Expensive to Eat

I want to prepare better, tastier, and most especially healthier meals for myself.  As I grow older and hopefully wiser, I see the importance of eating a healthier, more sensible diet than what I have done in the past.  My body needs to be properly nourished in order to regain and maintain good health, so it must be fed good food.  I have always given my vehicles the care they need to run well and long, and I have always made sure I took good care of my animals, feeding them only the best of what they need to be healthy and happy, yet I have not followed through with this type of care & treatment to my own body.  It is time to smarten up and take better care of me!  This being said, it is really a huge challenge to do so.  I look at recipes for good, health filled meals, and there are many ingredients I have never heard of before, or there are ingredients I know well, but can only purchase in larger quantities than I need for the recipe and I know the rest of it will go bad before I get the chance to use it up.  For example, 1 tsp. of fresh cilantro, finely chopped.... I have to buy a full bunch of cilantro and the teaspoon of it for the recipe is only a small amount of what is there so the rest of it would go in the garbage before I could use it for another recipe some time down the road. A recipe calling for 2 stalks of celery leaves the rest of the head of celery to rot, unless one can use it up in some way.  I enjoy eating celery raw and I know it's good for me, yet I alone can only eat so much of it.  Being a single person really makes meal preparations a challenge compared to having a full family that would eat up the meal so much faster and therefore require many more meals to be cooked, and the ingredients to be used up much more quickly.  Being a single person, it is almost as expensive to live as it is for a family of 4, when you consider rent or mortgage has to be paid for 1 or for a family.... hydro, heat, phone, etc etc all have to be paid for 1 or for an entire family, then the food comes to nearly as much money, but the family eats it and the single person tosses a lot more into the garbage or, as in my case, the compost pile.

Signing In

I've been having a real challenge getting into this blog account lately.  Finally I get in, but it is only after a great deal of fiddling around and over coming problems.  I sure wish it would quit doing all this and become easy to sign in to again like it once was.  I am grateful to have this free blog space, so I do thank the people at Blogspot for it, and I thank them for whatever they can do to make logging in here go more smoothly.

Wireless World

Some time ago I bought a Lexmark printer for my computer. It was an All-In-One printer, copier, scanner and for being an inexpensive printer I found it worked very well. In fact, it still works just fine.  In the past, I have found that when I put in a new ink cartridge in a printer it often does not work due to the ink jets drying out and consequently plugging up.  This doesn't usually do this with the black ink, but does with the color ink.  This, I figure, is due to the fact that I don't use my printer often enough and when I do use it, it is usually black ink rather than colors that get used.  This leaves the ink sitting for too long at a time, so they dry up.  With Christmas coming up, I thought I might like to do up some nice letters to friends and mail them out. I feel these look so much nicer if the text is in black and it has some graphics/clipart in colors, rather than having just a plane black on white letter.  Hey, it's a Christmas letter, it should be bright a jolly!! haha.  I didn't think anyone I know would like to trade printers with me, my old one for their newer, working better one, and I saw a cordless printer in the WalMart sale flyer, so I ended up going and buying one of those for myself. This was a few weeks ago and still I have not even opened the box.  I guess this is what they call an impulse buy, something I really didn't need, it just seemed like a good idea at the time.  Oh well, one of these days I will open the box, take out the printer, and figure out how to use it. It will be nice to be able to print something without having to take my laptop over to the desk and plug it in to the printer, I will be able to just sit here in my chair with my beautiful cat curled up beside me, and send the job to the printer wirelessly.  Or at least that is the way I think it's supposed to work.

Humor.... or Humour, depending which country you live in

These are just too priceless and great, clean British humor.  Another email for me to share with you.

BRITISH HUMOUR IS DELIGHTFULLY DIFFERENT from what we have here in Canada, and to me both are great.

These are classified ads, which were actually placed in U.K. Newspapers:
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FREE YORKSHIRE TERRIER.
8 years old, Hateful little bastard. Bites!

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FREE PUPPIES
1/2 Cocker Spaniel, 1/2 sneaky neighbor's dog.

