themartianchick

Hi, Darlene & Dee! I visited a few days ago to look for some information, but didn't have time to post. I received your email this morning and I am also feeling some things tugging me in again. My life has been quite hectic in recent years and I haven't had much time to participate. I will visiting more frequently and taking a more active role as a poster. I am looking forward to seeing the changes that you envision, Darlene! (I still use your duck sausage recipe!)

I think that the industry is enjoying the confusion. I tend to look at the unit price rather than the price for the package to ensure that I'm getting the most for my money. Every brand seems to have a gimmick. I like Scott's and Wegman's store brand but I will buy other brands when they are a loss leader at the store or if I have a coupon.

Scrubbing the phone book pages would be an act of desperation for me. I have noticed in recent years that the toilet paper tends to be almost too soft. It makes a lot of lint when you use it. I'm sure that it is a cost-saving measure that the TP companies are taking advantage of!

Hi, Dogmom! I am still writing but not nearly as much as I'd like. I took the summer off from school and thought that I'd have more time to be creative. However, life intervened and there was a lot less free time than I'd imagined.

Hi, Jeepers! I only did my broadcast for about a year. The company had too many management changes and they kept making the broadcast requirements more difficult. It got to the point where I was spending an entire day editing and adding the commercials into the mix. It was fun while it lasted, though. I still use the equipment for some occasional voiceover work and stay connected to those other authors and emergency managers. One of them, Arthur Bradley PhD, was my inspiration to return to school. He is a NASA scientist who writes post-apocalyptic fiction and really good emergency manuals.

Hi, Annarchy! My hubby grabbed the remains of a 24 pack this morning and I made a mental note to buy 2 more! Old habits die hard and that is a habit that will be taken to the grave with me. There really is no such thing as too much TP!

Hi, MtRider! I have managed to rise to meet the challenges associated with math that doesn't involve money, but it isn't my strong suit! I've always been interested in flight and emergency preparedness. While most people take their first air flights in planes, my first was in a helicopter as part of a neighborhood watch demonstration of a medical evacuation. I didn't really know how to get into a career path for something like that without military service, so I never really explored it further. Besides, I discovered boys, tiny skirts and lots of hairspray soon after that. Aeronautical Science doesn't fit well with my other (non-science) degrees so I had to complete a lot of undergraduate work first, particularly in the field of unmanned systems (aka drones). It is my goal to combine my business, non-profit management and economic development skills to create programming and facilities that inspire younger, at-risk populations to major in STEM programs as a way to battle poverty and increase upward mobility. The catch is that I don't really want to work for anyone as an employee, so I will likely teach some online classes for a couple of colleges while I work on developing the programs. The backup plan would be to actually manage an aviation-based museum. That's the plan...Of course, I have to get through school first! I do hope to pop in for conversations more often...I miss this place!

They were so easy to raise, Amber. I'm still making plans to raise them on a larger scale once hubby and I get tired of traveling.

I am back in NY, Miki! It was so hard to leave Florida but the people who matter the most are in NY so I had to return. How about you? Are you back at home?

I just wanted to say hi to everyone, as I haven't stopped in to visit in a while. I spent a bit of time reading first to see what everyone has been up to. For those who are experiencing challenges right now, it is my sincere hope that things will turn around and that you will receive some measure of relief from your troubles. I still remember so many of you fondly (and interact with several of you on Facebook). It is so nice to see some new members participating, as well. My family and I have been doing well. My husband retired a couple of years ago and I've gone back to school to work on a Masters in Aeronautical Science. We've had a grand time traveling and I launched an economic development consulting company that mostly works with nonprofit agencies. As a result, some of my preparedness has slipped a bit because I no longer have any chickens and only a few quail on my little urban farm. Despite this, I can still point to many things that still help to keep my family prepared that I gained from this site. I still use the most fabulous apron (which was made by Violet) on a daily basis. From time to time, I make poultry sausage using a recipe that was shared by Darlene and often drink herbal tea from a Salt Flats mug that was the result of a Christmas gift exchange here. You ladies are awesome, even if I'm not here often enough to tell you all!

