First of all, I HATE cooking. Always have, always will. Perhaps it's because I was once a confirmed aneroxic, and with great discipline, I was able to convince myself that I actually didn't like food. Whatever, I don't like to cook.

So it's really amazing that I spent most of this morning making four pecan pies. All turned out beautifully. I didn't say I couldn't cook, only that I didn't like to. We have a huge pecan tree in our yard, and this year it had plentiful pecans. Had to do something with them all. I'm also simmering some chicken, to make chicken-and-dumplings for supper. One of DH's favorites. I'm still a light eater, though, and don't indulge in sweets hardly ever. But I'll make an exception for the pecan pie!

I also went on a long bike ride, and it was GREAT this morning. The sun was out a little, but mostly cloudy...and the temperature was right at 50, which is nice weather for biking. I whipped out my usual long course in the park with no problem; it was one of those days when the bike actually feels like part of your body. Very invigorating, and a great way to exercise as well as work out all the tension I usually have on a daily basis. I've learned over the years that I suffer from PTS, post-traumatic stress syndrome, but that it is a lifelong condition -- due to my stressful childhood. I will ALWAYS have major tension, anger and physical exertion/exercise is a good way to deal with that, instead of drug therapy.

Okay...in the news today, something positive. It seems that we score one good point here for the separation of church and state in this article excerpt:

ATLANTA, Dec. 11 — A federal appeals court today struck down a Louisiana law allowing vocal classroom prayer, believed to be the only such law remaining in the nation.

The law required every school in the state to permit an opportunity, at the beginning of classes, "for those students and teachers desiring to do so to observe a brief time in prayer or meditation." Although many school boards in Louisiana ignored the law, one district, in West Monroe, conducted prayers over school intercoms for years, until June 2000.

The practice was stopped when a federal judge ruled it unconstitutional. The ruling came at the request of a parent in West Monroe, who said her son was called a devil worshiper for refusing to take part in the prayer. A unanimous three-judge panel of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit upheld the judge's ruling today.

And on the terrorism front, not ALL terrorist are radical Muslims. Nope, looks like almost every 'religion' has its extremists in this news article excerpt:


LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Federal authorities arrested two leaders of the Jewish Defense League on Wednesday in what law enforcement sources alleged was an aborted plot to blow up Arab-American institutions in the Los Angeles area, including a prominent mosque.

Irv Rubin and Earl Krugel were taken into federal custody following early morning raids by members of an anti-terrorism task force, said Thom Mrozek, a spokesman for U.S. Attorney John S. Gordon. More details are expected to be released at a Wednesday afternoon news conference.

"We are working on a complaint charging Rubin and Krugel to blow [up] some type of target based on an inside informant," Mrozek said. "The plot was not carried out."


Ah religion, lots of evil-doers in those devout believers, huh?