Faces

Is everyone unhappy? I was people watching in Wal Mart recently and noticed no one looked happy. Or contented. Some faces were tired, some strained, some stressed, many looked worried. A lot of people were obviously impatient, in a hurry.
The worst faces looked numb. Blank. Like they weren't feeling anything. Hopeless.
Ok. I know that's only one store. But there were a lot of people there - and no laughter, no smiles.

At this store, we have a greeter who always says" have fun" as we get our carts. It doesn't look like anyone does.

I wonder if all those people hate shopping or just don't like WalMart. Do they morph into cheerful, relaxed people when they escape the most famous 'box store'? Or do they carry that discontented aura home along with their purchases, and live with it always?

I should mention that this store is in a fairly decent area. Most people own their own homes, there isn't much crime, the parking lot is full of new or not very old cars. We are supposed to be the lucky ones, living the American Dream.

What do you think? Have you noticed this? Do you feel the stress while shopping or do you enjoy the WalMart experience?

I'm back and just fine

I have fibromyalgia and had a flare up. I used Magnesium and a homeopathic remedy called Muscular Tissue I - works like a charm and very quickly. As I understand it, this remedy delivers oxygen to the muscles, which is in short supply with Fibro and causes the pain, numbness, etc. I was actually fine the next day but had a serious power outage - then went on to some other problems I had to deal with. Life is never boring. Aggravating, but never boring.

No Posts For Awhile

I'm having a lot of trouble (and pain ) with my hand and wrist, unfortunately it looks like I will not be able to post for awhile. Be back when I can.
Gilly

Herbs For Your Winter Kitchen

One way to brighten our spirits during the long winter is to grow herbs in our kitchen. There are a lot to choose from, but Chives are one of my favorites. It's super easy to grow and doesn't require any special care. This one will grow where the light isn't ideal. At least it does for me. It's a great addition to stews, salads, soups, or fish. The mild, oniony flavor also makes it a perfect garnish for pototoes and souffles.

Mint is another favorite, easy to grow herb that doesn't require a lot of light. Great for adding as a garnish, with your vegatables, lamb, or making your own tea. The minty smell is refreshing and in the depths of winter doubly enjoyable.
Mints like a lot of water but don't let them stand in it. Keep the saucer under your pot dry.

In my opinion, herbs on the windowsill make a kitchen feel homey and cozy. It will also make you feel like a gourmet cook and will impress your friends.

Feel like sharing? A small sprig put into water will quickly grow roots and then can be planted to become gifts for your friends.

Anxiety! Panic! Depression! Helping Yourself Part 4

If you have a nervous disorder it's hard to know where to turn to for help. What I found was that I needed to learn ways to help myself. This post is about things that helped me - and other people - to feel better.
The first important thing I learned was that taking my mind off my symptoms of anxiety or panic was a huge help. When concentrating on something that I enjoyed, I felt better, and the symptoms were diminished, or non existent, at least for awhile.

Taking up a new hobby was a huge help for me. You need to be involved in something you enjoy. Learning about something new, working on something new, shopping for supplies for your new hobby, reading about it, thinking about it; this replaces the time spent fearing a possible panic attack or constantly monitoring your anxiety symptoms. It's also great for depression. I found that hours could go by when working on a craft project without a hint of anxiety or panic. I also didn't feel depressed.

Movies were, and continue to be, helpful also. I have never had a Panic Attack while watching a good movie. My anxiety levels go way down, too.

Relaxation is vital. Try Meditation, or relaxation tapes. Read. Listen to a soothing tape of the ocean while reading. Watching a fish tank has been proven to lower your blood pressure. Why? Because it is relaxing. Sitting before a fire will relax you, too.

Try Reiki! A Reiki treatment is very relaxing and not too expensive. You can get distance treatments at Ebay for $20 or less. Easy! All you have to do is make the appointment for the specified time and lie down in the privacy of your own home. The practioner connects with you no matter how far away you live. Yes, it really works.
You might consider getting an attunement after a few treatments. This can also be done through the internet and can cost $15 or less. There is nothing to study, just a small manual to read, and the attunement won't really be any different than a treatment is. After the attunement, you can not only give yourself treatments to relax daily, you will be also able to give hands on treatments to others. You will be considered a practioner. You won't, however, be able to give long distance treatments.
My first Reiki teacher told me that she had suffered from anxiety and panic disorders and that focusing on Reiki saved her.

