This book by Randall Balmer, God in the White House.
Here is a NPR story about the book, along with an excerpt.
NPR
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Dear Mr. and Mrs. Neighbor,
You know, we sure have enjoyed having you across the street from us. You have been very good neighbors and swapping favors back and forth on chores is just one of those things that neighbors do. Thank you!
I do have one request, only one. Please, when you are dogsitting your DD's schanuzer and jack, would you not put them outside in the yard and leave them all day while you go to work? Between them and your schnauzer, they bark all day long. I mean all day, too. Then that blasted miniature poodle in back of you folks gets started and it is just cacophony all the time.
It's merely annoying when the 3 beasts get up in your front window and bark like idiots at the mailman. It's always the same mailman in the same car at the same time of day. The other neighbor's cocker doesn't bark at him, the spaniel down the way a bit doesn't bark at him, the white fluffball the other direction doesn't bark at him, our beagle doesn't bark at him... why do those 3 little yappy beasts always bark at him? The bark when DS2 pulls up in his car, when I pull up, when Himself comes home, they just bark at every last thing that passes by.
Then there is the issue of folks walking their dogs past here. IMO, it really isn't vital for those three to raise the roof when someone comes by with another dog on a leash. I have watched people have to haul their dogs up on a short leash when walking by and some people don't come by here anymore because of the yappers. Some have started coming clear over here in my yard just to get as far away from the pandemonium as possible.
Now, mind you, I know you just love those beasts to bits and your daughter thinks the world of hers, but geeze, folks, get them under control. There have been times when they started at 6 a.m. and barked well past 7, waking everyone in the neighborhood that wasn't up already, including me. I know folks who have schanuzers and jacks and they don't bark constantly like that. Maybe a little discipline might help?
I know it would help inter-neighborhood relationships.
I do have one request, only one. Please, when you are dogsitting your DD's schanuzer and jack, would you not put them outside in the yard and leave them all day while you go to work? Between them and your schnauzer, they bark all day long. I mean all day, too. Then that blasted miniature poodle in back of you folks gets started and it is just cacophony all the time.
It's merely annoying when the 3 beasts get up in your front window and bark like idiots at the mailman. It's always the same mailman in the same car at the same time of day. The other neighbor's cocker doesn't bark at him, the spaniel down the way a bit doesn't bark at him, the white fluffball the other direction doesn't bark at him, our beagle doesn't bark at him... why do those 3 little yappy beasts always bark at him? The bark when DS2 pulls up in his car, when I pull up, when Himself comes home, they just bark at every last thing that passes by.
Then there is the issue of folks walking their dogs past here. IMO, it really isn't vital for those three to raise the roof when someone comes by with another dog on a leash. I have watched people have to haul their dogs up on a short leash when walking by and some people don't come by here anymore because of the yappers. Some have started coming clear over here in my yard just to get as far away from the pandemonium as possible.
Now, mind you, I know you just love those beasts to bits and your daughter thinks the world of hers, but geeze, folks, get them under control. There have been times when they started at 6 a.m. and barked well past 7, waking everyone in the neighborhood that wasn't up already, including me. I know folks who have schanuzers and jacks and they don't bark constantly like that. Maybe a little discipline might help?
I know it would help inter-neighborhood relationships.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Just dandy, thank you.
Am back from my massage. Ahhhhhhhh. Between Kathy working me over and the new heel lift, I am a bit sore and achy, to be sure. That will fade as long as I remember the things I need to do to keep from staying that way.
The thing that hurts worst, but was expected, is my right heel. Have a mild case of tendonitis and it will take a couple of days for the tendon to settle in.
Because of the stress we have been living with, it took Kathy an hour and a half to get me all limbered up. Under normal conditions, it only takes a little under and hour. She did have to do some intensive work on my trapezius, latissumus dorsi, neck and shoulders. That's where I "store" stress, unlike some people who keep it in their lower back or somewhere. Not like we would want to keep it, if we thought about it.
She also chewed me out about not doing my stretches while at the pootur. Now, since I worked in IT for years, I KNOW this but get all involved and totally forget. Then things get all spased/spazzed (?) and I am a hurting unit. I will try to be a good girl and remember. *sigh*
This has put a dent in the budget but I spoke with Himself about it. He thought that I needed to go, not only to the chiro, but also to Kathy. I'm always a much more pleasant person to be around when I'm not in pain, according to him. I suppose he would be the one to know, too. (insert wink)
I am still so glad I switched chiros. This one listens and doesn't do anything that isn't necessary, rather than just running through the usual routine. When I explained my reasoning for the suggested increase in left height, he actually listened to what I was saying and my reasoning behind my conclusion. Wow.
