For those of you who have been my friend on minti I am truly truly truly sorry.  I have been MIA for several months and there is really no excuse other then I moved but still either way I have internet etc so like I said NO EXCUSE.  I am soooooo sorry.  I have been a very bad minti member among other things.  Please feel free to contact me again as I will now I PROMISE [unless I post a blog stating otherwise] be checking my minti page.  Check back for updates to my "about me" section as well there are some new development like I said I moved, etc :)...Speak to you all soon PLEASE FORGIVE...and again SO SORRY

HELP ME [j/k] I have gotten sucked into facebook and I think I am addicted.  Its just so much fun.  Games, presents, you can even put an un-dead zombie cheerleader in your friends graveyard I mean what could be better then that.  Hey it kills the down time and as opposed to filling it with snacking on unhealthy things because I have convinced myself that I am hungry I would rather give my friends eggs that hatch into a whole different arrangement of animals [the more you send the more you unlock] or plants that grow into flowers, balloons, books you name it they have a plant for what ails ya...You can certainly not get bored with their hundreds of applications.  I was definitely skeptical about joining but I am happy a certain someone, you know who you are girl, made me join :)...

I AM SOOOOOOO PROUD OF MY HUBBY [gteachey]...He had a job interview this morning with his dream job and later this evening he was told he got it.  He was getting very sick at his old job because he hated it so much.  It made him physically uncomfortable to go to work.  WAY TO GO HONEY :)...I LOVE YOU SOOOO MUCH....

Apple Desserts check out my Recipe of the Week Group if you wanna know two very good ones.  Apple Pie & French Apple Tart [yum] I think I may post an Apple Crisp Recipe before I go to bed later so check back if your interested :).....

OMG...Allergy season for me is in full bloom these last few weeks yesterday and today my eyes have had it the worst. Scratchy Scratchy Scratchy. I even took my Allegra 280 today :( ....Don't know why its not blocking the itchy's. Oh well what can ya do, short of gouging out the eyeballs and that is not an option. Guess I will go use my eye allergy drops those do the trick really well. Hope all of you are doing better then me :)...At least I am not sneezing like mad right now my nose is itchy on one side though which is a little strange if I do say so myself ....BYE YA'll, here's a parting photo I took last year of our maple tree on the front yard very Autumn-like since thats where I am at right now :)

I got the following information in an email so I looked it up to find the origin of the document so I could post it.  I love finding uses for things that people don't always know.  I hope this helps someone. 
The following appears to have come from the website :    http://odyb.net/food-cooking/62-little-known-uses-of-vinegar/

Vinegar is a liquid produced from the fermentation of ethanol in a process that yields its key ingredient, acetic acid. Ninety percent of American Households buy vinegar. The 4 major uses are for salads, as cooking ingredients, pickling and home canning.

Anyways, I just thought that everyone should know about the usefulness of vinegar other than for the 4 things mentioned above. I’ve put together 61 other things with pictures about everything else that you can do with vinegar. I’d personally suggest using high quality white and apple cider vinegar like Heinz’s when trying the below methods. (Example : A cup of Heinz Apple Cider has 34 calories, no fat, 1.4mg of iron, and 240mg of potassium) The difference between white and apple cider vinegar is that white vinegar is made from acetous fermentation of alcohol and apple cider vinegar is made from cider or apple must.

For Machines & Appliances
1. Clear mineral deposits from a steam iron.



Fill the water tank with white vinegar. Turn the iron to the steam setting and steam-iron a soft utility rag to clean the steam ports. Repeat the process with water, then thoroughly rinse out the inside of your iron.

2. Clean lime deposits and calcium sludge from an automatic drip coffee maker.



Once a month fill the reservoir with white vinegar and run through the brew cycle. Rinse thoroughly with two cycles of cold water.

3. Clean the hoses and unclog soap scum from a washing machine.



Once a month pour one cup of white vinegar into the washing machine and run the machine through a normal cycle, without clothes.

4. Clean rust from tools, bolts, and spigots.



Soak the rusted tool, bolt, or spigot in undiluted white vinegar overnight.

