Downsizing is a Wonderful Thing Except for the Actual Work of Downsizing

Hello World!

Oh, our aching backs!  That is what the HH and I were thinking Saturday night after moving the remainder of our “stuff” from a storage unit to our “just for now” apartment.  The storage unit was only supposed to be for a month or two, but here we were nearly to the end of the fifth month of paying storage unit fees, and I wanted to be done with that. Weekend before last, the HH put shelves into our patio storage closet (with permission from one of the leasing ladies), and I ordered a heavy-duty, five-shelf, plastic storage unit to set against one of the walls on the patio.

Boxes Moved from the Storage Unit – Photo: livingandlovinglifeafter50

With shelving in place, we moved all of the boxes, furniture, tools, etc. in storage to our apartment.  It once again looks like we have just moved into the apartment.  Now, I am slowly going through each of these boxes, many of which were moved from my classroom year before last after having been packed in a hurry by students who needed to earn service hours for Key Club. It is a slow and messy and boring job but necessary.

We discovered that four or five of the boxes in the storage unit actually belong to three of our six children.  When these children come to visit, or we go to see them, boxes belonging to the individual kids will have to go with him or her; we don’t intend to purchase a house much larger than where we are living now when we buy again, so there is no need for us to continue to act as free storage for our grown children, love them though we do.

The good news was that the HH went through his huge tub of car parts while at the storage unit, and he pulled out an aluminum garbage can full of metal car parts with which he can part.  That can, with a few other metal items, is going to be taken to the scrap metal vendor on Friday.  After that, we get to cancel our storage unit use with three days left on o our current month.

Downsizing was initially my idea; it is what I really wanted (and still want), but I’m fighting my “pack rat” genes, inherited from my dad and my paternal grandmother.  I’m not sure which ancestor passed the pack-rat gene to my grandmother, but I know someone is guilty.  Letting go of things because there is a sentimental connection or because we might need that again some day causes internal battles that are fought with each box I open.  I will admit that not being able to get to the dining table or walk safely down the hall or into the extra bedroom is incentive to make quicker decisions to “toss” items not needed now.

It is a hard, long, messy job, but I’m battling through because of the goal at the end: being downsized.

Have you gone through the downsizing battle?  Do you have a hard time letting go of things, giving in to your inner pack rat?

Have a blessed and happy day!

Panera’s Pumpkin Pie Bagel is Perfectly Delicious

Hello World!

The HH had to fly off to work early this morning, and I had a free coffee expiring today at Panera, so I took myself out for breakfast.

Panera’s Pumpkin Pie Bagel Photo Credit

As I scanned over the bagel options for the morning, my eyes found the bin of bagels labeled “pumpkin pie.” With the crispness of fall in the air, I had to try this.  OH. MY. GOSH!  It was simply amazing.  It was all I could do not to purchase another one.  I think the calories come it at 380, but it was worth every single calorie. Panera’s Pumpkin Pie bagel is now my favorite fall treat.  Give it a try.

Have a blessed and happy day!

Angela

Anticipation of Berlin, Dresden, Munich, and Prague

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Yippee!  It is almost travel time again.  You have no idea how excited I am. This morning I booked our major activities for our trip to Berlin, Munich, and Prague.  We plan a day in Dresden, but nothing is scheduled in advance there. Here is what’s planned in advance.

Hop-On Hop-Off Tour of Berlin, Germany: 

“Berlin hop-on hop-off tour allows you to hop-on and off as many times as you like aboard open top double decker buses. There are 20 stops around Berlin, and buses departs every 10 minutes in Summer or 15 minutes in Winter. The continuous route without hopping-off is approx. 2.5 hours and a guided commentary in 13 languages is available. Tickets are valid for 48 hours from first use. Many must-see Berlin attractions are easily accessible enroute including Checkpoint Charlie, Berliner Dom (Cathedral), Pergamon Museum, Brandenburg Gate and the enchanting Charlottenburg Palace.”

