My sister was an avid soccer player when she was in school. A series of strains and mishaps while playing caused her back some discomfort over the years.
What really brought matters to a head, though, was when she was working in the kitchen of a local elementary school and slipped on a wet, freshly mopped floor that another employee had failed to mark as such. Her injuries were fairly severe.
Her muscle and disc problems persist to this day. Probably the most heart-breaking thing about her situation is that her fall happened right before her son turned one year old. All of the sudden, her back pain was regularly so bad she could not lift her own child. More than the pain, what upset her not being able to bend over and pick up her baby – a natural and loving gesture.
My nephew is 6 now, and less interested in being picked up by anyone. My sister still has back pain, albeit less severe after a series of procedures and therapies.
A couple of months ago I tried a sample of Freeze It. In fact, I blogged about it right here on Suncoast Scribe. I was very happy to find the product every bit as good as the Biofreeze I had used in the past. The difference is that Freeze It Gel is both more affordable and easier to buy. After trying the sample, I bought my sister a full sized tube and it’s helped reduce the number of days she feels the need to take an oral pain reliever. The less you have to put into your body, the better.
My sister and nephew on a good back day.
Samples rock. The best way to really know if a product is right for you is to try before you buy. It turns out that Freeze It was right for more than one member of my family, and all for different reason: my sister uses Freeze It for the sore muscles associated with her back problems, I use it for the neck pain I often get from sleeping wrong, and my mom uses it for her arthritis.
It is absolutely official Christmas shopping season. Of course, I don’t believe Christmas is all about shopping, but I am a gift giver at heart so I love the whole process of selecting the perfect gift for those I love. I am not one to hand over a wrapped box of socks. I like to give unique gifts that elicit a reaction.
Here are two great gift ideas. In fact, they are not only perfect for Christmas, but just about any other occasion throughout the year. We all wear clothes, so t-shirts are nearly always appropriate. If you know a grandparent who spoils the grandkids, these t-shirts are not only idea, but funny as well.
Guaranteed to bring a chuckle. The shirts are also available with the Armenian, German, Greek and Spanish names for Grandpa. Or, you can contact me for customization. Click on either of the shirt images to see the shops.
I went to the bank today to deposit some checks and to have some temporary checks printed. Somehow I ran out before noticing I needed to re-order. While I was there, the teller pointed out that my ex-husband’s car is still on a Car Loan attached to my account. Not that it isn’t information I’m not totally aware of on a daily basis. He is reluctant to move the loan, since he got such a good rate. Refinancing, he says, would not yield such a reasonable rate. I’d pretty much have to take him to court to force him to move the loan, unless he would just find a better rate on his own.
There are, I’ve told him, entire sites that cater to Bad Credit Loans. The bad credit would be his, not mine. Now that he does not have my score anymore to help get a better rate, he really needs to look into some of the financing options available to people with issues just like his own. It’s not as though he cannot find a new loan, or even one with a good rate. It’s just a matter of knowing where to look.
I know we all love our pumpkin and pecan pies for Thanksgiving, but here is a recipe for a spiced harvest-time cake that will please everyone who might not love the pie tradition. This is a VERY old recipe. I found it in both my grandmother and my great-grandmother’s recipe boxes.
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 cups applesauce
1 box raisins
1 cup crushed walnuts
3 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 Tablespoons cinnamon
1 Tablespoon ground cloves or allspice
2 eggs
pinch of salt
Cream first three ingredients. Add remaining ingredients.
Back when I was married, one of the perpetual quests we seemed to be on was the journey to find a home with a bidet – or at least a way to fit one into our existing bathroom. My ex grew up overseas, where it was common to have a bidet in the home. He was very determined to find a way to make one fit into our bathroom. I was all for it, because even though we are not used to that particular fixture in the United States, there is no doubt it is a plus when it comes to hygiene.
Now, actually finding the room for an entirely new fixture was always an issue. I often wondered if there wasn’t just something I could attach to the existing toilet. That something would be a Spaloo. Tah-dah, hands free cleansing at your fingertips – so to speak. Not only does it provide a warm water wash, but also a warm air dry. Hands free, indeed.
I was watching a video review by Dave Graveline for his Into Tomorrow segment. Turns out installing the spaloo is just as simple as installing a new toilet seat. I just put in a new toilet seat here at the house a couple of weeks ago and I can attest that if I can do it, anyone can do it. Seriously, I’m really not that handy around the house and I can install a toilet seat with my eyes closed. Not that I recommend installing anything with your eyes actually closed. That would just be irresponsible.
Anyway, I digress. I’m really fascinated by the Spaloo fixture. I’ve got a tad of an obsession with being clean, so this piqued my interest from the beginning. So, if anyone wonders what to get me for Christmas – look no further.
Today is the beginning of Thanksgiving week. My daughter s off of school for the entire week and her father just dropped her off after his long weekend with her. Actually, every weekend he has with her is a long weekend, but that is just a story about a stupid misstep I made during the divorce negotiations. Lesson learned.
Anyway, there is so much to do during a week off school. I miss the days Gigi was home with me all day, every day. We went and explored almost constantly, enjoying everything from picking strawberries to walking through the Butterfly Rainforest and the University of Florida, all on a whim.
Things need to be planned a little more now.
Absolutely first on our list of things we want to accomplish is to go see “Enchanted” when it comes out Wednesday. For those of you who have not heard of “Enchanted”, it is the new Disney princess film. It is half live-action and half animation. We start out seeing Princess Giselle in her happy cartoon world. She is thrust into our world, specifically New York City, by an evil witch. Other characters follow her and hilarity ensues. We have been waiting a LONG time for this movie to arrive.
Thanksgiving dinner is also on the docket. We will be going to my sister’s for the day and much turkey will be consumed.
I am going to try and make sure we make time daily to go for a bike ride. That is often an activity we try to squeeze into the evenings, but this week we can go during daylight hours.
Then, there is the Christmas Boutique & Fine Arts Show at the Japanese Garden in Clearwater this week. I want to make a point to hit that. Tarpon Springs also has their annual craft festival this week.
As you can see, there is a lot to do. Plus, I want to make our week spontaneous as well. So, there should be a lot of adventure along the way. And, some sleeping late.
