Parties

I remembered this morning that we have a standing invitation from Mcj's sister for a birthday and house warming party. And if my memory is keen, it would be soon. Yet, we haven't made a plan if we're going or not. Appointments and errands had caught up that our plates are always full to the brim.

If we're going, we should be making plans soon as we can't just walk-in the party without bearing gifts.

As much as we love to spend time with family and friends, there are just times that pleasant and nice occasions are hard to fit in our schedule. I am thankful though that Halloween isn't big here so we don't receive Halloween invitations.

Talking of parties, I know I have a special occasion to plan.

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Busy

I've always heard that doing some handy works at your own house is very relaxing and enjoyable. I bet it is but I haven't tried doing any yet. I always want to paint anything - might be our cabinet- but I haven't gotten around of doing it. I love gardening at some point in my life but I haven't done any here. There are lots of tools lying around here (some are air tools), yet I haven't spend any time to pick them up even just to trip a plant or cut a stem that's out of the way. I also want to bake. There are lots of stuff that I want to do but no time to do them. I'm just sort of busy these days. Maybe soon, when the little boy is not so little anymore. :) But, I reckon soon I should learn how to cook. :)

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Good Wine

Australia's Witchmouth Estate 2004 vintage shiraz has just recently been named as the best shiraz (or as the French say "syrah") in the world in the Syrah du Monde wine competition held in France.

This wine is not from Yarra Valley, the famous place in Oz for wine. It is from Rockbank, a slip of flat, volcanic red soil on the way to Melton, Victoria. But, I guess after the award, this place would occupy a big space in the wine map and might be associated with some clubs (like the California wine clubs)

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Healthiest Foods

Eating healthy food is a key to healthy body. Sometimes it concerns us if the food that we put in our mouth is really nutritious and healthy.

According to research as for vegetable, asparagus ranked as number, apples for fruit, almonds for nuts, barley for grains, low-fat cheese for low-fat dairy, black beans for beans and legumes, basil for spices and herbs, cod for seafood, lean organic beef for poultry and lean meats, and green tea. Of course there are other nutritious food.

To maintain your healthy body or get trim to go back to your swimsuits, try following these standard. You might surprise with the result.

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Keeping Bread

Some bread contains the preservative 262 - Sodium acetates (acidity regulator), to keep in fresh longer. Since 262 is a preservative, it's not good for our body. Some bread doesn't contain it and instead have salt to keep it fresh. If you want preservative free bread always check the packaging and look for NO 262 label.

Bread can be stored in the freezer for up to 6 months and it will still be edible. Just thaw it out when you need it.

To keep the bread fresher in the bread bin put a stalk of celery. When the stalk turns brown replace it or after a week. It will also keep the bin smell good.

Avoid storing bread in a refrigerator. Most fridge temperature is 5 degree C and it is the temp where bread stales most quickly. One day in the fridge is equivalent to 3 days at room temperature.

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Just A Game

Last night was the big night for poker online, that is for Mcj and his brother. They are playing for a spot of Las Vegas travel with Shane Warne. His brother was at his home so I played for his. I was winning at first and well, stayed afloat. Mcj lost his so he started coaching me closely. There were hands that I lost because of his advice and I got angry, saying that I won't listen to him at all. We were sort of bickering and I realized that it was just a poker game. Why do it have to come between us so I started to mellow down. Eventually, I lost all my stack. I was disappointed but at the same time relieved. I have opps to do, you know. At the end of it all, I told Mcj why I do blogging instead of playing poker. Because it has sure money. :)

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Back Pain and Injury

Back aches are common problem that people complain about. It is just soo easy to have this pain. Just a mere bad sleeping position can cause it. Now that I'm a mother of a little boy that gets heavier by the day, I'm one of those that complain back pain. It's the carrying and lifting that cause it.

But for some, there are other causes that I can't ever think of. Some may have injured their back in the process. Here are some tips to prevent this from happening.

