Another Day in the Valley

Not much is happening in Happy Valley here. Jenni's birthday is coming up and she is getting ready for the celebration. The leaves are starting to turn in the neighborhood. Dad is doing well and should be free from the doctor this week so he will be able to drive himself around. Just to be able to get out of the apartment will be great for Dad. He was to have his Poker Nite and they are starting up a Bridge card game to start up at the apartments.
I loved loved loved Annica's blog about Tokoyo- it sounds like a great city to visit. I have put up a video of a Halloween Party when all the kids except mine who were grown up. But everyone was there having a wonderful time.

Truvia- Natures Perfect Sweetness?

Truvia? - Nature's Perfect Sweetness? - Sweetness Conversion Chart

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I saw this on Martha Stewart...could it be a safe diet additive. I tasted it and it taste good so now I will use it when baking and will let you know how it turns out.

Dirty Rotten Scoundrel

I know that most people do not watch Survivor anymore but I must discuss one contestant or character on this reality show.On this shows there have been people that are master manipulators, down-low-dirty liars, but this year we have an evil women hating agitator on the show and his name is Russell. He uses extremely demeaning labels for the women around him, fan the fires between other male vs female contests and he does low-down rotten tricks on his own camp mates to cause fights within his fellow contestants. Watch this video and let me know what you think.

PAIN

I don't think people understand what pain can do to a person. The pressure can be overwhelming. I try everyday to get up and try to jump into the day but most times I feel hung over from the meds I took the night before and I am now 58 and it has been 25 years of trying to get through the day. I get very depressed and sad when I can't go out and be in the world but when I go out it is exhausting and I have to be careful to be healthy enough for my husband and children. So I struggle everyday. There is an article about a new genetic treatment that holds promise but it is years away so I wait and hope it comes soon!
an article copied because it would not link to my blog:
Health
Chronic Pain Makes 50-year-olds Feel 80
By LiveScience Staff
posted: 16 September 2009 11:28 am ET

Chronic Pain Makes 50-year-olds Feel 80
LiveScience StaffLiveScience.com livescience Stafflivescience.com Wed Sep 16, 11:46 am ET
People who suffer chronic pain tend to have general physical capabilities similar to those decades older, a new study finds.
Scientists re-examined data from a 2004 study of 18,531 people age 50 and over. As one example, among participants age 50 to 59 who had no chronic pain, 37 percent could jog a mile and 91 percent could walk several blocks with no trouble. Among those with chronic pain, only 9 percent could jog the mile and only half managed the walking task.
"We found that the abilities of those aged 50 to 59 with pain were far more comparable to subjects aged 80 to 89 without pain, of whom 4 percent were able to jog 1 mile and 55 percent were able to walk several blocks, making pain sufferers appear 20 to 30 years older than non-pain sufferers," said study leader Kenneth Covinsky of the Division of Geriatrics at the University of California, San Francisco.
Chronic pain is a huge problem for middle-aged and older adults. In fact 24 percent of the people in the study suffered from moderate to severe pain most of the time. About 75 million U.S. residents endure chronic or recurrent pain, other studies have found. Migraines plague 25 million of us. One in six suffer arthritis.
While pain is poorly understood, many experts now recommend physical exercise to combat many types of chronic pain, in addition to medication in some cases.
"Our study cannot determine whether pain causes disability or whether disability causes pain," Covinsky said. "We think it is likely that both are true and that pain and disability probably can act together in ways that make both problems worsen in a downward spiral."

The findings, announced today, are detailed in the Journal of the American Geriatric Society.
The research suggests pain and disability may often be part of the same underlying process. "Patients may be better served if pain and disability are evaluated and treated jointly rather than treated as separate issues," Covinsky said.

Our Skies at it's Most Beautiful

http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2009/09/panorama/ is the site for more information about this beautiful video of our Milkyway Galaxay

I love Nancy Giles opinion today

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This year's 9/11

I didn't remember that 9/11 was this Friday, I knew the date but forgot the significance and I am very sorry because we should never forget the one's that died...I struggle everyday with the death of Mom and I can't ever imagine not having a day I don't think about her.

Along with that- comes my fear of death and dying - maybe this is showing me that life does go on.

I had my first Skype conversation with Brian today and I loved being able to see him as we talked. I look forward to getting my new webcam delivered so I can Skype back. The day was gloomy and really raining all day long. My arm is acting up so we stayed home, ordered from Joe's and relaxed. I did get the original V mini-series and it reminds me that I didn't miss much being busy raising kids during the 80's. The main problem are the snot nose kids that keep throwing a monkey wrench into the works. It seems on par with the original Battlestar Galactica. I saw the first V series episode while I was at Comi-con and I look forward to seeing the new V this next TV season. It seem similar to the new Battlestar.

Dad and James Birthday Party

Getting ready for Dad's 89th birthday

While we are getting ready for Dad's next birthday I thought we could remember his 80th with all his friends around...he talks about everyone being dead but we must remember we are still here and we must know that this will be the good old time soon enough so celebrate today.