Summer Magic

I could use some. For starters, I could really use a re-watch of the classic Hayley Mills flick of the same name, which I haven't seen in a good 15 years but is nonetheless imprinted on my cerebral cortex. It's a musical, set in turn-of-the-century small-town America, featuring an impoverished widow and her plucky family, romantic mishaps, a bitchy cousin who turns out to be nice, an elaborate scheme to defraud a wealthy landowner of his house, and a game of croquet. Plus, one of the best, cheesy-romantic final lines of any movie, when Hayley Mills asks recently-defrauded and majorly hot said landowner, "What are you going to do to me?" and he answers, "Right now? I'm going to dance with you." And then they do. Fade out. Damn, that's a good movie.

I could also use some magic of the literal variety-- I have two weeks and one day in which to finish my 40-page MA thesis, finish studying for the comps, and take the exam. I keep telling myself I always finish my work, even when it seems impossible. But this time...it really seems impossible. And there's no margin for error, because I start my new PhD program 5 days later. So it all has to happen, and right quick.

My writing "career" (ha!) could definitely use some magic of the date-planner, scheduling, no-goofing-off, stick-to-your-routine variety. The academic work this summer precluded any real work on O Mistress Mine, but I'm determined to be better in the autumn, when I'm taking classes but no longer have to tutor, as I was for the past two years. And I'm determined to devote myself to finding a publisher for Then Comes Marriage. I'm really serious this time. Stop laughing.

Finally, I want to send the beloved Kate D. some very special summer magic for her wedding this Saturday. Except she doesn't really need any. Kate, it will be a beautiful, gorgeous, happy day. Have a wonderful time starting your marriage.

To console myself for not being able to attend the festivities on the other side of the continent, I want a list of our favorite fictional weddings, in print or on screen. Any takers?

And as a bonus, the croquet scene.