1. Get as close to the load as possible. The further the load is from the center line of your body, the greater the strain imposed on your back. If need be, squat down to lift the load and pull it between your legs. This gets it closer to the center of your body and helps prevent the need to bend at the waist. However, since your leg muscles are the largest muscles in your body, they are the biggest energy consumers. Repeated squatting can be very fatiguing, and reduces a person's ability to lift in this manner for any length of time. In addition to lifting the load, you are also hoisting the majority of your body weight. For repeated lifting, other strategies must be used.

2. Avoid picking up heavy objects placed below your knees. Try to see that heavy objects are placed and stored above knee level and below shoulder level. If you suspect the load is too heavy to be lifted comfortably, do not chance it. Use a mechanical aid, break the load down into its component parts, or get help. The most common cause of back injury is overloading. Some said that using big and heavy bags (especially golf bags and not using a golf cart) can cause this problem.

3. Keep your back straight. This means don't bend at the waist when reaching to lift an object. Keep the natural arch in your lower back, which distributes the load evenly over the surface of spinal disks, and is less stressful than if the disk is pinched between vertebras. Bending principally from the hips is acceptable if you maintain the arch in your back, rather than bending at the waist.

4. Glue your hand to your thigh. If you carry a load in one hand, such as when carrying a tool box, place your free hand on the outside of your thigh and mentally "glue" it into position. This will help you maintain correct back alignment rather than lifting and tilting to one side. When carrying a heavy load, side bending can be just as stressful to the spine as bending forward.

5. Tighten your stomach muscles. This technique helps prevent your spine from twisting. If you lift a load and need to place it off to one side, turn by moving your feet. After repeated lifts you might find yourself getting a bit sloppy and forgetting to move your feet. You can overcome this tendency if the place you set the load down is at least one step away from where it is lifted. If you wear a back support belt, wear it low on your trunk and loosen it when you are not lifting.

6. Stay in good physical condition. A protruding stomach is an extra load carried away from the center line of the body, and prevents you from keeping a lifted object close-the number one rule for back care. When you bend at the waist to lift, due to the leverage principal, the load is up to 10 times heavier than its actual weight. A "pot belly" puts extra, stressful weight on the spine.

7. Stretch and loosen up before work. Research has shown that trunk flexibility and mobility is significantly lower in the morning than later in the day, increasing the number and severity of back strains at this time. A few minutes of stretching can warm up cold stiff muscles and tendons and help you avoid an injury. All professional athletes know this-"industrial athletes" should too!

Source

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A Trip Down The Coast

The little boy and I tagged along to Mcj when he drove his brother down the coast to pick up the van. It was a long drive but it was all worth because of the scenery that we saw on the way and in the vicinity.

The place is so ideal for retirement (much like the Winter Park real estate) if you can afford the whooping price of the apartments that are close to the beach.

These apartments are overlooking the Pacific Ocean. How great is that?

Well, we enjoyed the view as much as the residents. But still it is too far that we don't see ourselves going down there again in the near future.

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Child-proofing

Child-proofing a house isn't easy especially if it has been an abode of grown-ups for a long time. You can't just make it very child-friendly, unless you overhaul your entire furniture and fixtures.
The little boy has a very active mind and is restless. Before, he was happy playing in the lounge. Now that he discovered he can get into more mischief in the kitchen, he plays run-away whenever he gets the chance. He loves the kitchen because of the cupboards that can try to open and pull everything in it out. Plus, the computer which CPU is just on the floor. He had managed to turn it off the other day just by pulling the cords (we just use ordinary ones not HDMI).

You can't just leave him playing around the house un-attended even for five ups.

Playpen is an option and he already got one but he doesn't like being caged. And who does, anyway?

What he needs is somewhat like this. Hummmm.

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Adobong Sitaw

I saw a bundle snake beans in the shop last week and I instantly miss adobong sitaw. I was really hungry then and all I can think of while shopping was that dish. Funny eh!

The next day, I cook it for lunch with rice. I wasn't disappointed with my cooking. I loved it. It just tasted like my mother's. It was yummy! It was my lunch for two days (with rice of course).
This is a purely vegetarian dish. I didn't put any mince meat.

I looked for the beans in the shop again last time we shop and I didn't see any. I should have bought two bundles then. :)

I am constantly looking out for vegies that can be cooked simply (Pinoy dish). Maybe, next time I'll go for eggplant.

