Macaroni & Cheese

Tomorrow is my mother-in-law's annual Early Christmas Party. She invites a few of the relatives as well as friends from church. (By the way, not all the friends are her age! Some of those friends include our friends -- Brian, Val, Phil, and Becky.)
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Last night, as we traveled home from the airport after picking up his mom from a few weeks' trip to Missouri, Dennis asked her what we could bring to the party. We told her that Deb was making chili. She told us what some of the others were bringing. Dennis decided that I am to make macaroni and cheese. Our friend Brian is a very picky eater, and we want to be sure that there is something there he won't mind eating. Dennis and I already know that the chili won't work for him -- onions in it, if not peppers as well.
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I am not one to slave away in the kitchen; however, I cannot get away with using mixes. Thus, the mac and cheese has to be homemade. How do I do it? I leave you with my "secret" recipe, a recipe it seems others also use.
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Easy Mac & Cheese -- portions can be adjusted

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Cook approximately 2 cups of macaroni. Drain.
Shred an 8-oz. bar of extra sharp cheese.
Layer the mac and the shredded cheese.
Pour a cup of milk.
Put the bowl in the oven at 350º for about 25 minutes.
(The goal is to have the cheese melted and have a light cheese crust on the top.)
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After I take it out of the oven, I stir the concoction around, making sure the cheese is mixed throughout the macaroni.

How easy it that?

Christmas Lights

Fads come and go -- that's what makes them fads. Fads seem to pop up in most aspects of life, although not necessarily identified as such.

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The other day I caught bits of a promo on HGTV about decorating for Christmas. I could tell, even without seeing the entire plug, what was happening. The builders and decorators we see on those programs were giving their opinion of which was better -- white or color? What were they talking about? Christmas lights. I am not sure if they meant just for the tree or for all general decorating.

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For me, I went through a phase of just wanting white lights. I know it had to do with its being a novel change in my family because we grew up with colored lights on our tree. I lived alone for several years, and so I decorated my tree with white lights. I kept that up when I married my husband and moved to where I now live; however, he had a small lighted star he liked to put at the top of the tree. That star had colored lights all along the edges.

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Two years ago I decided that I was weary of white lights. So, at the after-Christmas sales I bought a few strings of colored lights. I really do like them. My husband could care less what we use. Not only do they fit better with the star we put at the top of the tree, but they seem to give a warmer feel in the room. The white was bright and stood out. The colored lights seem to bring a relaxing calmness.

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White or color? I like the color.

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(Maybe in a few years that will change again!)

Makes You Wonder . . .

Have you noticed in recent weeks, months, and years the number of police officers and judges who place themselves above the law and seem to think they are invincible? Doesn't it make you hope that your police officers and judges -- can't forget the lawyers too -- are ones who take to heart the ideal of upholding the law in order to protect innocent citizens. I would not want to wonder about my officials . . .
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Neither small towns nor large cities across the USA are exempt from this ever-growing plague. My small town, though, has yet to have that problem. We hope it stays that way.

Mondays

Mondays. I am thinking that age, occupation, and schedule determines what you think of when you know that Monday is here.

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I admit that for the most part, I did not mind Mondays. (This is in light of the number of years I have lived, putting a good perspective on my view.) There were a few recent years when I was wanting to drag my feet. Even that depended on the rotation of the schedule. Some Mondays, even then, were not bad.

This year I am in the position where Mondays are not at all demanding, even when I have to go to work . . . and go to work after more than the weekend off. Monday schedules generally are my own. I spend the day working on the testing accommodations schedule for the week, as by Monday afternoon, some of the prime slots can be gone. Scheduling even sounds harder than it is. The only time I encounter a challenge is when I have more than one request for the same slot. That tends to happen for Thursdays and Fridays. Even that didn't happen today.

That's Mondays in the work world for me. Now, what about cold, rainy, November days? As long as I don't have to be outside too long in it, that is not a problem. Days like that, which is what today is like, I tend to come home, get warm and comfortable, take care of supper, and then spend the time reading -- or now that it is after Thanksgiving, looking for a Christmas movie on cable.

Those of us who are in our 40s and older will remember the words of an "oldie but goody." That is what I leave us with today.

Rainy Days And Mondays
Words and Music by Paul Williams & Roger Nichols

Talkin' to myself and feelin' old

Sometimes I'd like to quit

Nothing ever seems to fit

Hangin' around

Nothing to do but frown

Rainy Days and Mondays always get me down.

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What I've got they used to call the blues

Nothin' is really wrong

Feelin' like I don't belong

Walkin' around

Some kind of lonely clown

Rainy Days and Mondays always get me down.

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Funny but it seems I always wind up here with you

Nice to know somebody loves me

Funny but it seems that it's the only thing to do

Run and find the one who loves me.

What I feel has come and gone before

No need to talk it out

We know what it's all about

Hangin' around

Nothing to do but frown

Rainy Days and Mondays always get me down

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[I can't say that "rainy days and Mondays always get me down."]

