Saturday, March 12, 2011
Tuesday, March 08, 2011
Monday, February 21, 2011
Half Broke Horses
I've been reading Half Broke Horses : A True Life Novel by Jeannette Walls. Great book and in it mentions this famous sculpture called "Madonna of the Trail" a tribute to the pioneer women of this country.
It's a book about courage, hard work, ingenuity, starting over, having nothing, scraping by, loss and aboe all about the dignity of women.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Book Banned by Bully Ex-Husband
11 on My Own
COLUMBIA, Conn. — (May 12, 2010) Below is an abridged copy of a press-release to promote my book, 11 on My Own. This morning I received a phone call from the publisher claiming an email from my ex-husband threatening to sue them was going to halt publication on my book. They are not going to make it available for purchase until they can contact him on the phone and straighten out the situation. I was not served with papers, they were not served with papers, and a court of law has not ruled my book libelous. In fact, an attorney was consulted on my behalf before publication to ensure there were no issues of libel. I used my maiden name to publish, and I changed my ex-husband’s name, as well. There are no pictures of him included.
This book was doing extremely well in the three weeks since it had been released. It is factual and truthful, and the sole means of supporting the nine minor children I am still raising. One of the issues in the book was the fact that my ex-husband does not pay child support. Now I will not receive royalties, either.
In the world of reality television, producers and directors would have you believe that raising large families is one big, fun circus, perhaps laden with some pitfalls but somehow a fairytale nonetheless. Debut author Kristin Luscia candidly shares the realities of raising 11 children as a single, divorced mother in her new memoir, 11 on My Own (published by WestBow Press), a story that highlights her struggles, joys and journey towards renewal.
In 11 on My Own, Luscia provides a brief background about the choices she made in selecting men and chronicles the difficulties of enduring family court with her latest ex-husband, a controlling and manipulative man. In her memoir, she discusses her older children and how they contribute to the family. She tells of the trials she’s had in maintaining food, clothing and shelter without any support from her ex-husband or the court enforcing any orders. She also gives testament to her Catholic faith and how it has sustained her in the last 15 years.
Appealing to those who have witnessed a divorce and its trauma in their lives, 11 on My Own speaks to women who are in relationships with controlling, devious and selfish men, and it speaks to those women who see themselves as alone in the world. Luscia provides encouragement for women whose husbands have abandoned them with a larger than normal number of children.
About the Author
Kristin Luscia is a single, divorced, Catholic mother of 11 children who range in age from 4-years-old to 25. She earned her bachelor’s degree in English and is pursuing a master’s degree in dogmatic theology. Luscia has been a practicing Catholic for almost 15 years. She enjoys reading and spending time with her children, and writes on her blog about raising children as a single Catholic mother. This is her debut book.
About WestBow Press
WestBow Press is an alliance of Thomas Nelson, the world's premier Christian publisher, and Author Solutions, Inc. (ASI) - the world leader in the fastest-growing segment of publishing. They can be reached at 866-928-1240.
Kristin
11onmyown.blogspot.com
COLUMBIA, Conn. — (May 12, 2010) Below is an abridged copy of a press-release to promote my book, 11 on My Own. This morning I received a phone call from the publisher claiming an email from my ex-husband threatening to sue them was going to halt publication on my book. They are not going to make it available for purchase until they can contact him on the phone and straighten out the situation. I was not served with papers, they were not served with papers, and a court of law has not ruled my book libelous. In fact, an attorney was consulted on my behalf before publication to ensure there were no issues of libel. I used my maiden name to publish, and I changed my ex-husband’s name, as well. There are no pictures of him included.
This book was doing extremely well in the three weeks since it had been released. It is factual and truthful, and the sole means of supporting the nine minor children I am still raising. One of the issues in the book was the fact that my ex-husband does not pay child support. Now I will not receive royalties, either.
In the world of reality television, producers and directors would have you believe that raising large families is one big, fun circus, perhaps laden with some pitfalls but somehow a fairytale nonetheless. Debut author Kristin Luscia candidly shares the realities of raising 11 children as a single, divorced mother in her new memoir, 11 on My Own (published by WestBow Press), a story that highlights her struggles, joys and journey towards renewal.
