Had enough of the color-obsessed media...

I was just listening to the news where they were talking about a certain color person shot by a certain color police officer. I was thinking....we've sort of been fed a steady diet of that from the media in the past couple of years. I propose that we start zeroing in on HEIGHT. It's about time! "Yesterday, a short man was shot by a tall policeman in Boston. Witnesses said that the short man was driving while short, and the police officer pulled him over because of his height. The tall officer denies this and an internal investigation is being done." And......"A group of tall protesters blocked traffic yesterday in downtown Philadelphia, demanding equal rights. Their claims include being denied long enough sleeves while shopping, and not having enough long shoes available in their state. They were wearing shorts in protest of the lack of extra long pants available in most stores. A short group attempted to disrupt the tall marchers, waving signs emblazoned with inciting phrases such as 'Giraffe necks--stay home' and 'Too tall--too bad', along with 'How's the weather up there?' "

Saw this article on FB

http://shariaunveiled.wordpress.com/2013/11/28/the-truth-behind-the-genocide-in-srebrenica-what-the-west-doesnt-want-you-to-know/

NO SUGAR banana bread

I have been making this for Bill, using NO sugar, which works well.  (He has type 2 diabetes.)
I looked at the shelves at the store, and decided on the Stevia, which comes in sort of a lg. bag, for scooping out and baking stuff.
Although the pkg. suggests that you add some of your regular sugar, for help in rising, and browning; I wanted a recipe with NO sugar, so I substituted the cup of sugar in this recipe with Stevia and applesauce. 
Bill loves this and I have been making it into 6 large muffins, rather than the bread.
You could add nuts, raisins, etc....I just make it plain:

Ingredients:
1 C. granulated sugar  OR ( 3/4 C. Stevia & 2 Tblsp. applesauce)
8 Tblsp. or one stick of unsalted butter, room temp.
2 large eggs
3-4 ripe bananas, depending on size
1 Tblsp. milk
1 teasp. ground cinnamon
2 C. all-purpose flour
1 teasp. baking powder
1 teasp. baking soda
1 teasp. salt

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.  Butter a 9x5x3 in. loaf pan.   (or 6 lg. muffins)
Cream the sugar and butter in a lg. mixing bowl until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
In sm. bowl, mash the bananas with a fork.  Mix in the milk and cinnamon.
In another bowl, mix tog. the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Add the banana mixture to the creamed mixture and stir until combined.  Add dry ingredients, mixing just until flour disappears.
Pour batter into prepared pan and bake 1 hr. to 1 hr., 10 min. until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Set aside to cook on a rack for 15 min.
Remove bread from pan, invert onto rack and cool completely before slicing.

Another adventure

 So, my friend, Sheila, who lives in Orlando came back to town today and we went to lunch.  We decided to try Canova Italian Restaurant in Attleboro, across the street from the train station.  The food and wait staff were excellent!
Just as a man was leaving, Sheila stopped him, because she realized it was her Uncle Ed.  What a surprise for both of them!  He sat down and chatted with us for awhile, and it was nice hearing his stories of years gone by.
Then, we walked across the street, near the train station to investigate this little shop called The Ugly Dog.  Hmmm.....I actually thought it was simply a bookstore; and I was thinking of used books with "dog-eared" pages.  Actually, though the proprietor, Kim told us it was named after her dog, who was a rescue. (He became more beautiful as time went on, she claimed.)
When we first walked in, we realized that we had stumbled upon a nice little gift shop, in addition to a book store.

Kim showcases the work of local artisans and Sheila bought a few gifts for relatives, while I had my mind set on a silver bracelet made from old-time silverware.  Possibly spoons, possibly butter knives.  I don't know; but I was attracted to one bracelet which was market 1953, indicating the era of the silverware used.  The neat little bracelets snap together on your wrist with two tiny magnets that are more powerful than they look.  I couldn't resist, and had to remove the tag and wear it out of the store.
If you're in the Attleboro area, find the train station, and just below that, you will see the Ugly Dog in a tiny plaza underneath the station parking lot! 
We will definitely go back there again.

