Maxine on Saturday #4b-The Challenge

Mary over at Work of the Poet is giving a challenge for anyone to try his/her hand at captioning a Maxine cartoon? Here is the Cartoon she choose.
Don't forget to view the Maxine on Saturday #4 below, it's today's pick.

Maxine on Saturday #4

For a little humor this weekend, Mary over at Work of the Poet is hosting a Maxine On Saturday meme. I thought I would join in and post a Maxine cartoon I found at Maxine.com.

I loved this one. working with the Wii, I can relate.

Living Longer in this Century

Last year I blogged about SparkPeople . I have a blog there and write on it occasionally. As with any health Plan one starts, one can get too busy to stay focused. That is me with my eating/exercising routine. The Winter can be a rough time,all the comfort food and cold weather. Our clothing gets bulkier, making it easier to hide those extra pounds. We do not get outdoors everyday. With all the Home exercise equipment, computer internet,and DVD exercise programs we have more resources to assist us on our time schedule. Why is it then that we still are battling the weight and health issue.
I think it is because we have become more concerned with having good essteem with our bodies, that we forget about the health issue in Overweight. How many times do you hear " don't judge a person by their apperence", "He has always been a chubby boy, that just his body type", " they are just big boned" and other statements made about heavier body types. There needs to be a way to respect a person and still realize that our weight effects our life expectancy.
Heard the other day we are living longer and that is good. However who is living longer? People who are living into there 90's are thoes who exercise at least three times a week, stays active with their minds, work longer (do not tend to retire to do nothing), and continues to do something that they like (makes them happy).
With all this new information at our fingertips, we should be able to take back control of our health and bodies, live longer and defy the old age syndrome. I blog to keep my mind active and keep me young. Unless you tell your age no one know it and you can be young again or older and wiser, whichever you would like. The key to living longer , Stay active, do something you enjoy, and eat less.

Sleepless in Maryland...part 2

So Here I am in today's Technology , Our network is back up with a new router. something happened to the old one, It died.Out for a couple days.
We received our new one and we are up and running at full speed. Still under the weather a bit. Must be a virus, took some sudafed last night. I just got tired of the dripping in the back of the throat. I haven't taken that kind of medicine in a long time, so I took two last night. Bad plan, I was awake of night! Watched an old movie called,are you ready for this, "Twilight". It stared Gene Hackman, James Garner, Paul Newman, Peter Gregory, Susan Sarandon, April Grace, Margo Martindale, Levi Scheiber and Reese Witherspoon just to name a few. It is a thriller mystery about a private eye working for a couple and he stumbles into a murder mystery.

We're down and Working off BB.

Internet went down today. I am working off my Blackberry (BB) , Dial up. Yes it is slow, fios box is broken, the new one will be here tomorrow. When we went on the GoWestMyFriend vacation, I got the blackberry so I could post online,twitter and facebook. Good thing I did. This technology is so important in today world. What would we do if we had no internet connection? I'm sure it can be frustrating to be without a direct line to the world. Once it was only the Television that was that line. Today it's the cell phones, we get all our information from them. Now I'm able to post thanks to the blackberry. I am sure things will be back to normal tomorrow. Until then I will bone up on some green things, go shopping, and maybe read that book waiting for me.

Sleepless in Maryland...

Some time I have these sleepless nights. this is one one those nights! Yesterday I started not feeling well.Think Hubby gave me his cold. I am drinking antioxidants and sucking zinc. Hope that will do the trick and shorten the time.
Yesterday I started the EA Sports 30 day challenge, boy I didn't know how it worked. I made it through the first day routine, not too bad. Each day I will be given a different routine that way I will not get bored, so they say. My trainer is female although I think at some point I would like the male, I wonder if I can change that?
Now I need to find a good food plan. I am a member of Sparks People, they have a menu plan. I think I will try a low carb for a while. At least til I can get on the downward spiral. I really do not like to do those types of diet plans, because they tend to always end up in failure. Learning how to eat within the caloric level is the best way to maintain your weight, in my eyes. I was raised on good wholesome food and would like to continue that way. Although as one ages the body tends to change the way it processes food. I am hoping by working out with the EA sports and controlling my caloric intake I will slim down. We'll see how it works.

