When we were establishing the settings for our new computer, we had to choose both a short name and a long name for the domain or whatever it is that the computer uses to identify itself. Michael chose the short name, which meant that I got to pick the long name. This was a tough choice, and I felt rather put on the spot, as it was very late at night and I did not feel creative enough to come up with a clever and original yet comprehensive enough name that fully captured the nature of this machine. I tried to work in as many ideas as I could to represent what this bastion of our house and home would mean to us, but Michael stodgily whittled it down, and the final result was a computer name of Focht Arches at Pemberly-upon-Rivendell.
I was fairly delighted with this, albeit not without a lingering regret at not having gotten a chance to work Narnia and Star Wars in there too. But the glitter began to wear off quickly. The long name auto-filled in every time I tried to type my last name in online fields and such. This was a bit annoying. The long name is also the one that comes up in every application, so that the chess game always reads 'Computer vs. Focht Arches at Pemberly-upon-Rivendell,' a rather unwieldy title bar.
In the end, the long name had to go. The long name and short name are now the same. It's boring, uncreative, and easy to guess. But it's also practical and oh-so-much more efficient. This is why we have nine whole months to think about what we want to name our children.
Monday, June 25, 2007
Overheard at bedtime
Michael (singing to Jane): Let's get your pajamas, let's get your pajamas, let's get your pajamas, yes, yes, yes!
Jane: Yes, yes, yes!
Me: That's not a real song!
Michael: Well, Jane likes it.
Me (in a sing-song voice): Oh, Michael thinks he can just make up songs by putting notes on woooords, but it doesn't wooooork....
Michael (singing louder): Rose has rules for everything...
Jane: Yes, yes, yes!
Me: That's not a real song!
Michael: Well, Jane likes it.
Me (in a sing-song voice): Oh, Michael thinks he can just make up songs by putting notes on woooords, but it doesn't wooooork....
Michael (singing louder): Rose has rules for everything...
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Whatnots and et ceteras
This past week has seen some amazing activity on the worldview-broadening front. Or so it would seem. Call me effusive and enthused, but currently I'm reading through/have read several items of rock-my-little-boat significance.
One book that I highly recommend is How To Be A Budget Fashionista, by Kathryn Finney. It's all about looking, feeling, and being fabulous on a budget. Now, the stuff about Louis Vuitton knock-offs and Seven jeans goes rather over my head, but it's an amazing and insightful read, nonetheless. It leaves me feeling all inspired and giddy and motivated to run around in the sunshine with lemon juice on my hair, wrap my feet up in vaseline and old socks at night, go out and get properly fitted for good-quality undergarments, and purge my closet down to the top ten essential items that every woman should have. If you are a) female and b) wear things on a regular basis then you should read this book.
Next on my reading list is Once A Month Cooking, a concept which I'd always known about but never investigated thoroughly. (I think it's gradually dawning on me that I actually qualify for reading homemaking books.) I won't go to the complete once-a-month model, of course, with chaotic baking day and all, but it's a very good idea to make up twice as much of something, as long as I'm making it anyway for dinner, and just freeze half of it. The revolutionary part comes when I realise that I can divide and conquer - freeze the stuff before I bake it, so it thaws out and bakes up fresh. Reconstituted leftovers are nasty. Plus, the book has some really great recipes in it.
I've also been following the discussion at True Womanhood on the so-called patriocentric view of the family. There are so many angles to this topic as to preclude my commenting on the actual site. Plus it already has 200+ comments on it. My thoughts have undergone a variety of permutations, from the 'Well, that's nice for them and I'm glad it works out for some girls if that's what they and their families want' to 'Oh, my, I know so clearly how this whitewashed view of the One Best Way To Be A Godly Daughter is going to vibe with impressionable young women.' Lots more could be said on this topic, but it probably will be already, by other tongues (hands?) than mine.
Finally, and most excitingly, I've ventured into the wonderful world of mystery shopping. I'd always dismissed this concept as a probable scam or a logistical impossibility, but a lady at church kept raving about the fancy restaurants she and her husband eat at for free, so I finally began to investigate and apply. I must say that the application process is daunting at the first, but promises to be very rewarding in the end. We went out for our first mystery shop last week, and while it took me nearly three hours to compile my report, I'm certain that this is an area of expertise that will improve with time. A dazzling prospect of infinite cheap dates unfolds before us.
One book that I highly recommend is How To Be A Budget Fashionista, by Kathryn Finney. It's all about looking, feeling, and being fabulous on a budget. Now, the stuff about Louis Vuitton knock-offs and Seven jeans goes rather over my head, but it's an amazing and insightful read, nonetheless. It leaves me feeling all inspired and giddy and motivated to run around in the sunshine with lemon juice on my hair, wrap my feet up in vaseline and old socks at night, go out and get properly fitted for good-quality undergarments, and purge my closet down to the top ten essential items that every woman should have. If you are a) female and b) wear things on a regular basis then you should read this book.
