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Our Daily Thread 5-6-14

Good Morning!

On this day in 1527 German troops began sacking Rome, bringing about the end of the Renaissance. 

In 1877 Chief Crazy Horse surrendered to U.S. troops in Nebraska. 

In 1889 the Universal Exposition opened in Paris, France, marking the dedication of the Eiffel Tower. Also at the exposition was the first automobile in Paris, the Mercedes-Benz. 

In 1941 Bob Hope gave his first USO show at California’s March Field. 

And in 1999 a parole board in New York voted to release Amy Fisher. She had been in jail for 7 years for shooting her lover’s wife, Mary Jo Buttafuoco, in the face. 

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Quote of the Day

“Popularity should be no scale for the election of politicians. If it would depend on popularity, Donald Duck and The Muppets would take seats in the Senate.”

Orson Welles

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Today is Heinrich Wilhelm Ernst’s birthday.

And it’s Bob Seger’s.

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Anyone have a QoD?

43 thoughts on “Our Daily Thread 5-6-14”

  1. Good morning, all. Good evening, Jo.

    Just caught up on yesterday’s thread.

    I slept poorly last night, but don’t feel sleepy this morning, fortunately.

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  2. Good morning!
    Nice clear day in Hendersonville. 58.3 degrees, windows open and I can hear the birds.
    Voting today. Going to vote them rascals in.
    But it’s really the primary. Determining who will run against Kay Hagen, etc.
    😦 rickyweaver will hate this, but the guy I’m voting for is probably not the best man, but the man I think can beat Kay Hagen. But he’ll be ok.

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  3. Morning all. Looking for some sleep soon. Would appreciate prayer as I have a cold and there is lots to do. Two meetings tomorrow after school.
    I was just confidently remarking that I haven’t had a cold since Christmas and saying how much the zicam had helped. Now I am eating humble pie as I blow my nose.

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  4. I am tired this morning. I think I had anxiety or some sort of mild panic yesterday. I just feel like life is spiraling out of control in all areas.
    What to do with a dog that just stands in the yard and barks and won’t come when she is called. I bet the neighbors love me this morning.

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  5. Good morning and evening and in between for where in the world you live. God has us all covered with His care no matter the time of day or night. He is good and He is great.

    How can a cat purr and bite at the same time? It defies logic.

    Yesterday I went with husband to the Women’s Center of a local hospital to get his prescription filled for support stockings to help with swelling in his legs. The swelling gets worse with tax season. It is a bit funny that the men have to get this from the women’s store. I was really tempted to buy a white purse for summer while in there. Unfortunately we are again meeting up with the precertification beast with the insurance company. My husband was pretty angry about that. It could have been worse but he was having a little rant and I was able to remind him I had an appointment at church to do a choir practice. They got him measured and I was able to get to church on time which I did not think possible. Again, God is good. 🙂

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  8. Donna, re what I said last night, I wasn’t saying we shouldn’t try to be good owners of our pets, or for that matter of our farm animals even if they are intended to be meat. My “beef” is more when people will take in some dog born with only one leg and spend $20,000 getting it set up with doggie wheelchairs and all of that. The dog has no intrinsic “value of life,” and it simply makes a lot more sense to put it down and adopt a healthy dog. It’s misguided altruism, confusing the value of canine life with the value of human life.

    Same with people who adopt more animals than they can reasonably care for, just because “every dog deserves a home.” If you want a dog, fine, get a dog. But to get a dog for the dog’s sake is mis-valuing creatures.

    I do think it’s a bit different if a beloved pet needs care, and you can afford to provide it and wish to do so. Say a pet needs $5,000 in surgery, and this is a pet that has been a friend to you and your children. It would be a foolish use of resources for someone who simply cannot afford the surgery (say a father who is making minimum wage and struggling to stay out of debt), and I personally wouldn’t be inclined to spend that much even without going into debt–but if you can afford it without debt and without taking away from other responsibilities, and you desire to do so, sure.

    It’s the idea that somehow “taking care of homeless pets” is a virtue akin to taking care of needy human beings that I find troublesome. I don’t think we can say that feeding a pet is a waste of money and that the money we’d spend feeding a pet should be spent on poor people in Africa or we’re in sin . . . but neither can we say that caring for an animal instead of letting it be put to sleep is somehow a moral virtue.

