New Finding Concerning My Diet

I am loving my new diet! I have avoided wheat and milk which were the two biggest food problems for over 20 years now. Recently, though lots of testing and simply by eating and not eating foods, have discovered that I can tolerate all milk products except milk in the store. It has to be that through the process of pasteurization and the way they homogenize milk that causes me grief, because I am able to digest butter, sour cream, whipping cream, half and half, plain yogurt, and I can even tolerate raw milk!

This opens up a whole new world for me! Sour cream and a little cheese on my tacos. That was all I was missing. And tacos are one of my favorite foods. Cream cheese on a rice bagel. Yum! And I can't wait to make my own pumpkin pie, and have real whipping cream on top. Yummy for sure!

I have also discovered that I can have cracked wheat cereal. I get into real trouble eating bread, but it could have something to do with the process they put wheat through. I am allergic to barley and other grains, and it could be cross-contamination with some of the other grains that cause me the problem, or along with other allergies I am allergic to yeast. And of course there is yeast in bread where it isn't in cracked wheat cereal.

I enjoyed the cracked wheat cereal for breakfast this morning. This is one of the cereals of my childhood and I enjoyed it very much. Mike was a sport and ate it, but wasn't as enthused as I was.

If you have been denied foods for as long as I have, you can't help but be excited when certain ones are given back to you. Frankly, I'm loving it.

Buying Our First Foreclosure

I mentioned to Mike a few weeks ago that when we got back to Arizona I wanted to buy and sell foreclosures. There are so many foreclosures here in the valley and tons of opportunities are just staring us in the face.

He wasn't very enthused about the idea. I knew he wouldn't be. He wanted to know if there were so many opportunities to do it, why everyone wasn't doing it. I asked him if he knew how to do it. He admitted that he didn't, and I pointed out that the average person doesn't know how to do it. but since I sold real estate for 15 years, I do know how to do it.

We found our first foreclosure before we even left Utah. We put an offer on it Saturday and met with a loan officer today. So far everything is a go. We'll see how it goes from here.

Sharon Isn't Getting Better

I was so hoping that my sister Sharon would feel better and have a wonderful trip to Chicago, but that wasn't what happened. She has had a terrible week! She has been so weak that she has been in bed most of the week. One problem is that she has to walk up stairs in Robyn's new home and stairs can really zap ones energy when they are weak. I can't do stairs. Stairs and cold are post polio patients biggest problems.

It breaks my heart to see how sick Sharon is. I really hope she gets feeling better when she get home and can have a change to recuperate.

Answers About My Heart Racing

Darn, I had this whole blog written and then I hit Alt and it disappeared! That is so frustrating. This happened to me a few weeks ago, and I was writing a paid opp,and has to re-write it three times. I have got to learn to keep my fingers aways from Alt.

A few blogs ago I wrote that I needed to figure out what was causing my heart to race. There were four factors: one was my isotonic exercises. I didn't think they were doing it because I have done these exercises for years, and I always make certain that I breathe during the squeeze.

The second factor was prednisone, but I don't think that is it because I was on it for 20 days and my heart raced four of those days.

The third factor was a sleeping pill. I had taken a sleeping pill every night that my heart raced except the last two.

The fourth factor is my food allergies. Every time my heart raced except one I had eaten wheat. My heart raced two nights after we first arrived here. I had eaten wheat four times. My ears didn't get too bad until I prepared fish with a corn flake crust. After that I went deaf again. I read the box of corn flakes and there it was right in the ingredients: barley! I am very allergic to barley.

Well, now I know. No sleeping pills. They are all dangerous for me, I learned that clear back in the eighties. No barley, and probably no wheat. The test showed that I could have cracked wheat. I am allergic to yeast, which might be one of the reasons that I can't have wheat bread.

Anyway, I'm happy to learn more about my body. And I can hear again. And I feel good!

My Heart is Racing Again

Four days after moving into our condo in Ogden, Utah, last April. I went to the hospital at 2:30 AM with my heart racing. It took 8 hours to get it to return to normal. My potassium had dropped to 3.3 which is a very dangerous level.

I have been on heart medication and potassium ever since and recently my heart has started to race again. I need to get to the bottom of this and find out what is causing it.

I have several suspicions that I'm going to check out the next few days. One possibility would be the prednisone. I took my last pill yesterday. Another could be that I ate corn last night. I prepared fish with a corn flake crust. The latest test said that I could handle some corn. I don't know that corn flakes fit in this category. A third might be the isotonic exercises I do. It can be hard on your heart if you hold your breath. I make certain that I breathe during the exercises but it's possible that I'm still squeezing my heart.

I'm going to lay off the exercises and see if my heart returns to normal. Then I'll resume the exercises and if my heart responds negatively, I'll know that is the cause and have to change how I do my exercises. The reason I haven't thought this was the problem is because I have done these exercises for years! But, I have stepped up the intensity as of late. So maybe.

Miracle Drops

Mike is on the mend. He's still sick but I started him on my miracle drops last night that I buy from my chiropractor, Dr. Whetton, who's office is on about 8th. and Washington Blvd.

You can buy drops for colds, flu, sinus infection, sore throat, anxiety, and a bunch of other ailments. This is the wonderful thing about the drops. you don't pay for an office visit. The drops are $5.00 a bottle, and the bottle is also $5.00. You keep the bottle and refill it when needed. They last on your shelf for a year. (Mine have lasted longer than that.) And you take them when needed.

They have been a life-saver for me.

Sleep At An Arizona Bed And Breakfast!

Have you ever been to Arizona? It's very beautiful here. (I live 30 miles east of Phoenix). One of my favorite cities to visit is Sedona, which is three hours north of Phoenix. It truly is a gorgeous little hide-away.

Our son Mike planned on going to college in Phoenix when we lived in Utah. We were at the dentist getting him ready to leave, and he was flipping though a magazine while waiting his turn. He came upon an ad for Oak Creek Canyon, and asked if we could stop there on our way to Phoenix. I said, "sure", not really knowing exactly where it was, but could see it was right there by Flagstaff, and we would be driving through Flagstaff.

We got to a gas station at the south end of Flagstaff and I asked the attendant where Oak Creek Canyon was. He pointed and said, "right there". It was a lovely drive and that's the day that Oak Creek Canyon became my favorite canyon. (I'm still very partial to Ogden Canyon, in Utah though).

Oak Creek Canyon, which is between Flagstaff and Sedona, has this fun rock slide in the river that the kids (and adults) like to ride down.

Our kids didn't do that but we enjoyed ourselves vicariously through a group of teenagers who were having a ball.

It would be fun also to stay in an Arizona bed and breakfast while you're visiting. There are many to choose from throughout the Arizona desert. The picture above is one that is in the beautiful Oak Creek Canyon. There are many in Sedona, and you will find them in the cities as you make your way through the state.

I'll just have to fix my own breakfast and my Arizona Inn. That's okay.

Not A Real Storm

Well I was wrong. There won't be any snowmen built in Ogden. The storm was wet and didn't stick. I was very surprised to wake and find green grass outside.

There was a football game in Provo last night, and boy did they get the snow. Provo gets the lake effect though, and we don't. I don't know how the football players even played. They couldn't see two feet in front of them.

I'm glad I was home in my nice warm house.

It Is Snowing Up A Storm

The storm has come in and the sky is dumping snow on the ground. It must be pretty warm out there right now because it isn't that dry flaky snow you can make a snow man out of. Although, I'm sure by tomorrow there will be plenty of snow for a snowman or possibly even a cave.

I finally took the time to look out the window to see the snow. I really love watching it snow while at the same time being cuddly warm by the fireplace inside. Too bad we aren't in our Clinton home. We would be enjoying our fire right now.

Well, I'm going to go find my poor sick hubby something to eat.

Shades Of A Year Ago

It was about this time last year when we sold our Clinton home, packed the Budget truck, and took off for Arizona.

Mike was sick with a cold and a few weeks later I wrote a blog (one of my first) about how worried I was about him driving to Vegas sick! It was a terrible trip. In fact, the name of the blog is, "The Trip From Hell"!

Well, here we go again. We are ready to leave in two days, and Mike has come down with a cold! I don't want him driving sick again and this time we don't have to. If we have to postpone leaving a few days, it won't hurt a thing. I can drive if he feels well enough to just sit and rest in the car.

We moved to Phoenix for my health, but this cold weather is hard on Mike too. He gets sick every time the weather here turns cold. Yesterday the temperature was 72 degrees and today is 25 degrees colder. It is snowing outside, and I have been at the computer or ironing or doing the laundry all day long and haven't even seen it. I do love to love at the snow!

They say that you don't catch a cold from the cold, but rather from germs. Well, how come cold and fly season are always during the cold months? There is a connection whether they want to admit it or not.

