tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74946379820421142042012-03-09T09:00:17.779-05:00The guide that will inform and entertain as it reviews zombie resources with the eyes of a parent and parenting resources with the eyes of a zombie.Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.comBlogger3581100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-27169255301355525622012-03-09T09:00:00.000-05:002012-03-09T09:00:17.785-05:00

Finally, a kids' animated movie about zombies. Sure zombies are the bad guys, but at least they provide plenty of classic kids comic relief, too. Check out the trailer... All the elements of a kids film are here: Child appropriate toilet humor--check. Bad puns like "this is getting out of hand" as zombie hand comes in--check. Cute overweight boy sidekick (like the boy scout from Up)--check.

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-4260634970760982832012-03-08T06:00:00.000-05:002012-03-08T06:00:14.654-05:00

The Walking Dead Season 2, Episode 10: 18 Miles Out TV Rating TV-14 ZPAA rating Late teen and up Gore level 7.5 out of 10--burnt corpses; lots and lots of zombie head stabs with related blood and gore; gun shots into and through zombie heads with blood and bits; a car running over a zombie's head; fist fight that gets bloody; blood used as

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-15618661462978549322012-03-07T09:00:00.001-05:002012-03-07T09:00:45.605-05:00

As gory as this game gets! Zombie Dice is a nicely themed "press your luck" game where you play a zombie trying to eat thirteen brains before any of the other zombie players do. Each turn the player takes three random dice out of the cup (the potential victims) and rolls them. Rolling a brain means the player gets to keep that particular die and eat their brains. Rolling a shotgun blast has

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-84936417632623338862012-03-06T07:00:00.000-05:002012-03-06T07:00:07.516-05:00

Hellboy: Masks and Monsters by Mike Mignola et al. One of the popular things to boost sales in the comics industry is to make a team of individually popular characters (like The Avengers or the various Justice Leagues) or have characters' worlds cross. Since Hellboy is in a universe of his own, this work is definitely the later. Actually, this volume contains two separate team-ups: Batman/

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-30303504559645161772012-03-05T07:00:00.000-05:002012-03-05T07:00:07.269-05:00

On our recent visit to Skipton, we payed an all too brief visit to the Craven Museum & Gallery. Plenty of exhibits show what life was like through the centuries in Skipton and the surrounding area. The highlight (which we missed) is the Shakespeare First Folio, printed less than ten years after Shakespeare's death in 1618. We will definitely go back to see more of the museum when we have more

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-60916629658502291542012-03-04T10:39:00.002-05:002012-03-04T10:39:35.526-05:00

This may explain the strange title of the new Bond film currently in production. The title is Skyfall and this video shows a potential threat 007 faces: How many malls have a stand selling these little helicopters? Clearly some evil genius has been staging them across the world waiting for the moment to be right, like George Lucas waiting until there were enough 3D-equipped theaters before

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-45809331623103562702012-03-03T05:21:00.000-05:002012-03-03T05:21:16.734-05:00

Psalms for All Seasons by John F. Craghan John F. Craghan has written Psalms for All Seasons to help the reader pray the Psalms in our current, high-tech age. The world of computers and jet planes and television seems so far removed from the time the Psalms were written. How can modern people relate to the content of the Psalms and the thoughts, aspirations, frustrations, and elations found in

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-71007766360734123322012-03-02T10:16:00.002-05:002012-03-02T10:26:32.619-05:00

Today, March 2, is the birthday of Dr. Seuss. He was born in 1904, so he'd be 108 years old if he were still around (he died in 1991 and this post is in 2012). To celebrate, the library had a major Dr. Seuss fest for their usual story time. They read several classics, including The Lorax and Yertle the Turtle. Lucy was pretty naughty during the reading so I had to take her out. Jacob really

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-53878640964258341132012-03-01T10:37:00.001-05:002012-03-01T10:37:02.415-05:00

Zombie Apocalypse (2011) directed by Nick Lyon This movie has the standard premise: a group of strangers (ethnically diverse strangers, but make sure to include a blond Caucasian woman) join together to travel in safety (if they can trust each other) during a world-wide zombie outbreak. This movie has already come out (for Halloween 2011, released on the Syfy channel), but the trailer made me

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-24537377183003736062012-02-29T08:54:00.000-05:002012-02-29T08:54:57.815-05:00

Outer Banks Tales to Remember by Charles Harry Whedbee This fun little folk lore book has a dozen or so stories from the Outer Banks (the island chain on North Carolina's Atlantic coast). The tales include merchants and pirates, hunters and lovers, native Americans and new settlers to the Outer Banks. Some stories involve ghosts or witches or haunted swamps and trees. Most are from over a

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-52705195971075874722012-02-28T09:40:00.002-05:002012-02-28T09:40:45.658-05:00

We took a Saturday morning to visit Mount Grace Priory, the remains of the youngest Carthusian monastery in England (founded in 1398). It wasn't a very far drive from our home. We did stop off in Thirsk to slake our thirst. The town square was bustling with activity. Market day held no sway over us as we headed to the White Rose Books and Coffee Bar for a snack. Jacob was totally amazed that it

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-78296489548291137182012-02-27T14:22:00.003-05:002012-02-27T14:22:41.473-05:00

Not sure what the caption refers to... No, alas, it's not a place for zombies to congregate and have a fun time chowing down on whatever youngsters are accidentally sent to camp by inattentive parents. These camps are all about surviving the coming zombie apocalypse. You have three choices: Going to the one for kids: Summer CampZ. Your child can learn archery, wilderness survival, stealth,

