Tuesday, September 08, 2009
Critters Drive Me Crazy
Sunday, September 06, 2009
Happiness
Thursday, September 03, 2009
6. Does your dog resist grooming or nail cutting? yes 7. Does your dog sleep in your bed? yes 8. Does your dog ignore you when you ask him to come? yes, tries to 9. Does your dog guard food dish or toys against you. 10. Does your dog snap at treats or try to take them away from you? yes
Rod Stewart
Rod Stewart
13 To Go!
So before the clock winds down I need to rev up the body and spirit and carpe diem!
Tuesday, September 01, 2009
Now We Know Why!
FINDING SMELLS THAT REPEL
If you're one of those people whom mosquitoes tend to favor, maybe it's because you aren't sufficiently stressed-out.
(Picture by Michael C Witte)Insects have very keen powers of smell that direct them to their targets. But for researchers trying to figure out what attracts or repels the pests, sorting through the 300 to 400 distinct chemical odors that the human body produces has proved daunting.
Now scientists at Rothamsted Research in the U.K. have been making headway at understanding why some people can end up with dozens of bites after a backyard barbecue, while others remain unscathed. The researchers have identified a handful of the body's chemical odors—some of which may be related to stress—that are present in significantly larger concentrations in people that the bugs are happier to leave alone. If efforts to synthesize these particular chemicals are successful, the result could be an all-natural mosquito repellent that is more effective and safer than products currently available.
Who knew? Go stress yourself out before a trip to the mountain streams and be mosquitoe free!
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Thursday, August 27, 2009
TWINS
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Happy Birthday, Richard.
He had graduated from Las Vegas High in 1949 and entered BYU and was active in the Brigadier Social Unit. He enjoyed the social part of college very much and his social unit won the winning float in the Homecoming Parade and Richard was in the Brigadier singing group in the 1950 Songfest. Richard's Dad died when Ruchard was only 11 and it is very obvious from his letters that money was a real problem in Richard's life. He finally left college in 1951 and joined the Navy and then came back to college in January 1954 under the G I Bill and then left for his mission to San Antonio, Texas in June 1955.
Evidently at that time they went directly to the mission field and so he had to learn to speak Spanish while on his mission and not before. I am just going to write a few things that gave me a smile or a laugh from his letters from Texas. Nothing serious today, just some laughs.
"Chuck, Eleanor, Marion, Aunt Winona, Uncle Will and Aunt Lois came down to see me off from the SL airport. They gave me some cash ($6.00) and a nice lunch." ($6.00 went a long way in 1955) "Well, things are pretty dull around here and I feel like a prisoner. I can't go anywhere or do anything. All I am supposed to do is study, 6 AM to 10:30 PM, all I can do is read and eat." (From the mission home in San Antonio)
"I'm picking up a few Spanish words and I've memorized a blessing on the food. I also lead the singing in Spanish and I don't even know what they are singing." "I went to the branch meeting on Sunday and I didn't understand one word that was said."
"We have just finished a three day missionary conference. It was very expiring (yes, that is what he said). I sat in one meeting eight hours--the longest time I have been in one meeting. I don't think I'll worry about two hour sacrament meetings again."
"Since I have been here (in the mission home) the number of people eating here has varied from eight to ninety-three!"
"The people are all grateful to us, some are grateful when we come to see them and some are grateful when we don't come." (from Houston, Texas 1 1/2 months into his mission)
"How's my car holding up? The District Presidents have so much responsibility and get so many calls to settle family arguments, I've decided it would be better riding my bicycle than being a D.P. with a car. You better keep the car around in case I ever get a chance to use it some place though."
"I bought a bicycle from the missionary that I replaced for $25.00. I will probably be able to sell it to the next one here for about the same amount." (from Laredo, Texas)
"Too bad you upset yourself by opening my mail, but really, I can't think of a better time to have my license suspended. Believe it or not it was a surprise, and if you didn't tell them I was habitually negligent in my driving practices, I can't imagine how they found out. I was keeping it a secret from everyone but you."
"My Spanish is coming along slowly, I can talk quite a little, but I can't understand a word the people say. When I give a lesson, I have to have my companion interpret for me."
"A lot of the people around here think we are the police (detectives) and when we go to the doors where teen age boys live, sometimes their mother will tell us they are not there before we have a chance to state our business."
"My pocket watch is holding up fine, but I am getting so I don't like to carry anything in my pockets. It bulges them and collects the perspiration, until before long I feel like I am wearing a wet sack."
"It sure is hard to keep in the mood to have people slam doors in your face."
