January 29, 2007

Tea

I gave teapots to both of my closest friends last year for their birthdays. I selected three teas that I thought each would enjoy and added some pretty but rather bland cookies that wouldn’t interfer with the taste and aroma of the teas. Their little gourmet baskets were lovely, even if I do say so myself. For Grace’s basket, I had to buy the tea and cookies twice. I was sick the week of her birthday and had to postpone our lunch. I drank her teas that week, and bought fresh ones for her when I knew we would be getting together. Stale tea would have been a terrible insult.

We’ve been going to the theatre and having lunches together on a regular basis for quite a while. When we go to the theatre, we always try to make a day of it. We have lunch and then stroll through Chinatown. Sometimes we buy little trinkets or pricey imports, but our favorite stops are in the tea shops and herbalists. We buy tiny little packets of different teas. When one of us finds one we especially like, we buy it again and again. When we see something unusual, we have to buy that and sample, of course. It’s become almost a ritual with us. The only problem is finding a favorite when we go for a return trip. The varieties available are always limited and some make only one appearance in the shops. I’ve never trusted buying teas online because of the freshness factor.

We won’t be giving up Chinatown strolls, but I’ve found a new source for the teas we enjoy. Grand Tea Stand ships all of their teas in air-tight metal containers. If it weren’t for that I would not have given their site a scond look, because stale, dried-out teas are not worth bothering with.

Shopping with them will also solve the problem of finding favorite varieties on a consistent basis, and their wide selection means I can taste and sample to my heart’s delight. My own preference is for flavored teas, with subtle hints of fruitiness that don’t overpower the taste of the tea itself. I’m especially looking forward to trying their Forest Berries and almond blends. I know that Grace enjoys the more traditional Green Teas, and Grand Tea Stand has a number of varieties to choose from. Jane, the third member of our group, prefers tisane, herbal teas that can be completely caffeine-free. Finding the perfect gifts won’t be a problem this year, because I know now where I can find their favorite teas, fresh and at very reasonable prices.

I was really pleased when Grand Tea Stand offered to sponsor this post and I discovered that it is possible to get fresh teas in many varieties online. I’m looking forward to my first order!

January 28, 2007

Keeping your pets safe

A couple of months ago one of my dogs ate a whole bottle of antacid tablets. We love our pets and try so hard to take good care of them, but stupid things happen. Today I was surfing around and landed on the ASPCA site, which I remember visiting when I was trying to find out if Tums are poison to dogs. The first thing I found today was an article about how dangerous potpourri can be. Who knew? Who thinks about these things? I’ve got little pots of the dried stuff sitting in every room in the house. I have several of the little potpourrri burners that are mentioned in the article and I use them frequently. I need to patrol my house yet again and make sure I’m not putting the furkids in danger.

As I was reading about how dangerous it is to make my house smell nice I noticed what appeared to be a flash game. I was killing time while waiting for the laundry to finish & I’m all about games, so of course I checked it out after I finished reading. I wouldn’t exactly call it a game, but it’s a very nice flash presentation about dangerous or poisonous substances that many of us have in our homes. Look for the little pup image above while you’re still on the potpourri page & take a tour of your home.

Oh, and one more thing while you’re there. You’ll see a donation icon. You’re an animal lover right? Worthy cause? You bet. You know what to do!

Memorial bracelets

My high school years were a time of great turmoil. The war in Viet Nam was raging. We underclassmen watched as, one by one, the older boys who graduated went away to do their military training and then ship out to Viet Nam. When I was a junior and senior I belonged to a fraternity/sorority circle that partied together every weekend. The parties ended as, one-by-one, the boys went away. Most waited to graduate. A few were eager to serve their country and dropped out of school so they could enlist as soon as they were eligible. We were so very fortunate in that all of our particular group returned relatively intact. Still, the losses were high as several of my friends lost fathers, brothers and cousins.

I was pregnant when I graduated. I had met a wonderful man with the bluest eyes and a mysterious charisma about him. When I told him I was pregnant, he disappeared from my life. He came back a few months later, apologizing, saying that he had been overcome by panic at the thought of having a baby. He loved me, wanted to spend his life with me and our child. We happily set about the business of arranging to be married. A few days before the big event, he vanished again. We did eventually marry, but the same pattern repeated yet again. I was incredibly naive at such a young age. I know now that his problems are all too common among Viet Nam Vets. He enlisted and went over prouldly to do his duty. That terrible war left him and so many others with deep emotional scars that made it impossible to live a “normal” civilian life.

