Yesterday I took a delicious nap in the afternoon. I lay down on the small, red paisly sofa in my bedroom with my feet raised on the far end and a comfy pillow under my head; the book I am currently reading propped up on my stomach, "What Came Before He Shot Her" by Elizabeth George, an engrossing mystery that is totally unlike anything George has written before. I got half way through one chapter, rested the book on my lap and I awoke an hour later, refreshed and restored.
Do you ever nap?
The French do.
YAHOO NEWS
French health minister seeks nap study Wed Jan 31, 8:25 AM ET
The French already enjoy a 35-hour work week and generous vacation. Now the health minister wants to look into whether workers should be allowed to sleep on the job.
France launched plans this week to spend $9 million this year to improve public awareness about sleeping troubles. About one in three French people suffer from them, the ministry says.
Fifty-six percent of French complain that a poor night's sleep has affected their job performance, according to the ministry.
"Why not a nap at work? It can't be a taboo subject," Health Minister Xavier Bertrand said Monday. He called for further studies and said he would promote on-the-job naps if they prove useful.
France's state-run health insurance provider will send letters explaining the importance of good sleep. The Health Ministry's Web site offers tips on how best to get a good night's rest.
The ministry's online "Passport to Sleep" recommends cutting down on coffee, tea, colas, and athletic activity after 8 p.m., shunning TV time or working late in the evening, and listening better to the body's own sleep signals, such as yawning.
Bertrand said sleepiness causes 20 percent to 30 percent of highway accidents across France each year.
Copyright © 2007 The Associated Press
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
English language quirks
The English Language
I love English...can you read the following
sentences correctly the first time?
1) The bandage was wound around the wound.
2) The farm was used to produce produce.
3) The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse.
4) We must polish the Polish furniture.
5) He could lead if he would get the lead out.
6) The soldier decided to desert his dessert in the desert.
7) Since there is no time like the present, he thought it was time to
present the present.
8) A bass was painted on the head of the bass drum
9) When shot at, the dove dove into the bushes.
10) I did not object to the object.
11) The insurance was invalid for the invalid.
12) There was a row among the oarsmen about how to row.
13) They were too close to the door to close it
14) The buck does funny things when the does are present.
15) A seamstress and a sewer fell down into a sewer line.
16) To help with planting, the farmer taught his sow to sow.
17) The wind was too strong to wind the sail.
18) Upon seeing the tear in the painting I shed a tear.
19) I had to subject the subject to a series of tests.
20) How can I intimate this to my most intimate friend?
I love English...can you read the following
sentences correctly the first time?
1) The bandage was wound around the wound.
2) The farm was used to produce produce.
3) The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse.
4) We must polish the Polish furniture.
5) He could lead if he would get the lead out.
6) The soldier decided to desert his dessert in the desert.
7) Since there is no time like the present, he thought it was time to
present the present.
8) A bass was painted on the head of the bass drum
9) When shot at, the dove dove into the bushes.
10) I did not object to the object.
11) The insurance was invalid for the invalid.
12) There was a row among the oarsmen about how to row.
13) They were too close to the door to close it
14) The buck does funny things when the does are present.
15) A seamstress and a sewer fell down into a sewer line.
16) To help with planting, the farmer taught his sow to sow.
17) The wind was too strong to wind the sail.
18) Upon seeing the tear in the painting I shed a tear.
19) I had to subject the subject to a series of tests.
20) How can I intimate this to my most intimate friend?
Sunday, January 21, 2007
Scandalous remarks?
Senator George Smathers of Florida died Saturday at age 93. The following is an amusing part of his obit in the New York Times.***
"MIAMI (AP) -- Former U.S. Sen. George A. Smathers, a polished, dashing politician who forged friendships with presidents, waged war against communism, resisted civil rights legislation and was an early voice cautioning of Fidel Castro's rise to power, died Saturday. He was 93."
................
.
***"Scurrilous statements were uttered on both sides of the campaign, but the most famous remarks -- innocuous declarations delivered to less-educated audiences to appear scandalous -- may have never been uttered.
