Thursday...

I am taking a break from posting here. If you will miss this blog, please leave me a comment. Thanks.

Wednesday...and its Wonder

It all starts with name calling and telling one another that "you are NOT by best friend any more!" This is how the big wigs handle it...such a great article!

The Gentlemanly Art of the Insult
By George Weigel
Posted: Wednesday, September 14, 2011


From THE CATHOLIC DIFFERENCE

Publication Date: September 7, 2011

One of the (many) signs of our cultural decline is that verbal insults, these days, are almost invariably scatological or sexual, provoking a blizzard of asterisks whenever A wants to put the smackdown on B. Once upon a time, it was not so. Once, the ability to come up with a clever insult that could be repeated in polite society was thought an important, if not necessarily essential, component of being a gentleman.

Take, for example, two masters of English repartee and wit, George Bernard Shaw and Winston Churchill. Shaw, prior to the opening of one of his plays, sent Churchill a telegram: "I am enclosing two tickets to the first night of my new play; bring a friend, if you have one." Churchill, nonplussed (and likely amused), sent a telegram in reply: "Cannot possible attend first night; will attend second, if there is one."

Oscar Wilde, who may have returned to the faith before his death, was another man of English letters who knew how to insult with class and wit: Thus, "Some cause happiness wherever they go; others, whenever they go." Or the immortal, "He has no enemies, but is intensely disliked by his friends." (Wilde could turn his wit on himself, too, which is always a sign of an insulter-with-class: "I am so clever that sometimes I don't understand a single word of what I am saying." Or, inventing a trope that others frequently used of Churchill, "I have the simplest tastes. I am always satisfied with the best.").

As writer and editor, Mark Twain accumulated the literary man's usual collection of enemies, whom he enjoyed twitting. Thus, to one especially dull critic: "Why do you sit there looking like an envelope without any address on it?" Or about a more intolerable one: "I didn't attend the funeral, but I sent a nice letter saying that I approved of it."

The aforementioned Mr. Bernard Shaw appreciated Twain's wit, noting that "Mark Twain and I are in the same position. We have put things in such a way as to make people, who would otherwise hang us, believe that we are joking." For his part, Ernest Hemingway, in an unaccustomed moment of modesty, once said that "All modern American literature comes from one book by Mark Twain called Huckleberry Finn." Twain, in whatever post-mortem circumstances he found himself when told that one, may have winced, knowing as he must of William Faulkner's immortal put-down of his fellow-Nobel laureate, Hemingway: "He has never been known to use a word that might send a reader to a dictionary."

Today's political badinage today is lame, lamer, lamest compared with the wits of yore. Churchill, of course, figures prominently here. Told over dinner by Lady Astor, the American-born female member of the House of Commons, that, "If you were my husband, Winston, I'd poison your soup," Churchill immediately replied, "And if you were my wife, Nancy, I'd drink it." And then there was the great man's take-down of the austere Labor minister, Sir Stafford Cripps: "He has all the virtues I dislike and none of the vices I admire." Another Labor stalwart, Aneurin Bevan, a great supporter of nationalized medicine, was a frequent target of Churchill's raillery: "I can think of no better step to signal the inauguration of the National Health Service than that a man who so obviously needs psychiatric attention should be among the first of its patients."

But Bevan finally got the best of Churchill. During the coronation festivities for Queen Elizabeth II, there was a state ball at Buckingham Palace at which the old, pre-war uniforms were to be worn. Sir Winston, exiting the palace men's room dressed in the bottle-green uniform of the Lord Warden of the Cinq Ports and wearing the ribbon of the Order of the Garter, spotted Bevan wearing a blue serge suit. "I think that at least on this occasion you might have taken the trouble to dress properly," Churchill harrumphed scornfully. "Prime Minister, your fly buttons are undone," replied a cherubic Bevan.

Those were the days.

George Weigel is Distinguished Senior Fellow and William E. Simon Chair in Catholic Studies at the Ethics and Public Policy Center.

Teaching Tuesday

California Poison Control System (CPCS) (http://www.calpoison.org) suggests being on the lookout for spiders which are increasingly active when the temperature rises. Spider bites can result in small puncture wounds, pain, redness, itching and swelling that can last a couple of days. Most bites occur between the months of April and October and are usually not serious.

People who think that they have been bitten by a spider is far more common than actual spider bites, and many “bites” are actually bacterial skin infections. An expanding red painful area on the skin may be a staph infection and should be examined by a physician.

“Only a few spider species have fangs which can penetrate human skin and be worrisome to people. But by following some precautions, people can minimize the chance of being bitten,” says Dr. Richard Geller, medical director for the CPCS. He added that, “Most spiders are killed only because they scare people, not because they are actually dangerous to humans. Spiders generally prefer to live in undisturbed areas where they can catch insects in peace.”

In California, for example, most spider bites of any significance are caused by the female black widow (Click this link to see a black widow http://bit.ly/4oZvxJ). The venom is dangerous even when baby spiders hatch. Black widows establish non-symmetrical webs in garages, closets, corners of patio furniture, as well as outdoors. They are usually not aggressive, so most bites occur because a spider is trapped or unintentionally touched

Dr. Geller suggested the following spider bite prevention tips:
• Check your bed thoroughly before climbing in; more so if the bed has not been slept in for a while.
• Keep cribs and beds as far from the wall as possible.
• Shake all clothes thoroughly before wearing them.
• Always put on gloves and long-sleeved shirts when going through or emptying closets, boxes or containers that have sat alone for a while.
• Turn your shoes over and shake them out before putting them on.
• Teach children to respect spiders and to find an adult if they see one.
Dr. Geller said that, “The biggest problem with black widow spiders is pain. If pain is increasingly severe, seek medical attention, as effective medicines are available.” The symptoms of a black widow spider bite include minimal redness at the bite site, and gradually increasing pain over several hours after envenomation (venom is injected). A bite on the hand or arm can cause chest pain, and bites to the lower extremities can cause abdominal pain. Not all black widow bites need medical attention. Reasons to go to the doctor after a spider bite include:
• Discomfort which is increasingly severe.
• Spreading local redness accompanied by pain.
• Any drainage from a bite site.

