FREE BOOK TAKES YOU TO BOCA CHICA

When Elon Musk’s space rocket blew up last week, it was pretty upsetting for the folks near Boca Chica Village. It rained dust, sand and debris all over everything within 100 miles or more in South Texas. Not too many years ago, my husband and I used to hang out on the beach at Boca Chica. It was wild, upspoiled and utterly exhilarating. Still in a pristine state, there wasn’t even a public restroom. But there were plenty of sand dunes where you could go when nature called. We loved that place so much that I used it as a setting for a dramatic episode toward the end of my novel, “Chasing Their Losses” . Would you like to know what that sleepy village was like before it morphed into the SpaceX Space Station? If so, I’m offering a free kindle book that takes you to Boca Chica. The offer starts today, May 3 through May 4. Get it on amazon @ http://amzn.to/2cLBl0Y

Here’s a brief synopsis:

Will the haunting power of first love lead to Cara Mackenzie’s destruction? At 31, she’s back home from Miami, starting a new career as nutrition director of Sycamore Hospital. While in a blossoming romance with Dr. John Drakos, she runs into her former lover, the suave and sexy Tony Cabella. Soon, she’s drawn into a dangerous web of dirty secrets and lies.

When Tony’s stepson vanishes under her watch, Cara must fight for her life, her reputation, and her career.

The police think Dr. Drakos’ jealousy could have provided a motive for the kidnapping. But unanswered questions suggest a conspiracy. Who shot Tony when he and Cara met in secret, and why won’t he call the police?

At the heart of this novel are four damaged people: John and Cara, whose intense relationship is clouded by painful memories and fear of commitment; Tony and his second wife, Gail, who gave up everything for passion and desire, only to find disillusion and heartbreak.

As the tragic events spin out of control, the heart thumping suspense builds, with twists and turns that take you from the verdant farmland and sparkling waterfalls of Indiana to the vast, lawless sand dunes and nude beaches of South Texas. One of the most pivotal scenes in the novel takes place in Boca Chica, now the epicenter of Elon Musk’s SpaceX project.

Get Chasing Their Losses just in time for Mother’s Day: CHASING THEIR LOSSES : Free Kindle Book available on Amazon today and tomorrow @ http://amzn.to/2cLBl0Y

April 21, 2023April 20, 2023

COLORFUL HEALTHY ASPARAGUS SALAD

One good thing about all this rain we’ve had. Flowers long dormant are blooming again, and asparagus is plump and plentiful. This is one of those rare treats that arrive to welcome spring. It’s been a long winter, and by now you’re probably tired of tossed salads and fruited jello. Now is the time to brighten your table with colorful healthy asparagus salad. Best of all, it only takes minutes to prepare:

Looking for an alternative to tossed salad? Try asparagus pimento salad. — COLORFUL, HEALTHY ASPARAGUS SALAD only takes minutes to maKe

ASPARAGUS SALAD FOR TWO

INGREDIENTS:

2 lettuce leaves

10 asparagus spears

2 teaspoons diced pimento

1 sliced, hard boiled egg

Bottled thousand island dressing

DIRECTIONS:

Wash the asparagus, then trim off tough ends.. Don’t bother steaming or boiling; just place the asparagus in a shallow plastic storage container and cover with water. Cook in microwave for about six minutes or when asparagus is crisp/tender. Run under cold water. Pat until dry..

On two salad plates, arrange asparagus on lettuce leaves.

Sprinkle about one teaspoon of diced red pimento over each serving.

Top with egg slices.

Drizzle with thousand island dressing

Asparagus is packed with nutrients, but low in fat and calories. Better yet, it’s high in fiber

According to Web MD,

One half-cup serving (about 4 spears) of asparagus contains:

Calories: 13
Protein: 1 gram
Fat: Less than 1 gram
Carbohydrates: 2 grams
Fiber: 1 gram
Sugar: 1 gram

Asparagus is a good source of dietary fiber, which plays an important role in digestion. Insoluble dietary fiber acts as a prebiotic, feeding important gut bacteria, while soluble dietary fiber helps wash “bad” cholesterol out of your system.

Asparagus is also a good source of:

There are lots of ways to serve asparagus. Cook in in the microwave with butter, and serve as a side dish. Or, use it instead of broccoli in your favorite quiche recipe.

You can’t go wrong with asparagus!

March 23, 2023March 21, 2023

DO AWAY WITH DST DOLDRUMS

How did things go for you last week? For me, it was like one of those long, lost weekends that went on for days. Woke up Sunday morning in a fog. Had breakfast when I wasn’t hungry. By lunch time, I could barely stay awake. Tried to nap, but couldn’t. The rest of the day was a blur. Finally woke up for the evening news, but lay awake until midnight. By Wednesday I couldn’t remember what day it was. Changing the clocks twice a year is national madness. Please, please make daylight savings time permanent, or abolish it altogether. Do away with Daylight Savings Time doldrums.

