Today...

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All About Gift Baskets

All About Gift Baskets

When you’re giving a holiday present, you can never go wrong with a gift basket. After all, everyone eats and drinks! Meal gift baskets containing mixes, ingredients and cooking utensils are a particularly thoughtful remembrance for friends and family members who enjoy spending time in the kitchen. They also have the advantage that their contents won’t spoil if they’re not used after a few weeks.

Where Did the Idea of Gift Baskets Come From?

In Greek and Roman myths, the cornucopia was envisioned as a goat’s horn that was filled with the bounties of the harvest season. The cornucopia had magical properties for as soon as it was emptied, it was instantly filled again. In many ways, the cornucopia can be thought of as the first gift basket.

The Teutonic goddess Eostre—from whose name the word “Easter” is derived—was always pictured with a basket in hand. Eostre was the goddess of fertility, and she carried fruits and flowers in her basket, which she would give away to all who crossed her path. To this day, the holiday that’s named for her is celebrated with baskets filled with fruit- and flower-colored candies.

What Are Common Gift Basket Items?

These days, you can put anything into a gift basket from Bloody Mary mixes to gluten-free snacks. Your gift basket does not have to contain food items either, although most of them do. Here are some items that are commonly found in gift baskets:

• Fruits: Hardy fruits like apples, pears and oranges with a relatively long shelf life are the big favorites here, although increasingly, merchants are working with exotic fruits such as papayas, kiwis and passion fruit.

• Canned foods: Jams and marmalades are big favorites as are nuts, and tins of coffee and tea.

• Candy: Hard candies such as toffee, nut brittles and fruit drops are very popular in gift baskets. Chocolate can be a bit problematic because it melts so easily in transit.

• Alcohol: Practically every type of alcoholic beverage you can imagine from tequila to champagne can be found in a gift basket.





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Wednesday Hodgepodge

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1. Speaking of endings....at your wit's end, at loose ends, a dead end, burn the candle at both ends, all's well that end's well, or no end in sight...which 'end' phrase might best be applied to your life lately? Explain.

 “At my wit’s end” would probably be the best choice here. No matter what, it seems I’m beating my head against a wall. I plan to get this or that done, and something comes along to make sure it doesn’t get done.  

2. What was a must have accessory when you were growing up? Did you own one? If so tell us what you remember about it.

The first thing to come to mind was a Izod jacket. Remember the little gator/crocodile logo? Those were all the rage. I do not remember owning one myself, but there were plenty being worn around our school.

3. Something that made you smile yesterday?

It gave me a great many smiles trying to capture the moon with our oldest daughter last night and then this morning. Supposedly, we weren’t going to be able to see the eclipse here on the Texas Gulf Coast, but we did see it through totality. It was awesome. I’m sure I gave our neighbors a good laugh, too, being out there in my cardinal nightgown, sandals and socks, at 40-something degrees between 6 and 7am. :)  

4. January 30th is National Croissant Day. Do you like croissants? Sweet or savory? We're having chicken salad for lunch...would you rather have yours served on a croissant, a wrap, a bagel, bread, or a roll of some sort?

I love bread in most any form that I can get it. I think croissants are great. I prefer savory croissants. I think chicken salad in a wrap or a croissant is yummy, but it is great on other breads, too. I just don’t particularly care for bagels. I think they are icky.  

5. Sum up your January in fifteen words or less.

I am glad to be home. Hospitals and nursing homes are emotionally and physically exhausting.
  
6. Insert your own random thought here.

I read some especially interesting verses during my devotion time this morning. I don’t generally get involved in political talk because, even with voting, I don’t really feel that I can change anything. These verses stood out to me because of the anti-president talk we’re faced with every day, no matter who the president is:

Romans 13:1-2, King James Version

 “1. Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. 2. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.”

No matter who ends up in office, they are there because Heavenly Father allowed them to be, to somehow work to His glory and good. Shouldn’t we, rather than griping about them, pray for them instead? We can pray for them and for our country while continuing to work to make things the way we think they should be.

If for no other reason, do it for them…



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5 Ways To Cope With The Death Of A Pet

5 Ways To Cope With The Death Of A Pet

The loss of a pet can bring as much grief as the loss of some human friends and family members.

This makes sense when you consider the role our animal companions play in our everyday lives. You cared for your pet’s every need and, because they could not speak, you learned to communicate in other ways. Such caring builds intimacy similar to that found between a parent and their infant; love without conflict, jealousy, or any of the other complications found in most relationships. So when a pet dies, the depth of your grief reflects your loss of a special relationship. 