'***'Do you know that Claude Pepper is known all over Washington as a shameless extrovert?'' he was quoted as saying. ''Not only that, but this man is reliably reported to practice nepotism with his sister-in-law and he has a sister who was once a thespian in wicked New York. Worst of all, it is an established fact that Mr. Pepper, before his marriage, habitually practiced celibacy.''
The comments were recorded in a small magazine, picked up in Time and elsewhere and etched into the public's memories, but Smathers denied ever having made them. He offered a $10,000 reward to anyone who could prove he did, but no one could
>
"MIAMI (AP) -- Former U.S. Sen. George A. Smathers, a polished, dashing politician who forged friendships with presidents, waged war against communism, resisted civil rights legislation and was an early voice cautioning of Fidel Castro's rise to power, died Saturday. He was 93."
................
.
***"Scurrilous statements were uttered on both sides of the campaign, but the most famous remarks -- innocuous declarations delivered to less-educated audiences to appear scandalous -- may have never been uttered.
'***'Do you know that Claude Pepper is known all over Washington as a shameless extrovert?'' he was quoted as saying. ''Not only that, but this man is reliably reported to practice nepotism with his sister-in-law and he has a sister who was once a thespian in wicked New York. Worst of all, it is an established fact that Mr. Pepper, before his marriage, habitually practiced celibacy.''
The comments were recorded in a small magazine, picked up in Time and elsewhere and etched into the public's memories, but Smathers denied ever having made them. He offered a $10,000 reward to anyone who could prove he did, but no one could
>
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
The perfect pet
HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE A PET LIKE THIS ?
AP Copyright © 2007 The Associated Press.
Escaped chimp gets snack, cleans bathroom
"An escaped chimpanzee at the Little Rock Zoo raided a kitchen cupboard and did a little cleaning with a toilet brush before sedatives knocked her out on top of a refrigerator.
The 120-pound primate, Judy, escaped yesterday into a service area when a zookeeper opened a door to her sleeping quarters, unaware the animal was still inside.
As keepers tried to woo Judy back into her cage, she rummaged through a refrigerator where chimp snacks are stored. She opened kitchen cupboards, pulled out juice and soft drinks and took a swig from bottles she managed to open.
Keeper Ann Rademacher says Judy went into the bathroom, picked up a toilet brush and cleaned the toilet. Rademacher says the 37-year-old Judy was a house pet before the zoo acquired her in 1988, so she may have been familiar with housekeeping chores. Judy wrung out a sponge and scrubbed down the fridge.
It took a couple of tries, but the zoo sedated the chimp, who fell asleep on top of the refrigerator with half a loaf of cinnamon-raisin bread she had pulled out of the freezer.
The zoo veterinarian gave Judy a drug to bring her around. Rademacher says Judy was groggy but fine after the episode.
The zoo says there was no danger Judy would get out of the primate keepers service area and onto zoo grounds"
AP Copyright © 2007 The Associated Press.
Escaped chimp gets snack, cleans bathroom
"An escaped chimpanzee at the Little Rock Zoo raided a kitchen cupboard and did a little cleaning with a toilet brush before sedatives knocked her out on top of a refrigerator.
The 120-pound primate, Judy, escaped yesterday into a service area when a zookeeper opened a door to her sleeping quarters, unaware the animal was still inside.
As keepers tried to woo Judy back into her cage, she rummaged through a refrigerator where chimp snacks are stored. She opened kitchen cupboards, pulled out juice and soft drinks and took a swig from bottles she managed to open.
Keeper Ann Rademacher says Judy went into the bathroom, picked up a toilet brush and cleaned the toilet. Rademacher says the 37-year-old Judy was a house pet before the zoo acquired her in 1988, so she may have been familiar with housekeeping chores. Judy wrung out a sponge and scrubbed down the fridge.
It took a couple of tries, but the zoo sedated the chimp, who fell asleep on top of the refrigerator with half a loaf of cinnamon-raisin bread she had pulled out of the freezer.
The zoo veterinarian gave Judy a drug to bring her around. Rademacher says Judy was groggy but fine after the episode.
