Okay, it looks like I haven't been "here" since July 1. You'd think summer would give me the free time to blog, huh? But not in 2011. This summer has held surprises, trips, changes in plans, and a lot of driving involved with all of those. So my blog has languished...


In fact, I've considered giving it a quiet expiration party, but I'll wait until fall to decide that :-)


I am back in Shawnee, Oklahoma, with CJ and Tony and Ava, enjoying some more snuggle time with my granddaughter. She's made such tremendous progress that it's hard to imagine her at 3lbs 4.5oz just a few weeks ago! She's now looking much more healthy at 5lbs 9oz and beginning to do some of the things that term babies do. As she should, since yesterday was the day she was scheduled to be born!


It's also been a big blessing to see how tenderly and patiently these two newlyweds have learned to parent Ava already. I know from experience what a shock it is to have a preemie after seven months of marriage. Though our little one did not survive the first month, I still get flashbacks of caring for him when I watch them. And in many ways, what they are experiencing is even harder than what we went through, since they are now responsible for the total care of this tiny one. It can be scary, and it's exhausting! I'm delighted to see that God has equipped Tony and CJ, so early in their marriage, to be all that Ava needs...

Labels: Family, Grandkids, Summer, The Papa

Labels: Books, Homemaking, Homeschooling, News, Political Observation, Sundays, The Papa

(Oh, and my love of tulips has nothing to do with Calvinism. But it's a nice touch.)

thanks to The Papa

Labels: Good Stuff, The Papa

Labels: Books, Grandkids, Kids, News, The Papa, Theater of the Absurd

After a dream week with Lyric in southern California, I slid up the coast on a short flight into Sacramento, and when I got off the plane, The Papa was there to meet me right at the gate. He flew in 40 minutes earlier from Texas and we were off on the next leg of our end-of-summer adventures! We're now enjoying a lovely mini-vacation outside of Modesto with our newest soul-mate friends. It's been a long time since I spent two weeks in this state, but it's all been good :-)

And one of the best parts is that I got to have an In-N-Out burger on the way to the airport. Just thought you'd want to know.

And of course while we're on the left coast, all eyes were on that "other" coast, watching a half-million or more people gather in Washington DC to raise the standard for honor, freedom, and a restoring of American values. Very inspiring.

Counting down to the wedding, we're 41 days away. All the large pieces are in place and we're just working on the fine points now. I'm still sort of in denial that CJ is moving AWAY...I have no problems with her marrying the man of her dreams, I'm just still thinking that something magical will happen and they'll stick around.

Pizza tastes better cooked outside. And Pear Gorgonzola Pizza is my new fave.

It felt a little funny to get school going and then leave for two weeks, but that's the way things worked this year. I'm anxious to get back to working with the boys and also the fall meetings of our HOPE group.

FIVE years since Katrina? Wow.

My next trip will be a redux of last year's ill-fated vacation in Hawaii. I didn't realize that the pain I was having while I was there was because I was still walking around on a broken leg. Though I was happy to be there, I wasn't able to do much outside of our hotel room, so we're having a do-over. Papa has to be there for two weeks in October/November, so I'm going to go for one of those weeks while the kids take a fall break. Hopefully, this time I'll be able to enjoy all those things I love about the islands!

Can someone please tell me why there are so many voices on TV saying, "Our economy is headed in the right direction"? Are they serious, or is this a case of "Who you gonna believe, me or your lyin' eyes?" (Juan Williams, I'm lookin' in your direction.)

Anyone using a great new curriculum this year that you're dying to tell me about? Or complain about?

I have the coolest kids in the world. And I miss 'em.

Did you catch Jennifer Griffin this past week? What a great lady. Her return to FOX News this week FROM AFGHANISTAN, including her coming unglued at the emotion of it all, was about the best thing I've seen on TV all year.

We're going to Yosemite tomorrow! It'll be our first visit there and I'm so excited...I'm sure I'll post some pictures.

Hope your week is as much fun as ours is. Have a great one!

Labels: Family, Food, Homeschooling, The Papa, Theater of the Absurd, TV, Vacations

37 years ago today, my personal fairy tale began.

Actually, it began a few months earlier when a tall, dark, picture-book-handsome young man with shoulder-length sleek black hair had a fit of temporary insanity and decided he wanted to marry me. Before he could come to his senses and plead irrational exuberance, I had blurted out "Yes!" and begun measuring for the drapes in my dream castle.

I would find out later that the 500 square foot apartment-castle already had drapes, and my previously 20/20 vision inexplicably saw that little corner of the world as a mansion fit for my new status as queen of our own Happily Ever After.

