What I've learned that Shamu's trainer also knows

I've mentioned here the retreats we lead a couple times a year, using what we call The Process. I took a break from painting (yes, again, and will get back to it soon as I post this), read the Lori Borgman column at JewishWorldReview.com, and realize the column topic is something we cover on those retreats. I hope it makes you smile!

Such beauty! Such fun!

I took a couple pictures of My Pixie, shortly before Grandpa left for the AT. You may not think she's as adorable as I do, but hey, it's my blog, if you don't want to see her pictures, go get yer own blog. I now return you to your day, while I go paint s'more!

I find something wonderful every day

It figures...I read an Australian blog, and what do I find but reference to an American blog I MUST now subscribe to. Thanks, Boy on a Bike. I don't get out much...

Go check out AfghanistanShrugged. It's well worth your time. Be sure you say Thank You to your Creator for having these guys on OUR side.

Retreat Weekend

This used to be the Girl Scout camp in Clay County. My very favorite place to "cabin" (I don't 'camp' anymore), and it's where we hold our retreats. The weather was perfect! THIS weekend's gonna be miserable hot, so we got it done just in the nick of time. The first pic was taken last Friday, the second was on Saturday and we were so glad for the bit of cloud cover. The last is Handsome Hubby getting breakfast from our good friends Angie and Scott, who fixed french toast and bacon both mornings. Yummo!



















Now that I've had a little break - again - I better get back to it. If you'd like to see more pictures, they're at the MySpace link in my sidebar. Thanks for stopping by!

Household fun again!

Paco's back, go look at his pictures, they're gorgeous.

Got some errands to run, more painting to do, and a few chores I'm not going to detail here (cat box, anyone?), but hope to post a picture or two from our Retreat later today. Have a great day, thanks for stopping by!

UPDATE: If you need something to read that won't rot your brain, Thomas Sowell is always a good choice, especially his columns this week on the upcoming Supreme Court vacancy.

"Empathy" vs Law is here. Then Part II, and Part III. I love Thomas Sowell, have I said that before? Recently? MORE UPDATE! Here's Part IV.

UPDATE: Running always a bit late, Lovely Daughter brought the Pixie to visit for awhile! What a beautiful pair of girls they are!

Household fun

No time to look through headlines or check other blogs today. I have to get the primer coat on my kitchen so I can paint tomorrow. I obviously work slow...because I don't want to fall, and because everything aches today (I don't know what the barometer is doing, but at this time of year that's usually the culprit for my pains). So go check out the folks I link to in my blogroll - they are almost always amusing and interesting and even educational!

I'll check back later, here and at Paco's, to see how things are doing. I leave you with a picture of My Queen, who was feeling too fat to even stand up to eat, one day a couple weeks back. She is SO spoiled. Y'all go MAKE IT a good day, thanks for stopping by!

Party at Paco's!

Paco, of Paco Enterprises, has taken the week off to visit with his mum and his children's mum at a place OTHER than The Paco Plantation. As was the habit of of Blair Nation, it seems Paco's People have decided to...umm...guard his place from harm or invasion, in his absence. Could be a LOT of fun to read comments, as this means "open thread" among the RWDB's who hang out there.

Now, back to making potato salad for the festivities!

Some interesting reading

I'm being kinda lazy this morning, doesn't look like I'll make it to the morning meeting...oh well. Got a good cup of coffee, listening to Mike and Mike on ESPN2 (though I don't like it as much without Golic), lovely morning to take it easy.

Some things to read while I work in my kitchen again...

John Stossel - it's from last week, but it's worth the time to read it...as usual. As I refuse to have a credit card (!), I also don't think banks are "evil" for wanting to increase profits. BarryO seems to talk out his other orifice in demonizing the very thing that he's doing to our Nation - sending it so deep into debt that payback is nearly hopeless. What a maroon.

The "bill of rights" seems designed to prevent people from getting themselves in over their heads. That motive is honorable, but government has never been very good at such protection. The law of unintended consequences cannot be repealed, and what government gives with one hand, it inadvertently takes away with the other. Increasing the banks' costs will make it harder for poorer people to get credit cards, and that will only push them into costlier forms of debt, like payday lenders.

I've never understood how the poor are helped by limiting their choices.

Tom Purcell - I used to read his column in whatever Washington paper it runs in, and loved it. Still do, and thanks to JewishWorldReview for carrying it! Being a 'follower' of John Rosemond's common sense parenting, the column today really speaks to me.

Unlike modern parents, she didn't obsess over our self-esteem. She didn't tell us repeatedly we were handsome or pretty or smart or talented. She didn't boast about us in public. If she had any obsession, it was that we better not embarrass her in public.

Lori Borgman has a good column, too, also from last week. As a 'follower' of Dave Ramsey and being an American with no credit card (!) by CHOICE, I like the way she thinks.
When you spend cash, the best part of the month isn't when you load your wallet — it's when you open the credit card bill.

Thomas Sowell - when reading his column, I don't feel the least bit stupid, ignorant or uneducated. This man is a National Treasure, in my opinion.

Those people who just accept soothing words from politicians they like are gambling with the future of a nation. If you were German, would you be in favor of a law "to relieve the distress of the German people and nation"? That was the law that gave Hitler dictatorial power.

He was just another German chancellor at the time. He was not elected on a platform of war, dictatorship or genocide. He got the power to do those things because of a law "to relieve the distress of the German people."

When you buy words, you had better know what you are buying.

Gathering...

my thoughts and unpacking from the weekend. Hope to have something to put up later. I'm studiously avoiding reading politics for a couple more hours, so thanks for stopping by, please come again soon.

UPDATE! Too tired and busy with other things today to download then post pictures. Hubby is in Damascus, waiting on his friend from Indiana, they will shuttle to the trail head tomorrow around the crack of dawn. See y'all tomorrow, with SOMETHING, I hope.