Wanna Go to the River?

Today I want to recommend Dear Hubby's (and my) favorite worship CD of all times. It's called I Go to the River, by Paul Baskin. We have been enjoying this for many years. We know of it because we are personally acquainted with Pastor Paul, though we haven't gotten to see him and his wife in a long time.

You can order it by going to www.paulbaskin.com. At the time I'm writing this, the sample music will not play on my computer. I hope it works for you so you can get a taste of his beautiful music. Every song is wonderful, but DH's very favorite one is Revival. On one of the songs, you'll hear little girls singing -- they are Paul and Debbie's little girls, and it will touch your heart.

It's Always Darkest Just Before the Dawn

This tip comes, believe it or not, from my 27-year-old son, Austin. He's a lot like me when it comes to collecting interesting information. Austin works in the oil and gas industry, and said all the guys wash their uniforms with original Dawn dish soap. Squirt a little on any greasy spots, and launder as usual. It's formulated to cut grease, after all. We don't end up with a lot of grease on our clothes, so it's hard for me to test it thoroughly. I would think you shouldn't use too much in case it bubbles out of your washing machine, and don't ever mix it with bleach.

I did a little digging online, and found out people are using it for all kinds of things -- to kill fleas, wash cars, wash grease off hands, clean floors, and even unclog toilets! Wow. I've got a bottle, and I'm going to look for some more uses for it. It's worth a try!

Happy Birthday to my Sis!

My sister Kim is only 15 months younger than me, but she really likes to bug me about being the "older" sister. Despite all that, she's a great, highly considerate sister, and we have the best time together.

A while back, when we had a party for Mom's 70th birthday and Kim's 50th, I found just the right card for Kim. It said: "Happy
Birthday -- I couldn't ask for a better sister." Then on the inside it said, "Actually I could, but I think Mom's too old." Perfect!

Happy Birthday, Seester!

Kim's in the front, I'm in the back

Pretty in Pink

Questions of the Day

Today I only want to present you with questions to ponder. I've just been wondering...

1) When we put our money in the stock market, and a lot of it goes away, where does it go to? It didn't just disappear -- who has it?

2) When we all come together and help raise money for cancer research, does that mean when they find a cure, they'll give it to us for free, rather than charging $5000 for 6 pills?

3) Why aren't we seeing pictures of a young Joe Biden in his swimsuit?

I'm just asking. That's all. Happy thinking.

Condition Your Legs

A great tip from my sister Kim:

Here is one tip I use daily. You know how you ALWAYS have more conditioner than shampoo? So you buy another conditioner when you buy more shampoo and seem to have 3 bottles of conditioner for every one of shampoo. I use the conditioner for shaving. It works great! (It softens hair, right?). Instead of spending more $$$ on shaving gels, just use your conditioner. Now I seem to run out of shampoo and conditioner at the same time!

KNOT!

When I hand-quilt, I am constantly needing to put new thread in the needle and tie a knot. I was so excited when I took a hand-piecing class and our teacher, Candy, taught us how to tie a knot in the thread in a whole new way. It's quick and easy, and anyone can do it. I told her that was worth the price of the class right there. (We learned a lot of other cool stuff, too.) I've demonstrated the knot technique for you on this video. Get out some thread, a needle, and a pair of scissors, and you'll see for yourself how easy it is.

Grief Therapy

Grief is such a personal thing. I'm sure it's not the same for any two people. But I want to share two uplifting stories today that may give all of us some insight in how to support people who are grieving.

My friends Karla and Karen, who are twins, recently lost their dad. Because they couldn't afford it, they were not able to fly across the country to attend his funeral, and that grieved them even more. But one of their friends, Tracey, did a remarkable thing. She planned a private memorial service just for them. Tracey took them to a local cemetery, where she had a short eulogy, talked with them about his life, and gave them a small flag to honor his military service. Then they went out to eat and celebrated his life. It was really helpful to have this as "closure" for them. I wish I had thought of that! Way to go, Tracey.

