Grocery shopping

I went to the store late this eve.  I have been busy off and on most of the day sorting out things to give away.  I don't need two of everything, do I?  Someone else may may make better use of the excess that fills my house.

One of the items to go is a GE toaster oven.  I have a fairly new one and I was asked if I had one to get rid of.  I do and it is going.  Why do we hold on to things as if our lives were dependent on the material things that we collect as we meander through life?  I have more things to disperse, but it takes time to go through the process of sifting through the accumulation.

I didn't get everything done that I wanted to do.  It's a job and it is one that will be there tomorrow, the next day and the next.  I gives me something to do and hopefully do well.

When I went to the store I only got a few things:eggs, milk, cottage cheese, salad mix and a sandwich.  I wandered around looking at the prices. 
Call it sticker shock as everything is higher than it was a week ago.  How do families make it?  Some do not and fall by the wayside.  If you saw a family down and out would you help them?

This area has been hoping for rain and a little cooler temperature.  The sky is gray and the air is as thick as old crank case oil, but so far, no rain.  "Say Good night, Gracie."  "And may the Good Lord take a likin' to ya."  From where...what shows?

END

I have what I need...

I may not have everything I want, but I have what I need.

1. I may not live in a model "House Beautiful" home, but I have a roof over my head.  I am not homeless as are so many here in the land plenty and around the world.
2. I may have bills to pay, but I have clean water to drink and food to eat.  So many go to bed hungry and do not have a way to attain either.
3. I may not have the latest fashions, the most expensive shoes or accouterments, but I am not naked and don't need the rest.  In this world there are so many who have nothing, but would be grateful beyond measure for just your old joggers and a scrap of cloths to cover with.
4. I may not like the way the government is being run, but at least we have a government albit with flaws and faults.
5. I may have missed opportunities, but there are still opportunities to be had...even at my present age.

I am thankful for the food on my table, a bed to sleep in, cloths to wear, clean water to drink, medical care if I need it.  We may not live in a perfect nation...a utopia, but it is better than most.  Even in trying to live a simple life I am blessed with so much more than so many.  Stay strong.  Keep America strong.  Keep your faith even stronger.

A small, simple prayer suitable to all denominations, esp. little children.

Angel of God

Angel of God

 my guardian dear

to whom His love

entrust me here

Ever this night

be at my side

to light and guard

to rule and guide.

Amen

END 



The Truth as We Know it!

Usualy August is the "hot" month.  I hope the fourth coming calender change is not as hot as July has been.

Things to remember:

1. Don't go to bed naked just because it is hot.  Someone is bound to come to your door at two a.m. and ring the doorbell.
2. Never leave dirty dishes in the sink overnight(guilty).  You won't have a clean cup or spoon for your morning coffee.
3. Never leave your dirty undies lying on the floor in your bedroom or bathroom.  The repair guy is sure to see them.
4. Never leave your bed unmade-it will look like the maid never showed up.
5. Never answer the phone by saying "Duffy's Taveren."  It might be your priest on the other end.
6. Never leave your toilet unflushed just to save money on the water bill.  You may clog it up...or someone may need to use your commode.
7. Never wash your socks in the tube while you bath.  Your just moving dirt around...and you will still have dirty socks.
8. Never use bleach in place of deoderent.  It burns like fire and you will smell like you have been cleaning all day.
9. IT IS ok to use Dawn dish detergent in place of shamppoo.  It will get the grease/oil out.
10. Never substitute fingers for bathroom tissues even if you do run out...remember you have to eat with thoses same fingers...and they are NOT FINGER LICKING GOOD.

I have nothing to write about so in desperation I made this stuff up.  Not all of it is made up.  My sister and her husband were awakened in the middle of the night by a fire...and ran into the street...yup...naked.  Yes(Pat)it is true.

END

I've acccomplished nothing this day unless you count eating out twice on the same day.  I am so full.  I went over to the nursing home and visited with some of the residents.  One is on O2...24/7 and another should be.  The one that should be has a leaking heart now and is very SOB.  She could have the O2, but refuses, holding out until she "rally needs it."  She needs it now, but sometimes you can not convince people, but it is their choice.  There may come a time when we won't have choices.  Remember the movie SOILENT GREEN?"

I am tired and the heat just stays and stays.  Tomorrow it is supposed to be 98 degrees with another ozone alert.  The only things that are doing well in this heat are the weeds and deer.  The deer are thriving, boldly coming out into the fields and eating the crops during the day.  They cross the highway down by the river and stop or slow traffic.  They used to come out only at night, but are now browsing in large herds of 20 or more.

I am going to put a few cloths through the washing machine and go to bed.  I got up early so I'm going to bed early.  Besides,  I ate so much it is making me sleepy.

END

Ho-double t

I worked hard today...at least I thought I did.  What someone else might think could be a different opinion of the efforts made.

I started mowing the lawn fairly early, trying to beat the heat which was a lost cause...'cause the heat was on and steaming before I even got started.  The heavy dew did not burn off very quickly and kept clogging up the mower.  Finally, at 11 A.M. I stopped.  I was already soaking wet and the yard was only half done.  With the heavy, hard going, the mower used twice as much fuel and then I ran out of gas.  Time to asses my options...time to rest and cool down.  Thus, went the morning of good intentions.

