Every Day Matters

October Is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

2009-09-02T15:07:00.003+12:00

Well Spring is in the air here in New Zealand, but I am imagining that many of you in other parts of the world are sad to see the Summer come to an end. So much for the picnics and barbecues. As quickly as September has arrived October will be just right around the corner, and I am putting out a little reminder that October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Having said that I have designed a free Breast Cancer Awarenss Desktop Wallpaper for your computer. I have had a lot of good feedback over the past couple of years for the ones I have made, and I hope you will feel free to help yourself by just clicking on the image above. When the image is enlarged just right click on the image with your mouse and 'Save As' and choose a folder on your hard drive in which to save it. Then you can go from there to place it as a wallpaper on your computer. For those that may never have done this before and need some help as to how to have it show up on your screen, just message me and I will send you a brief mini tutorial on how to do it. It is extremely easy and you should not have any difficulty with it at all. All I would ask in return is that if you had just one minute to spare that you would go to The Breast Cancer Site at

http://www.thebreastcancersite.com/clickToGive/home.faces?siteId=2

and take 1 second to click the button on the homepage. By doing so free mammograms are made available to women which are paid by sponsors who advertise with The Breast Cancer Site. You can go back and click each day if you wish. It is just something special we can do to help this cause. And please feel free to pass on my Blog address to others that might also enjoy having this Destop Wallpaper. By the way the size of this wallpaper will accomodate screens with 1024 X 768 resolutions. Feel free to resize if needed.

Thank you!

Sincerely,

Patti

2009-07-21T15:00:00.004+12:00

The Creature Of The Night ©

Another bleak and sleepless night.

Shadows of a fractured nightmare linger on the fragile spine of the nocturnal creature that sits beside my computer in the palm of my innermost thoughts.

At last, the once frightened creature of the night now slumbers restfully on his pad, as the sound of slurping coffee is heard faintly in the echoes of a tiresome yawn.

© Patti Watts July 17, 2009

The Spectrum

2009-07-14T16:24:00.005+12:00

THE SPECTRUM ©

by Patti Hoesten-Watts

How mightily life's sword thrusts between the eyes, like fierce hailstones clamoring onto the unsuspecting pavement below. Is life all that it seems, or do we quietly and patiently sit by the window awaiting the joy of a rainbow in the formidable sky? What colors the spectrum of this rainbow? Perhaps a fiery red heart? What difference if it is not Valentine's Day. A green light signaling that one's line is not busy? A note of friendship written on the pale blue parchment paper hidden beneath the pile of promises to keep? The violet fragrance of the 'forget-me-not'? The yellow-orange butterfly heralding a season...a new season to help give wings to the fragile and the forgotten. As the rainbow gradually fades from view, so goes to, the concealed treasures that once could be found at the points at the ends of the spectrum.

Once again the new gale brings winds of hope; the hailstones which once pained, like tears on a sore and sorry eye now dwell on a sea of tranquility.... as a new colorful rainbow looms in the distance. ©

Outdoor Kennels And How To Climatize Your Pets

2009-06-20T20:17:00.004+12:00

Each year I dread the pitfalls of the winter months, especially for our two outdoor cats. We have three cats, one who spends a good deal of time in the house, but the other two are outdoor cats. Both Breezy Boy and Chloe were strays that found their way to us and have adopted us. They are very skittish about coming in the house, even though we would love for them to make our home theirs just like our dear old girl Fluffy. But they do prefer to stay outdoors even during the cold winter months. We wound up purchasing an outdoor kennel for them which they love and they enjoy being in there especially on cold nights. I suspect they even enjoy it more now since my husband "Climatized" the kennel for them a few months ago. The photos depict what my husband designed to make it warmer for them. You can read the following which my husband wrote of how it warms them during our cold winter days and nights.

PLASTIC PET KENNEL INSULATION

Help keep your pet comfortable on a cold night. Two of our cats prefer to sleep outside (strange I know!) but they are semi-wild. As is usual with cats, they adopted us as their lifelong carers. We purchased a plastic kennel and placed it alongside a bordering fence a few metres along the path from our front doorway where there was some wind shelter provided by a wall between us and the neighbouring property. However, the kennel is a bare plastic shell and while it provides cover from rain and hail it does a poor job of keeping the animals warm during cold winter nights.
The photo shows a simple addition to the kennel using some kitchen foil and some old polystyrene foam packing material which will keep your pet warmer on those cold nights. Three lengths of foam plastic are first completely wrapped with standard kitchen aluminium foil and the foil is held on using adhesive tape (sellotape) - just like wrapping a parcel. The foil-covered foam lengths are then taped to the inner surface of the lid of the kennel using any good quality masking tape or other adhesive tape with enough strength to carry the weight of the foam. Cover as little of the foil as possible when taping the foil-covered foam to the lid. Before taping the foam to the lid, thoroughly degrease and cleam the inside surface of the lid using methylated spirits or other alcohol (soapy water would probably do it as long as the lid is allowed to dry thoroughly before attempting to apply the masking tape.
How it works: the foam itself will form an insulating barrier on the lid by trapping inside warm air rising from the animal/s and adding greatly to the thickness of the lid. The real fix though is the foil - it will reflect your pet's radiated (lost) heat straight back at the animal. It is a bit like having a low power heater attached to the upper surface of the lid. You can feel the effect for yourself by putting a hand inside the kennel when the lid is replaced after fitting the insulation. In effect you have created an insulated mirror with a semi-circular cross-section. You could also line the lower sides of the kennel with foam as well but we put a folded sack covered with a towel on the floor for them to sleep on and this partially covers the sides.

So if you have outdoor pets and are concerned about ways to keep them warm during the winter, do give this a try. I have often checked them as they come out of the kennel in the morning and they are as warm as toast. It truly works!

Cheers!

Patricia

Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life

2009-05-16T07:13:00.003+12:00

Instead of complaining that the rosebush is full of thorns, be happy that the thorn bush has roses.

~Proverb

I was just thinking today about all the negativism going on in the world. It saddens me so that there is war, violence, crime, greed, hatred for others, bigotry, criticism, and well the list could go on from here to the moon. Isn't it about time that people woke up and realized that peace can never be achieved in this life unless we achieve that peace within ourselves first, and then when that peace has been ascertained we exude good feelings towards others.....and good thoughts and feelings are so contagious? Now I surely believe we will never see "Utopia", but we have to begin somewhere in our quest for world peace. Let it be.... even if it be in our own hearts. IMHO there are more people worthy of a good pat on the back, a gentle hug, a smile, a little kind word or two, then those few who may not necesarily be on our favorite's list. It would be sheer bliss if people would spend their efforts concentrating on the wonderfully positive side of life rather than adding more negativism to this already gloomy world some think we live in. Life is short....let's make it brighter!

Cheers!

Patricia

Ouch! It Hurts!

2009-05-08T22:58:00.003+12:00

Well Summer is in the air for many of you, although it is just the beginning of Winter for me here in New Zealand....Grrrhhh!...and Brrrhhh! I just got to thinking today of how long it has been since I have done any blogging.....too long in fact. But I have needed some time for myself and some of my hobbies, and I have also just completed and extensive course over the past year in Medical Transcription. So I hope to be back to a more regular schedule now and look forward to doing a bit more blogging as well. Many thanks to so many of you who have faithfully kept up with the various RSS feeds on my Blog in my absence. I hope you have had some enjoyment along the way.

Well speaking of Summer I thought I would pass along some very interesting remedies I recently found for sunburn. It is that time of the year for many of you who love to go out and bake in the sun. Although I am definitely not a beach person, I can personally attest to the fact (and my Dermatologist would vouche for me on this too) that I have had skin cancer seven times. I spend little time outdoors in the sun except for driving and getting to and from my destination. I have to be so careful as I am extremely faired skin and burn to a crisp in minutes...no kidding. So the outdoors is not my cup of tea. I also heard not to long ago that New Zealand where I live has the highest level of UV rays in the world, and even sun in the winter months can be detrimental to the skin. Anyway I am a great believer now in prevention. But the the following are some fascinating remedies if you wind up with a sunburn....so there is something here for everyone. But be good to yourself and prevent sunburn.....AND various forms of skin cancer simply by prevention. Read about it here.

It is good to be back!

Cheers From Patricia

PREVENTION AND REMEDIES FOR SUNBURN

Prevention is the best remedy here, if you can. Long-termresults from excessive exposure to the sun, such as skincancer and wrinkled skin, can be avoided with properprecautions. One of the best preventatives is to use a sun-screen with an SPF of 30 that offers protection against bothUVA and UVB rays. You can get as much sun sightseeing asbaking at the beach, so use sunscreen whenever you areoutdoors.Use an aloe vera lotion containing a sunblock. This will cutout 90% of the burning rays and allow 75% of the tanning raysto reach the skin.To speed healing take the following supplements for a few days after getting burned: 1,000 mg of vitamin C, 400 I.U. ofvitamin E, 15 mg of beta carotene, and 1-2 tablespoons (or about 3 capsules per teaspoon) of flaxseed oil, an essential fatty acid.Caution: don't ever cover a sunburn that is blistered or open with an ointment, oil, salve or butter, for it will make the area susceptible to infection.