"When one of the sons of our investigator went to school last week, the teacher asked him what religion he was and he told her Methodist and Mormon. After class a bunch of the Catholic boys beat the scrud out of him for saying he was a Mormon."
"We have been helping an old woman fix up her house this week so I've had to learn a little of what I tried hard not to learn at home."
"That leaking seal couldn't have been the one that screws up tight on the drive shaft could it? You are supposed to look under the car once in awhile and tighten a few of those things. By the way, the Chevrolet is one of those new-fangled kind that has to have the oil changed now and then. Don't get me wrong, it is your car now, but I hate to see the poor thing blamed for everything. If it was worth only $50, it would still be the best car in the world". (To his brother Scott, who bought the Chevrolet he left home)
Anyway, children and grandchildren, just a little mission and 50's humor from your Dad and granddad, courtesy of a loving mother who saved all his letters. Happy Birthday, Richard, we love and miss you.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
From Sixth Grade to Miss America Pageant
A Great Weekend in Lake Almanor and Beyond
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Bette Davis Eyes
Today I watched two of them--thank heaven for TCM and my recorder. I watch movies while doing my house work, while dressing, while working on my photo books. So much better to watch a good movie than the network shows. Anyway I saw "The Old Maid" and "Old Acquaintances". Both were wonderful even if they were made over 70 years ago. Here's to Bette and her beautiful eyes and exemplary acting skills.
I Get By With a Little Help From My Friends, August 2009
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
War and Peace
War and Peace
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Happy Birthday, John!
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Why Women Need Chocolate
When I am living at the Pulsipher's I love to eat all their left overs. There can be steak and potatoes left from Sunday that I can live on for three days!! And then there is always the goodies in the cupboard. I am not always sure whose they are but if they are there, they are to eat, right?
I also found that the way I used to eat was the right way to eat. I ate all the foods I enjoyed including bread and muffins and butter and if I wanted a sweet I didn't deprive myself. Before I was married I remember my helicopter friend saying he liked to take me out to dinner because I enjoyed eating so much--he also called me "queen of the goodies racket". Now if I have the urge to eat that cookie I will try and convince myself it is bad for me and eat something good for me like cottage cheese, and then an apple, and then some celery, etc. before finally giving in and eating the cookie. In the meantime I have added another 600 calories to my food intake. Much better to listen to your body and just not eat so much.
So when did I start this diet syndrome? It was after I had one of the babies. I realized I had gained 12 lbs since I had married and I went to Weight Watchers. When they weighed me in at 129 they said the program was not really designed for me. But I felt so fat!
The other reason for wrong eating that applies to me is 'The Emotional Outcry'. "The heart is crying out to be nurtured, but we may literally try to stuff the sadness or anger back down with food." quoting Debra Waterhouse. Been there, done that. So I can see the trick will be deciphering when the body is asking for food and when my heart is...
Yes, this is a book to learn from... I can see the exercise part is coming soon, yuk. My latest form of exercise is bending over and picking up all the fallen branches each morning. Good for getting rid of my 'muffin top', right? And also dancing around occasionally while watching a good show on tv. (Besides the yard work, that is, and walking Bandido).
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Why Women Need Chocolate
" Debra Waterhouse, a registered dietitian and the author of the 1999 book "Why Women Need Chocolate," thinks both culture and chemicals come into play. Chemicals in chocolate affect levels of the body's mood-affecting chemicals, including serotonin, endorphins and phenylethylamine, which the body releases in response to romance, Waterhouse says.
A comprehensive review of chocolate research, published in the October 1999 Journal of the American Dietetic Association, came to the same conclusion. Two nutritionists at the University of Arizona in Tucson examined almost 75 research papers published over the past two decades on the craving for chocolate -- and decided emotions, social values, sensory qualities, chemicals and the hormonal cycles of women all play a role. "It's the whole package," says co-author and nutrition professor Doug Taren, Ph.D.
Of course, the swirl of clinical opinions matters little when it comes to pleasing your sweetheart. "The bottom line is that chocolate does make women feel good," Waterhouse says. "If the message -- loud and clear -- is chocolate, trust your body, let go of the guilt."
Sounds good to me!!
The first page says, "men are 4 times more likely to feel good when they deny their food cravings and 2 times more likely to follow a very low fat and sugar diet and 5 times more likely to 'dislike' chocolate." I suspected that.
And "women are 2 times more likely to feel good when they fulfill their food cravings, and 2 times more likely to binge on their craved foods, and 2 times more likely to feel fatigued and depressed and 22 times more likely to eat chocolate to feel better." I knew that!
Friday, August 07, 2009
Mystery Solved!
