Getting old ain't for sissies.*

[bending_sickle]

I have now lived longer than: (Source)

Ron Goldman, waiter and aspiring actor, acquaintance of Nicole Brown Simpson, murder victim (July 2, 1968 -- June 12, 1994)
John Keats, English Romantic poet and tuberculosis victim (October 31, 1795 -- February 23, 1821)
Randy Rhoads, California-born guitarist for Ozzy Osbourne and Quiet Riot (December 6, 1956 -- March 19, 1982)
Tupac Shakur, New York-born rapper and ill-fated boxing match attender (June 16, 1971 -- September 13, 1996)

I woke up in a fantastic mood and whiled away the morning setting up the season's first outfit (bye-bye summer clothes, hello fall and winter) and wandering around the internet. My great-aunt called to congratulate me, which was lovely. I also got loads of well-wished from folks over the internet, which was just so much ♥

Then I went off to one of the - yes, there's more than one - local English pubs, the Northend, for a Full English Breakfast. Of course, the pub opened at noon, so I spent a half hour checking out a bookstore, where I caved and bought A Good and Happy Child by Justin Evans (awesome) and some postcards for folk. (I'm in a postcard and/or care-package mood, although I've yet to get Danny's package set up. Damned supermarket's not carrying the stroopwaffels anymore - maybe they're seasonal? Ah well, it'll be the more authentic market waffels then.)

But! Oh, food! Toast! Butter! Bacon! Eggs! Beans and sausages of a floury texture. Brilliant way to start the day. And, with the bill, they give you a lollypop! How awesome it that?!?

Then I went to get some candy because, apart from one sour apple thingy, it's been a year or more since I've had a delightful mix of squishy and sour candy things. I got a good selection - two of each - and am looking forward to hedonistic times :D

Then I wandered off to the Hague. Mom called me when I was on the train, and so I got to talk to Ma and Dad (at what was 7 am for them). Mom's freaking out over the move because they don't even have a moving company approved by the government yet, so gods know when they'll be packd, much less actually in the Vatican. Oy.

Once in the Hague, I went the opposite direction I usually go and ended up walking along a bordered-off park (with a canal bordering it, of course). I saw a man-made nest for the local fowl and a red-headed duck-thing, which was new.





I was also accosted by said fowl, who came at me with the full intent of rifling my pockets for food. If they had to clobber me unconscious, then by-squak, they would.





A massive flock of pigeons took to the wing right over me, from behind, and flew over me some three times or so. It was pretty wonderful (after the initial scare of what the fuck is that?!?).

I also watched geese, crows and deer.









I sat a while watching these bizarre geese specimens and Big Daddy Deer, then wandered around the park. I bumped into a demonstration going on about free people and was charmed by how organized and thoughtful the Dutch are even when dealing with demonstrations. And yes, I oogled the cop's horses. I also checked out the skater park (see demonstration in the background). It was at this point that I saw a grown man running towards a flock of pigeons with his arms outstretched in airplane-mode. Gods, gotta love people.



Once around the park, I found a spot closer to the deer and spent a nice while watching two young'uns practicing their antler skills then wandering about licking younger deer to the point of annoyance before going at it again in the mud. Big Daddy Deer (number two) was pretty chill under a tree. (Y'all going to have to take my word for all of this, because my camera died right about then.)

Then I wandered around back to my usual Hague-wandering-grounds. I bumped into this middle-aged man on a bike who asked me something very politely as I was walking away. My Dutch was useless for whatever he said, so I walked back and asked him what he'd said. Turns out he was asking if he could take my pictures. I said no (because that's basically my default when strange people ask me for things), but then as I was walking away berated myself for not even asking what kind of photos, or what for. Granted, unless he'd snapped them right then and there, chances are I would've still said no... (Particularly since only crazy girls who need to be rescued by Gene Hunt agree to go to random guy's photo studios, and those are the lucky ones. Unlucky girls show up in ditches two weeks later, or as grandmothers fifteen years later.) But still, that he'd asked sort of put a spring in my step and I must admit I did glance at my reflection a few times trying to figure out why he'd asked me.

