• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Catholic Review

Catholic Review

Inspiring the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Menu
  • Home
  • News
        • Local News
        • World News
        • Vatican News
        • Obituaries
        • Featured Video
        • En Español
        • Sports News
        • Official Clergy Assignments
        • Schools News
  • Commentary
        • Contributors
          • Question Corner
          • George Weigel
          • Effie Caldarola
          • John Garvey
          • Father Ed Dougherty, M.M.
          • Guest Commentary
        • CR Columnists
          • Archbishop William E. Lori
          • Rita Buettner
          • Christopher Gunty
          • George Matysek Jr.
          • Father Joseph Breighner
          • Father Collin Poston
          • Robyn Barberry
          • Hanael Bianchi
          • Amen Columns
  • Entertainment
        • Events
        • Movie & Television Reviews
        • Arts & Culture
        • Books
        • Recipes
  • About Us
        • Contact Us
        • Our History
        • Meet Our Staff
        • Photos to own
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • CR Media platforms
        • Electronic Edition
  • Advertising
  • Shop
        • Purchase Photos
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
  • CR Radio
  • News Tips
  • Subscribe

Boiling eggs, a new teakettle, a Garmin for Jesus, and more (7 Quick Takes)

March 30, 2018
By Rita Buettner
Filed Under: Blog, Open Window, Uncategorized

~1~

Every year when I take out the eggs for Easter I google “how to boil eggs.” You might think I’d be able to remember year to year. But apparently I cannot retain that information. Then I always worry that I’ve done it wrong. This year I didn’t test one to make sure they were all cooked through. I’m trusting that my googling was successful. We shall see.

~2~

I’ve been looking for a teakettle for a few weeks, ever since I noticed that the base of ours was wearing out.

When Daniel and I went shopping the other day, we were more focused on birthday gifts for his Aunt Shai and his cousin Elise. But when we were walking through a store and saw a polka dot teakettle, I knew I had to buy it for myself.

It might not be the biggest thing to happen in our household this week, but it’s the prettiest addition.

~3~

Because we didn’t make it to Mass on Holy Thursday, I pulled out our children’s Bible for bedtime reading. We were reading about the Last Supper and how Jesus washed his apostles’ feet when I came to a line about Jesus’ garments.

“No, mom,” our second grader said. “Jesus didn’t have a Garmin.”

He’s right, you know.

~4~

We had planned to go to St. Anthony Shrine in Ellicott City for their Good Friday service, but it was pouring, so we decided not to make the drive. We opted for the Stations of the Cross at our parish instead. That meant more time at home and a quieter, more relaxing day. And it meant we saw the empty holy water fonts and the church stripped bare—but in our own parish, which somehow made it really feel like Good Friday.

I realized this Lent that meatless Fridays aren’t hard for me as an individual, especially because I love fish sticks and canned fish and most seafood. Don’t even get me started on frozen pizza and grilled cheese. Yum.

But meatless Fridays are more challenging for me as a mother of children who eat chicken noodle soup every day for breakfast and sometimes also for snacks in between meals. We have definitely had to be a little more creative.

~5~

My dermatologist told me I couldn’t take a shower for two days this week, and I didn’t know how I would survive. I happened to mention it to my sister—the one with four children 3 and under, including 5-month-old twins—and she just laughed and laughed.

It’s good to have people in your life who can put things in perspective.

~6~

At dinnertime the other day Leo mentioned he needed a protractor to do his homework. I couldn’t imagine where we might have a protractor. If Leo can’t find something in the house, it probably doesn’t exist. He’s much more organized than I am.

So I texted my neighbor who has four children, all older than ours. She said she’d send one over. When she couldn’t find one, they found an image online and printed it. Leo happily cut it out and used it to do his homework.

Maybe I should show him how to boil eggs, and we would be set for next Easter.

~7~

I can’t wait for Easter, but I do love Holy Saturday. It always feels like such a peaceful day to me, a day of calm and waiting and expectancy. And then Easter comes. And Easter is magnificent. But Holy Saturday holds so much hope, so much anticipation. For Holy Saturday we’ll be doing a little egg hunting and some grocery shopping and some food preparation and some egg filling for an egg hunt with some of the cousins on Easter Sunday.

You can find more quick takes at Kelly’s blog, This Ain’t the Lyceum, and I hope you have a great Holy Saturday and a joyous Easter.

 

Print Print

Primary Sidebar

Rita Buettner

Rita Buettner is a wife, working mother and author of the Catholic Review's Open Window blog. She and her husband adopted their two sons from China, and Rita often writes about topics concerning adoption, family and faith.

Rita also writes The Domestic Church, a featured column in the Catholic Review. Her writing has been honored by the Catholic Press Association, the Maryland-Delaware-D.C. Press Association and the Associated Church Press.

View all posts from this author

| Recent Commentary |

An invitation from God

‘Annunciation’: Salvation and the words of the air

Fully entering into the Triduum

Question Corner: Jesus became man so I could become God?

The mental health crisis crosses all boundaries and ages

| Recent Local News |

Catholic Charities’ William J. McCarthy Jr. named Loyola’s Business Leader of the Year

Sister Joan Cooper, O.S.F., dies at 94

Pathfinders: Five Archdiocese of Baltimore women who made history

Sister Elizabeth Ellen Kane, O.S.F., dies at 81

RADIO INTERVIEW: Dining with the Saints

| Catholic Review Radio |

CatholicReview · Catholic Review Radio

Footer

Our Vision

Real Life. Real Faith. 

Catholic Review Media communicates the Gospel and its impact on people’s lives in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and beyond.

Our Mission

Catholic Review Media provides intergenerational communications that inform, teach, inspire and engage Catholics and all of good will in the mission of Christ through diverse forms of media.

Contact

Catholic Review
320 Cathedral Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
443-524-3150
mail@CatholicReview.org

 

Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent

  • Memorial to modern Christian martyrs opens in Rome
  • Human composting, alkaline hydrolysis not acceptable for burial, say U.S. bishops
  • Pope advances sainthood causes of six candidates
  • Retired Milwaukee priest barred from hearing confessions over support of Delaware ‘repeal of seal’ law
  • Suspect pleads not guilty in murder of LA Auxiliary Bishop O’Connell
  • Avoid polarizing debate, promote healthy scientific discussion, pope says
  • CRS, USAID help Ethiopia ‘at a time of great need’ amid devastating drought
  • A ‘nation of immigrants’ should identify with migrants’ plight and human dignity, says Boston cardinal
  • An invitation from God

Search

Membership

Catholic Press Association of the United States and Canada

Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association

The Associated Church Press

© 2023 CATHOLIC REVIEW MEDIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED