It's Beginning to Look a lot Like Christmas

This is what met us yesterday morning. Of course, Bob Sykes wanted to finish picking all the apples in the snow.

Garden Marvel

this is from our garden. The tomato, not the frog. Please note that it is a conjoined twin tomato.

Yesterday is the first day of the rest of my life.

I decided to face the music (and not dance) but return to WW again. The last time I went was in June and the time before that was in March. So, in order to get in the swing of things, I took Otto and Daisy for a walk. By myself. Alone. Solo. I decided to park by the Capitol and walk down the switch backs to Memory Grove. I was going to simply walk along the road until I got to the end and then go back down the canyon road to my car. Sound good.

Well, there wasn't anyone around so when I got to the bridge that crosses the creek over to the off-leash trail, I decided to go over there and let the dogs run free. They ran along the creek having a great time. I, on the other hand, had bitten off more than I could chew. First, I had to carry a bag of dog crap forever. The up side to that is if anyone accosts me, I can hit them with a a bag of poop. A formidable weapon. Second, apparently there isn't really a trail north of the bridge. There was one at one time, but it was washed out. I got past one really treacherous spot and walked for 100 yards and got to another place that I couldn't get past. I decided to go back and then for some reason was unable to cross over the last spot I had crossed. Meanwhile Otto and Daisy were having a fabulous time.

So, I called the dogs back. Put them on their leashes, slid down the hill on my butt, forded the stream and climbed the hill on the other side. Now I was wet and muddy. My new jeans that were too big could now not be returned. I finally got back to my car and I still hadn't been to WW.

I made a list of all the things that were good about my weight loss. Some of them have returned since I have gained some weight back. This is my motivation for change.

1. Not short of breath
2. Plantar faciaitis gone
3. I don’t pee when I sneeze
4. Balance and dizziness is better.
5. Only need 1 pillow to sleep
6. Snoring is improved
7. Can tie my shoes on top of my foot, not the side.
8. Smaller clothes
9. Cuter shoes
10. Stamina greater when shopping or going to museum
11. Don’t struggle with airplane seatbelt
12. Can put on my socks while standing up
13. Can put on panty hose in Temple locker room stall.

I tried to sneak in and just weigh in a not see anyone, but my old leader was there and she invited to stay for the meeting. This is a good thing. I have only gained back 27 of the 50 lbs that I lost (only is a relative term) and they aren't going to make me give back my tokens. I promptly went to Taco Time for lunch (hadn't had breakfast) and couldn't really eat much the rest of the day to stay in my points range.

I made it through Monday only using 2 of my 35 extra points. Today, I walked the dogs. We stayed on the road. I've had a WW breakfast. I am determined to follow the rules. I had my 2 tsps of healthy oil. I will need 3 dairy and 5 fruits and vegetables.

I really want to use all 26 points for Halloween Candy.

I'll report more later.

And the consolation prize goes to . . .

. . . Monument Valley and Grand Staircase-Escalante. If you manage to get to the bottom of this post, the reward is pictures!!

You may know that Bob and I cancelled our trip to China. Apparently, when we scheduled Bob’s lectures at Hunan University in Changsha, it coincided with the Glorious 60th Anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. Therefore, students have to participate in the festivities and Bob would be lecturing to an empty hall. So, we didn’t feel that we could justify the expense and the time off to go if there were no lectures to give (on the American Judicial System - by the way - though I’m not sure they really care how our system works, since they seem to have one of their own). And Sarah has to have her pacey changed. It was just too much trouble to change my frequent flier ticket to come home early – the only one available was 1 day early. And to cancel my ticket and get a regular ticket where I could sit in the middle of the steerage section (with or without the chickens and the goats) for 15 hours for $2K+ just didn’t seem worth it. Anyway, Rachel still went and has sent us back some fabulous pictures. She told me last night, if we ever go, maybe she’ll come along again. We are expecting souvenirs, and it better happen since I gave her money to spend.
So, I wanted to go somewhere. I read about Highway 12 in the AAA magazine and decided that we would do a quick little jaunt to Southern Utah. Home of the John Wayne Western, sand, hoo- doos, national parks, etc. One particular high point is that there are many places where cell phones do not work. We could travel along without any interruptions from the office. I was not really prepared for the majesty that exists in the state of Utah. You might say that it is actually "life changing". Now ‘life changing" is Sarah’s description for something fabulous. It can be a really great bacon-cheeseburger, the Boyz to Men Reunion concert at the Utah State Fair or truly something life changing in the traditional sense of the expression. Now judge for yourselves and tell me that this isn’t life changing.
PS - the other consolation prize is that I get to gorge myself of the food of the God’s – white bread, a teeny bit of mayo, home-grown vine-ripe tomatoes, salt and pepper all wrapped up in a fabulous (Life Changing!!) sandwich. All my tomatoes have ripened and I would have missed them had we been in China.