My sister-in-law, Linda, lost her husband of almost 50 years in April. She has spent most of the last few months feeling as though she would not survive. She was especially dreading the day in September that was their 50th wedding anniversary. She had been planning a huge party for that day, but now it would not be. Well, by the grace of God, she woke up that morning with peace in her heart. And what she did that day showed all of us that she will survive. She went to George's cash stash -- he had been saving up for a golf trip -- and used the money to buy herself 50 red roses, a cake, and a couple of bottles of sparkling cider. That night, at her son's house, the immediate family toasted George and the wonderful way he lived his life. They laughed and told stories about him, and it turned out to be a good day for Linda after all. She knows now that since she survived that day, she will be able to weather the upcoming holidays without him.

My best advice on how to help someone grieve, whether it be death or divorce or something else, is let them talk. Talking it out to someone who has a listening ear will take the person a long way in the healing process. Linda and her daughter are also attending a Grief Recovery class at the local hospital (also available in churches), and I know that will help too.

Fighting Off Flying Bloodsuckers

[Today's title indicates I'm in drama queen mode.]

I love my patio, but I don't get to use it as often as I like because of the mosquitoes. I can tell you what we tried that didn't work well -- a little lantern that you light and it puts out fumes that supposedly repel the mosquitoes. We were happily eating dinner outside with this in the middle of the table when we read the instructions: don't use near food. Oh, boy. Apparently it's putting toxic fumes out.

I've rubbed a fabric softener sheet all over me. It didn't seem to work.

Dear Hubby likes lighting the tiki torches that are filled with citronella oil. That's not practical when I just want to sit out there and read for a little while.

This summer I've been so busy, I didn't have much time to lolligag around on the patio anyway.

Here's what I'll try next year:

1) Put regular Listerine in a spray bottle and spray the area you're going to be sitting in. Obviously this won't work if you're working in the yard. But maybe when lounging on the patio.

2) Plant rosemary in the patio area. I just read that it will repel the little critters. I hope it works. I've just put a note on my Yahoo calendar to plant rosemary in the spring. Basil is supposed to repel flies, and we have that near our patio, but we've never had a problem with flies, so I don't know if it works.

Have you tried anything that's actually worked??

On a related note, my friend Nancy recommends that after you get a bite, dab it with white vinegar. Do that as often as needed until it quits stinging altogether. I love good, natural, cheap solutions to a problem!

Beware of Rebates!

The come-on line sounds good: Free after rebate! (Or really cheap.) Yes, it might be a good deal, IF....

I used to go for these deals all the time, but I am much more selective now. Here's the scoop. It takes a lot of paperwork. You must meet every qualification exactly, or your rebate is null and void. You must do exactly what the rebate form says, in the time frame that it says to do it in. Then, you must keep a copy of everything you've sent, in order to hold the company accountable.

I have a theory -- based on experience. I believe, in some cases, companies don't send your rebate until you call and ask where it is. This has happened to me several times. You need to put the copies of the rebate papers somewhere where you will be reminded to check into it if you haven't received it yet (like a tickler file). They count on the fact that a huge amount of people never file for a rebate at all, and most of the ones that do don't keep track of it. You also have to be willing to wait anywhere from 6 to 12 weeks to get your money back. Oftentimes, the check is on a postcard, so watch your mail carefully.

BUT...if it's something you're going to buy anyway, and you're willing to do the work...go for it! I've gotten some really good deals.

Happy Birthday to my Mom!

My little red-headed momma. She was the youngest of 14 children (Grandma - how did you do that??). Her sisters tell me she was spoiled rotten, but she denies it. She's in assisted living now, mothering all the ones who are older than she is. We celebrate her birthday today.

Mom with her mother and daddy

I like this recent picture because she still looks feisty.

