LADIES OF THE HOUSE-AK

EXCELLENT READING

2009-11-10T08:30:00.003-09:00

I thought I would share this article I read today on the site www.AmericanThinker.com

It struck me as very relevant to what is happening to our country today.

Honestly--What do you think?

By James Lewis

Some people have a government; and some governments have a people, said Ronald Reagan. We are being turned into a nation where the government owns the people. It is the demagogic heirs to the dreadful history of slavery who are now trying to turn the tables; Obama is a slave master in the making. He looks the part; he acts the part; and behind the scenes his Commissars are making it happen.

Obama has never quite displayed his bitter, long-harbored resentment toward America quite as obviously as he did after the Fort Hood massacre. The President couldn't figure out how to respond with the dignity fitting his office.

I happened to be going through the Washington, DC airport a couple of months ago when I heard a lot of people clapping and whooping, a little demonstration. When I looked, I noticed a single, elderly French horn player, sitting on a folding chair and playing patriotic tunes to enliven a parade -- if you can call it that -- of elderly, wheel-chair-bound vets from World War Two coming off their plane: The Greatest Generation, as even Tom Brokaw called them. They looked shrunken, most of those lifelong handicapped vets, wearing baseball and VFW caps, but some of them left their wheel chairs and walked through the reception as the old horn player did his tunes. My eyes started to tear up and I walked over to join the applause as these real saviors of the West went on by. They were greeted by a little reception committee and then went on to what was almost surely their last celebration with their buddies from the War. And that octogenarian horn player kept on playing his patriotic tunes.

Some of the bystanders joined in the applause, but there were some who made a display of their indifference and contempt as well. It was an interesting lesson in our split society. One young man jauntily walked away from the little final home-coming demonstration, prancing in the opposite direction, a little counter-demonstration all by himself. Those old vets in wheelchairs had no meaning for him; just the opposite. They were just mean old white guys, or something equally bizarre. The most democratic Army in history, the one that brought together Italians, Jews, Germans, Poles, and yes, blacks and Japanese Americans and everyone else, all of them scared of dying but pretty much convinced that their country was in peril from some pretty evil characters in Nazi Germany, Imperial Japan and the Soviet Union. So they fought, and died, sometimes in great numbers. Bob Dole got his lifelong wounds in the murderous Italian campaign, just like John McCain got his shoulder bones broken in the Hanoi Hilton. Some of those World War II guys were wounded for life, and some of them were now being rolled in their wheelchairs in front of our eyes. They meant nothing to the contemptuous young man who pranced away from them.

That'a a small metaphor for this Administration. The young counter-demonstrator had no idea about the sacrifices of the Greatest Generation, the lethal dangers the country confronted after People Harbor, and the heroism of our Soldiers, Sailors and Marines. He'd no doubt been told from childhood onward how evil White America really is. Yes, those WW Two soldiers represented an imperfect democracy; it just happened to be the best one on earth. And they knew that because of their own family histories, because American history was still taught in all the schools, and because they were good and decent people who were shocked by the vile and evil regimes that were conquering Europe and Asia, ruthlessly killing millions of innocent civilians as they went. It was a huge resurgence of barbarism, and their very souls cried out against the injustice of it all. They were Americans. It wasn't necessary to explain things to them. They got it.

And so the high school girls saw their sweethearts going off to war, and were left back home. Some of their men came back, often shell-shocked, but they didn't talk about the war. They went back to their lives and tried to pursue happiness. A lot of them never came back.

And then some guy named Joe Stalin exploded the first Soviet nuclear bombs, an A bomb and an H bomb. After all of their pain and homesickness and sacrifices, another totalitarian enemy had infiltrated the U.S. Government up to and including the White House staff. Those infiltrations were real, as we now know. They were not just the wild imaginings of Tailgunner Joe McCarthy. So, Americans became angry and frightened by this new totalitarian danger, especially because the State and Federal bureaucracies, the teachers, the media, and the universities were penetrated by the Stalinist Left and their Front organizations. For the first time in human history, a single Soviet bomber could fly from Europe to New York City and drop a bomb to obliterate all of Manhattan. They were outraged and frightened by this new threat, and they supported a vigorous anti-Communist movement led by people like Harry Truman, Richard Nixon, Joe McCarthy, President Eisenhower, and a host of others. For some decades the American people defended itself vigorously and effectively against the Stalin-directed Fifth Column that threatened their lives and freedom.

Today we are seeing a Second Cold War, but the enemy is within, just as it was after World War II. We are seeing outright front organizations again. "J Street" is a classical front organization, which should be called "J Front." It's a fraud, claiming to represent people who never voted for them. George Soros, who sets up many of these phony fronts, is a man who accommodated the Nazis, among other distinctions. He has never displayed a smidgen of guilt for his role in the the disposition of Jewish possessions after their owners were arrested and sent to death camps -- men, women, and children. Normal Holocaust survivors feel tremendous guilt; Soros sounds jaunty and devil-may-care about the murderous cannibalism of those years. He made out well, and started his long road to fortune. Today he is financing Obama's "Coup from Above," with the same insouciance with which he betrayed his Jewish relatives in Hungary.

There's a story to be told there. But don't expect the media to tell it.

The American people are hearing a call to arms -- not literal arms, for our system can self correct. But we have to out-organize and out-pressure the Left. They have called us "the enemy" ever since Alinsky's little book radicalized the revolutionaries of the Boomer Left after the violent revolutionary groups were readily suppressed. When somebody really considers you their enemy you have no choice. Either you return the compliment, or you get overwhelmed by the new Chicago Mob in D.C.

The Left has shown how to fight from a position of the minority and win. American conservatives by a recent poll have a two-to-one majority. They are constantly undermined by the political Left: Ridiculed in the media, demeaned in the schools and universities, out-maneuvered in politics at the state and national level by Leftists who are far nastier and far more ruthless than ordinary, decent Americans. This is a struggle for the country. We need to toughen up.

The first lesson is to start telling the truth without fear. Shout it out. Demonstrate. Tell your truth to your relatives that you've been trying to be nice to all these years. Make it pleasant and polite, but firm. Don't yell. Just talk and talk and talk. Yes, you can stand out from the crowd. Half of your listeners will privately agree with you if you state your case well, and over time they will find the courage to speak up, too.

