Wow. That’s all I have to say about this recall. Over four million Toyota and Lexus vehicles need to return to the local motherships for the accelerator pedal problem. Dealers are being told to cut the pedal so that it can’t interfere with the floor mat, which should have already been removed or restrained (with a ziptie) by now. Please, please, please go to your dealer and have this work done – the last thing any of us here at CarDomain want to hear is that a sweet ride like DumpedCorolla’s ended up in a wall. Toyota remains mum on the idea that there could be a serious software fault contributing to the problem. A full list of cars in the recall after the jump.

• 2007 to 2010 model year Camry

• 2005 to 2010 Avalon

• 2004 to 2009 Prius

• 2005 to 2010 Tacoma

• 2007 to 2010 Tundra

• 2007 to 2010 Lexus ES 350

• 2006 to 2010 Lexus IS 250

• 2006 to 2010 Lexus IS 350

Day’s Total – $0.00

Spotted this at the local tuner shop. How many funnies are in this plate? I count at least four.

Starbucks
medium coffee – $2.04

Trader Joe’s
chickpea salad – $2.99

Five Guys
regular Cajun fries – $2.85

Day’s Total – $7.88

Mark Smith of Factory 5 (yes, that Mark Smith) popped up on the Car Lounge asking about fitments for turbo kits on the Volkswagen VR6. Turns out, he’s plotting a mid-engined kit based on the VW MkIV (Golf, Jetta, GTI, and presumably New Beetle) platform. He didn’t start with the VR6 - he started with the TDi, VW’s turbodiesel lump. There’s a more serious build thread going on over at tdiclub.com. This has the fixin’s to be the new cool VW kit, reminiscent of days when you could slap a kit over a Type 1 (Beetle) chassis and have yourself a new car. I might just have to hold on to my Diesel MkIV for a bit longer, as I’d love to have all that torque behind me, rather than in front, especially for the sub-$20K pricetag Mark is talking about.

Starbucks
medium coffee, including tax – $2.04

Trader Joe’s
pita chips – $1.99

Yes! Organic Market
5×8 cubes Rapunzel vegan bouillon – $11.45

Bestway
6×12oz Dogfish Head 60-Minute IPA, including tax – $10.89

Day’s Total – $26.37

The Life of Holy Great-Martyr Katherine

The Holy Great-Martyr Katherine was the daughter of Constus, the governor of Alexandrian Egypt, during the reign of the emperor Maximian (305-313). Living in the capital — the center of Hellenistic knowledge, and possessed of an uncommon beauty and intellect — Katherine received a most splendid education, having studied the works of the finest philosophers and teachers of antiquity. Young men from the most worthy families of the empire sought the hand of the beautiful Katherine, but none of them was chosen. She declared to her parents that she would be agreeable to enter into marriage only with someone who surpassed her in illustriousness, wealth, comeliness and wisdom.

Katherine’s mother, a secret Christian, sent her for advice to her own spiritual father — a saintly elder pursuing prayerful deeds in solitude in a cave not far from the city. Having listened to Katherine, the elder said that he knew of a youth, who surpassed her in everything, such that “His beauty was more radiant than the shining of the sun, His wisdom governed all creation, His riches were spread throughout all the world — this however did not diminish but rather added to the inexpressible loftiness of His lineage”. The image of the Christ produced in the soul of the holy maiden an ardent desire to see Him. Truth, to which her soul yearned, revealed it to her. In parting, the elder handed Katherine an icon of the Mother of God with the God-Child Jesus on Her arm and bid her to pray with faith to Mary for the bestowing of the vision of Her Son.

Katherine prayed all night and was given to see the Most Holy Virgin, Who sent Her Divine Son to look upon the kneeling of Katherine before Them. But the Child turned His face away from her saying, that He was not able to look at her because she was ugly, of shabby lineage, beggarly and mindless like every person — not washed with the waters of holy Baptism and not sealed with the seal of the Holy Spirit. Katherine returned again to the elder deeply saddened. He lovingly received her, instructed her in the faith of Christ, admonished her to preserve her purity and integrity and to pray unceasingly; he then performed over her the sacrament of holy Baptism. And again Saint Katherine had a vision of the Most Holy Mother of God with Her Child. Now the Lord looked tenderly at her and gave her a ring — a wondrous gift of the Heavenly Bridegroom.

At this time the emperor Maximian was himself in Alexandria for a pagan feast day. Because of this, the feast was especially splendid and crowded. The cries of the sacrificial animals, the smoke and the smell of the sacrifices, the endless blazing of fires, and the bustling crowds at the arenas filled Alexandria. Human victims also were brought — because they consigned to death in the fire the confessors in Christ, those not recanting from Him under torture. The Saint’s love for the Christian martyrs and her fervent desire to lighten their fate impelled Katherine to go to the pagan head-priest and ruler of the empire, the emperor-persecutor Maximian.

Introducing herself, the saint confessed her Christian faith and with wisdom denounced the errors of the pagans. The beauty of the maiden captivated the emperor. In order to convince her and show the superiority of pagan wisdom, the emperor gave orders to gather 50 of the most learned men of the empire, but the Saint got the better of the wise men, such that they themselves came to believe in Christ. Saint Katherine shielded them with the sign of the cross, and they bravely accepted death for Christ and were burnt by order of the emperor.

Maximian, no longer hoping to convince the saint, tried to entice her with the promise of riches and fame. Having received an angry refusal, the emperor gave orders to subject the saint to terrible tortures and then throw her in prison. The Empress Augusta, who had heard much about Katherine, wanted to see her. Having prevailed upon the military-commander Porphyry to accompany her with a detachment of soldiers, Augusta went to the prison. The empress was impressed by the strong spirit of Saint Katherine, whose face glowed with Divine grace. The holy martyress explained the Christian teaching to the newly-arrived, and they in believing were converted to Christ.

On the following day they again brought the her to the judgment court where, under the threat of being broken on the wheel, they urged that she recant from the Christian faith and offer sacrifice to the pagan gods. The saint steadfastly confessed Christ and she herself approached the wheels; but an Angel smashed the instruments of execution, which broke up into pieces with many pagans passing nearby. Having beheld this wonder, the empress Augusta and the imperial courtier Porphyry with 200 soldiers confessed their faith in Christ in front of everyone, and they were beheaded. Maximian again tried to entice Saint Katherine, proposing marriage to her, and again he received a refusal. She confessed her fidelity to the Heavenly Bridegroom — Christ, and with a prayer to Him she herself put her head on the block under the sword of the executioner.

In the VI Century, through a revelation, the relics of Saint Katherine were found and transferred with honor to a newly constructed church of the Sinai monastery, built by the holy emperor Justinian (527-565). The church and monastery remain to this day.

With her wealth, beauty, education, and high social class, it would have been very tempting for Saint Katherine to deny Christ, save her worldly life, and go back to an easy, privileged lifestyle. Instead, she chose to follow her faith.

HYMNS OF THE SAINT

Apolytikion (Plagal Of The First Tone)

Let us praise the most auspicious bride of Christ, the divine Katherine, protectress of Sinai, our aid and our help. For, she brilliantly silenced the eloquence of the impious by the sword of the spirit, and now, crowned as a martyr, she asks great mercy for all.

Kontakion (Second Tone)

O friends of martyrs, now divinely raise up a renewed chorus, praising the all-wise Katherine. For, she proclaimed Christ in the arena, trampled on the serpent, and spat upon the knowledge of the orators.

Caribou Coffee
medium coffee – $1.10

Trader Joe’s
white bean hummus – $3.99

Rosa Mexicano
guacamole – $12.00
roasted vegetable salad – 7.75
vegetable enchiladas – 14.75
flight of tequila – 18.99
4 classic margaritas – 35.00
tax – 8.85
tip – 19.66

Day’s Total – $122.09

Dear Bill,

Oh dear. This weather is very dull. When there’s a tiny ray of sun shining into the house I go and stand in it. I need color! At the moment I have several sensible knitting projects on the go but I’ve simply dropped them for the following:

You can see this is the beginning of  the simplest of shawl patterns. I toyed with making another Charlotte’s Web shawl out of the incomparable Koigu KPPPM but decided to forego the lace and let the yarn speak for itself. And what it’s saying is–you don’t need the sun. Just look in your stash for bright colors! Which is what I did.

Now I’ve told you a great deal about my sweetie husband’s father’s side. Here’s an old photograph from his mother’s.

The baby is Catherine, my sweetie’s mom. (And who gave her that horrible haircut, I’d like to know?)  

Holding her is her grandmother, Katherine (my sweetie’s great-grandmother).

To the right of her grandmother is her mother, Gertrude Dorothy (my sweetie’s grandmother). 

And on the far right is Emma, her great-grandmother (my sweetie’s great-great grandmother).

Don’t you think the women are absolutely beautiful? Look at those aquiline noses and clear eyes. I love their hair, their tranquillity. Sweetie Jim’s mom didn’t inherit the nose–but it’s still evident in the family.

I’m not naming any names. You know who you are.

Love!