In 11 on My Own, Luscia provides a brief background about the choices she made in selecting men and chronicles the difficulties of enduring family court with her latest ex-husband, a controlling and manipulative man. In her memoir, she discusses her older children and how they contribute to the family. She tells of the trials she’s had in maintaining food, clothing and shelter without any support from her ex-husband or the court enforcing any orders. She also gives testament to her Catholic faith and how it has sustained her in the last 15 years.
Appealing to those who have witnessed a divorce and its trauma in their lives, 11 on My Own speaks to women who are in relationships with controlling, devious and selfish men, and it speaks to those women who see themselves as alone in the world. Luscia provides encouragement for women whose husbands have abandoned them with a larger than normal number of children.
About the Author
Kristin Luscia is a single, divorced, Catholic mother of 11 children who range in age from 4-years-old to 25. She earned her bachelor’s degree in English and is pursuing a master’s degree in dogmatic theology. Luscia has been a practicing Catholic for almost 15 years. She enjoys reading and spending time with her children, and writes on her blog about raising children as a single Catholic mother. This is her debut book.
About WestBow Press
WestBow Press is an alliance of Thomas Nelson, the world's premier Christian publisher, and Author Solutions, Inc. (ASI) - the world leader in the fastest-growing segment of publishing. They can be reached at 866-928-1240.
Kristin
11onmyown.blogspot.com
Tuesday, April 06, 2010
13 Year Old to Attempt Everest
California 13-year-old to attempt to climb Everest
By RAQUEL MARIA DILLON (AP) – 8 hours ago
LOS ANGELES — A 13-year-old California boy plans to try to climb Mount Everest in a quest to reach the summits of the highest peaks on all seven continents.
If Jordan Romero succeeds, he'll become the youngest person to conquer the world's highest mountain.
Jordan will attempt the ascent to 29,035 feet with his father and his father's girlfriend, both experienced outdoors people who have helped train the teenager for top-level mountaineering.
When Jordan was only 9, a school mural of the seven summits inspired his ambitious goal.
"I told my dad about it and he didn't say no. He just explained the difficulties and what I'd have to do. We started training right away," said Jordan, who was scheduled to depart for Nepal Monday night.
At age 10, he became the youngest American to summit Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest peak. He's steadily checked off four of the tallest peaks since then, including Alaska's Mount McKinley, which many climbers consider to be a more technical climb than Everest.
Despite his penchant for tall mountains and thin air, friends and family describe Jordan as unusually grounded for a 13-year-old. He said he understands the risks of climbing Everest, which kills climbers almost every year.
"Mountain climbing requires a lot of mental training and making smart decisions. It's a metaphor for life," he said, sounding wiser than his years.
The teenager's planned Everest ascent is making the mountaineering community think hard about how young is too young to climb such a dangerous mountain.
Jordan's father, Paul Romero, said he wants nothing more than to make his son's dreams come true.
"It's his quest and we're just along for the ride," said Romero, a helicopter paramedic who lives in the San Bernardino Mountains ski town of Big Bear Lake. "We may or may not reach the summit this time. It might be a dress rehearsal."
Romero and girlfriend Karen Lundgren are adventure racers, competing in weeklong endurance races that combine biking, climbing, paddling and climbing through wilderness areas around the world.
Jordan's mother, Leigh Anne Drake, said she supports her son but she also sees her ex-husband's influence in the project.
"He went to his dad's for a weekend and came back with a new goal," to be the youngest to reach the top of Everest, she said. "If you're going to do it, you have to foot the bill. But if you set a record, you can get sponsorship."
The trio's Everest expedition is costing $150,000. Jordan, his father and Lundgren will be making the ascent with three sherpas.
Temperatures at the summit can plunge to 100 degrees below zero and hurricane-force winds blow much of the year. Atmospheric pressure at the peak is about a third that of sea-level, which can lead to breathing difficulties, mental sluggishness and other serious medical problems. Climbers usually use bottled oxygen.
The extreme cold, lack of oxygen, falls, exhaustion and avalanches have killed hundreds of climbers. Many of their bodies remain beside the trail.
Guides who have experience with Everest say Jordan will probably be safe, as long as he and his team pay close attention to how their bodies are reacting to the high altitude and low oxygen conditions near the peak.