The second lesson is to build up a cadre of leaders -- in the media, in politics, in the educational system, everywhere. We have at least one charismatic leader now in Sarah Palin. That's why she is under constant, vicious attack from the Left. That's why they burned down her church in Wasilla. They fear her. I love her for the enemies she has made. There are many other good people, but a charismatic political talent comes just once in every generation. She needs and deserves support. So do others.

When conservatives betray American conservatism, let them know you will vote against them, and support their conservative opponents in all the ways that work. Don't get nasty and hysterical. Just be calm and firm.

The third lesson is to organize, organize, and organize. That's how the Left did it. Tea Parties are good, the Heritage Foundation is good. There are many good organizations: We need to support them with our dollars and with our voices. We need to mobilize conservatives into active pressure groups around their greatest concerns: Web freedom is a crucial one right now. So is free radio and TV. When the Left attacks Fox News or Rush, we have to raise a gigantic fuss on their behalf. The media cannot be allowed to ignore our demonstrations. We have allowed far too many good people be attacked and attacked and shrugged our shoulders.

The election of 2010 will be a major survival test. If Americans fail that test, we will become Britain in its catastrophic decline under fifty years of socialism. A new Ruling Class will arise, just as it has in socialist Europe, and they will not care one bit about the people. They will import hostile voters from Third World countries. They will forge alliances with Islamists, as they are already doing. America will be helpless, and all the hostile forces around the world will know it. They will all be trying to push us under. If we are governed by a domestic Fifth Column, then North Korea, Russia, China, Iran, Hugo Chavez, the Sunni Moslem Brotherhood, all will beat us down. Real democracy is just not their thing.

At the U.N. we see kleptocracies in charge. Behold our future if we do not act. Chicago and Detroit stand as warnings.

Conservatives are individualists, so we have to do something unusual: organize, organize, organize. Local and national. Even international. Some of our friends are in the British media, where they are looking for us to stand up and defend civilization, just as they stood up against Hitler when we were still dithering. Some of our friends are in Australia, in Canada, and yes, in France. Around the world there are millions of people who get it. We can be American patriots with allies all around the world. They need leaders and vocal support just as much as we do.

And we must militantly defend the freedom of the web. The Stalinoids will attack it viciously, just as they will attack talk radio and Fox News. We are fighting the same enemy Ronald Reagan fought. We have to do it just as intelligently and vigorously as he did.

The word "activist" used to be a media word for the Left. It's high time to make it work for American conservatives.

Become an activist or lose your country.

BIG DAY IN OUR HOUSEHOLD

2009-11-02T17:55:00.003-09:00

Our older daughter bought her first vehicle and she

paid for it with her own money--in full! She works

for our home repair business, house sits, babysits,

mows lawns and in all her spare time she is

learning to be a pharmacy tech. Oh and she is

taking a math class at the college.

It's a neat truck, just the right size and 4 wheel

drive (very important with our steep driveway)

Right before we went and picked up the truck

our younger daughter brought home straight A's

on her report card!

Lots of progress in the kitchen to report. In fact, with

everybody helping all that is left is a second coat of

paint on the trim and then I can call the inspector.

I just know he is going to show up with the dreaded

clipboard in hand. And probably a magnifying glass.

He may even be wearing a white glove to check for

dirt and debris underneath the flooring. I wonder

if he will request a step stool so he can inspect

the ceiling for cleanliness.

If anybody needs me I will be in the hall closet

with the door shut and lights off until he's gone.

Can they be bribed with pastry?

Did I just write that?

Here is the outside entrance that I will use to bring items

in and to load up to deliver. Everything is recycled--

isn't that awesome? My husband is a genius at reusing

items instead of throwing them away. He makes

them work for what we need and makes them look

nice as well.

I still need to order vinyl graphics for the patio door

so nobody tries to walk through it. That would

be bad, wouldn't it?

Especially if it was the inspector.

Must be deer hunting season. Doesn't everybody have

antlers cooking on their barbeque?

I SHOULD PROBABLY STOP SLACKING NOW

2009-11-01T14:39:00.006-09:00

It's November 1st and time to get back into the swing of things!

My dumb camera finally bit the dust and only produces pictures

that are bright purple. When I was down south I looked at cameras,

but I just wasn't in the mood to spend $250-300. dollars for

another point and shoot when it doesn't seem like mine was all

that old.

By the way--do you like the new header photo? My older brother

shot that down at the beach across the road from our house. The

surfers come in droves this time of year because of the fantastic

wave action! He sells his photos too if anyone is interested in

some sensational art for their homes. His photos make fantastic

Christmas gifts for people that enjoy wildlife and the outdoors--

you should see the ones he took of the 3 bear cubs that were in

town this year!

I have lots to share and believe it or not I have been thinking

about Christmas and Thanksgiving (in that order) already! Maybe

the 33 degrees and ice on the front deck yesterday had something

to do with that.

In the meantime here is a hilarious video for you to watch. Anybody

that has ever shared their life with a cat will thoroughly enjoy this:

SEE YA LATER ALLIGATORS

2009-09-21T13:40:00.003-08:00

I am flying out at 6 am to help my mom and dad

a bit in WA state. I may try to post things on the

blog while I am gone, we'll see how it goes.

I am going from the 50's to the 80's, so I better

pack light. It will be weird to see pumpkins out

in the fields.

Take care ya'll--see you in October!

LOTSA PROGRESS

2009-09-13T20:16:00.002-08:00

There was a large amount accomplished on the kitchen

this weekend! The cabinets were a huge hurdle due to

the fact that we don't have a shop for my husband to

work in. This time of year the weather is iffy at best

and the plywood cannot get wet, so you really have

to have an indoor place to do the assembly.

He ended up moving his jeep outside for awhile so

we could stack everything inside 1/2 of the garage.

I have the mega important job of sanding the tiny bits of

roughness off the edges of everything that won't be seen.

What would he do without me?

The blue tool in the foreground is called a Krieg Jig. It is

a pocket drill that makes the perfect holes to put cabinets

together easily and quickly. We saw it advertised on an

info-mercial when we were on vacation in Florida

last January and realized it was exactly what we needed.