Exercise! This helps a lot as it releases endorphins in your brain that make you feel good. Walking, jogging, going to the gym, using a treadmill, taking up Yoga - whatever appeals to you.

Try to include as many of these things into your life as possible; the more you can do for yourself the better you will feel.
Was this article helpful to you? Please comment.

Anxiety! Panic! Depression! Part 3 Helping Yourself

As I said yesterday, there are a lot of things available to help you recover. One of those things is Homeopathy. It has been around for almost 200 years so it has stood the test of time.
Homeopathy means:
A safe and effective system of medicine with no side effects, that assists the body's efforts to heal itself physically, mentally and emotionally.

What I like about this is, it is so safe. There are no interactions with any drugs you may be taking! Isn't that incredible? You also can't overdose with it; no more worrying that you might have accidently double dosed. When you are in a state of panic, very high anxiety, or very depressed it is easy to get confused and do that. I have. Or thought I had, which was enough to bring on a major panic attack and worrying for hours that I was going to die.

Another frightening thing about taking pharmaceutical medicines for these conditions ,was having to take things that are addictive, and strong enough that they want you to be monitored with regular check ups. The anti depressants that they give you have a lot of side effects and most people find that they don't help enough. Getting off them, if you find they aren't helping or you can't tolerate the side effects is Hell. I'll have more to say on that later, along with some links that will give you current important information you should have before making any decision to take the popular remedies from doctors.

Another point I want to make is that these prescriptions for the so popular Xanax and Anti Depressants are not cheap. Even with good health insurance they are fairly expensive. I was paying $30 a month for Xanax some years ago and I'm sure it is more now. If you don't have insurance it was $100 a month. At least. A lot of people simply can't afford that. Most homepathic remedies are $7.95 for a bottle of 500 tablets. Quite a difference.

Last but not least; homeopathic remedies do not leave you feeling as if you are drugged. No 'medicine head' double vision, grogginess, being unable to drive, etc. In fact, you will not feel as if you took anything at all, except that you will feel better, in a natural, gentle way.

The 2 most readily available homeopathic remedies are to be found in large drugstores, health food stores, and, of course, Wal Mart.

• Nerve Tonic


• Calms Forte

These are under $5 at Wal Mart and you get less pills . * The Nerve Tonic is 32 caplets. It is supposed to be taken before each meal and at bedtime. This was my introduction to Homeopathy and a lifesaver. Thanks to my husband who found them. It might not stop a panic attack in it's tracks but it will gradually soothe your nervous system. Most people find it helps a lot and you can take this with Magnesium and Vitamins. The more things you can do to help yourself, the faster you will feel better. *Calms Forte is 100 tablets and is sold as a sleep aid. Insomnia is very common with nerve problems. It is also used, and I am reading this from the box, as a relaxant, 1 or 2 tablets with water 3 times a day. The Calms Forte is probably stronger.It also helps anxiety and panic syndromes if you get a good nights sleep. It gives your system time to relax and heal.

Homeopathy also has quite a few different remedies for anxiety, and depression but you can only find them in a large health food store - if you're lucky - or online - or through a Homeopathic doctor. The health food store might be willing to order them for you if they don't carry them. I don't have a Homeopathic doctor in my area and the health food store isn't nearby so I order online and will give a link to my online store at the end of this article.

I occasionally use :

• Anxiety - Luyties #320


• Anxiety/Depression #304

1-800 Homeopathy Find Homeopathic Remedies Search: Anxiety

1-800 Homeopathy Find Homeopathic Remedies L304 - Anxiety/Depression #304

The link to the following didn't work so I just pasted this:

from Cathleen Henning Fenton - I've never been against the use of medications to treat panic disorder, although I do believe they should be part of a comprehensive treatment plan that includes therapy. It's frustrating, though, to hear from so many people who, not only are not being helped by their medications, but also are experiencing frustrating side effects. Although I continue to believe that the right drug can help a person with panic disorder get better, I'm not sure how many "right drugs" are out there. And with a couple of new reports that have come out (below), I can't say that I trust the motivations of the major drug companies anymore.