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I Went Shopping

Now, that I have a paypal account I love shopping online. Actually, that's the reason why I can shop from home. Mcj is reluctant to give credit card details online, hence I can't pay through it.

Anyway, paypal partners here have lots of promotions.. free shipping, discounts, etc. And these gimmicks lure me to shop. Just recently, I've been checking up jewellery, earrings (the site doesn't have gold anklet, by the way) particularly. I don't need a pair, just love to have another pair and style. Yet, I didn't found any that tickles my fancy. I completely forgot about it, instead shopped for watch the following day. It was delivered the other day, found out it is way too big for me so I am donating it to Mcj. :)

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Rocking Horse or Trampouline

Since Christmas last year, we've been planning on buying the little boy a rocking horse. But because he is still a little boy, we reckon it wouldn't be a good idea yet. But I know he will surely love it - he loves rocking by the way. Plus it won't cost anymore money as it doesn't really need saddles, good on Mum and Dad.

Recently, Mcj thought of buying a trampouline because he also loves bouncing. Now, that's a bit out of his age for now. Well, Christmas is still far away.

Not that we are waiting for Christmas to buy him gifts. It's just that special occasions need special gifts, don't you think?

But it is best to think toys that will keep him fit at the same time educational.

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Chicken and Vegetable Soup

When it is cold, sipping a hot coffee or tea or chocolate is heavenly. I thought, I don't want to drink coffee anymore but when the temperature dropped, I started drinking coffee again. It makes me feel warmer even for just a few minutes.

Well, I also made soup one day. Chicken and vegetable soup. The photo doesn't look yummy - because I took it in my half eaten bowl, but it sure tasted yummy.

Ingredients: Chicken, celery, carrot, choco, green peas, seasoning.

Cooking it was very straightforward. Boil the chicken and when it was soft take it off the broth and flake it when it is cool. Put the broth back to the stove, add the veggies and seasoning and the chicken and cook until soft. It is nice though when the green peas are well cooked, thickening the soup. I guess that's the secret of some yummy soup.

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Hospital Cover

I just recently received a letter from the department of health and ageing. It was about me entitled to apply for a medicare plus it also discussed about the scheme of private healthy insurance with hospital cover. You see, there is this new law that residents of more than 30 years old without private hospital cover will pay 2% premium on top of the current hospital cover fee for the years that they didn't have the private health insurance. Hence they encourage the people to take out private health insurance while they're still 30 to avoid this extra fees. The government is subsidising part of the private health insurance hence we get 30% rebates. The good thing about this news is, we already have a family life insurance as well as health. True, we don't get to see the value of our money but thank God for it. We are healthy. But time will come that we would be thankful we have this insurance. You wouldn't really know when you need it.

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Breast Cancer Awareness

This is one of the most worthwhile tags I've ever received. Thanks for this, sis.

Everyone is reminded to – help spread the awareness on the ‘Breast Cancer Awareness’ month of June. Please help convey the importance of regular examination and early detection of breast cancer in order to catch this disease when it first erupts, maximizing the chance of survival and recovery.

Each blogger or non-blogger can help the lives of many women by spreading the word about The Breast Cancer Site. If The Breast Cancer Site receives 8 million clicks on the pink button in June, their premier sponsor -Bare Necessities- will donate $10,000 for more free mammograms. CLICK the pink button today!

Wirelessbliss, Leah, Joy and Yums, could help spread the word please.

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Storing Food

Here are some tips on storing food:

• Don't keep packets of bacon flat in the fridge. If you roll them up and store them that way, the rashers won't stick together.
• If you put two sugar lumps in the biscuit tin, they absorb moisture and keep your biscuits nice and crisp.
• To keep bread fresher for longer, put a stick of celery in the bread bin. Renew it once a week (or as soon as it starts to go brown and limp) and you need never have stale bread again.
• To keep carrots moist cut the top off before you store them.
• Don't keep cheese in its plastic wrapping. As soon as you can, take it from the pack and wrap it in foil. This stops it from getting sweaty.

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