My neighbor and I were looking for projects that we could do that would occupy the long winter months as well as provide a service to the community. We both enjoy sewing and beading so we were hoping that we could find projects that would incorporate one or both of these activities. We contacted the local nursing home and asked if they were in need of anything that we could make. We were told that many of the residents have poor circulation so they are often cold. This is especially true for the residents that are confined to wheelchairs. Many of them are covered with lap blankets throughout the day. The staff suggested that we could make lap quilts for the residents. The staff gave us the size for the lap quilts so that they would not get caught in the wheels of the chairs.

The lap quilts were a perfect project. They were small enough that they could be completed rather quickly and were also portable so we could get together at each other homes and bring our lap quilts along. I had several pieces of fabric from past quilting projects, so I decided to make a crazy quilt pattern for the tops of the first two lap quilts. I pieced together the fabric pieces in random patterns. I then bought a complementary fabric for the back of the quilt and a soft batting to place in the middle. After I had the top completed I pieced the top, batting and bottom together and traced a simple quilting design on the top of the quilt. I then used an embroidery hoop to keep the fabrics together and began hand quilting along the traced design. The lap quilts are a great size to work with because they are compact to have on your lap as you are sewing.

When I had my lap quilts together I called my neighbor to see how she was doing with her project. She said that she did not have supplies at home and that she would be going to the fabric store the next day to make her purchases. When we woke up the next morning there was a foot of snow on the ground and the wind was causing white out conditions. There was a no travel advisory out for the area. During a lull in the storm our door bell rang. The neighbors had walked over to get some fresh air. I had been hand sewing one of the lap quilts and had the other basted and ready to go. My neighbor asked if she could start working on this quilt to have something to do on the long winter afternoon. It was a great way to spend a snowy day. My husband built a fire in the fireplace and the guys played cribbage as we worked on the lap quilts. Once the hand sewing is completed I will place a solid color binding along the edge to complete the projects for the nursing home.

The common cold is something that we all have to deal with at least a few times a year. If you are lucky, you will only get one or two per year, or perhaps the ones you get will be very mild. I know that I am lucky in that respect, but there are occasions when a cold gets the best of me. My daughter has been very fortunate as well, as her colds are often very quick and they aren’t very nasty. I know we are the exception and I also know that once in a while a cold comes along that knocks just about everyone from their feet.

A common cold is far from common. Each time you get one you are getting a different one. The same cold cannot be passed back to you. If you were sick, and then your family got sick, and then you got sick again, you are not getting the same cold back. Once your body gets rid of a cold, you are immune to that particular strain. If you come down with the common cold again, it is not the same one you had the first time. Sadly, there seems to be no end to the colds going around and getting one right after getting over another can easily happen.

There is nothing you can do to get rid of the common cold, but you can help with the symptoms. There are many medications out there that deal with the symptoms. When you have the common cold, you are dealing with any number of symptoms that are truly dreadful. You can buy medications to get rid of all of them or just the few that seem to be bothering you the most. Some refuse to take medications because they think they are stopping the cold from running it’s course. I don’t know if that is true, but I do know that when you can’t breath, you have to take something.

The common cold is not common in the sense that it can lead to more. Those who do not take care of themselves when they have a cold can end up with pneumonia or bronchitis. The cold may even be the beginnings of one of those two things. You may have what you think is a common cold, but you do not seem to be getting better after a week or two, you should go in to see your doctor to make sure something more serious is not going on. If you have something more, you want to take care of it as soon as you can.

For a long time, when people wanted to get an unusual and very cool gift for someone, they went online and bought the opportunity to name a star. This is a great gift, but you have to remember one thing. You can name a star and you can pay for it, but you should know that it is a novelty gift only. This is much like paying to ‘own’ land on the moon. You really don’t own it and you really don’t have the rights to name the star, but it sure sounds like fun.

When you name a star, you are usually charged a fee for the opportunity. There are many places out there that do this for you, and you usually get documentation. What they can’t promise is that they aren’t selling the rights to name the same star to someone else, and that they can even offer you this service. You should look into where the money is going that you pay when you name a star. Is it going for a good cause, or is it perhaps just going into someone’s pocket?

