S’mores anyone?

Backyard fire pits have become the latest must-have feature.

It was the topic of conversation by my pool yesterday with my snowbird neighbors now pouring in Florida from New England. 

My neighbors were all telling me that with fall setting in, many like to extend their time outdoors by sitting around a backyard fire pit until they can come back to their winter retreat here in the warmer climate. They did admit that even though it may be fun—it is not good for the environment, especially during times when air quality is already poor.

One man admitted, he only stays near the fire pit to keep warm while his is sucking on a cigarette. His wife was hoping with the colder temps, it would cause him to smoke less because it was getting too cold to go outside and better still she was hoping that he would quit the nasty addiction.

Of course, all this chit chat on this subject prompted me to do some research on the topic since I have many friends from New England that love fire pits.  I, personally don’t like them.  I hate those sparks flying out of the pit and onto your clothes causing holes in your clothing!  And, why would I want to sit and freeze in 30 degree temps in the first place when I could be indoors enjoying the warmth of a cozy home and a cup of tea.

While researching this topic, it was hard to assess the larger impact of backyard fire pits on local or regional air quality, but no one questions the fact that breathing in wood smoke can be irritating if not downright harmful.  According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), so-called fine particles are the most dangerous components of wood smoke from a health perspective, as they “can get into your eyes and respiratory system, where they can cause health problems such as burning eyes, runny nose and illnesses such as bronchitis.”

Fine particles also aggravate chronic heart and lung diseases, and have been linked to premature deaths in those already suffering from such afflictions. As such, the EPA advises that anyone with congestive heart failure, angina, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), emphysema or asthma should steer clear of wood smoke in general. Children’s exposure to wood smoke should also be limited, as their respiratory systems are still developing and they breathe more air (and air pollution) per pound of body weight than adults.  Also, not good for pets.

The Washington State Department of Ecology reports that about 10 percent of the wintertime air pollution statewide can be attributed to fine particles from wood smoke coming out of wood burning stoves. While a wood stove may be a necessary evil as a source of interior heat, there is no excuse for lighting up a backyard fire pit during times when you could be creating health issues for your neighbors.

Another potential risk to using a backyard fire pit is sparking a forest fire. Some communities that are surrounded by forestland voluntarily institute seasonal burn bans so that residents won’t inadvertently start a forest fire while they are out enjoying their backyard fire pits. If you live in one of these areas, you probably already know it and would be well advised to follow the rules.

If you must light that backyard fire pit, take some precautions to limit your friends’ and family’s exposure to wood smoke. One of my neighbors from Maine stated that The Maine Bureau of Air Quality recommends using only seasoned firewood and burning it in a way that promotes complete combustion—small, hot fires are better than large smoldering ones—to minimize the amount of harmful smoke.

I already know my New England friends will not enjoy this post. But it is what it is.  I care about your lungs.

The moral of the story:  If you need to burn, burn responsibly.

No words necessary!

I find this kinda sad.  I love electronics but I love personal conversation better.

Here we go changing the clocks again! Stupid!

Here we go again, on Sunday, November 2, it will be the end of Daylight Saving Time.  Many of us will be grunting to ourselves as we wander from room to room resetting all of our clocks: you know all the ones we have on the clock radio, stove, microwave, thermostat, wrist watches, etc.  And, every year I forget to change the clock in my car!  I prefer daylight savings time.

Yes, you will get an extra hour of sleep by turning back the clock by an hour in the fall. But if you have a regular day job, you'll be commuting home in the dark instead of in daylight. Why do we do this every fall?  I always felt it was a stupid thing to do.  I'm retired now but I'm still concerned about my family and friends that still work.

Turning the clocks back and waking up in the predawn darkness is simply bad for your health, especially if you are elderly or have a heart condition, researchers have noted in their medical studies.  Going to bed in the dark and waking up in the dark is simply stupid in my opinion.

Isn't it more important to save lives and save electricity? Why can't we convince the government to leave our clocks alone and set and Daylight Savings Time?  I'm sure the farmers would appreciate it as well. And, the children have more play time outdoors after dinner.  Of course, today the kids play with their electronics more than riding their bikes or playing on a swing set in the backyard.  Those were the good old days!

Arizona and Hawaii are the only two states that do not change their clocks.  So how can we convince all of our local governments to take on this initiative?  Complaining by myself does not help.  You need everyone to complain to get somewhere.

My trip to Boston!

