My Opinion Counts

I just read the most awesome post about using the Halloween trick or treat tradition as a civics lesson for your kids. A Very Special Educational Treat looks at things a bit different than I had ever thought. Read it and let me know what you think.

We used to have a little restaurant to go to in celebration of events. They closed their doors. It was a special place. The owners would come out and talk to us like we were old friends. I don't know what happened but one day their doors were closed for good.

I wish we had a special place with great food. The Restaurants in Warrick remind me of our special place. Warrick sits on the River Avon in the historic county of Warwickshire in the West Midlands of the UK. This quaint area is one that offers a bit of charm as well as fine dining and wonderful food.

From their website, warwick restaurant:
"Warrick offers a wide selection of pubs, restaurants, wine bars, bistros and cafes and a choice of eating whilst soaking up the atmosphere in buildings dating from the 11th right up to the 21st Centuries."

Ahhh. That sounds wonderful. The site offers information on 6 of their establishments.

I just read an article that gave some great tips for using baking soda. I keep a box in my refrigerator to help it smell fresh. I have heard of using baking soda to brush my teeth. I didn't know about all of these things...

A pinch of baking soda in a gallon of freshly-brewed iced tea takes out bad-tasting tannins and prevents cloudiness.

When you're soaking dried beans or cooking cabbage, add a dash to the water to make them more digestible.

To keep tomato soup from curdling, sprinkle some soda on the boiling tomatoes and skim off the white foam before adding milk or cream.

Two tablespoons added to boiling corn and cauliflower keeps the veggies crisp.

Have you ever participated in a Shop Hop? I haven't but Mom has been telling me about them. There is going to be a Shop Hop called Shades of Fall Shop Hop beginning October 12 and ending October 20, 2007.

There will be nine quilt shops participating from Indiana and Ohio. I would love to attend just to see how a hop works. If any of you has ever participated in a shop hop, tell me about your experience.

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You have to check out Zoombli to get Morpheus! I have had the most fun making the morph in this post. There are all kinds of fun things you can do with morphs. Turn your boyfriend into a frog, turn your teacher into a witch! Turn yourself into a fairy princess. It is a whole lot of fun to just play with pictures!

Morpheus Photo-Morpher is simple to use. I downloaded the software and used the wizard at Morpheus. It brought up a window where I could load two pictures. The most difficult part was deciding which ones to use! After I loaded the pictures, I used dots to synchronize the placement of the focal points of the picture.

The morph was finished. I had to decide who I wanted to share the morph with and clicked the share option. I had a little trouble figuring out what format to save in but once I did, the emails were on their way.

I am still not sure how I was able to download the morph into this post! I tried so many ways and suddenly the morph was here. I am not sure which method worked. That means I get to play some more until I figure it out!

We are sewing away on purses. Mom says she knows how I sew so fast. She is sewing on my machine. Hey! I sew like I drive, FAST!

We are cutting enough of the parts to make the purse for mom and Lynne. We might have to make up kits for them. We aren't making very good time. We need a cabana boy to feed us and run for DQ.

The purses are made with three different fabrics. Grace is about half way done with hers. I have mine cut out!

I already made our reservations at a bed and breakfast for when we go to North Carolina for Stacy's graduation. I love staying at B & B's! When staying at a motel, you run the risk of people arriving during the night who are noisy. I hate being awakened during the night. You don't get that at a B & B. The hosts of a B & B are usually friendly and accommodating. They are more likey to tell you about the history of the area you are visiting. They certainly know the better restaurants in town! Take a look at alnwick bed and breakfast. This is a great example of why you should stay at a B & B. This beautiful B & B is located in Alnwick, Northumberland. They are going on my list of places to stay!

I can't decide what to do about the chairs I ordered for my office. We re-arranged the new "Lodge" room and brought chairs into my office. They look pretty darn nice. I wish we had done that before I ordered the chairs. I can cancel them. What to do? Waaahhh! I hate making decisions.

I am always finding the coolest sites on the Internet! At Flippin Sweet Gear, there are awesome t-shirts. These would make great gifts. I know which movies are my kid's favorites and so I am going to order Movie T-Shirts. These are inspired by original movie designs. They will love them! I love the retro and funny tees. You have got to get to Flippin Sweet Gear and order your t-shirts.

I need this one by the 31st of October!

I might be wobbly but here I come! I picked up my trifocals this morning. That means that I am wearing glasses that have wonky lenses. These lenses have three different places for me to look. When I am looking out in the distance I am supposed to look in the top part. When I am using the computer, I look through the middle section. When I read, I look through the bottom part. I should say, I am supposed to look through those areas! I have to train myself to look through the right places! Me! Clutzy. I don't know if I'll be able to walk and see at the same time.

Edit: To answer a question in my comments: I am already feeling better with these tri-focals. I just couldn't get used to no line bifocals. with the lines, I know where to look to get the best vision and avoid headaches.

You may or may not remember me talking about learning to dance but I really would like to learn. The ballroom dancing portion, of the tv show where the stars learn to dance, looks like so much fun. At Dance Crazy dot com I can order videos that will help me learn to dance. ME! Left foot Lucy! They have proven success stories from people like me. I would love to be able to attend a wedding reception and feel comfortable dancing. They have videos that teach line dancing. I love to watch groups do that. Maybe now I'll be part of the group. You should learn to dance!

Last Sunday we ate brunch at the Golden Corall. I had one of the most delicious cinnamon rolls I had ever eaten. I've been looking for a good, easy recipe to make cinnamon rolls ever since. I found this one online at the Food Network site.

Cinnamon Rolls
Dough:
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup whole milk
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (1/4 ounce package)
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted, plus more for the bowl
1 large egg yolk
1 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (13 ounces)
1/4 cup sugar (1 3/4 ounces)
3/4 teaspoon fine salt (1/8 ounce)
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
Filling:
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
3/4 cups (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, very soft, plus more for coating the pan

Glaze:
2/3 cups confectioners' sugar
1/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup melted unsalted butter
3 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon


Combine the water and milk in a medium saucepan and warm over low heat until it is about 100 degrees F (but no more than 110 degrees). Remove from heat and sprinkle the yeast over the surface over the liquid. Sprinkle a pinch of the sugar over the top and set aside without stirring, until foamy, about 5 minutes.
Whisk the butter, egg yolk and vanilla into the yeast mixture.

Whisk the flour, the sugar, salt and nutmeg in a large bowl. Make a well in the center of the flour and stir in the yeast mixture with a wooden spoon to make a thick and slightly sticky dough. Turn dough onto a floured work surface and knead until soft and elastic, about 6 minutes. Shape into a ball.

Brush the inside of a large bowl with butter. Put dough in the buttered bowl, turning to coat lightly with butter. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, trace a circle the size of the dough on the plastic, and note the time. Let rise at room temperature until doubled in size, about 1 hour 15 minutes.

Turn dough out of the bowl and knead briefly to release excess air; reform into a ball and return to the bowl. Lightly butter a large piece of plastic wrap and lay it on the dough. Cover the entire bowl tightly with plastic and proof in the refrigerator for 4 hours or overnight.

To fill and form the rolls: Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Whisk the sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl. Turn prepared dough onto a floured work surface and press, then roll into 10-by-18-inch rectangle, with a long edge facing you. Spread the softened butter evenly over the surface of the dough, leaving about an inch border on the side opposite you. Evenly scatter the cinnamon-sugar over the butter. Starting from the long side facing you, roll the dough up into a tight cylinder. Lightly brush the clean edge of the dough with water. Press the open long edge to the dough to seal the cylinder.

Slip a long taut piece of string or dental floss under the roll, about 1 1/2 inches from the end. Lift and cross the string ends over the roll, then pull the ends tightly in opposite directions to cut a single roll. Repeat, cutting every 1 1/2 inches, to make 12 rolls. Place the rolls cut-side-down in the prepared pan, leaving 1 inch of space between them. Cover the rolls loosely with plastic wrap. Set aside in a warm place to rise until rolls double in size, about 1 hour 10 minutes.

Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.

Bake buns until golden brown and the tops of the buns spring back when pressed lightly, about 30 minutes. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes.

To make the glaze: Sift the confectioners' sugar into a medium bowl. Whisk in the condensed milk, butter, and lemon juice to make a smooth, slightly loose icing. Add the vanilla and cinnamon. Drizzle the icing over warm buns. Serve.

*Cook's Note: These may be refrigerated or frozen after forming. If refrigerated overnight, allow buns to come to room temperature for about 1/2 hour, then proof fully (until doubled in size) before baking, about 2 hours. If frozen, allow buns to come to room temperature, about 1 hour, and then proof fully (until doubled in size) before baking, about 2 hours.