"After doing five of those peaks — I've done them, it's hard — that means he's a tough kid," said Jason Edwards, a guide with the Seattle-based International Mountain Guides. The outfitter has a minimum age limit of 18 for Everest expeditions because of liability issues.
But Gordon Janow, a guide with Alpine Ascents International, also based in Seattle, said there's not a lot of research on the short- and long-term effects of high altitude on children, whose brains and bodies are still developing.
"We're in a day and age where parents are pushing kids to extremes so much. It's very hard to disentangle the parent from the kid these days," he said. "But with mountaineering, the kid can't just go through the motions. They have to do a lot of physical training and really want it."
Janow has turned down 14-year-olds who wanted to climb Kilimanjaro without their parents.
"Jordan's probably a better bet than some 68-year-old guy who's only done two mountains," he said. "These days it's moving so fast, it's a 10-year-old sailing around the world this year and an 8-year-old the next. What's reasonable anymore?"
During the frenzy of packing, Jordan's mother said she is bracing herself for two long months when the only news of her son will come from a blinking dot that represents his GPS device on a topographical map of Everest.
"I'm on a roller coaster," Drake said as her voice cracked with emotion. "From the second he leaves my arms until he's back, it's like I can't breathe and I can't cry. But at the same time, I'm so overjoyed that's he's getting the chance to do and see all of these amazing things."
She said her son is taking two months of homework to Nepal so he can keep up with school.
The current record holder for the youngest to climb the peak is Temba Tsheri of Nepal who was 16 and lost five fingers during his ascent due to frostbite.
By RAQUEL MARIA DILLON (AP) – 8 hours ago
LOS ANGELES — A 13-year-old California boy plans to try to climb Mount Everest in a quest to reach the summits of the highest peaks on all seven continents.
If Jordan Romero succeeds, he'll become the youngest person to conquer the world's highest mountain.
Jordan will attempt the ascent to 29,035 feet with his father and his father's girlfriend, both experienced outdoors people who have helped train the teenager for top-level mountaineering.
When Jordan was only 9, a school mural of the seven summits inspired his ambitious goal.
"I told my dad about it and he didn't say no. He just explained the difficulties and what I'd have to do. We started training right away," said Jordan, who was scheduled to depart for Nepal Monday night.
At age 10, he became the youngest American to summit Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest peak. He's steadily checked off four of the tallest peaks since then, including Alaska's Mount McKinley, which many climbers consider to be a more technical climb than Everest.
Despite his penchant for tall mountains and thin air, friends and family describe Jordan as unusually grounded for a 13-year-old. He said he understands the risks of climbing Everest, which kills climbers almost every year.
"Mountain climbing requires a lot of mental training and making smart decisions. It's a metaphor for life," he said, sounding wiser than his years.
The teenager's planned Everest ascent is making the mountaineering community think hard about how young is too young to climb such a dangerous mountain.
Jordan's father, Paul Romero, said he wants nothing more than to make his son's dreams come true.
"It's his quest and we're just along for the ride," said Romero, a helicopter paramedic who lives in the San Bernardino Mountains ski town of Big Bear Lake. "We may or may not reach the summit this time. It might be a dress rehearsal."
Romero and girlfriend Karen Lundgren are adventure racers, competing in weeklong endurance races that combine biking, climbing, paddling and climbing through wilderness areas around the world.
Jordan's mother, Leigh Anne Drake, said she supports her son but she also sees her ex-husband's influence in the project.
"He went to his dad's for a weekend and came back with a new goal," to be the youngest to reach the top of Everest, she said. "If you're going to do it, you have to foot the bill. But if you set a record, you can get sponsorship."
The trio's Everest expedition is costing $150,000. Jordan, his father and Lundgren will be making the ascent with three sherpas.
Temperatures at the summit can plunge to 100 degrees below zero and hurricane-force winds blow much of the year. Atmospheric pressure at the peak is about a third that of sea-level, which can lead to breathing difficulties, mental sluggishness and other serious medical problems. Climbers usually use bottled oxygen.
The extreme cold, lack of oxygen, falls, exhaustion and avalanches have killed hundreds of climbers. Many of their bodies remain beside the trail.