See, info-mercials DO work!

Here are the partially completed cabinets set up in the

kitchen. Now comes the thinking part--where does

everything fit the best? The counter tops we bought

on sale when we were in Juneau are going to look

awesome on top of these shells. On the left wall we

have to fit the 3 sinks, a small handwashing sink,

and the cook top with the microwave over it.

Sorry Lilly--the mean old health inspector says no more

doggies inside the kitchen.

These are just some of my 350+ cookie cutters.

The item they are hanging on is an old shoe

rack that we didn't use anymore. My husband

cut each round piece in half and then bent each

one the opposite way. I can probably fit about

500 cutters on here if I use the front and back.

Now if I could just figure out a great way to

organize them...

A fun cake I did this weekend for a trackhoe operator.

Yes, the dirt is grated chocolate.

Can you believe tomorrow we are halfway through

September?

Oh look around that corner over there--it's Christmas!

WHAT'S THAT SMELL?

2009-09-10T12:58:00.006-08:00

It must be September! The salmon are going

up the streams to spawn and then die and

the resulting smell leaves a little to be

desired to put it mildly. I think walking is

the worst because there are several streams

that go right under the roads and bridges.

It's a very interesting plan God had, isn't it?

The salmon eggs hatch in the streams, the

baby salmon grow up some and head back

out to the ocean, then come back again to

the very spot they were spawned to lay their

eggs and when they die off their bodies fill

the same streams where they were born

with nutrients. Yep, God is a pretty good

planner to come up with that scenario

waaaay back in ancient times.

I just started attending a bible study at our church

on Tuesday nights called It's Tough Being a Woman

by Beth Moore. I have done a few other bible

studies by her and Wow what a teacher she is.

I love the video series that comes with this study

and the small groups afterwards really help to

get to know women in the church better.

On Wednesday nights I work at our church's

community outreach program for the kids

from 4 years old to 5th grade. We feed them

dinner at 5:30 and the program runs until 7:30.

There are games, challenges, scriptures to

memorize, teaching about Jesus and just an

all around great time.

Last night we served 100 dinners! The youth

come for dinner at the same time before they

go to youth group and let me tell you--those

teenage boys can eat!

Score!

Today my husband came home for lunch and

was looking through the local classifieds. He

found a picture of this cupcake display. Now the

weird part is he and I were just talking about

him making me one yesterday. (you know, in all

his spare time)

This is a large one with 6 tiers and last time I saw

it in my cake catalog it was $145.00. I got it

for $15.00.

It will work out perfect for me at the Artisan's Market

in December to display the decorated cupcakes and

cookies I will be selling.

Some pictures from the girl's riding day last week. They

had a lot of fun getting soaked to the bone.

Wow--nice distance!

sshhhhh...nobody move...whatever you do,

do not call this man.

He is working on a very important, highly

classified and technical job for the renowned

Grandma Tilly and absolutely cannot

be disturbed at this time.

Thank you for your cooperation in

this urgent matter.

PLAY DAY WEEKEND

2009-09-07T14:22:00.003-08:00

What do most families do over Labor Day?

I think most plan something fun to do or

somewhere fun to go, don't they? The school

year starts early up here, so this isn't technically

the start of the new school year like most places.

My daughter has already completed her second

full week of school.

Around this house we usually just keep working

on this holiday. We are small business owners

and there are no built in vacation days to take and

we don't get holidays paid so the jobs just

keep on a-rollin'.

This year, however, is different. My husband

broke 2 teeth and one of them broke right at

the gumline--ouch. He went to the dentist

and he said that the teeth were not able to

be saved and needed to be removed. The

oral surgeon comes down from Juneau for

that every few weeks, so he had to wait

almost 3 weeks until this Saturday to

have the teeth removed.

Everything went as well as can be expected,

but he was told not to be lifting, bending

or basically doing anything that would make

the stitched up holes in his mouth throb

and bleed. The surgeon told him there

was a 70% chance of having a dry socket

with the bottom tooth because of where

it's located and his advanced age (41-- LOL)

He was restricted from working, but nobody

said anything about playing! He and the kids

loaded up the 2 Quads and a dirt bike and went

out to the end of the road to ride a little. Both

of our daughters have been riding since before

they could walk, so this is a real treat to them.

Me? I just stayed home and learned a valuable

lesson about putting several pairs of shoes in the

washer at the same time with the laces still on them.

Oh, and while he wasn't working my hamster-cheek

husband cut out all the cabinet materials for the

kitchen--yahoo!

Look what is growing up in our neighbor's yard. Poor guy,

he already went back home for the year and he's missing

these spectacular lillies blooming, along with continued

warm weather. It has been quite the summer with tons

of sun and very warm temperatures. The kind of weather

that makes all the tourists exclaim "I want to live here!"

I wonder what they would say if they could have seen

us trying to get to church last winter with our driveway

so coated with ice that our 1 ton truck with studded

tires and 4 wheel drive was sliding all by itself down

the driveway, in gear with the parking brake on?

They'd say "What kind of numnuts live here!"

Well, back to my bread and bran muffin baking for

a new week of school tomorrow...

ORANGE ZEST KNOTS RECIPE

2009-09-05T10:04:00.007-08:00

I have had several requests for the recipe

of the Orange Zest Knots I posted this last

week. I found the recipe in this book:

I got this book from our library's for sale cart.

It is filled with simple, wholesome recipes and

there is a section in the back dedicated to recipes

that will feed 100 people.

Anyway, I recommend this book to anyone that

like simple home cooking and there are even

some nice colored pictures in the middle,

which I love in a cookbook!

ORANGE ZEST KNOTS

1 packet yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)

1/4 cup warm water

1 cup milk, scalded

1/2 cup shortening

1/3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt

5 - 5 1/2 cups sifted flour

2 eggs, well beaten

1/4 cup orange juice

2 Tablespoons grated orange rind

Soften yeast in warm water with sugar in small bowl.

Combine milk, shortening and salt, cool to lukewarm. Stir in

about 2 cups flour and beat well. Add eggs, stir in yeast/sugar

mixture, orange juice and rind and remaining flour, mix well.

