24: All "Jack"ed Up

I'm working through Season 2 of 24 with my friend, Clare. We gave Season 1 to her hubby and her for Christmas. They made it through that season the week after New Year's Day. And she's been waiting to see the next season ever since.

It's been such fun because it's all new to her.

Since I've already viewed it several (okay, okay....more than several less than a gazillion) times, I already know what's coming but have to keep a straight face.

That's not always easy.

At one point when a character leaped out on another one, she jumped and so did her cup of tea. We laughed and laughed about it, and she was careful not hold anything for the rest of that episode.

However, since we don't have 24 spare hours (or 17 and a bit) free to watch the entire season all at once, we had to stop after a few discs.

But where exactly do you stop??

Well, let's just say Jack is on a plane with Nina, and the plane was just hit with a missile......

[Insert "scary music" here...]

Got the Baby Blues

My hubby and I are huge fans of this comic strip. The comic author/illustrator duo have completely nailed kids and parenting. It's hilariously true to life....or should I say: frighteningly?

Many More Monday Musings

Another week begins.

I look forward to Monday for two reasons: a fresh start to the week and a new episode of 24.

Speaking of 24, check out the Jack Bauer action figure available for a mere $189. My daughter wondered if I would be buying one. Hmmmm....no. A bit much for a doll, er, action figure -- and an ugly one at that. (I don't know if this was the one that Kiefer Sutherland and a friend purportedly set on fire in the wee hours of the morning when they'd had a bit too much "merriment".....but if it is, I can certainly see why.)

I do have a bendy, bandy action figure of another character played by Kiefer. I'll post more on that another time.

I've added a new video (it might last a few more days...I love this odd song, but it gets old after your reload your blog a few times to check things) and a new quiz. I didn't do as well on the quiz as I'd hoped...but I'm 85% smarter than the Jerry Springer crowd?? Duh. Who isn't?

* * *

More snow and ice overnight. Not as much as on Valentine's Day...but still. I remind myself: It's still Winter...it's still Winter.... Does anybody know...are groundhogs in season yet?

* * *

From my online daily calendar:

5 THINGS TO BE HAPPY ABOUT

• sleeping in

• reading the Declaration of Independence

• Philadelphia steak sandwiches

• a book of puzzles

• rabbit hutches

* * *

We're heading to South Street, Philadelphia, in April to see -- drumroll, please! -- Rocco Deluca and the Burden again. The concert is being held in a venue on South Street, and I just remembered the yummy cheesesteak place we discovered down there called Jim's Steaks.

Since Stuart and I spent a considerable part of our first months traveling to Philadelphia for his green card, we looked for some fun places to visit whilst we were there. Jim's was one that we've since revisited a few times. Well worth it!

And there's "cheesesteak lingo" to learn. I only remember a few bits:

cheesesteak with = a steak sandwich with onions

cheesesteak without = a steak sandwich without onions

provolone = pronounced [proe-voe-lone]

whiz = CheezWhiz

Friday Funnies

If he could turn back time (you can click on the photo to make it bigger)....

Flying High

Nearly there....

Well, we finally got to go on Edward's "birthday adventure," which was delayed due to the snowy/icy week of his actual birthday.

He asked this year if he could go to the Air & Space Museum Annex, out near the Dulles Airport.

All I can say is: WOWOWOWOWOWOWOW!!

To say that we were impressed doesn't even begin to touch our emotions as we walked in and saw lots of bombers, a Blackbird, and just beyond it the Enterprise, an actual space shuttle!

Growing up in the '80s, we were very fond on these space crafts. They're from our era and offer something fondly familiar. I couldn't get a full photo of it, but I can tell you it was awesome!

We wandered through the hangar, viewing all the favorites and observing some aircraft we'd never heard of.

Then we went to the IMAX theater and watched Fighter Pilot, about a pilot during Operation Red Flag, a week-long international training mission.

All in all, it was well-worth the 3-hour trip and $12 parking fee (the museum itself is free).

