In the Market?

Belcourt Castle in Newport, Rhode Island is up for sale! The last time it was available, according to Wikipedia, was 1956. Back then, the property was purchased by the Tinney family for $25,000. The asking price this time around: $7,200,000. For a video tour of the home, check out this YouTube video (see below). For more on the history of the property, which is quite a tale, peruse “Newport History for Sale” by Eric Moskowitz, an article that ran in the Boston Globe last June (2009) or visit Belcourt's History page.

Music That Soothes My Soul

In weeks when the world seems to be out of control and marred by horrendous tragedy (i.e., Haiti), I try to claim some peace by listening to this lovely composition by Gabriel Fauré: the Cantique de Jean Racine. Originally in French, the lyrics, translated into English, are as follows:

Word, equal to the Most High, our only hope,
Eternal day of the earth and the Heavens;
From the peaceful night we break the silence,
Divine Savior, cast your eyes upon us!

Spread upon us the fire of your powerful grace
May all hell flee at the sound of your voice;
Disperse the sleep from a languishing soul,
Which has driven it to forget your laws!

Oh Christ, be favorable to this faithful people
Now gathered to bless you.
Receive the songs it offers to your immortal glory,
And may it return filled with your gifts!

Enjoy!

Another New Tool

One of my goals for 2010, like so many other adults, is to lose weight. Working toward that goal is always a challenge but, once in a great while, a gadget comes along that (when used and used properly) can make the weight loss journey much more effective. I think I may have discovered that gadget: the Tanita BC-533 InnerScan Body Composition Monitor. It slices; it dices; it melts away the pounds. Well, not really. I still need to do the work, but now I have a ton of data at my disposal to tailor a fitness and diet routine: weight, body fat %, body water %, muscle mass, physique rating, daily caloric intake, metabolic age, bone mass, and visceral fat rating. So far, after one reading, I know that my old scale was registering five pounds too light (bummer!); I know that my visceral fat is not a problem (thank goodness); and I know that my metabolic age is very close to my chronological age (hurrah). As for the rest of the numbers...well, I am not sharing that information. Maybe in the future when I look like a Victoria's Secret model and I weigh as little as I did when I got married (ha!). If you need a new gadget to help your weight loss effort, check out this and other fitness products at Tanita.com.

* This is my personal recommendation/endorsement. I am not receiving any benefits, financial or otherwise, from the Tanita company.

A Rewarding Concert Season

This past Friday (1/8/2010) marked the end of the 2009 Shoreline Ringers Christmas concert season…and what a season it was. It began with a visit to Carnegie Hall as part of “Christmas in the City” with the Continuo Arts Foundation. It continued with an engagement at the Somers Congregational Church in Somers, CT. That was followed by an appearance in the WFSB Channel 3 “Joy for the Kids” benefit concert at the Hartford Stage, during which my daughter (and the group, of course) were privileged to meet Scot Haney, the host of show. Several more concerts in Madison, Norwich, Noank, and Old Saybrook called for some travel and bell loading in the snow, efforts that were well worth the trouble as the audiences were so appreciative of and curious about the bells and the art of ringing. In case you missed any of the presentations, I offer this video from Embellishment, a male-female bell duo who rang with Shoreline Ringers at both Carnegie Hall and Madison, CT.



To see the ringers at rehearsal, click here and enjoy. I hope you all had a very merry holiday season.

My New Health Tool

As part of my 2010 "Get Light, Get Fit, Get Healthy!" goals, I plan to work on stabilizing and/or improving my chronic sinusitis. I have battled this condition in some way or another for years, sometimes developing sinus infections that required an MRI for diagnosis and high-powered antibiotics for treatment. At least a decade ago, I began irrigating my sinuses with saline and a dosing syringe but, lately, that just wasn't doing the job. When the possibility of asthma as a result of the chronic sinusitis presented itself, I looked for something more effective. My solution: the SinuPulse Elite. This lovely little apparatus uses patented technology to deliver a pulsating stream of water (or mist) into your sinuses to clean and/or moisturize them. To learn more about the machine, visit Achoo Allergy, or watch the video posted below.



* This is my personal recommendation/endorsement. I am not receiving any benefits, financial or otherwise, from the manufacturers of the SinuPulse Elite.

Is This Our Future?

I don't usually like to post articles like this, but the video posted below saddened me and made me think about what could happen if we, as citizens, don't work to positively impact the current state of our economy and our government. I was saddened by this video for several reasons:

1) On a recent trip to Carnegie Hall in New York City, my husband and I met a couple from Detroit. We didn't really speak to them. We were merely on the same historical tour. Afterwards, we saw them in Starbucks and exchanged greetings. When they left the coffee shop, the wife waved goodbye. It was quite touching to be in a city of millions for one day, for the first time in my life, and encounter a stranger more than once in the same day. It saddens me to think that someone whose life intersected mine for just a moment lives daily in the reality that is Detroit.

2) Given my educational background in economics and political science, and having come of age as a fan of Democratic initiatives like the Model Cities program, it worries me that the current administration (as well as several previous ones) is making domestic and fiscal policy mistakes that could create more cities in crisis, like Detroit.

3) Personally, I cannot imagine what skills I would need to learn or develop in order to survive in an environment like the Detroit depicted in this video. I know I certainly do not have those skills now and it weighs on me that, at my age, I may not have time to learn what I need to know, or to teach my daughter the skills she may need to know.

Rest assured, I don’t ponder this perspective on a daily basis; yet, it does occur to me once in a while. So, I ask the question again: “Is this our future?” I pray that it is not.

That French Diet Advice, Again

Last night, at our early New Year’s Eve party, several of the husbands were discussing the “get in shape” events that are planned at/by their various employers in the opening months of 2010. To be helpful, I thought I would pass along the following from a daily tip message that I received recently:

Try these seven steps that are the norm in the typical French diet:

1. Eat smaller portions.
2. Eat only at mealtimes, and avoid snacking.
3. Eat a wide variety of food.
4. Don’t skip meals.
5. Enjoy your food, and focus on dishes made from quality ingredients that are fresh and locally grown.
6. Stick to your internal cues. When you no longer feel hungry, stop eating.
7. Eat meals with family and friends so eating becomes a pleasurable experience and not something to “fit into” a schedule or feel guilty about.

If you would like your own messages on how to get and stay healthy, click here.

Poor Pachelbel

Johann Pachelbel was a composer who lived in the 17th century and produced, perhaps, one of the most recognized melodies in music history. He is, in the opinion of many, the ultimate classical one-hit wonder. Today, sadly, he is often the subject of spoof and mockery, as in this clip from YouTube, courtesy of comedian Rob Paravonian. Thanks to Mr. Florez the Younger for pointing me in the direction of this amusement.

A Note About Ice

With the onset of winter, people often ask me about life in Minnesota. Having been born in the great icebox and having lived there until I married a Navy man who dragged me to the warmer climes of southern California, when these inquiries come, they often revolve around ice. Is it really cold enough to freeze a lake so completely that people can actually drive on it? Do people really set up shacks on the lakes so they can fish during the winter? Do people really cut holes in the ice to go swimming? The answer to all of these questions is "yes," of course. However, that does not mean that ice is safe. Ice in NEVER safe, as is reiterated in this article from my hometown newspaper, the Fairmont Sentinel:

But according to ice safety experts, no matter how low the temperature gets, or how late in the season it is, the ice is never safe.

- snip -

The Department of Natural Resources recommends staying off ice less than 2 inches thick. Ice can be walked on at 4 inches, snowmobiled on at 5 inches, and support a car of small truck at 8 inches. Medium trucks should wait until the ice thickness reaches 12-15 inches.

These guidelines are for new, clear ice --- white ice is considered half as strong, and ice thickness recommendations should therefore be doubled.

And watch out for the white stuff. It can be deceiving, as we continue to read:

The snow cover, which some seem to think helps the ice form, actually insulates the lake, inhibiting ice formation.

