You can call me Old Fashioned....

...or just plain old, but I cannot understand WHY parents would want to clothe their children in pimp gear.

Please protest this stuff.

This is really low and dumb, in my opinion ...not to mention stupid....

Pimpfants?

This is a new infant clothing line. I am flabbergasted at the idea that people will actually buy this stuff.

What is wrong with people?

Firstly, the word pimp. People are now using it to mean 'style'. Puh leeze.

Parents ~ don't do this. You do not have to embrace this. Take some charge and call some things what they are. This is unnecessary, cruel and the beginning of nothing good.

T-shirts called Babybeaters? And kids looking tough and like punks? These are innocent children being corrupted by stupid minds who just want to make a buck in the name of being cool.

What is wrong with this picture??? Except for the fact that it is totally wrong.

Protest the Pimpfants and protect the children.

It's early AM ~ So what kind of coffee am I?

You Are a Soy Latte

At your best, you are: free spirited, down to earth, and relaxed At your worst, you are: dogmatic and picky You drink coffee when: you need a pick me up, and green tea isn't cutting it Your caffeine addiction level: medium

What Kind of Coffee Are You?

Shakespeare makes the rounds

Tonight I was circling the Homeschool blogs and found an entry at Take Time to Smell the Coffee that shared a photo of a lovely Anniversary Gift. (Isn't it just brilliant?)

Well, I was impressed by the unique style and wanted to check out the site Shakespeare's Den. I started searching around and found this blog post called Shakespeare in the Courts posted in Dogberry's Dish!

And I thought how clever is that? Anyway, I read the little post, and I thought, "Wow", you just never know when you're going to hear about Shakespeare and another good thing in the same sentence except about all the time.

A Song by U2

Yahweh

Take these shoes
Click clacking down some dead end street
Take these shoes and make them fit
Take this shirt
Polyester white trash made in nowhere
Take this shirt and make it clean, clean
Take this soul
Stranded in some skin and bones
Take this soul and make it sing, sing

Yahweh, Yahweh
Always pain before a child is born
Yahweh, Yahweh
Still I'm waiting for the dawn

Take these hands
Teach them how to carry
Take these hands, don't make a fist, no
Take this mouth
So quick to criticise
Take this mouth, give it a kiss

Yahweh, Yahweh
Always pain before a child is born
Yahweh, Yahweh
Still I'm waiting for the dawn

Still waiting for the dawn
The sun is coming up
The sun is coming up on the ocean
This love is like a drop in the ocean
This love is like a drop in the ocean

Yahweh, Yahweh
Always pain before a child is born
Yahweh, Yahweh
Why the dark before the dawn

Take this city
A city should be shining on the hill
Take this city if it be your will
What no man can own, no man can take
Take this heart
Take this heart
Take this heart
And make it break

Off the road again ....

Short blurbs of thought~
I'm home after a round trip to South Florida and back through Eutis...

Gas prices are about $2.83 in the middle of the State; $2.95 and up in the southern areas, as high as $3.05. Crushing blow, I must say, ... what is to be done? It is supposed to get worse over the summer. It hurts us because we are in the lawn business and, well, lots of gas used there, and when the prices keep going up and up, it's really difficult to set a price for your customers and still continue to make a profit! Tough times.

In mentioning gas prices, I was thinking about all the times that engines are running and no one is moving. For instance, in a bank line, or a fast food line, or a prescription pick-up line ...I've made up my mind not to leave my car running for these things. I avoid the lines altogether and go inside if they are long. I also avoid banks that don't have adequate parking. Would it help if everyone did this? I think so, but I don't know...

I think too, why wouldn't everyone want to do this, that is, be more conservative? I don't know. Maybe that's not even the issue.

Do we care about high gasoline prices? I do. I don't like this at all.

Tony Snow says the prices are high 'because people are so jittery' .... Really? Well, I'll calm down if that would help. Actually, I thought I was calm. I'm more flabbergasted than jittery!

Then there's the Supply and Demand theory. Here's a long article. I read it. But I'm not sure I know any more now than I did before I read it!

This article says that China's growth is responsible for the high gas prices, and let's us know, that "IF you think gas prices are through the roof now, beware the advent of the Chinese family car."