Guides who have experience with Everest say Jordan will probably be safe, as long as he and his team pay close attention to how their bodies are reacting to the high altitude and low oxygen conditions near the peak.
"After doing five of those peaks — I've done them, it's hard — that means he's a tough kid," said Jason Edwards, a guide with the Seattle-based International Mountain Guides. The outfitter has a minimum age limit of 18 for Everest expeditions because of liability issues.
But Gordon Janow, a guide with Alpine Ascents International, also based in Seattle, said there's not a lot of research on the short- and long-term effects of high altitude on children, whose brains and bodies are still developing.
"We're in a day and age where parents are pushing kids to extremes so much. It's very hard to disentangle the parent from the kid these days," he said. "But with mountaineering, the kid can't just go through the motions. They have to do a lot of physical training and really want it."
Janow has turned down 14-year-olds who wanted to climb Kilimanjaro without their parents.
"Jordan's probably a better bet than some 68-year-old guy who's only done two mountains," he said. "These days it's moving so fast, it's a 10-year-old sailing around the world this year and an 8-year-old the next. What's reasonable anymore?"
During the frenzy of packing, Jordan's mother said she is bracing herself for two long months when the only news of her son will come from a blinking dot that represents his GPS device on a topographical map of Everest.
"I'm on a roller coaster," Drake said as her voice cracked with emotion. "From the second he leaves my arms until he's back, it's like I can't breathe and I can't cry. But at the same time, I'm so overjoyed that's he's getting the chance to do and see all of these amazing things."
She said her son is taking two months of homework to Nepal so he can keep up with school.
The current record holder for the youngest to climb the peak is Temba Tsheri of Nepal who was 16 and lost five fingers during his ascent due to frostbite.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
A by-the-numbers Look at Obama's First Year
From Breitbart
7,949.09—Dow Jones Industrial Average close on Jan. 20, 2009.
10,609.65—Dow Jones Industrial Average close on Jan. 15, 2010.
13 million—Number of people 16 and older unemployed as of January 2009.
14.7 million—Number of people 16 and older unemployed as of December 2009.
7.7 percent—Unemployment rate January 2009
10.0 percent—Unemployment rate December 2009
$787 billion—Cost of economic stimulus approved by Congress.
$10.6 trillion—Outstanding public debt Jan. 20, 2009.
$12.3 trillion—Outstanding public debt Jan. 14, 2009.
$296.4 billion—Federal spending from the financial crisis bailout fund before Jan. 20, 2009.
$173 billion—Federal spending from the financial crisis bailout fund after Jan. 20, 2009.
$165 billion—Amount of bailout funds repaid by banks and automakers.
139—Bank failures between Jan. 20, 2009, and Jan. 14, 2010.
274,399—Number of properties that received foreclosure-related notices in January 2009.
349,519—Number of properties that received foreclosure-related notices in December 2009.
34,400—U.S. troops in Afghanistan in January 2009.
70,000—U.S. troops in Afghanistan as of Jan. 12, 2010.
319—U.S. military deaths in Afghanistan from January 2009 through Jan. 15, 2010.
139,500—U.S. troops in Iraq in January 2009.
111,000—U.S. troops in Iraq as of Jan. 12, 2010.
152—U.S. military deaths in Iraq from January 2009 through Jan. 15, 2010.
539—Appointments to top federal policy positions submitted to the Senate
352—Appointments confirmed by the Senate.
180—Appointments in top policy positions carried over from the Bush administration.
12—Formal news conferences.
21—Foreign countries visited.
29—States visited.
10—Visits to Camp David.
2—Vacations.
___
Sources:
AP reporting and analysis
Bureau of Labor Statistics
Treasury Department
Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.
RealtyTrac Inc.
Defense Department
White House Transition Project
7,949.09—Dow Jones Industrial Average close on Jan. 20, 2009.
10,609.65—Dow Jones Industrial Average close on Jan. 15, 2010.
13 million—Number of people 16 and older unemployed as of January 2009.
14.7 million—Number of people 16 and older unemployed as of December 2009.
7.7 percent—Unemployment rate January 2009
10.0 percent—Unemployment rate December 2009
$787 billion—Cost of economic stimulus approved by Congress.
