Of Red Underwear and Other Ramblings

How long

2009-11-10T14:10:00.001-05:00

How long will you vex my soul,
grind me down with words?

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Inspirational Video

2009-09-10T20:06:00.001-04:00

Puppy Size

2009-09-09T18:37:00.002-04:00

A loving story, be sure to read it as well as looking at the photos! If you’ve seen it before, it is worth a re-read…and if you don't shed a tear, you are hard, hard, hard

r hear. You will know precisely what this little girl is talking about at the end (you'll want to share this one with your loved ones and special friends)!

'Danielle keeps repeating it over and over again. We've been back to this animal shelter at least five times. It has been weeks now since we started all of this,' the mother told the volunteer.

'What is it she keeps asking for?' the volunteer asked.
'Puppy size!' replied the mother

'Well, we have plenty of puppies, if that's what she's looking for.' 'I know..... we have seen most of them, ' the mom said in frustration...

Just then Danielle came walking into the office

'Well, did you find one?' asked her mom.

'No, not this time,' Danielle said with sadness in her voice. 'Can we come back on the weekend?'

The two women looked at each other, shook their heads and laughed

'You never know when we will get more dogs. Unfortunately, there's always a supply,' the volunteer said.

Danielle took her mother by the hand and headed to the door. 'Don't worry, I'll find one this weekend,' she
said.

Over the next few days both Mom and Dad had long conversations with her. They both felt she was being too particular. 'It's this weekend or we're not looking anymore,' Dad finally said in frustration.

'We don't want to hear anything more about puppy size, either,' Mom added.

Sure enough, they were the first ones in the shelter on Saturday morning . By now Danielle knew her way around, so she ran right for the section that housed the smaller dogs.

Tired of the routine, mom sat in the small waiting room at the end of the first row of cages. There was an observation window so you could see the animals during times when
visitors weren't permitted.

Danielle walked slowly from cage to cage, kneeling periodically to take a closer look. One by one the dogs were brought out and she held each one.
One by one she said, 'Sorry, but you're not the one.'

It was the last cage on this last day in search of the perfect pup. The volunteer opened the cage door and the child carefully picked up the dog and held it closely. This time she took a little longer.

'Mom, that's it! I found the right puppy! He's the one! I know it!' She screamed with joy. 'It's the puppy size!'

'But it's the same size as all the other puppies you held over the last few weeks,' Mom said.

'No not size... The sighs. When I held him in my arms, he sighed,' she said.
'Don't you remember? When I asked you one day what love is, you told me love depends on the sighs of your heart. The more you love, the bigger the sigh!'

The two women looked at each other for a moment. Mom didn't know whether to laugh or cry. As she stooped down to hug the child, she did a little of both.

'Mom, every time you hold me, I sigh. When you and Daddy come home from work and hug each other, you both sigh.. I knew I would find the right puppy if it sighed when I held it in my arms,' she said. Then, holding the puppy up close to her face, she said, 'Mom, he loves me. I heard the sighs of his heart!'

Close your eyes for a moment and think about the love that
makes you sigh. I not only find it in the arms of my loved ones, but in the caress of a sunset, the kiss of the moonlight and the gentle brush of cool air on a hot day.
They are the sighs of God. Take the time to stop and listen; you will be surprised at what you hear. 'Life is not measured by the breaths we take, but by the moments that take

our breath away.'

I hope your life is filled with Sighs!!!

Appreciate every single thing you have, especially your friends! Life is too short and friends are too few. Love YA All..., xoxo, sigh, oxoxoxo sigh.

Another Poem

2009-08-21T06:24:00.000-04:00

What is this life if, full of care,

We have no time to stand and stare.

No time to stand beneath the boughs

And stare as long as sheep or cows.

No time to see, when woods we pass,

Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.

No time to see, in broad daylight,

Streams full of stars, like skies at night.

No time to turn at Beauty's glance,

And watch her feet, how they can dance.

