The London Mystery

I am just a simple Southern California girl who spent her childhood skating in Holland before settling in the Land Down Under at the sweet old age of eight. If you rewind my life a little further . . . well then I'm a little jungle baby from New Guinea. And somewhere along this journey there is a mystery for me to unravel. Because I remember a place, a beautiful happy place. It was filled with early morning fog rising up from the grounds of an ancient park. This park was a stone's throw away from a palace. A real palace where royal families and all their squires lived.

Mother said we visited London for a day a long, long time ago. Just one day? What we were doing there is still a mystery to me? Maybe it was just a layover. Mmmm. In any case I remember little cars driving in circles and really big double deck buses. Actually, I only remember seeing one. There was so much else to see, but because we had just that one day we ran everywhere--laughing. The fog lifted, bells rung, guards marched and I have no idea how to put this all in order.

I do remember wanting to return when I grew up because the people were friendly and talked awfully pretty. And even though it was a gray cloudy kind of day the city was very colorful. As a matter of fact it was like one of those greeting cards painted in soft grays but has one splotch of color from a rose or something.

There's more to tell about that day but in comes in and out like a dream. I know I was there but nobody seems to be able to tell me why or when. It's a mystery to me.

Free Raleigh NC Getaway

A holiday is but one day. Unless, of course you are from the UK or perhaps Australia. Here in the Land of America we like to take long, sometimes relaxing but always fun vacations. So for this day the Gatekeeper will explore such a time in Raleigh, North Carolina. And as luck would have it, if one is reading this post, chances are better for you to win that FREE Raleigh Getaway.

Now, to continue our journey through this classic Southern Town. Yea, the old charm of the South with its tree-lined streets has combined well with its modern cutting edge culture. For one's Fall Getaway the sounds of the Dave Matthews Band might be entertaining enough. No doubt. Perhaps The Man of La Mancha could take center stage or perhaps an exhibition that could solve the Mysteries of the Lost Colony. Then, of course, one could always spend a few moments with the N.C. Symphony's Classical Series: Branford Marsalis Quartet. Music to one's ears.

In any case, would you appreciate a free night for two at the Courtyard by Marriott Raleigh Crabtree Valley? Maybe a $25 gift certificate to Bloomsbury Bistro and 2 tickets to the North Carolina Theatre would bring content. Lady Gatekeeper is sure it would. At any rate there are more wonderful items to win in this Fall Getaway like 2 tickets to the N.C. Museum of Art’s Landscapes from the Age of Impressionism and 2 tickets to Dinosaurs: Ancient Fossils, New Discoveries at the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences. Could one ask for anything more? Maybe, but you are pleased for now, I would conclude.

Enjoy the nightlife, my friends. Keep it safe, make memories and enjoy all the charm of Raleigh. I might see you there one day.

Another Australian Classic

Oh, the things I remember from my childhood. This recipe melts in your mouth and makes a really good mess on your face and nearby surroundings. Eating at the table is probably a good idea. Not! Heeheee. The graphic, btw, has nothing to do with Lamingtons. It's just an old Aussie ad. Coolness!

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Lamingtons:

1 C. of butter
4 eggs, beaten
1 C. of castor sugar
2 C. of self-raising flour

For the icing:
2 C. of icing sugar
1 tsp. of vanilla essence
2 Tbsp. of cocoa
1 and 1/2 C. of desiccated coconut
1 Tbsp. of boiling water

Preheat oven to 180 C. (350 F). Grease a lamington tin (13x9x2 inch pan). Cream butter and sugar; gradually add the eggs and mix well. Add 1/3 cup of flour at a time, stirring gently and thoroughly after each addition. Place batter in pan and bake for 1 to 1 and 1/4 hours, decreasing temperature to 160 C. (325 F) during baking. Place on rack to cool.

For Icing: Sift icing sugar into a bowl. Add boiling water and vanilla to cocoa. Stir into icing sugar and beat well. Cut cooled cake into 24 blocks; ice all sides. Dip the cake into the icing mixture, then roll the iced cake in the coconut, coating well and allow to dry on rack.

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There you go mate (sorry just had to say that) and Come and Dine with us often.
There's plenty of room in the castle.

The Gatekeeper's Shoppe

Australian Custard Tart

Since I can't find the recipe for Chico Rolls (my all-time favorite Aussie comfort food) I'll post for you my number two fave--Australian Custard Tart.