5. Keep a garbage disposal clean and smelling fresh.



Mix one cup of vinegar in enough water to fill an ice cube tray, freeze the mixture, grind the cubes through the disposal, and flush with cold water.

For The Kitchen
6. Remove stubborn coffee stained cups and pots.



Fill the cup with vinegar overnight, then rinse with hot soapy water.

7. Prevents misty spots on glassware.



Place a cup of white vinegar on the bottom rack of the dishwasher, run for five minutes, then run though the full cycle. A cup of white vinegar run through the entire cycle once a month will also reduce soap scum on the inner workings.

8. Eliminate unpleasant cooking odors in the kitchen.



Boil one tablespoon of white vinegar with one cup of water.

9. Eliminate odors from used jars.



Rinse peanut butter and mayonnaise jars with white vinegar.

10. Turn a chicken bone into rubber.



Soak a chicken bone in a glass of vinegar for three days. It will bend like rubber.

11. Deodorize a stale lunch box.



Soak a paper napkin in vinegar and leave it inside the closed lunch box overnight.

12. Kill bacteria in meat.



Marinating meat in vinegar kills bacteria and tenderizes the meat. Use one-quarter cup vinegar for a two to three pound roast, marinate overnight, then cook without draining or rinsing the meat. Add herbs to the vinegar when marinating as desired.

13. Cheese storage.
 


Cheese will last longer if you store it in a vinegar soaked cloth.

14. Prevent cracked hard boiled eggs.



Add two tablespoons of white vinegar per quart of water before boiling to prevent the eggs from cracking. The egg shells will also peel off faster and easier.

15. Clean food-stained pots and pans.



Fill the pots and pans with white vinegar and let stand for thirty minutes. Then rinse in hot, soapy water.

For Diseases And Infections
16. Relief Jellyfish stings.



Dot the irritation with vinegar to relieve itching.

17. Relieve a sore throat.



Put two teaspoons of vinegar in your humidifier. Check out these other natural remedies for recovering from a sore throat.

18. Soothe sunburn pain.



Apply undiluted vinegar to the burn.

19. Cure an upset stomach.



Drink two teaspoons apple cider vinegar in one cup water to soothe an upset stomach.

20. Relieve itching.



Use a cotton ball to dab mosquito and other bug bites with vinegar straight from the bottle.

21. Dissolve warts.



Mix one part apple cider vinegar to one part glycerin into a lotion and apply daily to warts until they dissolve.

22. Remove corns.



Make a poultice of one crumbled piece of bread soaked in one-quarter cup vinegar. Let poultice sit for one-half hour, then apply to the corn and tape in place overnight. If corn does not peel off by morning, reapply the poultice for several consecutive nights.

23. Relieve a cold.



Mix one-quarter cup apple cider vinegar with one-quarter cup honey. Take one tablespoon six to eight times daily.

24. Relieve arthritis.



Before each meal, drink a glass of water containing two teaspoons apple cider vinegar. Give this folk remedy at least three weeks to start working.

25. Relieve a cough.



Mix one-half cup apple cider vinegar, one-half cup water, one teaspoon cayenne pepper, and four teaspoons honey. Take one tablespoon when cough acts up. Take another tablespoon at bedtime.

26. Dandruff treatment.



Simply pour a few tablespoons of vinegar on your hair and massage into your scalp. Wait a few minutes, then rinse and wash hair like normal. Try this for a few days until you see results. It restores chemical balance to the skin.

27. Acne remedy.



Remedy for acne skin conditions when diluted 50:50 with water and used as a toner. Careful around the eyes.

For Maintaining Health
28. Dry skin repair & Skin Softener.



Add one-half cup of vinegar or so to warm bath water when bathing and get double benefits; softer skin and a cleaner bathtub with less work. Smooth a little vinegar on cracked, dried skin to help it heal.

29. Clean dentures.



Soak dentures overnight in vinegar, then brush away tartar with a toothbrush.

30. Weight loss.



Vinegar naturally helps to remove fat from the body. Apple cider vinegar is especially good for this. Drink some in a glass of water a few times a day. Add a little lemon or honey for a nicer flavor. This will also help reduce your appetite.

