May 2008 Archives

Whatcha Reading? Wednesday

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Let's see. This past week I finished Georgette Heyer's Black Sheep, which I bought at Barnes and Noble. Who knew they had any of her books? It was another keeper, and I may like Miles Calverleigh as well as any of her heroes. Well, not as well as Beauvallet, but I'll always carry a torch for him, because he was my first Heyer hero.

Currently I am reading Very Good, Jeeves by P. G. Wodehouse. I'm enjoying it immensely, but it is driving PapaC crazy, because while he's trying to go to sleep at night, I am trying to laugh quietly. And then, since I'm that kind of laugher, I snort just a little tiny bit.

He sighs, turns over and says, "OK, just read it to me. Maybe you can get it out of your system."

But I can't. Practically every paragraph makes me laugh.

I am also reading The Voyage of the Dawn Treader in spare moments, in my quest to re-read all of the Narnia books this summer.

How 'bout you?

From the Weight Watchers Make It In Minutes cookbook--and hey, don't turn up your nose 'cause it came from a "diet" cookbook:

Beef and Vegetable Salad with Pickled Ginger Dressing

1/2 pound lean deli-sliced roast beef
2 cups halved mushrooms
1 cup sugar snap peas
1 cup halved baby carrots
6 scallions, sliced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced
1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon pickled ginger, drained and finely chopped
1 tablespoon Asian (dark) sesame oil

Combine the roast beef, mushrooms, sugar snap peas, carrots, scallions, and bell pepper in a large bowl. Whick together the vinegar, soy sauce, ginger and oil in a small bowl. Spoon the dressing over the salad and stir to coat.

Yield: 6 cups, 4 servings

Don't leave out the pickled ginger! It makes a BIG difference. I couldn't find it at my usual grocery store, but the sushi guys at Whole Paycheck gave me a sample size cup for free when I told 'em how little I needed. Nice folks!

This got rave reviews from all the friends at my Tuesday night ladies group. No cooking! Cold and good. I'll be making it again in these long hot summer days.

This is too cool. My favorite sandal (and worth every dollar you pay for 'em, because they last approximately forever) is at Zappos. Behold the Bass Sharon:

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But the coolest thing is, now it comes in colors: Pewter, white, white patent, green patent, black patent, and tan. I'll take one of each, please!

In my dreams.......

Happy Tuesday, ya'll!

Here at CasaS, anytime we can sleep late it's a good weekend. And there were TWO sleep late days this weekend. Double good. Woo Hoo!

PapaC and I went to the movies this weekend to see the new Indiana Jones movie. I know, I know, Harrison Ford is older. Well, Indiana Jones was never about reality, now was it? We completely enjoyed it. It was good to see Karen Allen back, and not tarted up as younger than she is. In fact, I thought that was true of all the leads. They let them be the ages that they were. Certainly Indiana Jones could do more than the average 62 year old. But then he did more than the average 42 year old, back in the day.

Overall, we thought it was a fun time. No Indiana Jones movies is Oscar-worthy, but it was a fun way to spend a hot afternoon.

Oh, and we have also been to see Iron Man, which Smock reviewed so glowingly in this space after she saw it. I was still hesitant. I mean, come on. Robert Downey, Jr.? Ick.

But I'm a convert. He was perfect. The movie was wonderful. I love comic book movies, even the ones that aren't so good (yes, Hell-Boy, I'm talking about you!). So, CasaS reiterates Smock's thumbs up rating. If you haven't seen it, it's a good 'un.

Watching the previews made me look forward to summer movies. And I haven't done that in a l-o-o-o-o-o-o-n-g time. Usually I am content to watch on DVD. But this summer? I want to see Dark Knight, Get Smart (shades of my growing up!), Hancock, The Incredible Hulk, WallE from Pixar, The Happening by M. Night Shyamalan, because I still LOVE him, and (said very softly so that no one will hear) I will probably see Step Brothers, because I'm a big enough person to admit that Talledega Nights, the Ballad of Ricky Bobby made me laugh out loud in the movies. So there.

