tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15063957277922554022024-03-14T05:55:00.460-04:00Lydia's ReviewsLydia enjoys reviewing just about anything including restaurants, hotels, television shows, appliances, or even a day at the beach.
Check out her other blog http://lydiasrandomramblings.blogspot.com/Lydiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08957221856418430871noreply@blogger.comBlogger69125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1506395727792255402.post-28035038792776588172012-07-14T12:45:00.003-04:002012-07-14T13:04:06.832-04:00HerbAffair.comI've found a great website to order capsule-filling supplies, herbs, essential oils, and sprouting supplies. Today I'll be ordering the capsule filling machine 'Cap-m-quik' along with empty capsules to use for filling capsules with curry. The benefits of curcumin are well documented and my husband sees a difference in his blood sugar after eating curry. I thought it might be worth trying curry in capsules for those days he doesn't add curry to his food.<br />
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<a href="http://www.herbaffair.com/?Click=6171" target="_blank">www.herbaffair.com</a><br />
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<br />Lydiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08957221856418430871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1506395727792255402.post-50836050168414754462012-04-02T11:47:00.000-04:002012-04-02T11:47:46.364-04:00Thank You, Robyn O'Brien<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
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<div class="MsoNormal">I just read an article by Robyn O’Brien regarding a genomics scientist speaking out against her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><a href="http://www.robynobrien.com/_blog/Inspiring_Ideas/post/An_Idea_Worth_Spreading,_A_Dialogue_Worth_Having/">http://www.robynobrien.com/_blog/Inspiring_Ideas/post/An_Idea_Worth_Spreading,_A_Dialogue_Worth_Having/</a></div><div class="MsoNormal">I personally love and appreciate what Robyn in doing - spreading the word about unsafe food.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">In this article, she talks about a Spanish researcher, “Jose L. Domingo found only seven peer reviewed papers on genetically engineered crop safety as of 2000, most of them dealing with short-term nutritional effect” and basically says studies have not been done to prove the safety (or non-safety) of GMOs (genetically modified organisms).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think we have an ongoing study. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">It is my personal belief that there is a HUGE study going on right now on genetically modified foods, additives, antibiotics that are given to livestock, rBGH <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(recombinant bovine growth hormone) and processed foods.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Look around, it looks to me that a study is happening in our own backyards.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Look at your friends, your relatives, your neighbors and people-watch at the mall for 5 minutes: what do you see?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are a significant number of these people obese?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do a significant number of these people have health issues, some even noticeable health issues?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In your circle, do you see people getting MS, Parkinson’s, cancer, etc. before they are even 30?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just read that cancer is the biggest killer of children under 15 (sorry I can’t remember where).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>YIKES!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Yes, sadly, WE Americans ARE the “study!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Americans are not getting healthier, and are not getting less cancer or heart disease.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Is it time to </span>stop listening to the so-called “experts” and start listening to our common sense?</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Consider following Robyn O’Brien on Facebook to get some good information about what you are eating.</div>Lydiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08957221856418430871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1506395727792255402.post-24067306491459236022012-02-10T22:05:00.001-05:002012-07-14T12:44:05.153-04:00Market Basket Hooksett New HampshireI love the new Market Basket in Hooksett, New Hampshire! Tonight I was looking for the telephone number and was not able to find it with a quick Internet search. I had to call another NH store to obtain the number. The telephone number is 603-624-8126.Lydiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08957221856418430871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1506395727792255402.post-62289130565735252042012-02-04T22:26:00.000-05:002012-02-04T22:26:34.150-05:00One for the Money Movie and CastOne for the Money is book #1 in the Stephanie Plum, bounty hunter, series by Janet Evanovich. I just finished reading the newest in the series, Explosive Eighteen. I'll save that for another review. Having read 18 in this series, you can probably guess that I'm a big fan. <br />
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I was excited when I heard book #1 was being made into a movie. Little by little I heard about the cast. I think I was back several books when I heard Sherri Shepard had been cast as Lula. Throughout the remaining books, I laughed even harder as I pictured Sherri in the part!<br />
As I heard about the remaining cast members, I became increasingly concerned that Sherri was the only cast member who fit. Having now seen the movie, I've changed my mind.<br />
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Stephanie Plum - Being a fan of Grey's anatomy, I was actually bugged that Katherine Heigl had been cast for the part of Stephanie Plum. I now revoke that opinion and admit she was a great fit; Heigl nailed the part.<br />
Morelli - Jason O'Mara Honestly, I have probably seen Jason in other roles, but for now they allude me. It took a bit to warm up to him as he was not what I pictured, but by the end of the movie he had grown on me. <br />
Ranger - Daniel Sunjata This was as good a fit as Lula (although I pictured him being a bit older.) He was such a good fit for this part, I could smell the Bvlgari shampoo! <br />
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Mrs. Plum - Debra Monk I was a little disappointed at first. My image of this character was a little more...well demure is the only word I can think of. Maybe more prim and proper? Then my daughter said, "C'mon! She's a mother in New Joysey!" and I realized she was right!<br />
Vinnie was a good fit, I only pictured him a little taller and thinner.<br />
My big disappointment I have to say was Debbie Reynolds. Not that I don't like Debbie Reynolds, I just don't think she was a good fit for the part. To successfully play the part of Grandma Mazur, she needed to look more like a chicken - much thinner, much older, hanging chicken skin and more frail looking.<br />
