Red Cross can help

I've had a busy couple of days!  Yesterday I played bridge and afterwards, stopped by my Mom's house for a visit.  We only live about 20-30 minutes away but I'm really bad about not stopping by to visit more often.  After being away from family for 30+ years, it's just been hard to adjust to having family so close.  I have to stop and think every so often how I'd feel if the shoe was on the other foot and it was my daughter not stopping by to visit me!! 

Last night after dinner, Sonny and I were just settling in to catch up on some tv shows we'd taped and had just finished scooping our ice cream in our bowls when we got a call from the Red Cross DAT (disaster) team leader.  We are volunteers for the DAT team and have been for almost a year but have never been called to a disaster.  Every few months, we have the DAT bag for the week and are "on call" but the pager has never gone off.  We figured it really didn't work!!  The gal who had the bag this week knew we had never gone out so when she got the call, she called us to assist her ... plus the house fire was in Troutman which is not too far from us.  By the time we got there (about 11 pm) there were about 5-6 firetrucks and numerous other vehicles.  The fire had been put out but the double-wide trailer was demolished.  The poor lady who lived alone luckily was not at home when the fire started.  She is 56 years old and has a lot of health issues.  Poor thing was just so upset.  The worst part was she had no insurance!!  How can people do that??  She had lived there for 22 years and everything she owned is now gone.  Every few minutes she'd cry out about something that had perished .... from her church clothes, her hats, her 27 wigs, a whole library of old books and the paperwork she had started to get her GED.  She told us she was always the one who helped her family out when they needed something.  She said she used to pay into the United Way when she worked and never dreamed one of those types of services would one day be assisting her.  The Red Cross can't do as much as it once could due to the recession but we were able to give her a debit card with money on it for food, clothing and three days in a motel.  We told her when she found an apartment or somewhere to live, we would pay her first month's rent also. 

All day today I have thought about this poor lady and gone back and forth from feeling sorry to other thoughts.  And here are my reasons.  Last night while talking to the client, she told me she had just pawned her jewelry so she could buy a VCR/DVD combo and hadn't even watched it once .... on her flat screen TV that she bought this year.  She said she had a 72" TV that she had bought in 2007.  She had muscle/nerve damage to her arm and told me she has gone to therapy a few times for it and was supposed to go more often, but it was too expensive - they want $50 for therapy!  Hello???  You can afford the tv, DVD, etc. but not do the things the dr advises to make you feel better.   I know everyone has the right to spend their money the way they see fit (even our government!!) but I just have to shake my head.  My friend at Red Cross told me the client called today with many questions regarding more assistance and wanted to know if the Red Cross would pay a downpayment on a new trailer to put on her lot!!  

The Red Cross is a great organization and is there to help in times of need.  If you like to help people, I urge you to consider volunteering with the Red Cross.  They provide all the training you need so you will be ready to respond to disasters, work at blood drives, deliver messages to US Service personnel, re-connect families that have been displaced.  My husband drives a Red Cross van each week taking people in our community to doctor appointment, dialysis, etc.


Here are some Red Cross facts for you:

Volunteers constitute 96 percent of the total work force to carry on their humanitarian work:


Every year the Red Cross responds to more than 70,000 disasters—including approximately 150 home fires every day.


About 11 million Americans turn to them to learn first aid, CPR, swimming, and other health and safety skills. Last year, more than 158,000 people volunteered to teach those courses.


Half the nation's blood supply— six million pints annually—is collected by more than 155,000 Red Cross volunteers .


Among their emergency services for the men and women of the armed forces is the delivery of urgent family messages—around the clock and around the globe.


More than 30,900 volunteers serve as chairs, members of boards of directors, or on advisory boards for local Red Cross units - chapters, Blood Services regions, and military stations.


As part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, Red Cross reconnects more than 8,000 families separated by conflicts and disasters around the world through international tracking services and Red Cross messages.

