USE IT OR LOSE IT

I'm talking about the brain.

Now what does the brain have to do with the pillows in the picture?

I have two throw pillows I use all the time. They're like an old pair of shoes, broken in and comfortable. The covers on these pillows were pretty ratty and had worn themselves out.

Now I always make covers for throw pillows. I make them like an envelope, with a flap in the back, to remove easily for laundering.

Being a quilter, I always have a stash of fabric, so why should I buy covers for the pillows?

Here is where the use it or lose comes in. It has been years, maybe five or more, since I made pillow covers. I don't use a pattern, because it is just straight fitting to the size of the pillow.

The problem was, it had been so long since I made the envelope it took some trial and error and seam ripping before I remembered how to do it.

On top of that it has been about twenty months since I used my sewing machine. Yep, you guessed it. I had to use some brain cells to figure out which way the bobbin fit in the shuttle. Did the thread go clockwise or counter-clockwise? After a battle with jammed thread I figured it out, it's clockwise.

It has been almost two years since I last made a quilt too. I think I'd better get back to that before I forget how to do math and paper piecing, and maybe make some cloth dolls, before I forget how to stuff them and draw their faces.

I'm happy with the pillows. I especially like the fabric, although I can't quite remember where I bought it. It may have been in the fabulous quilt store in Branson, Missouri. Mm, maybe I should go back there, just to buy some more fabric.

Okay so I'm a FABRIHOLIC, I admit it.

Well, it will be a long winter. I will have to fit in some creative sewing with creative writing of my novel.

Did I just mention that dirty word WINTER?

CROSSROADS

The United States is at a CROSSROADS.

Depending on which road her citizens take will determine if she continues to stand or falls to destruction.

Our beloved country is sliding down a slippery slope of uncontrolled corruption.
There is a saying that points out Rome burned while Nero played his fiddle.

This can be said of America. The US is about to go down in flames unless her good and loyal citizens awaken and do something.

I'm asking you to do something. It won't cost you anything but a few minutes of your time.

There is a Proclamation for 40 days 0f prayer for the restoration of America.

No matter how or where you worship God you are being asked to pray to Him everyday for the next 40 days. From Monday 9-20-10 to 10-30-10.

If you don't know exactly what to pray for, go to this web-site and click on the 40 days of prayer proclamation.

http://www.jhm.org/

Read the proclamation and if you wish you can sign up for daily email prompts for prayer, which will help you to remember to pray.

In the Old Testament, God tells His people in:

II Chronicles 7:14 - If my people, who are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, and forgive their sin, and heal their land.

If the United States ever turns back to the Judeo-Christian values it was founded on, it will be when His people Pray and Seek God once again.

Join me and millions of Americans as we pray for the next 40 days for God to heal our land and restore America.

Then on Nov. 2 put your prayer into action and VOTE.
But don't just go into that voting booth and vote blindly.
Study and learn about the candidates asking for your vote.
Find out what their values are and what they stand for, and how they will serve once they are in office.

From the smallest hamlet to the largest city, go out and VOTE for honesty and goodness not corrupted and self-serving politicians who care about no one but THEMSELVES and THEIR agendas.

Elect those who will serve WE THE PEOPLE.

This time choose the RIGHT ROAD before it's too late.

MAY GOD BLESS AMERICA

AUTUMN JOY SEDUM

HEROES OF 9-11-2001

Out of the chaos and destruction of that horrible day, came stories of Good Samaritans, who, even though their lives were in peril, went back to help save others.

Those that were trapped, tell of calling upon God, to send help to save them. He heard their prayers and sent the help.

After they were rescued they recounted how the experience solidified their shaky faith.

Some of the heroes that went back to help, lost their lives in the endeavor. And of what were all these victims and heroes guilty? They went to work that day, like any other day.

There were many heroes that day, the ones that come to mind are the passengers on the ill-fated flight over Pennsylvania. Those brave souls overtook their captors knowing it would end in death. By doing so prevented the murderers from crashing into the Capitol or the White House.

Many in uniform also were heroes. Fireman, policemen, transit authority personnel, military members, and so many more along with just ordinary people.

Who were these people? Americans doing what Americans always do - help others in need. God fearing, God honoring citizens who practice the Golden Rule. "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."

Here in the Wyoming Valley of Pennsylvania, 9-11 marks another tragic anniversary. Sixty years ago, 9-11-1950, thirty-three members of the 109th Field Artillery Battalion en route to Camp Atterburg, IN for training during the Korean Conflict, were killed in Ohio. Their troop train was rear-ended by the passenger train the Spirit of St. Louis.

Each year the anniversary of these two horrendous events, cause the hearts of those left behind to rip apart once again.

The vermin that caused the destruction on 9-11-2001 have no remorse and therefore delight in the pain their victims and families suffer.

We need to pray everyday that God would protect our homeland from those who wish to destroy it from within and without.

GOD BLESS AMERICA AND HER LOYAL CITIZENS.

GAILLARDIA OR BLANKET FLOWER

In Memory - 09-11-2001

Saturday marks a solemn anniversary in Unites States history.

It has been nine years since our country was violated in a most horrendous way.