Anyway, we also watched I am Legend on DVD this weekend. I am such a Will Smith fan. I think his performance in this was amazing, especially once you realize just how much of the movie he carried all by himself. He's a man with talent. And lots of it. Definitely worth your rental $.

faba-lous

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if history is always written – or rewritten – by the winners (or the “good guys” right?), then how do we know the true tale behind the plight of the loser (the “bad guy”)? can you imagine a world in which the axis powers were the victors and what our history books might read? if i think about this question too long my brain starts to itch, but it’s the sort of question that leads to a book like gregory maguire’s wicked: the life and times of the wicked witch of the west.

elphaba, better known as the wicked witch of the west, is one of the most complicated characters that i’ve ever encountered. is she an antihero? is she simply misunderstood? well, the answer isn’t at all that clear cut. she is as multifaceted as the dear friend that you adore but who is wretchedly ill-fated and infuriatingly rash. can you imagine her and galinda (later known as glinda) as best friends in college? this isn’t the only loop you’ll be thrown for as you follow elphaba from her childhood (as the razor-toothed little demon-child of a miserable little minister and his drug-addicted and adulterous wife), schooling (where she is a fierce Animal –as opposed to animal – rights activist), and beyond.

wicked is a surprisingly complex study of the *big* questions of morality on a highly metaphysical level. i was both delighted and depressed by elphaba’s honest struggle with her beliefs – or lack thereof – in the unnamed god, the afterlife and the human soul. she is intellectual but bizarre, striking and gruesome. love her or hate her, she is all-to-human and very easy to care about.

mamaT prefers bookmarks and cleanly kept books, but i am an avid page-folder of passages that i want to re-read. i haven’t earmarked a book like this in years. still, my take on the book might be summed up in this one heartbreaking passage. . .

He lingered at the door, and said, “The Lion wants courage, the Tin Man a heart, and the Scarecrow brains. Dorothy wants to go home. What do you want?”
“A little piece and quiet.”
“No really.”
She couldn’t say forgiveness, not to Liir…in the end what came out of her mouth surprised them both. She said, “A soul – ”

i strongly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys the literary themes of isolation, forgiveness, and redemption. i’m off to begin the sequel, son of a witch. . .

this makes me happy

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can it get any better than this? c'mon, even mamaT can appreciate the beauty in these delish delights. talk about a crunchy cup. oh, my, i think i'm drooling. and look, these are healthy, they have green stuff in them.

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crunchy couture

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the smocksearch for all things bacon continues and i've found the tastiest little morsel i think i've ever seen that is wearable! and, our dear and green-beany friend specialK will be happy to know that it's made from recycled stuff, so it really is crunchy bacon. too-too adorable.

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Whatcha Reading? Wednesday

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I finished Blue Shoes and Happiness, the 7th book in the #1 Ladies Detective Agency series. I enjoyed it thoroughly, as I always do. The books are never really about the "mysteries" involved. They are about another snippet of life in Botswana, with Precious Ramotswe, Mma Matsuki, Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni, et al.

Next on the stack? The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C. S. Lewis. I've decided to do a quick re-read of the Narnia series this summer. Also in the pile, The Good Husband of Zebra Drive by Alexander McCall Smith. Then I may think of delving into something a little different. I have the Jewel in the Crown books, and that might make part of a good summer project. That or the Palace Walk trilogy. Don't know.

I continue to read Peter Kreeft a little at a time.

How 'bout you?

........Smock, I'll see your Michael Kors pumps and raise you two:

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I love this black pump even better than the one you picked. But as long as we're talking fantasy shoes here, how 'bout:

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Cheetah print! Meeeee-ooooooow!

more summa shoes. . .

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okay, these are maybe not so much summa shoes as smock shoes, but if we're gonna have fantasy shoes, well then! tell me these don't put the fun in funky.
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and i'm actually tempted to buy these gorgeous kors. you'd wear these, wouldn't you, mamaT?
but lest you think that i never choose fun in living color . . . check out these uber-summa funky pink pumps.
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yeah, baby! totally coolmoe.

......I say amen to her basic premise:

You don't have to signal a social conscience by looking like a frump. Lace knickers won't hasten the holocaust, you can ban the bomb in a feather boa just as well as without, and a mild interest in the length of hemlines doesn't necessarily disqualify you from reading Das Kapital and agreeing with every word.