Full Day Tour to Prague Castle and Vltava River Cruise:

“Combine history, art, and architecture on this full-day tour of Prague. See Prague Castle, one of Europe’s largest medieval castles, and take a cruise on the Vltava River. Discover Prague’s top attractions, including the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Lesser Town, the National Theatre, Wenceslas Square and more! Enjoy a 3-course lunch at a luxury restaurant offering fantastic views of Prague. Then, enjoy a relaxing cruise on the Vltava River, accompanied by refreshments and informative commentary from your guide.”

Munich, Germany, Hop-On Hop-Off Grand Tour: 

Photo Credit

Itinerary

1.Train Station / Bahnhofplatz in front of department store KARSTADT
2. Pinakotheken for Museums District
3. Odeonsplatz
4. Max-Joseph-Platz for Opera House and Residence with Treasure Chamber
5. Marienplatz / Tal for City Hall, Cathedral, Church St Peter, Viktualien Food Market, Hofbraeuhaus
6. Karlsplatz / Stachus for Pedestrian Zone
7. Nymphenburg Palace for Royal Gardens, Amalienburg, Botanical Gardens
8. BMW World & Museum
9A. Olympic Park for Oympic Stadium, Olympic Tower, Sea Life Aquarium and Shuttle Bus to
9B. Allianz Arena FC Bayern Munich Football Stadium
10. Schwabing / English Garden for Artist District, Open Air Cafe

 

Royal Castles of Neuschwanstein and Linderhof Day Tour:

“Hidden in the seclusion of the Bavarian mountains, King Ludwig II built two of his dream castles, Neuschwanstein and Linderhof. This trip from Munich shows you both of these extraordinary castles, the legacy of Bavaria’s fairytale King. Capture the grandeur of these castles and the picturesque mountain scenery of Bavaria in one magical day.”

Highlights

• King Ludwig II’s Royal Castles tour from Munich
• FairytaleNeuschwansteinCastle – the model for Disney’s SleepingBeautyCastle
• Four hours to explore Hohenschwangau and Neuschwanstein castle and grounds
• Linderhof hunting lodge castle
• One-hour visit to Linderhof

In addition, we plan to visit Hofbraeuhaus. I emailed the restaurant this morning to find out about potential reservations, and I received a response in minutes! Very impressive.

There are only two things left to do before leaving on our trip: book our last three rooms for the trip (waiting on hotel points to post so I can book all three in Munich at the same time) and order our rail passes for Germany and the CzechRepublic.

How cool is this?!

Have a blessed and happy day!

Angela

What Is the Source of Your Food?

Hello World!

The quality of the food we eat is important, and a part of that quality is knowing as much about the source of our food as possible.  I’ll be the first to say that just because food is produced in the United States does not guarantee that it is the best food to eat.  For example, foods grown here from GMOs are not the best choices.  I’m not going to say that food from other countries is not good. Obviously, foods that are good for us and that we enjoy come from other parts of the world and can not be produced here in the U. S.  The HH and I love to travel, and enjoying the food in other countries is part of the fun and pleasure of travel.  Yet, food produced as locally as possible and with reasonable and regulated safety guidelines is better than many foods grown overseas and processed under unknown or questionable safety guidelines.

Ultimately, what really matters is that products are labeled well and honestly, so consumers can make their own decisions.  It is our responsibility to read the labels. Here are some pictures of labels out of my pantry.

Flour – Photo: livingandlovinglifeafter50

The flour indicates that it is distributed by a company located in America. This is not definitive enough for me; I want more.

King Arthur Flour front – Photo: livingandlovinglifeafter50

Thankfully, on the front of the package it indicates that the flour is made from U.S.A. wheat; that helps.

Heinz Ketchup – Photo: livingandlovinglifeafter50

This label is better because it specifically states that the product was manufactured (MFD.) in the U. S. A. I can read each ingredient, but I am still a bit concerned because of the high fructose corn syrup and the lack of knowing if the corn used is a GMO. I may have to write and ask Heinz.

Labels on store brand products like those sold by Kroger and Wal-mart drive me insane because usually the labels state that the product is distributed by whatever store name with an address in the United States.  That is not enough for me; I want to know where the food is from and where it was processed. I’m trying to figure out how to get more information about these store brands.

It is the pasta label below that I like most because it not only gives information about the American company that distributes the product but it also clearly states that it is a product of (made in) the U. S. A.