Actually, I've heard China's growth blamed on a lot of things like shortages in concrete and other building supplies, and jobs, and I heard a news commentator today say that China is a Super Power and is acting like one and we are not! (I knew we should not have bought all those Beanie Babies!)

I wonder how much this is going to affect us?

Time will tell, won't it? Got any plans in your pocket for changing your future gas budget?

There was a time I didn't think much about gas. Just went and got it. Drove where I wanted, and then went home. But see, I always planned my route around town and such to make the best of the situation, so I was already on the top of my game....Maybe I should learn to ride a motorcycle and make my own toilet paper. Grow my own green lettuce and bananas. After that, it should be easy, right? Hahaha.

But seriously, I am going to see if there's any way to squeeze just a little more out of the turnip. The days and the definition of convenience are changing.

"If the grass is greener on the other side of the fence, you can bet the water bill is higher."
- Unknown

Time is a teacher

"There are years that ask questions and years that answer."
-Zora Neale Hurston, folklorist and writer (1891-1960)

I look back and see what I could have done, maybe should have done, but yet, didn't do. And now I will circle back. Maybe not as far, but you can't leave it behind until you are done with it. Until a lesson is complete, it will ride with you. Then, and only then, can you pass it onto another. Perhaps your children.

But your children are in the cycle of You. You in Production. You in Training.

So you take their little hands, and you lead them. They trust you, and you do the best you can do. Perhaps they will not circle back as much. Perhaps they will jump hurdles because they listened when you told them they were there. Perhaps they will be looking elsewhere when you point out the trap, and they shall stumble. Just ask them what they learned, and go on. There is something to be learned from every experience. And I hold fast it can always be something good.

And then, eventually, we will reap what we sow.

"He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God" ~ Micah 6:8

The Ying and The Yang of it

Balance. All things must balance, grasshopper. I have seen the chaos, and the chaos was Me!

There will always be Ying and always be Yang.

Ying ~ I have a clean house.
Yang ~ I sit here typing with my t-shirt on backwards.

Ying ~ My laundry is caught up!
Yang ~ I haven't remembered to take my vitamins as often I should.

Ying ~ My bathrooms are organized, shiny and smell good, and the draws are lined with new paper.
Yang ~ I left the car in drive yesterday when I ran into to return a movie.


I think one can see the picture. Although I have attained a goal I have always wanted to reach, I have not learned to do all things in their proper order. I have shifted my bad habits from the Ying to the Yang.

But! I do enjoy having a clean house! And if I can get *here*, then I can get *there* for the rest of it.

I realized also, that I have created new habits! Yes, Charlotte Mason, you are right. Habits are key. I think it takes two to three weeks to form a new habit, and I think it's been about that long since I started this project.

Regarding the housekeeping, I had to really look at my worst habits and focus on them. For me it was Putting Things Back. Which I drag my kids back for - (and they say that one is most annoyed by the things one does themselves that are annoying) - so my kids are better at it than I am!

But more later ~ my thoughts are scattered and I've not time to harness them because I am preparing to go out of town tomorrow, and today I am making another stop at Goodwill. Decluttering...another key. A big, bright and beautiful key ...

So my advice to anyone preparing to venture into the world of a Clean House - begin Decluttering.

Besides the noble art of getting things done, there is the noble art of leaving things undone. The wisdom of life consists in the elimination of non-essentials. ~Lin Yutang

I would like to point out that the above quote is very, very old. So rest assured having to much stuff around is an age old problem. However, at my age, it's more of a problem because I am beginning to trip over things!

And so I find I was wrong....

In a recent post, I said I couldn't be married to the extreme of what I thought it took to live in an orderly and clean house.

Well. I was wrong.

It's been lovely. It is lovely. And it's been easier than I ever imagined.

I think the goal of getting there is the most difficult. But once you are there, it is so peaceful! At first you think, “oh my word, I have nothing to do!” And you feel a slight bored or something unidentifiable because it’s new …but alas, you are really just experiencing the feeling of being free from clutter. As the feeling was foreign to me, I did feel a strange reaction at first.

Of course, you do have something to do, but it’s so much easier now. Some folks call it maintenance, but really, now, it’s how you live.

