Category Archives: Southern California Dreaming

7 Quick Takes: Pretend This Has An Interesting Title

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7 Quick Takes

— 1 —

Blech. I’m actually in bed right now sipping some Coke to see if it will help calm my stomach. My Annie’s Deluxe Shells and Real Aged Cheddar is not sitting well on my stomach tonight for some reason and I’m not feeling like staying up at the kitchen table when I’m feeling nauseous like this.

— 2 —

Hoping and praying for this! The weather powers-that-are seem to be predicting a strong El Niño this winter for California. For those who are confused, an El Niño event means a seriously wet winter for California, especially northern California, and this could really help with the current drought situation. The last really significant El Niño I remember was during my senior year of high school and it meant massive flooding in some places and huge storms in the Sierras. (And yes, I’m aware that “Sierras” is redundant.)

— 3 —

Simcha nails it again. Her latest excellence: Is Your Facebook Feed the Sea of Galilee or the Dead Sea?. The reason for its excellence: I’ve found the most ignorant people I’ve met to be the ones who surround themselves with people who think the way they do, believe the way they do, and vote the way they do. My blog readership is pretty diverse and I read a pretty wide variety of blogs as well. While I don’t agree with ever blogger out there, some of them say some interesting things and I think I understand why people might vote differently as I do as a result.

— 4 —

Taking a page from Bonnie. Bonnie usually starts her Quick Takes off with a song so here’s my latest discovery.

— 5 —

Wow. One of my friends from Reece’s Rainbow shared this today. You seriously need to watch it.

— 6 —

Why you should leave service dogs alone. Someone distracted a woman’s service dog, even after being instructed by the woman to stop petting him, and she was injured while having a seizure. Had her dog not been distracted, he could have signalled to her that the seizure was coming and they could have gotten her to a safe place.

— 7 —

Prayer request. If y’all could please pray that my car would be done getting fixed tomorrow afternoon, I’d appreciate it. I have plans to head up to San Jose on Saturday and I can’t do that unless I have my car back because my rental car from my insurance company has to be returned the day my car is done being fixed. If I’m in San Jose, it will be impossible as I’ll be 350 miles north of where I’d need to return it and pick up my own car. Thanks!

For more Quick Takes, visit Bonnie (our guest hostess with the mostest) at A Knotted Life. While you’re visiting, congratulate her on her little one who is due on January 1st.

The Simple Woman’s Daybook: July 6, 2015

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Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY July 6, 2015

Outside my window… dark. It was a warm day today but I was in jeans because it was gray in the morning when I was having to go to the vet with my mother-in-law to get her Birman’s abcess drained.

I am thinking… about the various articles I’ve read on St. Maria Goretti today (her feast day) and how divergent Simcha Fisher’s article is from the others which totally stress how she died to protect her purity and OMG-teens-today-need-serious-help-keeping-their-virginity. Simcha’s point is that she was concerned about *HER ATTACKER* and his eternal salvation more than she was concerned about staying pure. I tend to agree as one hallmark of a saint is their selflessness

I am thankful… for my naps the last few days. VBS was awesome but it drained me as did the festivities of Saturday. Add in not sleeping well for whatever reason and I ended up with a pretty bad headache on Sunday morning that meant me skipping church because I was feeling so wretched.

In the kitchen… my mother-in-law just made a batch of peach jam.

I am wearing… black v-neck shirt and blue/white striped pajama bottoms.

I am praying for… a call for Jon, good MRI results for a friend’s baby, and a number of special intentions.

I am going… to try and get a walk in tomorrow, hopefully a long one.

I am wondering… why I watch Viperkeeper videos before going to sleep as I’m so incredibly terrified of snakes.

I am reading… The Truth According to Us by Annie Barrows. It was on a site of 25 recommended reads for the summer. I also finished Ming Tea Murder by Laura Childs today.

I am hoping… they finish the body repairs on my car this week. As much as I like my rental (which is now a Ford Fusion as the Jetta had an oil leak), I really need my car bad as I’m heading up to San Jose this weekend and don’t want to have to pay extra to extend the rental when my insurance is footing the bill.

I am looking forward to… my physical therapist massaging out my neck tomorrow.

I am hearing… silence. It is lovely.

Crocheting… same old, same old — Daniel blankie and amigurumi stuffie.

Around the house… silence.

A favorite quote for today… “I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be.” — Douglas Adams

One of my favorite things… being able to get the #1 spot on a waiting list for a book at a library.

A few plans for the rest of the week: PT tomorrow morning, various errands and things throughbout the week, meeting with the Social Security Administration on Friday afternoon (please pray for my ability to control my temper and not use words that will make baby Jesus cry because I am seriously aggravated with them for losing paperwork and being generally incomptetent), and heading to San Jose on Saturday.

