The Witching Well

My husband grew up on the bank of the Hudson River, and considering his passion for history it’s hardly surprising that he’d be fascinated by the ruins of Bannerman’s Castle on Pollepel Island. In the last couple of years, the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation has let the Bannerman Castle Trust lead walking tours.

Andy’s parents took us on the tour Saturday, and oh my gods but it’s a wonderful little excursion. Well worth the $30 a head between the very relaxing boat ride out and back and the hour-and-a-half tour of the grounds around the old arms warehouse and the hilltop residence of the Bannerman family who used to own it.

And, yes, we took pictures. But WordPress seems to be having trouble uploading files just now, so sharing those will have to wait.

Mood: enthralled
Music: Soul Coughing: Circles

Gay Californians now officially have the right to marry. True, there’s a big fight ahead, to keep the bigots from amending the state constitution to put the ban back in place, but can’t you just smell it in the air? The times, they really are a-changing.

Mood: excited

That’s the first adjective that comes into my head when I try to describe Iron Man. It’s just, well, awesome. The casting. The acting. The special effects. Especially the suit. Gods, the suit is just stunning.

And the candy at the very end is well worth sitting through the interminable credits.

Mood: impressed

Two of our friends got Andy a 12″ tall remote control dalek for his birthday. It was almost as big a hit at the party last night as their six month old daughter.

The cat is going to need therapy. Possibly the dog, too.

Mood: amused
Music: Great Big Sea: Sea of No Cares

Well, the word is out that Sky One is reviving Blake’s 7. While the idea of this is, on the surface, very appealing, I’m more than a little apprehensive as to how they’ll handle it. If the production values are too low, it won’t be able to compete, but if it doesn’t keep a little bit of the original show’s cheese factor, the old guard fan base will lambaste it. And the casting… I already feel sorry for whichever poor bastard gets the role of Kerr Avon. Or, for that matter, Roj Blake or Vila Restal.

Then there’s the big question on this side of the Pond: Will we ever even get to see it in the States? Gods know we’re still waiting for the original show to be put out on Region I DVD.

Mood: hopeful
Music: Blondie: The Tide is High