December 2003 Archives

Revelry at the PGMP will involve a batch of Irish Coffee, a nice hunk of Stilton, and a rented movie (XMen 2). We'll be having friends over for dinner tomorrow evening.

It tried very hard to not be a good Christmas. The transmission on our van died somehow. We were in one of those positions where when something like that happens, perhaps you should get a new car, but do not have the money for one, so you end up spending a lot of money to fix it. Groan. So now our used van has a new transmission. And we are really broke.

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Christmas Day was very nice. We finally got it into our heads not to spend a bazillion dollars on the kids and keep it simple. This was more out of necessity this year, but it worked out well. The children were very happy and our family usually spoils them something terrible. Also, I did not have to spend a month after Christmas finding places to put things.

We went downstate to visit my grandmother who made her usual Italian dinner, antipasto, followed (usually by soup, but not this time), lasagna and then dinner which was roast pork and vegetables. After that we went to Pennsylvania to visit my mother in law.

On the way back up, I stopped at CVS in Yonkers to pick up dramamine for the boys and met Phylicia Rashaad purchasing allergy medicine. It was all my daughter could do to contain herself because she loves old reruns if the Cosby Show. No I did not make a fool of myself and say "ohmy gosh, your Mrs. Huxstable!" but I thought about it when she told me "we're here for the same things..." and I recognised her voice.

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The Saturday before Christmas, we were blessed to meet some more of our neighbors. We are grateful. One neighbor offered to help with our driveway in exchange for help fixing his woodshed. Another offered to show us how to raise chickens in exchnage for eggs. Our neighbor next door gave us a gift basket or cookies, canned peaches and pineapple peach jam. I have yet to meet his wife due to the snow. Most of it is melted now, and I stopped by yesterday to drop off a panettone I baked, but they were not in. Their driveway was a bit of an obstacle for a car, so I am not sure if we will attempt that again unless on foot.

Now my husband is on vacation for the week. I was supposed to go down to Washington with my father (who now works there) and hang out with Peony, but with our expensive car troubles, it was not very prudent. Next vacation.

...or whatever it's called. Specifically, a free one. I was using FeedDemon but it's going paid. And I like free.

Thanks to Bec for bringing us this vital information.

Found today: one maraca and one little wooden sign, both in a basket that had been searched before. All we need now is the striker for the triangle and we'll be three for three.

Perhaps part of the problem was the big basket -- too easy to lose little things in there. We recently picked up some plain white dishpan-type boxes for sorting out blocks, cars, and trains. It should be easier to pick out what does and doesn't belong. I got a little carried away this afternoon --
click here to see one of the labels I made for each dishpan.

This is my usual mumbling over some issue and then trying to find a nice spot for sitting on the fence. Bobbi asks, in our comments box and on her own fine blog, how we handle the Santa question:

How do you allow them to use their imagination and enjoy make-believe stories and still let them know the difference between what's real (God taking the form of a baby and angels announcing his birth to humans on earth) and what's not (elves making toys in the north pole)?

And how I wish I had an answer! I am still mulling over how to handle Santa, and I wish my husband and I were in more harmony on this issue.

The two biggest objections to Santa seem to be that Santa tends to crowd out the Christ Child and that playing Santa involves lying to children.

At first I did not share these objections. My parents did Santa when I was growing up, and I always knew Who Christmas is really about. When I figured out that Santa wasn't real (by realizing his handwriting looked an awful lot like my mother's) I don't remember feeling especially traumatized by the discovery -- could it really be that big a deal?

But now I'm not so sure. I may have known Who Christmas is really about when I was a child, but there's a difference between knowing with the intellect and knowing with the heart. I've blogged before about the punchcard approach to the faith -- you go to Mass, sing a few perfunctory songs, and then rush home for the real part of Christmas: the presents. Perhaps too much emphasis on Santa (or on Papa Noel or whoever else brings the gifts) could so occupy a young child's hopes and emotions that there's not much energy left for the Christ Child. Little children learn by seeing and doing, and if 90% of what they see and do in the weeks before Christmas is Santa, Santa, Santa..... Even when they leave belief in Santa behind, will all they retain be presents, presents, presents?

