Singing again

This morning was the first choir practice and mass in my new parish. I had spoken with the choir director a couple of weeks ago, and the senior choir started up this morning. They rehearse during the hour and a half before the mass, in one of the meeting rooms in the basement of the church.

There were somewhere between 15 and 20 of us this morning. We picked up our music for the next few Sundays and a copy of the choir version of the hymnal. After warming up, we ran through the mass parts that we are using from the hymnal that, as it turns out, were written by the late husband of one of my fellow altos.

This morning's music included the very familiar setting of "God So Loved the World" by John Stainer, and a beautiful (but unfamiliar to me) "If Ye Love Me" by Thomas Tallis.

The opening hymn was a sadly emasculated "Praise My Soul the King of Heaven". It has been stripped of all masculine gender words in the hymnbook. Now, I'm not particularly for or against inclusive language, but this hymn is a classic and it just felt wrong to have to constantly keep my eye on the words.

It felt fantastic to be singing again, and I'm looking forward to a great season. We have some terrific singers in the choir, one who sings with the COC and at least one who is with St. Michael's Choir School.

Singing again

This morning was the first choir practice and mass in my new parish. I had spoken with the choir director a couple of weeks ago, and the senior choir started up this morning. They rehearse during the hour and a half before the mass, in one of the meeting rooms in the basement of the church.

There were somewhere between 15 and 20 of us this morning. We picked up our music for the next few Sundays and a copy of the choir version of the hymnal. After warming up, we ran through the mass parts that we are using from the hymnal that, as it turns out, were written by the late husband of one of my fellow altos.

This morning's music included the very familiar setting of "God So Loved the World" by John Stainer, and a beautiful (but unfamiliar to me) "If Ye Love Me" by Thomas Tallis.

The opening hymn was a sadly emasculated "Praise My Soul the King of Heaven". It has been stripped of all masculine gender words in the hymnbook. Now, I'm not particularly for or against inclusive language, but this hymn is a classic and it just felt wrong to have to constantly keep my eye on the words.

It felt fantastic to be singing again, and I'm looking forward to a great season. We have some terrific singers in the choir, one who sings with the COC and at least one who is with St. Michael's Choir School.

Family stuff

Alex ran in his first cross-country meet with his new school yesterday. He ran in the Senior Boys 6030m race and came in the top third of the pack of 340 boys. So he felt pretty good about that. He ran 5k races with his US high school team so it's hard to compare times, but he said that his pace was better in this race than previously, so that's great.

This morning, Michael is off to Japanese school, and Z and Alex are participating in a day of service from 10 am to 2 pm sponsored by Zs company. They are helping out with a crew at one of the the Boys and Girls clubs, doing some painting and repairs. I'm at home, doing my own version of community service...climbing Mount Washmore.

Family stuff

Alex ran in his first cross-country meet with his new school yesterday. He ran in the Senior Boys 6030m race and came in the top third of the pack of 340 boys. So he felt pretty good about that. He ran 5k races with his US high school team so it's hard to compare times, but he said that his pace was better in this race than previously, so that's great.

This morning, Michael is off to Japanese school, and Z and Alex are participating in a day of service from 10 am to 2 pm sponsored by Zs company. They are helping out with a crew at one of the the Boys and Girls clubs, doing some painting and repairs. I'm at home, doing my own version of community service...climbing Mount Washmore.

Nifty way to recycle plastic bags.

Check this out. And note the instructions to do it in a well-ventilated room.

Next time I have the iron on, I'm going to give it a try.

Nifty way to recycle plastic bags.

Check this out. And note the instructions to do it in a well-ventilated room.

Next time I have the iron on, I'm going to give it a try.

Hear Hear

Excellent piece by Peggy Noonan in today's WSJ. It begins:

You don't want to judge Christ by Christians, someone once said. He is perfect, they are not.

In a similar way you don't want to judge capitalism by capitalists, or the legitimacy of democracy by the Democrats, or the vitality of our republic by the Republicans. You have to take the thing pure and in itself, while allowing for the flaws and waywardness of its practitioners.

I say this because here in America we have reached a funny pass. People are doing and saying odd things as if they don't know the meaning of the thing they say they stand for. In particular I mean we used to be proud of whom we allowed to speak, and now are leaning toward defining ourselves by whom we don't speak to and will not allow to speak. This is not progress.

Conservatives on campus are shouted down. A crusader against illegal immigration is rushed off the stage at Columbia University. Great newspapers give ad breaks to groups with which they feel an ideological affinity, but turn away ads from those they do not, such as antiabortion groups. And they call this a business.

So much silencing. It seems so weak, so out of keeping with who we are. We love the tradition of free speech in America, but you don't want to judge its health by what we've done with it lately, or to it.

Go and read the rest.

H/T to Mark Shea.

Food find of the day

I drove the lads to school today because Michael had two large bags of food to take to take in for their annual (Canadian) Thanksgiving food drive. Their school is right beside a very large Loblaws so I took the opportunity to pick up a few things.

Michael has recently discovered frozen No-Name Bean and Cheese Burritos to be an excellent snack, comprised of his essential food groups (protein and fibre) and none of the forbidden (meat). He had eaten the last one for breakfast and had dutifully added them to my grocery list.

There they were in the freezer case, priced at $1.19. Each. I love the boy, but that seemed like a lot of cash for a single mass-produced burrito, so I passed them by. On my way home, I dropped into the No Frills around the corner from home. It's a Loblaws company store that tends to be smaller, with less decor, less choice, and better prices. Sure 'nuff...those exact same burritos were $0.77. I scored a box of 12.

Hear Hear

Excellent piece by Peggy Noonan in today's WSJ. It begins:

You don't want to judge Christ by Christians, someone once said. He is perfect, they are not.

In a similar way you don't want to judge capitalism by capitalists, or the legitimacy of democracy by the Democrats, or the vitality of our republic by the Republicans. You have to take the thing pure and in itself, while allowing for the flaws and waywardness of its practitioners.

I say this because here in America we have reached a funny pass. People are doing and saying odd things as if they don't know the meaning of the thing they say they stand for. In particular I mean we used to be proud of whom we allowed to speak, and now are leaning toward defining ourselves by whom we don't speak to and will not allow to speak. This is not progress.

Conservatives on campus are shouted down. A crusader against illegal immigration is rushed off the stage at Columbia University. Great newspapers give ad breaks to groups with which they feel an ideological affinity, but turn away ads from those they do not, such as antiabortion groups. And they call this a business.

So much silencing. It seems so weak, so out of keeping with who we are. We love the tradition of free speech in America, but you don't want to judge its health by what we've done with it lately, or to it.

Go and read the rest.

H/T to Mark Shea.

Food find of the day

I drove the lads to school today because Michael had two large bags of food to take to take in for their annual (Canadian) Thanksgiving food drive. Their school is right beside a very large Loblaws so I took the opportunity to pick up a few things.

Michael has recently discovered frozen No-Name Bean and Cheese Burritos to be an excellent snack, comprised of his essential food groups (protein and fibre) and none of the forbidden (meat). He had eaten the last one for breakfast and had dutifully added them to my grocery list.

