So...what snippets do I have this week? Let's see. A lot of folks are going to work tomorrow who wondered for several days if they would. Glad to see that we averted a government shutdown for the sakes of those who would suffer (including, as it turns out, this family). But I can't say I'm jumping up and down at the meager concessions toward spending reductions. As Karl Rove said in the wee hours of Saturday morning, this only matters if it's the first step in a long road. Otherwise, it was a waste.
 

And now on to the struggle over the debt limit. Let me see if I've got this. I've maxed out all my credit cards. I still want stuff. Good stuff, you know? Not just selfishly, but to help other people. But to be honest, I can't even come CLOSE to making the payments on all the stuff I've already borrowed. But if I don't borrow more, I can't keep doing all the good stuff I do. I can't feed hungry people or donate to charities or take my kids to the museum. So, maybe I can figure out a way to shame the credit card companies into raising my limit and giving me more money! After all, there are people depending on me, and those nasty scoundrels who have all the money need to just give it up! What do they need it for, anyway--they're filthy rich! If I make enough noise, and keep saying over and over that those fat cats should "pay their fair share," public opinion will turn against them and they'll have to cave! Especially if I can get on TV! (I'll let you know how that works out.)

Bethany (almost 21) and Tim (14) took off Saturday morning to drive north for a visit with the faraway siblings and other family members. Still seems funny that my kids are old enough to just take off on the interstate, but I'm very glad that they can and that they'd rather spend their time that way than in pretty much any other pursuit.

Peach salsa. It works.

We'll see how brave I end up being, but I'm planning to hit the theater Friday night for the opening of Atlas Shrugged. If I chicken out and don't feel like braving the crowd, I might wait a few days, but I definitely want to see it while it's still on the big screen. I've watched some of the trailers, and other than a level of business dress that's uncharacteristic of the era in which it was written and about which it was written, it is much like I've pictured. Go Dagny.

And who is John Galt, anyway? And where is he when we need him?

A big hug to those of you who have experienced some disappointments this week. You know who you are.

Update on my computer saga: this week, my second full week with the new MacBook Pro, the words "buyer's remorse" have been creeping into my consciousness. I've beaten them back a few times and I'm still not ready to admit to a complete mistake, but I will admit I am not thrilled. I can see the arguments that photographers and graphic designers and web developers use for the superiority of Macs, but I don't do those things. And most of the things I do are either clunkier or at least no better on the Mac. And for this, I paid 400% more than I would have spent on another PC. No, folks, not just a hundred dollars more...two thousand dollars more. I realize that I'm paying for terrific Apple support and Apple reliability, but I think this is a higher price than I would have paid had I known that the functionality, for me, just doesn't rate that kind of money. And so right now, with a very guilty look on my face, I'm typing this post on the HP with the brand new hard drive and staring over at the beautiful and very expensive Apple across the room. For those of you who ask me why I won't just run Windows on the Mac, it's easy: for me, it will be less stress to just use two computers. The reviews about what Windows does on a Mac are for the most part not encouraging. I use multiple high-RAM applications simultaneously, and I can't afford to have a platform like that (which I'd have to spend yet more big bucks for) drag down my speed. I'll just shuttle back and forth, thank you. (And speaking of dragging, the Mac is already dragging and spinning and acting like it's working too hard, and I have an appointment to take it back to the Apple "Genius" bar this week. Something else I didn't want to have to take time for.)

Okay, that was more than a snippet, I realize. That needed to be a separate post.

On the constant urging of friends and family, I have started in watching seasons of old (or not so old) TV shows via Netflix. When The Papa is gone, this is a nice way to spend late evenings. So here are my thoughts on the ones I've started and/or finished. Doctor Who: Not too far into this one yet, but I don't think I'll be able to hang with it very long. Having seen the original in the UK years ago, I thought I'd probably love this, but..... Monk: YES please. More. Pushing Daisies: I watched the first two and was in love, and by two more I was ready for a divorce. Not from The Papa, just from PD. Cute idea, very silly very fast. And not the kind of silly that holds my attention. Downton Abbey: I can't get enough of this! I'm mad at myself for watching Season 1 so quickly and now I have to wait nearly a year for Season 2. Maybe I'll just watch them again.

 

I'm loving the Bonhoeffer bio on audio. I know there's some controversy about this book, but just what's in the historical record sans any personal bias of the author is enough to move me to tears...

I'm nearing the home stretch of my goal to memorize the book of Philippians by Easter: just sixteen verses to go. God has been so good not only to lead me to this goal but to lead me through it. He's taught me so much directly from His word and also about my own brain and how it works best. I know more than I ever did about what times of day are best for me, which life circumstances and moods help and hurt my ability to retain what I learn, how sleep affects my memory, what the optimum size "chunk" is for me to remember in one day, etc. This wasn't meant to be an intellectual exercise, but it has hammered home to me how we are whole beings, and the same God who saved me and made me His own is the Creator of this brain that He's using to store up His word. Lovely lessons.

And now, I need a pot of coffee, ya'll. Not a cup. A whole pot. Have a great week!