Snow also can cause ice to be less stable, as the weight of the snow presses down on the freshly formed ice.

Eric Schettler, local conservation officer for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, said the snow can cause the lake to flood --- pushing water up through cracks or fishing holes. The water then begins a freezing/thawing cycle that creates "rotten ice."

- snip -

Schettler said since water freezes from the bottom up, the water moving under the ice can easily chip away at the thickness.

And don't forget these informational tidbits:
- a vehicle being drive on ice causes waves, just like a boat
- parking vehicles together on the ice can cause them to sink.

Be safe!

Angel Gabriel

Tonight, while my daughter attended a dance party, I headed to Starbucks for some quiet study time with The Bondage of the Will by Martin Luther. While in the coffee shop, these words came over the stereo, accompanied by music (of course):

And I’ll shout and I’ll dance
And I’ll rise up early in the morning
I will rise and rub my sleepy eyes
When old Gabriel comes blowing on his horn

I was curious about where these lyrics originated, so I looked it up when I got home. They are from a folk song titled “Angel Gabriel.” You can read the rest of the words on this page of the Folk & Traditional Song Lyrics section of the Traditional Music Library website. Enjoy!

A Cavity and a Resolution

Last week, I had my regular six-month dental hygienist appointment. You know the one: where they clean your pearly whites, take x-rays (if need be) and, generally, tell you that all is right with the world. Well, apparently, all is not right in my universe because I have a cavity! That’s right, a cavity. Even my dentist seemed a bit surprised. The little lovely is located between two of my molars, so I will now have to get two fillings. Not one. Two. Ain’t that just grand? If I opt for the silver amalgam version, the cost is $41.30 after insurance; if I decide to go with the white, matched-to-your-teeth variety, the price is ~$193.00 post insurance. The fillings are for my molars. Who will be looking there? I think silver. Then again…

Today, one week later, I had the filling installed. I cheaped out and went with silver. The dental assistant explained to me that the silver amalgam fillings are a bit stronger than the white ones, and that the location of my cavity would fare better with a stronger material. It really was a no-brainer. Two shots of Novocain, some drilling, and 45 minutes later, my teeth were “back to normal.” Hopefully, they will stay that way.

Fall is Coming

Today, as I pulled into the parking lot of the church where my daughter practices the organ, a bit of a breeze began to blow. Looking across the property, I saw a cascade of yellow leaves falling from one of the many trees surrounding the churchyard and it occurred to me, all of a sudden, that fall is coming. It really is on its way. In recognition of that fact, I thought I would post this, "Falling Leaves" by Bet Briggs. Enjoy.

A Few Flakes

This morning, after my shower and morning routine, I glanced out my front window on the way to my bedroom, and what do you think I saw? Snow flurries! I had to look twice just to make sure I wasn’t hallucinating. Nope. There they were, plain as day. Snowflakes. That got me thinking that I never posted a photo from the last snowstorm --- the one that dumped almost a foot of snow in my driveway. Well, here it is: my driveway filled with the fluffy stuff. Thank goodness I have (most likely) seen the end of this until next winter. The morning flurries only lasted a moment.

The Floor, Revealed

On Sunday, my husband replaced the heating element in my oven. It burned out about a week ago due to twenty-five years of use and abuse, mostly (I must confess) at the hands of the previous owner since I don’t cook at home that much these days. Anyway, once the stove was pulled away from the wall, King Richard snapped this photo:

List of accumulated stuff:
- two pieces of candy
- two stuffed cat toys
- two plastic cat toys
- one “bendy” straw
- fourteen pens & pencils
- several pieces of cat food
- one sock
- a dust bunny the size of the Wererabbit

So, what’s under your stove? Have you looked lately? If you haven’t, maybe you should. You never know what you might find. Just for the record, the cache of goodies under my Frigidaire® Magic Kleen was the work of one cat: Chopin.

More Anti-Homework Shenanigans

Earlier this week, the CBS News channel in Dallas/Fort Worth ran an article on their website reporting on the consideration of a new homework policy for the Plano [Texas] Independent School District. Apparently, their middle school grading and assessment committee has been studying the homework issue since late 2007. The objective of their work?

To [e]nsure that grading practices are consistent with the philosophy that grades should be our most accurate reflection of student knowledge and achievement.”

Their current leanings on the subject?

“According to several Plano Independent School District teachers, they have been informed that beginning next school year, homework will no longer be required of middle school students. And the grades for homework assignments that are assigned will not apply to students’ report card grades.”

- snip –

"As for deadlines for assignments, teachers say the Plano Independent School District is considering placing no deadline on any assignment completed outside of the classroom --- so students could turn in the work at any time."

So, let me see if I understand this correctly: the school district wants to make certain that the grades assigned to their students accurately reflect their understanding of and achievement in the subject matter at hand; the school district wants these highly accurate grades to be based on homework that is not required, as well as other assignments (presumably not homework) that can be handed in at any time (presumably before the end of the grading period); and the district will not use these highly accurate homework grades on report cards.

Wow!!!

Whatever happened to accountability? How are the children of Plano ever going to learn accountability? Better yet, how are the children of Plano ever going to learn anything at all?

The teachers’ response?

Faculty members…said they were caught off guard when they were told about the plan recently. They were also surprised that their students will be required to do less work. One teacher reportedly wept when she heard the news.

I think I would weep too…if I didn’t have to put the finishing touches on a homeschool presentation about how to grade homework.

I Am Mrs. Potato Head

I almost fell off my chair during this Super Bowl ad for Bridgestone Tires, not because I am in need of tires but because…I am Mrs. Potato Head. Just ask my husband what it is like to drive with me in the mountains or during a snowstorm. Basically, any time I perceive danger on the road and I determine that he is not taking appropriate precautions to keep me safe, I turn into Mrs. Potato Head. The older I get, the more often this transformation occurs. I suppose, for my husband, it is like living with Dr. Jekyll and Mrs. Hyde. Poor King Richard. Sorry, honey.

For everyone else, enjoy the video.

RC: January 2009

Ah, once again, the Plush Duck tries valiantly to prepare for Christmas gift giving by reading holiday books, watching holiday movies, and baking new holiday cookies. Let’s see if she can stick to the plan this year.

BOOK
The Night Before Christmas
by Clement C. Moore

Short story. Old story. Familiar story. I actually chose to read three versions of this tale: one illustrated by Mary Engelbreit, one illustrated by Tasha Tudor, and one illustrated by Tomie De Paola. The first rendering had a look that I associate with the bright, sparkling modern-day conception of Santa Claus --- lots of bells and stardust and tons of activity with the robust, jolly gentleman who wears gold spectacles and sports those rosy cheeks at the center of it all. The second version had the dark look of nighttime (as in “the night before Christmas”) with a home that resembled Victorian England and a Santa that truly resembled an elf --- small, impish, and magical. The third offering was more plainly drawn with a look that my daughter equated to Cubism. The lines were sharper, the shapes were very geometric, and the colors were cooler, giving the impression of a chill in the house and a biting wind outside as it blew across the wide-open spaces covered in snow. It is amazing how much an illustrative style can influence the perception of even such a familiar poem.

Publication dates vary. Highly recommended.
Plush Duck Rating: *****

MOVIE
“While You Were Sleeping”
starring Sandra Bullock & Bill Pullman

A bit of the plot: a lonely woman (Lucy) who works for the Chicago Transit Authority saves a handsome man after he is assaulted on a train platform, thrown onto the railroad tracks, and in danger of being run over by a speeding engine. While accompanying the injured man to the hospital, she thinks aloud how she would like to marry the dashing guy, a statement that is misinterpreted by the nursing staff, thereby allowing her access to the comatose gentleman and his life. Upon meeting his family members, who are understandably grateful that she rescued their boy, suspicions mount as to whether Lucy is really “the fiancée.” Eventually, a family friend discovers the truth that Lucy is masquerading as the betrothed, prompting her to admit that she really isn’t in love with the injured man. Instead, Lucy is in love with his brother.
A few plot twists and classic character miscommunications later, this somewhat serious tale becomes a rather adorable comedy, all set around Christmastime.