I mentioned this to my doctor last year and said my theory on the subject is that there are germs in the air and when it gets cold our bodies are working harder to keep warm and to fight germs, therefore, lowering our resistance to colds and flu. He a said he agreed 100%.

Lydia's First Birthday Party

It seems like yesterday that I was blogging about our new baby Lydia, and now she turns one.

She's been walking for about a month, and the sad thing is I haven't seen her do it. Every time an opportunity for me to see her in the last month - I have been sick.

Chris and David came over two nights ago to pick up a TV they bought from us, and Lisa was tending Lydia so once again I didn't get to see her.

I hope Mike will feel better by tomorrow night, because I hate to have him around the family like this. But, I don't know of any cold that disappears that fast.

Our Plans May Be Changing

Mike and I have been busy today getting ready to leave on Monday. It hasn't been a hard day as far as doing difficult jobs, or running errands. We did all that during the last week.

Mike has been mostly are the kitchen table going through papers, and as the day has progressed has come down with a cold. It appears to be full blown at this point.

This will probably change our plans for church tomorrow. He's planning to only go to one sacrament meeting, but I reminded him that it isn't nice to take a cold to church. Especially this ward. We have more senior citizens in the ward than any other age group.

We'll just have to see how its goes I guess.

Decorating For Christmas

Getting ahead of myself you ask? Well, it's true that everyone else is decorating for Halloween, but we are leaving for Arizona on Monday, and when we come back it will be Christmas.

I have already decorated the tops of the cabinets with my poinsettias, and decor. And I have the living room decorated. I still have a bunch of stuff in my packing boxes to get out.

Mike bought us a small four-ft tree, (our living room is not very large), and he plans to put it up before we leave. We probably won't decorate it until we get here though.

My sister Sharon was here a few days ago and asked why we had Christmas up in the living room already. But she caught on quickly.

It already looks pretty festive. And the temperature dropped from 72 to 45 in one day, so it feels kind of Christmasy.

Halloween Parties

Everyone else is getting ready for Halloween. Pam is having a Halloween Party and invited us but it's a week too late. Darn! I love her families Halloween Parties. One year Mike and I went as a pregnant nun and a monk. I was the monk. I guess you can figure out who was the pregnant nun. Another year I was a cat, and another year I was the lost sock fairy. I had lots of socks pinned to my clothes. You have to go in costume at the Alvord's or they don't let you come to the party. Socks was all I could come up with that year.

(Pam just left a comment saying: I thought mike came as little red riding hood and you the wolf one year to our party. You always had the cutest costumes and best stories. We will miss you. Tell Mike to get better. Have him take coldeaze.(sp?)

She right! I forgot about those costumes! They were really fun.

Lisa planned a Halloween Party for tonight, and then cancelled. That would have been lots of fun too. When we lived in Clinton we had a family Halloween party every year too, and Lisa was planning to have it at her club house, but the plans got changed, and with all we have to do today, it's probably a good thing.

Treadmill

My sister Jeri had a treadmill in her home, and it was funny one day when my brother John came to visit from Arizona, saw a treadmill in her bedroom, and asked, "do you really use that?" She answered, "yes, very day". He was very impressed, and glad she did. He just didn't think he would be that committed. She not only used her treadmill everyday, she wore a step counter on her ankle and made certain that she walked 7000 steps a day. She didn't climb 7000 stairs, she just made sure she took that many steps. If she didn't get in the required (her own requirements) she would step in place while she talked on the phone to make sure she met her quota.

My daughter Kim had a treadmill and other exercise equipment in her home. She hasn't been good about taking advantage of the luxury until this past summer, when she was spirited on to lose weight with some of her friends. She has done the best of the group. She has lost 30 lbs. and is toning up nicely.

I'm Feeling A Lot Better

I'm still only at about 50 % of normal energy and strength, but I'm getting there. My heart was racing again the night before last. This was the second time this week, and it really drains my strength when that happens. It kind of makes me feel like I have the flu, except it isn't a flu.

My new foods and supplements are helping a lot. All I need is a few more days and I should be up and running again. I'm just glad I have the strength to do these last minute things I need to do to get ready to leave on Monday.

Getting Ready To Leave

I packed our largest suitcase with the clothes I want to take back to Arizona this morning. I have plenty of clothes to leave at both homes, but I have my favorites. And feel the need to drag them back and forth. I'm trying to leave more and more each time we leave, but I didn't do very well this time.

Mike is busy cleaning up papers. We've washed clothes and changed the bed, and I've ironed a few things. This is our last day to get things around here done. Tomorrow is Sunday and our day will be spent at church and with family. Monday I see the ear doctor for a follow-up visit, and we're out of here.

Red Tart Cherry Juice Concentrate

Yesterday was the day to buy new things to help my body. Mike and I drove to Willard, Utah to WoodyATT Cherry Farm, and bought red tart cherry Juice concentrate.

Several of my friends have talked about cherry juice and how it has helped them with their gout and arthritis and any other type of pain associated with things like post polio which I have and fibromialgia like my sister Sharon has.

Jenny, a friend of my daughter Kim also has fibromialgia and is taking the cherry juice and it has reduced her pain. She was the one recently who recommended it, and I'm glad she did.

The friends told me about cherry juice but didn't mention that the red pie cherries are the ones getting all the acclaim. It helps reduce pain as mentioned but also helps prevent cancer. There are dozens of site about cherry juice on the web. Learn about it. I think it is really good information.

This is not a paid post. Just love the stuff!

Star Gate Home Theater

This is an amazing website! Create your own home theater lighting and other accessories, like, Berkline leather seating that looks absolutely luxurious! See the picture of the Berkline top right.

There are lots of unique accessories that will decorate your home theater. They even have professional popcorn machines! Your home theater will be quite a show place to entertain family and friends. The whole experience makes watching a movie more realistic.

And you get with just one phone call or a chat on line with their friendly customer support, and free advice, excellent prices too.

I don't know, do you think this home theater will fit in my 1000 sq. ft. condo? I don't think it will fit in my 2200 sq. ft. Arizona home either. I'll just have to come to your house to watch the movie when you build your new home theater.

Magnetic Braclets

I have worn a magnet that you place in your pockets or in your bra (if you wear one) for years. I wasn't really able to see the difference but was told it was doing me good.

Yesterday I bought a magnetic bracelet and I can really tell that this one is doing me good. It is keeping me a little warmer for one thing. I am always cold and even now I am sitting here tying with my little Linus blanket wrapped around my legs, but I am much warmer than I am normally.

Broadway Tickets

I have only had the privilege of going to Broadway one time. I baby sat for an actress (Marilyn Caskey), who has played the part of Carlotta in the Broadway hit "Phantom Of The Opera", for many years. She's still part of the shows today, but plays the part of the Wardrobe Mistress.

We were lucky to have her reserve discount Broadway tickets to see her show and also "Les Miserable". Both shows were wonderful! I saw Marilyn the first time when she came to San Francisco.

My three sisters had seen her in New York and I was the only one who hadn't seen the show. She had the opportunity of playing in San Francisco for the summer and called to see if I could come that far. New York is quite a distance from Utah, but San Fransisco is a 12 hour car ride, or one hour plane ride. (We flew both times). I saw "Phantom" twice in San Fransisco. Once with my Real Estate group when I won a free trip, and the other with Pam, my sister Jeri, and niece Heather. I can't wait to go to Broadway again. My son Kenny lives in Connecticut and each time we visit him we make certain that we visit one of the New England states. We only have Delaware, Maine, and Maryland left to see, and I can't wait to return to New York City. One day was all we've had and that doesn't even scratch the surface.

Allergies Sinus and Meniere's

I have been on the web the last hour or so reading and trying to educate myself about the causes of the symptoms I experience with Meniere's Syndrome or “idiopathic syndrome”, is really it's proper name.

I really love the writer of this article. People leave comments in the way of questions and he answers them. Only the way he answers the question is to ask the person to choose to look for the underlying cause of these symptoms, it will most likely lead you to THINK differently.

I like this because I have figured out everyone of my problems relating to Meniere's this very way. When the vertigo started and the noise in my ear started and the loss of hearing occurred, I realized that in every instance I had a sinus infection.

I have also complained on my blog that my face, jaw, and ears ache. I have learned that this is when I have a sinus infection.

Now I had to figure out what was causing all my sinus infections. I have been plagued with them since the 1960's, when I was in my 20's.

The things I am allergic to: all the plants that grow in our beautiful world, perfumes, cigarettes smoke, chemicals, and other scents, dust, and certain foods. I can't tolerate wheat, milk, sugar, corn, oats, soy, caffeine, chocolate to name a few.

These foods and other irritants create toxins in my body, and therefore irritate and cause inflammation in my ears, thus resulting in a sinus infection.

