I came in via the frontpage today to see what others are posting about.  I saw several posts that were intriguing so I attempted to go read them but each time was met with a blank white page.  No "sorry can't open that" page or plain text maintenance looking page, just stark white.

I did manage to get one blog to load up for me and it had a link to a free ebook for frugal, quick meals.  I wanted to leave a comment regarding the ebook, as I downloaded it and looked it over.  I wasn't able to leave the comment; kept trying to submit it but it just wouldn't go.

Is anyone else having difficulties?

I remember posting a day or two before Christmas and having a hard time figuring out how to get to all of the account areas but I had not noticed how different things were here at HSB.  I notice today that all of my feeds on the right side column are defunct or just gone in the case of the weekly menu.  Not that the weekly menu was serving me of late, lol, because I haven't had much time to check in here.  But still... I need to investigate where the heck did my code go?!  I certainly haven't been editing my template since I haven't been in so... does it have to do with the HSB changes?  Odd.  Just as odd, I am now noticing that my site meter is also gone.  What gives?!

I did check for the codes within the template and guess what, they are there!  So why aren't they showing up... the daily verse, the daily quote, this day in history, and the weekly menu should all be showing in the right side column.  Anyone else notice any similar disappearances... any suggestions?

Oh grief, just noticed also that my right top corner banner "I stand with Israel" is also gone!  hmph

edited to say:  Never mind!  I found in the archives of the main page that there was an "upgrade" and javascript use has been eliminated here.  That solves that.  I don't find this account navigation to be the easiest, that combined with my java doodles gone, this, for me was not a good upgrade.  More like a downgrade.  Who am I to complain, I don't pay to be here.

Let me start with the baseball and get it out of my head.  I love baseball.  Youth ball, local ball, regional ball, farm league ball, minor league ball, major league ball.  I love baseball.  October means baseball, baby!  I follow a few major league clubs with great interest during regular season.  Sometimes we're fortunate enough to see them play in person.  Early on in the Spring training season I had a hunch this year was going to be a terrific year for the Mets.  I was not disappointed.  They dominated.  I was excited and hopeful they'd make it to post season.  I was shattered when they lost to the Cards in the final game, in the 9th inning of the NLCS.  So shattered that this baseball lover is not watching the WS.  I can't muster two hoots for either the Cards or the Tigers.  In truth, I was hoping for a Subway Series but the Yankees fell apart earlier on.  Ah well, I'll be over it in a minute and besides... there's always next year!

Other October stuff:  fishing, school, fishing, fishing, school, karate, fishing, a grand jury summons, fishing, school, fishing, and, uh, fishing.  Did I mention fishing?  My dear son has perfected his casting with a new rod and reel, learned the fine art of grabbing his catch and removing the hook himself, catching his own bait, etc.  He's like a madman about fishing.  His father has had some vacation time this month (use it or lose it) so when they weren't sleeping or eating they were fishing.  I'd tag along because it always turned into late night before the excursions were over.  Out at the bay I could stargaze and hopefully catch Comet Swan (which I so far haven't).  On some of these vacation days my husband had a bike rally on SPI he took part in so what did my son and I do while he was gone?  Fishing, of course.  Of course.  We've eaten a bit of fish this October. 

Father and son are now enjoying Tae Kwan do together.  Son is a belt (almost two belts) ahead of father.  Son takes a wee bit of pleasure in this fact.  It's good for them.  It's very good for them.  Both of them are soon to "belt up" - son to orange and father to yellow.  I'm fairly certain son will be orange before father is yellow.  They are also working hard at demo team drills... bo staff, nunchakas, board breaking (a feat all boys and men seem to relish accomplishing), and forms.  I smell a tournament coming up.  Speaking of tournaments...  My husband also has a final shooting tournament coming up.  Being in LE he takes his ability to shoot quite seriously, and well he should.  All LEOs should.  He came out of his academy over a decade ago as a "distinguished expert" marksman, with awards and accolades.  He rather impressed us all.  I'm proud of him.  He's attained a great deal in his career regarding these extra efforts kinds of things.  Being a firearms instructor is only one of them but I think it's the one he's most proud of himself.  Next month I expect to add a silver buckle to the 30 or so plaques and trophies lining the shelves.  I am proud of him but he needs a cabinet to display these things... the dusting is tiresome.  Meantime, our son is excited to add some tae kwan do trophies to sit beside his baseball trophies and plaques.  I hope he gets some, too!  You know, I've never gotten a trophy or plaque for a thing in my life but it sure seems to make them happy.. maybe I've missed out on something!

