A Late Start

Hour 1 (9:00): Already, Ernest's LOTR marathon is running late. I heard him use the bathroom at 8. But when I went to take his breakfast order (room service, I told you) he was asleep! So the marathon started at 9. Did I mention that he's probably going to spend the whole day in (or on the) bed to accomplish this?

Hour 2 (10:00): Room service provided pancakes and sausage. Why did I decide to make pancakes? I don't even remember how to cook them properly. Usually Frank or Ernest is the pancake chef, and they do a far better job than I did. The first two were burnt and went straight into the trash. I did get a nice cuddle after breakfast.

I dragged a chair in to watch for a while. Viggo The locations are so beautiful -- I want to go to New Zealand! But now his cousin McQueen has come over with a bag of Legos, so the room's going to be a bit crowded. I better do something constructive, like clean up the mess I made in the kitchen.

Hour 3 (11:00): Sean and Orlando The set of Rivendell is so beautiful. Too bad I have to leave to go grocery shopping.

Hour 4 (12:00) Time to order pizza. Marathon Part 2 (The Two Towers) started around 12:20.

Hour 5 (1:00) There's so much Lego. I think McQueen went home and brought back another bag. I can't look. I just got the floor picked up this morning and now...SOB!

Hour 6 (2:00) I keep interrupting Ernest with more boxes to shove to the back of his closet: (Zoob, Slot Cars, Radio Control Cars, The Millenium Falcon Lego Box he says he has to keep). I carry 3 more boxes of toys down to the garage sale pile: (Hot Wheels Tracks, Happy Meal Toys, Bionicles, and a boogie board.)

Hour 7 (3:00) By the way, Ernest has been out of bed for a long time, due to McQueen's presence. He's been on the floor with the Lego for several hours. Now he's playing with the Zoob.
Hour 8 (4:00) Time to start Marathon Part 3 Return of the King! I made an executive decision and moved the marathon to the living room, so I could watch too. It's cooler down here and there are more chairs. McQueen brought the Lego mess supply downstairs.

Hour 9 (5:00) McQueen had to go home, so the Lego has been thoroughly picked up. The Darling Dyson did its magic but could not even find one tiny piece to suck up!

Hour 10 (6:00) The battle rages on. Time for Disc 2.

Hour 11 (7:00) Real food, on real plates for all 4 of us. It's a "family dinner" except we are sitting in the living room. Frank keeps getting text messages, what else is new??!? At least he's in the same room. Frodo and Sam are scaling the evil mountain. Viggo is rousing the troops. [spoilers deleted] I always cry at the end when Viggo says the hobbits bow to no one.

Hour 12 (8:00) Huh? We were done at 8:05. An eleven-hour-a-thon, not a twelver. Ernest did cut off the credits. But there are still hours of Special Features Ahead. (12 hours, says Ernest.)

It's been an interesting day. I would have enjoyed the movies more without the Lego Interval.

Marathon Over. And Out.