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The movie itself I thought was very well done. Of course I learned a long time ago: never re-read a book just before the movie hits the theater; it ruins it. I've read a few bad reviews of this movie and must wonder if those reviews are from those who did not read the books. Anyone care to comment?<br />
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</strong>Lydiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08957221856418430871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1506395727792255402.post-21126530938240163262011-11-06T10:50:00.002-05:002011-11-06T10:50:54.429-05:00Have You Seen Food Matters or Food, Inc.?Food Matters and Food, Inc. are two of the most powerful movies about food that I have seen. Food Matters is a documentary about using food as medicine rather than pharmaceuticals. As Hippocrites, the father of medicine, said, "Let thy food be thy medicine and thy medicine be thy food." This documentary will change your view of pharmaceuticals and popping pills. As they said, "A pill for every ill." I found the statistics of pharmaceuticals versus vitamins very interesting. <br />
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Food, Inc., another documentary, is a film about how our food is grown and how the small, country-side farms have been replaced with Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs). I had heard about these but had never actually seen one. The one question I had after watching was, "And people think how we get veal is cruel?" If you don't want to change any of your eating habits, you might not want to watch this one. After watching this, I plan to completely change my eating habits and start supporting local farmers.<br />
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I only wish I had seen these many, many years ago. How different and healthier would I be now? If you have the chance, these films just might change your life and the life of your family.<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=lydblo-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B0027BOL4G&ref=tf_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe>Lydiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08957221856418430871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1506395727792255402.post-53102059325743526192011-08-07T13:11:00.002-04:002012-01-11T08:13:17.281-05:00Ameradoor- Quality Cabinet Doors and CabinetsI was very saddened to see this in my "comments" and sorry to hear Ameradoor has closed. From the comments left here, it is obvious that running this business has been a struggle as are many in this terrible economy. Thank you to Ameradoor for posting this for us.<br />
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<u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">AMERADOOR UPDATE (This is a comment left by user "Ameradoor Corporation":</span></u><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #f9f4ee; color: blue; font-family: 'trebuchet ms',verdana,arial,sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 18px;">Ameradoor Corporation- After 6 years we have CLOSED We tried to keep our doors open long enough to finish customers product. However our power was shut off. Our phones and website was discontinued for not payment. We just did not have the resources to survive. In this nations economy you would think that people would understand. However some people would like to make wild accusations that are just not true. For the customers that supported us for the past six years "thank you". For the customers that did not get there order "I am truly sorry" I hope the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #f9f4ee; font-family: 'trebuchet ms',verdana,arial,sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">through the Bankruptcy court that this matter will be resolved</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #f9f4ee; font-family: 'trebuchet ms',verdana,arial,sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">.</span></span><br />
<div class="commentFooter" style="color: #666666; font-size: 12px;">By <a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/13509972644652202887" style="color: #3366cc; font-weight: bold;">Ameradoor Corporation</a> on <a href="http://www.lydiablogg.com/2009/01/ameradoor.html" style="color: #3366cc; font-weight: bold;">Ameradoor- Quality Cabinet Doors and Cabinets</a> on 8/6/11</div><br />
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<u>AMERADOOR UPDATE: August 3, 2011:</u><br />
Thanks to Helen and Darlene for the heads-up on Ameradoor. It appears they may have closed. Calling the number today that is listed on the www.whois.net website, I received a recording that said, "We're sorry. You've reached a number that is no longer in service." Typing www.ameradoor.com in the address bar gives this message, "Sorry, we can't find "www.ameradoor.com". We suggest that you check the spelling of the web address or search above." Personally, I am very sorry to know this company is closed.<br />
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<u>MY ORIGINAL POST January 27, 2009:</u><br />
We recently built a maple entertainment center for our living room. Unfortunately, when it came to the doors, we did not have the expertise or the right tools. Since we only needed three doors and one drawer front, we decided to have them built. Searching the Internet we were able to find Ameradoor. The price with shipping was less than we would have paid for a router and the rail and stile bits.<br />
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When the doors arrived, we were very happy with their workmanship.Lydiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08957221856418430871noreply@blogger.com36tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1506395727792255402.post-68602134836917428272011-07-14T10:38:00.007-04:002011-07-14T14:28:31.769-04:00Mangia - Hooksett NH's Best-Kept Secret!My husband came home from work last night and told me that a co-worker raved about Mangia in Hooksett. In the five years this restaurant has been open, I did not know anyone who had actually eaten there. <br />
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Off we went to Mangia, but not before Google-ing (yes, <~~~ that is a word) the restaurant to make sure they were open. I went into my bedroom to get dressed and my husband jumped on the computer. He didn't manage to find the restaurant's website <a href="http://www.gomangia.com/">www.gomangia.com</a> but he did manage to find two websites with reviews. The first one I read was a, "Don't do it" which was a little disturbing. There were ten reviews and only one was bad; the others were all good reviews. Since we now personally knew someone who had eaten there and given a good verbal review, we decided to give it a try.<br />
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OH MY GOSH; I could not believe how delicious the food was! I was trying desperately to leave some of my five-cheese tortellini for my husband to try and having a most difficult time. When I saw this on the specials menu, it said, "Five-Cheese Large Tortellini, roasted garlic, onions, sweet corn, peas, mushrooms in an Alfredo sauce." I was wondering about peas and corn in the Alfredo sauce; sounded a little odd to me, but I don't usually frequent Italian restaurants. That is now going to change. This morning I'm wishing I could go there for breakfast. It was THAT GOOD!!!<br />
