I just got back from an eventful Penn State wrestling match against Michigan State. PSU won, their first win this year in the Big 10, despite an 8-2 (now 9-2) record.  They gave out free pins to all who wanted them.  Libby brought her embroidery, and I wish I had brought my crochet, although I did enjoy the match.  The older boys were at Youth Group, and Michael went to the Wilsons, so it was just the good doctor, Rachel, Libby, and me (with two Bolichs).  But, we did go out to dinner first! 

Do I really LIKE wrestling?  Well, high school and college wrestling is different from that horrid stuff on TV.  I like most college and high school sports (and elementary things also), although I’m not a huge fan of any of them. 

Yes, Michael really did put duct tape on all digital clocks, including the clock on the computer screen. We left the analog ones alone, as they are all upstairs, and I figured I wouldn’t get up there to see them during the day.  And, Tim, I’m very sorry to hear your news. Hang in there!  Jessica, I’d love to know which talent you’d like. The one for overcommitting? The one for loosing her temper?

Tomorrow, my “sister” goes home. She’s been staying with us all week.  What? You didn’t know I had a sister?  She’s about 18 pounds and rather hairy.  Grammy Peep and Papa John’s beagle, Molly, has been a guest with us all week while her “parents” have been vacationing in Florida.  She’s the most easy-going dog ever at ten years old, except she wants to sleep with Nathan, and she hogs the bed. So, he’s camped out on the floor all week so there is room for both of them. He’s a good dog-sitter!

Molly is quite cute.

So, tomorrow we head to Curwensville to drop of Molly. Also, Nathan gets to see his new bow–a rather expensive Hoyt bow that his grandpa got for him from a guy who shoots professionally for Hoyt.  Nathan is just about beside himself with excitement.  Also, I have a boatload of essays to grade for AP.  Being sick and miserable this week, I got behind on my work.

I’m just not feeling well. Instead of having a fever and a bona-fide flu, I’m just zapped of all energy with a bit of a head cold.  I slept for about 12 hours last night which I am sure helped a lot.  But, true to my act-dorky-in-illness persona, I made two pumpkin rolls today. I’ve never made them before, although my grandma makes killer ones, and I have her recipe.  We are going to visit friends tonight, so I wanted something to take along.  Plus, after lying in bed for an hour during lunchtime talking with my dear friend Valerie (who I discovered also reads this blog and should be noted!), I felt much peppier. 

Do you think pictures of flowers look better in black and white or in color?  Here are two pictures I took yesterday.  I’m inspired to post them because I so much enjoyed looking at photos on the Photo Challenge Blogring.

But, on a happier note, I finished a great book last night, Making Brothers and Sisters Best Friends.  It is written by three siblings, the Mallys (who were ages 22, 16, and 12 at the time of writing). I’m planning to use it as a read aloud for Bible time for the children.  We have been struggling with the friendliness toward one another. Plus, what I read in the book convicts me as well. “You should criticize one time for every ten times you praise.” Gulp!  

Tonight is our church’s annual “gonna-take-two-hours-to-read-reports” business meeting. I’m planning to take the new scarf I’m crocheting. Yes, I know this seems a bit untoward, but is it really that horrible to do a handicraft while the Building and Grounds minutes are being read? 

Here is the recipe, as requested. 

Life has loveliness to sell,
All beautiful and splendid things,
Blue waves whitened on a cliff,
Soaring fire that sways and sings,
And children’s faces looking up
Holding wonder like a cup.

Life has loveliness to sell,
Music like a curve of gold,
Scent of pine trees in the rain,
Eyes that love you, arms that hold,
And for your spirit’s still delight,
Holy thoughts that star the night.

Yesterday was a hectic day full of running, but there were some delights.  I received an FTD box full of tulips from a student and his parents as a thank you for writing a recommendation letter on short notice.  I really liked the card, “How far that little candle throws his beams! So shines a good deed in a weary world.  ~William Shakespeare”  I like receiving such wonderful quotes! 

We dined on the tastiest venison roast last night.  No, it really was seasoned and cooked to yumminess. But, I still have trouble eating it.  “This is venison. This is a dead deer. Uck.” chants through my head. Why is it that freshly-caught game free from preservatives and chemicals makes me squeamish when I happily chow down on other meats from unknown sources? Why this weirdness in my mind?  Surely I’m not the only one.

Yesterday I began our read aloud time again. Every year since we began homeschooling, the hour from 11:00 to 12:00 has been read aloud time.  I’ve tried to move it to a different time slot, but it’s never worked. I’ve begun reading one of my all-time favorite books, The Wolves of Willoughby Chase by Joan Aiken.  It’s got all my favorite elements for a children’s story–orphans, extreme wealth, evil governesses and headmistresses, suffering, cozy cave houses, nifty clothes, and a happy ending.  I’ve never read any of the sequels, but I might just do so this year.   I was struck this time as I read it at the high level of vocabulary for a children’s book.  I made no mention of this fact, but about a half-hour into our reading, one of the children commented, “This sounds like a book written by Eugene Meltzner.”  (EM is a pedantic character in the radio show Adventures in Odyssey.)  I think it’s great, but I won’t spoil the story by making up vocabulary study sheets. 