About CPCS
You can learn more about a variety of poison issues by following CPCS on Facebook athttp://on.fb.me/iS6S7J and on Twitter @poisoninfo. Sign up for weekly safety text messages to your cell phone by texting TIPS to 69866; and download a free iPhone app, Choose Your Poison, at http://bit.ly/gg9vfG. CPCS is dedicated to providing residents with the most up-to-date information and 24-hour help in case of poisoning. In case of an accidental poisoning, consumers should immediately call 1-800-222-1222 for advice. Pharmacists, nurses, physician-toxicologists and poison information providers are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to help. In most cases, a poison exposure can be safely managed in your home, avoiding a call to 911 or a visit to a crowded hospital emergency room. Many parents think about contacting the poison control services only in case of an emergency, but experts are available to answer questions any time

Monday's Tattler

Good morning and welcome to another great week at the Garden School!

This week we will be working on Talents People Have. Report cards will go out this week. We will talk about what we want to be when we grow up, and how we intend to get there.

We will talk about hard work and its rewards.

We will talk about social skills and what makes good social skills.

We will talk about accomplishments.

On Thursday, Clarisse's Dad will be coming in to play the bagpipes for us. We certainly welcome him.

Please notice that the cloak room is taking shape. Hooks go up tomorrow along with pegs and names.

Next new area is the art display wall.

Have a glorious week!

Sunday's Plate

Too often we become prisoners of impulse buying at the grocery store and too often those impulse buys contribute to weight gain and out of control grocery bills. The big question is how to stop this impulse buying and how to substitute healthy eating habits.

I heard a father say not long ago that he just "popped a Little Debbie Cake into his mouth if he was running late in the morning." Two things crossed my mind...why do you have those things in your house especially if you are trying to lose weight and eat a health life style, and secondly, why are we so willing to buy these things to have "in case we are running late in the morning?" Wouldn't a handful of peanuts or an apple be a better "grab" in the morning?

People could reduce their girth and their grocery bill with two little motos..."If I can make it, I'm not going to buy it" and "If nature or God made it, it's a sell!"

Right now I'm corresponding with a young woman who "never makes anything" who has some health issues and is trying to lose some weight. My first thought was, "It will never work unless you go to total fresh fruit and fresh vegetables" which she hates... so for her, changing a lifestyle is going to be a lot harder than for someone making simple impulse buying mistakes. This girl is going to have to ration things like whole baked chips, nuts, cheese and what fruits she will consume.

"I don't have time to cook..." This statement is somewhere between crazy and nuts. What people who are "popping" unhealthy food into their mouths and people trying to find food to eat that they don't have to make are kidding themselves. The truth is, people who don't cook don't want to cook. And people who don't want to cook either don't know how, or don't care about their own health. They haven't been convinced that food will either kill you or make you feel great. It's an effort that's not worth making, so they don't. It's just a simple, "NO!"

When a doctor says, "Your arteries are clogged or you have diabetes," it's a wake up call that has come too late. By eating meal after meal of prepared, processed, high calorie, high sugar, high carb food, high fat foods like Little Debbie Cakes, you might as well be giving your health and wealth away and all because you didn't want to take the time to learn to prepare nutritious meals for your yourself and your family.

Here's the rub: A household does not need "grazing foods." Children do not need to be entertained by eating. By maintaining meal times every four hours or so, hunger is a consequence that is satisfied in good time. If there is ONE snack time in the afternoon, that snack can be easily prepared by ONE recipe. Making ONE batter of cookies, cake or brownies can be rationed off so that only SOME of the recipe is eaten a day.

Buying prepared food other than fruit and nuts in a household where people are struggling with their weight is like pouring water on a drowning man.

Snack buying like whole corn treats, nuts, fruit and whole grain breads should be weighed for cost and survivablility. If you shop once a week, and you don't cook, then pick out seven snacks and deal out one per day. If they eat them all the first three days, then there are no snacks. In a pinch buy popcorn.

Groceries should reflect the intent of the care of the adults running a home. When the larder is filled with junk...what are we saying?

Saturday's Review...What's Eating Your Child?

What's Eating Your Child?

This is an excellent book and well worth the read. There are chapters for every kind of behavior and remedies for all of them. If you are experiencing rough behavior from your children, this is the book for you.

It's available at Amazon.

What’s Eating Your Child? is about the connections between common ailments such as chronic ear infections, reflux, tummy aches, picky eating, poor growth, mood and behavior problems and your child’s diet. Most people agree that a good diet is important but few know how to decipher the effect food has on their health.What’s Eating Your Child? will help parents, medical professionals, teachers and caretakers identify possible dietary links and address the problem.

There are many informative nutrition books around but I noticed that many of them were boring. I was determined to write a book that was not only useful but also entertaining. The most fascinating part about being a nutrition detective is the real life situations I deal with daily. For that reason, the book revolves around true stories of families struggling with common health problems. I share their stories, how we figured out the solution, if their solution would help your child and how to apply it.

FASCINATING FACT

Extreme moodiness is one symptom of food intolerance. Some children respond to simple diet changes and can avoid medication and other treatments.

This is an excellent book and well worth the read.

Extending the Toddler Years by Judy Lyden

Cheating nature is never a good idea. Here's the rub: Nature gives us these perimeters: A child is an infant for one year...until he begins to walk. Then he's a toddler and he gets to be a toddler for two years. Then, he's a preschooler for three years, and a grammar school child for four. It's the way it works, or should work, if parents work with nature. There is a reason why nature sets up childhood this way and it has to do with learning certain things, and it makes sense when you think about it.

Why is it so important to lock step with nature? Isn't it OK that children are toddlers for five years and infants for three? Every step of growing up has a purpose, and not one of these time zones should be manipulated for another one that is "more precious" to us. Children have a right to grow up the way nature intended, and not at someone's whim who just likes babies better than toddlers or preschoolers.

In the infant year, a child bonds with his parents. He learns what safety is, what pain is, what pleasure is. He learns to laugh, about self, and what being alone means. He learns to crawl, to sit up, to cry for attention, to eat, to enjoy being warm and being entertained. He learns about his body and about other people's bodies.

In the second year and third year, when a child turns one and up to three, he's a toddler. He learns how to walk, how to talk, how to use the potty, how to sit at a table, how to eat with a fork, how to sleep in a big bed, how to dress himself, how to run, and especially, he learns the word, "NO."

At three, a child is ready for preschool or the activities that one finds in preschool like listening, like art, counting, how to write his name, bright children learn how to read, they learn to sing songs, line up, play with other children, go places, do things, and ask questions.

In grammar school, a child learns to separate from parents and become his own little person.

Great, you say, but that year of infancy is just not long enough, so I'm going to keep him a baby for some of the two years of toddlerhood. I'm going to streeeeetch that baby year into nearly two if I can help it because I love babies and I'm not ready for little Fenwick to grow up just yet.

So Fenwick is an infant until he turns two. At two, he's just starting to be a toddler. He's still sitting in the playpen with his fingers in his mouth. He's still using a pacifier, and his speech is still pretty much goo goo and gaa gaa, but he's so sweet. By age three, Fenwick is a long way from potty training, he couldn't write his name or even be trusted with a pencil, he is still sleeping in his crib, and using a high chair. But guess what! It's time for preschool.

The problem with this "infantilization" is that Fenwick has spent too much time as an infant, and he hasn't learned what he should have learned as a toddler. He can't do what he's supposed to do...can't sit at a table or manage a fork. He's pooping like an elephant in what amounts to a depends. He can't make himself understood, and preschool, quite frankly, is out of the question, because Fenwick doesn't even know there is a word, "NO." He couldn't line up to save his life, and he couldn't listen, participate or even give up his pacifier. Fenwick's main mode of communication is tears!

By the time Fenwick is five, he's barely potty trained and it's time to start kindergarten and there is no way that he's ready to even separate from parents much less put in a cerebral day at school. Sooooo, we're going to keep Fenwick home to do his school aged years trying to catch up with the other children...ooops! The window of reading opportunity is going to close just about the time Fen decides to use the toilet...

By the time Fenwick starts big school, he's behind, socially limited and he's missed more than he's gained by remaining mom's little infant. And what has mom gained? A constant feeling of frustration because when she's finally ready to push Fenwick from the nest, he doesn't want to go. He still wants to sit in laps and suck his thumb, but he's five feet two...

In all ways, this is child abuse...loving, caring child abuse...it's neglect. A child is not a boutique item...he's a child. Nature gave us strict guidelines, windows of opportunity and purpose to every age. Parents have a duty to give up babies when they walk. They have a duty to run after toddlers, and say "NO" fifty thousand times a day. They have a duty to potty train, to table train, to de-pacify, to talk to and expect a child to talk back in full sentences.

So when a child is supposed to be ready for preschool, he is ready. He's ready to spend three years listening, learning and getting ready for big school.

If parents love babies so much, have another one, but don't keep a child a baby forever.

Children who lose the preschool years lose the one element in their education that they may never get back... the ability to listen and the ability to use an imagination that is fostered by listening in the preschool years.

From three to five, children will absorb more information than any other time in their lives, and if this is wasted on doing two year old stuff, that's a shame.

Let kids grow up. Let them learn what they should learn when they should learn it.

Wednesday...and its Wonder

"EXTRACT FROM DOUG COPP'S ARTICLE ON 'THE TRIANGLE OF LIFE'

My name is Doug Copp. I am the Rescue Chief and Disaster Manager of the American Rescue Team International (ARTI ), the world's most experienced rescue team. The information in this article will save lives in an earthquake.

I have crawled inside 875 collapsed buildings, worked with rescue teams from 60 countries, founded rescue teams in several countries, and I am a member of many rescue teams from many countries. I was the United Nations expert in Disaster Mitigation for two years, and have worked at every major disaster in the world since 1985, except for simultaneous disasters.

The first building I ever crawled inside of was a school in Mexico City during the 1985 earthquake. Every child was under its desk. Every child was crushed to the thickness of their bones. They could have survived by lying down next to their desks in the aisles. It was obscene -- unnecessary.

Simply stated, when buildings collapse, the weight of the ceilings falling upon the objects or furniture inside crushes these objects, leaving a space or void next to them - NOT under them. This space is what I call the 'triangle of life'. The larger the object, the stronger, the less it will compact. The less the object compacts, the larger the void, the greater the probability that the person who is using this void for safety will not be injured. The next time you watch collapsed buildings, on television, count the 'triangles' you see formed. They are everywhere. It is the most common shape, you will see, in a collapsed building.

TIPS FOR EARTHQUAKE SAFETY

1) Most everyone who simply 'ducks and covers' when building collapse are crushed to death. People who get under objects, like desks or cars, are crushed.

