Seasons of Change

What'z UP!

Well I haven't written in a while and I apologize for that, I find that I am being pulled in every direction.

I am still looking for a cottage, my son and I are still attending at Hospital for Sick Kids in Toronto and I have been trying to get stuff done around the house. The weather has been great although I haven't been up north enough to really enjoy it.

The summer is fast approaching the end of its glorious run and although it is still 30 degrees outside I know that winter is coming. I don't like the cold, I'm not happy with the heat unless I am near water but I love, love, love the fall.

The fall brings warm days and cool nights great for sleeping. The trees become a flash of color and  shine so vividly in the sun light. There is nothing better than a drive in the country back roads with the windows open and the beauty of nature all around. 

It is the time when people start to think about canning their wares to store for winter. Roasted peppers, beets, salsas and of course the tomato sauce for pasta. Trips to the farmers markets and flea markets bring bags and bushels of fresh veggies and the smell of fresh baked goods seems to be every where.

The best craft shows are the fall fairs and with the cooler weather you can wander around taking your time to be sure to see everything. If you are in Ontario, there are fall fairs every weekend and they bring you out to the cutest little towns. 


I love to see the pumpkin patches and the fields of sunflowers. It is only august but some stores already have Halloween decorations, Thanksgiving table ware and some even have.... dare I say it... Christmas stuff. I shudder at the very sound of the word. I want to send electrical charges through the computer at all those people on facebook that cheerfully announce its only 20 weeks away...YUK.

To me fall is the absolute best time of year. I wish it would stay twice as long as the other seasons or better yet maybe we can abolish winter and just  have two seasons of fall? I would love that. I really don't like the winter. I don't skate, ski, snowboard or any other nasty thing that brings me out into the cold. I would just as soon stay hibernated and sleep for the 3 months like a big old bear.

Now back to fall, some people do the big clean up in spring but for me it is the fall. I love to purge the old and reface some of the things I have. I love to paint the whole house and rearrange the furniture. The more I can get done the better. Again, I think this is in preparation for the hibernation period.

My husband and two sons are hockey fanatics. They love to play hockey and watch it on TV. I enjoyed my days of being the hockey parent (for the most part) and celebrated their success on the ice. I miss those days. Now they are grown up and no longer a part of that. They still go out to the local rinks and play shinny but I don't go watch, remember, I hat the cold.

Although I love the fall, I do not like the summer ending because I know that soon enough the world becomes this barren waste land of brown and gray. The ground is covered with a layer of dirt and the days are dark and gloomy. The beginning of the end is the arrival of the Canadian National Exhibition, then the pools close and the kids go back to school. Everything settles in to a humdrum of boring existence.

From the early spring we watch as the farmers fields start to poke through. I watch the corn grow from little sprouts to full height. That is my gauge for the summer fun to end. When the corn is ready for picking the summer is coming to a close.

My 17 year old is back to school soon for his final year. This will be a year of change and a year of growth.  I can't stop the time, the changing of the seasons or the aging process so I guess I better just be ready for it and enjoy the fall to its fullest. 

Hope you all get out and enjoy the up coming season and finish up summer with great times and family and friends, I know I will not want to waste a single day of it. Be safe until next time.

Emergency Treatment

Just recently my 17 year old son was complaining of pain down his left side. It is the beginning of the bike season and he had swapped his mountain bike for a BMX stunt bike, so naturally I thought he had just overdone it.

 On the first night of pain he complained that his left side, arm, shoulder and chest hurt. He said that his chest was hurting so bad it was hard to breathe. Being a good Mom I immediately applied A535 and a couple of Tylenol. He eventually fell asleep.

Day 2, he complained a little but not too bad. When it came time to go to bed that night he tried lying down and was brought to tears from the pain. I offered the same treatment as the night before but he said that the pain was way worse. It was even harder for him to breathe and he was taking short bursts and he was in a lot of pain. It was then I decided that a trip to the hospital would be a good idea. I still believed it was muscular but I figured that they would at least give him a muscle relaxer.

Of course it was just before midnight and there were quite a few people in emergency. When we got in to see the doctor he asked for an ECG and a blood test. They also ordered chest xrays just in case he had damaged something.

