Thankfully Tribulant

Fri 11/30 Blog Prompt: What are you thankful for that we haven’t mentioned this month?

I am thankful that my children and I can communicate. That nothing really is off-bounds to discuss and that we feel comfortable with it. I am thankful they can call me for advice and with advice.

I am also thankful that my granddaughter, the Princess, and I share so many favorites. Photography, scrapbooking, reading and so much more.

Now that she has a computer again, she is set up with PSP X and her own digital scrapbook kits to use, along with her own pictures. She has also been doing the camera hunt with me, so I try to use at least one of her pictures in my layouts. She took the picture of the bridge in this one. I have included just the picture below the layout along with the other bridge picture she took. It was a toss up as to which one to use.

Paper fold (c)Paula Yagisawa; Distressed Overlay (c)Christina Wall; Button (c)Michelle Swadling; Fonts: Arial Rounded, Vladimir

Stately Tribulations

Thurs 11/29 Blog Prompt: What places (in your home, or state, or country, or world) are you most thankful for?

I am most thankful for the country I live in that allows me the personal freedoms to worship as I chose, to vote for whom I think will best represent me in our government, to live a safe and productive life and to protect me from those who want to take that away.

Template by Andrea Gold; Pink Paradise kit (c)Amélie Scrap; Font: Angelina

A Girl Cheese Sandwich Tribulation

Was talking with Bombshell on the phone yesterday. She was grocery shopping and had Indy in tow. And she had to relay the following conversation:

B: Do you want grilled cheese sandwich for dinner?
I: No.
B: What do you want then?
I: Boy cheese sandwiches

Inventions and Tribulations

Wed 11/28 Blog Prompt: What inventions are you most thankful for and why?

The freezer and need you ask. Just think of all the fresh foods you can buy now; then enjoy again when they are no longer in season.

Washer and dryer. I just cannot see myself down by the river pounding my clothes clean with rocks. And I really like having fresh clean clothes everyday.

Printing press. For the news, for entertainment; nothing beats reading.

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Natural Tribulations

Tues 11/27 Blog Prompt: What things in nature are you most thankful for and why?

Surely you know where this one is going, LOL. The stars fill my eyes and heart with the wonders that are beyond us. Oh, I know what they are made of, how they work and the possibility of other planets. But I am thankful that they are there to guide us when we are lost, to provide light when all seems dark and company when we are alone.

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Sense-ual Tribulations

Mon 11/26 Blog Prompt: Which one of your 5 senses are you most thankful for and why?

Sight would definitely be at the very top of my list of those I am most thankful for. To be able to see the gleam in Indy's eyes when he is being mischivious, the pert attitude that shows in Ballerina's mannerism or the way the Princess' smile lights up an entire room. Though hearing would be next as I don't get to see the Ballerina all that often, but do get to talk to her. I would miss that.

I would like to think I would endure if I lost my sight; but it would be hard. Very hard.

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This Week in Space #6

Astronomy Picture of the Day

November 18 - M45: The Pleiades Star Cluster (c)Antonio Fernandez-Sanchez
November 19 - Aurora in the Distance (c)Lance McVay
November 20 - Earthrise from Moon-Orbiting Kaguya (c)SELENE Team, JAXA, NHK
November 21 - Expansive Comet Holmes (c)Jean-Charles Cuillandre (CFHT), Hawaiian Starlight, CFHT
November 22 - Pleiades and Stardust (c)Tony Hallas
November 23 - The Medusa Nebula (c)Don Goldman
November 24 - Galaxies in Pegasus (c)Dietmar Hager

HubbleSite

Tonight's Sky
Gallery: Picture Album
Gallery: Wallpaper
Gallery: Movie Theater
Hubble Discoveries

NASA

Watching Galaxies Grow Old Gracefully
For Kids: Cassini-Huygens Mission to Saturn & Titan
Kids Club
IOTD: Crew wraps up launch practice
earth Observatory: IOTD

Sky and Telescope

Callf or Images of Venus, by Dennis di Cicco
Swimming a Salty Sea by Leslie Mullen
This Week's Sky at a Glance by Alan M. MacRobert
Understanding Celestial Coordinates by Alan M. MacRobert
Solar Filter Safety by Ralph Chou
Make a Star Clock! by Dennis Schatz and Paul Allan
How to Start Right in Astronomy by Alan M. MacRobert
The Minima of Algol by Adrian R. Ashford and Alan M. MacRobert
A Solar Observing Refresher Course by Jeff Medkeff
Accurate Polar Alignment by Alan M. MacRobert

Space.com

Moonlight Madness: The Frustrating Full Phase By Joe Rao
What Space Telescopes of Tomorrow Will See By Dave Mosher
Spacewalkers Outfit Space Station's Newest Room By Tariq Malik
Earth's Moon is Rare Oddball By Dave Mosher
New Way to ID Stars in Night Sky Photos By Dave Mosher

Science Daily

Massive Project Will Scour Universe For Gravity Waves; University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (2007, November 18)
Hubble Zooms In On Heart Of Mystery Comet -- Comet Holmes; ESA/Hubble Information Centre (2007, November 16)
How To Make The Brightest Supernova Ever: Explode, Collapse, Repeat; University of California - Santa Cruz (2007, November 15)
Planets Forming In Pleiades Star Cluster, Astronomers Report; University of California, Los Angeles (2007, November 15)


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Wandering Tribulations

I know I usually post astronomy links today, but it has been such a long one that I think it is better that I don't even try.

We started by getting up before 6:30 a.m., waiting for Bombshell to show up with the kids, because she is working a triple today and really needed to get to work before 7. Not a normal thing at all but this year the restaurant she manages was having a "Kringle Mingle" breakfast. And since she didn't bother to really explain it until it was almost time, the only opening they still had was at 8 a.m.

Things got better though. As I was trying to get shoes and different shirts on the kids and motivate Pan, Bombshell calls and wants me to stop by her house because she left her work keys behind.

Surprisingly enough we still managed to get there just a little after 8 and they reserved the Princess' favorite booth for us. And being a sports bar restaurant the booths all had televisions and there were large screen tvs situated throughout the restaurant, all of which were playing Rudolph. Each child was presented with a foam memory book to put together and a choice of french toast or pancakes with eggs and either bacon or sausage. Adults pretty much the same thing only no french toast. And being so early I really scarved up the coffee, LOL. Santa made his appearance and went by each and every table talking to all the children, then made his way to his special chair where they could get their pictures taken with him. Upon leaving the kids were presented with a bag of small toys, candy and bubbles.

Then it started all over again at 9:30 for the poor waiters and waitresses. They really did a good job putting it all together. Will try to get some layouts posted next week (or the first week of December) of our time there along with a photo of the near life-size elephant topiary all decked out for the holidays.

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Happy Day After Tribulations

Well we finally made it back from having Thanksgiving with our families. Everything was yummy (and I even managed to sneak a couple of bites from ddpup's table). We stayed the night with Pan's folks in the hopes of flying model airplanes this morning, but the wind put a damper on that one. Oh well, it is nice to be home and I will have to catch up with the blog prompt later. In the meantime, here is this week's camera hunt layout being hosted by Paula Yagisawa at Gotta Pixel and what the photos are:

1. Something that flies: The Blue Angels
2. Landscape: Shoreline across from the park
3. Flowers: Floral arrangement made by a friend
4. Color Brown: The backdrop on Indy's photo
5. A Historic place: I went a lot outside the box on this one. Way back when I lived in Pensacola and worked on Palafox Street near the municipal auditorium they were tearing up the street to repave it. When they ripped up the concrete they found the original brick road from the late 1800's. One morning when I got to work I picked up a couple of the bricks and brought them home; one for each of the kids. But this is the only one that I still have.
6. A Water Tower: The princess likes to take pictures as much as I do and when I was going through her recent folder to put some on her computer to make scrapbook pages, I came face to face with this one that she had taken while I was driving. How cool of a job did she do?
7. A lamp or lamppost: We don't have any unusual or decorative lampposts around (or maybe we do and I just don't look hard enough), so I opted to regal you with a lamp that I had made over 20 years ago. Probably closer to 25 and it is still working great. Paint is beginning to chip though.
8. "My House:" This was taken just before we left on Thursday and you can see that the leaves on the trees are starting to realize that we are really in fall. :)

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Happy Thanksgiving USA (and tribulations of food)

Thurs 11/22 Blog Prompt: What food are you thankful for?

The list would be longer than my blog, so I'm going to truncate it and say ALL (okay most foods). Top of the list would be turnip greens, salads, just about anything cooked on a teppan table and spaghetti with marina sauce.

For those celebrating Thanksgiving Day, I wish you a very happy and full day with your loved ones and friends.

Grandma's China kit (c)Derek M. Designs; Font: ArkansasD

Entertainingly Tribulant

Wed 11/21 Blog Prompt: What sources of entertainment are you thankful for?

This is a given.... Books, books and more books. I love to read and fortunately so does Pan. Which means we pretty much have a room dedicated to books as well as books in every room of the house. Yes EVERY room.

I'm also pretty thankful for dvds which means I can watch shows I like on the days there is nothing on (like most days, LOL).

And, of course, computer games. Right now it is solitaire but I like others as well.

Grid template by Lauren Bavin; Paper (c)ballykissangel; Stamps (c)Ethyl; Fonts: Walt Disney Script, Sylfaen

Comfortable Tribulations

Tues 11/20 Blog Prompt: What things that comfort you are you thankful for?

Pillows. When feeling down and blue, nothing says comfort like nesting in a half dozen downy pillows.

Chicken and dumplings. The kind from my grandfather's cookbook that calls for a teacup of flour and heaping spoon of lard (okay, I use shortening, but I don't think they had it when the cookbook was written).

Hugs and kisses from Indy, Ballerina and the Princess. Indy is really into hugs and kisses right now and I am enjoying each and every one, since I know it won't be too long before he feels too grown up for that kind of thing.

Pan's shoulder. Anytime, anyplace, anyhow.

And a sidenote. The video card fan in my computer has finally, pretty muchly bit the dust. No one in town carries them so Pan had to order it online which means it won't be fixed tomorrow. So I will only be turning on my computer only periodically (if possible) to do the blog prompts. :)

Close 2 you template by Stacey Jewell Stahl; Papers (c)Tink2Zoe; Ribbon (c)dranet; Filigree (c)spotty; Filigree (c)moog25; Buttons (c)Mom of Six; Fonts: Walt Disney Script, Sylfaen

Integrity? I have no tribulations with that.

When I received this award from Lemon Stand I was... speechless. I know, I know, hard to believe. LS, thank you, you have made my day even more special.

And like her, I ran right over to Aussie Cynic's site to see what needed to be done. And to quote Aussie Cynic:

All these bloggers incorporate within their wonderful sites, an integrity not always seen.

They share terrific stories, topics, discussions and images. All Well worth a look.

So in the spirit of Wonderful blogs

I would like to award the Bloggers with Integrity Award to:

For Creativity
Art: So Much to Do, So Little Time. Derek has taken the plunge into something that normally is associated with women.... Digital scrapbook designing. He has definitely brought a new and wonderful outlook to scrapbooking style.
Writing: The Wonderful World of Nothing. Michael has a style of writing that can best be described as intriging. Even if you don't comment, you just have to check it out day to day to see what else is posted. His tidbits on Ethyl and Lucy will touch parents everywhere; his lists will have you rolling off your seat. And if you want a real treat and chuckle, check out his podcasts.
Both men also share a love of mine.... Disney, :)

For The Spirit of Giving
MyDigiSTYLE. Mabelle is another scrapbook designer whose love of life and humanity show clearly in her work, not only those sets she sells, but those she gives away free. In reading her blog, she also gives a lot of herself and in return you learn something of yourself.

For Staying True To Their Beliefs
Bad Example. In the two plus years that I have been blogging, I can honestly say that I know what to expect when I visit granddad Harv's blog. He has never waivered in his beliefs. Thanks Harv.

For Social Conscience
House of Zathras. Besides being a person that all should strive to emulate, she is also an elementary school teacher. Her posts are insightful and entertaining, but she does not shy from broaching touchy subjects which we all need to be aware of.

Keeping it Real
Maybe Baby. The diary of a man who wants to be a father. Blog-brother Matt exposes his thoughts and concerns about infertility and his and Constance's choice to try to have a child. Sometimes amusing; sometimes heartretching, but always well worth reading. Be sure to look out for those gems posted by Constance.

Again thank you LS for seeing something in me, I don't usually see or look for.

Inherited Tribulations

Mon 11/19 Blog Prompt: What things or traits you have inherited are you thankful for?

Oh, oh, oh, I know, I know.....

My hair. Granted it is now nearly 2 feet shorter (thank goodness), but I have inherited the most perfect hair. That is unless you like curly, in that case it is not perfect. It is shiny and thick. And now that the I am getting on in years and it is starting to turn, the Princess and I have discovered that it is not white nor grey, but the most beautiful silver (though you still have to look to see much of it, maybe one strand in a thousand). That is the other thing I apparently inherited I'm not going to be totally grey for a long time yet.

And about that 2 feet of lost hair... most went to Locks of Love; some went to one of the local schools for a science project on chlorination. When I used to go to 10th Avenue salon in another town, they would keep my hair to test new products. How is that for perfect? LOL.

Another trait that I am thankful for is my high cheekbones. Yep, my great grandfather was Indian or part Indian I have have inherited those from him.

Then there's little feet and little hands (now if the rest of my body would just cooperate). Not nearly as little as ddpup's, but just right for me.

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Consumer Product Safety Recalls 11/12-11/17

Release #08-081. Nike Recalls Football Helmet Chin Straps
Release #08-084. Hobby Lobby Stores Recalls Halloween-Themed Baskets
Release #08-085. Children's Wooden Storage Rack Recalled By Jetmax International Following Child's Death

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from more than 15,000 types of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction. Deaths, injuries and property damage from consumer product incidents cost the nation more than $700 billion annually. The CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical, or mechanical hazard or can injure children. The CPSC's work to ensure the safety of consumer products - such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters, and household chemicals - contributed significantly to the 30 percent decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 30 years.


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This Week's Events in Space #5

Astronomy Picture of the Day

November 11 - NGC 6888: The Crescent Nebula
November 12 - Cosmic Rays from Galactic Centers
November 13 - The Inner Coma of Comet Holmes
November 14 - Tunguska: The Largest Recent Impact Event
November 15 - M13: The Great Globular Cluster in Hercules
November 16 - Rocket Fuel
November 17 - Forest and Sky

Sky & Telescope

This Week's Sky at a Glance by Alan M. MacRobert
Leonids 2007
Alfredo Jose Serra Pereira has discovered a nova in the constellation Puppis
Hunting Asteriods from your Backyard by Dennis di Cicco
111 Deep-Sky Wonders for Light-Polluted Skies by James Mullaney
Sky Tour Podcasts
The Martian Moons by Roger W. Sinnott and Adrian R. Ashford
Getting Started in Astronomy
How to Collimate your Newtonian Reflector by Nils Olof Carlin
The Setting Circles on your Telescope by Alan M. MacRobert
Photographing the Aurora by Robert H. Eather
A Treasure-Trove of Variable Stars by Roger W. Sinnott
Rosetta Attacks! by Kelly Beatty
Rethinking Jupiter by Lee Pullen
Rain of Super-Particles News blog by Govert Schilling
Traveling without a Scope by Tony Flanders

Space.com

Incredible Comet Bigger than the Sun by Robert Roy Britt
Space Station's European Lab Set for December Launch by Tariq Malik
Inflatable Moon Base Prototype Heads to South Pole by Jeremy Hsu
Ticket for New Space Tourism Experience for Sale by Tariq Malik
Rocky Planets Might Inhabit Popular Nearby Star Cluster by Ker Than
Mystery Probed in Record-Setting Cosmic Explosion by Dave Mosher
Comet Probe Photographs Earth During Flyby by Tariq Malik
Wow! Moon Probe Captures 'Earth-rise' in High Definition by SPACE.com Staff
New Measurements: The Universe Weighs Less by Ker Than

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Hickory, Dickory, Dock, the Tribulation Ran Up the Clock

Fri 11/16 Blog Prompt: What furniture are you thankful for?

But a clock is not my favorite piece of furniture; nor the one I am most thankful for. Although.... Isn't a clock actually an appliance? To be honest with you, I can't believe I am really going to confess this. I am most thankful for my bed. I know, hard to believe that the person who really hates to sleep is most thankful for the item that would provide that necessity. But I so love snuggling on cold nights and mornings under the comforter and soft sheets.

I wish I could be thankful for a computer chair, but alas, I cannot, for I have not one. (Is that archaic or what, LOL). A nice comfy computer chair would be nice, but it definitely is not a necessity (not like a bed anyway). I am thankful for my computer desk. Lots of room on it, at least until I start stacking books, pens and cameras all over the place.

I am very grateful for all my shelves, though they could definitely use more company. One of these days I will oblige them. Really, I will.


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Color My World with Tribulations

Thurs 11/15 Blog Prompt: What colors are you thankful for?

Frankly I'm thankful for all of them. Would be a rather bland world without color... greens, yellows, blues, red and so on. More to the point I'm rather thankful that I can see them all. (But I am rather partial to grey. I think it is a highly under-rated color and deserves more respect.)

Paper (c)Kathryn Estry; Fonts: 2Peas Raspberry

Are Those Tribulations in My Pockets?

Before I answer the prompt there something I have to say:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!!!!! LOVE YOU

Wed 11/14 Blog Prompt: What clothing are you thankful for?

PJs. Definitely thankful for PJs. The kind you can wear all day. T-shirts are a close second. But anything comfortable will do. Can't really think of anything inspiring or thought-provoking to say about clothes. All I can really say with impunity is that I would not leave home without them :)

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Pets and Tri-bu-lations, Oh My

Tues 11/13 Blog Prompt: What pets or animals are you thankful for?

Over the years (and there have been many), I have had plenty of pets. They have brought joy and happiness to my already content life, so that I am thankful for. I guess I am also thankful that alligators are not longer being sold as pets. While it was exciting when I had one, I definitely would have had to put my foot down had it been my children. Some animals are just not meant to be pets.

Then there is the Florida spider, which really wasn't a pet, but we had an understanding. It could live under my fridge and I got to watch it catch the roaches as they went by. I would even talk to it when from time to time. How could you not be thankful for such an industrious creature?

There have been bunnies, squirrels, budgies, gerbils, mice, dogs and cats. In fact, I have two pests, oops, I mean pets now that don't even belong to me. KFKAP and Eregon (a beta fish with a 5 gallon tank and a pirate ship). I am thankful when KFKAP allows me to sleep in past 7 a.m. I am thankful that Eregon is still alive.

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Friendly Tribulations

Mon 11/12 Blog Prompt: What friends are you thankful for and why?

I'm pretty thankful for all my friends. Close friends I can count on my hands. They are close because I know they will be there for me, as I would be there for them. You know the ones. The ones you call when you had bad day at work, when the kids did something so incredibably stupid you wanted to strangle them, when the hubby is just being irritable.... the ones you can tell anything to and know it won't be repeated. The ones you can confide your deepest dreams and fears, knowing you won't be laughed at.

But I am going to confide something to you now.... Most of my best friends are my family. My husband, my children, my mother, my sisters, my in-laws. They are the ones who know my day to day triumphs and tragedies. They are the ones who listen without judging (at least out loud, LOL). They are the ones I turn to when I need a shoulder or to share a laugh. And I am pretty thankful to have them.

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Soldiers' Angels for Valour-IT

In accordance with my fellow bloggers who support this worthy case, this post will stay at the top of my posts up to and including November 11. All new posts between now and then will follow this post. Thank you.

Once again it is time to help raise money for the Soldiers' Angels for Valour-IT. Last year I had a link up for each of the services. This year I am focusing on just one... The Air Force. If you have been reading my blog steadily since the beginning, you will know that my father was career Air Force and I grew up traveling all over the place.

Dad was an electronic warfare technician. One of the few non-comms that held that title. So in honor of dad, I am hosting the Air Force this year and hope that you will take just a moment to donate to this worthy cause, even if it is just a dollar. Come on... Take the step.

UPDATE: Take a moment to visit Project Valour-IT site HERE. For laymans terms you might want to check out Lemon Stand and while there see what she has prepared to auction off for the project.

Consumer Product Safety Recalls 11/5-11/11

Release #08-063. Laugh & Learn(tm) Kitchen Toys Recalled by Fisher-Price
Release #08-065. Swimways Corp. Recalls "Skippy" Pool Toys
Release #08-066. Northern Tool & Equipment Recalls "Big Red" Wagons
Release #08-067. International Sourcing Ltd. Recalls Toy Dragster and Funny Car
Release #08-068. Toy Cars Recalled by Dollar General
Release #08-069. Schylling Associates Recalls Duck Family Collectable Toy
Release #08-070. Additional Spinning Top Recalled by Schylling Associates
Release #08-071. Schylling Associates Recalls Dizzy Ducks Music Box
Release #08-072. Schylling Associates Recalls Collectable Toy Robot
Release #08-074. Spin Master Recalls Aqua Dots
Release #08-075. Cribs Sold By Bassettbaby Recalled. Sold Exclusively at Babies R Us
Release #08-076. Coby Electronics Recalls DVD/CD/MP3 Players
Release #08-079. Curious George Plush Dolls Recalled By Marvel Toys
Release #08-080. Children's Sunglasses Recalled by Dollar General