 “When we lose a pet, we lose a relationship unlike any other,” says Ken Dolan-Del Vecchio (www.greengateleadership.com), a family therapist and author of The Pet Loss Companion: Healing Advice From Family Therapists Who Lead Pet Loss Groups. 

 “Many of us love our pets the way we love our children. But in the immediate aftermath of this unique loss, too often family members and friends say things like, ‘Just get another one.’ Instead of devaluing your grief over the loss of this important relationship, as others may advise, embrace your sorrow. Your grief is important, for it will lead you to healing and teach you important things about what matters most in life.” 

Dolan-Del Vecchio offers these tips for those grieving the loss of a pet:

• Share your grief with empathetic friends. Spend time with people who understand your closeness with your pet. Even some friends may be insensitive, so be careful to avoid “get over it” types of people. “Unfortunately, many people see animals as if they were non-living objects,” Dolan-Del Vecchio says.

• Attend a pet loss support group. Pet loss groups provide a concentrated dose of social support. Meeting with others who also grieve and share similar emotions can boost one’s healing greatly.

• Keep moving. Exercise is a healer. It boosts feelings of well-being and calm, improves sleep and brightens your mood.

• Be creative. Whether you lean toward writing, scrapbooking, ceramics, photography or making collages, creative projects may contribute to healing.

• Spend time in nature. Nothing quiets the mind and soul like a stroll through a park, nature preserve, or by the seashore. “The natural world brings special benefits when your heart has been torn by grief,” Dolan-Del Vecchio says. “The sights, sounds, and smells of nature connect us to eternal, circular stories of life and death in ways that go beyond our usual thoughts and feelings, and this experience brings solace to many people.”

“It’s important to care for yourself when you’re grieving your pet,” Dolan-Del Vecchio says. “This requires some planning and acts of will, as grief can diminish energy and motivation. You can lessen your distress through self-care. Above all else, be gentle with yourself.”  

About Ken Dolan-Del Vecchio 

Ken Dolan-Del Vecchio (www.greengateleadership.com) is an author, speaker, family therapist, and leadership and life skills consultant. His books include Simple Habits of Exceptional (But Not Perfect) Parents, The Pet Loss Companion: Healing Advice From Family Therapists Who Lead Pet Loss Groups, and Making Love: Playing Power: Men, Women, and the Rewards of Intimate Justice. Ken founded GreenGate Leadership® after retiring from his role as Vice President, Health and Wellness, at Prudential, where he was responsible for behavioral health services for the company’s 20,000 U.S. employees.
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Announcement: Maybe Moving PS Annie! to WordPress

Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton

I hope you'll all join me as I contemplate moving PS Annie! completely away from Blogger. This is a big step for me. PS Annie! has been on Blogger for so long (since 2011). Historically, I have had no luck getting followers to move with me to a new blog. I don't want to lose anybody, but I don't want to continue fighting with Blogger and the coding/formatting issues. Those issues are taking the joy out of actually creating a post. I find myself putting it off as long as possible, which isn't a good thing when publicists are waiting to see the reviews! 

For the foreseeable future, I will cross-post between the original PS Annie! on Blogger and PS Annie! on WordPress. Please be sure to follow PS Annie! on WordPress if you are a Blogger follower! I'd hate to lose touch with any of you. 

If you're interested in posts solely on genealogy and family history, please join me at PS Annie! #2 on WordPress. 

For memes, creative writing, and photography, please join me at McClendon Villa on WordPress.

Have a blessed day, y'all!

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Book Review: Amira Can Catch, New Kid in School (Hometown All Stars) by Kevin Christofora

Amira Can Catch, New Kid in School (Hometown All Stars) by Kevin Christofora

Amira Can Catch is a great book that teaches about how kids should act towards new students in their school. It also teaches some baseball fundamentals that I wish I had learned when I was in little league. If I had had anyone in my life who approached teaching baseball like the coach in this book, I might not have hated playing it.

But, this book is not just about baseball. It is about getting along. It is about kids learning from each other, helping each other, and teaching each other.

We give Amira Can Catch all five stars. It is very well-written and the illustrations are great.

This is a great book to read aloud with your kids. It even gives some great ideas to get kids up and exercising while having fun.



We were sent a complimentary copy of this book. We are under no obligation to write any review, positive or negative.

We are disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255.

Notice: This post contains affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase, we may financially benefit from your transaction, at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support.

