WARNING! Meth for kids and some pictures of my girls

Good Morning Friends (and lurkers, lol)! I was wandering around the journals this morning reading other entries and found this warning and wanted to share it with y'all. It comes from Adrian at Diary of a Young Black Mother.

A message to parents, grandparents and guardians:

I have been alerted by one of our EMT's for our volunteer fire department that they have received emails from emergency responder organizations to be on the lookout for a new form of crystallized methamphetamine that is targeted at children and to
be aware of this new form if called to an emergency involving a child that may have symptoms of drug induction or overdose.

They are calling this new form of meth "Strawberry Quick" and it looks like the "Pop Rocks" candy that sizzles in your mouth.
In its current form, it is dark pink in color and has a strawberry scent to it.

Please advise your children and their friends and other students not to accept candy from strangers as this is obviously an attempt to seduce children into drug use. They also need to be cautious in accepting candy from even friends that may have received it from someone else, thinking it is just candy.

I don't want this email to scare anyone, but as a parent, administrator and friend, I thought it would be best to share this with you, so you can once again talk to your children about the effects of drugs and how easy it could be to take drugs without knowing it, until it is too late.

I worry, just as each of you do about kids and drugs and all the problems our kids today are faced with.
So please talk with your children about this newest threat to get children addicted to drugs.

http://www.snopes.com/horrors/drugs/candymeth.asp
http://www.ky3.com/news/6626012.html

Adrian also has a picture in her journal, so you can see how much this junk really looks like candy. How disgusting is it when the drug dealers start targeting our kids? This just makes me sick to my stomach!

If you have never been to the Snopes link before, go check it out. They do all the research for you and let you know if the stories you read in your emails are true or not. I almost always go there before forwarding on emails about missing children or warnings of some kind. They will let you know what is up with those kind of stories.

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I'm feeling a wee bit guilty about not posting on Monday. So here is a salad recipe. Mmm, perfect for summer.

Spinach Pasta Salad
Ingredients
1 cup shell pasta or elbow macaroni
1 pound frozen cooked shrimp, thawed or 1 pound cooked shrimp
1/3 cup bottled creamy onion or Caesar salad dressing
2 tablespoons snipped fresh dill (optional)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 6-ounce package baby spinach
4 ounces chevre, sliced, or feta cheese, crumbled
Directions
1. Prepare pasta according to package directions; drain.
2. In an extra-large bowl combine pasta, shrimp, and chopped sweet peppers. Drizzle with the salad dressing; sprinkle with dill. Toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. Divide spinach among 6 shallow bowls or plates. Top with shrimp mixture and cheese. Makes 6 main-dish servings.

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Well, it was hot, hot, hot here yesterday. So after Rylie and I did our running around...Aldis, Family dollar, the park office and the butcher shop, I decided to take her to the pool to have some fun.

I got her a new swimsuit that morning at the store for a mere $6.99 and it looked cute as can be on her. I bought her a 4T, she need the length, but it was too big in the waist and she had to keep yanking up her bottoms as she got out of the pool. LOL I took the waist in a little last night, as well as shortened the straps on the top.

Anyway here are two pictures from our pool time yesterday.

I know what y'all are thinking...and yes, I always slather the SPF on this child.  She has my eyes and hair, but that skin definately comes from her daddy.  She had a blast, up until she fell and skinned both her knees.  Poor baby.

Then everytime she saw someone she had to point out her boo-boo's on her little knees.  She was too funny.  One time last night her daddy picked her up, without even touching her knees, and she starts in with this "Ow-Ow-Ow...daddy, you hurt me" and points to her knees.  She is sooooooooooo the drama queen.

Here is another picture I took of her about a week ago before we went to the grocery store.  LOL People always get such a kick out of her when we go places and she has the full shopping gear on.

The caption is just perfect too.  The expression on her face seems to be saying just that.

And here is my oldest baby girl.  All decked out in her cap and gown.  The first one is her with my Mom. 

I feel so lucky to have these 3 beautiful females in my life.  I love them so much!

Have a good day!
Hugs!

Tags: Meth warning, Spinach Pasta Salad, Rylie, Samantha

Freshen linen closet, my busy weekend etc.

 Good Morning!  I hope everyone had a nice and safe holiday weekend.  Ours was full of activity.  I'll talk more about that in a minute but first here is another handy dandy tip.

                            

 

Freshen Linen Closet: In the linen closet place cotton balls that have been sprayed with your favorite scent. Once they are dry place them in corners and on the shelves.

 

So I have this drawer, in a buffet, where I keep all my candles.  When I open the drawer I get this great whiff of the scented candles.  So I got to thinking about what a waste it is to throw away candles that still have a great scent when you are no longer able to burn them.  Don't throw them away.  Instead take a knife and scrape the remaining wax into little "chips".  Place these in a basket, sew a little sachet, or whatever, and put them where you would like to have that little blast of scent, like your linen closet.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

So Friday night I had Samantha's graduation.  It was just a crazy day all day long.  Ray was supposed to go with me, but he does heating and air and was slammed with jobs that day.  He didn't get home until 8:30pm and I got home about half an hour after him.

 

Sammi looked great and very happy to be done with the whole school thing.  Me?  I was happy for her and the whole "sad" thing didn't hit me until Sunday.

 

On Saturday our niece, Angel, had a c-section.  She wasn't due until August, but she has had a tremendous amount of stress during her pregnancy and this past week they discovered that the baby wasn't getting enough blood and oxygen via the placenta.  So they had to take him. 

 

I went up to see her, after Ray finally brought my car back.  Angel looked pretty good and Lavon (her boyfriend) walked me down to see Lavon Jr.  Let me tell you, I've seen pictures of premature babies, I've heard people talk about it...but I was still blown away by how teeny tiny this baby was.  He is 14 inches long and weighs 2 pounds.

 

I thought David was tiny when he was born a month early and weighed 5 and a half pounds.  But he was a giant compared to this wee little boy.  The doctors thought his breathing was fine and removed the tube on Saturday night.  However, he was struggling and they had to put it back on Sunday.  I know I ask y'all for prayers all the time, but they always seem to help...so if ya could fit this wee baby into your prayers I'd really appreciate it.  Thanks.

 

So when I got home I began working on the cake for Sam's party.  The cake was a 2 layered, round, white cake.  However I took some of the cake mix and put it into a small bowl, added some raspberry flavor and red food coloring.  Then I marbled it with the white cake mix.

 

I had plain white frosting and took some of that out for the middle layer.  I added some more of the raspberry flavor and red food coloring to that along with several teaspoons of pudding mix.  I was trying to make it more of a creme filling.  It was okay I guess, but not exactly what I was trying to accomplish.  (Everyone seemed to like it though.)

