The Ducking Stool Game

Can you read Old English? I cannot!

This game is called the Ducking Stool game. You must save the lady from ducking by transcribing the old language. Poor lady! I hope the water was not cold!

Name all the Presidents

This is fun

Name all the Presidents in 8 minutes! Go here.

I got all but Seven of them. Oh, and spelling counts!

With God on Our Side - Bob Dylan

Bob Dylan

With God on our Side

Oh my name it is nothin'
My age it means less
The country I come from
Is called the Midwest
I's taught and brought up there
The laws to abide
And the land that I live in
Has God on its side.

Oh the history books tell it
They tell it so well
The cavalries charged
The Indians fell
The cavalries charged
The Indians died
Oh the country was young
With God on its side.

The Spanish-American
War had its day
And the Civil War too
Was soon laid away
And the names of the heroes
I's made to memorize
With guns on their hands
And God on their side.

The First World War, boys
It came and it went
The reason for fighting
I never did get
But I learned to accept it
Accept it with pride
For you don't count the dead
When God's on your side.

When the Second World War
Came to an end
We forgave the Germans
And then we were friends
Though they murdered six million
In the ovens they fried
The Germans now too
Have God on their side.

I've learned to hate Russians
All through my whole life
If another war comes
It's them we must fight
To hate them and fear them
To run and to hide
And accept it all bravely
With God on my side.

But now we got weapons
Of the chemical dust
If fire them we're forced to
Then fire them we must
One push of the button
And a shot the world wide
And you never ask questions
When God's on your side.

In a many dark hour
I've been thinkin' about this
That Jesus Christ
Was betrayed by a kiss
But I can't think for you
You'll have to decide
Whether Judas Iscariot
Had God on his side.

So now as I'm leavin'
I'm weary as Hell
The confusion I'm feelin'
Ain't no tongue can tell
The words fill my head
And fall to the floor
If God's on our side
He'll stop the next war.

The Huge Extra Large Traveling Turkey* and Math

The Thanksgiving Turkey is 24 pounds. (Was, by now)

I am not (did not, by now) cooking it.

It has been (was) defrosting in my refrigerator for three days (three people handled the defrost and the cleaning of this huge bird).

My mother originally bought it and couldn't fit it in her freezer, so it came to my freezer, then my 'fridge. Today, my mother in law came over and got it and washed it out, after Mr B and I spent time soaking it and moving it. Tomorrow, it will go (or today it went) over to my sister in law's (we hired a crane company)

and she will cook it in her convection oven. The magic oven. They magically move hot air differently than regular ovens. Side to side, instead of up and down? I dunno.

We have no idea how long it will take to cook this Ginormous Turkey. I have Googled for the information, but it doesn't seem to be consistent across the world. According to Hoyle (not really him, as he refers to cards not turkeys), it might take about 6 hours, or 4. It will be in a bag, and that is supposed to adjust the time.

Now - here is where the story took some other turns regarding THELTT*:

1. My mother in law said 4 hours. But, for a regular oven is 4 hours a magic oven 4 hours? Okay, Google says '20 per cent' less time. 20 per cent of 4 hours is what? One hour and a half? Okay, so,

2. I said 3 hours, guessing convection time. Get the bird in by 1:30, so we can eat at 5:30 (which is not 3 but 4, but I didn't have faith in the unknown magic oven), but it was already 1 in the afternoon, and the bird was still at my house at that time, and needing to be transported to her house. But, my sister in law, who is, now we know, worse at math than I am, said,

3. No problem because "10 minutes per pound, 24 pounds, 250 minutes, so that's two and a half hours"...uh,

4. Not.

So, I was at her house for coffee around noon, without the Turkey that Mr. B was going to bring but didn't (for reasons to complicated to mention, but it all had to do with that awful math),

I had go over to pick up the Pork Loin, that I needed to cook, which was at her house, and she ended up following me home to get the turkey from my house to take to her house to cook, and bring the pork loin

because when I left, she had given me so many other things to cook because THELTT* was too big to allow anything else to fit in her oven, and I because I had so much stuff, I forgot to take the Pork Loin. That was at 2 something in the afternoon?

