with muesli and fruit today and he's at his computer doing math with a big bottle of water and a packet of tissues. Tomorrow is a 3 day bike camping trip with his 2 best buddies followed immediately by 2 days of volunteering at the state park with the teen group and then a game day. Then dance class and another birthday party. It's going to be a busy week ahead. Not a great time to be feeling super puny.
The cold is making his voice that one level deeper and he sounds so much like Matt now. It's creepy, really. Matt yelling at Jake to stop cheating on a game, Matt freaking out because a song on the radio has 'booty' in it (Ben is anti-body-anything at the moment) and Matt at 10 in the morning exclaiming the exquisite softness of the new tissues I bought. I guess more surreal than creepy. Plus, I have heard the actual Matt gripe about one nose hole being clogged and one being runny-and the annoyance of the random alternation. I have some of that going on myself, but as long as my lungs stay clear, I can handle a head cold. After last year, I don't want to cough EVER again. There's a life goal. hahaha
The upcoming trip-tomorrow-I have done zero planning for. I need to get the tent ready, find sleeping bags, plan everything out, pack...it all seems so horrible and time consuming. Why can't I just stay in a hotel? Okay, sucking it up and off to pack, I don't think I have ever left it to this late before.
The drive home was uneventful, no cops or flats or smoke billowing from under the hood. All things I am very grateful about.
We got unloaded and unpacked and did laundry most of Saturday, went to Dae's birthday that evening and spent Sunday messing with photos and running local errands.
Ben finally went down with the cold he has been skirting, yesterday was rough on him. I have tried to bolster him with extra vitamins and sleep, last night we went grocery shopping and I brought home lots of nutrient-packed goodies, though he ate the surprise chocolate first. That's actually not a surprise. I fed him hot cereal with muesli and fruit today and he's at his computer doing math with a big bottle of water and a packet of tissues. Tomorrow is a 3 day bike camping trip with his 2 best buddies followed immediately by 2 days of volunteering at the state park with the teen group and then a game day. Then dance class and another birthday party. It's going to be a busy week ahead. Not a great time to be feeling super puny.
The cold is making his voice that one level deeper and he sounds so much like Matt now. It's creepy, really. Matt yelling at Jake to stop cheating on a game, Matt freaking out because a song on the radio has 'booty' in it (Ben is anti-body-anything at the moment) and Matt at 10 in the morning exclaiming the exquisite softness of the new tissues I bought. I guess more surreal than creepy. Plus, I have heard the actual Matt gripe about one nose hole being clogged and one being runny-and the annoyance of the random alternation. I have some of that going on myself, but as long as my lungs stay clear, I can handle a head cold. After last year, I don't want to cough EVER again. There's a life goal. hahaha
The upcoming trip-tomorrow-I have done zero planning for. I need to get the tent ready, find sleeping bags, plan everything out, pack...it all seems so horrible and time consuming. Why can't I just stay in a hotel? Okay, sucking it up and off to pack, I don't think I have ever left it to this late before.
Friday, July 20, 2012
Good News Friday
This past week has been crazy-for us. Which I am starting to think translates in Estherese to 'one thing went really wrong and I got tunnel vision'. The kind of tunnel vision where any minor annoyance is amplified into an ordeal.
The Volvo died, but the part came in early this morning that should fix it for now and it can finish dying when the van is paid off. That seems fair to me. I have spent a while talking to it this week, but the battery is not in it, so I don't know if it can understand my explanation of why it needs to last another 6 months, and that another year would be even better. There was drama regarding the part, and the company car-stuff dot com has given me a grand run-around. More on that later, no doubt.
The kids got feedback from the directors of Alice that was fairly glowing, Jake needs to work on getting his lines exactly right so there are no missed cues, but otherwise it was all things you'd want to hear other people say about working with your kids. : )
The problem with Alice is that even when there's dialogue, it's nonsense. There's no logical flow of a conversation, I did not realize how confusing and difficult learning lines would be in that situation. It's almost like toddlers with excellent vocabularies engaged in parallel play. That's when littles sit together and take turns talking, but they are not engaged in the same activity, one may be carrying on a conversation about trucks while the other chats about farm animals. Alice: the Parallel Play.
Let's see. Sunday was A Bad Day, Monday I spent a few hours researching what we could do with the Volvo to fix it, Tuesday Matt took off work and we ran around seeking opinions. I had been in touch with 3 different 'will come to you' mechanics on Craigslist and while they ALL got back with me right away, they all 3 totally crapped out on actually showing up! I even settled on repair prices with the first guy.
We went to the orthodontist Tuesday afternoon to pick up Jake's new retainer-keep in mind it's been 6 weeks since the old one broke. They had sent off the WRONG KID'S TEETH to cast the retainer. There was a note on his chart that he had a broken tooth-which was barely chipped and has been fixed for 2+ months. So when the assistant was looking for the teeth to send, she picked up a set from another kid that day that had a tooth actually broken off. So now I have to go BACK and pick it up next week.