Giving Thanks

Give Thanks

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“Day and night I’ll stick with God; I’ve got a good thing going and I’m not letting go. I’m happy from the inside out, and from the outside in, I’m firmly formed. You canceled my ticket to hell—that’s not my destination! Now You’ve got my feet on the life path, all radiant from the shining of your face. Ever since You took my hand, I’m on the right way”
(Psalm 16:8-11, The Message).
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“I’m still in Your presence, but You’ve taken my hand. You wisely and tenderly lead me, and then You bless me. You’re all I want in heaven! You’re all I want on earth! When my skin sags and my bones get brittle, God is rock-firm and faithful. . . . But I’m in the very presence of God—oh, how refreshing it is! I’ve made the Lord God my home. God, I’m telling the world what You do!”
(Psalm 73:23-26, 28, The Message).
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“I lift You high in praise, my God, O my King! and I'll bless Your name into eternity. I'll bless You every day, and keep it up from now to eternity. God is magnificent; He can never be praised enough. There are no boundaries to His greatness. Generation after generation stands in awe of Your work; each one tells stories of Your mighty acts. Your beauty and splendor have everyone talking; I compose songs on Your wonders. Your marvelous doings are headline news; I could write a book full of the details of Your greatness. The fame of Your goodness spreads across the country; Your righteousness is on everyone's lips. God is all mercy and grace—not quick to anger, is rich in love. God is good to one and all; everything He does is suffused with grace. Creation and creatures applaud You, God; Your holy people bless You. They talk about the glories of Your rule, they exclaim over Your splendor, letting the world know of Your power for good, the lavish splendor of Your kingdom. Your kingdom is a kingdom eternal; You never get voted out of office. God always does what He says, and is gracious in everything He does. God gives a hand to those down on their luck, gives a fresh start to those ready to quit. All eyes are on You, expectant; You give them their meals on time. Generous to a fault, You lavish your favor on all creatures. Everything God does is right—the trademark on all His works is love. God's there, listening for all who pray, for all who pray and mean it. He does what's best for those who fear him—hears them call out, and saves them. God sticks by all who love Him, but it's all over for those who don't. My mouth is filled with God's praise. Let everything living bless Him, bless His holy name from now to eternity!”
(Psalm 145, The Message).
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“And now to Him who can keep you on your feet, standing tall in His bright presence, fresh and celebrating—to our one God, our only Savior, through Jesus Christ, our Master, be glory, majesty, strength, and rule before all time, and now, and to the end of all time”
(Jude 24-25, The Message).

Smile!

In case you were the one who had to make the main feast Thursday for the mob and/or in case you were one of millions out shopping yesterday at the crack of dawn -- or earlier -- here is a something that struck me as rather humorous. Of course, if you were someone who fit in either or both categories mentioned above, then it might explain your choice below, when it comes to how to best empty the full tub.
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The Bathtub Test

During a visit to the mental asylum, a visitor asked the Director, "How do you determine whether or not a patient should be institutionalized."

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“Well," said the Director, "we fill up a bathtub, then we offer a teaspoon, a teacup and a bucket to the patient and ask him or her to empty the bathtub."
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"Oh, I understand," said the visitor. "A normal person would use the bucket because it's bigger than the spoon or the teacup."
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“No." said the Director, "A normal person would pull the plug. Do you want a bed near the window?"

Black Friday

How insane -- getting up to go shopping in the wee hours of the morning with the hope of getting some real deals. Ugh! For people like me, who live in rural areas, we can't just hop out of bed and be at some of those shopping areas in a wink.

Initially, Thanksgiving was celebrated the last Thursday in November; however, Franklin Roosevelt changed it to the 4th Thursday of the month (which often IS the last Thursday). The primary purpose was to allow more shopping time between Thanksgiving and Christmas. To see decorations and pushes for holiday shopping before Thanksgiving didn't happen. I do think, though, this move by Roosevelt and his reason was the start of what we see today.
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Christmas decorations appear in stores just as they are clearing the aisles of Halloween stuff. Christmas music is on the radio the start of November. Ads for Christmas shopping deals appear on tv and in newspapers well ahead of the big push. The celebration of Thanksgiving gets more and more lost as stores now open Thanksgiving Day or sometime before dawn the Friday after.

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Why do Americans need to shop so much for Christmas? How many of them want these deals badly because they have unbelievable wants that their wallets or credit card limit can't otherwise handle.

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Get. Get. Get. Get. Get. In the process, we are losing not only a sense of what we ought to be celebrating when Thanksgiving Day comes but even more importantly what we ought to be celebrating when Christmas comes.

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Am I going shopping today? Probably, but it's for groceries. Will I go Christmas shopping? At some point I am, but I am going to plan my spending. My purchases will not wipe out our checking and savings account; neither will they be credit beyond what we can pay off when we get the bill.

Black Friday tends to disgust me. For that reason, I avoid it. Instead, I put on Christmas music in the house and start to decorate for the Christmas season. I enjoy it -- and it doesn't cost me anything!

Who Observed the First Thanksgiving?

The first recorded Christian thanksgiving in America occurred in Texas on May 23, 1541, when Spanish explorer Francisco Vasquez de Coronado, and his men held, a service of thanksgiving after finding food, water, and pasture for their animals in northern Texas.

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Another thanksgiving service occurred on June 30, 1564 when French Huguenot colonists celebrated in solemn praise and thanksgiving in a settlement near what is now Jacksonville, Florida.

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On August 9, 1607 English settlers led by Captain George Popham joined Abnaki Indians along Maine's Kennebec River for a harvest feast and prayer meeting. The colonists, living under the Plymouth Company charter, established Fort St. George around the same time as the founding of Virginia's Jamestown colony. Unlike Jamestown, however, this site was abandoned a year later.

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Two years before the Pilgrims on December 4, 1619, a group of 38 English settlers arrived at Berkeley Plantation in what is now Charles City, Virginia. The group's charter required that the day of arrival be observed yearly as a day of thanksgiving to God. Captain John Woodleaf held the service of thanksgiving. Here is the section of the Charter of Berkley Plantation which specifies the thanksgiving service:

"Wee ordaine that the day of our ships arrival at the place assigned for plantacon in the land of Virginia shall be yearly and perpetually keept holy as a day of thanksgiving to Almighty god."

Thus Spanish, French and British colonists held several Thanksgiving services in America before the Pilgrim's celebration in 1621. Most of these early thanksgivings did not involve feasting and they were religious in nature.

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For more information about the first thanksgivings observed in our part of the world, as well as how Thanksgiving Day eventually came to be a national holiday, check out this site:

www.new-life.net/thanks01.htm.

Favorite Thanksgiving Dishes

What is your favorite Thanksgiving dish? Asked that question, no doubt there would be a variety of answers. Some like the squash. Some like the pies, especially pumpkin and mincemeat (yuk). Probably the lists would be lengthy as to the specific squash dishes and pies. For the Ashley clan, it was cranberry ice for all and oyster stuffing for some. Me? I liked both.

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The oyster dressing was an extra Grandma made. Because not everyone liked that kind -- and oysters weren't necessarily all that affordable -- there was plenty of regular stuffing. What oyster stuffing there was fit easily into a medium-sized serving bowl. Believe me when I say this: if no one bothered to sneak peaks during the prayer for the dinner, that bowl of oyster stuffing would disappear. Usually my uncle was the culprit, as my father -- the reverend -- usually had to say the prayer. I can't say that the stuffing was all that special. About the only way in which it differed from regular was that there were bits of oysters cut up and added, as well as a little bit of oyster juice. I can't remember when I last had any of that.

