Visiting Laura last week, we got to talking about her new electric stove and the pros and cons of different stove tops. Hers is electric, I currently have propane gas, and next month I'll have natural gas.
As we were talking, I got to ranting about the salesmen who were giving me the pitch about sealed burners being so easy to clean. When I previously had sealed burners, it was the hardest-to-clean stove I ever worked with. Every time the potatoes boiled over, every time something spilled while I was cooking, it would burn on. No matter how much scrubbing, no matter how much chemical, no matter how much elbow grease, no matter how quickly you attacked the spill, the process of cooking the food caused the spill to bake onto the stove top. It drove me nuts.
The next time we needed a stove, I refused to consider anything with sealed burners. We ended up getting a much cheaper appliance. Apparently the unsealed burners are less desirable. The salesmen told me how much harder it is to clean the stove when the burners aren't sealed. Poppycock. The spillovers will spill down the hole, under the cook-top, onto the part of the stove where the burners are attached to the gas. As long as that part is nicely sealed, it's a breeze to wipe it up. Nothing there burns on! Of course, I may not clean underneath the stove-top as frequently as I should. It may get cleaned underneath only a couple of times a year (unless there's a gloriously messy spillover) but the stove-top stays nice, and the part where the food goes stays nice.
I think the stove in the new house has sealed burners. Bummers. But, hey, it's a black stove, so whatever burned-on messes I have won't glare as badly as they do on a white stove-top.
Monday, February 18, 2008
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Age of Empires
I do not approve of video games. I do not approve of television. (Of course, my aversion to letting the kids watch tv is more of a testimony to how much I have been addicted to it. We tend to dislike most in others what are our own glaring weaknesses.)
Nevertheless, we have games that the kids play on the computer. We watch tv. I struggle all the time with "how much?" and "what kind?" and "Is this okay?" and whether I'm overly micro-managing those things.
When Maggie was first learning to read and spell, she really blossomed when we bought one of those Leapfrog games. Here she was, learning in a way that seemed to play on her strengths, and I was (in a way) not okay with it because it involved a computer.
The boys love playing Age of Empires. And Age of Kings. And Age of Mythology.
And do you know what those kids have had the audacity to do? LEARN SOMETHING from these video games! Can you believe that? When we've been doing our geography lessons and our vocabulary, they keep pointing out to me that the reason they know this or that factoid is because they learned it from Age of Kings.
Well, how d'ya like that? I don't approve of those games, and yet my children go and get something beneficial from them anyhow. Harrumph!
Nevertheless, we have games that the kids play on the computer. We watch tv. I struggle all the time with "how much?" and "what kind?" and "Is this okay?" and whether I'm overly micro-managing those things.
When Maggie was first learning to read and spell, she really blossomed when we bought one of those Leapfrog games. Here she was, learning in a way that seemed to play on her strengths, and I was (in a way) not okay with it because it involved a computer.
The boys love playing Age of Empires. And Age of Kings. And Age of Mythology.
And do you know what those kids have had the audacity to do? LEARN SOMETHING from these video games! Can you believe that? When we've been doing our geography lessons and our vocabulary, they keep pointing out to me that the reason they know this or that factoid is because they learned it from Age of Kings.
Well, how d'ya like that? I don't approve of those games, and yet my children go and get something beneficial from them anyhow. Harrumph!
Friction Experiments
Kids do science experiments for their schoolwork that simulate no-friction or low-friction. Today the grown-ups get to play with concepts of no-friction.
At 7:00, the deacon at my daughter's church called to get her correct phone number. They're canceling church. It's not the roads so much as it is the parking lot. The pastor's and deacon's cars -- when stopped and parked -- were still sliding across the parking lot. So much for friction between the tires and the asphalt! The rain on top of our snow and the melting have made quite things quite slick. Combine that with the freezing that will be coming later in the day, and it's going to be bad this evening when Philip is due to come home from work.
There's over 2" of water out behind the van. It's the low spot of the driveway that passes in front of church, and the piles of snow & ice prevent the rainwater from going further downhill. I moved the van out of the deep puddles to the spot where Philip's car had been parked earlier, and I managed not to hit our car that was parked in the neighboring spots.
When Gary went over to church this morning, he only hit the ground (and the puddles) once. But that was when he was already aware of how slick it was, and he waswalking shuffling with extreme caution.
The church parking lot isn't on toooo much of a slant, but there's a definite incline down to the parking lot from the road. Because of that (in addition to people being able to make it safely from their cars into the church building) the elders have chosen to notify people of the situation, which probably means our family will be the only ones at church today.
When I awoke early this morning, I decided to do the week's grocery shopping before church this morning, anticipating being snowed in later today and tomorrow. I guess I'll stay home and be creative about using up the groceries that are here and making do without potatoes and apples and flour. I don't want to do my own friction experiments with my vehicles.
At 7:00, the deacon at my daughter's church called to get her correct phone number. They're canceling church. It's not the roads so much as it is the parking lot. The pastor's and deacon's cars -- when stopped and parked -- were still sliding across the parking lot. So much for friction between the tires and the asphalt! The rain on top of our snow and the melting have made quite things quite slick. Combine that with the freezing that will be coming later in the day, and it's going to be bad this evening when Philip is due to come home from work.
There's over 2" of water out behind the van. It's the low spot of the driveway that passes in front of church, and the piles of snow & ice prevent the rainwater from going further downhill. I moved the van out of the deep puddles to the spot where Philip's car had been parked earlier, and I managed not to hit our car that was parked in the neighboring spots.
When Gary went over to church this morning, he only hit the ground (and the puddles) once. But that was when he was already aware of how slick it was, and he was
The church parking lot isn't on toooo much of a slant, but there's a definite incline down to the parking lot from the road. Because of that (in addition to people being able to make it safely from their cars into the church building) the elders have chosen to notify people of the situation, which probably means our family will be the only ones at church today.
When I awoke early this morning, I decided to do the week's grocery shopping before church this morning, anticipating being snowed in later today and tomorrow. I guess I'll stay home and be creative about using up the groceries that are here and making do without potatoes and apples and flour. I don't want to do my own friction experiments with my vehicles.
Jealousy
One of the couples at church had a big party last night: combined birthdays and his retirement. I shared howdies with lots of people, but spent most of the time conversing with six nice nice couples. It was a really enjoyable time.
But one thing struck me yet again. What do I do with my time? A few people were chatting about skiing. Downhill or cross-country? Why one is better than the other. Then someone asked me, "Do you do cross-country?" No. "Oh, but you should. It's so beautiful. It's such good exercise. You'd love it." But WHEN?
After mulling that over for 12 hours, I whined at Gary about what I'm doing, and how I'm doing it wrong, how I must be wasting my time that I don't engage in hobbies and sports and those nice "family activities" that we should do with the kids. I recalled the jealousy I felt last summer when I'd be doing my paper route, and see all sorts of people out in their yards, grilling, drinking margueritas, socializing with their company. For the first time in four months, this week I got together with my friends for a few hours for the kids to play and the moms to talk.
I'd like to say that I'm busy homeschooling and spending all this quality time with my children, but the reality is that I don't spend as many hours on that as I ought. I wonder if I waste too much time on the computer, but it's usually done in 10-minute snatches while the bread is kneading or the meat is browning, so a lot of my computer time-wasting is slipped into small time-slots that would not be usable for a hobby or a sport.
Gary says that the things that gobble up my time are church and food. The friends who have more time for skiing and snowmobiling and baseball are (for the most part) friends who are willing to miss church on Sundays now and then, and who never come to midweek services or Bible class. As for food, I do spend hours daily on cooking from scratch. Gary reminds me that most of the people in America are willing to do take-out pizza, take-out Chinese, take-out Subways, and other fast food. As he talks to kids in his confirmation class, he finds that they don't often sit down for a family meal; food is just something to grab (from McDonalds or from the insta-food section of the grocery store) and eat "on the way" to wherever you're going.
So I guess my "hobbies" are making real dinners and going to church. Why am I unsatisfied with that, and want to be able to bowl and ski and sew and play music and all those other fun things?
But one thing struck me yet again. What do I do with my time? A few people were chatting about skiing. Downhill or cross-country? Why one is better than the other. Then someone asked me, "Do you do cross-country?" No. "Oh, but you should. It's so beautiful. It's such good exercise. You'd love it." But WHEN?
After mulling that over for 12 hours, I whined at Gary about what I'm doing, and how I'm doing it wrong, how I must be wasting my time that I don't engage in hobbies and sports and those nice "family activities" that we should do with the kids. I recalled the jealousy I felt last summer when I'd be doing my paper route, and see all sorts of people out in their yards, grilling, drinking margueritas, socializing with their company. For the first time in four months, this week I got together with my friends for a few hours for the kids to play and the moms to talk.
I'd like to say that I'm busy homeschooling and spending all this quality time with my children, but the reality is that I don't spend as many hours on that as I ought. I wonder if I waste too much time on the computer, but it's usually done in 10-minute snatches while the bread is kneading or the meat is browning, so a lot of my computer time-wasting is slipped into small time-slots that would not be usable for a hobby or a sport.
Gary says that the things that gobble up my time are church and food. The friends who have more time for skiing and snowmobiling and baseball are (for the most part) friends who are willing to miss church on Sundays now and then, and who never come to midweek services or Bible class. As for food, I do spend hours daily on cooking from scratch. Gary reminds me that most of the people in America are willing to do take-out pizza, take-out Chinese, take-out Subways, and other fast food. As he talks to kids in his confirmation class, he finds that they don't often sit down for a family meal; food is just something to grab (from McDonalds or from the insta-food section of the grocery store) and eat "on the way" to wherever you're going.
So I guess my "hobbies" are making real dinners and going to church. Why am I unsatisfied with that, and want to be able to bowl and ski and sew and play music and all those other fun things?
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Walworth Apartments
As long as I'm making recommendations for local businesses, there is a great apartment manager in Walworth. For those who are in need of an apartment to rent in Walworth, Fontana, or the surrounding areas, you really need to check out the complex on Allen Street.
It's a small complex, three buildings with 8 apartments each. I've been doing paper routes in Walworth for about a decade and have been very impressed by how this particular apartment manager takes care of the property and helps his tenants. The buildings are kept up well. The lawn is nicely cared for. The manager has been working his butt off keeping the parking lot and the sidewalks clear of snow this winter. The care he puts into his work and the pleasant way he interacts with the tenants really sets him apart. If I were to look for an apartment in Walworth, Village Commons would definitely be at the top of my list!
It's a small complex, three buildings with 8 apartments each. I've been doing paper routes in Walworth for about a decade and have been very impressed by how this particular apartment manager takes care of the property and helps his tenants. The buildings are kept up well. The lawn is nicely cared for. The manager has been working his butt off keeping the parking lot and the sidewalks clear of snow this winter. The care he puts into his work and the pleasant way he interacts with the tenants really sets him apart. If I were to look for an apartment in Walworth, Village Commons would definitely be at the top of my list!
Auto Body Repairs
Most of you who read my blog aren't going to care about this, but I just gotta sing the praises of a local businessman, in case anybody in my area is web-surfing for a repairman.
Al's Auto Body and Arboretum is located south of Delavan, northwest of Walworth. It is conveniently located for people in Darien, Sharon, and Fontana too. Who wants to have the accident that puts you in need of a repairman? But when you do need someone to fix your car, you want somebody who is competent, reliable, and reputable.
After my accident last month, my insurance agent recommended Al Ritchey. Al has repaired his cars after mishaps, and Al has done work for many other clients of my insurance agent. Al can do the perfect repairs that many people want. But he's also wise about making less-than-perfect repairs if that's what the customer wants. For example, he didn't get new parts for my van, but pounded out the dents and repainted. This cost us only 35% of the estimated cost to repair the van "properly" and "good as new." I thought we were compromising on the van for the sake of cost, but when I picked up the van today, I was stunned by how great it looks and how well Al put it back together. He apologized that the back quarter of the van was more dented than he'd expected, so he was unable to get all the lines of the van doors to match up perfectly. (I would never have noticed the "flaws" had he not pointed them out.)
So for anybody in Walworth County who is looking for a person who does great auto-body work, I heartily suggest calling 262-275-2800.
Al's Auto Body and Arboretum is located south of Delavan, northwest of Walworth. It is conveniently located for people in Darien, Sharon, and Fontana too. Who wants to have the accident that puts you in need of a repairman? But when you do need someone to fix your car, you want somebody who is competent, reliable, and reputable.
After my accident last month, my insurance agent recommended Al Ritchey. Al has repaired his cars after mishaps, and Al has done work for many other clients of my insurance agent. Al can do the perfect repairs that many people want. But he's also wise about making less-than-perfect repairs if that's what the customer wants. For example, he didn't get new parts for my van, but pounded out the dents and repainted. This cost us only 35% of the estimated cost to repair the van "properly" and "good as new." I thought we were compromising on the van for the sake of cost, but when I picked up the van today, I was stunned by how great it looks and how well Al put it back together. He apologized that the back quarter of the van was more dented than he'd expected, so he was unable to get all the lines of the van doors to match up perfectly. (I would never have noticed the "flaws" had he not pointed them out.)
So for anybody in Walworth County who is looking for a person who does great auto-body work, I heartily suggest calling 262-275-2800.
Friday, February 15, 2008
Electric Bill
With Gary having a full-time secular job, the congregation is no longer paying for health insurance through Concordia Plans. With Gary having a full-time secular job, the elders have proposed (more generously than I had anticipated) to cut Gary's paycheck to just barely over half of last year's salary. This means that the church is paying only 1/3 of what they paid last year for their pastor. This means the church budget has been cut in half. HALF of their expenses have been eliminated.
Nevertheless, yesterday I got a phone call from the power company saying that the bill for the parsonage is past due. (Happily, it's not so far past due that there's any worry about the electricity being turned off in the next few days.)
Some of the folks at church are befuddled by what's going to happen now that the pastor has a full-time job. But from my perspective, seeing how much their expenses have decreased and how bills are still outstanding, I can't imagine what would've become of the congregation had their pastor NOT gotten a full-time job.
Nevertheless, yesterday I got a phone call from the power company saying that the bill for the parsonage is past due. (Happily, it's not so far past due that there's any worry about the electricity being turned off in the next few days.)
Some of the folks at church are befuddled by what's going to happen now that the pastor has a full-time job. But from my perspective, seeing how much their expenses have decreased and how bills are still outstanding, I can't imagine what would've become of the congregation had their pastor NOT gotten a full-time job.
Happy Kitty
Late last spring, our cat Athena was getting to be so much cuddlier and schmoozier. She would occasionally jump on laps to be petted. She would let Andrew wear her as a hat or a neck-scarf. She was becoming so much more personable and part of the family instead of just Gopher-Killer-el-Supremo.
And then we committed the sin.
We got a kitten.
And we brought it into Athena's house.
An energetic and bouncy kitten, right into Athena's abode.
Athena was NOT happy.
Eight months have passed. The kitten has become a little calmer. The kitten has come to know her place and defer to the elder cat. But mostly, Athena has reconciled herself to the reality that the little monster is here to stay and that we like her, stupid though she be. In the last few weeks, Athena has begun to jump on laps again. She allows us to pet her again. She is becoming personable again. She's stopped the hissing and growling. Sometimes she will even condescend to let the kitten sleep on the same bed or couch that she is using.
Yesterday the kitten was taken to the vet. She has proved herself to be utterly and completely hopeless as a hunter. She doesn't even much like going outside. So the claws must go. The declawing procedure was today, but due to car/van unavailability, the kitten had to spend two nights in the clinic.
Athena is in heaven. Loads of attention. No kitten. And sunbeams shining through the window. (Hey, I agree with her about the sunbeams!)
