Wednesday, July 3, 2013

Happy 4th of July

On the last page of the Pennsylvania Evening Post, in its issue of July 2nd, appeared a short notice, tucked in between advertisments and routine news items.~~~~~It said: "This day the Continental Congress Declared The United Colonies Free and Independent States."~~~~~~~~Such was the journalistic treatment given to the Greatest Event in American History. -Curtis P. Nettels

68 comments:

cube said...

I marvel at the foresight of our Founding Fathers. How smart were they?

I hope you and yours have a wonderful Independence Day.

sue hanes said...


Cube - Thanks for the comment

I think they were pretty smart.

Happpy 4th to you and your family.

sue hanes said...


We are going to a 4ht of July parade. Then out to dinner tonight.

What are you doing today?

cube said...

That sounds like fun. It's pretty rainy here today. We'll probably stay home and grill something. I'm planning on reading and catching up on some sleep.

Z said...

Sue and cube, sometimes I think the Founding Fathers were just TOO AMAZINGLY SHARP....and I really do believe God was behind the founding of our country.
So many sort of 'miracles'...
Imagine Jefferson and Adams both dying on the 4th of July and the same YEAR?
Imagine a hurricane coming up when DC was in flames and hurricanes RARELY hit that area?
Imagine Squanto just happening to be the only Indian ever taken to England and learning English so he could help the Pilgrims learn how to live in the wilderness on the East Coast? HE SPOKE ENGLISH!!!?
etc etc...
some very cool stuff I can't remember right now, too. You probably have some.

Anyway, HAPPY FOURTH! Have fun, Sue and, cube, that sounds really nice. RELAX!

cube said...

Z, I'm glad you dropped by. Sue and I have been chatting here for quite a while.

As to the works of our Founding Fathers, mayhaps God did have a hand in it... certainly, it was an amazing series of events. There's hope for the world if He did intervene. We could use more intervention right about now.

Hope your Independence Day is a good one, too.







sue hanes said...


Cube - Your day sounds like a good one. The parade was fun and now we are waiting to go out to dinner.
We may get some rain.


Z - Yes - the Founding Fathers were exceptional people - and I do believe there was some Intervetion.

Thanks for stopping by and commenting - Z. Cube and I have a thing going. :]

sue hanes said...


P.S. We were never promised a rose garden.

cube said...

Sue, when you wrote "Cube and I have a thing going" it sounded like
something out of a Barry White song.

Yes, I'm laughing out loud right now.

About your comment about the rose garden, I will forward you to my very first post to The Blog.
The Blog's First Day

I know.

sue hanes said...


Cube - Oooops. Sorry about that 'Cube and I have a thing going." That does sound a bit weird, doesn't it. You deserve to be laughing out loud.

As a sci-fi fan, I know what Klaatu
barada nictu means, and I understand why you think the Universe is a cold place.

I just happen to think about it differently.

Anyway - I hope we can continue
our 'thing.' : ]

cube said...

Where's Barry White when you need him?

BTW the universe IS a cold, indifferent place. How can you think about it differently? Expain it to me, please.

sue hanes said...


It's about my Faith - Cube. Yes - the scientific Universe is a cold indifferent place - but because of my belief in God - who to me is the Universe - I can't think of it as cold and indifferent.

cube said...

I wish I had that kind of faith... I lost mine somewhere along the way.

sue hanes said...


Cube - You could get it back if you really wanted to. Maybe you will sometime. I stopped going to church for about six years and just recently started going again.

But church isn't really what it's all about.

cube said...

I don't have a problem with spirituality because I do believe in God... it's the religion part I have a hard time with.

sue hanes said...


Cube - I have a problem with the religion part too. I have a problem with what man has done with God's plan. That's why I don't believe in the Pope. It seems to me that is too much like worshiping him - and there are other things too that I don't understand about the Catholic church - and other churches too.

cube said...

I agree, which is why I lapsed from the church many years ago. I did admire Mother Teresa. She embodied the good things about the Catholic church and didn't live in luxury like so many priests do.

The new Pope has some of those qualities that I do admire. Time will tell.

cube said...

We had a bishop here in Tampa who was buying Rolex watches and other expensive stuff for his boy toy. Makes me angry that they're preaching at me.

sue hanes said...


Cube - I don't have anything against the person - like Mother
Teresa and I think John Paul II is a good man. But it's the hierarchy that bothers me. And the thing about the young boys. You know what I mean.

And I don't like the worship of Mary. I don't understand why she is held up so high.

sue hanes said...


