BilikFamily.com

Album - We took the kids to dinner at the Merrimack Burger King this evening. It's one of their favorite fast food places because of the indoor playground they have. When we returned the kids played for a bit while I worked on this album. Besides some of the early pictures of Timothy walking, one of my favorites is our friend, Drew, who refused to cooperate when the camera was pointed at him. Also, if anyone would like to rent the kids for short periods of time, we have a picture showing the box they will arrive in at your doorstep.

Movies - Saturday evening Michelle and I watched "Bedazzled", starring Brendan Fraser as a loner who gets seduced to sell his soul to the devil, played by Elizabeth Hurley. Sunday Michelle, the girls, and I watched "Whale Rider". While it was a good story, like most movies that have strong accents, a lot of it went over Claire's head and had to be explained along the way. Overall, though, she was intrigued because story centered around a girl who was roughly her age taking on roles that were considered the domain of men because she was the local chief's sole heir.

On my own I watched "A Man for All Seasons", mostly because DecentFilms.com gave it their top rating. Heck, even the review is moving! The film is the story of St. Thomas More, one of the few men with the integrity to not swear under oath that he accepts King Henry VIII's new title (Supreme Head of the Church in England) and new wife (Anne Boleyn). Thomas' dialog was so rich and full of insight that after a while I found myself hanging on his words. His dying words were “I die the king’s good servant, and God’s first.” Back in 1966 the film won six academy awards. I think the academy had higher standards back then.

When I was in high school I had to watch this movie but didn't get nearly as much out of it back then. While I knew of the Reformation, it had little real meaning to me because back then nearly everyone I came across was Catholic. I lived in neighborhoods that were dominated by Polish, Italians, and Irish. I attended schools that were Catholic. It was only later in life that I got to better understand the great rift the Reformation tore through Christendom. I was also surprised at how little of Catholicism I had learned despite 12 years in Catholic schools.

Miscellaneous tidbits - I took off the old safety net from our trampoline because it was damaged last fall in preparation for winter. I also ordered a replacement that looks to be a safer, more durable safety enclosure. BestBuy gave up on attempts to repair our bedroom television and let me pick out a replacement from their stock. As usual, Claire accompanied me on the trip because she loves to visit the mall's food court. I suspect she might also like the one on one father-daughter time. Claire stayed overnight at a new friend's house on Friday evening but then was sniffling with a small cold the rest of the weekend.