I wonder what Mother Angelica would have said

I wonder what Mother Angelica would have said Mother Angelica Mother Angelica was a cloistered (enclosed) Catholic nun who founded a television broadcasting station on a shoestring from a garage. It currently airs all over the world. Her TV shows can still be seen on EWTN (Eternal Word Television Network) and are worth watching for her teachings and humor. Mother Angelica always spoke her mind, no matter how many people she offended by her pithy remarks. She always spoke the absolute truth even if it was the “brutal truth.” I would like to be more like her. Some of her...

Pam and Kristie

What do these Ribbons Mean?

I was passing around some pictures of my dogs and me as a possible illustration for my newest book coming out from Archway Publications that I titled “My Love Affair with German Shepherd Dogs” when one of the members of the group asked me about this picture, “what do the ribbons mean?” So I explained. I tend to forget that what I know about dog shows, dog training and competitions is not common knowledge. And that the ribbons I proudly displayed in my home were unintelligible to my visitors. This is what this picture means: Here I am standing proudly...

Did Jesus say anything about Abortion?

Did Jesus say anything about Abortion? I get asked this question a lot, as I am sure other pro-life Catholics do too. It’s as if the basic assumption in the question is “if Jesus said nothing against it, then it must be OK.” Let’s step back a moment and look at that assumption. Did Jesus say anything about abortion? Did he really believe that abortion was okay? Let’s look at Jesus’ life and times. He grew up in a Jewish community where all little boys were required to go to school and study the Torah–the first five books of the...

A German Shepherd puppy

Buying a Puppy: What Breeders Might not Tell you

You have decided to buy a dog and you have done your homework. Your family have decided which breed of dog would fit in best with your household. You have decided to buy your dog from a person who breeds the kind of dog you want. What can you expect the breeder to tell you about the puppy or older dog you are interested in buying? All puppies are cute and cuddly. Selecting one puppy from the litter means you need some basis for selection. If you know anything about the breed of dog you are buying then you will...

The “Little Way” of Saint Therese

The “Little Way” of Saint Therese

I was in high school when I first read The Story of a Soul. I was unimpressed. I was more interested in saints who did great deeds of valor. Therese, on the other hand, did small, mundane, everyday things. Things no one would notice or comment about. She was simply behaving in a quiet, unassuming, friendly way. What that cost her was documented in her diary. Many years later I read that her sister had edited the original work to make it sound more “holy.” One example of the editing was Therese irritation with an old nun who sat behind...

The frustrations in dealing with computer robots

The frustrations in dealing with computer robots

Right at the moment, I am trying to figure out why I am getting a bill from a bank I don’t know. I am given a phone number to call. I called the number and the phone robot asked me for my account number. Without that account number, I cannot get past the robot. Since I know nothing about the bill and don’t have an account with the bank, I can’t enter or say a number. So, the robot cuts off my call. The bank offers no other means of contact. So, I sign in to Google to find some...

I am a Successful Dieter

I have struggled with my weight from the time I was in high school. I never seemed to be able to get my weight down to what the experts told me that I was supposed to weigh. If I wanted to be an air line hostess, I had to get my weight down from 145 pounds to 125 pounds. I tried and tried. I went to my family doctor, and he prescribed a sensible diet. And I stuck with it for almost a week, weighing myself every two hours to see if I had lost any weight. Having no success...

I have a new mentor. Her name is J. A. Jance.

I have a new mentor. Her name is J. A. Jance.

I have been reading books by J. A. Jance for years. She has several series. My favorite is the Joanna Brady series, that is based in Bisbee, Arizona. Jance is a “teller of tales” with a mystery interwoven in the story. She is always “a good read.” Her stories keep me turning the page and having trouble putting the book down to do something else. I enter her fantasy world, peopled with likeable characters.Just recently, I signed up to receive her Friday blogs, where she shares her background and memories. Here she openly discusses the people and places that appear...

Who can I Kill Today?

The rules keep changing. When I was growing up. There were only two classes of people that could be killed legally – convicted felons on death row and enemies during a war. Today it is very confusing. The rules keep changing. It is now legal to kill an unborn baby but you can’t kill a baby who is one-week-old. You can kill people who seem to be at the point of death. You can kill people who ask you to kill them. We call it “assisted suicide.” What is confusing, however, is that we are told it is wrong to...