799 Put some spice in your marriage

Advice is something librarians dispense, but usually I stay away from advising people about relationships. I am well aware that I married the greatest guy in the world, so what's tough about that?

However, after 45 years, conversation does get a bit thin. He tends to say "Yes, yes," before I even get the words out of my mouth about something I read on a blog, because he just saw it on the News. So we've been having game night. So far, we've only tried Boggle, Racko and Uno, because I'm really, really awful at games, and I'm a poor loser. I'm also a poor winner, because I don't like to see anyone lose. Euchre is the national passtime for anyone from Indiana, so if I really want to wow him, I offer him a game of Euchre. Boys from Indianapolis find that very sexy.

Here's how it raises the level of discourse in our home:
"I can't believe I did that."
"Is that a word?"
"Let the answering machine take that."
"Do the rules say we can do that?"
"We've lost the rules."
"When did we buy this game anyway?"
"Box says 1971."
"I'm no good at this."

Since we'd lost the rules to the Uno game, my husband took it to his lunch session with the 4th grader he mentors. He explained it to him--but we think he missed a few of the finer points. It is an urban school in sort of a rough neighborhood and we suspect that whoever shouts loudest gets to set the rules. I tried checking the internet but found 3 sets of rules (to download) and they don't look like our box. Our first attempt ran to about 45 minutes, so we think we've missed something.

Boggle is more fun, but only for me. I'm the wordsmith in the family. My husband had a really awful start in school, but because he was sweet, cute and charming with adorable red curls, I think they didn't notice he was a poor reader. Good kids who don't make waves sometimes don't get the attention they should. He reads fine now--in fact, because he is disciplined and focused, he has read the Bible through 3 times, something I've never done (no discipline). But he only reads if he has too, like building specs or committee reports. It gives him no pleasure. When I first visited in his parents' home when I was in college, I noticed there was no reading material--not a newspaper or magazine or book. About 15 years later that had changed some. When we'd visit with the kids I could browse Field and Stream and the Indianapolis Star, and a few text book's my father-in-law had purchased for his job.

In Boggle you get one point for finding 3 or 4 letter words, two points for five, three for six, etc. The letters are upside down or backwards, but you can spell any direction--up, down, back, forward, sideways. In 3 minutes. If you both find the same word, neither gets a point. I thought my mind might react quicker if I refreshed it with four letter words. No, not that kind, but basic building blocks of most of our sentences. Suddenly, I began seeing four letter words everywhere. Then I stopped to write them down. My morning notebook, instead of having notes for my blogs, now has pages of told, bond, firm, them, week, push, just, over, took and take. Four or five pages of this nonsense. Then I tried putting them into rhymes and sentences. (Proper names are generally not used, however).

WITH THAT HUGE
IRAQ VOTE
POOR FLIP FLOP JOHN
TIPS OVER BOAT.

FOOT BALL BOWL FANS
GULP COLD BEER
WHEN TEAM LOSE
YELL FOUL PLAY

NINE TEEN FIVE FIVE
PROM GALS WAIT
PINK GRAY FORD
ROCK ROLL DATE.

BUSH HELD FAST
TALK SHOW TELL
LAST YEAR WINS
VOTE FROM HELL

THEY WERE CALM
JUST MORE HARD NOSE
CORE WILL STAY
COLD WIND BLOW

GALS SHOP TILL DROP
BACK FOOT SORE
SALE, SALE, SALE
HAIL TAXI PLAN MORE

Just so I can move on with my life, I'm going to start in on five letter words.

798 Hanson on fire

Usually Victor Davis Hanson is fairly controlled, nuanced and cautious in criticism. But he's on fire in this one, "The Global Throng;
Why the world’s elites gnash their teeth." It gave me the opportunity to use my new Answers.com toolbar to look up why he called Ted Kennedy "the old minotaur" (with the correct pronunciation).

797 Such an exclusive deal!

Yesterday I returned a birthday present--the slacks were 5 inches too big in the waist, and about 4 inches too long in the legs. Rather than pay a seamstress to make the adjustments, I returned them to Lazarus. At least we called that store Lazarus when my daughter bought the gift in September (took me awhile to try them on--she loves that brand, but she has long legs and is short waisted). It was really a Macy's store when I took them back (name was actually changed in 2003).