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-26653207939621761252012-02-26T06:22:00.002-05:002012-02-26T06:22:35.229-05:00

Apocalypse Apocalypse Revolution! Check out this crazy trailer that sort of seems like a post-apocalyptic future where the stakes are high and the ultimate human physical competition will decide the fate of the everyone involved. Now, you might think I am describing the highly anticipated The Hunger Games, but this movie is oh, so much more than The Hunger Games ever will be. Just watch the

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-79874471731080784052012-02-25T07:59:00.000-05:002012-02-25T07:59:01.037-05:00

I have a lot of random photos I've intended to post but just haven't got around to it or they were only one or two photos and didn't seem to make a whole entry (though sometimes it was just laziness). So here's a completely made up and often arbitrary narrative... Once upon a time at the library, Jacob and Lucy made crowns. These weren't just any crowns. They were magical crowns that turned them

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-75428342249345366402012-02-24T10:31:00.001-05:002012-02-24T10:31:26.953-05:00

The Walking Dead Season 2, Episode 9: Triggerfinger TV Rating TV-14 ZPAA rating Late teen and up Gore level 8.5 out of 10--Zombie forcing his head through a window peals back a lot of his skin and looks pretty nasty; bloody aftermath of a gunfight; a human getting eaten by zombies as we watch; impaled limb (which is later un-impaled on screen);

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-59820269167602185562012-02-23T09:38:00.000-05:002012-02-23T09:38:06.026-05:00

This book has a refreshing honesty and candor. Lewis immediately states that this writing is not scholarly, definitive, or all-encompassing. He writes as one simple Christian to another, seeking a better understanding by pondering problems he has discovered and sharing insights he has gained while reading the Psalms. Lewis writes about a variety of topics in the Psalms that strike him as

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-24340326442363495382012-02-22T16:20:00.000-05:002012-02-22T16:20:38.251-05:00

Today is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. Lent is the liturgical season in the Catholic Church (also observed in other Christian Churches) in preparation for Easter. Typically, people prepare through three activities: prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Prayer is fairly obvious. For this Lent, I will be praying Morning and Evening Prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours (also known as the Divine

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-76111879000153415632012-02-21T17:22:00.000-05:002012-02-21T17:22:11.788-05:00

How many ways can zombies be turned into commodities? Soon they will serve not so much as fitness instructors but as fitness motivators. See this article on Stride Nation about an obstacle course that includes zombies. Good preparation for the coming zombie apocalypse, if you're not a zombie. The race is being run in a city near you, if you live in the United States. Check out the web site http:/

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-26884828183623103592012-02-21T09:37:00.000-05:002012-02-21T09:37:14.739-05:00

This country seems to be the land of rainbows. I've probably seen as many rainbows here in seven or eight months as I've seen the rest of my life elsewhere. Rainy, misty weather does have an upside. You just have to know where to look. Driving Jacob to school today, I saw the end of a rainbow on the horizon in front of me. Then I looked off to the right and saw the other end of the rainbow. As

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-50006999002142520552012-02-20T17:51:00.001-05:002012-02-20T17:51:06.727-05:00

Lucy has had a rather crazy evening. When bath time came around, she did not want to go upstairs. She said, "I'm too hungry, I want another snack." Note she said "another" because she already had plenty to eat at dinner and two snacks afterward. She might have been more convincing if she had gone into the kitchen to point at some food rather than just lie down on the floor and refuse to move. I

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-41682351624175713992012-02-19T14:20:00.002-05:002012-02-19T14:20:48.405-05:00

Washing up our tea pot, I managed to make a concave bubble in the top of the pot. It was amazing so I thought I would share it here. The bubble remained until I popped it. I assume it was concave due to gravity. The hole is about three inches across. It's not very big but large enough to have a bubble instead of a straight film. I tried to recreate it but was unsuccessful, so I guess it

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-12982825313226650112012-02-18T10:40:00.001-05:002012-02-18T10:40:38.027-05:00

I felt a little weird reviewing The Catechism of the Catholic Church since it covers the central beliefs of my faith. Could I say something critical about it without getting hit by lightning? Can I rate it less than five stars (or whatever the top limit is)? Now here I am, reviewing a book from the Bible, which seems like I'm taunting God with a lightning rod. I hope He doesn't mind... The Book

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-20747820869577896742012-02-17T10:26:00.003-05:002012-02-17T10:26:56.974-05:00

Lucy and I made a fascinating discovery the other day. We went to Darley Mill to buy some presents. After we were done shopping, Lucy wanted to walk around outside. Specifically, she wanted to climb the stairs out back that lead up past the mill wheel and to the little canal that fuels the wheel. We walked down one side of the canal and went through a stone doorway. The moment was a magical

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-11745078777301733392012-02-16T08:33:00.001-05:002012-02-16T08:33:36.924-05:00

The Walking Dead Season 2, Episode 8: Nebraska TV Rating TV-14 ZPAA rating Late teen and up Gore level 5 out of 10--Not so bad this time. Sure there are some zombies left over from the massacre; one arm falls off a truck as the corpses are carted away; some blood and gunshots. Other offensive content Human on human violence,

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-50058307270440241102012-02-15T15:00:00.000-05:002012-02-15T15:00:37.848-05:00

Long before half term, we went to visit Hesketh Farm Park, hoping for a fun experience of farm life in the Yorkshire Dales. Unfortunately, I did not do a good job reading the web site. Since it was the end of January, the farm was closed. The outdoor playground was still open, being outdoors and mostly unfenced. We decided to make the most of it and have some play time anyway. The kids didn't

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-38108037239713333742012-02-14T03:07:00.000-05:002012-02-14T14:51:53.706-05:00

Every Zombie Eats Somebody Sometime: A Book of Zombie Love Songs Just in time for Valentine's Day, there's a book of zombie love songs. Well, it's a book of love songs rewritten with zombie lyrics. For example, this is the rewrite of the Beatles classic "Yesterday." Yesterday, All the zombies seemed so far away, Now it looks like they're here to stay, Oh, I'm hungry for something gray.

