I was on my way to Chris' baseball tournament Saturday, with Katie and one of her friends in the car.  It was about 45 minutes away from our house.  I made a flier with directions for everyone on the travel team, but of course I forgot to bring mine with me, and didn't want to go back and get it.

Jon and Chris were going to be late, since they were coming straight from Scout Camp to the ball fields.  Katie and I were supposed to beat them there by about 30 minutes.

Of course, I turned the wrong way off the highway.  After about 10 minutes, I stopped and asked directions at an Arby's. As I pulled out of the lot, I told the girls "Don't you dare tell daddy I got lost."

As we pull onto the road, the cell phone rings. It's Jon.

J:  "What the heck are you doing in Lebanon?"

D:  "How do you know where I am?"

J:  "I'm two cars ahead of you."

So much for that plan.

Chris had a great time at Scout Camp.  He earned 7 badges--his goal when he left was to try to get 5.  Out of 180 boys at camp, he was third highest in number of badges earned. 

Well, for better or worse, I'm going to restart blogging.  I just hit a point this spring where I had so much to do that nothing was seeming like fun, so I decided some things needed to go on the back burner, and my journal was one of them.  And as things slow down, I'm picking some of the dropped activities back up, and some are staying dropped for good.

Let's see, what's been going on since my last entry...

Once Upon A Mattress

Chris was a hit in the role of The Silent King in the 5th-8th grade production of Once Upon A Mattress.  He got lots of accolades from the audience members.  In addition to people telling me that they thought he did great (and were impressed that he managed to stay speechless!), I overheard several conversations of people I didn't even know who were commenting on how good he was.  You can learn a lot while you are helping to clean up.

Katie was busy throughout the spring and early summer with her softball teams.  Her St. John team finished second in the league which is great for them, they are traditionally not a very competetive team.  She pitched (slow pitch) and played first for them.  So many of the other Catholic schools have consolidated and draw players from what used to be 2 or 3 schools, and we are still a lone little school.  Even if they wanted to consolidate us, there really isn't another Catholic school close enough to us to merge with.

She had lots of fun with her Harrison softball team, too.  She played first and right field for them and did some catching, too.  They only lost 3 games, I think, but I'm not sure where that put them in the league standings. 

Hers softball tournament team is the only one still practicing and playing at the moment.  They did well early in the season, but lately have been having trouble playing as a team.  I'm not sure what the problem is, but they need to get it figured out if they want to win anything higher than second place.  Katie will actually miss the tournament this weekend due to an injury, more about that a little later.

The Tourney team after their 2nd place win. Katie is the one on the left in the first row.

Chris' regular season team lost three games this year, which doesn't sound bad until you know they only lost 1 game in the previous 2 years.  They moved up this year, and had some better competition, but the main problem is several of the better players have lots of attitude this year and think they know it all--and this attitude is coming directly from their parents, who think 'little Johnny' is God's gift to Harrison Jr. Baseball.  I'm hearing a couple of them won't be back next year, and all I can say is 'good riddance'.  If I have to hear once more about how so and so is the best catcher in the whole complex and that sitting out an inning might damage his ego and self confidence, I think I'll puke.  Jon and Ken (hubby and his other coach) have already said they'd rather have a team that wants to play together and learn, and maybe doesn't have such a good record, than deal with this team again.

However, Chris did get to pitch this year, and he is very impressed with his 0.00 era over 2/3 of an inning.  Honestly, he came in after Brady (who pitches very fast, but has some control issues) and Chris basically just lobs it in, and no one could figure out the change in speed.    But he doesn't care, he's got a 0.00 era!  Normally he plays second and back-up catcher.

They also got these neon 'highway worker' green/yellow uniforms this year.  At least you could see what field they were on...from 1/2 mile away.  Ken and Jon wanted a color that would get noticed...they got it.

Kaiser's Hardware 2008

Chris' travel team has finished third twice, but no higher.  However, they are having a great time.  They got really cool black and white uniforms--black socks, black pants, black t-shirts, with an white with black stripes sleeveless jersey to go over them.  They really look good in them.  They have a tournament coming up this weekend, too.

Chris in part of the travel team uniform.  I love this pic...all the black makes the blue of his eyes really 'pop'!

We've been doing quite a bit of weekend camping out at our new campsite and having a great time.  It's so nice having someplace to get away to, even for just one day.  And it's so much easier now that we don't have to pack everything we need everytime!  I love being able to leave things there.