Wednesday, I already blogged about with photos, Thursday was payday, which always helps tip things toward the positive spectrum. I got billed again Thursday morning for Jake's oral surgery back in April, which I JUST got notice from the insurance company that it was all paid for (other than the un-cool grand I had to chip in). But the oral surgeon's office was actually helpful this time and told me to disregard the bill! In fact, I should be getting a $61 refund because I overpaid on my portion!
I feel I overpaid WAY the hell more than $61, but that's at least something. It can pay for my Pizza Luncheon Plan. Which my LAME FRIENDS have not gotten behind yet, but they'll be sorry they missed out. Driving 3 hours to Atlanta to look at an Ikea store, seen as a good idea. Driving 3 hours to eat pizza that I have heard is the most awesome in the whole state, seen as early onset dementia. I got 'the look' from a woman who once drove me and 5 innocent children across 2 other states to buy a camper she did not even have a jack for.
The Volvo died, but the part came in early this morning that should fix it for now and it can finish dying when the van is paid off. That seems fair to me. I have spent a while talking to it this week, but the battery is not in it, so I don't know if it can understand my explanation of why it needs to last another 6 months, and that another year would be even better. There was drama regarding the part, and the company car-stuff dot com has given me a grand run-around. More on that later, no doubt.
The kids got feedback from the directors of Alice that was fairly glowing, Jake needs to work on getting his lines exactly right so there are no missed cues, but otherwise it was all things you'd want to hear other people say about working with your kids. : )
The problem with Alice is that even when there's dialogue, it's nonsense. There's no logical flow of a conversation, I did not realize how confusing and difficult learning lines would be in that situation. It's almost like toddlers with excellent vocabularies engaged in parallel play. That's when littles sit together and take turns talking, but they are not engaged in the same activity, one may be carrying on a conversation about trucks while the other chats about farm animals. Alice: the Parallel Play.
 |
| Jake absorbing some inspiration from the white rabbit |
Let's see. Sunday was A Bad Day, Monday I spent a few hours researching what we could do with the Volvo to fix it, Tuesday Matt took off work and we ran around seeking opinions. I had been in touch with 3 different 'will come to you' mechanics on Craigslist and while they ALL got back with me right away, they all 3 totally crapped out on actually showing up! I even settled on repair prices with the first guy.
We went to the orthodontist Tuesday afternoon to pick up Jake's new retainer-keep in mind it's been 6 weeks since the old one broke. They had sent off the WRONG KID'S TEETH to cast the retainer. There was a note on his chart that he had a broken tooth-which was barely chipped and has been fixed for 2+ months. So when the assistant was looking for the teeth to send, she picked up a set from another kid that day that had a tooth actually broken off. So now I have to go BACK and pick it up next week.
 |
| My new glasses |
Wednesday, I already blogged about with photos, Thursday was payday, which always helps tip things toward the positive spectrum. I got billed again Thursday morning for Jake's oral surgery back in April, which I JUST got notice from the insurance company that it was all paid for (other than the un-cool grand I had to chip in). But the oral surgeon's office was actually helpful this time and told me to disregard the bill! In fact, I should be getting a $61 refund because I overpaid on my portion!
I feel I overpaid WAY the hell more than $61, but that's at least something. It can pay for my Pizza Luncheon Plan. Which my LAME FRIENDS have not gotten behind yet, but they'll be sorry they missed out. Driving 3 hours to Atlanta to look at an Ikea store, seen as a good idea. Driving 3 hours to eat pizza that I have heard is the most awesome in the whole state, seen as early onset dementia. I got 'the look' from a woman who once drove me and 5 innocent children across 2 other states to buy a camper she did not even have a jack for.
 |
| my new sunglasses. And very dirty bathroom mirror. |
I bought the 2 pairs of glasses in the above shots a couple weeks ago from eye buy direct dot com for under $40 for both pairs, shipped. I have been happy with them, especially for the price I paid. I do wish I could have seen the frames in person (and on my face) instead of online, but for under $20 for the frames and lenses, I am not complaining. I like the black framed glasses, they are very geek girl.
In the final good news category, a friend from high school I have missed very much has been in contact with Matt via FB just this morning (I am not searchable) and just friended me! I am looking forward to catching up and getting to know what all has happened in the past 20 years!
Monday, May 21, 2012
Harry!
I stumbled upon Jim Butcher's Dresden Files series kind of backward. I saw the TV series via Netflix, then read a couple graphic novels (Welcome to the Jungle and Storm Front) and FINALLY found the science-fiction section at the library where I discovered a whole row of the Dresden Files!
Granted, I read 80% non-fiction and the fiction I do read is nearly all from the young adult section, my only delves into adult fiction or specifically, science fiction tend to revolve around Charlaine Harris and my love-hate relationship with her heroines and inability to NOT read the next book in the series. It's like brain candy.
