First Avenue

Terry and I, along with Katie and Nikki went to First Avenue last night. Katie heard that She and Him were going to be there. Prior to last evening, my affection for Zooey Deschanel's singing talent was limited to the great job she did singing in one of the best movies of all time...Elf, of course. Just to refresh your memory, here she is.



Anywho, she, Zooey, is the "She" in the band "She and Him". They were at First Avenue.

For those of you who might care, First Avenue is on the corner of 7th Street and First Avenue in Minneapolis. It was the original Greyhound Bus Depot. Then, in the late 60's, the bus depot moved and it became a music club called The Depot. The Depot morphed into Uncle Sam's (remember the blue wall and the entry looking like a top hat?), Uncle Sam's morphed into First Avenue. Throughout the years, Prince showed up, so did U2, and last night She and Him were there singing. Great fun.

Last night was a big night for those closely following the music scene in Minneapolis because The Wiggles were just across the street at the Target Center.

Opening for She and Him was Becky Stark. I love kitsch. And, she is the personification if it. Terry, I'm sure loved the piercing soprano. I loved the polyester green vintage 70's formal, the thrift shop guitar, and the fake red roses in her hair. In honor of the venue, she started with her very own rendition of "Purple Rain". A cappella, mind you. Having never heard of her before, it took a minute to figure her out, but after that, I found her hysterical, in spite of her "Save the planet" banter. Really how can you be offended by comments like, "Ours is the best planet in the whole world."

All in all, it was an enjoyable night out with the girls and hubby. Downtown was hoppin' last night and we ended by having a little snack across the street at the Hard Rock, on the outdoor patio.

So, perhaps that concludes the summer tour of clubs that started with Terry, his sister Diane, and me heading over to Lee's Liquor Lounge on Glenwood to hear nephew Jeremy drummin' away with his band. And, let me tell you, Lee's is a classy place...oh, no wait, it's a kitschy place, that's what I meant to say.

The Roundabout Post

I knew eventually I would need to do a post about "The Roundabout".

Last summer, the girls and I decided on a day trip to the Medford Outlet Mall. As we exited off of I-35, in the tiny town of Medford, MN we encountered our first Minnesota roundabout. My immediate thought was, "Oh, man, everyone wants to be European. What a stupid waste of taxpayer $$$."

Then, as if that were not enough, they tore up 70th Street between France and York last year and put in three, count 'em, three roundabouts between the Galleria and the shops on the Target side.

We laughed (and cowered in fright) every time we entered one and watched confused Scandinavians try to negotiate these strange road circles.

Some would enter without yielding to the traffic already in the roundabout. Others, would go the wrong way (in the US, we go counterclockwise through roundabouts). What foolishness, I thought.

However, to demonstrate my openmindedness, I would now like to go on record as saying that the roundabout is one of the more ingenious traffic improvements ever.

I say this for a few reasons, not the least of which is the number of idiotic, insane drivers I have observed in the last month or so, who seem to think that a yellow light means "speed up." Almost every time I have driven lately, I have seen at least TWO cars SPEED through red lights. And, I mean red lights. I am not counting the enter on yellow as it turns red, I mean the speed up and enter on red cars.

Yesterday was an especially interesting day as I took Beth to the Oxboro Library for her 3:00 book club. We were sitting at the intersection of 90th and Penn in Bloomington headed east on 90th Street. We were stopped (not sure what color the light was actually) and I looked up to see a black SUV zipping, and I mean zipping, through the intersection headed south on Penn.

I said, "Oh, man, look at that guy Beth, he is obviously speeding."

As soon as those words got out of my mouth, I looked up and saw another speeding car head south through that intersection. This one, however, had red flashing lights, and the words POLICE on the side. This speeding car was followed by another one with the red lights, and another, and another. Over a dozen all told speeding through the intersection after said black SUV. Quite the spectacle, I must say.

When all the commotion was over, we cautiously continued our journey East, looking carefully at each intersection in case the black SUV doubled back.

I told Beth that I had never seen anything like that and that I was pretty sure it was all going to end with the guy flipping the car and getting out and running. (As I learned later, it did!)

In addition to speeding bad drivers and speeding criminals at intersections, the roundabout could have proven very effective if you had ever been sitting innocently at the intersection of France and 106th on a mid-April day in 2005 in your less than a year old Honda Accord and suddenly observed a car making a left turn on red being T-boned by an SUV headed south going through the intersection on red and found the T-boned car spinning in a circle hurling itself at your car as I did. There were 2 severely injured little boys in the T-boned car (they ended up okay), but looking back, it made a great case for the roundabout.

Basically the roundabout is designed to make intersections safer as the traffic flows better. What more could you want in an intersection? Reduce the occurrence and/or severity of accidents and injuries, stop or at least slow down criminals being chased by the FBI, and all the while keep traffic flowing.


So, I say, hip, hip, hooray for the roundabout.

Olympic Tribute

In honor of the summer Olympics, I offer you this masterpiece.

Sorry, I have to link this post since it seems to want to play non-stop if I put it directly here. So, here's the link.

Cate, Katie, or Dorothy

I went to Amy's Hair Haven, armed with my Diana photos. Amy looked at them, then looked at my longer than normal hair, and said, "I have an entirely different idea." I love it when Amy has an idea because it means that I don't have to have an idea. Plus, she has great ideas.

If I dyed it black and cut the bangs shorter I could look like Cate Blanchette in Indiana Jones and the Temple of the Lost Mayan Space Alien.

Or, if I put on the big sunglasses and stood next to Tom Cruise, I could look like an aging Katie Holmes.

If I put on ice skates (which is something that causes me to tremble), I could look like Dorothy Hamill.

But, right now, I just look like me with a short, bouncy, easy to care for "do".

Thanks, Amy!

Diana or Diana?