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-64095093193616992082012-02-13T18:18:00.001-05:002012-02-14T14:52:34.682-05:00

Jacob was pretty excited to start half term, which is the week-long break in the British school system happening this week (Valentine's Day week in 2012 in case you are reading this in a far distant future). Monday morning, he kept saying he couldn't wait to start. I tried to convince him that we'd already started. He would not accept that until we did something fun. I asked him what he wanted to

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-25642251507279636082012-02-13T09:38:00.001-05:002012-02-13T09:38:45.073-05:00

I started this as spiritual reading months ago thanks to a recommendation from the Happy Catholic. The early part made me want to read the bible more, for as St. Jerome says, "He who is ignorant of Scriptures is ignorant of Christ." Now that I have finally finished it. It is not the best book to read straight through. It is well organized but a little dry. Not completely dry, though. Many

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-59293962531711502692012-02-12T06:01:00.001-05:002012-02-12T06:01:40.832-05:00

Not to be outdone by Jacob's school work, Lucy has gone into overdrive producing fun crafts to share on the blog. Unfortunately we don't have a metal refrigerator, so the only spot we can put these gems up are on the web. Enjoy! Last week at the library, Lucy made two bookmarks, one for Jacob and one for her. They don't really need bookmarks because we have always finished whatever book of

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-36837727156019363622012-02-11T10:54:00.001-05:002012-02-11T10:54:22.023-05:00

If Nazis returning from the far side of the moon isn't crazy enough for you, why not check out Osombie? Yes, Osama bin Laden comes back as a zombie! This is a pretty impressive-looking trailer for an independent full-length horror/comedy film. The movie is done filming and the makers are using a Kickstarter campaign to raise money for final editing and sound work. The minimal pledge ($5 US)

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-60965758455730026812012-02-11T05:43:00.000-05:002012-02-11T05:43:30.816-05:00

Jacob has had another fun week at school. After last Saturday's snow (some of which is still on the ground a week later), the school was supplied with materials for a craft that is often impossible: making an actual snow man. Lots of times people make snow men from cotton or construction paper or other materials, but his class made one out of snow. He was quite excited about it. I only wish I

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-72417922839450591962012-02-10T16:08:00.001-05:002012-02-10T16:08:24.612-05:00

The second novel in the Chronicles of Prydain series is The Black Cauldron. In the first novel (reviewed here), the cauldron was in the possession of Prydain's big bad, Arawn, who used it to build an army. He'd take dead people, put them in the cauldron, and they would come back as soulless slaves that did his every bidding. Fearless and deathless warriors are horrific opponents. They obeyed

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-59801271609770652342012-02-09T16:16:00.000-05:002012-02-09T16:16:05.552-05:00

On our last day in Faro, we finally went inside the old city cathedral, Se. As I wrote in the last post, Mommy went first and then Jacob and I went afterward. Jacob approaches the cathedral Stairway to the bell tower Climbing up to the bell tower was not so far but we had plenty of open air and uneven stairs to contend with. Nerves held true and we enjoyed being close enough to touch

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-53045300747504830762012-02-08T17:09:00.001-05:002012-02-08T17:09:27.020-05:00

We did our usual routine on our last day in Faro, Portugal: early rising, breakfasting, and wandering out among the sites. The weather was better though Lucy was still suffering from her cold. Jacob and I headed out to the municipal market, a famous shopping area in town. On the way I saw a vehicle that reminded me of my old job with the American Red Cross. I miss you, Red Cross! Random

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-75184455064147479822012-02-07T16:38:00.001-05:002012-02-08T01:06:42.027-05:00

Back to the Faro trip! Last time, we'd gone to bed just before Sunday with various options for Mass in the morning. We woke up at our usual ungodly early hour during a vacation and we were first at the continental breakfast. We ate all the same items we had yesterday, though I tried the passion fruit juice. It was enjoyable but I liked the orange juice better. The day outside was cloudy with

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-46331829341622160542012-02-06T15:01:00.000-05:002012-02-07T09:46:58.763-05:00

One great American past time is watching the Superbowl, which proved to be challenging here in England. How would we watch the game? Like America before, we have no cable television here in England. Part of the problem is that our TV is incompatible with the British signal (the whole NTSC vs. PAL problem). Of course we could get an adapter for our American television but it seems like too much

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-58544916505972725662012-02-05T09:32:00.001-05:002012-02-05T09:32:07.921-05:00

We experienced our first major snowstorm in England this weekend. The accumulation was about 3 inches of fluffy, light snow. The snowfall started Saturday afternoon and by the evening, the street was a winter wonderland. Before the sun set, the kids were playing in the backyard snow with the neighbors. We had a great time tossing snow around and playing with the chunks of ice that had

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-26753275031883278092012-02-04T18:01:00.001-05:002012-02-04T18:01:26.560-05:00