My eyesight never recovered. More than three and a half decades later, I'm still married to that Knight-in-Shining-Armor with the jet black hair, even though our children tell me that it's his hair and not his horse that's white. My bifocals must need a good cleaning.

They also tell me I've reigned as Queen in a couple of dozen castles over these years, but it's a blur to me...I feel quite sure that my throne hasn't moved from beside his even once. The courtiers come, grow, and leave (and multiply), but things in the castle are still as shiny as the starry-eyed princess dreamed they'd be. The Nay-Sayers who claimed that Once Upon a Time never really becomes Happily Ever After have been banished from the kingdom and must bear their ignominy from across the moat. They will all be issued Royal Pardons on our Golden Anniversary...

Happy 37th, my love. And can you help me find my glasses?

Labels: The Papa

It was a good, if out-of-the-ordinary week at Granny's House. We've loved having the Slaughters with us, even though Dave was gone most of the week and Kristen spent much of the week getting their house ready to vacate. (Hey, does that mean it's a "vacation"?) Now things should settle down a little for the rest of the summer...

Even though we don't remember giving our permission, some stray cat had four kittens under our deck a few weeks ago, and we've had to figure out what to do with them. We've cleaned them up, fed them, medicated them, and are hoping to have them ready for adoption soon through the Human Society. Of course my kids are begging to keep one, or two, or three, or...

Is it November yet? No, not for the cool weather, not for Thanksgiving....for the ELECTION. PLEASE, look ahead now, and if you're not going to be in your regular voting location on November 2, make a note to request an absentee ballot or to take part in your state's early voting days. Some of the damage done in the past year and a half may be irreversible (Read: Elena Kagan), but some of it can be undone now if we act quickly. Remember November!

Aubrey is home from the hospital after her surgery. Thank you to those of you who are praying for her and ministering to her in other ways. She is still in some pain and having trouble sleeping, but so far no complications. I'm hoping she recovers quickly so I can see her...she can't come down stairs and I can't go up!

Five-year-old Sam doesn't want to drink after his mom, because he doesn't want to "catch your surgery".

We had a great wedding planning meeting this week, and thanks to our friend Cori we think we might actually be able to pull this off. She has that rare ability to hear a few sentences of what you want and be able to visualize the whole scene and be off and running. CJ is very relieved to have someone telling us what to do :-)

Last night we celebrated the birthdays of Molly (12) and Carrie (6). Since our youngest daughter just turned 18, it's fun to have some younger girls to share parties with. But I think we all agree that the best part of the party was Kristen's renditions of Pioneer Woman's Strawberry Shortcake Cake. Oh man, you have got to try this. And make sure it doesn't all get eaten the first day, because it really is better the second day. It might be better yet on the third day, but alas, we'll never know.

Trusting that soon I'm going to be able to travel without being in a wheelchair or stretcher, I've made some plans and some plane reservations. I'm going to Virginia at the end of this month to meet little Savannah Welty for the first time. She will, of course, be waiting with baited breath to see me so I'm doing my best. Then in August I'm going to fly to southern California for a week of relaxing with Lyric, and then up to northern California where I'll meet John (not for the first time, of course). We're going to speak to a group of homeschooling couples outside Modesto and then have a couple of days to just enjoy friends and enjoy being away together!

With the help of two excellent books that I've had for a long time, I made myself a list (on a Google Spreadsheet, of course!) of all the classics that I want to read before I die. No, I'm not in some morbid phase...quite the opposite. But I am taking seriously the Psalmist's plea, "So teach us to number our days, that we may present to You a heart of wisdom." (Ps. 90:12) Proverbs tells us that "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom" (Proverbs 9:10), and so I've made a renewed commitment to be in the Word to a greater extent. But I also believe that God has buried treasures of wisdom for us in many places and would rather have me reading great literature than playing a game on Facebook (which I haven't done, by the way, but in a vacuum I'm liable to succumb to things that are complete wastes of time). And I know myself well enough to know that without a plan, a lot of what I want to read will go unopened. So...armed with my literary "bucket list", here I go!

Al Mohler has a valuable blog post this week on why today's men and women are finding so little happiness in being parents. Here's a taste, but you should definitely read the whole thing:

Christians must see children as gifts from God, not as projects. We should see marriage and parenthood as a stewardship and privilege, not as a mere lifestyle choice. We must resist the cultural seductions and raise children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, and understand family life as a crucible for holiness, not an experiment in happiness. [Emphasis mine]

I continue to make good progress in my tenth week of physical therapy and look forward to the day when I don't need it any more. I can still say this has been my quickest recovery ever from a major leg or hip surgery and for that I am grateful. I'm enjoying cooking, light housework, and even driving myself to the grocery store, and now looking forward to travel!

