Gifts For The Baby

At Pat's Gift Gallery you are sure to find just that right gift for the upcoming baby shower, or welcome home gift. One gift that is sure to please is my one-of-a-kind Snugglie. A snugglie is today's version of the old fashion security blanket, which I am sure all of us are familiar with. My grandson, when he was 3 years old, was going to pre-school and he needed a blanket so I made him one so he would feel like he had a piece of home with him. That is how the Snugglie came to be.

These Snugglies are one-of-a-kind because you, the customer, chooses what the front of the blanket will be and I will coordinate the flannel back to match. Please specify the type of front cover you would like. For example, if you want teddy bears I will find you material with teddy bears. There are three sizes to choose from so even the older brother or sister can have their very own. They are machine washable and then thrown in the dryer. These pictures are of my grandson's Snugglies and the Spider Man one is approximately 3 years old and still in great shape. The pirate one fits on the top of his twin bed.

Please allow 2 weeks as they are all made when ordered. I do ask that you put a 50% deposit when ordering with the balance paid before it is shipped. Shipping will be determined by the weight of the package and destination. I will email you a picture of the Snugglie when it is finished and if not satisfied, I will refund your deposit via money order. I accept paypal and money orders.

The sizes and prices are as follows:

Small--$14.95 (approx. 31" long and either 31" or 41" wide)

Medium--$24.95 (approx. 50" long and either 31" or 41" wide)

Large--$34.95 (approx. 68" long and either 31" or 41" wide)

(seam allowance was figured into the sizes)

Kid's way to eat a chili dog

Kids, and even some adults, have trouble eating a chili dog especially if you have no buns and you have to use bread. You fix your chili dog, take a bite and the hot dog slides out the end of the bread and leaves you with a chili mess. I have come up with a way to take care of that problem.

After fixing the hot dogs and warming the chili sauce, take a hot dog and place it on a plate. Cut the hot dog in small bite size pieces, add your chili sauce and if you desire, add shredded cheese or a slice of cheese cut up. Mix it up and if you want, microwave it for a few seconds to melt the cheese. Next tear up a slice of bread and mix it in with the chili dog. Grab you a fork, eat and enjoy a chili dog without all the mess.

I'm Back!

I know it has been awhile since I have been here to post but things have been so hectic in my life the past several months that I have not really had time to be online. I hope that all my friends are doing well and are having much success in what endeavers they are doing.

I have gotten my online store up and running but that is all it is doing....running. So far no customers. Plenty of lookers but no buyers. I know that it takes time to get customers so I am trying to be patient. If anyone would like to take a look, it is www.freewebs.com/patsgiftgallery. I am open to any and all suggestions to make it more successful.

Have a great Sunday and I will try not to be such a stranger.(lol)

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Grand Opening!

Yes, I am just about ready for the Grand Opening of Pat's Gift Gallery! I am so excited. I cannot believe that I am just about ready to reveal my first attempt at opening an online gift gallery featuring my Snugglies and hemp necklaces, bracelets and anklets. I got my camera yesterday. It is a real nice Kodak camera. Now I just have to take pictures and post them online. My husband has been writing all these designs down on paper and I have been trying to make them. I must admit he has more designs that I have had time to make.(lol) I bought some genuine hemp in 9 different colors plus a lot of pendants and beads and he is having so much fun figuring out what goes with what. I have offered to teach him how to make the hemp jewelry but he refuses to learn. He says he likes to design them but it is up to me to make them. I just finished my grandson a Snugglie with a pirate theme. It is black with with pirate skulls on it. It fits the top of his twin bed. Man, that was a job to finish. First big one I have every made.
Hopefully I will be up and online by Friday March 7th. I will keep you posted. Well, it is about time for me to get ready to go to work. Yeah, it is Sunday but when you work in a restaurant you work whenever. I am lucky that I get Saturday off.
Until next time.

Good Morning

I know that I have been MIA for quite awhile but I have been so busy trying to to get my new online business up and ready to go that I haven't had the time to blog. Well, there went my good intentions to blog for 365 days. Yesterday I got a lot of my jewelry supplies in and it was like Christmas morning for me. Lots and lots of new gemstones, hemp and other supplies to make earrings. I also went to WalMart and got some material to make snugglies and wall hangings. I must tell you, WalMart is really getting bad on having any kind of fabric department. In our home town store they want to actually do away with the fabric and craft section. Guess we will have to drive about 15 miles to the next nearest WalMart if I need anything.

I know that this is not a very interesting post but I just wanted to let everyone know that I am still here but very busy. Have a great day.

Busy, Busy, Busy!!!

Due to this crazy Indiana weather, school was out for two days so I had a very active 5 year old grandson under foot. He only goes 1/2 days so I had to cram a lot into one day because I played hooky on Valentine's day. My husband and I went to Hobby Lobby and spent about an hour looking at beads and making creations up in our heads. They had a 50% off sale on beads so we took advantage of it. We then went to White Castle for our Valentine lunch. Not a very romantic place but we love them "sliders". Friday I was cramming a week of house work into one day plus I had to go to work that evening at 4 so I didn't even get a chance to get on the computer. Saturday my son took us out for supper and he tried to teach his nephew how to use chop sticks. That was a funny site. He finally gave up and used one to just stab his food. Then he tried to pick up a cube of jello with them and they kept flopping back into the bowl. We laughed until our sides hurt. Since we were around Hobby Lobby we went back and bought some more beads because we didn't know when they would offer the 50% off again. Now it is Sunday and I have to go into work at 6 pm. My next day off is Friday, which is my granddaughters 1st birthday. Hopefully this week my grandson will go to school every day so I can get some housework and computer work done. I have to make a snugglie sometime this week for my granddaughter. It has teddy bears on the front with a light purple flannel back. I am getting ready to make my grandson one that has skeleton pirate heads on it. He loves pirates. Hope everyone has had a great weekend.

It's Happening!