2) Cats, dogs and babies often naturally curl up in the fetal position. You should too in an earthquake. It is a natural safety/survival instinct. You can survive in a smaller void. Get next to an object, next to a sofa, next to a bed, next to a large bulky object that will compress slightly but leave a void next to it.

3) Wooden buildings are the safest type of construction to be in during an earthquake. Wood is flexible and moves with the force of the earthquake. If the wooden building does collapse, large survival voids are created. Also, the wooden building has less concentrated, crushing weight. Brick buildings will break into individual bricks. Bricks will cause many injuries but less squashed bodies than concrete slabs.

4) If you are in bed during the night and an earthquake occurs, simply roll off the bed. A safe void will exist around the bed. Hotels can achieve a much greater survival rate in earthquakes, simply by posting a sign on the back of the door of every room telling occupants to lie down on the floor, next to the bottom of the bed during an earthquake.

5) If an earthquake happens and you cannot easily escape by getting out the door or window, then lie down and curl up in the fetal position next to a sofa, or large chair.

6) Most everyone who gets under a doorway when buildings collapse is killed. How? If you stand under a doorway and the doorjamb falls forward or backward you will be crushed by the ceiling above. If the door jam falls sideways you will be cut in half by the doorway. In either case, you will be killed!

7) Never go to the stairs. The stairs have a different 'moment of frequency' (they swing separately from the main part of the building). The stairs and remainder of the building continuously bump into each other until structural failure of the stairs takes place. The people who get on stairs before they fail are chopped up by the stair treads - horribly mutilated. Even if the building doesn't collapse, stay away from the stairs. The stairs are a likely part of the building to be damaged. Even if the stairs are not collapsed by the earthquake, they may collapse later when overloaded by fleeing people. They should always be checked for safety, even when the rest of the building is not damaged.

8) Get near the outer walls of buildings or outside of them if possible - It is much better to be near the outside of the building rather than the interior. The farther inside you are from the outside perimeter of the building the greater the probability that your escape route will be blocked.

9) People inside of their vehicles are crushed when the road above falls in an earthquake and crushes their vehicles; which is exactly what happened with the slabs between the decks of the Nimitz Freeway. The victims of the San Francisco earthquake all stayed inside of their vehicles. They were all killed. They could have easily survived by getting out and sitting or lying next to their vehicles. Everyone killed would have survived if they had been able to get out of their cars and sit or lie next to them. All the crushed cars had voids 3 feet high next to them, except for the cars that had columns fall directly across them.

10) I discovered, while crawling inside of collapsed newspaper offices and other offices with a lot of paper, that paper does not compact. Large voids are found surrounding stacks of paper

Spread the word and save someone's life...

The entire world is experiencing natural calamities so be prepared!

'We are but angels with one wing, it takes two to fly'

In 1996 we made a film, which proved my survival methodology to be correct. The Turkish Federal Government, City of Istanbul,University of Istanbul Case Productions and ARTI cooperated to film this practical, scientific test. We collapsed a school and a home with 20 mannequins inside. Ten mannequins did 'duck and cover,' and ten mannequins I used in my 'triangle of life' survival method. After the simulated earthquake collapse we crawled through the rubble and entered the building to film and document the results. The film, in which I practiced my survival techniques under directly observable, scientific conditions , relevant to building collapse, showed there would have been zero percent survival for those doing duck and cover.

There would likely have been 100 percent survivability for people using my method of the 'triangle of life.' This film has been seen by millions of viewers on television in Turkey and the rest of Europe, and it was seen in the USA , Canada and Latin America on the TV program Real TV.

Tuesday's Teacher -- Background Checks

Avoid Wolves in Volunteers’ Clothing at School

Why Background Screening for School Volunteers is Important

By Bill Tate

As the back to school season swings into full gear this fall, there are many opportunities for adults to volunteer and support school activities. Volunteers lend valuable time and assistance to our school systems, and while the majority of school volunteers are law abiding role models for our nation’s children, unsavory adults sometimes come into the mix. Predators, or “wolves in volunteers’ clothing,” can be quite wily at finding ways to be near children. When the infamous bank robber, Willie Sutton, was asked why he stole from banks, he said, "Because that's where the money is."

Individuals who work closely with children, whether it is a teacher or a volunteer, a coach or cafeteria or maintenance worker, should be subject to background screening before their interaction begins. Most of us assume that every adult working closely with our children is carefully vetted by the schools with which they are associated.

The practice of background checks for school employees is standard issue for all employees with access to children. Background checks reduce organizational liability and help protect children. So why should this practice differ with school volunteers? Depending on the role of the volunteers and the level of supervision they will have, many believe school volunteers should be subject to the same screening criteria as any other school employee. While not universal, more and more school districts across the country are adopting policies mandating that volunteers who interact with students must go through a criminal background check first. School districts in Charlotte, Nashville, Seattle, and San Antonio, for example, actively screen all volunteers who will interact with students.

However, such policies are not in place in all school districts. Some schools are concerned that background checks on volunteers will reduce volunteer involvement. But every school needs to carefully consider who they allow to interact with their students – on school grounds and at school sponsored activities. Background checks on school volunteers may reveal that someone has a criminal history or is living under an alias. Most parents don’t want volunteers who have misdemeanor and felony convictions at their school.

It is important that parent volunteers don’t become offended when asked to go through a background check. A comprehensive screening policy should dictate that everyone interacting with the students be screened – even if they are a parent of a current student. Most parents will understand this need and will support the school district’s commitment to student safety.

Parents should inquire about the background screening policy at their child’s school. This will allow parents to better understand the school’s position on the issue and what will be required of them if they have the opportunity to volunteer. If there is no background screening policy for volunteers, ask for one. It is important that schools establish criteria for background checks, and guidelines for unsupervised access to children. What level of access is the volunteer given? Are they alone with children in the classroom? Are they transporting students in a vehicle? Are they acting as the primary student supervisors on overnight trips?

