shattered manor

2406 Days since retiring July 1, 2005!"See...

Wed, 1 Feb 2012 22:35:16 -0600

2406 Days since retiring July 1, 2005!

"See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven."

Read on and fall sound asleep

I cannot believe it has been over a week since I wrote the last one of these things. In my mind I have been incredibly busy. But when I look around Shattered Manor I neglect. Every morning, no matter how late that is, I wake with every intention to make repairs and replant the flowers. Then I walk to feed the cats and have to stop after 15 feet to rest. Pisses me off that I am in such bad condition. I keep thinking I will find a surgeon or doctor who will accept me and repair my back. I could get active again if I could find relief from the pain.

This morning I decided to straighten out some book shelves for my new books. The only way to get enough room would be to get rid of my 300 music CDs. I am now in process of copying them to my computer. When I finish I will donate the CDs to some charity or institution. I figured as long as I was copying I ought to listen to them. I ran across on disc recorded during our Praise Celebration at church. A pretty young woman in the Santa Maria Hostel sang "Angel". She had a lovely voice. So lovely I asked if she had been recorded. Turned out her song was recorded. I got a copy. When I found it this morning I tried to upload to youtube. Youtube doesn't allow just audio recording so I used Windows Movie Maker to add wild flowers to a slideshow that incorporates her song. Click Lindsey Carroll sings "Angel" at our praise service to hear her lovely voice. I do not know where she is or went but I do hope that somehow the recording helps her.

I used to read newspapers so I could remain informed about current affairs. But over the years journalistic standards changed. Today the news reported in newspapers and broadcast media, in every case where I happen to have independent knowledge, is wrong. Wrong in a way that is slanted toward some special interest group or another. In past one could check opposing sources and find the truth somewhere in the composit. No longer! That is a long winded way of saying I don't really read the news. Instead I read the columnists, who are stating their opinions, the comics, and the Sodoku puzzle. Sunday the Chronicle runs two puzzles. One easy and one hard. Last Sunday's hard one was very hard. I only finished it today and as a reward I got to read the Sunday Comics. One of my favorite is and has been Prince Valiant. I have read PV almost every Sunday since I was 7 years old, it started in 1937. It is the most lavish and well inked strip in the comic section. The small picture below links to a larger version. Just look at the detail and richness of the images.

Click the picture for a larger view. Now contrast the style of Gary Gianni of Prince Valiant to that of J.C. Duffy who draws "The Fusco Brothers".

I much prefer the Prince Valiant style.

Another personal defect that keeps me from being productive is a mind like a Magpie. "Bright Shiny objects" have always distracted me. In my advanced maturity "bright shiny" includes anything that I do not understand immediately. For some reason yesterday, I don't remember why today, I was looking at satellite images of the area behind behind a reservoir. I saw faint straight lines. I suppose they are traces of old fence lines for property condemned by the state when the reservoir was built. An area was labeled as Independence farmettes. When I investigated I found that the area now is an upscale housing development. The land was probably farmland not long ago. Then I learned a website lists the prices being asked for houses for sell in the area. I noticed a cluster of 4 people with very similar names:
Passage Claudia 6302 N Bumleg Aspen CO
Passage Jo Marie 6227 N Bumleg Aspen CO
Passage Larry D 6310 N Bumleg Aspen CO
Williams Wilma Passage 6303 N Bumleg Aspen CO
Is this an estranged coupe with two unmarried daughters who do not want to move away from the parents? Or is this a family of four working together to make money from home building. I assume the estranged parent idea and starting writing a short story leading to an American dynasty of the next century.

1/25: Dear God, we give thanks that you do not give up on us. Show us the path you put before us daily, and give us the strength to walk it. Amen.
1/26: God of compassion, send your Spirit to strengthen those who have no strength, to bring peace to those who have no peace, and to give hope to all in despair. Amen.
1/27: Healer of the sick, teach us to come to you continually in prayer. Be with us as we leave our worries with you, and give us the courage to face each day - one hour, one minute at a time. Amen.
1/28: Dear Lord, help us to anticipate the wonderful home you're preparing for our eternity. Amen.
1/29: Dear God, may our words reflect your grace today. Amen.
1/30: Dear God of hope and grace, help us to place our confidence in you, not on what humans know or can do. Amen.
1/31: : Dear God, help us to trust you throughout our lives. May we be nourished and enriched by you, confident of your love and care, and a blessing to others. Amen.
2/1: Dear Lord, thank you for being generous to us. Help us to share our love, time, and material possessions with those around us. Especially help us to share your word with others who hunger to know you. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

The prayers are from the Upper Room. For your own free E-Mail Devotional visit : http://upperroom.org/devotional/email/ and click on the link "Other Ways to Receive the Daily Devotional"

Chicken/macaroni & cheese casserole

2 c. Dry macaroni
2 cans cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soup
2 cup Milk
2 c. shredded Cheddar Cheese
1 medium onion, chopped
2 can chicken, drained

salt to taste

mix all ingredients together.
Put in 9 x 13 inch baking dish.
Refrigerate overnight.
Remove one hour before baking.
Bake 1 hours at 350.
He said he covers with foil the 1st hour and removes it to brown for a half hour.

Thank you Sarah.

"A person may cause evil to others not only by his actions but by his inaction, and in either case he is justly accountable to them for the injury."
John Stuart Mill

SGGP

Webtvers email comments to Lyn1937 and I will paste into the comments. This Tripod comment form is not compatible with webtv.

2398 Days since retiring July 1, 2005!"If...

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 23:23:20 -0600

2398 Days since retiring July 1, 2005!

"If I had a penny for every time I thought I was mistaken but wasn't I would now have a cent."

Read on and fall sound asleep

A friend sent a quotation for John Mill. I suppose he was tired of my endless tirade against our continued adventure in Afghanistan. I had only a small knowledge of Mr. Mill. Now, after reading many of his writings, I wish I had known more. The quote is in italics. "War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse. The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself." John Stuart Mill (1806-1873)

His autobiography is HERE.

Almost every political thought I possess resonates with John Stuart Mill.

