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Walking in the winter warmth of spring weather; delicate flowers blooming alongside sprigs of blossoming Heather. Breathing in the enchanting elixer of fresh Spruce and Pine; into the bluest skies Mother Earth's miracles climb. Feeling light upon my steadfast feet; thrilling to the ecstasy of every new touch and aroma my growing senses meet. Wrapping my arms around Gaia to offer her a hug; within my own heart I AM reaching inwards to welcome real love. Kaelin took these pics of me on our way to the community center, where he met his homeshooling friends for a game of basketball. After holding pretty yellow flowers in my loving hands and breathing in the beauty of one more day, I am always ready for a new and supernatural day! A balmy 9.5 celsius in Vancouver, B.C.

Almost every morning this winter, I’ve eaten an egg, some spinach, lentils and a touch of sweet potato. Being on the road alot means not really having access to lunchtime meals as easily as being in an office and after packing three lunches, there is NO WAY IN HELL that I’m making a fourth lunch.  NO WAY. I don’t know when I got the idea to switch my breakfast, but it had to do with a splurge at my local Coop for a baking day that I had last week. Along with two other moms, we made coconut macaroons, sweet potato bearpaws, molasses bearpaws and chocolate date bites.  We stocke up the freezer for future lunchboxes and afternoon snacks. The macaroons were SO GOOD and easy (2 eggs, 2 cups shredded unsweetened cocunut, 1 cup sugar, chocolate chips.. bake at 350… it made a zillion cookies) I love shopping for baking ingredients, it keeps the promise of a fully stocked cooling rack, and this baking day did not disappoint! Anyways, I don’t remember where I was going… Ah yes, Chia Seeds. Not something I’m totally familiar with, but I wanted to get on the wagon. If my mom eats them, they must be good. So I bought a bag (first I wasted 8$ on ground seeds which are useless) and decided to make myself a breakfast bowl inspired by the Oh She Glows book taken out at the library. I’ve been eating it all week and it keeps me full well past regular lunch hour- which is when I usually have my own lunch. So the switch looks like this: breakfast bowl morning, egg lentils + spinach lunch and then dinner. Although, with the later lunch, I’m creeping towards maybe just having a big snack at supper instead of full supper? I know eating a small meal in the evening is the way to go for optimized sleep and all that stuff, but eating a separate meal from everyone else makes me feel weird and maybe puts a little strain on my existing food issues. TBD. But I know what you’re thinking at this point.. blah blah blah….  WHAT IS IN THE BREAKFAST BOWL. and voila! Add 5 allongés to that and you are fueled up for a day of racing around. Obviously, you could add any fruit you want. Stir in some blueberries or frozen raspberries for a fruity treat. Or some raisins + cinnamon if that’s your thing… even some form of nut butter and one chocolate chip? So on Sunday night, be prepared to soak this stuff and start your week off with something a little new, but a little change never hurt anyone. Except for choppy bob and strawberry blonde eyebrows. Both of those were definitely painful.

We've flipped the page of the calendar, and I did so a little reluctantly, because I knew what it would hold. The beginning of soccer season. We all love soccer season (except maybe Lars....). It's fun to have the whole family trek out to the games. I love these things that we all do together. (and Lars does, too, even though soccer itself is not his passion.) But it also means that there's two practices each week for Scott, and one each for Luke and Lily. This means dinner has to be figured out in the morning on those days, or else it's a mad dash--usually not as healthy, almost always more expensive--to get everyone fed. We eat dinner together just about every night. But Spring (soccer) can throw a wrench in that, unless I am organized. Scott and I were talking the other night about how much goes on at the dinner table that we love and don't want to miss out on. The things that come out of the mouths of our babes just make us smile, and we love their quirks, and who they are. There are many, many glances between Scott and I, laughter supressed, just enjoying this family, amazed at who our kids are growing up to be. We find we like them! We really do! I look at the calendar and how it's already filling up, and I ask myself some of those "intentional" questions. Do we want to be doing all these things? Are each of us in the family using our time the way we ought? And I actually think it's ok, so far. (It's only the 3rd, for pete's sake!) But I do need to be on top of the meal-planning, otherwise, we all miss out on the family dinners, and I think those hold us all together. They hold me together, anyway. So I've pulled the crock pot out this morning....

The Steelers run game and offense for the most part seemed totally out of sync Sunday in Cleveland, but did enough to produce two touchdowns and add in the special teams TD early in the game it was enough for a 21-18 win over the Browns. Cleveland did some things on defense to take away the black and gold run game, as Le’Veon Bell, who clearly looked like a guy who missed preseason, did little to impress and was held to 32 yards, 15 of which came on his last run to seal the win. The Steelers as a team were held to 35 yards on 17 carries, a 2.1 yards per carry average, and on most days that’s going to put the team in a tough position to pull out a win. What was almost more alarming was Bell’s post game attitude about the sub-par outing, one that basically said ‘don’t worry, we’ll get better as we move along.’ “It’s game one, so obviously everything is not going to be clicking how it would be if it was in mid-season form,” Bell said. “Week one is just the stepping stone. We have to go back to practice on Wednesday and correct some things. We’re going to watch the film tomorrow. Penalties killed us. We had one turnover but, outside of that, it was really just the penalties, that were killing us.” Penalties were a major factor, as the Steelers had a ridiculous flags thrown against them, stopping what could have been some promising drives throughout the afternoon affair. “We have to play penalty-free. I think we’ll go back to the tape, correct it and get it cleaned up,” Steelers WR Antonio Brown said. It’s true that getting the win is the most important thing, but this offense had better find its rhythm and better not leave too many plays on the field moving forward. Sure against Cleveland you can get away with that, but at times Sunday it was hard to watch as this team tried hard to get something going moving the football. Let’s hope another week of practice and a full week with Bell will do the trick.

I remember speaking to a friend not long after I had first started going to yoga classes. I was telling her how I had not realised yoga was about the mind, I thought it was a purely physical practise. I had never explored quietening my mind. I hadn’t been the observer of my thoughts. I hadn’t understood terms such as ‘ego’. One night I was sitting in a yoga studio. It was dark outside and I was sitting in lotus, surrounded by glowing candles. I was meditating, observing my thoughts and instead of following the story I was mentally telling myself, I  was practising becoming aware of the fact that I could control the story. I could decide when it stopped. I observed the stories, and decided to let them go from my mind instead of repeating or continuing them. My chest was rising and falling, I became acutely aware of the pace of my breathe, it’s  cycles flowing through my body like waves. The energy tingling every cell. Neurons firing and buzzing around my brain. I could feel the muscles gently relaxing, tension lifting away. And then I caught myself smiling. Like all this energy rushing through my body was making every cell dance with joy. Smiling because  feeling blissfully  alive is a beautiful moment. And now a few years later I have felt this, not everyday – sometimes not for weeks, but enough to know that yoga has the potential to make you feel fucking alive. All that it asks of you is that you give a little time to focus solely on you. That you just stop, even for 5 minutes. Just feel your body, move it, explore it, be gentle. Listen to it. Practise honouring it. Loving it. So if you are reading this, perhaps it’s a perfect sign from the universe. Maybe you should put your phone down and go and begin your practise 🙂

It's been nearly two years since I've felt the need to write anything here. I had picked up a good rhythm to posting on here. I was reading my books and gathering my notes and putting my thoughts here because I thought it was what I wanted to do. I really didn't care if people stopped by and read what I wrote. Then I posted a review and a month passed by, and then another, and lo and behold, it turned out to be the last one I'd seemed to have written. But every now and then I would sign back in here, look at what I wrote and think that maybe I should go back to that. Just pick up where I left off. So I'm cleaning things up here and I'm going to attempt to post again. Just so you know, I haven't stopped reading or writing. The evidence might not be here but trust me, it exists. Let's clear the air a bit first, shall we? The last year has been difficult. I can't wait for 2014 to end. This year will forever live in infamy in my mind. I will look back on 2014 and think doom on you and all you stand for! And so on in that fashion with a lot more colorful language and imagery. I'm waiting for this year to end, literally counting down the days. I'm tired of everything that has happened and just want to finally get to a point where I don't dwell on everything that has passed and worry about what the future could possibly bring me. I'm lucky I haven't had a complete breakdown, that's how bad this year has been. It goes without saying that the need to write just slowly faded away with each new trial that has come my way. I've kept reading, sometimes finding good books and sometimes ending up extremely disappointed with what I've found. I've even given up on some books completely, skimming through the rest of it before giving up and moving on. That's always a sad moment for me. But every time I find one good book, I want to sing its praises, I want people to know, without a shadow of a doubt, that it's a great book. Sometimes, I find I have to restrain myself from telling customers in stores that I've read the book they're carrying and that, trust me, it's a brilliant book. Because that would be and there are safer ways to do that, like this blog for instance. So this is the time for a fresh start. I want to look at what has come at me, these personal trials and struggles that have hit the people I love, and be the one that pulls them through. And that means going back to the things I used to do and proving that in the face of adversity, I can come out ahead. So here's to more talk about Shakespeare and more reviews about the big books and the small books and every book in between that catches my eye. (My city library is having a book sale soon and that means more books to smuggle away into my personal library.) Here's to occasionally talking about a show that impressed me, a movie adaptation that warmed my heart, or even editing quibbles I have. Less than a month to go until the release of by Marilynne Robinson. When I found out that Robinson was set to release a new novel, I was floored. When I found out what the plot was and who it was focused on, I was ecstatic. This is something that I've gladly waited for and now the time for its release is almost here. I'm going to read again in preparation for this book. I am a big fan of the Old Kingdom series by Garth Nix. I started reading these books when they were first released, starting with , and was at the store the day each subsequent book was released, finishing school work as fast as possible so I could continue reading during my free moments in class. (This was before I had the means to enjoy the fact that pre-ordering my book makes this all so much easier.) Clariel: The Lost Abhorsen is out in October and the Old Kingdom series is perfect for fans of fantasy, adventure and kick-ass women. October is the month, fellow readers. This is the month filled with the books that I just had to pre-order from every source that I could find that fit both my budget and my interests. I own almost all of Maggie Stiefvater's books. This one is no exception. Even my sister has pre-ordered her own copy. Tip of the day: if you can manage it, show support for your favorite authors by ordering the signed copies of their books through the venues that offer them. I never get the chance to go to the book signings so I love the fact that I can still get my books signed just as I've always wanted to. Blue Lily, Lily Blue is the third book in the latest series by Maggie Stiefvater. I highly recommend this series, which also includes , which I reviewed on my blog, and

has always been a game that has for some reason alluded me. I love zombies... Resident Evil zombies, and yet I have never been an avid follower of the series. I have however played a lot of RE games. My first RE game was , which I got when I got my first Sony Play Station back in like 1998. I played that game to bits... at the time I could think of nothing else like it. I got part three when it came out, I also got . But sadly as I kept up with the titles... I found each subsequent title less enjoyable. By the time part 4 came out... I had already sold off my PS2 for an Xbox, so I never got to play it. When I heard about Resident Evil 5 heading for the 360, I was a little interested. Firstly cause it was a zombie game... and 2ndly cause it is after all a They make good games. So today I finally got my hands on , which is actually the seventh installment in the series. Aside from being the first Resident Evil on the current generation of game systems, the game takes the action over the the dark continent of Africa. Now that the Umbrella Corporation is down, somehow it's shizz is being sold off in Africa for local terrorists to mess around with. I loaded up the disk, poured me self some Dew... and got ready for the zombie onslaught to follow. straight off the bat RE5 is a sweet looking game. Easily one the best looking games I've seen on my 360 so far. The characters in the opening Cut scene looked great and the environments were just like BBC footage I saw of parts of war torn Africa the other week. To be honest... it doesn't feel like a RE game at this point, only because it just looks so different from the other RE tittles. It reminded me more than any thing else. But that's all because of the sitting. After some bull shizz here and there... I began making way through some town. Everything was nicely done up, making the environment really look desperate and disintegrating. You get to enjoy all this with a partner, a hot chick named Then the action started... I ran into some 'zombies' and that's when I remembered why I never got into Resident Evil. I found my self so stiff and locked in. In the sense that the hero Chris just wasn't responding as well as I'm used to in other games. Crap thing is that you can't shoot and move at the same time. So I couldn't like, back up while shooting, or shoot while trying to make it to a better vantage point. The lack of moving while shooting could mean that I have to up my play skills to follow the mechanics that Capcom has set in place... or it just could mean that it's plain shizz. I frustratingly played through the first two levels, after a while getting used to the 'no moving while shooting' thing... but I wasn't happy about it. Another move that annoys me is the dam punching. Chris has this punch that he can throw off at the zombies and this floors em. But sadly it's not a button you can just spam, you have to wait for the zombies to be at a certain distance and then a button prompt sticks out to tell you to punch. And don't get me started on the knife. As I played more through the game I realized what was wrong with it, at least for me. Plus the camera angle just plain pisses me off. I hugs your back to tight that a lot of the time you can't see the action happening around you. Yu end up having to shake your control stick like a crazy person to shake off some rabid zombie/ bum because you couldn't see him waltz past you. To me it seems that Resident Evil 5 doesn't know if it wants to be a shooter or survival horror game. It throws shizz at you at a rate that you need to blast said shizz up, but it fails to deliver the mechanics needed to make it practical and enjoyable. Plus I wasn't really digging the setting. One thing that I like about the other RE titles is that it takes familiar places and turns them into places you don't want to go. Office buildings, police stations... regular streets. It's scary seeing a place so mundane, over run by zombies. War torn Africa is not familiar to us like a police station. War torn Africa is war torn Africa. We expect bad things to happen. It's not as eerie. Plus the zombies didn't really feel like zombies... But that has something to do with the new kind of infection. Sadly it just feels like most of the time you're shooting at disgruntled Africans. God knows RE5 tries to make it scary. But it has the same kind of scary as walking through an abandoned ghetto at 3am. It's like you're watching Hotel Rwanda instead of (enter random zombie movie name) Basically it feels like RE5 has a heart that handles too much like old school Resident Evil, in a body that's trying to be something else. I found a lot reviews for RE5 that offered a great deal of praise for the game, but I also found a host of reviews that shared my sentiments. Comper and Video Games said: It's like Capcom was undecided in what it wanted RE5 to be. It breaks many of the series' traditions, yet tries to hold onto elements of its heritage that are either dated or don't fit with the style. Maybe as I play on I'll find something that will make it more enjoyable... or maybe I'll get over the stiff chracter controls. But It's safe for me to say... that Dead Space is still my fave horror game.

3 days to go. Shock-o-Rama! Also shocking is that I got an A on my 1st quiz. I guess my brain still works after all these years out of school. I've been working hard but still got overwhelmed taking the quiz. I missed HALF a point for a truly stupid mistake and I'm kicking myself for it. But hey, I still got an A. I feel pretty good about it. And I got a nice jump on my homework so I don't have to worry about school while I'm in the hospital. Did I mention that I'll be there in 3 DAYS?!?! And speaking of 3, Wednesday was our 3rd wedding anniversary. We had already celebrated on Monday since we were both home. We went to CLE Clothing which was a bust for Todd (shirts were too soft) but I scored 2! We did some other running around and had an awesome lunch at The Melting Pot, talking and stuffing ourselves silly. It may not have been as elaborate as our first 2 anniversary celebrations (last year we picked the name Sullivan for our imaginary next child while drinking frozen cocktails in Kalahari's hot tub), it was just as meaningful. As Todd said, "3 years. 2 babies. 1 love". Today was our last OB/GYN appointment. I love my doctor and her nurse so while it's exciting, it's bittersweet. They were friendly, comforting and encouraging, really making me feel taken care of during my (final) pregnancy. I'll always be eternally appreciative for how understanding and awesome they were to me...and Spencer. I'm so glad my doctor will be the person bringing Sullivan into the world. So our appointment...never happened. The doc got called away to surgery so we had some time to kill. But while waiting, our nurse called my cell and said that as long as Sullivan was moving (elbowing me left and right), and since my section is Monday, I don't really need to be seen. So that's that. No more appointments! DONE! I was feeling very...I don't know...yesterday. Spencer was napping in my bed and I was rubbing his back and just thinking about how we made him. Not HOW, perverts! Just how one minute he wasn't here and then he was, and every day he grows and learns and comes into his own. He is SO LOVED by so many people and I know I've said it plenty of times, but I can't imagine my life without him. It doesn't matter how many ups and downs we went through last year. He was clearly meant to be mine. When Sullivan comes home, it's going to be amazing. This baby boy is going to complete our family. Now we just get to BE. We get to LIVE. We're going to have an incredible Fall and Winter holiday season with this new little guy. I'm so very excited to meet him and to see what kind of big brother Spencer will be. I think he and I will always have a special bond...and I'm hoping that he and Sully will have one, too. They'll be so lucky to have each other. And I'm going to be such a lucky mom. They've given us a far more awesome and full life, for sure. I hope I can be an awesome mom for them. I'm sure trying.

Egypt's interim government headed by newly-appointed Prime Minister Ibrahim Mahlab was sworn in Saturday, with the military chief, General Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi, remaining in office as the defence minister, media reports said. If Sisi, who also kept his post as the first deputy prime minister, announces that he will run for president which is a widely expected, he will have to resign as the minister and head of the armed forces, Xinhua reported citing state-run Nile TV. Sisi is expected to announce whether he will compete in the presidential election after a new presidential law is approved. Meanwhile, Interior Minister Mohamed Ibrahim, who was appointed during former president Mohamed Morsi's one-year rule, also retained his post. Ibrahim, who survived an assassination bid last September, is facing a tough task to keep the country's stability and security amid a string of terrorist attacks hitting the country and the growing militant insurgency in the restive Sinai peninsula, which killed dozens of policemen.

Most women change when they journey to mommyhood. For me, the most significant change I see in myself is the way I pack my own stuff. Makin lama makin sikit sebab barang Sara banyak sangat ;p You see, I am a fairly simple person. I want to have an everyday routine such as moisturizing my body with lotion or cleaning up my face before sleeping but it just seems too...fussy. Heh. Every year, my resolution would be to at least clean my face and put toner and moisturize before going to sleep but every year, I just can't bring myself to do that. resolution will be to wake up early and blow dry my hair, put some make up on before going to work but when you wake up at 7.45 and you have to be out of the house at 8.00, mana la sempat kan? Recently I went to Cameron Highlands for a workshop for 3 days and 2 nights and guess what I brought? Yup, just an overnight bag which became the topic of interest of everybody. Macamana ko boleh bawak semua barang ko? Cukup ke? Keciknya bag... etc..etc... Inventory of all the items : 1 work blouse, 1 jeans, 1 cardigan (not in pic), 2 sleeveless shirt, 2 t-shirt, 1 pair of track bottom and t-shirt (for sleeping), toiletries, undies (not in the pics of course!) and a jacket, shawl, black pants I was wearing. Oh, I forgot to bring my comb so I didn't comb my hair for three days. I almost looked like a hyena on the third day ;p ( almost being the operative word here ) My so-called toiletries are not even worthy of mentioning. Oh, how I soooo badly want to have these kind of stuff in my toiletries bag.. But then, it will be just too.....FUSSY, no?

Here is a summary of the sites that I have chosen for my Fall semester project. 10th St and 4th Ave N : Near site of current Taco John's restaurant and Lightbenders office. I am making this my " Infill " project. I believe it would be a good site for design-build firm that would give opportunities to the architecture students at NDSU. The firm I chose was the one that gave me an opportunity to intern for them my third year - Hulsing and Associates. 10th St and 2nd Ave N: Site of the former Taco Bell. I chose to make this my " New " site. I would like to see an food court that has international restaurants in it. I am thinking of calling it "World Flavors". NP Ave and 10th St: Current site of Union Storage Building. I am doing a " Restoration " project on this building. The plan here is to make this building into a Musical Social space that would allow people of all ages to come and either record music, learn how to play instruments, or go to concerts.

