Arthur and I went to the St. Augusta Legion last night for their two dollar hamburgers. That was a first! Only the second time we have been at the bar in the Legion since living here. All other events we have attended have been in the banquet room. It was very crowded. A volunteer selling raffle tickets found some chairs for us, and hailed a waitress. The bar room was noisy, but also bright enough that we could actually see each other and our food. Christmas decorations gave it a nice feel. The burgers were fine. Not my Culver's cheeseburger favorite, but the buns were toasted, giving them an added touch. Arthur had fried onions with his, and we both had onion rings and a beer. Even with the purchase of raffle tickets (We lost all three times.) and a tip, we left with having only spent about 20 bucks. Not bad.
With his day off for President Bush's funeral, Arthur put together the two dressers we got for the girls for Christmas. The price was in our range, they are made of real wood, and the size is manageable for hauling and for their apartment. Not top quality, but something that will give them a sense of home and order instead of having to store their clothes in bins. We purchased them from Overstock.com.
I spent part of the afternoon attending a planning meeting for Catholic United Financial. We ate at Jule's Bistro, another first. We sat at the high table. It was not the best spot for short old people. I had to step on the chair support bar to get up, and I was afraid that I would break it. Then I had to ask the waitress to push in my chair! I had looked at the menu on-line ahead of time, and I was surprised to see that their sandwich ingredients were almost exactly the same as those at Liquid Assets. I had the Avocado Portabello Mushroom Reuben. The bread was a grainy homemade bread, which fell apart as I was eating. I cannot say that I really tasted either the mushrooms or the avocado. I also had samples of some of the desserts ordered by the others. They were okay, but as Alvina Stilling would say, nothing to write home about. I am glad I did not have to pay for them. Should I go back, I will try some of their soups.
I was able to complete more sewing last night. My new hat and mitten set are done, and a few extras to boot. The girls' insurance against the typical losses that go with childhood, and some spares to give away. I am surprised at how relaxing sewing has been.
Now off to do some cleaning!
Thursday, December 6, 2018
Monday, November 26, 2018
Free Motion Quilting
I had some fun today. I attended my usual Block of the Month class at Just Sew Studio. We learned the tree bark and slate block patterns today, also known as tongues of fire and mud puddles. I had spent the day at the shop last Friday doing free motion on one of my quilts, so my machine and I were ready to go today. After the six hours of practice on Friday, I think I have found my speed! The patterns today were quite easy, so we all finished early. However, I chose to do my blocks in two different patterns. One pattern was an experiment in following the design of the fabric. It was harder than I anticipated, but I had been itching to try it for quite some time. I am glad that I was finally able to do so. I was able to sew so much longer today without a break. The relaxed muscles are another sign that I have found my pace.
After months of stagnation with vision therapy - well, also a few months' break because I was not taking the time to do the exercises - I am "seeing" some break-through. What a difference in up-close TV Trainer from what I was able to do the last time. I usually play cards on the computer with the green acetate and left eye with red patch.So much easier than it was last time. The GTVT chart is also much easier. If I stick my nose almost onto the mirror, I can also actually see both eyes in the same shade of grey with the Polaroid glasses. That is encouraging! I am hoping that soon I will have my binocular vision. It has been a long haul. Vision therapy is great, but I am afraid that most people would not be able to invest the time and money that I have been able to put into it. Most adults work outside of the home. I am sure that a younger person would be able to retrain his brain much more quickly than I. I highly recommend starting at a younger age!
After months of stagnation with vision therapy - well, also a few months' break because I was not taking the time to do the exercises - I am "seeing" some break-through. What a difference in up-close TV Trainer from what I was able to do the last time. I usually play cards on the computer with the green acetate and left eye with red patch.So much easier than it was last time. The GTVT chart is also much easier. If I stick my nose almost onto the mirror, I can also actually see both eyes in the same shade of grey with the Polaroid glasses. That is encouraging! I am hoping that soon I will have my binocular vision. It has been a long haul. Vision therapy is great, but I am afraid that most people would not be able to invest the time and money that I have been able to put into it. Most adults work outside of the home. I am sure that a younger person would be able to retrain his brain much more quickly than I. I highly recommend starting at a younger age!
Monday, November 19, 2018
Knitting Tales, Tales of Woe
I am tossing another book into the garbage. This summer at a garage sale I purchased mysteries by two authors new to me, one with a sewing circle as the setting, another, Maggie Sefton, with a yarn shop as the setting. No more of either.
In first book, which name and author I cannot remember, the author used "pale yellow" to describe the colors of three different items at three different times. It would have been fine had she tied it to the character and her emotional relationship to that color or some such thing, but she did not. Second thing: the character, Tory Sinclair, was new to the town, just over a break-up with her fiance. Widowed school teacher in town meets her and clearly starts falling in love. I want to shout, "Haven't you guys heard anything about boundaries in professional roles? Haven't you heard about rebound relationships?" I like a book that understands all of human nature and does not distort one truth to promote another.
I got two Maggie Seftons. I read the first and thought, way too slow. Could use some editing. I have a red pen, and could help her out. Let's change the sentence structure here, delete this here, use the correct name there. No real mystery, no Agatha Christie gut-wrenching, psychological, freaky, Endless Night twist. It included the politically correct friendly, gourmet, wine connoisseur male-who-inserts-his-private-part-into-the-end-of-the-digestive-tract-of-another-male character, of course. But nothing sexually explicit, which was a plus.
So on to the second book, which I read just because I had it. What a waste of time. It had the usual Sefton repetitions, the coffee, the upended bottles of Fat Tire Ale, and the countless trips to the yarn shop. In this book, the goal of Kelly's so-called friends was to get her to go to bed with her friend, Steve. Never mind that she and Steve had already played house together, and that when he suffered bad economic times, Kelly abandoned him. Let's ignore the lie that somehow Kelly needed sex to have emotional wholeness, and that it was okay to use another person (Steve) to achieve that wholeness. Let's ignore the lie that sex is just sex, with no emotional or physical consequences when it takes place outside of a 'til death do us part marriage. Let's ignore that real police officers, retired or otherwise, do not share case information with those who do not have the right to know. Same with lawyers. Let's ignore the fact that while Kelly castigated Zoe for not leaving her abusive husband, she also failed to report Oscar's criminal behavior, thus enabling him to continue. Let's ignore the fact that Steve did not seem to be able to control his desires at the bar, and that Kelly had to use physical violence to keep herself top dog with Steve. Let's ignore the fact that violence was the same thing that Kelly abhorred in Oscar, but suddenly for her, it was an acceptable game. Same for drunkenness. In Oscar it was evil, but it was fine for Megan. Oh, and to call it a good book, I would have to ignore the dangling clue of the phone call between Zoe and Vera, which was never mentioned again. And the boredom as I waded to the end of the book, knowing who had done it.
In first book, which name and author I cannot remember, the author used "pale yellow" to describe the colors of three different items at three different times. It would have been fine had she tied it to the character and her emotional relationship to that color or some such thing, but she did not. Second thing: the character, Tory Sinclair, was new to the town, just over a break-up with her fiance. Widowed school teacher in town meets her and clearly starts falling in love. I want to shout, "Haven't you guys heard anything about boundaries in professional roles? Haven't you heard about rebound relationships?" I like a book that understands all of human nature and does not distort one truth to promote another.
I got two Maggie Seftons. I read the first and thought, way too slow. Could use some editing. I have a red pen, and could help her out. Let's change the sentence structure here, delete this here, use the correct name there. No real mystery, no Agatha Christie gut-wrenching, psychological, freaky, Endless Night twist. It included the politically correct friendly, gourmet, wine connoisseur male-who-inserts-his-private-part-into-the-end-of-the-digestive-tract-of-another-male character, of course. But nothing sexually explicit, which was a plus.
