Just Trying To Do My Part...!

If you need some help losing a few pounds after the holidays, this might help!

I found this expert information from this site right here, and you can read the rest of this article, as well as some other interesting tidbits if you are so inclined! I put the link in here just so you know I didn't make this stuff up!

I mean, I'm good but not THAT good!

Narrow slice rule: Cutting food into narrow slices reduces calories. By cutting very thin slices it is possible to eat an entire pizza, muffin, or doughnut with a very minimal caloric intake.

Eating while standing rule: Any foods consumed while standing have very few, if any, calories (and are obviously digested much faster).

7 a.m. rule: It is important to start the day with a healthy meal. Therefore, any foods eaten before 7 a.m. do not count toward the day's caloric intake.

7 a.m. rule, midnight sub-clause: Foods eaten after midnight automatically have a reduced calorie count.

Mental exercise rule: A sharp mental state of mind is the most important part of exercise. Therefore, a good psychological mindset for exercise is the most important part of losing weight. Hence, just thinking hard about exercise will shed the pounds.

Liquid food rule: Foods in liquid form are much lower in calories than solid foods, since food that doesn't have to be chewed is better for a diet.

Meeting snack rule: Since meetings are a job requirement, snacks eaten at them have no calories.

Thin food rule: Foods that are thin obviously have much fewer calories than thick foods. Because of this rule, baklava should be considered a low-calorie food, and anyone can see that crepes are better for a diet than pancakes.

Potluck food rule: Like cookies at a meeting, food consumed at a potluck is also free of calories (editor's note: although we have no idea why).

No need to thank me! After all, making you all slim and trim is just part of the service provided by the Hermit! And just to show how much I want to help you, feel free to send me any cookies or chocolate that may be a temptation while you are trying to shed those unwanted pounds and inches!

Of course I don't want to eat them for my own enjoyment, but I'm just doing my part to remove all of these nasty ol' calorie laden temptations from your sight in order to make things a lot easier for you!

After all, I gave up worrying about the added waist line a long time ago, ya know? Just my burden in life as a certified "cookie remover"!

Now, my friends, let's go to the kitchen and have some fresh coffee. Feel free to bring any extra cookies you might want to get rid of, OK?

Mom Is Home...!

Yesterday about 3:00 P.M. I got a call from Mom at the hospital, saying she was being released!

I had just been there in the morning and at that time, she didn't know when she would be released! She was feeling fine and getting around on her own pretty good! The problem was that for the last two days, her white count had been climbing and no one knew why!

A blood specialist had been called in to check things out, and when she came back with the test results...she said that the white count was going up because of the steroids the doctors had put Mom on to help fight her illness.

So now she's home. She's happy, her cat's happy, I'm happy...the main thing is that she is feeling OK, just tired!

One week yesterday, she went in the hospital. A week in the hospital, away from home, is enough to make anyone tired!

Her thanks (and mine) go out to everyone that sent prayers and good thoughts her way! I know in my heart that it made a BIG difference in her getting better so quickly! At Mom's age, any illness like pneumonia can be very, very serious! Mom knows that and I know that! We accept it as part of the life cycle, so we do what we can to make the best of things while we can!

Folks, we all need to learn to live each and every day just like it was the last one we had left to be with our loved ones! You know why? Because someday, maybe someday soon...it WILL be!

Peace and love from the Hermit, my friends! Coffee's on me!

Another HOA Attacks The Flag...!

Whenever I hear a story like this, I get really mad!

I'm not very fond of HOAs to begin with, and actions like this is one of the main reasons why! To me, this is just another case of a patriot hating group of power hungry bozos trying to show how strong they are!

The excuses the HOA makes for trying to stop this flag flying make no sense to me, unless they are just out to prevent the flag from flying altogether! Here is the story from the Houston Chronicle!

A (too) high-flying flag?
Marine vet's 20-foot flagpole has homeowners association filing suit over a display of patriotism that stands taller than allowed

By MIKE MORRIS
HOUSTON CHRONICLE
Jan. 7, 2011, 4:49AM


Marine veteran Michael Merola says he "just didn't buy" his neighborhood association's reasons why he couldn't put up his big flagpole.

