Melancholic Mindset

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I'm such a sucker for sad things: sad songs, sad movies, sad books. I wonder what makes these things so compelling to me? I figure it must be the "writer" in me. I love melancholy and poignancy. I told my hubby this morning that I miss England. When he asked me why, I thought about it and said lots of great writers came out of England. I think it has something to do with the climate.

I just finished watching Behind the Red Door (the proof is on my tear-stained face), and while there are subtle themes I don't agree with, the overall theme of the movie is beautiful. It's about reconciliation; the reconciliation of a dying man and his sister, who together face their family's violent past and find peace in their lives. It's handled delicately and sweetly, with a great soundtrack to boot. And the metamorphosis in their relationship is poignant.

Several things struck me while watching it. If we knew the exact moment of death, or at least knew we had a certain number of days to live, how would we look at everyday things differently? Would we marvel more at sunsets, snowstorms, budding flowers, enjoy the simple stuff more? And would we treasure our loved ones more, knowing that we only had a finite amount of time left with them?

My favorite scene comes just before the main character, Roy, dies. He's sitting with his sister in the above shot and says, "I love you dearly, Natalie." It was something he had struggled to say to her all of their lives. It was something he had wanted more than anything to hear from his father all of his life. Earlier in the movie, as he is "talking" to God, he says that he would give everything he has (and he's very affluent) just to have a father who once said, "Son, I love you."

I wonder why it sometimes takes death to make us cherish that which we have now?

A memorable quote:

Natalie: It just seems so unfair, you know? I mean, if I have to do this family thing, shouldn't I get to experience some of the good stuff, too?

Julia: Well, who says the family thing has any rules? Wasn't it you who said, "Happy families are always happy in the same way", and...

Natalie: ..."every unhappy family sucks in a different way"? No, that was Tolstoy.

Julia: Well, gotta love those Russians.

Simple Pleasures

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"Babyface, you've got the cutest little babyface....."

I had to pay a visit to my midwife today to get some advice on calming down the hormones. They're a bit wonky at the moment -- due, sadly, to my "progressing" age. (We discussed among other things how we'll give it to Eve upon reaching Heaven. Us and half-a-bazillion other ladies, I'm sure.)

Anyway, that aside, I'm always thrust back in time when I visit her office...to the times when my hubby and I went to hear a growing heartbeat in my tummy. Which is very odd now when I walk in with an 8- and 5-year-old in tow. We were talking about how quickly the kids grow and how much they change. She is a grandmother now and loving it!

Then she said something which struck me. She was talking about her nearly-2-year-old granddaughter, and how she is able to enjoy her "firsts" with her.

"Do you remember Emily and Edward discovering shadows?" she asked me.

I thought long and hard, and I couldn't really say I did. All the memories seem to blend together these days.

She agreed and said she was the same with her three girls. "You're so busy being Mommy to them that you know you experienced it but can't remember it specifically."

Her granddaughter discovered shadows the other day, she continued. And it was good for nearly 2 hours of fascination and entertainment.

Oh, the joy of simple pleasures!

Word of the Day

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Halloween "Bugs" from 2004

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Speaking of bugs of the virus kind...

So we were re-watching Season 3 of 24 and came across this fantastical word: epidemiological. I love the way it sounds. (You can click on it to hear it.) And they used it, not once, but TWICE on the same show.

Just goes to show what a great word it is! I think the writers and actors enjoyed hearing it, too.

As an aside, Emily announced her favorite word as cataclysmic. We were very impressed that she knew such a big word, especially when she pronounced it correctly. To which she then asked, "What does it mean?"

A Eye for London

Kid's Eye View

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Speaking of London...

Here is my very favorite photo of the kids on the "London Eye" taken in May 2002. You can see Parliament in the background. It's like Edward is pointing out the various sights to Emily.

London Town Memories

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That certain night
The night we met
There was magic abroad in the air
There were angels dinin’ at the Ritz
And a nightingale sang in Berkeley Square.

I may be right
May be wrong
But I’m perfectly willing to swear
That when you turned and smiled at me
A nightingale sang in Berkeley Square.

The moon that lingered over London town
Poor, puzzled moon
He wore a frown
How could he know we two were so in love
The whole darn world seemed upside-down.

The streets uptown were paved with stars
It was such a romantic affair
And as we kissed
And said good night
A nightingale sang in Berkeley Square.

How strange it was
How sweet and strange
There was never a dream to compare
With that hazy, crazy night we met
When a nightingale sang in Berkeley Square.....