Cover and let rest for 10 minutes. Gently knead on lightly floured

counter for a just few minutes until dough is springy. Placed in

greased bowl covered with plastic wrap and let rise in warm place

(I use my oven with the light turned on) until doubled in size.

Punch dough down, cover and let rest 10 minutes. Roll dough out

on lightly floured counter into 1/2" thick rectangle. Cut into 10"

strips, 1/2" wide. Tie each strip into a knot.

Arrange on greased baking sheet and let rise in a warm spot until

doubled. Bake at 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes, just until lightly

golden for the tenderest knots. If you over bake they can be dry.

Let cool for a few minutes and spread with Orange Topping (below)

ORANGE TOPPING

2 Tablespoons orange juice

1 teaspoon grated orange rind

1 cup powdered sugar (sifted)

Combine ingredients well and spread on Knots while still warm.

****This recipe made 30 Knots for me when I cut the strips 1/2" x 10"

HAPPY FRIDAY EVERYONE!

2009-09-04T11:09:00.000-08:00

POLICE BLOTTER

2009-09-02T08:07:00.003-08:00

It's that time again--highlights from the

Sitka Police Blotter!

Life in a small Alaskan town...

These are some actual calls logged by our

police and reported in the daily newspaper.

Last month almost the entire police blotter

was filled with calls about bears in town.

Yes, we have our share of petty crimes and

emergencies, but for the most part this

is a very safe and crime-free place to live.

At 4:57 pm: police left a message for a driver

about his bad driving habits at the new

roundabout.

At 7:47 pm: a woman complained about frequent

practical jokes played on her property and she

wanted them to stop. She talked to the parents,

who sent the children over to apologize.

At 1:11 am: a man flagged down a police car in

the 400 block of Lincoln Street, but then told

officers he was just waving hello. (me: LOL!)

At 2:31 am: a man and woman were reportedly

"being friendly" in the 200 block of Lincoln Street

were advised to move along by police.

At 3:35 pm: A driver was reported as possibly being

intoxicated, but officers found he had just been trying

to get out of the way of another vehicle on the

roundabout.

**In case you haven't figured it out--we have a

new roundabout in town***

At 2:59 pm: a resident told police she was tired

of the neighbor's dog using her yard "as a restroom."

At 9:22 pm: a 911 call came in with the sounds of

yelling, screaming and singing in the background.

Police found a high school student whose cell phone

wasn't working properly.

7:30 am: a woman from out of town reported

receiving harassing calls from a Sitka resident.

The Sitka resident denied having made the calls,

but said he wouldn't call again.

At 7:51 pm: a caller reported a cat trying to get

into a vehicle at the airport. Officers found it was

a cat that had been missing for a month. The cat

and owner were reunited.

At 8:48 pm: a resident told police she smelled

marijuana smoke coming out of a truck she was

following down the road. Police were unable to

locate the vehicle.

At 10:34 pm: a stray dog was reported going into

a bar. Police found the dog's owner, who took

it to his boat.

And my personal favorite 911 call to the police:

At 7:15 pm: a resident called 911 to report someone

had been rude to her. She was advised of her options.

TODAY WAS LIKE CHRISTMAS

2009-09-01T16:55:00.004-08:00

I got the neatest gift in the mail today! Karen Deborah

writes one of my favorite blogs She told me to look

for a gift in the mail from her--no reason, just because

she is a nice person. This is what came from her today:

I loved this book! Sorry Karen, I read it in one day. It is

exactly perfect for me, just like you said. It is a funny

story about a lady that loves to bake cakes. She loves

it so much that her family is begging her to stop they

are so tired of eating delicious cake all the time.

Then her husband loses his job and she decides to try

her hand at selling her cakes. The book follows her

trials and errors and the drama that surrounds her

family is hilarious. Highly recommended!

A customer of mine called and said she had been cleaning

out her attic and came across a box of old punch cups.

Would I like to have them? Hmm, let me think...YES.

They are very delicate and quite pretty. I can't wait

to make some delicious Cucumber Punch to

enjoy in them.

Then I went and got the mail and look at these 2 beauties

that arrived from a friend of mine in Michigan. She always

has the nicest headvases and they will look terrific for sale

in my shop.

I made a small cake this weekend for the

pastor that is retiring from my brothers'

church. I got to spend some time with

him this last spring when we went on the

Seattle school trip. What a kick he is,

I love his sense of humor. He is looking

forward to spending more time golfing,

so his cake reflected that.

Well our weather has reverted back to

warm, sunny summer and that is just fine

by me. It feels so good to reach Sept. 1st

and be able to sit out on the deck in the

sunshine. Tourist season is quickly

nearing the end and the last of the

cruise ships will be coming this

month. I can't say I will miss the

traffic, but their departure signals the

end of summer and the beginning

of fall, then winter, which I am not

sure I am mentally ready for yet.

My mom just sent me this picture of their dinner

tonight--fresh smelt my dad just caught--YUM!

FINALLY FRIDAY

2009-08-28T16:40:00.005-08:00

Can you believe we are just days away from

September? Me neither! My younger

daughter started school on Monday, so

she has already finished a whole week.

The public schools start a little later

this week, but unfortunately for them

they also get out later in June too.

I have been busy in spurts with the

baking. The kitchen doesn't have any

progress to show, so no pictures there.

There are just too darn many of those

paying customers that keep calling

for THEIR kitchens and decks to

be done. The nerve! LOL

This was a fun cake to make for a Twin Girl

baby shower. The cake was vanilla inside,

but I tinted it pink so when they cut into it

the pieces of cake were pink and white.

Biscotti! Lots and lots of it for a coffee event at the

library. The top picture is Chocolate Walnut dipped

in Midnight Espresso Chocolate and Apricot Almond

dipped in White Chocolate.

These were traditional Anise with Milk Chocolate and

Orange/Almond, a softer biscotti. I never used to like

biscotti, but I had never had homemade either. It is

easy to make and very tasty when the ingredients

are fresh and the cookies don't break your teeth!

A birthday cake for a 70th birthday for a very patriotic lady.

Vanilla cake w/ lemon curd filling and vanilla buttercream.