After a very lite lunch and fluids and finding my B/P a bit on the high side I decided to wait for the "cool of the evening" to finish up.  I went out to get gas after taking a nap.  I took a nap 'cause I is old, you know.  At 5:30 P.M. I started again and finished the back yard around 6 or so.  The trimming is not done and the front yard is not done; they will have to wait

My neighbors across the alley; I assume go out to eat every night of the week.  She has a good job and he has retired from the city utility company.  I guess they have a good income.  Just saying...I wouldn't mind going out to eat every night, either.  I do go to Windy's or Captain D's if I am wiped out and don't want to cook, but for today I was content with a cold hot dog.  Later I did fix some Mac 'n Cheese and a Peanut Butter sandwich.  That was my cooking for the day.  Tomorrow I will be out.  Someone else can fed me.

There is an ozone alert up for tomorrow and it will be 94 or so.  I need to go to the library and to the store.  I keep putting stuff off because of the heat, but eventually one "must."

There seemed to be a run at the gas station.  Either every one got their "checks" early or they are filling their tanks in case the government tanks.  Got gas?  Got bread?  Got milk?  Be advised that the government will not tank out because, we, the Gray Panthers will snarl and claw our way into DC and give them all a fur ball to chew on...yeah...so there.

End

Gone with the wind

Everything I wrote has vanished.  I will not try to re-write the whole text.  Instead I will go to bed early so that I can get up early and get some work done.

It was only 90 degrees today, but warming up for the rest of the week.  I got up at mid-night and turned off the a/c.

I am trying to do some super-deep cleaning, one room at a time.  In spite of all the vacuuming I still have spiders.  I will put them in a box and send them your way..hee  hee.

Today I worked on the front entry way..foyer..porch.  I mopped it twice.  I can't carry a full bucket of water with my R arm, so I just changed out the water and mopped it again. I guess I can carry about 1 gal. of water in the bucket and the mop.  I got the job done.  One small step and on to the next job!

Wed. I will not be home so I don't know much I will done this week.  I will be going over to the Nursing Home and take some stuff over.  There are only a few left that I helped take care of over the years.  Even the Sisters are aging and going into the hospital.  It is like the old taking care of the old.

I will go to bed early and get up early and see how much more I can get done.  I think a nice stick of dynamite will blast the spiders, dust bunnies and little mouseketeers right out of the house.  Of course, I would have to live in a tent thereafter..hmm.  If I repeat myself I will believe it.  I WILL GET MORE DONE!

END



Saturday Night Fever

I have SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER.  How about you?  It's after 8:30 and the temperature is still 90 F.  The radio said that the alert would end this eve.  No one told Mother Nature to absolve herself from  her negative sins against the human kind and all the little critters that suffer unto woe.  She ain't no saint, ol' Mother Nature, and she is still flaunting her charms and wiles.  A naughty old girl is she.

I am tired of all this heat.  I want to get things done.  I tried to get some things done today, but I sure am poky and slow about it.

Tomorrow afternoon someone is coming over to look at some cloths that I want to eliminate from my closet.  They are new tops with all the tags still in them.  They are supposed to be the size listed, but they are not.  And I will never be that small again.  So someone else gets them.

I don't know what to cook or eat in this kind of weather.  I have been eating lots of eggs, but now I need eggs and I don't wanna go to the store...waaa!

END

Nappy Time

Usually I don't take a nap in the afternoon, but for the last two days I have done just that.  My glue is melting and I am becoming  a bit frayed along the seams of daily living.  It is just too hot for man or beast.

I have kept the curtains closed and the blinds shut off from the world.  I am starting to feel like a hermit.  I am waiting...waiting for more favorable conditions.  It's a good thing that I don't suffer from cabin fever...yet.

I have plenty to do inside.  I am slowly pulling things back into order and cleaning as I go.  One room at a time.  The other rooms need the same TLC because so many items have been moved around and more than once.  A couple of big guys can move a lot of stuff pretty fast and they really don't care where they put things.  That's really why guys get married: so they have legal maid service to clean after them!  Cheap labor, you know...

I moved the coffee table back into place and cleaned it up pretty well.  I cleaned the glass chicken and glass rabbit that my sister sent my years ago.  They were covered with dust and insulation that got "missed."  The coffee table has three glass inserts.  I will never buy furniture with glass again.  Every flake of dust or dirt shows up vividly, along with plaster particles.  In the process I now know where every little dust bunny has been hiding.

With fans, air and all efforts to keep the heat out, I have to stop and rest, and am perspiring almost as if I were outside mowing the grass.  I get stinky real quick and that isn't good!  I hope no one comes to visit while I am polluting the atmosphere!  I am washing small loads of cloths often and wearing old cloths at that. 

I hope to get it all done before Thanksgiving.  Actually, all joking aside, a little cold weather would help me move faster.

 That is that.  Nothing more to add..aren't you glad?

END

I've canned up a large batch of heat and I am sending it your way-whichever way you are.  I hope you enjoy my home cooked, spicy, yummy, canned heat.  Just open up a jar, add water and sit back and savor the flavor of good old raw heat.

