Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Movies, Maple Syrup and Tomahawk Throwing

I'm falling behind again!  Agh!!!  Well, just to update you.  We had a blast watching "Alice in Wonderland."  For those of you expecting a live version of the Disney animated movie just be aware that it doesn't follow the story exactly.  Rather, it draws heavily from the obscure and often over-looked poems and songs with which Lewis Carroll peppered his fantastical tale.  The Mad Hatter, who was only one of a myriad of fanciful characters in the original story, is now the hero of the tale - or anti-hero may be a better description.

Maristela and I having fun with our 3-D glasses.


If you really like Alice in Wonderland and can't get enough of the story I would also recommend to you the Sci-Fi Channel's "Alice."  It contained many of the more traditional elements of the story - but with a Sci-Fi twist.  I thought it was very insightful and thought-provoking. More so than the Tim Burton version, it hit on some of the topics Carroll's masterpiece seeks to address such as the tyranny of government, the willingness of the people to be led so long as they get what they want, the fickleness of society and their love of fads and fashions.  Somehow it seems so fitting, so appropriate to the times in which we live. 






We had a great group with us there to watch the movie:  Daniel and Maristela Spiegel, Ben Montoya, Toby Jennings, Aaron Murphy, Beverly and Frank Lozano and Joshua and I.  Much fun was had by all. 




That same weekend Joshua and I accompanied our care group to the annual Maple Syrup festival in Indiana.  It was a blast!  We learned how maple syrup is made and even got to try some.  Yummy!  Joshua also challenged Robert Nettles to a game of tomahawk throwing.  Here is how it works:  each person gets three tries at throwing a tomahawk at the pieces of wood.  The objective is to get your tomahawks to stick to the piece of wood.  Both Robert and Joshua struck out.  I wanted to give it a shot and, voilá, I succeeded on my very first throw! 

Off with their heads! 







Thursday, March 4, 2010

Wonderland, In-laws and Tea Parties

Well, as you may have guessed from the new look of my little home on the web I am very, trés, muito, beaucoup excited about this weekend's premier of Alice in Wonderland.  In fact, if you live in Louisville consider yourself invited to join us this Saturday night as we check it out in IMAX 3-D!!!!!!

Another really neat thing going on this weekend is a last-minute, semi-surprise visit from Joshua's mom, Mrs. Beverly, and her husband Frank.  They will be arriving sometime tomorrow night.  That means that tonight I will get chez Joshua, Jenna and Bentley in order.  But never fear - I will get a little down-time too.  I have to, you see, because I received from Netflix this week a Disney film which Mr. Farris refuses to watch with me:  Princess Protection Program.  So, as he is teaching tonight, Bentley and I will watch it.  We will watch it, and thoroughly enjoy its family-friendly, Disney fun-ness (yes, fun-ness is a word).

I am still working on my knitting projects and hope to complete them soon so I will have some pictures to show you.  Other than that I have a slight headache and a scratchy throat.  I hope I am not getting sick!  Joshua complains that I always get sick just in time for the weekends.  I think I will have some tea tonight while I clean and relax.  Tea and cake.... uhm... very appropriate.... just the thing to get me in the mood for this weekend.