Pasta Label – Photo: livingandlovinglifeafter50

Despite trying to be careful about choosing food that is sourced in the United States, there are no guarantees.  As I said earlier, I’m okay with food brought in from other countries as long as it is labeled correctly.  I have and will buy food from other countries if I believe the nutritional value of the food and the safety of the food is reasonable.

Unfortunately, not everyone – not every company – wants to be honest about the source of food.  Case in point is the break up of a honey laundering ring.  Yes, I said honey laundering. According to Susan Berfield in her article The Honey Launderers: Uncovering the Largest Food Fraud in U. S. History, published at BusinessWeek.com, the German company AWL was found to be laundering honey from China, shipping the honey to other countries and having it re-labeled and shipped to the U. S. The purpose was to avoid tariffs on Chinese honey and to avoid having the honey turned away due to the use of antibiotics used in the production that are not allowed in the U. S.  (You can read the whole story HERE.)

Buying local and/or growing your own food is the only way to know for sure what is in your food and when, where, and how it was processed.  If this is not feasible, then read labels and pay attention to what you are buying to feed yourself and your family.  After all, as we have all been taught, we are what we eat.

Have a blessed and happy day,

Angela Johnson

Giving Great Gifts without Breaking Budget

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Gift giving is fun. It is even more fun if one is not worried about having spent the car payment money to buy the gifts or having run up a huge credit card expense while shopping. The holidays and other special occasions are more easily savored if one is not stressed about finding an affordable gift that is appropriate. A key to avoiding the expense and stress is to shop all year long, watching for mega sales on items that fit into your gift-giving plan, and then store them away like squirrels do nuts for winter.

I’ve almost finished my gift shopping for the year, and this includes gifts for Christmas. With us having six children, five of whom are married, seven grandchildren, our siblings, and our parents/step-parents for whom to shop, not counting any other people, or wedding or baby showers that come up during the year, buying birthday, anniversary, Mothers’ Day, Fathers’ Day, and Christmas gifts can get rather exhausting and expensive.  Thankfully, genetics (a lot of Scottish in this girl’s lineage) and life’s circumstances have taught me how to be frugal rather than cheap.

Before moving, I had a storage area where I would store my frugal-shopping gift stash; since moving these-not-yet-given-away gifts are stored in boxes in our closet.  This past week, while our bed was stripped, I “dumped” all of my frugal shopping-treasures onto our bed to sort and re-pack by person and occasion.  Please note that the box at top left is filled with Bath and Body shower gels, lotions, and soaps (though you can’t see all), yet I did not pay more than $3 for any one item in the box; all were purchased at Bath and Body. The toys at bottom left are Melissa & Doug toys, not cheap discount store baubles. The pink insulated vest was $3 at Old Navy.

Gift Stash – Photo:
livingandlovinglifeafter50

After taking inventory and sorting gifts, I made a mental list of people for whom I needed to shop and for what occasion.  The next step was bargain shopping, stacking sales with coupon codes and free shipping when possible.

Not being a big fan of wasting gas running around town to see who might have what I’d like on clearance or whether or not the size I need is still available at Mega Store A’s one-day sale, I prefer to shop online.  With my trusty laptop in my lap and several tabs open to compare and also look for coupon codes available, I began shopping.

Below is the savings and actual cost of my last three online shopping ventures.

Percent Discount:	301.59%
Discount Amount:	$90.90
Shipping:	$6.95
Tax:	$0.64
Total:	$7.69
Percent Discount:	135.43%
Discount Amount:	$98.20
Shipping:	$0.00
Tax:	$3.05
Total:	$53.80
Percent Discount:	128.9%
Discount Amount:	$250.12
Shipping:	$0.00
Tax:	$12.56
Total:	$148.38

Shopping Deals – Photo: livingandlovinglifeafter50

While not all of the items have arrived at this time, here is a picture of what came in yesterday. There are actually a total of four of the Nordic pans like the one shown on the far left. Everything pictured, and those yet to come (about 3 more boxes to arrive due to split shipments), were purchased from either Kohl’s or Amazon. I’m pretty much done with shopping for the year!

How do you give nice gifts without spending more than budget allows?

Have a blessed and happy day!

Angela

For Health’s Sake, Get A Flu Shot NOW – Don’t Wait

Hello World!