I actually own this movie. I bought it several years back after seeing it on television during the Christmas season. Part of my attraction to it was the cast: Sandra Bullock, Bill Pullman, Peter Boyle, Jack Warden, and Glynis Johns. For those of you who don’t know the latter actress, think “Mary Poppins.” She played the mom. Accompanied by a sweet soundtrack and sporting behavior that, overall, exhibits old-fashioned values, I would count this as a family-friendly film for the tween set and older. But don’t take my word for it; here is a recommendation from Common Sense Media:

WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING has an old-fashioned feel. While it’s patterned after the classic romantic comedies of the 1930’s and 1940’s…the movie’s clever writing, gentle humor, and strong performances make up for its shortcomings. It is a good choice for parents to watch with their older kids, because there’s something here to appeal to both generations.

Release date: 1995. Highly recommended.
Plush Duck Rating: *****

COOKIE
Kolachki
From Christmas-Cookies.com

A much-appreciated dance instructor at our local Fred Astaire Dance Studio inspired the choice of this recipe. He hails from St. Petersburg, Russia and has been in America for about eight years. We found the cookies to be completely yummy.

Yield: varies depending on how cookies are cut & assembled

Ingredients
½ pound cream cheese (at room temperature)
½ pound butter (at room temperature)
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 pound finely ground walnuts
1 large egg
1 cup granulated sugar
water

Directions
Preheat oven to 375°F. Mix butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add flour and mix again until smooth. Roll dough into three balls. Refrigerate dough to keep it from drying out. The dough can be refrigerated for 1-2 hours, but it is not necessary. Roll out one ball at a time and flour lightly. Roll dough out in flour or granulated sugar so it doesn’t stick. Cut dough into squares or circles using a cookie or biscuit cutter. Make the filling by mixing together the walnuts, egg, and sugar. Add just enough water to obtain a sticky consistency. Add about a teaspoon of filling to each piece of cut dough. Roll squares into logs. Fold circles over and seal with a fork. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until lightly browned.

Hint: the Christmas cookie website states that making this dough is easier with a food processor. My daughter used a mixer and didn't have any problems.

Plush Duck Rating: *****

A Home Gym?

In a recent e-mail I received from the Dr. Weil website, the topic of discussion was “4 Ways to Start a Home Gym.” Some items that were suggested for inclusion in such a space:

- a yoga mat
- resistance bands & a set of weights
- fitness DVDs in enough variety to focus on different muscle groups & prevent boredom
- a treadmill, elliptical trainer, or recumbent bicycle

Hmm, let me take stock. Do I have the makings of a home gym so that I can work toward my New Year’s resolution of losing 30 pounds? I have a couple of yoga mats. I own a set of weights and three resistance bands of varying strengths. I have more fitness DVDs than my husband probably wishes I had (some Denise Austin, Leslie Sansone, Pilates for Dummies, AM/PM Yoga, etc.). The only item I am missing is the treadmill, elliptical trainer, or recumbent bicycle. I do have a trainer that allows me to set up my own bike to act as a stationery bicycle, so I guess I have that covered too. So, seeing as I already have a home gym (and seeing as I have had it for awhile), the question now becomes: why am I not using it to lose the 30 pounds I so desperately want to shed?

I hate hard questions that make me look at my own behavior, don’t you?

A Friendly Visitor

After the last snowstorm, my daughter and I noticed that a pair of deer began visiting our yard on a fairly regular basis. We were at a bit of a loss to determine what was attracting them until, one day, we saw this individual (not certain if he/she is male or female) munching on one of the azalea bushes in the backyard. Since I did not do anything to stop or discourage the friendly beast, I will probably not have much of an azalea bush left by spring. Oh, well. I have a pretty healthy collection of azaleas in my yard. Losing one to a hungry deer may not be so bad.

Listening to Winter

Last night I went out to do some intermediate shoveling just after sundown and, instead of getting a workout, I got a gorgeous experience! The snow was falling quietly. The ever-present, low-level drone from the local arterial road just up the street was absent. The only sound was the faint, distant scraping of a plow removing snow from the nearby streets. Noticing this stillness, I just stood for a moment and listened…to nothing.

My mother actually encouraged my sister and me to do this. One winter, on a cold evening in late January, she convinced my dad to drive us into the countryside outside of our small Minnesota town, park the car, and roll down the windows so we could “listen to winter.” I remember thinking she was a little weird; but I also remember watching the loose snow skim across the moonlit cornfields, driven by that lovely Upper Midwest wind that seems to blow constantly in midwinter. Even today, thinking about that event, I can almost smell the cold, dry freshness of the air. Connecticut doesn’t smell like that. It smells wetter and saltier.

This morning I need to shovel again. Unfortunately, the atmosphere won’t compare. More snowplows are out, the local traffic is picking up, and the din of life has returned. But I now have two winter moments to savor while I work. Life is good.

First Concert of the Year

I am, at the moment, sitting in the hallway of Central Baptist Church in Norwich, CT, listening to the first handbell concert of 2009. The Shoreline Ringers are playing as part of the “Music at Central Series,” a community concert program sponsored annually by the church. I am parked in the hallway because this particular engagement of the bell choir is so well attended that I needed to give up my seat to someone who had never heard the group perform. Now that I think about it, this just may be the largest audience in the three-year history of Shoreline performances. Not only did they run out of seats, they ran out of programs too. Every music group should have such a problem.

If you missed this concert, keep an eye out for the next one: January 11, 2009 at First Congregational Church in Guilford, CT. The Shoreline Ringers will be participating in the "Joyful Noise! Concert Series" at that church.

Happy New Year!!!

Ah, farewell 2008. Welcome, 2009. Last year certainly was challenging. This year is definitely unknown. My plans and goals for the New Year are still in the planning stages. I am still evaluating last year. The 2008 fact that makes me happiest: the retirement account is only down about $1000. The greatest disappointment of 2008: my house is still as cluttered as ever.

Frankly, I am still in a bit of shock that it is 2009. It seems like only yesterday that my husband retired from the Navy (2000), the tragedy of 9/11 happened (2001), and my dad passed away (2005). Time sure does fly. My father warned me that time would accelerate as I got older. I wonder if he noticed it picking up speed when he was my age. He seemed much younger to me at age 47 than I feel at age 47. Of course, I was only about 11 years old when I made that observation so my perspective may have been somewhat skewed.

Some of my expectations for 2009:
- Katherine the Great will probably be in another opera.
- King Richard will be working a lot of hours this year.
- I will still be busy homeschooling.
- The economy will still be challenging.

Despite that last assumption, I hope your expectations for the New Year are positive and hopeful. May God bless your plans and bring them to fruition.

Happy 2009!

I Have a Facebook Page

Well, I finally did it. I joined Facebook. All of my friends are on it, especially those who have high school and college students. Most, if not all, of the kids I interact with at Sunday School and our homeschool co-op have accounts on it. People I know aren’t really even using their traditional e-mail accounts to communicate anymore; they are using Facebook. So, out of a desire to remain “in the loop, “ I knuckled under and joined. It’s ok. I still feel rather odd posting updates about the minutiae in my day. It is more efficient than blogging, but I miss the lack of space to write longer articles. Oh, well.

An Economic Downturn?

If the market were experiencing a downturn, you would never know it by the number of mail-order catalogs arriving in my mailbox. Today, I received at least eight, one of which was Hammacher Schlemmer. I love this display of merchandise. It is so fun. Just look at the variety of clocks and marshmallow/snowball battle toys:

The Peaceful Progression Wake Up Clock
The Sunrise/Sunset Simulating Clock
The Color Pattern Clock
The Flying Alarm Clock

The 40 Foot Marshallow Blaster
The 40’ Marshmallow Bazooka
The Marshmallow Shooter
The Marshmallow Shooting Shortbow
The 50’ Snowball Launcher

Of course, I would be hard-pressed to buy any of these items. Then again, that Flying Alarm Clock might get my family moving in the morning.

