My daughter was born in May and her first Christmas was fast approaching. She progressed so fast, I’m not sure I had a baby but a toddler. Life was so interesting for her and I didn’t want to hold her back in any way. During my maternity leave, I took picture of her crawling. She was so far advanced that any baby I had ever been around. I wanted to make sure that learning and the excitement of accomplishment would continue to be fun and exciting for her. She never wanted to be cuddled or hindered from a view of the world around her. Up to this point, I put a lot of thought in each toy purchase, I wanted so badly to splurge and buy everything for her.
At six months, she was walking everywhere and pointing. I was an older parent and took great delight in explaining and naming each item that she pointed at glancing back at me with a questionable expression. I knew whatever I purchased for her must have an element of learning because she was, at that point, a bundle of activity, so energetic and interested in her surroundings. I knew she loved books, the only time she would sit still was while I was reading to her, and each night she sat on my lap while I read one of the books, she would pick all the while naming the items on each page. I knew she would be talking soon. Foremost on my list were several books.
Next the energetic side of her personality needed an outlet. Activity toys such as a small tricycle should be on my list; instead I found a tennis shoe just the right height with four little wheels, then I found some of the Disney characters that told stories. I then had a “Mickey Mouse” and a “Goofy” that once connected together told stories. These items worried me a little, because the stuffed, talking characters were three feet tall, as tall as my daughter. I was so excited for my daughter, it was difficult to wait for these treasures I found to become her possessions.
Christmas Day dawned bright and sunny. She smiled and giggled with each present that we helped her open. Her little eyes told the story of each delightful surprise. I lined up my purchases, even clothes, so that she could see all the items I had carefully chosen for her. She walked back and forth touching and hugging each item with excitement. She chose the books to be read first, so I obliged. We sat down and I read two books before interest in the other items came as an afterthought to her.
Later in the day, we traveled to my mother’s home for a repeat. My one year old nephew was already there and so excited, he couldn’t stop squealing. The two played together, one following the other until exhaustion overtook them and a short nap was in order.
Throughout the years, I maintained the same ideal that quality toy purchases should have an element of learning. I still have most of the items she received that day in hopes that someday her children might enjoy them as she did.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Living Inside the City Limits vs. Country Living
I grew up living in the country and couldn't wait to marry and move to a small town. I thought it would be nice to walk to the grocery and do all my errands without having to use a vehicle for everything. What an eye opening experience for me.
First of all, we raised our own vegetables, canned and processed them for later use. We also had a little red wagon to transport them from the garden to the house. While I had no such luxury living in town, or a place to store a wagon, the bags of groceries alone were almost backbreaking by the time I walked home from the closest grocery store.
Living in the country, I used to lie in bed at night and listen to the train whistle blow in the distance as it passed through the nearest town three miles away. It was such a comforting sound and one I miss. Our first home was next to the railroad tracks and at the time I didn't think too much of it when I saw them. The first night in my new home, a house trailer on his parents property, the train came rumbling by so loud that I jumped straight up in bed and banged my head on the ceiling. I was so frightened by the deafening noise it took a few moments for my new husband to calm me down. He said I would get used to it and the noise wouldn't bother me. I never did get used to the noise. We stayed there for a year while looking for a home to buy.
We found a small house in the next nearest small town that was within our budget to purchase. The house needed some restoration. There were also railroad tracks in town, but they were located several blocks away from where we lived. The houses on our street may have had a distance of fifteen to twenty feet between them and the neighbors seemed really nice. The sound I heard every night before going to sleep changed from trains to vehicles. I would listen to the cars bang over the man hole covers all the way up the street.
During the day whenever we were outside working on the house, there was always someone walking up and down the street wanting to stop and "checkout" what was going on. Even though restoration "duties" took twice as long to complete, we were gracious enough to take time out to "visit" with those who stopped by. It was a little disturbing waving at the neighbor doing dishes while I was doing the same.
