Grandma's Kitchen Table

Thursday's Favorites Fare

Two very spoiled Tibetan Spaniels.

READING:  His Excellency George Washington by Joseph J. Ellis (based on the newly catalogued Washington papers at the U of VA)

POOLSIDE READING:  Mary Jane Clark mysteries

LISTENING TO:  ICC's Ave Maria for the upcoming Italy tour

COOKING THROUGH:  Nothing...I have been gone most of the week and cooking old standbys only

FAV NEW FIND:  Discovering an old friend is now a practicing Roman Catholic!

FAV THING TODAY;  All the teenagers in our pool having a good time this afternoon.

SCRAPBOOK PAGES THIS WEEK;  2 for intro to Italy tour

GOING TO:  Relax at home all weekend...NOTHING on the schedule, can you believe it????

PRAYING FOR:  Patience, please join me.

Fare-Thee-Well, Lynne

This week has marked the end of life as I have known it for the past eleven years.  We are no longer a homeschooling family.  I can barely write those words without tears welling up in my eyes.  It has been a great run.  We are very thankful to have had the opportunity to watch our children grow and learn under our tutelage.  (An amazing experience and one I would encourage others to embark upon.)  While there are hundreds, literally hundreds, of people that we have shared this experience with, I don't want to exit without thanking and acknowledging the one person who literally I could not have done this without, my friend Lynne. 

    Lynne and I first met when we decided that we were going to form a preschool group for our children so that as we homeschooled through the years these children would be "school friends" and build a bond that would last forever.  My boys were going on four that year and she had two boys of similar ages plus the lovely little pink baby, Rosemary.  We met at OLOG and as we pulled into the parking lot, the boys said, "Mom, there is a van just like ours!" I said, "Great, we are already here!"   It was Lynne.  We had the same color and style of van and we laughed and hugged the first time we met.  Through the preschool years we gathered other Catholic homeschoolers in our efforts, and we learned and laughed and played and prayed together as often as we could.  We set goals for the group, incorporated our Catholic faith to make it seem alive for the children, celebrated births, birthdays, holidays, saints' feast days, Masses, and anything else we could think of celebrating.  Most of all, we celebrated our children, our families, our faith, and our friendships together. 

    Because Lynne lives as far south of Indy as I do north, with that long stretch of Indy between us, as the years went by and the children all did more seatwork than playground and field trip fare, we now see less of each other.  Making far more plans than we ever executed, we still know that a field trip or get together is just a phone call away and that for answers to just about any question, we are there for each other.  You can't do much better than that. 

    So, Lynne, my dear friend, here's to all those play dates, field trips, nature classes, Bug Fests, kickball games, historical home tours, ICHSA events, volleyball games, swimming in our pool times, RCHEI conferences, curriculum discussion meetings, May Crownings, wild trips to and from Iowa with carsick children (and occasionally adults), chicken chasing extravaganzas, Kraft Mac N Cheese and Hot Dog lunches (forever it seemed like) with the kids, and the occasional times we could sit and chat without someone tugging on us to "Come and see, Mom...."  It is just over way too soon.  You were there in the beginning, and it is only right that you are my first huge goodbye...I did it this way because I knew we would both cry and you know, above all else, I do NOT do emotion well.  Keep in touch...after all, I will have a little more time now for running down to the south side of Indy!  Fare-Thee-Well, my friend to all our joint homeschooling adventures...my prayers always for your continued efforts and success in the homeschooling realm...it was a great run!

It's Just Not Fair!

