Name:
Friday, August 19, 2011
Summer.
I'm torn.
I'm anxious for the hottest, driest summer in half a century to be over. I can't wait until the first crisp breeze.
And yet, where did the time go? There's so much summer stuff I didn't get done! Ah, but I got to spend lots of days and nights with a sweet little granddaughter, so I won't complain about what didn't get done.
I wouldn't mind, though, if someone were to sneak in and insert two more weeks on my August calendar.
Cool ones.
I'm anxious for the hottest, driest summer in half a century to be over. I can't wait until the first crisp breeze.
And yet, where did the time go? There's so much summer stuff I didn't get done! Ah, but I got to spend lots of days and nights with a sweet little granddaughter, so I won't complain about what didn't get done.
I wouldn't mind, though, if someone were to sneak in and insert two more weeks on my August calendar.
Cool ones.
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Sunday snippets...
Tomorrow begins the 27th straight school year at Granny's House. As I've mentioned before, we have only two high school students left, our two youngest boys. Since we're using a co-op and community college for several courses, my role will be limited to math (geometry, this year) and history. Well, and driving! It's a far cry from the years when I was preparing all summer long to teach five or six subjects to five or six kids at a time. Occasionally I'm nostalgic for those years, but I'm also relishing the extra time these days to sew, read, decorate, and travel. Twenty years ago, I remember moms telling me, "I just don't think I could give up all the things I love to homeschool." And I responded, "I don't look at it as giving anything up. No, I can't do it all, but I prefer to think of it as doing the important things now and 'setting aside' some things for later." Well, later is here :-)
Yes, you need to try this recipe for cauliflower. Some people at my house tonight, and there were hordes, said it was as good as candy. So make it, and tell me what you think...
Can't tell you how distressed I am when people with graduate degrees don't know the difference between "then" and "than". Few errors make me madder THAN this.
I thoroughly enjoyed seeing The Help this week. What a movie! I completely expect it to win at least Best Actress and Best Picture and hopefully a handful of other Oscars. I will stop short of recommending it here, only because there's some profanity which might prevent some of my readers from appreciating it. But the tender, and sometimes horrifying, insights into the racial segregation of our country makes it worth an honest look. I don't remember the last time I laughed AND cried so much at a film. And for those of you who've read the book, the movie will disappoint you only in that it is too short...
Is there a fast forward button on summer? Really, I'd be much more ready to start school if it weren't so hot. And yes, you can put that in the category of complaining.
First person to bring me some genuine, authentic mochi gets...gets...gets to share it with me :-)
Random thought: At some point in the past decade I came to the realization that I will never get to see the Mayan ruins in person. It was a lifelong desire. But even though I can still travel, I'm not good on my feet, and I'm sure I wouldn't get to enjoy them like I wanted to without trudging through the rough terrain that surrounds these wonders. I'm looking for a good virtual tour.
Is it time for Season 2 of Downton Abbey yet?
Our family is in the throes of one of the year's most momentous decisions: what to wear in the family portrait. No sooner has the group agreed on a color scheme or a theme than four people want exceptions, two think we should have picked something else, one person wants to know if prints are acceptable, one wants to be allowed a vest, and three or more are conspiring to put Granny into shock by wearing orange, the hue of her nightmares. This year we're hashing it out on a private Facebook group. Picture day is September 3. Stay tuned.
Whether this is your first week of school, just another work week, or whether you're still enjoying a long, lazy summer, make it a good one. And don't forget to give thanks to the Giver of all good things...
Labels: Family, Food, Language, Movies, Political Observation, Sundays, TV, Weather
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Midweek snippets...
Had a wonderful three hour visit with my Mom on Sunday. I loved seeing the surprise on her face when I walked in...I realize it might not be too long before nothing will register when she sees me, but I hope that can be a long time from now. She was calmer and more coherent than she's been in months (at least when I've been around) and it was a joy to show her my needlework and look through hundreds of Facebook photos with her.
I've just ordered and received my copy of The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions, on the recommendation of Ann Voskamp from A Holy Experience. When I get home I'm going to work my way through it in 13 weeks per her suggestion.
Rick Perry looks closer to running every day, and it appears that Mitt Romney will be the loser. Ah well...
I believe I've mentioned YNAB budget software before, but if you're not familiar with it, here's a nice review by Tim Challies. If I swore, I'd swear by it.
My conversion to Apple gets more complete all the time. I'm now running a MacBook Pro, an iPhone4, and an iPad2. As soon as life slows down, I'll finish the conversion by getting a Windows platform on the Mac so that I can run all the programs I use that aren't compatible with Mac or that Mac just hasn't mastered yet. Like Office 2010.
For you natural history and biology buffs, this is simply astounding.
And despite the references to evolution, here's another fascinating study:
Researchers from Oxford University studied the eye sockets and brain capacity of 55 human skulls from 12 different populations across the world and found that the further human populations live from the equator, the bigger their brains.
It's not because they are smarter, however, but because they need bigger vision areas in the brain to cope with the low light levels at high latitudes, the scientists said in a report of their findings in the journal Biology Letters.My summer is flying by, and it's time to start getting serious about the school year. With just two students left, my workload is not what it used to be, but I am determined to finish well. This year I will be teaching geometry to my boys and assisting in their history (still Tapestry of Grace). The rest they'll be taking at co-op or, in the case of John Caleb, the community college. I think I'll be driving more than teaching. 26 years ago I could hardly have imagined where this journey would lead!