Chris had a mild pneumonia earlier this summer...who they heck gets pneumonia in the summer?!?  I took him in because he'd been coughing for a couple weeks and it was getting worse instead of better.  We had a 4:30 appointment and they told us they were running a little late when we got there.  Well, at 5:45 we were walking out when the doctor (we were seeing one we've not seen before) stopped us and asked where we were going.  I said "Unless you're the doctor and coming to see us right now, we're leaving, we've got better things to do than sit around here for hours."  I was glad we stayed though, after they said he had crackles all over his right lung, and he ended up doing a course of antibiotics that cleared it up nicely. 

It's just not been Chris' summer, health-wise.  He also just got over a case of swimmer's ear in both ears.  No one in our family has ever had swimmer's ear before, and I was stunned by how much pain he was in.  He mentioned his ear hurt on Sunday, and again on Monday, but only once each day.  I told him I'd take him in the next afternoon and get it checked before he went to scout camp the next week and then I went to work.  He called me 3 times between midnight and 3 am, crying so hard I could barely understand him.  He's almost 12, he just doesn't do that!  He couldn't even lay down, his ears hurt so bad, and the pain radiated into his jaw and up into his temples.  I ended up leaving work about 3 am and one of the docs called in a Rx for me for numbing drops that got us to morning, and then we got into the doctor.  I hope we never have to go through that again.

Chris went to scout camp this week--2 hours away, for the whole week.  His dad went along as one of the adults.  Chris has so far earned his swimming badge (see why we wanted that swimmer's ear cleared up?), first aid badge, and painting badge, and is working on 2 or 3 more.  Jon says he's doing really well, although I guess for about 5 minutes every night he comes into Jon's tent and complains about being homesick.  I'm not sure how he can be homesick with half his family with him, but I guess he can.  Personally, I don't think he'd complain about it to one of the other adults, I think it's only happening because it's Jon there.

Katie had all kinds of wonderful plans for the week Chris was gone, but they've sort of fallen through. Unfortunately for me, the day of Mall Hell was early in the week.  I got roped into taking Katie and 2 of her friends to the mall for 6 hours.  Then the same two friends, Natalie and Liz, came over to spend the night.  The girls were outside playing and their volleyball went down the hill in the side yard, and they were chasing it towards the woods.  Supposedly the ball hit a bush and a rabbit shot out of the bush, and as they were watching the rabbit and running, Katie stepped in an old hornet nest and then tripped and rolled the rest of the way down the hill.  Nat came in and said she was crying.  My reply "Tell her to walk it off."  Then 5 minutes later Liz came in.  My reply "Tell her if she wants to see me she can come in."  (Aren't I sympathetic?)  When Nat came back again, I decided I'd better go see her. Turns out that between the hole and the tumbling, she hurt her knee.  We had ice on it for several hours, and when she still wouldn't put weight on it, we headed to the ER.  So, not only did I get to do Mall Hell with the three of them, I also got to do ER Hell.  Anyway, the final diagnosis is a sprain, nothing is broken.  She's wearing a brace and using my crutches.  3 days later most of the swelling is gone, but it's still tender and painful to put weight on, so she'll be missing her softball tournament this weekend.

We've also been to several of our 'Mega Ticket' concerts already, and had a few lovely conversations when it's just me and the kids.

Tim McGraw was great.  I never did explain to the kids why after he stripped down to his tank top, the binoculars were MINE.

Brooks and Dunn was very good, too.  I knew I'd like them, but I wasn't sure about the kids, but they really enjoyed them too.  Katie spied a woman walking around with pants that were ripped just about all the way across the top of the thighs in back.  "If she's that hot, mom, why doesn't she just wear shorts?"

Brad Paisley was the latest one we went to.  He put on a wonderful show.   Here's the conversation from that concert:

Chris: "Mom, what's that smell?"

Mom: "That would be weed."

C:  "But Mom, that's illegal."

M: "Yes, it is."

C: "Why would someone do something that's illegal?  And how do you know what it smells like?"

M:  "Um, I used to ride to school sometimes with your Uncle Herb.  He didn't always follow the rules."

Sorry for the long post, the next one will be shorter (as long as it doesn't cover several months).

I've been catching up on some friend's journals for the past thirty minutes or so, in between playing virtual tic tac toe with Chris.  LOL He could tell when I was into reading something, because that's when he won games instead of them ending in a draw.

