7 Quick Takes (Volume 228)

1) My mom was telling us how her friends give her a bad time about drinking water all the time when so many other choices exist.

Me: That's okay, Mom. My friends tease me about eating nothing but nuts and leaves.

Mom: Leaves?

Me: Spinach, lettuce . . .

Mom: You eat berries too, don't you?

What?! My entire family thinks I live on squirrel food? I'll have you all know I eat WAY more than nuts and leaves and berries!

2) What does it say about you when you're sitting in Bible study trying to jot down the insightful thoughts of others and you mean to write "precious" but it comes out on paper as "pressure"? Talk about a Freudian slip! It was exactly the emotion I was trying to push past all morning. Freaky!

3) Princess Dawdle is taking after her mother. She got the melting gene. Remember my propensity to burn things on my stove? We've got hot pads marked with burned circles, melted kitchen utensils . . .


There was that popcorn disaster. And I haven't even told you about the time a few weeks back I propped myself up on the stove top to listen to my husband in the kitchen and suddenly felt my backside warming. Wouldn't you know it? I accidentally hit the knob with my hip and nearly burned my actual buns!

Now Princess Dawdle is showing her own prowess.




How in the world could that happen, you ask? Would you believe she let the cover rest on a candle burning on the dining room table like this?


Yes! Now someone else can catch the heat for a while (yes, pun completely intended!).

4) Poor Kevin's had a busy week and I hate to ask him to write me a Kevin's Korner. How about I dream up what I think he'd rant about if given the chance?

We started Season Three of Downton Abbey and it seems like the episodes are getting longer. This has been a lunch hour indulgence, but the last episode we watched stretched to nearly 1:30. How dare they get you hooked and then string you along forever!

The saving grace was the ever amiable Robert who can really do no wrong and we got to meet Cora's mother played by Shirley Maclaine who gives Violet Crawley (a force in her own right) a good run for her money. I must say though that I didn't appreciate Cora's line when she tries to comfort Robert and says, "Oh darling, you don't have to worry about me. I'm an American. Have gun, will travel." What?! What is that supposed to mean? Americans are a bunch of gun-toting nomads? The American/British jabs are sure to increase with Cora's mother in town. And by the way, did anyone else notice that Cora's mother fails to move her upper lip when she talks just like Cora?

Oh my, it's time to find a new lunch time obsession.

5) It's Spring Break this week for my college kids. Drama Queen has been in and out a lot (what is the fascination with hot tubbing in 30 degree weather?). Drummer Boy, however, has been MIA. How do we get that boy home? He's not a food junkie, so I can't lure him with delectable delicacies. He's perfectly content with his computer and drumsticks. The only draw for him might be Ladies Man, but he's still in school and has been gone three nights this week. Maybe if I left a money trail Drummer Boy would follow . . . Nah, he doesn't care much about money either. Good thing he's close enough to take out to dinner now and then. Love you Drummer Boy!

6) Kevin bought me a NOOK color last year for Mother's Day. I think it had something to do with my friend's husband buying her an ipad, but I don't care, I'll take it. Anyway, I never really wanted a reading device because I wasn't sure how much I would use it, but I tell you what, I've become attached to that thing! I love it! I'm doing more reading than I've done in years. I like how you it provides its own lighting. It sits flat on the machines at the gym and there's no fiddling with pages and keeping a book open. And since the discovery of Gospel ebooks, I've found all kinds of wonderful books really cheap. This site is geared toward Kindles, but most of the time I find the same deals being offered on NOOK books.

Publishers will reduce prices on good books for a short period of time to spur sales. This site watches and publishes the deals. I've gotten free or reduced books by Kevin Leman, Lysa TerKeurst, Brennan Manning, Josh McDowell, and Tim Keller, not to mention popular titles like not a fan, Honest to God, Unglued . . . I could go on and on. Check it out. I love it!

7) If you're looking for something to do tonight, the Beatrice Regional Orchestra is having a concert. Kevin does a super job coming up with new ideas to keep our concerts fresh. Joining us on this program is the Lincoln City Boys Choir. This will be a real treat as these boys have traveled all over, even singing for the pope! Don't miss it!


And that's all for this Friday, folks. Have a great weekend and find more Quick Takes at Conversion Diary.