Eventually we were able to buy a home in the country where a little more privacy is not to be taken for "granted." I raise a small garden; no train tracks are close by and the neighbors' wave and go about their business. Of course there are the pesky little critters that visit like the occasional opossum we find on the porch, a field mouse that has decided to move in, or the night I discovered a raccoon peering in the window. Of course we can't forget the squirrel that brings his food to our deck and leaves his shells behind.
Life is certainly different living in the country and I wouldn't trade it again for convenience.
First of all, we raised our own vegetables, canned and processed them for later use. We also had a little red wagon to transport them from the garden to the house. While I had no such luxury living in town, or a place to store a wagon, the bags of groceries alone were almost backbreaking by the time I walked home from the closest grocery store.
Living in the country, I used to lie in bed at night and listen to the train whistle blow in the distance as it passed through the nearest town three miles away. It was such a comforting sound and one I miss. Our first home was next to the railroad tracks and at the time I didn't think too much of it when I saw them. The first night in my new home, a house trailer on his parents property, the train came rumbling by so loud that I jumped straight up in bed and banged my head on the ceiling. I was so frightened by the deafening noise it took a few moments for my new husband to calm me down. He said I would get used to it and the noise wouldn't bother me. I never did get used to the noise. We stayed there for a year while looking for a home to buy.
We found a small house in the next nearest small town that was within our budget to purchase. The house needed some restoration. There were also railroad tracks in town, but they were located several blocks away from where we lived. The houses on our street may have had a distance of fifteen to twenty feet between them and the neighbors seemed really nice. The sound I heard every night before going to sleep changed from trains to vehicles. I would listen to the cars bang over the man hole covers all the way up the street.
During the day whenever we were outside working on the house, there was always someone walking up and down the street wanting to stop and "checkout" what was going on. Even though restoration "duties" took twice as long to complete, we were gracious enough to take time out to "visit" with those who stopped by. It was a little disturbing waving at the neighbor doing dishes while I was doing the same.
Eventually we were able to buy a home in the country where a little more privacy is not to be taken for "granted." I raise a small garden; no train tracks are close by and the neighbors' wave and go about their business. Of course there are the pesky little critters that visit like the occasional opossum we find on the porch, a field mouse that has decided to move in, or the night I discovered a raccoon peering in the window. Of course we can't forget the squirrel that brings his food to our deck and leaves his shells behind.
Life is certainly different living in the country and I wouldn't trade it again for convenience.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Stay In School
Decisions, decisions....life is full of decisions. For now, stay in school. The economy isn't looking so good at this point, so staying in or going back to school is an easy decision.
When I graduated from high school college didn't appear an option. I grew up on a small working farm in Southeastern Ohio. At that time, girls graduated from high school and either got married or went straight to work. I, along with my three siblings, were raised by our mother and her parents. My mom, siblings, and I went to live with them after my father left. We were out of bed before daylight doing the farm chores. If we didn't grow it in our garden, we didn't have it to eat. I was the cook. I prepared breakfast and started getting ready for school before I woke up anyone else in the house. We had only one bathroom and four of us to get ready for school.
At age fourteen, I had gotten a job in town. After school every day at 3:00, I would walk to the restaurant, change into my uniform, and work from 3:30 to 11:00. I didn't think school was too important at that point, just something I had to do. I did, however, select my course of study as secretarial work, because I thought I needed to know a trade of some kind other than being a waitress. So, I took typing and shorthand and concentrated on composing legal documents.
I worked in that restaurant until it went out of business, and I graduated from high school. I then started working in the town green house. Working there among the growing plants was hard work, but I was used to hard work. Transplanting time was coming to an end and I was afraid to be out of work. By then I purchased my first car, and with it came the loan. So I sent my resume to a bank in the next small town and was hired. I worked in the bank until I met and married my husband. When we moved to the small town in Northern Ohio, I knew I still needed to work and help support us both. It was difficult finding a job because at that time everyone knew everyone in that small town, and that was a factor in getting hired.