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90 g (this would be 3 oz) of utter
1 and 1/4 C. sweetened condensed milk
1/4 C. of sugar (uww, it's getting sweeter)
1 egg (to keep it all together, I suppose)
1 and 1/4 C. plain flour
1/4 C. of self-raising flour (to make your tummy bloat, oh so good)

For the custard:
3 eggs
2 C. of milk
1 tsp. vanilla essence
nutmeg
1 Tbsp. of sugar (more sweet)

Tart Shell: Beat butter until creamy; add sugar. Beat until just combined. Add lightly beaten egg gradually (beating well after each addition). Work in 2/3 of sifted flours with a wooden spoon, then mix in remaining flour by hand. Turn onto a lightly floured board; knead lightly until smooth. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Roll pastry to line greased 20 cm (8inch) pie plate.

Custard: Beat eggs, vanilla, and sugar together. Heat milk to lukewarm and gradually stir into egg mixture. Carefully spoon custard into pastry. Bake in moderate oven for 30 to 35 minutes. After 15 minutes of baking time, sprinkle with nutmeg. Do not overcook. Custard will firm as it cools.

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There you go, my friends. I'm telling you this is sweeter than honey. And for more interesting recipes from down under, Holland and Indonesia, Come and Dine with us.

Does Anyone Not Have A Credit Card?

Lady Gatekeeper would thus like to know (before she offers up any of her own wisdom on the matter) your opinion on the pros and cons of using credit cards. A tough subject in this household. Nonetheless, it is tackled now and again. Especially with Princess S. needing all those books for the university and whatnot. The cost of higher learning is rather steep and scholarships are hard to come by, or at least, never covers all expenses.

Nevertheless, we do try to use that convenient little card sparingly. However, when family came over from Australia we noticed quite an array of shiny credit cards in very thick wallets. I believe a travel credit card was used on many a shopping excursion. Cousin did say there was an 0% introductory rate for six months--must be careful, I declare, and find out what happens after the six months. Could be good, who knows. The Co-operative Bank in the UK I heard even has a card that could earn money for a charity or organization as you spend. Worth looking into.

Do you have an opinion on such matters? Let us know. I suppose if one was diligent in making prompt payments a card would be beneficial. A zero balance each month would be quite beneficial also. After all, a good credit report is something to be proud of. Indeed. Spend wisely, my friends, and it is always good to pay back what you owe.

The Neighborhood Chronicles: The Nights Before Halloween

(secret Knott's recipe at bottom of post)

Mrs. Knott's was up in arms yesterday. It seems the farm is haunted. Ugh! Indeed! 'Tis not a pretty sight for five-year-old children from down under. No, Cousin G. did not like the fact that Camp Snoopy had been invaded by six-foot spiders. There were quite a few wicked burnt-out skulls with snakes slithering through hollowed eyes up and down purple lamp posts. It's evil, I tell ya, to scare children. As luck would have it we encountered no ghosts nor goblin or witchy thing as that would have sent us running for the slimy exit gates which were wrapped in spider spit. Oh, memories of Frodo abound.


In any case, we journeyed through the creepy crawling entities within Mrs. Knott's neighborhood and enjoyed the thunderous rides which causes one's head to spin, lip to stretch over said head, stomach to drop into the pits of nowhere, and legs to lose all sensation. Lady Gatekeeper's vision was blurred, legs were pretty Knotty and speech was well slurred. It's a good thing the golden stallion of the merry-go-round did not go up and down. Hahamoohaha! Sorry do not quite know how to spell the scary laugh.

Nonetheless, teenage children mastered the crazy roller coasters till Lord Spanky (still looking for a better name) almost lost his funnel cake (cookies) after the fourth time on the Excelarator. However, a few minutes to freshen up in rest room and LS was ready to tackle the Ghost Rider.

Aussie family had a splendid time on the Farm. We were all tired, nonetheless, and when Lady Gatekeeper was asked about Halloween she was a little stumped. She doesn't do well with this American tradition and telling the story seemed a little tiresome. But tell it I did.

My friends, anything that started as a celebration for the Lord of the Dead, should not sit well with any of us. We understand, the candy the costumes the little children laughing seems to say it is all well. Not so. I suppose there are other opinions (before I get into a well-meaning sermon) and I welcome your comments, of course.

