Friday, September 28, 2007

Kids Project--Homemade pen and ink

I found this fun little project for kids to make and thought I would share it.  Make sure you help the kids with this as it involves using a sharp knife. 

Berry Ink & Quill Pens

Berry ink ingredients:
½ C. Ripe berries (blueberries, cherries, blackberries, strawberries, elderberries, raspberries, etc.)
½ Tsp. Vinegar
½ Tsp. Salt

Fill a strainer with the berries and hold it over a bowl. Using the rounded back of a wooden spoon, crush the berries against the strainer so that the berry juice strains into the bowl. Keep adding berries until most of their juice has been strained out and only pulp remains. Add the salt and vinegar to the berry juice. The vinegar helps the ink retain its color and the salt keeps it from getting too moldy. If the berry ink is too thick, add a tablespoon of water. Store in a baby food jar. Only make a small amount of berry ink at a time and, when not in use, keep it tightly covered.

Quill pen ingredients:
A large feather (find your own or purchase one from a craft store)
Craft knife
Paper
Berry ink
Paper towels

Use a craft knife to cut the tip of the feather at an angle. Carefully, cut a slit in the tip. Dip the feather into the berry ink. Dab the end on a paper towel. Repeat as needed. Now, write your masterpiece just like the pioneers did!

Doesn't that sound like a fun project for kids to do?  I think I would buy the feather at a craft store though.  When I was a kid I can remember finding bird feathers and tickling my face with them.  But these days, with bird flu and all, that just sounds...ewww! 

Be sure to come back and let me know if you and the kids tried out this project and if they had fun.

Have a great day & hugs to all my friends!
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Thursday, September 27, 2007

Home Remedy--Headache

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Please remember that these are remedies that have either been mailed onto me, or that I have found on the Internet.  I haven't tried them all and cannot guarantee the effectiveness of them.  Of course, you should always check with your physician before starting any type of medical regimen.
 
Headache
  • Eat 10-12 almonds, the equivalent of two aspirins, for a migraine headache. Almonds are far less likely to upset the stomach.
  • Drinking two glasses of Gatorade® can relieve headache pain almost immediately -- without the unpleasant side effects caused by traditional "pain relievers."

Have a great day & hugs to all my friends!
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Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Ignore this...

Still trying to figure out how to post this stupid technorati claim link thing...

Technorati Profile

Tuesday, September 25, 2007

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Photos Stuck Together: With a hair dryer on low, slowly melt them apart.

I know...not exactly a cleaning tip, but it's still a neat little trick when you find that you've got some photographs stuck together.  Hey!  Get those photos out of that box and put them in an album.  LOL

I know, photographs seem to build up quicker than dust bunnies and before you know it...bam!  You've got 2 or 3 boxes full of pictures.  Which reminds me...I've got some work to do with some pictures around here.  Ugh...guess I'll be sitting inside the house today. 

Good thing Rylie and I got outside and worked in the garden yesterday.  And now I know where our cable line is buried...yee-haw...lol.  We had fun.  Well, Rylie had fun.  I, somehow, got dirt all down the back of my shirt.  Thank you Miss Rylie Jo.  I tried to explain to her that you don't need to swing the little Sponge Bob shovel up into the air when it is filled with dirt.  But apparently I don't know a thing about gardening because she kept doing it over and over. 

Oh well, we had fun and it was a beautiful day outside.  I also now have a large area for planting flowers on the backside of the house.  Which, if I'm going to be honest, really needed to have something done with it.  Now I just have to pick up some more bulbs to plant, clean out the dying flowers from this summer in the other gardens and then I should be done for the season.

I wonder if this would be the right time to transplant a raspberry bush.  Although, to be absolutely honest...it wouldn't break my heart if it were to die in the transplanting.  LOL  Well, I thought it would be so neat to have some fresh fruit growing in the yard.  But the only plant that made it was the black raspberry, I prefer red raspberries.  And the dang thing grows like a freakin' weed!  I mean honestly!  If those branches get too long and hit the ground...boom!  You've got another plant growing there.  So I really put it in a bad spot and would like to move it out back. 

Maybe I'll dig a spot where I can let things just go wild.  I'd throw the raspberries in there along with some of the daisies.  I like daisies...it's just that when they're not blooming they just look like big ole weeds.  Blah!  Then I've got kids going by saying "I'll weed yer garden for $10".  What would ya pull out?  "Them thar big ol' weeds".  Those are my daisies (ya dork).  "Oh really?  Well, I could leave 'em."  Ya think?  So basically, I'd pay ya to sit and look at my garden.  DUH!

Oh...I forgot to tell y'all about Na-na-na-boo-boo.  Bad mommy, that'd be me, decided to teach Rylie to say "na-na-na-boo-boo" to daddy.  So I said it the first time and she just looked at me like "when did you start speaking Latin?"  So I shortened it to "Na-na-na-na". 

She got that part down and when she was playing chase with daddy I told her to say it, which she did, and it was cute.  So then I told her to say "Na-na-na-boo-boo".  So she turned to daddy and said "Na-na-na-you got a boo-boo.  You got a boo-boo."  OMG!  It was just too funny.  If laughing keeps you young, then we oughta be in our early thirties cause she keeps us laughing all the time.

Her newest thing is to come to me when daddy is teasing her and tell me "tell daddy 'top-it".  Although she keeps me laughing, she also keeps me busy.  I think she has already hit the early teen stage...she changes her clothes at least 3 times a day.  No wonder I've been going through so much laundry detergent lately.

I got to admit though that I was right about something I wrote about a year or two ago.  The asking her to help me and then slathering on the praise and thank you's.  It has really worked.  I rarely have to ask Rylie to help me.  If I go to get clothes out of the washer, she is right there and wants to help me put them in the dryer.  When I take them out, she is right there and wants to help me take them to the other room and fold them. 

She actually does a pretty good job folding towels.  So I try to make sure there is at least one or two small towels in every load for her to be able to do.  She will almost always come and help me unload the dishwasher.  The other day I jokingly said "why don't you put those dirty dishes in the dishwasher for me"  and she DID!  LOL  I always praise her for the work she does and thank her and tell her she is mommies big helper and she just loves it.