I have needed a haircut for weeks. Just can't seem to find the time to get it done. It will happen on Tuesday, so now, the big question. What do I do with it? It has grown quite long, so I could go for a new long look. But, then, I don't have time to fuss with my hair. So, what to do. I have it down to two ideas. I have always loved Diana, Princess of Wales, or whatever she became after the divorce. The layered look is nice. Very 90's, I know, but I like it and I'm kind of a 90's kind of person. And, besides, being a decade behind isn't all that bad, I still have some clothes from the 80's.

So, here's one Diana look I've chosen. 90's, layered, regal.

Then, again, there is Diana Pierce. Local anchor. About my age. It's shorter, cute, and not too matronly.

Let me know if you have a strong opinion either way...before Tuesday, please.

I'm Going to This

Mindy singing her heart out.
Jeremy on drums.
Chris on electric guitar.
Can't wait.

I wonder...

...where Barb gets all her good quotes?

My definition of an expert in any field is a person who knows enough about what's really going on to be scared.
- PJ Plauger

New Blogger

I just realized that Patricia and Neval have a blog. I added the link, but thought some of you might want to know about it and see the adorable video of Julia.

Poetry Monday

Katie sang this with all the MACHE graduates two years ago.
We sang this at church yesterday.
It's an oldie, but a goodie.

Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing
by Robert Robertson

Come, Thou Fount of every blessing,
Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing,
Call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
Sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise the mount! I’m fixed upon it,
Mount of Thy redeeming love.

Sorrowing I shall be in spirit,
Till released from flesh and sin,
Yet from what I do inherit,
Here Thy praises I’ll begin;
Here I raise my Ebenezer;
Here by Thy great help I’ve come;
And I hope, by Thy good pleasure,
Safely to arrive at home.

Jesus sought me when a stranger,
Wandering from the fold of God;
He, to rescue me from danger,
Interposed His precious blood;
How His kindness yet pursues me
Mortal tongue can never tell,
Clothed in flesh, till death shall loose me
I cannot proclaim it well.

O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I’m constrained to be!
Let Thy goodness, like a fetter,
Bind my wandering heart to Thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here’s my heart, O take and seal it,
Seal it for Thy courts above.

O that day when freed from sinning,
I shall see Thy lovely face;
Clothed then in blood washed linen
How I’ll sing Thy sovereign grace;
Come, my Lord, no longer tarry,
Take my ransomed soul away;
Send thine angels now to carry
Me to realms of endless day.

This One's For Mr. D

Mr. D is one of those Americans who doesn't understand the concept of "The Musical". You know, how life is proceeding as usual and suddenly, without warning, a bunch of people in the normal course of events suddenly break into song.

Here is what it would look like if it happened in real life.
"He's the most singingest janitor I've ever seen!"

Disturbing or Funny, You Decide

Yet another stolen quote

This one's from Barb who does the most amazing things...like head up with her mom and a couple daughters for some wilderness camping in the Boundary Waters. Me, I like the wilderness camping that happens in my own house when we light a fire in the fireplace and sleep in sleeping bags in the air conditioned living room.
Here's the quote:

Where all think alike, no one thinks very much.
- Walter Lippmann

We're Free!

That's correct. Today is "Cost of Government Day". This means that thus far this year most Americans have worked for the government. Every penny earned has gone to taxes. But not after today. After today, until December 31st, you get to keep your money and spend it on luxuries like gas and food. So, happy COG Day to you and yours.
And, since I learned this fact on George Grant's blog, I thought I would also steal his quotes.

"It is a good thing that we do not get as much government as we pay for."
-Will Rogers

"The only difference between a tax man and a taxidermist is that the taxidermist leaves the skin."
-Mark Twain

Poetry Monday.

Last week, I forgot.

This week, I offer you this poem in song.

I'm Stealing Again

I have stolen another quote.

This time I stole it from the Dragonfrye blog.

Here it is.

"The humblest and the most unseen activity in the world can be the true worship of God. Work and worship literally become one. Man's chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy him forever; and man carries out that function when he does what God sent him into the world to do. Work well done rises like a hymn of praise to God. This means that the doctor on his rounds, the scientist in his laboratory, the teacher in his classroom, the musician at his music, the artist at his canvas, the shop assistant at his counter, the typist at her typewriter, the housewife in her kitchen -- all who are doing the work of the world as it should be done are joining in a great act of worship." William Barclay

Why I Will Not Vote for Barack Obama

This is why.

One Fish, Two fish...or Cod Save the Queen

Last night we went downtown to Brit's Pub for dinner. Mr. D and I had only been there once before (during the 2006 Desiring God Conference at the Minneapolis Convention Center) and we hadn't gotten the memo about the self seating outdoor dining overlooking the Lawn Bowling Green. Lovely.

Kate, Tim, and Beth had the cod. It was one fish for Beth.

Two fishies for Katie.

And three fish for Tim.

Mr. D started out with the Cock-a-leekie soup...

...and moved on to the Cornish Pastie.

I had the Chicken Pot Pie.

See, I told you it was a beautiful night for outdoor dining.

We then walked up and down the Nicollet Mall with our final stop at WCCO where we stood by the window and watched the beginning of the 10:00 news. Did you see us?

4th of July Memories

It worked!
Doesn't it look pretty on the new platter I purchased at Crate & Barrel?
I hope you noticed that I got out my piping bag and filled it with freshly whipped cream to make the white lines.
The clerk at C & B said she has a Jell-O™ mold of the USA. That sounds to me like a nightmare. Can you imagine trying to get that out of the mold. I'll bet Florida is a problem every time. Come to think of it Florida always seems to be a problem!?

A lovely day. Perfect for eating fajitas outside.

Every year we have the discussion about buying the electric motor for the White Mountain ice cream maker that Mr. D bought me for my birthday about 10 years ago. And, as you can see, every year we decide against it. This year, every time I looked Scott was cranking, but everyone took a turn, I think. I did (for about 2 minutes!)

The unveiling of the ice cream.

Red strawberries, White ice cream, and Blue blueberries. Get it?