So on to the second book, which I read just because I had it. What a waste of time. It had the usual Sefton repetitions, the coffee, the upended bottles of Fat Tire Ale, and the countless trips to the yarn shop. In this book, the goal of Kelly's so-called friends was to get her to go to bed with her friend, Steve. Never mind that she and Steve had already played house together, and that when he suffered bad economic times, Kelly abandoned him. Let's ignore the lie that somehow Kelly needed sex to have emotional wholeness, and that it was okay to use another person (Steve) to achieve that wholeness. Let's ignore the lie that sex is just sex, with no emotional or physical consequences when it takes place outside of a 'til death do us part marriage. Let's ignore that real police officers, retired or otherwise, do not share case information with those who do not have the right to know. Same with lawyers. Let's ignore the fact that while Kelly castigated Zoe for not leaving her abusive husband, she also failed to report Oscar's criminal behavior, thus enabling him to continue. Let's ignore the fact that Steve did not seem to be able to control his desires at the bar, and that Kelly had to use physical violence to keep herself top dog with Steve. Let's ignore the fact that violence was the same thing that Kelly abhorred in Oscar, but suddenly for her, it was an acceptable game. Same for drunkenness. In Oscar it was evil, but it was fine for Megan. Oh, and to call it a good book, I would have to ignore the dangling clue of the phone call between Zoe and Vera, which was never mentioned again. And the boredom as I waded to the end of the book, knowing who had done it.
Wednesday, October 24, 2018
Free Shaklee
I will be at the Saint Augusta Legion this Saturday for the Craft and Vendor Show. It runs from 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM. Come and get a free Shaklee 180 Green Tea packet. I love my daily cup hot, even better with a book. Add yours to your water bottle for a pick-me-up on the go, if you like. I will have samples of some of the Shaklee 180 snack bars. Make a purchase from me or sign up to host a meeting and receive a stamp on your vendor card. Redeem your full card for a door prize. I will be providing a bottle of Basic H and a set of spray bottles. Remember, that bottle of Basic H is the equivalent of 5,824 (26 oz) bottles of a leading window spray, and it contains no harmful ammonia.
I am making my last batch of my Swany Mill Wild Rice Flour bread today. I have to say that I was disappointed to see on the flour package labeling that the first ingredient was unbleached white flour, not wild rice. I should have looked closer when I bought it. I will not buy it again.
I am also making another double batch of the King Arthur Flour Beautiful Burger Buns. They are good!
I am making my last batch of my Swany Mill Wild Rice Flour bread today. I have to say that I was disappointed to see on the flour package labeling that the first ingredient was unbleached white flour, not wild rice. I should have looked closer when I bought it. I will not buy it again.
I am also making another double batch of the King Arthur Flour Beautiful Burger Buns. They are good!
Friday, October 19, 2018
More Baking
In my last post I was making Beautiful Burger Buns from King Arthur Flour. I had a hard time working with the dough. I had used the smaller amount of water given since it was a rainy day, and the dough was very stiff. Certainly not the spongy dough the recipe said it should be. Nevertheless, Husband liked the finished hamburger buns. They were much more substantial than store bakery buns.
Yesterday I decided to try a new batch. I used the greater amount of water called for, and had a much softer, stickier dough. The buns turned out much softer and lighter. I also remembered to brush them with butter before and after baking. My only regret was that I did not read through the yield before starting, and therefore did not double the recipe. (It only makes 8 buns a batch.) Oh, well. I usually do not think it worth the effort to make a single batch of bread, although sometimes the ease of a single batch makes up for having to do it twice. We had a couple fresh out of the oven for dinner with our chicken patties.
The previous day I had made pies with the few apples we had from our trees. I had dreaded the task since our apples were not at all smooth. I knew they would be beastly to peel, and that I may have to cut out many spots. Add my inability to make decent crusts, and you get the picture. As usual mixed the crust, and things went fine until it was time to roll and put them in the pan. No spring to them even with a little butter thrown in. I do the best I can to fold and crimp the edges and get the pies in the oven. They did not look the best, but they taste really good. Later on the thought occurs to me that I use bread flour for everything to avoid having two containers of white flour in my crowded cupboards. I wonder if that is why my dough has no spring. I will have to experiment.
The previous day I also cut down the High American Cranberry bush from my flower bed. It was a bittersweet moment. I was concerned that its roots would eventually break apart my new concrete curbing. Also, the forsythia bush which I had cut down four or so years ago had managed to send out shoots which were growing in the cranberry bush. I did not want the two growing together, and it was impossible to separate them. Because I only chopped out the bush, I know I will be digging roots and cutting stump and suckers for a few years to come. The plus side, though, is that the two rose bushes planted nearby will have the chance to take the limelight.
The new concrete border already has a crack in it, and not in a place where I would expect it. So disappointed.
Yesterday I decided to try a new batch. I used the greater amount of water called for, and had a much softer, stickier dough. The buns turned out much softer and lighter. I also remembered to brush them with butter before and after baking. My only regret was that I did not read through the yield before starting, and therefore did not double the recipe. (It only makes 8 buns a batch.) Oh, well. I usually do not think it worth the effort to make a single batch of bread, although sometimes the ease of a single batch makes up for having to do it twice. We had a couple fresh out of the oven for dinner with our chicken patties.
The previous day I had made pies with the few apples we had from our trees. I had dreaded the task since our apples were not at all smooth. I knew they would be beastly to peel, and that I may have to cut out many spots. Add my inability to make decent crusts, and you get the picture. As usual mixed the crust, and things went fine until it was time to roll and put them in the pan. No spring to them even with a little butter thrown in. I do the best I can to fold and crimp the edges and get the pies in the oven. They did not look the best, but they taste really good. Later on the thought occurs to me that I use bread flour for everything to avoid having two containers of white flour in my crowded cupboards. I wonder if that is why my dough has no spring. I will have to experiment.
The previous day I also cut down the High American Cranberry bush from my flower bed. It was a bittersweet moment. I was concerned that its roots would eventually break apart my new concrete curbing. Also, the forsythia bush which I had cut down four or so years ago had managed to send out shoots which were growing in the cranberry bush. I did not want the two growing together, and it was impossible to separate them. Because I only chopped out the bush, I know I will be digging roots and cutting stump and suckers for a few years to come. The plus side, though, is that the two rose bushes planted nearby will have the chance to take the limelight.
The new concrete border already has a crack in it, and not in a place where I would expect it. So disappointed.
Wednesday, October 3, 2018
Bread Baking
My plans changed this afternoon. I was supposed to be weeding at St. John Cantius. Then, rain. Now I am home baking.
I am trying several new recipes today. The first is Beautiful Burger Buns from King Arthur Flour. Arthur uses buns for all of his sandwiches. He always liked Cub Foods buns, but since they closed it has been an endless search for the right buns. This is the second time I am making some for him from scratch. My previous buns were too small. So far I have not liked the dough. I used the amount of water called for for humid days since it is raining, and the dough was very hard to knead. It certainly did not feel soft, as the recipe indicated it should. The dough seems to be rising well. I'll reserve final judgement until they are baked and tasted.
The second recipe I am making is Wild Rice Bread, a recipe I picked up from Swany White Flour in Freeport when we stopped there on the way back from Parkers Prairie. My mom and dad used to buy a great homemade wild rice bread at the Farmers' Market in White Bear Lake, and I would love to make something similar. Swany Mills has wild rice flour, so I bought a bag. So far the bread dough has worked very well. I got a phone call while I was waiting for the dough to rest. That may have played a part in the easy kneading. I did not have to add any flour while I did the kneading. No sticking. I could see little flicks of black in the dough, and it felt grainy, or sandy, as I kneaded. I hope that means it is full of fiber! It, too, seems to be rising well. I will see if this recipe is a keeper after tasting.