Nevertheless, our day ended with a visit to Sutter's Family Cafe/Restaurant right before making our way to the outside world. Funnel cake is what Aussie family was looking for and that is what we found. Come to find out that pretty Lady behind counter was an Indo like us (Dutch Indonesian) and proceeded to give us the secret recipe for Funnel Cake. Well, not really, because you see, we already knew it. You will have to buy Mom's Cookbook, "Come and Dine" to discover that treasure for yourself. Sneaky, aren't I? Can you say Pisang Goreng??? Leave the pisang out though. It is only part of the secret, however.

Finally, the two-hour journey back to the castle was quite uneventful. Princess S. and Lord S. listened to music on dastardly inventions called Ipods. Transportation vehicle almost ran out of fuel, Cousin G. was so tired she cried herself to sleep and the full moon was entirely too close to Earth and lit up the desert roads where no other light prevailed--creepy cool.

A good day was had by all with lots of Halloween thoughts to ponder over and today the castle is completely, altogether empty. We bid our family from the Land Down Under a bitter sweet goodbye. Forever in our hearts and you shall always have a place to return to . . . some day.


"Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore, put on the full armor of God . . . " Ephesians 6:11-13)

Gatekeeper Knott's Berry Farm Knott's Scary Farm

More Blog Traffic For You

We have begun a new journey to find more friends on the world wide web. Yea, hear ye, a new announcement that BlogRush will increase the fellowship of readers. That is their promise. Shall we see how it all works out? Have a Blog? Join in and Get Massive Traffic and then we can compare notes.

Your blog or blog post should appear on other domains when the BlogRush widget is placed in yours. It's a very simple process, really, as even the Gatekeeper was able to walk through it painlessly enough. Take a look, join the journey and find even more friends along the way.




Gatekeeper BlogRush free traffic

We're Headed For The Super Bowl

No really, we'll get there!

Venture Into The Gatekeeper's Shoppe

The Flock That Loves To Rock: Part Deux

I know, I know, it still sounds nerdy. So speaking of how church used to be . . . imagine these rockers walking amongst the congregation. Fun! Of course that was our pre-Newsong days and more like our Calvary Chapel Rocko Guido days. Oh, the memories. Remember Stryper? They're back . . .




At ShoutLife:
Stryper
Michael Sweet
Timothy Gaines

Join ShoutLife with us and build community with other Christians.



Gatekeeper ShoutLife Stryper

Merry Christmas?

And a Merry Christmas to you. Well not quite, I must admit, but one can never start that Christmas list too soon. And it is probably safe to say the children come first, right? Indeed. Therefore, for little Sam or CeCe you could try a Personalized Christmas Story Book. Ah yes, place the child's name right into the story line. The plot thickens--your child on a magical journey with S. Clause.

Furthermore, there are many more in this adventure series at Identity Direct. Your child can even board the Black Pearl with Captain Jack and the "Pirates of the Caribbean." There is more, of course, and it is all for your child's enjoyment. As it so happens, Identity Direct has over 500 personalized gifts. Alas, my friends, visit the the old shoppe and choose for yourself. Start that Christmas list soon, my friends, and do not forget the reason for this season. Blessings to you and yours.

Christmas personalized gifts personalized books

The Flock That Loves To Rock

Yeah, okay, that was our slogan in the 80's. Sounds just a little nerdy now. Newsong Church, San Dimas was just a bunch of rockers. Ah, those were the days. Now we have elder boards and membership and oh wait . . . we got kicked out of the Baptist Association. Must be doing something right. Just kidding!! Don't get all snippy.

In any case, Sundays will be the longest day of the week for us from now on. Little Lord Spanky (we have got to change his name) has graduated to the highschool group which meets on Sunday evenings from 6:00pm till 8:00pm. Well, I am not going to drive 80 miles home only to drive back. So how to stay busy from 7:00am to 8:00pm on any given Sunday?

To begin with--find restaurant with large screen to watch football game or see Angels (sorry, little ad for Lord Spanky) get that final win needed to get into playoffs. No problem, San Dimas crawls with football type restaurants with big screens. However, wouldn't be right to just hang out there all day. I must spend time with brother and family who live up the mountains about 20 minutes from church. Good idea.

