Truffles and Jingles and Noise

Megan came home with us to visit for one day, making her first long (more than a couple of hours) road trip ever. We came down together on Sunday, and she drove back this morning. She even drove through New York City, first with me on the way down and then, on the return trip, by herself. Yey, little sister!

Megan's visit was very propitious since we needed an entire extra car (hers) to haul our presents back from Connecticut/Maine festivities (thanks everyone!).

We spent the time initiating her into good movies like Die Hard and Lethal Weapon, and then we made truffles. I should probably explain that truffles taste really good no matter what they look like, which in our case is a very positive thing. We traded the truffles in for a story a friend of ours wrote that she was hanging onto for some reason and that we wanted to read. We offered her a multitude of truffles if she would just e-mail us her newly written book, and she agreed. It was worth all the chocolate angst--a very good book indeed. While we were slavishly making the collateral we watched a movie called The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio. It was an OK movie, and thought-provoking for those of us who need inspiration for writing more often (which I do). This woman had ten kids and entered jingle contests in order to keep her family afloat financially. Some thoughts on the movie:

1. This woman's husband felt threatened by her ability to provide for the family while he spent the milk money on drink (the movie is set in the '50's I believe). It is true he was rather a dead-beat in his drinking habits, but she was no saint either in the way she treated him. Although the movie was trying to be women's lib-y and they did a good job of showing the mother as a strong character around which the family rallied, she came across a bit heartless when he asked her if she loved him in a number of different ways and she rebuffed him each time. In real life the man would have left, or at least left off trying to please her. He remained true to her and didn't give up trying to show her he loved her, despite his obvious issues with alcohol.

2. She wrote constantly, and encouraged her kids to write as well. They did, which is why one of them wrote a book which turned into this movie.

3. Ten kids make a lot of noise, and they actually did a good job of showing it in the movie. It makes me feel like my four are quiet in comparison. It also makes me feel like my kids are normal--because despite my awesome family and their willingness to enjoy (put up with) all of the noise my kids bring with them during Christmas I know you all aren't used to it and so I was a bit paranoid all vacation trying to keep my kids quiet and subdued (yes, THAT was quiet and subdued!).