I live with my family. The direction we’re going is: in Catholic culture, we talk a lot about “community life” meaning, that life when you’re living with other people. And usually the verdict is that it’s hard and rough and requires virtue and more virtue to make it through.
Maybe.
But, I’m partial to that one line of Jesus where he says, “My yoke is easy, my burden is light,” because, sure, there are hardships…but, it’s a fine life, Nancy, a fine, fine life.
How fine?
Here are some examples.
I come home from work yesterday, and Paul was raiding the cupboards and snacking and tearing through food. Being sensible (cough) I joined him for my own bit of snacking.
Paul: Man! I’m eating so much…like a bear coming out of hibernation!
Now, I once read a study in college about how men live a lot longer if they’re married. The study pointed out that this was because wives were more likely to be like, “No, breadsticks don’t count as dinner” and “Remember that lump you found on your brain? Did you go to the doctor about that? Why not?” and “I know you love television, but reasonable hours for sleep are also important for your well-being.” Right-o. So far so good, right?
On Sunday I was sitting at the table when Josh walked up.
Me: “Whoa, Josh! What’s that on your leg??” (About six square inches of skin is bumpy and gritty).
Josh: “That? Oh, I think that’s from when I slid to second in shorts four summers ago.”
Me: “Whaaaat?? There’s gravel still embedded in your skin?!?!”
Josh: “Huh. I guess so. Sometimes, if I scratch it and break the skin, the gravel will come out.”
Me: “And you don’t think this is something to be concerned about?”
Josh: “I guess not. I didn’t think anybody could see it. But, apparently you can.”
TLDR: There is gravel embedded in my brother’s shin, but he doesn’t care. Boys are so weird.
My dad reads the paper on the little red-ish loveseat.
Dad: “They’re opening a new Buffalo Wild Wings.”
Christine: “Oh, wow, when?”
Dad: “Tomorrow. And the first 100 people get free wings for a year.”
Christine: “Really. What time?”
Dad: “Noon.”
Me: “Are you going to go?”
Christine: “I’m thinking about it.”
Mom: “Do you even like wings?”
Christine: “That’s not the point, mom. To tell you the truth, they give me diarrhea, but did you not hear the ‘free wings for a year’?”
That’s Christine in there, btw.
Undisclosed sibling talking about scary movies.
Sibling: “I’m not a scary movie person at all. Did I ever tell you that I didn’t go in our parents’ bathroom for five years because it reminded me of an Adventures in Odyssey episode I once heard where the kids found a skeleton in a closet?”
Nope. Nope, I think that story escaped my knowledge. Until now.
AND NOW THE INTERNET KNOWS, TOO.
At dinner tonight
Christine: “Josh told me he’s planning on getting so tan this summer.”
Josh: “My goal is to have skin cancer by July.”
WAT.
Also, I should give up sass-mouth for Lent, but so far so not-good plus here’s some funny internet featuring sass-mouth PLUS vintage patterns. Well, hello, marriage of two of my favorite things. Beware a few swears, but beware a ton of laughs, too. Oh my.
Keep laughing, ya’ll.