The time passed ever so slowly and everyone was getting tired and annoyed at the length of time we had been waiting. My son who was in pain was out in the hallway pushing himself down the hall in a wheelchair, my husband was mad. He said this is a waste of time he is fine.

Finally the nurse called his name. When I went in I was directed to an office instead of the examination room. The doctor was looking at my sons xrays and the results of his blood tests. I expected him to say exactly what I had diagnosed, but he didn't. He told me that the blood test pointed in the direction of a possible blood clot. I was dumbfounded, he's 17 how could he have a blood clot? He said that he was releasing us from Emergency and to go home and get some rest because he wanted us back at 10:00 am for a CTScan.

The CT San was hard on my son, he had never had to have an IV before and he really hates needles (like all of us). I went in with him as they prepped him but he had to have the scan alone. After the procedure we were sent back to Emergency to await the results. They even made him keep the IV.

A few hours later a different doctor approached us, he asked me to tell him what I had been told so far and when I finished, he told us that Zach has a blood clot and it is sitting at the base of his lung. We were in shock! The pain was from the clot pressing on a nerve that travels up and down his left side.

He was admitted and a battery of tests were ordered. First the Ultrasound on his legs, another chest Xray and an Echo Cardiogram. He was hooked up to a breathing and heart monitor and he was in a lot of pain. We were still in shock, he was just in a daze. He was angry, scared, sad and so was I. The what if's kept cropping up.

The whole idea of what if....if we hadn't taken it as something serious what could of happened? It could have been the ultimate price we would had paid. I hope that this story hits home to some of you and that you realize as we did, just because he is young doesn't mean it can't be something serious.

I will keep you informed on how he is doing, but please, please, please don't dismiss your child's pain just in case. May you all be mindful and I hope your children have a safe and happy summer.

Sherri

Retirement Cottage?

I have been considering the purchase of a cottage. I am a few years from retirement and would like to be able to retire and live at the lake. My plan is to find a cottage, pay it off and get it ready for use as a full time residence.


Somehow I thought this would be a fairly easy endeavor but it really is going to be far from that.

There are so many things to consider when thinking of a retirement home, whether its a condo, house, farm or cottage. I thought it would come down to price and location only but there is so much more to deal with.

First off is age. My husband and I are in our early 50's and not afraid of a little TLC work for our cottage but we must consider that we aren't retirement age yet and we already have some physical issues. Neither of us are in the construction field or are we carpenters. If we find a place that needs work we have to decide if it is something we can capably handle and physically do?

We need to calculate the amount of space we will need. We have two sons and by the time we retire they will most likely be married with children or close to it. Does that mean we would need to have a bedroom for each of them to share with their spouse and children? Do we just make sure the cottage covers the needs of my husband and I and tell the boys to build their own bunkies? (Bunkies are usually small one room out buildings that have sleeping quarters)

Once you figure out the size and the amount you are willing to pay for a place, you have to start looking for the where? This is when it gets really tricky. When your younger with young kids your priorities are different. If we are going to be seniors we are going to need:

• hospital
• fire services
• ambulance
• doctors
• gas station and garage
• pharmacy (that delivers)
• bank
• grocery store
• general store
• post office
• hardware store
• serviced roads
• garbage pick up
• neighbors 

These will also have to be available all year round and not just during the traditional cottage season. This will narrow down your options because there are not a lot of places that have all of the necessities I have listed. With such a long list and major needs we are going to have to be close to a small town.

You may find it strange that I put neighbors on this list but being elderly you would want to know that there are people near enough should something happen and you need someone A.S.A.P. lets face it everyone needs help sometimes.

This is going to be a difficult process and a scary adventure, looking for our retirement home. I will be keeping you updated on our progress as we go through the steps along the way. I am sure I will have lots to write about. If you have gone through this process drop me a line I would love to hear from you.

Live, Laugh and Love

Guide to Mold on Walls ......Removal Protocol, Products to Use, Personal Safety

This is an article regarding mold. 

People don't take mold as seriously as they should. It is a debilitating illness that left will only get worse. If you have a mood problem be sure to read this advice column.