Maxine on Saturday #3

For a little humor this weekend, Mary over at Work of the Poet is hosting a Maxine On Saturday meme. I thought I would join in and post a Maxine cartoon I found at Maxine.com.

With all this Health Care bill Issue, this one will do for me.
My thoughts exactly....

Are you sleeping good?

As I stated before a good bed can approve you quality sleeping time. There is one thing that can steal it from you, Sleep Apnea. The term Apnea means Without Breathe. The causes can be a few things; Overweight, weakened throat muscle, fat deposits in the neck region and some times just aging. It can also be hereditary, who know that family they all snore and laugh about it. The percentage of people with Sleep Apnea has risen in this decade. Perhaps the main reason is our lifestyles. We will look as the symptom and treatments for sleep apnea.
There are several symptoms for sleep apnea. To list a few;

• (hypersomnia) You find yourself sleepy throughout the day more and more.
  
• Snoring loudly, this is a clue for sleep apnea caused by weakened throat muscles.
  
• Observed episodes of no breathing or quiet, no breath sounds, this is always seen by a mate.
  
• Waking up with shortness of breath or can't seem to catch your breathe, this is more likely with central sleep apnea
• Awakening with a dry mouth or sore throat
• Morning headache
• Insomnia and difficult staying asleep
  
• Having to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night, Your body trying to get rid of fluid. The brain is trying to reduce pressure in the body.

As you can see there are several signs. some are more severe than others. My thought is in early decades people died in their sleep and the cause was documented as natural causes. In today's medical community we know much more. Now we have sleep clinics set up all over the nation to help in diagnosing this deadly condition, known as Sleep Apnea.

Let look at the treatments. Currently there are four treatments. Continuous positive airway pressure also known as CPAP,Adjustable airway pressure devices know as BiPAP,Oral appliances and Surgery.
My dad has Sleep Apnea and has used a CPAP for years. This device delivers a continuous air pressure to your throat, to keep the airway opened. In my fathers situation it is causing a dry throat. There are ones that also deliver moisture with the air. The air it uses in the home air. No added oxygen, so in my mind a house filter is a must and maybe a humidifier. The CPAP is the most common machine used for Sleep Apnea.
The BiPAP is another type of breathing device that delivers a different type of airway pressure. It automatically adjusts the pressure while you're sleeping. Providing more pressure when you inhale and less when you exhale. If one is having trouble with the CPAP, this is another alternative to try.
If you have mild sleep Apnea, the Dentist can make an Oral appliance that can bring the jaw forward and prevent the collapse of the airway. These are molded just for your mouth. In some cases these will work well while you are changing your lifestyle. For example if your is caused by a weight issue.
The fourth is surgery, this is a more invasive method. Sometimes removal of the epiglottis, tonsils and adenoids can help with the snoring. However, it may be less successful in treating sleep apnea because tissue farther down your throat may still block your air passage. Moving the jaw forward is another surgery. This one can be a success but requires several doctors working together and is a most costly one. The more permanent option is a tracheotomy. You may need this form of surgery if other treatments have failed and you have severe, life-threatening sleep apnea. In this procedure, your surgeon makes an opening in your neck and inserts a metal or plastic tube through which you breathe. You keep the opening covered during the day. But at night you uncover it to allow air to pass in and out of your lungs, bypassing the blocked air passage in your throat.

However you view Sleep Apnea it is rising in the world. Knowing that fact and seeking treatments is a healthy choice for longer life. Being tired can contribute to many more life's problems with work, home and fun. Let's get our quality rest we so much need.

informational source The Mayo Clinic

Being Green Minded

Can you believe January is midway through? Less than a month til February 14th, Valentines Day here in the U.S.. There was a question on a Friday post " Are you going to buy valentines gifts and what will they be". Years ago I did this, got gifts. Now for about 5 years I haven't. Going Green has made me rethink this. Maybe a Rain barrel would be nice or a Battery charged Lawn Mower. It would have to be something green to replace an item or be able to use resources wisely. Hubby is very Green conscience, any suggestions outside a Car? (in case hubby is reading,lol)

Maxine on Saturday #2

For a little humor this weekend, Mary over at Work of the Poet is hosting a Maxine On Saturday meme. I thought I would join in and post a Maxine cartoon I found at Maxine.com.