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  10. Good Morning…another day of spring around here…then we head back to winter. Kare’s weather must be moving on down to give us a visit…we’re just the lucky ones around here!! 😦
    That sure looks like a columbine to me…I have several varieties but not that one…it is so beautiful! My peonies are emerging and I did spy some wildflowers out by the road….the deer were eating them this morning 😦

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  11. Kim, Misten periodically goes through a stage where she decides the backyard is her property and she doesn’t need to obey me back there. What works for us (for a time at least) is for me to go ahead and invade her space and make her obey. Of course, Misten is generally an obedient dog, so her conscience kicks in after a while. 🙂

    In Nashville, sometimes “making her obey” had to start with cornering her in the yard, getting her to a place where she couldn’t go around me. Basically she was disobeying me for a while, racing around and thinking it was fun, until she got to a place where I had her trapped and she had to pay attention. At that point I’d tell her to sit, and stay, and then lie down. Then I’d back away and tell her OK and then tell her to come. Again I’d make her sit and lie down. I’d do it several times, and once or twice in there (if she resisted me), I’d even make her lie on her side (an extra submissive posture . . . and in this context, making her lie on her side after she’d been disobedient, I could tell she “got it” that it was discipline). After several repetitions, I’d re-established that I was in charge, even in the backyard, and I’d call her to come to me and pet her really well and praise her.

    Now, with a really big backyard, I can’t trap her anymore, but fortunately she is also older now and she knows the drill. But I do have to go out there, and really “engage” her, and let her know she isn’t getting away with this nonsense. One thing that helps is dog psychology–be aware that when you are “chasing” the dog, she sees herself as the leader and you as the follower. But when you walk away from the dog, she has the opportunity to see you as the leader, and to choose to follow you. Give her that opportunity. How I use that: now that I cannot “trap” her in a smaller part of the yard, I walk out and I know she is going to race around and bark at me, and use much of her energy that way. She isn’t yet in a frame of mind to obey or to follow. I try to pretty much ignore her at that point (I’m not allowing her to “lead”). After a while, when she has used up a lot of her energy and she sees that I am not out there in her territory to be her follower, I then turn and walk away from her. That sets me up as a potential leader that she might follow. I then turn and call her, inviting her to follow me. If she comes, I tell her good dog, and when she gets to me I tell her to sit, I pet her a couple seconds, then I tell her to lie down and I walk away and repeat. If she doesn’t come the first time I call her, I turn my back on her again, ignore her for a minute or two, and then walk away from her again, in a different direction. A couple of tries generally does it. Again, until she comes under my authority, she may be running around and barking, out of control a bit, but the idea is to get her under control eventually.

    She does not have reliable off-leash recall if she gets out of the yard, though in the dog park with an acre or more of land and multiple dogs, I did this exercise a couple of times on each visit, and I had one of the best “recalls” in the dog park. At the end, when it was time to go, I would call her and she would come, I’d pet her and then walk to the gate with her walking behind me, I’d leash her up and we would go. Few owners had that smooth an exit. Of course, I also have a collie, and they’re more known for obedience. If she escapes from the yard, I do not chase her. I may go in the direction she has gone, but I will not go all the way to her–that only encourages her to run. But I go toward her a bit, until I get to a spot where I can make good eye contact with her. If she looks like she is debating whether to come, I call her in a friendly manner. She usually doesn’t come, but I try. If she looks hesitant, I tell her to sit. Occasionally that works; usually it doesn’t. But if she sits, she has put herself under my authority willingly, so I tell her good dog, tell her to lie down and stay, and then I go to her and pet her and leash her. (And take her for a short walk so she isn’t being “punished” for obeying by losing her freedom!) If she isn’t ready to come home, then I return home myself and open the back gate so that she can come through it when she’s ready to come home, which will be sometime in the neighborhood of 10-20 minutes, never more than that and sometimes less. She has seen me, she has been reminded I exist, and when I walk away she misses me and it ruins the fun of being out in the wide world alone. It wouldn’t work for all dogs, but it works for her.