Orange Zest knots--yum. These are melt in your

mouth soft and have orange juice and orange

zest in them for flavor.

Sunrise Maple Twists. I am not a big fan of maple, but

I make an exception for these--delicious! They are not

as hard as they look and inside each twist is a streusel

with butter, cinnamon, brown sugar and walnuts.

So we went for a walk up in the woods behind us in a

futile attempt to burn off some of the Maple Twist

calories. This is the brand new water tower that was

installed this summer for the housing development

that is being planned for the future. Isn't the painting

cool? I love the way the painter made it look like

the surrounding forest. I think he did an excellent

job. My neighbor thinks it was a waste of taxpayer's

money. What do you think?

This is the view from the water tower. It is so quiet up

here that you can hear the boats moving along all the

way down on the water.

Here is a size comparison for you. That is my daughter and

our boxer at the base of the tower.

There are several cul de sacs in this new development and

there will be many lots to choose from. A lot of them will

have fantastic views of the water, mountains and town.

I should also note that these lots are right in the

middle of the Tongass Forest. Which means bears.

Lots of them.

Heading back home...

Yesterday was our 21st wedding anniversary!

We went out to dinner and came home to a

chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting.

Is it me, or does it seem like it was just 1988?

Sheesh where do the years go.

My mom is doing well, thanks for everybody

that has been asking. Of course, we always

covet your prayers for her as she continues

with the treatments and we are counting

the days until she can come and visit all of

us ya-hoos up here in AK!

AVOIDING CHEMICALS

2009-08-25T15:05:00.003-08:00

I received this article today and thought I would pass it along.

With my mom sick right now I am especially interested in ways

to help her avoid exposure to more chemicals in her environment.

ewg.org/pbdefree

EWG’s Guide to PBDEs HOW TO AVOID PBDEs IN ELECTRONICS:

The form of PBDEs known as Deca is banned in 3 states, but is still

used in many electronic products.

Identify Deca-containing items around your house such as: TVs,

cell phones, computers, fax machines, remote controls,

video equipment, printers, photocopiers, toner cartridges, scanners,

electronic components, automobile fabrics, kitchen appliances,

fans, heaters or hair dryers, and water heaters.

Prevent young children from touching and especially mouthing

these fire-retardant items as much as possible (like your cell

phone or remote) and wash their hands prior to eating.

Shop PBDE-free.

Many companies have committed to avoid using PBDEs – ask

before you buy and choose PBDE-free products.

IN FOAM:

Inspect foam items.

Replace items with a ripped cover or foam that is misshapen

and breaking down. If you can’t replace these items, try to

keep the covers intact. Beware of older items like car seats and

mattress pads where the foam is not completely encased in a

protective fabric.

Use a vacuum fitted with a HEPA filter.

These vacuums trap small particles more efficiently and will likely

remove more contaminants and other allergens from your home.

High-efficiency HEPA-filter air cleaners may also reduce

particle-bound contaminants in your house.

Do not reupholster foam furniture yourself.

The reupholstering process increases exposure risk. Even those

items without PBDEs might contain other, poorly studied

fire retardants with potentially harmful effects.

Remove old carpet with care.

The padding may contain PBDEs. Keep your work area isolated

from the rest of your home. Clean up with a HEPA-filter vacuum

and mop to pick up as many of the small particles as possible.

When purchasing new products, ask the manufacturers what type

of fire retardants they use. PBDEs aren’t used in new foam, but

you’ll also want to avoid products with brominated fire retardants,

and opt for less flammable fabrics and materials, like leather,

wool and cotton. Be aware that “natural” latex foam will also contain

fire retardants.

What are PBDEs?

Chemical fire retardants are common in consumer products, particularly

in highly flammable synthetic materials. Some of the most

common are brominated fire retardants (BFRs), including PBDEs.

Where are PBDEs found?

PBDEs are most likely to be found in polyurethane foam products

manufactured before 2005 – like upholstered furniture,

mattresses, and pillows – and electronics. Therefore you’ll probably

find them in dozens of products in your home and office, from

the padding below your carpet, to your bed, couch, cell phone & TV.

What problems are associated with PBDEs?

PBDEs are found in the bodies of nearly every American.

Laboratory studies show that exposure to minute doses of

PBDEs at critical points in development can damage reproductive

systems and cause deficits in motor skills, learning, memory and

hearing, as well as changes in behavior. In addition, they

persist in the environment and therefore bioaccumulate in people.

NOSTALGIA...

2009-08-24T22:23:00.002-08:00

Ahhh, the Good Old Days!

I have tasted the Blackjack Gum and I love it!

How many of you remember some of these?

What is Butch Wax anyway--hair gel?

Box cereal used to have prizes in them

when we were growing up and now that

I think about it I do remember

blue flash bulbs in cameras too!

Blackjack chewing gum
Wax Coke-shaped candy with colored sugar water

Candy cigarettes
Coffee shops or diners with tableside juke boxes
Party lines
Newsreels before the movie
P.F. Flyers
Butch wax
Telephone numbers with a word prefix (COlonial - 6933)
Pea Shooters
Howdy Doody
45 RPM records
S&H Green Stamps
Hi-Fi's
Metal ice trays with a lever
Mimeograph paper
Carbon copies
Blue flashbulbs
Packards
Roller skate keys
Cork popguns
Drive-ins
Studebakers
Wash tub wringers
Hop Scotch
Ring Around the Rosie
Hot potato
London Bridge
Red Rover, Red Rover
Red light, Green light
Mother May I ?
Playing dodge ball and kick ball until the streetlights came on
Jump rope
You're IT!!
Kick the Can
Duck, duck, GOOSE!!!
Getting an ice cream from the Good Humor Man
Cereal boxes with prizes at the bottom
Cracker Jacks with the same thing
Parents stood on the porch and whistled or yelled for you to come home
No air conditioning
Hula Hoops
Fat Albert, Tom & Jerry, Pink Panther, Road Runner, Richochet Rabbit, Heckle & Jeckle
Schoolhouse Rock
Saturday movies for 12 cents with HopAlong Cassidy
Watching Sunday morning oldies (Three Stooges, Abbott & Costello, Tarzan, Shirley Temple OR WONDERAMA!!)
Being sent to the principal's office was nothing compared to what awaited you when you got home
A quarter seemed like a fair allowance
Kool-Aid was the drink of the summer
Any parent could discipline any kid, or feed him, or use him to carry in the groceries...and nobody, not even the kid, thought anything thing of it
Almost everyone's mother was at home when the kids got there
A 13" black and white television in your room meant you were RICH
Rainy days at school meant playing "Hangman" or "Heads Up 7-UP" in the classroom
"Work" meant doing the dishes or taking out the garbage
"Race issues" meant arguing about who could run the fastest
Money issues were handled by the kid who was the banker in "monopoly"
Being old meant anyone over 20
I double-dog-dare you
Decisions were made by going "eeny-meeny-miney-mo"
Catching fireflies for the whole evening and not getting tired of it
Homemade ice cream from a hand cranked ice cream maker
Water balloons were the ultimate weapon