 

Probably somewhere around their child's age of four or so, most parents have long tired of the phrase, "It's just not fair!"  I was mistakenly told it was just a phase that children go through and I believed it, figuring the end was soon in sight.  Alex is now 14 and I see no retirement any time soon of said phrase.  Case in point:  "Can I go walk around town for a few hours with my friends from school?"  After a few questions, such as "Where exactly, which friends, and what time frame are we discussing here?" I was hit with "Mom, you are so unreasonable.  This is just so unfair that all the kids can do this except for me.  Just say 'yes' and don't think so much.  You can trust me."  (Ah, this is where it starts with guys saying "You can trust me."  I have never been a big subscriber to that one at any point in my life.)  We talked it over a bit, my use of calmness and logic impressing even myself, when out of the blue he shouts, "Oh, grownups are all the same!  You never have to do anything you don't want to do and life is always fair for you because you get to control it all!"  I never have to do anything I don't want to do???  No one ever told me that, I have been operating for my entire life without this knowledge!  Imagine my surprise!  Life is never unfair for adults?  Wow...likewise, I had no grasp on this bit of information either (and just this morning I had two or three takes on the "life is just not fair" routine as I moved about my daily routine).  I shared with Alex that it was time to wise up and learn that adults had the same issues, they just did not (for the most part) go around shouting about the unfairness of it all at the top of their voices.  He turned to me and said, "Mom, don't even try to use all that logic stuff on me.  It won't work."  And why, I ask myself, would I even waste my time trying to reason with a 14 year old whose appreciation of such is pretty much nil these days?  You know, it's just not fair!

Thursday's Favorites Fare

Photo:  White peonies and purple irises blooming on the south side of the pool in our backyard. 

READING:  All Matthew's final homeschool papers and essays for the year.

POOLSIDE READING:  American Heritage Magazine (Last issue as they have ceased publishing it!)

LISTENING TO:  Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young (I have to stop soon...too nostalgic)

COOKING THROUGH:  Robin Miller's Quick Fix Meals

FAV NEW FIND:  Lemon Thyme...I planted it in one of the herb pots and it is so great...TRY IT!

FAV THING TODAY;  Last day of school!  Let the summer begin!

SADDEST THING TODAY;  Last day of school! End of homeschooling after 10 years of it.

SCRAPBOOK PAGES THIS WEEK;  6

GOING TO:  Cemetery visits for remembrance for Memorial Day Weekend...always nice to see the names and remember the people and stories from the past.  I miss doing this with the Grandmas and Grandpas...they knew all the great stories best.

PRAYING FOR:  Health, Healing, and Happiness for patients everywhere...please join me.

Fair Amount of Work to be Done

Beautiful deep purple iris blooming in our yard. 

This is a busy week for us as we wind down the school year and close out Matthew's 8th grade year, etc.  Friday we are hanging up our homeschooling hats, and while we are excited to see him venture off into high school next year, we are also a little sad at the ending of an era. Okay, a lot sad.  It was a great run.  Alex will soon be out of school and the summer will be upon us!  I will post my list on Thursday and then be back after the holidays.  Have a great week and holiday weekend! 

Sports Fare

Alex and Matt, age 6 

A few of the newer homeschooling moms asked me how we decided which sport we were going to have the boys play and how they became so successful at it.  My answer was "Well, by accident of course...that is how we come about most things in the Gerth house."  Actually, we didn't really choose our sport, our sport chose us.  We tried everything.  Believe me, pretty much everything.  Well, not Lacrosse because by the time Alex wanted to try Lacrosse, Lacrosse was not interested in having him try them...Carmel being what it is in the competitiveness realm, if you aren't good at what you do by the fourth grade, you can pretty much hang it up around here.  Keep searching. 

        We started out with soccer because Mark's dad was a professional soccer player and we thought that might be a nice place to start.  Soccer was not us.  Matt enjoyed the sidelines more than the actual playing as he and a girl named Margaret could both shoot water through their front teeth at strategic angles delighting all the other five year olds to no end.  Alex was not convinced for many games that the other children were not "kicking" him "on purpose" and would chase the other player down to "kick him right back," which ensued in many apologies on both our parts and Alex's.  Somehow the other parents were very understanding and kind.  Mark was one of the coaches, and I think he probably has the world record for most times carrying a player "onto" the field.  Yes, you heard me, "onto" the field.  Not "off" the field as in possible injury, but "onto" the field as in "Alex, you are going to get out there now and take your turn playing like all the other kids just as we agreed when you wanted to sign up and play soccer."  We were short players that day, and no one was available to come in as a sub so each could have a turn sitting on the sidelines drinking Gatorade and shooting the breeze with other kids hanging around...Alex was not pleased.  I am sure it was the first time the crowds had seen a player being carried onto the field kicking and screaming and the subsequent prone position that Alex played lying down that period and swinging his foot every now and again if something came near to him. 