Now, if I could just get her to learn to pick up the toys in her bedroom when she is done.  LOL  The other day she told me "Mommy, you clean up daddys room".  (We call the computer room daddys room.)  I said "oh really?  Okay, I can do that and clean up my room too."  Then she said "yeah, you clean your room and I clean my room."  I thought "cool" we may be getting somewhere here. 

LOL  You should see her room...if I remember correctly the carpet under all that is beige.  Nah, it's not that bad.  She just get distracted by anything that takes longer than 2-3 minutes to do.  I'm pretty pleased with how helpful she is to me, so I can be pretty patient as we work on the keeping your bedroom clean bit.

Well, it's getting late and I've got to get going here.

Have a great day & hugs to all my friends!
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Monday, September 24, 2007

Good Morning!  Ready for beer?  LOL  No seriously, go grab a can and pop the top...now your ready to make some bread. 
 
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Beer Bread--quick and easy
Ingredients:
3 Cups self-rising flour
3 Tablespoons (heaping) sugar
1 12 oz can of beer (room temperature)
Melted butter

Combine flour and sugar; add beer gradually, stirring well for 1 minute. Pour into greased loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Brush with melted butter.
Bake for 20-25 minutes longer or until bread tests done.


This recipe works with ANY carbonated beverage. Try it with Orange Soda and top it with a glaze made with powder sugar and OJ. Makes a light, not too sweet dessert!
 
I hope ya'll had a good weekend!  Mine was pretty good.  I've been thinking about a lot of things lately and I've come to a few conclusions.  (OR I thought I had, it's more like me thinking out loud)
 
1. I love my ol' man--even though he can be the typical thoughtless and unromantic male...when he does make the effort it's like "WOW I'm crazy about this guy".  Our tenth anniversary is coming up next month and I am so thankful that I endured some of the bullsh*t to get to this point in our lives.  He may be inconsiderate on occassion, but he doesn't kick me around like dog and then just expect me to roll over and let him rub mybelly...like I've seen some other men do.
 
2. I love my kids!  It seems like as soon as they hit 15 or 16...they've got so little time for Mom.  I understand that...what teenager wants to hang with their Mom or Dad?  However, they always come back and it is just the best thing in the world.  I'm proud of my kids too.  When I see so many kids hanging on the streets or refusing to get jobs or whatever, it just makes me really proud of the way my kids have grown up to be responsible adults.
 
3. I'm not going to let other peoples words or actions change who I am.  I like to help people.  So even if they get nasty with me or about me...so what?  Why let that nastiness infect me and make me nasty (and I mean nas-taaay!) too?  I don't want to be that way...it's not who I am.  Don't get me wrong, I sit and gossip with the best of them, but I'm talking about the down and dirty nastiness. 
 
I don't want to be nas-taaay...I think I've let other folks words and actions get to me one too many times.  I have to admit, I've crossed that line, and I don't like it...I don't like that I let myself lose control (in essence let them control me) and I don't like myself when that happens.
 
I don't know...it's a fine line...finding that place between being nice, no matter how nasty people get...and letting people walk all over me.  Being nice, being helpful, being considerate, going out of my way for someone...then boom! someone does something to hurt me or my family...hmm, am I going to be able to just let it go? 
 
I honestly don't know...here's the thing, if it's someone I truly care about (one of our kids or someone else I really love) I'll do my dang-dest to try.  I guess it also depends on how far they go in what they say or do.  Hmmm.  LOL, I thought I had this one figured out...oh well {{{plastering on fake smile}}} "I'll try ever so hard to be nice while ya jab that knife in my back". 
 
4. Final thought...I may be past the point of being able to say that I'm 29 years old.  I've only been saying it for ((mumble-mumble)) years now.  (((Sigh)))  Yeah, I think it's high time I hit my thirties.  LOL
 
Have a great day & hugs to all my friends!
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Thursday, September 20, 2007

Home Remedy--Hay Fever

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Please remember that these are remedies that have either been mailed onto me, or that I have found on the Internet.  I haven't tried them all and cannot guarantee the effectiveness of them.  Of course, you should always check with your physician before starting any type of medical regimen.
 
Hay Fever also known as nasal allergies, pollinosis or seasonal allergic rhinitis is a collection of symptoms. Hay fever is an allergy to dust, pollen or dander in the air. It mainly causes allergy to the eyes and nose. Hay fever is seasonal; however it can last throughout the year if the allergens are present in the air throughout the year. Spring and fall are the two main seasons for hay fever.
 
Some of the symptoms of hay fever are as follows Coughing, Headache, Itching of nose, mouth, eyes, throat, ear and skin, Red and watery eyes, Runny and stuffy nose, Impaired smell, Sneezing, Sore throat, Wheezing, Fatigue and trouble in sleeping
 
Home Remedies for Hay Fever
  • Steep 1 tsp. fenugreek seed in 1 cup water, covered, for 10 minutes. Drink 1 cup a day to help hay fever symptoms.
  • Freeze-dried nettle capsules (Nettle tea also works)  Nettle is a blood-cleanser.  Similar results may also be found with Chinese Scullcap.
  • Add some honey to boiled minced grapefruit and lemon. Have this solution three times a day.
  • To stop irritation in your nose, apply little petroleum jelly inside your nose.
  • Boil chamomile in water and inhale fumes from the water.
  • To "cure" hay fever...from what I've heard...take a tablespoon of LOCAL honey once a day.  I heard this second hand and after doing this for 2-3 years someone "cured" their hay fever.  LOCAL means (from what I've been told) honey from the state where you were born.
Other Suggestions for Hay Fever

*Avoid going out early in the morning or late in the evening. At this time pollen count in air is comparatively more.
*Avoid using nasal spray continuously for three days. It may increase congestion of nose.
*Avoid smoking and air pollutants.  
*After being outside for a long time during the day, wash your hair to avoid inhaling pollen that falls from your hair onto your pillow. 
*Wind-dried clothes can become pollen catchers, put clothes in a dryer, or hang them inside to dry, to keep them pollen-free.
*Keep your house and car windows closed and your air conditioner on during spring, summer and fall months.  If you don't want cooled air, at least flip on the fan setting. The fan will filter out the offending pollen.  During the pollen season, you should clean your air conditioner filter approximately once a month.