My wife was cleaning her bedroom and discovered four small Bendies I had hanging on the lampshade on my night stand. A grannie friend gave them to me at a Grannie gathering in Branson, MO in 2000. The thing started as gimmick accessories for a series of photo advertisements for a line of children's clothing. The photographers had to keep replacing them before each photo session. The clothing company employees were taking the Bendies home for their children. Eventually the demand for Bendies grew so great that they were turned into a full fledged product line. They were once as popular as Bennie Babies. I now have the four hanging over my desk.

Annette	Decker
Wayne	Zap

They are plastic molded around a flexible metal armature and thus can be posed in a great variety of positions. It is a challenge to pose them so they will stand erect.

Our youngest grandson's school basketball team played their last regular season game this evening. Because it was the last I went to video parts of the game. Basketball is noisy and gives me a raging headache so I only attend one a year. I posted two of the videos to YouTube at http://youtu.be/tgHvgGVcH-U and at http://youtu.be/zm2VooJ7YG0. My hands now shake a lot so please excuse the jitter in the video.

I have an appointment with my Cardiologist tomorrow morning. I intend to ask why my blood pressure has become so erratic.

Now I am going to stop and watch the recording of the State of the Union and the R response. I am so disgusted with all the current politicians I hope to see the whole herd burst into flame.

1/21: Dear Lord, thank you that you enable us to do what you have called us to do to show others your love. Amen.
1/22: Dear God, when we begin to worry, help us instead to gain the comfort and calm that come from trusting you. In the name of your son, Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.
1/23: Dear God, help us to listen closely to your words in the Bible - and to change. Amen.
1/24: O Lord, open our eyes to your word, and help us to see you more clearly in every circumstance. Amen.

The prayers are from the Upper Room. For your own free E-Mail Devotional visit : http://upperroom.org/devotional/email/ and click on the link "Other Ways to Receive the Daily Devotional"

1.Two vultures board an airplane, each carrying two dead raccoons. The stewardess looks at them and says, "I'm sorry, gentlemen, only one carrion allowed per passenger."

2. Two boll weevils grew up in South Carolina. One went to Hollywood and became a famous actor. The other stayed behind in the cotton fields and never amounted to much. The second one, naturally, became known as the lesser of two weevils.

3. Two Eskimos sitting in a kayak were chilly, but when they lit a fire in the craft, it sank, proving once again that you can't have your kayak and heat it, too.

4. A three-legged dog walks into a saloon in the Old West. He slides up to the bar and announces: "I'm looking for the man who shot my paw."

5. Did you hear about the Buddhist who refused Novocain during a root canal? He wanted to transcend dental medication.

6. A group of chess enthusiasts checked into a hotel and were standing in the lobby discussing their recent tournament victories. After about an hour, the manager came out of the office and asked them to disperse. "But why?" they asked, as they moved off. "Because," he said, "I can't stand chess nuts boasting in an open foyer."

7. A woman has twins and gives them up for adoption. One of them goes to a family in Egypt and is named "Ahmal." The other goes to a family in Spain; they name him "Juan." Years later, Juan sends a picture of himself to his birth mother. Upon receiving the picture, she tells her husband that she wishes she also had a picture of Ahmal. Her husband responds, "They're twins! If you've seen Juan, you've seen Ahmal."

8. These friars were behind on their belfry payments, so they opened up a small florist shop to raise funds. Since everyone liked to buy flowers from the men of God, a rival florist across town thought the competition was unfair. He asked the good fathers to close down, but they would not. He went back and begged the friars to close. They ignored him. So, the rival florist hired Hugh MacTaggart, the roughest and most vicious thug in town to "persuade" them to close. Hugh beat up the friars and trashed their store, saying he'd be back if they didn't close up shop. Terrified, they did so, thereby proving that Hugh, and only Hugh, can prevent florist friars.

9. Mahatma Gandhi, as you know, walked barefoot most of the time, which produced an impressive set of calluses on his feet. He also ate very little, which made him rather frail and with his odd diet, he suffered from bad breath. This made him.... what? (Oh, man, this is so bad, its good) A super callused fragile mystic hexed by halitosis.

10. And finally, there was the person who sent ten different puns to friends, with the hope that at least one of the puns would make them laugh. Unfortunately, no pun in ten did.

"The secret source of humor is not joy but sorrow; there is no humor in Heaven."
Mark Twain

SGGP

Webtvers email comments to Lyn1937 and I will paste into the comments. This Tripod comment form is not compatible with webtv.

2394 Days since retiring July 1, 2005!"The...

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 23:13:09 -0600

2394 Days since retiring July 1, 2005!

"The early bird might get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese."

Read on and fall sound asleep

Yesterday was my last day in the 1 year Testosterone Therapy study. The person who has been my steady contact the whole year is Emelia. She finally adjusted to the fact that I can barely hear crashing locomotives. She always talked clearly and distinctly to me while facing me.

Emelia

The last day Emelia had a helped who guided me through the final stages of the physical evaluation.

Patricia

I was very glad to take part in the study. Now I am waiting to learn the results of the study.

Today was my wife's annual Mammogram. She has been a survivor so long that MD Anderson has shifted her back into the general population. Thank God for Doctor Ross and MD Anderson Cancer Center. The directions she received made it sound like we were going to a much different building. We weren't. We were back in the Mays Clinic for her mammogram. This time, however, we were in and out in less than 2 hours. Normally we would have been there for over 4 hours.

I see Rick Perry has withdrawn form the GOP presidential nomination stupidity. Now if he would just withdraw from the governorship of Texas we might be able to repair the damage he has done to public education and etc. Clearly, from his talking points during his abortive run, he has no central ideals. I think he is a sock puppet for some big money corporations. I even voted for a Democrat in the last gubernatorial election in hopes of dislodging him.

1/20: Source of strength, help us today to look beyond our circumstances to your faithful character. We pray in trust, "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one."* Amen. *Matthew 6:9-13 (NIV).