-------------------Elizabeth Bibesco

Summa Shoes

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Since both Summas are long, long past our prom days, we can dispense with all the criteria for the prom shoes below.

So, we'll take the Prada shoes, thank you very much. Pay no attention to the price tag. This is a fantasy pick.

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Well, it's that time of year again. Everytime I go to the grocery store in the evening, there are girls in pretty dresses running into the store for something. And I just wonder: Why on EARTH are these girls always going to the grocery store before, during or after the prom? Then I think, "MamaT, you probably really don't want to know the answer to that, now do you?" And no, maybe I don't.

So, in honor of that most spendy of all seasons (one that we missed as homeschoolers, thanks be for small blessings), I've decided to do a "prom shoe" edition of PST. I did put a few qualification on the selections, though. Every single one of these pairs costs less than $100. Because I think it's a crazy mother indeed who would spend more than that for a pair of shoes that her lovely diva daughter is simply going to take off the minute she starts dancing anyway. I also drew the line at shoes that looked as if they were meant for women in that oldest of professions, and I didn't want to pick anything that looked like an ankle-breaker. With those criteria in mind, here are some of my favorites:

This little number is $93 and it also comes in silver. AND you might could wear it again with something:

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This one strikes me as "pure prom", because I can't imagine that it's very wearable for other things. It's only $1 less than my imposed max price, and it might be a little too much bling for some. But if you can't bling out at prom, when can you?

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I love silver shoes. These have a lot of sparkle, and they also come in pink/gold and gold/bronze. And they're only $73!

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What is it with me and the ankle straps today? Here's another pair. They come in silver, gold, black, and chocolate. Yum! I think these might be a little old looking for most prom-goers, but I'm putting them out there anyway: At $93, they also are getting close to the price limit.

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And finally, here's a pair that I actually like better in the other colors it comes in, but you can't see the details as well on the silver pair. AND they are the cheapest of the lot at $66.

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Happy Tuesday, ya'll!

Quote for today

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There is nothing nobler or more admirable than when two people who see eye to eye keep house as man and wife, confounding their enemies and delighting their friends.

-----------------------Homer


Happy 29th Anniversary, PapaC!

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Love Graphics

And a little something from Dietrich Bonhoeffer, that was quoted in the May issue of First Things:

Marriage is more than your love for each other. It has a higher dignity and power, for it is God's holy ordinance, through which he wills to perpetuate the human race until the end of time. In your love you see only your two selves in the world, but in marriage you are a link in the chain of the generations, which God causes to come and to pass away to his glory, and calls into his kingdom. In your love you see only the heaven of your own happiness, but in marriage you are placed at a post of responsibility towards the world and mankind. Your love is your own private possession, but marriage is more than something personal--it is a status, an office. Just as it is the crown, and not merely the will to rule, that makes the king, so it is marriage, and not merely your love for each other, that joins you together in the sight of God and man.

Happy Anniversay, PapaC. I love you more now than I did then. And for better reasons.

Sunday's hymns

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This Sunday was a good Sunday for hymns at SMV.

We had this lovely one by John Henry Newman for the introit:

Firmly I believe and truly
God is Three, and God is One;
And I next acknowledge duly
Manhood taken by the Son.

And I trust and hope most fully
In that Manhood crucified;
And each thought and deed unruly
Do to death, as He has died.

Simply to His grace and wholly
Light and life and strength belong,
And I love supremely, solely,
Him the holy, Him the strong.

And I hold in veneration,
For the love of Him alone,
Holy Church as His creation,
And her teachings are His own.

And I take with joy whatever
Now besets me, pain or fear,
And with a strong will I sever
All the ties which bind me here.

Adoration aye be given,
With and through the angelic host,
To the God of earth and Heaven,
Father, Son and Holy Ghost.

This is sung to Shipston at SMV.