My motivation to Go Forth and Clean was the fact I'm selling my house. But the feeling that an orderly and clean house has brought me is something I have no wish to depart from ... I shall keep this 'new habit' in it's resident place of forefront. It shall become my way of life.

Putting things away has become easier and easier. Being efficient has become easier and easier.

I had company for dinner on Easter Sunday and the major concentration was on the preparation of food for the guests, and then the company itself! It was wonderful!

A plan and good tools – no, let’s say great tools – are important.

I’ll share some of my personal favorites later. Right now, I’m going to sit on the porch and have a cup of tea with Madam Blueberry (without whose help these surroundings would have not been possible without the loss of my sanity. I thank God for such a gift as her.)

"What would happen if...."

she asked, "if I put a cooked potato in the oven and sliced it really thin?"

"Why don't you try it? You could try a cooked potato and a still potato."

Still Potato? What is a still potato? We are still wondering why I said, 'still potato'...a raw potato is still a potato as much as a cooked potato...
oh well, who knows...

Then I corrected myself with 'real' potato. I have no idea where my mind was...but she went on and decided to put the 'still' potato in the toaster over, sliced it real thin, and the results were some really great tasting potato chips! She liked the thicker ones, I like the thin ones.

Gone ahead and tried anything lately?

Short glimpse

I have felt like it was Friday since Wednesday.

I couldn't find my car in the Publix parking lot today. I was walking around with my grocery cart, when my husband called me on my cell phone...
"Hey honey, are you at Walmart?"

"Nope, I’m in the grocery store parking lot, and I can't find the car. I hope you aren't going to ask me to do anything."

"Uh....no. Just keep talking to me until you find the car."

I keep talking while pulling my cart, trying not to look totally ignorant and spaced out, but I think it was too late.

I finally did find the car. I was three rows and three cars off.

Maybe it’s because tonight is The Full Pink Moon.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The statistics on sanity are that one out of every four Americans is suffering from some form of mental illness. Think of your three best friends. If they're okay, then it's you.
~~Rita Mae Brown

Schools in a Crisis

A buzz from Oprah ~ (you should be able to view it here.)

Tuesday (April 11th), Oprah started a segment on this subject of public schools in a crisis. She has teamed up with Time Magazine (here's a link for that blip). Time Magazine (and I have not read the magazine article, but I did watch both Oprah shows because I was curious) headlines Drop-out Nation which features Central Indiana's Shelbyville High School, but Indiana says they have grabbed the attention of the media because it is trying to do something about it's problem ( a huge drop-out rate)...and I say good for them.

There was one school featured today that had rooms made for 38 seats and there were 50 students in most classrooms (in Los Angeles). The school is built for 1,500 students and there are 5,000 in enrollment.

~~~(What I was wondering was, why isn't that a fire hazard? – and what is happening to the money going to the schools?).

There were schools in the District of Columbia where the ceilings were falling down, the bathrooms were unusable,

~~~(Again, where are the City, County and State Code Marshals? And who is accountable for how the money is being spent? Doesn't someone know how to use a phone? Or write a ton of letters? How did this get this way?)

and, of course, gates and bars, and prison looking atmospheres are showing openly for some students to attend everyday.

She mentioned, too, that the education many of the children in our public schools are receiving is not measuring up to the standards that are needed to succeed in college. She also mentioned lack of parental involvement. Her guests included Bill and Melinda Gates and Kevin James, an ex-pro-basketball player who took over three schools himself (and they are doing well.)

Bill Gates and his wife, Melinda, say they are making an effort to help. Some articles don't agree with their ideas. Mr. Gates seems to have some good ideas, though. One was that all schools don't have to be exactly alike. He created one school himself where there are no books! It's called High Tech High.

There are those who are not happy with the way ‘they report’ that Gates is thinking. I don’t know. Not everyone needs college, do they?….did Einstein? Okay, so everyone is not Einstein, but still!....We are not cookie molds.

The Gates’, and Oprah, and Mr. James all talk as if they want America to be better educated. What’s wrong with that? But, I’m sure some people will see some kind of agenda somewhere other than the one projected …because that's usually the way things go now and then, isn't it?

I know there are people who aren't a fan of Oprah's. I remain thinking that, she may be all about ratings, as someone in her business does need ratings to continue on with what they do, and I think she is trying to do something good, from her way of viewing things.