I saw an opening for a waitress at the local truck stop, so I went back to being a waitress. My husband and I purchased an older home that needed a lot of renovation. I kept working as a waitress and continued to send out my resume until I was called to the local bank. The new manager was not a local person, and my resume was exceptional, given my age and work history. I worked in two departments at the time: one as a bookkeeper, the other as a teller. I trained new tellers, took charge of scheduling, joined the marketing task group, and all the auditing of the office.
After giving birth to our daughter, money was tight, so I took on a part-time job in the local grocery store as a cashier. I worked both the bank and the grocery store until I decided it was time for me to go back to school thinking that I could possibly get a promotion at the bank if I did this. I attended Zane State College and received my Associates Degree in Applied Business. There was no promotion for me at the bank, regardless of how much extra responsibility I took on.
A better job opportunity presented itself, or so I thought at the time. I gave my notice at the bank after twenty-two years and went to work for a cash advance company. The salary was better and I was now a loan officer managing my own office. I couldn't believe the hardships this type of company put on its customers. I didn't like it, so I sent my resume to a construction company that had an opening for a Receptionist/Administrative Assistant and was hired. I learned the construction business from the inside, estimates, bid documents, and the different materials used for bridge and building construction.
I still hadn't found my niche yet, but then I saw the ad for an Administrative Assistant for the Human Resource Department here at Muskingum. I mailed my resume to the College and was selected for the position. I have met the most wonderful people at Muskingum. Each employee shows such passion and excitement for their chosen specialty. I started attending classes toward my Bachelor's Degree in Business. When the opportunity to become part of the new Nursing Department arose, I applied and was chosen as Secretary. I feel privileged to be a member of the Nursing Department at Muskingum University.
When I graduated from high school college didn't appear an option. I grew up on a small working farm in Southeastern Ohio. At that time, girls graduated from high school and either got married or went straight to work. I, along with my three siblings, were raised by our mother and her parents. My mom, siblings, and I went to live with them after my father left. We were out of bed before daylight doing the farm chores. If we didn't grow it in our garden, we didn't have it to eat. I was the cook. I prepared breakfast and started getting ready for school before I woke up anyone else in the house. We had only one bathroom and four of us to get ready for school.
At age fourteen, I had gotten a job in town. After school every day at 3:00, I would walk to the restaurant, change into my uniform, and work from 3:30 to 11:00. I didn't think school was too important at that point, just something I had to do. I did, however, select my course of study as secretarial work, because I thought I needed to know a trade of some kind other than being a waitress. So, I took typing and shorthand and concentrated on composing legal documents.
I worked in that restaurant until it went out of business, and I graduated from high school. I then started working in the town green house. Working there among the growing plants was hard work, but I was used to hard work. Transplanting time was coming to an end and I was afraid to be out of work. By then I purchased my first car, and with it came the loan. So I sent my resume to a bank in the next small town and was hired. I worked in the bank until I met and married my husband. When we moved to the small town in Northern Ohio, I knew I still needed to work and help support us both. It was difficult finding a job because at that time everyone knew everyone in that small town, and that was a factor in getting hired.
I saw an opening for a waitress at the local truck stop, so I went back to being a waitress. My husband and I purchased an older home that needed a lot of renovation. I kept working as a waitress and continued to send out my resume until I was called to the local bank. The new manager was not a local person, and my resume was exceptional, given my age and work history. I worked in two departments at the time: one as a bookkeeper, the other as a teller. I trained new tellers, took charge of scheduling, joined the marketing task group, and all the auditing of the office.
After giving birth to our daughter, money was tight, so I took on a part-time job in the local grocery store as a cashier. I worked both the bank and the grocery store until I decided it was time for me to go back to school thinking that I could possibly get a promotion at the bank if I did this. I attended Zane State College and received my Associates Degree in Applied Business. There was no promotion for me at the bank, regardless of how much extra responsibility I took on.
