Friday Jumbles

It's been a strange week, so let's just jump on into my thoughts. The water is mighty fine.

--After our southern blizzard this past Sunday, my kids and I had an interesting day on Monday watching the shimmery, white evidence melt away into sunshiny oblivion. Kind of sad, really. No matter what room you were in, you could hear the steady trickle of melting snow coming from the edges of the roof. What was interesting was that it didn't really sound or look like rain but rather like someone peeing from the roof. Yes, I said "peeing"...so sue me.

--Fav quote of the week: "Extreme taxation, excessive controls, oppressive government competition with business, frustrated minorities and forgotten Americans are not the products of free enterprise. They are the residue of centralized bureaucracy, of government by a self-anointed elite." --Ronald Reagan (I know...I am on a Reagan kick...I love the Gipper!)

--I have been watching "Gone With the Wind" with my three sons this week (yes, they were forced) because one of them has been studying the Civil War. I think it makes what often seems so clinical and sterile in a history book come alive and become "human". It has been fascinating to see my boys react to the horrors of that war and what it did to people, how it changed them. Even though it is a "Hollywood" depiction of war, it still drove home some points I was trying to make as they studied the facts. It really is a movie everyone should see once in their life. And surprisingly, they really enjoyed it. Counting the five inches of snow on Sunday, that makes two miracles in one week!

--"Oh, Ashley, you do love me don't you?? Say it, Ashley, tell me that you do love me and we can run away together." Oh. Sorry. It's stuck in my head.

--And speaking of shallow women and the men who love them, my boys were especially amazed at the number of men falling all over themselves in the presence of Scarlett O'hara when she was clearly shallow and manipulative. Why not choose Melanie who was so good and pure of heart and pretty, they wondered? Ahhhh, I have done a good job raising them....

--And finally, my Christmas cactus (and, yes, it is definitely a Christmas cactus) is covered in a profusion of beautiful, red blooms on this fine March day. When did I enter the twilight zone?? Merry Christmas everyone!!