There they were in the freezer case, priced at $1.19. Each. I love the boy, but that seemed like a lot of cash for a single mass-produced burrito, so I passed them by. On my way home, I dropped into the No Frills around the corner from home. It's a Loblaws company store that tends to be smaller, with less decor, less choice, and better prices. Sure 'nuff...those exact same burritos were $0.77. I scored a box of 12.

Picture of the Day

I'm looking for a Martial Arts school for Michael and found one online that's just a few blocks from us.

This picture caught my eye. For those of you who need to squint to read it, it says

"Teach your kids to fend off
bullies, muggers
and countless hours of television."

Sounds like our kind of school.

Book haul

I went into my local Half Price Books to look for Pilgrim's Progress, and came out with a few impulse buys. These included:

• Rumer Godden's The Greengage Summer. I finished In This House of Brede and Kingfishers Catch Fire recently and am on a bit of a roll. I look for her stuff whenever I'm in a used book store.
• Harper Collins Spiritual Classics Meister Eckhart: Selections from His Essential Writings
• Another Campion novel by Margery Allingham called Black Plumes.
  

The best way to spend an evening.

I write this intending no offense to my beautiful sons, with whom I spend most of my evenings, breaking up fights, nagging about dish duty and dog walking, and monitoring homework. It's all part of that domestic bliss, you know? But sometimes the best way to spend an evening is with good conversation and some food that you didn't have to cook or clean up.

I spent a couple of fun hours last night with a friend from way back, and a regular reader here at Domestic Bliss. Karen and I have known each other since the beginning of (our) time. Her father was the minister at the church my family attended. While we didn't go to the same schools, we went to youth group and church, so saw each other weekly. We both went to the same university, in the town that her family moved to when her father was called to a new congregation. We lived together for a summer, she got married the year before I did, and has two beautiful children, as do I :) . We both moved to the US about the same time with our spouse's jobs, and both came back a few years later and ended up in the same city. And it seems that, like me, she is also J.S. Bach.

We've kept in touch sporadically over the years, thanks almost 100% to her. There are some people in life that you feel that you can just catch up with, almost instantaneously, even after not having spoken for years. Karen is one of those people. She has a very positive attitude about life, and is just fun to be around.

We met at an Afghani restaurant east of downtown, called Bamiyan Kabob. Karen and I each have a vegetarian child and head for the meat when we're out, so we both chose the Kofta Kabob (spiced ground beef) dinner, that came with rice, salad, and a kind of crispy naan. The restaurant is halal, and the place filled up as soon as the sun went down and the Ramadan fast was over. The owners are the parents of one of Karen's kindergarten students from a previous year and were very gracious. Let's just say that it was a VERY cheap date!

Picture of the Day

I'm looking for a Martial Arts school for Michael and found one online that's just a few blocks from us.

This picture caught my eye. For those of you who need to squint to read it, it says

"Teach your kids to fend off
bullies, muggers
and countless hours of television."

Sounds like our kind of school.

Book haul

I went into my local Half Price Books to look for Pilgrim's Progress, and came out with a few impulse buys. These included:

• Rumer Godden's The Greengage Summer. I finished In This House of Brede and Kingfishers Catch Fire recently and am on a bit of a roll. I look for her stuff whenever I'm in a used book store.
• Harper Collins Spiritual Classics Meister Eckhart: Selections from His Essential Writings
• Another Campion novel by Margery Allingham called Black Plumes.
  

The best way to spend an evening.

I write this intending no offense to my beautiful sons, with whom I spend most of my evenings, breaking up fights, nagging about dish duty and dog walking, and monitoring homework. It's all part of that domestic bliss, you know? But sometimes the best way to spend an evening is with good conversation and some food that you didn't have to cook or clean up.

I spent a couple of fun hours last night with a friend from way back, and a regular reader here at Domestic Bliss. Karen and I have known each other since the beginning of (our) time. Her father was the minister at the church my family attended. While we didn't go to the same schools, we went to youth group and church, so saw each other weekly. We both went to the same university, in the town that her family moved to when her father was called to a new congregation. We lived together for a summer, she got married the year before I did, and has two beautiful children, as do I :) . We both moved to the US about the same time with our spouse's jobs, and both came back a few years later and ended up in the same city. And it seems that, like me, she is also J.S. Bach.

We've kept in touch sporadically over the years, thanks almost 100% to her. There are some people in life that you feel that you can just catch up with, almost instantaneously, even after not having spoken for years. Karen is one of those people. She has a very positive attitude about life, and is just fun to be around.

We met at an Afghani restaurant east of downtown, called Bamiyan Kabob. Karen and I each have a vegetarian child and head for the meat when we're out, so we both chose the Kofta Kabob (spiced ground beef) dinner, that came with rice, salad, and a kind of crispy naan. The restaurant is halal, and the place filled up as soon as the sun went down and the Ramadan fast was over. The owners are the parents of one of Karen's kindergarten students from a previous year and were very gracious. Let's just say that it was a VERY cheap date!

Fall into Reading Part 2.

A couple of days ago, I committed to making some more progress on Don Quixote as part of Fall into Reading. I finished up Rumer Godden's Kingfishers Catch Fire yesterday and pulled Don Q. off the shelf, opened it to where I left off and.....I'm just not going to do it. Hey, I'm 47 and there are a lot of good books left to read. I'm going to replace it with Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels. It's the third book in chronologically-ordered The Well-Educated Mind list. I skipped John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress, but managed to pick up a copy this afternoon at the local Half Price Bookstore. I'll read that next.

Family baptism - and a question

I attended the baptism of a cousin's daughter on Sunday. It had been a while since I'd attended a Presbyterian worship service (the denom of my youth). Apart from a little weirdness of "battling music groups" (choir and organ on one side of the front of the church; guitar, piano and two singers on the other; alternating songs and styles), the service was very nice, with an excellent sermon from an enthusiastic and engaging minister.

I had one beef with the baptism though and I have been trying to determine whether it was done in proper form. After the parents made their promise, "members in good standing of {Name} Presbyterian Church" were asked to stand and make their promise, and then recite the Apostles Creed. That left all other Christians in the sanctuary, including Catholics, Baptists, Pentecostals, many of whom are very closely related to the child, sitting in their seats. It just felt so divisive to the Body of Christ.

I don't remember the promise as being anything other than to support the parents in raising the child in the faith, and so I don't understand why others who care for this child couldn't make the promise. Does anyone know if this is usual?

What is necessary?

This very humbling list, posted at Civilization of Love, is an examen to help us answer that question.

Thanks to Vox Nova.

Fall into Reading Part 2.

A couple of days ago, I committed to making some more progress on Don Quixote as part of Fall into Reading. I finished up Rumer Godden's Kingfishers Catch Fire yesterday and pulled Don Q. off the shelf, opened it to where I left off and.....I'm just not going to do it. Hey, I'm 47 and there are a lot of good books left to read. I'm going to replace it with Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels. It's the third book in chronologically-ordered The Well-Educated Mind list. I skipped John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress, but managed to pick up a copy this afternoon at the local Half Price Bookstore. I'll read that next.

