Happy New Year and welcome to another Saturday here at the Wannaskan Almanac. Today is January 5th, and if you're anything like us, getting back into the normal routine on Tuesday, January 2nd, felt oddly syncopated. Who thought it was Monday? Who thought it was Wednesday? Who's still on vacation?
Every year we have some kind of TV binge to bring in the New Year. In past years it's been Naked & Afraid. This year, we spent the Christmas season right up into 2019 watching Mythbusters Mega-Merry-thon followed by the season premiere of Mythbusters Jr.
In the news ,"On this Day" (see below), the highlights that stood out for me were: the dwarf planet discovery (in light of the Mars hoopla), in 1968 the Prague Spring began - a brief season of freedom which the Communist regime put the kibosh on August 21, 1968 (a Wednesday), and who's this Alfred Dreyfus? I know of Richard Dreyfuss and Julia Louis-Dreyfus. But Alfred?
Alfred Dreyfus, according to Wikipedia, "was a French Jewish artillery officer whose trial and conviction in 1894 on charges of treason became one of the most tense political dramas in modern French history with a wide echo in all Europe. Known today as the Dreyfus affair, the incident eventually ended with Dreyfus's complete exoneration."
Further googling indicates there's a new movie coming out about the Dreyfus Affair. The French/Italian collaboartion of J'accuse is set to release December 4, 2019. But if you can't wait that long, try I Accuse! (1958) or Prisoner of Honor (1991), featuring Richard Dreyfuss, who has made past claims that the aforementioned Captain Dreyfus is a distant relative.
Due to the weather, we had some family plans change and the gingerbread house assembly got pushed to this week. Making a gingerbread house has become somewhat of a tradition. I say "somewhat" because it's all made from scratch - the recipe from my pal, Joy of Cooking. We roll out the dough and cut out the house shapes by hand. It's quite a production. My thinking is if we don't do one every year, its property value increases. Indeed, last year, towards the end of the Christmas season, kids asked me why we didn't make a house and this year when I took Christmas cookie requests, it was the first thing on the list.
I don't know how it is with your family, but at our house any project seems to begin with a session of mild bickering as everyone gets settled into the project. This one proved no different. Each kid jockeyed for a position around the house, laying claim to certain candies and themes. Then they went to work. It's never about being perfect and as a parent, I know the best thing I can do is make the royal icing and walk away.
The Engineer Oldest took ownership of the actual assembly - carefully piecing the walls together and letting them set while she built the chimney. The roof went on last. The foundation was solid. Phase 2 could begin.
Our prankster kid decorated with a red licorice roof, Shrek symbolism and kanji while the First Grader announced that Jesus was in Bethel-ham and was dead. She wrote "Jesus ded" with a cross on a tombstone. I tried to explain that holiday was Easter and now we were celebrating Jesus' birth. She nodded and ignored me while happily constructing a dead body (presumably Jesus) behind the tombstone.
The Kid Writer-in-Residence, meanwhile, tried to create an ax murderer on the other side of the house. I made a bundle of pretzel wood and we settled on a lumberjack.
The toddler was happy to stick gum drops and mini M&Ms wherever there was space.
The result looks pretty good to me.
2005 - The solar system's largest known dwarf planet is discovered
The discovery of “Eris” ultimately lead to the International Astronomical Union (IAU) downgrading Pluto, which has roughly the same size, to a dwarf planet.
1993 - The oil tanker MV Braer runs aground on the coast of the Shetland Islands
The oil tanker spilled twice as much crude oil as the Exxon Valdez in 1989.
1968 - The Prague Spring begins
The period of political liberalization in Czechoslovakia began with the election of Alexander Dubček as the country's leader.
1933 - Construction of the Golden Gate Bridge begins
The Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco is one of the best-known symbols of the United States.
1895 - Alfred Dreyfus is sentenced to life imprisonment
The French artillery officer was accused of treason. He was later exonerated.
1969 - Marilyn Manson, American singer-songwriter, actor, director
1932 - Umberto Eco, Italian philosopher, author
1928 - Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Pakistani politician, 4th President of Pakistan
1876 - Konrad Adenauer, German politician, Chancellor of West Germany
1779 - Stephen Decatur, American navy officer
Every year we have some kind of TV binge to bring in the New Year. In past years it's been Naked & Afraid. This year, we spent the Christmas season right up into 2019 watching Mythbusters Mega-Merry-thon followed by the season premiere of Mythbusters Jr.
In the news ,"On this Day" (see below), the highlights that stood out for me were: the dwarf planet discovery (in light of the Mars hoopla), in 1968 the Prague Spring began - a brief season of freedom which the Communist regime put the kibosh on August 21, 1968 (a Wednesday), and who's this Alfred Dreyfus? I know of Richard Dreyfuss and Julia Louis-Dreyfus. But Alfred?
Alfred Dreyfus, according to Wikipedia, "was a French Jewish artillery officer whose trial and conviction in 1894 on charges of treason became one of the most tense political dramas in modern French history with a wide echo in all Europe. Known today as the Dreyfus affair, the incident eventually ended with Dreyfus's complete exoneration."