Jacob's first two weeks at school has been quite good. I was worried the first day that I dropped him off for a full morning. I was hoping I wouldn't get a call or would find him all teary-eyed. When I went to pick him up, he told me I came too late to pick him up but he had no tears. By the end of the week, he was telling me I came too early to pick him up! He has definitely warmed up to being

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-89430551409435205632012-02-03T10:37:00.002-05:002012-02-03T10:37:50.759-05:00

On Thursday, February 12, Ripon Cathedral hosted a Candlemas service. Here's the write up from their web site: Candlemas is one of the most ancient feasts of the Church, and occurs 40 days after Christmas, on the 2nd February. It is also known as the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple, in reference to the episode in Luke's gospel (2:22-40). This ancient festival has been celebrated at Ripon

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-28541520840926927382012-02-03T10:02:00.002-05:002012-02-03T15:55:13.218-05:00

The Live Science Center, or Centro de Ciencia Viva, was a big destination for Jacob. After enjoying the Edinburgh robot so much, we all were hoping for another super science experience with mechanical friends. As you might guess from the name, the center was more focused on earth sciences and biology than on robotics and technology. In fact, no robots were immediately visible to us. Jacob was

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-32508757173670066602012-02-02T06:03:00.002-05:002012-02-02T06:03:33.567-05:00

Back at the hotel after visiting the museum, the children were just waking up. I had spotted a playground and the tourist information center by the Arco da Vila. Once everyone was ready to go, we went to the new playground by the old city. Jacob and Lucy loved the playground and the sunshine that came with it. Jacob the engineer Lucy tries to lift the slide for some inexplicable reason

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-63789858108734611272012-02-01T08:50:00.000-05:002012-02-01T08:50:47.419-05:00

In the former convent of Our Lady of the Assumption, the Museu Municipal de Faro is now housed. For a mere two euros, one may see the art and history of Faro and the Algarve region housed in a modest two story building in the heart of the ancient city. Here's a quick tour! In the museum's entrance, this tapestry depicts the Song of Holy Mary of Afonso X, The Wise (circa 13th century). An image

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-39267183882804818412012-01-31T05:22:00.001-05:002012-01-31T05:22:38.533-05:00

After geocaching was done, I used my little map to try and find some of the churches in town, working my way south to the main cathedral, called  simply Fe, in the walled Old City part of town. I first found the Capuchin Church, which was simply adorned on the outside and dated from the 17th century. Capuchin Church, Faro Portugal Inside was a mystery, because a sign said it was closed

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-80534922143845318782012-01-30T09:42:00.001-05:002012-01-30T09:42:50.260-05:00

The first part of my adventuring alone was looking for geocaches in Faro. We want to geocache all over Europe if we can. Each vacation outside of England we'll try to find at least one geocache. It's a great way to explore an area too. Often caches are hidden in unique sites that have some history in or significance to the area. The first cache I found in Portugal was Aboim Ascencao. The hide is

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-44567552268307449932012-01-29T06:06:00.000-05:002012-01-29T06:06:13.586-05:00

Just in time for Valentine's Day, The Walking Dead TV show is returning to AMC on February 12, 2012. A new trailer is on YouTube. Unfortunately, it's little more than a teaser, so who knows what will happen next after the big shoot up at the barn? Two weeks to the return of the television zombies!

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-88681538658925771192012-01-28T11:33:00.001-05:002012-01-28T11:33:45.375-05:00

Like always, we were early risers on our first day in Faro, Portugal. The kids just don't know about sleeping in. Someday I may regret complaining about this, but right now it would be nice to sleep past 7 a.m. once in a while. Our hotel's breakfast started at 7 a.m. so we were all washed and combed and ready to eat by the time they were ready to serve. We walked across the lovely little

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-3875223294914737652012-01-27T14:47:00.001-05:002012-01-27T14:47:03.944-05:00

Our last trip out of the country was to Faro, Portugal. The destination has several things to recommend it. It's a lot warmer and sunnier than Britain in January. It has lovely seafood and trees full of oranges, even in the dead of winter. And we found cheap flights from a nearby airport. Driving less than half an hour to catch a flight is pretty nice. RyanAir is one of the famous cheap airlines

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-24080534299755807182012-01-26T10:24:00.001-05:002012-01-26T10:24:34.079-05:00

In Bruges, written and directed by Martin McDonagh, 2008 MPAA rating: Rated R for strong bloody violence, pervasive language and some drug use In Bruges is the story of two English hit men who are sent by their mob boss (Ralph Fiennes) to Bruges ("it's in Belgium" as they say in the movie several times) to lay low after a big job. Ray, the younger trigger man played by Colin Farrell, thinks

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-35815602168478910012012-01-25T10:32:00.001-05:002012-01-25T10:32:33.480-05:00

After we finished dinner at the Robert Burns Dinner Dance & Ceilidh Event last Saturday, the dancing began. The band was the excellent Cobblers Wax, a six piece band with fiddle, flute, accordion, keyboard, percussion, and caller. If you've never been to a folk or square dance, a caller is someone who riles up the crowd to get out and dance. More importantly, he guides the dancers by announcing

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-30077441959660620382012-01-24T10:33:00.000-05:002012-01-24T10:33:37.971-05:00

With my kilt on, we headed off to the Robert Burns Dinner Dance & Ceilidh Event last Saturday night. Naturally, the night began as you might imagine: a happy hour with drinks at the bar. After about 45 minutes (enough time for all the later comers and kilt-wearing-challenged people to arrive fashionably late), we were called in to dinner.  The dinner began with the ceremonial presentation of