The zoo says there was no danger Judy would get out of the primate keepers service area and onto zoo grounds"
Monday, January 15, 2007
My not so excellent adventure
Caution: Not for the squeamish :)
The day after Christmas, December 26th, I had surgery for an abnormal parathyroid gland.
I had been feeling poorly, having trouble with stair climbing and arising from a low chair or sofa. I had fallen several times and generally felt something was amiss.
After several trips to my internist over a period of several months, and a number of blood tests, which all turned up "normal" I still was not much better. Not down and sick in bed but just punk and not feeling right.
I went back to my doctor and he ordered a repeat of the tests.This time the calcium level was somewhat high. With this information the doctor ordered a parathyroid hormone level test which came back highly elevated. Then I went for an ultrasound of my parathyroid which showed a bump on one parathyroid gland.. Next I had a parathyroid nuclear scan which showed the bump more definitively.
With this information my doctor said I needed to see a surgeon about removing the offending parathyroid.
A bit of educational info for you. The parathyroid glands, usually 4 of them, each no bigger than a pea, are located generally behind the thyroid but their function is entirely different from the thyroid itself. The parathyroids regulate the amount of calcium in our bodies and if one goes haywitre calcium is leached from bones and other cells of the body.
The day of my appointment to see the surgeon arrived in short order and my husband drove me down to the doctor's office. As I was approaching the surgeon's office I stepped up onto the sidewalk just outside his building and my shoe hit a crack in the sidewalk and I fell flat down on my face and nose. My husband said I fell like a tree that has just been felled in the forest. Straight down. Bam. I fell flat on my face, sunglasses and all. I hit hard. I just knew my nose was broken. Fortunately the sunglasses did not shatter or dig into my face. The security guard and my husband helped me up and I proceeded to the elevator for the surgeon's office where they gave me ice in a plastic bag to hold on my face and nose.
I interviewed the doctor about the surgery. It is a delicate operation as the parathyroid is near the nerve for the vocal cords. I was satisfied with the experience and compassion of the doctor so I made an appointment for December 26, the day after Christmas for the operation.
I had to go for another nuclear scan where they put dye in my veins so the offending parathyroid gland would show up clearly and then Dr W would know exactly where to make the incision. Hopefully he could do this with a minimally invasive operation but if anything was amiss with the thyroid or the remaining 3 parathyroid glands he would have to cut furthur.
Christmas came and went. On the 26th we arrived at the out patient surgery center of the hospital at 6 am and the surgery commenced at about 7:30 am.
It all went well and I woke up and we came home and I had very little pain. I declined the heavy duty pain killers and just took extra strength Tylenol.
A week later I went back and Dr W said I was doing real well and the surgery was fine "a text book case"The biopsy was fine. Just don't lift anything for about a week.
I am 3 weeks out from the operation and I feel much better. I just do not quite have my total strength back yet but I know that will take time.
So here I am blogging about my surgery....
As Lyndon Johnson said:
Wanna see my scar?? :)
It is only a small one on the base of my neck in front and will eventually completely disappear.
PS: I saw a nose doctor that same day of my fall and it turned out I did not break anything. My face was just badly swollen and bruised.
The day after Christmas, December 26th, I had surgery for an abnormal parathyroid gland.
I had been feeling poorly, having trouble with stair climbing and arising from a low chair or sofa. I had fallen several times and generally felt something was amiss.
After several trips to my internist over a period of several months, and a number of blood tests, which all turned up "normal" I still was not much better. Not down and sick in bed but just punk and not feeling right.
I went back to my doctor and he ordered a repeat of the tests.This time the calcium level was somewhat high. With this information the doctor ordered a parathyroid hormone level test which came back highly elevated. Then I went for an ultrasound of my parathyroid which showed a bump on one parathyroid gland.. Next I had a parathyroid nuclear scan which showed the bump more definitively.
With this information my doctor said I needed to see a surgeon about removing the offending parathyroid.
