Crazy Psychic Scout

So, Scout has exactly two wrapped presents under the tree at this time. One is a My Little Pony by the name of Rainbow Dash, the other is a new little porcelain tea set.

Not this tea set, but you get the idea..

At about 7 this morning, Scout comes into my room and said, "mom, there is another Rainbow Dash! Now I have two Rainbow Dashs and they can have a tea party!!" (She got a miniature one in her happy meal early this week, a rainbow dash that is)
My heart sinks and I said, "Scout! Did you open up the presents that are under the tree?" She said yes and I hop out of bed chastising her with the intention of confiscating them and re wrapping them.
I go downstairs and I was surprised to find the two presents exactly where they have been, neatly wrapped under the tree. Confused I go in her room, and she has her old plastic tea set all set out and her My Little Ponies poised to have a great party.
What kind of crazy coincidence is that?? She likes her tea set, but hasn't played with it in weeks. I told Rob the craziness about a half hour ago and he said that he took her to McDonald's last night (surprise surprise, mom was at work) and he told me that Scout got another little Rainbow Dash. So, she really did get another Rainbow Dash and they really were having a tea party, just not at all like I was imagining. I have no explanation as to why she answered yes when I asked her if she opened the presents, except that sometimes she just answers my questions affirmatively thinking that's what I want to hear.

CRAZY!

My Experience Reading the Two Towers

It is no secret that I had a wee hard time getting through The Two Towers. It took me over two and a half months to finish it. This is not a reflection of how much reading time I have had, I took a bit of a break in the middle of the book and read 6 books before I picked it up again. I didn't hate the book, in fact I liked probably 65% of it. There are just certain characters I am having a hard time getting into and caring about their journeys. The characters are as follows: Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli.

I think I have figured out why. They kind of encompass my preconceived ideas I have of fantasy novels. Just like men on quests doing stuff. I don't know how to further explain that, but I think that is it. I realize that my experience with Fantasy stuff is fairly limited, therefore most of my ideas about it are perhaps misconstrued. In past posts I have explained a little about what I like about fantasy "magical objects, etc." So maybe I will explain a little about what I don't like about fantasy -men on quests doing stuff. My brain just naturally shuts off. Having magical powers or senses doesn't help at all (they don't hurt, just don't help.) Having a noble reason for the quest also doesn't help. Anyway, for whatever reason, that is what I think of when I think of fantasy and I just go -blah.

I also don't have a lot of concern with "the ring" I know it is powerful, I know it has some bad guy's spirit in it or something and if it falls into the wrong hands, life as all of these people know it in Middle Earth will be destroyed. I also know that it is the crux of this series. I care that Frodo has to destroy it and I am totally with him there, but the whole idea of the ring isn't that interesting to me.

Ok, now that that is done, I really like Frodo and Samwise. I liked all of the story with them and Gollum traveling to Mordor, that was good stuff. Shelob was freaking cool and I wasn't expecting her. It had a good ending too, cliff hanger-ish. I also am liking Pippin and Merry too. They are funny and hold my interest nicely. Treebeard was really cool and I found his whole part really interesting. Rohan was boring to me and gave me flashbacks of Rivendell. But that was the three people I was talking about before, so perhaps my brain inadvertently shut down.

I have a bit of a beef with Mr. Tolkien about something. Why in the world did he name his two bad guys, "Sauron" and "Saruman" this confuses me greatly! They are so similar in spelling and sound, I have great difficulty telling them apart and figuring out who we are talking about at any given time. What is up with that?

I have one more point to bring up, which doesn't have to do with plot or storyline. Sue, in your review of "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" under your dislikes category, you state:
The line in the book "celebrity is as celebrity does". I think Lockhart says it to Harry. When I read the line I almost threw the book across the room in disgust. The Forest Gump people should sue her.
Is this on account of plagiarism or something? If so, I would like to draw your attention to Pg. 624 of my copy of The Two Towers (the last few pages of The Window on the West) : "You've spoken very handsome all along, put me off my guard, talking of Elves and all. But handsome is as handsome does we say."
So, should Tolkien's people sue the Forest Gump writer first? Or is this a legitimate saying that has been tossed around for centuries where you throw in the proper word for the situation?

So in conclusion, all in all, I liked the book. I struggled a bit through parts, but am left with a desire to read the last book so I can see how it all works out. I think I am going to attempt to see the first two movies first. Sue watched a few Harry Potter movies and it may do me some good. Maybe I will understand or care more about the three I am having a hard time picturing. Plus, I must say I am curious to see some of the things I read about come to life. It will also be interesting to see the first movie again and see if anything comes back to me.