Storage: Though the buns are best eaten on the day they are baked, they will keep, covered, for a day. They freeze well.

I cannot believe the weather lately. It is so nice to have pleasant temperatures. We've been going for walks more regularly. At least, we were until I went to Tennessee. Tonight it is 65 degrees! That means we can save some money by turning off the air conditioner.

When I went shopping today, I left the dogs in the new room. I forgot to open the windows. Luckily, it didn't get very hot. There were no potty messes when I came home. Yay! Good puppies. You just never know. Brody decided to pee in the living room while I was away. Lynn tried to clean it but the carpet turned orange. I don't know why that yarn did that. It shouldn't have. Brody is on kidney medication so maybe that is what made the yarn discolor. Anyway, we know to leave the door shut so he can't be in that part of the house while we are gone. He is a sweetie, really.

When my friends in the UK want to get their Number Plates for their car, they have an easy option to do so. They can order them online! At www.acrylicplates.co.uk, they can order street-legal registration plates and off-road show plates. These plates are made of quality materials so you know your plate will stand tough. The prices at Acrylic plates are great. They are made using the same materials and processes as the ones you pay the big prices for, so whatever your requirement you can be sure of a top-notch product at a great price. Check out the website to see how your plates can be used. Registration plates meet all required standards. Check out www.acrylicplates.co.uk and save money on your plates.

Why do I continue to order Moo lattes from DQ when I know they tear me up? I am sitting here in agony. Someone, please put me out of my misery. I think I must be lactose intolerant. It sure did taste good.

Mom, Grace and I went to the little fabric store we discovered two weekends ago. I think we have become her favorite customers. I bought the new victorian jelly roll. The fabric is absolutely gorgeous. They were having a good sale on fabric. If you bought a yard the second yard was a penny. I wish Stacy was home to pick out her fabric. She wants me to make her a rag quilt.

We had a wonderful time in Tennessee over the weekend. It was my great niece's first birthday. We had to see if she would eat her cake all by herself. She didn't really want any part of that. She looked like she was wondering why we were all staring at her. My nephew tried to get her to dig in! It was so funny. He had more cake on him than anyone was able to eat. Too funny!

I have often mentioned that my brother inlaw would be the perfect real estate salesman. He is always informed of the latest interest rates and the housing market information. He loves to look at real estate and therefore is aware of the current trend and market for new homes as well as older homes. He needs to take the real estate license test. There is excellent software available for persons interested in a career in real estate. Individual states are listed to allow for individuals to get the information needed for their particular state. A free trial download is available so you can dig into their software and see what it offers. Compu Cram has enabled many entrepreneurs to begin their path towards a new, fruitful career. They offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee because they are confident the software will be the best you will ever utilize. Check it out!

While shopping this weekend I looked for bargains in the shoe departments. This is the time of year when summer things are being moved out and winter ones are put on the shelves. I did not find any shoes that yelled for me to buy hem. I rarely have that happen.

Christmas things are being displayed and so, I would venture to guess that the older styles have been sent to the outlet stores or wherever they go. I must have missed the end of the season sales.

I happened upon one great toy store while in Richmond, Indiana. If you can't find a toy in that store, you don't need it. They had things from Ty and Gund as well as Webkins from Gant. They also had little Halloween outfits for webkins. I can't remember the name of the store but it is right on Main street and I am sure anyone in town could tell you where it is located.

Are you required to fill in captcha forms to enter a website? I have to enter the strangest words to meet the requirements of captcha forms. I do not know where they come up with some of the words I have to type. fox Entrapement How are those two for being pretty strange.

Typing in words is supposes to prove that I am human. Let me say that the robot figuring out the captcha words must be from a far away planet!

I watch the show, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire and I now know Donald Trump a bit better. What I have come away with, from watching the show, is that no matter what you think of Donald Trump, he knows what he is doing. He knows how to be a winner. If you would like more information on how Donald Trump reacts to different situations and utilizes every waking moment towards a successful goal, you should read his new book called Wealth Building 101.
It would be too simple to write a book and hope people would buy it. There has to be an offer to entice people to buy the book and do it now! Therefore, when you purchase this book before October 8, 2007, through Amazon.com or BarnesAndNobel.com you will receive over 300 dollars in free bonuses.

All of the books offered as bonuses are ones that emphasize entrepreneurship ideas and how to utilize them to better your life. Another site you need to check is Trump University. Important topics such as creating wealth, the art of buying a business and others will have you ready to sign up and begin the path to better living. Don't hesitate. This offer is over on October 8th.