Jeanie, your flowers are lovely, I'm jealous.  We do have a few of our daffodils just starting to bloom, but that's all.  However, here in Ohio, we have other, more reliable ways to determine the start of spring.  You think I might be talking about that goofy groundhog that lives over in Pennsylvania?  No way!

Ohio has it's very own indicator of Spring:

Hinckley abuzz over buzzards

Famous turkey vultures will come home to roost this weekend at park

By Bob Downing
Beacon Journal

Published on Wednesday, Mar 12, 2008

In a Northeast Ohio rite of spring, the buzzards will soon be back in Hinckley Township.

Cleveland Metroparks will rely on official buzzard spotter Bob Hinkle on Saturday to officially declare that the world-famous buzzards have returned to northeast Medina County.

The buzzards cannot return to Hinckley until they are spotted by Hinkle, the park system's chief of outdoor education.

He will be out at 7 a.m. at the Buzzard Roost at State Road and West Drive to watch for the birds, also known as turkey vultures.

According to the story, Walter Nawakaniec, a patrolman for the Cleveland Metropolitan park System, told a newspaper reporter in 1957 that he had witnessed the buzzards returning to Hinckley for six straight years on March 15.

The old Cleveland Press printed the story Feb. 15, 1957, and one month later 9,000 people turned out and spotted a buzzard at 2 p.m. March 15.

An 1810 account reports the black-feathered, red-headed buzzards circling over Hinckley. But local legend says the birds may have been drawn to Hinckley after early settlers in December 1818 conducted the Great Hinckley Hunt and killed wildlife that threatened their livestock.

Turkey vultures with wing spans of up to 6 feet are scavengers and feed on the carcasses of animals. They weigh 3 to 6 pounds.

Buzzard watchers are invited to join Hinkle at the Buzzard Roost, their summer home.

Cleveland Metroparks will celebrate Buzzard Day from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Sunday in the Hinckley Reservation.

There will be scavenger hikes at 9 a.m., shuttle bus/hikes to Top O'Ledges and Worden's Ledges at 10:45 a.m. and 12:45 p.m. and bus tours of the Hinckley Reservation at 10:15 and 11:15 a.m. and 12:15 and 1:15 p.m.

Platform activities include birds of prey programs at 10 and 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.

Tent activities include storytelling at 9:30 and 11 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., music with the Buzzard Boilers at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. and Buzzard Bingo for kids at 10 and 11 a.m., noon and 1 and 2 p.m.

In addition, the Hinckley Chamber of Commerce will hold a pancake breakfast and art/craft show from 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Sunday at Hinckley Elementary School on state Route 303 just east of state Route 94 in Hinckley Township. Call 330-278-2066 for more information.

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Once again this year, the buzzards returned, so flowers or not, we know it is spring in Ohio. 

Katie's team lost both their basketball games today.    They couldn't get a shot to fall through the net for love or money, everything was bouncing off the rim.  Katie was a rebounding fool, though.

Chris has a double header tomorrow in a baseball tournament.  Their Friday night game got rained out, so they'll play Tuesday night too, as long as they win at least one game tomorrow.

Monday night, Chris had his first baseball game of the season, in a pre-season tournament.  I've decided that 33 F is really just a little chilly for baseball.  Chilly or not, they won 11-10, so it was all worthwhile!

I bought myself a skin for my iPod, and I love it!  I justified it to hubby--we're trying to save some money--by pointing out that the iPod was expensive enough that it didn't make sense not to protect it if I could.  But honestly, I just wanted it, and so I bought it.

My kids have discovered Wierd Al Yankovich--and can't believe that I knew who he was.  They were also stunned to find out that I actually knew some of the songs his earlier parodies were based on--they had very little idea of who Madonna was (as a singer). They know who Michael Jackson is, but were intrigued by the idea that he was actually serious singer at one point.  Guess I'll have to add some tracks from Thriller to my iPod so they can hear them. 

Usually when I don't update for a while, its because my life has been incredibly boring.  Lately, thought, its been very busy.  I wish I had the discipline to update every day--or even two or three times a week, but I don't.

We've had some significant flooding problems in our area after the snowmelt from our 9-12 inches of snow was followed by 5 inches of rain in one day.  We are way up on a hill, so we didn't have a problem at our house, but roads were closed all over the area, and I had to take several significant detours to get to work.  We live about a mile from the river, and the people who live next to the river were parking their cars on higher ground and had their rowboats out so they could get to and from their houses .  Our local river is receding now, but they are predicting some more rain this weekend, hopefully most of it will miss us.