Edward was "flying high" all the way home -- as were we!

Expeditious Euphoria

We've been having some trouble lately with our cat Abigail. She seems to think our new sofa is a $599 scratching post at her disposal.

So today when I was passing Nissley's Feed Store in Morgantown, I decided to see what they had available to help alleviate this.

What I came away with was a spray can of catnip and a scratching post.

We're "wintering" a stray(?) cat that peeked at us through our windows one cold, rainy night. He and Abigail have not seen "eye to eye" (see: "not getting within 10 feet of each other") since he arrived about a month ago.

Suddenly this changed.

Somehow the catnip united them. Together in euphoric bliss they lay "loving" the scratching post, nearly side by side.

Amazing, really. Enemies...suddenly "chilling" together.

Okay. Okay. The catnip euphoria quickly wore off, and they were back at each other within 5 minutes.

But, hey, it's a start.

(And maybe it's the perfect weapon against terrorists? Although, I think the human equivalent to catnip is illegal.)

Treasured "Junque"

I love how people's perspectives change.

We went to visit the Goggleworks, a center for the arts in Reading, last Tuesday. We visit it every Monday when Emily has her dance class there.

This time we went with our "school" to see "Mr. Imagination" and his artwork. While the artist himself was not there -- he'd broken his hand the week before -- we did get a tour of his art displays and make some of our own artwork.

What's unique about "Mr. Imagination's" artwork is that he uses "junque" for all his sculptures. Old brooms, rakes, springs, bottle caps, buttons...you name it, he uses it. It's called "found object art."

And the kids loved it!

Most people know that I tend to be rather a "pack rat" myself. In recent years, I've been desperately trying to change that about myself. It's a long, slow, hard road, made harder by two sweet cherubs trying to save EVERYthing -- including old band-aids and candy wrappers.

Well, you can imagine how excited they were to hear the artists helping out say that they (the kids) should keep lots of cool things so they could make this kind of art.

"See, Mommy?" said Emily. "There is a reason to keep it all."

I sighed. If only she could understand that our house will eventually implode from all the "junque" we collect.

Oh, well.

For the sake of such fun art, we'll keep the occasional "odd" or "end."

Tea Time

A photo from my annual Valentine's Tea Party.

I started hosting it in 1995 when I moved back to Reading.

I've never been a "fan" of the official "Day of Love," (little did I know I'd give birth to a child on that day), so I decided to concentrate more on friendship than romance.

Thus, the tea party idea was born.

The guest list has evolved over the years, and now includes Emily, who co-hosts with me and invites a friend her own age to join in. It's always fun to share tea, goodies, and loving friendship.

I think that's a part of Valentine's Day, too.

It's "Snow" Fun

While it wasn't the best snow to play in -- being that it had a crusty ice covering on it -- the kids still managed to find some way to have fun in it. But isn't that what being a kid is all about?

Friday Funnies

So I'm outside on Valentine's Day, shoveling snow in subzero weather, and I harken back to a news program I saw the other day proclaiming the threat of "Global Warming." My fingers are about to fall off in the frigid air.... The L.A. setting of the current season of 24 -- complete with the threat of three more suitcase nuclear bombs -- seems more inviting than the frozen tundra of W. City at the moment. Kind of knocks some air out of the whole global "warming" theory...thankfully, we don't live further North where snow-wise they are getting dumped on in feet.

Hell-ish Kitchens Revisited

I haven't had a chance to post anything from my Hell-ish Kitchens series recently. But I came up with a fun one the other night when I was preparing dinner: Rainbow-Goldfish-Coated Chicken. Certainly made for a yummy and colorful dinner and was requested by Edward for his "birthday dinner" (more on that menu at the bottom)!

