Sunday Stealing

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Mash Up Meme

1. What’s overdue for a good cleaning?

My desk and the immediate area surrounding it. The one at home is always a little untidy at best, and the one at work is a nightmare. I haven't properly cleaned it since my new boss started over 2 years ago. All those bloody slips of paper, notes to myself, tags so I don't forget, projects.... At home it's magazines, mail, and things to file.

2. What’s overdue for some kind of professional examination, service, maintenance, or upkeep?

Sparky's car needs to have new brakes. Beast is getting a new riding mower tomorrow. And we're discussing new kitchen countertops. We also need new flooring out there.

3. Who’s overdue for a phone call or letter to you?

To me? I never expect cards/letters/phone calls. From me? Just about everyone.

4. What’s overdue for an appearance in your neighborhood?

QUIET! It's bloody noisy around here for the weeks leading up to and following Independence Day.

5. Who’s overdue for a good comeuppance?

The entire Bush (II) administration.

6. What’s a gross food you like anyway?

Well, if I thought it was gross, really, would I like it? lol But there was a thing on someone's Facebook wall yesterday about hot dogs being the equivalent of food garbage, and I like them just fine.

7. Who’s an unlikeable person you like anyway?

I find it hard to dislike on a deep level most of the homeless people who use our library. They are, some of them, really fookin' annoying, but they're sort of family at this point.

8. What’s an unpleasant task you enjoy performing anyway?

I don't mind cleaning toilets.

9. What’s a dumb song you enjoy anyway?

Oh, pretty much every pop song I know the lyrics to. Most of the early Jackson 5 oeuvre, for instance.

10. What’s a lousy restaurant you frequent anyway?

McDonalds counts?

11. What's your favourite Sci-fi film/program etc?

Favorite film is probably The Matrix, and TV show has to be Star Trek: The Next Generation.

12. Have you ever had a proper Tarot reading?

No. Nor even an improper one.

13. Have you ever used the phrase "back in my time" to someone younger than you?

Of course I have. It's a prerogative that is required once you hit 50, not to mention for all parents!

14. Have you ever done something really unbelievable, only to have no one around to see it?

All the time. Quiet fist pumps in the air at my desk happen pretty regularly. I don't always feel the need to brag.

15. If you were famous would you want a statue or a building named after you?

Neither really, but if I had to, it would be either modern-art version of me, or a building, like maybe a library? lol

Marmite and MARC

(From Amy)

Are you a good dresser?

I am far from fashionable. But I generally keep myself decently covered.

Are you religious?

Yes? I think. I don't know, lately I'm struggling with identifying as a Christian, but I do believe in God, and I do believe that Jesus acts as intercessor since we humans do nothing as well as fucking things up so we need saving.

What's the tallest building you've ever been up?

I've been to the top of the two tall buildings near the Big Lakes in the middle of the country. And I've ridden the London Eye.

Do you have any scars?

I'm 51. If I had somehow gotten to this age without any scars, it would have to be a miracle.

Do you like Marmite?

Because I know what it is made of, no. My British rellies have assured me that I'd hate it. Good enough 'recommendation' for me. At least one of them does enjoy it, however.

Are you scared of spiders?

Not where I currently live; they are mostly innocuous little fellows. Plus, Charlotte. But if I lived about 800 miles south, I'd probably have a few that I wouldn't want hanging around.

Can you down a pint (of anything) in one?

Sure. Water or something like that; in fact, I'm virtually certain I did that this morning.

Do you ever make your own greetings cards?

Nope. I mean, I have but not for decades.

Do you have a Swiss army knife?

I don't own one personally, no. Beast used to carry one everywhere, but that ended in early fall 2001. It's on his dresser. He travels too much.

What three things do you think of most each day?

How extremely irritated I am at work and when I'm going to ever catch up; why can't I sleep at night (on endless repeat between 12 and 5 a.m., whenever I wake up); MARC.

If you had a warning label, what would yours say?

"Contents Under Pressure"

Have you ever got sweet revenge on anyone?

I prefer to watch while nature takes its course.

