All you coffee drinkers, I have some good news for you.  According to The Doctors TV show today, drinking coffee can reduce your risk of dementia by 65%!  So put that in your cup and drink it!

Apple cider vinegar and honey works for a sore throat.  1/4 cup each, mix real good and take 1 tsp. 4 times a day.  That’s what we’re doing!

Fried green tomatoes taste terrific, to me anyway.  But not everyone enjoys the taste or the texture, and there are those who won’t even give them a try.

So what do you do if you have green tomatoes and you wish they were red?  Put them in a brown paper bag such as a lunch sack and check them everyday.  I believe the time it takes to ripen depends on things like humidity and temperature, so just check the bag daily.  They should ripen twice as fast as they would if you were to just put them out on the counter.

Before you know it, your wish for red tomatoes will come true.

Read a suspenseful story about Wendell Arnold’s wishes coming true, or prayers answered, in his autobiography titled FROM THE COTTON PATCH TO Ph.D., GOD’S MANAGEMENT OF MAN THROUGH THE EYES OF A SCIENTIST.  Go to wendellarnold.com for more information!

“Hi, would you like to buy some girl scout cookies?” the little girl proudly asked in a bubbly tone.  “Sure,” I replied, who can say no to a little girl in uniform?

A box of thin mints for the birthday girl I am on my way to see, a box of Tagalongs to satisfy any chocolate cravings I might have in the next few days, and a box of Dulce de Leche just because they’re my favorite.  Yes, girl scout cookie time is upon us.  The girl scouts are trying to raise money and it would be nice if you could help them.

So what cookie is your favorite?  Which box will adorn your kitchen table, the one that makes you a part of the solution?  Yes, to the girl scouts, we can all be a part of their solution.

Is not using the turn signal a national problem, or is it just an issue in south Florida?

Driving home today, there was a good amount of traffic on the four lane road, and when one of the lanes became a right turn only lane, I deducted that there was a vehicle that did not want to remain in that lane.  First of all, the lane turns into an elementary school that had long ago dismissed and the parking lot was empty.  Secondly, the lady driving had a panicked look on her face as her eyes shifted from her side mirror to her windshield repetitively.  “Oh my gosh lady, turn on your turn signal!” I said, feeling a chuckle welling up and thinking, some people, hmm! 

In that moment, I felt that she was being stubborn, not turning on her turn signal to alert the other drivers that she needed out of her lane and into the only other one.  And no one let her in.  She got up to the school and stopped.  Other drivers honked, I assumed because no one knew what the heck this lady was doing.  Or maybe they did, just like I, but had an attitude of we’re not mind readers lady, you don’t tell us what you need, you don’t get our help.

Car after car passed her by while she sat stopped in that turn lane.  I directed my attention back to the windshield and stopped keeping tabs through my rear-view mirror.  So what’s the deal?  Does using the turn signal now signify some kind of status we shouldn’t be associated with?  I don’t get it.  But I do get that if you want to switch lanes, you have a much better chance of someone letting you in if you let them know you need in, and that can be accomplished by using your turn signal.

Doesn’t it bug you when you think you don’t have an answer, then you think of one and wonder why in the world you didn’t think of it right away?  It happened to me today and the question was, “Why does my stomach hurt and what can I do about it?”

I had such stomach distress this afternoon, I didn’t know how I was going to make it to my committee meeting for Relay.  I agonized over it for forty-five minutes before I remembered the bottle of papaya enzymes my dad had given me months ago.  I can’t believe it took me so long to think of it, I had eaten some several times and was just going on and on to someone a couple of weeks ago about how they should try it.

Like the directions indicate, I chewed up four of the tablets, and within 7 minutes I felt fine.  I not only made it to the meeting, but I indulged in eating the delicious hors d’oeuvres our hostess, Valerie, made and put out.  May I never forget about papaya enzymes again.  There’s no need to sit five minutes with stomach discomfort, let alone forty-five!

So if you ever experience symptoms such as these, try chewable papaya enzymes – a great solution for promoting digestive health.  And don’t forget to consult with your doctor if this is something you are not sure about.  And make sure you read the label too, you know, just in case.  In case of what? you ask, I don’t know!  Just don’t come looking for me if it turns out you’re allergic to soy!  Because it contains soy.  It’s on the label.

Homeless cats have a way of finding our home and some of them decide they’re going to stay.  Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on how you look at it), not all the cats have long lives with us.  I try not to get too attached, it’s tough loosing an animal you’ve grown to love, but nevertheless, as a responsible pet owner, I feel I have to take care of them.   And that is one of the reasons I am thankful for The Palm Beach County Animal Care & Control.

For only forty bucks, they spay or neuter your cat and give it a rabies shot and a microchip.  Technically, I own three cats that I have no idea what happened to.  Out in the woods, 4 miles from pavement like we are, the stray population is unlike anywhere else around.  It’s really no wonder we get the amount of strays we do.  The wild animal population out here is also unlike surrounding areas, and… well, it’s the circle of life I guess.