I have been busy sewing baptismal garments for St. John Cantius and St. Anthony's. Then two weeks ago I purchased several fat quarters at a garage sale, both to match those I already had, and some new ones. Since then I have sewn several cosmetic bags, which I will donate to the St. Marcellus Mission Group at Holy Spirit for their craft sale. The first two were thrilling to complete because I was learning the patterns and methods. The next several, not as fun. My sewing room looks like a disaster with all of the scraps, as well. I am pleased in that I was able to cut interfacing for four more of the wallets out of the fusible fleece interfacing scraps left over from the bags. The fusible fleece is really slick to use. No sewing required, and it is a bit stiffer than the old interfacing scraps I have lying around.
I leave with a quote from Blessed Pope Paul VI, which I think is so appropriate for our time.
"Live for the Church, work for the Church, bring sacrifices for the Church, stand faithfully to the Church in spite of all the storms that shake the Church from the outside and the inside. Then you will truly love the Church. And your apostolic activity will become fruitful for the Kingdom of God."
Addressed to the Schoenstatt family in 1972.
I am trying several new recipes today. The first is Beautiful Burger Buns from King Arthur Flour. Arthur uses buns for all of his sandwiches. He always liked Cub Foods buns, but since they closed it has been an endless search for the right buns. This is the second time I am making some for him from scratch. My previous buns were too small. So far I have not liked the dough. I used the amount of water called for for humid days since it is raining, and the dough was very hard to knead. It certainly did not feel soft, as the recipe indicated it should. The dough seems to be rising well. I'll reserve final judgement until they are baked and tasted.
The second recipe I am making is Wild Rice Bread, a recipe I picked up from Swany White Flour in Freeport when we stopped there on the way back from Parkers Prairie. My mom and dad used to buy a great homemade wild rice bread at the Farmers' Market in White Bear Lake, and I would love to make something similar. Swany Mills has wild rice flour, so I bought a bag. So far the bread dough has worked very well. I got a phone call while I was waiting for the dough to rest. That may have played a part in the easy kneading. I did not have to add any flour while I did the kneading. No sticking. I could see little flicks of black in the dough, and it felt grainy, or sandy, as I kneaded. I hope that means it is full of fiber! It, too, seems to be rising well. I will see if this recipe is a keeper after tasting.
I have been busy sewing baptismal garments for St. John Cantius and St. Anthony's. Then two weeks ago I purchased several fat quarters at a garage sale, both to match those I already had, and some new ones. Since then I have sewn several cosmetic bags, which I will donate to the St. Marcellus Mission Group at Holy Spirit for their craft sale. The first two were thrilling to complete because I was learning the patterns and methods. The next several, not as fun. My sewing room looks like a disaster with all of the scraps, as well. I am pleased in that I was able to cut interfacing for four more of the wallets out of the fusible fleece interfacing scraps left over from the bags. The fusible fleece is really slick to use. No sewing required, and it is a bit stiffer than the old interfacing scraps I have lying around.
I leave with a quote from Blessed Pope Paul VI, which I think is so appropriate for our time.
"Live for the Church, work for the Church, bring sacrifices for the Church, stand faithfully to the Church in spite of all the storms that shake the Church from the outside and the inside. Then you will truly love the Church. And your apostolic activity will become fruitful for the Kingdom of God."
Addressed to the Schoenstatt family in 1972.
Friday, August 17, 2018
Happy Honeymooners
For our 25th anniversary we stayed at the GrandStay Hotel in Parkers Prairie. We had checked out a few bed and breakfasts in the area, but the GrandStay had the best prices. Fergus Falls was our preferred location, but WeFest was scheduled for the following week-end. It was a quiet stay.
The down side of staying in Parkers Prairie is that there was only one place open for eating in town on Tuesday evening. Many of the area cafes and supper clubs are closed until Wednesday, or even the week-end. We had dinner at the bar, both of us choosing burgers. They were good, mine a close second behind a Culver's cheeseburger. But we were glad to have options the other evenings. Burgers and fries the whole trip would have been fattening. After dinner we drove to Adley Lake Park. It was isolated, quiet, and very peaceful. Cows grazed across the lake. It would have been a wonderful place to sit and read a book.
On the first day of our vacation we went to Alexandria and met Fr. Joe for lunch at the Travelers Cafe. The three of us took a walk in the city park along Lake Carlos and Ole. After wards I stopped at Dawn's Quilt Shop. I bought precisely 3/4 of a yard of solid fabric to match some previous purchases. Now I am able to sew the apron for Anonymous for Christmas or for her birthday. Dawn's shop has doubled in size, but I did not enjoy it. I felt overwhelmed with prints. The center of the store was as packed as the outer edges with fabrics and counters and quilting machines. I did see one cute cat print which I had to leave behind, since my goal is to deplete my stash, not increase it. After that we made a stop at Carlos Creek Winery for some taste testing. I sampled the sweet wines. Samples were $10 for five or six samples out of six different categories of wines. We made no purchases, but I was tempted by their Hot Dish Red and the Minnescoto, which the sommelier recommended with orange juice for a mimosa. On the way back we hiked to Inspiration Peak, stopped at Our Lady of the Hills, and then ate dinner at The Peak Supper Cloud
On Thursday we went to Glendalough State Park and hiked for two hours. I so wish that I had had my swimming suit with. The beach looked wonderful, sandy and clear. We could have gotten in some free fishing had we planned better.
We stopped at Vining to look at the talented and comic sculptures of Ken Nyberg. We also stopped at a little shop called Old Sweet Song. I could have dropped a bit of money on proprietor Ruth Hanson's paintings at the shop had I had the money to drop! She had some very nice farm scenes. Other items which caught my eye were some photo note cards done by her brother, and a cute Viking ship votive candle holder.
Here are some of our pictures.
The down side of staying in Parkers Prairie is that there was only one place open for eating in town on Tuesday evening. Many of the area cafes and supper clubs are closed until Wednesday, or even the week-end. We had dinner at the bar, both of us choosing burgers. They were good, mine a close second behind a Culver's cheeseburger. But we were glad to have options the other evenings. Burgers and fries the whole trip would have been fattening. After dinner we drove to Adley Lake Park. It was isolated, quiet, and very peaceful. Cows grazed across the lake. It would have been a wonderful place to sit and read a book.
On the first day of our vacation we went to Alexandria and met Fr. Joe for lunch at the Travelers Cafe. The three of us took a walk in the city park along Lake Carlos and Ole. After wards I stopped at Dawn's Quilt Shop. I bought precisely 3/4 of a yard of solid fabric to match some previous purchases. Now I am able to sew the apron for Anonymous for Christmas or for her birthday. Dawn's shop has doubled in size, but I did not enjoy it. I felt overwhelmed with prints. The center of the store was as packed as the outer edges with fabrics and counters and quilting machines. I did see one cute cat print which I had to leave behind, since my goal is to deplete my stash, not increase it. After that we made a stop at Carlos Creek Winery for some taste testing. I sampled the sweet wines. Samples were $10 for five or six samples out of six different categories of wines. We made no purchases, but I was tempted by their Hot Dish Red and the Minnescoto, which the sommelier recommended with orange juice for a mimosa. On the way back we hiked to Inspiration Peak, stopped at Our Lady of the Hills, and then ate dinner at The Peak Supper Cloud
On Thursday we went to Glendalough State Park and hiked for two hours. I so wish that I had had my swimming suit with. The beach looked wonderful, sandy and clear. We could have gotten in some free fishing had we planned better.
We stopped at Vining to look at the talented and comic sculptures of Ken Nyberg. We also stopped at a little shop called Old Sweet Song. I could have dropped a bit of money on proprietor Ruth Hanson's paintings at the shop had I had the money to drop! She had some very nice farm scenes. Other items which caught my eye were some photo note cards done by her brother, and a cute Viking ship votive candle holder.
Here are some of our pictures.
Friday, August 10, 2018
Baby Alive Cloth Diapers
I have two granddaughters who love the Baby Alive dolls which eat and drink and go to the bathroom. Unfortunately, the disposable diapers made to accommodate these activities are incredibly expensive, far greater than the cost of actual baby diapers. I have planned on making my own diapers for the m for a long time. I finally sat down to do the work this summer.
