Monday, August 1, 2011
Great advice!
FOR ALL YOU LADIES IN A HURRY TO GET MARRIED, here's a quick piece of Biblical advice: Ruth patiently waited for her mate Boaz. While waiting on YOUR Boaz,don't settle for ANY of his relatives: Brokeaz, Poaz, Lyinaz, Cheatinaz, Dumbaz, Cheapaz, Lockedupaz, Goodfornothinaz, Lazyaz, or Marriedaz, and especially his third cousin Beatinyoaz. Please, wait on your Boaz, & make sure he respects Yo-az!
Catholic Trivia!
Who is the most famous librarian in Catholic History?
Msgr. Achilles Ratti, a historian of repute had spent all his professional life in libraries when at the age of sixty-one he was appointed Pope Benedict IV’s personal representative to Poland. Four years later he was elected Pope Pius XI.
Msgr. Achilles Ratti, a historian of repute had spent all his professional life in libraries when at the age of sixty-one he was appointed Pope Benedict IV’s personal representative to Poland. Four years later he was elected Pope Pius XI.
It definitely was the best of times even when it seemed to be the worst of times . . .
I remember struggling through the grocery store one day, years ago now. I had one baby in my arms, one toddling at my side and one in the shopping cart. It was hard to shop trying to keep a distance from the shelves so my ‘helpers' wouldn't add things of their own choosing to the cart. I also had to keep an eye out for items the cart dweller wanted to discard along the way.
The baby, who never slept at home, snuggled into my shoulder for a nap successfully keeping that side of my body numb. The toddler wanted up like the baby and the cart dweller had decided to bite into each and every carton of yogurt.
Being an overachiever or a good deal younger at the time, I was also trying to use coupons. The baby decided to have her ‘moment' of the day and we left an unpleasant aroma in our wake. The toddler decided it was half past whining time and was hitting an earsplitting decibel. I persevered and had the check out counter in my line of vision. The grocery total was tallied up, and I turned to grab my hefty wallet of coupons in time to see the cart dweller turn it upside down, squealing as coupons took off in the breeze of the automatic doors nearby. He suddenly looked up and said, "Oops!"
A customer behind me was smiling and said, "Enjoy! These are the best days of your life and they will be over sooner than you can imagine!" Murder was in my heart but my arms were full of baby.
I was sitting with a friend at the airport one day a year or so ago. We weren't going anywhere but we had just put our daughters on their first flight, their first trip away from home. I suddenly understood the sentiment behind that woman's words. One of those babies was now old enough to board a plane on her own and go half way across the country . . . without me! She no longer needed to toddle along beside me, screaming for my attention. She was a person unto herself. I had to vie for her attention now! The baby on my shoulder is applying for college. The cart dweller lives in Taiwan. I enjoy their accomplishments but look back on my shopping days with them with a good deal of sweet nostalgia. Who would have thought it?
My friend and I stood outside the airport and watched the plane take off with our daughters. Our daughters did come home again. It was our little girls who had been left behind.
The baby, who never slept at home, snuggled into my shoulder for a nap successfully keeping that side of my body numb. The toddler wanted up like the baby and the cart dweller had decided to bite into each and every carton of yogurt.
Being an overachiever or a good deal younger at the time, I was also trying to use coupons. The baby decided to have her ‘moment' of the day and we left an unpleasant aroma in our wake. The toddler decided it was half past whining time and was hitting an earsplitting decibel. I persevered and had the check out counter in my line of vision. The grocery total was tallied up, and I turned to grab my hefty wallet of coupons in time to see the cart dweller turn it upside down, squealing as coupons took off in the breeze of the automatic doors nearby. He suddenly looked up and said, "Oops!"
A customer behind me was smiling and said, "Enjoy! These are the best days of your life and they will be over sooner than you can imagine!" Murder was in my heart but my arms were full of baby.
I was sitting with a friend at the airport one day a year or so ago. We weren't going anywhere but we had just put our daughters on their first flight, their first trip away from home. I suddenly understood the sentiment behind that woman's words. One of those babies was now old enough to board a plane on her own and go half way across the country . . . without me! She no longer needed to toddle along beside me, screaming for my attention. She was a person unto herself. I had to vie for her attention now! The baby on my shoulder is applying for college. The cart dweller lives in Taiwan. I enjoy their accomplishments but look back on my shopping days with them with a good deal of sweet nostalgia. Who would have thought it?
My friend and I stood outside the airport and watched the plane take off with our daughters. Our daughters did come home again. It was our little girls who had been left behind.
Somewhat of a productive day . . .