Got my list all ready to go and all I have to do is wait for our taxes to come back, which should be next week. My husband has been giving me design ideas which helps me out a lot. I just hope I have the time to get it all done.(lol) I am getting more and more excited each day. I bet I check the jewelry catalog at least once a day, and each time I do, I find more stuff that I want. I told my husband that he is going to have to hide those from me before I buy every thing in the catalog.(lol) Even my 5 year old grandson is looking thru the catlogs and showing me what he likes. When he gets older I am going to get him into making hemp necklaces with me. That would be nice. I sort of feel like a kid does at Christmas. The anticipation of opening that first gift.(lol)

Right now I am enjoying the peace and quiet. My grandson is taking a bath, which he loves. He can stay in there an hour at a time just playing with his toys, especially his boats and pirates. He pretends they are on the high seas. They are so precious at that age. What his mom and dad are missing out on...but that is their loss and our gain.

Until tomorrow.....

Gearing Up For Another Storm

Well, they are calling for another winter storm but hopefully this one will pass us by just like the last one did. According to the weather channel we may get snow followed by sleet and freezing rain. A general all around mess. Hopefully if we get this mess it will wait until I get home from work tonight. I want to just sit inside and watch it, not drive in it.

Been busy getting a supply list together for my new site. I am really getting excited and want to get started making designs. My husband cannot make the necklaces but he is giving me a lot of encouragement and design ideas. My fellow sisters at MUIB are also giving me suggestions as to what I should add to my site and I really appreciate all the ideas and suggestions. Now I just have to get all the supplies and find time to make it. Guess my computer play time will be limited.(lol) Hopefully it will be worth it. I know that it is going to take time to see a profit and that you have to spend money to make money. Will keep you updated on my progress.

Well, my grandson is ready to eat lunch, then I have to get ready to go to work. Another long day making sandwiches. At times I get so tired of looking at hamburgers and chicken I could scream. But I really like my job and most of the people that I work with. I usually work from 4 pm to midnight, when we close and I am not really fond of those hours but they work out for me right now. Hopefully when school starts next year I can find a day shift job, maybe working in the school system some where.

If it is cold where you are and you are slated to get some of this bad weather, try to stay warm and be safe on the roads if you go out.

Happy Cold Sunday

Yesterday it was windy and in the 40's. Today I wake up, go outside to feed the dogs and the bottom has dropped out of the thermometer. It is in the teens and feels like 1 degree. BRRRRRRRRR. And we are getting ready for an icy mix to come in on Tuesday, maybe even some snow showers before. Why in the world can't it do all this when I am off work? (lol) I don't mind the snow but hate the ice. At least with snow you have some traction but with ice you are s**t out of luck. I hate to ice skate in a car.(lol) We live in out of town in a small subdivision that does not clean the roads and there are small hills and curves before I get to my road. Looking forward to that drive come Tuesday. Maybe I can look online and find some kind of dance that will chase that storm away and bring in spring.(lol)

Peace and quiet is shattered. My grandson was taking a bath and playing pirate in the tub and he wants out so I guess I will say until later....

Grocery Shopping With A 5 Year Old!

Today my husband, my 5 year old grandson and I went out to eat supper. On the way to the restaurant my grandson said that his tummy was growling and he needed to feed it. About every 5 minutes he was asking if we were almost there. I should have realized that was a clue as to how he was going to act at the store...very talkative and antsy. Well we got to the restaurant, he got himself some mashed potatoes and mac and cheese, nothing else. He ate half it and said he was full and wanted dessert. They even had cheese pizza but he didn't want it. After we left the restaurant we went to the grocery. In the first store he talked the whole time and wanted to know when we were going to WalMart because he wanted a toy. Got to WalMart and he was anxious for us to finish shopping so we could go to toys because he didn't want them to run out of toys. And this is from a kid who got a lot of nice things at Christmas. So we finally get to the toy section and he finds a pirate ship he wants. Into the basket it went. Then I had to get some material to make my granddaughter a snugglie for her first birthday. I got her teddy bear material for the front and purple flannel for the back. Now I just have to get it done before Feb 22nd.(lol) By this time Mr. Antsy was ready to go. He wanted to go home and play. He is now in the tub, very quiet, and playing with his pirate ship. Thank goodness for a few minutes of peace and quiet.

My dream is finally starting to happen

I was skeptical about ever seeing my dream of having an online website to sell my hemp necklaces and snugglies ever becoming a reality but I think it is really going to happen. I have started a web site at freewebs but it is still under construction, so to speak. Hopefully by the end of March I will be ready to have a grand opening. I use to sew and make hemp necklaces but it sort of fell by the way side a year ago so now I have to start over with buying supplies and making the items so I can take pictures and put them on my web site. I know that snugglies and hemp necklaces are not go to be enough so I am venturing out into the field of making earrings and sewn wall hangings. Just hope I am not biting off more than I can chew.(lol). Wish me luck.

When I get my website up and running you will be able to view all the jewels I am using and also my creations.

Happy Tuesday!

You know, I am not even sure why I said happy Tuesday because it is a dreary rainy morning. I guess it is because I am happy to be alive and kicking...but not too high. I might fall and break a hip.(lol) I cannot believe it is the first week of February and we are having thunderstorms and warm temperatures. I even had my window down when I came home from work last night at 11 pm. I was under the impression that February was a winter month with cold and snow. But I am not complaining. I will take rain and warm temperatures over cold and snow any day. I guess Ms. Spring is teasing us and giving Mr. Winter a break. Probably get a hum dinger of a snow storm before Mr. Winter leaves.

I really need to get off the computer and get some laundry done and last night's dishes done but being on the computer so a lot more fun so I guess I will enjoy a second cup of coffee and play on the computer for a while longer.

Have a great day.

I was tagged by Marla at http://marlasfunspot.blog.com

Here's how you play: once you've been tagged you have to write a blog with 4 random facts, habits or goals about yourself. At the end choose 4 people to be tagged; list their names and why you tagged them. Don't forget to leave them a comment saying "you're it!" and to go read your blog. You cannot tag the person that tagged you, so since you can't tag me back let me know when you are done so that I can go read your blog answers.