Remedies:

Aloe:

Take as many leaves as necessary from an aloe plant;refrigerate; peel off top layer of leaves; apply the side of the leaf with flesh exposed directly to the sunburn. Other remedies use aloe vera juice: for mild to medium sunburn, keep the affected area moist with aloe vera juice. Repeat frequently.This will reduce the pain and the amount of peeling. Aloe vera ointment works well, too, as it contains oil and will not evaporate. For a severe sunburn, keep the area moist at all times with aloe vera juice. Since aloe vera is an astringent, you may want to use aloe vera ointment or some sort of oil, such as olive or baby. Aloe is very effective in relieving pain and inflammation. Combine aloe juice with ½ the amount of vitamin E. Dab on thesunburn. Vitamin E is a good moisturizer.

Apple cider vinegar:

Apply apple cider vinegar to the burn with a cottonball, or make a cooling compress for a large area to relieve the pain. Keep the skin moistened. This remedy will prevent blistering and peeling.

Aspirin:

Aspirin kills the pain and reduces inflammation and redness of a sunburn. It short-circuits the whole sunburn process. It must be taken within 24 hours of getting sunburned. Aspirin is preferable to ibuprofen or acetaminophen because it is less stressful on the liver and kidneys. Or IbuProfen Not tylenol...it doesn't reduce imflamation...but does help with the pain

Baking soda:

Dissolve some baking soda in water and make acompress using a clean cloth. Another remedy is to add 1/2 cup of baking soda to a tepid bath and soak. Instead of drying the affected area with a towel, let it air dry. Baking soda is cooling and will help the skin retain moisture.

Baths:

Add 20 drops of each of lavender and chamomile essential oils to a tubful of cool water and soak for 10 minutes.

Cucumber:

Rub sunburned area with fresh cucumber slices. They are very cool and will soothe the area.

Epsom salts:

Dissolve epsom salts in water and make a compressusing a clean cloth.

Ice:

Apply ice or cold water to the burned area. This will stop the burning process and cool the skin.

Lavender:

Mix 20-25 drops of lavender oil in one cup of water and bathe the sunburned area.

Lemon Water:

Mix the juice of three lemons into two cups of cold water and sponge on the sunburn. The lemon will cool the burn, act as a disinfectant, and will promote healing of the skin.

Milk:

Make a compress of whole milk (or buttermilk) and apply to the burned area for 20 minutes; repeat every two to four hours. Wash the milk off so you won't smell sour! The fat content of the milk is soothing for burns.

Oatmeal:

Put some oatmeal in tepid bath water, soak for a few minutes, then air dry yourself.

Oil:

Cover the area with cooking oil and sprinkle powdered ginger on the oil. This will promote healing.

Onion:

Bruise an onion and rub on the burn.

Peppermint:

Apply peppermint oil to the sunburned skin. You can also make a mild peppermint infusion and use it as a wash to cool the sunburn.

Potato:

Grate a potato and apply it to the burned area. The starch will cool and soothe the burn.

Shower:

Take a warm shower to draw out the heat of your sunburn. The warm water will increase circulation to the area while hydrating it, thereby speeding the healing process.

Tea:

Make some tea, cool, and apply to the burn. While any tea may be beneficial, mint tea, such as peppermint or spearmint are especially good. The teas have tannins that help the healing process.

Yogurt:

Apply plain yogurt with live cultures, let it stand for a few minutes, then rinse off under cool water. Another remedy using yogurt is to mix equal parts of yogurt and mashed strawberries and apply to the sunburned area for 15 minutes. Rinse with cool water.

Caution! You may have sun poisoning if you experience chills,fever, or get blisters or a rash. See your physician!

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

2008-10-16T00:18:00.003+13:00

It has been a while since I have posted, but I have been busy with school over the past few months and trying to get caught up is never too easy. However since it is October I wanted to be sure to make a new Breast Cancer Awareness Wallpaper for those of you who might enjoy having a new one for your computer desktop. Just click on the above image to the enlarged size and save it to your computer. The size is 1024X768. Please feel free to resize if necessary. I hope you will enjoy this one.

I do hope to start back to some more regular blogging very shortly....just trying to get a little bit more organized with my schedule.

Thanks so very much for stopping by to read my blog and I will look forward to chatting with you all very soon.

Sincerely,

Patricia

Power Point Presentations And Slide Share

2008-08-03T16:22:00.005+12:00

Miscrosoft Power Point is a wonderful way to design and create the perfect slide show presentation of all your favorite photos or images to share with your family and friends. I receive so many lovely Power Point Presentations in my e-mail from friends and it is amazing how crisp and clear and especially professional everythng looks. Microsoft offers an excellent tutorial online which will take you step by step through each process, although the program is extremely user friendly and chances are you may not even need a tutorial. Here is the link to their tutorial if needed:

Microsoft Power Point Presentation Tutorial

If you already have Microsoft on your computer then you probably already have Power Point available for your use.

Once you have created your Presentation you will save it to your hard drive and you can easily attach the Presentation to your e-mails. Also note that if you are a Blogger you can also share your own Presentations or others on you personal blogs. You can do this by by visiting

SlideShare

It will only take just a couple of minutes to establish and account with them and then you can upload any of your favorite slide shows or presentations to their website. Once that part is completed you can grab the code to embed the Presentation/s of your choice on to your blog. The code can be easily pasted into your page element for java or html and you are all set.

Express Yourself Today.....Use Power Point and SlideShare!

Cheers!

Patricia

Sergeant Derek Wootton: Tragic Loss To Our Community

2008-07-11T11:05:00.005+12:00

I woke up this morning hearing the tragic news of one of our local Police Officers being struck down and killed at 3 a.m. this morning by a boy in a stolen vehicle as the Police Officer lay road spikes in a street not too far from where I live. I have been complaining for the past couple of years of the barage of incidents with "boy racers" in our area at all hours of both days and nights that never cease to try to show off of what they might think they can actually get away with. I have always felt myself that not enough was being done by the local authorities to try to diminish this serious problem that has affected all the members of our community. Unfortunately all it takes is one life for people to start to take notice. My heart goes out to all the family and loved ones of Sergeant Derek Wootton. His death is a tragic loss to our community and to all those who loved him.

The Dominion Post Article

LATEST: The police officer killed when he was hit by a stolen car in Titahi Bay, north of Wellington, early this morning was a 52 year old who had been in the force for 14 years. View video: Police officer killed on duty
Sergeant Derek Wootton joined the police in March 1994 and was a "very experienced frontline supervisor", Wellington Police District Commander Superintendent Pieri Munro said.
The officer was killed when he was struck by the car as he was laying road spikes in a street in the Porirua suburb about 3am.
Police believe the car had been stolen in a carjacking in the nearby Wellington suburb of Tawa earlier this morning.
Mr Munro said Mr Wootton's death was "a huge loss for his family, friends and police colleagues".
"It's a very sobering time for all police but we are part of a respected professional service. Our staff are grieving but Derek's tragic death is not stopping us from fulfilling our job of policing our communities."
A 32-year-old man is due to appear in Porirua District Court this morning charged with: aggravated robbery, relating to a carjacking in Tawa; dangerous driving; dangerous driving causing death; failing to stop after an accident; and a charge of kidnapping, relating to the second person in the vehicle, a 16 year old.
The car, which stopped on a homeowner's front section, remains in Dimock St covered by a tent as investigators study the crash scene.
A police-issue stab-proof vest, with a radio still attached, lay on the ground near where the officer was struck, a witness said.
Police have confirmed the stolen car, a black Honda Prelude, was being pursued when the officer was killed.
The officer becomes the 27th police officer to be killed in the line of duty.
A Dimock St resident said she woke to the brief sound of screeching tyres and then heard the thud of an impact.
"The next thing we knew we could see flashing lights, not sirens, just the lights going and they were coming closer and closer to our house."
Her partner ran out into the street and saw the officer lying badly injured on the ground. Within moments a female officer had arrived at the scene and began frantically performing CPR.
"She worked very hard for a long time, till the first ambulance arrived. They worked on him for at least 20 minutes."
The woman’s partner said he took blankets out for the officer and offered to help as the female officer performed CPR.
"It was absolutely horrible to watch," the female resident said.
"Horrible that this could happen anywhere ... but in your own street and rushing out to try and help. How could you live with yourself if you were the driver?"
Kapiti Mana police commander Inspector John Spence said the officer's tragic death in the line of duty has devastated colleagues. Welfare support is in place for the officer's family and for colleagues, especially those first to the scene.
The car, which had been carjacked in Tawa, went through the spikes and was stopped by police about 300m further up the street, he said.
CPR by police and ambulance officers were unsuccessful and the policeman died at the scene.
Two people who were in the offending vehicle are currently being spoken to by police.
Police were appealing for witnesses who may have seen the car being driven around the Elsdon and Titahi Bay areas.
Prime Minister Helen Clark said it was a tragedy and it was a very sad day for his family, the police force and all New Zealanders.
"The police work so hard to support and protect our communities," she said through a spokeswoman.
"To see an officer killed in the line of duty is an appalling tragedy.
"The thoughts of all New Zealanders are with his family and colleagues today."
The death shows how risky the job is, Police Association president Greg O'Connor said.
"Inherently there are risks involved in the job and this brings it home."
He refused to talk about the dead policeman or the incident but said in the last few years there had been a big change in the attitude of some people towards the police.
"More and more people are prepared to have a go. They wouldn't have in the past. That is the big change in policing," he said.
The last police officer killed in the line of duty was Detective Constable Duncan Taylor.
He was fatally shot at Rongotea, near Feilding, in 2002.
Daniel Luff, 17, was later convicted of killing him.

