madameblogalot

Narnia exhibit: I was able to visit the traveling Chronicles of Narnia Exhibit with my daughter and nephews. I enjoyed entering the attic, hearing the rain and thunder outside the window. But when the wardrobe doors opened and I saw the snow falling between the fur coats, I teared up! Most of the exhibit was about the Narnia movies, but it was still pretty good and had some interactive features good for the kids. I don’t think I would have paid the normal $25 entrance fee, but getting in with a group rate of $5 was really worth it. Overall, I would say this exhibit was a HIT.

The Crystal Cave: This book by Mary Stewart is the first in an Authurian saga. It is written from Merlin’s perspective and begins with young Merlin telling his story. It is a good escape novel. This book was a HIT for me.

Christmas Story: Although I was leery about seeing this stage version, since we did not like the film version enough to even finish watching it, my daughter’s friend was in it so we attended. It was fun seeing kids we knew and the story overall was silly enough that it kept me laughing. And I like how the “cursing” was treated. No cursing was actually said in this version. Rather funny stand-ins like you hear on old cartoons. Overall, this version of the story was a HIT with me.

Scarlet Pimpernel: I rented the film starring Jane Seymour. I really like her. As I was watching, I began thinking I had seen this one before. Overall, I enjoy the story of this 18th century “Batman”. Sir Percy grates on my nerves at times, but that is the general idea. Even though I fell asleep at the end, I still say this one is a HIT with me.

Grounghog Day: Although this movie has been around a while, this was my first time to see it. I would say this movie is rather stupid and I did not really enjoy it per se, but I did like the discussions it brought about with our kids. So even though the movie was neither a HIT or MISS for me, I would say the experience was a hit!

Among the Hidden: Even though I am in the middle of reading The Hollow Hills (the second part of the Arthur saga) my daughter wanted me to read this book she got for Christmas. It is a young adult story about families allowed to have only two children. It is the story of a third child and how he survives and hopes to find other third children. It too is part of a series. The reading level is easy to read though the premise can prove to be thought provoking. My daughter describes it as sad. Even so, I would say it is a HIT. (I particularly like that there is no bad language in this young adult book!)

Cyborg Chimera: This little book, written by someone becoming more and more famous in more and more places, is an interesting read. It is a book filled with science fiction poems, many which I had read before. I really enjoy reading Avatar, Under Foot, Real Life, and several others. Some, like Unhand Me, make me think immediately of Star Wars. Others, I really enjoy, but am sure that I don’t really “get” the whole meaning (Sphinx-speak, Herr Leibniz. ) There are many poems to enjoy, even if you don’t get them all. And as my daughter says, this intelligent author uses “big words” and she does so very well, many with implications and double meanings. Even if I don’t “get” it all or am unable to fully appreciate the meaning of every poem, this short, easy to read book is a HIT with me (and the inscription is a HIT with my kids!)

The other day my son stated that he can hardly believe it’s going to be 2010. That jogged something in my brain and I immediately responded, “It’s time to open your time capsule!”

Ten years ago in Y2K, my kids put together a time capsule. It’s nothing more than a plastic shoe box filled with things that were important to them at the ages of three and seven! I can’t wait to see these when they open them! I only remember one thing my son put in, a Star Wars figure of Anakin Skywalker. I told the kids that when they open the capsules this year they need to add a couple more things and write themselves a letter, then close it up for another ten years!

My husband signed himself and me both up for an Olympic distance triathlon next April. The distances are .93 mile swim, 25 mile bike ride, and 6 mile run. At one point not too many months ago I would have said I was almost ready for such a race. (Mind you, I am not racing, but for lack of a better term…) But now trying to recover from plantar fasciitis, I just don’t know. I can do a mile swim, though I’ve only done so in a pool (yes, this swim is in the bay again!) I was working up to the bike ride and know that I could do the 25 mile, though pretty slowly. I had done pretty good on the running until my injury. So if all else fails, I can do a run/walk come April. I may be slow but I intend to finish!!

When it comes time to give a special gift, lots of thought goes into it. There are so many options to from which to choose. These days, watches may not be one of the first things you think of when choosing that special gift. I have heard several times recently that people seem to no  longer be wearing watches. They all just look at their cell phones to get the time. I know that at times I have been guilty of doing that too. But I still wear a watch. Many people do. And having a nice watch is important for many people. A watch they can wear to work or wear when going out is a significant part of their attire. (And when working, you can’t always just whip out the cell to check the time!) A beautiful citizen diamond watch could be the perfect gift for someone special. Giving the attractive timepieces is still a traditional way of saying “I appreciate you”.  Upscale timepieces can represent the beauty, the unending appreciation, the value of the giver’s relationship to the recipient. This season, you may want to consider giving a gift of timeless value.

My daughter came across some tickets for the NCAA Volleyball Tournament this weekend in Omaha, NE. They were a pretty good deal and she proceeded to plan out an entire trip and then talk me into taking her. She did an incredible job planning the trip. Every detail down to the gas money, hotels, where we would go to church, maps and prices were included in her information! She did not include food, saying we could take our own with us…After looking at all the info, I really wanted to take her. Except for the 15 hour drive. Into snowy weather. And looking at plane tickets did not work out either. I know she is extremely let down after all her thorough work. I am hoping that we can plan ahead enough for a trip like this to work out for next year. I hope she is not setting herself up for another let down, as she is in there figuring out the details to go to Florida next weekend!

Well, it actually snowed last Friday. It did not stick but the stuff coming down was actually snow. This is the third time in ten years that it has really snowed here on the Texas Gulf Coast. As news reports kept predicting snow for the weekend, we kept downplaying it. My daughter said it was possible since it had already snowed twice in her lifetime. And sure enough, snow came for us last week! My daughter said we can’t really say it’s rare anymore, since it’s happened three times in the last ten years!

Hm, I went back through thinking I had not done any reading, at least not finishing anything and I had not! I just could not get into anything. I did see The Proposal. It was good enough, neither a Hit or Miss for me. We tried to see a premier of Blind Side but actually ended up at the wrong theater! We did get to see a performance by the Russian acapella group Psalom. This was a Hit for me, though I thought the program was too short!

I have some things on my list for December, so we’ll see if that is a better month for reading….