As for discovering that Santa Isn't Real: Bobbi and La Famiglia Cacciaguida point out that if a parent first teaches a child that Santa is real, only to backpedal and say, no, Santa is make-belive, what is that going to do to the child's belief in other things that may seem make-believe but are actually real? Things like angels and the Real Presence? Especially when children might start figuring Santa out about the same time they are making their First Communions?

I have also talked to adults who do remember being disturbed to find out that Santa wasn't real -- and to adults whose preschool children are frightened by the idea of some man entering their house when everyone's asleep (perhaps it gets too close to fears of burglars and other intruders?)

Yet I am not ready to go No Santa Anytime Anywhere. Santa is everywhere, and I don't think it's fair to ask little Christian children to go around with their hands over their eyes, telling their little friends that We Don't Do Santa Because Santa is Evil. I don't like turning Christianity into the Religion of No -- we are not Puritans or Jehovah's Witnesses. Besides, everyone else in my family does Santa and I don't want to come off as attacking them (they already think I'm a religious fanatic) or unnecessarily exclude Hambet from the fun.

Plus, my husband is not ready to give up on Santa! I think part of the reason parents do Santa is that it gives them a chance to have a little fun, to play with -- and be generous to -- children.

I think I would like to take the approach of Santa Lite: allow Hambet to shake Santa's hand, learn the stories about Santa, and so on, but always with the knowledge that Santa is just a Really Fun Pretend. Perhaps we could also skip the trip to tell Santa about what we want for Christmas. Meanwhile, we will work on making a Nice Soft Bed for Baby Jesus (a friend of mine did this, and her preschool boys loved it! She does have a dedicated Baby Jesus, so that helped her avoid the problem Sparki ran into.)

As long as we're talking about Fun Pretends, I am pro-Tooth Fairy and detest the Easter Bunny. If we get the fun but non-pretend St Nicholas involved, it will be for oranges and chocolate coins in the shoes on his own feast day, and for his intercession. And I will not get into the "be good, Santa is watching you" thing at all. It's just too weird, and cruel for the littlest ones.

You are Melanie Hamilton. A true lady. You are
generous, loyal, giving and can see only the
best in people. You are willing to go out of
your way to help anyone, even if it's against
public opinion. You can be surprisingly firm if
the occasion calls for it.


Which Character from 'Gone With The Wind' are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

My dear husband almost never reads our blog. I think he finds it too girly. The other day he called me over to the computer, showed me the blog he was reading, and told me, "Now this is what a real blog looks like. See? Discussion of real issues. No Weather Pixies. No recipes."

The blog was Bettnet. Now I see that Dom has kindly posted a recipe for lentil soup. So I owe Signor Bettinelli twice over now.

I think there is some kind of space-time anomaly in my house.

How else to account for all the weird things that keep disappearing? Keys, lids to travel mugs, books, rolls of tape, silver gel markers, and toys -- especially toys -- keep disappearing.

Sometimes these things do reappear: usually when I'm not looking for them, sometimes in places I'd never thought to look, sometimes in places that I was sure I'd already looked. The other day I swear a cassette tape just materialized onto a shelf that had been empty thirty minutes previously.

Sometimes, they never do reappear, or only turn up after I've despaired of finding them (for example, the book I lost one Easter and discovered on Christmas Eve, wedged deep in the upholstery, long after I'd replaced it.)

This drives me nuts. I have this weird compulsive side that becomes profoundly uneasy if there's a piece missing from a set (I especially hate when puzzle pieces get misplaced; I keep puzzles out of reach now and only dole out a new one when the old one is turned in intact.) I probably should be working in an OR and not as the at-home mother of a little boy who got toys with jillions of pieces for Christmas. I probably should not have been the one who gave him those toys, either.

Some things get lost because I put them someplace "just for a moment" and then forget all about it. Some things get lost because Hambet has hidden them someplace. But for some things, I just have no explanation. There's either some kind of esoteric physics involved or Saint Anthony and my Guardian Angel are hiding things, perhaps to teach me a lesson.

