The Walking Dead, Ep. 213, Beside the Dying Fire

The Walking Dead Season 2, Episode 13: Beside the Dying Fire

TV Rating

TV-14

ZPAA rating

Late teen and up

Gore level

9.5 out of 10--Um...yeah, there were lots of zombie exterminations with blood, guts, gore, etc., too much to document but it's really, really gross though mostly not gratuitous; some people die with blood and organs coming out/splattering all over the place.

Other offensive content

Rough language; bad attitudes; lots of property destruction; lying; confused equation of the Christian concept of the resurrection of the dead and the zombies; crazy spouses treating each other poorly.

How much zombie mythology/content

Rick reveals what he learned at the CDC about how the zombies come back from the dead.

How much fun

Laughless but so much stuff from the comics is referenced that it's very exciting for readers of The Walking Dead.

Synopsis & Review

The episode mysteriously opens with a shot of a helicopter flying over Atlanta which the zombies follow through town. There's no real explanation of what's going on with it. Maybe they are just trying to remind us from last season when Rick saw a copter in Atlanta. This first bit was where the (I thought) gratuitous zombie gore happened (they were eating like they were in George Romero movie!).

Meanwhile, back at the farm, Carl asks Rick how Shane died. Rick hems and haws and then notices that zombies are coming. They race back to the house to gear up for a major battle. As they approach the house, they are cut off. They run into the barn for safety but most of the zombies follow them. Rick comes up with a plan to kill lots of zombies and maybe escape too--burn the barn! This tips off the others to where they are and makes a rescue possible.

The rest of the people gear up for battle to save the farm. They pile into cars and do a lot of drive-by shooting of zombies (which went on a little too long--it became gratuitous but not very gory). Eventually things fall apart and they scatter off the farm, though not everyone makes it.

Will they reunite? Will Rick tell anyone or everyone what he's done to Shane? What will happen next season? I think the first answer is kinda obvious, the second not so much. The third answer is if you haven't read the comics, you've only gotten hints of what will happen. If you have read the comics, you are grinning from ear to ear.

The most interesting bit to me was when Rick really takes charge of the group in a way that made me think "Rick is the new Shane." He says the group is no longer a democracy and more or less claims absolute leadership. Hopefully he won't go crazy like Shane, but you can never tell with this show. I may write a longer post about this issue with spoilers aplenty.

Naughts and Zeds: Drink Driving

This is the beginning of an on-going series of posts about the interesting differences between American English and British English. Americans say "zero" while Brits say "naught" and the last letter of the alphabet is "zee" in America and "zed" in the UK. Stuff like that. Today's topic is especially relevant for any post-Saint-Patrick's-Day revelers who had too much green beer.

Americans and the English refer to driving while intoxicated with slightly different terminology. In America this is referred to as "drunk driving" while in England they say "drink driving."

The English generally have a much lower tolerance for drinking and driving. As in zero tolerance. The advice we were given was you shouldn't drive if you have any alcohol at all. The advice makes sense, because even if you aren't legally impaired, you still are affected by the alcohol that you drink. You don't have to be drunk for your performance to be impaired. If you are busted, the fine is £5000 and comes with a twelve month driving ban and a criminal record. Check it out at the government web site. Also, they have a video that's quite direct about the consequences.

Americans have more of a "know your limit" attitude towards drinking and driving. If your blood/alcohol content is over a certain level, you are considered "drunk" and can be in serious trouble (British law enforcement also measures the alcohol content of your breath/urine/blood). How much trouble is often dictated by local or state laws, so there's no standard penalty across the United States.

While the "designated driver" (someone who doesn't drink and so is fine behind the wheel) is popular in America, so is our independence. If only one person was in the car, it's hard to have a designated driver and a drinker. Carpooling is an excellent way to pool resources and avoid getting into trouble. Another solution sometimes available is a free taxi ride provided by local government or a non-profit agency.

So if you are in America, drink responsibly and you won't be in trouble for drunk driving; if you are in the United Kingdom, don't drink at all or else you'll be in trouble for drink driving.

Chartreuse the Liqueur, Not the Color

From Wikipedia

What a happy discovery to find that Chartreuse is not just a color but is also a fabulous liqueur made by Carthusian monks in France.

The monks originally came across the recipe for this liqueur in 1605. It was described as an "elixir of long life." The monks began making it for medicinal purposes (at 55% alcohol, I can see how it has potent properties). It can still be bought in small, concentrated quantities for just that purpose, though probably no reputable doctor would prescribe it. The recipe was altered in the 1760s and the monks went through a long history of being banished by the French government and coming back to reestablish production. Read more about it at Wikipedia.