Not All Antidepressant Studies Published

That concludes the things you can take information. Next will be things you can do.

Anxiety! Panic! Depression! Part 2

The first thing you need to know about helping yourself to get better is to stay away from caffeine! Your nervous system is already over stimulated and caffeine will increase the stimulation, raising your anxiety levels and actually causing panic attacks.
Caffeine means coffee, tea, soda,and chocolate.
Sugar is another enemy of anxiety and panic. It, too, over stimulates your nervous system.
Most people put sugar in their coffe or tea. Chocolate and soda both have lots of sugar . Soda has TWELVE spoons of sugar in each can! That's a Panic Attack waiting to happen!! We also have to remember that a LOT of things have sugar in them! Cake, pie, ice cream, pudding, that innocent looking jello, etc. Watch what you eat, it could be loaded with sugar. I know how hard it is to give up such things. It was almost impossible for me. So, I came up with alternatives.

• Decaf Coffee
• Sugar free, non chocolate, desserts & snacks
• Herbal Teas
• Water

It can take some getting used to but it's worth it and it isn't forever. I am now able to eat regular desserts, half caffeine coffee, (the regular coffee drinkers don't notice the difference) and an occasional soda. I no longer care much for soda. I prefer water.

There are lots of things that helped me and I'm sure they can help you too. I thought I would start with the quickest, easiest ones.

• Magnesium - good for depression and anxiety
• Lavender - good for depression and anxiety
• Chamomile Tea - good for anxiety
• Vitamin B6 - creates serotonin - good for depression and anxiety

All of these things will calm you somewhat and that helps you to avoid panic attacks. It can take some time; there is no magic pill that will instantly do away with panic or depression. Getting better is a process not an event. I recommend using all of the above. Some important warnings!Magnesium and Vitamin B6 are to be taken with CAUTION! Do not exceed the dosage given on the bottle!! You CAN overdo a good thing with these. With the B6 start with 50 mg once a day. Do NOT go over 100 mg a day. EVER! Too little of these two things can can cause you trouble but too much can make you sick! Magnesium is usually 400 mg seperated into 3 pills which you take : one pill at a time, three times a day, with meals.

Both, along with Chamomile tea are available at drugstores and supermarkets, as well as WalMart. A few dollars each. Lavender might be found at health food stores or online.

That's it for today, much more tomorrow. Stay tuned.

Anxiety! Panic! Depression!

I've struggled with all three for most of my life, and so have an incredible number of other people. Not everyone has all of these, but a lot of us do. There is no cure for any of these conditions, but they can be controlled. You can get to the point that you don't feel that you have a problem with any of these anymore. That's the good news. The bad news is that they can, and usually do, come back. I was repeatedly told that "they were just lurking around the corner waiting for a chance to reappear". Unfortunately, I've found that to be true. High stress situations, pregnancy, or menopause, can start the whole nightmare again. So can not taking care of yourself.

What causes Anxiety Disorder, Panic Attacks, or Depression to appear in your life? There is not a simple answer to this. One thing that they have found is that it usually runs in families. If any of your older family members have had a nervous breakdown, episodes with depression, anxiety, or seemed to be given to hysteria (probably panic) you are at risk. These conditions are passed on genetically.

Severe and prolonged stress can also cause it. With or without the genetic pre-dispositon.

I have also noticed that most of the people with these illnesses have had unhappy lives -usually, but not always, starting in their childhood.

There is a lot of talk about Serotonin. Some doctors are saying that the Serotonin levels in the brains of people with anxiety, panic, or depression, are lower than in people without these problems.

There is also a lot of talk about the Adrenal glands. Once they are subjected to a great deal of stress they can become depleted and cause trouble.

One other thing I have noticed is that highly sensitive people seem more prone to develop any, or all, of these conditions.

None of them can be controlled by will power. There are a lot of people who think you should just 'get a grip' on yourself. That you are weak, and lacking backbone. I even had a friend of many, many years ask me why I just didn't use will power? I did and it doesn't work.