We played "Pass the Baby". Everyone who played was a winner. Here's Mom taking her turn. (Note: Although she is a very glamorous mother, the sunglasses are due to recent cataract surgery.)

Carol got a turn.

Mr. D took his turn as Mark ate some ice cream.

An adoring crowd gathered and watched as...

...the Dahlens took on the Dugans in volleyball. I'm not saying who won, but it might have been the Dugans. Note: next year move the net to the middle of the yard.

Will figured out how to spin the dealie on the bottom of the car to make the sounds happen. What a brilliant boy.

Swimming in Lake Minnetonka. Not all of us did that, but that's Katie on Tim's shoulders. Beth is near them and Mindy is on the right. Terry, Chris, and Jeremy were parking the cars.

Red licorice, kettle corn, and Pit. It's an annual event while waiting for the fireworks to begin.

Here's what we look like while glowing.

Here's what we look like while glowing and saying the word "prunes".

The fireworks were lovely as they were shot off a barge in the middle of the bay and reflected on the lake, but we all ran out of batteries for photos. So I will describe them. They were multi-colored. Some fizzled as they came down. Some filled the sky. Some were colorful circles linked together. Others were very sparkly and looked almost like a dandelion gone to seed in the sky. A couple looked like sheaves of wheat. Others looked like a smiley face. One even seemed to have the letter "D" inside it. Then, at the end, there was a magnificent, lengthy, burst of color and sound for about 2 minutes. Amazing.

Happy Birthday, America!

Red, White, and Blue

The fourth is two days away and we have a little family tradition.
Fajitas on the grill, homemade vanilla ice cream cranked by all who want to partake, and "flag" Jell-O™.

Ahhh, the nightmare that has turned out to be.

Here was my try from 2006.

2007 was worse. We tried to fix it with Cool Whip™ and blueberries. No workie.

So, this year, I Googled® and found a recipe. Older and wiser from my past failed Jell-O™ experiences, I decided I needed to first make a prototype Jell-O™ flag. This recipe and method resulted in a much better product. I followed the recipe exactly. Sprayed that mold like crazy and dipped it in warm water for 7 seconds (by the 1 Mississippi, 2 Mississippi, 3 Mississippi method of counting seconds). Had I gone 8, perhaps that little corner wouldn't have needed repair. Or, then again, had I gone 8 perhaps the whole thing would have melted. The agony of creating the proper Jell-O™ Flag. Oh, and by the way, it was delicious. Loved the middle layer.

Here's the recipe followed by the photo of the prototype. I must find a lovely red platter to put it on for our meal on the 4th rather than the old baking sheet I used last night.

And, if you need a Jell-O™ flag mold, go here although I got mine free at Cub Foods during a promo event.

Red, White, and Blue Jello™ Flag

1 quart boiling water, divided
2 (3 ounce) packages Jell-O™ brand berry blue gelatin mix
2 (3 ounces) packages Jell-O™ brand gelatin powder, any red flavor (I chose cherry)
3 cups ice cold water, divided
1 (3 ounce) package lemon Jell-O™ gelatin
1 (8 ounce) container Cool Whip Topping™, thawed (remember to put it in the fridge part the night before)

1.ADD 1-1/2 cups boiling water to dry berry blue gelatin mix in medium bowl; stir at least 2 minutes until gelatin is dissolved. Dissolve dry red gelatin mix in 1-1/2 cups boiling water in separate bowl. Stir 1-1/2 cups ice cold water into dissolved gelatin in each bowl.

2.SPRAY 10-cup flag mold with cooking spray; place on baking sheet. Pour red gelatin into mold. Refrigerate 45 minutes until set but not firm (gelatin should stick to finger when touched and should mound). Meanwhile, refrigerate berry blue gelatin in bowl for 45 minutes.

3.MEANWHILE, stir remaining 1 cup boiling water into dry lemon gelatin mix in bowl at least 2 minutes until dissolved. Refrigerate 25 minutes or until slightly thickened (consistency of unbeaten egg whites), stirring occasionally. Stir in whipped topping with wire whisk. Gently spread over red gelatin in mold. Refrigerate 10 minutes or until set but not firm. Gently spoon thickened berry blue gelatin over lemon gelatin mixture in mold.

4.REFRIGERATE 4 hours or overnight until firm. Unmold.

Learning is Fun

Only objection to this one is "Pi-erre", South Dakota!

Poetry Monday

Last week, after I finished Agatha Christie's Sparkling Cyanide, I moved on to a little non-fiction book called Whatever Happened to Penny Candy?

It was an interesting read. Bottom line, when there are a lot of pencils around, the value of pencils decreases. When the value of pencils goes down, pencils are cheap. Unfortunately, the law of supply and demand goes the other way.

When I run out of money, I have to stop buying stuff. When the government runs out of money, they get to make some more. However, when they put this extra money into the economy, the value of money decreases. When the value of money decreases, things cost more. This is called inflation.

Candidates running for office want to get elected. They promise people stuff. The one who promises the most stuff wins. Then, that newly elected person has to make good on their promises so they will get re-elected. They do this by taxing people. When taxes are already high, they can't tax people any more or they get mad so they have to figure out how to come up with some more money. No problem if you are the government, you just make some more money.

However, making more money makes all money worth less, so stuff costs more.

Here's the solution. Somebody needs to have the brains to stop the government from spending and making more money to fund their purchases, but when they do this there is a recession or a depression. The cure for inflation is recession or depression. The cure for recession/depression is to get more money circulating. See the problem?

One thing that would help is for everyone to elect candidates that don't promise everybody stuff (free health care, free college, jobs for everyone, affordable housing) because if we do, these candidates will have to fund all these projects and this won't be pretty. It will mean higher taxes and higher prices.

The happy part about the book is that the author included this poem. I know, you were wondering what all that had to do with Poetry Monday, weren't you?

So, enjoy it as you ponder just how you can serve your country this 4th of July week by making a large purchase with your refund check. Also, stay tuned to this blog for more simplistic answers to life's problems.