At any rate, I do not wish to be a cat lady who has a hundred cats but I don’t really see a sensible alternative.  They would need to open another ward to deal with the amount of strays out here each year.  Besides, I can’t even think of what could happen if they don’t find a home.  I’d rather pay forty bucks.  I try to have an attitude that they are just another animal, and whatever happens to them happens.  It’s going to be hard with this one though.  She is such a sweetie, sort of.  She’s picky and she’s tough.  She is very much respected and she’s just a tiny little thing.  “Miss Kitty” goes in Thursday for her appointment.

I didn’t want to wake her up, better picture tomorrow.

Here’s a link to their website.  For everyone not in Palm Beach County, Florida, try searching for “spay shuttle” in your area.  The way it works here is you call and leave a message (561-233-SPAY), they will call you back and tell you what day to bring your pet in.  Drop off is 8 AM and pickup is 3 PM.  Why spend hundreds at the vet when you don’t need to?  Thursday will be the fourth time the shuttle has been my solution!

As Bob Barker would say, “Don’t forget to spay or neuter your pets!”

The five sharks on ABC’s Shark Tank are very entertaining just being themselves.  There’s the Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, FUBU guy Damon, my memory fails me on his last name, maybe Johns?  Then there’s Kevin O’Leary (Mr. Money), the real estate lady from Manhattan – Barbara, I can’t think of her last name, and finally on the end sits Robert, can’t think of his last name either.  He’s my favorite, probably because he’s the nice guy.

People come on the show with an invention or an idea and try to talk the sharks into investing in them.  We have seen some really good  ideas, some that are just okay, and a few that made us wonder what planet these people were from.  It is interesting to see the shark’s reactions and sometimes they really surprise me.  I have seen a good idea get tanked and millions of dollars handed over for a dumb idea.  This is just my opinion of course.

Whatever rating the ideas score, the show remains entertaining and we’ve come to feel like we know the sharks.  Marks attitude grew on me, Damon’s smile is too cute, Kevin’s boldness is, well, there’s just something about it, Barbara is helpful and Robert is, like I said, the nice guy.  I would love to get on the show.  If you are an inventor and looking for an investor, you should check out Shark Tank (Click on this link), a great solution for entrepreneurs. My husband and I watch it every Friday night.  Maybe we’ll see you there!

This solution isn’t for everyone, in fact, if you are watching your diet and do not wish to be tempted, then you may want to skip today’s blog.  Today it’s all about giving in to a craving.

Blame it on the moon, blame it on biology, blame it on the rain, or just accept that this sometimes happens.  Irritable and loafy, I turned to the bag.  I’m not proud of it, but it is what it is and I’ve come to terms with it.  My husband on the other hand, well he wasn’t very happy.

You see, he wanted some too, but when I walked in the room holding the bag tight to my chest, I informed him that I am so sorry, but …

IT WAS ONLY A 72 OUNCE BAG!

NOT ENOUGH TO SHARE…

When I saw that these chocolate morsels were all natural (top right corner), I figured that eating a few cupfuls couldn’t be bad for me after all!  I decided I could share a handful.  I also made five dozen cookies and gave a couple away, a couple of cookies that is.

So that’s my solution for days like this.  If you choose to try this at home, please bake responsibly and eat in moderation. 

Side effects may include: nausea, difficulty sleeping and weight gain.  Talk to your doctor at once if depression worsens.

And now that I have Milli Vanilli rolling around in my head with flashbacks of the eighties, it’s time to hit the hay!  Sweet dreams! 

A handy tip I got from my mother involves Clorox wipes and the bathroom.  Instead of soap and water, use a wipe to clean your hands upon departure of the lavatory.  I thought it was brilliant – no hand towel to collect germs through the uses, no paper towels to waste, no water mess around the sink – just pop the lid open, yank a wipe out, pop the lid shut, wipe your hands, then throw the wipe in the trash.  Yes, brilliant I say, and my mom even kicks it up a notch.

My mother showed me how easy it is to clean surfaces while you’re at it.  “I mean,” she said, “you might as well wipe it across the faucet while you’ve got it in your hand.”  She has a point.  And if you take ten seconds to wipe something every time you’re in there, you can bet that your bathroom will pretty much always be clean.  I’m in the habit and I’m hooked.  And by the way, it only takes five seconds to wipe the seat.

My parents not only have a container of the Clorox wipes in their bathroom (both of them), but you can find a canister in the kitchen, the living room, the laundry room and in their car.  My husband on the other hand, gets frustrated and wants to know why we have one of these in every room.  “Don’t you just love Costco?” I ask.  Then he asks why there’s anything, anything at all, on the kitchen counter tops.  He is more of a minimalist.  More shelves I say, more shelves!

Feeling the need to re-arrange my shelves due to the latest accumulation of stuff, I went on the hunt for some bookends.  I knew we had some around, and we did.  I was a bit dismayed though at the condition they were in but it didn’t take long for me to think of a solution.  Maybe five seconds.

The next thing you know, I’m recalling where we put the cans of spray paint and as I’m glancing around, I see green, pink and black.  Good enough.  It just so happens that both green and pink match the sponge-painted decor (which is peach but it blends well) and the curtains.  Very cool.

So my solution today is to grab a can of spray paint to turn an unsightly item into an attractive one!

Sunday’s solution is to pray. It works – it really does.

A simple solution that has worked time and time again in several situations – see if there’s an app for that!