Nan's News for You

Memories Buried Alive Never Die

2019-03-09T08:24:00.000-06:00

This article explains how childhood memories and traumas not only affect our lives, but our health as well.

Which is why #RobertSmith / #RobertGene teaches in #FasterEFT and #Eutaptics that "Memories buried alive never die". You must change the emotional charge behind the memory if you are ever going to get better. #tapping #nlp #lifesaver #lifechanger Check out his YouTube channel #HealingMagic.

Keto Recipe: Fried Tuna Patties

2018-11-13T20:32:00.002-06:00

Like Salmon patties, but with tuna instead.

In one bowl, mix:

3 - 5 oz cans tuna, drained

3 Lg eggs

Sea salt, black pepper, onion salt to taste

In a small bowl, stir together:

3 T Almond Flour

3 T coconut Flour

3 T milled brown flax seeds

tiny bit of stevia, it helps cut the fishy taste a little for me, but

just a little, maybe just 1/4 of a stevia packet or less.

Add the flour mixture to the fish mixture, stirring very well.

Heat some EVOO (olive oil) in a skillet. Using an ice cream scoop, put the mixture in the skillet and flatten with your spatula until about 1/2" thick. Fry til crispy. Continue til all are fried.

Using my ice cream scoop, this made 7 patties.

Here is the nutritional info on these per pattie:

1.3g net carb

4.1g total carb

2.86g fiber

5.86g fat

15.4g protein

123 calories

This does NOT include the oil to cook them with, nor does it include mayo or tartar sauce as a condiment. So watch those and add to your totals accordingly.

A moment of patience saves a thousand regrets

2017-08-11T08:24:00.001-05:00

A moment of patience in a moment of anger saves a thousand moments of regret.

Photo credit -
rawforbeauty.com on facebook.

Effects of Reiki With Music Compared to Music Only Among People Living With HIV

2017-08-11T08:21:00.000-05:00

Effects of Reiki With Music Compared to Music Only Among People Living With HIV.
Bremner MN, Blake BJ, Wagner VD, Pearcey SM.
*(Abstract)*
Persons living with HIV (PLWH) often seek complementary treatments to improve their overall health and well-being. Reiki, an ancient healing practice, has been found to be effective in reducing symptoms of stress, anxiety, pain, and depression. The purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate the effectiveness of Reiki as a complementary treatment for PLWH. Using a two-group mixed-methods experimental design, 37 participants were randomized to either a 6-week Reiki with Music Group or a Music Only Group. Self-reported and physiologic measures were obtained at baseline, 6 weeks, and 10 weeks. Significant improvements in relief of pain and stress in those receiving RMG were found. At the 6-week assessment, semi-structured interviews were conducted with all participants. Qualitative findings indicated that Reiki and music therapy helped reduce stress, anxiety, and depression. Evidence-based data regarding the effectiveness of Reiki will help nurses help patients better manage HIV-related symptoms.
Copyright © 2016 Association of Nurses in AIDS Care. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
KEYWORDS:
HIV; Reiki; anxiety; cortisol; depression; stress
PMID: 27184735 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

posted from Bloggeroid

Time - The Dear Bertha letter

2017-08-02T08:28:00.001-05:00

TIME

(written by an 83-year-old woman to her friend)

Dear Bertha,

I'm reading more and dusting less. I'm sitting in the yard and admiring the view without fussing about the weeds in the garden. I'm spending more time with my family and friends and less time working. Whenever possible, life should be a pattern of experiences to savor, not to endure. I'm trying to recognize these moments now and cherish them. I'm not "saving" anything; we use our good china and crystal for every special event such as losing a pound, getting the sink unstopped, or the first Amaryllis blossom. I wear my good blazer to the market. My theory is if I look prosperous, I can shell out $28.49 for one small bag of groceries.

I'm not saving my good perfume for special parties, but wearing it for clerks in the hardware store and tellers at the bank. Someday" and "one of these days" are losing their grip on my vocabulary. If it's worth seeing or hearing or doing, I want to see and hear and do it now. I'm not sure what others would've done had they known they wouldn't be here for the tomorrow that we all take for granted. I think they would have called family members and a few close friends. They might have called a few former friends to apologize and mend fences for past squabbles.