1. My goal for 2008 is to open an online store featuring my sewing and jewelry crafts.
2. I am a chocolate and peanut butter fanatic.
3. I chew my nails.
4. At one time I wanted to move to Gatlinburg, TN and live.

Now I am going to tag these four friends of mine:
Marlee, Jenn, Christi, LibAnn

Old Man Winter Is Getting Ready To Rear His Ugly Head

Yep! We are under a "Winter Storm Warning" from 7pm tonight until 7 pm tomorrow. When I came in from work it was just a watch but they upgraded it to a warning. Rain, sleet, ice and snow....3-5 inches. YUK!!!! I have to work until 11 pm tonight so hopefully it won't be to bad. If it is, I'll just inch my way home...all 6 miles of it. I am off Friday so I can just sit inside and watch the snow. On Wednesday we had a wide array of weather, from rain to snow, including a tornado sighting and touch down in a small town about 10 miles from where I live. Went to work at 4 pm and it was in the lower 50's and when I left work around 12:45 am it was in the teens with a wind chill of minus 3 and snow flurries. See...I told you that Indiana weather was weird.

Update on my grandson: Took him to the doctor Tuesday and it turns out that he didn't have chickenpox. The rash was due to a viral infection in his body from the cold that he was getting. The doctor checked him for strep infection but luckily he didn't have that. He did have a slight weezing in his right lung so it was breathing treatments for 4 days. He is feeling better now. Today was his first day back at school. With the bitter cold I kept him home yesterday. He is feeling better because he is not as crabby and whinny as he was over the weekend.

Well I am going to take advantage of the peace and quiet and get some work done, both online and around the house. I am getting ready to start a new blog. It is called Your Sweet Tooth and will feature recipes that will satisfy that sweet tooth. You can check it out at http://your-sweet-tooth.blogspot.com

Have a great day....and try to stay warm.

Happy Wet Tuesday

Yep, it is raining here in southern IN and it is 44 degrees according to The Weather Channel. The type of day that you just want to curl up in your favorite chair with a cup of coffee, a good book and just be left alone. Unfortunately I am not going to be able to do any of that. I have to take my grandson to the doctor in just a little bit. Being of the generation where they did not have vaccines for chickenpox, I am not sure if he has them or not. When my son was little, or rather when he was a teen, he got the chickenpox I knew it because of the way he broke out. Now days they have that vaccine and while they can still get it, it is a mild case. He broke out in a rash Saturday and has a few pimple like spots but nothing major. I kept him home from preschool today just in case. I know yesterday he was super crabby. It seemed like all you had to do was look at him and he would start to whine and cry. I hate it when he feels bad. I sat and rocked him for an hour yesterday and that was nice. Being 5 years old he "thinks" he is too big to be rocked any longer but Granny thinks different.(lol)

Time to go so will catch up with you later. Have a great day!

I...........

I am in shape. Round is a shape.
I asked Mom if I was a gifted child ... she said they certainly wouldn't have paid for me.
I don't suffer from insanity. I enjoy every minute of it!
I have the body of a god ... Buddha.
I have to exercise early in the morning before my brain figures out what I'm doing.
I haven't lost my mind. It's backed up on disk somewhere.
I spend a lot of time in the "hereafter." I go somewhere for something and forget what I'm here after.
I took an IQ test and the results were negative.
I tried sniffing Coke once, but the ice cubes got stuck in my nose.
I tried to contain myself, but I escaped.
I can only please one person per day. Today is not your day. Tomorrow is not looking good either.
I can see clearly now, the brain is gone.
I finally got my head together. Now my body is falling apart.
I had to give up jogging for my health. My thighs kept rubbing together and setting my pantyhose on fire.
I hate sex in the movies. Tried it once and the seat folded up.
I just got lost in thought. It was unfamiliar territory.
I know what Victoria's Secret is. The secret is that nobody older than 30 can fit into their stuff.
I used to have a handle on life, but it broke.

If I want to hear the pitter patter of little feet, I'll put shoes on my cat.
If I want your opinion, I'll ask you to fill out the necessary forms.
If you smoke after sex, you're doing it too fast.

Have a great day and smile.

Help With Prescriptions

I know that there are a lot of people that do not have insurance, inadequate insurance, or insurance without prescription medicine coverage, especially the elderly. For some people, medicine is a necessary part of their lives and without it they could die. I know that without the help of medicaid, we could not even begin to afford my husband's medicines which are over $2,000 a month. Before medicaid we depended on his doctor having samples to give us and drug companies giving us free medicine. I belong to a wonderful group called MUIB, which I have talked about several times here. I am reading about several of them needing medicine but not able to afford it. As I have stated, I have been there and know what it is like. I do not have insurance as I work in a fast food restaurant and we are not offered insurance.

As everyone knows WalMart is now offering medicines for $4.00. Unfortunately new medicines are not on it. One thing you can do is talk to your doctor and see if there is something he can switch you to that is on the list. My father was on a high price medicine and even with his insurance it was still expensive so we talked to his doctor and he is now on one that does the same thing for $4.00. Sometimes that is all it takes.

I am including in this post several sites that you can check out to see if you qualify for help. Each site is different so please take the time to check them out. Also, if you are on insulin, you can contact Eli Lily and see if you quailfy for their program.

https://www.drugassistant.com/patients/

If you have an annual household income of less than $26,000 per year (if married) or less than $19,1490(single) you may be eligible for financial help from major drug companies.

http://www.scbn.org/

America’s leading source for help with prescription drugs.

http://www.freedrugcard.us

This is a free drug card program. You can save up to 75% on your prescriptions. You can enter your info and receive a free card to print off that is pre-activated and ready to use. THIS IS NOT INSURANCE.

http://www.freemedicinerevolution.com/

This is your permanent solutions for accessing prescription assistance and free medicine.

https://www.pparx.org/Intro.php

This site will help you find out what patience assistance programs you may quality for.