Once we get to the point that we have Anxiety Disorder, Panic Attacks, and/or Depression; our nervous system is a mess, and we need a lot more than will power to help ourselves.

Fortunately, there are many things that we can do that will help us to feel better.

Tomorrow I will get into that and in the meantime I would appreciate some feedback. If you have any methods that work for you please let me know. If you are interested in learning more about this please tell me, so that I am encouraged to go on. If you are suffering with any of these conditions say so, please. I want to help.

You may leave comments anonomously or email me at: http://www.discoverydiva@gmail.com/

Things to come

In the coming days and weeks I will be writing about :
~More fast meals
~Anxiety
~ Panic Attacks
~Depression
~Homeopathy
Stay Tuned

Tired Of Cooking?

I don't blame you; I am too. We all have those days when we are too busy, or too tired ,or just need some free time for ourselves. Of course there is always take out, or having dinner out, but that can get expensive and sometimes we just want to stay home.
I have learned to keep emergency dinners on hand. Fast, inexpensive, & quick clean up are my three rules for 'those' days.
My first meal - one that has become a favorite around here is one that I served one day for lunch to my daughter-in-law. She raved about all the trouble I went to and how delicious it was. I finally had to tell her the truth; that pot roast and mashed potatoes took me nine minutes in the microwave.
I used Tyson Beef Pot Roast in Gravy from Wal Mart - price just under $5 and 5 minutes in the microwave. Add Simply Potatoes - $2.49. and 3 minutes of microwaving. Add a can of vegatables - and some biscuits to pop into the oven and presto! You have dinner in about 10 minutes for $9. This will feed 3 people.
My daughter-in-law liked this so much that when we went to Wal Mart, she made me show her exactly where it could be found. She served it to her daughter, who also loved it and was impressed. Her daughter doesn't cook, so this was one meal she could serve her boyfriend.
These two products honestly taste like home cooking, and are a life saver on those days when you just don't want to spend a lot of time cooking, and cleaning pots and pans.

Clothing BARGAINS Right Now

This is the time of year to buy your winter clothing. Everything is discounted, there are huge bargains out there and let's face it - a little retail therapy can cheer us up at this time of the year.
I went yesterday to a store called Label Shopper and bought half a dozen items, for only $25.
The best part is that are quality clothing, with designer labels such as Liz Claiborne, Briggs, Denim & Co. and loads more.
These stores are out there, possibly with different names but they don't advertise and are usually in small strip malls that might be overlooked. Check your phone books ladies and hopefully you will discover one of these stores in your area.
They are large, clean, sell clothing for men and women in all sizes, have a huge plus size area, dressing rooms, great selection of both sportswear and dressy styles. Great work clothes for the office too.
I'm going back Friday with my daughter-in-law and after that I will be very well dressed for the rest of this winter and all set for next year too. At a fraction of what everyone else will be spending next fall. Slacks and jeans for $3 - $5! Sweaters and blouses the same. Even fleece hoodies, and a nice selection of jackets were mostly $5!
Discover how to be thrifty and have fun!

Muscle Spasms? Try Magnesium

I started having muscle spasms in my legs when I was pregnant with my first child. My Mother told me it was just a normal part of pregnancy so I didn't worry about it. They continued over the years but, though extremely painful, they didn't last long ,and didn't happen too often, so I still didn't worry about it.
At some point the spasms moved to the bottoms of my feet and seemed to be more frequent, but I was used to it by then, and thought nothing of it. Then one day I was walking out of a meeting and chatting with someone, when a really intense spasm left me unable to walk and lasted much longer than usual. The woman with me told me to drink milk. This was my first clue that my body was lacking something that I needed. I tried Calcium and it helped a bit, but it wasn't until I heard that Magnesium should be taken with Calcium and tried it, that I discovered it was wonderful for eliminating those muscle spasms.
Magnesium is a mineral which we would normally expect to be supplied by our diet. Today, though, such deficiencies are common as our eating habits have changed. The use of processed food seems to be the culprit here.