And now, it's time for me to cool off with (another) Diet Coke. Have a great weekend, y'all!
Labels: Decorating, Devotional, Homeschooling, Money, Political Observation, Science, Technology, Texas, Weather
Friday, March 11, 2011
Of course, this pales in importance to the loss of life, but in many cases, one has caused the other...
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Sunday snippets...
I've exulted in what will probably be our last frosty-cold week in this oh-so-unusual winter. At least as the temps creep back toward our south Texas spring, I have had more than a normal string of truly winterish weeks. May it happen again next year...
All right. This is not fair. I should get to do the potty training years over again...why couldn't they have had THIS when I needed it?
There was something surreal about watching Egypt this week that was reminiscent of the jubilant crowds at the Berlin Wall in various Eastern European countries in the 80s, the protesters in Tiananmen Square in '89, and the tearing down of the Saddam Hussein statue in the last decade. While some of these situations turn out better than others, I haven't seen one yet where the dreams of the protesters come anywhere near being realized. It's worth remembering that no human is immune from the excesses and abuses of power.
Goodbye Robert Gibbs. We'll miss you. Or not.
This is the month where rubber meets road. Is the new crop of congressmen willing to make the REALLY hard choices? And will WE be willing to support them when they try to cut something from which we are personally benefiting if it's something the federal government shouldn't be doing in the first place?
Trust is a very hard thing to regain. Or to re-extend.
This week I'm listening to the fascinating The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. If you're interested in medicine, cancer research, medical ethics, women's health issues, the history of race relations in this country, or just love a good true-life detective story, don't miss this one.
And just in time to make a valuable contribution to my Scripture memory commitment this year, I found Janet Pope's little book, His Word in My Heart: Memorizing Scripture for a Closer Walk with God. What a blessing it's been. It's given me not only helpful hints for learning long passages, but more importantly it's given me even more motivation and rationale for doing it. So far this year, I've memorized all of Philippians 1, half of Philippians 2, and I hope to have the whole book in my heart by Easter. You can watch my progress on the left sidebar. (If it disappears you'll know I gave up!)
And here's another one I want to read this year: I Beat the Odds: From Homelessness to the Blind Side and Beyond, by Michael Oher. What a guy.
If you follow me on facebook, you know that I'm in the middle of yet another hunt for an appliance, this time a vacuum cleaner. It is so frustrating to go through a vacuum every year to two years. I think I just need a permanent cleaning service instead. How come I used my faithful old Kenmore for nearly twenty-five years and now I can't keep one for two?
Labels: Books, Good Stuff, News, Political Observation, Weather
Sunday, February 06, 2011
Sunday snippets...
It was a strange weekend. San Antonio got hit with a freak 3/4" snowfall on Thursday, which would have been very welcome under normal circumstances (well, there's nothing normal about snow here)...but the precipitation and the icy air ruined all Nathan's BMT graduation activities AND made it impossible for all the north Texas and Oklahoma family to get here to see him before he leaves for Mississippi tomorrow morning. Nevertheless, we partied as hard as we could with the San Antonio crowd and we LOVED having Nathan at the house for two days. What we failed to do was to get many good pictures, but we'll make sure we remedy that on the next visit.
Too bad he couldn't have hung around for the Super Bowl...we've had a good time watching the game and playing Super Bowl Bingo with all the commercials! (The game ended well.)
The Papa missed most of the game as well, since he's once again in the Islands and made it to his hotel room just in time to catch the 4th quarter.
Yep, that's a snowball in my freezer. Who put that there?
Happy to see that Planned Parenthood is again getting some of the press they deserve. Shocked, they say. "We were profoundly shocked when we viewed the videotape released this morning, which depicted an employee of one of our health centers behaving in a repugnant manner that is inconsistent with our standards of care and is completely unacceptable." Uh...right. The whole organization is built on repugnance.
Is it just me, or has Hillary been looking REALLY tired lately? I don't think she could wake UP to a 3am phone call, do you?
Can you OD on corn dogs? Okay, just wondering.
And wouldn't this be wonderful. (But if you think your LAST flu shot made you sick...)
Did I mention that this week I ate the World's Best Fried Chicken Livers? Yeah, well I knew you'd want to know, even if you're glad that I ate them and you didn't have to. My brother definitely got whatever cooking genes were to be had in our end of the pool.
And this month...another one of our kids starts driver training. How many more times do we have to get to do this? It's not having young drivers that I mind...it's the stupid state laws that change every three weeks so you can never be sure of what they're going to ask for this time.
Ummm...is there a mute button on Ron Reagan? Just checking.
Tomorrow: Sourdough Banana Bread. Definitely gotta use these bananas.
If you're reading One Thousand Gifts, you'll understand: this week I want to make progress in living eucharisteo.
Have a great week, y'all!
Labels: Family, Food, Kids, Political Observation, Sanctity of Life, Science, Sundays, Theater of the Absurd, Weather
Friday, February 04, 2011
I'm sure you've heard it said, as a preface to the utterance of some near impossibility, "It'll be a cold day in hell when [insert severe improbability]." Only slightly less well known is the corollary preface, "It'll be a snowy day in San Antonio when [insert equally unlikely event]."