My sinuses and asthma/bronchitis are in a  tizzy along with a headache.   I hope I don't blow my brains out while blowing my nose.  I need what brains exist within my cranial cavity.

I would like to go to the store for milk.  Instead I got milk out of the freezer and let it thaw out.  That's what I call a glass of cold milk.  Actually, I was saving the milk for winter time or an emergency.  This is an emergency because I am not about to go waltzing about in this fire pit of hot coals and no O2 in the atmosphere.  Dang...it's a little warm around the edges!

I stayed in and will continue to drift in between the
two A/Cs.  They are running flat out.  If you don't have one and you can afford one...go get on...PDQ.  At least get a fan or two, place ice in front of the fan and let the air pass over the ice as it melts.

In this weather I want to sleep.  However, if I take a nap I wake up with a headache or that loggie
feeling.  Let me say that this heat is uncommon even
for this area.

As I have not been out or anywhere, I have little to say or write.  I don't want to cook, clean or move so I won't.

END

GRIDDLE ME

Oh griddle me, Oh griddle me.  Than turn me over; I think I am done-roasted to perfection.  Yes, it is that hot under the dome of America.  More to come, so says the weatherman.

I am working on getting the house back in order.  The lights are on and the A/C is humming along.  I have kept most of the lights off and the shades closed, but still, working in the humidity of Lake Bluegrass is taxing and you wear out fast.

This afternoon they came back to do a quick caulking and spot painting and I think they are finished.  I have been using the vacuum on the floors over and  over and still manage to pull stuff up.  Insulation has plugged the hose several times and you don't always see it until it is in the tube.

This morning I moved the couch to a more centered position.  Normally it takes 2 guys to move that couch; yes, it is that heavy.  I used a 2X2 as a fulcrum and slipped 4 of those slippy moving disks under the base.  That worked.  It was still  heavy, but slid-able on the sliders.  Of course, now I have a pain every time I take a deep breath, so I know that I strained a muscle  Well, it is a good thing that the human body can take a lot and keep on ticking!

I took the trash out and came in drenched.  My hair is wet, too.  I wonder what people did before A/C became widely available.  They had fans, but fans just move hot air around.  We are gonna have a lot of hot air, and not just from Washington.

END



Life in the hot zone

I tried to get up at 6 this morning.  I just couldn't make it.  I re-set my clock for 7 and finally got up at 7:30 A. M.  By 7 A. M. it was already in the 80's and the news said that 12 people had died from the heat.  We are just getting started.  Next week it is supposed to hit the east cost.  Get your fans out an rev up your A/C's.  You will need them.

I stayed up cleaning some of the mess up.  You can't have repair work done without a little mess.  At least these guys are trying to be half-way neat.  They were very courteous. 

But it is hot!  The warm air comes up the Ohio Valley from the Gulf and Southern coast, sometime by way of Texas.  I often yearn for the cooler weather of upstate NY.  At  least you can dress for cold winds and blowing snow.  You(females)
can only take so much off before getting into troubled waters.

I have been cleaning on and off part of the day and giving a few things away.  I have too much stuff and it is in the way.  When I want or need something I have to go through too much stuff.  I don't know why I save some ditrus, gen. it is old mail and junk.  Out it goes into Thursday's pick-up.  I guess having major problems can help you re-evaluate...do I need this...do I want that?  I can live a simpler life and be happy.  How about you?

END

MAJOR ELECTRICAL FOILS

I have been up since very early  this morning.  It has not been a fun day'.  The electricians have been here all day and didn't leave until after 8 PM.  They were worn out and so was I.  Not a good day to have no air or lights.  They will be back in the morning to finish up.

These old houses are hard to work on.  No crawl spaces and hardly any way into the attic unless you are a squirm worm.  They cut a hole in my new ceiling.  They had a hard time tracking down the bad circuit and wire.  That part is done.  Now it is basically cleaning up the mess and stuff.  I am glad the worst is over and the lights and air is back on.  I imagine they were finally happy to go home.  I was glad to see them go, mostly because it was such a humid, hot day.  I truly appreciate what they did and all they went through to get it done.  Their boss will probably send me a nice, big bill to let me show my appreciation.

A big bill is better than an electrical fire.  A big bill is better than sweltering in the heat with no power.  Thank you, "Big Bill."

As you may guess I am pretty tired and dragged out by the weather.  Tomorrow will be hotter than pork fat on a cast iron griddle.  I think I will just send this off and go to bed.

END

Murphy's been hangin about.

You know about Murphy's law:  If anything can go wrong, it will.  And on a week-end to boot.

This morning when I went to turn on the A/C the power blew in the front(living)room.  I did all the circuit board stuff several times, but to no avail.  I know it wasn't something that I did or that the circuit was overloaded.  I started to call the guys who installed the overhead light when they were here working on the ceiling and the walls.  I decided not to because of the way they worked before and lack of professionalism and knowledge.  I called a real electrician and was lucky enough that he came over on his way to the farm for the week-end off.

