Do You Feel Lucky Today? Who Was "Saint Patrick"? Update.

Do You Feel Lucky Today?

“Good luck, bad luck, no luck and even luck that can follow you—is this really what controls your future?

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Do You Feel Lucky Today?

Across the globe the seemingly harmless Irish tradition of having to wear green on March 17 so the luck of the Irish will be with you has saturated our society. What’s all the fuss over a man called St. Patrick that has resulted in widespread partying and celebration?

Even more widespread is the concept of luck, a seemingly supernatural force that swings the odds of circumstances in people’s favor or against them. Is this acceptable from a biblical perspective? Should we be wishing others “Good luck”?

As St. Patrick’s Day comes around, it’s a good time to take a hard look at luck.

Irish tradition

Throughout the past 1, 500 or so years, traditions have grown, folklore has spread, and “luck” has sprouted in our everyday language. The leprechaun and icons like the color green, the shamrock and the pot o’ gold have all come to be associated with the celebration of St. Patrick’s Day.

Legend states that St. Patrick used the shamrock or three-leaved clover to explain the Trinity. Its three leaves supposedly represented the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Eventually, the custom was adopted of wearing a shamrock on his feast day. (The Trinity doctrine, however, is unbiblical—for more information, request our free booklet Is God a Trinity?)

A shamrock is different from a four-leaf clover. According to Celtic tradition, when a four-leaf clover is found, it is said to represent God’s grace, with the four leaves standing for faith, hope, love and luck.

Ironically, the real Patrick would probably have frowned on the traditions associated with his feast day—as well as the holiday itself.

What’s with luck?

Of course, the concept of luck or fortune is not exclusive to Irish tradition. We find it throughout human history and throughout the world today.

We now hear phrases like “good luck with the job interview,” or “good luck on that test.” While many deem this merely an expression of hoping for the best outcome, not really believing in luck, others take the concept of luck more seriously.

Some things associated with luck seem harmless, like wishing on a star, shooting stars, wishing wells, lucky trinkets or fairies. But there are underlying issues here that need to be raised.

Over the years luck has become like a god in society. Luck seems to decide things like your fate, car accidents, test scores, the job hunt, pay raises or even the answer you’ll be given about that date you want to go on this Saturday night. People believe luck controls things and that it provides different opportunities for different people. Decisions are even based on it. Consider that many skyscrapers have no 13th floor—as 13 is considered unlucky.

No luck with the Bible

Looking to the Bible, we find that it gives no credibility to luck. In the first of the Ten Commandments, God states, “You shall have no other gods before Me” (Exodus 20:3). The intent of His command here is that nothing is to take a higher priority in our lives than Him! This first command warns us to not accept a religion or philosophy that teaches that our life and well-being originate or depend on anything other than the one true God.

As He often does, God colorfully portrays the utter foolishness of making gods of wood and stone, but the biblical nations of ancient Israel and Judah manufactured as many fake deities as the number of cities in the land of Judah (Jeremiah 2:27-28). “See if they can save you in the time of your trouble!” God taunted them and modern mankind (compare verse 28). Today our peoples still trust in worthless and inanimate things to save us—such as weapons, money and even actual idols by seeing power in crosses, religious statues and good luck charms.

God even laments over His people rejecting Him “and offering food and wine to the gods you call ‘Good Luck’ and ‘Fate’ ” (Isaiah 65:11, Contemporary English Version). Any credit to luck is really a form of idolatry.

No luck at all

Maybe you’ve heard people say, “I know luck doesn’t exist, but good luck anyway!” Perhaps they’re conceding that there may be luck after all—or maybe they just don’t know how else to wish someone well. They could simply say, “Do well” or “All the best.” Or they could look to God, saying, “God be with you” or “God bless you” (yet only if He is truly sought).

After all, true power is with God, not with luck. As the Bible tells us: “Lift up your eyes on high, and see who has created these things … by the greatness of His might and the strength of His power; not one is missing … The Creator of the ends of the earth neither faints nor is weary” (Isaiah 40:26-28).

