Brigita's Blog: May 2009

Flowers in a home adds a nice touch. 

If you are considering selling your home, holding open houses, or just want to liven up your home, consider adding fresh flower arrangements around the house.

You might say, "That's great, but cut flowers don't last long." 

Here are a few tips to help your cut flowers last longer:

-  Cut your flowers in the early morning or late afternoon when they are least stressed.  Then get them into water as soon as possible.

-  Store them in a cool, dark place for a few hours before arranging them.

-  As you add flowers and greenery to your arrangementt, cut the stems at the bottom at an angle.  This way, when the flowers are standing upright, they can still get all the water they need.

Not only do flowers add a nice touch to the indoors, but also to the exterior of your home.  So plant some flowers around your home, too.  It will make the place cheery, inviting and attractive.  Remember, you only have one chance to first impressions, so make them count.

To My Dear Friend the Dog:

Things here at the house are calmer now, and just to show you that I have no hard feelings towards you, I am sending you a picture, so you will always remember me.

Best regards,
The Cat

I attended a public meeting a few days ago, where I was approached by someone.  She came up to me saying:  "I know you!"

I looked at the woman.  I did not recognize her and had no clue who she was.

She then continued to say:  "I have been reading your blogs.  They're great!  It's nice to finally meet you in person."

It was so nice to hear that. 

So, here you have it!  Proof that the public does read blogs. 

If you are not currently blogging, it would be a great idea to start.  It gets you out in front of the consumers without paying mega bucks in advertising.

So, let's get those keyboards clicking away!

The other day I attended a luncheon meeting held by the Nazareth Area Chamber of Commerce.  It was a delicious lunch and met many interesting people there.

The guest speaker for the luncheon was a representative from a local newspaper.  He told us many interesting things.  Then came the question and answer period at the end of his presentation.

A few asked questions, including myself.  I was one of the last to ask. 

I had a few questions, one of which pertained to why the media reports a lot of negative news and very little on the positive.  He was an excellent speaker and his response did not answer my question.  He did happen to mention at one point that the negative news does not sell papers.  (Anyone believe that?)

My next question was why the media does not report news in the horse sports, excluding the Kentucky Derby.  (I hear about this a lot from fellow horse people.)  The speaker responded by saying that horse sports are a minority and they are unable to cover ALL sports.  If that is true, then how come the billiard championships and poker finals are covered?  They're a minority sport.  Horse sports are certainly more popular than billliards and poker. 

My last question was why aren't there stories written about the non-profit organizations that help the community, so that the public is informed that these organizations exist.  (The Lehigh Valley Animal Response Team is one.  Not many are aware that we exist.)  Response: They are mentioned when a story (meaning an emergency) occurs.  We need to inform the newspapers about the organization.  Well, there have been times I submitted an article and it was never published.  How will the public know we exist if the media does not inform them?  Isn't that what the media is supposed to do?  Inform the public?  Non-profit organizations have limited funds.  We try to get word out.  It would be nice if the media helped out.

I feel the media have the wrong attitude.  If they chenged their attitudes towards the type of reporting they do, maybe the public will change, too.  Just a thought.

Do you enjoy playing golf?  Well, here's an opportunity to play and to help out the Nazareth HS Golf Team at the same time.

This event will be held on June 7th, 2009, starting at 12:45PM at the Whitetail Golf Course.  Registration will be from 11:30AM to 12:15 PM.  The entry fee is $85, which includes:

• A golf cart
• Greens fee
• Range balls
• A beverage on the course
• A buffet dinner, dessers and beverages after the outing at the club.

There will be contests for men and women (closest to pin & longest drive) and games (raffle, pot of gold, plus more). 

Each player will receive a prize in addition to a free T-shirt.

Don't care to play or not your game?  Not a problem.  You can be a sponsor, instead.  Donations are also accepted.

Come on out on June 7th to help the Nazareth HS Golf Team.  It will be greatly appreciated.

Sunday after mass, I stopped to say hello to a woman that recently had a stroke.  I've known her for a few years and wanted to see how she was doing.  She was improving greatly.  She is able to get around with a cane and do almost everything she did before the stroke.

While visiting, she told me what happened that night. 