Tomorrow the kitten comes home. In about three weeks, we disrupt Athena's life yet again by putting her in a car for over an hour (yikes!!) and moving her to a new house and new outdoor-territory (probably with significantly fewerbonbons gophers). I feel so sorry for my dear little huntress. She works so hard to keep us rodent-free. And this is how we treat her in return: one trauma after another.
And then we committed the sin.
We got a kitten.
And we brought it into Athena's house.
An energetic and bouncy kitten, right into Athena's abode.
Athena was NOT happy.
Eight months have passed. The kitten has become a little calmer. The kitten has come to know her place and defer to the elder cat. But mostly, Athena has reconciled herself to the reality that the little monster is here to stay and that we like her, stupid though she be. In the last few weeks, Athena has begun to jump on laps again. She allows us to pet her again. She is becoming personable again. She's stopped the hissing and growling. Sometimes she will even condescend to let the kitten sleep on the same bed or couch that she is using.
Yesterday the kitten was taken to the vet. She has proved herself to be utterly and completely hopeless as a hunter. She doesn't even much like going outside. So the claws must go. The declawing procedure was today, but due to car/van unavailability, the kitten had to spend two nights in the clinic.
Athena is in heaven. Loads of attention. No kitten. And sunbeams shining through the window. (Hey, I agree with her about the sunbeams!)
Tomorrow the kitten comes home. In about three weeks, we disrupt Athena's life yet again by putting her in a car for over an hour (yikes!!) and moving her to a new house and new outdoor-territory (probably with significantly fewer
Moving News
We're going to be moving. Instead of having Gary commute to work daily or live apart from the family, it seems better to us for the family to live together, near Gary's job, and commute back here on the weekend for church and confirmation class.
We found a house. Our offer has been accepted. The inspection showed the house to be in excellent condition, with many repairs having already been made within the last decade (windows, furnace, AC, water softener, roof, radon mitigation, electrical upgrades, and more). The sellers will be putting in a new septic system as soon as the weather allows. Closing date is set for two weeks from now.
The house has mostly brick siding, with some vertical cedar up higher on the outside walls. It's three bedroom, two bath, with a larger-than-normal kitchen. No dining room, but does have a small breakfast nook. Living room has a nice big bay window and a fireplace. Basement has some room for storage. It's a 2.5-car garage. The house is smaller than where we are now, but not tiny, and we do have people growing up who will be making their own way in the world within the next few years so the size is just about perfect.
One of the downers about the house is the large size of the yard; it's too much to mow. But given time we can put in plenty of berry canes, a large asparagus patch, maybe some strawberries and blueberries, and a garden. (Is there something wrong with my brain that I see plowing and weeding and watering as a lesser job than mowing grass?) The other downer about the house is that it has a pool. Pools take work and I'm not sure I'm up to it. But several friends have already expressed some pleasure that they'll be able to come over and swim & play. And it will be good for one of us who is a water-lover and whose cardiologist said that she needs a lot more exercise. So we'll give the pool a couple of years' worth of try, and we can always get rid of it if we think that would be better.
It's been mind-boggling to keep track of all the appointments and all the paper work and all the legal documents we've been signing, with many more to come. And now it's time to start boxing up books. It's kind of nice to know that there doesn't have to be One Big Moving Day. It's close enough (a 70-minute drive from here) that we can carry up loads in the van daily, and maybe rent a small U-Haul for a day, and then another day a week or so later, and do the job of moving as it works best (and easiest) for us.
We found a house. Our offer has been accepted. The inspection showed the house to be in excellent condition, with many repairs having already been made within the last decade (windows, furnace, AC, water softener, roof, radon mitigation, electrical upgrades, and more). The sellers will be putting in a new septic system as soon as the weather allows. Closing date is set for two weeks from now.
The house has mostly brick siding, with some vertical cedar up higher on the outside walls. It's three bedroom, two bath, with a larger-than-normal kitchen. No dining room, but does have a small breakfast nook. Living room has a nice big bay window and a fireplace. Basement has some room for storage. It's a 2.5-car garage. The house is smaller than where we are now, but not tiny, and we do have people growing up who will be making their own way in the world within the next few years so the size is just about perfect.
One of the downers about the house is the large size of the yard; it's too much to mow. But given time we can put in plenty of berry canes, a large asparagus patch, maybe some strawberries and blueberries, and a garden. (Is there something wrong with my brain that I see plowing and weeding and watering as a lesser job than mowing grass?) The other downer about the house is that it has a pool. Pools take work and I'm not sure I'm up to it. But several friends have already expressed some pleasure that they'll be able to come over and swim & play. And it will be good for one of us who is a water-lover and whose cardiologist said that she needs a lot more exercise. So we'll give the pool a couple of years' worth of try, and we can always get rid of it if we think that would be better.
It's been mind-boggling to keep track of all the appointments and all the paper work and all the legal documents we've been signing, with many more to come. And now it's time to start boxing up books. It's kind of nice to know that there doesn't have to be One Big Moving Day. It's close enough (a 70-minute drive from here) that we can carry up loads in the van daily, and maybe rent a small U-Haul for a day, and then another day a week or so later, and do the job of moving as it works best (and easiest) for us.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Psalm 145
We pray at mealtimes:
The eyes of all look to You, O Lord,
and you give them their food at the proper time.
You open Your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing.
Sometimes Jesus is referred to as "the Right Hand of the Father."
This psalm-verse obviously means that God opens up His hand to disperse His blessings of food and rain and sunshine and other blessings. But could it have another aspect too? Jesus -- the Hand of God -- was "opened" by the spear of the centurion. And that is what satisfies the desires of all people as well as all creation.
Let the water and the blood
from Thy riven side which flowed
be of sin the double cure,
cleanse me from its guilt and power.
Our eyes look to Him, and the food of His body and blood is given to us.
The eyes of all look to You, O Lord,
and you give them their food at the proper time.
You open Your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing.
Sometimes Jesus is referred to as "the Right Hand of the Father."
This psalm-verse obviously means that God opens up His hand to disperse His blessings of food and rain and sunshine and other blessings. But could it have another aspect too? Jesus -- the Hand of God -- was "opened" by the spear of the centurion. And that is what satisfies the desires of all people as well as all creation.
Let the water and the blood
from Thy riven side which flowed
be of sin the double cure,
cleanse me from its guilt and power.
Our eyes look to Him, and the food of His body and blood is given to us.
Ringing Phone
Boy, John McCain has called me so many times tonight! When Gary called in the middle of the evening, I surprised to find it was my husband calling me and not John McCain or his supporters.
Guess which state votes on Tuesday?
Guess which state votes on Tuesday?
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Pepper Grinder
I finally came up with a solution!
The pepper grinder we'd had for years finally quit. The gears were just worn out. I bought a cheapy replacement from Shopko; it lasted for 8 months before the handle broke off. For Christmas there was a nice new high-quality (HA!) pepper grinder from Bed, Bath, And Beyond. It worked well for two weeks. Today I was so exasperated with it, I timed it: three minutes of grinding garnered me a whole whoppin' 1/16 teaspoon of pepper. Now, I'm thinkin' that's pretty darn useless.
I got me a hammer from the basement. I got me a piece of paper out of the junk mail pile. I dumped a small pile of peppercorns onto the paper, folded in the corners to make a little package, and then hammered it to smithereens. When I opened up the little packet of junk mail, I had myself a nice tablespoon of smashed-up pepper for the bean soup. And it took significantly less than 144 minutes [do the math from the preceding paragraph].
The pepper grinder we'd had for years finally quit. The gears were just worn out. I bought a cheapy replacement from Shopko; it lasted for 8 months before the handle broke off. For Christmas there was a nice new high-quality (HA!) pepper grinder from Bed, Bath, And Beyond. It worked well for two weeks. Today I was so exasperated with it, I timed it: three minutes of grinding garnered me a whole whoppin' 1/16 teaspoon of pepper. Now, I'm thinkin' that's pretty darn useless.
I got me a hammer from the basement. I got me a piece of paper out of the junk mail pile. I dumped a small pile of peppercorns onto the paper, folded in the corners to make a little package, and then hammered it to smithereens. When I opened up the little packet of junk mail, I had myself a nice tablespoon of smashed-up pepper for the bean soup. And it took significantly less than 144 minutes [do the math from the preceding paragraph].
Ug
That Ug-guy (the one who buys ugly houses) is in the business of taking fixer-uppers off the market. When Ug gets to them first and makes superficial repairs, that's great for the sellers, but a booger for the buyers.
Ug got to one of the houses we looked at a week ago. There were a lot of nice things about the house. But we didn't like the way the kitchen had been remodeled. If we had bought the place before Ug, we would've made very different decisions about where the new carpeting would go, and how much kitchen counter there'd be. But when something all new has been put in, it's hard to think about buying a house with plans to rework all those things that were just changed and made all-new. Such a waste of money. But putting in new carpet and new cupboards seem to be standard procedure when people are getting ready to sell a house. (One friend, though, who's improving his home with thoughts of selling in the next couple of years, he's doing high-quality work. That's different than doing what's needed to merely "flip" a house.)
Ug got to one of the houses we looked at a week ago. There were a lot of nice things about the house. But we didn't like the way the kitchen had been remodeled. If we had bought the place before Ug, we would've made very different decisions about where the new carpeting would go, and how much kitchen counter there'd be. But when something all new has been put in, it's hard to think about buying a house with plans to rework all those things that were just changed and made all-new. Such a waste of money. But putting in new carpet and new cupboards seem to be standard procedure when people are getting ready to sell a house. (One friend, though, who's improving his home with thoughts of selling in the next couple of years, he's doing high-quality work. That's different than doing what's needed to merely "flip" a house.)
New Schedule
Again this week, we shipped off Gary to Milwaukee with a suitcase packed for the whole week. The weather forecast looks like the only time safe to drive home will be Wednesday night, and that's church night. When you're used to having a husband/daddy around for meals, as well as five minutes here and there to pop in with the mail or to come get a refill on his water jug, it's pretty hard to switch over to seeing him for an hour on Friday evening, lunch on Saturday, an hour on Saturday evening, and some time on Sunday afternoon/evening. And then Monday morning you get to ship him off to live somewhere else for five days. I don't know how soldiers' wives and truckers' wives do it.
Monday, February 11, 2008
Computer Woes
Our internet connection was down for 14 hours. And now that it CAN operate, it does so only with difficulty. It's very hard to check email or do anything on the Web, so don't expect to hear from me for a while unless it's via the telephone. Bummers....
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Cold
So cold that the tires froze to the garage floor.
So cold that the knob on church door froze, and the pastor's key was broken off in the lock which refused to move.
So cold that the thermometer froze again. It's trying to tell me it's 20º while the weather report online suggests it's -7º.
So cold that the knob on church door froze, and the pastor's key was broken off in the lock which refused to move.
So cold that the thermometer froze again. It's trying to tell me it's 20º while the weather report online suggests it's -7º.
Saturday, February 09, 2008
New Glasses
Of course, Paul's glasses would fall out of his pocket and be lost forever in a snowbank only one short week after we're no longer on Concordia Plan which pays for glasses. Okay, so we had to get some glasses for this boy in a hurry. He just simply cannot see well enough (and his eyesight has deteriorated enough in the last couple of years) to fudge along with his previous pair of glasses.
A friend recommended Zenni Optical, an online way to order prescription glasses. You can get perfectly decent glasses for $8 or $9, with a flat $5 shipping charge regardless of how many glasses are in the order. We would've tried that, but we figured Paul couldn't make it two weeks without proper glasses. He does have to drive to work, y'know.
Shopko and our eye doctor (both conveniently located close to Paul's place of employment) would require a week before the glasses were in. So we resorted to Lens Crafters. Boy oh boy, you sure pay the premium price for needing them right now.
I think the smart thing for me to do now is to buy a back-up pair of glasses for Paul and for me. I mean, it may be a waste of $25 to Zenni, but good insurance against having to spend that kind of money for an optician-on-demand.
A friend recommended Zenni Optical, an online way to order prescription glasses. You can get perfectly decent glasses for $8 or $9, with a flat $5 shipping charge regardless of how many glasses are in the order. We would've tried that, but we figured Paul couldn't make it two weeks without proper glasses. He does have to drive to work, y'know.
Shopko and our eye doctor (both conveniently located close to Paul's place of employment) would require a week before the glasses were in. So we resorted to Lens Crafters. Boy oh boy, you sure pay the premium price for needing them right now.
I think the smart thing for me to do now is to buy a back-up pair of glasses for Paul and for me. I mean, it may be a waste of $25 to Zenni, but good insurance against having to spend that kind of money for an optician-on-demand.
Friday, February 08, 2008
Hang-Ups and Cover-Ups
When one of my children was just a little toddler, the end of his finger was cut off in a door-slamming incident which would forever give me a hang-up about doors being slammed shut. When my younger sister was just a little toddler, she ended up with a bandaged eye and restrained arms due to an eye injury caused by a rubber band that was shot across the room.* This forever gave me a hang-up about children shooting rubber bands, and I take rubber-band shooting nearly as seriously as I do BB-gun shooting.
Other mothers don't bat an eye at doors being slammed. They see it simply as rude and unnecessary noise. Other mothers don't bat an eye at rubber bands sproinging across the atmosphere. They see it as amusement for little boys. Some mothers think that climbing high trees or high slides is dangerous for little kids. That I don't have a hang-up about, and my kids climbed things that would raise the hair on many a mommy.
Oftentimes, when an item is being sold, it is shown at its best. It is spiffed. It is cleaned. It is put in nice order. To some extent, that is a good and reasonable thing. Who wants to buy a broken bike? The prospective buyer will be more likely to ante up the money if the seller fixed the flat tire or the headlight first.
Sometimes, though, the cleaning and spiffing can cover up something. For example, when a person buys a used car, she wants to know if there are certain fluids leaking in the engine. But some sellers will power-wash the engine. This drives me bonkers at a nice reputable dealership where I often look for new-to-us cars. I can't see evidence that would warn me of trouble to come.
For another example, people who are selling homes often paint and put in new carpet. I have a hang-up about mildew. I want to go into a house and see whether there's evidence of mildew and mold. I want to see what the cracks in the wall are like. I want to know whether the carpet has water stains from flooding, and how bad those stains are. I don't want those things to be hidden by FRESH and NEW cover-ups, only to have the problem show up again in 3 years.
Whereas most people are more inclined to buy something that's clean and fresh and pretty, I would rather see the warts that are on the item I'm considering purchasing. I want to know what I'm really getting, and NOT what the seller wants me to think I'm getting. But because I'm the oddball and the salesmen cater to the normal people, I am often stuck with too little information about purchases I'm considering.
*Footnote: the shooter was not aiming at the wee toddler. But I could see that she was out of his peripheral vision and moving toward the trajectory. It wasn't his fault; it was a sorry accident.
Other mothers don't bat an eye at doors being slammed. They see it simply as rude and unnecessary noise. Other mothers don't bat an eye at rubber bands sproinging across the atmosphere. They see it as amusement for little boys. Some mothers think that climbing high trees or high slides is dangerous for little kids. That I don't have a hang-up about, and my kids climbed things that would raise the hair on many a mommy.
Oftentimes, when an item is being sold, it is shown at its best. It is spiffed. It is cleaned. It is put in nice order. To some extent, that is a good and reasonable thing. Who wants to buy a broken bike? The prospective buyer will be more likely to ante up the money if the seller fixed the flat tire or the headlight first.
Sometimes, though, the cleaning and spiffing can cover up something. For example, when a person buys a used car, she wants to know if there are certain fluids leaking in the engine. But some sellers will power-wash the engine. This drives me bonkers at a nice reputable dealership where I often look for new-to-us cars. I can't see evidence that would warn me of trouble to come.