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from more than 15,000 types of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction. Deaths, injuries and property damage from consumer product incidents cost the nation more than $700 billion annually. The CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical, or mechanical hazard or can injure children. The CPSC's work to ensure the safety of consumer products - such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters, and household chemicals - contributed significantly to the 30 percent decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 30 years.

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Junior High Tribulations

Please note: I did not score at Middle School level but JUNIOR HIGH.... LOL

This Week's Events in Space #4

NASA

Mission news brings us the discovery of a fifth planet orbiting a nearby star
Watch Discovery's landing
Check out Data & Images at the earth observatory
November 10th's APOD is of Comet Holmes by Ivan Eder with inset by Paolo Berardi
Listen to the spooky sounds of space
For the kids there is the "What is the Solar System?" storybook
High school students up for a challenge should check out the 2007-2008 competition; note: deadline for "intent" is December 15, 2007

Be sure to check out Cosmiclog's Weekend Field Trips on the Web and for those of a more aeronautical bend read "Rocket Racer Revealed"

Sky & Telescope

Get a review on the Science Channel's new series "Mars Rising" by Stuart Goldman
Take a look at Kelly Beatty's "A Plethora of Planets" to see what scientists are saying about star 55 Cancri
Alan M. MacRobert once again brings us "This Week's Sky at a Glance"
Check out the map of Comet Holmes to see where it is going to be this week at "Comet Holmes Continues to Dazzle"
And the Editors' Choice in the Photo Gallery. Photo of Comet Holmes by Alson Wong

Space.com

Mission update: "Shuttle Atlantis Rolls Toward Launch Pad"
Seth Shostak questions "SETI: Is It Worth It?"
In the News: "Mars to Move Backwards" by Joe Rao
Science tells us that the sun's wayward twin has been discovered. Article by Dave Mosher
What to Bill Pullman and space exploration have in common? Make sure to check out Robert Z. Pearlman's "Theatrical Space Odyssey" to find out.
Black Holes Warping Space and Time is an video and interactive article to answer the question how

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Tammi's Tribulations

Tammi at Tammi's World has been having a bad day... Tammi, this is for you.


Word art by 2 Peas

S3x in the Tribulations

You realize you have a story to tell when signs keep popping up all around you. And this week they have really been popping up, like Bug's "Oops, I'm having brain farts" (who I called and told) or Tammy's "Thankful Things" (whom I left hanging in her comments). There were a few others, but these two just struck a chord, especially since memory and husbands and/or children were called into question.

For those who like to blame their memory loss on their children read on.... For those whose husbands like to tease them about their memory loss read on....

After Pan and I married, I started to have little lapses of memory, so he said (actually I was just not paying attention). At the time he worked for a military contracting firm. His immediate supervisor was a man with a photographic memory. Truly an amazing man (considering he will still talk to me after I shot him in the forehead with a rubber dart gun at our wedding). Anyway he could remember facts from projects years past and whenever he would question you about it, if you could not remember, he was fond of pulling out a newspaper article that he carried with him extolling the virtue of having s3x. According to the article, s3x increased your capacity to remember. Pan promptly told me about this article explaining that we needed to have s3x more so that my memory would get better (ha, just like a man, LOL).

As I explained to Pan, both he and his super were leaving a fatal part of information out of the equation. This is a one way street, working only to the benefit of men as during this most intimate of acts they were, in fact, siphoning off the brain cells of their spouses. So for our protection from brain cell loss (and other potentally more fatal effects) men should always use condoms.

Tribulations to be Thankful for

Fri 11/9 Blog Prompt: What things are you able to do are you thankful for?

(Special request from Loonyhiker who is providing this month's prompts: Please keep my 88 yr. old dad in your prayers. He had a mini stroke yesterday as he was getting ready to go to work and was admitted into the hospital for a couple of days for observation - so they say. The last time they did that to my mom and she passed away there so I'm pretty worried.)