Have you ever needed stitches?

Yeah a few times. No good stories: surgery and childbirth.

Curious as a Cat

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1) Describe a time when you felt vengeful.

Anytime someone goes after my son, I pretty much go apeshit at least internally. Even though he's technically an adult now, I don't see this changing. Ever.

2) Are you a sports fan? Tell us about fandom. If you’re not, tell us why not.

I love football, mostly because Beast used to play, and then I also grew up watching it with my dad. I like the brutality and the pseudo-scientific factors--the hard hits and the measuring with chains for instance. It's really beautiful to watch when a team is working together. And of course, I like the history of the Packers, their traditions, and what they stand for. How can you not like a team that arrives at training camp like this?

3) What was the best thing that happened to you this weekend?

I got a new Nook!!

4) Show and Tell. What comes to mind first when you see this picture? Or, tell a story if it reminds you of one.
Public Domain Photo

It reminds me of old, classy stadiums that weren't all about jamming a gazillion fans under a dome, but about providing an attractive and comfortable place for an experience.

Curious as a Cat

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1) Do you prefer sunrise or sunset?

I like sunrise. It tends to be quieter and cooler and prettier. Not that I'm up to see the sun rise very often these days!

2) What do you think is the meaning of "He laughs best who laughs last"?

Don't be too quick to think the joke is on someone else; it may very well be on you.

3) Finish this sentence: "I can't stand being around people who_________?"

...are negative, gossipy, bitchy and clique-y. So, yeah, hanging with the other moms while Sparky was in school wasn't very common at all.

4) Show and Tell. What comes to mind first when you see this picture? Or, tell a story if it reminds you of one.
Public Domain Photo

I love old bricks. Growing up, Dad had used old bricks to build two large planters on either side of the front porch steps. Mom put petunias in them every summer. Mostly she took care of them too, but I often was delegated to watering duty. There were always a lot of those bricks laying around our yard; Dad had had to disassemble the incinerator when I was very little because burning garbage was banned; because he was my dad, part of the Greatest Generation, raised in the depths of the Depression, he saved them. We used them for building forts and redoubts for the army men and the Matchbox cars, or to write on the sidewalk with instead of chalk.

By the way, these were solid (i.e. no holes), narrow bricks, not modern house bricks. I can't find a photo of what they looked like, but as I recall they were perhaps 1.5" thick and maybe 2.5" wide and 9-10" long.

Patrick's Place

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Saturday Six

1. O is for OBELISOLYCHNY: What’s the closest lighthouse to your home. Have you ever been inside?

I have no idea, but I do have a bunch of lighthouse calendar from past years, and some other lighthouse decor around the house. I don't know why. Never been in one, but I have to say living far away from people sometimes has some attraction.

2. O is for OBLIVESCENCE: Do you feel yourself forgetting phone numbers if they’re in your cell phone?

Yup. I still don't know my son's cell # by heart. And I have no idea what Beast's work phone numbers are. It's bad.

3. O is for OCTAD: What is something you’ve purchased in multiples of eight?

Hot dog/Hamburger buns. Maybe toilet paper? Kleenex?

4. O is for OENOPHILE: Do you prefer red wine or white wine? What’s your favorite type?

White. Red gives me a headache. I like a good pinot grigio or gewürztraminer.

5. O is for OMELETTE: What ingredients are required to make your favorite kind of omelette?

Cheese, chicken, enchilada sauce, onions, green chilis.

6. O is for ONEIROCRITICISM: Do you ever feel you’ve gained insight or received a needed answer to a question from interpreting a dream?

All the time. Not every dream, but quite often I know I've been processing and things seem less complicated.

Patrick's Place

Saturday Six

1. A is for ABORTION: Do you feel that at least in certain circumstances, abortion should be an allowed option for couples, or would you ban it entirely for any reason whatsoever?

I am, and always have been, 100% pro-choice. It's really a decision best made by the people involved, not me or some yahoo in Washington with a bug up his butt.

