In the eye of the beholder - great quote!

The eye sees only what the mind is prepared to comprehend.

- Henri L. Bergson

Back to the sewing machine . . .

 I always plan to start a quilt using new lengths of fabric and going by a set pattern. It seems that isn't to be as I tend to go with a crazy quilt and devise my own way of making a quilt. Here are view of my latest. When I started it, I wasn't quite sure of the colors but once it was sewn together, I really liked the way it blended and used up so many scraps that have been loading up my quilt scrap collection box. One thing in my favor, no one is likely to copy my creations. The are one of a kind straight from my abstract mind!

Getting to know you . . .

Well, we finally resolved our 'summer of the cats' and no longer have a multitude of strays residing on our front porch. As I've posted, they either wandered off to find homes of their own or we were blessed to find homes for them. We were down to one dog and one cat and were very happy with the situation.

Then . . . my son was out mowing the front lawn. A half-starved dog started following him as he went up and down the grass. Whenever you son would turn around, the dog would leap and turn mid air, back off, and then proceed to follow him again. After he finished his lawn work, the dog was still there, smiling, wagging his tail, and begging for attention. My son gave him a handful of dog food which he gobbled up along with a long drink of fresh water. He had more love than hunger as the dog would stop eating whenever another of us came out and would smile his doggy smile and come over for a pat on the head.

We decided to either find a home for him or keep him. We had been dithering about whether or not to get our own dog a friend and it seems the matter has been taken out of our hands. The dogs bonded and have worn each other out with playing.

Although we are still not sure about keeping the young dog, we are getting him his shots and other medical needs up to date. The children named him Griff. He is darker brown than our dog and has blue eyes. He quickly learned that our dog is boss so all is friendly and happy on the canine front.

The Mandate against Catholic still stands . . .

Yesterday, Paul Ryan challenged the vice president on the administration's mandate against religious freedoms in the United States. Biden, who claims to be Catholic, made a "that is a fact" statement about the HHS mandate during the debate. . . and the American Bishops stepped into the fray and refuted his public but erroneous proclamation in front of the country.

Response from the bishops:

This is not a fact. The HHS mandate contains a narrow, four-part exemption for certain “religious employers.“ That exemption was made final in February and does not extend to ”Catholic social services, Georgetown hospital, Mercy hospital, any hospital,” or any other religious charity that offers its services to all, regardless of the faith of those served.

 HHS has proposed an additional “accommodation” for religious organizations like these, which HHS itself describes as “non-exempt.“ That proposal does not even potentially relieve these organizations from the obligation ”to pay for contraception“ and ”to be a vehicle to get contraception.” They will have to serve as a vehicle, because they will still be forced to provide their employees with health coverage, and that coverage will still have to include sterilization, contraception, and abortifacients. They will have to pay for these things, because the premiums that the organizations (and their employees) are required to pay will still be applied, along with other funds, to cover the cost of these drugs and surgeries.

 USCCB continues to urge HHS, in the strongest possible terms, actually to eliminate the various infringements on religious freedom imposed by the mandate.

Says it all . . .

The last quote lost it's humor the last four years . . .

"Language is the source of misunderstandings."
-- Antoine de Saint-Exupery

"My doctor told me to stop having intimate dinners for four. Unless there are three other people."
-- Orson Welles

"Do not condemn the judgement of another because it differs from your own. You may both be wrong."
-- Dandemis

"A lot of fellows nowadays have a B.A., M.D., or Ph.D. Unfortunately, they don't have a J.O.B."
-- Fats Domino

The Fact Checkers Always Find You Out . . .

Last night's debate between the current vice president and Paul Ryan was anything but comfortable to watch. It wasn't  Paul Ryan performance in the debate. He was excellent. It was the antics, grins, and constant interruptions of the vice president when it was Paul Ryan's turn to speak. The moderator, too, was obviously not keeping a middle ground as she stopped Paul Ryan in mid sentence more than once to change the subject just when he was making his point.

What was amazing to me was the vice president's defense of the recent upheaval in Libya that resulted in the death of four Americans including the ambassador. The facts are out regarding the plea from the embassy to provide more security yet the vice president glossed over that and said that Paul Ryan was one who voted down increased spending for all embassy security in the world. Seems to me there is a vast difference between embassies in, say, France and one in Libya where there is constant unrest. Let's just say the embassy in France had more protection than the one in Libya. And you can't argue the results of that lack of security at this point.

Interesting that the vice president would counter Mr. Ryan's assertion that the current administration is taking away the rights of Catholics with it's mandates. The vice president flashed his annoying smirk and denied it to which Paul Ryan immediately countered with, "Then why is the Catholic Church suing you?"

Both debaters are Catholics although the vice president treats his faith more with a little 'c' for Catholic. He obviously puts is politics and political party ahead of his religion.

I had to take breaks from watching this debate unfold. It was so frustrating to not have a straight discussion with a moderator who was fair to both sides. I don't look forward to daily Mass and being approached for argument by Catholic Democrats (which, to me, is a contradiction in terms). It is always amazing  how Catholic Democrats defend their politicians with, 'you can't judge their heart'. No, you can't but when they put it right out there that they stand with their party and the party platform is against all that is Catholic, you can assume the worst.

The liberal press refers to the vice president as the 'happy warrior' for the middle class. I'm still of the mind that if we  need some R&R (Romney/Ryan) come November.