A better job opportunity presented itself, or so I thought at the time. I gave my notice at the bank after twenty-two years and went to work for a cash advance company. The salary was better and I was now a loan officer managing my own office. I couldn't believe the hardships this type of company put on its customers. I didn't like it, so I sent my resume to a construction company that had an opening for a Receptionist/Administrative Assistant and was hired. I learned the construction business from the inside, estimates, bid documents, and the different materials used for bridge and building construction.
I still hadn't found my niche yet, but then I saw the ad for an Administrative Assistant for the Human Resource Department here at Muskingum. I mailed my resume to the College and was selected for the position. I have met the most wonderful people at Muskingum. Each employee shows such passion and excitement for their chosen specialty. I started attending classes toward my Bachelor's Degree in Business. When the opportunity to become part of the new Nursing Department arose, I applied and was chosen as Secretary. I feel privileged to be a member of the Nursing Department at Muskingum University.
Soothing Straight from the Kitchen
Dry Itchy Skin
Save those old socks and knee highs.
Don't throw out your old vegetables yet....there's still a use. Did you know that cucumbers soothe your skin? Of course you don't want the seeds stuck all over you. Just get one of those old soft clean socks that you're not sure you want rid of and put that too soft cucumber inside and squeeze enough to start the juice flowing. You can use this as an all over lotion. When you are done using as a lotion and your skin is dry, you will actually feel the difference. I have heard that it is known that Cleopatra had two cucumbers cooling daily in the River Nile for her beauty treatment. Cucumbers will also clean your pores, tighten your skin and relieve the itches'. For those of you with sensitive skin, this is a fragrance free way for treatment.
Oatmeal is also a soothing treatment for your skin, but you don't want to try and clean it out of your bathtub drain. Just put a cup of dry oatmeal into a sock or knee high and use like a bath sponge.
Dry Brittle Hair
Take one raw egg and a couple of tablespoons of mayonnaise, mix together and rub into your hair and scalp. Wrap with plastic wrap and cover with a towel or Turban. Go about your daily chores and leave in as long as you like, it will not hurt your hair. Shampoo and rinse then feel how soft and pliable your hair has become. Of course you might develop a craving for macaroni or potato salad during this process.
Cooking Burns
Make sure you keep an aloe plant in your kitchen windowsill. If you accidently burn yourself, break a piece off and rub on your skin. The burn will stop and this will help in the healing process.
Soft Apples
Have your apples gone soft on the outside. Just peel and make applesauce, pie or apple crisp. You can also wash thouroughly core and slice then fry them in brown sugar and a little margarine. Sprinkle with cinnamon and walnuts. This makes a sweet delicious side dish.
Rough Hands
Rub your hands with vegetable shortening, put on your rubber gloves and wash those dishes in hot water. The heat will make the shortening treat your hands like a warm oil treatment. Dishwashing liquid takes grease and oil off of your dishes and essential oil from the skin on your hands.
Toothache
Make a cup of tea and use the teabag to help soothe your toothache. This also helps if you've had a lot of dental work done. The teabag will help with the soreness.
Heartburn and Indigestion
Take 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar and 1 teaspoon of sugar or substitute mix in a half a cup of cold water and drink. Then mix 1 teaspoon of baking soda in a half a cup of cold water and drink. This will make you feel better and it works.
Save those old socks and knee highs.
Don't throw out your old vegetables yet....there's still a use. Did you know that cucumbers soothe your skin? Of course you don't want the seeds stuck all over you. Just get one of those old soft clean socks that you're not sure you want rid of and put that too soft cucumber inside and squeeze enough to start the juice flowing. You can use this as an all over lotion. When you are done using as a lotion and your skin is dry, you will actually feel the difference. I have heard that it is known that Cleopatra had two cucumbers cooling daily in the River Nile for her beauty treatment. Cucumbers will also clean your pores, tighten your skin and relieve the itches'. For those of you with sensitive skin, this is a fragrance free way for treatment.
Oatmeal is also a soothing treatment for your skin, but you don't want to try and clean it out of your bathtub drain. Just put a cup of dry oatmeal into a sock or knee high and use like a bath sponge.
