7- Quick Takes

  Join Jen and the other Quicktakers over at the Conversion Diary.

1.  I have had no transcription work for two weeks because my client has been on vacation.   It has been weird. Really weird not to have that work hanging over my head all the time.  I have really missed it!  Instead I’ve been driving kids all over the place to their activities and jobs, and trying to get the parts of my house that the general company sees, pretty clean.  Next week it all starts again.  I wonder if I can adjust!

2. One of the things I’ve been doing instead of working is taking Rosie and Miss C to the local library show.  I’ve been taking my kids to those shows for over 10 years and it’s nice to have an excuse to still go!  Last week they had a magic show which was lots of fun and Rosie even had a chance to be a participant.

Miss C. did pretty well for a 9 month old baby.  She doesn’t mind loud noises and in fact, she likes to be around a lot of people with a lot of action because it interests her.

But last week they had a cartoonist in and I thought that might be too much for the baby.  So while Miss C and I sat in the library playing with toys and games, Rosie watched the cartoonist draw cartoons and even had a chance to draw some herself!!

3.  Today is Calvin’s 25th birthday.  Izzy made a beautiful pineapple upside down cake and we all sat around the fire in the fire pit outside for a couple of hours talking.  It was really a nice birthday.

Calvin’s birth was my rocky road to motherhood. I shared that on Catholicmom.com this week. Can’t believe that was 25 years ago. After all this time, it still makes me a little angry.

Glad to have Calvin though – really proud of that kid.

4.  I was specifically asked to play for mass tomorrow.   The pianist will not be there so they wanted me to help fill in the sound.  Turns out, I have all of the responsibilities for the musical introductions and it’s making me just a tad on the nervous side.

On the positive side, Mr. Pete is cantoring and I hope to catch some of that on video.  He has such a nice voice.

5.  I was also asked to be the wedding facilitator for a Latin mass next week.  I haven’t been to a Latin mass for decades, so I am a little apprehensive about it.  Turns out though that it is easier than a regular mass!!  The priest does just about everything and once the couple gets up to the front, they pretty much stay there!

I’m watching a lot of these videos to get ready though!

6.  So as if I didn’t have enough to do, on a whim I contacted my old college because I saw that they now had several online degree programs.  I graduated from that school a few months before I got married to Mr. Pete. So… about 35 years ago.  The admissions person I talked to was very friendly and helpful and before I knew it, I was getting all of the credits from all of the different programs and colleges I have gone to off and on over the decades  all gathered up and sent into the school.  And to my delight, I am 66% of the way through to a Bachelor’s degree.

So I started on their orientation class, which is 3 weeks long, is a pass/fail and doesn’t give any credit – and I now remember how tedious college work can be.  For example, for 30 points, I had to produce a time management plan so that they can be sure that I know how to manage my time.

After 34 years of marriage, raising six kids while working from home, I think I might know a thing or two about it!  In fact, it was a waste of time to do the assignment.  I’ll have to think long and hard about whether this is the right time to pursue this or not.

7. A look back at Calvin and mom – when he was probably around 2.

Note the death grip I have on his arm.  I love Calvin to bits, but he was one of those little boys that was impulsive and fast!  Despite the smile on my face, I’m sure that I’m trying to get him to stand still for something!!