Smart
by Shel Silverstein

My dad gave me one dollar bill
'Cause I'm his smartest son,
And I swapped it for two shiny quarters
'Cause two is more than one!

And then I took the quarters
And traded them to Lou
For three dimes-I guess he don't know
that three is more than two!

Just then, along came old blind Bates
And just 'cause he can't see
He gave me four nickels for my three dimes,
And four is more than three!

And I took the nickels to Hiram Coombs
Down at the seed-feed store,
and the fool gave me five pennies for them,
And five is more than four!

And then I went and showed my dad,
and he got red in the cheeks
And closed his eyes and shook his head-
Too proud of me to speak!

Just a Thought

I just read this article by John Piper.

For starters, I am not a gun person. Guns scare me. They are dangerous weapons. And I don't hunt, I saw Bambi. However, I disagree with Mr. Piper's reasoning. I don't think he thought this through very well.

First of all, I respect his right not to defend himself if ever attacked and sacrifice his life with the thought that anyone who might attack him probably isn't a Christian and his killing them to defend himself would doom them to an eternity in hell. A very noble thought.

However, what Mr. P seems to also be saying here is that he would willingly sacrifice his wife's life, or his child's life, or his friend's life for the sake of the Gospel. Someone comes to attack his wife and he won't protect his wife because the attacker might not be saved. Surely he has not thought this through.

Also, what about Mr. Piper's unsaved friends? What if a would-be attacker points a gun at one of them. Then, how does he choose? Two unsaved people are at risk of dying. Isn't the just thing to defend innocent life?

If you want to use your economic stimulus rebate to buy a gun to protect your family or hunt Bambi, it's okay with me. You can also buy a couch, take a vacation, give it to charity, repair your car, save it (although that misses the point of trying to get more money in the economy so it might cost you later in yet higher taxes), or squander it at the Dairy Queen (although money spent at the DQ can hardly be called squandering), it's okay with me. It's your money, for Pete's sake.

The Dugans are going with the car repair option!

Here's a PS to my post.

I really like the Pipster. Mostly, I agree with him and find his teaching deep and helpful. One of the most helpful articles of his was this one. If you know us and our church history over the last few years, you will know why.

Here's the money quote from that article that was entitled "Talking to People Rather than About Them.

I don’t mean you can’t criticize President Bush without calling him on the phone first. And I don’t mean you can’t discuss my sermon, both negatively and positively, without coming to me. Public figures put themselves on the line and understand that everyone will have an opinion about what they say. That’s okay.

It is not always slander and disunity to disagree with a spiritual leader. Sometimes, it's the right thing to do.

And Now For Something Completely Different

The Greenest Show on Earth

Those wacky Democrats are at it again as they prepare for the big convention this summer.

15,000 fanny packs made of organic cotton by union members in the US of A....Check

Biodegradable balloons....Check

Hire Official Carbon Adviser....Check

900 Waste Monitors to make sure all garbage is put in the proper container....Check

Green, organic cotton, made in the US of A by union member T-shirts for waste monitors....Check

Color co-ordinated non-fried food....Check

Compostable utensils....Check

One good thing about the convention is that the Democrats in Congress won't be available to regulate the law of supply and demand that they have been working so hard on this week.

I'll leave you with a Mark Twain quote:

The lightning there is peculiar; it is so convincing, that when it strikes a thing it doesn't leave enough of that thing behind for you to tell whether--Well, you'd think it was something valuable, and a Congressman had been there.
- Mark Twain's Speeches, "The Weather"

Beware of False Prophets

As I mentioned, Todd Bentley has now been officially recognized as a genuine apostle by the International Coalition of Apostles having been recognized and nominated by current recognized apostles in good standing (i.e. membership dues are paid up).

I thought you might like to see his apostolic ministry in action.

Big Brother Is Watching You

Since I awoke at 3:30 am this morning and found myself glued to God-TV watching Todd Bentley get recognized as an apostle by a bunch of other recognized apostles (apparently, there are a bunch of people who get the apostle tap on the back and then are anointed to recognize each other in the official capacity of apostle...I hear there are currently 500 official apostles worldwide, and it was certainly interesting if not horrifying to watch Todd convulse uncontrollably on the floor as others spoke "words from the Lord" over him and eventually presented him with the official ring identifying him as a bona fide apostle,but I digress), I was a little tired around 2:00 this afternoon so turned on Fox News and had a lie down.

About 10 minutes into my little lie down, Tim informed me that the city assessor was at the door. There he stood, clipboard in hand with some type of a photo name tag hanging from his neck. He wanted in. I was cautious and said, "Don't you usually send out a letter informing us you are coming?" He said he had. I said we didn't get one. He wanted in.

I decided, reluctantly while half asleep, to let him in. As he moved from room to room, I said, "Just so I know, what are my rights, did I have to let you in?" Not only did he say I had to let him in, he said that if we didn't, he had the right to go to the police and they would gain entry for him.

I said, "If I don't let you in, the police will break down the door?" He hesitated and said they had the right to get the police to let them in, but if we refused, they would just guess our value and we could not appeal their guess.

As he left, I reiterated that we did not receive notification. He then said, "I noticed that the last time all three neighbors on this side of the street didn't let us in. When you got the notification, did you get together and talk about the appraisal?" Like we were in cahoots to not let the appraiser in when in reality we were not at home when he came unannounced 5 years ago and I would imagine the same was true for the neighbors.

HELLO, does this bother anyone?

Tuesday Quote

Have courage for the great sorrows of life and patience for the small ones. And when you have laboriously accomplished your daily task, go to sleep in peace. God is awake. -Victor Hugo

Who Says?

There is a rumor going around that the birthday photos are taken, but never seen. It's not true. Here is proof. First of all, Katie's Byerly's cake. What happened? It wasn't anything like what we ordered, and why did the frosting fall off, and it looks like they ran out of blue frosting on that one flower and finished with one petal of yellow. What's up with that?
Don't we look happy? That's because there was a half a gallon of ice cream for every guest at the party! Seriously, a dozen guests and that much ice cream! Must have been on sale that week!