Tonight my sisters, mom and Sonny and I went to downtown Charlotte to the Levine Museum of the South for a program about Hurricane Hugo.  Hugo hit the Charlotte area 20 years ago.  I didn't live here at the time, but my family all lived in Charlotte and still have nightmares about that storm.  Hugo ranked as the eleventh most intense hurricane at time of landfall to strike U.S. this century and is rated as the second costliest hurricane with over $7 billion in damages. Hugo's storm surge was the highest ever recorded on the East Coast. It was estimated at 20 feet just north of Charleston. Hugo's 150 mile wide swath destroyed about one billion board feet of timber and resulted in major damage hundreds of miles inland. The total number of deaths associated with Hurricane Hugo is 82.  The exhibit was sponsored by the Red Cross which I didn't know until shortly before we went tonight.  It was a very interesting exhibit.  I thought it would have been much larger, but they did a good job with what they did have.

Tomorrow will be a little more slow paced!  I'll be hiding away to eat my meals though!  Sonny is scheduled for a routine colonosophy on Thursday so tomorrow will be a liquid diet for him.

Stamp Sale

(edited - I am crossing through the ones that have been sold)

My neighborhood in Sherrills Ford is having it's annual Block/Garage Sale next weekend.  I will have a table set up at the clubhouse selling some of my stamps and some fiction books.  All of the stamps are Stampin' Up unless they are listed differently.   I am listing the stamps below that I will have in the sale.  If you are interested in any of these stamps, let me know and I will "make you a deal!"

A Beautiful Thing $10.00

A Light Heart $10.00

All About Occasions $5.00

Alpha Bits (AM) $7.00

Be Happy $10.00

Birthday Whimsey $5.00 (never been used)

book - creative lettering $4.00

book - Photo Cropping by Memory Makers $4.00

Book: Quick & Clever Handmade Cards $4.00

Botantical Blooms $6.00

Dotted Autumn $8.00

Event Full $10.00

Background:  Fine Lace $8.00

For Father $10.00

Friendship Blooms $8.00

Hero Arts Shadow Stamps (set 6) $10.00

Hero Arts Wavy Autumn Wishes (set 6) $10.00

It's All Good $6.00

Little Bit of Happiness $10.00

Lots of Thoughts $6.00

Mini Scor It $20.00

Oh So Lovely $6.00

On Gossamer Wings $12.00

Organic Grace $5.00

Polka Dots & Paisley $8.00

Reverse Prints (AM) $8.00

Simply Said $12.00

Sketch It $15.00

Stars & Swirls (AM) $5.00

Stipple Celeb $12

Sweet Dreams $12.00

Sweet Shapes $10.00

Text & Texture $10.00

Wishing You the Best $5.00

Background: Word by Word $8.00

No More Light

You're probably going to think I'm crazy after this post, but ... oh well!!  This week has been a tough one for me.  You see, I am a devoted fan of the soap opera, Guiding Light.  And, today was the final episode of the longest running soap opera (for that matter tv show) ever!!  72 years!!  Guiding Light" debuted on NBC radio in 1937 as a 15-minute serial, then moved to CBS television on June 30, 1952. In 1968, "GL" expanded to 30 minutes and, in 1977, became a full hour. Once there were a dozen or so daytime soaps on the TV networks - now there will be seven.

I remember my Great Aunt Lou watching soap operas - Guiding Light, As the World Turns and Edge of Night.  How many of you watched these shows with grandmothers, moms, aunts, etc?  They were real to them.  Well, today I feel like I lost part of my family.  Guiding Light reminded us every day that family is where the heart is, or where it should be. 

The family at the core of the show was the Bauers, but over the decades the Spaulding, Lewis and Cooper clans also have helped populate the mythical towns where the drama took place.  I have loved with them, laughed with them, celebrated with them and cried with them through their own life events year after year. I have grown up with those characters, so it's very easy for us fans to feel as if we know them and think of them as part of our families. When it's off, we will grieve and miss them.

Along with veteran cast members, the show  played host to many actors who left to find larger stardom elsewhere. These include Kevin Bacon, JoBeth Williams, James Earl Jones, Allison Janney, Brittany Snow, Hayden Panettiere and Melina Kanakaredes.

Considering the years the show had leading up to cancellation ... talk about some low points. From Josh and Cassie to Grady Foley and everything in between, I honestly considered taking a break from the show because I couldn't stand to see it be destroyed any longer. Obviously that didn't happen, and the show eventually made a huge turn around starting with the events surrounding Coop's death and Phillip's return. Things were truly looking up for Guiding Light and then the rug was pulled out from under them.