Bethany has now been in Virginia with Annie for ten days and I am SO missing her! John Caleb will get his turn tomorrow as he will fly out with The Papa, who is going out for business as well as to see the kids.

And that's all, folks...may God give you a wonderful week!

Labels: Family, Food, Grandkids, Health, Political Action, Sundays, The Papa, Weddings

Yes, it was indeed a good day.

I woke up this morning and put some weight on my right leg for the first time in five months, and did it ever feel good. A little scary, but delicious nevertheless. I'll be taking it very slowly as I add the weight back, of course. And I'll still need the assistance of a walker or a very strong man for a while :-)

This was also to have been my first day off the antibiotics. Unfortunately, I didn't make it that far. I'll spare you the details, but by Sunday night I had reached my limit, and so with the prior permission of my doctors to stop when I couldn't take it any more, I cried, "Uncle". And instantly I felt like my old self again....I think Kristen was actually a little worried about me on Monday, thinking I might have slipped into some kind of drug-induced euphoria. No drugs...just feeling like a human being again!

The other first this week was my outpatient physical therapy session. By the appointment on Tuesday I already felt so much better that I could hardly wait to get there and start working. Turned out to be more of a measuring and testing and medical history session, but now I'm ready to start regaining all the muscle that I lost while waiting for my new hip.

And The Papa returned home from another work trip to Hawaii this morning. How wonderful it is to see his face when he's been gone for ten days! My goal is to be able to make his next trip to the islands with him and have it be much more of a success than the trip in November of last year. I didn't realize I was walking around on a broken leg and didn't understand why I was in so much pain. Next time I'll listen to my body when it's screaming to me.

Some of you have asked me what God has taught me during the past few months...I'll write about that soon. The most important is that He is faithful, worthy to be trusted with all I am and have. I hope that you've learned the same lessons through whatever He's brought you through so far this year...

Labels: Health, The Papa

The Papa is away in Hawaii once again, and I particularly miss him since yesterday was our 36th anniversary. I woke to a lovely flower delivery and we'll celebrate with a night out when he returns, but for now he's just very much missed. (I must have been a very smart 19 year old to snap him up before anyone else did.)

Yesterday I crossed the six-week mark since the repair of my fracture. This was a milestone because I couldn't put any weight on it for six weeks. I've started putting the weight back on it now, and though it feels very weird, it's absolutely delicious to be able to walk on two legs. Don't ever take it for granted...

There's not much to be thankful for in all the strife over the new universal health care legislation, but it is nice to see that not even the Democrat party can agree amongst themselves. It might not take any resistance at all from the GOP to scuttle this monstrosity.

This morning Shelley had Dave paint her room. Gold. With sparkles. Yeah, it's Shelley ;-)

It's so much fun having twelve of us in the same house. Never a dull moment. And Friday brother Danny and his family will come for the weekend and add to the party for a couple of days. Good times!

“Be sure you see this most wonderful and astonishing of all truths: God took the record of all your sins that made you a debtor to wrath . . ., and instead of holding them up in front of your face and using them as the warrant to send you to hell, God put them in the palm of his Son’s hand and drove a spike through them into the cross. It is a bold and graphic statement: He canceled the record of our debt . . . nailing it to the cross (Col. 2:14).”

- John Piper, This Momentary Marriage (Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway Books, 2009), 45.

(via First Importance)

Labels: Devotional, Family, Health, Homemaking, Political Observation, The Papa

This morning I stayed home with my sick son. Yes, he's almost 13 and can probably stay alone even when he's sick. But late last night, when it was apparent he wasn't going anywhere today, it struck me with great force that this could be the last time I ever stay home with a sick child. Tim is my "baby" although I wouldn't put it that way if he were a reader of my blog. And each stage I go through with him is therefore my last...each grade, each size of clothes, each time I stay with him and give him cold meds. This season is passing faster than I want to admit, and this morning was, in some way, a salute to an era nearly gone...

The Teaching Company course I'm currently going through (listed on my left sidebar with books I'm reading) has totally captivated me. Linguistics has always been an intense interest of mine, despite my frighteningly surface understanding. This course and its engaging professor (John McWhorter) might have opened up a new lifelong obsession, as well as a slight shift in my outlook from the "prescriptivist" side of language to the "descriptivist." Someday I may do a whole blog post on that...