With my new Macy's charge card I received a 15% off coupon to break it in. With the $44 credit for the slacks (I had no receipt, so I got whatever the current price is), and the coupon, and a huge 70% off sale, I figured the store would be paying me to shop! Maybe I'd pick something up for the Florida trip. But it was not to be. Nothing but picked over winter stuff in sizes 2XL or Petite2. Besides, the fine print on the coupon had that little "exclusions apply, see back for details" note.

May not be combined with any additional discount offers.
May not be applied to previous purchases.
Excludes Everyday value items
Excludes specials
Excludes super buys
Excludes cosmetics and fragrances
Excludes Polo/Lauren/Ralph Lauren
Excludes Tommy Bahama
Excludes Impulse
Excludes Bridge and Design Sportswear for her
Excludes Dooney & Bourke
Excludes Coach
Excludes Kate Spade
Excludes watches
Excludes Bridge/Designer shoes, handbags
Excludes small electrics and personal care
Excludes Vera Wang
Excludes Waterford
Excludes furniture, mattresses, floor covering
Excludes services
Excludes restaurants
Excludes Macys.com, macysweddingchannel.com/Kiosks
Excludes special orders
Excludes Macy's gift cards and merchandise certificates

Twenty five years ago I wrote a newsletter called "No Free Lunch" about marketing schemes using coupons, stamps, sweepstakes and other ways to play with your food. It is all coming back to me now. The house always wins.

796 More?

Reading this item yesterday was disturbing: "USAirways is cutting 318 more maintenance jobs in Charlotte NC." More? We are planning to fly into Charlotte on our way to Florida, so the thought of "more" means they are down a few already, doesn't it? "The airlines is in bankruptcy court for the 2nd time in 2 years." I hope they can hang in there through February!

795 Ward Churchill Poll

Bill O'Reilly's page has a poll asking if Ward Churchill should be fired by the University of Colorado, and I voted No. If he is fired, conservatives should protest. Why give this 60s wannabe the red carpet treatment? Let him go the brave route many other faculty have taken--like being assigned no teaching assistants, a crummy office, all the worst departmental appointments, denial of grants and research funds, and especially, large freshman classes of introductory classes. That's how universities get rid of conservatives. Of course, there is no evidence anyone wants to get him off the faculty except a few parents who think their hard earned tuition money for junior has gone up in smoke.

Professor Bainbridge on what conservatives should do.

794 Super Bowl ad pulled

Ad Age.com reports that Ford Motor Company's Lincoln will not be seen in the Super Bowl ads this coming Sunday. ". . .the ad, which was created by WPP Group's Young & Rubicam Brands, Dearborn, Mich., after receiving complaints from an advocacy group, Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests. The group said the commercial, which showed a priest lusting after the Mark LT, was offensive.

Ford in a statement today said, "Lincoln has decided not to run the Lincoln Mark LT ad on the Super Bowl this Sunday. Of course we had no intention of offending anyone -- and we are frankly surprised there is a negative reaction." " Story here.

I'll have to think about this one. I probably would have thought it was offensive even if I'd never known about the abuse. Or at least tacky. What goes through their heads, she mumbled.

If you just have to know about the rest of the ads, here's a chart. I'm not much for football, but I might walk through the living room for a good ad.

Update: Now that removing the ad is news, I saw the complete ad on a news story tonight. And it probably didn't even cost Ford a thing to run it that way. It really is a pretty silly ad. It wouldn't make me buy a Lincoln.

793 Federal employees and their Thrift Savings Plan

The same congresspeople who booed the President last night when he talked about the end of their gravy train have access to their own TSPs, Thrift Savings Plans, and they are trusted to manage them. It's a little bit like the school choice issue. They can choose to send their kids out of the district to a private school that is superior to the public one across the street, but they don't want you to do that because it might hurt public education. It is OK for them to shelter their retirement funds, but if you or I do it with funds that could go the government, it might hurt Social Security. Take a look:

"The TSP is a retirement savings plan for civilians who are employed by the United States Government and members of the uniformed services. The Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board, administers the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP). The Web site http://www.frtib.gov, provides information about the FRTIB electronic reading room, procurements, and employment opportunities. "

This is like the 401(k) you may have through your company, but the "company" who contributes to this plan is you and I, the taxpayers. Gene Sperling, a Clinton economic adviser, has proposed a Universal 401(k) plan which would be similar to what federal employees have. It is described at www.americanprogress.org/ Center for American Progress: "The president and progressives could both protect Social Security’s guaranteed benefit and promote ownership with a new Universal 401(k) that offers all Americans a private retirement account on top of Social Security, and uses government funds to match contributions made by middle income and lower-income workers. The Universal 401(k) would spread individual savings and wealth creation to tens of millions of American families currently falling through the cracks by offering all Americans the generous incentives and automatic savings opportunities that the best employer-provided 401(k)’s offer their employees."

