Too Soon ? Christmas, About Those Kids

         It's almost never too soon, unless you;re talking about marriage, But we aren't far from Christmas and I'm suggesting people start now to ask families and friends that they usually buy for, what can I get you that you will really use, as far as adults go. Now about those kids who are stuffed with electronics, please it's never too soon to change ideas on gift giving.
        Some suggestions for little ones are a gift certificate to an in house playground where they can jump and climb. Actually that can also be a family gift as the parents enjoy time with the little ones as they burn up enough energy for a full nights sleep. Find out about preteens and teenagers now as far as gift giving and write it down for a time unexpected. Maybe they'd love a day out with just mom or dad or a friend or grandma or yes, grandpa.
       What about piano lessons? Guitar? Overnight at a safe friends home with a phone to call if needed as in, MOM come and get me! Back to the little ones.  If you're giving gifts to someone elses baby, think about this: would I want my child to have it? So many people love to give noisy gifts thinking it's funny-it isn't! Along with that, little ones play with things for minutes at a time then toss it.
       Remember old fort sets? Choose things that kids will use their tiny creative brains for. Think about what adults love then minimize it . This is a challenge to get kids to become creative in a good way. Buy a large roll of brown paper and tape it to the floor or table. Buy paint boards and sit with them and paint, giving them a choice of four colors. Draw a huge hopscotch game on cardboard, or color a bank on cardboard or paper. Make boxes and write in ideas to bank,, adding money as well, but nickels etc. Keep it small or you'll end up broke. One banking idea is, Park time within two weeks. Don't make the time piece too far away as it becomes a disappointment. Get creative! Go to someone who builds and buy odd pieces of wood, sand them down and make your own blocks.
         Theses ideas fit all kids and adults too. If you're strapped for cash, ask for help. Don't let the holidays take away the spirit of giving and receiving . You can always exchange help. Keep it simple and you'll enjoy it too.

Brown Boxes, Bags and SHOES !!!

       I just read about brown recluse spiders getting into shoes-yuck and so if you step into your shoes without picking them up and shaking them out or using a dust cloth etc. YOU may get bitten and infected.
      As I read this article I remembered a woman who told me about boxes. She was cleaning out a closet and was bitten by a spider and I think she said  brown spider.This is in Pennsylvania. The spider bit her on the calf. She didn't pay any attention to it not knowing the horrible end results. Over the next few weeks involved with cleaning and moving as well as preoccupied with her husband's cancer she forgot all about that bite. But the bite didn't forget her.
     Settling in to her new home, she started to see swelling and itching as well as pain. Off to the doctor who didn't recognize this as a spider bite he treated her with a mild cream, telling her to give it about a week.
      A week later the pain became more intense, but yet again she was so involved with her husband and his treatments for cancer, going back and forth to New York, she kept putting off another visit to the doctor. She started to limp and returning home saw the doctor who now treated her with a more aggressive antibiotic. Now the swelling traveled up her calf to the knee.
       Some time after the last treatment she found herself in an emergency room. Her leg was so infected she now needed her leg to be amputated just above the knee. I never would have know this if it wasn't for a little by asking one of those intrusive and inquisitive questions.
    Please be careful. Spiders hide everywhere and in this day and age we don't like to use pest control. There are natural ways to keep spiders out, but the best way is  not to store bags, boxes, dust a lot, use natural oils and peppermint and check inside of your shoes before putting them on. They love dark places .