The Man with the Blue Hat

Just finished reading this book.

Beth’s life is perfect, but then Beth has constructed it to be that way. She never steps outside the boundaries and never colors outside the lines, but something happens to crumble it all away. Something in the middle of the night – something no one can remember. Something that brings on a spate of insomnia that affects the entire community. When Sadie, the town drunk, accuses Beth of being the cause, Beth reacts in shock and fervent denial, but Sadie is insistent.  She’s certain that an evil Beth committed is the cause of bringing ruin and calamity to their fair city. Beth knows it’s all untrue, but as the sleepless nights continue, the paranoia grows. Soon a chorus of voices are added to Sadie’s – even her best friend’s. Beth fights against the tide rising against her, but her adamant defense begins to falter when a strange man knocks on her door. He delivers an ominous message to her daughter, Kirsten. It strikes at the heart of the mystery as to what is happening in Breckenridge, and portends a horrific fate that awaits them all.

I only give it 2 1/2 stars.

Happy Reading!

Sleep Apnea

I've started using my CPAP again. (sigh)
I started using it again for a combination of reasons.

• My Dr. tells me, and tells me, over and over again to use it. Even threatening that if I'm not using my CPAP my insurance may not continue to allow me sleep apnea medication. 
• Then there's the not feeling good. Having the don't want to's. Not having any energy. Plus gaining weight from eating when I'm tired.
• And the reason that worked best was "because my mom told me to".

I've only used my CPAP for two nights now and I already feel better. Imagine that! I have been so stubborn about using it, that it's been years since I used it last. I had to wipe the dust off when I got it out again. I wish I could remember if I was using it when I lost 35 lbs.  Weight loss would be the greatest reward for wearing that stupid mask.

Beautiful isn't it!

Now I'm wondering if my son needs to be tested.  I notice several of the symptoms with him.  Not as many or as sever as mine. (Thank God!) I just wish he could quit having headaches and could quit always being tired.  Plus, males are 3 times more likely to have sleep apnea.

Here are some symptoms of sleep apnea:

• Not feeling rested after a night's sleep
• Feeling sleepy during the day
• Waking up with a headache
• Stop breathing in your sleep
• Nearly always snore or often snore loudly
• Gasp or choke while sleeping
• Toss and turn during the night
• May have problems paying attention during the day
• Have trouble concentrating
• Memory problems
• Lose the desire for sex

Here are some possible serious health problems of not treating sleep apnea:

• High blood pressure
• An abnormal heart rhythm
• Heart failure
• Coronary artery disease
• Stroke
• Depression / Anxiety
• Diabetes

Even knowing these horrible health risks, they didn't break my stubborn streak. Now that I've relented to wearing my CPAP again, I will try to be diligent. I think not only myself, but my family, deserves a healthier me.

May you all have a good night's rest!

Laughter Reminder

I made a previous post about the health benefits of laughter.  I was busting a gut on this one . . .

Prank it Forward

I wish I could do things like this for people.  How rewarding!

Strike Outs

I am so proud of my son! I wanted to post the score book showing his pitching record.

12 strike outs!  No runs! ERA = 0! A 5-0 win!  

I couldn't be more proud. It was even raining and blowing throughout the game.

GREAT JOB SON!

Laughter

Health Benefits of Laughter

decreases stress

helps coping skills

improves blood pressure

provides a burst of exercise

impacts blood sugar levels

boosts social skills

reduces aggression

energizes organs

boosts immune system

"The human race has one really effective weapon, 

and that is laughter."

"Against the assault of laughter

nothing can stand."

~Mark Twain

We all laugh in the same language . . . 

Roosters

You might think I'm crazy, but I thought that was pretty funny.

Five out of our six baby chicks have combs and tail feathers.  I hope that doesn't mean we have 5 roosters.  They are too noisy!

Meth Mouth

This is so disturbing I couldn't get it off my mind.

So I go to a drive-up window for lunch and this is what I see.  A girl with one tooth left and remnants of the rest.  I wanted to yell to her. QUIT THE METH!

Earth Day

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Mother's Day Cards

To mom, with love:    50% OFF Mother's Day cards    USE CODE: CARDSFORMOM2

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See more Mother's Day cards at:  Zazzle Gifts

Gratitude

Gratitude: a feeling of thankfulness or appreciation

It is not happy people who are thankful.

It is thankful people who are happy.

Some ways to Cultivate an Attitude of Gratitude

* Write a thank-you note

    http://www.zazzle.com/my/products/public/cg-196146772479455315/sr-250688591013808454

* Thank someone in person or mentally

* Keep a gratitude journal

    Very quick and easy to jot down a few things a day.

* Count your blessings

* Pray

* Meditate / Mindfulness

    http://mindfulnesshamilton.ca/bringing-mindfulness-into-daily-life

    Scroll down on page and checkout the YouTube video.

Hand of Evil

Just finished reading . . .