$10.6 trillion—Outstanding public debt Jan. 20, 2009.
$12.3 trillion—Outstanding public debt Jan. 14, 2009.
$296.4 billion—Federal spending from the financial crisis bailout fund before Jan. 20, 2009.
$173 billion—Federal spending from the financial crisis bailout fund after Jan. 20, 2009.
$165 billion—Amount of bailout funds repaid by banks and automakers.
139—Bank failures between Jan. 20, 2009, and Jan. 14, 2010.
274,399—Number of properties that received foreclosure-related notices in January 2009.
349,519—Number of properties that received foreclosure-related notices in December 2009.
34,400—U.S. troops in Afghanistan in January 2009.
70,000—U.S. troops in Afghanistan as of Jan. 12, 2010.
319—U.S. military deaths in Afghanistan from January 2009 through Jan. 15, 2010.
139,500—U.S. troops in Iraq in January 2009.
111,000—U.S. troops in Iraq as of Jan. 12, 2010.
152—U.S. military deaths in Iraq from January 2009 through Jan. 15, 2010.
539—Appointments to top federal policy positions submitted to the Senate
352—Appointments confirmed by the Senate.
180—Appointments in top policy positions carried over from the Bush administration.
12—Formal news conferences.
21—Foreign countries visited.
29—States visited.
10—Visits to Camp David.
2—Vacations.
___
Sources:
AP reporting and analysis
Bureau of Labor Statistics
Treasury Department
Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.
RealtyTrac Inc.
Defense Department
White House Transition Project
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Sunday, December 20, 2009
It's Christmas time
As we were saying the Family Rosary this evening, I was reflecting on the fact that my children will not be getting all the Christmas gifts that I would like to give them this year. And in fact the gifts we are giving are practical and essential. Warm socks, long underwear, books... you get the picture. And I thought to myself, what do my children have to be thankful for this Christmas? And then it came to me.
Faithfulness.
While we may not be a family of generous and easy means, while we may struggle and worry, while we may not have everything material advantage we try to be faithful.
To one another.
To the Church.
To our obligations in our state of life to the best of our ability.
To friendships and those struggling- with thanks or without.
And I hope that that will be enough.
Enough to give them happy childhood memories.
Enough to let them know that their father and I love them. And were faithful to one another and to them.
Merry Christmas.
Sunday, December 13, 2009
A Nocturnal Upon St Lucy's Day, Being the Shortest Day
St Lucy's burial by Carravagio.
A NOCTURNAL UPON ST. LUCY'S DAY,
BEING THE SHORTEST DAY.
by John Donne
'TIS the year's midnight, and it is the day's,
Lucy's, who scarce seven hours herself unmasks ;
The sun is spent, and now his flasks
Send forth light squibs, no constant rays ;
The world's whole sap is sunk ;
The general balm th' hydroptic earth hath drunk,
Whither, as to the bed's-feet, life is shrunk,
Dead and interr'd ; yet all these seem to laugh,
Compared with me, who am their epitaph.
Study me then, you who shall lovers be
At the next world, that is, at the next spring ;
For I am every dead thing,
In whom Love wrought new alchemy.
For his art did express
A quintessence even from nothingness,
From dull privations, and lean emptiness ;
He ruin'd me, and I am re-begot
Of absence, darkness, death—things which are not.
All others, from all things, draw all that's good,
Life, soul, form, spirit, whence they being have ;
I, by Love's limbec, am the grave
Of all, that's nothing. Oft a flood
Have we two wept, and so
Drown'd the whole world, us two ; oft did we grow,
To be two chaoses, when we did show
Care to aught else ; and often absences
Withdrew our souls, and made us carcasses.
But I am by her death—which word wrongs her—
Of the first nothing the elixir grown ;
Were I a man, that I were one
I needs must know ; I should prefer,
If I were any beast,
Some ends, some means ; yea plants, yea stones detest,
And love ; all, all some properties invest.
If I an ordinary nothing were,
As shadow, a light, and body must be here.
But I am none ; nor will my sun renew.
You lovers, for whose sake the lesser sun
At this time to the Goat is run
To fetch new lust, and give it you,
Enjoy your summer all,
Since she enjoys her long night's festival.
