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Buy HBL Power Systems Ltd with a target price of 80

Categories: Blog
October 3, 2017Posted By Admin

HBL Power Systems Ltd (HBPS) was established in 1977 is one of the top three largest battery manufacturers in India. The company’s first product was aircraft batteries and now offers the country’s widest range of batteries with diverse specialized applications. HBPS has extended in to new businesses like railway electronics, defence electronics, power electronics and other engineered products.

The company has six manufacturing facilities across India and one R&D facility. Its products are marketed in India and 80+ countries. The exports account for nearly 15% of its revenues. During the last few years HBPS has embarked upon a restructuring plan in order to make it more competitive and efficient and has thus restructured its businesses into strategic business units – Batteries, Electronics and Defence.

HBPS manufactures a wide range of specialized batteries for a spectrum of applications using varied technologies–the broadest product range among the manufacturers in India. The Company has developed all these technologies in-house and is therefore free to export.

Battery segment contributed approximately 90% to its revenue which stood at Rs.1271 Cr for FY-17, a growth of 23% over FY-16 at Rs.1033Cr. The five year CAGR for the segment stood at 5.5% for the company. The lower long term growth was mainly attributed to muted demand in its largest sub-segment i.e. telecom during last few years. Following which the company has decided to diversify its business and re-orient itself strategically in FY-16 which was visible in FY-17 results.

HBPS has in short term embarked upon a consolidation plan which aims to fortify the position in larger telecom segment, enlarge the presence in UPS market invest in capacities and reach, aligned to scale and market penetration, increase business alliances with DG manufacturers with both PLT VRLA and PLT vented ranges, increase awareness of solar battery range among the integrators.

Over medium to long term, the factors contributing to the growth of company are new approvals from major OEM players, launch of new advanced batteries like 2V-VRLA, penetration into new markets like aviation and defence amongst others. The company has also initiated a plan to manufacture prismatic Lithium Ion cells and batteries for specialized applications. The project is likely to be implemented in the near term.

HBPS electronics business initially started off with the singular focus on developing products for Railways. Over the past 15 years the company has developed many products like TCAS (Train Collision Avoidance System), Electronic Inter locking System, permanent magnet alternators. The company’s Electronic Interlocking System is undergoing approvals and should be commercialized in the next 18-24months. The company lately is also developing products into new segments in order to reduce concentration from railways business. Currently HBPS has added two new product segment into its electronics business namely Electric mobility comprising of products like Brush Less DC Motors for e rickshaws and solar inverters for grid connectivity.

In its defence business HBPS offers its products for Army, Navy, Air Force and Civil Aviation requirements. It also has a long association with India’s defence R&D and production establishments. HBPS had been awarded a large contract for supplying Digital Control Harnesses for 6,800 army combat vehicles in past. Currently the company is working on many opportunities; one such large opportunity is in ammunition. Going ahead, the company plans to improve upon the existing business for Missile and Torpedo batteries while making sure its business in naval electronics is steady. The company has also got approval for its batteries for Kilo class submarines while undergoing testing for the Scorpene class submarine.

We expect HBPS to continue to maintain growth momentum witnessed in latest financial year ending Mar-17 going ahead and grow at a CAGR of around 16% in next two years. The sustained growth for the company is due to commercialization of its newly developed products in both its railways and defence segment followed by improvement in exports and overall market.

On margins front, we expect company to moderately improve its operating margins next year and a higher improvement in the following year. The improvement in margins at both operating and PAT levels are due to increase in efficiency and lower interest burden on the company.

With positive growth expected in Indian battery market of more than 10% and increase in value addition by the company through new product launches. HBPS presents itself with a promising growth prospects. At CMP of Rs. 55the stock is trading at 16x times FY18E earnings and 12x times FY19E earnings. We advise investors to buy HBL Power Systems Limited with a target price of Rs.80 per share for six months period.


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Deliver Order Brides to be Catalogs

Mail order birdes-to-be is somebody who is picked by a person for marital life and to do this himself in a mail order catalogue. There are several advantages in this way of trying to find potential partners. The first edge is the fact an individual can pick from a wide range of females, both from the countries and from other declares. There are also many advantages for an individual who chooses using this method. For one, he can not need to move out and meet and speak to other people to find the best match with respect to him or her.

There are other rewards to choosing -mail order brides. First, there are many brides to be who have come in Asia and South America. Due to the fact mail order catalogs 2020 these kinds of areas you don’t have marriage laws and regulations that are as exact as some of those in other countries. Which means the women out of Asia and South America usually are younger and also have less encounter than the females from the Usa. On the other hand, if an specific lives in united states he or she must deal with a strict marital relationship code that includes strict requirements for the women of that express.

Another advantage of mail purchase brides is that the women can be chosen with respect to marriage every time. It is not unique for somebody who is searching for a new partner to post her or his ad in a mail order brides list. If you live in a rural area where there are few places designed for marriage, there are some individuals who can become very picky about the type of men and women they select. These people may take years to select and sometimes do not one nonetheless themselves at heart. If you live in the suburbs, you will find fewer persons around exactly who are willing to check out consider the compatibility of two people.

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Satisfy Women Online and Get Started

While it might seem simple enough to meet up with women via the internet simply because there are numerous dating websites, really getting together with the right girlfriend for you actually involves several steps. That may not be simple to find the perfect girl in an online community, but keeping your target and being patient, you are going to soon find one that suits your requirements perfectly.

To find a woman you like in a chat or forum, it’s important to understand that not all girls are as effortless to deal with as you may think. The first thing one needs to do is to inquire the question. When ever she responds and asks you a question, is not going to take that personally. It could normal at the time you get a response to ask what the answer is definitely. This is how you learn about her personality and what her likes and dislikes are. You can also uncover quite a bit about her throughout the things states and the pictures she shows. If you’re in a relationship and want to know more about your lover, then this is actually best place to start.

Online dating could be a good way in order to meet new people who also you might just like and enjoy spending time with. You should also do not forget that there are women out there exactly like you. Just make sure that you’re approaching these respect, since they can be polite, making her feel relaxed, and above all else, giving her some chance to know about your real personality and how you interact with other people. Don’t let yourself be used advantage of by someone who is just looking to employ you. This is sometimes a big mistake and if you may avoid this kind of, you are sure to end up being met with achievement by females all around the world.

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625 S. Keech Street
Daytona Beach, FL 32114
(386) 258-4661

    Hours of Operation

    The Spartan Media Center is open daily from 8:30 a.m. until 4:00 p.m.  The Media Center will be closed during FCAT testing and faculty meetings.

    Circulation Policy (Checking In/Out Books)

    Students are permitted to check out two books at a time for a period of two weeks.  A five cent fine is applied on a daily basis when books become overdue.

    Admission to Media Center

    You must have a yellow pass or a signed agenda to enter the Media Center.  You are admitted into the Media Center to study, work on school assignments, access information on computers for class assigned work, read silently, practice on FCAT Explorer or take a Reading Counts quiz.

    Media Center Computers

    It's a privilege to have computers and to be able to use them as technological resources.  Students are encouraged to use the computers in the Media Center, but are warned against misuse and inappropriate use.  A signed Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) ensures that students comply.  Computers are intended to be used for educational purposes ONLY.

    Contact Us

    O'Brien, M.
    Media Specialist
    386-258-4661 ext. 53641

    Scholastic Reading Counts (RC)

    Students who participate in the program, first take the Scholastic Reading Inventory (SRI) test.  Results from this test give the student a lexile level or reading score.  This reading score is used to match a student to a book.  Once the student is done reading the book, he/she takes a Reading Counts (RC) quiz.  Each book has a certain amount of points.  If the student passes the RC quiz, then the points are awarded.  Students who meet the 100 point challenge are invited to a celebration in May.  In addition, awards and recognition are given to students with the highest number of points, at the end of each month and at the end of the year.

