Fast Things Changing Are

Today began a new chapter in Life and All. The girls were home with me all day while Jen was at work. Before now they hadn't stayed at home with just me, because in certain parts of Costa Rica (okay, just one house not too far from here) I'm Evil Incarnate. But now that we're all living in the same house, Jen said there's no reason for them to not stay with me on the days that we have them and there's no school.

I had ropes handy, but as it turned out they weren't necessary. Julia played outside with her new friends all day and Robin kept busy reading, playing on the computer, and playing cards with me.

And tomorrow we'll do it all again. Here's hoping the neighborhood kids are out in force again so that Julia will be occupied.

Quick and Dirty

Here's the layout of the new house:

"Christmas-time Is Here"

First things first, I'm feeling much better today. Still a bit stuffed up, but definitely "on the mend" as they say.

So, about this Christmas thing.... I've been looking here and there, and I've finally completed the Christmas Special Quartet. The four TV specials that always "made" Christmas when we were growing up. They are, of course:

• "A Charlie Brown Christmas" -- this was always the number one must see of the year.
• "Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer" -- remember, Bumbles bounce!
• "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" -- the Boris Karloff-voiced cartoon, not that dumb movie.
• "Frosty the Snowman" -- this one is sort of border, cause the animation was, IMO, crappy.
  

I found and was able to download copies of all four of these, and they will soon be on a Christmas Special DVD. Since the girls have (mostly) been growing up here in Costa Rica, I don't know how familiar they are with them, but I'm sure we'll all have a good time watching them together.

Here's the opening of "A Charlie Brown Christmas" for your viewing (and memory) pleasure:

Hmmm

I'm still feelin' poorly, and I missed both Thanksgiving dinners to which we were invited (Jen and the girls went, and I got "Bobby Bags" from both, though).... Ummm, I found some downloadable scenarios for one of the computer games I really enjoy playing and have played nearly to death, so it's nice to have new stuff to do.... I hear that cake (at least Dora the Explora [sic] cake) and wine go together.... Oh, and I've been watching (online) the HBO miniseries "John Adams", based on the David McCullough biography -- which I've read, and I've found it to be very enjoyable.... Can't think of anything else for now.

See ya!

Okay, This Is One Aspect I Didn't Think About

Christmas -- and holidays in general, for that matter -- really haven't been a big deal for me since I was a kid. Once I stopped getting toys as presents, the whole deal paled.

Here I am now, in Costa Rica, part of a family with Jen and her two girls.

Girls who are 8 and 11.

Guess what?

Had I Known....

A few minutes ago, Jen and Progeny trooped down the stairs and into the Media Room. I lowered the volume of fiction I was just beginning and smiled as I was asked if I was "any good at arcade type games". I, who spent many, many hours battling Galaga and Defender -- not to mention Donkey Kong and Pac-Man (although I just did).

"What the problem is?" I queried.

"I got the magic sugar and eggs and ... but I can't get the magic flour the monkey has on his wall and the bananas I can't get the flour and up the wall I have the keys and the bananas but at the top I can't get the flour from the monkey and save the mom and I tried and I don't know and the monkey has the flour and the keys don't and the bananas..."

"I'll see what I can do."

After Robin showed me how to get to the top of the wall, I tried for a bit and then Taa-Daaa!!! I got the flour to make the magic banana bread (or wev it was). She thanked me and then -- oh, horrors -- Jen told me that I had just saved Television (or so she believed).

Just think, there for a minute the entire span of future was in my hands. I could've saved the world from The Idiot Box.

All I can say in my defense is that I didn't know.

Please to forgive me.

Hot Dish* Dinner

Fixin' to go upstairs for dinner... made my Mom's famous tuna casserole (maybe if y'all are real nice I'll post the recipe -- I bet it's different from what you've had before) and we're gonna see how the girls like it.

Have a good evening everybody!

*no, I'm not from Minnesota, but I've been a fan of A Prairie Home Companion since the early 1980s.