Family baptism - and a question

I attended the baptism of a cousin's daughter on Sunday. It had been a while since I'd attended a Presbyterian worship service (the denom of my youth). Apart from a little weirdness of "battling music groups" (choir and organ on one side of the front of the church; guitar, piano and two singers on the other; alternating songs and styles), the service was very nice, with an excellent sermon from an enthusiastic and engaging minister.

I had one beef with the baptism though and I have been trying to determine whether it was done in proper form. After the parents made their promise, "members in good standing of {Name} Presbyterian Church" were asked to stand and make their promise, and then recite the Apostles Creed. That left all other Christians in the sanctuary, including Catholics, Baptists, Pentecostals, many of whom are very closely related to the child, sitting in their seats. It just felt so divisive to the Body of Christ.

I don't remember the promise as being anything other than to support the parents in raising the child in the faith, and so I don't understand why others who care for this child couldn't make the promise. Does anyone know if this is usual?

What is necessary?

This very humbling list, posted at Civilization of Love, is an examen to help us answer that question.

Thanks to Vox Nova.

Which Classical Composer am I?

You scored as J.S. Bach, You are dedicated and intelligent. People who know you don't understand how you get it all done, and you never give up on life. J.S. Bach 85% Chopin 60% Wagner 55% Brahms 55% Beethoven 55% Schumann 50% Schubert 45% Handel 45% Haydn 45% Hector Berlioz 40% Mozart 30% Liszt 30% Tchaikovsky 25% Which classical composer are you? created with QuizFarm.com .

H/T to T.O. at LAMLand.

--edited to fix the formatting--jeb

Which Classical Composer am I?

You scored as J.S. Bach, You are dedicated and intelligent. People who know you don't understand how you get it all done, and you never give up on life. J.S. Bach 85% Chopin 60% Wagner 55% Brahms 55% Beethoven 55% Schumann 50% Schubert 45% Handel 45% Haydn 45% Hector Berlioz 40% Mozart 30% Liszt 30% Tchaikovsky 25% Which classical composer are you? created with QuizFarm.com .

H/T to T.O. at LAMLand.

--edited to fix the formatting--jeb

So, what are your long term goals?

"I'm working on my five year plan. I just need to pick a font."
-- Chuck in "Chuck"

So, what are your long term goals?

"I'm working on my five year plan. I just need to pick a font."
-- Chuck in "Chuck"

Second Harvest

The boys' school has a great program to deal with uneaten portions of their lunches. Through Second Harvest, the students are encouraged to leave fruit, sandwiches, and snacks in special bins that are delivered to a 40-bed shelter for youth across the street. The students can also volunteer to deliver the food as part of the extensive community service program the school facilitates.

I also learned on the weekend that it was some students from this school that started the Out of the Cold Program in Toronto twenty years ago. Our parish participates in the program, but due to much needed repair work in the church basement, we're looking for a another neighborhood church to provide space this winter.

Medieval helpdesk with English subtitles

H/T to Mental Multivitamin.

Second Harvest

The boys' school has a great program to deal with uneaten portions of their lunches. Through Second Harvest, the students are encouraged to leave fruit, sandwiches, and snacks in special bins that are delivered to a 40-bed shelter for youth across the street. The students can also volunteer to deliver the food as part of the extensive community service program the school facilitates.

I also learned on the weekend that it was some students from this school that started the Out of the Cold Program in Toronto twenty years ago. Our parish participates in the program, but due to much needed repair work in the church basement, we're looking for a another neighborhood church to provide space this winter.

Medieval helpdesk with English subtitles

H/T to Mental Multivitamin.

Food Time Line

Very cool.

Food Time Line

Very cool.

What should I read next, you ponder?

This site can help.

Fall Into Reading

Katrina over at Callapidder Days has initiated a Fall Reading Challenge.

My committment is to read the following:

Margery Allingham's More Work for the Undertaker. I started reading Allingham's Albert Campion Mysteries this summer, and picked up this one at a used book store when I was in Berkeley visiting my brother.

Brian Moore's The Statement. I started this a few months ago and put it down during the move as I needed something a little lighter. I'm only a few pages in, but it's a short book so I'll get it done.

Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World by Joanne Weaver. This was recommended to me by some of the ladies in my Familia group last year, and it sounds like just what I need as we move towards a busy time of year.

Finally, I need to make some more progress on Cervantes' Don Quixote. I'm just over a third of the way through the 100+ pages in my edition, and it's the first book in The Well Educated Mind novel list. I'd really like to move on to the next book, but I've gotta get through this one.

What should I read next, you ponder?

This site can help.

Menu Plan Monday

Monday: Fish and chips, mixed veggies
Tuesday: Lasagna (made with veggie ground beef), caesar salad, garlic bread
Wednesday: Leftovers and/or toasted western sandwiches (need to use up some eggs)
Thursday: Shrimp korma, rice, mixed beans, naan
Friday: Cook's night off = order in or eat out.

Fall Into Reading

Katrina over at Callapidder Days has initiated a Fall Reading Challenge.

My committment is to read the following:

Margery Allingham's More Work for the Undertaker. I started reading Allingham's Albert Campion Mysteries this summer, and picked up this one at a used book store when I was in Berkeley visiting my brother.

Brian Moore's The Statement. I started this a few months ago and put it down during the move as I needed something a little lighter. I'm only a few pages in, but it's a short book so I'll get it done.

Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World by Joanne Weaver. This was recommended to me by some of the ladies in my Familia group last year, and it sounds like just what I need as we move towards a busy time of year.

Finally, I need to make some more progress on Cervantes' Don Quixote. I'm just over a third of the way through the 100+ pages in my edition, and it's the first book in The Well Educated Mind novel list. I'd really like to move on to the next book, but I've gotta get through this one.

A wonderful evening's entertainment

A friend suggested that we go see The Drowsy Chaperone with her on Saturday and it was one of the most enjoyable evenings of theatre I can remember. And I've been to a lot of theatre over the years.

It's got a very interesting history, it's path from stag party entertainment to Fringe Festival to multiple Tony Awards on Broadway and now back to Toronto. But the bottom line is that it is clever, funny, and entertaining. The Toronto Star gave it 4 out of 4 stars this morning, and it deserves nothing less.

Menu Plan Monday

Monday: Fish and chips, mixed veggies
Tuesday: Lasagna (made with veggie ground beef), caesar salad, garlic bread
Wednesday: Leftovers and/or toasted western sandwiches (need to use up some eggs)
Thursday: Shrimp korma, rice, mixed beans, naan
Friday: Cook's night off = order in or eat out.

A wonderful evening's entertainment

A friend suggested that we go see The Drowsy Chaperone with her on Saturday and it was one of the most enjoyable evenings of theatre I can remember. And I've been to a lot of theatre over the years.