 

Right in the middle of me working on this cake Sam and Matt show up.  They had kept Rylie the night before and were bringing her home.  Ut-oh!  How do I explain me making this cake?  "So this weekend is Memorial day and that is the "anniversary" of the first vacation Ray and I ever took together and I'm making this Red, White and Blue cake to celebrate."  (Actually there wasn't going to be any blue, Red and grey are her school colors)

 

I'm just rambling on about how he probably won't even remember and here I am being the big romantic, and men just don't get it...blah, blah, blah.  She looks at me and just say's "Mom, your such a nerd."  Good, she bought it.  LOL 

 

Then that evening Ray and I went over to his brother and sister-in-laws, Red and Div, to shoot some pool and hang out for awhile.  We left a bit early, but we were tired and had to get home so we could get up early and start all over again the next morning. 

 

I got home and began working on my little picture slide show for Sammi.  It was a little something I was working on for the surprise graduation party that was thrown for her at her older brothers house by her boyfriend, Matt, and her brother, David on Sunday afternoon.I had a little trouble with the making the slide show and getting the music and show to both fit into the same timeline.  So I took what I had made over to Davids the next morning and he fixed it up for me.  Thanks David! 

 

The boys told Sam that they were having a cookout and she should come over around 5:30pm.  We all got there about 4pm.  David and Matt made BBQ ribs and they were the absolute best!  I took potatoe salad, pasta salad and the cake. 

 

We watched the slide show on David's laptop which he had set-up in the dining area.  I also made a little collage of a couple pictures and that was sitting next to the laptop.  So David started up the slide show and those of us that were there watched it.  I cried.  There were all these pictures of Sammi from the time she was a baby right up to Friday night when she graduated (pretty much in order of her age).

 

Then the second to last shot was of her as a newborn and the last picture was a close-up of her on graduation night in her cap and gown.  I just cried...and cried...and cried.  Every time I watched it I cried like a fool!  You would have thought I would get a little used to it and stop crying, but it got me every time.

 

I picked the song "You Just Get Better All The Time" by Tim McGraw.  I really wanted to use "My Little Girl" by Tim, but I didn't have that CD.  It didn't matter though, because the song I used was perfect.  As a matter of fact, there a line in the song "...as long as you are by my side" and the picture that came up when it played was one of me sitting with my arms around Christopher and Samantha.  It was just too perfect.

 

I'm gonna have to try to figure out if I can somehow share the slide show (it was made with Windows Movie Maker) with y'all on here.  I've never done anything like that before, but I would think there must be some way I can share it.  If any of ya know how I do that please email me.  Thanks!

 

Let's see, then Sunday, duh...I mean Monday, Memorial day, we had a cookout with Red and Div.  I made a salad and pie to take.  Mmm, the salad with delicious and I have some left to eat this week for lunch.  Div made some really excellent BBQ chicken and even sent some home with us.  YEA!  Guess what we are having for dinner tonight...LOL.

 

Well, it's getting late and I have plenty to do today.  Grocery store, butcher shop and if I have enough money I need to get Rylie a new swimsuit and floaties. 

Have a beautiful day!
Hugs!

Jamaican Jerk Chicken Skewers, Samantha's all grown up

I thought I would add a recipe for cooking on the barbeque this weekend.  This one sounds so yummy.  I hope ya try it out and come back and let me know what you think of it.  I think it would be great served with rice and roasted green, red and yellow peppers.  Maybe some sweet bread or johnny cake (a yummy Bahamian bread I had when I went down there years and years ago)  Mmmmm!

 

Jamaican Jerk Chicken Skewers
Prep: 45 min.
Marinate: 1 hr.
Grill: 8 min.
Ingredients
2  lb. skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
2  Tbsp. whole allspice
1  Tbsp. snipped fresh thyme
1  tsp. black peppercorns
1/2  tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2  tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4  cup packed dark brown sugar
6  cloves garlic
4  shallots
1  Scotch bonnet or habanero chile pepper
2  Tbsp. dark rum 
 Lime wedges
Directions
1. Place each chicken breast half between two pieces of plastic wrap. Using the flat side of a meat mallet, pound chicken lightly to 1/4- to 1/2-inch thickness. Remove plastic wrap. Cut pounded chicken breast halves lengthwise into 1-inch strips. Place the chicken strips in a glass or ceramic bowl.
2. In a spice grinder, combine allspice, thyme, peppercorns, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Grind mixture to a fine powder. (If some large pieces remain, pass mixture through a fine-mesh sieve; discard large pieces). Transfer mixture to a food processor. Add brown sugar, garlic, shallots, and Scotch bonnet pepper. Process until coarsely ground. Add rum; process mixture to paste consistency.
3. Add spice paste to chicken strips; gently toss to coat. Cover and chill for 1 to 24 hours, tossing occasionally.
4. Wearing plastic gloves*, loosely thread chicken accordion-style onto twelve 8- to 10-inch skewers.** For a charcoal grill, grill skewers on the greased rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium coals for 8 to 10 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink, turning once. (For a gas grill, preheat grill. Reduce heat to medium. Place skewers on greased grill rack over heat. Cover; grill as above.) Serve chicken with lime wedges. Makes 6 servings.
5. *Note: Because hot chile peppers contain volatile oils that can burn your skin and eyes, avoid direct contact with chiles as much as possible. When working with chile peppers, wear plastic or rubber gloves. If your bare hands do touch the chile peppers, wash your hands well with soap and water.
6. **If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for at least 1 hour before grilling.

 

I can't remember where I came across this recipe for Jamican Jerk Chicken Skewers, otherwise I would give credit where credit is due.  Me?  I hate things too spicy, so I probably won't use the habanero chile pepper.  LOL, hard to believe I'm half (actually 1/4) Mexican, huh?

 

But my (parternal) grandfather was born in Mexico and if I remember correctly, my (paternal) grandmother was part American Indian.  Blackfoot, I believe.  My mothers parents were this-n-that caucasians.  LOL, I bet they'd love to hear me describe them that way.  NOT!

 

The story goes that when my Father (a divorced half Mexican and 8 years older than my Mother) first went to pick up my Mom for a date, there sat my Grandpa, Ernest, on the porch.  He was cleaning his rifle.  I'm sure my Dad felt real welcomed, lol.  Not that it stopped him from marrying my Mom.  They ran off to Chicago and eloped.  I bet my Mom's parents were thrilled, lol.

 

So then Grandpa Long told my Mother that he didn't want to have a bunch of...hm, how did it go?  Well, in short he didn't want their (my parents) little Mexican babies playing in front of his house.  LMAO!  I bet it was a real kick in the azz when we all showed up with white blonde hair, my brothers with their hazel eyes and me with blue eyes. 

 

Speaking of beautiful blonde kids, lol, my daughter Samantha is graduating high school tonight. 

 

           

Isn't she beautiful?  I love her so much and am so proud of her.  I can't believe she's all grown up and already done with school.  Where did the years go?  I can still remember the day she wore that little blue dress to my older brothers wedding when she was just a year old.  It seems like just yesterday...oh, I sound so old saying that.  And the day we took the pictures so she could send one to the "Hanson's".  She was so in looooove with Zack Hanson, lol.