It's been a strange week, getting used to the new MacBook Pro while trying to carry on my normal tasks. So far I'm loving most things about it...I don't like the fact that some of my treasured programs won't run on a Mac and so I'm forced to decide between trying to shuttle back and forth between two computers or putting software on the Mac which will run Windows. Neither seems a happy prospect, given what I've heard and read from all but one person about the Windows for Mac option. So. My decisions aren't all behind me yet.

(Anyone have a recommendation for some good Mac software for a recipe database?)

The Papa and I found a nice new restaurant Thursday night. Actually a new iPhone app found it for us, and I want to plug the app as much as the restaurant. It's called Urbanspoon, and it's a great way to find a new place to eat. We get stuck in a rut when we go out, afraid to take a risk on a place we know nothing about. This app uses your present location and gives you suggestions based on your choice of cuisine, how far you want to drive, and how much you want to spend. Then for each suggestion there are maps, reviews, etc. to give you an idea of what you're in for....So, we spun the dial and came up with Roaring Fork...and we were delighted! A nice pre-Australia date. And any place that makes a Fried Avocado and Crab with Chipotle Mayo is doing something right  :-)

I'm so glad our taxes are done. Even though we had to pay, it's DONE. And I'll be snickering at the lines of people at the post office on the 15th. Yeah, I'm that way.

Loving the new season of Army Wives...and also loving seeing Season 1 of Downton Abbey via Netflix. This weekend I also went back and watched most of the first season of Pushing Daisies, which I never saw when it was on TV, and caught up on some old Monk episodes. Yeah, I go through these phases...

The Papa and I also finished up book #7 in the #1 Ladies Detective Agency series (Blue Shoes and Happiness) before he left. And I've ordered the next one...oh, what will we do when we're out of Precious Ramotswe??

And during the past week I finished The Red Queen, which I adored, and began the audio version of Metaxas' Bonhoeffer biography. There just aren't enough hours in the day!

Recommendation: If you're homeschooling and haven't yet discovered or switched to Teaching Textbooks for math, cut your losses now and run to their website as fast as your fingers will carry you. Even if you're not homeschooling, your kids could benefit from the excellent help in this program.

Have I mentioned how excited I am that we are gaining TWO new grandbabies this spring/summer? CAN'T.WAIT!

A man and his John Deere--happy combination.

I think I would like to see The Donald become president just for the fun of seeing what would happen to his combover while walking away from Marine One. (Oh, come on, you know you would too.)

This spring seems to be so beautiful. We don't have as many bluebonnets as some other years, but the greens are so lush. I think the milder spring temps have a lot to do with it even though we haven't had enough rain. This has been a weird year...tomorrow night our low is to be 43! April? In San Antonio?

This morning in worship, we shared a song that's been played but never yet sung (waiting for our CCLI license) in our services, and it was so meaningful as to bring tears from a lot of us. This exquisite piece, "In Christ Alone," is becoming one of the new but soon to be classic anthems of the faith...

Enjoy your first week of April!

We're just back from our very pleasant, uneventful spring break in north Texas. I will sum up its loveliness with a comment from Shelley, our 18-year old: "You know why I love spring break? No one judges you for taking multiple naps in one day." Yep.

And while much of the country has succumbed to March Madness, we in San Antonio are still consumed with our NBA favorite sons. The Spurs have the best record in the NBA, far ahead of our nearest rivals, and they are one of only three teams in the country to have already clinched a spot in the playoffs. Of course, what happens in the playoffs is often very different than the season at large, but we're hopeful for a great end to the season. Yeah, we're kind of nutty around here, already counting down the weeks until the first pre-season NFL games, and, naturally, the Fighting Irish season!

Spring, of course, wouldn't be complete in this part of the country without bluebonnets, and as we drove south yesterday we were welcomed home by just a few whispers of our favorite flower, as well as by the many precociously cheerful Texas Redbuds, two of which were planted in our yard last fall and were definitely showing off when we arrived.

Before we left, we made the purchase that wouldn't wait: a new lawn tractor. Ten years had made ours a shadow of its former self, so the Papa used this as his permission to buy himself a bigger, badder John Deere. It will be delivered tomorrow, and I think he's outside right now watching for the Lowe's truck.

Well, that's a lot said about spring, seeing as how it's my second least favorite season, stealing my favorite winter away each year. Maybe it's easier to welcome spring this year since we had such a lovely, unseasonably cool and long winter! Can I hope for the same next year?

Nathan comes home this week! He'll arrive from Biloxi on Wednesday, having completed both AF basic training and tech school this year. We will be glad to have him back in the fold, even if he'll soon be looking for his own place :-)

You know you have a house full of young adults when the decibel level and the calorie consumption go up AFTER 11pm. I've learned to enjoy it rather than fighting it...just like every other season of life, it doesn't last long enough.

Halfway around the world, this season will always be remembered for the historic earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear "event." Hundreds of thousands are still homeless in bitter cold, and tens of thousands, maybe more, injured and bereaved. May God show mercy to the hurting and show us all ways to help...