Patricia

Birds Of A Feather

2008-07-10T14:45:00.011+12:00

With all the crazy problems going on in this world around us I always like to take time out to enjoy the gifts of nature. There is so much to be said for solitude and quiet time. I often enjoy watching all the wonderful species of native New Zealand birds that find their way to our garden out back. I could actually watch them for hours. It is amazing how tediously they strive to find food for their young and for themselves, and they sure do make the most of exploring my husband's gardens. I especially love to watch them right after a good rain, for this is when the worms are so plentiful and the heaps of birds around our place have an absolute field day. I found the above photo a while ago on the Internet. I am a great one for saving photos of animals and birds, and I find this bird unusually attractive, although I have no idea what species it is, but I would love to know. Its colors are so gorgeous, that in fact I wish I had a dress in the same color. If anyone reading this post has any comment as to the species of this bird I would dearly love to know, so I would love to hear from you.

I use to have two stunningly colorful Love Birds named Silvia and Eglamour. I named them after two characters in one of William Shakespeare's Plays "Two Gentlemen of Verona". You can read the play at the link included. I have always adored animals of all kinds.... and would often bring home all kinds of strays and birds with broken wings when I was a little child. Perhaps I should have spent my life working in an animal shelter or a Veterinerian's office.

Anyway I am devoting today's post to Love Birds.

Lovebird is the commonly used name for the genus, Agapornis (from the Greek agape, for love, and ornis, for Bird), and can refer to any of the nine species of the genus. They are a very social and affectionate parrot.
The name Lovebird stems from these birds' bright, caring personalities. This is reflected by the bird's name in other languages: in German, "die Unzertrennlichen," and in French "les inséparables"- "inseparables." For this reason, many people feel strongly that lovebirds in captivity should be kept in pairs. Others believe that lovebirds, like other parrots, are social animals who can bond with human companions when given care and ample attention. Recommended foods include a pellet based diet along with fruits, vegetables and grains.
Lovebirds are about 13-17 centimeters in size, 40-60 grams in weight and are characterized by a small, stocky build and a short, blunt tail. This puts them among the smallest parrots in the world, although their beak is rather large for their overall size. Most lovebirds are blue, green, or lutino, although color mutations can feature many different colors. Some lovebird species, like Fischer's, black cheeked, and yellow collared lovebirds, have a white ring around the eye. Their lifespan is said to be 10 to 15 years.Lovebirds have the potential to make great pets for those who have the patience and time required of any parrot species. Because of their inclination to bond, they can form great long-term relationships with people. Lovebirds are healthier and more energetic than some other parrot species.
Provided with space, toys, and love, lovebirds can become cherished companions. They love to snuggle and often preen their favorite people. An important tip for lovebird owners is to regulate the amount of time spent with them. If you devote hours per day to your lovebird for several weeks because it's new and exciting and then cannot for some reason you can end up with a very temperamental lovebird on your hands.
Eight of the different species come from the mainland of Africa. The ninth species, Agapornis canus, originates from Madagascar. In the wild the different species are separated geographically. Lovebirds live in small flocks and eat mainly fruit, vegetables, some grasses and seed. Black-winged Lovebirds also enjoy insects and figs.
Only some of the lovebird species are sexually dimorphic. This includes the Abyssinian Lovebird, the Madagascar Lovebird, and the Red-faced Lovebird. However, colour mutation is common in other species of Lovebirds.
Lovebirds require an appropriately sized cage. Usually the minimum for a single bird is 35"x35"x35". They require lots of toys and things to chew on and play with, or will soon become bored and develop behavioral problems. Lovebirds are extremely social birds, and require several hours of interaction a day if kept singly. They need social interaction, be it with conspecifics or human companion, for their emotional as well as physical well-being. Without this interaction, daily exercise, a roomy cage, and many toys to play with, they may resort to feather-plucking or other behavioral problems. They don't necessarily need the companion of another lovebird, as the myth says. They do, however, need a human who will dedicate lots of time with them and take the place of the other lovebird. They love to take baths almost every day and may sun themselves after bathing in order to dry.Lovebirds require a variety of food, such as pellets, fruits, and vegetables. As a regular food, pellets are recommended, as the millet food generally sold in pet stores has too much fat in it and is not a significant source of nutrition. Pellets specially made for birds provide a well-balanced diet. Fresh greens are also extremely beneficial if not essential.
Lovebirds are very vocal birds, making loud, high-pitched noises. Some make noise all day, especially during the first morning hours.
Lovebirds are also very active, and love to chew things. When they are let out of their cage, it is wise to watch them carefully and protect any furniture, electrical wiring or anything else that they could possibly chew on.
Lovebirds are all of the genus Agapornis and can produce offspring with other lovebirds within the same genus. The cross-species hybrids are often sterile. It is recommended to only place birds of the same species together, or of the same sex, for the sake of the potentially faulted hybrid offspring.

The following link will take you to a YouTube site with a precious video of a couple hand feeding some baby lovebirds. It is so worthwhile to watch.

Hand Feeding Baby Lovebirds

The following are some excellent links to facts and information about these lovely creatures.

http://www.lovebirds.co.nz/main/index.php

http://www.lovebirdsplus.com/

I would love your feedback about lovebirds....they are certainly my favorite birds of all.

Cheers!

Patricia

Hot Diggity Dog!

2008-07-08T23:00:00.016+12:00

One thing I have really missed since I have moved to New Zealand from America ten years ago are Nathan's Hot Dogs. I remember all to well the wonderful Independence Day Celebrations with Nathan's Hot Dogs on the barbecue. They have just got to be the juciest and the tastiest hot dogs in the world. I must admit too that they were so good in fact that I could often be seen stopping my car by a roadside stand with the large Nathan's umbrella displayed, indicating of course that "Here We Sell Nathan's". Those of you who have had them before can surely attest to the fact that they are so wonderful.

Well this month on July 23 is the celebration of National Hot Dog Day, so I thought I would post a little Hot Dog Trivia for those so inclined.

Hot Dogs Across America

Americans eat an unestimatable number of hot dogs each year. In restaurants and at street carts, ballparks and backyard barbeques - hot dogs are everywhere! But depending on where you purchase your hot dog, your toppings may differ radically. Here's our short guide on what to expect when you buy your hot dog away from home.

New York City: New Yorkers eat more hot dogs than any other group in the country. From downtown Manhattan to Coney Island, when you buy your hot dog in the Big Apple, it will come served with steamed onions and a pale, deli-style yellow mustard.

Chicago: The possible antithesis to New York dogs, Chicago dogs are layered with yellow mustard, dark green relish, chopped raw onion, tomato slices and topped with a dash of celery salt and served in a poppy seed bun.

Atlanta and the South: Buying a hot dog at Turner Field, home of the Atlanta Braves, or else where in Atlanta and the south, you'll end up with your dog "dragged through the garden" and topped with coleslaw.

Kansas City: Get the mints out - you'll need them when you order up a hot dog in KC as it is served with sauerkraut and melted Swiss cheese on a sesame seed bun.

Baseball Stadiums: Turner Field isn't the only place to get a hot dog styled to local preferences, here are some others to check out:

The Rockie Dog - served at Coors Field, the home of the Colorado Rockies - is a footlong dog with grilled peppers, kraut and onions.

The Fenway Frank - served at none other than Fenway Park - is the only dog to eat while watching the Red Sox. Its boiled and grilled and served in a New England style bun with mustard and relish.

The Texas Dog - chili, cheese and jalapenos make this the favored item at Minute Maid Park in Houston.

Other Regional Preferences: Midwesterners eat more pork and beef hot dogs than any other region of the country.

Westerners eat more poultry hot dogs than any other region of the country, however, southerns are a close second.

Easterns perfer all-beef hot dogs and consumer more than any other region of the country.

Americans consumed 20 billion hot dogs in 1999!
Americans will consume 7 billion hot dogs between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
Americans will eat 26 million hot dogs in major league ballparks -- that's enough to stretch from Yankee Stadium in New York City to Dodgers' Stadium in Los Angeles!
More hot dogs are eaten in Dodgers' Stadium -- an estimated 2.2 million -- than in any other Major League Ballpark in the country!
450 hot dogs are eaten every second of every day in the United States or an average of 65 per person per year.
Hot dogs are served in 95 % of the homes in the U.S.A.
Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport sells more Hot Dogs than any other location in the USA, over 2 million a year.
Mustard remains the most popular Hot Dog Topping. 87 % of Hot Dog eaters use mustard.
During the Fourth of July Weekend, Americans will enjoy 150 million hot dogs!
450 hot dogs are eaten every second of every day of every year, on average about 65 per person in the United States annually.
95 percent of homes serve hot dogs.
Most dogs are eaten at home, 15 percent purchased from street vendors. 9 percent bought at ball parks.
Mustard remains the hottest topping, used regularly by 87.6 percent of the eaters.
The top dog for most folks is the 6-incher, preferred by 48.3 percent of us: 26 percent like a 7-incher:
4 percent, the foot long.
Chicago's O' Hare International Airport sells more hot dogs than any single location in the world, more than 2 million a year.
Record dogs: a 1,983 foot hot dog was made in May 1983 by Bill-Mar Foods of Zeeland, Wis; a 2,377-foot chicken dog was made in 1985 by Maple Lodge Farms in Norval, Canada; in 1978, David Berg of Chicago made a six-foot 681-pound beef hot dog in a 100 pound poppy seed bun covered with two gallons of mustard.

