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Saturday, October 31, 2009

Closed



It is with sadness that I am closing this blog. In order to try to be a good Proverbs 31 women, I must prioritize my life better. Unfortunately that means that a good 'life cleaning' is in order. Some areas of my life are put into the keep box while sadly others must go into the get rid of box. This blog must regretably go into the second box.

Most of the time I have really enjoyed this blog. Other times I have had guilt for not being able to keep it up or for having anything interesting to write about. The Bible tells us that there is a time and a season for everything. Right now my blogging days are out of season.

Thank you, Dear Friends, for taking a little bit of time out of your day for visiting Bear Necessities. Until we are able to meet again, I wish you days full of wonder and happiness and a life full of God's Blessings.

Blessings,
Mama Bear


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Friday, October 30, 2009

Ban Guns?





Click on the picture to read the sign

LOL!! These are my kind of people! We have a sign on our door that says, "An armed American citizen lives here. There is nothing in this house worth dying for".

Fall Back, Spring Ahead



Don't forget to reset your clock back one hour when you go to bed on Saturday evening. Ahhh...a whole extra hour of sleep!


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Thursday, October 29, 2009

Happy birthday dad

70 years ago today my dad was born. Happy Birthday Dad...I love you!

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Tidy Tuesday

Tidy Tuesday is not so much a tidy this week for me as it is all out war on my home! This last week and weekend were just crazy busy and it seems to be falling down around my ears!

There should be a special place in heaven for Papa Bear as I'm sure he has been biting his tongue over it all.

Today finds me going through each room and doing a pick up, then clean up, then spruce up.

I have a nice venison ham in the crockpot for supper along with apples from our tree in the sink waiting to be washed so that they can be made into a pie. My, won't Papa Bear be happily suprised when he comes home tonight!

Friday, October 23, 2009

Birthday!



Today, my baby turns 18 years old!

Happy Birthday Little Bear, I love you so very much!

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Thankful Thursday

My thankfulness is bitter-sweet today. A young man that I have known since he was just a year old passed away Sunday from H1N1 and complications due to it. Donald had just turned 16.

I'm very thankful that I was able to be a part of his short life.

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Tidy Tuesday




Cleaning the washing machine

The following is an article I found and thought it would fit in nicely with the Tidy Tuesday theme.

First, run a cycle of hot water along with two cups of vinegar or lemon juice to loosen up soap and grime. Remove the fabric softener receptacle and soak it in hot water and detergent. Clean the bleach dispenser with a spray cleaner and paper towels and Q-tips. Don't forget to clean the top rim of the wash bucket as it is up and under where it can't usually be seen easily and becomes dirty. Run the washer empty on a hot cycle one more time.

While this is going on you check all your hoses for leaks. Over time, the water hoses that came with your washing machine may leak or burst. It's a good preventive maintenance practice to check these hoses from time to time for any sign of wear or weakness. Most manufacturers recommend replacing the hoses every 5 years. Make sure your hoses are not a disaster waiting to occur!

Once you've soaked the fabric softener receptacle, replace it and polish up the outside of your washing machine with vinegar and a cloth towel. Your washing machine now looks better and will run better as well!

Monday, October 19, 2009

Great pilot



This photo was taken by a soldier in Afghanistan of a helo rescue mission.
The pilot is a PA National Guard member who flies EMS choppers in civilian life.

Now how many people on the planet you reckon could set the back-end of a
chopper down on the roof top of a shack, on a steep mountain cliff, probably under
enemy fire, and hold it there while US Soldiers load wounded men in the rear?

If this does not impress you... nothing ever will.

God Bless the men and women in our military!

Saturday, October 17, 2009

H1N1 preventatives

This was sent to me in an email. I have not checked it all out, but I think following these steps are a great thing to do anyway so thought I would share with all of you. Even though it's not listed, I think the eyes would be something to be concerned of too, not just the nose and mouth/throat.

Prevent Swine Flu - Good Advice


Dr. Vinay Goyal is an MBBS,DRM,DNB (Intensivist and Thyroid specialist) having clinical experience of over 20 years. He has worked in institutions like Hinduja Hospital , Bombay Hospital , Saifee Hospital , Tata Memorial etc.. Presently, he is heading our Nuclear Medicine Department and Thyroid clinic at Riddhivinayak Cardiac and Critical Centre, Malad (W).

The following message given by him, I feel makes a lot of sense and is important for all to know

The only portals of entry are the nostrils and mouth/throat. In a global epidemic of this nature, it's almost impossible to avoid coming into contact with H1N1 in spite of all precautions. Contact with H1N1 is not so much of a problem as proliferation is.