What ever happened to that little girl that used to tell people she had a p*nis?  LOL, she's gonna hate me for telling this story.  But I always tried to use the correct words when it came to the childrens bodies.  Samantha has an older brother, by 3 years, David.  Well, Sammi picked up the word p*nis and used to walk around saying "I have a p*nis". 

One day, somehow...I don't know how, we were driving somewhere and David (I think he was in kindergarten or first grade) used the word and Samantha said "I have a p*nis too".  David, sitting in the back seat next to her car seat, said "No Sam, you have a china.  Girls, have china's."  Me, head flipping around to the backseat like I was the exorcist or something, "What?!"  "Yeah Mom.  I learned that from the kids at school.  Girls have china's."  Okay, well, I guess that's public education for ya.  LOL

Well, I have to get going here.  I have a refrigerator that really needs to be cleaned.  Do y'all have those big sun tea jugs with the little spout?  Every single one that I buy leaks.  It makes a big ole mess in the bottom of my frig.  Yuck! 

Have a great weekend!
Hugs!

Tags: Jamaican Jerk Chicken Skewers, Samantha, graduation

Congrats Jordin, Damaged hair remedy, Rosie & Iraq, Coffee cake and prayers

 Okay, let's try this again.  I had to re-write my entire post in an email so I could save it in case AOL decides to be stupid yet AGAIN!  I thought their latest thing was to improve journals, not screw them up even more!  {{{{finger gesture aimed at AOL}}}}

First, congratulations to Jordin Sparks!  Wow!  What a beautiful voice for anyone to have, much less a seventeen year old girl.  I wish many wonderful things for her in the future. 

                    

Damaged, dry hair

• A nourishing conditioner for dry or damaged hair which can be used for all hair types: Separate the white of an egg from the yolk, whip it to a peak. Add 1 Tbs. water to the yolk and blend until the mixture is creamy. Then mix the white and yolk together. Wet your hair with warm water, remove the excess moisture, and apply the mixture to your scalp with your fingertips. Massage gently until the froth is worked into your scalp, then rinse the hair with cool water. Keep applying the mixture until it is used up and then rinsed until all of the egg is washed away.
• Olive oil also makes a great conditioner for dry, damaged hair.  Wet hair, apply some olive oil, leave on for 15 minutes and then rinse thoroughly.
• Lemon juice and apple cider vinegar makes hair shiny by removing product build-up whereas honey and tea deep conditions, ensuring that the vinegar and lemon juice don't strip away too much of the hair's moisture.
  Mix the following in a jug (or anything else convenient for pouring contents over head)
  -Lemon juice from ½ a lemon*
  -2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  -1 tablespoon honey
  -1 cup brewed Lipton tea
  After shampooing (but before conditioning), pour mixture on hair and massage into scalp and through the hair.
  Rinse thoroughly with cool water.
  * As lemon juice tends to lighten hair color, you may choose to omit it.
• Coconut oil is great for your hair. After washing put on wet hair. Leave for 10 minutes then shampoo again, make sure you get it all out though cause if you don't it gets greasy.

Okay, then I had this bit about Rosie and her stupid azz remarks about our troops.  Apparently Rosie recently implied that our troops are nothing more than terrorists.  Here is an excerpt from the article "Last week, O'Donnell pointed out that 650,000 Iraqis have died since the United States invasion and asked "who are the real terrorists in Iraq?" angering many conservative pundits." Um, {{{raising hand}}} Excuse me, but I'm neither a conservative nor a pundit, and I also find it offensive that is how she kept referring to the people who were angry about her statement.

 

I've read some articles about Iraq, Bin Laden, Saddam Hussein, Al Queda and the 9/11 attacks.  Me?  I believe that there was a link between Al Queda and Iraq.  I believe that Iraq knew the United States of America was going to be attacked by Al Queda.  Maybe they didn't know the date, maybe they did.  Maybe the didn't know the details of the attack, maybe they did.  But I believe there was some knowledge, thereby making Iraq a co-conspirator in the attack on America that killed 2,976 people in a single day.

 

The attack in New York on September 11, 2001 was an attack on America.  On American soil!  The aftermath of that attack, ie: the deaths that Rosie is referring to, lie at the door of those who attacked our Country and people!  Cause and effect Miss Rosie!  Look it up and learn it.  Although by now, one would think you would understand it completely. 

 

I am not a Right Wing Republican either!  I am what I would call a middle of the road Christian.  I lean a bit to the left on some issues and just slightly to the right on other issues.  I voted for Ronald Reagan and I also voted for Bill Clinton.  LMAO, when it came to George Bush (the senior) I chose to vote for Ross Periot because I didn't like anyone else.  Oops!

 

I am not a fan of our current President, nor Donald Trump...but I still find your implication that our troops our terrorists to be extremely offensive, vile, vicious, and just plain ignorant.  These men and women have dedicated their lives to protect your "fat lesbian" (her words not mine, read the article TV News - Tensions Erupt on 'The View' - AOL News ) azz and the lives of your children.  Yet you choose to defame them and call them terrorists on television.  How dishonorable and ignorant of you.

 

I used to like to watch Ms. O'Donnell on TV.  I found her amusing and enjoyed her comedy.  However, as of now, I find her to be nothing more than an offensive big mouthed bitch.  Yes, I said bitch, and I usually don't use that type of language on here.  At the very least I would use something like *itch, witch or whatever.  However, this woman deserves the full use and meaning of the word.

 

Oh, I had written so much more about this subject on my first entry...which AOL lost with it's little error message game.  However, the more I write about this the angrier I become.  So I think it's time to walk away from this ignorant person's remarks and let it go.  Karma has a way of dealing with people like this. 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Now, onto something yummy.  I made this coffee cake for Ray this morning.  He had a rough night last night so I wanted to do something nice for him.  He usually won't eat anything in the morning but he really enjoyed this and said he had a hard time putting it down and walking away from it.

 

Pull-Apart Coffee Cake
Prep Time: 10 min ; Start to Finish: 35 min
Makes: 6 servings

1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup golden or dark raisins
1/4 cup chopped walnuts, almonds or pine nuts
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
1 can (12 oz) Pillsbury® Golden Layers® refrigerated buttermilk or original flaky biscuits

1 .  Heat oven to 375°F. Line bottom of 8- or 9-inch round cake pan with waxed paper. In large bowl, mix all ingredients except biscuits.
2 .  Separate dough into 10 biscuits. Cut each into quarters. Place biscuit pieces in sugar mixture; toss to coat. Arrange in single layer in waxed paper-lined pan. Sprinkle top with any remaining sugar mixture.
3 .  Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until deep golden brown. Run knife around side of pan to loosen. Place heatproof serving plate upside down over pan; turn plate and pan over. Remove pan and waxed paper. Cut coffee cake into wedges or pull apart. Serve warm.

High Altitude (3500-6500 ft):No change.

TIP-Whenever you use a lemon (or an orange) for its juice, grate the peel before squeezing it. Keep the peel in a little jar in your freezer ready for recipes like this.

