COOL, QUICK DESSERT/ COOL QUOTES

COOL FRUIT

• 1 (15 oz.) can fruit cocktail, undrained
• 1 (8 oz.) can crushed pineapple, undrained
• 1 (3 oz.) box instant vanilla pudding mix, dry
• 1 cup whipped topping, thawed

Mix first three ingredients, then add whipped topping. Chill.

~~~

COOL QUOTES

Life is easier than you'd think; all that is necessary is to accept the impossible, do without the indispensable, and bear the intolerable. ~~Kathleen Norris

~~~

I figure you have the same chance of winning the lottery whether you play or not. ~~Fran Lebowitz

~~~

Now, click on comments (please) and tell me about your Monday!

~~~

A TOUCHING E-MAIL THAT I RECEIVED

The Doll and the Rose

`

I was walking around in a store. I saw a cashier hand this little boy his money back saying, "I'm sorry, but you don't have enough money to buy this doll." Then the little boy turned to the old woman next to him: ''Granny, are you sure I don't have enough money?'' The old lady replied: ''You know that you don't have enough money to buy this doll, my dear.'' Then she asked him to stay there for 5 minutes while she went to look around. She left quickly.
`
The little boy was still holding the doll in his hand. Finally, I walked toward him and I asked him who he wished to give this doll to. "It's the doll that my sister loved most and wanted so much for this Christmas. She was so sure that Santa Claus would bring it to her." I replied to him that maybe Santa Claus will bring it to her after all, and not to worry. But he replied to me sadly, "No, Santa Claus can't bring it to her where she is now.
`
I have to give the doll to my mommy so that she can give it to my sister when she goes there." His eyes were so sad while saying this. "My sister has gone to be with God. Daddy says that Mommy is going to see God very soon too, so I thought that she could take the doll with her to give it to my sister.'' My heart nearly stopped. The little boy looked up at me and said: "I told daddy to tell mommy not to go yet. I need her to wait until I come back from the mall."
`
Then he showed me a very nice photo of him where he was laughing. He then told me "I want mommy to take my picture with her so she won't forget me." "I love my mommy and I wish she doesn't have to leave me, but daddy says that she has to go to be with my little sister." Then he looked again at the doll with sad eyes, very quietly. I quickly reached for my wallet and said to the boy. "What if we checked again, just in case you do have enough money?''
`
"OK," he said, "I hope that I have enough." I added some of my money to his without him seeing and we started to count it. There was enough for the doll and even some spare money. The little boy said: "Thank you God for giving me enough money!" Then he looked at me and added "I asked yesterday before I slept for God to make sure I have enough money to buy this doll so that mommy can give it to my sister. He heard me!'' "I also wanted to have enough money to buy a white rose for my mommy, but I didn't dare to ask God for too much. But He gave me enough to buy the doll and a white rose.'' "My mommy loves white roses."
`
A few minutes later, the old lady came again and I left with my basket. I finished my shopping in a totally different state from when I started. I couldn't get the little boy out of my mind. Then I remembered a local newspaper article 2 days ago, which mentioned of a drunk man in a truck, who hit a car, where there was one young lady and a little girl. The little girl died right away, and the mother was left in a critical state. The family had to decide whether to pull the plug on the life-assisting machine, because the young lady would not be able to recover from the coma. Was this the family of the little boy?
`
Two days after this encounter with the little boy, I read in the newspaper that the young lady had passed away. I couldn't stop myself as I bought a bunch of white roses and I went to the funeral home where the body of the young woman was exposed for people to see and make last wishes before burial. She was there, in her coffin, holding a beautiful white rose in her hand with the photo of the little boy and the doll placed over her chest. I left the place, teary-eyed, feeling that my life had been changed forever. The love that this little boy had for his mother and his sister is still, to this day, hard to imagine. And in a fraction of a second, a drunk driver had taken all this away from him.