And it is nice to know I live in a safe place just as I thought I did, though they were supposed to get permission to trespass. I guess the loggers do so much work in here they get to feeling free to do what they know they can without asking anyone.
Thursday, August 06, 2009
Tree Thieves!
Of course, there was the loggers I made clean up their mess. Could this be a revenge steal? The lady security guard said she thought that would be too obvious. A real mystery in my own back yard which can probably never be solved. I hate days like this.
The Perfect Cookie
Cookies are a really good thing in this life. As a child I had lots of cookies. My Mom was a great cookie maker. It was always fun to come home from school and find fresh baked cookies. One of my favorites was a raisin filled cookie. She would roll the dough out and cut large circles with a glass and then put a scrumptious raisin filling on one circle and top with another and then bake. They were wonderful. I probably only made them once in my life--too time consuming. My children got raisin oatmeal drop cookies which were flattened with a glass covered in sugar, but still a great cookie.
But about 20 years ago or whenever Deer Valley Ski Resort opened I was there with my husband. We didn't always ski there as you had to make a reservation and it was very expensive. However, they had the best food buffet of any of the ski resorts and my husband loved to eat lunch there--just he and I, while everyone else was skiing.
It was there I discovered the large sugar cookie with soft raisins in it. I loved it. Reminiscent of childhood--maybe. But I started a crusade to figure out the recipe for that cookie. And I finally did. Kids of today would prefer chocolate chips in it but I love the raisins. I seldom make cookies anymore. I have no one to feed them, too. And besides even the children of today don't eat the goodies the way we did when we were young and running all the calories off instead of sitting at computers.
Anyway Tuesday I made a batch of that perfect raisin cookie and I have so enjoyed sitting down and dunking my cookie in milk (soy milk, but still good). There is something about the texture of a well made cookie with just the perfect crunch and chew that is very, very satisfying. It can keep you happy for a long, long time. Not every cookie has it and we all discover our favorite. I had my favorite packaged cookies, too, but I never buy them now. Too dangerous. I would eat the whole package in one sitting! So here's to the cookie, long may it live and may the search never end for the perfect cookie.
Tuesday, August 04, 2009
Friday, July 31, 2009
The Warburton Home in Avon, Utah
Grumpy Old Men and Cranky Old Ladies
Thursday, July 30, 2009
News from High School Friends
Being Your Own Best Friend
Summer at 709 East Mountain Ridge Rd
My Dog Bandido, and Me
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Visit Sisters in Utah
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Jeanne's 80th Birthday Party
Our brother David and wife Dorothy, still looking very young and spry. |
Jeanne's grandson Stan (Norma and Bryan's) and wife and son Emerson. |
Jeanne's granddaughter Julie next to the friend of grandson Michael, Juliana, grandson Michael (Doug's) and grandson Trevor's wife and daughter. |
Several grandchildren have lived a time with Jeanne while going to school. This is Julie, daughter of David Thayne and Gina, and mother of Nixon and wife of Morgan. |
Stockholm July 2009
We traveled by train from Copenhagen to Stockholm and visited with a Political Science professor who gave us very interesting details about Sweden. For instance that only 1% of the Swedish population is religious at this time. Many have domestic partnerships and those that do marry in the many beautiful Lutheran churches do it more for tradition than religious reasons.
To encourage couples to have children the government provides 18 months of paid marital leave which can be used anytime between birth and 8 years of age of the child and the husband can use 6 months of it!!! You see fathers wheeling prams and entertaining children at the parks all over Sweden.
We stayed at the Hilton Slussen near Gamla Stan so we were able to walk to many interesting attractions and were close to the railway and bus. Stockholm is a beautiful city on many islands. I loved it again as I did the first time I saw it in 2000. We were provided lavish breakfasts and suppers and snacks at the hotel but still enjoyed the many delicious pastries and treats available in Sweden. One dish that was surprisingly delicious was the mashed potatoes with deer meat on top of a round soft flat bread as seen in the movie.
My great grandparents on my father's side and my grandparents on my mother's side all emigrated to America in the late 1800s as new members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Their stories are both heroic and inspiring as they embraced a new religion and a new country.
I am so glad the my daughters were able to see some of the beautiful countryside with the many red houses as we took the train from Copenhagen. My ancestors all came from the area east of Stockholm and off the east coast of Sweden below Stockholm. I chatted comfortably with a father and son from Gothenberg on the airplane. They said I must come back and see the west coast where they live as it is truly the most beautiful area of Sweden. I wish...
I am so thankful we were able to take this wonderful trip to Copenhagen and Stockholm with all our accumulated hotel points!!! It will probably be the last such trip for me.