Sure enough, the problem is in the light's wiring.  It can't be fixed before Monday.  They will have to cut a hole into the new ceiling as they can not get even a finger into it.  The electrician is a really big guy who would get stuck in the attic opening and then suffer in the intense heat.

They rigged up a connection for the A/C and the freezer.  The freezer was what I was really concerned about.  I had already plugged it into another cord before they got here, but they did a better job.  I only worry about tripping over a cord.  That is how I fractured my arm in the first place: tripping over a cord while vacuuming the living room.

The things that I had planned for the day just didn't happen.  I planned to hang new curtains in the living room and hang the old curtains in the back store room and on the outer storm door.  I did go to the store and get new rods and brackets.  I also stopped at Wendy's and got the value meal.  It is just to hot to cook. 

My cast iron tea pot came this afternoon, too.  It only weighs  a few pounds, but I couldn't pick it up with my right arm/hand. The little boy who came with his dad was delighted to do the honors an get the box open for me.  He told me all about his garden.  It sounds like he  is a better gardener than me

So, now you know how this day went or didn't pan out the way I thought it would.   We all have these kinds of days now and then.  You know, "The best laid plans of mice and men...."   Still, I am happy and won't complain.  I have a roof over my head, food to eat, and the A/C is working.  What else do I need...other than enough money to pay the electrician.  All things  work out through a higher power than we...or me.

END

PRACTISING POVERTY-lol!

Today I am practising poverty...being poveretical.  I set up my machine on the kitchen table(small house)got out some old socks and pillow cases and broke a lot of thread in getting started.  The bobbin was empty so I had to fill that.  Then I put the machine on a tight overcast pattern, pulled the holes on my socks together and  "darned" the darned toes.  Well, it really isn't darning per se.  The seames are on the outside so that I don't rub my delicate toes.  I call them "garden socks" or even yard socks.  I won't mind getting them all green and grungy. 
Next came the pillow cases.  They are so old that they had "Moses" stenciled inside them.  I have fixed them before, but today I fixed the "fixes."  They are so thin that you can count the hairs on your chin(got some)?

Don't get the impression that I don't have decent socks and linens because I do.  It just that I don't have TV until Sept., no books to read, too hot to do yard work...and I needed something to do.

Next I practised button hole stitches and some fancy stitches on some old material.  I think I will leave the sewing machine out for a while even though it is in the way on the kitchen table.  I think I might make something...other than a mess.

Last eve. I hung a kind of bamboo shade over the back storm door.  I didn't have the right brackets, but I have...duct tape.  When I go to the store I will get some rods and brackets.  The shade does make a difference.  I wish I could find a couple more like that.

Last night when I went to bed I forgot to turn the O2 on.  I did turn the CPAP machine on.  I was so tired that I slept all night without the O2.  Today I have a headache, 'though.  Before I was put on the machines I would just fall over.  Once while charting I fell over and hit my chin on the desk.  I'll bet the Sisters thought I was on drugs or something.  It is amusing now as I look back on it, but it wasn't so funny then, esp. when I fell over(off)the commode and hit my face on the bathtub.  THEY thought that was hilarious! Who  falls of a toilet?  Me did.

I am not writing about herbs tonight.  Maybe tomorrow.  I am sure people would rather read about something else for a change.

END



GARLIC...YES, GARLIC

Garlic is mostly used in cooking, but does have medicinal value.  It can also have side effects that you and a lot of other people might not like.  In other words, don't chow down on raw or a lot of garlic and then go huffin' and puffin' in someones face.  Not only will you find out who your friends are, you are apt to get a belly ache, tummy-intestinal irritation or other unwanted side effects from raw or too much Garlic.

So here is a list of some of the good stuff-not all of them are proven.

1. Good in food, esp. Italian food!
2. Aged Garlic is an antioxidant.
3. It is a natural antibiotic.
4. It is helpful with high blood pressure.
5. It is helpful with high cholesterol.
6.  May be helpful with coronary artery disease.
7. Heart attacks.
8. Hardening of the arteries.
9. Possibly prevents several types of cancers.
10. Helps build up immune system.

Be sure to look up Garlic and some of the side effects because there are some.  Be aware.  And there is a more information than I have written here.  All things in moderation.

It was about 12 degrees cooler today, with an occasional breeze and clouds.  I wanted to get some outdoor work done while I could.  I got the back yard mowed and then went ahead and did the front.  I went to use the trimmer, but the battery was dead and it wouldn't charge.  If I can, I will get the cord out and use the bigger electric trimmer in the morning.  It's gonna be around 90 or so for Friday.

I worked hard enough to elevate my B/P.  I finally took a quarter more of Verapimal 240 and a half of a 20 mg. Lisinapril-got it down to 130 -ah, that's better.  I should have done that yesterday, too.

END

FENNEL

FENNEL is part of your in house pharmacy.  It is better.. and more commonly known for its culinary uses as an added herb for flavoring,  All fennel is edible; the seed, leaves, the stalks and the bulbs.  It is used as an expectorant.  Nothing should surprise anyone about the medicinal uses of herbs as at least 25% of our medicines are made from or derived from plants.

Here follows some of the known uses of Fennel.