And If You're Really Old

Horses delivering milk
Tipping over the outhouse on Halloween
Kids missing a lot of school because of rheumatic fever, scarlet fever, pneumonia, mastoiditis (draining ears), polio and a host of other diseases before we had antibiotics
Extra, Extra! Read all about it! (like in 1939 when WWII started)
CCC, PWA, WPA and a bunch of other Federal programs
Fireside chats form FDR
Tractors with huge iron lugs that would tear up farm roads
The steam train coming to town and the race to see if you could beat it, while trying to avoid the black cinders from the smoke that would fall on your Sunday School white shirt
The local Civil War vets
Memorial Day parades with the WWI veterans marching in their puttees
Outdoor silent movies
Black face minstrel shows

NEED A GOOD LAUGH?

2009-08-22T20:59:00.006-08:00

You'll want to take some time and peruse

this site--trust me.

Don't miss the Thanksgiving Dinner Letter...LOL!

Awkward Family Photos

P.S.--I hope you don't find any of your pictures there...

F.E.A.R.

2009-08-14T15:46:00.004-08:00

False Evidence Appearing Real

We are not given a spirit of fear, but the Spirit of sonship.

And by Him we cry, "Abba, Father."

Revelation 19:6

Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like

the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder,

shouting: "Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns.

WE THE PEOPLE...

2009-08-04T16:05:00.003-08:00

Those 'Town Hells'

By INVESTOR'S BUSINESS DAILY | Posted Tuesday, August 04, 2009 4:20 PM PT

Representative Government: Some of the Democrats who want to hijack American health care are not exactly getting a warm welcome from voters back home. It's inspiring to watch our system in action.

IBD Exclusive Series: Government-Run Healthcare: A Prescription For Failure

Congress tried to ram more than 1,000 pages of health care legislation down the country's throat last month, but was unable to vote on a bill before the House left for its August recess. Lawmakers might yet get away with passing what they are calling reform, but not before some members are verbally blistered by their constituents.

Which is exactly the way it should be.

In one of the sharper exchanges, an angry crowd in Philadelphia hooted down Democratic Sen. Arlen Specter on Sunday when he explained "that we have to make judgments very fast" when considering large pieces of legislation such as the health care bill.

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, who shared the stage with Specter, also heard it from the group, which was obviously fed up with Washington's arrogance, from its habit of writing unmanageably lengthy legislation to its plans to force an ostensibly free people into a communal health care system.

On the same day Specter and Sebelius were challenged, Democratic Rep. Steve Driehaus "was heckled on several occasions by those opposed to the reform plans proposed by Democrats and President Barack Obama" during a town hall meeting in Cincinnati, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer.

Also on Sunday, Democratic Rep. Steve Kagen of Wisconsin endured "roaring chants," as the local media put it, at a meeting at a Green Bay library.

A day earlier, Rep. Lloyd Doggett, a Democrat from Texas, deserved the hostile reception given him at a town hall meeting in Austin. He has said that he will still support the Democrats' nationalized health care plans even if his constituents don't.

Other Democratic lawmakers who have been inconvenienced by voters exasperated over the health care bill include Rep. Tim Bishop of New York, Rep. Russ Carnahan of Missouri and Rep. Patrick Murphy of Pennsylvania.

Those who haven't yet heard from their constituents should expect to. Encounters similar to what we have seen will only become more frequent as public irritation festers as the congressional holiday moves through August and into September.

The media can refer to the citizens as mobs, and Democrats can blame all the animosity on lobbyists, as Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., did when he said Specter and Sebelius fell for a "sucker punch" from the health insurance industry that had set up the clash.

But the industry doesn't need to whip up the crowds. The public on its own is deeply frustrated not only by elitists' attempt to take over their health care decisions, but fed up with a Congress that legislates as if it has a divine right to rule.

Lawmakers need to face the revolution they've fueled with their bailouts and takeovers. Washington has acted like King George III and "erected a multitude of new offices and sent hither swarms of officers to harass" Americans "and eat out their substance."

It is meddling in people's lives and has no business going into the private places it is invading. Americans have both the right and the duty to stand up to forces that want to subjugate them.

Polite discourse is always preferred, but when liberty is threatened by an aggressive government, civil dialogue is not enough. Voters need to exercise their right to press their representatives and influence legislation.

Lawmakers should not be allowed to hide behind claims that they are being accosted by rabble. If they're going to put a boot on people's necks, the people have the right to confront their oppressors.

RECYCLING

2009-08-01T09:44:00.002-08:00

Or repurposing or whatever you call it nowadays,

I think it's a great idea! Why not keep useful items

out of the landfill and try to save some money at

the same time, right?

A contractor friend of my husband's called with

some free stuff a friend of the family no longer

needed. Among the items was this low work

bench that had seen better days:

We have been thinking about where we would find a table

for the middle of my kitchen. It would have to be longer

than wide with wheels and just high enough for me to

roll dough on or pull a chair up to sit and decorate.

Costco has nice tables for about $125.00, but they

don't deliver here and even the Juneau Costco

didn't have them. Our church has a couple of them

in the kitchen and I was a little worried because

they don't seem very sturdy. Plus how was I

going to get one here?

This workbench is very stout, it just needed

some minor adjustments to make it work

for my needs.