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FREE PUPPIES. Mother is a Kennel Club registered German Shepherd.
Father is a Super Dog, able to leap tall fences in a single bound.

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COWS, CALVES - NEVER BEEN BRED.
Also 1 gay bull for sale.

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JOINING NUDIST COLONY!
Must sell washer and dryer £100.

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WEDDING DRESS FOR SALE.
Worn once by mistake.
Call Stephanie.

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FOR SALE BY OWNER. Complete set of Encyclopedia Britannica, 45 volumes.
Excellent condition, £200 or best offer.
No longer needed, got married, wife knows everything.

(Statement of the Century)

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Thought from the Greatest Living Modern, humorous Scottish Thinker - Billy Connolly.

"If women are so bloody perfect at multitasking, how come they can't have a headache and sex at the same time?"

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Children Are Quick

TEACHER: Why are you late?
STUDENT: Class started before I got here.

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TEACHER: John, why are you doing your maths multiplication on the floor?
JOHN: You told me to do it without using tables.

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TEACHER: Glenn, how do you spell 'crocodile?'
GLENN: K-R-O-K-O-D-I-A-L'
TEACHER: No, that's wrong.
GLENN: Maybe it is wrong, but you asked me how I spell it.

(I Love this child)

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TEACHER: Donald, what is the chemical formula for water?
DONALD: H I J K L M N O.
TEACHER: What are you talking about?
DONALD: Yesterday you said it's H to O.

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TEACHER: Winnie, name one important thing we have today that we didn't have ten years ago.
WINNIE: Me!

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TEACHER: to little Freddy, why do you always get so dirty?
GLEN: Well, I'm a lot closer to the ground than you are Sir.

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TEACHER: George Washington not only chopped down his father's cherry tree, but also admitted it. Now, Louie, do you know why his father didn't punish him?
LOUIS: Because George still had the axe in his hand?

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TEACHER: Now, Simon , tell me frankly, do you say prayers before eating?
SIMON: No sir, I don't have to, my Mom is a good cook.

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TEACHER: Clyde , your composition on 'My Dog' is exactly the same as your brother's.. Did you copy his?
CLYDE : No, sir. It's the same dog.

(I want to adopt this kid!!!)

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TEACHER: Harold, what do you call a person who keeps on talking when people are no longer interested?
HAROLD: A teacher

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Due to current economic conditions 

the light at the end of the tunnel has been turned off.

Mewsic & Daisy Rock

When I feel down, or when I want to get extra house work done,  I find it helps a lot to crank up the stereo and listen to some good music.  Usually something fast, like Country Rock or Classic Rock is what I love to listen to and to 'bop' to.  I also like to play with my animals to give my mood that little extra 'up'.  Music and animals both always add to my day in so many ways.  I named my cat Mewsic, a reflection on my enjoyment of listening to and singing along with good tunes, as well as that I love the sound of the mews and purrs she makes.... "My cat's purrs are Mewsic to my ears!!"   One of my Chinchillas is named Daisy and I like to sometimes call her Daisy Rock!  She is a real solid in my life and she is so cute and loving .  This little creature really "rocks" in my opinion.   Okay, so maybe I have a strange sense of humor, but I think that also adds joy to my life.  Laughter is so healing as is Love of animals and humans.

B.I.T.C.H.

B.I.T.C.H.

Beautiful

Intelligent

Totally in

Control of

Herself 

 

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 Brilliant

Independent

Talented  

Confident

Heavenly

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Blogging

Information,

 Teaching

Creatively and

Harmoniously

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 Just a few 'creative' ideas. 

 I'm sure you can come up with some more.

 

How to be a Gracious Bitch

Jennifer's wedding day was fast approaching. Nothing could dampen her excitement - not even her parent's nasty divorce. Her mother had found the PERFECT dress to wear, and would be the best-dressed mother-of-the-bride ever!

A week later, Jennifer was horrified to learn that her father's new, young wife had bought the exact same dress as her mother! Jennifer asked her father's new young wife to exchange it, but she refused. ''Absolutely not! I look like a million bucks in this dress, and I'm wearing it,'' she replied.