It's got a very interesting history, it's path from stag party entertainment to Fringe Festival to multiple Tony Awards on Broadway and now back to Toronto. But the bottom line is that it is clever, funny, and entertaining. The Toronto Star gave it 4 out of 4 stars this morning, and it deserves nothing less.

I pulled three yard waste bags of....

....oregano out of my garden this morning. I have delayed doing this because I don't tolerate the sun very well. This morning was bright but cool...perfect for working outside.

Apparently, a number of years ago, we had a beautiful garden. The previous owners let it go wild (pretty much). One of my neighbours told me that the man of the house would just mow the whole thing down when it got too overgrown.

It had been taken over by oregano. This plant had covered most of the intended ground cover (vinca minor), and had grown up some of the plants, getting intertwined with them. Because we are on a corner lot, the garden is all out there for glorious display to everyone in the neighborhood, so this morning I finally tackled the oregano...what I'm thinking of as the top layer of disarray.

On our small lot I pulled three tightly packed yard waste bags full of it. My back is going to be sore tomorrow (it's feeling sore as I speak), but it looks miles better. Now I just have to identify which of the remaining plants are weeds, what should be pruned, and what should be left alone.

Satuday School

For some months now, Michael has wanted to learn Japanese and has been asking me to find him lessons. This comes out of his love of videogames, manga, and all things Asian, Japanese in particular.

I wasn't able locate lessons anywhere remotely close to us in Atlanta, and with the impending move, I just put it off. Two weeks ago, we registered at the Toronto Japanese Language School, and he had his first class last week. His (beginner) group is more or less a "teen" class, with about 18 students ranging in age from 10 to 20 years. The class runs for tw0-and-a-half hours every Saturday morning, through the school year. It was clear at registration that the classes are a very multi-cultural bunch, and not only children of Japanese parents as I thought they might be. He very much enjoyed the first class and headed off this morning for the second one, at which he'll get his textbook.

He wants to live and work in Japan. This is one of the steps toward that goal, that he has identified on his own, and that he is actively pursuing. I am very gratified to see him working towards goals at his young age. He is becoming more and more independent, in a very healthy way, and I am very proud of him.

I pulled three yard waste bags of....

....oregano out of my garden this morning. I have delayed doing this because I don't tolerate the sun very well. This morning was bright but cool...perfect for working outside.

Apparently, a number of years ago, we had a beautiful garden. The previous owners let it go wild (pretty much). One of my neighbours told me that the man of the house would just mow the whole thing down when it got too overgrown.

It had been taken over by oregano. This plant had covered most of the intended ground cover (vinca minor), and had grown up some of the plants, getting intertwined with them. Because we are on a corner lot, the garden is all out there for glorious display to everyone in the neighborhood, so this morning I finally tackled the oregano...what I'm thinking of as the top layer of disarray.

On our small lot I pulled three tightly packed yard waste bags full of it. My back is going to be sore tomorrow (it's feeling sore as I speak), but it looks miles better. Now I just have to identify which of the remaining plants are weeds, what should be pruned, and what should be left alone.

Satuday School

For some months now, Michael has wanted to learn Japanese and has been asking me to find him lessons. This comes out of his love of videogames, manga, and all things Asian, Japanese in particular.

I wasn't able locate lessons anywhere remotely close to us in Atlanta, and with the impending move, I just put it off. Two weeks ago, we registered at the Toronto Japanese Language School, and he had his first class last week. His (beginner) group is more or less a "teen" class, with about 18 students ranging in age from 10 to 20 years. The class runs for tw0-and-a-half hours every Saturday morning, through the school year. It was clear at registration that the classes are a very multi-cultural bunch, and not only children of Japanese parents as I thought they might be. He very much enjoyed the first class and headed off this morning for the second one, at which he'll get his textbook.

He wants to live and work in Japan. This is one of the steps toward that goal, that he has identified on his own, and that he is actively pursuing. I am very gratified to see him working towards goals at his young age. He is becoming more and more independent, in a very healthy way, and I am very proud of him.

Meet the Teacher Night

Z and I headed down to the lads' school last night to meet their teachers. It was the usual routine, although very well organized as all the events at this school have been. We picked up the boys' timetables in the front hall, were offered bottles of water and a map of the school, and there were students in uniform throughout the school directing parents to classrooms. We rotated through the student schedule in 12 minute "periods" which gave the teachers time to introduce themselves, talk a little about the curriculum, and cover some high points regarding expectations of students.

Z took Mike's schedule and I took Alex's. All the teachers I met were clearly competent, enthusiastic about teaching at the school, enjoy the boys, and like the subjects they teach. Z felt the same way about Mike's teachers, although he has fewer as he's in Grade 7 so he has the same teacher for five of his eight subjects (Math, Geography, English, Religion, and PE.)

The year is going pretty well so far, particularly for Michael. Because he joined the school at an entry year, all the boys are new and the teachers have been working with them to instill good habits and a community feeling. He has been getting up early on his own, which is totally out of character, getting dressed and making his lunch, so that he can get to school early and organize himself. He's joined the Lego Robotics club, and has been staying after school to do his homework in the library with some friends.

It's been a little slower start for Alex, as there are very few new students above Grade 9, and so no real easing into the school community. But he enjoys his teachers, is running cross country, and is making some friends.

Tivo's back!

I got the Tivo up and running a few days ago. There were some technical details to work out to get it hooked up here in Canada, for both hardware and software.

On the hardware front, we managed to lose a key cable in our move, an IR blaster. It allows the Tivo to change the channel on our cable box by simulating a remote control's infrared beam. I had to order it from the US, which meant setting up a new Paypal account (since our American one doesn't apply any more).

Tivo service is now available in Canada but it required reprogramming the box, and a really hard reboot. I had to perform some secret sequence of button pushes, get the Tivo equivalent of the blue-screen-of-death (it's green), and then restart.

It's working like a dream now.

Tivo has added some new features, including Guru Guides, that you can configure to automatically record programs recommended by various sources. I have the AFI 100 Years 100 Movies guide which has grabbed two movies so far. I also have Salon.com guide, which has picked up a very interesting little series from AMC called Mad Men. It's about a bunch of advertising executives in 1960s New York. Lots of smoking and drinking and women making dinner in foofy dresses and heels. I've seen two episodes to date, but I hope the Tivo picks up some reruns because there's some back-story that I can't figure out.

With the new television season starting, Tivo means we can watch our favorite shows, skip the ads, and not be tied to the broadcast schedule.

Meet the Teacher Night

Z and I headed down to the lads' school last night to meet their teachers. It was the usual routine, although very well organized as all the events at this school have been. We picked up the boys' timetables in the front hall, were offered bottles of water and a map of the school, and there were students in uniform throughout the school directing parents to classrooms. We rotated through the student schedule in 12 minute "periods" which gave the teachers time to introduce themselves, talk a little about the curriculum, and cover some high points regarding expectations of students.