Mt. Washington, New Hampshire

Jimmy and Danny

My son, Jimmy and I

The foliage in New England was beautiful!  It was chilly but not freezing cold.

My daughter always hides from the camera so again, no photos of her from this past trip.

I had a wonderful time visiting my children, family and special friends.  The first two days, the temps were in the 80s and then the remainder of my trip, the temps dropped into the 50s and that is when I felt my rheumatoid arthritis flare up a tad more.

Oh my, we ate in so many different restaurants during my stay.  I surely gained weight upon my return home.  I was spoiled rotten and loved every minute of it.  When in Boston, it is a must for me to have Pizza, Clams, Clam Chowder, Chinese Food, Haddock, Italian food and Italian bread.  As, you cannot get these great foods prepared in any restaurant in Florida.  New England has the best seafood.

I created two albums, one for my children and family and the other for my classmates and both were posted on my blogs.

My classmates had a brunch in my honor at the lovely Marina at the Wharf restaurant in Revere.  So good to see everyone again.  My Forever Friends are very special to me.

Also had a late lunch with Diane Whiles and Peter Zaccone in Lynnfield at Legal Seafood Restaurant.  That new Mall is fabulous!

It was so good to see my good friend, Sandra and her sister, Carol at Polcari's on Rte One.

Enjoyed having lunch and dinner at Nina's house in Groveland along with Marie, Cathy, Donna and AnnMarie.

Michelle and Bill had BBQ's at their home and Jimmy did also in Maine.

Rhonda also had us over for dinner in her usual style which was great!  It was also nice to see Rhonda's mother Sharon too.

Rhonda and Rose

Sharon and Rose

I was not prepared for the weird experience flying back home to Florida from Boston when the alarm went off while swabbing my hands at Logan Airport.

The Transportation Security Administration begin swabbing passengers' hands at checkpoints.  I was not aware of this procedure that they were testing for explosives.

They also swabbed my carry-on luggage and told me to turn on my camera and my Kindle and other objects as they searched for the needle in the security haystack -- I learned much later after I googled this online that the TSA were searching for components of terrorist bombs in an endless stream of luggage.

I have never seen this swabbing machine before during my travels.  I kept asking what was going on but no one would give me an answer.

The TSA man pushed aside the JetBlue worker and grabbed my license and boarding pass out of my hands and grabbed my collar of my jacket and said "follow me".  I asked what was going on and I was told to "shut up".  I was livid!

I'm all for security, as we will all agree but when that jerk grabbed my collar I had to control myself to keep quiet so not to make matters worse.  I was taken into a back room with two women and was padded down all over and I mean all over!

The only thing that could have been on my hands were a trace of Fried Clams from Kelly's.  Michelle and I shared a plate of fried claims on our way to the airport.  

Joan Rivers is Hilarious on Johnny Carson's Tonight Show FULL INTERVIEW,...

Click on the arrow in the middle of the UTube photo above to view the video! It is Hilarious! Johnny was my first favorite comedian and Joan my second.

She was sharp-witted, quick and never afraid to speak her mind. Forget just being a funny female, Joan Rivers was one of the most hilarious comedians of all time. It's with great sadness that we now have to say goodbye to Rivers at the age of 81.

Over her legendary career, Joan did everything from standup to hosting numerous shows, and no matter what she always kept us laughing. I'll miss watching Fashion Police.

Sad.  I will miss the laughter and her great sense of humor!

Multitasking

I remember when I was young, it was considered good protocol to include on your Resume that you are capable of multitasking trying to impress the person interviewing you for a potential job. 

Before retirement, my job required me to be super busy multi-tasking all the time and it was frustrating, I do admit.  Working with lawyers is super stressful, especially working for three attorneys at one time.  Years ago, it was one on one.  One secretary to one attorney.  Well, the economy has changed all that years ago putting stress on the one individual, "the legal secretary"!

Just last week, I was watching the Katie Couric show and can’t remember the name of the scientist that was her guest on this topic.  I found this person very interesting and, I’m now convinced that our brain has to switch from one thing to another and not be able to do all at once.  Listening to this man brought me back to my stressful days in a law firm.

"People can't multitask very well, and when people say they can, they're deluding themselves," said neuroscientist. And, he said, "The brain is very good at deluding itself."

You're not paying attention to one or two things simultaneously, but switching between them very rapidly.

I have experienced being in the middle of typing an e-mail and the phone rings, it is not easy to complete my email while talking on the phone at the same time.  You cannot focus on one while doing the other.

