EEECK! Friday The 13th......in November, 2009

FRIGHTENING FRIDAY!!! It's the 13th! Are You Afraid??

Do you have a fear of Friday the 13th? If you have a morbid, irrational fear of Friday the 13th, there is a name for that....it's called Paraskevidekatriaphobia. About 21 million Americans suffer from this condition.

You might not have this condition if you don't feel the morbid, irrational fear which surrounds this condition, but you might have a healthy fear of this date. That's called a superstition. I have that. I don't like Fridays, which fall on the 13th...and I've always had that feeling that something will happen that's unlucky, or bad or just horrible. But, after all of these years, I'm still waiting and nothing has ever happened other than I got a $20.00 scratch-off lottery ticket once on a Friday the 13th. So I guess maybe it's lucky for me rather than unlucky. I still don't like black cats crossing my path and I always walk around a ladder in front of me rather than walking under it .... I plan to keep my superstition about Friday the 13th but I'm sure my superstitions won't get much worse than fearing the black cat also walking in front of me on that day.

If you're still in bed, with your head covered up and don't plan to drive today or even go to work, it's ok as there are many more people who are still in bed having the same chills and fears you're having. Each year, this is going to happen at least once a year, but the good thing is it can't happen more than three times a year.....the calendar experts guarantee it. Watch out if the first day of the month falls on Sunday, as it guarantees that the 13th will fall on a Friday. Yikes! In 2009, it happened in February, March and this month. Just so you know, here are the next 5 years with the number of Fridays the 13th you can expect: 2010 - August; 2011 - May; 2012 - January, April, July; 2013 (the unlucky year??) - September, December; 2014 - June.

My words of advice today are.....if you're suffering from paraskevidekatriaphobia, and are staying in bed all day, please be careful getting out of bed to go to the bathroom or to eat. More accidents happen at home than anywhere else. :>(

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Christmas In Greenview.

Christmas in Greenview is just about here. Be sure to mark your calendars. Plan to attend this craft and food festival around the town on November 21 from 9 am to 2 pm. A soup and sandwich luncheon will be available at the Greenview United Church. Don't forget to also visit Country Hills Golf Course where vendors will be located. I personally have a friend who makes wonderful purses who will be at the golf course. See You At the Christmas In Greenview Festival!

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Holiday Brunch Scheduled.

Greenview AF & AM #653 will host it's annual holiday brunch on Sunday, December 6th from 9 am to 1 pm at the lodge hall. Plan to attend this fine brunch hosted by the Grand Lodge of Masons located across from the west side of the Park in downtown Greenview.

H1N1 Shots.

If you meet one of the definitions of high-risk priority groups, the free shot is available by appointments only at the Menard County Health Department. Since I do meet the high risk description, I went to get mine. I got that shot on Monday of this week and I didn't have any ill effects. My arm didn't even hurt. But each person must make their own decision on whether to get this shot.

High risk priority groups: First Responders; Pregnant Woman; Household contacts/daycare providers of infants six months and younger; Six months through age 64 years of age with chronic medical conditions such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease, etc; Six months to age 24 years of age.

If you don't fall into these priority groups, you MUST WAIT to be scheduled for a shot. If you have a cold or a fever, you cannot receive the vaccine. Call 632-2984 to schedule an appointment if you fall into the high risk groups or to ask questions.

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Christmas Is Coming.

Counting today, you have 42 shopping days left before Christmas. I know I've been busy crocheting the popular caps and hats for my kids and grandkids. For years, no one wanted homemade crocheted items, but this year hats and scarfs are in great demand. Yarn is really much more expensive than it used to be, but if you have dusty yarn stored from years ago, get it out and do a search for "free crochet hat patterns" or scarf patterns too. I found some really cool suede yarn at Big Lots at about $3.00 per skein. It makes wonderful hats!

My old, somewhat arthritic hands are actually feeling better since I've been crocheting. YAY!

In less than 2 weeks, we will celebrate the ever wonderful Thanksgiving day. This year, I'm using several recipes which have been given to me by my wonderful friends. Yes, some of my readers are included in the "wonderful friends recipe use". I want to use their recipes because I value my friends so much....and because they are seriously good cooks let me tell you. I don't always have Thanksgiving dinner as my kids many times want to have it. But when I do have the dinner, I try to call everyone I think might not have somewhere to go for dinner. Just so they they will have a good fulfulling dinner. Sharing and caring and loving life is what Thanksgiving and Christmas are all about.

As soon as Thanksgiving is over, the Christmas decorating begins at our house, although I will admit, a couple of outside wreaths went up yesterday. I just couldn't wait!! Christmas is and has always been my favorite holiday. I don't care much at all if I get any presents, but I love giving presents. I remember one year I went to the Alton Belle casino about a month before Christmas and won $400. That money wasn't something I normally would have had in my pocket so I decided to spend the whole amount on underprivileged children. When I delievered those presents, it took all I had not to cry when I entered their houses. Some didn't even have a Christmas tree and some had no furniture and the homes were cold. Yes, that was here in Greenview, but it was several years ago. After that I decided I could do a lot good by giving money to the local firemen for gifts or by buying gifts for the Angel tags on the Petefish Bank's Christmas Tree. It doesn't matter what you do or how much you spend, as someone who doesn't have much will appreciate anything you do. It is heartbreaking to think a child will do without a toy or food on the day on which Jesus was born. Do what you can this year. Donate food, money, a good used coat or time.

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Famous Birthdays Today.

Whoopi Goldberg - 1955

Robert Louis Stevenson - 1850

Happy Birthday if your birthday is today.

Quote For The Day

It's not what you look at that matters,

it's what you see.

~~Henry David Thoreau

May Your Day Be Pleasant

And Full Of Good and Lucky Things

Later My Friends....