Pinewood Castle

Which Midwife Are You?

 

Take this quiz to find out!

 

Turns out I am Cynthia. Quiet, focused, and sensitive.

 

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If you haven't seen Call the Midwife, episodes are online here!

The Weekend Entertainment

My kids are enjoying this more than Bored Shorts!

The Slow Mo Guys:

 

The Lent of Reckoning

I feel as though my jaw has been dropping more often in recent weeks, with "Really?" resounding in my beguiled brain. Little things, little crosses to carry. Opportunities to pray and practice patience.

The Holy Father abdicated? Has this news sunk in yet? Of course I offer my prayers of thanksgiving for his eight years of service, as well as the upcoming conclave. I trust in Pope Benedict's wisdom, and the beautiful  example he is setting of accepting one's limitations. It just seems like there are some lines here to read between, and I am obviously not qualified to read between those lines. I have read a few articles that offer insight and plausible explanations, but I do not wish to get into that here. What else can we the faithful do but pray, hope, and trust?

(Source: Joe Heller)

Dan Stevens gave up Downton Abbey? His role as Matthew Crawley was monopolizing his career and that was a bad thing? I must not understand the acting profession - one would think he would be grateful, humbled. All I know is that Downton fans cheered this couple on through three seasons, were thrilled to see the leading couple finally married with a male heir and the future of the estate secured. Broody Matthew was elated to be a father, china doll Mary was basking in her maternal glow, the Crawley family had returned from Duneagle with a renewed appreciation of their secure estate and familial relationships, and the next thing we see is Matthew trapped under his roadster oozing blood.

I love this show, but because it's not literature, we don't know where it's going from season to season (unless we read the spoilers). I cried when Ethel gave up her son, but I am too put off to cry about Matthew. And this tragedy would have been averted if he had let himself be chauffeured. And since Season 4 picks up six months later, we won't even get to see how well Michelle Dockery's acting skills can portray a genuine broken heart. Humph.

 Don't like this either? Sign the petition at the White House.gov website to protest!

Did I really give up meat for Lent? How I ever lived as a vegetarian for the better part of my 20's I'll never know. I don't remember feeling this hungry. Everything on our lenten menu seems like a variation of bread and cheese. At least thick, meaty, halibut fillets on the menu for Monday, but . . .

A pound of halibut costs how much? Our local supermarket had several packages of halibut steaks, but with only one little 3 ounce hunk for $9.99 in each tray. So, $70 to feed our family halibut? Really? We went with cod.

Speaking of the cost of food these days,

Cream of tartar costs how much? This bottle set us back $7.03 . Really? Evidently the spice trade is still lucrative. Spices and tea as well . . .

A pound of tea at Teavana costs how much? A few weeks ago I set foot in a suburban shop and unknowingly asked for one bag of coco-caramel sea salt and a bag of youthberry.  My jaw dropped when my $95 bill was announced over the cash register. {heart attack} No, I explained, my husband would kill me if I spent nearly $100 on tea. I left the store with 4 ounces instead of 24 oz, and resolved to buy from Adagio next time. Speaking of hot beverages . . .

A grande caffe mocha at Starbucks costs way too much. I don't even know how much ($4?), because I usually reload my card $20 at a time and use that so I don't have to think about how much it costs to splurge on a mocha. It also comes with 260 calories, and 8 grams of fat. I'm thinking that Lent would be a great time to forgo this once-a-week-or-so habit. These bottled teas are a bit of a splurge, but way less than a mocha and only 40 calories.

I stocked up and plan to grab one from the fridge to enjoy while chauffeuring. And speaking of driving . . .

Have I really gained that much weight? I did not quite recognize myself in the mirror at the hair salon Monday. I was relieved when our consultation was over and she covered me with the big black cape. Fifteen pounds since September (really?), and yes my thyroid checks out ok. Must be the extra mochas and all the driving . . . 

Our family uses an average of 132 gallons of gasoline a month? According to our fuel bill and average mileage, we drive about 97 miles a day between the two of us. Makes me wish we could move a little closer to the places we go, but . . .