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-28292162901213248502012-01-23T14:35:00.000-05:002012-01-23T14:50:27.140-05:00

This past weekend we celebrated Burns Night by attending the Robert Burns Dinner Dance & Ceilidh Event. Our party was on the 21st of January, though the actual Burns Night is January 25, the poet's birthday. The dress code said either formal evening wear or Scottish Traditional dress. Of course, Scottish Traditional means a kilt. Our friend (and the event organizer) Colleen encouraged me to rent

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-1904973636786050012012-01-21T07:59:00.000-05:002012-01-21T07:59:12.032-05:00

Robopocalypse: A Novel by Daniel H. Wilson A British hacker, a U.S. congresswomen, and a Japanese scientist walk into an apocalypse...Sounds like the beginning of one of those jokes you remember hearing but can't repeat because it is far too complicated and if you try to tell it, you'll miss some key set ups for the punchline. How did that punchline go again? Like a fine tuned joke, Daniel H.

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-68565592504407978542012-01-20T16:12:00.000-05:002012-01-20T16:12:04.511-05:00

Jacob is no longer a preschooler! He has started nursery school, which is a sort of pre-kindergarten school. So I guess it really is a preschool. So I guess he really is still a preschooler. He certainly doesn't think so. He has been walking around claiming superpowers because he is in school now. He doesn't need the step stool to wash his hands at our bathroom sink. He can carry groceries

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-69876851604469943542012-01-19T16:16:00.000-05:002012-01-19T16:16:01.028-05:00

I realized looking through my pictures that there's still some parts of Lincoln I'd like to share. When we first arrived, we looked for a tea shop to get some refreshment. We found Dennetts Ice Cream Parlour that had a tea room downstairs. The downstairs was quite traditional, by that I mean it felt quite medieval. The cellar dates back to the 14th century! It was chilly (we were the first

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-3745545193489705062012-01-18T17:37:00.002-05:002012-01-18T17:37:31.964-05:00

On the day after New Year's, we went went to Lincoln Castle. It's not as impressive as it once was (the Civil War took a heavy toll) but it still contains much history and charm, in spite of the time it served as a gaol (that's a jail for you American readers) and the place for executions. We entered through the East Gate, which had some impressive cannons from the 18th century. I wish I

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-88023596081369489912012-01-17T16:33:00.002-05:002012-01-17T16:33:11.016-05:00

Lincoln Cathedral The highlight of a visit to Lincoln, UK, is the cathedral there. Standing on the top of the hill and easily dwarfing the nearby castle, this cathedral was built at the instruction of William the Conqueror in the late 11th century. Through various disasters and reconstructions over the centuries, the castle has grown in beauty and prominence. It is the owner of one of the

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-29795813639327792392012-01-16T18:23:00.000-05:002012-01-16T18:23:28.584-05:00

The Book of Three is the first book of the classic children's adventure fantasy The Chronicles of Prydain written by Lloyd Alexander. He drew inspiration from the myths and legends of Wales but he states quite clearly that they are an inspiration for only some parts of the story. The world and its geography are unique as is most of the story and plot elements. The story starts with the boy Taran

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-51058773604783788762012-01-14T12:01:00.000-05:002012-01-14T12:01:01.193-05:00

Given my love of absurdity, this video tickled me no end:  h/t Michael Flynn who h/t'ed Mark Shea Clearly the History Channel is out of touch with reality. Where is their zombie content? Oh, wait a second, they do have something that they call a documentary: Zombies: A Living History is available in their online store. Check out the write up: Most people believe zombies are a recent

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-38697437700426074262012-01-13T08:55:00.000-05:002012-01-13T08:55:17.250-05:00

We haven't had a duel/dual review in a while, so why not look at two zombie movies coming in 2012! First up is Juan of the Dead: When I saw the title of this movie, I thought it was some cheap Shaun of the Dead rip-off. While it doesn't appear to have a massive Hollywood budget, it exhibits some charm and creative effort. I like the idea of a professional zombie killer who

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-68940829964723895122012-01-12T10:35:00.001-05:002012-01-12T13:36:11.989-05:00

We went to Lincoln, UK, for an overnight trip New Year's weekend, so you'll get the usual castle and cathedral posts. But first, let's follow a trail of the surviving Roman ruins strewn about the city. I did the first part of the tour during the children's nap time. It was a cold and rainy New Year's Day, so many pictures didn't come out. But I'll show you what I've got. Current view from the

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-29312938361174437462012-01-11T16:01:00.000-05:002012-01-11T16:01:01.529-05:00

Another UK dish that we've decided to try is Toad in the Hole, which involves the combination of sausages and Yorkshire pudding. Yorkshire pudding, for those who don't know, is a delightful pastry-shell-like side dish that is often served with meals (as a starch, I suppose). To turn it into a main dish, this recipe adds sausages. We also made a nice onion gravy to go with it and some vegetables

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-36851150685103826782012-01-10T16:24:00.000-05:002012-01-10T16:24:23.212-05:00

How to Watch Movies with Kids: A Values-Based Strategy by Hosea M. Rupprecht, FSP. Pauline Books and Media, 2011, 109 pages, $9.95 US. Brief overview of content: The introduction of the book explains its need: movies are a form of storytelling, perhaps the most popular form of storytelling available in our modern age. Like all stories, they present world views and have moral assumptions

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-65439814130796259702012-01-09T16:53:00.001-05:002012-01-09T16:53:27.805-05:00

We've discovered a new indoor playground, which is rather a necessity during a Yorkshire winter. The weather is generally cloudy if not rainy and cold if not chilly. An indoor play area is just the thing to amuse and delight anyone whose age is reckoned in single digits. Back in Maryland we went to places like Jump!Zone and Pump It Up for indoor excitement on inflatable climbers. We also often

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-75763829477950844682012-01-08T09:58:00.000-05:002012-01-08T10:44:36.262-05:00

We went to a Lessons and Carols service in Cheltenham last month. Unfortunately, none of the few pictures I took came out. We did get some video of the children from The Catholic School of Saint Gregory the Great singing We Three Kings. Here it is to celebrate the Feast of Epiphany! This hymn is the new song we are singing before dinner when we light our dinner candle.