My Day!

It may only be 15 degrees outside and feels like zero, but inside our home it is warm. Not only warm from the heat but warm from the love also. My grandson and I just finished making peanut butter cookies. He tried to help me stir them up but said it was too hard and it was my job. He had to pour in the sugar and flour, and of course some landed on the counter but that was okay. At least he was trying to help. I made little balls and put them on the cookie sheet and he mashed them down with a fork. We had a lot of fun. After they were cooled, he had to take one to his Pappy and tell him to try the cookie that he made. As most of my MUIB friends know, we are raising him while mom and dad make visits and calls when it suits them. This is a moment that she should be sharing with her 5 year old son, not me. It was a "first" for him.

It irks me that more and more grandparents are raising their grandchildren than the parents are. Now I know that there are times when it has to be that way because of death of the parent(s), parent(s) is addicted to drugs and/or alcohol, abusive or whatever. But to just leave them because they don't want to raise them is bull, which is the case in our situation. But I just look at the situation and know that he is better off with us than with either parent. And his mom is pregnant again. She needs another baby like she needs a hole in the head. (lol) But we won't be raising this one because she and our grandson's dad are divorced and this baby belongs to another man. Let his family raise this one.

Sorry, didn't mean to go off on a tangent. I just get irked at the situation at times but never at my grandson or the fact that we are raising him. He is the love of our lives and we are enjoying and treasuring every moment and "first" with him. The next "first" with him will be his graduation from preschool to kindergarden. At his preschool they are planning on a little festive celebration. I think that is great. My little boy is growing up.(lol) And since his parents see and call him when it suits them, they might not get to see that "first" because it may not suit me to tell them.

Have a great day.

What's For Dinner???

The age old question. Your cabinets and freezer are full but you are still pondering what to fix for dinner. Nothing sounds good, or you just don't want to spend a lot of time cooking. Well, I have two suggestions for you.

First suggestion:

Poor man's salmon
Macaroni and cheese
Choice of vegetable

Poor man's salmon is nothing more than fried tuna patties. It tastes good without all the mess of fixing salmon. You can usually get 2-3 patties per can, so how many cans you will need depends on how many you have to feed. I use water based tuna. Drain the tuna, add 1 egg for every 3 cans you fix, add some crumbled up crackers, enough to make it easy to fix patties. Form into patties and fry until golden brown.

A quick and easy meal that will take you under an hour to fix.

Second suggestion:

Stew casserole

You can use ground beef, ground turkey, ground chicken, or left over beef. I have always made this with ground beef so I am not sure how it would taste with turkey or chicken. Again, the ingredient amounts depend on how many you are feeding and the size of casserole you want to fix. These amounts will fix a small casserole, about an 8x8 pan. You can use canned or fresh vegetables. I use canned vegetables because it takes less time to bake. If you want to use fresh and make baking time less, pre-cook your vegetables first.

Use two cans of whole potatoes, cut into hunks, two cans of carrots, and a pound of ground beef, cooked. Mix all ingredients together in a bowl with barbecue sauce, about a 1/2 cup (you can use more if you want a more barbecue taste). Put in oven proof dish, and put either biscuits or cornbread on top. Bake until topping is done in a 375 degree oven. You are not limited to carrots and potatoes. You can use whatever vegetables you want. I have not tried it this way but I guess you could you use a gravy mix instead of barbecue sauce.

Well, I hope these two suggestions makes dinner a little bit easier. Have a great day.

Blessed Sunday Morning!

Hope where you are the weather is sunny and warm. Here in southern IN it is sunny but COLD. It is 7 degrees but feels like -3 degrees. That's okay because I am inside where it is nice and warm. I hope everyone's weekend has been going well and everyone that has been sick or had sick kids are on the mend.

Embarrassing Pregnancy Symptoms

Everyone that is pregnant or has been pregnant knows about these embarrassing pregnancy symptoms. And if you are not pregnant but thinking about getting pregnant, then you will be knowledgeable and know what to expect. I would also print this out and hang it on the ‘fridge so if anyone complains about any of these symptoms, you can show them this. Or else make a big sign that says, “PREGNANCY HORMONES ON DUTY”

The first, and probably the most, embarrassing symptom is excessive gas, certainly in the first trimester. Sometimes you pass enough gas to power a small compact car. This unpleasant and smelly symptom comes from the high levels of the pregnancy hormone progesterone. This hormone slows down motility in the stomach allowing more gas to build up. You expel it by passing gas or belching really loud. You can this problem by eliminating beans, carbonated drinks, and eating smaller more frequent meals.

The second embarrassing symptom is vomiting. It is amazing how quickly a pregnant woman can go from feeling queasy to vomiting…sometimes in embarrassing places. Some things to do that help is change the time of day you take your prenatal vitamins. Try taking them at night with food or ask your doctor for a low iron vitamin. You can also try sucking on ice chips or hard candy like lemon or ginger flavored.

The third embarrassing symptom is frequent runs to the bathroom or incontinent. It is normal to sneeze or cough and feel a warm gush down your leg because your uterus is pressing on your bladder making it harder to hold even a small amount of urine. You could try to drink less when you are up and about but then that would mean more at night and then you would be up all night running to the bathroom. A suggestion would be to try Kegel exercises which help tone up the muscles that help increase urine control. You can also wear a sanitary pad or incontinent pad when you are out.

The fourth embarrassing symptom is pregnancy vaginal and vulva problems which includes discharge, itching, an increase in odors, and even a swelling of the vulva. Once again you can thank your pregnancy hormones and the baby’s weight for these problems. The swelling in the vulva is caused the increase of fluids and blood to that area. To help with the odor problem you can wear pantie liners and change them often. Please note that pregnancy hormones boost the olfactory senses so probably no one else smells what you smell.