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My husband had linguine and clams in a white sauce; he loved it. I thought it delicious, but a bit too hot for my sensitive tongue. He also had the Caprese salad which was fresh and delicious. Our waitress, Susan, was waiting on the entire restaurant and doing a great job. There are probably only about 10 or 12 tables and all were occupied last night. The chef cooks each meal to order; no wonder it is so good. I've never had a meal come out of the kitchen as steaming hot as this one. It came right from the kitchen to our table.<br />
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If you are looking for a quiet dinner, sorry, this is probably not the place to go. It's a cafe-style that I found to be a bit noisy. Honestly, as much as I usually hate noisy restaurants, my food was good enough that this would not have been a problem if the place was more noisy. <br />
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If you are in a hurry, again sorry, not the place to go. There is one chef preparing meals individually to order. We were there almost two hours, but trust me, it was well worth the wait! And yes, it is true that you can bring your own wine, beer or champagne. That's a plus, too. Our bill was about $52 less a $10 restaurant.com certificate. Not too bad for two EXCELLENT meals. We cannot wait to go back!! By using a certificate from Restaruant.com, you can save not just at this restaurant, but many in your area: <a href="http://www.tkqlhce.com/bp115r09608OTTTQVVSOQPTSQQUS" onmouseout="window.status=' ';return true;" onmouseover="window.status='http://www.restaurant.com';return true;" target="_blank"><br />
<img alt="" border="0" src="http://www.lduhtrp.net/6t97o26v0zKPPPMRROKMLPOMMQO" /></a>Lydiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08957221856418430871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1506395727792255402.post-14491889089409004082011-06-13T13:09:00.018-04:002011-11-06T10:47:15.948-05:00hCG Diet - Hype or Helpful? Does hCG work?<h2 style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.5pt;">My Synopsis - But PLEASE Read Dr. Simeons' Entire Book<o:p></o:p></span></h2><div style="line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.5pt;">Before starting this controversial diet, I decided to read Dr. Simeons' complete book. If you are considering using HCG I would recommend reading his book, as I believe it is important to understand the 500-Calorie diet and how hCG works in the body. As I understand hCG from reading Dr. Simeons' book, hCG:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.5pt;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 24.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.5pt;">1.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.5pt;">Will reset the hypothalamus.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 24.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.5pt;">2.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.5pt;">Will train the body to lose bad fat.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 24.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.5pt;">3.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.5pt;">Is an appetite suppressant.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 24.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.5pt;">4.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.5pt;">"Tells" the body to burn the bad fat for fuel and nutrients.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.5pt;">We have good fat according to Dr. Simeons, like the fat on the bottom of our feet. Maybe that is why, once I became overweight and started dieting, I'm having foot issues and my fat buttocks gets sore after sitting. Have I lost the good fat in the wrong places? I never had those problems when I was a size 2!<o:p></o:p></span></div><h2 style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.5pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></h2><h2 style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.5pt;">The Controversy<o:p></o:p></span></h2><div style="line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.5pt;">In researching this diet on the Internet, I quickly realized the controversy was in the 500-calorie diet, NOT the hCG itself; I could tell it was only because people didn't understand the concept. hCG it seems, is approved and used as a fertility drug but not for weight loss. I was only eating around 500 to 800 calories a day because of Myxedema. I believe that if most Americans removed the non-nutritional foods or the foods that have limited nutritional value from their diets, (like bagels, English muffins, pasta, sugar, etc.) they too would find they are only consuming about 800 calories a day of nutritional foods.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><div style="line-height: 13.5pt;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.5pt;">According to Wikipedia, "hCG is also produced in the pituitary gland of males and females of all ages." Could a deficit in the amount of hCG we are supposed to have actually be causing people to not be able to lose weight? Just a thought. Since hCG is a substance that naturally occurs in our bodies, it seems it would probably come under "bio-identical hormones." I'm guessing there won't soon be any studies.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
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</div></div><div style="line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.5pt;">There doesn't seem to be any controversy about eating foods that are full of high-fructose corn syrup, trans fat (partially hydrogenated oil), sugar and flour - all of which we know pack on the pounds. What else would the body do with "food" that it doesn't recognize except to shoot the cholesterol up and store it as fat? Surprisingly though, we seem to know what contributes to storing the fat but aside from strenuous exercise for 8 hours a day or starving ourselves, we don't seem to know how to "tell" our bodies to get rid of the stored fat. I don't know, but maybe hCG is the answer.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.5pt;">Wikipedia also states, "The controversy proceeds from warnings by the Journal of the American Medical Association and the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that hCG is neither safe, nor effective as a weight-loss aid" Not effective as a weight-loss aid? I think I'm living proof that it is not only a good weight-loss aid, but it is also an appetite suppressant.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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</span></div><div style="line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.5pt;">Personally, I think it important to acquire this or anything else we put in our bodies from a reliable source. I am getting mine, with a doctor's prescription, from Northern New England Compounding Pharmacy in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Littleton</st1:city>, <st1:state w:st="on">New Hampshire</st1:state></st1:place></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.5pt;">. I also just ordered Green Web's from Amazon and am waiting for it to arrive. If you have purchased hCG and find you are constantly hungry or are not losing weight, perhaps there is no hCG in your bottle.</span></div><div style="line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><br />