Well, I don't know how hell is feeling about now, but this must be the day for all the unlikelies to be rejoicing. Because it's a snowy day in San Antonio.
Now some of you will snicker at our 1/2-3/4" of snow while you're still digging out from your 22" driveway mounds. But consider: the last time we had even a dusting was in 2004, and the last time there was any accumulation was 1985. So there are 25-year olds in our city who have never made a snow angel or pelted their little brothers with snowballs. And there are many who've never seen snow fall at all.
While I dearly love a good snow and am one of the few in this country who can be snowed in for two weeks and still hope for more, the timing of today's snowfall following a week of hard freezes brings a bit of a sting: today, we were supposed to watch our son graduate from Air Force BMT (Basic Military Training) along with a large crowd of well-wishers from our family, church, and wider circle of friends. Instead, because all roads in our usually balmy city are closed this morning, there will simply be an "announced" graduation and Nathan will be free to come and spend the afternoon and evening with us, IF the roads open in time.
The winter storm was, all along, a very improbable occurrence in San Antonio. What was not improbable was our son's successful completion of his training and his passing through another gate of adulthood, one which has changed him in ways that will affect his entire life and future.While sitting and talking with him at the base yesterday, I was fascinated to see and hear the subtle changes in him as a result of two months of grueling training, profound disappointments, and soaring triumphs. Few experiences in a young man's life can distill all these into so short a time and make so large an impact as entry into the military. And it goes without saying that few career moves make such a large contribution to the Constitution's prescription for us to "provide for the common defense" as the one a young man or woman makes to enter our country's armed forces and serve her with vigor.
So today, in spite of the ice on the roads and the sub-freezing temperatures in our city, we honor our son as the newest official graduate of AF BMT and member of the Texas Air National Guard. Congratulations, Amn. Warren.
(Amn. Nathan J. Warren with his happy "significant other," Cheyenne Sabo)
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Sunday snippets, Oklahoma edition...
Oklahoma is OK!
CJ and Tony have such a darling house and are fixing it up so cute. I have no married sons yet, but one of the greatest joys of my life has been to be in the homes of my married daughters and watch them building lives with their husbands. Nothing like it.
Boehner has obviously been a busy man this week. No time for the tanning bed. But I did love his answer to Chris Wallace about smoking.
It's sad watching Egypt go down in flames. But I've wondered many times in the past few years what in the world was holding it together.
Bravo to the cast of "The King's Speech" for taking the equivalent of Best Picture at the Screen Actor's Guild Awards tonight.
I love my son-in-law. On the way home from church we stopped at Lowe's and he bought a fireplace screen and tools so he could build fires during the coming ice storm. We pulled up in front of the house and saw that while we were gone a tree had fallen down in the yard. So Tony turned around, drove back to Lowe's and bought a chain saw! Two hours later we had a gorgeous, roaring fire!
Tomorrow I head home, trying to
If you hear a rumor that I have succumbed to Words With Friends, it's false. Completely, totally, utterly, almost false. Nope. I don't have time for that.
However. I won't be driving fast enough to miss something else: tomorrow night my brother is making me fried chicken livers and cream gravy! That man knows how to please his sister!
On the drive home I'll be finishing up Some Sing, Some Cry and starting a couple more audio books. These companions make the long drives very pleasant!
But though I've enjoyed the audio books, I can't wait to get back into my hard copy of One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp. I can't tell you the treasure this book is. I'm sorry to see that the price has gone up at Amazon, but get it anyway.
From my Scripture memory work this week, a verse which has been precious to me for most of my adult life:
"...as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not all be ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death." (Phil. 1:20)
It's going to be a wild week at Granny's House, what with Nathan spending most of the weekend at home and lots of company coming in during the week for the festivities (not to mention the spectacular Green Bay win I'm expecting on Sunday!). I should have lots to report on the next edition of the Snippets! In the meantime, stay warm and off the roads and check back in during the week...
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Sunday snippets...
It's been the week of winter here. Five days out of the last seven we've had day-long fires in the fireplace, and that's never happened in the nearly ten years we've lived here. Wish I knew what I could do to make it stay...If I were a victim or the relative of a victim of last weekend's shooting in Tucson, I would feel victimized all over again by the way the debate morphed into something it was never about.
I've plugged it on Facebook but I must do it here, too. Please, go see The King's Speech. It's easily the best film I've seen in a decade, and I'll be seeing it again. I'll probably even buy it. Please don't be deterred by the inexplicable R rating...I can't get my head around why PG-13 movies can be so raunchy and yet this beautiful, wholesome movie where everyone keeps their clothes on and which explores so many lovely themes should be scarred with an R rating for the utterance of some curse words that are important to the story. Take your kids 12 and up, or at least wait for the DVD and watch it as a family.
How about them Spurs? San Antonio NBA fans are in heaven about now, so proud of our guys!
I'll be rooting for the Steelers and the Packers next week...and after that my son-in-law will have to put up with family rivalry: If it's the Packers and the Steelers in the Super Bowl, I'll be wearing a cheesehead :-)
I guess you saw the most disgusting news of the week?
Got plane tickets for my trip to see the Weltys at the end of February. Can I put in an order for a long winter there??