It might be, just might be, that I will not need to wear a brace. That would be really good news, especially in the summer. Winter is another story but, I'll tell you, the one the chiro proposes looks like some sort of torture device but near as much as the traditional ones. Here is a picture:
I don't have a picture of the back, though. Never the less, this looks like a much better alternative than those old plastic shells. Ugh. I am told that it is possible to keep active in sports and what-all while wearing this.
The thing that hurts worst, but was expected, is my right heel. Have a mild case of tendonitis and it will take a couple of days for the tendon to settle in.
Because of the stress we have been living with, it took Kathy an hour and a half to get me all limbered up. Under normal conditions, it only takes a little under and hour. She did have to do some intensive work on my trapezius, latissumus dorsi, neck and shoulders. That's where I "store" stress, unlike some people who keep it in their lower back or somewhere. Not like we would want to keep it, if we thought about it.
She also chewed me out about not doing my stretches while at the pootur. Now, since I worked in IT for years, I KNOW this but get all involved and totally forget. Then things get all spased/spazzed (?) and I am a hurting unit. I will try to be a good girl and remember. *sigh*
This has put a dent in the budget but I spoke with Himself about it. He thought that I needed to go, not only to the chiro, but also to Kathy. I'm always a much more pleasant person to be around when I'm not in pain, according to him. I suppose he would be the one to know, too. (insert wink)
I am still so glad I switched chiros. This one listens and doesn't do anything that isn't necessary, rather than just running through the usual routine. When I explained my reasoning for the suggested increase in left height, he actually listened to what I was saying and my reasoning behind my conclusion. Wow.
It might be, just might be, that I will not need to wear a brace. That would be really good news, especially in the summer. Winter is another story but, I'll tell you, the one the chiro proposes looks like some sort of torture device but near as much as the traditional ones. Here is a picture:
I don't have a picture of the back, though. Never the less, this looks like a much better alternative than those old plastic shells. Ugh. I am told that it is possible to keep active in sports and what-all while wearing this.
Lift it up.
Am increasing the height of the heel lift under my right heel. Have reached a neutral point and have been noticing a decrease in mobility so... suggested to chiro this a.m. he look and see if the right leg seemed shorter than the left and, yup, sure did. Have a new heel doohickey that I am going to put in my sandal before I have to take off again.
Am expecting a couple days of discomfort as my hip and back adjust to the increase but, as long as I stay mobile, it will wear off and I can continue to track improvement in my back.
I haven't, even with the temporary pause in progress, been anything like I was before we started with this new chiro. Even at the worst, I have been able to move about, get in and out of the shower and continue my daily tasks. Driving has been possible, too, without grinding pain in my hip, back and neck.
May times, as so often the case may be, change is a good thing.
Am expecting a couple days of discomfort as my hip and back adjust to the increase but, as long as I stay mobile, it will wear off and I can continue to track improvement in my back.
I haven't, even with the temporary pause in progress, been anything like I was before we started with this new chiro. Even at the worst, I have been able to move about, get in and out of the shower and continue my daily tasks. Driving has been possible, too, without grinding pain in my hip, back and neck.
May times, as so often the case may be, change is a good thing.
For those of you
who have been following along with the SS saga here...
A consensus has been met. All parties in authority (Himself and I) have decided to step back, raise our hands and tell SS that he is now on his own. We will continue to feed him, provide a roof over his head and make sure he gets school-stuff taken care of and medical care. Other than that? It's his responsibility. We have come to this conclusion for the following reasons:
This may seem harsh but we have no other recourse. The stress of having him listen to you and knowing it is not getting through, or his mind is elsewhere, is too much. Knowing that he doesn't think anyone knows anything except he and his little friends doesn't lead to good interpersonal relations, either.
To top it off, the whole situation has caused tremendous stress between Himself and me. We're coming up on our 14th anniversary the 7th of September and, although we have come through some horribly hard times together, this last year has almost destroyed our relationship. We will not allow that to happen. Speaking earlier, we agreed that we both know, once the kids are grown and gone, it will be just us. We must protect that, even if one or more of the kids has to learn terribly hard lessons. Yes, it sounds selfish but think about it... these guys are not 5 years old. The 2 youngest will be 18 this year and we can't be coddling them. They will need to come up against the fact that the world will chew them up and spit them out and doesn't give a damn. That's all.