I Love King Leo!

Today, while I was shopping at CVS, I discovered King Leo Soft Peppermint Sticks. They came in a box containing ~30 sticks, each one worth about 45 calories, and I think I have consumed 10-12 sticks since around 4:00 PM. Make no mistake about it, folks; these are incredibly addictive little treats (and I normally get tired of candy cane-like confections pretty quickly). The next best thing about these? The company has a store in one of my favorite places: Julian, California. If you are ever in southern California, don’t miss it --- the town or the store.

Chicken Soup That’s Tested

Katherine the Great finally came down with the cold that has been circulating through our locale of late. In an effort to keep on top of the nasty respiratory bug, I made some chicken soup for her from a recipe I found online: Grandma’s Recipe from Dr. Stephen Rennard of the University of Nebraska Medical Center. For a PDF copy of the recipe, click here. For the research article, click here. For a video about the tested soup, click below. As of yet, I cannot attest to its effectiveness. I can, however, attest to its flavor: extremely delicious.

DYK? A Tip About Potatoes

One of my recent RealAge mailings had an interesting tip on how to keep more nutrition in your potatoes: boil them whole.

Cubing your potatoes first will slash their potassium content by as much as 50 percent.

Roasting, baking, or microwaving whole potatoes also preserves more iron, zinc, and magnesium. Who knew?

For more information, go to Max Out Your Mashed Potatoes.

Eek!

Last night, just before the evening news at 6:00 PM, my littlest cat rushed over to the wall by the back door with an extremely curious expression on his face. As he listened intently to what was a high-pitched squeaking/scraping sound, my husband and I became interested as well. Within seconds, King Richard was investigating. And what did he find? Yep, you guessed it, none other than a bat! Actually, he found two bats but one of them flew away. The other guy took a hit of wasp killer that my husband sprayed in the hole that the critters had crawled into. Not to worry, though, King Richard cleaned the vermin and made a temporary shelter for him in the garage while he recovered from his ordeal. Eventually, he left for parts unknown.

Herr Fledermaus should consider himself fortunate. If he had encountered the woman of the house first, he may be dead because I am NOT a fan of bats.

Egad!

Yesterday, I received a fund raising letter from the Museum of Science in Boston, MA, the content of which made me do a double take (and not because my forty-seven-year-old eyes are deteriorating). Consider the opening sentence:

A survey by the National Opinion Research Center showed about one in four American adults believe the Sun goes around the Earth.

One in four adults. That’s 25% folks. 25% of American adults do not know enough basic science to understand that the Earth revolves around the Sun. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find the original survey to check if this same percentage of people were also missing the fact that the Earth rotates on an axis whilst traveling about the Sun. I tried to defend these survey interviewees to myself for a moment, thinking that this statistic was returned by the survey because of how the survey designers asked the question, but the letter continued with this:

The same survey found people who believe that electrons are larger than atoms…that lasers work by focusing sound waves…that antibiotics kill viruses as well as bacteria…

And people wonder why I homeschool.

Anniversary Gift

As I mentioned in my previous post (How Did I Get Here?), I went shopping for a new clothes dryer yesterday. I had to engage in this exciting activity, on my anniversary of all days, because the dryer that I purchased when my daughter was born (over eighteen years ago) finally “expired.” The post that holds the drum broke in two; definitely not a repairable problem. Hence, my husband and I spent the afternoon shopping for a new appliance.

What did we find? A great deal! The first dryer we saw was on clearance for $399.93. The washer we eventually settled on was also on sale for $284.93. After taxes and a 10% discount on the washer, the total came to $695.76. Not bad considering that I was ready to put close to $2000-$3000 on my credit card for a brand new, steam treatment, silver ion, front-loading washer and a high-speed extraction dryer. Apparently, the Lord knew I needed a price break this year.

Not exactly the activity I would have planned to commemorate 23 years of marriage, and not exactly the gift I would have liked to celebrate such a well-established commitment, but it was appreciated nonetheless. Maybe next year I will go to Colonial Williamsburg and have dinner at Christiana Campbell’s Tavern. Now that’s my idea of a great anniversary gift.

How Did I Get Here?

OK, so much for quoting the Talking Heads (“Once in a Lifetime” from the album Remain in the Light); now, on to the news:

Today is my anniversary. I have been married to the same man for 23 years, a fact that I have trouble wrapping around my brain some days. I don’t have trouble with the idea that I have been committed to him for that long. No, I have trouble with the idea that 23 years have flown by at the speed of light. Wasn’t I just 25 and learning to be a Navy wife? Wasn’t I just 28 and pregnant with our only child? Wasn’t I just 33 and sitting in a surgeon’s office listening to a description of the care plan for my husband who was stricken with thyroid cancer? Outside of the grace of God, I have no idea how I made it this far. It has been quite an adventure, and I am certain it will only get more interesting.

So how did I celebrate? Believe it or not, I did a totally middle-aged thing: I went shopping for a new clothes dryer.

Diocese Choir Concert Program

In case you were wondering what was on tap at the choir concert, here is a partial program. Enjoy!

Mozart
Exsultate Jubilate
Mary Beth Lee, soprano

Telemann
Psalm 117

Purcell
Jubilate Deo
Mary Beth Lee, soprano
Scott Reeves, countertenor
Ed Tyler, baritone

Donations accepted at the door.

How Should We Handle This?

Get a load of this, as reported on Right Michigan. I went to this website to read the source of the story I originally saw on American Thinker:

Prayer had just finished when men and women stood up in pockets across the congregation, on the main floor and in the balcony. "Jesus was gay," they shouted among other profanities and blasphemies as they rushed the stage. Some forced their way through rows of women and kids to try to hang a profane banner from the balcony while others began tossing fliers into the air. Two women made their way to the pulpit and began to kiss.

Their other props? I'll let them tell you in their own words... from another of their liberal blogs:

"(A) video camera, a megaphone, noise makers, condoms, glitter by the bucket load, confetti, pink fabric...yeh."

- snip –

The "open minded" and "tolerant" liberals ran down the aisles and across the pews, hoping against hope to catch a "right winger" on tape daring to push back (none did). And just in case their camera missed the target, they had a reporter in tow. According to a source inside the church yesterday there was a "journalist" from the Lansing City Pulse along for the ride, tipped off about the action and more interested in getting a story than in preventing the vandalism, the violence and anti-Christian hatred being spewed by the lefties.

- snip –

The church's response? After things settled down, the blasphemy ended, the lewd props removed and the families safe from fear of additional men and women running into and past them the pastor took the stage and led the congregation in one more prayer... not for retribution, or divine justice or a celestial comeuppance (that's what I'd have prayed for) but instead that the troubled individuals who'd just defiled the Lord's house, so full of anger and hate, would know Jesus' love in their lives and God's peace that exceeds human understanding.

My daughter had some interesting questions about this:

1) Should the church members turn the other cheek as Jesus instructs us to do?

Whoever hits you on the cheek, offer him the other also; and whoever takes away your coat, do not withhold your shirt from him either. --- Luke 6:29

2) Should church members defend God’s house as Jesus did?

In the temple courts [Jesus] found men selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple area both sheep and cattle; he shattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! How dare you turn my Father’s house into a market!” --- John 2:14-16

3) How do church members decide between these two options? Is the sanctuary the tipping point? Is an invasion of the sacred space more serious and deserving of defensive action? Or is any intrusion, even if confined to the church grounds or a classroom, enough to activate a defensive response?

I have never been a fan of “security forces” at a church, but this incident has prompted me to begin re-examining my opinion on the subject. It may be awhile before I reach a sure conclusion. In the meantime, I will keep praying.

Fight the Good Fight

A hymn from today's church service based on this Bible verse:

Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. --- 1 Timothy 6:12

Written in 1863, it was composed by John S. B. Monsell (1811-1875).