1. used for weight loss.
2. abdominal cramping
3. menopause-hormonal balance
4. coughs
5. muscle pain
6. fibromyalgia
7. gout
8. fleas
9. Rheumatoid Arthritis
10. asthma.
11. steeped tea just for pleasure.

You can get Fennel Essential Oils at a health store or get online and order what you wish or want.  I am lucky enough to live near a Health Store..  I can't tell you everything about Fennel; I am not in any way an expert.  I can only point the way and list what little I know about Fennel.  As in all things use care and caution and follow any directions available.

Now then:  Today I ordered a two quart cast iron tea kettle from a hardware store in Michigan.  The tea kettle is listed for at just under $20.00.  The shipping is almost $12.00.  I have wanted one for a long time.  Next I would like to find a cast iron griddle like my mother had.  I don't know where it went.  I had washed all her cast ironware and put it away.  The next summer it was all gone.

The cast ironware that I have, I  collected over the years at flea markets, yard sales, and the  Good Will Store.  I can't list the Salvation Army because they are so over-priced on anything that even remotely looks like it might be an "antique."

Believe it or not it got cool in the night.  I got up at 5 A.M. and turned one A/C off.  Then I had to find a cover and went back to bed for a while.  It has heated up since then.

Again, it is too hot to cook so I made some Barley Soup in the Crock Pot.  1/4 cup of Barely to 4 cups of water.  I added chopped ham, chopped onions and chopped carrots, a little salt to taste and walked away.  Let the Crock Pot do it's thing.  The Barley Soup turned out well and has a nutty, chewy flavor.  The recipes will call for other ingredients, but this is what I had on hand.  Pretty good.

Wen I took the trash out for pick-up in the morning I looked at the sky.  It looks like another storm is rolling in.  The storm of last eve. was a good rock 'n roller.  I hope we don't get another one, but with the heat we probably will.

END

The President's Ploy

The President's ploy is to frighten people who depend on S.S. and or Disablity  for survival.  They already tried that in the past.  It is a maneuver to push-goad-Congress to pass a budget that will keep the government from going belly up.  It's going belly up, anyway.  He(Obama) just is trying to prolong the belly ache.  A little Ginger and or Cinnamon Tea for his funny tummy, says I.

I think  we is bankrupt-too far gone-for any kind of tea or resuscitation.  The government waited too long and/or made the wrong moves.  Your gonna pay, America!  Hope you have lots of band aids 'cause we are all gonna bled.

Again and again I have urged readers to stock up, even if it is just a little at a time.  You know, an extra can of beans here, some rice there, a few extra rolls of TP when it might be on sale.  No one is rich; I'm not and probably the few reader that visit here are not either.

The one thing I have is a God-given fortitude.  I have never been real healthy, talented or capable, yet I persist.  You can, too.

What I do have is a jar full of pennies-"Pennies from Heaven"-you might say.  I have another jar with loose change.  You know-that proverbial "Silver Lining" in every cloud.  No, it isn't the hoarding kind of silver, but it is spendable.  And I can and freeze foods as I can.  So I won't starve right off the bat and I could stand to lose a little wt. around the waist line.  How about you?

The thing is... our government has been operating without a truely funded budget for a while now and those checks continue to be printed and sent out anyway-compliments of China-our new Big Brother.  Hey, Big Brother, can you spare anther dime or two?  We owe our souls to "the company store."  We have met the enemy and it is our own government. Well, we helped make them what they are and turned a blind eye time after time.  Whatever happened to our our America?
 
I was doing a short artical about another herb and it just vanished.  I looked for it in the draft and it wasn't there, either, apparently it wasn't saved.  I have a rough draft on paper so I will try to redo it tomorrow and send it through.

We had a heavy, persitent rain for about an  hour or so.  My front yard was pooling and a river was flowing down the street.  I am happy that I live on a slight incline.

Alice said it was going to be cooler.  Well, 98 F. is about 2 degrees less than yesterday and sooo humid.  Alice, you and I must have different weathermen!

END

A SPOONFULL OF CINNOMON

When I was small (boy, was that a long time ago) my mother would mix Cinnamon and sugar together and give it to me on a spoon.  I guess because my sister and I always had bad colds finally had our tonsils taking out.  I remember that it tasted good-like candy and that I was willing to be dosed up with it.  I don't know the exact measurements, but it was probably about one to one.  One teaspoon of sugar to one teaspoon of  Cinnamon.  A while back I mentioned that she would make us Cinnamon Toast.  I liked that, too.

Like, who knew back then that Cinnamon was good for you and has many health benefits?  It must have been a Mother's intuition combined with old fashioned herbal folk lore and medicine.  Anyway, I am still here and I still like Cinnamon Toast and Cinnamon on a spoon.  I am going to list some of the good things and benefits of Cinnamon.

1. Culinary of course, in so many foods we eat and flavor.
2. Candida/yeast infections.
3. Colds
4. Diabetes with Diabetes medication.
5. Ingestion and indigestion.
6. General
7.  Health.
8. IBS(irritable bowel syndrome)
9. Influenza
10. Insect Repellent
11. Nausea

A whole host of other benefits that are being studied. All this and  more you can find through the Internet.  You can find where to buy Cinnamon, where it comes from and how to use it.  It is interesting to read about. Hey, I'll bet you didn't know you had all the medicine hiding in your kitchen cabinet, filed under "spices." Oh, life is full of the mysteries that our mothers and grandparents knew that has been lost under cobwebs and time.