</div><h2 style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.5pt;">Is hCG a Miracle?<o:p></o:p></span></h2><div style="line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.5pt;">I did not have Myxedema because I did not have enough thyroid hormone in my blood, I had (have) Myxedema because the thyroid hormone was not getting into the cells at the "receptor site" as my doctor said. Lyme Disease might be the culprit. One of the worst (of the many) symptoms was edema. If you've ever had a really bad case of edema you know what it feels like. If not, it makes one feel like their weight is doubled and seriously impedes mobility.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.5pt;">When I decided to start hCG, I was still apprehensive. I understood everything Dr. Simeons was saying in his book, but wondered if it would work for me because of my current medical issues.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.5pt;">Days one and two are necessary overeating days while hCG is getting into the system. According to Dr. Simeon, those who overeat on these days get the best results. Day three I started the 500-calorie diet as instructed and since I am always the optimist, I thought the edema was subsiding. By day four I was astounded at the reduction in the edema - I finally felt like I could move. I now actually felt like eating - my appetite had turned around. Previously, I was eating only because I knew it was necessary.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.5pt;">Today is day 20. I am doing the drops and should have lost 20 pounds by now. Unfortunately, I've hit two roadblocks. The second weekend I was on hCG, I did major yard work and the weather was humid. I stuck to the diet and actually gained one pound; that was a huge disappointment. It worked out that in four days I had no change. The next weekend I needed to do more yard work and was told to just go off it and eat extra food to compensate for the calories I was burning - WRONG! I gained five pounds! I should have known, because Dr. Simeons warns to stay on the 500-calorie diet for three days AFTER taking the last hCG dose because it will cause a weight gain (because the body is still being flooded with nutrients from the hCG). I've ended up wasting four days on each of two weekends (eight total days - uggghhh). In short, exercise is NOT allowed on this diet. Overall, I am down today by only 11 pounds, but I'll take it! Where else can one find a diet that says, "Don't exercise"!<o:p></o:p></span></div><h2 style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.5pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></h2><h2 style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.5pt;">Nothing Can Stop Me Now!<o:p></o:p></span></h2><div style="line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.5pt;">Nothing can stop me now. I will not falter in my eating nor exert myself any more than absolutely necessary for the remaining 22 days that I will be doing the hCG and 500-calorie diet. I'm having guests for Father's Day and had originally planned to cheat - not anymore.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.5pt;">I must remember my goal and that, "NOTHING tastes better than a size 8"! Although I won't be down to a size 8 this time, after taking a six-week vacation from hCG (so that my body does not get immune to the drops) I will do another round of hCG. THEN I will be a size 8!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><br />
</div><h2 style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.5pt;">Summary<o:p></o:p></span></h2><div style="line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.5pt;">For me, hCG has been a miracle. I am a whole new person; a whole new person who today is 11 pounds lighter. My biggest fear is that I'll go off the hCG and the edema/myxedema will return. Only time will tell......<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.5pt;">PLEASE NOTE: I am NOT a doctor and am not giving advise, medical or otherwise. The above statements are a summary of what happened to me. My statements have not been evaluated or approved by the FDA or anyone else.</span></div>Lydiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08957221856418430871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1506395727792255402.post-44310332978869232302011-06-12T22:24:00.001-04:002011-06-12T22:25:11.995-04:00<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=lydblo-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=ss_til&asins=B004O79KW4" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe><br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=lydblo-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=ss_til&asins=B000FAIR82" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe>Lydiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08957221856418430871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1506395727792255402.post-35129359466348388722011-04-29T09:03:00.012-04:002011-05-03T13:23:03.602-04:00Congratulations Prince William and Princess Kate!Congratulations Prince William and Princess Kate! I remember watching the royal wedding of Prince William's parents and am saddened that Princess Diana was not there today to see the marriage ceremony of her eldest son. Kate looked as elegant as Princess Diana looked on her wedding day almost 30 years ago.<br />
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I've just learned of a 22-page etiquette book that was sent to guests of the Royal wedding. Surely there should have been a page 23 that included specific hat etiquette and a hat-limiting height for women's hats. And unless your name is Lady Gaga, you shouldn't be wearing any hats like these:<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, verdana, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://abcnews.go.com/International/Royal_Wedding/slideshow/royal-wedding-crazy-hats-13488833">Princess Eugenie, Princess Beatrice and Their Hideous Hats!</a></span><br />
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Hats like these not only took away from the beauty of these gorgeous girls, they make me think of "The Emperor's New Clothes." Who told those girls it was okay to go out in public wearing those??? Just because a designer has a famous reputation, doesn't necessarily mean what they design looks good. These hats also make me think about what wonderful table centerpieces these hats would make, as would this Philip Treacy, worn by <a href="http://zeynepselcukva301.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/parker-hat.jpg">Sarah Jessica</a> . I could decorate an entire room around Sarah's "hat."<br />