A Marine Corps veteran is being sued by his Cypress-area homeowners association because the flagpole on which he flies the United States and Marine Corps flags does not meet his subdivision's design guidelines.

Mike Merola and his lawyer, Lee Thweatt, say this is a classic case of overreach by a nitpicking homeowners association. Lakeland Village Community Association says it is seeking to enforce its rules evenly on all residents.

Standing in his backyard in a black T-shirt bearing an eagle and the American flag, the 60-year-old Merola called that argument "a lame excuse." After his application to erect a 20-foot flagpole in his backyard was denied, he protested in a series of letters and, ultimately, erected the pole anyway.

"They just don't understand, unless they've been in the military, to feel the pride that I feel in flying that flag high and proud," said Merola, who served in the Marines from 1969 to 1977. "The excuses and things that they came up with for me not being able to fly that flagpole, I just didn't buy. That's why I bucked the system and put it up."

The association's lawyer, Nina Tran, said her clients encourage residents who wish to fly the flag to do so — as long as that flag is attached to a 6-foot pole mounted on a resident's home, as the bylaws stipulate.

Such an approach is "in keeping with the residential nature of the community," the board wrote in a statement. The suit alleges the pole is "a detriment to Lakeland Village and … (causes) imminent harm and irreparable injury to (the association)." The suit seeks a $10 fine for every day the pole stays standing, a court order to remove it and payment of attorneys' fees.

"The problem with a flagpole of that height and that significance is that it flaps in the wind and causes noise to other homeowners," Tran said. "If we allow the mounting of a 20-foot freestanding flagpole in the backyard, who's to say that the next person isn't going to mount it to the top of their roof? We have to have standards."

But Merola, who moved into the neighborhood in March 2009, bringing the flagpole from his former residence, said he's received only compliments from neighbors about the pole, whether from kids skateboarding by on the walking path behind his back fence or from neighbors who've stopped to investigate the source of all the gossip. The neighbors don't mind !

"I don't understand why the homeowners association overreacted like this," said Thweatt, Merola's lawyer, and a Marine himself. "I understand they have to protect the property values of the people in that subdivision, but they've had no complaints. It's not like the guy painted his house neon orange."

Merola's next-door neighbors, Satish and Ann Kalra, said the pole does not bother them.

"The homeowners association should look at the rules again," Satish Kalra said. "If the rules need to be modified, they should be modified. … That would be the logical thing to do."

Tran said even if Merola has not received complaints, another neighbor with a similar flagpole might.

Thweatt, who took the case pro bono, said he believes the suit violates the Freedom to Display the American Flag Act of 2005, which says, in part, that a homeowners association "may not adopt or enforce any policy … that would restrict or prevent a member of the association from displaying the flag."

No court date has been scheduled in the case.

"I hope we can come to some kind of agreement that will let me continue to fly the flag loud and proud for as long as I live," Merola said.

mike.morris@chron.com

You know, time and time again we hear stories where HOAs are attacking folks about the way they display the flag! Why? Do they really feel that proudly showing the American Flag will hurt the property values in their neighborhood?

I'll tell you one thing! I'd be a lot quicker to locate in a neighborhood flying the flag than in one that didn't! To me, this is just one more case of a HOA throwing their weight around! You would think that any neighborhood would be proud to have a true flag waving patriot in their midst, instead of some of the alternatives!

But...that's just me! Personally, I'd feel a whole lot better with having this vet as a neighbor than some of the neighbors I have now!

Fresh coffee and hot chocolate in the kitchen this morning! It's 29 on the patio and for me, that's just too cold to sit outside!

Chasing The Rainbow...!

The news from the hospital is a little good, and a little bad.

Well, I say bad...but that may not be the case. During one of the blood work ups yesterday, the lab came back with a report that Mom's white count was a little higher than it had been. Despite that, Mom says that she has been feeling better and seems to be eating well. She seems to be getting around pretty good as well!

When the doctor came to see her later in the evening, he told her not to be very concerned about the elevated white count...that several things could cause that level. He said the main thing was that she was feeling a lot better! He also said that if all continues to go well, she might be able to go home Thursday. We'll wait and see about that, as there are several other doctors involved and they have to approve the release as well.

