The Median Sib

(1)  No strep throat so far (see previous post).  I’m keeping my fingers crossed.

(2) Tomorrow TCAP starts.  That’s the yearly standardized testing at school.  I’ll be giving the test to six children who have modifications allowed.  I will read the test aloud to them — all questions and answer choices — and they will have additional time to complete the test.  Testing will be done in the mornings, Monday through Thursday.

(3) I will also have recess duty each day this week.  The special area teachers take on recess duty for the regular classroom teachers during TCAP week since the teachers don’t get their usual planning periods that week.

(4) PawPaw and I talked to a builder yesterday, and we liked him.  Within a couple days, the builder will give us an estimate for building our house.  I’m looking forward to seeing what the estimate is.

(5) We got up early this morning to attend a sunrise service.  We rushed to get there by 6:30.  The minister was 15 minutes late!  So the service didn’t start until 6:45 a.m.  I thought it was funny that the minister overslept!

(6) After the sunrise service, they had a breakfast at church.  Then I went back home and decided to take a nap.  I slept till almost noon — too late to attend the regular Easter service.

(7) I had my nails done at a new salon on Friday.  A husband/wife team owns the salon, and the man was the one who did my nails.  He did a very good job, and I was impressed.  I guess that makes me sexist to be surprised that a middle-aged man would do such a good job as a manicurist.

After a late morning Easter Egg hunt, I told my daughter I’d take care of my two granddaughters (ages 3 & 5) while she and her husband looked at a car they were considering buying.   I took the girls with me on a few errands, and then we stopped by Sonic for some limeades and went back to my house.

The girls left their limeades in the car so they could drink them on their way home later.  We went inside and sat on the sofa to watch “Dora”, and it was a tender time.  One cuddled close on each side of me.  When I took a sip of my limeade, Sunshine asked for a sip.

Now typically I’m not very keen on sharing drinks. I’m a major germ-worrier.  However, I told myself I was being silly.  After all, what harm could there be in sharing a limeade. We were all healthy - and we were family, after all.
Within a couple minutes, we were passing my limeade around between the three of us.  Sunshine would take a sip, and then Sweet Stuff and then me — all three of us using the same straw.  We were all thirsty.  When we finished, we took off the plastic top and took turns eating some of the ice.  We had bought a bunch of plastic Easter eggs and we spent awhile filling them with candy for the Easter egg hunt we’ll have tomorrow evening at PawPaw’s house.

About 45 minutes after we arrived at my house,  my daughter and son-in-law arrived to pick up the girls.  It had been a pleasant and fun time together.
LESS than two hours later my daughter called.  “Mom, did you notice that Sweet Stuff had a fever?”

A FEVER?!  “No, not at all.  She was laughing and having a good time.  She even demonstrated some of her dances.  She cuddled next to me on the sofa for awhile, and I didn’t notice that she felt hot.”

“Well,” continued my daughter, “She’s got a 102 temperature, and the lymph nodes on the left side of her neck are swollen bigger than a golf ball!  I’m on the way to the walk-in clinic with her.”

WHAT?!!!!  I was with the child less than two hours earlier and she seemed fine!  Was I so oblivious that I didn’t notice that her neck was swollen and that she was running a 102 fever?!
I drove to the walk-in clinic and met them as they were leaving.  Sweet Stuff has a serious case of strep throat.

Now ain’t that just par for the course?  The ONE time I convince myself to chill out about possibly passing around germs and we all share the same drink, within TWO hours, she ends up with strep throat.  Now Sunshine will almost certainly get it — and probably me, too.
And this week at school is TCAP week (standardized testing), which means it will be a major deal for me to miss a day if I get strep, too.  Sigh!

My daughter told me that Sunshine told her that her throat had been hurting for a couple of days but that she hadn’t said anything because she didn’t want to go to the doctor and get a shot.  Double sigh!

It was the first day of school and a new student named Pedro Martinez, the son of a Mexican restaurateur, entered the fourth grade.

The teacher said, “Let’s begin by reviewing some American history.”Who said ‘Give me Liberty, or give me Death?”

She saw a sea of blank faces, except for Pedro, who had his hand up.

“Patrick Henry, 1775.”

“Very good!” replied the teacher. “Now, who said, “Government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth?”

Again, no response except from Pedro: “Abraham Lincoln, 1863.”

The teacher snapped at the class, “Class, you should be ashamed!  Pedro, who is new to our country, knows more about its history than you do!”

She heard a loud whisper: “Screw the Mexicans!”

“Who said that?” she demanded.

Pedro put his hand up.  “Jim Bowie, 1836.”

At that point, a student in the back said, “I’m gonna puke.”

The teacher glared and asked, “All right!  Now, who said that?”

Again, Pedro answered, “George Bush to the Japanese Prime Minister, 1991.”

Now furious, another student yelled, “Oh yeah?  Suck this!”

Pedro jumped out of his chair waving his hand and shouting to the teacher, “Bill Clinton to Monica Lewinsky, 1997!”

Now, almost hysterical, the teacher cried, “You little snitch.  If you say anything else, I’ll kill you!”

Pedro frantically yelled at the top of his voice, “Gary Condit to Chandra Levy, 2001.” The teacher fainted, and as the class gathered around her on the floor, someone said, “Oh shoot, we’re in BIG trouble now!”

Pedro whispered, “Saddam Hussein, 2003.”

Finally someone threw an eraser at Pedro, and someone else shouted “Duck!”

Teacher woke up and asked “Who said that?

Pedro: Dick Cheney 2006!

(h/t to Ruth)

Everyone should occasionally have the opportunity to listen to a conversation between kindergarteners.  It’s rarely boring.

Today as I worked with two kindergarten boys, they started talking to each other.  Here’s a transcript:

Alex:  My name starts with the first letter!  (definite bragging tone to his voice)

Linc: But GOD has the beautifulest name.  (slight pause to let that sink in)  You’re supposed to think that. You should believe in God and Jesus.

Alex:  And God and Jesus are the same thing . . . person.

Linc: Yes they are.

Alex: And black is the goodest color.

Linc:  It’s a BOY color.

Alex: Yeah - the famousest color.

Linc: Like Elvis.  He’s famous.

Alex: Yeah - and Jack Black.  He’s famous.  (They both solemnly nod their heads in agreement)

And there you have it.  From God to Jack Black in 20 seconds.

 Thirteen words taken from someone’s name

(because I think it’s fun to find out the origins of words)

(Thanks to The Reading Teacher’s Book of Lists by Fry, Kress, and Fountoukidis)

1.  boycott: named after Charles Boycott, a British army officer

2. Ferris wheel: Named after G.M. Ferris, an American engineer

3. America: Named after Amerigo Vespucci, an Italian merchant/explorer who came to the New World shortly after Christopher Columbus

4.  bloomers: Named after Amelia Bloomer, a pioneer and feminist who made them popular

5. macadam: Named after John Loudon McAdam, a Scottish engineer who invented the road-building material

6.  graham crackers: Named after Sylvester Graham, a vegetarian and an American reformer in dietetics

7. decibel: Named after Alexander Bell, a Scottish-American inventor of the telephone

8. volt: Named after Alessandro Volata, an Italian physicist

9. saxophone: Named after Anton Sax, a Belgian instrument maker who combined a clarinet’s reed with oboe fingering

10. sideburns: Named after Ambrose Burnside, a Civil War general and governor of Rhode Island who had thick side whiskers

11. vandal: Named after the Vandals, the Germanic tribe that sacked Rome

12. watt: Named after James Watt, a Scottish engineer and inventor

13. nicotine: Jean Nicot, a French diplomat who introduced the tobacco plant to France around 1561

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“FOR THEY CONQUER WHO BELIEVE THEY CAN.”

~Virgil

(Note: If we don’t believe we can conquer terrorism, we have no chance of doing it.  If we don’t believe our country is the best and brightest in the world, then we have no chance of making and keeping it so.  Look around you.  There is no better country in the world.  Sure, we have problems, but we’re light years ahead of anyone else.)

It’s really quite simple.  When you VALUE something, you protect it, and you take care of it.  You don’t allow others to devalue and demean it.  Others take their cue about the value of something from how the owners feel about it.

Is it any wonder that illegal immigrants are marching and demanding their “rights” when Americans have acted like it’s no big deal to enter our country illegally?  Why should they obey a law that isn’t enforced and obviously hasn’t been a big deal to us for a long time? 

Our MSM and liberals act like someone from another country shouldn’t have to do anything to be an American citizen.  To them, citizenship isn’t something of value.  Democrats are even urging illegals to vote - a rather desperate and transparent attempt to gain votes. 

But what happens to any organization that doesn’t have any admission requirements?  When anyone can join without doing anything to support the group or make it better?  Here’s what happens: The organization is without any strength or standards.  No conscience or consequences.

Just as a house that is neglected soon falls into disrepair, our nation has fallen into disrepair because we have not held our elected officials accountable for upholding our laws.  Our news channels and liberals are so busy criticizing all things American and highlighting and emphasizing everything negative that other nations are following suit.  We can’t expect others to respect the United States when we don’t do it ourselves.

Until all Americans can stand up and support our country and be proud of it, insist that our laws are upheld and that citizenship is worthy of effort and honor, we’ll continue to struggle with illegal immigrants and worldwide disdain.

Linked to: And you thought YOU were crankly? Committees of Correspondence, Common Sense America, Free Constitution, Freedom Watch, Latina Advocate, Random Thoughts Of Yet Another Military Member, Red Satellites, Right Truth, third world county, Uncooperative Blogger, Blue Star Chronicles

**This was a production of The Coalition Against Illegal Immigration (CAII). If you would like to participate, please go to the above link to learn more. Afterwards, email CAII and let them know at what level you would like to participate. and let them know at what level you would like to participate. and let them know at what level you would like to participate.

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You know how some things just strike you as funny - even when they’re really stupid?  Well, I’m still laughing about this one.

(hat tip to my buddy, Nancy)

Break time! I am weary of politics - illegal immigration, the war against terrorism, taxes, the msm, liberal insanity - I’m just tired of it all. Listening to Ted Kennedy yesterday during the immigration demonstrations and seeing some of the stupid signs people were carrying, I was disgusted.

So I’m taking a break for a few hours and posting something totally without political overtones. At least I can’t think of anything political about it, although I’m sure SOMEONE SOMEWHERE could come up with something political about cobbler. Maybe an illegal immigrant somewhere has made it. Or maybe it’s part of Bush’s plan to have us make desserts that will make us fat and unproductive so he can take over the world. I’m sure he’s lied to us about something concerning desserts. Let me think . . .
While I’m thinking, here it is - the non-political pie.  If you want the easiest fruit cobbler recipe imaginable, here it is — and it’s REALLY tasty! I swear. I call it:

QUICK ‘N EASY TAKE-YOUR-PICK COBBLER

Ingredients:

2 cans fruit pie filling (take your pick - cherry, apple, peach - your favorite)

1/2 box yellow cake mix

1 stick butter or margarine
1/2 cup chopped nuts (pecans are good with cherry, but walnuts seem to go better with apple)
1 tsp. almond flavoring

Spray a 9 x 13 cake pan with cooking spray. Spread the pie filling in the pan. Sprinkle the powdered cake mix on top of the pie filling. Melt the stick of butter and pour it on top of the powdered cake mix, using a spoon to spread it over all the cake mix. Sprinkle the nuts on top and dot with the almond flavoring. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. (The butter and cake mix combine during baking to make a cobbler type crust).  Enjoy!

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Linked to: Blue Star Chronicles, Conservative Cat, Outside the Beltway, The Liberal Wrong Wing, Freedom Watch, historymike’s musings, Common Folk Using Common Sense

 

More reading for today: Peace Moonbeam, Atlas Shrugs, My Vast Right Wing Conspiracy

I was listening to talk radio on my way home from work.  Of course the topic of conversation was the protests throughout America in favor of giving the illegal immigrants amnesty.

One caller declared, “Give them all white t-shirts before they cross the border illegally and on the shirt have ‘I’M A REPUBLICAN AND I BELIEVE IN JESUS!’” and the MSM and the Democrats would get serious about working to stop illegal immigration.

Ain’t that the truth!  

The other day at school, a third grade girl showed me where she had a lost a tooth the previous day. 

“Did the tooth fairy visit?” I asked.

“Yes,” she replied, “and I got TEN DOLLARS!”

Ah, how times have changed.  I realize my childhood was many years ago - close to fifty years since my early elementary school years when I lost teeth and had the tooth fairy visit.  My childhood tooth fairy was creative.  My brothers and sisters and I usually got a quarter, but we never found a single quarter lying predictably under our pillows.  Instead, we’d get maybe two dimes and a nickel, or five nickels, and each coin would be hidden in a different place in and around the bed - maybe one inside the pillow case, another between the mattress and box spring or one between the sheets at the bottom of the bed.  Losing a tooth meant an exciting search for treasure the next morning.

With my own children, I followed the same idea.  Of course they received more money than I did as a child.  I also threw in the bonus of a scavenger hunt to get their loot.  I sometimes got very elaborate with their hunts.  I’d write rhymed clues, and they’d have to search all over the house to get their tooth fairy money. It’s a nice memory, and I’m glad I took the time to make those occasions special.  I hope my two children - now adults - also remember them with a smile.

The following post was written by “cowgirl” over at Musings of a Real Texas Cowgirl.

Cross posted at Ace in the Hole and Coalition Against Illegal Immigration

What a week this has been! We have been working very hard, watching and reporting. In one week, we have sighted and reported over 400 illegals on the properties we are operating on. The total number for the last month-long operation, October, was 800. The number of captures is far more than our reportings, as the border patrol is looking at us as real helpers this time around. 

The folks here are just great people. They are the kind of people you would invite over for dinner and a game of dominos. I love to watch the way everyone pulls together to figure out how to solve an equipment or logistical problem in preparation for some special operation. These are regular people from all walks of life, who would never have met under normal circumstances. Yet, here we are, spending time with one another, all trying to preserve our country.

The media is all but ignoring the month-long Minuteman operation. If you can put any pressure on Fox News or any of the other networks to give us some publicity, it would be great.

Spirits were down when it looked like the Senate had reached a compromise on that completely ridiculous immigration bill, thereby pursuing politics rather than the preservation of our country. In case you missed it, there were 3 classes of illegal aliens set out in the bill, which is ludicrous on its face (are there 3 classes of income tax evaders?). The first class involved a road to citizenship without leaving the country for people who had been here 5 or more years. OK. These are “undocumented” workers. How are they going to prove they have been here 5+ years? You can just scratch out the other 2 classes of illegals, because they will ALL say they have been here for 5 years. Just how stupid do our elected representatives think we are? Give me a break.

We were all relieved when Congress went on Easter break. I’d kinda like them to stay on break. That way they can’t pass any more assinine bills, thereby fouling things up even more.

Bottom line. All that needs to be done is for the government to enforce the laws now on the books, and to seal the borders to prevent more invasion. And, I intentionally used the word invasion. We don’t need more laws….. we already have just what we need. There is also that little document known as the Constitution of the United States, that assigns the federal government the duty of defending America’s borders. Enforcement of existing laws is all we need.

Well, maybe that’s not exactly accurate. Enforcement and Generation 3 night vision equipment is what we need. We could use some more of that. The coyotes have better toys than we do. If anyone would like to donate directly to the Texas operation so we can have the best toys, the HQ number is 361-325-5121.

Of course, if you want to be a Minuteman, get online and register, and then phone the HQ number. The more people we have, the more territory we can watch.

Thanx to everyone for your kind wishes and moral support. One very tired cowgirl, signing off.

Linked to: And you thought YOU were cranky?, Committees of Correspondence, Common Sense America, Free Constitution, Freedom Watch, Latina Advocate, My Country-My View, Random Thoughts Of Yet Another Military Member, Red Satellites, Right Truth, Southern Sass, third world county, Uncooperative Blogger, Blue Star Chronicles

**This was a production of The Coalition Against Illegal Immigration (CAII). If you would like to participate, please go to the above link to learn more. Afterwards, email CAII and let them know at what level you would like to participate.

Sweet Stuff is my first granddaughter, and she’s five years old today.  This past week she registered for kindergarten.  She’ll start in August.  My daughter said she acted so grown-up as they toured the school.  She had to sign a form, and she took on that responsibility confidently - writing her name, and only needing a little help with her last name.

Five years ago, when Sweet Stuff’s birth was imminent, my son, my future daughter-in-law and I waited in the hall outside the hospital room.  It wasn’t long before we heard a noise.  At first we weren’t sure what it was.  Moments later we heard it again, looked at each other in realization that it was Sweet Stuff’s cry, and I broke down in tears of happiness.  We were all laughing and crying at the same time.  It wasn’t long before we were able to go into the room and hold her.  She was a little over 8 pounds which amazed us since she was a few weeks early.

Since the moment she first came into our lives, Sweet Stuff has been an absolute joy to us.  I look at her face and see sweetness and intelligence and kindness and curiosity and love of life shining brightly.  She loves to catch my eye and wink.  It’s so cute!  And nothing is better than being loved by her.  She adores her little sister, Sunshine, and the adoration is returned.  She takes her role of big sister very seriously.  I love being Grandma Carol to both of them. 

This morning PawPaw will put the balloons I bought on her mailbox along with a birthday card.  Then later today we’ll attend her birthday party.  I don’t post photos of my grandchildren on my blog.  So you’ll have to take my word that both my little granddaughters are precious and beautiful!

