Friday, December 4, 2009

Seven Quick Takes Friday--volume 60


One.
We have a sudden temperature drop, and it finally is beginning to feel a bit wintery around here. This morning, as I turned up the heat and poured myself a cup of hot coffee, I thought, as I periodically do, about how terrible it must be to be cold and hungry and to be unable to do anything about it. Even worse to be old and poor and hungry. I thank God for food and shelter, and beg him to grant my family at least these most basic things for the remainder of our lives.

Two.
I just purchased a needle felting starter kit for myself and for the kids (the younger ones can try wet-felting), and I am very excited about trying it out, and I just want to say here that I NEED ANOTHER HOBBY LIKE I NEED MORE DEAD APPLIANCES!

Three.
I haven't lived in Germany since 1986 (omigosh, has it really been that long?), but I get homesick for Europe--and Munich in particular-- just about ever year around this time. I miss the Christkindlmarkt all lit up at night beneath the Gothic town hall, the steaming mulled wine, the hot sugared almonds and roasted chestnuts.
Four.
It is amazingly hard to find the perfect alarm clock. The night-time light-up feature went out on mine (yes, add that to the ever-growing list of things that are biting the dust around here), and I have yet to find the perfect one. It must be affordable, have batteries or at least a battery backup (we have frequent power outages), light up at night, not tip over too easily, be easy to set, not have to have the alarm reset every night and not have an obnoxious alarm nor be too loud. Tall order, eh? Wish me luck in my quest. I'll probably come across the Holy Grail first.

Five.
Along with the cold weather comes the inevitable bane of the homeschooling mother: the dreaded increase in indoor time and the consequent increase in bickering. I have asked my children to be aware of what it is they are giving Jesus for His birthday this year, and since Our Lord has no need of "stuff", to perhaps consider working on their patience and good will this Advent to make Him a worthy gift. I, of course, am working on that myself...

Six.
Let it be noted, in the cause of anthropological study, that it is much easier for the kids and me to appear patient and of good will when they spend more time in front of videos and computer games. This is, of course, a sham and not at all the genuine article. I'm working on that as well...

Seven.
Seven Quick Takes takes me longer than just about any other post. I am off to make beds and start school for the day.

See some more Quick--or Not-So-Quick--Takes at Jennifer's Conversion Diary. And have a great weekend!

3 comments:

  1. Why are you not using that perfect alarm clock you already have? No reason in the world for a mom of a new one to be up and about before baby is--that little pink bundle should be used to her full capability! (grin)

    I thought piles of boots and mismatched mittens and extra socks were the bane of a mom's cold weather exsistence--and teeny gloves that small people need help getting every single little finger one by one by one by one into perfectly-before pulling them off to go get a drink first so you can do it again and then they can pull it off to go potty...

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  2. As always, I enjoy your posts. I, too, have been thinking of the homeless and all those who are going through difficult times with the current economy... been thinking a lot about our military, too. My sister's husband has been out of work, and they did not know how they were going to have Christmas for their two young boys. My very loving, generous husband paid for everything they had on layaway plus lots of goodies for their stockings... after my 16 y/o old daughter said she would give up her Christmas for her small cousins! My two older boys volunteered to do the same. Having a loved one in such a situation really puts a "face" on what many are going through right now. How disappointed my younger children would be to not have Christmas gifts under the tree...
    Sorry so long and rambling! Peace JMJ

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  3. Quick takes do take a long time to write, don't they? I guess it helps us to stretch our writing abilities a bit. I like your blog snow.

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