olde_fashioned | Entries tagged with *rl

I don't normally make prayer requests in public entries, but this time I need as many prayers as possible, and on the off chance that someone who's willing to pray might read this, I opted to make an exception for once.

Without going into personal details, and without inferring that anyone is in mortal danger (they're not), I would please ask everyone to please offer up prayers for my family right now. We're going through a difficult time that has potential to get worse, and Divine intervention is the only way out of this. If you would please remember my family, and specifically my brother, in your prayers I would be exceedingly grateful to you all. ♥ ♥ ♥

Current Mood: worried

The past few days have been even more crazy than normal. ;-P Spencer got back from his trip to Utah on Thursday, so the rest of that day and most of the next was spent with him, and then yesterday (Saturday) after he got off work, we went to see The Dark Knight. I'll be posting a review of that soon, when I can get it finished. ;-)

Today we also attended the local annual Civil War Reencactment, which has become almost a tradition. Both my brother and I love going, despite the heat, but since it's usually the same thing every year we opted not to bring the camera. (if you're interested in pics, check out my entry on last year's battle HERE)

This year, though, after arriving early enough to see a weapons demonstration and hear a bit of a rousing pro-Southern speech (which I loved btw), we were pleasantly treated to battle plans changed around entirely, so we got quite an enjoyable surprise! Instead of having the two lines of Confederates and Yanks fight back and forth a bit like the normally do a good distance away from the crowds, a group of Yankees snuck around the rear of the Rebel lines during the "battle" and chased away the Rebel artilleryman, taking possession of their cannons. A few more volleys were exchanged between the now-surrounded Rebs and invading Yanks, until a larger band of Rebel reenforcements came charging up from behind the line of spectators and rushed out onto the battlefield, "yelling like furies" the whole way! ;-D It was quite exciting, and that's the only time I regretting not having my camera. The Rebs (now back in control of their own artillery) were literally right in front of us. I could have reached out and snatched one guy's hat if I had wanted to, he was so close.

As always, the end of the battle was marked by the playing of Taps on a lone trumpet. A solemn hush fell over (most of) the chattering viewers, the rattle of musketry ceased, and everyone stood silent for a moment even after the last notes drained away. Then the audience burst out into an enthusiastic applause, the"dead" got up from their prostrate positions, and the fight was over. I can never help but get goosebumps as I think of all those countless men who died for what they believed in, almost a hundred and fifty years ago, and I'd like to think they would approve of the efforts of some to remember them, and perpetuate their memories with future generations.

ETA, because I shamefully almost forgot -- eleven years ago, Princess Diana died. :-( Even with her flaws, I still think she was a lovely woman, and surely she would have been proud of her sons.

Current Mood: tired, but thoughtful

If you're reading this and you're a guy, spare yourself some pain and don't read any further. Girls, guess what I got yesterday? SHOES! :-D (see, I told you guys not to look!!) lol.

( Click only if you have an avid interest in shoes... )

Current Mood: silly

We rented The Phantom of the Opera again, (also known as The Phaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaannntommmmmm of the OOOpppppeeerraaaaaaaa) mainly because the last time I was the only one who managed to stay awake for the whole thing. So I decided to subject my brother, especially, to the horrors of OPERAAAA!!! Mwahahaaaa.

Now, mind, I am not a big fan of musicals, but Pretty Costumes + Pretty Music = Not a Bad Movie, and at least no one's swallowing marbles. But I digress.

Spencer has posted the most hilarious, the most painfully funny review of the movie on his blog [link here: This is OPERA!!!!!] and you all have just got to read it. I seriously was about to bust a gut or something I was laughing so hard. *wipes tears from eyes* There's nothing like a brother's amusing take on a musical to make one's evening delightful, eh? ;-)

Now perhaps you all will think of me when you watch it next. Hahahaha. (Oh, yeah, and now all things Phantom have become quite the joke. Cape-swirling temper tantrums, dramatic stances, and especially "THIS IS fill-in-the-blank" is always funny.)

P.S. Spencarian quote of the evening: "I need to watch a MAN movie!" Haaaa haaahahaaa....

Current Mood: silly
Current Music: Sarah Brightman: The Phantom of the Opera

Y'all are just going to have to indulge me in a little sisterly brag. My brother, Spencer, won a CollegePlus! scholarship by writing an essay for their contest! I am so incredibly thrilled for him, and sooo proud. 8-D

( HIP-HIP HUZZAH! )

Current Mood: ecstatic

I simply could not resist!

