- Good food, good company, good advice from Grandma

Picking The Right Puppy For Your Family

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This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of American Kennel Club. All opinions are 100% mine.

Are you and your family looking for a puppy to join your household? Do you know what kind of dog you want:? Will it be a frisky dog that will play fetch and chase a ball with your children? Or will it be a dog that will serve as a security officer in your home? Will it be a mixed breed, or will it be one of the American Kennel Club purebred breeds? If you have never adopted a pet before, you many have many questions to ask before you do.

If you are buying a purebred, you will want to be sure to check out several responsible breeders, before you make your decision on which pet to buy. American Kennel Club can help you find breeders in several ways: You can go to an AKC dog show, and talk to breeders in person. Or, go on the AKC website to find and AKC club in your area. They also have a section on their website to find a breeder.

Once you have found a breeder or two that you want to visit, you will need to know what to look for, and what to ask. Some of the things you will need to do is find a breeder you are comfortable with. When you find them, ask them if you can visit their home and their kennel, and to see at least one of their puppies. When you are looking the puppies you are considering buying, know how to recognize the signs of illness or malnutrition in puppies. For more on what to ask a breeder, check out the AKC website.

If you decide that you want to adopt a puppy or a older dog from a shelter, the AKC Rescue Network can helo you with that too! When you are considering adoption of a puppy, you are looking for a new member of your family who will be with you for years. You want to know that you are getting the healthiest, happiest dog you can get. breeds

Grandma's Fabulous Garden

Karen · 9 Comments

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A while ago, I told you that I was going to be making a little garden using re-purposed items. And yesterday, I showed you some things I found at the thrift store for that garden. Yesterday I also went to the local gardening store and got a few plants to start off with. Our weather forecast for today is for thunderstorms, and I have something planned to do for tomorrow, so I will be putting these plants in the soil on Sunday. I am so excited to be getting started, even if I have to wait a couple more weeks to plant more stuff.

Can you believe those are geraniums? — Can you believe those are begonias?

Begonias, oh my word! can you believe how huge those blooms are?

I love Cosmos, and Fabgrandpa picked out the Marigolds. They are pretty together, right?

Sweet Peppers, Strawberries, and Onions — Sweet Peppers, Strawberries, Broccoli and Onions

You can’t really see the Strawberry plants because the onion sets are on top of them. There are also Sweet Peppers and Broccoli plants. That is a good start I think.

Thirfty Thursday

Karen · 5 Comments

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While I am waiting for the right time to plant a garden in my area, I am busy gathering supplies. The thrift store in Bremen, Georgia yielded a ton of flower pots in all different sizes and shapes.

I also found this great metal shelf unit for the front porch. It is just the right size to hold grilling supplies, and maybe a plant on the middle shelf.

A rusted decorative shelf for the front porch

This rusty decorative shelf will hold some flower pots of petunias and a trailing vine once I get the plants potted up. All these things cost a $20 bill at the thrift store.

C Is For Carrabba’s

Karen · 1 Comment

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Back on March 4, Fabgrandpa and our daughter, Emily attended the Carrabba’s Italian Grill First Tastes Event. The First Tastes Event is where the restaurant treats invited guests to be the first to taste their new menu items. This is the second First Tastes that Fabgrandpa and I have attended, and I have to say, they served some really good items at both of them.

A rustic Italian favorite. Crispy bites of risotto, Italian fennel sausage, red bell peppers and romano cheese, hand-breaded and served with our housemade marinara sauce for dipping. It is NOT Gluten Free, but I did taste it and it was really good, but spicy.

Pollo La Scalla is sautéed chicken finished with white wine, mascarpone and our roasted red bell pepper sauce. It was served with the Rigatoni Martino, a combination of wood-grilled chicken, sautéed mushrooms and sundried tomatoes tossed with rigatoni in our housemade tomato cream sauce. Again, not gluten free but I was there to taste, and they did taste good.

Conchiglie Al Formaggi, Beef Tenderloin Roast with Risotto

Shell-shaped pasta tossed in our housemade Alfredo sauce with mozzarella, fontina, romano, parmesan and goat cheese. The Beef Tenderloin was sooo tender and the risotto was delicious.

Dessert was these Mini Canolli’s, crisp mini pastry shell stuffed with sweet ricotta and chocolate chip
filling, topped with pistachios and powdered sugar.

While I did eat all these gluten free things, I found out that Carrabba’s Italian Grill does have a whole gluten free menu, with lots of things on it that look so tasty and good.

B Is For Bread

Karen · 1 Comment

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I received product from Glutino, but the opinions are still mine.

B is for Bread. You all know that I eat a gluten free diet, so when I say bread, I really mean gluten free bread. A lot of people seem to think that gluten free bread is still tasteless cardboard like stuff. I am here to tell you that it is not. There are a lot of different brands of gluten free bread. I have tried a lot of them, as a review blogger and as a consumer, buying every new gluten free product I see in the grocery store at least once. Taste is the number one reason why I buy a gluten free product a second time. Price has nothing to do with it, although some gluten free things are quite expensive. I think I am worth that extra cost though.

Peanut butter & Jelly is delicious on Glutino Whole Grain Bread

I love the Glutino Whole Grain Bread, for toast, for sandwiches, for using in casseroles. It tastes good, is soft and has lots of good ingredients in it, but no gluten. I also love the Cinnamon Raisin Bread, and the white sandwich bread. I think if you tried them, you would love them too.