I like to think they would have gone out for a Chinese dinner or for whatever their favorite food was. I'm guessing; I'll never know. It's those little things left undone that would make me angry if I knew my hours were limited.

Angry because I hadn't written certain letters that I intended to write one of these days. Angry and sorry that I didn't tell my husband and parents often enough how much I truly love them. I'm trying very hard not to put off, hold back, or save anything that would add laughter and luster to our lives. And every morning when I open my eyes, tell myself that it is special. Every day, every minute, every breath truly is a gift from God.

People say true friends must always hold hands, but true friends don't need to hold hands because they know the other hand will always be there.

I don't believe in Miracles. I rely on them.

Related quote:

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

Nick Ortner Taps on the Diagnosis of Cancer, Courage, and Accepting Your...

2016-12-27T14:36:00.001-06:00

This is an amazing video of the healing power of tapping!

#tapping #fasterEFT #healing #courage

Pets that wait

2016-12-16T15:02:00.001-06:00

For months, our dog Missy would go to a specific spot and sit next to the highway and wait for the people who dropped her off to return for her. It broke my heart... even after having been abused, even with her scars to prove it, she still waited on them to come back.

She has a loving home now and it took her more than 6 months to allow me to pet her anywhere other than under her chin, and only for a stroke or two.

It took a second dog Bob, being left behind near our home, who did not look abused, but was abandoned also, to help her open up. Bob also waited by the road and no one came back for him either. But Bob was very open and wanted to be loved and petted. His openness showed Missy that we were loving and not abusive. Loving a living thing can help cure a multitude of ills they might have lived through. Be kind - it matters.

How to find your NOOK and KOBO books on your Windows 10 computer

2016-01-24T20:01:00.000-06:00

Okay, so you've downloaded your NOOK and/or KOBO app on the Windows 10 system. Previous versions stored your NOOK and KOBO content in My Documents - not this time, folks. Here's how to find them.

First, you'll have to change the settings in Windows 10 to enable hidden files/folders to be shown. You will not have access to the folder that the e-books are stored in if you don't.

Let's do that.

Enable hidden folders by right-clicking the Windows button, selecting ‘Control Panel’ then ‘FILE EXPLORER OPTIONS’. Now, click on the ‘View’ tab and under ‘Advanced settings’, find the folder named 'Hidden Files and Folders'. Select ’Show hidden files, folders, and drives', click 'Apply', then ‘OK’. Yay! You can now navigate to your Nook Books! Sooo...

Let's navigate --

Right-click the Windows button and select "File Explorer". In the left column click on the 'C:' drive (there may be numbers in front of the C: identifying your hard drive). Then, in the right column, double-click on 'Users', double-click on "your name", double-click on 'AppData', double-click on 'Local', double-click on 'Packages', double-click on 'BarnesNoble.Nook_(some numbers will be here), OR 'KoboInc.KoboBooks_(some numbers will be here),double-click on 'LocalState'.

*The file navigation bar close to the top of the window should look similar to this for NOOK:

C:\Users\"my name"\AppData\Local\Packages\BarnesNoble.Nook\LocalState

*The file navigation bar close to the top of the window should look similar to this for KOBO:

C:\Users\"my name"\AppData\Local\Packages\KoboInc.KoboBooks\LocalState

You should see your content there. The Nook and Kobo Books are downloaded by a number, probably the ISBN since there are 13 digits, so you won't see the actual title. In the column named 'File Type', your content should read EPUB DOCUMENT, since that is the File Type name that Barnes and Noble and Kobo Books uses. Double-click on one to open.

I hope this helps you navigate the new Windows 10 much better. It also teaches you that since many things are 'Apps' now, you will most likely find what you need concerning each one in the

C:\Users\"my name"\AppData\Local\Packages

section of your File Explorer.

Have a great day!

Nan

Grief is a process

2015-12-22T16:48:00.001-06:00

"Grief never ends... but it changes. It's a passage, not a place to stay. Grief is not a sign of weakness, note a lack of faith... it is the price of love."