Wonderful pictures in no particular order:


Desert critters

Hoo-doos of Red Canyon

Hoo-doos of Red Canyon, part 2

Gorge of the Grand Staircase - in geological ages, the formations of the Grand Canyon, Zions Canyon and Bryce canyon stair step up so what is old in one canyon, is new in the next - hence the name staircase. Thank goodness Bill Clinton protected this. Pictures do not do it justice.

This whole area is open range. We met Bossy, here, and many of her friends.

Fall is at its peak on Highway 12

The view from our motel room in Torrey.

Mexican Hat, Utah. No dancing going on.

Valley of the Gods as seen from the most awesome, white-knuckle, hair-pin turn road I have ever been on!!

Monument Valley

Monument Valley

Monument Valley -- can't you just seen John Wayne and Paul Newman come galluping over the rise.

More Monument Valley

Children: be forewarned. I am already planning a McKay/Lewis trip to follow in the footsteps of our pioneer ancestors in this glorious country.

It's Only Fair

The Utah State Fair has finally arrived!! I look forward to it every year and try to go at least once and if I am lucky I go twice or thrice. It's been raining like crazy the last couple of days so we finally decided to brave it last night. It was about 8 pm when we got there, but because of the early rain, there was hardly anyone around. That meant we could get dinner and not have any trouble finding a place to sit. So, dinner is one of my favorite things about the fair. I eat food I never get any other time. This time, I got:

Philly Cheese steak from Moochies.

Then, we went to my favorite place: The Home Arts.

Then, We had to go see the famous Butter Cow, sculpted by my old Friend from Ohio, Debbie McPhie Brown. I must be attempted to be Emily Dickinson. All My Nouns are capitalized.

The real picture is in my phone, I just can't figure out how to get it out, so this is from the Utah Dairy Council's website -- it is last year's cow. This year features a cow in a tutu, Kathleen's personal favorite:

And finally, to top off a perfect evening!!

I just strolled along the midway, stumbling down memory lane, remembering the good times had by all. Maybe Saturday, I'll go see the pigs.

Pioneer Women Sang as They Walked, and Canned, and Gardened, and Made Pies, etc.

I just finished reading The Undaunted, by Gerald Lund. Now, just for clarification sake, I generally do not read LDS historical fiction. It's not that I am a snob (maybe I am), but that there is generally too much fiction and not enough history. I picked this one up because it was about the Hole-in-the-Rock expedition, or San Juan Mission, in 1880/81, where about 250 Latter Day Saint settlers were called to start a colony in the San Jaun Valley is south eastern Utah/South Western Colorado area. The only reason I am interested in this is because the President of the San Juan Mission, and leader of the Expedition, was Silas S. Smith, my great-grandfather.

It was a pretty good book. There was way too much story about these fictional folks and where they came from and what they said and how they felt, etc. However, the description of the climb through this rugged terrain and the sacrifices these people made and the exertion and pain and triumphs and blessings that came from following the call of a prophet made it worth the reading. I highly recommend it.

So, lately, I have gotten back to my Pioneer woman roots. I love stories of frontier women. Ever since I was in Jr. high. I love Willa Cather (My Antonia, etc.). A Latern in Her Hand and Mrs. Mike (about Canada) were some of my favorite high school reads. Letters from a Woman Homesteader is a book I couldn't put down (and it is real). I even loved The Revolt of Sarah Perkins (this was a dumb story about a plain-looking mousy New England woman who goes to the west to teach school and ends up saving the town from Indians, marrying the handsome rancher, and becoming beautiful in her own way -- I didn't say it was great literature, but when you're 14, it is the best!!)