2. A is for ABSENTEE: Have you ever voted by absentee ballot? If so, how well did it go?

I voted absentee while in college at least a couple of times, and I think I've done that here too, although they call it pre-voting or something else--basically, the courthouse is available for voting for a week or so ahead of election day. It's much easier some days to do either of these than stressing about getting to the polling place on time on the day.

3. A is for ACHILLES: Which non-diet food is your biggest weakness?

Sugar. Anything sweet. Doesn't have to be chocolate. I used to eat pre-sweetened Kool-Aid mix out of the container when I was a kid. Hello, diabetes, my friend. [not quite yet]

4. A is for AIRCRAFT: What's the largest plane you’ve flown in and where were you going?

My college group flew home from Europe in 1985 in a double-decker 747, in the upstairs section. It was absolutely AWESOME--like having a private room in a fancy restaurant; we were the only people up there, and it wasn't even full. Ah, those good old days of empty seats on planes....

6. A is for ARCHITECTURE: What is the most impressive structure you've seen in person?

Hmm. My favorite church building is Durham Cathedral, but Vatican City is astonishing. So is Moscow's Kremlin. And the Winter Palace. And the Summer Palace, not to mention the Forbidden Palace. The Acropolis. The House on the Rock. Taliesin West. Most of the buildings on the Strip in Vegas. Shit. I can't pick. ... WAAAITTTT! Yes I can: the Registan in Samarkand. It is simply beautiful, even when I saw it under Soviet control. Unbelievable, irrepressibly gorgeous. I would love to see it again in person.... [Can you tell my dad was an architect?]

6. A is for ASTRONOMY: Other than Earth, which planet in our solar system are you most curious about?

I'm...really not curious about planets. My niece tried to explain astronomy to me while she was working on her Ph.D. and it just totally lost me. I like the science shows about space and such, but I'm just not interested enough to be curious.

Tuesday Choices

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1. Chinese takeaway or Indian takeaway?

Over here in Leftpondia we don't have so much in the way of Indian takeaway. So Chinese.

2. Daffodils or tulips?

Daffodils. The remind me of my sister Ellen, who loved them.

3. Pine furniture or mahogany furniture?

Let's be realistic here: I prefer oak. Or teak. I have a lot of pine-with-veneer though.

4. Enid Blyton or A A Milne?

Again, over here in the States Enid's never been all that. And I adore Milne anyway: "King John was not a good man..."

5. Apple or pear?

Apples are easier to find in perfect condition. I love pears though, when they are at their prime.

6. Beer or cider?

Neither. Unless we're talking about American apple cider...love that with a cinnamon stick stirrer.

7. House or bungalow?

I'm finding this very interesting. American bungalow. Not sure what the difference between American and British, but here they are both houses.

8. Hersheys chocolate or Cadburys chocolate?

Cadbury's.

9. Mountain or ocean?

Mountains.

10. Reality TV or soaps?

Select reality TV shows are good. I haven't watched a soap with intent in over 35 years, despite the efforts of my college roommate and former coworkers.

11. Nightie or pyjamas?

Pajamas.

12. Vanilla coke or Cherry Coke?

Cherry Coke. Real cherry Coke: fresh fountain Coke with cherry syrup. Yummy.

Patrick's Place

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Saturday Six

1. V is for VACCINE: Do you believe children should be required to be vaccinated before they’re allowed to attend public schools? Why or why not?

Yes. The number of people who have been proven to have had reactions from vaccinations is remarkably small, the study that caused the uproar saying that vaccinations were dangerous has been repeatedly discounted by further studies, and the diseases being vaccinated against are killers. If you don't want to vaccinate your kids, then home-school them far away from the rest of the kids in the world. Having ranted, however, I do think there must be a way to figure which small percentage of children react badly to the shots before they are vaccinated.

2. V is for VALOR: Whom do you know personally that you consider to be particularly courageous?

Lots of people: my brother was a firefighter (and before that, and EMT and a cop). Several people at my church get up to face the day in spite of multitudes of reasons they could easily just ... not.