To the writers credit, they did a good job these past couple of weeks "tying up all the loose ends."  I can't say that I was thrilled with  .... oops can't say what happened.  My daughter is also a big fan of the show - she grew up watching it with me!!  She is visiting her cousin this weekend and hasn't seen the final shows.

Guess I'll have an extra hour in my day now to be creative.  But, I'll sure miss that beacon of light that guided those actors each day.

Remember

Today I hope you took a moment and remembered those who lost their lives when the United States was attacked 8 years ago. I can remember where I was and what I was doing to this day.  Lots of people lost their lives that day, and lots of lives were saved.  Our men and women who serve to protect us ALL THE TIME day in and day out could use your thanks and prayers.

God bless America!!!

President Obama's Address to Schools

I have been hearing about all the controversy over Pres. Obama's speech on Tuesday to the nation's school children. C'mon people!! Is it just because it is Obama? You know, Reagan and Bush both made speeches to school children and we didn't hear all this discord.

I keep hoping that the clear-headed, fair-minded opposition to Obama's policies will separate itself from the wide-eyed fury at everything he does, says, thinks, wears and eats. I wonder how many of the people who are so angry about Obama talking to their children are the same people who go on about other kids having bad parents. I would think good parents should have the confidence to let their children hear the speech, help them put it context, and urge them to think for themselves - just like they should with everything else they hear in school. There are many parents considering taking their children out of school on Tuesday rather than listen to the speech. What is that teaching them? That it is ok to skip school if something is coming up you don't like? Maybe the next spelling test would be another reason to skip? In refusing to let them listen to our President, we are not giving them a chance to hear things and think for themselves - rather they will end up mimic-ing what the parent believes.

My son and daughter-in-law are on the opposite side of the fence with this issue than I am. Although, to be fair, their main objection is that teachers at their schools are supposed to do lesson plans that day to incorporate the speech. You can read about her objections HERE and then form your own opinion. Everyone should be entitled to one (opinion), don't you think? That's what makes this world a great place!

A little of this and a little of that

Sorry I've been MIA!! I had a great time at CK Convention this weekend in Charlotte and spent way too much $$$$!!! When my last class was over on Saturday, Sonny picked me up and we drove up to the Shelton Winery for a get-together with friends ... a little wine and a little Embers beach music in concert! It was a wonderful night - not too hot and a little breeze blowing. Sunday we went out on the boat for a few hours and then to my sister's for BBQ. And today was spent at the Y, but we ended up canceling out that workout by going for lunch at O'Charley's. Sonny had fish & chips and I had shrimp & grits, not to mention the "to die for" hot wheat rolls we had!

I took several classes at CK and will be posting pictures of them when I get them all finished. They just get you through the hard parts of the project and leave the rest for you to finish on your own. Here's a picture of Sharon, Marianne & me at our final class.

My daughter got back home safe and sound from Africa and has over 800 pictures to share with us! So far, I've just seen about 50 pictures that she posted on Facebook and they are incredible!! Here are two pictures that were my favorites - the cheetah out in the wild and posing for a picture! And, the lion hiding in the grasses!

My grandson turned 3 on Friday and my daughter in law made the cutest Mickey Mouse cake for his party (not without some issues with the fondant frosting though!)

Relaxing in the Mountains

We enjoyed a nice little get-away in the NC mountains Sunday and Monday.  We just decided on Saturday to drive up to the mountains and enjoy the cooler weather.   Sonny remarked as we were driving up there that he didn’t think he’d ever been on the Blue Ridge Parkway!!   What’s up with that?  We arrived in Blowing Rock around lunchtime and found a restaurant that had a lot of cars parked in front.  That’s always a good sign for a good restaurant in my opinion.  Canyons Restaurant used to be a liquor store back in the early 1900’s and supposedly there are hidden areas in the building.  They were serving a Sunday brunch with a little Jazz quartet playing.  I had a Southwestern Omelet and it was delicious!!  I would recommend Canyons to you if you are in Blowing Rock on a Sunday!   After brunch, we wandered around downtown Blowing Rock and then drove up to Boone and wandered around the Mast General Store there.  We ended up driving back to Blowing Rock and getting a room in a local motel downtown and walking over to the Speckled Trout for dinner.  Another great choice!  I had fresh mountain trout … yum!  After dinner, we wandered over to the Six Pence Pub (you surprised?) where we ended the evening with a few nightcaps. 