 

I didn't think that the sugar mixture looked like enough, so I doubled it.  I also added a little bit (probably 2 Tbs.) brown sugar and a wee bit (about a teaspoon or two) of cinnamon.  Mmm, it was nice and gooey, just the way a coffee cake should be.

 

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Okay, finally I'd like to close with another request for prayers.  Ray's dad has taken a turn.  He was in a facility to improve his ability to return home, after leaving the hospital.  However, the night before last he was taken to the hospital.  Then last night he was put on dialysis.  We sure could use any and all extra prayers we can get right about now.  Thank you and God bless y'all.

 

Have a good day.
Hugs! (except for Rosie)  LOL

Tags: AOL, Jordin Sparks, damaged hair, Rosie O'Donnell, The View, Iraq, coffee cake recipe

WTF?!!!!

I just finished a very long entry and got this freaking message...

Forbidden

You don't have permission to access /_cqr/login on this server.

Apache/2.0.54 (Unix) mod_ssl/2.0.54 OpenSSL/0.9.7e mod_jk/1.2.14 mod_rsp20/RSP_Plugins_v8_r3.05-12-09:mod_rsp20.so.rhe-3-x86.v8_r3.40 Server at journals.aol.com Port 80  

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!  Freaking AOL!!!!!!!!!

Tags: AOL

Freecycle

Have y'all heard of this thing called Freecycle?  It's pretty cool.  You find your area group, sign up for their message board and then receive emails listing things people are giving away or looking to find.  The idea is to pass things onto people who can use them rather than throwing them away.  It is a really good idea and kudos to whoever came up with it.

I will warn you however, that if you sign up, be prepared for lots and lots of email messages.  I usually open my mail box in the morning and have at least 20-30 messages from this group.  That's not a problem for me, I just go through pretty quickly and delete what I'm not interested in and read those that I interested in.  Then if it's something I need, I click on the reply to message link and answer with why I need it and when I could pick it up.  Then it's a waiting game because the poster reads all the responses and they pick out whom they want to come and pick it up.

This isn't just in the U.S. either, it's something going on all over the world.  If your interested in recycling items, rather than just throwing them away, you should really sign up for it.  If you click on this link, FREECYCLE GROUPS, you can choose your area and sign up to join.  Even if it's not something that you would be interested in doing, please share the information with other people.  I'm sure everyone knows someone who would be interested in participating in this.

Have a beautiful Wednesday!
Hugs!

Tags: freecycle

Household tip-laundry basket/hamper

Good Morning!  It is an absolutely beautiful day outside today.  Today NW Ohio is supposed to be getting a preview of this summer....YEA!  I love warm weather.

                    

Freshen Laundry Basket/Hamper: Place a fabric softener sheet in the bottom of your laundry basket (remember to change it weekly.) You can also simply sprinkle some baking soda in the bottom of your basket and that will help absorb the odors as well.

I received this in my mail from the Daily OM and thought I would share it.

May 22, 2007
Hope In Hardship
Anything Can Be Overcome

The journey that each human being makes through earthly existence can have hardship as often as it is touched by joy. When we encounter adversity, the stress we feel can erode our optimism, eventually convincing us that the issues we face cannot be overcome. In truth, there is no situation so dire, no challenge so great, and no choice so bewildering that it cannot be overcome. Though we may believe that all avenues have been closed to us or that our most conscientious efforts will come to naught, we are never without feasible options. The best course of action may be veiled in doubt, but it is there. When we are honest with ourselves with regard to this simple fact, we can overcome anything because we will never stop looking for a solution to the challenges before us.

Self-trust coupled with a sturdy plan is the ultimate antidote to adversity’s tendency to inspire disillusionment in the human mind. As difficult as the obstacle plaguing you seems, it is no match for the love of a supportive universe that has been a part of your life since the day of your birth and will be with you forevermore. Try not to be misguided by your fear as this gives rise to the notion that there are problems without solutions. If you believe in your capabilities and dedicate yourself to the creation of some form of resolution, you will be surprised to discover that paths that were once closed to you miraculously open. Even if all you can do is change your perspective to turn an impediment into an opportunity to grow, you will have found the hope that is an inherent element of all hardship.

Remember that your destiny is a product of your own creation. Even when it seems you have nowhere left to turn, there is a solution waiting for you. The only insurmountable obstacles are the ones you create in your own mind—and these can only exert power over you if you let them. Uncertainty will always be a part of your existence, but perseverance and mindfulness will never fail to see you through to the other side of hardship where joy can thrive. Try and remember that no matter what life places at your feet, there is absolutely no situation that cannot be resolved with time, love, and friendship.

I also received the following email from Spark People and the message is similar so I wanted to share it too.

"The mighty oak was once a little nut that stood its ground." - Unknown

Believing in yourself no matter what

On July 24, 2004, there was a 0% chance of rain in Cincinnati. No way was it going to rain, according to the people who should know best. You know what? Despite millions of dollars worth of sensors, computers, and forecasting systems, the weather experts were wrong. It rained, against all odds. This is not a criticism of weather people. It's just a reminder of all the people who were given 0% chance of making it by the "experts," but who succeeded anyway. Whenever accomplishments are on the line, there are always voices whispering, preaching--even shouting--that it can't be done. Sometimes, that voice is coming from inside our own heads. If you're having doubts about your abilities, just remember: How many times have the naysayers been proven wrong? No matter what anyone says--no matter what you might believe--it can be done. The nut can become a tree. There's always a chance of rain.

No matter what we are facing there always seems to be one "Negative Nelly" in the crowd.  You know who I'm talking about...that one person who always has to point out the bad..."it won't work", "I don't think you can", "it's just impossible", etc, etc.

Why do people have to be like that?  If someone is willing to make an effort, to take on what seems insurmountable, to do what no one else is willing to try to do, to face a challenge head on...why would someone else beat down their will?  It just doesn't make sense.

Sure, be realistic about things, but in the same sense realize the positives as well as the negatives.  And voice those louder than anything else!  If there is one positive against 10 negatives...its still a positive, there's still a chance.  Sheesh, even if there seems to be no positive in a barrel full of negatives...theres always hope...and that's a positive.  Isn't it?

How many times have we heard of people having zero chance of coming out of a coma and they do?  How many times have we heard of someone being diagnosed with a deadly disease and they survive?  I believe it is HOPE and FAITH that give people the will to persevere and survive.

Years ago I let the darkness of despair grab a hold of me (depression).  I've been at the end of my rope.  I almost lost that battle...but I learned to hold on (loosely at first).  I'm so glad I did.  There would be so much I would have missed out on if I had given in.  I learned how to stand up for myself and those I love. 

It's not easy...sometimes I feel "Negative Nelly" rearing her ugly head...but it's much easier to slap her down these days.  LOL...that's funny...now I'm picturing this cartoon of me with a head (negative nelly) growing out of the back of my should and me slapping the *itch down. 

Well, I'm going to end this before I do what I usually do, and go off topic. 