Are You At Risk? Know the "Facts".

Two years ago today my mother died from Ovarian cancer. This cancer affects women worldwide. 1 in 70 will develop ovarian cancer worldwide. In the United States, about 1 in 56 women develops cancer of the ovary. More than 26,000 new cases are diagnosed each year in the U.S and 190,000 Worldwide. Think about it, this does not mean it is rare! Last year over 15,000 women died from ovarian cancer. It is called the Silent Killer. Mostly due to the fact that most people do not know the warning signs. Yes there are some. If any of the following signs are happening more then a couple of weeks a month you should go to the doctor.

-Abdominal Swelling/Bloating/Clothes Too Tight
-Abdominal/Pelvic Pain or Pressure or Feeling "Full"
-Gastrointestinal Symptoms (such as gas, indigestion, nausea, or changes in bowel movements)
-Vaginal Bleeding or Discharge
-Urinary Problems - Urgency, Burning, or Spasms
-Fatigue and/or Fever
-Pain During Intercourse
-Back Pain
-Difficulty Breathing

Just having some of these does not mean you have ovarian cancer, but why not get checked out. If caught early enough you can survive.
The incidence of ovarian cancer varies greatly. Globally, Scandinavia, Israel, and North America have the highest rates. Developing countries and Japan have the lowest rates. Is this a environmental cancer? They are not sure however it does tend to raise a Question. I remember the Oncologist telling us she was not sure about the cause but one research is showing it could be environmental. Heredity accounts for only about 20% of the cases. This raises the question of other sources. What ever the source it is important to know the facts. Look at the above symptoms if you , your mother, sister or friend have them a lot, go to the doctor get check out, be persistence and make sure you are satisfied with the outcome. Early detection is essential for survival.
I made a promise to my Mom that I would tell people. Warn them about the Cancer. Mom knew her time was limited when she was diagnosed. She tried to learn all about it and get me educated on the cancer. It was amazing how little research goes into a cure for ovarian cancer verse Breast cancer. I have seen a rise in ovarian awareness since her death. I have placed a link for more information on Ovarian cancer.
a link to Ovation for the cure of Ovarian Cancer

Wednesday Words - Blogging Daily

Do you think it is easy to write on a blog daily? I find it easier if one looks at it as a friend. Would you call a friend up or make contact with them daily? The one thing that is a challenge is when you have several blogs and each other is different. Thinking of each blog as a different friend helps. How many friend are the same. Each one has a different personality than the other. Sometimes I do cross other information on my blogs,is that bad? Not in my opinion, getting to know someone well takes time. There are many aspects of a person. Let's look at Auntie E.

First I am an Aunt to eight kids and a Great Auntie to 2 kids. Love being a Mom to a teenager and wife to the same man for 32 years. In my daily life I have a lot of thoughts. Wanting to share them with someone, so I do not go crazy, I found a need to blog. Sharing photos of happy moments and Life in my world has been a joy. My first blog " At home with Auntie E" had introduced me to the Blog World. Critter became a great part of my world at that time. He still is in our home, we enjoy the innocence of the child. Critter is the widget for that blog.

Cooking and eating is another side of me. Maybe you like to cook and create new meals. What a struggle sometimes just trying to please the family at meal time. Then there are all those cooking tools and ideas to share. Auntie E's Kitchen was created to share that side. I could of called it "The Joy of Cooking", but that was already taken.(I saw the movie)

Reading has been a joy of mine. Not every one enjoys reading therefore, some friends would not be interested in books or discussing books. In the household here, everyone likes to read, Hubby likes his Computer books. My daughter is a great reader always has a couple book going at one time. As for Auntie E(me) reading all kind of book is my joy. I share my Love of read on "Reading time with Auntie E". Looking for a new venue for that blog. One that will be more conducive to daily blogging.