Fight the Good Fight With All Thy Might

Fight the good fight with all thy might;
Christ is thy Strength and Christ they Right.
Lay hold on life, and it shall be
Thy joy and crown eternally.

Run the straight race thro' God's good grace;
Lift up thine eyes and seek His face.
Life with its way before us lies;
Christ is the Path and Christ the Prize.

Cast care aside; upon thy Guide
Lean, and His mercy will provide;
Lean, and the trusting soul shall prove
Christ is its Life and Christ its Love.

Faint not nor fear, His arms are near;
He changeth not, and thou art dear.
Only believe, and thou shalt see
That Christ is All in all to thee.

Fortune Cookies...Again

My family succumbed to weakness this evening and ordered Chinese food --- egg foo young and a pu pu platter. This time, we received six fortune cookies, two for each of us. Here are the fortunes:

No problem leaves you where you found it.
There are no strangers here, only friends you haven't met!
The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that extra.
Be a generous friend and a fair enemy.
The days you work are the best days.

And my favorite, which I plan to keep as a time management reminder:

The greatest of all mistakes is to do nothing because you think you can do only a little.

I wish I could figure out a way to send the Chinese vocabulary words on the reverse side of my fortunes to my American friend who just moved to Beijing. It would be interesting to see how accurately the manufacturer translated the words.

Don't Forget to Set Those Clocks

The end of Daylight Savings Time has finally arrived, so don't forget to set your clocks back an hour before turning in tonight. Remember, the time change does not apply in Arizona, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands. It is also recommended (and customary) to use this time change as a reminder to replace the batteries in your smoke alarms.

So, check those smoke detectors and enjoy that extra hour of sleep. The holiday season is just around the corner!

This Day in History...

For most people, October 31st means Halloween and all its related festivities, but what else happened on this day in history? Infoplease had this to say:

1517
Martin Luther posted the 95 Theses on the door of the Wittenberg Palace church, marking the start of the Protestant Reformation in Germany.

1846
A heavy snowfall trapped the Donner Party in the Sierra Nevada mountains.

1864
Nevada became the 36th state.

1941
Work on the Mount Rushmore monument was completed.

1956
Rear Admiral G.H. Dufek became the first person to land an airplane at the South Pole.

1984
Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated.

1992
Pope John Paul II admitted that the Roman Catholic Church had erred in convicting Galileo of heresy 250 years earlier.

Some Interesting Local Events

More from my weekly community newspaper...

SCULPTURE DAY IN OLD LYME
In honor of the Florence Griswold Museum's current exhibition, "Bessie Potter Vonnoh: Sculptor of Women," the museum, the Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts and other venues along historic Lyme Street in Old Lyme are celebrating by opening their doors for free and offering special exhibitions, artist demonstrations, and hands-on activities. The even is made possible by a grant from the Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism and will take place Saturday, Nov.1.

The museum, including the special exhibition, will be open free of charge. Visitors can tour the exhibition and the historic boarding house for artists, where Bessie and her husband, Robert, stayed before moving to the area. From 11 am to 2 pm participants can watch Sculptor-Residence Sue Chism and her model demonstrate the sculpting process in the museum galleries and then try their hand a t sculpting using clay in a drop-in workshop in the Hartman Education Center.

At the Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts from noon to 3 pm, visitors can explore sculpture studios and meet students and faculty. Instructor Jeremy Davis demonstrates the sculpting process from noon to 4 pm. Visitors are invited to explore the special exhibitions, "A Slice of America: Selections from the New Britain Museum of Art" and "Excellence in Painting and Sculpture Exhibition, Samantha Weber and David Krevolin."

Also on Lyme Street, the Cooley Gallery has the work of a variety of artists on view, including a sound sculpture by Harry Bertoia and a new work by Michael McLaughlin. There are open houses at Studio 80, the studio and sculpture garden of artist Gil Boro, the Lyme Art Association, featuring the sculptures of female elected artists, and the Bee & Thistle Inn, where artist Andrews De Vries pours a bronze sculpture at 2 pm.

More information can be found at www.FlorenceGriswoldMuseum.org.

The best part of this event is that it features the work of a young lady, Samantha Weber, whom I have known for a number of years through my homeschooling circles. Congratulations, Samantha!

AUTHOR TO SPEAK ABOUT PILGRIMS
Connecticut author Glenn Alan Cheney will speak about his book Thanksgiving: The Pilgrims First Year in America on Thursday, Nov. 6 at 7 pm. at the Lyme Public Library. The book covers the pilgrims' struggles for religious freedom in Holland, their decision to try life in a new world, the harrowing ocean crossing, and the crucial first year between the land of the Mayflower and the famous harvest feast that followed. The pilgrims survived in the new world and laid the foundation for a new nation, but their survival was far from guaranteed.

In addition to writing, Cheney has also been a businessman, and an adjunct professor at Fairfield University, Albertus Magnus College, Connecticut College, and Three Rivers Community-Technical College. He will sign books after the presentation. Copies of his book will be available for purchase at the program.

Call 434-2272 to register or for more information.

Halloween Safety

Even though I no longer celebrate Halloween for personal reasons, I think it is important for those who do participate in the festivities to do so safely. To that end, I offer this list of tips from Gabrieles Martial Arts. I found it on Zip06.

Trick-or-Treaters
- Carry a flashlight.
- Stay on sidewalks.
- Always stay close to an adult.
- Don't run ahead of the group.
- Know who is around you.
- Try to have a bright costume so people can see you.
- Only go to the houses that are lit.
- It wearing a mask, take it off in between houses for air and good sight.

Parents and Guardians
- Make sure the neighborhood is a familiar one.
- Know exactly who your kids will be with, try to supervise personally.
- Have your child wear a watch they can read in the dark.
- Fill out an emergency contact paper and have your children keep it on them.
- Make sure they know how to reach you.
- Do not let children run ahead without adult supervision.

Homeowners
- Make sure the yard is safe to walk through.
- Put pets in a safe room so they don't get frightened or harmed.
- Use battery-powered ornaments, not real flames.

DYK? Preparing for Colds & Flu

Note: These are only suggestions and are no guarantee that colds and flu will stay away from your home. Since I got my first cold on Saturday, it appears that I need to be taking my own advice more seriously.

Newsflash! Did you know that cold and flu season is here and that it is possible to navigate this time of year without getting horribly sick or, for that matter, without getting sick at all? Try these strategies from WebMD, as posted on The Weather Channel.

1. Get immunized.

I know this is a controversial/contentious subject for many people; however, being the survivor of an extremely severe case of German measles (contracted when I was sixteen) and being the child of parents who can remember their friends dying from diseases like diphtheria, I fully admit that I am an advocate for vaccination. The recommendation for cold and flu season is to check with your doctor about whether you should consider getting a flu shot, a pneumonia shot, or both. This may also be of interest:

...there is concern now about a resurgence of whooping cough, which is most contagious before the coughing actually starts. The best way to prevent whooping cough is still through vaccinations. The childhood vaccine is called DTaP, and there's also a whooping cough booster vaccine for adolescents and adults ages 19 through 64 called TDaP. The booster not only protects against whooping cough but also against tetanus and diphtheria.

2. Wash your hands.

This has got to be the king (or queen, depending on your perspective) of illness prevention strategies!

According to the CDC, frequent and thorough hand washing is the single most effective way to prevent catching cols, flu, or any contagious disease. Be sure to wash your hands frequently, including the following times:

- Before and after you prepare food
- Before you eat
- After you use the bathroom
- Before and after changing a baby's diaper
- After handling animals or animal waste
- After coughing or sneeze
- When your hands are dirty
- More frequently if someone in your home is sick

To wash hands properly, follow these steps:

- Wet your hands and apply liquid or clean bar soap. Place bar soap on a soap dish that allows it to drain.
- Rub your hands together vigorously, scrubbing all surfaces for 15 to 20 seconds. That's about how long it takes ot hum the song "Happy Birthday to You" twice.
- Rinse well and dry your hands. In a public restroom, use the air dryer or paper towels.
- In the absence of soap and water, use alcohol-based disposable hand wipes or gel sanitizers.