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The cranberry ice was great, and we all hated that it had to be rationed out to give all of us at Grandma and Grandpa's at least a scoop of it. We all worked at trying to get that extra bit when the adults were ready to scrape the containers clean. (I think my grandma used ice cube trays -- the ones way back that had to have the cube dividers put in.) Cranberry ice is a tradition that has carried on to the next generations, unlike the oyster stuffing.

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I have decided to post here an old family recipe. I have no idea where my grandmother first had it or from whom she got the recipe; but this has been a holiday staple in the Ashley clan for well over 50 years.

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CRANBERRY ICE

First combine . . .

12 oz. bag whole cranberries

2 c. water

Cook thesee two until the berries are soft. Strain the mix through a sieve. Let cool.

Then take . . .

1 3/4 c. water

1 3/4 c. sugar

Cook this mix at a rolling boil for 5 minutes. Let cool.

Then . . .

Combine the berry juice with the sugar water. Add 1 1/2 T. lemon juice. Transfer to a fairly shallow container. Freeze the mixture. When the mixture is hard -- or nearly so -- whip the mixture thoroughly to a pink froth. (If it's not pink, refreeze and try again.)Refreeze the whipped mixture.

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Serve as a part of a turkey or chicken dinner.

The Neighbor Kids

When I first moved up here on the hill, there were no kids on our street, across the side lot, or behind us, unless you went to the very end of the street just below. In that house were two teens and a young girl who never seemed to come out of the house.

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Lest you think that this lack of kids in the neighborhood is impressive, you have to realize that there are only seven houses up in this part of town -- two on our street; one across from us; and four on the block below us.

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First, our next door neighbors had twins. Then about 18 months later our neighbors who bumped lots with us had a daughter. Then across the street the old man moved away and into the house came two kids, half sisters. (One was about my stepson's age; the other was a toddler.) That family across the street was one where I never wanted any of my stepkids to be nor my nieces and nephews when they visited. It wasn't too long until they left, without any real notice, essentially abandoning the place. Down below, a family moved in with their three kids. Then over across, after someone bought the property and fixed it up, a blended family with seven kids moved in. Soon it was not uncommon to see and hear kids outside playing.

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I will tell you that it is good to see kids outside playing instead of sitting all their free time watching television or playing on the computer. I often will see one or both parents out with them, playing in the yard, hiking up the hill, or riding bikes up and down the street here. I have seen that large family take their bikes down the hill to ride to town -- I have seen them down on the main road, riding single-file -- and I see them pushing their bikes up the hill when they return. These kids, and their parents, are doing what they need to be and should be doing. My husband and I have often commented on this.

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Our neighbors across the street have been working bit-by-bit on their landscaping. It is neat to look over to see what they have done as I either go down or up our hill. Last month they set out on display seven pumpkins the kids carved. They sat out until after Halloween. One of the girls was telling me about these, and I said to her that they needed to get a picture of it, as it really is pretty cool. She explained to me why the one has a caved-in face. She said it was supposed to be a ghost, but something went wrong. With a ghost, who cares what it looks like?

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The picture of the pumpkin display. Once I change my color cartridge, I think I will print off a picture to give to the family, as I don't think I ever saw anyone out there with a camera -- but the kids saw me the afternoon that the one and I chatted about the display.

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It may look like Halloween instead of Thanksgiving, but who cares? I like showing what my neighbors are doing.

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Remember the other neighbor I told about this summer who doesn't mow or anything? I am about to nominate him for "Desperate Yards" or whatever that program is on cable TC. He never really did anything all summer with his yard.

The Deer Hunt Update

Nothing to report yet!

Naming Your Kids

This idea is not original with me, but for some reason I was thinking about it the other day -- maybe it is that for some reason I thought of what an advantage it would be if parents named their children in alphabetical order. How many times have you been called the wrong name by your parents over the years? I can't say that having all of the names start with the same letter is any help.

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Initially, I thought that starting from A would make sense; but then I thought that would leave out a chunk of great names farther along in the alphabet. Then I thought of letting the parents choose whether to start at A and go forward or start a Z and go backward; but then I remembered that there are a LOT of strange names that start with those letters, you know Zebediah, Yancy, Xavier, . . . Then I thought, what about a sequence -- that made sense, although parents might want to be careful about where they start, lest they run into another odd run and have to include a Q.
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Owners of a coffee shop in my area were expecting a baby -- their second, I think. I forget the names of the couple and their child, but I do know that they were expecting a boy and were planning to name him Lincoln. The L would continue an alphabetical run they had going with their names, as well as their first child's.
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It may be that this came to mind as I realized that my nephew and his wife, who expect their first child late next spring could so this 100% because their names are in alphabetical order -- Jeremy and Kim! They should either name their child with a name starting with an L or an I and take it from there.

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I haven't put the idea out there for them to think about, although I did say something to my nephew's sister but haven't heard her thoughts.
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Just an idea.

Thanksgiving Thoughts

Come, ye thankful people, come, raise the song of harvest home;

All is safely gathered in, ere the winter storms begin.

God our Maker doth provide for our wants to be supplied;

Come to God’s own temple, come, raise the song of harvest home.

All the world is God’s own field, fruit unto His praise to yield;

Wheat and tares together sown unto joy or sorrow grown.

First the blade and then the ear, then the full corn shall appear;

Lord of harvest, grant that we wholesome grain and pure may be.

For the Lord our God shall come, and shall take His harvest home;

From His field shall in that day all offenses purge away,

Giving angels charge at last in the fire the tares to cast;

But the fruitful ears to store in His garner evermore.

Even so, Lord, quickly come, bring Thy final harvest home;

Gather Thou Thy people in, free from sorrow, free from sin,

There, forever purified, in Thy garner to abide;

Come, with all Thine angels come, raise the glorious harvest home.

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Henry Alford, Psalms and Hymns, 1844.

The Hunters Prepare

Here in New York, deer hunters were out at the crack of dawn. The deer hunting (gun) season has begun. I think it was last year that the state backed up the start from a Monday to Saturday, which made sense. Probably one plus is that fewer people are skipping work because of "deer flu." My husband is one of those who enjoys deer hunting. I think it all goes back to his growing up on a farm with 15 siblings. A lot of their food needs they raised, whether produce or meat.