Jihadist terrorists flew two planes into the World Trade Towers in New York City and one into the Pentagon in Washington DC, while brave US citizens took away another plane from the terrorists as it dove into a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

Over three thousand brave, innocent people lost their lives that fateful day.

It will be a day you'll remember where you were and what you were doing when those travesties happened.

It doesn't seem possible nine years have passed. For those who lost family and friends its as though it happened yesterday. It created a hurt that even time won't heal.

Since that time many more have lost their lives fighting in two wars to bring those responsible to justice and to prevent it from ever happening again.

The Pentagon has been repaired, a memorial is planned for the field in Pennsylvania and ground has been broken and work begun on the buildings that will replace those destroyed in New York.

There will be many programs on TV and the Internet this week about the event that destroyed so many lives. One caught my eye today. It was on Fox News Channel and hosted by Shepard Smith. It will be seen each evening this week at 7PM on Fox.

It is about those who lost loved ones, those who are re-building the buildings and those who managed the ones that fell on that fateful day and are instrumental in building the new ones.

God Bless those engineers and tradesman who are giving their all to restore dignity to the barren, empty hole in lower Manhattan, that was created by evil, sadistic, immoral, in-human molecules of flesh.

On this anniversary, we solemnly pray that those who gave the ultimate sacrifice didn't die in vain. We pray that their loved ones will continue their endeavors to live one day at a time.

We pray that the upstanding moral citizens of our United States of America will stand firmly together to protect our great nation, from those who wish to destroy it from without and within.

God Bless America, may she ever be a shinning star of bravery and courage, a strong bulwark against her enemies and faithful to the Constitution framed by her founders.

On Saturday, take a moment and say a prayer for all those who lost their lives and all those left behind, to face every day without them.

Pause, reflect, remember and vow it will never happen again.

HAPPY LABOR DAY

It's here, Labor Day Weekend 2010. The last hurrah of summer, at least here in the Northeast.

Sept. 1 was the beginning of meteorological summer in weather language.

Students are back in school or will be this week.
High school and college football season has begun.

The temperature dipped down here in PA, and it feels like Fall. Some of the leaves have turned color.

The summer was filled with fun and food.
Time to check your Fall wardrobe.

Oh no, nothing fits!

Better get down to business and lose those extra pounds before Thanksgiving and Christmas roll around.

For me, Weight Watchers is my go-to plan. I've tried many different programs throughout the years, but I always return to Weight Watchers because of its versatility.

If you eat out a lot because of your job, family schedules or just because you like to, a real eye opener is just how many calories are in our favorite restaurant foods.

I have found a great web-site to help in making good choices. It is "Dottie's Weight Loss Zone. It has every restaurant you can think of posted with many of their foods.

http://www.dwlz.com/restaurants.html

Weight Watchers has a free web-site too. Some great recipes are posted in the community recipe section by members.

http://weightwatchers.com/

I receive no monetary benefits from either Weight Watchers or Dottie's Weight Loss Zone, just good helpful information.

Now back to Dottie's restaurant guide. the food choices are calibrated in points, which is how Weight Watchers Points Program does it. However, as a rule of thumb 1 point = 50 calories.

So for example, let's click on Burger King and choose a common meal.

1 Whopper sandwich - 16.5 points

1 medium French Fries - 8.5 points

1 Large Coke - 4.0 points

Total is - 29 points or 1,450 calories

YIKES! That is only one meal, but actually it's a one day total for most women trying to lose weight.

Don't worry you can still eat at Burger King. Look further on the menu.

1 Jr. Whopper sandwich - 9 points

1 Side garden salad with fat free ranch dressing - 1.5 points

Any size Diet Coke - 0 points

Total of 10.5 points or 525 calories that's much better.

See how it works - choose wisely.

Dottie has a free newsletter with so much information every month. Do yourself a favor and sign up for it, she'll keep you inspired.

Think what a great feeling you'll have when you can fit into your favorite outfit again.

Let me know how you are progressing and we'll help and encourage each other.

Happy Autumn.

A NEW MALADY

I have diagnosed myself with a new malady called a "Fear of Technology".

I am able to do a lot of things with the computer, for instance setting up this blog.

I can take pictures with a digital camera, download them on my computer then upload then to email or this blog.

I can program and use a Garmin.

I can pre-program phone numbers to my cell phone or home phone.

I can't text on a cell phone only because I haven't taken the time to learn the process. Besides I don't like to massacre the English language with all the abbreviations.

Some day soon I'll probably wade into the world of Kindles or Nooks. By the time I get there they will more than likely be obsolete.

When I had to get a new laptop I worried about how I would transfer my documents from my old computer to the new one. A helpful sales person told me how to do it. Believe me I did a happy dance when I accomplished it in the first try.

The other day my son was showing me the virtues of his blackberry. He told me how it is a cell phone, a still picture camera, a video camera, and a computer.

He lost me after the first minute. First of all the keyboard is so tiny I would need a magnifying glass and stylus to type on it. I have a wireless keyboard and mouse I use with my laptop because I have problems using the one on the computer.

By the time he completed his sales pitch I was totally lost.

You see, I eventually put my toe into the sea of technological waters, it just takes me a long time to work up the nerve to jump into it.