Category Archives: Gold Country Life

7 Quick Takes: More Olympics, Some Cookies, and Thoughts on the Sikh Temple Shooting

Posted on by

7 Quick Takes

— 1 —

My sleep schedule is completely knocked off from staying up and watching Olympic events. I’m totally jazzed that Gabby Douglas took All-Around honors, McKayla Moroney got a silver on vault, and that Aly Raisman cleaned up on beam (bronze) and floor (gold). I’d love it if the commentators would shut up about Jordyn Wieber not taking home anything but the team gold — she’s being totally graceful about it and I wish others would learn from her example. I’d also like people to shut up with all the criticism about Gabby Douglas’ hair and that she didn’t take home any medals in the apparatus finals. Unless said commentators can do the gymnastics these women (and men) are doing, they need to shut the duck up.

— 2 —

Speaking of Olympics, did you see the story about the 4×400 relay member for the USA who broke his leg and still finished his part of the relay? Dude… Manteo Mitchell, you are freaking awesome. Way to go regarding finishing!!! We still qualified in the 4×400 relay despite all this though I’m not sure who we’re going to get who can sub for him. Oh well… we’ll figure something out.

— 3 —

I saw my FNP on Monday and she figured out the source of my lingering ear pain. The raging ear infection was healed with some Augmentin last week but I was having lingering pain. Her examination showed that my ears were normal but that my sinuses were still inflamed and thus putting pressure on my ears. Some Sudafed and Flonase have taken care of it.

— 4 —

I haven’t shared my thoughts on the shooting at the Sikh temple in Wisconsin. I find this picture that was going around Facebook sums them up quite nicely.

Don't shoot people.

The blogging Tasoni of Coptic Dad and Mom also has some worthwhile thoughts.

— 5 —

I still have no regrets for not eating at Chick-Fil-A last week. I don’t feel that eating a certain restaurant’s food should demonstrate how well I treat my fellow human being. Regardless of how I feel about same-sex marriage, I also don’t believe companies should take political stances like that. Besides, I was sick and not feeling like putting myself out to drive 20 minutes to Chick-Fil-A even if I wanted to eat there.

— 6 —

It’s supposed to be 107 this weekend. I hate heat. I have to go out tomorrow for lots of errands but I think I’ll stay in on Saturday and enjoy my A/C. Did I mention that I hate heat?

— 7 —

My church has a booth at the Tuesday night farmer’s market in town for the next few weeks. This means that I’ll be baking a few batches of cookies this weekend. I’ll probably make the dough on Saturday and bake on Sunday while Daniel is down for his nap or something. I also have to package them with the pertinent labels that have our church’s contact info and service times. Oy vey…

For more Quick Takes, visit Jen at ConversionDiary.Com.

The Simple Woman’s Daybook: August 6, 2012

Posted on by

Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY August 6, 2012

Outside my window… dark. It’s supposed to get to 106F this week.

I am thinking… that I wish I had time to be part of the Sacramento Choral Society. In case I wasn’t clear in my Quick Takes, I could pass the audition to join without a problem and I’ve sung a chunk of the repertoire for their first concert but… it isn’t meant to be this season. I just have too much on my plate.

I am thankful… for my weekend with my parents.

In the kitchen… nothing to speak of.

I am wearing… black ratty Arabic shirt and black running shorts.

I am creating… this entry and some crocheting.

I am going… to hope I can get some decent crocheting done on the way down to LA in a week or so.

I am wondering… how long it’s going to take to smog the car and replace the tires that need to be replaced on Friday.

I am reading… Death on Demand by Carolyn Hart which I finished during my doctor’s appointment today.

I am hoping… the pain in my ears goes down. My FNP says the infection in my ears is gone and that the residual pain is my sinuses being inflammed and putting pressure on my ears.

I am looking forward to… a fairly quiet week. Daniel was supposed to have a playdate tomorrow at Fairy Tale Town but I’m not up to taking him.

I am learning that I have to rest myself and not push myself too much when I’m sick with a sinus infection or anything else that is sapping my strength.

Around the house… dishes and vacuuming to do.

I am pondering… how to deal with someone who is seriously irritating me.

A favorite quote for today… “It is better to forget about yourself altogether.” — C.S. Lewis

One of my favorite things… Crystal Light peach tea.

A few plans for the rest of the week: car-related errands on Friday and making cookie dough at some point.

Hosted by The Simple Woman’s Daybook

7 Quick Takes: Olympic Musings and Purging My Brain

Posted on by

7 Quick Takes

I was blogathonning last week so I didn’t get to purge my brain at all. For that reason, these quick takes might not be especially quick.

— 1 —

OMG… the Opening Ceremonies!!!!! The Opening Ceremonies were awesome even if NBC messed up its coverage of them. I would have preferred if Cwm Rhondda was sung in Welsh but the children’s choirs were breathtaking. I loved the transition from the pastoral scene to the smoke stacks to the firing of the Olympic Rings. The queen was a wonderful Bond girl and Rowan Atkinson was delightful. I had a great time critiquing the uniforms chosen by each country for the Parade of Nations and I loved the way they lit the torch. It was so much better than Beijing.

