LETS TALK TURKEY!!

I went out and did a little shopping.  I got my milk: I am a milk baby.  I also got a few other things and spent about $5.00 in the Ruler store and then went on to Sureway.  There I spent a little more.  I was going to buy a whole Turkey and roast it along with Cornish Hens.  Instead I bought a Turkey Breast.  It is more economical in the long run as there are no bones or waste.  I can roast it, slice it and freeze it for later.  I think that after church tomorrow I will stop and get a pie.  I am not very good at making deserts, esp. pie crust. 

There isn't any mass on Thursday unless you(I) want to get up around 5:30 A. M. and go to church in the dark.  I am not a morning person.  I spent many years on the eve. shift, often working until after midnight and going to bed even later.  My inner clock doesn't want to re-set.  I won't be getting up at 5: 30, in the early hours of the morning.  That is probably just about when Peter heard the cock crow thrice and you know how that worked out!  Me too.  If I hear the cock sound off at that hour I will probably pull all his tail feathers out and deny that I ever heard him crack open the dawn.  In reality...no joking...I can get up at 5:00 or 5:30-at the point of a gun.  Just don't get too trigger happy with me.

When I was at the Ruler Store I noticed that potatoes were still on sale for $.99 cents for 10 lbs. and that eggs are still $.39 cents a doz.  I continue to get my milk there for $.99 cents a gal.  I may go back and get more stuff to take to the church pantry after Thanksgiving and hope that other items may be on sale.  Meat or meat products are expensive anywhere you go or shop.  The Salvation Army was giving out processed venison the other day.  Gee, I wish I had just a little bit of good deer meat, too. 

I count my blessing, for which I have many.  I am not always able to vocalize what I think or feel, but I know that I have much more than many.  I know that many of my "peers" may think of me as poor, but I am not, for I have everything I need.  I wish that all people were as "rich" as I am.  My mother used to say that you can be poor in body, but you don't have to be poor in spirit.  She also said that as long as there was thread and needles in the house there was no excuse to go around with missing buttons or hems hanging out.  Did your mother say things like that, too?

I wish to add this:  It may seem as if I love to go shopping or spend money, but I don't enjoy it at all.  I don't enjoy the crowds, the pushing ahead in line, often times there is rudeness, esp. now in this hyped up commercial season.  I shop as I need to.  Don't like to be in the crush or rush of the season.  We have forgotten what it is all about.

+++

 

FOR WHERE

YOUR TREASURE IS,

THERE WILL BE

YOUR HEART,

ALSO. 

 

Matt.6: 21

***

 

Sometimes I use the New American Bible, but most of the time I use my "old" Catholic Bible which was printed in 1957.  I prefer my old Bible as I am familiar with it.  Use what you have as the interpretation are very close.  The numbering of the verses do differ, but are almost always in the same chapter.  I doesn't matter which Bible you have access to, as long as the message is clear and universal. 

 

END





Feeling Froggy

"IF YOU ARE GOING

TO AMERICA

BRING YOUR

OWN FOOD."

from

Fran Lebowitz



OK, I had to block incoming comments because of the spam for illegal drugs that were coming from Mexico.  Then they had the nerve to complain that one of the past blogs didn't have the capacity to take their spam.  When I say spam, I do mean spam; over 1,000 that attached to my older post.  Where is the FBI, the CIA, and the POPE when you need them.  It took a lot of my time to delete all that crud.

On Saturday I started a "big" job of removing all the contents of my pantry, cleaning it and trying to sort all the canned goods out by category.  You know; beans go here, corn goes here, relish over there.  I didn''t know I had so much in the pantry.  I am not done yet because I didn't work at it on Sunday.  I put a few things away this afternoon, but I am not a ball of fire.  I need to kick myself into gear and get it finished.

This evening I cooked up a plate full of frog legs and ate all of them.  It isn't hard to consume a plate full of frog legs because they are small.  It used to be that frog legs were a bit bigger, but like everything else those poor little froggies have been downsized.  I guess if you want nice sized frog legs you have to go out and gig them yourself.  I am not about to do that.  Now they are out of the freezer and into my tummy.  P.S.  When breaded, seasoned and deep fried they taste like chicken.  Tiny Weenie Chicken legs!

I finally pulled the Cornish Hens out of the freezer today.  I should have done that a couple days ago.  Also, I found some Aparigus in the pantry and mushrooms and a bunch of stuff that I will cook up on Wednesday and Thursday.  I forgot I had them and now I won't have to buy any.

Other than that...what else is new?  Nothing.  There are a few things that I need to do tomorrow; I hope my ambition kicks in because I have been lazy most of the day.  Lend me some, if you will.

THERE IS NOTHING BETTER

FOR MAN TO EAT AND DRINK

AND PROVIDE HIMSELF

WITH GOOD THINGS

BY HIS LABORS.

EVEN THIS, I REALIZED,

IS FROM THE HAND

OF GOD.