No time to wait till her mouth can

Enrich that smile her eyes began.

A poor life this if, full of care,

We have no time to stand and stare.

Poem

2009-08-20T18:22:00.000-04:00

“My walls outside must have some flowers,
My walls within must have some books;
A house that's small; a garden large,
And in it leafy nooks.”

Elder Rights Protection CONSUMER ALERTS

2009-08-07T10:36:00.004-04:00

Connecticut Better Business Bureau Warns Consumers about Chimney Cleaning Con Game
(Press Release)

Dishonest Operators Use Fear, High Pressure Tactics and Lowball Estimates to Cheat Consumers

Wallingford, CT - July 23, 2009 - In light of the recent arrest of two New York men who tried to cheat a Milford homeowner, Connecticut Better Business Bureau is warning consumers about chimney cleaning scams.
The arrests followed an investigation by the Department of Consumer Protection (DCP), which alleges the men turned a $39.95 chimney cleaning estimate into a recommendation for $3,200 in unnecessary repairs. Charges against the pair ranged from impersonating home contractors to performing work without a license.
According to Connecticut Better Business Bureau President, Paulette Scarpetti, this is not a new scam, and the intervention by DCP shows its potential to cheat consumers. "When a contractor tells you that your life is in danger or part of your home needs urgent repairs to prevent serious damage, your first instinct is to protect yourself and your property.

Unlicensed and dishonest contractors often use fear tactics to turn routine maintenance into an unnecessary costly and potentially unsafe job." Chimney cleaning fraud usually starts with a postcard, flyer, an unsolicited telephone call or e-mail and an unusually low price, typically around $40.00.
Once the scammers perform an inspection, they may say that there is structural damage, problems with the chimney cap (also known as a spark arrester), and may even bring in dead birds or chunks of concrete to illustrate the "problems."
They often claim there is a carbon monoxide leak or that the chimney liner needs replacing.
Chimney liners cost thousands of dollars, and some con artist contractors may replace a perfectly good liner with one that may not even fit properly, or only line part of the chimney.

Connecticut Better Business Bureau offers the following advice to consumers to prevent them from becoming victims of chimney cleaning fraud:Don't be taken in by low prices:
An inspection usually costs $75 dollars; the cleaning is another $150 and should take about an hour. No reputable chimney cleaner will do an inspection and cleaning for $40.

Protect yourself from being pushed or frightened into immediate action:A chimney carbon monoxide leak is extremely rare. There are instruments to measure this. If they make this claim, ask them to prove it.Ask for documentation:Check to see that the company is licensed and insured.
You can check to see if it has a history of complaints by checking their Reliability Report at www.bbb.org.In some cities and towns, the local fire department may provide free chimney inspections.

How often does a fireplace chimney need to be cleaned? If it is used more than three times a week it should be done every year. One clear sign that it needs attention is if soot falls from the damper when it is opened. Once you have reputable experts doing the job, they also can tell you whether your furnace chimney needs cleaning.

Hope

2009-08-06T10:43:00.003-04:00

Message to Ponder:

"If you do not hope, you will not find what is beyond your hopes." - Saint Clement of Alexandra

What do you hope for? Imagine what lies beyond your hopes!

Comment below and share those hopes with all of our visitors!

This Makes Me So Sad.......

2009-08-03T18:46:00.002-04:00

Washington DC Metro Station on a cold January morning in 2007. He played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time approx 2 thousand people went through the station, most of them on their way to work.

After 3 min. a middle aged man noticed there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried to meet his schedule.

4 min. later:
The violinist received his first dollar: a woman threw the money in the till and, without stopping, continued to walk.

6 minutes:
A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again.

10 minutes:
A 3 year old boy stopped but his mother tugged him along hurriedly, as the kid stopped to look at the violinist. Finally the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. Every parent, without exception, forced them to move on.

45 minutes:
The musician played. Only 6 people stopped and stayed for a while. About 20 gave him money but continued to walk their normal pace.