As much as Mom wants to go home, she knows that it's best she get completely out of the woods with this pneumonia before trying to do too much too soon! I think she realizes that she is in the best place to be properly treated and cured of all the bad stuff that has been nagging at her and pulling her down as of late!

I think the staff and the hospital has been outstanding so far. I can't say enough about the care shown by the nursing staff, that's for sure! That goes double for the doctors! One even came to see about Mom's condition a little after midnight! How many times do you know of doctors doing that?

Anyway, that's where we stand right now. I'm hoping that I can find out a little more this morning when I go back up to the hospital. It really makes it a lot easier when you can stay informed about what's going on, ya know?

It's kind of like chasing a rainbow! You think you know just where the rainbow ends, but the end is never quite where you expect it to be!

I'll sure be glad when it's all over and she is back home! I know she will be, as well! Probably the happiest will be Mom's cat, Amy! With just the two of them living there, Amy really gets lonely when Mom is not home! I make sure to spend some time with her every day, just so she doesn't feel as though she has been abandoned!

Our pets have feelings as well! Just like people, a little bit of caring can go a long way!

Coffee in the kitchen this morning! Way too cold to go out!

Thank You, Teddy Roosevelt...!

This is one thing a president did that I can really get behind.

If more constructive actions like this were done by the head man, all of us would be better off. At least, that's what I think!

On January 11, 1908, U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt declares the massive Grand Canyon in northwestern Arizona a national monument.

Though Native Americans lived in the area as early as the 13th century, the first European sighting of the canyon wasn't until 1540, by members of an expedition headed by the Spanish explorer Francisco Vasquez de Coronado.

Because of its remote and inaccessible location, several centuries passed before North American settlers really explored the canyon. In 1869, geologist John Wesley Powell led a group of 10 men in the first difficult journey down the rapids of the Colorado River and along the length of the 277-mile gorge in four rowboats.

By the end of the 19th century, the Grand Canyon was attracting thousands of tourists each year. One famous visitor was President Theodore Roosevelt, a New Yorker with a particular affection for the American West. After becoming president in 1901 after the assassination of President William McKinley, Roosevelt made environmental conservation a major part of his presidency. After establishing the National Wildlife Refuge to protect the country's animals, fish and birds, Roosevelt turned his attention to federal regulation of public lands. Though a region could be given national park status--indicating that all private development on that land was illegal--only by an act of Congress, Roosevelt cut down on red tape by beginning a new presidential practice of granting a similar "national monument" designation to some of the West's greatest treasures.

In January 1908, Roosevelt exercised this right to make more than 800,000 acres of the Grand Canyon area into a national monument. "Let this great wonder of nature remain as it now is," he declared. "You cannot improve on it. But what you can do is keep it for your children, your children’s children, and all who come after you, as the one great sight which every American should see."

Congress did not officially outlaw private development in the Grand Canyon until 1919, when President Woodrow Wilson signed the Grand Canyon National Park Act. Today, more than 5 million people visit the canyon each year. The canyon floor is accessible by foot, mule or boat, and whitewater rafting, hiking and running in the area are especially popular. Many choose to conserve their energies and simply take in the breathtaking view from the canyon's South Rim--some 7,000 feet above sea level--and marvel at a vista virtually unchanged for over 400 years.

I don't know of anyone that would dispute the fact that protecting the Grand Canyon from development by the Mega-corporations in this country was a very wise decision...and probably made just in time. Knowing how big industry operates and knowing that they have enough money to bribe some of the weaker lawmakers that hand out the permits to destroy, protecting it was a good move!

Anyway, thanks to Teddy...our generation and those that follow should have this beautiful area to enjoy for a long time to come. Providing, of course, we can keep from somehow blowing it up, or otherwise reeking havoc as we are often prone to do!

Now, my friends, let's get some fresh coffee and sit in the kitchen for a bit! OK?

Putting The "Bang" Back In Sex...!

I'm sure that there is a moral in this story somewhere, but I'm just not sure what it is!

There are so many things that one could say about this plan, I'm not sure just where to start! One saying that comes to mind is "beware of Greeks bearing gifts". Seems like the smartest thing would be, first, not to use these things anyway...and secondly, always know who any unexpected gifts are from!

