In which I become slightly more "bloggified"

Another week of March in Ottawa, as we careen crazily from chapping, chafing northern gales that howl from the Ottawa River, to fields and lawns reduced to unnavigable lakes dotted with ice chunks. Curtains of muddy water inundated the sidewalks in the wake of passing SUVs and mini-vans at the beginning of the week, then hurricane force winds hurled the recycling bins into the road and roared up the hill, evaporating the torrents of melting snow mixed with plopping sleet. The temperatures plummeted overnight, and I watched a mum attempting to push her stroller into the schoolyard, but failing to find a purchase on the smooth slate of grey ice on which she paced, looking for all the world like a fitness nut on a treadmill. It was a bit like scenes from the evolution of the earth in Disney's interpretation of The Rites of Spring in the film Fantasia. Only without the dinosaurs.

Speaking of dinosaurs (and I admit this is an unfair and unkind excuse for a segue), I tuned into ER last night just in time to see Julianna Margulies walk on, followed closely by . . . .

"CLOOOOOONEY! It's Cloony!" I warbled deliriously. Elder daughter and The Resident Fan Boy came clumping down the stairs to see if I need medical assistance. Elder daughter told me it's been all over the internet, but I'd missed it and so was probably the one person watching who was thoroughly unspoiled. And then, Susan Sarandon joined in! And Ernest Borgnine! (Elder daughter had no idea why I was so excited about the latter.) And Peter Benton doing damage control for Carter one last time! (Eric LaSalle, but I always think of him as Benton.)

With so many surprises, of course there was little time for character development or much plot stuff (much like a Doctor Who finale); I mean, we basically had to accept that Carol Hathaway and Doug Ross have a perfect marriage which is so realistic, doncha think? But hell, it was fun. I've never quite warmed to latter day ER characters such as Neela and Gates, although I've stuck to the series out of habit. This may be the end of my last lasting relationship with network TV...

Finally, I would just like to draw your attention to a weekly feature at Norm Geras' blog NormBlog. Along with his musings on things philosophical and political, Norm provides, through a challenging and incisive questionnaire, an introduction to a wide range of bloggers covering a good part of the political and philosophical spectrum. It's worth a browse, and while you're looking, check out the "P" section and you will find.....moi! I gingerly filled out the questionnaire after Norm's kind invitation and only then checked out his list of profilees, rather stunned to find myself in such company, including three admired-from-afar stars from my blog-roll: Marie Phillips, Lisa Rullsenberg, and Lisa Guidarini. Gosh. Thanks, Norm, this was terrifyingly fun.