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I have observed my husband's preparations for this "big day" since I came up here. First of all, he often goes out to scout spots on family lands. (Several of the family own land in various places in the corner of Broome and Cortland Counties.) He will usually do this Sunday after dinner, starting near the end of October. Then he checks his calendar at work to see what days he plans to use vacation for hunting, as he and his brothers often head farther south to another brother's land in Tioga County, skirting the Pennsylvania line.

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Common practice has been for my husband and several of his brothers and their sons to meet together for what I call the pre-hunt dinner. What I find amusing about this is that it seems the meat for this meal is always venison from the last season. We had three packages of venison in the freezer, waiting for this big pre-hunt meal. I think it was Wednesday that it moved out of the freezer to thaw. When my husband came home for lunch on Thursday, he stuck the thawed meat in a marinade -- probably Italian dressing. Thursday evening he added onions, red and green peppers, and chopped garlic and cooked it slowly on the stove.

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Since it has been cold enough now for us to use our deck as an additional refrigerator, we stuck the pan out there overnight (under a stool so that no animal would discover it and work at getting the lid off.) When I came home from work on Friday, there was a note on the table for me from my husband asking me to check to see how the venison mix was warming, as at his lunch (late) he dashed home and transferred the concoction to a crockpot because this was for supper last night.

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I was at home for awhile by myself Thursday evening. Because this idea of eating venison before deer hunting has always amused me, I thought I could sneak a picture of it while my husband wasn't at home, wondering what in the world I was doing. (I may not take a lot of pictures to develop, but I really like having my digital to have fun with -- taking pictures for reasons other than printing. I can take stupid pictures without wasting film.)

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After the meal, the guys sit around and talk and play cards and maybe eat popcorn (popped here and taken along), from what I have heard. Then they get to bed early because they can start shooting at daybreak. My husband camps out in a small cabin on some family land. The inside is essentially just one room with a bit of a loft for sleeping. The outside has a small porch, an outhouse, and an outdoor shower (not what you want to use this time of year).

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Anyone up at the crack of dawn around here the first day of hunting (gun) season will hear the crack-crack-crack of guns going off. I will say that I don't yet know if my husband has had any luck today (rarely does he shoot one the first day -- he sees some, but isn't ready to waste his one-buck permit on some scrawny deer). I have begun to wonder if that special big-hunt venison supper is any help at all OR if their pores are oozing scent of dead relative that deer instinctively pick up . . . Eventually we do get a deer here, and then our garage and kitchen counter become the preparation and butchering areas. I can't tell you how often I have gone out to the garage this time of year and had a hairy head with beady eyes looking at me from a five-gallon bucket. I also recall a time when a dead deer was just lying in the garage. I opened the door and initially thought there was a dog lying there. WRONG! YUCK! GROSS!

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Some have had success. I did see that hung up on the branch of a tree down on the road below is a dead deer -- remember, it's cold enough outside to be like a refrigerator. My stepson called to say he got an eight-point already and wondered if I had heard anything from his dad yet.

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Is deer season a big deal around here? Yup. Local restaurants will open VERY early mornings to offer breakfast for hunters (and other early risers). Used to be that when deer season began on Monday (the one before Thanksgiving), some school districts were closed all Thanksgiving week. People in our church who had a bed and breakfast always have hunters from downstate stay there.

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I forget just when it is in December that the season ends, but the next few weeks/Saturdays, my husband will be out and about. We'll see how it is we get that deer. I can eat venison, but it isn't a particular favorite of mine. I really don't mind making the sacrifice of giving some up for the pre-hunt venison supper.

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The other side of all this is that we have enough problems watching for deer as we travel the roads around here; but it gets a little more challenging during hunting season. Sometimes it seems vehicles get more deer than guns do!

Take Precautions Thursday

Top Ten Signs You've Eaten

Too Much at Thanksgiving Dinner

(from one of David Letterman's Top Ten Lists)

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10. Hundreds of volunteers have started to stack sandbags around you.

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9. Doctor tells you your weight would be perfect for anyone 17 feet tall.

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8. You are responsible for a slight but measurable shift in the earth's axis.

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7. Right this minute you're laughing up pie on the carpet.

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6. You decide to take a little nap and wake up in mid-July.

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5. World's fattest person sends you a telegram, warning you to "back off!"

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4. Your boss tells you to lose weight or else.

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3. Getting off your couch requires help from the fire department.

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2. Every escalator you step on immediately grinds to a halt.

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1. You're sweatin' gravy.

Hm-m-m

No doubt you have read or at least heard about this. I thought the item was worth sharing here, in case you missed it. The information in the brackets is original with me.

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Hillary Clinton might be on one side of the border, then the other when it comes to issuing driver's licenses to illegal immigrants; but Mexican officials know exactly where they stand: no licenses for illegals. All of Mexico's thirty-one states require foreign residents to hold a valid visa if they want a Mexican license, according to a survey published Thursday in The Arizona Republic.
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"When it comes to foreigners, we're a little more strict here," Alejandro Ruíz, director of education at the Mexican Automobile Association, told the newspaper. [I guess so!! Maybe our government, both state and national, could take notice.]

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Immigrant drivers became an overnight national campaign issue when Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton responded to a debate question by declared her support for a move by New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer to issue licenses to illegal immigrants. "It makes a lot of sense," Clinton said during the Oct. 30 debate. She backed away from that support Wednesday when Spitzer announced he was backing off the plan. [She's for whatever she thinks her audience is for and against whatever she thinks her audience is against. She has become as unprincipled as her husband-of-convenience, as it seems that she used to take stands and stick to them, regardless of what others thought.]

Eight U.S. states allow drivers to get licenses without proving they are legal residents, the newspaper reported. [Here are the states: Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah and Washington.]

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Mexicans account for more than half of the 12 million undocumented residents, according to the Pew Hispanic Center. Because of the number of illegal Mexicans residing in the U.S., America's southern neighbor has battled to open the licensing process in all 50 states. But licensing offices in all of Mexico's 31 states -- and Mexico City -- told The Arizona Republic that proof of citizenship is required. Temporary tourists can drive using their foreign licenses, the newspaper reported, the same temporary exemption granted visitors to the U.S.