Momma

Dos Gringos
2 cups of coffee – $3.50
1 refill – 0.75
tip – 0.50

WMATA
fare card – $2.70

Bestway
6oz tomato paste – $0.79
14.5oz canned tomatoes – 1.59
3 red potatoes – 0.80
1 bag celery – 1.29
1qt red wine vinegar – 1.09
250mL olive oil – 3.69

Day’s Total – $16.70

Safeway
hummus – 3.99
6 each pita – 2.69

The Argonaut
remainder for french fries and drinks after using gift certificate – $15.00

Day’s Total – $21.68

Trader Joe’s
stuffed grape leaves – $2.99
8oz multigrain pretzels – 1.29

Day’s Total – $4.28

Irving Liquors
1 handle Jim Beam whiskey – $26.15

Day’s Total – $26.15

En esta ocasión vengo para dejaros el trailer del episodio 9 de la sexta temporada de Mujeres desesperadas, que tiene un título muy sugerente “Would I think of suicide?”.

Sinopsis: Mike va a recoger MJ de una fiesta de cumpleaños, pero se entera de que alguien (probablemente Katherine) ya lo recogió. Lynette es supuestamente despedida por haber elegido un evento familiar a su trabajo. Lynette recurre a un abogado en busca de ayuda. Bree la paga a un ex-convicto para ver si Orson vuelve al crimen, viola su libertad condicional y regresa a la carcel. Alguien tiene una sobredosis en sus pastllas para dormir, pero sobrevive.

Caribou Coffee
medium coffee – $1.89
tax – 0.19

George’s Townhouse
falafel sandwich – $5.95
tax – 0.60

Day’s Total – $8.63

Caribou Coffee
medium coffee – $1.89
tax – 0.19

Thai Coast Restaurant
garden rolls – $4.95
tax – 0.50

Chipotle
Garden Blend burrito – $6.10
tax – 0.61

Lamont Video
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang rental – $3.00
contribution from Stacey and Shelley – (-2.00)

Day’s Total – $15.24

Caribou Coffee
medium coffee – $1.00
tax – 0.10

Trader Joe’s
Tofurkey – $9.99
2 each bananas – 0.38
2 each apples – 0.98
3 each onions – 1.99
8oz dried cranberries – 1.99
1lb dried apricots – 2.99
1lb lime and chili cashews – 5.69
0.5gallon soymilk – 2.99
6×12oz Red Hook Longhammer IPA – 7.49
tax on beer – 0.69
contribution from Stacey – (-1.00)

livingsocial.com
$30 gift certificate for The Argonaut – $15.00

Day’s Total – $50.28

Day’s Total – $0.00

Harris Teeter
pretzels – $2.50
salt and pepper chips – 3.00
1.89lb (4 each) bananas – 1.12
0.84lb (1 each) cherimoya – 5.03

Sticky Fingers Vegan Bakery
2 bagel breakfast sandwiches – $9.50
small coffee – 1.65
tax – 1.12

contribution from Stacey – (-11.65)

Twin Oaks Intentional Community (Louisa, VA)
suggested donation for tour – $5.00
8 chunks of tofu – FREE

WMATA
money added to SmarTrip – $20.00

Day’s Total – $37.27

Caribou Coffee
medium coffee – $1.89
tax – 0.19

Bestway
1lb pasta – $1.49
12oz tri-color pasta – 1.49
15.5oz chickpeas – 0.99
2 ears corn – 1.00

Day’s Total – $7.05

Bueno en esta ocasión os traigo un trailer del domingo, exactamente de Mujeres desesperadas que corresponde al episodio 8 de la sexta temporada que tiene por título “The coffee cup”.

Sinopsis: Susan descubre una conexion entre Katherine y Mike, y comienza a cuestionar a Mike como resultado. Además, Susan y Katherine son castigadas a realizar servicios para la comunidad debido al disparo de Susan. Los esfuerzos de Bree para ocultar su aventura parecen ser envano cuando alguien la descubre: Angie. Gabrielle no se detiene ante nada para que Juanita entre a la escuela catolica. El embarazo de Lynette se vuelve imposible de ocultar.

OK these girls (and sometime; guy) have got the cheese factor. However, it works incredibly well for them. Thanks to a friend that showed me them, I have one extra subscription on my youtube account.

These siblings are mega talented!!

One thing I got to give them mad credits for is the arrangements of their voices. I have to say just having two people (myself and one other) trying to arrange the voices and harmonies etc. is hard enough. This is because I am just a vocalist with no musical background or training at all. But there are usually at least 5 voices in these videos that CIMORELLI produce.

All of them each have a special talent but when they bring their voices together it is nothing less than magical. Well done to them and I hope you enjoy their beautiful harmonies!!

First video I watched from CIMORELLI
Send it on – Friends for change

A Taylor Swift cover!!!!!!!

Check out and subscribe to their channel here!!

Trader Joe’s
12oz hummus – $2.99
4 pieces whole wheat pita – 1.29
1 gala apple – 0.49
3.3oz Snapea Crisps – 1.49

Starbucks
1 bagel – $1.00
medium coffee – $1.85
tax – 0.29

Bestway
6×12oz Magic Hat Winter Ale – $8.49
tax – 0.76

Day’s Total – $18.65