Watch This! Winter 2013

Whoa, I totally did not do my Watch This! series this year.  I spent too much time reading the Outlander novels.  Not a lot has gotten done since October.  Not that a lot used to get done anyway.  When Andrew was two and a half, I kind of hit the wall, housekeeping-wise.  I was never a terrific housekeeper, and I decided to just accept it.  Then I kind of stopped caring if I didn't quite get around to those extra chores.  It was hard enough to keep up with dishes, laundry, and all the little parenting/housekeeping things that have to get done.  You know, like paying bills, and bathing the children.

Now Andrew is five.  I have finished the bulk of Diana Gabaldon's work (only five more books to read!).  It is spring.  I should clear off the horizontal surfaces that have collected years' worth of detritus.  I should declutter the guest room so the grandparents can have some space when they come to stay.  It's only right.

Oh, and knitting.  This die-hard crocheter has picked up the needles. It's been ten years since I knitted myself a scarf and hat.  Before that, I had only knitted a scarf in high school.  I am giving it a go.  I'm having fun.  It's a challenge!  But don't worry, crochet is my first love.  (Kind of like how I am discovering Guster, Pete Yorn, Snow Patrol, and Of Monsters and Men...but I will always be loyal to Mr. Finn.)

Oh, and running.  I am up to five miles in an hour.  I try to do it three times a week.  I love it.  And I listen to Pandora while running, so I hear all this wonderful new-to-me music (see list above)!

Where was I?  Oh yeah.  The house is a disaster and it has been for some time.  Hubby is kind.  He mostly turns a blind eye.  And we would all rather go have fun on the weekend than work around the house.  But enough is enough.

Oh, and art.  I went to a lecture at our local art museum this morning.  I was the youngest person in the room by about fifteen years.  Which told me something, and made me feel a little better.  (Where are the other artists my age?  Working and taking care of the kids, I'm sure.)  The friendly woman next to me (the next youngest, I'm guessing) said she spent twenty-five years raising a family and then another five years figuring out that she was ready to go back to art.  So, being there, in the room full of artists, talking shop (stuttering through it, rather--it's been so long!), it felt familiar.  It felt right.  Time to go back to art.  Hard to do when you don't have much space for it physically or mentally.

Sometimes, okay, usually, I only have enough physical and mental space to plop onto the couch  after the kids are asleep (if I'm not asleep with them) and read...or watch something.  Which brings us to Watch This!  Here's what I watched since last year's installment.  Enjoy!

In the theater:
The Artist (Oscar-winning awesomeness!)
Salmon Fishing on the Yemen (Ewan McGregor!)
To Rome With Love (Woody Allen...)
Liberal Arts (really, really good!)
The Hobbit (much fun plus Richard Armitage!)

At home on the couch:
The Twilight Saga--all except the last one (go Team Jacob--can't I get those hours of my life back?)
Masterpiece Classic:  Sense and Sensibility (Jane! plus Downton's Dan Stevens)
Downton Abbey (soap opera/costume drama, what's not to love?!)
old episodes of Upstairs, Downstairs (I am making myself watch these before I watch the new episode)

I did more reading than watching last year, for sure.  What did I miss?  What do you recommend?