Chris went on his first Boy Scout campout last weekend, and I thought I'd be just fine with that.  Was I ever wrong!  By Saturday night, I wanted to talk to him so bad--was he having fun, were they having food that he liked, did they get rained on, was he warm enough?  You name it, I wanted to ask it.   Jon was looking at me like I was crazy.  Of course, the only way I could have gotten to talk to him was to call the leader's cell phone, and I wasn't about to do that.  The boys aren't allowed to have any electronics with them.   When he got back, I pestered him into a detailed, hour by hour description of the trip, and I'm happy to say he had a wonderful time.  And I don't think he missed me half as much as I missed him.

While Chris was on his campout, Katie had a double sleep over.  Somehow, I ended up in mall hell--me and 3 fourth graders at the mall.  I'm not a mall fan at the best of times, and trailing around after the girls...blech.  One of them was supposed to bring a cell phone, so I could plant myself at a central spot and just call them every ten minutes and make them check in personally every half hour, but she forgot it, so I actually had to trail after them.  Mall hell probably explains part of my desperate need to talk to Chris.  He'd never do that to me.

Katie's team won their second l game, keeping them alive in the tournament they're playing in.  To clarify, they lost their first game, so they are still alive in the 'Friendship Bracket'  LOL.  They were trailing the whole game, only to take the lead by one point with 1.8 seconds left!  What a great win!  Needless to say, they were pumped!

Survivor was so traumatic for me last week that I was totally unable to write about it until some time had passed.  Jonathan having to leave the show was just a real bummer to me.  I was really rooting for him to win, and I think he had a good chance of finishing high, if not winning.  His leg looked horrible, and you could tell he knew it by the look on his face when Jeff Probst told him that medical was going to check it before he could go back to camp.  I was still totally unprepared for the way he broke down at the thought of leaving the game.  He was devastated.  I actually shed a tear or two with him.   Losing him has really changed the game, I think.   And then to have Chet wanting to be voted out 'because my heel hurts'.  Whiney bastard.  Even though I think it would have been a great time for them to try to get Ozzy out, I was glad to see Chet go. I just couldn't stomach him asking to go home when Jonathan so obviously DIDN'T want to go but didn't really have a choice.

And don't even get me started on Kathy choosing to quit this week!  Good riddance.  I don't  know how she's lasted this long.  I hope they roast her at the reunion show.  Tracey blew any chance there was of surprising Ozzy with a blindside vote by her comments in Tribal Council--if you are trying to blindside someone and hoping to have people vote a certain way, you don't give away the fact that there might be something going on with comments and winks.

I watched '3:10 to Yuma' today, and I have to say I absolutely loved it.  I'm not a huge Russell Crowe fan, but his performance and Christian Bales' were both extemely well done.  I may have to buy this one.

Thanks to everyone for their thoughts and prayers at the death of my brother-in-law last week.  The services were very nice and very well attended since he had lived in our little town all his life and belonged to every organization in town, as well as being on the fire department for 30 years.  Father Shine did a wonderful job with the mass, it was very personalized.  During the service, they had to take one of the older members of the funeral choir out in an ambulance.  He collapsed and I'm pretty sure he had a stroke, although I haven't heard for sure--I need to remember to ask my mother-in-law, she'll know.  He was all slumped over, and when he stood up he looked like his right side didn't want to bear any weight, and when they turned him to get him on the stretcher, he was kicking out his leg in that way people have when they aren't sure where it is or what it's doing.  Luckily, there were paramedics at the service, part of the fire department contingent.

Has anyone been watching Survivor?  I know you have, January!  I absolutely loved this last week--it was a stunning episode.  The look on Joel's face was absolutely priceless, I didn't like him so I was glad to see him gone.  I was glad to see the tribes re-structured, the Fan tribe was definitely floundering on their own.  I was appalled at the appearance of Jonathan's leg on the previews, though. 

We've had a major winter storm (for us) this weekend.  We probably got a foot of snow at our house.  That's not a lot compared to some places, but we don't usually get that much in less than 24 hours--northern Ohio tends to get a lot more than southern Ohio because of the lake effect snow.  Here in the Ohio River valley, we tend to get the icier end of things instead of snow.  This time, though, the snow found us!  My poor hubby has been plowing snow for the state now for nearly 24 hours straight, and I'll be glad when he gets home safe.  Usually they aren't allowed to do this, but when they declare a snow emergency, they can go over 16 hours. 