He collected $32.

1 hour:
He finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.

No one knew this but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the best musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars. Two days before Joshua Bell sold out a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100.

This is a real story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people's priorities. The questions raised were: in a common place environment at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context?

One possible conclusion reached from this experiment could be:

If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world playing some of the finest music ever written, with one of the most beautiful instruments ever made ....

How many other things are we missing?

2009-07-03T10:28:00.001-04:00

2009-04-17T19:33:00.001-04:00

Already saw the robins and heard the peepers. But........ Now I know it is spring! I just saw the ice cream man!!!!

2009-04-17T16:20:00.001-04:00

Hi everyone! Watch for team New England Home Care at the MS walk in West Haven on Sunday! Awesome group of health professionals and 1 surprise!!!

2009-04-15T20:48:00.001-04:00

What a face

2009-04-15T13:26:00.000-04:00

So cute!

2009-04-15T13:16:00.001-04:00

What we've all been waiting for! Honda is coming out with a dog-friendly model of the element- doggie bed, water bowl, and even a ramp fpr pooch to enter!

2009-04-15T13:05:00.001-04:00

Testing 123

20 Things You Didn't Know About ... Sleep

2009-03-18T09:33:00.002-04:00

The official world record for staying awake, possible killers lurking in our mattresses, a continent's war against naps and more
By Jason StahlProvided by Discover Magazine

From msn.com

1. Chronic snoring can be treated by uvulopalatopharyngoplasty, a surgical procedure that tightens the tissues of the soft palate and throat. Possible side effects include changes in voice frequency.

2. Another option involves injecting the palate with a chemical to harden the soft tissue. This is called a snoroplasty, derived from the Greek word "plastos," meaning "molded," and somewhat lamely from the English word snore, meaning "snore."

3. Baaaad idea: A 2002 study by Oxford University researchers concluded, brilliantly, that the traditional practice of counting sheep is an ineffective cure for insomnia. The mental activity is so boring that other problems and concerns inevitably surface.

4. Mattresses have an average life span of eight to 10 years. They grow some nasty stuff in that time; one study links mattress bacteria to sudden infant death syndrome.

5. An adult bed bug can survive up to one year without feeding.

6. In 2004, Americans filled more than 35 million prescriptions for sleeping pills. The number of adults aged 20 to 44 taking pills to help them fall asleep has doubled in the last four years.

7. More than 100,000 car crashes in the United States each year result from drowsiness. Drivers talking on cell phones increase the rate by 6 percent, so don't call someone if you get tired.

8. Your alarm is set for 6 a.m. -- why do you wake up at 5:59 a.m.? The body's internal alarm clock, which enables some people to wake up naturally at the time they desire, is triggered by the stress hormone adrenocorticotropin. The levels of this hormone begin to rise an hour or two before an expected wake-up call, to prepare the body gradually for the stress of waking up.

9. A six-year study of a million adults showed that people who get only six to seven hours of sleep a night have a lower death rate than those who get eight hours. Maybe it's those late nights watching QVC.

10. In 1964, 17-year-old Randy Gardner stayed awake for 264 hours and 12 minutes, the officially recognized world record. He then slept for 15 hours -- not a record, but not bad.

11. Let's sleep on it first: In a gesture of integration with the European Union, Spain has launched a campaign to eliminate the tradition of siestas, or afternoon naps.

12. Thanks in part to their afternoon naps, Spaniards sleep an average of 40 minutes less per night than other Europeans. Spain also has the highest rate of workplace accidents in the EU and the third lowest productivity rate.

13. Who knew it was that easy? A Muslim couple in India is being forced to split up after the husband uttered the word "talaq," the Arabic word for divorce, three times in his sleep. According to Muslim law, the "triple talaq" is an actual divorce.

14. The idea that it is dangerous to wake a sleepwalker is a myth. Given the things sleepwalkers get up to do, like climb roofs and fix insanely large sandwiches, it is probably more risky not to wake them.