A memory popped into my head the other day. It was a particular night I spent wandering some of the streets in London taking "mental photographs." (We saw so much, but a camera wouldn't have done it justice.) I'd walked around London lots of times before then...but never at night.

It was the Spring of 1990. I was headed back to Brighton from my parents' house in Swindon. We had to take the train from Swindon to Paddington Station and switch over through the London Underground to Victoria Station to get to Brighton. I was with five others -- three American university students, one New Zealander (affectionately known as "Jif"), and my little dwarf rabbit, Peepers (who travelled around England with me in my big straw totebag). I was 19 and felt invincible at that moment. Usually, I'm a real homebody. But somehow on that night I felt like I could go anywhere.

It's a memory that will stay with me all of my life: the lights, the smells, the shadows on familiar sights. Probably wasn't a safe thing for us to do. But there was a definite "magic" in the night air of London Town that night.

As an aside, the "magic" wore off quickly when we had to run to the Underground to get to Victoria Station in time to catch the last train to Brighton. We nearly didn't make it....LOL!

Confidentially...

*Sigh*


Well, I did it to myself. I've no one to blame but me...myself...I.

I found the "lost pilot" to a TV show that was cancelled before it ever aired. I ordered it from Canada, and after waiting nearly a month, I finally received it. Okay...are you catching on faster than I did? The "lost" pilot...of a TV show that never ran...

The show was L.A. Confidential, based on the book and movie by the same name. It starred -- you guessed it -- Kiefer Sutherland as Det. Jack Vincennes.

Okay, so I'm settled down in our comfy chair, remote in hand, happily enjoying this interesting show. There are lots of characters, lots of developing storylines, lots of plot twists. I'm hooked. Then it hit me: This is beginning of a show that DIDN'T continue. They're setting up the viewers for a series, but the series never got off the ground.

I'LL NEVER KNOW WHAT HAPPENS!!

It was very well-done. I enjoyed it immensely. But I guess I'll just have keep enjoying Kiefer as the "other" Jack -- on 24.

Still More from Hell-ish Kitchens

Our first pickle cucumber of the season

Isn't that a huge pickle cucumber?? I think I may have left it on the vine too long. Still, it tasted very yummy in our salad last weekend, much to the chagrin of our two kids who thought it should be bronzed and displayed. Maybe that comes of watching all those VeggieTales shows. You kinda expect the vegetables to grow faces and chat with you.

Our garden is prolific in weeds this year. (I cannot seem to keep up with them.) But we also have an abundance of cherry tomatoes growing and a small crop of cukes coming. Hopefully, our peppers and watermelons will catch up before long.

That's all for the W. City Garden Report. Stay tuned now for another great (and tres simple) recipe from Hell-ish Kitchens...

Cake Mix Cookies

1 box any flavor cake mix

2 eggs

1/2 cup vegetable oil

Mix all the ingredients together. Add chocolate chips, raisins, nuts...if desired. Spoon onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350F for 10-12 minutes. Allow to cool for about 10 minutes.

I usually keep out what I think we might eat that day (storing the cookies in a ziploc bag), and then I freeze the rest. These cookies are NOT keepers. They don't store well and become stale very quickly.

ENJOY!

Days of Malaise

Been having a lot of joint pains lately. (Kind of odd given my "young-ish" age. LOL!) I used an online symptom chart to see if maybe I could pinpoint a particular virus and came up with this word: malaise. Very non-descript in some ways....yet, it describes my symptoms to a tee.

Main Entry: mal·aise Pronunciation: m&-'lAz, ma-, -'lez Function: noun Etymology: French malaise, from Old French, from mal- + aise comfort 1 : an indefinite feeling of debility or lack of health often indicative of or accompanying the onset of an illness 2 : a vague sense of mental or moral ill-being <a malaise of cynicism and despair -- Malcolm Boyd>

I often wonder where we get some of the words in our language. Reading a dictionary is a fun and quick way to discover this. And now with a handy-dandy online version of the trusted Merriam-Webster's version Click here, I can find out even quicker.

What's even better is that it distracts me from my malaise...if only for the moment.

Cute Pair o' Buns

Very "slow brain" day here at Writer's Block.

So I decided to post a photo of our two adorable bun-girls.

Bubble and Squeak in a bun-sandwich.

Water Shed

[waah-der] versus [waw-ter]

In The Canterville Ghost Oscar Wilde wrote: "We have really everything in common with America nowadays except, of course, language." In a 1951 book of quotations, and without attributing a source, George Bernard Shaw was credited with saying: "England and America are two countries separated by the same language."