You'd think that people here would know how to drive on snow and ice, but they don't.  Worrying about the crappy drivers on the road and what stupid move they are going to make next is ten times worse than the actual road conditions.  And if they are predicting a storm within the next week, don't even think about going to the store.  People will be stocking up on everything like the apocalypse was coming. 

I got my computer back this week!  Yay!  It's been in the shop for a week getting a fan replaced.  The shop we use doesn't usually take this long, but they'd just gotten in some computers from a business and warned us it would be longer than usual.  Since we like them and they do good work for a great price, we (meaning I) just toughed out the extra time without it. 

I hate 5 am phone calls.  They never seem to be good news.

Early this morning I got the news that my brother-in-law, Joe, had passed away during the night.  He's not been in good health for many years, due to his diabetes.  He's had vision problems, a small stroke, a kidney transplant (now failed--he's been on dialysis for several years now) and has had both legs amputated below the knee for infections.   He's been feeling very poorly for several weeks, including last evening, and died in his recliner.  They found him about 1:30 am. 

It's been obvious that Joe's quality of life has declined greatly in the past few years, and it's been ages and ages since he really felt well enough to do much of anything.  But it's still sad to lose him, and we are feeling the loss.  I comfort myself with the thought that he's feeling better now, with eyes and kidneys and legs that all work fine.

I've been 45 for a whole day now, and I have to say, it's not bad at all.  I've never been one who's all caught up in what age people are, for me it's more how they act and feel.  And I feel pretty darn good right now, even though I did go visit my arthritis/fibromyalgia doc today LOL.  She gave me a lovely present--I don't have to go back for 6 months since my current medication has everything under control quite well.

I bought myself a birthday present today--a dock for my IPOD.  I am thoroughly enjoying both the IPOD and the dock.  I had no idea they were so much fun, or I'd have had one much, much sooner.  I have a very eclectic mix of music on it--everything from classical (I love Vivaldi) to bubblegum pop (Bobby Sherman or David Cassidy, anyone?) to rock (Aerosmith, The Who) to TV theme songs (take a guess as to which ones LOL).  If the mix is heavy in any one genre it'd be country, I like country music.  In fact, I just ordered tickets for a series of concerts that includes Tim McGraw, Brooks and Dunn (with Rodney Atkins as the warm up band), Brad Paisley, Kenny Chesney (with LeeAnn Rimes), Rascal Flatts (with Taylor Swift), and...drum roll...Toby Keith (with Montgomery Gentry). 

January, I'm glad that someone else likes Jonathan on Survivor.  He really shakes things up.  I have to say that after tonight, I'm worried about his ability to go all the way.  With Yau Man gone, that alliance is down to 3, and the other has 5.  If I'd been them, I'd have voted for Cirie, since she bailed on the alliance she made with them.  And I cannot believe she thinks she'll be any higher than 5th even if they go all the way, I think those couples will stick together.  And I totally agree--EW--get a room.  The fans really have quite a bit of drive and heart, to come back and win the immunity challenge after the night they had.  Unfortunately, they will continue to have a bad time unless they can bring that heart and drive to some of the reward challenges.  I don't have a favorite over there, but I don't care for the firefighter or Mikey, or the beer cart lady or Chet...hmm....is there anyone left?

Usually I try to stay out of the squabbling that goes on between various Bonanza sites. I'm very involved with Bonanza World, and although I belong to some other sites, I don't post much on any of them.  I checked out January's new site (check out her journal for the link), and it's coming along quite nicely.  I have to laugh at someone whining that January copied their site when that same group copied BW when they started a Bonanza site!

We are getting snow and ice tonight (actually I think the snow is done and it's mainly freezing rain now).  Jon plowed snow all evening.  School is already cancelled for tomorrow--that's the second day this week the kids have gotten a snow day, the first one was my birthday.  Hope it clears up a little, we're supposed to go tubing this weekend.

It seems like all I've been doing this week is playing catch-up from last weekend when I wasn't feeling well.  I had to go in two extra days at work this week to catch up on some scheduling tasks that were on a deadline, which will make for a nice paycheck.  But then I was even further behind at home...

