Life Changes

Ever since March 11, 2011 the world has changed. The earthquake and tsunami in Japan created concerns around the world. I live in California but was not affected by the tsunami as it arrived at low tide which helped. There was a major impact in the Santa Cruz Marina and Capitola. It will take a lot of hard work for Capitola to rebuild.

The reactors that have had explosions and fires, there has been a release of radiation. There is more than one type involved and it is a bit complicated. However, due to the radiation traveling around the world due to the winds, we have been in a lock down mode. The doors are taped and the windows are covered with plastic. It is definitely claustrophobic and stressful.

We hear some information on the news and the Internet but there is a real lack of stories on mainstream television. There was news of the aftershocks of the 9.0 earthquake and initial stories about the problems with the reactors. I hear about further explosions and fires in April 2011 but the Internet and media are extremely quiet.

There is talk about a conspiracy to keep the truth from the general public to prevent general panic. From what I have researched there has already been a panic: people have cleaned out supplies of potassium iodide, iodine, etc. Companies that sell products for emergency kits are out of stock and not taking orders. There are reports that our rain water (drinking water), produce and milk are contaminated. There is even talk that this may take not days, weeks or months to recover but years. How much of this is true and how much is being spread by frightened people?

If this is to last for a long time, it is not living. It is nothing more than existing. I welcome constructive comments and suggestions. I haven't been out of the house since February 18, 2011 for a variety of reasons. I am obviously beginning to suffer cabin fever, lack of fresh air and sunshine, not to mention that I miss being around people. Please send prayers for the world and all the people. Thank you.

Mushka

This is an adorable little kitten who fell on hard times until my neice found him and did a major rescue. Seems that Mushka had been hit by a vehicle and no one helped him. He lay there for three weeks watching people. His injuries were so bad that gangrene had set it. My neice and a friend set out to locate a veterinarian who could help. They wanted a lot of money to save this little boy and they were just about to give up when an orthopdic vet called and said he would do the work for a pittance in comparison. He would do the work for free but they had to pay for the supplies. So . . . Mushka was saved.

When I first saw Mushka he didn't have any fur except on his head. They shaved all the fur to help prevent further infection. He was six months old, hungry, frightened and very ill. They ended up amputating his back left leg. He is learning to get around very well but doesn't do a lot of jumping. When at Mom's the neice simply puts up a baby gate and he stays in the room. He is getting around beautifully and growing to an adorable little boy. My neice absolutely loves Mushka and it will be very difficult for her to part with him. She already found him a permanent home when he is completely healed. Mushka will truly be missed.

I took this photo today. He has a place in the room where he can see down he hall and know who is there. He is a clever little boy.

Mushka also spends time under the dresser and he can see who is at the door by looking in the mirror that is on the right wall next to the door. He makes the decsion whether or not he will bless you with his presence. He is so precious.

How did she arrive at the name Mushka? She said that it just fit him perfectly. We looked up the meaning and the following is what I found online.

Mushka
(moosh-kah)

1. Something/someone that is so lethally adorable that your body convulses at even the thought.
2. Something whether it be a phrase, habit, noise, policy, etc. that is irksome but not enough so to be justifyibly annoying.

Examples:

1. 'Your baby is the most mushka thing I've ever seen in my life'
2. 'That face you're making is mushka'

My Web Sites

We have all been very busy these days and I am no exception. This is the best blog site I have found and truly appreciate them. I have web sites at the following and would apprecate any feedback.

Shekinah which is my personal web site.

ElizabethAnnR at eHow which is self explanatory. You don't have to be a member to read my articles. You must be a member if you want to rate them.

ElizabethAnnR's Profile - RedGage which is a work in progress.

Cooking Around the World which is an eclectic collection of recipes and I am always open to cooking ideas.

ElizabethAnnR's Profile - Viewpoints where I get to review different products.

Thank you for visiting these web sites.

Queen Esther and Purim

This painting depicts Queen Esther as the very model of a regal and dignified beauty. This was painted by Andrea del Castagno (1423-1457) in a loggia at the Villa Carducci Pandalfini, Italy.

Queen Esther was a very courageous woman and her story is in the book of Esther in the Old Testament. You can learn even more about her at Shekinah - A Woman of Valor, which is my web site. If you want to learn more about the annual celebration, please visit Purim and enjoy. Purim is one of the most joyous and fun Jewish holidays. It commemorates a time when the Jewish people were living in Persia. Queen Esther saved her people from extermination.