       Maybe baseball.  Matt's idea of baseball playing was visiting with Margaret out in center field and not paying a bit of attention to any balls being hit or missed.  It was Dad's pitch actually and Alex had a tendency to move around quite a bit while at bat, resulting in Mark pitching to a moving hitter and often hitting said hitter with the ball, resulting in, by the third time (crowd silently looking on) Alex shouting, "Dad, don't hit me again!"  The crowd roared.  Since the ball field was located next to a parking lot (and Alex loves above all else looking at cars), he spent all his non-hitting (or being hit) time watching the cars come and go from the parking lot.  Not for us, definitely.

      Hockey...we only got as far as the ice skating lessons when we discovered that Matt liked skating, but not hockey, and Alex only wanted to play hockey because he thought the penalty box (and what one did to get into the penalty box) looked like the best fun of all.  Scratch hockey.

      Maybe basketball.  Matt had no hand/eye coordination at all at that time, and while he could lob a ball up to the basket, I don't remember one ever actually going in.  Alex possessed the triple threat:  slow, can't dribble, can't shoot.  Alex's height pretty much ruled out any thoughts of a basketball career had he been able to deal with the other requirements.  Most of the time, the ball was at one end and Alex at the other...one game he managed to get the ball and dribble in for a shot and make it.  The referee jumped for joy for him (and we didn't even know the ref...he had called so many games and remembered Alex each time as he was so very small).  Afterward, the ref came up and said, "I know we refs are not supposed to cheer for the players, but I just couldn't help myself."  Going nowhere.

      Football...no way...both were interested in getting out there and creaming kids with tackles, but I held my best Worrying Mother ground and told them to keep searching. 

      Let's see...I guess that left swimming.  Report to the pool, swim a 25 yard of any swim you want, and you are off and running, or rather swimming.  What a deal.  They were even clean when they finished each day.  We found our home.  Turns out they were good at swimming.  We have been at it for 8 years now. 

      That's how we found our sport.  Process of elimination:  we kept at it until the sport didn't eliminate us.  If I had known then what I know now about the swimming season  (year round) and commitment (intense and time consuming), would we do it over again?  Yes...but I might have tried a little harder to locate those Lacrosse people first...just in case. 

Thursday's Favorites Fare

Backyard view and sky today. 

READING:  Basilica by R.A. Scotti (Story of the building of St. Peter's in Rome)

POOLSIDE READING:  Indianapolis Monthly

LISTENING TO:  U2

COOKING THROUGH:  Giada DeLaurentiis's Everyday Pasta (Still...there are many good recipes in this, especially for my carb-loving swimmers!)

FAV NEW FIND:  Peeled garlic cloves in a jar in the produce section of the market:  time saver!

FAV THING TODAY;  Beautiful pearl gray cloudy sky...absolutely gorgeous!  Everything today is wonderfully beautiful.  Pick anything you want for my favorite today...it is all good!

SCRAPBOOK PAGES THIS WEEK;  2

GOING TO:  Purdue University for a three day swim meet; ICC Hear Our Song concert

PRAYING FOR:  Clarity of Vision...Hoping for 20/20...please join me.

Fair Good Looks

It has dawned on me lately that we have two sons who will be 15 soon.  How did that happen so quickly?  We have one son with dark blonde hair, beautiful get-lost-in-them blue eyes, and a spirited knack for making everyone laugh.  Our other son is handsome, over six feet tall with broad shoulders, dark hair and deep brown eyes, and is always charming and nice to everyone.  It does not escape our notice  these days that when girls are around, heads are turning toward them.   At lunch yesterday with fellow moms, discussion ran along the lines of blooming girl/boy relationships, another mom asked me if my boys were interested in girls yet and I said, "Yes.  Definitely.  If said girl can play a decent round of golf, swim at least a mile on any given day, play bass, or make a fire by rubbing two sticks together, they are interested.  If you are talking about the boy/girl thing...we are not quite there...and we are really in no hurry to see that on the horizon anytime soon."  I am thinking this is going to be the last summer that doing things with Mom and Dad has any sort of priority whatsoever.  I intend on enjoying it fully. 