Next on my reading list is Once A Month Cooking, a concept which I'd always known about but never investigated thoroughly. (I think it's gradually dawning on me that I actually qualify for reading homemaking books.) I won't go to the complete once-a-month model, of course, with chaotic baking day and all, but it's a very good idea to make up twice as much of something, as long as I'm making it anyway for dinner, and just freeze half of it. The revolutionary part comes when I realise that I can divide and conquer - freeze the stuff before I bake it, so it thaws out and bakes up fresh. Reconstituted leftovers are nasty. Plus, the book has some really great recipes in it.
I've also been following the discussion at True Womanhood on the so-called patriocentric view of the family. There are so many angles to this topic as to preclude my commenting on the actual site. Plus it already has 200+ comments on it. My thoughts have undergone a variety of permutations, from the 'Well, that's nice for them and I'm glad it works out for some girls if that's what they and their families want' to 'Oh, my, I know so clearly how this whitewashed view of the One Best Way To Be A Godly Daughter is going to vibe with impressionable young women.' Lots more could be said on this topic, but it probably will be already, by other tongues (hands?) than mine.
Finally, and most excitingly, I've ventured into the wonderful world of mystery shopping. I'd always dismissed this concept as a probable scam or a logistical impossibility, but a lady at church kept raving about the fancy restaurants she and her husband eat at for free, so I finally began to investigate and apply. I must say that the application process is daunting at the first, but promises to be very rewarding in the end. We went out for our first mystery shop last week, and while it took me nearly three hours to compile my report, I'm certain that this is an area of expertise that will improve with time. A dazzling prospect of infinite cheap dates unfolds before us.
Monday, June 11, 2007
Lowest common denominator
Here is Jane, helping to put away the silverware from the diswasher. I clear the knives and other dangerous things out, and then set the rack and the dish tray on her level, and finish emptying the dishwasher in about half the time it takes her to line up all the untensils carefully in place. It's so cute to have such a perfectionist! (Michael says just wait, it will get annoying soon enough. Pah!)
She has also begun to help put away the laundry, and is pretty much solely responsible for her and Ella's things. I bring the depleted laundry basket into the nursery, and then reach out items by category and hand her armloads of stuff. 'Go put this in the pajama bin!' I tell her, and off she trots to comply, feeling very proud of herself, no doubt, for the responsibility. Or, 'Put these in Ella's onesies drawer!' and so she does. She knows what goes in every drawer and bin now, and soon, I hope, will be at the point of recognising each item of clothing for herself. It helps that we don't bother with folding most clothes.
I am a very firm believer in the lowest common denominator thinking, which holds that the youngest member in the family who can possibly do something should, thus shifting the workload down as far as possible. We are fighting off an invasion of ants right now, and I half wondered why I am fighting them off with deadly poison, instead of welcoming them in and assigning them the task of wiping the kitchen counters clean of crumbs every night.
Just right
I remember when we were first breaking the news about Ella, I would generally respond to queries as to how far apart the babies would be with 'Almost two years,' because that seemed somehow more respectable than 21 months. Even before Baby #2 entered the picture, I thought that at least two years would be an ideal spacing, because then the older child would be, well, older, and more helpful and independent, and I didn't want to feel overwhelmed with a baby and a toddler.
As the pregnancy progressed, I was a little nervous and apprehensive about how things would work out, but also excited because Jane seemed to be learning and improving by leaps and bounds. Almost overnight, it seemed, she could walk and express herself. Her teeth came in. She covered ground rapidly such that when Ella arrived, Jane was in prime shape to be the older sister. If we'd waited until we thought Jane was old enough, by the time the little sibling arrived Jane might have been past all that and firmly and selfishly ensconced in the middle of her own little world.
More and more I see how perfect the timing was. Jane is going through issues right now that I would not have wanted to deal with when I was exhausted with the pregnancy. It was easier carrying around a 15-month-old Jane, three months pregnant, than it would be to carry a 2-year-old Jane now. Jane is learning so much now and forming memories so rapidly that she would probably have remembered a time without Ella if there were no younger baby on the scene yet. Although she was a little disoriented by Ella's arrival, she got over that quickly and now accepts Ella into her worldview, without question and without jealousy or resentment. Even though dealing with two little people requires a bit more logistical planning, it's so much easier to help Jane through a challenging task or to get down on her level and play with her if she asks.
So the moral of the story is that God's plans are always better than mine. After all, I thought I wanted to marry a man at least a foot taller than I. Ha! What was I thinking??
As the pregnancy progressed, I was a little nervous and apprehensive about how things would work out, but also excited because Jane seemed to be learning and improving by leaps and bounds. Almost overnight, it seemed, she could walk and express herself. Her teeth came in. She covered ground rapidly such that when Ella arrived, Jane was in prime shape to be the older sister. If we'd waited until we thought Jane was old enough, by the time the little sibling arrived Jane might have been past all that and firmly and selfishly ensconced in the middle of her own little world.
