A rare moment of bandwagon-jumping...on...ness

What I should be blogging about: having a fourth son for a week (our nephew George came to stay with us), Grandma Izatt and Grandma Thomas visiting for a few days (they brought George), Melissa and the girls visiting for a couple of days (they picked George up), our anniversary (I beat Chuck at tennis!), and Father's Day (dads are great!).

What I am blogging about: Downton Abbey. 

(spoiler alert - there are some vague and one not very vague spoilers in this post, so if you have serious plans to watch the show and don't want to know anything, leave now or forever hold your peace).

I just love it.  And hate it.  And everything in between. 

Around the end of April I asked Chuck to reserve it for me at the library; there was a looong waiting list and I figured by the time it got to me it would be late fall and I could watch both seasons just in time for the third to air starting in January. I was therefore quite surprised when they both became available for us in May (apparently we get priority on the copies specifically owned by our library and the majority of the waiting list folks must be Boise or Meridian card holders. Sad for them). We watched them at an agonizingly slow pace since Chuck is "responsible" and "employed" and refused to stay up all night and watch seven in a row at a time... sheesh, some people. 

We still made it through in about a week per season with a one week waiting period between them.  I'm not sure if it's because we watched them one right after another or not, but I was really intrigued by how my opinions of some characters changed by the end of the second season. A time span of just under eight years is covered, so it makes sense that the characters grow and develop and mature during that time.

 Obviously these two are my favorite characters.

  Which is probably why this result on a random fansite quiz made me so happy!

Speaking of fansites, if you want to die laughing, check out this 'cheat sheet' for the show: 

 Ohh poor Edith. . .

So after indecisively holding both seasons on dvd in my amazon cart for three days, I finally bought them last week and was delighted to learn that included in the purchase was a digital copy of the show as well, so I can watch them on the computer or TV (through the XBOX) any time!  So that would explain what I've been doing the last few days... and tonight... and some tomorrow :).  

When I'm not re-watching the show or "mothering" my "children", I've been spending a lot of time focusing on how I can use my favorite quotes from Downton Abbey in real life.  Here's what I've come up with so far:

"I'm not a lady, and I don't pretend to be."  

I've already used this one a few times; it comes in handy if Chuck questions why I'm wearing athletic shorts at 6pm and have yet to shower for the day.

"The only ruin I recognize is to be without you."  

I'm going to wail this dramatically when Chuck leaves for Scout camp in a couple of days. . . followed by:

"Such good luck!!"  

Definitely in a (falsely) bright, cheery tone.

 "One way or another, everyone goes down the aisle with half the story hidden." 

 I'll probably jot this inside the card for any future bridal showers I attend.

"I... I.. was just polishing it before I put it back." 

 My response when the little boys wander in the kitchen and ask why I'm holding the ice cream carton.

"Oh, good; let's talk about money." 

 Haha, I'll throw this out melodramatically when Chuck innocently asks about any purchases I make :).

"I'm a woman, [Chuck]. I can be as contrary as I choose." 

 Obviously this will be useful on a regular basis, regardless of the specific situation.

"Really. It's like living in a second rate hotel where guests keep arriving and no one seems to leave."  

This I will mutter to myself on those early mornings when I find myself inadvertently snuggling with Clyde and Will, who apparently both prefer to climb in on MY side of the bed and not Chuck's.

"You'll find there's never a dull moment in this house."  

 To anyone who happens to be in our home when the boys are wrestling... or jumping off couches... or lightsaber-dueling... 

"You are my stick."  

 I'm still trying to figure out how I'll set Chuck up in a conversation so that this can be my reply without actually waiting until I'm 90 and use a cane for real . . . 

Well, I'm pretty sure I could keep rambling about DA (I love this abbreviation because it reminds me of Harry Potter.  Man, British people are awesome!) but I'd rather go watch a few minutes of it instead.  Good night!  Such good luck!!