A Is For Albuterol

Karen · 1 Comment

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I signed up a while back to participate in the A to Z Challenge, which is where you write one post a day for 26 days in April. On the first, you write about something that starts with the letter “A”, and so on. I was tied up yesterday all day with a sick hubby at the emergency room of our local hospital, so I am behind right away. Imagine that.

My husband, Fabgrandpa has COPD. In case you don’t know, that means Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. Symptoms of COPD include shortness of breath, coughing, and sputum production. It can include chronic bronchitis and emphysema. It usually gets worse the older you get, and is aggravated by smoking, pollution, dust, pollen, and other irritants. Any common cold can turn into bronchitis or pneumonia for Fabgrandpa quite quickly.

He has been coughing more than usual this spring, and the coughing has been preventing him from sleeping. He has been fatigued most days. The last four or five days has been worse than ever, with the coughing seeming to be out of control. He sounds like he is gasping for every breathe, like has been running a marathon during the night.

At the hospital, they gave him a breathing treatment and a steroid shot, and took him for a chest x-ray. There was also an EKG. Both the x-ray and the EKG were good, and when the breathing treatment was completed, Fabgrandpa was already feeling much better. He was discharged with four prescription medications: Prednisone, a Z-pack (antibiotic), a decongestant, and an inhaler that has a combination of things including albuterol. We have been through this before, several times, so we know what to do. Now we just have to wait while the meds do their thing.

Dubai: Not just a destination for the rich and famous

Karen · Leave a Comment

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The city of Dubai is known as a popular destination for the likes of Paris Hilton, Tiger Woods and members of the Kardashian family. However, it’s a city everyone can enjoy – and most importantly, afford. Dubai boasts incredible luxury hotels and designer goods but there are also many ways to see the city on a tighter budget.

Accommodation

There are so many things to do in Dubai but first things first – you’ll need somewhere to stay during your vacation in the Emirate. If the price of a room at luxury hotels like the Burj Al Arab and the Shangri-La makes your heart skip a beat, consider staying in a hostel, budget hotel or, if you’tr travelling with a group of people, a holiday apartment.

Staying in cheaper accommodation doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the luxury element of the city’s top resorts either. The beach by the stunning Burj Al Arab, a so-called “seven star” hotel, is completely free and open to everyone. Head there to soak up some sun and swim.

Shopping

Dubai is known for being one of the most popular shopping destinations in the world. The sheer size of its shopping malls, namely the massive Mall of the Emirates, means there’s quite literally something for everyone, no matter what your budget might be.

The Mall of the Emirates, deemed a ‘shopping resort’ more than simply a shopping center, even boasts an indoor ski resort and snow park. If you’re strapped for cash, simply head to the mall for a cool drink, window shopping and people watching.

Strolling through some of Dubai’s traditional markets is also an affordable way to take in the city’s many shopping venues. There’s an early morning Fish Market, the Gold Souk jewelry market, and, if you’re into cooking, head to the Spice Souk market in eastern Dubai for some local herbs, spices and fragrances.

Sightseeing

The Dubai Museum at Al Fahidi Fort and the Jumeirah Mosque are both historical and affordable tourist attractions. Head here to get some insight into Dubai’s past and to understand the local culture.

Mushrif Park, a desert park open to the public, is also a fun, cheap option suitable for the whole family. You can take in the gorgeous greenery before cooling down in the park’s pool, for a small fee.

Dining

Finally, eating out in Dubai doesn’t have to mean fine dining at a Michelin-starred restaurant. There are many highly regarded restaurants with foods from around the globe, including countless Indian, Pakistani, Chinese and Thai eateries, to name just a few, with reasonably priced meals on the menu.

Try Aryaas, Chhappan Bhog, Karachi Darbar and Ravi Restaurant for some of the best budget eats the city has to offer.

So, seeing Dubai doesn’t have to break the bank. With a bit of planning, you can organize an entirely affordable trip to this top holiday destination.

Drinkwater Keeps The Water Flowing

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Access to clean water whenever we need it is something that most people take for granted. However, there is a lot of work that has to go on behind the scenes to make sure that the water always flows when the tap is turned on or when the shower is turned on.

Keep the Water Flowing

Pipes that bring water to commercial and residential properties need to stay clean and clear of debris at all times. If there is even a minor blockage, thousands of people could be without the water that they need for drinking, cleaning or bathing. Companies that rely on water to keep their machines lubricated could have to shut down temporarily or reduce their output.

The Pipes Need to Stay Clean on the Outside Too

Keeping pipes free from debris is only half the battle. The outside of the pipe needs to be protected from erosion, corrosion or anything else that could cause the pipe to stop working as it should. If lead or paint from the pipe chips and falls into the drinking water, it could cause a lot of people to get sick. That would create a public health scare that could last for weeks.

Maintaining Pipes Should Be Fast and Easy

While you hope that nothing goes wrong with the pipes that are laid down to carry water throughout the community, there is never a guarantee that a particular pipe won’t have a problem. In addition, it is a good idea to take time for routine maintaining of all piping. Taking the time to inspect a pipe and make any necessary repairs before any large issues occur can reduce the amount of time that a pipe is out of commission as well as reduce the costs related to repairing or replacing any pipe that needs to be worked on.

If pipes need to be maintained or any tools need to be purchased to help maintain pipes, you can go to www.DrinkwaterProducts.com or similar sites to find exactly what you need. While online, you will be able choose exactly what you need and have it delivered to you in a short period of time.