Chef Kiosses Prepares Saganaki

Chef Kiosses Prepares Saganaki

Bill_saganaki
Originally uploaded by lesleyvance

Grocery Store Safety Tips

For years I have practiced grocery store rituals because I don't like germs and bacteria. I'm not just talking about using the little anti-bacteria wipes that some stores have at the entrances. That's sweet but won't do the trick for all the germs on each isle of the store. Here are my tips to staying healthy:

1. Milk jugs: Can you imagine how many people have handled the milk containers in your grocery store? From the dairy farms to packaging warehouses to distribution centers...and finally to your local grocery. At least 20 or more people have probably touched the milk cartons. When I arrive home from the grocery store with my milk and half-n-half cartons, I wash them in hot soapy water. I rinse and dry off each one before putting them in my refrigerator. Crazy...or just smart? Think about it. You're touching a container that tons of other people have touched. Did that person blow their nose? Do they have a cold? What germs and bacteria could they be passing on?
2. Eggs: I use the same protocol for my eggs. I was each egg before putting them in my frig. I also clean the tray that my eggs sit in at least every other time I refill it with new eggs.
3. Fresh fruits and veggies: I use a brush or hot soapy wash rag to scrub my fruit and veggies.
4. Deli meat: It really grosses me out if any of my deli meat touches the scale before being packaged. Ask your deli clerk to make sure they place a large piece of wax paper or plastic on the scale before they weigh your meat.
5. Canned goods: Again, people have touched the cans. Wash them. Don't forget to wash your can opener periodically too. If it has goo on it then that goo will get into the canned food when you use it again. Yucky!
6. Packaging: I pretty much clean any kind of package that I bring into my home. Cereal boxes? I pour the cereal into another plastic container and throw away the boxes. Those will fall apart anyway if you try to scrub them clean with water. lol....;)
7. Fresh breads and donuts: Just say no. I don't buy anything that comes in a bin with a lid on it. At Henry's they sell food in large 5 gallon buckets. People are constantly standing over the buckets dipping out the beans, rice, flour and chocolate candies. I just stay away from those buckets. Lord only know what may have fallen into the buckets. The store sells the prepackaged goods anyway.

What additional ideas do you have?

Citibank gets bailed-out and stabs customers in the back

I must share this great blog about Citibank's poor decision to raise interest rates. BeeDub puts it into perspective saying, "Let's look at a hypothetical case of a 20-year-old who is getting married and puts $10,000 on his card for his wedding...." Read more at: http://tiny.cc/Citibank679

Williams-Sonoma Cow Creamer

Moooooo cow creamer makes mornings brighter!

A few Christmases ago my brother gave me this cute little cow creamer from Williams-Sonoma. At first glance I wondered what is it? Betsy holds the creamer in her belly and pours from her mouth.

Eventually, I named the little cow Betsy and she's become a morning staple so to speak. In my household, half-n-half is always on hand. We put tons of it in our coffee, buying it by the gallons. So, Betsy's put to good use every morning.

I put Betsy in the microwave to heat my half-n-half and she takes her baths in my dishwasher. She's very low maintenance. Here's the link if you'd like to get one for yourself or as a gift: http://tiny.cc/Betsy479

sunset...nite. nite

Logitech "Vid" Event

I am at a Logitech event with a lot of great ladies! We're all bloggers and learning how to use the Logitech QuickCam Vision Pro. Each one of us received a free webcam for attending. The cool thing about this webcam is that it gives your videos image-perfect detail and clarity. Just make sure your makeup is on before you push record! Lord knows, I don't wanna be caught without my lipstick on!!!

If you're a geek like me then you'll want to know the 411 about this little gem of a webcam. First of all it's a plug and play. There's no software that you have to download! Hurray!!! It works with popular instant messaging like iChat, Skype, Yahoo and AOL. That'll be really fun! Here are the highlights of the Logitech QuickCam Vision Pro:

• Microphone...let your inner Madonna come out!
• 2-megapixel webcam...get ready for the closeups!
• autofocus lens...no blurring, no hassle!
• universal clip so you can mount the webcam on most monitors...easy as pie!

Now go and play!

Botox in a sponge?

I thought the following article was interesting...seems they keep finding more uses for Botox. I've heard it can help with migraines, and I suffer from about 8-10 a month. Maybe I should look into that. Now, it's being used for people suffering from allergies...read on below.

[in case you're wondering...on the doggie front: I'm still stressed about adopting this morning...still on the fence.]