Peace is within

2015-12-22T16:42:00.001-06:00

Each one has to find his peace from within. And peace to be real must be unaffected by outside circumstances.

Mahatma Gandhi – 1869-1948, Indian Independence Leader

How emotions can affect your body

2015-12-16T14:47:00.001-06:00

Here is what your negative emotions can do to your body and why you need to manage them effectively.

See the difference in what positive and loving emotions do for your body!

Let Him do it

2015-12-16T10:10:00.001-06:00

Don't ask God how He's going to fix it - just let Him.

BOOK REVIEW - My Heart Remembers by Kim Vogel Sawyer

2015-10-19T14:14:00.000-05:00

I read this book on my Kindle and it was so good. I quickly became attached to the characters and rooted for them the entire book. I love this time period in history. The west was being settled, travel was by horseback and wagon, covered wagons and trains, small towns and communities were the norm and people helped people. That is not to say there were no bad seeds, because there were plenty, and like today, they preyed on those less fortunate.
This was a slice of time in history when faith was a key ingredient.
This was my first read from Ms. Sawyer and I have already picked out another to start. I am sure it will be awesome as well.

The back of the book says:
United by blood, divided by time, will three orphan train siblings ever find one another again?
Orphaned in a tenement fire, three Irish-immigrant children are sent to Missouri to be adopted. Despite eight-year-old Maelle's desperate attempts to keep her siblings together, each child is taken by a different family. Yet Maelle vows that she will never stop searching for her brother and sister...and that they will be together one day in the future.
Seventeen years later, Maelle is still searching. But the years have washed away her hope... and her memories. What are Mattie and Molly doing now? Where has life taken them? Will she ever see her brother and sister again?
Here are some professional reviews:
"...a touching story that will remind you to cherish your children and to thank God..." -- 5MinutesforBooks.com
"This emotionally packed novel is sure to tug at your heartstrings .... definitely a book for your keeper shelf." -- Vickie McDonough, titletrakk.com
"This is a wonderful story with memorable characters..." -- Romantic Times
"Woven with rich, fascinating historical details, and filled with captivating characters, romance, faith, and a compelling story..." -- Tina Ann Forkner, WriterInterrupted.com
Have you read any books by Kim Vogel Sawyer? What did you think? Let me know in the comments below!

Useful websites

2014-12-20T23:14:00.004-06:00

Snopes.com: Snopes is the go-to source for debunking urban legends. Please consult it before forwarding that chain e-mail, especially if it has anything to do with Barack Obama, Walt Disney, or a dying child who can only afford treatment if you forward the e-mail.

Science Daily.com: The site aggregates the very best coverage in that very broad topic, from fossils to space exploration, from diseases to climate change, and every nano-particle in between.

Instructables.com: Build things of limited usefulness out of household objects! That's the idea behind this fun, geeky DIY site. Browse for project ideas or just enjoy the weird obsessions of the DIY community.

AHA moments along my journey

2014-05-05T08:25:00.000-05:00

First, thank you for sharing these moments with me. I know your time is valuable. Just know that I appreciate your precious time. Love and Peace.

While scrolling through my facebook news feed, I saw a link for an excerpt from an Oprah Life Class video. It is a very short clip, but powerful with the message.

Oprah's Lifeclass Brene Brown Breaks Down Common Types of Armor

After watching it and listening to Brene Brown,(love her!) here is what I wrote:

Well, there's an AHA moment. I know where I inherited this thought process, now I know what to do about it!

I grew up with this thinking, always waiting for the other shoe to drop. It is definitely a learned behavior. And there was no coincidence that this message was sent to me right now - at this moment. The perfect timing in its appearance, as I am going through a 7 week class on Tapping for Financial Abundance and Personal Fullfillment. (by Nick and Jessica Ortner - they are the best!) One of the early triggers that came up for me, from my childhood and early adult life, was that when a long term bill was paid off, I would hear the parental unit say: Don't get too comfortable with that extra money, because something will come up that will spend it for you. Always.

Things in life always come up, it is how you prepare for them. If you aren't prepared for a rainy day, yes, it is going to rain and feel like a hardship. But it involves changing the thinking from the past.

I'm not judging. They were born in the Great Depression and it was hard. Real hard. I just see things differently than that. What will come, will come anyway. Prepare yourself the best you can for it and not attach the negative emotion to it.

In the next installment, I'll let you in a little secret you can try instead.

I grew up watching Oprah and loved that she presented ideas outside the norm. I love her LifeClass best, along with Super Soul Sunday. Here are some backward looks at her show:

(hint: used copies much less expensive listed on the same page)

Nick and Jessica Ortner's DVD Documentary that centered on a several day Tapping workshop to rid personal traumas is what got me started 'tapping'. It has been the one most miraculous personal self-help I have ever found. I will sing its praises til I am dead. LOL

I hope you enjoyed the post. Be sure to watch for the next one!
I'm glad you shared these moments with me. Love and Peace.

Great service free trial from ..

2013-12-30T16:00:00.000-06:00

Join Amazon Prime - Watch Over 40,000 Movies

We have used Amazon Prime service for over a year and it has been awesome! Not only do you get FREE 2day shipping, but many times 1day shipping will only cost you $3.99 extra. Can you believe that? The free shipping aspect alone paid for our subscription. Yes, we order quite a bit from them.

Now, if you have internet, you can watch over 40,000 movies for free and you can rent/buy New releases for deeply discounted prices! Last year, we purchased Season Three of Downton Abbey for only $22? And had it INSTANTLY! Their system is very easy to use.

Next if you have a Kindle device, you can 'borrow' one free title per month. Put titles in your Wish List as you see something you want to read, but don't want to pay for or can't afford to pay for. Don't worry, the author gets paid from a special fund within Amazon for allowing their titles to be borrowed.

Sound great? It is!
Sound too good to be true? It's not!

Try it out for 30 days FREE. If you decide you don't want to continue, just go to 'manage my Prime' and uncheck the auto renew at end of trial. It's that easy!

Try it today- you won't believe all the good stuff you've been missing.

Join Amazon Prime - Watch Over 40,000 Movies

Our New Book, The First of Many: "Publish, Preserve and Profit from Your Family Recipes"

2013-02-05T22:06:00.001-06:00

I have spent my life as an avid reader and I love it. I've always wondered, though, if I could ever be on the other side of it. You know, WRITING the books, as opposed to reading them. Publishing a book requires much knowledge.

My husband and I have spent our entire lives learning. We absolutely LOVE learning. With all we've learned, we knew we should find a way to share that knowledge with others. And enjoy a lifelong dream. So, a year or more ago, we began talking about writing books. We would talk about it periodically, but it seemed to always go on the back burner. Perhaps it just wasn't the right time. Timing is everything, you know.

When we began this conversation back in the fall, somehow I knew, we knew, this time was different. All the pieces were coming together. The timing seemed right. It was also 'just time to do it.' So we began. I'm tickled to say that on my daddy's birthday, 2/2/2012, we published our first book. The first of many. We have so many ideas written down and running through our minds that it is distracting at times! It's like once we committed to the process, the ideas just started flowing.

We also started a publishing company to go hand in hand with writing the books. The name we chose, Pistol Mill Publishing™, goes back to the roots of our community. We are so excited. I find myself thinking, 'we are published'. Then in disbelief, go back to Amazon, type in the title, and yes, it's there. It's really there. What a wonderful, exciting time for us!

The title of the first book is "Publish, Preserve and Profit from Your Family Recipes" An 'It's No Secret Guide™' by Nancy Matthew. (Our chosen pen name). We have presented helpful information for your project's journey and hope you enjoy the book as much as we enjoyed getting it to this point.

Currently the book is available as a Kindle eBook on Amazon.com and will soon be available in the print version, also through Amazon.com. Could this be the right time for you take on that project of preserving all your family's recipes? And sprinkle a little family history through the pages as you go? Here is the link to the instructions:

If you own a Kindle and are a Prime member, this book is free for you through the Kindle Owners' Lending Library!

How do you cope? Are you carrots, eggs, or coffee?

2013-01-17T22:43:00.000-06:00

Shared from Facebook, Author Unknown, If you are the author or owner of this text or picture, please let me know. I will gladly give credit where credit is due. I just really liked and wanted to share. :)

Grandmother Says... Carrots, Eggs, or Coffee; "Which are you?"

A young woman went to her grandmother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved a new one arose.

Her grandmother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water. In the first, she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs and the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil without saying a word.

In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl. Turning to her granddaughter, she asked, "Tell me what do you see?"

"Carrots, eggs, and coffee," she replied.

She brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they got soft.She then asked her to take an egg and break it.

After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg.

Finally, she asked her to sip the coffee. The granddaughter smiled, as she tasted its rich aroma. The granddaughter then asked. "What's the point,grandmother?"

Her grandmother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity--boiling water--but each reacted differently.

The carrot went in strong, hard and unrelenting. However after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior. But, after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened.

The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water they had changed the water.

"Which are you?" she asked her granddaughter.

"When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean?"

Think of this: Which am I?

Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity, do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength?

Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff?

Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and a hardened heart?

Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you.

When the hours are the darkest and trials are their greatest do you elevate to another level?

Have you ever used coconut oil?

2012-09-19T12:04:00.000-05:00

Ever used Coconut Oil? I have. Just started within the past couple of months. It is awesome. Really, it is.

Frying bacon? use this oil! Even in the microwave. It makes the most delicious bacon in the world! After using it awhile, I tried a canola olive oil blend and YUK! ALL I TASTED was the oil, not the bacon. Never again! I now always use coconut oil to fry bacon.

Scrambling eggs? use this oil! In place of butter, it is great.

Making toast? use this oil! Try it in place of butter. Oh, my, but it is good.

Along with tasting great, there are many other uses as well.

I have put it on my arms and it is the BEST moisturizer. My skin is really dry and it just soaks right in AND I can tell the difference several days later.

Some people say it improves memory and brain function. While I myself have no scientific evidence of this, I do feel that I remember things more easily and do not stumble over my words so much.
But, hey, don't take my word for it! Try it yourself!

And right now, if you purchase $25 or more from Amazon, you get free shipping. That is a deal, considering how high shipping has gotten and the weight to ship oil.

Have a try for yourself. Then come back and leave me a comment letting me know how it worked for you!

If you have used coconut oil, please leave a comment to let us know how it works for you! And all the ways you have found to use it!

Calibre E-Book Converter

2012-07-05T21:49:00.000-05:00

Have you ever had an E-book that you wanted to read on a different e-reader device? I know I have.

One of the simplest ways to convert e-books is to use a FREE program called CALIBRE. It is located [HERE].

CALIBRE is the one stop solution for your ebook and ereader needs. I'll just say it: KOVID GOYAL is a GENIUS.

CALIBRE is FREEWARE -- SO PLEASE MAKE A DONATION if this software is helpful to you! The program can convert e-books from format to format. Yes, it can. And CALIBRE supports the input formats: CBZ, CBR, CBC, CHM, EPUB, FB2, HTML, LIT, LRF, MOBI, ODT, PDF, PRC, PDB, PML, RB, RTF, SNB, TCR, TXT. And output formats: EPUB, FB2, OEB, LIT, LRF, MOBI, PDB, PML, RB, PDF, SNB, TCR, TXT.

There is a GREAT turorial [HERE] on Epubor's website for converting e-books with CALIBRE. Epubor also offers a paid product for conversion, but I used the no-cost-except-my-valuable-time-way, which follows. :)

CALIBRE allows you to do the following things:

*Library Management

*E-book conversion

*Syncing to e-book reader devices

*Downloading news from the web and converting it into e-book form

*Comprehensive e-book viewer

*Content server for online access to your book collection

There are 3 things to remember when using this process:
1. This only strips the DRM on import
2. You then have to convert to your desired format
3. You may have to have the Kindle App installed on your computer for the same user name
that the books were downloaded from in order for the DRM to strip.

I learned recently that plug-ins were available for CALIBRE, so that you can change from the Kindle format to the Nook. We changed e-readers, and although it was a difficult and lengthy process, it CAN BE DONE with CALIBRE!