Hot Dog Etiquette

Everyday guidance for eating America's sacred food
Don't...Put hot dog toppings between the hot dog and the bun. Always "dress the dog," not the bun.
Condiments should be applied in the following order: wet condiments like mustard and chili are applied first, followed by chunky condiments like relish, onions and sauerkraut, followed by shredded cheese, followed by spices, like celery salt or pepper.
Do...Serve sesame seed, poppy seed and plain buns with hot dogs. Sun-dried tomato buns or basil buns are considered gauche with franks.
Don't...Use a cloth napkin to wipe your mouth when eating a hot dog. Paper is always preferable.
Do...Eat hot dogs on buns with your hands. Utensils should not touch hot dogs on buns.
Do...Use paper plates to serve hot dogs. Every day dishes are acceptable; china is a no-no.
Don't...Take more than five bites to finish a hot dog. For foot-long wiener, seven bites are acceptable.
Don't...Leave bits of bun on your plate. Eat it all.
Don't...Fresh herbs on the same plate with hot dogs over-do the presentation
Don't...Use ketchup on your hot dog after the age of 18. Mustard, relish, onions, cheese and chili are acceptable.
Do...Condiments remaining on the fingers after eating a hot dog should be licked away, not washed.
Do...Use multi-colored toothpicks to serve cocktail wieners. Cocktail forks are in poor taste.
Don't...Send a thank you note following a hot dog barbecue. It would not be in keeping with the unpretentious nature of hot dogs.
Don't...Bring wine to a hot dog barbecue. Beer, soda, lemonade and iced tea are preferable.
Don't...Ever think there is a wrong time to serve hot dogs.

How Hot Dogs are Made: The Real Story

To see a video showing how hot dogs are made, go to www.youtube.com/hotdogcouncil.
There are many tall tales about the way in which hot dogs are made, but the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council is eager to tell the real story.
First, specially selected meat trimmings of beef and/or pork -- just like the meat you buy in your grocer's case -- are cut or ground into small pieces and placed in a mixer. When poultry hot dogs are made, poultry trimmings are used.
High speed, stainless steel choppers blend the meat, spices, ice chips and curing ingredients into an emulsion or batter. The mixture is continuously weighed to assure a proper balance of all ingredients.
The mixture is then pumped into an automatic stuffer/linker machine, where it flows into casings. The most popular brands of hot dogs use cellulose casings, which are later removed. Some wieners use natural casings, which remain on the wiener when it is eaten. These wieners are considered more "traditional," are frequently made by smaller manufacturers and tend to cost a little more.
Once the casings are filled, they are linked into long strands of hot dogs and moved to the smokehouse, there they are fully cooked under controlled temperature and humidity conditions. They may be hardwood smoked for added color and flavor.
After passing through the smoke and cook cycle, the hot dogs are showered in cool water. If the hot dogs were made with cellulose casings, they are sent to an automatic peeler, where the cellulose "skin" is stripped away.
The individual links are then conveyed to the packaging equipment. When cellulose casings are used, the hot dogs are of exact size and weight. They are vacuum sealed in plastic films to protect the freshness and flavor of the hot dog. Because the casings on natural casings wieners are made from cleaned and processed animal intestines, they are of similar, but not exact, size.
Each package of hot dogs contains an ingredient statement, which lists everything that goes into the product. These days, it is less common to use variety meats such as hearts in hot dogs. When they are added, the package will clearly state "with variety meats." The particular variety meat used also will be listed in the ingredient statement. Nutrition labels also are included on hot dog packages, showing calories and nutrients per serving.
The entire process, from meat and poultry trimmings to being boxed and placed on the truck for delivery to retailers, can be measured in a matter of hours. The process also is carefully regulated and inspected for wholesomeness by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

A Hot Dog Primer for Inquiring Minds

The National Hot Dog and Sausage Council receives hundreds of hot dog related questions each year. While most of these questions are easy for us - the hot dog gurus - to answer, other questions are nearly impossible to answer. Below are some frequently asked questions.
Why are there typically 10 hot dogs per pack and eight buns per bag?
Ah, one of the great mysteries of the universe. You would think the makers of these two inherently linked items would collaborate on this. These days, manufacturers are starting to offer different quantities of hot dogs per pack and bakers are breaking out of the eight-to-the-pack mold and offering 10 and even 12 packs of buns. However, this is the exception to the rule.
When hot dog buns were introduced, hot dogs were sold in varying quantities at the butcher shop. Not until 1940 were hot dogs packaged the way we currently see them in the grocery store. When manufacturers began packaging hot dogs, they chose the 10 to the pack formula. Today hot dogs are sold most often in eight or ten to the pound packs, but some are sold other quantities as well.
Sandwich rolls, or hot dog buns, most often come eight to the pack because the buns are baked in clusters of four in pans designed to hold eight rolls. While baking pans now come in configurations that allow baking 10 and even 12 at a time, the eight roll pan remains the most popular.
However, to save you from the bread aisle arithmetic anxiety, you need to purchase five bags of eight-to-the-pack buns and four 10-to-the-pack hot dogs to break even.
Why are hot dogs and baseball linked?
As the legend goes, frankfurters were dubbed the "hot dog" by a cartoonist who observed a vendor selling the "hot daschund sausages" during a baseball game at New York City's Polo Grounds. Concessionaires walked through the stands shouting "Get your red-hot dachshund sausages." In 1906, Tad Dorgan, a cartoonist for a Hearst newspaper, was inspired by the scene and sketched a cartoon with a real dachshund dog, smeared with mustard, in a bun. Supposedly, Dorgan could not spell the name of the dog, instead writing "get your hot dogs" for a caption. However, Dorgan's cartoon has never been located and some hot dog historians suggest the "dachshund" sausages were being called hot dogs on college campuses in the 1890s. "Little dog" sausages became standard fare at ballparks in 1893 when St. Louis bar owner and German immigrant Chris Von de Ahe, who owned the St. Louis Browns baseball team.
Besides its early association with baseball parks, hot dogs are easy to prepare, inexpensive and easily portable making them the perfect food to enjoy while cheering on a favorite team. Hot dogs are considered a fun summertime food, eaten most often between Memorial Day and Labor Day - coinciding with the peak of baseball season.
And while we're on the subject of street carts, just how many hot dog are sold on the Fourth of July at street carts in New York City?
Figuring out the precise number of hot dogs sold at specific locations or on specific days is nearly impossible. Street carts don't publish sales figures and dividing hot dog sales down to days would be an exhausting job.
We do know that the southern United States eats the bulk of all hot dogs each year - more than any other region of the country. Residents of New York City purchase more hot dogs at retail outlets (grocery stores, supermarkets, etc.) than any other city in the country - over $101 billion dollars worth. And travelers passing through Chicago's O'Hare International Airport consumer more hot dogs there than LaGuardia in New York and Los Angeles International.
For more detailed statistics on regional consumption of hot dogs and sausages, contact Information Resources, Inc. or AC Nielsen.
How many hot dogs do Americans eat each year and where do they eat them?
According to recent survey data obtained by the Council, Americans purchase 350 million pounds of hot dogs at retail stores - that's 9 billion hot dogs! But the actual number of hot dogs consumed by Americans is probably much larger. It is difficult to calculate the number of hot dogs Americans may eat at sporting events, local picnics and carnivals. The Council estimates Americans consume 20 billion hot dogs a year - more than twice the retail sales figures. That works out to about 70 hot dogs per person each year. Hot dogs are served in 95 percent of homes in the United States. Fifteen percent of hot dogs are purchased from street vendors and 9 percent are purchased at ballparks, according to statistics from the Heartland Buffalo Company.
What exactly is in a hot dog?
The ingredients in hot dogs have been the subject of much humor, rumor and speculation. But the answer is less exciting than the question.
All hot dogs are cured and cooked sausages that consist of mainly pork, beef, chicken and turkey or a combination of meat and poultry. Meats used in hot dogs come from the muscle of the animal and looks much like what you buy in the grocer's case. Other ingredients include water, curing agents and spices, such as garlic, salt, sugar, ground mustard, nutmeg, coriander and white pepper.
If variety meats such as liver and hearts are used in processed meats, the U.S. Department of Agriculture requires the manufacturer to declare those ingredients on the package with the statement "with variety meats" or "with meat by-products." The manufacturer must then specify which variety meat is included. In the U.S., companies are required to list ingredients in order, from the main ingredient, to the least ingredient.

I bet some of you didn't know there was even a day in the year cycle that celebrated the Great American Hot Dog....well doggone it...now you do! :-)

Patricia

Aliens Have Landed

2008-07-07T18:17:00.004+12:00

I caught this rather cute photo today on the Internet. I have a number of photos in my collection of dogs and cats dressed up in funny costumes but I think that this one takes the cake.

This pooch, named Baby, took third place prize on Saturday morning at the Roswell Convention and Civic Center during their 2008 Roswell UFO Festival.

Hungry For Something Glitzy?

2008-07-03T12:03:00.013+12:00

Greetings From New Zealand!

