Cookie Suggestions needed please

Last year, with my mother-in-law, we made assortments of cookies to pass out to folk.

Mother-in-law moved to Arizona this year.

So I need suggestions for cookies that I can make up in dough form now and then take out to bake in early December. So that I can make the same assortment myself while working all day and going to class, etc.

Ideas so far for the cookie assortment:
Better Homes & Garden sugar cookies with the wonderful icing I have to find the recipe for
Jubilee Jumbles
fudge
Gingersnaps (have to find a recipe)
Snickerdoodles perhaps?

Discovery

This is right up there with Sour Cream.

Oatmeal tastes much better with milk.

Our Condo Sold!

Yes, a week late.

But...
A week ago Wednesday, after getting the carpetting finished, we talked to our realtor and said Go to getting it on the market.

Friday he emailed me to say it was on the market. Oh and that a light bulb had gone out as he walked in the door. (The one Right there by the door, even!) And so as soon as I walked in the door, I took the light bulb out and looked in our stash -- we only had 60W in our stash, not 75W. However -- the entry is so dark without a light that I decided to replace it with a 60W and get a 75W when I went out later.

Less than half an hour later, a realtor showed up on our doorstep (She tried to call the number, but it was my husband's cell phone and it had gone dead on him so he turned it off)

Later that evening, after my husband got home, we had a SECOND viewing of the place!

Saturday, the first realtor came back with the girl and her father to look at the place again. We had three more viewings and made appointments for three on Sunday.

(But from this second visit from the realtor, and talking to the dad, and the girl's treatment of my place versus how others had treated it... I was starting to hope that she would put in an offer that would allow us to accept it!)

We got an offer on Saturday. And someone else was considering putting in an offer.

Then we found out that the offer really wanted an answer by 9p. We asked who it was -- it was the realtor of the girl who we really wanted to sell to. And it was a full price offer. we accepted.

So... we are no longer selling. We're sold. With a signing day and a vacate by day!

Now we need to find a new home!

Here are the gorgeous pictures of how our room turned out:


I just love how open this is in the real world.


That's all the furniture in the room:

Wow! Anne Rice a Christian

I've got more news to post about (a whole week's worth of great news!) But for now, from Mommy Life

Anne Rice finds Christ

These are books that some non-Christian friends of mine might just read because she's the author. I pray that she finds the way to put the gospel in them. It sounds like her intention when she says her writing is all going to be for the Lord now. And that future books will only be in worlds that include redemption.

Freeze a Yankee lyrics

I used to have this song recorded onto tape somewhere. (probably off the radio) I haven't seen it in years now :( Though I've had a part of the song stuck in my head.

Today, I found the lyrics and more information.
Found here
I would still love to get my hands on a recording (tape or CD. Unfortunately, I don't have a record player)

"Freeze a Yankee" was a song sung by the Folkel Minority. Apparently written in 1978.
Lyrics:
Governor Briscoe promised us
that if any damn Yankee raised a fuss,
He’d turn off the gas, cut the oil,
and let them all freeze and boil.

They don’t want an oil rig
around their seashores,
Lord, it’s a terrible sight.
And don’t you try to drill
in their dirty old water
if you do you’re in for a fight.

Senator Kennedy told me himself
That he wouldn’t let a drill
on the continental shelf.
So, when they tried to get
Texas to drill another well
We could tell them all to go to ……
Hyannis port.

Now President Carter was a good ole boy,
A southerner thru and thru,
But when he asked
all American’s to sacrifice,
He really meant …you know who.

He want’s all our oils
And our nuclear fuels
What does he take us for?
Silly fools?

Governor Briscoe promised us
that if any damn Yankee raised a fuss,
He’d turn off the gas, cut the oil,
and let them all freeze and boil.

Cram them Yankee’s in little bitty cars
While we drive around in limousines.
There ain’t nothing in the world any more fun,
Then pumpin’ gas in those big Mochines.