For another example, people who are selling homes often paint and put in new carpet. I have a hang-up about mildew. I want to go into a house and see whether there's evidence of mildew and mold. I want to see what the cracks in the wall are like. I want to know whether the carpet has water stains from flooding, and how bad those stains are. I don't want those things to be hidden by FRESH and NEW cover-ups, only to have the problem show up again in 3 years.
Whereas most people are more inclined to buy something that's clean and fresh and pretty, I would rather see the warts that are on the item I'm considering purchasing. I want to know what I'm really getting, and NOT what the seller wants me to think I'm getting. But because I'm the oddball and the salesmen cater to the normal people, I am often stuck with too little information about purchases I'm considering.
*Footnote: the shooter was not aiming at the wee toddler. But I could see that she was out of his peripheral vision and moving toward the trajectory. It wasn't his fault; it was a sorry accident.
Side Benefit
All week, I've had something on my feet to deal with the germies in my chest. Sometimes I've put on vaseline as the "glue" to hold garlic powder on my feet. When I want to stink a little less (okay, okay, stink a LOT less), I've been wearing Vicks on my feet. Today when I went to garlic my feet afresh, I noticed that my heels are nice and soft. That may not sound like a big deal to you, but I'm a person whose heels split and crack and even bleed through the whole winter. And they're nice and soft and not cracked. This is mega cool!
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
Ash Thursday
The zone LWML prayer breakfast was scheduled for our church this morning. Most of the attendees would be in their 60s to 80s, and most would be coming from 10-25 miles away. The breakfast was canceled.
Gary could not be here for church tonight, so a couple of weeks ago the elders asked the circuit counselor to preach. He's coming from 25 miles away. The ladies from our church didn't want to come out in the daylight this morning before the storm worsened. They certainly weren't going to come out in the dark when the drifts had worsened and the snow had deepened. And it would be really rotten to ask the substitute preacher to drive 4 hours to come here (because 4 hours is what it would take -- I know -- I've been out in this today).
The one that stunned me was my father-confessor's church. He canceled. He NEVER cancels. He even made a humongous point last winter to say why church is never never never canceled. Well, I guess it's not really canceled. It's postponed. We'll be having the first Ash Thursday service I ever heard of.
I think I might have to call Philip and tell him not to come home but to find a motel. I know there are people in the nearest part of Milwaukee who would give him a room to sleep in, but I don't want him driving even that far tonight.
Gary could not be here for church tonight, so a couple of weeks ago the elders asked the circuit counselor to preach. He's coming from 25 miles away. The ladies from our church didn't want to come out in the daylight this morning before the storm worsened. They certainly weren't going to come out in the dark when the drifts had worsened and the snow had deepened. And it would be really rotten to ask the substitute preacher to drive 4 hours to come here (because 4 hours is what it would take -- I know -- I've been out in this today).
The one that stunned me was my father-confessor's church. He canceled. He NEVER cancels. He even made a humongous point last winter to say why church is never never never canceled. Well, I guess it's not really canceled. It's postponed. We'll be having the first Ash Thursday service I ever heard of.
I think I might have to call Philip and tell him not to come home but to find a motel. I know there are people in the nearest part of Milwaukee who would give him a room to sleep in, but I don't want him driving even that far tonight.
Snow Showers
Since 3:00 yesterday afternoon we have been having "snow showers." The snow is deep. The roads are hazardous. Businesses, churches, and schools are closed. The stuff is HEAVY and hard to shovel.
But the bad weather hasn't started yet. Within an hour or two, the forecast is that we will begin about 8 hours of "heavy snow storms." And strong winds. Shoot. I don't think we're going to church tonight. And I don't know what it's going to be like for Philip to get home from work. A lot of areas are out of salt for the roads, and the guys who plow the roads are overworked and tired.
But the bad weather hasn't started yet. Within an hour or two, the forecast is that we will begin about 8 hours of "heavy snow storms." And strong winds. Shoot. I don't think we're going to church tonight. And I don't know what it's going to be like for Philip to get home from work. A lot of areas are out of salt for the roads, and the guys who plow the roads are overworked and tired.
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
Site-Meter
Site Meter is an online tool that tracks the visitors to a website, temporarily recording what city they're from, what time they check your blog, how long the visit is, if they clicked on a link to take them somewhere else, etc.
Well, when you ship off a lonely husband to the Big City to work, and he can't get home because of humongo snowstorms, and he has to spend the evening at a friend's, .... guess what? Your site-meter readings go off the chart as he goes blog-surfing to amuse himself!
We're hoping we get to see him tomorrow night, but it probably depends on when the storms stop. In the meantime, three of us here still have to get to work in the morning. Yikesy.
Well, when you ship off a lonely husband to the Big City to work, and he can't get home because of humongo snowstorms, and he has to spend the evening at a friend's, .... guess what? Your site-meter readings go off the chart as he goes blog-surfing to amuse himself!
We're hoping we get to see him tomorrow night, but it probably depends on when the storms stop. In the meantime, three of us here still have to get to work in the morning. Yikesy.
Incited to Prayer?
Pastor tells us that one of the blessings of tribulation is that it incites us to pray. He says that people can go on their merry way, thinking everything is hunky-dory, but when sickness or trouble strikes, then they're more inclined to hear what Jesus has to say and to pray fervently.
But boy, when I get sick, I am not incited to pray. Just the opposite. I lie there on the couch or in bed and think about how much it hurts and how miserable I feel. And I cough and blow my nose and try to force myself to drink juice past my sore throat. Prayer is just way too much effort. Sleep is everything!
That must make me really bad.
But boy, when I get sick, I am not incited to pray. Just the opposite. I lie there on the couch or in bed and think about how much it hurts and how miserable I feel. And I cough and blow my nose and try to force myself to drink juice past my sore throat. Prayer is just way too much effort. Sleep is everything!
That must make me really bad.
"Total Loss"
The insurance called today and told me that the van is a total loss. She defined that for me: it will cost more to fix than it's worth.
I was confused, though. After taking off the deductible, the check they're planning to send me (assuming we don't buy the car back) is still $1200 higher than the estimate given to repair it fully. The mechanic told me that some companies will only repair if the repairs are less than 70% or 75% of the value of the car. My insurance agent confirmed that our company does this for all vehicles, not just for new ones. But the pay-out when the car is totaled is nevertheless the full value.
So it looks like we'll be probably be buying the car back and repairing it ourselves with the check from the insurance company. So maybe the loss is not quite so total as they're saying!
I was confused, though. After taking off the deductible, the check they're planning to send me (assuming we don't buy the car back) is still $1200 higher than the estimate given to repair it fully. The mechanic told me that some companies will only repair if the repairs are less than 70% or 75% of the value of the car. My insurance agent confirmed that our company does this for all vehicles, not just for new ones. But the pay-out when the car is totaled is nevertheless the full value.
So it looks like we'll be probably be buying the car back and repairing it ourselves with the check from the insurance company. So maybe the loss is not quite so total as they're saying!
Value of a Car
Several years ago, we dropped comp & collision on our old cars. It seemed silly to pay $300/year insurance on a car that was worth about $1500 ... especially when we carry a high deductible.
After the van accident I was trying to figure out how the insurance company determines the value of a used car. Everybody told me that they'll consider it to be less than the Blue Book value of the vehicle. Our agent told me that you can never know how much the car will be worth until you have an accident and hear from the adjuster. Well, gosh, that doesn't help you make any decisions about when to quit paying for comp & collision.
But for us, we found that the value of the car as determined by the insurance company was very close to the private-sale value found on the Blue Book website.
After the van accident I was trying to figure out how the insurance company determines the value of a used car. Everybody told me that they'll consider it to be less than the Blue Book value of the vehicle. Our agent told me that you can never know how much the car will be worth until you have an accident and hear from the adjuster. Well, gosh, that doesn't help you make any decisions about when to quit paying for comp & collision.
But for us, we found that the value of the car as determined by the insurance company was very close to the private-sale value found on the Blue Book website.
Monday, February 04, 2008
House-Hunting
Last June we had reason to believe that there was a possibility Gary might get a call because his name was on two lists who were looking for a pastor like him. Neither congregation had a parsonage, so we started toying with the idea of home-ownership, and what it would take, and what it would cost, and what it would be like. But as time passed and things here changed, neither congregation called him.
In October it became clear that Gary was going to have to find a job. The congregation hadn't decided that yet, but it was obvious to us as well as the district president. Gary was having abysmal luck with the job-hunting.
When someone at Direct Supply requested that his resumé be looked at and not thrown directly into the trash, we knew that the commute would be unreasonable. We knew that, if he got that job, we'd want to consider moving. So we began studying house prices and looking for rentals and revisiting the possibility of home-ownership. Everybody told us that it was a great time to buy, with low prices and low interest rates. Nevertheless it's still overwhelming given the financial situation we've been in for the last decade.
So we found a very good deal on a house that had been in foreclosure. The bank was needing to get rid of it. It was a nicer house than we thought we could possibly find on our budget. We put an offer on it Wednesday. Our realtor had been told by the seller's realtor that there was another offer on the table, but the bank would be countering. Our realtor told them to hold off until they saw our offer later in the day, and that was welcomed. So we offered full price, knowing that even at the asking price we'd be getting a good deal. And the bank accepted the other offer. We were very disappointed. Our realtor still can't figure out what happened, but it sounds like the seller's realtor might not have even gotten our offer to the seller. Our realtor is going to talk to the bank and the other realtor today in hopes of figuring out what went wrong. But in the meantime, we go back to the drawing table and start searching again.
It's hard, though, to want to bother coming up with an offer after what happened last week. If an offer like last week's was rejected, then why should we think any other offer we make will be acceptable? I know that's not reasonable to think, but when you try something new for the first time, and it gets completely screwed up in a way that stuns even a very experienced person, things seem pointless.
In October it became clear that Gary was going to have to find a job. The congregation hadn't decided that yet, but it was obvious to us as well as the district president. Gary was having abysmal luck with the job-hunting.
When someone at Direct Supply requested that his resumé be looked at and not thrown directly into the trash, we knew that the commute would be unreasonable. We knew that, if he got that job, we'd want to consider moving. So we began studying house prices and looking for rentals and revisiting the possibility of home-ownership. Everybody told us that it was a great time to buy, with low prices and low interest rates. Nevertheless it's still overwhelming given the financial situation we've been in for the last decade.
So we found a very good deal on a house that had been in foreclosure. The bank was needing to get rid of it. It was a nicer house than we thought we could possibly find on our budget. We put an offer on it Wednesday. Our realtor had been told by the seller's realtor that there was another offer on the table, but the bank would be countering. Our realtor told them to hold off until they saw our offer later in the day, and that was welcomed. So we offered full price, knowing that even at the asking price we'd be getting a good deal. And the bank accepted the other offer. We were very disappointed. Our realtor still can't figure out what happened, but it sounds like the seller's realtor might not have even gotten our offer to the seller. Our realtor is going to talk to the bank and the other realtor today in hopes of figuring out what went wrong. But in the meantime, we go back to the drawing table and start searching again.
It's hard, though, to want to bother coming up with an offer after what happened last week. If an offer like last week's was rejected, then why should we think any other offer we make will be acceptable? I know that's not reasonable to think, but when you try something new for the first time, and it gets completely screwed up in a way that stuns even a very experienced person, things seem pointless.
Last Week's Accident
I got a copy of the police report from the accident. The guy who ran the stop sign and came right out in front of me was not ticketed.
Saturday, February 02, 2008
Self-Esteem
Self-esteem has gotten a bad rap among conservatives. The term (as used in America today) has come to encapsulate the whole idea that people should "feel good about themselves" no matter what. Thus we have teachers who don't want to use red pens to mark up a kid's writing assignment because it might make little Joey feel bad about himself. We don't want to play any games where somebody might lose; think of the baseball games where the grown-ups forbid children from keeping score so that "there are no losers." (As IF the kids don't keep track of the score in their heads!)
Problem is,
that's not what self-esteem is really about.
Several years ago, I was preparing a lecture/workshop for the state homeschool conference on the topic of homeschooling preschoolers. Of course, every book you look at on the topic of Educating Young Children is primarily about self-esteem. But I was surprised by some of the research from the 60s when self-esteem first became a popular idea.
Self-esteem is not a simple "good feeling about yourself." Self-esteem is actually the recognition that hard work pays off. In other words, if you're struggling with math facts, self-esteem is the knowledge that studying and memorizing and practicing will help you learn your factoids well. If you work hard at doing the dishes and cleaning the kitchen, the reward is praise from Mom and a nice clean counter-top and non-sticky floor.
The original point of self-esteem was EFFORT PAYS OFF.
And the opposite of self-esteem is not "feeling bad about yourself." Actually, the opposite of self-esteem is knowing that no matter how hard you work, no matter how much effort you put in, no matter how many times you try, that you cannot change the outcome of something.
It's like the animals in psychological studies who were in cages and were given an electric shock or some other punishment every time they crossed over into the other half of the cage. Finally, when the shocks ended and the animal was free to go to the other half of the cage where the food dish was, the poor critter just stayed in the small portion of the cage, away from the food dish, because he knew it was useless to try to cross over that line. Even though he was safe, the dog had learned it was useless to try to improve his situation. THAT is what "poor self-esteem" is really about.
I don't know if anybody else cares about this. I just thought it was fascinating because some of what's said by some in the "self-esteem camp" seemed so obvious and real and sensible. But some of it was feel-good mumbo-jumbo gobbledygook. Thus I could never make sense in my mind of what was right and wrong about the concept of self-esteem. But finding out what self-esteem really is (and isn't) helped sort those things out in my mind.
Problem is,
that's not what self-esteem is really about.
Several years ago, I was preparing a lecture/workshop for the state homeschool conference on the topic of homeschooling preschoolers. Of course, every book you look at on the topic of Educating Young Children is primarily about self-esteem. But I was surprised by some of the research from the 60s when self-esteem first became a popular idea.
Self-esteem is not a simple "good feeling about yourself." Self-esteem is actually the recognition that hard work pays off. In other words, if you're struggling with math facts, self-esteem is the knowledge that studying and memorizing and practicing will help you learn your factoids well. If you work hard at doing the dishes and cleaning the kitchen, the reward is praise from Mom and a nice clean counter-top and non-sticky floor.
The original point of self-esteem was EFFORT PAYS OFF.
And the opposite of self-esteem is not "feeling bad about yourself." Actually, the opposite of self-esteem is knowing that no matter how hard you work, no matter how much effort you put in, no matter how many times you try, that you cannot change the outcome of something.
It's like the animals in psychological studies who were in cages and were given an electric shock or some other punishment every time they crossed over into the other half of the cage. Finally, when the shocks ended and the animal was free to go to the other half of the cage where the food dish was, the poor critter just stayed in the small portion of the cage, away from the food dish, because he knew it was useless to try to cross over that line. Even though he was safe, the dog had learned it was useless to try to improve his situation. THAT is what "poor self-esteem" is really about.
I don't know if anybody else cares about this. I just thought it was fascinating because some of what's said by some in the "self-esteem camp" seemed so obvious and real and sensible. But some of it was feel-good mumbo-jumbo gobbledygook. Thus I could never make sense in my mind of what was right and wrong about the concept of self-esteem. But finding out what self-esteem really is (and isn't) helped sort those things out in my mind.
Friday, February 01, 2008
Super Tuesday
There's not too much difference between McCain and Hillary on the issues.