Have a great day.
Hugs!

Tags: Fresh scent, laundry basket, laundry hamper, hope, hardship, negative people

Baked Pork Chops

Good Morning!  Well, it's allergy season...I know because I am sitting here with itchy, watery eyes and sneezing repeatedly.  Fun times...LOL.  It won't stop me though.  As a matter of fact, I spent almost all of yesterday working in my gardens.  I love springtime...in spite of my allergies.

                 

Baked Pork Chops
Serves: 6
These spicy and moist pork chops are made with egg whites, evaporated skim milk, a lively herb mixture, and no added fat.

INGREDIENTS
6 lean center-cut pork chops, 1/2" thick
1 egg white
1 cup evaporated skim milk
3/4 cup cornflake crumbs
1/4 cup fine dry bread crumbs
4 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons oregano
3/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS
1. Trim all fat from chops.
2. Beat egg white with evaporated skim milk. Place chops in milk mixture and let stand for 5 minutes, turning chops once.
3. Meanwhile, mix together cornflake crumbs, bread crumbs, spices, and salt.
4. Spray a 9xl3-inch baking pan with nonstick spray coating.
5. Remove chops from milk mixture. Coat all sides evenly with crumb mixture.
6. Place chops in pan and bake in 375º F oven for 20 minutes. Turn chops and bake 15 minutes longer or until no pink remains.

Mmm, wouldn't that be great with one of those Mac N' Cheese recipes from last Monday?  Or some mashed taters & gravy and a side of fresh green beans cooked with bacon?  Oh, and some homemade bread with REAL butter.  Mmm, I'm gonna have to eat breakfast today, lol.

Rylie has been awake since 7am this morning.  She is currently sitting in my room watching cartoons.  About every 5 or 10 minutes she hollers out "Mommy, you and Dad buy me?"  LOL  I just say "yeah", we would be deep in debt if we bought her everything we told her we would, lol.  But if you say anything other thanthan yes, she just keeps asking.  After I tell her yes she just says "okay."  She is just way too funny...and a bit greedy, lol.

I have a feeling that this little "buy me" thing is going to go on for a while.  Ugh, probably till she is 18, lol. 

I took Rylie down to the health dept. this past Friday for a speech and hearing screening.  We got a referral to go to a specialist.  She wasn't very cooperative on the hearing test so they didn't get a real good idea on that.  But they did say she hasn't hit some of the age "markers" on her speech. 

I know she has been a bit slow, but being the baby of 6 kids meant she didn't have to do a lot of talking when she was little.  She could pretty much point and someone would get her whatever she wanted.  However, this past month I have seen a real explosion with her speech.  She is talking in more complete sentences and learned a ton of new words. 

She is one of the most well mannered little girls I've ever seen (minus the temper tantrums).  She always say's "please", "thank you" and "your welcome".  Seeing that there are very few teens (much less adults) today that use these kind of manners, her father and I are very proud of her use of these words.  I can't tell you how many times we've been shopping, or gone through a drive-thru and never hear anyone say "thank you".  I thought that was taught in employee training. 

What has happened to the use of common manners in America?  I guess you could call this one of my pet peeves, because it really gets under my skin.  I almost always say "your welcome", whether they say "thank you" or not, before I leave.

Have a great day!
Hugs,

Tags: Baked pork chops

Please help...

I'm such an idiot.  I completely forgot to post this a long time ago, it is a link to make a donation for the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life.  The relay is today and tomorrow, and I feel like a very bad daughter by not posting this much sooner. 

My mom was diagnosed with cancer almost 4 years ago.  She is a beautiful and courageous woman who survived the deadliest battle of her life.  I am so proud of her...and embarrassed that I forgot to post the link to her Donation Page.

I hope some of you can go today and make a donation of $1, $2, $5 or whatever to help my mother raise money for this cause.  She has reached her goal, but I would really like to help her even more.  I wasn't able to donate much due to our limited finances as of right now, so if I can help her by asking y'all to help, then please do so.

And, I'm so sorry Mom that I forgot to post this link a long time ago.  I had it saved in my mail box but kept forgetting to go back and post the link.

Thanks for taking the time to read this, and even if you don't go to my Mothers Relay page and make a donation, please visit your local American Society and make a donation there.  This is a very deserving cause and they appreciate every single dollar you can donate.

Thank you.
Hugs!

Tags: American Cancer Society, Relay for life

Cough and Asthma relief and restoring pictures

Good Thursday Morning!  It is beautiful here in NW Ohio this morning and I hope it is where you live too.  I love waking up to a pretty day, don't you? 

These are home health remedies that have been emailed to me or that I found on the Internet.  I have not tried them all and do NOT guarantee the effectiveness of them.  If you try one and it works, or if you have one that works for you, please email me.  Thanks

 

                

 

Coughs and Asthma relief

• Soak almonds overnight. Remove their skin. Make a paste of these almonds with little butter and sugar. Very useful for a dry cough.
• Hot tea with lemon and raspberry jam, drink as much as possible
  Drink hot milk with honey at bedtime for cough relief.
• Express the juice from garlic. Mix 10 – 15 drops in warm water and take internally for asthma relief.

I've been working on repairing a few old photographs.  They are worn, bent and have several scratches on them.  It takes me several hours to get them looking almost good, depending on the number of scratches.  Now I know why people charge so much to do this.

It is kind of mind numbing and God forbid your not saving (as I forget to do) the project after you make changes...cause if the computer freezes, or the program shuts down, or anything...your S.O.L.  Which I have been a few times.  Ouch!

The thing about these old photos is that most of them were black and white.  Some are made sepia and many have been colorized.  The colorization can be a problem, especially since it was up to the person doing it as to how it was colored.  I have to check and ask what color a persons eyes were to make sure I do it correctly.

Here is a sample board of some of the pictures I've done of Ray's family.

The first one is Ray's dad.  It was hard because of all the smudges and it was a sepia that had some colorization to it.  The thing I don't like about it is that there wasn't a lot of detail in the face or the uniform.  And I can't add what I don't see.

The next one is Ray's mother.  This is the photo that got me to doing this.  Someone had made a copy for us but they really "tramped" her up by adding some really outrageous red color to her lips.  The original wasn't in to bad of condition, just a few scratches and whatnot. 

The last one is Ray's maternal grandmother.  She passed away a year or two after Ray and I got together.  This one was hard.  There were so many scratches and even missing portions of the picture.  She was in her 50's when this picture was taken and with so many scratches it was a bit hard to tell where they ended and wrinkles in her skin began.  I had to remove so many scratches that I lost a lot of detail and it still looks distorted to me.  Although I'm glad that I was able to get it looking this good. 

I really like to do this, although the eye strain headaches are a bit of a pain.  I love old photographs and having a moment of our past history to be able to look back on.  Now, if I could just get Ray's mom and my mom to lend me some old family photos so I could scan and copy them...I'd be happy to put them on CD so we could share them with all our family members.  Sometimes when I ask them to loan them to me I feel like I'm asking for the key to Fort Knox and they think I'm going to steal them and hide them away.  I promise I'll return all the origianls and maybe repair a few for ya!  Honest!  LOL

Well,that's one of the things that has been keeping me busy.