This comment and answer relates to my situation.


COMMENT/QUESTION:

Friday the 14th rolled around and it was "the day from hell" No medications in me. Very, very cloudy outside. Weather forecasted rain, rain, rain!! My ears turned really funny, not the usual. Not just one, but also both.



MY OBSERVATION:

The very first thing I would look at is your sinus situation. From the many years we have been doing this information sharing, sinus problems have been near the forefront of underlying causes. And it makes a lot of sense. Here is a quick anatomy and physiological lesson. Your sinuses are the gatekeepers for your head. they keep out as much unwanted material as possible: smells, chemicals, dust, etc. if you are like many other people you may be using nasal sprays or drugs (prescription or over the counter ones) to stop them from dripping or post nasal drips. Unfortunately they then they can’t do their assigned job. They need to be soft and mushy and able to filter out any unwanted material. So now you have all this unwanted material in your body. It is my thinking that this sets off the body’s natural response to anything it doesn’t want in there. And this response (inflammatory response) creates extra fluid to wash out the toxic material. Now you have all this excess fluid and no place to expand to. But now you also have a change in atmospheric pressure. If you have ever used a pressure cooker, you will recognize the pressure you are creating. Can you imagine the increased pressure as this continues? But by understanding this and knowing you can clean out your sinus naturally, without meds, it isn’t so much of a problem anymore. Let me know if you would like to discuss this in greater detail. This may not be the underlying cause for your day from hell, but for many people it is. It’s worth trying.

The writer offers this statement to another person's question:

The ear infection could give rise to fluid retention? The body is always trying to “wash out” its unwanted intruders (inflammatory process)…could it be wanting to wash out the ear infection (causing fluid retention)? Could the balance problems be caused by excess fluid being retained (because of the infection) in the inner ear? Could this now be affecting the normal function of the balance nerve?

The answer for me is Yes. My body holds water, but if I avoid wheat and other foods my body can't tolerate, then the problem of water retention is to a minimum.

He finishes with this:

And if you know your high school physics, can you now see how the changes in altitude would also bring pressure changes? And I would assume those changes would also bring changes in the intensity of the symptoms. Can you also see if you dealt with the ear infection, you might not have these symptoms?

This very helpful information is given to us by:

Karin & David Henderson

21362 River Road
Maple Ridge, B.C.
Canada V2X 2B3
604-463-8666 (PST)

Sharon

I took my sister Sharon to "Herbs For Health" yesterday and Jeremy found lots of things to help her. But she has had a hard day because it wears her out when she has too big a day like she had yesterday.

He gave her flax oil to take and that gave her nausea. She is hoping it doesn't cause her a migraine tonight. I hope not too. That would be terrible.

Her problems are going to take longer to fix than mine because mine is a matter of eliminating certain foods. She needs a liver cleanse and that will take time.

He did give her quite a few supplements that she was lacking in her diet, and I hope she will find some strength while she is on her trip to Chicago.

My Allergies

I was happy last week when I realized that prednisone was helping my ears. But as soon as they cleared, they fill right back up again. I then realized that prednisone wasn't going to be the total answer.

I am allergic to the world! My doctor used to call me the "Boy In The Plastic Bubble" even though that gender was wrong.

Jeremy, a friend of mine who owns a store called "Herbs For Health" in Ogden, Utah, helps me so much with finding the right supplements and foods to eat.

I have discovered in the last two days that I am allergic to onion, and tree nuts (I can have peanuts. They don't come from trees) .

I have been eating almonds, walnuts and onion (my favorite food) everyday!

I ate these foods plus cashews everyday on my 15 day trip when I was deaf the whole time. If only I had learned this information before I left. That would have been wonderful! But, it's all good! I've learned it now.

I have found that I am allergic to 24 foods! Only nine on the list was known to me previously! This is a huge revelation to me. And I am going to be able to get on the road to recovery!

I was also happy to find a few foods that I can eat that I didn't think I could. Like Oats. I have had a difficult time eating oats since I was a baby. It is possible that the oats were cross-contaminated with wheat. And it is also possible that I was getting some wheat in my diet through baby foods.

At any rate. I am so happy even though sad to learn I can't eat onions anymore. I really do love them.

I have been running around like a teenager since last night. I have so much energy and strength. And I can hear! Yeah! I didn't even wear my hearing aid today, and could hear everyone perfectly!

Fibromyalgia

My dear sister Sharon suffers from fibromyalgia, fatigue syndrome, and migraine headaches. She has certain food in tolerances like I have as well. However, she can eat wheat and milk which would be wonderful.

She is leaving for visit to her daughter Robyn's house in Chicago the same day we leave to go back to Arizona, which is next Monday. I hope she will be well enough and strong enough so that she they can all have a wonderful visit.

Sharon is coming to my house at noon or so tomorrow so I can take her to my friend Jeremy who I talk a lot about in my blog. He owns the store, "Herbs For Health" on 27 th and Washington Blvd., in Ogden, Utah.

I give him as many plugs as I can because he has helped me so much and I know he can help other people, but they have to know he's there, in order to see him.

I would be very shocked if she didn't respond to any products that Jeremy tests her for. I'm as certain as I am writing this that he will find a weakness in one or more of her systems and be able to find the correct herb to strengthen her body.

We've planned to get her there for the past six months, but she is so sick, she doesn't even feel well enough to get help. It's a terrible thing to be so weak and in pain as well.

We all have systems and organs that need support, and extra nourishment. And Jeremy is wonderful at figuring out which herbs to administer. He's not an MD. But he has helped me more than many MD's I gone to. I sure like my last two doctors though. They are wonderful!

Mike Emptied The Storage Unit

We have been paying a monthly fee for things that we stored last October when we moved. It was really time to get it emptied and decide whether to keep, sale or donate the rest of the stuff.

I have been sick all day, although I have helped him work on the storage unit the last two days. But he did the rest by himself today. It took two car loads, but the job is done.

We sold the refrigerator yesterday that was in our condo, and brought our fridge from the unit.
That was a big job, and a good one to have out of the way. Also yesterday we sold the entertainment center and a few other thing smaller items the men noticed we wanted to get rid of.

Mike sold the TV to Chris and Dave. We've had a dozen calls from people who wanted it.

He hauled many items off to be donated, and the rest of the stuff is in our condo. I really need to get feeling better so I can organize what's here. Maybe tomorrow.

Having A Sick Day

I am not used to having to stay in bed! And I really haven't stayed there, but I feel terrible and don't have the strength to do anything.

I had the best day yesterday that I have had in a longtime, and about 8 PM the noise in my head was so loud that I thought I was going to lose my mind! I didn't feel too lousy by the time I went to bed, except for the darn noise, but by 5 AM I awoke and knew I was in trouble. My heart was racing and I had tightness in my chest. It felt very similar to when I landed in the hospital in April.

This time I knew what it was. My potassium was low. I took a potassium pill and a magnesium pill because I knew I needed that one too, and went back to bed. The pain and tightness started to relax immediately but then I realized I hadn't taken anything for my heart. I have heart pill and got back out of bed and took one of those too.

I slept until 7 and awoke feeling much better! But when I tried getting out of bed I almost passed out. It was a chore getting breakfast, but I knew I was not going to get better unless I ate, hydrated myself, and took more supplements.

I've had no strength all day, and now it's time to figure out some dinner.

The episode in April took my strength for several weeks. I hope this one will be at a minimal and I will regain my strength more quickly this time.

My Second Test On Ears This Week

I just had another hearing test done with my hearing aid folks, and the good news is that my right ear has improved since I bought my hearing aid a year ago.

I can hear! Yeah! The prednisone is really helping my ears and I just had another test done on my ears and my left ear has improved since I got my hearing aid a year ago! My right ear that didn't have meniere's in it until this month has lost the low tones which is typical of meniere's. I can still hear on a normal level on the high tones. I already had some loss in the right ear. The normal level is 20below zero, and I was at 45. Now I'm at 70. But, I have another week on the prednisone and I am still tweaking the sodium intake, so I think it will go back where it was again. Probably just optimistic. But that's how I am. Anyway, I feel very blessed! And I'm very happy.

I can hear!

Yeah! I can hear! The prednisone is really helping and I have found more foods that are triggers that fill up my ears. I ate a little rice milk ice cream. I am not allergic to rice milk but for some reason when foods are creamy like ice cream, it fills my ears up. I also had a small amount of butter on my baked potato and cooked vegetables and that filled my ears up. I can't handle any kind of dairy what so ever!

The good news that my ears have had a few days to clear again and I can hear well, even without my hearing aid. Time will tell whether I'll have to have a second hearing aid or not, but I doubt I will. The hearing in my right has been compromised with this last attack and it is possible that I have some permanent loss. I still have another week on the prednisone, and it will be telling to see how the audiology test comes out next week.