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I do like the idea of an etiquette book to be sent with wedding invitations - one that would not only include etiquette but also directions. I once went to grab my invitation as I was walking out the door to attend a wedding, only to find the couple had not included directions or the address of the church! It was a wedding two states away. I can't remember how we even found the church! When we arrived, we were very overdressed. My husband was in a suit and I in a dressy wedding-suitable dress. The other guests were dressed in Dockers and casual, office-type dresses. I have to admit, it would have been nice to have a "play-book" that included directions and suggested attire.Lydiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08957221856418430871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1506395727792255402.post-34731922195101365242011-04-22T09:08:00.001-04:002011-04-22T09:17:15.420-04:00Exciting New Product - The Flex Belt<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://gan.doubleclick.net/gan_click?lid=41000000035523438&pubid=21000000000354795" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="The Flex Belt Effortless Ab Workout" border="0" src="http://gan.doubleclick.net/gan_impression?lid=41000000035523438&pubid=21000000000354795" /></a></td></tr>
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</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Advertisement – Too tired for a traditional workout? Have you seen the advertisements for The Flex Belt? It is a class II medical device and the first of its kind to be approved by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration). This <st1:place w:st="on">EMS</st1:place> (Electric Muscle Stimulation) product has been approved to be sold directly to consumers. An 8-week clinical study proved to reduce the waist by an average of 1.4 inches along with firmer and flatter abdomens reported by 100% of the subjects. Get a discount when buying a second one; upon checkout you will receive a 25% discount on the second one. If you have friends who might be interested, start checking with them to lower your cost. Gotta go...just talked myself into buying one!Lydiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08957221856418430871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1506395727792255402.post-20072173902716978492011-04-04T08:30:00.005-04:002011-04-16T15:52:00.444-04:00How to Find Your Old eHow Account Articles<a href="https://myarticles.ehow.com/SignIn.aspx">Log in to Your Old eHow Account Articles</a><br />
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It's hard to not only keep up with all the changes at eHow, but with changes at all Internet writing sites. If you found this article, you probably already know that Demand Media has taken over eHow. If you would like to write for eHow, you must now apply through Demand Media. I have several articles on eHow, but have not yet started writing through Demand Studios. Maybe I'll start today. <br />
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I recently tried to log on to my eHow account and found a Facebook login. It seems this has added some confusion to the site, at least for writers. If you are looking for your old eHow articles, go to this address <a href="https://myarticles.ehow.com/SignIn.aspx">Old eHow Account</a> and log in. After entering your "username" and "password" on this page, you will be brought to your old eHow articles.<br />
<a href="http://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" data-count="vertical" data-via="LydiaBlogg">Tweet</a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>Lydiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08957221856418430871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1506395727792255402.post-40262835570139795352011-04-03T13:32:00.007-04:002011-04-03T13:36:06.517-04:00Can You Survive an MRI?I've just published an article on Hubpages about my experience of surviving an MRI. The full story can be read here: <br />
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http://hubpages.com/hub/How-I-Survived-an-MRI-Magnetic-Resonance-Imaging<br />
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My apologies for such a lengthy article. If you are facing an MRI in the near future, I hope my article will give you some good tips!Lydiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08957221856418430871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1506395727792255402.post-83844142559530450952011-02-06T20:36:00.001-05:002011-02-16T11:45:06.732-05:00Super Bowl XLV Half Time ShowWhat happened to the Black Eyed Peas? I always loved Black Eyed Peas, but what the heck happened to them during the Super Bowl 2011 Half-Time Show? I personally thought they sounded terrible! Was it the acoustics in the stadium? Maybe it's my ears - I didn't think Christina Auguilera sounded good either. Lea Michele from Glee - great job!!!!<br />
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UPDATE: I posted this during the half-time show. Now an update: 2/16/11 I have only ever seen a couple half-time shows in my life, as I'm not a football fan. If all half-time shows are this bad, I surely won't be watching again!!!Lydiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08957221856418430871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1506395727792255402.post-31702501964098541642011-01-08T12:09:00.004-05:002011-04-22T09:20:04.370-04:00Seth Glier - Another Amazing Performance<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihATFBj1unzZ_EYDVeOO70HL1n6gjQVFd8qHVvweVDfyeuaOvCvYtvTpN8Lxt2Xh8BYbN4apofNwysTOjIfnpViByhDFNFtgXg1FfjQ0rJ9-2PGAW2BGKzM9YuFkb-wJroKRsegf8SfnM/s1600/SethRyan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihATFBj1unzZ_EYDVeOO70HL1n6gjQVFd8qHVvweVDfyeuaOvCvYtvTpN8Lxt2Xh8BYbN4apofNwysTOjIfnpViByhDFNFtgXg1FfjQ0rJ9-2PGAW2BGKzM9YuFkb-wJroKRsegf8SfnM/s320/SethRyan.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Seth Glier never ceases to amaze me. Listening to him sing at last night's CD Release Party at the Tupelo in Londonderry, New Hampshire was as usual, absolutely amazing! This was my fifth time hearing Seth (and his ever-so-talented sidekick, Ryan Hommel) in person and it never gets old. He opened for Liz Longley, who has a beautiful voice and some wonderful, touching songs. Nothing against Liz, as I would love to see her again, but two of the people with me last night both said (as I always say) Seth should have been the headliner, not the opener. It is hard to believe this young man is only 22 years old. He has a voice that is a rare gift. You are in for a real treat if you can see him in person! If you can't see him in person, consider purchasing a CD. His newest CD, The Next Right Thing, is my personal favorite.<br />
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<a href="http://www.webanswers.com/_LydiasReviews/entertainment/music/have-you-ever-heard-a-singers-voice-that-was-so-amazing-it-made-you-emotional-30f462">Have you ever heard a singers voice that was so amazing it made you emotional?</a>Lydiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08957221856418430871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1506395727792255402.post-66435854352649847022010-12-09T17:34:00.002-05:002011-04-21T18:28:55.543-04:00BreadmakerI have a West Bend breadmaker that I've had for many years and love! During the holidays, it always gets lots of use. It bakes a traditional rectangular-shaped 1 1/2 or 2 pound loaf. It's very easy to use and came with an instruction book with great recipes (I've improved many of them and will be posting them on my recipe page). It will make traditional yeast breads and quick breads. The bad news is, it looks like West Bend doesn't make one like it anymore.<br />