Us Texan’s love our Cadillac’s,
Big continental’s and Pontiac’s.
We’re gonna keep all the gas we can make
And let them Yankee’s shiver and shake.

Well them Yankee’s say they need our oil
And they gotta have gasoline,
But don’t you put no refineries way up north,
They wanna keep their air real clean.

They only got enough Ignite
To last until midnight.
Not enough fuel
to keep their mirrors cool.

Governor Briscoe promised us
that if any damn Yankee raised a fuss,
He’d turn off the gas, cut the oil,
and let them all freeze and boil.

Save your confederate credit card,
The south wanna rise again

Goodrick-Kohlenberger numbers?

I grew up learning how to use Strong's. In fact, going out over the net, I find the the Strong's is still in quite a lot of use for the purpose it had -- identifying the word behind a Bible word so that it is easy to look up for those who don't know Hebrew, Greek (And Aramaic).

However, in my bible study class, the teacher keeps using Goodrick-Kohlenberger (GK) numbers. In fact, there is evidently a conversion chart between these numbers and the Strong's, so if you know one you can find the other.

However, he hasn't explained (and I can't seem to find online) why we have the GK system? Did the person who create it not know that Strong's already existed? Does it have some advantage that the Strong's does not?

Does anyone know?

Miers' Nomination -- James Dobson

I'm on the Citzenlink Alert email list from Focus on the Family and last night they sent out a transcript of Dobson's conversation on Miers. (I'm glad. When I got a note that he was going to be talking about what he knew about Miers, and it went all over the media as suspicion, I wanted to hear the radio show but hadn't gotten around to doing it yet. (His radio shows are on the net so they can be listened to on your own time, not just when they are on the radio. That's what I generally do for Adventures in Odyssey.) But transcripts are better :)

Anyway, the information Mr. Dobson had was interesting partly because it confirmed a suspicion I had. Right before the Miers nomination came out, it was flying over the net that Patricia Owen had removed her name from the list. Which made me wonder if she wasn't the only one. "Some of the other candidates who had been on that short list, and that many conservatives are now upset about were highly qualified individuals that had been passed over. Well, what Karl told me is that some of those individuals took themselves off that list and they would not allow their names to be considered, because the process has become so vicious and so vitriolic and so bitter, that they didn't want to subject themselves or the members of their families to it."

A thought

I don't know if I'm Calvinist or Arminian. Or whatever. I just know what I believe, I wasn't taught them with any of those labels. (My pastor once or twice has mentioned something about Arminians and Calvinists. But not in clear enough terms for me, looking back, to remember what he was saying.)

But I do find it interesting that, on the web, I see a LOT of people arguing heatedly for their Calvinist ideas. But I don't really see people self-naming themselves Arminians in the same way.

Maybe this is because Calvin is a well-known historical figure, whereas this Arminian guy is not? I do know that I like some of what Calvin said and wrote (and others I do not approve of) but I wouldn't call myself Calvinist without reading it all and making sure I agree with all of it -- and why would I want to do that when I could just call myself a Biblicist and a Christian and wouldn't have to worry about having an unknown spot of Calvin's work come up and bite me -- I will adjust my beliefs for things I find in the Bible. But not necessarily for any other.

Dinner in a Pumpkin

Every year at this time of year, our newly marrieds class does a pumpkin carving.