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-29984571210377091322012-01-07T15:18:00.002-05:002012-01-07T15:18:53.163-05:00

No, not jail, in one of the major homes here in England!   Jacob visits the big house! Castle Howard is known worldwide by another more famous and fictional name, Brideshead. It featured as the home of the Marchmain family in the early 1980s BBC miniseries and again in the 2008 feature film., both based on the Evelyn Waugh classic Brideshead Revisited. The house still has part of the set

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-88364763117310125292012-01-06T09:14:00.001-05:002012-01-06T09:14:33.093-05:00

There's some confusion about the twelve days of Christmas. Some people start counting on Christmas Day. Others start the day after Christmas (Boxing Day, also St. Stephen's Day). Either way, the coming of Epiphany brings the Christmas celebrating to a close. How awesome is it to have a day so grand that it takes twelve days to celebrate it properly? In honor of the great feast, Bolton Abbey has

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-64925480162906631422012-01-05T09:11:00.002-05:002012-01-05T09:11:12.684-05:00

Easily the best Christmas fair we went to this year was the Grassington Dickensian Festival. At first, it seemed like it might not be so great. Expectations were lowered on our trip there. The first problem was following the signs to the parking. They led us right through town and far out of town. We wound up at Swinden Quarry that seemed three or four miles from our destination. Parking was £6

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-49463648076694257002012-01-04T09:18:00.000-05:002012-01-04T09:18:44.163-05:00

My wife's office organized a Christmas party. Since her coworkers are almost as cool as she is, they decided to have the office party at Black Sheep Brewery in Masham. The party was on a Friday at lunchtime. Family members were welcome to attend since everyone was going Dutch (even though we are in the UK). I drove with the kids to pick Mom up around 11:30. The drive to Masham was pleasant and

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-21754616408879158022012-01-03T16:22:00.001-05:002012-01-03T16:22:26.535-05:00

We wanted to have Christmas pudding on Christmas Day, but by the time we made it through all the rounds of unwrapping presents and skyping with family back home and getting dinner ready, we didn't have the energy to do the pudding justice. And by "justice" I mean setting it on fire! A traditional Christmas pudding is made of various dried fruits (like raisins), suet (though often vegetarian

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-25361017228877776522012-01-02T15:27:00.001-05:002012-01-02T15:27:45.413-05:00

A Happy Christmas Reveler! Christmas crackers are a British tradition at Christmas dinner or at yuletide parties. The cracker is a small cardboard tube wrapped in paper or foil to resemble a wrapped candy. Inside is a surprise, usually a toy or other small item. Pulling on both ends of the wrapper activates a minuscule firecracker that bangs as the cracker is pulled apart. The crackers

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-5930313439313714472012-01-01T03:05:00.001-05:002012-01-01T03:05:51.113-05:00

Our first attempt to go to the Christmas Adventure at Stockeld Park was a bit of a disappointment. The morning was gray and drizzly, not really Christmas weather. It meant that the outdoor ice skating, the snowflake maze, and the enchanted forest had no appeal. They also have a ferris wheel that didn't look like fun on a cold, cloudy day. We went inside the Woodland Cafe to have a snack. We

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-73350046268963501622011-12-31T17:51:00.000-05:002011-12-31T17:51:15.610-05:00

Hellboy: House of the Living Dead by Mike Mignola My rating: 4 of 5 stars In this follow-up to the "Hellboy in Mexico" comic, the story starts with Hellboy on a bender after allowing a friend to be turned by bad guys. He's also spending his time as a lucha libre, or Mexican masked wrestler. He winds up at a mad scientist's house where he enters the ring with Frankenstein's Monster and at various

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-80138007151442344622011-12-31T09:43:00.000-05:002011-12-31T09:43:13.254-05:00

This post seems appropriate for New Year's Eve. I hope everyone has a good time and takes proper care if they are drinking! Rest assured, I didn't drink all of these in one night. Though maybe next year.... Every year, various companies try to boost their holiday sales by marketing some "Christmas" version of their usual products. M&M's come in green and red (and mint flavor too!). Oreos come

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-89131514131703414792011-12-30T10:59:00.000-05:002011-12-30T11:00:31.988-05:00

We went to one of the local libraries for their Christmas story time and craft. We managed to arrive early and settled in for some interesting stories. Jacob piped up with comments in between stories, which was a little unusual for him, though I'm glad he is feeling comfortable enough to talk. If only the librarian had asked some questions first! She read Olivia Helps with Christmas and A Merry

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-71191370991653215192011-12-29T09:39:00.000-05:002011-12-29T09:39:09.835-05:00

Jacob told us about a dream he had last night. This is what he said: I had a dream last night.  So first, I was an angel and then Joseph was Joseph, and then Angie was Mary, and then when I was an Angel. Mommy replied, "I am the servant of the Lord." We've been reading The First Noel at bedtime since Jacob received it for Christmas. It combines the two infancy narratives from the gospels of