Offertory was a traditional favorite for Trinity Sunday:

I bind unto myself today
the strong Name of the Trinity,
by invocation of the same,
the Three in One, and One in Three.
I bind this day to me for ever,
by power of faith, Christ's Incarnation;
his baptism in Jordan river;
his death on cross for my salvation;
his bursting from the spicèd tomb;
his riding up the heavenly way;
his coming at the day of doom:
I bind unto myself today.

I bind unto myself the power
of the great love of cherubim;
the sweet "Well done" in judgment hour;
the service of the seraphim;
confessors' faith, apostles' word,
the patriarchs' prayers, the prophets' scrolls;
all good deeds done unto the Lord,
and purity of virgin souls.

I bind unto myself today
the virtues of the starlit heaven
the glorious sun's life-giving ray,
the whiteness of the moon at even,
the flashing of the lightning free,
the whirling wind's tempestuous shocks,
the stable earth, the deep salt sea,
around the old eternal rocks.

I bind unto myself today
the power of God to hold and lead,
his eye to watch, his might to stay,
his ear to hearken, to my need;
the wisdom of my God to teach,
his hand to guide, his shield to ward;
the word of God to give me speech,
his heavenly host to be my guard.

Christ be with me,
Christ within me,
Christ behind me,
Christ before me,
Christ beside me,
Christ to win me,
Christ to comfort
and restore me.
Christ beneath me,
Christ above me,
Christ in quiet,
Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of
all that love me,
Christ in mouth of
friend and stranger.

I bind unto myself today
the strong Name of the Trinity,
by invocation of the same,
the Three in One, and One in Three.
Of whom all nature hath creation,
eternal Father, Spirit, Word:
praise to the Lord of my salvation,
salvation is of Christ the Lord.

I love this, and it is sung to a beautiful tune, specifically for it.

Communion hymn was this one, which I love:

From glory to glory advancing, we praise thee, O Lord;
thy name with the Father and Spirit be ever adored.

From strength unto strength we go forward on Zion's highway,
to appear before God in the city of infinite day.

Thanksgiving, and glory and worship, and blessing and love,
one heart and one song have the saints upon earth and above.

Evermore, O Lord, to thy servants thy presence be nigh;
ever fit us by service on earth for thy service on high.

Unfortunately, I cannot give you a midi for the tune we sing it to! There's not one on the Oremus Hymnal site, and the one for this one on Cyberhymnal doesn't match what we sing.

Finally, we finished with this one, because could it REALLY be Trinity Sunday without it?

Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
Early in the morning our song shall rise to thee.
Holy, holy, holy! Merciful and mighty,
God in three Persons, blessèd Trinity.

Holy, holy, holy! All saints adore thee,
casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea;
cherubim and seraphim falling down before thee,
which wert, and art, and evermore shalt be.

Holy, holy, holy! Though the darkness hide thee,
though the sinful human eye thy glory may not see,
only thou art holy; there is none beside thee,
perfect in power, in love, and purity.

Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
All thy works shall praise thy Name, in earth, and sky, and sea;
Holy, holy, holy! Merciful and mighty,
God in three Persons, blessèd Trinity.

Of course, sung to Nicaea.

it seems that nintendo has joined our already disordered advertising culture in the crusade to make our young girls feel fat. in fact, nintendo's new game, Wii Fit, takes it a step further and just flat out labels them fat to their faces. oh joy. read the article here.

I didn't particularly like the BTT entry over at the BTT website, so I think I'll just make up my own this week.

Tell me:

What's your favorite thing to use for a bookmark? Or are you a page corner turner?

I have a huge mound of book marks. Most of them have come from the other members of the Inkblots, my reading group. I've got things I purchased on vacation and turned into bookmarks for all of us.

I'm also known for using grocery receipts, of which I have an unending supply, as bookmarks. Though I do hate to be reminded of how many times I had to go back to pick up just "one more thing".

But my all time favorite thing to use as a book mark are holy cards. Especially holy cards from weddings, funerals, ordinations, etc. It reminds me to pray for that person/couple/family every time I see the card.

How 'bout you?

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with all do respect, mamaT, if you're going to do beverly feldman, you simply cannot pass up these little beauties. they are simply sooo summa mama. we should get them and wear them to church together! wouldn't that be too fun?