I found an Indy cake at Target for Chris. We went to pick it up on Saturday morning after coffee at Starbucks and lo and behold the fire trucks were arriving and Target was closed due to an electrical fire! They reopened in the middle of the afternoon just in time for me to pick up the cake. Unfortunately, on the way to the car, the boulder gave way and knocked Indy down. Poor Indy, in the movie he escaped.

Here's the photo that Mark says he's never seen one of. Just in this post alone he's seen two! And, seriously, I really need a haircut.

Poetry Monday

I hadn't heard of Edgar Guest until I read some of his poems in The Book of Virtues. He's so sentimental. I like every poem of his that I've read. Here's one.

Baby Feet
by Edgar Guest

Tell me, what is half so sweet
As a baby's tiny feet,
Pink and dainty as can be,
Like a coral from the sea?
Talk of jewels strung in rows,
Gaze upon those little toes,
Fairer than a diadem,
With the mother kissing them!

It is morning and she lies
Uttering her happy cries,
While her little hands reach out
For the feet that fly about.
Then I go to her and blow
Laughter out of every toe;
Hold her high and let her place
Tiny footprints on my face.

Little feet that do not know
Where the winding roadways go,
Little feet that never tire,
Feel the stones or trudge the mire,
Still too pink and still too small
To do anything but crawl,
Thinking all their wanderings fair,
Filled with wonders everywhere.

Little feet, so rich with charm,
May you never come to harm.
As I bend and proudly blow
Laughter out of every toe,
This pray, that God above
Shall protect you with His love,
And shall guide those little feet
Safely down life's broader street.

Happy Birthday Chris!

Watch Your Keys!

If you go to the Art Institute of Chicago, and see this whirligig, be sure and watch your keys or you might set off the alarm. Thank you.

Happy 31st Mr. D!

As I've mentioned before, hats are almost always a mistake.

I'm Voting Republican...

...because the people who made this video are Democrats!

Sweet Little Boy in Big Pink Chair

Quote Tuesday

Big business never pays a nickel in taxes, according to Ralph Nader, who represents a big consumer organization that never pays a nickel in taxes.--Dave Berry

Poetry Monday

My favorite ice cream flavor is Pistachio Almond.
A close second is Ben and Jerry's New York Super Fudge Chunk.
What's your favorite? One of Mr. Bleezer's?

Bleezer's Ice Cream
by Jack Prelutsky

I am Ebenezer Bleezer,
I run BLEEZER'S ICE CREAM STORE,
there are flavors in my freezer
you have never seen before,
twenty-eight divine creations
too delicious to resist,
why not do yourself a favor,
try the flavors on my list:

COCOA MOCHA MACARONI
TAPIOCA SMOKED BALONEY
CHECKERBERRY CHEDDAR CHEW
CHICKEN CHERRY HONEYDEW
TUTTI-FRUTTI STEWED TOMATO
TUNA TACO BAKED POTATO
LOBSTER LITCHI LIMA BEAN
MOZZARELLA MANGOSTEEN
ALMOND HAM MERINGUE SALAMI
YAM ANCHOVY PRUNE PASTRAMI
SASSAFRAS SOUVLAKI HASH
SUKIYAKI SUCCOTASH
BUTTER BRICKLE PEPPER PICKLE
POMEGRANATE PUMPERNICKEL
PEACH PIMENTO PIZZA PLUM
PEANUT PUMPKIN BUBBLEGUM
BROCCOLI BANANA BLUSTER
CHOCOLATE CHOP SUEY CLUSTER
AVOCADO BRUSSELS SPROUT
PERIWINKLE SAUERKRAUT
COTTON CANDY CARROT CUSTARD
CAULIFLOWER COLA MUSTARD
ONION DUMPLING DOUBLE DIP
TURNIP TRUFFLE TRIPLE FLIP
GARLIC GUMBO GRAVY GUAVA
LENTIL LEMON LIVER LAVA
ORANGE OLIVE BAGEL BEET
WATERMELON WAFFLE WHEAT

I am Ebenezer Bleezer,
I run BLEEZER'S ICE CREAM STORE,
taste a flavor from my freezer,
you will surely ask for more.

Who's the Goon?

Besides not being very nice, this clip from David Letterman this week also shows that, as it turns out, David is the goon.

Might I point out three things.

President Bush's 2007 income was $719,274.

Vice President Cheney's 2007 income was $2,528,068.

David Letterman's 2007 income was estimated at $45,000,000.

Mr. Letterman, I'm taking you off my Facebook favorites. As it turns out, you're the goon and I couldn't care less about your show.

Poetry Monday

Since I mentioned the Robert Frost class punishment that those college students got for trashing his house, I thought I'd offer you one of his poems.

Mending Wall
by Robert Frost
Something there is that doesn't love a wall,
That sends the frozen-ground-swell under it,
And spills the upper boulders in the sun,
And makes gaps even two can pass abreast.
The work of hunters is another thing:
I have come after them and made repair
Where they have left not one stone on a stone,
But they would have the rabbit out of hiding,
To please the yelping dogs. The gaps I mean,
No one has seen them made or heard them made,
But at spring mending-time we find them there.
I let my neighbor know beyond the hill;
And on a day we meet to walk the line
And set the wall between us once again.
We keep the wall between us as we go.
To each the boulders that have fallen to each.
And some are loaves and some so nearly balls
We have to use a spell to make them balance:
'Stay where you are until our backs are turned!'
We wear our fingers rough with handling them.
Oh, just another kind of out-door game,
One on a side. It comes to little more:
There where it is we do not need the wall:
He is all pine and I am apple orchard.
My apple trees will never get across
And eat the cones under his pines, I tell him.
He only says, 'Good fences make good neighbors'.
Spring is the mischief in me, and I wonder
If I could put a notion in his head:
'Why do they make good neighbors? Isn't it
Where there are cows?
But here there are no cows.
Before I built a wall I'd ask to know
What I was walling in or walling out,
And to whom I was like to give offense.
Something there is that doesn't love a wall,
That wants it down.' I could say 'Elves' to him,
But it's not elves exactly, and I'd rather
He said it for himself. I see him there
Bringing a stone grasped firmly by the top
In each hand, like an old-stone savage armed.
He moves in darkness as it seems to me~
Not of woods only and the shade of trees.
He will not go behind his father's saying,
And he likes having thought of it so well
He says again, "Good fences make good neighbors."

