Monday, December 05, 2011

Saint Nicholas

Saint Nicholas Poem

Holy Bishop St. Nicholas lived faraway
Near the Aegean Sea is where Turkey did lay.
Travel back with us now to a time long ago.
We will visit his country, his life we will know.

We remember this saint, such a holy, good man.
Be like him in charity, do all that you can.
Many miracles Nicholas hastened to do,
Helping people in need with gifts that were new.

Bishop Nicholas traveled to Nicea town,
Where the Creed would be written, to us handed down.
During church every Sunday, we stand for the Creed.
Thank you Bishop St. Nicholas, for doing this deed.

Sailors tossed in the wind and the storms of the sea,
Saw a vision of Nicholas who guided them free.
Now patron of sailing, they remember him yet.
Many icons and pictures with fisherman's net.

Giving money to poor girls, so marry could they,
Made our Nicholas famous, remembered today.
With dowry in hand, soon they were wed.
"God bless you and keep you," St. Nicholas said.

Kid's patron in Germany, Netherlands, too.
Asks that presents be given to children like you.
Their customs are different: they put out their shoes—
Filling them with toys, his coming's good news!

Here stockings are hung by the chimney with care,
In hope that St. Nicholas soon will come there.
Dressed as bishop or Santa, he's one and the same—
Jolly, friendly, good man, we're glad that he came.

French card, St Nicolas
Call him "Santa" or "saint," they both mean the same,
For his nickname is Claus, short for Nicholas' name.
Giving gifts was his custom—we still do today.
Deeds done in Jesus' name forever will stay.

Bishop Nicholas still is a hero to all.
Christmas Day, and all others we follow his call,
Bringing gifts and some joy to children in need.
Follow Nicholas today—do a good deed.
Author Unknown

Saint Nicholas' Day is special to me.  As a child, on December 6th, I remember every year waking up with my brother and sisters and finding our Christmas stockings filled with fruits, candies, little toys, and coins.  It didn't matter what day of the week it was, whether it was a school day or a weekend, Saint Nick always remembered us with special little treats.

My niece, having little ones, recently asked me about Saint Nicholas, so she could pass the tradition on to her children.  The Saint Nicholas' poem sums up his goodness and generosity.  A couple of facts about Saint Nicholas that I have learned in my searchings:
  • Saint Nicholas was a Catholic bishop who lived in the 4th century.
  • December 6th is the date of his death, and his feastday.
  • He had a reputation for secret gift-giving, such as putting coins in the shoes of those who left them out for him, and thus became the model for Santa Claus.  (Wikipedia - Saint Nicholas)
  • The name "Santa Claus" is an American accented version of the Dutch "Sinterklaas."  (St. Nicholas Center)  
  • Santa means Saint, and Claus is a nickname for Nicholas.  (I can't find where I found this.) 
  • Sinterklaas is an elderly, stately and serious man with white hair and a long, full beard. He wears a long red cape or chasuble over a traditional white bishop's alb and sometimes red stola, dons a red mitre, and holds a gold-coloured crosier, a long ceremonial shepherd's staff with a fancy curled top and he also has a ruby ring. He carries a big book that tells whether each individual child has been good or naughty in the past year. He traditionally rides a white gray.  (Sounds a lot like Santa Claus?)  (Wikipedia - Sinterklaas)  
  • In layman's terms, he wore a white gown, similar to what priests wear under their robes.  Over the gown, he wore a long red cape.  A red stola is a long pleated dress worn over the white gown.  The red mitre is a traditional, ceremonial head-dress of bishops.  (Sounds so much like Santa Claus' outfit.  Even his red cape could be a flimsy red mitre.)
  • He is also the Patron Saint of sailors and ships.  According to one legend, as a young man Nicholas went to study in Alexandria and on one of his sea voyages from Myra to Alexandria he is said to have saved the life of a sailor who fell from the ship's rigging in a storm.  (Maritime-Connector)
So, Jillian, Saint Nicholas' Day is celebrated in many countries.  For our family, it is part of our Polish heritage - a tradition that was passed down from the old country, and, hopefully, will continue to be celebrated through generations to come with many stockings hung.  One interesting bit of information - "in Poland, children polish their winter boots on December 5th and leave them by their beds at night, and by morning of December 6th Saint Nicholas ("Święty Mikołaj") fills the boots with small presents."  http://maritime-connector.com/saint-nicholas/)  We have never used boots, always stockings.  And, no, I don't know when our family changed that tradition.  Maybe Nana knows.

