Temporary Befuddlement (ZAGnuttia) and Throwbacks

It's hardly a throwback to say I'm befuddled as I try to concentrate on writing this post. 

"What could possibly cause befuddlement this early in the morning?" one may ask or not.

Of course, to some, my befuddlement may seem an over-reaction.  To others, however, it's as vital to life in our area as water, wind and food. 

When I read the Spokesman sports section today, looking for the channel featuring tonight's ZAGS-Mississippi Valley State game, the listings said SWX.

Well, the only time we ever get SWX is when our travel trailer TV is in the right zone to get a signal.  Right now, it's receiving no signal cuz it's parked in the storage shed for the winter. 

Learning that we may not have access to the ZAGS game tonight gave me such a jolt I could hardly read the rest of the sports news AND Bill wasn't getting out of the bathroom fast enough for me to ask if we could possibly pull the travel trailer from its winter hybernation spot to see if we could get SWX. 

Even my later latte didn't make me feel any better.  Finally, when Bill came out in hearing distance, I asked longingly if he knew any way that we could get SWX on our living room TV.  At the same time, I was reading the SWX website on my computer screen where the first question was, "Why can't we get SWX on our satellite feed?"

Depressing, to say the least, but now, several paragraphs later, I can report that Bill may have come to the rescue.  Downstairs, with remote in hand, he scanned possible channels that might just sneak SWX into their programming. 

According to his research, SWX is also Channel 687 on DirecTV, and its programming lists the ZAGS game at 6 p.m.  

Befuddlement ended, at least until 6 p.m. when we'd better be watching that game. No travel trailer desperation here.  

Which reminds me of days gone by aka through backs, when my niece Laura and my daughter Annie were observed one time in our living room watching the static on the TV. 

I guess it was satisfying their need to be watching something, albeit the plot somewhat simple. 

I also remember another time when Annie reported watching the movie Free Willie almost daily for two weeks with Laura and Laura's cousin Jeremy when they were visiting Laura who was living in Samoa at the time. 

Annie Love Photo

It was shortly after that 2003 visit that Annie returned to New Zealand and attended the world premiere of "Return of the King" and where Viggo Mortensen blew her a kiss because she held up her "Sandpoint Loves Lord of the Rings sign. 

I was searching for Throwbacks today and ran across my own blog entry in 2004 which noted the event.  Turns out it was 13 years ago today, so I found a rather timely Throwback.  

from a "Slight Detour" post December 2004

My daughter Annie went to New Zealand last year. While there, she made it to Wellington on Dec. 1 to enjoy all the hoopla associated with the world premiere of Return of the King from Lord of the Rings. 

She had her Sandpoint sign, and when actor Viggo Mortensen spotted it in the crowd and found out she was from Idaho, he blew her a kiss.

You can see a photo of Viggo along with an album of her travels to New Zealand and Australia by visiting http://nzannie.tripod.com/anniesnewzealandadventure/id5.html

--from Annie's website, which she maintained at the time . . . 
  

New Zealand - home of Middle Earth

One of the main things that really pushed me to go to New Zealand was after watching the Fellowship of the Ring, I wanted to go check out where they filmed it.  

My advice to anyone who wants to see some great spots in New Zealand:  get the Lord of the Rings location guidebook and check out as many of the spots as you can.  The nice thing about the sites is that they aren't the big tourist spots.  

Although it is weird when you drive forever on a dirt road through a cattle farm far, far away from any civilization and run into other lord of the rings fans checking out the same site.  

Visiting the sites gives you not only appreciation for New Zealand but also the films themselves.  The film locations pictured below are all from the South Island of New Zealand.

As soon as I found out the premiere of the Lord of the Rings would be in Wellington on December 1, I knew I had to be there.  

Luckily some of my friends from school wanted to go as well so we met up for the premiere.  The premiere was cool and all, but not nearly as neat as the New Zealand symphony orchestra, conducted by Howard Shore (who composed all the music for LotR), performing music from all three movies...oh and Viggo Mortensen was there to sing as well.  

Amazingly, the concert wasn't even sold out.  My friends and I caught most of the stars of the film coming in on the red carpet there as well as at the premiere.  

Wellington went all out for the premiere, showing the Two Towers on a screen outside in downtown, having a parade with ringwraiths, elves and orcs as well as having most of the downtown decorated.  The prime Minister of New Zealand, Helen Clark, was there to welcome Peter Jackson and all the stars. 

Annie is headed off to Nashville tomorrow where she'll meet some friends.  They'll be attending a Kathy Mattea performance at the Grand Ol' Opry. 

And, she found out last night, after watching the Toronto-Montreal MLS Eastern play-off that she'll be going to Toronto next weekend to support her beloved Seattle Sounders, winners of the Western MLS play-off for the 2016 MLS championship.

Nice to have a world traveler in the family to keep abreast of the important news, as well as a husband who can prevent a ZAGnut meltdown cuz he's well-versed with the TV remote. 

All things are relative, they say.  Pardon the formatting today; seems Blogger is befuddled too, and it won't let me do a fix-it job. 

Happy Thursday.  GO ZAGS!!!