I’ve only been to one book club meeting in the last couple of years, because of my job. It was at my house. We read, something about a Jewish person. I think it was by Chaim Potok—dang, I can’t remember the book! Anyway, this is what I remember: I made yummy chicken salad and green salad and brie baked in phyllo and shrimp cocktail. We had assorted cookies. I’d bought this really pretty china set at a yard sale and I set the table all pretty and we had a tea party in my new dining room filled with light. It was so fun. Read more »

I never watched Fox News before the Bush/Gore debacle. I didn’t have an allegiance to either party. Yada-yada-yada. I know many of you have heard the story of my conversion and how I could have gone with Gore or Bush and how disappointed I was in Gore. Read more »

I haven’t been to the temple since January 2008. Bill and I quarreled because he wanted to eat dinner with his pals at Golden Corral and I’d been looking forward to a date night and dinner at Olive Garden. It wasn’t very fun, let me tell you. The beginning of a bad year for our marriage. I never lost my recommend, I didn’t use it. I was angry—at my husband, the church, and the world. Read more »

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I’ve been trying to turn over a new leaf—I haven’t had a Dr. Pepper in 7 days!! I’m reading the scriptures daily and forcing myself to read every word in the Ensign. I used to do all those things, but fell off the wagon a few years ago. One thing I’ve become lax about is movies. I never watched R rated movies, then I allowed myself a few and they were actually pretty good movies. So I just order (I’m the Netflix queen) whatever sounds good to me. It’s a gamble. I’ve seen people having sex right on the screen, in all kinds of positions. And this isn’t porn! It’s major movie stars just naked as jaybirds and I find it hard to believe there’s not some real sex going on with what I’ve seen, although how in the world a person could get aroused with cameras all over them and knowing perfect strangers are going to watch is beyond me. Well, and you know, people have sex at the most ridiculous times, like just before they get eaten by aliens or attacked by Nazis. I can’t imagine being on the verge of horrific death and looking at my husband and saying, “I’m so turned on right now.” Read more »

I had my grandchildren Saturday and Sunday and I was running my legs off, cooking and chasing after kids, so I didn’t have time to post anything about conference. We cleaned up the basement Saturday afternoon—those kids have more toys at my house than at their own—and Max cooked Shepherd’s Pie for dinner. Read more »

Here in southern Utah, where I live, there is a general consensus that one reason for the Iraq war—reason isn’t the right word—but it’s widely discussed and accepted that our national guard unit will bring Mormonism to the people of the middle east. And truly, there have been a few converts. It makes sense to me that this might be one way God is spreading the gospel to all the world. I don’t like it, but I don’t like a lot of God’s best ideas. Read more »

I tried to get every other blogger to post on this, but nobody took me up on it. So I’ll introduce the question: what do you think about the president appearing on TV 24-7 and trying to entertain people on comedy late night?

I don’t have strong opinions, but I do think appearing on talk shows like this is beneath the presidency. I don’t think any president should do it. I think this type of behavior is lacking in dignity and respect for the office they hold and seems a bit desperate. I don’t approve of it. It emphasizes personality over principles and seems to be turning the office into a struggle for popularity. I’m embarrassed for the president.

What do you think?

I kind of think so. I’ve been wondering a lot why California is in such a bankrupt position and I’m coming to the conclusion it’s all the illegals. Mostly Mexicans, but a lot of illegals are coming there from other countries.

Giving away all that health care, food, and other necessities of life would bankrupt anybody. How can they possibly afford it?

Does my conclusion make any sense?

I read this book quite awhile ago, relatively speaking, and meant to write a review immediately, but it got stuck in a pile of stuff in my office and I’ve lost so many “to-to” lists I’ve probably killed a whole forest.

I came across it yesterday as I was looking for something else, and I want to let you guys know about this book while it’s still in front of me.

Kathy Soper, who put together (beautifully!) the books “Gifts” and “The Mother in Me” has written a book about the first year of her life with Thomas, a son born with Down Syndrome. Read more »

I did, when I was 14. I was walking down the street one evening and saw my mother staggering up the street, dead drunk and calling my name. I broke, hitchhiked to Las Vegas, totally intent on San Francisco and Haight-Ashbury (it was 1967). Got picked up the cops, never made it to San Francisco, which is a blessing because I’d probably still be there living with Timothy Leary till he died. Read more »

…continuing the annegb show on Mormon Mentality (where is everybody?)….

I had a Mormon psychic tell me once that I had many very close friends who left with Satan and they know me so well that they know just what buttons to push. I suppose that’s true of all of us, but she says I was particularly conflicted. Which makes perfect sense to me, always trying to control others and make them do the right thing. I can see me being really devastated when they left. Read more »

I love this new frozen pizza. Besides that, I love the cheap ones–Totino’s, which I get for 88 cents sometimes. I can eat a whole cheese one of those, with milk. But the new Wolfgang Puck brand is really good pizza. I like the thin crust and the sauce and meat are both great.

I also love Klondike Heath bars and we’ve discovered the Drumsticks–the kind with the caramel inside. Yum! Read more »

Bookslinger sent me the link to this post a woman wrote about her abortions (2). In heaven I’m going to have so much time to blog. Because now I’m busy and there’s so much good and interesting stuff out there that I’ve never heard of!

Here’s the link.

She had two abortions, one at the urging of her mother (Holy Moley!) and the other at the urging of friends who felt having a baby at the time was a bad career move. The first was a late term abortion; I’m beyond appalled about that one. That baby had to be killed to be aborted. Read more »

I’m still nervous about Barak Obama, I’d date him if we were both single, because I think he’s rather hot, but he makes me nervous. I’m so glad Romney spoke out about him selling us out and disclaiming the US to Europe. Geez, I’m not that rude. I get mad about stuff, but I wouldn’t go to the president of….is it Argentina, or Venezuala??….and shake his hand! It seemed rather weak to me; rather like an abused dog when they lay down and lift their leg. Read more »

Well, conservative talk radio is all bent out of shape about Obama’s pick for new supreme court judge. I feel kind of good about it myself. But I read on the plot level and love reality TV, too, so consider the source. She just doesn’t seem all that bad to me. Read more »

****The e-mail cited below is an internet hoax. Andy Rooney didn’t say these things. I skimmed through it hastily and liked the point about 70% of the population being 70% of those arrested (which I don’t believe is true, either) and put it up to stir the pot. I then left for work and didn’t get back till the next day. Had I been watching, it would have been deleted after comment #2.

DKL and I have discussed deleting it now, but I believe many good arguments have been raised; therefore, I’m leaving it up. I hate it when people are having a good argument and the host blog shuts it down abruptly; the blog equivalent of “hanging up” on one. It leaves one feeling disrespected, rejected, and resentful. Read more »

Well, it’s been quite the year for the Ball family. A separation, two deaths, reconciliation, and all the attendant emotional baggage. I can’t begin to describe the roller coaster ride; nor do I think I’m unique. I suspect if everyone here told their stories, there would be similarities galore. This is life. Someday I hope to be one of those serene old ladies who has seen everything and is dismayed and shocked by nothing, rocking in my chair on the porch, spitting tobacco into can. Read more »

Last night as I trudged in from work, worn out and burned out from talking to crazy people from California all night (I cannot overstate this), I fell on the couch and Bill announced, “The dairy has laid off 60 people.”

HUH? Read more »

I read yesterday that one of the first things Obama did was to order Guantamano closed, as well as other secret US prisons around the world. I applaud his decision. Surely, there are bad people in Guantamano. That’s not good enough for me. That’s bothered me since day one. Because those “bad” people can’t balance the possibility of innocents being held there illegally without any legal representation. Read more »