Cajun Cottage Under the Oaks

From a Devotee

Today at the soccer field, I was telling my in-real-life friends that Danielle Bean would be at the Houston ARCH Conference next year.

My friend Monica told me that her sister lives near Danielle Bean and all of us went, "WOW!" and we looked at her in awe.

"But," Monica laughed and flipped a strand of hair over her shoulder, "I just tell her...'Well, I live by Cay Gibson!'"

And we all laughed because there's really no comparison.  Thanks for being such a good fan (and friend), Monica.  :-)

Tweet-a-dee-dum

And other brainless pastimes I did while on Facebook and Twitter this week:

I looked for the back of Macbeth's daughter's head on the Aspen Music promo as instructed. I figured since she looks a lot like my oldest daughter I wouldn't have any problem finding her. I did. I mean, I didn't find her. Brown-haired people are a dime a dozen.

Melanie put a name to something I never knew I had: phone phobia! It isn't like I don't have a phone or don't use a phone. I happen to have three house phones and a cell phone. I just "hate" talking on the phone...don't know why. I'm not scared of it or anything. I just don't like it, and I thought I was the only one. Thanks for being my friend, Melanie.

I learned something regarding my son via Facebook that I probably wouldn't have known for weeks had I not been listed as a "friend." He has no idea how thankful I am for this communicative outlet. Because I knew about it, I was able to give him the space he needed. Because I knew about it, I have been more sensitive towards his thoughts, feelings, moods, etc. than I would have otherwise been. Because I knew about it I was able to patiently wait for him to come to me instead of bombarding him with exhaustive questions. This was one week he didn't need a nagging mom and FB prevented me from being one. Facebook can be a nice place for parents and teens.

I wrote that I was enjoying some Girl Scout cookies that my husband brought home from Lowe's. Seems we both forgot that GS is a big supporter of Planned Parenthood. Rats! I plead ignorance or memory loss...whichever one will get me the most mercy from my readers.

The girls and I were able to get a sneak peek at our good friend's new baby girl, which was a good thing as there is too much coughing and runny noses over here for us to go see her in person just yet. Congratulations, Guillory family!!!

I used Facebook again to vent my frustration when cleaning out my daughters' bedroom. It was really horrific and I had to take a couple of Dr. Pepper breaks to survive it.

So that's my compressed week...so far...and it's only Tuesday evening. Dear me! Needless, useless, unproductive babble. Well, most of it anyway. :o)

Not Me Monday

My friend Kimberly asked: "What did you NOT do this week?"

Honestly, I don't remember last week. So, besides what I did on Sunday, I'm sharing what I remember happening in the last three days. Here is what I did NOT do:

I did NOT get lost with teenagers in my car at 10:30 at night driving around in New Iberia after our soccer game.

I did NOT reveal my dilemmi and my location to my husband when he called wondering where I was.  Well...actually...

I did NOT go sit in 38 degree weather on the soccer field on Friday night when hubby drove and I could have stayed home in my nice warm house with a warm bowl of soup in my lap and warm socks on my feet.

I did NOT sit in 38 degree weather on the soccer field on Friday night wrapped in two jackets, a hood, a quilt, and a bed spread.  Hey, remember this is Louisiana. 38 degrees is a BIG DEAL! Was it worth it? Let's just say, my son's team WON that game!

I did NOT eat X number of chili dogs this weekend simply because they were available to me.

I did NOT turn on my air-conditioner Sunday morning upon waking to find it now 72 degrees.

I also did NOT say "Excuse me!" following a sneeze in an empty car as I sat flipping through an Avon catalog while waiting to pick-up a child at church.

I did NOT go on a pre-Christmas/holiday binge of cleaning out closets, dressers, and the girls' toys while they were both occupied at friends' homes. I did NOT!

My husband and I did NOT remove every last box and bag from the attic and transport them to the new loft in my husband's shop.

I did NOT break the Sabbath and work my butt tail off by digging and sorting through a tub of unsorted baby/childhood items and putting them into the children's individual keepsake bins.

I did NOT laugh at some sentimental things I found and weep at others.

I did NOT recently...as in today...create a keepsake bin for the #5 baby of the family when that baby will be turning seven-years-old next month. Bad Mommy, Me!

So what did you NOT do last week?

Housekeeping Notes

In answer to the question "Am I too late?" over at the Book Walk...

"NO! you are not." Aren't you glad? Oh, happy day!  :)

Keep commenting. The winners will be drawn tonight (Wed., Nov. 19th). I am central time so I will be closing the comments at 9:00 PM Central Time. The winners will be notified and will be announced after they claim their prize.

Also, I've just blogged over at Catholic Mosaic about some self-helps offered by the talented Michele Quigley just in time for the new liturgical church year. It begins Sunday, November 30th, ya know.  ;)

Riding the Wave Until Tomorrow

We're holding our breaths and sitting like ducks playing Russian roulette as Ike takes the same projected path Rita took just three years ago and which Audrey took over 50 years ago.

Cameron Parish has been evacuated. Calcasieu Parish schools have been closed for the reminder of the week.  We sit and wait and watch and pray...again.

I'm not one for much blogging about evacuation scenerios. You just can't "blog" about those. You have to sit and talk them through with friends who have experienced them with you. Like my friend Kimberly and I and all the other moms did last Friday at the ballet class while sitting in the studio's lobby.