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adapted from www.foxnews.com/printer_friendly_story/0,3566,311838,00.html

The picture is of our notorious governor (and friend of Hillary), Eliot Spitzer.

Learning Tips

Education is my field. I have been in education as a student or educator for quite some time -- I think September started my 49th year. So, you will have to excuse me if from time to time I share something educational -- although I think that anyone who has ever been a student will be able to follow this line today.

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Ever hear of mnemonic devices [the m is silent]? Probably you have, but you didn't know they had a sophisticated name. Mnemonic devices are things we use to help us remember facts. There are some standard ones; there are ones any one of us may create.

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I came across an item that listed what are viewed to be the top 10 mnemonic devices. (Must be anyone can create a "top 10" list for just about anything.) Do you remember any of these? I remember two not listed here:

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1) All Students Take Chemistry.

This was used to help advanced math students remember which quadrants were positive or negative -- I forget the particulars, as it has been quite awhile since I have used it. (It relates to the math mentioned in #7, though.)

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2) Face is red, raise the head; face is pale, raise the tail.

This was a tip from First Aid in dealing with an injured person, as far as warding off possible shock or other related problems. (My sister the nurse should be able to correct me here on what it is supposed to be, in case I am wrong.)

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Are there any others not here that you recall?

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1. ROY G BIV:

Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet-- the order of the colors in a rainbow.

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2. Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally

Parentheses, Exponents, Multiplication, Division, Addition, Subtraction -- the Order of Operations in math.

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3. Every Good Boy Does Fine / FACE;

musical notation -- treble clef notes on the lines (E, G, B, D, F) and those on the spaces (F, A, C, E)

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4. My Very Earnest Mother Just Served Us Nine Pickles:

Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto -- the order of the planets from the sun out

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5. King Philip Cuts Open Five Green Snakes

Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species -- one of many used to remember the order of Taxonomy for biology.

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6. Thirty days hath September, . . .

the number of days each month

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7. Two Old Angels Skipped Over Heaven Carrying Ancient Harps

the equations for Tangent, Sine, and Cosine (O stands for opposite, A stands for adjacent, and H stands for hypotenuse. Therefore, Tangent = Opposite/Adjacent; Sine = Opposite/Hypotenuse; Cosine = Adjacent/Hypotenuse)

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8. HOMES

Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, and Superior -- the five Great Lakes

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9. OIL RIG

Oxidation It Loses (electrons); Reduction It Gains (electrons) -- chemistry aid

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10. In 1492 Columbus Sailed the Ocean Blue

Yuck!

While I do not watch the Food Channel to see the cooking shows, I do see it for the other food shows, such as Good Eats or any other program that tells about how foods we eat are processed. Sometimes food history can be seen on the History Channel; sometimes food is featured on the Travel Channel.

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I came across an item today that reminded me that I had heard of a place like this -- if not this -- a place that manufactures odd-flavored soda (or pop, as some Americans call it). If I recall, the program that I saw last year showed sodas that fit the foods one would consume at Thanksgiving: gravy, turkey, some vegetable flavors, mashed potatoes, cranberry, pie, and probably some others (although I did not see stuffing offered).

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YUCK! I can't imagine enjoying these substitutes for the real thing, especially if they are carbonated. I haven't located any reviews yet as to the taste of such products.

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In case you can't get the nerve to try something new for Thanksgiving dinner, I believe that the company has Christmas flavors available: Flavors: (Click to see nutritional information): Christmas Ham Soda, Christmas Tree Soda, Egg Nog Soda, and Sugar Plum Soda. To expand their appeal, I think they also have flavors that include the Jewish holidays as well.

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I think that you can only order this stuff online; however, if anyone has seen it or tasted it (or know someone who has), it would be interesting to know their opinion. It might be that it tastes better than it sounds.

Why November 11?

In the late 1960s, Congress voted to change when it is we observe certain federal holidays. They wanted three-day weekends more than an increase in people's awareness of the observance, I believe. (I think I addressed this either in January or February.) Even Veterans' Day observance was moved, but that did not last long because of all the patriotic holidays we observe, the date has significance.

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World War I officially ended when the Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919, in the Palace of Versailles outside the town of Versailles, France. However, fighting ceased seven months earlier when an armistice, or temporary cessation of hostilities, between the Allied nations and Germany went into effect on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. For that reason, November 11, 1918, is generally regarded as the end of “the war to end all wars.”

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In November 1919, President Wilson proclaimed November 11th as the first commemoration of Armistice Day with the following words: "To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations…"
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The original concept for the celebration was for a day observed with parades and public meetings and a brief suspension of business beginning at 11 a.m.

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An act of Congress, approved May 13, 1938, made the 11th of November in each year a legal holiday - - a day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be thereafter celebrated and known as "Armistice Day." Armistice Day was primarily a day set aside to honor veterans of World War I. But in 1954, after World War II had required the greatest mobilization of soldiers, sailors, Marines and airmen in the Nation’s history and after American forces had fought aggression in Korea, Congress, at the urging of the veterans service organizations, amended the act, striking out the word "Armistice" and inserting in its place the word "Veterans." With the approval of this legislation on June 1, 1954, November 11th became a day to honor American veterans of all wars.

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The first Veterans Day under the new law that changed holiday observances to Mondays was observed with much confusion on October 25, 1971. It was quite apparent that the commemoration of this day was a matter of historic and patriotic significance to a great number of our citizens, and so on September 20, 1975, President Gerald R. Ford signed the law which returned the annual observance of Veterans Day to its original date of November 11th, beginning in 1978. This action supported the desires of the overwhelming majority of state legislatures, all major veterans service organizations and the American people.

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Veterans Day continues to be observed on November 11, regardless of what day of the week on which it falls. The restoration of the observance of Veterans Day to November 11th not only preserves the historical significance of the date, but helps focus attention on the important purpose of Veterans Day: A celebration to honor America's veterans for their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good.

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adapted from this source: www1.va.gov/opa/vetsday/vetdayhistory.asp

Veterans' Day

Lest We Forget

How Many for Dinner?