I have a new fast-food love. Yes, dear readers, I can say without hesitation that Long John Silver's crab cakes are some of the best fast food I've ever put in my mouth. (Notice I didn't say that they were the best crab cakes I've ever put in my mouth...that honor would have to be reserved for a little waterside diner at Good Friday Harbor in the San Juan Islands. But that's another story....) I discovered them by accident on this week's trip to north Texas and I don't think I'll ever get tired of them. 'Course with my luck they're probably a "For a Limited Time Only" promo and I'll be left longing the rest of my life.

For those of you who've been taking bets, no, we don't have a second piano. Yet. Although for most of the week we had a facsimile.

You may remember that early in the year I bought a new Bible, an ESV Study Bible that I returned within 24 hours after deciding I did not want to have to buy a wheel barrow to transport it in. The thing was humongous. I still haven't replaced it, but have since decided to stick with my beloved NASB and forego the study Bible versions in favor of a wide-margin edition. I love taking long notes and outlines in the margins and I have plenty of study helps in other places. So right now this is the one I'm considering, even though size-wise it's not too much different than the big one. It's slightly thinner (1.7 vs. a full 2 inches) but much more supple and supposedly easier to handle, with the benefit of nice wide margins to make lists, outlines, and observations.

Many of you have asked about my mother...all I can say is that each time I visit I think I won't be shocked any more at how quickly she is sliding, and each time I'm still shocked. There is so little left of the woman we knew. She still knows us and can converse, sometimes quite deeply, but she doesn't move except to go to the bathroom and that process takes half an hour. At times she seems to have accepted her condition with grace; other times it's apparent that she has a clear streak of bitterness because of what's happening to her and even toward those who are trying so hard to help her. Needless to say, that causes me great sorrow and frustration.

Tomorrow begins the last month of the first half of '09. Why does that seem so unbelievable to me?

Next on my list of changes/upgrades to Granny's House: a gas range. It's something I've wanted for years and years, and we're just now getting around to really doing something about it. First up is getting a plumber to estimate what it will cost us to bring the gas into the house...that will let me know if the job is feasible. One of my dad's favorite sayings was always, "Now you're cookin' with gas!" I hope to make that a reality shortly :-)

Two weekends ago all of our family piano and voice students had their spring recitals. This weekend we were treated to the last recital of the season, grandson David. David is learning to play the violin, taught by our sweet friend Julie (seated at right in the photo). Julie hosted a lovely recital in her home, and we were so proud of David as he participated in what we hope is just the first of many such events!

We're all missin' The Papa this week...good thing I've got lots of strong young men to take care of me in his absence. It's very comforting to have wonderful sons-in-law and grown sons around!

And speaking of grown--on Tuesday, Nathan, our eldest son, will turn 21. The chubby little guy with the round face, big smile, and drool all down his front has somehow turned into a handsome, charming, capable man with a great voice and an even bigger smile. And he can reach the high stuff in the pantry! Happy Birthday, Nate!

Snip, snip, that's all folks!

Labels: Family, Food, Grandkids, Homemaking, Kids, Language, Learning, Music, The Papa

I'm still here...busy week with the end of school and recitals and company, etc. Things are buzzing at Granny's as we prepare for a summer of activity and changes, all while gritting our teeth through the already oppressive heat. Nevertheless, we've been cooking up a lot of favorites: Texas Cake, homemade cinnamon bread, apple crisp to die for, bread pudding (which is definitely better made with homemade cinnamon bread!)...and last night The Papa treated us all to a comfort supper of blueberry pancakes and bacon. Mmmm...

Labels: Food, The Papa

One of my kids posted on Facebook yesterday that these long trips of Dad's (and yes, around here two weeks classifies as "long") should be illegal. I don't know about that, but they sure aren't fun for any of us. Especially when the second half drags on with little or no communication due to the still high prices of phone calls and texts to Australia. We're glad it's OVER!

Yesterday, to help pass the last day before the coming home of The Papa, I treated myself to a movie alone. I mentioned several months ago that I'd been waiting with eagerness for The Soloist. It's based on the true story of Nathaniel Ayers, a homeless and schizophrenic former Julliard student and extraordinary cellist. He was "discovered" and made famous by Steve Lopez, a writer for the LA Times in a series of columns later expanded to book and now movie form. The movie was very sobering...it didn't end quite like I expected but I walked out reminding myself that "true stories" often don't turn out in neat "happily ever after" packages. To be honest, this one left me slightly blue. And after reflecting on it for 24 hours I think that, for me, the major message was the power of friendship even when that friendship can't perform miracles.

