Sunday, September 20, 2009

Long Claw: The Sword of Jon Snow ... Nerf Talon, The Sword of Junior

It's a birthday weekend here at Pure Florida Head Quarters. My baby boy is 18.


How suweeeeet is that?


Very.





He wanted a small birthday dinner (his dinner was not small) at Chili's in St. Augustine with his grandparents, family, and a few friends so we spent Saturday in the ancient city.





Lest you think us weirder than you already do, let me explain him just a little bit.


He's not all muscle and handsomnicity.


He has a brain too and he is a voracious reader ... mostly of two genres ... Star Wars (yes, there are books that carry the saga on) and sword and sorcery series.


That last one is important in understanding some of these photos.


The story goes like this ...


...Sweet Emma loves tales of dragons, magic, and good vs evil swordy sagas. Her grandmother is given that information a few years ago and randomly picks out the first book of a series by George R. R. Martin.


Emma loves it.


She tries to interest Junior, but at the time he is Star Wars fixated. He resists.


Later, he tries it.


He loves it.


The two of them devour each book in the series and introduce their friends to it.


Now they are all crazy about this saga, even though the author's habit of killing off characters you thought were "safe" drives them all crazy.


Often they will get a text from a friend who is reading one of the books.


They usually go like this, " Arrrrghhhh! I can't believe So and So just got killed!"



Now they are all impatiently waiting for the author to publish the next book in the series.





It's pretty funny to watch.





So, if you think about it, one of the common threads running through both the Star Wars sagas and the"A Game Of Thrones" saga, is the sword.





Junior is a sword nut. He has movie quality light sabers, wooden martial arts swords, and real steel swords stashed about his room.


He and his buddy Jonathon are often outside whacking at each other with the wooden swords or carefully choreographing swordplay for one of their classic homemade videos.


So this birthday party is loaded with swords, but we are not all insane.


We just believe in giving folks what they want for their birthday.





Okay, enough of that ... let's look at the party pics back at his Grandparent's house.

I love this shot of my girls being ... so girly. Are they aware they are at a party and the guest of honor is holding up a present he just opened?


Maybe ... heehee.

And get the classic sisterly "Are you nuts?" look that Em is giving Kate in that shot ... meanwhile Birthday boy is totally stoked with the Nerf Sword he just unwrapped.
He got 3 of those so he and his pals can battle each other.


Here he is with the grand prize gift, the one from all of us. A full scale replica of a favorite character's sword, Longclaw, the sword of Jon Snow. I have to admit it is pretty cool and it came with a neat wall plaque/holder for me to mount in his room.


I think Mom and Dad were bemused by his swordy gifts. Mom gave the best material gift of all ... A full batch of Toll House Cookies. Junior is being stingy with them, but I will remind him that in January she will make me a birthday batch and I have a long memory.


Friends in the balcony, Jonathon and Laura.


Yes, of course we took Bear along. His Grandmother is completely smitten with him and I am under orders not to come without him.
Today, I am BBQing some ribs in his honor.
I still can't believe he's 18.
Seems like it.




27 comments:

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday Junior! Yes it does seem like just yesterday...at Manatee Springs with a little JR. barely able to sit up on a blanket! Now you're telling me he can READ!!!

Aunty Belle said...

Happy B'day Handsomenicity and Brains!

FC, what a lovely family. A pleasure to read about all y'all doin's.

Sure wish't I could git aholt of some of those ribs. (grin)

MinorcanMeteorolgist said...

Sounds like all of your children would fit in well at my school :-D
Barbecue and Toll House cookies?!? Agh, your food posts always drive me crazy.

kathy a. said...

happy birthday, junior!

Sharon said...

Happy Birthday to him!! Tempus Fugit indeed...

Sayre said...

Oh my. Thanks for the preview. Because your son is MY son in about 7 1/2 years (which like yours, will go by all too quickly). StarWars obsessed. Swords and blasters and light sabers.

Still, judging by Jr., my boy won't turn out too badly!

Happy birthday, Junior!

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday Junior! Your dad sure is proud of you! That's probably the best gift.

Glad bear got tho join the celebration. Is your dad still on crutches from last years injury?

Patti

Dani said...

Happy Birthday Jr.!!

h said...

No more minor children. The Pure Florida Blog won't be the same without the occassional heart-warming kid story.

So, are you going to adopt or wait for grand-kids?

jean said...

Happy Birthday Jr. If you ever need help with those cookies, I'm just a phone call away. Your Dad can get his own.

Carol said...

Isn't it wonderful when a Dad speaks so well of his children? And he looked so happy spending time with his family. Now that is truly a rare picture these days. Keep up the good work..

www.wildlifearoundus.blogspot.com
www.riverwildlife.blogspot.com

Ericka said...

happy birthday junior!

good heavens, time does fly.

Deb said...

18 already?!!! Happy birthday Junior! Enjoy the swords!

ImagineMel said...

Happy Birthday to my blonde-headed son! I hope he was more generous with his chocolate pie! :)

kevin said...

Junior needs to read the Conan series by Robert E. Howard. The best sword and sorcery series EVER! Be sure to start at the beginning.

Breezey375 said...

Happy birthday Junior!

That sword is awesome.

You should be incredibly proud that you raised a son so into books.

Please tell your daughter she's very lucky to have a sibling addicted to the same books she is. Neither of mine will even try the simplest of mine.

MamaHen said...

Jr. looks so much like you! very cool sword. i have a sword that belonged to my late brother; one of my few prized possessions, so it's not so weird!

Freste said...

Happy Birthday, Jr.
Man, you are blessed with the best of family, friends, pets, home, swords, books, food, and...

Miz S said...

Great photos, FC! (I love the girls-being-girly one. That's hilarious!) And I love the sword explanation. My girls had their obsessions in high school, too. Sigh. I miss those days, sorta, kinda. It's nice to see them grow up so smart and nice and healthy but still...I miss their younger selves at times.

Happy birthday to your boy!

Pablo said...

You have a fine family. Happy Birthday, Junior.

#1 Son in my family is a Star Wars and George R.R. Martin fan. (In fact, I had to send him the Martin books when he was over in Africa.)

I have a nephew in Chicago who is also a sword nut and has a nice collection.

R.Powers said...

Thanks all for the kind words! I think he had a pretty decent 18th!

robin andrea said...

We were on the road yesterday and didn't check blogs, so we missed Junior's birthday celebration. Please send him our belated good wishes. Yay Junior!

Bill said...

FC,
I have some of those Conan books I can send you. I will have to dig through my bookshelves. I will let you know when I get home.

Billy

R.Powers said...

Robin,
Thanks!

Kevin and Billy,
Got them!
Conan rules.

Island Rider said...

Happy Belated birthday to Jr. We are on vacation and just figured out how to get internet in the cabin. Sounds like it was a great day!

R.Powers said...

Cathy,
Internet in a cabin, now that is bliss.

Funder said...

Happy birthday Junior! I've been reading your blog for quite a while, but never had the nerve to comment before. I think Junior will appreciate that my yellow lab is named Cersei - and she's much sweeter than the Queen!