One of them is already coming to the conclusion that he has totally wasted the last 3 years of school and now is under the gun. He has been forced to carry a very heavy load of academics. This will require, not just study hall and free time in school, but he will need to bring home and concentrate on economics, ecology, psychology, sociology and so forth. It will be a struggle for him but he must remember that it is up to him. The only person that can bail him out will be himself. His teachers will help, we will help as we can, but it isn't primarily our responsibility. If he doesn't want to go to work at a packing house or work at a big box store and live under a bridge, he needs to get with the program and stay with the program.
This is one of the hardest things we have had to do. In actuality, it is the very hardest. To have to take action which is, to all intents and purposes, like dropping them off a bridge to fly or not...
Parenting sucks sometimes when the only, and best thing, to do is just step back.
Grant us strength, any powers that be, we will need them.
A consensus has been met. All parties in authority (Himself and I) have decided to step back, raise our hands and tell SS that he is now on his own. We will continue to feed him, provide a roof over his head and make sure he gets school-stuff taken care of and medical care. Other than that? It's his responsibility. We have come to this conclusion for the following reasons:
- It has become clear over the last week that SS is not paying any attention to anything. Hence, since he insists he is an adult and can mind his own business, he will.
- Since he has blown every cent of every paycheck this summer, we will not loan him money for That Car. We will not pay to fix it. We will not loan him funds for gas. Nobody here will give him funds for anything. We will not pay insurance. It's his vehicle, he insisted on having it and now it's all his problem.
- He blew off the tasks his teacher gave him to finish before school. Totally and completely blew them off. So, since he didn't think it important enough to check into the Regent's admission standards, testing that would be vital or a cumulative GPA or what classes he would need even if he goes to junior college and believes that the school (or we) should be taking care of all this for him... he's on his own.
- He wants everything both ways. Wants to be let loose to take care of himself but, at the same time, has no idea how to do that and has demonstrated time after time after time that he can't. OK. Since you insist that you are an adult, here's your life. You can't have it both ways so you will have it your way. You have left us no other choice. Live with it.
This may seem harsh but we have no other recourse. The stress of having him listen to you and knowing it is not getting through, or his mind is elsewhere, is too much. Knowing that he doesn't think anyone knows anything except he and his little friends doesn't lead to good interpersonal relations, either.
To top it off, the whole situation has caused tremendous stress between Himself and me. We're coming up on our 14th anniversary the 7th of September and, although we have come through some horribly hard times together, this last year has almost destroyed our relationship. We will not allow that to happen. Speaking earlier, we agreed that we both know, once the kids are grown and gone, it will be just us. We must protect that, even if one or more of the kids has to learn terribly hard lessons. Yes, it sounds selfish but think about it... these guys are not 5 years old. The 2 youngest will be 18 this year and we can't be coddling them. They will need to come up against the fact that the world will chew them up and spit them out and doesn't give a damn. That's all.
One of them is already coming to the conclusion that he has totally wasted the last 3 years of school and now is under the gun. He has been forced to carry a very heavy load of academics. This will require, not just study hall and free time in school, but he will need to bring home and concentrate on economics, ecology, psychology, sociology and so forth. It will be a struggle for him but he must remember that it is up to him. The only person that can bail him out will be himself. His teachers will help, we will help as we can, but it isn't primarily our responsibility. If he doesn't want to go to work at a packing house or work at a big box store and live under a bridge, he needs to get with the program and stay with the program.
This is one of the hardest things we have had to do. In actuality, it is the very hardest. To have to take action which is, to all intents and purposes, like dropping them off a bridge to fly or not...
Parenting sucks sometimes when the only, and best thing, to do is just step back.
Grant us strength, any powers that be, we will need them.
Monday, August 18, 2008
I'm still around...
Just didn't feel like writing this weekend. Took the whole weekend off and did absolutely nothing of any importance.
Finished one book and started another. That was so great, just flop out on my bed with a glass of water and Dr. Sagan... first time in about 2 years I have had a chance to do that.
When getting school supplies today, I got a pack of razor blades for himself. The darned things have doubled in price! They're now over $2 a blade! I think we may need to consider a different options for male hair removal... wow.
It's just beautiful here today. Starting to warm up but there is a little breeze.
Finally managed to get cards for Lil Sis, DD and DS1 that I actually liked. DD had her b'day the 5th of July and DS1's was the 17 of July. Sis's isn't until the 24th of this month so I'm ahead of the game on that. Hope they like them. The lady at the store who was helping me and I were reading them and laughing like idiots. hee hee hee
DS3's father is coming over after work tonight and taking him to get his hair cut. It's pretty long but he doesn't want a lot cut off. Hope his Dad lets him make his own choices about how he wants it done. That's one less thing I have to take care of and it is a great relief.
