Chatbug Karen

Cook for the Cure® is presented by Kitchen Aid. It gives those with a passion for cooking, unlike me, to support the breast cancer movement. I can start cooking to support this endeavor! I don’t have like to cook and I don’t have to like breast cancer.

Susan G. Komen for the Cure® was founded in 1982 when Nancy G. Brinker promised her dying sister, Susan, she would do everything in her power to end breast cancer. Today, with more than $1 billion invested, it’s the world’s largest source of non-profit funds dedicated to the cause.

What can you do to help? I have been inspired by those tv stands who encourage us to start a race for the cure team. Whether you are a golfer, a bowler, a chef or a runner, you can contribute to the fight against breast cancer 365 days a year. By participating in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure®, the most successful charity event ever created, you will experience an event that has changed the way the world views breast cancer. You can make a difference as you celebrate survivorship, honor those who have lost their battle, and most importantly, raise funds and awareness for the fight against this life threatening disease. Join the fight where you live, work and play.

Go to Find an Event to see what is happening in your neck of the woods.

My son and his fiance brought me a bulb at Christmas time. I have been trying to remember the name of it. I could think of Fentraphen or armopin but those names didn’t sound quite right. I finally asked my son and, thankfully, he remembered. It is an Amaryllis. My mom has had Amaryllis plants but I have never really known much about them. They looked like this big huge bulb sitting in a pot of dirt. I wondered what I was going to do with this thing.

I sat it in a window sill and pretty much forgot about the poor thing. I did give it a little water every few weeks. I knew not to over water it because I take care of my mom’s plants while she is gone for the winter. Here is what my Amaryllis looks like today!

Oh my gosh! Look at all those lady bugs that have invaded again. (I keep sucking them up in my vacuum cleaner).

I found the following information at Amaryllis.com:

Quick Tips:

* Planting Period: October until the end of April.
* Flowering Period: Late December until the end of June.
* Flowering time is 7-10 weeks.
* Larger bulbs produce more flowers.
* Always store un-planted bulbs in a cool place between 40-50 deg. F.

Amaryllis-One of a Kind
Of all flowering bulbs, amaryllis are the easiest to bring to bloom. they haven’t meet me, Miss Brown Thumb This can be accomplished indoors or out, and over an extended period of time. The amaryllis originated in South America’s tropical regions and has the botanical name Hippeastrum. The large flowers and ease with which they can be brought to bloom make amaryllis popular and in demand worldwide. The amaryllis comes in many beautiful varieties including various shades of red, white, pink, salmon and orange. There are also many striped and multicolored varieties, usually combining shades of pink or red with white.

Preparation for Planting

The base and roots of the bulb should be placed in lukewarm water for a few hours. Remember, if you cannot plant the bulbs immediately after receiving them, store them at a cool temperature between 40-50 degrees F. Ooops! I didn’t do this.

Planting

Plant bulbs in a nutritious potting compost, many are available pre-mixed. Plant the bulb up to its neck in the potting compost, being careful not to damage the roots. Press the soil down firmly to set the bulb securely in place after planting.

I just finished another bag. Each one is turning out different than the last. That’s ok though. I don’t want my style to become rubber stamped as one certain bag. I love making these bags though. The inside of each one is different depending on my mood. This one has 6 pockets and a velcro closure on the biggest pocket. It has a magnetic snap closure. I am going to have to figure out where I bought this fabric because I might have to make one of these for myself!

I have been working on updating this blog and making purses for a gal who thinks she may have them sold. I am torn between typing and sewing! I ran to town to get some ribbon to finish one of the bags. Can you believe, I didn’t have any navy ribbon?

While I was driving, I had my favorite country station on and was listening to a gospel song. I thought it was strange that they were playing gospel music on a weekday, especially since the group singing wasn’t country. I discovered that one of my favorite dj’s had passed away. There are no types of life insurance that can keep us on this earth, no matter how special we are. This man was instrumental in a program called We Care. We Care is an organization that has raised millions of dollars to help people in need. It is a tradition in our community to listen to the We Care auction that is held just before Thanksgiving each year. Car giveaways, We Care cookbooks, candles and other items are sold to raise funds for this cause.

Nearly 5 years ago, the man who had the inspiration to start We Care, Dick Bronson, passed away. We Care began 35 years ago when a laid-off auto worker called WWKI disc jockey Dick Bronson and asked him how he was supposed to provide Christmas for his family. Within an hour, more than $1,000 in cash, plus food, toys and clothing were sent to the radio station, donated by listeners. The unemployed man had his Christmas and so did other families in the community. Also instrumental in producing We Care through the radio station was the head of the radio stations production team, Jan Benston. She died a while back and now Charlie Cropper is gone. Radio listeners will miss him very much.

