British Goings On

Jenny Explains It All has linked to her daughter's irreverent recap of Season 3, Episode 1 of (what else?) Downton Abbey.  Go!  You won't regret it.  Unless, of course, you haven't seen it yet, in which case it is just a mess of spoilers...

It's true, I'm a tad obsessed.  Look at it this way - it's the first TV series I've watched in approximately 2 decades.  I know!  It's like I live at Downton myself.  "Television, Robert?  What is that?"  "Don't worry, m'dear; it hasn't even been invented yet.  Not even in America..."

The Party's Over

We had to get back in the swing of things this week, which meant finding the schoolbooks and figuring out assignments and, well, after 2 weeks or so of Christmas and parties and party food and what all, that didn't go over very well.  Plus I had to start driving these kids all over the place again, which was a harsh departure from sitting around in my fat jeans, while knitting and eating leftover Christmas candy.

So, yeah, it wasn't the greatest week.  To top it off, thinking that I was FINALLY caught up on popular culture (as I had watched the first episode of Downton Abbey Season 3 AHEAD of time on my friend's British DVD player), I rashly chose to read some blog posts about the episode and was treated to numerous spoilers before I figured out that EVERYONE ELSE in this country had cheated by watching 2 (2!) episodes last Sunday night.

Cain't say no...

Really, people - whatever happened to delayed gratification? 

So I had to go back to my friend's house and eat MORE holiday cookies (see above, re "fat jeans") and watch Episode 2.  Then, just to make sure I didn't fall behind, we decided to watch Episode 3.  And here's the part where I decide to be mature and not ruin things for anyone.  Much.

Just...Edith.  It's about Edith.  Also, Mary and Matthew look REALLY cute in bed together, don't you think?  And the dowager countess is in fine form, as usual.

Back in the real world, things aren't quite as pleasant.  Susie decided to spend half of last night coughing, and I decided to help Larry feel important by letting him take care of it.  I wouldn't be surprised if he booked a hotel room for himself tonight, though. 

Theo left us over the weekend to finish up his senior year at college.  He had spent most of vacation gloating that he had only one semester of school left EVER and gleefully anticipating life as an adult with a paying job and no homework.  "It's gonna be great!" he exulted.

Larry and I chose not to disabuse him of his fantasy.  But that kid must not be very observant.  I mean, how does he think we got the way we are, anyway?

Larry had to drive Theo to school (12 hours away), so he took Brian with him and dropped him off at Navhelowife's house on the way (Brian and her youngest are great friends).  That left me with David (for technical assistance) and 2 little girls, one of whom was DETERMINED to visit the American Girl Store for the debut of Paige.  Or Saige.  I can't remember.

Don't get involved - she's high maintenance.

Might I mention here that we own no American Girl dolls?  And that I have made it clear that we never will, because they are ridiculously expensive?

Nevertheless, Friday found us at the mall, where I took my virgin tour of that retail mecca for all things American Girl.  Not wishing to quash Rachel's excitement, I refrained from pointing out that people were spending MORE MONEY on their doll's hair ($20 hair styling for your doll, I swear to God) than I spend on Rachel's.  I even shared Rachel's delight in the matching dresses (one for the doll, the other for the doll's owner), although the price tags made me want to scream in shock.  We managed to leave, finally, with one finished craft project, a Saige poster, and a doll-size Saige T-shirt (all free).

And I am never going back in there, people.  NEVER AGAIN.


[Cookie tray image: Jovina Cooks Italian]
[Saige image: Doll Diaries]

Downton Fangirl

Well, I hope you all enjoy viewing Downton Abbey tonight.  I don't need to, you see, because I've already watched the first episode of Season 3.

Yup, been there, drooled over that.  It pays to have a friend whose Irish father brings her the British DVD version for Christmas.  And who has a DVD player we can actually watch it on.

Anywhoo, it was definitely worth viewing - I mean, unless you don't LIKE hunky British men and hunky Irishmen and awesome British accents and gorgeous period dresses.  In that case?  Don't bother.

And, oh, the music to the opening credits!  Hearing it makes me perk up the way my dog used to when we jingled the keys to the car.  What is it about that tune, anyway?

Mr. Bates - Too Good To Be True?

Look, I love Mr. Bates as much as the next gal, I do.  My heart goes pit-a-pat every time he limps across my TV screen.  But I think we all need to discuss whether or not he really is innocent of murdering his wife.

Yes, I KNOW that she was low enough to frame Mr. Bates for murder by committing suicide.  But I am no longer completely convinced by his continued portrayal of stoicism in the face of adversity.  Is he really such a sad sack that bad things just keep happening to him?  Doesn't that version of events sort of detract from his allure?

Innocent?  Or not?  And does it matter?  Just LOOK at him!

So, spill it, people: is Mr. Bates a murderer or not?  Is he lying to Anna?  Just typing those questions feels like a sacrilege.  Yet...he didn't seem all that surprised to find himself sitting on death row, is what I'm thinking...


[Mr. Bates image (sigh): PBS]

Anniversary Intrigue

Just a quick note to inform concerned reader(s) that I made a miraculous recovery by Tuesday morning, enabling me to boss the kids around for 4 hours straight in order to make the house presentable for guests by early afternoon.  We had lots of people over, who ate not nearly enough food and chocolate, leaving me the arduous task of picking up the slack for the past couple of days.  Their collective appetite may have been dampened, of course, by the sight of Susie vomiting all over the vegetable-and-dip tray, maybe 20 minutes after the start of the festivities.  That's right - my daughter, who had given not one hint of feeling ill all morning, waited until there were upwards of 30 people in our house to spew forth a veritable geyser of regurgitated party food. 

This is the "before" picture.

Despite my long and varied experience with puking children, I panicked.  Larry, coming to the rescue like the experienced vomit SWAT team member that he is, grabbed her (as she threw up yet again) and ran upstairs, leaving me to throw an entire roll of paper towels over the mess while babbling, "Oh, she's not sick!  Not at all!  Here, have some potato chips!"

I cannot believe anyone stuck around.  But they did.  They just didn't eat much.  The alcohol went fairly quickly, though.

I spent most of yesterday trying to figure out whether or not Larry had remembered it was our anniversary.  He was doing the same.  It was like a bad I Love Lucy episode, only less funny.

I know, none of that makes sense.  But it's a tradition of ours.  Larry did take the day off, which he says should have made me realize that he KNEW it was our anniversary.  But last week he told me he was taking some days off to burn some leave.  So I don't believe him.  And he did suggest we go out to lunch, but he used a gift certificate I gave him for Christmas.  Again, not very anniversary-ish.

To make up for all the confusion, he bought me some almond Hershey kisses that were 50% off at CVS.  Because I NEEDED to eat more chocolate.  These pounds aren't going to add on all by themselves, you know.

Anywhoo, I have exciting things planned for this year.  I just ordered Suzy Soro's Celebrity sTalker and Ira Glass's The New Kings of Non-Fiction.  Once I read them, I'll be giving each of them away to one (well, two) lucky reader(s).  More books will follow, because I need to read more, people - my brain cells are evaporating rapidly.  Also, more knitting posts, for those of you who care - and updates from my continuing "Couch to Standing Up" exercise program.

Throw in some Downton Abbey musings and a dash of political commentary, and you've got a pretty good picture of what I'm planning for 2013.  But, of course, we all know what happens to the best-laid plans...

What the heck happened to 2012, anyway?

[veggie tray image: Eby's General Store]