Z took Mike's schedule and I took Alex's. All the teachers I met were clearly competent, enthusiastic about teaching at the school, enjoy the boys, and like the subjects they teach. Z felt the same way about Mike's teachers, although he has fewer as he's in Grade 7 so he has the same teacher for five of his eight subjects (Math, Geography, English, Religion, and PE.)

The year is going pretty well so far, particularly for Michael. Because he joined the school at an entry year, all the boys are new and the teachers have been working with them to instill good habits and a community feeling. He has been getting up early on his own, which is totally out of character, getting dressed and making his lunch, so that he can get to school early and organize himself. He's joined the Lego Robotics club, and has been staying after school to do his homework in the library with some friends.

It's been a little slower start for Alex, as there are very few new students above Grade 9, and so no real easing into the school community. But he enjoys his teachers, is running cross country, and is making some friends.

Tivo's back!

I got the Tivo up and running a few days ago. There were some technical details to work out to get it hooked up here in Canada, for both hardware and software.

On the hardware front, we managed to lose a key cable in our move, an IR blaster. It allows the Tivo to change the channel on our cable box by simulating a remote control's infrared beam. I had to order it from the US, which meant setting up a new Paypal account (since our American one doesn't apply any more).

Tivo service is now available in Canada but it required reprogramming the box, and a really hard reboot. I had to perform some secret sequence of button pushes, get the Tivo equivalent of the blue-screen-of-death (it's green), and then restart.

It's working like a dream now.

Tivo has added some new features, including Guru Guides, that you can configure to automatically record programs recommended by various sources. I have the AFI 100 Years 100 Movies guide which has grabbed two movies so far. I also have Salon.com guide, which has picked up a very interesting little series from AMC called Mad Men. It's about a bunch of advertising executives in 1960s New York. Lots of smoking and drinking and women making dinner in foofy dresses and heels. I've seen two episodes to date, but I hope the Tivo picks up some reruns because there's some back-story that I can't figure out.

With the new television season starting, Tivo means we can watch our favorite shows, skip the ads, and not be tied to the broadcast schedule.

So now I know how bad my hair REALLY was

I finally got my hair cut today.

For those of you who don't know me in person, I have short, thick hair that grows exceptionally fast. I have only had 3 hair stylists in my 25 years of adulthood. They knew my hair, cut it well, and I didn't have to worry about freaky things happening.

For some reason, with this move to Toronto, I haven't been able to get around to booking a hair appointment. There are a number of chi-chi hair salons on the major street near me and I just couldn't bring myself to pay the big $$ every five weeks for a cut and colour. I made an appointment at a salon in Kingston while I was at the cottage during the summer and it was just okay. Nothing great. Wierdishly flat long hair. Overly red colour.

I walked into a salon in my neighborhood this morning after running errands and made an appointment for a cut this afternoon. I just took whoever they gave me and she was GREAT! I didn't do a colour because they wanted me to meet with the technician first. After the cut, at least three people in the salon mentioned how great my hair looked, how it took years off my face, and suited me much better than the grown-out shaggy mess that I walked in with. (Okay, they didn't say that last part but it was strongly implied.)

I feel normal again. A hair cut shouldn't do this, but I realise that I was quite affected by how pathetic my head has looked these past weeks.

Next week, we do colour.

The Band - The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down (Live) 1976

I was driving back from the Household Hazardous Waste depot this morning, lighter by 8 cans of ancient paint left by the previous owners of the house, when this song came on the radio.

We just moved back from living in Atlanta for 5 years and, truth be told, the city is full of northerners. But for whatever reason, this song just choked me up. There is still incredible sadness and bitterness in the South about their history.

So now I know how bad my hair REALLY was

I finally got my hair cut today.

For those of you who don't know me in person, I have short, thick hair that grows exceptionally fast. I have only had 3 hair stylists in my 25 years of adulthood. They knew my hair, cut it well, and I didn't have to worry about freaky things happening.

For some reason, with this move to Toronto, I haven't been able to get around to booking a hair appointment. There are a number of chi-chi hair salons on the major street near me and I just couldn't bring myself to pay the big $$ every five weeks for a cut and colour. I made an appointment at a salon in Kingston while I was at the cottage during the summer and it was just okay. Nothing great. Wierdishly flat long hair. Overly red colour.

I walked into a salon in my neighborhood this morning after running errands and made an appointment for a cut this afternoon. I just took whoever they gave me and she was GREAT! I didn't do a colour because they wanted me to meet with the technician first. After the cut, at least three people in the salon mentioned how great my hair looked, how it took years off my face, and suited me much better than the grown-out shaggy mess that I walked in with. (Okay, they didn't say that last part but it was strongly implied.)

I feel normal again. A hair cut shouldn't do this, but I realise that I was quite affected by how pathetic my head has looked these past weeks.

Next week, we do colour.

The Band - The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down (Live) 1976

I was driving back from the Household Hazardous Waste depot this morning, lighter by 8 cans of ancient paint left by the previous owners of the house, when this song came on the radio.

We just moved back from living in Atlanta for 5 years and, truth be told, the city is full of northerners. But for whatever reason, this song just choked me up. There is still incredible sadness and bitterness in the South about their history.

Creating a Minimalist Home

This is what I want to have.

From Zen Habits.

Creating a Minimalist Home

This is what I want to have.

From Zen Habits.

Speaking of numbers....

....the IRS owes us over $6000 US from our 2006 taxes. We filed our return by the April deadline, and haven't received a cheque (well, "check" I guess). I went online to find out what the status of the refund was and was told to call the office. The person who helped me stated that there was some information missing, but she couldn't figure out what it was. After 30 minutes, she stated that she would "write herself an inquiry that would give her 30 days to get back to me." She told me that even though there is information missing, there is no evidence that a formal notice has gone out to me to collect said information.

My suspicion is that my new Social Security Number has thrown them for a loop. Up until last year, the boys and I had Tax ID numbers which are SSN-like number for those who don't have the right to have a "real" SSN (like those on alien visas). We got our SSNs right after we got Permanent Residence, and that's what we used to file our taxes. My guess is that there is some disconnect with our file due to this change.

I will be very welcome when it arrives.

So now I know my numbers

I had my "FA" at Curves today, which I assumed meant "fitness assessment" but it actually means "figure analysis". Ouchie. The gal was very nice and nothing hurt. Except psychically. Those numbers. BMI and Body Fat Percentage. I'm in the "overweight" category for the former (no surprise) and the "poor to very poor" category for the latter. (Okay, a little surprise.) And I couldn't even bring myself to look at the various circumference measurements that she was writing down in my file.

The good news is that early next month they're bringing in a new computerized system that personalizes your workout on each machine. It will be great...motivating and all that. Tomorrow I go for my first workout and then I'm flying.

My goal is to get 15 pounds off by Christmas.

There, I said it.

Speaking of numbers....

....the IRS owes us over $6000 US from our 2006 taxes. We filed our return by the April deadline, and haven't received a cheque (well, "check" I guess). I went online to find out what the status of the refund was and was told to call the office. The person who helped me stated that there was some information missing, but she couldn't figure out what it was. After 30 minutes, she stated that she would "write herself an inquiry that would give her 30 days to get back to me." She told me that even though there is information missing, there is no evidence that a formal notice has gone out to me to collect said information.