Well, dear Saint and dear Angel, whether or not you're behind this latest round of disappearances, I promise I've learned my lesson. Please help me -- some of these things have not even spent 48 hours in my household.

Missing:
one little wooden train sign
one striker for the triangle from the marching band set (last seen on the shelf above the computer; I have no idea how it vanished from there)
one maraca

I was going to include one toucan and one panda bear on the list, but somehow overnight these two critters reappeared and joined their mates on Noah's Ark.

Welcome to our sidebar:

Pencil in Your Hand: Bec is the homeschooling mother of two teenage boys

A Song of November

Homeschooler Joyce has moved Ora et Labora to a new URL at blogspot

We had a really happy, fun day but I went to bed tired and I'm still tired this morning. I could really, really use some coffee.

Today we'll just be washing things and putting things away. And playing with the new toys.

I came down with the flu yesterday. I don't think it's that dangerous kind; it's just one of those viruses that cause discomfort way out of proportion to their real severity ("I'm not that sick, why do I feel so awful?")

so here it is, the last few days before Christmas, and I can hardly get my head off the couch. If I don't get better before Tuesday evening we may have to postpone the Christmas dinner we have planned with friends.

UPDATE, TUESDAY MORNING: wow, we have powerful intercessors here! Between prayers, rest, and ibuprofen, I was revived enough by noon to do some baking and some (urgently needed) laundry. This morning the fever and body aches are completely gone. I still have a scratchy throat, but I can live with that. I still need to discuss Christmas with our guests -- they may not want to bring their little children around until I've been better longer.

New post from dylan

1. List your five favorite beverages.
vanilla milkshakes
Chardonnay
water
vanilla coke
coffee (the only ones I get to drink are coffee and water-diet)

2. List your five favorite websites.
I dunno, check the margins.

3. List your five favorite snack foods.
potato chips
global thermonuclear buffalo wings
beignets
chocolate chip cookies and milk
cheese fries (none of these I can eat either)

4. List your five favorite board and/or card games.
Uno
Monopoly
spades
I don't know, I rarely get to play

5. List your five favorite computer and/or game system games.
I will speak vicariously through my husband.
Gamecube
Playstation II
Gameboy Advance (five is pushing it)

But that's OK, I look forward to silly presents. I mean whenever would you buy yourself something like a Chia Pet? I actually look forward to gag gifts such as these because they have a sense of humour.

From Papa Noel Apologia, complete with a sweet little Christmas thought:

Some of us have gotten together a modest gift for Dylan and, in fact, KTC of the Gospelminefield has already sent it off at her own expense. Those of you who would like to contribute should email her at this address, and she'll tell you where to send the 2 bucks. Yes, a mere two bucks to brighten our friend's hopes this season of the Child who gave us everything, and all of Himself. Blessings to all so inclined. And may He show mercy to His poets.

When I was a little girl and would stay at my grandmothers, I would wake up to see her crunching down a biscotti and a cup of coffee. She would always offer one and I would turn her down because frankly, they did not appeal to me at all. They were always too crunchy and my grandmother did not make them with chocolate, but usually molasses or even worse anise (blah) with nuts (blah). Not fun kid fare.

When I grew up and actually saw them selling biscotti in coffee shops, I was shocked. Who would want to eat those dry licorice tasting cookies? And why were they calling them bis-cot-tee when we have always called them BEESH-GAWT Then I saw ones with chocolate chips and realised I could do that. Make the same cookies my grandmother makes, but add chocolate chips and not use anise. I am still amazed they sell these because they are like the easiest cookies in the history of the world.

Biscotti
1/2 cup shortening (or butter)
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
3 cups of flour
3 tsp baking powder
flavouring (I use 1 tsp vanilla, some grated orange peel and 1 cup chocolate chips)

Cream the butter, add the sugar and eggs 1 at a time. Add flour, baking powder and flavouring. Shape dough into like three round loaves and squish them down to make them slightly oblong. Bake on a greased cookie sheet for like an hour in 350 degree oven. Take out the loaves and slive them at an angle. Bake the slices for like another twenty minutes or until they are hard and crunchy.

He did not want to drive an hour away to Oneonta at midnight to go see Lord of the Rings. Claiming that we would have gotten home at like 4 am and he would have had to leave for work at 5 am. What a pill! I guess we will have to wait until Saturday like some kind of psuedo-fans.

Smockmomma has a little announcement.

or at least express them in a more appropriate forum. See, I hate it when I hear anti-Catholic comments from celebrities whose talents I have enjoyed because then I simply have to stop liking them. I always thought Lauryn Hill was so talented and pretty and now I find her annoying. This is so sad because this is a woman (like Whoopi Goldberg) got her career started and made lots of money off of the Catholic Church.

and tuned in just in time to hear the news.

For my parents, I was thinking of having a family potrait taken of the kids, the sibs, hubby and I to present as a Christmas present. My family is relocating to Peony's neck of the country, so who knows when the opportiuntiy will again arise for a family pic.. I emailed my brothers to request an appointment for us to get together to have our picture taken and asked them to "keep it on the DL". One of my brothers had no idea what "the D-L" is (warning, the first definition is not only graphically offensive, but is not as accurate as the second). That is when my other brother referred him to the Urban Dictionary.

So now you know, next time you speak to Peony and she mentions someones McJob or starts talking about how her last batch of snickerdoodles was off the chain you know where to go. She can revert to Urban Contemporary Lingo and has been known to say things such as "I love me some Swedish Meatballs" and "people think the Diocese of Arlington is all that and a bag of chips" at times and it can be quite confusing.

Steven writes that his wife is scheduled to be admitted to the hospital this afternoon, and asks for prayers for her -- and for their little boy, who will probably be at least a little disconcerted by Mommy going to the hospital.

www.cookiehelp.com (free registration required)

I met one of my Amish neighbors who comes by to use our phone. The kids were thrilled to see him and loved his horse. He asked me again if it is OK to use our phone because it is the closest one to him in miles and he did not want to be a nuisance. I told him not to be silly. He also said if my husband needs help with anything, please ask because he is concerned we will get our van stuck in the drive-way, but he can see my husband is a FedEx driver, so he is probably a good driver.

He told me he had three boys and he looked like he was in his early twenties.

I wonder if I would be allowed to meet his wife and socialise with her a bit.

I got this from a list I am on. Thank you Karen.

"This will be My Hour of Grace"

During the period of November 24, 1946 to December 8, 1947, Our Blessed
Mother appeared to Sister Pierrina in a little church in Montichiari, Italy,
eleven times.

On the first appearance Our Blessed Mother told Sister Pierrina that She
wanted to be known as the 'Mystical Rose' and that an Hour of Grace should
be kept at noon on December 8th in all the Catholic Churches of the world.
Our Blessed Mother wanted this to be known through all of Italy and the
entire world.

It was November 16, 1947 when Sister Pierrina was finishing her thanksgiving
after Holy Communion when she saw a great light. She then saw a vision of
Our Blessed Mother as the 'Mystical Rose.'

Sister was so deeply moved by the stunning beauty of Our Lady that she began
talking to Her. All of a sudden a gentle force made her kneel down in front
of Our Lady.

Our Blessed Mother spoke these words

"My Son is greatly offended by the sins of impurity. He is already planning
to send the deluge upon the people, for their destruction, but I have asked
him to show mercy and not send the destruction. So that is why I have
appeared to ask for penance and atonement for the sins of impurity."

Then Our Blessed Mother asked for an Act of Humility by Sister Pierrina. She
asked her to make the sign of the cross with her tongue on each of the
stones in the Sanctuary.

"This shall be a reminder to the people that I have appeared here and do not
have the people step on those stones."

Our Blessed Mother then stepped on each of the stones so that Her gown
touched all four stones.

On the 22nd of November, Sister Pierrina felt the overwhelming urge to go to
Church at 4:00. The Mother Superior, four Sisters and a group of friends
accompanied her. They were all saying the Rosary when Our Blessed Mother
appeared as before. She instructed Sister Pierrina to make the Sign of the
Cross on the stones and fence them off so that no one would step on them.

Again Our Lady asked for penance. She said "Penance is nothing more than
accepting all your crosses daily and willingly. No matter how small, accept
them with love".