Let me prepare towards her, and let me call
This hour her vigil, and her eve, since this
Both the year's and the day's deep midnight is.
Source:
Donne, John. Poems of John Donne. vol I.
E. K. Chambers, ed.
London: Lawrence & Bullen, 1896. 45-46.
Sunday, November 01, 2009
House Carpenter
Oh, does this bring back memories.
Joan Baez sings it nearly as well as we did growing up around the campfire.
Joan Baez sings it nearly as well as we did growing up around the campfire.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Monday, October 19, 2009
Fr. Tom DiLorenzo summoned to the Chancery in Boston
And it isn't going to be pretty.
Fr. Tom is well known for his ardent and vocal prolife beliefs and his radio show "In Season and Out of Season". Apparently EWTN carries Fr. Tom's show. Eventhough Fr. Tom is a bit of a charismatic but we don't hold that against him.
Apparently Cardinal O'Malley has decided that it's payback time. Fr. Tom made the unfortunate, and probably career-ending mistake of opposing Cardinal Sean's attempt to sign a contract with Centene, an abortion-providing health insurance company. Unfortunately, the Boston Archdiocese lost money (perhaps millions according to my fellow warrioress in the trenches, Carol McKinley) and the opportunity to sell its soul, and give away gratis any integrity they may have had left.
Fr. Tom has been summoned to the Chancery to discuss his "mental health".
The tactics don't change. The villains never come up with anything new.
The Mass begins with the phrase:
"Judge me, O God, and distinguish my cuase against an ungodly nation: deliver me from the unjust and deceitful man."
Somehow I don't think this meeting will make the Cardinal's blog.
I don't think the public relations firm employed (and paid handsomely) by the Archdiocese of Boston would recommend it.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Fireproof
Okay, so I'm a bit behind the times. Can I be forgiven being the mother of 8 children? Overly involved in good works... I hope and employed part time by 2 companies?
Either way, I watched this movie and loved it. We ordered the sound track, the biography of Kirk Cameron and of course the DVD... which we still have NOT received.
I really enjoyed the movie. Cried at the end. Loved the soundtrack and hope that everyone I know watches it.
Tuesday, October 06, 2009
One of the Best Things About Fall....
...besides the sight of leaves changing color, and the smell of burning leaves, the foreshadowing pre-winter coolness, the feel of wind blowing through the trees, the smell of freshly split wood (some green) in anticipation of the winter wood burning, hot cider, caramel apples and ultimately Christmas is:
picking bittersweet to decorate my dining room chandelier.
I just looked up bittersweet and found this blog "What your wedding means" or something like that and it said that bittersweet meant "truth".
How very apropos.
But can I have a truth-vacation. Can I ignore truth for a while? Read another Oscar Wilde fairytale? Make homemade bread as if the price of propane is not prohibitive?
I really must grow some. On my own land.
And little did I realize that when I began this blog post there was a controversy about "bittersweet" versus invasive oriental bittersweet. (If my dear grandmother were here she would pronounce it as "Or-E-Ent-Ul".
picking bittersweet to decorate my dining room chandelier.
I just looked up bittersweet and found this blog "What your wedding means" or something like that and it said that bittersweet meant "truth".
How very apropos.
But can I have a truth-vacation. Can I ignore truth for a while? Read another Oscar Wilde fairytale? Make homemade bread as if the price of propane is not prohibitive?
I really must grow some. On my own land.
And little did I realize that when I began this blog post there was a controversy about "bittersweet" versus invasive oriental bittersweet. (If my dear grandmother were here she would pronounce it as "Or-E-Ent-Ul".
Saturday, September 26, 2009
In Tribute to the "Plain Housewife"
Corazon Aquino, who led the bloodless coup.
From a Time Magazine article:
Though hampered by the government's near monopoly of the media, the Aquino campaign attracted millions of fervent supporters, all decked out in yellow, the reluctant candidate's favorite color. And when Marcos cheated her of victory in the February 1986 vote, the outcry was tremendous — and his doom was sealed. Bearing witness to their political allegiance, the millions who crammed the streets to protect reformist soldiers who had mutinied against Marcos chanted the now familiar mantra: "Cory, Cory, Cory." Nuns armed only with rosaries knelt in front of tanks, stopping them in their tracks.