Did he really say that? It's been nearly ten years, but I still hear the words of our (former) financial planner like it was yesterday, "No, I really don't believe the housing bubble will burst." And speaking of bursting . . .

There's really nothing serious causing the pain where my gallbladder used to be? It feels like a balloon is being blown up in my upper right abdomen and is about to pop.  After six months of sucking it up I went to the doctor and endured a battery of tests. So far, everything is normal and I am being told this discomfort could be merely from scar tissue. Here I thought I was dying or something. Nope, just have to die to myself and the discomforts of an aging and out-of-shape body.

Is that man is out jogging in the freezing cold again? Seriously, I see the same gentleman in a Nike jacket with an orange hood out running pretty much every time I drive in or out of town. That's dedication! Reminds me of a news segment I saw (that I can't seem to find on the web to share) featuring a couple who walks around Lake Harriet every day. They have a custom made mitten-built-for-two and their eyebrows and eyelashes were all frosted over and hanging with icicles. Really? People do that?

I admire their stamina, but personally I would rather exercise indoors during the winter months. After my haircut, I did pay a visit to the YMCA, gathered info, and submitted my plea to The Chief for consideration. Ultimatum, really - everyone helps clean the basement (and keep it clean) so I can use my treadmill or I fork over time and money to go to the Y.

Is winter is not over yet? But I hear the birds singing in the morning! I see ice fishing houses being hauled off lakes! These are signs of spring in Minnesota - but the forecast is definitely not looking like spring!

 

Little things, little crosses to carry. Opportunities to pray and practice patience.

A Little Daybook of Sorts

Another week of life, of being a wife and mom, home-schooling, etc.

TGIF:: Grateful for another weekend, I am rather looking forward to the rain in the forecast, curling up on the sofa by the fire to read and knit, and creating some deliciousness in the kitchen. First we will  shuttle two of our young musicians to two different Out & About locations in the city to join other MacPhail students in sharing music with nursing home residents. After going out to lunch with our respective groups, I will chauffeur dancer to the first of her three Nutcracker rehearsals while the guys go bowling with the cello group. 

Right Now:: For the first time ever I am blogging from a Starbucks. With a decaf caffè americano and a laptop on my tiny bistro table I feel like a real 21st century adult passing the time while my eldest is at ballet mastering piqué turns, chaînés turns, and pirouettes. Not that I have any clue what those are (I had to look them up on YouTube) and not that I actually paid $4 for a decaf (I turned in my empty Starbucks whole bean coffee bag for a free coffee), so I'm not really feeling that cool but it beats sitting in the van alone while I wait.

In the Near Future:: Somewhat suddenly, there is a real possibility of my husband taking a job requiring 50% travel. For the last thirteen years he has intentionally spared our family of this lifestyle. One one hand, he would enjoy working with cutting-edge technology. The family budget would balance, allowing our children to continue participation in the arts and our savings account to recuperate after a slew of extra expenses. He would earn frequent flyer miles for the first time ever. Travel would decrease significantly after one year, and when he is not traveling he would work from home.

On the other hand, we would miss him! Without family near enough to help out, my weekdays would be significantly more challenging. I would have much less time for myself (not that I have much as it is), have to hire a sitter more often, and ask friends to help carpool whenever possible. I would sorely miss all of my husband's big and little acts of service during the week. The kids would definitely have additional duties around the house, especially the morning duties my husband usually takes care of like helping with the little ones, finding exactly the right bowl and spoon for their cereal, pouring milk on their cereal the right way, and making French-press coffee. Not to mention raking leaves, taking out the trash, and snow shoveling. So please keep us in your prayers this weekend as we discern whether this opportunity is an answer to prayer - or a temptation.

Health:: Black mold headaches - goodbye! The source of the basement mustiness (that only I seemed to be able to detect) has been found in the water softener. It is now disassembled and placed outside for a good bleaching. Sleep - hello! Sarah's post reminded me that safe sleep supplements do exist so I ordered a bottle of 5-HTP and am once more able to sleep past 2 am.