This Sunday I was kept busy, however--showed up for early morning service and attended our ministry fair. Since I am leading the Single Parenting Life Group I made a nice little flyer and talked to people who could benefit from our ministry. Sad to say, come to think of it. But there we are.

Then went to lunch with kids and a friend when we discovered said friend likes to write. She needs a little side job, so to speak, so I directed her to Associated Content. We also discussed how to qualify her for Habitat For Humanity. This is a project I am undertaking in our church. Phew! Many single moms probably qualify. Hope I can help.

Five o'clock was a church dinner. Yummm! And then the members got together to vote on a few issues like where the heck do we (Newsong Church) go from here. It's was quite an eye opener. We wanted to return to the way Newsong used to be--bring back our creativity and all that. In any case we voted and I forgot I wasn't a member anymore. Don't tell. They counted my vote. Hehehe.

So, if you've read all the way to here . . . wow, you must really love me.

Nonetheless the name Newsong comes from Psalm 40: "I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth . . ."

The Dell Community

Where is it one would normally shop for computers? For the Gatekeeper, to make life a little simpler, so to speak, she shopped in the virtual of Dell for her laptop. Her quaint Inspiron B130 has literally saved her life on many occasions; big enough screen yet small enough to pack away into her briefcase.

The infamous Lord Spany works in the entertainment business, you see, so her Inspiron B130 comes in very handy. All his schoolwork is acquired at the virtual academy of higher learning and the young squire's schooling is done on television and movie sets. And she has told me, she's never been disappointed with the shopping experience at Dell.

Many cheap laptops are available in the Land of Dell right now. A few dollars over $400 sounds is not exactly the price of gold. And you can always add the hardware that's important to you. Programs you need, remember, not just fun stuff you want. Well, that is her take on the issue. Spend wisely, my friends.

A Milk And Honey Moment

The following is from "A Milk And Honey Moment," by my friend Sharon Norris Elliott. Sign up for the Milk and Honey Retreat. Make small payments now. Spoil your inner-self!


Force of habit. Do you ever use this phrase? I do from time to time. When I leave a room and turn the light off even if people are still in there, I don’t realize I’ve flicked the switch until they yell, “Hey!”

“Oh, sorry,” I say. “Force of habit.”

Or perhaps I throw my arm out to hold my adult friend back in the front seat of the car when I hit my brakes suddenly. She looks at me with wry amusement.

“Sorry,” I reply. “Force of habit.”

Many times we think of habits as negative things. People bite their fingernails when they’re nervous, smoke cigarettes to calm themselves, or eat a gallon of chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream when depressed or disappointed. Some people are habitually late, habitually cranky, or habitual over-spenders.

But habits can be good too. My husband formed a habit of saving over his lifetime and now that he’s facing retirement, he’s pretty glad about that. My friend, Jari habitually practiced great oral hygiene and now in her fifties, she still doesn’t have any cavities. Habitually write a little bit every day and you’ll finish that book. Habitually exercise and eat right and you’ll lose that weight.

Habits are formed by starting to do something and then repeating that same thing over and over again. In an effort to communicate this principle relating to study habits to the football players in my senior English class, I asked them, “Why do you practice every day? Haven’t you played together for several years now? Don’t you know the plays?”

They answered, “Yes, but we want to be really good.”

I said, “No, you practice every day so that those plays will become second nature to you. You’ll know when to shift right or left, go long, or anticipate the off-side kick without really thinking about it. You’ll react by force of habit and your moves will be so fast and accurate that the other team won’t have time to adjust. When you study a little bit every day, the information will be second nature to you too.” Hopefully, the gridiron example helps make a difference. We’ll see on the next test.

How are your spiritual habits? Are you habitually forgiving, habitually loving, and habitually long-suffering? Have you practiced using Christ’s words and actions so much so that they have become your words and actions by force of habit? You won’t get there unless you start – the championship South Bay Lutheran Wave football team – practicing every day.

Isaiah 58:2 says, “For day after day they seek me out; they seem eager to know my ways, as if they were a nation that does what is right and has not forsaken the commands of its God. They ask me for just decisions and seem eager for God to come near them.” (NIV)

Pay attention to those Milk & Honey Life Moments when you have the opportunity to do the right thing. Start today and do it. Then, when the opportunity presents itself again, do it again. Form habits of righteousness. Soon others will pleasantly make note of the fact that you live differently, and just like turning off that light, you won’t even have noticed. All you’ll be able to say is, “Sorry, force of habit."

Sharon Norris Elliott

I am Cinderella

Here be the fun stuff for all you MySpace fanatics (and perhaps users of ShoutLife profiles as well). MySpace quizzes are available, thousands of them, to add yet more sparkle to your page. I was going to show you a few Christian quizzes, surveys and polls but opted to be a little more giddy. Would you believe I am Cinderella? According to the cartoon quiz, I am indeed? Ah, my prince is out there in his castle somewhere. Would you like to know what cartoon character you are? Yea, I thought you would.

In any case, one can create one's very own quiz or poll, which loaded quite nicely on this here blog, I might add, and place it on thy very personal MySpace profile . Makes for delightful interaction. One more notable mention: Colors and styles are completely customizable. Have fun, or be serious, it's all good.

What Cartoon Character Are You?

(By the way, it's "Squidward". Not "Spuidward"). What is your idea for the perfect date?

	State Fair
	Study Date
	Fun Station
	Movie
	Day At The Batting Cages

Question 1 out of 7

Personality Test by Quibblo

The Neighborhood Chronicles: A Weather Change

Well I never! Who would dare dump a bucket of cold into the Gatekeeper's domain? I mean to say, it's 59 degrees Fahrenheit. If my calculation is correct that's 14 degrees Celsius. Ah, it is really not a complaint of sorts. Here in the desert, the Lord of Thunder and all the universes likes to display his creativity.

The neighborhood seems to have a mist rising out of the forest over the stony mountains. White milky skies are about to unload a serious snow storm, or so it appears.

Gone are the dusty footprints of coyotes, the rattle snakes are coiled away (one can only hope) and the high tailed roadrunner has disappeared. I must study these creatures to see where it is they go when the weather changes. The flight of the hawk is still visible. Forever they circle in the cold sky. In the heat of summer, however, they seem to fly lower. One wonders what meal it is they are seeking out today. Pardon me while I put my puppies to shelter.

Today my animal friends have reminded me that their Creator has looked after them since their beginnings. Surely He will look after my family as well. Once again we are at a cross roads. And those are good. It makes one strong I suppose and hopefully a little wiser if we choose the right direction. There are road signs where the paths meet but . . . which way to go now? The neighborhood is oh so quiet as is my heart--not lonely yet alone.

In any case, I sit in that cave side by side with King David and the Psalms; cold, a little desperate for love and alone. With my open Bible I huddle in my chair, with a view of the pool which has outlasted its use for the season, and listen for that still small voice.

"Am I enough for you?"

Yes, Lord You are.

He is the maker of the sunrise after all. The birds know Him. They sing to Him in the early morning hours and when dusk falls. He is an ever-present help in time of trouble. Hmm, it feels good to know, as wind chimes softly clang in the breeze, that God is in my wintry cavern. Trouble comes but the Lord declares He will be with us.

My neighbor to the right knows these things. We shall fellowship and ponder the road we are on.


A Still Small Voice

The Funding Venture

It has been a few years since you first thought of opening that quaint French Cafe. The one with the pretty wrought iron table and chairs, under white lacy umbrellas. Ah yes, I remember it was the task of raising money that stopped you more than once. Nonetheless, you said the dream never dies. So here is the scoop once again from Lady Gatekeeper about Venture Capital Funding to help your dream move a little further along. It is hard, this we know, to find the right resources for you small business startup, but we do know of a place to connect you with quite a few investors--hungry investors we are told.

Raise Capital dot Com will allow one to showcase not only one's business idea and plan to potential investors but also the capital needed. One can see how this kind of networking can be very beneficial as both parties throughout the process will learn about one another's goals.

Ah, my friends, and to make it all a little more creative one may produce and present a video or any other kind of media. Pictures are also a nice addition to your profile to make it all look professional and polished. A nice start, I would say. The object, after all, is to make a neat package to put you in the forefront of this community of investors.

Indeed, my friend, that sidewalk Cafe can now become a reality. Take the first step. The Gatekeeper has been told that literally hundreds of investors, looking for opportunities, have already registered with RaiseCapital.com. Therefore, it would be wise to journey to this neighborhood and find that one investor who might want to sit down under your umbrella. Blessings to you all.