Whatcha Reading? Wednesday

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Well, as you know from the entry below, I've just finished Prince Caspian.

I also finished off the Bill Bryson book I've been working on (finally!), but I forgot to return it to its owner tonight. Boo.

I finished My Life in France by Julia Child. I want to go to France!!!!!

Mrs. Mike still sits on my nightstand, but I cannot quite get into it at the moment. So I am going to put it aside for a bit and read the new book that came in the mail today: Blue Shoes and Happiness by Alexander McCall Smith. It's the 7th entry in the #1 Ladies Detective Agency series. I love this series, and think that Precious Ramotswe is a creation for any author to be proud of. I also got the next book in the series, The Good Husband of Zebra Drive, which, I am quite sure, will jump out of the stack and into my hands as soon as I finish Blue Shoes.

Also on the stack? The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C. S. Lewis. But maybe not this week.

How 'bout you?

Quote for Today

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"You come from the Lord Adam and the Lady Eve", said Aslan. "And that is both honour enough to erect the head of the poorest beggar, and shame enough to bow the shoulders of the greatest emperor on earth; Be content."

----------------C. S. Lewis, Prince Caspian

From Today's Lunchtime Reading

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I just finished rereading Prince Caspian, for obvious reasons. I am such a fan of the whole Narnia series, but it has been years since I read them last. I guess when we were homeschooling. I read every day after lunch to ZMan. For years. Certainly long, long, long after he was able to read them himself. It is one of my fondest memories. We started, probably, with the Narnia series. We went on to the Taran series, which I recommend most heartily. That series has two of my favorite characters to read aloud: Princess Eilonwy and Gurgi. See? All these years later I still remember them!

After that we moved on to The Hobbit, and then to the whole LOTR trilogy. From there we read Tarzan, King Solomon's Mines, Robert Louis Stevenson, and oh so much more.

I would read until we got to a part of the book that made me weep to read aloud. Then Zman, who was just the Zkid then, would take the book and read the touching, sad, noble, brave part and hand it back to me. I think it was useful. He saw an adult being moved by the words on a page. And he learned that that was OK.

Anyway, back to the point. One of the reasons I like Narnia so much is that it helped fire my imagination about heaven and eternity. The perfect example came in the next to the last chapter in Prince Caspian today. Aslan is reawkening Narnia--going through the towns and fields. Freeing those in bondage. Asking people to follow him. Some do. Lots don't. While this might not be a literally accurate picture of the Second Coming, I dare you to think it's not a pretty darn close representation of the emotional aspects of that Coming:

They swept on across the level fields on the north bank, or left bank, of the river. At every farm animals came out to join them. Sad old donkeys who had never known joy grew suddenly young again; chained dogs broke their chains; horses kicked their carts to pieces and came trotting along with them--clop-clop--kicking up the mud and whinnying.

At a well in a yard they met a man who was beating a boy. The stick burst into flower in the man's hand. He tried to drop it, but it stuck to his hand. His arm became a branch, his body the trunk of a tree, his feet took root. The boy, who had been crying a moment before, burst out laughing and joined them.

At a little town half way to Beaversdam, where two rivers met, they came to another school, where a tired-looking girl was teaching arithmetic to a number of boys who looked very like pigs. She looked out of the window and saw the divine revellers singing up the street and a stab of joy went through her heart. Aslan stopped right under the window and looked up at her.

"Oh don't, don't," she said. "I'd love to. But I mustn't. I must stick to my work. And the children would be frightened if they saw you."

"Frightened?" said the most pig-like of the boys. "Who's she talking to out of the window? Let's tell the inspector she talks to people out of the window when she ought to be teaching us."

"Let's go and see who it is," said another boy, and they all came crowding to the window. But as soon as their mean little faces looked out, Bacchus gave a great cry of Euan, euoi-oi-oi-oi and the boys all began howling with fright and trampling one another down to get out of the door and jumping out of the windows. And it was said afterwards (whether truly or not) that those particular little boys were never seen again, but that there were a lot of very fine little pigs in that part of the country which had never been there before.

"Now, Dear Heart," said Aslan to the Mistress: and she jumped down and joined them.