I'll tell you something I haven't missed out on though.  Summons'.  Jury summons'.  I've been requested to appear more times than I can really remember.  Many of those times I was either no longer in that state or happened to be out of the state on an extended trip so there was no way I could appear as requested.  (They loved it when I said "I can't be there.  I won't be home for a few months."  I don't think they believed me but it was true.)  When my son was still in diapers and shortly after we had moved from one state to another, and practically immediately after having the old state request my presence, the new state requested to see me too.  Diaper-clad baby in arms I presented myself.  They didn't need me that badly.  Skip to a few Sunday nights ago, 9 p.m., there's a knock at the door.  Who would be at the door at this hour, it's already dark, and it's a Sunday night?!  Why the local sherrif's deputy... serving me a summons for grand jury service.  How uniquely interesting... on a Sunday night.  Sigh, at least this time it was more interesting... it was for grand jury duty.  When the day came to present myself - what's a homeschool mom to do - I pack my homeschooler in the truck and downtown we go for a learning adventure!  (At least this time he was not in a diaper!)  I give him a dollar for a soda while he waits in the hall and I seat myself with about 50 or so other people.

They were all clamoring and happy to be there for the most part.  Guess this is the big difference between regular and grand in jury service! LOL  (The daily pay is also higher, lol.)  The judge enters and is very friendly, humorous at times even.  He explains the whats, whys and wherefores and gets to the weeding out process.  One man is excused because he spoke no english, one woman is excused because her cousin is also present in the potentials and relatives may not serve on the same jury - he agrees to stay and she gladly goes.  Eventually, the judge says something that I was not prepared for at all.  He said, "Is there anyone here that has children (these children must be your own, you may not borrow your neighbor's children for this... he really was friendly and funny) and you feel you should be at home with them instead of being here?"  Knowing that if selected you're called to convene regularly for a period of 6 months and having children is an equation that could lead to some hecticness... but I wasn't prepared for the judge to say what he said how he said it.  It was in his tone... the part about being at home with your children instead of being there.  I looked around quickly to see if others raised their hands... plenty of mom/dad age folks... no one had their hands up.  I felt convicted to raise my hand.  I almost felt I had to, if only to defend the position that at least one parent should be at home with their children instead of being anywhere else.  Before I fully realized what I had done, it was done.  The judge called me up to him and asked for my paperwork, asked if I had children at home - to which I said yes.  He looked at my paper quickly and probably spotted that in the "occupation" area I had written:  "mother, homeschool teacher, homemaker".  He looked up at me, looked me in the eye, smiled and said "thank you for your time, you are excused"... I said "thank you" and left the room. 

Upon meeting my son in the hall it dawned on me I had been complimented.  All mothers in that room had been, really, but I think only I took the compliment.  That judge appreciated the fact that a parent should be home raising and nurturing their children... so hopefully they never have to stand before him being tried for a crime.  

Grand Jury duty sounded awfully intriguing... way better than pronouncing someone guilty or innocent... I honestly do not feel it's my place to do that - not even in the capacity of a citizen serving the community.  But Grand Jury duty is different - you basically convene to decide if there is enough evidence to bring a potential case to trial.  Having worked for a time in a law firm and having a federal agent in the house... legal stuff is interesting to me.  Maybe when my son is older and I have more free time on my hands but right now my time is quite taken with nurturing my son, seeing to his education, baseball, fishing, tae kwan do and taking care of my own LE guy.

Oh, and school-wise... heavenly... just heavenly.  I'm blessed!

I imagine I was not the only person outside Australia who "attended" Steve Irwin's public memorial.  It was the perfect memorial.  It left every listener with a very well-rounded knowledge of the full life of a very good man.  From his childhood to young adulthood to his final days.  The dash representing the years between his birth and death were very full, productive, and honorable.  And worthy of much talk and memories.

The planet and the people who inhabit it are worse off not having such a man around any longer, in my opinion.  He left a large impression and even larger shoes to fill.  As his young daughter spoke and, in a sense, took up his torch she was not only honoring her father but inviting us all to help fill those shoes.  To carry on his work, his passion, his good-naturedness, his love of family & friends, his thrill for just being alive is definitely something that should be done.

I'll really miss his presence on this earth.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/20/AR2006092000299.html

The forecast indicates lower temperatures and rain!  Heavenly rain!  We should be in the low 90s through all of next week (yes, for us that's lower, lol).  And chances for bonafide rain are fairly good.  Not just humidity looming but actual precipitation... again I sigh.  :-)

Gives me hope that we'll get an actual Autumn season this year.

Remember your mother telling you to eat your ______ (fill in with any icky food you, as a child, would not touch unless forced) because starving people all over the world would be happy to have that?  Well, according to a professor speaking at the 10th International Congress on Obesity in Sydney, Austrailia there are now more obese people than there are undernourished so it's likely that your broccoli or lima beans would not be appreciated by as many people as your mom once thought.