Well, this is discouraging. I just ate the most delicious egg salad sandwich using my rice bread and low sodium mayonnaise, and I can tell my ears are filling up already.

It's a work in progress and I have to keep working at it.

Thanks Robyn

Robyn is always there for me. She is the greatest help!

She and Pam commented on my "Counting Your Blessing Blog" and wanted to know why they weren't there. I told Pam I was saving them for next Sunday. I intend to do this every Sunday, but only want to do 10 at a time. I need someone for next Sunday.

She wasn't too happy, and said that she wanted to be among the top ten. She is. I just needed to spread the blessings out a bit.

I really don't need to spread any of my blessings out. I have so many blessings to count that I should be able to do 10 a week for the rest of my life without any problem. We all can!

I Can Hear!

My ears have been clearing nicely since I've been on prednisone and watching my salt intake! This makes me so happy!

It was frustrating this morning because after taking the medication the noise in my head was horrible! I put up with it because - well because I have to for one thing, but I also know that the noise means my ears are clearing and that the noise will subside at least a little bit.

Right now there is no noise at all in my right ear, except I just paid attention and can hear a tiny bit of tinitis. Tinitis is the word they use for noise, but more specifically, for the high pitch noise. I can barely hear it. Maybe that's because my left ear is fairly noisy right now and is drowning out the noise in the right ear.

I was also frustrated this morning that the sound waves were - well just that - wavy.

I was happy though that the volume was good. I didn't even bother to put in my hearing aid today, and Mike said I was hearing better than I have heard all month with it in. He could tell by how I responded to his questions and had no problem hearing what he was saying at all, and he was talking at a normal level. I could also hear the TV perfectly, and he was amazed because it wasn't even turned up.

This evening I took a phone call and could hear perfectly! I am ready to take phone calls people! I just told everyone yesterday that I still couldn't talk on the phone. Well, now I can. Yeah!!!

Cleaning Out The Storage

A year ago when we were moving to Arizona we put things in a storage unit to later use for the condo we are living in now. We will be here one more week and haven't finished cleaning out the storage unit. Mike paid mover to move everything here when we got here in April, but felt it necessary to leave certain items in storage that we didn't need here yet.

We been paying $65 a month for the past 6 months and we certainly don't want to keep paying for another 6 months while we're gone. I've been wanting to get this cleaned out since we got here, but we've never taken the time to do it until today.

We will need a truck to get out two of the items which are large. Our refrigerator and old entertainment center. There is a woman coming for the entertainment center tomorrow I believe. We had it advertised with KSL.com a great local, free, advertising agency here in the area.This is not a paid post for them, but you really ought to check them out. They are great! Even if you don't live in the area, there are really great deals on this sight that would be worth shipping.

We sold the entertainment center and the TV that went in it. The only thing left is to sale the fridge. Not the one in the storage center, but the one in our condo. We want ours. It is much nicer.

We filled our car with a lot of the small stuff and will go back tomorrow or soon to get more of the small stuff.

I love getting organized and this is just one more step in the right direction

Playstation 3

Christmas is right around the corner. I know Halloween is really right around the corner and we don't like to just run over Halloween and Thanksgiving. They are special holidays by themselves, but for the last 4 decades they seem to be more and more like one big holiday.

This will be one of the biggest desired gifts this Christmas. What am I talking about? playstation 3 of course!

If you go to www.buy.com you will learn more about playstation 3 games and find many accessories to go with the game. And there are a lot of other great games and other products sold here.

Here Is More Information On The Ski Resort

This is from an article in the newspaper talking about the new ski resort planned in the Oquirrh Mountains on the west side of the Watasch Range in Utah and Salt Lale Counties, Utah.

I am one of the lucky landowners and hope this comes to fruition for me and my family money wise. We bought this land during the 60,000's hoping someday it would be valuable. I still don't know who valuable it is. We heard years ago that there plans were in the working for a ski resort there, but this ski resort is north of our land. However, there is mention in the news report that there will be 500,000 new residents living around that area. I don't know if they want to build up the mountain where we are but if you have ever been to Utah you will see the people do build their home right up to the top of the mountains. Time will tell and we will see what happens.


Enough skiers for a west-side resort?
By Leigh Dethman
Deseret Morning News
Published: October 6, 2007

Utah might have the greatest snow on Earth, but are there enough skiers to go around?

With plans for a new resort on the west side of the valley in the Oquirrh Mountains, ski industry insiders say another resort won't snow under the market.

Kennecott officials plan to build a new 3,150-acre ski resort in the mountains above Magna. The resort is part of Kennecott's future vision of Salt Lake County's west bench, with neighborhoods and businesses stretching across the Oquirrhs from the Utah County line all the way to the Great Salt Lake.

The development is estimated to bring in nearly 500,000 new residents in the next 75 years, many of whom will likely be skiers, said Russell Fox, manager of land planning for Kennecott.

The resort would be the first of its kind on the west side of the valley.

"All indications are the market can handle it," Fox said. "With the population potential out on the west bench, it's going to continue to impact the other ski resorts over time."

Nathan Rafferty, president and chief executive officer of Ski Utah, said another resort can only help the Salt Lake market.

"We're in our fourth record year in a row and our — knock on wood — industry here in Utah seems to be doing nothing but shooting upward," said Rafferty. "If they figure out the right niche for them in terms of what kind of customers they want to attract, I think they could do really well, and I'd love to see another resort complement the ones we've got."

Utah's 13 ski resorts put up record numbers last year, with 4,028,094 skier days. The state ended up No. 3 in total skiers behind Colorado and California.

Rafferty said ski markets can reach a point where one resort is too many, but Utah is not to that point yet.

"We're really growing," Rafferty said. "It will just force other resorts to elevate their game a little more and be more competitive, and that's all going to benefit the consumer. It's just another choice for people."

The resort is still in the very early planning stages, a spokeswoman for Kennecott said. The base elevation is planned for 6,200 feet, with the resort's peak reaching 9,350 feet, Fox said.

The planned resort will eventually overlook 10,000 homes in a secluded mountain community called the "Little Valley" flats.

Fox said planners have identified a ski area that is north facing, so the snowpack should be OK. Kennecott recently completed an initial analysis that looked at the slopes, angles and "everything that would justify that there could be a resort out there."

Now Kennecott officials will continue to monitor weather conditions to see what types of snowpacks the resort will get.

"So far, it's promising," Fox said.

Just when the resort is actually built is the real question. The sooner people move in, the sooner Kennecott will build the resort, Fox said.

Ski resorts on the east side of the valley say they're more than happy to share the snow.

"If this is an opportunity to introduce more people to the sport of skiing and snowboarding then we think it's great," said Julia Partain, spokeswoman for Snowbird resort. "We're just really in favor getting more people on skis and boards."

Kennecott also plans to build hiking and biking trails in the Oquirrh Mountains, a spokeswoman said.

Update On My Meniere's

Bad News! and Good News!!!

Yesterday morning Mike and I started our day at the dentist. As usual, I didn't need anything except the cleaning I was there for. We took both cars because I had to rush off to the ear doctor while Mike had his appointment.

I started with the audiologist. She thought it was my first visit and intended to give me the electronystagmogram (ENG) where they fill your ears with warm and cold water or air, to check the balance canals to see if the ears are working properly.

This test was done a few years ago and it was awful. I got vertigo and had to drive myself home. I didn't want to have to go through it again, and I told Mike that I was going to tell her I didn't want the test. He wanted me to do whatever I was supposed to do, and I figured that she would want another one, so I was sure I wasn't going to win.

But when I told her that I'd already had the test and didn't want it again, she immediately agreed that I didn't have to have another one. She asked if I had been positively diagnosed and I told her yes, nine years ago.

She did the hearing test and the bad news is that my worst fears were realized. Meniere's has now gone into my right ear, and it is as bad as my left. It's still considered to be the better ear though, because my left ear hears 80 below, (the normal line is at 20 below). My old charts show the line starting at 80 and then it goes up to a higher number and comes back down to 80 again. Like a V. Most people lose their high tones but meniere's patients lose the low tones.

My right ear was at 40 below and is now at 85 below, meaning the low tones are worse than the left ear. But it has the V so it goes up higher, and comes back down again, which means I hear the high tones a little better in my right ear.

Now for the Good News!

The doctor prescribed prednisone (which I know isn't necessary a good thing), but he says that some people respond to prednisone which can actually totally reverse meniere's, and restore the hearing loss. That would be wonderful! I always felt this was possible because even though I was told that the nerve was damaged and was dead, so to speak, I questioned it because my hearing can fluctuate up and down from day to day.