792 Life-affirming, inspirational, and motivational

That's how Boogie Jack describes his Life's Little Goodies column in his how-to, webmaster's newsletter, Almost a Newsletter. Even though I'm no longer responsible for a web page, I've continued to subscribe because he is upbeat, positive, and offers instructions for code I occasionally try.

In issue 119 (he'd been gone for awhile due to eye problems), he includes some script to enable you to set up an e-mail link that will avoid spammers scooping up your address. So I've put it on my blog, and we'll see how it works. Before I used the "at" and "dot" spelled out, which for newbies was confusing. Check out his #119 and browse through his Tips Jar. He provides the complete script with explanations. Then sign up for his free newsletter.

791 A Scolding for Christians

If you are not a Christian, you can skip this entry. Ronald J. Sider, sort of a perennial scold, has a real tongue lashing for Christians, particularly the "born agains" (larger group) and evangelicals (smaller group). He uses a number of statistical reports, particularly those done by George Barna, the one with which I'm most familiar. But he weaves together a pretty discouraging basket of bad news in the January/February 2005 issue of Books and Culture.

"To say there is a crisis of disobedience in the evangelical world today is to dangerously understate the problem. Born-again Christians divorce at about the same rate as everyone else. Self-centered materialism is seducing evangelicals and rapidly destroying our earlier, slightly more generous giving. Only 6 percent of born-again Christians tithe. Born-again Christians justify and engage in sexual promiscuity (both premarital sex and adultery) at astonishing rates. Racism and perhaps physical abuse of wives seems to be worse in evangelical circles than elsewhere. This is scandalous behavior for people who claim to be born-again by the Holy Spirit and to enjoy the very presence of the Risen Lord in their lives.

In light of the foregoing statistics, it is not surprising that born-again Christians spend seven times more hours each week in front of their televisions than they spend in Bible reading, prayer, and worship.(32) Only 9 percent of born-again adults and 2 percent of born-again teenagers have a biblical worldview.(33)

Perhaps it is not surprising either that non-Christians have a very negative view of evangelicals. In a recent poll, Barna asked non-Christians about their attitudes toward different groups of Christians. Only 44 percent have a positive view of Christian clergy. Just 32 percent have a positive view of born-again Christians. And a mere 22 percent have a positive view of evangelicals.(34)

Evangelicals rightly rejected theological liberalism because it denied the miraculous. In response, we insisted that miracle was central to biblical faith at numerous points including the supernatural moral transformation of broken sinners. Now our very lifestyle as evangelicals is a ringing practical denial of the miraculous in our lives. Satan must laugh in sneerful derision. God's people can only weep."

It is quite long and well referenced, summarizing his points in The Scandal of the Evangelical Conscience (Baker, 2004). Sider is a professor at Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary.

790 The brain and risky behavior

This came as a surprise, but only because I'd been told this as a fact and believed it when my kids were 18 and 19. Apparently, the information was purely anecdotal and shared among parents before the NIH tested it.

"A National Institutes of Health study suggests that the region of the brain that inhibits risky behavior is not fully formed until age 25, a finding with implications for a host of policies, including the nation's driving laws."

News story here.

789 Alice Robie Resnick's DUI

If you're not from Ohio, you probably haven't heard that six drivers on Interstate 75 reported a drunk driver was weaving and careening her way south. The state police caught her around Bowling Green, and she told them she was in a hurry to get to Columbus and she took off again. They followed her and stopped her again, and yes, she was 3 times over the limit. She's an Ohio Supreme Court Justice.

If six passing motorists noticed her behavior, so did those who regularly sit on the bench with her, her staff, and her family. Did they care too much, or not enough? She's had at least three auto accidents since 1998 according to today's Columbus Dispatch. Let's set aside for a moment that she's making legal decisions that affect the people of Ohio; she is dangerous behind the wheel and might kill someone!
Apparently, holding a job wasn't Ms. Resnick's problem--she gets reelected as the court's only Democrat.

