Still Waiting for a Home . . .

 Our recent onslaught of kittens are still with us as we continue trying to find homes for them. We are hoping that someone will take both of them as they are very devoted to each other. I imagine their time on the streets on their own contributed to that. We have a large kennel for them at night but block off the kitchen during the day to let them have a run around time. We have to pull the chairs away from the table as they would like to consider the table just another playground. I'm not especially fond of animals in the house so they are learning their boundaries and being good.

The grey one is a bit careful but the black one loves to be picked up. They both go into purring overdrive the minute they see us especially if it means it is time to play inside on the kitchen floor.

Makes sense in the current guidelines . . . :-(

The Affordable Boat Act

The U.S. government has just passed a new law entitled "The Affordable Boat Act" declaring that every citizen MUST purchase a new boat by April, 2014. These 'affordable' boats will cost an average of $54,000-$155,000 each. This does not include taxes, trailers, towing fees, licensing and registration fees, fuel, docking and storage fees, maintenance, or repair costs.

This law has been passed because, until now, typically only wealthy and financially responsible people have been able to purchase boats. This new law ensures that every American can now have an 'affordable' boat of their own, because everyone is 'entitled' to a new boat. If you purchase your boat before the end of the year, you will receive four 'free' life jackets (does not include monthly usage fees).

In order to make sure everyone purchases an 'affordable boat,' the cost of owning a boat will increase on average of 250-400% per year. This way, wealthy people will pay more for something that other people don't want or can't afford to maintain. But, to be fair, people who can't afford to maintain their boat will be regularly fined and children (under the age of 26) can use their parents boat(s) to party on until they turn 27, after which date they must purchase their own boat.

If you already have a boat, you can keep yours (just kidding; no you can't). If you don't want or don't need a boat, you are required to buy one anyhow. If you refuse to buy one or can't afford one, you will be regularly fined $800 until you purchase one, or face imprisonment. If you cannot (or don't want to) purchase an 'affordable boat' from a private business, you can buy a starter boat from the U. S. government 'affordable boat exchange.' Such a boat will have the basic necessities (hull, oars or paddles) and will only cost 'slightly more' than a similar boat purchased from a private business. Plus, since your tax dollars will subsidize the purchase of a boat from the U. S. government's 'affordable boat exchange,' it will appear that you are getting a good deal.

Failure to use the boat will also result in fines. People living in the desert, ghettos, inner cities, or areas with no access to lakes are not exempt. Neither age, motion sickness, experience, knowledge, nor lack of desire are acceptable excuses for not using your boat.

A government review board (that doesn't know the difference between the port side, starboard side, or stern of a boat) will decide everything, including when, where, how often, and for what purposes you can use your boat, along with how many people can ride your boat. The board will also determine if one is too old or healthy enough to be able to use their boat, and will also decide if your boat has out lived its usefulness or if you must purchase specific accessories(like a $500 compass) or a newer and more expensive boat.

Those that can afford yachts will be required to do so ... it's only fair. The government will also decide the name for each boat. Failure to comply with these rules will result in fines and possible imprisonment.

Government officials are exempt from this new law. If they want a boat, they and their families can obtain boats free at the expense of tax payers. Unions, bankers, and mega companies with large political affiliations ($$$) are also exempt.

REMEMBER YOUR VOTE IS VERY IMPORTANT - SO KNOW THE FACTS BEFORE YOU VOTE.

Christmas Baking - Butterscotch Apple Cookies

Apples and butterscotch are a good combination in these cookies. If you can find cinnamon candy chips during the holidays, that would be a great taste, too.

Butterscotch Apple Cookies
1 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1/2 cup corn syrup or honey
2 large eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
Pinch of ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup toasted and chopped walnuts or pecans
1 cup grated apples (be sure to peel them before grating)
1 cup butterscotch chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment or use vegetable oil spray.

Cream shortening, brown sugar, corn syrup (or honey) and eggs in a bowl and beat thoroughly. Mix in the flour, salt, baking soda, and spices. Mix well. Stir in the vanilla and the rest of the ingredients.

Drop by small spoonful or use cookie scoop of your size choice onto prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden around the edges and set in the middle. Remove to cool on a wire rack. Dust with powdered sugar and serve.

Holiday Suggestion - Christmas Snacking Cake

Even enjoyable work, like decorating the house for Christmas, can get everyone hungry for a little something to sustain energy and Christmas Spirit. This is an easy cake with lots of scope for personal changes and touches.

Christmas Snacking Cake
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Grated zest of one lemon
Pinch ground nutmeg
Powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Line a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with parchment paper and spray lightly with vegetable oil spray.