15. Whales and dolphins can literally fall half asleep. Their brain hemispheres alternate sleeping, so the animals can continue to surface and breathe.

16. Dreaming is related to bursts of electrical activity that blow through the brain stem every 90 minutes during REM sleep. Over a lifetime, an average person spends more than six years dreaming, clocking more than 136,000 dreams in all.

17. But nobody knows why we dream.

18. Hey, be glad she doesn't have a telethon: More than 5 million American children suffer from nocturnal enuresis, better known as bed wetting. Actress Suzanne Somers used to be one of them, according to her autobiography.

19. Somniphobia is the fear of sleep.

20. So far, there are no known celebrity somniphobes.

Parents Face New Reality: Digital Photos Can't Escape Facebook

2009-03-12T23:19:00.004-04:00

As a mother of an underage college student, this scares the heck out of me!

From The Hartford Courant

By MARK SPENCER |The Hartford Courant

March 12, 2009

We have met Big Brother, and he is us.

The rise of social networking sites such as Facebook and the ubiquitous cellphone camera have combined to create a society under surveillance.

For decades, people were concerned about omnipotent governments or colossal corporations peering into every corner of their lives. These days, it could be a friend, co-worker or relative that lays bare your life to the world.

"Big Brother has come in through the back door," said BJ Fogg, who teaches classes on the psychology of Facebook at Stanford University.

It's something Theodore and Laura Berent are learning the hard way. Police have charged the Glastonbury couple with nine counts each of permitting minors to possess alcohol during an 18th birthday party for their daughter at their home.

As dubious as the idea may have been, Laura Berent reportedly stood at the front door and collected car keys from anyone who planned to drink. In hindsight, it may have been wise to also collect their camera phones.

Photos of the February party posted on Facebook were eventually shown to Glastonbury High School officials, who alerted police. More than 30 teenagers attended the party, police said. Five students who were on school teams were kicked off or sanctioned.

Telephone messages left for the Berents and their attorney Wednesday were not returned.

Glastonbury police Sgt. Joel B. White said police frequently use social networking sites in criminal investigations.

"I don't think most people grasp how much personal information can be gleaned off these websites," White said.

The incident illustrates the cultural gulf between young people who have grown up with the Internet and their parents, who often come to it in fits and starts. Facebook had been exclusively for students — first for those in college, then in high school — since its inception at Harvard University in 2004, but anyone over 13 has been allowed to join since October 2006. Opening the door to parents was bemoaned by many Facebook users who had come to cherish it as a place to display their youthful shenanigans.

Vanessa Van Petten, 23, who writes about youths and technology at her blog, www.onteenstoday.com, said the lines that traditionally separated home life, social life and public life have been blurred for young people.

"There's the idea that everything and anything I do can be viewed, so nothing I do is private," Van Petten said.

Annie Vaughn, a Trinity College freshman from Los Angeles, said when her friends are getting dressed for a night out, they may consider what will look good on Facebook.

"You go out at night kind of expecting the night to be documented," Vaughn said.

The teenagers who attended the Glastonbury party may have anticipated it would end up on the Internet, but the adults involved may not have seen it coming.

"For parents, the question is, 'Why would you put that on the Internet?'" Van Petten said. "For teenagers it's, 'Why wouldn't I?'"

Facebook users, who now number about 175 million worldwide, can limit access to their profiles to authorized "friends," creating another skirmish line between parents and their children.

What do you do when mom or dad wants to "friend" you?

Ben Speicher, a Trinity sophomore, said he would be reluctant to say yes, even though he doesn't have anything in particular to hide. But in the evolving online social order, he said he's close to some of his friends' parents and has allowed them access, with a caveat.

"I wouldn't 'friend' them if I knew they were snooping," Speicher said.

Media reports of people getting arrested after advertising their own indiscretions, from vandalism to drug and weapons possession, are increasingly common, although it's rare for parents to get swept up in it.