The first thing my husband did was take it all apart. The

structure of the table is very sturdy, built to last a long

time. The wheels were pretty small, so when we were in

Juneau he bought some larger wheels with soft rubber

and a brake on them to lock them in place.

He took the top apart and added some light maple

pieces to the outside to make it look nice. The

top is SO heavy, like a solid core door.

Cutting a nice, clean piece of new formica

for the top...

Voila! I love it! He made it exactly 37" tall since I am

tall and I can comfortably stand at it or pull up a

chair to sit and decorate. The bottom has a long

shelf for storage and he is still going to add a

shelf at the very bottom for even more storage.

I can move it wherever I want by unlocking the

wheels too. It's perfect for what I need!

He met with the DEC inspector this week

and I am in the process of filling out all

the paperwork for the kitchen. Legal

mumbo jumbo and nitpicky stuff. Bah.

Then we get to start paying the fees.

Inspection fees, permit fees, etc.

I am not going to be able to make

doughnuts because in order to

have a deep fat fryer I would have

to have a special hood that requires

a yearly $600. inspection...and

on and on it goes.

So, while we are digging our way

through the paperwork the next big

project is making the kitchen cabinets...

A LITTLE PERSPECTIVE

2009-07-29T16:46:00.003-08:00

Don't you always wonder why the government

never has to "cut back" like the rest of us?

WHO HERE LIKES SWEET & SOUR CHICKEN?

2009-07-28T14:51:00.004-08:00

This was SO good! Tastes just like what you get in

the Chinese restaurant except there is no MSG

unless you add it and it costs very little to make

with ingredients you probably already have in

the door of your fridge.

We like sweet and sour sauce, so next time

I make this I will double the sauce recipe to

serve some sauce on the side.

I stir fried chopped cabbage, carrots,

cauliflower and broccoli lightly, sprinkled

a bit of soy sauce and some garlic with it

and served it on the side. We ate this with

white rice but fried rice would be very

good too. Delicious!

Sweet and Sour Chicken

-Makes 4 servings -

Chicken Ingredients

3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 cup cornstarch

2 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup vegetable oil

Directions

Cut boneless chicken breasts into chunks. Season with salt and pepper.

Dip chicken in cornstarch and then in egg. Fry in a little oil until brown

but not cooked through. Place in a single layer in a baking dish. Mix

sauce ingredients (below) together and pour over chicken.

Sauce Ingredients

¾ cup sugar

4 tablespoons ketchup

½ cup vinegar

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon garlic salt

Directions

Bake for one hour at 325 degrees. Turn chicken every 15 minutes. If

you like extra sauce, make another batch of sauce and bring it to a

boil on the stove top. Stir constantly and let cook over medium heat

until thickened and reduced - about 6-8 minutes.

I AM STILL HOME

2009-07-27T13:36:00.007-08:00

The plan has been changed a bit from my last post

about my Mom. The surgery has been delayed and

my sister and niece are traveling to be with Mom

for a couple of weeks. After that I will most likely

be going down for a couple of weeks to help out.

It will be interesting to go from highs in the 60's

to upper 90's. WA state is having record heat and

very little rain this summer.

We went out in the boat after church yesterday.

We were planning on taking a hike since it turned

out to be such a nice day, but after talking to our

pastor we decided to take he and his wife and

their grand daughter that is visiting from CA

out on the water. The grand daughter leaves

this Tuesday & they really wanted her to have

done some fishing before she went home.

We went out approx 12 miles to an amazing

island called St. Lazaria. You can read more

about it here

It was incredible out here--reminded me of pictures I

have seen of the Galapagos Islands, all primitive and

ancient looking. This island is a bird sanctuary and

home to thousands of sea birds. The photo above

shows the waves exploding out of one of the caverns.

It was spraying so hard it looked like a geyser!

There were people in a raft that were from a

large boat anchored nearby. They are looking

up at hundreds of sea birds nesting in the rocks.

It was really loud with all the bird noises and

the water to the left was pouring in from

the cave. The swells here were getting pretty

big so we went back around to the other

protected side of the island.

The volcanic rocks are layered like shale and the grass

and moss are hanging down to the water. It reminds of

the island from the book Where the Wild Things Are. It

didn't help that fog was creeping in around everything...

Another awesome cave...

One of these times we will see if we can go ashore. I know

it is a protected island, but people are allowed to walk

around carefully and observe the birds. We had to get

back at this point because as you can see by the pictures

we had a pea soup fog bank roll in off the open ocean

(which is right in front of this island) and everything

was disappearing fast. At one point we were totally

surrounded by white fog. There were no landmarks

in site and without the GPS it would have been easy

to go the opposite direction you wanted to go.

Well the fog bank cleared temporarily and we

stopped about halfway back because the sun was

shining and the ocean was flat again. We spotted

a group of birds gathering on the water, which

means there are feeder fish at the surface, which

means there are bigger fish eating them! Here's

what my husband hooked just a few minutes

after stopping. See the fog in the background

showing up again? It was weird how quiet it

was out there.

And here's our pastor with a large Black Bass, one

of about 15 he caught in one spot. I fried a few

as soon as we got home and they were really

tasty delicious filleted and fried with just a

bit of seasoning.

Their grand daughter had a great time once she

got past the initial screaming whenever a fish

was brought onboard. The first time she did that

I almost jumped overboard it scared me so bad!

I was totally unprepared for an ear splitting

scream out in that quiet.

Here she got brave enough to hold a small

one for a picture before it was tossed back. I

think her favorites were the immense

jelly fish that were swimming continuously

under the boat. Some of them had tentacles

that were 8 feet long flowing behind them.

She saw a lot of amazing sites yesterday to tell

her family about back home. We were fortunate

enough to see sea lions, seals, sea otters, eagles,

too many types of water birds to count, puffins,

loons, jelly fish and the best of all--a Humpback

Whale surfaced and blew right by the boat!

My sister's latest yard ornament. She filled the front

basket with flowers--kind cool, huh?

Now wait a minute--

isn't that the bike the wicked witch rode in Wizard of Oz?

But if that's her bike, that means my sister....

Naw. Couldn't be. My sister has blonde hair.

And she doesn't wear a black hat.