So now we have to be worried about the swine flu. I don't think it's a false alarm, and I hope I would be saying that even if the first U.S. cases weren't here in San Antonio. But it has brought the threat very close to home, and has made me think we might just be hunkering down for a few weeks and opting out of public events...

Listening this week to A Soldier of the Great War.

Four more weeks of school at Granny's House. As always, I look forward to the break for all of us, even though this year at least one and maybe two of our kids will need to keep going with math during the summer in order to stay on track. "On track" was never that big a deal in the early years, but when it comes to the middle and high school years, I do feel some pressure to make sure their courses and credits are in place so that I can, with integrity, put together a transcript that accurately reflects their academic accomplishments. So, we will give a couple of extra months to getting caught up, with a couple of weeks off during July vacation.

In the past couple of weeks we've done some sprucing up around here...a little paint, some new light fixtures, several new faucets, trim work. We have other projects coming up including our fourth major rebuilding of the kitchen door in 7 1/2 years. Not the kind of fun stuff we enjoy putting more money into. The big joke around here is that in three more years we'll have rebuilt the whole house, cleaning up all the builder's messes. We're glad he's now out of business.

I'm in the mood to do some heavy-duty cooking this week. Assuming my pain level isn't too high, I may be able to report back next week that we've had some extra-scrumptious meals and perhaps a few extra for the freezer.

Papa and I are looking at calendars, airline and hotel points, etc. and dreaming of a getaway sometime soon. Anyone have any thoughts on Savannah, GA?

So much fun this morning to turn around and see the five stairstep Slaughter kids sitting on the row in back of me. After two months I'm still occasionally startled to see them, whether in church or in my kitchen...what a joy!

Have a great last week in April!

Labels: Books, Grandkids, Health, Homemaking, Homeschooling, Movies, The Papa, Vacations

I don't know about the rest of Bluebonnet Country, but in San Antonio our rains came too late to give us a beautiful wildflower season. At least now we've had some good rain and the world is greening up nicely. I will refrain from commenting on what "green" means here as compared to other places I've lived and just say that the spring has been nice so far...

I like having kids who love making homemade pizza.

The Papa is in Australia, adjusting to being 15 time zones away from us and, of course, working upside down. Does this make him part of the underworld? In any case, we miss him!

For those of you who joined my challenge to read Atlas Shrugged, I've finished it again this week. Hard to tell the difference sometimes between the novel and the country we're living in...and my question now is, "Who IS John Galt?" And will we find one...

This week we've employed son-in-law Dave to: change out two faucets, install a sliding shower door, paint a bathroom, caulk a kitchen sink, and order a door and a plate glass mirror (which broke in half as he and Nate attempted to remove it). Most of the stuff we're having him do isn't the fun stuff; it's the constant re-building and equipping of the house to mop up the messes the incompetent, substandard builder made. Good thing we know a good contractor :-)

Eleven weeks until our family vacation to Red River, New Mexico. We've gone several times before, and several of us went two years ago and loved it...can hardly wait to get up in the mountains and wear jackets and fish in the early morning. Well okay, not me personally, but I love hearing about it! Best of all, we hope to have all of our kids and grandkids with us, as well as great-grandparents and aunts and uncles and cousins galore!

Our little congregation had a record crowd this morning, even more than on Easter. What a joy! But it did make some of us muse about the mathematical formula that would predict the rise in temperature in a small space with the addition of each successive family...I think it's time to find a new building!

Well, it's apparent now more than ever that American voters, some through our actual pulling of a lever and some through stamping our foot and staying home, have elected and allowed Obama and Co. to go play in a very dangerous sandbox, one in which they are completely and laughably out of their league. This administration has worse problems than not understanding the rules of the game: they are convinced they can rewrite them as easily as they rewrite history. The trouble is that thugs don't abide by any rules--yours, the group's, or even their own. It's too bad that we don't elect men like Victor Davis Hanson, who clearly understand the threat in the light of both historical perspective and current political realities. Read what he's saying today about the mismatch between what our country needs and what it voted for itself.

I've been so blessed this week to see the Body of Christ caring for hurting members, standing by them in the most basic of ways as they walk through the fiercest of fires. May God return a hundredfold to all those who've given of what they have to ease the burdens of others, and may He grant comfort and rest to His children who are still experiencing the flames.

And may you have a week full of the blessings of life in Christ, even if those blessings come packaged in circumstances that look like anything but...

