5 Quick Things #413 🏕️

meat on fire, double dates, video vs. audio, & book-shelving chaos

Jun 05, 2026

Hi there,

As you’re reading this I’m out camping with my husband, and only my husband (well, and our dog). The boys are at church camp, the daughter is off and married—so, I guess we’re able to just ...do things now? What a time to be alive.

It may very well be pouring down rain, so TBD on whether we call it and head home to our shower and bed. However, we do love our new-to-us camper, so I dunno, it also sounds like an adventure to power through the rain and stay cozy in the camper while looking at nature through rain-streaked windows. The dog is the big contender though. No one likes a wet, muddy dog, even when you’re camping.

The goal is to eat steak cooked over a campfire (though: rain, etc., so maybe?), read just for fun in a foldable rocking chair (perhaps under our awning), play a few card games, and if weather permits, go paddle boarding in the lake. After our chock-full spring semester, no agenda but nature for 48 hours sounds positively lovely, no matter what comes forth from the clouds.

*Zelte und Kanufahrer an der Oberalster* (1938), by Eduard Steinbach #

5 Quick Things ☕️

1. Speaking of meat cooked on fire, I’m looking forward to an upcoming long season of dinner prepared mostly in the backyard. I create seasonal menu plans, mostly copy + paste with a few variations here and there, because my clan is simple and doesn’t mind repetition. My summer priority is not turning on the oven while getting us all plenty of protein, so that typically means the grill (alongside the trusty Instant Pot and air fryer). Have a go-to meat-based meal that’s super-simple and meets this criteria? I’d love to hear it.
2. ICYMI, a few days ago I shared with you all what it’s like to marry off your daughter—I’m still reflecting on all the thoughts and feelings, but for now, I’m glad my initial words have resonated with you: “We stand before God and community to promise each other our fealty until death do us part, and what a step of faith that is. We have no idea what’s coming, all the stretch marks and bills and budget-friendly date nights in the living room after the kids are asleep and late-night bedroom chats about how the teens are doing, and how not knowing what’s all in store is probably for the best.”
3. On that note—a few days ago, Kyle and I went on a double date with our daughter and her new husband, and I’m happy to report that it was a lot of fun and not as weird as I thought it’d be. It felt very ordinary and as-it-should-be, a nice hybrid of easy family hangout and dinner out with another couple like we’ve been doing for decades. …Like in all stages of life, where we don’t have the grace to be in it until we actually are, I’m starting to look forward to this next stage of life.
4. Also, at the beginning of the week, Commonplace subscribers and I shared our June book plans (plus what we read last month). It’s our traditional way to start each month, so if this is you, pop over there and share what’s in your stack!
5. And finally, if you’re an old-school podcast enjoyer—meaning, you still like laid-back, short-ish, simple conversation-focused episodes, I’d love to hear from you here regarding your thoughts on the trend of making podcasts video-formatted. I have my opinion, but it’s genuinely helpful to hear from you too as I make plans for Drink’s next season. I appreciate it in advance!

Currently Reading, Watching, Listening 📖

The Ministry of Time, by Kaliane Bradley (but I’m only about two pages in, so I admittedly just started)

Quotable 💬

“The Earth has music for those who listen.”

-Reginald Vincent Holmes

How do you organize your books? 📚

Hoo boy, can this be a contentious topic, and I’m regularly made fun of here in my own household... I am a firm believer that books should be alphabetized by author, as the good Lord intended (though I can make some space for topical organization, if it’s then still done alphabetically by author). I tried topical once, but then I lost my Lewis collection all nice and tidy together—who wants Narnia all the way over there, while Screwtape Letters is in another section, while Till We Have Faces is in yet another section? None of that nonsense. Respect the creator of the work, I say.

The vast majority of you are nuts. How can you live in the sheer chaos?