Further googling indicates there's a new movie coming out about the Dreyfus Affair. The French/Italian collaboartion of J'accuse is set to release December 4, 2019. But if you can't wait that long, try I Accuse! (1958) or Prisoner of Honor (1991), featuring Richard Dreyfuss, who has made past claims that the aforementioned Captain Dreyfus is a distant relative.
Due to the weather, we had some family plans change and the gingerbread house assembly got pushed to this week. Making a gingerbread house has become somewhat of a tradition. I say "somewhat" because it's all made from scratch - the recipe from my pal, Joy of Cooking. We roll out the dough and cut out the house shapes by hand. It's quite a production. My thinking is if we don't do one every year, its property value increases. Indeed, last year, towards the end of the Christmas season, kids asked me why we didn't make a house and this year when I took Christmas cookie requests, it was the first thing on the list.
I don't know how it is with your family, but at our house any project seems to begin with a session of mild bickering as everyone gets settled into the project. This one proved no different. Each kid jockeyed for a position around the house, laying claim to certain candies and themes. Then they went to work. It's never about being perfect and as a parent, I know the best thing I can do is make the royal icing and walk away.
The Engineer Oldest took ownership of the actual assembly - carefully piecing the walls together and letting them set while she built the chimney. The roof went on last. The foundation was solid. Phase 2 could begin.
Our prankster kid decorated with a red licorice roof, Shrek symbolism and kanji while the First Grader announced that Jesus was in Bethel-ham and was dead. She wrote "Jesus ded" with a cross on a tombstone. I tried to explain that holiday was Easter and now we were celebrating Jesus' birth. She nodded and ignored me while happily constructing a dead body (presumably Jesus) behind the tombstone.
The Kid Writer-in-Residence, meanwhile, tried to create an ax murderer on the other side of the house. I made a bundle of pretzel wood and we settled on a lumberjack.
The toddler was happy to stick gum drops and mini M&Ms wherever there was space.
The result looks pretty good to me.
Kids' Corner
The older kids and dad are playing laser tag with the Robotics team. Littles and I made tiger butter and a pretzel version of puppy chow. Now we're watching my absolute favorite movie from my own childhood, Goonies, and that's my kid-certified movie recommendation of the week.
Good luck to David who will be competing with his Lego League team, Lego the Woods, next Saturday at the FLL Sectional in St. Paul!
Good luck to David who will be competing with his Lego League team, Lego the Woods, next Saturday at the FLL Sectional in St. Paul!
On This Day
Historic Highlights (credits)
2005 - The solar system's largest known dwarf planet is discovered
The discovery of “Eris” ultimately lead to the International Astronomical Union (IAU) downgrading Pluto, which has roughly the same size, to a dwarf planet.
1993 - The oil tanker MV Braer runs aground on the coast of the Shetland Islands
The oil tanker spilled twice as much crude oil as the Exxon Valdez in 1989.
1968 - The Prague Spring begins
The period of political liberalization in Czechoslovakia began with the election of Alexander Dubček as the country's leader.
1933 - Construction of the Golden Gate Bridge begins
The Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco is one of the best-known symbols of the United States.
1895 - Alfred Dreyfus is sentenced to life imprisonment
The French artillery officer was accused of treason. He was later exonerated.
Happy Birthday to You!🎶
1932 - Umberto Eco, Italian philosopher, author
1928 - Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Pakistani politician, 4th President of Pakistan
1876 - Konrad Adenauer, German politician, Chancellor of West Germany
1779 - Stephen Decatur, American navy officer
Remembering You
2016 - Pierre Boulez, French pianist, composer, conductor
1970 - Max Born, German physicist, Nobel Prize laureate
1933 - Calvin Coolidge, American politician, 30th President of the United States
1922 - Ernest Shackleton, Irish explorer
1589 - Catherine de' Medici, Italian/French wife of Henry II of France
1970 - Max Born, German physicist, Nobel Prize laureate
1933 - Calvin Coolidge, American politician, 30th President of the United States
1922 - Ernest Shackleton, Irish explorer
1589 - Catherine de' Medici, Italian/French wife of Henry II of France
New! Writers Workshop!
Have a hankering to write? Want to be better? How about to publish?
I'm teaching a workshop next week called You're Not Ready: A workshop on the path to publication. I'll be at the Roseau Library on Thursday, January 10th and the Warroad Public Library on Saturday, the 12th.
Attendees will learn how literary professionals know if a manuscript isn’t ready and what you can do to avoid these pitfalls. Using real examples, together we’ll examine a query letter, a synopsis and the first ten pages of a manuscript to identify these common problems. You’ll also get a chance to assess the readiness of your own writing projects. This is also a good workshop if you're asked to critique or be a beta-reader for other people.
Registration isn't required, but if you want to let me know you're coming, email me at kim@redshoeswriting.com or leave a comment below.
Whether you make any New Year's resolutions or not, make it a great Saturday!
- Kim
Love the story and resulting gingerbread house - truly a collaborative endeavor! Thanks for the pics of the resulting masterpiece. JP Savage
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