31. Cure the hiccups.



Mix one teaspoon apple cider vinegar in one cup of warm water, and drink.

32. Prevent yeast infections.



Apple cider vinegar is a natural remedy for yeast infections, when diluted with water and used as a douche. For example, douche with one tablespoon white vinegar to one quart warm water to adjust the pH balance in the vajayjay.

33. Condition dry hair.



Shampoo, then rinse hair with a mixture of one cup apple cider vinegar and two cups water. Vinegar adds highlights to brunette hair, restores the acid mantel, and removes soap film and sebum oil.

34. Clean eyeglasses.



Wipe each lens with a drop of vinegar.

For Fabric
35. Longer-lasting pantyhose.



Add one tablespoon of vinegar to the rinse water when washing, and your pantyhose will last longer.

36. Prevent lint from clinging to clothes.



Add one cup vinegar to each wash load.

37. Deodorize a wool sweater.



Wash sweater, then rinse in equal parts vinegar and water to remove odor.

38. Remove perspiration stains from clothes.



Apply one part white vinegar to four parts water, then rinse.

39. Prevent bright colored clothes from fading.



Before putting the article in the washing machine, soak it in white vinegar for ten minutes.

40. Remove stubborn stains from furniture upholstery and clothes.



Apply white vinegar directly to the stain, then wash as directed by the manufacturer’s instructions.

41. Remove light scorch marks from fabrics.



Rub lightly with white vinegar, then wipe with a clean cloth.

42. Eliminate animal urine stains from carpet.



Blot up urine, flush several times with lukewarm water, then apply a mixture of equal parts white vinegar and cool water. Blot up, rinse, and let dry.

For The Garden
43. Grow beautiful azaleas.



Occasionally water plants with a mixture of two tablespoons white vinegar to one quart water. Azaleas love acidic soil.

44. Kill unwanted grass like weeds.



Pour white vinegar in crevices and between bricks.

For The Toilet
45. Kill germs on bathroom fixtures.



Use one part vinegar to one part water in a spray bottle. Spray the bathroom fixtures and floor, then wipe clean.

46. Clean soap scum, mildew, and grime from bathtub, tile, and shower curtains.



Simply wipe the surface with white vinegar and rinse with water.

47. Clean a toilet bowl.



Pour in one cup of white vinegar, let it stand for five minutes, and flush.

48. Unclog a shower head.



Unscrew the shower head, remove the rubber washer, place the head in a pot filled with equal parts vinegar and water, bring to a boil, then simmer for five minutes.

For Inside The House
49. Retard patching plaster from drying.



Add one tablespoon white vinegar to the water when mixing plaster to slow the drying time.

50. Wash walls.



Wipe down your walls with a vinegar water mixture, which helps absorb odors and clean surfaces.

51. Remove wallpaper.



Mix equal parts vinegar and hot water. Use a paint roller to wet the paper thoroughly with the mixture. Repeat. Paper should peal off in sheets.

52. Clean windows.



Use undiluted vinegar in a spray bottle. Dry with a soft cloth.

53. Prolong the life of flowers in a vase.



Add two tablespoons of white vinegar plus three tablespoons of sugar per quart of warm water. Stems should be in three to four inches of water.

54. Deodorize the air.



Vinegar is a natural air freshener when sprayed in a room.

55. Deodorize a room filled with cigarette smoke or paint fumes.



Place a small bowl of white vinegar in the room.

56. Repel ants.



Use a spray bottle or mister filled with a solution of equal parts vinegar and water around door jambs, window sills, water pipes, and foundation cracks.

57. Fish bowl cleaner.



Eliminate that ugly deposit in the gold fish tank by rubbing it with a cloth dipped in vinegar and rinsing well.

58. Clean paintbrushes.



Simmer paint brushes in pure vinegar, then wash in hot soapy water.

For Outside The House
59. Keep drains open.



Pour one-half box of old baking soda down the drain followed by one cup white vinegar. When the bubbling stops, run the hot water.

60. Prolong and brighten propane lanterns.



Soak new wicks for several hours in white vinegar and let them dry before inserting. Propane lanterns will burn longer and brighter on the same amount of fuel.

For The Car
61. Remove decals or bumper stickers or price tag.