Have a great day & hugs to all my friends!
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Tuesday, September 18, 2007

Cleaning Tip--Pet urine

Finally...AOL is letting me onto my journal and posting an entry.  Here is today's cleaning tip.

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Pet Urine on Carpet: First, blot up what you can with paper towels. Then, with warm, soapy water and a clean cloth, blot the area clean; rinse with clean water; blot until dry. Next, combine 1/3 cup white vinegar with 2/3 cup water and dab it on stain; rinse with clean water; blot until dry. Once the area is totally dry (at least 24 hours), sprinkle entire carpet with baking soda or rug deodorizer; vacuum after a few hours.
 
So I did a little research on the word "housewife" and found this little article at WikiHow, LOL.  I thought some of you might get a kick out of it.  I can't say, that as a housewife, I disagree with this too much.  It may sound old-fashioned, but I guess that's just me.
 
                                 How to Be a Good Housewife
 
A housewife is a woman who enters into a mutual agreement with her husband that outlines their division of labor. The husband works and earns income while the wife remains at home looking after the home and, if applicable, the kids. Many couples decide on this arrangement because they prefer it over other arrangements.

There's more to being a housewife than just picking up dirty socks and underwear. It's about creating a home environment that any man would love to return to, and if you take care of yourself as well? That's more than just bonus, it's the way to make a relationship work.

Steps
  1. Make sure you have meals on the table at a regular time. This doesn't necessarily mean the moment he walks in the door, since many men work different shifts. However, if he knows he can depend on you to feed him at a certain time, then he'll be much happier. If you learn how to cook, he'll be much happier, but if you're experimenting with a new recipe having a back-up microwaveable dinner just in case is always a good idea.
  2. Be aware of what your man needs when he comes home. Many men need space when they come home from a hard day at work, so if this is your husband or boyfriend, give him the space he needs when he arrives home, whether it is to chill out in front of the TV or to read the newspaper, let him decide. Preparing his favorite drink as he arrives through the door will only endear you to him more. Other men, however, wish to speak of their day before they relax. If this is the case, listen to what he has to say and let him give you cues as to when he's ready to listen to how your day went. Finally, some men like to spend time with his friends for some male bonding after work. Step back and let this happen as needed.
  3. Listen to what he has to say. Sometimes a man will want to gripe about his day and how his boss is a jerk or whatever. If you have some advice for him, ask him if he wants it, and if he says no, let it be.   *I happen to believe that this one is a two-way street.  He needs to give you time to unwind and talk about your day too.
  4. Keep the house tidy and pleasant. There is no excuse for your man to come home to a mess, so make friends with your vacuum and feather duster.  Amen!  I've seen too many women who don't work and yet don't even seem to know how to turn on the vacuum or pick up after themselves.  Then they wonder why their man b*tches all the time...DUH!!!


Tips
  • Maintaining your appearance, while not essential in being a housewife, does certainly help remind your husband that you are still a woman and not simply a housekeeper. Pampering yourself by taking care of your appearance will not only help you feel good about yourself, but the man in your life will notice as well. Wear makeup, if that's your style, and clothes can be both pretty and practical. Long, full skirts and well fitting jeans can do double duty as you go around the house doing the necessary chores as well as keeping you looking sharp for when your special someone comes home. Keeping your hair tucked up under a bandana during the day and giving it a brush through with a spritz of water or hairspray just before he comes home will help you feel like a woman even after a day spent scouring floors and toilets. He'll notice the effort, even if he doesn't say anything.


Warnings
  • Do not become overly obsessed with keeping things his way. If you do this, you will risk losing your own happiness. Try to keep the two equal. Balance his happiness with your happiness.
  • Remember, you're his partner, not his slave. Your own happiness is just as important as his. Make sure he's pulling his weight in the relationship and taking care of you and your needs as well.

Mind you, I'm only saying that I agree with some of this stuff for women who have chosen to stay home and be housewives.  If you and your husband both work, then I believe that the housework should be split equally.

I also believe that whether you stay home or work, your feelings are no less important than your husbands.  You are just as important of a partner in the relationship, and your thoughts and feelings should be valued by him as much as youvalue his.

Just as you should consider him and what he goes through every day and what he needs, he should be just as considerate to you.  Just because we don't work outside of the home doesn't mean that we don't have stress and need to relax every now and again too.  Especially if you have kids and don't get away from the house much.  Being couped up 24/7 with children can get very stressful, and every now and again it is a much welcome break to talk to another adult.

I'm sure that there are some who are gong to think I am crazy and more old-fashioned than your grandmother, lol.  That's cool...to each his own.  Being different is what makes the world go around.

Have a great day & hugs to all my friends!
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Grrrr @ AOL! I go to my journal, click the "add entry" button and get a blank page. What the heck? Okay, what is AOL messing around with now? Anyone else having this problem? The only way I can make an entry here is by sending it through the AOL Journal IM...GRRRRRRRRRRR!

Thursday, September 13, 2007

Trip to the mall

Here are some quick pictures of Rylie.  I just love that wee one!  We had fun.  I splurged and bought myself some perfume at Vicki's Secret and Rylie just loves that shopping bag.  She has been carrying it around all afternoon.  LOL  At least the girl has good taste.

After going to the mall we did our weekly "Ladies Lunch".  It's Rylies choice as to where we go...and as usual, she chose McDonalds.  The lettuce on my sandwich had been frozen and was all nasty.  Then when I bit into it I discovered that it was raw.  UGH!  So I got my money back and just ate some fries and a diet soda.  Rylie loves our "ladies luncheons".  Mostly she likes to tease Daddy that he can't go because he is a "boy".  LOL

Last night I taught her "Boys drool, Girls RULE!"  She keep telling Daddy that and laughing. 

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Home Remedy--Hang Over remedies and prevention

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Please remember that these are remedies that have either been mailed onto me, or that I have found on the Internet.  I haven't tried them all and cannot guarantee the effectiveness of them.  Of course, you should always check with your physician before starting any type of medical regimen.
 
Hang Over Cures 
  • Berocca - Puts the vitamin B back in, as well as the big glass of water it's mixed with. It's probably best to do this before you go out.   Berocca is a tablet containing a specific combination of B group vitamins and Vitamin C.
  • Eat honey on crackers. The fructose in the honey will help to metabolize the alcohol in your system.
  • Apples eaten on an empty stomach the day after drinking is an effective remedy.
  • Bananas One of the quickest ways to cure a hangover is to make a banana milkshake sweetened with honey. The banana helps calm the stomach, and with the honey, builds up the depleted blood sugar levels. The milk soothes the stomach and re-hydrates your system. Bananas are also rich in the important electrolytes, magnesium and potassium, which are severely depleted during heavy drinking.
  • B-vitamins Take the vitamins before you go to bed and let them work their magic while you sleep. If you forget, take them immediately upon arising. B-Vitamins are important in aiding the carbohydrate (alcohol) metabolizing process and in dilating blood vessels. B-vitamins will help restore your energy level. You will need to take a high-potency B-complex supplement for this remedy to work (50-75 mg of B-complex twice a day, hopefully once before bed after indulging).
  • Lime As soon as you wake up on the "morning after" add two teaspoons of fresh lime juice and a teaspoon of sugar to 8 ounces of water. Drink it slowly. This concoctionwill help stabilize your blood sugar, which will be low after imbibing.
Hang Over Prevention
  • Don't drink. DUH!!!
  • Take a Berocca before you start drinking. This gets a reserve of Vitamin B into you.
  • Alternate fruit juice or water in amongst your drinks to avoid dehydration later on. Avoid fizzy or sugary stuff. The purists reckon that about 200 ml of water is needed to effectively counteract each 30 ml of alcohol.
  • The alcohol in carbonated drinks is absorbed more quickly than in non-carbonated drinks.
  • Reduce the amount of sugar you consume with your alcohol. The forced metabolism of sugar AND alcohol by your body will accelerate the depletion of B vitamins and make the hangover worse.
  • The 2 am pig-out. Pizza or pasta is usually best since cheese and carbohydrates are a good source of amino acids. Actually food is a good idea all round - before, during and immediately after drinking. Food doesn't absorb alcohol, but it does increase metabolism, activates alcohol absorption, and increases the speed with which the body processes alcohol.
  • Almonds American Indians claim that eating 6 raw almonds before imbibing helps prevent intoxication.
  • Eating a meal high in saturated fat causes the effects of alcohol to peak earlier and last longer than diets high in polyunsaturated fat. Research at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
  • Peanut Butter Eating peanut butter before drinking is an African remedy.
  • Sports drinks, high in electrolytes, will help replenish what the kidneys have excreted during drinking. Take before bedtime.
  • Water One of the best preventive measures is to drink 2-3 large glasses of water before you go to bed. Drinking alcohol is very dehydrating and hydrating your system helps counteract the effects of the alcohol.

Of course, if you think you, or someone you know has a drinking problem please talk to your doctor or contact your local AA group, or get in touch with another professional.  I grew up in a house with a father who went on drinking binges, so I know the havoc and turmoil that alcohol can cause.  So believe me, I take alcohol abuse very seriously.  However, there are some funny jokes about drinking out there and I did want to include a few of those today.

The Golden Saloon

A guy comes home completely drunk one night. He lurches through the door and is met by his scowling wife, who is most definitely not happy. "Where the hell have you been all night?" she demands. "At this fantastic new bar," he says. "The Golden Saloon. Everything there is golden."

"Bullshit! There's no such place!"

Guy says, "Sure there is! It's got huge golden doors, a golden floor, the works - hell, even the urinal's gold!"

The wife still doesn't believe his story, and the next day checks the phone book, finding a place across town called the Golden Saloon. She calls up the place to check her husband's story. "Is this the Golden Saloon?" she asks when the bartender answers the phone. "Yes it is," bartender answers.

"Do you have huge golden doors?" "Sure do." "Do you have golden floors?" "Most certainly do." "What about golden urinals?"

There's a long pause, then the woman hears the bartender yelling, "Hey, Duke, I think I got a lead on the guy that pissed in your saxophone last night!"


Staggering Drunk

A drunk staggers down the street with his car keys in his hand, staggering from one parked car to another until he is finally stopped by a policeman who asks "What's the problem, buddy?". The drunk replies "Someone stole my car! *hic*".

"Where did you last see it?". "It was right here on the end of my car key ..." the drunk says. Sensing a pointless conversation about to start, the policeman suggests that the drunk just catch a taxi and go home. Turning to leave, he pauses and mentions to the drunk "Did you happen to notice your fly is open?". Looking down at his fly, the drunk exclaims "Omigod occifer! Someone stole my girlfriend, too!"

The Texan

A Texan walks into apub in Ireland and clears his voice to the crowd of drinkers. He says, "I hear you Irish are damn good drinkers. I'll give $500 American dollars to anybody in here who can drink 10 pints of Guinness back-to-back." The room is quiet and no one takes up the Texan's offer. One man even leaves. Thirty minutes later the same gentleman who left shows back up and taps the Texan on the shoulder. "Is your bet still good?", asks the Irishman.

The Texan says yes and asks the bartender to line up 10 pints of Guinness. Immediately the Irishman tears into all 10 of the pint glasses drinking them all back-to-back.

The other pub patrons cheer as the Texan sits in amazement.

The Texan gives the Irishman the $500 and says, "If ya don't mind me askin' where did you go for the past 30 minutes?". The Irishman replies, "Oh...I had to go to the pub down the street to see if I could do it first".