You know him as Data. His agent knows him as Brent Spiner. I know him as a creepy pig-tailed gangster with a pistol and a hypodermic needle. The scenario transpired like so: I find myself dozing away on a couch in a small living room. Across the small room is another couch of similar size. Peering through my sleep-filled eyes, I notice that this couch hosts an undisclosed sleeping occupant under a blanket. As I awake, my focus slowly shifts as I notice movement in the room beyond. I eventually translate this movement as a person rifling through effects in said room beyond. Startled by the ruffling of my awakened self, the stranger enters the living room brandishing a firearm. Though it bares no weight in light of the current situation, I realize that gun weilder is none other than Brent Spiner (Data) donning the cheap suit of a disco era shylock and a greased back do ending in a pigtail. Paralyzed at gunpoint, the crisis becomes apparent. I begin to consider an act of retaliation, but unable to muster the strength and courage to do so, I lethargically remain in comfort awaiting the lifelong providence that the benevolent powers of the universe have so often been doled out to me at the most crucial periods of my life. Having been completely absorbed in my own mental computations, I fail to realize that the assailant has left the room. As my leeching of salvation continues, I fail to proffer an appropriate action to the alarm of the precedent situation as if the previous event had never taken place. Suddenly, the cloud is broken, and I find myself surrounded by a crouching Brent Spiner accompanied by a person of negligent aspect whom appears to be his accomplice. They begin to apply Q-tips© soaked with hydrogen peroxide to my flesh, and my paralysis becomes even more apparent. Without warning, a hypodermic needle is plunged into my chest and I quickly begin losing consciousness. As the darkness enshrouds, I finally look the assailant in the eyes, and plead to him,"What are you going to do? You don't have to do this...". As my very last bit of consciousness fades, the assailant looks at me sternly and replies, "We're going to dissect you."

This academic year 2016-2017 ushered in its freshest students; the First years! In the first week of the semester, usually dubbed the ‘Orientation week’ , Primetime hosted the new students to a Freshers’ fest. This was 8 days of unlimited comedy, music, drama,  tips about campus life and so much more. Basically,  Primetime all week long! It didn’t end there though. After that one week festival, a special party was made courtesy of Makerere Community Church where the first year students were treated to a luncheon + a Meet and Greet session with the pastors and Primetime team. Introductions were made, advice given, appeals made to the new freshman to join the church and continue to participate in activities that will build them for the future. This new generation of freshmen, code named: GAME CHANGERS also elected their representatives i.e the Chief Fresher and Chief Freshess for the year 2016 namely  Daniel and Tabitha (respectively). Today we feature the Chief Freshess – Tabitha. Sharing her story of transformation so far, at the prestigious Makerere University ever since she got to know Primetime. Tabitha a.k.a Cute Pie is a bubbly young lady with a confidence so unusual for a freshman. She has the ability to command her audience and is not shy to express herself. Tabitha describes herself as a  Christian who is very social and loves swimming. She is currently pursuing a degree in Business Administration at Makerere University. Before she joined the university, her spiritual life wasn’t all she wanted it to be. She would only open her bible once a week, or if she wanted to keep some money or anything valuable in it. This left her feeling unhappy and empty because the the pretentious life she was living. However, after joining the university and in particular Primetime and Makerere Community Church, Tabitha says she sees a very distinct change. “I have become a happier person, made so many new friends who are now like family to me,” She says. The people at Primetime and MCC have become instrumental in shaping her life spiritually. Tabitha has also gone on to become a leader at the University, something she says she did not expect. In addition, the various programmes at MCC such as Bible Study, Leadership Academy have helped her grow spiritually. She says, through them she has learned and is still learning a lot more about Christ…taking the necessary steps to lead her life in the way God has called her to do. “The Bible is now my best friend and also prayer, ” she says. “I have realised that this is the best place I can be.”

When I was a kid we spent our summers at my great-grandfather's house. The house was white and enormous, a mansion, at least to me at the time. The second floor was ours. It had an old kitchen with a wodden stove complete with jars and bins from the 50:ies. Behind it were chambers forming a labyrinth, filled with small treasures, that now would be labeled as junk, an entry points to a magic kingdom. A bit scary as the light did not work. The house was just next to a lake with a boat where we could fish and swim. These were the best summers ever. Seeing Miss Cupcake at my parents house in makes me think about those summers, and makes me hope that she will think about this place as I do when I think about my childhood summers. I just love to see her run around in the grass. Today we have gone over to say hello to the cat that just had kittens. Cat, cat, cat and cupcake P.S Today is the 10th anniversary of September 11. Sending a tought to all victims and families of victims. There are two events where I remember exactly where I was and what I did when I learnt about them; the assassination of the Swedish prime minister Olof Palme in 1986, and September 11 in 2001.

I'm sorry for the lousy pictures. It's a long story but I wanted to get this recipe out to you because it's super yummy. I'm always a little bit cautious when trying a vegetable recipe because I find that sometimes they can be too bland unless you are careful and add lots of flavors. This one was great. Not overwhelming with any one flavor but the crispy topping was delicious. I threw this together pretty quickly for some friends that were coming over one day after work for dinner. The longest part of the process was just chopping everything. Everyone at dinner really liked it and even my husband (who is leery of anything without meat in it) said it was a keeper. This is a great recipe for your arsenal. Quick, healthy, delicious. Zucchini and Yellow Squash Gratin Recipe from Martha Stewart found here 2 medium zucchini (about 7 ounces each), sliced crosswise 1/4 inch thick 2 medium yellow squash (about 7 ounces each), sliced crosswise 1/4 inch thick 2 garlic cloves, minced Coarse salt and ground pepper 1/2 cup heavy cream 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Use a large skillet to melt the butter over medium heat. Add the zucchini, yellow squash, shallots and garlic. Add salt and pepper. Cook until the squash and zucchini is crisp tender. Add the cream and cook for about 5 minutes until thickened. Remove from the heat and add 1/2 cup of panko break crumbs and 1/4 cup Parmesan. Put the squash mixture into a shallow 2-quart casserole dish and sprinkle with the remaining panko and Parmesan. Season with additional Salt and Pepper. Bake until the top is golden brown, about 8 - 10 minutes.

By all means, the highlight of tonight's Headies award was the drama between rapper Olamide and producer Don Jazzy. Angry that his protege Lil Kesh lost the most coveted NEXT Rated award to Mavin record’s Reekado Banks, Nigerian rapper and YBNL boss Olamide let out some curse words before giving both middle fingers as he left the stage. In response, Don Jazzy asked if Olamide would like to come for the car given out for the award.

Okay, okay, I'm way behind. It's been a busy week and I've been cleaning my house top to bottom because my family is coming into town on Saturday. Well, this week (what's left of it anyway), our ingredient is vanilla. My parents went to Cancún, México last year and brought me a big bottle of real vanilla. It smells amazing. I can't honestly say that I've noticed a difference in my baking with it, but it's been a long time since I've used fake stuff, so it's hard to compare. But I could just sit and smell the bottle all day. I probably shouldn't. Vanilla, as you probably know, comes from beans, or pods. I have chanced to read several recipes that call for a vanilla bean, but I can't bring myself to buy one, because they're about $10 a pop. Vanilla is the second most expensive spice, after saffron, and it's due to the extensive labor required to grow the pods. There are four basic types of vanilla: Bourbon-Madagascar, Mexican, Tahitian, and West Indian. French vanilla is not an actual variety, but more of a process. Most imitation vanillas contain vanillin, only one of 171 identified aromatic components of the real vanilla beans. So have at it. Let's do some baking! The vanilla challenge technically ends Monday, but you can still make and/or post all next week.

Marseille’s revolution has left several of the club’s former players looking to return to be part of the ‘Champions Project’. Dimitri Payet forced his way out of West Ham during the January transfer window, and it looks likely Steve Mandanda will follow him from Crystal Palace. L’Equipe say two other Premier League based players are tempted by a move to Marseille, West Ham’s Andre Ayew, and Giannelli Imbula of Stoke City. Ayew’s father made his son’s position clear in an interview with Le Parisien last week, talking up a return to Marseille for the West Ham player. Stoke’s Gianelli Imbula would also be keen on signing for Marseille, his former club, and Mark Hughes would allow such a transfer as long as a reasonable transfer fee is offered. However, both players may have their hopes dashed for this summer at least. L’Equipe say that Marseille are worried about recruiting any more former players after Mandanda, believing bringing former stars like Andre Ayew and Gianelli Imbula back could show a lack of imagination in the club’s recruitment.

The big difficulty with an attempt to form an unequivocal opinion on the evolution/ID debate is that there is an enormous amount of data to assimilate, evaluate and ultimately synthesise into a conclusion. Most of the debate protagonists start with strong convictions and viscerally identify themselves with one side of the debate or other. They then become foot soldiers for their chosen side and as and when powder and ball come to hand they fire their one shot musket off in the general direction of the enemy. However, for me the debate is less like being in a battle than finding oneself as a disinterested judge in a court case which generates masses of tedious evidence to wade through. I have the growing the feeling that it is going to be impossible to make an equivocal decision on the matter, although I currently favour the evolutionary view. As I suggested in my last post one has at bear in mind that the visceral group identifications of defense and prosecution will make them prone to (consciously and unconsciously) slanting the evidence. For example many evolutionists are very bullish about evolution being a fact. And yet here is a quote I have taken from a post on No wonder paleontologists shied away from evolution for so long. It never seems to happen. Assiduous collecting up cliff faces yields zigzags, minor oscillations, and the very occasional slight accumulation of change–over millions of years, at a rate too slow to account for all the prodigious change that has occurred in evolutionary history. When we do see the introduction of evolutionary novelty, it usually shows up with a bang, and often with no firm evidence that the fossils did not evolve elsewhere! Evolution cannot forever be going on somewhere else. Yet that’s how the fossil record has struck many a forlorn paleontologist looking to learn something about evolution. Unless one is very familiar with the Paleontological record it is difficult to evaluate this statement. In the fossil record there are celebrated evolutionary transitional forms relating to bird and whale evolution and yet such are a bit like those miracles that are lauded as proof of God – they are few and far between and of ambiguous interpretation. is another link I obtained from honest-to-God atheist dated 14th February quotes at length from the linked article in the Guardian by British Paleontologist , a Christian. Although Morris is an evolutionist, he questions whether evolution is a “total explanation”. You’ve got give Larry Moran full marks for facing and trying to stare down difficulties, but I find him a little too converted and passionate for my purposes. But Larry is after all an officer with rank in the atheist’s musket army. He is enamored of the concept that the activity of science is truly an ontological “gap narrowing” operation which in his mind, as in the minds of many a Christian, puts the squeeze on the standard notion of an “Intervening God” (but see my last blog entry). As I have said I still favour evolution; as a theory it does seem to at least have structure, a structure that is so patently lacking in ID theory; the ID community seem to be a loose coalition of anti-evolutionists who have a wide range of opinions on the nature of paleontological history. Evolution may sometimes come over as a fragile house of cards, but although the protagonists of ID theory are united in their vociferous opposition to evolution, ID theory, in comparison to evolution’s house of cards, comes over as a heap of ruins; but then that could have something to do with the complex ontology that ID theorists are positing.

I recently finished The Help by Kathryn Stockett.  (No, I did not take this picture – I got it off of Amazon.)  It is the story of three women who bravely cross the racial boundaries of 1960’s Jackson, Mississippi to write a book about the experiences of black women who work in white women’s homes.  Each chapter in the book they write focuses on various white women that they work for – observations from the inside.  Aside from the expected revelations about bigotry in a time a place I do not understand, the things that stuck with me most where the incredible strength and power of these black women.  I was humbled as I read about them working all day cleaning someone else’s house and taking care of someone else’s children (many times offering more love and affection than the child received from their own mother), only to come home at the end of the day to their own homes and families that needed tending.  I cannot stay on top of my own life, let alone two completely separate lives. Another thing that stuck out to me and that I keep asking myself is: “What would my chapter look like?”.  If someone were to silently observe my life, all facets, what would they see?  And I guess, more importantly, how would my children write my chapter?  And my husband?  And myself?  Because it is our little life going on here.  So I keep asking myself: What do I see?  And what am I doing about it? One more thing, I want Aibileen to come live at my house for a while and teach me how to be a whole lot more like her.

Here's a quick review today... 4 cards I created from the same design. Then I have to really get going. I have a dental appointment today and then we're off to go get our puppies and bring them to their forever home. Can't wait. I love this card design and think I should try to come up with some Christmas cards using it. Hmmmmmm! Thanks for stopping by my little corner of the blogging world. Click on the tab at the top of the page to see my class schedules and registration policies or click on the left for sneak peeks. Come back soon and come back often for more creative inspiration.

When the dog shows up at the door with a face looking like this, you know some investigation is in order. She keeps busy burying and digging up and re-burying her bone so we figured this is what she was up to. Since it had been raining for four days, the ground would be soft. "Where's your hole, Abby?" I asked. "Go find your hole." I learned ten years ago, with Stella, that there is no point in getting annoyed with most projects dogs set themselves upon. What's the point? Stella would come racing up the lane with a dead seagull in her month. If I hollered at her, she'd run away (yes, I learned this by doing) so to get the dead seagull -- or whatever -- out of her mouth, I asked her to show me her treasure. I just had to act as excited as she was about whatever it was hanging out of her mouth and she'd bring it to me. Learning to be a cheerleader was the hardest lesson of my life. "Show me your hole, Abby." "Is your bone in there?" I have no idea why she chose to dig this particular hole in this particular spot but my working theory is that she is giving "Papa" another hole to fill. She helped him plant linden trees a few weeks ago so I guess this is where she'd like to plant a tree.

Lately knitting has been calling louder than beading, but not in terms of photographic documentation of my progress and/or accomplishments, and the beading has been meagre. To whit, a pendant using a pair of . Pretty, but hardly earth-shatteringly new and exciting, but then again, really, what is? The second ring using smaller rondelles and magatamas instead of fringe beads isn't either. Earth-shatteringly new. Actually, I'm ok with that. I think I'm also ok with having a twenty-one-year-old daughter. Not that I have a choice per se.

Kanye West played a big role in Kid Cudi Apparently Kanye West played a big role in Kid Cudi getting himself together emotionally during his brief hiatus from the spotlight. Cudi's 2010 dramas are well-documented; arrested for assault, arrested for drugs, an infamous drunken video clip, a semi-beef with Wale. But it turns out the most painful thing Cudi was going through was a breakup. The Cleveland native says that his G.O.O.D. buddy Kanye West helped him get over the heartache of losing his girl. "I was at another place, another dark place," Cudi says in an interview with Complex. "Me and my girl had broken up. I wasn’t fully healed yet. And being around Kanye and music was my escape. He’s a sober guy, he has a drink every once in a while, but seeing how he throws himself into the studio when he’s stressing about something, I totally admire that. Being around that was therapy for me." And the good news? Cudi and his ex are now back together. Gotta love happy endings.

Here's what it looked like outside my window last night. Isn't it pretty??? So, in honor of our snowstorm, I pulled out a Sweet n Sassy set called for today's Sketch Challenge over on Splitcoast. I colored my image with copics and then sponged in some clouds and drew a "faux frame". The dp is some I got for Christmas. The sentiment is also from the Winter Friends set. I punched it out with the word window punch from SU and attached it with pop dots. Be sure to stop by and see all the new sets that were just released. They'll help you remember that spring is on the way!!

Transverse myelitis (TM) is the inflammation across a segment of the spinal cord, damaging and/or destroying the myelin surrounding the nerve cell fibers. It is referred to as a neurological disorder since it affects and spinal cord and the nervous system's ability to communicate with the rest of the body. Each year in the US, approximately 1,400 new cases of transverse myelitis are reported. It is estimated that 33,000 Americans have some disorder associated with the disease. Recovery from the disorder usually occurs within 2 to 12 weeks from the onset of symptoms and can continue up to 2 years. If there is no improvement within 3 to 6 months, recovery is unlikely. The exact cause of the disease is unknown, and it can occur in any age, gender, or race. It may result from abnormal immune reactions, insufficient blood flow through the vessels, or viral infections (HIV, hepatitis A, influena, etc). Transverse myelitis also may occur as a consequence of syphilis, measles, or Lyme disease. Some vaccinations, such as those for chickenpox and rabies, have been associated with the disorder. Some researchers even believe that it is an autoimmune disease because it has been shown in persons with other autoimmune disorders. Spinal AVMs and vascular diseases have also been indicative of causing transverse myelitis. Hemorrhage within the spinal cord and blockage of a blood vessel causes ischemia to the spinal cord. When the spinal cord does not get the proper oxygen and nutrients it needs, inflammation can occur, resulting in TM. What are the symptoms? Pain is the most common presenting symptom of transverse myelitis. The pain can be localized to the lower back or it can radiate down the legs or arms or around the torso. The other symptoms can include muscle spasms, sensory loss, and partial paralysis of the legs that can progress to paraplegia. Sudden sensations such as burning, tickling, pricking, or tingling in the legs and sometimes arms are also noted. Bladder and bowel dysfunction is commonly seen in some cases. Respiratory problems may occur depending on the segment of the spinal cord. How is it diagnosed? Neurological exams are performed to first indicate if the problems are neurological. Blood tests them may be given to rule out other disease. A myelogram may be requested, but most commonly a MRI will be performed to check for inflammation and location. How is it treated? There is no cure for transverse myelitis. Treatment focuses on alleviating pain and symptoms that result from the stages and severity of the disorder. Corticosteriod therapy is usually first used to decrease inflammation. Analgesics are oftem prescribed to reduce pain. Physical therapy is used when the stages of paralysis infest. Some patients are commonly treated in rehabilitation homes when the paralysis becomes paraplegia.

It was beautiful outside today and we took advantage of the wonderful weather. We went to the park with Grandma & Grandpa and had a picnic, then Ana Kate played on the playground for a while. It was just a bit windy, but still a lot of fun. After the picnic Ana Kate was worn out and she fell asleep in the car. When she woke up we went to Walmart with Whitney and Josh. Ana Kate got a kite, so we'll have to go back to the park soon to try it outt. Today would have been a perfect day for it....too bad we didn't think of it earlier. I put a pot roast in the oven before we left for the park and that's what we had for dinner. It was SO good! Ana Kate's favorite part was the carrots...she's pretty much a vegetarian, not sure why she doesn't like meat, but I suppose that's much healthier. After dinner we watched one of our favorite shows...'The Amazing Race'. Our favorite team currently is the cowboys...so we're hoping they win. I took all of the photos at the park today. Ana Kate wasn't really cooperating, but I still managed to get some cute ones.