Ransom!

Ok, this post is SHAMEFULLY overdue. Remember the time when B said she hated Neil Young and me and my sisters got all up in arms and the war was on? I vaguely remember someone sending B the severed head of a rubber ducky..........
B did get back at us long ago (we can blame Mose the Amish Ghost for a good fraction of why I haven't posted this yet), but to be fair, he only deserves a fraction. I finally got creative and figured out how to post this despite Mose's best efforts. (in your face Mose!!)

Sometime in July, Matt and B came down to Salt Lake and we all watched a Neil Diamond impersonator concert together. It was on the grass and so I brought some blankets. (I'd insert footage of Scout dancing to Neil right here, but Mose is winning THAT battle). One of the blankets was the beloved "cookie blanket" it is ultra soft and covered with cookies and everyone loves it. I made it for Rob to curl on the couch with a few Christmases ago. After the concert, we went back to Sues and watched Will Ferrell (I think) and true to form, B fell asleep. She fell asleep wrapped in the cookie blanket (she is one of cookie blanket's biggest fans). I didn't want to disturb her (aren't I so so nice?), so I left without it and went home figuring I could get it from Sue sometime in the future. The future came that next week. I believe I was going to give her a cd I made for her of Radiohead as an intro for her to the best band ever, -man I created a masterpiece with that and liked it so much I kept it as a playlist on my itunes and enjoy it from time to time --how's that going by the way Sue?). Anyway, Scout and I were going north to the library, so it all worked out nicely. Except that Sue text me that she couldn't find the blanket in question. That was kind of weird and we were both really stumped until we thought of B........ I KNEW she took it and text her that night and she really acted innocent. There was a second where she seemed a bit fishy, and I called her on that, but I kind of believed her a little bit. Sue and I turned into self proclaimed super detectives by the name of Nancy Drew (Sue) and I was George and I think we named Cath Bess. After some mental sluething in our matching outfits and handbags and kicky heels, we came to two conclusions- 1.) B took it and is lying (in the name of rubber duckies everywhere). or 2.) (I'm sorry B, but it's true) B took it cause she loves it so much, without Matt's knowledge and was up in the attic ala' Bertha Rochester, stroking the cookie blanket in secret.

Well The Case of the Missing Cookie Blanket dragged on for a few weeks until one morning I got a text from Sue wondering if I had looked outside my door yet. I had not as it was only 8:30. I peeked outside and immediately slammed the door and text Sue, "What in the world is that??!!" The sight that greeted me was this:That's not quite right, my doorstep had Timmy with crossed out eyes (black electrical tape) and a small scattering of cookies (my pics are still in my camera and have to stay there until we figure out our computer problem). At Sue's house she was greeted with a ransom note, the above picture and my cookie blanket draped on her scarecrow.

B composed that herself to the tune of a lovely Neil Young song:

So, B did have it, and Nancy and Co. solved the case (with option number one, which is probably for the best, cause option 2 was kind of creepy and we are glad Matt doesn't have that to deal with). Rob didn't think it was fair, cause it was his blanket and I quote, "I don't even like Neil Young!". Poor Timmy, Sue never even noticed he was missing......

Here is the best part of this whole thing. Matt and B drove down to execute this little caper and went to Sue's first, and then down to Orem to drop the goods off at my house. It's 3 in the morning and what do they do now? They can't stay with any of their sisters, we can't know they are in town. SO they go down the street from my house, park at a park and sleep in the car! To make it even funnier, one of the people that live across the street knocked on their window at like 8 in the morning and gave them muffins and juice. Haha! Happy Valley............................

By the way, if you're totally lost by all this read this, start from the bottom post and work your way up.. (hint: there is vital information in the comments).

Happy Birthday Jonny!

My own Jonny Greenwood celebrated a birthday this week. I want to wish him many happy returns and to publicly declare him as my music god. Jonny, what can I say? I simply cannot get enough of your music. You have totally blown my mind and don't you ever ever ever stop.


I can't write this post without giving a little shout out to Thom. I missed his birthday last month and need to make up for it. Thom, you are a master. Master lyricist, singer, mixer, just all of it. You amaze me. When you guys entered my life 8 years ago, you totally knocked my music world on it's ear and have since totally eclipsed every other band I have ever heard. I like and enjoy other music, but the problem is, at the end of the day, it just isn't Radiohead. Thank you so much for doing what you do and keep doing it!