Sunday was a gorgeous day (it rained off and on on Saturday) and we headed over to view THE Blowing Rock.  Glad we only had to pay $5 to view it …. not worth much more than that!  But the view was great and we had a nice walk around the grounds.  Then we headed over to Grandfather Mountain where the admission was a little more than $5 ($15) but was worth it this time.  We were inspired by the views from the highest point in the Blue Ridge while we crossed over the famous Mile High Swinging Bridge.  I remember going to Grandfather Mountain many times as a child and being scared to death to walk across that bridge!  It’s funny what you perceive as scary when you’re young.  I thought I remembered a wooden bridge that was actually swinging back and forth.  Yes, the bridge does swing, but you can barely tell and it is NOT wooden!  I actually went over the bridge with my arms in the air!! 

A great view of THE Rock

I climbed up on the backside of the Blowing Rock and was holding on so I wouldn’t slip off!

Sonny & I with Grandfather Mountain & The Swinging Bridge in the background.

Halfway across the Swinging Bridge (those are Sonny’s feet)!

This bear was almost posing for the cameras!  There were 3 bears in captivity – pretty sad!  I remember when we used to actually see them on the side of the road when we went to the mountains.

This was really sad.  This beautiful Bald Eagle was shot by a hunter and now he can’t fly.  He was trying to flap his wings but as you can see, he could only flap one side.  He was making a pitiful sound.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We can’t wait to go back in the fall to see the changing colors of the foliage.

Thankful

This weekend started out pretty good.  Friday we went to Concord Mills and did some shopping for Jayce (grandson) who will be 3 in August!  He likes Thomas the Train so that is always fun for Sonny to pick them out.  Since we don’t get to see him much, we just have to imagine him playing with the trains.  After we returned home, things started going bad.  We received some disturbing news but weren’t so sure what it was all about.  Without going into a lot of details, it was a pretty big scare that turned out ok.  Everyone is fine but it sure makes you thankful for what you have.  And, it makes you realize that life can be taken away in a split second so you should be live each moment to the fullest!

I'm thankful for the mornings
and the bird song at first light.
I'm thankful for the heavens
with all its beauty in the night.
I'm thankful for my friends
who show me that they care.
I'm thankful for my family
for which I'm well aware.
I'm thankful for my faith
in a great God up above.
I'm thankful for my husband
who showers me with love.
I'm thankful for my children
as they have made me proud.
I'm thankful to those I've known
who stand out in a crowd.
Yes my life may be simple
and my means just as few.
But all this would mean nothing
if I never had friends like you.

The Star Spangled Banner

The Defense of Fort McHenry by Francis Scott Key

20 September 1814

Oh, say can you see, by the dawn's early light, What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming? Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight, O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming? And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air, Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there. O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep, Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes, What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep, As it fitfully blows, now conceals, now discloses? Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam, In full glory reflected now shines on the stream: 'Tis the star-spangled banner! O long may it wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion A home and a country should leave us no more? Their blood has wiped out their foul footstep's pollution. No refuge could save the hireling and slave From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave: And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand Between their loved homes and the war's desolation! Blest with victory and peace, may the heaven-rescued land Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation. Then conquer we must, for our cause it is just, And this be our motto: "In God is our trust." And the star-spangled banner forever shall wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

50 Life Lessons

I ran across this article by Regina Britt, a columnist, and thought it was great. Perhaps you will too.

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.

3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

4. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

5. Pay off your credit cards every month.

6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.

8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.

9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.

10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.

13. Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.

15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.

16. Life is too short for long pity parties. Get busy living, or get busy dying.

17. You can get through anything if you stay put in today.

18. A writer writes. If you want to be a writer, write.

19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.

20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.

21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.

23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.

24. The most important sex organ is the brain.

25. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: "In five years, will this matter?"

27. Always choose life.

28. Forgive everyone everything.

29. What other people think of you is none of your business.

30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.

31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

32. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.

33. Believe in miracles.

34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.

35. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.

36. Growing old beats the alternative - dying young.

37. Your children get only one childhood. Make it memorable.

38. Read the Psalms. They cover every human emotion.

39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.

41. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

42. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

43. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

44. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

45. The best is yet to come.

46. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

47. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

48. If you don't ask, you don't get.

49. Yield.

50. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.