Now we come to the outdoors side of Auntie E. Traveling,Gardening ,swimming and outdoor activities are so much a part of my life. Some of my friend do not like the outdoors. We call them homebodies, trying to get them interested in a conversation of the outdoors is tough. Yet some of the family want to know what going on outdoors with us. I love to share the outdoors on my "Auntie E's yard and Garden" blog.

Since you are here on my "Living healthy with Auntie E" page, you must be interested in staying healthy. You are good friends to have! Going Green, exercise, Wii-ing, and learning how to be healthy has become very important to me in the recent years. Having my Mother die of an environmental cancer has made a great impact on my life. I want a long life, trying to learn how to better the environment we live in is of great value. Creating this blog has been the most important move in my life. It makes me search and learn in order to change a lifestyle that is not conducive to long life.

So, as you can see this is why I have so many different blogs. I try to post daily on all of them, with exception of the book blog. It take time to read and post reviews. I will look at all my blogger friends as individuals and visit them with honor. For Each blogger has a different personality. This is what makes blogging so nice to me. Learning about my new friends has been wonderful this year and I like forward to another year of blogging and getting to know you all better.
All the links to my other blogs are on the side bar, with photos and titles. You can visit the one that interest you. I read a blogger's post the other day, that mentioned that links in a text can be distracting. So, I am going to try not to put the links in the post text. They will now be under the post. Still learning how to blog better.

Winter Weather and Skin.

The winter weather is so bad for my skin. This year has been the worst. I have always had dry skin. In my teens I used products for dry skin on my face. Then in my twenties I had to lavish more lotions on my legs,they were so dry. In my thirties I notice my arms needed more moisture.The forties was the hands. Now in the fifties, well it all over, especially my feet. They are so dry they split and peel. This year seems to be the worst. I have tried all sorts of moisturizers, however it seems the more I use the more I need. Any suggestion for me? I will try it and see how the products work on my Dry Skin.

Maxine on Saturday

For a little humor this weekend, Mary over at Work of the Poet is hosting a Maxine On Saturday meme. I thought I would join in and post a Maxine cartoon I found at Maxine.com. You can go to the Maxine site and e-mail it to a friend.

With our arctic weather this weekend,
I loved this one!

And

This one is so true.....

Now don't forget to go to Work of the Poet to view more of Maxine.

Changing Diet.

I have been hearing that soups can help one drop some weight. Okay, I am going to try it. went to the commissary and purchase some healthier soups. Checked the sodium, protein and carbs in them. Picked ones that are within the healthier margins. The plan is to replace one meal with soup for two weeks. Then I will post how I did. Changing my diet might help in losing those few pounds I would like to see off. I do not want to share the soup product I will be using yet. When the Two weeks are up I will share that with you. As well as why I chose that companies product.

Reiki- Energy Therapy

"Reiki" (pronounced "ray-key"), is the Japanese word for "Universal Life Energy." I was first introduce to Reiki when my Mother was going to Cancer Centers of America in Philadelphia. She was in pain and tried the Reiki treatments. The treatments seem to work well for her pain. Developed in the 1920’s by Mikao Usui of Kyoto, Japan this is a hand healing medicine. It uses the heat of the Reiki practitioner hands to guide the energy in the patients body to a certain location enhancing the body's ability to heal or reduce the inflammation causing the pain. The believe is, if one restore harmony and the energy flow within the body it will led to a healthier body.
Any one can learn Reiki. while at the Cancer center they were offering classes. One can check out the hospitals and teaching universities for classes on Reiki. With the high cost and all the side effects of Medication learning an alternative solution is a good thing.
*Photo from sheliapowell.com

Wednesday Words - Just because I can!

So today we had a delivery. It was to replace a dishwasher which was not broken but didn't have a feature advertised at the store. The New one was exactly like the one we had. so we did not accept it. I called the Store up and told them why we refused it. I do not think they even care. Why is it stores will not train their people to know the manufactures changes in product design. I am sure it is a manufacturers change, so ordering a new one just will not do. I like the dishwasher just wish we would not have been misled. We will probably not give them anymore of our business unless we do a lot of research first.
I have had a business for over 12 years now. Have decided to dissolve it this year. I will be selling all the merchandise off my shelves in the next few months. With the economy it has been really hard to continue and make a profit.
Going green has given me a new outlook on life and household products. We are using Melalecua products and have really notice a difference. We will now start selling the products and signing up some new clients. I believe going Green is so important since most allergies and cancers are environmentally caused. If you are interested in transforming your home into a healthier place, Give me a shout, email me or leave a message I will get back to you with the details.