Using luck in our vocabulary and lives may seem harmless. But God is jealous for His people. He truly loves you and desires the best for your future. It does not please Him when we turn to fables and smooth phrases that announce our dependence on anything but Him. Everything we are and have ultimately comes from God. The only reliable assurance that our future is secure lies in our relationship with our Creator, not some ominous luck, wishes, stars or leprechauns.

God beats luck any day

God wants us to understand that we must never direct our worship toward anything He has created, or regard it as the source of our life and blessings. Worship only the Creator—never the creation. He is the sole miracle-working God who provides blessings, hopes and a promised future of eternal life in the Kingdom of God. Rainbows, waterfalls, clovers, stars and the rest of the creation were created for us to enjoy and use as a wonderful and beautiful environment to live in. We don’t bow down, pray or make requests to any aspect of the creation.

So where are you placing your trust, faith and hope? That’s a vital question for each of us.

God’s ultimate plan and desire for us is that we live forever in His eternal family and Kingdom: “Now we are children of God … we know that when He [Jesus Christ] is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is” (1 John 3:2).

That is the purpose for which we have been created! Luck has nothing to do with it! Wishing wells, wishing on a star or making a wish when blowing out birthday candles simply skew and corrupt our relationship with our Creator.

There is one source of blessings. There is one way into the Kingdom of God. There is one sacrifice that removes the penalty of our personal sins. God alone is that true source—not luck!” From: https://www.ucg.org/vertical-thought/do-you-feel-lucky-today

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St. Patrick & St. Patrick's Day

“Who was this Patrick guy, anyway? Known as the patron saint of Ireland, he's an almost mythological figure in the Christian world, with tall tales of his legendary exploits known far and wide.

Theologian and historian James Moffatt said, “So much legend and fiction has been written about him that one is almost led to believe that there were two individuals—the real Patrick and the fictitious Patrick” (The Church in Scotland, 1882, p. 140).

There are few hard facts about Patrick’s life, but we can draw some reasonable conclusions from what we do know.

Patrick is credited with establishing the Roman Catholic Church throughout Ireland. But does history match tradition? Moffatt commented, “He should not be placed where certain historians seem determined to assign him … He was in no way connected with the type of Christianity which developed in Italy” (ibid).

As it turns out, Patrick probably wasn’t even Catholic! His belief system was evidently quite different than that of continental Europe.

It’s probable that Patrick even honored God’s seventh day Sabbath! “It seems to have been customary in the Celtic churches of early times, in Ireland as well as Scotland, to keep Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath, as a day of rest from labor” (ibid).

Other historical records and Patrick’s own writings reveal him to have been closer to biblical instruction than to traditional Christianity. Part of the Bible’s teaching includes rejecting the use of pagan practices in the worship of the true God. (Deuteronomy 12:29-32).

The real Patrick likely wouldn’t even have approved of observing his own namesake holiday! This holiday on March 17 was supposedly to commemorate his death, but that date was in fact the time of the Roman Bacchanalia—celebrating the god of wine and partying. It seems the pagan party goes on in another guise. Bear that in mind when March 17 comes around. Forget the leprechauns, and put God first!

See the related article “Do You Feel Lucky Today?” above.

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Who Was "Saint Patrick"? Should a Christian Observe Saint Patrick's Day?

“Saint Patrick's Day is a well-recognized holiday in the Western world. Celebrated in mid-March with no other Christian holidays around it, Saint Patrick's Day has taken on a very festive atmosphere. While many picture wearing green, three-leaf clovers, leprechauns, green beer and corned beef, do any of those things really have anything to do with Patrick himself?

MillefloreImages/iStock/ThinkStock

Saint Patrick's Day is not a biblical holiday or Holy Day. And, as it is currently celebrated, St. Patrick's Day actually has nothing to do with the historical man Patrick. Many "Christian" holidays are a mixture of truth and error.

Let’s start with what most people think they know. We have been told that Patrick was a Catholic monk who brought the Trinity doctrine to the people of Ireland. And along the way he drove all the snakes from the Emerald Isle. He became so renowned that the Catholic Church made him a “saint.” None of that is true!