Odor Control with Vanilla

This is the time of year, at least here in the northern U.S. , that our closed up homes can get - well- smelly. Fresh air is great for keeping our homes smelling nice and clean but that isn't an option in January.
Those cooking, pets, smoke, and musty odors can become a problem. Commercial air fresheners are usually overpowering and only mask the odors. I think they just add to the problem.
My easy, thrifty, solution is Vanilla. I discovered this by accident and am so pleased with it that I had to share it. Vanilla just seems to devour odors and leaves us with a nice, gentle, natural scent instead.
I had vague memories of people using small bowls of Vanilla extract to eliminate odors and experimented with it and it does work. Then I tried scented candles and they work too. Vanilla sprays were my favorite for awhile but now they are hard to find.
One thing that is easily found at the Dollar Store is Carpet Fresh which is available in many scents but trust me, stick with the Vanilla. It is also made with baking soda which is another great product for eliminating odors.
This rug and room deodorizer also works great for kitty litter boxes, cars, basements, diaper pails, garbage pails, and upholstery. Also can help with musty closets, the hamper, etc.
See what other uses you can come up with.
If you enjoy this post or find it useful please leave a comment. Or Fave me with Technorati.

Acne? Pimples? Try This Easy Method

After washing and drying your face put a drop of Lavender Oil on a Q -Tip and gently rub on each spot at bedtime. It is best to use a fresh Q-Tip with each spot.
The anti-inflammatory and antiseptic qualities of Lavender Oil will work while you sleep.
Repeat every other night until your skin is clear.

Staying Sane On Insane Days

Stress! We all experience it. Lots of it. Kids, bosses, sick relatives, too much to do - too little time to do it, too many demands, things going wrong, noise, unexpected interruptions, problem after problem.
How to cope? We all want to feel better and we all have our own ways of coping. I have what I call my "Sanity Kit"; the things I discovered over the years that help me make it through those bad days.

~A fresh air break will help. Just a few minutes outside can relieve stress. Even in cold, snowy,weather; when I am busy at home I enjoy going outside to feed the birds and squirrels or take a walk to get the mail. How can you get outside ?

~Small treats sprinkled throughout a hectic day is nice too. Coffee, a cold drink, a few grapes or some chocolate.

~Take a few minutes to stretch. You can do this even if you are tied to your desk. Stretch those back muscles, legs, arms, roll your neck, wiggle your fingers and toes. This releases stress from your body.

~Lavender - relieves stress, is calming, helps or prevents headaches. There are a lot of ways to use Lavender but the easiest one that will work no matter what situation you are in is to keep a bottle of Lavender Essential Oil handy along with either tissues or some cotton balls.
A few drops of the oil on your tissue - then simply inhale the scent for a few seconds while concentrating on it should make you feel better and you can do this as often as you need to. It isn't very noticeable if you are discreet. The scent will be thought to be your cologne.

~Positive Self Talk! This is the most important one of all and easily forgotten when we are in the middle of a bad day. To get the most benefit from this we need to train ourselves to make this a habit. Since we are always talking to ourselves we might as well tell ourselves things that will make us feel better. Statements such as I can't stand this will make us feel worse. Instead,try
telling yourself something positive: I'll get through this, things will get better, I can handle this ,will work for you instead of against you. Try taking deep breaths while thinking your positive thoughts.

~Give yourself something to look forward to. It doesn't have to be something incredible. What would you like to do at the end of the day? A bubble bath, good book, movie, a nap,your favorite T.V. show or a great dinner? It doesn't matter as long as it is something you enjoy and can remember is waiting for you.

~Remember, the day or situation will come to an end. Relief is on the way and will arrive sooner or later. (Let's hope for sooner)
Written for: http://Carnival of Patience Therapy A great Carnival! Check it out.