 

Ecc. 2: 24

 

Over 49-almost 50 % of Americans are now on food stamps.  That is just about half the people of this nation.  Most would would rather be earning their bread by the sweat of their brows.  Many are working two to three part time jobs to put food on their tables.  Part time jobs are of low pay and few benefits.  What has happened to America?  Why are we now a service nation instead of a producing nation?  I don't know the answers, but I will share where I can.  Will you do so, also?

 

END

 P.S.  As i write this I noticed that there is a headline about food stamp scandels that has jus popped up.  I have not read it yet.

 





The days fly by...I don't!

I took the day off from rhyme and reason.  I have no reason and I can't rhyme...or sing for that matter.  Actually I needed to get a few things done this afternoon so I was not out running around after mass.  No one is going to lift that bale or tote that barge for me.  I need a maid.  Only I am afraid the maid would quit so I have to do what needs to be done myself.  Well, it isn't that hard nor is there all that much to be done.  I just have to talk myself into it.

I have caught up with the laundry and washed the dishes.  I will get stuff out of the freezer tomorrow so that it can thaw out.  I didn't get Turkey.  I have Cornish Hens for Thanksgiving.  It will take some time to thaw them out.  Anyway, I have a mental list of things that I want to get done tomorrow, on Saturday.  Will I get everything done?  We will see.  More things are undone than get done!

+++

 

IF WE WALK IN

THE LIGHT,

AS HE IS

IN THE LIGHT,

WE HAVE

FELLOWSHIP

ONE WITH

ANOTHER,

AND THE BLOOD

OF JESUS CHRIST,

HIS SON

CLEANS US

FROM ALL EVIL.

 

1 John 1: 7

 

***

"I can resist everything

except temptation."

 

by

Oscar Wilde

No post on Saturday.

 

END

 

 



HEAD BUTTING

Well, I got another big box or bread and one of the employees at the complex happily carried the bread in for me.  I may not be able to get any more.  The Salvation Army told me that I had more bread than they did and that they were out of bread.  I promised that if I were to get more I would bring it to them.  People start lining up there around 11:30 for a hot meal.  Remember the poor in your prayers.  Despite what the politicos are saying: Stuff isn't getting better and I expect it to get worse.

There are the disenfranchised that fall between the cracks.  They are the alcoholics, the drug users, the mentally and physically challenged.  No one wants to fool with them for the most part.  The Salvation Army does have a "soup kitchen," but not all that are in need can get there.  It is a pretty good walk for the elderly poor and some do not know there is hot food once a day for them.  So a lot of the residents go just around the corner to what I call the "Twinkies Store" to get snacks and soon their money is gone. Count your many blessings if you have food on your table.

So...this is what I have been doing today after church: running about to different agencies trying to get some help for the very poor among us.  No one wants to stick their Christianity out on the very front lines, citing government rules and regulations, lack of funds and lack of volunteers.  While all of this is true they tell me that I can do it from my house.  I don't have funds or the room either and I can't do it alone.  As they say in the army...T.S.  No, I won't tell you what T.S. means.  Ask your own brothers!

I just didn't accomplish much today.  Not at home or for the indigent.  I gave it the old school try and I am not finished yet.  I have been told that I am hard headed and I will try again.  I hope that my prayers and yours will lead for success of some kind or another.

+++

 

"THE WISH TO PRAY

IS PRAYER IN ITSELF"

 

by George Bananos

 

****

 

FOR HE SHALL

GIVE HIS ANGELS

CHARGE OVER

YOU,

TO KEEP YOU

IN ALL YOUR

WAYS.

THEY SHALL

BEAR YOU UP

IN THEIR HANDS,

LEST YOU

DASH YOUR

FOOT

AGAINST

A STONE.

 

Psalm 91: 11-12

 

I feel as if I have stumbled and stubbed my foot on a few stones today: as if I have hit my head on a brick wall.  It is hard to do unto others as you would have done onto yourself.  I guess if you keep hitting the wall, the wall may give way, sooner or later.  In the meantime, my head hurts in a figurative manner.  I'll keep on with the head-butting in a low key sort of way. Prayers are always answered in one way or another.

 

END

 



Busy Day....

I have been busy today.  After mass I dropped off the bags of potatoes at the pantry and in return they gave me a big box of bread.  I took the bread to the low income apts. which is right around the corner from me.  I had no trouble getting rid of the bread.  It is the middle of the month and for a lot of them, their money is gone.  I hope I can come up with more food stuffs in the future.

Now I am cold and I just turned the heat up.  Soon I will crawl into bed and get even warmer.  I think that the weather man said we had some snow flurries in the night.  I didn't see any.

I finished one book and am about to start another.  I didn't finish the poem that I started, but I will...sometime.  Either some days are too short or I am just too slow...maybe both.

There were several things that I wanted to get done today.  I just didn't.  I wanted to go and get a Turkey at .58 cents a pound.  I didn't do that either.  I wanted to go and get my plates renewed for the van...I didn't.  I think I will have to change my name to"DIDN'T."

