Saturday, October 31, 2009

If You Get A Kidney Stone, Make It Scram!

Happy Halloween, everybody!!! Let's talk about a frightful subject - kidney stones.....

No one likes a kidney stone. It produces one of the worst pains a person can feel - you will actually feel like you might be dying. And probably wouldn't mind if you did. Here are a few tips in case you ever have to deal with one of these....

Drink, drink, drink. What you are trying to do is make the stone pass out of your body, and the way to do this is by flushing with liquids.Water is the best thing to drink when you have a kidney stone. Drink a lot, not a little. At least three quarts of water every day. That's a bunch of water, but remember, you are trying to flush out the stone.Some say that dandelion tea causes more blood flow in the kidneys, thereby helping to flush the stone. It is also a good diuretic. Some other good diuretic teas are couch grass and corn silk.

Take a walk. Yes, you won't feel like it, but walking helps put the stone on the move. This is a good thing, because the stone has to dislodge and move in order to leave the body.

Saw palmetto has been used for ages to get rid of kidney stones. Sometimes called the "plant catheter" or "old man's friend", this is the home remedy of choice for these types of problems.Take 2 160 milligram caps each day as soon as you know that you have a stone, and continue until it passes.Saw Palmetto relaxes the ureter, making it easier to pass the stone.

If it looks like the stone is not going on its own, you will need to consult your physician. It has gotten simpler, less painful and less invasive over the years to remove large stones in many cases by using ultrasound treatment.

When the stone is gone, drink cranberry juice to help keep more stones away.

Good luck! If you have your own method for chasing away a kidney stone, please respond and let us know.



Avoid Catching The Flu From Someone In Your Home

When someone in your home has influenza, the odds are pretty good that others in the house will develop the disease. A pandemic flu is so easily passed from one person to another that precautions can cut the risk of exposure somewhat, but the reality is that someone else will likely be infected.

The following are steps to take when someone in the home is exhibiting signs of pandemic influenza:

A person exhibiting flu symptoms should immediately go to bed in an isolated area of the home. The sick room should be avoided except by the person caring for the ill. If more than one person has the flu, they should share the sick room. Move in extra beds or cots, if necessary. Under no circumstances should sick individuals be spread throughout the house.

If windows can be opened, please do this. Fresh air is important, as is natural light, if possible.

The less items in a sickroom, the less there is to disinfect. Remove all unneeded furniture and items from the room, even the curtains, if feasible.

Use disposable plates, cups and utensils for the patient. This keeps infected items out of the kitchen.

Visitors are strictly off-limits. Even if the patient is feeling better, the only person allowed in the sickroom should be the caregiver. The patient may still be infectious, and a patient with a pandemic flu will often relapse, even after several weeks. Keep the patient in bed and isolated for three weeks, if possible, if he/she has a pandemic influenza.

Never use a vacuum cleaner with a sick person in the home. This stirs up the air and propels the virus, not to mention that conventional vacuum cleaners harbor all sorts of bacteria.

Always wear latex gloves and, preferably, a NIOSH-certified half-face respirator with safety goggles when in the sickroom or around laundry or waste from the sickroom.

Unscented bleach will become your friend when caring for a flu victim. Mix up a solution of 2 tablespoons bleach to 1 quart water each day in a bucket. At least once per day wipe hard surfaces in the sickroom with the solution, using a paper towel. Discard the paper towel in the sickroom trash bag. This process will effectively kill the bacteria. Do it often. Don’t forget telephones and television remotes. Wipe the surfaces in the kitchen and laundry room daily and the other areas of your home whenever you can. Mix up a bucket of solution each day, as the bleach solution loses effectiveness very quickly.

Some little-known areas that tend to collect and harbor bacteria are your door mat, the soft, rubber area around the top of your garbage disposal, your telephone, any countertop and your car’s door handles, dashboard and console. Introduce these to your bleach solution during a threat of flu. Be careful that the bleach doesn’t damage anything in your car. Test in a small area first.

Keep the ill person’s laundry completely separate from the other household laundry. Use strong kitchen trash bags to store the soiled laundry and keep in the sickroom until ready to launder. Tie the bags tightly. Wash the laundry in hot water and use bleach, if possible. Outside drying in the sun in preferable to machine drying, but either will do. Never forget to wear latex gloves, and wash your hands thoroughly after removing the gloves.
The key to surviving a deadly flu pandemic and protecting your family is knowledge. Knowledge is power, and you will need to know how to react when others around you may be panicking. Become a flu expert now, before the flu pandemic turns into a killer.

There is no substitute for good medical advice from a physician. Always consult your doctor, if possible, and follow his/her advice.


This information was taken from the book How To Wage War Against A Flu Pandemic by Debra West, available at http://www.alltrailsleadhome.com/ or Amazon.com - http://www.amazon.com/How-Wage-War-Against-Pandemic/dp/144868448X/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1256598818&sr=8-9



Friday, October 30, 2009

The Friday Dog Blog

If it's Friday, it's a dog....


This pup likes apples - her name is Little Darlin'. I'd bet she's not always a little darlin'!

















Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Windshield Time? How About A Book?

Most of us spend time behind the wheel every week. Many commute every day to work and back. What are you doing while you're behind the wheel? Hopefully not talking on the cell phone, shaving or putting on make-up!

There is something you can do during your windshield time that will improve your life and won't turn your daily drive into Mr. Toad's Wild Ride for you and your fellow commuters...

Learn while you drive. For this you will need either a cassette tape player or CD player in your car, or an MP3 player, preferably an I-Pod. It will also help if you have a library card to a large public library.

There is a huge variety of books on tape, books on CD and e-books for MP-3 players. You can purchase the books on CD and tape at chain bookstores, for a price. Even better, you can check them out at your local library for nothing. You have 2-3 weeks, depending on your library, to listen and return the tapes or CD's.

Recently libraries have begun offering a large number of e-books for its customers. These are wonderful, and I now download the e-books for my I-Pod more than I check out the CD's. If your library does not offer e-books, it probably will very shortly, as this is the hot thing for libraries and library customers.Here is how to download a book from the library....

Go to your library website and look for e-books. (If the library doesn't offer them, e-mail the head librarian and request them.) You will download a free program from the library website that will allow you to place the downloaded books on your computer and your MP-3 player.

Once that is done, all you have to do is browse through the books and choose one to download. I wouldn't download more than one, because the library will ask you to listen to the book within a couple of weeks or transfer it to CD's, then delete it from your computer. Now, if you transfer the book to your MP-3 player, technically you will have it for as long as you need it, but it's always better to stick to the rules and, anyway, who can listen to more than one book at a time?

That's all there is to downloading books from the library. You will not have to return them to the library and there are no late fees. It's a great idea, and extremely time-saving for customers.

You will be shocked at the number and variety of e-books available at the library.

You can also check out books on cassette tapes and books on CD's from your library. If you don't have a CD player, it might be time to get one, because libraries are phasing out their books on tape.

You can go to the library website and browse with keywords or authors until you find what you want, then reserve it, designating the library branch where you want to pick it up and return it. When it gets to the library, you will be called or e-mailed, and you have several days to get there and pick it up.

Choose a book that appeals to you. If you generally read novels, then choose a novel by your favorite author that you haven't read. If you read history, pick a history. If you are interested in self-improvement, there are tons of choices. I once chose a book on CD that was on 24 discs! I had to renew the book to get another 3 weeks to listen, but it was one of the best books ever.

Ok, now you have your book on tape/CD or MP3 player. Every time you get into your car, you can now look forward to "reading" a great book.

There are some self-help books on CD and e-books that are actually formulated for commuters. You can learn a foreign language, bone up for national exams, learn to do various tasks and crafts, learn to be a better businessperson or manager, the sky is the limit.

When you are into a good book that you really enjoy, you will actually look forward to your drivetime! Try it out, you will never drive without a book again.

Warning: Get your cassettes, CD's or I-Pod ready before you leave home. If you have a CD in your player that is almost finished, get the next one out of the box while your car is still in the garage. You don't want to run off the road while fiddling with your I-Pod or CD player.