We have had problems with mold, in 2012 our basement flooded with 8 inches of water. It was one of the worse situations we have ever had to deal with. We were one of hundreds that got flooded in our area on this one stormy night.

We basically had a team that stripped our basement to the foundation and rebuilt from there. The neighbor hood was piled with stinky wet garbage. The furniture, carpets, toys and everything you could think of was lined up and down the streets.

We had people literally walking the streets picking through this rotting mess. We tried to warn them but again it goes to show people don't take mold seriously. All you could smell throughout the neighbor hood was that sickly mood smell.

If you have a mood problem usually the first sign you get is that musty smell. That is the time to start the hunt. Follow that smell till you find the source. Be careful not to disturb the mood as it gets airborne and that's when the real problems begin.

Guide to Mold on Walls ......Removal Protocol, Products to Use, Personal Safety: How to remove mold on walls. Removing wall mold depends on what type of wall the mold is growing on. Dealing with mold on concrete, drywall, wood, etc. Products, safety precautions....

Be careful and protect the ones you love.

Shower Grime, Yuck!

If you like having a sparkling bathroom but hate the smell and fumes of those toxic cleaners, try whats on the web. It's a home made cleaner that claims to leave your bathroom clean.

I wanted to try out this homemade cleaner to see if it worked as well as my usual cleaner. I did some homework and searched Pinterest for the best cleaner for the job. It is one thing to read it, but it's another to see for yourself if it really works.

I left my shower to help set up for the trial. I had black mold around the edge and this reddish slime which after investigation turns out to be a mold as well. This red stuff is a really nasty mold (fusarium and aureobasidium) and doesn't clean with the same product as the black. I thought it was just from hard water?

When cleaning mold, you should use a face mask and rubber gloves even when it's a small amount. You want to avoid it becoming airborne. 


The recipe I used was:

1 cup white vinegar
1 cup water
1/4 cup Dawn dish liquid

Mix all the ingredients into a spray bottle. Wearing your mask and gloves you are ready for the attack. I sprayed the whole surface of the walls and tub and let it sit for a few minutes. I used a scrub brush and some muscle power, for tough spots I sprayed then sprinkled with baking soda. This causes a reaction and it bubble up and then I scrubbed. The results:

Before

After

The mixture worked on the tile and the tub. I was impressed. 

One of the issues in the shower is also the shower liner. I find that this gets stained and doesn't wash very well. I know the best thing to do is wash it more often but it is a pain taking it down. I had to think of a way to make this job easier. Hmmmm....

Well I came up with the idea to have a piece of the curtain that could be removed easily and washed on a weekly basis. I purchased a standard white liner at my local Walmart.

I divided the total length 
(84 by 3 = 28) and cut the bottom 28 inches off.

On the sewing machine I hemmed the two raw pieces.

Next I used Velcro strips about 3 inches long with the glue on one side and attached it every 10 inches across the top 2/3 rd piece. Be sure to have a Velcro piece right close to the edge on both ends.

When attaching the Velcro make sure you use the scratchy side of the Velcro on the top portion of the curtain. You want to attach it to the front of the top piece about 1" above the bottom edge. 

The soft side of the Velcro goes on the bottom portion. Attach it to the top of the wrong side of the curtain 1" below the top edge. Position them to line up exactly with the Velcro on the bottom of the top portion.

I machine sewed the top and bottom of each Velcro piece on each piece of curtain once in place.  

In this photo you can see that the bottom piece covers over the top portion, this is a view of the front of the curtain. I actually made an error on my curtain, I put the Velcro right along the edge of the two pieces.

It works and the water doesn't leak or anything, but it would be better as I instructed above with the one inch from the edge to the Velcro tape. 

Now I can easily remove the bottom portion of the curtain and through it in the wash weekly. Since the soft side of the Velcro is on the bottom I don't have to worry that it will catch on anything in the wash. It is a good idea if I say so myself. 

To finish off the new cleaning ideas, I also purchased a scrub brush that holds cleaning solution and I keep it in the shower so I can spot clean while I am in there. 

My shower has never been shinier and I am happy with the new cleaning regime. 

Daily Dainty Torture

Ladies, what is the one piece of clothing that is torture to wear?

