Commas and semicolons

My mother-in-law asked me proof-read a writing assignment for her English class. She claims that writing isn't her thing, but what she sent me was good stuff. She has a writing gene in there somewhere.

I decided to investigate semicolon usage, of which I haven't been as sure, and brush up on my comma usage. Semicolons have four main functions, and commas have many.



I'm glad I learned a thing or two about semicolons, and I chuckled when I read this sentence about commas: "Some essays look as though the student loaded a shotgun with commas and blasted away." According to that person, commas are highly overused.

Signing

We finally have ourselves an offer on the house. It isn't the greatest, but it is one. And we're signing it. Settlement is scheduled for Dec. 10th.

Organizing, again

If you look at this photo, you will see quite the array of products on the dryer. It has been like this ever since the shelf that held it all fell off the wall. You can see the outline of it on the wall behind the washer.





I decided that it has been that way long enough. I tried rehanging the shelf. Not worth it. So, I hauled the decrepit dehumidifier out from beside the washer and dragged over the former TV cabinet and put it in its place. Now I have space for the clothes cleaning products without cluttering the dryer and getting in the way of using said dryer. I am much pleased with this new set up.

A new washing experience

Last week the washer decided to break. It wouldn't stop filling the tub with water. I had started a load of sheets and went upstairs to help Ellie get ready for school. When Gary left for work at least an hour later, he decided to check something in the cellar. The washer was still filling up. Water was covering the floor.

I called Dad later to ask him to see what deals Lowes had. He called back later to say he and Mom would buy a new washer, he had one picked out and would I be home Thursday for it to be delivered. Well, if someone is going to buy me a new washer, I'll be home whenever I need to be.

I was secretly hoping for a front loader. But it isn't. It's just as good. It is a top-loading, low water washer. I really like it. A lot.







Here is a label on the inside of the lid that compare it to a regular top-loader. And it shows the low water.

I did at least 3 loads the day it came. The next day I did a load and it got stuck. It wouldn't unlock the door and it wouldn't continue in the cycle. I called Whirlpool. The helpful lady said to unplug it for a few minutes to reset it. It didn't work. So, on the second day I have this wonderful machine, I also have a work order. For Monday. But it's Friday. My wet load would be sitting for three days. Stinky. I decided to try the reset option again. I unplugged it and went upstairs. When I came back (longer than a few minutes) and plugged it in, it did reset.

Yummy stuff

I decided to do a variation of our regular pizza. Barbecue chicken pizza. Instead of pizza sauce I used barbecue sauce and topped with cooked chicken. But since we didn't have any barbecue sauce, I made some. It was tasty stuff, and I've included the recipe below. The adults thought the pizza was good! The children prefer regular plain cheese pizza.

Barbecue Sauce
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ medium onion
2 medium garlic cloves
½ cup cider vinegar
½ cup Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon paprika
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup ketchup

Method:
Mince the onion and garlic and sauté in the oil until translucent.
Stir in remaining ingredients (apart from the ketchup).
Bring to a boil and then turn the heat down.
Gently stir in the ketchup.

Enjoy!

A Toasty Fire

We had a fire Monday night. It was toasty, and we all enjoyed sitting in front of it.

I suggested we sing some hymns, and Ellie piped up that I should play my flute too. I'd play one stanza and then sing all the verses. Then I read from the book 101 Things Jesus Has Done for You. And Ellie wanted to read from the Bible, so I read the passage from John, which corresponded to the reading from the 101 things book.

We all prayed and then the kids went bed. It was a lovely family time.

I looked up how to bank a fire to save the coals for the next morning. It worked. The hot coals from Monday night's fire lasted until the following night, while being banked several times.

But last night we decided to let it go out. It's still not really cold enough during the day for a fire. Yesterday the novelty of trying to bank the fire was the main reason I kept it going all day.

It's gotten cold enough at night, though. We've had frost several times now.

There is a distinct odor in the cellar

When I first smelled it, I was getting something out of the refrigerator. It smelled like something died in it. Later that day I remembered that corner is where the pest control guy said he could see mouse activity in the insulation.