How do you spend your windshield time? Comment and let us know!

Sunday, October 25, 2009

The Monday Recipe Blog

Starbuck's Pumpkin Bread Clone Made With Splenda

Has everyone been telling you that pumpkin is a superfood, and that you need to get more of it into your diet? True enough, but aside from Thanksgiving pumpkin pie and pumpkin soup, there aren't that many good pumpkin dishes.Here is a truly great one, though - Starbuck's Pumpkin Bread copy, but made with Splenda instead of sugar.

This gives you the nutrition of pumpkin without the guilt of taking in more refined white sugar. What could be better?

Starbuck's Pumpkin Bread Clone Made With Splenda

Ingredients:

1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
4 eggs
1 c. Splenda
2 T. Splenda Blend Brown Sugar
1/2 t. vanilla
1/2 can pumpkin
3/4 c. olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.

In a large bowl, mix eggs, sugars and vanilla on high speed about 30 seconds, then add the oil and pumpkin. Mix well.

Pour the dry stuff into the wet stuff and mix well with the mixer. Pour batter into a well-greased 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 loaf pan. Bake for 70 minutes, or until the top is dark brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Wait until the bread is cool, then take it out of the loaf pan and slice it into 1 inch thick slices.Makes about 8 slices.

It's not even fair to call this a bread - it tastes like cake! I like to freeze it and take it to work for a healthy and filling snack. If you microwave a frozen slice, it tastes as fresh as when it came out of the oven.

Note: I often use a mini-loaf pan for this bread. It takes about 35 minutes for mini-loaves to bake. This recipe makes five mini-loaves.

Saturday, October 24, 2009

It's Time To Stock Up On Flu Oral Rehydration Solution


One of the most dangerous elements of the seasonal flu or Swine flu is dehydration. This is caused by fever, nausea or diarrhea.Oral Rehydration Solution replaces essential fluids and electrolytes that are lost when the patient is ill. Water alone is insufficient to replace these when the patient is suffering from the flu.

You can purchase this in the form of solutions such as Pedialyte, assuming that the pandemic is not so dangerous and widespread that stores are in short supply of this essential liquid.However, there is a cheaper and better way to always have a large stock of O.R.S., and the following are the instructions on how to make as much as you might need...

The best and most simple Oral Rehydration Solution is a mixture of table salt, white granulated sugar and water. I will tell you how to make a supply of the dry ingredients, to be mixed with water when needed.

For a large supply that you can give away to family and friends and still have plenty on hand, you will need about 10 pounds of sugar, a couple of containers of table salt and a box of Bag-ettes. Bag-ettes are little zip-lock baggies that you can purchase at a craft store such as Michaels, or online. They are designed to hold jewelry, and a box of 200 is very inexpensive. Buy the 3" x 5" bag-ettes.

Using a Sharpie-type pen/marker, mark each bag-ette with these words:ORS for Flu. Add to 1 liter of water.

To each bag-ette, add 3 TABLESPOONS of sugar and 1 TEASPOON of salt. Zip it up and that's it.Continue until you have 200 or so baggies of ORS. Store them in a larger zip-lock bag in a cool, dry place like a little-used closet.

When needed, add one baggie to a liter of water and have the patient drink as much as possible. Just sipping it throughout the day is better than not drinking it at all.You can add a little unsweetened Kool-Aid to the liquid if you need to make it more palatable, but it's normally fine the way it is.

The sugar/salt/water O.R.S. was developed by the World Health Organization and has saved countless lives in Third World counties. This keeps a LONG time - you will have a supply of life-saving dehydration-fighting solution for many, many years.

This information was taken from the book How To Wage War Against A Flu Pandemic by Debra West, available at http://www.amazon.com/How-Wage-War-Against-Pandemic/dp/144868448X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1256433693&sr=8-1


NOTE: For children, the formula is a little different. Use 4 TABLESPOONS of sugar and 1 TEASPOON of salt, and add to 1 1/2 quart water.