She was setting the table for dinner for her and her husband, when she lost feeling in her left arm and was unable to lift it.  She had an appointment the following day for a cat scan for a pinched nerve in her back.  Figuring that it was the pinched nerve that was to blame, she and her husband decided not to go to the emergency room that night and wait for the appointment the next morning.

Arriving at her appointment the next morning, the nurse noticed her limp arm and slurred speech and asked her about it.  The nurse recognized the symptoms as stroke and rushed her down to ER, where she was admitted into the hospital to be treated for the stroke.

During this woman's therapy, she was always in good spirits and had a great sense of humor about it.  Why?  What has happened you cannot change, so make the best of the situation. 

She continued intense therapy for 10 straight days, working hard at it.  Why?  She was scheduled to go on vacation in 2 weeks with her husband and she was determined to go no matter what.  Nothing was going to stop her.  She was making amazing progress.

A gentleman who also had a stroke recently, was next to her in therapy.  He, on the other hand, was down and just complaining.  He wasn't even trying.  The woman joked with him and perked him up.  He saw her progress.  The next day, this man started to work on his therapy.  He started improving.

Since this woman ended up helping the patients with her positive attitude, the hospital did not want to see her leave.  Even though she would have loved to help, she was leaving for vacation and nothing was going to stop her.

We can all take a lesson from this.  What this true story shows us is, even though there are things in life that we have no control over, we can still take control of our lives.  Life always throws us a curve ball and obstacles in our way.  It depends on how we deal with them as to what our future holds.  We in essence decide our fate.  We have to make the best of the current situation.  We need to be determined to change the outcome to a positive.

So, here you have it.  A positive attitude does make a difference.

Rios Brazilian Steakhouse is located in the center of Nazareth, PA.  Everytime you go by the restaurant it smells sooooo good.  This weekend, my husband and I decided to finally try it.

Here is our experience:

When we were seated at a table, the waiter took our drink order.  (All the employees happen to be Brazilian.)  I ordered a "Brazilian Lover".  I'm game for trying anything once.  We were then informed how you were served. 

You served yourself at the salad bar.  It had a huge assortment, hot and cold.  There were a variety of salads (green, beet salad, Brazilian potato, etc.) along with rice, baked Ziti, chicken lasagna, etc.  I sampled a little bit of the foods I have never had before.

Once you are seated after the salad bar, waiters come around to each table, with assorted meats on skewers.  It consisted of lamb, chicken, turkey, pork, sausage and steak.  All are barbequed on the charcoal grill, which you see when entering the restaurant.  I sampled a piece of each.  It was absolutely delicious.  We were also served garlic bread.  That was my favorite.  (I love garlic.)

You can have any or all of the meats offered.  The waiters just keep coming around until you tell them to stop.  It's an all you can eat place.  I must tell you, after sampling the different foods, we were stuffed.  We  had no room for a second round. 

We did mange to squeeze in dessert.  It was pineapple grilled with sugar and cinnamon on it.  Very tasty.  How could I say no to that?

It was a different experience but the food was good and filling.

When you go here, make sure you bring a huge appetite.

Ever wonder how you can tell who the horseperson is in the crowd.

Here are the signs:

-  They click or cluck to their kids when they want them to move.

-  Their nice clothes are the ones without horse hair on them.

-  They know why there is a yard of string on the end of a horse thermometer.

-  They have less wardrobe space than their horse.

-  They think nothing of eating a sandwich after mucking out a stall.

-  They are the ones stealing all the socks for tail bags.

-  They spend hundreds on a show, just to win a piece of ribbon.

Monday, May 25th is Memorial Day.  This is a day for us to remember our fellow men and women serving our country overseas, fighting and giving their lives for us and our freedoms.

With the sad news this past week about our young men keeping us safe, we must pray for them.  They are our national treasures.  God keep them.

Prayer:

"Lord, hold our troops in your loving hands. Protect them as they protect us.  Bless them and their families for the selfless acts they perform for us in our time of need.  Amen."

Prayer Request: When you read this, please stop for a moment and say a prayer for our troops around the world.

Of all the gifts you could give a Marine, Soldier, Sailor, Airman, & others deployed in harm's way, prayer is the very best one.

This weekend, while enjoying the extra day off, the picnics and the beginning of summer, remember our troops, for what they do for us.  Pray for God to keep watch over them and to return them home to us safely, so they may be able to enjoy life as we do.