So, I got all that stuff in my oven, and my mother in law's oven, and things in crock pots, and decided to rest for 20 minutes, and then,

my phone rang at 4:45, and I heard my name whispered dramatically on the other end, the dark humorous Murphy's law abiding side of me emerged, and I started laughing..."Is it the turkey?" I just knew. There was no way, just no way, any oven was that magic.

My sister in law is on the other end sounding so despondent.

"I'm so bad at math," she said. I could tell she felt badly, but I was laughing, 'just don't worry about it. You know, we'll deal.'

Crazy as this may sound, I was almost glad that 'something' had indeed gone awry because now it was done, and we could be normal people the rest of the night! (We both ended up laughing hysterically.)

To make a long story a fable, I can't think of one for this, so you are on your own for that --
But all the food was ready, gathered around the Turkey, which was in the oven, taking up it's big space ...

Everyone was was really hungry, most of us hadn't had lunch, so we played cards and ate chips until

FINALLY --

the HUGE Extra Large Traveling Turkey was done!! It took about 4 hours? Dunno. We took it out around 7 'ish? --

It was all good. We finished eating at 8:30.

Curiosity ~ only bad for cats

The important thing is to not stop questioning.

Curiosity has its own reason for existing. One cannot help but be in awe when he contemplates the mysteries of eternity, of life, of the marvelous structure of reality.

It is enough if one merely tries to comprehend a little of this mystery every day. Never lose a holy curiosity. --Albert Einstein

Twilight The Movie

No, I haven't seen it. Madam B is on her way there now with her cousins and a couple of friends. They are so excited.

I know it is so incredibly hyped! The "stars" of the film are everywhere!

I was talking to one of the librarians the other day and she told me that Stephanie Meyers hit the magic combination with teenagers and vampires. She said she can't keep vampire books in the library! She going to the show tonight, too!

Oh well, I'll be hearing all about it in a couple of hours!

An American Tune

This song struck a chord with me today, as times are tough for many. My heart is full of prayers for my family and friends and others I don't know who are in need of employment.

We come in the age's most uncertain hours, and sing an American tune...

Others have gone before us in times, history tells us, that are more uncertain than these, and they have prevailed. I know, as a people in this country, we don't agree on every issue of politics. But, surely we can come together to pray for those in need of jobs. Having a job and taking care of your family without fear of living on the street, that's not such a bad American Dream.

I understand in my heart that things could always be worse, and I am greatful to God that I live in America where I ask, as the Psalmist, for neither proverty or riches, but just my daily bread.

Some truth this morning

Truth

The power of Truth is such that you need never be concerned about proving it. You need only be concerned with being it and living it. Truth is always revealed, at the right moment, at the right place.

...from a Thought for Today Website

Truth is truth
To the end of reckoning.

~~William Shakespeare (Measure for Measure)

I think what we have about Truth, is the inability to change it. Truth stands however long it has to, it will always be what it is, and not what you want it to be, until the end of time.

Look! Up in the sky...

This evening we watched the Space Shuttle Launch from our front yard.

I still find it amazing that we are sending a shuttle into the heavens to hook up with a space station out in the universe somewhere, and, I'm really not sure why we do this.

So, like anybody who wants to know something _right now_, I googled it. And this was one answer:

Osteoporosis is a disease characterized by loss of bone tissue mass, which affects a large portion of the American public. Astronauts in space for a long duration also experience an accelerated form of this disease. Space station research focuses on finding methods of preventing bone demineralization on space flights as well as finding treatments for those affected by osteoporosis.

Huh? There is an acceleration of research on osteoporosis because the Astronauts get it? Okay. Well. I am sure it is beyond my understanding, as are many things that human beans propose to do and say.

Here's another one here that explains a few more benefits. I'm still not convinced we need this.

I read some of the comments regarding the launch and many, many people are excited about it. I have mixed feelings about it. I think all things are relative to what is going on at the time, and at this time, I think it might be more relevant to look around and straighten out and tend to some things right here on the planet. But, hey, that's just me.

George Eliot Quote

.....If we had a keen vision of all ordinary life, it would be like hearing the grass grow or the squirrel's heart beat, and we should die of the roar which lies on the other side of silence. As it is the quickest of us walk about well-wadded with stupidity. ~~ George Eliot

George Eliot, is indeed quite interesting. You can read some about her here in this Wikipedia entry.

A list of her novels is here.