Jennifer told her mother who graciously said, ''Never mind sweetheart. I'll get another dress. After all, it's your special day.''

A few days later, they went shopping, and did find another gorgeous dress for her mother.  When they stopped for lunch, Jennifer asked her mother, ''Aren't you going to return the other dress? You really don't have another occasion where you could wear it."

Her mother just smiled and replied, ''Of course I do, dear.....I'm wearing it to the rehearsal dinner the night BEFORE the wedding.''

"Itis" Issues

In January 2012, I got bronchitis for the first time in a very long time. It's been more than 15 years since I last had a cold or flu so I was very surprised to suddenly be sick and diagnosed with bronchitis. I took antibiotics and in a short time I was well again.

Summer rolled around and all was great, then one night riding my trike home I noticed I had a bit or a sore throat.  I didn't worry about it, figuring it would be gone by morning.  The next morning it was way worse and my voice was barely working so I had to cancel plans to ride with the Lone Wolves as it was to be a very long ride that day.  As the day progressed I decided to go to the 'walk-in' medical clinic and have it checked out.  I was told I had viral laryngitis and that it would go away on its own in 2 to 3 days.  Over the next couple days I got feeling worse and went back to the 'walk-in' clinic. This time I was told I had also developed sinusitis and though I insisted I also had bronchitis, the doctor said there was nothing in my chest, the phlegm I was coughing up was from the sinuses draining down my throat. He said I would get better without drugs, that I didn't need antibiotics.  While it was wonderful to see a doctor who was not trying to push drugs on me for any little thing, in this case I felt I did need antibiotics since I knew he was wrong with the diagnosis.  The next day I got into see my own doctor. It usually takes nearly a week to get in so is the reason I often go to the 'walk-in' instead. This time I was pleasantly surprised and was fit in the same day. I was diagnosed with sinusitis AND bronchitis, by this time the laryngitis was mostly gone and no longer an issue.  I was sent for chest x-rays and given very strong antibiotics. About a week later I was phoned and asked to come in for a follow up visit, I did and he found I still had the rattle in my chest so I was given another go around of drugs and sent for a second chest x-ray.  In time I did recover.

Here it is November and once again I have sinusitis and laryngitis!!!  I've been home sick for several days now and on antibiotics for 2 or 3 days now as well as rinsing out my sinuses regularly with a Neti pot.  For some reason this time is taking a lot more out of me as far as strength goes.  I feel much more weakened by it than before.  Maybe that has something to do with the fact I've been staying home rather than continuing to be out and about while sick. 

It has been challenging to breath, feeling like I have a heavy weight on my chest and I go into nasty fits of coughing and usually hack up big gobs of phlegm.  The other 2 times, there were flecks of blood in the phlegm, though this time there has been very little of that. There has  been lots of blood in the phlegm/mucus from my nose, though. Thankfully this is showing signs of improvement.

Well, it's way past time for me to go rinse out my sinuses again, feed/water animals, and be off to bed.

Wishing you all good health!!

Drinking and Driving

I would like to share an experience with you about drinking and driving.

As you well know, some of us have been lucky not to have had brushes with the authorities on our way home from various social sessions over the years.

A couple of nights ago, I was out for a few drinks with some friends and had a few too many beers and then topped it off with a margarita. Not a good idea.

Knowing full well I was at least slightly over the limit, I did something I've never done before: I took a taxi home.

Sure enough I passed a police road block but because it was a taxi, they waved it past.

I arrived home safely without incident, which was a real surprise.

I have never driven a taxi before and am not sure where I got it. 

Okay, so it was a joke I got in an email.  It was funny so I thought I would share it!! Hope you got a chuckle out of it.  Seriously, though, if you are going out drinking, please do not drive home, get a ride with a sober driver.  You might save some lives!!

