July 2010

The Archives

• childbirth, labor & delivery, pregnancy

  Birth Plans

  07.29.10 | Permalink | 25 Comments

  At my 36/37 week appointment yesterday, I was 1-2 cm dilated and 70% effaced. This was only my second vaginal exam this pregnancy, and since I was getting the Group B strep test anyway, I said sure when the midwife asked if I’d like her to check how things were looking down there. I’ve been [...]

• book review, the world

  Easy Enough

  07.27.10 | Permalink | 15 Comments

  I just finished Three Cups of Tea. One of the best things about our electricity fast was the books I read, especially since, for a former English major, I don’t always read well. I devoured Hunger Games and Catching Fire; I cried through The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, I loved/hated Eat Pray [...]

• electricity fast lessons, Family

  Nine Lessons from an Electricity Fast

  07.19.10 | Permalink | 8 Comments

  For 40 days we limited our use of electricity. We made exceptions for food preparation and clothes washing. We (the kids and I) were 100% successful only on no dishwasher, TV, and computer. I hung my laundry to dry every day but one, when I ran four batches through the dryer after recovering from bronchitis. The [...]

• electricity fast lessons, Skippyjon Jones

  1. Old-fashioned sorrows are (maybe) easier to bear in old-fashioned settings

  07.14.10 | Permalink | 3 Comments

  On Father’s Day I sat in on a class of seven-year olds at church. Before the lesson they each get a turn to say whatever they want, in hopes that they can then listen for six minutes straight. I used mine to ask them, these kids who all live within a block or two of [...]