Pix 'n Prose: Blogging

That's what I'm doing; blogging.
Well, I'm doing my Christmas baking today too. (It's Christmas. And I'm baking a cake.)
Actually, I'm catching up on my laundry too. Nothing says Happy Christmas like the sound of clothes tumbling. That's what I always say.
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Read this book the other day:

It is a novel, (meaning it's FICTION) and the writer was very creative with the story. It has messed with my mind a little bit. Robin Hood (aka Barabbas) was in love with her? Joseph was a widower with many children before he married Mary? And do you think the female on the cover looks a little bit like Drew Barrymore?

I read it last week thinking it'd put me in the Christmas mood, but it didn't.
So.
Fail. '

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Due to two of my kids having girlfriends, and both of those girlfriend's families celebrating Christmas on the 24th and both of those kids invited to join them, I tried to squeeze in our "Christmas" earlier. Like the 23rd. It ended up being on the 22nd. And because I worked that day, we went out for supper. To Montana's. I thought we'd meet at 5-ish then walk over to Colossus and see an early movie. If everyone was in the mood, we'd come back here, afterwards to my house to, you know, be Christmas-sy - what with the house decorated all festively n' all. Maybe play a game? Watch a family video? Decorate gingerbread houses?
But Max had to work too, so we bumped dinner to 6:30 but we lost our reservations because we arrived at 7.

We were finished before 8.

Any and all movies started at 10 or later. So it was suggested that we each go our own way and regroup at the theater just before the movie, TRON, started at 10:20 pm. My suggestion that we go bowling fell flat. So some of us sat and chatted, others went out for coffee. We met at the prearranged time, watched the movie, then everyone went to their own homes and Merry Christmas.
Hahahahaha.
Oh Christmas 2010.
Sooooo memorable.
Classic even.

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On Christmas Eve I went to the 5:00 pm service at Northview and sat amongst all those large three-generation Abbotsford families who had ringletted velvet grandchildren on their laps. Maybe I was feeling a little sorry for myself. I'm human. It happens. Also? Cyclically? It was the worst day of the month for Christmas Eve to fall on. That also happens.

Northview has installed new theater chairs in their auditorium and at the back, in the corners, due to posts and aisle configurations, there are super short rows - one or two chairs long. I saw that single seat, next to the post and consciously chose not to sit in that one. Because that's the loser chair. The chair for someone who has no one. The chair for someone who has no family who wants to attend a church service with her. So I sat in the two-seat row.

I did this so that the next single woman who entered the church would have someone to sit beside. She could choose to sit in the single seat, or in the seat next to me. And knowing single women like the back of my hand, I just knew she'd sit next to me.

Unfortunately it wasn't a single woman who came in, but two very, very senior citizens who wanted to sit next to each other, so I offered to move to the loser seat.

Merry Christmas.

ReGArdLESS... it was a wonderful hour. I got verklempt, (which means "choked up" in Canada) had that God moment I desperately needed, sang some snappy carols, then mosied out of there. I met Clint in the parking lot at the Colossus, where we ate pizza in the front seat of my truck before meeting my dad and mom inside.

We sawTrue Grit...
(A western that my dad was very familiar with.)

I thought he'd like to see the new version.
It was the first time he'd been in a theater since 2005 - I didn't think we'd ever do this again.
Can I say it was kinda awesome? Both the movie and him being there.
He watched. He laughed at the funny parts. He was happy.
It was wonderfully cool.
I loved the screenplay - such great lines.
(Apparently the thing to do these days is to jot down/record memorable lines on your phone and text them to yourself. FOR THIS REASON I wish I had a blackberry. I would have been typing through most of that movie.)
(I said typing, didn't I? I just dated myself. No one types anymore, do they? Crap. I am so not cool.)

At midnight Drew and Max popped in to pick up their presents, watch Fellowship of the Ring with me, then at 3:00 they left for their dad's place. I loved those three hours with my kids. Everyone was relaxed, happy, friendly, warm, and wonderful. There was this moment, at about 2:15 am, when Max and Drew, sitting side by side on a mattress in front of the coffee table, were eating the garlic baked shrimp that Max had just made and I wished I had my camera in my hand. (Getting it would have ruined the beauty of moment, so I just sat there and pondered these things in my heart.) Clint was on the opposite side of the table and all three seemed to be at peace. They looked younger (in fact, I told Max that if it weren't for that scruffy beard on his face, he looked exactly like he did when he was 10. They all did. So adorable. And smiley. And goofy-perfect.) and it reminded me of Christmases past when we had our few hours together in the middle of the night.

One year we went for a walk around the neighbourhood and left Christmas cards at our friends' houses. One year we drove up to the lake to surprise my dad and mom who were at the cabin. It's always those unexpected few hours with my boys that I remember when this whole Christmas thing is said and done.

Anyways, that was Christmas.
And it was good.

I've been keeping myself busy today watching movies.

Easy A was better than I expected in some ways (the snappy dialogue. the acting) but the way Christians were portrayed saddened me.

Then I watched this perfect little gem:

Really. If you love quaint coming of age stories of young love directed by Rob Reiner, you too will love this one.

Then I wanted to watch Knight and Day (Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz) but my Blu Ray player apparently needs to be connected to the internet for some upgrades and sadly this is something I do not know how to do. So I watched 5 episodes of: