See full article at:http://fci.org/new-site/par-tragic-events.html

"When I was a boy and  I would see scary things in
the news, my mother would say to me, "Look for  the helpers. You will
always find people who are helping." To this day,  especially in times
of "disaster," I remember my mother's words and I  am always comforted
by realizing that there are still so many helpers – so many  caring
people in this world." 

Fred Rogers

In times of community or  world-wide crisis, it's easy to assume
that young children don't know what's  going on. But one thing's for
sure -- children are very sensitive to how their  parents feel. They're
keenly aware of the expressions on their parents' faces  and the tone of
their voices. Children can sense when their parents are really 
worried, whether they're watching the news or talking about it with
others. No  matter what children know about a “crisis,” it’s especially
scary for children  to realize that their parents are scared.

See full article at:http://fci.org/new-site/par-tragic-events.html

I've done this in past Christmas seasons and I can tell you it is so much fun.  Wheter you decide to donate for disaster victims or those in need close to home, its something you dont forget.  Here is a video about the project and a website to find who needs your help  ~Lisa

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

http://beanelf.org/

It had to happen  LOL...  (these are good ones too!)

So, there is an artist who sculpted this little Prince Doll.  He called it "Le Petit Prince" (see post in August).  He did an amazing job and would photograph the little doll in poses of the record covers.  I LOVED this and asked the guy if he was selling them and no, he wasnt.  But I guess the demand got overwhelming and he started selling calendars of the PHOTOS of the DOLL.(one doll, not a whole bunch mass-marketed)

You know Prince, he's not having it.  A Cease and Desist was ordered.

Now, I get 100 percent , that he has the legal right and I believe that artists should control their image, but this was clearly an artistic labor of love inspired by Prince.  I just think he could have handled it differently instead of demanding the whole website come down...

Full story and pix here... (cause I cant post the pictures or Prince will get mad  grrrr)

http://therapup.net/2012/11/artist-troy-guas-le-petit-prince-thwarted-by-the-big-prince/

There are a couple of websites I find myself going back to year after year.  The first one,,,you may be familiar with their "Turkey Hotline" 

If you are in the middle of things, and need some assitance, you can always call 1-800-Butterball and they will walk you through it.

They have videos that show you how to roast, baste and slice.  Plus their FAQ's include questions about where to stick the thermometer,,, (not in any part of your irritating relatives anatomy, just so you know...)


I use this next one year round, but they are especially helpful for side dishes you might only make once a year so you can't remember a certain ingredient.  I like the recipe reviews people give, because they tell how it worked, how difficult it was and how they might have modified the recipe. (Click the logo to go to their webpage)

Lots of great dessert recipes here as well.  (Though Renel's Peach Cobbler recipe is not here,,,maybe we can get her to post it on the site before Christmas!  :)  )    I tried a Sweet Potato Pie with rum in it,,and I adjusted the rum upward...it was a little strong but gooood!

(I wrote this a few years back and I like to reflect on it...)

For the last two weeks I've been fighting being sick.  Last night when I got off the air, I knew I had to do something about it as it was getting hard to catch my breath after I coughed (have you ever felt like you had Rice Krispies in your lungs? I just pictured those little guys from the cereal box pouring milk).   I didn't want to overreact (and seriously I had a pie to bake and dinner to prep), so I called the advice nurse and she said to go to the ER.

It's 1am.  Lots of people but none of the anticipated Thanksgiving injuries that would likely come in later in the day(carve the turkey and your finger too or fights that break out between brothers after too much beer and football). An assortment of tired looking people trying to rest in sharp contrast to their small children who banded together to play a game of hide and seek under the chairs.  One little boy was excitedly animated and commanded everyone's attention, explaining something to his Dad in Vietnamese about a car(?) ( I'm guessing from the sound effects). Another little girl was the star in her own concert.  They were completely, happily, self-centeredly unaware of anything but their own worlds.

I spent a couple of hours watching the people, guessing why they might be here in the middle of the night  and trying not to be frustrated by the time passing when finally (though I know it was actually quick in an ER) I was called in.   I got to put on one of those lovely gowns, get my lungs x-rayed, and was told basically I'm at the start of pneumonia which can be fixed if I rest(I'm a MOM!!!  I've got Thanksgiving dinner to fix!!!  REST???) take some meds etc.   I just need to stay a while to make sure I don't have a reaction to the one they just gave me.

As I wait, I glance over at the patients in the other two beds.  The woman next to me has the same illness I have but she was in her 70's I think and needed to stay.  She was sweet.  "Oh you don't have to check me in" she says, "I can go home. Save the bed for someone who needs it". Then she fell asleep.  The man a couple of beds over had been having some problem with a foot injury he just never had looked at and it had gotten bad.  He was also older.  I recognized his cough from the waiting room.  He was disheveled(like most at this time of night), a bit reserved and didn't look around much but did offer a polite head nod  when we both coughed at the same time. (we're all in this together now, right?)

The nurse came in to give him instructions.  He was going to be discharged, needed to take a couple of meds and needed to stay off the foot for a bit. 
"Do you have any questions?" asked the nurse.
"Yes" the man spoke quietly, "Do you think I could stay in the waiting room for a while, I mean maybe until just 5 am?" 
The nurse asked him to clarify.
"Well, if I leave, I'll just be walking on this foot all night..." his voice trailed off.  
The nurse was quick to say it was completely fine.  The man then had one more question.
"Do you think if I stay, I could have a couple of crackers, just a couple?"
"Of course" the nurse said. 


Wow, a slap of reality that I had NOTHING to complain about here tonight. Then the nurse came to me to give me my directions.

As I gathered my things I thought about how maybe I could at least give him some money before I left.  I didn't know what I even had with me.  I got dressed, signed papers, signed out with security(lots of things go on in hospitals at night) and was ushered out a completely different door then I originally came in.  I came back in the other way but I didn't see the man again.  Then I decided to go ahead and leave.

Was it still hard to drive around in my car looking for a pharmacy at that time of night for meds I HAD to have while coughing my brains out? Yes.   Was I annoyed by (and admittedly a bit nervous about) the "street pharmacists" who got too damn close to me when I finally found one and was on my way in?  Yes.   Was my whole entire Thanksgiving schedule off now?  Yes. 

Was I walking around in the middle of the cold night on Thanksgiving with an injured foot, no place to rest and not even crackers to eat?  No. Thankfully, no.

I've never been the type to measure the need for gratitude against whether I have more or less than someone else.   There are shares of blessings and challenges in life for everyone.  Last night though I think I went beyond gratitude for what I have and the lingering feeling is guilt. Guilt that I have what he doesn't.   Now, I know that I don't know his story, how he got there, what choices he made but I feel like I should have done something to fix that imbalance.
 
Most of us don't get the chance to change the world in a big way but we are presented with smaller ways to make things better often.  I think I failed the challenge/opportunity last night and I'm going to wrestle with this for a while.

I'm following Dr.'s orders(mostly)  got Thanksgiving dinner on the table and a show on the air.  I am grateful for those things...

  The rest I will try and do better.