A Day At The Beach...or Misting The Widows..or Aluminum Foil...take your pick for a title for this:

The heat is extreme.  It has been a long time since the temps. have been 100 F. or the humidity around 90%.  It has been a long time since I have done the following and here is the reason why.

My back porch is concrete.  The back store room has a concrete floor.  The patio is concrete.  They are very effective heat sinks, pulling in the high temps. and holding them from early morning until late night.  The back porch has a glass storm door.  The store room has two windows.  No, I never bothered with curtains because you can not see into the house.

This morning I misted the windows and applied aluminum foil over the damp windows.  The mist holds the foil like glue, but you can easily remove the foil.  It reflects the heat outward and makes a big difference in your comfort level. 

The backside of the house get the full sun in the morning and usually I like to look out the back door and watch the birds in the bird bath.  Not today.  The front side gets the high noon and setting sun and becomes very hot.  I didn't mist or cover the windows on the front because it faces the street, but I am tempted! 

You know, it is just too hot to write, even with two A/C's and fans going flat out.   Here is where I stop.

 END

OOLONG or WU LONG TEA

I am a tea drinker.  I have been a tea drinker since I first met my former, deceased sister-in-law, Leona.  I was a kid, but looked upon her as a walking, talking Godly person.  In fact, that was what she was called on the day of her funeral..."a Godly Mother," and she was.  I wanted to do as she did, and one of the things she did was drink tea.  That's how I became a tea-aholic.

The best tea that I have run across is OOLONG TEA.  I guess I first drank it while at the Chinese Buffet, thinking that it was the best tea I had ever tasted.  When I went to pay my bill I asked the manager about what kind of tea it was and how could I find a place to buy it.  He sold me a large bag of loose leaf tea right then and there.  I love the stuff.  Here is what I know about OOLONG TEA.

Helps promote strong metabolism.
Helps maintain cholesterol level in normal cholesterol.

Good for skin and complexion.Contains  10-15%  of caffeine of a cup of coffee.

 Also, referred as a Weight Control tea.

You can buy this tea online and it isn't too expensive.  I was just lucky enough to get mine at the buffet.  There are several verities to chose from, but I like the plain tea.  I would love to buy a cast iron tea kettle and benefit from the iron mineral that is released when boiling the tea water, but they are a little pricey. 

Red Beans and Rice!  With a can of Tuna thrown in. That was supper, and pretty good, at that.  I haven't had rice in quite a while.  The tuna, Chicken of the Sea, used to be a good name brand.  Now the cans are smaller and contain a lot of fluid-oil or water.  You get less, but pay more.

I'm about 3/4's through another book.  It is "TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH," a novel of the Byzantine Empire by T. Davis Bunn.  It is really a good book and is Ecumenical in nature.  It is a historical novel about the early church's persecutions and trials and a little proper romance for flavor.  It is well worth reading.  I think anyone of any faith would enjoy this book.

I bought a gallon jug of milk today; more than I wanted, but it is cheaper in the long run.  I have an empty 1/2 jug so I will fill that and put it in the freezer.  I also bought some hard cheese.  As long as the packages are unopened and kept cool they will last a long, long time.  I am trying to re-stock slowly.  Hopefully, next month will be a better month.  Gosh, next month will be August already.  Where did the time go?

This is the last night that I will send this post to Facebook.  If anyone wants to read it in the future they will have to go directly to my website.  Thus, says me.

 END

GINGER TEA

This morning I mentioned on Facebook about making some Ginger Tea for a funny tummy.  I made my own with a tea bag, some Ginger spice from the cabinet and hot water.  You can add lemon, sugar or honey to taste if you want to.  It does makes a nice, hot drink and yes, it did help my funny tummy.

You can buy Ginger Tea at a health store if you have one or order capsules or tea on line.  Or you can make it yourself, as I did.  Some of the health benefits follow.

1. It is good for colds
2. Angina or heart pain
3. Nausea or motion sickness
4. Menstrual cramping(don't need that no mo!)
5. Morning sickness(don't need that either!)
6. Headaches and some migraines
7. Digestion(did I eat too many Oatmeal cookies last night?  Probably!)
8. Flu
9. Inflammation of lungs or joints
10. Fibromyalga(sp?)

These are just a few of the health benefits listed.  Remember what your mothers gave you for upset stomachs?  Ginger Ale!  Be sure to go on the Internet and check out dosages and any possible side effects, which seem to be few.  Keep in mind everyone is different and may have different reactions to different herbs or spices.

I was intending to go to a free computer class in the morning, but now there is an ozone alert up for this area, and it is gonna be hot; a little sticky around the edges.  So I guess it is inside for me accept that I need milk and the cows didn't come home.

We had a lot of rain last night.  Around four inches and broke a record.  I didn't hear it.  I was tired from my book reading marathon and went to bed early.  I got up early, made my home made Ginger Tea and went back to bed.