3. V is for VALUE: Which store do you feel generally offers the best deals on things you want?

Ultimately, the small stores. Yes, you can get whatever more cheaply at Wal-Mart, but you're paying through the nose in other ways: lack of backup if something goes wrong, lack of training for staff if you have questions, and the fact that almost everyone that works there is barely being paid enough to live on.

4. V is for VEGETABLE: Which single vegetable do you tend to use most when you cook?

Corn, I guess.

5. V is for VERTIGO: What’s the tallest building you’ve been inside?

I've been in the two big ones in the City of Big Shoulders. Once each; I resent having to PAY to ride an elevator, at least I resent paying $15+ for that privilege.

6. V is for VULCAN: Who is your favorite Star Trek character?

Picard. Of course. DUU-UUH! lol

Curious as a Cat x 3

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#349
1) Make a list of movies you believe everyone should see at least once.

I really can't do this since I'm not a big movie viewer. So, being the way I am, I'll go with Battleship Potemkin. [I've only seen part of it]

2) What was the last random really hurtful thing someone said to you?

I mostly shrug this sort of thing off, since in my family (of origin) Hurtful is the language we revert back to regularly. I'm sure someone at work was the last "really?" comment, but barring that my niece Katherine was in rare form on Thanksgiving.

3) What's the first thing you do when you get off work/out of school?

Go home and take off my shoes.

4) Show and Tell. What comes to mind first when you see this picture? Or, tell a story if it reminds you of one.

Public Domain Photo

Easter basket!!

#350
1) Do you have any friends you regret not keeping in touch with?

I would love to find a couple of high school friends who are not interested in being found. I am actually a horrible friend in terms of keeping in touch, though.

2) Would you have one of your fingers surgically removed if it guaranteed immunity from all major diseases?

If I could pick a finger, then I might just consider that. Bear in mind, however, that I'm still trying to kick a stupid cold.

3) Which is creepier to see in your kitchen: a mouse or a cockroach?

Cockroach, for sure. Nothing like bugs to make me feel like I need to fumigate the entire building....

4) Show and Tell. What comes to mind first when you see this picture? Or, tell a story if it reminds you of one.

Public Domain Photo

Feathers. Soft. Pretty.

#351
1) What perks you up on a cold, gloomy day?

A book, a fire in the fireplace, and a warm blanket.

2) Have you ever been to a fashion show?

No. I don't have a bucket list, but this would NEVER make it.

3) Describe the wackiest but most useful advice you've ever received.

Most advice sounds wacky to start with. Throwing oatmeal in the bath, for instance, isn't something normal people would think of, but it definitely helps with hives.

4) Show and Tell. What comes to mind first when you see this picture? Or, tell a story if it reminds you of one.

Public Domain Photo

This building and my niece & her husband are the ONLY things I've any interest in seeing in Spain.

Saturday 9

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Indian Reservation

1. Do you enjoy going to a casino now and again?

I'm not sure this is where I'd've gone first on this topic....
I like casinos in Vegas specifically on the Strip. Casinos around here depress the crap out of me, but in Vegas you really see pretty much everyone except the grandmas in their tracksuits spending their Medicaid checks.

2. What makes you happy most of the time?

Accomplishment. And a good night's sleep. At least I think the latter would make me happy; it's been awhile since I really slept.

3. Are you jealous of someone right now?

No one in particular.

4. You're stranded on a desert island with one fictional character. Who is it? Why?

MacGyver, of course. We'd be off that island lickety-split, plus he's adorable.

5. Have you ever been in the emergency room? If yes, for what (most recently)?

I took Beast in to the ER because of some horrendous back spasms in ?October (I think). It was a fiasco; the doctor was an idiot, and we actually got shushed by the cops babysitting the drunk next door. Beast refuses to return; I think if I have to take him again I'll have to call the ER dept. first and ask who the doc on duty is before he'll go. I was treated in the ER myself last April: kidney stones.

6. Where is the last place you drove to just for fun?

Wow. Good question. I should do this sometime, with my copious free time...but I think I'll wait till spring at this point.

7. If you were to make your living as a photographer, what would love to shoot?

Architecture. I do love buildings.