    Math and Science Reading Counts (RC)

    There are designated corners in the Media Center with non-fiction Reading Counts Math and Science books.  Students are encouraged to take Reading Counts quizzes for these titles.  These areas will continue to be developed and additional titles will be added throughout the year.  Sunshine State Young Readers Award (SSYRA) This is a statewide reading motivation program for students in grades 3 through 8.  The program features 15 titles.  Students are encouraged to read as many of these titles as possible, then the student votes in early April for his/her favorite author.  The votes are compiled across Florida and the author having the most votes wins the SSYRA award.  To be eligible, students are encouraged to read at least three SSYRA books and take the accompanying Reading Counts quiz.  Eligible students will be invited to a vote and participate in a Sunshine celebration in April.  Go to the following website for book list and annotations:

    Online Public Access Catalog (OPAC)

    This is a listing of items owned by the Spartan Media Center.  The listing can be accessed via our computers by clicking on an icon (symbol:  two books with a magnifying glass).  You can search this listing by subject, author, and title.  It will also let you know if any items are available, where they're located and if they are checked out.  It is recommended that you look here, before going to the shelves.

    Sunlink is a web based resource that allows you to access what we have available in Campbell's Media Center from other locations.  This site also provides a number of educational resources.  Go to the following web site:, click on begin an advanced search, click on Region 3, followed by Volusia, and make sure you type in Campbell in the location box, before searching your titles, subjects or authors.

    Proquest/e-Library (BIGCHALK) and Lions

    These are web resources supported by Volusia County Schools.  Access to these resources require a username and a password specific to each school.  See your media specialist for this information.  Prequest/eLibrary contains a large number of full-text articles from newspapers, magazines, and books, as well as images, web links, and audio/video files that can be used for class projects/assignments.  LIONS of Learning Literature is an excellent resource for English/Language Arts projects/assignments.

    Culture Grams

    This web-based resource is supported by Volusia County Schools.  Students can access this resource to fin information on states and various countries (e.g. economy, population, locations, maps, short biographies, recipes, etc.)  As the media specialist for the username and password to access this resource.

    FINDS (Focus, Investigate, Note, Develop, Score)

    This is a research model supported by Sunlink.  Students will be introduced to this model to help them prepare for research at the middle school level.  Introduction to plagiarism and emphasis of unethical practices will be a key component of this model.

    MLA Format

    For examples of MLA style click on:


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Category Archives: DIY

Trends in Cabinet Hardware

Changing out or adding new cabinet knobs or pulls is an easy, and often low-cost way of updating the look of your kitchen, bath or a piece of furniture.  I’ve pulled together a few styles that are trending right now, to inspire you to make this happy little improvement to some corner of your home.

Acrylic. This crystal clear option would look so fresh and modern in the bathroom or kitchen. I absolutely LOVE the smoke-colored version too. So sophisticated!

Schaub and Company Positano 6" Pull. $13.40- $15 on
Schaub and Company Positano 6″ Pull. $13.40- $15 on

Natural Stone and Concrete. These are two materials you wouldn’t necessarily expect to find on a cabinet knob. They are each textural and expressive, sure to make a statement.

Lucy Concrete Knob. Set of 2 for $25 on
Lucy Concrete Knob. Set of 2 for $25 on
Swirled Agate Knobs. $24 on
Swirled Agate Knobs. $24 on
Druzy Quartz Knob. $18 on
Druzy Quartz Knob. $18 on

Extra Long Pulls. This is a classic, no fail way to make old cabinets feel more modern.  I suggest mounting them horizontally on cabinet doors as well as drawers, for a cohesive look.

Glide Rite 6 in. Stainless Steel Pull. Set of 10 for $26.99 on
Glide Rite 6 in. Stainless Steel Pull. Set of 10 for $26.99 on

Mismatched and Eclectic. I’m generally a fan of mixing patterns with fabrics, so why not knobs? Purchase various styles of a certain color or finish, or vise versa.

Marbled Solitare Knob. $10 each on
Marbled Solitare Knob. $10 each on
Various ceramic knobs, in sets of 2 for $2.38 - $4.78 on
Various ceramic knobs, in sets of 2 for $2.38 – $4.78 (current sale price) on

Ring Pulls. These little pulls work great for small drawers and doors. I could seem them on a reinvented vintage desk or hutch.

Bosetti Marella Ring Pull by Classic Hardware in Polished Brass. $7.03 on
Bosetti Marella Ring Pull by Classic Hardware in Polished Brass. $7.03 on
Top Knobs Nouveau II Finger Pull in Brushed Satin. $6.30 on
Top Knobs Nouveau II Finger Pull in Brushed Satin. $6.30 on

You Don’t Need a Sewing Machine to Make New Pillow Covers

Around the holidays, I like to switch up my decor scheme just a touch, for added Christmas flair. I wanted to do a few changes this year, that might carry through into winter, so I wouldn’t have to take it all down right away. As I was searching for inspiration, I kept seeing images of cozy cabins festooned with tartan plaid prints and layered with Pendleton wool blankets and shearling accents. To capture a woodsy feel, but not go gung-ho log cabin, I bought some plaid flannel fabric at JoAnn, and made pillow covers.

Possessing the ability to sew a straight line is such a game changer when it comes to quickly updating your home decor. You can make pillow covers, hem curtains and do basic upholstery too. I’ve had my sewing machine since I was a senior in high school. I’m not a talented seamstress by any measure, but I’ve got the straight line thing mastered.

After I cut my fabric last weekend, I headed down to my studio to set up my sewing machine. I got the bobbin loaded, the thread through the needle and positioned a pillow cover under the presser foot. And go! Only it didn’t. It got all hung up, and I tried and tried to trouble-shoot the issue, but I couldn’t figure it out.

I’m sure it is high time I had my sewing machine serviced, but I just don’t have the time to deal with it this month. What’s a determined decorator to do then? Well, I just happened to have some Stitch Witchery fusible web tape on hand, and to my great surprise, it worked like a charm! While I wouldn’t normally substitute sewing with this method, since I’m not planning on using these covers indefinitely, I wasn’t too concerned about long-term wear. This is also not a 100% no-sew project, because I closed up the pillow covers with hand-sewing. Here is what I did.

Cut two pillow cover pieces one inch larger than the size of your pillow form. Example: My forms were 18″ x 18″, so I cut my pieces 19″ x 19″ for a 1/2″ seam allowance on each side. I use a Fiskars cutting mat, O’Lipfa Lip Edge Ruler, and Fiskars rotary cutter for this task. It makes very quick work of the job.

Lay your pieces right sides together. Pin around the sides.

Now cut strips of Stitch Witchery fusible web tape to match the length and width of your pillow. You’ll want them to overlap at each corner. My tape was too wide for the seam allowance I had planned on, so I cut the strips in half, length-wise. You’ll also need to leave a gap on one side, to slide the pillow form into the cover when it is finished.

Sandwich the tape in between the cover pieces, making sure to keep the strips nice and straight and overlapping at the corners. Leave a decent-sized opening to put the pillow form inside. I think mine was around 10″.

Heat up your iron, and press! Set your iron to wool, or another high setting. You’ll want to use either a damp pressing cloth, or a damp piece of plain cotton between your iron and the pillow cover, to protect your iron in case some of the fusible web tape escapes. Hold the iron in one spot for 10 seconds, then move on, until all the edges of  the cover are adhered.

Turn the pillow cover right-side out. Now you can gently stuff your pillow into the opening. You can either sew it closed by hand, with a needle and thread, or try to add a strip of fusible web tape inside the seam allowance, and iron it closed. This can be difficult to do, with the pillow form inside.

And there you have it, a pretty simple pillow cover, no sewing machine required! I made three covers in all, in two different plaid prints. They joined two blue tweed pillows on the couch for a super cozy vibe. My cat Teddy can attest to that!

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Why I Didn’t get a Traditional Christmas Tree This Year

I do love trimming up a gorgeous Christmas tree, and over the years I have amassed a beautiful collection of glittering, festive ornaments. The tree usually takes a prominent spot in our living room and we rearrange the furniture to accommodate it.  My favorite part is how Thomas helps us put the ornaments on, and the tree ultimately ends up feeling very bottom heavy. Then we sit and watch Christmas movies in the twinkling glow of the tree’s tiny white lights. Magic!

Well, this year, we decided to change our approach for several reasons, most of them having to do with our adventurous ten-month-old baby. Lucy is an explorer by nature and would rather get into things she should not, than say, play with baby toys.  As our house is small, the main play area is our living room, and for the most part it is baby-proofed, so she can be free to roam and be safe while doing so. Adding a Christmas tree into this environment sounded like a recipe for constant headaches and countless “No, Lucy, don’t touch that!” moments.

Instead of heading out to cut down a traditional Christmas tree, we went to Bremerton City Nursery and chose a five-foot-tall Leyland Cypress in a pot. We asked the gal on duty that day, Alex, lots of questions, and learned that if we were careful, we could keep this tree alive and use it again next year or plant it in the yard this spring.  We left feeling very encouraged that we could make it work. The following tips just about sum up her advice, but if you decide to do this yourself, I would certainly consult the experts in person, since I am not an authority.

  • The tree can survive indoors for around three weeks, given the care it needs.
  • For a few days after you bring it home, leave it on a covered porch, next to the house, or in a daylight garage to ease into acclimating it to life indoors.
  • Place the tree near a window, so it can get natural light.
  • Give it lots of water, since the air in your home is much drier than it is outside, especially with the heater running.
  • Speaking of heaters, if you must place it near a heat vent, position the louvers on the grate to point the air away from the tree, or close them to block the airflow completely.
  • Get it back outside after Christmas, under cover for a few days, then it can be out on the patio, soaking up the winter rain.

There are many varieties to choose from. Our Leyland Cypress has sort of a Charlie Brown feel, but we dressed it up with various metallic ornaments and a vintage paper garland that I made. I tried putting lights on it, but they looked a bit bulky. I just might order a string of those teeny, tiny “micro” lights, and see if they blend in any better.

micro fairy lights

I put the tree’s pot inside a plastic garbage bag, to hold the excess liquid from watering it, then disguised that with a burlap coffee sack. Now it sits on our buffet in the dining room, and adds lots of holiday charm to the space. We eat in the dining room three times a day, so we get many opportunities to appreciate the tree’s simplistic beauty. I hung cedar garland with white lights in the living room, and decorated every surface with something Christmas-y, so we aren’t want for a festive feel at all. While I did miss the ritual of going to the tree farm with friends to select the perfect tree, I thoroughly enjoy our potted tree and the house doesn’t feel any less magical!

DIY: Vintage Book Garland and Decoupage Letters

Tuesday on the blog, I shared instructions on making a wreath using vintage book pages, and today, I’m going to walk you through the steps to make a festive garland and decoupaged holiday message. Both of these projects are very easy, and could be changed to suit your personal decor style.

Vintage Paper Garland

  • Supplies:
  • Vintage book pages
  • Hole Punch
  • Twisted Jute Garden Twine
  • Cardboard and pencil for making your pattern

While I contemplated cutting snowflakes or ornament shapes for this garland, ultimately I wanted this to be not only quick and easy, but to have a simple aesthetic. The 2″ circle design that I decided on was all of those things. I made three 5′ garlands in about 15 minutes.

Design and cut your pattern out of cardboard.

Trace your pattern onto the book pages. Fit as many on one page as possible to make less work of it. I traced the circle onto the bottom of one page, then stacked four pages on top of eachother, because my pages were a very thin paper. Then I folded the pages into thirds and cut out my circle. I was able to get twelve circles out of one cut.

Fold your circles in half, three or four at at time. Punch a hole so that when you are done, the circle looks like a button with two holes.

String them onto the jute twine. I found that about eighteen circles fit onto a five foot length of twine, which was a manageable length for dressing my little potted tree.

garland close up

Decoupage Letters

This project couldn’t be any easier, and if you have never worked with decoupage medium, don’t worry. The technique is extremely flexible and forgiving. Choose any holiday message, and spell it out with any manner of these letters. You could go all capitals or stick with lower case letters. JoAnn Fabrics and Crafts has a great selection, and they are frequently on sale. The process took me around 30 – 45 minutes per letter.

Rip up your vintage book pages into random sized pieces.

Brush glue on the letter, and on the back of a book page piece. Then place the piece on the letter.

Brush more Mod Podge over the top of the piece. Now just repeat that process, overlapping and layering pieces for a textured effect.

There are countless ways to display your holiday message, on a mantle, hanging on the wall, or resting on top of a bookcase or buffet. For the photos I styled for the Sunday feature in the Kitsap Sun, I nestled them among some cedar branches, on top of an old white dresser in our living room.

letters table-top

DIY: Paper Cone Wreath

You may have had the chance to read my feature in Sunday’s Kitsap Sun, but I will bear the risk of sounding repetitive: this wreath is just gorgeous. This year I was inspired to use vintage book pages to make a few holiday crafts with timeless appeal. This wreath was a big project, but it was totally worth the work. Plan on this taking you about four hours. I had to work on it in shifts, since I rarely have a big block of uninterrupted time.

Supplies you will need:

  •  Straw or foam wreath form. Mine was an 18″ form, but a smaller one would take less time and material. I left the plastic wrapping on my straw form, for less mess.
  • A vintage book. Mine was about 500 pages, and I used every single one, plus a few pages from a larger old book, to create longer cones at the back of the wreath. The smallest pages measured roughly 8 1/4″ by 5 1/4″.
  • Glue gun and glue sticks
  • Stapler
  • Metallic gold craft paint (optional)
  • Paint brush (optional)
  • Twine or ribbon for hanging

I wanted my wreath to feel a bit festive, so I painted a shimmery gold stripe down the middle of each page. This added to the overall time, to allow the pages to dry, so you can skip this step if  you want to simplify.

Roll a bunch of cones until you have a huge stock pile. This is a step I should have done, but I just rolled, as I went. It surely would have saved time to just have a big pile of cones to grab from, then glue onto the form. Play around with your rolling technique until you find a cone shape that you like, whether wider and more open or tighter and longer. Use a stapler or the glue gun to secure the cone at the bottom. I wasn’t very methodical with the rolling, so my cones ended up being sort of random widths and lengths, but I like the effect. If you painted the gold stripe, you can roll the page with the paint facing out or facing in, your choice. You’ll see it either way.

Lay down your wreath form on a large work surface. Tie a length of twine or ribbon around the wreath form, to use for hanging later. I forgot to do this at the start, and it was a bit difficult to get it on at the end!

The first layer you do will become the back of the wreath. Begin gluing cones, so that their ends are pointing in, and the openings are pointed outward. Cover the entire back surface of the wreath. Flip it over.

Next, you’ll want to glue a row of cones on the inside of the form. They will look like they are standing up, with the openings pointing out.

IMG_0964 IMG_0991

Now,  you are going to fill it in. Bend down the end of a cone and fold it. Glue a row, with the ends folded in, close to the outer layer.

Continue to fold the ends and glue the cones to cover the whole wreath. You’ll notice holes to fill in with cones as you go. This process is a bit free form.

IMG_0993 IMG_1019

Hang your wreath! You might even notice a few holes once it’s hanging, so just stick a cone in where you can to fill it out!

Ultimately, I needed a place to put my lamp and radio, so I ended up moving the PEACE letters after I took photos for the Sunday edition.
Ultimately, I needed a place to put my lamp and radio, so I ended up moving the PEACE letters after I took photos for the Sunday edition.
The wreath, pictured here with the decoupage letters featured in Sunday's paper.
The wreath, pictured here with the decoupage letters featured in Sunday’s paper.

Next up: directions for making the decoupage letters pictured above and the book page garland, both from Sunday’s column! Stop back later this week for those project directions. Happy crafting!

A Handmade Holiday

I love making things by hand around the holidays, and although it is hard to find the time, I always try. For my column in this Sunday’s Life section of the Kitsap Sun, I’ve written about some beautiful holiday decor projects, using vintage book pages. Next week on the blog I’ll do detailed instructions for each project, so you can recreate them. I hope that they will inspire you to do something creative this Christmas season, too.

How to Hang a Gallery Style Wall

This blank wall was just screaming for some art!
This blank wall was just screaming for some art!

Many of you might love the look of a salon-style gallery wall, with a cozy mash up of art and family photos, but may feel intimidated by how to get the right look. My friend Kim was in the same boat. She had all of the pieces she wanted, but needed help coming up with the right configuration, so that the wall would feel balanced. Here is the process we went through to get it right.

Lay out all of the pieces on the floor in front of the wall they will hang on. Play with the configuration until you achieve a sense of balance. Consider the largest pieces first, they will naturally be your anchors. If you have just one larger piece, it might look best in the center, with the smaller pieces surrounding it. Kim had two larger pieces, so we split them up, essentially dividing the wall into three equal zones.  Also scrutinize the use of color in the pieces. Kim had dashes of red that we wanted to sprinkle through-out.

Now use a roll of butcher or art paper and trace around each piece, then cut it out. Make marks on the front of the paper that indicate where the hooks or hangers are located. Using painter’s tape, adhere these to the wall in roughly the same configuration you had on the floor.

Move them around until they look and feel right. You want to consider the negative space between just as much as the pieces themselves. Keep the spacing as equal as you can. Use a ruler if you need to, or just eyeball it. Step back and look at it from a distance.

Allow for the furniture that will be under the pieces. Kim’s sofa was 36″ high. We left nine inches of space between the top of the sofa and the bottom of the art work. You need a bit of breathing room so you won’t knock a piece down, but you don’t want your art so far above that the furniture, that it feels disconnected and un-grounded.

Once you have the paper exactly where you want it, check that your marks for the hangers are level and centered before driving in any nails. Use picture hooks or regular nails for smaller things, and larger picture hooks or drywall anchors and screws for heavy pieces. Hang a couple of the larger pieces as you go to make sure you like where the grouping is headed. Remove the paper once you have the nails or hooks in place.

Hang your art!

While making the paper mock-ups is a bit laborious, I think it saves time in the end. It also saves you from making too many errant holes in the wall. We ended up only needing to move one piece up a few inches from where our first hole was, due to its weight once hanging. The red “R” though, was another story.  The hanging holes were in odd spots, and it was extremely difficult to get that letter level! Lots of holes for that one, in fact, I lost count. Good thing Kim was already planning on giving that room a new coat of paint, after our hanging day! She can patch the holes then.

The salon-style wall is such a good looking way to fill a big blank wall with character and to display a collection of art or photos. You can match all of the frame and mat styles, or go rogue and make it an artful mix. I just love the way a wall like this adds a layer of coziness and personality to a room.

DIY: Dining Room Table Refinish

The table before it was refinished.
The table before it was refinished.

So, this dining room table refinishing project has been years in the making. And by that I mean, it’s been needing to be refinished for years. Poor table. Our family was totally abusing it. The protective finish wore off a few years ago, and stains were settling into the bare wood grain. With lots of messy baby feeding days looming in the not-so-distant future, I finally tackled it this summer.

I’ve painted lots of furniture in the past, but this was my first time refinishing and staining a piece. I’ve been known to bite off way more than I can chew, so I spent lots of time researching exactly what stain and finish I wanted and studying the steps carefully. I learned a lot, and I’m proud of my results. I’ll share my process with you.

The left hand side has been cleaned with the vinegar solution, the right has not. There was such a build-up of oils and newsprint ink.
The left hand side has been cleaned with the vinegar solution, the right has not. There was such a build-up of oils and newsprint ink.

First I cleaned the table with a water and vinegar solution, so as to remove any stuck on goo and help neutralize any grease or oils.  I used about a half cup of white vinegar to a half gallon of warm water. The wood grain was already starting to open at this point, so I didn’t want to completely saturate the table, and used a light touch with the solution.

Next I started sanding. I would recommend using a small belt or power sander, but my workshop is in the basement just underneath my daughter’s nursery. She’s usually asleep when I am working on projects, so a loud sander wasn’t an option for me. Whether you use a palm sander or do it manually, cover up anything nearby that you don’t want to get dusty. Wear safety goggles and some type of protective face mask. If your table still has a good layer of old varnish on it, you’ll probably want to strip it before sanding.

The table after a few sandings.
The table after a few sandings.

With sandpaper, the lower numbers have a coarser grit and as the numbers get higher, the finer the granules are. This table is a soft wood, perhaps fir, so I didn’t want to bite into the wood too deeply with a super coarse sandpaper. I started with 100, stepped up to 150, and then finished with 220, so that the surface was a smooth as possible. Be sure to sand with the grain of the wood, so as not to scratch or damage it.

In between sanding stages, I removed the saw dust with a tack cloth. Be sure to do a very thorough job of it after the final sanding. You don’t want the dust to mar your stain and top coat.

Fill any cracks or holes with a stain-able, sand-able wood filler. Use a plastic spackling knife and follow the directions on the tube. I used Elmer’s Carpenter’s Wood Filler MAX.

An optional next step would have been to apply a wood conditioning product, which helps the stain soak into the wood grain more evenly. In retrospect, I should have done this step, but chose to skip it in the interest of time.

The products I used for my refinishing project.
The products I used for my refinishing project.

I wanted my table to end up with a slightly white-washed look. I chose Minwax Wood Finish in Pickled Oak. (FYI, don’t bother looking for this color at Home Depot, just stop by Ace Hardware in Bremerton.) I applied the stain, going with the wood grain, with a synthetic brush and let the first coat sit for 15 minutes for maximum absorption. I removed any excess stain with a soft, dry rag. After letting it dry for five hours, I repeated this process one more time. Make sure to have proper ventilation in your work space for this step.

The first application of stain, settling into the wood, before being wiped off.
The first application of stain, settling into the wood, before being wiped off.

For my top coat, I used Minwax Water Based Polycrylic, in a satin finish, for low odor during application and easy clean-up. Wait 24 hours after applying your last coat of stain before  you layer on the top coat. Apply a thin, even coat with a synthetic brush. Don’t over brush. Let it dry for two hours, and lightly sand with a 220 grit sandpaper. Remove all dust. Repeat this process, as many times as you see fit. Since this is our main dining table, and I wanted to ensure extra protection, I did five coats.

The after. The table is stained and sealed, so it can't be damaged by our normal wear and tear.
The after. The table is stained and sealed, so it can’t be damaged by our normal wear and tear.

I’ll admit that this project was very time consuming, and took me the better part of a week, because I needed to care for my children and run a household in between steps. That said, I am so glad I did it, and am very happy with the way it turned out. Our table is now ready to withstand our daily wear and tear for quite a few more years. Next up- refinishing the dining bench to match!

The table looks great now. I'll tell you the tale of the white painted chairs another day...
The table looks great now. I’ll tell you the tale of the white painted chairs another day…
The bench is next!
The bench is next!

If it’s time to refinish your dining table, you might just be able to squeeze it in before you host Thanksgiving!

DIY: Under-bed LEGO Table

Living in a 1920’s house has its charms and drawbacks. Storage space is tight, and rooms are small. I have two small children, and as you might know, they come with lots of stuff, and more specifically, lots of LEGO. My basement is mostly unfinished and therefore, I have no dedicated play room. My oldest is very nearly five years old and my youngest is eight months old. LEGO and babies don’t mix. So, the house rule is that LEGO bricks stay in Thomas’ bedroom.

Since Thomas’s bedroom is pretty tiny and floor space is limited, I needed to come up with a solution that could, quite literally make the LEGO bricks disappear at night. My theory is that creating a dedicated play area for these tiny pieces, makes their migration into common areas of the house a little less likely.

The under-bed space is largely underutilized as storage in general, and Thomas’ room is no exception. Since most LEGO play time happens on the floor anyway, I had it in my mind to create some type of surface that could slide under the bed at night. This is what I came up with.

Using a scrap piece of Medium Density Fiberboard (MDF), I had on hand, I crafted a rolling LEGO table. It was pretty simple to make, and you could make this piece just about any size you want. It took four easy steps.

  1. Screw in four swivel casters with brakes. I used casters with brakes so the table won’t slide away from Thomas as he is playing on it. The only down side to this is that they are a bit tricky, so I have to help him set and unlock the brakes.IMG_0756
  2. Use a miter box to cut trim for the edges of the table. The last thing you want is for the LEGO creations to go careening off the side of the table when you push it under the bed at night. Meltdowns will ensue… I used a 1″ square cedar trim from Home Depot, but almost any type of decorative trim or quarter-round would work.
  3. Adhere the trim to the table. I used Gorilla Glue with clamps, then secured the trim with finishing (17)
  4. Paint it. I used two coats of Behr’s Ultra White primer and paint in one. Of course, I had help, I’d be nowhere without my little shop assistant! If you wanted to, you could paint some streets on the surface, or glue down a few of those green LEGO building plates. We are not quite so sophisticated yet.IMG_0799

Done! The only challenge left was getting it to fit under the bed. Thomas’s bed is low to the ground, so I spray painted a set of bed risers that were collecting dust in the basement. We effectively gained a few more inches to accommodate those taller LEGO structures.

I know that the LEGO obsession is likely going to last at least another nine or ten years, if not more, according to my teenage nephews. In that time, we may very well move to a different home with more room to set up for hobbies and play,  but this solution is working just beautifully for now.

Paper Mache Letters Fun for Kids

Paper mache letters are a playful and low-cost accessory that can really add a fun element to any room. With limitless ways to hang, embellish and use these letters, you can personalize them to perfectly complement your decor. Easy to find at most craft stores, they are priced well and come in a variety of sizes and fonts. Decorating paper mache letters can even be a great craft to do with your kids.

At my house, I’ve used them in the nursery, in Thomas’ room, and in the living room, above the hook where Thomas hangs his coat. Each one was decorated with a different technique, and Thomas even helped me with both of his.

In the baby’s room, the letters are hung above her crib. I spray painted them gold, and used garden twine and hot glue to make hanging loops. Because they are light-weight, I don’t have to worry about them hurting her, if they were to fall off the wall.

The “T” above Thomas’ coat hook was made by layering torn pieces of scrapbook paper with lots of Mod Podge. Thomas helped me with this, and really enjoyed it. To hang this one, I looped a single length of garden twine under the crux of the letter, knotted it and hung it over a small nail.

photo (16)

Thomas did all the work with the letter in his room, covering it with plain old craft paint. He did this one when he was about 2. Seeing it reminds me of the fun he had while he was making it, and how much he has changed in the last two years.

Cover these letters in glitter, paint, or paper, or wrap them in yarn or twine.  You could even just leave them plain. Hang them from the ceiling, on the wall or set them on the mantle. Letters as decor can quite literally, make a statement, or just add a touch of whimsy to your space.


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Rich Embury’s R3TR0GRAD3: NEW Hard Rock & Metal + Reed Mullin (C.O.C.) Tribute

This week, Rich Embury pounds your ear holes with brand NEW and Soon to be Released (Coming Soon) Hard Rock and Heavy Metal! Plus a TRIBUTE to Reed Mullin of Corrosion Of Conformity & Teenage Time Killers who passed recently, on January 27th, 2020!

Stellar NEW tracks from: Russell Allen & Annette Olzon (Allen/Olzon), Annihilator, Anvil, Black Absinthe, Brian Posehn, Cobra Cult, Collateral, Dirty Shirley, Eviscerate the Crown, Fight Like Sin, FROGG, Ghost Ship Octavius, God Dethroned, Harem Scarem, Hazzerd, Hyperia, Ihsahn, JORN, Kirk Windstein, Magg Dylan, Napalm Death, Pearl Jam, Pyogenesis, Revolution Saints, Ross The Boss, Saintvicious, Serious Black, Sons Of Apollo, Steve Harris’ British Lion, Temperance, The Black Dahlia Murder, The Order of Chaos, Tom Keifer, Vengha, Votov and Wasted Heretics!! This edition of Rich Embury’s R3TROGRAD3 originally aired LIVE on Pure Rock Radio, January 29th, 2020 and replayed February 3rd, 2020.


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Belgian Metal Shredder: Old, New & Language School (English)

A blend of old-school, new-school and other language school! Classic material from acts like Scavenger, The Kids and Judas Priest get together with recent stuff from Nightwish, Magg Dylan and Powerwolf and finally acts like Heidevolk, Sortilège and Azrael provide the metal in non-English format! This episode of Belgian Metal Shredder On Air originally aired on Pure Rock Radio February 28th, 2020.

Belgian Metal Shredder: Old, New & Language School (Dutch/Nederlandse)

A mengeling van old-school, new-school en andere taal school! Klassiek materiaal van bands zoals Scavenger, The Kids en Judas Priest komt samen met recent materiaal van Nightwish, Magg Dylan en Powerwolf en uiteindelijke brengen acts zoals Heidevolk, Sortilège en Azrael de metal in niet-Engels formaat! Deze aflevering van Belgian Metal Shredder werd oorspronkelijk uitgezonden op Pure Rock Radio 28 February 2020.

Rock Solid Pressure: Ladies Night

It’s a special ‘LADIES NIGHT‘ episode on Rock Solid Pressure. The entire Pressure Playlist will be allFemale-Fronted Fury‘, and the claws are comin’ out. These Deadly Dames of Metal are gonna shake the Dungeon walls to it’s foundation, so brave the darkness and take some lashings! All New (and semi-New) tracks from 5Rand, Magg Dylan, Frantic Amber, Psykotribe, Holy Dragons, Dissidence, Ozymandias, Secret Rule, Devilskin and more!! We’ll also be talking about upcoming concerts, The Industry Showcase 2020, and oh yeah Horror Movies! So join us on the rack for a deadly dose of GIRL POWER!! We’ll have the torches lit for ya! Darkness Falls On Reno! This episode of Rock Solid Pressure originally aired on Pure Rock Radio February 24th, 2020.

Rich Embury’s R3TR0GRAD3: NEW Hard Rock & Metal + Reed Mullin (C.O.C.) Tribute

This week, Rich Embury pounds your ear holes with brand NEW and Soon to be Released (Coming Soon) Hard Rock and Heavy Metal! Plus a TRIBUTE to Reed Mullin of Corrosion Of Conformity & Teenage Time Killers who passed recently, on January 27th, 2020!

Stellar NEW tracks from: Russell Allen & Annette Olzon (Allen/Olzon), Annihilator, Anvil, Black Absinthe, Brian Posehn, Cobra Cult, Collateral, Dirty Shirley, Eviscerate the Crown, Fight Like Sin, FROGG, Ghost Ship Octavius, God Dethroned, Harem Scarem, Hazzerd, Hyperia, Ihsahn, JORN, Kirk Windstein, Magg Dylan, Napalm Death, Pearl Jam, Pyogenesis, Revolution Saints, Ross The Boss, Saintvicious, Serious Black, Sons Of Apollo, Steve Harris’ British Lion, Temperance, The Black Dahlia Murder, The Order of Chaos, Tom Keifer, Vengha, Votov and Wasted Heretics!! This edition of Rich Embury’s R3TROGRAD3 originally aired LIVE on Pure Rock Radio, January 29th, 2020 and replayed February 3rd, 2020.

Rock Solid Pressure: Creepy Christmas Special!

Join us for another bone chilling edition of Rock Solid Pressure. It’s the annual “Creepy Christmas Special,” so come all ye faithful headbangers and join us in the Dungeon for an untraditional holiday hammering. We’ll be spinning a naughty list of horrific holiday classics from King Diamond, Spinal Tap, Christopher Lee (Yes, THAT Christopher Lee), Majur Bludd, Before The Harvest and Chief Greenbud. We’ll also be adding new tracks to the naughty list this year from our friends in Krash Karma and Psychostick. And if that doesn’t explode the yule log in your face, we have some gifts for ya!! We’ll be giving you a sneak peek, and unwrapping some brand new music for 2020 from Elegy Of Madness, Magg Dylan, Kill The Giants. So come sit by the fireplace with us (near the branding irons) and enjoy some Christmas Carnage, as Darkness falls on Reno!! We’ll have the torches lit for ya! This episode of Rock Solid Pressure originally aired on Pure Rock Radio December 23rd, 2019.


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Ready Contacts + Dialer APK

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feel better today

Qi and Tonic is an acupuncture clinic and herbal apothecary servicing the Port Macquarie hinterland towns of Wauchope and Comboyne in Birpai Country.

As an AHPRA.gov.au registered profession, Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine is an Allied Health primary care profession requiring a 4 year Health Science degree.

As a registered Covid Safe business, we are open by appointment only.

Call 0413 161 815 or message us through Contact Us page or Facebook.

Wendy Hee is the first Acupuncturist on the Mid North Coast Cancer Institute‘s approved Complementary Therapist list at Port Macquarie Base Hospital.


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Karpeles Arrested on Still More Embezzlement Charges

Shingetsu News Agency is reporting on their Twitter feed that Mt Gox CEO Mark Karpelès has been rearrested in Japan on still more embezzlement charges. Japanese police are only allowed to hold a suspect in detention for a limited period of time, so re-arrest on further charges is a common tactic used to keep charged suspects detained indefinitely before trial.

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photo by Sheri Dixon

Sunday, February 26, 2012

You May Now Resume Your Regularly Scheduled Life

"Mr. Dixon- I am happy to report that there is nothing of note in your head".

That Dr. Hanna- he cracks himself up.

But we all laugh- every single time. Out of relief, out of joy, and just because it IS funny.

Dr. Hanna commented as he always does on the very coolness of Ward's Hawaiian shirts- in front of the student teachers- "How can you not comment? I mean, LOOK AT HIM!"

Then he thought a minute, consulted the chart and said, "You've been cancer-free for 4 years about we move to yearly scans?"

Which is very very good.

Dr. Bruel, the pain management doctor said, "Boy, everything looks good- the graft looks great and *consulting the chart* since it's been almost 2 years..."

I cut him off sharply.

Puzzled, he tried again.

"Since it's been almost 2 years since..."

Louder and not as politely.

He stopped and looked at me.

I told him the LAST graft (the SECOND graft) had looked great for 2 years...and 3 months.

And then he understood.

We're so very thankful that Ward is cancer-free, and we credit Dr. Hanna's brilliance for that.

But we won't rest easy about the graft for another (?) year (?) or so, if ever. We'll always be watching the edges, scrutinizing every fleck of dirt, every inadvertent scratch, every teensy mosquito bite for the unthinkable.

That tiny. Little. Almost-not-there. Hole that means the graft is compromised.

Not thinking about the unthinkable = Easier said than done.

I'd like to think that even if our lives had been perfect without a cloud in the sky we'd be grateful for the lives we lead. But I guess we'll never know.

I do know because of...everything we tend to cling to each other a little more closely, love our surroundings a little more fiercely and never take a single good thing for granted.

Or a single minute.

Not a one of us would ever even consider uttering "I'm bored".

Because life is too damn short. No matter how long it lasts.

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

...It's Merely Routine

Routines can be comforting things.

They bring stability to life even when everything else seems out of control, even when everything else seems off-kilter, the smallest routine- making coffee, doing chores, taking the trash to the road because it's Wednesday- all those little things add up to center and ground a soul being tossed hither and yon by the winds of life.

Daily routines straighten and strengthen the backbone of a body when everything else is "to be determined" depending on a million other variables.

Other routines are more ritual in essence.

Attending church. I did that at one time- for years. It was comforting to sit in the same pew and repeat the same litany holding the same old worn hymnal- not needing it because everyone knew the Apostles' Creed and the call and response between pastor and congregation by heart. Those things had never been learned, they'd soaked in like the very tears of Jesus straight through our skins by osmosis sitting in that same pew when we were 1, and 10, and 20- surrounded by relatives who were 40, and 60, and 80. At the end of service the organist played the same recessional as we filed out...knowing right then and there that THIS was where last week ended and a new one began.

Taking out holiday decorations from my grandmother's nativity scene to the Chrismouse advent calendar...routine. No matter what the calendar on the wall says Christmas season starts when the tree gets plugged in and the Protective Elf is set next to the Baby Jesus- not a second before.

Planning vacations- from conception to map-questing to reservations to packing- all a set routine even though the destinations are ever-changing. Every step executed as carefully as a recipe, and STILL the boys know within an hour of leaving the house they'll hear "OH SHIT!" from me and wonder what I've forgotten...this time.

Today's routine is well-known but not well-loved, and has actually been preceded with another routine- about a week ago all three of us ceased sleeping well. We've been uneasy and tense and terse. There's a floating possibly foreboding atmosphere in our normally happy yet chaotic home.

In May of 2006 we headed our new (to us) car towards Houston and MD Anderson Cancer Hospital- we'd been referred there by Ward's plastic surgeon here in Tyler. We are entering our 2nd decade as a Cancer Family- they'd mucked around with it for 4 years here in Tyler not knowing the type he had is all to often mis-diagnosed and under-excised because the cells still look suspiciously normal- its very name being "morpheoform".

I don't know how many trips we've made there and back by now. I do know our car had under 50,000 miles on it when we bought it and now has just shy of 173,000.

I do know the hotel staff knows my voice on the phone.

I do know the way there and back without a map, by heart, with my eyes closed.

I do know we're so very grateful for the staff at MD Anderson, who attempt to do the impossible within the confines of an enormously cumbersome institution.

I do know that we're so very grateful for our family and friends who take up the slack- monetarily and physically- when we have to be gone whether it's several days or many weeks.

I do know that I so appreciate my employers and my employees who literally support me when I need to be gone- allowing much to be done via phone and computer and being my eyes and my feet when I'm not there.

I do know that after I finish writing this (drinking my morning coffee), I'll make our toast and we'll go feed the critters.

I know that I'll cherish every moment and sight and sound of what we do every single day- just as we do every day. We'll finish up as always on the bridge over the creek where I'll turn and say "Hey, Gomez- guess what?" and Ward will patiently and obediently ask "What?" and I'll look up at him and say "We live here now". Because for so many years it seemed as though that would never happen, my routine is to reaffirm that every single day.

And I know that after that, we'll be taking out the suitcases and packing them with things we know by heart- so many changes of clothes, bathroom items, medicines, books and computers. The car will get packed in the same arrangement as always- suitcases in the back and snacks next to Alec, who has his own way he arranges his domain in the back seat.

And we'll point the car towards Houston, where tomorrow Ward has tests and scans and Friday he has appointments with the dermatologist, and the pain management doctor, and the very important one with the cancer doctor who WILL perform the most important step of this particular routine- where he says "Mr. Dixon- I am happy to report that there is nothing of note in your head".

And we'll all laugh and he'll say "See you in about 6 months", shake our hands and we'll come home.

He will. He has to. I so decree.

Sunday, February 19, 2012

Neither a Borrower Nor a Lender Be

We were super busy today.

Cleaned the guinea pig house, did laundry, re-did the floor in Alec's shower (that involved me mixing several batches of cement while Alec laid the rocks), I managed to take a little walk after putting the pork roast in the oven and before helping Edna write out her bills, and now after a good dinner I'm writing.

Oh. And I cut Joey's hair.

Speaking of Joey...

...Sometime after Tractor Supply closed, we realized we'd forgotten to go get dog food. No matter- Joe uses the same kind as we do. So I sent Joe a text.

Me- "Hey- could we please borrow some dog food?"

Joe- "Sure"

Me- "Thanks :)"

Joe- "I'll be getting some tomorrow and I'll get you some too"

Me- "Thanks :)"

Joe's a good guy. Joe went right outside with a brown paper sack from Fresh and filled it halfway up with dog food, then put it on a big box on the porch. Joe does not normally HAVE paper sacks from Fresh, but he'd bought his mom some candy there for Valentine's Day. See? Joe's a good guy.

I scrounged around the pantry for something to carry dog food in, looking for a plastic sack that didn't have holes in it. I decided instead to carry it home in...a brown paper sack from Fresh.

I walked next door (all 50 feet away) and onto Joe's porch. I saw the bag full of food.

Joe was nowhere in sight. Joe was "indisposed".

I looked at Joe's Fresh sack full of food and then at MY empty Fresh sack.

When God gives you such a direct and obvious gift it's a sin to not take it and run.

With only the slightest twinge of "Golly this is an awful thing to do to such a good guy", I took the sack of food and replaced it carefully with the empty sack- open and setting the exact same way as the other one had been and hightailed it back to my house where I texted

"I'll come get it in a minute :)"

To which he replied

"OK :)"

Cheerfully I went over to the barn to help Ward feed and told him what I'd done, prefacing it with "Gomez- I'm going straight to hell, but it was so worth it".

Gomez agreed on both counts.

Later, after the truth was out, I was talking to Joe on chat.

Joe- "I guess you told Ward about what you did"

Me- "Duh"

Joe- "So, is it on Facebook yet?"

Me- "Of course not"

Joe- "When will you tell the whole world of Facebook?"

Me- "Nevah"

And I won't, either. Because I'm just that sorta sensitive and trustworthy person.

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

The Very Nature of Snakes

A big deal, a magic phrase, a slam dunk in political conversations is the cry of "States' Rights". States' Rights supposedly trump anything those evil doers in DC want to shove down the throats of the innocent masses (who voted them into their cushy DC offices in the first place).

Things like public schools, an interstate road system, centralized postal service, safety standards for work places, helping those in need, NOT helping those in need- all that stuff is better served by states instead of nationally.

Fine. Great. Lets see what happens when you give the states more power.

Like in Michigan.

The state of Michigan's current politicians voted to allow the actual takeover of municipalities by the state. On the face of it, it means that if there is trouble resulting from a local election that must be nipped in the bud without causing chaos, the state can come in and yank a duly-elected public local official out, and assign a governor-chosen person in his/her place without recourse and indefinitely.

In practice, it means that if a city is not doing what the state thinks is right (or has the possibility of making a shitload of money for someone who has state politicians in their pocket), the state can usurp the entire city council and put someone in there more friendly to their cause.

Surely not?

Ask Benton Harbor.

Benton Harbor is a little town that has the (mis)fortune to be sitting on a lovely Lake Michigan-side park that was gifted to the town by a local family- to be used by the people of the town for free forever. A developer would LOVE to have that piece of property for "improvement"- making it into a resort complete with golf course, swimming pools, clubhouse, and surrounded by pricey little homes for wealthy retirees.

The people of Benton Harbor would be welcome to buy memberships at the schmancy club. For thousands of dollars a year. AND just look at all the jobs the new resort would supply for them. Not surprisingly, the people of Benton Harbor said "Thanks, but no thanks" after laughing their asses off.

They like their park the way it is. They are aware that all the new jobs would be as caddies or bartenders or maids and that none of them can afford membership to the club even if they wanted to rub shoulders with a bunch of old white people.

Or that they would even be allowed to.

Benton Harbor is mainly black.

Benton Harbor stood firmly in the way of someone's plan to make a shitload of money.

So Benton Harbor had to go.

The state stepped in and ousted the entire slate of locally elected officials and assigned a "City Manager" who, astoundingly and amazingly, is much more warm to the idea of the planned resort.

What to do?

Many of the same folks who holler "States' Rights!" also holler "2nd Amendment!" saying that if We the People have the right to bear arms, we'll always be free and no one can take our rights away from us.

So what happens in Benton Harbor?

They can't vote the new guy out- he's a state-appointed manager and CAN'T be voted out.

Can they take up arms and storm the state capitol?

Really? How will THAT be spun? When the entire BLACK population of Benton Harbor storms the state capitol demanding THEIR city park be left the hell alone?

What will happen ESPECIALLY if they're armed (legally and rightfully armed) when an angry mob comes up against say...the National Guard called in by the oh so terrified governor of Michigan cowering helpless and innocent in his mansion?

Remember Occupy?

It's still here- morphing and changing with the weather and the issues, but it's still here no matter what the Talking Heads like to tell you.

Occupy refuses to push back. And it pisses the hell out of those who just want it to go away.

We've already discussed the What, Who and Why of Occupy. Like them or not, they are not resorting to violence no matter how illegally their belongings are taken and destroyed, no matter how they are being herded into small areas and pepper sprayed, no matter how many are arrested without cause.

And I hold my breath and hope fervently that they don't. There are some who say they won't accomplish anything without violence. I say they are accomplishing much by the sharing of knowledge and the education of others.

Because what will happen if ONE Occupier throws a punch? Or a rock? Or brandishes a baseball bat much less a (legally carried)gun?

Benton Harbor suffers needlessly and without real-life recourse.

Occupy moves back and regroups instead of surging forward.

And the Other Side pushes and pushes and pushes in tiny measured increments, waiting for the moment someone somewhere can't stand the indignity and injustice and yells

"ENOUGH- this is bullshit!"

giving them reason to really show their stuff quickly, and precisely, and with deadly force.

My old neighbor, whom I loved dearly, came at my bidding one day. Ward was at work and Alec was tiny and the house wasn't yet renovated and there was a 5 ft. long rat snake winding his way up the wall and searching for a way in through the crack in the screen door.

I love snakes and am not afraid of them, but with a tiny baby I was irrationally squidgy.

I told Saint "You don't have to kill it- just get it off the house".

Saint said "Darlin'- if I come over there that snake will be dead".

So he came. With a hoe.

I stood there, baby in arms and watched Saint knock the snake off the house and proceed to hack away at it with the hoe. Because the soil here is mainly sand, even a mighty blow didn't make a clean kill.

After about 3 whacks, the snake, who'd just been trying to get away, turned and valiantly struck at the hoe (not Saint- just the hoe).

Saint said triumphantly "SEE??? See how aggressive it is?"

I said "Well, Saint- if you were trying to hack MY head off with a hoe I'd be a little annoyed, too!".

He never understood that reasoning.

Benton Harbor. Occupy. Rat snake.

I have a terrible feeling we will at some point be witness to "how aggressive they are" and it'll all be recorded and justified by the clips we see on TV.

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Hey, If I Don't Need It, Nobody Needs It

Disclaimer- my oldest female friend Cathy Sager is a devout Catholic. Actually my very first friend and neighbor Colleen Geraghty when I was just a wee toddler was Catholic. Oh, wait- and my best friend all through school Jodi Last was Catholic. So I got nuthin' against Catholics. Just sayin'...

So the Catholic church is pissed off because the big bad government is trying to FORCE them to offer employees of their churches and schools birth control- not on its own, not in little glass dishes on the desk of every teacher, not enclosed in the annual Christmas cards, but as one tiny part of coverage in health insurance policies. They're agin' it- even for those employees who are not Catholic.

This on the tail (the very very long and never-ending tail) of a group (not all) of Christians who violently oppose any abortion at any stage for any reason, any time- up to and including the morning after pill (or shot of estrogen administered by a doctor in say, the emergency room after a rape). Where it used to be "Abortion is wrong unless the woman was raped or in danger of losing her life by carrying a child to term", they've passed full throttle into the Crazytown of "Abortion for any reason is wrong- even if a woman/CHILD has been raped, even if they will die if they carry to term, wrong wrong wrong at any juncture.".

But, wait. There's more.

Laws are put up for votes saying that not only are embryos who are developed enough to survive outside the womb humans with human rights, but that every inhabitant of a womb on up from a fertilized egg is, too. Which makes the majority of birth control illegal.

There are laws pending saying that a woman who has a miscarriage must PROVE she didn't, yanno, drink a mugwort toddy or jump up and down or attack herself with a wire hanger.

Talk about a damn witch hunt.

Say all you want to about religious beliefs and following your conscience- this is still (I think) the United States of America- a country that is inhabited by a Christian majority (yes, I said that) but that is NOT A CHRISTIAN NATION. That is a very distinct and important difference.

Therefore- health insurance SHOULD include things like safe and affordable access to birth control, safe and affordable access to abortions, and safe and affordable access to vaccinations for children or safe and affordable surgery for those who need it.

You think shots for kids and surgery if you need it are a good idea?

Wow. You must not be Seventh Day Adventist, Jehovah's Witness or Amish.

If we're limiting access to health care based on religious preference, then I guess we need to not offer those things too.

So all you Catholics and other assorted fundamentalists who have children you'd rather not get chicken pox, or mumps, or tetanus or polio I guess you'll just have to suck it up and let 'em get sick and die. Because those other religions are vehemently opposed to vaccinations and it's an affront to them to offer them in any standard health insurance policy. Out of respect for their beliefs.