As a parent and human resources professional, I believe that all concerned parents should be active in ensuring that a background screening process is in place for all people who come into contact with their child at school. There is nothing more important than the safety and security of our children. As our children return to school this fall, I recommend that we ask our school administrators the following questions. With the answers to these questions, we learn what policies and procedures may need improvement, and where schools may even be exceeding our expectations:

1. Does the school have a policy in place to ensure background screening for all employees of the school? Are teachers, crossing guards, teaching assistants, nurses, cafeteria workers, maintenance people – virtually all paid employees – screened?

2. What type of background screening is conducted on employees? Is a national criminal background check conducted? Is the school conducting drug and alcohol testing?

3. Does the school permit parents, grandparents and other family members to volunteer?

4. Are non-familial relations (i.e., area residents, nannies, family friends) permitted to volunteer?

5. Is there mandatory background screening for all school volunteers – whether they are family members or non-familial relations?

While some schools engage only in limited county or state checks, the national criminal background check offers the most comprehensive way to investigate someone’s criminal history within the United States. A national criminal background check searches for criminal and county court records, correctional facility records, and sex offender, terrorist and most wanted criminal records. National criminal background reports show current and historical felony convictions and misdemeanor offenses.

Federal and state laws strictly regulate drug testing procedures in order to protect the interests and rights of employers and employees. Should teachers be randomly drug-tested? Practices vary across the country. Teacher drug testing was the subject of court cases in North Carolina and West Virginia, where educators argued that time and costs associated with random tests would be better spent in the classroom. Hence, it is no surprise that if our nation’s teachers are not subject to drug screening, the volunteers are also getting a free pass. Every school should include a careful review of its state’s laws, as well as teacher’s contracts and union agreements, when developing a background screening policy

In addition to wanting to serve the best interest of the students, many school boards are open to the idea of background screening because they understand the risks they take by not doing so. The school itself is likely to be held responsible if a child is placed in danger from a volunteer or an employee. For the safety of our students, parents’ peace of mind and fiscal health of the school, it makes sense for schools to implement a comprehensive background screening program.

As parents, we are the best advocates for our children’s safety, and schools should truly be a safe haven.

Parents, along with parent’s associations, teachers’ unions and school officials, should review the level of access volunteers are granted to the children when building an effective volunteer background check program. Children are our most precious resource and they must be vigorously protected. Ensuring that “wolves in volunteers’ clothing” don’t enter our children’s vulnerable world is of paramount importance.

# # #

About the author: William (Bill) J. Tate is President of, HR Plus, www.HRPlus.com, a leading provider of comprehensive employment and background screening solutions and a division of AlliedBarton Security Services, the industry’s premier provider of highly trained security personnel

Monday's Tattler

This week we will be concentrating on getting homework returned. We will be talking about community helpers, jobs and things related to our families.

It is almost time to do Fire Safety week, but Knight Township fire is no more, and the Evansville Fire department is not as easy to work with. So we will be doing Fire Safety ourselves. Children will need to know their full name, parents' full names, their address and phone numbers.

We will have a special guest on Thursday. Charles Connor is coming in to play the bag pipes for us. This is quite a splendid occasion.

Please keep mindful of the temperatures this week. A cool morning does not mean a cool day. It's HOT on the playground and all the little jeans and long sleeves over heat the little wearers. So you trip from the car to the building in the morning is not the only time your child will be out doors during the day, so think ahead, and be kind.

Have a great week!

Sunday's Plate - Chicken Salad

Some of the parents asked for the recipe for our chicken salad, so here it is!

Use fresh chicken breasts. They are cleaner, more economical, and not shot with all kinds of additives, preservatives, and extras. When my cats refused frozen bagged chicken breasts, I knew I shouldn't be eating them either, so I quit buying them.

Bake your chicken breasts at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes. I sprinkle mine with Mrs. Dash.

(Boiled chicken has a watery rubbery taste. Shredded chicken loses its shape in the mayonnaise. Sauteed chicken is great. Cut raw chicken into cubes and then cook it.)

Let the breasts cool. Cut them into pieces about the size of a large olive with a pair of kitchen sheers.

Put cubed chicken breasts in the bottom of a huge bowl.

Then gather all the things in your fridge and shelves that would taste good on chicken.

We used: celery, apple, dried cranberries, cashews, walnuts, green grapes, onion, bacon and peppers.

Add real mayonnaise - don't use miracle whip or salad dressing. Add a teaspoon of mustard. Toss.

Top with cracked black pepper - not the dust kind, but the huge chunks.

Lasts about a week in the refrigerator. Is spectacular on raisin bread.

Enjoy!

Friday's Tattler

What a great day Friday was! We had a nice open house and featured Beve Pietrowski and family pictures, we had the Beautiful Baby Contest --- Connor Day won! --- Thank you Connor for all your generous donations to the NIC Units! Thanks to all our generous parents for a job unbelievably well done!

We had some activities: rock art, a story, and the book fair. We had a $800.00 sale! Whoo Hoo!

We had a Garden School table of food this year that featured Miss Judy's Chicken Salad and homemade bread, Miss Amy's brilliant cookies, a terrible cheesecake, popcorn and pretzels, and Miss Meredith's fabulous humus, and a light soda. Aside from the soda, it was totally healthy. We ARE the healthy place. In fact, Frank came up to me and asked me what was in the cookies, and I told him the ingredients, and he was impressed, then I told him the calorie count, and he ran back for two more! Such fun!

So proud of our little darlings, parents and grandparents and friends. Such a nice gathering.

Thank you all for coming and making it a wonderful and warm occasion.