This year Purim is celebrated on February 28, 2010.

Traditions of Jewish Cooking

Jewish cooking traditions, stretching back nearly two thousand years, are based on a set of dietary laws established in Biblican times. These laws are the foundation on which all Jewish cooking is built, irrespective of the country in which the cook is living. Jewish cooking is, therefore, not like any single national cooking style.

The fascination of Jewish cookery is the way in which an enormous cookery repertoire has been created, with contributions from hosts of countries, while still retaining allegiance to the Jewish Dietary Laws. The great variety in Jewish cooking stems in part from the travels of Jewish communities from country to country in the Middle East, Asia Minor and Europe. Local ingredients were made use of and variations on familiar themes became distinctive dishes in their own right. The names of dishes varied according to the country of origin, i.e. Russian, Polish, Spanish or Middle Eastern.

You can learn a great deal more about Jewish cooking at:

• Cooking Around the World - Traditions of Jewish Cooking where you will find some interesting recipes.
• Judaism 101: Jewish Dietary Laws where you will learn a great deal.

I have thoroughly enjoyed becoming acquainted with these dishes.

Kevin

Little Kevin is two years old and never still for a minute. Definitely makes getting photographs of him difficult. He is leaning on Grandpa in this photo but I wanted to spotlight this adorable little boy. Kevin has a beautiful smile when he blesses us with one. They grow up so fast.

Kalani

Can't leave any of the great-grandchildren out of this blog. Kalani is a very shy young lady and is now 3 years old. However, if you ask her age she will tell you that she is 2. She doesn't want to be 3. She is starting at a very young age adjusting her age to suit her. Kalani is very attached to her Grandpa and it's difficult to get her to pose for a photo.

Rob is showing her photos he took with his iPhone. Kalani is often right there with her Grandpa. This photo was taken at Christmas 2009 and we all had a great time. I am so blessed to have these beautiful great-grandchildren in my life.

Future Model

We all take photos at family gatherings and we were taking photos of Nevaeh, my great-granddaughter. Here is one of her posing in front of the fireplace. This is a pose she struck on her own. She is so cute and seemed to be having so much fun. Nevaeh is four years old.

My granddaughter went through this stage when she was a little girl. She is now sixteen but I am not certain she has left that phase. She is always primping and preening. I am just not accustomed to this as I was the only female in the house when my boys were at home. Life is definitely a learning process.

I have been working online to supplement my income and have come across some truly terrible sites. The surveys are long then they insist that you sign up for two offers on the Silver or Gold pages. I don't know about you, but I am doing these surveys to earn money rather than spend money on something I don't want. I have created a poll at Earning Sites Poll to see what sites are best. Please visit and cast your vote. If you don't see a site that you recommend, please leave a comment. Thank you for participating.

Avatar Movie

I have finally seen Avatar and highly recommend this film that was released in traditional 2-D, as well as 3-D and IMAX 3D formats. I saw it in 3-D. I went with a couple friends and they came with an attitude that it would only be interesting for the first ninety minutes. That proved to be wrong. Two of the three of us really appreciated the movie. I am truly impressed with the filming and can appreciate the storyline. Could this be our future?

I will not reveal the end. You will have to attend this movie to see how it ends.

******

In 2154, the RDA corporation is mining Pandora, a lush, Earth-like, moon of the planet Polyphemus, in the Alpha Centauri star system. Parker Selfridge (Giovanni Ribisi) heads the mining operation, and it employs Marines for security. The corporation intends to exploit Pandora's reserves of a valuable mineral called unobtanium. Pandora is inhabited by the Na'vi, a blue-skinned species of sapient humanoids with feline characteristics. Physically stronger and taller than humans, the Na'vi live in harmony with Nature, worshiping a mother goddess called Eywa.

Humans cannot survive exposure to Pandora's atmosphere for very long and use gas masks. In an attempt to improve relations with the natives, scientists create human-Na'vi hybrids called avatars, controlled by genetically-matched human operators. Jake Sully (Sam Worthington), a paraplegic former Marine, becomes a last-minute replacement for his murdered identical twin brother, a scientist trained to be an avatar operator. Dr. Grace Augustine (Sigourney Weaver), the head of the Avatar Program, considers Sully an inadequate replacement for his brother, and relegates him to a bodyguard role.

