Lathany

Final Fantasy Tribute Game - The party got to throw Yetis off of a waggon to the background track of Crazy Motorbike. We found a speaking box, but it refused to tell us all the plot (instead of only half of it). We did plenty of shopping (and played pass-the-parcel with the Sword Materia Crystal) and moved a romance along a little. Also, we got to see a Weapon. What more could anyone ask for?

The Wheel - I've now completed the final PR entry although it may be a while before it appears on the website. I'm rather proud of it because it includes my railroad map (painstakingly produced in Illustrator so that it looks hand-drawn in that "just a little too good to be hand-drawn" way).

Discworld Noir - Is rather shaky with Windows XP, but I still have hopes of reaching the end. I was really impressed because it really is Discworld Noir. I love the way he refuses to hand his coat and hat to the butler.

Mission Impossible 3 - Was pretty good. The plot was better than MI2 and some of the earlier sequences were excellent - I particularly liked the Vatican stuff. The end, however, was a bit abrupt and low-key for an action film (although points for not finishing in cliché).

Bring It On - Finally saw this (I got it for my birthday). Rather good; not least because I'm an Eliza Dushku fan. I loved her opening sequences in the gym. Also all the cheerleader displays were good.

Sunny weather - The kids are happily playing outside and I'm happily typing inside. Everyone wins!

Clannishness - Would you expect your friends to get on with your parents? Or go a step further and actually socialise with them (dinner parties, barbecues)? I'm finding it interesting just how differently people react to this question. For myself, I'd only expect my friends to get on with my parents if they had interests in common (eg. my CAMRA dad and Pintwatch or my Buffy fan mother with quite a few people). I'd expect people to make an effort to be civil with their in-laws though (although, that said, I'm lucky and have good ones).

Fairy Cakes - I promised to make fairy cakes with the one in the pink sundress (plus pink sun hat and pink sun glasses). Should be fun. Plus - there will be CAKE!

* Cid from Final Fantasy VII

It seems that, after years of denying that any sequels would ever be made, three come along.

Of course Advent Children, the straight-to-DVD movie, has been know about for the longest (there are rumours of a Valentine's Day US release). However there is also a mobile phone game called Before Crisis arriving (although I believe that's only in Japan) and now I hear that a PS2 game Dirge of Cerberus is planned. The last of these features Vincent Valentine as the hero (a character I didn't even see the first time I played!) but promises "he'll be joined by other characters from Final Fantasy VII".

Sounds good to me.

It's been an interesting few days. Starting with the new Tomb Raider film.

( Friday - with minor TRII spoilers )

The weekend itself was a mixture of Final Fantasy VI, twins and doing a batch of little tasks I've been meaning to get round to for a while.

( Jobs, FFVI and 24 )

Monday was very unusual - I had a visitor, in the shape of cardinalsin.

( Monday )

Yesterday evening my friend Ruth came to visit; to drink red wine and eat pizza and fruit crumble.

( Tuesday )

And that brings me to today. This morning I voted in the GameFaqs competition final (which is, appropriately, Cloud vs Sephiroth) and I have a day of writing and Swordsmaster preparation planned. Oh, and twins, of course.

As the temperature doesn't seem to be dropping any time soon, I thought I'd write a quick update of the remainder of the babyless week before it becomes any more historical.

( Final Fantasy Playstation Games )

Friday afternoon bateleur and I went to Oxford, firstly to do some shopping and secondly to play in part two of chrestomancy's Final Fantasy roleplaying game.

( Spending Money )

( Part two - Our Hunt for Galant )

After a Friday in Oxford, we headed back to Feltham for a morning start to Dragonblooded.

( Twinless Dragonblooded )

I've already written about the return of the twins; life has become busier and noisier with their reappearance. Beatrice has learned to "Baaaa" at her sheep picture whilst Ryan has insisted on bringing the musical snail along to nappy changes.

And that brings me up to date.

This week I've been trying not to melt. chrestomancy's present of a fan has proved very welcome and I'm also drinking lots of water and washing my wrists and face frequently. I've also dealt with a visit from the plumber to fix the hot tap - I'd hate to have his job in this weather.

( The Watchmaker and Diablo I )

Phew. Back to water drinking and wilting.

Yesterday morning I crawled out of bed and stumbled into the car waving goodbye to bateleur and the twins. The plan was to pick up Frances from Little Shop of Horrors and head off to Shakespeare land.

( And very successful it was too... )

I returned Frances to Little Shop of Horrors and then headed to triskellian and smiorgan's house. bateleur had arrived ahead of me, after assigning our off-spring to a twin-loving granny. We were fed a delicious bacon and potato soup (which, in no sense, was clam chowder) and red wine (I got bateleur to memorise the label for future purchases) and headed off to Templars.

( The alcohol lake at Templars )

The post-party morning arrived too early (although, thankfully, hangoverless), but included toast with ginger preserves. Our trip home (to relieve the saintly granny) was via Tesco, and I persuaded bateleur to buy some for me. We also picked up eggs for Easter (mine was a Caramel Egg) and supplies for tea. The granny departed and chrestomancy arrived (on his motorised banana) to be lent a copy of Mourn's Gift and fed tortillas and tiramisu. Ryan spent the afternoon in the dog house, having broken the mouse for Mostly Harmless forcing bateleur out to Staines during the afternoon to buy a replacement. This had an up-side, though, I got a present - Broken Sword II.

Now the house is quiet, the babies are in bed, and I am listening to the Final Fantasy VII soundtrack again. ( Final Fantasy soundtrack comparisons - only for the obsessives )

Well, my Mostly Twinless weekend is over. However, less than six weeks left to BadgerCon !

...Dark Bahamut produced some Kimahri armour (ribbon & break HP limit), so is now dead.

...Dark Shiva has handed over a nice piece of Ribbon and Break HP Limit four-slot armour for Wakka so I have turned her into a pile of pyroflies.

Right, now for that temple.

Well, after a long weekend finishing the Sunday turnsheets of Fallen Star and not even switching on the Playstation 2, I finally loaded up Final Fantasy X this morning. First time lucky in the North woods - and I will never have to go butterfly hunting again.