~~Unknown

~~~

What one loves in childhood stays in the heart forever. ~~Mary Jo Putney

BEWARE THE CARETAKERS

We took a break from politics and the story of the Middlings and the Knowbs, so let's return for a day and see what might be going on:

THE UNTANGLING OF WHAT'S BEEN DONE

~~

There was talk among the Middlings that the new world leader, a Knowb who had first come into power is the USA, was chosen in much the same manner as a high school class president, elected on popularity rather than ability to do the job. Some argued that he won because the Middlings wanted more services and entitlements from the government, and they knew what his plan was. But, as they watched their rights being rapidly stripped away, they became restless and uneasy. It was well understood that they had been BUSY, living their separate lives, apart from politics for the most part. . going to school, looking for jobs, struggling with careers, getting married, raising families and suffering tragedies, all the while assuming that their government was working for THEM. How sad that in the process of living their daily lives, they had unwittingly allowed that government to become gargantuan and self-centered.

~~

Meanwhile, the money hungry Knowbs who inhabited the crystal palaces, continued their power grab. They changed or added laws to benefit themselves without "process"; appointed ACORN to be in charge of the 2010 census; introduced government health care; and cap and trade to save us from global warming(?); and conducted a frenzied hiring of czars who answer directly to the president, to name a few. They had become quite adroit at rushing , pushing, scaring, and found that it worked. And so, they attended a lavish summer party, paid for of course, by the Middlings.

~~

And the Middlings had cried, "We don't want ACORN in charge of the census.".. . Or anything else, really. "We don't want government health care or cap and trade." "We don't want czars. We want representatives who work for the PEOPLE." But the Knowbs weren't listening. Then the Middlings saw that the harm had already befallen. What an overwhelming task lies before them, THE

UNTANGLING OF WHAT'S BEEN DONE.

~~~

MAKE THE REST WORTHWHILE

I wish you sunshine on your path and storms to season your journey. I wish you peace - in the world where you live and the smallest corner of the heart where truth is kept ....More I cannot wish you - except perhaps love - to make all the rest worthwhile.

~~Robert A. Ward

~~~

Happiness is a perfume you cannot pour on others without getting a few drops on yourself.

~~Ralph Waldo Emmerson

~~~

Wishing all a good weekend!!!

PLAQUE WISDOM

"I hope you Dance"

"I'll have a Caffe Mocha Vodka Valium Latte, to go please"

"Remember, as far as anyone knows, we are a normal family"

"Diplomacy: the art of telling someone to go to hell, and having them enjoy the trip"

"I love the nights I can't remember with the friends I can't forget"

"Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, totally worn out and proclaiming, "Wow, what a Ride!"

"Life is all about how you handle "Plan B"

And here is my favorite: "Do not Meddle in the Affairs of Dragons, for You are Crunchy and Good With Ketchup"

~~~

Click on comments and enter a favorite of yours!

FRAGILE BRIDGES

The children have gathered on the stage to begin
Excited and eager for the curtain to rise,
Lifetimes stretching ahead,
In costumes quite varied, over-whelming old eyes,
Like a great masquerade with grand prizes to win,
A novel no one has read.

The theater is hushed and the house lights have dimmed,
Soon the dramas unfold and the comedies, too
Under the watchful eyes
Of experienced players who have all gone through
A brave opening night, now their stories are limned
With tragedy, and sighs.

Act three is upon them and the prompters have gone
So ad libbing replaces the lines that were penned,
A privilege they have earned.
And like famous stars, the acclaim and the cheers send
The children for a last curtain call, with the dawn
Fragile bridges are burned.

~~~

Copyright (c) Beverly J. Caligaris 1996,2008

All rights reserved

~~~

Hope all had a good weekend AND a good Monday.

TEE SHIRT LORE

First, I want to send a huge HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!!

to all the Dads out there :

Thanks for still loving us, even when we were teenagers,

and even when we knew everything.