In books: Enjoying the very moving, heartrending Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi, and still working my way through the quite lengthy but delicious Some Sing, Some Cry (Ntozake Shange, Ifa Bayeza) in the audio version. Hoping to get through both of them this week because I have books piling up like crazy!
I just love fried chicken livers and cream gravy. It's a throwback to my childhood, one I've never gotten over. There aren't many places you can still get them, and making them at home is messy and unpleasant. This is just one of the reasons I still love Cracker Barrel. If there were one next door I'd be eating there three times a week. When I have done long stints in the hospital, John has kept me sane and nourished by bringing me a take-out meal of chicken livers from CB now and then. Anyone in the San Antonio area know of other places that are still serving them?
I just love fried chicken livers and cream gravy. It's a throwback to my childhood, one I've never gotten over. There aren't many places you can still get them, and making them at home is messy and unpleasant. This is just one of the reasons I still love Cracker Barrel. If there were one next door I'd be eating there three times a week. When I have done long stints in the hospital, John has kept me sane and nourished by bringing me a take-out meal of chicken livers from CB now and then. Anyone in the San Antonio area know of other places that are still serving them?
It's just my luck, of course, to buy a dishwasher and pay for a four year extended warranty and then really hate the thing. As bad as my luck is with appliances, I'm sure this one will NEVER break. Why, then, do I hate it? Because the inside is so small and the loading configuration so bad that we need to run it four times a day instead of two. Thinking about trying to sell it on Craigslist. To a small family.
My Scripture memory project is going well and has been a blessing I couldn't have anticipated. As I mentioned before, it's been a very long time since I committed a large chunk to memory and I've been nervous about how much I could really do. But even if I don't get much farther than this it's already contributed a treasure to my life that can't be taken away...
Anxiously anticipating the arrival of Ann Voskamp's new book, One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are. I don't think it's one I will be reading quickly. Soon, but not quickly. [I just now checked, and mine is due to arrive on Thursday!]
Hoping you are living fully right where you are today...have a great week.
Hoping you are living fully right where you are today...have a great week.
Labels: Body of Christ, Family, Food, Movies, Sports, Weather
Sunday, January 02, 2011
Sunday snippets, New Year edition...
It was wonderful to sing all the verses of "How Firm a Foundation" in worship this morning...what a great beginning to a new year, singing about the foundation laid for us by God in His word. And then The Papa preached a fine sermon on "holding fast the word of life" from Philippians 2. It's a Happy DayAfterNewYear's!And how good it was to have CJ (Tony had to drive back this morning) and Kristen and Dave and family with us in church. If Aubrey hadn't broken her foot this week she'd have been with us this morning, too, but she's being carefully tended at home to make sure that the multiple fractures heal properly...
I'm wondering...can we have a Christmas do-over now that the weather has turned [somewhat] cold?
The Fighting Irish might have just barely managed a winning season, but they didn't have too much trouble showing the Miami Hurricanes who was boss in the Sun Bowl on Friday. Way ta go, ND!
And what about them Horned Frogs, huh? I know, I'm almost embarrassed writing their name...I'm thinkin' that now they've hit the big time they might need to reconsider that.
Notice how the traffic has already thinned out?
Crying and singing my way through Some Sing, Some Cry. Do get the audio version...this book is full of several dialects, songs, and ethnic characters and it's very much enriched by the fabulous narrator, helping me to process things I know I'd miss if just reading it.
Crying and singing my way through Some Sing, Some Cry. Do get the audio version...this book is full of several dialects, songs, and ethnic characters and it's very much enriched by the fabulous narrator, helping me to process things I know I'd miss if just reading it.
Nathan is beginning his fourth week in Basic Training. He sounded tired when he called Friday, but things are going well and he's being challenged to the max!
Waiting to see how the effort for the repeal of Health Care Reform Destruction fares. I don't think it has much of a chance but it will certainly require that each congressman clearly flies a flag and goes on record, and that may be almost as important right now as repeal. Later, they can worry about starving it bit by bit. Either way, I think the cat will be skinned.
Come on now, the crab dip is GONE? ALL OF IT?
Come on now, the crab dip is GONE? ALL OF IT?
By tomorrow all the holiday visitors to Granny's House will be gone, as well as some of the normal occupants who are heading north today to visit CJ and Tony's new home in Oklahoma. It's going to be awfully quiet here!
I don't make a list of New Year's resolutions each year, but some years I do, and this is one of those years. I'll spare you my entire list, but two of the most formidable:
First, I've committed to memorizing the entire book of Philippians with the goal of completing it by Easter. It's been a very long time since I've done any lengthy memory work, so this will be a serious challenge to my aging mind. But I don't think there's any age limit to the command to hide God's Word in my heart. I'm attempting this with the support and company of many others...you can find out about the Partnering to Remember (P2R) project (and get started yourself) at Tim Brister's site. You can also follow the P2R project on Facebook and Twitter.
I love YNAB. You will too. And this is a great month to try it.
No, my decorations are not put away. But other New Year's Eve rituals were accomplished: putting up six new calendars (I'm a calendar freak, and if it weren't for what other people think I'd probably have twice as many); donating half a closet of clothes to charity; throwing away two large bags of stuff from our room that we don't want or need; changing the checkbook to a fresh book of checks to start the new year (though nowadays it takes half a year to go through one pad!); sharpening several new pencils and taking stock of other office supplies; setting up new schedules for work, school, household responsibilities, etc. I'm ready for 2011!