He also gave me a pamphlet showing which foods are the highest in salt. I thought I was eating a salt-free diet. Wrong! There is so much salt in foods that we don't even think of. Celery is a high sodium food. I examined all the food in my pantry and fridge and where I thought I had been eating a salt-free diet, I was actually taking in a lot of salt.

I got on the web and found low-sodium recipes for the condiments I like to eat. I love ketchup and unfortunately, I didn't find one low sodium ketchup. I really don't want to make my own. I might though, you never know. I did bottle my own ketchup in the 60's when I was raising my children. It didn't taste as good as the bottled kind so I only tried it once. But I might like it better now, especially if that's the only kind I can eat.

I found a great recipe for low sodium tartar sauce which I love to eat on my salmon, and I found a home made low sodium recipe for mayonnaise. I've had a home made mayonnaise recipe since the sixties but I wanted to compare the one I have to the one on the web.

It's very easy to make. But the bad thing is that it will only last in the refrigerator for a day or two. I don't eat very much mayo and that won't work. I thought I would try to divide the ingredients into 4ths. and see how that works.

In the meantime I bought the lowest sodium mayo I could find. It is Hellman's to you in the east and Best Foods for us in the west. It has always been my favorite anyway. I've eaten Miracle Whip for years because I love that too, and it is one of the highest in sodium. So that's off my diet forever. Being deaf is just not worth it.

I looked at every tuna fish can in the store and only found one that I should be eating. It is Chicken of the Sea and is marked 50% lower in sodium. Tuna is one of the foods I've been eating that was high in sodium and I didn't realize it. I only like albacore and I don't know how I'll like this new tuna. But I'll give it my best shot.

Anyway, bottom line: I believe with the combination of the prednisone and my new low salt diet,( 2000 milligrams a day), I am going to have my hearing back, and hopefully get rid of this terrible noise in my head. The noise is worse when my ears are clearing, and right now I have a freight train running through my head.

Riverdale Girls

I belong to two groups of what we call ourselves as, "The Riverdale Girls".

One group comprises of a dozen girls who I graduated from high school with. We get together four times a year at a restaurant and have dinner and chat for a few hours. We don't talk about the old days, but rather talk about what's going on in our lives today. We have a lot of fun and have the opportunity to get to know each other better than we did in high school. The reason it's called the Riverdale girls is because it started with a group of girls who grew up together in Riverdale, Utah, and went to school together.

I didn't live in Riverdale, but lived in the city next to Riverdale. A City named Roy, Utah. Not a well known town until Jim McMahon put it on the map.

Last night a new high school friend joined us. I never use last names on my blog, so she's just Helen for the moment. We have had a lot of fun e-mailing each other today, and are happy to have found each other as new friends.

The second group of Riverdale Girls I belong to are friends I made while I lived in Riverdale which was 19 years after graduating from high school. You've heard me talk a lot about Pam and Joan, and you've seen their pictures on my blog. They came to visit Mike and me in Arizona last March. We had a great time and there are pictures to prove it.

Pam, Joan, Heather my niece who grew up in Riverdale, and sometimes a gal named Jean and I get together more than four or five times a year in Utah, to eat, visit, and we have taken vacations together. We have lots of fun, and have enjoyed each other's company for the past 30 years.

We are getting together tomorrow to take a walk along the River Walk that many of you are familiar with, since I put it on my blog. All my friends walk with me on the River Walk. It's very enjoyable. Pam and Joan and I plan to have lunch someplace, but we haven't planned where it will be yet.

I love all my friends in both my Riverdale Girl's Groups!

"Count Your Many Blessings"

It's Sunday and I want to count some of my most precious blessings.


We have a song we like to sing at our church, maybe you sing it at yours too. It goes like this: Count your many blessings name them one by one, count your many blessings - see what God has done.

He has done so many wonderful things for me that I can't list them all here. I'll just put my top ten for now.


1- My greatest blessing is the gift of repentance and the atonement provided by our savior Jesus Christ.

2- I'm truly grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ and for my membership in his gospel.

3- Truly grateful for the angel mother I was blessed to have. She was the most loving and wonderful mother a person could have, and I'm grateful for the love she offered me and for the guidance wherein she directed my paths that have lead to where I am in life today.

4- Grateful for my father. Without his contribution, I wouldn't be here today.

5- I have been very blessed with a wonderful husband. Mike is my best friend. He is always there for me, and puts my comfort and needs before his own. He is truly a saint.

6- I feel very blessed to have been able to have children. I was sure this was the only reason I was put on this earth. I never wanted a career, or to be famous, I just wanted kids. I was blessed to be able to have four of my own, and then additionally blessed with six more step-children. Five of whom lived in our home on a permanent basis after Mike and I married until they moved away on their own. I love and adore all my children and found it to be true. This was the reason I was put on this earth.

7- Mike and I have been blessed with more children, our precious grandchildren and great grandchildren. We have 19 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. We are expecting our 20th. in April (Sherri and Steve) and this may come as a surprise to a reader who may know Amy and Jake, but they are expecting a little one in June.

8- I'm grateful next for my health. Anyone who reads my blog knows I struggle with a few health problems, but for the most part I am very healthy and can live a normal life, and I'm able to do most everything that other people can do. I lived a perfectly normal life doing everything I wanted to do until I was over 50 years old. Then I came down with post polio, (I had polio as a child, but it never held me back) . At the time I came down with it, I was very limited in my mobility, but now I can keep up nicely with people. Stairs are my only challenge and I walk them when needed. I even went skiing twice last winter and plan to do it again this year. Not bad for a 67 year old, if I do say so myself.
And I suffer with meniere's Syndrome. It affect my ability to hear well, and affects my over-all well being. But then I get a handle on things and I'm off and running again. Well, not running. That would be in the same category as stair climbing. But I am off and walking. Pretty fast too.

9- I'm grateful for this beautiful land we live in. The good old USA. I love America! When you think of the odds that bring us where we are today, it's quite mind-boggling. I want you to think of the odds of being born to live in this day and age - which I think is the best time to be here. Then think of the odds of being born in America, next would be the odds of moving here after you were born in another country. I have nothing against other countries. I love them. My ancestors lived in other countries, England and Ireland. I can't help but think I'm blessed to live here though. Now think about where you live in America. I happen to love where I live, in Utah and Arizona. Now think of the odds of how you happened to come to the family you came to. I know I was blessed to have the parents, brothers and sisters, and aunts and uncles I have.
How about the odds of good health? I could go on and on, but if think if your think about it, we are one in millions! We must be pretty special.

10- My next blessing is my brothers and sisters whom I love and adore. I also love Mike's brothers and sisters. We are truly blessed to be surrounded by wonderful people in our lives!

"Ben Stein And Christmas"

I think this is great! The more stand-up people we have in this world the better I like it. I like everything that Ben Stein says here, and I not only want to pass it on, but I want it right here on my blog and hope it gets read by lots and lots of people.


A lot of truth in this

The following was written by Ben Stein and recited by him on CBS Sunday Morning Commentary.

My confession:

I am a Jew, and every single one of my ancestors was Jewish. And it does not bother me even a little bit when people call those beautiful lit up, bejeweled trees Christmas trees. I don't feel threatened. I don't feel discriminated against. That's what they are: Christmas trees.

It doesn't bother me a bit when people say, 'Merry Christmas' to me. I don't think they are slighting me or getting ready to put me in a ghetto. In fact, I kind of like it. It shows that we are all brothers and sisters celebrating this happy time of year. It doesn't bother me at all that there is a manger scene on display at a key intersection near my beach house in Malibu. If people want a creche, it's just as fine with me as is the Menorah a few hundred yards away.

I don't like getting pushed around for being a Jew, and I don't think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians. I think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period. I have no idea where the concept came from that America is an explicitly atheist country. I can't find it in the Constitution and I don't like it being shoved down my throat.

Or maybe I can put it another way: where did the idea come from that we should worship Nick and Jessica and we aren't allowed to worship God as we understand Him? I guess that's a sign that I'm getting old, too. But there are a lot of us who are wondering where Nick and Jessica came from and where the America we knew went to.

In light of the many jokes we send to one another for a laugh, this is a little different: This is not intended to be a joke; it's not funny, it's intended to get you thinking.

Billy Graham's daughter was interviewed on the Early Show and Jane Clayson asked her 'How could God let something like this happen?' (regarding Katrina) Anne Graham gave an extremely profound and insightful response. She said, 'I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we've been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives. And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out. How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone?'

In light of recent events...terrorists attack, school shootings, etc. I think it started when Madeleine Murray O'Hare (she was murdered, her body found recently) complained she didn't want prayer in our schools, and we said OK. Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school. The Bible says thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbor as yourself. And we said OK.

Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn't spank our children when they misbehave because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem (Dr. Spock's son committed suicide). We said an expert should know what he's talking about. And we said OK.

Now we're asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don't know right from wrong, and why it doesn't bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves.

Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out. I think it has a great deal to do with 'WE REAP WHAT WE SOW.'

Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world's going to hell. Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says. Funny how you can send 'jokes' through e-mail and they spread like wildfire but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing. Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene articles pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion of God is suppressed in the school and workplace.

Are you laughing?

Funny how when you forward this message, you will not send it to many on your address list because you're not sure what they believe, or what they will think of you for sending it.

Funny how we can be more worried about what other people think of us than what God thinks of us.

Pass it on if you think it has merit. If not then just discard it... no one will know you did. But, if you discard this thought process, don't sit back and complain about what bad shape the world is in. My Best Regards.

Honestly and respectfully,
Ben Stein

Christmas

I can't believe Christmas is right around the corner. I loved Christmas so much when I was a child that I thought it was the most magical day of the year.

I felt that way when I was raising my children too. It was still a magical day. I remember on day thinking, "I can't you believe it's Christmas". It was almost like a day that only came around once in a while, not every year.

I'm must have grown up, because now it's more like just a day. But I do love Christmas for children. I especially love to see our grandchildren at Christmas Time. It's still a very magical day for them.

Meniere's Syndrome And The Weather

I am so frustrated with my ears being plugged. The weather is cold, rainy and snowy, and even though I am in the house, bundled up, trying to stay warm, I'm still cold, and I'm more deaf than I was when I awoke this morning.

I always blame myself, but it's not always what I'm doing. The weather has a huge impact on my hearing and I can't take any blame for the weather.

I read something about the weather causing problems a few days ago on the web, and just now went to Ask.com and asked "How is meniere's disease affected by the weather?" And there it was. 70 % of the people suffering with this disease is affected. I added the chart more for me than anyone reading this. I need the information I put on my blog for me. I read and study and then forget what I've learned and where I got it from.

Mike and I were planning to leave for Arizona the 21st. but have moved it up to the 15th. We would leave sooner but I have too many doctor appointments to get out of the way before we go.

Mike suggested we might have to see doctors when we get there, and just leave.

The real problem is that if I don't leave, I can get another infection, and the infections injure the nerve and I could lose more of my hearing permanently!

The blue line on the chart is for fullness. That is what I am experiencing right now. It feels the same as when you are in an airplane. You know that as soon as your ears pop you can hear better.

There are two nerves in the ear. One effects balance and the other hearing. Whatever nerve you compress or affect with inflammation, atmospheric pressure or irritation, like the things I am allergic to will cause these symptoms.

That would be true in my case too, except that I can't pop my ears. They will pop when the atmosphereic pressure changes back to normal.

Mountains and weather is where the blue line is the highest. I live near the mountains in Utah and the elevation of 4500 - 4800 feet high.

I'm Feeling A Lot Better

One good thing about my health problems is that I bounce back quickly. The eye doctor asked me two days ago when I would be able to hear again. I had told him that my hearing comes and goes. I said, "tomorrow I hope". It usually only take 24 hours.

It took longer. I was more deaf yesterday than the day before. When my ears start to clear it gets very noisy in my head. I always have noise, but the noise I hear when my ears are clearing is loud enough to wake the dead. Or at least wake a sleeping person, which is what happened. It's difficult to endure but I kept telling myself that this was a positive, I knew I would be able to hear better the next day.

It was true. I do hear better today. We just watched the morning session of General Conference and I was able to hear fairly well. I couldn't hear the music though. It sounded terrible!

Susan just called and I struggled to carry on a conversation. There were several times that I had to ask her to repeat what she said.

The cold symptoms are mostly gone. And I am grateful that I am on the mend.

My Brother Mike

There are a lot of Mikes in my life. You hear me talking about my sweet husband Mike all the time, and once in a while you hear me talk about my sweet son Mike. Along with these Mike's is my brother Mike and his daughter Mikal. Lots of Mike's It's a good name.

I want to say that my brother Mike is amazing!

He has two diseases. MS and Huntington Corea! Two terrible diseases, and Huntington Corea is like having two disease at the same time. Because the symptoms are similar to Parkinson's disease, and the patient also experiences memory loss similar to Alzheimer's. Terrible situation.

He is doing great for the condition he's in. He lives by himself. Takes complete care of himself. And goes the extra mile in helping me with genealogy. I love him so much and respect him for his good choices, and for his wonderful spirit and attitude.

You will hear these words every time you talk to him, "I am getting better everyday"!

Lots To Do To Get Ready To Leave

There is still a lot we need to do before leaving for Arizona. And I am too sick to do it.

Mike is running around getting medicine and things for me. He is the dearest husband! I don't know what I would do without him. I certainly don't want to ever find out either!

KSL Ads

Mike was up late last night on this computer getting our recent trip pictures on the computer so I can add a few to my blog.

He also worked hard on getting some of our furniture we want to sell in the next two weeks, on the computer for KSL adds. I sure hope we get the entertainments center and refrigerator sold before we go. We are letting them go at a steal!

Our entertainment center was originally $400 on sale at R.C. Willey's (a nice furniture store) and we are only asking $75.00. That sounds like a steal to me. It's not brand new, but we take good care of our things.

The refrigerator really is a steal! It is practically brand new. Has only been used a few months. Was $650 new and we are selling it for $325. That sounds like another steal to me!

Full Blown Cold

I am really sink today! I was hoping to get my strength back by now, but it's worse. I'm doctoring myself up with Airborne, you know that stuff the teacher developed, Sudafed to clear my sinus's, allergy medicine because my throat is itching like this allergy related. Usually is. And I'm using a natural antibiotic called Collodial Silver. I've written paid posts about this product before so you may think that's what this is, but it's not a paid post. I really do use this product when I have an infection. And it really does work.

I'm also deaf as a doornail. Well, not quite, but I won't be able to talk on the phone today for sure.

I was hoping to choose my frames from my new glasses, but I don't feel well enough to leave the house. Not a good idea anyway, it's cold outside, and I already have a cold.

I'm Homesick

Writing that last blog made me homesick to go back to Phoenix. We will be leaving for our Apache Junction home in two weeks. We love it when we're there and love Utah when we're here. By the time I get to Phoenix (sounds like a song, huh)! Oh, it is a song, and ironically enough the singer Glenn Campbell just happens to live there. The only time we see him is when he's on TV and has gotten into trouble again. Usually with alcohol. Anyway, I was going to say that when were away from our Utah home - we get homesick for this home too. Mostly, I just miss my children, grandchildren and friends.

The reason we go is the weather is too cold for me. The weather turned a few days ago, and now I've got a cold. It will get warmer again before we leave. In fact, right after General Conference, the weather will clear up. See the saying goes like this, "When the Saints meet The Heaven's weep." You can say what you want about that, but it rains or clouds up almost 100% of the time of General Conference which is held about April 6, and about October 6, every year.

Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader?

Do you know the TV show I'm talking about? I do pretty well on this show. The girl on the show is up to $100,000, and still going. I don't watch very many shows, and right now I wouldn't be watching anything because as usual, I'm deaf! This is because of the cold. Or the cold was brought on my whatever made me deaf.

I bought a gluten-free brownie mix and Mike made the brownies two days ago. I might of gotten away with eating one, but I over did it, and ate too many. I don't know if that is what caused my problem though, because I also had a small bowl of popcorn last night. Salt!

Oh well, I should be able to hear tomorrow. It doesn't usually take very many days for my body to recuperate. That's a good thing.

Well, back to the show. Have to see how I do. I can already tell you, "I am not as smart as a fifth-grader"!

Airborne

I have come down with a cold! This is so frustrating! I had just gotten my hearing back, and was feeling good now I'm down again.

Mike is at the store buying me "Airborne cold tablets". You know the ones that were developed by the teacher. This is not a paid post, I just want to remind you how well they work.

I had a cold a year ago and got right on the medication and it really did knock it fast. Here's hoping it works that fast again this time.

Lots Of Doctors To See

Were getting ready to go back to Arizona. The weather has turned off chilly, and one day was downright cold! The temperatures are back in the seventies until tomorrow and then back down to 45 degrees. Burr! Then they pop back up to the seventies again. That's a positive.

I would be out of here if it weren't for the fact that we don't have our home ready for us to leave yet. We need to sell a few large items, An entertainments center, and a fridge. We also need to clean out the storage unit and get everything moved over here.

We had a problem with the ceiling and I want that done as well. We need a plumber for the washer. The hot water leaks and I have to wash everything with cold water. But, that is one thing that will have to wait until we get back again.

And I want to make sure that I have all my prescriptions filled and take care of any doctor appointments I need to make.