The fifth embarrassing symptom is you have temporary memory lapses. What this means is that you pick up the phone to call someone and forget who you wanted to call, or even what the call was about. This usually begins in the second trimester. You can also blame this on raging pregnancy hormones but it is likely due to the raging schedule of a pregnant woman.

The sixth embarrassing symptom is you become more aggressive and angry. Once again you can blame those pregnancy hormones. They can turn even the most timid woman into a force to be reckoned with. Pregnancy hormones not only increase aggressiveness and anger but can trigger melancholia which can make women weepy over the least little thing. If you get to the point where you are angry, aggressive or weepy all the time, you need to talk to the doctor because it may be more than just hormones at work.

Definitions for Everyday Parents

Amnesia: Condition that enables a woman who has gone through labor to have sex again.
Bottle Feeding: An opportunity for Daddy to get up at 2 A.M., too.
Drooling: How teething babies wash their chins.
OW : The first word spoken by children with older siblings.
Prenatal: When your life was still somewhat your own.
Puddle: A small body of water that draws other small bodies wearing dry shoes into it.
Sterilize: What you do to your first baby's pacifier by boiling it and to your last baby's pacifier by blowing on it.
Storeroom: The distance required between the supermarket aisles so that children in shopping carts can't quite reach anything.
Temper Tantrums: What you should keep to a minimum so as to not upset the children.
Top Bunk: Where you should never put a child wearing Superman jammies.
Two-Minute Warning: When the baby's face turns red and she begins to make those familiar grunting noises.
Verbal: Able to whine in words.
Weaker Sex: The kind you have after the kids have worn you out.
Whodunit: None of the kids that live in your house.
Whoops: An exclamation that translates roughly into "get a sponge."

Indiana Weather

Well, the old saying is true. Don't like the weather, just stay around and it will change. Yesterday morning we had snow, about an inch, maybe just a bit more. In the afternoon it started to rain and melted away all the snow. Now it is dry and cold. Who knows what is next. I cannot wait for spring! Spring and fall are my two favorite seasons. I would be happy if it stayed in the 70 degree range year around....but then I would have to mow the grass a lot more.(lol) Not my favorite chore.

Everyone have a great day!

Tagged Again

Start Copy and Paste Here.This link loving in 2008 came from Sasha.I have randomly selected 5 of you below to be tagged and I hope that you will similarly publish this post in your blog. You will have to tag 5 other bloggers and just keep adding on to the list. (Do not replace, just keep on adding! Yes we hope it will be a long list!)It’s real easy! Tag others and see your Technorati

Authority increase exponentially!

The benefits of Viral Linking:
- One of the fastest ways to see your technorati authority explode!
- Increase your Google PageRank fast
- Attract large volume of new traffic to your site
- Build your community
- Make new friends!

Add your blog url here...
The Strategist Notebook Link Addiction Ardour of the Heart When Life Becomes a Book The Malaysian Life Yogatta.com What goes under the sun Roshidan’s Cyber Station Sasha says Arts of Physics And the legend lives My View, My Life A Simple Life What Women REALLY Think Not Much More Than This Christie's Thoughts,This and That...you are next

Now, add/tag 5 of your friends blogs/

Marla, Marlee, Jenn, Momisodes, sahmoftwins

Sharing laughter with my friends

I have been kind of serious lately so I thought I would lighten things up with something funny. I found this letter as I was browsing the internet and I hope it brings a smile to your face. It is a letter from a redneck mom to her son. And I hope I do not offend anyone by this. If I do, I apologize in advance. Have a great day!

Dear Son,

I'm writing this letter slow because I know you can't read fast. We don't live where we did when you left home. Your dad read in the Newspaper that most accidents happen within 20 miles from your home, So we moved. I won't be able to send you the address because the last Arkansas family that lived here took the house numbers when they Moved so that they would not have to change their address.

This place is really nice. It even has a washing machine. I'm not sure It works so well though. Last week I put a load in and pulled the chain And haven't seen them since.

The weather isn't bad here. It only rained twice last week; the first time For three days and the second time for four days. About the coat you wanted me to send you, your Uncle Stanley said it Would be to heavy to send in the mail with the buttons on, so we cut Them off and put them in the pockets.

John locked his keys in the car yesterday. We were really worried Because it took him two hours to get me and your father out.

Your sister had a baby this morning; but I haven't found out what it Is yet so I don't know if you're an aunt or an uncle. The baby looks Just like your brother….

Uncle Ted fell in a whiskey vat last week. Some men tried to pull Him out, but he fought them off playfully and drowned. We had him Cremated and he burned for three days.

Three of your friends went off a bridge in a pick-up truck. Ralph was driving. He rolled down the window and swam to safety Your other two friends were in the back. They drowned because They couldn't get the tailgate down.

There isn't much more news at this time. Nothing much has happened

Love, Mom

P.S. I was going to send you some money but the envelope was already sealed.

Baby, it's cold outside!

According to the Weather Channel it is 17 degrees but feels like 7 degrees with a few snow flurries. We have about a 1/4 inch of snow on the ground which is enough for me (lol) My brain is even frozen because I cannot think of anything to say. Heck fire, I cannot even type so thank goodness for the back space key or else this post would be so full of typos that it wouldn't make sense.(lol)

One message that I would like to share with all you WAHM, moms that work outside the home, or both, is that I belong to this wonderful group called MUIB (moms united in business). This wonderful group of ladies will help you with any business questions that you have, they give out great suggestions, and support you in both business and personal aspects of your lives. You can check them out at http://www.momsunitedinbusiness.com/ Be sure you do.

Heart Issues in Women…Part 3

The final part I would like to discuss is a stroke. In part two I touched on the basics including signs and a description. Part three I am going to talk about how a stroke can affect a person, whether it is a man or woman.

The effect a stroke can have on a person all depends three things: 1) area of the brain affected, 2) type of stroke, and 3) extent of brain injury. A mild stroke can cause little or no brain damage while a major stroke can cause severe brain damage, even death.