My interest of Joe Mangrum began in March. There were afternoons where I'd catch him an hour or so in, when what ever he was working on was at it's skeleton stage. Then I'd go off somewhere to meet someone or do something for awhile, and return to check out Joe's progression. It was like witnessing the blossoming of a flower, I would see the bud, then hours later the flower, and think, wow, how did that happen? I friended Joe on FaceBook, and would consistently see his work on the news reel, until it became evident that I should be finding out more about him. This interview is it's own animal in comparison to the others. For one thing I was kneeling most of the time beside Joe as he worked on the piece of that day, while holding my iPhone towards him so it could catch his voice over the wind. When he got up, I got up. When he knelled, I knelled. Yeah, it was pretty fun. Shall we? So what do you call this? Is there a title for it? "Sand painting. I'm an artist. I do lots of different things and mediums." What are some of the things you work on? "I make installations, I do oil paintings, I do collage, I do sand paintings, I do permanent with some sand on a panel, I do photography, I do photographic prints of my work, ah I do." When did you start working in parks? "Ah, I started in Union Square on August 23rd last fall, 2009." Cuz I see you out here all the time..... "Yeah, this is what I do for my day to day, sort of bread and butter." Is this how you pay the bills? "This is what I do. Um, this supplements my income so that I can work on other paintings and stuff, as opposed to being in construction, which is what I did before that. I worked in construction in a number of different jobs up until last August. Where now, I've found a balance to create art in the streets, and get enough income from that to support my other projects. I'm making art full time, all the time, in a lot of different mediums. But I've been an artist all my life." I love that, too many people sacrifice them-selves, for them-selves...When did you get the idea to work with sand? "Ahh Well, I've done temporary works in public for a long time. I went to art school at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago , and ah, after I graduated I took off traveling for many years. And I couldn't really paint while I was on the road, and to lug all the canvases with me wasn't practical. So, I started doing temporary works out in nature using flowers, and seeds, and berries, and what-not, and photographing it. And it lead to using all different types of materials -- Cutting up cars, computers, ah creating relationships and dialogue between different objects. So after so many years of that I was using sand, like beach sand as part of that.....I was out living at San Francisco at the time, and I started this work out in Southern California, at Laguna Beach, and it eventually just, ya know, you start exploring different things, different ideas. And I was doing a lot of large scale installations up to 60ft. in diameter and 40ft. tall. Which is all pretty simple when you've got access to a huge number of friends with large scale equipment, space, and all that. What can I do to make art? I started using colored sand back in 2006, and I brought it out in a suit case, and tried it out, and shoou (This was a sound he made.) Now, I'm also exploring painting and going back to the canvas, and panel painting to create objects for people to collect, and express painting in a different way." Can you tell me if you're winging this? "Yeah, pretty much, you know, the painting will start to tell me what it wants after awhile. And certain shapes leave voids, so you wanna fill in the in-betweens. And ah, the color combinations and everything kind of ah, it just starts talking to you like a painting would, just like oil painting or anything else, but using sand, which is a temporary medium." Do people contact you? Can they buy your art? "Yeah, absolutely, it's just and my sand paintings are archived on facebook, more so than my website because I post while I'm working. And I've done plenty of events over the years. I've done commissions for large scale festivals like, , lots of different stuff like that, as well as private events, weddings, parties, that sort of thing." Okay, this is a little un-related, but I have to ask.....Did you have a themed wedding? "Yeah we did, we were planning to move to New York so before we left San Francisco we decided to throw a big party and have our friends and everything, and ah, a true San Francisco style wedding. Um, we did it at the Palace of Fine Arts , and we had everyone come as their favorite artist or a piece of art. Who was your artist? "Well, I made up my costume. It was a combination between the Mad-Hatter, George Clinton, and Willie Wonka. And then my wife made her own dress which was inspired by Okay, I've asked my questions. Is there anything you would like to include? "Um, well, I just think this symbol is very important for people to relate to, and engage with. I make these inside an urban grid, and this is like ah sort of organic mandala-like shape, if you will. Um, I don't really like to use the term mandala because it puts -- See the thing is the urban grid, it puts us in a state of psychology where we compartmentalize everything, where everything has it's own little convenient box. And when you use the word mandala, it's actually a Sanskrit word, so people associate it with Eastern philosophy as opposed to relating to it on a Western side. So, I don't like to use the word mandala necessarily, but it accurately describes what I do. And, in terms of the urban grid, it's like the world is dividing by minutes and seconds by the Gregorian calendar. And those equate distances, and so it puts us in a state where we're out of balance with nature. And it puts us in a psychological division opposed to unity. So, that's why I explore this symbol." Then a fellow with a small white dog joined us. Mr. White Dog: "Is that your design?" Mr. White Dog: "What prompted you to choose that if I may ask?" Joe: "Ah, it's all just made up as I go. It's my imagination just getting poured out onto the sidewalk." Mr. White Dog: "I'm not making a judgement at that. That's one way or the other. Do you understand anything about the meaning of that? I'm a painter, and a student of psychology." Joe: "What do you see in it?" Mr White Dog: "I'm just talking about the purely intrinsic qualities of design." Joe: "Em-huh. That's like we're peeling an onion of metaphors, so where would you like to start?" (Laughter) Mr. White Dog: "We can start with the fact that it's non-figurative, it's not an object." Joe: "It's leaf like, and it's.." Mr. White Dog: "Suggestive." Mr. White Dog: "Um that it's symmetrical, the symmetry is basically four-sided." Mr. White Dog: "Um in one way, from a psychological view, I don't wanna shock you with this, but it would be considered symmetrically the kind of design somebody who is schizophrenic would come up with." Me: "Really?" (Joe laughed.) Mr. White Dog: "Why is that so?" Joe: "Roses are red, violets are blue, I'm schizophrenic, and so am I." I had to stop recording because Mr. White Dog was very intent with attempting to convince Joe that he was schizophrenic… Apologies for the interruption. Dear Joe is humble because when I took a closer look at him online I learned that while Joe lived in San Francisco the wrote about his public artwork a number of times, that he has permanent work at the bus stops at 22nd Street and Mission in San Fran, and that he was honored by the Lorenzo de Medici Award at the Florence Biennale in 2003. Lastly, when you spot Joe drop some cash in his suit case. He is a gem of New York City.

My mind has been wandering aimlessly this morning! It was Field Day at school today. As a special needs Mom, this is my least favorite activity of the school year. We've had varied success in making the day work for the boys, but more often than not the day leaves them feeling left out and leaves me angry. So, today, Claire went to school as usual, and the boys played a little hooky. Thankfully, our school only had a "field morning" if you will, so they are at school now, without feeling rankled over silly games that require legs that run -- ooh, my blood pressure goes up just thinking about it! So, I need a distraction -- and blogging is one of my favorite distractions! Besides I'm a little behind in sharing some fun stuff! Last week, Claire was given the Student of the Month award at school. It was a sweet morning and she was celebrated for exhibiting characteristics that made her Mommy quite proud! We have spent the last two weeks re-doing the kids' rooms! Baby Cate has given up her baby bed and moved into a bunk bed with her sister! They have so much more space in their room now and it's too cute! (though the toddler is missing her baby bed...when she spied it hiding in the garage yesterday, she told me she "needed" it back! We'll see...) The boys both served on Student Council this year! Last week they received their t-shirts commemorating the year! They were so excited as they had been allowed to pick nicknames to go on the back. I was tickled to see their choices as I think it gives a little glimpse into their personalities: Mason chose -- Mas (just short for his name which he loves...pronounced Mace)...while Benjamin chose Wheels, which I think says "I'm OK with who I am"! (And is tickled that people are calling him that!) So those are my ramblings of a Wednesday morning -- we have guys here working on the doors in our house (just settling issues being corrected) and every time they turn the power drill on Cate yells, "Run for your life"! I'm not sure why but it certainly has made me laugh out loud and forget the anger that was affecting me at the beginning of this blog! So the blessing I choose to count today -- that being a mommy brings so much more joy than heartache! So much joy!! And for that I am ever thankful!

I was in a baking mood today because we had run out of flour but today went and got 50 lbs. of white flour, 50 lbs. of whole wheat, and 50 lbs. of rolled oats!  Yay! I decided to make a sponge cake.   I had thawed some of the strawberries we had picked this summer and needed something to turn them into dessert!  SO… the sponge cake helped make them a delicious Strawberry Shortcake!  OOOOH it was SOOO good! And can you tell that we drink Tropicana OJ?  I never did work, but he tried SO hard! hehe I also made molasses cookies but was too lazy to photograph them.  I can’t wait to make more cookies for Christmas and then get started on Christmas candy! I’m giving the kids some time off for school for the holidays, so I am going to focus on lots of devotions and fun things to prepare for our celebration of the Lord’s birth!

Once we had a bagfull of apples, we went to the sales shop inside the barn! And I got a pumpkin for myself too! I am going to carve it for Halloween!!! Told Rachel and Stephenie the story of how Ganesha got his elephant head and what Diwali is all about!!! All in all a excellent Diwali weekend!!! Thank you Uncle God!!!

Yeah, my day was, well I guess we won't know how the start of my day was till Friday when I get my last termed exam back. I just have one accumulated final, and I am DONE! I may have done good on it, or I may have done bad. I could have studied a little bit more, but I definitely did not blow it off by any means (maybe slightly). CLUB was boss tonight. There was probably 75 kids there tonight, and i'm telling you, it was amazing. So much energy, and so much raw FUN! I loved it. I love the atmosphere that is at a Young Life club. No matter who you are, no matter what is going on in your life, you can come and have a kicking time. It is such a safe environment to be yourself and have a blast. Ryan gave the talk and did a really great job. He was feeling so sick, and dizzy and tummy not so hot, we prayed. And right until the last second, he was still feeling that way. When he stood up to talk, he was fine. Maybe God was just testing his faith. To see if Ryan would competely rely on Him. It worked. :-) So today when I was in the garage getting a little bit of ice cream at night. I started thinking. I started thinking about how I desire to live a life completely devoted to Christ and his teachings. One verse that popped into my mind was a piece of 2 Corinthians 10:5. I only remembered the "taking thoughts captive" part, but enough to say the least. I desire that so much. Especially when it comes to my life of purity. I desire purity in all facets. Physical purity, emotional purity, mental purity, and social/interpersonal purity. I must be prepared to allow God to come into every thought, every sentence, and every action. If not, I am trying to lead my own life, instead of releasing my ALL to Him who loves me more than I will every be ale to comprehend. It's a good thing, a very very good thing. That whole verse is "We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captivev every thought to make it obedient to Christ." And my Bible has some really cool words about that verse, they are as follows. . . God must be in complete control, even our thoughts must be submitted to his control as we live for him. Spirit-empowered believers must capture every thought and yield it to Christ. When exposed to ideas, or opportunities that might lead to wrong desires, you have a choice. You can recognize the danger and turn away, or you can allow unhealthy thoughts to take you captive. You capture your fantasies and desires when you honestly admit them to the Lord and ask him to redirect your thinking. Ask God to give you the spirit of discernment to keep your thoughts focused on his truth. Dang, I like that a lot.

After reading my entry last week, "Eleven Eleven," about the commemoration of the end of World War I on Armistice (Poppy) Day, my cousin sent me a copy of the original of , the famous poem by the Canadian physician, , who served as an army Lieutenant Colonel. He died, not on the battlefield, but of pneumonia. , so I was surprised when I came to that last stanza. "Take up our quarrel with the foe" sounds more like a call to arms than a call for peace; and "If you break faith with us who die..." has the distinct ring of a threat. Guess I should have read it more closely all those years ago--or read what was there rather than what I wanted to see. The first two stanzas are quite beautiful and seem to promise something different from the last, vengeful one. Understandably, I guess, since McCrae had just watched his good comrade die. I trust, though, that McCrae--along with those other men who died too young in the First World War--is sleeping peacefully among the poppies, if sleep is possible after we human beings depart this planet. Not to mention those who followed all too soon, in World War II, and Korea, and Vietnam, and Iraq and, now, in Afghanistan. And all those other conflicts...

Art of Late! I got a new journal for Christmas and some tube watercolor paints. Never had tube watercolors before, but they are wonderful! I've done 2 entries as you can see right above this wording. This one at the very top is some scraps from my quilt -I finally sewed it together today!!!!! Wow, its been how many months- like 9 since I started it. Now I need to press it and then I need to add some flowers so I can stitch the 3 layers together throughout the middle of the quilt. I could do the edges ok, but not in the middle section. Anyhow- I am so happy to have done the edges-its actually usuable now- that I journaled today. The British flag photo is a working photo of the front of the travel journal I am putting together to take to London in Feb. with me. I am using a large board book and I am coloring the pages before I go, and of course doing the cover. I did that before we went to Ireland and it worked out great. Art and my Dryer Anyhow, Dave and Katie took off to visit his mom this morning- and they didn't ask me to go. First I thought I'd drive down to Absolutely Everything, but I know I'd buy tons of supplies and soend more cash than I really should right now, but then I saw my quilt pieces laying on my blanket chest- needing to be sewn together, and since it was just me and cats- and I could work in peace (well minus Leo wanting to crawl around on it)- so I did. Talk about happy. And the $22.49 part that fixed my dryer..yahoo! I know I need to go buy a new washer and dryer- but since I had to buy a new computer and my furniture is coming soon (I hope) and we had to put a new pump on the water system...I will wait until later in the spring for those purchases. I can afford $22.49 right now. Finally the pile of dirty clothes and towels is shrinking to an anthill size from a whole mountain range. So still need to clean out the bathoom cabinet to put some stuff away and still want to take down the holiday decorations- can't believe a week ago we were heading into the Christmas home stretch- seems so long ago for some reason...need to learn how to crochet too- weird I can't do that since I knit- and I'm a really good knitter too. More snow due tonight, and I want to finish up some more photos in my Ireland books project, the Amazing Race is on shortly and I am into that show,and that's about it for tonight.

I need to make a baby card for an upcoming baby shower. I used this great sketch from the It's Technique Week at The Shabby Tea Room , this week the challenge is to use wet or dry embossing. So I opted to combine both challenges on this card. I heat embossed the sentiment on the card and also used one of my favorite embossing folders on it. I highlighted the dry embossing with stickles, for a touch of bling. I was playing with some 1 1/2 inch silver sheer ribbon, trying to come up with a way to use it. I ended up folding it in half lengthwise and basting it down the center, then I gathered it. I was going to use it in place of the velvet ribbon, but I just couldn't not use the cream velvet. So, I tried is under the rose instead. Stamps: Baby Love - Close to My Heart (CTMH) Inks: Grey Wool, Amethyst - CTMH, Versamark Cardstock: Amethyst, Grey Wool, Sweet Leaf, Colonial White - CTMH Ribbon: cream velvet - Maya Road, sheer silver - saved from mom's stash Embossing Folder: Elegant Lines - Stampin' Up! Die Cutting: Labels 8, Fleur De Lis Squares - Spellbinders Embellishments: Licorice Opaques - CTMH, Diamond Stickles - Ranger Silver Embossing Powder - CTMH

Yesterday was my birthday! :) As a treat to myself, I indulged in some purchases. Firstly, my LYS just got in some Kauni last week. (JOY!!!) So I snarfled some. It was really hard to decide, but I settled on this: I also picked up this - it's not really a splurge, because its purpose is to be part of a sample piece I'll be submitting to a magazine, so technically it's a business purchase. But hey, it always feels lovely and decadent to buy more yarn: It's "On Your Toes Bamboo" from S. R. Kertzer, in a coral/salmon sort of colour. And finally, I went to the Lettuce Knit knit night this week, and picked up the Yarn Harlot's new book. (I've already read it all. It's funny.) Then there were the gifties! Firstly, my husband could hardly fail to notice that I was going on and on about Kauni lately, so he got me some more, happily in one of the colourways that I was seriously considering when I bought the other one: (this picture doesn't do the darkness and richness of the colours justice) And my daughters gave me this: That's "Silky Alpaca Lace", from Classic Elite Yarns, and I have no idea what I'm going to do with it yet, but it's verrah nice. :) Next up: the rest of the double knitting rib tutorial!

With this in mind, I make a salad most days for my lunch. Boooooorrring, you might think. Me too, up until recently. I discovered that if you put one thing on your salad you really enjoy, it might be an easier pill to swallow. Sometimes I use REAL Ranch dressing, some days I cut up half an avocado, and some days I have extra feta cheese (a fairly new love). Today, it was BACON. Isn’t everything better with bacon? I used one piece that was cooked all crispy and wonderful, and then I crumbled it in my salad with hopes of me enjoying this daytime treat. Do you know what happened? I actually looked forward to my salad for lunch! As far as losing weight goes, the only trick I know is that you have to make food you like. If you don’t, you will become discouraged, and eventually raid the fridge like it’s nobody’s business. I know. I had an unusually unhealthy relationship with chocolate chip cookie dough. But that’s a story for another day. Today’s salad includes both green and Romaine lettuce, chopped tomatoes, red onions, carrots, green and red bell peppers, cucumbers, a hard-boiled egg white, roasted chicken breast, BACON, and my special oil & vinegar dressing. Try this recipe for a refreshing topping to your salad. It’s a pretty basic combination, but the reward is fantastic. I seiously recommend putting real bacon in your salad, too. Makes lunch feel like a treat! LK’s House Dressing 2 garlic cloves, minced ¼ Water ¼ Red Wine Vinegar 1 Splenda packet Juice of ½ a lemon 2 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon black pepper ¼ teaspoon white pepper ¼ teaspoon dry mustard 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce ½ cup olive oil Combine all ingredients, with the exception of the olive oil. Once everything is well combined, slowly add olive oil. I usually keep this in a sealed Tupperware container and shake it before I add to my salads. Keep remaining dressing in refrigerator for up to three days (it gets yucky after that).

Pet of the week: Sunbather Raja seeks attentive home Raja demonstrates her ability to shake in exchange for a treat from animal caretaker Kamryn Dixon at the Frederick County’s Esther Boyd Animal Shelter. Rachel Mahoney/Daily WINCHESTER — There’s nothing that young bulldog mix Raja loves more than some good fun in the sun. Raja came to Esther Boyd Animal Shelter on May 22 as a stray after her owner had problems keeping her fenced in. According to animal caretaker Kamryn Dixon, Raja’s gotten along well with the other dogs at the shelter since then and keeps her kennel fairly neat and tidy. With a short black coat of fur and white spots on her neck, Raja’s a rough and tumble and stocky girl at 45 pounds. As a young dog of around 2 to 3 years old, she’s also got a lot of energy. “I think she would be a good indoor-outdoor dog, outside running and playing and doing her business, but I think once she calms down I think she’d make the perfect cuddle bunny on the couch on a Friday night watching Netflix,” Dixon said. Raja would thrive with an active home that would spend some of her vigor outside hiking or adventuring. Dixon said that although Raja loves to explore and romp, she’ll put her playtime on pause for some human affection while basking in the sun. “She can be a little energetic at first — like most of them are — when she meets someone new, but after a few treats and smelling around she’ll settles down and lay down and get her belly rubs,” she said. With a little bit of training and discipline, Raja has a lot of potential – she can already sit, lay and shake with the temptation of a cookie at hand. She’ll fit well with a family, having already lived alongside children as young as 4 years old. One thing potential owners should be careful with, though, is introducing playful Raja to cats. Dixon doesn’t suggest cat owners try to mix her in with animals she may get too rambunctious with. “Sometimes they want to play too much and the cat doesn’t; sometimes they think kitties are squeaky toys,” she said. Dixon notes that Raja probably already had a litter or two before she came to the shelter during a heat – which was most likely why she was trying to escape her previous owner’s fence in the first place. Adopters will need to pay a $30 adoption fee as well as a refundable $70 spaying deposit for this fun-loving pup. Even after she’s spayed, Dixon suggests that her owners keep her fenced or leashed and supervised while spending time outdoors. Raja has been treated for distemper and hasn’t had a problem with worms or fleas that the shelter volunteers have noticed. She’ll also need to get her rabies vaccine when taken to the vet by her new owners. Whether coming home to a family or a couple, Raja wants an active owner who is ready to share some love and attention with a sweet dog. “She’s a pretty playful girl and she still has plenty of life and love in her to give,” Dixon said.

Wondering what I'm talking about...Note-taking with a critical spirit?? The reason I bring it up at all is because I have a sneaking suspicion I'm not the only one who needs to be on guard and DUMP this nasty habit. Come on you know...where you go to a retreat, conference, or even Sunday morning service...and you listen to the sermon with a critical spirit. Waiting for the speaker to garble a detail of an obscure OT story...or think to yourself...oooo...I sure hope SO and SO was listening...or I don't agree with that if he's actually saying that... Note-taking with a critical spirit. readily. And, I generally would have said it was skillful analysis...being the insano, smarty pants that I tend to be. I know everything about everything, dontcha know!? I remember having this discussion with in high school. I believe he was confronting me about having a critical spirit by telling me he'd done the same thing when he was my age. Trust me, he was not softening the blow...I still probably cried. ...I've been looking intently at 1 Thes. 5...vs. 12-13 say, "We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work." I know that it is a ridiculous amount of pride and disrespect that allows me to tear apart some of these good speakers. Not only do I not have their training...but I don't have their calling from the Lord, either. I need to be VERY careful to show them the proper respect, encouragement and esteem. Do not despise prophecies, ; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil." That would mean that we hold prophecies (God's Word) as absolute TRUTH...but we are careful to test everything...to be discerning. To see or understand the difference between TRUTH and untruth...and sadly, in many churches around the world today this is SERIOUSLY needed. Don't be taken in with market-driven and ungodly visions for your life and the life of your church. But for me...Let's face it...my attitude is often critical to keep the Holy Spirit from working. I'm quenching the spirit. If I judge the preacher or others around me..I don't have to deal with myself. My prayer, is that I will be given courage to look into my heart and see what needs to change. AND that I will be OBEDIENT to His Truth every day, every moment. Change my heart oh God Make it ever true Change my heart oh God May I be like You You are the potter I am the clay Mold me and make me This is what I pray So, practical application. How will I actually change my Note-taking habits? I'm starting by writing "This is for YOU"...at the top of my page. And when I write down truths within the sermon...I write them in first person. This has been exciting and helpful so far. For example, instead of writing, "Give over your desires to His will" I write, "I need to give over MY desires to God's will." Neat...give it a try!