As Belling pointed out today, a liberal Republican can be even more dangerous than a liberal Democrat. If Hillary is president, the Republicans will be trying to block her from accomplishing too much. But if McCain is president, many Republicans will support their president, and the Democrats will agree because ... well, ... because they already agree with McCain's stance on most issues. (I have long agreed with my friend Scott that there's not as much difference between the two major parties as they would like for us to believe there is.)
For those of you voting next Tuesday who are leery of Romney because of his religion, remember what Luther said about it being preferable to have a competent heathen ruling rather than an incompetent Christian. Tuesday isn't about picking a pastor, a husband, or a daddy. It's about choosing the government leader. And if there's going to be any real option in November (Scott's comments notwithstanding) then McCain will have to lose next week.
As Belling pointed out today, a liberal Republican can be even more dangerous than a liberal Democrat. If Hillary is president, the Republicans will be trying to block her from accomplishing too much. But if McCain is president, many Republicans will support their president, and the Democrats will agree because ... well, ... because they already agree with McCain's stance on most issues. (I have long agreed with my friend Scott that there's not as much difference between the two major parties as they would like for us to believe there is.)
For those of you voting next Tuesday who are leery of Romney because of his religion, remember what Luther said about it being preferable to have a competent heathen ruling rather than an incompetent Christian. Tuesday isn't about picking a pastor, a husband, or a daddy. It's about choosing the government leader. And if there's going to be any real option in November (Scott's comments notwithstanding) then McCain will have to lose next week.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Meme
Liz and Jeff tagged me for a quick and easy meme. The instructions are to grab the nearest book, turn to page 123, go down to the fifth sentence, and post the next three sentences.
Well, the computer is next to the piano, so the nearest book is TLH. Page 123 is the start of the psalm section. And sentences 6-8 are
Why do the heathen rage and the people plot a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying, "Let us break their bands asunder and cast away their cords from us."
Let's tag..... hmmm, I can't remember who I haven't tagged for a while....
Scott, Muddy Boots, Paula, Kristi, and a certain Lutheran Woman,
Well, the computer is next to the piano, so the nearest book is TLH. Page 123 is the start of the psalm section. And sentences 6-8 are
Why do the heathen rage and the people plot a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying, "Let us break their bands asunder and cast away their cords from us."
Let's tag..... hmmm, I can't remember who I haven't tagged for a while....
Scott, Muddy Boots, Paula, Kristi, and a certain Lutheran Woman,
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Lyin' Thermometer
Out here in the country, I seem to have developed a pretty good sense of temperature, usually being able to guess within 5-10° how warm it is. I began to get suspicious early in winter when I thought it felt like about -10° but the thermometer was telling me it was 5°. I figured it was just me feeling cold and old and decrepit and fussy. But it kept happening. And then I started to notice that it was always MUCH colder in town, where the bank has a time&temp sign flashing. Hmmm.
So today, when the lyin' piece o' metal is telling me it's 10°, and schools all over are shut down due to cold, I'm thinking, "What's weather.com have to say about this?" Sure enough, my thermometer can only operate accurately down to about 15-20°, and then it just feel toooo cold to move any further down the scale. No wonder our senses aren't matching up with the nice scientific measuring tool that we used to trust over & above our senses. Well, we've learned our lesson now.
The only trick is going to be to get the kids to trust their mom's senses instead of the nice scientific measuring tool. But, hey, I've got the computer reports to verify my analysis of how cold it is out there, and whether you need long johns and mittens.
So today, when the lyin' piece o' metal is telling me it's 10°, and schools all over are shut down due to cold, I'm thinking, "What's weather.com have to say about this?" Sure enough, my thermometer can only operate accurately down to about 15-20°, and then it just feel toooo cold to move any further down the scale. No wonder our senses aren't matching up with the nice scientific measuring tool that we used to trust over & above our senses. Well, we've learned our lesson now.
The only trick is going to be to get the kids to trust their mom's senses instead of the nice scientific measuring tool. But, hey, I've got the computer reports to verify my analysis of how cold it is out there, and whether you need long johns and mittens.
Psalm 27:8
When You said, "Seek My face,"
my heart said to You,
"Your face, Lord, I will seek."
Hey, would you look at that!?! I always thought that the heart's response was pretty much an "Okie-dokie. I will." But there's more to it than that.
The heart's response is speaking back to God what He has first spoken to us. It's repeating His words back to Him.
Kinda says somethin' about the liturgy, eh?
my heart said to You,
"Your face, Lord, I will seek."
Hey, would you look at that!?! I always thought that the heart's response was pretty much an "Okie-dokie. I will." But there's more to it than that.
The heart's response is speaking back to God what He has first spoken to us. It's repeating His words back to Him.
Kinda says somethin' about the liturgy, eh?
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Fat Cat
We have always left a bowl of dry food out for the cats, available to eat as they needed. There's nothing canned. If they want "wet food," they gotta chase and capture their own.
Rosie Cotton, our kitten, is a pig. She is getting fat. We finally decided we need to put this cat on a diet. But how do you limit her access to the dry-food bowl without also removing it from Athena, who has the sense to eat the amount her body needs?
Katie feeds her cats twice a day. Okay, maybe we could try that. We'd just have to remember to pick up Athena's bowl and stick it in the cupboard whenever she walked away from her bowl, and set it out whenever she came looking for it again. Poor Rosie. She had a miserable day. We didn't know how much food was an appropriate amount, so a few times during the day we'd give her a tablespoon of kibble just to decrease her ravenous hunger. Then one time Athena left her bowl and we didn't put it away. Rosie snarfed it down, and then barfed it back up. Ah, shooooot, a cat being forced into anorexia. We decided maybe we need to feed her enough to keep her from that desperate a hunger! We'll have to keep working on this diet thing....
Rosie Cotton, our kitten, is a pig. She is getting fat. We finally decided we need to put this cat on a diet. But how do you limit her access to the dry-food bowl without also removing it from Athena, who has the sense to eat the amount her body needs?
Katie feeds her cats twice a day. Okay, maybe we could try that. We'd just have to remember to pick up Athena's bowl and stick it in the cupboard whenever she walked away from her bowl, and set it out whenever she came looking for it again. Poor Rosie. She had a miserable day. We didn't know how much food was an appropriate amount, so a few times during the day we'd give her a tablespoon of kibble just to decrease her ravenous hunger. Then one time Athena left her bowl and we didn't put it away. Rosie snarfed it down, and then barfed it back up. Ah, shooooot, a cat being forced into anorexia. We decided maybe we need to feed her enough to keep her from that desperate a hunger! We'll have to keep working on this diet thing....
Whatever You Ask
Whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you (John 16:23).
Loads of people will tell us that God will give us whatever we want: a nice house, a well-repaired van, good health, a happy family. But is that what this is about? A name-it-and-claim-it theology? A "prayer of Jabez" suggestion?
One thing I have desired of the Lord, that will I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in His temple (Psalm 27:4).
If I desire ONE thing of the Lord (to know Him and be with Him) then "whatever I ask" will be that ONE thing.
Loads of people will tell us that God will give us whatever we want: a nice house, a well-repaired van, good health, a happy family. But is that what this is about? A name-it-and-claim-it theology? A "prayer of Jabez" suggestion?
One thing I have desired of the Lord, that will I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in His temple (Psalm 27:4).
If I desire ONE thing of the Lord (to know Him and be with Him) then "whatever I ask" will be that ONE thing.
Monday, January 28, 2008
The Look of Bread
Now and then we slash the top of the bread loaves after they're shaped into loaves and before the loaves rise. Why is it that that one little touch can make the bread LOOK so much more delicious??? It's the same dough. The same taste. But nevertheless, it looks more enticing.
No Repairman
Oh my goodness! I called the nice, trustworthy, capable repairman at the body shop where I had the van towed to. He's not there. The shop is closed until April 8. Now I need to find a different repairman and get the van re-towed. Gooooood grief!
Ungreen Environmentalists
My husband tells me that a bill was passed recently which will outlaw plastic shopping bags. (I don't remember if it's Wisconsin or national.) Stores will have to return to paper bags. Now, personally, I always ask for paper instead of plastic. But the plastic that I get from Target or Walmart (or from the grocery store for carrying a bloody piece of roast) is used to make my garbage bags. But in the name of protecting the environment, we're going to get rid of those. Nevertheless, people will still be lining their kitchen trash bins with plastic. But now we'll have to BUY it instead of reusing our shopping bags. And THIS is what's considered environmentally friendly???
Whatever happened to "Reduce, REUSE, Recycle"?
And on a totally different tack, whatever happened to the government letting businesses run their businesses instead of the socialistic thing about the government micromanaging them? Ah, but that's a whole 'nother topic.
And then there's all the environmental problems caused by the new-fangled lightbulbs that are being foisted upon us with the soon-to-be-outlawed incandescent bulbs. But, hey, those new lightbulbs are "green" no matter what damage they do to the environment or people's health, because the experts on global warming have assured us that the new lightbulbs are good.
Whatever happened to "Reduce, REUSE, Recycle"?
And on a totally different tack, whatever happened to the government letting businesses run their businesses instead of the socialistic thing about the government micromanaging them? Ah, but that's a whole 'nother topic.
And then there's all the environmental problems caused by the new-fangled lightbulbs that are being foisted upon us with the soon-to-be-outlawed incandescent bulbs. But, hey, those new lightbulbs are "green" no matter what damage they do to the environment or people's health, because the experts on global warming have assured us that the new lightbulbs are good.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
My Grocery Store
For weeks I hadn't gone grocery shopping. I picked up a few things at a local store, and a few things at Aldi. Gary had done the grocery run once, and Paul had gone once. But I hadn't done the big once-a-week trip to MY store in what seemed like ages. I was feeling stressed about money, and the idea of spending $100 or more on groceries was unreasonably stressing me. (After all, is there anything more important to spend money on than your dinner?)
And then a week ago I went to Woodman's. There was something so comforting about walking through the aisles I knew, picking up the groceries that were essential to life, seeing people I knew, and just doing one of those routine chores. And when I went to Woodman's today, the same comfortable feeling overcame me.
I am a boring old putz who loves my routine!
And then a week ago I went to Woodman's. There was something so comforting about walking through the aisles I knew, picking up the groceries that were essential to life, seeing people I knew, and just doing one of those routine chores. And when I went to Woodman's today, the same comfortable feeling overcame me.
I am a boring old putz who loves my routine!
Today's Elders Meeting
They didn't really decide anything. At last week's voters' meeting, the elders said they would be meeting this week to make some decisions (or recommendations) about what to pay the pastor now that he has a full-time job, and what to do about health insurance, and what to do about duties at church that he has previously handled himself (such as secretarial needs).
They did decide to cancel Lenten services, and to ask the circuit counselor to take the Ash Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, and Good Friday services.
But anything that applies to us (such as pay level and parsonage concerns) was not decided. So we wait some more.
They did decide to cancel Lenten services, and to ask the circuit counselor to take the Ash Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, and Good Friday services.
But anything that applies to us (such as pay level and parsonage concerns) was not decided. So we wait some more.
Car Insurance
I haven't reported the accident to the insurance company yet; they weren't open on the weekend. But we saw our insurance agent at church this morning. I was hoping to get an idea of which Blue Book value they use in determining whether a car is totaled or repairable: the trade-in value, the private-sale value, or [unlikely] the retail value. He didn't know. He said it would be decided by the appraiser. Oh well, I guess we just wait on that one then.
The big bummer was what he told us about the non-contact accident. Because the other driver was not hurt and his property was not damaged, his insurance company can simply ignore the accident. We said, "But the police report says he's at fault." Doesn't matter apparently. Since I didn't make contact with his vehicle, all the liability falls on me and my insurance company. Can you believe that??? I would've been better off financially had I just stayed in my lane, slowing as much as possible without losing control, and creamed him. I thought it was better to do less damage. But apparently I'll be punished for it, and get to pay the deductible myself.
Well, if I had stayed in my lane and hit the other vehicle, I suppose I would've done some real damage to my body in addition to the car.
The big bummer was what he told us about the non-contact accident. Because the other driver was not hurt and his property was not damaged, his insurance company can simply ignore the accident. We said, "But the police report says he's at fault." Doesn't matter apparently. Since I didn't make contact with his vehicle, all the liability falls on me and my insurance company. Can you believe that??? I would've been better off financially had I just stayed in my lane, slowing as much as possible without losing control, and creamed him. I thought it was better to do less damage. But apparently I'll be punished for it, and get to pay the deductible myself.
Well, if I had stayed in my lane and hit the other vehicle, I suppose I would've done some real damage to my body in addition to the car.
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Cat Food
The last several days, we have been picking up kibble and tossing it back into the bowl SO MUCH! I couldn't figure out why.
Now I know.
One of "us" has decided that she's bored inside, with all that snow out there, and no hunting grounds because the bigger one of "us" takes all the gophers and mice and other critters without letting the little one of us have any.
So, apparently the plan has been to get into the cat-food dish and toss kibble out onto the linoleum floor. And then (ooooooh, what fun!) you can get all fierce-like, and chase down a piece of kibble-prey, and pounce on it, and slide across the floor like a crazy out-of-control animal, and bat the kibble-prey around, and kill-kill-KILL it! And then -- whoa, what a triumphant warrior! -- you can EAT your prey. Just like the real huntress does outside with her gophers.
However, the game gets boring before all thekibble prey gets "caught" and gobbled. So the big two-legged ones come along, pick up the mess, and toss it back into the cat dish.
But when their backs are turned, the four-legged one can start tossing cat food all over the kitchen floor again. What fun!!!
Now I know.
One of "us" has decided that she's bored inside, with all that snow out there, and no hunting grounds because the bigger one of "us" takes all the gophers and mice and other critters without letting the little one of us have any.
So, apparently the plan has been to get into the cat-food dish and toss kibble out onto the linoleum floor. And then (ooooooh, what fun!) you can get all fierce-like, and chase down a piece of kibble-prey, and pounce on it, and slide across the floor like a crazy out-of-control animal, and bat the kibble-prey around, and kill-kill-KILL it! And then -- whoa, what a triumphant warrior! -- you can EAT your prey. Just like the real huntress does outside with her gophers.
However, the game gets boring before all the
But when their backs are turned, the four-legged one can start tossing cat food all over the kitchen floor again. What fun!!!
Shaken Up
For a second or two today, I was afraid I was going to kill a man.
It was snowing again. The roads were snow-packed and hazardous. I was driving slowly and cautiously. Approaching an intersection, I noticed a vehicle that looked like he was not going to be able to stop. I moved over into the left lane (for oncoming traffic, of which there was none), thinking he was going to manage to stop partway into the intersection. But he kept coming further into the intersection. I was too close to the corner to be able to slow down enough to avoid hitting him as he went right through his stop sign. As he started into the intersection, he seemed to be unable to get the traction he needed, and I thought I was going to hit the driver. But then his tires grabbed and he began to move faster, so his truck was in the left lane and the snowmobile trailer was in the right lane (my lane) and there was nowhere for me to go but the ditch.
I'd slowed down enough and managed to keep control so that, when I steered to veer around him, I didn't do donuts. I didn't roll the car. I just slid (relatively gently) off the road into the ditch, taking out the stop sign, and hit the telephone pole. The van is pretty dented up, and the back window exploded. But there are no bruises, no cuts, no broken bones. And hopefully no mechanical damage to the van.
I didn't hit him. I didn't hurt him. And I didn't smash my front end into his vehicle, which would've done a lot more damage to my car than what actually panned out. So I guess, given how bad it might've been to have a car pull out right in front of me, things turned out pretty well.
The booger is that three people have to be at work on Monday, and we're down to two cars. Philip's is in the shop, apparently in need of an alternator. Right now, with circumstances as they are, we just have too many people going in too many directions (and a long way in those directions) to be grounded due to non-operational vehicles.