My Life as of Late

Most of the time I am out and about, being social, doing things, going places, seeing people.  It is rare that I stay home much at all and when I do feel like I need to stay home to 'recharge my batteries', it's only for 1 - 2 days, then I get 'cabin fever' and feel like I must get out of here or go crazy!!  Well, for some strange reason, for the last week or two I have been just staying home, sitting in my big chair all day every day and halfway into the night just playing Spider Solitaire, game after game after game. I am happy to say that I am getting very tired of the game as I got very tired of MahJong after playing so much of it for so long, and Solitaire before that. I really must stop sitting here playing stupid games on the computer (something I never used to do) and get back to being more active. I know that this is not good for my mental or physical health to just sit here like this. I`m sure that, like all other things, this too shall pass.... I just hope it passes quickly and I get back into enjoying a much more active life style.

Do You Have Small Children???

  (Anyone who has ever dressed a child will love this)

   

Did you hear about the teacher who was helping one of her class pupils put on his boots?  He asked for help and she could see why. Even with her pulling and him pushing, the little boots still didn't want to go on. By the time they got the second boot on, she had worked up a sweat. She almost cried when the little boy said, 'Teacher, they're on  the wrong feet. She looked, and sure enough, they were.

 

It wasn't any easier pulling the boots off than it was putting them on.   She managed to keep her cool as, together, they worked to get the boots back on, this time on the correct feet.

He then announced, 'These aren't my boots.'

She bit her tongue, rather than get right in his face and scream,  'Why didn't you say so?' like she wanted to.
 

Once again she struggled to help him pull the ill-fitting boots off his little feet. No sooner had they gotten the boots off when he said, 'They're my brother's boots. My Mum made me wear 'em.'
 

Now she didn't know if she should laugh or cry. But she mustered up what grace and courage she had left to wrestle the boots on his feet again. 

 

Helping him into his coat, she asked, 'Now, where are your mittens?'
 

He said, 'I stuffed 'em in the toes of my boots.'
 

She will be eligible for parole in three years.

Volunteering at the Food Bank

The last while I've been working more in the back at the Food Bank than I was previously.  When I first started doing volunteer work at the Food Bank, I worked exclusively in the kitchen area where we portion out food that comes in large quantities and has to be put into smaller containers to be given out to the needy. After awhile, though I was still portioning, I did some work sorting food items that were donated as this all has to be sorted to be put away where it belongs on the shelves.  This led
helping to put together the food hampers that are given out to people. Eventually, I started working at the front desk answering phones, making appointments, dealing with people that come in, and doing various small jobs on the computers. I also became the 'filing girl', doing all the filing of time sheets and other things that need to be filed.  This latter is something I just do about once a month as it can pile up and still only take me an hour or two to get it all filed alphabetically.  The gal that used to work in the back doing the food hampers isn't there any more, she had some health issues and had to leave. This has left us short handed, leaving Ron to do the hampers all by himself as well as the several other jobs he has to do.  Because of this, I have been working mostly in the back again, doing hampers, sorting when needed, restocking shelves, etc.  I also still do the filing.  For the most part, I drop in whenever I am in town and have a few hours of my time to give, though I do sometimes put my name down on the employee attendance calendar, indicating when I will be there to work.  I like to be free and uncommitted during motorcycle riding season, although now with the summer behind us, I will most likely settle down a bit and commit to a specific day each week when I will be there, as well as drop in for another day if I happen to have to opportunity.  Some of my friends doing see why I work for free, but I really enjoy my time at the Salvation Army Food Bank and I have no plans to stop working there any time in the foreseeable future.  I have formed new and wonderful friendships with people I work with there, we have a lot of fun and do a lot of laughing while working at doing something important.... feeding the needy.

“We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.”
― Winston Churchill

 “I slept and I dreamed that life is all joy. I woke and I saw that life is all service. I served and I saw that service is joy.”
― Kahlil Gibran

 “For it is in giving that we receive.”
― St. Francis of Assisi

“As we work to create light for others, we naturally light our own way.”
― Mary Anne Radmacher

“The only gift I have to give, is the ability to receive. If giving is a gift, and it surely is, then my gift to you is to allow you to give to me. 
”
― Jarod Kintz