MORE STUFF YOU DON'T REALLY WANT TO KNOW.

AN APPLE A DAY
So the other day in Walmart, they didn't have have Pink Lady apples, so I grabbed just one Honey Crisp instead because I wasn't sure how it would taste.  At the register that one apple cost $3.93!  Huh?

That was a really good reminder to always check the receipt. Needless to say, those funds were added back to my card, and it was reweighed, costing just $.89.  That was a pretty big difference, right?

WHAT'S UP WITH SAFFRON?
This expensive spice is traditionally used in rice or paella, but you may be surprised to know that the flowers bloom just one week out of the year, and have to be harvested by hand in the morning.  It takes about 1,000 flowers to get just an ounce of saffron, and can easily cost $10-$15 per gram.  If you really like it a lot, 1 Lb of Genuine Red Persian Saffron is available for sale on eBay for $1454.00 and FREE shipping!

SLEEP LIKE  A BABY
According to Dr. Oz, who I totally adore, consistently sleeping less than 6 hours a night increases the risk of a heart attack, and other health issues so do everything you can to get the proper rest every night.

PUZZLE ANYONE?
Remember how we used to get puzzles and put them together on the kitchen table?  I even had friends who glued them together for wall art.

Can You Find the Hidden Images in These Puzzles

Now there are new trends designed to stump you even more, which include Hidden Images and Glow in the Dark.  You can find these in Amazon, PuzzleWarehouse.com  or PuzzleHouse.com.  Don't forget to celebrate National Puzzle Day on January 29!

OLYMPICS
The opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics starts on February 9, 2018, even though some events will start on February 8.  The very first Winter Olympics  was called The International Sports Week, and was held in France in 1924.  Back then there were just 6 sports and 14 events. Wow!

LIBRARY STUFF
The National Library in Estonia is large and consists of 8 floors. In addition, there are  2 more floors that are basement level, and hold the most valuable books.  If you need a quiet place just to read, there are 20 rooms designated just for that.  The outside of the gray building doesn't look very exciting, but inside are many modern rooms and furniture ,with state of the art equipment.  Despite that, certain areas may remind you of an old fashioned castle. With just over 5 million books, it's all well maintained and air conditioned, but won't make the world's largest library list.  

What is the largest library in the world, and also considered the best?  The Library of Congress in Washington DC. Despite being considered the best, if we decide to visit, you and I can't check out books there. Nope, the best we can expect to do is some heavy on-site research and sightseeing.  The special privilege of actually borrowing books is only allowed by Congress, and certain other members of the government.

SUPERBOWL NEWS
The SUPERBOWL kicks off on February 4, but if football isn't quite your thing, be sure to check out the Kitten Bowl on the Hallmark Channel at 12pm ET.  If you need even more furry fun, switch over to The Animal Planet Channel at 3pm ET to see The Puppy Bowl. 

Both of these programs are designed to help pets get adopted. After all that cuteness and a few snacks, it'll be time for a nap.

WAIT ON THAT TV
There are a few deals to be had on new televisions up through February 4, but after that prices won't go low again until November.

THE CAT'S ON THE CASE
Do you like cats and cute capers that aren't too deep?  Check out these 2 books when you get a chance. If the Haunting Fits, Wear It, and Twice Told Tail. Aren't these covers fun?

MAKE MONEY MOVES
You've heard of Lyft and Uber where you get paid to transport people to various locations, but did you know you can deliver packages by hooking up with Amazon Flex?  Their hours are flexible, and the salary ranges from $18 - $25 per hour.

CHOCOLATE CHERRY COOKIES(Genius Kitchen)

INGREDIENTS

• 1(18 ounce) box chocolate cake mix
• 2 Large eggs
• 1⁄2 Cup shortening
• 1tablespoon almond liqueur (if using almond extract do use 1 teaspoon)
• 1⁄2Cup plump dried cherries

• OPTIONAL GARNISH

• melted white chocolate
• melted semisweet chocolate

DIRECTIONS

1. Mix the first 4 ingredients together.
2. Stir in dried cherries.
3. Scoop a heaping spoonful onto cookies sheet lined with parchment paper.
4. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 10 minutes.
5. Drizzle chocolates over cookies if wanted.
6. Cool and store in a air tight container 

BE CAREFUL 
Those in verbal or physically abusive relationships often remain silent, however, sometimes the feelings of frustration can become overwhelming and you want to talk. But be very careful who you share your story with because that person may try to minimize what you're going through, or possibly not have your best interests at heart. This can even include family members.

Baring your soul to the wrong person could potentially make your living situation much worse if it somehow gets back to your abuser.