Patrick was Scottish!

Patrick’s given name was actually Maewyn Succat (or Sucat). He took the name Patrick most likely because of the area he was from in Scotland. That’s right, Patrick was Scottish, not Irish! Here’s what Patrick said himself of his background: “ I, Patrick…had Calpornius  for my father, a deacon, a son of the late Potitus, the presbyter, who dwelt in the village of Banavan…I was captured. I was almost sixteen years of age…and taken to Ireland in captivity with many thousand men” (William Cathcart, D. D., The Ancient British and Irish Churches , p.127).

Patrick labored for six years as a slave until he managed to escape back to his native Scotland around A.D. 376. He believed he had a calling from God, however, to go back to Ireland to teach God’s Word to the people there. The Catholic Church, while having had an impact in England and later Scotland, did not have a significant foothold in Ireland until the 12th century. They didn’t even acknowledge Patrick for about 200 years after his death.  Patrick was connected to what is known as the Celtic Church. It was very much opposed to what was taught in the Roman Catholic Church.

Patrick did not follow Roman Catholic doctrine

While we have little of Patrick’s history and teaching written by himself, what’s taught about Patrick now didn’t surface until about 500 years after his death. It was the Catholic priest Jocelyn, writing around A.D. 1130 who wrote most extensively about Patrick. He ignored much of what was known then about Patrick and inserted a Catholic background into Patrick’s story. Patrick never wrote about a connection to Rome or popes or that his authority came from there. So if Patrick wasn’t Roman Catholic, what did he teach?

In A.D. 596 Pope Gregory sent a group of monks to England to try and bring the Celtic Church under the authority of Rome. However, the Celts refused to acknowledge Gregory’s authority and rejected the teachings of the Roman Church. In Ireland the monks found that the Celtic Church permitted their priests to marry. They also practiced baptism by full immersion in water. The Celtic Church also rejected the doctrine of (papal) infallibility and veneration, transubstantiation, the confessional, the Mass, relic worship, image adoration and the primacy of Peter ( Truth Triumphant , by B.G.Wilkinson, pg. 108). The latter list is of specific Roman Catholic doctrines that the Celtic Church knew were not taught in the Scriptures.

Patrick observed the Saturday Sabbath, Passover and rejected the Trinity doctrine

Patrick also rejected the merging of church and state (a main teaching of Catholicism). He believed and taught the same as Jesus in John 18:36 that God’s Kingdom is not of this world. The Celtic Church had local ecclesiastical councils and kept Saturday as a day of rest , (A.C. Flick, The Rise of Medieval Church, pp. 236-327). In this matter of a Saturday (Sabbath) rest, Dr. James C. Moffatt wrote that, “They [the Celtic churches] obeyed the fourth commandment [the Sabbath commandment] literally upon the seventh day of the week” ( The Church in Scotland , pg. 140).

Patrick (and the Celtic Church) observed the other “festivals of the Eternal” (Leviticus 23), believed human beings were mortal (that is rejected the teaching of an immortal soul and the doctrine of going to heaven or hell), rejected the Trinity doctrine, followed the food laws of Leviticus 11, refused veneration of “saints” or worship of Mary, and believed that only Jesus Christ is our mediator (Leslie Hardinge, The Celtic Church in Britain; B.G.Wilkinson, Truth Triumphant ).

The Celtic Church had a long history before the Catholic Church pushed deeper into England, Scotland and Ireland. Celtic writings speak of individuals coming from Asia Minor who brought with them the doctrines they received from John, Paul, Philip and other apostles of Jesus. A Catholic “father,” Bede, (who lived in the mid 700s A.D.) who wrote about the Celtic Church: “They ignorantly refuse to observe our Easter [Pascha, or Passover] on which Christ was sacrificed, arguing that it should be observed with the Hebrew Passover on the fourteenth of the moon” (Bede, Historia Ecclesiastica).

Is Saint Patrick’s Day in the Bible?