Flippin' Yer Mattress

I'm an odd chick, I know. I have a system for everything. Today I share my delightful system of flipping mattresses. You should do that occasionally, you know, to keep from having little valleys where your bodies normally lie.

So, here it is. Take a Sharpie marker, or a laundry marker will do. At the top of the mattress, on the binding or trim, mark an A. At the bottom of the mattress, mark a B. Flip it over, and at the top of that side of the mattress, mark a C. At the bottom of that side of the mattress, mark a D. (You could also use 1-2-3-4 if that suits you better.) Then, each time you flip the mattress, move the subsequent letter to the top of the bed. For example, if B is at the top of the bed now, next time move C to the top of the bed. Then D, then back to A. Does that make sense?

This way, you should be evenly rotating your mattress, and giving each side equal wear. After you're done marking your mattress, put a recurring reminder on your Yahoo (or other) calendar to flip your mattress. Experts have differing opinions on how often you should do it. Though not an expert, I recommend 2 to 4 times a year, but set your reminder according to what you decide.

Bonus Tip: When you flip, get out your vacuum cleaner and vacuum the surface of your mattress. With an attachment of course. I don't want to hear of anyone standing on their bed with their upright vacuum cleaner! :)

A Gift of Fun

What fun! You can create your own free e-cards to send, with your own familiar face(s). I didn't do so well on cropping my head (it was late at night), but this was a blast. And, you can schedule to send your e-card in advance up to a year. You can also save your head(s) and other people's to use over and over in different cards. That's really cool.

This one's for you. Check it out!


Create Your Own GushyGram
Visit MushyGushy.com

A Boy and His Grill

I don't know if every man is this way, but Dear Hubby LOVES his grill. It's a Weber gas grill, and you would never guess by looking at it that it is 8 years old. I asked him to share some of his grill maintenance techniques with you.

Each spring, he removes the grates, flavor bars (what is that?), and burners. He cleans them and replaces any parts as necessary.

He buys hi-temp BBQ Grill Paint, and paints the exterior as needed.

He tightens up anything that needs to be tightened, inspects, replaces any worn parts.

Anytime he sees an old grill put on the curb for trash, he stops and takes the pressure regulator out of it and puts it in his stockpile.

When it was needed, he removed and painted the wooden parts.

Maybe I should have waited until next spring to tell you this. Oh, well....put it on your Yahoo calendar...or in your tickler file...whatever...

Backup

A few years ago, a neighbor gave me a small fireproof box -- she had lost the key. I turned it into my little safe place for important computer CDs and backups. It sits under my desk and at least makes me feel a little more secure that I could recover important pictures in case of emergency.

Another option: Upload your pictures to an online site like Walgreens.com or Picasa.com Then they're available from any computer, anytime.

Or, buy an external hard drive, backup your important documents, pictures, etc., and then store in a fireproof box. High capacity external hard drives are now pocket-sized.

P.S. This kind of box will only withstand a certain amount of time in a fire. Each one has a rating.

Memoir in Six Words

A while back I read an article about summarizing your life in 6 words. Hmmm.... There's a book called "Not Quite What I Was Planning: 6-Word Memoirs by Writers Famous and Obscure." I haven't read the book, but the premise is pretty interesting. Here are some of the memoirs listed on the website:

"I'm hoping life begins at 30."
"No one's fault but my own."
"But still, my dog loves me."
"I came. I saw. I conquered."
"When did I become a grownup?"
"Peed on stick, positive. Life changed."
"Stopped planning. Now I'm finally living."
"Looked for laughter wherever I went."
"Found myself but lost my hair."

Some are sad, some just silly, some profound. I think mine would be:

"Almost died. Now live for Him."

You see, when I was 14, my emotionally disturbed stepbrother tried to kill me by stabbing me in the back with a knife while I was sleeping. But even before I really knew Him, God had a different plan for my life and didn't allow it to be snuffed out at a young age. I am so grateful.