If you are a stitcher, sewer, quilter or an all-around craftsperson than you will absolutely adore these wonderfully glitzy cupcake pincushions created by my dear and talented friend Jana way up in the woods of British Columbia, Canada. I was so excited when I saw Jana's cupcake pincushions that I just had to share them with all my blog readers. They are so reasonably priced that you won't be able to resist adding one to you collection of needlework or craft accessories. They are sooooo soft and ever so colorful. I use mine every day....it is just so pretty to look at in person and serves your every day pincushion needs for your crafting. The pincushion comes with some bright glitzy pins which really top it off to a perfection that you will almost want to eat one. Just click on any one of these excellent images and it will take you to Jana's wonderful web site for pricing and additional details...and while you are there have a good peek around at all the other magnificent goodies that Jana has to offer especially for those of you interested in graphics for computer graphic design and scrapbooking. There are gigabytes galore of beautifully designed and created goodies for all your special needs.

Enjoy your cupcake.....mine is so good...I'll just have to have another!

Jana's Wonderful Web Site

A Whimsy Dust Affair

Patricia

Happy Fourth Of July Friends And Readers

2008-07-02T08:09:00.009+12:00

Well I'm back blogging after a very long hiatus due to some health issues, and more recently busy with my jewelery business. I hope to be able to stay more current so that I can provide all of you that read my Blog all kinds of interesting goodies and items worth noting. Yes, all these months away from blogging has been a bit disheartening but hopefully things will pick up. I thank all of those who have still been reading my blog during my absence and look forward to having you all back again.

A very special Happy Fourth of July to all of my American Family and Friends and Readers. Actually the 4th happens also to be my Wedding Anniversary. This year on the 4th my husband and I will be married ten years. So hard to believe that I moved here to New Zealand from New York just ten years ago to marry my Kiwi fiancé It seems like just yesterday quite frankly.

I have been pretty busy just lately setting up my new web site for my jewelry business:

Irresistibly Ewe

Patricia's Beaded Treasures

I would love for you to stop by for a visit, although I do not have any jewelry uploaded as yet but hope to be ready to go within the next week or two weeks. All of my jewelry is hand-crafted personally. I will be offering beaded jewelry, beaded charms fobs, and beaded bookmarks. There will also be links for other items for offer such as Home Decor, Vintage Treasures, and Shabby-Chic. You may also have interest in auctions, and they will be available via my boutique as well. I will post to my blog to let you know when I am up and running, but feel free to have a peek at my web site itself.

Well...good to be back all.....and as always I welcome your feedback at any time. Have a good look around as there are lots of things to see and make you think on my all my blogs.

Cheers From Patricia

Early Detection Save Lives

2007-10-05T21:52:00.000+13:00

See below for details for receiving your free Outlook Express Stationery

to use when you send email to your friends utilizing the above image design

for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Click image for better view.

As most people know, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and it is a good time to address the importance of (BSE) Breast Self-Examination. It is widely known that early detection can save lives. One thing I have found astounding though, is that many women do not do regular self examinations. Now I am not sure of their reasons for this, but it is a relatively simple process. I have heard too that some women express the feeling that, "well breast cancer can never happen to me". The following is a link to an excellent 7 or 8 minute video on how to perform a BSE. It is very straightforward and will no doubt answer all of your questions about this very simple but important process.

BSE Video

Here are some helpful resources in regards to Breast Cancer:

The Women's Health Resource

Breast Cancer Awareness.Com

Susan B. Komen For The Cure

National Cancer Institute

How You Can Help Someone Obtain A Free Mammogram

Ribbon Cookie Cutter For Breast Cancer Awareness Month

For your free Outlook Express Stationery commemorating Breast Cancer Awareness Month click on the following link to download this stationery I made for you and save to your hard drive. All you need to do then is to open the file and it will open up in Outlook Express. When the e-mail opens just click "Forward" at the top and type your e-mail and VOILA! The stationery has a pretty pink textured background with the above image which I found on the Internet (Google Images) and I have included a quotation on the stationery by Christopher Reeve.

"Once you choose hope, anything's possible."

If you run into any problems with the stationery just e-mail me at:

Every Day Matters

and I will be more than happy to e-mail you the stationery.

Breast Cancer Awareness Outlook Express Stationery

The above link is good only for 100 downloads

or for 7 days from the date of this post.

Remember.....

Early Detection Saves Lives!

Spicy Ginger Cookies: Gift In A Jar

2007-10-04T11:31:00.000+13:00

Click on image for full preview of your card template
and print!

My dear Friend Jana way up in British Columbia Canada tells me that it is already getting cold in North America and that there is snowfall on the mountains as well . When I hear of the cold setting in up there....so far from us down here in New Zealand I envision that Christmas and the holidays are just around the corner, which means I can almost smell the hearty aromas from Jana's famous 'Impossible Pies' and lovely warm muffins fresh out of the oven that must be such a great hit up her way during the colder times of the year.

Well it is a great time to start thinking ahead about your own personal upcoming Christmas baking, while at the same time you might like to think about some 'Gifts In A Jar' as Christmas gifts for your family and friends. A 'Gift In A Jar' is the perfect and inexpensive gift for anyone, and a cinch to put together. With a fancy little jar wrapping and gift card or label that you can print on your computer printer it awakens the true sense of the holidays in any home.

Today's holiday share is a recipe for a "Gift In A Jar' which I found last year, and I am including the template for printing this darling gift card with the actual recipe right on it.

Here it is!

Spicy Ginger Cookies

You need a mason jar with lid and rings for one Gift in a jar.

Ingredients:

4 cups flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup molasses

1 1/4 cups sugar

2 eggs

vanilla

Keep in mind that the molasses, butter or shortening , eggs and vanilla are the only ingredients that will not be added to this gift jar. The recipient of this gift will have to add those to the recipe when they are making it.

Instructions For Items In The Jar

Combine flour, spices, salt, and baking soda - stir well. Place flour mixture in a clean mason jar. Pack down tight so everything will fit in the jar. (Use a spoon or a mallet.) Add other ingredients, one item at a time. Pack down tight so everything will fit in the jar. (Use a spoon or a mallet.)

Print a copy of a gift card with recipe instructions.

Trim all white areas, fold and punch a hole in the upper left corner; attach to ribbon.

Optional:

As an added touch top the jar with fabric circle, and tie the card around the ring. You can even tie a wooden spoon to the lid with a piece of ribbon for a charming effect.

Recipe By:

cookieinajar.com

Card Template By:

Alenka's Printables

Finding Happiness In The Pursuit

2007-10-02T16:17:00.000+13:00

By M. P. DUNLEAVEY

Published: April 8, 2006

One of the great puzzles of human nature is why humans strive for more material things — money, jobs, homes, cars, flat-screen televisions — when they do not seem to make them any happier in the long run.
Philosophers have pondered this conundrum for centuries, and modern economists have been examining it over several decades in a multitude of cultures. Not only does greater wealth not guarantee happiness — even when you get what you want — research indicates that you will not find it as satisfying as you had hoped, and you will want something else.
Richard A. Easterlin, professor of economics at the University of Southern California, is a seminal researcher in this area. In effect, his work shows that if you think buying a three-bedroom condo and a Honda Element will make you happy, you had better think twice. In a few years, a) you're not likely to report being any happier, and b) you're likely to say that, now, finding a good private school for your children and buying a vacation home will really make you happy.
In Dr. Easterlin's view, this cycle of desire and dissatisfaction tends to keep people on an endless treadmill. This may sound self-defeating, but that is Dr. Easterlin's point. Why not get off the treadmill and pursue a life with fewer material ambitions? You would probably be happier.
Or would you? If material achievements tend to leave people only momentarily fulfilled, why do so many keep reaching for that next goal?
Claudia Senik, professor of economics at the Sorbonne, believes that the struggle for a certain achievement may offer a peculiar reward all its own. Although many people seem quite goal-oriented — especially when it comes to money, homes, cars, new kitchens and other goods that have become stand-ins for status — maybe it's not so much having the stuff that people really enjoy, but the struggle to obtain it.
In an unpublished paper called "Is Man Doomed to Progress?" which she presented at a symposium, "Economics and Happiness," last month at U.S.C., Dr. Senik examined the impact of anticipating future gains on a person's current level of well-being.
Researchers have noted that, for example, given the opportunity to schedule a fancy meal, many people tend to postpone the feast — to savor the anticipation of it. In fact, Dr. Senik found that when people aspire to a better quality of life within the next 12 months, the attempt to reach that goal alone — the anticipation independent of the outcome — seems to bestow happiness in the present.
"For the basic person there is pleasure in progress," Dr. Senik said. "We are proud to aim at something — to earn a degree, buy a house. So when I work to reach a higher position or earn a higher income, I'm already happy today."
Dr. Senik compares it somewhat humorously to being invited to a fabulous party. "Once you get there, maybe you enjoy the party or maybe you don't — but that doesn't matter because you've already spent the last few days looking forward to it."
Of course, that is not how most people view the quest for a better job, nicer car or bigger home. The glory is in getting what you want. Yet we have all experienced the phenomenon — behavioral economists call it adaptation — whereby once you attain whatever you most covet, it quickly loses its luster. Dr. Senik's research suggests that it's fine to crave the condo and the car as long as you realize there may be more pleasure in striving for those goals than in actually achieving them.
I find this oddly comforting, because like many people I am well acquainted with materialistic treadmills, and they are exhausting. You can feel like Sisyphus, pushing a boulder uphill over and over again to get the things you want.
It may seem that people are all hapless consumers, at the mercy of greed and needs (or cursed by Zeus). But Dr. Senik offers a more positive view. You can let go of the rather iffy rewards of getting and spending, and look for everyday pleasure while struggling to advance, improve, progress, achieve and attain.
As Dr. Easterlin said, "If you recognize that the striving can be of value in itself, then instead of taking a job that pays you the most, you may be better off taking work you'll enjoy." In other words, choose your treadmills carefully. Like Sisyphus, they're where most of us will spend our time.