So far this year, I have planted, canned, frozen, picked, and made pies!! I asked Bob to see if he could find a few apricots at the fruit stand in Brigham City so I could make a small batch of jam. He came home with a half-bushel. I made 4 batches of apricot jam, 2 batches of apricot syrup, 2 pies, and the pureed the last 8 cups and froze it for future jam. I also made 3 batches of raspberry jam, froze 15 pounds of beans, have a big pile of zucchini waiting to be made into bread, more tomatoes in Huntsville that I know what to do with. I've also learned several ways to cook turnips. If I could only figure out what to do with all those beets.

I have also started a fall garden patch. We built 2 4x4 boxes and Bob put them on wheels and I put it on the deck on top of the garage. I already have things growing. I just don't remember what they are. So, could be beans, could be radishes, could be spinach. Only time will tell.

Now, if you'll excuse me, Otto and I have to go plow the North 40.

My Own Personal Hades

I was going to call this post "go to Hell" but thought I might offend my following of 2-3 people who actually read this blog.

I thought about this because Sarah called me one day and said when we go to Hell we are going to be required to move. She had been moving her office all day (it was about 10 pm!!) and felt that was surely what Eternal damnation was going to be. Perhaps that would be an appropriate punishment, for we are all so wrapped up in our wordly possessions that we might have to pack them, move them, unpack them and then start all over again throughout the eternities.

Those of you who have read Dante's Divine Comedy (most specifically the Inferno) are familiar with the levels of Hell and the punishments that are so specific to the type of sin or sinner. For those of us who are not so well-read, perhaps we have read The Dante Club, a very nice mystery with the Inferno as a framework for the story. This is kind of like admitting that I only read the comics in the newspaper. Bob said I shouldn't say that publically; people might think I am shallow. It's OK. I am shallow. Anyway, I haven't read Dante, but I have read The Dante Club. I think that is close enough.

So, my Eternal punishment will be entertaining. Not entertaining as in people watch and laugh, but as in I have to throw parties. Kathleen said, "Mom, for a person who doesn't like to do this, you do a good job." It is just tiring for me. I have to have a clean house, and I always cook something that I have never made before. I just keep my fingers crossed and hope it turns out ok. Bob always has a few extra jobs to throw in also. This time, he brought more plants home to fill up some empty spots in the yard. Now he did help, but it's very funny. He said how his dad would be so proud of him for getting into gardening, and my response was "what, for standing over me watching me plant?" Anyway, the yard looks better than it has ever looked and I really do just want to show it off, so, we Entertain!!

I'm not sure how this actually fits any particular sin I may have committed (maybe pride in my yard, house, cooking skills, ), but it certainly is punishment. This past summer, I have had to host Youth Conference at the Huntsville house for our ward, get the Huntsville house ready for the Capitol Hill 2nd ward Youth Conference, have a housefull of family members over (that was actually not punishment -- it was a treat -- but still a lot of people); we hosted 12 Chinese clients, with translators, office staff, etc., had the Stake Mutual swimming party, and Bob's tennis group. I'm not sure I used all my commas and semicolons correctly, but I am sure you were able to follow the line of progression in my march toward the river Styx.

Give me room, lots of room.

When my sister Fran moved out of our parent's home, her room quickly became a sewing room. When it appeared that I was no longer going to move back to Seattle (i.e. a job, then husband, then baby), my room became an office, complete with drafting table, typewriter, etc. After sister Kathleen went off on a mission, and then moved to Phoenix (Mesa, Chandler), her room became storage/guest room. This is the natural order of things.

Times change. When Rachel moved away to college, she told me in no uncertain terms: "don't take over my room." She said this, while in the same breath she would say: "don't ask me, I don't live here." So as the big kids moved out, I strived (strove?) to keep their rooms in the same general condition that they left it in. Generally unmade beds and dirty clothes on the floor. Now they have their own places so I am pretty sure they really don't live here anymore except for an occasional holiday, or house sitting, or illness.