3. Don't touch your eyes, nose, or mouth without washing your hands.

Great advice! Tough to follow.

4. Don't share food, toiletries, towels, or pillows.

From a very young age, we are all taught that sharing is a good thing. Absolutely! But during cold and flu season, we need to be a little more conscientious about what we share. In our effort to be kind, we may give more than we intend.

5. Cover you mouth before coughing and your nose before sneezing.

If tissues are unavailable, cough or sneeze into your crooked elbow. If tissues are available and you use them, dispose of them quickly and (preferably) in the toilet so they can be flushed. If your are sick in bed, don't pile your used tissues on the nightstand or throw them on the floor next to the bed. Place them in a trash receptacle tat can be emptied and disinfected easily...and often.

6. Eat right, drink water, and get plenty of rest to improve your resistance.

Concentrate on foods that contain plenty of beta carotene, vitamin C, zinc, and garlic. Eat chicken soup. Drink the recommended eight glasses of water a day or, as some health professionals suggest, one-half ounce of water for every pound of body weight (in my case, 0.50 x 172 = 86 ounces). Sleep for six to eight hours per night; more if you are ill.

7. Stock up on supplies.

Here is what the WebMD article recommends:

- A thermometer for each family member
- Extra toothbrushes and personal tubes of toothpaste
- Plenty of tissues, toilet paper, and paper towels
- Throat lozenges and anything else that makes the sick person comfortable

My stock up list also includes:

- Expectorant, either liquid or tablet
- Cough suppressant (this is often combined with the expectorant)
- Acid reducer (sinus drainage often gives me heartburn)
- Ginger ale (in case sinus drainage causes nausea)
- Salt cartridge for my inhaler
- Humidifier filters

I also make sure my steamer is in good working order and my humidifier is cleaned and ready to go.

8. Disinfect germ hotspots.

Bacteria and viruses can survive on surfaces for as long as a few days or as short as a few hours. To keep on top of the contagions in your home.

...use a common disinfectant on the following household hotspots.

- Phones
- Remote controls
- Microwave and refrigerator handles
- Door handles and doorknobs
- Toilet seats and handles
- Faucets
- Light switches
- Computer keyboards/mouse
- Video game handheld controls
- Toys

What's the best disinfectant? The CDC recommends inexpensive chlorine bleach, which is effective against viruses. Add one-fourth of a cup of bleach to one gallon of warm water and allow the mixture to sit on the hotspot surface for 10 minutes before rinsing. Whenever disinfecting surfaces, you should wear rubber gloves, ventilate the area, and, if you're sensitive to chemicals, wear a mask. Wash your hand after removing the rubber gloves.

Personally, I use Shaklee Basic-G and wipe down most of the items listed above on a daily basis. It takes a few minutes, but the payoff is worth it fi you don't get sick.

9. Keep up with the laundry.

Containing illness is hard work. When you or a loved one is ill, it's advisable to wash towels, washcloths, pillows, and bedding daily. You may want to wash the stuffed animals that kids cuddle to remove germs.

I would also add heating pad covers to the aforementioned laundry list. Personally I don't wash my pillows. Instead, I cover them with both a vinyl pillow protector and a cloth pillow protector before putting on a pillowcase. Then when I change pillowcases and cloth protectors, all I need to do is spray and wipe the vinyl protector with some Basic-G to sanitize them. I also don't wash my sheets every day unless the severity of the illness dictates. Twice a week has proved sufficient in my home. I would be exhausted just from doing laundry if I washed sheets every day!

10. Know your enemies

Familiarize yourself with the "bugs" you could encounter during the season. Know the symptoms of each and their recommended care protocols, especially those symptoms that should trigger timely medical intervention. To learn more about the following diseases, visit this WebMD cold & flu information page. These are some of the illnesses you should be watching for:

- Common cold
- Acute bronchitis
- Strep throat
- Flu
- Chickenpox
- Stomach flu (viral gastroenteritis)
- Whooping cough

Filled for $37.00!!!

On Sunday, my husband filled the gas tank in my Subaru Outback (from the empty light, mind you) for only $37.00. In the past few months, that same amount of gasoline has set me back almost $60.00. One tank of gas at these new prices and I saved enough to pay for thirty minutes of voice lessons for my daughter. You gotta love it!

Price per gallon: $2.599

Will He Defend the Constitution?

In light of this old radio interview with Senator Obama, I got to thinking...

If this is the Oath of Office for the President of the United States:

I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.

and the Illinois senator who is currently running for President had this to say in 2001 (emphasis mine):

...the Supreme Court never ventured into the issues of redistribution of wealth and sort of more basic issues of political and economic justice in this society. And to that extent as radical as people tried to characterize the Warren Court, it wasn't that radical. It didn't break free from the essential constraint that were placed by the Founding Fathers in the Constitution, at least as it's been interpreted, and the Warren Court interpreted it in the same way that generally the Constitution is a charter of negative liberties. It says what the state can't do to you, it says what the federal government can't do to you, but it doesn't say what the federal government or the state government must do on your behalf. And that hasn't shifted. One of the, I think, tragedies of the civil rights movement was because the civil rights movement became so court focused, I think that there was a tendency to lose track of the political and community organizing and activities on the ground that are able to put together the actual coalitions of power through which you bring about redistributed change...

- snip -

...I'm not optimistic about bringing about major redistributive change through the courts. The institution just isn't structured that way. You just look at very rare examples during the desegregation era, the court was willing to, for example, order changes that cost money to a local district. The court was very uncomfortable with it. It was very hard to manage, it was hard to figure out. You start getting into all sorts of separation of powers issues in terms of the court monitoring or engaging in a process that essentially is administrative and takes a lot of time.

Then:

- Does Senator Obama, who is trained and educated in the Constitution, believe in this most important foundational document as it was/is written, or does he see the document as irreparably flawed and inconvenient?

- If Senator Obama does not believe in the Constitution, can he honestly take an oath of office that requires him to "preserve, protect, and defend" the document itself and the government that it establishes?

Just a couple of questions that are worth pondering before the vote on Tuesday.

Survey: Mortgage or Credit Card?

If you have to choose between paying your mortgage and paying your credit card, which do you pay? Have you ever had to make this choice?

Answer in the comments, please.

What Would I Do?

Tonight (10/16/08), I was watching yet another newsmagazine program when I heard that familiar sound byte of the day: being upside down in a mortgage. Sometimes I hear the variant: being underwater. Readers, you will need to forgive me on this one. Listen up: this is only part of the problem! The problem is cash flow…combined with falling home values. The problem is that the folks who are having trouble being in this condition on their mortgages are the folks who are not making/cannot make their monthly mortgage payments and/or the folks who need to sell their homes immediately. If you are making your monthly mortgage payment, have no intention of selling your home, and have no other debt being secured by the value of your house, it is ok to be “upside down” or “underwater” for a short period of time. My husband and I were in this condition when he was a cancer patient. We owed over $100,000 on our home; the housing market in the Northeast had tumbled, valuing our house at less than what we owed on it; and the Navy transferred him to Virginia. Hard truth: he commuted for 29 months and I stayed put because we couldn’t make enough on a home sale to pay off our mortgage so I could move with him.

The other issue that is not necessarily a problem: lack of a down payment when purchasing a home. Why do reporters always bring this up? What is the purpose of putting money down on a mortgage anyway? Simple: it lowers your monthly mortgage payment, making your home more affordable, because it lowers the total amount you need to finance. My husband and I did not put any money down when we purchased our house in 1989. We financed the entire amount --- $125,000. Our interest rate: 10.50% fixed. Our initial mortgage payment, plus escrow: $1354.00. We used a mortgage company instead of a bank or a credit union, something we will never do again. They sold off our mortgage within about three days of closing. Thankfully, within a couple of years, the interest rate had dropped to 8.00%; we were not “upside down” in our mortgage at the time; and we refinanced with a credit union that didn’t sell mortgages. Sadly, not everyone is so fortunate.