— 2 —

One thing that blew me away was how beautiful the Muslim women athletes were. I’m not going to lie — I was live-tweeting my thoughts on the uniforms. Canada didn’t seem to get the memo on dressing up for the occasion and Germany’s uniforms were… different. The Muslim women, though, were just stunning. The Jordanian flag bearer wasn’t wearing her hijab but her dress was beautiful. Other Muslim women were wearing the most beautiful scarves and dresses or pants suits that just looked so elegant. Given that there’s all the hullabaloo over laws in Europe banning the burqa, it was awesome to see the athletes proving that they could be faithful to their beliefs and still just blow everyone else out of the water in terms of dress. I also loved the bermuda shorts of the delegation from Bermuda, the saris on the Indian women (again, very elegant), and the dashikis worn by the African women.

— 3 —

I am thankful to have seen the events that I’ve been able to watch. I was home sick from church on Sunday so I got to watch the women’s road race. It was making me jealous because I would have loved to be in the British countryside. All of the gymnastics has been worth watching, especially seeing the British men get bronze on Monday and the US women mopping the floor with the competition to win the gold on Tuesday. Swimming has yet to disappoint (I’m also happy to see new blood on the podium though I’m still a fan of Michael Phelps) and I’ve loved soccer and the diving competitions.

— 4 —

There’s a new priest’s wife in town! Coptic Dad & Mom is the blog of a tasoni, the wife of a Coptic Orthodox priest’s wife. For those not in the know, Copts are the native Christians in Egypt who had been there for centuries when the Muslims arrived. Their spiritual head used to be Pope Shenouda (I just discovered that he passed away a few months ago), their Holy See is Alexandria, and their worship language is Coptic. There’s a Wikipedia article on them here though I don’t know how accurate it is in total. Go visit her blog and show her some love.

— 5 —

For kicks, I looked into what I’d have to do to become part of the Sacramento Choral Society. I’ve been missing being part of a choir like that and in the event that I could get all my ducks in a row, I wanted to see if it would be even possible to pass the audition. Their fall concert is Fauré’s Requiem and Vivaldi’s Gloria. Yeah… been there, sung those — or at least I’ve sung the Requiem and the first movement of the Vivaldi. It made it bearable to listen to someone blather on about their (non-existent) musical skills last night because I knew that I could actually be part of an elite choir in Sacramento if I so chose.

— 6 —

I actually hit the point where I don’t really care about watching Big Brother tonight. I’ll probably go online and check out the ending to see who goes home and if the coaches get to play, but the thought of watching Mike Boogie, Joe, and Frank has kind of turned me off of this season. There are also other things I could be watching this week besides a show in which people try to lie/cheat/screw each other out of $500K.

— 7 —

Tomorrow is looking like a long day. Daniel has an audiology appointment tomorrow morning and then I have to come home and pack really quickly for San Jose. I’ve basically got to be at my parents’ house by 3 which means I want to leave my house by 12:30. Hopefully Jon can get some laundry done while I’m gone tomorrow morning…

For more Quick Takes, visit Jen at ConversionDiary.Com.

The Simple Woman’s Daybook: July 16, 2012

Posted on by

Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY July 16, 2012

Outside my window… dark and actually chilly with a breeze. I guess we’re supposed to be getting a storm in?

I am thinking… that I need to get up and get some stuff off the bookshelf but I’m also really tired. I really need to learn telepathy.

I am thankful… that it has cooled down a lot. I wasn’t looking forward to triple digits this week.

In the kitchen… good question. I need to go make myself some dinner.

I am wearing… gray maternity shirt and boxers.

I am creating… various things for Brett’s Blogathon 2012

I am going… to hopefully be able to avoid UCD Medical Center this week.

I am wondering… what tomorrow will hold for me.

I am reading… Death on Demand by Carolyn Hart. I haven’t really done reading lately.

I am hoping… Daniel is able to sleep off his fever tonight and can go to school tomorrow so I’ll get to go to Morning Prayer. (Selfish I know, but it’s keeping me sane at the moment.)

I am looking forward to… my massage on Friday and a BBQ with my brother (and hopefully my sister-in-law) on Saturday.

Around the house… the usual Cheerios tornado.

I am pondering… too many things mentally. I might have to journal them out of my brain.

A favorite quote for today… “Relying on God has to begin all over again every day as if nothing had yet been done.” — C.S. Lewis

One of my favorite things… Coca Cola

A few plans for the rest of the week: Morning Prayer if I don’t have a sick kid, massage on Friday, and time with the evil twin on Saturday.