Unfair Game

When Matt was doing his report on the Great Pyramid golf course, he did a Google Earth search to see what it would look like...very interesting and fun to see, I might add.  I just finished looking at it.  I said, "Can you Google Earth us?"  He looked at me and said, "Well, Mom, I could, but Dad said never to show it to you as it was the sort of thing that would just send you right over the edge."  Right over the edge????  This is a term my family uses in reference to the house being even a miniscule messy when someone drops by...I actually think they are being a little unfair about this, but there might be a little truth in there somewhere.  So, what, I am wondering can be so bad about Google Earth and our address?  Matt caved under pressure and those of you who know me well...you will not believe what is on Google Earth...they flew over and took the photo on the ONE DAY A YEAR when we take absolutely everything out of the garage and sweep it down, sort, and spiff it all up.  The entire driveway is lined with stuff from the garage!  Can you even believe it??? He was right...I may have to call the Google Earth people and ask for a retake! 

Fair Game

Matt and his study buddy, Sophie.  Often, when asked to complete an assignment, the boys will hop onto the computer and start with Wikipedia...where was Wikipedia when I was needing homework help?  It is a good place to start.  Assignment:  Report on any aspect you desire of the Great Pyramids with particular focus being given to geography, historical relevance, and culture of the day (particularly business/economy).  Silly me, I forgot to mention that I was referring to Ancient Egypt (and why would a 14 year old assume such if it was not particularly assigned just because that is what we were studying at the moment?).  Result:  a nicely typed report with appropriate citings and such about...are you ready...the GOLF COURSE that is now located at the base of the Great Pyramid.  Said report focused on each requested field, all of course, directly related to establishment of said golf course and the economical benefits of having such particularly located in that geographical area.   It all tied together nicely, and although it was not something I would have intentionally assigned, sometimes the surprises life throws at you, and the directions you end up taking, can lead to places you never dreamed you wanted to go and yet the arrival at such is a happy event.   Go out and own today.

Farewell

Goodbyes are always difficult.  Goodbyes are usually not a matter of good timing.  Rarely do the participants really want to say goodbye at all.  Some goodbyes are for the short term, but others are forever.  Those goodbyes are the most difficult.  I haven't met a goodbye yet that I was really fond of in the long run.  This weekend, however, I was ready with one in particular.  The one in the photo.  Many months ago a severe storm forced the basketball backboard to come crashing down only to impale itself on the fencing, resulting in utter catastrophe.  At that time I was willing to call it a day, but my sweetheart of a husband was not so inclined as he does not part easily with old trusted friends.  (Which I guess is good for me in the long run.)   I don't know what it is about men and their love of basketball.  It defies explanation.  I understand that when you are 6'4" tall, it is expected that you will play basketball.  This is, after all, Indiana, basketball capital of the world.  I understand there must be a certain amount of excitement when you first have that ball placed in your hands and someone yells, "Shoot it!"  I understand the excitement and thrill of watching the game...from the simple pick up game, to elementary, to junior high, to high school, to college, to professional.  I get it.  I love the game, too.  What I don't understand is the attachment to this broken mess of a backboard.  Any discussion of taking down and replacing it was met with a quick change in subject.  I was patient.  I was kind.  I was trying to be understanding.  Months went by.  The neighbors were beginning to make inquiries.  I was beginning to feel like the Clampitts of Beverly Hills fame.  I gently led my husband to the driveway and said, "Jed, it's time.  It must go."  It appeared that he did not quite comprehend what I was asking.  "Jed, the neighbors are starting to get worried.  There is always the fear that Ellie Mae will tie a goat to the picket fence and Jethro will be floating ducks in the swimming pool if they let a thing like this go by without comment."  Slowly he nodded, realization hitting hard.  And down it came.  A little less monumental than the Berlin Wall, but still fraught with memories of all that had transpired over the years at that particular shrine.   A passing of an age...apparently no replacement in sight at the current time.  Will he survive?  Too soon to tell.  Goodbyes are difficult...I think I will make his favorite dinner tonight to help ease the pain.  And maybe, if it is not too soon, we can talk about a replacement. 