According to the John Hopkins School of Health:

MAKING THE SHIFT CAN INCREASE YOUR HEALTH RISKS.

“The scientific evidence points to acute increases in adverse health consequences from changing the clocks, including in heart attack and stroke,” says sleep expert Adam Spira, PhD, MA, a professor in Mental Health.

The change is also associated with a heightened risk of mood disturbances and hospital admissions, as well as elevated production of inflammatory markers in response to stress. The potential for car crashes also spikes just after the spring forward, Spira says; a 2020 study found that the switch raises the risk of fatal traffic accidents by 6%.”

Some people like DST and others don’t. 55% of people would like to see it done away with. As a retiree, I can sleep as late as I like. Right now, I’m getting out of bed an hour later than usual. But actually, I’m not. When I arise at 9:30 o’clock, my body thinks its really 8:30 and feels like it’s doing what it always does. However, my husband thinks we should adjust by gradually getting up earlier, so that we’re in sync with the rest of the world. I guess he has a point.

There are lots of reasons not to change the clocks in the spring and fall. But as far as I’m concerned, an increase in fatal traffic accidents is a compelling indication that it’s just plain wrong. If you’ve ever lost a loved one to such a tragedy, I’m sure you would agree.

Who decides what’s best for everyone in the United States? I think that they (whoever they are) should take a vote and let the majority decide. Do away with Daylight Savings Time doldrums. Make it permanent or abolish it altogether. No more long, lost weekends.

March 17, 2023

PERFUME AN APHRODISIAC OR DEAL BREAKER?

Most everyone loves the smell of perfume. Children remember the fragrance that their mother wore. The scent of a woman or man often drives a lover mad with desire. Romantic people fill their homes with scented candles. What to do if fragrances make you sneeze or break out in a rash? Shall you suffer in silence, pretend you have a cold, or simply avoid persons with scented cosmetics and colognes, or places with smelly cleaning products and air fresheners? Is perfume an aphrodisiac or deal breaker?

Adding to the confusion is the fact that you may only be allergic to certain fragrances. You may love a whiff of Chanel #5, but find the smell of vanilla bean candles nauseating. Air fresheners and laundry detergents may give you a headache, while you find the scent of a fresh rose intoxicating.

Certain professions prohibit the use of cologne. Doctors and nurses are supposed to be fragrance free. But they aren’t , always. It’s tough to find a shampoo, hair spray or deodarant that has no distinctive odor.

When I was young, we were taught that too much perfume was offensive. A dab of cologne behind each earlobe was about as far as you should go without giving the wrong impression. Only hussies reeked of perfume. Before the 1970’s, perfumes were usually imported from Europe. But in 1973, Revlon launched the popular scent “Charlie,” and American perfumes took off.

In the early twentieth century, most men avoided scented aftershaves. However, World War II changed the way they viewed scented grooming products. Servicemen were taught to use products that kept them smelling fresh and clean. By the early 1950s male fragrances such as Aqua-Velva and , Old Spice, had become popular.

The fragrance business is now a multi billion dollar industry. It’s almost impossible to find a fragrance free cleaning product. What would happen to our economy if one could no longer purchase scented household cleaning solutions? Vinegar and baking soda are effective and inexpensive household cleaners, but they lack the lure of of lemon and lavender. Petroleum jelly may be an acceptable moisturizer , but Loreal and Revlon would go out of business if women only used Nivea Cream, as advocated by actress Jamie Lee Curtis.

Did you know that 30% of your fellow Americans are fragrance sensitive? Which means you’re offending more people than you realize if you reek of perfume at the gym or grocery store. And if you’re looking for a new relationship, you might want to avoid cologne on your first date. Probably should go scent-free on a job interview. Perfume may be an aphrodisiac, but it could also be a deal breaker.

March 3, 2023March 4, 2023

KING OF MEAN EVICTS SON HARRY

In America, a landlord cannot evict a tenant before his lease is up without just cause. Non payment of rent, or destruction of property might convince a judge to kick a tenant out. I’m not sure what the landlord-tenant statutes are in the UK, but it seems King Charles is above the law. He went ahead and evicted his son from Frogmore Cottage in England because he didn’t like his memoir. I’ve been to court in cases like this, and I can assure you no judge would allow me to evict a tenant because he said something about me that I didn’t like. But the King of Mean evicts son Harry without the blink of an eye.

I can see where Charles was upset with Harry’s memoir, “Spare.” It pretty much explained how a 12 year old boy might be depressed when his mother is killed and he is forced to march in her funeral procession. Things got worse for Harry from then on, but he was just supposed to grin and bear it when his emotional well being was ignored, and his older brother was given all the glory.

It all makes sense now. Charles cheated on Harry’s mom, Diana, and ruined her life. Now he’s cheating his son out of a property that was leased to him by his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth. All of which means he doesn’t care if he ruins his son’s life, and has no interest in seeing his beautiful grandchildren, Archie and Lilibet, ever again. At the very least, I would think he’d compensate his son for the 2.4 million dollars he spent on renovating the property before he was forced to leave England six months later.