The distinctive green color is from chlorophyll. The name is from the monastery where it is produced, i.e. Grande Chartreuse. This is the head monastery of the Carthusian order. Also, it was the monastery featured in the documentary Into Great Silence.

Here's some recipes I've tried with the blessed stuff:

CHARTREUSE SOLEIL "Sunburst" from here
1 part of Green Chartreuse
6 parts of orange juice
Serve over ice in a long glass

This drink is like a liquid form of the smell of freshly mowed grass or fresh cut herbs. There's no hint of mint, only the refreshing feel of being outdoors on a fine spring day. I found this very enjoyable and would make a great summertime cocktail.

CHARTREUSE TONIC from here
1 part of Green Chartreuse
9 parts of tonic
Serve over ice in a long glass

If you like tonic water, you may like this drink. I don't like tonic (which I forgot) so I didn't like this drink. Anybody want five 12 oz. cans of tonic water?

GREEN CHAUD “Chartreuse Mousse" from here
One teaspoon of Chartreuse in a mug of hot chocolate

This version of hot chocolate is very nice. The chocolate brings out the mint flavor of the Chartreuese, but the other herbs are floating around in the background leaving a delightful impression on your tongue. This drink is quite popular at French ski resorts, if word on the internet can be trusted.

Here are other drinks I haven't tried yet but will soon. I wanted to include them (hopefully a video of the Flaming Dragon), but I needed something green for the blog on St. Patrick's Day.

FLAMING DRAGON from here
1 oz. Green Chartreuse
1 oz. Bacardi 151 Rum
Mix together and light on fire. Let the drink sit for about 10 sec. Blow out (optional according to the web site, though I don't see how you can drink it if it's still on fire, especially if you, like me, have facial hair).

GREEN GLACIER from here
2 oz. brandy
3/4 oz. Green Chartreuse
1/4 oz. white creme de cacao
2 dashes Angostura bitters
Stir with ice. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

We would have done this already if I could find white creme de cacao. The search goes on!

If we survive both a green glacier and a flaming dragon in our home, I will report accordingly on the results.

Dealing with Problem Children (i.e. All Children at One Point)

We've all been there. The children hit a point where they do not want to cooperate over a simple and mundane task that wasn't a problem yesterday. Let getting dressed. Or some food that used to be a favorite is now thrown across the kitchen in disgust. What gives, kid? If you find yourself in this situation, if you have been in it before, or if you want to be ready when it happens to you (and don't kid yourself, even your precious little angel of a child will misbehave in a way that drives you crazy one day), you should read this awesome article by Rachel Balducci.

Previously I reviewed her book, How Do You Tuck In a Superhero, which is being re-released with a new cover and title: Raising Boys Is a Full Contact Sport. It'll be available September 1, 2012. You can pre-order it below.

Her blog is a lot of fun too. You've got to love a blog with this seal of approval:

The Walkng Dead, Ep. 212, Better Angels

The Walking Dead Season 2, Episode 12:Better Angels

TV Rating

TV-14

ZPAA rating

Late teen and up

Gore level

8 out of 10--Only a few zombie attacks, but the humans dispatch of them quite brutally (including two skulls dripping with blood and contents); bloody handcuffs; bruised/beat up faces; flash-cuts of zombies growling and looking ugly.

Other offensive content

Mild bad language; bad attitudes from several characters; tense confrontation between Rick and Shane; stolen property unreturned; fake ending of the episode (think of how many times Return of the King seemed to end).

How much zombie mythology/content

Apparently some people can become zombies without being bitten, though how it happens is not explained.

How much fun

Hershel has some comic lines about where people should sleep in his house.

Synopsis & Review

The episode begins with Dale's grave side eulogy delivered by Rick. Now that the main voice of conscience is gone, the group is going to redouble its efforts to be more peaceable and unified. Seemingly in tribute to Dale's memory, the decision is to take the newcomer about an hour away while the rest of the people move into Hershel's house and get the farm ready in case newcomer's friends somehow discover where they are.

As often happens, a good plan gets messed up by other details intervening. Carl tells Shane that he took Daryl's gun and had a run-in with the zombie that bit Dale. He gives up Daryl's gun and wants Shane to keep it a secret. Shane is smart enough to realize this will not work out well for him. As he bides his time, Lori comes to him and admits she doesn't know who's child it is and that she is sorry she hasn't been nicer to Shane and appreciative of all he's done.

He goes to Rick and tells him Carl's story and hands over Daryl's gun. He wants Rick to talk to Carl but Rick wants to finish up with the newcomer before talking. Rick says he'll have Lori talk to him. Shane gets on his case: dealing with the newcomer is more important to Rick than dealing with his own son. He storms off.