I’m always aware and know when someone calls me and they are on their computer at the same time while trying to have a conversation with me.  They are not completely listening to me and it annoys me, so I don’t understand why they call me in the first place?  Especially when a person is playing a game online and I can clearly hear the bells and chimes of the game in the background.  

People text while walking and I have seen them bang into telephone poles (I, personally dialed 911 after seeing a young man bang into a telephone pole while texting and knocked himself out) and I have seen people sending emails during dinner in restaurants while sitting with spouses and other friends. I’m guilty of chatting on the phone while cooking dinner but to my defense, I was not the person who made the call, someone called me.

Why are we all in such a hurry.  Please people, do not text and drive. The life you save maybe your own!

Chances are, you’re not doing yourself (or your boss, or your friends and family) any favors by multitasking your way through the day. Research shows that it’s not nearly as efficient as we like to believe, and can even be harmful to our health. You should stop everything you’re doing—well, all but one thing—and rethink the way you work, socialize, and live your life.  Stress causes chronic diseases.

What you call multitasking is really task-switching

Katie’s guest explained it like this: It’s like a pie chart, and whatever we’re working on is going to take up the majority of that pie. There’s not a lot left over for other things, with the exception of automatic behaviors like walking or chewing gum.

It makes sense that moving back and forth between several tasks actually wastes productivity, because your attention is expended on the act of switching gears—plus, you never get fully “in the zone” for either activity.  It is slowing you down. It makes more sense to me to prioritize your tasks and release stress at the same time.

I remember always piling up my files on my desk and taking the most important ones first and especially the ones I dreaded because I would get them out of the way at the beginning of the day giving my mind a break and allowing me to pace myself on a more steady pace for the remainder of the afternoon.

Of course, certain jobs add more stress, the legal field is on the top of the list.  But, I feel it can be put under control if everyone had a plan to put in place and respect your co-workers is one.  A person is only capable of doing so much in one day.  Pushing them to do further is really not productive and causing the boss to have a very unhappy Employee.  Happy Employees do better work.

Hey, all you attorneys out there...........listen up.....you couldn't personally handle all the work you dump on your secretaries!  So, learn to be more courtious and please don't give your secretary work to do at 5:00 PM when she is just shutting down her computer and looking forward to going home after a very busy day and facing more stress of the traffic, then preparing dinner, cleaning up the mess, then relaxing only to start all over again the following morning.

After I retired, a friend asked me to help her doctor husband out and work for him until he found someone that knew how to use a computer and type his reports for him. I didn't want to do it but she kept haunting me.  P.S.  This request was supposed to be temporary and it lasted for three years!

I then realized that nurses and/or medical assistants in a medical office don't work as hard as Executive Legal Assistants.  After, the patient is signed in and the nurse takes all the vitals, the patient is then put in a room.  The nurse goes back to her station and reads a magazine!  And this goes on all day long.  I was shocked, I could never be caught reading a magazine in a law office!  Who had the time in the first place.  There was just too much work to do.

All this, I experienced around the year of 2007 when most doctor's office did not even have computers. Therefore, nurses and staff also had no knowledge of how to even use a computer.  The doctors hired outside help to type their medical reports for each patient.

Then all the reps come in and load up the kitchen with tons and tons of food for the doctor and staff! Unbelievable!  And, we wonder why we pay so much for pharmaceuticals.  Oh, and did I mention, they have two hour lunches!

That blew my mind because I never had that leisure time while working in a law office. Legal secretaries are lucky they have time to pee and take a lunch hour on most days! I'm not joking about this, I'm very serious.  

Now, the medical assistant replaced the magazines with their Ipad, Iphone, or some other electronic device.  And people wonder how human errors are made? To much distraction going on and in the wrong direction at the wrong work place.

 

Being retired now, I’m guilty of reading a book and watching TV at the same time.  It makes sense that if you try to do two things at once—read a book and watch television, like I do for example—that you’re going to miss important details of one or both. Then I find myself re-reading that same paragraph again.  So, I understand this now and turn the TV off or at least put the TV on mute until I finish that chapter.

“Energy Efficient”

You like me, might be diligent about clipping coupons, hunting for bargains, and comparing prices while shopping, but I was recently reminded that if you're not paying more attention to your home, you could be losing money by holding onto old appliances like refrigerators which eats up your electric bill like crazy along with your air conditioner, etc.