That doesn’t mean you can’t name a star, and it is a neat gift to get from someone. As long as you know it’s not really a real thing and as long as you realize you aren’t really paying to have a star officially named after someone. I’m sure there is a directory somewhere with the official names of stars, but your name won’t be included. When you name a star, you are given the information about that star, if there is any, and also the exact position in the sky to view it through a telescope on a clear night. You may be given certificates to give to the namesake and these can be framed and hung on the wall.

Perhaps one of the best things you can do for someone who has suffered a recent loss is to name a star in their honor and present the paperwork to the family. You should probably explain that it’s not official, but it is something they can view each night in the sky to remember and honor their loved one. You may also want to name a star when you lose a beloved pet to keep their memory alive. This may help you with some of your grief, and that might be worth the asking price alone.

Teenage girls and women across the world with scowl at me for saying this, but someone has to step up to the plate and tell it like it is. The world could and possibly even should do without the standard shopping mall. There, the cat’s out of the bag. Like it or not, it had to be said. So here comes the good part. Call it the big explanation. You surely want to know why I make such a bold and unrelenting statement. Hey, there are plenty of reasons and I’m about to smack to in the face with three big ones. Are y’all ready for this?

The first reason is gargantuan. Due to Internet availability, the standard local shopping mall is no longer needed. Virtually anything you can fathom is found in cyberspace. Much more than you’ll ever spot in a shopping mall of any size. The Internet is immeasurable. It can hold products galore and it does so on a daily basis. And since every individual on the planet has a personal computer, they typically have web access as well. They can hop online in two shakes of a lamb’s tail, and have their shopping done in minutes. It’s all about convenience here. Whereas with a shopping mall, one would have to drive there, search for a parking space and then battle an aggressive crowd. YUCK!

Then there’s the second reason folks should avoid the shopping mall. The prices are RETAIL! Who in the world wants to pay retail price anymore? You can order the same merchandise on the web for up to 50 percent off. It makes no sense to pay RETAIL! And finally, the holiday season is a key time frame. This has got to be that absolute worst time to head out to a shopping mall. People are insane this time of the year and no one is interested in giving or sharing. They want what they want and they’ll fight for the last one. It’s absurd!

As you may have already noticed, I’m not a huge fan of the traditional shopping mall. It’s packed with people and it’s inconvenient overall. I much prefer lounging on my bed or sofa with a Mac at hand. This way I can save gas, find EXACTLY what I’m looking for, pay less and be done in minutes, as opposed to hours. You may want to give this concept a shot as well. It’s addictive.

As every child who has fought a duel with a flashing lightsabre knows, you can’t have more fun than with space toys. TV show and movies offer lots of opportunities to adults too.  We call them models or collectibles! Since George Lucas practically invented the concept of movie tie-in merchandise, it has been just as important to the producers as ticket sales, if not more so. The most successful of the science fiction franchises is Star Wars and Star Trek. Long may they battle.

Both have a range of action figures, space vehicles and trading cards. There are also beautifully made chess sets. Star Wars covers the classic space toys from the original trilogy together with the recent prequels. It’s successfully entertained two generations. Dad and junior can fight it out as Hans Solo and Anakin Skywalker. Original toys from the 1970s in good condition with the box intact may be worth quite a bit of money. As each film comes out, the collection grows. There are figures of Jedi Knights, Chewie, Yoda, Luke Skywalker and a Tusken Raider.  You can own the lightsabre belonging to Darth Vadar or Obi-Wan Kenobi and the Emperor Palpatine’s staff. There are various vehicles such as a Jedi Starfighter, a Snowspeeder and Luke Skywalker’s Imperial Chopper.