Jim Butcher, in creating Harry Dresden, has fulfilled a need I was unaware I had. I love Harry, he's so stupidly optimistic and so brilliant and yet unaware, each book is like a ride. My buddy Suzette has a thing for a cheesy series involving a MacGyver-like hero who can overcome anything in his path, rescue the girl and magically maintain his solid good looks. Harry bleeds, he doubts, he wonders, he makes seriously bad puns, he falls down, gets beaten up, he has relationship issues, gets preoccupied with sex, he relies on magical items and other people to help him, he contemplates having a nap instead of saving the day. He's more real, even written as a wizard, than most action heroes. Even when he, unfailingly, saves the day. There could not be a series of books if he did not prevail. But he doesn't make it look easy. I would not want to actually meet him. Kind of like Buffy. I am glad they are out there in some universe, but I don't want to cross paths with either of them. Although a Buffy/Harry fanfic that was well-written would be SOOO cool.
I have read several reviews, most scathing, about the series. I thought two things when I read them, the first was that the reviewers were being SUPER petty, picking out factual inaccuracies in a book written about a magic-using man who fights demons, vampires, ghosts and lycanthropes to name but a few. The second was that they were lying about how much they did not like the first seven books they read all in a rush over a single giddy weekend. If your profession/job is to write about good books, you can't really go on about how Harry is so awesome you could not stop eating humdingers and gulping chocolate milk during the fight scenes. Or how your kid came in with a bleeding knee and you flapped your arm toward the band-aids and after glancing at him, said it was 'barely a scratch' so you could get back to the next page. Or how you wondered just what was chasing him while you stood in the shower, only after your spouse said you HAD to "use soap this time, so don't just jump right back out to start reading again". Killjoy.
The bottom line is, that for escape reading, The Dresden Files are perfect. Lots of fun, action, enough explanations that you are not confused with terminology, but usually not so much that you feel talked down to. He does kind of really fill in the backstory a bit on occasion, not quiet as much as Harris, who sometimes retells a previous plot line in such detail that it feels like re-reading the previous book.
Granted, I read 80% non-fiction and the fiction I do read is nearly all from the young adult section, my only delves into adult fiction or specifically, science fiction tend to revolve around Charlaine Harris and my love-hate relationship with her heroines and inability to NOT read the next book in the series. It's like brain candy.
Jim Butcher, in creating Harry Dresden, has fulfilled a need I was unaware I had. I love Harry, he's so stupidly optimistic and so brilliant and yet unaware, each book is like a ride. My buddy Suzette has a thing for a cheesy series involving a MacGyver-like hero who can overcome anything in his path, rescue the girl and magically maintain his solid good looks. Harry bleeds, he doubts, he wonders, he makes seriously bad puns, he falls down, gets beaten up, he has relationship issues, gets preoccupied with sex, he relies on magical items and other people to help him, he contemplates having a nap instead of saving the day. He's more real, even written as a wizard, than most action heroes. Even when he, unfailingly, saves the day. There could not be a series of books if he did not prevail. But he doesn't make it look easy. I would not want to actually meet him. Kind of like Buffy. I am glad they are out there in some universe, but I don't want to cross paths with either of them. Although a Buffy/Harry fanfic that was well-written would be SOOO cool.
I have read several reviews, most scathing, about the series. I thought two things when I read them, the first was that the reviewers were being SUPER petty, picking out factual inaccuracies in a book written about a magic-using man who fights demons, vampires, ghosts and lycanthropes to name but a few. The second was that they were lying about how much they did not like the first seven books they read all in a rush over a single giddy weekend. If your profession/job is to write about good books, you can't really go on about how Harry is so awesome you could not stop eating humdingers and gulping chocolate milk during the fight scenes. Or how your kid came in with a bleeding knee and you flapped your arm toward the band-aids and after glancing at him, said it was 'barely a scratch' so you could get back to the next page. Or how you wondered just what was chasing him while you stood in the shower, only after your spouse said you HAD to "use soap this time, so don't just jump right back out to start reading again". Killjoy.
The bottom line is, that for escape reading, The Dresden Files are perfect. Lots of fun, action, enough explanations that you are not confused with terminology, but usually not so much that you feel talked down to. He does kind of really fill in the backstory a bit on occasion, not quiet as much as Harris, who sometimes retells a previous plot line in such detail that it feels like re-reading the previous book.
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Clear Creek
Clear Creek Recreation Area
8079 Falls City Road
Jasper, AL 35503
205-384-4792
8079 Falls City Road
Jasper, AL 35503
205-384-4792
We really enjoyed our time at Clear Creek this past week, pros would be location-less than 2 hours from home. The price, $20 a night for electric and water is about average, $40 for a double site. The sites are a mix of spread out and close-together along 4 loops of about 20 sites each, nearly 30 of the sites were doubles, so 2 families could set up in one spot.