Swim Fare

How much food can a swim team group of 40 teenagers put away after practicing from 6:45 to 10:30 on a Saturday morning?  Apparently quite a bit...Matt's plate looks exceptionally full and doesn't take into account the times he went back for more fresh fruit and juice.  An absolutely gorgeous day today, definitely a wonderful day for a picnic breakfast.

Thursday's Favorites Fare

READING:  Maran Illustrated Knitting & Crocheting and The Crochet Answer Book

POOLSIDE READING;  Dark Tort by Diane Mott Davidson (mystery)

LISTENING TO:  Puccini's La Boheme

COOKING THROUGH:  Giada DeLaurentiis's Everyday Pasta

FAV NEW FIND;  Birthday Cake scented candles (the smell is so delicious, you can skip eating the cake)

FAV THING TODAY;  Our beautiful blooming iris flowers throughout the yard

SCRAPBOOK PAGES THIS WEEK;  3

GOING TO:  Rosie's Garden Center for flowers, vegetable plants, and herbs...it's planting time! 

PRAYING FOR:  The Nocco family, Kelly, Donna, Scott, Sarah, and Katie (Kelly has ALS), please join me.

Bread of Life Fare

Today is the 7th Anniversary of Matt and Alex's First Eucharist...they were 7 at the time, so I thought it would be fun to post photos of them on that special day since I just posted photos of them on their Confirmation Day.  We had a big party at the house that Sunday with all three of our priests attending and over 100 people milling about in house, yard, and pool.  It was a lot of fun for all of us.  The priest in these photos is Father Ted and, coincidentally enough, it was the 17th anniversary of his ordination on that day...making today his 24th Anniversary of Ordination to the priesthood.  We have been so blessed to have Father Ted at St. Elizabeth's.  This year he was also appointed the President of Blessed Theodore Guerin Catholic High School, the school Matt will be attending next year for high school.  Today Matthew will serve the 12:15 Mass at SEAS with Father Ted and there will be a little gathering afterwards to help Father celebrate.  Tonight, after choir (Matt and myself) and golf (Mark and Alex), we will have a little celebration here for the boys' anniversary date...a beautiful day all around with celebrations, gorgeous weather, all this spring greenery, blooming flowers, and good friends and family throughout the day.  It can't possibly get better than this.

Fair Sweet Kate -- Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme

 

Congratulations to the lovely Kate on her Confirmation Friday night!  We enjoyed your reception afterwards very much.  As you can see from the photo, it looks like Matthew is winning the height race...even though you do have a very tall father, Kate, I think you are going to have to call it a day and accept that Matthew is going to win this one.  We are so honored to know you all these years...Sweet Sixteen never looked so good!  Congratulations on receiving your fourth sacrament:  we are so very proud of you!

Today was the perfect day for wandering about the yard saying to my beloved husband, "Honey, I was thinking...."  Guaranteed to make any man go "Uh, oh...."  Today's "I was thinking" ran along the lines of landscaping a little section of the yard beside the deck on the nether side of the bow window of the kitchen nook.  I was thinking it would be a very nice place to encourage a little colorful blooming, something to enjoy over breakfast, lunch, and tea.  I have long admired Ina's hydrangeas with their big showy blossoms and mentioned this, thinking I would have to do a little convincing, but no...the answer was, "Okay, that sounds good, I will do a little research and see if this would be a good growing place for them."  Boy, that was easy enough.  Since that was so easy, I also lobbied for a few additional impatiens beside the deck steps...last year's basil plant did not do well there, so basil will need a new home this year...hmmm...time to wander about the yard some more and see where that might be.  I just love all the plants in bloom and the planting season...next week my herb pots get introduced to their new inhabitants!  The chive pot made it all the way through winter in the garage and the chives are ready to clip...so exciting!  Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, Thyme, Mint, Oregano, Tarragon, Dill, and the already to grow, Chives.  How delicious!  Now, where is Basil going to reside...time to go out and wander a bit.  Honey, I was thinking....