At this time, she told sister Pierrina to come again on December 8th at
noon.

"This will be My Hour of Grace."

The Sister asked how she was to prepare for this Hour of Grace? To which the
Blessed Mother said

"With Prayers and Penance. Pray the 50th Psalm (Miserere) with outstretched arms
three
times. During the Hour of Grace, many spiritual graces will be granted. The
most hard-hearted sinners will be touched by the grace of God."

The Blessed Virgin promised that whatever a person asked Her for during this
Hour of Grace (even in impossible cases) would be granted to them, if it was
in accordance with the Will of the Eternal Father.

It was December 7th when Sister Pierrina felt the urge to go to Church. This
time she was accompanied by the Priest and the Mother Superior. Our Blessed
Mother appeared with a young boy and girl dressed in beautiful white
clothing. Sister Pierrina was sure these little ones were angels because
they were so beautiful.

Our Blessed Mother said "Tomorrow I will show you My Immaculate Heart which
is so little known among the people."

She asked people to pray for Russia. "There are so many people being held
prisoners which their families know nothing of because they have been gone for
so many years. Pray for the
conversion of Russia, the suffering of the soldiers and their sacrifices and
martyrdom will bring peace to Italy. The little children are Francisco and
Jacinta. I am giving them to you as your companions. You will have much to
suffer for My sake. I want simplicity and goodness from you as of these
little children."

Our Blessed Mother then blessed Sister Pierrina, the Priest and all those
who were gathered there.

On the morning of December 8th people began arriving at the little Church at
8:00 in the morning from neighboring towns. By noon, some 10,000 people had
gathered to see Our Blessed Mother, many of whom had to stand outside
because the Church did not have enough room for the large crowd. Sister
Pierrina was accompanied to Church by her Mother and Brothers, the Mother
Superior and the Chief of Police from Montichiari. Sister was reciting the
Rosary with the crowd in the middle of the Church. Suddenly a brilliant
white light appeared from the ceiling. Stairs were coming from the light
down to the floor of the Church about fifteen feet in length. The staircase
was beautifully decorated with red, white and yellow roses. The Blessed
Virgin appeared so radiant, dressed in white, with Her Hands folded. She was
standing on a splendid carpet at the top of the stairs made of the red,
white and yellow roses.

In the most gentle and loving voice, Our Lady smiled and began to speak.

"I am the Immaculate Conception, the Mother of all Graces and the Mother of
my Beloved Son, Jesus.

I wish to be known as The Mystical Rose. My wish is that every year on the
8th of December at noon an 'Hour of Grace' will be installed. Many spiritual
Graces and physical blessings will be received by those who pray undisturbed
during this hour."

Then slowly she began to ascend the staircase gracefully scattering roses as
She went along until She reached midway of the staircase.

Here again Our Blessed Mother spoke

"I am very happy to see this great demonstration of Faith." Sister Pierrina
asked for many of the sinners to be forgiven.

Our Blessed Mother replied

"My Divine Son will show His Greatest Mercy as much as the people will pray
for them. I want this to be known and told to Pope Pius XII. Tell him I want
him to install the 'Hour of Grace' throughout the whole world and those who
are not able to go to Church during this time, may obtain this Grace in
their homes at noon time."

She also asked that a Statue be made and placed on the spot where She stood.
This should be called the 'Rosa Mystica' and carried in procession through
the town at which time many Graces will be given and cures will take place.

Then the Statue is to be returned to the Church. Our Lady prayed for the
sick, some will be cured others not. Many men, women and children were cured
at that very instant. A twenty-six year old woman who could not say a word
for nine months, suddenly began shouting

"I see Her. I see the Blessed Virgin."

An eighteen year old girl with ulcers was instantly cured.

A five year old boy who had been paralyzed was told by the Blessed Mother
"Come to Me, you will be walking now."

He was placed on the Blessed Stones and was able to walk. There were three
others who were very sick and were immediately cured. But of course, the
greatest miracles taking place were those of the spiritual blessings being
shed upon the people gathered in the Church.

Our Blessed Mother said

"This is the last time I will appear here. Pray, weep and do penance on
these Stones and you will receive the care of My Motherly Heart."