EVERY PARENT'S WORST NIGHTMARE

With his hand trapped in the door of a speeding car, a man struggles to remain upright as he's dragged along a deserted stretch of San Juan Road in Phoenix's South Mountain Preserve. It's the perfect place to drive a man to his grave -- literally. Starting with a crime so gruesome even prowling coyotes keep their distance from the remains, a killer begins crisscrossing the Southwest on a spree of grisly murders.

A hundred miles away, Ali Reynolds is grieving. The newscasting job she once delighted in is gone and so is the philandering husband she loved and thought she knew. When a member of the family who gave Ali a generous scholarship for her education decades earlier suddenly asks her for a meeting, Ali wonders what it can mean. Before she can satisfy her curiosity, though, Ali receives another startling call: a friend's teenage daughter has disappeared. Ali offers to help, but in doing so, she unknowingly begins a quest that will reveal a deadly ring of secrets, at the heart of which lie two undiscriminating killers....

Will Ali become a victim herself, or will she escape from a deadly deceit that no amount of security -- financial or emotional -- can cover up?

Hen and Chicks

We had a brooding hen, so I got her some fertilized eggs.  Honey was hatched by one of our older chickens, Spunker, a couple of years ago.  She was able to hatch 6 new baby chicks.  They are a week old now.

The eggs we got were Blue Wyandotte and Lavender Orpington breeds.  As you will notice, none of the chicks look the same.  Don't know why, but we excited about that.  That way we can tell them apart and give them individual names.  We've named half of them already.

Here are pictures of our new chicks.  We hold them everyday in hopes they will be tame.

Hazel
black with brown

I want to name this one Tiny, because it's the runt.
My daughter doesn't want that name.  We'll see.
black

No name
black with white

No name
dark gray

Chug
My daughter chose that name because this one is a big water drinker.
light gray

Goldie
She's a wanderer, so my daughter thought of Goldie Locks.
yellow (white)

A great big thanks to Cindee, who sold us the eggs.  We're thrilled!

New Horizons

Seek New Horizons

Once upon a time, we believed the world was flat ~ that beyond a certain point, there would be nowhere to go. And though we now know the world is round, we still fear falling off imaginary edges, too often thinking there's only so far we can stretch, so hard we can push. The most dangerous limits are those in our own head. When you feel you're at your edge, look again. You can go farther.

~ Self Magazine

Sharing

I decided to create a blog for several reasons. To create a place where I could share things I've observed, a place to vent and rant, and a place to share my products from my Zazzle store. I'm not going to commit to being consistent with my posts or claim to be a good writer. I did have a blog years ago, but I guess it went away when it became inactive. Besides I work full time, have a family, continually create on my Zazzle store (www.zazzle.com/marainey1), and have many other chores and hobbies. Ooooo . . . I can't wait to share our new baby chicks with you. That will be a later time.

Today I want to share with you some fun stuff that happen on my half hour lunch break. While I was sitting at the ATM at my local bank, I see a man picking up trash in the parking lot. I just assumed it was a bank employee. Nope! It was a UPS employee and he was chasing pink packing peanuts. (say that fast 5 times) I watched the poor fat man stomping on peanuts and trying to bend over fast enough to grab them before they blew away again. Decidedly done chasing peanuts, he comes back with a trash bag and a bunch of peanuts inside. Then the wind blew. He lost all the peanuts in the trash bag and didn't even know it. I was caught between a laugh and an OH NO! moment. I tried to stick around to see his reaction once he noticed his work had gone to waste. He disappeared out of view, so I never got to see his reaction. I did get to observe something else I want to share though.

I stopped at a convenience store to buy a 1/2 off Wednesday car wash. There were two young boys in there buying chips. One of the boys was counting and recounting the change he had. As I accepted my change, I made a quick decision to hand it to the other boy. Then I decided I better add a dollar to it so he actually had enough money to buy something. He was shocked and tried to give it back to me. Nice kid! The clerk was shocked too.
She asked, "is he your boy?"
"Nope!"
"Do you know him?"
"Nope!"
Because of the boys lack of greed, he tried to give the money back again. I didn't want the money back. All I wanted was for him to enjoy a treat with his buddy. Again I didn't get to see the end result, but it was so worth it to me. Maybe the boy will be inspired to do something nice for someone else one day.

I've always wanted to have enough money to anonymously help people when they least expect it. I'm still waiting for that $. I can spare a couple dollars once in a while though. I think of it as paying it forward for all the times people helped me out or share a dollar or two. Unlike the man begging for money last night. His story didn't add up and he was soliciting everyone in the parking lot. I do not like to help dishonest beggars. I mentioned then that I didn't like people approaching me for money.
Then said, "I will decide who I wanted to give my money to".
Maybe that's what sparked my generosity today. No matter. I just want those two boys to have a great afternoon.

To all of you that may read today's story, I wish you a great afternoon too!