May you have a beautiful and blessed New Year, building on the foundation laid for you in God's excellent Word:
How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in His excellent Word!
What more can He say than to you He hath said
Who unto the Savior for refuge have fled?
Is laid for your faith in His excellent Word!
What more can He say than to you He hath said
Who unto the Savior for refuge have fled?
In every condition, -- in sickness, in health,
In poverty's vale, or abounding in wealth,
At home and abroad, on the land, on the sea, --
The Lord, the Almighty, they strength e'er shall be.
In poverty's vale, or abounding in wealth,
At home and abroad, on the land, on the sea, --
The Lord, the Almighty, they strength e'er shall be.
"Fear not, I am with thee, oh, be not dismayed,
For I am thy God and will still give thee aid;
I'll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,
Upheld by My righteous, omnipotent hand.
For I am thy God and will still give thee aid;
I'll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,
Upheld by My righteous, omnipotent hand.
"When through the deep waters I call thee to go,
The rivers of sorrow shall not overflow;
For I will be with thee thy troubles to bless
And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.
The rivers of sorrow shall not overflow;
For I will be with thee thy troubles to bless
And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.
"When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie,
My grace, all-sufficient, shall be thy supply.
The flames shall not hurt thee; I only design
Thy dross to consume and thy gold to refine.
My grace, all-sufficient, shall be thy supply.
The flames shall not hurt thee; I only design
Thy dross to consume and thy gold to refine.
"E'en down to old age all My people shall prove
My sovereign, eternal, unchangeable love;
And when hoary hairs shall their temples adorn,
Like lambs they shall still in My bosom be borne.
My sovereign, eternal, unchangeable love;
And when hoary hairs shall their temples adorn,
Like lambs they shall still in My bosom be borne.
"The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose
I will not, I will not, desert to his foes;
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I'll never, no never, no never, forsake!"
I will not, I will not, desert to his foes;
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I'll never, no never, no never, forsake!"
"How Firm a Foundation," lyrics by John Rippon, 1787
Labels: Books, Family, Food, Holidays, Music, ObamaNation, Political Observation, Sports, Weather
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Sunday snippets...
'Round these parts, we spend so much time pining for fall we don't know what to do when it gets here...we know the minute we blink it'll be gone anyway. By the time we get cold weather we're putting up Christmas lights, so the fall that is fall just for its own sake, with no holidays, is pretty much non-existent. Guess I won't ever get used to that part. Nevertheless, we had a splendid Thanksgiving. We spent 48 hours in north Texas, one whole day of which was just down time, visiting and enjoying the family. That needs to happen way more often.
On the way home I watched a movie on my iPhone--Tuck Everlasting. Sweet movie.
Granddaughter Molly, 12, came home with us and will spend a week or so hanging out here and visiting with friends. So nice that she's old enough to do this, and that she wants to! I remember going to spend a week with my grandma when I was this age, and I always wanted her to teach me to make something on the sewing machine, or teach me to knit or to decoupage. Molly got here and said, "Granny, will you help me set up a Gmail account?" Ah, yes, a new millennium.
On the way home I watched a movie on my iPhone--Tuck Everlasting. Sweet movie.
Granddaughter Molly, 12, came home with us and will spend a week or so hanging out here and visiting with friends. So nice that she's old enough to do this, and that she wants to! I remember going to spend a week with my grandma when I was this age, and I always wanted her to teach me to make something on the sewing machine, or teach me to knit or to decoupage. Molly got here and said, "Granny, will you help me set up a Gmail account?" Ah, yes, a new millennium.
The shopping is going great, and it looks like I might get to the end of the list before I get to the end of the money. Always a good thing. Seldom realized ;-)
And the Papa is off again to You-Know-Which-Paradise, pretending he doesn't want to go.
San Antonio needs an IKEA. Georgetown is too far away. And besides, Austin is in between and that is just totally inconvenient.
Microfiber cleaning cloths. That's what I need more of. Just ordered 3 dozen. Oh, Amazon, whatever did I do without you?
I was sick this morning and didn't get to be at church for the first Sunday of Advent, but I have marked it in my heart nevertheless. We are, after all, created to be a ceremonial people...it's hardwired into us by the Creator that knew we would need ways to mark the years and reminders to stop and honor Him in extra-ordinary ways. I'm tickled to death that I've gotten so many inquiries this month about the Jotham's Journey trilogy, because it's been one of our family's favorite ways of observing and celebrating Advent through these last years.
I love my Otter Box. If you get an iPhone for Christmas, don't leave home without one. (Especially if, like me, you sometimes drive with your phone in your lap, and then, forgetting it's there, get out of the car.)
Still pluggin' away at Nicholas Nickleby. Man, that book is long.
The kids have dutifully gotten all the dusting and vacuuming done so we're ready to set out Christmas decorations. I'd gladly wait another week or so, but they're always chomping at the bit to have the trees and lights and sparkles and music...so I told them I'd oblige them as soon as the common areas in this house are spotless. It was great motivation.
O come, O come, Emanuel...
Labels: Books, Family, Grandparenting, Holidays, Movies, Technology, Weather
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Sunday snippets...