Happy birthday, Sweet Stuff!  I love you more than you’ll ever know.

(Sunday 8:30 a.m. update)  Sweet Stuff just called me to thank me for the balloons.  I sang “Happy Birthday” to her, and she made sure I remembered that she was FIVE YEARS OLD now.  She’s been “ALMOST five years old” for quite awhile.  She’s very happy to be able to take the “almost” out of her age.

(1) The week went past in a flash. It doesn’t even seem real how quickly the week has gone.

(2) Today (April 9th) is Sweet Stuff’s 5th birthday. I gave balloons to PawPaw since he lives closer to her, and he promised to put them on her mailbox early this morning, along with a birthday card from the two of us.

(3) This afternoon we’ll attend her fifth birthday party which will be held at a bowling alley. I think there are close to THIRTY kids attending. It’s a joint birthday party with a friend whose birthday is the 11th. They’ve shared birthday parties since they were two years old.

(4) I started doing my taxes yesterday. Sigh! This is about the latest I’ve ever procrastinated on them. I always use Turbotax online - takes me about a day. Hopefully, by working a couple hours each night, I’ll have them ready to go by Monday or Tuesday evening.

(5) I’ve found that I enjoy buying clothes for my granddaughters much more than buying toys. I love selecting outfits I think they’ll like. Pink for Sunshine and yellow or blue for Sweet Stuff.

(6) My extended family is quite large, and each year we draw names for Christmas gifts.  This past year I volunteered to keep the list of names.  I am usually very organized. I just don’t lose things like that.  However, I lost the list.  Before Christmas I searched and searched and searched, and finally (since some people in the family had forgotten whose name they had drawn) I had to re-draw names for about half the family.  Five minutes ago I found the original list - in the SAME COMPARTMENT in my desk that I had searched three or four times before Christmas.  I SWEAR, I went through every single sheet of paper before Christmas.  I can’t believe it was RIGHT WHERE I HAD LOOKED IN DECEMBER!  However, today - when I was looking for something else - there it was.  Amazing….and only four months too late.

(7) The weather yesterday was intense.  The tornado damage was mostly in the north part of the Nashville area.  I can only imagine how horrifying it must have been.  It was pretty unsettling just to hear the noise the hail made - first on my car coming home from work and then later on my house after I got home.  An awful and LOUD sound.  And it doesn’t fall gently from the sky either.  It’s like someone is throwing it down full force.  If you haven’t looked at my photos of the hail and the rainbow, scroll down and look at them - just a couple of posts below this one.  The rainbow was so pretty - and so very brief before another hailstorm hit.

My Saturday Salute is to a blog that I enjoy reading on a regular basis.  There are so many wonderful blogs that it is hard to narrow it down to only one.  I’ll discount family members’ blogs for now, and instead salute one from outside the family.

So today I salute Uncivil Rights which has a post of Patrick Henry’s “Give me liberty or give me death” speech of March 23, 1775.  The post is dedicated to liberals and pacifists.  It is a powerful speech to read today. Whether you’re liberal or conservative, Republican, Democrat, Independent, whatever… it is helpful and enlightening to read one of the great speeches from our American history.  Perhaps you’ll find something there that applies to the situation today.

Go to Uncivil Rights to read the commentary there.  Here is the speech:

No man thinks more highly than I do of the patriotism, as well as abilities, of the very worthy gentlemen who have just addressed the House. But different men often see the same subject in different lights; and, therefore, I hope it will not be thought disrespectful to those gentlemen if, entertaining as I do opinions of a character very opposite to theirs, I shall speak forth my sentiments freely and without reserve. This is no time for ceremony. The questing before the House is one of awful moment to this country. For my own part, I consider it as nothing less than a question of freedom or slavery; and in proportion to the magnitude of the subject ought to be the freedom of the debate. It is only in this way that we can hope to arrive at truth, and fulfill the great responsibility which we hold to God and our country. Should I keep back my opinions at such a time, through fear of giving offense, I should consider myself as guilty of treason towards my country, and of an act of disloyalty toward the Majesty of Heaven, which I revere above all earthly kings.

Mr. President, it is natural to man to indulge in the illusions of hope. We are apt to shut our eyes against a painful truth, and listen to the song of that siren till she transforms us into beasts. Is this the part of wise men, engaged in a great and arduous struggle for liberty? Are we disposed to be of the number of those who, having eyes, see not, and, having ears, hear not, the things which so nearly concern their temporal salvation?

