Claudia-ism

Jasmin chases Claudia, who doesn't like this. The persecuted damsel runs crying to Sarah, who picks her up and tries reasoning with Jasmin. The repentant older sister switches from torturing to consoling.

Jasmin: "Claudia, think of a happy place."
Claudia: "Toys R Us!"

The cure-all: Start bawling, run to Miss Sarah (she'll take care of whatever ails thee), and think of Toys R Us!

The Feast Week of Ashley

"Once again the days of the feast of Ashley are again upon us! I must say that this years feasts came up with rather frightening speed, it seems only weeks ago since we ate last year’s feasts! Ah, but all must bow to time’s relentless march, and so it is today that again we celebrate Ashley’s birthday.

     As an invented “ancient tradition”, I have devised a week of feasts to mark this momentous time. In all seriousness, the feasts were thought up and named at a time when we were very poor, so I basically gave over-dramatic and impressive names to what ever we were eating that night and then, on Ashley’s actual birthday, let her pick out a restaurant she wanted to eat at, or meal she wanted prepared for her.
     In subsequent years I came up with a back story for this whole craziness. This text was written in a “Book of Mormon” pseudo-religious style, describing how the ancient people of Martineau came to celebrate this great week of feasts to the “Goddess of the ash tree meadow”.
      Yes, I went overboard, yes it is ludicrous, but when you are in love, you go there.
      I wanted (and still want) my wife to know that no matter how bad things get, we can afford to have fun. I want all my friends to know that I consider ANYTHING as a good reason to celebrate; life is too short to be serious about everything.
      The original feast week had two feasts devoted to the eating of meat, namely “The Feast of The Fowl of The Air” and “The Feast of The Fowl of The Land”. Now remember that these “ancient traditions” were invented a few years back, when we still ate meat. Well, as of last year’s feast we’d both given up the eating of meat, thus rendering us unable to keep the feasts.
      Well, not wanting to break tradition and at the same time wanting to conform to modern sensibilities, I did what any made-up religious leader would do in a situation like that: I invented a new revelation!
     I don’t know if there still exists a copy of the original Feast week text, but I do have a copy of the “new revelation”.
     Another tradition I made up to commemorate this festival is to read from the text on the first day of the feasts and then announce the day’s feast on each of the following days until the feast of Ashley (on the 16th).
     So here follows the text of the most recent “revelation” regarding the Feast Week of Ashley." 

             - Brian Lawrence Martineau

Martineau Muppet Movie: The Feast Week of Ashley from Ashley Martineau on Vimeo.

Phone Call

I was talking to Anaja on the phone this morning, and Elizabeth wanted to talk to me.

Anaja: "Say "hi", Lizzie."
Lizzie: "Hi, Lizzie."
Anaja: "No, say, "Hi, SARAH."
Lizzie: "Hi, Sarah."
Sarah: "Hi, Lizzie. Did you eat your breakfast?"
Anaja: "Say, "no."
Lizzie: "No."
Sarah: "Are you at Gramma's house?"
Lizzie: "Yeah, I at Gramma's house."
Sarah: "Are you going to go play?"
*PAUSE*
Anaja: "Say "bye", Lizzie."
Lizzie: "Bye."

Baby Carlton

Congratulations to the Carlton family on the birth of their fifth son!
I'll post the name when I hear what they've decided. So exciting! 

"How Many Did You Eat?"

Today, mei sister and I are making elven waybread called "lembas". For the rest of y'all who are interested, here's the recipe. Pippin would be proud!


6 TBSP butter or margarine, slightly softened 
2 cups self-rising flour
1 TBSP granulated sugar
½ cup raisins (optional)
1 egg, well beaten
½ cup milk
4 TBSP heavy cream
Mallorn leaves

With a pastry blender of fork, cut margarine into the flour in a mixing bowl until the mixture resembles cornmeal. Do this rapidly so the butter does not melt. Add the sugar and if desired, ½ cup of raisins. In a small bowl, beat the egg and milk together until mixed. Reserve 1 TBSP of this mixture to brush the tops of the Lembas. Add the cream and egg mixture to the flour and mix just until combined into a stiff, soft dough. Knead three or four times on a lightly floured surface. Roll dough to a ¾" thickness and cut with an oval or leaf shaped cookie cutter. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet, leaving 1" of space between Lembas. Brush the tops of the Lembas with the reserved egg-milk mixture. Bake for 12 -13 minutes in a preheated 400 degree oven. For safe keeping, wrap each Lembas individually in a fresh, clean Mallorn leaf. If these leaves are unavailable in your area, store the Lembas in a tightly closed container. Makes about 1 ½ dozen Lembas. - Elven Maiden

January Recital

In order to tell how long my students' songs are, before the recital I record them playing each one. Then I know how long it is. This is Holly Lotter playing "Scarf Dance"...

The Daily 7 for a Highly Successful Household

Because I'm in the posting sort of mood, I might as well share the "Daily 7" that I plan to start referring to as a checklist of sorts. (I don't think my sisters will be too thrilled that I'm in another "cleaning fit"... since after all, they're the ones helping!) I found it online.


Number 1: Make Beds Right Away
Number 2: Do One Complete Load of Laundry
Number 3: Empty All Garbage Cans
Number 4: Keep Your Kitchen Sink Empty
Number 5: Clean Up After Yourself and Help Children (sisters) Do the Same
Number 6: Bathroom Wipe-Down
Number 7: Before Bed 10-Minute Clean Up

I think the hardest will be the "keep your kitchen sink empty". I'm not all too motivated when it comes to dishwashing. Also the laundry will be a challenge, but it sounds like it will pay off in the end.

Cool Kid

  

I think this is what I would look like if I were a punk. : ) 

"He'd just as soon eat bread and cheese..."

I couldn't find any pictures of the scene, but remember in  Wives and Daughters when Mr. Gibson and Molly are toasting bread and cheese in front of the fire? Last Sunday night, we watched the movie with the Martineaus. When they came over tonight (Featherplucking night) they brought artisan bread with sharp cheddar cheese. Ser gut! I wanted something more authentic than the microwaved version, so I toasted my bread (and my face) in front of the pellet stove. I also tried my first taste of eggnog! (It's better if you drink it mixed with milk... less... chokingly sweet!) Anyway.... the toasted bread and cheese was EXCELLENT and I think I'll die of a heart attack.

Baby Tosti

Congratulations to the Tosti family on the birth of Joshua Haven!
(He was born last Thursday; this post is a little late!)

Exams

Tis the time for semester exams! I took my Spanish one today - we had a choice of either taking it today or next week. I wanted to get it over with, so I went for it this week. Instead of a written exam, she tests us by having an "interview" with us one-on-one. (Fortunately, not in front of the class!) I think I did okay, although I messed up on the silliest little thing: "Me llamo es Sarah." Oh, well. We have two weeks left before our composition "exams" are due. Just like in Spanish, we don't have actual written tests. The exam grade is whatever we score on our research papers.

I'm off to take a Spanish test. I have to drill into mei head the difference between "por" and "para" in the next five minutes. (It's due by 12:00 tonight.) So... chau!