Saturday's Review

New book might be of some interest:

Stepparent Survival Skills 101

New Blended Family Survival Guide Shows How To Cohabitate in Peace

St. Louis, MO—American family photos typically feature a mother, father, and the children of their ­­­marriage. But today, instead of perfect family portraits like the Huxtables and Beavers, many modern families resemble the Brady Bunch and the Kardashians.

Over 30 million children live with a stepparent in what many call blended families. Although each family has a unique set of circumstances, everyone faces similar challenges. Where should you live? Should you change your children’s last names? What about in-laws? Should you have more babies? Who disciplines whom?

The new book, We’re Not Blended, We’re Pureed, asks if two families can ever learn to cohabitate in peace. With the help of God, the answer is yes.

Perfect for those who feel like they’ve turned into fairy-tale wicked stepparents, dating couples, newlyweds, pastors, and counselors—this book offers Diana Lesire Brandmeyer’s real-life experiences paired with expert advice from certified professional counselor Marty C. Lintvedt.

Both authors have created an engaging, readable text that is held together with humor and liberally peppered with informative commentary. This matter-of-fact book shows readers that if they’ve ever felt like they’re not cut out for the stepparent job, they are not alone.

Readers will learn:

1. The pros and cons of changing your children’s last names

2. How to deal with sibling rivalries

3. What to do when siblings try to play parents against each other

4. Why in-laws may resist accepting you or your children

5. Practical advice on discipline

The Monster...Bedtime by Judy Lyden

It’s a monster many parents regard as the nightmare which starts before we sleep and it’s called bed time. Nobody agrees on bed time -- especially children.

The best thing parents of infants can do for their young families is to put an infant child to bed early, say 7:00 p.m. If a child’s bedtime is always early -- right from the beginning, there is no adjustment later.

Getting a toddler to go to bed early after he’s been allowed to stay up late, is not only difficult, it’s impossible. Getting a three year old to suddenly and routinely go to bed at 8:00 when he has been drifting off to sleep in front of TV at 11:00 is a chore from the repertoire of Snow White’s wicked step mother.

Why put children to bed early? Because they need the sleep. Sleep deprivation is a major cause of illness, both emotional and physical. It’s a primary source of bad behavior. It helps to stunt growth because children are too tired to eat. It retards learning because children are too tired to play.

Children need at least ten hours of sleep a night. That means 7:00 to 5:00, 8:00 to 6:00, or 9:00 to 7:00. Some children need more. Few, if any, need less. Yes, children can get away with less, and learn to endure it, but sleep deprivation will show up later in a child’s poor constitution.

Question: “But if I put Sally Anne to bed at 8:00, when does Daddy get to play with her?” Answer: Daddy can play with Sally Anne when Sally Anne is up. Sally Anne’s basic health is more important here than playing with her.

Besides, mom and dad need time AWAY from children for the sake of their marriage and the sake of their own needs. It builds a much stronger and healthier home environment for Sally Anne when mom and dad can enjoy one another -- without the chaperone of children.

Even parents who use day care should not feel the guilt pinch here. If the child care arranged is good child care where children are playing and learning, then the few hours you spend with your child in the evening during the work week should be a loving cap on a successful day.

A schedule of good bed time order is important. After day care, while mom or dad is arranging dinner, children might be helping out in the kitchen -- being around the parent. This is a good time to keep the TV off. Get kids to set the table and help with other household chores if possible.

After dinner, while one parent prepares a little tea is a great time for the other parent to bathe the child and get him ready for bed. A few bubbles in the tub means I care.

Then, a cup of decaffeinated tea with lots of milk, a few special cookies, and a story read by both mom and dad will end the evening nicely. Keep the lights low, and the TV off and don't do this in the child's room.

After one really fun story, it’s time for bed. Up the stairwell, or down the hallway to Sally Anne’s room where the bed is turned down, and a favorite teddy is waiting. Kiss Sally Anne, and make good nights short.

Bed time is a routine -- not a play scheme. Putting children to bed is not the highlight of an adult’s evening. It shouldn’t be the nightmare either.

Wild and Wacky Wednesday

UNKILLED HAMBURGER MEAT

Note To All Hunters: This is from a San Francisco newspaper

Wild and Wonderful Wednesday

I Thought you might like to know about this dog and his history. I especially like the hugging at the end ........... The K9 above is Brutus, a military K9 at McChord.. He's huge - part Boxer And part British Bull Mastiff and tops the Scales at 200 lbs. His handler took the picture. Brutus is running toward me because he knows I Have some Milk Bone treats, so he's slobbering away! I had to duck around a tree just before he got to me in case he couldn't stop, but he did. Brutus was the recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor last year from his tour in Iraq. His handler and Four other soldiers were taken hostage by Insurgents. Brutus and his handler communicate by sign language and he gave Brutus the signal That meant 'go away but come back and find me'. The Iraqis paid no attention to Brutus. He came back later and quietly tore the throat out of One guard at one door and another guard at Another door. He then jumped against one of the Doors repeatedly (the guys were being held in an Old warehouse) until it opened. He went in and Untied his handler and they all escaped. He's The first K9 to receive this honor. If he knows You're ok, he's a big old lug and wants to sit In your lap. Enjoys the company of cats.. K-9 Congressional Medal Of Honor Winner Thought You'd find this interesting. Talk About animal intelligence and bonding With humans! Remember that they can't do a lot of things for Themselves and that they depend on you to make Their life a quality life! Instructions for properly hugging a baby (from a dog's point of view): 1. First, uh, find a baby. 2. Second, be sure that the object you found Was indeed a baby, by employing classic sniffing Techniques. + 3. Next, you will need to flatten the baby before Actually beginning the hugging process. 4. The 'paw slide' = Simply slide paws around baby And prepare for possible close-up. 5. Finally, if a camera is present, you will need to execute The difficult and patented 'hug, smile, and lean' so As to achieve the best photo quality. It will be a shame if you Don't pass this along!!

