Politics and Tea

This is the first of what I hope to be many book reviews on this site. I have a little journal that I have always tried to jot down a few thoughts in after I finish a book so I don't completely forget what even the main gist of the book was. But I have found that often I would like to be more specific on what my thoughts were on the book- it's style, it's content, what I learned from it. "Liberty and Tyranny" has one of those ambitious titles usually attached to the type of book that only has very broad ideas with non-specific prescriptions in the last chapter. This book by radio-talk show host Mark Levin is not one of those types. First of all, I was skeptical of the book even before I knew the title, because the author himself had always put me off a bit by his tone on the radio. Only listening to his show a few times had given me the impression that he was probably a neo-conservative Bush loyalist. That perception was not fair. In "Liberty and Tyranny...

YOGURT COOKIES 1/2 c. butter, softened 1 1/4 c. sugar 1/2 c. plain nonfat yogurt or low-fat lemon-flavored yogurt 2 egg whites 1 tbsp. grated lemon peel 1/2 tsp. vanilla 2 c. uncooked oats 1 1/2 c. flour 1/2 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. baking powder 1/4 c. powdered sugar Heat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly spray cookie sheet with no-stick cooking spray or oil lightly. Beat butter and 1 1/4 cups sugar until fluffy. Add yogurt, egg whites, lemon peel and vanilla. Mix until well blended. Gradually add combined remaining ingredients except powdered sugar, mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 1 to 3 hours. With lightly floured hands, shape dough into 1 inch balls, place on prepared cookie sheet. Using bottom of glass coated with sugar, press into inch thick circles. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool 2 minutes on cookie sheet, remove to wire rack. Sift powdered sugar over warm cookies. Cool completely. Store tightly covered. Makes about 4 dozen.

The other night my in-laws dropped in after a fun race in the park that Moses participated in. They are so great with the kids and helpful to us. So my father-in-law was helping me take out the trash, and asked if he could grab a disposable plastic container off the counter and take it out too. "No!" I quickly said. I had bought spinach a week ago, and planned to keep the container to store greens and other veggies pulled from the organic garden we planted this year in our backyard. Just reading the previous paragraph would convince most people, even (perhaps especially) those who know me, that I am concerned with recycling, weary of chemicals, a back to nature type who wants to stop the human population from mistreating the planet. And they would be right, of course. But every time I begin telling someone why it is that I am the way I am, why I would for instance, recycle blankets into fitted diapers, or wash and reuse aluminum foil and baggies, I get a response that leads ...