(snip)
Aquino was convinced that her presidency was divinely inspired, even as her political foes mocked her piety. "If the country needs me," she said, "God will spare me." And miracle of miracles, she proved God right and her critics wrong.
And this is what she inspired:
Tomorrow will be part II of the tribute to the plain housewife.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Dog Mania
I can't stand the way dogs have replaced children in our society. I'm sure everyone knows the story of Mother Teresa going up to a baby carriage in London only to find the carriage contained not a baby but a dog!
The following just came through our freecycle list:
I am wanting to make my Chihuahua a few winter coats. Walmart has done away with all their flannel / fleece.
I wondered if anyone had about 2 yards of any print flannel or fleece. Also double wide seam binding.
Also any fabric remnants left overs would be great too - I could make her some dresses.
Thank You Very much.
Like Linus in Peanuts. "I can't stand it!"
And just think Halloween is coming:
In honor of the upcoming Feast day of St. Francis of Assisi, American Catholic has dedicated a significant portion of its website to "Pet Blessings in the U.S. and an editorial asserting that animals will go to heaven.
Good grief! Salvation for animals! What next? But I suppose it goes to the heresy of "universal salvation". After all animals are part of the universe.
Friday, September 18, 2009
What does this mean?
Oh, no. I have the same white ruffled blouse as Michelle Obama.
What does this mean?
She's shopping the clearance rack of Kohl's in an effort to "get in touch" with the people?
If only we were so easily taken it.
But we remember the $540 sneakers at the homeless dinner. This current pretense is merely a distraction from the current takeover of the economy, health care, the WORLD.
Don't fall for it.
And just don't have a garage sale, no matter what.
And finally more shopping advice from the First Lady. A friend sent me this:
Let's say you're preparing dinner and you realize with dismay that you don't have any certified organic Tuscan kale. What to do?
Here's how Michelle Obama handled this very predicament Thursday afternoon:
The Secret Service and the D.C. police brought in three dozen vehicles and shut down H Street, Vermont Avenue, two lanes of I Street and an entrance to the McPherson Square Metro station. They swept the area, in front of the Department of Veterans Affairs, with bomb-sniffing dogs and installed magnetometers in the middle of the street, put up barricades to keep pedestrians out, and took positions with binoculars atop trucks. Though the produce stand was only a block or so from the White House, the first lady hopped into her armored limousine and pulled into the market amid the wail of sirens.
Then, and only then, could Obama purchase her leafy greens. "Now it's time to buy some food," she told several hundred people who came to watch. "Let's shop!"
Cowbells were rung. Somebody put a lei of marigolds around Obama's neck. The first lady picked up a straw basket and headed for the "Farm at Sunnyside" tent, where she loaded up with organic Asian pears, cherry tomatoes, multicolored potatoes, free-range eggs and, yes, two bunches of Tuscan kale. She left the produce with an aide, who paid the cashier as Obama made her way back to the limousine.
Dana Milbank even does some comparison shopping for her:
Obama, in her brief speech to the vendors and patrons, handled the affordability issue by pointing out that people who pay with food stamps would get double the coupon value at the market. Even then, though, it's hard to imagine somebody using food stamps to buy what the market offered: $19 bison steak from Gunpowder Bison, organic dandelion greens for $12 per pound from Blueberry Hill Vegetables, the Piedmont Reserve cheese from Everson Dairy at $29 a pound. Rounding out the potential shopping cart: $4 for a piece of "walnut dacquoise" from the Praline Bakery, $9 for a jumbo crab cake at Chris's Marketplace, $8 for a loaf of cranberry-walnut bread and $32 for a bolt of yarn.
The first lady said the market would particularly appeal to federal employees in nearby buildings to "pick up some good stuff for dinner." Yet even they might think twice about spending $3 for a pint of potatoes when potatoes are on sale for 40 cents a pound at Giant. They could get nearly five dozen eggs at Giant for the $5 Obama spent for her dozen.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
They Insisted: the kids
...that I post this. It was too funny.
Are the "sheeple" waking up?"
Is it too late?
Is Tiananmen Square next?
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