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Most people I know who had a breadmaker that the loaf pan goes in vertically rather than horizontally, have since sent theirs to breadmaker heaven or disposed of in a yard sale. If you are looking for a breadmaker this holiday season, try to get a rectangular loaf that sits in the breadmaker horizontally, like the one below. They are more expensive, but worth it!<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=lydblo-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B002XVUAOU&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe>Lydiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08957221856418430871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1506395727792255402.post-59049926724825093942010-11-20T14:37:00.002-05:002011-01-26T13:26:16.979-05:00Try Accuchef - I Think You Will Like It!<a HREF="http://www.regnow.com/softsell/nph-softsell.cgi?item=5278-1&affiliate=582089"><img src="//regnow.img.digitalriver.com/vendor/5278/lrgedit.gif" align="absmiddle"></A><br />
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AccuChef is a full-featured recipe organizer that starts you out with a collection of recipes and lets you add as many as you want (thousands available for free from our web site, millions available on the Internet). AccuChef can perform a nutritional analysis (including exchanges) of your recipes using the included USDA SR16-1 database and resize your recipes for up to 999 servings. Features include a spell checker (with support for over 20 languages); an e-mail utility that supports MAPI, SMTP exchanges and built-in PKZIP/WINZIP compatible compression. Search for recipes based on any element, even type in some ingredients you have on hand and let it suggest recipes you can make. A menu planner lets you add recipes for a day's meals and snacks then creates a shopping list of required ingredients in store aisle order (supports the Pocket PC shopping list program VOShoppingList too)! Before you head to the store, let it check the built in coupon database to see if you have any applicable coupons. AccuChef will import Meal-Master, MasterCook, regular text, or you can paste in recipes from any web site. Export Meal-Master, MasterCook, comma separated value or text. Export to individual text files using the recipe name as the file name, copy them to your PALM or POCKET PC and take them with you! You can sort recipes alphabetically by name, category, or main ingredient or jump to the area of interest using alphabetical tabs. Personalize your printouts by adding pictures of the recipe (BMP or JPG). You can print in formatted layout on plain paper, 3x5 and 4x6 index cards or any other sized paper your printer will support, print nutritional labels or completely design your own output! You can generate a web cookbook and upload it to the Internet to share your creations with the world! You can even print out double sided cookbooks of your recipes complete with a table of contents for sharing with the family, creating heirlooms or as a fund raiser for your Church or school!<br />
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An amazing buy at only $19.95Lydiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08957221856418430871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1506395727792255402.post-33346531310190171992010-11-08T14:16:00.004-05:002011-01-26T13:26:52.881-05:00Accuchef.comIn 2004 I needed a surgery that would require a long recovery and restrict movement (not being able to lift heavy objects, etc.) I decided this would be a good time to gather up all the recipes that were floating around and enter them into a computer program. After doing a little research, I found <a href="http://www.accuchef.com">Accuchef</a>. It is an easy program to use and today I have over 100 recipes I've added to it. Okay, so it took me six years to do it, but it's worth it. <br />
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The reasonably priced Accuchef allows sorting of records by category, by recipe name or even by the main ingredient. Emailing a recipe to someone is a cinch and you can print one recipe or the entire cookbook on 8 1/2 x 11 paper or on recipe cards. I could go on and on as to what this program could do. When I purchased the software I also purchased the 145-page user manual. I'm not sure it was really necessary, as the program is pretty self-explanatory.<br />
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At only $19.95, it is a good investment. Order here:<br />
<a HREF="http://www.regnow.com/softsell/nph-softsell.cgi?item=5278-1&affiliate=582089"><img src="//regnow.img.digitalriver.com/vendor/5278/Pepper125x125.jpg" align="absmiddle"></A>Lydiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08957221856418430871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1506395727792255402.post-9431280519328674472010-11-05T09:47:00.004-04:002011-03-17T16:04:35.390-04:00Kohl's 600-Count Egyptian Cotton Sheets - RecommendI've been using Kohl's Luxury 600-Count Egyptian Cotton Sheets sheets for three years and absolutely love them!! I always purchase them on sale with a discount coupon. My first set was purchased on Black Friday at an excellent price. I've purchased one set a year for three years. I rotate between two sets for my king size bed and will be purchasing these for all the beds in my home. I would never have tried them at the full price as I'm very particular about my sheets and would not have wanted to take a chance. I think it's hard to judge a sheet until they are washed. I'm glad I was able to try them at a bargain price. They are incredibly soft, wash nicely and are now the only sheets I will purchase! <br />
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BEWARE - There are some brands selling for a low price whose label makes it <i>appear <i></i></i>that the sheets inside the package are Egyptian cotton. One label I've seen is JS Sanders Collection. It says, in very small letters, "<b>with the soft touch as </b>..." and in very large letters, "...<b>820 Thread Count 100% Egyptian Cotton Sheet Set</b>". I washed a set and it is obvious they are not even cotton; they are polyester. They feel more like satin (which I know most people love, but I hate the feel of). I think the label is very misleading. Although the fact that the label also says, "Do not bleach, dry clean, or iron" should be a dead giveaway that these are not cotton. What do you think?<br />
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Go with the Kohl's Egyptian Cotton!Lydiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08957221856418430871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1506395727792255402.post-51335766210261160892010-10-08T19:23:00.001-04:002010-10-10T08:17:22.945-04:00I LOVE GOOGLE!!!"Imagine" I went through the entire day before hitting "play" on the Google home page. When I did, as I'm sure everyone else did, "Imagine" by John Lennon played. When I was brought to the Google search that showed it was in memory as tomorrow would have been his 70th birthday, I actually got goose bumps! I love Google!Lydiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08957221856418430871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1506395727792255402.post-13735925431010262232010-10-02T10:33:00.009-04:002010-10-02T10:37:26.796-04:00Black Forest Cafe - Amherst, New HampshireI've been to the Black Forest Cafe in Amherst, NH many times over the past few years -- sometimes for lunch, sometimes for dinner. It has never disappointed me. Last night I had two different soups - Curried Butternut Squash and Clam Chowder. I ordered the Squash soup and my husband ordered the Clam Chowder. I thought the Squash Soup was "okay" and my husband thought it was excellent so we traded soups. The Clam Chowder was different but a delicious sort of different. <br />