People who are drunk at 2 p.m. on the interstate aren't social drinkers; they need help. They need to have their car keys and license taken away by someone more responsible and be handed a scholarship to Betty Ford or some other clinic to dry out, and then start working those 12 steps.

788 Draft Horses making a comeback

When my mother was a little girl, her family still kept a carriage horse in the barn that did useful tasks like pulling their cars out of the muddy lanes that approached their graceful farm home two miles from the main road near Franklin Grove, Illinois. I believe she told me the children never rode "Beauty" because she hadn't been broken to ride. Because I was madly in love with horses, I couldn't imagine having a horse that close and NOT riding it. My grandparents were "early adopters" and owned automobiles probably before 1910. Draft horses were still used in the fields because tractors weren't reliable enough, but I believe they were stabled at the tenant farm barn. My father's family in the next county, however, used draft horses regularly in farming. My father told me they sometimes rode one to church, the Pine Creek Church of the Brethren (now disbanded). Draft horses are so massive, so wide and so powerful, I have difficulty picturing this. My grandmother was blind and the four older children would have been quite small. But then, picturing her walking there with little ones doesn't read either.

Tomorrow and Friday the Eastern States Draft Horse Sales will be at the Ohio Expo Center. I'm ticking off the list of friends who remotely might be interested, and can't think of a one, so I may have to go alone. Maybe Bev. That woman will try anything once and turn it into an art project.

According to Draft Horse Journal:

"The Industrial Revolution proved to be responsible for both the rise and collapse of the heavy horse in America. Demand for draft animals was spurred on by the growing transportation, construction and agricultural needs of the nation. The last half of the 19th century made draft horse breeding both essential and profitable. Massive importations from Europe took place. The period also ushered in the development of the present day breeds of heavy horses. The number of horses and mules in The United States peaked in 1920, at about 26 million. The groundwork for today's agriculture had been laid.

The horse lost the battle of the streets to the automotive industry rather quickly. As for the battle of the agricultural fields, it fought very tenaciously, but eventually yielded in most cases to greatly improved tractor power. By 1950, it was indeed, on thin ice. "Get big or get out" was heard across the nation and many did just that. It appeared to many that the draft horse was destined for the museum, a relic of days gone by.

Since that time, the draft breeds have not only stabilized their numbers, but once more enjoy a thriving trade. The fact that the old order Amish decided in the '20s to reject tractor power in the fields was a considerable factor, as were the dedicated breeders that had produced these splendid breeds." Read more.

February must be a good time for draft horse sales, because I see that during this month there are two in Florida, one in Illinois, one in East Lansing, two in Missouri, one in Orange City, Iowa, and one in Winona, Minnesota. Probably can't get into the fields so why not go hang out at the barn with the guys. Many midwest Amish vacation in Florida.

Logo of the Draft Horse Journal
Cute bumper sticker and great photos here. North American Spotted Draft Horse Association

787 A blog about the Social Security proposals

It's called "Social Security Choice" and is sponsored by the Club for Growth; you should probably read it even if you don't like what the administration is proposing, just so you can prepare your arguments.

I read something today in the WSJ which made me think SS is probably in worse shape than I originally thought. According to an article by David Wessel, there are 47.7 million Americans receiving benefits--7.9 million are disabled, 6.7 million are survivors, and 33 million are retirees. Of that 33 million, only 20% use Social Security as their only source of income, and 17% of those are disabled. I think this is a smaller number than I've seen before, unless I misunderstood him. I'm not sure why I find that disturbing, but it means very few Americans rely on Social Security now and the rest have voluntarily put other programs in place, just as we have. But the small percentage who are relying solely on SS, then are eligible for other programs like low income housing, food stamps and Medicaid, which may bring them closer to the level of those who have established other plans.

Perhaps what concerns me is the nagging feeling that the government sees that most retirees are already doing what is proposed--we already have "ownership" of our future--so therefore, why not "bless it" and midwife this hodge podge assortment into giving birth to another government program?

786 Should librarian bloggers be anonymous?

Jack Stephens at Conservator notes a new blog called simply "Librarian," which is written anonymously. Doesn't appear to be any big secret. He identifies the suspect--a well known, far left Florida faculty member. I looked at his link. Yawned. Moved on. Do I really want to celebrate 100 years of the Industrial Workers of the World, or follow another screed on the evils of capitalism?