FYI on Tuesday

Great facts for us to be aware of!

BURNS

A young man sprinkling his lawn and bushes with pesticides wanted to check the contents of the barrel to see how much pesticide remained in it. He raised the cover and lit his lighter; the vapors inflamed and engulfed him. He jumped from his truck, screaming. His neighbor came out of her house with a dozen eggs, yelling: "bring me some eggs!" She broke them, separating the whites from the yolks. The neighbor woman helped her to apply the whites on the young man's face. When the ambulance arrived and when the EMTs saw the young man, they asked who had done this. Everyone pointed to the lady in charge. They congratulated her and said: "You have saved his face." By the end of the summer, the young man brought the lady a bouquet of roses to thank her. His face was like a baby's skin.

Healing Miracle for burns:

Keep in mind this treatment of burns which is included in teaching beginner fireman this method. First aid consists to spraying cold water on the affected area until the heat is reduced and stops burning the layers of skin. Then, spread egg whites on the affected are.

One woman burned a large part of her hand with boiling water. In spite of the pain, she ran cold faucet water on her hand, separated 2 egg white from the yolks, beat them slightly and dipped her hand in the solution. The whites then dried and formed a protective layer.

She later learned that the egg white is a natural collagen and continued during at least one hour to apply layer upon layer of beaten egg white. By afternoon she no longer felt any pain and the next day there was hardly a trace of the burn. 10 days later, no trace was left at all and her skin had regained its normal color. The burned area was totally regenerated thanks to the collagen in the egg whites, a placenta full of vitamins.

This information could be helpful to everyone: Please pass it on

Monday's Tattler

This week!

We are busy busy busy with several things:

1. The Beautiful Baby Contest. In order to win a point for your child, you need to bring an preemie article of clothing to school as a donation. Every article wins your child a point toward winning most beautiful child.

2. Book Sale all week. We are having a one week Scholastic Book Sale this week only. Cash or Checks please. Book Sale ends on Friday. Please shop for your child between 7:00 and 5:00. After 5:00, it is too busy to make sales. Please be kind to Mr. Terry.

3. Grandparents' Tea, or Family Day is on Friday. It's an open house from 1:00 to 4:00. Invitation have been mailed. Our photographer, Beve Pietrowski, will be at school from 1:00 to 4:00 to take keepsake photos on demand. Please consider doing this for your child.

4. Refreshments will be served, play time will be available inside and out. Come sit a spell and enjoy your favorite child at school.

School dismisses at 4:00 on Friday.

Friday's Tattler

We had a crazy week! Monday was a holiday, so the kids came in tired on Tuesday! We have had 13 children out with head, chest, stomach, and lower intestinal yuck. Terry and I were talking about why this is so, and we think it might have to do with three things:

1. Bed time. We don't nap at the GS, so that extra two hours needs to be made up at night. Children need ten hours of sleep at least every night, so they should go to bed before 8:00 for sure. Sleep is repair time, and all children need lots of sleep. We have always found that those children who go to bed before 8:00 do the best work at school.

2. We have not yet adopted the habit of eating. Most children graze, and then when meals are offered, they refuse to eat. It's a pattern, a habit, and they know that they can get by the difficult stuff for the fun stuff if they just wait it out. We eat a really good breakfast at 8:30; lunch at 12:00 and snack at 4:00. You do not need to feed your child in the morning. When children are tired, they don't eat, and when you take food and sleep away from anyone, the resistances go way down, and presto...illness.

3. Most children drink little water and have substituted sugar drinks. Children need a lot of water like everyone else. When you don't flush out your system with enough water, germs will get a chance to multiply.

So please watch the snacks, make sure you offer water at home, and make sure kids get to bed by 8:00.

On Thursday, we had a visitor from the Health Department who demonstrated hand washing. This is a great public service. We stress clean hands when children come into the building, before they eat and after they toilet. Children should wash their hands when they enter your home as well and shake off the outside world's dirt!

On Thursday, we had a visit from Deaconess Children's Enrichment Center. This is an exchange that has been going on a long time. The director, her cooks, and an assistant got to see the Garden School operate. It was a very nice exchange.

On Friday, at 6:30, the playground started to go up. The kids got to watch the men put it together. It's a beautiful piece of equipment. We are very lucky to have been able to buy this.

The winners for the week's Knowledge Bee are: August, Ely and Logan

Extra Special Awards go to: Ely and Connor D for Gentlemanly behavior

Citizenship Award this week went to Ely.

Manners awards went to August, cindy, Clarisse, DeAsia, Ely, Josiah, and Sophy.

Food Awards go to:

Alexis, Annie, August, Bryleigh, Cindy, Connor D, Connor H, DeAsia, Dillon, Ely, Jacob, Josiah, Kaelin, Logan, Oden, Sophy, Jil.

Congratulation to all of them.

FYI on Saturday

Johns Hopkins Update –
This is an extremely good article. Everyone should read it.

AFTER YEARS OF TELLING PEOPLE CHEMOTHERAPY IS THE ONLY WAY TO TRY ('TRY', BEING THE KEY WORD) TO ELIMINATE CANCER,JOHNS HOPKINS IS FINALLY STARTING TO TELL YOU THERE IS AN ALTERNATIVE WAY.

Cancer Update from Johns Hopkins:

1. Every person has cancer cells in the body. These cancer
cells do not show up in the standard tests until they have
multiplied to a few billion. When doctors tell cancer patients
that there are no more cancer cells in their bodies after
treatment, it just means the tests are unable to detect the
cancer cells because they have not reached the detectable
size.