Man charged with two felonies for making homemade explosive device

Terry Allen Lester
By DREW AMO
damo@wasecacountynews.com

WASECA — A Waseca man has been charged with felony creation and possession of an explosive or incendiary device and felony terroristic threats after authorities discovered a homemade explosive device hidden in a sex toy.

Terry Allen Lester, 37, faces a maximum penalty of 10 years imprisonment and a $20,000 fine if convicted.

On January 1, Officer Kari Kalow responded to a home in Waseca about a civil matter.

According to the woman, Lester had been staying with her and another woman at her apartment, but he was forced to leave when the manager learned about this.

He left the apartment on Dec. 31, but left behind some bags. The contents of the bags made the women uncomfortable so they contacted authorities.

The women brought Kalow the container of items, which included a container with the words “Christmas Gifts” written in black marker.

One of the women told Kalow that Lester had spoken to them about one of the items.

According to the criminal complaint, Lester had made some modifications to a sex toy. He put gun powder, BB shot and buck shot from shotgun shells into one with black and red wires that connected to a trigger with a battery port.

There was no battery inside the device.

The complaint went on to say that Lester planned on giving it to one of three women. In each of those cases, the relationship had ended badly.

Also left at the apartment were tools used in the construction of the explosive device, including cords, cables, a small tool kit and two other sex toys.

The Bloomington Bomb Squad was contacted by Waseca Police Sergeant Scott Girtler. The squad arrived two hours later and x-rayed the devices after first inspecting them.

The first device, the one shown to Kalow earlier, had two wires coming out of it that were connected to what appeared to be a trigger from a cordless drill.

The other two devices appeared to be unaltered and checked out.

The bomb squad cut into the first device and removed the projectiles and gunpowder, rendering it inert.

Lester remains in police custody.

This seems to me to be a pretty brutal way to get back at anyone. I'm guessing that this guy has some very serious anger issues that need to be addressed! I mean, it's one thing to plan to injure someone, but to do so in such a barbaric manner is completely inexcusable in my opinion!

Now, after all that's been going on during the last couple of days I need some fresh coffee...a LOT of coffee. One thing about the hospital that Mom is in...close by her room in the hallway, they have a "serve yourself" coffee cart, where they furnish free coffee for the visitors. Pretty fresh, too! Nice to see things like that once in a while, ya know?

Come on in, grab a cup, and we'll sit in the kitchen for a bit!

One Step Forward, Two Steps Back...!

Well, where do I start this tale?

As you know, I took Mom to the hospital ER Tuesday, where we spent about 8 hours waiting on a room. They decided not to admit her and sent us back home after all that time!

Wednesday things started off pretty good with Mom seeming to be getting better! But by the late afternoon and on into the evening...she was in constant pain and really popping pain pills. The worst thing for her was not being able to get any sleep, because by the late evening she was coughing really bad and, of course, that caused the pain in her back and ribs to escalate!

Thursday morning, with some help from my niece (who is a nurse) and one of Mom's friends, we managed to get Mom back to the ER again, thanks to a call from one of Mom's past doctors. Baby Sis talked to him several times on the phone, and he called the hospital to arrange for a room. About 9 hours later, after a wide range of more test, we finally got Mom into a room and settled in.

I made sure she was OK and then drove the short distance back home, getting there about 12:15 in the morning! Fed the animals, checked Mom's house and mail, brought in the mail for my neighbor, and managed to get some sleep.

Back to the hospital Friday to check on Mom and found that Baby Sis had beat me there. We talked to Mom's doctors and found out that she has pneumonia and pleurisy! The doctor said that she would be there for a while and set no date for her release. It could be at least 3 days and up to 10 days! It all depends on how long it takes to clear up the pneumonia, which is my main concern.

So anyway, that's the update. Mom is finally getting some rest, her coughing is much better, she's in a place that can deal with her pain much better than I can, and I hope that with all these issues getting treated in order...she will be back on the road to recovery soon!

It may take a while, but she is 84 and folks just don't heal that fast at her age!
That's all I had today. I just wanted to bring you up to date after all the kind words to her after finding out she was ill. I appreciated that very much...and so did she, believe me.

Now, I sure could use some fresh coffee! How about you?