Finally finished up Acedia and Me by Kathleen Norris. I liked this book a lot, and it gave me a lot to think about, as you can tell from the quotes I've been posting. I recommend it, especially if, like me, you run into that "just can't get up the energy to do anything" place. It's worth taking a look at. I appreciated most of all her musings on the necessity of the ordinary, the daily, the unspectacular in our lives. It is in those times when I am wrestling with the tasks of the day that I do some of my best thinking.

I also finished a book called Wolf at the Table by Augusten Burroughs. He also wrote Running with Scissors. This is a memoir about his life with a completely emotionally unavailable and abusive father, and a mother who wasn't a lot of protection from him, due to her own problems. There is precious little humor in this book, and I think that some people who have read his other stuff have been turned off by the relentless bleakness of this volume. Not, in general, my cup of tea, but the book was worth reading simply to get to the last chapter. In that chapter, Burroughs describes an encounter with a father whose son is to graduate from Harvard Medical School. The father is justly proud of his son, and that pride and love just overwhelms Burroughs, even though it is not for him personally. He writes:

Quickly, I turn my back on him. The top of my head is about to blow off. I gasp once and tears spring to my eyes, fill them. Quickly, I cough, choke down the sob and I wipe my tears fast with my left wrist.

But tonight, I felt it. I felt it, I felt it, I felt it.

I put my head down and cried for the boy who never felt what he should have. That section made the whole book worthwhile.

Currently reading? Right Ho, Jeeves by P. G. Wodehouse. This drives PapaC crazy, because I keep wanting to read him "just this one little snippet", which he doesn't find all that funny because he hasn't read all the funny little snippets before the one I'm hauling out.

I'm also reading James Herriott's All Creatures Great and Small. It was time for a little sweetness and light after sociopathic fathers and acedia.

How 'bout ya'll?

Mama to Mama is gathering little handmade hats to put in Safe Birth kits for women in Northern Haiti as part of an effort to reduce their staggering maternal and child mortality rate.

You can download the simple pattern from the website (above link), or make your own sewn or crochet/knit (my alley!) cotton cap or receiving blanket to help out.

DO IT! Then come tell me about it : )

smock says, this is one coolio tee, especially when you consider it's only 15 bucks. i will admit that, seein' as how i'm not a chess player, it took me a few minutes, or five, to finally get it. but once i did, i was duly impressed.* surely you have someone on your christmas list who needs a really rad article of coolage. besides, this is a rockin' website -- any site that adverts itself as "hardcore catholic" gets two smocks up. so buy one. now. c'mon. you know you wanna.

even if you don't don the duds, you can visit phatmass.com.
* for other non-chess players out there, it's "respect the bishop."

-------------Kathleen Norris, Acedia and me

So let's see what we want today:

This is the classic boot. By Ralph Lauren. You don't get any bootier than that. If you bought these boots, and took care of them, you might own them for the rest of your life. They'd go with pants, long skirts. Love 'em. Want 'em. Would consider a calf-ectomy to get 'em:

Now these next boots I really could wear. They are fabulous, and look at that heel! Such a cute thing!

Next are the boots I imagine LaMa wearing. I'd wear 'em too, but I'm probably really too old for 'em. Love the biker sort of look of these:

And finally, we always have to have a Summa shoe or boot. Today's choice comes from our beloved Betsey Johnson. Animal print and pink flowers? Darling, it's just too, too!!!
Grrrrrrr!

Happy Tuesday, ya'll!

i was actually jammin' to this song on my ipod this morning, but just found this video version. i had never seen this video before. the storyline actually brought an unexpected tear to my eye. totally coolmoe.

Outside My Window... night is falling because i can never seem to get to the summa's during daylight hours . . . how twilight of me.

I am thinking... that ladies' days really suck big time. and, ladies, you know of which i speak.

I am thankful for... midol. and friends who make warm fuzzy things for me for christmas.

From the kitchen... cereal night!

I am wearing... one of smockdaddy's big ol' sweatshirts and some stretchy pants. i'm diggin' the stretchy pants, lemme tell y'all.

I am creating... ummm.... a big ol' carbon footprint every monday since i have to pick up gab from school at 3, dunc from latin at 4, gracie from brownies at 4.30 and glynn from band at 5.

I am going... to finish my avon tomorrow and catch up on dexter and true blood tonight. can. not. wait!

I am reading... don't laugh, but i am STILL reading the same three books i reported on over a month ago. heavy sigh.

I am hoping... that i don't faint when i step on the scale at weight watchers tomorrow morning. can you say water retention? ugh.

I am hearing... lots of smocklings making evening noises. loud and happy and crazy evening noises.

Around the house... lots of smocklings running and frolicking! i'm braced for the SMACKTHUD sound though.

One of my favorite things... is a heating pad. where'd i hide it?