Be Still My Heart:: Ted Jacobs has a new CD! If you have read my blog for more than a year or so you know how much I love A Children's Garden of Songs and The Days Gone By. A few weeks ago I thought to check Amazon for any new offerings by this beloved musician and voilà, Back to the Garden Volume 2 has been out for a whole year already.

Shall I tell you how I was able to order four copies (three for gifts)? It is because some amazingly loyal and thoughtful reader bought her husband's power tools through one of my Amazon Associate book links and blessed me with a $90 credit. Thank you. What an incentive to continue to share recommendations with you. Keep it coming! But do click through my real blog site (not Google reader) for the credit to apply. I appreciate this so much and promise to do better about paying it forward when I place Amazon orders.

Good Reads:: TypePad's typlists are still messed up and I still can't seem to add any books to my sidebars. My husband is dying to fix this bug for them - it's been defunct far too long. When it works again I will add From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankenweiler. Everyone enjoyed this fun read - Claudia's attention to grammar, Jamie's use of "baloney" and the climatic ah-ha moment, the Michelangelo rabbit trail, and the overall themes of growing up, motivation to learn, and the joy of keeping some secrets to yourself rather than blabbing everything you know for attention.

Next up: The Hobbit. Can you believe I have never read Tolkien? My dh, a Tolkien connoisseur, is relieved that I have decided to "scratch the surface" of this author's opus. I am planning to use this Progeny Press study guide orally, unless anyone has a more Socratic guide to recommend.

I am Missing:: Call the Midwife. Last time I checked, it's on here Sundays at 7pm. This is prime time for after-dinner clean-up and getting little ones ready for bed. Without a DVR I will have to reintroduce myself to the VCR. Unless I can watch it online. I think I can . . . and hopefully this will lessen the disappointment of not being able to see Downton Abbey until January, though one very special reader sent me a super-secret link to episode one of season three. I can't seem to find any other episodes, even after enlisting my husband's help. There must be a way my cousin in Kent can Skype it or something, but we haven't figured out the details. *sigh* 

On that note, I am going to check out that Call the Midwife link and turn in so I can rest up for the tomorrow's outing. Have a great weekend and enjoy autumn before the snow flies!

 

Thankful Thursday

Thankful for . . .

A sweet four year old girl in the house. Only a four year old girl would stand outside the shower waiting to tell you she dreamt she was a pink princess with a pink flower in her hair. Precious.

The rare mornings I wake to the sound of Classical MPR at 6 am instead of crying at 5 am.

Day 5 of weaning my Little Prince. This is redefining our relationship. It's very bittersweet not knowing if I will ever nurse a baby again, or if my kids will ever see me nurse one of their little siblings again. After 8-9 total years of nursing, this is a significant milestone.

Being invited to a very creative and fun Sibling Shower.

Miracles!

The Crawley sisters who finally graced the halls of Downton Abbey with some musical talent. What a magical scene that was when Matthew walked in unexpetedly!

A clean and organized bill desk basket with pretty file folders and notebooks. (Files: Correspondence, Upcoming Events, VIP Catalogs, Grocery.Coupons, Photos, Vacation Ideas, Current Year Home-school Receipts, Health Info, Neighborhood Directory, Violin Receipts, Recipes to Try.)

Joe's clean and better organized basement shop.

Eating our Way through the USA with my 4th grader.

Having a 6th grader who actually wants to take charge of making home-made pizza every Friday. "It's easy!" she claims.

And an almond flour pizza crust that tastes much better than the cauliflower one I last tried.

Finally figuring out once and for all that milk, excess sugar, and wheat make me feel really bad.

Three weeks in a row of very productive home-schooling.

A break next week for testing and field trips.

Plans finish the school year by the end of August even with one week off at Easter, one week around Memorial Day, two weeks in June, two in July, and two in August.

Wool socks.

We are finally getting some snow here and there. We may even get enough cover to justify getting out the snow books (like the ones on my January Bookshelf sidebar). Last year at this time we had received 60" of snow - this year only 12".

A helpful toddler.

