Dec
10
It is cold here in Seattle. I know, I know: you were born on the ice planet Hoth and if it weren’t for that tauntaun which provided warming entrails for you and your tribe you would have all perished in the great storm of ’06 when the temperatures reached nine hundred jillion below zero and you still can’t see very good out of that previously-frozen left cornea so what do I know about cold, but listen, all I’m saying is that it’s normally pretty mild here in the winter and I am not used to peering at a sub-20° thermometer for days on end, or worse, having to reluctantly lace on my shoes and go running in this shit, where my self-pitying tears instantly form a sheet of ice on my face.
(I love how that one light of ours is all, Ladies?)
The upside to this unusually chilly weather is how crystal-clear the days have been. The mountains look craggy and enormous, and with their fresh coats of snow they seem as imposing and dramatic as the Himalayas. The lakes are sparkling and glassy. The recent full moon was improbably detailed, like something Photoshopped over the city. The sunrises and sunsets have been achingly lovely.
We got our tree this week and at first I felt kind of awful that we didn’t go to the same U-cut farm we usually do. It was just so bone-chillingly cold and I imagined trying to bundle up the kids and Dylan refusing all head-coverings as usual and everyone crying with snot stuck to their lips and mittens getting lost and etfuckincetera so JB and I just stopped by one of those crappy-looking lots where a guy is selling trees from his trailer with a spray-painted sign propped nearby that says XMAS TREZ and guess what, the selection was MUCH nicer than our beloved tree farm and the Noble we picked out was about $30 cheaper. Who knew?
I really thought we’d have to come up with some bungee-cord solution for the tree this year because I pictured Dylan constantly trying to pull it down on his head, but I guess since it is not shaped like a horse it doesn’t really tickle his fancy. He “helped” with the lights and was briefly interested in some of the ornaments, but now it’s this total meh thing over there in the living room, not nearly as cool as Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron.
By the way can I just tell you what a total mouthbreathing fool I was for getting him that movie, because it features, in addition to Matt Damon’s horse-voice, a moving and dramatic and endless soundtrack with lots and lots and lots and LOTS of Bryan Adams songs. Of course Dylan is obsessed with it, is begging night and day for the “Horse? TV? Horse? TV?” and if I don’t seem to be obeying fast enough he goes and brings me the remote and stands there peering up at me expectedly, like THIS IS THE UNITED STATES CALLING ARE WE REACHING? Meanwhile I’ve got about eight thousand cheesy Bryan Adams songs stuck in my head here I am it’s just me and you tonight we make our dreams come TRUUEEE aarrrrrrgh.
PS: Dylan’s started . . . neighing. A LOT.
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Dylan’s horse thing cracks me right the hell up.
And, nice tree!!!
I’m in Seattle too and the weather k-i-l-l-e-d my xmas spirit this week. A frozen pipe burst and destroyed our condo big time. I don’t care how cool you are with cold – that’s just not right.
Oh yea, we have Harry Potter obsession in the house like none-other. When we swear (yes, we swear sometimes), our boy reminds us that the acceptable outburst is “Merlin’s Beard” – not “Oh Sh*t!” Oh well! :)
My Gracie has been horsie-obsessed for about a year now, and I have seen that bloody movie 1,556,320 times. Roughly. I haven’t really counted. But it’s got to be that many. She calls it My Horsie Movie, and she gallops all around the room with her favorite Fisher Price Little People horse that she calls “Brown Horse.” Brown Horse is her favorite, but we also have about 50 other horses and counting…Christmas is coming. So, I’m here with you in horsie solidarity.
I love the photo of the blue lights. But that does look cold. Shall I not tell you how warm it is over here in Sydney?
Ok then.
At risk of sounding any more stalkerish than I have any other time previously……my 9 year old has a pony, and we are an hour or so North of your city. The pony is a therapy pony for my boy, very gentle and sweet. If you want to give Dylan a chance to ride, Peanut Butter the pony would be a great first (?) ride experience for any kid. The offer stands open, just drop me an email if you’d like! I’d be happy to meet you at an indoor arena somewhere between here and there.
I’ve been horse crazy my entire life, so I *get* where Dylan is coming from, lol!!! :)
Sonia, that is so sweet! We might take you up on that someday, right now Dylan seems a little intimidated by *actual* horses, as evidenced by our last trip to the farm. I think he thinks they’re, you know, about six inches tall.
Lol!! They can be intimidating for kids. So the offer stands, you just let me know!
For the record, you can buy your own tauntaun. We bought one for those, uh, extremely harsh Northern Virginia winters. Ha.
http://www.thinkgeek.com/geektoys/plush/bb2e/
and yes, my hubby was actually willing to pay that much for this thing. It doesn’t roll into a nice little ball like a regular one does, but who cares? It is a Frakkin’ Tauntaun!
When we go to that mall, we have to avoid that entire wing because Fitz-Hume and Millbarge are obsessed with those ratty-tailed horses on the Merry Go Round and would happily ride them for a good thirty minutes at a stretch if we let them. At least it’s only a quarter.
Your living room and tree are gorgeous!
I’ve been reading your blog for awhile now too and not commenting but had to. Just wait til he figures out how to use the remote and work the TV / DVD player HIMSELF! Our daughter is about to turn 7 and it’s been wonderful this past year because she knows how to work the TiVo and can even now fix her own cheese “toast” (bread, cheese, microwave).
I will admit, though, it’s a catch-22. On one hand, I LOVE that she’s getting independent and can take care of herself (mostly) while we continue to sleep a little longer. On the other hand… where’d my baby go??