Another long enjoyable blog from Mary :) Do you have a few minutes for all the topics?

There are forest fires sparking up! NOT GOOD! The past couple days there have been thunderstorms with lots of lightening striking them up. Apparently there is a bad one across the river and several lakes away from our new property, but still too close for comfort. Check out the poof of smoke cloud.....

We had quite the smokey air today in Willow and they've set up the red cross at the community center for a neighborhood they evacuated and b/c technically the fire is still in Willow. Although let's state that its at the farthest north corner of Willow heading northwest away from our new property.

So there's that update. Check out some toys! I distinctly remember cherishing the red tron guy's glow in the dark disc. I felt proud that my brothers' were lost almost immediately (of course b/c they weren't as anal retentive as I was on such pack rattagey-ness). There's J's Transformer dream, and....

Hello Robocop with capgun back!

Robocop someone else's? Will send to you if so desired.

And so, lately here's been my summer music mix. Before scanning it, hear this: I've been taking advantage of the free download a week from iTunes. I usually like about every 3rd or 4th one they throw up there, so its fun enough, and free. Overall, I really like Immaculate Machine, Rooney's new one (cheesy as it is), Ooh La by Kooks, the Frames hook up from J, and Mike's Library!

Elsewhere Sarah McLachlan
Falling Slowly The Frames
Jarhand Immaculate Machine
Library Michael Edwards
Ooh La The Kooks
When Did Your Heart Go Missing? Rooney
Roland The Headless Thompson Gunner Warren Zevon
I'm On My Way The Proclaimers
Willow Pattern Dolores O'Riordan
Sister Rosetta (Capture the Spirit) Noisettes
Sweet Obedience The Great Fiction
KC Matt Pond PA
Whatever You Want Vienna Teng
Yankee Bayonet (I Will Be Home Then) The Decemberists
Track 06 The Legends (yeah it's called Track 06, but I'm lying like Justin often does)
Postcards from Italy Beirut
This Is A Song The Magic Numbers
Australia The Shins
Suzie Boy Kill Boy
Track 08 Africa Music (don't know artist, hilarious to list :(
I Cannot See His Color The Village (Score from the Motion Picture) JAMES NEWTON HOWARD
Big Girls Don't Cry (Personal) Fergie
Love Song Sara Bareilles

This line bugs in Fergie's .......but still liking it for some reason.....very on purpose to make money pop, but I'm okay with liking it. HA! "I'm gonna miss you, like a child misses their blanket" Not pacifier or parent or nap.....blanket? Like a Music and Lyrics commercial I've seen (haven't seen that movie yet), "I've been sleeping with a clown above my head". Clown = cloud.

Movie Review: For Your Consideration: B+, good strangeness and awkward moments to take in, good Ricky Gervais surprise role, always fun Parker, and fun Jennifer Coolidge freak. Better than A Mighty Wind on first watch through, yet ending came too abruptly. Good, and lots of, extra scenes on DVD!
"Are you kids familiar with the world wide interweb they have these days?" - John Michael Higgins to Parker
"You're like very European. Have you ever traveled? Because you're really foreign." - Parker to costar of Home for Purim

Movie Review: Ocean's 13: C-/D....or less...Too choppy and busy with distracting split screens and soundtrack cuts (if I can whip some cinematography terms in there). Too many characters that are only dabbled, no depth to plot or characters. Same old, same old. Much respect to Ocean's 11, little to none on 12 and 13. Okay enough, but only watch for free with nothing else better to do, read, write, watch Family Feud, clean toilet, etc.

Movie Review: The Illusionist: A (grade), Good storyline, good setting (1900s, Vienna), good acting, and intriguing twists. Great ending! Better than The Prestige and I thought I liked The Prestige.

Movie Review: Kidogo the Cat from Mike: B, fun yarn throwing, cute kitten prancing and pouncing. If more Mike and fam humans in vid, A+!

Movie Review: Malibu Reflections: A+, one of the most interesting and colorful videos I've seen of Justin's. Neat, clever tricks and perfectly placed music slices.

Comic Review: It's Father's Day: A+, distrubing and surprising and hilarious - great fun, super laughs! Good creativity in honoring the Dad!

Okeedoekee, counting days till Ohio excitement! Ohio and excitement in consecutive sentences.......only for love of fam and old friends time! WOOO! By the way I got out of Fairbanks bball camp, have I mentioned? WOO! Tomorrow we play Rail Barron with friends Penni and Alisa at our house! Like Catan but railroad building? Will report later in the weekend. Start off your weekends in style you all!