Melancholy Zombie

1. It's Sunday afternoon and I really need to have something posted for the week. But, just like Saturday night, Alex was up half the night and so my brain is really not all there. And I missed church this morning, again. Sigh. I like going to church. I actually look forward to sermons now. I also enjoy listening to A Prairie Home Companion now, which in the past I abhorred. I must be an actual adult now.

Speaking of Garrison Keillor, I caught the show on Nov. 3 and absolutely loved the segment with John Lithgow called "Cowboys Script" (laughed hysterically all the way home) but the introduction to Storyhill was arresting. I mean, it's been weeks and I still remember them and the song "Avalon," and for something to make more than a momentary impression on my brain these days is nearly miraculous. Once again, Youtube to the rescue.

I think that's the first time I've successfully embedded a video. I must not be completely brain dead, yet. One of these days I'll finally get around to buying the album.

2. It was a very full week. I spent all of yesterday in my pajamas doing laundry, trying to recover. And because of Alex's late night (I think he finally went to sleep about 3 am; I got some sleep before and after, but all I know is it wasn't enough), I'm still in my pajamas. I did shower, I just put on clean pajamas afterwards.

The week was so exhausting because I had to spend part of every single day relating to people. I am essentially an introvert; I am not energized by spending time with people, but drained by it. Since I spent the week going from event to event, by Friday night, I was toast.

3. And now it's Monday morning and I'm really out of time for a comprehensive blog post. It's cleaning day (that is, the women who clean my house are coming today) which is the impetus I need to get everything picked up so they can clean. Besides, I rarely want to reflect on bad weeks. My attitude is basically, let's move on.

I did have good meetings with both kids' teachers, though. God bless those teams of women who work with my kids because I don't know how we would manage without them.

4. For long time readers of my blog, they know we had an infestation of bed bugs last year. Well, our prayers have been answered, because there is now a magic pill that kills (most of) them.

5. On Saturday night, I watched Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter and mostly enjoyed it. What's sad is that none of the slashing and blood spurting really surprised or upset me; maybe I've seen too many gory movies. The man playing Lincoln was decent, but the guys having the most fun were definitely Dominic Cooper and Rufus Sewell. Still, like the reviewers said, it is an interesting way to reinterpret the causes of the Civil War and the train scene over the flaming bridge at the end is so amazing, it's almost worth watching the rest of the movie for. I'm sure it will make quite a contrast to Spielberg's Lincoln.

6. I've finally been delving into my regular shows that have been stacking up since May, like Castle and NCIS. At long last, I did decide to give up on Star Wars: The Clone Wars. I stopped watching it last winter  but still kept recording it and when I tried to pick it up again this week, it just didn't seem worthwhile. I am enjoying the final series of Flashpoint, though. I'm going to be sorry to see that finish in a couple of weeks.

7. 3 days until Thanksgiving. My brother Jonathan, his wife and their son arrive by plane tomorrow night and my other brother, his wife and their baby girl are in D.C. presently and my father will go down to fetch them early Wednesday morning. It's going to be a very full holiday but lots of fun with two adorable babies crawling around. I'm sure lots of pictures will be taken.

Here's Jen.

The Sky is Falling

1. I have exactly 15 minutes to produce this blog post before I have to run off and start my week. So it really is Quick Takes this week.

If you haven't been living under a rock, you would understand that this weeks blog title refers to the new James Bond movie, Skyfall, which opened in the US last Friday. I saw the movie with my father last Friday; we highly recommend it.

2. Last Monday we celebrated Halloween here in Mt. Laurel, so pictures of the children in their costumes will be scattered throughout.

Here's Miranda walking in her parade.

Here's her class picture.

More parading.

3. To get Alex to sit down and do his spelling homework last Thursday afternoon, he needed a laptop, a book, the Angry Birds Space Red Bird, and a bowl of chips. The actual homework needed the crayons and his notebook to do "rainbow words," where you write the spelling words 3 times in different colors, tracing the letters over each other. He is a little high maintenance.

