7 Quick Takes (Volume 138)

1) Apparently Drama Queen did not miss her calling as a hurdler. Last Friday night, she and some friends took Ladies Man and Miss Innocent One out to play some tennis. At some point, Ladies Man started jumping the net and a new game was born. Not to be outdone by her little brother (it doesn't feel right typing that as he's got over six inches on her and just surpassed his dad in height), she gave it a whirl too and did okay while he held it down, but when he stopped she caught a toe in the net and crashed to the other side.

She came home with a wrist she couldn't move which was especially painful for her because she found out that very day she made the first cut in the University of Nebraska drum line. She's been practicing her fool head off all month and planned to spend her summer doing likewise.

Fortunately we found out the next morning it's only a sprain, but it's been bothering her all week. I'm hoping she turns the corner this weekend. Prayers are appreciated.

2) Poor Miss Innocent One was stuck at home with her parents again while her siblings were out. She's pretty good with this until she's the only one who has to go to bed.

Kevin: Tell your mother good night. Time for bed.

Miss Innocent One: Ohh. Come on. Why do you guys have to be good parents? Gosh!

3) With summer comes more time for reading and I've had my nose in two books this week which are outstanding, so good they make me envious of their authors. Why can't I read a book and say, "It's wonderful," and enjoy it without thinking, "I wish I could do that"?

If you haven't read A Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp yet, get your booty to the nearest Christian bookstore or website immediately. This book is heavy and rich and deep and beautiful. My first run at chapters one and two left me in tears and I reread them the next day. There's a lot of meat in this one. I'm going to digest it slowly.

My other interest is a novel called Gilead by Marilynne Robinson. How does a woman write as if she were an elderly black preacher? Amazing and mesmerizing, with profound observations on life. No wonder it won the Pulitzer Prize in 2005. I highly recommend it.

4) I'm sorry to say no anti-hoarding happened this week. I went to the pool instead. Normally, I'm not crazy about going there. There's so much noise--kids squealing, the radio blaring, splashing, parents hollering at their kids, you get the picture, but since my body shows no signs of summer (a.k.a. is as pale as white bread), I decided it was time to soak in some sunshine.

Miss Innocent One and her friend directed me to their favorite spot which ended up being away from the pool a bit, separated from the crowd by some trees. At first I thought this fantastic and while they swam I settled in for a snooze, but the whispering and conversation around me soon told me I'd landed in adolescent alley. "Go ask him if we're still going out. Did you hear what so and so said about so and so? Shh shhh, here he comes, here he comes. What does she think she's doing? Yeah, he thinks he's all that." Gossip turned to giggles as boys strutted in and out. I drowned it out with a good book.

I didn't realize how surrounded I was by teenagers until a friend came over to chat and mentioned it. Gilead turned out to be fantastic (I guess I already said that. Sorry.). I was so engrossed (which is tough for me in a crowd), we ended up staying an extra hour.

Sun, sleep, a chance meeting with a friend and a wonderful book. Isn't this what summer is for?

5) I wish I could say the pool day put me in my summer groove, but I'd be lying. I think my problem is that no one has a regular schedule. Everybody's doing something different every day. My house is swarming with kids day AND night. All of the activity at all hours of the day is putting a crimp in my style. We have a big house and there's places to get away by yourself, but the uncertainty about how any day may turn out makes me a little crazy. I suppose God's teaching me to be more flexible and I'm trying. Maybe I need a few more lazy afternoons at the pool. Anybody want to join me?

6) I've been spending way too much time talking to Verizon representatives on the phone this week. I switched my phone from a prepaid version to a regular plan, but wanted to keep the same number. This was a week ago, and though I have my new phone and it's activated, it's still not working. I think I've talked to at least six different people throughout this process and I'm not done yet. What's the record for how many customer service reps you can talk to in the same company? I may hit it today.

Let's hope I actually get phone service too. I'm going through texting withdrawals. (And now my kids are rolling their eyes.)

7) As I type this, I just finished running an hour ago and I'm smelling myself (EW) which reminds me--does anybody know how many blocks equal a mile in the town of Beatrice, NE? Apparently each city is not the same. I always had it in my head that twelve blocks equal a mile, but google says no. I've been doing more running outside and thought I was improving my snail pace until it occurred to me I may be figuring the mileage wrong. Can anyone help me?

As I read over these, they seem pretty boring today. If you're still awake, congratulations. You've just lost five minutes you can never get back. If you're serious about your Quick Takes, catch more at Conversion Diary.