My entire generation was devastated by the Viet Nam War. We will never forget. So many fallen, so many maimed, so many still missing to this day. That is why I’ve chosen a name from Memorial Bracelets and ordered my own bracelet to wear as reminder that so many were lost and so many are still unaccounted for. The name I have chosen is SGT JOHN H. BAILEY, USMC, from Alabama, who died in Viet Nam on May 1, 1967. His body was never recovered to be returned to his loved ones. After I get my bracelet I will update you on whether I’ve been able to learn anything else about Sgt. Bailey, on why I chose him, and on the reaction people (including myself) have to the bracelet and his memory. I hope you’ll go to MemorialBracelets.com and consider choosing one for yourself. I thank them for sponsoring this post and making this opportunity availabe to all who know that we must never forget those who have served so honorably. You can make your own selection based on whatever criteria are foremost in your mind.

The bracelets memorialize victims of the wars that have affected you, including the current War on Terrorism. You may choose a victim of the attacks of 9/11 if that is the event that resonates most deeply for you. Let the person you select be a symbol to you, and to all who see your bracelet, that we all are indebted to so many who have paid the ultimate price for us.

Do check back with me in a few weeks to see my update.

Update - 2/20/07: I’ve only had my bracelet for about a week. I’ve had two reactions. A young woman who was checking my groceries asked if it was one of those “bracelets for a cause,” because she’d never seen one like it. I explained to her that the cause was to honor the memory of a young man who gave his life for all of us in Viet Nam. Her eyes glazed over. I guess the younger generation considers that ancient history, best forgotten once final history exams are over.

The other reaction was more intriguing. My dearest friend waxed eloqent about what “Our War” did to our generation. Her experience was much like mine, watching all of the young men go away, fearful for each of them, watching in horror the reception they received when they returned, more horrified still at the emotional anguish that ovewhelmed so many of them. She also gave me her perspective on the role that fate played. One of her dearest friends in those days was a young man who went over as a med-evac copter pilot when he was nineteen. He would have seen the full horror of that war as he hauled out mangled bodies, listened to the screams, tired his best to comfort and save each one … and watched so many die, despite his best efforts. Yet he returned, not only uninjured, but apparently emotionally intact. He is now a professional med-evac copter pilot for a private company, thoughtful, intelligent, compassionate, living a full life with a family he loves. His story continues.

My Marine, Sgt. John H. Bailey, died at nineteen when the helicopter that was evacuating him crashed. His life story ends there. Fate had played her hand in his life. Click that last link on his name to learn more.

January 27, 2007

Postie Carnival!

The Posties Carnival will publish on Monday, January 29th at my friend Marcus’s blog, My thoughts. To submit your blog go to Blog Carnival and get yourself registered. There’s still time to post your blog if you hurry.

Remember that this carnival is only open to posties - that’s the folks who get paid to blog about the things they love at PayPerPost. If you’re not a postie and you’d like to join the fun (and make some bucks while you’re at it!) go jiggle the PPP affiliate icon over there at the top of my sidebar & it’ll take you where it all happens. If you have questions about how it all works, you can post them here or send me an email & I’ll fill you in.

A success story!

I rarely watch the news or read the newspaper just lately. There’s so much bad news that I prefer to catch the headline or lead itmes and just let it go. Much too depressing. Give me some feel-good news & I’ll be your fan forever. Here’s a good news story that’s so great it seems like you ought to look it up on snopes.com, but I think you’ll agree with me that it’s a real success story.

We all know how tough life can be for college students on a budget. The fortunate ones are able to scrape up financing for all of their needs. Some can’t afford university housing or rent, like the young man I’m thinking of. He also couldn’t afford a college meal plan and his diet consisted mainly of ramen noodles while he spent his nights sleeping in the library. His time there was not wasted though. Having exhausted him self searching for his needed textbooks across campus and all around town, he decided to use his adversity to help solve all of these problems. Working from the university library, he set up Walamu.com- The World’s Largest College Classifieds Network, Student’s can log in to list or find the books required for their classes, to search for housing or even to find a hot party for the weekend. I don’t know if he’s making a living off of his network, but I certainly hope he is. Such creative entrepreneurship deserves that kind of recompense. Check out Walamu.com for your college needs. They’ll ship your books for free and, hey, if you hurry you might even get a free tee shirt!

Posties rock!

The more I hang around PPP, the more wonderful people I find to enrich my life. Here’s some of my new friends.