Mr. Rogers free with Amazon Prime.

The neighbor boy (who owns the BB gun that shot out the glass in our back door) came over with his father to apologize and take full responsibility of replacing and paying for the replacement glass.

And lastly - the Big Sister who teaches her baby brother how to play piano!

Movie Night

I apologize ahead of time for not posting pics or links about this movie but I don't want to attract  visitors (not regular readers) that might be looking for blog posts or links on this topic with the intent of leaving harassing comments.

The movie is Food, Inc. Have you seen it? Heard of it? It is now available through Netflix and I am so glad to have finally seen it. Last year I read The Omnivore's Delimma by Michael Pollan and had my eyes opened pretty wide about the food industry. Even though I have been convicted about organic food for years, this book provided so more more information about what really goes on in factory farms than I ever wanted to know. Food Inc. brought it all to life. 

Here are a few things I learned:

• The role of corn and oil in our food production.
• All Cows Eat Grass - why the mnemonic device we learned for bass clef space notes is no longer true.
• What e.coli has to do with feeding cows corn.
• The politics of industrial farming.
• How the seed company really works (Monsanto).
• How animals are treated in meat packing plants as well as why so many illegals are employed by them.
• Why chickens are grown in crowded windowless barns and can walk only a few steps before falling.
• Why most food is not honestly priced.
• Why organic food might cost more, but is honestly priced.

And much more.

Before you tune out please know that I know that you are doing your best to provide food for your family within your budget. I am too. I still buy the majority of our food from the regular grocery store and from Costco. I know you shop at Sam's and I am not recommending that you quit any time soon. Trying to buy all our food locally would require more time and gasoline than most moms have.

Even if you have no intention of changing your shopping habits, I would still recommend this movie to anyone who buys food, just so you know where the food comes from and how it is produced. It is temping to bury your head in the sand and resist learning things that might disturb you as you shop, but I truly believe in making informed decisions. Stores do cater to customer's buying habits and this DVD shows that our grocery dollars still count as votes.

If you are inspired to do something different after watching this DVD, here are a few easy ways to begin:

• If you have an extra freezer, buy a 1/4  or 1/2 of a grass fed cow from a local farmer.
• Take a drive on some county roads and find a place to buy fresh eggs, preferably eggs from hens who spend time in the pasture. Or look for better eggs in the natural section of the grocery store. Even $4 a dozen is a good price considering all the protein and nutrients you get.
• Check around for local farmers with non-enclosed. non-antibiotic chickens.
• Schedule time to visit a Farmer's Market when they start up again.
• Find other places to buy local food. This is easier in some states than others. Here in MN we have  Minnesota Grown directory and website. 
• Patronize locally owned restaurants that use fresh, local ingredients.
• Join a food buying club like Azure Standard for discounts on organic food. Buying items like grains, beans, canned goods and frozen fruit in bulk can result in big savings.

Last year I began by just asking around and ended up with a two page list of local food sources to share with the members of my book club and buying club. A little effort can go a long way!

Movies on My Mind - Fireproof

Just in time for St. Valentine's Day - Fireproof is now out on DVD!

This is another movie about which I missed the hype when it first arrived in theaters. My neighbor, Amber, told me about it and was excited to begin "fireproofing" her marriage.

If possible, I cried more during this movie than Tess of the D'Urbervilles. But I also laughed just as much.

This is not a story about falling in love for the first time, it is about falling in love again after being on the brink of divorce. The couple in the movie had grown apart emotionally and financially. The tears in this story are shed out of compassion because most couples will identify with some of the problems with which this couple struggles. They also come from the joy in seeing how the husband is transformed and the wife's hardened heart softens. They come from seeing the influence of strong mentors in the workplace and the family. The tears come from seeing how strong a person can be using their own will power but how much more powerful is the grace and love of God working in a person's life. And, I have to add, a good father - the father in this movie was pivotal.

The laughter - well, since the husband in this movie is a firefighter we see the pranks pulled on rookies and the hysterical personalities in the group. This movie was made by Southern Baptist brothers who know how to lighten the message with plenty of laughter.