I cheated today and bought 2 racks of pork spare ribs at a deli in town. Then cheated more and smoked them using the stove-top smoker. Now taking the cheating further and just roasting them at 250F, wrapped in foil, in the oven. Cheating is sometimes good to do.
I find it interesting that there is so much difference in taste and color between Italian first cold pressed olive oil and Greek. The Italian is a golden color and has a very mild, neutral flavor. The Greek is green as an olive, has a stronger flavor and aroma and tastes just ever so slightly sweet. I decided to use Greek oil for Greek food after thinking that my spanakopita didn't taste like my Greek friend's spanakopita. Same with the yemista. It does now that I use the Greek oil. The Greek is also way too strong for dressing pasta, IMO. Does very nicely as a basic oil, though, in place of corn or canola.
I usually make my own BBQ sauce but, since I aimed on cheating, I bought some. Got my favorite, Rufus Teague's, and a new one, Ole Ray's Kentucky Re Bourbon. Man, is that stuff GOOD! The Teague's is KC style, thick and rather sweet. The KRB is thinner, not sweet at all but just wonderful. Hope Mak continues to carry the stuff as all there is in the markets around here is the usual frosting-cum-BBQ sauce that is just gross.
Himself specifically requested Doug's Potatoes for supper, too. I like the recipe because it's easy. Slice as many red taters as you need (I usually figure 2 per person), slice 2 medium onions thin, layer them with balck pepper on aluminum foil. Plop pats of butter around and fold the foil up to make a nice, tight package. Stick 'em on the grill for 30 to 45 minutes anywhere from 300 - 350 degrees, turning once. They are absolutely the best taters and the guy who came up with the recipe can't even boil water! Just goes to show, never can tell where you will find a flash of genius. (The only thing that is different is that Himself will absolutely NOT eat potato skins in any form. Peeling the taters just sort of takes some of the ease out of the recipe. Darn it.)
Did get quite a bit accomplished today. Took in cans, took lunch to Himself, got school supplies, gas, the ribs, onions. All, unfortunately, totally separate places so did a good bit of driving. Gas has gone down so it isn't too bad. Put $20 in and ended up with 3/4 tank. Glad I'm not driving the K5 anymore. Augh!
Need to get the mileage from the F150 and get the thing advertised for sale. It's a nice truckmobile but we don't need anything with that kind of power. Sold the Bayliner earlier and we can haul the Alumacraft on the Roo if need be. If push comes to shove, will borrow an F250 I sold to an older gentleman here in town to pull the car trailer. As the price of gas has gone up, so has the price of motorcycles, which is what Himself wants to get. I am leaning more toward a little S10 or something of the sort because, after all, this IS Iowa and winter is coming.
As you can tell, Gentle Reader, I'm not in a reflective mood today. No links to annoyances, dumbassery or any guvmunt foolishness. Although I have been working through some posts about all that stuff, just don't feel like messing with it today. My brain still thinks it's having a day off, I guess.
Have had some dumbassery around here but it's the same person, just a different day. Some things don't change, I guess, regardless of how much you would like them to.
My favorite Schwan's man was just here. He is always disappointed when I only get one or two things, at the most. Since school is starting, we don't need Popsicles and suchlike. I don't eat them and the Herd doesn't need them during school, so... I realize that he relies on his customers for his income but I can't sacrifice the group here to support him. Since Himself won't be paid until the beginning of September I am being very careful with funds, too.*
Will turn on the air in about 30 minutes. Got up to 90+ and Himself will be hot and tired when he gets off. Good thing the a.c. in the truckmobile works but still, it's nice to relax in a cool house.
* I have to confess, I have no idea why his employer holds new driver's first paychecks until the second pay period. Makes no sense to me and is a hardship for the drivers. It isn't like he is a brand new employee, either. He's worked there before. It's just weird.
Finished one book and started another. That was so great, just flop out on my bed with a glass of water and Dr. Sagan... first time in about 2 years I have had a chance to do that.
When getting school supplies today, I got a pack of razor blades for himself. The darned things have doubled in price! They're now over $2 a blade! I think we may need to consider a different options for male hair removal... wow.
It's just beautiful here today. Starting to warm up but there is a little breeze.