Ahhh...summertime. When produce is coming in season. Tonight I had my B.L.T. of the summer - 2 slices of toasted whole grain bread, a little light mayo, romaine lettuce, a juicy tomato, and 4 strips of bacon. I love a good BLT! With the sandwich I cooked up a few sweet potato fries. I also made a light "salad" of cubed watermelon & cucumber with a balsamic vinegar drizzle. The combination of sweet and tangy was a light and refreshing accompaniment to the sandwich. I'm not sure where I got the idea of pairing those ingredients, but it sounded good while I was on the ride home from work. The watermelon was perfectly sweet and juicy!! My first slices of watermelon for this summer. I had another wedge for an evening snack. This meal was summertime on a plate!

I made muffins for a friend for her birthday - she wanted something other than cupcakes- so she had the idea of something with bananas and we ended up with this idea. I did only this batch (no test batch) and they turned out AWESOME!! The recipe itself I adapted from The Gluten Free Goddess' Blog . I change a few of the amounts (especially in the xanthan gum as I normally leave it out completely unless doing bread - and muffins are more of a bread than cake, so left it in, but cut it way way back) and used what was available in Germany as well as a slight temperature change. Preheat your oven to 180°C. Line muffin pan with paper liners 1 cup Ripe Bananas - mashed 1/4 cup Mazola Oil 1 cup Light Brown Sugar (American style brown sugar, not UK or EU, although the others would work, just slightly different texture) 2 teaspoons GF Vanilla Extract 120 grams Millet Flour 96 grams Potato Starch 1 teaspoon Baking Soda 1 teaspoon Baking Powder 1/2 teaspoons xanthan gum 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon 1/2 cup Walnuts - Chopped (for the muffin mix) 1/2 cup Walnuts - left in halves (for decoration on top) Mix the bananas, oil, brown sugar, vanilla and eggs in your stand mixer until well blended. In a separate bowl, shift together the remaining dry ingredients (except for the ½ cup of walnuts that are still halves). Once sifted together well, add to the mixture in your stand mixer and mix for 1-2 minutes until smooth. Fill the muffin liners 2/3 full and place 1 or 2 of the halves of walnuts on top. Bake for 20 minutes (+/- depending on your oven). Remove and let cool in muffin pan for 10 minutes and then place on wire rack to completely cool.

Walk by the Gulf The ArtQuest Docent Tour on Marco was fun yesterday. We met some new people and learned some new things about the ArtQuest artists and had a nice lunch at Bayview in the Esplanade. Orion Bank's Keith Dameron came out with some goody bags and nice cold water when the tour stopped by to see the sculpture Ageis. Thanks, Keith! Tonight is the Gala Auction for the Naples Art Association's Canvas on Third. There were a number of really great works and some fabulous nationally known and local artists. The word is that the bidding for marine artist John Stobbart's painting is already over $20,000! There are a number of other pieces that should show very well and the NAA should make a bundle! There will be something for everyone, though, and I just hope to get enough bids to make a decent showing!

EPA Awards over $11 Million to State of Oklahoma to Improve Water Quality DALLAS - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded over $11 million to the Oklahoma Water Resources Board (OWRB). The grant is part of EPA's Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF), a program that provides low-interest, flexible loans to communities to help them improve water quality and infrastructure. "These revolving loan funds are some of the most effective tools we have for helping communities of all sizes achieve their clean-water goals," said Regional Administrator Ron Curry. "The money will go toward a variety of projects to help ensure all Oklahomans receive the clean, reliable water they deserve." The OWRB will distribute the $11.33 million as low-interest loans to a variety of recipients, including municipalities and rural water districts. These groups will use the loans for projects such as replacing sewer lines, improving wastewater treatment facilities, and upgrading collection systems. For 25 years, the CWSRF has served as the nation's largest source of water-quality financing, helping communities improve water quality, protect aquatic wildlife, protect and restore drinking water sources, and preserving our waters for recreational use. In recent years, CWSRF programs have provided about $5 billion per year to fund projects for wastewater treatment, nonpoint source pollution control, and watershed and estuary management.

In Acton, Oregon, sisters Alex, Stevie, and Joey tell about their lives, including their line of actor ancestors, creative family dinners, toe marshmallows, swearing in Shakespeare, and the Sisters Club. Disgusted that a family with three girls moves into the house across the river, nine-year-old Wally and his three brothers declare a practical joke war on the girls. Thirteen-year-old Sammy's penchant for speaking her mind gets her in trouble when she involves herself in the investigation of a robbery at the "seedy" hotel across the street from the seniors' building where she is living with her grandmother. Who's afraid of middle school? Not Katie Brown. After all, it can't be that different from elementary school. But, boy, was she ever wrong! After her best friend ditches her for a new group of friends called the Popular Girls Club, Katie is left alone and starts to wonder if there's an Unpopular Girls Club she can join. Luckily, Katie finds her way with a great new group of friends and together they form their own club. Four friends plus cupcakes turns out to be the icing on the cake. When the mothers of four sixth-grade girls with very different personalities pressure them into forming a book club, they find, as they read and discuss "Little Women," that they have much more in common than they could have imagined. Hayley's world is far from perfect: her parents have divorced, her mom has lost her job, and she and her sister Chloe are stuck sharing a bedroom in their grandmother's apartment. Luckily, Hayley has a knack for baking cupcakes -- and cupcakes always make life just a little sweeter! But when she and her best friend Artie start drifting apart, she realizes that it's going to take more than sugar and spice to make things nice. Written by various authors Sophie and her best friend, Kylie, are the perfect team. But when Kylie signs them both up for cheerleading tryouts, it's Sophie who lands in the spotlight -- and Kylie ends up on the sidelines. Overweight thirteen-year-old Celeste begins a campaign to lose weight in order to make sure she does not win the Miss HuskeyPeach modeling challenge, in which her mother and aunt have entered her--against her wishes. The first year of middle school can be exciting, or scary, just ask Ginny. Twelve-year-old Foster McFee and her mother escape from her mother's abusive boyfriend and end up in the small town of Culpepper, West Virginia, where they use their strengths and challenge themselves to build a new life, with the help of the friends they make there.

Title: A Nation Under Judgment Publisher: Mill City Press Format: Paperback / PDF What does it mean to be One Nation Under God? Our Founding Fathers believed it was more than a political slogan. Have we strayed from their vision? A Nation Under Judgment focuses on issues currently facing our nation including hunger, poverty, the environment and marriage. These and other issues are reviewed from both a Scriptural point of view and a social policy point of view. Readers are empowered to consider whether our nation is moving away from being One Nation Under God. Richard Capriola spent many years serving as a hospital chaplain. He completed four years of Clinical Pastoral Education in preparation for his chaplaincy work. In addition to his pastoral care experience, he has served as a mental health counselor at both a regional crisis center and a psychiatric hospital. Connect with Richard Capriola:

And that pretty much sums up my week this week--it's been really boring. You can see my project file on I hate the way my cell phone really skews the color and can't take a good shot to save it's life. I'm considering a different Blackberry with a better resolution--the color on my Ravelry page for previous pics of the sweater turned out pretty good. Those were taken with my camera at 8 megapixels. The Blackberry is only 3, and it doesn't have Smart-Shake--which maintains the camera "still" even if you tremble--Most of the cameras have it now--especially the SLR's and that is why my next camera will be an SLR. In the meanwhile, I decided to play with a little crochet--switching things up a bit. I'm working on the Santa Fe Rug (Actually called the Desert Star Rug on Lion Brand's website, but I think it has decidedly south-western flavors, so I renamed it...sue me! On second thought, don't do that--I'm having a bad hair day.), and I have one of the stars completed. It isn't going together very well--but I'm trying. One of my office comrades is retiring, so I put together a montage of pictures on CD for her going away present. It turned out really well. I think I still have the best one...let me see if I can find it. There 'tis! This is a silver pitcher with a picture of our building super-imposed upon it. I think it turned out quite well! I also had a commission to work on a flyer for a charity--didn't charge for it. It turned out pretty cute, though. Well I'm off to look into cell phones. I want one that will run the Kindle application, I think.

I don't know who the statue is, but it could be jesus. could be the statue of some crazy guy who doesn't know that its pouring in Tokyo. could be both. to compliment the minor exsitential crisis raging in my brain, I've been getting lost a lot. in the rain. on purpose. and even though I'm getting lost on purpose, I still find it comoforting and empowering to find my way home. one of my discoveries yesterday was a skinny little park that follows a little random creek to the river. the park goes on for miles but isn't on any of my maps. it's pretty when it rains. brings mixed emotions because it feels like home when it rains but I also kinda hate the rain... more than rain and wet shoes, I hate umbrellas. so i don't bring mine, whenever I can help it. just my narc hat. and I start walking. or jump a train and walk from there. ended up in shinjuku park tonight. and I'm kinda suprised to be relieved to see Tokyo's army of homeless. there are surprisingly few but I stumbled apon a bread line of sorts in this park. maybe fifty people waited under umbrellas and trees as the skyscrapers of affluent shinjuku faded into the clouds above (shinjuku is known as one of the financial/shopping/entertainment district of the city. apts go for thousands a month here) . the dedraggled men left with plastic bags filled with some sort of food or supply. some looked very homeless, some just looked more normal but with an aire of desperation. two official looking people in raincoats and with flashlights circled the park and I followed them, wishing I had found it earlier in the day (its dark by 5 here, when it rains). I followed their official coattails past a tent village made of bright blue tarps strung between trees. somehow, I always found it strange that I had only seen one or two homeless peole since I got here. it made me nervous not to see the side of the city that had to exist. I feel vaugely better knowing where to find the tent city. so I got myself lost, found something new, and took the train home. I had dinner at a cheap resturaunt that is equivalent to japanese fast food. you buy a ticket in a machine with pictures of the food. you hand the ticket to someone and sit at a counter. they come back shortly with your hot food. yet another place where I don't need any Japanese. 500 yen for more curry and miso soup than I should eat in one sitting. I returned happy to change into dry pajamas. I am struggling to make this a home and figure out what I want of my life here. but today was good. each day is getting better.

("Forgive me Father, for I have prims..."). What lay at the heart of my little epiphany regarding sculpted prims was that when Hogwart's beloved owner, Stormcloud Criss, built my office space in the library, she informed me that my prim allowance for furnishing the space was a princely 20 prims. Now mind you, it had been a while since I had really tried to furnish a space that had a serious prim limit on it. In fact, it had been some time since I had furnished a space in SL, But then I figured, you know...maybe this isn't so bad...maybe...this could be like a challenge, and if I go look to see what people are making in the way of low prim and sculpted stuff...maybe this will turn out allright. And it did. With a bit of research and some suggestions of places to look from people like Clay, I learned that low prim and sculpted does not mean ugly and clunky. Yes, I am aware that sculpted prims have been around but you know. so much of it lookd dirt-grubbin' butt ugly. The quality of sculpty goods in SL has advanced by leaps and bounds. There is much more to choose from, and more of it looks really, really good. Furthermore, the creative and judicious use of textures also has vastly improved the appearance of low-prim objects that are made from only a few conventional prims. So here's some of what I was able to do with my 20 prims: My new office in the library at Hogwarts. prims wasn't enough for a small space like this. Here's what's in the office: 2 "leather" easy chairs by Pedrolucas Landar at 1 prim each a 1-prim bookcase and a 2-prim Tiffany lamp by Brenda Hoisin (Brenda's House of Low Prims) a big 2-prim decorative pot by Tan 260 Talon a 1-prim ancient Greek-style pitcher by Katelyn Barom a huge 2-prim safe and a 2-prim desk by Master Glendevon a batch of 1-prim stacks of books by Franklee Anantra a 1-prim chest of drawers by Hawk Clayton a 1-prim arm chair by Stormcloud Criss In addition, I also made a number of 1-prim books myself, and a 1-prim rug complete with scorch marks. Hey! Don't clean that stuff up! I won't be able to find anything! And speaking of the joys of sculpties and makin' stuff, I have also got inspired to do some more crap that will be used when I present my class on research. In the interest of full disclosure, I will admit that these ancient "books" are currently residing in the restricted section of the library and not in my office, so they do not count against my 20 prim limit. Nonetheless, I am confident that their impact is quite minimal: some are very simple 1 or 2-prim cuneiform tablets, while others are 1-prim sculpty papyrus scrolls made with the "cartography pack" (with magnifying glass) from Behold! My papyri, and the crappy cuneiform tablets I made myself. Like Clay says, "makin' shit is addictive..." And that is true, even for those of us who can make only the simplest of objects. Now, I know there is someone out there who is gonna say.... "But scultpies cause laaaaaag" (Please note that the above line is best appreciated if spoken with a sharp, nasal whine). Yeah, I've heard that before. I heard it the other day, in fact. So I looked into it and found that much smarter people than me have already commented at length on the issue of . So after reading pieces like that, and talking to some friends who make stuff with sculpted prims, I have found that the consensus is, yes, they lag. Apparently it depends on if you use them wisely. And maybe if it's a full moon or not. So anyhow, yeah, I know that all this is old news. It's another example of me being way behind the curve (and go on you kids, get off my goddam lawn!). But it really just struck me how much things have changed when it comes to "dressing the set." Content creators in SL keep progressing in not just lowering the number of prims in their products, but also in improving the overall appearance of these items. I am deeply indebted to the people who are doing such creative things with sculpted prims and low-prim objects--and making the end result look so good.

We have the following tax products Here are the tax links to the federal government and state of RI. RI Division of  Taxation AARP provides tax help to seniors at the EP Senior Center on Mondays at 9am, and at the Riverside Library on Fridays starting at 10am, first come, first served (no appointments).

My Ian's Million Fund ("IMF") is a quasi-index fund where I have two main goals. One, beat the S&P 500 over time with my own diversified basket of stocks, while avoiding any ongoing management fees. Two, build a model that my non-investment professional friends can copy. If I didn't have other investments and had $1,000/month to invest, what retirement portfolio would I build to ensure I ended up with a strong, solid nest egg? The "IMF" answers that question. December ended 2016 with a bang. My fund rallied 3.4% on the month, solidly outpacing the S&P 500 (NYSEARCA:SPY) at 2% and the Vanguard Total World Stock ETF (NYSEARCA:VT) at 1.8%. However, this month flipped last month on its head. The IMF showed a loss of 0.3% for January, compared with a gain of 1.8% for SPY and 3% for the total world fund. What went wrong for my fund in January, and will February fare better? Let's dive in. The easy explanation would be to assume that my sizable Mexican positions dragged down the portfolio for the month. They certainly experienced a great deal of volatility following the Trump inauguration. However, while Mexico's plunge received plenty of coverage two weeks ago, the media, as it often does, ignored the bounce. Mexican shares (NYSEARCA:EWW) actually posted a gain on the month: The IMF's #2 largest holding and my Top Pick for 2017, Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacifico (NYSE:PAC), followed the trend, careening to 52-week lows as Trump hysteria peaked, but rallying 10% back up in the following week: So no, the IMF's weakness this month wasn't due to Mexico particularly. There were other foreign markets that performed better than Mexico this month - world markets beat the US by a solid margin on the month - but the real problem was elsewhere. With the IMF holding close to 80 positions, and no position accounting for more than 5.5% of the portfolio, it's easy to say: Ian, you'll just get index fund results. But January proved this theory wrong - individual stocks still make plenty of difference to returns. In January, we had three stocks show large losses, dragging down the rest of the portfolio with them. BT Group (NYSE:BT) was the most damaging. The stock had previously been as large as the 10th biggest holding in the IMF. Thus, its sudden 20% decline in January resulted in a big hit on the portfolio's returns for the month: I've been buying frequently since Brexit, and have established what seemed like a reasonable cost basis around 23.50 on a decent-sized position. January's guidance cut and revelation of much-larger-than-expected accounting troubles in Italy sent the stock sharply lower. BT, as a leading British telecom company, pays a sizeable dividend and is generally viewed as a stable defensive name. Which makes the drop from $35 last year to $19 and change now all the more surprising. Even after the decline, it weighs in with a near $40 billion market cap - the company has good assets, and presumably will get its act together at some point. Still, with falling knives such as this one, you never know if you'll catch the bottom or have to endure some bleeding before it turns. The other two big losers for the month came off some of the portfolio's biggest winners. Peru's Graña y Montero (NYSE:GRAM-OLD) nearly quadrupled for me in 2016. My cost basis is under $2.50, and the stock shot up to $9 later in the year. Thus, the recent 50% decline following a contract cancellation is painful, but the stock still shows a 96% gain on my cost basis: This brings up one of the management choices I've made with the IMF. I voluntarily elected to keep turnover very low, opting not to dump stocks simply because they've doubled or triple or seem expensive on valuation. It's tempting to ring the register after a huge win - and obviously, it'd feel nicer to have sold GRAM, for example, at $8.50 rather than watch it tumble back to $4.50. However, investors often hurt themselves in the long run trying to trade too frequently. The tax consequences are brutal, and the more you trade, the more choices you have to make. Every trade is an opportunity to make some sort of mistake or emotionally-driven miscue. A buy & hold portfolio of quality companies purchased at opportune prices is likely to generate good returns on both an absolute basis and in comparison with investors who trade much more frequently. It's easy to pick out examples, such as those two above, where I would have benefited from cashing out after the stocks doubled or tripled. However, I'd sell plenty of winners that keep going up too. You'll never get a 10- or 20-bagger if you always sell at the first sign of trouble. Take Caterpillar (NYSE:CAT), for example. My cost basis is at $60.63. If I held that in a normal trading account, I'd have probably dumped it at $75 last year after watching earnings continue to disappoint. I'd certainly have sold it as it reached the $80s while the global macro picture continued to look hazy at best. Caterpillar is now, shockingly, up to $95/share, despite more weak earnings and worse-than-expected 2017 guidance. It's a classic Trump-rally sort of stock, up on hype and hope - with little to no basis for that enthusiasm, in fact. It's a screaming sell on fundamentals. However, in saying that, I must admit I've felt that way for quite a while, and the stock continues to rally. My thesis for buying the company was that it has an impeccable brand, reasonably strong capital allocation and management, and was nearing a cyclical bottom. I figured that by the time the cycle topped again, given its past earnings track record, the stock would be worth $110-120 and I'd be earning a nice dividend - particularly based on my $60 entry point. Truthfully, has anything changed with that? The answer is, no, not really. Caterpillar's competitive position continues to be strong, as long as you ignore temporary strong dollar headwinds. Supposedly, earnings will turn around in 2018. The company's balance sheet is still acceptable. While the stock seems dreadfully overvalued based on the current business outlook, is there anything that compels me to sell? No. I'd just be selling on valuation, forking over a significant portion of my gains to the taxman, and will have to find a much better bargain to replace it in my portfolio. Given that most industrials have run-up in parallel, I'd struggle to replace CAT's role in my portfolio without losing diversification. That's not to say I'll never sell stocks in the IMF, though. In fact, I sold one stock in January - the first sale in the portfolio's history. I dumped my position in Navios Maritime Midstream (NYSE:NAP) in the mid-$11s, registering a gain (counting dividends) of around 50%. I sold not because of the gain, but rather because my thesis had gone wrong. At the time I'd purchased NAP, it appeared to be a bargain stock the market had unfairly punished. That may have been true at the time. But perhaps the market wasn't quite as silly as it seemed then. In the subsequent year that passed, the management of the parent company at the head of Navios' complicated structure, Navios Maritime Holdings (NYSE:NM), faced full-on implosion. As NM struggled, management started engaging in questionable double-dealing with its affiliated firms. As a NAP stockholder, it became very concerning to think management may raid my holding to shore up its failing central company. On top of that, the growth platform that was supposed to lead to a rising dividend disappeared. Now the company's dividend appears to be in danger, and NAP is issuing new equity out into the market via an ATM offering. Dividends propped up by new share issuance are rarely reliable. While the company may have been too low in quality to justify me purchasing the stock in the first place, it's undoubtedly there now. In December, I reviewed selling it, but decided to hold since I wanted to cash in one or two more dividends off it first. I realized that was foolish thinking - just trying to get one more bite off a rotten piece of fruit - and realized I should sell. NAP's 13.9% yield will certainly be missed. Despite holding a small position, it accounted for more than 5% of IMF's total dividends in 2016. However, it was quickly turning from a high yield into a sucker yield. Better to move on rather than letting it turn into a big loser, as I did with another high yield name last year. The proceeds from NAP were reinvested across the basket of January purchases. As I noted last month, British stocks and consumer staples were a drag on the portfolio in 2016. Consumer staples showed some life in January, but British stocks remained an anchor on the portfolio. Thanks, BT! And community banks, my big winner in 2016, turned to the red this month. Banks had been soaring from November on with expectations that interest rates would keep surging, boosting the financial industry's profit margins. However, the rally in interest rates took a breather in January, and the overbought banking sector sold off. Even the strongest names struggled. Take Washington Trust (NASDAQ:WASH), one of my top picks for 2016, and the IMF's biggest winner on a dollar basis since inception. In January, the stock sold off sharply to start the month, soared on a huge earnings beat, but then gave back the gains as general banking apathy kicked back in: Indeed, it was that sort of month for regional banks. Beat on earnings and get a more than 10% stock price pop - yet still close the month red. In any case, this effect, multiplied across the many regional banks in my portfolio, was a significant drag on the IMF for the month. I don't worry about it, though - when you take a big position in a sector, you'll get swings as rotations occur. No need to fret over a month's performance. I should also note the month's big winner. I've been pounding the table on Diageo (NYSE:DEO) for many months now, and it is starting to pay off. Diageo, the IMF's top holding, surged in January, offering a bit of respite from an otherwise forgettable month: Heading into 2017, I went with the contrarian trade saying to fade financials and go overweight consumer staples. I expect that pairing to continue to work nicely, as it started to in January. The IMF set a new monthly peak for dividends in January. It came as a bit of a surprise to me - my calendar didn't show it being a particularly promising month. However, Grupo Financiero Santander (NYSE:BSMX) - which is Santander bank's Mexican subsidiary - decided to pay out a massive near 7% yield this year in one lump sum. This resulted in the IMF receiving more than $13 at once - its largest dividend receipt to date - and pushing January to new heights: The IMF was established in January of last year. Thus, in a year, it has gone from nothing to producing more than $30/month in dividends - all off $1,000/month contributions in a not exceptionally high yielding set of stocks. Invest regularly with even modest sums of money, and it will build into something meaningful faster than you might expect. Whenever accumulated dividends top $100, I reinvest them during the following month. I crossed the threshold with January's dividends, so I will reinvest the accumulated cash as part of February's IMF buys. Disclosure: I am/we are long ALL STOCKS MENTIONED (EXCEPT NM, NAP). I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article. Additional disclosure: No position in any of the mentioned ETFs. Editor's Note: This article covers one or more stocks trading at less than $1 per share and/or with less than a $100 million market cap. Please be aware of the risks associated with these stocks.