Hosted by The Simple Woman.

Answer Me This: 4th of July Edition

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Answer Me This

Once you’re done here, go see Kendra and the other lovelies that have answered the questions!

1. How did you celebrate the 4th of July?

My in-laws had some neighbors over for lunch in our lovely air-conditioned living room. Lots of food and lots of fabulous conversation. Later, we went to go see Jon and Daniel march in the Claremont Fourth of July Parade. (Anyone that wants to can march in it so you end up with some pretty interesting groups… including the local Buddhist monastery. It’s also a *VERY* heavily Democratic town so the local Democratic royalty get convertibles.) That night after Daniel and Jon fell asleep, we sat out on the cul-de-sac and watched the firework display from one of the local high schools.

2. Do you sunburn easily?

Oh yes. It’s pretty normal for me to turn into a tomato with hair if I’m out for a long period during the summer. Thankfully, my daily moisturizer has SPF 15 sunscreen in it which helps keep me from burning too badly while I’m out doing errands.

3. Hot dogs. Yay or nay?

Yay! If I want them, I have to cook them myself and as my George Forman grill is in storage, I don’t have them all that often these days.

4. Have you ever personally set off fireworks?

Yep, we got them from out-of-state a couple times growing up and then, I lived in places where they weren’t illegal… though they probably should have been in Montana considering how fire-prone the prairie was! Nine years ago, we and the other people in town were sitting on a parishioner’s porch (because this was a town of 12 people); and while they were setting them off, they set off some old ones that didn’t get enough height before exploding. Lo didst sparks come raining down from the sky and people start scrambling for cover!

I think the last time people set them off where I was physically present was in Jon’s last parish when the drug users living across the street decided to launch them at our tree. They got a bit pissy when I called 911 about it.

5. Have you ever jumped off the high dive?

Yeah, no. Serious fear of heights here.

6. Do you do anything weird in your sleep?

I talk in my sleep and I’m pretty sure one of my college roommate and I had some interesting conversations some nights when we were both asleep and talking to each other.

7 Quick Takes: VBS Week

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7 Quick Takes

— 1 —

Most *interesting* thing I heard at VBS tonight. I had to run Daniel home during my free period (he was in a mood and starting to melt down) so I was a couple minutes late getting back to start music with my oldest group. When I walked in, one of the boys said, “Oh good, you’re here. The Hippo Song isn’t the same without you… not that you’re fat or anything.” Ummm… thanks?

— 2 —

Best mommy line. From one of the teachers of the youngest group (preschoolers and kindergarten): “Hey! Arms and mouths to yourselves!” (I find it actually kind of funny that all three of the teachers for that group are moms with all boys.)

— 3 —

Speaking of that youngest group… I can’t remember which song precipitated it but they started all linking hands and dancing in a circle. (I think it was “Earth and All Stars”?) Margaret (the other young woman doing music with me and the lead on our team) and I were busting up laughing.

— 4 —

All the things that can praise God… We were trying to teach the kids some “adult music” this week and one of the things we did with each group was to get a list of things that could praise God so we could improvise some verses based on the suggestions. Some of the answers: tacos & fries, Dr. Who & Tardis, space, trombones, Princess Leia, jingle bells (one of our preschoolers wanted sing the song every day), dinosaurs, sheep, cupcakes, dirt, mac n’cheese, dirt, trains, and school buses. If I can get Margaret’s permission, I’ll post the verses that resulted.

**UPDATE** Margaret was chill with it so this is the link.

— 5 —

Mission accomplished! The two most popular songs this week were the two that I taught the kids: the Hippo Song and the Penguin Song. Apparently, my kids are going home and singing those songs every night… as are some of the VBS staff people because they have them stuck in their heads. In other words, I’ve managed to teach them that God made hippos and that penguins drink tea. My work here is done!

— 6 —

We need to invest in a church-owned selfie stick. Mother Kelli Grace (our vicar) had all the kiddos and staff crowd into two rows in the church so she could do a VBS selfie. Someone commented that we need a church selfie stick and I guess one of the men offered to bring his tomorrow. I remarked that one of our bishops has one and we should just borrow hers! Still, this is a church where worship selfies are normal so maybe we need acquire one for church purposes. (I’d pot the one from today but it would involve getting permission from all the parents of the kiddos.)

— 7 —

Totally over this freaking cough! Apparently, I’m coughing so loudly that I’m waking my mother-in-law up and likely to wake up my father-in-law down the hall. Oops! I’m thinking the M&M’s in the trail mix tonight were a bad idea? At least I didn’t try doing the popcorn!

For more Quick Takes, visit Kelly at This Ain’t The Lyceum.