I just learned of Kim's passing on another forum. I was always so impressed with her can-do attitude and amazing work ethic. As she had shared some of her fears about Bethany's well-being, there was always the sense that she was in the process of working out a long-term care solution. She always approached everything in a matter-of-fact manner. It was as though nothing was too daunting to take on! I'm so glad that she was able to finish her work on earth and that she can now rest in peace, knowing that her daughter will be looked after. I'm sure that there is a special place in heaven for her!

I'd better whip up a little extra cake for all of these birthdays!!!

Here's an interesting article that discusses some of the differences between previous Ebola outbreaks ad the current one: Lack of Experience Fuels West Africa Ebola Crisis

http://www.samaritanspurse.org/article/dr-kent-brantly-statement/ Statement from Kent Brantly: " I am writing this update from my isolation room at Emory University Hospital, where the doctors and nurses are providing the very best care possible. I am growing stronger every day, and I thank God for His mercy as I have wrestled with this terrible disease. I also want to extend my deep and sincere thanks to all of you who have been praying for my recovery as well as for Nancy and for the people of Liberia and West Africa. My wife Amber and I, along with our two children, did not move to Liberia for the specific purpose of fighting Ebola. We went to Liberia because we believe God called us to serve Him at ELWA Hospital. One thing I have learned is that following God often leads us to unexpected places. When Ebola spread into Liberia, my usual hospital work turned more and more toward treating the increasing number of Ebola patients. I held the hands of countless individuals as this terrible disease took their lives away from them. I witnessed the horror first-hand, and I can still remember every face and name. When I started feeling ill on that Wednesday morning, I immediately isolated myself until the test confirmed my diagnosis three days later. When the result was positive, I remember a deep sense of peace that was beyond all understanding. God was reminding me of what He had taught me years ago, that He will give me everything I need to be faithful to Him. Now it is two weeks later, and I am in a totally different setting. My focus, however, remains the same - to follow God. As you continue to pray for Nancy and me, yes, please pray for our recovery. More importantly, pray that we would be faithful to God’s call on our lives in these new circumstances " #kickebolaoutofafrica

While additional aid is starting to arrive in Liberia, one of the issues that my friend spoke of was the fact that so many supplies have been diverted as aid groups have canceled their plans for mission trips to Ebola-stricken areas. I don't blame church and humanitarian groups for not wanting to put their people at risk for disease, but too often, the supplies that they were going to bring with them are not being sent on, alone. The supplies are desperately needed and will be the only way that Liberia and other nations will be able to stop this. I saw an image somewhere of a large shipment of supplies from a US university/hospital, but I don't recall which one. Another issue is that many of the hospitals have been shut down due to the disease and won't be able to reopen until new aid workers arrive. Some of the African nations are attempting to get the word out about Ebola, before it enters their borders. I saw a video that someone posted of a man attempting to contact people via cell phone to raise awareness about the disease. Let me see what articles I can find...

Happy Birthday, Collette! I hope you like cake!

Being forced to reuse gloves, etc... is driving the numbers up for medical personnel. When you add in the fact that they are also incredibly tired and overworked, it is easy for mistakes to be made. One example that was given on another forum as a good "skill" to have is the ability to remove a latex glove from our hand without coming into contact with the contaminated area. I should be pretty darn good at that with the types of chemicals that I have used on myself and my daughters over the years and I still manage to get a little hair dye or relaxer cream on my skin. Luckily for me, the stakes aren't as high as they are for the medical professionals fighting to save lives. My friend also discussed how stressful all of this is for the people in her country. With the constant smell from handwashing in bleach water and the continuous spraying of walls and other surfaces with bleach, she said that she had a permanent headache and slight nausea that caused her to second-guess that she had the symptoms of Ebola.