The prayers are from the Upper Room. For your own free E-Mail Devotional visit : http://upperroom.org/devotional/email/ and click on the link "Other Ways to Receive the Daily Devotional"

CONDENSED MILK BREAD PUDDING

1 1/2 loaves of any crusty bread except Whole Wheat
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup milk
teaspoon of cream
1 small can of Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk
1 t. ground cinnamon
1/4 cup 80 proof Bacardi Rum

Set oven to 350°F.

Grease 13 by 9 baking dish. Cube or tear bread into small pieces. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, stir together the brown sugar, 1/2 cup of the sugar, the eggs, and just 1/4 of a cup of the condensed milk. Set aside.

In a large saucepan bring alcohol to a rolling boil. When reduced, add milk and a splash of cream and bring to a simmer or until it begins to thicken. Turn off the heat and add sugar mixture.

Once cooled, stir in bread and spices. Pour into a well greased pan. Pour the remaining sugar and condensed milk over the top.

Bake at 350°F for about 45 minutes or until browned and bubbly.

NOTE: Bread pudding is versatile. Add some melted white or dark chocolate or raisins for additional flavor.

"There are people who can do all fine and heroic things but one - keep from telling their happiness to the unhappy."
Mark Twain

SGGP

Webtvers email comments to Lyn1937 and I will paste into the comments. This Tripod comment form is not compatible with webtv.

2393 Days since retiring July 1, 2005!"The...

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 21:01:23 -0600

2393 Days since retiring July 1, 2005!

"The divine beauty
Of heaven and earth!
All creation,
Members of
One family."
from Art of Peace

Read on and fall sound asleep

OH HAPPY DAY! OH FABULOUS JOY! TODAY, THE FIRST TIME IN 3 YEARS, FOR A SHORT TIME THE PAIN IN MY BACK DISAPPEARED. THE BIRDS ALL TOOK FLIGHT IN SONG. THE SUN SHONE! LITTLE BUNNY RABBITS BOUNDED ACROSS THE MEADOWS IN A DANCE OF CELEBRATION! ALL WAS GOOD! How, you ask, did this happen? I was in my recliner after returning from a vigorous end of study exam for the Testosterone study and reached for my Kindle. I missed the table top and jammed my right hand middle finger into the veneer peeling off the top of the antique table. A half inch sliver of the veneer slide under the fingernail and then broke off under my fingernail. I could see the dark streak of that sliver all the way back to the meniscus of my fingernail. In that brief period of time between the penetration and the first drop of blood my back did not hurt. I pulled out the sliver and was still pain free. Then I dabbed a little benzocaine on the injured nail. Immediately the back pain returned.

BUT.... My back did not hurt for 6 beautiful minutes today.

I opened the mail this afternoon and found a envelope from our daughter that lives in Austin. She sent us a belated Christmas card featuring her, her husband and three of the most perfect wonderful grandchildren. Their senior daughter has been in a school in Alabama so they haven't have many opportunities to get together.

Leigh doesn't take many photographs so each we see are examined until the colors are worn off. Her kids are growing so fast. Soon they will be out on their own. The picture looks like a snowy scene. I hope I get to Austin to visit them soon.

Today was my last visit for a study about the effect of Testosterone replacement therapy for aging men. I was told at the beginning that sometime after the study ended I would be told whether or not I was receiving testosterone. I don't think I was because I saw no change in my person or mentality during the year. Tomorrow I will include picture of two of the women who helped me during the study.

Below is a story fragment I am having difficulty with. Can you spot my problem?

Johnny Stark, director of the department of Interplanetary Relations for Mars' Settlement One, reread the final paragraph of the note which he had found on his desk, upon returning from lunch earlier in the day.
His eye flicked rapidly over the moistly smeared Martian scrawl, ignoring the bitterness directed at him in the first paragraphs. He was vaguely troubled by the last sentences. But he hadn't been able to pin the feeling down.
... Our civilization predates that of Earth's by millions of years. We are an advanced, peaceful race. Yet, since Earth's first rocket landed here thirteen years ago, we have been looked upon as freaks and contemptuously called 'bug-men' behind our backs! This is our planet. We gave of our far-advanced knowledge and science freely, so that Earth would be a better place. We asked nothing in return, but we were rewarded by having forced upon us foreign ideas of government, religion, and behavior. Our protests have been silenced by an armed-police and punitive system we've never before needed. Someday you will awaken to this injustice. On that day in your life, you have my sympathy and pity!
Stark knew that the Settlement's Investigations Lab could readily determine the identity of the Martian who had written the note. But he hesitated to send it over. Under the New System, such troublemakers were banished to the slave-labor details of the precious-earth mines to the North.
Crumpling the note in sudden decision, Stark dropped it into the office incendiary tube. The morning visi-report had shown that there were more than 17,000 workers at the mines. Only five had been Earthlings. Let the armed-police system find the Martian through their own channels. It wasn't his job.
A glance at the solar clock on the far wall reminded him there was still time for one more interview before the last bell, so he impatiently signaled his secretary to send in the waiting couple.
Ordinarily, he liked his work and time meant little to him. He had jumped from interpreter to director in the ten years since the department had been created. But this day was different.
Stark was to announce his engagement at the Chief's monthly dinner party that evening and time had seemed to drag since his lunch with Carol.
When the door opened, he rose and nodded to the plump, freckle-faced girl who entered. The girl topped five feet by one or two inches, but she was no taller than the Martian man who followed her at the prescribed four feet.
After the girl had seated herself, Stark and the Martian sat down. Stark opened the folder, which his secretary had placed on his desk earlier.
"Your names are Ruth and Ralph Gilraut? And you want permission to move into Housing Perimeter D?" It was merely a formality, since the information was in the folder.
When the girl nodded, Stark placed a small check mark in the space beside her name. Then he turned to the Martian.
The large, single red eye set deep in the Martian's smooth, green forehead above the two brown ones blinked twice before he answered.
He spoke deliberately. "As is required of all Martians under the New System, I have taken the name of one of the early Earthlings to write and pronounce." The large red eye blinked again. "My wife would like to move into Housing Perimeter D. By regulation, I respect her wish."
Stark placed a check mark by the Martian's name. He wiped the smudge of ink off his hand and said, "You both know, of course, that Perimeter D is reserved for couples who have intermarried and are about to have offspring?"
The girl and the Martian nodded, and the girl passed Stark a medical report. Stark looked over the report and then made a notation on a small pink slip.
He said, "This permit certifies that you are eligible to move from Perimeter E to Housing Perimeter D. It also certifies that your husband has no record as a troublemaker." Stark looked at the girl. "You understand that you may visit your friends in Perimeter E, but, by law, they will not be allowed to enter Perimeter D to visit you. And, of course, the new law clearly states that neither of you may visit Earthlings in Housing Perimeter A, B or C."