What would your 6-word memoir say? I'd love to hear.

Phone is Cash?

Sometimes, for different reasons, you have to change cell phones and there is nothing wrong with the old one. We recently had this situation, and I looked online for the possibility of selling the no-longer-used cell phone. The company that offered us the highest price was phoneiscash.com
They make you an offer online, then, if you choose to accept it, you mail in your phone and wait for a check. We got $50 for our used cell phone.

I also sent in another, much older one, that was supposed to bring $20, but they rejected it because the case was scratched a lot, and didn't sent the phone back. If I had known that, I would have kept that phone for an extra backup. Oh, well...live and learn. But I was happy to get the $50 for something we could no longer use. It might work well for you, too. But, unless it's a newer phone, it's probably not going to be worth your time and trouble to mail it.

Bonus Hint: As my friends and relatives in Houston have found out, it's good to keep an old-fashioned plug-in phone around in case of a major power outage. You need one that doesn't depend on electricity to work. It was such a blessing to be able to call them and find out they're okay.

Then and Now - Landon

My nephew Landon is a hoot. Besides being bright, he loves fishing, hunting, motorcycle riding, and all kinds of outdoor activities. And, he always makes me smile. :)

I guess you can tell his mama likes red. She has a blazing red car too.

My Favorite Devotionals

I have two favorite daily devotional books.

The first one is simply called "Smith Wigglesworth Devotional". Mr. Wigglesworth lived from 1849 to 1947, and was a giant in the faith. This book contains daily excerpts from his speaking engagements as he traveled around the world. God used this man in a mighty way during his lifetime. I love the book.

The second one, which I'm reading this year, is "God Calling", edited by A.J. Russell. It contains the writing of two ladies who sat down together with pencil and paper in hand to listen to God and write what He told them. This all happened around 1933. It's amazing. Thanks to my friend, Joyce for recommending it.

I just realized how funny it is that my two favorite devotionals were written a long, long time ago.

But I'm pleased to share them with you.

Spindle Trick

Here's a nifty reuse/recycle tip. Save the spindle that comes with a stack of new CDs or DVDs for someone who knits or crochets.

Then, when they use those big skeins of yarn, it will help it sit on the floor nicely and unwind perfectly.

No Static on These Feet

Here ya go. You know those spiky rubber balls you can buy to bounce around in your clothes dryer to discourage static cling and fluff your laundry? Well, they work really well. But now I found a new use. Take one, put it on the ground, and roll around under your bare foot. Whoa, that feels good! I highly suggest you keep that one separate and get another set for your dryer. I haven't tried two at a time yet (one for each foot), but as soon as I buy an extra set, I'm there. Reflexology on the cheap!

Palpitations of the Heart

This is an odd little piece of information that just might come in handy to you sometime. Did you know that if you come into contact with something you're allergic to, there's a good chance your heart will beat faster?

I'm quite sure I'm allergic to bleach and chlorine, and I do my best not to use them in my home. But one time I was cleaning at my dear mother-in-law's house and used a product with bleach. Even though I washed my hands, I still had the smell of bleach on my fingers. As I sat at the computer that afternoon, I rested my hand on my face and got a good whiff of the bleach. IMMEDIATELY my heart started beating really hard in my chest. I had to think about it a few minutes before I realized the cause. It was a confirmation of something I already knew.

If you suspect you might be allergic to a food (non-life-threatening), test it by taking your pulse before and after ingesting the food. Your body might give you a clue.

Or, if you ever notice an increase in heart rate, stop and think about what you're currently being exposed to.

Yes, I'm full of weird little tidbits of knowledge, but at least I have a place to vent them....

Legal Documents on the Cheap

We all know how important it is to have a will and other important documents, but are yours up to date? We recently re-did ours, and in a way that might work for you. If your situation is uncomplicated, like ours, I can recommend US Legal Forms. It's a way to get your state-specific forms online, fill them out yourself, and then you get them notarized.