I am thankful that
I can still pick up and hug my 3 yo grandson
I can see the Princess' plays and recitals
I can hear the Ballerina's laughter and cries when she calls
I can feel the kisses they bestow upon my cheeks
I can drive to their school and daycare to retrieve them
I can help the Princess with her homework
I can play with Indy and his Star Wars Legos game
I am thankful...

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Transportation Tribulations

Thurs 11/8 Blog Prompt: What modes of transportation are you thankful for?

Airplanes, yeah .... airplanes. I am thankful for airplanes so that I can visit my son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter in Hawaii. It also made it possible to visit my sister in Germany when she lived there. I want to ride on one of the new German jets. That would be fantastic.

Automobiles, cars, trucks, SUVs... yes I am thankful for each and everyone of them. It means I can do my shopping at The Fresh Market or Publix instead of having to walk up to the W/D. I can get to book stores, Best Buy and out to dinner occasionally.

Boats. Trips out to the island for a day to anchor, cook steaks and relax. Watch the manta rays glide by or even see a shark or two. Or for an overnight stay in the Bayou to wake up to the sounds of dolphins splashing around the boat. Watching the sunrise over the trees. We need to get the boat back into the water.

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Clean-Up Those Tribulations

Wed 11/7 Blog Prompt: Think of all the new things on the market since our parents were young and what they had to work with. What cleaning supplies are you thankful for?

Clorox Clean-Up. Love this stuff. I use it on everything in the kitchen just about. Stains on the counters; stains in my Le Crueset dutch oven... Just a little squirt, a little wait and stains are gone..... No scrubbing my fingers raw anymore.

Kaboom toilet bowl cleaner. This stuff really does what it says. I'm all for not scrubbing, especially the toilet bowl, LOL. Which reminds me, I need to pick up some more.

And an oldie but goodie, Lysol Concentrate. I think this stuff has been around since I was a kid, but I love the fresh clean smell when I use to wipe down the bath, kitchen and the floors. (and this reminds me I need to clean the foyer floor again). But right now I'm off to take pictures.

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If Ever Should I Need a Tribulation

Tues 11/6 Blog Prompt: What jobs do other people hold are you thankful for?

Those that come to mind are military personnel and teachers.

Where would we be without teachers to pass knowledge along, to help our minds expand, to show us what is possible. So Loony, Mrs. Who, Mrs. Allen, Mr. Behrans and all you other great teachers, let me take a moment to say Thank You. You have made a positive difference in my life.

But our military personnel provide us with the freedom to learn. For the most part they give wholeheartedly of themselves and sometimes their life to make it possible for us to be free. So to Dad D, Nuke, Scamp, Bear, Brother D, and to those currently serving, those who have served and those who gave up their lives serving, Thank You. You, also, have made a positive difference in my life.

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Autumnal Tribulations

Mon 11/5 Blog Prompt: Give 3 or more reasons why you are thankful it is Autumn.

Autumn? What is that? Okay if I walked outside right now it will feel like autumn. But that will only last another hour then it will be hot again.

What I would love to be thankful for is cool days, the crisp clean smell of autumn and the bright, vibrant colors of the changing of the leaves.

Since I can't, I guess I am thankful that Pan enjoyed another fantastic Halloween, that I will be able to celebrate Thanksgiving with most of my family and that at least the nights are cooler. :)

More of Tink's Computer Tribulations

Don't know if I will be able to do the blog prompt as today my computer started making a whomp whomp sound. Pan says a bearing is going on in one of the fans. And quite frankly I don't want to loose anything, so after I post this I'm turning it off. I may end up turning it back on for a while in the a.m., but maybe not. In the meantime, this is the last layout from our May 2006 trip to Disney. After a short break (1 day) to another era, we will be returning to layouts of our trip to Orlando in 2000.

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Consumer Product Safety Recalls 10/29-11/4

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued recalls this week for the following:

Release #08-056. SimplyFun Recalls Ribbit Board Games
Release #08-057. Toys "R" Us Recalls Elite Operations Toys
Release #08-058. Pearl-like bead attachment dold with girl's gift sets sold exclusively at Limited Too stores recalled
Release #08-059. Halloween "Ugly Teeth" Recalled By Amscan Inc.
Release #08-060. Toy Figures Recalled by Henry Gordy International

Disclaimer: This is in no way a comprehensive list. For full disclosure, descriptions and remedies click on the release # links. Join the CPSC subscription list at cpsclist to receive updates and recalls when they occur.