Two days ago I saw our primary physical for the first time. After Mike retired from the military his insurance changed to Tri-Care, a wonderful insurance company! They have certain providers and Dr. White is one of them here. He set up a blood test which I took yesterday, and is setting up a bone-density test, and set up an appointment with a specialist for my meneire's disease.

I have an appointment today to get a pair of glasses. I had lasik in my left eye and see 20/20, but the right eye is 20/90 or something like that. It creates what is called mono-vision and I am able to read as well as see distance. The problem is at night. I can't see well at night anyway and driving at night is downright dangerous!

I have an appointment next week to check my hearing and give my hearing aid a tune-up. I think that will be it for the doctors. It will be nice to get to Arizona and all that out of the way.

New Ski Resort In Utah

My sister Sharon called today to say that she had heard on the news or read in a newspaper that there are plans being made to put a new ski resort on the west side of the Salt Lake Valley where we own 20 acres. This could be great news for us!

My mother heard this rumor when she was alive and she passed away in 1987, so this rumor has been around for a very long time.

My sister Melody called the Land office in Utah Valley last year and asked about our land in particular and was told that there was plans for a ski resort right there and that we were welcome to come to the office and could actually see exactly where the runs are projected to be and the lodge etc. I would love to go and see that. That would be amazing!

We received a phone call last year asking if we were willing to sell our property. We said yes. I am a former Realtor and had my title officer Lori pull on the property and see who the surrounding owners where. I intended to contact each one of them and ask if they have heard of the ski resort, and see if they've been contacted about possibly selling the land. I didn't do it, and plan to do it in the next few days. I think we should stick together as land owners and get the highest possible price for it.

At any rate. It's all pretty exciting!

Gluten- Free Brownies

I have spent the entire day blogging. Sometimes I wonder if I have a life outside this computer. My husband gave up and went to bed without me, I think I'd better go join him.

He made brownies for me today out of a package of gluten-free brownie mix I bought months ago, and have been too chicken to make. Even though they were gluten-free I still wasn't sure I could eat them because they are chocolate, and I usually can't eat chocolate. It gives me vertigo, and makes me go deaf. I wasn't sure though if it was really the chocolate or the milk and wheat combination that caused me the problems. This recipe has no wheat nor any milk, and guess what? I did great! I never get treats!

I ate two brownies and didn't seem to have any negative reactions at all! Yeah!!!!!

Robyn

It is so fun having a niece as a blogger friend. Of course, if it wasn't for Robyn I wouldn't be doing this at all! She's a great help when I need it, and makes me laugh while I'm learning the trade.

I can't wait to go to Las Vegas to postie.con, we will have lots of fun together, and I will have a chance to meet some of the bloggers I've gotten know on the web.

Vermont

As most of you know, Mike and I took a long trip the last two weeks. The entire two weeks, that's how long.

Our last part of the trip was to go to Vermont to see the beautiful trees, and change of the leaves. The east coast is gorgeous in the fall. The trees look like fruit loops! Tons of colors!

We were a few weeks too early, and a few weeks too late a few years ago when we made the trip back east. But this year all we had to do was come back home. We had the most beautiful sight when we got back home. It is colder in Utah than it was on the east coast this year. That is unusual but true this year.

We arrived home to a very beautiful sight. The mountains top was covered with snow, and the trees on the mountains had turned colors. It was quite a sight to see. Mike took a picture and as soon as I can find the pictures on this computer, I will get it on for you to see.

Yeah! I Can Hear Today

I have been working hard the last few days to get my ears to unplug. How do I do that? First of all I have to avoid eating certain foods that cause the problem. Wheat, milk, corn, sugars, salt and butter are the worst. I haven't eaten those foods except, we just returned from a half month trip and we ate at restaurants everyday, three times a day, the whole time. Restaurants over salt their food and I think this was the biggest reason I was plugged up. I was also using too much butter.

My friend Pam suggested that it might have something to do with wax in my ears. I knew this was a possibility and told her that I was going to the doctor to get that and other things checked. I went to the doctor yesterday and and did have wax in my right ear. They cleaned it out, but the bad thing was they cleaned it out by using a water pick bath. Worse thing you can do to a person with Meniere's Disease is to put water in their ear.

I could hear better as soon as the wax was gone. (I never hear well, but it was better), but within fifteen minutes I started going deaf and by last night I was so deaf I couldn't hear the TV, which happens quite often actually.

The worst thing was that my sister Sharon called and I couldn't talk to her. I could hear her faint voice on the phone, but couldn't distinguish one word she said. I had to hand the phone to Mike and have him translate. She and I can talk for hours, and this conversation lasted about five minutes.

The horrible noise in my head woke me at 4:00 this morning. It's wonderful when my ears clear, but there is a price to be paid for that. See, there is always noise in my head. It's either a buzz or can be a roar. Right now it's a buzz. It's quite amazing that you can get used to it. I just go someplace else in my head and ignore it.

So when I'm really deaf, I also can't hear the noise in my head. That's a good thing, but I still can't hear anything else so that's a bad thing. When the ear starts to clear I not only hear the normal noise, but the nerve endings have been attacked by water in this case and the noise is so loud it sounds like a fire alarm going off in a fire-house with a high pitch.

The noise kept me awake for awhile, but my brain uses it as white noise (it's anything but white) and I go back to sleep.

I awoke to the normal noise in my head, and I can hear! Not as well as you can, but at least I'm in the world again. You can't imagine how isolated you feel from the world when you can't hear! It's horrible!

Meniere's Disease is a progressive disease and it is very likely that I will completely lose my hearing some day. That will be a very sad day for me. I pray that it won't ever happen.

Jay Leno Comment "Amen!"

This from Jay Leno!

"The other day I was reading Newsweek magazine and came across some poll data I found rather hard to believe. It must be true given the source, right?

The Newsweek poll alleges that 67 percent of Americans are unhappy with the direction the country is headed and 69 percent of the country is unhappy with the performance of the president. In essence 2/3s of the citizenry just ain't happy and want a change.

So being the knuckle dragger I am, I started thinking, "What are we so unhappy about?"

Is it that we have electricity and running water 24 hours a day, 7 days a week? Is our unhappiness the result of having air conditioning in the summer and heating in the winter? Could it be that 95.4 percent of these unhappy folks have a job? Maybe it is the ability to walk into a grocery store at any time and see more food in moments than Darfur has seen in the last year?

Maybe it is the ability to drive from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean without having to present identification papers as we move through each state? Or possibly the hundreds of clean and safe motels we would find along the way that can provide temporary shelter?

I guess having thousands of restaurants with varying cuisine from around the world is just not good enough. Or could it be that when we wreck our car, emergency workers show up and provide services to help all and even send a helicopter to take you to the hospital.

Perhaps you are one of the 70 percent of Americans who own a home. You may be upset with knowing that in the unfortunate case of a fire, a group of trained firefighters will appear in moments and use top notch equipment to extinguish the flames thus saving you, your family and your belongings.

Or if, while at home watching one of your many flat screen TVs, a burglar or prowler intrudes, an officer equipped with a gun and a bullet-proof vest will come to defend you and your family against attack or loss. This all in the backdrop of a neighborhood free of bombs or militias raping and pillaging the residents. Neighborhoods where 90 percent of teenagers own cell phones and computers.

How about the complete religious, social and political freedoms we enjoy that are the envy of everyone in the world? Maybe that is what has 67 percent of you folks
unhappy.

Fact is, we are the largest group of ungrateful, spoiled brats the world has ever seen. No wonder the world loves the U.S., yet has a great disdain for its citizens. They see us for what we are. The most blessed people in the world who do nothing but
complain about what we don't have, and what we hate about the country instead of thanking the good Lord we live here.

I know, I know. What about the president who took us into war and has no plan to get us out? The president who has a measly 31 percent approval rating? Is this the same president who guided the nation in the dark days after 9/11? The president that cut taxes to bring an economy out of recession? Could this be the same guy who has been called every name in the book for succeeding in keeping all the spoiled ungrateful brats safe from terrorist attacks?

The commander in chief of an all-volunteer army that is out there defending you and me? Did you hear how bad the President is on the news or talk show? Did this news affect you so much, make you so unhappy you couldn't take a look around for yourself and see all the good things and be glad?

Think about it...... are you upset at the President because he actually caused you personal pain OR is it because the "Media" told you he was failing to kiss your sorry ungrateful behind every day.

Make no mistake about it. The troops in Iraq and Afghanistan have volunteered to serve, and in many cases may have died for your freedom. There is currently no draft in this country. They didn't have to go.

They are able to refuse to go and end up with either a "general" discharge, an "other than honorable" discharge or, worst case scenario, a "dishonorable" discharge after a few days in the brig.