Friday, October 23, 2009

The Friday Dog Blog

Another Friday Dog picture - It's....Sooner Schnauzer!!!!

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Need A Project? How About Building A Patio?

Wouldn't it be great to build a beautiful little area in your backyard where you can retreat for a little peace and quiet? It's pretty easy with the patio pavers and other blocks that are available at your big home improvement stores.

First you will need to figure out where your patio is going to be, and what shape it will take. For our's, the space was already there and determined by other landscaping. We considered putting a garden there, planting shrubs in the area, or planting grass. We finally decided to put in a little patio, with a large firepit and benches as the focal point.

Measure out the space for the patio, then go to the store and look at their patio stones. Choose the one you want, then calculate how many you will need to fit your space.

Patio bricks range widely in size (the style we chose was 16" x 16" - this size is very large), so you will need to choose your style before you decide how many you will need.


If you have large pavers like our's, it is easier to cut a template that is the same thickness from a piece of wood. It's lighter than the stone when you are placing it to determine if it's level, and moving it to add more sand, etc.




Cut out the area for your patio, and put down a thick layer of sand in the area that you are working. Then start laying the stones. Use a level to ensure that your patio comes out even. If your stones do not have built-in spacers, leave a consistent amount of space between each brick.





After you have laid all of your pavers, you will need to put something in the spaces between them. Some people use sand that you buy at the hardware store that hardens somewhat. We used Concrete Patch, which is similar to concrete, but more like flour consistency - without the stones that you find in concrete. We carefully poured the dry patch into the spaces, then wet it down gently with a hose. It hardened nicely and looks great.



That's all there is to building your patio. Now you have somewhere for your patio furniture, flower pots, firepits or dogs. Invite the neighbors to admire it, and have a great time on your new patio!
Oh, and if you don't have a truck, the super-big do it yourself home improvement stores will be happy to deliver what you need, for a price.

What project have you completed recently? Please feel free to comment and let us know!


Monday, October 19, 2009

The Monday Recipe Blog

Don't you just love Mondays? Well, at least don't you just love the Monday Recipe Blog?

Okie Fried Okra


1 lb. okra, with stem and ends cut off, chopped into 1 inch portions

Salt and Pepper

3/4 c. all purpose flour

1/2 t. baking powder

1/2 t. salt

1/2 c. milk

1 beaten egg

cooking oil


Sprinkle the okra pieces with salt and pepper.

Combine flour, baking powder and 1/2 t. salt. Mix milk and egg and add to flour mixture, beating until smooth.

Dip the okra into the batter and fry till golden brown in the oil that has been heated for deep fat frying. Brown evenly and drain on paper towels. Makes 4-6 servings.


Fried Okra is another part of the Oklahoma official meal, along with chicken fried steak and other delicacies.


Saturday, October 17, 2009

The Clear Liquid Diet For Treating Nausea

Well, it's flu season and time for another tip.

When you have a round of vomiting, the last thing you want to think about is eating.

However, when your nausea is due to a serious illness such as flu, it is extremely important to continue eating and keep your body as strong as possible.

Your body will accept some foods much easier than others when your stomach is upset.

This post sets out the Clear Liquid Diet, designed to gradually re-introduce your body to food while battling a bout of nausea.

First, take fluids. It is very important to keep dehydration from setting in, and you will do this by sipping water slowly.

Even better than plain water is an Oral Rehydration Solution, which you can easily make by mixing 3 tablespoons white sugar with 1 teaspoon salt, and adding that to 1 liter of water.

As soon as vomiting sets in and you are sipping your Oral Rehydration Solution, begin the Clear Liquid Diet to re-introduce food to your stomach. You may not feel like eating, but this diet is designed to help your stomach accept food, step by step.

Take a step at a time, and go slowly and carefully. When you can tolerate one step, move up a step for the next meal. If you have a setback, drop down one step. The 5 steps are as follows:

Step One: Oral Rehydration Solution and any of the following:
Popsicles, ginger ale, tea, bouillon, water, Jello-O, fruit juice.