Same with surgeries for things like broken bones, appendicitis, cancer... Not allowed- sorry.

Just because one segment of people doesn't approve of vaccinations and surgeries you should still be allowed access to protect your families and yourselves through health insurance? Those things are important to you regardless of their very personal and heartfelt and sincere religious beliefs? If they don't want to avail themselves of those things all they have to do is NOT USE THEM???

Monday, February 6, 2012

I'll Sit Down When I'm Good and Ready. OK- I'm Good and Ready.

Sunday is the only day of the week that doesn't belong to anyone but myself.

It's the only day I have to accomplish the many many things I need and want to do around this place, which means that by the end of my "day of rest" I'm exhausted.

That's OK, though. I start with a list and as I check each thing off I feel lighter and happier. Sometimes inside projects, sometimes outside projects, sometimes a little of both, I always end up with cooking and baking.

Cooking and baking are calming, grounding, visceral, a link to the past and literally feeding the future- there's something about a home cooked meal that can't be duplicated or equaled by scraping stuff out of a box or a can.

By the time I'm done cooking and baking the pain that starts in my right heel (my daughter the marathon runner says it's facia-something-itis) around lunch time and extends up the back of my leg during my various projects is sending shooting pains into my lower back. That's when I know it's time to sit down.

I'm not a spring chicken anymore. I won't go so far as to say I'm an old biddy (yet), but if I were in the meat case at the grocery store I would be unceremoniously bagged for stewing and not artfully arranged in a fryer tray to show off my legs, thighs and...WINGS- what did you THINK I was gonna say???

When I get up out of bed to pee in the middle of the night I can't straighten up at first, ditto in the morning on my way to the coffee pot. I look down at my hands and wonder why I'm wearing old lady skin gloves. I don't have double chins (yet)but maybe they would help hide the turkey neck I seem to have developed.

But it's fine. Really. This body has sprouted 3 children and weathered over half a century- of course it's gonna have a few dents and scratches.

So I tend to my projects and cross them off the list, trying not to notice that the list gets longer instead of shorter with every Sunday.

I cook and bake and delight in using fresh ordinary ingredients to make food for my family that's delicious and healthy for them.

Yesterday I made apple dumplings for the first time. None of the boys had had them before, which was great since they then had no idea of whether or not I'd done them correctly. Although most of the things I cook end up tasting just fine-to-scrumptious, one of the most often heard sentences at our dining table is "Oh yes- it IS supposed to look like that".

So I made the dumplings and they were easy and only mildly time consuming. Then I sat the hell down, which is what Ward is always telling me to do.

He's a wise man, with the patience of a saint and I seriously don't deserve him.

He loves anything apple- apple pie, apple cake...and I made these with him in mind.

Because yanno, he puts up with me day in and day out- it's the least I could do...

The Least I Could Do Apple Dumplings

Make the pastry-

3c baking mix (I use Pioneer)
1c (2 sticks) butter, softened
1/2c sour cream plus milk enough to make into a soft dough

Mix the baking mix, butter and sour cream and just enough milk to make a soft dough.
Knead till it holds together on a floured surface, then roll out into an 8 X 12 inch rectangle. Starting at a short end, fold into 3 sections. Turn 90 degrees and do it again. And again. Chill in refrigerator while preparing the innards.

3 medium apples
1 8 oz package of cream cheese

Peel apples and cut into thirds, discarding seeds and cores. Cut cream cheese into 9 equal parts.

Divide dough into 9 equal parts and roll each into a 6 inch square. Place apple third and a cream cheese chunk in center of the square and bring up corners to wrap it, pinching at the top. Place dumplings in a buttered 13 X 9 inch baking dish and preheat oven to 350.

Make Sauce-

In a small saucepan stir together 1 cup orange juice, 1 stick of butter and 1/2 cup water. boil and stir till reduced just a bit and pour over dumplings.

Sprinkle dumplings with 3 tbsp of sugar mixed with 1 tsp cinnamon and bake for about 30 minutes or till done.

Serve warm. Receive hugs and smiles.

*the boys- Ward, Alec and Joe had never had them before and rated them 3 thumbs up each. Edna had had them before and said they were "much better than OK" and she's VERY particular about food.

Friday, February 3, 2012

Goodnight Moon...

Sitting at my desk, I look straight up and see the moon.

This house is our shelter from the elements, yet our love of the outdoors shaped the plan- where 1/3 of the under-roof footage is covered porches and 9 doors, 20 windows and 3 skylights barely allow for the walls of the less than 1,500 sq. ft. interior. In order to stand anywhere and NOT be able to see outside you need to be closed into a closet or the pantry. Or have your eyes shut.

Most of the year all the windows are open and the birdsong flows through on the wings of the never-ending springfed creek and pine needle scented breeze and we are living outside...inside. And I love it.

This morning we trundled 10 cartons of books over to Denton for the homeschool garage sale. When we moved from the big house to the little house we (and by "we" I mean Ward, mostly) had to winnow down the books that came. We all love books, but Ward is the most avid collector and has been the best at keeping his collection with him between moves. I left a lot of my books in Wisconsin, something I regret now.

Ward also inherited the majority of his parents' books when they passed over- a huge assortment of frankly horrifying psychiatric tomes from his dad, and an overwhelming amount of western romance novels from his mom. On his own he had cartons and cartons of paperbacks, along with many hundreds of hardcover books.

The hardcovers came to the new house along with a select group of his dad's books and paperbacks- in addition to his small but designated library we have bookshelves in the living room, dining room, bedrooms and Alec's study. We took most of the rest, along with the kids' books Alec outgrew to the rummage sale.

Tomorrow is Saturday- the day when Ward and Alec go to lunch and the bookstore. Sometimes Ward comes home with a new book (he mostly buys used from Amazon anymore) but it's an almost certainty Alec will have a new book. When we were in Denton today one of our options for the afternoon was to visit Recycled Books- a family favorite. After the rummage sale any leftover books will be sold to Recycled Books.

There's a very good chance the boys will end up buying a few of them back... and our recycled books will be recycled back to us. And I love it.

On the way home we drove through storms. Or they passed over us. I'm not sure. At one point the rain suddenly pounded the car and Ward was driving almost literally blind, the roar of the downpour drowning out the radio and then

nothing. We were out of it momentarily.

Alec said "How did THAT happen?" and I said it was the cloud that had been over us. He said "The entire sky is clouds, mom". I said, "Yes, but they're not all raining at once". I don't think he believed me. He's skeptical that way.

Alec will be 12 in a few weeks- my last baby. And with all three of them I've learned so much more than I've taught, been shown over and over again that babies and children are NOT empty vessels or lumps of clay to be molded and shaped into humans. They're born human and have innate gifts and powers and if we allow them, they remind us of all the wonders we overlook in our rush to grow up, our determination to attain and maintain that elusive illusion of adulthood.

I know I spent more time than I should've worrying about what other people (other adult-type people) were thinking and less time than I should've paying attention to the lessons my children were trying to teach me. I'm making a valiant (if sometimes failing) effort to pay very good attention with this last baby- the young man who is as tall as I am, as brilliant as his father, and who is a free yet critical thinker. He is a daily, constant yet constantly kind and funny reminder of how much I don't know about parenting, being adult... or even being human. And I love it.

I've been loved and hated, ignored and dismissed. Been married to the absolute wrong person and married to the absolute right person. I'm surrounded by people who need me, depend on me and count on me but all the while they're the ones who give me strength and support and a reason to get up in the mornings. My family- blood related and otherwise, human and otherwise are my treasures pure and simple, and I'm as fiercely loyal to them as they are to me.

All the bad bits (and there've been some heinous bad bits) are the glue that enable and encourage me to stick the good bits together, making damn sure I hold onto them and never let them go. If there had been no bad bits, I'm afraid I'd take the good bits for granted- letting them fall away like so much confetti, so many snowflakes glittering in the sun like they'll never melt and disappear. Until they do.

This is life. This is my life. All the inside is outside, released yet recycled, knowing less with every morsel learned, receiving blizzards of kindness and compassion for every snowflake given minute of it.

Sitting at my desk, I look straight up and see the moon...And I love it.


text:
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