With our modern day medical miracles, I don’t think we realize how potentially dangerous the flu can be.

For me, taking the shot is well worth it, so  I hope you will consider getting the vaccine for your family sooner rather than later.  Several years ago, I began getting my vaccine in September.  The school where I worked offered the vaccine at a discount, and later on for free, but the clinic was always held after our Fall Break, and my husband and I traveled during the breaks.  I wanted to be protected while traveling.  This past year, the school did not set the flu vaccine clinic for staff and students until early November.  The week before the clinic was scheduled, the flu virus ran rampant through the school, forcing it to close for a few days in an attempt to stop the spread while giving those infected time to recuperate.  Had the school scheduled the annual flu vaccine clinic earlier in the school year, this closure may have been avoided. The earlier one gets his or her vaccine, the less likely he or she is to become ill with influenza.

Photo Credit

What exactly is “the flu”? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more commonly known as the CDC, “influenza (the flu) is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. It can cause mild to severe illness. Serious outcomes of flu infection can result in hospitalization or death. Some people, such as older people, young children, and people with certain health conditions, are at high risk for serious flu complications. The best way to prevent the flu is by getting vaccinated each year” (CDC). In addition to getting vaccinated, washing hands well and often is another good way to avoid becoming ill.

According to the CDC, symptoms of the flu include some or all of the following, and severity of these symptoms vary.

• fever/feeling feverish and/or chills
• body/muscle aches
• lethargy (tiredness)
• headache
• cough and/or sore throat
• stuffy or runny nose

Usually those who succumb to the flu will experience symptoms from a few days to a couple of weeks.  If those who do get sick with the flu see a healthcare professional early enough (within the first two days of symptoms), an anti-viral medication known as Tamiflu can be given to alleviate symptoms and reduce the “down” time from the flu.  However, influenza can lead to deadly complications; it is not to be taken lightly.

Just how dangerous is the flu? According to Time, “several times a century, flu viruses mutate so radically that they can trigger a pandemic.” Flu.gov states that the “Spanish Flu epidemic of 1818-1819 impacted somewhere between 20% to 40% of the world’s population. Approximately 50 million people died.  Not all died from the flu itself; some died from other diseases that were complications of the flu.  Many people who felt well in the morning were deceased by nightfall.  Almost three-quarters of a million of the deaths were in the United States.  In more recent years, death totals have not been so huge, yet people do die each year from flu and flu-related complications.  For example, in 2009, the CDC estimated that one-half million people died world wide as a result of the flu or its complications.

Influenza vaccine is unique in that it is one of the few, if not the only, vaccines that is updated annually.  According to the CDC , “flu vaccines are designed to protect against the influenza viruses that experts predict will be the most common during the upcoming season. Three kinds of influenza viruses commonly circulate among people today: Influenza A (H1N1) viruses, influenza A (H3N2) viruses, and influenza B viruses. Each year, these viruses are used to produce seasonal influenza vaccine.

The 2013-2014 trivalent influenza vaccine is made from the following three viruses:

• an A/California/7/2009 (H1N1)pdm09-like virus;
• an A(H3N2) virus antigenically like the cell-propagated prototype virus A/Victoria/361/2011;
• a B/Massachusetts/2/2012-like virus.

It is recommended that the quadrivalent vaccine containing two influenza B viruses include the above three viruses and a B/Brisbane/60/2008-like virus.” (Follow this link HERE to the source of this information to find out more.)

While the over all dangers of influenza may not seem to be (and may not be) as bad as in the past, it is still a disease that all of us should take seriously.  While no vaccine can guarantee one will not get a strain of the flu, the chances are reduced significantly and the potential of complications are limited.

Have a blessed and happy day!

Angela

What a Weekend!

Hello World!

Wow! It seems as if the weekend just started when it is really almost over.  The HH and I have been so busy that the time just flew.

Friday afternoon late we went to downtown Nashville and took part in a 3+ hour Hick Chicks Honky Tonk Pub Crawl (website says 2 hours and 3 bars, but ours was over 3 hours and 4 bars). Except for a couple or three sips of the moonshine lemonade, all I drank was ginger ale, but the HH and I had a blast.  If you visit Nashville and want to do this pub crawl, it is fun, entertaining, and educational. Check out the reviews on Trip Advisor HERE.