Jake escorts Augustine and biologist Norm Spellman (Joel David Moore) on an exploratory mission in their avatar forms to make contact with the Na'vi in order to help establish diplomatic relations, solve the problem of resources and end the threat of violence. The group is attacked by a predator, and Jake becomes separated and lost. Forced to survive the night in Pandora's dangerous jungles, he is rescued by Neytiri (Zoe Saldana), a female Na'vi. Neytiri brings Jake to Hometree, which is inhabited by Neytiri's clan, the Omaticaya. Mo'at (C. C. H. Pounder), the Na'vi shaman and Neytiri's mother, shows interest in the warrior "Dream-walker" (their term for the Avatars), and instructs her daughter to teach Jake their ways.

Colonel Miles Quaritch (Stephen Lang), leader of the security forces for RDA, hears of Jake's unique relationship with the Omaticaya and promises Jake working legs in exchange for intelligence about the natives and what it will take for them to abandon Hometree, which rests above a large deposit of unobtanium.

Avatar continues . . .

Making ripples

I found ripple which provides clean water, food, education and money for those less fortunate. The following is directly from their site.

ripple works because it is a win for everybody

• ripplers (that's you) have access to a homepage which allows them to fight poverty with your daily searches or a simple click
• Advertisers gain effective advertising while contributing to our global community
• More funding helps the ripple charities continue their work

Together we can make a real impact on poverty in our world.

Lafayette Miracle Solutions

I first heard about Miracle II products through conversations with friends. They were all discussing the benefits of the products very openly. The one thing they had forgotten is that they hadn't discussed it with me. I finally asked them about it and they were amazed that they had forgotten to inform me about Miracle II.

I was experiencing pain in my left knee and was very tired of taking OTC medication. I learned that, if I followed specific steps, the pain should be reduced if not completely eliminated. I was provided a sample kit and proceeded to follow the instructions. You need to understand that there is absolutely no logical reason this should work, but it does. The pain in my knee was gone.

These wonderful products are concentrated so they last for a long time making them extremely cost effective.

The next step was for me to become a Marketing Associate with LAF Miracle Solutions. You can learn more about my experience with these products at Miracle II which also has a link where you can become a Marketing Associate or a Preferred Customer. I am hoping you will join me there and please let me know about your experiences.

I look forward to having you join me.

Happy New Year!

Wishing you a prosperous and Happy New Year!

2009 has been a very difficult year for many citizens of these United States and I am no exception. Many citizens have lost jobs, homes, and savings. We have experienced the worst economy since the Great Depression. We didn't get into this state over night. As far as I am concerned, it began with the deregulation of the financial institutions. They didn't self regulate well in the past and have proven they are still extremely irresponsible.

I have been using products by Miracle II for years and am more than happy with their products. They are safe for the environment and economical. You can learn a great deal about Miracle II on my website.

We have all been working on earning additional income through many programs on the internet. We earn points for money, gift cards, and merchandise. This is done for doing what we do every day. We read e-mails, search the internet, play video games, and participate in surveys. Some of these programs are very good and others aren't worth the time involved.

Thank you for visiting my blog and reading my post. Each of you is appreciated and I wish you well for the coming year.

Blessings

Merry Christmas

I spent Christmas day with family and had a wonderful time. Rob and Stephanie always have such wonderful food. My daughter-in-law is a fantastic cook and always makes us feel welcome. I am so fortunate to have her in the family.

The little ones (ages 2, 3 and 4) were very active and are a joy to be with. I always enjoy time spent with my beautiful granddaughter (age 16). This was a very special year and I hope you had a very Merry Christmas.

Happy Thanksgiving!

This is a special day when families gather to share a wonderful day together. It is when we can put aside our differences and appreciate the many blessings of the year.

I will be spending the day at Robs, my son, house with his family and many friends.

Stephanie, my daughter-in-law, does the bulk of the cooking and she is a wonderful cook. Rob and Stephanie have a system of preparing holiday meals and the food is always great.

There will be turkey, dressing, candied yams, mashed potatoes, gravy, collard greens and more. I am bringing a Chocolate Cheesecake this year. It is different for me so I hope they don't miss the usual veggie platter.

Wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving!

November 3 Elections

This is really late to be posting this message, but I certainly hope you are voting on Tuesday. The election in my area is for our U.S. Congressman. We do not have a working representative as Ellen Tauscher has been apointed Under Secretary of State with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. This is a very important election on the Federal level.