More and more I see how perfect the timing was. Jane is going through issues right now that I would not have wanted to deal with when I was exhausted with the pregnancy. It was easier carrying around a 15-month-old Jane, three months pregnant, than it would be to carry a 2-year-old Jane now. Jane is learning so much now and forming memories so rapidly that she would probably have remembered a time without Ella if there were no younger baby on the scene yet. Although she was a little disoriented by Ella's arrival, she got over that quickly and now accepts Ella into her worldview, without question and without jealousy or resentment. Even though dealing with two little people requires a bit more logistical planning, it's so much easier to help Jane through a challenging task or to get down on her level and play with her if she asks.
So the moral of the story is that God's plans are always better than mine. After all, I thought I wanted to marry a man at least a foot taller than I. Ha! What was I thinking??
Friday, June 08, 2007
It really works!
I saw this post a few days ago and was hardly interested. I already use very ripe bananas in our daily smoothie ritual, and I didn't think that blending frozen bananas was such a great trick. I like bananas moderately well, but they're not my favourite, and I certainly don't care for banana-flavoured ice cream, chewing gum, candy, etc.
But yesterday I thought I'd give it a try. Lo and behold, it does taste just like soft serve ice cream! The banana taste is very mild - I tossed in a couple of frozen strawberries, and it really tasted like strawberry ice cream. Later that night I made some for Michael, and we added chocolate and caramel syrup, and you know what? The 'ice cream' tasted so rich and genuine and creamy that it showed up the fakeness of the syrup! I intend to try it again with cocoa powder and peanut butter, to see if it tastes just like soft serve chocolate peanut butter ice cream.
The trick is to peel the bananas before freezing them. I've tossed whole overripe bananas in the freezer before, and the only thing they are good for is banana bread or muffins - you can't peel them frozen, and when they're thawed they're completely slimy and gross. But frozen already peeled - into the blender they go, and the result is scrumptious. I've discovered my new summer treat.
But yesterday I thought I'd give it a try. Lo and behold, it does taste just like soft serve ice cream! The banana taste is very mild - I tossed in a couple of frozen strawberries, and it really tasted like strawberry ice cream. Later that night I made some for Michael, and we added chocolate and caramel syrup, and you know what? The 'ice cream' tasted so rich and genuine and creamy that it showed up the fakeness of the syrup! I intend to try it again with cocoa powder and peanut butter, to see if it tastes just like soft serve chocolate peanut butter ice cream.
The trick is to peel the bananas before freezing them. I've tossed whole overripe bananas in the freezer before, and the only thing they are good for is banana bread or muffins - you can't peel them frozen, and when they're thawed they're completely slimy and gross. But frozen already peeled - into the blender they go, and the result is scrumptious. I've discovered my new summer treat.
Jane-isms
Jane: Balloon on a hearth.
Mama: Very good! What colour is the balloon?
Jane: Upside-down!
***************
Looking at pictures of this past weekend, several with Aunt Leah: 'Leah...Leah...two Leahs!'
***************
Pulling at a hairbow: Off!
Mama: Do you want the hairbow off?
Jane: Turn it off!
***************
Jane: Bus! Bus!
Mama: No, that's a truck.
Jane: All gone bus!
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
I swear, if I say it once...
Sunday was a very long day. The girls weren't thrilled to be strapped into their carseats yet again, and took turns hijacking each other's attempted naps (Jane actually didn't fall asleep at all that day). Just when we thought we had settled down and could push on through for a good long while at last, there would be a messy diaper or a shortage of gasoline and we would need to stop, which necessitated getting out and moving around for a moment, which made the girls hate starting up again all the more.
At one point I tried to amuse and quiet Jane by singing to her, 'I Love You (A Bushel And A Peck).' When I was done with the song, instead of falling lovingly off to sleep with a smile on her face, my little angel chirped, 'Heck!'
'No, no! Peck!' I corrected, hastily.
'Heck!' she repeated enthusiastically.
'Neck! Neck!' I insisted.
'Heck!'
Oh, blast. No, wait, I didn't say that! I didn't even think it!
At one point I tried to amuse and quiet Jane by singing to her, 'I Love You (A Bushel And A Peck).' When I was done with the song, instead of falling lovingly off to sleep with a smile on her face, my little angel chirped, 'Heck!'
'No, no! Peck!' I corrected, hastily.
'Heck!' she repeated enthusiastically.
'Neck! Neck!' I insisted.
'Heck!'
Oh, blast. No, wait, I didn't say that! I didn't even think it!
Ha!
Good thing I didn't waste any time washing the car way back in pollen season.
See, procrastination really does pay off.
See, procrastination really does pay off.
Sunday, June 03, 2007
Must. Sleep. Now.
We are back from our whirlwind weekend (nyah to all the prospective burglars who lurk about my blog in hopes of catching a hint as to when the house will be vacant, for whose sake I am perpetually vague about planned outings) and rather much the worse for wear. This morning we woke up in Virginia, this time last night we were still in New Jersey, and it does not in the least feel like a Sunday. Please tell me I can sleep in tomorrow morning.
Oh, yes, pictures of the sword detail - which looked absolutely smashing: kiss + swords + wedding dress + MIU couldn't help but - will be forthcoming.
Oh, yes, pictures of the sword detail - which looked absolutely smashing: kiss + swords + wedding dress + MIU couldn't help but - will be forthcoming.
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