8. Tell us about a band you like that we might not have heard.

TobyMac? The Bea Sisters? Youssou N'Dour (technically not a band)? Daddy Yankee?

9. Where was the last place you went shopping? Why?

I was at the grocery store at 8:30 a.m. and then went to the UPS store to send Sparky his newly-purchased Val Day goodies. Yeah, I live it up, don't I?

Curious as a Cat

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1) What format did you start listening to music on?

I had a child's record player when I was quite young, on which I listened to 45s. My parents had dozens of 33s (and a few 78s) to use on their stereo. And my brother had a reel-to-reel player.

2) When was the last time you called in sick to work? Were you actually sick?

Last month some time. I was probably not that sick. I haven't wanted to call in this month since Beast has been home so much. No fun being "sick" when I'm not alone. ;-)

3) Would you rather be poor and work at a job you love or be rich and work at a job you hate?

I'm not poor, but I'm not breaking any wage barriers either, and I (generally) love my job. I would not want to get up and go to a job every day if I hated it.

4) Show and Tell. What comes to mind first when you see this picture? Or, tell a story if it reminds you of one.

Public Domain Photo

It took me a long time to figure out the perspective on this picture; is that an apartment building, or a train? But aside from the rather sketchy 'water feature' in the foreground, this looks like a rather interesting place.

Curious as a Cat

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1) Have you ever been outside in a blizzard?

Yes, as a matter of fact I have. It's not fun, and I certainly wouldn't go far from shelter. On the other hand, it is awfully pretty, and quiet, when watching snow fall.

2) Front porch or back deck?

I'd like both. What I miss, in this house, is having a place to sit IN the sun--we have front and back porches but they are both covered. This is good for other reasons, but I have to drag a chair into the yard to get sunshine, which looks dorky. Generally, however, I like sitting on the front porch. It reminds me of growing up; my parents did that on hot nights in the summer (no A/C in the house) and we'd comment on cars driving by and neighbors, and occasionally delve into serious stuff because we were all relaxed.

3) If Disney opened a theme park aimed primarily at adults, what would you name one of the rides? Explain.

If Disney did it, it would have to be something cute and commercial, so none of my titles would make the cut: Empty Wallet of Doom, Drink Till You Puke, Don't Think It Only Makes You Stop Spending Money, etc. I think they're pretty self-explanatory.

4) Show and Tell. What comes to mind first when you see this picture? Or, tell a story if it reminds you of one.

Public Domain Photo

I've always wanted to try this, but I'm pretty sure my use-by date is either passing or past. This looks like a fairly easy abseil, so maybe I could still handle it. Alone, though: Beast would be fuh-REAKing out there at the top...or (more likely) waiting at the bottom.

Curious as a Cat

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1) Rewrite the story of "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" from the point of view of any one of the other reindeer.

I'm virtually certain that the other reindeer really got tired of hearing how stupid they were compared to Rudolph after he saved the day. I dunno, but I got the sense he'd be one of those guys who'd rub it in, even without meaning to.

2) Where do you fall in your family's birth order? How did your family position affect your development?

I'm last, ten years younger than my next-youngest sibling. Clearly, I was a surprise. Mom always emphasized that I was NOT a "mistake," so I never felt unwanted, and it wasn't so bad having so many 'old people' around, but it did make it hard to deal with my peers. I was a weird cross of Only Child and Youngest.

3) When was the last time you slept in until noon?

I think I did this sometime in the past year, but probably because of illness or jetlag. It definitely was NOT in the past 3 months!

4) Show and Tell. What comes to mind first when you see this picture? Or, tell a story if it reminds you of one.

Public Domain Photo

This reminds me of that famous Escher print:

Except, of course, that it's actually three-dimensional. I wonder where this is; I'd like to visit it.

Curious as a Cat

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1) What does "devotion" mean to you?

It means goal-oriented commitment and love.

2) When was the last time you sat around and did nothing for a whole day?

Most Mondays are like that...lol. OK, realistically, it was last Tuesday. Jet lag + head cold = no energy.

3) How often do you struggle between what your brain tells you to do and what your heart says?