I think I'm going to try taking this dish as my contribution

Dinner in a Pumpkin
INGREDIENTS:
1 small sugar pumpkin

2 onions, chopped
2 cups diced celery
1/4 cup shortening
5 pounds lean ground beef
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 (20 ounce) bottle ketchup
3 cloves crushed garlic
5 teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 (15 ounce) cans tomato sauce

1/4 cup soy sauce
1 (4.5 ounce) can mushrooms, drained
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of celery soup
2 cups cooked white rice

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 Degrees C). Cut off top of pumpkin, scrape out seeds and pith.
2. In a large deep skillet, saute vegetables in 1/4 cup shortening until soft. Add beef; cook and crumble until evenly brown. Add the pepper, ketchup, garlic, salt, Worcestershire sauce and tomato sauce. Simmer 15-20 minutes.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine 2 cups of the beef mixture, soy sauce, mushrooms, brown sugar, soup and rice. Mix well, pour into pumpkin and replace lid. Cover and freeze remaining beef mixture.
4. Place filled pumpkin on a baking sheet and bake for one hour or until pumpkin is tender. As you serve dinner, be sure to scoop out a little of the cooked pumpkin too.

Serves 6.

Too many smart 30 year old females...

English Genius You scored 92% Beginner, 100% Intermediate, 86% Advanced, and 80% Expert!

You did so extremely well, even I can't find a word to describe your excellence! You have the uncommon intelligence necessary to understand things that most people don't. You have an extensive vocabulary, and you're not afraid to use it properly! Way to go!

My test tracked 4 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender You scored higher than 25% on Beginner You scored higher than 43% on Intermediate You scored higher than 16% on Advanced You scored higher than 49% on Expert

New Carpet in!

The new carpet is in (and most of the furniture moved back into place. It's so peaceful now -- I am not sure I want to move anything else out. I like how it looks now! In fact, part of me is beginning to wonder if I still want to move! I could live like this -- and not have to pay more for rent every month... OTOH Then I wouldn't have more space either...)

Here is what the new Carpet looks like:


It FEELS different too. (also, there is a strange smell. It's bothering my Boaz and so when they come back to put new carpet in the bedroom we may end up sleeping out of the room the first night. He's got a highly refined sense of smell and I'd hate to give him a headache by sleeping in it! It was noticeably better this morning.

That one alcove is perfect for the one Bookshelf we allowed ourselves to keep.


Others:



(Any idea how I can put these pictures behind a link so that you don't see them unless you want to?)

Thoughts on Bush's character Re: Miers nomination

An old blogger friend has returned to blogging -- and with a vengeance.
Here are his thoughts on the Meirs nomination and what it has to say about who President Bush is.

Doctor's visit

So-- I got results from all the doctor's visits I've been going to lately.

High Chloresterol.
Fibroadenoma (I've always had lumps, but this is the first time they gave it a name.)

I'm getting older, ayup.

God's Palette

Inspired by Pipsqueak's kittens over at Common Room...

here is a picture I took outside my place in the last week:

Where did all our stuff go?

Overflowing out of the bedroom...

Getting new carpet today

We cleaned out the front room of our condo to allow for a change of carpeting preparatory to selling it. We've already picked up the airbed we were sleeping on, but here is how it looks now.

(PS the air bed paid for itself these last two nights in not having to get a hotel room)

Reading versus studying a book.

I am taking an Inductive Bible Study class this quarter at school. (Yes, going to school AND working AND Selling a house all at the same time. Quite a bit going on over here) For this class, the teacher was unable to find any single book he liked that is still available, so he's printing off copies of different pages.

Two things have jumped out so far.
First, a quote (because I love the ways it makes me think):

A conversation between a professor and his students.
"What does the word 'train' mean?"
"'A series of railroad cars in sequence.'"
"I see. Then I can understand the society note, 'The bride came down the aisle followed by her series of railroad cars in sequence'!"
"Oh, no! That would be a long veil."
"Oh, so 'train' means 'long veil'! I noticed that Mayor Lindsay was walking along the streets of Harlem the other day with a large number of reporters in his long veil!"
"No, no! There the word means 'followers in a company.'"
"Oh, all right. 'Train' means 'followers in a company.' Last week, the soccer coach told the team that they were expected to follow in a company in order to be ready and in shape for the next season."
"No, no! There the word is a verb and it means 'to bring into desired physical shape by means of diet and exercise.'"
"Then you really don't know what the word 'train' means?"
"Not until you use it in a sentence!"