We started at Dick’s Last Resort on 2nd Avenue and ended at Whiskey Bent on Broadway.  This tour gave participants a chance to visit several different music venues where a variety of music could be enjoyed; it was not just country music, though that was the bulk of the music genres played in the bars.  The first bar visited, located in historic Printers Alley, was a blues club, and I expect we will visit that one again for the music.

Since it was a Friday night, the streets were filled with people despite the threatening rain.  Taylor Swift was playing at the Bridgestone Arena, and several of the San Diego Chargers’ fans had come into town early for the game on Sunday with the NFL Titans.  The Predators, our NHL team, was in town for a pre-season game. This is just a few of the things going on this weekend. Music City was busy and rockin’.

After this exciting evening, I had to rise early as I was proctoring the ACT test at the school where I used to teach; I always enjoy doing ACT testing and have been proctoring such tests for 1o or 11 years.

Today, the HH and I worked on putting up shelving in our patio storage closet. We were pleasantly surprised to have my Dad, just a little over two months from his 2nd knee replacement surgery, drive up from Decatur, Alabama. He and my brother, who lives near us, came over to our place, and we had a great family lunch together.  After brother left and the HH headed to the airport, Dad and I enjoyed watching the last part of the Titans/Chargers game and then the end of the NASCAR race.

Of course, we were extremely excited to see our Titans win today, but the Chargers’ last play is just too funny! (Sorry Chargers fans).  You can see that video HERE; it is a link to the NFL’s “can’t-miss plays”.  If you want a re-cap of the game, you can watch that at NFL.com HERE. (Warning on future post: the HH and I have tickets to the Titans/Chiefs game on October 6th.)

To top it all off, the weather was simply fantastic today – windows have been open all day long.  It is the type of weather I would order for nearly every day of the year if I had the ability to do so.

It was a wonderful weekend; I’d like to have more like today.  I hope you and your family also had an amazing weekend.

Have a blessed and happy day!

Angela

Avoiding GMOs (Genetically Modified Organism) in Our Food

Hello World!

I’m really concerned about some of the things going on in the world of science that relates to the way our food is produced. GMOs is one of my concerns. Creating genetically modified organisms is not the same as crossbreeding, grafting, or seed hybridizing.  According to the Institute for Responsible Technology, “with genetic engineering, scientists can breach species barriers set up by nature. For example, they have spliced fish genes into tomatoes. The results are plants (or animals) with traits that would be virtually impossible to obtain with natural processes, such as crossbreeding or grafting.”  The types of experimentation that has been going on that crosses animal, plant, and other species sounds like something out of science fiction.  In fact, I would not be a bit surprised if some of the gross ideas for episodes in the TV series Fringe were inspired by this type of scientific experimentation.

Why am I concerned?  Here are some of reasons.  If you want to read more, visit the website for the Institute of Responsible Technology.

GMO cotton produces its on pesticide in the plant, and sheep in India allowed to graze on the plants after harvest died.

Because antibiotic genes are often used in the process, “some scientists believe that eating GE food containing these marker genes could encourage gut bacteria to develop antibiotic resistance.”

There are a number of potential health issues related to ingesting GMOs. “These broadly fall into the categories of potential toxins, allergens, carcinogens, new diseases, antibiotic resistant diseases, and nutritional problems.  A summary of the 65 Health Risks Presented in Genetic Roulette, by Jeffrey Smith may be found here.

“Various feeding studies in animals have resulted in potentially pre-cancerous cell growth, damaged immune systems, smaller brains, livers, and testicles, partial atrophy or increased density of the liver, odd shaped cell nuclei and other unexplained anomalies, false pregnancies and higher death rates.”

Non-GMO Seal
Photo: livingandlovinglifeafter50

How do we avoid ingesting GMOs?  That is a very good question, and unfortunately I fear that most of us have already been exposed since most of these modified foods have been around since the mid 1990s.  Here are some suggestions from nongmoshoppingguide.com. (Follow the link to read more.)