The girl looked down at her hands. Her voice was almost inaudible. "My husband and I are familiar with the advantages and disadvantages listed under the section pertaining to intermarriage in the new law, Mr. Stark. Thank you."
Stark rose as they left. For a brief moment, he thought he had detected a sense of rebellion in their attitude. But that was not possible. The new law provided equality for all. And his department had been created to iron out relations between the two races-excepting complaints originated by troublemakers for the purpose of weakening the New System. In such cases, Investigations had stepped in and the Martian or Earthling troublemaker had been sent to the rare-earth mines.
The reddish light filtering in through the quartz and lead wall of his office showed that it was almost time for the last bell.
On the street below, shoppers were streaming out of the stores on their way to the various housing perimeters. Earthlings were climbing into their speedy little jet cars for the short trip to the recently modernized inner perimeters. Martians were waiting for the slower auto buses. The traffic problem had been solved, under the New System, by restricting the use of the Martian-built jet cars to persons living in the inner perimeters.
As Stark watched, a black jet car impatiently hurtled out of the line of traffic, bowled through a crowd of Martians waiting for an auto bus, and skidded to a stop at the curb in front of the building.
A tall girl got out. The red evening glow reflecting from her golden hair, made her breathing globe almost amber. Male Martians and Earthlings alike turned to stare in appreciation as she pushed her way through the crowd to the building's compressor lock. Carol was that kind of girl.
Almost at the exact moment that Carol opened the door into Stark's office, the yellow visi-screen of the vocal box upon Stark's desk flashed on brilliantly and the Chief's booming voice filled the office. The light from the screen picked up the highlights on the furniture and gave a sallow, greenish cast to Stark's features. Carol stepped back into the doorway to stay out of range of the two-way unit.
"Stark!" The automatic tuner on the box corrected to bring the Chief's image in wire-sharp focus.
"Yes, sir?"
"About the dinner tonight. Just checking to make sure you're planning to be there. We want a full turnout. An inspection team has come up from Earth and we have two visiting dignitaries from Venus."
Stark nodded and waited for the Chief to say something else, but the visi-screen blanked out.
Carol said, "That was Dad, wasn't it?"
Stark felt very depressed suddenly. "Haven't you told him yet?"
"No. He's been tied up with those inspectors all afternoon. And you know how Dad is, Johnny. There's a right and a wrong time to tell him things. Right now, he's only interested in hearing about Earth."

"But we're supposed to announce our engagement tonight at the dinner." He shook his head. "We can't go on forever with just a few stolen moments here and there, eating an occasional lunch or third meal together in little out-of-the-way places."
Carol laughed, the youthful swell of her breasts against the soft, spun-glass material of her blouse. "Don't worry so, Johnny! I'm a big girl now. This is my eighteenth birthday. Dad's bark is much worse than his bite. I'll tell him about us on the way home."
She moved closer to him, until he could feel the warmth of her body. He could see the warm, damp indentation where her breathing globe had rested against her shoulders and chest.
She asked teasingly, "What did you get me for my birthday, Johnny? Something real nice?"
"What did you want?" Johnny asked her gently.

Please see note below religion section.

1/18: Dear God our guide, give us strength always to encourage and respect others. Amen.
1/19: O good and gracious God, we ask for your Holy Spirit to change us from within to help us become more like Christ. Amen.

The prayers are from the Upper Room. For your own free E-Mail Devotional visit : http://upperroom.org/devotional/email/ and click on the link "Other Ways to Receive the Daily Devotional"

*NOTE: This is actually part of a short story by Bascom Jones Jr. called "Blind Spot". To read the rest of the short story click HERE. Until I read this on my Kindle I thought my writing skills were bad. This short story has been published many times and is a classic of the science fiction genre. Maybe I ain't so bad after all.

A man walks out to the street and catches a taxi just going by. He gets into the taxi,and the cabbie says, "Perfect timing. You're just like Frank."

Passenger: "Who?"

Cabbie: "Frank Feldman. He's a guy who did everything right all the time. Like my coming along when you needed a cab, things happened like that to Frank Feldman every single time."

Passenger: "There are always a few clouds over everybody."

Cabbie: "Not Frank Feldman. He was a terrific athlete. He could have won the Grand Slam at tennis. He could golf with the pros. He sang like an opera baritone and danced like a Broadway star and you should have heard him play the piano. He was an amazing guy."

Passenger: "Sounds like he was something really special."

Cabbie: "There's more... He had a memory like a computer. He remembered everybody's birthday. He knew all about wine, which foods to order and which fork to eat them with. He could fix anything. Not like me. I change a fuse, and the whole street blacks out. But Frank Feldman, he could do everything right."

Passenger: "Wow, some guy then."

Cabbie: "He always knew the quickest way to go in traffic and avoid traffic jams. Not like me, I always seem to get stuck in them. But Frank, he never made a mistake, and he really knew how to treat a woman and make her feel good. He would never answer her back even if she was in the wrong; and his clothing was always immaculate, shoes highly polished too. He was the perfect man! He never made a mistake. No one could ever measure up to Frank Feldman."

Passenger: "An amazing fellow. How did you meet him?"

Cabbie: "Well, I never actually met Frank. He died . . . I'm married to his bleepin' widow."

"The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug."
Mark Twain

SGGP

Webtvers email comments to Lyn1937 and I will paste into the comments. This Tripod comment form is not compatible with webtv.