Dry Brittle Hair
Take one raw egg and a couple of tablespoons of mayonnaise, mix together and rub into your hair and scalp. Wrap with plastic wrap and cover with a towel or Turban. Go about your daily chores and leave in as long as you like, it will not hurt your hair. Shampoo and rinse then feel how soft and pliable your hair has become. Of course you might develop a craving for macaroni or potato salad during this process.
Cooking Burns
Make sure you keep an aloe plant in your kitchen windowsill. If you accidently burn yourself, break a piece off and rub on your skin. The burn will stop and this will help in the healing process.
Soft Apples
Have your apples gone soft on the outside. Just peel and make applesauce, pie or apple crisp. You can also wash thouroughly core and slice then fry them in brown sugar and a little margarine. Sprinkle with cinnamon and walnuts. This makes a sweet delicious side dish.
Rough Hands
Rub your hands with vegetable shortening, put on your rubber gloves and wash those dishes in hot water. The heat will make the shortening treat your hands like a warm oil treatment. Dishwashing liquid takes grease and oil off of your dishes and essential oil from the skin on your hands.
Toothache
Make a cup of tea and use the teabag to help soothe your toothache. This also helps if you've had a lot of dental work done. The teabag will help with the soreness.
Heartburn and Indigestion
Take 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar and 1 teaspoon of sugar or substitute mix in a half a cup of cold water and drink. Then mix 1 teaspoon of baking soda in a half a cup of cold water and drink. This will make you feel better and it works.
Comforting Recipes and Tips
For Sweet Lovers
These are easy recipes anyone can make.
Peanut Butter Fudge
Use a 2 quart sauce pan for this recipe. Prepare a 9 x 9 square baking pan (or dish) by lightly buttering for easy removal after fudge cools so that you may cut into squares.
Mix:
2 cups of white cane sugar
2/3 cup of milk (can use 2%)
Boil sugar and milk until it forms a soft ball when a little is dropped in 1/2 cup of cold water. Once this reaches soft ball stage, remove from heat and add the following:
1 cup of peanut butter
1 cup of marshmallow cream
1 teaspoon of vanilla
Stir together just until it starts to thicken. Pour into the 9 x 9 square pan and cool. Cut into squares and serve.
Maple Creme Fudge (No Cooking)
Use a 9 x 9 baking pan or dish. No need to butter or coat the pan.
Mix together the following:
2 (3 oz.) packages of Philadelphia cream cheese
5 cups of powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon of maple flavoring
1 cup of chopped walnuts (optional)
Stir cream cheese until smooth. Add maple flavoring and blend in the powdered sugar. Press into the 9 x 9 inch pan. Cut into squares and serve. You may want to keep this refrigerated.
(Date) Snowballs
1 cup chopped dates
2 1/2 cups of Rice Krispies
3/4 cup of sugar
1 cup of chopped walnuts (optional)
1 beaten egg
1 tablespoon flour
1 stick of margerine (your favorite)
1 teaspoon of vanilla flavoring
1 cup of coconut (optional)
Combine dates, flour, sugar, margarine and egg in a 2 quart sauce pan, bring to a boil, cook for 10 minutes stirring occasionally so it won't burn. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Add nuts, Rice Krispies, vanilla and mix. Make into small balls and roll in coconut. Store in air tight container.
Mississippi Mud Cake
You will need ato prepare a 9 x 12 baking pan or dish (buttered) at set aside.
Mix together the following in a medium to large mixing bowl.