Step Two: To Step One, add any of the following: Saltine crackers, white rice, plain white toast, plain (no butter, etc) skinless baked potato, baby rice cereal.

Step Three: To Step Two, add any of the following: Chicken noodle soup (canned, fresh or packets), any canned fruit.


Step Four: To Step Three, add any of the following: Proteins such as fish (any kind, fresh, frozen or canned, eggs or meat (any kind, fresh, frozen or canned).


Step Five: To Step Four, add any of the following: Whole grain products, butter, oil, milk, cheese, other dairy products, raw fruit.


Eat at least 6-8 meals per day, or as much as you can tolerate. After you are eating the food in Step Five with no repercussions, you can gradually return to a normal diet. At this time, add plenty of protein to replenish your bodyfat.

Always seek immediate medical attention if your fever is 104 or 105 degrees. This is a very dangerous situation.

I hope that you don't have to use this information and that you escape the dreaded flu bug. Be sure and get your vaccinations as soon as possible.

For more flu information, please check out the new book How To Wage War Against A Flu Pandemic....http://www.amazon.com/How-Wage-War-Against-Pandemic/dp/144868448X/ref=sr_1_194?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1253314860&sr=1-194





Wednesday, October 14, 2009

It's Time For A Block Party!!!!

Seems like more and more people are having stay-cations and keeping closer to hearth and home. So, wouldn't it be great to get to know your neighbors a little better? What better way than to have a block party? Autumn and Spring are the best times to do it, since you don't have to worry about blazing heat or snowy blizzards. Here are a few tips to get you started:

Recruit assistance from your closest friends in the neighborhood. Use bribery, if necessary.

Determine how many people are on your block. Count the houses, and don't leave out the grinch in the 3rd house from the corner, that person might just be your best participant. Include everyone.

Make up some really great flyers using MS Word, MS Publisher or similar program. Include the date and time (a couple of hours before dusk is usually good) and a short explanation of what this entails. At the bottom, place a line for the neighbor's name, address and e-mail, and a space for the neighbor to write in what food or drink that he/she will contribute. Don't forget to let them know how many people are getting these flyers, so they will know how much to provide. Ask the neighbor to please fill in the information if he/she would like to join the party and return the flyer, leaving it inside your door.

Distribute the flyers. Do this a couple of weeks in advance. Either ring doorbells or place a flyer in each door.

Once you have the flyers back from the neighbors, look them over to determine whether there are any alarming duplications. If 20 out of 30 people are churning ice cream, then you will want to visit some of them and ask them to consider something else. Suggest some things that no one is bringing.

A few days before the party, e-mail everyone to remind them of the party and what they are bringing. If you have time, sending a list of the participating houses and what each is providing would be good. Include any final instructions in this e-mail.

When the party starts, bring out the music and encourage the neighbors to do the same. A block party HAS to have music, and the more, the merrier. It's pretty cool to walk down the street, going from Mary J. Blige to the Beach Boys, then across the street to Carrie Underwood.
There's really nothing more to it. People walk down the street, stop and eat and talk to each other. Maybe there's a little dancing in the streets. The kids will be running everywhere. Clusters of men will form around the beer and football talk will reign. See how easy it is to meet and get to know your neighbors? These parties practically run themselves. Give it a shot, a little laughter and friendship can't hurt!

One warning: Automobile traffic is always a worry at block parties. Some parties will actually close down the street until the party is done, but you probably shouldn't try this on your maiden voyage. That grinch in the 3rd house down would inevitably come tootling along in her car and demand passage to her garage, creating an unwelcome chaos in the neighborhood. Closing down the street is usually done when block parties are established, annual events with 100% participation.
So, the advice here is to post signs at the entrances of the block, warning that a block party is in progress, and to please slow down and watch for children. Then each person should keep a close eye on everyone and all cars, and keep the kids out of the streets and on the lawns and sidewalks as much as possible.



Monday, October 12, 2009

The Monday Recipe Blog

Another Monday rolls around, another Okie recipe rolls around....

