ALL Meme

This meme is via MagistraMater, who is on the link list, and who revealed that these three authors share a birthday. Weird coincidence!

The November 29 ALL Meme
(Louisa May Alcott, C.S. Lewis, Madeleine L’Engle)

Answer for one, both, or all authors.

1. What was the first [Alcott, Lewis, L'Engle] book you read? Little Men, Lion/Witch/Wardrobe, Wrinkle in Time.

2. If you could be a [Alcott, Lewis, L'Engle] character for a day, who would you be? This type of question is a stretch for me- I always feel like it deserves several hours’ contemplation, but end up answering off-the-cuff due to lack of time. How about Joy Davidman’s son, since he gets to see “Prince Caspian” long before it comes out in theaters next May.

3. Do you prefer [Alcott, Lewis, L'Engle]’s fiction or nonfiction? I prefer Lewis’ non-fiction. Mere Christianity has shaped the kind of Christian I am tremendously. I haven’t read much of the other two authors.

4. Which [Alcott, Lewis, L'Engle] book would you recommend to any reader? A Grief Observed, since we all deal with grief sooner or later.

5. Which [Alcott, Lewis, L'Engle] book did you dislike? That third book of Lewis’ space trilogy (Out of the Silent Planet?) isn’t a good story, it’s more of a rant against communism.

6. What is your favorite [Alcott, Lewis, L'Engle] quote? Actually, it’s a quote from the movie “Shadowlands”, where a co-professor snidely comments that Lewis’ writing is “Oh, yes, Easy Answers to the Hard Questions of Life”.

7. Which [Alcott, Lewis, L'Engle] book would you like to read next? Something by L’Engle without my kids finding out, since they would want to read it, too, but I’m not sure they can unravel the symbolism with good faith.

8. What biography of [Alcott, Lewis, L'Engle] would you recommend? A Grief Observed, which Lewis had published under a pseudonym.

9. Rate the ALL authors by order of preference. Lewis, Alcott, L’Engle.

A Sigh of Relief

Seems like there’s even more to be thankful for after the holiday.

The visit with the in-laws went great. The kids are healthy and we are 1/2 way through the school year- next week is Midterm Review, which is low-stress (for me, anyway)!

Mr Wonderful arranged with the school to hold back part of his pay until the summer. I was worrying.

In fact, his school requested he write a proposal for changes to bring them “up to the 21st century”. They like his work a lot.

In the queue: Waking the kiddos up at 7:30 for breakfast and chores. Getting AWANA stuff together for tonight’s meeting. A trip to the post office (to mail Christmas gifts and cards), to the library (to return overdue books), the food pick-up (we’re dropping out January 1), and picking up my Latin student at the same time. Lunch after her lesson (I’ll make tuna salad whilst the kiddos clean the bathrooms before the pick-up, then they can make the sandwiches during the Latin lesson.)

Sadly, that leaves our schoolwork until after lunch, and no Greek lesson for me. During breaks in the schoolwork, I’ll be browning beef (a very welcome gift from the in-laws) for spaghetti dinner. After AWANA, bedtime prayers, and up to do it all again tomorrow.

I am so thankful that we aren’t fighting strep throat, job loss, or loss of electricity, loss of washing machine (or, my new favorite, dishwasher), death of a family member, car repairs, or wondering if we’ll be moving out of the country. “The usual” has become such a welcome, welcome state of being. I’m literally almost in tears with gratitude over the “normal” way of life this week.

Pat Yourself on the Back, All 4 of You!

Cash Advance Loans

So, if you read this blog, tell your boss you deserve a raise.

The Bean Was Gone

VeggieTales has done a “Lord of the Rings” satire called “Lord of the Bean”. In it, the One Bean bestows any type of food, clothing, or kitchen appliance (it’s a satire, ok?) on the possessor.

Our family is always quoting the Flobbit who owned the bean, to his own detriment. “I slipped into a sugar coma after consuming a 20 pound Marshmallow Peep”, he explained. “When I awoke 3 days later, the bean was gone- stolen!”

The kiddos and Mr Wonderful served me breakfast in bed this morning- hot coffee, and chocolate crepes made from melted-down Hershey’s kisses. Mr Wonderful even mixed in some white sugar “to thicken the chocolate syrup”. If you don’t hear from me for 3 days, you’ll know why.

Childhood Dinner

We had crockpot turkey breast, mashed potatoes from scratch, stuffing from a box, jellied cranberry sauce, broccoli casserole (velveeta and Ritz crackers crumbled in), carrot cake. Mr Wonderful allowed the kiddos to open the “I Love Lucy” episodes I bought for his Christmas present, so they are in a happy blur.

I’m not sure we really had Thanksgiving. On the other hand, I am very sure we had my birthday, although the calendar claims it isn’t until Saturday. We had my birthday when we went out to Red Robin with the Deweys (I never remembered a word of the parenting advice I wanted to give her, though.), and when I DIDN’T have to clean up today, and when my kids made and gave me cards yesterday, and when we ate my cake over 3 days last weekend, and when I treated myself to a fine cup of coffee yesterday. In fact, my birthday has been about 5 days long this year. Nice!