Star Trek developed a cult following in the 1960s and fans were heartbroken when the original TV series was cancelled. The franchise was saved when movies and more Trek shows followed. Star Trek: The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager and Star Trek: Enterprise have continued creator Gene Roddenbury’s vision. This has given fans a lot of space toys to collect. Various models of the Starship Enterprise have appeared over the years. Another favorite is the Klingon Bird of Prey and the Borg Cube. The captains all appear in action figure form -  the original Captain Pike, Captains Kirk, Picard, Janeway and Archer. Mr. Spock, Worf and Data are also popular. Captain Jean Luc Picard also appears as Locutus from the episode where he morphs into one of the Borg. One of the more bizarre space toys is the little, furry pet known as Tribbles. These animals had their own storyline in an episode from the first Star Trek series, called The Trouble with Tribbles. They caused a lot of trouble indeed, as they would not stop breeding. Hopefully the replicas for sale don’t present the same problem, although it might be safer just to own one of them.

Whenever someone asks me what to get my daughter for a holiday or special occasion, I tell them to please not get her anymore stuffed toys. No matter how many times I ask people to not increase her stuffed toys population, they still get them for her.  Every single one of her stuffed animals is incredibly cute, I will admit that.  These stuffed toys have taken over her room and spilled out into other rooms as well. In fact, my husband and I have ended up with stuffed animals taking naps on our bed during the day just because there isn’t anymore room in her room. We’ve gone through her room numerous times and gotten rid of any animals that she thinks that she’s outgrown or doesn’t want anymore. Though I cannot say that has been successful. She comes up with a reason that she’s attached to every single one of those darned stuffed toys.

Every night, a different one has won her heart and she falls asleep clutching it. She has parties with her stuffed animals, plays doctor, takes them outside with her - everything imaginable. In that manner, I cannot say that they haven’t been worth the money.  But, she’s only four years old and I fear that the stuffed toys will continue to reproduce and take over our home.

While stuffed toys are wonderful for kids, and sometimes adults, to form bonds with and snuggle under the covers, there are lots of other toys out there that would be wonderful gifts or items for children.  Anytime that the imagination is being used and creative juices are flowing, it is educational and great for the children. My daughter has become much more interested in “pretending” since she’s started to have a population of stuffed toys explode. Some of her stuffed toys have seen some pretty rough moments. Her favorite stuffed dog from her infant years was covered in bodily functions more times than I can count. Thank goodness for washable stuffed animals and stain remover!

You can buy stuffed toys and animals almost anywhere you find yourself wandering in the world, but some people only go for the brand name. I must say that Gund has definitely held up wonderfully for our household. I am a bit more likely to buy a Gund than something generic, but that is just my opinion. Honestly, I’d rather just be able to see my daughter’s entire room again - free from stuffed toys!

When my pretty and petite colleague brought an air purifier to office one day, I was more than touched. You know the kind. It is one of those electrical air purifiers that has a motor that turns a little blade within it. You pour in the essence into a bowl with water, set the cap topped with the pump and viola! It goes buzzing away, steadily purifying the air in the entire room.

During lunch, I managed to muster up the courage to go to my colleague’s cubicle to ask her where she picked up the nifty air purifier. As I was walking towards her, she turned, took one horrified look at me and instantly turned to the air purifier to increase the concentration of the lavender essence in it. I almost stopped dead in my tracks. Here I was thinking that she wanted to be more appealing or something, which is why she got the air purifier.  All the time she was trying to get rid of my stench.

Not that I am a stinky person by any standards! Of course in the hot season, I sweat as much as the other man. Or woman. But that was no reason to be so condescending about it, was there. Well, to continue to sordid saga, I continued as though as I hadn’t noticed at all and instantly resolved to buy myself some deodorant. And maybe some breath mints for good measure.

Despite my absolute revulsion towards the air purifier from that day onwards, I must admit that I began to notice a lot more about my colleague. For one thing, the scent of the air purifier reflected her moods. Whenever she was happy and the whole world seemed joyous, she would have a heady citric scent running. And when she was morose and wanted to kill the boss, it would be lavender.  The very thought of that hurt each time I smelt it!  And when she was in one of those vague moods, the scent too would be vague. I later discovered that it was some sort of oriental concoction that included ginseng and a whole lot of who knows what else!

Anyways, to turn a long story short, my air purifier colleague too started noticing that there was a distinct deodorant smell about me. And from a scared and horrified look, she started giving me a weak smile sometimes. And soon, we were going out. Irregularly at first, but more frequently later. All thanks to a humble air purifier.