COLONOSCOPY

A lot of my readers are waiting to hear about my colonoscopy. Some have had theirs done, some have heard horror stories and some are just worried. I have decided to spell out my experience with almost every detail, to put others at ease. First of all, I was scheduled to have my procedure done at a West Bridgewater site. It's in a plaza...but it's not exactly like shopping.
They had called me in advance and mailed detailed instructions ahead of time; and being a good patient, I vowed to follow the rules exactly. And they stressed "no driving" afterwards. Somehow, they stressed this to the point that I suspected that they were a branch of the Registry of Motor Vehicles. Have they heard about my recent accidents? I got hit by others...really.
So, the evening before, I dutifully drank this magnesium citrate, a "sparkling laxative" as the bottle describes the contents. This was followed by Gatorade. I got the frosty kind. They emphasized not to get the red or purple colors. OK I did that, and the second dose would be scheduled for 4 a.m.
Hey -- I wake up sometimes anyhow, so why not drink more of that stuff, rather than go on the computer or start laundry?
I went to sleep, telling myself to wake up on time, and slept like a rock! Seriously, I opened my eyes and looked at the clock: 4 a.m. Whew! Am I lucky, or what?
I took my second dose as scheduled.
My husband drove me over to West Bridgewater and sat nervously in the waiting room. It's always nice to have an ADD person take you to a medical procedure.
Somehow, I tend to waltz into things like this without much of a care...and I was sitting with the nurse, as she gave me my wrist band and we went over the paperwork, where everything is double-checked in advance.
Then she said the P word.
She said that they would be giving me propofol and....she got that far and I said "Propofol?? AArrgh! That's what Michael Jackson took!!!!" She said "Well, that is not to be used in a home setting. We use it every day here, and you will be monitored the whole time."
I was completely calm till she said the P word. I couldn't get Michael Jackson out of my mind. Oh well....there was no backing out now.
I got into a johnny and waited for my turn. Meanwhile, behind a curtain I heard them bringing out David to recover. "Daaaavid....David...David, it's time to wake up! Can you hear me, David? It's all over. Daaaaaavid."
Soon it was my turn, and I was wheeled into a small treatment room where they got me ready with intrusive oxygen tubing in my nose (I didn't like that.) and hooked me up with all of the necessities to proceed. They dimmed the lights and monitors came alive with brightness near me.
The young woman from anesthesia started to inject my Michael Jackson milk into my IV and told me that I could now go to a happy place, and asked where that might be. I said "Oh...um...my cat!"
She looked surprised (maybe thinking, "This is already making her loopy"...) but I clarified: "Well, by that I mean that my cat curls up in my lap and it's very peaceful."
"Oh" she answered, and asked me where I got my cat, etc...while watching my reactions. I explained that I get them all at my back door, feed them and take them for their medical treatments. Then I said to her "OK, I am really feeling that now---I'm getting woozy." She smiled and nodded.
And that's when I let complete strangers take charge of my next half hour.
In my mind, 1 second had elapsed, and I was back in the recovery area, with a little can of apple juice and a package of Goldfish on the hospital tray next to me. Also there I found pages of a report all filled out, stating that everything was fine. I looked at the monitor next to me and saw my BP was 117 over 78 and I thought. "Well, that's good."
I sat up and for just about 3 seconds felt dizzy; but welcomed the juice and Goldfish crackers, which made everything right, after not eating for the previous day and a half. I wondered if Daaaaavid ever woke up.
So, after having the doctor and a couple of nurses come by and smile and talk with me, (I don't have to go back for 10 years.) I got dressed and started out the back of the building where my husband had left the car. I asked if I needed anything else, and they said I should take the papers on the tray. I hurried back to get those, and the nurse said "Slow down! Don't hurry!" I realized that I have a habit of doing that, and I know they don't want people to fall, etc...so I slowed down to keep them from calling the walking police.
They also grilled my husband, making him promise that I would not drive all day, to which he agreed. (What have these people heard about my driving, anyhow?)
They told me to go home and sit around, not doing any housework. I said "Oh good."
Actually, we stopped at KMart, and I waited in the car. Then we went to the Milk Bottle, where I had oatmeal, and Bill had lunch...because if you have a diabetic husband with ADD, you probably should do this. That's all I'm saying about that.
I think if you are going to recover from anesthesia...you should probably do it at your favorite restaurant, such as the Milk Bottle. I know my granddaughter would agree. We go there every Saturday after gymnastics.
Then I went home to my Happy Place.
Yes, I sat and watched TV with my kitty on my lap.

Immigration Fair at school

Getting ready at home...

                                                                       At the fair...

Working on the comfort shawls

L to R, Jannie, Priscilla and me

A striking video, comparing Israel to America

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZA9zrzAB8w
Rabbi Cahn's Inauguration Prayer Breakfast message in January of 2013

Then & now...

My daughter gave me an updated photo of my grandchildren, so I put it near another one I have.

They are really growing up!

Another comfort shawl finished

This is a very simple combo of stitches -- Just Knit 2, purl 1 across.
To be more specific, it's a combination of 3 stitches plus 1.    So, on the first row, you go across with K2, P1, until you get to the end, then there's that extra stitch, which you knit.
The next row begins with P1, then you proceed with the K2, P1 stitches across the rest of the row.
This is called a Farrow Rib pattern and I actually got it from looking at scarf patterns.
For this prayer, or comfort shawl, I simply cast on 105 stitches, using #10 needles and Red Heart With Love yarn.
I had to make the fringe with a different yarn, however. 

Although this yarn is extremely soft and cozy, if you try to use it for the fringe finish, you will end up with such static, that it's like what you see when a little kid removes their knit hat!   The fringe stands up and goes WILD!   That's the only drawback I've found with this acrylic yarn.(The top 2 pics show a more true color.  I guess the lighting made a difference when I took the pic of the skein of yarn in another room.)