A dog's day . . .

Even with the temperatures soaring, our dog, Chick, has discovered from where the relied can come. I had set up the fan to cool down my sewing endeavors across the room. Chick figured out that she could cool down herself with the same fan. I think she indicated something about having to wear a fur coat even out of season so she had first rights to the fan. Even the offer of a treat couldn't get her to leave the comfort of the fan.

Words we need to remember these days . . .

"Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.
　
　
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen"

~St. Francis of Assisi

No 'doubt' about this quote!

Doubt is not a pleasant condition, but certainty is absurd.

Voltaire

Chocolate Snickerdoodles - cookies, what else?

A change of pace for a favorite cookie. Who would know that chocolate combined with a regular cinnamon Snickerdoodle cookie recipe would be so good. I often make both kinds so people have a choice. They also look pretty, side by side, on the serving plate. Personally, I can never decide which version I like best. Anyone not have a recipe for the vanilla type of Snickerdoodle, just let me know.

Chocolate Snickerdoodles

3 cups sugar
1 cup softened butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 eggs
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup unsweetened cocoa
2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons sugar
4 teaspoons cinnamon
Dash of ground cloves

Heat oven to 375 degrees.

Combine the sugar and butter in a large mixing bowl and beat until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and eggs, blending well. Add flour, cocoa, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. Mix well.

Combine the 4 tablespoon sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Measure out 1/4 cups of dough and form into balls. Roll balls in cinnamon/sugar mixture and place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.

Bake for 12-15 minutes or until set. Remove immediately from baking sheets onto a cooling rack.
Makes approximately 3 ½ dozen big cookies. Can be made smaller but be sure to adjust baking time.

Wake up thoughts for a Saturday morning . . .

In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock." -- Thomas Jefferson

 "If you don't know where you are going, you will probably end up somewhere else." -- Laurence J. Peter

 "The right to be heard does not automatically include the right to be taken seriously." -- Hubert H. Humphrey

The Good News . . . and the rest of the story . . .

For the first time in ages, my husband has a four-day weekend. A year or so ago, his office went on a 4/10 week which has made life sort of a misery for hm and for us as he isn't home for dinner three nights a week and has late hours for the other day. We don't complain as a job is a precious commodity these days. I heard that we have a 12 percent unemployment rate in our state. Anyway, the four-day weekend doesn't come totally unencumbered - we have house repairs on Monday and Tuesday which will take most of both days.

This is also one of those good news/bad news scenarios as the improvements will make our house more marketable in the event we ever want to sell and move but it will strain the budget for the next few months. It will be interesting . . . At first, it didn't sound too awful as the workmen only need access to the vents in each room. Uh, our vents are over or under items that will need moving! Since the duct work in these vents hasn't been moved in over 30 years (the age of the house), I can only imagine what else will come through with them. My daughter, a ceramics major in college has also blessed some of the furniture that needs moving with examples of her work . . . lots of examples of her work which will need moving, too.

 I'm hoping that my corner of the kitchen will be left alone so I can get some quilting/sewing done. I actually have a few orders for tote bags to complete and I sure can't do much else with workmen and dust invading the house for two days. I actually got towards the completion stage on two pending quilt project but, and you guessed it, I got an idea for another one and just had to put the idea to fabric immediately so as not to forget the inspiration. Hey, that's my story and I'm sticking to it. I was happy, however, to get some tote bag order so I had to take a break and work on something else.

 It has been over 100 degrees the last few days but the weatherman has promised a cooling trend. Meanwhile, things sure are heating up on the campaign trail as politician work so hard to lie their way into our hearts, grab out vote, and then recklessly spend our tax money. It will be interesting to see what the end result of the 2012 elections will be. Here is hoping and praying that the 65% Catholic vote, actually votes with Catholic principles in mind and doesn't advocate another adamand abortion-minded politician into office. I'm tired of liberal Catholics telling me that 'I have to look at the big picture'. Hard to do that past the vision of innocent, dead babies.

A Mother's Amusing Moment . . .

Sometimes, life with our children gains more in the humor department several years down the road. This is probably because we have conquered the moment and managed to move on . . . in spite of our children. A good friend shared this one with me and it has become one of my favorites.

A mother with now grown up sons recalls trying to help her eldest boy with his homework. At twelve, he wasn’t about to listen to the answer. In the middle of her intellectual confrontation with her son, an encyclopedia salesman came to the door. Much to her dismay, in retrospect, she exclaimed to the poor salesman, “Why do I need to buy a set of encyclopedia when I have a twelve year old in here that already knows everything!”