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Press Release: Thumbtack Announces Scholarship Program in Support of the Next Generation of Skilled, Local Professionals

Thumbtack Announces Scholarship Program in Support of the Next Generation of

Skilled, Local Professionals  

SAN FRANCISCO -- JANUARY 30, 2018 -- Thumbtack, the app that finds you a local professional for 
any project, today announced the Thumbtack Pro ​Scholarship, in support of the next generation of local 
skilled professionals pursuing careers in any of Thumbtack’s nearly 1,000 categories including 
plumbers, caterers, personal trainers, math tutors and wedding officiants.

With this scholarship, Thumbtack will award one student $2,500 biannually and is currently accepting 
applications for 2018-2019 school year. High school seniors and undergraduates currently enrolled or 
planning to enroll in undergraduate or vocational program located in the U.S., 18 years old or older, are
 invited to apply at www.thumbtack.com/scholarship.

The application deadline for the Fall 2018 scholarship is June 1, 2018. Winners will be announced in 
June 2018.

Of the professionals currently on Thumbtack, about 82 percent graduated from a vocational, two-year 
or four-year university. With the introduction of this scholarship, Thumbtack hopes to grow this number 
over time. A platform that helps connect customers with local skilled professionals, Thumbtack 
operates in all 50 states and in nearly every county in the United States. Below are the states that are 
the best ranked states for small business owners to run their business. 

For the full rankings, visit www.thumbtack.com/survey.

		States		Cities
Top Ten Best-Ranked		1. Wyoming (A+) 2. Delaware (A+) 3. Idaho (A+) 4. Louisiana (A+) 5. Maine (A+) 6. Texas (A+) 7. Utah (A+) 8. Indiana (A+) 9. New Hampshire (A) 10. South Carolina (A)		1. Boise, ID (A+) 2. Worcester, MA (A+) 3. San Antonio, TX (A+) 4. Austin, TX (A+) 5. Grand Rapids, MI (A+) 6. Memphis, TN (A) 7. Louisville, KY (A) 8. Lawrence, MA (A) 9. Salt Lake City, UT (A) 10. Houston, TX (A-)

Powering the businesses of over 250,000 local professionals per quarter, Thumbtack is already 
one of the largest local services providers in the U.S., offering nearly 1,000 categories, with a 
working professional in every county, except for two, in the U.S. Helping customers complete 
millions of jobs -- from plumbing, to catering, to personal training to math tutoring -- meant well 
over $1 billion in earnings to professionals from Thumbtack customers in 2017.

Notice: This post may contain affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase, 
we may financially benefit from your transaction, at no additional cost to you. Thank 
you for your support.
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Book Review: Jobmobbers: Under the Watchful Eye of the Coyote by Patricia Komar

Jobmobbers: Under the Watchful Eye of the Coyote by Patricia Komar

For the first time in a long time, we are able to review a fiction book that is what it is. By that, we mean that the book is exactly how it is presented.

Too many times recently we have been presented with books that were supposed to be mystery books that turned out to be disguised romance books. We have read countless fiction books that go into great detail about the clothes the heroine is wearing in order to have loads of product placement.

Jobmobbers is a great story that draws the reader in and holds their attention. It is a story about bullying in the workplace and one brave woman who faced most of it alone.

We give Jobmobbers all five stars. It is well-written and entertaining. We think you will like it.


We were sent a complimentary copy of this book. We are under no obligation to write any review, positive or negative.

We are disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255.



Notice: This post contains affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase, we may financially benefit from your transaction, at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support.
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Book Review: A Breach of Trust: Your Life Belongs to Them Now by Susan Hodges, LNFA

A Breach of Trust: Your Life Belongs to Them Now by Susan Hodges, LNFA

We have recently spent time in a nursing home. This is David’s second time in one in the last five years. Suzanne goes with him.

We have all heard horror stories of terrible care inside nursing homes and skilled nursing centers. A Breach of Trust goes even further.

In the State of Texas, a person of any age can be declared incompetent by a probate judge on the say so of any doctor, competent or not. It gets worse. Once that person is declared incompetent, the court decides what happens to that person’s assets. Most of time, they are eaten up by “legal fees.’

A Breach of Trust is eye-opening. Anyone who lives in Texas should read this book, then reach out to their elected officials and stop the madness.

What happens in a prison is bad. What happens in a nursing home is even worse. But to make things unbearable, the court often forces competent people into nursing homes against their will and then rapes them financially.