My suspicion is that my new Social Security Number has thrown them for a loop. Up until last year, the boys and I had Tax ID numbers which are SSN-like number for those who don't have the right to have a "real" SSN (like those on alien visas). We got our SSNs right after we got Permanent Residence, and that's what we used to file our taxes. My guess is that there is some disconnect with our file due to this change.

I will be very welcome when it arrives.

So now I know my numbers

I had my "FA" at Curves today, which I assumed meant "fitness assessment" but it actually means "figure analysis". Ouchie. The gal was very nice and nothing hurt. Except psychically. Those numbers. BMI and Body Fat Percentage. I'm in the "overweight" category for the former (no surprise) and the "poor to very poor" category for the latter. (Okay, a little surprise.) And I couldn't even bring myself to look at the various circumference measurements that she was writing down in my file.

The good news is that early next month they're bringing in a new computerized system that personalizes your workout on each machine. It will be great...motivating and all that. Tomorrow I go for my first workout and then I'm flying.

My goal is to get 15 pounds off by Christmas.

There, I said it.

Clean Air

Our house has been incredibly dusty, particularly since the weather cooled and the windows are open. We have never had the amount of dust and grime that we seem to get now, except during the spring pollen season in Atlanta. My suspicion is that the dust is due to all the construction of new homes in the neighborhood. (You can buy a little "tear down" and build a micro-castle, and sell it for triple the purchase price in these parts.) In particular, a demolition took place yesterday just up the street and I suspect it generated a ton of airborne grime.

Z had been complaining about the dust in his throat and we started talking about getting an air filter for the house. Last night it dawned on me that we have a whole house filter attached to our furnace, but since the furnace has not been on, it hasn't been running. I started it up last night, with the furnace off/fan on, and Z noticed a big difference by this morning.

Unfortunately, it means keeping the windows closed.

Daily dusting and vacuuming vs. windows closed? My choice is clear. I can sit on the porch or walk the dog if I need some fresh air!

Clean Air

Our house has been incredibly dusty, particularly since the weather cooled and the windows are open. We have never had the amount of dust and grime that we seem to get now, except during the spring pollen season in Atlanta. My suspicion is that the dust is due to all the construction of new homes in the neighborhood. (You can buy a little "tear down" and build a micro-castle, and sell it for triple the purchase price in these parts.) In particular, a demolition took place yesterday just up the street and I suspect it generated a ton of airborne grime.

Z had been complaining about the dust in his throat and we started talking about getting an air filter for the house. Last night it dawned on me that we have a whole house filter attached to our furnace, but since the furnace has not been on, it hasn't been running. I started it up last night, with the furnace off/fan on, and Z noticed a big difference by this morning.

Unfortunately, it means keeping the windows closed.

Daily dusting and vacuuming vs. windows closed? My choice is clear. I can sit on the porch or walk the dog if I need some fresh air!

What do you think?

Our parish bulletin had an ad for a Women's Weekend Retreat at a local center in October. I am "due" for a retreat, NEED a retreat, have promised myself a retreat.

The title is "Discovering the Mystic in All of Us". Does that sound icky to anyone else? My flake-sensors are on alert.

My past (Catholic) retreat experience has been at Ignatius House in Atlanta, silent, preached, orthodox for the most part. The weekends were great times of renewal for me, and that's what I need right now?

Suggestions? In the Toronto area?

What do you think?

Our parish bulletin had an ad for a Women's Weekend Retreat at a local center in October. I am "due" for a retreat, NEED a retreat, have promised myself a retreat.

The title is "Discovering the Mystic in All of Us". Does that sound icky to anyone else? My flake-sensors are on alert.

My past (Catholic) retreat experience has been at Ignatius House in Atlanta, silent, preached, orthodox for the most part. The weekends were great times of renewal for me, and that's what I need right now?

Suggestions? In the Toronto area?

A just reward? I think so.

I mentioned my little housekeeping checklist a few days ago, the one that reminds me to do all those little chores that I wouldn't even think about. One of the nice aspects to it is a gentle approach to cleaning out the fridge. One or two shelves a week, or something like that.

I neglected to do a few of the items on last weeks list, one of which was "Clean bottom shelf of fridge." Today, I was instructed to clean out the fridge drawers so I did said shelf at the same time, and what did I find way back there? A half bar of French white chocolate with hazelnuts, carefully wrapped, that must have slipped down the back of the shelves. A little prize for housekeeping diligence, I would say. Had it for my lunch time dessert with a big glass of milk.

Family in town

Our niece/cousin who currently lives in Montreal visited with us this weekend. She's 20-something, the daughter of Zs older sister who lives in a suburb of Paris. She works for a French (dairy products) company and is in Canada for a few years.

She arrived Saturday at noon and after lunch, we took her on a little car tour of Toronto. Having only lived here for a couple of months, I'm not very good at the car tour...I don't really have a route that shows off the glamour that is Toronto (ahem) but we hit some of the high points. Z arrived home from his week in Asia around supper and we headed off for shawarma in North York. The restaurant was recommended by a commenter at Chowhound, but it was very ordinary. We haven't found anywhere in Toronto that beats any of a half dozen Shawarma places in Ottawa, including our fave, Shawarma Palace.

Sunday we lounged around before mass at 11:30, and then went downtown to Milestones for an extremely yummy brunch. (I had the Grilled Shrimp California Benedict: Spicy house-made avocado salsa, double-smoked bacon, large grilled shrimp, covered with hollandaise, with homefries, and an espresso.) A quick browse at Chapters and then we dropped niece and older son off at the CN tower. (Ignore the bits at the link that say it's the world's tallest structure....Dubai just pwned us.) M, Z and I went for a walk along the waterfront, unsuccessfully seeking gelato. A beautifully sunny and breezy afternoon.

Menu Plan Monday

Feeding my men works best if I plan ahead, particularly since M has become vegetarian. Here is my plan for this week.

Monday: Shrimp Tikka Masala, rice, veggies, cucumber-yogurt sauce, naan
Tuesday: Vegetarian tacos, Refried Beans, Salad
Wednesday: Cheese cannelloni, salad, garlic bread
Thursday: Burgers (choice of beef or bean), salad
Friday: Cook's night off = order in or eat out.

A just reward? I think so.

I mentioned my little housekeeping checklist a few days ago, the one that reminds me to do all those little chores that I wouldn't even think about. One of the nice aspects to it is a gentle approach to cleaning out the fridge. One or two shelves a week, or something like that.

I neglected to do a few of the items on last weeks list, one of which was "Clean bottom shelf of fridge." Today, I was instructed to clean out the fridge drawers so I did said shelf at the same time, and what did I find way back there? A half bar of French white chocolate with hazelnuts, carefully wrapped, that must have slipped down the back of the shelves. A little prize for housekeeping diligence, I would say. Had it for my lunch time dessert with a big glass of milk.