Right now, if you go to www.uslegalforms.com/dave (because of Dave Ramsey), you can get your state-specific will form for $15. They also have a combo pack, which includes your will, your living will, and a power of attorney, for $29. You don't have to buy a separate one for each person, as you download the form and can modify it as you see fit.

Keep in mind, if you are worth a lot of money, and/or have dependent children, you might need an attorney rather than going this simple way. On the other hand, if you don't have anything and aren't going to spend the money on an attorney, this would certainly be better than nothing.

Also, it's a good idea to have an inventory of your assets, life insurance, etc. I've heard so many stories of children having to search through their parent's house and piles of paper trying to find the documentationt they need to process the estate. Make it as easy as possible on your kids/spouse/relatives!

By doing nothing, you're just giving money away to attorneys, the government, etc. Do something!

Memory Jogger

This is a Dear Hubby hint, but one that I use also. You can e-mail or text yourself regular reminders. DH uses it to remind himself when to change the air conditioner filter, fertilize the grass, or other such things. I use it to remind myself to backup my computer data, send birthday cards, etc.

You can do this through the Yahoo calendar. Even if Yahoo is not your regular e-mail account, you can sign up for a free account and get this service.

Go to www.yahoo.com and set up an account if you don't have one. Click on "Calendar" and set up your reminder under "Add event". You can choose a one-time reminder, or a recurring one.

Pretty cool, and the older you get, the more you need this. Trust me.....much more effective than tying a string around your finger.

Then and Now - Kendall

Kids sure grow up fast! The day my niece Kendall was born, I rushed to the hospital straight from a clown gig, in all my glory. Now this young lady is AFRAID of clowns! Can you imagine? But thankfully she loves Aunt Debi, if not Dot the Clown.

Kendall is an athlete and a cutie-patootie. I wish I would have had at least half her spunk when I was her age. She's 15 and a half. Watch out world!

Snick Snack

This was suggested by my youngest sister Vicky, and it's something I love to do also.

• Take a bowl of plain lowfat or nonfat yogurt.
• Add fresh fruit -- berries, peaches, banana, whatever
• Add a sweetener, if desired, like stevia.
• Add chopped nuts, optional.

Sometimes I also add a little raw oatmeal for some extra fiber.

As you can see from the picture, today I had this with fresh peaches. Yum!

Vicky, a flight attendant, says that when she works she puts frozen fruit in it and it's thawed by the time she's ready to eat it. Of course, keep it refrigerated. If you're using frozen fruit and want to eat it right away, I have found it works to rinse the frozen fruit in a colander before adding to the yogurt. You could also microwave the fruit for a few seconds, but I'm trying to use the microwave as little as possible.

Hope you'll try this soon!

Movie Night

I want to recommend a great movie to my Christian readers. It's called "Time Changer". My friend Joyce found this on a clearance rack somewhere and loaned it to us. Wow! What a movie. You will be fascinated, touched, and hopefully, changed.

Here's the description as given on the Netflix website:
Nineteenth-century Bible professor Russell Carlisle's (D. David Morin) new book, which asserts that morality can be taught independent of Christianity, is soon to be published. But a devout colleague (Gavin MacLeod) believes that what Carlisle has written will seriously affect the morals of future generations. To prove his theory, he sends Carlisle more than 100 years into the future, offering him a glimpse of where his writing will lead.

I immediately thought we should show this at our church. When I checked the movie website (www.timechangermovie.com), sure enough, many churches have done this. You have to pay a fee to be able to show it publicly, but it would be well worth it.

I give this movie 2 thumbs up, and recommend it for the whole family. It's rated PG.

Bouncy Bed

Do you ever have a need for an extra bed? If you're as old as I am, you remember how uncomfortable roll-away beds are, and sofabeds -- forget it! I've found a good solution for us. It's the Aerobed Premier Comfort Plus. It blows up and has a control that you can adjust for your own comfort -- more or less air. It comes with a mattress pad and it's own little carry bag, and I have found it to be quite comfy! We use it when we have extra company that won't fit in our one guest room. And I've used it several times when I've visited people. (We've had ours for about 2 years now.)