My hubby and I have learned that firsthand throughout our marriage...and his dealings with the public.

I love language. I love lingo, slang, accents, everything to do with lexiconography (is that a word?). When I lived in England I learned very quickly that language -- even a common one -- can create a barrier. I also learned that I don't speak English...I speak American English. There are many, many words that mean completely different things. I'll leave it at that. LOL! I basically had to change my way of talking in order to be understood. Soon enough I began to "sound" English...at least to people who didn't know me well.

Well, fast-forward five years and switch sides of the Big Pond and you had my hubby facing the same problem. He's been here 11 years. Most British people think he sounds American now. But in the beginning I actually had to "translate" for him. Funny, huh? We speak the same language -- for the most part -- and I became his translator.

The funniest word he had troubles with was WATER. He pronounced it [waw-ter] in an area that says [waah-der]. People looked at him in complete confusion. One salesclerk actually asked if he wanted a wheelchair. When he closed his eyes, sucked in his breath, and said it in the local "dialect," she asked if he wanted ice with it.

I just tell him people are mesmerized by his accent...no one actually listens to what you're saying anyway. That sounds good, right? Right?

Psst! Drop the Gun!

Here's a funny video tidbit involving my favorite PS2 game at the moment: 24-The Game.

24 Horas "Drop The gun!" com Kiefer Sutherland

Jury Rigged

<----- My souvenirs. Well, I did my civic duty -- my deed of good citizenry -- and served as a juror today. Quite amusing really...esp. after my hubby assured me I "wouldn't be picked."

After arriving at the prescribed 8:15 a.m and waiting in an airport-lounge-like atmosphere with 179 other nervous potentials....we didn't actually enter the juror selection process until about 10:50 a.m. Not really gripping, Judge-Judy stuff. I know she doesn't actually have a jury, but I'm certain if she did they would have to speed up the process to 5 minutes to fit it all in during a 1/2-hour show. (On a side note, we did get to watch FOXNews and see the Discovery Space Shuttle land. Way cool...esp. since we don't get that channel at home, and I would have probably forgotten the shuttle was landing anyway.)

So...enter the juror selection process. They (the Judge, Commonwealth (a.k.a. Prosecutor), and Defense Counsel) asked each of the 45 chosen jurors ALL 4,634 questions, trying to stare us down/catch us up, I think, and eliminate us from the pool. We were a tough bunch. (Well, all but one of us who seemed to answer "yes" for all the questions even when they didn't pertain to him. He just wanted out.) The rest of us were in for the long haul...even the woman who stood up late because she didn't think being a victim of a drunk-driving-hit-and-run accident constituted "being a victim of a crime." The Judge set her straight.

Finally, after a volleying, "Go-Fish"-like match with the juror namelist in the blue folder, they came up with 12 jurors and 2 alternates. I was Juror #6...so much for NOT being picked. It was now 12:05 p.m. Lunchtime. We were dismissed to find our own food and return by 1:35 p.m. (I thought they'd feed us...sheesh.) Mind you, they were paying us $9 for the day. Lunch totaled $5.50.

We returned and lined up, yet again, and went back into the courtroom to hear all about the case. Case #1, 298 on the docket: The Commonwealth vs. the Alleged Dognapper (names changed to protect the innocent). We heard the evidence in a total of 15 minutes and then there was a recess because it was over so quickly. Traipse out...traipse back in. It was now 3 p.m.

It turned out that there wasn't enough evidence to prove "beyond a reasonable doubt" that the man was guilty of any of the three charges brought against him so the defendant was acquitted. No, duh! The 10-year-olds who testified couldn't corroborate their stories and the mother admitted to cussing out the defendant in order to get his confession. The only crime was that the we the jury never got to deliberate...though we did so on the elevator ride back down to the jurors' waiting room. Many of us still had questions...one man had wanted to say, "I object." And there was still Commonwealth Exhibit #1 to contemplate: the broken leash. Hmmmm...

I'm glad I was chosen for this experience. It certainly gave me an inside view of our judicial system and brought along a few chuckles with it.

Judging By What You Say

I've been called to do the dreaded JURY DUTY tomorrow. Watch this hilarious video (to help teach English of all things) and think about what verdict you'd give it. And think of me...hopefully not having to decide someone else's verdict.