Tonight I really didn't want to cook so I boiled a couple eggs and made egg salad on crackers.  I still have one egg that I may eat later if I get hungry.

I am thinking that Saturday might be my last blog on Facbook.  No one is reading it, therefore it is wasted time and effort.  I will still blog, but not on Facebook.

END

YARD CORN

I mowed the front yard today.  There was corn growing in the front lawn.  The man  across the street feeds the squirrels  and they carry it over here  and drop the kernels in the grass.  As I haven't mowed the front in a couple weeks the corn grew very fast and about a foot tall.  If I had planted corn in the garden it would never have taken off like that!

I went out and dug up a few more small potatoes; enough for a meal, and got some meat out of the freezer to thaw out.  That was supper and it was good.  The Lord said "Feed my sheep," so I did.   Baaaah.

I put the tired, blemished, old potatoes into a box this afternoon and covered them with green grass clippings.  I wonder how they will do.  I tried growing potatoes in a bucket last year, but had pretty poor results...and I was very attentive to them

Wonder of wonders!  There are real blossoms on the tomatoes and some coming on the pepper plant.  It is so late.  I won't have enough to can so I will have to hit the Farmer's Market.  At least I should get some for the table.

The Pear tree has a few pears on it, but they look small.  We had some late frost so there are only a few pears on one side.  The Plum tree is crazy, dropping half ripe plums on the ground every time the wind blows.  The ground is covered with half ripe plums covered with ants and flies.  Makes me mad that all that fruit is going to waste.

I finished reading the book I mentioned  yesterday.  It made me cry toward the end.  I definitely cleared out my tear ducts and sinuses.  It was a most improbable story, but a good tale in all.  Since I stayed up until 4 Am to finish the book, worked a little and now have a full tummy, I guess I will take my self off to bed.  No books tonight, good or otherwise.

END

HARDLY WORKING

This  afternoon I made a pasta salad using the tomatoes I bought yesterday and some of the burp-less cucumber.  It seems to be as they say...burp-less cucumbers.  These Asian Cucumbers are very long, probably a foot long or more, solid and tasty.  I think just a few of these plants would produce a lot of cucumbers.  If...and I say if, I will plant some next year...if I plant.

I tossed out a few bad potatoes and they may be developing roots.  If they do I will put them in an old cardboard box, cover them, and see if they grow. If they start to grow and the season gets late, well, I have enough old windows in storage to make a little greenhouse for them.  The potatoes in the picture are the ones I dug up last week.  Of course, they are gone now, along with a nice juicy steak.

The book I am reading right now is THE ACCIDENTAL POPE.  It is a little far-fetched and highly improbable, but it is entertaining.  It is about an ex-priest, widower with children who "accidentally" becomes nominated to the Papacy.  It is a little dated, but at the same time it is timeless as history does repeat itself.  It is an interesting novel in the light of human foibles and errors.

I bought a one gallon jug of Dawn Detergent they other day.  It is slightly cheaper by buying it by the jug.  I then pour it into the smaller, empty Dawn bottle and set the big jug aside.  I may save about 20 cents, but I am more interested in saving time and trips to the store.

I have not bought bathroom tissue in months, but I have opened my last package, so it is time to start stocking up again.  I will not want to go out in the winter time.  I hope to start my re-stocking next month.

I guess tomorrow I will try to get the "lead out" and  get busy.  When I have a good book, all else fails.  Life takes a swing to the rear and I sit on my rear and read.  LOL!

 END

Lazy Me

I needed to go to the library today to return some books as they were due today.  On the way I stopped at the Farmers Market and bought a few tomatoes for a salad.  They had long Asian cucumbers that are supposed to be "burp less."  I bought one to try out.  The lady at the booth said they had put out over 500 tomato plants this spring-that is a lot!

I checked my tomato plants and I think I see a few blossoms.  The pepper plants may be having a few blossoms, too.  As I went to close my back door this evening I spotted a fat rabbit right in the middle of the back yard.  Lucky rabbit.  Can't fire a gun in town.

I didn't do much today other than vegetate near the A/C.  Tomorrow I need to get busy.  The humidity is still high.

I am happy with how much better my old Dell Computer is doing.  It took some time to scan, clean, defrag and get rid of old, unused programs, but it is worth the effort.  I have a few things that I wish to keep on the old workhorse Dell, that I don't want on this little laptop.  The Dell was a used machine/tower when I got it.  I think it may have been an office computer from the looks of some of the stuff I got rid of. 

The library is giving a bunch of free computer courses on Saturday.  I think I might sign up to learn how to use flash drives and memory sticks.  The more you learn, the more you know.  Not that I don't know, but I can fine tune my understanding.

There isn't much going on, so I guess I will go back to my book.  I went back to reading as the eye Dr. says it makes no difference.  So says he.  Anyway, what does he know...he's only a Doctor.

END

This is a happy cat.  It is not the stray that lives under my old motor home, but looks just like it except the cat that likes my front porch, the shade of the vehicle, and the birds it tries to catch, is a very thin cat.  Today that cat is a little happier.  I gave it an almost full can of spam.  The cat ate until I thought it would burst.

