I Harry Potter

[vaneramos]

Brenna on the Tiltawhirl


August 27, the day we had planned to visit the CNE in Toronto, was a sticky 30°C (88°F), probably the hottest day in a cool, wet summer. Danny djjo took the day off to join me and the girls. We met at his house and took the Ossington bus down to Exhibition Place. One of the first points on our agenda was to meet Monique, but due to mishaps this took considerable time. Meanwhile the clouds burst, lightning flashed and the midway shut down for a few minutes. Finally we headed for the midway.

First Marian, Danny and I went on the Polar Express. I almost lost my lunch. They went on one or two more dare-devilish rides as well. I joined Brenna on the Tilt-a-whirl and a rollercoaster. I closed my eyes on most of the hills, but near the end forced myself to look. Marian and I suffer from vertigo, but Brenna does not. She attempted the climbing rock, a sport at which she is fairly skilled.

I hadn't visited the CNE since I was about 12.

Photo gallery (8 pics)

~~~~~~~~~~

Since reading four books in the series this summer, I have been having dreams in which I am Harry Potter. Usually I'm involved in some kind of conflict with the Death Eaters. Yesterday in the car I told my daughters about the most recent one.

We were fighting Lucius Malfoy in a castle. He was standing in the centre of a wide corridor, casting spells so quickly and powerfully that no one could approach him to get a line of fire. An A-Team version of Ron was there, like a pumped up wrestler with red stubble on his scalp and chin. Of course I, Harry, was not allowed to engage in the melee because I was the Death Eaters' target and my friends were protecting me. True to Harry's character, I was angry and impatient with the situation, so I came up with a plan of my own. I rigged a large cloth tarpaulin across the high ceiling of the room where Malfoy was fighting. It hung from hooks around the perimeter. I climbed up a ladder and started exclaiming "Accio water!" to fill the cloth. Once it was full, I envisioned cutting the hooks. The weight of the water would knock Malfoy onto the floor and give everyone a chance to make a major offensive.

My efforts were interrupted by Ron, who came back from the fighting with a booboo on his arm. My job was supposed to be to look after the casualties, so I looked after Ron's booboo.

"A booboo!" Marian and Brenna squeaked hysterically.

"It was a dangerous fight," I explained, "much more dangerous than the previous dream where we were playing mini golf against the Death Eaters. Albus Dumbledore was in that dream, and he was winning. He wasn't around in this one, which made Harry suspicious."

"You could have used your club on Malfoy," said Brenna.

"You're so serious when you tell it," Marian squealed.

I didn't tell them the most recent dream was also erotic. I Harry had a huge crush on muscleman Ron and wanted to lose my virginity to him. I had never experienced penetration, but had done my homework and knew what to expect the first time. When Ron came back to the field hospital I made my request and he accepted. Unfortunately I woke up at that point. My dreams always end on the verge of consummation. I guess Hermione and the others were left to the devastations of Malfoy.

~~~~~~~~~~

My summer reading:

1. The Golden Compass, by Philip Pullman


2. The Subtle Knife, by PP


3. The Amber Spyglass, by PP


4. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, by J.K. Rowling


5. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, by JKR


6. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, by JKR


7. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, by JKR


8. The Joy Luck Club, by Amy Tan


9. The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, by Alexander McCall Smith


10. Tears of the Giraffe, by AMS


11. Cat Crimes, edited by Martin H. Greenburg and Ed Gorman (not finished yet)


12. Always Coming Home, by Ursula K. LeGuin (just started. Wow!)

Comments

[daisydumont.livejournal.com]

that is the best dream i have ever heard. i am so jealous, i could cry. oh, yesterday i saw a webpage with translations from a chinese version of the Chamber of Secrets that had me and ted in hysterics. so much was based on mis-hearings of names. there was a frame of Malfoy père confronting harry and ron (sad to say, non-Rambo Ron) in that bookstore where lockhart was signing books. malfoy, looking supremely self-confident, says:

I am Ruxis Maphel.

haha. i named my journal "I am Ruxis Maphel" for the rest of the day. :D

i would live in the Potterverse if i could!

p.s. love the photo. :)

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Haha, that translation is too funny! My dreams often take the form of Big Adventures, and are often sci fi. Besides, I'm frequently a character from a movie or a book (sometimes female), so Harry Potter fits the bill.

In my favourite dream of all time I was Siguerny Weaver as Dian Fossey in the 23rd Century, hijacking a space freighter full of live Earth animals bound for a zoo in the Alpha Centauri system. I set the poachers adrift in deep space, and turned the ship back towards post-apocalyptic Earth.