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This Week's Events in Space 3

From NASA

A Fantastic Monday Morning Sky Show
Mars Express Probes Red Planet's Unusual Deposits
This Month in Exploration
Videos: Why the Moon?
For the Kids: Picture Switcher
For Students (k-4): Keeping Cool with Shadows
Image of the Day: Docked in Space
Multimedia: Podcasts

From the National Space Society

Book Reviews for November

From the Planetary Society

in conjunction with SETI unveils online view of the night sky
Participate in Phase 2 of Stardust at Home
For Kids: Find your weight on other planets

From Space.com

Dead Stars Collide, Explode by Tariq Malik
Floating Telescope Observes the Sun by Ker Than
New Spin on how Stars are Born by Ker Than
Planet Hunting: Find Neptune and Uranus by Joe Rao
Rare Event: Easy-to-see Comet Holmes
Image of the Day: Lunar Looking
Video: Bootprints on Asteroids

From Sky and Telescope

See Comet Holmes Tonight! by the Editors of Sky & Telescope
This Week's Sky at a Glance by Alan M. MacRobert
Best-of-Breed Black Hole by Stuart Goldman
Betelgeuse: Star in a Shell by Laura K. Kinoshita

From the Cosmic Log

November 2: Luxuries in Space
November 2: Weekend Field Trips on the Web
November 1: Mysteries in Martian Depths
November 1: Wonder and Whimsey on the Web
October 30: X-Rated Galaxies

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A Kitchen Full of Tribulations

Fri 11/2 Blog Prompt: What kitchen items are you thankful for?

LOL. You can take a look at the post below to find the appliance that I am first and foremost thankful for. I love that I can bake two things at the same time and at different temperatures. I also love the center simmer burner so that as I finish one thing I can set it there to keep warm while I finish the rest. Way cool.

I am also very thankful for my Food Saver. BTW mom, you are right. While the vegetables to freeze nicely without any blanching, they do turn out better if you just lightly steam them before vacuum packing.

Then there is Ziploc's new steam bags. I practically use one every day. Clean up is a breeze too. Anything to save time. Quick too. No more wasting veggies. I can start with a smaller amount and then if the kids want more, no problemo.

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Stove, Oven, Tribulations, Stove.....

oven, tribulations. After seeing all the Halloween pics especially the ones of the candy in the kitchen, someone close to me (HI Mom) wanted to know why I haven't posted pics of my new Maytag 5 burner, 2 stove Gemini range. Well, Mom, here they are. But I didn't just take any pictures, I took pictures of it in action. See my new stainless steel tea kettle? Oh and that's the new pot I was telling you I bought. Found it works great for boiling potatoes to make mashed potatoes and is the perfect size for browning roasts and stew meat.

Tribulations of a Thankful Tink

Thurs 11/1 Blog Prompt: Since Thanksgiving is coming up here in the USA, I thought it would be fun to focus this month on things that we are thankful for. Each day I will give a specific topic and you need to name 3 or more of them that you are thankful for and why. What family members are you thankful for and why? (this month's blog prompts brought to us by Loonyhiker. Thanks Loony)

Had to read this one several times as I got stuck on the 3, LOL. There was no way I could name just 3 family members.

A good start, of course, would be my parents. They taught me the values I carry with me to this day. They were there for me through thick and thin. Guess you could say they taught was love really was.

My sisters. I couldn't imagine what my life would have been like without them. ddpup and I are only 2 years apart. We spent our childhood playing together, sharing friends and being friends. The Bug, 8 and 6 years younger respectively, was our special little toy, then pest, finally a good friend.

My children, for whom the stress they caused and cause has probably caused the majority of my grey hair, but who also brought some of the best highlights of my life into existence. I have grown and learned with them, one step at a time, and I am proud of the unique adults they have become.

My in-laws. Not only have they raised a most remarkable man, they took me and the children into their home and hearts as surely as if we were one of them. They are extraordinary people who are easy to be with and love.

Finally, but surely not last... my husband... Pan. There is so much I could say about him. His love of life (and Halloween), his infectious smile, how incredibly brilliant he is. How he stood up and took charge of three teenagers when he wasn't much past the stage himself. He became a father the children could love and respect. But what it all boils down to is his belief in me. Thanks honey.

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