Family in town

Our niece/cousin who currently lives in Montreal visited with us this weekend. She's 20-something, the daughter of Zs older sister who lives in a suburb of Paris. She works for a French (dairy products) company and is in Canada for a few years.

She arrived Saturday at noon and after lunch, we took her on a little car tour of Toronto. Having only lived here for a couple of months, I'm not very good at the car tour...I don't really have a route that shows off the glamour that is Toronto (ahem) but we hit some of the high points. Z arrived home from his week in Asia around supper and we headed off for shawarma in North York. The restaurant was recommended by a commenter at Chowhound, but it was very ordinary. We haven't found anywhere in Toronto that beats any of a half dozen Shawarma places in Ottawa, including our fave, Shawarma Palace.

Sunday we lounged around before mass at 11:30, and then went downtown to Milestones for an extremely yummy brunch. (I had the Grilled Shrimp California Benedict: Spicy house-made avocado salsa, double-smoked bacon, large grilled shrimp, covered with hollandaise, with homefries, and an espresso.) A quick browse at Chapters and then we dropped niece and older son off at the CN tower. (Ignore the bits at the link that say it's the world's tallest structure....Dubai just pwned us.) M, Z and I went for a walk along the waterfront, unsuccessfully seeking gelato. A beautifully sunny and breezy afternoon.

Menu Plan Monday

Feeding my men works best if I plan ahead, particularly since M has become vegetarian. Here is my plan for this week.

Monday: Shrimp Tikka Masala, rice, veggies, cucumber-yogurt sauce, naan
Tuesday: Vegetarian tacos, Refried Beans, Salad
Wednesday: Cheese cannelloni, salad, garlic bread
Thursday: Burgers (choice of beef or bean), salad
Friday: Cook's night off = order in or eat out.

I took the plunge...

....and walked in to my local Curves franchise. It's two and a half blocks from home, and I REALLY need to get back into shape. This last year of moving stress, months of Z living in TO without us, and then our sudden downsizing, have all served to pack on the stress-pounds. Not to mention my ATL doctor fiddling with my thyroxine dose just before I left town. I've got to get rid of 20 pounds. Even 15 would be great.

I belonged to Curves for a number of months in Georgia and it worked well for me. Then, Z signed us all up for a Y family membership and it seemed silly to continue at a different fitness venue. But I didn't like the Y. I don't like to wait for machines, I didn't like Fox News on all the TVs, I don't like having to THINK about working out. That's the beauty of Curves...it's idiot proof. I can daydream or plan or say the rosary or blank right out, and still get a decent workout.

My fitness assessment is next week. Yay!

Did I mention it's only two and a half blocks from home?

I took the plunge...

....and walked in to my local Curves franchise. It's two and a half blocks from home, and I REALLY need to get back into shape. This last year of moving stress, months of Z living in TO without us, and then our sudden downsizing, have all served to pack on the stress-pounds. Not to mention my ATL doctor fiddling with my thyroxine dose just before I left town. I've got to get rid of 20 pounds. Even 15 would be great.

I belonged to Curves for a number of months in Georgia and it worked well for me. Then, Z signed us all up for a Y family membership and it seemed silly to continue at a different fitness venue. But I didn't like the Y. I don't like to wait for machines, I didn't like Fox News on all the TVs, I don't like having to THINK about working out. That's the beauty of Curves...it's idiot proof. I can daydream or plan or say the rosary or blank right out, and still get a decent workout.

My fitness assessment is next week. Yay!

Did I mention it's only two and a half blocks from home?

How did we kill time back in the day?

How to write a paper for college/university.

Decluttering progress

I've made some big strides over the past couple of days. The basement bedroom that was wall-to-wall-and-floor-to-ceiling boxes and furniture is half empty.

We seem to have accumulated a huge number of Rubbermaid plastic storage bins, so I am trying to consolidate like-with-like and store stuff together. For example, I've gone through a lot of our Christmas stuff, donated the things that we no longer use, and put the remainder in a couple of bins. Same with linen. Tablecloths that are the wrong shape or size for our tables are gone. I have whittled our sheets down to a couple of sets per bed, a couple of guest sets, no more poly-cotton blends, no more ugly and/or torn comforters.

I am also going through all the boxes that never got opened in our last move (ahem). I've found ice-skates that are at least five years old. Light fixtures that were purchased for a house that we lived in six years ago. Beach chairs. Cappucino machine. Sigh. Why did we drag this stuff around through two international moves? Okay, the cappucino machine will get cleaned up and used. But I despair at my sloth in not dealing with all this stuff years ago.

Now I'm off to figure out where I can dispose of the two dozen cans of paint that the previous owners left in the basement. She asked me if I'd like paint for touch-ups and I said sure, thinking, five cans of paint, tops. She has left me paint from probably 15 years of painting projects. Paint colours that are no longer in the house. Bits of paint in glass jars. Arghh. I'm pretty sure there will be a hazardous waste depot somewhere in the city.

Tomorrow I'll make a Goodwill/paint disposal run. But it is freeing to actually get RID of stuff.

How did we kill time back in the day?

How to write a paper for college/university.

Decluttering progress

I've made some big strides over the past couple of days. The basement bedroom that was wall-to-wall-and-floor-to-ceiling boxes and furniture is half empty.

We seem to have accumulated a huge number of Rubbermaid plastic storage bins, so I am trying to consolidate like-with-like and store stuff together. For example, I've gone through a lot of our Christmas stuff, donated the things that we no longer use, and put the remainder in a couple of bins. Same with linen. Tablecloths that are the wrong shape or size for our tables are gone. I have whittled our sheets down to a couple of sets per bed, a couple of guest sets, no more poly-cotton blends, no more ugly and/or torn comforters.

I am also going through all the boxes that never got opened in our last move (ahem). I've found ice-skates that are at least five years old. Light fixtures that were purchased for a house that we lived in six years ago. Beach chairs. Cappucino machine. Sigh. Why did we drag this stuff around through two international moves? Okay, the cappucino machine will get cleaned up and used. But I despair at my sloth in not dealing with all this stuff years ago.

Now I'm off to figure out where I can dispose of the two dozen cans of paint that the previous owners left in the basement. She asked me if I'd like paint for touch-ups and I said sure, thinking, five cans of paint, tops. She has left me paint from probably 15 years of painting projects. Paint colours that are no longer in the house. Bits of paint in glass jars. Arghh. I'm pretty sure there will be a hazardous waste depot somewhere in the city.

Tomorrow I'll make a Goodwill/paint disposal run. But it is freeing to actually get RID of stuff.

Michael's Coat of Arms

One of his first assignments at his new school was to create a coat of arms. This is what he came up with.

There are instructions for each quadrant. Starting from the upper left and going clockwise, they were to depict their heritage, someone who is important to them, somewhere they feel safe and happy, and something they're good at. Then their life motto was to go on the banner across the bottom. I think it captures the essence of Michael pretty well!

Music again

At mass this past Sunday, the pastor announced that the choirs would be starting up in October and asked anyone interested in joining to contact one of the directors.