I mean JP II WAS a good man. I agree about the priests and cardinals living in luxury. There has to be some good priests but I also know there are some bad ones.

sue hanes said...


I'm wondering if celibacy is such a good idea. What do you think?

cube said...

I don't like the church hierarchy either and the way the church handled the abuse of those boys was inexcusable.

According to Catholic canon, Mary was born without original sin which is why she was chosen to be the mother of Jesus. Devout Catholics look up to her as a wonderful role model because she lived a good, honest life.

cube said...

Personally, I think celibacy is an awful idea, but you mean for priests ;-)

Celibacy for priests came about
because the Catholic church didn't want to waste money subsidizing their
families.

sue hanes said...


Cube - I thought celibicy was so that priests and nuns could concentrate on their positions in the church. I think you are putting me on with this one. : ]

Anyway - it doesn't take much to figure out why celibacy is not the best way to go.

cube said...

That's how celibacy is explained by the church, but centuries ago, it really did come about because they didn't want to pay for families. I'm not putting you on.

sue hanes said...


I thought it would be the other way around.

cube said...

I may be wrong, but that's the way I have heard it.

sue hanes said...


Cube - You would know better than I - but it just doesn't sound right. That early on they wouldn't want to support the families of priests if they were married. And that priests would be giving their all to pray and meditate.

At any rate - I don't think that celibacy is a good idea. Time has shown that.

cube said...

We're talking back in the days of the Crusades and the Kights Templar when it was decided by the higher ups to not fund families for priests.

Obviously, the modern church insists it was because they didn't want their attentions divided between family and flock.

I agree with you about celibacy. Bad idea.

cube said...

Off topic. Sorry about the delay in posting here and at The BLOG, but I was out of commission for two days with a stomach flu. I couldn't keep anything down, not even water. Much better today.

sue hanes said...


Cube - Sorry about your stomach flu. That can really be wicked.

I'm glad you are better today.

My daughter was visting with her kids a few years back and it went through all of us like wildfire.

The day I got it - even after I wasn't getting sick anymore - I couldn't move the whole day.

cube said...

Thank you, Sue. I'm glad I feel better too :-) I was able to keep down several bites of food on Tuesday night. It felt good to eat after 2 days of a liquid diet.

As I'm still trying to gain weight, this stomach flu cost me several pounds which I need.

I tried to keep away from my family because I wanted to spare them. They're all adults... I know it's harder to keep away from kids.



sue hanes said...


Cube - Did you lose weight while you were ill earlier? And now you are trying to gain it back. I'm sure that didn't help any to have the stomach flu.

I caught it from the baby and then several others in the family got it too.

cube said...

Yes, I lost too much weight during and after my hospitalization in January.

You haven't lived until every one you meet tells you to eat more or offers to give you some of the weight they want to lose.

Since January, I've managed to put on 12 pounds, but I lost 2 of them during the recent stomach flu incident. Two steps forward, one step back.

It's hard to not get sick when there's a baby or small child who is sick.

sue hanes said...


Cube - I know what it's like to have people tell you to gain weight. I became a vegetarian - almost a vegan - and lost a lot of weight. Even the doctor said I needed to gain. Finally it leveled off and I watch it to make sure I don't gain it back.

I hope you are ok. And not continuing to lose if you don't want to.

cube said...

I just have to be patient and keep plugging away at it. I hope it levels off soon because most of my clothes don't fit.

My family gathered for Father's Day and I had to borrow a pair of my daughter's shorts.

I'm not keen on buying a whole new wardrobe unless I realize I'm going to stay this thin.

sue hanes said...


When I lost this weight all of my clothes were too big for me. I didn't enjoy having to buy new clothes and I still don't have enough to wear.

I'm glad I lost the weight - I just have to get some new clothes.

cube said...

I dread shopping, always have, and will only do so if I need something. Usually I put it off as long as possible.

sue hanes said...


Well - we have something in common there. I am not a shopper - just a buyer. And I am having special trouble getting my wardrobe back in shape. Like you - I am putting it off as long as is possible.

cube said...

Small world, Sue :-)

sue hanes said...


Cube - It is a small world. When my husband was stationed in the army in Germany - we took his parents sightseeing in Southern Germany. My father-in-law met a man from back home on the top of a mountain that he worked with. We were so amazed - but I read that it is not uncommon to meet people we know like that.

cube said...

That is so funny. I'm old enough to know that nothing about the world surprises me anymore.

sue hanes said...