Free Drinks

Two Aussies, Bruce & Ken were down on their luck and hanging out for a cold drink or three. After checking their pockets and finding only 50 cents, Bruce came up with a brilliant strategy. "I'll take the 50 cents and show you how we can drink all day for free!"

Quickly, he went into a butcher's shop and bought a single sausage, which he stuck in Ken's fly. They then went to a nearby hotel. "Two beers"' said Bruce to the bartender. They downed them as fast as they could and the bartender waited for the money.

All of a sudden, Bruce got down on his knees and began sucking the sausage hanging out of Ken's fly. "Get out of my pub, you filthy poofters!", the bartender screamed and booted them out the door.

They did this all day, visiting about 16 pubs. "I just can't do this anymore", Bruce whined. "My knees are getting sore from kneeling".

"It's alright for you", Ken replied. "I lost the sausage after the third pub."

Finding Jesus

A drunk stumbles along a baptismal service on Sunday afternoon down by the river. He proceeds to walk down into the water and stand next to the Preacher.

The minister turns and notices the old drunk and says, "Mister, are you ready to find Jesus?". The drunk looks back and says, "Yess, Preasher... I ssssure am."

The minister then dunks the fellow under the water and pulls him right back up.

"Have you found Jesus?" the preacher asked. "Nooo, I ddddidnt!" said the drunk. The preacher then dunks him under for quite a bit longer, brings him up and says, "Now, brother, have you found Jesus?" "Noooo, I dddid not Reverrrrend."

The preacher in disgust holds the man under for at least 30 seconds this time, brings him out of the water and says in a harsh tone,

"My God man, have you found Jesus yet?"

The old drunk wipes his eyes and says to the preacher, "Are you sssssure thhhis is where he fffffelll in?"

If you do happen to go out and enjoy a few drinks, please, please, please have a designated driver.  That way you can still have some fun and make it home safely too.

Have a great day & hugs to all my friends!
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Tuesday, September 11, 2007

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Permanent Marker on Carpet: Dab a washcloth soaked in rubbing alcohol onto the marker stain. Do not rub it - simply blot it - rotating the cloth to a clean spot every time.
 
Here is a copy of my horoscope for today from my The Daily OM.
 
September 11, 2007
Cycles Of Compassion

Capricorn Daily Horoscope

You may find yourself frequently lost in thought today as you attempt to work through the objectives laid out on your agenda. Whereas your initial musings may inspire you to look for opportunities to help people in need, the tone of your thoughts may grow darker as the day wears on. The sheer scope of the suffering you see around you can cause you to feel disillusioned. However, consider that even the largest philanthropic movements begin with a single idea conceived of by an individual human being. Try to maintain a positive attitude where compassionate action is concerned today, and you will likely be motivated to spread joy and abundance everywhere you go.

We should not let the magnitude of worldly problems negatively impact our ability to bring about change in our own spheres of influence. It is tempting to assume that because we cannot solve humanity's problems that there is no reason to even attempt to make the world a better place. But our limited contributions join those of other, similarly minded individuals, and our combined efforts can have a major impact on suffering. Large-scale changes begin when a single person chooses to undertake a task that will improve the lives of a handful of people. Those who are inspired by such small yet generous actions then go on to commit comparable acts of kindness, thus perpetuating a cycle of compassion. You will accomplish so much today while also easingyour worried mind when you channel your thoughtfulness into acts of charity.

All I can say, considering recent events around here, is that I believe in compassion and helping people out.  HOWEVER, be careful of who you are helping out.  In today's world it seems that there are too many people who seem to feel "entitled" and they will take advantage of your good deed.  You may even end up on the short end of the stick and be in some way financially responsible for their debts.

This subject was covered in more depth and detail.  However, I thought that considering todays date that it really wasn't appropriate.  We will deal with those that have taken advantage of us.

In remembrance of those that lost loved ones on this date...

Have a great day & hugs to all my friends!
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Monday, September 10, 2007

Recipe--Three Herb Steak

Get out there and use that grill again before it gets too cold.  LOL, as if I ever stop using my grill.  I live in Ohio and there could be 3 feet of snow outside and you still might find me out there grilling.  Actually, its the best time to grill, at least I'm not standing there sweating and swatting at the dang skeeters!  This steak recipe comes from Better Homes and Gardens.  I've had the rice recipe and can't remember where I got it, I think it was some cooking show.

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Three-Herb Steaks

Ingredients

1/2
  cup snipped fresh parsley
1/4
  cup olive oil
1/4
  cup snipped fresh basil
1
  Tbsp snipped fresh oregano
1
  to 2 tsp. cracked black pepper
1/2
  tsp. salt
2
  beef top loin steaks, cut 1 1/2 inch thick
2
  medium red or yellow sweet peppers cut into 1/2-inch rings, seeds removed
1
  Tbsp. Olive oil
Salt and pepper

Directions1. In a bowl combine parsley, 1/4 cup olive oil, basil, oregano, cracked black pepper and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Trim fat from meat. Rub half the mixture on both sides of steaks. Cover; refrigerate steaks 1 hour. Meanwhile, brush pepper rings with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Season lightly with salt and pepper

2.
For a charcoal grill, grill steaks on the rack of an uncovered grill to desired doneness, turning once. (Allow 15 to 19 minutes for medium-rare (145 degrees ?F) or 18 to 23 minutes for medium (160 degrees F)). Grill pepper rings next to the steaks the last 8 to 10 minutes of grilling, or until peppers are tender, turning once. Remove steaks from grill and sprinkle with remaining herb mixture. Cover and let stand for 10 minutes.
3.
To serve slice steaks across the grain. Serve with sweet pepper rings.
4.
Makes: 6 servings
 
Mmm, now just make up some rice to serve with the steaks and peppers and you have a meal. 
 

Almond Rice Pilaf

1 tablespoon butter
1/4 onion, finely chopped
1/4 Golden Delicious apple, finely chopped
2 cups apple juice
2 cups enriched long-grain instant rice
1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted

In a medium saucepan, melt butter and saute onion and apples over medium heat until soft. Add apple juice, increase heat to high, and bring to a boil. Stir in rice. Cover and remove from heat. Let stand for 5 minutes. Remove cover and stir in toasted almonds. Serve.