I have no idea what to think about Libya and our involvement in yet another conflict. Seldom is something like this attempted without it escalating, and I ache for the men and women we may lose along with all we've lost in two other ongoing wars. I fear that, in the long run, there is nothing we can do to make a difference in Qaddafi's territory...and yet the people there are hurting and I long for something to make a difference. Earthquakes aren't the only things that ruin lives.

Plans are piling up for our next school year: co-ops, dual credit college classes, driver training. It will be John Caleb's senior year, and most of what he's taking will be done away from home...in this case, homeschooling means "home-directed" education and not necessarily the kind that's done at the kitchen table. Tim will be a sophomore next year, which means that we have only three years remaining in this homeschool journey. My eyes and ears are already open for ways I can participate more actively in the education of the grandkids!

Speaking of homeschooling, if you haven't already read this excellent post by Susan Wise Bauer, please click over and read it when you're through here. She's been one of the steadiest, most seasoned voices in the home education arena for years now, and she's worth hearing out.

In the next few weeks we will undertake the huge job of recarpeting and reflooring the entire second floor of the house. We had the downstairs done about four years ago and the upstairs has been begging for it ever since. I dread the whole process of moving everything, but it will certainly be an impetus to clean everything out!

During the trip this week, I "Kindled" (new verb, with a capital K) John Piper's Think: The Life of the Mind and the Love of God. I highly recommend it.

And I've taken up a new book, Moonwalking with Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Everything by Joshua Foer. My interest in the power and the workings of the brain seems to know no end, and this is my latest fuel for that interest. When I took up the challenge to memorize the book of Philippians in 16 weeks, I had my doubts that a brain like mine, unaccustomed to memorization, could even do such a thing. I didn't embark on it as a mental challenge...I really wanted to plant the Word in my mind and heart to a greater extent than I had in years. But now that I've gotten halfway through the third chapter of the book and think that my goal might just be accomplished by Easter, I am even more interested in the theories involved in memory storage and active memorization. 

Hope you're having a wonderful Lord's Day and a wonderful first day of spring!

The week sped by...last week started with me in Virginia drinking in the time with the Welty's and the new week begins with a glorious day at Covenant of Grace, fellowshiping with friends old and new and hearing the Word preached powerfully. In between, many reasons for giving thanks and praising God, living a life of moment-by-moment gratitude...

How to love a liberal (if you really must): Kirsten Powers on the fraud of Planned Parenthood.

My husband surprised me with tulips this weekend--my favorite flower! (And Ava, they're purple!)

Got to hear a fun concert this afternoon with dozens of Broadway tunes. Why don't the shows from post-1970 hold a candle to the ones before that, huh? Seriously, RENT? (And I'd make a snide comment about Cats, which is my least favorite of all time, but some of my kids would make a snide comment about my taste. Happily, the concert bypassed Cats.)

I'm hungry for fish. Just thought you should know.

The Westboro decision this week by SCOTUS was one of those where you don't want to see either side win. Given the importance of freedom of speech I come down on the same side as the eight in the majority, but I so understand the the minority opinion. May God protect the families of fallen servicemen from the likes of the pseudo-Christians who would torment them. And may God bless the selfless veterans/bikers/other heroes who act as shields at the funerals.

This trip: one body scan, one patdown that bordered on sexual assault. Guess which one I would do again?

Still listening to Half the Sky, and still reading Azar Nafisi's excellent Reading Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir in Books. Both books are horrifying, important works on the plight of the world's women. We have no idea how blessed we are.

And now, off to enjoy my Pei Wei Thai Curry and watch the season of premier of Army Wives. Enjoy your week!

It's Sunday again! The week has sped by, and half my time with the Virginia family is gone. I'm appreciating every moment...

Haven't watched any news since being here, but my limited time on the 'net tells me that the dominoes are still rocking back and forth in the Middle East. Well, I guess the price of gas is telling me that as well  :-(

So far I've resisted watching American Idol, other than a few clips, this year. I may jump in later in the season, but then I will have to ask the inevitable question, "What is that thing seated by JLo?"

It's a very nice time of year to visit Charlottesville!

I have to come to Virginia to get Chinese takeout delivered. What's wrong with this picture?

Getting ready to picket if The King's Speech doesn't win tonight. As in, win practically everything. That may not be completely fair of me, since it's the only one I've seen of all the nominated pictures...but I don't have any faith that today's Hollywood is capable of making a better picture. 

And speaking of pictures, have you seen the new deal being offered to Amazon Prime members? Right now, it doesn't look like much, but it's offered at no additional charge and it's bound to have a wider and wider selection in the coming months. If I were Netflix, I'd be quaking in my boots. As a matter of fact, I'll be dropping Netflix (again) if Amazon can come anywhere near close to what Netflix offers. Because some months I don't have time to watch a single movie or streamed TV show, so I'd be glad to eliminate the $9 a month!

So it's a blast to be here with the three grandkids I see the least. They change so much in between visits that I am mesmerized to watch them play and eat and sing and dance...Erin, Jude, Savannah, GRANNY LOVES YOU!

My newest audio book is Half the Sky. This one is very hard to listen to. I'm expecting its political stance to be different than mine in places, but the issues it explores need to be a concern for every one of us.

And there, in no particular order, are the snippets from this week. Have a good one!