Tuesday, Jul. 19, 2005

H to the hizzay - P to the pizzay

I have to admit I am not a Harry Potter reader.
OC and I read the Sorcerer�s Stone together when it first came out, mainly because she was still a tiny baby (to me). It was okay, but didn�t throttle me like the Narnia series, so I stopped at one.
When the movies came out, I loved them all. I am a sucker for magic in any form. Isn�t everyone? I also loved the sets and special effects and the aura of Hogwarts. I could watch the living paintings or the floating candles all day long.
The only issue I have with the movies is the incessant use of spiders.
In the second movie the sheer number of spiders made it difficult for me to watch. In fact, I didn�t watch that part. I listened, and OC told me when it was safe to look. She is a good kid like that. She would never tell me it was ok and then let me see it. She understands what a problem it is for me.
For some people it is snakes, or mice, or dogs, or murderers, or democrats, but for me it was and always will be spiders. I can hack the rest (with the possible exception of the murderers).
When I was little, my older sister used to torment me with spiders. It was widely known that I am petrified of even looking at them. When we lived in the northwest, our basement was full of the biggest, juiciest black spiders you have ever seen. In my child�s memory, I ran into one everyday we lived in that house.
When we moved to the east, the spiders were not as numerous, so my sister had to find new ways to make my life hell. I will never forget the day she took a Ranger Rick magazine (or some magazine very similar) and tore out a bunch of close up images of different spiders. She put them up in my bedroom and even between the sheets. I thought I was going to have a heart attack. (Even writing about it now makes my pulse race) Of course, I screamed and cried and maybe even attempted to murder her (see above). I am not sure how the situation got resolved, but I learned not to fuck with people�s real phobias that day. It is easy to be empathetic when you have such a huge Achilles heel yourself.

Anyway, about HP.

OC is fanatical about the series now, and tells me everything about the books she reads. So, of course, I have to go and find out how HBP is going to end. There are a kazillion websites filled with people who have already read the book.
SPOILER ALERT!!!!!!!!!
Stop reading now if you are a HP fan who is NOT done reading . . . .
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I heard an interview with some kids on NPR about how they thought this book would end and they all guessed Dumbledore would die.
Kids are so smart! I have not yet discussed it with OC. It will be interesting to see what she thinks is going to happen.
~~
Found out last night FIL and GF have gotten engaged!!
I told him it was about time he made an honest woman of her. They have been together for 13 years, and he will be 76 in October. They are the cutest couple, and I am really happy that she will finally have some security.
You would not believe the ring.
3 carat Emerald cut set in platinum.
I told hubby that �would do.�
He said, �In about 30 years!�
(hahaha)
Me, �I think the family precedent is 13, no?�
(big laughs around the table)
He, �We�ll see.�
(In our family �We�ll see� means �NO�)
Me, (grumpy face) �You suck.�
(more big laughs)
On the way home hubby had to have the TALK to make sure I was not serious about wanting to spend that kind of coin on jewelry. Sometimes he can be so funny.
If I were that kind of girl, I would be getting manicures and shopping at Sak�s, not helping him grow a farm business.
Besides, if he bought me some bling, he might expect more in return.
I prefer my independence.
~~
Baby sis sent some beautiful pictures of Scotland which I will now post for your viewing pleasure (as soon as I can get home to do it, I mean)

happy to be stuck with you - Sunday, Jan. 01, 2006
the error of complacency - Friday, Aug. 26, 2005
CAN IT - Wednesday, Aug. 24, 2005
Still breathing . . . - Tuesday, Aug. 23, 2005
the big move - Thursday, Jul. 28, 2005