So, what would I do now if I had a cash flow problem and an “upside down” mortgage? First, I would pay only the necessary part of my mortgage payment; no extra principal payments for awhile. If I absolutely had to, I would investigate participating in one of the “bailout” plans so I could stay in my home and renegotiate my mortgage. If all else failed and I had no other options available, I would short sell my house and take the loss. Second, I would find a way to generate more income, either by getting a second (or a third) job or by finding a way to make money online. Medical transcription work, maybe. With a plethora of baby boomers approaching retirement age, employment in the medical sector is certainly in demand. Being a home educator, tutoring might be a reasonable alternative as well. If either of those options didn’t pan out, I would check the local businesses in my area for help wanted signs. At the moment at least three businesses within one mile of my home need help: Auto Zone, Starbucks, and Dominos Pizza. I would focus on jobs that didn’t have huge travel or wardrobe expenses. That way my employment costs wouldn’t eat all my earnings. Third, I would find ways to reduce my expenses. For example, I would park my Subaru Outback in the driveway and start sharing the Mazda Protégé with my husband; the former gets 22 mpg, while the latter comes in at 34 mpg. This strategy would save quite a bit of gas money, especially now that the price of fuel is dropping. It would require some pretty creative time management, but it would need to be done for the sake of saving money.

More importantly, I would try to adjust my thinking to accommodate the short-term reality of longer work hours, less time with family, and a new definition of fun that looks more like roasting marshmallows with friends in the backyard than like an excursion to Disney World. If necessary, I would also patch up my differences with friends and family members with whom I could cooperate in money-saving, expense-reducing efforts like childcare, carpooling, hand-me-down clothing, and the like. Lastly, I would reexamine my expectations about what I desire versus what is necessary to rebuild my financial well being. A four-bedroom house with a family room and a pool may be what I want, but a three-bedroom apartment and a few trips to the beach may be what I need to survive.

Most importantly, though, I would pray…a lot…for guidance about the best course of action, for protection from unexpected events that could cause my family more financial distress, and for the ability to endure gracefully whatever challenges I had to face. Since living in Connecticut, I have experienced two recessions: one from July 1990-March 1991 and the other just after 911. This one, if it truly is a recession, will be my third since getting married. I didn’t panic during the other two and I don’t plan to panic now. I plan to trust God.

He [the man who fears the Lord] will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord. --- Psalm 112:7

Some Interest Rate Perspective

When I was home from college for Christmas vacation in December 1980, these were some of the business statistics our country faced, compared with the statistics at the close of trading today. Granted, I am looking at only three statistics and I am cherry picking the ones that, to me, paint a picture that is certainly not as dire as the mainstream media would have us believe; yet, I am tickled pink that my credit card interest rate isn’t calculated off the older prime rate.

1980
Dow Jones Index (December 31, 1980)*: 963.99
Prime Rate**: 21.50%
Average mortgage interest rate***: 14.95%

2008
Dow Jones Index: 8852.22
Prime Rate**: 4.50%
VA mortgage rate (30 year) @ my local credit union: 5.75%

Here is something else I found interesting. A look at the history of the prime rate in America reveals that 1980 was a pretty depressing year. Just look at these numbers from a table on the Wall Street Journal prime rate page. Between September and December 1980, the prime rate increased 10.00%, with more than six points of that increase coming in the last eight weeks of that period:

August 27, 1980 11.50%

September 8, 1980 12.00%
Septmeber 12, 1980 12.25%
September 19. 2008 12.50%
September 26, 1980 13.00%
1.50-point increase. Minimum increase 0.25%.

October 1, 1980 13.50%
October 17, 1980 14.00%
October 29, 1980 14.50%
1.50-point increase. Minimum increase 0.50%.

November 6, 1980 15.50%
November 17, 1980 16.25%
November 21, 1980 17.00%
November 26, 1980 17.75%
3.25-point increase. Minimum increase 0.75%.

December 2, 1980 18.50%
December 5, 1980 19.00%
December 10, 1980 20.00%
December 16, 1980 21.00%
December 19, 1980 21.50%
3.25-point increase. Minimum increase 0.50%

Just imagine if you had a credit card whose interest rate was calculated at prime + 3%. In 1980, the interest rate on that credit card could have changed from 14.50% to 24.50% from Labor Day to Christmas. Talk about putting the brakes on spending.

So, how do you feel about the current financial crisis now?

*Dow Jones Industrial Average History
**Prime Rate History
***Mortgage Rates Slides to 17.54%

Cat on the Roof!

This morning, just before lunch, Katherine the Great came in the back door announcing that the neighbor’s cat was on our roof. I didn’t believe her at first because:

1) I have never seen a cat on the roof of a house, and
2) I couldn’t reason out how a cat could get on the roof of our house, seeing as we have no trees or poles or ladders that could afford access to the higher heights of our abode.

What kind of cat climbs onto a roof? The kind that curiosity kills? Well, this furry black maniac lived to see another day. She was rescued by my daughter and a very sturdy ladder.

Nothing like a little excitement in your day.

Making History

Tonight (10/10/08), my daughter had the tremendous privilege of participating in an historical first: the premier of an opera at the Ivoryton Playhouse in Ivoryton, Connecticut. Built in 1908, the facility originally served as a recreation hall for employees of the Comstock-Cheney factory. By 1930, the building had become a theater, opening operations with a Broadway play called “Broken Dishes.”

The theater gained in prestige to the point that invitations to work there were highly prized in the theater profession. Its reputation grew nationally and Paramount Pictures produced a short film showing its complete operation.

- snip –

Ivoryton’s fame as one of Americas leading summer showplaces continued to grow until the outbreak of World War II when the theater went dark for several seasons, mainly because severe tire and gasoline rationing made it virtually impossible for audiences to get to Ivoryton.

The Playhouse reopened after the war, hosting an array of well-known stars that included the likes of Marlon Brando, Art Carney, Talullah Bankhead, Helen Hayes, Betty Grable, Groucho Marx, June Lockhart, Gloria Vanderbilt, Kitty Carlisle, Don Ameche, John Forsythe, June Allison, Alan Alda, and Treat Williams (just to name a few). It continued to operate successfully until the late 1970’s when the owner, Ken Krezel, decided to sell the property.

It was then, amid rumors that the historic theater might be torn down to make way for a discount drug store that the non-profit Ivoryton Playhouse Foundation was organized and with the help of The Essex Savings Bank, came up with a mortgage to buy the property…for $115,000.

Over the course of the past 28 years, the Ivoryton Playhouse Foundation has completed a total renovation of the building, including new shingles, a new heating and air-conditioning system, new seats and state-of-the-art theatrical sound and lighting systems. The Playhouse has maintained its reputation as a first-class summer theatre and now produces a year-round professional season of musicals, comedies and dramas.

...as well as opera; kudos to The Salt Marsh Opera Company for adding such a distinction to an already important historical venue for the arts in America. Congratulations on a job well done!

All quotes in this article are from the website of the Ivoryton Playhouse.

Another Sad Driving Tale

Several weeks ago, my girlfriend was involved in an auto accident in the parking lot of a nearby medical center. The incident was not her fault; it was determined to be the fault of the teenage driver who plowed into the rear quarter panel of the van my friend was driving. The force of the impact broke the tire on my friend’s vehicle and bent the rear axel to the point where the entire assembly had to be replaced. Despite this extensive damage, my friend (being the compassionate mom that she is) consoled the young lady while the police collected information at the scene. Fortunately, everyone was ok.

Sadly, this morning (10/8/08) the news was not so encouraging. Yesterday afternoon, this same teenager was involved in another accident…and this time she had two friends in the car. Our local newspaper is reporting that the young lady lost control of the Volkswagen Jetta she was driving, hitting a pickup truck being driven by a gentleman from Rhode Island. He is ok, treated and released from a nearby hospital (Lawrence & Memorial) after suffering a leg injury. The driver didn’t fare so well. She is currently in stable condition at Hartford Hospital after being transported there by Life Star helicopter. Her passengers remain hospitalized as well, one of them at Yale-New Haven; the other at William Backus Hospital in Norwich, CT. The accident continues to be investigated.