It's fall. And though usually the beginning of fall is a cruel joke to those of us here in South
Our school is going well this year, but then again, we've way downsized. John Caleb is doing several courses through a local co-op and is just doing math and history with us. I've got lots of time and space now for one-on-one attention with Tim, and that has been very good for both of us.
If you're looking for a good writing program and don't mind giving it some real effort, please look at Classical Writing (www.classicalwriting.com). This is the program I've been looking for for a quarter of a century, and it's one I'd love to use with younger kids (my grandkids and others) when my own teaching responsibilities are over. I love to write, but teaching writing has always been my least favorite "chore," right there behind Texas history.
Learning to walk again with one leg considerably shorter than the other has been one of my biggest challenges in the past decade. And after two false starts at having shoes made for me that would equalize the difference, this week I'm so encouraged! Our friend Cody Longenbaugh brought me in to his company and they worked on two pairs of shoes for me, and I now have hope that I'm not going to have to spend the rest of my life limping or wearing shoes that look like my grandmother's :-)
This afternoon I watched half of the Ken Burns series on Thomas Jefferson. I can never seem to get enough of Jefferson or of trying to figure him out. He's one of the most interesting figures in all of history to me, even when I disagree with him. A couple of things stood out to me today. One is the quote from Tristram Shandy that would have remained obscure except for the fact that Martha Jefferson wrote it out to Thomas as she lay dying and could no longer speak...
Time wastes too fast: every letter I trace tells me with what rapidity life follows my pen. The days and hours of it are flying over our heads like clouds of a windy day never to return...
And then there's this, a quote from a letter Jefferson wrote to William S. Smith in 1787. It more prescient all the time:
God forbid we should ever be twenty years without such a rebellion. The people cannot be all, and always, well informed. The part which is wrong will be discontented, in proportion to the importance of the facts they misconceive. If they remain quiet under such misconceptions, it is lethargy, the forerunner of death to the public liberty.... And what country can preserve its liberties, if its rulers are not warned from time to time, that this people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to the facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time, with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is its natural manure.
No, I still don't know what I'm wearing to the wedding. I'm working on it.
To the soprano who sat in back of me this morning and blessed my morning and my worship with your beautiful singing, thank you. You were a gift.
And this week, I WILL make Pioneer Woman's "The Bread." Yes, it's glorified breadandbutter. But I can smell it already. I was going to include a link, but her site is down. You're probably better off.I hope that where you live you'll be feeling the zip of fall air very soon. I'll be here waiting...
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Sunday snippets...
27 days from now, CJ will be married and she and Tony will start their new life together in Oklahoma...and the population at Granny's House will decrease by one. Half of me is so excited I can't stand it, and the other half wants to pour molasses on the calendar to slow down the passing of days...
I know the next weddings will be here in an instant, so I'm trying to freeze some of these moments in time so they won't all be running together in my memory book. Where do the days go?
The polls ahead of the November election are beginning to look intoxicating and I'm trying not to hyperventilate. I'm hoping and praying that voter enthusiasm hasn't peaked too early.
REGISTER TO VOTE! TOMORROW!! Don't let your voice go unheard on November 2.
Oh, how I'm longing to feel the first zingy-crisp breeze of fall. I know, that's still two months away, but I'm waiting....
Our new landscaping is looking great and is going to be a nice frame for the wedding! Lots of wedding tasks to do this week, including finding a new pianist. Nothing is ever as smooth as it seems it's going be.
The upcoming departure of daughter #4, who has really been the primary caretaker of my kitchen during my years of immobility, is taking some of HER things with her (I know, the nerve, right?)--things I need to replace so we won't have holes in our kitchen. This week I bought a rolling kitchen island to replace the storage cart of CJ's that I've enjoyed using for the past few years. Now if I can just get The Papa to get it out of the box and put together!
Nathan did his first weekend of Air National Guard service and came home this afternoon tired as a dog but loving it. He is still waiting for a Basic Training date but it's look like he'll go right before Christmas and be away from us for the holidays. Much as I hate that part, I'm thrilled that things are moving for him!
I'm going into the new school week feeling terribly unprepared both on paper and emotionally. The weekend has been a nightmare and I've just begun to feel the soothing balm of God's grace fall around me. Unfortunately it comes a little too late to completely save our Monday. But then again, He is never late.
Have I told you that The Papa and I are going on a honeymoon after the wedding? Yep, our favorite Pacific island :-)
For my sweet daughter tonight (you know who you are):
When the valley is deep
When the mountain is steep
When the body is weary
When we stumble and fall
When the choices are hard
When we're battered and scarred
When we've spent our resources
When we've given our all
In Jesus' name, we press on
In Jesus' name, we press on
Dear Lord, with the prize
Clear before our eyes
We find the strength to press on
When the mountain is steep
When the body is weary
When we stumble and fall
When the choices are hard
When we're battered and scarred
When we've spent our resources
When we've given our all
In Jesus' name, we press on
In Jesus' name, we press on
Dear Lord, with the prize
Clear before our eyes
We find the strength to press on
~Dan Burgess for Selah
Labels: Homemaking, Homeschooling, Music, Political Action, Sundays, Weather, Weddings
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Sunday snippets...
