Opera Lucia di Lammermmor-il dolce suono

Another year older today....thought I'd treat myself to some Opera. :D

(This is a clip from a movie that is an old family favorite of ours. OOOH, did I use the word, Old?! ;p)

Captain Kirk for President

This is quite funny, and a tad rude.....

Remembering their Sacrifice

In Flanders Fields
by John McCrae, May 1915

"In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe: To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep,though poppies grow
In Flanders fields."

(the following poem came via email, author unknown)

I watched the flag pass by one day, It fluttered in the breeze.
A young Marine saluted it, And then he stood at ease..
I looked at him in uniform So young, so tall, so proud, With hair cut square and eyes alert He'd stand out in any crowd.

I thought how many men like him Had fallen through the years. How many died on foreign soil How many mothers' tears?

How many pilots' planes shot down? How many died at sea How many foxholes were soldiers' graves? No, freedom isn't free. I heard the sound of Taps one night, When everything was still, I listened to the bugler play And felt a sudden chill.
I wondered just how many times That Taps had meant 'Amen,'
When a flag had draped a coffin. Of a brother or a friend.

I thought of all the children, Of the mothers and the wives, Of fathers, sons and husbands With interrupted lives.

I thought about a graveyard
at the bottom of the sea,
Of unmarked graves in Arlington. No, freedom isn't free.

Enjoy Your Freedom & God Bless Our Troops

TESTING THE REALLY BIG KITE

This is little vid clip of my friend's project. My hubby, Talking Bear, is the one in the blue plaid shirt around and about, and driving the forklift.

Perhaps you'll not only see the second documentary on the History Channel, but a film in the theatre as well! They're currently in the early stages of creating a movie: "StoneCrazy"

updates to follow :)

When are we done with school?

My children are at me every day, isn't school over yet? Can't we just have a half day today? Homeschool has it's ups and downs, the good being a flexible schedule, the bad, well, you are your own taskmaster, which can make it difficult when the weather is so wonderful, and the garden is calling, and not to mention that there are new films in the cinema that are perfect for a day's outing! Is school out yet?? ;D

We were just out to see C.S. Lewis', "Prince Caspian" which was fairly representative of the book. Our next venture will be to see the latest Indiana Jones film. I'm not one to run out to the theatre for the latest movie, but there are some that you just have to see on the big screen.

We've been busy with work, out of town business, and our friend's Egypt project, so May has been very hectic. Hopefully, spring and summer will be a fun time for all, and blogging will return to its norm once the cooler weather sets back in! :)


"It's a magical world, Hobbes, ol' buddy...Let's go exploring!"
Last line of the final Calvin and Hobbes strip

You Belong in New Zealand

Good on ya, mate You're the best looking one of the bunch Though you're often forgotten... You're quite proud of who you are

What English Speaking Country Are You?

The Two Wolves

A Cherokee elder was teaching his grandchildren about life.

He said to them, “A fight is going on inside me… it is a terrible fight between two wolves.

One wolf represents fear, anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, hatefulness, and lies.

The other stands for joy, peace, love, hope, humbleness, kindness, friendship, generosity, faith, and truth.

This same fight is going on inside of you, and inside every other person, too.”

The children thought about it for a minute. Then one child asked his grandfather,

“Which wolf will win?”

The Cherokee elder replied…

“The one you feed.”

Today's Six Word Memoir

I volunteered to play the "six word memoir game", brought to my attention by ER at Of 'Dreams and Visions'

These are the rules, as listed by Lucy, on Lucy Creates blog:

"if you would like to play "officially", the rules are below. otherwise, please just leave your own little memoir in my comment box. please please please. ☺"

1. Create a six word memoir
2. Post it on your site
3. Link it back to the tagger's site
4. Tag 5 other bloggers

So, here it goes, HGF's six word memoir:

"Living for today, Living for eternal"

You don't have to be tagged to play, so please feel free to leave your own memoir, in the comments here, if you wish! :)

Friday Funny

In from work, and noted the lack of internet activity of late....everyone has spring fever, me thinks!!! :) Received this via email, and thought I'd share! :)

Thursday's Resting and Restlessness

This morning was one of those lazy mornings. Since I work weekends, I like to take a day mid-week and just call it my 'day off', lounge around, read....which usually lasts for a few hours if that, then I get restless and I'm up doing laundry or something! The teens and the wean are still asleep....ah, the joys of homeschooling and setting your own hours!!