Gatekeeper capital funding investors for your small business

Arms Of Deliverance: Book Review

I found Tricia on ShoutLife and I was so honored to receive a friend's request from her that I thought I would repost my book review on "Arms of Deliverance." So here it is.

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I'm not quite sure what it is I did to win a copy of this book but it was really sweet when I received this in the mail from Gina (I believe) from WriterInterrupted. Here's my little review (mind you I'm a Sci-Fi/Fantasy fan) on Tricia Goyer's Arms of Deliverance: A Story of Promise which is kind of a WWII/romance/adventure.

It is a totally unedited review (not professional, I know) so don't get all snippity that I'm not following "review" procedure. Here we go. . .

Can a Jewish girl date a German officer in WWII? Death to the officer if he was found out. No worry, even he doesn't know she's Jewish. Will female reporters (one who writes for a fashion magazine, the other to prove something to her father) ever reach the front lines, and live to write about it? Or can a boy from Montana save America's sweetheart in the middle of a fearce battle?

When I first opened the book I quickly learned there were quite a few characters. Something I have a hard time with. Too many POV's. This shouldn't be done I first thought. Tricia quickly proved me wrong. Well, at least, she knows how to do this correctly. I never had to turn back a page to find out who Katrine was, or even Vinny (a minor character). As a matter of fact I looked forward to each break so I could catch up with another character.

The whole story flowed and each person's account was connected to the other even though they didn't know each other. It just all came perfectly together at the end of each chapter, not to mention the end of the book.

Tricia is able to get that "Oh! Aha! Right on!" reaction from her readers. Not to mention, a few tears here and there. That was quite annoying (in a very good way, of course).

As I read each page it is obvious that research was done. Unless she knew all about B17's and its crews, flight crew apparal, flight formations, intricate details of the inside of one, dates of certain battles (and we could go on), Tricia Goyer could probably teach a class on how to do research or why to do it. Lord knows I need to learn and find discipline to do it. Bottom line: it makes the whole story believable, no questions asked.

So in the midst of a world war, Tricia weaves in a beautiful love story and convincingly shows how destiny is God's design on our lives. He truly, truly has worked out each step and has purpose for every human being he has ever created (that would be all of us, people). Mrs. Goyer must have experienced this in her own life or she could not have written it down so well. Of course, the woman might just be gifted.

I would love to write about each character in this review, or how each of them grew into heroes and heroins, but I think you should read the book for yourself. This reader highly recommends it. Arms of Deliverance: A Story of Promise

Nice Furniture

So add a little touch of class and decorate that space where you work with stylish Home Office Furniture. A nice working area will provide that creativity. Strategically placing each piece of furniture might actually bring peace and order. It's what I've heard in any case.

Furniture From Home is quite a cozy place to do your house decor shopping in. Furthermore, their bedroom furniture will turn any bedroom into a nightly palace. It's peaceful, to say the least. And check out the living room furniture--home theater recliners are a nice addition to that empty space. You can also color co-ordinate and have you ever heard of a bean bag that's big and comfortable enough for a young guest to sleep on? Really, go take a look and find some sweet deals too. Enjoy.

Mom's 1942 Blog

Just a really quick post to see if I can grab a few more readers for Mom's 1942 blog. She and Sister are trying to get a few more facts straight so we can write the next installment. They are at this moment discussing what happened to Laney (mom) after her life-threatening accident in the makeshift bathrooms. I have one POV (mom's) and now Sister has another. Oy! It seems we have a need to find out exactly who talked the guards into helping them. It's getting hairy over there. btw . . . If you have a WWII story from the East Indies I would love to hear it.

And if you'd like to buy mom's cookbook "Come and Dine," we would appreciate it. The funds will pay for self-publishing Mom's story--WinePress looks good so far.




The Gatekeeper's Shoppe?



Gatekeeper

Spa Covers

Okay then, this might not be the funnest thing to do -- go shopping for spa covers -- but if you would like to keep that spa clean and well protected, might I suggest a visit to compare prices for the Best Spa Covers from HotTubWorks.

Any company that can back up their claims that their construction is second to none is, at least, worth a look. They provide a nice warranty, always a good thing and if you have trouble measuring for a spa cover there's a how-to video available. Hey, you can even check out how they make your cover--tracking from your order status to completed product.