And I could go on and on.

But this book is one that makes me long for that Coming. And I never did before Narnia.

Quick! Someone Throw a Party!

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So I can wear these divine shoes by Beverly Feldman!

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And quick! Someone send me a winning lottery ticket so I can afford 'em!

Pretty (cool) shoe Tuesday

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I just love Vans Classic Slip-Ons. There are about a billion different colors/combinations--hey, if you want skulls wearing Santa hats on your shoes, Vans are your go-to choice. I have no skulls, but I do have a black pair with pink flamingos on them. Jealous, aren't you?

But if I had the bucks, I'd buy these to add to my wardrobe:


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All of 'em can be purchased through Zappos. And they're only $45 a pair. Compared to some things (like a tank of gas!), that's a bargain.

Happy Tuesday, ya'll!

Quote for today

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“Love begins by taking care of the closest ones---the ones at home.”

------------------Mother Teresa of Calcutta

.....and I've got mine on! Proud to be a wife, mom, grandmom, homemaker, and more, I'm wearing it today as my badge of honor.

Next week, PapaC and I will celebrate our anniversary--29 years, to be exact. When I married him, I was quite sure that I would be a working mother. IF I happened to be a mother at all. That wasn't for certain.

My, how things changed. Oh yes, I became a mother. And loved it.

Then I was a working mother. That was hard. And it didn't turn out to be the best plan for our family.

When Zack was in first grade, I became only a part-time working mother. That was better.

But then the whole world changed. We decided to homeschool. I came home full-time. And the rest is history.

From working CPA to homeschooling, jumper wearing (not really!) stay-at-home mom. It was perfect. My worst day at home has always been better than my best day at work ever was. It remains so, even in the midst of budget crunches and grown-up kids. It was absolutely the best decision I ever made.

And those people who thought I had wasted my education? Phooey to them. I've done accounting work for friends, tax returns for people who couldn't afford to take them anywhere else. I'm the treasurer of my parish--saving our parish $$$$ by not having to PAY someone like me. My organization skills made me a great scout leader and teacher of other leaders. Nothing ever goes to waste!

One time, PapaC and I attended one of his work Christmas parties. I hate parties like that. I'm not particularly good around a bunch of people I don't know. Plus, I told PapaC, "All the other women look at me like something they just stepped in when they find out I'm a homemaker."

He thought I was being too sensitive. Hmmm. Well, we went in to the party, had some food and drinks, and sat down next to some guys he worked with and their wives.

One of the sweet young things turned to me and said, "What do you do?"

Oh, boy, the money question.

"I'm a stay at home mom, and we homeschool our son."

Look of surprise, then she says, "Oh, that's just so cute!"

"Well, it certainly can be, but mostly it's work."

Then she pipes up with the remark to end all remarks.

"Well, I'd just LOVE to stay at home. But I just have to use my brain!"

Swear to goodness.

And no, I didn't deck her.

And PapaC apologized to me in the car on the way home.

But that's OK. 'Cause I figure that I earned YEARS off my time in Purgatory for not asking her, "Oh really? When did you plan to start?"

Anyway. I'm wearing my apron with pride today--and, by the way, it's a lovely model made by the uber-talented Kitchen Madonna--and letting people know that I like my job just fine, thank you very much.

And maybe I'll post a picture of my apron, once the battery to my digital camera recharges.

For accountability purposes....

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Day 1 of Week 3 of the Couch to 5K program?

DONE!

(But it was hard. I am such a weenie!)

our ten year old, glynnis, was playing her teenager Sims character. i overheard her muttering the following to herself.

... if i could just get her to raise her grades to a "C" then i can get her into a private school. that's the problem. she's in a government school. no wonder her grades are so poor. she needs a private education. i hope i can afford it . . .

i know what mamaT would say. maybe she should homeschool.

Whatcha Reading? Wednesday?

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Well, there's been not much time to read around here (see entry below for the whine). Mrs. Mike, Bill Bryson and Julia Child all still sit on my nightstand. (They are jostling for position.) I think I'll knock off Bill first--he's such a bully and he really belongs to someone else.