~~~

TEE SHIRT TEACHINGS

• Life is good.
• Never go to bed angry, stay awake and plot your revenge
• I triple dog dare ya
• Everything I say can be fully substantiated by my own opinon
• Just be happy I'm not a twin
• I'm having an out of money experience
• Cats are like potato chips, you can't have just one
• I'm not stubborn, my way is just better
• Ask not what your cat can do for you
• Wine a little, you'll feel better
• Without music life would B flat
• If I'm talking, you should be taking notes
• I'm not bossy, I just know what you should be doing
• A team effort is a lot of people doing what I say
• Rise and shop
• The voices in my head told me to buy more shoes
• Better living - through chocolate
• The queen is not amused
• Cereal killer
• I started out with nothing and I still have most of it
• Time flies when you're having rum
• Age improves with wine
• It's all good

~~~

LETTER FROM JANET CONTRERAS TO GOVERNMENT (ON BECK)

"Well, these are briefly my views and issues for which I seek representation:
One, illegal immigration. I want you to stop coddling illegal immigrants and secure our borders. Close the underground tunnels. Stop the violence and the trafficking in drugs and people. No amnesty, not again. Been there, done that, no resolution. P.S., I'm not a racist. This isn't to be confused with legal immigration.
~
Two, the TARP bill, I want it repealed and I want no further funding supplied to it. We told you no, but you did it anyway. I want the remaining unfunded 95% repealed. Freeze, repeal.
~
Three: Czars, I want the circumvention of our checks and balances stopped immediately. Fire the czars. No more czars. Government officials answer to the process, not to the president. Stop trampling on our Constitution and honor it.
~
Four, cap and trade. The debate on global warming is not over. There is more to say.
~
Five, universal healthcare. I will not be rushed into another expensive decision. Don't you dare try to pass this in the middle of the night and then go on break. Slow down!
~
Six, growing government control. I want states rights and sovereignty fully restored. I want less government in my life, not more. Shrink it down. Mind your own business. You have enough to take care of with your real obligations. Why don't you start there.
~
Seven, ACORN. I do not want ACORN and its affiliates in charge of our 2010 census. I want them investigated. I also do not want mandatory escrow fees contributed to them every time on every real estate deal that closes. Stop the funding to ACORN and its affiliates pending impartial audits and investigations. I do not trust them with taking the census over with our taxpayer money. I don't trust them with our taxpayer money. Face up to the allegations against them and get it resolved before taxpayers get any more involved with them. If it walks like a duck and talks like a duck, hello. Stop protecting your political buddies. You work for us, the people. Investigate.
~
Eight, redistribution of wealth. No, no, no. I work for my money. It is mine. I have always worked for people with more money than I have because they gave me jobs. That is the only redistribution of wealth that I will support. I never got a job from a poor person. Why do you want me to hate my employers? Why ‑‑ what do you have against shareholders making a profit?
~
Nine, charitable contributions. Although I never got a job from a poor person, I have helped many in need. Charity belongs in our local communities, where we know our needs best and can use our local talent and our local resources. Butt out, please. We want to do it ourselves.
~
Ten, corporate bailouts. Knock it off. Sink or swim like the rest of us. If there are hard times ahead, we'll be better off just getting into it and letting the strong survive. Quick and painful. Have you ever ripped off a Band‑Aid? We will pull together. Great things happen in America under great hardship. Give us the chance to innovate. We cannot disappoint you more than you have disappointed us.
~
Eleven, transparency and accountability. How about it? No, really, how about it? Let's have it. Let's say we give the buzzwords a rest and have some straight honest talk. Please try ‑‑ please stop manipulating and trying to appease me with clever wording. I am not the idiot you obviously take me for. Stop sneaking around and meeting in back rooms making deals with your friends. It will only be a prelude to your criminal investigation. Stop hiding things from me.
~
Twelve, unprecedented quick spending. Stop it now.
Take a breath. Listen to the people. Let's just slow down and get some input from some nonpoliticians on the subject. Stop making everything an emergency. Stop speed reading our bills into law. I am not an activist. I am not a community organizer. Nor am I a terrorist, a militant or a violent person. I am a parent and a grandparent. I work. I'm busy. I'm busy. I am busy, and I am tired. I thought we elected competent people to take care of the business of government so that we could work, raise our families, pay our bills, have a little recreation, complain about taxes, endure our hardships, pursue our personal goals, cut our lawn, wash our cars on the weekends and be responsible contributing members of society and teach our children to be the same all while living in the home of the free and land of the brave.
~
I entrusted you with upholding the Constitution. I believed in the checks and balances to keep from getting far off course. What happened? You are very far off course. Do you really think I find humor in the hiring of a speed reader to unintelligently ramble all through a bill that you signed into law without knowing what it contained? I do not. It is a mockery of the responsibility I have entrusted to you. It is a slap in the face. I am not laughing at your arrogance. Why is it that I feel as if you would not trust me to make a single decision about my own life and how I would live it but you should expect that I should trust you with the debt that you have laid on all of us and our children. We did not want the TARP bill. We said no. We would repeal it if we could. I am sure that we still cannot. There is such urgency and recklessness in all of the recent spending.
~
From my perspective, it seems that all of you have gone insane. I also know that I am far from alone in these feelings. Do you honestly feel that your current pursuits have merit to patriotic Americans? We want it to stop. We want to put the brakes on everything that is being rushed by us and forced upon us. We want our voice back. You have forced us to put our lives on hold to straighten out the mess that you are making. We will have to give up our vacations, our time spent with our children, any relaxation time we may have had and money we cannot afford to spend on you to bring our concerns to Washington. Our president often knows all the right buzzword is unsustainable. Well, no kidding. How many tens of thousands of dollars did the focus group cost to come up with that word? We don't want your overpriced words. Stop treating us like we're morons.
~
We want all of you to stop focusing on your reelection and do the job we want done, not the job you want done or the job your party wants done. You work for us and at this rate I guarantee you not for long because we are coming. We will be heard and we will be represented. You think we're so busy with our lives that we will never come for you? We are the formerly silent majority, all of us who quietly work , pay taxes, obey the law, vote, save money, keep our noses to the grindstone and we are now looking up at you. You have awakened us, the patriotic spirit so strong and so powerful that it had been sleeping too long. You have pushed us too far. Our numbers are great. They may surprise you. For every one of us who will be there, there will be hundreds more that could not come. Unlike you, we have their trust. We will represent them honestly, rest assured. They will be at the polls on voting day to usher you out of office. We have cancelled vacations. We will use our last few dollars saved. We will find the representation among us and a grassroots campaign will flourish. We didn't ask for this fight. But the gloves are coming off. We do not come in violence, but we are angry. You will represent us or you will be replaced with someone who will. There are candidates among us when hewill rise like a Phoenix from the ashes that you have made of our constitution.
~
Democrat, Republican, independent, libertarian. Understand this. We don't care. Political parties are meaningless to us. Patriotic Americans are willing to do right by us and our Constitution and that is all that matters to us now. We are going to fire all of you who abuse power and seek more. It is not your power. It is ours and we want it back. We entrusted you with it and you abused it. You are dishonorable. You are dishonest. As Americans we are ashamed of you. You have brought shame to us. If you are not representing the wants and needs of your constituency loudly and consistently, in spite of the objections of your party, you will be fired. Did you hear? We no longer care about your political parties. You need to be loyal to us, not to them. Because we will get you fired and they will not save you. If you do or can represent me, my issues, my views, please stand up. Make your identity known. You need to make some noise about it. Speak up. I need to know who you are. If you do not speak up, you will be herded out with the rest of the sheep and we will replace the whole damn congress if need be one by one. We are coming. Are we coming for you? Who do you represent? What do you represent? Listen. Because we are coming. We the people are coming. "