Joann Fabric has the most adorable fall and Christmas holiday decorations right now. They are 50% off the regular price and that makes some of them $5.00! I could have been in real trouble if I had let myself buy everything I thought was cute.

I spent my allowance for a year buying candles earlier in the day. I had seen a candle company on previous visits to Ohio. This time I stopped. I discovered that this place handles my favorite cake candles. I felt like I'd died and gone to heaven! I didn't buy as many candles as I would have liked but I bought enough!

I have discovered that traveling wears me out. I could barely keep my eyes open while driving this afternoon. Do you recall seeing those lines along the side of the road that make a loud noise when you go off the road? They are there for a purpose. They make a loud noise so that when you fall asleep and start to veer off the road the noise will wake you up and get you back on track. I was miserably sleepy. I am grateful that those lines woke me up.

There are instances when term life insurance fits our needs. The eLifePolicy website is a great site to utilize when you decide to apply for term life insurance coverage. In just three short steps you can purchase term life insurance. You don't need to drive downtown and find a place to park when you decide to check out term life insurance. The eLifePolicy website makes it possible to complete an application from your work place or even from your home. There is no need to take a medical exam or talk with an agent when you buy from eLifePolicy. Check out their website to see what they have to offer.As stated on their website: This term life policy is provided by subsidiaries of HSBC North America Holdings, Inc., one of the top 10 financial services companies in the United States. HSBC Insurance subsidiaries are A+ rated by A.M. Best Company and offer term life insurance and a variety of other insurance products to customers in the United States and Canada.

My nephew and his wife had a birthday party in honor of their little girl who turned one last Friday. We went to Tennessee to help them celebrate. It was a wonderful party. My nephew and his father inlaw have built a magnificent playhouse. It is made of logs. It looks like something I could live in on a lake. It has a loft and everything.

Mylie received many presents. Many were kitchen items that she can use in her playhouse. She received a new table and four chairs that are so cute. She also received many dish sets, pots and pans and play food. She will have many hours of fun with her new toys.

Mylie was so cute with each baby doll she received. She wouldn't give up any. She had to hold them all. She is adorable.

Mylie's mommy made a cute birthday cake for the celebration. It was cupcakes that were arranged on tiers. The tier arrangement made it look like it was a full cake. She had ribbons streaming down the sides of the tiers. The cupcakes were frosted in beautiful bright colors. The frosting turned our tongues and teeth blue and green. It was hilarious to see all of us grownups with colored tongues.

The weather was beautiful and there were only a few bees. In Indiana there would have been bees everywhere. A slight breeze kept us all cool and we enjoyed catching up on what was new with everyone.

We passed by a park on our way to Tennessee. I kept mulling the name over in my mind. I finally asked Greg to Google the name, Justin Wilson. Sure enough! He was the famous Louisiana chef we had watched on tv a hundred times. I loved to listen to him talk. He said words in a humorous way. Words like onion were pronounced unyum. He was a well loved tv entertainer. I had no idea there was a park in Tennessee named for him. I think that it is so nice to have honored him that way.

We thoroughly enjoyed our vacation in North Carolina. I would love to work with Coastal Carolina Properties to find Wilmington NC real estate. They are not your typical real estate company. They work with individual buyers to find homes that fit their individual needs. The professionalism shown by this company is the reason they have been in business for many years. They are dedicated to their client and the area of Wilmington. They also help clients sell property. When you are ready to buy or sell your home in Wilmington, let Coastal Carolina Properties show you why they are the best. There is a reason that real estate sales are booming in their area when they are in a slump all over the nation.

Cincinnati is a quilter's dream. We Googled quilt shops and came up with eleven! While Greg was working today, Mom and decided to visit a few quilt shops in the area. My sister Grace surprised us and drove from Tennessee to help us find the shops. We had no idea where anything was in Cincinnati so we bought a map. It is hard to use a map when you don't have the slightest inkling of where you are headed. We managed to make it to two shops.

One shop was farther than we expencted. We had five minutes to look in that shop. The sales clerk was very nice and told us to take our time. We did look a bit longer than five minutes but we didn't want to impose. We bought quite a bit of material, thread and books there. I'm sure the sale made her happy.

I wish we had time to visit all the shops on our list. Both of the shops we visited were very nice and each a bit different in its own respect. The one shop gave classes. I wish there were a shop with classes close to my house.