Here’s another thing I wonder about; did anyone ever think that there is an education out there for them even if the public school does not provide one? Oh, here’s one …Amblesideonline!

Who would-a-thunk that someone could go online and find an education all for themselves if they really, really want it!? And free!! (I use it and I love it!) Even if someone doesn’t own a computer, computers are available for free at the public libraries.

And if a person doesn’t want to print out material from a website, there are books available in the libraries that you can actually read on your own! Amazing isn't it? To think that one could figure something out by reading and thinking all by themselves? But, I suppose to bring that up is to bring up the fact that some libraries aren’t up-to-date with the public school books? And another thing is that when the kids can't read, they are usually hiding that fact from everyone because they are embarrassed. Why wouldn't EVERYONE want to help someone who can't read well if they want help?

All the guests were on target when they said that parents needed to get involved. What has happened, as I see it, is that many parents have separated themselves from the job and responsibility of their child’s education. They have handed the keys to their children’s future over to the government. It was never meant to be this way.

On Achieve.org you can click on your state and see how it stacks up.

I realize some of my comments might be cheeky, but it seems to me that not all the equation is complete. Somewhere, there is something else missing. The direction home?

Such good Brownies!!

THESE _are_ really, really good ....I mean, really...
I had mine with a bit of the great frosting that Madam B made (I'll have to get that recipe in my blog) and some fresh strawberries. And yum, yum, yum...


Rich and Chewy Low Fat Brownies

Amazingly rich and chewy, you would never know these are low fat. I have people asking me for this recipe whenever I make it. The applesauce is the secret ingredient in these delicious brownies! This recipe also doubles well and will fit into a 9x13 pan.

1/2 cup cocoa
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 3/4 cups white sugar
2 egg whites
3/4 cup applesauce

1. Cream butter and sugar in a large bowl using a hand mixer. Add egg whites, applesauce and vanilla.

2. Mix all other ingredients in a separate smaller bowl and add to the wet ingredients in the large bowl. Do NOT overmix!

3. Spray 8x8 dish with PAM and bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.

ENJOY!

so to sum up ....

Twelve people came to the Open House...only need one buyer.

Madam B (who is definitely interested in culinary arts) and I went out. We went to Barnes and Nobles. She bought three Mangas and I bought "Shakespeare After All" by Marjorie Garber. I saw the book by Harold Bloom about Shakespeare but this books had more plays (38) and really went in depth to compare one to another..the jacket says it's ..."a ceremony of adoration" and I adore Shakespeare.

I don't know why. I have one friend who says that the feelings I have about Shakespeare have to do with reincarnation. I do respect and adore this friend, but I don't feel reincarnated! But, yet, the affection I feel for Shakespeare's works, I cannot explain. No one I've ever hung out with has felt what I've felt, and then along comes my daughter, and bingo! She loves his works, too.

We bought Midsummer's Night Dream for the next reading. I read in this new book I have that this is Romeo and Juliet inside out! Interesting. Don't think I haven't noticed that there are many repeat things in his plays!

We thought we might catch a movie, so we went to see what was playing and time-wise the choice was "Benchwarmers" and "Inside Man" ... We chose "Inside Man"...It was okay. But Denzel Washington, who played Don Pedro in Much Ado About Nothing was in the movie, so we thought, okay, wouldn't be that bad. And it wasn't really, just okay for afternoon prices ...

Oh, and about a clean home...I'm thinking, everyone should do this, at least once. My home looks like a show place almost. It's lovely, just so clean and shiny and smells so good! Give it a shot, seriously, you might be surprised at how you feel.


Certainly this is a duty, not a sin. "Cleanliness is indeed next to godliness."
~~ john wesley

I need a new connection...

My brain has stopped. Functioning in complete sentences. I lost the. I forgot to pick up the. I broke the. Where are my? Anyone seen the? Oh there's the. Did you pick up the? She called and said. Who? Which is? Oh gezz is that the? Why did you park? Now, where did I put my? Shoes. Keys. Leather cleaner. Soap. Cat food. Paint brush. Hedge trimmer. Radio. Audio Tape. Hair dryer. Cookies. Jackson. Henry. Elizabeth. Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Wine.
Open House. Today. Two to Five.