A Tree Grows in Bloomington

Sometime in the mid-90's at Christmastime, we toured the Wagner's greenhouse. At the end of the tour we were gifted with a small Colorado Blue Spruce sapling. We dutifully brought it home and placed it in the fridge till the ground thawed the following Spring. Needing a quick spot to place it, I chose the garden.

For the last 10+ years, it thrived in our garden. However, soon it began to shade my garden. So, every Spring for the last 5+ years, we always made a plan to move it. This year, it became obvious that it either had to be moved or used as our Christmas tree.

Not wanting to chop it down, we decided to move it. I use the term "we" loosely. Mr. D called the extension dept. at the U of M and they told him is wasn't impossible. Difficult, but not impossible. After all, the thing was probably 7 feet.

All the proper authorities were notified and our yard was spray painted various colors of the rainbow to identify the various deadly things buried in our yard. Then, Mr. D dug a nice hole to place it in. We chose the front yard where the willow tree used to be back in the day nigh onto 7 years ago.

Mr. D started the process last Thursday until it began lightning. He wrapped the exposed root ball in an old flannel sheet and finished the job on Saturday.

Do you have any idea how much a wet root ball weighs? Neither do I, but I'll bet it's a lot!

With Tim's help, he was able to get it on a tarp. And with the added mule power of me, we were able to slide that puppy to the front yard and place it in the already dug hole.

Then, it began to droop. So, we watered it ever so slowly all night long. Yesterday, it was still droopy, so we put the sprinkler on it for a couple hours. Lo and behold, this morning, it was all nice and perky. But, alas this afternoon, it has begun to droop.

I will keep you posted and leave you with a word of advice.

Never try to move a Colorado Blue Spruce tree that is 7 feet tall.

Poetry Friday

We were in Iowa on Monday, so I didn't blog my usual Monday poem. I was just going to skip it for the week and then Mr. D sent me an e-mail with a link to a poem that John Piper had written for his wife on the anniversary of the day they first met...40 years ago.

Not to be outdone by the Pipster, Mr. D penned me this lovely poetic masterpiece.

Oh, and hey, Mr. D, love you back. Let's go out tonight (and move some furniture out of a condo).

Enjoy!

An Untitled Love Poem
by Terry Dugan

Roses are
Red,
Violets are,
Blue.
We started dating
Back at
The U.

And the rings on
The oak tree and
Stuff wasn't blooming,
And the sky in
The freshness of winter
We went out for
Spaghetti....I dono.

--Love, Me

The Indy Adventure

It's taken me a while to tell you about our Indy adventure on May 21st (well, May 22nd, but it was midnight). Chris purchased 10 tickets to the midnight show in Eden Prairie. A few of us got in line at 9:30. We did this so that a) we could secure a spot in line to get some good seats in the theatre and b) because we knew that the Starbuck's in Barnes and Noble would still be open so we could secure some strong coffee. Donovan was among the ticket holders. He and Chris had an enjoyable chat.

Amanda came as well. She and Katie purchased books at B & N rather than coffee. Katie purchased Grimm's Fairy Tales. I'm not sure what Amanda got.

Here we are, waiting for the movie to begin. Aaron and Lexi were there. Ben Pfau arrived just as the lights were dimming and fresh from a Twins game. Chris brought Dots. Lots of Dots. Gotta love the Dots.

And, about the movie. I wanted to like it, so I liked it. So, there.

It had all you could ever want in an Indy movie and then some.

It had bad guys that outnumbered the good guys, strange objects that people are looking for that give them power, monkeys, snakes, big ants, car chases near cliffs, fist fights, nuclear blasts, retro outfits and vehicles, space ships, "Indy" music, Marion Ravenwood, and much more.

Plus, I was with good company when I saw it. So, what's not to like.

It's The End of the World

Some college kids broke into Robert Frost's house, had an impromptu party, and trashed it.

And, what would their punishment be. Hmmm, maybe pay for the repairs. Maybe, help build a fence to keep riff raff like them out. You know, "good fences make good neighbors."

No, justice was served this way:

For the drunken teens who trashed poet Robert Frost's former home in Ripton Vermont last December, justice has been served in a rather unusual way. As you may recall, a former Middlebury college student threw an impromptu party at the historical farmhouse last year and things got way out of control. The nearly 50 guests broke furniture and china, discharged the fire extinguishers, and ruined the carpet with the by-products of too much drink and drugs. They caused over $10,000 in damage and created quite an uproar in the small Vermont town.

Their day of reckoning has finally arrived and their punishment goes beyond community service and public embarrassment. Twenty-five of the party-goers have been sentenced to attend a poetry class where they will learn about the work of the man whose home they nearly destroyed.

Prosecutor John Quinn explains the unusual punishment: "I guess I was thinking that if these teens had a better understanding of who Robert Frost was and his contribution to our society, that they would be more respectful of other people's property in the future and would also learn something from the experience," he says.

Sneezing is fun

From the Bayly Blog

Psalm 127 says:

Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord,
the fruit of the womb a reward.
Like arrows in the hand of a warrior
are the children of one's youth.
Blessed is the man
who fills his quiver with them!

Tornado

Late Sunday night, Katie received a text message from her friend Elisia. It said that her grandma (my friend Roxanne's mother) had been killed in the tornado in Parkersburg, Iowa earlier that evening. Her grandpa was recovering in the hospital from injuries he sustained. Pray for the Luhring family.