We camped in Fox Loop in sites 18, 20, 21 and 22.
I should have checked out the other loops to see if there were any nuggets in those, but 20 or 22 are the best 2 sites in the whole campground. I stayed in 20, it had a great view of the lake, it was right across from the bath house and the camp host is behind the bath house. There were no other sites right near it and from there, I could see most of the field and play area that backed up to the lake where the kids spent most of their time running around. During the week (before school was out) the traffic was so light the kids rode all over on bikes and scooters.
There is a playground on the lake, large field, basketball goal, volleyball net all spread out in a communal area. There are hiking trails winding all through the woods to some pretty lovely spots and there is one bike trail from the Fawn Loop to the swim beach, which was closed during our visit because the lake had been high and the grounds crew had been unable to get the beach area cleaned and groomed. There is a $2 a person public beach at Duncan Bridge, about 15 minutes from the campground.
Sites 20 and 22 have a great view of the lake and the play area.
The 0.8 mile bike trail meanders around the edge of the lake and is a very pleasant and shady ride.
There are several hiking trails leading between the swim beach and various campgrounds as well as along the edge of the lake and around several very pretty bluffs, some that show evidence that in wetter times, there are falls and streams.
The playground has several play options including a playscape that I did not get a picture of.
The view from site 22, it's more shady, but closer to neighboring sites than 20.
In all, I would camp here again, the campground host is a revolving position and the 2 that were here while we were staying left plenty to be desired. The bathhouse ran out of toilet paper twice and needed to be cleaned every day and was not. The no-smoking in the bathroom went so un-enforced that there was a lighter and several used cigarettes in the single shower stall. The hosts dog got loose and beat up on Dixie and when it was tied, it barked and barked. We were not happy about that.
In all, I would camp here again, the campground host is a revolving position and the 2 that were here while we were staying left plenty to be desired. The bathhouse ran out of toilet paper twice and needed to be cleaned every day and was not. The no-smoking in the bathroom went so un-enforced that there was a lighter and several used cigarettes in the single shower stall. The hosts dog got loose and beat up on Dixie and when it was tied, it barked and barked. We were not happy about that.
I would suggest going mid-week or not in the summer season, it filled up by Friday night and was packed to the gills. Also, even though the website says they sell firewood and ice, they don't.
You can reserve a site in Bear Loop via reserveusa.com or drive up and get a site on the lake (Fox Loop) or the other 2 woody sites, Hoot Owl and Fawn. There is a group camping area, 2 boat ramps, a dump station (no full hookup sites), swim beach with bath house and rest rooms, 2 group picnic pavilions, and a picnic area.
Monday, April 11, 2011
Recently
We have had a few days home recently, just hanging out and reading and taking care of things around here. Last week, there were a handful of chilly days that kept us snugged up inside with the heat on. The wind kicked up one day and the boys decided the best thing to do would be to fly the dog.
Harnessed and tied with kite string to a trash bag, Zep sits-if a little apprehensively-while Jess looks on in amusement.
Modifications are made, line shortened, Zep turned around to catch the wind better...
and...then Jake panics and goes to unhook her, she takes off thinking THIS is the very best game ever: Chase!
He unharnessed her and she never made it off the ground. I did see some drawings later that suggested the addition of a ground-control device addition for future attempts.
He unharnessed her and she never made it off the ground. I did see some drawings later that suggested the addition of a ground-control device addition for future attempts.
By Thursday, it had warmed back up and we went to Heather's to play and celebrate birthdays.
Matt made this for dinner one evening, I called it Cream of Cabbage soup and it was devoured in record time. It has one small savoy cabbage, a bag of frozen peas, a bag of frozen okra, 4 cups of vegetable broth and a container of the new Philadelphia cream cheese savory seasoning and a block of firm tofu, cubed up. It was SO good.
I decided I wanted to learn to French braid, so I watched a youtube video and practiced on Chan. Here is my first attempt:
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Dear Diary
I actually found a diary from childhood and I spelled it 'dairy' for about 3 years. I have a special relationship with cheese.
At any rate, I tried to get Matt to call in 'sick' and play hooky with us off on a trail somewhere today. He woke up this morning and asked, in a sad voice, if he could call in sick because he was sick. LOL Oh well. So, I ran some errands this morning-returned the carpet cleaner at 8, picked up dog food. Back home, Matt was sort of up and moving around. Allergies made him their bitch.
Around 10, we went to town to get the stuff to fix the spigot this weekend and...well, Hobby Lobby has their yard stuff 50% off this week, so we started off there. $30 later (hey, could have been $60!) we ran to Lowe's and had a big discussion about various ways to fix the spigot. The handle sprayed water all over when it was on and it was a PITA to turn off-you had to use a screwdriver. The spigot is cemented into the base of the house, we can't just take it off and replace it, so it has not been on in about 3 years. We opted to get a secondary on/off thingy and try to epoxy the handle of the original spigot while it was open.