The thing I am very thankful for is the kindness of the man who caused the accident. He was very concerned to make sure I wasn't injured. He had me sit in his car with the heat on while we awaited the police. And he told the police officer the truth about pulling out in front of me: he noticed how slowly I was going and thought he had time to cross the road before I reached the intersection. And he would've been right if the road conditions had been better, or if it had been just his pick-up truck going across instead of his truck and trailer.
When it was time to go back to town later, I was so nervous about getting in the car. I remember how nervous Katie became about driving after a semi side-swiped her. In my rational mind, I realize that accidents can happen, but when it does happen, it's kind of scary to get behind the wheel again, wondering what's going to go wrong this time. But they tell you to get right back up on that horse after you fall off....
It was snowing again. The roads were snow-packed and hazardous. I was driving slowly and cautiously. Approaching an intersection, I noticed a vehicle that looked like he was not going to be able to stop. I moved over into the left lane (for oncoming traffic, of which there was none), thinking he was going to manage to stop partway into the intersection. But he kept coming further into the intersection. I was too close to the corner to be able to slow down enough to avoid hitting him as he went right through his stop sign. As he started into the intersection, he seemed to be unable to get the traction he needed, and I thought I was going to hit the driver. But then his tires grabbed and he began to move faster, so his truck was in the left lane and the snowmobile trailer was in the right lane (my lane) and there was nowhere for me to go but the ditch.
I'd slowed down enough and managed to keep control so that, when I steered to veer around him, I didn't do donuts. I didn't roll the car. I just slid (relatively gently) off the road into the ditch, taking out the stop sign, and hit the telephone pole. The van is pretty dented up, and the back window exploded. But there are no bruises, no cuts, no broken bones. And hopefully no mechanical damage to the van.
I didn't hit him. I didn't hurt him. And I didn't smash my front end into his vehicle, which would've done a lot more damage to my car than what actually panned out. So I guess, given how bad it might've been to have a car pull out right in front of me, things turned out pretty well.
The booger is that three people have to be at work on Monday, and we're down to two cars. Philip's is in the shop, apparently in need of an alternator. Right now, with circumstances as they are, we just have too many people going in too many directions (and a long way in those directions) to be grounded due to non-operational vehicles.
The thing I am very thankful for is the kindness of the man who caused the accident. He was very concerned to make sure I wasn't injured. He had me sit in his car with the heat on while we awaited the police. And he told the police officer the truth about pulling out in front of me: he noticed how slowly I was going and thought he had time to cross the road before I reached the intersection. And he would've been right if the road conditions had been better, or if it had been just his pick-up truck going across instead of his truck and trailer.
When it was time to go back to town later, I was so nervous about getting in the car. I remember how nervous Katie became about driving after a semi side-swiped her. In my rational mind, I realize that accidents can happen, but when it does happen, it's kind of scary to get behind the wheel again, wondering what's going to go wrong this time. But they tell you to get right back up on that horse after you fall off....
Friday, January 25, 2008
No More Call Lists
For about 15 years, people have been putting Gary's name on call lists. In the last year, friends have done so even more than before. We are SO thankful for that help and encouragement! Our new district president (the one we've had for the last 1½ years) has done what he could to circulate Gary's name and to encourage congregations to issue him a call. Nevertheless, there have been no calls to consider.
Now Gary is in a position where he can no longer consider a call.
When he first started applying for jobs, nobody was interested in hiring a guy who'd been a pastor for 20 years. 1) They figured he had no business sense -- definitely not true of Gary! 2) A few naughty Roman Catholic priests have given pastors a bad reputation, so people wonder about guys who are no longer going to be serving a parish full-time. 3) Apparently some people are uncomfortable with the idea of being around a pastor (eeeuuuwww!) all day because he might hear them cuss or talk about things in their lives that he might disapprove of.
So when he applied for the job where somebody helped him get an "in" (where the personnel dept didn't just toss his resume in the trash immediately), the interviewer was concerned that the salary would be too low for a middle-aged guy. She figured that he would up and leave as soon as some congregation somewhere offered him a position. The ONLY way they would consider keeping him in the pool for consideration for the job was if he would promise them to stick around for at least 12-18 months. Since this job seemed like the only chance to make more than $10/hour, he told them he'd stay put in the area and make it worth their while to train him and give him a chance.
So that's where we are. We're here in this locale. And if his name should continue to be circulated, he would not be able to give a call due consideration at this time as it would make him renege on his promise to his new employer.
Now Gary is in a position where he can no longer consider a call.
When he first started applying for jobs, nobody was interested in hiring a guy who'd been a pastor for 20 years. 1) They figured he had no business sense -- definitely not true of Gary! 2) A few naughty Roman Catholic priests have given pastors a bad reputation, so people wonder about guys who are no longer going to be serving a parish full-time. 3) Apparently some people are uncomfortable with the idea of being around a pastor (eeeuuuwww!) all day because he might hear them cuss or talk about things in their lives that he might disapprove of.
So when he applied for the job where somebody helped him get an "in" (where the personnel dept didn't just toss his resume in the trash immediately), the interviewer was concerned that the salary would be too low for a middle-aged guy. She figured that he would up and leave as soon as some congregation somewhere offered him a position. The ONLY way they would consider keeping him in the pool for consideration for the job was if he would promise them to stick around for at least 12-18 months. Since this job seemed like the only chance to make more than $10/hour, he told them he'd stay put in the area and make it worth their while to train him and give him a chance.
So that's where we are. We're here in this locale. And if his name should continue to be circulated, he would not be able to give a call due consideration at this time as it would make him renege on his promise to his new employer.
Drug Test
So the business finally got back the results of Gary's drug test. And he passed. (Are you surprised? LOL) So he reports to work on Monday morning.
The congregation has contacted the district, wondering what's going to happen now with their pastor being unavailable to them except on Saturday and Sunday. The elders meet to discuss possibilities this weekend.
The congregation has contacted the district, wondering what's going to happen now with their pastor being unavailable to them except on Saturday and Sunday. The elders meet to discuss possibilities this weekend.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Another Job Possibility?
We were out running errands and taking care of several things today. We had to kill a little time between two appointments and stopped at the library. Turns out they're hiring a part-time (9 hours per week plus every fifth weekend) associate in the children's department. I mean, now, really, how much more FUN a job could you find than that?
Deadline for applications was today when the library closed. In other words, I had a whoppin' 75 minutes to decide if I wanted to apply, fill out the application, and write a cover letter.
I did. I can't believe I did this. The only down-side I can see is that I'd have to give up Thursday Bible class. Of course, it's not likely that they'd even give a housewife an interview -- especially a mommy who had only half an hour to think about whipping out a cover letter. But it'll be interesting to see if anything comes of this!
Deadline for applications was today when the library closed. In other words, I had a whoppin' 75 minutes to decide if I wanted to apply, fill out the application, and write a cover letter.
I did. I can't believe I did this. The only down-side I can see is that I'd have to give up Thursday Bible class. Of course, it's not likely that they'd even give a housewife an interview -- especially a mommy who had only half an hour to think about whipping out a cover letter. But it'll be interesting to see if anything comes of this!
Balsamic Vinegar
After depleting nearly all of Katie's fresh produce in only two days last week, I figured I'd better pick up some groceries for us visitors to consume over the next couple of days. And then it would be polite and proper to leave them something to make up for all the inhaling of groceries we'd done. Among other items, I bought some baby lettuces and some grape tomatoes. We ate them for lunch on Friday, just before we scooted out of town. But Katie and Nathan do not have salad dressing in their apartment. That's fine with most of my kids, but I would've preferred some dressing. Katie had been telling about this balsamic vinegar that she had (not something she learned about in my kitchen) which she had included in Thursday evening's ham-bake. So I thought I'd try sprinkling balsamic vinegar onto the salad.
Oh. My. Goodness!
Delicious!
Although my home-made salad dressing is full of enzymes and other healthy stuff (raw first-cold-pressed olive oil and raw apple-cider vinegar), I think that balsamic vinegar may have converted me to using that for salad dressing instead!
Oh. My. Goodness!
Delicious!
Although my home-made salad dressing is full of enzymes and other healthy stuff (raw first-cold-pressed olive oil and raw apple-cider vinegar), I think that balsamic vinegar may have converted me to using that for salad dressing instead!
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Hungry
It's important for families to eat dinner together. Since Gary's going to be gone at dinner time (1:30ish) we're going to have to be eating at supper-time. So I sat down and made a chart of who's going to be here when, and who needs to take meals to work with them the next day, so I knew whether to cook for 3 or 8 or some number in between.
Yesterday we made a light meal for lunchtime -- just a gallon of salad and a 13x9 of tamale pie. We intended to eat dinner at suppertime. Oh my goodness! By 3:00 I was starved. I couldn't think of anything but food. I snitched Snickers. I snitched a shot of Southern Comfort. I snitched more Snickers. By 5:00 I thought I was going to fall apart from hunger. Finally we sat down to fajitas and burritos. Then I stuffed myself too full.
How do the rest of y'all eat dinner at suppertime? Gary and I both felt cruddy last night after eating a meal in the evening. Maybe it's just what you're used to?
Last week at symposium, I ate in the evening because it was the only way to work out calories -- half a bowl of cereal in the morning, a piece of fruit midday, and then dinner about 7:00. For nearly 20 years, we've been eating dinner at 1-2:00. As Gary and I have been feeling the results of old age, we eat less and less at suppertime, and let the kids eat leftovers and burritos and fried eggs and sandwiches and stuff like that for supper.
Today we went to Pizza Hut for their lunch buffet. (Thank you, Anthea!) In an attempt to try to do something for supper as an official meal, we put some leftovers out and nibbled at them together. Today when Gary and I were discussing this whole meal-schedule thing, we figure we're just going to have to eat dinner midday regardless of family togetherness. I hate that thought! But likewise, we hate the thought of the nightmares that come after eating dinner in the evening. We just can't figure out any good way to blend the need for family meals with our bodies' need for fasting in the evening.
And what's really sad is that I'm fretting about this when there are people in the world who would be tickled to pieces to have any food to eat, regardless of the time of day.
Yesterday we made a light meal for lunchtime -- just a gallon of salad and a 13x9 of tamale pie. We intended to eat dinner at suppertime. Oh my goodness! By 3:00 I was starved. I couldn't think of anything but food. I snitched Snickers. I snitched a shot of Southern Comfort. I snitched more Snickers. By 5:00 I thought I was going to fall apart from hunger. Finally we sat down to fajitas and burritos. Then I stuffed myself too full.
How do the rest of y'all eat dinner at suppertime? Gary and I both felt cruddy last night after eating a meal in the evening. Maybe it's just what you're used to?
Last week at symposium, I ate in the evening because it was the only way to work out calories -- half a bowl of cereal in the morning, a piece of fruit midday, and then dinner about 7:00. For nearly 20 years, we've been eating dinner at 1-2:00. As Gary and I have been feeling the results of old age, we eat less and less at suppertime, and let the kids eat leftovers and burritos and fried eggs and sandwiches and stuff like that for supper.
Today we went to Pizza Hut for their lunch buffet. (Thank you, Anthea!) In an attempt to try to do something for supper as an official meal, we put some leftovers out and nibbled at them together. Today when Gary and I were discussing this whole meal-schedule thing, we figure we're just going to have to eat dinner midday regardless of family togetherness. I hate that thought! But likewise, we hate the thought of the nightmares that come after eating dinner in the evening. We just can't figure out any good way to blend the need for family meals with our bodies' need for fasting in the evening.
And what's really sad is that I'm fretting about this when there are people in the world who would be tickled to pieces to have any food to eat, regardless of the time of day.
Not Yet
Gary went in to take his drug test for work today and to fill out paper-work and tax forms and such. Turns out that there was a small glitch in communication between the boss and the human resources dept. He cannot start until after they have back the results of the drug test. So he'll probably begin next Monday. Possibly as soon as this Thursday or Friday. Okay, yet another change of plans....
Punishment
When Athena was a kitten, she would sometimes scratch the furniture. So as to stop her and put her out of reach of the furniture, we would toss her outside. We thought the lesson we were teaching was "You are not allowed to treat the furniture this way." The lesson she learned, however, was "If you want to go outside, the way to make them open the door is to scratch the furniture." Oh, shoot! We taught her TO scratch, not to NOT scratch. We have struggled with that unintended lesson for years, until last month we moved the upholstered furniture so far away from the door as to make it pointless for her to try scratching to get outside.
So with the new kitten, we were on top of things. Oh, yes, we were! We'd learned a lesson about unintended lessons. But somehow, we're still just as stuck as before.
Twerpy little Rosie is nutso for water. She loves the drips from the water faucet after we brush our teeth. She comes running whenever she hears footsteps in the bathroom. She licks up puddles after we mop the kitchen. She tries to get into the kitchen sink (which involves the major no-no of getting onto the counter first) and is working on perfecting her scheme of drinking out of the toilet without falling into it. (People! Please flush here!) For a couple of months, it worked to shoot her with water from the squirty-bottle. But now she WANTS us to squirt her because it's more water to lick up. Throwing her outside has been an effective punishment for the last couple of days when the temps have been in the negative numbers, but it doesn't work as a punishment when it's 20 or 30°.
So today we tried buying her some pets. Ashes (now deceased) had one of those male kitty diseases that meant he was likely to be very dehydrated and we had to coax him to drink. So we bought him a pet goldfish to make his water more tasty. It worked. Today we bought some feeder goldfish for Rosie, hoping to entice her to drink the fishy water instead of lusting after fresh running water. She's quite enchanted by the little fishies and trying to get her paws on them. But we're not sure if this will alleviate the naughtiness of her going after our water glasses.
And we still don't have a punishment for scratching the furniture (a trick that Athena taught her) or her crazy-love for inside-soles of shoes.
So with the new kitten, we were on top of things. Oh, yes, we were! We'd learned a lesson about unintended lessons. But somehow, we're still just as stuck as before.
Twerpy little Rosie is nutso for water. She loves the drips from the water faucet after we brush our teeth. She comes running whenever she hears footsteps in the bathroom. She licks up puddles after we mop the kitchen. She tries to get into the kitchen sink (which involves the major no-no of getting onto the counter first) and is working on perfecting her scheme of drinking out of the toilet without falling into it. (People! Please flush here!) For a couple of months, it worked to shoot her with water from the squirty-bottle. But now she WANTS us to squirt her because it's more water to lick up. Throwing her outside has been an effective punishment for the last couple of days when the temps have been in the negative numbers, but it doesn't work as a punishment when it's 20 or 30°.
So today we tried buying her some pets. Ashes (now deceased) had one of those male kitty diseases that meant he was likely to be very dehydrated and we had to coax him to drink. So we bought him a pet goldfish to make his water more tasty. It worked. Today we bought some feeder goldfish for Rosie, hoping to entice her to drink the fishy water instead of lusting after fresh running water. She's quite enchanted by the little fishies and trying to get her paws on them. But we're not sure if this will alleviate the naughtiness of her going after our water glasses.
And we still don't have a punishment for scratching the furniture (a trick that Athena taught her) or her crazy-love for inside-soles of shoes.
Monday, January 21, 2008
Meal Plans
Good housewives plan their meals for the week and then head to the grocery store. Everybody tells us that this is the way to reduce grocery costs, reduce wasted food, and save time in the kitchen.
I am not a good housewife.
Every time I plan meals ahead, a monkey wrench gets thrown into the mix (oftentimes a good monkey wrench). We get invited over to somebody's house for dinner. Or leftovers are sent home from a potluck or funeral dinner. A neighbor stops by with fresh garden produce. Or someone gets sick, and we need chicken soup instead of lasagna.
