A late night exchange

Because Bruce is a morning person, and I'm rather nocturnal, I am often rambling around the house after he's abed. Although I do attempt to get into bed without disturbing his sleep, we often have conversations he won't  remember in the morning. Sometimes, they are hilarious.

I've lately been setting my iPad on the nightstand to use it as an alarm clock, so I was able to jot this down.

Bruce:  Aliens!
Me:  Aliens?
Bruce:  Vinegar
Me:  Whaaat?
Bruce:  Aliens have .. no, Americans. Americans have an alien ... an inalienable right to vinegar.
Me:  Really?  Do tell.
Bruce:  It's called "The Vinegar Act."
Me:  ::muffled laughter::

I'm not going to speculate too much on where his mind travels while he's asleep. Wherever  it is, I seem to have a vicarious ticket, so I'm cool with that. I love the way his mind works. I love conversations like this. They end the day with laughter for me and start the next day with laughter for both of us when I remember the conversation so I can pass it along to him.

Now you can laugh with us.  :D

You might have a deer problem

... if your cedar hedge looks like this.

This is the neighbour's one-day hedge, which looks like its really just going to only ever be deer fodder.  You can see this thwarted promise all over the city.

At local garden centres in Calgary, the first question we wanted to know is whether a plant was winter hardy. Here, it's if a plant is deer resistant.  There are many webpages dedicated to gardening and planning for the unwelcome visitors, but we usually rely up on a liberal application of Plantskydd.

The worst day of the month

Soooo not amused

Once a month,our 'sons' must be subjected to the indignity of flea medication (a bit of wetness on the back of their neck) and having their claws clipped.  Murray is pretty tuned into Bruce's activities and will make himself scarce if he thinks Bruce may be getting set to pick him up, an activity he enjoys only marginally more than having his claws done.

Two-handed clutch and clip

Mr. Tippy is much more vocal about Bruce's efforts and just as unhappy to be on a lap, although he's easier to pick up. Somehow, even when he knows it's coming, he cannot resist running into the room when Bruce calls.  

Generally, the activity in these pictures is followed by frenzied vacuuming on our part and even more frenzied claw sharpening on the part of our sons.  

RIP Joffrey

"What to do with a Problem Child?"  George R.R. Martin has a few ideas, but this solution was typically inelegantly elegant.

Oh Joffrey, we hated you so. You were such a despicable character with oh so very few redeeming qualities. Sure, you cut a dashing figure in your court clothes and you did look good with your crown, but I'm afraid that beyond that, you really weren't worth the cost of that cloth-of-gold.

Thinking about Joffrey brings to mind that quote from "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?"  ... "I'm not bad, I'm just drawn that way."   In this case, Joffrey was written that way.  Mr. Martin may have given Jack Gleeson a framework, but the actor was the one who stole the show in his willingness to abandon all social niceties; to let us fully, completely hate Joffrey Baratheon.  He really riveted attention when he was on screen.

I would imagine that the end of this role would be a heady experience for a young actor who will undoubtedly have offers rolling into his agent's office.  Professionally, he is on top of the world right now.

I also wondered if he would always elicit boos when he appeared in a film.   I watched him some time ago in a gentle tale about a young Irish lad and could only wait for Joffreyish behaviour and when a bit of boyish meanness appeared, felt vindicated in my immediate dislike of the character.  Like John deLancie and my hair-trigger call out of "Q!" when I see him on screen, I wondered how a young actor would go about not carrying the baggage of his biggest role to date.  He is probably the most hated man on television right now. Maybe he could pull the Miley Cyrus trick and just go skanky? Unrealistic, but Hanna Montana publicly and repeatedly twerking has erased any sugary sweetheart image and her new persona would have been a far-fetch, had we not witnessed it.

Jack Gleeson has his own ideas, however.  In another well-timed shocking turn that could have been written by George Martin, Jack has announced he'll retire from acting.  Here's what he said to Entertainment Weekly:

Now you’re giving us another twist in this story by retiring at the age of 21. Why?
Gleeson: The answer isn’t interesting or long-winded. I’ve been acting since age 8. I just stopped enjoying it as much as I used to. And now there’s the prospect of doing it for a living, whereas up until now it was always something I did for recreation with my friends, or in the summer for some fun. I enjoyed it. When you make a living from something, it changes your relationship with it. It’s not like I hate it, it’s just not what I want to do.

He is certainly not doing what we'd expect of the self-centered persona we know through the Song of Ice and Fire saga. That rather intrigues me and I think its a shame that we'll not get to see how he goes from Joffrey to other roles.  Maybe, however, it's best in the long run.  

Whatever you do, Mr. Gleeson, I hope you throw yourself at it the way you did Joffrey Baratheon. With gusto and abandon.  Well done sir.  /ovation