Thursday, September 16, 2021

It's Still Summer Here


 

Yesterday when Owen and I were talking, he mentioned a "lygor" and I said, "Have you ever seen "Napoleon Dynamite"? 

He had not. And so we remedied that last night. I don't know if I've ever spoken of my love for that movie here before but it truly is one of my favorites. Because it's such a low-budget film, it had to be creative and charming and clever and self-aware and self-ironic and funny and heart-touching and, well- just all of the stuff I like in a movie. The dialogue knocks me out. I think it's got some of the best lines of any movie I've ever seen. I personally love the acting. I love the characters. I love the way it gently pokes fun at stereotypes and I love the way it captures the absurdity of high school right along with the impossible tenderness of first love. 
It was probably more fun for me to watch it for the who-knows-how-many-times than it was for Owen to watch it the first time but I think he liked it. At least he stayed awake until the very end. I always forget that after ALL of the credits run, possibly the best part of the movie is still to be seen. If any of you have not seen it, I will not ruin that ending for you but I will just say that one of my favorite movie lines of all times is there. 
"Sorry I'm late. I tamed this honeymoon stallion for you."
And rather unbelievably, there is not one cuss in it. 

The pizza I made was pretty darn fantastic. I finally made the thin and crispy crust that Mr. Moon loves and the Alfredo sauce was spectacular. I made two pizzas, one with just the sauce, chicken, a few banana peppers, and some onion, and the other had spinach mixed in with the sauce and was topped with all the things the first one had plus artichoke hearts and mushrooms. 
Yeah. It was good.

After dinner and a movie, Owen took his shower and got into his very clean bed and I said, "I guess you don't need me to read 'The Little Red Hen Makes a Pizza' do you?" and he said, "No. I'm tired."
I said, "I am too." and I was. But I did kiss him good-night and tuck him in. 
He is such a fine boy. 

There were pancakes this morning as there always seems to be on spend-the-night morning-afters. And after Boppy took the boy home I decided to get a little more clearing done in the garden. I swear- I am as bad at pulling the spent plants as I am pulling seedlings to thin new rows. But damn! The peppers, despite falling over and looking extremely weary are still giving forth and the peas are still making pods, plump with their sweet little morsels of protein heaven. And the zinnias!


That is the last handful of okra I'm getting. I can say this with certainty as the plants have mostly died back to sticks and those I have pulled. I think I'll cook the few I picked today with some tomatoes and onion for our supper. And I suppose I must make one more batch of pepper jam. 

But I did do some weeding and I did pull some beans and a few eggplants. It wasn't SO hot but the humidity is right around 80% and quite frankly, I'm miserable out there working in it. Mr. Moon's been pushing gravel around for hours on the little tractor-thingee he rented after he dropped off Owen. I don't know if it's a skid steer or not. I just know it has a something-something in the front and another something-something in the back. 
My observational skills are obviously lacking. But it does appear to be doing a pretty good job of moving that gravel. 
I think the man and I will sleep pretty well tonight. 

And now, not to be grim or anything, have you seen the report that at this point, one out of five-hundred Americans have died of Covid so far? And that is not counting those who died before testing was established or those who weren't, for whatever reason, counted as Covid deaths. 
My point here is not to depress anyone but in fact, to remind us all that masks are very much still necessary for all of us. And that if you have not been vaccinated, just please stay home. I found out today that my niece got the damn virus at school but thankfully, she has been vaccinated and her symptoms are no worse than those of a bad cold. Her mother who is a nurse, is furious with DeathSantis who refuses to make kids mask. As I've said before, our superintendent of schools has gone against the governor and is requiring masks for children in schools up to the age of twelve but not beyond, hoping, I suppose, that the children over twelve will have gotten their vaccinations. 
But all of them have not. Obviously. 
Here's the new Florida motto:



Be safe. 

Love...Ms. Moon

27 comments:

  1. You must be the world's greatest gma!

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    1. Seriously doubt it but I sure do love my grands and that's what propels me.

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  2. I'm so glad you all had a good time. I've never seen the movie you mentioned but your pizzas sound fabulous. Wishing you sweet sleep.

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    1. Well, if you get a chance, watch it. You might hate it, you might love it.

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  3. All your grands are beautiful. What a good sleep over.

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  4. So glad I'm not the only grown woman that loves "Napoleon Dynamite".....It's a gem!
    You are the best, Mary, look forward to catching up with you every night! xo

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    1. What IS it about that movie? It's just so darn sweet and funny and tender.

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  5. You have convinced me to borrow Napoleon Dynamite from the library. It's been on the "we should watch this someday" list ever since it came out - several decades ago, now.

    That garden haul is impressive! Even end-of-season, your garden keeps pumping out those peas and peppers. Your pizza and the overnight with Owen sound equally wonderful.