So I've developed my own style of "meal plans" without planning ahead. As I go through the grocery store, I check out what kind of produce is getting good-n-ripe and very cheap. I check the meat bin where the "last day before expiration" meat is available for less than half price. I found red peppers for only a dime more than green peppers this week, so we're eating fajitas tonight.
When I get home from the store, I jot down food items on the refrigerator memo board. That way I can remember that I have some pork that needs to be thrown in the crockpot with bbq sauce. Or that there are turnips that will need to go into a stew or soup. Or that there's lettuce hiding in the back of the drawer that I ought not forget. Or that there's a ½-pound of hamburger that needs to be used in something (baked beans? taco salad?) before it gets too old. Then I can just keep crossing items off the list in whatever combinations they are used.
This is not the best way to do it, but it works for me. There's some semblance of planning in that I have a list to jog my memory about what I purchased. And things don't get wasted. But I don't have to plan the meals before I see what I can buy on-the-cheap from the market.
I am not a good housewife.
Every time I plan meals ahead, a monkey wrench gets thrown into the mix (oftentimes a good monkey wrench). We get invited over to somebody's house for dinner. Or leftovers are sent home from a potluck or funeral dinner. A neighbor stops by with fresh garden produce. Or someone gets sick, and we need chicken soup instead of lasagna.
So I've developed my own style of "meal plans" without planning ahead. As I go through the grocery store, I check out what kind of produce is getting good-n-ripe and very cheap. I check the meat bin where the "last day before expiration" meat is available for less than half price. I found red peppers for only a dime more than green peppers this week, so we're eating fajitas tonight.
When I get home from the store, I jot down food items on the refrigerator memo board. That way I can remember that I have some pork that needs to be thrown in the crockpot with bbq sauce. Or that there are turnips that will need to go into a stew or soup. Or that there's lettuce hiding in the back of the drawer that I ought not forget. Or that there's a ½-pound of hamburger that needs to be used in something (baked beans? taco salad?) before it gets too old. Then I can just keep crossing items off the list in whatever combinations they are used.
This is not the best way to do it, but it works for me. There's some semblance of planning in that I have a list to jog my memory about what I purchased. And things don't get wasted. But I don't have to plan the meals before I see what I can buy on-the-cheap from the market.
The Non-Black Stranger
We wear hand-me-downs. Or gifts. We don't buy clothes.
Gary lives in black clericals and black Flex-slacks. That's not exactly going to work in a cubicle at a secular business. So today he went to Goodwill and did a little clothes shopping. He made a good haul! Four nice 100%-cotton button-down long-sleeved shirts and two pairs of khakis for a total of $15. Hooray!
But when he tried on them to show us his new clothes, he looked funny. Where's the Man In Black? Like Paul mentioned, Dad's skin color looks darker when it's not up against the solid wall of black. It's just plain weird to see Gary in red & beige plaid, or blue & beige stripes. :-)
Gary lives in black clericals and black Flex-slacks. That's not exactly going to work in a cubicle at a secular business. So today he went to Goodwill and did a little clothes shopping. He made a good haul! Four nice 100%-cotton button-down long-sleeved shirts and two pairs of khakis for a total of $15. Hooray!
But when he tried on them to show us his new clothes, he looked funny. Where's the Man In Black? Like Paul mentioned, Dad's skin color looks darker when it's not up against the solid wall of black. It's just plain weird to see Gary in red & beige plaid, or blue & beige stripes. :-)
Weinrich's Lecture at Symposium
As a couple of pastors said at the end of Weinrich's paper (which is not published yet, but hopefully will be soon), they could've just let him talk alllll morning! Wow, it was good! My pastor commented on Thursday afternoon after the panel discussion that it seems that Weinrich always preaches even when he's "teaching."
I began noticing about 10 minutes into the lecture that he seemed to be using a lot of terms that were in the preface from the Easter Vigil. I don't think it was intentional -- just that he was talking about the incarnation and the atonement, and how the incarnation has meaning only in that it's connected to the atonement, and how the atonement for sin could only be made by an incarnate God. He talked about being delivered from bondage to sin. He talked about how we are restored to life. He talked about the new creation. He talked about the atonement working our innocence, and restoring us to joy in Christ the Light. So all through his lecture, it was like I had two transparencies in my mind, the lecture and the preface, all mixed up and entwined in a beautiful montage.
For He is the very Paschal Lamb
who offered Himself for the sin of the world,
who has cleansed us by the shedding of His precious blood.
This is the night when You brought our fathers, the children of Israel, out of bondage in Egypt and led them through the Red Sea on dry ground.
This is the night when all who believe in Christ are delivered from bondage to sin and are restored to life and immortality.
This is the night when Christ, the Life, arose from the dead. The seal of the grave is broken, and the morning of the new creation breaks forth out of night.
Oh, how wonderful and beyond all telling is Your mercy toward us, o God, that to redeem a slave You gave Your Son.
How holy is this night when all wickedness is put to flight and sin is washed away.
How holy is this night when innocence is restored to the fallen and joy is given to those downcast.
How blessed is this night when man is reconciled to God in Christ.
Holy Father, accept now the evening sacrifices of our thanksgiving and praise.
Let Christ, the true Light and Morning-star, shine in our hearts, He who gives light to all creation.
I began noticing about 10 minutes into the lecture that he seemed to be using a lot of terms that were in the preface from the Easter Vigil. I don't think it was intentional -- just that he was talking about the incarnation and the atonement, and how the incarnation has meaning only in that it's connected to the atonement, and how the atonement for sin could only be made by an incarnate God. He talked about being delivered from bondage to sin. He talked about how we are restored to life. He talked about the new creation. He talked about the atonement working our innocence, and restoring us to joy in Christ the Light. So all through his lecture, it was like I had two transparencies in my mind, the lecture and the preface, all mixed up and entwined in a beautiful montage.
For He is the very Paschal Lamb
who offered Himself for the sin of the world,
who has cleansed us by the shedding of His precious blood.
This is the night when You brought our fathers, the children of Israel, out of bondage in Egypt and led them through the Red Sea on dry ground.
This is the night when all who believe in Christ are delivered from bondage to sin and are restored to life and immortality.
This is the night when Christ, the Life, arose from the dead. The seal of the grave is broken, and the morning of the new creation breaks forth out of night.
Oh, how wonderful and beyond all telling is Your mercy toward us, o God, that to redeem a slave You gave Your Son.
How holy is this night when all wickedness is put to flight and sin is washed away.
How holy is this night when innocence is restored to the fallen and joy is given to those downcast.
How blessed is this night when man is reconciled to God in Christ.
Holy Father, accept now the evening sacrifices of our thanksgiving and praise.
Let Christ, the true Light and Morning-star, shine in our hearts, He who gives light to all creation.
Quakers (Caramel-Oatmeal Cookies)
Cream
2 cups dark brown sugar
1 cup butter or margarine
Add
2 eggs
1½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
Beat.
Beat in
2 cups flour
2 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups quick oats
Drop by spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375° for about 9 minutes (for a 2" or 2½" cookie). Do not overbake; they should be soft and chewy, not crisp. If desired, add chocolate chips or nuts.
2 cups dark brown sugar
1 cup butter or margarine
Add
2 eggs
1½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
Beat.
Beat in
2 cups flour
2 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups quick oats
Drop by spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375° for about 9 minutes (for a 2" or 2½" cookie). Do not overbake; they should be soft and chewy, not crisp. If desired, add chocolate chips or nuts.
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Diet Chocolate Cake
Now, don't get too excited about the title of this recipe! It got the name through family legend. When Gary and I were first married, we made this cake and gobbled it up in about 2 days -- and each lost a couple of pounds. A couple of weeks later, I mixed up another cake, and again we each lost weight that week. This happened several times, and I can't figure out why it would happen. It's probably just coincidence, but it makes for a good joke around here (that probably nobody else finds funny).
This recipe is harder to pull together than most cakes. I don't normally like making cake. It's so much more trouble than pie or cookies. On top of that, cake is probably our least favorite dessert. (NOT that we dislike cake, please understand! It's just, y'know, in comparison to banana cream pie or cinnamon rolls or caramel-oatmeal cookies or ..... wait, ... I have to stop and wipe the drool off the keyboard....) Where was I? Oh yeah, this cake is more trouble than most. But oh yummy yummy, it's worth it!
Step 1 -- the fudge.
Combine in saucepan
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1 egg
Heat to boil, stirring constantly.
Set aside to cool.
Step 2 -- the butter.
Cream
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter (or shortening)
till light.
Add 1 tsp vanilla.
Beat well.
Add 1 egg. Beat well.
Add another egg. Beat well.
Step 3 -- flour and milk.
While beating, sprinkle into butter:
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt.
Add
2/3 cup flour,
1/2 cup milk,
2/3 cup flour,
1/2 cup milk,
2/3 cup flour,
beating well after each addition.
Blend fudge into cake batter.
Bake in greased & floured pans
(either two 9"-rounds or one 13x9")
at 350°, about 25-30 minutes for rounds
or about 35-40 for the 13x9.
This recipe is harder to pull together than most cakes. I don't normally like making cake. It's so much more trouble than pie or cookies. On top of that, cake is probably our least favorite dessert. (NOT that we dislike cake, please understand! It's just, y'know, in comparison to banana cream pie or cinnamon rolls or caramel-oatmeal cookies or ..... wait, ... I have to stop and wipe the drool off the keyboard....) Where was I? Oh yeah, this cake is more trouble than most. But oh yummy yummy, it's worth it!
Step 1 -- the fudge.
Combine in saucepan
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1 egg
Heat to boil, stirring constantly.
Set aside to cool.
Step 2 -- the butter.
Cream
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter (or shortening)
till light.
Add 1 tsp vanilla.
Beat well.
Add 1 egg. Beat well.
Add another egg. Beat well.
Step 3 -- flour and milk.
While beating, sprinkle into butter:
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt.
Add
2/3 cup flour,
1/2 cup milk,
2/3 cup flour,
1/2 cup milk,
2/3 cup flour,
beating well after each addition.
Blend fudge into cake batter.
Bake in greased & floured pans
(either two 9"-rounds or one 13x9")
at 350°, about 25-30 minutes for rounds
or about 35-40 for the 13x9.
Katie's Job
While one daughter struggles in her work situation, the other is quite happy with her job. After spending time with her last week, it just makes me so proud of her that I have to brag for a minute.
Katie is working in a nursing home, helping with the activities. She helps with the all-important Bingo games. She wheels people to daily Mass or assists the non-Catholics in getting to chapel. She organizes activities like baking cookies. She takes people for walks in nice weather. For those who don't get many visitors, part of her job is to just go to their room and sit and visit with them.
She tells me that many young people think she has a very depressing job. But she doesn't see it that way. She gets along so well with those "old-fashioned people." She takes cares of them. She brightens up their lives and stimulates their minds, not unlike a mommy of young children does for her charges. She is good to these people who have spent most of their lives giving to others, and now are unable to give and are beginning to be the ones who are dependent and needy.
And Katie enjoys giving of herself to them. How much prouder could a momma be of such a great girl?
Katie is working in a nursing home, helping with the activities. She helps with the all-important Bingo games. She wheels people to daily Mass or assists the non-Catholics in getting to chapel. She organizes activities like baking cookies. She takes people for walks in nice weather. For those who don't get many visitors, part of her job is to just go to their room and sit and visit with them.
She tells me that many young people think she has a very depressing job. But she doesn't see it that way. She gets along so well with those "old-fashioned people." She takes cares of them. She brightens up their lives and stimulates their minds, not unlike a mommy of young children does for her charges. She is good to these people who have spent most of their lives giving to others, and now are unable to give and are beginning to be the ones who are dependent and needy.
And Katie enjoys giving of herself to them. How much prouder could a momma be of such a great girl?
Further Memory Work
What's next? After your kids have learned the catechism and a plethora of Bible passages and hymns, what else might they learn by heart? Of course, you're still going to want to be continuing to pray those texts already learned. But sometimes it seems good to add some other salutary passages.
How about psalms? Maybe 1, 23, and 100. Maybe 25, 27, 46, 85, 103, 116, 118. And others.
How about the prayer offices or at least the canticles from them? And more hymns -- of course, always more hymns!
I've also asked various kids to learn portions of the Athanasian Creed, the 4th and 5th articles of the Augsburg Confession, the preface that comes near the beginning of the Easter Vigil, the middle paragraph of the Second Article in the Large Catechism (labeled as "verses" 28-30), the litany (LSB 288 or page 112 of TLH), and assorted collects. Not that any of us has learned all that! But we wouldn't want them to slow down on absorbing new things just because they'd already learned everything included in the Learn-by-Heart charts. And this just happens to be a few things we've found good to add to the list.
How about psalms? Maybe 1, 23, and 100. Maybe 25, 27, 46, 85, 103, 116, 118. And others.
How about the prayer offices or at least the canticles from them? And more hymns -- of course, always more hymns!
I've also asked various kids to learn portions of the Athanasian Creed, the 4th and 5th articles of the Augsburg Confession, the preface that comes near the beginning of the Easter Vigil, the middle paragraph of the Second Article in the Large Catechism (labeled as "verses" 28-30), the litany (LSB 288 or page 112 of TLH), and assorted collects. Not that any of us has learned all that! But we wouldn't want them to slow down on absorbing new things just because they'd already learned everything included in the Learn-by-Heart charts. And this just happens to be a few things we've found good to add to the list.
Privatizing Schooling
A quote from the testimony given by the executive director of WPA on Wednesday regarding AB 697:
The basic idea of trying to privatize education by using statutes and public funds is a contradiction and an oxymoron.
The testimony goes on to explain how privatizing education is considered a good thing by conservatives. But how can education be privatized by making more laws about it, by monitoring what goes on in private homes, by making families more dependent on government, by increasing government authority, and by increasing government spending? Think about that for a minute. Do those things sound like privatization?
The basic idea of trying to privatize education by using statutes and public funds is a contradiction and an oxymoron.
The testimony goes on to explain how privatizing education is considered a good thing by conservatives. But how can education be privatized by making more laws about it, by monitoring what goes on in private homes, by making families more dependent on government, by increasing government authority, and by increasing government spending? Think about that for a minute. Do those things sound like privatization?
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Wisconsin Homeschooling
Because of the recent court decisions in Wisconsin about virtual schools run by the State, some bills are currently before the Senate and Assembly. Hearings were held in Madison this week. Homeschoolers did not attend; public e-schoolers did; that is as it should be. Based on what happened at the hearing, though, it is terribly important that homeschoolers contact their legislators.
Updated information is not yet available on WPA's issues website, but I'm going to keep checking there for updates in case some news might be posted. Information will keep coming out on WPA's email list, and situations will change rapidly. If you care about new restrictions on homeschooling, I strongly urge you to join WPA and get on the email list so that you can be involved in protecting your freedoms. And if you think you're safe and don't care too much about protecting your freedoms, then consider people like me with special-needs kids who need individualized programs that are unique enough that they may not pass muster with the State (and which we shouldn't have to get okay-ed, anyhow).
The basic problem at this point is with Assembly Bill 697. The bill describes what responsibilities in a virtual charter school will be held by a certified teacher, and declares that the person providing educational instruction in the home need not be licensed nor certified. Although this does not apply directly and immediately to homeschoolers, the bill also says that the DPI will promulgate rules regarding "instructional staff." This will govern interactions between parents and students in the home with regard to education. This is too invasive and will eventually come back to hurt homeschoolers.
