Family visit from Orland

Jill and Tim and the two younger grandkids came for a short visit on Jan. 24. They came to help me celebrate my birthday and also to attend Tim's Dad's birthday party.
We had a good visit and as they were leaving, Jill wanted a "birthday" picture, at the "picture bench." The sun was so bright, I couldn't even open my eyes. I should have kept my dark glasses on. Guess my eyes are much more sensitive than theirs.
It's hard for them to get away for very long, with the kids in school, Jill teaching and Tim busy on the diary. Good to see them when I can. When the weather is nicer, I'll be able to venture up there for a day or two.
I've been thinking about getting another cat, so Maggie won't get so lonesome by herself. I wonder how she would like that. She'd have to get used to it for sure. Right now she doesn't like other cats. Someone gave me a book, titled, "A Dickens of a Cat" and I learned that when a cat hisses, it's involuntary and it only means that the cat is afraid. I thought that meant the cat was aggressive. So, maybe I could give Maggie another chance at a playmate.

Reflexology Treatments

I have been going to Miguel Gallegos- a Certified Reflexologist for some time now. I learned about him from my sister Lorraine. I went because I have on-going back problems and Arthritis. I also have High Blood Pressure too. One day it went out of control and I wound up at the ER and they did the works on me- testing out what caused it. I had to have my meds increased. They sent the information back to my doctor and I was to see him the next week. He did a followup and said- among other things that I had a blockage and needed to be checked out with the Heart Specialists.
Before I went there I thought I should have a treatment with Miguel and told him about the blockage. He found it and worked it out. It was the size of a pea.
Then I went to my appointment with the Heart Doctor. There I had a Sonogram, 2 MRI's, and a treadmill test. They all came back OK- no blockage. Kind of surprised the Doctor. I didn't tell the Heart Doctors about going to the reflexologist, as I didn't know if they would believe it. After the blockage was removed (dissolved) I felt so much better- my shortness of breath is a lot better too.
I was telling someone about this and she was wondering if he could do anything for Restless Leg Syndrome. I then remembered I had that also sometime back and it is gone too. I didn't even tell Miguel about it. This is a nerve problem also and all of our nerve endings are at the bottom of our feet. Check out this chart.
Carolyn Wiens

Birth Dates

How many birth dates do you have? I have two.
My mother told me I was born on the 16th and of course I believed her. So, the 16th is on my records, beginning in grammar school. When I was 15, I needed a work permit that would allow me to work in the peach harvest. In order to get a work permit, I had to get a copy of my birth certificate. That document said I was born on the 12th. My mother of course said, "ahh, that is wrong, you were born on the 16th." The certificate didn't have my mother's maiden name quite right, so I again believed my mother. Years went by, my driver's license, employment records all have the 16th.
It wasn't until 2002 when Rosalie and I were researching the old newspapers for the first history book of Winton, that I decided to check the Merced Sun-Star to see if there was a mention of when I was born. Sure enough, on the 13th of January, there was a little blip saying "a daughter was born" to my parents. SO, here was proof, if I was born on the 16th, how did the newspaper know about it on the 13th?
I wasn't sure what to do about it, I didn't want to cause any confusion. Little by little I'm trying to correct the mistake. When I go to the doctor's office I never know whether to say the 12th or the 16th. My daughters never know when to call to wish me a happy birthday.
Next year I will have to renew my drivers license, I think I will take my birth certificate in and try to have that corrected.
Social Security and Medicare have the correct date because you have to show them your birth certificate. Also, my tombstone has the correct birth date, but it doesn't know my date of death yet.

Winton Historical Society 2009

Today was the first Tuesday in January. First Tuesdays of the month are meeting days for the Winton Historical Society. Pictured are the ones in attendance today, the group was a little smaller than usual. Seated are: Carol B.; Rosalie, President; Agnes L. Standing: Lorraine, Ervin, Andrea, Avanell, Wilene, Carolyn and Grace.
Andrea surprised us with the news that she is no longer able to serve as editor. She has been the editor of our newsletter from the beginning, a little over four years and has done a wonderful job, but today she was looking for a volunteer to take her place. So,I spoke up right away and "volunteered" my sister Carolyn. I think we were all relieved that she decided she would tackle the job. I know she will be good at it. She knows a lot of people from Winton. Leanna writes an article for each issue, which has been very popular with our readers.
The newsletter is sent out each quarter; the next one is due out in March.
Annual membership dues are $10.00 for an individual; or $15.00 per family household.
Mailing address is: Winton Historical Society, PO Box 554, Winton, CA 95388. Annual dues go from October 1 (2008) through September 30 (2009). The timing of the dues correspond to the Old Timers Reunion which is held the last Sunday in September of each year. Many of our members attend the Old Timers Reunion.
If you would like to attend our meetings, they are held in the Community Law Enforcement Office (C.L.E.O.), 6584 North Winton Way, Winton. Located in the shopping center south of the Santa Fe RR tracks; across the parking lot from Pizza + Fun. Anyone interested in the history of Winton is welcome to attend.

Dormant Pruning

January - cold - miserable - and time to prune rose bushes. Ugh!!
I have way too many rose bushes. This year I decided to have Joe, the gardener prune the roses as well as the fruit trees. He was here from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. He did a lot today, but still will come back next Saturday to prune the Crepe Myrtle trees in the front and clean out the gutters. He got most of the leaves raked up, but it's so wet and mucky out there, so couldn't get them all. If it dries out enough,I will suck them up with the yard vacuum that grinds them up and put them in the compost bin. Not much goes on the compost pile anymore since I quit using the shredder. I can't start it and it's a lot of work besides, so I'm probably better off to buy compost. I'd buy some steer manure if I could find some that wouldn't smell up my car. Maybe chicken manure would be a better choice.
I have several small Perennial plants that I'd like to get in the ground, also the cute little Ultra Dwarf Stella Cherry tree. It's been out-of-sight, out-of-mind. I sure don't want anything to happen to Stella.
Lots of annual grass has come up, but can't get rid of it yet, it's too muddy to hoe or pull out and I don't want Round-Up sprayed so close to the flower plants. Next year for sure I am going to buy a bag of Preen and toss it around to keep the weed seeds from sprouting. (And hope it doesn't prevent my California Poppies from coming up.)

New Year - New Ideas

I'm off to a good start on my "Resolution" to try at least one new recipe a week. Tonight I ordered three new cookbooks. I have a lot of cookbooks already, but it was frustrating trying to cut the recipes down so I wouldn't have leftovers for a week. The three books had good reviews and so this is what I ordered: "Healthy Cooking for Two (or Just You)" by Frances Price; "Eating Well Serves Two: 150 Healthy In a Hurry Suppers" by Jim Romanoff and "Rachael Ray's Big Orange Book." I'm probably one of the few people who doesn't have a Rachael Ray cookbook. I started watching her show after my granddaughter, Mandy appeared on her show in November of last year. Some of her recipes look quite interesting. I am excited about browsing through my new cookbooks!
Click here to see Mandy on the Rachael Ray Show.