Finally managed to get cards for Lil Sis, DD and DS1 that I actually liked. DD had her b'day the 5th of July and DS1's was the 17 of July. Sis's isn't until the 24th of this month so I'm ahead of the game on that. Hope they like them. The lady at the store who was helping me and I were reading them and laughing like idiots. hee hee hee
DS3's father is coming over after work tonight and taking him to get his hair cut. It's pretty long but he doesn't want a lot cut off. Hope his Dad lets him make his own choices about how he wants it done. That's one less thing I have to take care of and it is a great relief.
I cheated today and bought 2 racks of pork spare ribs at a deli in town. Then cheated more and smoked them using the stove-top smoker. Now taking the cheating further and just roasting them at 250F, wrapped in foil, in the oven. Cheating is sometimes good to do.
I find it interesting that there is so much difference in taste and color between Italian first cold pressed olive oil and Greek. The Italian is a golden color and has a very mild, neutral flavor. The Greek is green as an olive, has a stronger flavor and aroma and tastes just ever so slightly sweet. I decided to use Greek oil for Greek food after thinking that my spanakopita didn't taste like my Greek friend's spanakopita. Same with the yemista. It does now that I use the Greek oil. The Greek is also way too strong for dressing pasta, IMO. Does very nicely as a basic oil, though, in place of corn or canola.
I usually make my own BBQ sauce but, since I aimed on cheating, I bought some. Got my favorite, Rufus Teague's, and a new one, Ole Ray's Kentucky Re Bourbon. Man, is that stuff GOOD! The Teague's is KC style, thick and rather sweet. The KRB is thinner, not sweet at all but just wonderful. Hope Mak continues to carry the stuff as all there is in the markets around here is the usual frosting-cum-BBQ sauce that is just gross.
Himself specifically requested Doug's Potatoes for supper, too. I like the recipe because it's easy. Slice as many red taters as you need (I usually figure 2 per person), slice 2 medium onions thin, layer them with balck pepper on aluminum foil. Plop pats of butter around and fold the foil up to make a nice, tight package. Stick 'em on the grill for 30 to 45 minutes anywhere from 300 - 350 degrees, turning once. They are absolutely the best taters and the guy who came up with the recipe can't even boil water! Just goes to show, never can tell where you will find a flash of genius. (The only thing that is different is that Himself will absolutely NOT eat potato skins in any form. Peeling the taters just sort of takes some of the ease out of the recipe. Darn it.)
Did get quite a bit accomplished today. Took in cans, took lunch to Himself, got school supplies, gas, the ribs, onions. All, unfortunately, totally separate places so did a good bit of driving. Gas has gone down so it isn't too bad. Put $20 in and ended up with 3/4 tank. Glad I'm not driving the K5 anymore. Augh!
Need to get the mileage from the F150 and get the thing advertised for sale. It's a nice truckmobile but we don't need anything with that kind of power. Sold the Bayliner earlier and we can haul the Alumacraft on the Roo if need be. If push comes to shove, will borrow an F250 I sold to an older gentleman here in town to pull the car trailer. As the price of gas has gone up, so has the price of motorcycles, which is what Himself wants to get. I am leaning more toward a little S10 or something of the sort because, after all, this IS Iowa and winter is coming.
As you can tell, Gentle Reader, I'm not in a reflective mood today. No links to annoyances, dumbassery or any guvmunt foolishness. Although I have been working through some posts about all that stuff, just don't feel like messing with it today. My brain still thinks it's having a day off, I guess.
Have had some dumbassery around here but it's the same person, just a different day. Some things don't change, I guess, regardless of how much you would like them to.
My favorite Schwan's man was just here. He is always disappointed when I only get one or two things, at the most. Since school is starting, we don't need Popsicles and suchlike. I don't eat them and the Herd doesn't need them during school, so... I realize that he relies on his customers for his income but I can't sacrifice the group here to support him. Since Himself won't be paid until the beginning of September I am being very careful with funds, too.*
Will turn on the air in about 30 minutes. Got up to 90+ and Himself will be hot and tired when he gets off. Good thing the a.c. in the truckmobile works but still, it's nice to relax in a cool house.
* I have to confess, I have no idea why his employer holds new driver's first paychecks until the second pay period. Makes no sense to me and is a hardship for the drivers. It isn't like he is a brand new employee, either. He's worked there before. It's just weird.
Countdown!
Seventeen hours....
YEEEEEHA!
Have, as a treat for myself, scheduled a massage for tomorrow at 1 p.m.
YEEEEEHA!
Have, as a treat for myself, scheduled a massage for tomorrow at 1 p.m.
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