Okie Chicken Fried Steak

2 lb. round steak
salt
pepper
1 egg
2 T. water
1 1/2 c. saltine cracker crumbs
Cooking oil

Cut steak into serving-sized pieces and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Tenderize it by pounding with a tenderizer. Dip meat into egg that has been beaten and mixed with the water.

Dip into cracker crumbs and shake off the excess crumbs.

Heat about 1/2 inch oil in fry pan or electric skillet.

Fry meat until brown on both sides; keep skillet covered except when turning the meat. Meat should be tender when pierced with a knife, it usually takes about 25 to 35 minutes to cook.

Of course, you HAVE to serve this with mashed potatoes and cream gravy.

Chicken fried steak is the centerpiece of Oklahoma's official meal. (Yes, we actually have an official meal.)


Saturday, October 10, 2009

Some Ways To Bop Bronchitis

It's a terrible feeling to have phlegm in your lungs, making it difficult to breathe. Your goal should be to make the phlegm thin enough to allow you to cough it up and get it out of your body. During this cold and flu season, your risk of having a "stuffed" chest will go up substantially.

Keep these tips from All Trails Lead Home in mind to help you breathe better when the time comes....

Steam is the thing....

This is the direct approach to your problem. Attach the virus where it is causing the most problems - directly in the lungs. You do this by introducing a good steam-cleaning.

There are several ways to do this....

Take a pan of boiling water and lean over it, draping a towel over your head to direct the steam. Be careful not to get close enough to burn yourself. Take deep breaths of the steam to loosen up your lungs.

Adding 2 or 3 drops of pine oil or eucalyptus oil to the steaming water will make the treatment even more helpful. Pine oil is an expectorant - it brings up the phlegm. Eucalyptus has some antibacterial tendencies and softens mucus to make it easier to expel.

Take a really hot, steamy shower. Breathe the steam in deeply.

Drink as much water as you can stand - it thins mucus and allows it to be coughed up easier. But stay away from milk and dairy products. Cow's milk encourages mucus, and you don't need that!

Humidifier - good! It's especially helpful when operated in the bedroom while you sleep. But watch out - the problem with humidifiers is that they must be cleaned regularly and carefully, because the moist environment encourages bacterial growth within the humidifier.

Some people swear by eating hot chile peppers, and spicy foods do thin mucus and make your nose run.

If you have a wet, productive cough, you should not normally attempt to suppress it with over the counter drugs. This type of cough is helpful to bring up phlegm and you should not discourage it unless you are having muscle and rib soreness from the coughing.

Since there will be frequent flu tips during the next several months, you might want to subscribe to this blog for quick reference when needed.

And for more flu preparation and treatment information, please check out the new book How To Wage War Against A Flu Pandemic, on sale now at Amazon....http://www.amazon.com/How-Wage-War-Against-Pandemic/dp/144868448X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1253376503&sr=8-1



Friday, October 9, 2009

The Friday Dog Blog

If it's Friday, it must be a dog picture. This was in beautiful northern Michigan, height of autumn, tons of great sights and smells. It's....Camping Schnauzer!!!!!


Wednesday, October 7, 2009

What Halloween Costumes Are Hot This Year???

Whether you are choosing a Halloween costume for you or your kids, it's important to be on the cutting edge of what's hot right now, or, in the alternative, to go classic and classy.
You can spend a little or a lot and wow everyone if you will pay attention to detail and maybe add some humor.

Here are a few tips to dress for success this Halloween...





If you are going for cutting edge with your costume, then take a look at what's hot right now. Your search should lead you to vampires, vampires and more vampires!

Vampires are on fire, and you can expect be bumping into capes, fangs and slicked-down hair at every turn this Halloween, thanks to super-popular shows and books like Twilight and The Vampire Diaries.

If you decide to go this route, you run the risk of just being one of the crowd. If you go for the vampire, do something out of the box to make you stand out in the crowd.
Michael Jackson has been hot all summer and fall and will be a mega-popular Halloween costume this year. Look at his Thriller video and go for that look. Another option is to adopt the Billie Jean look, with the white socks, short black pants, black jacket and black dancing shoes. And the white sequined glove, of course.
Zombies are white-hot this year, and why not? Everybody loves a good zombie. They are also really easy to create at home with a little face paint and fake blood.