Back in college I took a class (I can't remember it's title) where all us students each received a dead rat and found a location outside to put it to study it's decomposition. [Fascinating class. I'll tell you more if you want.] So, I know what dead animal smells like.

It's been about two weeks since we put the poison out. You take a guess as to what I am smelling.

Look at the difference

I was cleaning my pizza stone after dinner tonight and was reminded of the difference between three of my Pampered Chef stone wear pieces.

The pizza stone - oldest and most used - nearly black
The small bar pan - newer and used - brown
The large bar pan - newest and hardly used - tan

A small farm dream

I don't know if it's actually a dream of ours or not, but Gary is taking a class on it. I would be taking it also, except for we don't have anyone to watch the kids. The class is suppose to help you decide if a small farm is the way to go. His homework this past week was to interview a farmer. Gary said he didn't know any, so he'd have to skip that part. I think he was thinking of large scale, but I reminded him of my brother and sister-in-law. They have a small farm, are feeding families produce through CSAs and are raising some livestock. Farm indeed.

We would like to have chickens, and I also like the idea of bees. Though Gary likes honey, he is not at all interested in having needles with wings around.

We really like the idea of a cow, but there is more involved there. But through this class Gary found out about miniature cattle. And that is possible for our small farm dream.

Here are two little guys next to a fence. As you can see, they are quite shorter than regular size cattle. They eat less food, require less land, and produce much less milk.

And the added bonus is they are so cute.

The moms are coming

My mom is coming for grandparents' day at Ellie's school. I am excited since she is coming a full day early to spend time with us. We are going for a drive and I am going to show her around the area (even though she's been coming up here longer than I have been alive and apparently hasn't been anywhere.)








Tomorrow Gary's mom is also coming for grandparents' day. And she's staying an extra couple of days. We can go driving around too.

I like when family comes to visit.

Some Whys of to not to

July 19, 2009
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1 Peter 3:22
¹⁸For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; ¹⁹in which also He went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison, ²⁰who once were disobedient, when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through the water.

²¹Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you--not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience--through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,²²who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him.

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Psalm 103:1-4
¹Bless the LORD, O my soul,
And all that is within me, bless His holy name.
²Bless the LORD, O my soul,
And forget none of His benefits;
³Who pardons all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases;
⁴Who redeems your life from the pit,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion;

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Deuteronomy 30:14-16,19-20
¹⁴"But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may observe it.¹⁵"See, I have set before you today life and prosperity, and death and adversity;¹⁶in that I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in His ways and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His judgments, that you may live and multiply, and that the LORD your God may bless you in the land where you are entering to possess it.

¹⁹"I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants,²⁰by loving the LORD your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding fast to Him; for this is your life and the length of your days, that you may live in the land which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them."

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Mark 9:23,24
²³And Jesus said to him, " 'If You can?' All things are possible to him who believes." ²⁴Immediately the boy's father cried out and said, "I do believe; help my unbelief."

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2 Thessalonians 2:15-17
¹⁵So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were (and are being) taught, whether by word of mouth or by letter from us.¹⁶Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us eternal comfort and good hope by grace,¹⁷comfort and strengthen your hearts in every good work and word. (This is gospel.)

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Philippians 4:6-7
⁴Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! ⁵Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. ⁶Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. ⁷And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

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Philippians 1:3-6
³I thank my God in all my remembrance of you,⁴always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all, ⁵in view of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now. ⁶For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.

The Last Day, but yet . . .

. . . we are going to the Post Season.

Today is the last day of the regular baseball season. Phillies have the best record in MLB in 2010.
A CORRECTION: There are only 162 games in the regular baseball season.

Back to Lansdale

On the way back to Lansdale, Josh decided to play "What's in that truck?" He would see a truck, which was about every three seconds and ask what was in it, fully expecting us to know the answer. Our most common answer was "I don't know." The game started by Josh asking what was in a Shop Rite truck. We knew the answer satisfactorily to that question. In his mind, we'd know for every truck and started the game. After many "I don't knows" later, I suggested they look for a round truck (tanker.) Than a brown truck (UPS.) Than a horse trailer. It became a game of spotting different kinds of trucks or vehicles.