    The Covid statistics are horrible. Thank goodness your school superintendent has balls. Idaho's Republican governor is doing as good a job as Idaho politics permits. Our right-wing nutcase legislators continue to gin up falsehoods and inflame voters; Gov Little has to walk a political tightrope to accomplish anything. UGH!

    On a brighter note - ZINNIAS!

    Chris from Boise

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    1. I hope you like the movie!
      You're right about the garden. It's not quite done but I think I may be! Time for the greens!
      Covid has cut a swath through our country and it hasn't had to be that bad. But hey! We have our freedom! To die.

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  6. I have watched napoleon so many times - every time I laugh and laugh, Poor Tina! I LOVE that movie.
    The woman who played the Gramma was also in Big Love, I am sure you knew that already. She was crusty!
    Your peppers and friends photo is gorgeous! Almost burned my eyes!

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    1. No! I did not know that Gramma was in Big Love. I'll have to check that out. She was indeed crusty. Salty, too.
      Those red peppers would definitely burn your eyes. They are hot!

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  7. The American COVID death toll is so tragic. Behind every death there is a story and a legacy. Okay, the early Europeans could tough out The Wild West with its wolves, its jagged mountains, its deserts, its swampland and its bears but toughing out COVID is a whole different thing. That is not about freedom, it is about dumbness. Never seen "Napoleon Dynamite". I will try to find it.

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    1. And the darn thing is- the Americans who cherish that idea of what they think freedom is and who believe they don't need no damn government to tell them what to do are the ones dying the fastest. Pleading on their deathbeds for a vaccine that it is too late for.
      You might not like Napoleon Dynamite. It's sort of a quirky movie.

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  8. Sadly, that's not a new motto for Florida! But it seems more and more relevant every year. So sorry to hear about your niece. That's scary.

    "Napoleon Dynamite" is fantastic -- I love the scene where he's feeding leftover lasagna to Tina the llama. SO funny! I'm not sure I've ever watched after the credits. I gotta make sure to do that next time! It's a great movie for someone of Owen's age, too. He'll always remember watching it with you!

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    1. I think my niece is fine but yes, it IS scary as hell.
      You've never seen the last scene? Oh, Steve! You have to! It is the best, best, best! It's got Kip and Lafawnduh in it. You can probably find it on YouTube. Just that one scene.

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  9. My 7yr old GS was exposed at school (only six days after school started), quarantined, tested (thankfully, negative) and is now back in school having missed almost a week (with no virtual option--so missed learning time). My oldest son (vaccinated) was exposed at work by a non-vaccinated co-worker who also infected several other vaccinated colleagues. Their company then issued orders that those who are not fully vaccinated by mid-November will be terminated. Period.

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    1. This whole situation is a mess and any actual education going on is sort of suspect. Why the hell are they giving those employees until mid-November? That's ridiculous. Time is obviously of the essence.

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  10. well, I've said for a long time now that America doesn't need outside enemies to destroy us since we are doing a fine job of it ourselves. yes, I saw that. unbelievable, 1 in 500. a friend of mine sent me an essay on stupidity as the third force that governs our lives. I'll probably post a link to it. Sorry to hear about your niece. My neighbor who is vaccinated, has it. thinks she got it from her daughter/grandchildren, also all vaccinated, who have it as well. not very sick, like your niece.

    no Little Red Hen Makes A Pizza? Owen is truly growing up.

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    1. Amen on our country destroying itself from the inside. Remember when Khrushchev warned us that we'd do that? Damn, but he was right.
      If all the vaccine does is prevent us from having horrible cases of the illness, it will be worth it. Jesus- what is wrong with people who refuse to get it? Stupidity. Yeah.
      Owen is growing up. No doubt about it.

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  11. I have to remember to watch "Napoleon Dynamite" again. I loved that movie back in the day. I think my granddaughters would enjoy it since they are in High school now (frosh and soph).
    Another successful sleepover! Those pizzas do sound yummy!
    Hate and ignorance are really dominating the news these days. I think we have more good people than we are seeing on TV and I wish the media wouldn't give so much attention to the crazies.

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    1. I think your granddaughters might like the movie. But you know them better than I do! At least it's a movie you wouldn't mind watching!
      I don't watch TV news, really, so I can't comment on the media giving so much attention to the crazies but if it had just ignored Trump from the beginning he never would have become president.

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  12. Florida's new motto is entirely fitting.

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    1. I live in Pennsylvania, where our school board has just voted to ignore the mask mandate, against the advice of the lawyers, against the advice of the local medical community, against the wishes of the majority of the parents. One of the the cretins actually equated covid with too many big macs. Stupid stretches beyond Florida.

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  13. Oh Mary, another way in which we are the same person! I LOVE Napoleon Dynamite! My daughter introduced me to it when she was in middle school and we have watched it together and laughed with such tenderness again and again over the years. How wonderful to think of you sharing it with Owen. I love that your grands get to have to all to themselves, serially.

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Tell me, sweeties. Tell me what you think.