When we have relatives come for dinner, it is amazing how many come. This evening we had this many people here, besides us two: BF, BE, RP, JC, JC, NC, TN, MN, RE, DT, MT, EM, KN, WE, PE, TE, WA, MA. I believe that makes 20 that we hosted here for dinner.
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We set up three tables in our downstairs, moving some of the other furniture out of the way. The other day, while I was in a nearby city, I bought some plastic tablecloths that had harvest decorations on them for the three tables we were going to borrow. The table coverings did look good on the tables, as we were having a send-off dinner for our parents, all three of whom are leaving town Monday for a few weeks. None will be here for Thanksgiving with us. This was to be a type of Bon Voyage gathering.
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All 20 of us were able to fit just fine in the space. The meal was served family style, and so it wasn't necessary that everyone be able to get and move about freely.

What did we have? pork roast, mashed potatoes, homemade applesauce, squash, corn casserole, jello, grapes, homemade rolls and quick breads, gravy, and assorted pies. Did we have enough? Of course!
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A funny side note to all of this is that this morning, my husband sat in the recliner chair for a few hours, watching re-runs of Gunsmoke as he peeled and cut up apples for applesauce, the squash, and the potatoes. Always, when we serve the multitudes a meal, he is a great help. Today he was the chief cook while I was the house cleaner. In addition to the things he peeled and prepared, he also took care of cooking the meat. I made the coffee. Everything else others brought.
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The downstairs area is picked up and re-settled. For the night two of our guests are sleeping over. They like that area, as there is a king-sized waterbed that they find warm and comfortable. Nothing like a quick transition.
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Of course, tomorrow we are having some great-tasting leftovers!

How'd Ya Like to Live Here?

Sim Jae-Duck was born in a restroom and now he plans to live and die in one -- a $1.6 million toilet-shaped house designed to promote his tireless campaign for cleaner loos worldwide.

Sim will open what is billed as the world's one and only toilet house on November 11 to mark the launch of his World Toilet Association.

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The 4,508-sq-foot concrete and glass structure is rising on the site of Sim's former home in his native city of Suweon, 24 miles south of Seoul. Before he moves in, anyone who is flush with funds can rent it for $50,000 a day -- with proceeds going to his campaign to provide poor countries with proper sanitary facilities.

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Apart from two bedrooms, two guestrooms and other rooms, the two-storey house -- of course -- features three deluxe toilets. Unlike the giant "toilet" in which they are located, they will not be see-through affairs.

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"A showcase bathroom screened by a glass wall is located in its centre, while other toilets have elegant fittings or water conservation devices," Sim says.

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The showcase loo will feature a device producing a mist to make users feel secure. An electronic sensor will raise the lid automatically when people enter, and there will also be music for patrons.

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The house, complete with a stream and small garden in front, is named Haewoojae, meaning "a place of sanctuary where one can solve one's worries".

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Sim's birth in a restroom was in line with traditional beliefs. It was intentional. My mother followed advice from my grandmother that people born in restrooms will enjoy long lives," said the 74-year-old.
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adapted from an article at yahoo.com: news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20071011/lf_afp/lifestyleskoreatoilets_071011045437

Lunch Time at Work

This year I have been able to have enough time at lunch to go down to the teachers' room and join a group of others there. When I subbed, I usually had the time to do that, and at that time I thought it was a good way to meet other co-workers I would not usually see -- although I subbed everywhere in the building, from one wing to the other and on both floors plus extensions. I found that I could learn a lot about the people I worked with by eating in the teachers' room. I knew which ones were the perpetual complainers, not just about school but about all sorts of other things. I found that those who stayed up in their groups upstairs tended to be clique-ish. I found out which ones bought their lunches and which ones brought their lunches.

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My schedule this year is such that I may not always have lunch the same time every day. However, usually I do. If my group finishes early, I get to the room a little ahead of the crowd. So, if I am going to buy soup at the cafeteria, I have no lines to budge into or wait behind. If I am going to warm something in the microwave, I haven't people ahead of me. Sometimes I pop over to the store next door and get a great-tasting sub to take with me to the room.

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The group I eat with is a good group. We have a good time, AND we laugh a lot. We don't bring up problems we are having that day in our work. We don't bring up family problems we may be having. We don't tear down the school or those who work in it. What do we talk about? Sometimes it is strange what we talk about. It seems that one topic leads to another and leads to another. It can be anything from noticing that someone isn't sitting in her usual place -- the guys all seem to stay away -- and wondering what the pros and cons of that are to if there is such a phrase as in whack since there is the phrase out of whack and wondering where the expression came from as well as what the new form might mean. One of the older staff was musing a few weeks ago, on a beautiful day, how she might be able to go home early. We suggested pulling the fire alarm -- but being sure there was no way she could be pin-pointed. (We suggested either going upstairs, where the high school students have classes -- the cops might think it was one of them -- or going way to the end of the lower elementary wing where the cops might think that some little kid didn't know what he was doing at the time. We also told her she would need to wear something that would cover her fingerprints . . .

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We have said, from time to time, that we ought to write a book about our lunchroom chats. Perhaps it could lay the groundwork for other school lunch discussion among the teachers, discussion that is positive and fun, not negative and hurtful.

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I have been given a mission -- to eat lunch 6th period, when I have the chance so I can determine if our lunch group is the best. (Of course, we all decided that even this year's mix might not work out the same next year, since schedules and responsibilities can change form year to year.) Regardless, we will continue to have our good time this year when we get together at lunch. I think I already have an idea of who comes to lunch 6th period in the room -- and I know that they do not have the same good time we do!

Those Brits and Their Oddball Laws

Generally, I tend to think that only the USA has some oddball laws on the books. Some towns, cities, and states have laws that should have been erased from the books long ago because there is no longer a valid reason to have them. Maybe sometime I will give some examples.

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Why that comes to mind is this. Today, when I went to check my Yahoo mail account, there was a link to an article about some ridiculous laws still on the books in Britain. I then realized I was wrong about thinking only we had those.