My first plan was to use layers of flannel held together with a decorative stitch from my new Pfaff machine. The water poured straight through the prototype.
My second plan developed after looking at the internet. I read Debbie Chapman's blog for help. I thought to myself, duh, avoid the time spent stitching around the edges and turn it inside out! I did not like the way she put the velcro all the way across the front of the diaper. I also wanted something waterproof, so I chose not to use fleece. I had leftover waterproof fabric from JoAnn from sewing my mom's wheel chair cushion cover, so I decided to use three layers of flannel, the waterproof fabric, and sew-on velcro. The waterproof fabric is not supposed to be machine dried, so I made it clear to the granddaughters that they would be responsible for hand washing the diapers!
I must confess that I experienced considerable joy while sewing the diapers. However, in spite of the joy and the nice snug fit which I achieved, the water still ran straight through when the doll was bottled lying down. We had better results when the doll was sitting upright, but I made Maja take the diaper off after one bottle to avoid leaks. I am sure those bottles hold at least an ounce of liquid!
Here are pictures of the flannel prototype, the pattern dimensions, and the completed diapers.
My first plan was to use layers of flannel held together with a decorative stitch from my new Pfaff machine. The water poured straight through the prototype.
My second plan developed after looking at the internet. I read Debbie Chapman's blog for help. I thought to myself, duh, avoid the time spent stitching around the edges and turn it inside out! I did not like the way she put the velcro all the way across the front of the diaper. I also wanted something waterproof, so I chose not to use fleece. I had leftover waterproof fabric from JoAnn from sewing my mom's wheel chair cushion cover, so I decided to use three layers of flannel, the waterproof fabric, and sew-on velcro. The waterproof fabric is not supposed to be machine dried, so I made it clear to the granddaughters that they would be responsible for hand washing the diapers!
I must confess that I experienced considerable joy while sewing the diapers. However, in spite of the joy and the nice snug fit which I achieved, the water still ran straight through when the doll was bottled lying down. We had better results when the doll was sitting upright, but I made Maja take the diaper off after one bottle to avoid leaks. I am sure those bottles hold at least an ounce of liquid!
Here are pictures of the flannel prototype, the pattern dimensions, and the completed diapers.
Friday, July 13, 2018
Strawberry Freezer Jam
We had an overabundance of strawberries again this year. We gave many away. I do not like the texture of frozen strawberries, and have little use for them, so we did not want to freeze any. Several years ago a friend gifted us with a jar of freezer jam, and Arthur raved about it. We use little jam, but I thought I would make some nonetheless, to try something new and to use up the strawberries. I was so green that when I went to buy a box of Sure Jell, I did not know why there were two different boxes, and after a superficial reading of both - I did not feel like spending half an hour reading and picking out boxes - I grabbed one and headed off to the rest of my shopping. When I got home I discovered that I had gotten Sure Jell for low-sugar jam. No big deal. Less sugar is fine with me. The box said my yield was expected to be six jars. I kept having to wash more jars, and by the time I was done I had 13 half pints ready for the freezer and refrigerator. Going back over the recipe I discovered that I had doubled the strawberries, and not the sugar. I was afraid that we would have very runny, tart jam, but it firmed sufficiently enough that we can spread it on our toast. It tastes fine. To make a long story short, half of the jars are gone. We like the freezer jam so much more than processed jams because the strawberries retain their bright red color. It is so much more appetizing looking than processed jam, so we eat more.
I bought blueberries at Aldi's the other day because the price was so good. The price savings was not worth the time I had to spend picking off stems before I could make Arthur's blueberry muffins. Ciabatta buns are my Aldi's treat. I am also a sucker for their low priced chips and crackers. We go through so many eggs at our house that I can always pick up a carton of their very cheap eggs.
Yesterday's blessing from God was my three year old housekeeping helper. We swept and Swiffed the whole upstairs, singing and chatting as we worked. She talks non-stop, but it made the work fun. The work helps her to feel so grown up. Last night I put on my red/green glasses as we bowled on the kitchen floor, so I could count it as vision therapy.
I finished the 1,000 piece puzzle that Miss Ari and I started a couple of weeks ago. She did help with the edge pieces, but then gave up on it. I thought that would happen, but why argue? I debated between leaving the last few pieces for her to finish when she gets home, or doing it myself. Myself won. Now I can get to bed on time.
Gotta get some sewing ready for Ari next week. I also have to sew some dolly diapers. I do not like having to wipe up Baby Alive dolly poop from the kitchen floor. The "disposable" dolly diapers are significantly more expensive than baby diapers, but the girls are fascinated with feeding the dolls. I like their maternal interests.
I bought blueberries at Aldi's the other day because the price was so good. The price savings was not worth the time I had to spend picking off stems before I could make Arthur's blueberry muffins. Ciabatta buns are my Aldi's treat. I am also a sucker for their low priced chips and crackers. We go through so many eggs at our house that I can always pick up a carton of their very cheap eggs.
Yesterday's blessing from God was my three year old housekeeping helper. We swept and Swiffed the whole upstairs, singing and chatting as we worked. She talks non-stop, but it made the work fun. The work helps her to feel so grown up. Last night I put on my red/green glasses as we bowled on the kitchen floor, so I could count it as vision therapy.
I finished the 1,000 piece puzzle that Miss Ari and I started a couple of weeks ago. She did help with the edge pieces, but then gave up on it. I thought that would happen, but why argue? I debated between leaving the last few pieces for her to finish when she gets home, or doing it myself. Myself won. Now I can get to bed on time.
Gotta get some sewing ready for Ari next week. I also have to sew some dolly diapers. I do not like having to wipe up Baby Alive dolly poop from the kitchen floor. The "disposable" dolly diapers are significantly more expensive than baby diapers, but the girls are fascinated with feeding the dolls. I like their maternal interests.
Thursday, May 31, 2018
Spring Flowers
This is my favorite time of year in the garden. The irises, cranesbill geranium and columbine are all in bloom, and I love all of the shades of purples together.
I am prepping for curbing around my flower beds. I chopped down the pussy willow, which, after reading up on pruning, I should have cut back years ago. It had turned into a bush with four or five sizeable trunks. I always wanted long stem of catkins for my sweetheart to cut for me in the spring, and instead my bush had turned into a sickly large shrub with very short branches of catkins. To get the long catkins, I should have been cutting it back to 6 - 12" each year. I had completely chopped down the forsythia a couple of years ago, but this year several branches of the forsythia grew out of my cranberry bush. The cranberry bush, forsythia and all, will have to be trimmed drastically to make room for the curbing crew. One of my lilac bushes will also need to be trimmed out of the way. Fortunately, the lilac season is coming to an end. The lilacs, too, are supposed to have one fourth of the oldest canes removed each year, so that will come to little harm. We have already banked up the area next to the chimney where the rain water bucket sits. That spot has been a point of contention between me and Arthur since I put in the water bucket. We both hope the extra soil will aid drainage away from the wall of the house and prevent seepage into the basement. Next year we will purchase a new, larger container for holding rain water. The last job is to finish digging out the limestone rock in the front of the house and to fill that area with compost. We are blessed to have friends who want the rock so that we do not have to pay to dispose of it.
I spent yesterday afternoon shopping for plants for the gardens at St. John Cantius and for my two patio pots here. I went to six different nursery and plant centers before I found everything that I needed. I found none of my sky blue petunias, my signature flower. Today I get to plant and weed. I get to prune rose bushes, too, in preparation for the Corpus Christi procession on Sunday.