Have a happy Thursday!  Oh pooh!  Now it looks gloomy outside.  Guess I'll have to play inside today and work on pictures, LOL.

Have a great one!
Hugs!

Tags: cough remedy, asthma relief, home remedy, restoring pictures, old photographs,

Wicked weather in NW Ohio and AOL changing journals...again

Imagine our surprise when we looked down the street this morning as the ol' man was leaving for work and saw this...

Thank God this was 3 houses down from us, as we have 2 huge trees in front of our home, and that it fell out towards the street rather than towards a home.  Thank you Lord for reminding us of your power and good grace.

Luckily it wasn't a real big tree or it would have done damage to one of the homes across the street, which is only about 25 feet wide.  But it was this lovely little gnarly tree.  There must have been some real damage to that trunk, look how it just split off of there.

Now, if your in the middle of posting and about to add a picture...don't click on the links from the Add Image button...you WILL lose your entry...as I found out the hard way.  I just hope that AOL add Image Shack to their list of accepted image posting groups as that is where I have ALL of my images. 

I don't know what will happen if they don't.  However, I have this image of all of my images turning into those dreaded white boxes with red X's.  Yikes!  OMG!  Can you image me having to go through my journal of over a year and adding all the pictures to another site and then uploading the new site pictures back on here?  Not gonna happen. 

Have a wonderful day!
Hugs!

Tags: Weather damage, fallen tree, storm damage, AOL, AOL changes journal format, AOL journal images,

Freshen a Garbage Disposal

Hello and welcome to another cleaning tip this morning!  Does your garbage disposal smell all nasty and gross?  Well, then you've come to the right place this morning. 

 

                     

 

Freshen a Garbage Disposal: Sprinkle baking soda in it along with a few drops dish-washing liquid. Scrub with a brush (a new toilet brush works great), getting under the rubber gasket and all around the inside. Then, turn on water and let the disposal run to flush thoroughly. For a fresh citrus scent, throw in a few cut up lemons or limes and run them through, too, using lots of water.

 

I always throw my used lemon or lime rinds through the garbage disposal.  It makes it smell so much better.  Um, I hope I don't have to tell you that if you are going to use the toilet brush idea to clean your garbage disposal...to use a NEW one, not a USED one.  Ewwww!

 

I also heard years ago to keep the blades sharpened that you should throw some ice in the disposal and run it.  I try to do that about once a month or so.  I don't know if it really works, but it doesn't seem to hurt anything, so what the heck.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

So on Sunday evening Ray took Rylie and made a little secretive run to the store.  They came back with my favorite ice cream, Cherry Cordial (Mmmmm, marishino cherries and bits of chocolate in cherry ice cream) and a bottle of that Magic Shell chocolate sauce.  It is something that we used to eat, years ago, when we would cuddle up and watch a movie. 

 

So we fixed bowls of ice cream and popped in a movie.  Have y'all watched that movie "Night at the Museum" with Ben Stiller and Robin Williams?  OMG...we really enjoyed it.  It was too funny.  We also watched Ghost Rider, with Nicholas Cage (ladies he looks good in this one) and really liked that one too. 

 

Anyway, while Ray and Rylie were shopping for the ice cream at Wal-Mart, Rylie insisted on carrying the little basket.  Well, she was dawdleling from what Ray told me.  Then he hears "daddy, daddy...will you buy me?"  He turns and looks and she is dragging the basket and it is filled with a plastic Sponge Bob bucket, shovel, little garden rake and gardening gloves.  LOL  What do you think daddy did?  Yeah, who could resist that baby?  Well, besides Mommy who has a backbonde when it comes to puppy dog eyes and buying everything under the sun that she wants, LOL. 

 

So that night she insisted on taking the bucket, shovel, rake and gloves to bed with her.  Yep, we tried to talk her out of it, but she insisted.  We removed the items as soon as she fell asleep.  However, the first thing she grabbed the next morning was all that stuff, so she was carrying it when she came into the living room.  LOL  She was TOOOOOOOOOO CUTE!  

 

So we spend most of yesterday working in my garden in the front yard.  Well, I was busy working...LOL...Miss Rylie was busy filling her bucket with my dirt and then dumping it where ever she decided to.  Ahh, sheesh...did she have to dump it in the middle of the lawn?  LOL  If your measuring fun level by the amount of dirt she had on her, then she had loads of it.  Uh, yeah both dirt and fun.

 

It's funny, because she acts like Daddy is the favorite all the time.  Yet she loves to come in the kitchen and help me cook, or bake.  She's my big helper when it comes to setting the dinner table (if she isn't over tired by that time).  And now I find that she wants to garden...just like Mommy likes to. 

 

I'll tell you why this surprises me so much.  I'm with Rylie 24/7...I know her pretty well.  I know when she is being manipulative (yes, believe me, 3 year olds know pretty darn well how to manipulate adults, LOL)  and we bump heads a lot.  Mostly because I am the disciplinarian.  I don't blame Ray for not wanting to be the "meanie", I don't like it either, but I don't want a spoiled rotten brat on our hands either. 

 

I mean, there are times when Ray will step up and discipline if he has to, or feels the need to.  But he works all day and sometimes doesn't get home till late on some days.  Then the first thing he hears is "Daaaaaaaaaddddddddddyyyyyyyyyyyyyy, your home!"  when he walks in the door.  It's the sound of an angel calling his name...and I don't blame him for not wanting to spoil it and having to be the "mean" one. 

 

But I can't tell you how much it means to me when he does step in to help me out when she is in one of her moods and having a fit.  Which she will then turn to him and say either "Daddy bad boy" or "Mommy!  Daddy mean me", LOL.  He doesn't even have to do anything for her to say the latter one.  Sometimes she will just walk up to me and say it to try to get him in trouble or get a game of chase going. 

 

She loves to play chase.  Her dad will be sitting in the lazy boy reading the paper or watching thenews and she will walk up and stand next to him, the next thing you know she smacks him on the arm and hollers "Gotcha, Daddy!"  Then they run through the house, yes it is like having two kids in the house, chasing each other back and forth yelling "Gotcha!" 

 

Rylie's newest thing is to sit and watch TV and everytime that a commercial comes on she will say "Mommy/Daddy (insert name of parent that is closest), you buy me?"  (((Sigh)))  Where did this come from?  How did she figure out that this was stuff you could buy?  Where did she learn the word "buy"?  LOL  I guess it is time to start teaching her the real value of a dollar...and when did that value become so much less than when I was a kid?