Saint Patrick’s Day is not a biblical holiday or Holy Day. And, as it is currently celebrated, St. Patrick’s Day actually has nothing to do with the historical man Patrick. Many “Christian” holidays are a mixture of truth and error. Because of this, most people don’t really know the history or purpose of the day. We encourage you to read what God said in the Bible to know which Holy Days He made and who He said are saints. The United Church of God traces its origins to the Church that Jesus founded in the early first century. We follow the same teachings, doctrines and practices established then, and believe our commission is to proclaim the gospel of the coming Kingdom of God to all the world as a witness and teach all nations to observe what Christ commanded.

It appears that Patrick believed these same teachings. We encourage you to read online Bible study aids, and to learn more about what individuals like Patrick taught and what we teach from Scripture. From our best historical understanding, the Patrick you didn’t know lived a life according to the Bible, rather than human traditions. You can too.”  From: https://www.ucg.org/bible-study-tools/bible-questions-and-answers/who-was-saint-patrick-should-a-christian-observe-saint

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Update.

Even with all this hullabaloo about the coronavirus going around, we still had both Bible studies and the congregation met on the Sabbath as usual.  In fact there were at least twice as many there because one of the matriarchs of the church’s founding family came to celebrate his 96th birthday with many of his family who now live out of town. There were so many in our little dining hall that we had to have the potluck in three shifts.

I made a large batch of Chili Mac and Cheese with a big can of Hunt’s Crushed Tomatoes in it, and it went fast. This week’s theme was “Rejoice in The LORD always, I will say it again: Rejoice.” Phil. 4:4  The sermon was about “Just Break The Bottle”, about Mary giving all she had and using up all her rare oil on Jesus’ feet.  Do we give our all?

Now that my little dog is gone, my neighbor, Joe who helps me sometimes, and I, got my rugs and carpet-steamer back out of storage, and we steam-cleaned two of them.  We laid them on my outside chairs to dry in the sun, before I laid them back down again. They hadn’t been thoroughly cleaned the last time they were done, and had been getting dusty in storage so we wanted to rinse them until the water ran clear, but our arms got tired, so the other two rugs will have to be done on another nice day.

RV Spring Tune-Up. Cargo Trailer Dinette Started & Water Tank Strapped Down.

My privet hedge and my Red Leaf Maple seem to think that Spring has sprung, so let's get our RV's ready, and get out in this great weather.
Even if you are a Fulltimer and live in your rig year round, you ought to go over this checklist once a year.

RV Spring Tune-Up.    Happy Camping, By Mark Polk.