You like to cover Carly Simon's "Nobody Does It Better" and how fitting? Truer words were never spoken.




I just had to add this picture. It makes me laugh. Thom is such a wonderful spaz.

Some good fun

Cheers

Halloween Report

Well, Scout and I had a fun Halloween. Poor Rob has been working very long hours this week trying to finish 4 different jobs, so he has been ghost daddy, so it was basically just the two of us. As you can see Scout was a witch. That is all she wanted to be, even though I dressed her as one two years ago (she doesn't remember). She had school today, where they had a party, so she dressed up. Her teacher was also a witch and there was some scene where she made some witches brew and (she told me as I picked Scout up), that Scout dived under the table and refused to come out. She said that it makes about one child a year cry. Scout didn't cry, just ran for her life. When I asked her later, she said that she didn't want her teacher to cast a spell on her. Then we had an unsuccessful attempt at a nap, and then set up a bowl of candy on the porch and went trick or treating. At one house, she got a sucker shaped as a skull and it impressed her so much that for about the next 5 houses, when someone opened the door they were greeted with, "I got a skeleton sucker". She was cute, and we have THE BEST neighborhood for trick or treating. No one drives, houses are fairly close together, everyone's out, it is just totally ideal for such things. Then we went home and watched a Halloween Charlie and Lola and answered the door. Then daddy came home and then we answered the door until all the candy was gone. Scout had to answer the door everytime and hand out the candy, even when she was in her dunglees and half asleep. That is about it! Sorry it was SO BORING! But, we had a nice time and Scout (and mom and dad) got some good treats.I made the cape, as I already had everything else and couldn't find just a cape. Scout picked out the fabric, she really wanted pink, I couldn't find any trim the same color so went with gold (it matched the gold spots on the fabric you probably can't see. Anyway it turned out fairly ghastly, a little more superhero then witch, but Scout was very pleased, so I was too. Also, as I set out to sew it, figured out my sewing machine (well half of it) was still at Grandpa Pugh's house, so I had to glue gun it. Lame sauce.I made her a little broom and I was so proud of it, but forgot to have her hold it for the pictures. It cost only 1.99 to make. Here is a little pic of it, (with a crayon for perspective)

I thought this was a nice little Halloween image. Double suckering it.

Diamond Rooms, Reverent Raccoons and Dang It

The famed dinosaurs are back. This time they all got owies and needed Spongebob band aids.
She said they got "bites".

I decided that next time Scout said something funny, I would write it down a not post until I saved a few up. So I have a few, plus a few more entries into the "Scoutisms dictionary"

Scout made a little book in nursery called "Reverence Raccoon". She wanted me to read it to her on the way home from church, so I did.
It was about what you would expect it to be, such as being quiet in church, folding your arms, etc. After I read it, I said, "Are you going to be like Reverence Raccoon?"
She said, "No."
We were slightly off put and Rob and I just kind of looked at each other like, well ok- she has spoken. Then I said,
"Why not? It would be very nice to be like Reverence Raccoon." She just stayed silent.
About a minute later she said (with a little world weariness in her voice),
"I'll wear the costume later".
I suppose this was just a little close to Halloween.

Scout struggling with a toy (a little disk that shoots out smaller discs)
"Dang it!"
(Takes a quick glance at me)
"I don't like it when I say 'dang it', it's no good"
About one second later.............
"dang it!"

We had a little discussion about using 'dang it' about a week ago, I just mentioned that I would rather her not use that expression (I'm SURE it flies out of my own mouth in her presence about 15 times a day) so I was expecting this. Anyway the same day about 6 hours later she picked up the same toy, and even before she started playing with it said:

"I don't want to say "dang it" -sorry mom!"

(I didn't say a word! Nor did I even give her a look)

Scoutisms

The diamond room: Dining room. This took a long time for us to figure out. She is talking about the little room as you walk in the house to your right. I couldn't figure out why she would call that the diamond room. It is more of a sitting/TV room, but we do dine there quite a bit since it has a TV. But Rob and I have never referred to it as a dining room, we have one off of the kitchen.

I would like to introduce you all to "Milo and Notice". They do a lot of playing together, mostly in Scout's bathroom sink riding boats.

"Notice" just kills me every time.

My brain died when I started trying to remember Scoutisms. Maybe I can come up with more later, and post them. This was originally going to be a journal of funnies exert, but it turned into more shenanigans.