I realize that this is not enough information to help you know how to respond and whom you should phone in the Assembly. That would be a great deal of information to include in one blog post. Please join WPA and get informed so that you will be able to take a few minutes (or more, if possible) to help protect our good law.
Updated information is not yet available on WPA's issues website, but I'm going to keep checking there for updates in case some news might be posted. Information will keep coming out on WPA's email list, and situations will change rapidly. If you care about new restrictions on homeschooling, I strongly urge you to join WPA and get on the email list so that you can be involved in protecting your freedoms. And if you think you're safe and don't care too much about protecting your freedoms, then consider people like me with special-needs kids who need individualized programs that are unique enough that they may not pass muster with the State (and which we shouldn't have to get okay-ed, anyhow).
The basic problem at this point is with Assembly Bill 697. The bill describes what responsibilities in a virtual charter school will be held by a certified teacher, and declares that the person providing educational instruction in the home need not be licensed nor certified. Although this does not apply directly and immediately to homeschoolers, the bill also says that the DPI will promulgate rules regarding "instructional staff." This will govern interactions between parents and students in the home with regard to education. This is too invasive and will eventually come back to hurt homeschoolers.
I realize that this is not enough information to help you know how to respond and whom you should phone in the Assembly. That would be a great deal of information to include in one blog post. Please join WPA and get informed so that you will be able to take a few minutes (or more, if possible) to help protect our good law.
Epiphany's Gold
It's been three weeks since I jogged: ice storms and illness and being away and vocational "stuff" interfered. So today (when it's a whoppin' 0° out) I made myself go out and jog. To ease the pain of getting back to the exercise routine, I took along a tape of my father-confessor's Epiphany sermon. Oh, I just have to bubble over about something in it!
The magi brought gold. Gold is fit for a king. Jesus is the King of kings.
The magi brought gold. Mary and Joseph were going to need some gold/money as refugees.
(You may have heard those points before.)
The magi brought gold. The tabernacle and the temple were rich with much gold. Jesus is the true temple; He came to tabernacle among us, full of grace and truth.
The magi brought gold. The altar was covered with gold. The mercyseat was gold. The place of atonement in the Holy of Holies: gold everywhere. John tells us (1 Jn 2:2) that Jesus is the propitiation for our sins and the sins of the whole world.
The magi brought gold.
The magi brought gold. Gold is fit for a king. Jesus is the King of kings.
The magi brought gold. Mary and Joseph were going to need some gold/money as refugees.
(You may have heard those points before.)
The magi brought gold. The tabernacle and the temple were rich with much gold. Jesus is the true temple; He came to tabernacle among us, full of grace and truth.
The magi brought gold. The altar was covered with gold. The mercyseat was gold. The place of atonement in the Holy of Holies: gold everywhere. John tells us (1 Jn 2:2) that Jesus is the propitiation for our sins and the sins of the whole world.
The magi brought gold.
Friday, January 18, 2008
This Past Week
The three youngest kids and I ran away this week to Fort Wayne. We stayed with Katie and Nathan, but got in a good long evening with Jane and family. I went to Indiana with firm resolve to sleep a lot so as not to relapse into illness. But I just couldn't tear myself away from talking with these ones I love so much. Managed to get at least six hours a night, and am still feeling fine. :-) Didn't hear as many lectures as I would've liked, but got to put in some time helping a friend with the CCA booth. Attended a wonderful church service Thursday evening, and then later the Sabre ceremony. The boys and I had only one complaint about chapel: too much choir; we like to sing those hymns and songs TOO!
Gary didn't get to go with us. He stayed here, hoping to get called in for a job. The brief news is that he has been hired for full-time employment with a secular business. He starts Wednesday. (Mom, vacation-time is arranged such that he will be able to go to the reunion in June. Hooray!) We assume that he will continue on in a part-time position here at this congregation and at Rockford, but that is yet to be determined, pending discussions with the DP and decisions of the next Voters' Assembly, and how this can all be worked out. Don't have much more news than that until after Sunday (at the earliest). In spite of all the changes that are coming, there is some relief in knowing that paychecks will come regularly and that there will be health insurance for Maggie.
Gary didn't get to go with us. He stayed here, hoping to get called in for a job. The brief news is that he has been hired for full-time employment with a secular business. He starts Wednesday. (Mom, vacation-time is arranged such that he will be able to go to the reunion in June. Hooray!) We assume that he will continue on in a part-time position here at this congregation and at Rockford, but that is yet to be determined, pending discussions with the DP and decisions of the next Voters' Assembly, and how this can all be worked out. Don't have much more news than that until after Sunday (at the earliest). In spite of all the changes that are coming, there is some relief in knowing that paychecks will come regularly and that there will be health insurance for Maggie.
Monday, January 14, 2008
Timer
Some people are so technologically inept that they are incapable of operating an alarm clock. Such a person might choose to use the kitchen timer (25' from her bed) to set an alarm on those rare days she needs to be awoken early. But then when somebody decides to set the kitchen timer for a perfectly reasonable use (timing the oatmeal or the brewing tea), it can sure jolt a technologically-inept person awake FAST, and set her to wondering WHY she's supposed to be getting up right now.
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Diagramming Sentences
Too much of sentence-diagramming in English books is picky rules about how to write it. Do we underline the subject once and the predicate twice? Which words have a box around them and which are circled? Different texts have different conventions, and none of it matters! What's important is that the person knows what the main sentence is, and what phrases/clauses modify what. And that part is VERY important!
One hymn recently threw me for a loop. Pastor and Kantor took a shine to "O Savior of Our Fallen Race" and I think we sang it about ten times in the last six weeks. The first time through, I couldn't figure out what one antecedent was. And the meaning of that pronoun was hidden well enough that I couldn't figure it out as I was singing. Of course, I forgot after church to take a good careful look at the hymn. And then we sang it again a week or so later, and I still didn't know what I was singing. (It drives me NUTS when I don't know what I'm singing!!) When I sat down to figure it out, I thought this stanza was a prime example of why people need to be able to diagram sentences.
Today, as year by year its light
bathes all the world in radiance bright,
one precious truth outshines the sun:
salvation comes from You alone. Alleluia! (LSB 403:4)
What's light? Whose light? What is IT?
Today one truth outshines the sun. Basic adverb, subject, verb, direct object.
Year by year tells when this bathing is happening. So the picture ends up being that one truth (salvation is of Christ alone) outshines the sun as the light of that truth bathes the world in radiance.
Sometimes the sentences can get pretty convoluted in the poetry of hymns. It's easy when once you look at it and figure it out. But when I'm faced with a new one, sometimes I get a fresh look at how important it is to pay attention to the punctuation in a hymn and what the main subject/verb are.
One hymn recently threw me for a loop. Pastor and Kantor took a shine to "O Savior of Our Fallen Race" and I think we sang it about ten times in the last six weeks. The first time through, I couldn't figure out what one antecedent was. And the meaning of that pronoun was hidden well enough that I couldn't figure it out as I was singing. Of course, I forgot after church to take a good careful look at the hymn. And then we sang it again a week or so later, and I still didn't know what I was singing. (It drives me NUTS when I don't know what I'm singing!!) When I sat down to figure it out, I thought this stanza was a prime example of why people need to be able to diagram sentences.
Today, as year by year its light
bathes all the world in radiance bright,
one precious truth outshines the sun:
salvation comes from You alone. Alleluia! (LSB 403:4)
What's light? Whose light? What is IT?
Today one truth outshines the sun. Basic adverb, subject, verb, direct object.
Year by year tells when this bathing is happening. So the picture ends up being that one truth (salvation is of Christ alone) outshines the sun as the light of that truth bathes the world in radiance.
Sometimes the sentences can get pretty convoluted in the poetry of hymns. It's easy when once you look at it and figure it out. But when I'm faced with a new one, sometimes I get a fresh look at how important it is to pay attention to the punctuation in a hymn and what the main subject/verb are.
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Blonde Joke
Homer walked into a sports bar around 9:58 pm. He sat down next to a blonde at the bar and stared up at the TV. The 10:00 pm news was now on. The news crew was covering a story of a man on a ledge of a tall building preparing to jump.
The blonde looked at Homer and said, "Do you think he'll jump?"
Homer replied, "You know, I bet he'll jump."
The blonde said, "Well, I bet he won't."
Homer placed a $20 bill on the bar and said, "You're on."
Just as the blonde placed her money on the bar, the guy did a swan dive off of the building, falling to his death. The blonde was very upset and handed $20 to Homer saying, "Fair's fair, here's your money."
Homer replied, "I can't take your money, I saw this earlier on the 5 o'clock news and knew he would jump."
The blonde replied, "I saw it too, but I didn't think he'd do it again."
Homer took the money.
This came from the Backwoods Home Irreverent Joke page. You gotta check out the one on the pet fish that was in the same issue.
The blonde looked at Homer and said, "Do you think he'll jump?"
Homer replied, "You know, I bet he'll jump."
The blonde said, "Well, I bet he won't."
Homer placed a $20 bill on the bar and said, "You're on."
Just as the blonde placed her money on the bar, the guy did a swan dive off of the building, falling to his death. The blonde was very upset and handed $20 to Homer saying, "Fair's fair, here's your money."
Homer replied, "I can't take your money, I saw this earlier on the 5 o'clock news and knew he would jump."
The blonde replied, "I saw it too, but I didn't think he'd do it again."
Homer took the money.
This came from the Backwoods Home Irreverent Joke page. You gotta check out the one on the pet fish that was in the same issue.
New Heater
Someone decided to donate a pellet burner to church for use in the parsonage. When we found out how big this thing was, I got busy cleaning and decluttering the basement, as the heater and the fuel would take up about 1/3 of the space of a bedroom.
Problem is, nobody took into consideration that we have a crawl space under part of the house. If this new heater is supposed to heat the basement so as to reduce propane use in the furnace, what happens to the unheated crawl space (where there are WATER pipes) when the furnace is running so much less? Someone was supposed to have been here 4 weeks ago to evaluate that.
I never know where things stand around here. Did they give up on it? Do I have to continue the decluttering and basement-rearranging? Will the heater be arriving in March or in two days or in 2017?
Problem is, nobody took into consideration that we have a crawl space under part of the house. If this new heater is supposed to heat the basement so as to reduce propane use in the furnace, what happens to the unheated crawl space (where there are WATER pipes) when the furnace is running so much less? Someone was supposed to have been here 4 weeks ago to evaluate that.
I never know where things stand around here. Did they give up on it? Do I have to continue the decluttering and basement-rearranging? Will the heater be arriving in March or in two days or in 2017?
No News Yet
Rejoice, my heart, be glad and sing,
a cheerful trust maintain,
for God, the source of everything,
thy Portion shall remain.
He is thy Treasure, He thy Joy,
thy Life and Light and Lord,
thy Counselor when doubts annoy,
thy Shield and great Reward.
Why spend the day in blank despair,
in restless thought the night?
On thy Creator cast thy care.
He makes thy burdens light.
(Why did they so often leave out such important stanzas when they put LSB together?)
Still no news about a job/income for Gary.
Maybe next week?
a cheerful trust maintain,
for God, the source of everything,
thy Portion shall remain.
He is thy Treasure, He thy Joy,
thy Life and Light and Lord,
thy Counselor when doubts annoy,
thy Shield and great Reward.
Why spend the day in blank despair,
in restless thought the night?
On thy Creator cast thy care.
He makes thy burdens light.
(Why did they so often leave out such important stanzas when they put LSB together?)
Still no news about a job/income for Gary.
Maybe next week?
Friday, January 11, 2008
Changes Coming?
There are times when you know everything could be different in 8 hours. Sometimes it's inconsequential, like when I was going to see Lord of the Rings or Passion for the first time, knowing that those movies would forever change the mental images I carry in my head for those stories. Usually when there's something monumental coming, you don't know that it's coming (like a car accident), or precisely when it's arriving (like motherhood). Vicarage placements and call day at sem have that surreal feeling that something big is coming, and it could change everything.
Gary headed off to town a little while ago for job interviews. Someone familiar with the company suggested yesterday that, after all the waiting and the delays of the past months, we ought not be surprised if they offer him a job and tell him to show up Monday morning to start. Whether they tell him today "We're not interested" or "Show up for orientation on Monday," it will mean huge things for our family either way. I keep thinking of ALL the little things that will be impacted by Gary's having a full-time secular job. Not the biggies. But that I'll be driving the van instead of the car. That it's going to change dinner-time. That I'm going to have quite the job to get veggies into these people if I'm not setting a steaming bowlful on the table but packing it into a brown-bag. That bed-time is going to have to be much earlier. Things like that.
Gary headed off to town a little while ago for job interviews. Someone familiar with the company suggested yesterday that, after all the waiting and the delays of the past months, we ought not be surprised if they offer him a job and tell him to show up Monday morning to start. Whether they tell him today "We're not interested" or "Show up for orientation on Monday," it will mean huge things for our family either way. I keep thinking of ALL the little things that will be impacted by Gary's having a full-time secular job. Not the biggies. But that I'll be driving the van instead of the car. That it's going to change dinner-time. That I'm going to have quite the job to get veggies into these people if I'm not setting a steaming bowlful on the table but packing it into a brown-bag. That bed-time is going to have to be much earlier. Things like that.
Huckabee and Paul
Hat-tip to Kristi for the link to a Mary Pride article on what's wrong with Huckabee and why he is NOT a good candidate for homeschoolers.
The interesting part is that Mrs Pride extols Ron Paul's position toward homeschoolers: tax credits and government favors to guarantee certain treatment of homeschoolers by others. Homeschoolers are in big trouble when outspoken homeschool advocates are in favor of getting "help" from the government. Government "help" always always always always always comes with strings attached. Always, not sometimes. If the government is going to "help" homeschoolers, the government will be sticking their nose into our daily life and schedule and curriculum and making sure that we're "bona fide homeschoolers" and all sorts of other interference.
I don't want government "help."
I don't want Ron Paul.
There ain't no such things as a free lunch.
The interesting part is that Mrs Pride extols Ron Paul's position toward homeschoolers: tax credits and government favors to guarantee certain treatment of homeschoolers by others. Homeschoolers are in big trouble when outspoken homeschool advocates are in favor of getting "help" from the government. Government "help" always always always always always comes with strings attached. Always, not sometimes. If the government is going to "help" homeschoolers, the government will be sticking their nose into our daily life and schedule and curriculum and making sure that we're "bona fide homeschoolers" and all sorts of other interference.
I don't want government "help."
I don't want Ron Paul.
There ain't no such things as a free lunch.
Blog Award
Cheryl decided to give me the Daily Dose Award for being guilty of writing a blog that she has become addicted to and checks daily (thus the name of the award). Thank you, Cheryl, for your kind words and for your enjoyment of my musings.I am not sure how or who to award in turn. Ever since I signed up for Google Reader, I no longer check blogs daily. Google's technology just says, "Hey, read what Laura wrote today" or "Check out this cute new picture of Izzy" or "Here's Stuckwisch's latest ruminations on Harry Potter." So I no longer have a "daily dose" that I have to go hunting for. Those things come find me. I am spoiled!
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Food for Fasting
So the question of the afternoon is What do you serve at an Ash Wednesday Prayer Breakfast?
Our zone LWML used to have a prayer breakfast on Ash Wednesday, where the food was rolls and donuts and muffins and coffee and juices. Not exactly the makings of a self-denying fast.
However, in recent years the breakfast has gone fancy: delectable egg casseroles and meats and fruit salads and awesome sweets. The ladies of our church are supposed to host this year. Last time they served, they didn't make the eye-popping, belt-loosening breakfast, and there were complaints that just "coffee and donuts" isn't really a breakfast.