Hope you don't mind too terribly much, Spencer...but I'm so proud of you I just *had* to do it! ;-)

To all the rest of you, this whole week has been just completely crazy and busy. Among a MILLION other things, we put up Christmas decorations, moved furniture, and tonight was my brother's Tae Kwon Do yellow belt ceremony. :-D

I still need to finish my own bedroom, as well as Christmas presents! 8-/ So this is why I have been such a flake recently... But please know I've not forgotten, I've just been a tad bit preoccupied, that's all. :-) And I apologize if I seem a bit...absent...

Current Mood: worn out

This weekend we visited the local library, (mea culpa -- I ordered 22,347 books on hold...again...) and as I always do if I am able, I stopped by the Friends of the Library bookstore. Habitually heading straight for the classics, my eye was instantly caught by two new additions -- a pair of identical copies of Eighteenth Century Poetry & Prose edited by Bredvold, McKillop, and Whitney. They're old (1956) and beautiful, and in fairly good condition, except for the fact that someone has scribbled notes in the margins of almost every page. BOTH books have extensive "commentary" and highlighting by two different sets of handwriting, and since the library's policy on pretty old books is usually to overprice them, I went to inquire about the price.

Two pleasant older ladies sat chatting at the pay desk, and upon my interruption, bringing up the subject, mentioning the damage, and showing them the pages, one of them said as she looked, "Ohhh...We can't really sell them when they look like that!" She paused, then said in a playful stage whisper, "Why don't you just take them?"

Me? Take them? For free?!? I was positively thrilled, (beaming, in fact) and after thanking them more than once, I clutched my new treasures and finished perusing the rest of the shelves.

Upon my heading towards the door to leave, an older man came walking in, heading straight towards me. We both stopped short, each in the other's way. He told me to go ahead, but I said that he could go first. He hesitated, and then good-naturedly stepped past me with thanks, calling out "Age before beauty!" as he went by. Now, normally that would have embarrassed me, but I was so happy with my books I only thanked him and left.

After looking at the books more closely later on, they are indeed identical to each other, so I have two copies of the exact same book, but since the notes are so entirely different and written by two separate hands, I think I'll keep them, at least for now.

The main reason I was so attracted to these in the first place (other than the "18th century" in the title!!) was the content -- everyone from Daniel Defoe, Jonathan Swift, Alexander Pope, Allan Ramsay, Horace Walpole, William Cowper, Thomas Paine, and even Sir Joshua Reynolds has a place! Samuel Johnson (and Boswell!) also are given generous attention, and so I now have my own copy of The Vanity of Human Wishes! Yay!

But one name in particular made me laugh. Apparently one William Collins had a secret literary life on the side, which he must have diligently pursued when not courting Lady Catherine de Bourgh and her benevolence. *lol*

Every Labor Day weekend there is a Civil War Reenactment in a large park, and for three out of the past four years we have driven down and attended.

( Warning: photos and rambling behind the cut! )

Current Music: Ashokan Farewell (from Ken Burns' The Civil War Soundtrack)

Don't. Laugh. You all are going to think I'm crazy wacko, but since this is my blog, I'm doing it anyway. ;-) "Despise me if you dare..."

Yesterday we went shopping, and of course I just had to check out the shoes...haha. They had some Skechers on sale (Bikers Luxe in black) that I've wanted since they came out last year, and my wonderful brother bought them for me! He's such an angel -- well he's so sweet anyway, not just when he buys me shoes! ;-) Here is a pic for those of you who care: click for pic

I wear mostly black anyway, and they have great support and are comfortable, so these will be very practical. They're kind of like a cross between ballet flats and running shoes, and they're rather flattering to my feet, which is always to be desired. ;-) Strangely enough, I had to go down a size from my usual 10. I guess these must run really large, or my feet shrunk overnight!! ;-)

In other news, we made it to the Friends of the Library bookstore today, and bought a stack of books. You can't beat magazines for a quarter and books for $1-2 dollars! I got a two-volume set of The Complete Sherlock Holmes to build up my Sherlockian collection, Sanctuary by Beverly Lewis which I read years ago and loved for some odd reason, and a couple old doll magazines. Like I need more stuff to read.

My brother Spencer had his usual mountain of knowledge to purchase, and it took both of us to carry it to the desk. ;-) You should have seen the librarian's eyes bug out of her head when she saw us!!