A quick pop-in at Wal-Mart to buy more solar lights (they are a buck!) we got some lunch and came home, stopping to get cookies at the bakery. We have not been there in a LONG time...
I repotted the two herbs we picked up and Matt decided to tackle the water spigot today, so he shut off the water at the main line and put the epoxy on the handle. About 10 minutes later, he turned the water main back on. It worked! Which is good because he...permanently sealed the water spigot OPEN. The secondary switch works perfectly, not a drip. I am glad, but ill because dang-3 YEARS of hauling buckets of water from the hall tub or rain barrel to the goats and dogs. And plants. And it was THAT easy-a $3 part and 10 minutes.
I could strangle Matt sometimes...and I can't think of a single time he watered anything. If it does not directly affect him, he can't be bothered until I bring it up so many times I feel like he acts just to shut me up. Grrrrrr I don't WANT to be a nag. But I don't want to be stuck doing EVERYTHING, either. Until today with the work-around, it was going to involve going under the house to re-run a new pipe from the main line to connect a new spigot to. Guess what is under there? About 8 BILLION camel crickets. Even if it was just 8, there are only a few things in this world I am unwilling to take on in the name of getting something off my list. Camel fucking crickets is number one.
The rest of the afternoon, we moved a maple tree from under the big pine to the front, I love maples. I clipped about 200 pounds of privet from under the double pines, we burned another bunch of dead branches-it's like zombie yard out there, I can't figure where all these sticks and branches are coming from-and I fiddled around with the stuff we got at HL, which included 4 new knobs for the kitchen (also half off). I really like my eclectic knob collection, I only need 7 more! Then, the handles. I am saving the old ones in case we move at some point. I don't want to leave my hardware. LOL
I thought we would collect them as we traveled, but...somehow we have never stumbled upon a mismatched handle shop. Anywhere. At all, ever. So, I get them at Hobby Lobby and World Market. Not very exotic...
That's it, not a tiring day other than the clipping privet, which is like Satan's butt hair. The kids put up the new solar lights.
We had dinner, spinach fettuccine made with Jerusalem artichoke flour. I LOVED it. We watched Gentleman Broncos which was surprisingly good, despite the reviews. Maybe you have to homeschool to appreciate a movie about a homeschooler. Yeah, he's a little awkward, but at least he's himself and not frontin'. You can tell he's trying to find his footing and navigate the world from where he finds himself. And he's...himself. I liked the movie.
Tomorrow everyone comes over to celebrate spring and St. Patrick's Day and that I did not die on the 14th and the fence is done. We are going to eat an early dinner together and watch the sunset and the solar lights will come on and it will be lovely.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Marching In
Wow, 2 whole months of 2011 gone already. I still am writing 2010 on checks and such.
February went by in a flash, the first half was SO cold and then on Valentine's Day, it started warming and now, the maple and forsythia, redbud, daffodils, quince and Bradford pears are all blooming away! The grass is coming up, everything looks a little greener each morning. It's a miracle all over again!
The play ran its course and ended. It confirmed for Chan that theater is something she really wants to be involved in, which is a thrill for me. I love when the kids really dig into something like that.
We repaired Poppy, though she's not 100% just yet. We found a new place to hike that we LOVE. We rounded out the backpacking gear and only need to make a couple more purchases to start hitting the trails as a family because Matt is off the CPAP!
I hit a new low weight, first time since Ben was 3 that I have weighed what I do now. We have continued eating MUCH better foods and I was right, we have started eating less as our bodies have adjusted to the more dense nutrients in the smaller servings.
February was a pretty good month over all, even with the few budget bumps and surprises that came along. Chan is in braces ASAP, the down payment is more than we had set aside for our Disney tickets. It's looking like that will be out for this year for certain, which is a bummer, but not the end of the world. At least it frees Matt up to camp with us, as it was, he only had the time off to go to Disney, so it will be a different year than I planned on starting out!
February went by in a flash, the first half was SO cold and then on Valentine's Day, it started warming and now, the maple and forsythia, redbud, daffodils, quince and Bradford pears are all blooming away! The grass is coming up, everything looks a little greener each morning. It's a miracle all over again!
The play ran its course and ended. It confirmed for Chan that theater is something she really wants to be involved in, which is a thrill for me. I love when the kids really dig into something like that.
We repaired Poppy, though she's not 100% just yet. We found a new place to hike that we LOVE. We rounded out the backpacking gear and only need to make a couple more purchases to start hitting the trails as a family because Matt is off the CPAP!
I hit a new low weight, first time since Ben was 3 that I have weighed what I do now. We have continued eating MUCH better foods and I was right, we have started eating less as our bodies have adjusted to the more dense nutrients in the smaller servings.
February was a pretty good month over all, even with the few budget bumps and surprises that came along. Chan is in braces ASAP, the down payment is more than we had set aside for our Disney tickets. It's looking like that will be out for this year for certain, which is a bummer, but not the end of the world. At least it frees Matt up to camp with us, as it was, he only had the time off to go to Disney, so it will be a different year than I planned on starting out!