#FiveFaves: Vacation Bible School Edition

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#5Faves

One

Getting to help with VBS. I seriously love Vacation Bible School and am super excited that I get to help with it this week! We have a Lego theme this year and are creating the whole curriculum from scratch. I’m a music person and have enjoyed being silly with my kids. The first two songs they asked for today (the Hippo Song and the Penguin Song) are the two most likely to cause me vertigo. Oh well!

Two

Robitussin. I’m dealing with serious allergy issues and have been taking shots of Robitussin to deal with the crud in my throat and chest. Today I was contending with my voice being almost gone from all the junk dripping out of my sinuses.

Three

My parish. They found someone to go one-on-one with Daniel for VBS and they’ve been telling me how happy they are to finally meet him. *melts* They also *REALLY* love their kids, so much so that they put youth ministry as a priority and fundraise for their young adults to make voyages to the Holy Land.

Four

Our VBS chef. She had no idea that she was signing up for dinner + snack every night and she has managed to make some of the most interesting and creative things for us. We’ve had taco bags (I know them as “walking tacos”), build-your-own salads (there were kids actually eating their vegetables!), jello lego bricks, and build-your-own trail mix. I’ve heard about kids asking their parents to make them the food that she’s putting together for VBS and I think that’s definitely a good sign.

Five

My music team. I’m working with three other people on music (I’m not the lead person) and it has been absolutely wonderful to get to collaborate with all of them. All of them are creative people, which is good considering that we’ve had to improvise on a lot this week as two of us (the two who are doing most of the teaching) have less of our normal voices than we’d like. The kiddos are responding well and we’re all playing off each other in good ways.

Go love up Jenna and the others.

The Simple Woman’s Daybook: June 29, 2015

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Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY June 29, 2015

Outside my window… dark. It was hot and humid today, humid enough that we were getting drops of water from condensation. I haven’t been in humidity like this since I lived in Ohio!

I am thinking… about plans for tomorrow and everything going on, especially getting my rental car if I can.

I am thankful… that we had a good first night of VBS and that Daniel gets to come with me tomorrow.

In the kitchen… we had pizza and build-your-own salad tonight at VBS. Tomorrow will be walking tacos and fruit kebabs.

I am wearing… my Momcat shirt and capri sweats.

I am praying for… a call for Jon, for my friend Krystin’s baby to be released from the NICU, for Krystin’s healing after emergency surgery, and for a bunch of special intentions. Oh yes… also for VBS to go well for Daniel.

I am going… to physical therapy tomorrow.

I am wondering… if I’ll have my rental car by tomorrow. (I kind of need it PDQ for VBS.)

I am reading… Ming Tea Murder by Laura Childs. I just finished up the Classic Diner Mystery Series by Jessica Beck.

I am hoping… I sleep OK tonight with all the congestion in my face!

I am looking forward to… singing with the kiddos at VBS.

I am hearing… various silly songs I’m checking out for VBS tomorrow.

Crocheting… Daniel’s big boy blankie and the amigurumi stuffed animal for my friend.

Around the house… silence. I’m loving it.

A favorite quote for today… “”When I pray for another person, I am praying for God to open my eyes so that I can see that person as God does, and then enter into the stream of love that God already directs toward that person.” — Philip Yancey

One of my favorite things… my kids laughing and getting silly.

A few plans for the rest of the week: VBS every night, PT tomorrow morning, and a special lunch on Saturday.

A peek into my day… One of the songs we did with the kids!

Hosted by The Simple Woman.

Answer Me This: Home Sweet Home Edition

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Answer Me This at CatholicAllYear.Com

When you are done reading my answers, go read what other people have to say on Kendra’s blog.

1. How long have you lived in your current home?

We’re living with in-laws and what we thought was going to be two months with them has stretched into a year while we’re in between pastoral calls.

2. How do you find out about news and current events?

Usually via Facebook and Twitter. 🙂 If I see or hear something that piques my curiousity, I’ll sometimes go to other news sites. We don’t have TV so that’s not usually an option and I don’t listen to any local radio stations.

3. Would you be able to make change for a twenty right now? For a dollar?

Nope. I keep very little cash on me out of habit more than anything else.

4. What’s the craziest food you’ve ever eaten?

Probably sea cucumber at a Chinese restaurant in San Francisco. The weirdest to a lot of people would be bison (it tastes like gamey beef) or sushi (I grew up in California so it’s a taste I acquired 25 years ago).

5. Which of the commonly removed parts have you had removed? (tonsils, wisdom teeth, appendix, etc.)

I’ve had my adnoids (1986), wisdom teeth (1998), and gallbladder removed (2005).

6. What’s your favorite sport to watch on TV?

Definitely baseball. Go Giants!