I will give you a hint, it stabs you, squeezes you, falls from its place and never seems to fit right. It's our BRA'S. I am convinced that it was a man who designed the bra as a constant torture mechanism for all of us females. Lol

Since we aren't going to go bra less, we suffer in silence. Every time I take mine off I let out a giant sigh of relief. I have red marks from the wire under the ladies and on both sides of my under arm area. Why can't they make a bra that works?

The true fact of the matter is, it's not the bra, it's the size of it. The numbers show that 80% of us wear the wrong size and this adds to our misery. If it's not falling off the shoulder or riding up over the breasts its jabbing us in one part or another. This is where the proper sizing comes in. If we just get the right size than our misery will be over. Yahoo!!

To determine the right size grab yourself a flexible tape measure that shows inches not centimeters. Start by measuring yourself around your body just under your breasts. Make sure its snug but not too tight. Once you have this measurement add two inches and this is the number in the bra size.

To figure out your cup size you need to measure around the largest part of your chest ( if that happens to be around the waist or close to the floor you may need a belt not a bra Lol). Okay now you have the two measurements, deduct the first measurment from the second and this is the number to determine the cup size. 

For every inch difference you will go up in cup size. If the differenece is:

1 inch = A

2 inch = B

3 inch = C

4 inch = D

5 inch = E or DD

6 inch = F or DDD

7 inch = G

8 inch = H

So there you have it, your 1st number and the cup size is the size of your bra. eg. 40D or 32A et cetera.

When you go out to bra shop don't just buy based on the look and your numbers, try it on. Did you know that when we sit our chest expands? Try the bra on and have a seat, most dressing rooms have chairs or benches, when sitting put two fingers under the bottom and make sure it isn't too tight. Next raise your arms to make sure it doesn't ride up over your breasts in any way. Take a look at the overall fit, you shouldn't be pouring out over any of the edges and the cup should lay flat without any puckering.

There are so many types of bras that sometimes it gets confusing which one is best. Its easy to be drawn toward a cute little number that's all lace and frill but that may not be the best choice if you are a 40"DD". Bras should give you support almost like a gentle hand holding you in place. Take a look at the straps as well, are they wide enough if your large chested or thin enough when wearing a tank top?

I remember my first bra fitting. I was about 12 and my Mom took me to Woolco (anyone remember Woolco)? We were standing in the aisle and my Mother bless her soul tried this bra on outside my shirt. I was so embarrassed. 

Buying a bra is something that should be enjoyable. You want to feel good when you put it on and you want to look good too. There are a lot of specialty stores that will do professional fittings for you if after measuring and calculating your still not sure. It is worth doing and you will be amazed at the difference it makes when your wearing your favorite sweaters or shirts.

Earlier I mentioned that it was probably a man that made the first bra and I have learned through this post that it was not. The woman who received the first patent for the bra in 1913, was from New York and her name was Mary Phelps Jacob. Amazingly the bra replaced the corset which was also designed and patented by a woman. The corset of that time really was a torture item.

Well in the end it turns out that I too was wearing the wrong sized bra. Now that I have done my measuring and clculating I have purchased the right bra. I now have comfort and am no longer a victim of pain. I have made friends with my bra and we have promised to support each other.

Good luck with your bra shopping. 

Spinach Ricotta Roll Up

This recipe is sooooo easy. You can make it as a main course with veggies and salad or as a side with a meat and vegetable.  This is very light considering its a pasta dish and doesn't weigh you down. 

Start by cooking one package of lasagna noodles. Once they are soft drain them and set them aside.


In a saucepan wilt a bag of fresh spinach or use one package of frozen spinach. Drain it really well, make sure all the water is out.


In a bowl mix together:

300 gram container of  Ricotta cheese
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1 egg
1 tbsp ground garlic

Add the spinach to the mixture and blend together.

In a baking dish (I prefer glass) pour 14 oz. chopped tomatoes and spread it over the entire base of the dish.


Separate noodles lying them flat on your cutting board. If your like me half of the box will be in pieces set those ones aside and use only the full noodles. Using a tablespoon, spread a thin layer of the filling on one of 
the noodles from end to end. Starting at one end roll the noodle gently as not to squeeze the filling out the sides.