Japanese robbers

Almost Is a Relative Term

Baby Blues

I've come to realize now that we have children, that ALMOST is a relative term. For example, when I call up the steps to ask if they're ready for bed and they shout, "ALMOST!" I know that they haven't even stripped. Or if I ask Edward if he's finished his breakfast (after nearly an hour) and he says, "Almost." I know that he's eaten approximately 1/100 of his bowl of cereal.

Think about it. It encompasses so much. Almost means you've at least started, right?

In that case, I'm almost grown up...

Pretty in Plaid...or Paisley?

Gotta love the look of the 70s. We look back at our photos and laugh (or cringe) at some of the outfits we wore. (Doesn't my hubby look adorable in his retro outfit?) Remember the plaids, paisleys, and stripes with rick-rack trim in mustard, plum, and avocado colors? My mom had a shirt with lines of black and red horses on a gold background. I loved that shirt.

Mom is always laughing at the outfits she put us in. Being the youngest of three girls, I ended up with at least two to three seasons of the same outfit since she usually matched at least two of us. But back then it was all we knew. We were semi-stylish, I guess.

But then again it wasn't about being in style. It was all about being a kid. We didn't care so much about what we looked like. We just enjoyed being kids and having fun. (Does anyone remember playing "Colored Eggs" or "TV Tag"? I was watching the movie Flatliners the other day and heard a line that took me right back to the past: "Ollie ollie oxenfree!" Do you remember that? It was almost haunting!)

I remember one of my favorite things was getting a new pair of Keds sneakers...usually red with the little rubber toe protectors. Those new sneaks gave me "super powers" and helped me run really fast! I could outrun my friends and any imaginary monsters! I could race the wind or a thunderstorm! With the help of a roll of Smarties, I could hurry even faster to make it to the ice cream truck...

Now that's the power of style!

Reflective Thoughts

I turn a bit reflective today. Not sure why...except there have been a few reminders of a happening from nearly 5 years ago that have me remembering. Is it perhaps because it's July 11th that I'm thinking about September 11th?

September 11th is my hubby's birthday. It's the day we celebrate him and his birth and the joy it's been to be a part of his life. We have cake and open presents and think of all sorts of ways to have fun with him.

It's also a day of national mourning.

This year marks the 5th year since those horrific events that shook our nation to its very foundations...brought our country -- and the world -- to its knees. Funny how quickly -- in our busy day-to-day lives -- we forget though. We move on. I'm sure the 1,000s who lost loved ones don't forget.

Several movies recounting the horrors that day have been released since that date. One was even nominated for an Emmy this year. I watched the documentary called 9/11 not long after the actual event. But I cannot seem to bring myself to watch anything else since.

Is it because I don't want to remember the shock of first hearing on the radio the news of a plane hitting the towers? (I thought it was only a little twin-engine Cessna off its flight path.) Is it because I can't bring myself to think about the moment my heart stopped as I watched the second plane hit the twin towers? (I was phoning my husband to tell him the news. He said the sound of my voice and the moment of shocked silence that followed made him catch his breath.) Or perhaps it's not wanting to recall the bark of my voice when I ordered our nearly 4-year-old daughter back up to her room to protect her from seeing the towers crumbled into dust? (I collapsed on the floor and prayed for all those people who didn't make it out.)

But I realize I need to remember. I need to mourn with those who lost loved ones and friends. I need to think that such a thing could happen again if our country does not remain on guard. I need to remember that I must tell my family how much I love them ALL the time and quickly heal rifts that come between us. Some of the families of the victims wish they could do just that: Go back to that one moment when they could have said "goodbye" or "I love you."

On New Year's Eve 2001, we sat together as a family and thanked God for different happenings in 2001. Edward joined our family in February. We'd been able to see Granny and Grampy from England in May. (They'd even been able to visit the World Trade Center.) Emily turned 4 years old. We'd gone to visit Niagara Falls. Then the mood turned somber, and we prayed for the families of all those who died on September 11th.

"And thank you, Jesus, for all those people who made it out of the buildings before they fell down," prayed our 4-year-old.

What an even more important reminder to us. The silver lining in a very dark cloud.

Game to Meet Again

Recently, I posted an entry about a game my hubby and I began about meeting famous people -- living or dead -- (if you missed it, click here) who we'd say "hi" to, who we'd ignore, and who we'd slap. It's a fun and silly way to see how we think. Well, I picked some more names. Why don't you give it a try! Post a comment with your choices!

Famous Writers:

Hi: Maeve Binchy (excellent in characterization)
Ignore: Ernest Hemingway (very overrated, in my humble opinion)
Slap (gently): John Steinbeck (leave some details to the imagination, please!)