Negotiating the perils of social networking sites has become yet another right of passage for young people. Van Petten says she advises teenagers to make pacts with each other about what they will and will not post about each other to avoid problems.

"They don't think it can happen to them," she said, "until it happens."

Copyright © 2009, The Hartford Courant

Magik Mirror Letter

2009-03-10T20:05:00.000-04:00

The Magik Mirror, 69 Broad St:

Open regular hours until 3/26.

We will be closed from 3/27-3/31 to make the move.

We will be open in the new location, 234 NEW HAVEN AVENUE, ON APRIL 1ST. This is located near Healthy Foods Plus, Nello's Restaurant, and Innovations Salon.

We will still be holding the workshop, A Gathering of EarthAngels, on March 28th, even though the store will be closed. We do require pre-registration and pre-payment for this workshop prior to 3/25.

Bright Blessings,

Bev

Intellect Doubles in Teens who Eat Fish

2009-03-10T09:31:00.002-04:00

Submitted by Kathleen Blanchard RN on Mar 10th, 2009
Posted under:
Teen Health

If your teenager is suffering from bad grades, you may want to consider serving up a plate of fish once a week. The results of a new study show that male teenagers who consumed one serving of fish weekly scored higher on cognitive function tests, designed to measure intellect. Teenagers who ate fish more than once a week scored even higher. Eating fish, more than once a week, doubled the teenager’s cognitive scores.

Cognitive testing measures the ability to process information, speed of information processing, memory retention, language, executive functions, and attention – all attributes that help teenagers succeed with setting goals and following through. The Swedish study shows that teenagers who eat fish scored higher in all areas of cognitive testing, and those who ate the most fish scored even higher.

Professor Kjell Torén from the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, a contributing researcher, says, "We found a clear link between frequent fish consumption and higher scores when male teenagers ate fish at least once a week. When they ate fish more than once a week the improvement almost doubled”.

The teenagers studied ranged in age from 15 to 18, an essential time to for advances in learning, says Torén…“when educational achievements can help to shape the rest of a young man's life.” It seems that fish consumption during formidable teenage years may greatly contribute to cognitive performance.

The researchers compared cognitive testing scores of 3,972 males to responses the teenagers submitted in a survey three years prior. Test results were taken from the teenager’s Swedish Military Conscription records.

Sixty-eight percent of the teenagers ate fish regularly. Twenty percent of those ate fish more than once a week. Teenagers who ate fish once a week scored seven percent higher in intellect. Those who ate fish more often scored twelve percent higher. Verbal intelligence skills were four and nine percent higher in the teenagers who ate fish once a week and more than once a week, respectively. Visuospatial scores were also higher in the teenagers who ate fish. Intelligence scores were even higher when the teenagers ate fish more than once a week. Teenagers who ate fish more than once a week scored eleven percent higher on Visuospatial skills, compared to teenagers who ate fish once a week.

Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids are the most likely explanation as to why teenagers doubled their intelligence scores from eating more fish. "The most widely held theory is that it is the long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids found in fish that have positive effects on cognitive performance," says Professor Torén. Perhaps Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids accumulate in the brain, in the same way as when a fetus develops, leading to improved brain function.

The researchers plan to study exactly which kind of fish provide the most benefit for improving cognitive function in teenagers – lean fish or fatty fish, such as mackerel.The study also found that after adjusting for all other variables, including intellect of the teenager’s parents, eating fish was clearly associated with increased cognitive scores among the male teenagers.
The study shows that adding beneficial fatty acids from fish to your teenager’s diet can make a difference in contributing to teenage intellectual development.

Aberg et al. Acta Paediatrica. 98.3, pp 555-560. (March 2009).
Source: Kathleen Blanchard RN

From exmaxhealth.com

Magik Mirror Moving

2009-03-07T14:25:00.000-05:00

Hi Everyone,

The Magik Mirror, along with many other small businesses, is being affected by internet purchases and the tough economy. It is in the best interest of the store to move to a location that has a better chance of surviving economically. We hope that you will continue to support us in our new location.