You will have to use a plug-in to strip the Kindle DRM, so read this article "How To Strip DRM from Kindle E-Books and Others" from WIRED.COM. Then Check [HERE] on Apprentice Alf's Blog for the appropriate plug in AND instructions to proceed. (i.e., read me file- you WILL need it). The method, detailed by Apprentice Alf, will also remove DRM from Mobipocket, Barnes and Noble, Adobe Digital Editions and Fictionwise books, making these stores much more attractive to buyers. For the meat of the how-to, you should visit Apprentice Alf’s blog post, which is both straightforward and detailed.

You might also want to read a thread I found on "How to read Kindle books on a Nook" located [HERE].

So, download CALIBRE, a plug-in if necessary, convert those favorite e-books and then brew a cup to enjoy while you are reading!

I would love to hear from you! Please leave a comment below.

What products have you used to convert ebooks to a different format?

This information is ONLY provided to help you get your OWN ebooks to another device, not to use to resell someone else's product.

The Magic of Dryer Sheets! (from the Krazy Coupon Lady)

2012-04-06T22:26:00.001-05:00

The Krazy Coupon Lady is one of my FAVORITE websites! So much information! She has all kinds of tips and tricks to save money on everything! I ran across this post and just had to share it!

Here is an excerpt from The Krazy Coupon Lady's April 6 post titled: The Magic of Dryer Sheets: How I Get Rid of Those Stubborn Bathroom Rings!

Ever have that toilet or bathtub that just can’t be cleaned? Even with coupons, bathroom cleaning supplies can be expensive! Did you know that you are probably throwing away one of the best cleaning tools available every day?

Recently I had the most terrible ring in my toilet. I had tried every cleaning product and scrub brush out there, and nothing would remove that pesky ring! I was beginning to become desperate, especially after my mother-in-law had to use my bathroom. One day I had a crazy hair-brained idea, and boy am I glad I tried it. It’s saved me tons of money!

You’re not going to believe me when I tell you, but the secret to solve all your cleaning worries in the bathroom and even with the dishes is dryer sheets. They don’t even have to be new dryer sheets; in fact, used ones work even better! Any brand will work.

Be sure to head on over to her site to finish the article. JUST CLICK HERE. Oh yeah, be sure to read all the comments, lots of great information in there as well.

Thanks again, Krazy Coupon Lady!

Hungry Girl's Yum Yum Brownie Muffins

2012-04-06T22:18:00.002-05:00

HUNGRY GIRL'S YUM YUM BROWNIE MUFFINS

YES, they are YUM, YUM!

The only issue I had with these Brownie Muffins (and it certainly is not a negative issue!) was that My Betty Crocker Super Moist Devil's Food Cake Mix and Libby's Canned Pumpkin 15oz, when figured for 12 muffins came out to 145 calories, 1g fat, 32g carbs, 3g fiber, 2g protein) However you figure it, they are YUMtastic!

I also tried making Yum Yum Carrot Cake Muffins with Betty Crocker Super Moist Carrot Cake Mix and 15oz Libby's Canned Pumpkin. Ah -- MAZE -- ing! YES, YES, YES!
I found that I cooked both flavors of muffins about 40 minutes. Partly difference in ovens, but partly because I LOVE a crunchy outside on a muffin!

My very favorite new dessert is 1/2 of either the chocolate brownie or carrot cake muffin, 1/2 c. 100 calorie frozen low fat yogurt, and topped with a cherry. What a delight!

No guilt, no OVERfull feeling, LOTS of flavor, LOTS of lucious textures! Awesome!
Thank you Hungry Girl!!!!

Yum Yum Brownie Muffins

(1 Muffin, or 3 minis - 181 calories, 3.5g fat, 37g carbs, 2g fiber, 2g protein -- PointsPlus® value 5*)

This super-simple 2-ingredient recipe is a Weight Watchers Fave!

1 box devil's food cake mix
1 can solid pack pumpkin (15 oz.)

Directions:
Mix the two ingredients together. Don't add anything else that may be mentioned on the box, such as eggs, oil, or water. The mixture will be very thick and you will be tempted to add in other things to make the batter smoother. DO NOT DO THIS AS IT WILL RUIN EVERYTHING! Place batter into muffin tins (or mini muffin tins) lined with paper, or sprayed with non-stick spray. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Makes 12 regular or 36 mini muffins.