Happy Saint Nicholas' Day!
Aunt Janet


Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Cranberry Relish

There, too, I admired, though I did not gather, the cranberries, small waxen gems, pendants of the meadow grass, pearly and red, which the farmer plucks with an ugly rake, leaving the smooth meadow in a snarl, heedlessly measuring them by the bushel and the dollar only, and sells the spoils of the meads to Boston and New York; destined to be jammed, to satisfy the tastes of lovers of Nature there.
Henry David Thoreau


Cranberries, cranberries, cranberries.  Ever wonder how and where they grow?  In Water?  And how did cranberries ever get associated with turkey and Thanksgiving?

Well, I did a little research.  Well, according to the Cape Cod Cranberry Growers' Association:
The cranberry, along with the blueberry and Concord grape, is one of North America's three native fruits that are commercially grown. Cranberries were first used by Native Americans, who discovered the wild berry's versatility as a food, fabric dye and healing agent. Today, cranberries are commercially grown throughout the northern part of the United States and are available in both fresh and processed forms.

Okay, so the Indians introduced them to the Pilgrims. According to Wikipedia, "Calling the red berries Sassamanash, natives may have introduced cranberries to starving English settlers in who incorporated the berries into traditional Thanksgiving feasts." So, why are they called cranberries?  Pilgrims gave them the name because the fruit's blossoms look like the head and bill of a Sandhill crane.

Cranberries grow on vines, and, beyond popular belief, they do not grow in water. Instead, they grow in bogs, and, to facilitate harvest, these bogs are flooded before harvest.  But this type of harvesting is only used for cranberries that are made into juices, jams, and jellies.  Cranberries in bags that are found in the produce section of your grocery store, are dry harvested.  They are harvested with a machine that combs the vines for the berries.

Interesting.  And if, like me, you have never acquired a taste for cranberry jelly, there are many different kinds of recipes - I am sure one to your liking.

Recipe

Per request of my sister and nieces, I am forever documenting this recipe for all generations.  One of us looses it every year.  This was a recipe handed down to us by my sister's mother-in-law.  It is sooo good!  The jello and sugar take away the cranberries' tartness.

Mrs. James' Cranberry Relish

2 sm. pkgs. jello, your choice of flavor (I use strawberry-banana.)
3 c. hot water
2 c. sugar
2 oranges, squeezed
2 apples, ground
1 # cranberries, ground

Dissolve jello and sugar in hot water.  Squeeze oranges, and grind apples and cranberries.  I use a nut grinder, blender, or food processor.  Add to jello mixture.  Pour into serving dish.  Let set overnight.

Enjoy your many blessings,
Aunt Janet

Sunday, July 31, 2011

Help to Carry On

Sometimes in our lives we all have pain
We all have sorrow
But if we are wise
We know that there's always tomorrow

Lean on me, when you're not strong
And I'll be your friend
I'll help you carry on
For it won't be long
'Til I'm gonna need
Somebody to lean on

Please swallow your pride
If I have things you need to borrow
For no one can fill those of your needs
That you don't let show

Lean on me, when you're not strong
And I'll be your friend
I'll help you carry on
For it won't be long
'Til I'm gonna need
Somebody to lean on

If there is a load you have to bear
That you can't carry
I'm right up the road
I'll share your load
If you just call me

So just call on me brother, when you need a hand
We all need somebody to lean on
I just might have a problem that you'd understand
We all need somebody to lean on

Lean on me when you're not strong
And I'll be your friend
I'll help you carry on
For it won't be long
Till I'm gonna need
Somebody to lean on

Lean on me...
                                                         Bill Withers

Look around - there are people in pain.  Behind the facade of a smiling face, they go on, hanging by a fine golden thread to what is real -  where love exists.  Those closest may see these fine strings, may try to catch a hold of the ever wavering, only being defeated because it never quite swings in their direction.  The closest just don't have the power or strength to grab on.

And twirling and swinging, they pretend that love will grab a hold of them as they are propelled in the other direction.  Failing to lean when they are not strong - in the direction of the caring, the wise, the ones who truly care.  The movement plunges them forward, and away, until others are first heartbroken, after time, can't see the golden thread, and go on, leaning on others.

I've reached out.  I tried to hang on.  Now, I can't see you anymore.  But remember, there is still hope.

