Friday, July 31, 2009

My Latest Crush


Yes, I know. For many of you who read my blog regularly, you're thinking "Who the heck hijacked Happy Wife's blog?"
Nope, it's me. I have a CRUSH on a vampire. ERIC the Vampire. From "True Blood".
If you get HBO, you HAVE to watch this show. It's "wicked good" (to use the vernacular of a younger crowd....)

If you don't get HBO, read Charlaine Harris' "Sookie Stackhouse Novels" - the show is based on these novels. The novels are the perfect "summer read".... each one is right around 280 pages or so.... fun little page-turners, nothing too heavy.

And as far as the ACTOR who plays Eric, his name is Alexander Skarsgaard and he's positively yummy. And smart, funny and charming. Here's an interview. Enjoy!

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Bananas!

I eat a banana almost every single day for breakfast. I just like the way they taste, but really had no idea what a "miracle food" they were until today.

Imagine how delighted I was to receive the below info in my email today from a friend!
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Bananas contain three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with fiber.

A banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy. Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world's leading athletes.

But energy isn't the only way a banana can help us keep fit. It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet.


Depression: According to a recent survey undertaken amongst people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.


PMS: Forget the pills - eat a banana. Th e vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood. Anemia: High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.


Blood Pressure: This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it perfect to beat blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke. Brain Power: 200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex) school (England) were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.


Constipation: High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.


Hangovers: One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey. The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted ; blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.


Heartburn: Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.


Morning Sickness: Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.


Mosquito bites: Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the a ffected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.


Nerves: Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system. Overweight and at work? Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and chips. Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs. The report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours to keep levels steady.


Ulcers: The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chr onicler cases. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach. Temperature control: Many other cultures see bananas as a "cooling" fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In Thailand , for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature.


Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood enhancer tryptophan. Smoking &Tobacco Use: Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking. The B6, B12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.


Stress: Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the heartbeat , sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body's water balance. When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium levels. These can be rebalanced with the help of a high-potassium banana snack. Strokes: According to research in The New England Journal of Medicine, eating bananas as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%!


Warts: Those keen on natural alternatives swear that if you want to kill off a wart, take a piece of banana skin and place it on the wart, with the yellow side out. Carefully hold the skin in place with a plaster or surgical tape! So, a banana really is a natural remedy for many ills.


When you compare it to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrate, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around So maybe its time to change that well-known phrase so that we say, "A banana a day keeps the doctor away!"

Sunday, July 26, 2009

Welcome, Laverne & Shirley!

No, not THAT Laverne & Shirley! The Laverne & Shirley I'm referring to are two ADORABLE Golden Retrievers who have a brand new and wonderfully loving home with KBL and her Belov-ED!

Boy, I tell you, those are two Lucky Dogs!

Welcome to the club, girls!!! :)

Thursday, July 23, 2009

Thankful for the Air in Your Lungs?

You should be!

I just got a note from the sister of my blogger friend Deron - Deron has finally (finally!) received his double lung transplant!

Some of you may read Deron's blog - it's an excellent blog about living life with end stage CF, faith issues, being the father of twins (and, incidentally, being a physician).

Deron is a man of great faith and now, he has a brand new (healthy!) set of lungs!

Most of us take breathing completely for granted but when I read Deron's blog I'm reminded to stop, take a deep breath, and thank God for healthy lungs.

If you pray, please stop and pray for Deron. Even though he has these new lungs, the "road back" is a long one.

And remember to take a deep breath and be thankful for healthy lungs. :)

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Another Reason Why I Love FaceBook


I re-connected with yet ANOTHER long lost friend (we'll call him "JT") this week on FaceBook. He was the boyfriend of my college roommate at NYU waaaaaaay back in 1986. (Yes, I'm THAT old.) :)

We used to hang out in Washington Square, listen to LOTS of Led Zeppelin, drink LOTS of beer, and have LOTS of fun. He was a film student at NYU (I was a Drama student, as was my roommate), and I thought he was Da Bomb (back before the term "da bomb" even existed...).


ANYWAY, he recently requested my "friendship" via FaceBook and it thrilled me to NO END! You see, I lost touch with JT 20+ years ago. Although I thought about him on occasion, I had no clue where he was living, what he was doing, or how to reach him....


But now, thanks to the magical land given to us by Mark Zuckerberg, I now have a wonderful updated snapshot of JT's life, and he has the same of mine.


It's lovely, and I'm thrilled.
Friendship is sweet, and re-kindled friendship sweeter still. :)

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Family Fotos from a Fabulous Fourth!




So, as you know, now that I'm working 2 jobs, I have VERY little time to blog, BUT I do really miss my Blogger buddies. Hope you guys are all doing well and enjoying the Summer and the recession isn't affecting you too negatively. (AND, if it is, remember to focus on Blessings.... remember the glass is always half full, even if there are only a few drops in there... it's all how you look at it, right?!) :)

Anyway, here are a couple of recent family photos taken this weekend. We had to cancel our trip to the beach (Big Brown told Hubster he had to work on Friday the 3rd - THEN, when he got to work that morning, someone was already running his route. Can you say "irritated"?!) But, that's OK. We were able to attend a FAB neighborhood pool party/cookout/fireworks display that otherwise we would have missed. Once again, it's ALL in how you look at it, yes? Yes! :)

Sunday, July 5, 2009

The Point Guard Analogy Ain't Working For Me, Sarah....

After all, what kind of point guard ditches her team in the middle of the 4th quarter and just walks off the court??

A LOUSY one, that's what kind!

Can you imagine if she had pulled this crap in the White House?

"Um, sorry.... but it's all just gotten too stressful..... and I have a better offer to do my own radio show.... I've been told I'll be the 'female Rush Limbaugh'!!"

No thanks.
If I were an Alaskan, my response would be: Good Riddance. And give me a governor who WANTS the job.

Friday, July 3, 2009

The Funniest Clip I've Seen in a LONG Time

No joke: I was laughing so hard I had tears streaming down my face after watching this. I think the McDonald's "commercial" at the end is my favorite, but ALL the songs are funny!

(Tim Hawkins is hilarious - I've seen him live a couple of times and he's Da Bomb!)

Enjoy!