Peppermint Tea: Aid For Stomach Problems

Yes, Peppermint tea! That little box of tea bags that you can buy at your supermarket can really help if you suffer with any of these problems:

stomach cramps
gas
flatulence
indigestion
heartburn
diarrhea
bloating

Peppermint Tea is great if you feel that you ate too much or ate something that disagrees with you. It is best if used at the first sign of discomfort. An even better way to use this tea is to drink a cup before eating. If your symptoms are severe you might need two cups.
Relief is usually very quick but does seem to depend on how long you were suffering before drinking it.
It works well for IBS - Irritable Bowel Syndrome - but people with GERD will worsen their problems with this.
It is advised that pregnant or nursing mothers use it with moderation.
This is another one of those things that I make sure I always keep in the house. It seems to work better than the usual over the counter products from the drug store and is natural, safe, and has no side effects.
Peppermint Tea is made from the herb Peppermint and smells minty and refreshing. I'm sure you've encountered Peppermint at Christmas time ,or in your toothpaste :so you are familiar with the taste and don't need to be hesitant to try the tea.

Scented Fire

It's a beautiful winter day here today; a peaceful , gentle, snowfall is creating a quiet and serene feeling as it blankets the surrounding woods. A perfect day for the beef stew bubbling in the crock pot.
All that's needed now is a fire in the fireplace. One of my favorite things in the winter is a scented fire. Easy to do; just two drops of Lavender Oil on some pine cones, toss them into your fire and discover how enjoyable it is to relax with the scent of Lavender drifting through your home. Doubles the pleasure.

Discover Pain Relief For Almost Everything :Arnica

Arnica is a fantastic Homeopathic remedy that I thankfully discovered a few years ago. It is so great that it is one of those things I wish everyone knew about. Some of the things it helps with:

Muscle soreness and aches
Sprains
Back aches
Bruises caused by falls, blows, or bumps
Joint pain
Shock
Trauma
Injuries
Childbirth

This is one of the best things you can keep on hand in your First Aid Kit for emergencies. It minimizes shock and trauma if someone has an accident and it is safe for children. And you. As this is a homeopathic remedy there are no side effects to worry about and no drug interactions either.
People use this before and after surgery and dental work and report speedy recoveries and no post operative pain. There are also many reports of pain relief and easier, faster than normal recoveries from fractures, sprains, etc.
I have, of course, used it for the usual things and was pleased at the results:

*Huge bruise on my husbands hip after a bad fall on the deck
*Back aches
*My bad knee - arthritis
*Headaches
*Sore muscles after gardening
*A sore wrist on my daughter-in-law caused by working on the computer 10 hours a day
*She was amazed at the instant results one quick spray of Arnica gave her
*A bump on my head after tripping and hitting a door frame.

The wonderful thing about Arnica is that it works in many more ways than advertised! I have used it for many things that the makers haven't even thought of. Such as:

*An ingrown toenail - very painful - swelling and pain soon gone and was able to cut out the embedded nail
*Bad burn on the palm of my hand - instant relief of pain AND it didn't recur
*A badly dislocated elbow bone that was extremely painful after hitting it on the edge of a door (tripped over the dog) It kept the pain away during the healing process
* Currently using it for the muscle and joint aches caused as a side effect of my husband's Chemo
( with impressive success)

Arnica is available in:
Spray
Ointment
Massage Oil
Pills
Bumpstick
Pills

I personally use all of them and always carry some whenever I leave the house.

Upcoming Posts

I will be writing about a variety of things in the future including :

A fantastic pain reliever
Help for indigestion, heartburn, etc.
Help for anemia
Help for IBS
How to eliminate those annoying odors
And more!

If this interests you come back often or subscribe easily - by pushing the red button Subscribe.
Please let me know what articles interest you the most. It would help me to know what to focus my writing on.
I write in several different areas that interest me and there is no way here to put them into separated categories so please browse - and feel free to ask questions.
Blessings, Gilly

A Little More On Lavender Healing

Lavender is very popular around here and we keep finding more ways it can help.

Recently one son complained of his elbows and the surrounding area on his arms feeling sore. When I looked they were very red and irritated. We couldn't figure out what caused it but I handed him a tube of Lavender Cream and he said it felt better after one use. I told him to keep the tube and use it every day and see what happened. He reported back that it gradually faded away.



Another son had a bad cold; the kind where your nose just won't stop running and becomes so sore, tender, (and red) that you don't want to even touch it with a tissue anymore . I handed him a tube of Lavender Cream and he gratefully put it on and found quick relief. His nose looked normal when I saw him the next day.

