“The red and white and starry blue is freedom’s shield and hope.” -John Philip Sousa
According to Consumer Reports, there’s no nutritional difference between cage-free eggs and others. Cage-free means that hens weren’t raised in a cage, but there’s no guarantee that they weren’t packed into a building with thousands of other birds. If you’ve never bought eggs from a local farmer, you’d be surprised at how tasty they are and you might even save a little money.
This is the time of year when some of us will do a little touch-up painting around the house. We might even decide to paint a room or two. It just might be one of those things on the “Honey-Do” list. There was a time when this task was quite time consuming, because you needed to to put a primer-coat on the walls first. Check with your paint store and you’ll discover that paints have improved over the years to the point where you no longer need to put on a primer. The best-hiding paints can cover even the darkest colors with only one coat. Check with a professional painter. He/She might have some pretty good ideas on how to save money.
Even a loaf of bread can be a bit pricey. The days of buying a loaf of bread for eight cents are long gone. Research has shown that white bread is not the best for you when it comes to nutritional value. For breakfast, I enjoy Sour Dough toast and I don’t really care how good it is for me, I just enjoy the taste. Whole wheat bread is pretty good for you, but it’s a good idea to check the label before you buy. A bread made with whole wheat will contain some whole wheat flour, but the term is not regulated, so there’s no set amount. What you should do is look for the label that says “100% whole wheat” or “100% whole grain”. Either one means that all the grains in the bread are good-for-you whole grains. It also means that the bread has no refined flour.
If you would like to feel better about yourself, here are five things you might try:
Compliment three people every day.
Watch a sunrise at least once a year.
Be the first to say “Hello”.
Live beneath your means.
Treat everyone like you want to be treated.
If you’re in the market for a new car or truck, I wish you much luck. There are plenty of cars on a dealer’s lot, but you might need to order one, if you want a few of the extras. Most cars come with plenty of bells and whistles as standard equipment. On my car, there is a device that shuts my engine off if I hold the brake down for more than a few seconds. This is supposed to save gas when you are waiting at a railroad crossing, or for a long traffic light. I always disengage this device, because I don’t want to put wear on the engine starter. My wife disagrees with me on this issue. Here are a few items you can get that will help your car keep you safe:
- Forward Collision Warning. Your car can detect another car or other obstacle ahead, and depending on your speed and distance will warn you with a distinct warning.
- Blind Spot Warning. This alerts you to a potential crash when changing lanes. In most cases, this is just a warning light. It’s suggested that you should constantly check all your mirrors.
- Rear Occupant Alert. This senses when a passenger is still in the car and gives you a warning. This is especially important when transporting children or pets.
S H A L O M!
Norm Stutesman lives in Three Rivers. He receives mail at P.O. Box 103 in Three Rivers.
