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Janelle's Journal

janelle
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04/16/2009 08:59 #48398

Relief from pain through pain
My sensitivity to smoke has drastically increased over the past year. It only takes small exposures to smoke now to convince my sinuses to produce gallons of mucus to stuff up my nose and drip down the back of my throat producing that lovely scratchy, throat clearing, coughing sensation known as post nasal drip. When my sinuses are stuffed and my head full of pressure, I walk through my days in a sort of fugue. It will take a solid week before I clean it out of my system through cup after cup of hot tea, hot showers, and lots of nasal irrigation.

The only real life from the condition, I discovered, is running. The 20 minutes I ran yesterday, my body was so absorbed by the good pains of running that the bad pains of post nasal drip faded away.

If only I can run 24-7 through the next week until it clears out.
paul - 04/16/09 09:59
I totally agree with you. When I used to have the crohn's flare up I found that exercise really made a huge difference. People underestimate how exercising makes you feel good.

04/05/2009 15:03 #48299

Chicken Pho
Yesterday was a rainy cold day so it seemed like a perfect time to finally attempt chicken pho soup.

I spent yesterday afternoon buying the ingredients. And in the evening I put together the broth for the basis of the soup.

I couldn't find chicken necks/backs/etc... so I bought 2 chickens. One I chopped up to make the stock and one was cooked to make the chicken meat for the soup. The one that made the stock was falling apart tender at the end, and it's waiting in the freezer to be transformed into chicken noodle soup or egg noodles and chicken.

Today I finished off the broth by skimming the fat and pouring it through a sieve to strain off all the spices and what nots added for seasoning.

Then I put together the bowls of soup. Rice noodles in the bowl. Top with chicken, cilantro, diced scallions, and pepper. Pour 2 cups of broth in the bowl. Basil, mint, limes, diced chili peppers, fish sauce, and chili garlic sauce on the side to add as desired. Yum.

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paul - 04/05/09 15:23
Yum

04/05/2009 13:37 #48298

Shopping Tip
Ever go to Wegmans looking for fresh herbs and wonder at the cost of them?

Go to An Chau International Market, a Vietnamese grocer, on Niagara St.

Get a large clump of basil in a baggie for $1.00.

Get a large clump of mint in a baggie for $1.00.

Get a bag with 20-25 thai serrano hot peppers for southeast asian cooking for less than $1.00.
tinypliny - 04/05/09 14:07
I like that shop. They have cheap frozen pre-scrubbed galangal too. Another alternative is Phu Thai on Connecticut Street. They are much nearer than Niagara St.

04/04/2009 10:47 #48280

New Sims Family
Category: sims
I started a new family and I acted with slightly more moderation.

I had my Lady Sim, Sienna, procreate twins, which are still a lot of work since they tend to want to be fed, played with and diapered both at the same time. So I forced a new person to move in with us to be the twins care taker. My house is a gigantic gothic house complete with attic. So the twins' nanny lives up stairs in the attic.

I still needed some extra help around the house so I called for the Maid service. Then I made the maid a permanent addition to my house so she does all the cleaning up and meal preparation. I moved her up into the servants quarters as well.

Having servants isn't all I thought it would be. It's actually quite demanding to boss them around all day. You have to constantly stay on top of them. The maid isn't very self directed so I have to direct her in her cleaning all day. And I swear that nanny just leaves the babies lying around wherever. I even have to remind them to use their designated bathroom/shower instead of the good bathrooms and to take their meals and their rest after the family is taken care of.

It's hard life for Sims rolling in the Simoleons.

james - 04/04/09 20:41
I mistyped good. That wasn't a terrible pun or anything.

Just for the record.
james - 04/04/09 15:00
God help is hard to simulate.

04/03/2009 08:42 #48271

Babies falling from the skies
Category: sims
6 babies is 6 too many in the Sims world.

The problem with conjuring 6 Sims babies with the cheat code is they are all named "baby girl" or "baby boy". They all look like the same wriggling lump of Sims baby flesh, so it's difficult to remember what you did for which baby.

I bought a gigantic new space to house all the babies. And I had three adults to take care of the babies. Three adults were not sufficient to take care of the babies. The babies all cried for attention at the same time; needed fed at the same time; and needed diapers changed at the same time. By the time you got through the cycle of care, it was time to do it all over again. With maybe a few split seconds to run to the bathroom or stuff your face in the fridge.

It only took a few minutes for the cries of 6 babies to irritate me. So I scrapped that family.
tinypliny - 04/03/09 17:12
C'mon that's the responsible thing to do!
drew - 04/03/09 14:28
"So I scrapped that family"

You will be such a great Mom.
carolinian - 04/03/09 10:11
Spawning six babies at once should earn you a show on TLC (aka The Overpopulation Channel).