Apple Cinnamon Potpourri

2007-09-26T11:20:00.000+12:00

The holidays are coming fast and it will soon be time to venture into the attic to retrieve all the holiday decorations once again. Well don't forget to get an early start on making your Christmas Potpourri.......and you may also want to make some pretty gift jars of a scented potpourri for gift giving. They make a lovely gift and they are very inexpensive to make and take little time to put together. The rewards of a fragrant potpourri are so wonderful. There is nothing nicer than walking into someone's home on a cold winter's day and smelling the sweet and spicy aroma of an Apple Cinnamon potpourri. There are many variations of potpourri but my favorite is the apple cinnamon variety during the Christmas and Thanksgiving holidays. I will share three recipes today for potpourri.....one of which will be with dry ingredients for display in a pretty bowl or open container, and the other two which will be for a simmering variety which can be left simmering on the stove top or in a slow cooker.

The following is the recipe for the dry variety.

Apple Cinnamon Potpourri

1 c. dried apple slices

2 tbsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 c. whole allspice berries

10 (2") cinnamon sticks

2 tbsp. whole cloves

1/4 c. canella or nandina berries

10 sm. pinecones

7 drops cinnamon oil

Method:

Combine all ingredients and place in a tight jar or tin. Shake every few days. Cinnamon oil has an extremely strong scent that intensifies as it is absorbed. Add additional oil if needed.
The red sumac berries that grow wild can be used dried as a stabilizer for potpourri (in other recipes it takes the place of orris root which is very expensive).

When ready to display pour the contents into a small serving bowl or open container.

______________________________

Aunt Peggy's Potpourri Recipe

Courtesy of Paula Deen

See this recipe on air Thursday Sep. 27 at 1:00 PM ET/PT.

Show: Paula's Home Cooking Episode: Slow Cookin'

Sliced apples

Sliced lemons

Sliced oranges

Water Bay leaves

Whole cloves Cinnamon sticks

In a slow-cooker, combine fruit to preferences of smell. Cover in water. Top with bay leaves, whole cloves, and cinnamon sticks. Leave slow-cooker on low.

______________________________

Christmas Simmering Potpourri

Ingredients:

3 cinnamon sticks

3 bay leaves

1/4 cup whole cloves

1 teaspoon ground cloves

2 lemon slices, fresh or 2 tablespoonsdried lemon peel

2 tablespoons orange peel or dried orange peel

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 quart water

Method:

Mix the dry ingredients up in little Ziploc's to have them ready to add to water during the holiday season.

Mix all ingredients in medium saucepan. Simmer on low heat. Add more water as needed.

For other selections of lovely scented potpourri recipes visit

Herbal Recipes

CPR: Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation

2007-09-23T01:02:00.000+12:00

It would be wonderful if everyone knew how to administer CPR. When performed correctly, CPR can save a person's life by restoring breathing and circulation until advanced life support can be given by health care providers.

CPR stands for cardiopulmonary resuscitation, a combination of rescue breathing (mouth-to-mouth resuscitation) and chest compressions. If a person isn't breathing or circulating blood adequately, CPR can restore circulation of oxygen-rich blood to the brain. Without oxygen, permanent brain damage or death can occur in less than 8 minutes.
CPR may be necessary for people during many different emergencies, including accidents, near-drowning, suffocation, poisoning, smoke inhalation, electrocution injuries, and suspected sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
Reading about CPR and learning when it's needed will give you a basic understanding of the concept and procedure, but it's strongly recommended that you learn the details of how to perform CPR by taking a course. If CPR is needed, using the correct technique will give the victim the best chance of recovery. In the meantime the following link offers excellent guidelines for administering CPR and may answer many of your questions.

Learn CPR

What Is CPR: Wikipedia

Breast Cancer Awareness Computer Desktop Wallpaper

2007-09-19T13:33:00.000+12:00

October is coming quickly and this is just a reminder that it will be Breast Cancer Awareness Month once again. I have a lovely desktop wallpaper for you commemorating Breast Cancer Awareness and it is available for download, and it is free for your personal use. The size is (800 X 600) but feel free to resize to accommodate your screen resolution. Just click on the above image to preview, and save the image to your hard drive and configure for your desktop as a wallpaper.

I will be posting more about Breast Cancer Awareness during the month of October.

National Breast Cancer Awareness

It's Only A Mountain

2007-09-18T15:15:00.000+12:00

A few weeks ago I had the privilege and pleasure of reading some articles and viewing some videos of a remarkable man name Dick Hoyt and his son Rick/aka/ Team Hoyt. Dick and Rick compete in marathons and triathlons together as well as other athletic competitions. Disabled at birth as a result of his umbilcal cord wrapped around his neck and suffering also from cerebral palsy, Rick, with the unconditional love from his Dad Dick have gone above and beyond the expectations of so many to prove that with a "Can Do" attitude, achieving a dream is within anyone's reach. I came across this following article yesterday, and well it says it all, so I thought I would share it in today's post. I had also posted the link on my sidebar recently to the first video of them which I had seen, but I will post it again below in case you might have missed it. It is a touching story that has left an indelible mark in my heart forever. Enjoy the following special moments.

Here is the article!

I try to be a good father. Give my kids mulligans. Work nights to pay For their text messaging. Take them to swimsuit shoots.But compared with Dick Hoyt, I suck.
Eighty-five times he's pushed his disabled son, Rick, 26.2 miles in Marathons. Eight times he's not only pushed him 26.2 miles in a Wheelchair but also towed him 2.4 miles in a dinghy while swimming and Pedaled him 112 miles in a seat on the handlebars--all in the same day.
Dick's also pulled him cross-country skiing, taken him on his back Mountain climbing and once hauled him across the U.S. On a bike. Makes Taking your son bowling look a little lame, right?
And what has Rick done for his father? Not much--except save his life.
This love story began in Winchester , Mass. , 43 years ago, when Rick Was strangled by the umbilical cord during birth, leaving him Brain-damaged and unable to control his limbs.
"He'll be a vegetable the rest of his life;'' Dick says doctors told him And his wife, Judy, when Rick was nine months old. ``Put him in an Institution.''
But the Hoyts weren't buying it. They noticed the way Rick's eyes Followed them around the room. When Rick was 11 they took him to the Engineering department at Tufts University and asked if there was Anything to help the boy communicate. ``No way,'' Dick says he was told. ``There's nothing going on in his brain.''
"Tell him a joke,'' Dick countered. They did. Rick laughed. Turns out a Lot was going on in his brain. Rigged up with a computer that allowed Him to control the cursor by touching a switch with the side of his Head, Rick was finally able to communicate. First words? ``Go Bruins!'' And after a high school classmate was paralyzed in an accident and the School organized a charity run for him, Rick pecked out, ``Dad, I want To do that.''
Yeah, right. How was Dick, a self-described ``porker'' who never ran More than a mile at a time, going to push his son five miles? Still, he Tried. ``Then it was me who was handicapped,'' Dick says. ``I was sore For two weeks.''
That day changed Rick's life. ``Dad,'' he typed, ``when we were running, It felt like I wasn't disabled anymore!''
And that sentence changed Dick's life. He became obsessed with giving Rick that feeling as often as he could. He got into such hard-belly Shape that he and Rick were ready to try the 1979 Boston Marathon.
``No way,'' Dick was told by a race official. The Hoyts weren't quite a Single runner, and they weren't quite a wheelchair competitor. For a few Years Dick and Rick just joined the massive field and ran anyway, then They found a way to get into the race Officially: In 1983 they ran another marathon so fast they made the Qualifying time for Boston the following year.Then somebody said, ``Hey, Dick, why not a triathlon?''
How's a guy who never learned to swim and hadn't ridden a bike since he Was six going to haul his 110-pound kid through a triathlon? Still, Dick Tried.Now they've done 212 triathlons, including four grueling 15-hour Ironmans in Hawaii . It must be a buzzkill to be a 25-year-old stud Getting passed by an old guy towing a grown man in a dinghy, don't you Think?
Hey, Dick, why not see how you'd do on your own? ``No way,'' he says. Dick does it purely for ``the awesome feeling'' he gets seeing Rick with A cantaloupe smile as they run, swim and ride together.
This year, at ages 65 and 43, Dick and Rick finished their 24th Boston Marathon, in 5,083rd place out of more than 20,000 starters. Their best Time? Two hours, 40 minutes in 1992--only 35 minutes off the world Record, which, in case you don't keep track of these things, happens to Be held by a guy who was not pushing another man in a wheelchair at the Time.``No question about it,'' Rick types. ``My dad is the Father of the Century.''
And Dick got something else out of all this too. Two years ago he had a Mild heart attack during a race. Doctors found that one of his arteries Was 95% clogged. ``If you hadn't been in such great shape,'' One doctor told him, ``you probably would've died 15 years ago.'' So, in a way, Dick and Rick saved each other's life.
Rick, who has his own apartment (he gets home care) and works in Boston, and Dick, retired from the military and living in Holland, Mass. , always find ways to be together. They give speeches around the country and compete in some backbreaking race every weekend, including this Father's Day.
That night, Rick will buy his dad dinner, but the thing he really wants to give him is a gift he can never buy.
``The thing I'd most like,'' Rick types, ``is that my dad sit in the chair and I push him once.''