Place it in the baking dish on top of the chopped tomatoes. Continue rolling single noodles until your dish is full. Again be careful not to make it so tight in the dish that the filling is squeezed out.

In a second glass dish I put the other 14 oz. of crushed tomatoes spreading it over the entire base. Now I use my broken pieces of pasta and layer them on top of the tomatoes. I probably had 2 layers of noodles just randomly placed.


I used the rest of the spinach and ricotta mixture and spread it evenly on top of the noodles. One more layer of noodles and set it aside.

To top off both dishes I used a 410ml bottle of Carbonara (Cheese and Bacon) Sauce and put half the bottle on each of the dishes and spread it over the pasta. You can use any pasta sauce you like but I liked the cheese sauce.

Cover the dishes and bake  at 325 degrees F. for 25 to 30 minutes. Then serve. Be sure to scoop some of the tomatoes and sauce to pour over your roll up.



Even after making these two dinner dishes from that one box of Lasagna noodles, I still had enough noodles left over for a pasta salad.

Pasta Salad

I chopped the noodles into smaller pieces,
added  2 chopped green onions,
1 cup of cole slaw pieces prebagged,
1/3 cup of sun-dried tomato oil dressing.

Covered the container with the lid and shook it until all the contents where covered with dressing.


So there you have it, fast, simple and delicious. Drop me a line and let me know what you think of it?

Enjoy

Drinking Your Water

So, we all know the benefits of drinking our 8 glasses of water a day. It helps give us needed hydration, clearer skin, helps flush toxins, helps with weight loss, prevents leg cramps and relieves fatigue by increasing energy.


But did you know that there are specific times of the day that we should be drinking water? I recently read that it is just as important when you drink your water  to get the full benefits.

In the morning upon waking the first thing you should do is drink two 8 oz. glasses of water. The morning intake helps to hydrate you and help activate your internal organs. Now if you think about it, it does make sense after all you have just slept 5 to 8 hours without eating or drinking. I don't like water in the morning but since I have hypothyroidism I have to take my meds upon waking I have to drink water. I am now forcing the second glass and I am sure that I will get use to it quickly.

During the day you should be drinking one 8 oz. glass, half an hour before your meals. This one is two-fold, it helps with digestion but it also helps with weight loss. The water you drink helps you to feel fuller faster and therefore you eat less. This one is a bonus. Also, before you snack have a glass of water sometimes its just a miscue from your body and you aren't really hungry your thirsty.

Now so far there is nothing out of the ordinary but did you know that you should be drinking a glass before you have a shower or a bath? Well, when you shower or bathe your blood pressure can tend to rise and drinking water actually helps to lower your blood pressure while your bathing. I have high blood pressure and I have never been told this by any doctor. This one is a good tip.

Lastly it is a good idea to drink your last glass of water before you go to bed. That's right, before you go to bed. Now I can hear what your saying "then I will have to get up to pee" and I am with you on that front. The fact of the matter is that drinking a glass of water before bed helps to guard off Strokes and Heart Attacks while you sleep. Apparently the chances of having a Stroke or Heart Attack is higher during the wee hours of the morning. Something else I didn't know.

I did know that drinking water hydrates your muscles and helps to alleviate cramping in the muscles. No more Charlie Horses in the middle of the night, jumping up and down screaming "Ouch, Ouch, Ouch" and waking the dead.

In addition to these times, you want to drink before and after you work out. They say you should drink 2 glasses of water slowly over a 2 hour period before you work out. Anytime you are doing work that causes you to sweat excessively you want to also adapt this regime. By drinking your 2 glasses over a two hour period you avoid that sensation of water doing tidal waves in your stomach and it allows for better absorption.

Drinking things like coffee, teas and sodas actually may cause a slight effect on your hydration and may increase dehydration however the studies out there haven't confirmed this. It all depends on the individual person. They do say it is a good idea to match water intake to the amount of coffee, tea and soda you drink. (eg. 4 coffees = 4 more glasses of water)

If you are in the sun, whether its sunbathing, chilling on the dock or swimming be sure to hydrate. Our bodies need water to survive and I know with myself I am very bad at getting the right amount each day. One of the things you can do to help you drink the water you need is to make it a little less boring.