I made the call yesterday and am looking forward to singing again. I miss the choir at my old parish, and REALLY need to sing again. The choir in my new parish rehearses for the hour and a half before mass, and there's no weekday rehearsal, so I hope I'll get my fill!

Michael's Coat of Arms

One of his first assignments at his new school was to create a coat of arms. This is what he came up with.

There are instructions for each quadrant. Starting from the upper left and going clockwise, they were to depict their heritage, someone who is important to them, somewhere they feel safe and happy, and something they're good at. Then their life motto was to go on the banner across the bottom. I think it captures the essence of Michael pretty well!

Music again

At mass this past Sunday, the pastor announced that the choirs would be starting up in October and asked anyone interested in joining to contact one of the directors.

I made the call yesterday and am looking forward to singing again. I miss the choir at my old parish, and REALLY need to sing again. The choir in my new parish rehearses for the hour and a half before mass, and there's no weekday rehearsal, so I hope I'll get my fill!

Cool desktop wallpaper

This is from a new organizing products website called lobotoMe that I found this morning, thanks to the September Come2Order2Day newsletter.

Cool desktop wallpaper

This is from a new organizing products website called lobotoMe that I found this morning, thanks to the September Come2Order2Day newsletter.

Housekeeping

True confession: I never learned any housekeeping skills as a young woman.

There you have it.

Running a household always seemed like an afterthought, and our home showed it, in spades.

Since returning home from outside employment when we moved to the ATL five years ago, it became more and more clear that I did not have a clue. And so it's been a learning process for me, one that has actually been rather fun and satisfying.

One of the nice little tools that I've come across is the houshold chore planner published by Motivated Moms. It comes in a variety of formats, but essentially gives me a daily list of stuff to do so that the entire house gets cleaned over some reasonable period of time. Sort of like Flylady but without all the email. I don't necessarily do everything on the exact day it's noted, but I try to get most stuff done within the weekly timeframe.

Today, I wiped down the California Shutters in my kitchen and family room. There is was, on the list. "Clean blinds/curtains - living room." It would not have occurred to me, barring some bizarre spillage involving red wine hurled against the window, to actually clean these things. But sure 'nuff, they were FILTHY!

Clean shutters shouldn't be a souce of such happiness, but darn it...I can't stop looking at them!

Housekeeping

True confession: I never learned any housekeeping skills as a young woman.

There you have it.

Running a household always seemed like an afterthought, and our home showed it, in spades.

Since returning home from outside employment when we moved to the ATL five years ago, it became more and more clear that I did not have a clue. And so it's been a learning process for me, one that has actually been rather fun and satisfying.

One of the nice little tools that I've come across is the houshold chore planner published by Motivated Moms. It comes in a variety of formats, but essentially gives me a daily list of stuff to do so that the entire house gets cleaned over some reasonable period of time. Sort of like Flylady but without all the email. I don't necessarily do everything on the exact day it's noted, but I try to get most stuff done within the weekly timeframe.

Today, I wiped down the California Shutters in my kitchen and family room. There is was, on the list. "Clean blinds/curtains - living room." It would not have occurred to me, barring some bizarre spillage involving red wine hurled against the window, to actually clean these things. But sure 'nuff, they were FILTHY!

Clean shutters shouldn't be a souce of such happiness, but darn it...I can't stop looking at them!

School Supplies

Given the current state of our overfilled house and our quest to downsize, we've been getting rid of a lot of stuff. Like, 2-3 trips to Goodwill per week. And we're very focussed on not buying anything that doesn't have an immediate purpose to make our lives simpler and/or more organized.

Shopping for school supplies was something of a respite from this self-imposed clutter diet. Neither of the boys got much in the way of supply lists from the school which is great. I guess private schools don't need parents to replenish their stock of paper towels and hand sanitizer. A few binders, dividers, some paper, and new pencil cases pretty much covered it. Hard-assed mom (me) said "no" to new pencils or pens as we have them by the handful. They each got a new white plastic eraser because, well, white plastic erasers are a joy and they didn't have them back-in-the-day (except in Grade 11 when I took drafting and I had to go to an art store to get 'em.)

We made it out of Staples for under $100 for the two of them. And let me just say for the record that I **miss** my local Office Max in the ATL. (Alex accuses me of dissing our time in the US too much, so there!) Office supply stores were all over the place in our Atlanta suburb. Sort of like nail salons. They were big, beautiful, and had cool stuff. Plus an awesome rebate program that kept me supplied in gift cards for more great swag. That could explain the handfuls of pens and pencils....

School Supplies

Given the current state of our overfilled house and our quest to downsize, we've been getting rid of a lot of stuff. Like, 2-3 trips to Goodwill per week. And we're very focussed on not buying anything that doesn't have an immediate purpose to make our lives simpler and/or more organized.

Shopping for school supplies was something of a respite from this self-imposed clutter diet. Neither of the boys got much in the way of supply lists from the school which is great. I guess private schools don't need parents to replenish their stock of paper towels and hand sanitizer. A few binders, dividers, some paper, and new pencil cases pretty much covered it. Hard-assed mom (me) said "no" to new pencils or pens as we have them by the handful. They each got a new white plastic eraser because, well, white plastic erasers are a joy and they didn't have them back-in-the-day (except in Grade 11 when I took drafting and I had to go to an art store to get 'em.)

We made it out of Staples for under $100 for the two of them. And let me just say for the record that I **miss** my local Office Max in the ATL. (Alex accuses me of dissing our time in the US too much, so there!) Office supply stores were all over the place in our Atlanta suburb. Sort of like nail salons. They were big, beautiful, and had cool stuff. Plus an awesome rebate program that kept me supplied in gift cards for more great swag. That could explain the handfuls of pens and pencils....

Daily Lit

I'm enjoying Manon Lescaut (by Antoine Francois Prevost) via Daily Lit, the free service that sends your inbox bite-sized portions of classic lit every day. This short novel has 72 "dailies" and I'm on segment 10. One nice feature is that it lets you request the next segment immediately if you don't want to wait 24 hours.

Tap...tap...tap....is this thing on?

Yeah, well, the old blog was getting kind of overstuffed, which is a good descriptor of life in the big city/small house right now. I haven't been able to put fingers to keyboard much recently, so I thought a fresh start might do the trick.

New blogroll, new look, low expectations. I won't direct traffic over from Paper Moon for a few days until I see how things go.

Daily Lit

I'm enjoying Manon Lescaut (by Antoine Francois Prevost) via Daily Lit, the free service that sends your inbox bite-sized portions of classic lit every day. This short novel has 72 "dailies" and I'm on segment 10. One nice feature is that it lets you request the next segment immediately if you don't want to wait 24 hours.

Tap...tap...tap....is this thing on?

Yeah, well, the old blog was getting kind of overstuffed, which is a good descriptor of life in the big city/small house right now. I haven't been able to put fingers to keyboard much recently, so I thought a fresh start might do the trick.

New blogroll, new look, low expectations. I won't direct traffic over from Paper Moon for a few days until I see how things go.