I just love cruising the web.  You can find such neat things.  For instance, last week Rylie had an appointment with WIC where they charted her height and weight.  She has gained 1/4 of a pound in the past 3 months...woohoo!  Last year she only gained 1 pound.  And it isn't like she doesn't eat. 

Although one would think that if they sat down to dinner with us.  She just doesn't care to sit andeat a meat and a couple of veggies.  She prefers to snack on cereal, or a bowl of peanut butter...yes, this child will actually have me put about an eighth of a cup, or so, of peanut butter in a bowl and then she'll eat it with a spoon.  Hey...it's protein and "good" calories (from what they tell me) so I let her do it.  She also likes to go get the bag of mini carrots out of the frig and walk around eating those.

Anyway, she is now 39 and a half inches tall and weighs about 31 pounds.  As the woman at WIC told me "she is just going to be tall and skinny".  I guess she'll just have to live with that, huh?  LOL 

So today I went to this one site to chart her height and weight and see what it said.  If I remember correctly, she is taller than 75 percent of kids her age and weighs less than 65 percent of kids her age.  Then I saw this link and clicked on it.  It was a Childs Height Predictor.  I thought "cool, lets check that out too". 

Based on her height at this age she could grow up to be 5'5.9" tall.  On another predictor (based on her dads and my heights) she could be 5'4.5" tall.  So somewhere around 5'5"...thats a decent height for a female...not too short and not too tall.  Heck, I'd kill for those 2", LOL.

Here's another interesting little tidbit from the world wide web.  Did y'all know that there is another Jill Corral out there?  Yep, and I bet she'd be just thrilled with this Jill Corral...LOL...NOT!  Because she is a feminist, I think lesbian, author.  I wonder what she would think if she found out the "other" Jill Corral is a stay at home housewife and mother to 4 children who writes about cooking and cleaning, etc.  LOL

Oh well...to each his, or her own.  I think it's great that there are woman out there in the trenches fighting for equal rights.  And it's great that those rights are available to me if I choose them, and when I did work.  Me?  I love staying at home with my kids.  I love being a housewife.  I love being a mommy. 

Sometimes I wonder if there is something wrong with me.  Am I crazy for loving what I do?  I think it is so cool and awesome to get a batch of fruit and make homemade jelly.  I love making homemade bread.  Planning a party gives me a rush...maybe like business women get when planning a company takeover, lol.  I want to wear an apron. 

No, actually...a real apron.  The last time my mom and Cathy (sil) and I went to an antique store I was searching for a cool 50's style apron.  How weird is that?  Totally silly, but I cook and when I do I tend to be messy and spill stuff.  So an apron makes sense to me.  Come on...it's not like I'm wearing a poodle skirt, pearls and heels.  Although that might be fun one day.  LOL

Yeah...send the wee one to someones house for the night.  Have the ol' man come home from work and there I am wearing a skirt, heels and pearls...oh and my apron, with his dinner ready to go on the table.  Yeah...that could be fun.  Okay, maybe I'll just wear the apron and pearls.  LMBO!  Yep...Rylie would definately have to stay the night at someone elses house.

Have a great day & hugs to all my friends!
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Saturday, September 8, 2007

               

Image shack has been giving a real pain in the bum lately, so I thought I'd try flickr and see what it is all about.  Hmm, not bad.  The upload was fairly easy and you can upload it just by clicking the little camera and signing in.  Cool!  Okay, now I've got to go upload this at my graphics journal. 

Have a great weekend!

Hugs to all my friends!
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Friday, September 7, 2007

Rockin' Girl Blogger!!!

Image Hosted by ImageShack.us A very belated thank you to Dornbrau, the President of the Dust Bunnies Club.  In her July 19th journal entry she chose my journal along with 3 others as Rockin' Girl Bloggers.  How cool is that?  And What is a "Rockin' Girl Blogger" award?    
 
It's an idea that Roberta Ferguson came up with on June 18th of this year (in this entry Why not start something )and it's a really neat way to recognize women (and men) who have a cool journal that you think other people should check out. 
 
Unfortunately, I've been pretty busy for the past 2 months with Dad B's passing, some medical issues of my own, and trying to keep Ray's mom on top of her own health issues, along with taking care of a "strong willed" 3 year old.  I didn't even realize that I had been chosen for this award till I happened to click on a link for my journal and saw the entry at the Dust Bunnies Club on July 19th.
 
Wow...now I have to choose some journals to recommend to ya'll.  There are so many of them out there...how does one narrow it down to just a few?  Well, I'm just going to have to try and keep it down to just a couple. 
 
Okay, here we go...
 
Just Mary --Thank goodness for "a 42 year old woman who thinks too much"...Hey!  Those are her words, not mine, lol.  I love reading whatever Mary has to write about.  It literally gets me LOL-ing.  She has a way with words and telling stories that keep me smiling...and probably makes the ol' man wonder if it's time to put that looney smiling woman laughing to herself in the special folks home.
 
Down Home --One of Tammy's many journals.  Feel free to kick off your shoes and grab a cup of coffee while visiting this down on the home style journal where Tammy covers a wide variety of subjects.
 
Photo Trek --Join Greg Kiser, of North Carolina, as he goes off on these wonderful photographic adventures.  You'd never believe that he is a self taught photographer from the beautiful pictures he takes.  If you love photography, or want to learn more, this is definately the journal to visit.  I'm sure he'll be just thrilled with me passing the "Rockin' Girl Blogger" award onto him.  LOL
 
Friday's Child --Linda, covers a wide variety of subjects in her journal.  I love the old photographs that she often posts.  She writes these really awesome stories about her memories as a child.  Just a really great read.  She's a great woman who usually stops by and offers me the word or two of encouragement that helps me along.
 
Coastal Comfort --Sharon at coastal comfort, but I see she's already got this award on her sidebar...ahh, I was a bit late.  But hey just to let ya know Sharon, I think your awesome!
 