Thanksgiving dinner, however, is not like Momma used to make (and I will NEVER tell Mr Wonderful that! He did GREAT!). Up North it’s baked turkey, oyster stuffing, fruit cocktail, jellied cranberry sauce, sliced white bread, mashed potatoes, succotash, green bean casserole (with mushroom soup and fried onions on top), apple pie, pumpkin pie, coffee, and card games afterward.

Come to think of it, I like Mr Wonderful’s better. Where’s that leftover broccoli casserole?

Hoo-ah

In-laws gave the kiddos $20 each today. #1 promptly invited me to the movies- “You pick, Mom”, says she, “‘Cause you’re smart.”

Nope, I didn’t cry.

“Enchanted” by Disney has great graphics, good, clean fun, cheery music, and a pro-marriage (one man, one woman) message. Definitely a good pick for #1 and I to share.

My contribution was the photo souvenir. We’re both pretty pleased.

Thanksgiving

We are having a good time with the in-laws. Mr Wonderful’s cake fell apart because he tried to layer it 1.before letting it cool and 2.without slicing the top to make it level. So I iced the cracked top and the in-laws laughed and it’ll be fine. Nice if that’s the worst that happens this week-end.

Thanksgiving is good for me. It is wrong to believe “I deserve wealth, happiness, health” or “I am so good that I have a right to freedom, ease, and comfort”.

Take a look at the siblings you know- especially if they are close in age. Raised in the same house, going to the same schools, with similar talents and the same social class, yet they turn out so differently. One gets fibromyalgia, one healthy. One home floods, one stays dry- just 4 city blocks apart.

We work hard for our wealth, comfort, and health. But if we have it for more than a moment, it’s not because we have earned it, or it’s our right. It’s because we are blessed. By Someone bigger than ourselves, who controls weather, time, and the inner workings of our cells. Someone who gives us life, and the things we can’t give ourselves.

God, to whom we give thanks, indeed.

Thanksgiving Dinner Meme

I’m a sucker for memes. I don’t want to think about what that says about me. Here’s a meme from Ellen at the Happy Wonderer, via Bloggin-Daz, served up for your blogging consumption:

Appetizer: What was your first “real” job?

A paper route. I hated Collection Day. Still hate asking people for money (even money that’s legally owed me) with a passion.

Soup: Where would you go if you wanted to spark your creativity?

Cumae. Barring a transatlantic plane ticket, a book about Cumae. Maybe I’ll write one.

Salad: Complete this sentence: I am embarrassed when…

I’m around 2 or more feminine women. I’m built like a stevedore, think like a math professor, and buy less than $3 per year in makeup.

Main Course: What values did your parents instill in you?

Mom: Work hard, be honest, get promoted.
Dad: Play hard, be trickier than the other guy, promote yourself.

Wonder why they divorced?

Dessert: Name three fads from your teenage years.

Brand-name shirts (Izod), jeans (Gloria Vanderbilt) and handbags (Papagallo). My older sister managed to own all three, although our family had little money to speak of. She always looked great in them, too.

A Fresh Perspective

One of my favorite sayings is, “In 6 months, this situation will look very different”. I first started using it in the early stages of my sister’s second divorce, when my parents were freaking out about the abuse charges and custody battle.

Today I looked back 6 months, at blogs from May 17-June 4. We were hoping to get a call from Puerto Rico about a job. The “check engine” light was on in the van. I got to talk on the phone with some dear friends I hadn’t seen in 4 years and got a visit from friends I hadn’t seen in 7. Rootie came for a great visit.

My favorite, however, was reading the Monday Melee about how today’s issues are thrillingly similar to the issues of the Roman Empire. http://r1r2ish.blogspot.com/2007/05/monday-melee-retreat-to-past.html if you want to check it out.

Where were you 6 months ago? Are you glad it’s over, or wish it was back?

The Last Bite

Friday was The Big Day- the end of my fasting from chocolate for a year. I’ve been planning my chocolate cake for celebrating at Home Group tonight, and even bought a package of Swiss Cake Rolls all for myself.

I remember when I did a Year of No Chocolate once before. There were a couple of flub-ups as I was getting used to the habit, and a couple of strange tastes after the year was up: Hershey’s really does use too much wax in their chocolate, folks.

This morning, the cat begging to be fed at 4 was the perfect excuse for “I need compensation: Where’s the Swiss Cake Rolls?” (Can you see the addictive thought pattern starting already?) Only, the Swiss Cake Rolls don’t taste as good as I remember! In fact, they taste like gritty marshmallows, and way, way too sweet.

A cup of black coffee, please, to get this sugar residue out of my mouth.

On a side note, my mom waves between being a great encourager and a major irritant in my life. Yesterday I was telling her about NOT losing any weight while avoiding chocolate, and she reminded me that eating the kids’ leftovers is still a bad habit.

So, am I supposed to spend the next year changing portion sizes? Hmmm, maybe not such a bad idea…