Monday, January 31, 2011
Goodbye, January!
The year got off to a bang and ZOOOOM we were out of the gate! Snow was the big deal this month, with piles of it still around in some places weeks after the fact. Public schools were closed a full week, but not Northfield, we plowed right through pre-Algebra and by the end of February, will be well into Algebra 1. I have started leaving assignments on the board and giving the kids the option of choosing when they get done, within a certain time frame. We do math and science and history all together twice a week for each subject, then drawings, extra stuff and any other practice including handwriting, math practice and essay work are all done on their own and due by Friday. So far, it's working well.
They mainly do independent studies, and I have started requiring a summary each week-I know Ben can spend 30 hours designing roller coasters, I want to know what he's learning from that time. Or more, what he is getting from it, I don't expect a list of accomplishments so much as hope for some insight into why he's so willing to work SO hard on something that lives in a computer. Same for Jake and Chan, though Chan writes and is teaching herself piano and works on a half dozen other things in a day.
Weight- I have lost the few pounds I had gained over the holiday plus a handful more. I am currently sitting in a holding pattern, but things are in play. 1, I am getting more exercise than I was and that has to account for muscle growth and increased metabolism-both factors that won't really release a torrent of weight until I have done them long enough to stabilize, then BOTH should be a factor in dropping pounds. 2, I have revamped and changed our diet over the last month considerably. I was planning a slower transition, but decided it wasn't like getting used to the water or working my way from a slow jog to a sprint, it's FOOD. Our bodies crave healthy, whole foods and since changing over, everyone in the house has been in a much better mood, even Jake, who loves pizza and fried things, is eating steamed veggies and does not seem the worse for it, he's grown more this month than last year.
We are waking up earlier, actually getting the day started instead of sitting there bleary-eyed for the first hour or two. It's a change, one I am glad we have made. Even if groceries are costing more now, I have to temper that with the total halt in buying soda, chips, pre-packaged foods, drink mixes, junk food, treats and so on. I do think that over time, we will eat less as our bodies adjust to not having to process so much food in order to get the nutrients it needs.
Money-I am on track with my savings goals for the year, even a tiny bit ahead! Matt's check, after insurance and tax break adjustments, is $38 a check more. That's going straight into savings as if I had never heard of it. The first credit card is paid off, so half of that payment is now going toward the second card, the other half in savings. We will be able to pay for our Disney tickets and campsite as soon as we get the dates! Also, I renewed with AAA, which will save us 20% on the campsite, or $140. Not bad for a $58 investment that will also come to the rescue if either vehicle breaks down. I managed to skip a month on Jake's braces somehow. So I am a month behind on that and so won't be done until May. I opted to put extra on the credit card instead of paying off his braces sooner because the braces are interest-free and the credit card is not.
Money-I am on track with my savings goals for the year, even a tiny bit ahead! Matt's check, after insurance and tax break adjustments, is $38 a check more. That's going straight into savings as if I had never heard of it. The first credit card is paid off, so half of that payment is now going toward the second card, the other half in savings. We will be able to pay for our Disney tickets and campsite as soon as we get the dates! Also, I renewed with AAA, which will save us 20% on the campsite, or $140. Not bad for a $58 investment that will also come to the rescue if either vehicle breaks down. I managed to skip a month on Jake's braces somehow. So I am a month behind on that and so won't be done until May. I opted to put extra on the credit card instead of paying off his braces sooner because the braces are interest-free and the credit card is not.
Travel-Between dental check-ups, personal events, birthday and the play, February is totally blocked in already, we don't have 2 free days and nights together to go do anything! March will have to do as our first chance to get out, in the meantime, the camper has been checked end-to-end and found to be in good shape. I have a few cosmetic things I want to do-replace the floor covering and remove and replace the sealant on the outside. I caulk it every year and every year, it cracks around the trim (from the twist and sway when it's being hauled) and when I put on more, the extra that gets smeared around the edges turns a nasty gray from road dirt.
I bought a tool to remove all of the sealant and a spray cleaner that will dissolve the rest of it off the body. I plan to use a flexible, clear silicone gel that's rated for sun and rain exposure instead. I also want to buy a screen tent and an outside rug this year. I am thinking about one of those shower enclosure tents that you can use for either a port-a-potty or to hang a solar shower in. I want to put it in the corner of the screen tent to house the Rubbermaid bins that hold the power cords and tarps and the jacks and all that-body boards, inner tubes, sand toys. I just stack them up under the bunk end now, and that works great-until it rains and they get filthy from the gravel and dirt splashing up on them and if the rain is hard enough, they also get wet. It would just be one less thing to mess with. I don't enjoy camping in the rain and flat won't go if it's going to rain most of the time I had planned to be out, but I can't avoid it all the time. It usually rains once or twice a trip, no matter what the weather says.