Ingredients:

1 cup Pepperidge Farm Rainbow Goldfish
4 or 5 pieces of chicken (I used thighs and drumsticks)
1 egg

Preparation:
Squash the rainbow goldfish in a Ziploc bag. Dip chicken pieces one at a time in the beaten egg and then place in the bag. Shake the bag until the chicken is coated. Place in greased glass casserole pan and bake (originally I fried the chicken in canola oil but decided that baking is much healthier and just as tasty) at 350 F for 30-40 minutes. Easy as pie...well, chicken.

* * *

Speaking of birthday dinner, though. Our 6-year-old (gotta get used to typing that) surprised us by requesting the following menu:

Rainbow-Goldfish-Coated Chicken

Oreida baby potato cakes

Brussels sprouts

asparagus

cauliflower

baby corn

Followed by cake and ice cream, of course.

Quite a feast, huh? We were all hugely a bit stuffed afterwards!

My Funny Valentine

Happy Happy Happy

6th

Birthday

to our "Funny Valentine,"

Edward Stuart!

My funny Valentine

Sweet comic Valentine

You make me smile with my heart

Your looks are laughable

Unphotographable

Yet you're my favourite work of art

Is your figure less than Greek

Is your mouth a little weak

When you open it to speak

Are you smart?

But don't change a hair for me

Not if you care for me

Stay little Valentine stay

Each day is Valentine's day...

I thought you were another daughter...and am so glad you weren't! I could never imagine being "Mommy" to a son...now, I can never imagine not being "Mommy" to a son.

Thanks for showing me all about "da guys." Thanks for keeping me laughing...and smiling...and teaching me lots of new things. Thanks for your unexpected hugs and kisses just to let me know you still love me. Thanks for saying, "I love you more" even when I yell at you. You're such a clever, sweet little boy!

If I could keep you small forever, I would, except then I would miss all the new adventures you'll take me on.

God was SO good to give you to our family!

Heart and Soul

Valentine's Day 2003

Loving each other: heart and soul!

Much More Monday Musings

Well, I've been a bit lax in my postings on here lately....kind of hit a "blog bog," so to speak.

Still, it's Monday, and I've been musing, so I'll share a few tidbits here.

* * *

I changed my video to honor our Valentine, Edward Stuart -- plus, I love Jim Brickman's music!!

Edward will be 6 on the holiday this year. 6. Hard to believe. He said he'll take the presents but keep the number 5...I think 6 is growing on him.

* * *

From my online daily calendar:

5 THINGS TO BE HAPPY ABOUT

• Abraham Lincoln’s speeches

• folding origami

• a great pianist’s hands

• smiling train conductors

• a creative breakthrough

* * *

Wisdom from a soon-to-be-6-year-old:

Flies do not smell good. And they don't eat brownies.

* * *

Been there; done this:

What's Love Got to Do with It?

Everything!

My kids love spending the night with my parents. It doesn't happen often -- well, not as often as they'd like -- but they enjoy the times it does.

Earlier today, we saw my parents at a birthday party for my nephew.

Edward rushed up to my mom and said with a big grin, "Amma, I can't wait until the 14th!!"

She smiled. She knew he was so excited about his birthday on February 14th and said it was almost here.

Edward laughed. "Not February 14th, Amma. April 14th...when we get to spend the night at your house!" And he grinned an even BIGGER grin.

As my mom said, how could you not smile with him?

I think he made her day!

Friday Funnies

A Friday funny to bring a smile to the end of your week. The guy in this video deserves a "Darwin Award" for sure.

Essentially Water

Yet another label from GLACEAU vitaminwater, nutrient enhanced water beverage:

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 in the fridge.the inside is natural. the outside is plastic. RECYCLE.

Fun with Photos

I'm a huge fan of serial photos. You know, when a photographer puts his camera on automatic and takes a series of photos right in a row. It reminds me of the old filmstrips we watched in elementary school. Photo #1. Beep. Photo #2. Beep. And so on.

When my kids were smaller, I attempted to do this occasionally. Being a novice, I didn't have all the fancy equipment, nor did I have an automatic setting on my camera. Still, it was fun to play around with the results.

Sometimes it worked well...sometimes it didn't. Still, moments in time.