~~~
HURRAY FOR TEA PARTIES!!

GREEN CHILI ANYONE?

GREEN CHILI -Large Batch

• Pork Roast - 3 to 3 1/2 pounds
  3 cans (7oz) chopped green chiles or jalapenos (or a mix)
  1 can (14.5 oz.) stewed tomatoes, chopped ( do not drain)
  2 packets pork gravy mix
  3 tsps. salt
  1 tsp. black pepper
  1 heaping tsp. garlic powder
  2 heaping tsps. cummin
  Hot sauce to taste (about 2 tsps.)
  Water about 2 to 2 1/2 quarts
  Cornstarch (about 5 heaping TBsps.)
• 
  
  
  Slow cook the pork to extra tender, falling apart stage. When cool enough to handle, remove and discard fat. Using 2 forks, shred and pull the meat apart. Place the pulled meat and some pan juices in a large pot, add all other ingredients EXCEPT CORNSTARCH. Simmer at least 30 minutes. Mix the cornstarch with some cold water and stir into the chili. Bring to a boil stirring constantly and boil for at least one minute. Serve with warmed flour tortillas.
  ~~~
  I made a smaller batch today, substituted 2 large chicken breasts (cooked 4 hours on high in the crock pot)for the pork, used 1 each 4-ounce can of chopped green chiles and sliced jalapenos, the full can of stewed tomatoes, 1 packet of pork gravy mix, halved all of the seasonings, about 6 cups of water and 3 heaping TBsps. of cornstarch. It was SO GOOD!! Wish you could all have been here to share it!!
  ~~~