Kimberly shares a little of her Hurrication on her blog and another Louisiana lover of picture books, Dianne de Las Casas, gives a thorough evacuation account on her blog for those interested in the nitty-gritty details: Story Connection

Speaking of Dianne, check out this post about her upcoming book The Cajun Cornbread Boy (scroll down until you see the cover). Years ago I watched and heard Dianne present this wonderful story at our local library. As soon as she finished the spicy retelling to an awed audience of little cornbread eaters, I turned to my mother and said, "Now that's a book just waiting to get published."

Do I have the gift of foresight or what?

I'm so proud of Dianne because I know how hard she has worked and toiled to see this book in print and I know she has many more books and plans ready to pop! out of her Cajun oven.

Now, speaking of books...

For the month of September, the girls and I have been reading The Year of Miss Agnes by Kirkpatrick Hill.  Love this book! We're also reading chapter by lovely chapter of Little House in the Big Woods because I want my youngest daughter to fall in love with family life the same way we did.

But these books don't exactly wrap around our current state of affairs like the hurricanes are doing; unless you count the setting of Miss Agnes which is Alaska, so there's a good link to one of the main characters in our current political election.

So I've pulled two more books off our bookshelves that we will read through the rest of September and October:

My Louisiana Sky by Kimberly Willis Holt and Galveston's Summer of the Storm by Julie Lake

Hopefully, by then, the waters of the Atlantic will have gone to sleep and the ghosts of hurricanes past will be at rest.

The Elijah Syndrome

I'm rather tired...tired of this summer.

Tired of health concerns...tired of job worries...tired of the cost of gas...tired of college papers...tired of job changes...tired of laundry...tired of doctor appointments...tired of dental appointments...tired of paying on a tooth crown...tired of a doctor and the pathology lab insisting we owe them a bill that has already been paid (like two months ago)...tired of worrying about my children's future...tired of waiting for answers to prayers...tired of being misunderstood...tired of funerals...tired of grief...tired of grocery prices...and the list goes on.

It's not that I wish anyone...I do mean anyone...to be as tired as I am, but it was nice...just simply nice...to find a kindred voice when I needed it most, one that makes me meditate on why and how we suffer and, even more, on how to lift up our suffering, a voice that says she has already prayed for me, a post that gives me handy-dandy little Scripture quotes to reflect upon when I'm feeling discouraged, someone who gives me a name for this syndrome, a voice that reaches out and says "You are not alone", and even gives me a list of helpful tips for getting through days, weeks, summers such as this.

Thank you, Sally!

Sally Clarkson writes:

"I think, in general, American culture sells us a bill of goods--if you just have the right things, or right home, or good figure or exercise program, or find the right school or right homeschooling resources, or if my husband or children would just change, then I would be happy and then I could deal with my life. The commercials and magazines promise easy solutions.

But in reality, we are in a war. Jesus said, "In this world, you have tribulation. In this world you will be persecuted. Lay up treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy and thieves do not break in and steal." None of what he said promised a panacea in this world. So, after I had some good cries and felt the depth of my discouragement fully, yesterday, I remembered some things that have really helped."

To read the rest and see the list, go here: A Very Blue Tuesday!

I Hear Ya!

I can relate very well:  Stay-At-Home Mom??

The only difference between my writer friend Kimberly and I is that she actually IRONS clothes!!!

Permanent press, anyone?  :)

If You're Catholic and You're Happy

Clap Your Hands:

Lovely New Pieces at Alice Cantrell's Gardens of Grace make perfect gifts for birthdays, sacramentals, anniversaries, thoughtful well wishes, prayerful and friendly tokens.

The new, improved, and worth-every-penny Mater et Magistra Magazine for Catholic families and home educators will be mailed soon.  Place your subscription today.

Alice Gunther's much-awaited "Home Educator's Guide to Socialization" is now available for pre-order at 20% off the retail price.  Order Haystack Full of Needles today and prepare to receive an "uplifting addition" before the start of a new school year.

R.I.P. ~ In Memory of Ann Ball

One of my favorite Catholic authors (and a personal online friend and mentor who wrote a chapter for Literature Alive! and wrote many personal letters to me, encouraging and supporting me in the field of writing) has died.  I will miss her greatly.  Greatly!

I will always be thankful to God for allowing us to "meet" and become friends through this new mode of communication called "The Internet".  Ann was always gracious and available, even in the mist of her busy life, her work, her family, and her writing; she took time to reach out to another hopeful author.  Even when I made a mistake in her bio in my first book Literature Alive! she was quick to laugh my apology off and remind me that "nothing this side of heaven is perfect."

She was a blessing and I will miss her ever so much.

Read more here: Splendor of Truth

May she RIP!

See her website here: http://annball.com/

Many Catholics have stated that author Ann Ball's saint books were the books that brought them closer to the Catholic faith.

Did you read her work?

What books spoke most to you?

Let's share our memories and thoughts about Ann Ball here.

Trip Down Memory Lane

Do you remember...?

This guy?  I saw him one time on Johnny Carson and he never left my memory bank.

Dh and I were talking about him tonight and my children didn't have a clue who he was.  Now they know.