Fairly often. My brain usually wins.

4) Show and Tell. What comes to mind first when you see this picture? Or, tell a story if it reminds you of one.Public Domain Photo

This looks lovely. Wouldn't it be fun to live in a village with this as your church? All that history, the generations buried in the churchyard behind the trees...ooh.

House Color

You Should Live in a Blue House

You are an intense thinker, but you also have a calm about you. You spend a lot of time ruminating, trying to figure out this world you live in. Friends think you're wise, and they come to you first for advice. You are a realist, and you tell it like it is - even if how it is isn't pretty. [Hi, D.]

What Color House Should You Live In?

Well, I don't. And that's ok. I like blue a lot, but not blue houses.

Patrick's Place

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Saturday Six

1. Hot Coffee or Iced Coffee…and why?

Neither. I don't drink coffee of any kind. I don't even eat coffee-flavored candies. Yuck. Horrible flavor.

2. Front Porch or Rear Patio…and why?

I like front porches, and we finally have one on which to sit. Beast prefers the back patio/deck. I like to watch people walk past--unusual by our house since we are at the back of the subdivision--and generally see the world. The backyard feels a little too enclosed. I know, I know: we don't have a fence. Whatever. There's no direction to be sane in my answers!

3. Dog or Cat…and why?

I'm more allergic to cats, so dogs by default. That's good, since I love dogs. No, actually, I absolutely adore (most) dogs.

4. Blackberry or iPhone…and why?

Blackberry, since I'm boycotting all Apple products until they stop being all exclusive.

5. Morning or Night…and why?

I'm definitely a lark, not an owl: I'd rather get up early after an early night than vice-versa.

6. Beef or Chicken…and why?

Chicken because it doesn't stick in my teeth the way beef does. [see above re sanity]

Curious as a Cat

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1) Where in your life are you most likely to cut corners?

I'm a big corner-cutter. Let's go with clothes.

2) Has there ever been a decision that you made that you thought was right at the time, but now see was probably the wrong choice?

The big one was taking the first job I was offered out of grad school.

3) Do others in your life have unrealistic expectations of you?

Huh....uh, yeah.

4) Show and Tell. What comes to mind first when you see this picture? Or, tell a story if it reminds you of one.
Public Domain Photo

Lovely lovely photo. I love this kind of architecture, primarily because it's balanced. And it looks clean and tidy and well-kept.

Roomy

You Are the Living Room

You are laid back and casual. You can have fun in almost any situation. You believe in being easy going. Life's hard enough, and you're not going to make it any harder. You are sociable and friendly. You welcome almost anyone into your life. You are completely unpretentious. You prefer living in a comfortable home to living in a showy home.

What Room of the House Are You?

Figures. Oh, well, that's ok--it's pretty damn accurate!

Curious as a Cat

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1) If you could change one thing about the building in which you work, what would you change?

I'd sort out the HVAC once and for all.

2) What is the silliest or weirdest thing your mom or dad has ever said to you?

"Your mom has a classy chassis, doesn't she?" Wha??

3) What crime from history fascinates you the most?

Well, it almost has to be the one involving a certain Judeaen put to death during Passover 2,000 years ago.

4) Show and Tell. What comes to mind first when you see this picture? Or, tell a story if it reminds you of one.

Public Domain Photo

This dog has a lllllaaaarrrgggggee mouth and an awful lot of hair. It also looks adorable and sleepy. The background dog looks rather jealous.

Food 4 Thought Friday

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Breakfast
If you could live in any home on a television series, what would it be?

Oh, definitely the house the Bradys lived in! Maybe Samantha Stevens' house if I have a backup.

Lunch
What did you have for dinner last night (Thursday)?

Leftovers. Actually, I had toast.

Dinner
If you had to be named after one of the 50 states, which would it be?

I think I'd be likely to be nameless--I'm not a fan of this trend.

Midnight Snack
What is your favorite flower?

Heirloom garden roses, columbines, and lilies.

Recipe of the Week (instead of your recipe for life what is it just for the week?)

Holy Week: time to focus.