The Soul and How I am seeing it.
~~George Eliot

It seems strange that man has been so slow to
accept the soul as the very essence of man.
The body is as a remote controlled car which
the soul directs with cameras and other sensors
mounted on it, allowing the controller to perceive
from the cars perspective. The problem becomes
that the controller has forgotten that he has
another body and that body needs to be cared for.
The car has some programmed functions but is totally
dependent on the soul.

When the car crashes or the batteries die, the soul
just keeps working the controls with no results.
He needs a tap on the shoulder to remind him of
his other body. When the car rests (charges) he goes
about in what he thinks are dreams, then returns
forgetting all. The soul has much greater abilities
than the car and that eternal life.

No Cookie for You

When I heard Katie Couric tonight say that Bake Sales were against the law now in California due to the rising percentage of obesity in children, I laughed out loud. I am sorry. This is ludicrous. And that is not a rock singer.

The incident she was reporting about was this one. I think one of the kids made a great point:

“I know obesity is a big problem, and it’s good the school cares,” said Sam Cardoza, a senior who briefly became a successful entrepreneur last year when chocolate chip cookies were banned from the cafeteria. “At the same time, you shouldn’t stop a kid from buying a cookie.”

The problem, of course, is never as simple as it's presented though, is it? Kids are fatter, so let's not let them have cookies? I don't think so myself. I know plenty of kids, including mine, who ate cookies all their lives and don't have a weight problem.

It's not the cookies. It's not the sweets at the Bake Sales. Well, what is it then!!? Maybe it could be too many trips through the fast food lane? Or, Maybe it's as simple as science! Energy in...does not match energy out.

I know people try to break it down into groups of facts like:
You must eat
'the right foods'
'low fat foods'
'natural foods'
'no junk foods'
'healthy foods',
'etc.'
'more raw foods'
and yes, all those things play a part. But still - a calorie is a calorie is a calorie. If you eat 3500 calories more than you burn, you will gain a pound. You have to move people!

And, I will tell you true, you better start getting in the habit of moving before you get too old! That metabolism of ours -s-l-o-w-s- down, as we age!

But still, I like this idea from the article:

In Berkeley, birthplace of California cuisine, food served at school is free of bovine growth hormones, irradiation, hydrogenated oils and known genetic modification.

And the idea that the schools or the states or the federal government or whoever had it, about taking physical activity out of the school day? That was dumb. Just plain dumb.

So basically, if you give a mouse a cookie, he's got to move it, move it, he's got to move it, move it ...

Veterans Day

I love the Google Icon today. I'm sure this is only for today that it will be there.

But to the Veterans, I salute you.

Just a thought

Self Manage

There is a huge hole in the heart of all our educations. It is where the skills and abilities of self-management should be. No one teaches us how to manage our thoughts, feelings, attitudes and behaviour, so we find it hard to manage the four Rs – relationships, roles, responsibilities and resources. So let’s get started. Consciously choose the quality of your thoughts today – accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative and clean up the waste. Everything, which means everything in your life, begins with your thoughts

~~From Thought for Today Website

I wonder how many parents talk with their children about what they think, the ideas they come up with and where they got them. I wonder how many parents have the time these days to discuss with children how they feel about things, how they perceive things.

I don't remember this type of discussion during my childhood at all. But I do enjoy this type of discussion with my children.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

In the middle of reading the Constitution, I decided to look up recipes.

I love food blogs and found this one called Make Food Not War,

which featured a recipe for Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins! What a great idea for Fall! I love chocolate chips in anything.

So, guess what I'm making for the Thanksgiving Family Feast! Yum! I'll probably try substituting brown sugar for white and maybe try applesause instead of oil, as I do that in Banana Bread and it works out fine.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

3/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 - 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease and flour the pan or use paper liners.

Mix sugar, oil, eggs, pumpkin, and water together in a bowl. In a separate bowl mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, spice, salt, and chocolate chips. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir just until blended. Do not overmix.

Pour into muffin tins and bake 20-25 minutes.

African Proverb

Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up.
It knows it must run faster than the fastest lion or it will be killed.
Every morning a lion wakes up.
It knows it must outrun the slowest gazelle or it will starve to death.
It doesn't matter whether you are a lion or a gazelle,
When the sun comes up, you better start running.

That. Is. Thought Provoking.

I found this proverb in a book by Thomas L. Friedman called, The World Is Flat. Very interesting read.