More from Hell-ish Kitchens

Sitting down to dinner tonight, Edward, 5, said the grilled chicken and macaroni salad looked good. I said I hoped it tasted good. "I hope it tastes good, too," he agreed. The honesty of a 5-year-old.

Another tasty recipe to share. This one came from cooks.com and fits my criteria of being yummy and tres simple:

Seasoned Pretzels

6 cups miniature pretzels (or broken sourdough pieces)
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 pkg. Hidden Valley Ranch Original party dip mix (or any flavor dry dip mix)
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. seasoned salt (I bypassed this since the pretzels are already salty, but...)

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. Place pretzels in a large shallow baking pan (13 X 9 inch). In a small bowl, combine all other ingredients. Pour mixture over pretzels, stir well. Bake 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Pour onto waxed paper to cool. Store in airtight container.

More another day!

Water Fountains of Truth

I got a huge chuckle out of the labels on the bottles of flavored water we bought recently. I'm the sort of person who enjoys the ads sometimes more than the actual TV show. Must be something to do with my journalism background and loving clever writing. So anyway...

Here are the actual labels from the bottles of Glaceau vitaminwater:

power-c
dragonfruit (c + taurine)

legally, we are prohibited from making exaggerated claims about the potency of the nutrients in this bottle. therefore, legally we wouldn't tell you that after drinking this, eugene from kansas started using horseshoes as a thighmaster or that this drink gave agnes from delaware enough strength to bench press llamas. heck, we can't even tell you this drink gives you the power to do a thousand pinkie pushups... just ask mike in queens.

legally, we can't say stuff like that -- 'cause that would be wrong, you know?

vitamins + water = all you need. for best results, stick it in the fridge. the inside is natural. the outside is plastic.

essential
orange-orange (c + calcium)

ah, orange juice commercials. funny stuff. mom cheerily prepares some huge breakfast while the rest of her family sleeps. sure, this could happen. but every morning? please. maybe if mom were heavily medicated, in which case, we wouldn't condone operating a stove or any electrical appliance.

for those of us who don't live in an orange juice commercial, there's still a way to get your morning nutrition. this product has calcium and lots of vitamin c, so you can get your day started right, minus the whole stepford mom thing.

vitamins + water = all you need. for best results, stick it in the fridge. the inside is natural. the outside is plastic.

Makes you want to buy some more just to read the labels, huh?

Apropos

Goodness....I do believe I've aptly named this blog. I'm having a definite time of "writer's block." So I'm sitting here trying to decide what to have for din-din -- my usual quandary this time of day -- and I'm trying to catch up on some blogging. (I was doing well for awhile.)

But nothing is coming to mind...nothing, I mean, nada, zilch, squat. I blame it on hormones -- they've got to be "good" for something, right? (I mean, it's like when the kids were teething and got miserable, we just blamed it on teething. I think you can use that excuse until they're at least finished getting their wisdom teeth. So all the teen problems in the world? Their attitudes and rebellion? Just plain ol' teething pains.)

So back to my blogging "blues"... It's summertime, and the kids seem to be enjoying the break in routine. I'm enjoying the break in the heat. It's been absolutely gorgeous the past few days. Highs in the low 80s, nice breeze, and low humidity. I'll take it. It certainly gives us a break on our electric bill! Weather is always a good conversation starter....

We're real "gamers" in our house. Not really PS2 or computer gamers...but physical boardgame gamers. We especially love to play Cranium games. Those people are geniuses for coming up with fun games that use all parts of your brain! Here's the link to their website: Cranium It's lots of fun to explore!

Speaking of PS2 games, I'm improving on my 24 game....though Jack may have his driver's license revoked sometime soon. I've managed to move on to Level 4 which is -- as you may have guessed -- a driving level. Wow! If I thought I made Jack look drunk walking...I'm even better at making him look like he should be pulled over for a DUI! On one attempt, I managed to mow down every human being walking on a sidewalk and hit a bus parked outside a church. Bits of Jack's car were flying in all directions. Then he decided to get out of his car, and I steered him back into the car, only to have him get out again. This went on for several more seconds before I realized I had my fingers on the wrong buttons. Go figure. I'm bound to improve before Jack has his license taken due to old age, right?

Well, enough drivel. I'll try to come up with something more interesting soon...promise.

Happy 4th of July!

July 4th 2004

Happy Fourth of July from our house to yours!

Enjoy this link! And enjoy the holiday!

Fireworks Display