"It’s that time of year again; time for my annual RV spring preparation checklist. If your RV has been sitting idle all winter you need to whip it back into shape for another camping season. At first glance this checklist looks like it would take two days to complete, but it’s actually something you can do on a Saturday afternoon when there’s nothing else to do. By following a simple checklist you make sure nothing is overlooked.  This is an excerpt from my “Checklists for RVers” E-book
* Depending on how your unit was winterized it will need to be de-winterized. See Checklist 18.
* Every spring I like to sanitize the water system. Watch the video.
* Inspect for water leaks. With the water system pressurized, either by the water pump or hooked up to city water, inspect the plumbing for any water leaks. Check the operation of the toilet.
* Remove any protective covering that you may have put over LP gas vents or outside vents to keep insects or rodents out. Remove any mousetraps you may have put out. Open all doors and compartments and check for rodent intrusion.
* Wash the unit thoroughly. This is a good time to inspect the roof and body seams, and window sealant for cracking that would allow water to get in. Consult a dealer for sealants compatible with these materials and reseal as required.
* Inspect the operation of the awning and check the awning fabric for any damage. Clean the awning if necessary and let the fabric dry thoroughly before rolling it up.
*  Inspect the tires for signs of dry rot and wear. Inflate all tires to the recommended tire pressure. Check the lug nuts for proper torque.
* Lubricate all hinges and locks with a graphite spray lubricant.
* Inspect and clean the RVs interior.
* Plug in any appliances that you unplugged for storage and replace any dry cell batteries you may have removed. This is a good time to put new batteries in items like smoke alarms, carbon monoxide detectors and clocks.
* Test the operation of the carbon monoxide alarm, LP gas leak detector and smoke alarm.
* Check the fire extinguisher. Be sure it is fully charged. If it is a dry powder type turn it upside down and tap on the bottom to help release the powder that settled on the bottom..
* Reset any breakers you may have turned off. If you removed any fuses for storage re-install them.
* Clean or replace air conditioner filters if it wasn’t done prior to storage and remove any covers that were put over air conditioners.
* Open vents and windows and air the unit out.
* If you removed the coach and chassis batteries for storage install them. Whether they were removed or not check the electrolyte levels, clean the terminals and clamps, and check the charge level in all batteries. Recharge batteries as required.
* Check the operation of the electric steps if applicable. Lubricate step mechanism.
* Test the operation of the hydraulic jacks if applicable. Check hydraulic fluid level.
* If you didn’t change the oil and filters in the generator prior to storage this is a good time to do it. Inspect the generator exhaust system for damage prior to starting. Start and run the generator for two hours with at least a half rated load on it. Consult the generators owner manual for load ratings.
* Turn the generator off and plug the unit into shore power. Turn the refrigerator on in the electric mode. Allow sufficient time to cool and check for proper operation.
* Check all 12-volt interior lights and accessories.
* Test the monitor panel for proper operation.
* Check the operation of slide-outs if applicable.
* Check the remaining 120-volt appliances for proper operation.
* Test the Ground Fault Interrupter (GFI) for proper operation.
* Turn the refrigerator off, leave the doors open and allow sufficient time for it to get to room temperature so it can be checked in the LP gas mode.
Note: Before using the LP gas system it’s a good idea to have a leak test and gas operating pressure test preformed. A qualified technician with the proper equipment should do these tests.
* Once this is accomplished, turn the LP gas valve on and check the operation of all LP gas appliances. Be sure the water heater is full of water before testing the water heater. If a gas appliance is not operating properly have it inspected by a qualified technician. Insects are attracted to the odorant added to LP gas and build nests that can affect the appliance from operating properly.
* If your unit was in long-term storage and you didn’t change the engine oil and filter prior to storage this would be a good time to do it or schedule to have it done.
* Check all fluid levels in transmission, power steering, engine coolant, engine oil, windshield washer and brakes. Consult vehicle owner’s manual.
* Start the engine and check for proper readings on all gauges. Check for proper operation of dash air conditioner.
* Check the condition of windshield wiper blades and replace if necessary.
* Check the operation of all chassis lights.
* In addition to this if you have a pop-up or travel trailer or fifth wheel the wheel bearings and brakes (if equipped) should be inspected at least once annually. Inspect any canvas for dry rot and tears; inspect all hitch work and coupler for damage. Inspect the breakaway switch and pigtail for proper operation.
This list is not all-inclusive, but it seems to work for me. Now for the fun part, load your clothes, food, and personal belongings, hit the road and have fun exploring this wonderful country we live in.
For more in-depth information on caring for your RV check out our RV Care & maintenance E-book or DVD
If you missed Episode 1 or Episode 2 of the new online RV show titled “Mark’s RV Garage” just click on the link to view now."  Happy Camping, By Mark Polk

Comments:
Caravan Insurance Guy added:  "I like your suggestion to check tires for “dry rot & wear”. I’d add check the age of the tires. They have a “shelf” life and even if they have enough tread you may need to change them if they are too old. Look for a DOT number on the sidewall. The last four numbers indicate the week and year of manufacture. Your owners manual should tell you what the RV manufacturer recommends as a maximum age for your tires."
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Olympic Peninsula RV Storage added: "What a long checklist! I never thought there’s so many things to check on an RV. Well, it is an RV so it is used for long travels on the road. It is best to have everything checked on the vehicle before going. It will be more of a hassle if the malfunction or mechanical failure is discovered while on the road."
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Fred Brandeberry added: "Remember, the electric step manufacturers like high-temp penetrating grease, not WD-40 or silicone spray.  We have found this product in an aerosol can at Walmart.  Don’t forget to give your steps a bath with soap & water. Then let them dry thoroughly."
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Today:

Jay and I strapped down the cargo trailer's water tank with some stainless steel strapping that I have had for years. We put strips of insulated carpet under the straps and then covered it with more carpet, so the strapping wouldn't chafe the edges of the tank.  We had to build this side first, as it would determine the height of the rest of the dinette and the bed.