Interesting Fasts!

• After the Bayer company introduced aspirin in 1899, it quickly became the top-selling non-prescription drug in the world. At first, it was sold as a loose powder. But sixteen years later, in 1915, Bayer gave us the first familiar aspirin tablets.
• Limousines got their name from the Limousin region of France, where they were first made.
• Leotards are named after Jules Leotard, a trapeze artist from France, who popularized the snug-fitting garment during his performances in the 1800’s.
• The J.J. Heinz company sells more than 50 percent of all the ketchup in the world.

_{Resource: ~~Strange & Fascinating Facts About Famous Brands by Charles Reichblum}

Out and about in DC

Just a quick post before we're off again!! As usual, Ashley is wearing me out!! But we're having fun! Yesterday was the big promotion day. I'll try and post some pictures later today. Ashley and one of the other fellows were both promoted to Major (Army). They held the promotion ceremony in the rotunda of the National Archives with the cases of the Declaration of Independence, Bill of Rights, etc. surrounding us! We were the only ones in the building (except for the guards) so it was pretty special. We had to be out by 9 a.m. After the ceremony, we took pictures outside and then wandered around DC until things opened at 10 am. We went to the American History Museum; took the elevator to the top of the Washington Monument; went to a Statue Garden; had lunch at Old Ebbitt's Grill and took the metro back home around 7 pm. Today, we are going back into town .... after breakfast at The Original Pancake House .... and going to the Newseum, a new Smithsonian about newspapers.

Barbecue Meal Ideas

Here are some ideas for summer bar-b-queing and Weight Watcher point values for you.

Grilled Meats
1 lean Hamburger (3 oz. cooked), 5
1 lean Cheeseburger (3 oz. cooked & 1 slice cheese), 7
1 Vegetarian Burger (meatless), 2
1 "Boca" Burger (meatless) *Excellent, 1
1 Hot Dog (beef or pork), 5
1 Ball Park Fat Free Franks, *Excellent, 1
1 slice London Broil (2 oz.), 3
3 BBQ Spareribs (pork), 7
1 BBQ Chicken Breast (skinless, with bone, ¼ cup BBQ sauce), 5
1 Chicken Leg (skinless), 1
1 Chicken Thigh (skinless), 3

Grilled Fish
½ cup Shrimp (cooked), 1
1 Tuna Steak (6 oz. cooked), 4
1 Swordfish Steak (6 oz. cooked), 4

Vegetables/Sides
Grilled Veggie Kabobs - Alternate sliced zucchini, mushrooms, onion, green or red bell pepper & cherry tomatoes on skewer. Brush with 1 tsp oil. Grill until tender, turning often. 1
1 cup Baked Beans (canned), 4
1 small ear Corn on the Cob, 1
1 cup Coleslaw, 6
Tossed Salad, 0
½ cup Potato Salad, 6
1 medium unsweetened Pickle, 0

Breads
1 Hamburger Roll, 3
1 Frankfurter Roll, 3
1 Roll, any type, 3

Snacks & Desserts
14 Potato Chips, 4
1 slice Watermelon (2"), 1
1 cup Fruit Salad, 2
1 piece Apple Pie (1/8 of 9" pie), 10
1 scoop low-fat Frozen Yogurt, 3
1 slice Angel Food Cake (2 oz) topped with ½ cup blueberries, ½ cup sliced strawberries, ¼ cup whipped topping, 4

Dressings & Condiments
2 tbsp fat-free Dressing, 1
2 tbsp reduced-calorie Dressing, 2
2 tbsp regular Dressing, 4
¼ cup Ketchup, 1
¼ cup BBQ Sauce, 1
Mustard, 0
1 tsp Relish, 0
1 cup Sauerkraut. 0

Beverages
1 bottle or can Light Beer (12 oz.), 2
1 small glass Wine, 2
1 can Diet Soft Drink, 0

from Dotties Newsletter

Did You Know????

• The word news was coined from the fact that early daily papers carried images of globes on their mastheads and boasted that their reports came from all directions – North, East, West, and South.
• Tip is an acronym for “to insure promptness” – and once upon a time was given in advance.
• Tigers have striped skin, not just striped fur.
• Because the studio expected it to bomb, the budget of Casablanca was so low that the plane used in the background of the final scene was a small cardboard cutout. To give it the illusion of being full-sized, the producers hired midgets to portray the crew preparing it for takeoff.

