Wednesday, January 30, 2008

News

I know this is a picture post but I just realized that I don't remember where I've placed my camera. The boys and I have watched the demolition crew tear down an apartment complex at the end of Josephine St that the school purchased a few months ago. Allan was very glad to see the big "huncher" (excavator) "hunch" (tear down) the building where the "wicked people live." I'm afraid he's probably right! When you see a place like that come down it does tempt you to feel a little bit safer. That is: you feel safe until you get the next notification from the Sheriff's department that a Tier Three sex offender has moved within two blocks of you. I'm reminded frequently of Psalm 127:1 "Unless the LORD guards the city, The watchman keeps awake in vain." I can do all I can to keep my children safe but ultimately God is the one who will have to take care of them.

I forgot to post this the last time: One of Philip's former student's has started a podcast with Philip's Sunday School lessons. He's also working on digitizing all of Dad Brown's sermons. Some of you may be interested in tuning in.

I administered the first test of this semester in Philosophy of Ed today. That's always more traumatic for me than it is my students.

3 comments:

Kimberly said...

Enjoyed checking up on your blog tonight..the boys are adorable!

Glad you were notified, but will definately say a prayer for the children there.

Such moving thoughts on the Christmas celebration...Blessings!

The Dickinsons said...

Hey! It was nice getting your comment on my blog. Glad you tried my French bread recipe, but sorry that it didn't turn out perfect for you. I have noticed that at times I have to add more flour...even up to 10 cups...but since my home here in Bogota, Colombia is 9,000 feet above sea level, I couldn't remember if I had to add the extra flour here, or in the USA too, so I didn't put that in the recipe. =) However, The adding of the extra flour should have not affected the rising of the bread. Do you know if your yeast was good? It is normal for it to spread out on the pan some, but it also rises to about 3" to 4" high. I have never had my French bread not rise above an inch high. So sorry that that happened to you. Some things that I wonder about are: 1. If your yeast was fresh enough, 2. Did you try to roll each loaf in a tight jelly roll? I think that would help it not spread out so wide. 3. Did you accidentally get more than the 4 cups of water that the recipe calls for? I'm just trying to think out-loud as to what would have caused it to not do good for you. Wish I could have been there to help fix the problem. If you ever get the nerve to try that recipe again, I trust that it works GREAT for you! I've made it 100's of times (no lie, for I had my own bread business for several years) and never have had it not rise for me.
So Sorry! Hope to see y'all at IHC! Thanks tons for your prayers! If you have any other questions, please feel free to write back.
Love, Heather

The Dickinsons said...

Hey! Sorry it has taken me a few days to respond to your 2nd comment about the French bread. My girls are doing TONS of schoolwork right now, so I'm not getting much else done either. =)
Yes, it is possible to get the water too hot and kill the yeast. I would recommend (if you ever try the bread again) that you put 1 cup of very warm water (The water should not burn your wrist, but be pretty warm. I use very warm tap water) in a bowl, and put your yeast in that bowl, and let it set for 10 mins or so. Then in another bowl microwave your other ingredients (salt, 1 cup water, sugar, and butter, CUT INTO SMALL PIECES) for only 1 minute. Then when you pull the bowl out of the microwave, add the other 2 cups of Warm water and then stir in your yeast mixture. Once that is stirred in well, then you can add your flour, one cup at a time, stirring well, until you need to knead it at the end.
The reason I think (like you mentioned) that you might have killed your yeast, is that I can hardly let my French bread rise for more than 45 mins. or it rises too much, too high and too wide. So when you said you let yours rise for 2 1/2 hours, that made me think that something must have happened with your yeast. Again, I'm sooo sorry that it didn't turn out well for you. Hope it is GREAT the next time. =)
Love, Heather