1. Shop Organic and Buy Local
2. Look for the non-GMO project seal
3. If it’s not labeled organic or verified non-GMO, avoid products made with ingredients that might be derived from GMOs (Corn, Soybeans, Canola, Cottonseed, Sugar Beets, Hawaiian Papaya (most) and a small amount of Zucchini and Yellow Squash, Sugar not labeled pure cane sugar, and Dairy that is not labeled stating No rBGH, rBST, or artificial hormones).
4. Download the non-GMO Shopping Guide here.

I for one am going to be more vigilant about learning where the food we eat comes from. Unfortunately, this is harder to do when eating out, so my pocket book may be happy that eating out is going to occur less unless we can locate more restaurants that are also being careful about where they get the food they serve.

Have a blessed and happy day!

Angela

Celebrating Falling into Autumn

Hello World!

Fall Flowers
Photo by livingandlovinglifeafter50

As I read over posts on Facebook and Twitter, it seems quite a few people are excited for autumn to arrive. Fall is my favorite time of year, and it seems as if I am not alone in this fact.

The fall flowers, in my opinion, are the most lovely of the year.  I’m a big fan of trees, and the array of bright colors provided by deciduous trees in autumn is Nature’s art that is beyond compare.  Foods and festivals of fall are a cornucopia of sensory pleasures.

People are busy gathering fall decorations and candles; those with children are planning and preparing Halloween costumes, and young and old alike are celebrating pumpkins in drinks and baked goods.

The fall equinox in 2013 is on September 22nd, which is this coming Sunday.  Celebrate as we fall into autumn; it is a wonderful time of year.

Have a blessed and happy day!

Angela

 

Is It in the Happening or the Knowing?

Hello World! (Thoughts for the day)

Wild fires. Floods. Hurricanes. Tornadoes. Earthquakes. Tsunamis. Volcano Eruptions. While there is no argument that these events are responsible for a great amount of human pain, suffering, and loss, are these types of things happening more today than before?

When one considers the length of time this world has been in existence, the period for which humans have kept written records, especially about weather and other natural events like those listed above, is an extremely small span of time. Who are we to say with any accuracy how often such events occur?

As we live year to year, anyone can observe that nature goes through cycles, so it would stand to reason that all of nature, including climatic and seismic events, go through cycles as well. In the grand scheme of things, humanity is miniscule when compared to the enormity of our universe. Despite all of our growth and advances in technology, our wisdom is nothing, our knowledge limited.

Going back to the original question, are these events happening more today? Maybe, or maybe not.  If so, it may just be a natural cycle of nature.  If not, then the illusion of more frequent catastrophic events may simply be the result of humanity’s growth in population and technology.

To the best of our knowledge, more people inhabit Earth today than ever before. As a result, we cover more of the land mass on Earth.  Results of our increased technology allow us to travel to distant places with relative safety and speed. What happens in a remote part of Nebraska can be broadcast to the entire world within seconds if the technology necessary to do so is in place.  We know more about hurricanes occurring over open water or earthquakes too weak to cause any major concern simply because we have developed the capability of monitoring such activities from a distance; we do not have to be there to experience incidents with our senses to know these events are happening.

It is my hypothesis that floods and tornadoes and earthquakes and the like are not more likely to occur today than they have been previously, save perhaps in a normal cycle of nature, with maybe the difference in wildfires caused by human error.  Instead, we simply know more about these events for all of the reasons I have outlined above.

First-hand accounts and experiences have increased, not the events themselves, because we have increased in numbers and spread out far and wide. The news media, blood thirsty for the sensational story to scoop the competition, goes out of its way to make sure all of these occasions are reported over and over with an intensity that preys upon those who crave learning of appalling atrocities and horrendous happenings. News media groups refuse to allow anyone with access to print, radio, television, or Internet to avoid such reports. The only real benefits of the excessive coverage is to offer warnings in advance of disastrous events and a quicker response of help to those  impacted by destructive forces. Beyond these two aspects, over-reporting either desensitizes people to pain and suffering, or it can strike unnecessary fear into those who otherwise have nothing to fear because they are not in harm’s way.

Life happens; bad things happen, but don’t be so affected by such reports that life is lived in fear and the  beauty and good that is all around us in our world is missed.

Have a blessed and happy day!

Angela