For those in pain, reach out before the pain becomes to great, before the forces carry you away into the unknown.  If the pain consumes, the unknown surrounds, turn to the known, the truth, the real, and you will find comfort.  Lean on the True Love, and Love will grab a hold of you.  You can't be helped until you ask.

As you surrender, slowly, oh so slowly, the golden thread will turn to a golden rod, visible to all, and love from everywhere will surround you once again.

Written for those I love who pushed me away until, heartbroken, I went on.  Hope exists.  Lean on Him.

Aunt Janet and Janet and friend

Wednesday, July 06, 2011

Fable of the Porcupine

I received this in an email, and the parable is so worth sharing!  But have you ever seen a baby porcupine?!  I would pass it along just for this!





Fable of the porcupine

It was the coldest winter ever. Many animals died because of the cold. The porcupines, realizing the situation, decided to group together to keep warm. This way they covered and protected themselves; but the quills of each one wounded their closest companions. After awhile, they decided to distance themselves one from the other and they began to die, alone and frozen. So they had to make a choice: either accept the quills of their companions or disappear from the Earth. Wisely, they decided to go back to being together. They learned to live with the little wounds caused by the close relationship with their companions in order to receive the warmth that came from the others. This way they were able to survive. Moral of the story: The best relationship is not the one that brings together perfect people, but when each individual learns to live with the imperfections of others and can admire the other person's good qualities.

The real moral of the story......LEARN TO LIVE WITH THE PRICKS IN YOUR LIFE.

Tuesday, July 05, 2011

Dirty Hands and Pineapple Sorbet

Dirty hands, iced tea,
garden fragrances thick in the air
and a blanket of color before me,
who could ask for more?
Bev Adams, Mountain Gardening

Not me.  I love getting dirt under my nails, sipping a tall cold glass of iced tea, walking past lemon balm, mint, or lavender and getting a whiff of their abundant fragrance.  I love summer!

I have never found a pair of gloves that work right in the garden.  I need to feel the soil between my fingers.  I can't seed, thin plants, or pick weeds with gloves - they just don't work. 

So, if you see me in the summer, please understand that my hands and nails always look dirty.  No matter how much soap I use or how much I scrub, I always have dirt under my nails and dirty rough patches on my hands.  As my niece tells everyone, my aunt's hobby is getting dirt under her nails.

Recipe

The Strawberry Ice was such a hit that, when I found myself with a couple of ripe pineapples, I found this cool and refreshing sorbet.

Pineapple Sorbet

1 small pineapple, peeled and cored
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
Fresh mint sprigs (optional)

Cut pineapple into 2-inch pieces. Place pineapple and lemon juice in a food processor; process until smooth. Add sugar; process 1 minute or until sugar dissolves.  Pour mixture into 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Freeze for about 25 minutes or until icy around edges. Using fork, pull icy portions into middle of pan. Repeat this step every 20 minutes until all the liquid is frozen into flaky, loose crystals. Cover and freeze. When ready to serve, use fork again to scrape crystals into bowls and garnish with fresh mint sprigs, if desired.  Serves about 9.

Gardening

I overwintered onions last year - leaving them in the ground over the long winter.  To my surprise, they grew larger than any onions I've grown before.  I decided to harvest them last week so I can plant a second crop.   My onions have always been small, and I used them as soon as I picked them.  I never had extra to store for later use.  So, I needed to read up on storing onions.

While researching storing onions, I learned an interesting fact.  I learned that it's abnormal for an onion to flower.  According to Aggie Horticulture at Texas AgriLife Extension Service:

If an onion plant is exposed to alternating cold and warm temperatures resulting in the onion plant going dormant, resuming growth, going dormant and then resuming growth again, the onion bulbs prematurely flower or bolt. The onion is deceived into believing it has completed two growth cycles or years of growth in its biennial life cycle so it finalizes the cycle by blooming. Flowering can be controlled by planting the right variety at the right time.

My onions always bloomed.  What to do?  I know that I buy onion plants that are normally grown in my area, and I do tend to plant them early.  Everyone recommends cuting off the flower or the onion size will be smaller.  So, instead of worrying about planting time and onion varieties, I'll just cut off the flowers.
To store onions, you need to cure them.  According to Ohio State University's Fact Sheet,

Harvest onions when the tops have fallen over and dried. On sunny, breezy days, onions may be pulled and left in the garden for a day or two to dry before they are taken to a curing area. Curing must take place for the onions to be stored for any length of time. Cure onions by placing them in a warm, well-ventilated area until the necks are thoroughly dry. With warm temperatures, good air circulation and low humidity, curing should be completed within two weeks after harvest. Onions are best stored in a cool moderately dry area in ventilated containers.

