Little Gray Cells

If you had asked me when I was 10 to write a screenplay, I would have come up with a fantastic adventure tale, involving the kidnapping and enslavement of children by a middle aged and quite unambiguously evil man or woman (complete with henchmen), mistreatment in the form of malnourishment and insufficient footwear, complicated escapes, and the triumph of youth's ingenuity and agility. No kidding, I dug that stuff. But no cocky sarcasm. I wasn't even big on the confrontation scene. My hero(s)/heroine(s) would have escaped quietly in the dark. But a theme in my favorite kid adventure stories was independence. The kid(s) did all the escaping or whatever it is they were doing without adult aid. They would always thwart the adult bad guys alone (or collectively as children) and then return triumphantly home to the distraught parents who were obviously not interesting enough to kidnap.

I don't really remember seeing any movies when I was young that would have inspired me thus, however. I only mention it because I'm wondering what on earth I'm going to have Grant and Abbie watching in the years to come when they are school aged. I've decided that all the TV stuff geared for "children" is too snotty for me. And if I think Hannah Montana is too much....well, you can see that I am in a fix. While the kids were at my mother's this Friday, I watched Inkheart. I wanted to read the book first, but Netflix is faster than my local library. That's okay. Anyway, it's similar to my proposed story up there, except that the young girl is trying to save the grown-ups. Too scary for right now, but I'm thinking alright for 6 and 7 year olds, probably. And I need some more like that for the future. I am still against their watching any of that TV programming. Too many irritating, smart mouthed people as it is. Why add another one (even if virtual) to your world deliberately? And do I want my children to repeat that stuff? No way.

We had cheeseburgers and corn on the cob for our Memorial Day lunch with Josh. Then he went to work and the kids bought ice cream from the ice cream truck. Now Abbie is asleep on the couch, and it's not even 5:30. Tonight is going to be tricky. Well, she was tired from all the excitement. Today, she really went potty on the potty chair!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! She had a candy bar for breakfast in celebration. (I made her a bagel as well, of course.) Well, that's one success. But no others today. I must confess that I am a little disappointed in that part. I figured as soon as she got it right once, she would be eager to continue the positive attention and junk food. Well, we'll try again tomorrow. Grant has had some fits today, but I can't decide if he is jealous of her praise or not. It actually seems unrelated, but you never can tell.

It is Geranium Day! Have you been visiting your dear departed? I am at home, of course, but I will pay my calls another day. Americans are so silly about death. They all intend to live positively forever and never consider the concept of a "good death". To die respectably of natural causes, or to die heroically in the line of duty, to die "with your boots on" - they all fade in the glare of the blazing American Immortality. Ah, well. Say what you like, you are going to die someday. And I hope you've been good to those who will be visiting you, or they might accidentally bring you the wrong color flower. Personally, I still have plans for a pyramid. And, please, no orange flowers.

Tomorrow, Josh will move his grandmother home from the nursing home (I'll believe it when I see it) and meet me and the kids at taiko to take them home. (This is so he won't have to leave super early and be at the house before I go.) Wednesday, he goes in to Pinkerton Security to sign a contingent job offer as a dispatch type guy. He did fine on his API test, and they are now doing a background check. We have lots of questions, most of which start with the word "when." I am in hopes that we will actually know something after this meeting, but based on our usual luck.... Well, you know.

Guess what I've been reading. Agatha Christie. Hee. I've finished 2 Hercule Poirot books already, and am on my third right now.

Saturday was Heather's 29th. We had a lot of fun at her party. I really thought the kids would explode, but they had a good time and weren't unpleasant. Even though we stayed until 11 o' clock! Can you believe it? Josh was, unfortunately, drunk on wine. Heather's daughter thought it was the funnies thing she ever saw. I also acquired 6 mosquito bites. I am extremely suspicious about the fact that 4 of them are on the leg that Josh sprayed bug spray on when he was trying to spray himself. Mosquito repellent, indeed!

I had a problem for a while. Josh is going to have to work next Saturday, which is a performance for me. But I think I might have someone to watch the kids. Maybe they'll even come to the performance.

Did you know that recently there was a movie out with Cameron Diaz called, The Box? It's really an old Twilight Zone episode that I saw when I was little. Guess the surprise ending will be a little lost on me, eh? Well, I won't tell you, just in case you want to see it. Probably, I won't.

I talked to my grandmother lots in the last few days, but not my brother. I might send him an email.

I am off to read more in my mystery! Right after I fold the laundry, I mean. I hope Abbie wakes up soon....

Have a wonderful Memorial Day. Don't forget the wonderful deeds and qualities of those who have gone before us!