The commentary for this movie tells how one church in Georgia worked together to make this movie, of the previous movies they have produced (Facing the Giants and Flywheel) as well as the back-stories of the actors and sets. Martial counsel is also given in golden nuggets - about God's design for marriage. About a man's desire for respect and woman's desire to be loved. About the difference between a contract (you are mine) and a covenant (I give myself to you).

My three favorite parts of this film:

• the ending
• the commentary
• the "While I'm Waiting" montage

The Love Dare is available and I would love to hear from anyone who is trying this at home!

*** the makers of this film purposely made this movie acceptable for older children to watch.

Movies on My Mind - Sweet Land

Two days ago I had a lengthy post about Sweet Land all ready to go and then lost it somehow - I must not have actually clicked "save" thinking that Typepad now has an auto-save feature.  After some groans and some arghs I figured that it was meant to be, that perhaps I had vented a little too openly about the feelings this movie stirred up in me concerning my own experience in Minnesota.

I hope you will be equally satisfied with a shortened and much more charitable version!

This began as an independent film of a a story by Will Weaver. When it first came out in 2007 I heard about how good it was, that it was filmed in Minnesota and that it was a carbon neutral film. I am so grateful for what-ever-it-was that prompted me to send it to the top of my Netflix queue a few months ago!

This is a story of a Norwegian bachelor farmer in the 1920's who send for a mail order bride. He thinks he is getting a Norwegian bride and while the lady who arrives had been living in Norway she was really German. Due to post WWI suspicions about Germans (she must be a spy or a prostitute, etc) the parson will not marry the couple, not the courthouse. Other than the groom-to-be's best friend, the community shuns her. After staying a few nights at the friend's farmhouse trying to sleep in a room with umpteen children she returns to her intended and takes a bedroom upstairs while the farmer sleeps in the barn.

The beauty of this film lies not only in the love story of how this couple eventually unites but also in it's portrayal of the immigrant experience. This lady is beautiful and intelligent, a lover of music and poetry but nobody seems to care to get to know her at all because she is outside of their comfort zone. (this, btw, is the part with which I most identify as an former musician Bohemian married to a central Minnesota farm boy) The once sympathetic parson eventually turns on her after catching her trying to dance with the farmer to the music on the Victrola she painstakingly brought from Europe(and they weren't even touching). They dance, she cooks for him, they are practically living together and to top it all off her coffee is too black! Such heavy accusations.

After he denounces them from the pulpit, time and the opportunity to show loyalty brings the story to a touching climax. Despite the modest (for most movies) million dollar budget, this film is amazingly RICH in feeling and beauty and artful cinematography. Personally, I watched it several times, with and with commentary.

I would imagine that any kindred spirit of mine will enjoy this film as much as I.

*** Some have asked of this movie would be suitable for children to watch. Personally, kids as young as mine would be bored but teenagers might enjoy it. There is a scene with partial nudity when the farmer walks in on the gal who is bathing in a tub in the kitchen. He is caught by surprise and she runs for clothing. While the context is mostly innocent, it would be most prudent to FF!

Wuthering Heights

It was a little, shall we say, steamy for my taste. Adaptations like this one leave me longing for respectable Jane Austen characters. I have to say I agree with Austenprose's review on this one.

Lovers of Literature

Don't forget - Masterpiece Theater, Wuthering Heights, 8pm, PBS.

Five Hankie TV

Did anyone watch Masterpiece Theater the last two weeks?

Excellent reviews of Tess can be found here: Part One and Part Two.

Some parts were far fetched to me like Alec's reversion to his old self and the dramatic murder towards the end left me feeling incredulous and disenchanted. And of course the tragedy that the main characters turned their backs on God and the Church (of England) reduced my sympathy for the members of the love triangle. (although more understandable in Tess' case) In spite of these detractions, the overall excellence of the story and production coupled with Tess's courageous spirit left me a sobbing heap on the family room floor with a sopping wet sleeve. Five hankies would have been more lady-like!

If you missed it, it is available here for viewing online through the 18th.