The person I am supporting is Lieutenant Governor John Garamendi for U.S. Congress. He was the Insurance Commissioner in California for two terms and he helped set a higher standard for the insurance companies. They do not like him and he knows it.

The official results indicate that we have elected Congressman John Garamendi. Now the work begins. We need to remind him that we are in this community. All the elected officials have offices in other cities but not this one. This is the county seat and there should be an office here.

This is not to minimize the local elections. It is very important to be involved with your local officials. I can't stress this enough. There were absolutely no changes on the City Council. We elected Catherine Moy and John Mraz.

Remember: We are the change we voted for.

November 3,2009
I voted before noon and that is a good thing. Voter turnout is, as expected, low. Wish we could say more voters participated.

Thank you for participating.

Volunteering Today

I am heading out this afternoon to help with an event to help the school children in our area. I have a friend who volunteers with one of the schools and she needs my assistance. I am always willing to help worthy projects and this should begin at home.

Volunteering? What needs to be done in our individual communities? Do your schools need someone to help the teachers in the classroom? Can you help at your animal shelter? Are there facilities where elder people are residing who have no family and need visitors? Given a little thought, there are many other areas where we can make a difference. One thing that is important here is that volunteering in the community is something that was happening long before President Barack Obama. He is just a good example of what can be accomplished as a community organizer. Together we can do great things.

What can you do to make a difference in your community?

Food Network

One of my favorite TV channels is the Food Network and I watch it frequently. This is most likely some of the best entertainment all day and I learn so much from them. Yes, I have some favorite chefs.

• Bobby Flay is the first American Iron Chef and known for his Throw Downs.


• Guy Fieri who travels around doing Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.


• Rachael Ray who is a very busy lady with her own show and Meals in 30 Minutes.


• Giada De Laurentis who is beautiful and so slim.


• Paula Deen, the Butter Queen.


• Iron Chef America is pure entertainment.

There are many more chefs on the Food Network. Their individual shows are so different and their cooking styles are interesting. When I can't sleep, this is what I am doing if not online.

DISCLAIMER: I am not being paid for mentioning the Food Network or the chefs.

California Weather

The forecast was for heavy rain and high winds. It's been a heavy rain most of the day. We appear to have missed the high winds. It is now just a light sprinkle. We have desperately needed rain in this part of California and I am truly grateful that it has finally arrived.

Our local forecast doesn't appear to be as drastic as for some places in the state.

Our Forecast for Tonight (October 13, 2009): Periods of rain, heavy at times early. Low 59F. Winds SSW at 15 to 25 mph. 1 to 2 inches of additional rain expected. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph.

Sacramento has had the heavy rains (causing some flooding) and there are trees down due to the wind. Once those trees are water logged it doesn't take much wind to blow the trees down. The rain is much heavier in Sacramento than in my area.

Some areas have been without electricity due to downed power lines. Again, we have been blessed. We have electricity.

There is also watches for mud slides due to the many fires over the summer. This impacts the Santa Cruz Mountains and Southern California. We have been lucky not to have had severe fires in this area.

Since the forecast for Wednesday (October 14, 2009) is showers and the temp at 73, we should have a nice day.

Can't We Just Get Along?

I know this reminds us of Rodney King, but there is still merit in that simple question.

We have all watched as people disrupt town hall meetings with their shouting and lack of respect for the opinion of others in the same meeting. I, for one, do not understand all this hysterical behavior. The only thing they appear to accomplish is to attract the media and none of it is good. It takes the attention away from the purpose of the town hall meetings.

Even though I don't understand these people who are shouting, there is a thought that people are frightened. They are frightened and feel helpless. They feel powerless. Why have they decided this is the time to behave in this manner? I don't have the answers. I do have a great deal of compassion for these people. I also have a lot of pity for them because they aren't behaving in a rational or intelligent manner. They have closed their minds to the opinions of other people or other options. They are correct and everyone else in wrong. This is sad.

I attended a town hall meeting where we discussed health care reform. I am not going to tell you that everyone agreed with each other, but it was a civil discussion. We showed respect for the opinions of other people in attendance.

What seems to be lacking these days is simple social courtesy. A conversation should flow both ways with each participant listening to the other without interruption or talking over the other person involved. Only time will determine if this behavior was productive or destructive.

Our social conduct in this enlightened 21st century is sorely lacking. Our differences are what make this a wonderful country but we also must show respect for each other.