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week: i will survive.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

1 TBS canola oil
1/2 cup EACH thinly sliced celery (on the diagonal), red pepper, and onions
1 bag cole slaw mix (cabbage, carrots, etc.)
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp. grated fresh ginger root
1/2 tsp Chinese five-spice powder OR allspice
Soy sauce, to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
Chili flakes

Add-ins: 1.5 lb of your choice of COOKED tofu, meat, poultry, or seafood; and your choice of canned, drained water chestnuts, snow peas, canned hearts of palm, canned bamboo shoots, scallions, julienned green beans, etc.

How to:

Saute celery/peppers/onion in canola oil for 1 minute. Add garlic, ginger, five-spice, and slaw mix and saute until it starts to cook down. Add soy sauce and chili flakes to taste; saute a bit longer and then add your choice of add-ins. Remaining cooking time depends on add-ins. DO NOT OVERCOOK; cabbage should still have some crunch.

Serve alone or with brown rice. Have Chinese hot mustard and/or hoisin sauce on the side. Also can be wrapped in a tortilla. Good warm or cold.

Serves 4-6

Outside My Window... The mailman is driving off. He brought me a package of cat flea stuff and a bill I mailed Saturday returned for postage. Whoopsies.

I am thinking... of my list for the grocery and of a shower.

I am thankful for... those little moments of silence throughout the day.

From the kitchen... we are ordering in Thai tonight. But! I'm planning for some pumpkin and cranberry bread to come from the kitchen soon.

I am wearing... gray drawing-string shorts and a red V neck.

I am creating... slippers for myself, same boring scarf for Mom, just finished a cabled hat for my man.

I am going... grocery shopping and to the park.

I am reading... Permission to Mother by Denise Punger. I've barely cracked it and it's taking me forever to read anything these days, but it looks like a thumbs up.

I am hoping... this flea stuff works on the cat. Isn't it weird for an indoor animal to start getting fleas in November? Gross.

I am hearing... little voices and Milosh.

Around the house... laundry and bathrooms may get done if they're lucky.

One of my favorite things... is those little, lard filled cherry pies from gas stations. Especially with cheap gas station coffee taken in the car while traveling.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week: Calm week here, too. My Jude has a dentist appointment Thursday. Saturday there is a big Etsy sale here in Dallas that I'm hoping to make it to.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

This is a print I adore that is in our living room. It came from this talented girl (speaking of Etsy!).

----------------------Kathleen Norris, Acedia and Me

Hmmmm. Feeling a little old this morning, might I be???

FOR TODAY, November 17, 2008

Outside My Window... Little girls in red sweaters and plaid skirts are shrieking and laughing and running for the school building. Little boys, in an attempt to be more manly, shrug their shoulders up around their necks and shove their hands deep into their pockets on the way to class. The rebel few walk proudly in their shorts and polo shirts, disdaining any compromise with cool weather. I suppose they're "cool" in more ways than one this morning.

I am thinking... that I really miss my mom this morning. She would like this first turn in the weather.

I am thankful for... Lion Brand Homespun yarn. It is yummy to look at, soft to work with. Hard to see stitches at first, but you can't have everything.

From the kitchen... Probably will be chicken and broccoli soup. Or Inside Out Eggroll casserole. Yum!

I am wearing... Blue athletic pants. Pink t-shirt that says "Kiss Me, I'm Catholic", flamingo socks (yes, you read it right!), sneakers. Silver hoop earrings.

I am creating... 10 things that I can't tell you about yet, because 2 of them are gifts for my Summa compatriots. There is a hint above, though.

I am going... to make one more of my ten things today. I'm also going to run out to the craft store for some supplies for another little project i have in mind.

I am reading... Right Ho, Jeeves at the moment. I just finished Wolf at the Table by Augusten Burroughs--that guy who wrote Running with Scissors, Smock.

I am hoping... that I can do my Thanksgiving shopping this week, and miss the crowds of next week. I went to the grocery store on Saturday for the first time in years this past weekend. It was a zoo. I'll stick to my weekday shopping, thank you, and stay out of those people's way who only have weekends to shop.

I am hearing... the refrigerator make a slightly funny noise. So is the ceiling fan. Please don't be sick, appliances. Please.

Around the house... are piles of white dog hair, which have gotten the best of me the past couple of days. They are OUT of here today, though. Hear that, dust bunnies? Your days are numbered. This house isn't big enough for the both of us!

One of my favorite things... is clean sheets. If I were rich, I'd have someone come every day and put on clean sheets. Aaaaaahhhhh. Doesn't that sound nice?

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week: A pretty calm week this week. Stay home, mostly. I have book club this week, but we are going up to the church and watching the movie Miss Potter with Smock's girlcrush, Renee Zelwegger. Oh, and I'm making cupcakes for one of our book club members whose birthday it is. Wednesday night I'm watching Top Chef, which is back on. How pitiful is it that I arrange my week around a reality TV show?????

Here is picture thought I am sharing...