2012-01-12T11:17:00.000-06:00

"Until you make peace with who you are, you'll never be content with what you have." -- Doris Mortman

On growing older

2012-01-02T11:40:00.001-06:00

A good read for all of my friends

________________________________

This is a story of an aging couple
Told by their son who was
President of NBC NEWS.*

   This is a wonderful piece by Michael Gartner, editor of newspapers large and small and president of NBC News. In 1997, he won the Pulitzer Prize for editorial writing. It is well worth reading, and a few good chuckles are guaranteed. Here goes...

My father never drove a car. Well, that's not quite right. I should say I never saw him drive a car.

He quit driving in 1927, when he was 25 years old, and the last car he drove was a 1926 Whippet.

In those days, he told me when he was in his 90s, to drive a car you had to do things with your hands, and do things with your feet, and look every which way, and I decided you could walk through life and enjoy it or drive through life and miss it.

At which point my mother, a sometimes salty Irishwoman, chimed in: Oh, bull shit! she said. He hit a horse.

Well, my father said, there was that, too.

So my brother and I grew up in a household without a car. The neighbors all had cars -- the Kollingses next door had a green 1941 Dodge, the VanLaninghams across the street a gray 1936 Plymouth, the Hopsons two doors down a black 1941 Ford -- but we had none.

My father, a newspaperman in Des Moines , would take the streetcar to work and, often as not, walk the 3 miles home. If he took the streetcar home, my mother and brother and I would walk the three blocks to the streetcar stop, meet him and walk home together.

My brother, David, was born in 1935, and I was born in 1938, and sometimes, at dinner, we'd ask how come all the neighbors had cars but we had none. No one in the family drives, my mother would explain, and that was that.

But, sometimes, my father would say, But as soon as one of you boys turns 16, we'll get one. It was as if he wasn't sure which one of us would turn 16 first.

But, sure enough, my brother turned 16 before I did, so in 1951 my parents bought a used 1950 Chevrolet from a friend who ran the parts department at a Chevy dealership downtown.

It was a four-door, white model, stick shift, fender skirts, loaded with everything, and, since my parents didn't drive, it more or less became my brother's car.

Having a car but not being able to drive didn't bother my father, but it didn't make sense to my mother.

So in 1952, when she was 43 years old, she asked a friend to teach her to drive. She learned in a nearby cemetery, the place where I learned to drive the following year and where, a generation later, I took my two sons to practice driving. The cemetery probably was my father's idea. Who can your mother hurt in the cemetery? I remember him saying more than once.

For the next 45 years or so, until she was 90, my mother was the driver in the family. Neither she nor my father had any sense of direction, but he loaded up on maps -- though they seldom left the city limits -- and appointed himself navigator. It seemed to work.

Still, they both continued to walk a lot. My mother was a devout Catholic, and my father an equally devout agnostic, an arrangement that didn't seem to bother either of them through their 75 years of marriage.

(Yes, 75 years, and they were deeply in love the entire time.)

He retired when he was 70, and nearly every morning for the next 20 years or so, he would walk with her the mile to St. Augustine's Church. She would walk down and sit in the front pew, and he would wait in the back until he saw which of the parish's two priests was on duty that morning. If it was the pastor, my father then would go out and take a 2-mile walk, meeting my mother at the end of the service and walking her home.

If it was the assistant pastor, he'd take just a 1-mile walk and then head back to the church. He called the priests "Father Fast" and "Father Slow."

After he retired, my father almost always accompanied my mother whenever she drove anywhere, even if he had no reason to go along. If she were going to the beauty parlor, he'd sit in the car and read, or go take a stroll or, if it was summer, have her keep the engine running so he could listen to the Cubs game on the radio. In the evening, then, when I'd stop by, he'd explain: "The Cubs lost again. The millionaire on second base made a bad throw to the millionaire on first base, so the multimillionaire on third base scored."

If she were going to the grocery store, he would go along to carry the bags out -- and to make sure she loaded up on ice cream. As I said, he was always the navigator, and once, when he was 95 and she was 88 and still driving, he said to me, "Do you want to know the secret of a long life?"

