The weekly “little of this, little of that” feature here at Like Mother, Like Daughter!
Remember my post about living without air conditioning? There were a lot of comments on that one! But — As I said then, even if you have AC and need to use it (and well do I know that some of you are broiling away), there are things you can do to be more comfortable and more efficient with it. And certainly here in New England — provided your house is built correctly and reasonably — you do not need AC!
- This post gives helpful illustrations of what I was talking about. It explains that cooling is a “zone” and not a temperature point. Fans will help a lot — even with AC. And if you are building a house, you should click through some of the links embedded to see how to cool things down without profligate energy use. The sad fact is that most new houses are built with no consideration for the geography in which they are placed; a datum of significance, you would think. So vexing.
I love the idea of the commonplace book. I myself have tried keeping different notebooks at different times, and find now that good old index cards work best for me. What do you use?
- This short post demystifies the concept (although in my post I suggest more than just quotes).
- Ever see sand magnified 300 times? Fascinating.
(Here's my post on what kind of microscope to get to see this sort of thing on a regular basis.)
- Did you see this article about a way to nurse your baby that seems to be what he wants to do anyway, when left to himself? I always nursed my newborns this way (and all the other ways too), because then I got to lie down! And here is another really helpful one about “low milk supply (sic).”
Listen, take it from me — I've nursed seven babies — these articles are helpful. Don't fret yourself about them; don't worry if they don't absolutely apply to your situation right now. Just read and file away.
If you are like us, you teach your children to obey reasonable and duly constituted authority but not to check their minds in at the door. We want them to be problem solvers. We assume that they will take responsibility for their actions and see the big picture — at least, that's what we hope for once they reach maturity, and our responses to all the little events along the way are geared to that goal.
- I think that the consequences of a different attitude are shown in this article by the acerbic Mark Steyn on a July 4th parade that went awry for no particular reason. And those consequences, while not decisive for any one day or place, nevertheless will take their toll on our liberty. If our kids were younger, I think I'd give them the facts of the piece, ask them what they'd do, and then after what I am sure would have been a lively discussion, read them what Steyn writes.
- I'm really enjoying this blog from David Warren. If your head starts spinning with all the “must reads” out there, his voice will calm things down.
- My husband, Phil Lawler, aka The Chief, has a little bits and pieces of his own to wind down his week of reporting and commenting on the news. I highly recommend checking it out. And be sure not to miss this “Modest Proposal” about sexual consent contracts.
- I may have shared this, Our Only Option, from C. C. Pecknold, before, when it first came out, but maybe not. It's worth another read. Pecknold insists, against the idea of retreating, per se: “Our families are going to need to live according to a rule if we are to endure—very much as religious orders do—with daily habits of prayer, confession, adoration, ingesting the Scriptures, emulating the great saints, learning to think with the doctors of the Church.”
Here's the thing. It's frustrating. We keep knowing we should do this, but not knowing how. That's because we just don't have the collective memory to do it.
That is why I wrote The Little Oratory, along with David Clayton (additional drawings by Deirdre!). So that when you read a spirited exhortation like this one, you know where to turn for practical help! Spoiler alert: It's actually very simple — it's living the Liturgical Year! So don't be worried.
A very delightful feast of St. Benedict, Abbot, to you! This saint who changed the world will intercede for us in heaven, don't worry!
Tamara @ This Sacramental Life says
Oh how I look forward to every new post from LMLD!
I was wondering if you could change the setting on your links post so that when we open a link it takes us to a new page instead of replacing this one? It’s a little thing, really, and not the end of the world, but it would help me love LMLD even more. What happens is that I read the page you link and then forget that I have to arrow back to get to your page and exit the whole tab and then have to go back and type in your link to get back to your post, etc. I’m not sure how your system works, but I know in Blogger when you hyperlink a piece of text there’s a box you can click that says something like “open link in new page”.
Anyway, just a little thing, but it would sure help me and my foggy brain reading {bits & pieces} every Saturday morning .
Thank you!
Tamara
Mrs. B. says
Tamara, while things are like this, you can always try to remember to right-click a link and pick “Open in a new tab/window”.
Tamara @ This Sacramental Life says
Yes, good reminder. That’s the first thing I try to remember! And then when I forget that, I try to remember to arrow back. 🙂
Rosie says
Control-click does the same thing, and for when you forget both and close the tab, control-shift-T (at least on chrome or mozilla) opens your most recently closed tab, history and all. These two shortcuts are clutch to those of us who insist on always having a million tabs open at once…
Leila says
Tamara, thanks for mentioning this. Every once in a while I kind of mean to think about it, and then I forget. We will have our blog support look into it! *texts Rosie*
Tamara @ This Sacramental Life says
Thank you!!
Rosie says
Yes, thanks – you’re right, there is an easy way to do this, it’s just a matter of remembering! But we should. We’ll work on that. 🙂
Tamara @ This Sacramental Life says
Thank you!!
Tamara @ This Sacramental Life says
Between all of us trying to remember a little trick or two, we should be just fine. 🙂
Mrs. B. says
Great links!
I love it when people I like find each other! I started reading David Warren over a decade ago, who knows how I discovered him, and remember how wonderful it was when he converted to the Catholic Church!