Aggie Horticulture makes a great suggestion on how to store the onions:

The key to preserving onions and to prevent bruising is to keep them cool, dry and separated. In the refrigerator, wrapped separately in foil, onions can be preserved for as long as a year. The best way to store onions is in a mesh bag or nylon stocking. Place an onion in the bag and tie a knot or put a plastic tie between the onions and continue until the stocking is full. Loop the stocking over a rafter or nail in a cool dry building and when an onion is desired, simply clip off the bottom onion with a pair of scissors or remove the plastic tie. Another suggestion is to spread the onions out on a screen which will allow adequate ventilation, but remember to keep them from touching each other. As a general rule, the sweeter the onion, the higher the water content, and therefore the less shelf life. A more pungent onion will store longer so eat the sweet varieties first and save the more pungent onions for storage.

I am going to try to spread the onions over a screen to dry, then storing them in a mesh bag.  I'll let you know if I have any problems with this method, but I do think that they will be gone before the end of summer.

I live in Planting Zone 4.  If anyone has any other ideas on storing onions, I would greatly appreciate them.

Thanks!
Aunt Janet

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Strawberry Ice Recipe

Strawberries are the angels of the earth,
innocent and sweet
with green leafy wings reaching heavenward.
Terri Guillemets

My strawberry season is coming to an end.  We have made strawberry jam and strawberry ice.  The season is ending too soon, and there is definitely not enough strawberry ice.  I have become addicted to this delicious, easy-to-make delicacy.  I call it a delicacy because I'm not sure if store bought strawberries will produce the same delightful taste.

Since I have several friends and family members who didn't see the Strawberry Ice recipe in my last post (okay be nice), I am reposting it.  I have told me that this is probably the best recipe I have come upon in a long time.

Strawberry Ice

1 cup hot water
3/4 cup sugar
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
3 cups sliced strawberries, plus additional berries for garnish

Mix hot water, sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl until sugar dissolves. Blend 3 cups strawberries in processor or blender until smooth. Add sugar syrup and blend until combined. Pour mixture into 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Freeze for about 25 minutes or until icy around edges. Using fork, pull icy portions into middle of pan. Repeat this step every 20 minutes until all the liquid is frozen into flaky, loose crystals. Cover and freeze. When ready to serve, use fork again to scrape crystals into bowls and garnish with berries. Serves about 6.

Money Making Tip

If you are crafty and/or artistic, how about making some money from your hobby without leaving the comfort of your home?  Etsy.com is a wonderful website.  I have suggested this website to many talented friends in the past.  I just listed beautiful log cabin birdhouse that my husband has sold for years.  Click on the link below to find details of this unique handcrafted birdhouse.  I do think we need to come up with a better "shop" name.

Friday, June 10, 2011

Is Your Grass Green?

If the grass looks greener on the other side of the fence,
it's because they take better care of it.
Cecil Selig

If only.  If only I had more money, if only my husband was more attentive, if only my life went according to plan, then my life would be wonderful.  Really?  I don't think so.

God gave you life choices, and you can go wherever you want.  It's called free will.  No matter what the situation, you can decide how you react.  You, and only you, can choose to be happy, content, at peace..., OR you can choose to be sad, angry, frustrated...  And, please, it's not the people around you.  It's how you react to them.

God gave us rules to follow.  He gave us the 10 Commandments, and the most important Commandments - “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.  This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.  All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”  Matthew 22:36-40 

Does the path you have taken reflect your belief?  Does it take the Commandments at face value or with added ifs or unlesses at the end.  Honor thy mother and father if they give you anything you want.  Thou shall not commit adultery unless he treats you like a queen, or she cooks like a chef.   Love your neighbor as yourself if they in turn love you back.

Are we still playing the blame game?  If only..., my life would be so much better. 

Some people think that I am too laid back, that I let things happen around me without showing anger or frustration, that I am too passive.  My answer to them is that's my choice.  I choose not to let my life's situations tear me down.  I choose not to be in tears, but to distract myself with something positive or to simple laugh.  True - I cannot do this 100% of the time, but I know I live this way more often than not because who wants to be crying all the time.  Not me.  So, I am not passive.  I am making an active decision on how to react.