We're always getting the question, "Do you guys plan on having more kids?" and I never quite know how to answer. Chikezie is happy with our family size. I think it has a lot to do with being the breadwinner. Adding one more mouth to feed to a 4 person family seems a little overwhelming. Although we already need a bigger car, we'd definitely need one with another baby in the mix. I think he worries about the added stress another baby could be on our marriage. Having kids is stressful! What happens when we add in another one? I think he doesn't feel too outnumbered right now, 2 kids, two parents. It works. For me? I absolutely, positively want one more baby. You see, there's only one problem with having twins, the first time, and by accident. We've never had to make the decision. (Well, directly sit down and say "do we want kids?") By fate, the decision was kind of made for us. If we only had one baby, we'd be more likely to sit down and really discuss having another. I think both of us would want our child to have a brother or sister. But when you have twins? It's a huge decision to have another. I have no fear. My heart knows everything would be just fine. We were in the least optimal situation when we found out we were pregnant . It was hard- moving, one very tight income, my body doing a huge job for the first time, the uncertainty, the worry, the unknown. You know what we did? We figured it out. And the crazy thing about our relationship is that when we go through stressful situations, we end up getting closer in the process instead of farther apart. I suppose I'm just greedy. I get really sad watching videos of the boys as babies. I wonder if that was my only chance? Was that the only time I'd get to feel those little flutters in my belly? Our only chance to meet this little being we created for the very first time? I want another chance, just one more, now that I know what I'm doing and what to appreciate. I want to snuggle on the couch in the middle of the night, I want to see a first smile, to wash itty bitt clothes, change bibs full of drool and feel someone so small and innocent fall asleep on me. Now that I'm a mom, I realize the most important thing I'll ever do in my life is this. I got this. Sometimes it's hard. Like when we were trying to figure out the colic in the first couple months. Or when it took them forever to walk. And talk. And when they're throwing tantrums and fighting with each other. But never once, even in the most difficult moments, do I look at my children and ever regret our decision to bring them into this world. We got this. Like when you start working at a job you really like and you feel completely confident handling the next challenge your boss throws at you, we got this. Don't get me wrong, I truly appreciate our blessings. I count them daily (and kiss and love on them). But there will always be a small space in my heart just waiting. Waiting for that one last, little blessing to complete it all. Three has always been my lucky number.

A while back, I decided to change some of my eating habits and one of them was to get more protein and eat less processed food. I am not doing Paleo or Atkins...I still eat things have starch in them, but I limit what kinds of starches I get, and I try to minimize chemicals and processing. One of those changes meant breakfast food. While I am a firm believer in eating breakfast and eating something not sugar filled, I almost always had some kind of bread with breakfast (usually a bagel or a English muffin) with a protein. Always a cup of coffee. When I made the changes, I took the bread aspect out of it for the most part, added fruit, and two glasses of lemon water. So this egg white scramble and grapes is a typical breakfast for me. I try to mix it up a bit so I am not eating the same thing everyday and so I am not getting too many egg yolks a day either. Some mornings I have a protein drink, or an apple with almond butter but when I want something warm, I head to this egg white scramble. I took this pic with my Fuji Finepix f50, no flash with the macro enabled. I edited it in GIMP 2.6 for color, light and added the fuzzy border. Eight Years Ago on In My Words

...At least that is the short version of the title. The real title would be something like "shortcake pieces with macerated strawberries, rhubarb compote, and vanilla whipped cream". I thought the shortened version would be equally as appetizing. (I will get a better picture of this if I have any left later!) I have been so excited for rhubarb lately. I must confess, I have never actually had it! I know! I'm from the south and everything! I will keep this short and sweet, I’m having too good of a time to sit in front of the computer right now, I hope you enjoy this recipe! 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour (leveled carefully), plus more for dusting 1/3 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar (used at separate times) 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 2 1/4 pounds rhubarb 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar 3 strips (each 2 1/2 by 1/2 inch) orange zest 3 strips (each 2 1/2 by 1/2 inch) lemon zest 1/4 teaspoon course salt 1 pint fresh strawberries, hulled (large berries like I used should be halved or quartered lengthwise) 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice Whipped Cream (I doubled the amounts you see here) 1 cup heavy cream 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract Preheat the oven to 425. The recipe I used called for a food processor, and I only have a mini, so I used a combination of my kitchen aid and immersion blender. So just get this step done the best way you know how, even a fork would work in a pinch. Combine the flour, butter, salt, 1/3 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt. Process until the mixture looks like a coarse meal. Add the milk, pulse your mixing apparatus four or five times, do not over do it, you just want it to be moist. Turn out the dough onto a floured surface and with floured hands, shape it into 4 x 8 inch rectangle. This is a REALLY sticky dough so flouring your hands is important. Dust a large knife with flour, I found this kind of difficult, maybe wetting it first next time would be the ticket. Cut the dough into 8 squares. Transfer the cakes to a baking sheet and sprinkle them with the remaining tablespoon sugar. Bake until golden. I set my timer for 25 minutes and it was probably five minutes too long, so really keep an eye on these. I thought they were a little too hard so I grated off some of the burned parts and cut them up into quarters for serving. Meanwhile, prepare the fruit: Go ahead and stick the bowl you will be using for the whipped cream in the freezer or fridge. For the macerated strawberries, all you need to do is hull them (meaning remove their stems and of course wash them) and cut them up to the size of your choice. I quartered mine lengthwise because they were so large. Then toss them with the sugar and lemon juice and leave them at room temperature for at least 20 minutes. How easy is that? The sugar draws out the berry's natural juices, and the lemon gives it a little extra kick. So simple, so tasty. The rhubarb is a little more time consuming but so worth it. I was so excited about it! It gets a little dirtier than your average fruit so it's a good idea to wash it and wipe it down with a paper towel. Cut the rhubarb using a diagonal cut crosswise in one inch pieces. Bring the sugar, water, zests, and salt to a boil in a large straight sided skillet, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Add the rhubarb and stir to coat. It may look like there is not enough liquid to cover, but the fruit will release it's own juices as it is cooked. Cover, and cook on medium low heat until the rhubarb is just tender, you want it to hold it's shape. Mine took about seven or eight minutes. Remove from the heat and allow the compote to cool for one hour before you use it. Sugar gets ridiculously hot. Finally, the whipped cream: Growing up, I never worried about the bowl chilling, and still always had yummy whipped cream on thanksgiving, but I really think it cut my preparation time in half. Oh, having a snazzy green apple colored Kitchen Aid doesn't hurt either. I used the whisk attachment and it worked beautifully- so will an electric hand mixer, but with a stand mixer you can just walk away for a few minutes. Glorious. Beat the whipping cream until you get soft peaks, then gently ad the sugar and vanilla. You don't want to crush all those air bubbles you worked so hard for (or not). Return to whipping until the soft peaks form again. Combine all the elements in whatever manner you see fit, my favorite was in a bowl sort of like a trifle. So good, and so pretty. Enjoy!

My first 5K on Saturday was a blast. And...I ran the whole thing! No walk breaks!! (though I did pause for about five seconds at the water table at the 2-mile mark). I finished the 3.1 miles in 39:31. Slow, I know, but incredibly manageable. I actually enjoyed the whole race instead of practically collapsing like I did on the test run last Sunday. I think I could have actually gone even farther. The above pic is me (on the left) with my friend and running mate Casey (and baby Kate) immediately after we crossed the finish line, in all our sweaty, no-makeup glory. Casey is normally much faster than me, but since she's carrying another little person, she ran at my pace the whole time--and it was so fun! It's easy to see how people get addicted to races. You feel super awesome the whole rest of the day. Now that I know I can do it, the next goal is to pick up the pace and get comfortable with a pace around an 11-minute mile. The 5K this year raised over $100,000 for breast cancer screening equipment at our local hospital. It was a fun, supportive atmosphere, and the weather could not have been more perfect--clear, sunny and temps in the 50s-60s. JB ran the men's 5K in about 29 minutes, my dad ran the men's and then walked the women's with my mom. JB was there to cheer me across the finish line, which made me feel like a star. I came in 778th out of 1,664 in the women's race (JB pointed out that means I was faster than over half of the other women; unfortunately lots of them were walking...) But it was a great sense of accomplishment. I NEVER would have believed a few months ago that I could run an entire 3.1 miles--and enjoy it. The 10K training in the spring is looking better and better; there are three 5Ks coming up before Christmas, and JB and I are planning to be there. Thanks again for all of the well-wishes. The weekend was a rousing success.

Where's the Dangling Baby? This may sound horrible, but these photos just don't look right without a baby dangling over the railing. They are uncannily similar of those photos. Only this was recently, at his hotel room in London. Splash News caught a good close-up of his freaky melon and nasty brown nails...yes, I know it's polish.

I'm writing today to share a picture of the quilt that I made for Becky , a soon-to-be Marquette graduate whom I had the fortune to have work for me throughout her entire undergraduate career. Becky was one of those remarkable few students who seemed to be able to balance everything really well (with a full complement of things on her plate) and who was a tremendous asset to the archives. I am so sad to see her go but know that she's going to be incredibly successful in the internships she has lined up with theatre companies in the coming year and that it's time for her to move on to bigger and better things. Becky's quilt is the Chocolate Decadence pattern from (of In the Beginning Fabric) Floragraphix I Quilt Designs book, made from fabric by the same name ( ). I loved the browns and teals and thought they were hip enough that Becky would like them too. And the quilt is really much simpler than it might seem: it's set on point and every other "block" is really just a fussy-cut portion of fabric that looks like it has been pieced. Sandi once again did a beautiful job quilting it, although we decided that the thread blended so well (and the top is so busy) that it is difficult to tell that it has hearts and coffee cups all over it). I took Becky out to lunch on Monday and I'm pretty sure she likes the quilt (whew!). And she turned around and surprised me with something herself...which I'll share with you soon.

Nashville, Tenn. – No. 7 Vanderbilt dropped the series opener 5-3 to UIC in 10 innings on Friday afternoon at Hawkins Field. The teams battled through a pitcher’s duel for seven innings until the Flames (3-2) scratched out two runs in the eighth inning to take their first lead of the game at 3-1. The Commodores (3-2) answered immediately in the bottom of the inning but waited until two outs to pull even. Will Toffey singled with one away and Julian Infante walked with two down to set up JJ Bleday. The freshman delivered by ripping a two-run double into the right field corner to tie the game at 3-3 before being thrown out at third to end the inning. Back out for his fourth inning of work in the 10th, Collin Snider struggled by walking the leadoff man and then made matters worse with an errant throw to first base on a bunt play to put runners on the corners with no outs. Brandon Gibis came through with the big hit for the Flames, doubling off the left field wall to score the runner from third to end Snider’s night and put UIC in front for good. Matt Ruppenthal limited the damage but a sacrifice fly from Rob Calabrese gave the visitors a two-run cushion headed into the bottom of the inning. Vanderbilt was unable to get anything going in the 10th as Connor Ryan finished off his first win of the year for the Flames by striking out the side. The Commodores took a quick lead in the first inning when Jeren Kendall crushed a ball off the top of the batter’s eye to lead off the bottom of the first inning. But UIC answered back with a solo homer of its own when Scott Ota took VU starter Kyle Wright into the left field bleachers. Vanderbilt threatened again in the second and third innings but could not come up with a hit with runners in scoring position, finishing the night 1-for-6. Snider took the loss for Vanderbilt, giving up four runs, two earned, on three hits over three-plus innings of relief. Wright turned in a solid second start, giving up just the one run on four hits with no walks and seven strikeouts over six innings. Kendall and Toffey paced the Vandy offense with two hits apiece. Cody Bohanek led UIC with three hits and Ota added three runs. Starter Jake Dahlberg allowed one run on three hits with four walks over five frames. The Commodores are back in action tomorrow at noon with Patrick Raby on the hill against the Flames’ Jack Andersen.

formatted also by Leslie Wan Hilary Sherlock - her perspective We recently received a call from Digicel Jamaica asking us if they could pay us a visit the next day. The new Digicel Group Ltd. CEO, Alexander Matuschka was in town and he wanted to see our school. We were told he had read the blog and thought this was the place he wanted to see, in action. A little history reminder…………We had owned the land that the school sits on now for several years prior to a building being on it. It had been our dream from the beginning to have a real school building, instead of utilizing a church hall. So, with serendipity, we bought the land so that one day we would be able to fulfill the dream. Along comes Digicel many years later, with their commitment to special needs work, and our land plus their generous charitable donation allowed us our school building. Digicel's visit set me on a reflective path. We are finishing our fifth school year in our not-so-new (but still a true blessing) school. For the first time ever we are planning a Labor Day project where we will do some much needed maintenance work on our building and gardens. We remember again how wonderful it is for us to be stewards of our own facility, and our ongoing gratitude to The Digicel Foundation for the concrete dream. Initially our relationship with Digicel was one of being a grateful receiver. This meant gratitude for the building, and some equipment, but most of all gratitude for their trust and faith that STEP Centre would strive to fulfill the right of all children to a quality education. Over the ensuing years the relationship has become so much more than a monetary connection. It has become an established base of mutual respect and a recognition that Digicel is pleased with our work, supportive of our dedicated goals, and genuinely believe in the power and possibilities our children have. More importantly they believe that our children deserve the same rights and respect that all children should have. We can now work, and are working on, wider issues affecting the community of persons with special needs. These are: advocacy and strengthening the voices and knowledge of parents of children with special needs and caretakers, among other things. Digicel has gone from a simple monetary contribution, to working in partnership with us to enable persons with disabilities and their families, to achieve what is their RIGHT. We can now look at less traditional ways of enriching our curriculum and working more on our community outreach. Finally, we are doing the second part of our mission which is using our school, our staff, and our energy, to bring the community in and to give back broadly for what we have been given. We are now giving forward in education and training to other special needs stakeholders. The true mark of our gratitude is that we strive to educate out into the community and are actively doing programs and curriculum work that will benefit others outside our walls and space ( teacher training, parent workshops, internship options for other special needs folks to work with us, garden curriculum and resource material, etc.) Our garden invites in teachers and community participants to learn about The Ministry of Education Over the years our relationship with the Ministry of Education has also evolved. Though the financial contribution is extremely critical to the survival and growth of our school, the partnership is much more than a financial one. Working collaboratively on joint projects such as a general curriculum for students with moderate to severe special needs over many months, gave us opportunities for many interactions and the building of trust. During this time we grew to appreciate our Ministry colleagues as persons who are passionately committed to our children. A recent incident brought this sharply into focus for us. A potentially difficult situation occurred, but, with the support of the team from the Special Education Unit – home, school and the government, we were able to work together on a principled solution. As many of our children have conditions not usually found in the typical school population, our protocols and standards are continually being challenged and refined. It is good to be able to do this with wise professional counsel. The Staff and our contacts at the Ministry of Education are an ally, a knowledge source, and a trouble shooter when the need arises. For that, we are truly grateful. On a regular basis we find that while we sometimes need to adjust our goals at the school. More often than not, we find that others align in our goals and even enhance our goals for our kids. Sometimes it is a matter of walking in our door to see the magic, the energy and the determination of our children, and sometimes it is about us asking for what we need help with. In both of these instances above, the organizations have done both. It started out as a "project" or a responsibility for each of the two entities above. Now for us, they have become our true supporters and believers. Belief is contagious and energizing, and we have plenty of that to give back to others. But, belief has to be backed up not only with action, but with HEART. I recently saw our teachers respond with true compassion and appropriate remedies for a cut on one of our children's lip. As I sat back and reflected on the incident, I realized that our teachers not only have the heart, but have also been given the training, the tools and physical space to address the "emergency". Sometimes it takes the smallest "crisis" to see that we do the hard and compassionate work daily, but we were given people, organizations and tools to allow that to happen also. Leslie's take away moment………This month we had one of our prior students return on an "intern work assignment" with us. I had known him at the school all those years ago (I have been with STEP a looong time) and seeing him as a work intern was like a firework that lit up my heart. It said to me, never give up and never stop believing. What we give, returns to us in miraculous and affirming ways. It says though the children go, they really do take with them possibilities and determination we are never sure of when they leave. Most importantly they take a respect for themselves and a fondness for the time they have spent with us. That student became the teacher for me that moment.

Even more variety in this week's box. 2 bunches beet greens 2 baby bok choy 1 bag Asian Mix 1 bag mixed leaf lettuce So far, I've just made salads and the wonderful Kale chips from this batch. I did, however, get my Collard Green situation under control this week. The broth with this was absolutely terrific and so simple. The bourbon and brown sugar played beautifully off the smokiness of the ham hocks. Here they are all packed and ready for a nap in the freezer. We'll be happy to find these in the fall. Slow cooked collard greens 1 T whole peppercorns 4 bunches collard greens, middle stem removed salt, pepper to taste This is best done over two days. Day one: put the ham hocks, onion, peppercorns and vinegar in 8-9 cups water and bring to a steady simmer. Let simmer, covered, 2 - 3 hours. Strain, cool and refrigerate overnight If you like, you can tear the meat off the ham hocks and reserve to add back into the collard greens. Day 2: Skim and discard fat off the ham stock. Bring to a simmer and add the bourbon and brown sugar. Cut the collard greens into 1 inch julienne strips and stir in. Cook covered over low heat until very tender. This may take an hour or more. When tender enough, remove lid and cook a bit more over medium heat, stirring to reduce the liquid somewhat. Taste and add salt/pepper if needed. Serve or cool and freeze for fall!