It makes me sick. Did you hear about the judges in Pennsylvania who were getting kickbacks when they sentenced kids to jail? Judges who are to be held in high esteem, have sunk to the lowest place when they sat at their office furniture and sentenced kids, who had done petty things, to jail. One girl had mocked the assistant principal on a MySpace page. For that, the 15 year old was sent to a wilderness camp.

It appears that the centers like the wilderness camp, boarding schools and detention centers make money according to the amount of people held there. They need bodies or they don’t make money.

Matthew 5:19 condemns those who preach the commandments but do not uphold them, i.e. hypocrites.

Once again, it is time for the Academy Awards. I will try not to drool too much this year as I watch yummy Hugh Jackman hosting.

Here are my picks for this year’s Academy Awards:

Best Picture: Slumdog Millionaire

Best Actor: Brad Pitt for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Best Actress: Angelina Jolie the Changeling

Best Supporting Actor: not sure The only one that I could find who is nominated is Heath Ledger.

Best Supporting Actress: Marisa Tomei in The Wrestler

The media will not stop their ranting about the economy. We need to look to the bright side and know that there are great jobs available if you take the proper steps to plan your education. If you are anticipating a career change, the medical field is one of the best places to be for steady employment.

ST. Xavier’s MS Nursing program (Master of Science in Nursing) is available to persons holding a bachelor’s degree. Their courses offer online classes combined with one weekend of hands on campus experience. This makes a MS nursing degree attainable for those who may not be able to attend classes full time at a physical location.

Experienced instructors who are interested in your success are at ST. Xavier. No matter what field of work you are in now, the medical field is one you will find as a challenging and rewarding one. Get started on your new career by contacting ST. Xavier’s.

Last year I told you about the Betty Crocker Share the Love Sweepstakes. I am thrilled to say they are offering it again this year! The Grand Prize is $1000!! $500 for you and $500 to share. What would you do with $500? Hire a Mesothelioma lawyer? Put a remote starter on your car? The possibilities are endless.

Sponsored by Betty Crocker’s Warm Delights, this is the time for you to relax, unwind and share the love. You can enter daily so be sure to write this down on your day planner. Enter each day at http://www.bakelifesweeter.com/sharethelove. You must subscribe to the Betty Crocker email newsletter to enter the sweepstakes.

Sweepstakes begins at 12:01 P.M. (central time) on February 3, 2009 and ends at 11:59 A.M. (central time) on March 3, 2009. Each daily entry in the Share the Love Sweepstakes will be automatically included in the drawing for the grand prize. You can read the official rules at the website.

While at the Betty Crocker website, sign up for the Betty Crocker Newsletter, Dinner Made Easy Newsletter, and the Bisquick® Newsletter. You will enjoy receiving new recipes and helpful hints from Betty Crocker.

How many phone chargers do you have laying around your house? We have a drawer full of them. The stupid cords get entangled in each other so when you want to charge your phone, you have to do a mind boggling Houdini act to separate them. No wonder my phone’s battery runs down all the time!

Leading mobile phone makers had good news for anyone with a drawer or cupboard full of used birthday candles, playstation 3 games, and old phone chargers on Tuesday: the industry plans to standardize the device to make a one-size-fits-all. Woo hoo! It is about time!

In a move set to reduce waste and increase convenience, 17 leading handset makers and operators including Nokia, Samsung and Motorola said they would move towards adopting a small USB charger as the standard across all models. The GSMA listed the leading groups in its initiative as 3 Group, AT&T, KTF, LG, mobilkom austria, Motorola, Nokia, Orange, Qualcomm, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, Telecom Italia, Telefonica, Telenor, Telstra, T-Mobile and Vodafone.

This is terrific news for consumers as well as for those of us trying to keep our earth green.

Wow! One of my favorite blogs, The Pioneer Woman, was listed as one of the top 25 blogs for 2009 at Time.com. What an honor Ree has received. Congratulations to her.


I noticed that Michael Arrington’s TechCrunch was listed as one of the 5 most overrated blogs for 2009. The comment was made that during the rise of Silicon Valley’s movers and shakers, TechCrunch was important. Apparently, Time.online feels TechCrunch has run its course. Irrelevant was the word used to describe the blog. Are there any opening for promoters for Vegas vacations? Do you think that Arrington is interested in getting back into law?