A stroke can occur in any of the four main sections of the brain. If it occurs in the left half of the brain a person can have speech and language problems, memory problems, and cautious behavior. If it occurs in the right half of the brain a person can have problems judging distance, short term memory loss, and impaired judgment.

If it occurs in the part of the brain that controls balance and coordination a person can have balance problems, nausea, dizziness, vomiting, or abnormal reflexes of the upper body and head. If it happens in the brain stem, which controls all our body’s functions, the person may develop paralysis or not be able to feel or move one side of their body. A stroke in the brain stem is the most harmful. Some symptoms may improve with time, therapy and rehabilitation.

I've Been Tagged!

Well, it looks like I've been tagged. By Christie Silvers ~ http://christiesilvers.blogspot.com/

Here are the rules, as given to me by Christie Silvers @ http://christiesilvers.blogspot.com

Link to the person who tagged you. (Done!)
Leave a comment on their blog so that their readers can visit yours (Done!)
Post the rules on your blog (Done!)
Share 7 random and/or weird facts about yourself on your blog (Done, below!)
Tag 7 random people at the end of your post (only have 5!)
Include links to their blogs (working on it.)
Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog. (only have 5)

7 random and/or weird facts about me:

1. I am on my fourth and longest marriage. Took me awhile to get it right.(lol)
2. I love to write.
3. I work in a restaurant and my son is my boss.
4. I love to read mysteries
5. I am originally from KY
6. I am a proud member of MUIB and have made many wonderful friends there.
7. I want to open my own craft store some day.

You've been tagged:

1. Becca http://theparentblog.learnandgrowtogether.com/
2 Shera www.afroginmysoup.com
3. Barbara http://countryacres.blogspot.com/
4. Marlee http://marlees-rant.blogspot.com/
5. Lisa http://www.russianmafiababe.blogspot.com/

Good Morning

I have just posted a slide show of some of the wonderful gifts you can get from Winter Garden Aromatics for that special someone in your life for Valentines Day. This shop also has monthly specials which you can find on my web site, The Shopping Emporium. The URL for it is www.freewebs.com/theshoppingemporium. So, if you need a gift, or just want to pick up something for yourself, take a moment and visit The Shopping Emporium.

It is a little after midnight and by all rights and reason I should be tired but I am not. Guess it is because this is about the time I am getting off work and I am use to being up this late. I work in a restaurant as a crew member and let me tell you we get some real ding-a-lings in drive-thru. The one that always gets me is that they order, then tell you that it is to go. Do they think we are stupid or something? Like we think they are going to order it and just sit there and eat. Or they tell you just a moment, then what seems like 5 minutes later they tell you they just want a coke, or maybe an order of fries. Come on, it shouldn't take them that long to decide on a coke or fries. The worse is the rudeness when they are on the cell phone and ask us to wait while they finish their call. Believe me, we have heard some weird calls because when you are sitting on that speaker, we can hear everything. And if you were not aware of it before, then you are now so if you don't want everyone in the restaurant with a headset to hear your conversation wait until you are off the speaker pad.

I know I am just rambling tonight but that is what I feel like doing. I am going to post my final segment on Women and Heart Issues on Monday.

Have a great Sunday. Got to go post on my 365blog.

I know that yesterday I was down in the dumps....and I didn't even find anything useful while I was down there either. (lol) The weather here in southern IN is very cool but sunny. It is a good day to take a walk or just sit on the porch and have a cup of coffee. Since I feel better I am going to share something with you that I found while browsing on the internet. Hope some of them bring a smile to your face, maybe even a little chuckle too.

Questions That Make You Scratch Your Head

Here you will find some of life’s unanswered questions. The kind that make you say “hmmmm” but really don’t have any answer. So sit back, relax and have a laugh or two with these thought pondering questions.

1. Why do they sterilize lethal injection needles?
2. If Wal-Mart is lowering their prices everyday, how come nothing in the store is free?
3. Do coffins have lifetime quarantees and why do they nail them shut?
4. Isn’t it a bit unnerving that doctor’s call what they do “practice”?
5. Who was that person who first looked at a cow and said, “I think I’ll squeeze those dangly things and drink what comes out.”
6. Who was that person who first saw an egg come from a chicken’s butt and said, “I bet that would be good to eat.”
7. If electricity comes from electrons, does mortality come from morons?
8. Why is it illegal to park in a handicapped spot but its okay to use a handicapped toilet?
9. If a turtle doesn’t have a shell is he naked or homeless?
10. Should vegetarians eat animal crackers?
11. What hair color do they put on driver’s license of bald men?
12. What happens to an 18 hour bra after 18 hours?
13. Do jellyfish get gas after eating jellybeans?
14. Why are hemorrhoids called ‘hemorrhoids’ and not ‘asteroids’?
15. Why do people constantly return to the ‘fridge with hopes that something new to eat will have materialize?
16. Why do people believe you when you say there are four billion stars but check when you say “wet paint”?
17. If 7-11 is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, why are there locks on the doors?
18. Why do hot dogs come ten to a package and hot dog buns only eight to a pack?
19. Why do they make scented toilet paper.
20. If love is blind, why is lingerie so popular?

Heart Issues in Women Part 2

In the United States, more than 500,000 women die annually of heart disease or stroke. That makes cardiovascular disease the number one killer of women, and postmenopausal are at greater risk. They are as much as double the risk of younger women.

Cholesterol levels increase more rapidly in women over 50 which increases the risk of heart disease. Other factors include diet and smoking. An important fact to consider is that the risk of a heart attack decreases 24 hours after you quit smoking so if you smoke consider quitting. They should also minimize the amount of alcohol they drink plus they should control other health conditions such as hypertension and diabetes.

Since 1900 cardiovascular disease has accounted for more deaths than any other group of causes or single cause of death in the US. Nearly 2,400 Americans die from cardiovascular disease each day. That is on the average of one death every thirty-six seconds.