Over the weekend I was at a Mothers Leadership Conference at Schoenstatt in Waukesha, Wisconsin. I went with the intention that I would get some oomph into my Schoenstatt Covenant life at home. I did not come home with a spiritual "high". I did come home with the need to ask the Blessed Mother to put all that I heard into my heart in a way that I can understand it. I was feeling very overwhelmed by the time the weekend was over. I had cried during confession, which is not exactly unusual for me. I also cried during the closing mass. I am embarrassed by the tears, but I am learning to accept them as part of my melancholic temperament. I had asked the Blessed Mother to help me to know what books I should bring home, and through the help of my Schoenstatt sisters that request was fulfilled. I also plan to follow a suggestion given by Sister Marie Day. A simple method to experience God's love for me personally is to write down one way that God has touched me each day, such as a smile from someone. After many recordings, I can look back and see all of the ways He has shown His love for me, and thus be able to internalize that love.
I am prepping for curbing around my flower beds. I chopped down the pussy willow, which, after reading up on pruning, I should have cut back years ago. It had turned into a bush with four or five sizeable trunks. I always wanted long stem of catkins for my sweetheart to cut for me in the spring, and instead my bush had turned into a sickly large shrub with very short branches of catkins. To get the long catkins, I should have been cutting it back to 6 - 12" each year. I had completely chopped down the forsythia a couple of years ago, but this year several branches of the forsythia grew out of my cranberry bush. The cranberry bush, forsythia and all, will have to be trimmed drastically to make room for the curbing crew. One of my lilac bushes will also need to be trimmed out of the way. Fortunately, the lilac season is coming to an end. The lilacs, too, are supposed to have one fourth of the oldest canes removed each year, so that will come to little harm. We have already banked up the area next to the chimney where the rain water bucket sits. That spot has been a point of contention between me and Arthur since I put in the water bucket. We both hope the extra soil will aid drainage away from the wall of the house and prevent seepage into the basement. Next year we will purchase a new, larger container for holding rain water. The last job is to finish digging out the limestone rock in the front of the house and to fill that area with compost. We are blessed to have friends who want the rock so that we do not have to pay to dispose of it.
I spent yesterday afternoon shopping for plants for the gardens at St. John Cantius and for my two patio pots here. I went to six different nursery and plant centers before I found everything that I needed. I found none of my sky blue petunias, my signature flower. Today I get to plant and weed. I get to prune rose bushes, too, in preparation for the Corpus Christi procession on Sunday.
Over the weekend I was at a Mothers Leadership Conference at Schoenstatt in Waukesha, Wisconsin. I went with the intention that I would get some oomph into my Schoenstatt Covenant life at home. I did not come home with a spiritual "high". I did come home with the need to ask the Blessed Mother to put all that I heard into my heart in a way that I can understand it. I was feeling very overwhelmed by the time the weekend was over. I had cried during confession, which is not exactly unusual for me. I also cried during the closing mass. I am embarrassed by the tears, but I am learning to accept them as part of my melancholic temperament. I had asked the Blessed Mother to help me to know what books I should bring home, and through the help of my Schoenstatt sisters that request was fulfilled. I also plan to follow a suggestion given by Sister Marie Day. A simple method to experience God's love for me personally is to write down one way that God has touched me each day, such as a smile from someone. After many recordings, I can look back and see all of the ways He has shown His love for me, and thus be able to internalize that love.
Monday, March 26, 2018
Palm Weaving and Palm Braiding
Yesterday was Palm Sunday. We celebrated with a class on palm braiding at St. Anthony's Church in St. Cloud, taught by instructor Lois Maciej, and sponsored by St. Anthony Council Catholic United Financial. The class was wonderful. Our instructor was most reverent, reminding us that the palms had been blessed, and that she had a bag for collecting palm snippets for burning. She was also most patient, taking the time to help each of us individually with our projects. We learned a folded cross (not pictured), the fan, the cone, two roses, and my favorite, the crown of thorns. My completed projects are pictured below.
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| The fan, the cone, a four strand rose and a five strand rose. |
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| The four strand rose, top view. |
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| The cone. |
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| The crown of thorns. Ecce homo! |
Wednesday, February 14, 2018
Amazing!
Yesterday I gave blood at Holy Spirit. I had been at the hospital until 5:00 AM, and I was concerned that I would have a repeat of the clotting I had in my last attempt at blood donation, also following a hospital vigil. I decided to pop two sticks of the new Shaklee Performance low calorie Hydrate into a glass of water. I drank it down, and then added another glass of water. During the donation the phlebotomist commented that I must drink a lot of water. I filled the bag in record time, five minutes and 20 seconds! I was very impressed. I will have to remember the Hydrate again next time.
Sunday, February 11, 2018
New York Style Cheese Cake Success
It has been quite the week.
Last Friday I made another trip to Eden Valley with the cat. third time in about as many months. She still has a yeast infection in her ear. This time I am back to putting drops in her ears twice a day for a week. At least it is not as many drops as the first time I had to do it. Struggling to drug the cat is never my favorite activity. Dr. Perry did show me how to wrap her in a towel. She said that I still would not have much time to work with the cat (I don't!), but it might help. This morning I did it while Gracie was in her basket, and it was not so traumatic for either of us.
Then came Saturday, and confession. I have not had tears for quite some time, but every once in awhile the scrupulosity still rears its ugly head. I am so thankful for my patient confessor. This past Saturday things were back to normal, and even changed a little bit. I had finished reading Vinny Flynn's Seven Secrets of Confession last week, and found in it a repetition of Father's admonition to see confession as an encounter with Christ and His Mercy. After confession, and again during mass, I prayed particularly to see these two sacraments as encounters with Him.
Then Saturday evening. I had to bake some things for our Catholic United Financial meeting on Sunday. First was the banana bread. I have made that recipe many times, but I was distracted. I ended up doubling the amount of water when I mixed my buttermilk. I scraped it into the pan and hoped for the best. Afterwards I was thinking that I could have added a tablespoon of coconut flour to absorb the extra liquid, but it was already in the oven. It was very moist, but edible. Then I baked a nut bread from the St. Peter's parish cookbook. I thought that had turned out well, but the next morning when I cut it open I had a large hollow spot and raw dough. That got tossed out for the birds. Then I made a blueberry coffee cake, standard recipe out of my Betty Crocker cook book. It was a cinch to make, but the pan was very shiny, so it took an extra half an hour to bake. I was very nervous about cutting that open for fear it would be raw, too. It was okay. Aggie had called to say that she was bringing bars, but with the bread out of the picture and the banana bread and coffee cake iffy, I was worried that I might have to make a trip to Kwik Trip for doughnuts. We survived. Actually, I almost polished off the rest of the coffee cake on Sunday afternoon because it was so good.
Fast forward to Tuesday. I made blueberry muffins for Arthur's breakfasts, and this time, intending to sneak some white whole wheat flour into the mix, I got distracted and left out the second cup of flour. These muffins fell apart very easily, but were really, really tasty because they were mostly sugar and butter!
Then there was the cheese cake. Twice I had the cream cheese out to warm to room temperature. Twice it went back into the refrigerator. First, I had to run into town to pick up a spring form pan. The next day I discovered that I was missing the required whipping cream. Third day I finally got it baked. We polished the last of it off today. It was very good. We ate it without any toppings, and I have to say that the toppings would have been a distraction to the rich, tangy flavor. Husband says that if lent were not approaching, I would have to make another one right away! Disasters redeemed! Here is the recipe which I used: New York Style Cheese Cake
Then there were the disasters in my sewing room. More feed dog jams with the polyester bias tape for the gift roll, and for the hem on Mom's old blanket. I ended up having to take the bobbin case apart to get it running again, and then it took me forever to put it back together again. I used to pride myself on knowing the innards of my sewing machine, but I needed to pray for patience on this one. Then I thought I would sew the hem on the dress I bought for Maja at Once Upon a Child, and no matching thread. It will have to wait. But I did get the edge of my vintage tablecloth apron hemmed.
All of these things have me smiling because they were such disasters. I guess that is God's way of teaching me patience, and giving me something to offer up.