Let us pray for everyone involved in this mishap, for speedy recovery, and for timely resolution of the legalities that inevitably seem to follow these things.

Landmark Day

Amid the hustle and bustle associated with the end of my daughter’s opera internship, I didn’t want this headline to pass without recognition:

Same-Sex Marriage OK’d by State Supreme Court

Despite widely differing personal opinions regarding same-sex marriage, no one can deny the importance of this decision to the debate about whether the act of marriage belongs exclusively to a man and a woman, or whether civil unions are sufficient. My view falls in the latter camp, but that is not the point of this entry. I merely wanted to recognize the moment and to provide some information about the possible fallout here in my state of residence, as evidenced by this headline:

Ruling Spawns Movement to Revisit Connecticut Constitution

It was interesting for me (and for my daughter) to hear a personal reaction to this legislation, given by a younger gentleman who is working on the opera. He was thrilled that the case was decided in the affirmative; many of my acquaintances were not. I am waiting to see if the case ends here, even though the first article I referenced stated that no possibility exists for federal appeal.

Connecticut is now the third state in the union to recognize same-sex marriage. The other states to sanction this practice are Massachusetts and California.

Down Again!

It is 4:00 PM and the market just closed. Dow Jones: 9447.11.

Big losers
- Bank of America: -8.06 or -25.01%
- Morgan Stanley: -5.49 or -23.36%

Some perspective
Dow Jones closing on December 31, 1980 (the year I graduated from high school): 963.99

Happy Birthday, Chloe!

I didn't have a card for you, nor did I buy a gift. Instead, I give you this. Have a wonderful day.

Tight Credit? Better Lending Behavior?

This morning, after breakfast, I went through the Monday mail and found, to my astonishment, a credit card offer --- for my daughter! It is her first such offer. So, amongst all the talk of tightening up lending standards, my eighteen-year-old who is still in high school and has no income to speak of (and, therefore, no conceivable way to pay for any charges that my be placed on the card), received an invitation to apply for a Platinum MasterCard®. So much for a higher standard of behavior in the credit market.

NOW Opinion Poll

NOW on PBS has posted an opinion poll that asks:

Do you think Sarah Palin is qualified to serve as Vice President of the United States?

Follow this link to vote. The website also has some election-related videos. If you have time, check them out.

Another One Bites the Dust?

Up here in the Northeast, Connecticut is surrounded by states that rigorously regulate home education: New York, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and (a bit further away) Pennsylvania. New Jersey is actually one of our allies, so to speak, having a similar statute under which their families homeschool.* That is (possibly), until this week. A New Jersey assemblywoman and her fellow assemblyman introduced Assembly Bill No. 3123, an act that requires the registration and oversight of home education programs. To say that this bill may dramatically alter the homeschooling landscape in New Jersey is an understatement. What remains to be seen is if Connecticut will follow suit. Let’s hope not!

So what is New Jersey proposing?

1. That parents register their children in a homeschool program. Such registration will be accomplished via a notarized letter that includes:

- evidence that required subjects will be offered
- an outline of education objectives by subject
- evidence of immunization
- evidence of age-appropriate health/medical care
- certification that the education supervisor, all adults living in the home, and any person having legal custody of the children have not been convicted of specific criminal offenses within the preceding five years.

2. That each student shall receive 180 days of instruction per year in the subject areas determined by the education supervisor.

3. That guidelines for home education programs will be developed by the Commissioner of Education.

4. That parents may request use of public school textbooks, curriculum, etc.

5. That homeschooled students may have access to public school extracurricular activities provided the students meet all participation/tryout criteria and comply with all policies, rules, and regulations of the organizations governing the activities.

6. That the education supervisor will maintain a portfolio of work for each student enrolled in a homeschool program, including:

- a list of reading materials, samples of writing, worksheets, etc.
- standardized test results for students in grades three, five, and eight
- an annual written evaluation of student progress as determined by a qualified evaluator.

7. That a portfolio of student work will be submitted to the local school district annually by the education supervisor. If the superintendent of the local school district suspects that education is not occurring, he may request an early portfolio review. In such cases, the supervisor of the homeschool program has thirty days to respond. If the supervisor fails to comply, the home education program will be declared unsatisfactory and the children will be placed in a public or private school.

8. That the superintendent of the local school district has the authority to declare a home education program unsatisfactory. Upon such declaration, the supervisor of the program must be notified in writing. He has twenty days to respond by submitting additional portfolio documentation.

9. That in the case of a request for additional portfolio documentation, the home education program will declared unsatisfactory if the education supervisor fails to submit additional information. If the program is declared unsatisfactory, the children will be placed in a public or private school. If additional documentation is submitted, the superintendent will review it. If the home education program is still considered unsatisfactory, the local school board will hold a hearing on the matter and issue a determination. If the school board finds the program lacking as well, the children will be placed in a public or private school.

My biggest problem with this legislative proposal? It removes the parent as the “education supervisor.” I am not exactly sure who the New Jersey assemblyfolk plan to put in this position, but it isn’t the parent. Observe in section six:

b. for students in grade levels three, five, and eight, the results of nationally normed standardized achievement test in reading/language arts and mathematics administered by the supervisor…The test administrator shall not be the student’s parent or guardian.

c. an annual written evaluation of the student’s educational progress as determined by a qualified evaluator…The evaluator shall not be the supervisor or his spouse or the student’s parent or guardian.

If homeschooling isn’t done by the parent, then is it truly homeschooling? The nature of home education isn’t merely that it occurs in a location outside the brick and mortar walls of a public or private educational institution. The nature of home education is that it nurtures and strengthens the bonds of family relationships through the process of teaching and learning. Through the close mentor relationship that is established between parent and child, excellence is achieved. Taking the parent out of the picture by assigning, for example, some public school official to the position of “education supervisor” succeeds in transforming the homeschool into nothing more than a public school satellite program. I can’t think of a better way to quash the innovation that is so badly needed in education today. Can you?

* Every parent, guardian or other person having custody and control of a child between six and 16 shall cause such child regularly to attend the public schools of the district or a day school in which there is given instruction equivalent to that provided in the public schools for children of similar grades and attainments or to receive equivalent instruction elsewhere than at school.

Opening Night

Tonight was opening night of Lucia di Lammermoor. After two months of music memorization, four weeks of rehearsals, and three weeks of dance lessons, it was time to put it all to the test. How did it go? At the moment, I cannot answer that question. At the moment, I am sitting in the Tim Horton’s donut shop across the parking lot from the George Kent Performance Hall waiting for the first offering to conclude. I arrived here at 9:30 pm, figuring the production would finish around 10:00 pm. That expectation was just dashed by the lighting designer who snuck over for a latte. He informed me that the performance runs until 11:00 pm.

And so, I wait.

Note: At the request of Katherine the Great, I did not attend this evening’s performance. She was concerned that having a parent in the audience would make her nervous. I will be attending the Sunday night show with some of our homeschooling friends.

Cue Up the Jeopardy Music

Forty-five minutes late, the House is now voting on the bailout bill. Speaker Pelosi had some closing comments, which I won’t reiterate. Michelle Malkin blogged the discussion session this morning. You can read her entry here. I despise the bill and all the “sweeteners,” but I don’t know as I like the idea of risking the lack of confidence and downright fear that may result from waiting. I suppose I owe that reaction to my liberal economics training. This is a vote between many bad choices. If it flies, I will be dogging my Congressman to scrutinize every provision for possible reversals or improvements. I am also going to pay off my credit card!

The vote is in:
Yea 263
Nay 171

4:15 PM...The market is now closed. DOWN 157.47. This morning, before the vote, the market was up over 200 points. Yup. That bailout really helped.