2391 Days since retiring July 1, 2005!"The...

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 19:33:30 -0600

2391 Days since retiring July 1, 2005!

"The Path is exceedingly vast. From ancient times to the present day, even the greatest sages were unable to perceive and comprehend the entire truth; the explanation and teachings of masters and saints express only part of the whole. It is not possible for anyone to speak of such things in their entirety. Just head for the light and heat, learn from the gods, and through the virtue of devoted practice of the Art of Peace, become one with the Divine. "
from Art of Peace

Read on and fall sound asleep

It has been so long since I made an entry that I almost do not remember how. I started several times but each time realized my life had gotten very boring and doubted anyone wants to read about a life even duller than theirs. But finally the habit of writing approximately two million words about a dull life drove me back to the keyboard. Let me first take care of the few aborted attempts since December 2011.

TCM had a marathon of sorts December 28-29 with William Powell and Myrna Loy. As a man I feel unqualified to appraise Powell but that Myrna! She is in that small group of compelling women like my wife, Kathryn Hepburn, Lauren Bacall and Sophia Loren that own my identification as true women.

Only Juli Dench and Meryl Streep of the current actresses come close with talent and looks. I wrote this after saturating myself with Loy and Streep.

A lot of my waking hours were spent either in doctor's offices or getting ready to go. My wife and I have almost the entire medical practice of Spring Branch on our speed dials. Any movement has gotten so painful that I find myself hunkered down in webbie room instead of walking or doing household chores. The weather looks like we may be headed to an early spring so maybe the heat will ease my pain.

During this season of my discontent the strangest things fascinate me. Click on the picture to learn what keeps an old coot entertained. Push the rubber bumper.

Enjoy but beware. The device is addictive.

I received emails from friends and family showing me a firefighting technique I had never considered. Such a simple thing could save much pain and destruction. Click fire brigade for a short You Tube video. Watch it until you memorize the process.

I have been a strong advocate for space exploration since I first knew of space. But I hate NASA because its real effect has been to retard human expansion into our Solar System. I believe that mankind has at hand all the resources to lift every human from subsistence living to a life abundant. All the water, metals, chemicals, and etc we will ever need are in the Asteroid belt or surrounding the gas giant planets. What got me excited this time was a factoid shown during "GOLDRUSH" on the History Channel. It stated that the asteroid Eros contained 200,000 times more gold than all the gold produced here on Earth. For more info about Eros and its minerals click HERE. We have the technology now to send robotic expeditions out to mine the asteroids and gather methane and ice from Saturn. No humans need to be at risk which reduces costs dramatically and also allows for long slow transits from Earth to targets and back. We have the technology now to sail the Solar System. All we lack is the will because we have decided to stare at our "navel" and bemoan our present state. Humans need to turn themselves to the long journey from home. The stars do await us.

FINALLY a Robertson has won a letter jacket from the Tigers. Our senior grandson just walked in with his brad new letter jacket from the Springwood High School Tigers. He wore 42 on his football team. Click the picture for a larger view. Yesterday he was 16 and we had no celebration or observance. Yeah Jared!

1/13: Giver of all good things, we thank you for the opportunities that come with each morning. We thank you for your mercy and compassion made new every day. Amen.
1/14: God of many names, help us to claim the identity that you give us as your beloved children. Amen
1/15: God of all comfort, you are good to provide for our needs in whatever circumstances we find ourselves. Thank you for loving us. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
1/16: Dear Lord, give us strength to embody your love for all persons and courage to bring your justice. Amen.
1/17: O God, thank you for loving us no matter what - whether we respond in anger or in love. Help us so to love others. Amen.

The prayers are from the Upper Room. For your own free E-Mail Devotional visit : http://upperroom.org/devotional/email/ and click on the link "Other Ways to Receive the Daily Devotional"

The Plan

It was Christmas day, and we had all gathered for the holiday meal at the home of my husband's parents. After dessert, my mother-in-law left the table and returned carrying a bowl filled with slips of paper. Each adult was instructed to take one. Excited, we did so, wondering what surprise she had thought up for us. My slip of paper instructed me to dry the dishes; another person was told to wash them. Others had to do pots and pans, etc. Then, with all the parents out of the way, grandma and grandpa went into the living room and enjoyed their grandchildren.

All Done

I wondered if I could get my husband to address Christmas cards, as I had so much to do. I arranged everything we needed, then hopefully pulled up a chair and said, "Come on, Dear, let's get these out of the way." He glanced at the array on the table, turned away and went into the den, only to return moments later with a high stack of cards, stamped, sealed, and addressed. "They're last year's," he said. "I forgot to mail them. Now let's go out to dinner and relax."

"You can't depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus."
Mark Twain

SGGP

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2369 Days since retiring July 1, 2005!"Genetics...

Mon, 26 Dec 2011 21:58:19 -0600

2369 Days since retiring July 1, 2005!

"Genetics explain why you look like your father and if you don't why you should."

Read on and fall sound asleep

Christmas at shatter manor was a quiet affair. Only the Houston part of the family was here. Most of the presents around the tree were from the Giving Tree. My wife got a stove, not shown, for Christmas. She gave me a Kindle reader.

I believe this was the most subdued Christmas we have had since our Newly-wed one when we lived in Austin. Neither one of us feels well enough to really celebrate with any exuberance.

I wish you all a Happy New Year in a safe way. See you in 2012.

12/23: Dear Lord, thank you for coming to us at Christmas and always, wherever we are. Amen.
12/24: God, what a joy it is to receive your gift of Jesus Christ! We welcome him in our hearts as a reminder of your love and share your gift with others as a token of our love for you. Amen.
12/25: God of hope, when we are tempted to give up, remind us to listen for the sound of angels. Amen.
12/26: Faithful God, encourage us when we feel despair, and help us to hold on to the hope we have in you. In Jesus' name. Amen.

The prayers are from the Upper Room. For your own free E-Mail Devotional visit : http://upperroom.org/devotional/email/ and click on the link "Other Ways to Receive the Daily Devotional"

I was driving from Temple to Austin the other day when a tire blew out. Checking my spare, I found that it too was flat. My only option was to flag down a passing motorist and get a ride to the next town.