 

Or worse yet...LOL...when the Sunday flyers come and she will sit and go through and point to every item and say "Mommy/Daddy (insert name of parent that is closest), you buy me?"  Yesterday she asked me to buy her a phone.  A phone for crying out loud!  She's just getting the English language down and now she wants a phone.  Sheesh, Samantha was at least 12 before she asked for a phone.  LOL

 

Oh, and no...she is not getting a phone.  She already has about 4 or 5 toy cell phones and 2 toy house phones.  I think that is good enough for now.  But knowing her father, lol, I'm going to guess that when she is 6 and presents him with an argument for why she desperately has to have one that he will probably get one for her.

 

Well, I am going to get off here and do some things that I want to before the Princess wakes up and starts in with a new list of "buy me's".

                        

 

Have a wonderful day!
Hugs!

Tags: garbage disposal, commercials, buy me, Princess

4 recipes...not your average Mac N' Cheese

Good Monday Morning!  Time for a recipe and today I have 4 of them for you.  They are all pasta...well, three of them are different versions of Mac N' Cheese and the last is a pizza pasta.  Enjoy!

                   

The first 3 are all from Better Homes and Gardens.  It will take a bit more time than plopping the pasta in boiling water and then adding the powdered cheese, milk and butter...but MMMMM, it will be so worth it.

Macaroni and Cheese with Caramelized Onions

Ingredients
4  strips bacon
1  large sweet onion, halved and thinly sliced
1-1/2  cups regular or multi-grain dried elbow macaroni (6 ounces)
2  cups shredded mozzarella cheese (8 ounces)
4  ounces processed gruyere cheese, shredded, or blue cheese, crumbled
1  cup half-and-half or light cream
1/8  teaspoon black pepper

Directions
1. In a large skillet cook bacon over medium heat until crisp, turning once. Drain bacon on paper towels; crumble. Reserve bacon drippings in skillet.
2. Cook onion in reserved bacon drippings for 5 to 8 minutes or until onion is tender and golden brown. Set aside.
3. In a large saucepan cook macaroni according to package directions. Drain and return to saucepan. Stir in the crumbled bacon, onions, 1-1/2 cups of the mozzarella cheese, the gruyere cheese, half-and half, and pepper. Toss gently to combine. Spoon into a 1-1/2-quart casserole.
4. Bake, uncovered, in a 350 degree F oven for 20 minutes. Stir gently. Top with the remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake for 10 minutes more or until top of casserole is brown and bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes.
5. Makes 4 servings

Three Cheese Macaroni

Ingredients
12  ounces dried elbow macaroni (2-2/3 cups)
1-1/2  cups milk
1/4  cup butter, melted
1/2  teaspoon ground white pepper
1/4  teaspoon salt
8  ounces American cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
8  ounces sharpCheddar cheese, shredded (2 cups)
2  ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded (1/2 cup)
20  rich round crackers, crushed

Directions
1.Preheat  oven to 350 degree F. In a large pot cook macaroni according to package directions; drain. Return to pot.
2. Add milk, melted butter, pepper  and salt. Stir in cheese. Transfer to a greased 2-quart casserole.
3. Bake, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Carefully stir mixture. Sprinkle with crushed crackers. Bake 5 minutes more or until crackers are browned and mixture is just heated through (don't overheat or mixture will curdle). Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Makes 8 to 10 side-dish servings.

Creamy Macaroni and cheese

Ingredients
4  strips bacon
1  large sweet onion, thinly sliced
6  oz. dry elbow macaroni
8  oz. mozzarella cheese, shredded (2 cups)
2 to 4  oz. blue cheese, crumbled
1  cup half-and-half or light cream
1/8  tsp. pepper
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large skillet cook bacon over medium heat until crisp, turning once. Drain bacon on paper towels; crumble. Reserve bacon drippings in skillet.
2. Cook onion in reserved bacon drippings for 5 to 8 minutes or until onion is tender and golden brown. Set aside.
3. Cook elbow macaroni according to package directions. Drain and place in a 1-1/2-quart casserole. Add the crumbled bacon, onions, 1-1/2 cups of the mozzarella cheese, the blue cheese, half-and half, and pepper. Toss gently to combine.
4. Bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Stir gently. Top with the remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake for 10 minutes more or until top of casserole is brown and bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes.

This recipe is from Kraft and sounds pretty good. 

"Pizza" Pasta Toss
 
Prep Time: 10 min
Total Time: 25 min
Makes: 4 servings
 
3 cups (8 oz.) penne pasta, uncooked 
1/4 cup KRAFT Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing 
2 oz. OSCAR MAYER Pepperoni, quartered 
10 mushrooms, sliced (about 2 cups) 
1 green pepper, chopped (about 1 cup) 
2 cups spaghetti sauce 
1 cup KRAFT Finely Shredded Italian Style Five Cheese Blend 
 
COOK pasta as directed on package. 
MEANWHILE, heat dressing in large nonstick skillet on medium heat. Add pepperoni, mushrooms and peppers; cook and stir 8 min. or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Add sauce; mix well. Cover. Reduce heat to low; simmer 3 min. 
DRAIN pasta; place in large serving bowl. Add sauce mixture and cheese; toss to coat. 
 
KRAFT KITCHENS TIPS
Variation
Omit pepperoni. Reduce vegetable cooking time to 5 min. Add 2 slices cooked and crumbled OSCAR MAYER Bacon along with the cheese.
 
Shortcut
To quickly cut the pepperoni, simply stack the slices before cutting into quarters as directed. 

***This entry has been edited.***

Well, I have got to get busy here.  I have a little girl who is standing here with her shovel and bucket and wants to go outside and help me garden.  Which means she wants to go out and dig up all my flowers and seedlings...hm, this should be a fun day.  LOL

Have a great one!
Hugs!

 

Tags: Macaroni and cheese, mac and cheese, recipes, pasta, pizza pasta, pasta recipes

This story about simpson has my panties in a bunch

Have y'all read the latest oj story?  If not, you really ought to go and read it, at least if your going to continue to read my little rant here, lol.  Go ahead, click the link and read the story, I'll wait for ya.

 

Click here: Top News- Owner Boots O.J. Simpson From Restaurant - AOL News

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Okay, done?  Now isn't that just something?  Can you believe the gall of this man?!  I am referring to simpson.  I refuse to give him the respect of even capitalizing his name.  He doesn't even deserve that much!. 

 

First he plays the race card and wins the little sham of a trial and got away with murder.  And now he can't believe that there are actually people here in the real world who don't like him because he is a wife beater and murderer.  Which is why he has to claim that the reason he was refused service is because of the color of his skin. 

 

Hm, how ironic.  He refuses to pay the families of his victims the amount they were awarded in a court of law (civil trial), and now it sounds like he and his little lawyer, Yale Galanter, are gearing up to sue Mr. Ruby.  It wasn't the colorof your skin simpson!  It was because you beat your wife, murdered her and an innocent man and then refused to pay the amount owed to families who sued you in civil court!  Freaking idiot!

 

Let me make my feelings about this "person" (simpson) perfectly clear. I think he is SCUM!  I think he is a lying piece of filth!  I think he is a wife beater!  I think he is a murderer!  Those are just my opinions...and they have absolutely nothing to do with the color of his skin.  I could care less if he was yellow, tan, white or freaking purple!  I still wouldn't like the S.O.B.

