Down the Block Cafe

Menus for the week of July 30, 2007

Monday
Chicken Alfredo
Potato, Ham, & Cheddar Soup

Tuesday
Chicken & Dumplings
Southwestern Corn Chowder Soup

Wednesday
Meatloaf
Loaded Potato

Thursday
King Ranch Chicken
Creamy Chicken & Wild Rice Soup

Friday
Smothered Pork Chops
Taco Soup

Saturday
Salmon Croquettes
Chefs' Surprise Soup

It's a crying shame...

Courtesy of Webster's online:



Main Entry: 1shame

Pronunciation: 'shAm

Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English scamu; akin to Old High German scama

shame1 a : a painful emotion caused by consciousness of guilt, shortcoming, or impropriety b : the susceptibility to such emotion

2 : a condition of humiliating disgrace or disrepute : IGNOMINY

3 a : something that brings censure or reproach; also : something to be regretted : PITY b : a cause of feeling shame



2 weeks ago, my grandson, who is 7, did something shameful.



His babysitter called me and I called his mom and then his grampits. We all talked to him. I was not privy to what his mom said but I can tell you that his grampits and I both said, at different times, that we were disappointed, sad, hurt, confused, angry, upset and mad. We both said, at different times, that we did not understand but that he needed to know that his actions affected not just himself, but everyone who loves him. We did not seem to be getting through.



My daughter, an excellent mom, took him to visit with our priest. My grandson has known our priest for almost 1/2 of his life and loves him. Father John told the little man that when he acts in that way it makes Fr. John ashamed to be his friend. Father John got through.



This got me to thinking. Am I so afraid of scarring the child's psyche that I forgot about shame? and guilt? and sin? Shame is an honorable emotion. Guilt is an honorable consequence. Sin is a dishonorable separation from God. Maybe by being so conscious of the baby's (yes, I know he's 7 - he will always be the baby) ego and self-esteem, I have been neglecting his conscience and his soul.



I know that I am not his mother. I am not solely responsible for his upbringing. I am, however, family, and as grandma, at least as responsible as my Mom was for my kids. Thank God, and I do, for such a wonderful example.

Don't pay the ransom - I've escaped

Sorry for not blogging in such a long time for those of you who check. My apologies.

The "Down the Block Cafe" menu did not get updated this week - partly because I evidently have been in "one of those" moods and partly because they were not serving Taco Crunch.

This is just gonna be sort of a catch all today because my mind is incapable of any sort of coherent anything.

I did see, hear, and read some things that amused me.

This quote is from an article in Texas Monthly magazine - I laughed out loud when I read it and am thinking of taking it as my own personal mantra - "She went from normal to flat-out crazy without even taking the time to pause at peculiar."

My daughter and grandson and I were tooling around town the other day in neighborhoods that we usually don't see. There is no way to explain this without sounding like a bigot so ~ the sight of several small Hispanic children playing croquet (properly, I might add) just cracked me up.

Snow cones - how had I forgotten the absolute summer deliciousness of a snow cone? Thanks, little man, for sharing and for reminding me.

I have some HEAVY thoughts rolling around in my head but will save them for a later post. I hope that all of the ladies at Blogher have a spectacular time and that no pictures are posted that shouldn't be!

treasures

Yesterday, my daughter and her son were in the car at a stop light. Next to them was the UPS truck. My grandson waved at the driver, who waved back. They continued conversing with each other with the windows closed and my daughter asked her son what he was doing. He said he was talking to the driver. She asked why and he said that he learned it from his grandma. She said, "learned what?" and he said, "to be nice."

And I melted.

He then proceeded to tell her that she just wasn't a "peoples person."

DTBC

Daily entrees and soup selection for the week of July 16, 2007

Monday

Lasagna

Loaded Potato

Tuesday

Salmon Croquettes

Ravioli Soup

Wednesday

Meatloaf

Spring Chicken

Thursday

Chicken Fried Steak

Chicken Tortilla

Friday

Mozzarella Chicken

Taco

Saturday

Chicken or Shrimp Alfredo

Chefs' Surprise

Eavesdropping 101

Conversation overheard:

"I wonder why the flags are at half-staff."

"It's for LadyBird Johnson."

"The flags are at half-staff because Hank Hill's dog died?"

Farewell

Rest in Peace, Lady Bird.