Except for the new floor, we have not had to buy any lumber for this project, so far.  We are recylcling all the lumber that we took out of it, when we demolished all the ratty shelves and partitions in it.







It had just been used for storage, so
this is how it looked when I got it:

























So we think that we accomplished something today!

Lead in Make-Up. Lead Paint and Birds. No Greenies.

Don't Become the Next Victim of Lead Poisoning:

Most cosmetics today contain the poisonous metal lead. Ask the FDA to ban this substance from our make-up!

There is simply no reason we should be applying poison to our bodies. Sign the petition asking Commissioner of Food and Drugs Margaret Hamburg to ban the use of lead in all cosmetics.
Sponsored by: The Breast Cancer Site
Lead is a poisonous metal that can cause serious negative reactions in the human body. It's been proven to severely damage brain function, the nervous system, and the kidneys.
Would you apply a substance with those implications to your face or body? It's safe to say no one would do such a thing, yet an overwhelmingly large amount of cosmetics in today's make-up market contain lead.
Petition at:
http://www.thebreastcancersite.com/clickToGive/campaign.faces?siteId=2&campaign=LeadCosmetics
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Black-capped Petrel by Glen Tepke

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"The Laysan Albatross's breeding colony on Midway Atoll is threatened by toxic lead paint peeling from dozens of aging buildings that is eaten by curious chicks, and by the invasive plant Verbesina that chokes out nests so that parent birds cannot reach their young to feed them. ABC is working to eliminate both these threats, and has also helped significantly reduce the deaths of Laysan and other albatrosses on longline fishing hooks."

The Challenge
"Seabird bycatch from commercial and artisanal longline fisheries is decimating seabird populations on a global scale. Additional threats to seabirds, including predation by introduced mammals on seabird breeding islands, marine trash, poisoning from pollutants such as lead, and potentially global warming, have made seabirds the most threatened group of birds on Earth.

An astounding 19 out of 22 species of albatross have now been flagged by scientists as vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered. American Bird Conservancy is the only U.S. national bird conservation group working throughout the Western Hemisphere to solve these problems for albatrosses and other seabirds."
To learn more and help support ABC's efforts to protect the Laysan Albatross and other seabirds, click here.
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"You may have noticed you can no longer find those trendy green dental bones at your local grocery store or Wal-Mart.
NUTRO Products, Inc. says it is pulling its Greenies line of pet dental chews from supermarkets and other mass markets. Beginning in June, the Greenies -- which have been blamed for illness and deaths in some dogs and cats -- will be distributed only through veterinary hospitals and pet specialty retailers.
It's the latest attempt to resolve highly-publicized incidents of pet deaths attributed to the popular treats. Pet owners said the treats failed to be properly digested and led to fatal intestinal obstructions." More at: http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2009/09/01/Why-All-Your-Healthy-Pet-Efforts-May-Be-Worthless-if-You-Do-This.aspx
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Today:

Jay and I drove onto the next town to buy some more things we needed to continue working on the cargo trailer.    The main thing was more insulation, as we can't put up all the paneling with out it. 

Another thing was a new shade for the grooming room, where my foster cats sleep.  Yesterday, I was sitting at my desk when heard a strange noise, and out of the corner of my eye a billowing white sheet came at me.  The door to the grooming room was open as the foster cats have the run of the house in the afternoons.  It was poor little Patches, she had her claw stuck in one of the shades that I lower on cold nights.  She was frantic, and came to her "Mom" to be released from this terrible white monster.
  
