I think beautiful glassware adds such a special touch to a special dinner. We are not formal at our house, however, and most of the time I’m in a hurry and set the table real fast. Once in a while, though, I might take a little more time and set the table a little nicer. But on special occasions such as holidays and birthdays, I always like to set a formal table so I get out the china and stemware. There’s something about adding stemware to the table setting that adds that special touch.  Riedel carries some beautiful glasses which I think would be pretty to serve iced tea, a year round beverage in the south.  They carry a selection of beautiful glassware and crystal, and are backed by 250 years of glassmaking excellence.

Oh, what women have to go through with their hormones! First, it starts at an early age around twelve or so when many experience cramps and that “yuchy” feeling once a month. That goes on for a while until they reach their thirties when many start experiencing the symptoms of premenopause which include PMS, weight gain, infertility, fibroids, endometriosis, etc. This goes on until perimenopause when symptoms such as greater weight gain, irregular periods, heavy bleeding, hot flashes, night sweats, insomnia, mood swings, thinning skin, fatigue, memory loss, etc., begin to occur.

I wish I had known in my thirties and especially my forties what I do now. So many things affect our hormones such as diet, lack of exercise, stress, hormones in our toiletries and in the beef we eat, toxins, etc. These things affect our hormones to the extent that our hormones get out of balance and start causing the above mentioned symptoms. I am now using natural hormone supplements prescribed by my doctor. Let me stress the word…natural. They are not synthetic. They are compounded by the pharmacist, made especially for me, and are definitely making a huge difference in the above mentioned symptoms and fibromyalgia.

If you’d like to read more, then I recommend reading this chapter called“Hormone Balance Made Simple” by Dr. John R. Lee, who was “an international authority and pioneer in the use of natural progesterone cream and natural hormone balance.”

After watching a video about the safety of fluoride in our water by Dr. Bill Osmunson, I decided to sign the petition for Congress to have hearings about fluoridation.  It’s especially dangerous for babies.  (I’m glad Baby J’s bottles are made with bottled spring water.)  According to the CDC, one third of children are showing signs of too much fluoride on their teeth.  And if you look on toothpaste tubes, if someone swallows toothpaste, they are to call the Poison Control Center because the fluroide is not safe.   There is as much fluoride in a pea size measure of toothpaste as there is in an 8 ounce glass of tap water.  That doesn’t sound good to me.  Dr. Osmunson urges everyone to check out both sides of the issue for themselves and sign the petition for hearings on fluoride safety.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=_Ys9q1cvKGk

Here are a few good ideas for fighting a cold:

• Get plenty of vitamin C which acts like an antihistamine and helps a runny nose and congestion. Eat 2 cups or more of fresh fruits like oranges and strawberries.
• Eat plenty of lean protein, especially chicken. Lean meats contain zinc which helps strengthen the immune system.
• Get plenty of beta-carotene which is an antioxidant and is found in vegetables such as sweet potatoes, carrots, and pumpkin.
  
• Eat lots of brightly colored fruits and vegetables such as green salad, red peppers, and blueberries.
• Saute garlic and onions which contain sulphur and add to food to help the immune system fight off infection.
  
• Eat non-fat yogurt which contains healthy bacteria to fight harmful germs in the intestines.
• Snack on nuts which contain needed nutrients.

(And be sure to wash hands often with soap, don’t share towels if sick, and disinfect doorknobs, phones, and other shared items.)

Tomorrow is moving day for our daughter and son-in-law, and we’re going to help them move. They are buying their first house, a cute, older house with three bedrooms, two baths, and a two car garage…the typical, average house. Only it’s not going to be just a house, because it will be a home filled with love from the moment they move in it. It’s a home they are thankful for because they prayed about making the right decision in their move. So on their first night in their new home, they will be all cozy with their new baby (well, he’s six months old so that’s still kinda new), their dog, and their two cats. And I am very thankful for how blessed they are!

This has been a busy week!  I worked at a flower shop to help with the Valentine rush, and  sure enough, we had a lot of guys come in at the last minute to get flowers just like we always do every year.  Some would come in wanting a particular color of roses or maybe tulips or some special flower.  Others would come in and haven’t a clue as to what they wanted.  In either case, it was fun helping them get something they were proud to give.  My favorite customer that I helped this week was a sweet elderly lady.  She wanted to wire flowers to her only daughter out-of-state, and she had waited till the last minute, also.  We had already cut off taking new delivery orders for Valentine’s Day because all our delivery trucks were full.  Most shops were in the same situation, so I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to find a florist in the other city who could deliver flowers for her.  But I did, and she was so thrilled that her daughter was going to get flowers from her on Valentine’s Day.  I told my co-worker how much I enjoyed doing that, and she said, “That’s what we’re here for…to make people happy!”   And that’s what made the job so enjoyable.

Anyone who is doing their own remodeling knows how important it is to have the right tools and maybe even machinery for the tasks they have to do. Some people make and design their own kitchen cabinetry. They might need something like Delta machinery for the detailed job they have. Burns Tools has been serving woodworkers and contractors since 1934. They have all the tools and machinery needed to get the job done right, and they have low, discount prices. So if you have a job to do then check out their website.

I’ve been hearing and reading a lot recently how artificial sweeteners can cause weight gain, especially diet sodas. There’s something in the chemical make-up of the sweeteners that alters brain chemistry. They can change metabolic limit.

A long time ago, my doctor took me off all artificial sweeteners. They’re not natural, even Splenda is from chemically altered sugar. There are studies on aspartame and safety issues, and there’s been a significant increase in common malignant brain cancers since aspartame was first licensed to use in sodas, etc.

So, considering all of the possible health issues and possible weight gain, there’s no way I want to use artificial sweeteners.

I’m working at a flower shop this week for the Valentine’s Day rush. I’ve done this for several years now, and every year we always have guys that wait too late to order and the delivery truck is full. Or we’re out of roses and they really want roses. And there are some guys who come in and haven’t a clue what they want, so we have to help them with their choice. It will be interesting to see what happens this week!

Since Christmas, a lot of people are thinking about how to lose weight. There are a lot of different diets and methods to choose from. For me, eating healthy is a good choice. Since our daughter had Baby J, she has been doing Weight Watchers which encourages healthy eating and getting fiber in the diet, etc. Whenever anyone starts a diet or using supplements, they should contact their physician to make sure what they are doing is healthy for them.