But now I only have one child at home, size-wise she doesn't take up much space. But to see all of her stuff spill over into the rest of the house, you would think that a half dozen very messy young children still live here. Kathleen has stuff in literally every room in the house. She does her homework in the dining room, at the kitchen, at the bar in the family room. She uses the upstairs bathroom for getting ready at the sink, but bathes and uses the other facilities down stairs. She sleeps in her room, or Rob's room if hers has to much stuff on the floor or the bed. If it is really hot, she sleeps in Sarah's or Rachel's room. Everybody's stuff is dropped on the kitchen counter, so I really can't say what is hers and what is Bob's. Often she is working at the computer in Bob's office. My sewing room is no longer my own, and when I come home from work, I find her sitting on my bed, watching the TV shows I recorded on my DVR.

I don't know what planets are out of alignment, but the whole natural order of things is upside down.

I'll Have the Early Bird Special

I know that it has been forever since I posted, but I am basking in the wonderfulness of not having to go to high school anymore. Besides, I have been busy with a job, 2 houses, 2 dogs, a husband, a college student, 2 gardens, YW presidency, visiting teaching and MS. So after a particularly busy and tiring day, I got something in the mail that was just the cherry on top.

Now I know why the waitress at Village Inn gave us a 10% discount the other day. We are (expletive deleted) senior citizens!! Of course, that it what I get for going to Village Inn for dinner.

The Happiest Day of My Life

I can't believe it has finally come. It is a day I have been waiting for since August of 1994. Our last child, the beautiful Kathleen Marie Sykes, graduated from West High.



We started at West with Rachel as a 7th grader in the ELP program in 1994; Sarah in 1996, Rob in 2000, and Kathleen in 2005. Our roots at West go back even further. My parents, Frances Dibble and Scott McKay, were West high graduates.

A friend of mine told me that even though I am ecstatic right now about never having to get up at 6:30 am and beat a child to school (metaphorically speaking), one day I will drive by the school and get a little wistful, perhaps even teary-eyed, as I think back on all the memories of good times at West.

No more parent-teacher conferences, cross-country meets, tennis matches, dance concerts, back-to-school nights, A Capella trips and dinner/auction fund raisers. No more PTA meetings and folding parties for the school newsletter. No more swim meets, fines, automated calls telling me my student was absent or tardy one or more periods today. No more children telling me it was their sibling that was tardy or absent one or more periods today. No more trying to figure out if it was a red or black day and when each child was supposed to be home and why they were home early. No more homework, IB/AP tests, USBSCT tests, CRT's. No more online classes, no more worrying if the grades would get to the registrar on time to qualify for graduation. No more bad school pictures.

In other words, one less source of stress in my life.

Congratulations, Kathleen (and me!). We graduated.

Once a Panther (and Panther Parent), always a Panther.

I Can't Help Myself.

I just couldn’t help myself. I walked into Costco with the sole intent of buying dishwasher detergent tablets, pool chlorine, 3 oz. cups, and Soft Soap. There is something about the air in Costco . It must be thinner because I start thinking fuzzily. My eyes glaze over and my willpower disappears. I was shocked when the bill at check out came to $320!!! Looking over my purchases I came home with the soap, the cups, the chlorine (that was $100), the detergent, pool shock, dog food, 2 blouses, and James Patterson New Book!!!!
At least I know I am not the only one with the problem. Bob went last week and bought dog food, cleaning supplies, cheese, chicken salad, 2 flats of raspberries, bratwurst, Advil, fish oil tablets, and a whole bunch of Kleenex. The past Wednesday he went to buy stuff for the office. He came back with chocolate caramel macadamia nuts, chocolate covered almonds, gummy bears, a box of lunch size chips packages, multigrain chips, vegetable chips, tortilla chips, peanuts, mixed nuts, Pepsi, Fuze drinks, cheese/cheese cracker sandwiches, and a 2-gallon container of animal crackers!!
This is why I don’t send Bob to the store. I ask for eggs; I get eggs, Oreos, lentil soup, sugar cookies, 3 kinds of bread and Vanilla Coke Zero. And cheese balls.
So much for the grocery budget this month.

You Can Go Home Again

I am a little behind the times, but I just got these pictures so it is ok. In March, we (aka Debbie McPhie Brown) arranged a little reunion for my old high school from Beavercreek Ohiol. At least those people we could find. It was so much fun and just as though we hadn't ever been away. Debbie just sent the pictures and WE HAVEN'T CHANGED A BIT!!!