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  14. Voting — Dennis Prager said the other day that sometimes we miss electing the good by always holding out for the perfect. I’m one of those voters who feels that inching the country along in the right direction (if that’s only good the candidate who can win) is better than just folding your arms and refusing to vote for someone because he won’t move it along a mile. They sit the election out or vote for a 3rd party (who will become no more than a historical footnote, an “also-ran”) candidate.

    But that’s me, I know a lot of folks disagree with that here.

    I will say if we have another 4 years under Clinton or another left-leaning president following Obama that the country may be irretrievably lost for a very long time. 😦

    I think the animal rights groups are way off base. But I know people also who are just tender hearted toward animals and see it as their mission to care for them (I don’t put myself in that category, btw, although I do obviously have a soft spot for animals).

    And speaking of which, I’m off to the vet with the dogs.

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  15. As believers, I think we need to see ourselves as living in exile — which really has been the norm for us throughout history anyway. How do we live and proclaim Christ in what is an increasingly hostile land? Scripture is full of examples, of course.

    (We may always have been in a hostile land, of course, but the hostility was perhaps more benign (certainly more polite) than it is now — or than it will be, I’m afraid, in the future.)

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  16. Popping in with a brief hello 🙂 since coming here today with an update on my father-in-law (over on the prayer thread).

    And while here, I thought I’d check out the Ernst piece. Loved it! Wow — excellent violinist, handling such a technically challenging piece with such mastery, beauty and excitement! This is going to be a must-watch for my kids (ok, children, Mumsee). They get a good music education with lots of variety watching the classical music videos you post here, AJ. Thank you!

    Have a great day, everyone. I got 10 hours of sleep last night, so I’m ready and raring to go with my day. 😉

    Blessings.

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  17. Cheryl, great advice! We also make our dog sit while we open the door and if he’s being particularly bossy about the yard, we will make him sit until we go out first and then call him out. (In theory, going out first establishes ownership of the yard.) Then we come back inside and let him play. Add that to what Cheryl said and it should help greatly! We had also purchased a hunting training collar for him and did have to zap him once or twice (on the lowest level) to get his attention, but the beep, beep, seems to be just enough for him to obey. We beep him and he drops his head and comes. We only use the collar when it would be dangerous for him to be out without it or as a reminder now and then. Most of the time he just comes when called.

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  18. I’ll have to keep my eyes/ears open for someone around here who has columbines. I miss the ones I had to leave behind a few years ago.

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  19. Chas has a big job on his hands. I told you about losing thee big bushes on the east side of my house. I have to replace them with something. That means I have to remove them and the roots. The roots don’t want to let go. This may be a summer long job.

    Chas just ain’t the man he used to be. I’ve said that a hundred times, but each realization of that is a separate trauma. A smart guy would hire that job out except for dumb pride. Someday, but not yet. You ladies don’t understand. Most of the guys do.
    I had five butterfly bushes scattered around the property. One survived. The poison ivy is thriving though.

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  20. If I said it once, I said it a hundred times, adopt a child. I have this seventeen year old that can dig a hole. She digs up trees, she plants trees, she digs ditches, she digs ponds, she digs fence posts. Point her in the direction you want and count it done.

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  21. Mumsee, I admire those who can/will do that. The owner of the local Chick-fil-a franchise has about three from different places. And the owner of Bryan Easler Ford has several handicapped. But not for us. We were fortunate to get Chuck out successfully.

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  22. Nope, it is most definitely not for everybody. If we were all an ear, how would we see? I am glad nobody asked me to map the moon or teach Sunday school (well, I have done that but not for anybody over about six), but I am absolutely delighted that God has used others to do those things.

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  23. Back from the vet where I always get reminded of how good looking my dogs are 🙂 — everyone makes over them there. We’ll need to go back in for dental cleanings but that wasn’t a surprise, it’s been a few years since we had that done.

    Tomorrow I drop the Jeep off for regular service (hoping I don’t need brakes, but I may — and I’ll probably be looking at new tires here pretty soon). 😦 😦

    It’s deferred maintenance week.

    Next up just HAS to be the house. Now it looks like 2 cyclones have roared through it.

