Spillful Thoughts

From Last May:

I was going to title this post, “Brain Dump”, but that sounds downright disgusting, so I made up this title instead. I should be researching homeschool co-ops for next year, but the internet it being weird – why does the server not work just for certain websites? – so I will take this time to just get a few thoughts out in writing.

Homeschool. The never ending frontier. Ok, so maybe not quite as cosmic as that, but still the thing that seems to be constantly stretching out into the distance. It is only just May, but I am already feeling pressure to be signed up for our homeschool stuff for next year. Co-ops, programs, piano lessons, sports, etc. Each year we re-evaluate and tweak what we want to do in our homeschool, so each year kind of feels like starting from scratch. And each year is that panic about whether we have gotten enough done; whether we will get more done next year; whether we need to focus more on academic stuff, or practical stuff, or spiritual stuff. On and on and on…

Getting healthy. Nothing is more ghastly than hearing someone go on about their weight-loss/workout strategies/struggles/successes. Suffice it to say, the balance in taking the necessary time and effort to be healthy, and meanwhile managing not to lose focus on what is more important (faith, relationships, serving our families, having SOME JOY IN OUR LIVES) is tricky for me. I got some new cookbooks that actually look good, despite having horrible titles involving the word, “skinny”.

Reading. I am reading Anthony Esolen’s “Out of the Ashes,” and looking forward to getting time to finish it. I am also reading Bill Bryson’s “Mother Tongue,” which is a book about language, so right up my alley, and perfect bedtime reading.

 

Novel Thoughts 2 – Maggie and Chastity

Chastity Chan. I had heard of her once or twice before from people in the department.

Once I had stopped in to Sam’s office to drop something off, and as I waited in the hall for him to step out of his meeting, I overheard two grad students talking. “So Chastity came in during office hours today,” the first said. The second girl laughed. “Chastity Chan? Was she carrying shopping bags?” “Yes!” the first girl exclaimed. “I am not even kidding!! She was literally carrying three shopping bags!” “That is hilarious!” They were both laughing now. “Yeah, she came in to ask Dr. Chan if he could pick up their kid later, because apparently he doesn’t answer his phone or text or whatever during office hours…” At this point Sam came out to get the lunch I was dropping off, so I didn’t catch the rest.

Another time about a week later, we were talking to Dr. Pradesh, Sam’s colleague in the MechE department, and he was telling us about the party coming up. “It’ll be kind of like a welcome to the department-slash-back to school party. Lee and Chastity Chan will be hosting.” Lee is the department chair (Dean of Engineering?), so sort of my husband’s boss. He looked at me. ” Do you know Chastity?”

“Chastity Chan?” I said, “No. No, I’ve never met her.”

“Oh!” He paused and gave me a funny look, with his eyebrows raised, like “Oh, well, you’re in for something!”

“They’re an, uh, interesting couple… Very nice! … Interesting Couple.”

So, anyway, I don’t know what I was expecting.

As we get to the Chans’ house for the party, Lee greets us at the door. Their home is a large and beautiful, rather generic home, with a long driveway and hedges and arched front windows.

“Hi! Welcome! So glad to have you! Maggie, we’re so grateful to have snagged your husband here at Everhurst!”

“Oh, Thanks!” I reply. “Yeah, we’re really happy to be here!”

“Have you met my wife, Chastity?” he says.

I feel stupid, and sort of racist to admit this, but for a split second I started glancing around, scanning the room for, like, a petite Asian woman somewhere. (Honestly HIS last name is Chan, I don’t know why I assumed his wife, whose name is Chastity would also be Asian.) So I was surprised when this blonde, Amazon-ish woman standing nearby steps forward and grasps me into a hug, saying, “Maggie!Hi there! So pleased to meet you!” in a bubbly, Southern drawl.