The past few years I've remembered very few dreams, so these Potter fantasies were a refreshing delight. As usual they were a little scary while I was dreaming them, but a source of mirth upon waking.

[daisydumont.livejournal.com]

that's a stunning dream! i *never* dream fun or entertaining stuff. what i remember is usually disturbing little snippets that i promptly forget.

you appear to have a very creative subconscious. :)

Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.

[eloquentwthrage.livejournal.com]

My favorite dream was not mine.

John's ex-wife Bernadette once dreamed about rollerskating down the aisle of a church in service, with a pigeon on top of her head. Many a drunken nights we sat and contemplated the meaning of that dream, and just could never figure it out.

Re: Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Hehe, it's certainly an image worth revisiting. Some things aren't meant to be understood, like Ron's booboo.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Thanks, I found the Weaver/Fossey/scifi/enviro connection very entertaining.

[daisydumont.livejournal.com]

oh, sorry to pester you, but did you get the e-mail i sent with two of the screen caps clipped on? i'm not sure i used the right address.

[ubermunkey.livejournal.com]

great entry
i love the pics
the one where she is climbing the wall is superb, and the one where you are in the pic with her is really great too.

be well

[queenmomcat.livejournal.com]

I'll say Brenna doesn't suffer from vertigo, or indeed any inner ear issues whatsoever. She's having a ball in that photograph! Did the rest of you at least enjoy the day?

(Oh and your postcard arrived; Stephe was much perplexed as to why *I* was getting postcards from strange men [amused grin])

Love that laugh!

[djjo.livejournal.com]

That first picture of Brenna and the one of the two of you are great.

It was a great day, minus this mix up meeting Monique. Which went better than it could have!

Lot's of great sounding books. I must try and read the Ursula K. LeGuin one this year.

Hugs and smooches! Time to get some sleep. Danny

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Thanks, I think the rock-climbing pic is the best in the set. I just couldn't resist the shot I posted here, which recorded one of Bren's characteristic gut laughs. It's a deep bark. She sounds more like me than a little girl when she does it.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Oh yes. Marian was totally thrilled with her rides, although after her final one she had no appetite for a few hours. I would not be able to handle some of the ones she did. Brenna isn't as much of a thrill-seeker, so she wouldn't go on the more advanced rides, but she likes to do things she is good at. When rock-climbing she seems to keep a clear head in a way that neither Marian nor I can do.

Re: Love that laugh!

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Hi there. I hope the cleanup is going well. I had a nice time with Jon last night, and the dance at Rainbow Ridge was fun although I wasn't in quite the right mood, especially since I hardly knew anyone (that surprised me actually). I did chat with a nice bear on staff at the campground. If the weather stays nice until later in the month, I might head there for a camping getaway during the week.

[twillhead.livejournal.com]

Hey Vaneramos! Loved the photos -- doesn't the Tilt-a-Whirl make you sick?! I can't go on any ride that goes round and round (including a carrousel), but I love rollercoasters (even though I can't climb a ladder to save my life). I received your postcard the other day -- thanks for thinking of me! And I especially loved your dream! One of the oddest dreams I ever had was that I excitedly attended a white sale with Ethel Merman. Your Harry Potter dream beats that hands down! Sounds like an impressive reading list. I think my favorite summer reading was David Sedaris' latest compilation Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim -- also Hawthorne in Concord by Philip McFarland, chronicling Nathaniel Hawthorne's life in nearby Concord Massachusetts. Anyway, hope you're doing well and looking forward to catching up with you at some point! Hugs.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

So nice to hear from you! No, the Tilt-a-Whirl doesn't make me sick. Brenna made fun of my whooping yells though. On the Polar Express, however, I was surprised my lunch didn't end up in Danny's lap.

Cleanup is going well and glad to hear you had a good time with Jon!

[djjo.livejournal.com]

We wound up cleaning the back laundry room and rearranging things there and through the main floor. We got rid of a lot of stuff from there. You can actually STAND and walk from one end to the other without tripping or climbing over stuff. Muchly improved! But that took 2 days, and we are pooped! So the basement will be done another day. I figure I'll do a bit tomorrow, just prepping for the big day.

Glad you had a good time last night. The camping sounds like it will be a nice change a restfull way to spend a weekend. I know I'm feeling the need to get away from Toronto pretty bad right now.

Night love and talk to you tomorrow. Smooches! Danny

Re: Cleanup is going well and glad to hear you had a good time with Jon!

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

I haven't made as much progress on the apartment as I had hoped, either. Yesterday I had dinner with Sylvie (she just moved into Sarah's place on the 1st). We both needed that. I'm going out for a walk soon, then will be around all day trying to get organized, so I'll be here if you call. Hugs and smooches.