~ Author Unknown

Video: Dick and Rick Hoyt

It's Only a Mountain: Dick and Rick Hoyt, Men of Iron

World Gratitude Day: September 21st

2007-09-17T15:32:00.000+12:00

World Gratitude Day

When : September 21st

World Gratitude Day is your opportunity to show your gratitude and appreciation.
The United Nations Meditation Group created World Gratitude Day to express appreciation for the great things that individuals and groups do. This recognition is on a global basis. According to their website: "World Gratitude Day presents an award to someone who we feel has done something outstanding in the spirit of Globalism."
This group also suggests that you find something to be grateful for, and remember the feeling.
On a smaller scale, seek to give gratitude and appreciation to people in your life who have done good deeds. It could be something as simple as a "thank you" or a card of thanks to someone. Or, you could offer some type of certificate or plaque of appreciation from a group you belong to, for contributions from individuals inside or outside of your group.

Happy World Gratitude Day!

"Gratitude is the most exquisite form of courtesy."-- Jacques Maritain

Gratitude is an Open Door: Three Stories About Wealth and Poverty

By Kate Judd

Let me tell you a story. I had two good friends who had never met each other. They were close in age. They were each divorced; they came from the same ethnic background. One had one teenager, the other had three. They shared many interests. I thought they would love each other. At a party at my home, I introduced my friends to each other. “Annette, this is Barbara; Barbara, Annette. You have so much in common.”
Annette was a talkative type. Right away, she began to tell Barbara about her life. “It’s so tough being divorced, isn’t it?” Annette said. “I mean, money is so tight. My new house cost two hundred and seventy thousand dollars. I had to get financial help from my father. It’s not that Daddy doesn’t have it— he just endowed a chair at a major university. But I hate to ask. Of course, I do have the alimony from Bill, my ex; but I don’t feel that I should rely on that. I’m putting it away for my retirement—that’s what my accountant says I should do. And the house that Bill and I built just won’t sell. I don’t know why. We spent nine hundred thousand dollars on that house, it’s absolutely perfect.
“It doesn’t matter so much to Bill if the house doesn’t sell. He’s the vice president of a big bank in the city. But I’m really struggling. I mean, I don’t make much. I’m just a music teacher. So, anyway, what I’ve decided to do is build an addition onto my new house: a little apartment. I don’t know where I’m gong to come up with the money. It’s going to cost sixty thousand. But, you know, it’s a tremendous investment in the long run. It adds to the value of the house. And I’m going to rent it out, so then I’ll have the rent every month to add to my income. It’s worth it to scrape a little while I’m having it built.”
My friend Barbara sat silent. She had a smile fixed firmly on her face. I had never heard Barbara say anything unkind about anyone—ever. She never said a word against Annette, either; but after the party, she told me she would prefer not to see Annette again.
You see, I had forgotten one thing: while Annette, who was worth several hundred thousand dollars, worried about whether she had enough to survive, Barbara was supporting herself and her teenage child on ten thousand dollars a year, which she earned by mopping floors and scrubbing toilets. And she never complained.
Before this, what had I thought about wealth? About poverty? I had grown up in comfort, never lacking for any material thing—indeed, indulged in anything money could buy. I had known that there was a difference between me and most of the other children at the tiny rural school where I had gone as a child. But I had not realized that the difference had to do with money. Like many a young member of the upper classes, I did not know what I was.
Sitting with Annette and Barbara, I knew. I thought, “Let me never take what I have for granted. Let me never complain about being poor, when I am really rich.”
If you had asked Barbara if she was poor, she would probably have denied it. She would have said, “I have a child who loves me. We have a house to live in. I have my health, so that I can work for my living. Sure, we have to get food from the Community Pantry sometimes, but we always have enough to eat. I’m even able to scrape together enough to go to school, so that some day I’ll be qualified for a better job which still allows me to take care of my emotionally troubled child. I have a family who cares about me. I’m thankful to have so much.”
Maybe I should take Barbara for an example? Maybe I should be grateful for what I have—however much or little it is.
Let me tell you another story: I have a middle aged relative who lives alone in a large house. Mentally somewhat disabled, she does not work, but is supported by a large trust fund set up by her late parents. Though her life style is not opulent by North American standards, she is always beautifully dressed, well fed, and can afford to hire people to do any job she cannot, or does not wish to do herself.
One day my relative went to the supermarket (how much we take for granted)! Another friend of mine once hosted a professor from Russia. The professor was overwhelmed and enchanted by the small local supermarket. She exclaimed, “In America, your markets are like museums!” My relative, her eyes glazed and her feet sore after a long trip through the abundantly stocked aisles, decided to go to the flower case and pick out a refreshing bouquet for herself. In front of the buckets overflowing with big, richly colored roses stood an old Asian woman, who was silent as my relative selected her flowers. “So cheap” my relative thought. “Only a dollar a stem!” She chose a large bunch.
The other woman still stood there. “It’s hard to pick, isn’t it?” my relative said. “Oh, I cannot buy any,” said the old woman. “Too expensive. I only like to come and look. They are so beautiful.”
So this woman was grateful for the free beauty of flowers in a supermarket/museum. Was that all? Did she feel her poverty, in not being able to afford a one dollar rose? There are those who would argue that this woman was wealthier than my friend Annette, who has a great deal of money but feels always impoverished. In this case, my relative should not have felt any guilt or worry, but should have taken her flowers home and enjoyed them, secure in the notion that we must each simply be thankful for what we have, no matter how we came to have it. Or should my relative have offered to buy some flowers for the old woman? That is another popular solution: those who have more should make private donations to those who have less. Perhaps my relative should have put her own flowers back in the case, and donated her money to some worthy organization—one which fights poverty?
What am I to learn from all this? Surely it is good to be grateful for what we have. Like my friend Barbara, I am grateful in this minute for so much: the beautiful Vermont landscape outside my window, the fruits of my abundant garden, the house in which I live, my beloved husband, my job, my health, my friends. And yet — it seems to me that as long as others do not have what I have, my gratitude is not enough. If others lack for beauty to see, good and wholesome food to eat, a home (or even a roof over their heads), love and friendship, work that rewards them, health and the care to maintain it, then my gratitude is just a beginning. A door to the next step. I can open that door of gratitude, and walk forward, doing what I can to help others achieve what I have. Or I can close the door. Then gratitude becomes complacency, and I am trapped.
Let me stop philosophizing for a moment, and tell you one more story: Once, I saved up my money all year long so that I could go to a workshop. The workshop took place at an institution that specialized in “self actualization,” “spiritual exploration,” “natural healing” and so forth. At this institution there were perhaps a few hundred people who had come to take workshops in pursuit of these vague but laudable goals. Among them I saw perhaps ten who were not white. Although it was more difficult to tell, I would guess that there were equally few who were not economically quite well-off. Although I come from “the whitest state in the union” I felt uncomfortable with this lack of ethnic and class diversity. Still, I quite enjoyed the workshop I was attending.
One night I was standing in the dinner line next to the person who was presenting the workshop, a woman of extraordinary power and charisma. She stretched her arms akimbo and proclaimed in a loud voice, “Ah! It’s good to be alive!”
Something must have registered on my face. Perhaps I drew slightly away from her. I know that for the rest of the workshop, she looked faintly displeased with me. But you see, I was thinking, For you it is good to be alive. For me it is good to be alive. But what about the homeless person who is sleeping tonight in a public park? What about the person who has just discovered they have cancer, and have no health insurance to cover treatment? What about the residents of other, less wealthy countries—the man who lives in a tin shed in Mexico, the woman who begs in the streets of Bombay? What about the children who are starving, and the mothers who cannot feed them? Just what do you mean, “it’s good to be alive?!”
I do not intend to be sanctimonious. I am a privileged, middle class person, who has had a very fortunate life. What I wish for is that everyone could have what I do. This is naive, I suppose. Idealistic, certainly. And what, after all, do I propose to do about it? Where is my plan, my solution to the poverty and hunger that plague the majority of the world’s population?
I am not arrogant enough to propose a solution. Others smarter, wiser, more politically shrewd, more religiously dogmatic, have proposed solutions since the beginning of time, it seems. I only know I cannot wish idly for others to have a better life. I must try to work for it in whatever ways I can. Otherwise, my gratitude becomes meaningless. I will have closed the door, and left the better part of humanity beyond it, sitting alone, gloating over my wealth like a miser, cut off from the love, learning and pain that are as essential to living as the material comforts I rejoice in, trapped in complacency. Then, I am very poor indeed.

Surfin Pup!

2007-09-13T18:55:00.000+12:00

Photo courtesy of Don and Joan Dobbin

I always love to hear a perfect ending to any story, and this story was one that fell near to my heart. It also reinforces to me that there really are some wonderful people in this world, some even ready to put their life on the line to save a drowning dog. Here is the article from the Muskegon Chronicle in Michigan.