The Preamble

WE the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

I can recite the Preamble from memory.

But I am really not sure how much of The United States Constitution I really know!

So I am reading it here.

I have no idea how long this is going to take me.

What kind of a Muffin are You?

You Are a Blueberry Muffin

You are a nurturing, domestic, homey person. Of all the types, you are the most likely to make your own muffins at home. You don't like to rock the boat, and you're most content when you're making everyone else happy. You are very loyal. You'll defend your family and friends, even if you secretly disapprove of what they're doing. You tend to be a bit shy and withdrawn. You don't make friends quickly or easily. But once you do make a good friend, the chances are high that you'll be friends for life.

What Kind of Muffin Are You?

Well, I like nuts in my muffins. Blueberry is good, but chocolate chips are great! I'm not sure how I scored Blueberry, but oh well, that's today's Muffin Test!

"What are you doing?"

#1 son came in and asked us that this morning.
We said, "Cleaning out the back of the refrigerator."
"What's back there?" he asked.
"Another country" I answered.

One would have to live on a dirt road to understand the automatic accumulation of dust and dirt that can migrate into a home. In spaces and places one would not venture thought to find a settling of God's earth in one's home.

But, anyway, that task is done! And Yay!

I'm back to Flylady's first chore - the shiny sink. I give Flylady the highest of recommendations. If anyone is having a problem scheduling the house keeping because you are too tired or too busy or too stressed to even know where to start (all of those apply to me), Flylady can get you going.

If I follow her daily load of wash suggestion - in and out - life stays a lot easier. I find I used to spend my Saturdays totally doing loads of laundry. I would find an old Lifetime movie on the telly, something sappy, and do the laundry all day. But, with the load a day method during the week, I rarely have to do laundry on the weekends, unless I decide to do that chore. That is one thing I found really freeing.

I, also, like the timer routine. Set the timer for 15 minutes for a task, when it rings you walk away and go on to something else. Eventually, you are cycling around your entire house on a regular basis, and the tasks become easier and quicker.

It just becomes easier to see an actual end, although there really is never an end, it becomes an order one can measure in their mind. Actually, I think that is a kind of a Francis Bacon thing --

Do not overwork the mind any more than the body; do everything with moderation.

Election Day - 2008

Regardless of how the vote turns out - and I am not feeling that Senator Obama has secured the vote, even though it may appear so, according to some pundits - anything can happen (legal or illegal, sad to say)

but regardless, this day will go down in history. First Black Man in the White House, or First Woman is the White House. Historical.

I sure hope everyone who had the right to vote, did vote! We need unprecedented numbers in this election.

Stretching the Truthiness

Why is it that people who run for political office in this here, the United States of America, feel that they must exaggerate, embellish, or just plain lie to the people of this country? Check out Fact Check: The Myths that won't go away.

Doesn't it just help keep us dumber to think that this is the way we have to be addressed? How boring it is to sort through the spin of words that spew freely out of the mouths of otherwise, seemingly, intelligent people. It gives me a headache.

They should all be ashamed of themselves. I am tired of tit-for-tat. I am tired of being treated like I can't hear the truth and deal with it. Just give me a chance.

A Story about Canvassing

The title of the article is My Wife Made Me Canvass for Obama; Here's What I Learned
I read this on the Yahoo News page. It made me smile.

I like life when people get more out of things than they expected.

When was the last time you smiled?

Smiling! Smiling, according to research, tranmits information as it ignites the pleasure circuits of others. I feel shy when I smile at strangers. So, I give them a kind of no-teeth smile most times. I want to smile big, but at the last minute I feel shy.

I do smile at babies freely. Babies are smile ignitors. And, I think it's known, without to much study, that babies can make you act silly, too. And little kids that come up to you just talking away, they are smile ignitors, too.

Actually, there was a study published in the journal Pediatrics that found the smile of an infant sets off "an explosioin of brain chemicals in the mother." Fantastic experience!! Happy brain chemical explosion!!

It feels so good, that the reaction of the mother, than causes her to continue to do things that will make the baby continue to smile, and according to research, this sets off a feeding freezy of smiles that cause all these happy reactions in the brain - back and forth, back and forth - and this frenzy, feeds these "every-tightening emotional bonds!" What a cool way to makes bonds!