2. Cancer cells occur between 6 to more than 10 times in a
person's lifetime.

3. When the person's immune system is strong the cancer
cells will be destroyed and prevented from multiplying and
forming tumors.

4. When a person has cancer it indicates the person has
nutritional deficiencies. These could be due to genetic,
but also to environmental, food and lifestyle factors.

5. To overcome the multiple nutritional deficiencies,changing
diet to eat more adequately and healthy, 4-5 times/day
and by including supplements will strengthen the immune system.

6. Chemotherapy involves poisoning the rapidly-growing
cancer cells and also destroys rapidly-growing healthy cells
in the bone marrow, gastrointestinal tract etc, and can
cause organ damage, like liver, kidneys, heart, lungs etc.

7.. Radiation while destroying cancer cells also burns, scars
and damages healthy cells, tissues and organs.

8. Initial treatment with chemotherapy and radiation will often
reduce tumor size. However prolonged use of
chemotherapy and radiation do not result in more tumor
destruction.

9. When the body has too much toxic burden from
chemotherapy and radiation the immune system is either
compromised or destroyed, hence the person can succumb
to various kinds of infections and complications.

10. Chemotherapy and radiation can cause cancer cells to
mutate and become resistant and difficult to destroy.
Surgery can also cause cancer cells to spread to other
sites.

11. An effective way to battle cancer is to starve the cancer
cells by not feeding it with the foods it needs to multiply.

*CANCER CELLS FEED ON:

a. Sugar substitutes like NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, etc are made
with Aspartame and it is harmful. A better natural substitute
would be Manuka honey or molasses, but only in very small
amounts. Table salt has a chemical added to make it white in
color Better alternative is Bragg's aminos or sea salt.

b. Milk causes the body to produce mucus, especially in the
gastro-intestinal tract. Cancer feeds on mucus. By cutting
off milk and substituting with unsweetened soy milk cancer
cells are being starved.

c. Cancer cells thrive in an acid environment. A meat-based
diet is acidic and it is best to eat fish, and a little other meat,
like chicken. Meat also contains livestock
antibiotics, growth hormones and parasites, which are all
harmful, especially to people with cancer.

d. A diet made of 80% fresh vegetables and juice, whole
grains, seeds, nuts and a little fruits help put the body into
an alkaline environment. About 20% can be from cooked
food including beans. Fresh vegetable juices provide live
enzymes that are easily absorbed and reach down to
cellular levels within 15 minutes to nourish and enhance
growth of healthy cells. To obtain live enzymes for building
healthy cells try and drink fresh vegetable juice (most
vegetables including be an sprouts) and eat some raw
vegetables 2 or 3 times a day. Enzymes are destroyed at
temperatures of 104 degrees F (40 degrees C)..

e. Avoid coffee, tea, and chocolate, which have high
caffeine Green tea is a better alternative and has cancer
fighting properties. Water-best to drink purified water, or
filtered, to avoid known toxins and heavy metals in tap
water. Distilled water is acidic, avoid it.

12. Meat protein is difficult to digest and requires a lot of
digestive enzymes. Undigested meat remaining in the
intestines becomes putrefied and leads to more toxic
buildup.

13. Cancer cell walls have a tough protein covering. By
refraining from or eating less meat it frees more enzymes
to attack the protein walls of cancer cells and allows the
body's killer cells to destroy the cancer cells.

14. Some supplements build up the immune system
(IP6, Flor-ssence, Essiac, anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals,
EFAs etc.) to enable the bodies own killer cells to destroy
cancer cells.. Other supplements like vitamin E are known
to cause apoptosis, or programmed cell death, the body's
normal method of disposing of damaged, unwanted, or
unneeded cells.

15. Cancer is a disease of the mind, body, and spirit.
A proactive and positive spirit will help the cancer warrior
be a survivor. Anger, un-forgiveness and bitterness put
the body into a stressful and acidic environment. Learn to
have a loving and forgiving spirit. Learn to relax and enjoy
life.

16. Cancer cells cannot thrive in an oxygenated
environment. Exercising daily, and deep breathing help to
get more oxygen down to the cellular level. Oxygen
therapy is another means employed to destroy cancer
cells.

1. No plastic containers in micro.

2. No water bottles in freezer.

3. No plastic wrap in microwave..

Johns Hopkins has recently sent this out in its newsletters. This information is being circulated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center as well. Dioxin chemicals cause cancer, especially breast cancer. Dioxins are highly poisonous to the cells of our bodies. Don't freeze your plastic bottles with water in them as this releases dioxins from the plastic. Recently, Dr Edward Fujimoto, Wellness Program Manager at Castle Hospital , was on a TV program to explain this health hazard. He talked about dioxins and how bad they are for us. He said that we should not be heating our food in the microwave using plastic containers. This especially applies to foods that contain fat. He said that the combination of fat, high heat, and plastics releases dioxin into the food and ultimately into the cells of the body. Instead, he recommends using glass, such as Corning Ware, Pyrex or ceramic containers for heating food. You get the same results, only without the dioxin. So such things as TV dinners, instant ramen and soups, etc., should be removed from the container and heated in something else. Paper isn't bad but you don't know what is in the paper. It's just safer to use tempered glass, Corning Ware, etc. He reminded us that a while ago some of the fast food restaurants moved away from the foam containers to paper The dioxin problem is one of the reasons.
Also, he pointed out that plastic wrap, such as Saran, is just as dangerous when placed over foods to be cooked in the microwave. As the food is nuked, the high heat causes poisonous toxins to actually melt out of the plastic wrap and drip into the food. Cover food with a paper towel instead.