I was able to finish Presenting Miss Jane Austen (May Lamberton Becker, Bethlehem Bookds) his week. I had difficulty understanding the first part of the book, but upon completion I have an image of Jane as being a very sweet and kindly person whom I presume was also good. It seems that she would be a good person to emulate. I have so many other books on my plate that I am not ready to pick up Pride and Prejudice or Northanger Abbey right now, but after reading Mrs. Becker's book, I am sure that I will understand them better than I did when I read Pride and Prejudice in high school. I have seen several of the PBS movies of her books, but I do not think the pace of movies capable of capturing all of the nuances of the books.
I attended another Shaklee meeting on Saturday. I was able to test the new Build product made with grass-fed whey. I also tested the old product, formerly Physique, which is soy, and banana flavored. I have been using the Energizing Soy Protein, but Physique is a blend of protein and carbohydrates, which is a much better choice for after exercise. It helps build and maintain lean muscle mass. We also had a little bit of a discussion on the amount of protein needed daily. Other countries recommend higher levels of protein than what is recommended here. That makes me less worried about getting too much protein, or giving too much protein to the girls when they are here.
Two more days to pray to see what it is that I should do for lent.
Now, off to watch Victoria.
Last Friday I made another trip to Eden Valley with the cat. third time in about as many months. She still has a yeast infection in her ear. This time I am back to putting drops in her ears twice a day for a week. At least it is not as many drops as the first time I had to do it. Struggling to drug the cat is never my favorite activity. Dr. Perry did show me how to wrap her in a towel. She said that I still would not have much time to work with the cat (I don't!), but it might help. This morning I did it while Gracie was in her basket, and it was not so traumatic for either of us.
Then came Saturday, and confession. I have not had tears for quite some time, but every once in awhile the scrupulosity still rears its ugly head. I am so thankful for my patient confessor. This past Saturday things were back to normal, and even changed a little bit. I had finished reading Vinny Flynn's Seven Secrets of Confession last week, and found in it a repetition of Father's admonition to see confession as an encounter with Christ and His Mercy. After confession, and again during mass, I prayed particularly to see these two sacraments as encounters with Him.
Then Saturday evening. I had to bake some things for our Catholic United Financial meeting on Sunday. First was the banana bread. I have made that recipe many times, but I was distracted. I ended up doubling the amount of water when I mixed my buttermilk. I scraped it into the pan and hoped for the best. Afterwards I was thinking that I could have added a tablespoon of coconut flour to absorb the extra liquid, but it was already in the oven. It was very moist, but edible. Then I baked a nut bread from the St. Peter's parish cookbook. I thought that had turned out well, but the next morning when I cut it open I had a large hollow spot and raw dough. That got tossed out for the birds. Then I made a blueberry coffee cake, standard recipe out of my Betty Crocker cook book. It was a cinch to make, but the pan was very shiny, so it took an extra half an hour to bake. I was very nervous about cutting that open for fear it would be raw, too. It was okay. Aggie had called to say that she was bringing bars, but with the bread out of the picture and the banana bread and coffee cake iffy, I was worried that I might have to make a trip to Kwik Trip for doughnuts. We survived. Actually, I almost polished off the rest of the coffee cake on Sunday afternoon because it was so good.
Fast forward to Tuesday. I made blueberry muffins for Arthur's breakfasts, and this time, intending to sneak some white whole wheat flour into the mix, I got distracted and left out the second cup of flour. These muffins fell apart very easily, but were really, really tasty because they were mostly sugar and butter!
Then there was the cheese cake. Twice I had the cream cheese out to warm to room temperature. Twice it went back into the refrigerator. First, I had to run into town to pick up a spring form pan. The next day I discovered that I was missing the required whipping cream. Third day I finally got it baked. We polished the last of it off today. It was very good. We ate it without any toppings, and I have to say that the toppings would have been a distraction to the rich, tangy flavor. Husband says that if lent were not approaching, I would have to make another one right away! Disasters redeemed! Here is the recipe which I used: New York Style Cheese Cake
Then there were the disasters in my sewing room. More feed dog jams with the polyester bias tape for the gift roll, and for the hem on Mom's old blanket. I ended up having to take the bobbin case apart to get it running again, and then it took me forever to put it back together again. I used to pride myself on knowing the innards of my sewing machine, but I needed to pray for patience on this one. Then I thought I would sew the hem on the dress I bought for Maja at Once Upon a Child, and no matching thread. It will have to wait. But I did get the edge of my vintage tablecloth apron hemmed.
All of these things have me smiling because they were such disasters. I guess that is God's way of teaching me patience, and giving me something to offer up.
I was able to finish Presenting Miss Jane Austen (May Lamberton Becker, Bethlehem Bookds) his week. I had difficulty understanding the first part of the book, but upon completion I have an image of Jane as being a very sweet and kindly person whom I presume was also good. It seems that she would be a good person to emulate. I have so many other books on my plate that I am not ready to pick up Pride and Prejudice or Northanger Abbey right now, but after reading Mrs. Becker's book, I am sure that I will understand them better than I did when I read Pride and Prejudice in high school. I have seen several of the PBS movies of her books, but I do not think the pace of movies capable of capturing all of the nuances of the books.
I attended another Shaklee meeting on Saturday. I was able to test the new Build product made with grass-fed whey. I also tested the old product, formerly Physique, which is soy, and banana flavored. I have been using the Energizing Soy Protein, but Physique is a blend of protein and carbohydrates, which is a much better choice for after exercise. It helps build and maintain lean muscle mass. We also had a little bit of a discussion on the amount of protein needed daily. Other countries recommend higher levels of protein than what is recommended here. That makes me less worried about getting too much protein, or giving too much protein to the girls when they are here.
Two more days to pray to see what it is that I should do for lent.
Now, off to watch Victoria.
Tuesday, January 23, 2018
On UFO's, Bread and Other Things
Much as I had intended, I only completed one of the sewing projects which I started a couple of months ago. On Saturday afternoon I did do some sewing on a nearly complete project, only to have a clog in my feed dog. Polyester twill tape is not nearly as nice to work with as cotton. I will probably end up having to cut a new piece. Then I will wait until the iron is hot enough to press the hem nice and tight before I sew it down. Hopefully that will do the trick. That completed, I can go back to finish the second of the two of these rolls which I cut out at the same time. I cannot give more details since one is a gift item. The other is for me.
I also dug through a yarn bin and selected a red wool for a triangular shawl pattern, just to do something with the yarn. I had originally selected that yarn for a scarf pattern, but thought it would be too itchy around someone's neck. People are no longer accustomed to wearing wool, and no longer require it for warmth. I am enjoying knitting a complex pattern again, although I have spent much time ripping and re-knitting. The count must be perfect, and I have forgotten how to rip with loads of yarn overs and psso's. It is a project which will need to be completed without the distraction of television. I will need to remain very faithful to my marker. I so envy the women who can chart the increases for such patterns. It requires more thought from me than I am willing to give.
On top of that I picked up a completed baptismal gown from Rose so that I can start a new batch for CUF. I am waiting for my new JoAnn flyer so that I can use a coupon for the fabric. The cutting will be no big deal, but a couple of us are not fond of the basting. I was hoping to modify the pattern to eliminate the basting, but Fr. Tom likes the current style. Once I have the fabric and have done the cutting, I can check to see if anyone is willing to serge the edges, and eliminate the need for the basting. The embroidered edge which Rose has done is very pretty, but that, too, requires someone with the machine capable of doing it. Mine lacks that capacity.
I tried two new bread recipes, Vermont Whole Wheat Oatmeal Honey Bread, and Wheat Pecan Bread, both recipes from King Arthur Flour. I was a bit shocked at the amount of sugars in the first bread. Way more than I prefer. I was also leery of the cinnamon. However, it is a very soft bread, and the cinnamon makes it smell like cinnamon rolls, so Arthur liked it. I liked the softness, too. Next time I think I will make it without the cinnamon, since I do not care for that flavor in sandwiches. Also, I will add the yeast just after the oatmeal soak cools down, before adding any flour. I made the wheat pecan loaf by hand instead of using a bread machine. I thought I would appreciate the protein from the nuts, but even chopped, they require too much chewing. I prefer my nuts in salads, brownies or cookies.