I had to laugh at the nursing article: that’s exactly how my youngest has always preferred to nurse! The other two weren’t picky as far as positions, but this one definitely has strong opinions (and at 18 months shows no interest in weaning, not even in cutting back a little… I love breastfeeding, but I’m getting sick of it fast now!!)
This is a very sensitive topic, though: it seems to trigger a lot of intense feelings. I’ve never had a single problem breastfeeding my kids, so I wouldn’t dare give out any advice!
The AC discussion in interesting, but I think a tad hopeless. I love open windows, and wonder why all our neighbors live with windows closed and blinds down all year round – it would feel like a prison to me!
But even if we recovered the art of building houses according to climate and geography, which is a wonderful idea, what about office buildings? Not a chance there… The problem is that it would be very difficult for people to have AC conditions at the office, then naturally ventilated homes…
Anyway, this just reminds me of Pride and Prejudice, when Lady Catherine is horrified by the Bennets’ drawing room: “Why, these windows are FULL WEST!”
Monica says
Loved the breastfeeding articles, very informative! The hospital had me worried and was telling me to supplement before my milk even came in! What a thing to do to a first time mom! I was so worried he wasn’t healty. I’m glad that when I called my mom she advised me not to listen because I have been able to breastfeed without any problems!
Anamaria says
Here in Oklahoma we definitely need air conditioning, but I am so grateful our little rent house has an attic fan- that cuts down on the months we have to use the ac! I don’t know why more houses don’t have them, though it does add to the dust.
Kate says
I must have missed the original AC discussion. I grew up in the high desert with a swamp cooler (not a whole house system – just one window unit all of us would gather in front of after running around outside). My parents drove a VW van, so we had no air conditioning. The nice thing about the high desert is the the evenings are usually pleasant, so one can sleep comfortably. My Catholic parochial school had no AC; the teachers just opened up the long wall of windows and both doors and we dealt with it – sweaty boys, heavy plaid jumpers, knee socks and all. I live in the CA mountains now and the last few years our summers have been unusually hot – more days in the high 90s and a few weeks in the upper 100s (although the evenings and nights are always cool). Even with the increased discomfort, our ceiling fans and open windows have been sufficient. We drive old vehicles with non-functioning AC, so we roll down the windows and park the car in the shade. I know people live in far more uncomfortable areas, but I think more could be done to decrease the use of AC. As you said, building properly would help. I remember older landscape books (pre AC) had recommendations on what kind of trees and where to plant them to help with the cooling and heating a home. Older homes in CA have plenty of trees; newer ones often have a vast expanse of water-wasting lawn with nary a tree. I think the biggest problem with our modern age is a lack of common sense, from everything from breastfeeding to home management to sex.
Carol Kennedy says
My husband and I just finished reading The Lord of the World (the book referenced by the Holy Father that the Chief mentioned in his post) and it was eye opening. If you feel the need to better understand Pope Francis, this might help…of if you just need your pre-conceived notions of who he is and what he thinks challenged a little…this is the book to read. Fascinating. And disturbing. But not so much so that a wimp like me (I do not tend towards dystopian literature–give me cheerful happy ending and I am most happy) can’t enjoy it.
Carol Kennedy says
I should have said it like this: But not so much so that a wimp like me can’t enjoy it (I do not tend towards dystopian literature–give me cheerful happy ending and I am most happy).
There, much more clear.
Julie says
My kids have started their own commonplace books after hearing of the concept while listening to the Series of Unfortunate Events books by Lemony Snicket (would highly recommend, especially for long car trips – the whole family has loved these). I should do one for myself but I can’t seem to ever find paper or a pen, and never both at the same time, but should those two come together the thought would fly from my mind before I could write it down.
Adele says
Between heat and mosquitoes we can’t really be comfortably outside for more than an hour or two in high summer. So we homeschool during the winter and summer and follow the old practice of schools off in the spring and fall. We also live on a homestead where the outside work load lends to this as well. In the spring we put in the garden and raise the babies. In the fall we harvest, preserve and make cheese. Our home is actually properly built for Wisconsin so we are very lucky.
Paula says
horrible…i turned the ac on to get the moisture out of the air as the carpet is wet & smells like dog pee from the now dead dog. I want to rip out the carpet & refinish the pine floors but need a chunk of time! the window guy was supposed to come today to measure as I’ve got a leak which has the drywall screwed up…one thing at a time! Yikes! It’s raining …again! This indiana weather is AWFUL>..it was warmer & dryer in Michigan last weekend..the indiana people think of that state as “that forzen wasteland to the north”. sheese they hate us here. oh well. better than the state directly to the east!
Erin says
Thanks for sharing the article from Chad Pecknold! I had not noticed that he wrote for First Things. I had the opportunity in college to take a theology class with him and meet his lovely family – I was unable to travel home for Easter break that year and they had me over for Mass and Easter dinner. I remember a story he told our class regarding consumer culture. When he took his son, then about 3 or 4, into a J Crew, the boy looked up at the vaulted ceilings and asked, “Daddy, is this church?” His answer, of course, was unfortunately for many people, yes.
Mrs. C. says
I just read this article on natural cooling built into the architecture of old houses and it made me think of this post. I thought I’d share it.
http://blog.solarcity.com/how-homes-kept-cool-before-the-age-of-ac