Homeschoolzoo is in the spotlight today. She’s an Arkansas woman and jill-of-all-trades, who grows much of the food her family consumes, preserving it herself. She’s currently growing herbs and dehydrating what she can’t use fresh. She bakes bread, and grinds her own wheat for it! And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. This Christian home-schooling mom also crochets, sews and does crafts. We’re not talking the sloppy little projects that I frequently start and abandon. Take a look at her Painted Glass. I’m telling you, this lady is a pro at all she does. I can’t pick one of her blogs to send you to, so here are several: Homeschool Zoo was the first of her blogs that I read and has a great family bio on the opening page. In Zoo Talk she talks about “God, life, job, politics, opinions, cooking, journal, and more.” Plain Book of Homeschooling focuses on Christian Homeschooling, and Homeschool Zoo Annex offers more homeschooling advice plus some great bargain-shopping tips. Check her out at any of her sites, but be forewarnd: you’ll be there a long, long time. Wonderful links on evey page will suck you into a marathon session at your computer!

My friend blm03 has just started a new blog to replace her old one. Go visit her at My Thoughts, Ideas and Ramblings. She’s going through a stressful time right now, so show her a little love while you’re there.

Scorpy is another of my postie friends. She and I have a place in our hearts for pit bulls and we’ve talked together a few times about them. Go see her at Marisa’s Danelion Patch, and see what she has to say about legal intervention in the parent/child realtionship, too.

Tess Jones has recently been thinking about the way her relationship with her dad has changed over the years. Go on over to Musings from Me to see what else is on her mind. Her recent thoughts about bathrooms stirred up some memories for me.

Amy Jo hangs out at Bellclapper’s Garden. She’s crowing and happy these days because she’s gotten her own domain! Since I’m bracing for the same move, I’ll have to pick her brains about how to do that. She’s got one of those funny blogs that won’t let you link to specific entries, but they’re all good, so go get to know her. Make sure you read Where I’m From. I’m sure there’s a story about each of the places she’s from, but I kind of like not knowing what all of them are, because her phrasing makes my imagination soar!

Spiritual Tools

My dearest friend is one of the most spiritual people I know. She spends at least a half an hour, but ususally closer to an hour, in meditation and spiritual study at the start of each day. This habit allows her to enter the day in a peaceful and thoughtful frame of mind. She is Catholic, but such habits can feed the spiritual side of all of us, whether we follow the path of Christianity, The Eastern faiths or some other road towards enlightenment. Encinitas Imports has Spiritual books, gifts and CD’s to assist those seeking to live a spiritual life. They sponsored this post to help you find the tools you can use on your own journey of faith and exploration.

January 26, 2007

Hassles

So everyone who has read my blog lately knows that I’ve been thinking about taking out a loan, right? I’ve finally taken the leap. I found a great loan broker (no, this isn’t a paid post) and he hit the ground running. My original mortgage has a high interest rate, so we’ve decided that re-financing is the way to go. Dealing with money (especially big money) makes me nervous. When he asked when I wanted all of this to happen I said I’d like to just do it and get it over with. That was this afternoon. This guy is some kind of a miracle worker, because he opened escrow for me already, and I just got a call from the appraiser who wants to come tomorrow. Wow! I’m impressed, but when I said “do it now” I thought I’d have at least the weekend to get ready. You know the clutter problem that I’ve gone on and on about? I’d like to crawl in a hole right about now. I guess I’ll just do what I can between now and ten-thirty tomorrow and then put on some bronzer so he won’t see me blushing in embarrassment. What else can I do?

Fundraisers

Have you ever had to help put together a fundraiser? I was “volunteered” to do it several times when my son was young. Little League uniforms and equipment don’t come cheap, and schools have ligitimate needs that aren’t always figured into the budget. It’s a fun thing to do, but it can be a real headache finding just the right project. Next time you’re called on, check out the charity fundraising tips on this site. You’ll find lots of interesting and easy-to-promote items, and a great prize program to get the kids motivated.

Make sure you check out their unusual options, from window clings to scratch cards to healthy snacks and more. Candy, scented candles and cookies practically sell themselves, and you’ll find them here. Keep FundRaising.com in mind and make them your first stop next time you need to organize a charity fundraiser. They sponsored this post so you’d know where to turn.

Southern Fried Carnival

It’s Southern Fried Carnival time again! Get on over there and pick up on some tasty recipes from down home! Last week’s inaugural issue hit a home run. Can this week top it? Well, get on over there & see for yourself! Napkin and drool-bib recommended!