I'm reminded of this because my sister Alicia and I went to visit my son Austin last weekend at his apartment in another state. Alicia and I blew up our beds side-by-side in his empty extra bedroom. Alicia uses hers when extra kids spend the night with her kids. I think it would also be good when you have a sick family member who wants to "camp out" in the living room. If you have a power adapter, you could use this in a van if you took the back seats out.

The twin size is usually $99.99 at Linens 'N Things, but you can use their 20% off coupon and get it for $80 plus tax. And sometimes it goes on sale. But BE CAREFUL. You want the Premier Comfort Plus that is adjustable. The cheaper one just pumps up and has no adjustment. I don't know if it would be as comfortable as this one.

Better Sleep

I know I've briefly mentioned this before in another article, but I've found a way to get better sleep. I am such a light sleeper, I hear every little noise. Sometimes I didn't even know why I woke up, but I think it was from small noises (such as Dear Hubby's snoring).

I started using earplugs when I traveled, because of the unfamiliar noises, but I've found I sleep better at home with them also. It's like I put these things in my ears and go into my little cocoon for a good night's rest. It doesn't completely block out all noise, but dulls it down to the point it doesn't bother me.

The best earplugs for me are by Hearos brand. They're called Sleep Pretty in Pink Women's Ear Plugs, and they're a little bit smaller than the regular size. I found them at Walgreens, in a package with 7 pair and a carrying case. Pay attention to the instructions on the back for putting them in -- it makes a big difference when they're installed properly.

Use these also when you're going to be around very loud noises. They worked great the time DH and I were in a mosh pit. No kidding...

Family History

This is something I didn't do on purpose at the beginning, but it has turned out to be a very useful thing. Years ago, I used a Daytimer to keep track of schedules, contacts, etc. Thankfully, today I can carry around an electronic version of that big notebook. But, it had some pre-printed sheets that seemed perfect to me for keeping a family history. Each year had it's own sheet, divided into 12 months, with a few lines under each month. I started using these sheets to keep track of important events that had happened in each month in 1992. The years have flown by, and now I have a continuous family record since then.

What might be on the history? Here are some examples:

• Michael Graduated High School
• Family Vacation to Florida
• Dear Hubby and I got tetanus shots (need booster every 10 years)
• Where we spent Thanksgiving (or Christmas or Easter or Mother's Day)
• So and So died
• So and So had surgery
• Put house up for sale
• Sold house on Such and Such Lane
• Austin got braces
• Barrett got an award at school
• Etc., etc., etc. - any significant event in the life of your family
  

Now that I don't use the Daytimer anymore, I keep track of this on the computer, and keep a printout with my calendar. Trust me, this is an extremely handy thing to have around. And there's no time like now to get started.

For a sample Family History form in Microsoft Excel format, e-mail me at debsft at yahoo dot com. (put e-mail address in the correct format -- I'm avoiding spammers)

My Favorite Dish at Olive Garden

I can almost GUARANTEE you haven't tried this dish at Olive Garden. Really.

On the lunch menu, the dish is called Grilled Chicken Spiedini. It's a skewer of grilled chicken, onions, and bell peppers, served with grilled zucchini and yellow squash and some delicious Tuscan (roasted) potatos and a rosemary demi-glace sauce. YUM!

On the dinner and Sunday menu, it's called Mixed Grill, and it's a much larger portion. It has both beef and chicken, but you can order one or the other if you prefer. If you ask, even at dinner or on Sunday, you can order the lunch portion mentioned above, but you will only get chicken or beef, not both.

If you can stand to pass up the pasta, you won't be disappointed with this dish! Even Dear Hubby agrees.

Mixed Grill