Here is an article I found online.

What Rick or Bubba Said

Taking a little break from TV evangelists, I had to mention Rev. Michael Pfleger's "sermon" about Hillary. Or, at least what Bubba or maybe it was Rick said about it on Fox and Friends this morning.
This is a paraphrase, but it's close to an exact quote:
"When your priest or pastor swears from the pulpit, that's a big, red flag."
It might seem over the top to you, but, yeah, we went to a church where the pastor swore from the pulpit. He was speaking at a youth retreat. He used a word that began with the letter "f". I guess he wanted to be "edgy" and reach today's youth. We found out about it a few years after it happened.

Needless to say, we no longer attend that church.

God-TV

Two years ago we made the move to Direct TV instead of cable. One of my least favorite aspects of Direct TV (besides the fact that when a storm is coming and you want to check the radar and you turn on the TV to see what's happening you are met with the words "searching for satellite") is the "Christian" channels.

At the top of the list of least favorite Direct TV channels are Daystar, TBN, and God TV. Today, I'll touch on God TV and in particular the latest offering which is the "Healing Revival with Todd Bentley" in Florida.

It's hard not to watch, it's quite the spectacle, and it has been going on for weeks now. Every night. The screaming, the shouts of "Bam" as people get pushed over by the tatooed man who occasionally takes the Lord's name in vain, the bizarre sounds people make, and the twitching and seizure like behavior that comes upon most people present. There are claims of people being healed of horrible diseases and 14 or 15 have been raised from the dead. The thing is, there is no real medical confirmation of any of this, but people by the hundreds are there and willing participants, believing everything Mr. Bentley says (when he is not sprawled out on the floor motionless visiting heaven or whatever he is doing).

What is obviously missing from the mix, is the Word of God. What does the Bible say? Why can't people just preach and pray for the sick. Yes, God can heal, but after watching this you begin to wonder if this spectacle has anything to do with God.

I find it frightening and I don't know what it means.

Sir Paul Misses the Point

My favorite Beatle, Paul, had his new luxury Lexus hybrid flown to him from Japan. Some carbon emissions footprint guy said that shipping the car in a cargo plane was the equivalent of driving the car around the world 300 times. The story was pleasantly reminiscent of Bono's hat.

Poetry Monday

Today's poem was going to be Flander's Field, but I posted it two years ago so was trying to come up with a different Memorial Day poem. I just visited Truth v. the Machine, read this poem there, and in doing so found this week's Monday poem. You can read Flander's Field here.

It is the Soldier
by Charles M. Province

It is the Soldier, not the minister
Who has given us freedom of religion.

It is the Soldier, not the reporter
Who has given us freedom of the press.

It is the Soldier, not the poet
Who has given us freedom of speech.

It is the Soldier, not the campus organizer
Who has given us freedom to protest.

It is the Soldier, not the lawyer
Who has given us the right to a fair trial.

It is the Soldier, not the politician
Who has given us the right to vote.

It is the Soldier who salutes the flag,
Who serves beneath the flag,
And whose coffin is draped by the flag,
Who allows the protester to burn the flag.

The Chapmans

SCC's blog is one I regularly read. It is hard to get this out of my mind.

Read the comments if you have time. Pray for the family. It's not Poetry Monday, but here's one anyway.

The Solid Rock
by Edward Mote

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly trust in Jesus’ Name.

On Christ the solid Rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand;
All other ground is sinking sand.

When darkness seems to hide His face,
I rest on His unchanging grace.
In every high and stormy gale,
My anchor holds within the veil.

His oath, His covenant, His blood,
Support me in the whelming flood.
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my Hope and Stay.

When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh may I then in Him be found.
Dressed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne.

Quotable Quote

Christopher thinks that maybe it's time for the church in America to cancel their "capital campaigns" and, I dunno, maybe send a few bags of rice to Myanmar or something.
--Chris Dugan, Facebook

The Check's in the Mail

To my friends and acquaintances in the blogosphere..

As the Economic Stimulus Checks are arriving, I just thought you might want to think about what to do with yours. Might I suggest that you think about sending all or part of it to ME. Ponder that and if you feel called to do that, shoot me an e-mail.

Thank you.

Oh, yeah, this post was written in response to a letter we received in the mail today from a very large church, with a very large new building, with a very large mortgage, with highly paid pastors who had the audacity to suggest that the Lord might be wanting me to send all or part of this unexpected provision to THEM.

By the way, this isn't "extra" money, this is a REBATE on taxes I already sent the government. They are giving me some of my money back. I probably will just deposit it in time to write them a big fat check for the June estimates.

END OF RANT.

HB2KT

Happy Birthday, Katie!

Poetry Monday

Results and Roses
by Edgar Guest

The man who wants a garden fair,
Or small or very big,
With flowers growing here and there,
Must bend his back and dig.

The things are mighty few on earth
That wishes can attain.
Whate'er we want of any worth
We've got to work to gain.

It matters not what goal you seek
Its secret here reposes:
You've got to dig from week to week
To get Results or Roses.

Me Want Waffle

Prince Caspian

Tuesday night, Mr. D and I were treated to a free screening of Prince Caspian. Niece Sue and her husband Scott had been given 6 tickets by their daughter Erin who couldn't use them. So, the Molines, the Steve Dahlens, and the Terry Dugans got to go. Thanks Molines (and Erin)!

We felt so special. We even got searched for cameras (Fortunately, mine was at the bottom of my purse under the box of Dots I had thrown in. I didn't get the memo about no cameras and wasn't planning on doing anything sinister, just didn't want to be denied a seat at the last minute so was glad she didn't see it when she searched my purse. Who'd have thought they would search for cameras, they didn't do that at the free screening of Evan Almighty we attended last June!) Then, we all got wanded. I suppose a screening of the new Indy movie would have involved a background check, but I digress, and no one has offered me tickets to one, although I promise that if you give me tickets to a free screening of Indy, I won't bring a camera. Now, back to Prince Caspian.