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The Caesar Salad was also a little different. It tasted good, but the dressing didn't even come close to a real Caesar dressing. The lettuce was fresh and plentiful, but the dressing made it an overall disappointment. The small loaf of homemade bread, served on a small wooden cutting board, always nicely compliments whatever is ordered.<br />
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My husband and I both had the Seafood Crepes. This is the entree that lures us to Amherst over and over! Topped with an orange sauce, it was as delectable as usual.<br />
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We decided to pass on dessert and instead bring something home from their bakery. My husband chose the miniature Black Forest cake and I the coconut cake. The Black Forest cake was yummy aside from the fact the cake was a little on the dry side. The coconut was much more moist and the cream cheese frosting topped it perfectly!Lydiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08957221856418430871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1506395727792255402.post-35830700999818584092010-09-22T11:26:00.049-04:002010-10-02T09:49:01.916-04:00MBT sneakers / shoesGuest entry from my friend Lynn:<br />
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If you're not familiar with MBT, it stands for Masai Barefoot Technology. These shoes are built to replicate the way we would walk when barefooted. This technology is supposed to cause us to burn more calories and build muscle. I did not purchase mine for the exercise aspect of these shoes -- I purchased mine because I have a severe case of plantar faciitis. <br />
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I've just purchased my second pair of MBT's. Well, you could almost say third, but I don't count the second pair. The first pair was the Chapa model which I purchased on eBay almost 2 years ago. Because of the plantar faciitis issue, these sneakers have been a life saver. Any time I deviated from wearing these, I paid for it that evening by being in excruciating pain. Since my Chapas were getting old, I decided it was time to find a new pair. By now, unfortunately, China has infiltrated eBay with fake MBT's.<br />
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My second pair was this past summer and another eBay purchase. It was not a smart purchase. I purchased from eBay user tuse1590 in China. I think I must keep those details for a post all it's own. (I would not recommend purchasing MBT's from China unless you want poor quality shoes that will more than likely make your feet stink.) Although my daughter tells me the funny email correspondence I received from this eBayer is worth the $130 I lost. Not sure I agree with that.<br />
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My third pair - I just purchased these from an online store that I found through the official MBT site. I wasn't taking any chances this time. I was able to get a $260 MSRP pair that was on clearance for $119 with free shipping. They are an adorable Mary Jane style in denim. They are not as comfortable as the Chapas. I sometimes wonder if my Chapas are so comfortable because they are broken in.<br />
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In closing - I highly recommend MBT's I just wouldn't recommend purchasing them from China or especially from ebay user tuse1590!Lydiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08957221856418430871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1506395727792255402.post-68540473151694355652010-03-23T11:06:00.006-04:002010-10-02T09:47:48.448-04:00MS Office 2003 - Trouble InstallingIt was frustrating enough to need to format my laptop, but when MS Office 2003 didn't want to install, I was ready to pull out my hair!!!<br />
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When I couldn't get MS Office 2003 to install after a couple different error messages, I was fearful my DVD hardware was failing. The CD sounded like it was hung up and kept saying it couldn't find files. I decided to do what I always do -- I googled the problems. One website mentioned that if my computer had come with a trial version of MS Office 2007, that could be a problem. I would need to delete that first. Since I had already uninstalled it, I knew I had to dig deeper. The Activation Assistant 2007 was still on my computer. I found another site that said the Assistant needed to be deleted before deleting the trial version of MS Office 2007. I downloaded the trial version of 2007 from Microsoft and attempted to delete the Assistant first. I got an error telling me something was missing, so I again uninstalled the trial version. <br />
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As I was becoming more annoyed by the minute, I decided to try installing Office choosing the "typical" button which showed as "recommended" rather than "complete" which I had previously been trying. It worked -- it was THAT simple! If you are getting error messages when trying to install, try choosing "typical" (rather than "complete") -- it just might work!<br />
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<iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=lydblo-20&o=1&p=12&l=ur1&category=software&banner=0V6Z33T5EAXR67QT9302&f=ifr" width="300" height="250" scrolling="no" border="0" marginwidth="0" style="border:none;" frameborder="0"></iframe>Lydiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08957221856418430871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1506395727792255402.post-41830542889046802622010-03-10T17:19:00.034-05:002010-03-30T13:39:06.608-04:00Band From TV, Fallsview Casino, Niagra Falls, CanadaOur trip to Fallsview / Niagra Falls evolved when my daughter told me about this band - "Band From TV" that would be playing in Canada. I had never heard of them, but they sounded like an interesting meld. Of course I had seen several episodes of Fox's <span style="font-style:italic;">House</span>, so I knew who she was talking about, when she mentioned Hugh Laurie (the curmudgeonly Dr. House) and Jesse Spencer (Dr. Chase). At the time, I was not familiar with anyone else in the band with the exception of James(Jamie) Denton (but only because of seeing him on the ads for <span style="font-style:italic;">Desperate Housewives</span> -- I had never seen the show). I had also never seen <span style="font-style:italic;">Heroes </span>and wasn't familiar with Greg Grunberg (Grunny) or Adrian Pasdar. <span style="font-style:italic;">ER </span>- nope, had only seen snippets while my daughter watched so I didn't know who Scott Grimes was either. Bob Guiney - nope never seen <span style="font-style:italic;">The Bachelor</span>. Boy, talk about being out of the loop! <br />
