ThanksGiving Thoughts

I had the strangest feelings all during ThanksgivingDay this year, and that was before I ate any turkey. I keep feeling that eveything that happened had happened before. Sometimes I was sitting at the kids' table and sometimes I was the mom wondering what my kid was talking about at the kids' table. Sometimes I'd just catch myself from calling one of the nephews by the name of one of my brothers. It was comforting because I now suspect that Thanksgiving DAy dinner will always be a joyous celebration as long as their is family around to celelbrate it. Even those who were eating dinner with other families were present as their stories were told and their names invoked in long standing jokes, or someone would say something and sound just like some other family member.

I was apprehensive that the day would become sad because recent ThanksgivingDays have brought pain and loss. Just last year our mother was in the hospital, in good spirits, surrounded by family and anticipating what the diagnosis of leukemia would mean to her. She knew her faith would be tested and her faith carried her until the end. Just a year ago our brother was still alive and anticipating the coming spring and the graduation of his son. His faith allowed him to enjoy every day of his life that was left to him. It is comforting to know that even in death, we are still a part of the family. Just like thay say, you can pick your friends , but you are part of a family for eternity, like it or not. I like it.

"Tryp" tophan

This is your brain on turkey!

*click on the title for more info on trypto

Soggy Bottoms

Too late I get the information about how to prevent soggy pie crust bottoms. . . . I slept in a little bit this morning and then got up to start my Thanksgiving Day baking. I cooked up some cranberry sauce since I've had cranberries in my freezer for quite a while and frankly, I can eat the whole pot myself between now and the first of Dec., then I cooked up a pumkin pie and since the oven was already hot, I threw in a chocolate pecan pie. I had been planning to take a little break and bake the other pie this afternoon, since I had to run to the bank. (N0ne of that fancy direct deposit for me, thank you very much.) Anyway, the pies are done, I'm on my way back from the bank, listening to NPR. (It's kinda odd that I can listen to NPR in my car but not in my house???) They're talking football on NPR and I'm not really listening when I hear the subject change to pies. I perk up my ears to listen and the guest chef says, ". . . for example pumpkin and pecan pies, since they're both custard pies, you have to precook the crust before you add the filling. Just add a cooked filling to a cooked crust and you won't get that soggy bottom. GREAT! Now he tells me. So if y'all leave your crust on the plate, my feeling won't be hurt. Just remind me next year.

New Look, New Links

Hi, I finally figured out how to add links to my blog. I guess I went overboard, but in case I missed one let me know about it, the missing link I mean. I'm sure the missing link is in our family somewhere

Veteran's Day

Flags, wave 'em if you got 'em.

127 - 50 = 77

127
You scored 127 on Tickle's IQ test.
Your mind's strengths allow you to think ahead of the game — to imagine or anticipate what should come next in just about any situation. Because you're equally skilled in the numerical and verbal universes of the brain, you can draw from multiple sources of information to come up with great ideas. The timelessness of your vision and the balance between your various skills are what make you a Visionary Philosopher. In addition to your strengths in math and linguistics, you have a knack for matching and anticipating patterns. These skills and your uncanny ability to detect the underlying blueprint of most of life's situations add to your Visionary Philosopher mind.

Of course I loose 50 points for spending the better part of an hour in front of the computer taking the test in the first place when I could have been 1. reading a book 2. playing my video game and looking for the 2 missing canine warriors 3. having a bowl of ice cream or 4. getting to bed on time.

PS Did I mention that our school is being visited by OPI as part of an evaluation since our school has failed to meet AYP (No Schools Left Standing) criteria for success? It's showtime!

Do You Want Fries With That?

This is what my cirulation desk looks like in my newly reorganized library. The windows behind the desk open onto the hallway. If you look closely you can see an opening in the side of the counter where the books are returned and a scanner on the top where the books are scanned for check out or check in. Under the black hood is a computer monitor that is recessed into the counter so it is not taking up space on the countertop. Unfortunalty I haven't been checking out too many books yet. I'm working on getting some new books now that the shelves are cleaned up and there is room for them. Hopfully there will be something there to tempt the high school readers.

Storm in a Bucket

Honestly! We give him fresh water every day!

PS The bucket is one we keep on the porch during the day to collect the frost, snow or dew that runs off the roof onto the porch. We don't use the water for anything, we just don't want it to freeze on the porch.