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Here are the top ten of Britain's most ridiculous laws:

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1. It is illegal to die in the Houses of Parliament.
2. It is an act of treason to place a postage stamp bearing the British monarch upside-down.
3. In Liverpool, it is illegal for a woman to be topless except as a clerk in a tropical fish store.
4. Mince pies cannot be eaten on Christmas Day.
5. In Scotland, if someone knocks on your door and requires the use of your toilet, you must let them enter.
6. A pregnant woman can legally relieve herself anywhere she wants, including in a policeman's helmet.
7. The head of any dead whale found on the British coast automatically becomes the property of the king, and the tail of the queen. [That one makes no sense to me.]
8. It is illegal to avoid telling the tax man anything you do not want him to know, but legal not to tell him information you do not mind him knowing.
9. It is illegal to enter the Houses of Parliament in a suit of armour.

10. In the city of York it is legal to murder a Scotsman within the ancient city walls, but only if he is carrying a bow and arrow.

An Innovative Solution

I don't know about you, but I tend to think that this item relates more to guys than girls -- not that girls haven't engaged in such activities. I know that I must have at least grabbed my brothers' undies and given them wedgies.

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Why this topic? I was checking out some items yesterday on some news sites and came across a headline that caught my attention -- Ohio twins (boys) had invented wedgie-proof underwear. Here's how they did it. Using rigged boxers and fabric fasteners to hold together some seams, the twins came up with their invention, which they named the "Rip Away 1000."

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"When the person tries to grab you — like the bully or the person tries to give you a wedgie — they just rip away," one of the boys explained, when asked how they work.

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The eight-year-old boys began brainstorming one day after they were horsing around, giving each other the treatment. Apparently the boys took on the idea a sarcastic comment by their mother's boyfriend -- someone ought to invent wedgie-proof underwear.

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Hm-m-m-m-m! I wonder how comfortable those undies would be. Could they be more comfortable than a wedgie?

Elementary Teachers of the Past

Why in the world I have come with this I do not know. I have no idea what triggers some of my ideas, but I do know that some of them come from way back in my past.

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Do you remember the first male teacher you had? I remember mine. His name was Mr. Brist -- I forget his first name. He was my 4th grade teacher in a combination 4th-5th class at Palm Elementary School, Beaumont, California. He had dark hair he wore in a brush cut, he wore glasses, and I think he had a moustache. Often to school he rode on a light blue motor scooter. It was in his class that I studied about California state history. It was in his class that I first learned some Spanish (educational tv) three days a week for 15 minutes. It was in his class that I heard that the president had been assassinated. It was in his class that a new kind of math was tried with a select group of 4th graders, introducing us to set theory. Do I remember any of his personal interests? Not really. From time to time he attended my church; but he didn't go often enough to be considered a regular.

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My second male teacher I had in 5th grade, where I attended Manzanita Elementary School, Palmdale, California. My teacher's name was Mr. Denning -- Darryl Denning. It seems that many of the girls in my class had a crush on him, as he was about 25 and single. Must be that didn't phase me, as I remember learning more modern math from him. I was part of a section of the class who had non-traditional math. (One thing I remember is working in other bases, aside from base 10, which is the base we use. I could switch numbers back and forth from base 10 to base whatever -- up to twelve -- and back again.) It was in his class that we heard read to us after lunch recess chapters from books like The Phantom Tollbooth and the Little House on the Prairie series. It was in this class that we studied about the USA -- its history and geography as well as the geography of Canada. It was while I was in his class that we had an assembly where we witnessed the ability to call from the USA to Japan by phone.

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The other thing about being in Mr. Denning's class was that we believed we had a young teacher. One of the most anticipated days of the year was going to be the last day of school. Aside from some boys in my class bringing in their drums and guitars and acting like they could play the tunes of the times, and aside from playing 45s on the record player to just enjoy or to dance to, the highlight for us was going to be when Mr. Denning was going to dance "The Twist" with Adrienne Caudill's mother. (Her mom had a lot of kids in the school -- seemed she stood up for a lot of grades to be counted for attendance at PTA meetings.) Most of the other kids in our quad were hoping to catch a glimpse. Sure enough. At the appointed time, one of the boys put the 45 on the record player and the two adults went at it.

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The other cool thing that Mr. Denning did was bring in one of his guitars because he was going to play for us some flamenco music. Although I don't know that I appreciated it then as I do now, I know that he was very good at it. In fact, he was not going to be returning to teach 5th grade the following year. He was going to set up a place in the San Fernando Valley in order to teach guitar.

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I never gave it a lot of thought as to his doing any more than that until I happened to come across his name -- and pictures -- five years or more later. Apparently, Mr. Denning really took off with the guitar. Must be that playing classical/flamenco guitar was his calling rather than teaching 5th graders.

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How often is it that adults from about the ages of 18-25 or 30 seem to change their minds about what they want to do with their lives? Quite often, I think. If it doesn't happen then, it sometimes happens from about age 45-50. (For some, it occurs both times.) Sometimes it's that second or third career move that is the one that sticks and is the one in which the person finds contentment.

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Click on the website below, if you are curious as to how far Mr. Denning has gone with his talent.

http://denningguitarist.com/Denning_Bio.html

Sunday Thanks

I thought that maybe this month the Sunday thoughts would focus on Thanksgiving themes. Although I think that thankfulness ought to practiced all year, I like the idea that our nation recognizes a day of thanks.
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This poem, put to music, is not one of American roots. Some other English-speaking countries include it in their collection of hymns for weddings. Regardless, here is a short story about the poem as well as the poem itself, one found in many American hymnbooks.

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Martin Rinkart, a Lu­ther­an min­is­ter, was in Eil­en­burg, Sax­o­ny[Germany], dur­ing the Thir­ty Years’ War. The walled ci­ty of Eil­en­burg saw a stea­dy stream of re­fu­gees pour through its gates. The Swed­ish ar­my sur­round­ed the ci­ty, and fa­mine and plague were ramp­ant. Eight hund­red homes were de­stroyed, and the peo­ple be­gan to per­ish. There was a tre­men­dous strain on the pas­tors who had to con­duct do­zens of fun­er­als dai­ly. Fi­nal­ly, the pas­tors, too, suc­cumbed, and Rink­art was the on­ly one left—doing 50 fun­er­als a day. When the Swedes de­mand­ed a huge ran­som, Rink­art left the safe­ty of the walls to plead for mer­cy. The Swed­ish com­mand­er, im­pressed by his faith and cour­age, low­ered his de­mands. Soon af­ter­ward, the Thir­ty Years’ War end­ed, and Rinkart wrote this hymn for a grand cel­e­bra­tion ser­vice. It is a test­a­ment to his faith that, af­ter such mis­e­ry, he was able to write a hymn of abid­ing trust and gra­ti­tude to­ward God.
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Now thank we all our God, with heart and hands and voices,

Who wondrous things has done, in Whom this world rejoices;

Who from our mothers’ arms has blessed us on our way

With countless gifts of love, and still is ours today.