Return to center court

So this offer it was made with counting hopes sure,
it was laid
there before the house of the people
whose all they have is being bade
in the house on which the offer was made ...

Countered.
Declined.
So take the ball back to center court and shoot from there!

Open House on Sunday. The place where I brought my children home from the hospital to begin their days.

My sentimental side is awaken.

She be right, mate

.... so the Australians have the saying for all will be well. And I do believe it will be. Sometimes we can't see the big picture because the tapestry rug is upside down. And I know that ultimately, it's all in God's hands anyway. That's my belief.

We got the first official offer on our house. So that negotation is in the works for the back and forth. The house is still clean, however, (or should I say halleluiah), as we have decided to give the open house this Sunday, anyway.

My tricks for speedy unclutteredness include places to put things ~ everything should have a place, even if that place is the garbage or Goodwill. Keeping a house really clean, as opposed to uncluttered, now there is where the real work comes in, it can be done, but it is tiring for me!

I decided on a maintenance schedule of a major job being done everyday, that is dusting, windexing, cabinet door wipings, all those things are on a cycle of everyday Madam B and I do one of those.

Vacuuming? How about a lot? We have three cats and they won't check their coats at the door no matter how many times I ask! So Yup, every time I think of it, I vacuum one room or two, and I have a place for the vacuum cleaner to go ready set.

I have a plastic bucket that holds the emergency dusting and windexing and wiping tools in a special place.

Now posting this reminds me, I better go clean something. In the long run, I could not be married to this plan. It's not my thing. I love a clean house, I do, I do, I do, and I have learned to value and adore this neatness, but I could never live this extreme. Maybe spurts of extremeness, but not married to it.

Living under the name of For Sale....

It can be a tad stressful. I love having a clean and neat home, love it, love it, love it ~ but being on call is tough. Someone is coming at 12.30 tomorrow.

I put myself on a two hour notice, so we are 'trying' very hard to get things organized for a two hours *from this moment showing*. Well, not two hours from the middle of the night ~ but you know what I mean. I have created a few tricks.

Madam Blueberry is being very helpful. I don’t know what I would do without her. She has a genuis for tidiness. That particular gene skipped me.

She is still experimenting with the cooking and Saturday she made some icing from scratch, and it wasn’t turning out thick enough. She had found the recipe on line. It's one that you cook, but seemed simple enough, however, I had to go to the store and buy two boxes of confectionate sugar in the middle of it all, which did get dumped in the icing before it became nicely spreadable, and then it became so good that I gained two pounds eating the cake it was on.

It wasn't just the cake that got iced. She covered the kitchen in icing. She is a really messy cook. The refrigerator was iced, the water filter attachement, everything, and the floor was sticky like we were having a 'bee showing'.

She says it’s because she is creative. I say she is just messy. We are still debating the issue.

She still remains, though, the very best girl. I don't care if she ends up icing me and decorating me with Easter colored sprinkles while I sleep. It's great to have her in my life.

"Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up."
~~ Ecclesiastes

You know when you're overwhelmed....

...when your to do list is three pages long,
you leave the oven on all night,
you turn on your wash machine and
your wash cycle cleans the wash machine and no clothes
and then when you finally remember to put them in,
you forget to unload the washing machine for the fifth time,
you forgot you parked the car down the street,
misplace the keys that go with that parked car,
you left the left over pizza out all night,
and

You Forget THE TIME CHANGE!

So, you come in to post on your blog because you feel so inadequate, and then your daughter follows you in the room and says, "Let me read you something from the Bible..."

She reads a few Psalms aloud, we talked about forgiveness just because you do when you read the Bible sometimes, you end up singing a song about forgiveness that has the line, "and I think it's about forgiveness, forgiveness, even if you don't love me anymore..."

And then we began to talk about Is there a proper way to ask for forgiveness? Can you just write an email? or a note? Or should it always be face to face? We have always thought, if possible, that it should be face to face, but understanding that I phone call could do....but face to face and stating what you are asking forgiveness for, and then asking, 'will you forgive me?'

But regardless of all that deep thinking, I think forgiveness is key...so today, I must forgive myself for my inadequacies and move on as I am already an hour behind!