So that's it, the year is going really well. My only complaint, as it is, is that a couple nights ago, someone came by in a truck and stopped and got out and started looking over my camper! Jake chased them off before he even told me someone was out there. I heard the dogs going NUTS and heard Jake go out, so I did not rush out there. When I went out to check, we could hear them pulled just a little ways down the drive way and they were talking, but I could not make out the words. Since then, the camper has been moved further back into the yard and I have put a good padlock in place of the kingpin-so no one can lift the clip to put it on a receiver ball.
The police said small campers and even just utility trailers were being stolen all around, probably for use at deer camps and as meth labs. : ( We are going to buy a good chain and chain the axle to a tree, Poppy is so light, I don't think she'd HAVE to be on a ball to be hauled, they could lash her to the bumper.
She's insured, for more than we paid, plus extra for any cargo she has in her at the time, which even 'empty' is still 2 heaters, 2 fans, her chocks and jacks, extension cords, memory foam mattresses, a microwave, fridge and a $40 carbon monoxide alarm. It's not the money, it's that she's OURS and we love her and we have great memories and plan to make many, many more with her as our happy little home in the background. I don't want someone to just take her and then use her for such bad things. I honestly wish the punishment for manufacturing or use of meth was death by firing squad.
Friday, December 17, 2010
Year's End
This year seems like it flew by!
Last winter was painfully, nasty cold. So the year started off without much fanfare, we had a couple hikes, some small adventures, my favorite being driving on the Natchez Trace with Cathy in January and February.
The big thing of 2010 was Jake getting braces. Check out the pics:
http://roamschool.blogspot.com/2010/01/another-friday.html
The post also has the first news of Wizard of Oz, which dominated our winter and early Spring.
I spent the worst of the cold days huddled in front of the Wii playing Animal Crossing or, huddled in the bed reading. Chan turned 12 in early February.
By the end of February, we had headed out on our first camping trip, a quick overnighter to Florida, where the temps of mid-60's were like a siren call to my frozen bones. http://eopapaver.com/quicktrips/FebFL.html
In March, Matt and I hiked to Caspey Falls, which are quite lovely. This year started a new phase with us. The kids are old enough to leave home for several hours at a stretch, so we started hiking at least once a month on new trails or just to geocache and take pictures.
Here are the shots of the falls:
http://roamschool.blogspot.com/2010/03/sunday-stroll.html
Also, the end of March was when I decided to start working on that 20+ pounds of weight to get to my first goal. Over the year, I dropped all of it, ending the year with a 23 pound loss!
April brought warmer weather, camping trips, the play in full swing and did I mention warmer weather?
Tim's Ford: http://eopapaver.com/april10/timsford.html
Holt Lake: http://eopapaver.com/april10/holtlake.html
Our annual trip to Cherokee Rock Village: http://roamschool.blogspot.com/2010/04/crv.html
The Wizard of Oz: http://roamschool.blogspot.com/2010/04/week-run-down.html
In May, our annual HS camping trip, always a highlight of the year!
http://eopapaver.com/may10/lbl.html
April brought warmer weather, camping trips, the play in full swing and did I mention warmer weather?
Tim's Ford: http://eopapaver.com/april10/timsford.html
Holt Lake: http://eopapaver.com/april10/holtlake.html
Our annual trip to Cherokee Rock Village: http://roamschool.blogspot.com/2010/04/crv.html
The Wizard of Oz: http://roamschool.blogspot.com/2010/04/week-run-down.html
In May, our annual HS camping trip, always a highlight of the year!
http://eopapaver.com/may10/lbl.html
June was filled with swimming, canoeing, shorts and water.
http://roamschool.blogspot.com/2010/06/can-you-canoe.html
And ended with more camping!
http://eopapaver.com/june10/pretrip.html
The oil spill was making major news, Ben sent all of his money to help the turtles.
July, Jake decided to work toward his GED, we had field trips with our friends, we hid from the heat.
This past summer was one of the hottest on record, days of triple digit temps, heat indexes reaching nearly 120.
We did lots of school during the heat, went to the drive in as much as possible, laid low, decided to go to Disney World next fall...
In August, my grandmother and my great aunt died less than a week apart. The pets all went to the vet. The true end of summer vacation was signaled by the HS swim and we had a big sleep-over for the meteor shower the same weekend.
The most significant event of the year happened in August, we were finally able to get high speed internet access out here. After 6.5 years of dial-up and sharing the single connection and taking forever to download and upload and not bothering with videos or flash because it just took too long, we are all online at the same time! It's made a big difference in our lives.
In September, HS skating started back. It ended up being the only skate day I attended the rest of the year, though the kids only missed the December skate.
We spent a long day with Suzette and family: http://roamschool.blogspot.com/2010/09/saturday-in-tn.html
Nettlevan hit 100,000 miles.