Oh my! I've been trying to get this posted for quite some time now and my computer was just not letting me. I tend to leave a lot of pages open and then my computer comes to a crawl and then freezes. Ugh, I hate when I have to press the power to shut it down, it just feels wrong. Anyway, now that I have my computer back to normal I can share this cute card I made for a baby shower over the weekend. As you can probably tell they already have a name picked out-- Maylee, a combination of her grandmothers' middle names. So adorable, I can't wait to meet her! I had so much fun making this card (well, it was fun after I tossed my first attempt). I can't believe I used five stamp sets! That might be a personal record for me. I've seen a lot of the other Clear & Simple Stamps design team gals filling the bucket stamp with all kinds of things, so I thought I'd give it a try. It does require a bit of masking though. Have a great day! {A Gift For You...Maylee} Stamps: Trendy Tags, Craft Room, Craft Room Bonus, Alpha Varsity, Holly Jolly (Clear & Simple Stamps) Card Stock: Paint the Town Pink, Coral Necklace, A Blanc Check (CSS) Ink: Perfect Little Black Dress (CSS) Accessories: Foam Dimensionals, Rhinestone Copic Markers: 0, W1, W5, B93, B95, R83, R85, Y38

Just 2 more days to go! Hope y’all are staying warm out there. I saw some flurries earlier but I’ve been hanging out inside for most of the day. Please pray for my sweet husband! He starts night shift tonight and hopefully things go smoothly and we don’t end up with a random snowpocalypse of sorts. Breakfast: Carrot Cake Oats V 2.0 Here’s a new spin on my carrot cake oats! 1 cup of steel cut oats 16 oz fresh carrot juice 16 oz brewed chai tea Lots of cinnamon 1 large chunk of peeled ginger Splash of Bragg’s apple cider vinegar Pour the carrot juice into a pot over medium heat and add the oats, cinnamon, and ginger. While those come to a boil, brew your chai tea. When the tea is done, add it to the rest of the oats. I kept my tea strainer in while the whole thing boiled for about 5 more minutes. Stir occasionally until oats have plumped up. Finish off with a splash of cider vinegar. This makes 4 servings. I garnished mine with a little Kerrygold butter, some unsweetened almond milk, more cinnamon, walnuts, and unsweetened coconut shavings. A little maple syrup in there rounds it out if you don’t mind a little extra sugar. Lunch: Pumpkin Spiced Protein Shake After the gym, the Mr. was sweet enough to make me a post-work out shake while I got ready to take a work call. He mixed up some unsweetened almond milk, half a frozen banana, 1 scoop of vanilla Raw Meal, and 1 scoop of Pumpkin Spice Superfood Greens. So refreshing! Dinner: Baked Squash Bowl Now you can do this with any sort of round squash you want. I actually don’t know what kind I grabbed, but it was an organic winter squash from Earth Fare. I sliced it in half, scooped out the seeds, rubbed it with a little coconut oil, and then popped it in the toaster oven at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes. Then, I took the half that I wanted for my bowl, filled it with some left over split pea and carrot soup and popped it back in the toaster oven at 350 for 10 – 15 more minutes until the soup was warm. And I ate the WHOLE bowl!

I did spend some quality cutting and sewing time on Sunday:) My heart was happy and my sewing machine was singing. Good thing, cause you really don't want to hear my singing caterwauling lol! I am so happy to have caught up on my Mystery BOM. I love these two blocks, Block 8 and Block 9... That just leaves 3 more blocks and the settings! I may actually have this quilt done for ME for Christmas! Afterall, it's still only April lol! I love collecting vintage things. I think alot of quilters do, some of us to more extent than others. A really special student of mine heard about my vintage addiction during one of my classes and the next class she brought this lovely old grater! I just love it and it hangs on the side of the cupboard in my kitchen. And, yes, snowmen hang out at my house all year long :) You can just get a peek at the vintage tins down in the left corner. I have two of these, pre-Tupperware era, and use them to store coffee and other dry goods. Was sick sick sick yesterday with an all day migraine which didn't really let up until about 8 pm. I don't get them often but when I have one the only thing that works is a totally dark room, coke(as in Cola) lol, aspirin, sleep and soda crackers. Happy Stitching and God Bless!

Mia day today, but still had chance to watch Nancy with those lovely new dies. Just watched Nancy do the demo I designed, hope whoever wins it enjoys it, it was fun to make. The idea came from snipping the die cuts about, the base of the Ferris wheel just looked like an easel. The ledge for the canvas and the buckle came from the spade. The card below I put on Facebook yesterday. I used the Grand Squares from Spellbinders to make the frame and the decorative border was made using the top of the carousel die. The die cut was embossed with clear embossing powder., to give it a glazed look. The background was made using the wrinkle free distress technique. Wipe several colours of distress ink across a craft mat, spray with water and wipe a piece of white card across it, dry with a heat gun. To make the banner ,colour some white card with the same colours used for the background, then die cut . Sew together,I used a piece of bakers twine for this. More samples to follow tomorrow.

I made a lot of new year's resolutions. Most of them had to do with running, and since I can't run, I thought I would focus on some of my other resolutions which involve food. :) Tonight I made a new recipe that I got from Mix and Match Mama. The beer cheese sloppy joe Ben likes beer and cheese, so I thought this would be a great new recipe to try. All of the ingredients (except the onion) were things we already had in the house. It was easy enough to add an onion to my grocery list last weekend and then we had everything we needed. Here is our dinner: waffle fries, corn, and the delicious beer cheese sloppy joe. Ben and I both agree that these sloppy joes were EXCELLENT! It is a really good twist on such a traditional meal and Ben described it as the most unique (and delicious) sloppy joe he has ever had. Please check the recipe out if you want to try something new and delicious for dinner.

always was and still is a lost place and the very train station in Berlin that, for me, portrays the city's ongoing change for the past couple of years, decades even. It is a place in a constant state of transition that moved from the periphery to the center of attention in Berlin urban life: I still have some childhood memories related to that old water tower in the center of the picture above when Ostkreuz was a not very busy place, a simple train station to change trains on your way to the city center. A number of younger memories reach back some ten years ago and sketch the area as a place where one did not feel comfortable walking around at night but that began to offer a wide variety of cultural projects and 'wheretogoes'. Today, Ostkreuz is an infrastructural hub - both in terms of traffic and in terms of social life: it marks the heart of east Berlin's social and tourist (night-)life and relates to and is identified with 'hot' topics in local politics such as gentrification (although it is in a constant state of construction and does not look like it at first glance) there is a great blog that - on an irregular basis - documents the metamorphoses of

Johnstown Tribune-Democrat, January 31, 2010 as "Boy Scout's Lives Shaped in Honor and Courage" Waterbury, CT Republican-American, February 20, 2010 Copyright © 2009 by Ralph Couey Written content only In 1909, a publisher from Chicago, W. D. Boyce, on a visit to England, encountered a Boy Scout. As they spoke, the American was deeply impressed by the philosophy which had guided the youngster’s development. Upon his return to America, he incorporated the Boy Scouts of America. It was Deputy Chief Scout Executive George J. Fisher in 1937 who articulated their goal: "Each generation as it comes to maturity has no more important duty than that of teaching high ideals and proper behavior to the generation which follows." The BSA’s current mission is "to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law.” I was a Boy Scout, an Eagle, and a proud one. I remember with great clarity the moment that medal was bestowed. It was the first meaningful thing I‘d done in my life. Though that moment lies almost 40 years in my past, the important things Scouting taught live within me still. For millions of Scouts who have worn the uniform, honor is their most prized possession. It is an unyielding standard by which they are judged, and by which they judge others. Their word is very much their bond. “I will do my best…” A Scout is defined by this promise. Every task will receive his full effort. He finishes what he starts, and every effort is his best effort. “To do my duty…” Duty is a moral obligation to the highest ideals of responsibility and accountability. To do what must be done, when it needs to be done, regardless of how daunting the task. To believe in and acknowledge the presence of God is faith that life does has order and purpose; that there is something larger outside of ourselves. And that irregardless of where we are and what we’ve done, we are still loved unconditionally. A Scout learns that freedom is not free; that the cost has been paid by the blood of patriots great and humble throughout our history. He recognizes that America is far from perfect, but that he can be a force for good. “To obey the Scout Law .” A Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent. Each one of these 12 standards are achieved by simply making the decision to live by them. A Scout knows that to be a moral person requires discipline…and courage. And he is willing to make that effort. “To help other people at all times.” The iconic image of a Scout helping a little old lady across the street is widely recognized. Service to others lies at the heart of scouting. The Scout Slogan, “Do a good turn daily,” reflects that commitment. A Scout is focused on the needs of the larger community around him. Scouts in the upper ranks are required to undertake volunteer service projects for the community. But it is those kind and generous acts which happen a thousand times each day and go unnoticed and unheralded that define Scouting’s ideal of service. “To keep myself physically strong…” A Scout knows he needs to be strong. A life of service to others requires the capacity for great effort. That means being fit enough to fulfill that kind of tasking. A Scout is always aware of the world around him. He doesn’t waste time brooding over his own misfortunes, but takes notice of the needs of others and moves to assist when necessary. He abhors drugs because he knows they will destroy him. He makes his life full and exciting enough to not need chemical stimulation. There is no greater challenge for anyone than to commit to a set of moral and ethical standards, uphold them to others, and live life by them. A Scout knows the difference between right and wrong and chooses to do right, not because it is easy or popular, but because it is right. A Scout will always He will not stand idly by when something needs to be done. He is not a spectator, but a participant in life. The list is daunting. Nevertheless, a Scout embraces this structure because he knows his life will be better because of that choice. It is a life that promises to be shaped in honor and courage.

Never too late for a new Christmas design, right? Now Christmas is Come It began with the frame, a lovely vintage oval that has been sitting in my closet for a few years. The perfect dirty cream color, and here I am, in the mood for Christmas. Something simple, cheerful, heartfelt and festive was certainly in order. After designing the border, I did some searching online for a perfectly Victorian Christmas quote, and what did I find, but a snippet from an old English folksong, as quoted by Washington Irving in his book The Sketchbook of Geoffrey Crayon: Now Christmas is come, Let us beat up the drum, And call all our neighbors together; And when they appear, Let us make them such cheer, As will keep out the wind and the weather. Now doesn’t that invoke feelings of nostalgia and longing for wassail and a crackling fire? Oh, to have an old-fashioned drawing room and fur muffs and a sleigh ride! Stitch Count: 180 x 114 Model stitched on Zweigart 40ct. New Castle Cream linen which was coffee stained prior to stitching. Using flosses from The Gentle Art: 1170 Dark Chocolate, 7019 Pomegranate, 7080 Endive As usual, this pattern is available for purchase in my shop for $10 (shipping is free to the USA), but you can also order it directly through me via email () or you can wait until your local needlework shop has it in stock (if they don't carry my designs, ask!)

Rob is cooking Spaghetti and Meatballs for dinner tonight and all afternoon I have been humming away to this old sing-along favourite from camping days.  I did a quick google search for the lyrics (easier on my memory)  to cut and paste.  We always used the first verse as a chorus and while the last three verses of this version are new to me –  I like them anyway. On top of spaghetti, All covered with cheese, I lost my poor meatball, When somebody sneezed. It rolled off the table, And on to the floor, And then my poor meatball, Rolled out of the door. It rolled in the garden, And under a bush, And then my poor meatball, Was nothing but mush. The mush was as tasty As tasty could be, And then the next summer, It grew into a tree. The tree was all covered, All covered with moss, And on it grew meatballs, And tomato sauce. So if you eat spaghetti, All covered with cheese, Hold on to your meatball, Whenever you sneeze. Over dinner Dianne recalled the words she knew from Alishas book….something about shooting teachers…… Anyway we had a lovely dinner with Dad, Dylan, Dianne, Rob and Myself. Oh, Sorry, no recipe for this as it was a “make it up as you go” kind of thing.

Greece teen killed following bulldozer accident in Hamlin Hamlin, N.Y. - A 19-year-old was killed in Hamlin Thursday following a bulldozer accident. Monroe County Sheriff's deputies told 13WHAM Gino Valle of Greece was riding the vehicle on a Redman Road property, when somehow, he was run over by the bulldozer. The bulldozer continued across Redman Road, striking several gas lines, according to deputies. Valle was transported to Strong West in Brockport where he was pronounced dead. The teen had been working for Brightly Farms for roughly six months, according to deputies. Valley was a 2016 graduate of Hilton High School. Today, the district released this statement: "Staff and students of the Hilton CSD were saddened today by the news of the tragic passing of Gino Valle. Gino was a very friendly student who was deeply cared about by members of our school community,” said Hilton High School Principal Brian Bartalo. “He loved the outdoors and being with his close friends, especially enjoying sports and activities like fishing. Gino will be missed.” We extend our deepest sympathy to all involved in this tragic accident. Hilton School District counselors are available to speak with students, families and staff. Parents are encouraged to contact their child’s counselor at any time."

So this week the wind was screaming out side. Just like it is doing right now out side. Except I don't know the wind speed now, but earlier this week we had gust at 50 - 60 miles an hour. It wreaked havoc in the neighborhood. This is what it did at our house. The force of the wind laid it flat to the ground. look at the 90 degree angle at the ground. We woke up to crashing winds and the sound like our house was blowing away. My hubby looked out side to find the flag pole on the ground. This made us really sad. But it could have been worse. Many homes in the neighborhood are repairing large sections of fence that blew over. Hopefully they do a good job fixing the fence, because is sounds fearce out there.

Lookie here! Martha finished her hat from the All Day Fair Isle class that I taught at NCFF. Didn't it turn out beautifully? She and her sister Molly opted to knit the adult size hat, rather than the toddler size. I am so proud! And since I need an Adult Size hat to show the class at SAFF (the first chart I tried needed adjusting- it was too long, and this is not a hat where the brim can be rolled up, so I had to revise it before the class and didn't have time to knit another sample). I'm using leftover yarn from the The Big Book of Socks (Jarbo Garn Raggi, and some Knit Picks Wool of the Andes worsted). I love the effect with self striping and patterning yarns in Fair Isle, but I also love the 2-color look of traditional Norwegian knitting. Plus, I got really tired of using the same striping yarn for all my class samples (I think I've knit 5 hats that look pretty much exactly the same, and that is easily 3 too many). I'm nearly done with the samples for my five SAFF classes (I need to finish this hat and cast on the one we'll knit together in the class)(which is full, btw). All of my handouts and workshop supplies are heading to NC even as I type (via the PO). I just have to put together the Writing Patterns for Publication talk/handout, and I'll be ready for SAFF. Wahoo! When I was at the Sock Summit, I took a podcasting class from Heather Ordover, of . I still haven't tried my own audio recordings for the blog, but now that it's getting chilly (and the fall winds have come up), I've been using the treadmill in the basement more often. I don't listen to my Zune when I run out on the highway because of that it's really more important to hear the oncoming traffic than it is to listen to music or books but when I'm in the house, I'm not so apt to be run over by a text-driving trucker. (note: that link contains major spoilers). It's really interesting to hear Heather's take on Arthur Dimmsdale. It's been awhile since I read the book, but I doubt I'd change my opinion of him as the worst sort of hypocrite (of which we have many examples today, many in exactly the same position as Arthur). Heather views him with some (though not a whole lot) of sympathy, whereas I see him as a worm. She's nearly done with this book, and I don't think I'll go back and listen to the previous chapters, but I will continue on with whatever book she chooses to read and discuss next. In the meantime, I've started listening to Wilkie Collin's The Woman in White (link contains some spoilers), via my old friend, I am not as partial to as I am to but I am enjoying it. So far, the reader is excellent, and it surely makes that hour on the treadmill go by faster.

I have already blogged a bit about my thoughts on Maus , but it really deserves it's own post. Lots of people have already reviewed it, and it has been a little while since I read it, but it's one of those books that stays with you, and I want to add my thoughts to the discussion. is a graphic novel that tells the true story of the author's farther's Holocaust experience. Literacy representations of the Holocaust have become pretty plentiful. This is by no means a criticism, it's an important topic that's impossible to truly appreciate. D ifferent interpretations show an insight into the diversity of experience, which can prevent readers from becoming overwhelming statistics. Having said this, definitely brings something new to an already diverse 'genre'. The history student within me can be skeptical of some overly fictions responses, I like the facts to be right. Our understanding of the past is all shaped through a combination of original artifacts, collective memory, and modern day remembrance. Our understanding is very much a product of our current society. Historical errors in modern day writing can help create historic myths, that reveal more about their author and the text's wider context, than the event itself This doesn't mean that I don't like Historic fiction, I love historic fiction. I'm just picky. isn't fiction, so this may all seem irrelevant, but I think that points still stand. doesn't just present a Holocaust experience, but shows how one man's experience of the Holocaust effected those around him, including his relationship with his son. doesn't create a historic myth, but honest presentation of this, sometimes difficult, relationship shows how the Holocaust stretched its supposed start and end date, and merged into the present. It's main purpose may be to tell a Holocaust experience, but it achieves so much more. illustrations are also amazing. Asides from the cover they are all black and white, the presentation is simple, but this is perfect. He lets the events speak for themselves, they don't need to be embellished or exaggerated. Jews are drawn as mice, Nazis as cats, Poles are pigs, Americans as dogs. These animal metaphors are subtle yet powerful. The Holocaust is shown as a literal cat and mouse chase, while questioning the stereotypes, segregation and racial ideas that caused it in the first place. The characters are still very human, but Spiegelaman appears to be questioning the absence of 'human' morality that dominated the period. Spiegelaman also regularly breaks the third wall and Maus is painfully real. I cannot recommend this book enough. It's a relatively recent edition to my collection, but already one of my most loaned. If reading isn't normally your thing, then hey, it's a graphic novel, you can still give it a go. :) I'd love to hear you thoughts if you've read If you have any other graphic novel recommendations let me know!

Have you ever had one of those days when weird things just seem to keep happening? You find yourself saying,"What??" constantly. Well, that has been my case for the past couple of days. Like for instance we just got our van detailed which has been way too long in coming. When we went to pick it up, it was still in the garage part of the shop. As they were backing it out I say to Nathan, "If you worked here and wanted a drink, what would your options be?" There were two cases of Bud Light and a garbage can full of empties. Nathan said, "Well, if you own your own shop, I guess you can drink whatever you want to." WHAT?! Do I mind that someone is drunk when they clean my van, as long as they do a good job and they don't get sick in it? Then again, if they get sick they could clean it up fast enough. Humm.. I'll have to think about that one. When I was checking out at the grocery store today, the checker held up my bottle of salad dressing and said very seriously, "Would you like me to leave this out for you?" I just gave him a blank stare and said, "No- I think I'll eat my salad at home." He replied, "Oh, sorry." WHAT?! I don't get it. This morning Miss J & I went to a playgroup at a park. There were clumps of what looked like snow piles all around and it continued to "snow" the whole time we were there. I think we might have been under the largest grove of Cottonwood trees in all of Muskegon. It was really crazy. I also think I may have found the root to some of my sinus problems.. Ugg.. Later in the day we met up with some other friends for our first official beach swim of 2007. The water temp was about 63 I think, and it was really nice. Saroya and Jaleigh swam and played for about two hours and then Dad & Ethan came to join us. It was nice to finally be able to sit and relax for a little while. We have been on the dead run for so long. It's amazing what the sand and water can do for your skin... and soul. We ended the night with another "What?!" while watching the National Spelling Bee on TV. I know, that in itself is a WHAT?! but it is astounding to watch these little kids spell words that you (and they probably) have never even heard of before. Then the spelling is no where near how it sounds. How do they do that? Lucky and brilliant I guess. I am going to sleep now and hope to awake out of the twlight zone... :)

I keep hearing 'bad winter' coming..... It appears the wooly worm has a different take on the situation. I hope he's correct! Wooly worm Winter detection Look for wooly worms under rocks and inside hollow logs. (or making an escape across a pathway) Examine the wooly worm, pay attention to its bands of colors. The wooly worm will curl into a ball when touched or threatened. When they crawl, they can crawl very quickly! Wooly worm forecasters say that the size of the brown band of color will tell you what kind of winter is coming. Legend says that the thinner the brownish red bands, the harsher the winter will be. If the wooly worm is mostly brownish red in the middle, winter will be mild. Wooly worm enthusiasts claim an 85 percent success rate over the last few decades. Scientists tend to disagree and say wooly worm weather prediction is as unscientific as using groundhogs to predict winter weather. The groundhogs likely side with the wooly worms.

I bought a ton of Wet N Wild Fast Dry polishes when they came out in late 2010. I haven't worn too many of them, but I really have been meaning to! so last night, I did! This is 'Gray's Anatomy' This is four coats, with no base or top coat. First thoughts: a bit sheer, reminds me of putting an alien's skin on my nails lol. Gray's Anatomy is a steely gray, with a purplish color, and also a sea foam-ish green. This is pretty opalescent. I really like it, although I had to build it up, and that I'm not too sure about it On to the pictures!