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-17292457842238906322011-12-28T18:17:00.000-05:002011-12-29T08:24:47.993-05:00

On 4 December, we went up to Knaresborough for their Edwardian Christmas Market in the market square. We parked on the wrong side of town and to walk far, uphill, and across train tracks to get to the festival. Jacob asks the perennial question, "How much further!?!" Once we arrived, we saw many booths selling all sorts of crafts, foods, drinks (including beer and wine), and raffles. We

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-9913405605910918142011-12-28T10:47:00.000-05:002011-12-28T10:47:05.986-05:00

I've recorded another tale for the Forgotten Classics podcast. This tale is The Steadfast Tin Soldier by Hans Christian Andersen. Go check it out. Andersen's The Nightingale is next on the queue. I am on the hunt for some UK forgotten tales and will gladly take any recommendations.

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-11845430636836825722011-12-28T10:33:00.000-05:002011-12-28T10:33:55.209-05:00

Okay, so this isn't so much a UK thing, but there's a special Neapolitan Christmas Crib at St. Josephs, the church we went to on Christmas morning. I hadn't heard of such cribs before and was delightfully surprised when I saw it. Here's the description from the church bulletin: The Neapolitan Christmas Crib – As you may have noticed in the entrance of the Church lobby (by Our Lady) a crib is

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-14879042423897774752011-12-27T06:48:00.000-05:002011-12-27T06:49:43.201-05:00

Last month (November 2011), we went to Harrogate to see the lighting of the Christmas tree and to have our first encounter with Father Christmas. We wandered along the streets of the town on our way to the tree lighting. We were amazed at the variety of lights we saw. Lucy on a street with minimal lights Jacob on a more active street, though he wasn't impressed. Lots of lights!

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-90096307248084120182011-12-26T11:16:00.001-05:002011-12-26T11:16:54.285-05:00

A long standing tradition in England is the Queen's Address on Christmas Day. The tradition was started by George V in 1932 (which I suppose in the grand tradition of the country isn't that old, but still it is beyond the memory of many people, and of course with him it was called the King's Address) with a radio broadcast. She herself gave the first televised message in 1957. This year's

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-50949877280318090852011-12-25T09:23:00.001-05:002011-12-25T18:53:27.700-05:00

For our first Christmas in England, we went to the 5 p.m. children's Mass at St. Roberts. We tried to get there by 4:30 but only left the house at 4:30, so the plan didn't work. I dropped off Angie and the children at 4:42 and went in search of a parking spot. The church's parking lot is pretty small and nothing was available; nor were any of the spots on the street. The supermarket across the

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-14274320674974916622011-12-23T18:54:00.000-05:002011-12-24T03:07:07.597-05:00

One tradition here in Britain is to tell ghost stories on Christmas eve. Tales are told late in the evening. When the midnight bell chimes you open your front door to let out the ghosts and welcome in the spirit of Christmas. This may have been part of the inspiration for Dickens' A Christmas Carol. Looks like a zombie but is really a ghost Since most everyone but me will be in bed late

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-51178352320389007292011-12-23T16:06:00.000-05:002011-12-23T16:10:35.618-05:00

Inspired by Happy Catholic Julie and Rivets and Trees Scott (the dynamic duo who bring us biweekly A Good Story Is Hard to Find goodness), I am making some reading goals for 2012. Here they are: Books on Writing, because I want to be a better writer: On Writing by Stephen King (the guy probably writes more in one day than I read in one day) Zen and the Art of Writing by Ray Bradbury (if there

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-2981314413432336652011-12-22T16:10:00.000-05:002011-12-22T16:10:20.123-05:00

We had some errands to run in the middle of England, which meant we spent a few days in Cheltenham. While there we had a few adventures. When we arrived, we checked in to our hotel and almost immediately headed out to dinner with some friends at an Italian restaurant called Zizzi's. It's part of a UK chain and the food was good. The atmosphere was a little bit weird because it's located in a

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-15399346736784399772011-12-21T10:21:00.000-05:002011-12-21T10:21:42.016-05:00

For breakfast Jacob was having cold cereal with extra raisins because he loves raisins. I was only casually paying attention to him eating. At one point, it looked like very many flakes and very few raisins were left. I said, "Jacob, eat the cereal too and not just the raisins!" Jacob's reply? "I am eating the cereal too. You can hear me crunching when I eat." How can I argue with logic like

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-21122842614574240292011-12-20T17:28:00.002-05:002011-12-21T01:14:48.533-05:00

We were shopping at ASDA, the local supermarket/department store, the other day. Going there generally does not foster a festive mood. The day was rainy (which most are this UK December) so finding a space in the covered parking was hard. After circling twice we found a spot. Jacob was glad to walk into the store without having to cover his head. Lucy was glad we found a dry cart for her to sit

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-24129305407302546262011-12-19T11:12:00.000-05:002011-12-19T11:12:18.191-05:00

Jacob and Lucy were playing this morning. Lucy's interest was waning; Jacob's was not. When Lucy came back to the kitchen, Jacob followed her. He kept pestering her to come back to the family room and play. Finally, she had enough. In front of both Mommy and Daddy, Lucy turned to Jacob and tried to bite his hand! We parents both shouted at Lucy, mostly out of surprise since it was so unexpected.