My theory is that our ladies should serve oatmeal, bagels (and even have butter with them), coffee, and juice. I'd do it myself, except that I have to go to work on Wednesday mornings. But it is an interesting question to ponder: what food does one SERVE for a fast-day?
Suggestions, anyone?
Our zone LWML used to have a prayer breakfast on Ash Wednesday, where the food was rolls and donuts and muffins and coffee and juices. Not exactly the makings of a self-denying fast.
However, in recent years the breakfast has gone fancy: delectable egg casseroles and meats and fruit salads and awesome sweets. The ladies of our church are supposed to host this year. Last time they served, they didn't make the eye-popping, belt-loosening breakfast, and there were complaints that just "coffee and donuts" isn't really a breakfast.
My theory is that our ladies should serve oatmeal, bagels (and even have butter with them), coffee, and juice. I'd do it myself, except that I have to go to work on Wednesday mornings. But it is an interesting question to ponder: what food does one SERVE for a fast-day?
Suggestions, anyone?
Love Comes Softly
We recently finished a series of movies [loosely] based on the books by Janette Oke. The stories are sweet and wholesome and have funny parts, set in the West during pioneer days. Love Comes Softly is the first book, where a woman ends up married to a man, intending only to be the nanny for several months until the wagon train comes through and she can head back East. Love's Enduring Promise is the story of the little girl in the first book, grown-up, having to choose between the dashing young man and the sturdy hard worker. Love's Long Journey followed up the story of that couple, and this time there were bad guys to face. Love's Abiding Joy continued their story, this time with an altogether different kind of bad guy plaguing their town. Love's Unending Legacy brings the heroine back to her hometown and brings new people into her family. The next installment of the series is due out late this spring.
Although the books were Christian "romance" novels, most of the Christianity was stripped from the movies, and they were left with the generic religion you'd expect from Michael Landon, Jr. (The third movie was the notable exception.) Nevertheless, anybody who enjoyed the Little House on the Prairie shows will probably enjoy these. I really liked Janette Oke books once upon a time, and that's what caught my interest with the movies. It turned out, though, that we liked the movies even more than I had anticipated. Maggie enjoyed watching them with us. Even the boys didn't leave the room while the rest of us watched, although in the interest of full disclosure, Andrew much preferred shows 3-4 where there were bad guys to defeat instead of being primarily stories about relationships and love.
I think Rachel and Mom are going to want to bother to put these on their movie lists. Anthea will not!
Although the books were Christian "romance" novels, most of the Christianity was stripped from the movies, and they were left with the generic religion you'd expect from Michael Landon, Jr. (The third movie was the notable exception.) Nevertheless, anybody who enjoyed the Little House on the Prairie shows will probably enjoy these. I really liked Janette Oke books once upon a time, and that's what caught my interest with the movies. It turned out, though, that we liked the movies even more than I had anticipated. Maggie enjoyed watching them with us. Even the boys didn't leave the room while the rest of us watched, although in the interest of full disclosure, Andrew much preferred shows 3-4 where there were bad guys to defeat instead of being primarily stories about relationships and love.
I think Rachel and Mom are going to want to bother to put these on their movie lists. Anthea will not!
Scaer's "In Christ: Volume 2"
The book is published and ready for sale. It will be available next week in Fort Wayne at the symposium. Visit the CCA booth. (There will be a signing party at one point during the week, for those who'd like their copies autographed.)
I had assumed that, after the sermon volume, the rest of the volumes would be a little more "difficult," deeper theology, bigger words, longer sentences, etc. But this volume is definitely accessible to laymen. It is the "popular articles" of David Scaer: articles that have appeared in Lutheran Witness and For the Life of the World and Christianity Today, among others. There are [very readable] articles on abortion and the American Revolution and the end of the world and the centrality of the doctrine of justification. My only regret as I made one super-fast editing pass through this book last fall was that I couldn't lollygag and revel in it. Because it's good (!) and worth being soaked up instead of skimmed through.
Suggestion: this would make one doozy of a book for youth or adult Bible study or book-discussion club.
I had assumed that, after the sermon volume, the rest of the volumes would be a little more "difficult," deeper theology, bigger words, longer sentences, etc. But this volume is definitely accessible to laymen. It is the "popular articles" of David Scaer: articles that have appeared in Lutheran Witness and For the Life of the World and Christianity Today, among others. There are [very readable] articles on abortion and the American Revolution and the end of the world and the centrality of the doctrine of justification. My only regret as I made one super-fast editing pass through this book last fall was that I couldn't lollygag and revel in it. Because it's good (!) and worth being soaked up instead of skimmed through.
Suggestion: this would make one doozy of a book for youth or adult Bible study or book-discussion club.
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
Can You See Works-Righteousness?
A few weeks ago in Bible class, we were on John 15 and talking about "bearing fruit." Nancy asked how/if works-righteousness looked different from good fruit. Pastor waited. Nobody answered. Finally I ventured that they looked the same... at precisely the same time Pastor got tired of waiting for an answer and told us that they don't look the same.
I figured that I don't know the motivation behind the person who brings me chicken soup when I'm sick. (Unless she happens to be paying me off just so she can laugh at the garlic taped to my neck. But that's not the normal circumstance.) I don't know the motivation behind the person who's running the fund-raiser at church, or the person who rakes leaves for an elderly neighbor. I don't know what's in their hearts.
And yet, the more I think of it, Pastor's right. We cannot tell from a kind act -- in and of itself -- about the motivation behind the act. But we can often, over a period of time, begin to tell from the person's words what he thinks about his good works. When a person is perpetually full of advice as to how I can be a better Christian (like he is), it gives evidence that he doesn't exactly think "all his righteousness is as filthy rags." When a person says, "Of course I don't think my good works merit me anything before God, but..." and then goes on to talk and talk and talk about behavior and acts that need to be done more, that gives testimony to what's in the heart too. Around some people, you get the impression that they're not even aware of the good works they do, and you're comfortable around them. Around others, you always get the impression that you should be "better" like they are, and there's always a sense of guilt. But not a sense of honest guilt; rather, a sense that the way out of the guilt is by trying harder and focusing more on my efforts to be good. And really, that's just being "turned inward" and using the law to justify oneself instead of fleeing to the gospel in the face of guilt.
I figured that I don't know the motivation behind the person who brings me chicken soup when I'm sick. (Unless she happens to be paying me off just so she can laugh at the garlic taped to my neck. But that's not the normal circumstance.) I don't know the motivation behind the person who's running the fund-raiser at church, or the person who rakes leaves for an elderly neighbor. I don't know what's in their hearts.
And yet, the more I think of it, Pastor's right. We cannot tell from a kind act -- in and of itself -- about the motivation behind the act. But we can often, over a period of time, begin to tell from the person's words what he thinks about his good works. When a person is perpetually full of advice as to how I can be a better Christian (like he is), it gives evidence that he doesn't exactly think "all his righteousness is as filthy rags." When a person says, "Of course I don't think my good works merit me anything before God, but..." and then goes on to talk and talk and talk about behavior and acts that need to be done more, that gives testimony to what's in the heart too. Around some people, you get the impression that they're not even aware of the good works they do, and you're comfortable around them. Around others, you always get the impression that you should be "better" like they are, and there's always a sense of guilt. But not a sense of honest guilt; rather, a sense that the way out of the guilt is by trying harder and focusing more on my efforts to be good. And really, that's just being "turned inward" and using the law to justify oneself instead of fleeing to the gospel in the face of guilt.
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
Christmas Tree
ACK! I, a full-fledged and committed real-tree devotee, betrayed myself and spent real money on a fake tree. My brother and mom (committed converts to the fake trees) were giving me the speech this December about how easy the artificial trees are, how cheap they are, how safe they are, and how they don't drop needles. But I didn't buy it.
And then today, I walked into Shopko to see if there were any slippers to fit Paul. (You do realize, don't you, that buying slippers in January is as completely outlandish as trying to buy a swimsuit in late July or August? Yikes -- these stores....) And right in the entryway of Shopko were the last few remnants of their Christmas "gotta-go" stuff. A very nice $200 artificial fir, with lights attached, for $40. Given what our income is likely to be by next Christmas, and given that this tree costs what ONE real tree costs, I'd rather have the artificial tree than none at all.
So we are now the embarrassed guardians proud owners of a box of green fringe attached to some round boards.
And then today, I walked into Shopko to see if there were any slippers to fit Paul. (You do realize, don't you, that buying slippers in January is as completely outlandish as trying to buy a swimsuit in late July or August? Yikes -- these stores....) And right in the entryway of Shopko were the last few remnants of their Christmas "gotta-go" stuff. A very nice $200 artificial fir, with lights attached, for $40. Given what our income is likely to be by next Christmas, and given that this tree costs what ONE real tree costs, I'd rather have the artificial tree than none at all.
So we are now the
IRS Joke
Dear Internal Revenue Service:
Enclosed you will find my 2005 tax return showing the I owe $3407 in taxes. Please note the attached article from the USA Today newspaper, dated November 12, wherein you will see the Pentagon is paying $171.50 per hammer and NASA has paid $600 per toilet seat. I am enclosing four toilet seats (valued at $2400) and six hammers (valued at $1029) which I secured at Home Depot, bringing my total remittance to $3429. Please apply the overpayment of $22 to the Presidential Election Fund as noted on my return. You can do this inexpensively by sending them one 1½" Phillips head screw (see aforementioned article for USA Today detailing how HUD pays $22 each for those screws). One screw is enclosed for your convenience.
It has been a pleasure to pay my tax bill this year, and I look forward to paying it again next year.
Sincerely,
A Satisfied Taxpayer
For more jokes from the Backwoods Home Magazine, see the July 2006 Irreverent Joke Page. I especially laughed over the one about the young minister doing the funeral (next-to-last one on the page).
Enclosed you will find my 2005 tax return showing the I owe $3407 in taxes. Please note the attached article from the USA Today newspaper, dated November 12, wherein you will see the Pentagon is paying $171.50 per hammer and NASA has paid $600 per toilet seat. I am enclosing four toilet seats (valued at $2400) and six hammers (valued at $1029) which I secured at Home Depot, bringing my total remittance to $3429. Please apply the overpayment of $22 to the Presidential Election Fund as noted on my return. You can do this inexpensively by sending them one 1½" Phillips head screw (see aforementioned article for USA Today detailing how HUD pays $22 each for those screws). One screw is enclosed for your convenience.
It has been a pleasure to pay my tax bill this year, and I look forward to paying it again next year.
Sincerely,
A Satisfied Taxpayer
For more jokes from the Backwoods Home Magazine, see the July 2006 Irreverent Joke Page. I especially laughed over the one about the young minister doing the funeral (next-to-last one on the page).
Monday, January 07, 2008
We're Fine
We've been contacted twice in the last hour to see if we're okay, what with the weather today. Yes, we're fine. Several periods of 5-10 minutes of downpour, but that's the worst it got.
Fleas
Poor kitty. Athena came in the other morning with blood dripping from her mouth. We assumed it was remnants of the most recent snack, although that would be unlike her to be such a messy eater. But Philip mentioned today that she'd lost some hair by her mouth. She must've had quite a run-in with something -- snack or interloper. Now we notice that she's suddenly covered with fleas too. Philip ran to the vet to get the super-duper flea killer stuff, and the price has doubled since we last had fleas around here. Oh well... better to pay it than to fool around with those blasted little critters.
Witchdoctor Garlic (aka: Less Sick)
I got up this morning and made my bed. First time in days! (Still not dressed, and may not bother going that far in recuperation-behavior today!)
Saturday night I put a thin layer of vaseline on the soles of my feet, and then sprinkled a thick layer of garlic powder on it, patted it into the vaseline, and put on socks. Sure enough, about ½ hour later, I could taste garlic in my mouth and smell it coming up through my lungs and sinuses. I needed garlic, and my stomach was in no condition for the amount of raw garlic I needed. So I tried the "external, through-the-soles-of-the-feet" way, and it worked. Not as well as eating the raw stuff, but certainly better than no garlic!
It also crossed my mind that external garlic might help my throat. Part of the reason for the incapacitating headaches of the last few days was dehydration. It was painful to swallow. So I sliced a nice round clove of raw garlic in half, and used a bandaid to tape the cut edges to the skin over my voicebox. That set my voice to improving faster than I dreamed possible. The biggest problem with the garlic there was removing the bandaids from the tender thin skin later. Ouch! (Hey, but less "ouch" than the sore throat!!)
Still sick, but at least I can get up and hobble around to do a load of laundry, take a rest, pay some bills, take a rest, do another load of laundry, take a rest, etc. My biggest problem now seems to be that I've injured a rib through the violent coughing. Can you bruise ribs or get hairline fractures that way? I'm remembering Maggie's collapsed lung last year because of the pain it gave her to take a full deep breath, and I keep telling myself that I do not want to go there. I gotta take those big breaths no matter how much my ribs hurt.
Saturday night I put a thin layer of vaseline on the soles of my feet, and then sprinkled a thick layer of garlic powder on it, patted it into the vaseline, and put on socks. Sure enough, about ½ hour later, I could taste garlic in my mouth and smell it coming up through my lungs and sinuses. I needed garlic, and my stomach was in no condition for the amount of raw garlic I needed. So I tried the "external, through-the-soles-of-the-feet" way, and it worked. Not as well as eating the raw stuff, but certainly better than no garlic!
It also crossed my mind that external garlic might help my throat. Part of the reason for the incapacitating headaches of the last few days was dehydration. It was painful to swallow. So I sliced a nice round clove of raw garlic in half, and used a bandaid to tape the cut edges to the skin over my voicebox. That set my voice to improving faster than I dreamed possible. The biggest problem with the garlic there was removing the bandaids from the tender thin skin later. Ouch! (Hey, but less "ouch" than the sore throat!!)
Still sick, but at least I can get up and hobble around to do a load of laundry, take a rest, pay some bills, take a rest, do another load of laundry, take a rest, etc. My biggest problem now seems to be that I've injured a rib through the violent coughing. Can you bruise ribs or get hairline fractures that way? I'm remembering Maggie's collapsed lung last year because of the pain it gave her to take a full deep breath, and I keep telling myself that I do not want to go there. I gotta take those big breaths no matter how much my ribs hurt.
Sunday, January 06, 2008
Job Possibilities
Gary heard back from the secular job he applied for. He's made it past the second round of interviews. Friday he goes in for another round of interviews. We have no idea if he will hear "yes" or "no" on Friday or if we'll have to wait another several weeks for a decision.
Thursday evening he also had a telephone interview with a congregation near Sheboygan. The call committee there held conversations with four men, half-hour each. The circuit counselor tells us that the congregation will probably issue a call in early February.
Thursday evening he also had a telephone interview with a congregation near Sheboygan. The call committee there held conversations with four men, half-hour each. The circuit counselor tells us that the congregation will probably issue a call in early February.
Sick
I forgot how much it stinks to be sick. Usually when something begins coming on, when I lose my voice, when I start the runny or stuffy nose, I do what you're supposed to do: plenty of liquids, lots of rest, vitamin C and garlic and a little echinacea. And that keeps me functional. So I knew I was in trouble when I realized I was going to be up all night on New Year's Eve after having begun to feel a smidge under-the-weather on Sunday. So far it's been three days of fever and lying around thinking of nothing but, "Oh, this hurts." A loving family has helped immensely. Gary (although he's still recuperating from sickness too) did my paper routes this weekend. Paul did the weekly grocery shopping and then made another trip when we realized the freezer was empty of bread, and I sure wasn't going to be making any anytime soon. Maggie and Andrew have been helpful go-fers. Andrew has done a significant amount of cooking. And Rachel spearheaded the taking down of the Christmas tree (while she was supposed to be here only to have fun and visit Anthea).
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