Here is what I wish to say to Hollywood screenplay people. Just my little tip. FIRST, READ THE BOOK. Then, keep the story the same. Don't change the story, but keep the title the same. I don't remember any griffins in the book, and the old nurse was nowhere to be found, and they didn't even eat one apple when they arrived at the ruins of Cair Paravel, but, to their credit, I did see some apples.

I will now get off that soapbox and tell you a few of my favorite things about it. First, Reepicheep. Gotta love Reepicheep. Especially the tail thing at the end. They were pretty faithful to his little story line.

Second, the hag and the werewolf at Aslan's How part. It was sort of a monster and a "wolf like" bear in a cape, but they got the gist of it and added a visual element that I liked to that part. I won't tell you, but you'll know what I'm talking about when you see it.

Third, one of the most vivid visuals of the movie was at the end (again, in a scene not in the book, but close enough) when the bad guys were trying to retreat and go over the bridge at Beruna Ford. They begin to cross the bridge and Lucy (who had gone for help), suddenly appeared at the other end of the bridge. She seemed to be standing all by herself and she bravely pulled out her little dagger as she looked at the vast army about to cross. Then, we saw why she was so brave. Aslan was right behind her and Lucy plus Aslan is a majority. I liked it that she pulled out her puny little dagger in spite of the fact that Aslan was perfectly capable of handling the situation alone. She did her little, brave part.

Finally, I liked the cute little way it ended. Here's a hint: Phyllis. I also liked the first song that played at the end of the movie and over the credits called "The Call" sung by someone I've never heard of. Regina Spektor. Here is a link to a little taste of the Prince Caspian soundtrack. I read that the credits took 3 full songs to roll. I didn't hear the other two songs. We only stayed for the first song, but got home in time to hear Switchfoot sing "This is Home" on Jay Leno and that was nice, as well.

Runtime: 2 hours 24 minutes, but it didn't seem that long.

All in all, it was an enjoyable movie and evening.

Next week, I will review Indy 4. Bet you can't wait...I know I can't.

The Most Annoying Song Ever

Okay, this is hysterical!

Here is a link to THE MOST ANNOYING SONG EVER WRITTEN.

Some guys who I have never heard of surveyed a bunch of people in an attempt to write the most annoying song they could.

The annoying elements according to Wired include "holiday music, bagpipes, pipe organ, a children's chorus and the concept of children in general (really?), Wal-Mart, cowboys, political jingoism, George Stephanopoulos, Coca Cola, bossanova, banjo ferocity, harp glissandos, oompah-ing tubas, and much, much more. It's actually a fascinating listen, worthwhile for the opera rapping alone."

It's kind of long and I admit I haven't listened to the whole thing yet, but, I loved the beginning.

Another "If"

If a thing is worth doing, it's worth doing badly.
--G.K. Chesterton

Poetry Monday

I chose today's poem because I am in a hurry and knew it would be easy to find. Next week perhaps I should do a poem on laziness.

If
by Rudyard Kipling

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or, being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with triumph and disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with wornout tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on";

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch;
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run -
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man my son!

What do they teach children nowadays?

Back in the day, all personages of the male gender were required by the rules of etiquette to take off their hats when entering a building or to tip them when passing a lady. If you would like to know when to "don" or "doff" your hat, go here.

Paper Wonderland

The Internet is amazing.

You can get free graph paper.

You can get free ledger paper.

You can get semi-bisected trapezoid paper.

In the market for free music staff paper?

Or a free guitar/bass tab pdf generator?

Maybe you simply need a free number line.

Polar graph paper, storyboards, Moorish patterns, brick layout, Japanese/Chinese Character guide paper...they're all here.

More Stolen Quotes Day

“Of all the tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely expressed for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent busybodies.” C.S. Lewis

“When you break the big laws, you do not get liberty; you do not even get anarchy. You get the small laws.” G.K. Chesterton

“We do not need to get good laws to restrain bad people. We need to get good people to restrain bad laws.” G.K. Chesterton

Laminin

I don't know why You Tube won't let me post this, but I found this fascinating.
Here's what Wikipedia says:

Laminin is a protein found in the "extracellular matrix", the sheets of protein that form the substrate of all internal organs also called the "basement membrane".

Laminin is vital to making sure overall body structures hold together.

Here's what God says:

And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

Here's what laminin looks like.
Okay, so my photo has disappeared. Just click on the link above and see for yourself what laminin looks like!

Poetry Monday

Tim's A Beka literature book has come to the rescue for today's poem. There Is No Frigate Like a Book. Tim tells me that he thinks a book would make a lousy frigate. Books are too small and, besides, when the pages get soggy they will sink. (He got the literal genes from me and the sarcastic genes from his father.)

There Is No Frigate Like a Book
by Emily Dickinson

There is no frigate like a book
To take us lands away,
Nor any coursers like a page
Of prancing poetry.
This traverse may the poorest take
Without oppress of toll;
How frugal is the chariot
That bears a human soul!

Pardon My Mess

I have attempted, without the help of any graphic designers, to tweak my blog. Mostly I was trying to add a bookshelf dealie (which now that I see it looks kind of clunky) and had to do some type of upgrade in order to accomplish that. I really have no idea what I have done, so if this looks quite odd, please pardon my mess. I'm sure there is a graphic designer in the neighborhood who can help me out if need be.

Hats

As Meg Ryan says in You've Got Mail, hats are almost always a mistake. Not in this case, however.

PJs

Chris hung out with PJ O'Rourke tonight. Here's living proof. Which got me to thinking that I need to do some posts soon on my "Brushes with Greatness".
It also got me to thinking that I need to find that old 1974 copy of The National Lampoon 1964 Yearbook parody that I purchased at the suggestion of my friend Mary and we spent many hours laughing over back at Comstock Hall at the good old U of M. I will never forget looking at the lunch ladies posing with their hair nets. Mary loved the lady named "Velma Prawn". I don't know why I remember that name, but it still makes me smile.