We went to Georgia for a long weekend: http://eopapaver.com/sept10/GAone.htm
I went to the dentist to get my tooth looked at.
In October, Matt and I went off for a weekend together: http://eopapaver.com/Oct10/TPTNtrip.html
We got busy with school again, had a swim to celebrate the first day of Fall, took one of my favorite hikes:
http://roamschool.blogspot.com/2010/10/wade-mountain.html
Nettlevan hit 100,000 miles.
We went to Georgia for a long weekend: http://eopapaver.com/sept10/GAone.htm
I went to the dentist to get my tooth looked at.
In October, Matt and I went off for a weekend together: http://eopapaver.com/Oct10/TPTNtrip.html
We got busy with school again, had a swim to celebrate the first day of Fall, took one of my favorite hikes:
http://roamschool.blogspot.com/2010/10/wade-mountain.html
and added a new family member: http://roamschool.com/esther/zephyr.html
My great uncle died.
My great uncle died.
We had Halloween parties, went trick-or-treating.
I experienced the worst pain of my life with an infected tooth root, via x-rays discovered my jaw bone was being eaten away with infection, started a round of antibiotics and pain killers that would take me through the end of the year when my tooth is scheduled to be removed on the 30th of December.
In November, we had a successful run of NanoWriMo, all of us reaching our personal word goals.
Jake turned 15
We went to Sloss, we fell even more in love with Zephyr, we celebrated Thanksgiving with my father, I found I had an interest in family history and started piecing together our family tree, starting with my father's mother and managing to get back to 1503 and discovering several surprises.
I discovered natural sleep aids, we had our second annual HS Thanksgiving.
In December, Ben turned 11, we hosted a Jane Austen Tea for her birthday, starting what I imagine will be another annual tradition as well as adding a book swap to our line-up of things to do. Chan tried out and was cast in another play, so there starts 2011 with rehearsals and performances. It's a 2-monther from start to finish, so I am not complaining! That will occupy our colder days and be over in plenty of time to be out of doors.
I wonder what 2011 will hold? I know my plans-the play of course, Chandler's 13th birthday, our annual and yet-unplanned HS camping trip. Matt and I will celebrate our 14th anniversary, Jake's braces will be paid off and possibly come off later in the year. Disney in September, followed by nearly another month on the road, one of those weeks with Jacki and her girls.
I hope to replace and upgrade some items in the house, add more insulation in the attic. Drive and camp the Natchez Trace all the way to the end. Get the kids to Louisiana.
It's not quite time to start losing animals, but Oly the 'pig will be turning 4 and Kat will be 9. It's not going to be too many more years before that starts to factor in. Zeppie is about a year old, next are the kittens, who are 3, Kuma is 4, Jessie 5, Cleo is 7, Kat is almost 9, the pigs are about 3 years old, Olympia is about 6 months older than Blitz who is about 4 months older than Mochii and Tanuki.
I experienced the worst pain of my life with an infected tooth root, via x-rays discovered my jaw bone was being eaten away with infection, started a round of antibiotics and pain killers that would take me through the end of the year when my tooth is scheduled to be removed on the 30th of December.
In November, we had a successful run of NanoWriMo, all of us reaching our personal word goals.
Jake turned 15
We went to Sloss, we fell even more in love with Zephyr, we celebrated Thanksgiving with my father, I found I had an interest in family history and started piecing together our family tree, starting with my father's mother and managing to get back to 1503 and discovering several surprises.
I discovered natural sleep aids, we had our second annual HS Thanksgiving.
In December, Ben turned 11, we hosted a Jane Austen Tea for her birthday, starting what I imagine will be another annual tradition as well as adding a book swap to our line-up of things to do. Chan tried out and was cast in another play, so there starts 2011 with rehearsals and performances. It's a 2-monther from start to finish, so I am not complaining! That will occupy our colder days and be over in plenty of time to be out of doors.
I wonder what 2011 will hold? I know my plans-the play of course, Chandler's 13th birthday, our annual and yet-unplanned HS camping trip. Matt and I will celebrate our 14th anniversary, Jake's braces will be paid off and possibly come off later in the year. Disney in September, followed by nearly another month on the road, one of those weeks with Jacki and her girls.
I hope to replace and upgrade some items in the house, add more insulation in the attic. Drive and camp the Natchez Trace all the way to the end. Get the kids to Louisiana.
It's not quite time to start losing animals, but Oly the 'pig will be turning 4 and Kat will be 9. It's not going to be too many more years before that starts to factor in. Zeppie is about a year old, next are the kittens, who are 3, Kuma is 4, Jessie 5, Cleo is 7, Kat is almost 9, the pigs are about 3 years old, Olympia is about 6 months older than Blitz who is about 4 months older than Mochii and Tanuki.
Ah, that's sad, I'd rather think back over the fun we had this year and look ahead to the fun we will have next year with our wonderful friends, the joy and blessing of homeschooling another year.
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