The first vehicle to stop was an old man in a van. He yelled out the window, "Need a lift?"

"Yes, I sure do," I replied.

"You a Republican or Democrat," asked the old man.

"Republican," I replied.

"Well, you can just go to Hell," yelled the old man as he sped off.

Another guy stopped, rolled down the window, and asked me the same question.

Again, I answered, "Republican."

The driver gave me the finger and drove off.

I thought it over and decided that maybe I should change my strategy, since this area seemed to be overly political and there appeared to be few Republicans.

The next car to stop was a red convertible driven by a beautiful blonde. She smiled seductively and asked if I was a Republican or Democrat.

"Democrat!" I shouted.

"Hop in!" replied the blonde.

Driving down the road, I couldn't help but stare at the gorgeous woman in the seat next to me, the wind blowing through her hair, perfect breasts, and a short skirt that continued to ride higher and higher up her thighs.

Finally, I yelled, "Please stop the car."

She immediately slammed on the brakes and as soon as the car stopped, I jumped out.

"What's the matter?" she asked.

"I can't take it anymore," I replied. "I've only been a Democrat for five minutes and already I want to screw somebody."

"Truth is the most valuable thing we have. Let us economize it."
Mark Twain

SGGP

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2365 Days since retiring July 1, 2005!"The...

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 20:19:09 -0600

2365 Days since retiring July 1, 2005!

"The Art of Peace is the religion that is not a religion; it perfects and completes all religions."
from Art of Peace

Read on and fall sound asleep

Ever since I was a young boy listening to the ventriloquist Edgar Bergen with his dummy Charlie McCarthy on radio I have been fascinated by the art. It never crossed my mind to question a radio show featuring an act that depended on the actor not moving his lips. I suppose the dialogue was funny enough that visual evidence was not needed. A recent email contained a link to a video of a truly incredible ventriloquist. Not only did his lips not move, he was able to imitate at least two iconic singers. Best ventriloquist ever is HERE. I do not remember how many box tops and quarter I sent in for booklets supposed to magically convert me into a stage capable ventriloquist. Never happened!

Yesterday I received two copies of Scientific American. One was addressed to Wagne Robertson at 937 Lynnview. Strangely I have mailed letters with everything but the zip code absolutely correct (off by the last digit) and had them returned by USPS for incorrect address. BTW you are better off leaving off the zip code if you do not know the exact number. I found a phone number for problems with subscriptions and called early this morning. The woman I finally reached after 7 pseudopersons with pretended key stokes in response to my replies was snippy and sounded like she thought I was running a scam. After7 minutes she wanted to call me back to assure I was the "legal entity" I claimed to be. Eventually she did call back and sounded less hostile. She told me to mail the wrong magazine back to them so they could correct the account. "NO WAY!" I told her. I pointed out the postage was too much and she laughed and said "No FedEx it back to us and we will pay the shipping." I told her I would not do that either and would prefer talking to her boss. Then because she sounded like I had hit her I told her I was willing to scan the information and email it to her. SHE CANNOT RECEIVE EMAIL! But she can receive faxes. So I scanned the cover and faxed it using my computer. She said it will be a couple of days before she can get the account corrected. Turns out she is a Hindi and works Christmas and does not get equivalent time off. She sounded American. I wonder if I was talking to an Indian call center.

Then I accidentally clicked on a link that took me to something of Dad's I had transposed to the internet.

WHERE SHALL WISDOM BE FOUND

Surely there is a vein for the silver,
And a place for gold where they fine it.
Iron is taken out of the earth,
And brass is molten out of the stone.
But where shall wisdom be found?
And where is the place of understanding?
Man knoweth not the price thereof;
Neither is it found in the land of the living.
The depth saith, It is not in me:
And the sea saith, It is not with me.

It cannot be gotten for gold,
Neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof.

It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir,
With the precious onyx, or the sapphire.

The gold and the crystal cannot equal it:
And the exchange of it shall not be for jewels of fine gold.

No mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls:
For the price of wisdom is above rubies.

The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it,
Neither shall it be valued with pure gold.

Whence then cometh wisdom?
And where is the place of understanding?

Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living,
And kept close from the fowls of the air.

Destruction and Death say,
We have heard the fame thereof with our ears.

God understanding the away thereof,
And he knoweth the place thereof.

For he looketh to the ends of the earth,
And seeth under the whole heaven;

To make the weight for the winds;
And he weigheth the waters by measure.

When he made a decree for the rain,
And a way for the lightning of the thunder:

Then did he see it, and declare it;
He prepared it, yea, and searched it out

And unto man he said,
Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom;
And to depart from evil is understanding.

Job 28:1, 2, 12-28

Eight Grade Poem copied from a BOOK given to my Father for exemplary grades in the Cement, Oklahoma School system. Can you imagine a student being given a book of poetry, some from the Bible, in this secular age?

Below is an exposition on the "Dead Horse Theory" extracted from ancient Dakota Indian lore.

Am I the only one in America who thinks the Victoria's Secret commercials are porn?

12/21: Loving God, continue to make yourself known among people who don't know you. Prepare us to receive them as family. Amen.
12/22: Thank you, God, for the examples you give us in your word. Help us be as gracious as Hannah was to Eli. Amen.

The prayers are from the Upper Room. For your own free E-Mail Devotional visit : http://upperroom.org/devotional/email/ and click on the link "Other Ways to Receive the Daily Devotional"

The tribal wisdom of the Dakota Indians, passed on from generation to generation, says that:

When you discover that you are riding a dead horse, your best strategy is to dismount. However, in our government more advanced strategies are often employed, such as:

1. Buying a stronger (and more expensive) whip.

2. Changing riders.

3. Appointing a committee to study the horse.

4. Arranging trips to other countries to see how other cultures ride dead horses.

5. Lowering the standards so that dead horses can be included.

6. Reclassifying the dead horse as living-impaired.

7. Hiring outside contractors to ride the dead horse.

8. Harnessing several dead horses together to increase efficiency.

9. Providing additional funding and/or training to increase dead horse's performance.

10. Doing a productivity study to see if lighter riders would improve the dead horse's performance.

11. Declaring that as the dead horse does not have to be fed, it is less costly, carries lower overhead and therefore contributes substantially more to the bottom line of the economy than do some live horses.