For my part, whatever anguish of spirit it may cost, I am willing to know the whole truth; to know the worst, and to provide for it. I have but one lamp by which my feet are guided, and that is the lamp of experience. I know of no way of judging of the future but by the past. And judging by the past, I wish to know what there has been in the conduct of the British ministry for the last ten years to justify those hopes with which gentlemen have been pleased to solace themselves and the House. Is it that insidious smile with which our petition has been lately received? Trust it not, sir; it will prove a snare to your feet. Suffer not yourselves to be betrayed with a kiss. Ask yourselves how this gracious reception of our petition comports with those warlike preparations which cover our waters and darken our land. Are fleets and armies necessary to a work of love and reconciliation? Have we shown ourselves so unwilling to be reconciled that force must be called in to win back our love? Let us not deceive ourselves, sir. These are the implements of war and subjugation; the last arguments to which kings resort. I ask gentlemen, sir, what means this martial array, if its purpose be not to force us to submission? Can gentlemen assign any other possible motive for it? Has Great Britain any enemy, in this quarter of the world, to call for all this accumulation of navies and armies? No, sir, she has none. They are meant for us: they can be meant for no other. They are sent over to bind and rivet upon us those chains which the British ministry have been so long forging. And what have we to oppose to them? Shall we try argument? Sir, we have been trying that for the last ten years. Have we anything new to offer upon the subject? Nothing. We have held the subject up in every light of which it is capable; but it has been all in vain. Shall we resort to entreaty and humble supplication? What terms shall we find which have not been already exhausted?

Let us not, I beseech you, sir, deceive ourselves. Sir, we have done everything that could be done to avert the storm which is now coming on. We have petitioned; we have remonstrated; we have supplicated; we have prostrated ourselves before the throne, and have implored its interposition to arrest the tyrannical hands of the ministry and Parliament. Our petitions have been slighted; our remonstrances have produced additional violence and insult; our supplications have been disregarded; and we have been spurned, with contempt, from the foot of the throne! In vain, after these things, may we indulge the fond hope of peace and reconciliation. There is no longer any room for hope.

If we wish to be free–if we mean to preserve inviolate those inestimable privileges for which we have been so long contending–if we mean not basely to abandon the noble struggle in which we have been so long engaged, and which we have pledged ourselves never to abandon until the glorious object of our contest shall be obtained–we must fight! I repeat it, sir, we must fight! An appeal to arms and to the God of hosts is all that is left us!

They tell us, sir, that we are weak; unable to cope with so formidable an adversary. But when shall we be stronger? Will it be the next week, or the next year? Will it be when we are totally disarmed, and when a British guard shall be stationed in every house? Shall we gather strength but irresolution and inaction? Shall we acquire the means of effectual resistance by lying supinely on our backs and hugging the delusive phantom of hope, until our enemies shall have bound us hand and foot? Sir, we are not weak if we make a proper use of those means which the God of nature hath placed in our power.

The millions of people, armed in the holy cause of liberty, and in such a country as that which we possess, are invincible by any force which our enemy can send against us. Besides, sir, we shall not fight our battles alone. There is a just God who presides over the destinies of nations, and who will raise up friends to fight our battles for us. The battle, sir, is not to the strong alone; it is to the vigilant, the active, the brave. Besides, sir, we have no election. If we were base enough to desire it, it is now too late to retire from the contest. There is no retreat but in submission and slavery! Our chains are forged! Their clanking may be heard on the plains of Boston! The war is inevitable–and let it come! I repeat it, sir, let it come. It is in vain, sir, to extenuate the matter. Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peace–but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle?

What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!

 

The weather in Tennessee is wild today!  We got out of school a little early to try to get ahead of the line of storms headed our way.  I ALMOST got home before getting in the middle of an awful hailstorm.  I made it home, though - no damage to my car that I can see.  It’s been storming ever since with more lines of storms on the way.  The news is that this series of storms will probably last well into the night.  And I was looking forward to a good night’s sleep. Sigh!

In the first photo below, there’s a golfball on the top left - just to give you an idea of the size of the hail that fell right outside my house awhile ago.

This rainbow photo was taken from my front porch around 5:25 p.m. CDT.  The rainbow appeared LESS than five minutes after the hailstorm that produced the hail in these photos.  Then it lasted only a few minutes, followed by more rain and thunder and lightning.  In the photo, the sky is cloudy and gray, although the gray looks blue.  There was a small break in the clouds off to the right of the picture that briefly allowed enough sunlight through to form the rainbow.