Firemen cookies I donated to the annual

fundraiser for the Fire Department Saturday.

And finally, a bit of humor from my Mom.

Do you know anybody like this? I do. LOL

I THINK MY HEAD IS ON BACKWARDS

2009-07-20T13:41:00.005-08:00

O.K., not really backwards, but it sure seems like I

meet myself coming and going sometimes.

Friday night was my daughter's graduation party.

We delayed it since she went down south for a

month after graduating. We had a great time

with 45+ people showing up to wish her well

and share in the celebration.

Today I made lunch and delivered it to the

city employees for a meeting. Homemade

bread with turkey, ham, cheese, tomato

and lettuce, pasta salad and a chocolate

chip bar. One lady has allergies, so I made

her chicken salad, baked potato chips

and an apple.

This is our neighbor that lives here part time. He has a

nice boat, all the best fishing gear, & LOVES to fish. The

thing is, he doesn't eat much salmon. Lucky us, he is a

generous man and gives us all the fish he doesn't want,

including this 20 pound beauty!

Before...

after...smoked salmon!

If you put your nose up close to the screen you may be

able to smell the delectable aroma.

I had a visitor this week. Nathaniel came with his

mom so I could help her decorate his big brother's

birthday cake. He is such a good baby, very happy

and lots of smiles all the time. Plus he did a lot

of this, which helped since we were quite busy

with frosting and sprinkles.

Here is the birthday boy's finished cake! He

loves Jack's Big Music Show, so that's who we

put on the cake. I made the image from royal

icing and the notes are made of fondant.

My little Min Pin hates to have his toenails

clipped. In desperation we tried the dremel

tool last night because I had heard from a

groomer that dogs sometimes will tolerate

it better than the clippers. It seemed to work

well by grinding the nails instead of cutting

them but as you can see by his face he still

hates to have his nails messed with.

Pictures from the graduation party...

my little niecie-poo with a Jesus

fish cookie.

I made a small 6" cake for my daughter since

there were so many other desserts to eat.

She asked for a lime green zebra cake, so

that's what she got. The butterflies on it

were made of rice paper, so the whole

cake was edible.

Dessert table on the right, appetizers on the left. In the

round dishes on the very right of the dessert table were

chocolate maraschino cherries--YUM.

You need to use the cherries that have the stems on.

Simply melt different types of chocolate in a double

boiler, drain the cherries on paper towels and then

dip them in the chocolate. Set them on waxed paper

to set up, use the fridge to speed the process.

They were very easy and a big hit with everybody.

Special Request: I would appreciate your prayers

for my mom. She is going through some health

issues and will soon be having surgery. My sister

and I will be flying to be with her and I surely

would appreciate your prayers for everything

to go well, for very little pain for my mom and

for an extra speedy recovery.

Thanks so much and I will be updating as I

can from WA state.

I LOVE ACAPELLA

2009-07-13T13:09:00.009-08:00

Wow--what an amazing performance! Thanks to my

mom for sending me the link.

Oh, be sure and turn your sound up, they are recreating

an African rain storm in the beginning with just their

hands and it's awesome!

No instruments except the ones God made.

A LITTLE TRIP & MORE PROGRESS...

2009-07-12T12:52:00.004-08:00

My husband and I had the opportunity present itself, so

we jumped on the fast ferry to Juneau for a couple of

days. I had 2 cake orders moved to a different day

and time, and he just finished 2 large jobs, so we

thought this would be a great time to get the rest

of the supplies to finish the kitchen.

We only have one place in town to purchase flooring

and their machine is broken with no projected fix

date, so we really had no choice but to find another

place to buy the linoleum. Without it we were stuck

as far as continuing with appliances, etc.

It was a very fast trip because we have to catch the

ferry on Thursday at 12:30 and the return ferry

leaves Saturday at 8:00 am. That pretty much

leaves Friday to do the serious shopping that we

needed to do.

Did I mention that I hate shopping?

Here is a picture of the Governor's mansion in Juneau

from our hotel. Boy, just think how much money I could

make with this picture if I leaked it to the media! I could

tell them that Sarah Palin lives there sometimes and

they could invent even more stories about something

terrible she had done there!

Ahem, sorry, I've been reading too many newspapers

this weekend.

I took this picture on the ferry when the captain announced

that there was a large, male Killer Whale on the left side

of the boat. Everybody ran to the windows to see. There

was a large group from Oklahoma on board and they

were rabid to see any kind of wildlife at all.

Back home again-really tired-but we needed to get the

flooring down so we can move the appliances out of the

bedroom. Here we are prepping the floor by scraping up

the little bits of paints and glue that were left behind and

pounding down any high nails so we don't have little

bumps in the new flooring. I even used the vacuum

to get the tiniest bits of stuff.

This was difficult because the flooring just naturally wants

to bend and tear. Good thing it was really warm outside, I

think it made it easier to manipulate the vinyl.

The stinky glue...

Ta da! Doesn't it look nice and clean? That's

what I want, nice and clean, not designer colors.

We were able to purchase complete counters at

Home Depot that were on clearance. They were

regularly over $100. each and they were marked

down to $24.00. Yahoo! That left more $$ to buy

a hand washing sink, which has to be installed

apart from the 3 dish washing sinks.

And we got a brand new stainless oven that was

on clearance as well. It was $1200 marked down

to half that and it matches the oven we already

purchased for the kitchen. My husband is going to

install them at my chest height, so no more

bending for my bad back everytime I use the

ovens.

Our bedroom. Sigh.

Just a little bit longer...patience, patience.

HIGH FIVE THURSDAY

2009-07-09T09:15:00.003-08:00

Did I tell you guys that we flew United Airlines this year from

Florida to Denver? Did I also tell you that they broke 3 of my

headvases that were wrapped in layers of bubble wrap and

layers of tissue paper inside a hard sided suitcase with metal

edges that was lined with 2 inch thick foam? I also registered the

case as FRAGILE before we flew and covered the case with

FRAGILE stickers. My other suitcase had TIRE TRACKS

down the middle of it and a SLASH in the back.

Thank you to Cori for the video--it kind of says it all.

High five to Sons of Maxwell!

Thumbs down to United!