Of a Family intervention and "Rear Window"~~~

Hello Darklings,

First seeing Hitchcock's "Rear Window" on the full size screen is just wonderful, you can see all the little nuances that Hitchcock was injecting into the movie, I could almost determine what material Grace Kelly's green and off white suit was made from (either a linen or a nubby worsted silk) and to see clearly the patterns on the materials, the subtle expressions on the actors.  If any of you Darklings has a theater that shows classic films you Must see Hitchock's films on the big screen.
The last time I saw one of his films this way was "North by Northwest", the part when Cary Grant in a drunken stupor is trying to drive down the road way becomes harrowing, and when the bi-plane attacks him is far more frightening.   I can understand now why some people have to have those big screen plasma t.v.'s I just don't want it to dominate my room and my life.

And why oh why can't young ladies and actressess model their gowns the way Grace Kelly modeled in the movie, Edith Head's creations.  They way they stand and pose now a days is horrible and not gracefull at all.

This week Doyle wants to see John Wayne in "The Searchers" well why not, he humors me so I should humor him.

Now the Sunday family intervention....Well Darklings, we had the boys (including my brother) sit down in the living room and they were informed that as part of their punishment they could not see either the Raiders or 49er's games or anything else that day that was sports orientened.....trust me it was very painful for them, espeically my brother, it could not even be recorded.

First Coralline in a very well thought out and carefully written speech sited her grievances, the torments she'd been through, how unhappy and miserable her brother's with their father's silent permission has made her life miserable,  her mother had to listen to that as well as Coralline said that because of the overwhelming demands of the boys her mother became an accomplise by not laying down the law.  This included vacations, weekends, holidays, and even evenings when there was no homework.

Then Coralline's mother spoke, she acknowledge her complicity without using parental guidance or acting as mediator between everyone, but also told her husband and sons what she was very upset with and angry with them.

Sis and I then spoke and told them how much Coralline desires to come to my house and be with us because of all the misery that her brothers with the unknowing assistance of their father has put her through and that if they continue it would lead to Coralline cutting her brothers out of her life forever and that the testoserone attitude has got to stop because Coralline's needs were Not being met because everything was given over to the boys, including the biggest boy, our brother.  It has to stop because they were BULLIES, and they were bullying their own sister, and it makes them unfit for society.

All 4 of us said there has to be boundaries, and those boundaries and compromises were not being met, if they want an all male house hold, Coralline and her Mother were going to move out and come live with me.  There would be a divorce  (I know that sounds drastic but Coralline's Mother had to wake them all up)

Sis and I said we would back up Monica our sister-in-law.

Monica said to the boys they got only a taste of their own medicine which they had be treating Coralline to for nearly 7 years, even invading her personal santurary her own bedroom which they Knew was off limits, so how did they like being invaded.   One of the twins said they didn't know Coralline could handle a snake and Coralline said if she could have gotten a real trantula she would have, it is no problem to handle one safely. 

That made them open their eyes about what Coralline could do, even my brother admitted it had been getting out of hand, but it is now at an end, no more pranks or jokes, no more teasing, no more making things miserable for their sister. 

Now rules are in place and if anyone brakes those rules and this included my brother, there would be a serious reprisal, there is also going to be compromises, it's not going to be all sports but other things and if it was something that the boys really were not going to enjoy (like the ballet) then it would be something for Coralline and her Mother or her Aunts would do together.  The boys could do chores.

 Coralline said she really hated sports, all sports, she saw no sense to guys butting their heads, or long dragging times waiting for someone to hit a ball, even basket ball or ice hockey, it didn't make sense just to be violent and agreesive, espeically after the serious beating of one fan and the death of another.

She said she could understand competition like high jump, pole vaulting, and such but to her it did not engage her mind and her mind found it boring to watch, she preferred something which she could learn from, and as an example we all watched a Nova program about the newly revealed secrets of Stonehenge, which did get the boys talking and Coralline being the expert filled them in,  Sis and I even said that one could see Saturn last night,  Doyle had brought his telescope which he has used for survalence and we had an excellent view of Saturn through it.

The boys kept taking turns trying to see it and it became more immediate to them, something that was only in books or films now became real.  (Amazing what a planet with rings can do).

Coralline even pointed out using a pin point flash light the Big Dipper, and Orion. 

My brother told us that from now on he's going to take the kids to places were they will all be interested in and less sports, espeically after Monica said she was afraid of them getting seriously injured and pointed out numerous articles about sports injuries to young teens and pre-teens. 

She also pointed out that the cost of tickets, parking, food etc. was becoming too expensive and the boys espeically the oldest were going to need braces, which is an expensive situation and it is as she said 'a need to be done'  not a 'want' to fulfill personal desires.  She also pointed out other things in which the cost to do or maintain has gone up and they were going to have to do some serious cut backs.  

The money aspect did hit home with our brother.

My brother said that he would like the boys to be in good shape, Monica said there were other things that could be done that didn't necessairly involve butting heads or climbing rocks and gave a list. 

Coralline likes swimming and ballet excerises, she does not like performing on stage though and she enjoys hikes through historic areas and forests etc as long as it is not a forced march.

My brother could see swimming and hiking for the boys---no ballet though, historic places that are open and right now State run would be very good.
But one of the things we all will be doing next weekend is going to the Haunted houses of the Pirates of Emerson, it will be expensive but it will be fun for all.   I'll just have to wear tennis shoes and jeans.  I mean 6 yes Darklings,  6 haunted houses I could really like that.

All in all reviewing what happened last night I felt went very well, it was a shock to the boys, but they did admit they did not want any more snakes or expecting a live spider, and the oldest doesn't want his bed to collapse again, not that they ever did that bed collapsing to Coralline but they did discover that she can be very serious and devious in her "revenge" tatics.   Coralline said that she is still keeping her bedroom locked, she doesn't trust them yet and she is putting together a list of devious plots if they should ever do anything again----with her Mother's permission.

By the way the garter snake was returned safe and sound to its owner a neighborhood boy who owns several snakes, he loaned it to Coralline, I think he's got a little crush on her, because she did ask if we could bring him with us to the Haunted Houses.

Later Darklings.

Yes, the Boys have found out that little Coralline can be very, Very, VERY Fierce.