My last appliance purchases were about 12-13 years ago and I did make sure they were all “Energy Efficient” with that yellow sticker on them.

I have my computer to remind me to change my a/c filter monthly even though there are filters out there that claim they will last for three months.  My a/c guy said, it is best to change it every month and don’t buy the cheap ones.  They also help with allergies and dust mites.

I’m guilty of having my TV on almost 24/7 for company.  I need to hear the noise and voices in the background even if I maybe reading a book or on the computer! 

Energy efficient appliances are in the spotlight these days.  But, sometimes I wonder if they really make sense at all.  I know that the rebates are designed to help reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gases by replacing energy-guzzling home appliances with newer, more efficient models.  I always looked for the Energy Star large kitchen appliances.

I had a repairman tell me that consumers should weigh the cost and benefits of new appliances carefully before making a purchase. You may save some money by replacing your 22-year-old refrigerator, but junking a 7-year-old working dishwasher may not save you enough to make the purchase worthwhile.  Some repairs make sense and most means to replace.

The average household energy spends nearly half of which goes to heating and cooling, according to Energy Star. Of the rest, about 14 percent goes to heating water, 12 percent to lighting and only 13 percent for appliances such as refrigerators, washing machines, dryers and dishwashers.

I’m sure today's refrigerators are at are more efficient than those made 20 years ago. And although a refrigerator usually accounts for only 5 percent of a home's energy consumption, some homeowners could be spending twice as much as they should be by using an older model.

Even Energy Star says homeowners shouldn't be so quick to replace just any appliance. The rating system is designed to help consumers make more educated purchasing decisions, but they should still put more focus on the heating and cooling of their home.

I had Florida Power and Light come to my home and they do a checkup for free to try and save you money on your electric bill.  He provided a lot of good information.  He also told me that I can turn off my water heater if I will not be home for a while.  It only takes about 15 minutes to heat up again.

After following all of the suggestions, my bill was lowered by just a few dollars!  I was hoping it would be a good savings of at least $20. or so.

I tried!

Those little words "Contains Sulfites"!

I was in Costco a couple of weeks ago and an older gentleman was standing behind me in the checkout line.  He noticed two bottles of wine in my cart and he told me that he stopped drinking wine cold turkey because he said if I knew the additives in wine, I wouldn’t drink it.  He also added, he is a retired doctor. 

  

So, of course, I researched this information online.  The only thing I knew about wine was it did contain sulfites and not good for pregnanat women to drink it.  Ironically, my Primary Care doctor advised me to drink a glass of red wine every day as it is good for your heart.  Those exact words are what my own father told me when I was young. Well, here is what I found out:

Those little words “Contains Sulfites” on the bottom of a label often stir up concern. What’s even more confusing is that the US is one of the only countries (along with Australia) that require bottles be labeled. So what gives? How much sulfites are in wine and how do they affect you?

Time to get to the bottom of sulfites in wine and how they’re not as bad as you might think.
 

Sulfites are Not bad for most people. Sulfites aren’t the cause of red wine headaches which I have experienced now and then. There are some notable exceptions to this rule.

Depending on the production method, style and the color of the wine, sulfites in wine range from no-added sulphur (10-40 PPM) to about 350 PPM. If you compare wine to other foods, it’s placed far lower on the spectrum. For example, many dry red wines have around 50 PPM.

Sulfites are a preservative to wine, which is a volatile food product (ever open a wine and it’s bad by the next day?). Wineries have been using sulfur around wine for a long time, as far back as the Roman times. Back in Roman times, winemakers would burn candles made of sulfur in empty wine containers (called Amphora) to keep the wines from turning to vinegar. Sulfur started to be used in winemaking (instead of just cleaning wine barrels) in the early 1900′s to stop bacteria and other yeasts from growing. It also helps in the extraction of pigments in wine, making red wines "redder".

Very sensitive tasters have been noted to smell sulfites in wine at around 50 PPM. What’s interesting is that the warmer the wine, the more molecular sulfur it releases. This is why some wines have a nasty cooked-egg aroma when you open them. You can fix this issue by decanting your wine and chilling for about 15-30 minutes.  Chilling the red wine helps a lot even though I was always told to drink it at room temperature.  It actually made the red wine taste better.