Becky McPhie Reeder was not able to attend (He son was getting married and for some reason, she chose that over our reunion. However, she and her husband took a road trip and ended up in Beavercreek and took some picture for us. Here she is in front of the high school.

This is our high school. It looks smaller and a little newer. I think it has a new facade.

This is where we went to church. These are days that changed my life. It never dawned on me until really just a few months ago, that I must have gone to church smelling like an ashtry. My dad was a heavy smoker and when you live with it, you don't notice it, but others can. No one ever said anything, and everyone was so loving and inclusive. I don't think I would have been the person I am without these friends.

Speaking of these friends, here we are. From the left front: Me, Mendy Simpson Conner, Teresa Daley Love, Wendy Van Waggoner Dyck, Debbie McPhie Brown. Left Back: Charles David Graham (who reminded me of my first day driving to seminary - backed out of the garage with the car door open and tore the door off the car -- I have spent the last 35 years trying to forget), Cynthia Newbold (can't remember her married name), the famous Bruce Newbold - whose voice is so distinctive that I can't watch the temple film without thinking of high school days), and Kathleen McKay Lewis.

Happy Days!

I'm so dizzy!

Friday morning, I woke up and sat on the edge of my bed and literally fell over!! I have not been able to function at all. I know that spending days in bed seems like a lot of fun, but it gets really boring really fast.

I have caught up on all the Millennium episodes, watched The Chorus (a delightful French film -- even if you have to read the subtitles, it was delightful), tivo's a whole bunch of NCIS and Cold Case and have just laid in bed watching TV.

I've been so dizzy, I can't even read a book for more than a few minutes. And you all know how I like to read!!

Our bishop came over to help give me a blessing and mentioned something about crystals that grow in your cochliar canal in the ear and if one gets dislodged it can throw you off balance. The only cure for that is to have the doctor hit you on the head a few times. Dr. Taylor said he didn't want to do that because he was afraid I might hit him back. I did smack Bob on the back of the head just in case he gets any bright ideas. Anyway, Dr. T thinks it is a virus, not an enhancement of my MS. (I know that enhancement seems like a good thing, but it isn't) Dr. T gave me a sea-sick patch and said that might help. When I read the insert that came with the patch, one of the side-effects really jumped out at me. This patch could make you DIZZY!!

Hopefully, I will be better by Wednesday when I am in charge of Mutual. I'll keep you posted just in case you want to know.

PS. Emily Jones - It may have to be Paris/Rome in 2010, though I am never tired of London.

PPS. Aunty Kate - yes, I took a self defense class at BYU. About all I can do with what I learned it smack Bob on the back of the head. I did learn to flip someone over if they were sitting on the couch right next to me and I was sitting higher than the assailant and he weighed hardly anything.

PPPS. Aunty Kate - Hello! Wedding announcement in the Auburn Times. Also, didn't you go on the handcart trek from the boonies to the Kent Ward? Our picture was in the paper then, too.

My Life so Far

These are a few of the things I have done since I was this child's age (that's me in 3rd grade). I copied this from Cyd Carter's blog. To participate just copy and paste in your own blog or email me, and bold all of the things you have done.(I put all the things I have done in red)