Gracie and I are off to the vet again this week. Her ear is infected, and then the vet will draw a urine sample to complete the testing recommended at our last visit. We need to know if she has kidney malfunction, or if she only had a urinary tract infection. We are spending more on vet bills than we like, but a new cat is not cheap, either, and Gracie's personality is quite entertaining.
Arthur and I ordered a whole slew of books two weeks ago. He ordered two from Fred's assignment list, while I ordered Arthur Ransome's Swallows and Amazons, Taylor Marshall's Sword and Serpent, and Terry Beatley's What If We've Been Wrong?. Every time I buy a book Arthur says, "You've finished all of your other books, right?" No, I have not. I am working on them, however. I have made good progress on Chesterton's book on Aquinas, and another of our juvenile books on Jane Austen is my vision therapy reading. Perhaps when the vision therapy is done, I will be able to read as fast as he. On the other hand, his books are not interrupted by embroidery and knitting projects!
One of my absolute favorite products from Shaklee has returned again - Scour Off Paste, a.k.a. bubblegum paste, or the pink stuff, at our house. Wahoo! Shaklee had to look for a new manufacturer after the previous manufacturer retired. I go through tons of the paste since I use it on my stove top. Arthur also uses it to clean the fireplace glass.
I also dug through a yarn bin and selected a red wool for a triangular shawl pattern, just to do something with the yarn. I had originally selected that yarn for a scarf pattern, but thought it would be too itchy around someone's neck. People are no longer accustomed to wearing wool, and no longer require it for warmth. I am enjoying knitting a complex pattern again, although I have spent much time ripping and re-knitting. The count must be perfect, and I have forgotten how to rip with loads of yarn overs and psso's. It is a project which will need to be completed without the distraction of television. I will need to remain very faithful to my marker. I so envy the women who can chart the increases for such patterns. It requires more thought from me than I am willing to give.
On top of that I picked up a completed baptismal gown from Rose so that I can start a new batch for CUF. I am waiting for my new JoAnn flyer so that I can use a coupon for the fabric. The cutting will be no big deal, but a couple of us are not fond of the basting. I was hoping to modify the pattern to eliminate the basting, but Fr. Tom likes the current style. Once I have the fabric and have done the cutting, I can check to see if anyone is willing to serge the edges, and eliminate the need for the basting. The embroidered edge which Rose has done is very pretty, but that, too, requires someone with the machine capable of doing it. Mine lacks that capacity.
I tried two new bread recipes, Vermont Whole Wheat Oatmeal Honey Bread, and Wheat Pecan Bread, both recipes from King Arthur Flour. I was a bit shocked at the amount of sugars in the first bread. Way more than I prefer. I was also leery of the cinnamon. However, it is a very soft bread, and the cinnamon makes it smell like cinnamon rolls, so Arthur liked it. I liked the softness, too. Next time I think I will make it without the cinnamon, since I do not care for that flavor in sandwiches. Also, I will add the yeast just after the oatmeal soak cools down, before adding any flour. I made the wheat pecan loaf by hand instead of using a bread machine. I thought I would appreciate the protein from the nuts, but even chopped, they require too much chewing. I prefer my nuts in salads, brownies or cookies.
Gracie and I are off to the vet again this week. Her ear is infected, and then the vet will draw a urine sample to complete the testing recommended at our last visit. We need to know if she has kidney malfunction, or if she only had a urinary tract infection. We are spending more on vet bills than we like, but a new cat is not cheap, either, and Gracie's personality is quite entertaining.
Arthur and I ordered a whole slew of books two weeks ago. He ordered two from Fred's assignment list, while I ordered Arthur Ransome's Swallows and Amazons, Taylor Marshall's Sword and Serpent, and Terry Beatley's What If We've Been Wrong?. Every time I buy a book Arthur says, "You've finished all of your other books, right?" No, I have not. I am working on them, however. I have made good progress on Chesterton's book on Aquinas, and another of our juvenile books on Jane Austen is my vision therapy reading. Perhaps when the vision therapy is done, I will be able to read as fast as he. On the other hand, his books are not interrupted by embroidery and knitting projects!
One of my absolute favorite products from Shaklee has returned again - Scour Off Paste, a.k.a. bubblegum paste, or the pink stuff, at our house. Wahoo! Shaklee had to look for a new manufacturer after the previous manufacturer retired. I go through tons of the paste since I use it on my stove top. Arthur also uses it to clean the fireplace glass.
Thursday, January 4, 2018
Barbie Dolls
As I signed off of the computer last night, I realized that I had not said a word about my Christmas shopping experience, and the new Barbie.
Let me start with a disclaimer. I know that some parents do not wish for their children to play with Barbie dolls because they are too sexy. I recall a woman on the news some twenty years ago who had a doll made in more realistic proportions so that children would not feel pressured into having the "perfect" but impossible and unhealthy Barbie figure. In a video popular on Facebook a couple of years ago, a woman from Australia, if I remember correctly, took second-hand Barbie and Spice Girl dolls and repainted them with the most beautiful children's faces, and had her mother knit new jumpers for them, making them look like real children instead of dis-proportioned women. Her work was wonderful, and I would have been tickled pink to get hold of one of her remakes. Even more would I have loved to be able to do the same doll makeovers myself. But I love Barbie myself, from the beautiful hair, clothes and detailed accessories. At least until the hair is undone, and the clothes removed and never easily returned exactly to factory condition. On the sexiness, I think back to my days of playing with Barbie. Yes, we saw her as sexy, and we made our own sexy wedding dresses for her out of Kleenex. On the other hand, I had a little niece describe her as having "things like a mother", and that put a whole new perspective on Barbie. A child's environment does made a difference in attitude.
Swing back to the present. I was looking for Baby Alive dolls for my two granddaughters for Christmas. After looking on line, I decided to stop at Walmart to see what they had on the shelves. (Now Walmart is a whole blog entry on its own. I far prefer Shopko, but I had already seen their sparse doll aisle.) Walmart had exactly what I needed, a mid-price Baby Alive in dolls with two different hair colors, one for each of the girls. Then I skipped over to the next aisle to get an idea for someone's birthday. All kinds of Barbies. Farm Barbie with plaid shirt, faded jeans and white hen. Teacher Barbie. Veterinarian Barbie. Camping Barbie. Farm animal veterinarian Barbie. Hair dresser Barbie. Dentist Barbie. Chef Barbie. Fahionista Barbie and Ken. So many choices! When the girls are at our house they like playing with the Stacie high chair which came with a kitchen Barbie, and the little dog which came with a dog walking Barbie, so I zeroed in on sets with kids (Stacy and Chelsea) and sets with animals. I rejected the set with a dog having puppies, which had been my first choice. The way the package showed the movements of the dog was too suggestive and crude, even though the dogs only came out of the stomach. The top on camping Barbie was too low cut for me, and the price for buying all of the separate figures to make a family too pricey. I finally picked a dog washing Barbie.
My shopping left me with some good feelings, and some negative feelings. First, I was very happy to see a young boy doll in the camping series, just as I love to see Ken, Stacie, and Chelsea. In the "olden days", Skipper, and then Stacie and Chelsea were described as Barbie's sisters, but they can just as easily be converted to her children with Ken as her husband rather than boyfriend. A young boy rounds out the family image. Second, I thought that over all, the clothes portrayals of Barbie as professional woman have become much more modest, loosing some of the sexiness that Barbie always represented. The down side was that the clothes seem to be very cheaply made, and they have lost much of the fine detailing which Barbie clothes and accessories used to have. Chalk it up to safety, or cheapened imports, I am not sure which to blame. At any rate, the clothes I saw looked like versions of the clothes we made as children, straight pieces with holes cut out for the arms, only now, with some serging around the edges instead of pinking! If you have vintage clothes, hang onto them! Their quality was so much better! Also, we had bendable Barbie with smooth legs and skin. The new bend-ables have visible joints such as were on the GI Joe doll of old. Very unsightly! My other complaint was that Barbie and company are now made in different sizes, some quite large, so that I could not tell if the Fashionista Barbie and Ken were in proportion to the Barbies in the other sets. That makes it hard to have purchases which fit together.