Living in a hot climate like Florida and since most wines are made in cold cellars, it makes sense to chill red wine.  It takes a lot to time to transport wine to various states, so sitting in a hot truck for weeks at a time does not help either.  Then sitting on the shelves of stores that the room temperature is not exactly what it should be for wine is another culprit.  And we all know that stores like Costco do not have air conditioning like your Wine Stores!

If you have sensitivity to foods, you should absolutely try to eliminate sulfites from your diet. Eliminating wine could be necessary. Perhaps start your sulfur witch hunt with the obvious culprits (like processed foods) before you write-off wine!

My Father and my brother-in-law’s  homemade wine was the best!  Yes, it was strong but good.  No sulfites needed and was made in cold cellars!

A place where stress is left at the door!

Your home - whether big, small should be your sanctuary, a place where stress is left at the door.

The color you choose for your walls suggest a mood.  My daughter’s beautiful photographic artwork on my walls provide a cozy environment and definitely bring calmness into my life.

Your home should provide shelter from noise and distraction.  Also, clean out the clutter.  A Low maintenance home is refreshing after a day of hectic meetings, errands and chores. 

Fewer items can mean less frustration.  But we all love our collectibles and display of meaningful gifts from loved ones and photos of family and friends.  I’m still trying to de-clutter!  I just have a hard time parting with certain lovely gifts that I treasure and the memories that go with them.  So, I think it is o.k. to hold on to some, as long as it is displayed neatly.

So, are we hoarders or just sentimental?

Surround yourself with wonderful memories and happiness!  Enjoy your home and the calmness it should bring to you.

Time to clean out another closet!

Do you use your turn signal religiously?

Do you use your turn signal religiously? Does it annoy you when others don't?  Are there times when it's okay to ditch using a turn signal? 

Well, it is never okay to ditch using a turn signal.  Just like it is never okay to drive without a seatbelt on.

It’s simply amazing how many drivers change lanes, merge or turn without using their turn signals. And it’s not just limited to the public; I’ve even seen police officers fail to signal.

I got so flipping mad the other day trying to drive out of a shopping center and not one but five cars not using their directional signals to let me know they were entering where I was trying to get out????  Yikes, so much disrespect on the road.

Bad enough we have to worry about others texting while driving and using their cell phones to their ear and driving with one hand.  While doing all this, they have babies in a car seat. That is when I go totally insane!  And, gals...put your makeup on at home and stop using the rear view mirror to re-apply your lipstick!

The turn signal is a vital safety feature that is not only required to be built in as a standard equipment on all vehicles, but their use by the driver in everyday driving is required by law!  Listen up folks!

Pleeeeeezzzzzzzzzzzzze be responsible?

How do you stop the Telemarketer calls?

When the Do-Not-Call Implementation Act of 2003 was passed, it was supposed to start a new era of silence -- as in, no more annoying dinner-time telemarketing calls.

The volume of calls did drop significantly after I registered my home and cell phone number with the Federal Trade Commission's National Do Not Call Registry.  But because so many types of organizations are exempt from the legislation and so many shady companies ignore the rules, everyone I know still gets pestered relentlessly.

I have Caller ID, and use it to screen incoming calls but that does not stop the calls that wake me up early in the morning!  And the new callers that pop up saying:  “Out of Area” with no telephone number or another that says “unknown caller”.  And, a new Smart Ass that uses the number 1-000-000-0000!  The telephone company should not allow this.  I once had a service that a recorder would go on if the caller did not identify themselves.  That service from the telephone company no longer exists.

If I don't recognize the name or number, I let it go to voicemail. If the line goes dead, that usually means it was a robo-call and there was no live operator available. Either way, you'll likely continue to receive calls from the same number unless you take action.  Again, I continue to report these calls.

The Telephone company is useless in helping with this matter.  So, I’m paying my telephone company to allow these calls to annoy me!  And, the Telemarketers are getting a free ride from the Telephone Company.  I once paid to Block calls and that didn’t work either.

If a message is left by a Telemarketer and you think the organization is legitimate, call them back to request being put on their own internal Do Not Call list, which they're required to maintain by law or face steep fines. Log the date you make this request so if there are future violations, you'll be able to file an FTC complaint or, if the problem escalates, take the company to court.

I religiously report all these relentless calls to the FTC.  I have no idea if they ever did anything about my complaints.  These annoying calls continue as early as this morning at 7:45 AM and woke me up.  It really stinks when you are not feeling well and finally got to sleep to welcome the very much rest needed and the damn phone wakes you up and it is a Telemarketer AGAIN!

Does anyone have a solution to this?