A bit of educational info for you. The parathyroid glands, usually 4 of them, each no bigger than a pea, are located generally behind the thyroid but their function is entirely different from the thyroid itself. The parathyroids regulate the amount of calcium in our bodies and if one goes haywitre calcium is leached from bones and other cells of the body.
The day of my appointment to see the surgeon arrived in short order and my husband drove me down to the doctor's office. As I was approaching the surgeon's office I stepped up onto the sidewalk just outside his building and my shoe hit a crack in the sidewalk and I fell flat down on my face and nose. My husband said I fell like a tree that has just been felled in the forest. Straight down. Bam. I fell flat on my face, sunglasses and all. I hit hard. I just knew my nose was broken. Fortunately the sunglasses did not shatter or dig into my face. The security guard and my husband helped me up and I proceeded to the elevator for the surgeon's office where they gave me ice in a plastic bag to hold on my face and nose.
I interviewed the doctor about the surgery. It is a delicate operation as the parathyroid is near the nerve for the vocal cords. I was satisfied with the experience and compassion of the doctor so I made an appointment for December 26, the day after Christmas for the operation.
I had to go for another nuclear scan where they put dye in my veins so the offending parathyroid gland would show up clearly and then Dr W would know exactly where to make the incision. Hopefully he could do this with a minimally invasive operation but if anything was amiss with the thyroid or the remaining 3 parathyroid glands he would have to cut furthur.
Christmas came and went. On the 26th we arrived at the out patient surgery center of the hospital at 6 am and the surgery commenced at about 7:30 am.
It all went well and I woke up and we came home and I had very little pain. I declined the heavy duty pain killers and just took extra strength Tylenol.
A week later I went back and Dr W said I was doing real well and the surgery was fine "a text book case"The biopsy was fine. Just don't lift anything for about a week.
I am 3 weeks out from the operation and I feel much better. I just do not quite have my total strength back yet but I know that will take time.
So here I am blogging about my surgery....
As Lyndon Johnson said:
Wanna see my scar?? :)
It is only a small one on the base of my neck in front and will eventually completely disappear.
PS: I saw a nose doctor that same day of my fall and it turned out I did not break anything. My face was just badly swollen and bruised.
Saturday, January 13, 2007
Puzzles
Puzzles, as in the jigsaw variety.
A friend of mine told me recently she got out a 500 piece jigsaw puzzle that she had bought a few years ago and over New Year's she and her husband decided to give it a whirl. They left it out on a desk in her sun room and every so often they would separately take a stab at working on the pieces.
It was a puzzle of New York City, Times square and the theater district and she said it was not at all easy. They had it all put together and finished in about 10 days of off and on solving. Then a neighbor of hers dropped by and saw the puzzle and told her that she and a group of her friends swap puzzles as they tire of doing the same ones over and over. This group is into 1000+ pieces puzzles.
I am intrigued by the idea of leaving a puzzle out on a table and slowly giving it a try even though I have never been a puzzle enthusiast.
I guess it is the idea that any puzzle solving is good for the ole noggin that has me thinking of buying one.
Do any of you out there in blogland enjoy complicated jigsaw puzzles?
A friend of mine told me recently she got out a 500 piece jigsaw puzzle that she had bought a few years ago and over New Year's she and her husband decided to give it a whirl. They left it out on a desk in her sun room and every so often they would separately take a stab at working on the pieces.
It was a puzzle of New York City, Times square and the theater district and she said it was not at all easy. They had it all put together and finished in about 10 days of off and on solving. Then a neighbor of hers dropped by and saw the puzzle and told her that she and a group of her friends swap puzzles as they tire of doing the same ones over and over. This group is into 1000+ pieces puzzles.
I am intrigued by the idea of leaving a puzzle out on a table and slowly giving it a try even though I have never been a puzzle enthusiast.
I guess it is the idea that any puzzle solving is good for the ole noggin that has me thinking of buying one.
Do any of you out there in blogland enjoy complicated jigsaw puzzles?
Sunday, January 07, 2007
It's never too late
I have always been appprehensive about returning a library book on time. That and running out of gasoline are too of my pet worries.
I wonder if any of us would have the guts to return a library book tha WAS THIS OVER DUE.