We chose the path - now make the most of it.  If the grass is greener on the other side of the fence, it's probably because your neighbors take better care of their grass.  Go ahead and tend to yours.

Easy Recipe

Strawberries are here.  My husband loves strawberry jam and making it, but I'm not that fond of it.  This year, I looked for a recipe that I would like and could enjoy for the next couple of months.  This recipe is definitely a winner.  It is so cool, refreshing, and delicious!!!

Strawberry Ice

1 cup hot water
3/4 cup sugar
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
3 cups sliced strawberries, plus additional berries for garnish

Mix hot water, sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl until sugar dissolves. Blend 3 cups strawberries in processor or blender until smooth. Add sugar syrup and blend until combined. Pour mixture into 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Freeze for about 25 minutes or until icy around edges. Using fork, pull icy portions into middle of pan. Repeat this step every 20 minutes until all the liquid is frozen into flaky, loose crystals. Cover and freeze. When ready to serve, use fork again to scrape crystals into bowls and garnish with berries. Serves about 6.

Enjoy!
Aunt Janet

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Children - Be Kind to Your Parents

Be kind to your parents
Though they don't deserve it. 
Remember that grown ups
Is a difficult stage of life
They're apt to be nervous
And over excited
Confused by their daily storm and strife. 
So keep in mind though it seems hard I know. 
Parents were children long ago. Incredible!! 
So treat them with patience and kind understanding. 
Despite of all the foolish things they do. 
Some day you might wake up and find you're a parent too.
Harold Rome
When I graduated from 8th grade, our school gave us all the fancy stationary for commemorating this special day. Being excited because it looked so elegant, I sent the invitations, name cards, and an 8th grade picture to everyone in my family. This included my dad. When I called him to see if he was coming, he told me that he was offended that I sent him an invitation to my graduation without calling him. Okay, does anyone else see how illogical this was? I called him.

When I graduated from high school, I again invited him to my graduation. I was to give a commencement speech, and I really wanted him to come and be proud of me. He said that he would make special arrangements for protection, and he would be there. (He was running for president of the railroad union.) I was so excited. I told all my friends that they could finally meet my dad.

Before graduation, I scanned the crowd, looking for my handsome father. After graduation, I again searched the crowd. When I saw my parents’ faces, I knew that he didn’t come. Here I was receiving the highest award that I’ve ever received and giving a speech that came from my heart, and he didn’t come. And for the first time, I saw the anger in my parents’ eyes, anger that they never visibly shown before. They never bad mouthed him. I was devastated and he got an earful that night in between hysterical sobs. Did it hurt him as much as me? I don’t think so.

I didn’t invite him to my college graduation, and funny thing is now I regret it.  An Oxymoron perhaps?

From then on, every time there was an important event in my life or in the paternal family, in order to prevent that severe pain, I had to pretend that he wasn’t coming. If he came, it was a pleasant surprise. It is a defense mechanism to deal with hurt that a parent causes - neglecting their child’s needs in favor of their own wishes, which in most situations are selfish.

Why am I telling you this? It is between Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, and graduation time. It brings back memories for me, memories that I sincerely hope and pray no other child will feel. So, if you are a mother and father, remember what you do effects your child, not only now, but forever. Children are a gift from God. How would God want you to treat this gift? Even when we are going through tough times, it is so important to remember that these children are just children, with child-like feelings and emotions, and to ask yourself – how will this affect my child now and forever?

Children need the love of both parents.  They need to know that both parents love them.  Parents need to respect the other parent in order to teach respect to and for their child.  The child is an extension of both parents, aren't they, even the other parent?  Many unintentional selfish acts against the other parent are just a passing emotion or reaction for the parents, but are a forever hurt for the child.

Selling

I love that the companies I represent each contribute to charities and / or offer the customers a chance to contribute.  In May, Pampered Chef is offering their annual Help Whip Cancer® products.  Here is a link to see all of the wild products they are offering this year - ttp://www.pamperedchef.com/images/public/us/pdf/gs_11may.pdf.  If you would like to order any of these items, please go to  http://www.pamperedchef.biz/auntjanetskitchen to place an order.  Thanks!

Friday, May 06, 2011

Consequences

Always listen to your elder's advice,
not because they are always right,
but because they have more experience at being wrong.
Author Unknown

We learn from our experiences.  We also learn from the experience of others.  When we see our young making a wrong move, we try to reach out and give advice.  Sometimes it is taken.  Other times we are told to let them make their own mistakes.  Out of love, we are trying to prevent hurt, pain, and questions of "why did I ever do that?" 