While heart attacks are the number one killer, a stroke is the number three killer of women. Strokes are also the number one reason for long term disability in women. A stroke happens when the blood supply to the brain is cut off. A stroke is often referred to as a “brain attack”. You can also have a “mini” stroke which, for a short time, means less blood gets to the brain than normal. You may or may not have signs, and they can last from a minute to a full day. A mini stroke can be a sign of a full stroke coming. Remember a stroke can happen fast and people usually have one or more symptoms.

Some of the signs of a stroke are

1. Weakness or numbness in body
2. Trouble seeing in one or both eyes
3. Dizziness or loss of balance
4. Confusion
5. Trouble talking
6. Bad headache with no know cause

Some women experience unique symptoms such as:

1. Hiccups
2. Sudden tiredness
3. Sudden chest pain
4. Feeling like you can not get enough air

Just remember, they can happen suddenly and are very different from a heart attack. Again, if you are experiencing, or have experienced any of these symptoms, see your family doctor, or call 911.

Good Evening

I just want to say "Thanks" to all who read my latest blog and for all the comments. It seems like women's health issues are a big thing right now and something very important. Since I belong to MUIB, and my friends are all women, I have decided to at least twice a week cover a topic concerning women's health. If there is any topic you would like me to do some research on, please leave me a comment and I will do my best to do a blog on it. I will be posting a blog later this week on heart disease and stroke in women.

Heart Attack Symptoms in Women

I don’t know how many people realize that heart disease is just as big a killer in women as in men. In fact, it is the #1 killer of women. They estimate that 1 in 2 women will die from a heart attack compared to 1 in 25 who will die from breast cancer. The reason the mortality rate for women is much higher is due to the fact that women and some physicians fail to recognize the symptoms of a heart attack in women and do not initiate effective treatment soon enough. In the 45 and over age group, heart attacks kill more women than breast cancer does.

Heart disease tends to strike women 10 years later than men. It hits women between 55-65 years of age as opposed to men between 45-55 years of age. Because of a woman’s long life expectancy it is just as much of a threat.

Everyone knows the classic symptoms of a heart attack. The crushing chest pain that feels like an elephant is sitting on your chest, heavy pressure or squeezing in the center of the chest, pain radiating down the left arm, nausea or vomiting, shortness of breath, light-headedness, or sweating. But in women they may or may not have the classic symptoms. Women may have a sharp pain rather than a pressure sensation and some may lack any discomfort in their chest at all and if they have chest pressure it is usually accompanied with some of the other signs listed below.

Some women may feel extreme tiredness which could be mistaken as a sign of another illness. They can have blackouts before the attack, maybe just some breathlessness, maybe swelling in their ankles or legs, nausea or fluttering heart beats. During an attack women may also experience clamminess or sweating. There could even be weakness or pain all over the body.

The odds of having a heart attack increase with:
• Smoking
• Post-menopausal status
• Elevated cholesterol
• High blood pressure
• Diabetes
• Family history
• Overweight
• Stress
• Little or no exercise
Women are most likely to have “silent” heart attacks than men. Heart attacks and their aftermath are more deadly in women than men and about one quarter more women die within a year of having a heart attack. This probably happens because women are older when they have a heart attack, and they don’t respond as well as men to the treatments usually prescribed during or after a heart attack.

So please, if you are experiencing, or have experienced, any of these symptoms, talk to your doctor before it is too late and you become the one in two that do not make it.

January 7th was "National Pass Gas Day"

Yes, I am serious. It is no joke. I belong to MUIB, which by the way is a wonderful group of ladies. I will go more into MUIB later. But anyway, back to the subject. One of our member's grandmother passed away and instead of sending her a condolence via web post I decided to send her a sympathy e-card. I clicked on free e-cards at http://www.yahoo.americangreetings.com and there it was. It said "1-7 is National Pass Gas Day," and to click here to send the card. Of course I couldn't resist clicking on it, and it was a skunk with a cloud of stink. It said "It's National Pass Gas Day. Hope yours doesn't stink." I had to send it to my son, who has been kind of down in the dumps lately. It just goes to show you that people will make anything a national day celebration. And yes, I did send a very lovely sympathy e-card.

Now about MUIB....It stands for "Mothers United In Business" but it is more than just that. Sure, we promote our businesses on Saturday and Sundays, which are ad days, but we also promote friendship. These ladies may be strangers when you join, but they quickly become your friends. They are there to give advice if you ask, a kick in the butt if you need it, a shoulder to lean on, just like a friend should be. If you would like to join a very versatile group of ladies who are SAHM, WAHM, and work outside the home, then you need to check out MUIB. Just remember that we not only promote our businesses, we also promote friendship. You can check it out at http://www.momsunitedinbusiness.com/sistersites.htm. You will be glad you did.

So, Happy Belated National Pass Gas Day to all my friends! And Jauary 8th is Bubble Bath Day. Apparently they have something for everyday of the month. Who knows what January 9th will be. Guess I will have to check the site everyday to see what we are celebrating.

Good Evening

Man, I do believe I have slept thru winter. It is so warm outside, 60 degrees, it feels like spring but I know it is January and old man winter is just teasing us. We still have a couple of months of winter left to go so we are not out of the snow woods yet. In fact, on The Weather Channel they are calling for snow showers Jan 12-13. Snow showers I can handle....snow I cannot. I like snow only if I can sit inside and watch it out the window. These old bones don't like the cold too much any longer. I know this is not a very informative or interesting blog but I just felt like talking. I am really enjoying blogging. But then, I have always loved to write but the funny part is, I always had trouble in English classes. Go figure. I am thinking about taking some online classes in creative writing but have not made a firm decision yet. I don't know if I can find the time between working, keeping up the house, and having a 5 year old grandson wanting all my attention when I am home. Thank you for taking the time to read my rambling.

Visit Blog 365

Hi! I have just joined Blog365.ning and it is a great site. Below is my url so take a moment and check it out.

http://blog365.ning.com/profile/PatJohnson?viewAsOther=1

Brrrrrrrrr!