There are several articles in the archives on Lavender.



Blessings, Gilly

A Couple of Funny Pregnancy Memories

This is not the usual sort of thing I write about but my friend Melissa, at http://patiencetherapy.com/ is soon to give birth and has asked for some funny stories about pregnancy for her Patience Therapy Carnival this week so here goes:

I was trying to think of something funny about my pregnancies but lets face it; there isn't too much humour in all those symptoms we endure for nine months. The only funny thing I remember happening during a pregnancy is with my first one when I was about four or five months pregnant.

I answered the door to be greeted by a salesman who asked me if my Mother was home. I was young enough to be upset at being taken for a "kid" when I was so obviously grown up. I always looked young for my age and was tired of the teasing, and constant incidents such as being asked to wear make up at work to make me look older. Being married, living in our own apartment and noticeably pregnant; I thought I finally qualified as a bona fide adult and had assumed I now looked it. Needless to say, he made no sale.

I didn't think it was at all funny, but my husband, who was unfortunately home at the time, had a very good laugh and never let me forget that incident.

I think this qualifies as an embarrassing memory more than a funny one, but maybe it will give you a laugh.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


OK, I guess I also have a funny ( I hope) story about my second pregnancy.

My husband and I had left our three year old son with his doting grandparents and having a rare day to ourselves. It was the sixteenth of December and although I had an appointment with my doctor for a check up ; we decided to go Christmas shopping for awhile first. Then, after the doctor we would go out to eat, (a rare treat at the time) and then more shopping.

My due date was not until the second of January and I felt fine so my doctor and I were both pretty surprised when the examination turned up a little fact I was unaware of. I was in labor! Advanced enough that my doctor insisted I was to go straight to the hospital!

Frankly I was really ticked off. It ruined my lovely dinner and shopping plans which would have been much more fun than giving birth. Don't get me wrong; I wanted the baby, was looking forward to having it, but not when I was in shopping mode for goodness sakes! Couldn't this kid get the dates right? Or at least wait until tomorrow after mommy had had some fun and finished Christmas shopping?

My doctor and husband weren't at all cooperative with my plans, so I soon found myself in the hospital , without my dinner, without Christmas presents, but also without any pain. Imagine that! I had a totally pain free labor and delivery! I never felt a thing. The doctor had no explanation for this but I understood. My baby was making it up to me for ruining my shopping trip. Or maybe he (it was a boy) just didn't want to take a chance on irritating me any further. After all; it's important to start such a close relationship off on good terms and he might have been afraid I would hold a grudge.

Discover How To Make Dry Cleaning A Bargain

Are you sick of expensive dry cleaning bills? You can now do your own dry cleaning at home much cheaper and very easily in your own dryer. Dryel offers a kit that can do 10 items for the price of one done professionally; and just think of not having to run around dropping things off, picking them up, and waiting days for them to be ready.
Just go to www.Dryel.com and get a coupon for $4.00 off your own dry cleaning kit.
Order on line and receive an instant coupon and free shipping or have them mail your coupon and buy your kit at Wal-Mart.
This nice company also sends a couple of other coupons, $1.50 for Dryel Starch and $2.00 for Ivory Snow - great for those delicate garments.
They know how to make us gals happy! Saving us money and time; two very important things.
Enjoy! Blessings, Gilly

Discovering An Easier Way To Have Healthy Water

Water is my preferred drink. It's healthy and has no calories so what more could I want? Well, water that tastes good. Water in my area is now so heavily chlorinated that it tastes and smells like my pool. No one wants to drink it. So, I started buying the bottled water, quickly finding that the large bottles were not only annoying to deal with; I never seemed to have enough water no matter how many I bought. I decided to buy the individual bottles by the case. The largest case I could find.

The downside is that water is heavy. Lugging home those cases of 24 bottles every week is not fun. Even the young, healthy, checkout gals grunt a bit when they have to heave it across the counter. It also takes up too much room in the shopping cart, and too much precious storage room at home. All those empties are a nuisance too; my recycle bin runneth over, and I still was constantly running out of water.