=======
Man pays library $171, 47-year LATE FEE.
"HANCOCK, Mich. - Robert Nuranen handed the local librarian a book he'd checked out for a ninth-grade assignment — along with a check for 47 years' worth of late fees.
Nuranen said his mother misplaced the copy of "Prince of Egypt" while cleaning the house. The family came across it every so often, only to set it aside again. He found it last week while looking through a box in the attic.
"I figured I'd better get it in before we waited another 10 years," he said after turning it in Friday with the $171.32 check. "Fifty-seven years would be embarrassing."
The book, with its last due date stamped June 2, 1960, was part of the young Nuranen's fascination with Egypt. He went on to visit that country and 54 others, and all 50 states, he said, but he never did finish the book.
Nuranen now lives in Los Angeles, where he teaches seventh-grade social studies and language arts.
The library had long ago lost any record of the book, librarian Sue Zubiena said.
"I'm going to use it as an example," she said. "It's never too late to return your books."
>
I wonder if any of us would have the guts to return a library book tha WAS THIS OVER DUE.
=======
Man pays library $171, 47-year LATE FEE.
"HANCOCK, Mich. - Robert Nuranen handed the local librarian a book he'd checked out for a ninth-grade assignment — along with a check for 47 years' worth of late fees.
Nuranen said his mother misplaced the copy of "Prince of Egypt" while cleaning the house. The family came across it every so often, only to set it aside again. He found it last week while looking through a box in the attic.
"I figured I'd better get it in before we waited another 10 years," he said after turning it in Friday with the $171.32 check. "Fifty-seven years would be embarrassing."
The book, with its last due date stamped June 2, 1960, was part of the young Nuranen's fascination with Egypt. He went on to visit that country and 54 others, and all 50 states, he said, but he never did finish the book.
Nuranen now lives in Los Angeles, where he teaches seventh-grade social studies and language arts.
The library had long ago lost any record of the book, librarian Sue Zubiena said.
"I'm going to use it as an example," she said. "It's never too late to return your books."
>
Saturday, January 06, 2007
8 BELOW
"8 BELOW"
We watched a movie last night on cable TV and I was on the edge of my seat for the entire length of the film. I highly reccomend it to any of you who like beautiful cinematography and tales of survival against all odds.
"8 BELOW" is the story of a team of Siberian Huskies who survive for months after being abandoned at the South Pole due to unfortunate circumstances. These dogs are amazing.
This is a Disney family movie that is way above average.
(from Internet Movie Data Base)
"Plot Summary for
Eight Below (2006)
In the Antarctic, after an expedition with Dr. Davis McClaren (Bruce Greenwood), the sled dog trainer Jerry Shepherd (Paul Walker) has to leave the polar base with his colleagues due to the proximity of a heavy snow storm. He ties his dogs to be rescued after, but the mission is called-off and the dogs are left alone at their own fortune. For six months, Jerry tries to find a sponsor for a rescue mission while his dogs fight for survival."
Of course if you are in a part of the country where you have been blessed with 6 feet of snow you may want to wait until summer to watch this movie..:)
We watched a movie last night on cable TV and I was on the edge of my seat for the entire length of the film. I highly reccomend it to any of you who like beautiful cinematography and tales of survival against all odds.
"8 BELOW" is the story of a team of Siberian Huskies who survive for months after being abandoned at the South Pole due to unfortunate circumstances. These dogs are amazing.
This is a Disney family movie that is way above average.
(from Internet Movie Data Base)
"Plot Summary for
Eight Below (2006)
In the Antarctic, after an expedition with Dr. Davis McClaren (Bruce Greenwood), the sled dog trainer Jerry Shepherd (Paul Walker) has to leave the polar base with his colleagues due to the proximity of a heavy snow storm. He ties his dogs to be rescued after, but the mission is called-off and the dogs are left alone at their own fortune. For six months, Jerry tries to find a sponsor for a rescue mission while his dogs fight for survival."
Of course if you are in a part of the country where you have been blessed with 6 feet of snow you may want to wait until summer to watch this movie..:)
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