I have mentioned before that that cats are frequently abandoned from renters and the section 8 housing around the corner.  At one time I bought cat food for the few cats that showed up on my property.  Now, I put out what I have and Spam is what was in the refrigerator.   I don't like Spam, but once in a while I will open a can if I don't want to cook.  The cat loved the Spam and to my mind it is the next best thing to cat food.  Spam is like offal...er...I mean awful.  If you knew what it was made of and how it was made...you would call it offal, too.  I will eat it rather than starve.

We got a lot of rain.  It started getting dark Sunday afternoon and then the wind began to stir.  Around 6 PM the rains came.  It was not a violent storm, but the rain a good soaker.  It rained on and off through the night and into this morning.  It cooled down to 68 degrees overnight.  It isn't all that hot today, but oh, is it humid.  One good thing about the rain and humidity is that it will dampen the fireworks  and drinking a little bit.  It looks like rain for most of the week and hotalot-a new word for-hot a lot.

I spent a few hours cleaning up my old Dell computer by defragging, correcting errors, and registry errors.  Hope to have it as a backup for a long time "though it is a bit slow.  Even the speed is better now.

The cat didn't come back to finish what was left of its spam dinner.  It is probably sleeping it off somewhere.  Drunk on Spam?

I didn't work outside at all.  The ground is wet.  The woman next door mowed her wet grass; a good way to clog a mower.  Well, she didn't need to mow much as her back yard is about the size of a small drive way.  I doubt that you could park two cars there,  They also have  long access area that they use as a dog run.  It could be used as an off street parking driveway. The grass there is getting high and needs to be cut.  You can't buy a house here unless it has an access to the back ally because that is where the trash pick up takes place.  Or it is all over the place due to stray cats.  Cats gotta eat, too!

END



ARE WE TIRED YET?

Are we tired?  Indeed, I am.  I told myself I wouldn't work too hard out in the heat.  Sometimes I lie to myself.

I worked all morning and into the afternoon getting the mower to co-operate according to my wishes.  I took some of it apart, semi-cleaned the carburetor, cleaned the spark plug and replaced the air filter.  I put it back together around 2 in the afternoon and it started.  So, me and the mower took off together, down one side and up another.  I was making hay while I could!

I can not work very long in this heat.  I mowed a couple rows and than I would sit and drink water.  I probably creanated all my cells because I drank at least a qt. of H2O  I lost track.  I drank a lot of water.  And I ate 2 candy bars.  I am not very worried about the calories.  I think I burned and sweat it all off

I didn't get everything done, but I did get the back yard mowed.  Usually, on a Sunday I don't look for much work, but tomorrow may be an exception.  Things do get behind when you spend several hours doing stuff you hadn't counted on.  The front yard is not done and is looking tacky.  I may try to get that done in the afternoon, after the church up the street lets out.  I need to trim, but I will let that go a couple days.

My cloths are all stinky.  They are in the washer soaking, including my shoes-old joggers that have turned green.  I will run them through after this posting. 

That pretty much sums up my day, other than getting grease under my nails, and getting funny looks from the guy across the alley.  He is probably saying to himself, "What does she think she's doing?  Well, I did what I had to do; get that mower going and cutting.  I hope it continues to run.

The fourth of July would be my father's birthday.  He was born on the fourth in 1910.  I think he was one of 13, but I don't remember.

END

GOOD, BETTER AND EVEN "GOODER!"

I have stayed inside this day, for the most part.  Other than taking my check to the bank and then going to pay my insurance, I have stayed close to the A/C.  My check went to the bank and then into the account of Big Insurance Business...nearly $500.00.  I won't be going out to eat anytime soon.

I cooked a really good supper.  I had new potatoes fresh from "home grown" dirt.  You can really taste the difference.  No chemicals and they haven't been bagged up and sitting in a warehouse somewhere, for who knows how long.   Commercial potatoes are treated so they will not sprout while in storage and keep longer. (Yum, yum, nice delicious, chewy chemicals.)  Also, for my supper, nice carrots(didn't grow them) and a nice sized steak. So you see, 'though I ain't got no money...I won't starve.

The onions that I planted...put into the ground...have been tampered with.  Either a cat, a Grackle or a squirrel, has pulled them up.  I doubt that they will live.  A Crackle will pull an entire tomato plant right out of the ground. Then there are the wild "wabbits" that live under the shed.  Could it be that anyone or all of these pesty critters don't like the taste of onions?

Yesterday I had a severe cramp in my right hand...claw like, and later a nerve jumping in my forearm, just below where I have all those pins, plates and screws.  As I never had such a cramp in that arm before I have chalked it up to dehydration, esp. since I felt slightly sickish and did today, also.  I got up in the night and drank a glass of water with salt in it.  So...I put off working in the heat today.

I didn't sleep well last night so I took a nap this afternoon and slept a couple hours. Now I feel good, esp. after that good supper.  You know tatters are really good for you because they have all that natural potassium within...and a little salt and butter on them makes them even "gooder!" 

I spent a little time cleaning the kitchen some more before my next round of canning.  I sure can make a mess.  Now I am good to go for the next round of "stocking up" of whatever that may be.

END