Entering this 26th year of homeschooling, I'm having some of the most fun ever getting ready for the new semester. Events in my life made planning for last year totally impossible, and we relied on the help of others and the seat of our pants to get through the year. While I'm grateful for all the ways God provided through my crisis, I'm so ready to get back into the role of planning and teaching. With only four years left in this journey, I am going to savor each moment...As far as reading, I'm deep into The Histories of Herodotus, marveling at how human nature never changes, and how human idiosyncrasies get passed down through the millennia so that traits of certain peoples are recognizable even now. I'm also reading an interesting little volume that we'll be studying in history this fall, Faith in the Age of Reason: The Enlightenment from Galileo to Kant, by Jonathan Hill. And I'm listening to the audio version of Charles Dickens' Nicholas Nickleby, mostly while I ride the bike at physical therapy.
All right, I try not to complain about the weather here. When I hear people fussing about the heat I always think, "Okay, what did you think you were going to get in south Texas?" But today the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak and can I just say, I HATE THIS!
But I might be willing to forget it for a few hours if I had some Oatmeal-Raisin Cookies. And milk.
If you see me on Facebook you might already know about my big accomplishment of the year: climbing an entire flight of stairs and coming back down again, ALONE! This is something I've rarely done in the past decade, and only when absolutely necessary. Today, though, I did it so that I could pay a surprise visit to Aubrey, who is still upstairs-bound in her house following her recent surgery. (My kids are going to be shaking in their
And speaking of flip-flops (slippers, for our Hawaii family), can you wear them to church and still go to heaven? Is that in one of the creeds? Just askin'.
Be watching and listening in the next few months as the Obamadministration starts replacing "Freedom of Religion" with the substantively different "Freedom of Worship." It might sound like an innocuous change, but words matter. And this change will definitely matter.
And just in case the whole idea of religion offends you and you're ready to take
action to get rid of the nasty feel of the baptismal waters on your head (or your whole body, if you're Baptist), a spokesman for the American Atheists is available to perform the sacrament (or sacrilege, depending on your own personal convictions, because it might be right for you and wrong for me) of de-baptism. With a hairdryer. Bring your own conditioner and mousse.
Wedding plans are proceeding with vigor at Granny's House. CJ and Tony have finished registering for home furnishings, doing it pretty much all online, as 21st century couples are tending to do more and more. At least if they disagree about colors they don't have to do it with an audience :-)And tomorrow, we'll meet with our friend Garfield to talk about landscaping our front yard and deck area for the wedding. We won't get started on the actual work until September, but we want to have a great plan in place way before then!
From this morning's worship at Covenant of Grace...
May His beauty rest upon me
as I seek the lost to win,
and may they forget the channel,
seeing only Him.
as I seek the lost to win,
and may they forget the channel,
seeing only Him.
(from "May the Mind of Christ My Savior", Kate B. Wilkinson, 1925)
Snip, snip, that's all for this week!
Snip, snip, that's all for this week!
Labels: Health, Homemaking, Homeschooling, ObamaNation, Sundays, Theater of the Absurd, Weather, Weddings
Sunday, July 04, 2010
Sunday snippets...
I love long weekends! Around here, a long holiday weekend almost always means a cookout with family and friends, and this holiday is no different. Tomorrow we'll grill chicken and brats and enjoy the day with about 40 here. We've made lots of preparations today so Granny's House is already smelling good...
Yesterday was Onslaught(er) Day at the House. Our sweet kids and grandkids have moved in for a couple of months, giving us lots of smiles and hugs and the sound of little feet once again. Pure joy!
Weather in the past few days has been very muggy, but on the good side we've had a lot of rain for June/July and more is forecast for this week. Good for the lawn and trees!
All week long, books trickled in from my orders and we saw Mike, our UPS man, nearly every day. Most of the books have to do with 18th century history, one of my favorite periods to study. As a matter of fact, I'm drooling over some Teaching Company courses for my own study as we move into the fall's Tapestry of Grace unit.
Tony is here! This weekend he and CJ made a construction paper chain that now hangs in the kitchen, with 97 links, one for each day until their wedding :-) Tony will be here for the big cookout tomorrow and will have to return to Oklahoma Tuesday. Not long enough for us (or for CJ, of course!) but we're thankful for every day we can get.
And for another addition to the family this year, we are eagerly awaiting news of the arrival of little Savannah Welty, due within the next couple of weeks. I'll be planning a trip to Virginia soon!
This week I'll be finishing up the last few pages of How Long, O Lord?: Reflections on Suffering and Evil. This book isn't an easy read, but if you want to dig deep into the issues of pain and suffering and the whole "when bad things happen to good people" questions, it's a must-read.Because of the prevalence in the past 15 years of in vitro fertilization and implantation of multiple embryos (read: lots of babies), we've forgotten just how rare occurrences like this are in the natural world: Having Babies 1-2-3
And, for your July 4th weekend required reading, we have It's All in the History Books and A Cold Man's Warm Words. There may be a pop quiz.
Please pray for Aubrey, our oldest daughter, as she goes in the hospital for major surgery on Wednesday of this week. And pray for her husband and sweet kiddos as they minister to her and keep the house running while she recuperates.
From this morning's glorious worship service:
I need no other argument,
I need no other plea,
It is enough that Jesus died,
And that He died for me.
I need no other plea,
It is enough that Jesus died,
And that He died for me.
Enjoy your celebration of Independence Day. Happy 234th birthday to the land of my birth!
Labels: Books, Family, Grandkids, Holidays, Music, Weather, Weddings
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Sunday snippets...