Of course, you will need to practice your zombie-walk, which is the hallmark of all great zombies.

Farrah Fawcett has been in the news this summer, and she will be a popular costume this Halloween. Go for the classic bathing suit, hair and smile look.
Captain Jack Sparrow will still be pretty popular, but is kind of yesterday, so beware if you are a Halloween trendsetter.

Heath Ledger's Joker from Batman - The Dark Knight is still a popular do-it-yourself costume.

For kids, Harry Potter is still popular and doesn't require purchasing an expensive costume.
Another economical, yet popular look is Super Mario. A pair of blue overalls, black shoes, red shirt and cap, and huge mustache will make your mini-Mario recognizable to everyone under 12.

Since kids aren't really into trend-setting, boys will still love Captain Jack Sparrow.


GI Joe Cobra Commander is hot, hot, hot, but you might have to lay out some bucks, since this one isn't easily fabricated at home.

Scary monsters, ghosts and zombies will always get a kid's attention, and any of these can be created at home.





Then we have the classic costumes - the old reliables that never go out of style. Most of these can be created at home with very little money. We have the witch, the ghost, the devil, and all kinds of creepy, bloody gross creatures.


You can also do something out of the box. Use your noggin and dream up something crazy that you can throw together at home. Beware here, sometimes people come up with things that are really uncomfortable, make it difficult to walk or impossible to sit down. For a kid or an adult, an uncomfortable costume won't last the night, so consider comfort when developing your dream costume.


You should have as much fun choosing or making your costume as you do wearing it. Be sure and get pictures!




If you're herding little ones, take all of the precautions - lights on the costume, examining the candy before the kid wolfs it down, etc. Be careful, be safe and have a great time this Halloween!




Monday, October 5, 2009

The Monday Recipe Blog

Was this a great Monday or what??? Here's another Okie recipe....


Okie Fried Green Tomatoes


4 medium sliced green tomatoes

1/3 c. white flour, seasoned with salt and pepper

1/4 c. butter or butter substitute


Dip tomato slices in seasoned flour. Cook in the butter or butter substitute over low heat until lightly browned on both sides. Remove to a heated platter.


**This is the ONLY way that I like tomatoes.


Saturday, October 3, 2009

Wear Wet Socks, Lower Your Fever. Really.

When flu season approaches, fevers become more and more prevalent. A fever is actually part of your body's defense system - germs hate heat, so when they invade your body, it naturally produces a fever to help drive off the enemy.

If your fever is 101 degrees or less, you might want to let it run its course. But sometimes the fever can get a little out of control and cause more problems than it solves. You will want to lower any fever over 101 degrees, and seek immediate medical attention if the fever goes to 104 or 105, as a temperature this high can cause serious problems.

So, if your fever is 102 or 103, there are some things you can do yourself to bring it down to a manageable range. One of those things is the wet-sock treatment, which is a common method that the pioneers used to reduce fever. (Don't laugh, lots of people swear by this!!).

Here it is:

When it's bedtime, warm your feet by soaking them in warm water. An easy way to do this is to sit on the side of the tub, run some warm water and take it easy for a few minutes.

Soak a pair of thin cotton socks in cold water, wring them out and put them on your feet immediately before going to bed. Yep, it sounds crazy, but there really is a good reason for this.

Next, slip on a pair of thick socks, preferably wool, over the wet ones and get yourself to bed. Have nice dreams of getting those %#$@! wet socks off your feet.

While you are resting, the wet socks are drawing your blood to your feet, which substantially increases blood circulation. Increased blood circulation generally leads to a lower body temperature. Voila!

Oh, and don't believe the old wives tale that you should "starve a fever". The only thing this will do is weaken you even further at the very time that you should be eating something to build you up, even if it's only chicken soup and crackers.

Here's hoping that you don't need this remedy for a long, long time. Have a safe flu season!


Friday, October 2, 2009

The Friday Dog Blog



Friday's here. It's.....Pensive Schnauzer!!!