While you are still healthy and not showing any symptoms of H1N1 infection, in order to prevent proliferation, aggravation of symptoms and development of secondary infections, some very simple steps, not fully highlighted in most official communications, can be practiced (instead of focusing on how to stock N95 or Tamiflu):

1. Frequent hand-washing (well highlighted in all official communications).

2. "Hands-off-the-face" approach. Resist all temptations to touch any part of face .

3. *Gargle twice a day with warm salt water (use Listerine if you don't trust salt). *H1N1 takes 2-3 days after initial infection in the throat/ nasal cavity to proliferate and show characteristic symptoms. Simple gargling prevents proliferation. In a way, gargling with salt water has the same effect on a healthy individual that Tamiflu has on an infected one. Don't underestimate this simple, inexpensive and powerful preventative method.

4. Similar to 3 above, *clean your nostrils at least once every day with warm salt water. *Not everybody may be good at Jala Neti or Sutra Neti (very good Yoga asanas to clean nasal cavities), but *blowing the nose hard once a day and swabbing both nostrils with cotton buds dipped in warm salt water is very effective in bringing down viral population.*


5. *Boost your natural immunity with foods that are rich in Vitamin C (Amla and other citrus fruits). *If you have to supplement with Vitamin C tablets, make sure that it also has Zinc to boost absorption.

6. *Drink as much of warm liquids (tea, coffee, etc) as you can. *Drinking warm liquids has the same effect as gargling, but in the reverse direction. They wash off proliferating viruses from the throat into the stomach where they cannot survive, proliferate or do any harm.

Friday, October 16, 2009

BBQ Country Style Pork Ribs



Dear friends, you are in for a treat here. I made this recipe on Tuesday and it was such a hit with my guys! I did double it as I was making lots of extra meat to help get me started on my new quest for freezer cooking, but that is for another post at a later time.

1/2 C. cooking oil
3/4 C. chopped onion
3/4 C. ketchup
1/3 C. water
1/3 C. lemon juice
3 T. sugar
2 T. Worcestershire sauce
2 T. French's prepared mustard
1 T. liquid smoke
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper

I also added to the doubled recipe a big old glop of horseradish.

Cook onion in oil until soft. Add remaining ingredients. Simmer 15 minutes.

Place rib inlarge baking pan that has a lid. Pour auce over ribs. Cover. Bake in 350* oven for 2 hours or until tender.

This went very well with a baked potato and homemade applesauce.

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Thursday, October 15, 2009

Saddened by news

How sad I feel from watching Good Morning America this morning. I won't go into all the details, but what is so disturbing is that 5 teenage boys, ages 13-15, poured rubbing alcohol on another 15 year old boy and then set him on fire.

What is it that runs through the mind of another to want to inflict such horrific pain on another.

My heart goes out to this boy who is in ICU. To his family who must watch their loved one go though this.

My prayers will also be with the boys who have such evilness in their hearts to be able to do this.

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Tidy Tuesday

This weeks Tidy task is for pet owners. Time to wash all the pet bedding. Clean their laying area good. Weed through the toys and get rid of any that might soon be dangerous (bells or squeekers about falling out). Make sure your suppy of pet grooming supplies are full. If they wear pet clothes, make sure to have them clean and ready to go and that your pet still fits into them.

For your pet, do they need their nails trimmed? Bath? Haircut?


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Monday, October 12, 2009

Monday meal



I don't have a menu made for the whole week...but this is what's for lunch today! MmMmMmmm....this is a google picture, but mine looks just as good. Venison roast that Papa Bear shot, Carrots and green beans from a friends garden, potatoes and onions from the store. I was going to make some bread to go with it, but didn't get it started in time.

Sniff

Sniff

Sniff

Do you smell that? My home is smelling so good right now.


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Sunday, October 11, 2009

My dad and I



I'm so proud of my dad. He just retired as Grand Master of the State of Illinois. He had spent most of his lifetime working towards that position.

Saturday, October 10, 2009

Freemasons

I've just come home from 3 days at Masonic Grand Lodge and I have 'Masonry brain' still going. I just read this article on the Illinois Masons website and thought I would share it with you.

Secret society? Not really
By BETSY DEMITROPOULOUS - editorial@kcchronicle.com
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Tom Grisham knows the location of the lost treasure.

He took his godson to see "National Treasure" some years back, and his godson asked him whether he knew where the mythical treasure on which the movie centered could be found.

Grisham, a Freemason, had to tell his godson, “Yes, I do, but I can’t tell you.”

Movies such as "National Treasure" and books written by novelist Dan Brown have inspired a renewed interest in Freemasonry and a renewed speculation about any such treasure.

“[They] are good for Masonry and stimulate peoples’ minds,” said Grisham, worshipful master of St. Charles’ Unity Masonic Lodge #48. He has been a lodge member for 28 years.