It's best to speak to someone in a domestic violence shelter who is trained, or a pastor who knows how to handle this situation. There are also specialized groups who offer support.  As always, I suggest keeping everything well documented and to keep it hidden in a very safe place. Be quietly creative. If your password is secure, it's also great to use email to either send to yourself, or type it so it stays in draft form. When you get money, send it to yourself via Western Union or Money Gram. 

Remember, 2018 is your year to start over, so be safe, be careful and try to take the necessary steps to get your life back.

CALL 24/7/365

1-800-799-7233
1-800-787-3224 (TTY for Deaf/hard of hearing)
Learn more about services for Deaf and hard of hearing individuals.

LIVE CHAT Services are also available.

TRIVIA TIDBITS AND A TREAT

One of the places I visit regularly is Swagbucks where you can earn cash and gift cards for doing all kinds of stuff.  

During one of their daily polls, this was discovered when it comes to reading preferences.

Hardback/Paperback  -  67%
Kindle/Nook/Tablet   -  15%
Don't Read Books!!   -    9%   -  Say what?!
Audio                         -    7%

According to Pew Research Center in 2016, 26% of Americans say they haven't picked up a book in any form!

This is a good picture of me.(lol)

I can't imagine a world without books, so I keep something to read with me wherever I go.  But what about you? Are you still reading books in paper form, or is it more convenient to listen to audio, or use an e-reader? Have you stopped reading books, or prefer NOT to read?

FOOTBALL FANS UNITE
Get ready to munch to your heart's content on Superbowl Sunday.  Can you believe that this is the 2nd largest day for people to gobble up mountains of food AFTER Thanksgiving?

ARE YOU GAME?
HQ TRIVIA used to only be available on the iPhone,(itunes.apple.com) but now you can get chances to actually win real cash just for knowing useless stuff on android as well.  As of January 17, it's in beta phase, so be prepared for some buggy stuff if you download this version of the app from google plus, but you can also visit https://twitter.com/hqtrivia for behind the scenes news. You may be surprised to know that Jimmy Fallon, Barack Obama and Jimmy Kimmel are 3 of over 755,000 people who play pretty regularly. 

If you're wondering what type of topics could show up in 1 of those 12 questions designed to stump trivia buffs, you may want to brush up on the irregular plurals of nouns like platypus, octopus, and rhinoceros that we learned in grammar school.  YIKES! (lol)

   

GIVE ME FOOD AND FUN
The name Phil Rosenthal may not sound all that familiar, but he's the creator and executive producer of the old sitcom, Everybody Loves Raymond.  He's also the very funny star of Somebody Feed Phil, which was just released on Netflix.

If you're a foodie, and want to learn about traditional cuisine from other cultures mixed in with plenty of laughter and fun, be sure to binge on this program.

Six countries are featured on his show, and I had no clue that Tel Aviv is considered the vegan/vegetarian capital of the world!  During the program, he gets to hang out with well known chefs, Michael Solomonov, Michal Ansky and Uri Jeremias to name a few.

What's pretty neat is how he brings unknown fruits back to his hotel room and shows them to his elderly parents via Facetime.(lol)  It's also cool to see him mention his wife of 27 years quite often and with much affection.

VEGETARIAN KORMA - simple to make

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
1 Small Onion Diced Onion
1 Teaspoon Minced Fresh Ginger Root(You can use powdered ginger, but the taste may be less flavorful)
4 Cloves Minced Garlic

2 Potatoes Cubed
4 Carrots, Cubed
1 Fresh Jalapeno Pepper Seeded and Sliced

3 Tablespoons Ground Unsalted Cashews
1  4 Ounce Can Tomato Sauce
2 Teaspoons Salt
1 Cup Frozen Green Peas
1 1/2 Tablespoons Curry Powder
1/2 Green Bell Pepper, Chopped
1 Cup Heavy Cream
1 Bunch Fresh Cilantro for Garnish

DIRECTIONS
Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat.  Stir in the onion, and cook until tender.  Mix in ginger and garlic, and continue cooking for 1 minute.  Mix potatoes, carrots, jalapeno, cashews, and tomato sauce.  Season with salt and curry powder.  Cook and stir for 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Stir peas, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, and cream into the skillet.  Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes.  Garnish with cilantro to serve over rice.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING THESE DAYS?

In between reading

Hard to put down!

Working on March

Been working on some special projects, slipping in reading a non-stop action novel by James Rollins, and updating my planner.

Just in case you haven't heard the news, my boyfriend Ed Sheerhan popped the question to his longtime girlfriend Cherry Seaborn over the holidays, and they're now officially engaged.  He made the announcement on Instagram along with a picture of the two.  So far, he's received over 4 million LIKES for that announcement! Congratulations!