We give A Breach of Trust all five stars. This book is very well-written and hard to put down. We won’t go so far as to call it entertaining. What it is is downright horrifying.



We were sent a complimentary copy of this book. We are under no obligation to write any review, positive or negative.

We are disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255.

Related Articles:

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In Whose Best Interest? When the elderly enter the guardianship system, it’s hard to tell who wins. By JEFF PRINCE - September 8, 2010

Grabbing the Purse Jeff Prince Fort Worth Weekly News




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Book Review: The Gun Club: U.S.S. Duncan at Cape Esperance by Robert Fowler

The Gun Club: U.S.S. Duncan at Cape Esperance by Robert Fowler

If you are looking for an action-packed book that is difficult to put down, The Gun Club: U.S.S. Duncan at Cape Esperance by Robert Fowler is the book.

This is an exciting, play-by-play story of the battle and the struggle for survival by all the men aboard the U.S.S. Duncan. You will read about some very dramatic things.

Fowler, the author and son of the main character, tells his readers about all the trials and tribulations the crew went through and what happened to many of them after the fact.

If you like stories of shark attacks, it is in here. If you like to read about heroism, it is in here.

The story is surprisingly clean and, for the most part, Christian Friendly.

We give it five stars on our scale of zero to five stars. It is thrilling, entertaining, and informative. The Gun Club is very well-written and researched in depth.

For our blog readers, there is no graphic sex, but there is some innuendo. The Lord’s Name is used in vain twice during the story and those are direct quotes.

We were sent a complimentary copy of this book. We are under no obligation to write any review, positive or negative.

We are disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255.


Notice: This post contains affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase, we may financially benefit from your transaction, at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support.
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I respond to all comments on this blog, ideally within 24 hours.  Please check back here for a response to your comment.  Thank you!
 
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Book Review: Mockingbird Moments: A Memoir by Sharon Brown Keith

Mockingbird Moments: A Memoir by Sharon Brown Keith

Mockingbird Moments: A Memoir by Sharon Brown Keith was a trip down memory lane in a lot of ways.

The author reminisces about times with her father throughout her life. At the same time, she is working through the grief of losing him. It was easy to connect with this author as this is the stage of life in which I currently live.

Sharon’s emotions filled each page and brought out my own feelings of unresolved grief.

The big takeaway for me is that we all process grief differently, even those in the same family. The grief of losing a father is, in many ways, different for a daughter than for a son. No matter which we are, it impacts the rest of our lives.

I would recommend Mockingbird Moments to anyone that enjoys reading about the lives of others and learning just how much we all have in common. Whatever we’re dealing with, someone else is going through it, too.


We were sent a complimentary copy of this book. We are under no obligation to write any review, positive or negative.

We are disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255.



Notice: This post contains affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase, we may financially benefit from your transaction, at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support.
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I respond to all comments on this blog, ideally within 24 hours.  Please check back here for a response to your comment.  Thank you!
 
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Friendly Fill-Ins

This is a fun meme co-hosted by 15 and Meowing and
McGuffy's Reader. Be sure to visit and join in the fun!

Here are the fill-ins:

1. The flu shot ______________________.

2. I think everyone should take ________ daily.

3. I (almost) always _____, because _____.

4. I (almost) never _____ because _______.

Here are my responses:

The flu shot is something that I never intend to take. 

Everyone that I know who has taken it or the pneumonia 

shot has gotten sick. If I don’t take it, maybe I get 

sick, maybe I don’t. The odds are more in my favor if 

I don’t take it. Getting the shot almost guarantees me 

getting sick. No, thank you.

I think everyone should take the time to read their 

Bibles and pray daily. Time with Heavenly Father, 

pondering His word, is something that we all need. 

It doesn’t guarantee a perfect day, but it makes 

whatever comes along easier to get through.

I almost always cry when I see the soldiers’ coming 

home videos because they hit so very close to home. 

Our sons are in service and it is a blessing whenever 

they get to come home. On the other side of things, my 

Uncle Bobby Joe came home in a box. So many come home 

that way that it brings tears of joy when one makes it 

back home alive.

I almost never get everything done in a day that I 

wish to get done because there is way more to do 

than there is of me.

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benefit from your transaction, at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support.
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Please be sure to visit David over at
Random Thoughts and Observations.

I respond to all comments on this blog, ideally
within 24 hours.  Please check back here for a response to your comment.  Thank you!
 
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