I was perusing 'internet' land, surfing various blogs and, of course, reading the news....which is usually dreadful so I skip to the lighter things. Consequently, as I like to share information, useful or not, I thought ya'll might like to take #1 the parenting quiz (which you may defer in sharing your results ;D)

and #2 cast your ballot here at Wellied for your favorite beach. As I'm a Gemini, meaning the twins...I suffer from never being able to pick just one thing...thus the relaxing hammock in the sands of Tahiti, and the cold wintry beach in Scotland. So, if any of you are Geminis, you are allowed two votes!! ;D

photo credit

The Great Race Pie Fight

I introduced my daughters to this movie tonite while the 'men' (dad and tween) were playing a video game...

"Hey, Professor....!"

"Push the botton, Max...!"

"I'm an emancipated woman...!"

"Bravo, Brandy....Rum?, I never mix my pies...!"

ahhh, laughter truly is the Best Medicine.....Care for a Spoonful??!! ;DDD

Michael Bublé - Feeling Good

This was the quote of 'an là' (the day)...

"Most people have the will to win, few have the will to prepare to win."
-Bobby Knight

I choose crazy

Melody Gardot - Worrisome Heart

this gal's voice is incredible, and ya gotta love the music...

thanks for this link goes to ER at 'Of Dreams and Visions'

Do I have to get out of bed and go to work?

Chip on your shoulder
emotions on your sleeve
you're nervous you're needy
you're so hard to please

some don't have a job
entitlement, is their song
they'll whine even louder
if I don't play along

between a rock and a hard place
there's no where to go
I refuse to enable, yet
it's wrong to judge, I know

I should be pleasant
I should be nice
but mistaking kindness for weakness
is one of many of their vice

I have to call you a customer
and I have no choice
but my taxes pay for most of you
so I should get a voice

some from middle class homes
taught to feel just as entitled
also without coping skills
and character that's vital

The ignorance is blinding
your shame is no more
you take offence so easy
there's no balance to the score

I should look past the behavior
there's no score to count
I used to care to make a difference
now, I just want out

perhaps I'm spiraling inward
and losing my hope
why do I take this so personal
I should be strong, I should cope

This career is not my passion
I feel fearful and alone
I yearn for some empathy
but it's not always found even at home

Stop looking at yourself
and what you don't have
yes, you're right, shame on me
be content, be glad

so onward I tiredly trudge
my face I paint on
memories of dreams far distant
illusions of what could have been

do I have the courage
to face the day
it's my choice, I've read the books
they say walk in joy, find a way

perhaps I'm not alone
with this internal struggle
it's scary to share of feelings
to admit your brain's a'muddle

fear is the master
to break away from
to speak in love, do in love
I'm told the freedom will come

my children see my example
for them I must thrive
in companionship with my spouse
I long to again feel alive

Mid-life crisis perhaps
or time to examine
the way in which I go
will it lead to life, or famine

In stubborn pride I falter
this I must release
in forgetting who I am
perhaps I will find me again, and peace

Free to be me
spontaneous, caring, and chatty
funloving, hard working
lovingly eccentric but not all the way batty

Enough of the rhyming
time to put action to the test
I'll give you the answer
that is the all time best

do your best by your family
keep your friends close,
keep your word and keep it kindly
even to yourself, this may matter the most

focus on the positive,
stay life's course with determination and grit
do things in love regardless
even when you want to say, 'ah, who gives a sh*t!'