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My husband and I agreed to the family trip to attend the show and borrowed a copy of the first season of Heroes, so we would become familiar with two more members of the band. My husband was not impressed with the first couple shows, but he begrudgingly agreed to watch with me. I think he was glad he did, once he was in the same room with Grunny and Adrian. I'll admit, the show is a little different, but it has definitely grown on me and I'm anxious to finish Season One. I think my husband is hooked, too (just don't tell him I told you).<br />
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Bob Guiney and Adrian Pasdar, by the way, are not very photogenic. Especially Bob Guiney. I Googled members of the band before the concert. I couldn't figure out how Bob could have become "The Bachelor". I didn't see one picture of him looking cute or handsome. Wow was I wrong! He is adorable in person with lots of charisma and a killer smile. Same with Adrian, too! Both are much more attractive in person, although Adrian was very quiet on stage. <br />
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My husband isn't really much of a concert-goer, so I was expecting him to not enjoy the concert especially since this was only a cover band. To my surprise, every time I looked at him, he was smiling. Our only regret was traveling so far and not having gone to the Saturday night show in addition to Sunday's show and not being able to purchase a DVD of the show. We couldn't even stop talking about how much we enjoyed the show almost the whole way home.<br />
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Before going any further, I have to say the Avalon is a great place to see a concert. I don't know how many people it seats, but it definitely has the atmosphere of a very small "hometown" venue. Just don't plan on taking pictures or using your cell phone for anything. My daughter sent me a text, commenting on how Hugh Laurie's stage entrance was very Kevin Griffin like and a security guard told her to put it away. If you don't know who Kevin is, he's the writer/singer for Better Than Ezra and could pass for Hugh Laurie's brother! But back to the venue, security was there to pounce if they saw you taking a picture.<br />
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Back to the concert - we had heard "Hoggin' All the Covers", which I have to say, is nothing in comparison to seeing them live. The CD pales to their live performance. Bob Guiney asked the audience for a show of hands on how many thought they would "suck". I didn't expect them to "suck", but I did expect ordinary. I knew there would be a bunch of talented guys on stage. It was far from ordinary! Grunny (Greg Grunberg) came into the audience inviting women to dance up front with him and even got two women up on stage. Those two had traveled 10 minutes and 20 minutes to get to the concert. Grunny was looking for people who had traveled more than 20 minutes to get to the concert, wanting them to come up on stage. I'm glad no one knew we had traveled about 8 hours because I'm just not into being in the limelight. <br />
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The voices blew me away - especially Scott Grimes, who also came into the audience singing and pulling women up front. Jesse Spencer's electric violin performance was a super addition to the band, especially during "Devil Went to Georgia" and The Who's "Baba O'Reilly".<br />
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What a bunch of amazing performers! This is the best concert I've ever been to! The audience interaction helped make it more fun. It was obvious these were a bunch of great guys just out having a fun time, doing what they love. Raising money for good causes is just an added bonus.<br />
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SET LIST - vocals from Sunday, March 7, 2010:<br />
Hard to Handle - Bob Guiney<br />
Mary Ann - Hugh Laurie<br />
Mama Told Me Not to Come - Bob Guiney<br />
Wild Night - Bob Guiney <br />
Viva Las Vegas - Jamie Denton<br />
Try a Little Tenderness - Bob Guiney<br />
Walking in Memphis - Scott Grimes<br />
Devil Went to Georgia - Jamie Denton with awesome violin by Jesse Spencer<br />
Oh Darling - Scott Grimes<br />
Don't Stop Me Now - Scott Grimes<br />
Mary's Place - Jamie Denton<br />
Circles - Hugh Laurie<br />
Don't Try to Explain - Bob Guiney<br />
The Letter - Bob Guiney<br />
Baba - Bob Guiney/<br />
Tail Feather - Greg Grunberg<br />
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If you have the chance to see this band, don't miss it! Purchase Band From TV CDs <a type="amzn" >bandfromtv</a><br />
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<iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=lydblo-20&o=1&p=12&l=ur1&category=music&banner=0BTV65MA2EWYVKXYTD82&f=ifr" width="300" height="250" scrolling="no" border="0" marginwidth="0" style="border:none;" frameborder="0"></iframe>Lydiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08957221856418430871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1506395727792255402.post-9686727723689679912010-02-08T10:53:00.005-05:002014-05-06T12:10:21.950-04:00Taylor Swift - Better Than Ezra's BreathlessI'll preface this by saying, Taylor Swift is absolutely adorable and... Congratulations Taylor on all the awards you've recently won.<br />
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I must say it is great that Taylor exposed Better Than Ezra's Breathless nationally and maybe even inter-nationally. I have heard she's a big BTE fan. I don't mean this to be a nasty comment, but there's no getting around it -- it was a bit of a massacre. BUT, if you liked the way you heard it on the Haiti show, listen to Better Than Ezra's version and you'll be blown away! Maybe I'm all wrong, maybe I'm just used to hearing it in a man's (Kevin Griffin's) voice, but I thought she sounded like an amateur who was singing it on American Idol. If I were an American Idol judge hearing it, two thumbs down. Sorry Taylor.<br />
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I hope I'm not sounding anything like Stephen Colbert when he said "Justin Timberlake may have brought the sexy back, but Susan Boyle sent it away again" at the Grammy awards, because I really do not intend to be mean or nasty, I simply think Taylor butchered the song. I think Stephen Colbert's comment was a really mean and unnecessary (joke) comment.<br />
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You be the judge:<br />
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Purchase Better Than Ezra CDs <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" type="amzn">BetterThanEzra</a><br />
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Purchase Better Than Ezra CDs <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" type="amzn">BetterThanEzra</a><br />
Purchase Taylor Swift CDs <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" type="amzn">TaylorSwift</a>Lydiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08957221856418430871noreply@blogger.com0