_{Resource: ~~Who Knew? By David Hoffman}

Chips - good choices and bad choices!

Chips seem to be a staple at many picnics and family gatherings and I could easily sit down and eat half a bag of potato chips by myself!! The problem is that most chips are very high in fat and calories, which doesn’t help us lose weight and stay there! There is also the problem that it is extremely hard to “just eat one" (as I said before!)
Below are the calories, fat and sodium of some of the more popular chips on the market. This will help you make the best choice for your fun-filled get-together.
Some of your best bets are:
Snyder’s of Hanover MultiGrain, 8 chips (1 oz) ~ 130 cal/5g fat (0g saturated fat)/110mg sodium ~ 3g fiber makes this a great choice!
Funyuns, 13 pieces (1 oz) ~ 140 cal/7g fat (1g saturated fat)/240mg sodium ~ I love these! Sun Chips Original, 16 chips (1 oz) ~ 140 cal/6g fat (1g saturated fat)/120mg sodium ~ Sun Chips uses only whole grains, which helps keep your blood sugar stable along with helping you feel full.
Baked! Tostitos Scoops!, 15 chips (1 oz) ~ 120 cal/3g fat (0.5g saturated fat)/130mg sodium ~ Half the fat of Fritos and double the pleasure!
Baked! Doritos Nacho Cheese, 15 chips (1 oz) ~ 120 cal/3.5g fat (0.5g saturated fat)/220mg sodium ~ Add 2g of fiber to these and you’ve got a winner!
Que Pasa White Corn, 14 chips (1 oz) ~ 140 cal/7g fat (0.5g saturated fat)/50mg sodium ~ Wonderful plain tortilla chip!

Some of your worst bets are:
Natural Cheetos White Cheddar, 32 chips (1 oz) ~ 150 cal/9g fat (1.5g saturated fat)/290mg sodium ~ Sure ‘Natural’ is on the package but that means nothing in the eyes of the FDA.
Fritos Original, 32 pieces (1 oz) ~ 160 cal/10g fat (1.5g saturated fat)/160mg sodium ~ I love these but they are a very poor choice if you’re watching your weight.
Fritos Pinch of Salt, 34 pieces (1 oz) ~ 160 cal/10g fat (1.5g saturated fat)/75mg sodium ~ These are lighter on sodium but remember that 90 calories are from fat.
Bugles Original, 1-1/3 cup (1 oz) ~ 160 cal/9g fat (8g saturated fat)/310mg sodium ~ Each bugle is almost 50% saturated fat by weight.
Tostitos Multigrain, 8 chips (1 oz) ~ 150 cal/8g fat (1g saturated fat)/135mg sodium ~ Half of the calories are from vegetable oil which supplies each serving with a full gram of saturated fat.
Tostitos Hint of Lime, 6 chips (1 oz) ~ 150 cal/8g fat (1g saturated fat)/160mg sodium ~ Yes, these taste good but they are a bad choice if you’re planning on staying on your Journey.
_{Resource: ~~Eat This, Not That by David Zinczenko with Matt Goulding}

Say a little prayer!

I need you to all say a little prayer for me today that my Stampin' Up order will arrive before I have to leave for the airport!!  I have ordered the new in-colors - stamp pads, paper, reinkers and a few of the ribbons plus the new Modern Label punch.  My new catalog will be in the box too!!!  I'd really like to have that catalog to look at while on the airplane.  Our flight doesn't leave until 5:30 so we'll have to leave the house about 3:30 so there's a chance.  Our UPS guy comes at all different time of the day.  Oh well, if it doesn't arrive, I have a back-up plan.  I'll be taking a Priority Envelope to my good friend and neighbor, Judy, so she can send it to me.  I told her that way, she'll get the first look at the catalog!! 

I have a dentist appointment in the a.m.  Hopefully, I'll find out about my nerve/sinus problems that happened on my last flight.  Let's also say a little prayer that I don't encounter that pain on this flight!

I will be gone until June 22 and I have scheduled a few blog posts in advance.  I'll try to do some posting from Ashley's house.  Ashley will be promoted to MAJOR on Monday and her fellowship (Infectious Diseases) graduation will be the following Friday.  So, we are looking forward to a busy and exciting trip.