1 cup margarine (melted)
1/3 cup of cocoa
1 cup shredded coconut (optional)
1 cup of pecans or walnuts broken (optional)
4 beaten eggs
1 1/2 cup of flour
2 cups of sugar
Mix together the margarine, cocoa, sugar and the remaining ingredients. Spread mixture into your baking pan and bake at 350˚(or 325˚depending on your oven) for 30 to 45 minutes. You can test doneness by inserting a fork between the middle and the edge of the cake. If the fork comes out clean, it is done baking. Remove from oven and take one 7 1/2oz. jar of marshmallow cream and empty on top. Before you start spreading the marshmallow cream slide back into the oven to warm it for easier spreading. Remove from oven and spread the marshmallow cream over the top of the cake and immediately put into the refrigerator (on racks) and wait until cool to top with chocolate frosting. To make the chocolate frosting you will need the following:
Chocolate Frosting (Also good for any cake)
1 stick or 1/2 cup of margarine (melted)
1/3 cup of cocoa
1 teaspoon of vanilla flavoring
1/4 cup of milk
1 box or approximately 2/3 bag of powdered sugar
After your cake is cool, spread frosting and sprinkle some broken pecans or walnuts (optional) on the top. Cut into squares and serve. The cake will remain moist inside because it was immediately refrigerated.
These are easy recipes anyone can make.
Peanut Butter Fudge
Use a 2 quart sauce pan for this recipe. Prepare a 9 x 9 square baking pan (or dish) by lightly buttering for easy removal after fudge cools so that you may cut into squares.
Mix:
2 cups of white cane sugar
2/3 cup of milk (can use 2%)
Boil sugar and milk until it forms a soft ball when a little is dropped in 1/2 cup of cold water. Once this reaches soft ball stage, remove from heat and add the following:
1 cup of peanut butter
1 cup of marshmallow cream
1 teaspoon of vanilla
Stir together just until it starts to thicken. Pour into the 9 x 9 square pan and cool. Cut into squares and serve.
Maple Creme Fudge (No Cooking)
Use a 9 x 9 baking pan or dish. No need to butter or coat the pan.
Mix together the following:
2 (3 oz.) packages of Philadelphia cream cheese
5 cups of powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon of maple flavoring
1 cup of chopped walnuts (optional)
Stir cream cheese until smooth. Add maple flavoring and blend in the powdered sugar. Press into the 9 x 9 inch pan. Cut into squares and serve. You may want to keep this refrigerated.
(Date) Snowballs
1 cup chopped dates
2 1/2 cups of Rice Krispies
3/4 cup of sugar
1 cup of chopped walnuts (optional)
1 beaten egg
1 tablespoon flour
1 stick of margerine (your favorite)
1 teaspoon of vanilla flavoring
1 cup of coconut (optional)
Combine dates, flour, sugar, margarine and egg in a 2 quart sauce pan, bring to a boil, cook for 10 minutes stirring occasionally so it won't burn. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Add nuts, Rice Krispies, vanilla and mix. Make into small balls and roll in coconut. Store in air tight container.
Mississippi Mud Cake
You will need ato prepare a 9 x 12 baking pan or dish (buttered) at set aside.
Mix together the following in a medium to large mixing bowl.
1 cup margarine (melted)
1/3 cup of cocoa
1 cup shredded coconut (optional)
1 cup of pecans or walnuts broken (optional)
4 beaten eggs
1 1/2 cup of flour
2 cups of sugar
Mix together the margarine, cocoa, sugar and the remaining ingredients. Spread mixture into your baking pan and bake at 350˚(or 325˚depending on your oven) for 30 to 45 minutes. You can test doneness by inserting a fork between the middle and the edge of the cake. If the fork comes out clean, it is done baking. Remove from oven and take one 7 1/2oz. jar of marshmallow cream and empty on top. Before you start spreading the marshmallow cream slide back into the oven to warm it for easier spreading. Remove from oven and spread the marshmallow cream over the top of the cake and immediately put into the refrigerator (on racks) and wait until cool to top with chocolate frosting. To make the chocolate frosting you will need the following:
Chocolate Frosting (Also good for any cake)
1 stick or 1/2 cup of margarine (melted)
1/3 cup of cocoa
1 teaspoon of vanilla flavoring
1/4 cup of milk
1 box or approximately 2/3 bag of powdered sugar
After your cake is cool, spread frosting and sprinkle some broken pecans or walnuts (optional) on the top. Cut into squares and serve. The cake will remain moist inside because it was immediately refrigerated.
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