12. Rewriting the expected performance requirements for all horses.

And of course....

13. Promoting the dead horse to a supervisory position.

"To refuse awards is another way of accepting them with more noise than is normal."
Mark Twain

SGGP

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2363 Days since retiring July 1, 2005!"When...

Tue, 20 Dec 2011 21:43:12 -0600

2363 Days since retiring July 1, 2005!

"When you bow deeply to the universe, it bows back; when you call out the name of God, it echoes inside you."
from Art of Peace

Read on and fall sound asleep

As promised below is a picture of the new stove. My wife shopped for it and selected the stove by herself. I do believe that is the first major purchase she has ever made by herself.

I am very proud that she undertook the task and carried it to completion. One of my worst fears is that she is unable to decisively manage her life after I am gone. This afternoon she pointed out that the refrigerator door is not closing automatically. In fact, it swings open. Tomorrow I need to get my pry bars to raise the front and determine why the fridge has lost its level. Such a change is unexpected and worries me.

I now know that I spent almost 4 hours watching a football game that was played 2 weeks ago. I could have been napping.

After days of trying to call an old acquaintance with no call back I sent him a text message. Same phone number. I got a text reply almost as soon as I took my finger off the send button. Then today I see the following "Born Loser" comic strip. I guess I am not the only one perplexed by the changes in our communication process caused by modern telephones.

The Comcast internet connection has been rock solid since the last service rep installed a new modem. Today I received the package from AT&T containing the U-Verse internet equipment. I have been second guessing myself ever since I blew up against Comcast. Tomorrow after I adjust the fridge I will open the AT&T box and read the instructions. I fear the installation will prove to be more complicated that I want to fool with. Comcast has extended reductions to the extent that the next 2 months will almost be free. I hope I have a guidance dream tonight.

12/16: Lord God, as we celebrate this Christmas, may we show others what you have done in sending your son to save us and to bring us peace. Amen.
12/17: Eternal Creator, God of peace, help us to teach our children the joy of living in your love. Help us and them learn how to "live at peace with everyone." Amen.
12/18: : O God, as we have welcomed your grace and truth in Christ, help us to show our weary world that following him is the way to peace. Amen.
12/19: Thank you, Lord, for being with us. Help us to open our hearts to you. Amen.
12/20: O God, help us to accept your grace instead of trying to earn your love. Amen.

The prayers are from the Upper Room. For your own free E-Mail Devotional visit : http://upperroom.org/devotional/email/ and click on the link "Other Ways to Receive the Daily Devotional"

"What a good thing Adam had. When he said a good thing he knew nobody had said it before."
Mark Twain

SGGP

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2359 Days since retiring July 1, 2005!"The...

Fri, 16 Dec 2011 21:30:53 -0600

2359 Days since retiring July 1, 2005!

"The Divine does not like to be shut up in a building. The Divine likes to be out in the open. It is right here in this very body. Each one of us is a miniature universe, a living shrine."
from Art of Peace

Once again I have trouble with people or dogmas that limits what God is likely to do. God will do as God does.

Read on and fall sound asleep

I got a Christmas card today from the sexiest woman in the world. My aunt Jackie included a letter she was sending to a newspaper. She is fiercely liberal and I am fiercely conservative. She was liberal back in the days when she frightened 3 preteenaged boys with her beauty. And she is still liberal while she still frightens one of those boys grown old.

But in these days we agree on at least one point. The Republican party is engaged in a fire sale to sell the American middle class into corporate and moneyed slavery. I lived in times of much higher taxation on the "rich" and have never seen that high taxation reduced their level of innovation or job creation. Upon consideration we should all know that there is a level of wealth beyond what any one person or family can spend in a year. That is the money that should be taxed higher. My Congressional district is represented by Sheila Jackson Lee who is IMHO a screaming liberal. Yet she more nearly embodies my ideals than either of the Republican Texas Senators. The US Constitution which all members of congress swear and vow to defend calls for promotion of the general welfare, NOT THE WELFARE OF BILLIONAIRES. Read the Constitution someday and then prove to me that Congress deserves more respect. I want every one of them turned out of office after 1 term until they return to promoting general welfare.

BTW The letter is perfect and I pray it is published.

I have been following the progress of a tiny girl baby born in August. Melinda Star fit in the palm of her delivery doctor and weighed just 9 and a half ounces at birth. That is less than a can of Coke. Despite the fact that about 360,000 babies are born each year each birth is a miracle. How can something so complicated as a human be created in such a way yet turn our right so often. The first picture was made shortly. The next picture was 14 weeks later. Actually December 14, 2011. More of the story is HERE

Consider that as tiny and fragile as she looks in the first photo we all passed through that stage. Of course we were perfected within the womb.

How perfect the womb that forms us. Or as Psalm 139 says "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb."

Roomie's new stove was delivered that afternoon. Tomorrow I will post a picture of the cooking machine.

When NASA was preparing for the Apollo Project, it took the astronauts to a Navajo reservation in Arizona for training. One day, a Navajo Elder and his son came across the space crew walking among the rocks. The Elder, who spoke only Navajo, asked a question. His son translated for the NASA people. "What are these guys in the big suits doing?"

One of the astronauts said that they were practicing for a trip to the moon. When his son relayed this comment the Navajo Elder got all excited and asked if it would be possible to give to the astronauts a message to deliver to the moon.

Recognizing a promotional opportunity when he saw one, a NASA official accompanying the astronauts said, "Why certainly!" and told an underling to get a tape recorder . The Navajo Elder's comments into the microphone were brief.

The NASA official asked the son if he would translate what his father had said. The son listened to the recording and laughed uproariously. But he refused to translate. So the NASA people took the tape to a nearby Navajo village and played it for other members of the tribe. They too laughed long and loudly but also refused to translate the elder's message to the moon.