Hosted by The Simple Woman’s Daybook

7 Quick Takes: All Star Game, Whining, and A New Addiction

Posted on by

7 Quick Takes

— 1 —

I finally did the post-mortem on my 101-in-1001 list… two months after my deadline. Recapping for those who don’t usually read my blog, I completed 19/101 goals and that means a $82 donation to charity. (As an incentive to complete as many goals as possible, I donate $1 for every goal I fail to complete.) My charity choice this time: Brett’s adoption account at Reece’s Rainbow. I’m glad that I accomplished almost 20% of my goals this time — they’re all about bettering myself so it’s all good in the end.

— 2 —

I got just a *little* bit mouthy while watching the All Star Game on Tuesday. All those who follow me on Twitter are probably saying, “A little, Jen?” Can I help it if the evil teams are all in the American League? I mean, you’ve got the Texas Rangers, the New York Yankees (evil personified), and the LA Angels. (OK… technically, they’re the Anaheim Angels. They’re still evil.) I do enjoy a good skunking and this was a glorious one. I’m also amazed they let the minor league team from Oakland send players. [/trash-talk]

— 3 —

I hate heat. It has been in the triple digits here. Did I mention that I hate heat? I think that relocating to Alaska for summers would be a capital idea. Did I mention that this heat is oppressive and that I’d prefer it to be -20F?

— 4 —

Seriously, why is me flipping on my turn signal to change lanes a sign that people should speed up and keep me from passing? Someone did this to me last weekend in Elk Grove and nearly caused an accident. As I swerved back into my lane, the driver flipped me off. Um yeah… YOU almost caused the accident and you’re flipping *me* off? Great one. They’re freaking lucky that I didn’t call the police and report them for reckless driving.

— 5 —

We have an abundance of mulberry pollen. Did I mention that I’m allergic to mulberry pollen? This has led to lots of sneezing on my part as the A/C has to be on (and seems to be the entry point of it into the house) and Daniel is laughing uproariously every time I sneeze.

— 6 —

Oh great… I have a new addiction. I managed to kill 90 minutes of Daniel’s naptime today by surfing PassiveAggressiveNotes.Com. This is not a good thing for me to discover, especially as I think I could outdo some of them. (I learned passive-aggressiveness from the BEST.)

— 7 —

Argh. I did not find a short URL where you can donate to Brett’s adoption account. My bad. Meanwhile, you have 19 days to go if you want to participate in the Bottle Challenge and 15 days until Brett’s Blogathon 2012.

For more Quick Takes, visit Jen at ConversionDiary.Com.

The Simple Woman’s Daybook: July 9, 2012

Posted on by

Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY July 9, 2012

Outside my window… 93F right now. They’re predicting triple digits for the next few days so I really hope they’re wrong.

I am thinking… about this.

I am thankful… for Morning Prayer with Anne+ this morning.

In the kitchen… trying to use up contents of the freezer.

I am wearing… Survivor shirt, running shorts, and my Celtic cross necklace.

I am creating… this entry and stuff for Brett’s Blogathon 2012.

I am going… to stay inside with the A/C until we cool down.

I am wondering… how much of a nap I can get when I finish this entry.

I am reading… Death on Demand by Carolyn Hart.

I am hoping… my IBS issues settle down.

I am looking forward to… Ladies’ Night Out this week.

Around the house… dishes, dishes, and more dishes.

I am pondering… too many things internally. I need to purge my brain.

A favorite quote for today… “When all the suns and nebulae have passed away, each one of you will still be alive.” — C.S. Lewis

One of my favorite things… Crystal Light Peach Tea.

A few plans for the rest of the week: Morning Prayer tomorrow and Wednesday, Ladies’ Night Out on Wednesday night, Bible study on Thursday, and an Elk Grove trip on Friday.

Hosted by The Simple Woman’s Daybook

The Simple Woman’s Daybook: July 2, 2012

Posted on by

Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY July 2, 2012

Outside my window… sunny and hot — probably near 90F.

I am thinking… that I hate heat.

I am thankful… for Morning Prayer with Anne.

In the kitchen… English muffin pizzas.

I am wearing… cammo green shirt and capri sweats.

I am creating… crocheting and a topic list for Brett’s Blogathon 2012.

I am going… to probably have to take Daniel for a drive to pacify him because he woke up grumpy from his nap.

I am wondering… if I’m going to make it until 9:00 (Daniel’s bedtime) — I’m sleepy.

I am reading… Sugarplum Dead by Carolyn Hart and the latest Leslie Meier book.

I am hoping… Daniel calms down and I don’t need to take him for a drive.

I am looking forward to… Ladies’ Night Out on the 11th.

Around the house… a Cheerios tornado on the living room floor among other things.

I am pondering… many things internally.

A favorite quote for today… “You don??t have a soul. You are a soul. You have a body.” — C. S. Lewis

One of my favorite things… sitting in the quiet and listening to the birds sing in the morning.

A few plans for the rest of the week: Bible study on Thursday and various errands throughout the week.

A peek into my day… My bottle for the Bottle Challenge for Brett.

My bottle for the Bottle Challenge for Brett

Hosted by The Simple Woman’s Daybook