After a very long time in the doll aisle, I finally made my choices for our birthday gift. A bit disappointed, but on the other hand, I can't help but think that I will go back at some point and get the rock climbing Barbie for someone else, "just because". It would be a great keep-sake. Had I seen it earlier, it would have made a great surprise Christmas gift.
Let me start with a disclaimer. I know that some parents do not wish for their children to play with Barbie dolls because they are too sexy. I recall a woman on the news some twenty years ago who had a doll made in more realistic proportions so that children would not feel pressured into having the "perfect" but impossible and unhealthy Barbie figure. In a video popular on Facebook a couple of years ago, a woman from Australia, if I remember correctly, took second-hand Barbie and Spice Girl dolls and repainted them with the most beautiful children's faces, and had her mother knit new jumpers for them, making them look like real children instead of dis-proportioned women. Her work was wonderful, and I would have been tickled pink to get hold of one of her remakes. Even more would I have loved to be able to do the same doll makeovers myself. But I love Barbie myself, from the beautiful hair, clothes and detailed accessories. At least until the hair is undone, and the clothes removed and never easily returned exactly to factory condition. On the sexiness, I think back to my days of playing with Barbie. Yes, we saw her as sexy, and we made our own sexy wedding dresses for her out of Kleenex. On the other hand, I had a little niece describe her as having "things like a mother", and that put a whole new perspective on Barbie. A child's environment does made a difference in attitude.
Swing back to the present. I was looking for Baby Alive dolls for my two granddaughters for Christmas. After looking on line, I decided to stop at Walmart to see what they had on the shelves. (Now Walmart is a whole blog entry on its own. I far prefer Shopko, but I had already seen their sparse doll aisle.) Walmart had exactly what I needed, a mid-price Baby Alive in dolls with two different hair colors, one for each of the girls. Then I skipped over to the next aisle to get an idea for someone's birthday. All kinds of Barbies. Farm Barbie with plaid shirt, faded jeans and white hen. Teacher Barbie. Veterinarian Barbie. Camping Barbie. Farm animal veterinarian Barbie. Hair dresser Barbie. Dentist Barbie. Chef Barbie. Fahionista Barbie and Ken. So many choices! When the girls are at our house they like playing with the Stacie high chair which came with a kitchen Barbie, and the little dog which came with a dog walking Barbie, so I zeroed in on sets with kids (Stacy and Chelsea) and sets with animals. I rejected the set with a dog having puppies, which had been my first choice. The way the package showed the movements of the dog was too suggestive and crude, even though the dogs only came out of the stomach. The top on camping Barbie was too low cut for me, and the price for buying all of the separate figures to make a family too pricey. I finally picked a dog washing Barbie.
My shopping left me with some good feelings, and some negative feelings. First, I was very happy to see a young boy doll in the camping series, just as I love to see Ken, Stacie, and Chelsea. In the "olden days", Skipper, and then Stacie and Chelsea were described as Barbie's sisters, but they can just as easily be converted to her children with Ken as her husband rather than boyfriend. A young boy rounds out the family image. Second, I thought that over all, the clothes portrayals of Barbie as professional woman have become much more modest, loosing some of the sexiness that Barbie always represented. The down side was that the clothes seem to be very cheaply made, and they have lost much of the fine detailing which Barbie clothes and accessories used to have. Chalk it up to safety, or cheapened imports, I am not sure which to blame. At any rate, the clothes I saw looked like versions of the clothes we made as children, straight pieces with holes cut out for the arms, only now, with some serging around the edges instead of pinking! If you have vintage clothes, hang onto them! Their quality was so much better! Also, we had bendable Barbie with smooth legs and skin. The new bend-ables have visible joints such as were on the GI Joe doll of old. Very unsightly! My other complaint was that Barbie and company are now made in different sizes, some quite large, so that I could not tell if the Fashionista Barbie and Ken were in proportion to the Barbies in the other sets. That makes it hard to have purchases which fit together.
After a very long time in the doll aisle, I finally made my choices for our birthday gift. A bit disappointed, but on the other hand, I can't help but think that I will go back at some point and get the rock climbing Barbie for someone else, "just because". It would be a great keep-sake. Had I seen it earlier, it would have made a great surprise Christmas gift.
Wednesday, January 3, 2018
Hope for the Future of Christendom
I just finished reading Fingal's Quest (Madeleine Polland, Savio Books, San Jose, California, 1997). This is a reprint from Doubleday and Company, originally written in 1961. The setting is sixth century Ireland and France. A group of Irish monks, including St. Columban, head from Ireland to re-Christianize a France which has become Christian in name only after the barbarian invasions. Yes, sixth century, and Christian in name only within a few centuries of St. Martin of Tours. Christianity has waned in the past, just as it appears to be waning in Europe and the United States now. But the waning has been followed by waxing. Who knows but that in another fifty or hundred years, America will be re-evangelized by Christians from Africa and India, and perhaps even Russia. I found the book to be such a sign of great hope.
We had another Catholic United Financial meeting on Tuesday, and I came home feeling good about all of the things which we accomplished. In December we updated our by-laws lickety split. Yesterday, thanks to our treasurer's computerized report, we were also able to audit the books in record time. We also voted on a mission statement, planned our February meeting, and set our schedule for the rest of the year, cancelling all but three more meetings. I caught up with the pastoral associate and stewardship committee chair to discuss the MinisTree program, touched base with the custodial staff on hanging our charter and award plaques, and updated our schedule with the parish secretary. Lots of work done. Now, to re-type our by-laws, write some bulletin announcements, enter the rest of our information into the computer for our annual report and bake some goodies for our February meeting, and I can sit back and relax until it is time to do the newsletter. That, of course, will depend on how quickly we get our funds from the home office. I feel like there is hope for the future of our local council. I did not feel this good last fall!
Yesterday afternoon I was battling a very topsy-turvy stomach. I suspect Maja's little virus from the girls' visit this past week-end, although one can never tell. I went to bed early yesterday and slept much of the day today. Throughout the day today I ate saltines and English muffins, and drank only Shaklee Performance and Stomach Soothing Complex. I had a bit of Dinty Moore Beef Stew for dinner, but no leftover cake. Perhaps tomorrow.
We had another Catholic United Financial meeting on Tuesday, and I came home feeling good about all of the things which we accomplished. In December we updated our by-laws lickety split. Yesterday, thanks to our treasurer's computerized report, we were also able to audit the books in record time. We also voted on a mission statement, planned our February meeting, and set our schedule for the rest of the year, cancelling all but three more meetings. I caught up with the pastoral associate and stewardship committee chair to discuss the MinisTree program, touched base with the custodial staff on hanging our charter and award plaques, and updated our schedule with the parish secretary. Lots of work done. Now, to re-type our by-laws, write some bulletin announcements, enter the rest of our information into the computer for our annual report and bake some goodies for our February meeting, and I can sit back and relax until it is time to do the newsletter. That, of course, will depend on how quickly we get our funds from the home office. I feel like there is hope for the future of our local council. I did not feel this good last fall!
Yesterday afternoon I was battling a very topsy-turvy stomach. I suspect Maja's little virus from the girls' visit this past week-end, although one can never tell. I went to bed early yesterday and slept much of the day today. Throughout the day today I ate saltines and English muffins, and drank only Shaklee Performance and Stomach Soothing Complex. I had a bit of Dinty Moore Beef Stew for dinner, but no leftover cake. Perhaps tomorrow.
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