Cream together the butter, sugar, salt in a large mixing bowl. Add eggs, one at a time and beat until light and fluffy. In another bowl, mix the flour and baking powder. Add to the butter mixture along with the milk and mix to combine. Add the vanilla, zest, and nutmeg and stir to mix. Beat for one minute then pour into prepared baking pan.

Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until the center is set and bounces back when touched gently. Cool for 15 minutes then ice with lemon glaze (recipe to follow). Sprinkle with toasted nuts, tiny Christmas candies, or leave plain. Cut into squares and provide to your hungry workers as needed.

Lemon Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon lemon extract
enough fresh lemon juice to form a glaze

Ideas . . .
Chocolate Glaze - 1 cup powdered sugar, 1/4 cup cocoa, milk to form a glaze
Cinnamon & Sugar Combine 1/4 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon and sprinkle on warm cake

Explanation of the new healthcare system . . .

Remember when Nancy Pelosi said:

“We have to pass it, to find out what’s in it”

A physician called into a radio show and said:

"That's the definition of a stool sample".

That pretty well sums it up.

For All the Saints Who From their Labors rest . . .

In the Catholic Church, tomorrow is the Solemnity of All Saints which is also referred to as All Saints’ Day. The feast day is in honor of all the souls that have reached Heaven, known and unknown.

November 2^nd is the feast day of All Souls’ Day. While The November first feast day of All Saints’ honors the souls that have attained Heaven, All Souls’ Day remembers those who are still in Purgatory and awaiting their ultimate entrance into the Sight of God.

Many faiths believe Heaven is a given for any deceased person, and it is, if that person has earned it. It is not enough to believe there is a God so much as it is necessary to live our lives knowing that God will judge us according to how we lived the lives He has blessed us with. I meet so many Catholics who say, "Well, I know he/she went directly to Heaven." Believing that won’t lead them to pray for that soul in case Heaven wasn’t a done deal, after all, and the person has some purification time needed in Purgatory.

I think people find themselves believing that Purgatory is a bad thing so concentrate on the best case scenario. I believe that attaining Purgatory guarantees you a place in Heaven eventually while a warmer destination would not . . . ever!

All Saints’ Day, then, is a wonderful celebration of all the saints enjoying their eternity and free of the obvious woes and tribulations of life. All Souls’ Day is a reminder that everyone needs prayer especially those who are waiting out a time in anticipation of Heaven and are unable to pray for themselves.

Whenever we get too complacent about our hereafter and work less hard on our spirituality and morality, All Souls’ Day comes along and reminds us of our mortality. As the old joke goes, the person is shocked at who is and who is not in Heaven when he arrives and the people in Heaven are shocked to see he has made it! Time to pray for all the souls and increase our reflections on our own hereafter.

An interesting thought . . .

The news seldom brings encouragement these days. Lies and deceit are the norm from the majority of our politicians. Hardly an election goes by that there isn't some kind of scandal presented to either expose or depose a candidate.  The television condones all kinds of immoral behavior and gets the ratings. Yet, we bemoan the demise of the nation that was founded on Christian, moral behavior. Who are we to blame? How do these terrible politician gets into office and promote these ungodly interpretations of the laws of the land.

Seems to me that we don't have to look any further than the pews of our churches to find the culprits. Last I read,  over 50% of the Catholic vote put the current administration into office. A vote is a sanction and approval of the politician. We have an administration that is for all the immoral behaviors that are in opposition to our Christian codes of behavior. Why do people who should know what their religion stands for vote in disregard to Godly ways?

I have been disrespected more than a few times by fellow Christians in the pew for my narrow-minded view of the last two elections. Even the wife of a deacon, who you would think have a better understanding, told me that although they, personally, didn't vote for the current president, they rejoiced that the American people came together so joyfully to cast the vote for his 'historic' election. Behind her, in the booklet rack at the church resided a pamphlet for voting and it did not name names on who to vote for but what kind of person should be honored with our vote so that we stay on the side of Christian behavior. These are called 'non-negotiable' in deciding our vote. Obviously, she as well as a great many others of the Christians persuasion, did not read or take this information to heart. In other words, they voted as a political party, first, and a Christians, second. When you put your Faith on the back burner, you can't expect God to pick up the slack.

We now face discrimination as Christians. The new health plan, besides ruining many peoples life and income, makes everyone support abortion and contraception no matter what their faith may tell them. We have no option. We have to 'tolerate' everyone's choices even if it infringes on more moral choices. As a very wise woman in England stated on the news recently - God is not a tolerant God, he is a long-suffering God.

Seems that the next time anyone wants to complain about the state of our country and world, we have only one group to blame - the Christians and Catholics who voted for the moment, for politics, for the false hopes and not for God.