She then left the little Church, but because of the Unending Love of Our
Heavenly Mother, She has given us the 'Hour of Grace' to be spread through
the entire world.

She had given all people the opportunity to demonstrate our love and trust
to Her and to help make reparation for the grievous sins offending Her
Beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ.
----
THE REQUEST OF OUR BLESSED MOTHER FOR THE HOUR OF GRACE

Day and time of the Hour of Grace - December 8th Feast of the Immaculate
Conception to begin at 12 noon and to continue until 1 pm (one full hour of
prayer).

During this hour the person making the 'Hour of Grace' either at home or in the
Church must put away all distractions.

Begin the Hour of Grace by praying three times the Psalm 50 (Miserere) with
outstretched arms.

The remainder of the Hour of Grace may be spent in silent prayer before God
meditating upon the Passion of Jesus, praying the Holy Rosary, praising God.

Since there are no known cures for colds and flu, prevention must be your goal. A proactive approach to warding off colds and flu is apt to make your whole life healthier. The most effective way to prevent flu, frankly, is to get the flu shot. It may not be natural, but it works better than anything else. But there are other strategies you can employ as well. WebMD went to Charles B. Inlander, president of The People's Medical Society, for suggestions you may want to try:

#1 Wash Your Hands

Most cold and flu viruses are spread by direct contact. Someone who has the flu sneezes onto their hand, and then touches the telephone, the keyboard, a kitchen glass. The germs can live for hours -- in some cases weeks -- only to be picked up by the next person who touches the same object. So wash your hands often. If no sink is available, rub your hands together very hard for a minute or so. That also helps break up most of the cold germs.

#2 Don't Cover Your Sneezes and Coughs With Your Hands

Because germs and viruses cling to your bare hands, muffling coughs and sneezes with your hands results in passing along your germs to others. When you feel a sneeze or cough coming, use a tissue, then throw it away immediately. If you don't have a tissue, turn your head away from people near you and cough into the air.

#3 Don't Touch Your Face

Cold and flu viruses enter your body through the eyes, nose, or mouth. Touching their faces is the major way children catch colds, and a key way they pass colds on to their parents.

#4 Drink Plenty of Fluids

Water flushes your system, washing out the poisons as it rehydrates you. A typical, healthy adult needs eight 8-ounce glasses of fluids each day. How can you tell if you're getting enough liquid? If the color of your urine runs close to clear, you're getting enough. If it's deep yellow, you need more fluids.

#5 Take a Sauna

Researchers aren't clear about the exact role saunas play in prevention, but one 1989 German study found that people who steamed twice a week got half as many colds as those who didn't. One theory: When you take a sauna you inhale air hotter than 80 degrees, a temperature too hot for cold and flu viruses to survive.

#6 Get Fresh Air

A regular dose of fresh air is important, especially in cold weather when central heating dries you out and makes your body more vulnerable to cold and flu viruses. Also, during cold weather more people stay indoors, which means more germs are circulating in crowded, dry rooms.

#7 Do Aerobic Exercise Regularly

Aerobic exercise speeds up the heart to pump larger quantities of blood; makes you breathe faster to help transfer oxygen from your lungs to your blood; and makes you sweat once your body heats up. These exercises help increase the body's natural virus-killing cells.

#8 Eat Foods Containing Phytochemicals

"Phyto" means plants, and the natural chemicals in plants give the vitamins in food a supercharged boost. So put away the vitamin pill, and eat dark green, red, and yellow vegetables and fruits.

#9 Eat Yogurt

Some studies have shown that eating a daily cup of low-fat yogurt can reduce your susceptibility to colds by 25 percent. Researchers think the beneficial bacteria in yogurt may stimulate production of immune system substances that fight disease.

#10 Don't Smoke

Statistics show that heavy smokers get more severe colds and more frequent ones.

Even being around smoke profoundly zaps the immune system. Smoke dries out your nasal passages and paralyzes cilia. These are the delicate hairs that line the mucous membranes in your nose and lungs, and with their wavy movements, sweep cold and flu viruses out of the nasal passages. Experts contend that one cigarette can paralyze cilia for as long as 30 to 40 minutes.