Soak a cloth in vinegar and cover the decal or bumper sticker for several minutes until the vinegar soaks in. The decals and bumper stickers should peel off easily.

62. Prevent ice from forming on a car windshield overnight.



Coat the window with a solution of three parts vinegar to one part water.

" It was raining, though not excessively, when her car suddenly began to hydroplane and literally flew through the air. She was not seriously injured but stunned by what had happened.

When she explained what happened to a police highway patrolman, he told her something that every driver should know.

That is: never drive in the rain with your cruise control on.

She thought she was being cautious by setting cruise and maintaining a safe, consistent speed in the rain.

But the highway patrolman told her that if cruise is on and your car begins to hydroplane, it will accelerate and take off like an airplane.

She told him that was exactly what had occurred.

The Highway Patrol estimated her car was travelling through the air at 16km/h to 23km/h faster than the speed set on the cruise control.

The patrolman said this warning should be listed on the driver's seat sun visor: `Never use the cruise control when the pavement is wet or icy', along with the airbag warning.

We tell our teenagers to set the cruise control and drive a safe speed - but we don't tell them to use the cruise control only when the pavement is dry.

The only other person the woman found, who knew this (besides the patrolman), was a man who had had a similar accident, also totalled his car and sustained severe injuries."

You may have received this email once or twice via a chain-mail letter or just a friend trying to be nice and inform you of this "danger".  Some people read it and think oh its just another one of those hoax's [urban legends] and delete it.  But some check it out on snopes.com or any of the other sites that filter the facts from the fiction.  The story itself may be false, but the information given is fact.  I don't understand why we are not taught this by our drivers ed instructors or the car manufactures themselves [maybe on that strip on the visor that warns about airbag deployment like it states above] but consider this your warning :)   Please next time you are driving on wet pavement take notice to not put on your cruise control.  STAY SAFE :)

The other day I was trying to get my son into his soccer uniform and he starting throwing a major temper-tantrum [he wanted to be out gardening w. my mother]. So he starts screaming at me yelling high pitched cause he thinks thats going to make me angry. Seeing that this is not working he starts kicking and hitting me[ his new favorite thing to do when he is mad] so I was about to yell at him when I thought if I don't acknowledge him maybe he will stop so he keeps going for about a minute [and he is strong so this is not an easy thing for me to ignore] finally he stops...I had dumped his laundry basket of clean clothes over to get his uniform out and so the clothing was on the floor next to him, he starts to pick up a piece one by one and throw it at me, trying to hurt me. I would take the piece and throw it in the basket. After about 3 pieces I turned to him and asked him would he like to try to get it in the basket. He immediately calmed down and said yeah. 4 Pieces of clothing later he turns to me and says mom I was really angry at you and then you said I could play this game and get this clothing in the basket I am so confused I don't know how I ended up no longer angry :) ....I tried really hard not to crack up laughing HOW CUTE :)

It is so foggy and sticky out today. No fun. Perfect day for just sitting inside watching a movie w. a cup of Hot Chocolate. If only it was a bit colder. Good thing we are heading into Winter, pretty soon I will have an excuse to drink the stuff :)....So I am dieting....WOO HOO...Need to loose 20 lbs and not sure how I am going to go about doing that, I have a very weak resolve and almost no will-power against sweets [esp. dark chocolate anything :) ] Any suggestions ? I have done weight watchers before that worked well [had the books never did the whole meeting thing]. Maybe I will do that again. I hate veggies which is the main problem with the whole dieting thing. I dislike salads etc, though as I get older my tastes are changing and I am beginning to except them as an acceptable form of nourishment [UGH] ...At least with weight watcher's I can eat whatever I want as long as I am in the point's range...[not that I would eat chocolate cake all day, but at least I could have a small slice if I wanted to, plus there is flex pts for going out to dinner once a week or something]...So maybe I will do that again. I tried just dieting on my own and I ended up having to force myself into the bathroom to gargle with the crest pro mouthwash cause after doing that you cant taste anything for a few hours and that would keep me from snacking heehee. Oh well guess I will figure something out. LOVE YA ALL

ELLEN

YUMMY