By Victor R. Preedy, Raj Lakshman, Rajaventhan Srirajaskanthan, Ronald Ross Watson Well-illustrated all through and with in-depth analyses, nutrients, vitamin treatment, and the Liver presents a holistic realizing of the causative components that precipitate liver ailment and the dietary components and regimens that opposite deteriorating hepatic functionality. This updated source additionally comprises rising fields of technology and important discoveries. With contributions from prime specialists of foreign reputation of their respective fields, the ebook first emphasizes the $64000 position food performs not just within the prevention of liver ailment but additionally within the reversal of liver disorder. the second one part covers a number of points of alcoholic liver ailment (ALD) and nonalcoholic fatty liver illness (NAFLD) in addition to the resultant steatohepatitis that encompasses the complete spectrum of triglyceride accumulation, irritation, fibrosis, and end-stage cirrhosis of the liver. The publication then specializes in the mounting facts in aid of alcohol abuse, hepatitis viruses, and immune illnesses as key predisposing elements within the occurrence of hepatocellular carcinomas. the ultimate part evaluates the significance of nutrients within the therapy of liver ailments in babies as opposed to adults, together with restoration after liver transplantation. Read Online or Download Nutrition, Diet Therapy, and the Liver PDF Atlas of Gastrointestinal Surgery (Two-Volume Set) (Books) Atlas illustrating the surgeries used to regard gastrointestinal tract ailment, for practitioners. Covers surgical anatomy, the preoperative and intraoperative prognosis, and surgical indication. Translation. DNLM: Gastrointestinal approach - surgical procedure - atlases. This new name within the award-winning Lecture Notes sequence presents a clinically-oriented method of the research of gastroenterology and hepatology, masking either the scientific and surgical facets of gastrointestinal perform. It explores organ-specific issues, medical fundamentals, and gastrointestinal emergencies, including an in depth self-assessment part. Extra resources for Nutrition, Diet Therapy, and the Liver Moore, M. , P. S. Hsieh, D. W. Neal, et al. 2000. Nonhepatic response to portal glucose delivery in conscious dogs. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 279:E1271–E1277. Moore, M. , S. Satake, M. Lautz, et al. 2004. Nonesterified fatty acids and hepatic glucose metabolism in the conscious dog. Diabetes 53:32–40. , M. L. Houlier, P. P. Mirand, et al. 1993. Effect of amino acids alone or with insulin on muscle and liver protein synthesis in adult and old rats. Am J Physiol 264:E614–E620. 30 Nutrition, Diet Therapy, and the Liver Myers, S. C. Miller, and K. Uyeda. 2004. Carbohydrate response element binding protein directly promotes lipogenic enzyme gene transcription. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 101:15597–15602. , E. J. Peters, and R. R. Wolfe. 1990. The relationship between gluconeogenic substrate supply and glucose production in humans. Am J Physiol 258:E288–E296. Jones, P. J. , and S. Kubow. 2006. Lipids, sterols and their metabolites. In: Modern nutri­ tion in health and disease, ed. M. E. Shils, M. Shike, A. C. Ross, B. Caballero, and R. 1 Response of the Liver to a Glucose Load The liver is known to play an important role in the disposal of a glucose load, but exact measurements of the liver’s contribution in humans is hampered by methodological and ethical concerns regarding portal vein blood sampling under most conditions. , 1994). , 1991). The canine liver accounted for the disposition of 25–40% of the administered glucose, with the exact percentage being largely determined by the load of glucose and insulin reaching the liver. Rated 5 – based on votes

My short "Stax of wax" It started as a project to convert the music on a 12" LP (Long Play) record to a CD. An album I really liked was NOT available online as an Mp3 so I needed to do it myself. My turntable had not been used in years. I blew off dust and saw the only speeds were 331/3 and 45. My folks had a pile of old 78s downstairs but I had no way to listen to them. My small collection seemed centered in the early to mid-sixties. I recently took pictures of CCR's John Fogerty in a concert in Atlanta so I knew he still had The Voice. The LIMELITERS were very big in Folk Music in the Sixties. I'm sure the individuals went on to bigger and better things but I'm just not aware of any huge follow up hits. I did come across some 5th Dimensions and a Mama Cass Elliott disk. Wonder if she ever would have stopped by the California Dreaming restaurant here and looked out on our harbor? Do they serve ham sandwiches? Saw some other of my musical friends from the 1960s recently. Paul Simon performed in Atlanta earlier this month with an 8-piece band. No sign of that other curly-headed fellow he used to sing with. Sweet Baby James Taylor played in Columbia last year and his son was onstage with him. He looked older than his dad did on the album. Record cover art. Wow. Now THERE was a remarkable 12" x 12" canvas for artists and photographers. Sometimes, inside, they would spread out and cover the entire 12" x 24" surface. Huge four-color wall posters often were enclosed. But, it's time to get back to dubbing a hard-to-find album by Craig Hundley. That's the one that started this nostalgic trip back in time. Craig was a 12-year old prodigy in the jazz world. I never saw him perform but the album caught my ear. Does anyone else out there know anything more about him? He'd be about 50-60 now and I hope he continued playing. No trace of him online though.I Googled him. I'll make sure his music continues even today on Smartphones and I-Pads. Labels: 12 inch LP, 5th Dimensions, 78s, CCR, Craig Hunddley, Credence Clearwater Revival, Google, John Fogerty, Mama Cass Elliott, MP3, Paul Simon, Sweet Baby James

Good morning to you all. So there was no news. Then there was some news. Some big, juicy, very significant news. The signing of Heurelho Gomes, whos contract at Spurs expires shortly, on a 1 year deal (with option of a further year), came as quite a shock, to be honest. My initial thoughts were, that the bloke hasn't played for an age and he is well known for making high profile mistakes. Given that both Watford keepers, Almunia and Bond, had gifted the opposition several goals between them, the season past, I'll be honest, the news on Gomes had me worried and a little angry, for a few hours yesterday morning. Now I'm not a tunnel vision merchant. I am willing to listen and to research in order to understand the information that is being presented to me. Therefore, leaving aside the issue of reliability, what do I now know about Heurelho da Silva Gomes? The 6ft 3" tall, 33 year old Brazilian International (11 Caps) won four consecutive Dutch League titles in his time with PSV Eindhoven (2004 - 2008), playing most of the games in each of his four seasons there. He helped PSV to a Champions League Semi Final in his first season (they had never been past the last 16 in 14 previous attempts) and was a real favourite with the Eindhoven crowd throughout his time there. A sensational shot stopper with excellent distribution, particularly with his throws, he moved to Tottenham Hotspur in 2008 and had his best season in England in 2009/2010 but he has played next to no football at Spurs since the end of the 2010/2011 season (although he did play nine games on loan at Hoffenheim in Germany, at tail end of the 2012/2013 season). I have watched the obligatory 'Best of' You Tube video (I refused to watch the 'Worst of') and there is no doubt that the man is a fantastic athlete, capable of truly exceptional, dare I say 'world class'? saves. At 33 years of age, he has stated that the vision of where Watford are heading (Premier League), is what prompted him to step down a division and I don't doubt that there were other suitors. It is not incomprehensible, given his age (by no means past it for a keeper), if the Vicarage Road faithful get behind this man from the off, his most consistent form could yet be ahead of him. In short, Watford are getting an experienced international goalkeeper who has lived in England for the past six years, who can speak English, Spanish, Portuguese and Dutch fluently, for an outlay of £0 in the transfer market. Couple this with the imminent arrival of Lloyd Dyer (£0) from Leicester and there are encouraging signs that last summer's 'Throw enough at it and hope something sticks' transfer policy has been abandoned, in favour of signing decent players who are familiar with the English game and should take little time to settle. What Gomes' arrival will mean in terms of the other keepers (Almunia, Bondy and Woods) from last season, will soon come to light but I think there is little doubt that Gomes has come in to be Number 1. Personally, I would not be disappointed with Almunia or Woods (or both) getting 1 year extensions to play back up to Gomes with Bond getting a full year's playing experience out on loan. Ultimately, my hope is that Gomes comes with hunger to play, desire to prove himself and with an understanding that he must give it his all. 24 hours have now passed since I heard the news. Disappointment has now turned to optimism. He has a clean slate. Good luck and welcome, Heurelho. Hope you all enjoy the rest of the weekend, folks.

Calling all quilters, and friends of quilters: we have three, beautifully made quilt tops which need to be made into finished quilts. These are treasures, and they are too large to donate to patients. Finishing the quilts will enable us sell them at an auction, to raise funds for the Guild. Would you (or anyone you know) like to help?

As a final paper for one of the classes I took in college, I wrote about Disney princesses and feminism. I ended up writing fifteen pages, but feeling like I could’ve written an entire book. Ever since, I have wanted to write that book. And what better way to finally organize all my thoughts on Disney than to break them up into blog posts? So I’ve decided to post (at least) one analysis for each Disney princess. (Links are at the bottom of this page!) Now, I know a lot has already been said about Disney & the example they set for young girls. But the reality of the situation is that if you are a parent in the United States during this day & age, it’s nearly impossible to avoid the princess-philia. That’s why I’m not going to try to give you a black-and-white verdict on Disney princesses. Because chances are, you’re not going to convince your kids to stop demanding Frozen on the millionth movie night in a row. Instead, I’m going to break down the princess movies for you, so you’ll be better equipped to open a dialog with your kids before, during, and after the movies. After all, it’s not our job as parents to pretend the world is perfect – it’s our job to prepare our children for the world so they can make it better. I present to you: Jasmine: Not a Prize to be Won: A Woman’s Agency in Agrabah Elsa & Anna: Thaw a Frozen Heart: Beauty, Love, & Upended Expectations in “Frozen” Belle: How to Teach Kids About Consent with “Beauty & the Beast,” Homosexuality in the Live-Action “Beauty & the Beast”

Sometimes it seems that the more going on in my life the less I have time to share it. I have mentally started many posts over the last weekend but never actually got any of them down. Friday a young girl and her family came to look at Connie. I don't know if I mentioned it before but I was contacted about her through an ad I forgot was still up. I had no plans to sell her since buying our farm but this young girl was everything I had hoped for in a new owner. 14, ready to graduate from her pony and wanting to jump. I really didn't expect much as many people before when I were selling were far more interested in Lass who is pretty as opposed to Connie who isn't as stunning but trained. People can be so stupid and that is a whole other rant but seriously, put your child on a trained horse not just a pretty one. Pretty does not mean safe or even for that matter anything in jumping... Anyhows, the girl turned out to be a very confident rider and did fabulous on Connie. And I had this knowing that they would be buying her. On Sunday they offered me a low offer which I refused. Monday they paid what I was asking but including tax. I hung up the phone and cried and my mom hugged me. I feel good that she is going somewhere she will be loved and ridden a lot more than I have time for but it still hurts. I prayed about this a lot and I knew that for Connie this was the best decision. She is the the type of horse that thrives under attention. And while I doubt she has been complaining about being a pasture pet she came to life with the young girl out riding her in a field. Friday they pick her up. Friday I say goodbye. But what hurts the most is I won't even be able to take a farewell ride on her. A tight hug will have to do. I think I need to go cry. I will blog the rest of my weekend later.

Liam had quite a big day for his first fourth. We spent the morning playing at the cottage. Auntie Rae came up to visit with all of us today. Then we visited with Sean's aunt Beth and uncle Rick in the afternoon. They live at another lake nearby. aunt Barb and the other uncle Rick were also there too. Liam got to dip his feet in the water with great-aunt Beth, but had the most fun chasing the neighbor's dog and getting doggy kisses. Uncle Rick took us out for a ride in his big bass boat. Liam loved the wind on his face. This evening Liam played with auntie Rae in the sand while mommy made ice cream. After dinner (Liam ate some hamburger and mac n'cheese) daddy and auntie Rae put on some fireworks (nothing big mind you, only fountains and sparklers this year) for the family. Liam was a little unsure at first, but when we started clapping and cheering, he realized it was ok and got excited too. Liam's mood has been somewhat cantankerous the past several days. I found out why yesterday evening when I noticed his seventh tooth showing through him gums. Today the eight one was visible. Another two teeth!

Tunisia Commemoration of Mohamed Bouazzi: Left Raises Protests. December the 17th 201o, Mohamed Bouazzi, a 26 year old street vendor, set himself on fire in Sidi Bouzid to protest against social conditions.  It was this act that triggered a protest movement against the regime that went beyond his home town of  Sidi Bouzid, Tunis and Tunisia to affect countries across in the Arab world. Al Huffington Post Maghreb (French version).  This year, two separate events are planned to take place on December 17; one organized by major unions UGTT and UTICA, the leftist Popular Front, and civil society organizations, and one officially sanctioned programme, which will feature remarks from government officials as well as artistic performances. Marzouki has confirmed his attendance, according to organisers. “Politics have divided Sidi Bouzid,” says Aida Daly, an organizer of this year’s official December 17 programme. “It will be impossible to repeat the first [anniversary].” “There is nothing to celebrate” this year, Daly added. “After the revolution, we still see martyrs; police and security officers who died because of violence and terrorism.” Part of the UGTT-backed programme will be what organizers are calling a peaceful march to express loyalty to the martyr’s of the revolution. The committee has designated public spaces in Sidi Bouzid to be named in memorial of Mohamed Brahmi, who was assassinated this year. As for unrest, both Gharbi and Daly acknowledged the tense political tone underlying the planned events; Daly citing whispers of protest in Sidi Bouzid, and Gharbi pledging them. and expressing that the political climate affects these programmes. “This year, like last year, the festival will have a stamp of politics,” said Daly, adding, “I don’t imagine there will be more promises this year.” La Presse de Tunisie supplies more background on the anniversary and the hostility of many Tunisians to the  ruling Islamists of  Ennahda.  «La Révolution survient quand ceux qui sont au pouvoir ne veulent plus le quitter et ceux qui sont dans l’opposition sont incapables de les déloger. » (Lénine) The revolution continues to exist while those in power do not want to leave it, and those in the opposition are unable to dislodge them. French branch of the Front Populaire here. Tunisia Live, in English, here. This explains why many people feel why the Revolution has yet to achieve its objectives. Tunisia: security sector reform Robert Joyce. In October, photos surfaced of the savagely beaten body of 32 year old Tunisian man Walid Denguir. Police reportedly arrested Denguir in the Bab Fellah neighborhood of Tunis. Around an hour after his arrest, Denguir’s mother was called on by the police and told her son was dead. Pictures taken after autopsy show Denguir’s skull had caved in and a prominent human rights lawyer said that his injuries resemble the “roasted chicken” position, said to be common to the Ben Ali era, where the victim is hung by four limbs on a pole and beaten with sticks. Three days after Denguir’s death, the Ministry of Interior remarkably released a statement blaming his death on “excessive violence” while in custody. The officials quickly got back to the normal routine, though, and removed the press release. An investigation is said to be under way from both within the ministry and the external court. Since then, despite continued reporting and civil society pressure no updates have been released. In a show of stunning nerve, the security forces union blamed Denguir’s death on the consumption of cannabis. Local media has run the same cause of death, attributing this to a phantom autopsy report. The Denguir case serves as a particularly brutal example of the larger issues of police arrest practices. A Human Rights Watch report released earlier this month exposed the flaws in existing laws that have yet to be improved since the revolution. Police in Tunisia can hold arrested suspects for six days without pressing charges or processing them in the prison system. During this time as HRW writes, “detainees are particularly vulnerable to mistreatment by law enforcement agents because they have no access to a lawyer or to family visits.”

While there is a common misconception that wildfires in the west, especially in Colorado’s Front Range, are increasing in severity and frequency, they are actually burning similarly to most historical fires according to CU forestry researcher and professor Tom Veblen. In the dry and windy western parts of the United States, forest fires are not a rarity. Fires have been necessary for regeneration and growth among many species for centuries, but that doesn’t stop the panic that ensues when fires rage across mountainsides dangerously close to homes. Numerous studies have been done over the years and there are various solutions that are frequently implemented to help keep fires under control, including tree thinning and fire suppression, but to some people the answer seems to be common sense: don’t move to a fire-prone environment if you aren’t willing to adequately prepare for one in advance. “We need to be very strategic to invest money in places where it’s really going to make a difference, which is right around the home,” Veblen said. “This includes building materials around the house, whether people clean their gutters out, whether people leave their windows open when they leave on the day the fire starts. From a public outreach point of view that’s where we need to put our resources.” One of the first models studied by researchers, the Southwestern ponderosa pine model, drove a lot of legislation when it came to regulations on fire suppression. That model works well for areas below 7,100 feet but according to a new study in 2014 led by University of Colorado Boulder and Humboldt State University in Arcata, Calif. and co-authored by Veblen, only applies to less than 20 percent of Colorado’s forests. For starters, there are many areas in Colorado that do not need to be prepped as extensively as others. Areas in Rocky Mountain National Park, for example the Bear Lake area, are at a much lower risk for surface fires than some of the lower montane zones. “That kind of vegetation, there’s almost no history of surface fires,” Veblen said. “Those forests only burn under extreme drought which in historical record prior to the last 50 years or so would have been two or three years per century that were dry enough for widespread fires.” For a short-term period after prominent fires, real-estate patterns tend to steeply decline. After a few years pass however, they rise back up as people seemingly forget the danger that moving into a fire-prone environment entails. But this is not to say that some developments haven’t been made. “At a local level there has been tremendous progress,” Veblen said. “I think that within our community here there has been a gradual shift towards greater emphasis on fuel treatments in the wild land urban interface as opposed to spending a lot of money thinning forests in areas distant from homes,” he said. A lot of this progress during the 1980s, could only be made after educating the public of Boulder that cutting trees to reduce fire hazard was also beneficial for restoring the ecosystem. Out of this realization also came the acceptance of “let-burn” policies, where trees, especially in more distant areas, were allowed to burn. “Twenty years ago, I’d say there was a high level of ignorance at the national level. Today I’d say there’s much less,” Veblen said. Progress continues to be made but unfortunately, according to Veblen, Boulder County is going to need to see a lot more loss before people create the change that needs to occur.

Imagine, if you will, life with over a half dozen people crammed into 1200 sq ft, some of which is closets and oddly shaped parts of rooms. All the acutrements of those people plus the many added parcels for hobbies, developmental toys, and the like. Then the square footage needed for homeschooling three different grades, space for keeping and making food for all those hungry mouthes and the shelves and shelves of books which are necessary to our exisitence. An enormous supply of computers, electronics and cables. A wealth of fabric, buttons and sewing machines. We do our own car repairs, gardening, and building and have the required supplies. Throw in an upright piano and 7' L-shaped sectional couch, holiday decorations and seasonal supplies, two cats and puppy and a rabbit on less than a 16th of an acre (on which the house and parking area sits) and you can maybe get an idea of what it's like over at my house. Frankly, its a mess. I'm trying hard to downsize. To create a simple home that is easy to manage. Where there is no mess because there just simply isn't that much to mess up. I'm not asking for Donna Reed twirrling in my foyer, a deleriously happy grin plastered on her polished face, blissful with the home I create. I don't have a foyer anyway. I just don't want a mess. I don't want to be embarrased when people stop by unannounced (or with little announcement, or I forgot they announced all together and find myself stammering apologies as I twirl around like the Tasmanian Devil very Un-Donna-like throwing things out of sight. Not that that's happened recently or anything.) Would it really be too much to ask to have to find half eaten apples under the couch when we're searching for lost keys? Maybe my kid could poke holes in the really old walls? Or get toothpaste all over the bathroom when they're brushing their teeth? There are a lot of us. I get that. I birthed them so I should know. We require a lot of stuff. We have to have seven toothbrushes. We go through a lot of toothpaste too (even if it's not being wasted smeared on the walls). There has to be enough plates and bowls, cups and utencils for all of us to eat at least two meals a day with. The kids all have to have clothes to wear and shoes to shod so we can leave the house and have visitors over. They have to be season and size appropriate. They have to have enough for me to not have to wash them every other night. They're all still in carseats, some still require strollers, diaper bags, and the like. So where does the line get drawn? What is considered too much when you have many people to nuture, care for and build up to adulthood? How can I create an easy to manage home by reducing things when everything in the house is used or loved by at least one person? One wall of our homeschool before I put everything away. When the black garbage bags come out, ready to be stuffed with the unnecessary, it ends up coming down to getting shoved in and moved out. I can part with stuff, I can live without. I don't want to deprive my offspring of opportunities of play or scar them by tossing out that beloved little doll. Already, I become the Black Bag Harbinger of Death, to the kids when I get in a mood to clean out. But when three girls all have beloved little dolls the toy box starts bulging, the messes start flying and mommy gets really, really frustrated. It makes me imagine how idyllic my world would be if I didn't have to scurry around swiping up messes. The kids help, sure, but they're still kinda little and it gets tiring and overwhelming for them when their play explodes all over a hundred square feet (and sometimes further). So, my new task is to par down gently. Remove the toys that have little to no value. To help the kids see why we can't keep everything ever bought or given to them. How a few special things can be just as wonderful as a toy box crammed full. It won't be easy and I'll probably fall backwards as we have a handful of birthdays approaching. But hopefully, we can manage. Even if there can't be no messes made, maybe we can start making managable ones.