So why then the flat-out discontentment in the minds of 69 percent of Americans? Say what you want but I blame it on the media. If it bleeds it leads and they specialize in bad news. Everybody will watch a car crash with blood and guts. How many will watch kids selling lemonade at the corner? The media knows this and media outlets are for-profit corporations. They offer what sells , and when criticized, try to defend
their actions by "justifying" them in one way or another. Just ask why they tried to allow a murderer like O.J. Simpson to write a book about how he didn't kill his wife, but if he did he would have done it this way...... Insane!

Stop buying the negativism you are fed everyday by the media. Shut off the TV, burn Newsweek, and use the New York Times for the bottom of your bird cage. Then start being grateful for all we have as a country. There is exponentially more good than bad.

We are among the most blessed people on Earth and should thank God several times a day, or at least be thankful and appreciative."

"With hurricanes, tornados, fires out of control, mud slides, flooding, severe thunderstorms tearing up the country from one end to another, and with the threat
of bird flu and terrorist attacks, "Are we sure this is a good time to take God out of the Pledge of Allegiance?"


Jay Leno

Thank you Jay Leno for standing up to the pressure and the media at a time when it would be a very unpopular thing to do!

I agree 100%. And I'm so grateful for the good people of America!

My quote won't be perfect, but it goes something like this,

"All that's necessary for evil to succeed is for good people to do nothing"

Thanks Jay Leno, for doing something! Peggy

More Laughs - - We Could Use A few Of These

There is so much stress in our lives today. It's a good thing to take a few minutes to laugh! They (I never really know who "They" are, but anyway they say we need to have a good laugh several times a day along with our several hugs a day, to be happy and healthy. Here's my contribution to making you happy, and healthy. Peggy

Laugh Lines: Jay Leno and Conan O’Brien

Article Tools Sponsored By
Published: September 23, 2007

JAY LENO

President Bush has tapped retired federal judge Michael Mukasey to replace Attorney General Alberto Gonzales. Conservatives in Washington say Mukasey is a real law-and-order guy. To which Bush said, “He was on that TV show, too?”

They say one of the items O. J. was trying to get back was the suit he wore to court the day he was acquitted of murder. O. J. calls it his lucky suit. Apparently, Phil Spector wanted to borrow it.

CONAN O’BRIEN

Today, the director of national intelligence asked Congress to expand the government’s power to read people’s e-mails and spy on their phone conversations. The intelligence director admitted he got the idea from the New England Patriots.

Earlier tonight, the Democratic Presidential candidates took part in a debate sponsored by the senior citizens’ group AARP. It was just like the other debates, except the moderator asked the same question over and over.

Yesterday during a speech, Jesse Jackson criticized Barack Obama and said Obama’s been “acting like he’s white.” Obama said Jackson’s comments were hurtful and they completely ruined his night at the Jimmy Buffett concert.

This is not a paid post. Just thought it was funny.

Late Night Comedians - A Good Laugh!

More good laughs! I love Jay Leno. We love to tape him when he does his Tuesday night "Headlines." They are amazingly funny! I love "Jay Walking" too. People have said that he only puts the craziest things people say on the air. Well, of course he does! Who wants to watch smart people answer the questions. What you need to focus on is: Are these people for real? He asked a lady one day," What is the name of the ocean off the California coast"? She answered, "The Atlantic". She lived in California!!!

A Good Laugh:
9/27/2007 brought to you by AgWeb.com

Jay Leno: “I guess ‘Resident Evil’ drew a lot of attention this past weekend. Not the movie, the Iranian president.”

Jay Leno: “As you know, the president of Iran, Mahmoud ‘I’m A Nut Job’ has arrived in the United States. You know he was issued a visa to come here? Isn’t that amazing? You need a visa to get into the United States now? When did they start with that?”

Jay Leno: “Anyway, earlier today -- earlier today, ‘I’m A Nut Job’ spoke to students at Columbia University. You know why he chose Columbia? … Because he said Notre Dame’s football program sucks this year.”

Jay Leno: “Actually, there’s a lot of controversy over letting him speak at Columbia. Although the dean of the university said that he would even let Hitler speak. That’s what he said. Apparently, he didn’t realize he just did.”

Jay Leno: “Anyway, as you know, -- ‘I’m A Nut Job’, whatever his name is – he’s against drugs, he’s against alcohol, against premarital sex, against homosexuality and pornography. What’s he speaking at a college for? Good luck finding any common ground with those kids.”

Jay Leno: “In his speech, he said, ‘There are no homosexuals in Iran.’ That’s what he said. Too bad, because they need somebody to choreograph those parades they have every week, you know?”

Jay Leno: “According to a new report out of Cuba, Fidel Castro is near death, but is clinging to life, and he is determined to outlive the Bush Presidency. Wow. Just like Dan Rather.”

Jay Leno: “And Hillary Clinton gave an interview to the gay magazine ‘The Advocate.’ And when asked about the rumor that she was a lesbian, Hillary denied it. Hillary said she is not a lesbian. And a confused President Bush said today he has no problem with anybody being a lesbian, as long as they are in this country legally.”

Jay Leno: “And presidential candidate Rudolph Giuliani also on the campaign trail. He spoke to the NRA -- the National Rifle Association -- last week. And he tried to appeal to them by saying that two of his marriages were shotgun weddings.”

Jay Leno: “And the ‘Forbes’ list of the 400 richest Americans is out. Everybody on the list is now a billionaire. You can’t even be a millionaire and be on the list. You have to be a billionaire to be on the list. So, see that? The Bush tax cuts are working.”

David Letterman: “Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is here to visit the U.N. and also to recover some stolen sports memorabilia.”

Conan O’Brien: “The president of Iran gave a speech in New York City today, and thousands of New Yorkers are really upset about it. Yeah. Yeah, the New Yorkers said, ‘If we want to hear a short-tempered Iranian man yell at us, we’ll take a cab.’”

Conan O’Brien: “But during his speech at Columbia University, President Ahmadinejad says his country, this is a quote, ‘doesn’t have a problem with gay people because they don’t have homosexuals in Iran,’” which “finally explains why Ahmadinejad gets away with wearing a windbreaker from 1983.”

Conan O’Brien: “This Saturday, President Bush will be on hand in Washington to celebrate the seventh annual National Book Festival. That’s right. The President is very excited about the festival because he’s been named Cliff Notes’ Man of the Year.”

This is not a paid post. Just thought you'd enjoy it.

Romney Inspires Jay Leno Punchlines

I love both these guys and found them together in an article you can find by simple putting "Jay Leno" in a search engine, and away we go, it will appear, along with a ton of other good stuff! Mostly funny stuff.! I couldn't resist adding some of them to my blog.



Romney: Gov't ethics inspire Jay Leno punchlines

by Andrew Malcolm

A new advertising offensive by Mitt Romney is underway, with the former Massachusetts governor taking direct aim at some in his own party and attempting to cast himself as the most electable agent of change.

With polls showing voters want a change and Republicans seeming on the defensive, much of the recent attention has been focused on Democrats Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.

But the new 30-second Romney ad, titled "Change begins with us," which has started in New Hampshire and will show up in Iowa by the weekend, hits his own Republican Party hard as big-government spenders with serious ethical challenges, and slips in a slap or two on the issue of immigration.

"If we're going to change Washington," Romney says, directly staring into the camera with a leafy green background, "Republicans have to put our own house in order. We can't be like Democrats--a party of big spending. We can't pretend our borders are secure from illegal immigration. We can't have ethical standards that are a punchline for Jay Leno."

Romney, above left, Michigan Republican Party photo. Leno, above right, NBC via Newsday.

The ad is part of a lengthy Romney advertising campaign in the early states that began with biographical sketches, and described his management and leadership skills in business and his rescuing the Salt Lake City Olympics and working as a Republican governing liberal Massachusetts.

Romney confronts head-on the corruption atmosphere many voters gave as a reason for electing a Democratic Congress last fall, and through his criticism of big spending tries to appeal to conservatives who feel President Bush went astray in that area of party orthodoxy.

The ad campaign has contributed to Romney's strong lead in Iowa and a smaller one in New Hampshire. In South Carolina he's trailing in fourth place behind Rudy Giuliani, Fred Thompson and John McCain.

Romney, who's going to California Sunday for a five-day swing, became the first GOP candidate to start running ads in South Carolina on Sept. 5 with what one advisor called a "significant" ad buy, and is going up with another in coming days. Both have previously run successfully in Iowa.

"When Republicans act like Democrats," Romney proclaims in one ad, "America loses. It's time for Republicans to start acting like Republicans. It's time for a change, and change begins with us."

-Andrew Malcolm writes for Top of the Ticket, the Los Angeles Times' political blog.


Posted by Mark Silva on September 20, 2007 6:52 AM |
Not a paid post.