The new address is 234 New Haven Avenue , Milford .

We will contact you with specific details, including our new opening date.

These are some of the items that are 40-50% off:

All clothing, Beeswax candles, Windchimes, Chalice set, Ravenwood Essential Oils, all the books on the sale case.

Other sale items are:

Music demos - Buy 1 get 1 free

7 day insert candles - $4.00

7 day insert w/jar candles - $6

All Bumper stickers - $1.00

Nag Champa Soy candles - $9.99

A variety of incense packages from $2.00-$3.00
and more!

Bright Blessings!

Bev

Ragdoll Cats

2009-02-28T13:25:00.003-05:00

My sister is going to be getting a Ragdoll Cat soon; she is so excited! I have been looking up some information about them, and they really seem to be cool cats :-)

Rag Doll Cats- Tips for Care, Health, and Training

Click Here!

2009-02-28T09:25:00.001-05:00

I'm going to start making my own dog food! Much healthier for the puppy!

Make Your Own Dog Food

Dangerous, Death-Defying Drive!

2009-01-28T17:09:00.003-05:00

Squadrons of snowplows barrel down the interstate in their practical half “v” formation. The plow drivers, charged with scraping and treating some of the most heavily traveled roads in the country run on fumes, having been up since long before dawn, trying to keep up with the white precipitation falling from the sky. Again.

While I watch those plows travel southbound, I crawl along in the “unplowed” northbound lanes- yes, probably all of them, since the dividing lines aren’t visible under the brown, churned-up snow. Cars and even trucks fly by me, most drivers wearing their “cloaks of invincibility.” Especially bold are the drivers of SUVs, and I want to shout out to them “Don’t you know that four wheel drive helps you GO, but not STOP!!!”

Another driver cuts into the large space I have left between my car and the one in front of me. Why are Connecticutians so averse to highway gaps? It’s like the habit of my fellow Nutmeg State residents not being able to allow gaps in conversation. Really, “Connecticutians can’t cope with copious cavernous conditions.“

To amuse myself as I creep along I play car-slid-off-the-road Bingo. Oh look! A silver Audi- great! And that green Ford! All I need is – oh- there you go- a red Chevy SUV- BINGO!!!!!!!

People please listen- we all have places to go, people to see, things to do, and miles to go before we sleep….. miles to go before we sleep. Use your brains, not your right foot; leave room on the road, depart early, or accept lateness. Your family will thank you when you get home safely. And so will mine………………

Her name is Lola- She resembles some pup I know

2009-01-22T08:20:00.000-05:00

Dog saves family, dies in N.B. fire

2009-01-21T13:13:00.000-05:00

Global NewsJanuary 19, 2009

RUSAGONIS, N.B. — A family dog helped save the children but died shortly after, following a house fire that destroyed a log home here Sunday morning.
Andrew Ronalds and his two young sons, aged two and five, were in the basement when their dog Lexi started barking. When the man went upstairs to see what was the matter, he found the back of his home on fire.
He told Global News his first thought was: "Oh my God, get downstairs, get the kids, get them out of the house."
The man managed to shuffle his children, in stocking-feet and not wearing winter coats, out of the home. But Lexi didn't make it out.
Fire Chief Jody Price said the man did the right thing by not going back into the house.
"I think that's why today, we have a family that's grieving the loss of a family pet, but not grieving the loss of a family member."
"She was better than a smoke detector," said Ronalds, of the Labrador retriever. "And here's my advice for anybody from this situation: get a dog and love and take care of your dog and your dog will take care of you when you need it."
The cause of the fire, which caused several hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages, was not immediately known. The family has moved in with friends and the community has pitched in with donations.
Rusagonis is 79 kilometres northwest of Saint John.

From Vancouversun.com