"I guess so," I said, knowing it probably would be something bizarre.

"No left turns," he said.

"What?" I asked.

"No left turns," he repeated. "Several years ago, your mother and I read an article that said most accidents that old people are in happen when they turn left in front of oncoming traffic.

As you get older, your eyesight worsens, and you can lose your depth perception, it said. So your mother and I decided never again to make a left turn."

"What?" I said again.

"No left turns," he said. "Think about it. Three rights are the same as a left, and that's a lot safer. So we always make three rights."

"You're kidding!" I said, and I turned to my mother for support."No," she said, "your father is right. We make three rights. It works." But then she added: "Except when your father loses count."

I was driving at the time, and I almost drove off the road as I started laughing.

"Loses count?" I asked.

"Yes," my father admitted, "that sometimes happens. But it's not a problem. You just make seven rights, and you're okay again."

I couldn't resist. "Do you ever go for 11?" I asked.

"No," he said "If we miss it at seven, we just come home and call it a bad day. Besides, nothing in life is so important it can't be put off another day or another week."

  My mother was never in an accident, but one evening she handed me her car keys and said she had decided to quit driving. That was in 1999, when she was 90.

She lived four more years, until 2003. My father died the next year, at 102.

They both died in the bungalow they had moved into in 1937 and bought a few years later for $3,000. (Sixty years later, my brother and I paid $8,000 to have a shower put in the tiny bathroom -- the house had never had one. My father would have died then and there if he knew the shower cost nearly three times what he paid for the house.)

He continued to walk daily -- he had me get him a treadmill when he was 101 because he was afraid he'd fall on the icy sidewalks but wanted to keep exercising -- and he was of sound mind and sound body until the moment he died.

One September afternoon in 2004, he and my son went with me when I had to give a talk in a neighboring town, and it was clear to all three of us that he was wearing out, though we had the usual wide-ranging conversation about politics and newspapers and things in the news.

A few weeks earlier, he had told my son, "You know, Mike, the first hundred years are a lot easier than the second hundred." At one point in our drive that Saturday, he said, "You know, I'm probably not going to live much longer."

"You're probably right," I said.

"Why would you say that?" He countered, somewhat irritated.

"Because you're 102 years old," I said..

"Yes," he said, "you're right." He stayed in bed all the next day.

That night, I suggested to my son and daughter that we sit up with him through the night.

He appreciated it, he said, though at one point, apparently seeing us look gloomy, he said: "I would like to make an announcement. No one in this room is dead yet."

An hour or so later, he spoke his last words:

"I want you to know," he said, clearly and lucidly, "that I am in no pain. I am very comfortable. And I have had as happy a life as anyone on this earth could ever have."

A short time later, he died.

I miss him a lot, and I think about him a lot. I've wondered now and then how it was that my family and I were so lucky that he lived so long.

I can't figure out if it was because he walked through life, Or because he quit taking left turns.

Life is too short to wake up with regrets.

So love the people who treat you right.

Forget about the one's who don't.

Believe everything happens for a reason.

If you get a chance, take it; if it changes your life, let it.

Nobody said life would be easy, they just promised it would most likely be worth it.

  ENJOY LIFE NOW - IT HAS AN EXPIRATION DATE

Happy New Year! Welcome to 2012!

2011-12-31T23:55:00.000-06:00

To my wonderful family and friends...*”˜˜”*°•.¸☆ ★ ☆¸.•°*”˜˜”*°•.¸☆★☆¸.•°*”˜˜”*°•.¸☆ ☆ Here comes the BIG HAPPY NEW YEARS WAVE! that jumps from status to status ☆ .•°*”˜˜”*°•.¸☆ So a HAPPY NEW YEAR to you! and hopefully I will hear from you all safe and sound in 2012!☆•°*”˜˜”*°•.¸☆ ☆¸.•°*”˜˜”*°•.☆ Have a prosperous new year and enjoy and know I am thinking of you! ☆¸.•°*”˜˜”*°•.¸☆ ♥ You've been WAVED! and thought of so now cut, paste and WAVE at someone else!♥☆¸.•°*”˜˜”*°•.¸☆♥ Pass the WAVE on ♥ ♥ ♥