Jack and the Cuckoo Clock Heart

SOOO good.

Jack et la Mecanique du Coeur [1 hour, 32 mins]:

 

 

 

 

Feb 2014

It’s the end of the 1800s in Edinburgh. Little Jack is born on such a cold day that his heart freezes . The midwife Madeleine replaces his heart with a cuckoo clock , that will function smoothly as long as Jack follows the rules , which states that he must not fall in love . But when he meets a girl singing on a street corner and decides to follow her , tested the resistance of Jacks mechanical heart to bursting point …
Jack and the Cuckoo -Clock Heart is an epic love story set in an exciting time full of amazing inventions , eccentric characters and wonderful adventure. Based on Mathias Malzieus best-selling novel and the gold -selling album with his band Dionysos

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Pool Daze

Thursday, July 30th 2015

In a summer that is a blinding sea of gigs, it’s a delicious gulp of oxygen between shows to squeeze in a visit to join the family at the local pool.  #pinchme

Pool People

Pool People

 

Of course most of the action takes place off camera, and then:

Twins

Boys at Rest

 

And:

Girl at Rest

Girl at Rest

 

And a sample of how lucky my kids are and how dedicated their Dad is:

 

There.

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Tattoo Chronicles Continued

Wednesday, July 29th 2015

Oh have you got enough of this topic yet?  Well sorry but outletting my excitement here is the only chance I have of not ruining this for my daughter.  I try to invite and encourage her, give her a couple tips here and there, maybe discuss some business practices if/when she’s open to it, and otherwise stay out of her way.  (Fat chance, right?)

Today’s chapter took place at another of my gigs.

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Open Parlour

After a VERY lovely show, in which she made a few adorable, unscripted, non-intrusive appearances with me, she opened shop to a throng of eager participants (albeit not exactly paying tipping customers).

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Workin’ It

Things didn’t go as well today.  Perhaps because of the excessive heat and humidity, the tattoos weren’t sticking.  And as ClaraJane said, “A bossy girl REACHED IN!”  (One of the chief hazards we have discovered in this venture so far.)  So what did CJ do?  She up and closed the shop, just like that.  (Awesome, right!)  I went over with some conciliations for The Disappointed, and they all pretty readily granted that the shopkeeper is after all, only four years old.   Meanwhile ClaraJane soothed herself with our bunny, Fluff.

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The Soothing Powers of Fluff

A pretty good strategy, it turns out, because she perked right back up and we resumed our wonderful, magical merry day.

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Feeling Better (ClaraJane is anyway)

The actual coup for the day is that I was able to bring ClaraJane to a gig with me, even withOUT Daddy there to placate any problems.  Between her new side-business and just her wonderful self-possessed self, she was able to hang in there with no problems while Mommy worked!  I have dreamed of this possibility for SOMEday, when the kids are old enough to gig themselves, face painting and/or balloon sculpting for example.  I honestly never expected it to happen this soon!

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Tattoos in the War Zone

Monday, July 27th 2015

Perhaps I am overly smitten with my daughter’s little enterprise.  (See recent posts.)  Sue me!  (On 2nd thought; don’t.)

The Parlour is Open

The Parlour is Open

 

On this day she opened shop in the hallway amidst the boys’ fierce and protracted war-games.

.

Tattoo Time

 

It’s possible she had some encouragement from me, but suffice it to say the boys weren’t too greatly put upon to switch gears.

Tough Tattoo'd Dudes

Tattooed Dudes

 

In fact it’s safe to say she had some pretty satisfied customers.

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Taking it to the Bank

Friday, July 24 2015

With her new Tattoo tips, some birthday money, marble money (earned around the house), *brother’s* marble money that he didn’t want (!), three loose dollars she charmed from my purse, and a pile of quarters abandoned by her brother on one of their toy shelves… Baby Girl collected $40 dollah!  She chose a bright pink envelope to contain it all, taped it shut and wrote her deposit information all over it in scribble (since she doesn’t yet know how to write actual letters).  Nor can she reach the counter at the bank, but that does not deter her.  Here she is making her deposit at the bank, with brother looking on in mild interest (no pun intended).

She'd like to make a desposit

She’d “like to make a deposit please” 

 

When Brother saw all the quarters coming out, he realized what had happened; “THOSE ARE MINE!” he exclaimed, his *interest* suddenly intense.

"Those are mine!"

“Those are mine!”

 

It wasn’t my intention to capture his face right at its moment of pique, I just happened to be taking the picture.  And the funny thing about this face is; it’s *mine.*  That’s my face!   I invented that look.  It’s a variation on what my Dad and Step-Mom affectionately referred to as the “Shit Look” back in the day (early 70’s).

I had to explain to Brother that 1) If he wanted to keep the quarters, why did he leave them under the lid to her jar of doll clothes, and 2) He’d originally helped himself to them in Auntie Liz’s basement in the first place, so technically the quarters are Liz’s.   But if either of them had cared about those particular quarters, they would have secured them, like you see ClaraJane doing here now for example.

As I’m sure you guessed, he was not pleased to hear any of this.  In fact he stormed out of the bank and threatened to walk home alone.  By keeping calm and carrying on I narrowly escaped any untoward drama in that department, but I digress from the original glory and hero of this story, which is the GIRL; Takin’ it to the Bank!

Little Business Women

Business Girl

 

Perhaps one day we will need to write another sequel to Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women.

I think we shall call it; Little Business Women.

 

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The Tattoo Artist

Thursday, July 23rd 2015

(Continued from: Tattoos by ClaraJane – An Entrepreneur is Born.)