...
(Of course, then they point out the use of 'train' in Isaiah 6:1 and so now I'm trying to figure out what THAT means... I never noticed that before. Always I just assumed I understood the verse when zooming over it.)

2. Talking about zooming over it. They pointed out how many people read, but don't understand what they are reading. You read a book, but are finished, and can barely tell what it is about. (I remember that this weekend, trying to excitedly tell a friend about the Patricia C0rnwall mystery I JUST FINISHED- - well, it's a mystery, about Kay Scarpetta... who is a forensic detective coroner sort of... and I sort of trailed off.) As the book says, we read pages, but don't actually think about what the author is saying. "Learn to react to each statement; talk back if necessary." They point out that this is reinforced by school assignments "read pages 26-45 for the next class session" (OUR teacher gets over this by having us read sections, and write down five things from each section that particularly struck us.) The important thing about reading is not just checking off a book read, but to really get what the author is telling us in the book. I wonder if Ambleside's (Charlotte Mason's) "talking back" -- I think it's called "narrative"? -- about what was just read fills the same position. Making sure children are absorbing what is being read.

In which I discuss Fire Extinguishers

...Well, I wrote this post earlier this week. And finished just in time to lose the entire thing when Blogger went down for an hour on Thursday!

We had training on Thursday on how to use fire extinguishers. The Bellevue fire department came out to give it. I wasn't busy at all at the time that the training started, so I went. (I thought it was mandatory so I probably would have gone anyway. But being Completely Not Busy made it a easy choice.) I think I'm glad I did.

Things I learned:
Fires can go from smoldering (ie before there is any flame at all) to flashpoint (the entire room engulfed in flames all at the same moment) in just 2 minutes. Before you get there, the smoke will be so poisonous that someone would suffocate to death in the smoke. (In fact, most fire deaths are smoke inhalation, NOT flame at all!)

The first thing to do when you see a fire is to tell someone. Because of the above -- there is VERY little time to evacuate. If you try to fight a fire and fail, and DIDN'T tell anyone first, they lost precious time to evacuate.

The flames were scaringly big by the time the smoke detector RIGHT OUTSIDE THE ROOM went off! And what if the smoke detector had been elsewhere? Near the front door or something? OR if you're in your master bedroom at the other end of the house and you don't hear it right away...

A full-size fire extinguisher holds 15 seconds of fire fighting ability in it. That's all. The ones that are sold for homes are only 8 seconds (and the firefighter said was not worth buying. Buy a full size "2A10BC" fire extinguisher.

Oh, and fire extinguishers have to be easily available to hand to be any good. Buried in the back of the games closet, still in its original box, etc won't help you in the case of a real fire.

If you DO fight the fire, make sure your back is to the door, so you still have an exit if you fail. (And be 8 feet away from the fire to avoid spreading the fire with the propellant)

There were interesting tips though that even children can use:
1. If something (like popcorn. A frequent one seems to be to go off and leave popcorn popping unwatched) catches on fire in the microwave, DON'T open the door. Turn the power off and leave the door shut -- it will snuff the flame on itself.

2. If you get a grease fire on the stove, cover the pan with the lid. Turn the heat off. Again, flame smothered.

3. If you see a flame in a room and aren't going to fight it, shut the door. Every door you can get between people and flame will give the people more time to evacuate -- and a greater safety margin.

4. Practice fire drills With the smoke alarm, so you know what it sounds like. People can know all the theory in the world -- and then do nothing because they don't recognize that this is that fire alarm thing they were told to do all these steps when it went off. (This happened at our Christmas party last year. The strobe lights went off while the D.J. was making announcements, etc after lunch. And everyone kind of thought that it was part of what was supposed to be happening, so we didn't try to evacuate or anything, though some of us looked askance because the lights were coming out of "fire" light thingies. So they had to come out and TELL us to evacuate to get us out of the building.)