We decided on champagne for our celebrations, and last night Patrick brought home the mellowest, best champagne I've ever tasted. We toasted the completion of Kat and the last day of Patrick's full-time job - he's half-time as of today, to make space for his MFA work, and I am so excited about it. (And not just because I'll see more of him! - but that part will be great, too.)

I've started re-reading Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone - my current plan, at least, is to re-read the first 6 books before Book 7 arrives on the 21st (in the boring adult cover, alas) - and after a few years away, I'm just so startled and delighted by how funny and quirky it really is. Reading it again reminds me of what made me fall in love with the book and the series when I first read it, back in 2000, when I was living in a tiny little apartment in Vienna, borrowing the books from the British Council Library, and having no idea what an international phenomenon they had already become. Patrick doesn't share my total love of the Harry Potter books, but luckily for me, I'll still be able to share my geeky Potter joy - my youngest brother is arriving for a visit next Tuesday, and he's promised not only to go see the new movie with me ASAP, but also to re-watch the earlier DVDs with me beforehand. (Don't worry about feeling bad for Patrick that he is missing this Potter-fest - I think he is in fact quite grateful that it'll be taking place while he's safely away in Vermont!) Now all I need is a wizard-hat to really complete the shamelessness of my experience... ;p

And I'd always thought Rufus Wainwright's cover of "Hallelujah" could never be beaten, but this KD Lang version completely blew me away with its passion:


Mmmm.... Purely on a musical level, I might still prefer the Wainwright version, but I do really, really love this.