As I watch the stock market I have a feeling that the economy is about to get worse.  A bread Co...so well know here...is about to go under.  If you don't have food put ahead, try to stock up as much as possible.  I always have candles, canned goods, and water on hand in case of storms.  While the east coast has been hit by Sicko Sandy, I live in tornado prone country.  You do not get much warning if a tornado is tearing through the countryside.  Whereas with Sicko Sandy, a lot of people had time to prepare to some degree, they didn't, some couldn't, others wouldn't.  You should.  Everyone should. 

Take heed.  If it isn't the Crazy Lady roaring up the east coast, or the Ice Queen blowing her frigged breath down from the north, it may be the Tornado Tiger clawing through the mid-west, or even God of Thunder and Rain dumping down upon one and all.  No one...anywhere...is disaster-proof.

WHEN GOD

IN THE BEGINNING

CREATED MAN;

HE MADE HIM

SUBJECT

TO HIS OWN

FREE CHOICE.

IF YOU CHOOSE

YOU CAN KEEP

THE COMMANDMENTS;

IT IS LOYALTY

TO DO

HIS WILL.

 

Sirach 15: 14-15

 

If we didn't have free will we wouldn't make so many mistakes, would we?  We are not bound by the Word of God, but we are bound by His love and forgiveness.

 

END



STAR LIGHT-STAR DUST

Well, I guess "winter" is more or less officially here, like it or not.  Not.  I don't want to get up on cold mornings.  I want to stay all warm and cozy in my bed.

I have a message to the person(s) who has sent me all the spam for  the sale of drugs without a prescription.  Stop already.  I really don't want to hear from you and you probably don't want to hear from the proper authorities.  Quite while your ahead.

Tomorrow after mass I will take all the potatoes to the pantry for distribution.  They are really nice potatoes.  I have some other items to take in, but need to sort through them.

Again, there isn't much to post about so this will be short.  I may start re prizing some of my older posts or snippets from them.  You know, when it gets cold my brain freezes over and becomes ice crystals.  Well, sort of.



+++

IT IS SAID,

AND I DO

BELIEVE;

THAT

GOODNESS

AND MERCY

ENVELOPES ME.

 

WHEN EVENING

STARS

BRIGHTER

THAN LIGHT

REMOVES

ALL DARKNESS

AND MY SOUL

TAKES FLIGHT;

I KNOW HE

HEARS ME;

MY HUMBLE

PRAYERS,

AND GATHERS

ME UP

AND CARRIES

ME THERE. 

 

OK, this a short poem I am working on.  Maybe I will finish it tomorrow...maybe not.

 

END

 

 

 

 

 

THE WORRY STONE

"Baby it's cold outside."  We have had our first real frost for the season here, and a hard frost is coming tonight.  I have been out picking off as many green tomatoes as I can to bring inside to ripen, even the small ones.  The frost ate all around the edges of my plants even 'though they are in a protected area.  I know Old Man Jack Frost will be out and about tonight, roving and and nipping and biting at anything that has defied him so far.  Well, there is a season for everything, isn't there?

Back in the late 60's and into the 70's the WORRY STONE was a popular hippie item and I have one to this very day(even 'though I was never a hippie).  The object of the worry stone is that you rub it with your fingers and rub your worries, tensions and anxieties away.  In a sense it really does help, but is not the answer to alleviate the underlying cause of any internal conflicts that may be the core of all distress. 
 

Life, from birth to death, is the total sum of what we are and what we become.  How we respond to all the little and big stumbling stones is  our epic story-journey on the road of passage from "here to there."  Everyone has an epic story and you do to, and everyone could use a "worry stone."

My "worry stone(s)" are the rosary and I have mentioned this before.  The recitation of this simple prayer gives me peace and I  do love the rosary. I am going to re-print some of a post that I wrote some time ago.  I had meant to do so back in October, in the Month of Mary, but never got around to it.  I hope no one minds that it is "old" and that I am "slow."

+++

 

THE ROSARY

 

I love the rosary.

I love praying the rosary.

It is not a requirement.

It is not an obligation.

It is not a sacrament.

I am compelled

by the Spirit

to pray the rosary.

It is a meditation.

Therefor, to me,

it is an inner sacrament.

No man, priest, bishop

or even the Pope, 

can bestow this

inner grace upon me.

It is a gift of grace

that is given to me,

a seed planted,

to be nourished,

and ever growing.

It gives me peace.

 

 



Not everyone prays the rosary.  Not all Catholics pray the rosary.  Not everyone is familiar with the rosary, but more and more non-catholics are learning to pray the rosary.  It is a powerful prayer.  It is a kind of "worry stone" for those that do pray it.  Unlike the hippie worry stones, it can give you real peace from all the troubles of the day.  And the Blessed Mother is pleased that we give her honor as we ask her to pray for us.  As we ask our earthly mothers to pray for us, so shall she, the BVM=the Blessed Virgin Mother.

 



END