Wet Wednesday

IT MUST BE WEDNESDAY: When my inbox has selfies from the kids in a library, that means it's our day in Shoreline, at the kids' up north classes (science and detectives for the two of them, and art for Annabelle). 

NUTTY:  A few walks ago, we gleaned some "horse" chestnuts. Since they're not edible, we thought we'd make some art with them.

The kids dug around in our art/junque drawer to get the items they'd need to give the chestnuts some personality. And the glue gun was put to good use.

CJ came up with a squatty creation, which he named George. Annabelle's two chestnut friends were a tad taller, thanks to their cork torsos. 

OUT AND ABOUT:  Yesterday, we went walking along Viewmont, a street in the Magnolia neighborhood famous as a Halloween night destination. Unfortunately, we didn't see any decorations to write home about (maybe they're putting them up this weekend?) but we did see lots of autumal colored leaves, and a pretty grape vine. 

We also found a new-to-us Little Free Library.  We took a book and will have to bring another one  back soon.

ZOMBIES!:  Finally getting around to sharing that on Monday we played the seasonally-appropriate Zombie Fluxx game. Such frustration! And fun! 

At one point, I had zombies in front of me (not a good thing). The game went on, and on, and on. As in nearly 90 minutes long. We've played other Fluxx versions, and none had been as complicated and long as this one.

Miraculously, there was a significant reversal of fortunate not too much after my zombie invasion, I won the game.  At that point, I think we were all just happy it was finally over!

OLDIES:  Around 4 p.m. I flipped on the TV for some pre-World Series coverage. As I flipped through the channel listings, CJ spied a title called "Merrily We Live."   "It's from 1938!" CJ excitedly proclaimed, asking to watch it. Sigh. I suppose a breakdown of the Royals v. Giants could wait. 

And so, we began watching the black and white movie. Loosely, its plot is about a society matron (Emily Kilbourne) who has a knack for hiring ex-cons and vagrants as her house help.  Without even looking at the screen, I recognized the voice of the woman playing the matron. I told the kids not to look, either, and said, "Who is that? You know that voice!"

Without hesitation, Annabelle replied, "Glinda!"

Sure 'nough, Billie Burke was in the role (for which she earned a best actress in a supporting role Oscar nomination, by the way). That same year, she was selected to play Glinda.

The movie wasn't engrossing. In fact, the kids found it mildly entertaining, at best. But it was probably more interesting than the World Series pre game show, at least from a cultural standpoint.

Reading up online, we learned that Burke was born into a showbiz family. Her father, Billy Burke, was a singer and clown with the Barnum & Bailey Circus. Billie toured with her dad as a child. Here's a shot of her as a young woman, from the Library of Congress' collection. 

Burke's husband was Florenz Ziegfeld, Jr., of the famous Ziegfeld Follies family.

WILD WEATHER: I'll bet it has rained more in the last two days than it did in the two months previous. So. Darn. Wet. And gray. Welcome to the next 7 months, I suppose ...