Labels: Body of Christ, Church, Food, Homemaking, ObamaNation, Political Observation, Sundays, The Papa, Vacations

Wonder if there's a single week when more cooking is done in this country than Thanksgiving week? I spent the day yesterday cleaning my oven and my pantry, and tomorrow morning I will clean out the refrigerators in preparation for the big grocery shop in the afternoon. And then for 72 hours, with short breaks for sleeping, I will be cooking non-stop until our Thursday afternoon meal. Every year on the day after Thanksgiving I think, "I hope it's ten years before I ever have to do that again!" And then eleven months later I can hardly wait to start over. This year is no exception...I'm chomping at the bit!

We've had a sweet reunion today, one that will continue this week, with our friends Lolo and Dina and their four precious kids. God is so good to allow us to cross paths again and enjoy each other's company, catching up on more than a decade of changes in our lives.

It's gotten to be a real riot around here on Sunday nights. Seems as if most college papers must be due on Monday. Enough said.

It's a sad day when a young man can't share his faith on his college campus. But Ryan Dozier can't, at least not on M-W-F. And not without permission.

Can The Papa come home yet? Please?

Okay, I've given in. Usually I say no Christmas music until after Thanksgiving. THAT'S been real effective. (Really effective for you fellow grammar buffs.)

Grandma Barbara's annual homemade Christmas candies have arrived. Hoo boy, we are all OD'ing on chocolate, groaning and reaching for the next kind....

My latest book: Cry the Beloved Country. Halfway through, I describe it as...poignant. Apartheid literature is not easy to read.

Lyrics from this morning's service, my favorite verse from one of my favorite hymns...


~~"The Church's One Foundation," lyrics by Samuel J. Stone, 1839-1900

Tonight as I write this, I pray for all who read...that you will experience a week of gratitude for the blessings of our mighty and loving God and a new awareness of His tender care for His children. Happy Thanksgiving week!

Labels: Books, Friendship, Holidays, Music, The Papa, Theater of the Absurd

The Papa is in Hawaii again, re-re-readjusting to the time difference. This trip and one more to Las Vegas before Christmas is going to have his body clock so messed up it'll take him until Valentine's Day to get straight!

Finally, finally fall has arrived in our world. Last night we had a near-freeze so some of the plants went in the garage and the heat came on several times. This should mean a nice crispness for our annual Thanksgiving football game in the yard...

This week I picked up some pretty new tablecloths for Thanksgiving/Christmas, getting them at pennies on the dollar through the website of the soon-to-be-defunct Linen's 'n Things. Boy, do I hate to see that store go.

I've made yet another middle-of-the-course correction in our math curriculum this year. Math is something I've never messed with too much, but for several reasons our old Saxon standby isn't a good fit any more and I've had at least one false start this year trying to replace it. This week we'll start in on Teaching Textbooks...I'm pretty excited about it but trying to reserve judgment because I was excited about the last change, too. Stay tuned.

When brand new suitcases have the wheels knocked off by the airlines, they won't pay. Trust me.

Planting myself firmly between those of you who will sneer, "What? I'm already finished!" and those of you who will snarl, "What? I haven't bought a thing yet!" I will tell you that I'm about halfway finished with my Christmas shopping. The UPS man, though he comes here nearly every day anyway, is carrying larger armfuls of Amazon boxes and will soon have earned a plate of cookies on his stop. He's very amused by us--the full house, the homeschooling, even the Friday co-op which he finally asked me about a couple of weeks ago. I think with most of the world at work on weekdays he's happy for something of interest to punctuate his day.

In addition to the Spam surge I posted about last night, it seems that a lot of other old-fashioned (processed) budget foods are flying off the shelves as well: Velveeta cheese, Jell-O, instant mashed potatoes, etc. I'm laughing at people's ideas of "budget," though...here in SA we're paying well over $2 for a 12-oz can of Spam, and though I happen to love the stuff, I'm not thinkin' that's really cheap. After all, our little informal meat co-op yesterday got ground beef for $1.83 a pound, which even after cooking will leave you with 12 ounces of meat with no salt, preservatives, etc. Okay, you do have to open the 10 pound chub and divide it up, but maybe we're all going to be re-learning how to do stuff like that in the next couple of years. And Velveeta cheese, budget? It seems to me that a lot of folks are confusing "budget foods" with "comfort foods." And maybe we need some of both. I don't know...my favorite budget food is still a 6 ounce can of HEB tuna for $.60. And ramen. And whole chickens. And dried pintos :-)

Speaking of tough economic times, here's an interesting look about what we could be in for, and this author thinks it could look very different than the last Great Depression.
Depression 2009: What Would It Look Like?

From our glorious Sunday morning service today...


Hope you're having a worshipful, restful Lord's Day!

