Monday Musings

Right now...it is almost 11am. The girls have been here for a few hours, and are busily working on lessons while they alternate between singing and shushing each other.

This weekend was... filled with tragedy and amazingness.

Sunday first. After Mass, we spent the day with my in-laws. Scrabble was played, and my mother-in-law crushed us. She is a Scrabble mastermind. But thankfully, after dinner we played Pinochle, and my husband and I totally dominated, redeeming ourselves a bit.

The sad news was that the now notorious "Tyson" (see Friday's vlog if you haven't already) got into the hospital pens where we were nursing some pecked chickens. Every one of the 10 sick chickens were gone. After hours of searching, my husband found 9 of them in the area (and several eggs, too, bless their terrorized little chicken hearts), but one of them died this morning and another has not been found.

I'm about ready to be done with the whole chicken business, as it's brought so much heartache, but my dedicated husband is in it for the long haul.


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On Saturday after an amazing Confession to a visiting Holy Spirit filled Dominican priest, I had a surprise date night with my husband.

"I could make pizza." "Or we could order it." Score!! Freedom from cooking and dishes for an evening!

Then we went to a movie. The last dozen or two movies we've seen in the theater have been animated. In our quest for non-offensive entertainment, we've been limited to such thought-provoking cinematic wonders as Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, Bolt, and Tangled. "Cute," perhaps, but utterly forgettable.

On the recommendation of a blogger I trust, I suggested "The King's Speech" for our date night (hey, it was that or Chronicles of Narnia, again). The R rating was rather a huge obstacle for me, considering the only other R rated movie I've seen is the Passion... but it was rated so only for two brief scenes of profanity, so we went.

I'm going to have to see it again to make sure (because I don't lightly praise movies; only the highest quality films make it past my discriminating taste), but I think I can safely rank it amongst the top 5 greatest films of the decade. It is truly a great film. For lovers of A&E's Pride and Prejudice, it stars Darcy (Colin Firth), and Lizzie (Jennifer Ehle) and Mr. Collins (David Bamber) also make appearances.

The movie is utterly applicable to anyone who has been entrusted with a task of which they think themselves incapable or underqualified. Anyone who has a cross to bear and overcome (uum... everybody?) can identify and find a worthy hero in this film. His anguish is real, his fear is great, his cross is heavy. I was rooting for him the whole time, because I could feel myself, in so many ways, to be him. Insecurities, fears, inadequacy, but ultimately grace.

The acting was unparalleled... with the notable exception of Helena Bonham Carter who plays his wife. To me, she comes across as regal, to be sure, but cold and unconvincing as a wife. She doesn't have the air of a woman in love, and though she does all of the right things (supporting, counseling, listening, consoling, being a tireless advocate), she lacks a gentleness in her eyes, and the warmth and tenderness of a truly devoted wife. I wish Jennifer Ehle could've played her character, as she was much softer and more feminine.

Anyway, the language for which it was rated R was, in my opinion, integral to the story and thoroughly unoffensive. Yes, the worst words in the English language are used in rapid succession, but they are not used vulgarly, they are not directed at anyone, and they lack the crude intent which makes the combination of letters so objectionable to begin with.

I would pay to watch this movie again. And I would recommend it most highly to all adults. Yes, even my parents. Although the language is not offensive or vulgar to a mature adult, I would obviously not recommend this to (most) teenagers nor families with small and impressionable children.

Some plans for this week:  Go to the parish mission each night. Go to Mass each morning.

If I have some time to myself, I want to... make some little items for my newborn niece who is soon to be my godbaby.

Prayer intentions for this week: for my baby nephew, whose life is very much in danger right now (he's on a necessary medication that completely wipes out his immune system, and he just caught a cold). Dear Lord, protect him and strengthen his family!

Something that makes me smile: The knowledge that great films (with lasting permanence and intrinsic value) are still being made. And that I have the perfect husband to enjoy them with.

Monday Musings are hosted at Patch O' Dirt Farm.