One might argue that Harry and Meghan left of their own volition. But if you look back, they were encouraged to leave when they asked to go part time in their jobs. We’re told that the handlers of the monarchy said, “you’re either in or out. No in between.” Which didn’t give them a whole lot of choice. For the sake of their own mental health, they had to find a different path, but they got no sympathy from Charles and William.

The Britons have been mad at Harry lately because of all the things he said about his dad, brother, and stepmother. But did they really want to see him treated in such a cruel way? When the King of Mean evicts son Harry, it may come back to bite him. His royal subjects might see him as cold hearted, callous, and indifferent to the needs of anyone with mental health issues.

February 22, 2023February 22, 2023

DANGER LURKS IN TRAIN TOWNS

WHAT WOULD WE DO WITHOUT TRAINS? Life as we know it would come to a standstill. For one thing, they transport toxic chemicals too dangerous to be carried by trucks. This latest train derailment in Ohio caused a massive spill of vinyl chloride that is threatening the health of the entire town of East Palestine. Why should I care? Because I have lived in a train town for a major part of my life. Danger lurks in train towns.

Not being a chemist, I’ve never paid much attention to vinyl chloride. But apparently it’s a compound needed to make polyvinyl chloride, a hard plastic resin used to produce tons of important products: pipes, wire and cable coating, packaging material. It’s also used for life saving devices such as medical tubing and blood bags. It is in footwear and kids toy. Also, paints, rubber products, and some cosmetics. Polyvinyl chloride has been in use since 1926.

As the saying goes, somebody has to do it. Transport vinyl chloride, that is. It’s typically shipped in liquid form, but can turn into poisonous gas under certain conditions, like in Ohio. Apparently, there are safety features available that trigger automatic braking on trains carrying hazardous materials, before they derail. But somewhere along the way, those safety features were deregulated under the Trump administration. I guess they cost too much money or something. Anyway, the Biden administration under Transportation Secretary Buttigieg didn’t do anything to re instate the regulations, so I guess we can blame just about anybody for what happened in Ohio.

DANGER LURKS IN TRAIN TOWNS when trains derail and spread toxic fumes from hazardous material spills

Why should I be concerned when I live across from a beautiful, green, well maintained city park that covers 177 acres? Because there is a railroad track going straight through the park. I can look out my window and–through the bare trees in winter– see railroad cars gliding across the hills. A lot of classy homes have recently been built along the train tracks down the road. And a whole new subdivision of high end condos continues to grow less than a mile away..

There are 40 railroad crossings in this small college town, with a dwindling population of 57,699 people. We have beautiful parks, 5 colleges and universities, a new convention center and a casino in the works. Why don’t people want to stay here? Are the railroads the elephant in the room? Is there a subconscious reaction to the sight of trains running through our city at all hours of the day and night? We may never really know. All we can do is hope we don’t have a train derailment like the one that just occurred in Ohio.

Danger lurks in train towns.

February 17, 2023February 17, 2023

STOP! SNATCH SOME WINTER SUNLIGHT.

Did you know February is considered the worst month of the year? It’s depressing because it’s gloomy, gray, and we’re sick of snow and cold. And yet, it does offer occasional surprises of sudden sunshine and warmer temperatures as harbingers of Spring. Especially here in the Midwest, we’ve enjoyed some beautiful days when the sun is bright, the sky is blue, and the weather is in the sixties. When one of those days happens, Stop! Snatch some winter sunlight.

If you’re working from home, shut down your computer and step outside. Is there a yard or patio nearby? Pull up a chair and lift your face to the sun. If your job is indoors, either take the day off or arrange for a very long lunch hour. Stop everything. Don’t clean your house or go grocery shopping. You need some of that unfiltered sunlight to lift your spirits and provide some vitamin D. Tomorrow it might rain or the temperature might drop. Plenty of time to catch up on the work you didn’t do yesterday. Enjoy the amazing grace of a sunlit day in February.

Sunlight has gotten a bad rap for a long time. Because everyone knows that too much of it can cause skin cancer. But lately, scientists have been telling us that we should get about 15 to 20 minutes of unfiltered sunlight every single day. That’s the best way to insure you get enough vitamin D, which has many important functions in our body. Vitamin D enhances the immune system, helps with depression, and is good for your heart and bones. Many folks who live up North don’t get enough of it in the winter.

There are many benefits of sunlight: It lifts your mood, increases energy and improves symptoms of mental health. It’s also healing. Ultra violet rays destroy bacteria and viruses. And besides boosting your immune system, Vitamin D is needed for stronger bones.

Listen to your weather forecasts, and if a beautiful day is coming up, make plans to take full advantage of it. Before you know it, you’ll be picking daffodils and tulips!