I watched The Other Man with LNeeson, ABanderas and LLinney, not knowing anything other that what the poster said. It was...not good. Poorly constructed, bad tones (the audience tittered or outright laughed at dramatic** or Woe! moments) and a really massive let-down turn-around. Also, not enough Laura (who has the most beautiful sad smile I've ever seen) and seriously, the plot should try misleading a little bit less by giving us a few hints (apart from the distraught daughter). All in all, it was very meh, and Liam's character was very much a prick, while Antonio's was just a sleeze. I did, however, mentally clap like a seal at Antonio's muttered, "Me cago en mi puta madre..." as he lost a game of chess.

Then I went for pannenkoeken (bannana and stroop!) and got a call from my brother, whereupon we chatted quote nicely about random stuff. Then I went to the supermarket, picked up some small cake thing (which wasn't all that good, but it's the thought that matters), then took the train home and soaked my aching oh gods the high heels feet in hot water. And then, oh dears, I concluded a most wonderful day with Dollhouse 2x01, Supernatural 5x03 (How can a show be so funny and heartbreaking at the same time?!? How?!?) and ate cake.

Squee-day: accomplished.

I was just in the laundry room, trying to decipher our new machine with its buttons that look permanently stuck, when I heard from Bab's room just across the hall an ad for an Animal Planet documentary which broke my heart a little. It was about Echo the elephant and her little trope in Amboseli. Oy. The concept of her is now so wrapped up with memories and emotions and people**, it's hard to see her as just an elephant in a documentary.


Links of the Day:
redscharlach's Heroes 4x01-02 Review
literaryquotes's 20,000 Leagues Under The Seas by Jules Verne ; Gifts by Ursula LeGuin ; Chuck Palahniuk
lidi's Supernatural Animated 5x01 Icons
mata090680's Supernatural Icons
tigriswolf's Supernatural Fic Rider of the Storm
starrylizard's Superntaural Fanvid This Darkness (Sam)
cg_chevygirl's Supernatural Fanvid Masterlist Sticky-post
clex_monkie89's Fanfic Masterpost - Includes SPN.
secretltodream (Loki)'s It Takes Less Time To Drink You Pretty (Sam/Dean)
jaylan121's Supernatural Fanvid Lonely Sam (Episodic 5x03)
android654's TSCC Fanfic And Cameron Raised a John
cj2017's TSCC Fanfic Know Your Exits (Sarah/Derek)
isis2015's Multifandom Icons - The Big Bang Theory, Leverage, Supernatural, Pushing Daisies, Dollhouse
rhcp_csi's Multifandom Icons - Supernatural, CSI, Fringe, Lost, The Hangover, Inglorious Bastards
cool_rush's Multifandom Icons (Including Animated) - 30 Rock, Britney Spears, BtVS, Dollhouse, Supernatural, True Blood, The X-Files
usericonzicons's Fanvid All the Boys Love Mandy Lane
blank_dolls's 2x01 Reactions
blizzardcake's embeds What You Should Pack for Korea
batman_lulz's The Joker's Blog: Therapy Begins
henrygalelovers's Michael Emerson in Saw .gifs
thedailyshow's Blagoyovich Extended Interview
Radaronline's Celebrity Video Blog: True Blood's Carrie Preston and Lost's Michael Emerson
Wiki's Move: Grave of the Fireflies ; TV: Flashforward ; The Tale of the Bamboo-Cutter (Aliens in Japanese fairytales? Seems like.) ; Yukon Quest
Yahoo News's Aids Vaccine
Viking.no's Viking Song: I Dreamed A Dream


* Betty Davis
** The family who took us in with open arms - and gave Willy and I beau's - studied her, and I was there when Echo died.
*** "He has huge hands! Horrible hands!"

Comments

[lienne.livejournal.com]

Happy not-your-birthday-anymore!

♥

[bending-sickle.livejournal.com]

♥♥♥!!!

*penguin glomp*

[blizzardcake.livejournal.com]

ooooomg bacon, eggs, candy, geese and deer! Sounds like you had an amazing day <3 I LOL'D so hard at your description of being accosted by the fowl xD

*hug-o-saurus*