The prices were not what I was used to paying at Home Depot, so we also stopped at Lowes.  Their cheap shades had gone up too, but they were out of them.  The shades do help keep out the cold.

As we happened to be passing their 'Scratch & Dented Dept', I saw a Levelor shade, on sale for $2.50, so the shade lady cut it to the right length for me. 

Also the carpet dept. had a great big remnant of dark blue commercial carpet for $10, so we were glad that we stopped there, today.

Meats that Save You Money

"Slow equals tender. For the most part, inexpensive cuts aren't "throw it on the grill" food (skirt steak, however, is an exception: it's a good grilling choice when marinated).

We're talking longer, moister methods: roasting (chicken and turkey legs and thighs) and braising (brisket and pork shoulder), and adding them to stews and casseroles.

Low heat (never above 180 degrees) for long periods of time breaks down the tough bits for melt-in-your-mouth texture.


Cheaper doesn't have to mean tougher. It's true that initially the more expensive cuts are more tender. They're from the parts of the animal that don't get exercised -- the ribs, the loin, the breast.

There are more muscles and tendons in the legs, the round, and the shoulders, and if you don't cook them with care, they will be tough. "

Read more: http://www.kitchendaily.com/2010/07/29/meats-that-save-you-money/#ixzz0yPl4Fazx
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Other ways to eat well, and spend less:

"The trouble with eating healthfully is that it just costs too much, right? Sorry; that excuse just bit the dust.
The Mediterranean diet -- the world's healthiest way of eating -- isn't the world's easiest way to drain your wallet. That's a fact confirmed by a recent Public Health Nutrition study.

This diet (and our YOU Diet, which is the same thing tweaked for American and Canadian eating preferences), is full of ingredients, including seafood and olive oil, that you can spend quite a bit on if you choose to.

But you can also slash the cost. And we mean at the supermarket, not just at the doctor's office, although the savings there are huge, too.

That's because the Mediterranean diet's ample produce, whole grains, fish, and olive oil components are overflowing with vitamins, minerals, fiber, and phytochemicals as well as good-for-you monounsaturated and omega-3 fats.

These nutrients can fight diabetes, depression, metabolic syndrome, obesity, and memory loss. And that's just the beginning.

The Mediterranean diet can also slash your risk of heart disease by 29% and stroke by 13%. What's more, it can also cut the odds of prostate, endometrial, pancreatic, breast, and colon cancers by 10% to 25% and help you live younger and longer with less disability."

More at: http://www.realage.com/blogs/doctor-oz-roizen/healthy-eating-made-cheap-one-dish-costs-15-cents?eid=7214&memberid=22654565
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Today:

Ray only had a short time to work, so Ray and I primed and painted the patches on the fiberglass roof of Pugsy, the vintage motorhome.  One place had to be re-patched, so it is covered for the night, and we will paint it tomorrow.

The cats have been skidding that rug up to the door in the Middle Room, making it difficult to open the door to the Hall.  I tried putting a anti-skid mesh under the rug, but that didn't work.  We screwed a strong hook in the corner of the baseboard, and put a zip-tie through the rug and anchored the rug like that.  I will know in the morning if that worked!

The rug is there for a reason, it is just outside the little bathroom where I bathe dogs.  After I have squeezed most of the water off the dog, I put it down there to get 'a whole lot of shakin' going on', while I sanitize the tub for the next dog.   It is so dangerous for a dog to shake on a slick floor.

With all the new wood floors being laid in homes, make sure you have rugs on them, or you, or your dog, could slip and break something.   Older dogs definitely do not like to walk on uncarpeted floors.

We started to work on repairing the base of the seat to the exerciser that stays in the back yard.  I use it, if I am not raking, when I am out with the dogs. We got the bolts off the T-Nuts on the old plywood and metal seat support.
Ray got all the staples out of the leather (?) seat, and now we have to use the solid foam as a template for the new piece of plywood.  But it was time for Ray to leave.

It was very humid this morning, but this afternoon it turned into a nice day.