 

He could be standing by the side of the road, car broken down, bleeding from the eyes, ears, nose and throat, having a heart attack while a dog peed on his leg and a bird chit on his head...and I would NOT stop to help him.  Let that happen and have him and his attorney accuse me of being racist!  It has nothing to do with skin!  Why are they playing that dang race card yet again?  Maybe I should write to him and ask for a donation and when he refuses to give it to me, sue him in court because I believe he didn't give it because of the color of my skin. 

 

I'm not saying that sometimes people don't do things based on their racist beliefs, I'm sure that many, many people do.  However, Mr Ruby was NOT being racist.  He just chose not to play into simpson's little "celebrity" game and having people going "gah-gah" over being in the same restaurant with a "celebrity"...when in actuality they were in the same room with a wife beating murderer.  Mr Ruby didn't like the commotion of having a killer in his establishment and chose to politely ask him to leave. 

 

I applaud Mr Ruby and his strong moral conviction and the courage to stand up for his beliefs in a world where so many people would probably be thrilled to get the autograph of a scumbag like simpson or scott peterson.  Yes, I am comparing simpson to scott peterson.  In my eye they are two of a kind.  They both killed a vibrant, beautiful young woman for their own selfish reason.  One also killed an unborn innocent baby boy and the other also killed an innocent young man barely in the prime of his life.  The only difference is that one got away with murder and the other one didn't. 

 

Hm, funny thing there about the "race" huh?  I mean it was the big dollar celebrity who happens to be African American that got away with killing his white ex-wife, and the average joe blow white guy that was found guilty.  Just an observation.  Not implying that I think peterson should have gotten off, because I think he should have been hung by his b*llz and left to die a slow and painful death.  But I find it intriguing that the one got away with murder and the white guy didn't.  Hm, maybe that race card is a game we should all be playing. 

 

I mean the next time I'm standing at the grocery check out and the cashier says my coupon has expired perhaps I'll begin shouting "it's because I'm a blue-eyed blonde 1/2 Mexican, isn't it?  Racist!  Racist!  I'm gonna sue!"  Hm, I wonder if that would work?  Probably not, maybe only rich athletes can play that card. 

 

I know...I've gone off on a pretty extreme and wild thought tangent here.  But simpson and his dang antics really makes my blood boil.  Hey simpson...I think your an azz!  I think your egotistical, self-centered, selfish, ugly and a wife beating S.O.B.  That is just my opinion of course, if you disagree with me, I guess you can sue me in court.  Hm, maybe then I'll just move to Florida and play the hide from payment game like you do.

 

Tags: o.j. simpson, booted from restaurant, Jeff Ruby

Home remedy

Happy Thursday!  Time for another home remedy...and today it is, um, for those days when you just don't quite feel...uh, yourself...when your feeling a little crampy?  This is not the subject for polite conversation, lol. 

                  

Constipation (In adults)

• Eat a few black licorice sticks.
• Take apple pectin.
• Make sure you're getting enough Folic Acid in your diet.
• Drinking ginger tea will help start a bowel movement.
• One tablespoonful of corn syrup added to 8oz of water.
• Guava when eaten with seeds provides roughage to diet can give relief from constipation
• Add more fruits to the diet prunes pears, grapes, Orange juice & Papaya
• Add a little extra sugar or some honey a glass of milk. Drink twice a day
• Bale fruit is the best laxative of all fruits. It cleans and tones up the intestines & gives constipation relief. *I found this tip at several sites.  If your like me you're wondering what the heck bale fruit is, so I looked it up and found out that it is a Thai fruit. 

Constipation (In Small Children)

• Soak 6-8 raisins in hot water. When cool, crush well and strain. When given routinely even to little infants, it helps to regulate bowel movement.
• Constipation in toddlers, infants and older children may be relieved by giving bran cereal

I am a firm believer that if you have enough intake of fruits and vegetables, and drink the recommended dose of 8-8 oz glasses of water, you will be pretty regular.  If your not, then constipation is your bodies way of telling you that something is missing from your diet.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Since spring is here I decided to add an extra little tip for your garden. 

Epsom salts can be poured around the base of a rose bush which will produce beautiful blooms. The Epsom salts contain magnesium, which helps enforce blooming. You can also use Epsom salts on tomato plants and your crop will be better than ever!

 

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Here is a copy of my Daily OM for today...

 

May 10, 2007
Healing With Movement
Rediscovering Dance

As children, most of us were encouraged to dance on a regular basis, freely and openly, in whatever way felt best. A few of us may have retained or regained our ability to engage in dancing unselfconsciously, but by the time we reach adulthood, many of us have stopped dancing altogether. We may have hang-ups about our bodies, or we may fear being judged. Then again, we may simply have fallen out of the habit for so long that we don't even realize we never dance anymore. Whatever the case, there's no time like now to rediscover the healing pleasure of moving your body to music-alone, as part of a couple, or in a group.Opportunities to dance abound, once you start looking for them.

If you haven't danced in a long time and feel too self-conscious to start in a public situation, find some time alone to reintroduce yourself to the joy of listening and responding to music with your body. Turn the lights down low and remember that it's much more fun when you're not thinking about what you look like. It won't take long before your body remembers how much it loves to move. Feel the music in your soul, feel the vibrations healing your body. Treat the time like a meditation session in which you agree to allow yourself to fully inhabit your amazing body.

If you feel awkward, remember that every culture since time immemorial has celebrated life and the body with dance. All people carry the memory of dance in their blood and bones. In other words, you were born to do this, it is in you already; all you have to do is start moving. If you prefer more interaction, take a class one night a week. In most cities, you can find everything from modern dance to African dance to ballroom and salsa. Whatever you choose, you won't regret choosing to rediscover your birthright-the healing, joyful thrill of dancing.

I just love to get up and dance with Rylie when no one is around.  She loves music and whenever something comes on that is fun and upbeat she usually starts to dance, or comes and grabs my hand and we dance together. 

 

When she first started to stand up on my lap I would hold her up and sing "shake your booty, shake your booty, shake shake shake, shake shake shake, shake your booty".  LOL  She just loved it.  Now some days she walks up behind me puts her hands on my hips and starts singing "shake shake shake, boooooty".  It is too cute.

 

I would love to get her enrolled in a dance class, whether through the Y or to save up and go to a studio.  I want to wait a few months and see how she does with the potty thing and give her a little more time to expand her vocabulary too.  But it is something that I definately want to do for her.  She just loves to dance andsing.  Hm, I hope American Idol is still around in about 15 years, lol.

 

Rylie and I always have a ball during our dance "sessions".  We are smiling and happy...hm, or is she actually laughing AT me?!  Oh well, all I know is that after we dance around for a bit I feel better, happier.  Try it and see if you don't feel better.  Just "dance like no one is watching!"

 

Have a great day and dance a wee bit!
Hugs!