Shane goes to the newcomer, takes him out into the woods and talks about joining their group. Is he really abandoning Rick or is this some double-agent work to get in good with everyone? What is Shane's ultimate plan? The episode goes in many unexpected directions with a heart-stopping conclusion. The group really will never be the same again.

Game Review: Farm 3-D Memory Match-Up

Little Tikes Farm 3-D Memory Match-Up is a nice twist on the matching game. Most of those games involve cards, either a regular deck of playing cards or specially designed cards. I have a friend that used paint sample cards from Home Depot for her toddler. It's true the backs of the cards have the name of the color but the typical toddler can't read, so it's not a problem.

This game comes in an egg carton package and has little farm animals that can be split in half. Each farm animal also has two little plastic haystacks. The haystacks are used to hide the animal halves.

Typical farm critters

Half the animal they used to be!

The box contains ten animals and players can use as many or as few as they want. It's a good way to start small and build up to a more difficult game. Our children enjoy putting the animals back together after making a match.

Another advantage of the haystacks is that they can be left in play. Players not only have to remember where the various animal halves are but also which haystacks are empty underneath. This makes the end of the game more challenging when only two animal halves are left. The last player doesn't necessarily get a free match.
 

Lucy demonstrates setting up.

Lucy at play

We've enjoyed playing this game. Naturally, you can play a matching game with most anything but this game makes it more fun. We recommend it heartily!

Zombie Apocalypse Appropriateness: One of the things you might be concerned about is how appropriate a game will be in an apocalyptic setting. I've decided to add some commentary about this issue, specifically on solitaire playability (in case you are left alone in the apocalypse). The game is small, light, and portable, so you can take it on the road with you without undue burden. Also, depending on how well you shuffle the haystacks, you could play solitaire, just to keep your memory challenged. And the farm animals are pretty cheery, so it will raise your spirits. Unless you are really hungry and you grow to curse their inedible plasticity. Let's hope it doesn't come to that.

National Railway Museum, York

I took the children by bus to the National Railway Museum in York. This museum is the largest indoor train museum in the world, featuring dozens of engines and cars from the fine tradition of the English railway system.

The first thing the children headed for was a familiar face, Thomas the Tank Engine. Lucy enjoyed riding in his engine, though he didn't actually go anywhere.

She doesn't have the right conductor's uniform

We went from there to the main room where most of the engines are housed. Some of the cars looked quite old when the system was changing from horse-drawn coaches to railway carriages.

The Missing Link!

Another highlight was walking underneath an engine. The children loved going through the tunnel. They never looked up at the undercarriage though! We went through twice.

Check out this cool tunnel!

Lucy stops Jacob from going the wrong way!

They also had a bridge for crossing railroad track safely. These are found throughout the country and especially at railway stations where they provide access to the different platforms.

Ads you can't avoid

Lucy, sad that the top of the bridge has no ads

Jacob, glad that no ads block his view

In a side room (which is makes it sound small, but it contained an engine and lots and lots of items), the Flying Scotsman exhibit is located. The Flying Scotsman provided the first non-stop rail service between London and Edinburgh in 1928. A few years later it was the first locomotive to have officially reached the speed of 100 mph. We saw lots of china, tools, model trains, signs, and other random items related to the train.

Models and bric-a-brac

Good advice whenever you make an exit

The engine on display (not the actual Flying Scotsman) looked quite impressive.

This was dreamy according to Jacob

By the engine were a bunch of lockers. When Jacob opened one, inside were pictures of a worker on the train. An audio track started describing the life and work of the employee. Jacob thought Lucy would enjoy the story again and again, so he tried to help her out.

Or maybe he was trying to stick her in?

Back in the main hall, the museum had a Japanese passenger car that we walked through. We couldn't read any of the signs, but the chairs were quite comfortable.

Looking for a good seat

Riding in comfort

Jacob was fascinated by the train simulator ride. We didn't ride it but we watched from outside. Maybe on our next visit we'll try it out.

Can I get one ride?

A small section of the Chunnel (the tunnel between England and France) was on display as well. The children were not interested as you can see in the picture.

At first, I thought this was a Stargate prototype

Lucy was looking at a ride-on bus which she wanted to try out. It was fun for her. Jacob enjoyed being a passenger.

Lucy is about to honk at the pedestrian in front of her

Lucy asked to have a snack. We got in a line which wasn't too long. Jacob said he wanted to go potty. We wandered off to the potty. By the time we got back, the snack line was five times as long. We waited until we could buy some cookies and juice. We found a nice little table and refueled for the trip home.

The visit was fun but we didn't make it to the outdoor play area. Supposedly it is a lot of fun. We'll come back in warmer weather. The nice part of the museum (in addition to being easily accessible by park and ride bus) is the cost: free. It turns out that he best things in life are free!