Today it feels like spring in south Texas...not that I've been outside to enjoy it, but the chill is gone from my room and I know that spring is not far behind. But I'm in no hurry...I'm looking forward to a couple more cold snaps before our inexorable march toward heat and humidity.
I've now seen my original target date for being through with the antibiotic treatment come and go and I'm still waiting. I'm still hoping for a surgery date by at least mid-March but that is looking less likely with each day that passes. The wait is hard, though I've become used to the routine and I've found plenty of things to keep me busy. My days consist of: reading, both books and on my Kindle (which I can also access on my computer and it's easier reading that way); enjoying audio books, currently listening to The Help; working puzzles in my book of Brain Games; helping the kids with schoolwork; doing a little work and other writing projects; and devising creative strategies to keep lunch down. Sometimes the latter takes precedence over everything else, and I find that sleep is about my only weapon when the nausea is bad. But at least I have lots to keep me busy in the in-between times :-)
As if that's not enough to keep me busy, I'm poring over The Teaching Company's catalog, trying to decide which course to "take" next. I'm leaning toward something in the American literature area, perhaps one on the American short story. If you haven't ever considered this route of expanding your knowledge in some field, you should. These courses are terrific! (Just make sure you never buy anything that's not on sale. Every course goes on sale every year, and you just need to wait for the ones you want to come around!)
I'm fascinated by the current duel between those who say that the ObamaCare strategy to destroy health care is "dead" and those who are still saying it will be rammed (or "Rahm'ed) through within 60 days. I still think that something will be passed; I can only hope that whatever it is a mere skeleton of what the Left wanted and that the harmful parts will be repealed by the next Congress before enough people get sucked in by dependence on government coffers. It's really hard to vote no on something once you've gotten a check. (And I include myself in that. I would hate to give up my mortgage credit on our income tax, and yet I believe that the government should not give such credits. If anything we should be encouraging saving, not borrowing. But then that's a whole other argument.)
As predicted, the Olympics has been such good company for me in these waiting days and I'll be sad to see them end. I don't necessarily enjoy every event (watching hockey as I write, and it's certainly not my favorite), but I've kept it on no matter what the event. I'm proud that USA is, at least now, far ahead in the medal count and representing us well!
Another distraction: Tim Challies has a project this year of reading every New York Times bestseller and reviewing them on a blog he calls 10 Million Words. How this guy can manage to fit in reading all these books into his already crazy-busy life is part of the attraction for me. Whether or not I ever read anything he's reviewing, it's a very interesting blog to follow. And then again, there are a few books that have caught my attention that I might never have thought to read without his recommendation, such as The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. Put this blog on your Google Reader or Bloglines and follow a fascinating project.
I must buy a new computer. I must buy a new computer. I must buy a new computer. I would rather endure bamboo shoots under my nails. And it has little to do with the expense. It's just such a headache. Not only the choice, but the transfer of everything in my life to a new machine is more than I can bear. So this one limps along.
I'm having fun helping Shelley plan her senior piano recital. She's working hard on the music and I and some good friends are working on the reception. This will be the first time we've ever done this, and I'm really excited about displaying and honoring all her hard work at the keyboard!
Snip, snip, that's all, folks!
Labels: Books, Health, Political Observation, TV, Weather
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Sunday snippets...
'Twas the week before Christmas
And throughout Granny's House
Every creature was stirring
Even the wireless mouse....
Okay, I'll spare you more; suffice it to say that our mouses (how come the plural of computer mouse isn't "mice"?) have been busy ordering gifts and making plans...some of us have even braved real stores in addition to the virtual ones...and we're almost ready for next weekend. It has seemed crazy here at times, but then I stop and think that within five years our home is going to be a lot quieter and I will long for the craziness...
In the few quiet spaces, I've been reading, jotting down ideas for New Year goals, praying for friends who have hurts and or/big decisions ahead, and putting my feet up when possible to conserve energy and minimize pain. Happily, there have been enough of those spaces to keep the craziness enjoyable and not insane!
Printer update: We are loving our Canon Pixma printer. I recommend it.
It's looking like we're about to find out how much ObamaCares about all of us. I can't believe that we're on the cusp of being thrust into the pit of socialism, but since we've been creeping that way anyway I guess I shouldn't be surprised. One of the things that stuns me is that anyone enrolled in a government "exchange" plan will be forced to pay an abortion premium (doesn't matter if you've had a hysterectomy or you're a 22-year-old young man or you object to abortion) every month to fund those abortions that can't be "publicly funded". Yeah, right.
I'm thinkin' the east coast had plenty snow that they could have shared with south Texas, but no....Hey, maybe the administration can fix that, too? I mean, level playing field and all that...
Once again, Williams-Sonoma Peppermint Bark is the best. As are friends who give it :-)
In these days when "peace on earth" seems cliche and certainly doesn't express the current realities, I'm reminded that there will be a new heaven and a new earth before we see it come to be. And so I close with the words of a old carol by William Wadsworth Longfellow:
And in despair I bowed my head
“There is no peace on earth,” I said,
“For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.”
Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
“God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail
With peace on earth, good will to men.”
May each of you reading have a blessed, peaceful, and worshipful Christmas!
Labels: Holidays, ObamaNation, Sundays, Technology, Weather