Years ago we had one of those faucet things that filtered water; we weren't too pleased with it. You had to turn a little thing on the faucet when you wanted filtered water and it came out in an extremely slow trickle. Took forever to fill a glass and didn't taste good. Then we tried one of the pitchers to filter our water; that, too,was incredibly slow, and the water still tasted awful.

Determined to have clean, healthy, drinkable water I did some research and found that during the years I was lugging home all that bottled water wonderful things were happening with Brita.

They now have a water dispenser that fits neatly into the fridge and provides 18 glasses of great tasting, safe water (8 oz.) from it's own easy to use faucet, which quickly fills your glass.

I'm not only impressed with this product; I was impressed with the price. It was under $30 and the filters are only $15 for a package of 3. Considering they say you need to change the filter every 40 gallons or 2 months for the average family that breaks down to only $2.50 a month! This is much less expensive than buying bottled water at $20 to $25 a month!

My other issue was the ease of using bottles whenever I went outside or traveling around, but they have insulated cups with lids and sports bottles also insulated that will actually keep the water cold and are inexpensive.

So, this is my tip for simplifying life and saving money at the same time. Blessings, Gilly

Please leave comments. They make my day.

Life Today

I don't have the title for this but like it enough to post it anyway. I don't have any idea who originally wrote it but if you do I'd appreciate your letting me know.
I found this thought provoking piece at life and love and Joy has generously given her permission for me to use it.

"We have taller buildings, but shorter tempers;wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints;we spend more, but have less;we buy more, but enjoy less.We have bigger houses and smaller families;more conveniences, but less time;we have more degrees, but less common sense;more knowledge, but less judgement;more experts, but more problems;more medicine, but less wellness.We spend too recklessly, laugh to little;drive too fast, get too angry too quickly;stay up too late, get up too tired;read too seldom, watch TV too much;and pray too seldom.We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values;we talk too much, love too seldom and lie too often;we've learned how to make a living, but not a life;we've added years to life, but not life to years;we've been all the way to the moon and back,but have trouble crossing the street to meet the new neighbour.We've conquered outer space, but not inner space;we've done larger things, but not better things;we've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul;we've split the atom, but not our prejudice;we write more, but learn less;plan more, accomplish less.We've learned to rush, but not to wait;we have higher incomes, but lower morals;more food but less appeasement;more acquaintances, but fewer friends;more effort but less success.We build more computers to hold more information;produce more copies than ever, but have less communication;we've become long on quantity, but short on quality.These are the times of fast food and slow digestions;tall men and short character;steep profits and shallow relationships.These are the times of world peace, but domestic warfare;more leisure and less fun;more kinds of food, but less nutrition.These are the days of two incomes, but more divorce;of fancier houses, but broken homes.These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers;throw away morality, one night stands,overweight bodies and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill.It is a time when there is much in the show window, and nothing in the stock room."By Anonymous.

Lavender Therapy For Frazzled Parents & Cranky Kids

I was a frazzled parent for many years. I kept giving birth to babies that for some reason just wouldn't sleep through the night. I don't mean just the first month or so, I mean years. Any mother knows that babies or toddlers that just won't stop crying and just won't sleep will equal one exhausted, stressed out mother. Sometimes rocking, singing, or walking the floor with them just doesn't work.
What does work is Lavender, a lovely smelling herb that is safe and calms and relaxes even the crankiest of little ones. There is a great product by Breck called Lavender Bedtime Baby Cream that promises to help soothe and calm baby right to sleep. It is also a wonderful moisturizer for their skin. (And yours.)
A gentle massage with this will likely help your little one forget the tears, calm down, and - finally - sleep. A little on the tummy might also be a good idea as a lot of the crying might be caused by a touch of indigestion. A bit more on the forehead would be a help - I swear all that crying must give babies a headache. I know it gave me quite a few.
Lavender can also help tired, stressed mommies to relax and get a good nights sleep. And those headaches? I use it for mine all the time.
Lavender has become an important staple in our home; the variety of ailments it can help with are incredible. It is a great thing to keep on hand as it works for everything from bee stings to burns.
This is posted in the Blog carnival at Having Patience » Blog Archive » Patience Therapy - A Carnival for Frazzled Parents
Blessings, Gilly