1. Started your own blog

2. Slept under the stars

3. Played in a band Rock Band counts?)

4. Visited Hawaii

5. Watched a meteor shower

6. Given more than you can afford to charity

7. Been to Disneyland

8. Climbed a mountain - Ensign Peak is a small mountain

9. Held a praying mantis

10. Sang a solo

11. Bungee jumped

12. Visited Paris

13. Watched a lightning storm at sea

14. Taught yourself an art from scratch

15. Adopted a child

16. Had food poisoning

17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty

18. Grown your own vegetables

19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France

20. Slept on an overnight train

21. Had a pillow fight

22. Hitch hiked

23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill

24. Built a snow fort

25. Held a lamb - does a lamb chop count?

26. Gone skinny dipping

27. Run a Marathon

28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice

29. Seen an eclipse

30. Watched a sunrise or sunset

31. Hit a home run

32. Been on a cruise -a dinner cruise.

33. Seen Niagara Falls in person

34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors

35. Seen an Amish community

36. Taught yourself a new language

37. Had enough money to be satisfied

38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person

39. Gone rock climbing

40. Seen Michelangelo’s David

41. Sung karaoke

42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt

43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant

44. Visited Africa

45. Walked on a beach by moonlight

46. Been transported in an ambulance

47. Had your portrait painted

48. Gone deep sea fishing

49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person

50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris

51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling

52. Kissed in the rain

53. Played in the mud

54. Gone to a drive-in theater

55. Been in a movie

56. Visited the Great Wall of China

57. Started a business

58. Taken a martial arts class

59. Visited Russia

60. Served at a soup kitchen

61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies

62. Gone whale watching

63. Got flowers for no reason

64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma

65. Gone sky diving - why jump out of a perfectly good airplane?

66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp

67. Bounced a check

68. Flown in a helicopter

69. Saved a favorite childhood toy

70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial

71. Eaten Caviar - not my favorite - ranks right up there with snails.

72. Pieced a quilt

73. Stood in Times Square

74. Toured the Everglades

75. Been fired from a job

76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London

77. Broken a bone- only if toe bones count!

78. Been on a speeding motorcycle

79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person

80. Published a book

81. Visited the Vatican

82. Bought a brand new car

83. Walked in Jerusalem

84. Had your picture in the newspaper

85. Read the entire Bible

86. Visited the White House

87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating - a fish?

88. Had chickenpox

89. Saved someone’s life

90. Sat on a jury - called but never chosen

91. Met someone famous

92. Joined a book club

93. Lost a loved one

94. Had a baby

95. Seen the Alamo in person

96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake

97. Been involved in a law suit

98. Owned a cell phone

99. Been stung by a bee

Hannah Montana is Not Awful

That is not to say it is great either. Bob really, really wanted to go to a movie and he wanted to see this. So we humored him, and found that we were more entertained than by the last 2 movies we saw (Faster & Furiouser, and Knowing). I didn't intend for my blog to turn into the movie review of the week when there are so many other things to blog about -- the state of the economy, war, the Obama puppy (finally!!). But the dismal state of the movie pickings the last couple of years is a really important thing to rant about. I really can't count more than a handful of really good movies since Harry Potter. Oh, Slumdog was great and Dark Knight was pretty good. And Race to Witch Mountain was really fun. And Hannah Montana was not awful. Not a rousing recommendation, but 2 stars for the tween girls and no stars for the rest of us.

Honestly, if you saw Kathleen Sykes on the stage with a blond wig, wouldn't you say, "hey, that's Kathleen with a blond wig!"

I will post about something truly important next time.

Snow Bunnies

I was going to wait a week to do another post after I did another Nicolas Cage post (see below -- my life is sooooo dull), but Bob sent me these pictures and I just had to show everyone that I am not a stodgy as I appear. I can have fun sometimes. Aunty Kate came to visit for our Beavercreek reunion (yes, I said Beavercreek; that is really the name of my high school. It sounds even more ridiculous [that word again] when the slogan was "the home of the battling Beavers." In fact, when I signed up for online banking, and answered the security question that wanted my high school mascot, Zions Bank computer program told me it was an 'inappropriate' response. Eew.)

Anyway, when people come to visit, Bob just loves to take them skiing, even if they can't. So here is Aunty Kate and I having a great time. Who knew us old gals could be so fun.

That really is us, you just need a magnefying glass to see us.
Celebrating getting off the lift without falling!!

We are so much fun.

How do we start?

Yay. We are done!!

Show off!!

to quote Tigger: RIDICULOUS!

When I posted my last blog, I forgot some things I wanted to tell you. By the way, I overwhelm myself when I consider the amount of time I have spent thinking about this silly movie. Anyway, here it is:

1. Everytime some ridiculous plot change occurred, the entire audience began to talk, whisper, chatter, you get it. They weren't buying it.

2. Please see: http://www.cracked.com/topic/118-nicolas-cage/ This will give you all the possible plot devices for almost any Nicolas Cage movie. It is hilariousness epitomized.

Now, if only some one would do the same for Vin Diesel movies. They are all probably the same.