Drowning Dog Gets Surfboard Ride To Shore

The waves on Lake Michigan Tuesday afternoon "were about as big as they get," surfer Matt Smolenski said. And the rip current along the Grand Haven pier was "really strong."
One of those big waves swept a man's dog off the pier around 2:30 p.m., and it was Smolenski who rode a wave in to save the struggling pet, said off-duty Muskegon Heights police officer Royce Rodgers, who witnessed the rescue.
Smolenski, 25, of Grand Haven "was able to grab the dog's collar," said Rodgers. "He put the dog up on his surfboard and the dog rode the surfboard in to shore."
"When I got to the dog, it wasn't dog-paddling anymore," Smolenski said.
While Smolenski said he didn't know the dog's owner, he was familiar with the man and his four-legged companion because they regularly head for the pier when the waves are big.
"I've watched the dog about a million times. He barks at the waves and then jumps back when they wash up on the pier," Smolenski said, adding that he was surprised the black and brown mixed-breed animal wound up in the water.
Rodgers said he had taken his own dog, Buster, out on the pier on a leash. He said the man with the other dog, which was unleashed, came out about the same time he did.
But Rodgers said he and his dog stopped about halfway out because "the waves were too big." The other dog owner, who has a disability, continued on with his pet.
"I was just watching the waves coming up one after another, and I witnessed an especially big wave wash up on the pier," Rodgers said.
That wave caught the dog owner first and "knocked him off his feet," Rodgers said, then knocked the dog into the water.
"The dog was trying to swim, but the waves were very large. It was struggling," Royce said. "The owner was screaming for the dog."
Smolenski saw the familiar dog owner, then said something to his surfing buddy, Joe Riopelle, 24, also of Grand Haven, like: "Oh man, that guy's dog went in. I'm going to go for it."
Smolenski rode in on the surfboard on his stomach, then rolled off the board when he got close to the dog. "I realized I was not going in (to shore) without that dog," he said. "That dog is that guy's best friend."
Smolenski got the 30- to 40-pound dog onto his surfboard and he stayed in the water, fighting the strong current to get to shore.
"I got pretty tired," he said. "I had a hard time getting in myself." He was joined by Riopelle, who helped both to shore.
The rescue took "a good five or six minutes," Rodgers said, adding that he didn't think the dog, which looked "pretty old," could have lasted much longer.
Once the rescue party was on shore, the dog's owner gave the surfer "a high five and said: 'Thank you, brother,' then left so fast I couldn't get his name," Rodgers said.
Smolenski is a dog-lover himself. He has a toy poodle named "Kobie."

Godwit E-7 Returns: First Sign Of Spring In New Zealand

2007-09-12T17:05:00.000+12:00

E-7 Being Fitted For A Satellite Transmission Tracking Device

For Her Long Migratory Journey

A New Zealand Bar-Tailed Godwit

Another New Zealand Godwit

Godwits In Flight

Now whether we would like to call her Elissa the Elusive, or Enid the Enigma, birdlife researchers from Massey University in New Zealand actually have labeled her (1st photo) E-7. E-7 along with several other New Zealand Godwits also known as Kuakas, were fitted with tracking devices in the early part of the year to track their migratory journey to Alaska and back to New Zealand. E-7 arrived back to Miranda, New Zealand at 3 am on Sunday. The incredible thing about her long journey was that she made a remarkable record and had travelled 11,500 miles one way non-stop. Her long and tedious non-stop migratory journey has broken all record making history for migratory birds. This must have been an unbelievable feat for her. The return of the Godwits is always considered the first sign of Spring in New Zealand.

I first heard the news as I was washing dishes listening to the radio the other night, I thought it was all just so exciting that I had to do some reasearch on this awe-inspiring bird.

HERE is a short radio broadcast replay on New Zealand National Radio for you to hear a little bit more about E-7's return to New Zealand last Sunday.

The satellite tracking of the Godwits can be viewed online HERE

Massey University Article of the Godwits HERE.

Birdlife International

Wikipedia: Bar-Tailed Godwits

Video: Bar-Tailed Godwits

InfoNews.Co.NZ

Godwit E7 returns from Alaska, non-stop, to the Thames MudflatsBy NZPA28 views
THAMES

A bar-tailed godwit -- known to researchers as E7 -- is now back on her favourite mudflat on the Firth of Thames after a round trip of nearly 30,000km to Alaska and back.
E7 is the first godwit to have her full annual migration monitored by satellite. It included a southern return leg of more than 11,500km -- the longest non-stop flight by a bird to be recorded.
"From the speed that she was going, I'm absolutely confident that she came direct," said Massey ecologist Dr Phil Battley, who tagged 16 bar-tailed godwits to identify how they made their way to and from Alaska.
The south side of the Firth of Thames, near Miranda, was a muddy spot with difficult access, so it had not been possible to photograph the bird, which arrived l ate on Friday night.
Her transmitter switched itself on for six hours every 36 hours and on Friday afternoon she was south-west of Ninety Mile Beach in Northland. By 3am on Sunday morning she was back at Miranda where she is expected to stay " resting and refuelling" until about March, when she will make her way back to Alaska to lay eggs.
Dr Battley said E7 took off from the Yukon delta and could have shortened her journey by moving down to the Alaskan Peninsula to take off from about 500km further south.
"But she didn't do that," he said. "This indicates the long journey is not such a problem to her".
"It's quite amazing that even on a journey of 11,500km she's not trying to make it any shorter. She's got enough in reserve to cope.
Dr Battley is now awaiting the arrival of four other birds with transmitters still working.
Eight male birds fitted with backpack tracking devices have not been monitored because the devices appear to interfered with their flight or to have fallen off.
The transmitters on three of the eight birds, including E7, which had the devices surgically implanted also appear to have stopped working. Another female, tagged as Y3, spent the winter near Farewell Spit, and four others are still in Alaska.
Dr Battley's next project involves similar work with a sub-population of the bar-tailed godwit population in northwest Australia, allowing comparison of the migratory habits of the two populations.

Kuaka

What are you doing, all flocked on Reinga?
What is your hurry - the trees are all gold?
Sweeting, we gather because we must leave you.
April is cold; April is cold!
Oh! We shall miss you, my little kuaka;Where will you go then, my wild little one?
Over the sea to the country of Russia,Into the sun; into the sun.
We'll nest on the steppes and put on our red kirtles.
Teaching our scared little children to fly.
Then we stretch wing for the sea and the summer,Forth in July; forth in July.
Where will you be in the windy September?
Little kuaka, where will you be?
In China, the land of the iris and poppy, on a white tree; on a white tree.
Will you forget us, or will you remember? I shall remember, wherever I roam. Look for me, sweet, on the first of December I shall come home; I shall come home.

~ Eileen Duggan

Come Fly With Me!: Alex The Gifted Parrot

2007-09-12T12:48:00.000+12:00

Alex was no ordinary parrot, in fact his cognitive abilities and amazing intelligence has astonished his owner Irene Pepperberg and researchers for 34 years. Alex was found dead in his cage on Friday morning.

Alex was an African Grey parrot which is a breed of parrot with great charm and character. He has amazed Irene and his researchers with his qualities of being able to count to "6" and identify colors among many other amazing achievements. The following video with Alex and his owner Irene Pepperberg and Alan Alda is a real treat and will certainly speak for itself.

Amazing Alex Video

The African Grey Parrot.com

Wikipedia: The African Grey Parrot

The Alex Foundation

Associated Press: Updated: 10:47 a.m. ET Sept. 11, 2007

WALTHAM, Mass. - A gifted parrot that could count to six, identify colors and even express frustration with repetitive scientific trials has died after 30 years of helping researchers better understand the avian brain.
The death of Alex, an African Grey parrot, left scientists at Brandeis University feeling as if they'd lost a colleague.
"It's devastating to lose an individual you've worked with pretty much every day for 30 years," scientist Irene Pepperberg told The Boston Globe. "Someone was working with him 8 to 12 hours every day of his life."
Alex's advanced language and recognition skills revolutionized the understanding of the avian brain.
After Pepperberg bought Alex from an animal shop in 1973, the parrot learned enough English to identify 50 different objects, seven colors, and five shapes.
He could count up to six, including zero, was able to express desires, including his frustration with the repetitive research.
He also occasionally instructed two other parrots at the lab to "talk better" if they mumbled, though it wasn't clear if he was simply mimicking researchers.
Pepperberg said Alex hadn't reached his full cognitive potential and was demonstrating the ability to take distinct sounds from words he knew and combine them to form new words. Just last month he pronounced the word "seven" for the first time.
The cause of Alex's death was unknown. The African Grey parrot's average life span is 50 years, Pepperberg said.
She said Alex was discovered dead in his cage Friday morning. Pepperberg said she waited to release the news until Monday so grieving researchers could get over the shock and talk about it.
Pepperberg said the last time she saw Alex on Thursday, they went through their goodnight routine, in which she told him it was time to go in the cage and said: "You be good, I love you. I'll see you tomorrow."
Alex responded, "You'll be in tomorrow."

Here is another absolutely wonderful video of a lady with her African Grey Parrot appearing as a guest on a televison show showing off her wonderfully intelligent pet parrot. You just have to see this one!

Another Amazing Parrot

click above

The African grey parrot has got to be one of the most charming parrots. The African grey parrot has a wonderful character, a combination of intelligence and charm. African grey parrots have been kept as pets for over 4000 years. The Egyptians are thought to be the first to keep the African grey parrot as pets, as depicted in their hieroglyphics. The Greeks also highly valued the African grey parrot as pets, as did the Romans who kept these intelligent birds in highly ornate cages. The tradition of keeping the African grey parrot continued with King Henry VIII keeping one as a pet. Today, the African grey parrot is still kept as a prized pet.

The African Grey Parrot.Com

I am sure Alex will be missed by all those who cherished him.