The Maxwell girls love to bake!

[Arete]

In one of the early Dad's Corners that I believe is still left on the site, Steve briefly speaks of a public execution he witnessed while stationed in Thailand.  It frightened him and left a lasting impression, particularly about how easy it is to get caught up in mob behavior and the awfulness of violence.    You could tell his older self was horrified both by the execution and by the public witnessing.

I suspect that incident has contributed greatly to his lifelong fear of losing control and also his obsession with death.

[Handmaiden of Dog]

So I'm not really understanding this caroling with cake business.  They go to neighborhood homes, knock on the door, sing and then hand out cake?  (No doubt with a tract that asks, "Do you know where you are going when you die?") I've never heard of carolers giving out baked goods-- it is usually the other way around.  At my old church the choir and family members would meet up, go caroling, then come back to the church for a cup of cider and a cookie swap. I don't suppose it ever occurred to us to hand out the cookies to the people we met while singing.

 

So be honest.  If the Maxwells came to your door and gave you a poppy seed cake/loaf/bread, would you eat it?  I'm not sure I would.  I would have to know them a lot better then just that crazy family who knocks on my door every year.

[Jana814]

I think the neighbors know that they are coming around. 

[church_of_dog]

I got caroled to this year; I think it was the first time ever, or for many, many years!

It was a group from the Seventh-Day Adventist Church.  About 15 people or so.  They knocked on the door and when I answered, one of the kids handed me a box which I later discovered contained homemade cookies, plus a candy cane.  

I stood in the doorway while they sang two or three carols, then I clapped and thanked them and they left.  (It was cold and I didn't really relish standing there with the door open, but I was in my socks and the porch was snowy, so I couldn't step outside.  Oh well.)

Afterwards I went inside and ate the cookies; indeed I did!

Even though I am 100% atheist, and have zero tolerance for being prosyletized to, and also am not into most christmas fuss, I was completely comfortable with this.  Primarily because I'm in a very small town so I knew at least 5-6 of the people from elsewhere.   Also because the church is literally next door to me, so we are neighbors of a sort (about 3 houses' distance away, but it's all vacant land so there are no buildings between me and them).

There was one very generic tract attached to the container of cookies -- it didn't even identify the church, just a general "Jesus is the reason for the season" type message.  I gave it a full moment of respectful consideration before discarding it and enjoying the cookies... 

[johnhugh]

That's a long one...

[Arete]

your misogyny isn't cute or funny, @johnhugh

[Black Aliss]

On 12/24/2015 at 8:03 AM, anjulibai said:

What the hell does flavor packed mean?

Google translate says it means "tastes nothing like our bean burritos".

[16strong]

We've discussed butter flavoring here before. It is used in recipes where a very concentrated butter taste is needed,  but where using that much butter would ruin the recipe.

[Granwych]

The Maxwells are too damn cheap to use any good ingredients in their own food, forget about anything they'll be giving away.  I'm waiting to hear that the retirement home pays for their gas so they can come and drone the residents into a stupor. 

[Eternalbluepearl]

1 hour ago, 16strong said:

We've discussed butter flavoring here before. It is used in recipes where a very concentrated butter taste is needed,  but where using that much butter would ruin the recipe.

Oh! Thanks. I didn't know that. 

[CyborgKin]

The Maxwells would be 'interested' to learn that although I'm a Christian, I don't know where I'm going when I die.  Maybe my body will spend some time in the ground, or maybe my ashes will be scattered about.  A resurrection of the dead is promised, but beyond that I'm unsure.  I can't find a clear indication in the bible thatbsays heaven is some mystical place we get to go to.  Heaven always seems to be identified as the sky or space.  And God is often said to be in the clouds.  Apparently 'we will meet him in the air', but I'm not sure where we go after that.  It'll be fun to find out though.  I expect everyone's theories to be horribly wrong, and a lot of seemingly contradictory ideas to turn out simultaneously more correct than anyone thought possible.  And a lot of people will find they took the wrong bits literally.

[nomoxian]

On Christmas Eve I heard a sound from outside. My friend / co-worker popped his head out and was like "there's carolers!" I had never seen real live carolers before (I moved to a German city from a metropolis in North America) so it was really interesting. Even though I'm an atheist, I thought it was beautiful.

And is anyone else super surprised that the Maxwells would use a box that says "Seasons Greetings"? I would have assumed they would be the "CHRISTmas!" kinda people.

[Handmaiden of Dog]

Maybe that was the only box they could find that was a.) cheap and b.) would fit one sweet roll.

[FloraKitty35]

The cinnamon rolls look pretty.  Is it just me or does Mary look like Carson Daly?

[Eternalbluepearl]

11 hours ago, FloraKitty35 said:

Is it just me or does Mary look like Carson Daly?

Not just you. 

[twin2]

On 12/24/2015 at 11:21 AM, sparkles said:

Didn't find that one yet but this one's a doozy.

http://web.archive.org/web/20000817200955/http://www.titus2.com/Corners/5-97-d.htm

First, love the disclaimer on top......

I just can not comprehend, how someone can equate having a business lunch with someone of the opposite sex is akin to "lusting".  It just floors me.

My company has a site a Puerto Rico, where it seems to be somewhat customary to greet one colleagues with a quick hug and frequently a peck on the cheek.  I'm guessing something like that would have sent Steve into a month long fast to atone for his 'sins'.

 

 

 

[Marian the Librarian]

On December 24, 2015 at 8:21 AM, sparkles said:

Didn't find that one yet but this one's a doozy.

http://web.archive.org/web/20000817200955/http://www.titus2.com/Corners/5-97-d.htm

Oy, Stevie's initial disclaimer/warning! "Moms - PLEASE DO NOT READ THIS!! It is for your husbands only." Mercy me, the drama! What on Earth did Mr. Maxwell write this time?? I simply MUST read this now!!!

Stacy McDonald's "Your Sacred Calling" blog (which seems to be languishing, she hasn't updated since September) was always full of such disclaimers - "Warning! For married women only! Not for single young ladies! This is about SEX!! Don't read this if you don't have a husband!" Which, of course, guaranteed a larger and more rapt audience.

It's the fundie blogger's answer to those bosom-heaving, bodice-ripping romance novels. The cover art is the tease, sure to intrigue.

 

 

[nokidsmom]

2 minutes ago, Marian the Librarian said:

Oy, Stevie's initial disclaimer/warning! "Moms - PLEASE DO NOT READ THIS!! It is for your husbands only." Mercy me, the drama! What on Earth did Mr. Maxwell write this time?? I simply MUST read this now!!!

Stacy McDonald's "Your Sacred Calling" blog (which seems to be languishing, she hasn't updated since September) was always full of such disclaimers - "Warning! For married women only! Not for single young ladies! This is about SEX!! Don't read this if you don't have a husband!" Which, of course, guaranteed a larger and more rapt audience.

It's the fundie blogger's answer to those bosom-heaving, bodice-ripping romance novels. The cover art is the tease, sure to intrigue

Putting any kind of disclaimer/warning like this pretty much guarantees that Those Who Should Not Read This will absolutely do so. 

[kpmom]

The caroling post is finally up.  It looks like everyone, even Calia attended.

One neighbor exclaimed, "I'm going to have to get a bigger porch!", and another noticed there were new singers!  Joseph's guitar playing was amazing!  One set of neighbors appear to be elderly!

Not sure if they're sweet though.

[princessmahina]

Going back to the cinnamon roll post for a minute, I was really surprised to see how much stuff they have on their refrigerator. I would have thought they'd keep that thing completely bare.

[mango_fandango]

1 hour ago, kpmom said:

The caroling post is finally up.  It looks like everyone, even Calia attended.

One neighbor exclaimed, "I'm going to have to get a bigger porch!", and another noticed there were new singers!  Joseph's guitar playing was amazing!  One set of neighbors appear to be elderly!

Not sure if they're sweet though.

It's just the photo, but Elissa looks different. You can tell it's her, but the angle/lighting makes her look different to how she usually does. Also, I notice Lydia is now referred to as "Liddy." Not snarking, I knew a girl at school who was called Lydia and she was called "Liddy" although people spelled it differently. 

Bethany and Christina look SO BORED in the group photo. 

[PennySycamore]

1 hour ago, kpmom said:

The caroling post is finally up.  It looks like everyone, even Calia attended.

One neighbor exclaimed, "I'm going to have to get a bigger porch!", and another noticed there were new singers!  Joseph's guitar playing was amazing!  One set of neighbors appear to be elderly!

Not sure if they're sweet though.

That "bigger porch" line reminds me of the immortal "We're going to need a bigger boat!" line from Jaws.  I wonder if the carol victims thought the same.  I doubt that the thought occurred to the Maxwells.

[Marian the Librarian]

10 minutes ago, PennySycamore said:

That "bigger porch" line reminds me of the immortal "We're going to need a bigger boat!" line from Jaws.  I wonder if the carol victims thought the same.  I doubt that the thought occurred to the Maxwells.

And one of the best lines from the move "Calendar Girls:" "We're going to need considerably bigger buns!"

[blessalessi]

Quote

I’ll share about the caroling party we had one week later.

So they no longer go back to someone's house for rationed snacks after the event, they have to wait a week to schedule it. On a Sunday evening, no less...

They must be busy selling chorepaks this week, then.

[AmazonGrace]

My favorite part:

Quote

I explained that with all that aside, what if someone who knew Teri and me saw us together? What might they think? She said, "Wow, do you really mean that?" I said I did and she said she now understood and that was great.

So it's not really about his heart at all, it's what the NEIGHBORS might say.... (does he have such bad reputation that seeing him at lunch with a woman would make everyone go, ooh he must be cheating on Teri for sure...?)