Besides getting the checkbook in order, I got some prayer pouches ready for a buyer. They seem to be 'taking' off as several people at morning Mass are now carrying them. They are handy for throwing in your prayerbooks, Holy Cards, Rosary, etc. Since I finally made one for myself, I'm no longer dropping and scattering pages of my tattered prayerbook all over the floor under the pews.
Still have three quilts in the works but have high hopes. Tomorrow, however, is recreation day with a trip to the movies to see Captain America. Haven't been to a movie in years so this should be fun. I'm going with a friend and we are bringing along two of her children and one of mine.
The rain is long gone but the nearby mountains sort of look a bit greener for the deluge even if it is not new growth but just a good cleaning of the existing brush. One hundred degrees today with humidity from the vanishing rain clouds. Still, it is bearable weather and there is worse suffering in the world! Still, I have to learn to perspire with more dignity and less complaints . . . Sigh . . . :-)
Thoughts from the garden . . .
Before the reward there must be labor. You plant before you harvest. You sow in tears before you reap joy.
Ralph Ransom
Care less for your harvest than for how it is shared and your life will have meaning and your heart will have peace.
Kent Nerburn
Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant.
Robert Louis Stevenson
Even after a bad harvest there must be sowing.
Lucius Annaeus Seneca
Ralph Ransom
Care less for your harvest than for how it is shared and your life will have meaning and your heart will have peace.
Kent Nerburn
Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant.
Robert Louis Stevenson
Even after a bad harvest there must be sowing.
Lucius Annaeus Seneca
Being cool in the kitchen . . .
Whenever we have friends over, I like to enjoy the company and not be standing in the kitchen watching over pots of food, etc. The more I can do ahead, the better my own evening will go as I can enjoy the company. I have found that when I put out a substantial table of main course food, people tend to appreciate a lighter dessert. Besides having a batch of two of cookies to nibble on, something cold and creamy served in little dessert cups is always welcome.
Here is another recipe idea that lends itself to your personal tastes. Hey, there is more than one way to freeze a dessert!
Quick Time-Saving Dessert
8 ounces of cream cheese, softened (you can also use the low-fat or fat free versions.)
1 cup confectioner's sugar (powdered sugar)
1 1/2 cups frozen strawberries, thawed (get the sliced ones)
1 can (usually 15-ounce size) crushed pineapple - the naturally sweetened type
1/2 cup blueberries, thawed or used fresh ones if they are available
8 ounces whipped topping* (found in the refrigerator section of the market)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon freshly grated orange zest
Whip together the cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl. Fold in the rest of the ingredients and gently mix to keep the colors sort of bright and individual.
Line an approximately 9x9-inch pan with foil so that it goes up the sides. Pour in your dessert mixture and freeze.
When you are ready to serve, it should be relatively simple to remove it from the pan with the aid of the foil lining. Remove the foil and cut into serving pieces. Wouldn't hurt to put a spritz of whipped cream on each serving.
Ideas . . .
Before freezing, top with some candied nuts.
*For a richer dessert, whip up a cup or so of heavy cream with a bit of sugar, and three tablespoons of sour cream until stiff and use that instead of the store-bought topping.
Toasted coconut either on top or blended in take it on a different level.
Here is another recipe idea that lends itself to your personal tastes. Hey, there is more than one way to freeze a dessert!
Quick Time-Saving Dessert
8 ounces of cream cheese, softened (you can also use the low-fat or fat free versions.)
1 cup confectioner's sugar (powdered sugar)
1 1/2 cups frozen strawberries, thawed (get the sliced ones)
1 can (usually 15-ounce size) crushed pineapple - the naturally sweetened type
1/2 cup blueberries, thawed or used fresh ones if they are available
8 ounces whipped topping* (found in the refrigerator section of the market)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon freshly grated orange zest
Whip together the cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl. Fold in the rest of the ingredients and gently mix to keep the colors sort of bright and individual.
Line an approximately 9x9-inch pan with foil so that it goes up the sides. Pour in your dessert mixture and freeze.
When you are ready to serve, it should be relatively simple to remove it from the pan with the aid of the foil lining. Remove the foil and cut into serving pieces. Wouldn't hurt to put a spritz of whipped cream on each serving.
Ideas . . .
Before freezing, top with some candied nuts.
*For a richer dessert, whip up a cup or so of heavy cream with a bit of sugar, and three tablespoons of sour cream until stiff and use that instead of the store-bought topping.
Toasted coconut either on top or blended in take it on a different level.
More than meets the eye . . . for California residents.
Many of you living in California have probably heard the recent radio ads about the possibility of identity theft if you sign petitions for various bills, etc. that are looking for a place on the next voting ballot. Seems there is more to it than just worry about our safety but a means to cut down the amount of signatures needed to get items on the budget - items we may be in favor of being put into law. Passing along some links regarding this.