Ian Caterson, the before-mentioned professor, also stated:  "we are seeing the double burden of the extremes of malnutrition, undernutrition and overnutrition, in many developing countries."  He adds, "We know this is not about gluttony, it is the interaction of heredity and environment. We know that small changes can make a big difference in people's weight and health." http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7004739730

It makes sense to me that we are seeing more malnutrition and undernutrition... and even overnutrition.  Particularly in my country - the US - I believe the undernutrition is often masked, at least to the actual person or their family, by being overweight.  The thinking that, well, they're not starving and probably could stand to lose a few pounds even, keeping them from seeing that they're not getting proper nutrition.  I imagine Professor Caterson was referring to developing countries with regard to saying "this is not about gluttony".  I hope that's what he meant because if he states this and means it for western countries then he'd be giving millions of people a big ol' crutch.  Here in the US it is most often all about gluttony!

There are lots of factors that add on the pounds - stress being the biggest non-ingestable factor, but the fact is Americans overeat at practically every meal.  We're buffet lovers, we never measure a thing, we don't think twice about second helpings, etc.  LOL, my husband would never go for the 3 oz. of meat or roughly the size of a deck of cards idea - he'd say I was trying to starve him!!  Oh, and then we've got the undernutrition thing with all the empty calories we consume.  Consider how often the chips and snack aisles in a store must be stocked and groomed compared to say the canned vegetable aisle.  I would have said the produce section since that's obviously healthier but fresh produce goes bad fast and must be tended very frequently.  You'd be amazed at how much produce goes to waste and is thrown out rather than purchased, though, for all that tending.  Then there's overnutrition... not burning the fuel we consume.  We're getting to a point that if we can't do it sitting down we just don't bother doing it!

Other articles on the topic bring up some important things to think about:  burdening health care systems, children never having a real chance at truly good health, "mcmansion" development interferring with healthy living, etc.

http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&tab=wn&ie=UTF-8&q=obesity

When you stop to seriously think about it - it didn't take very long at all to get to this point.  Just the advent of the internet and a computer in every home contributed greatly to the extra baggage on most mom's rears... think about it!  Just the advent of nintendo (and all the game machines that followed) contributed greatly to the sedintary habits many children will happily develop if allowed.  Sure, lots of us sat in front of TV too much and the phrase couch-potato caught on... but what are we becoming now?!  I keep thinking of those gi-normous pumpkins people try to grow every year.

It's a scary thought.  But is it scary enough to make me never fix a meal with anything processed or packaged again; is it scary enough to make me get on that eliptical trainer more often?  It should be but it really hits home when I think about with my son in mind.  I don't want him to have to deal with losing his parent/s yet! And I don't want to injure his health either!  I've got an extra 20 lbs. that have to get gone!  And my husband is trying to drop about the same amount.  This has got to be a priority.  I don't want us to be within those statistics.

I happened upon the Musing of the Dings blog from the front page of HSB hoping to see a picture of a sweet new baby.  I did, and she's scrumptious.  :-) 

I was enjoying the fresh feel of the blog and the wisdom shared so I kept reading and discovered that not only does Mrs. Ding blog there but Mr. Ding does as well!  I really like it that they journal together! 

In my browsing I came upon "Let's Give Our Children Eden", a post by Mrs. Ding -a very well-written and encouraging post for those of us parents who take seriously our duty to shelter our children.

I also read Mr. Ding's entry "Kids Can Understand A Lot!".  It's a refreshing reminder all parents should read.  I, for one, found it very refreshing that it's from a dad's voice!

I was blessed by my visit to the Ding's blog and I think you will be too!

Let's say "You" and "I" have an ongoing problem.  This problem between "You" and "I" has a long history and is often complicated.  This problem between "You" and "I" causes great concern in those around them and often has detrimental affects as well.  So, in the interest of "keeping the peace" a neutral, third-party steps in and brokers an agreement between "You" and "I".  Broken down to bare bones, it says "You" and "I" agree to leave each other be so that "You" and "I" as well as those around them can live peaceably.  "You" and "I" agree to it and commence to living peaceably.  Those around "You" and "I" breath a slight sigh of relief and are thankful "You" and "I" have been put in check.

Sounds good, doesn't it?  Sounds fairly fair, right?  In a broad kind of way, it's "fair" to all.