Cube - I know what you mean. Sometimes it seems that there are no surprises left. But there are.
Just read the news - and the surprise is that more of the same thing just keeps happening. Such as the shootings.

cube said...

I guess surprise is the wrong word. Little thugs in Chicago are shooting each other left and right... that's not surprising. We need a better word.

sue hanes said...


Cube - How about tragic. Surprise is not appropriate here.

cube said...

Yes, tragic is a good word for what's going on in the black culture.

sue hanes said...


Cube - I can't help thinking how I would feel if I were black. I mean the past and being in the minority and all. I think they are doing pretty well - all considered.

cube said...

Honestly, it's not something I want to talk about... Holder is still in charge of the DOJ.

sue hanes said...


Cube - Then we won't talk about it.

It's beautiful weather here. No rain; just sunny days. How's your weather there?

cube said...

We don't get those beautiful Windex blue days in the summer (only in the winter). Right know, our weather is partly cloudy with rain in the afternoon. That means you have to get into the pool early.

sue hanes said...


Cube - The weather has been beautiful for the last two days.
We had our share of rain - and now there is none in the forecast.

Going out for our weekly dinner in a while. I have to check out the menus online ahead of time since I don't eat meat. Most of the restaurants here have vegetarian dishes. Tonight I think I'll have spinach and cheese ravioli with creamy tomato sauce. Makes me hungry just talking about it.

cube said...

That sounds great. I love those veggies. Always have, but I do like the occasional meat. You don't eat fish either?

sue hanes said...


Cube - No - no fish. This is a liberal campus and it is very easy to find vegetarian food when we go out to eat. I'd like meat too sometimes but find it's better to stick to my diet.

cube said...

I don't think I could keep my husband happy without feeding him meat.

Me, I could be happy with meat on occasion and veggies and salad the rest of the time.

Fish is one of my favorite foods. Tonight we're having ginger & soy marinated salmon.

sue hanes said...


Cube - Mr. Sue buys and prepares his own meat. He grills most of it. Now that he is retired he has time to do that.

Before I gave up seafood I loved salmon. Scallops were my favorite.

cube said...

Mr. Cube is the griller in our house.
I'm terrible at it. I prefer to cook inside. Of course, when we got married I could burn water. Thanks to the Food Channel, I've learned a few things over the years.

sue hanes said...


Same here. I don't do any grilling.
From time to time I've grilled steaks - but I'm not that good at it.

It's funny - but when I got married I didn't know how to cook.
It just happened over time. I used to love to do stir fry. Just experimenting with different ingredients.

I like to cook best without recipes. Or just a short one that I can do easily.

cube said...

You are the complete opposite of me. I have to have a recipe to cook something. My husband can throw anything together, but I can't. He thinks it's because of my scientific training. I don't know. He may be right.

sue hanes said...


Well - I can't just throw anything together. With stir fry you can.
But I tend to shy away from recipes that are long. If they are short I can sometimes just get the general idea and go from there.

You can't do that with just anything.

Yes - he may be right that you are more exact because of your scientific training. Who knows.

cube said...

Wait, did I just write that my husband was right about something?
;-)

sue hanes said...


Cube - Well - yes - he was right about something. He chose you - didn't he.

cube said...

That is so sweet for you to bring up.

OK, so he's been right twice in his life ;-)

sue hanes said...


Cube - I thought you might like that.

I'm recovering from cataract surgery on the second eye. I had the left eye done last Tuesday and the right eye yesterday. I'll be glad to be seeing normally again.

I wasn't going to mention it because it makes me feel old.
Well - I guess I'm getting there.

: [

cube said...

We're all getting old, but I like to think it beats the alternative. My cousin died when she was 35... I know she would've preferred getting old.

I hope your recovery is a swift one. Relax and take of yourself.

sue hanes said...


Thanks Cube. Relax isn't on the agenda for the weekend. I'm going to visit my daughter and her familly Friday - Sunday. She has three little ones. But I didn't want to stay home alone since Mr.Sue is going to be gone.

Oh well. It will be fun.

cube said...

I hope you have fun AND some relaxation.

You are so lucky to have grandchildren. I want to be a grandmom some day, but my daughters are still in college and I want grandchildren when they're ready to be moms. So, I must wait.

sue hanes said...


Cube - Grandchildern are special.
But you are right that the time has be right for your daughters.

The time will come and you will enjoy the experience. We have seven and have loved every minute of it. Well - maybe not EVERY minute - but we have enjoyed it.

cube said...

I don't think I'll get seven grandchildren, but I will be happy with however many I do get.