First thing in the morning, totally unprompted, she goes to transfer her tips into her personal bank savings jar.

Baby's Monet

Baby’s Monet

We also counted; $5.55 total, including the seed money.  A self-generated income stream by a 4 year old.  #wow

When (in a classically obnoxious mom way) I ask her to repeat her little song, she just ignores me and carries on with her business:

 

And goes off to find her next customer; Daddy.

Daddy

Bedside Service, no less!

 

I think his first tattoo was free.

Ta Da!

Her New Customer

 

Here is the very pleased little Business Lady.

The Artist and her Work

The Artist and her Work

 

Amen!

 

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Tattoos by ClaraJane – An Entrepreneur is Born

Wednesday, July 22nd 2015

On this day, my gig was for our city at a park to entertain before the screening of an outdoor movie.  Paul was working, and instead of finding a babysitter I was considering taking the kids with me; a risky business.   Yes I am a family entertainer, but I don’t care what your line of work is, “Bring Your Kids to Work Day” is always dicey.  I was doubtful, but then ClaraJane showed all this interest and initiative following through on her idea to offer temporary tattoos!  So we made her a kit –tip jar and all– and off we went.

 

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Business Launch

 

Once there, after cheerfully scoping out the lay of the land with me, telling everyone she met, “I’m a Tattoo Artist.”  She then picked her spot and opened shop.  She already had customers before I even began setting up my own props.

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Open for Business

 

Brother camped out nearby “in case she needed any help.”  (She didn’t.)

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Helping

 

By all appearances she garnered much intrigue and respect from the cool “Big Girl” crowd.

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Hi-Five

 

Um; she was kinda pretty much in her own, self-created, total and utter glory.

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CJ in her Parlour

 

I had put one dollar for seed money in her jar.  (Not bad; A $1 start up!)  She came running over in excitement to me when she made her first dollar.  I had coached her about the money issue and she immediately learned to answer queries with, “I take tips!”

Later during the movie she offered her services to me, adding, “You can tip me after it’s done.”  I paid her $1 for the first, and the next two were complimentary, maybe because I’m her mom or something.

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Checking her work

 

She even developed a little song about it (granted she gets distracted performing it in this recording on account of the arrival of an ambulance):  

 

And here we are trying to wrap up for the day:

 

And let us be clear, she just turned FOUR!

 

 

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Lost at Pond – Plymouth Edition

Sat-Mon July 18-20, 2015

This weekend we sneaked away for a little impromptu escape for two nights and one luxurious day at my Sister-in-Law, Auntie Liz’s place in the magical wilds of Plymouth, replete with:

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Fire

 

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Downtime

 

 

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Pond Time with Friends

 

 

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Big Wet Chico Dog Head

 

 

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Pond Rescue #1

 

 

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Pond Rescue #2

 

 

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Help!  Won’t somebody SAVE her?

 

 

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Repeated rescues of a tennis ball

 

The final Pond Rescue was such a prolonged struggle against the subtle, persistent breeze that by the time we finally made it back our base camp crew had gotten bored and went home.  A very anticlimactic conclusion to otherwise heroic efforts.  Granted it was only for some floaty toys, but still.

Back at El Rancho things were also getting desperate for the bunnies, who found themselves under siege by a vicious lion.

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“This is bullsh*t!”

 

Though nothing compares to when the children decided to go literally PLAY IN TRAFFIC.  Such a harrowing occurrence I have nothing more to say than by miracles no one got kilt. F*ing yikes, y’all.  Here are two of them doing the opposite:

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Zaida and Gavin

 

Come Monday morning, Gavin was rearing to go start TaeKwonDo Camp!

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Sleeping Ninja*

 

*(Although I have since been informed, lovingly, that it is not altogether accurate to refer to him as a “Ninja” since Ninja’s do KUNG FU, not Tae Kwon Do!  Exhibit #2349BX of things I learn from my kid every day.)

PS:  Not shown:  Zachary, Olivia, incomparably fat cats (Henry & Howie), hammock, or any of the handfuls of frogs/toads captured throughout the weekend.

PPS:  Thanks Liz for another wonderful time in Plymouth!  And Oxy, Lou, Zaida and Victor for joining us!

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Before and After

Monday, July 13th 2015

On the way to the park:

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Before

 

And on the way back:

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After

 

Ahh… that’s better!

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The Dragon and the Unicorn

2015-07-13 – The Dragon and the Unicorn

It was just so lovely and magical having Dad here.

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One of my favorite-ever quotes from Dad happened one time a couple years back when I couldn’t put into words how amazing it is having children around.  “I know it,” he said laughing.  “I know.  It’s like having little unicorns sprinkling pixie dust.”  In that moment I think I finally understood why, when he would tuck me in at night sometimes, he would usually be laughing, and never explain why.  (I would complain, but wonder if I secretly liked it.)  He is right.  They are like unicorns.

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(o:

 

And having him around felt like a big, ol’ sweet dragon.  Here he is reading a new birthday book, Dragons Love Tacos, for ClaraJane:

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Dragons Love Tacos

 

To wit: 

 

Here is Dad whispering a secret to ClaraJane, which is cute especially considering neither of them knows what he is talking about: 

 

Here is sharing a joke where here alligators are swapped in for something much less PC than the way he told it to us growing up, which is cool because you know, evolution:  

 

Dad’s fervor and charm in telling jokes has always outpaced his actual delivery, but… that’s my Dad!

 

 

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