Add some fruit to your water. You can just about add anything you want. You can add water to your water, coconut water that is. With the warm weather coming it would be nice to have a pitcher of sliced oranges, peaches, watermelon, strawberries and blueberries with a few ice cubes and water.

It adds natural flavors without all the added calories or sugars. Speaking of ice cubes you can also add your favorite fruits to your ice cube tray and just top up your drink. Either way you slice it (pun not intended) you have a flavorful, healthy glass of water and it looks great too. It doesn't matter if the fruit is fresh or frozen both add the flavor and the benefits. Try adding a sprig of mint too.

Well I am definitely going to try to be more water conscious and hydrate more, I can use all the help I can get at my age. Start your kids on the right path and get them to join you for a "cool refreshing drink". I have made a little chart you can hang on your fridge to remind you to drink more water.

Good Luck

2 glasses when you wake up
1 glass half an hour before meals
1 glass before bathing
1 glass before snacking
2 glasses over 2 hrs before workout
1 glass before bed

Quick Salad Lunches

Okay here is a great idea. It saves you time and is something you can make in bulk. I usually make 6 or 8 salads ahead that way when I need a quick lunch its basically done for me. I can even pull a couple jars out if I want to add a salad to dinner.

To start you will need mason jars with lids, clean and ready to fill. I like to use the 32 ounce jars. Then all you need to do is figure out what you like in your salad.

My favorite ingredients but tailor yours to your favorites.

In my bottles I have:

flavored tuna
green beans
red peppers
purple onion
blue cheese (I like stinky cheese)

I put all my ingredients in the bottom of the jar. You aren't limited, you can add different meats, cheeses, veggies, eggs or anything you prefer.

If you are adding cooked meats like chicken or beef or even hard boiled eggs, I won't add these until the night before you use them, these items have shorter shelf lives. I chop these items and put them in zip lock baggies and bring it along separately. 

Once you have all the ingredients in the jar fill up the remaining space with lettuce or greens of your choice.

Some people like to add their salad dressing into the jar also, I don't as I would be afraid it would make everything mushy. Nothing is worse than wilted mushy salad.

Now that your jars are full and the lids on tight you can keep these in your fridge for days. I kept mine for up to 7 days and the salads stayed crisp and fresh. Enjoy!

Hello Everyone

First off let me say that I am excited and happy to be here with you. Creating this blog has been a goal of mine and I am finally up and running. 

My blog name "Oldie Hawn" came from my boys. One of them decided one day that I looked like Goldie Hawn (I wish) and then my husband chirped in with "more like Oldie Hawn" and low and behold here I am Oldie Hawn. Now my kids call me by this name, I guess it could be worse so I will take it.

My plan with this blog is to do some reviews of ideas out there that are suppose to save you time, money and energy. I know with our busy lives with jobs and kids it sometimes hard to get everything done in a day. There is always someone telling you that things can be easier and I am going to help you find out just whats true and and what is a flop and save you the headache.

There will be a recipe corner that is going to be made up of fast and easy recipes to make you look like a real cook, I have had my family fooled for years. They actually think I can cook....my idea of cooking is throw it all together and toss it in the oven, literally. When it hits the table they love it. I am going to find the best easy recipes out there without all the weird ingredients your kids won't eat. I have 3 fussy eaters and if I can satisfy them, you will be able to satisfy your crew too. 

I am also an avid D.I.Y. Queen and l will show you some interesting items to make. I have taught everything from kids crafts to oil painting and just about everything in between. I was featured on CityLine TV and Sue Warden's Craftscapes here in Toronto and have been crafting for as long as I can remember. Hopefully as we get to know each other you can ask me questions or suggestions to help you on your craft ideas.

Although, I am mentioning crafts and recipes it is going to be far from your boring old blog with the same old tired stuff. I will be doing it all and I really hope you sign up to get notifications. You won't want to miss all the things I have in store for you. I want you to feel that you are getting full value for your valuable time. Lets go forward and see how you like what I have to offer. Drop me email and I will be glad to chat.

Rock on, Live long and prosper or something like that and I will see you soon.

Sherri 
a.k.a. Oldie Hawn