SOURCE: www.newbeauty.com, Posted Friday, October 23, 2009

Doctors have long been looking for a way to give patients the benefits of Botox without the needle. (You may recall, for example, the Botox cream being tested for hyperhidrosis.) The latest efforts involve Botox-soaked sponges, and the effects are surprisingly promising.

It has already been established that Botox injections can help the symptoms of rhinitis, which include a chronically runny nose, sneezing and congestion. German researchers, testing an alternative to injections, inserted sponges filled with Botox into participants' nostrils for 30 minutes, and then had the participants keep a "nose diary" for three months.

Patients who received the Botox sponge treatment scored higher in all aspects of symptom relief than those who did not, leading researchers to believe that this could be an effective implementation.

"We've shown that the minimally invasive application method of BTA (botulinum toxin A) with a sponge is a safe, painless method which can lead to a long lasting reduction of nasal hypersecretion," said study author Rainer Laskawi.

The anatomy of the nostril is different than that of the forehead and other areas where Botox may be used for cosmetic purposes, so the potency of the sponge method is hard to predict in the aesthetic arena. However, those of us who are disinclined to opt for injections are hopeful that further research shows promise for wrinkle relaxation.

Tags: Botox, injectable, research, rhinitis, study, treatment, wrinkles

Rescue Dogs: Part 2

My hubby and I are now discussing adopting one Bichon and one larger dog. He would like to have a dog that could keep up with him on a 2 mile run. Although I'm still wishing I could get two Bichons. [I found a couple of Bichons that are being fostered and plan on meeting them next week or so.]

Today was a totally emotional day. I cried and cried...then cried some more. I went to see a puppy (pictured) at a local animal shelter for the second time. [I'm making myself miserable!!]

Obviously, I liked the little sweety the first time I saw her. So, I took my husband to the shelter to meet her.

After filling out an application, we were allowed to play with Sierra. She is a little pistol with lots of energy. She's a 2 months old German Shepherd mix. We have no idea what is in the mix. We're wondering if she could have Chow or Pit Bull in her. But she looks more German Shepherd than anything.

Her little teeth are sharp right now and her jaws are big. The photo doesn't do her justice. She is super cute! We held Sierra and she did just fine. She actually settled down in our arms. So that was good.

After all the drama of meeting her face to face without bars, I couldn't make a decision. I fell apart in the parking lot. Emotions flowing. Grief mainly. I miss Baby so very much. And seeing a potential dog to adopt makes Baby's death even more real. The idea of adopting another dog really brings it home that Baby is gone. She's not on a doggie vacation or visiting her grandma's house. She is gone. That's what hit me today. So, I had a lot of emotions - missing Baby, seeing the cute new dog, wanting to make the right decision not only for the dog but for me, thinking that it may be too soon to adopt.

I'm sleeping on it tonight. We didn't adopt Sierra. It was tough to leave her there. Brian liked her and thinks she would be a great dog. But he doesn't want us to make a decision too soon.

Note to self: When you're ready to adopt a dog, you shouldn't be crying your eyes out in the parking lot...that's an indication that something is wrong...not with the dog...but with the timing...

I am sleeping on it.

Rescue Dogs

Am I out of my mind? No. Just thinking about adopting/rescuing another Bichon. Maybe two this time.

Some of you may not know that I had a Bichon for 16 years. She just passed away on June 1. It broke my heart. Her name was Baby...and obviously she was my little baby because I have no kids. I adopted her in 1993 from a animal shelter back in Franklin, Tennessee when I lived in Nashville.

Baby and I were a match made in heaven. From the first moment I laid eyes on her I knew she was brought into this world for me. [Yes, I know people say that about

their kids.] But Baby was not a dog. She was a little person with her own personality. It took me several years to tune into her spirit and real

ize the depth of her essence. I learned how to communicate with her beyond mere words. A certain look from her, and I knew what she was thinking. A nod from me and she knew what I was thinking. We were connected in a way that was very unique.

The photos of the dogs on this post are from a local shelter. They need to be rescued. I may have the opportunity to meet them. We will see.

I'm still debating whether or not I'm ready to adopt another Bichon. I may need more time to grieve Baby's death. I may decide not to adopt at all. But when I think of all the love and joy Baby brought into my life, then I think I should consider adopting.

Baby will never be replaced. But there are a lot of dogs out there that need good homes. I guess I'm not quite ready yet...but I'm thinking about it...and processing through it...hence, this blog. thanks for listening...and letting me process. I

hadn't written about Baby's passing because it was too personal and difficult to talk about. I didn't think people would understand. Here's a cute photo of Baby from Easter...note her Easter necklace that I made for her.