Thanks again for selecting me Dornbrau!  I hope ya'll get a chance to check out some of these other journals.
 
Have a great day & hugs to all my friends!
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Thursday, September 6, 2007

Home Remedy--Hair Lightening or Deepening

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Please remember that these are remedies that have either been mailed onto me, or that I have found on the Internet.  I haven't tried them all and cannot guarantee the effectiveness of them.  Of course, you should always check with your physician before starting any type of medical regimen.
 
Hair Lightener
  • To lighten hair, use 1/4 cup chopped fresh rhubarb to 2 cups boiling water. Cool, strain, and apply as a rinse.
For Deep, Rich Brown Hair
  • to make it look a richer and darker brown,  take Hershey's cocoa and mix it with an equal amount of shampoo. Just wash your hair with this mixture and it will make your hair a darker and richer brown. After washing your hair with this mixture, you can also add the cocoa to your conditioner. You have to use Hershey's unsweetened coca not the kind that is sweetened or else you will have a real mess.
(I'm a blonde and not too sure about this cocoa one.  Someone be brave and give it a try and let me know.  LOL)
 
Too Dark Hair Dye
  • Pour a bottle of diet coke (and diet coke only) over your hair, it helps fade dye and even remove it!
Remove Green Chlorine Color from Blonde Hair
  • Just wash your hair with shampoo, then take a tomato and squeeze the juice out and apply to your hair. Then rinse well. You can also use V8 the tomato drink. The red tones and natural acids in the juice neutralize any greenness as well as leaving your hair soft and glossy
  • To remove the green discoloration of blond hair from the chlorine in swimming pools, just wash your hair and then apply a paste of baking soda and water to your hair. Leave on your hair for about ten minutes. Rinse, shampoo and condition as usual. The green should be gone. The baking soda is a neutralizer agent.
HERBAL RINSES

Blond highlighting rinse

For best results, use this rinse regularly and dry your hair in bright sunlight. Shampoo and rinse well with plain water first.

2 cups water
V2 cup dried chamomile flowers
2 tablespoons dried mullein flowers
1 tablespoon orange blossom water
Juice of 1/2 lemon

Bring the water to a boil; then lower the heat and stir in the chamomile and mullein flowers. Simmer for 30 minutes; then cover and steep for several hours or overnight. Strain, squeezing the liquid from the herbs. Then stir in the orange blossom water and lemon juice. Pour the rinse through your hair several times, catching the liquid in a large bowl.

Deepening rinse for dark hair
Use as a final rinse after shampooing and rinsing well with plain water.

2 cups boiling water
2 tea bags of regular beverage tea
1/4 cup dried sage leaves
2 tablespoons dried rosemary leaves
1 tablespoon dried stinging nettles

Pour the water over the tea bags and steep covered for 15 minutes. Remove the tea bags, squeezing out the liquid. Reheat the tea to the boiling point. Then pour it over the dried herbs. Cover and steep for 30 minutes to an hour. Strain. Pour the rinse through your hair several times, catching the liquid in a bowl.

I'm going to try this one more time, and this will either be a fun new little toy or another pain in the bum from AOL.  I could have a lot of fun with a poll...if it actually works.

Okay...for some reason it won't let me put the poll where I want to.  Maybe that's why it didn't work last time...I tried to move it up the page.  Let's save and see if it works this time.

Grrrr!  What a tease!  Come on AOL...don't give me these cool little toys to play withif they don't really work!  One more try and that's it!  Okay, the third, nor the fourth time was the charm.  It's official...AOL sucks bird doo-doo.

Have a great day & hugs to all my friends!
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Tuesday, September 4, 2007

Cleaning tip--Odors

Good Morning!  I just love days when I wake up in a really, really good mood.  Of course, being in complete and total love with your soul mate tends to do that.  I was a bit surprised I didn't have little blue birds (of happiness) flying around my head and whistling as I got up this morning.  Yeah, I felt that good.  LOL
 
Anyway, back to the subject of the day.  Cleaning...yeah, I know...b-o-r-i-n-g...oh well.  Here are some handy dandy tips to help keep some areas free of icky odors.
 
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Removing Odors
 
Car: Place a few briquettes of charcoal under the seat of your car to absorb odors and keep it smelling fresh.  Make sure to use the type without the starting fluid on them or your car will smell of fuel.

Refrigerator: Clean your fridge with a cloth soaked in a strong solution of bicarbonate of soda and hot water. Charcoal will absorb fridge odors, or you can wipe it over with a cloth dipped in a solution of water and vanilla essence. 

Thermos: If your thermos smells funny, leave a strong solution of bicarbonate of soda and water in it overnight (similar to that used to clean your refrigerator), then rinse out and wash normally. Otherwise leave an eggshell crushed in water in overnight, and rinse and wash the next morning.

Pots & Pans and Containers: Sometimes pots and pans and plastic containers retain the smell of the food cooked or stored in them. Pots and pans may be filled with water with a good slurp of vinegar and boiled up, then rinsed thoroughly. Plastic containers can be filled with a solution of bicarbonate of soda and water, left overnight and then rinsed and washed normally. If the smell persists in either case, repeat the process.

Bathroom: Place a container with baking soda behind the toliet.

If you're hanging around to hear more about my good mood and why I feel so wonderful this morning...forget it!  LOL  This is a PG-rated journal.  Actually, things have been going this way for several months.  I love when things are going this well, it kind of amazes me.  And it's wonderful to be reminded of why we came together in the first place.   

Then I begin to wonder why we ever argue at all.  But usually the arguments have absolutely nothing to do with us or our relationship...it's when we let outside factors contamenate our relationship that we have problems.  I think we are learning to stop that though.  I mean it has been 10 years this October.  TEN YEARS!  Wow! 

The really amazing thing is that I love him more now than I did 10 years ago.  Even with all the B.S. we have been through.  Even with some trying to pull us apart.  Funny thing about that, people trying to ruin a good thing, it has tended to backfire and make us closer to each other in the end.