Thursday's Favorites Fare

More May flowers blooming in our yard!  On Thursdays I am going to post a favorites list of sorts, I think.  Here is the first installment of said list.

READING:  The Ghost Map:  The Story of London's Most Terrifying Epidemic--and How It Changed Science, Cities, and the Modern World by Steven Johnson (Cholera Epidemic in 1854 London)

LISTENING TO:  Tom Petty (Is there anyone else when the sun is shining and the car windows are down?)

COOKING THROUGH:  Giada DeLaurentiis's Everyday Pasta

FAV NEW FIND;  Crest Cinnamon Rush toothpaste (like brushing your teeth with little red hot candies)

FAV THING TODAY;  Shopping with Margaret and Katie for pink Azalea for Shelley (Thanks for Histo for the kids this year, Shell...they loved every minute of being in Ancient Rome!)

SCRAPBOOK PAGES THIS WEEK;  4

GOING TO:  See the Tibetan Gyuto monks create mandalas from colored sand (at the IMA)

PRAYING FOR:  My father-in-law Emil (in hospital undergoing tests and treatments), please join me.

Fair Mysterious Fare

 

April showers bring May flowers...here's proof!  Happy Baptismal day anniversary to me...52 years ago I was baptized into the Roman Catholic faith on this day.  Matt thought we should celebrate with lunch at TGIF's (Matt always thinks we should celebrate with food...he is, after all, a teenage boy), so we headed there for a Portobello Mushroom Grilled Cheese sandwich and Roasted Red Pepper soup...and a good choice it was indeed.  After work Alex and Mark are headed to the golf links and I am headed to the library as I am fresh out of any "waiting around for kids and carpooling books," which means light reading that can be picked up and put down easily with no loss in train of thought as people come and go chatting and visiting as we all wait for the kiddos at swim practices and choir rehearsals, etc.  (The library is conveniently located right across the street from Matt's swim practice pool...an easy commute since I spend so much time up there dropping off and picking him up at the pool each day.)  With me, this means mysteries...mysteries are by far my favorite kind of quick reading.  My favorite kind of reading has always been non-fiction as I love to learn while reading.  Back in the day, BK (before kids), I would have four non-fiction books going at any one time...history, literature, etc....and all my friends long ago stopped asking what I was reading for fear that I would actually tell them.  With just the title, I could see their eyes glazing over and that fake little smile that says "how interesting" when you know it really means, "how soon can I change the subject?" These are not the mysteries I read to pass the time at the pool and in pick up lines.  Please note that I don't read mysteries like most people undoubtedly read them.  Mysteries are meant to be read through from page one until one reaches the end with great build up and excitement and lots of trying to guess who did it, etc.  I never read them like that.  For one thing, I am not that big on surprises.  Life throws enough surprises at me as it is, I am not thinking I need to go around actively pursuing means to add more of them into life.  I am not big on suspense...although I watch Hitchcock's films over and over again (probably because after the first time, I already know the ending and therefore a lot of the suspense is no longer suspenseful).  What I do like, and the reason I enjoy reading mysteries, is watching it all unfold and seeing the machinations of that process.  Yep, I read the end first.  I have never once confessed this in the confessional, as I think that it is one of those guilty pleasures that really doesn't have a thing to do with sin!  I read the front cover, the back cover, the insides of both covers, the title page front and back, the very first paragraph of the first page and then I flip to the end where I think the solution lies waiting for me.  Oh, it is so rewarding!  I love knowing how it all turns out as I read through the book and watch it all come together piece by piece.  What deliciousness!  Your secrets are safe with me...I won't tell...I just love watching it all unfold and seeing who guessed and who did not...it is a guilty pleasure, what can I say?  And, in the long run, a whole lot better than sin!