Being anonymous on the internet, in my opinion, shouldn't bump her, however. I regularly read "Wretchard" of Belmont Club and Diplomad and have no idea who they are, assuming if they are putting that much effort and research into their writing, they probably have jobs or families they want to protect. My family and friends know who I am--to everyone else, I'm a collection of pixels on a screen, possibly I'm just a calico cat at the keyboard.


Blogger resting

785 Feed your Brain

Number 2 on a list of 7 ways to optimize the brain is on feeding the brain.

"The fuel you feed your brain has a profound effect on how it functions. Lean protein, complex carbohydrates, and foods rich in omega 3 fatty acids (large cold water fish, such as tuna and salmon, walnuts, Brazil nuts, olive oil, and canola oil) are essential to brain function. Unfortunately, the great American diet is filled with simple sugars and simple carbohydrates, causing many people to feel emotional, sluggish, spacey, and distracted.

What do you have for breakfast? Do you even have breakfast? Today, many children, teens, and adults start the day with either nothing at all or by loading up on simple carbohydrates, such as sugar cereals, Pop Tarts, muffins, bagels, waffles, pancakes, or donuts. In our fast paced society these foods are simple to prepare for the family rushed in the morning, but they cause brain fog and lower performance in many people. Start the day with a healthy breakfast that includes protein, such as eggs, lean meat, or dairy products.

Many people struggle with energy and mental clarity after lunch. I have found that eliminating all simple carbohydrates at lunch (sugar, white bread or other products made from white flour such as bagels and white pasta, potatoes, and rice) can make a dramatic difference in energy and focus in the afternoon. An additional benefit of skipping sugar and simple carbohydrates at lunch is that most people do not feel hunger until dinnertime. I also believe taking a 100% vitamin and mineral supplement is important. Many people do not eat like they should on a regular basis."

Also at this web site is a list of the ways the brains of men and women differ--in many cases, giving women a clear advantage. Probably won't help Lawrence Summers, President of Harvard, who has offended the feminists by suggesting there is a difference between men and women.

Here's a site for exercising the brain. I think I like that part about "thinking" about exercising a certain muscle and having it get stronger. Now that's my kind of exercise!

784 Loose ends

Speaking of the hair cut I'm getting today, there are a few loose ends I need to clip and save here. 1) a discussion about libraries of the future, 2) is there free speech on the campus, and 3) Comma-istas among the Democrats.

Libraries of the Future. Meredith at the blog Information wants to be free recommends this panel discussion at Chicago Public Radio. Nathan Bierma (see my links) is on the panel. According to the current e-newsletter issue of Books and Culture, “starting in February, Nathan will be joining John Witvliet and his team at the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship; he'll also be teaching a writing class at Calvin. Nathan has been superb—and he will continue to contribute to B & C. Keep an eye out for his byline both in the print magazine and on the website.”

How free is speech on the college campuses? Not even the President of a prestigious university can ask a question. Christian Science Monitor article.

Diplomad (Feb. 1) talks about the Comma-istas: “Of course the terrorist attacks of 9/11 were horrible [Here it comes! Listen for it!] [COMMA] but US policy in the Middle East . . ." “Of course the Iraqi elections were a good thing [COMMA] but they will not resolve the serious issue of severe income inequality in East St. Louis, or the growing gender disparity in the granting of scholarships to welding schools . . .” And the chief Comma-ista is John Kerry.

783 Murphy Brown, even better the second time around

Murphy Brown and the cast of FYI are now on Nick-at-Night, and better than ever. We watched the show's first installment in 1988 and enjoyed most of the early seasons, although not happy about the out-of-wedlock baby story line.** The original ensemble included: Corky Sherwood (Faith Ford), (now starring in her own sitcom with Kelly Ripa) a former Miss America hired for her looks; Frank Fontana (Joe Regalbuto), investigative reporter; Jim Dial (Charles Kimbrough), the neurotic anchorman; Miles Silverberg (Grant Shaud), a new college grad in his first "real" job as a producer; Eldin Bernecky (Robert Pastorelli), a house painter who is always working on Murphy's house and becomes the babysitter when her son, Avery, is born; and Phil (Pat Corley), the owner of Phil's Bar, where the FYI staff hangs out. There was a long parade of real news reporters as guests on the show, but the funniest theme, a long running joke, were the always weird and wonderful secretaries to assist Murphy. Looking at the episode list, there are many I don't recall, but I assume I lost interest after awhile.