FUN STUFF YOU MAY NOT WANT TO KNOW & A COOKIE CRAVING

Has anyone seen the commercial from GEICO where the Sloth is drawing a tandem bicycle for game night?  I declare that every time it comes on, I giggle like a little kid because it's just so darn cute, and the people trying to guess the puzzle are really intense.  Aren't you impressed that I stopped watching the Christmas Yule Log from last month, and switched to this? (lol)

TMI
YIKES!  Even though I'm from Baltimore, I haven't been back in years.  According to Orkin, Baltimore City has been named as the #1 city for bed bugs 2 years in a row.  Ugh!  Washington DC, which is right next door, ranked 2nd, followed by Chicago, Los Angeles and Columbus Ohio.

Do you remember Scrabble?  Are you pretty good at it?  There's a Scrabble Players Association that's been around since 2009, and their website is www.scrabbleplayers.org.  What's cool about this site is you can find out about winners, or search for clubs and upcoming tournaments throughout the US and Canada.

I remember taking the SAT when I was in high school, and my cousin and I had a bet on who would score the highest.  According to the US Department of Education, The College Board & National Center of Statistics, the following is true:

Arkansas           2% of students took the SAT during High School
Alabama           5%      "                                                         "
Connecticut     100%
Delaware         100%
Michigan         100%
Mississippi           2%
North Dakota       2%
North Carolina    49%   "                                               "
World Almanac 2018)     

HAPPY HAPPY DAYS
Was Happy Days one of your favorite sitcoms back in the day? It premiered in 1974, and I totally loved Henry Winkler as Fonzie.  He was so popular in fact, that every time he visited the library on an episode of the show, library card registration increased by a whopping 500%!!!! 

BOOKS, BOOKS AND MORE BOOKS
Is there nothing Amazon won't do?  You may be surprised to know that there are currently 13 Amazon Bookstores throughout the country that include California, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Illinois, Washington and Oregon, and many include coffee shops to keep you hanging out even longer.  There are plans in motion right now to open up additional locations in Washington DC, Maryland and Texas.

SAVE ON GROCERIES
If one of your goals in 2018 is to save more money on groceries, be sure to check out Living Rich With Coupons, which is listed over in the sidebar, or www.couponmom.com.  Even if you don't use coupons, or they're not available where you live, try shopping at bargain supermarkets, or waiting until groceries have been marked down.  Here's a few tips:

1 )  Almost every Super Walmart has a cart they place in the back of the store with bread, cookies, cakes and other goodies that have been deeply discounted.  Also, in the front of the store near the deli, lunch meat, cheese, salads,and cooked chicken is unbelievably cheap.But get there early in the morning to catch these deals because they go fast.

2)  Carlie C's(IGA) gives away a FREEBIE every Friday, and they have a cart or shelf filled with lots of merchandise that may be damaged or has something missing from a package.  Get in there for those great bargains.

3)  Are you a Greek yogurt fan? Stay on the lookout for deals on Chobani, who will be changing their packaging.  They want to get rid of all that old merchandise.

USELESS TRIVIA
I took 2 years of French when I was in high school, and only used a little of it while visiting Montreal back in the 90's. Don't ask me to carry on a conversation in French these days though, because I can't remember one dang thing I learned. (lol) By the way, French is spoken by 76.1 million people.

The language in the world spoken by the most people is Chinese and includes Mandarin, with a total of 1,283.9 million people, Spanish comes in at #2 with a total of 437 million, and English is #3 at 372 million people. 

Now it's time for some tasty treats that you can eat while reading a good book or watching a movie on Netflix. Once again, I chose this recipe to spotlight because of its name, but some people actually call these magic bars or seven layer cookies. 

APPLE HELLO DOLLY BARS
INGREDIENTS
2 Cups Graham Cracker Crumbs
1/2 Cup Melted Butter
Vegetable Cooking Spray
12 Oz Pkg Semisweet Chocolate Morsels
12 Oz Pkg  Butterscotch Morsels

1 Cup Sweetened Coconut Flakes
2 Cups Peeled & Finely Chopped  Granny Smith Apples
1 1/2 Cups Coarsely(whatever that means-lol) Chopped Pecans
14 Oz Can Sweetened Condensed Milk

DIRECTIONS
1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Combine graham crumbs and butter in a small bowl, then press onto bottom of a lightly greased (with cooking spray) 13 x 9 pan.  Layer semisweet chocolate morsels and next 4 ingredients in order from the list in the prepared pan, then drizzle with the condensed milk.

2.  Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until deep golden brown.  Cool completely in a pan on wire rack (about 1 hour), then cut into bars.

SILLY STUFF
Some of the laws that were written way back in the day are still around, and pretty funny.

If you live in Georgia, here are two that may have you scratching your head.

Donkeys may not be left in bathtubs.

All sex toys are banned.

Happy Birthday to my son who cannot be named - lol!