Well, that was fun

[solarbird]

So on Wednesday we were getting pretty worried - Snowpocalypse wasn't letting up, more snow was predicted Thursday morning, and one person had already dropped out from our invitation list, and large leftovers looked likely as I was baking for Second Thanksgiving.

But to my surprise, Snowpocalypse actually boosted our attendance quite a bit, as people had to bail on other plans thanks to travel plans being disrupted. We ended up with 16 people, counting ourselves, and we have far fewer leftovers than usual. (I figured out something with my stuffing - now that I'm using a lot more dried fruit I can cut back down on the spices, and I tried that this year, and it worked really well.) But I'll still have my Turkey Tacos. ^_^

A lot less Rock Band was played than usual, but we did squeeze in some traditional Jenga. Mostly, it was large enough that we had three or four conversational groups going at once, which I like to see, since it usually means everybody's having a good time. For the first time in I don't know how long, the music circle actually happened - we had a decently large circle going for a while, made up mostly of various members of jamming groups mostly associated with Anna. I think the lineup was me, cflute, mamishka, Anna, and if I forget anybody, I apologisetechnoshaman! (Sorry for leaving you out the first time!) We hadn't done that in forever. Most people didn't even start leaving until around midnight - I finally got to bed around 2am.

Then yesterday flashfire and spazzkat and annathepiper and I went to see the Battlestar Galactica exhibit at the Experience Music Project/Science Fiction Museum and the Harry Potter exhibit at the Pacific Science Centre. (I'm not quite sure how that presentation space works out, but let's leave that aside for now.) Anyway, the BSG exhibit is smallish but there are a few nice models and the full-scale vipers and raider are excellent. The Potter exhibit, particularly early on, triggered lots of nostalgia for prep school dorm life. Particularly the notice board in the Gryffindor common room, and having a common room called a common room, and all that. XD But if you have any interest in this series at all, go. It's huge, and stuffed full of set pieces, furniture, props, costumes, books, and really - it's just great. (And if you're doing both, do the BSG exhibit first, or you'll be disappointed just because it's so much smaller.)

I have a lot of good photos from the BSG exhibit - my quarter-second-to-full-second-handheld photo ability came in handy again - but my Flickr account is full, so NO PHOTOSTREAM FOR ME. Maybe I should pony up for the "pro" level, but I'm so not a pro photographer. XD

Comments

[lyonesse.livejournal.com]

awesomeness!

i miss the murk thanksgivings....

[solarbird]

I do too. Yours were the real ones, with 50 people and warming and two turkeys and and and.

[lyonesse.livejournal.com]

*lol* i remember the overflowing grocery carts...!

[pocketnaomi.livejournal.com]

Thank you for taking in Callie and my kids. They all had a good time, and I'm sorry I couldn't go; it sounds wonderful!

[technoshaman.livejournal.com]

They certainly added a lot to the fun. Callie surprised us by breaking out Little Kid (for the record, I actually jump-started the jam; Anna was over by the French doors noodling on Rags, and I grabbed Thumper and started playing along, and first thing you know, JAM!), and the wee ones were very well behaved...

And tummy bugs are no fun, and best you can do is stay close to a loo and let it... pass, as it were.

[solarbird]

oop! fixed. Sorry!

[technoshaman.livejournal.com]

No worries. It was a long damn party (I heard you were up to 0200; I didn't get home until after midnight) and the first of several long days, and you're posting at the end of the last one. And you did have the disclaimer. :)

It was definitely my favorite kind of party: Lots of good people, way too much good food, lots of deep speech, and JAM! and PIE! Much with the awesome.

[maellenkleth]

Was really good to hang with you, kerasi, that evening and part of the next day. Same time next year, heya? (And maybe by then we can kidnap you to Friday Dinner at Greek Taki's place, too!)

[pocketnaomi.livejournal.com]

We've got high but specific expectations around here -- the kids know that good behavior is expected but they also get explained why each element of what we ask of them qualifies as "good behavior," and what the general purpose is. We've found that the result is much the same as when you make sure that every soldier going into a battle knows not only his own job but at least a rough version of the general battle plan... if they're in a position in which they have to make their own decisions, not just follow instructions, they have a basis on which to make them well.

[solarbird]

Everybody had a good time. I'm sorry you couldn't make it! I hope you were able to eat the plate Callie took back. ^_^

[pocketnaomi.livejournal.com]

Am eating it slowly because I'm trying not to wreck my diet, but am eating it, and it's very good -- thank you so much for sending her home with one for me!