4. Here is Alex trying on his costume at home. He was the Red Bird from Angry Birds Space.

5. Here he is at school, leading his class with the class sign:

Here he is with the other boys from his class:

6. Alex elected not to go trick or treating Monday night when we were all ready to go, and then regretted it for days. Sometimes being a good parent means helping your children live with their own decisions, but it really sucks.

7. Alex is still having a tough time transitioning to new anti-anxiety meds. His insomnia is really bad (so he sleeps well every other night) and he's awfully grumpy. And in the few moments he's not, Miranda is trying to make him grumpy by mimicking everything he says. Not a fun week. Hopefully, this week will be better. And I will have time to stitch!

Here's Jen.

Much Ado

1. It's been a big week. I was watching David Tennant's Much Ado About Nothing when the lights went out on Monday, and watched more of it last night, when we were all once again settled in, safe and warm at home. I've watched it many times, in fact; when I am distressed, Shakespeare soothes me.

From the opening scene:

BEATRICE	I wonder that you will still be talking, Signior
	Benedick: nobody marks you.
BENEDICK	What, my dear Lady Disdain! are you yet living?	111
BEATRICE	Is it possible disdain should die while she hath
	such meet food to feed it as Signior Benedick?
	Courtesy itself must convert to disdain, if you come
	in her presence.
BENEDICK	Then is courtesy a turncoat. But it is certain I
	am loved of all ladies, only you excepted: and I
	would I could find in my heart that I had not a hard
	heart; for, truly, I love none.
BEATRICE	A dear happiness to women: they would else have
	been troubled with a pernicious suitor. I thank God
	and my cold blood, I am of your humour for that: I
	had rather hear my dog bark at a crow than a man
	swear he loves me.	123
BENEDICK	God keep your ladyship still in that mind! so some
	gentleman or other shall 'scape a predestinate
	scratched face.
BEATRICE	Scratching could not make it worse, an't were such
	a face as yours were.
BENEDICK	Well, you are a rare parrot-teacher.
BEATRICE	A bird of my tongue is better than a beast of yours.	131
BENEDICK	I would my horse had the speed of your tongue, and
	so good a continuer. But keep your way, i' God's
	name; I have done.
BEATRICE	You always end with a jade's trick; I know you of old.

Here's one of the final scenes, trailer, and another fun scene. And here's a very fun review with lots of other scenes. David Tennant and Catherine Tate are really brilliant in the production; everyone else less so, but that's alright. No one production can be perfect.

I have been watching a bootleg copy of the performance and only learned last night I can buy one of my very own from here. I'm so excited!

2. Yes, Superstorm Sandy was a big deal here in NJ and yes, we had no power for nearly 3 days and so spent our days toing and froing from my parents' condo and their new house and our own house and trying to keep our kids from falling apart because their schedules had been torn to shreds. School was cancelled Monday and Tuesday (and Marshall's office was closed so he didn't have to venture forth, either) and then started up again Wednesday with a 2 hour delayed start so I kept having to come back to the house to put them on or get them off of buses. It was all rather exhausting. I was so tired, in fact, that when I discovered yesterday about lunch time that the power was back on, I wasn't at all pleased because I had finally got us settled in my parents' new house and would now have to move it all back again. Sigh.

3. Universal Truth highlighted by this adventure (which will come as no surprise to any parent): your children are ungrateful whelps and your parents are saints.

4. I don't have time to reflect any more upon my recent experiences because we are having the family birthday party for both children at my parents' new house tomorrow afternoon. I have to shower, visit three grocery stores, make a cake, make at least one more trip to my parents' house to drop off party food, and who knows what else.

5. We have yet to celebrate Halloween, what with the storm and all. One of our friends posted this on FB on Wednesday, which I found to be terribly succinct:

Happy Halloween I. Halloween II will be at the kids school on Friday. Halloween III on Saturday when WD trick or treats and now we have Halloween IV on Monday for the rest of NJ. Lets hope Halloween V goes right to video.

We are only doing Monday with costumes, school parades and parties (I'm going to Miranda's and my mother is going to Alex's) and a little trick or treating. Oh, and then they are off of school on Tuesday for the election because our schools are used a polling places. 

6. Election? There's an election on Tuesday? Who knew?

7. Here's Jen!