The weather here in Southern Indiana is COLD!!!!! I know when I was a kid I use to love cold weather and snow, but now that I am older I don't like it. Guess as you get older, your skin gets thinner and you get colder easier. I know that I do. I seem to stay cold all winter no matter how warm it is in the house. Come Saturday it is suppose to rain and get up in the "50's, maybe even get close to 60 degrees, then back cold again. As the old saying goes, "Don't like the weather here in Indiana, stick around awhile and it will change."

My 5 year old grandson is hollering for snow so he can go out to play. Fine, he can go out and I will sit inside with a hot cup of coffee and watch him play from the kitchen window.

My two favorite season's are spring and fall. For me, it could stay in the 70's year round and I would be happy.

What Happened In The Year You Were Born

I may just be a strange "duck", so to speak but I like to relax when I have a few minutes by scouring the internet for strange and unusual sites and reading what some people would call "useless information".

Well, for all you people out there who are like me and like to read "useless information", I have found a very unique website. It is called, "The People History." You can click on the year you were born, or just a year at random, and find out some important facts that happened during that year, average wages, cost of gas, price of house, etc. To view this website go to www.thepeoplehistory.com.

For example, I was born in 1953. Here are some of the interesting facts for that year:

1. Average wages per year--$4,0000
2. Average cost of new house--$9,950.00
3. Cost of a gallon of gas--$0.20
4. Pound of round steak--$0.90 lb.
5. DeWight Eishenhower was president
6. Flint Michigan F-5 tornado
7. New York Yankees wins 5th world series in a row
8. New York adopts the three color traffic light

So take a moment, grab that cup of coffee and take a trip back in time...if only for a few minutes

Winter Garden Aromatics

Winter Garden Aromatics offers a wonderful line of wax melt away tarts, and bath and beauty products. They also have monthly specials, which you can view at www.freewebs.com/theshoppingemporium. Also, at The Shopping Emporium you will find a Valentine Shop loaded with great gifts for your sweetheart. It is not too early to start to think about a Valentine gift.

Hearty Lasagne Soup

It is that time of the year where soup sounds good....especially if you just happen to be one of the unlucky souls who are living in a state that has bitter cold temperatures and snow. This recipe is quick and easy to fix, and something I am sure your family will love. It is great served with biscuits, cornbread, or garlic bread.

Hearty Lasagne Soup

From: Campbell's Kitchen

Prep/Cook: 25 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef (can substitute ground chicken or turkey)
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
2 cans (14 oz. each) Swanson® Seasoned Beef Broth with Onion
1 can (14 1/2 oz.) diced tomato (can use Italian tomatoes)
1/4 tsp. dried Italian seasoning
1 1/2 cups uncooked mafalda or corkscrew-shaped pasta
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

COOK beef with garlic in skillet until browned. Pour off fat.
ADD broth, tomatoes and Italian seasoning. Heat to a boil.
STIR in pasta. Cook over medium heat 10 min. or until pasta is done. Stir in cheese. Serve with additional cheese if desired.

For more great recipes visit www.campbellskitchen.com

Weird, Off-The-Wall, and Unusual Laws

As everyone knows, there are some pretty outdated laws still on the books. Laws that sometime have no rhyme or reason for being there, much less being a law but they are there and can be enforced. I like to read about some of the unusual, off-the-wall and just plain weird laws that someone just felt like had to be a “law”. Whether they were ever enforced or not is something that we will never know. I live in Indiana and that is why I have looked some of them up. Anybody else that would like to check into their state and look at some of their states weird laws may do so at: http://www.dumblaws.com/laws/united-states/ At this site they also off a lot of other “dumb” stuff like dumb criminals, dumb lawsuits, dumb inventions, to name a few. A web site you might want to check out and see about any state so have fun.

Now let me share with my readers some of Indiana’s weird, off-the-wall and unusual laws.

• It is illegal for a man to be sexually aroused in public.
• Monkeys are forbidden to smoke cigarettes in South Bend.
• Mustaches are illegal if the bearer has a tendency to habitually kiss other humans
• Waitresses may not carry drinks into a restaurant or bar.
• Hotel sheets must be exactly 99 inches long and 81 inches wide.
• If any person has a puppet show, wire dancing or tumbling act in the state of Indiana and receives money for it, they will be fined $3 under the Act to Prevent Certain Immoral Practices.
• Anyone 14 or older who profanely curses, damns or swears by the name of God, Jesus Christ or the Holy Ghost, shall be fined one to three dollars for each offense, with a maximum fine of ten dollars per day.
• Baths may not be taken between the months of October and March.
• It is illegal to sell cars on Sunday.
• A man over the age of 18 may be arrested for statutory rape if the passenger in his car is not wearing her socks and shoes, and is under the age of 17.
• It is against the law to pass a horse on the street.
• It is illegal for a liquor store to sell cold soft drinks.
• Grocery stores may not sell any type of cold liquor.
• One man may not back into a parking spot because it prevents police officers from seeing the license plate.
• Smoking in the state legislature building is banned, except when the legislature is in session.
• Check forgery can be punished with public flogging up to 100 stripes.
• Pedestrians crossing the highway at night are prohibited from wearing tail lights.
• No one may catch a fish with his bare hands.
• Men are prohibited from standing in a bar.
• You are not allowed to carry a cocktail from the bar to a table.
• Drinks on the house are illegal.
• Drinking from your own bottle in a bar can lead to your arrest.
• You are required to pour your drink into a glass.
• "Spiteful Gossip" and "talking behind a person's back" are illegal.
• State government officials who engage in private duels can be dismissed from their post
• All males 18 to 50 years old must work six days a year on public roads.
• In Elkhart it is illegal for barbers to threaten to cut off kid's ears.
• In Indianapolis, hopefully, residents of the city have speedometers on their horses, for they can not ride them in excess of ten miles per hour.