Labels: Food, Holidays, Homeschooling, Money, Music, Sundays, The Papa, Weather

I am perched in a comfy spot at Lyric's...we've cooked a good part of the day (well, yes, and eaten a bit as well) and now we're just savoring the cool evening air, watching TV and enjoying our short visit. It helps me to stay here on the way back from Hawaii (I've done this twice before) as I don't have to get used to all the hours of the time difference at once. Okay, that's a convenient excuse...I'm here because I want to be :-)

To those who wondered, I didn't get a single Christmas card addressed but I did make some headway in holiday planning and Christmas shopping. Other than that I thoroughly enjoyed every moment with The Papa, and when he was at work I was either in the shops or in the sand. Who wanted to be in the hotel room addressing envelopes? It's okay. Just having them WITH me made me feel productive.

I will head home on Saturday to several kids that I'm missing! And the next morning The Papa will return as well and we'll be together again for a few days before his next trip. The holidays will seem a little fragmented this year because of his travels (can you believe they're making him go BACK to Hawaii a week after he gets home?) but at least I have a house full of kids and often grandkids to keep things festive and happily stitched together while he's gone.

All right. I'm back to resting from vacation :-)

Labels: Family, Friendship, Fun, The Papa

I love Hawaii.

I can never visit too many times. I love the crowded, tourist-y Waikiki and the lonely beaches on the windward side and the wild surf on the north shore and the desert of the Waianae coast...I love it all. I don't love GETTING here, but then it wouldn't be what it is if it weren't a long way away.

We spent several years here during two different military tours, so coming back here now is, in a very special way, coming home as well as vacationing. [Of course, as you know, my trip is NOT a vacation; it's a mission of mercy to my poor husband who is forced to be here because of job demands. He loves his country...he grits his teeth and just does it. And I can't let him bear that burden alone.]

Unfortunately, for four of the days I'm here he will be off working, and I will have to fend myself by shopping, lying on the beach, taking pictures, sleeping, reading, and listening to da kine music. Hey, I'm up for it. I can do this.

Part of any Hawaiian vacation is getting used to several hours of time difference...so it's not unusual to be awake VERY early on the first couple of mornings here. The Papa got up and made coffee and we enjoyed it on the balcony of the 22nd floor...and I took a few phone snapshots of the lightening sky. It was characteristically overcast and we didn't get any spectacular sunrise, but it was fun to see the changes. Normally we stay in the Hilton tower that you'll see on the left, but this time we're in the one that's a little farther back--still a lovely vantage. Here was our view at 6:15 am...

...at 6:22

...6:35

...at 6:50

...at 7:15

at 7:35


...at 8:10


...and then pivoting slightly to my right to see the city of Honolulu coming alive.


Yes, it's going to be a lovely day.

Labels: The Papa, Vacations

It was a great week. Last Saturday I flew to California to spend a few days of Lyric's (rare) vacation with her. While we hadn't planned a hugely active week, we were immediately slowed down by a sinus infection she woke up with on my first morning there. No matter...we made the most of the days anyway by filling her freezer with meals...cooked a little each day and in short order we had a couple dozen chicken, pork, and beef meals stored away. We also watched our usual stash of movies (DO see The Bucket List), a little bit of shopping, and a whole lot of HGTV. All in all, a pretty good little vacation considering the sickness she was trying to fight off!

I got home just in time to unpack and be present for the second Fab Friday Co-op, and it went off just as smoothly as the first. It's turning out to be something all of us enjoy immensely! Next was the birthday/Pirate Day (pictures below)...I'm sure Pirate Day is an acquired taste and not all of our friends share our sense of humor, but we had a blast!

Then last night we went out as a family to a high school football game, thanks to the free tickets provided by our friends with a special connection to one of our area schools. I love the atmosphere of football games, and though none compares to a Fighting Irish game, this one was fun indeed!

I missed the cool front that came in while I was away, but the weather has definitely turned cooler in the past couple of weeks. We're enjoying our deck and having the windows open occasionally, and I'm looking longingly at the sweaters and boots in my closet. Soon, soon...

Sky Harbor airport is vastly preferable to McCarran. Go there instead.

The Papa will be doing a whole lot of traveling this fall: one trip to Las Vegas and two to Hawaii before Thanksgiving. So now tell me what you think--don't you agree that a loving wife would drop what she's doing and agree to make the sacrifice to be with her husband on at least ONE of these trips? Yes, that's what I knew you'd say, and so I've reserved a flight to Honolulu at the end of October. No, I'm not looking forward to it at all, especially not the water-view room at the Hilton Hawaiian Village for a week. But I do love that guy, and there's nothing I'm not prepared to do to make him happy.