I think I'm pretty much caught up.  I've plowed through all the e-mail that was backed up, made it to the scout store for the awards for the pack meeting tomorrow, and made good progress on some spring cleaning.  I've discovered if I actually wait until Spring, it doesn't get done, because there's too much going on.  I cleaned my bedroom Friday while Jon was still out of town--that way I don't have to ask his opinion on whether or not something stays or goes (it just goes).  I got Katie's room done today while she was over at a friend's house.  I'm planning to do Christopher's room while he's at school on Monday.  Once I get the bedrooms and the upstairs baths done, I'll take a break to get ready to go scrapbooking next weekend.  I need to get my stuff re-organized so that I won't be able to find anything over the weekend. 

Jon was in Cleveland last weekend (Friday, Saturday, Sunday) at a NAIA umpiring meeting, and then had to go back Wednesday, Thursday, Friday for a work conference.  Stayed at the same hotel and everything. Major difference was that this last trip, he was sick as a dog.  He had the flu big time--fever, chills, everything.  He sounded so bad Thursday evening that I offered to drive up and get him, but he decided to tough it out until Friday and come back with the group.  Luckily, he didn't need as many continuing education credits as everyone else (he already had some from a different event) so he could skip about half of each day and just go back to the room and rest.  He's gradually feeling better now, so I think the worst of it actually happened in Cleveland, which is good for us, but probably bad for the people he was staying with.  Flu is horrible in this area at the moment, schools are closing because of absenteeism and emergency rooms are crammed.   

Christopher crosses over to Boy Scouts tomorrow. My baby is growing up.  (I say that even though the Cub Scout shirt I bought him in second grade will still fit for the ceremony LOL).  He's spending the night with one of his friends tonight.

Katie is spending the night with one of her friends, too--not the same one that she spent last night with, though.  She took it upon herself to get invited places all weekend so that she wouldn't get 'infectionated' with the flu.  LOL

I spent some of this evening catching up on some friend's journals. It was nice to hear what's been going on with them.  I'm gonna have to go back to AD's journal and check out what my name looks like in Chinese before the evening is done.

We went to a Superbowl Party last weekend, had a really good time, and I was thrilled when the Giants won.   It was definitely an exciting last 5 minutes of the game.

I was very glad to see Survivor: Fans vs. Favorites start this week.  I'm really missing some of my other shows, I hope they get this writer's strike settled soon.   When the show started out, it seemed like the Favorites were really going to have an advantage.  They were so organized in getting their shelter built, and getting food and water and fire; it's always easier the second time around.  But man, the fans just totally whipped butt in the immunity challenge!  I haven't figured out who I like best in the fan group yet, but I will say that Kathy the golf course beer lady MUST GO, and I'm thinking the gay guy who helps coach Miss America contestants won't last long, either.

I was excited to see Jonathan back on the show--and I saw in her blog that January was, too.  He wasn't one of my favorites in his season, but when he was gone I really missed him and the game wasn't  nearly as interesting without his input and comments.  He's been really interesting as one of the Survivors Strike Back bloggers, too.  I was also pleased to see Yau-man back, and not surprised to see James from the most recent season in China.  James was a really strong player until he made that bonehead move and didn't play one of his immunity idols.  Ozzie was another one I was glad to see back, but he's not as smart as I thought he was if he's already been taken in by Amanda.  Ozzie and Amanda and James and Parvati--can you say 'thinking with their southern brains?'  Actually, none of the women on the favorites team were really favorites of mine.

I had an opportunity to watch one of my favorite movies tonight--Die Hard.  Gotta love Bruce--yippee ki yay....   This was an interesting one to watch, it was on AMC (I think) but it was a 'DVD TV' feature and all sorts of interesting facts and tidbits about the movie were showing at the bottom of the screen.  I think this would likely only be interesting during a movie you knew well, otherwise it would be very distracting, but since I DO know this movie well, I liked it.

My son has been going through the audition process for the 5th-8th grade Broadway Jr. musical, which this year is going to be "The Princess and the Pea".  Cast lists were posted yesterday.  I'm sure both teachers involved must have been giggling the whole time they typed it up, because they've both had him in class.  My son, the chattiest boy in the school, who has never had a report card come home without comments about his talking...was cast as The Silent King, who communicates through pantomine.  This is truly taking irony to a whole new level.

I read Adamsdarlings journal entry about sales that aren't really sales, and thought I'd share the one that I see frequently in our area.  Coke or Pepsi will be on sale--12 pack for $2.99, 24 pack for $7.99--and people will actually be putting 24 packs in their cart!  This 'sale' runs at least once a month.  I've actually pulled out my calculator and helped people do the math to figure out that they'd be better off buying 2 of the 12 packs.  Where did these people go to school?  My kids can figure this one out.