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/jul/29/radio-ad-warns-petition-gatherers-draws-critics/
http://www.redstate.com/laborunionreport/2011/07/29/who-is-behind-scaring-californians-away-from-signing-petitions-for-ballot-initiatives/
http://townhall.com/columnists/pauljacob/2011/07/31/crying_fire_in_a_crowded_democracy
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43953966/ns/local_news-los_angeles_ca/
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/jul/29/radio-ad-warns-petition-gatherers-draws-critics/
http://www.redstate.com/laborunionreport/2011/07/29/who-is-behind-scaring-californians-away-from-signing-petitions-for-ballot-initiatives/
http://townhall.com/columnists/pauljacob/2011/07/31/crying_fire_in_a_crowded_democracy
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43953966/ns/local_news-los_angeles_ca/
Monday Wake-Up Quotes . . .
"The way to write American music is simple. All you have to do is be an American and then write any kind of music you wish."
-- Virgil Thomson
"He talked with more claret than clarity."
-- Susan Ertz
"I can believe anything, provided that it is quite incredible."
-- Oscar Wilde
"After I'm dead I'd rather have people ask why I have no monument than why I have one."
-- Cato the Elder
-- Virgil Thomson
"He talked with more claret than clarity."
-- Susan Ertz
"I can believe anything, provided that it is quite incredible."
-- Oscar Wilde
"After I'm dead I'd rather have people ask why I have no monument than why I have one."
-- Cato the Elder
Worth consideration?
Gems from the Internet. At the end of a busy day of being a mother, some of these ideas start to sound reasonable!
A messy kitchen is a happy kitchen and this kitchen is delirious.
No husband has ever been shot while doing the dishes.
A balanced diet is a cookie in each hand.
A clean house is a sign of a misspent life.
Housework done properly can kill you.
Countless numbers of people have eaten in this kitchen and gone on to lead normal lives.
My next house will have no kitchen . . . just vending machines.
A messy kitchen is a happy kitchen and this kitchen is delirious.
No husband has ever been shot while doing the dishes.
A balanced diet is a cookie in each hand.
A clean house is a sign of a misspent life.
Housework done properly can kill you.
Countless numbers of people have eaten in this kitchen and gone on to lead normal lives.
My next house will have no kitchen . . . just vending machines.
Amusing but worth pondering . . .
On a very cold, snowy Sunday in February, the pastor and only one farmer arrived at the village church. The pastor said, “Well, I guess we won’t have a service today.” The farmer replied, “Heck, if even only one sheep shows up at feeding time, I feed it.”
My Version of Biscotti . . .
Biscotti seems to be the elegant cookie of choice these days. I notice that just a small package of these Italian cookie treats costs a lot more than the actual ingredients. When we were first married, my husband purchased an Italian baking book for the bread recipes in it. I discovered a Biscotti recipe in the back of the book and, with minor changes over the years, this has become a regular part of my Christmas cookie plates every year.
Biscotti
3¾ cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
5 eggs
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cups toasted almonds, roughly chopped*
Place flour, sugar and baking powder in a large bowl. Mix. Add the rest of the ingredients, mixing thoroughly. Depending on how dry your flour is, you may either need an extra egg or more flour. The dough should hold it’s shape and you may find mixing and kneading it with your hands easier than with a spoon.
Grease two baking sheets. Divide the dough into quarters. Shape each piece of dough into a long, somewhat flattened loaf. The dough will spread in baking so keep some space between the loaves. Shaping the dough directly onto the baking sheets is easier than trying to move it from the board. The dough is sticky and spraying your hands with vegetable spray helps a lot. There will be two loaves on each baking sheet.
Bake in a 350 degree preheated oven for approximately 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and reduce the temperature to 325. Cool the loaves slightly and cut diagonally into 3/4-inch slices and lay them cut side up on the sheets. Return to the oven for another 15 minutes. Cool on racks.
*Toast whole, shelled almonds on a baking sheet for about 15 minutes at 375 degrees. Cool before chopping and adding to your dough. Do not blanch the almonds.
Ideas . . .
1. Instead of almonds, use chopped walnuts or pecans with a tablespoon of grated orange rind.
2. In place of any type of nut, add powdered ginger, cloves, cinnamon and lemon rind according to taste.
3. Use chopped walnuts and ¼ cup cocoa powder.
4. Mini chocolate chips and raisins
5. Form your cookie loaf on parchment paper for easy removal after baking.
6. Dip one end of the cookie into either dark or white chocolate.
Biscotti
3¾ cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
5 eggs
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cups toasted almonds, roughly chopped*
Place flour, sugar and baking powder in a large bowl. Mix. Add the rest of the ingredients, mixing thoroughly. Depending on how dry your flour is, you may either need an extra egg or more flour. The dough should hold it’s shape and you may find mixing and kneading it with your hands easier than with a spoon.