Trials and tribulations?  Yeah, we've had our share.  But without those trying times would we really be able to appreciate the really awesome times as much as we do?  There are days when I look over at this man, wearing his nasty, dirty work clothes, looking all grungy and I just realize how much I truly love him and I thank God for bringing us together. 

Yep, it's a good day...and now I'm off to look through the freezer and figure out what to pull out to fix my man for dinner.  I love you baby!

Have a great day & hugs to all my friends!
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Monday, September 3, 2007

Recipe: Dips---this has nothing to do with your husband!

I really should have made this entry before the holiday weekend.  Well, if you're having guests over tonight maybe you'll want to try one of these Dip recipes.  Mmm, some of these sound really good.  They come from a variety of sites and I would give credit where credit is due, except some of them I found a week or two ago and forgot to write down the site...oops!
 
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Cheesy Onion Dip

1 1/2 cups chopped Vidalia onion
1/2 cup chopped green onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup shredded provolone cheese
1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
Serve with chunks of bread

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
In a medium bowl, thoroughly mix together the onion, garlic, mayonnaise and cheese. Transfer to a small casserole dish.
Bake for 30 minutes in the oven, until the onions are tender and top is golden.
Serve in the casserole dish or a bread bowl with chunks of bread.


Spinach Shrimp Dip

10 oz pkg chopped frozen spinach
1 cup sour cream
1 cup mayo
1 tbs horseradish
1 pkg Knorr vegetable soup mix [no subs]
8 oz water chestnuts, well drained and chopped
4 tbs finely chopped red onions
2 cups cooked peeled baby shrimp
1 round loaf pumpernickel bread

Thaw spinach and squeeze out as much water as possible. Combine spinach, sour cream, mayonnaise and horseradish. Stir in dry soup mix, chopped water chestnutsand onion; stir well. Chill for at least 2 hours. Before serving, stir shrimp into mixture. Cut off top of bread and hollow out, reserving lid and inner bread chunks to serve along side. Fill hollowed bread with dip.

Spinach Artichoke Dip


1 can (14 ounce) artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1/2 package (10 ounce) frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup Alfredo sauce
1/4 cup shredded Italian cheese mix
1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
Serve with tortilla chips or pita crisps


Preheat oven to 375°F.
In a small baking dish, mix together artichoke hearts, spinach, sour cream, mayonnaise, Alfredo sauce, cheese and garlic. Cover dish.
Bake until heated through and bubbly, about 25 minutes.
Serve in the warm dish or a serving bowl with tortilla chips or pita crisps.

Baked Vidalia Onion Dip

2 tablespoons butter or margarine
3 large Vidalia onions coarsely chopped
2 cups shredded Swiss cheese (8 ounces)
2 cups mayonnaise
1 can sliced water chestnuts (8-ounce) drained and chopped
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 garlic clove minced
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat; add onion, and saute 10 minutes or until tender. Stir together shredded Swiss cheese and next 5 ingredients; stir in onion, blending well.
Spoon mixture into a lightly greased 2-quart baking dish. Bake at 375¡ for 25 minutes, and let stand 10 minutes.
Serve with tortilla chips or crackers.  Makes 6 cups.

To lighten: Substitute vegetable cooking spray for butter; substitute reduced-fat Swiss cheese and light mayonnaise.

Roasted Garlic Decadence

4 HEADS garlic
olive oil
4 ounces feta cheese
1 stick unsalted butter
1 small can chopped green chiles
1/4 cup softened sun dried tomatoes
dried rosemary to taste
3 tablespoons sherry
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup toasted chopped pecans

Roast the garlic in the olive oil. When done squeeze the roasted garlic into the bowl of a food processor.
Combine the rest of the ingredients (except the pecans) in the food processor and whiz until smooth.
Put the mixture in a bowl and mix in the pecans. Chill until firm.  Serve with crackers.


Quick, Easy -N- Fast Crab Spread Recipe


8 oz. cream cheese, softened
6 1/2 oz. can lump crab meat
dash Worcestershire
dash garlic powder
cocktail sauce

Combine crab, cream cheese, Worcestershire and garlic powder. Firm into a ball. Cover with cocktail sauce and chill. Serve with crackers.


Simple Pita Crisps


If you’re going to have dips, you’ll need something to dip in them. While fresh, raw vegetables are always a great option, these simple pita crisps provide another healthy choice for your yummy dips.

12 pita bread pockets
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley


Preheat oven to 400°F.
Cut each pita bread pocket into triangles, about 8 per pita, then place them on a lined cookie sheet.
Combine the oil, pepper, garlic salt and parsley in a small bowl and brush onto one side of each triangle.
Bake in the oven for about 7 minutes, or until the corners are lightly browned and crispy
.

I hope everyone had a fun and safe holiday.  We had a nice quiet little cookout here yesterday.  I made brownies and cherry dump cake for dessert.  Of course Rylie had to get into the brownie before she ate dinner...and then she took one bite of her burger and said she was done.  LOL  The usual with her.  But it was just one meal and a holiday so I didn't fuss over it too much.

David and Christopher were here.  Chris is getting so tall.  He's taller than me now, although that doesn't say much.  I tried to get him to let me cut his hair...it is so shaggy and long.  He declined my offer.  LOL  He's probably at least 5'6" or 7" and probably only weighs about 110.  Ugh!  I don't know where he got that from, certainly not his father or I. 

I think Rylie has an imaginary friend now.  I keep finding her standing somewhere having these real in depth conversations.  Of course, since she still speaks alot of Dutch it's hard to figure who she's talking to and what she is talking about.  Sometimes it gets a bit eerie. 

I mean, to see her standing there, just chattering away and looking right in one spot, as if someone is standing there...I sometimes get chills.  I'll ask her who she is talking to, but then she just kind of looks at me as if I'm dense or something.  Or she'll go off onto something else.  Maybe one of these times I'll try to catch it on my camera using the video mode.  OMG!  I'll just freak if I catch a weird light or see a shadow.  LOL

Well, have a great Labor Day!

Hugs to all my friends!
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