Yes, it is true that we are not always right.  They may experience a totally different outcome than we experienced.  But, and I do think you will agree with me, positive actions reap positive results, and negative actions reap negative results.

I am not sure how many times I have told the young in my family:
There are consequences to every action. If you do something positive, there will be a positive consequence. If you do something negative, there will be a negative consequence. You may not see this consequence right away, but, sooner or later, it will catch up with you, and you will have to deal with the consequence of your action. So, think carefully before you do things. Ask yourself if this action is positive or negative. Or, better yet, WWJD. 
Remember - No matter what you do, God will forgive you, but He doesn't always take away the consequences.  More often, He helps us through them.  He gives us knowledge from experience, tough love when we need it, and strength to endure.  If we did something wrong, and didn't suffer a little from this wrong action, how are we to learn?
If you help someone, someone will help you.  If you lie, you will be lied to.  If you give, you will receive.  If you steal, your possessions are not safe.  If you listen, you will be heard.  If you cheat, you will never be able to trust. 

So often, we blame others for your poor choices.  If they had done this, or not done this, or been more ??? or less ???, then I would have not done what I did.  When you go to heaven, God is not going to ask how others treated you, but how you treated others.  You are only responsible for yourself.  It doesn't matter if someone called you a bad name.  It just matters how you responded.  Did you respond in anger, or did you turn the other check?

As the youth grow and experience life, they come to see the truth of this knowledge, knowledge that has been passed down generation to generation, knowledge from those that have lived through their own experiences of life.  When the truth triumphs, there is no justification for wrongs, but every justification for rights.  And the Truth always triumphs!

Money Savings Idea

For Mother's Day this weekend, how about giving a homemade gift certificate for time?  Time to paint her living room, teach her how to blog, take a walk, or plant flowers.  Most mothers appreciate and treasure the gift of time more than any other tangible gift.  Your time is free, but the time spent with your mom is priceless.

Saturday, April 30, 2011

Serenity Prayer

God grant me
the Serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
the Courage to change the things I can,
and the Wisdom to know the difference;

Living one day at a time;
Accepting hardship as a pathway to peace;
Taking, as Jesus did, this sinful world as it is,
not as I would have it:

Trusting that you will make all things right
if I surrender to your will;
that I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with you forever in the next.
Amen

I lost everything I wrote : (  So I say goodnight just with the prayer, and the hope that I can remember what I wrote.  And it was good...

Aunt Janet

Wednesday, January 05, 2011

For last year's words belong to last year's language
And next year's words await another voice
And to make an end is to make a beginning.
~T.S. Eliot, "Little Gidding"

Without thinking, I searched for a quote for today.  I didn't realize that I picked the same quote from my previous post until after I began working on this post.  Coincidence or is there something that draws me to explore this quote more deeply?

Since I believe that there is a reason for everything, that God has a plan, I know this is not merely a lapse of memory.  Yes, the past is the past, and the future is yet to be seen, but the present is influenced by the past, and inspires the future.  So, where we are now is the beginning of the road we traveled yesterday.

I think I got it!  Travel the road, learning from mistakes of the past, and hoping for a better tomorrow.

Did I get it?

Grandpa's Sayings

"You can never catch up on lost sleep."  

The other night, my husband and I stayed up too late watching a movie.  Even though he went to bed early the next day, he woke up feeling sluggish, stating he will never stay up that late again. Your body needs rest, and without it, it will rebel.  So, get a good rest tonight, so you will be refreshed tomorrow.

Money Savings

Dishwasher - I just heard that the major part of energy a dishwasher uses is in heating the water.  If you have a house like mine, you need to run your faucet for a minute before the water gets hot.  Run the kitchen faucet until it's hot, and the water going to the dishwasher will be hot right away, thus using less electricity to heat the water.  Interesting.

Money Making Tip

Ebay has free listing of any item until January 7th.  I believe that you can list up to 100 items for free (in one month period of time).  So, if you haven't listed over 100 items in the last month, go ahead and list your items that you don't need.  You'll maybe get rid of the clutter and make money at the same time!  Click on My Ebay at the right to see what I'm selling.  Books!  There's also a Pepsi Clock.  Who knows what I'll list tomorrow?

Happy New Year!
Aunt Janet
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