Monday Musings

Chin Up: In our family, we have a motto to "Keep Your Chin Up." Oh, not necessarily when things are bad, just when getting photographed so our second chin doesn't show so much.

See? I'm not kidding! Seriously, we are trying to remain "cautiously optimistic" about our dad. We know his health will not improve. But after witnessing his ups and downs, it seems he might just be hanging in there for awhile. If he can still joke around -- sort of -- and still has a rock-solid grip when holding your hand, it just doesn't seem like he's going anywhere anytime soon. Trust me. I am not latching onto false hope, I am prepared for what is going to happen. Now it just doesn't seem like the "when" is as close at hand. But again, it is OUT of our hands, isn't it?

Poor House: Every now and then hubby and I play the Poor Game. It's just something we made up as a competition to see who had the most impoverished childhood. Yes, we are fun-seekers, aren't we? Plus, we try to do this in front of the teenager so maybe he'll appreciate what he has. (Or just roll his eyes.)

Tonight's example went something like this...We grilled out brats for supper and I baked french fries to go with them. Jim was curious why I didn't use aluminum foil in the pan to bake the fries. (I usually do.)

• Me: Sometimes I just like to use parchment paper.
• Jim: When I was growing up, we couldn't afford parchment paper. We had to crush aluminum cans and line those up to use as aluminum foil.
• Me: We were so poor we had to keep re-using the tin foil off the TV rabbit ears then put it back on when we were done.
• Jim: We didn't even have a TV.
• Me: We didn't either. My mom just bought the rabbit ears at a garage sale for the aluminum foil.
• Carter chooses that moment to chime in: Oh, so that's where I get my garage sale-ing gene from!
• Jim: Yup, blame Grandma!
• Me: (Silence. I know should have taken blame/credit, but I'll let my mom have this one.)

Batter, Up: Tomorrow might be the first Assumption Baseball game of the season, so tonight was a good time for Carter to realize his cleats are too small and he needed new ones. Well, he actually discovered a few days ago even though he's been practicing since March. And after some cross-examination from Mama Purse and Papa Wallet -- "Just how tight are they, Carter??" -- we relented. So less than 24 hours before the first pitch (maybe), he's got baseball shoes that fit.

Maybe he does procrastinate a bit. OK, Mom, I guess I'll take this one.