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O may this bounteous God through all our life be near us,

With ever joyful hearts and blessèd peace to cheer us;

And keep us in His grace, and guide us when perplexed;

And free us from all ills, in this world and the next!

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All praise and thanks to God the Father now be given;

The Son and Him Who reigns with Them in highest Heaven;

The one eternal God, whom earth and Heaven adore;

For thus it was, is now, and shall be evermore.

Wow!

Last evening we had complimentary tickets to a concert, Juke Box Journey. The concert was two hours packed full of music from the '40s-'80s (plus a bit of an intermission). My sister-in-law and I must have sat there much of the evening playing "Name That Tune and Artist." She, although younger than I , did better than I did. One non-musical item that two did, representative of the '40s/'50s was the classic "Who's on First." The two were really good. I said to my sister-in-law that it doesn't seem to matter how often I hear that dialogue, I laugh to tears if it is done well. It was done well.

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A good portion of the numbers were shortened versions of the originals. The singers sometimes did try to sound, vocally, like the original performers; other times they just were going for the general sound and style.

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One of my favorite parts was the one in which they dressed just the like artists we know and remember. It wasn't hard to determine when they were singers/musicians like these: James Taylor, Little Richard (pink suit and all), Elton John, Ray Charles, the Beatles, the Beach Boys, the BeeGees, Sonny and Cher (the guy playing Sonny was on his knees with shoes attached there to make him look short standing beside "Cher"), Andrews Sisters, the Blues Brothers, Elvis (including the older, fatter version), James Brown (moves and all), and others that slip my mind at the moment. Of course, they sang/played other songs by many other familiar artists as well -- Aretha Franklin, Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, the instrumental song of "Wipe Out," Jerry Lee Lewis, and more.

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The time flew by, and we all had to say that we had a great time. We still weren't sure we would have been willing to pay the $25 for each ticket; but for those with the money to spend, it was a very good price. I don't doubt that if we had complimentary tickets again, if they returned, we'd take them.

Lite Thoughts for Friday

Maybe this isn't such a "lite thought," but that's all right. The idea has a bit of humor in it, but the challenge might tax the mind somewhat.
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Last evening, while my spouse and I were watching something mindless on tv -- perhaps the Weather Channel -- before we went to bed, I asked him this question, which he thought was not worth thinking about.
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Let me set the stage a bit. There was a time when the only lights that were strung outside, and inside, the house were done so for Christmas. We went from those large bulbs that got rather hot over the hours to the mini-lights that hardly generated any heat at all. We went from indoor lights to outdoor lights. We went from colored lights to white lights back to colored lights. We went from mini-lights to ropes of light. While white mini-lights, as well as rope lights, are often seen year-round, lights for the holidays still stuck with just Christmas.
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That has changed. Did you notice the number of places that had orange mini-lights this year? I did. Decorations for Halloween, even in this small town, are unreal. We have fake tombstones, fake spiderwebs, ghosts, and the like. On our way to church we see a white, inflated thing that I guess is a ghost -- actually, it reminds me of the Michelin man.
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Here is the question I asked my spouse: If we were to decorate for Thanksgiving, using lights, what color would we use? Of course, he wouldn't give me an answer. So I told him that if he was going to be that way, then I would ask others who might appreciate it.
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So, here is your chance. In the comments, you choose the color you think fits best AND tell the reason. I told my husband that odd as it may seem, I thought light-brown lights would be best because that seems to be a color of Thanksgiving: turkey (whether alive or dead), dressing, gravy, deer (whether alive or dead and cooked), tables, chairs . . . .

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You had better get decorating, as Thanksgiving comes early this year, November 22.

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Obviously, the picture is not from a NY location.

November 1

Wow! Hard to believe it is already November. For us, we have just within the past week finally gotten a hard frost. That is late for us. Sometimes by now we have had a bit of accumulating snow. That hasn't happened either. So, we'll see how winter shapes up.

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The past two months, on the first day, I have listed some of the wacky holidays of the month. I decided not to do that this time.

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Instead, I am going to copy the words of a hymn that I think of this time of year. The night of October 31, 1517. Martin Luther dealt the symbolic blow that began the Reformation when he nailed his Ninety-Five Theses to the door of the Wittenberg Church. That document contained an attack on papal abuses and the sale of indulgences by church officials.

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Luther himself saw the Reformation as something far more important than a revolt against ecclesiastical abuses. He believed it was a fight for the gospel. Luther even stated that he would have happily yielded every point of dispute to the Pope, if only the Pope had affirmed the gospel. .
And at the heart of the gospel, in Luther's estimation, was the doctrine of justification by faith--the teaching that Christ's own righteousness is imputed to those who believe, and on that ground alone, they are accepted by God.

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He chose to post the 95 Theses on Hallow's Eve -- the night before the Church's celebration of All Saints Day.

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This is the hymn I always think of in connection with all that Martin Luther accomplished:

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A Mighty Fortress is our God
(Ein' feste Burg ist unser Gott.)

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A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing;

Our helper He, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing,

For still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe; his craft and power are great,

And, armed with cruel hate, on earth is not his equal.
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Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing,

Were not the right Man on our side, the man of God's own choosing.

Dost ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is He; Lord Sabaoth is His name,

From age to age the same. And He MUST win the battle.
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And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us

We will not fear, for God hath willed His Truth to triumph through us.

The prince of Darkness grim, we tremble not for him; his rage we can endure.

For lo! his doom is sure, one little Word shall fell him.

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That Word above all earthly powers -- No thanks to them abideth;

The Spirit and the gifts are ours, through Him who with us sideth.

Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also; the body they may kill;

God's Truth abideth still. His kingdom is forever. Amen!!