Quick Takes - Volume 9

--- 1 ---

I had intended to celebrate Candlemas on Tuesday by making this cute dessert, but ... I never made it to the grocery store. So the kids had to settle for decorated oatmeal (which they loved, because they never knew about my original plan ... I have learned a few things about sharing plans with children).

--- 2 ---

Wednesday morning the kids and I headed to the Tribunal offices to celebrate Fr. B's successful defense of his dissertation. Afterward, we headed to the seminary, where Father celebrated Mass for us. When we finished, The Boy said, "He didn't bless our throats" -- it was the Feast of St. Blaise, who we had read about that morning. After a search for candles, all was well.

--- 3 ---

The Boy is finally getting excited about reading. Last night marks the first time he asked me to read with him before bed and suggested we take turns -- "You read one page, Mom, and then I'll read the next one." Yeah! Thank God for small successes.

--- 4 ---

It is definitely not supposed to rain in one's basement. While cleaning up from dinner last evening, I thought the kitchen sink drain was still running slow (despite my pouring half a bottle of Drain-o down it the night before). I went downstairs to get the other half of the bottle and heard it raining. Yes, water was dripping profusely from a beam in the middle of the basement, onto the Christmas decorations that I hadn't had a chance to pack away yet. At the same time, The Boy yelled from upstairs -- "Mooooooooooom, there's water all over the kitchen floor!" This all happened about ten minutes prior to the time when my DH was to start teaching his first graduate course. Apparently, the drain clogged, the water backed up into the dishwasher, and overflowed onto the floor. I'm still not sure how it ended up dripping through to the basement, because where it was dripping was not directly underneath the dishwasher. Anyway ... the plumber was here for three hours this morning. The drain is cleared, the basement is a disaster area, I have washed two loads of sopping wet towels, and the house smells like ... well, you can imagine. It's always something, isn't it?

--- 5 ---

Fr. B joined us for dinner tonight. We had clam chowder. He brought bread and brownies from Breadsmith. Yummy! Thanks, Fr. B!

--- 6 ---

Tomorrow night, our pastor is joining us for dinner. Hmmm ... I think I'll make bolognese, a Mediterranean salad, and homemade herb bread.

--- 7 ---

Sunday after Mass we're heading to my sister-in-law's for dinner. The kids love playing in her huge yard. And I will enjoy the company, and the fact I won't have to cook.

For more quick takes, visit Jennifer at Conversion Diary.