• What did a learn in 2009? Let's see. I can help change the way people think about being green. It does not have to be costly or difficult to implement. Even the solar power was affordable, and I thought it would not be.
  
• Not using Plastic bags could be easy. I thought I would never be able to go into a store with my own bags. What did I know... it really isn't that hard and the more I do it the less people seem to mind.
• Using Green product do make a difference in the home. We are all healthier, less sickness, sore throats, sniffles , itchy skin and tummy aches.
  

We got rid of a car this year. First of the year we turned in our Smart buy car and walked away. That was hard because we usually got another. With two cars paid off we felt we really did not need a third one at this time. Our daughter is not driving yet!
Looking back on the year and forward to the next. I can see many things I can carry forward and many more to learn. This year I will be listening and posting what I am learning.

Are Dreams Healthy?

I seem to dream a lot about my departed mother. Each night she is in my dreams. Last night she was mistakenly pronounced dead. So in my dream she was walking and talking, after we got her out of the grave. Now the dreams don't bother me. I actually love seeing her in them, but is it healthy... that is the question? After a death of a love one, we tend to hang on to their memories. These are not reliving memories in my dreams rather, creating new ones. It could cause the memories I have to be distorted. Maybe that is why my Grandmother sometimes mixes thing up when recalling memories. My Granny Davis had some great stories, but now I wonder how many of them were right. My 92 year old( still living) granny has great stories. The other day a 110 year woman (living in Maryland) had some good ones to tell. Can we rely on their tales?
We all dream, some remember theirs and some do not. Hey I should right a book on them, oh I think that has been done already, Stephen King was great at that. Maybe those old wives tales, where dreams. Come to think of it the Grimes brothers tales could have been derived from dreams. However you look at it, Dreams can be great for the writers and bloggers , the material can take one to a different world for a while. I miss my Mother greatly so that is probably why I dream of her. She is always on my mind.

Photo is from www.yescomments.com/sweet-dreams.html

He lived long enough.....

My Brother-in-Law Posted a Question on Facebook.

I'm about to do something that I thought I'd never live long enough to be able to do......can you guess what it is ?? Great prize if you get it right !!

I got it right! He will turn old enough to be eligible for early Social Security Income. Oh, but I didn't get the prize because he said I'm family.
Do not think I would want to receive early SSI. One thing that happens is the amount of benefit is reduced by 25% for your lifetime. If I was to wait until 65 then I would get the full benefit. By waiting til 65 I would also qualify for a 8% increase in benefit.
Now that I have blog about him, which I told him I would do, there are a few things I want to say. I hope he will be happier now that he is going to a SSE (Social Security Eligible) person. As for me, there will probably be no money left when my time comes. I kind of hope so, because I am not looking forward to the medical care that comes along with it. We are saving our own retirement money as well as participating in other retirement programs. We have a long way to go before we reach that SSI age.
This is just my view of the SSI program. My father is on it and my Mother was on it. I do not have a good experience with the program. So my view is from my experience.
I wish for Mike a better experience.

Holiday Baggage

Oh that holiday baggage we pack and carry. This holiday season I packed an extra 5 pound in my bag. I believe that is the average amount one picks up during the holidays. Now with the New Year is here and we need to unpack it. My feeling is it will take about two week to get it off. Yes of course one can lose 10 pound in a couple of days. However that is mostly water weight and really doesn't count. I need to loose that fat weight.


So off to the Wii I will go...Then down with the Pilates.Finally out to the treadmill.

With all the friends working on the Wii, I should have lots of support. I might even add some new mimi's to my circle. I heard one can add some cartoon characters, roadrunner might push me along. Do you Wii, Pilates,or treadmill? Let me know, so I can follow your blog.