I just wish they weren't running it at 3:30 a.m. I get up early, but . . .

Maybe I'll have to buy the DVD: "Murphy Brown: The Complete First Season" kicks off the series with Murphy returning to "F.Y.I." after drying out at the Betty Ford Clinic. In her absence, the show has gone through some changes, including the addition of a beauty queen who thinks she's a journalist and a new young executive producer fresh from Harvard who's never worked in television. During the first season, Murphy went through twenty secretaries, sparred with her house painter Eldin (Robert Pastorelli), and traded barbs with the "F.Y.I." team at their favorite hangout, Phil's, run by the all-knowing owner Phil (Pat Corely). Unique to the series, each episode opened with a different Motown song whose title or lyrics related to the story line to follow. In its nine-year run, this acclaimed sitcom garnered 62 Emmy nominations and 18 wins, 4 of which were for season one.

The 22 episodes run 535 minutes on this 4-disc DVD with extras that include:
-- "Murphy Brown: An F.Y.I. Exclusive" looks back at season one and how it all began with interviews by Creator Diane English, Candice Bergen and other cast members
-- Episode Commentary on "Respect" and "Summer of '77" with Diane English and Candice Bergen"

Photo at Classic TV.com

** See: Barbara Dafoe Whitehead, "Dan Quayle was right." Atlantic Monthly, April 1993.

782 Can they ever report good news?

The December economic figures posted in today's Wall Street were good--didn't jot them all down but personal income up +3.1%, productivity +1.9%, unemployment steady at 5.4%. Then while flipping through the USAToday I noticed a photo full page story on "State of the Union," with mostly negative slant from the subtitles, unless you looked closely.

What a surprise to see Ron and Mary of our church featured in a story about a corporate couple who bought a bakery (Great Harvest Bread Company) so they could spend more time with their children as a family. I was in an aerobics class with Mary, and we received some free gifts from their shop when we moved here three years ago. Their baked goods are to die for and the owners are right there.

A black doctor was interviewed for this story--he was worried about red tape and paperwork hurting patients. Hmmm. I wonder who's to blame for that? A Pensacola tax marketer was complaining about not having enough money to eat out more and enjoy more entertainment. An architect worried about the deficit and our international image, but they apparently interviewed him on the job based on his photo. A Puerto Rican who is loving his Chicago job and location and opportunities apparently finds work that some locals don't want, because he was thrilled. At the bottom of the page were tiny charts--eating out, up; federal debt, up; employment, up; satisfaction, up; foreclosures, down; deliquent loans, down.

It sure is hard to report on bad news these days. Need to call in John Kerry and Ted Kennedy who managed to put a negative spin on the first free Iraqi election in history for help in composing those make-believe economy stories. John ("let's not over-hype this") Kerry's stock could have soared if he'd just complimented the Iraqis. But he was his usual pompous, my-way-or-the-highway, doomsayer self.

781 Grocery day soup

Last week it was bread pudding. This week it is broccoli soup. This nutritous meal only needs 4 basic ingredients. When I started to put the fresh vegetables and fruit away today I discovered some tired and old has-beens in the drawer. A huge broccoli bunch was turning yellowish; would go nicely with some taters in the basement growing white beards and getting soft. I always keep chicken broth on hand, so into the pot went the broccoli, potatoes and broth.

It doesn't seem to make much difference how much of what is used. The potatoes are the thickening, so you can use 2 or 6--just depends on what you have on hand. Cook the sliced stems of the broccoli with the potatoes chunks and throw the florets in for the last few minutes. (If you have an onion, that's good too.) Then swirl it all in the blender. If you have half 'n half on hand, that gives it a nice flavor, but canned milk or regular milk will work--just won't be as thick.

This recipe from the Idaho Potato Commission indicates you can also use potato flakes, dry milk and frozen broccoli. I'd rather use up what I have.

Last week, I remembered Mom with the bread pudding. This week with the soup, it is Dad. "Baby, don't you want to put on an apron?" (And he was right, as usual, and my white sweater has a few green spots.)

780 Google now in Sanskrit

From Adorablog