Benjamin Levesque is an actor, puppeteer and puppet builder specializing in Muppet-style and digital puppetry, based in Hershey, PA. Currently he works at Hershey's Chocolate World as a Digital Puppeteer for their permanent 4D attraction. This unique blend of live digital puppetry with a story driven animated film is the first show of its kind. A multi-talented performer, Ben has worked as a touring puppeteer for three professional puppet companies over the last five years, and holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Puppetry and Theatre for Youth from West Virginia University. Ben has built and designed puppets for two professional puppet companies as well as for many productions for West Virginia University such as The Ice wolf, Caucasian Chalk Circle, and Poe. A member of UNIMA and the Puppeteers of America, Ben's training stretches all types of puppetry performance. He has attended and even guest lectured workshops at the Puppeteers of America national puppetry conference and has been fortunate enough to have taken master classes with such distinguished performers as Michael Earl and Kevin Clash. As an educator, Ben has taught puppetry workshops in schools and day cares, including a twelve week puppetry intensive course for the Alban Arts and Conference Center. He has also taught theater, puppetry, storytelling, and improv for children of all ages at such locations as the WVU Community Art Program, Camp Lohikan in Lake Como, Pa, and Tiny Tot Day Care in Assonet, Ma. Ben is available for commercial, theatrical, and building projects, as well as acting, writing, and teaching. Feel free to contact him anytime.

Not too long ago, I saw a cute pillow on . I checked out the site she got hers from, , and I found two pillows that I like. The first one, I would love one with a "P" monogrammed on it. The second one I like is the "vintage "pillow. I think both pillows would look great on our couch in our front room. We have a dark brown leather couch with brown, black and cream pillows.

I am to sport what Amy Winehouse is to post-structuralism, but I did make a living from it for some years (sport, not the other thing) and in the course of my work had the opportunity of meeting a number of top sportsmen and sportswomen. I got the impression that some of them had difficulty with joined-up writing, leading me to the conclusion that academic and sporting prowess do not always go together. When they do, in spades, it is worth saluting. I never actually spoke to but I watched her win two of her four Olympic gold medals and several of her other gold or silver medals at World Championships and World Cups. When she retired at the age of 24, she had won more titles than any other player in the sport and was voted Chinese female athlete of the century. After her retirement Deng gained a bachelor's degree from Tsinghua University, a master's degree from the University of Nottingham, and in 2006 studied for a PhD. in Land Economy at Jesus College Cambridge. She was professionally involved in marketing, management and development of the 2008 Beijing Olympics as a member of the Beijing Organizing Committee. It is pleasant to reflect that , the Communist youngest son of a Jewish peer, was also at Cambridge (though not at Jesus) when he first played pingpong. It was he who made Deng's sporting career possible, for he had a leading role in popularizing the sport by establishing and financing the first world championships in London in 1926 and initiating the creation of the International Table Tennis Federation, serving as its first president for 41 years until 1967.

Photo:Austrian Tourist Office/Markowitsch Happy New Year dear friends! I have had a great yule-tide with family and friends this last week, and yesterday I drank lots of champagne, ate lobster, whitefish roe, fois gras, moose steak and other goodies to celebrate the new year. Yummie! Tomorrow I am leaving for the alps in Kitzbuhel, Austria, to skii! The trip is a Christmas gift from my ♥ I am a lucky girl, and it sure feels like it is going to be a great start of 2011.

I just made this soup for the first time last night and was very, very pleased with it. It's very simple, pretty quick to throw together, nutritious, frugal, and best of all, very tasty. What more could you ask for? This will definitely become one of the regulars in our house, especially in the cold months. (from Taste of Home) 1 lb ground turkey or beef (more if needed to cover vegetables) 1 can (14-1/2 oz) diced tomatoes, peeled if desired and cubed 1/2 c. chopped celery 4 beef bouillon cubes 1 cup cut fresh or frozen green beans In a large dutch oven (or pot), cook ground turkey over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Add the next 10 ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until potatoes and carrots are getting tender. Add green beans. Cover and simmer 15 minutes longer or until the beans are tender.

family in Fremont. As a young teenager, he suffered a serious life threatening illness and miraculously recovered. Thereafter, he spent a summer in Anchorage, Alaska with is Uncle Allen Berry, where he had the adventure of a lifetime. His Boy Scout skills were put to good use. He and his family moved to Valley Springs (Paloma) in 1969. In the mid-'70's he moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma where he spent his time with his Uncles Frank and Jim Fitzgerald. He married and his only child Rex Jr. was born. Mr. Berry had several jobs including delivery driver for a major distributor of soft drinks, collector of bee pollen for health products, metal refinisher, metal plater, and was a truck driver for a short time. Mr. Berry remarried and moved back to Calaveras County in 1979. He enjoyed sharing his philosophies on life with his friends. He was happy whether with friends or alone. He preferred the outdoors, lakes and boating. He loved riding and working on motorcycles. He plated the metal components on one of his motorcycles in gold, which was featured in Easy Rider magazine. Rex proudly participated in a motorcycle club that donated toys to children every Christmas for many years. He is survived by his ex-wife Elane Beal, son Rex (Kalyn) Berry, Jr, grandson Cody Lee Beal, great-granddaughter Zoey-Ann Nicole Beal, ex-wife Donita Thompson, stepson Sean McAlister, stepdaughter Jennifer Barberis, brother Jason Berry of San Andreas, sister Lorry (Lorraine) Weatherby of San Andreas, sister Jennifer Berry of San Andreas sister Lynne Calvert of Yelm, Washington, brother Carlton (Deme) Berry II of Elk Grove and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his father Carlton Berry, mother Rita Berry and brother George Berry. Viewing begins at 2 PM Sunday March 26, 2017 at San Andreas Memorial Chapel, in San Andreas. A rosary will be recited at 4 PM at the chapel. A memorial service will be announced soon.

Over the weekend I headed out to Beacon, NY. My thought was that I could get lost in the woods for a bit. But freezing temperatures thwarted my plan. Instead we sat in coffee shops, wandered through art galleries, watched glass-making demonstrations and visited the , one of the largest contemporary art museums in the world. My hiking boots sat unused. The museum felt like one long massive warehouse, light pouring in to the long halls, big enough to house some of the largest art installations I've ever seen. I was impressed. I know absolutely nothing about contemporary art. But I like to look at it. I like that it makes me think. And I'm fascinated by the things we say. The things we hear. This is a sampling, in no way meant to trivialize the exhibitions we saw. Only to say, this was ordinary conversation. This, in my opinion, proves that we saw some incredible things. Museum Attendant (into walkie-talkie): Yes. There are other spiders. (long pause) No. Ours is the third largest. There are two other spiders that are much bigger. Me (to Tyler): You could be a geometric minimalist. Tyler: You think so? Exhibit features a framed piece of paper with instructions. I point to the stack of identical papers beneath it. Tyler: I think it's part of the exhibit. Me: But it's just a stack of papers. Don't you think you're supposed to take it home? Tyler: I don't know. I don't think so. I really think it's part of the exhibit. Tyler: What was your favorite exhibit? Me: I liked the sculptures you can wear. Me: So what is this made out of? Tyler (looks at brochure): Plaster. Wax. Wood. Excrement. And Urine.

Here is a picture of my desk actually taken this morning and not the day before! Bit easier when you get up a bit later isn't it! Card there is a new home one for my Nan who moved into a nursing home last Thursday - haven't had chance to go and visit her yet with the children been off but she is settling in ok. That roll up piece of kitchen roll at the back there is full of new coins! whoo hoo and the twine you see at the right hand side of the table is the expensive one from Hobbycraft (just thought I would share that!) and the little mushrooms beside it were also a Christmas present - they are little pots of rubbers and I got three of them as the children couldn't decide on which colour to get! they will make little pots to keep "things" in and feed my mushroom addiction nicely! If you are wondering why I am sharing a picture of my desk with the world then please pop over to where all be revealed! Hope you all had a great Christmas. Thanks for looking - a mushroom fan from Solihull

Is there enough room in my suitcase for Ali someone wants to come to NY with me.... Along with clothes and yarn, I'm also taking a camera and my tablet PC, as the has wi-fi. I'm ambitiously planning on posting to the blog throughout the . We shall see if that actually happens. There seems to be enough free time worked into the schedule so that it's a definite possibility. Seriously, I need to finish packing....

Ever had a colleague whose work you admire, whose skills complement yours, and yet your work overlaps and--let's be honest--she so pushes you, too? I think that's a rare combination. That colleague, for me, is Florencia Henshaw. So when I began to think about my social entrepreneurship for next semester and how I wanted to do a few things differently, it finally dawned on me to ask her for help. Here is our email conversation: Dear Florencia, Una pregunta: since you are teaching [the methods course] in an active way, not just sitting around discussing the readings, how do you know if students are doing the readings or not? I'm trying to think of better ways to build in accountability to my entrepreneurship course for next semester and thought you might have some insights. Ann Hi Ann, I usually do so in the form of: a) creating questions/activities based on sections of the readings for their classmates to answer (e.g., "each person gets 1 question about one part of the reading; they need to come up with one more question related to that aspect and then lead the discussion in groups for 5 minutes") b) activities I create that make them apply what they have read (e.g., "critically evaluate this activity/textbook in light of the suggestions indicated in this week's reading", "watch this video and indicate how the views expressed in it reflect or not the ideas outlined in today's reading"; "identify what type of corrective feedback this is") c) questions that go beyond basic comprehension (e.g., "create a dialog between two of the linguist mentioned in the reading, taking into account what each of them believes about language learning"; or responding to misconceptions based on what they now know after doing the reading.) d) React to what the reading proposes (e.g., pros/cons, things they are not convinced about yet) e) Quick writes ("Could the suggestions Brandl proposes for teaching vocabulary also apply to the teaching of grammar?" - they wrote for 10 minutes at the beginning of class, I collected them all, we continued with class; then at the end of class, they re-read what they wrote to see if their thoughts had changed after our class discussion) In all of these cases, I don't review the content of the reading unless I notice some misunderstandings or areas that were not too clear as they work on the activities above. So far, it's working great! It is never meant to be a "pop quiz" or anything like that. They know they can re-read sections or access their notes. What I do see that I had never seen before in a grad course is that many of them are coming with their own notes and summaries about the readings. I think it's because they know they will need to access the information quickly to do the activities. It might also be that since we have a quiz every 3 weeks, they feel they need to be more organized and keep up with the material more than in other courses. In the vast majority of grad classes, there is only a midterm (if that), and in a few cases there is a final exam, but there is very little in terms of being accountable for the readings throughout the course. Maybe that's just to encourage more learner autonomy: after all, in the real world, you will read whatever and whenever you want... I don't know! I hope this helps! If you want to talk more about it or see some more specific examples, let me know. Florencia. Could you incorporate Florencia's suggestions in your courses? What do you do to build accountability into your courses? How do your colleagues inspire and, yes, even push you?

It would've been my dad's 87th birthday today, he passed away September 17th 2000. I was very close to my dad & saw him nearly everyday, even if it was for morning coffee & toast on my way to work. He was my sounding board for the issues that would come up both in business & family & now there's just the void in my heart. He was my foundation as a child & I loved him dearly as an adult. Here's a 'Family Photo' circa 1966 of my brother, sister with her cat, & myself sitting on dad's knee. Dad could look miserable at times but I know that he lived with much pain in his body. On June 29th 1969 he would crash his plane & would live to tell about it, however he would from that day on be a paraplegic. My childhood would change too. The gout in his hands & arthritis in his shoulder would settle in too. He lead a bachelor lifestyle since mom left in 1965 then this accident in 1969. He was, in one word, a survivor & very independent. This picture was taken in Florida at his trailer that he would retreat to for the winter. I told him that I could not spend Christmas with him but I would be there for his birthday. So Bill & I would load the van with the kids & head to Florida, it was a 22 hour journey...no stop. We did that for years & he looked forward to seeing us & we looked forward to having the sun on us & shedding our winter clothing. On one trip, we took in Disneyland & Epcot, what a fun time. This was our last time together in Florida, he would become ill with terminal cancer & die a short time after. I remember how horrified he was to see my hair colour change, 'Tell me that you can wash that out!' he said sternly from his wheelchair. 'Nope daddy, this is the new me!' He'll be smiling down on me now, after 16 years as a blonde, I went back to the original colour of brunette. What's old is new again! It's been 14 years since his passing but he would be so proud of his family doing the elevator business that their doing today. You see he started this industry with his patent back in 1972, making a vertical platform lift for the handicap! His grandson's & son-in-law work in the industry now. Happy 87th birthday daddy! I miss you & your stories of 'I've seen me...' He is gone but not forgotten.

Birmingham Brummies have confirmed they have switched their racenight Birmingham Brummies have switched their racenight from a Thursday to Wednesdays. Brummies officials have made the decision to switch from their current Thursday race night after asking for feedback on an internet forum. And joint owner Alan Phillips, who is preparing for his second season at the club alongside business colleague Chris Luty, says he hopes the move proves popular with the fans. Phillips is also keen to avoid a clash with Premier League fixtures with the possibility of signing riders to double-up in the top two leagues. He said: "I am very conscious of the need to take into account the views of supporters and there is no doubt that a switch back to Wednesday evenings is more popular and the majority choice. "Accordingly, I have decided to change back to our previous Wednesday evening arrangement. I'm also conscious that there is less likelihood of Wednesdays clashing with any Premier League meetings so the decision was fairly easy." The news does mean that Ben Barker, who has signed for Premier League Ipswich Witches who race on a Thursday, could now double-up again at Perry Barr.

I took this one the other night as River was frolicking just before bed. Good action shot, if I do say so myself. River knows a bunch of different commands for when she needs to "do her business," so to speak. "Outside" is what it sounds like, as are "poop," "trash," and "home," while "potty" means doing number one. My roommie and I are likely the only dog owners in our complex that actually pick up after our dog when they've left a-something on the grass, and I find that when I get back inside, it's often my shoes, not River's paws, that need wiping off (and we have a towel hanging by the door for that purpose). I swear, I hate people sometimes, holy poop, clean up after your gorram dog! So anyway, River and I went on a walk yesterday, intended to last about half an hour or so. It was a really nice day, after all- bright, crisp, the slightest hint of a breeze. Hell, there were even birds a-singing, for crying out loud. Couldn't not hang with my girl for a bit in the beauty of nature. And naturally, after only a few minutes, she started to take a dump on the grass between the sidewalk and the street. "Good poop, River! Good poop!" I gave her a treat to occupy her as I picked up her little gift to the world, using an old grocery bag, and we moved on. Now me, I like to go different ways every time we go for a real walk so neither of us gets bored with the surroundings, so I tried a new neighborhood near one of the bigger streets to which ours connects. And wouldn't you know it... I got lost. Of course, right? But hey, I'm an independent woman, and I have a dog that'd prolly bite off the penis of any dude that tried assaulting me, so I changed the music I had going to something more badass-sounding (to a collection of Filter's greatest hits, if you must know), and the two of us soldiered on. Or, well, I soldiered on- River just continued to sniff and tug and esplore and OHMYGODTHAT'SABIRD! Once we'd been gone for over an hour, I started to get a little worried. I mean, this was getting kind of ridiculous. I had purposely avoided cul de sacs and dead ends, but I couldn't find either my street or that one connecting to it. Not only that, but nobody had their trash cans out, so I was carrying a grocery bag with a bunch of poop in it with me the whole time. So pleasant, let me tell you, nothing says "it should be spring right now" better than birds singing, the sun shining, and the stench of dog poop, fresh beside you. Just when I was about to start panicking, River planted herself in the grass of someone's front lawn. "Damnit, River, not now!" I said, thinking she was about to lie down or something. She does this when she's tired and forced to be outside. But instead of lying down, she started taking another dump. And this one was kind of a duzy. I mean, it was bigger than the first one. "'The Hell, River? Haven't I been carrying around your last load this whole time? How can a dog your size have that much poop in there?" When she finished, she looked at me with those damn eyes and I felt like the worst person in the world. "Aw, I'm sorry, baby," I said, and I knelt beside her and gave her some fake bacon to occupy her as I tried to figure out what the crap (hah) to do, here. Moral dilemma: Do I reopen the bag and pick this crap up, or do I skedattle before someone catches me? I looked at River, and she looked at me, and I looked at her, and she yawned, and I looked at her poop. And I sighed. Damn my conscience. After some maneuvering of the bag, I started to very carefully pick up her droppings, since, you know, there was already poop in there, and I sure as Hell didn't want to drop it and make a mess. As I was doing this, I heard a honk, and when I looked up, some dude was driving really slow and giving me a thumbs up, grinning. "YES!" I shouted at him, "I'm a model citizen!" "You GO, girl!" he shouted back, then sped away. As if this random act of upstandedness gave me great karma, I almost immediately found my street, and River and I were home and in the door less than twenty minutes later. In all, the walk lasted an hour-and-a-half, including potty and poop breaks. Also the occasional attempt to lie down by River once I knew where I was going (of course). She was tiiiiiired. So you think things would be great, right? I'd be on the good side of the poop gods, right? Well, no. Apparently not. Because then, this morning, as I was picking up her morning load, she tugged unexpectedly on the leash, and the poop started to fall out of the bag. And I, being oh so genius, instinctively tried to catch it... with my hand.

This last summer I scouted the Tetons for a workshop I would later lead there. I decided to get up early and shoot the Mormon Barns in the park the day after landing in Jackson Hole. Arriving while it was still dark I found one other photographer who had beat me there, nabbing the best angle of course. Since, like most of us, I’ve seen millions of images of this barn over the years, I wanted to find an angle at least rarely shot. Deep in a hole my angle was found. First the 4x5 field view camera was set up and then my trusty Nikon. Soon there was ten photographers around me, but birds could still be heard chirping. Then 20, 25, 30 35…at least I had my unique hole angle…whatever. It now sounded more like a packed Starbucks than a national park before sunrise! Then the peak dawn arrived and a gaggle of voices was replaced with a array of shutters. I simply felt cheap! I had built a very successful career on always shooting the unique angle or approach. Truthfully, I still even haven’t bothered processing the 4x5 film yet.

If I see a recipe entitled like this, you can be sure it makes the "to-bake-list"! How can the peanut butter addict resist such a thing called peanut butter booster bars?! Last weekend was the perfect occasion to make these. Since the flu had knocked me out last week, I figured, I needed something to give me energy for my new job. And indeed, they got me through the first busy days in my new office. These granola bars are quick and easy to make and keep for up to a week. I decided that I'm going to make such bars more often. 125g crunchy peanut butter 75g honey, plus a little more to finish Finely grated zest of 1 orange Finely grated zest of 1 lemon 200g rolled oats (not jumbo) 150g dried fruit, such as raisins, sultanas and chopped apricots, prunes or dates, either singly or in combination 150g mixed seeds, such as pumpkin, sunflower, poppy, linseed and sesame Preheat the oven to 160°C. Grease and line a baking tin, about 20cm square. Put the butter, sugar, peanut butter, honey and grated citrus zests in a deep saucepan over a very low heat. Leave until melted, stirring from time to time. Stir the oats, dried fruit and three-quarters of the seeds into the melted butter mixture until thoroughly combined. Spread the mixture out evenly in the baking tin, smoothing the top as you go. Scatter the remaining seeds over the surface and trickle with a little more honey. Bake for about 30 minutes, until golden in the centre and golden-brown at the edges. Leave to cool completely in the tin (be patient – it cuts much better when cold), then turn out and cut into squares with a sharp knife. These bars will keep for 5-7 days in an airtight tin.