Brown’s newest novel, "The Lost Symbol," focuses on Freemasonry and is set in Washington, D.C. It’s Brown’s third novel to involve the character of Harvard University symbologist Robert Langdon.

"The Lost Symbol" is being welcomed by Freemasons across the United States. Grisham said he hasn’t read the entire book, but said it’s an improvement compared to Brown’s earlier Masonic-related novels.

According to www.freemasonry.org, Freemasonry is the oldest and largest worldwide fraternity dedicated to the Brotherhood of Man under the Fatherhood of a Supreme Being. Although of a religious nature, Freemasonry is not a religion, the Web site said.

“Masonry doesn’t replace religion," Grisham said. "It supports it."

To be a Freemason, applicants must be men of good character who believe in God – no atheist can become a Mason – and be faithful and devoted to their own religious beliefs. Applicants must be at least 18 years old.

The fraternity of Freemasonry is arranged into Grand Lodges, which preside over their own jurisdictions. These jurisdictions contain subordinate Lodges.

The fraternity also has related appendant bodies. Grisham said there are more than 30 appendant bodies, including the Shriners, DeMolay International and Job’s Daughters.

Every state has its own Grand Lodge, and Illinois’ Grand Lodge is located in Springfield. Grisham’s Unity Lodge is one of about 500 subordinate Lodges in Illinois.

Unity Lodge was formed in 1846 and is the 48th lodge to be established in Illinois and the first to be established in Kane County. The lodge is the second-oldest active lodge in the Chicago area and has about 80 members. Grisham said there are 75,000 Masons statewide.

In its early years, Unity Lodge assisted in the formation of new lodges in Kane County.Naperville’s lodge was established in 1848, Batavia in 1849, Sycamore in 1851, Geneva in 1853, and Elgin in 1852, according to Unity Lodge’s Web site.

The fraternity of Freemasonry is extensively involved in numerous charity and community service activities. Grisham said Masonic philanthropies contribute $2.5 million a day to charities. One of the most well-known philanthropies is the Shriners Hospitals for Children.

Despite the belief of many people, Grisham said Masonry isn’t a secret society, explaining that secret handshakes and secret words are used to “recognize fellow members.”

According to the Grand Lodge of Illinois, any purported Masonic “secrets” were made public several centuries ago in London newspapers and today can be found in the Library of Congress and in other sources.

One famous Freemason, Benjamin Franklin, might have said it best: “The great secret of Freemasonry is that there is no secret at all.”

What are Masonic principles?

• Faith must be the center of our lives.
• All men and women are the children of God.
• No one person has the right to tell another person what he or she must think or believe.
• Each person has the responsibility to be a good citizen, obeying the law.
• It is important to work to make the world a better place for all.
• Honor and integrity are keys to meaningful life.

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Tidy Tuesday



This weeks Tidy Tuesday is the bed. Not the whole bedroom, just the bed area. It's fall and time to make some changes.

Completely strip bedding and wash ALL of it. This would be a good time to get out your winter bedding ready to go.

Pull bed out and sweep under...yep, time to say goodbye to all those dust bunnie herds that have been living under there. What else is under there? A lost sock, some change, the cat you thought ran off 2 months ago? If you're like me, you use this area for storage. I have under-bed totes that I keep my out of season shoes in. Time to go through those and get rid of any that I don't think I will be wearing.

If your bed goes against a wall, this is a great opportunity to wash down that wall.

Do you have a headboard with shelves...declutter and clean.

Do you have a standing headboard...dust and polish if needed.

Bring in some muscle with you and flip your mattress. Remember to flip both front to back and head to foot.

Once the bed is moved back into place, now you can make it with your winter bedding.

This is one of those jobs that really shouldn't be worked on over the week...you kind of need your bed each night. Plan this tidy for a time when you have a few hours to devote to it.

Now, once your bed area is completed, stand back and admire your work. Happy sleeping!

Sunday, October 4, 2009

The blog continues

I actually came on here today to announce that I would no longer be keeping my blog. I'm at a season in my life where I have no little ones who need a mommy, but I'm finding that even with that gone, I am busier then I have ever been:

Work 10.5-11 hours a day
EMT class twice a week plus all the hours of study time
Scout Master for Boy Scouts
Helping to start a new Worship program at church

Add to this being a wife and keeper of my home and I'm spreading myself pretty thin. (ROFL...if you know what I look like then you know that I'm already spread pretty thin!)

I just don't feel like I am doing justice to this blog with all the days I have been missing. I also feel sometimes that it is work done for nothing and I wonder if anyone reads what I write. But....then I came on today to see that I have 2 more followers.

So, I will continue with my blog. I'm sure there will be missed days. I'm pretty sure there's a good chance there will be other 'feeling overwhelmed' days like this. Please bear with me.

P.S.-----Thanks for letting me whine.