Grease two baking sheets. Divide the dough into quarters. Shape each piece of dough into a long, somewhat flattened loaf. The dough will spread in baking so keep some space between the loaves. Shaping the dough directly onto the baking sheets is easier than trying to move it from the board. The dough is sticky and spraying your hands with vegetable spray helps a lot. There will be two loaves on each baking sheet.
Bake in a 350 degree preheated oven for approximately 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and reduce the temperature to 325. Cool the loaves slightly and cut diagonally into 3/4-inch slices and lay them cut side up on the sheets. Return to the oven for another 15 minutes. Cool on racks.
*Toast whole, shelled almonds on a baking sheet for about 15 minutes at 375 degrees. Cool before chopping and adding to your dough. Do not blanch the almonds.
Ideas . . .
1. Instead of almonds, use chopped walnuts or pecans with a tablespoon of grated orange rind.
2. In place of any type of nut, add powdered ginger, cloves, cinnamon and lemon rind according to taste.
3. Use chopped walnuts and ¼ cup cocoa powder.
4. Mini chocolate chips and raisins
5. Form your cookie loaf on parchment paper for easy removal after baking.
6. Dip one end of the cookie into either dark or white chocolate.
Only a mild gambling addiction . . .!
Although I truly try to be frugal in my spending and stretch each penny until it is unrecognizable, I do have one weakness---I enter contests. At least once a month, you can find me busily filling out 3 by 5 index cards and addressing envelopes to carry what I hope is my big win! I figure I spend a few dollars a month in this extravagance but justify it by telling myself that when my ship comes in, it will all be worth it. So far, I haven't even found the harbor yet.
And, before you begin to think I have been blindly throwing carefully addressed envelopes into the mail box without any return on my time, you should know that I have won prizes in a few contests. When you consider that these are national contests and my entry is probably one of more than a million, I think I'm doing well for a hobby.
My first big win happened about a year after I started entering. I won a food processor. I calculated my postage and envelope expenditure against the value of the prize and I pretty much came out even. Of course, it would have been easier to just go out and buy a food processor but where's the suspense and excitement in that? Over the years I have received various rewards for my efforts. I remember winning a Cabbage Patch Doll, a tee shirt, mixer, electric can opener, a case of bubble gum. twin baby dolls, a big Lego set, six passes to Universal Studios, a bicycle, an audio tape, a Game Gear and lots of coupons for just entering the contests.
Before I had children, these were relatively satisfying wins. As the family increased and the income seemed to get spent more quickly each month, I concentrated my efforts on the cash win contests. Every payday after paying the bills, I would treat myself to maybe ten stamps and envelopes for contest entries.
I have learned to pray for a lot of intentions over the years but I never pray to win contests. I am saving my heaven-bound pleas for items of great need or importance. One day, however, after working long and carefully on my bills and budget for the month, I tossed down my pencil and muttered, "God, we really could use a little extra money this month. It sure would be nice if I could win one of those cash contests." As if on cue, the door bell rang. It was the mailman, not Ed McMahan. I opened my mail and discovered a cash win from one of my contests---for five dollars! God has a sense of humor and He certainly gave me exactly what I requested.
And, before you begin to think I have been blindly throwing carefully addressed envelopes into the mail box without any return on my time, you should know that I have won prizes in a few contests. When you consider that these are national contests and my entry is probably one of more than a million, I think I'm doing well for a hobby.
My first big win happened about a year after I started entering. I won a food processor. I calculated my postage and envelope expenditure against the value of the prize and I pretty much came out even. Of course, it would have been easier to just go out and buy a food processor but where's the suspense and excitement in that? Over the years I have received various rewards for my efforts. I remember winning a Cabbage Patch Doll, a tee shirt, mixer, electric can opener, a case of bubble gum. twin baby dolls, a big Lego set, six passes to Universal Studios, a bicycle, an audio tape, a Game Gear and lots of coupons for just entering the contests.
Before I had children, these were relatively satisfying wins. As the family increased and the income seemed to get spent more quickly each month, I concentrated my efforts on the cash win contests. Every payday after paying the bills, I would treat myself to maybe ten stamps and envelopes for contest entries.
I have learned to pray for a lot of intentions over the years but I never pray to win contests. I am saving my heaven-bound pleas for items of great need or importance. One day, however, after working long and carefully on my bills and budget for the month, I tossed down my pencil and muttered, "God, we really could use a little extra money this month. It sure would be nice if I could win one of those cash contests." As if on cue, the door bell rang. It was the mailman, not Ed McMahan. I opened my mail and discovered a cash win from one of my contests---for five dollars! God has a sense of humor and He certainly gave me exactly what I requested.
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