Also, Libby made Beverly Capone’s Most Delicious Yogurt Pound Cake yesterday.  I don’t believe this is the true name of this tasty and simple dessert, but that’s our name for it.  Yum! It was first cut into after church (about 9:00 pm), and there are only about four slices left today for lunch.  If you are eager for the recipe, I’ll pass it along.

Thank you for all your reading recommendations. As you can see, I’ve read one book. I will have to make a concerted effort to get some Chesterton. Strangely, my library has a dearth of his books.  But, since I have access to all of Penn State’s library system, I’m sure I’ll find a book or twenty.  I’ve read Ellis Peters in the past and found her books to be good, but I only read about four Brother Caedfel books.  Mysteries aren’t my most-preferred genre, although any well-written book is worth a read. 

Tonight is the end-of-the-year banquet for Centre Bulldogs football and cheerleading.  We’ll get our yearbooks and DVD of the year’s highlights. I’ve been informed that the good doctor features heavily in the video, a fact which does not thrill him.  He’s a great guy and a great coach, and I’d make him the star of my season’s highlights video!

Thile, welcome back from Florida! I hope you had a wonderful time.

A review of Sophie Kinsella’s The Undomestic Goddess

I enjoy an occasional chick-lit book, and I’ve been hearing things about Kinsella’s Shopaholic series for a while. So, when I saw this novel on the library shelf and since MathMom recommended it, I thought I’d give it a try.

The novel opens with Samantha Sweeting, a 29 year old British corporate lawyer, filling out a questionnaire to determine her stress level. It’s obvious from the start that this likeable lady has her priority list of of whack, as does the rest of her family. On the eve of the meeting to determine whether she will become her firm’s youngest partner, an encounter with her elderly, tounge-clucking neighbor foreshadows future events when the neighbor mutters how sad it is that Samantha can’t even sew a missing button onto her shirt. 

Samantha, already high-strung, is even more so when she arrives at work the next day, anticipating what the decision will be regarding her partnership. To relax, she begins to clear mountains of paperwork off her desk. In so doing, she finds a month’s-old memo saying that she was to file some paperwork.  With horror, Samantha realizes she’s made a beginner’s blunder.  The situation escalates when she discovers that this blunder can’t be corrected and that she’s lost a client 50 million pounds.  In shock, she flees the office and randomly hops on a train out of the city.  Lost and heartsick, wandering through some small town, she decides to ask for an aspirin and water at the next home.  In doing so, she is mistaken for a new housekeeper applicant and due to the “stronger than aspirin” medicine she is given, isn’t thinking straight

Samantha decides to salvage her life and pretend that she really is a housekeeper, especially since she has become a laughingstock in the legal world. Predictable disasters occur with this can’t-boil-water type. Thankfully, there is a hunky gardener, Nathaniel, whose mother teaches Samantha on the sly how to cook and clean. Predictable consequences follow with the handsome gardener. 

Just when Samantha is accustomed to her new life and really thriving, a discovery sets her head spinning and causes her to question what she wants out of life–the new or the old.  What is most important to her?

There is occasional swearing and mild sex (mentioned, not explicit).  The scenes at times can seem a bit “movie-ish” (especially the ending). But, the characters are all very likeable.  The nouveau-rich employers, the gardener/pub owner/boyfriend, the crazy best friend who also happens to be titled, even the stern head lawyer at the firm all are nicely crafted and enjoyable to read about.

If you are looking for a light-hearted read which might make you think a bit about your own chaotic life, then this might be a nice evening’s read for you.

What do you do when you don’t have a child small enough to want to
crawl up on your lap and still fit there? Rachel is six, and she still
fits fine.  I was just thinking about that problem today when
Rachel crawled onto my lap for our prayer time.  I’ve had a
lap-dweller for the past fourteen years. I’ll miss it when it’s all
gone. I suppose that’s why people have small dogs and grandchildren.

Thank you for your book ideas. Actually, I have The Undomestic Goddess
in my pile of books from the library!  I don’t know what it is I
am looking for. I’m like that crabby toddler who stomps and rages and
demands everything because she doesn’t know what it is she really
wants. (Which just might be a nap…)  I’d appreciate
recommendations in all genre (genres?). 

I’ve begun a Beth Moore book study, Seeking Him,
as a ladies’ Sunday school class at church.  There is a wonderful
prayer list in the book which takes different areas of our lives and
asks leading questions.  Are you quick to repent?  Would you
be willing to give up all sin for God? Do you keep your eyes and mind
pure by not reading books or watching movies or TV which would not
honor God?  It’s convicting, but I think that we (I) must act on our
convictions for them to be effective. It’s just not enough to feel it.
We must also act upon it.

Tonight, the kids are so excited because we are going to watch an hour
long History Channel movie on Christopher Columbus. “Is it a
reenactment or is it just some guy saying, ‘Christopher Columbus
lived…’” asked Libby with a deadpan drone for the narrator.  Ah,
can’t you feel the joy and pulsing pleasure those children have in the
evening’s plans?

I finally finished reading What Jane Austen Ate and What Charles Dickens Knew
by Daniel Pool.  It was a great book, and I highly recommend it
for anyone who enjoys 19th century England, history in general, or 19th
century English authors.