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  25. Donna, those two cyclones hit over here in the east, too! 🙂 Many years ago our home was cluttered with baby equipment and now it is cat equipment. Three beds, a carrier, a scratching board and various toys to trip over along with feeding bowl and water bowl, bags of cat food, medicine ( flea preventative…and, oh, yes, that litter box, big bag of litter, pooper scooper, hairbrush, and nail trimmers. What I want to know is how did I fall into this pit? All because I picked up a pitiful creature from my porch a few days before Christmas. Woe! (I was typing Wow! but Woe got typed instead. It was a God thing, no doubt).

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  27. Time to get back to planning the program. I took a break and went out to do about ten errands in the neighborhood. I think we live in one of the most convenient places on earth. Went to post office drop box, Ga.Power to pay bill, Ross to shop, Chase to pay bill, Kroger to pick up coffee, popcorn, bread and pickled beets (need jars for Mothers’ Day project), drive-thru lunch at Steak and shake, and finally went to the library to use the computer and buy a used book to give to a co-worker. I could do all this by going about a mile one direction and then two miles in another direction.

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  29. You are right, Linda! 😉

    I just have to get out sometimez for a break. Since I have little money for doing anything other than paying bills and grocery shopping I may as well turn it into a sight-seeing adventure. 🙂

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  30. I know what you mean, Janice. We only have one small store, but it is an adventure to go there once a week. Perhaps there will be something new? Yesterday I found canned mango, which is great since my favorite recipe is mango chicken over rice.
    Tomorrow, Thursday, is our annual kinder field trip to the store and the post office. We mail letters of thanks to departments and then get to go in the back and put them in the boxes.
    At the store we will get a complete tour including going into the walk in freezer. Some of these kids have never been that cold. And, of course, we have to buy ice cream cones. Must remember to leave lots of time for eating the cones!

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  32. Well, who needs a gym membership? I spent the day hauling and stacking firewood with my husband to give us a head start on next winter’s needs. I am going to be sore tomorrow (and the next day, and the next…)

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  34. Good for you Kare! Isn’t that fun to see the wood piling up, knowing how toasty warm next winter will be? I have a couple of cords I am splitting. I know, I have children who could do it but I told them to leave it for me so I could have something to do. It gives me a little exercise and it is fun and should last me all summer….

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  35. Wow! I got to be anonymous! I could say anything because you don’t know who I am. Such freedom. And nothing to say….

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  38. What a nice group of people post on here whether or not they choose to remain anon.

    We don’t have a fireplace so I don’t get involved with moving and stacking wood. I certainly could use the exercise though.

    This house is almost too warm to sleep in tonight. I like to use fans during this season but have not wanted to go there just yet because of Bosley.

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  39. I add green peppers to this mango chicken, but it is so good that I can eat it for a week. We usually have fresh mangoes, but this is the wrong season. I’ll see if this posts:
    Ingredients
    3 Whole Chicken Breasts
    5cm piece of Ginger, sliced into paper-thin pieces
    425g can Sliced Mangoes
    8 Shallots, sliced diagonally into 1cm pieces
    3/4 cup Water
    2 tbsp Dry Sherry
    1 tbsp Soy Sauce
    1 tsp Sesame Oil
    2 tbsp White Vinegar
    2 tsp Sugar
    2 Chicken Stock Cubes
    2 tsp Cornflour
    2 tbsp Oil, extra
    Directions
    1. Remove skin from chicken breasts and cut into 1cm pieces. Cook in oil and then remove from
    pan.
    2. Cut mangoes into 1cm strips.
    3. Combine water, sherry, soy sauce, sesame oil, vinegar, sugar, crumbed stock cubes and
    cornflour.
    4. Heat extra oil in frying pan and add ginger. Fry gently for 2 minutes.
    5. Add combined soy mixture and stir until boiling.
    6. Reduce heat and simmer for 3 minutes.
    7. Add chicken, mangoes and shallots.
    8. Toss for 3 minutes and serve immediately with rice.

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  41. And I know what Kare means. In the summertime I don’t need to go to the Y.
    But if I didn’t go, neither would Elvera and she needs it. She gets very little exercise.

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  43. Thanks, Jo. I don’t have all those ingredients, but with fresh mangoes on hand I just may try it and do some substitutions. Our younger daughter would be impressed, whatever others might think of it. 🙂

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