I haven't been around to weigh in on this topic, but one of my Facebook friends is a former reporter for our local newspaper and I got to know her fairly well from some reporting that she did for our nonprofit agency. She is a Liberian native and comes from a family of reporters in Monrovia. Until just a few days ago, she was there as she now does some international work. Her posts highlight some of the issues that Liberia has and she still has lots of good contacts for information. I haven't had a chance to read through all of the posts here, but there are a few answers to questions that I did see as I scanned this topic. Hygiene- Liberia is an incredibly poor country that has suffered through a couple of civil wars in recent years. Their largest hospital is named after John F. Kennedy and located in Monrovia, the capital city. By our standards, we would describe the hospital as being a large clinic, based upon the services that they provide. Standard hygiene measures like disposable gloves aren't as readily available as they are in the US. The staff is being forced to wash and reuse the gloves as they go about caring for patients. Modern hospitals has access to all manner of anti-bacterial solutions with long lists of chemical ingredients and even longer lists of the types of germs that they kill. In Liberian hospitals and homes, they are using bleach in a bucket of water to try to stem the onslaught of Ebola. The second line of defense is a solution of bleach and water that is sprayed on surfaces to kill any Ebola virus that might be present. Bleach can be effective against Ebola, but it is growing scarce in Liberia. Education- Liberia is not only very poor, but many of the people are uneducated. As an example, there current president is the one who mandated that there be a public education given to every child. (She's only been in office for a few years.) Most people in the country do not have running water or electricity. It is difficult to get the word out to far-flung people when you have few resources due to poverty. Additionally, many languages and dialects are spoken.There are lots of rumors going around that the disease doesn't really exist or that it is a curse from a witch. The saddest rumor that I've read is that many people believe that a particular kola plant can cure Ebola. As a result, many people stay home when they get ill and are treated with herbal remedies. This, in turn, becomes a death sentence for the rest of the family. One woman posted a photo of an Ebola kit that she'd put together. It has a pictures on it to show people how to use the supplies that she provides. Even with donations from friends and family via her Facebook solicitations, she has only been able to build around 10 or 20 kits. It isn't that she's pocketing the cash, but that the supplies are hard to find in a country that is living in fear of Ebola. Quarantine- The concept of a quarantine is not quite understood or enforced, especially in areas where there are many poor people. They have no choice but to go out every day to earn money to shop at the local marketplace. They don't have the ability to stock up on groceries and then hunker down for days, weeks or months. The marketplaces themselves may be teeming with all sorts of disease on a good day, simply because there are so many people in attendance. With the threat of Ebola, even the food being sold in the market or hunted in the jungle may be tainted, as Ebola can be harbored in other animals. During this crisis, people are being told not to eat bush meat, which means that they are forced to mingle with other people in the marketplace top get food. Disposal of Dead- Those with medical training are being called upon to help to nurse the sick, while those without training are often enlisted to retrieve the dead and dispose of the bodies. There have been dead bodies lying on the sides of roads for days, without anyone coming to retrieve them. The bodies themselves are weapons of mass destruction when it comes to spreading the disease. The people who pick up bodies are often ill-equipped and later succumb to the disease. There have been reports that some of the dead were buried near a wetland and near a community well. The less educated populations are running scared and have even chased away some of the burial workers because they don't want the bodies interred in an area where no one has yet caught Ebola. Medical Personnel are so scarce in Liberia that there is one doctor for every 40,000 people.

Thank you for the birthday wishes! We took a trip up to Thousand Islands region of NY to celebrate my birthday. It was incredibly relaxing, despite the fact that we managed to cram a lot of activities into a 10 hour day. The weather was perfect and we took full advantage of it with bird-watching, swimming, visiting a butterfly conservatory and hiking. I will be spending a little more time around here, as I have finished my summer classes and have about a month before the Fall semester begins. I'm doing a bit of educational re-tooling as we are preparing for hubby to retire at the beginning of next year. I miss spending time here with all of you and have been substituting Facebook for forums, simply because I have an app for that on my phone.

I knew I could smell a cake baking somewhere! Wishing you a marvelous birthday!!

I am still able to get decent deals on chicken legs and thighs at Wegmans, but I go to a small local grocer to get chicken breasts. I don't know where they manage to find these chicken breasts, but they are huge. I like to cook one in the crockpot and then make soup with it. A pot of soup feeds us for a couple of days and is a great way to make meat stretch.

How sweet! I'd love to have a dog again. Give her a hug for me!

Hi, Annarchy!!!

Lunamother is one of my Facebook friends and one of my favorite folks to steal interesting posts from. She and her family are doing really well.Ward's health seems to have stabilized and they have been moving on and enjoying life. Lunamother has also written a few novels and her youngest son is growing up awfully fast!

I exercise to reduce stress. I also take time out to read , crochet and garden when the weather allows.