VAYA CON DIOS

~~~

JUST FOR FUN

1. How Do You Catch a Unique Rabbit?
Unique Up On It.
2. How Do You Catch a Tame Rabbit?
Tame Way.
3. How Do Crazy People Go Through The Forest ?
They Take The Psycho Path
4. How Do You Get Holy Water?
You Boil The Hell Out Of It
5. What Do Fish Say When They Hit a Concrete Wall?
Dam!
6. What Do Eskimos Get From Sitting On The Ice too Long?
Polaroid's
7. What Do You Call a Boomerang That Doesn't work?
A Stick
8. What Do You Call Cheese That Isn't Yours?
Nacho Cheese.
9. What Do You Call Santa's Helpers?
Subordinate Clauses.
10. What Do You Call Four Bullfighters In Quicksand?
Quattro Sinko.
11. What Do You Get From a Pampered Cow?
Spoiled Milk.
12. What Do You Get When You Cross a Snowman With a Vampire?
Frostbite.
13. What Lie s At The Bottom Of The Ocean And Twitches?
A Nervous Wreck.
14. What's The Difference Between Roast Beef And Pea Soup?
Anyone Can Roast Beef.
15. Where Do You Find a Dog With No Legs?
Right Where You Left Him.
16. Why Do Gorillas Have Big Nostrils?
Because They Have Big Fingers .
17. Why Don't Blind People Like To Sky Dive?
Because It Scares The Dog.
18. What Kind Of Coffee Was Served On The Titanic?
Sanka.
19. What Is The Difference Between a Harley And a Hoover ?!
The Location Of The Dirt Bag. (oh, that's bad, for shame)
20. Why Did Pilgrims' Pants Always Fall Down?
Because They Wore Their Belt Buckle On Their Hat..
21.. What's The Difference Between a Bad Golfer And a Bad Skydiver?
A Bad Golfer Goes, Whack , Dang! A Bad Skydiver Goes Dang! Whack.
22. How Are a Texas Tornado And a Tennessee Divorce The Same?
Somebody's Gonna Lose A Trailer (you might be a red-neck?)

~~

Please keep in mind, I did not write these, borrowed from a friend.

GOOD QUOTES ON CURRENT EVENTS

These are from a book published 5 years ago. Seems to me that they really apply to today:

~

A billion here, a billion there, and pretty soon you're talking about real money.

~~Senator Everett Dirksen

~

Democracy used to be a good thing, but it has now got into the wrong hands.

Senator Jesse Helms

~

If you think health care is expensive now, wait until you see what it costs when it's free.

~~P.J. O'Rourk

Please click on 'comments' and let me know what you think.

DEATH OF A DREAM~~

DEATH OF A DREAM

Sitting alone on the bank of a stream
My thoughts stumble onto a long ago dream
While moonlight slips quietly down through a tree
And sparkles on water flowing by me.

Then casting aside all thoughts of today
I ponder what happened along the way
Why was the dream so shuttled about
Packed and unpacked, then at last left out.

Years, like the water, have swiftly passed by
Leaving the dream, unfulfilled, to lie
Dead in the graveyard where dreams depart

Awaiting rebirth in a youthful heart.

~~

Copyright (c) Beverly J. Caligaris, 2009

All rights reserved

MOLDABLE CRAFT DOUGH -LAVA RAISINS

Mix equal parts of flour, cornstarch and all purpose glue. Add food coloring if desired. Keeps well in a sealable plastic storage bag.

~~

A quick project for kids: Pour club soda into clear drinking glasses. Have children drop 2 raisins, one at a time in the glass, then watch the raisins drop and rise in the bubbling liquid.I suppose you could, when they tire of it, add some fruit juice and ice for a fizzy drink.

~~

GOD GIVES US A LITTLE TALENT, WE SHOULD NOT RETURN IT TO HIM UNUSED.

HOT CHEESE DIP or NACHO SAUCE

EASY HOT CHEESE DIP

• 1 CAN MUSHROOM SOUP
• 1 (2 LB.) BOX VELVEETA CHEESE
• 1/2 PACKAGE ONION SOUP MIX
• 1 (4 OZ.) CAN CHOPPED GREEN CHILIES
• HOT SAUCE TO TASTE AND MAYBE A DASH OF WORCESTER SHIRE

Place all in a crock pot and cook on high for 45 minutes, then on low for a couple of hours. Return to high for a few minutes just before serving. Use as Nacho Sauce on tortilla chips or as a dip for crackers and fresh veggies, such as cauliflower, celery, and bell peppers.

~~

Anyone can count the seeds in an apple, but only God can count the apples in a seed.~~

THE DREADED WEEKLY TEST

Since school is out, this will be a shortened version of the required weekly test:

1. Will people under the national health care system be forced to have treatment that they DON'T want?
2. What, for cryin' out loud, will our beloved hypochondriacs do if they have to get on a long waiting list?
3. Is Nancy Pelosi's accusation about the CIA going to just fade away?
4. Should we be more fearful of second-hand smoke or Joe Biden becoming president?
5. What happens to stimlus funds (our money) that are repaid to the government?
6. Do you sometimes feel that the orator of grand speeches doesn't really mean it?
7. IF YOU DON'T TALK TO YOUR CAT ABOUT CATNIP, WHO WILL?

~~~

Vice is most dangerous when it puts on the garb of virtue.

~~Danish proverb

QUOTE OF THE DAY

`

There is never a better measure of what a person is than what he does when he's absolutely free to choose."~~William M. Bulger

~~~