Hats Off to Spring Tea

  My Newcomers's group had a "Hats Off to Spring" tea on Tuesday.  I had been making little hats and baskets for the centerpieces and was so glad to be done with that project!!  But, they really turned out cute and the tables really looked festive.  We got lots of favorable comments about the tea so all the hard work was worth it!

We had a barbershop quartet perform.  They were a group of professors from Davidson College and they were really good.  Plus .... they didn't charge us anything!!

I took several of my great-aunt Love's hats.  She was a milliner and had her own hat shop at one time.  I wore one of the hats!  Here are a few pictures.

Ginny made her hat with a tea cup on top!

Doesn't the guy on the end look like Barney Fife???

House Mouse Balloon!

I used another one of my new stamps today - the House Mouse one.  It's sooo cute!

I stamped this one on Whisper White paper and colored it with my Prismacolor Markers using the Gamsol method to shade.  The confetti was colored with SU's Metallic Pencils (I think they are retired).  I punched a hole in the balloon and tied a string around it.

This one was stamped with Staz-On onto watercolor paper.  I colored it with my Watercolor Crayons.  Then, I used Shimmerz and Radiant Pearls to color the confetti.  I used a punch for the two corners and I embossed lines all around the pink paper using my Scor Pal (hard to see in the picture).  I also stamped the mouse separately and cut him out and raised him up with dimensional tape.

Sonny and I went to the movies today.  It was a cloudy day all day with rain threatening so we couldn't take the boat out.  We saw Obsessed (with Beyonce).  It was really good!  I would recommend it.  It's one of those movies that the crowd is cheering on the heroes out loud.   You really get involved in the story.

Speaking of rain, did you see on the news the story about the Cowboys practice field getting destroyed yesterday in the storms that went through the Dallas area.  (click HERE  for a video)  Well, we used to live just a few miles from that area.  I did my grocery shopping at the Tom Thumb grocers right across the street (plus, my daughter worked there in high school).  Scary - I haven't talked to any of my friends yet to see if they had any damage.

Happy Earth Day

Happy Earth Day to you.  I did my part yesterday to beautify my little portion of the earth.  Aren't these flowers beautiful?  Dahlias and Gerber Daisies (Ashley's favorites!) for Breast Cancer (from Lowe's).  I planted them today in a pot .... just hope they get enough sun!

Sonny and I started out the day visiting with our lawyer to get our wills and medical releases up to NC law.  All our important documents were made out about 10 years ago when we wee Texas residents.  Friends had told us that NC might not accept the documents from another state.  You might want to check on your important papers also if you have moved to another state.  Also, do you have your papers in a fire-proof box and do your loved ones know where they are?  Important things to know!

Then we went to the movies to see State of Play.  It was really good.  Russell Crow, Ben Affleck, Rachel McAdams and Helen Mirar are in it.  Crowe stepped into the role after Brad Pitt dropped out.  Crowe played a very interesting character in this role as a scruffy hero in a newspaper movie that is acutely aware of the crisis affecting newspapers.  There are a lot of surprises in the film and it is a good thriller.  I recommend it.

Next was a stop at Lowe's to pick up bird seed and a few plants.  Sonny has a tendency to over-trim my trees and plants when given the chance.  Last year, he chopped down 3 rhododendrons on the side of the house.  They were a little lot over-grown, but really only needed a good trimming.  Anyway, they are gone with no greenery showing up this spring.  They were covering up the ugly air conditioners so now, I have to come up with another plan.  Our yard gets very little sun because of all the trees around us and we don't want to give up that precious shade!  (especially after living in Texas.)  But, trying to find plants that don't need sun is a little tricky.  Here's what I planted today.

The two shrubs are called a Leprechaun Shrub.  I planted the Nandina in the middle a few days ago - dug it up from the front yard.

To the side, I am going to try a Hosta garden.  Here are two I planted today.

In the back yard, I planted a hosta and Bleeding Heart last year and they are coming up nicely.  So, I added a couple more plants to them today.  Now, I want to find some nice sized rocks and outline their area so Sonny doesn't mow them down!

This is a close-up of the Bleeding Heart ... and my azaleas blooming.  

Michael's coupon

Here's a link to a Michael's coupon for this week! Now, go spend some $$$!!