Meme: Hot off the presses!

I've never started a meme but I'm usually too late to jump in on one. Solution? I'm starting one right here and now. Anyone who reads my blog -- would you like to join in? Here are 10 questions so you can know a bit about me, right now, July 16th 2008!

1. Favorite Summer drink -- red wine on ice -- the finer crushed the better; not only does it slow down the imbibing, it is a great thirst quencher and isn't sweet! Thanks to bil Noah for the "recipe"!

2. Worst part of Summer -- driving in the car on one of our road trips (either to relocate or just to visit family) -- especially if we're loaded down with stuff and we've got teen(s) and little(s) in the car together!

3. Best part of Summer -- driving in the car on one of our road trips (amazing the amount of knitting I get done; besides I love seeing family)

4. Favorite Shopping Experience -- IKEA: not only do they have some of the coolest stuff, they think I'm awesome because I'm so honest (I'll post THAT story in a day or two)

5. What I'm reading -- anything on homeschooling (just finished, and my fav so far, is Debra Bell's Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling), self-sufficient farming (one I just got is called The Self-Sufficiency Handbook -- WOW!), and building my dream house (a huge one-room cabin with loft space for sleeping, ala the Nearing's stone-house).

6. What I'm praying about -- selling the house in Denver, dear St. Joseph, please!

7. What I'm currently knitting -- a knitting bag for a sequel to my book (hopefully); this bag is taking forever as it's done in a slip-stitch pattern, with a gusset and self-strap! I'll post when I finish this puppy, believe me! I've been working on this particular design since mid-June and even dh (who knows VERY little about knitting, and rarely comments on my projects) thinks it's the most complicated, and most beautiful, thing I've ever done.

8. What I'm currently writing -- a sequel to my knitting book, a book on creativity from a Catholic world-view, and handcraft articles for the new Catholic homeschool magazine, mater et magistra. The first issue is due in the mail this week -- have YOU subscribed yet?

9. Where my time has been most-focused lately -- scheduling homeschool for this next year (including finding co-ops, sport activities, support groups and generally trying to get acclimated to life in NoVA!). I love Debra Bell's comment -- I'm paraphasing here:

yes, you will forget to teach them something, but if you teach them to love
learning, when they come across that something, they'll be able to TEACH
THEMSELVES so relax!

10. Favorite quote of the day: this was on My Catholic.com today.

If one yields ground on any single point of Catholic doctrine, one will
later have to yield later in another, and again in another, and so on until such
surrenders come to be something normal and acceptable. And when one gets used to rejecting dogma bit by bit, the final result will be the repudiation of it
altogether.

– St. Vincent of Lerins

That's it for my FIRST meme.

So, what would your answers be? Go ahead and post a blog post and link in the comments section here.

Housekeeping (don't laugh) meme

OK, so Leonie tags me -- with my first ever meme -- and it's for HOUSEKEEPING! I finally broke down and scrubbed the kitchen floor (on my hands and knees no less) on Saturday and made the kids PROMISE not to go in there till Daddy saw (and was sufficiently proud of me).

So anyway, thanks to Leonie, here we go:

Aprons – Y/N?
I'm with Leonie -- I have a few hanging available in the kitchen (and tons of sewing patterns upstairs if anyone wants them), but I never put them on. When I cook with the kids, I always make them wear 'em, but never do myself ... unless it's REALLY messy/greasy or I want to get a rise out of dh.

Baking – Favorite thing to bake:
I love to bake ooey-gooey things for the kids, but don't really care for them myself; love to bake bread -- that's a fun, agression-releasing activity with the kids altho I often have to fight them off so that I can do all the kneading!

Clothesline – Y/N?
Yeah, right -- why would I have a dryer?

Donuts – Have you ever made them?
Nope -- it's so much easier to head to Safeway and buy 14 = dozen.

Every day – One homemaking thing you do every day:
LAUNDRY and it truly is the bane of my existence. Nothing irritates me more than having just finished the two daily loads and then the kids come and bring something they "forgot" to put in the laundry but need tomorrow.....

Freezer – Do you have a separate deep freeze?
We used to but we don't now; I wish I did though as they really are useful!

Garbage Disposal – Y/N?
Yep, and love it -- much better than that biodegradeable stuff rotting in the garbage!

Handbook – What is your favorite homemaking resource?
I reallly like Martha Stewart's new one -- Homekeeping Handbook -- is great but I (honestly now) don't reference it that much.

Ironing – Love it or hate it?
It can be quite relaxing to iron, but I'm usually doing it 10 minutes before needing the item, so it's not as relaxing as it could be!

Junk drawer – Y/N? Where is it?
We have so little drawer space in the kitchen that our junk "drawer" is actually in the big hall closet/pantry.

Kitchen: Design & Decorating?
We just moved in in August, and the kitchen is currently a long narrow galley style kitchen with goldy yellow walls and pale laminated cabinets; we're hoping to increase cabinet and counter space this summer (when dh is off school).

Love: What is your favorite part of homemaking?
The best part is having folks notice that I've done SOMETHING, ANYTHING!

Mop - Y/N?
Yes, but prefer to get down on my hands and knees and scrub -- I KNOW it's clean then!

Nylons - Wash by hand or in the washing machine?
Duh, washing machine of course

Oven - Do you use the window, or open the door to check?
I didn't realize how dirty the oven "window" was until I self-cleaned it about 2 months ago -- but I got so in the habit of opening and checking that I rarely use the window.

Pizza - What do you put on yours?
Lots of cheese (sorry Leonie!) and pineapple.

Quiet - What do you do during the day when you get a quiet moment?
Read. Go on the internet. Knit if possible.

Recipe card box - Y/N?
No. But I do have lots of bits of paper in various folders and as bookmarks in cookbooks; altho, honestly the best place to go for recipes is Cooks.com or for Liturgical Year cooking ideas a great starting place is Catholic Culture.

Style of house -
4bed/2bath duplex that is a renovated old officer's quarters. We love the hardwood floors and thick walls of this military housing from the 1950s!

Tablecloths and napkins - Y/N?
Rarely but we do use placemats and cloth napkins for a, company or b, we ran out of paper!

Under the kitchen sink - Organized or toxic wasteland?S
More semi - than organized.

Vacuum - How many times per week?
We mop more or sweep cuz most of the house is hardwood, tile or lino.

X’s - Do you keep a daily list of things to do and cross them off?
In my mind but rarely on paper, unless I'm feeling particularly swamped!

Yard - Who does what?
Dh and String Bean love to plant and putter; Brikhead is teaching LegoManiac how to use the pushmower and the leafblower; I just enjoy going out to see it and make suggestions...

Zzz’s - What is your last homemaking task for the day before going to bed?Clear up and rinse the last few dishes, load the soap and run the dishwasher. Pickup the living room if I'm feeling particularly energetic. Check email just before heading up.

I tag: MaryM at Our Domestic Church!