Let us explore what else "The Hot Tubs Works" has to offer; fast email response and even live phone sales and support, and would you believe information on replacement spa covers. Have fun in that tub for many years to come.

ShoutLife

I have a few friends who just refuse to take advantage of MySpace. Don't blame them really. Nonetheless, there is an alternative. It's pretty awesome, I'm sure you'll agree. This is the Christian version of MySpace and it's a little bit more friends friendly. Communities there will definitely help you on life's journey. Here's me at ShoutLife. Come visit and join.

And woa, I actually posted a pic of me. Scary!!

Skin Treatment From The Inside Out

Well, last time I checked I could have sworn that gac was a gooey substance my kids tried to make in science class. It apparently has morphed into R.G. Skin Revitalizer. You should probably check this out for yourself as I'm sure it has nothing to do with 7th grade science projects that went wrong.

R.G. (red gac) is a dietary supplement. Indeed, in addition to applying sunscreen, which we need here in the desert, one can make this a part of one's daily diet. It's an oil extract from the tropical super-fruit Gac which apparently is rich in carotenoid antioxidants.

So here's the scoop on that bright red fruit. It grows as large as a cantaloupe and on a vine mind you in countries like Vietnam and tropical Asia. I guess people there have always known of its medicinal value as these are grown in people's back yards.

My grandma knew of such things and this kind of wisdom probably carried her and her children through WWII. Gac fruit helps boost the immune system among other things. Furthermore, it has been said that their nutritional value keeps the skin, we so desperately need to keep our skeleton and other parts on the inside, extremely healthy. Here's to your health.




Gac antioxidants skin revitalizer

The Neighborhood Chronicles: Disneyland

Mickey's neighborhood is about a two-hour journey. Family from Australia and the Southern Cal desert enjoyed crossing two county lines (maybe three) to reach our destiny. Everyone napped except for Princess S. who was driving the family mini van even though such vehicle is not at all "cool" for young teenage Princess to drive.

Sir Walt's domain began with a nice big welcome sign and a huge parking structure which costs one $11 to to leave transportation vehicle in. Safely, we assumed. From there, one must travel by open tram after having braved the escalator from the 6th floor (very steep, don't look down).
We found the courage to pass up the temptations of Disney's shopping row before the main entrance and proceeded to find Brother Josh (EmmieStore.com blatantly advertised in this spot) and his family of four at the letter C. The exploration of Mickey's realm had begun.

I do believe we covered every inch of Disney's Mouse Land this past Saturday, Oh my! Cousin S. is three months pregnant, Auntie E. is 72, Cousin G. is 5 and Cousin N. was quite sick. Nonetheless, we had a great time. Let's see now, how to spend 12 hours inside Disneyland on a budget? There were ten of us and at $83 per person one can hardly fathom how we would manage the day unless we broke Miss Piggy Bank. Oh wait . . . Princess S. once upon a time worked at Buzz Lightyear's Cafe in Tomorrow Land. She indeed has friends! Yea, three wonderful, amazing friends, signed our entire family in for free. It's good to have friends.

Well, of course, for little Cousin G (5 year-old) this was a journey of a lifetime. And as luck would have it, Mr. Mickey Mouse was filming inside his barn. Every one had an open invitation to come see him at work and play, so to speak. This took about 2 hours of our time but Little G. got her hug, kiss, a wave and her photo op. Forever a positively delightful memory.

Budget took a little dive for the worse when Princess' friends weren't working in any of the exotic Disney food establishments so we had to pay for lunch and supper. Ah, but wait, travelers from the Land Down Under do not eat such large American portions and we were able to share.

All in all it was a wonderful day, we visited both parks -- Disneyland and California Adventure -- and we finally rested our weary bodies back in the desert at around 2:00am. Oy! My aching forty something body. Now it's off to the LA County Fair. Our friend's band is playing so that should be something fun to talk about in Blog Land.

Worthy mentions:
1. prime spot for the parade (those princesses rock!)
2. outstanding fireworks
3. learning Australian (fairy floss anyone?)
4. Soaring over California ride
5. hot turkey legs
6. Indiana Jones roller coaster with brother
7. best slowest, funnest ride ever--Buzz Lightyear


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