While I was in California, Lyric got me hooked on Dunkin' Donuts coffee. I'd heard raves about this coffee from EVERYwhere but this was my first taste. It's the closest "smoothness" I've ever tasted to pure Kona. Yeah, very special. Don't know what it is, but it beats Starbucks by a mile!

I'm not a BIT envious of the fact that my Virginia girls got to go apple and berry picking without me yesterday. I'm SURE they're going to put pics on their blogs.

San Antonio Public Library cards now expire after a year. Mine didn't say that anywhere on it. I kept one for 14 years and it never expired. And I'm now persona non grata. I'll need to take care of that this week.

Other tasks for the week: buy a new dryer. Locate a really great basketball goal. Get a haircut. Take a load of books to the...the....I don't know, ANYwhere! Want some?

And...I have a hoard of books to read and listen to! Lord, please don't let me die before I get everything read! (Will there be a Kindle in heaven?)

Have a great week!

Labels: Books, Fun, Movies, Sundays, The Papa, Vacations, Weather

It's been quite a week here in Lake Wobegon. We're in that twilight zone between summer and school where some classes and activities have begun (mainly for the college four) and I'm still paddling as fast as I can to get the rest underway. Scheduling, planning, collecting resources and supplies, tying up the last few ends of co-op...all have consumed hours and hours of time until my eyes have crossed by evening. We're not starting our school routine full-time until the 8th, so I still have a few days to prepare.

The Papa also emailed from work this week with some hard-to-believe scheme for getting him to Hawaii not once but TWICE this fall. He claims the government is paying for it. I don't know. I think I'll tag along...not because I want to, you understand, but just to make sure everything's on the up-and-up. I'm sacrificial that way.

I finished Don Quixote! Wow...is that ever a project! I would recommend it, but I think the number of people likely to take me up on it would probably be <1, so I'll just say that for something written in the early 1600s it's remarkably timely in how it speaks to human nature. I loved it.

I think the latest count for dinner here tomorrow is 40, give our take ten or so. The girls and I will be celebrating Labor Day by laboring (joyfully!) over marinated grilled pork chops, bratwurst, and whatever else strikes our fancy as we work...


grit noun (grĭt)

1. Firmness of character; indomitable spirit; pluck: She has a reputation for grit and common sense.
2. Firmness of mind; unyielding courage; fortitude.
3. Sarah Palin





It seems surreal to see Hurricane Gustav barreling toward New Orleans, doesn't it? I keep trying to remember whether the level of concern was this high BEFORE Katrina, and I don't think it was quite there. May God protect the Gulf coast.

Note to self: don't always believe Edu-Track when it tells you that everything is backed up, just before you upgrade to the latest version. Make hard copies.

CJ and Beth gave up their long holiday weekend, leaving just after classes on Thursday, to drive to west Texas and share their abilities and energy with our friends Jeremiah and Lora, cooking up a freezer full of meals for use after their new little one arrives. I miss them, but I'm so proud to have girls who live as servants to the household of faith and who do it with such joy and skill.

And now...I'm back to getting ready for our 24th school year! (Did I mention, btw, that my "baby" is in 7th grade? I'm so glad I have grandchildren to help with!)

Labels: Books, Holidays, Homeschooling, Kids, Political Observation, Sundays, The Papa

...our 35th anniversary celebration getaway is now tucked away in the sweet memory book that comprises three and a half decades of priceless memories. The latest chapter was a complete delight.

Sunday after church, we drove north into the Texas Hill Country, and to my great surprise pulled in at a charming bed and breakfast where I'd stayed once before several years ago. Rose Hill Manor, located in Stonewall, TX between Fredericksburg and Johnson City, is close enough to the nearby towns to provide pleasant things to do during the day (and especially on weekends), but secluded enough to be relaxing and romantic and restful. And for us, it was all of those.

The most remarkable feature of this lovely inn is its restaurant--no doubt one of the best kept secrets in this part of the state. John and I splurged with a five-course meal to die for, enhanced by five excellent wine pairings. Here are pictures, albeit not ones that do justice to the dishes since they were taken with my phone in lighting that was designed for ambience and not photography...















All right, so that was the most wine I've ever had at one sitting, and both of us were glad we were walking back to our cottage...but it was a pleasant walk :-)

Thank you, my love, for a dreamy retreat and for 35 years of being my knight in shining armor. Happily ever after is not just in fairy tales...

Labels: Food, Fun, Memories, The Papa