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-85977394156148279752011-12-17T17:47:00.000-05:002011-12-17T17:47:23.745-05:00

I had a very important conversation with Jacob this morning. It was about a particular person and whether he was really good or really evil. At first, Jacob wanted to maintain that there were two different people. One person gave him high fives at the comic shop and was a nice guy every time they met. The other person was a bad guy in one of the books we've read quite often, both in Maryland and

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-89401110266350939122011-12-16T16:56:00.002-05:002011-12-17T01:53:28.957-05:00

The name is Potato, Jacket Potato. That's what you expect, right? From an English dish that sounds very refined and upper-crusty. Either it's a member of the Royal Family or the British Secret Service (the Fleming Secret Service, not the Le Carre version). It's actually much more humble than that, though it is much more sophisticated than the common baked potato found in America. From all that

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-90238392515470310052011-12-15T02:14:00.000-05:002011-12-15T02:14:27.860-05:00

Jacob wanted to write a letter to Santa. Since we don't have his UK address, we thought he would be able to see it on the blog and respond appropriately during the wee hours of Christmas morning. Here it is, Santa! Dear Santa, We saw Alphie robot and that was pretty cool. We were surprised about that. And can you bring that to me for Christmas. I've been a good boy and we saw a black

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-63449615658718235172011-12-14T17:29:00.001-05:002011-12-14T17:29:31.436-05:00

Zombiewood Weekly: The Celebrity Dead Exposedis a parody of glossy entertainment magazines found in grocery store checkout lines across the world. Each page has one to three gag paragraphs on a famous person (including a full color zombie portrait) and what they are doing now that they have become zombies. The celebrities run from the standards (Jennifer Aniston, Brad Pitt, Oprah) to classic

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-49056210265322820752011-12-13T03:29:00.000-05:002011-12-13T03:29:37.293-05:00

I was trying to come up with some narrative for these pictures or some good jokes to go along with them, but have failed utterly. So I will just post them for the enjoyment and delectation of my readers. 3D doesn't work backwards, does it? Lucy makes the same mistake! The baby gets it right. A sunny day requires sunglasses! Ready for some risky business! Chillin' at home

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-36862468998780942592011-12-12T09:50:00.001-05:002011-12-12T09:50:31.919-05:00

Portal 2 by Electronic Arts and Valve ESRB Rating: Everyone 10+ for fantasy violence and mild language You may be asking yourself, "Why is he reviewing Portal 2 on a zombie blog? There's no zombies in that game, is there? Just a bunch of robots and one human." It's a valid point, but I think I have a work-around. At the end of the original Portal game, your character shuts down the devious

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-44779932881225454152011-12-11T11:24:00.000-05:002011-12-11T12:00:56.711-05:00

In spite of the restless night before, Lucy and I woke up on time for a yummy breakfast. We were just getting dressed when Mommy and Jacob knocked on our door. We donned shoes and Lucy put on her last diaper (which we borrowed from the ship's emergency first aid kit the night before--the on-ship stores don't sell diapers) and headed out from our tight little cabin. What more do you need on a

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-91406648407063132342011-12-10T15:47:00.000-05:002011-12-10T15:59:51.351-05:00

We had an easy time getting on the ferry from Zeebrugge to Hull. We already had our ticket and just walked on the boat. We had the same boat, Pride of York, but a different cabin on a different deck. The Red Deck was our new home, but only temporarily. In the cabin we noticed it was quite hot. So we adjusted the ceiling vent, dropped our stuff, and went to wander around for a bit. Coming back

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-77344032607624501272011-12-08T18:31:00.000-05:002011-12-10T01:51:36.325-05:00

After finishing up a nice meal in a fabulous pub and checking out of our hotel, we had our greatest challenge yet: keeping the kids awake for the rest of the afternoon. Since we had to check out we had nowhere for naps. Like Ray Milland in The Lost Weekend, we just kept walking. We walked along more canals, which is quite easy to do in Bruges. Bruges is the Venice of Belgium. It may not have

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-15446413616435996462011-12-08T15:07:00.001-05:002011-12-08T18:14:45.614-05:00

We went for a walk before breakfast and saw the streets trashed by all the Friday night revelers. While we were eating breakfast, we saw the street sweeper truck come through three times! Our plan for the final day in Bruges was to walk over to the windmills and work our way back to the hotel, taking in sights along the way. Even the walk to the windmills was interesting. We found some holy and

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-72836600343384970512011-12-07T15:22:00.001-05:002011-12-07T15:37:02.073-05:00

So what if mad scientists created zombies and then had the zombie slaves build robots, presumably also to be slaves to said mad scientists? Brilliantly dreadful scheme or dreaded pyramid scheme? I suppose we will find out soon enough here in our home. This project is supposedly a "craft" like they do at the library, but it seems more like an "experiment" at a laboratory to me. Zombie working

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-24278089766178299532011-12-06T16:51:00.000-05:002011-12-06T16:51:25.721-05:00

When the children woke up, we headed out for more adventures. It was getting late, after 5 p.m., which meant many sites would be already closed. So we walked along some of the canals, watching the ducks swim along and admiring the buildings and bridges. Jacob looks for ducks We planned to go the Jerusalem church to see some replicas of the Holy Land but that closed at 6 and we were already

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494637982042114204.post-26339444211050089252011-12-05T18:15:00.001-05:002011-12-05T18:18:13.326-05:00

Today we had the wonderful experience of snow: Later in the day, I sat by the window and watched rain turn into snow then back into rain. All this with a patch of blue sky in the distance. What kind of crazy, unexpected goodness is that? And yes, we did help Lucy with her puzzle. After we made her look out the window!

Joseph R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/13747631029262485742noreply@blogger.com0