I did finish a little Heyer novel--Regency Buck--which is, I think, the worst of the ones I have read. Oh, don't get me wrong, it's still on the "to keep" shelves. But it wasn't the same quality. The hero was just a blank. Not enough character development.

I did also start a new Peter Kreeft book, Because God is Real: Sixteen Questions, One Answer. I love the way Kreeft writes. The book is written in question and answer format, and you've got to love one that starts like this:

When you speak of questions and answers, do you mean to assume that there's objective truth out there, the same for everybody, and that if you disagree with that truth, your opinion is not just different but wrong? do you mean to say that religion is like science that way? That what's true for you also must be true for me, because religion is about what is simply and absolutely true, whether we like it or not? Are you saying that God is just as objectively real as a rock, even though you can't see Him and even though you can't prove Him by the scientific method?

Yup.

You have to assume objective truth even to deny objective truth. Is it objectively true that there's no objective truth? Is it only "true for you" that there is only "truth-for-you"?

Anyway, aside from that, I have read mostly magazines.....

How 'bout you?

For accountability purposes....

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.....I am doing Week 2 of the Couch to 5K program again this week. Last Friday I couldn't run/walk due to helping host the Kindergarten classes Teacher Appreciation breakfast for the school.

Since it wasn't all that easy (even as pitifully little as it is), I decided it wouldn't hurt to just keep doing that this week. I did it this morning, even though I had to finish in the rain.

And there is NOTHING I hate more than walking in the rain. But done. Ta Da! One more workout on week 2, and it'll be on to week 3.

Sorry for the silence, guys, but things have been crashing down around my ears hear at the lovely CasaS.

My mother has not been well at all for the past week or so. This has entailed several emergency phone calls to me, leaving me with naught to do but drop everything and run.

Then, my car needed working on. Just when the budget was in the worst possible place for bleeding more dollars on an 10 year old car. Humph. Oh, and did you know my next tuition bill for the Zman is due and payable?

Friday morning was the Teacher Appreciation Breakfast hosted for the teachers and staff of McKid's school, sponsored by two of the Kindergarten classes. That meant, as room mom, I had phone calls to make, casseroles to bake, bacon to cook, etc. AND get there by 7:15 Friday morning to serve the stuff.

Then this past weekend was our weekend for having McKid stay with us. That's a joy, but it shows me once again why God was wise to give little 'uns to younger folks. By the end of the weekend, I am tired. Five year olds just don't want to sleep very late on Saturday morning! And they NEVER want to take a Saturday afternoon nap, either. Which really didn't make all that much difference, because I got a call from my mom and had to go over there.

Then she was out of school all day Monday because of the Cinco de Mayo holiday at her school. (Remind me again why we celebrate that here? Do they celebrate July 4th in Mexico? Am I confused?) So she was with me all day Monday as well.

Poor McKid's mom is working a ton of overtime, so that means we need to help cover her bases when she can't be home.........

So Monday I was talking to Smock on the phone as I drove home from my sweet mom's house with a headachey McKid in the back seat. She was kind enough to call what I was doing "venting." I don't know. It sounded like whining to me.

Anyway, as I walked into my house, I was telling her, "It just shows--when it rains, it pours." Only to step right into a pool of dog throw up right in my entryway.

I had to laugh.

No, at my house, when it rains, it doesn't pour. When it rains, I also have to clean up dog upchuck.

It's never-ending around here.

Quick! It’s an emergency! You just got an urgent call about a family emergency and had to rush to the airport with barely time to grab your wallet and your passport. But now, you’re stuck at the airport with nothing to read. What do you do??

And, no, you did NOT have time to grab your bookbag, or the book next to your bed. You were . . . grocery shopping when you got the call and have nothing with you but your wallet and your passport (which you fortuitously brought with you in case they asked for ID in the ethnic food aisle). This is hypothetical, remember….

This is easy. I march myself into the newstand and buy something, ANYTHING, to read while waiting and while flying. I know there probably isn't anything I want to read or would choose normally, but this is an EMERGENCY, after all. So I would read the latest best-seller, or the latest issue of O Magazine, or just anything.

That's how it is around here. Anything is better than nothing.

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