Finally, an official government translator was summoned. After he finally stopped laughing the translator relayed the message: "Watch out for these pricks. They have come to steal your land."

12/16: Lord God, as we celebrate this Christmas, may we show others what you have done in sending your son to save us and to bring us peace. Amen.

The prayers are from the Upper Room. For your own free E-Mail Devotional visit : http://upperroom.org/devotional/email/ and click on the link "Other Ways to Receive the Daily Devotional"

Anthony's Catfish Stew

4 celery stalks, chopped fine
2 large onions, chopped
2 sm. bell peppers, chopped
5 pods of garlic, chopped fine
Salt & Chinese red pepper to taste
3-4 lb. fresh catfish, cut in sm. strips
Flour
5 T. tomato paste
Cooking oil

Season catfish.

Add cooking oil to cover bottom of heavy black pot. Add 1 layer of chopped onion, bell pepper, garlic, and celery and then another layer of catfish.

Sprinkle with a little flour, add another layer of onions, bell pepper, garlic and celery, and then another layer of catfish. Catfish should end up on top.

Sprinkle with a little flour, and add about 5 T. tomato paste over the mixture. Cover with tight lid and let cook over low fire until onions and other seasonings and fish are done.

Do not stir. This will break up the fish. Just shake pot now and then so mixture does not stick to bottom.

Serve with rice

Serves 6

I have been craving catfish for weeks. The fried catfish at "Potato Patch" for lunch with my brother did not break the craving. I know this will not be made in "shattered manor" but I can enjoy the cerebral flavor. This recipe from Durene's web recipes.

"We are all alike, on the inside."
Mark Twain

SGGP

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2358 Days since retiring July 1, 2005!"You...

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 21:22:01 -0600

2358 Days since retiring July 1, 2005!

"You cannot see or touch the Divine with your gross senses. The Divine is within you, not somewhere else. Unite yourself to the Divine, and you will be able to perceive gods wherever you are, but do not try to grasp or cling to them."
from Art of Peace

Read on and fall sound asleep

Thank God our troops are coming out of Iraq. The sigh of those brave warriors wrapping up the mission makes me mourn a much uglier "leaving " 40+ years ago. I wonder how different the war in Vietnam would have ended if we and our government had supported our troops like we have in Iraq and Afghanistan. Thank you President for sticking to the deal President Bush arranged. Now please find a way to get our military out of Afghanistan. Every invader since the Romans have been eaten alive by the Afghans.

A couple of nights ago, I was out for a few drinks with some friends and had a few too many beers and some rather nice claret. Knowing full well I may have been slightly over the limit, I did something I've never done before - I took a bus home. I arrived home safely and without incident, which was a real surprise, as I have never driven a bus before and am not sure where I got this one.

So of my friends and family know I have been struggling with internet access for the last month or so. Our provider is Comcast. We would just suddenly lose connection to the internet. We would call the "Land of the Dense" customer support and describe our problem and list the symptoms and actions we were undertaking when connection was lost. The "Voice" would promise to get a service rep out ASAP and give us a 2 hour appointment window. Once the ASAP was 5 days later. But in that 5 days Comcast, with no input from us would cancel the appointment and reschedule. When a rep would finally show up he would fiddle with the connections and change out the cable modem. We had three that followed that MO. Once the voice promised tomorrow and we would get a rewire. Three days later rep showed up and ran a new cable just for the internet. And replaced the modem. When that "fix" died 4 days later I called Comcast and told voice that if a service rep was not out by noon the next day (12/14/2011) I would call AT&T and get DSL internet. At 15:05 pm 12/14/2011 I called AT&T and initiated installation of DSL. AT&T internet is wireless so installation should be easy. The equipment will be mailed 12/22/2011 and will need to be activated. The service rep arrived 12/15/2011 at 1:45 pm and replaced the modem and associated power supply. He left his personal phone number. At 3:35 pm and again at 6:01 pm we lost internet service temporarily. GOODBY COMCAST INTERNET!!

Somebody posted a video of Jimmy Stewart reading his poem about his dog Beau on Johnny Carson's show. I remember him reading that poem. My wife and I watched Johnny every night. That was in 1981. Thirty years have passed in the blink of an eye. Click to picture for the video and marvel at one of the most recognizable voices ever from Hollywood.

All to often I find something in the Houston Chronicle that makes me almost wish the sterilizing hand of God would cull the human race. This morning it was an article reporting the results of a poll showing that just possibly we should have some sort of test before we let a man approach a woman. Read the excerpt below and click the link for the full article to understand my point.

As many as 29 million women say they have suffered severe and frightening physical violence from a boyfriend, spouse or other intimate partner. That includes being choked, beaten, stabbed, shot, punched, slammed against something or hurt by hair-pulling.
The CDC report from which the Houston Chronicle article was drawn is HERE. What has happened to the men in this country? Or were we always so violent?

12/13: O God, in times when we're ready and times when we're not, help us to trust in and lean on your grace. Amen.
12/14: God of love, help us draw upon the love you have put in us and find ways to express it in words and actions, even--and especially--to those who are strangers. Amen.
12/15: Gracious God, help us to be good listeners so that your inspiration can flow through us to those who need direction. Amen.

The prayers are from the Upper Room. For your own free E-Mail Devotional visit : http://upperroom.org/devotional/email/ and click on the link "Other Ways to Receive the Daily Devotional"

Breakfast Casserole

4 slices bread
1 pound bacon or sausage
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
6 eggs, beaten
2 cups milk
1 tsp. dry mustard

Grease the bottom of a 9"x13" pan. Tear up 4 slices of bread and place in the bottom of the pan. Cook 1 pound of bacon or sausage, drain, and sprinkle over bread pieces. Sprinkle cheddar cheese over meat. Mix eggs, milk and mustard together and pour over casserole. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 35-40 minutes.

This recipe was posted in Bitsy's Kitchen and sounds like a winner.

"Work is a necessary evil to be avoided."
Mark Twain

SGGP

Webtvers email comments to Lyn1937 and I will paste into the comments. This Tripod comment form is not compatible with webtv.