But what happens when the agreement hasn't been brokered between "You" and "I" but rather the agreement is brokered between "You" and "the guy who tolerates 'I' squatting on his land"?  Doesn't that leave "I" out of the agreeing equation?  Methinks "I" will decide he's agreed to nothing and therefore doesn't have any end of the bargain to keep up.  Methinks "I" has already positioned himself so advantageously in "the guy who tolerates 'I' squatting on his land's" government and communities that "I" has nothing to lose.  After all, "I" has strong-armed his way into "the guy who tolerates 'I' squatting on his land's" peaceful existence and waged war with neighbors.  Why wouldn't "I" think he could do as he pleases?

If I want "You" and "I" to agree to something I'd go to "You" and "I"... not "You" and "some other guy".  I'm just too old to play these make-nice, secular, worldview games.

There was no war between Israel and Lebanon.  The conflict was/is between Israel and Hezbollah.  Now, I know... there is no brokering with terrorists but facts are facts.  I mean, what if, on your marriage license there was your name and some other man's, not the man you call your husband.... wouldn't the "agreement" then be between you and the other man?!

It has perturbed me that Lebanon says so little.  Hezbollah has infiltrated their government and communities.  Hezbollah has built schools and hospitals (they also stored weapons under them).  Hezbollah has ingratiated themselves with the people of Lebanon.  I really would like a precise statement from the Lebanese government on their view of Hezbollah.  If they truly stand with Hezbollah or if they've been highjacked.  I guess we know what would happen if they made it clear that they do not stand with Hezbollah so we'll never hear that, if it's the case.  I'm inclined to believe that it must be thought that Lebanon stands with Hezbollah - they did after all take the position of the second party in a brokered agreement.  In effect, this makes them one and the same. 

I'm dismayed by statements and commentary coming out that returning Lebanese people are waving the Hezbollah flag, and upon seeing the destruction of communities they blame only Israel.  Why they don't realize that Hezbollah brought this to their doorstep is beyond me.

I'm also very disheartened when I hear things that indicate Israeli's are also angry with their government for this chaos.  Now is not the time for truth loyalty to waiver.  It's easy for me, sitting at my desk - not hearing the scream of rockets and pounding destruction of my home, to say "stand your ground", "stand firm".  For those Israeli's whose strength and stamina have been tested and are worn down I pray God will restore you quickly.

As for mutterings of "victory"....  let me remind the opposition:  unless you accomplish what you set out to do in the first place you are not victorious.  All the world knows what you set out to do, all Christians know what you set out to do... and you did not do it.  Praise God!  The Almighty knows you - He has plans for you.  The outcome of the plans He has for you will end up as blessings for those of His children you intend to harm!  God's will be done!  World politics and religious extremism have nothing on God's power and He'll decide who's the victor and when!

Thanks for bearing with me -- I had to get it out of my head!

Sigh. 

I can think of several things that need doing... but I don't want to do them.  I feel very unmotivated.  I can only go so long on my "own power", if you know what I mean.  I pick up a room, straighten up an area, tend to a task... and then it starts dawning on me that I'm the only one doing these things on a regular basis!  That thought starts settling in and crowding out my energy to do anything. 

It infuriates me that I have to tell a grown man to pick up the newspaper - everyday.  Some days I don't tell him to pick it up.  Yep, it stays until I either do it or I tell him to do it.  Why?!  I'm complaining here but .. you could insert anything in place of "newspaper" and it's the same thing.  Glasses, plates, socks, underwear, phone book, screwdriver, guitar amp, car part... you name it... if he's had it in the house you will be able to find it months later in that same spot unless I request it be put away.  Why?!

Annoying.  And it hurts me... hurts my feelings that I'm disrespected in that way.  It also hurts me because I've explained to this grown man how he's an example for our son.  And, yes, our son has picked up every bad habit example.  Grrr.  That really burns me up because I've tried very hard to set a good example myself... in word and deed. 

So here I am today trying to muster the "just do it" energy it takes to tend to some daily tasks and before I can do those I have to do the tasks of two other capable, but disrespectful, people before I can get to my duties. 

It's one of those things - you can't make people change, you know.  But I've vocally expressed myself on the issue far too many times over the years so I know... it's never going to change.  If it was going to... it would have already.  I feel badly for my son because he's learning habits that he'll likely carry with him through life... and his future wife is likely going to be pretty ticked off after a while about some of them.  LOL, she'll probably think I spoiled him and did everything for him by choice and utter words like "your mother may have done that for you but I'm not!"  Poor girl, whoever she is, I'd really like to do better by her, lol.

Sigh. 

I knew a long time ago that a good percentage of American soil belongs to foreign investors but the idea never occured to me that our roads and bridges were being auctioned off too!  http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060715/ap_on_re_us/highways_for_sale

I truly think that America/Americans are very short-sighted.  From the top down, there just is no "saving for a rainy day" anymore.  With the world in such upheaval I do believe there is rain in the forecast, sooner than later.