PS -- Ridiculous is the word of the day for all the movies I have seen recently. To name a few: Taken (ridiculous but hugely entertaining according to Kathleen), Race to Witch Mountain (Ridiculous but Awesome!!) Knowing (just ridiculous), Fast and Furious (Not to be confused with The Fast and The Furious, Too Fast Too Furious, Faster & Furiouser, etc.) (Ridiculous but great car chases)

More substance to follow.

SPOILER ALERT!!

I didn't expect my return to the blogging world would be something so banal as a movie review, but I couldn't help myself.

Now I am sure that many of you actually search out information for movies before you go and plunk down $8.00 (!!!) for a movie ticket (and an additional $1 because we thought the movie would be sold out and so we purchased online.) but the Sykes family (at least the parental part of the family) goes to movies based upon what time it is and if it is rated PG-13 or under. So Saturday night, that left us Paul Blart: Mall Cop or Knowing. Now, I had heard enough about Mall Cop to know that it was stupid, so how bad could Nicolas Cage and his new movie be? Of course, I hadn't seen Wicker Man, Ghost Rider, Next, etc. But I had seen Gone in 60 Seconds, The Family Man, Face Off, etc. So I should have known better.

Anyway, this movie simply did not know what it wanted to be. It started out as an eerie horror movie with some little girl obsessed with numbers that she was writing down because her class was supposed to draw what the future would be like and they would be placed in a time capsule. She was interrupted by her teacher so she disappears. The police and the teacher go look for her in the dark school and they never turn on the lights. What is wrong with these people. Haven't they ever gone to the movies. Anyway, they find her, she is locked in the closet and she has written more numbers in her blood in the closet door. Fade to black.

Next we see sad-sack Nicolas Cage with his son. Apparently Mom has died and it is just the two of them. The son wants to believe that Mom is in Heaven. Nic doesn't believe in it. They live in a creepy, run-down, unfinished old Victorian house. Nic drinks too much. At the school the next day, the time capsule is opened and Nic's kid gets the page with numbers. Eerie music. The kid starts to hear voices, but can't tell what they are. Then he sees a shadowy figure standing on the edge of the schoolyard. He looks like Spike from Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Is this going to be a Vampire Movie? Anyway, Nic looks at the paper and becomes obssessed with the numbers. They seem to have a pattern. They are dates of disasters and how many people have died on those dates. They are all accurate. He goes to his friend at the planetarium who is the voice of reason, says it is all coincidence. Is this a science fiction movie? His sister comes over, tells him he should reconcile with his father who happens to be a Pastor. He says NO. Maybe this is an odd religious movie. The kid keeps seeing these vampirish looking guys who make him see visions of animals running out of some great conflagration. He screams. Are we going to be beaten over the head with a eco-horror story and promises of global warming? Meanwhile, Nic sees a plane crash with 81 people burning up. That was on his list of numbers. He figures out that the other numbers are latitude and longitude. He meets the daughter of the original strange girl who died when she was an adult. Apparently, she was predicting the end of the world and the death of everyone. Nic figures out that this huge sunspot really is going to fry the entire world and everyone in it will die. The little kids say that the Whispering People (the vampires) have told them that they could go with them. Nic figures out that the safest place is back at the home where the little girl (see scene 1) died. He gets there after the Whispering people kidnap the kids, and the daughter of the first little girl dies. He gets there and there is a spaceship!! Again, a sci-fi movie? Are these vampires really aliens. Anyway, the kids want to go with them and Nic breaks down and cries and says ok go. They descend up into the ship and the vampires turn into Angels!! then lots of spaceships fly up into space. Who knew God had such modes of transportation. If you could hie to Kolob!! In an anticlimactic scene, Nic goes back to his dad's house and make peace with the Pastor, who says if it is his time to go then it is his time, but this is not the end. The earth is totally consumed in flames. The we see the children in a field of grain; they run toward a beautiful white tree. The space ships take off from this planet. The audience laughs. We go home wishing we had gone to see Mall cop.

It's Alive!!

I promise, I am still alive. I have been caught up in the doom and gloom that is the current state of the world and it just seems to make me feel dreary. I realized that lots of stuff has happened that no one has heard about: Kathleen's magic birthday, Christmas, etc. I will blog this week and hopefully have pictures to catch everyone up with what it going on in my life.