#11 Cut Alcohol Consumption

Heavy alcohol use destroys the liver, the body's primary filtering system, which means that germs of all kinds won't leave your body as fast. The result is, heavier drinkers are more prone to initial infections as well as secondary complications. Alcohol also dehydrates the body -- it actually takes more fluids from your system than it puts in.

#12 Relax

If you can teach yourself to relax, you can activate your immune system on demand. There's evidence that when you put your relaxation skills into action, your interleukins -- leaders in the immune system response against cold and flu viruses -- increase in the bloodstream. Train yourself to picture an image you find pleasant or calming. Do this 30 minutes a day for several months. Keep in mind, relaxation is a learnable skill, but it is not doing nothing. People who try to relax, but are in fact bored, show no changes in blood chemicals.

The People's Medical Society is a nonprofit consumer health advocacy organization. Charles B. Inlander is president, and co-author of 77 Ways to Beat Cold and Flu.

Reviewed by Charlotte E. Grayson, MD, September 2003.
Originally published October 2001.

SOURCE: Charles B. Inlander, president of The People's Medical Society, a nonprofit consumer health advocacy organization, and author of 77 Ways to Beat Cold and Flu.

© 2003 WebMD Inc. All rights reserved.

...including this one from Ms Susie Q:

Well!! Let me ask you this yvette [another commenter -- Peony]. Are you sure that 'jesus' is really the person you think he is?? I mean (before you go crazy :)) I mean, think about it, even 2,000 years ago people where con artists, just like some people are today. I am saying that what if.. this whole religon thing was made up?? I mean, back then anyone could have come into town and said 'I am the son of god' and people would have belived him. The Jews could be right, our 'savior' could still be coming. Budist could be right, romans, there are many gods. Witches are right about thier god and goddess. I think that religon is a state of mind, not a real thing. True, it does not sound that way. I think that ALL religons are right, and what I mean is whatever you belive in, that will be true for you. For example, you belive in reincarnation, so you get reincarnated. You belive in god and heaven and hell, so if your good you go to heaven, bad you go to hell, etc. Nobodys right, noone is wrong. I think you might disagree, that again your religon is the only way to 'god' but if you take a moment and think about, how did we get all these religons in the first place? Yes, people made some up, but you cant get so many from just human imagination. People might have had just sudden enlightment and understud what had to be done. And also yvette, knowing you, you probley do no belive in magic. But did you know that there is solid proof that moses used magic to spread the waters of the great sea to free the slaves?? Or that jesus used magic to heal blind men, walk on water, and turn water into wine? If he lived and walked this earth today, people would have considerd him a witch!!

Anyone care to help Miss Q? Comment here if you do. (Please, be gentle. This is not Two Salem Mommies. ;) )

Before I start whining, I am so grateful to be finally here. My husband did a wonderful job painting and whatnot. Our upstairs still has boxes of clothes that need to be unpacked, or gone through or just chucked. Kids accumulate so many clothes.

The hard part (so far) is the plumbing. The Mennonites who lived here previously had no use for hot water (if running water at all-the bathtub is brand new and completely unused). We had Agway come and install a tankless hot water heater and our cooking stove. I was not able to cook for a week, so what a relief that was. After the Agway guys left, we found we only had hot running water in our bathroom.My husband looked around our plumbing and saw the cold water pipe was simply disconnected from the pressure tank. Last night he reconnected it and tested the cold water. It started to rain in our house. Ugh. Our Amish neighbor (perhaps knows) the pipe probably burst last winter, and they simply disconnected the cold water pipe since all the water was running cold anyway. Now we are waiting on the plumber. The good news is, despite the "rain", it was only a small amount and the damage to the ceiling is fixable. I do feel like I am in some bad comedy about a city family moving to the country.

In other news, tomorrow is my birthday. I have reached the point in birthdays where I wish they would stop coming too quickly, or at least stop making me a year older.We are expecting a big snow storm and will probably be snowed in for the weekend.

Terri is 40 years old today. Bet she'd never dreamed this is how she'd be spending this birthday.