I have a CPAP machine. It is a machine that is used at home while you sleep. It is for people who stop breathing during sleep to help force open your breathing passages through a steady stream of air.

This machine kind of looks pretty scary but in fact it is not. Well, not once you get used to it and the wonderful feeling of getting fully rested from your night’s sleep.

I am amazed at how many of my friends and family are now getting or have been using the machine. I know that in my family we are horrible snorers. My mother never would admit that she snored. As kids we would tell her and tell her and she would deny it until one day I being the oldest got a great idea that I would tape record her while she took a nap. Well, the only thing I got out of that was a warm bottom. She did not like that at all.

All kidding aside and back to the CPAP machine. If you have one use it faithfully. If you need to be tested for sleep apnea get it done. It is a painless overnight testing done usually in the hospital.

I have been trying to get my husband to get that done for more than 4 years now and he just refused. Now that his close friend has been tested and is getting a machine, he has agreed to get tested. I think it is a man thing…can’t go just because wifey said to, but when you friend does it then it must be okay. Go figure!

If you get a CPAP machine or know someone that is you need to be aware that all health supply companies are not equal. I mean that you really need to shop around. The first company my doctor hooked me up with would only deliver supplies for the CPAP machine every 6 months. And they had a hefty charge for me that they claim my insurance company didn’t cover. Then I did some shopping around and now I get all supplies I need every month with no extra out of pocket expense. It really matters which company you choose so shop around.

The CPAP machine is not an easy thing to get used to as you can see from the picture. It does not come natural to try to sleep with all that gear on. But, it can be done with a little determination and then you will have a great night of sleep and definitely notice the feeling of being well rested from it.

The most important thing to remember is that if your doctor says you need the CPAP machine it means that you are getting obstructed breathing while you sleep. This is a serious health risk. I personally can feel the problem I have as I try to relax to go to sleep with out the CPAP. Most people, like my husband, do not and can live in denial. But, with the understanding of the health risks involved I have been able to relax and sleep very well with my CPAP machine.

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Well, I have been making a lot of “Gramme’s Cookies” my homemade dog treats, lately.  They seem to be getting more and more popular.

I have been researching pet nutrition too.  I just really want to know that I am giving my pets the best that I can and they are nutritionally fit.

I have 2 dogs that are getting older now. A pekingese that is now 10 years old this year.  A Lab mix that is 9 years old this year.  The fact that the bigger the dog the less the years they seem to live.  My Peke should live to more than 15 years in good health (she is not in good health because of the history of seizures).  My Lab mix well the Lab in him is known for shorter lifespan, not usually more than 12 years in good health.

My Lab mix that is now 9 years old

This is my Pekingese "Mitzy" now 10 years old

This is Deo my Pug and he is now 2 1/2 years old

I also have a 2 1/2 year old Pug.  He is a pistol too.  He can and does, run circles around the other 2 dogs.  They all love the dog cookies.

My main “Gramme’s Cookies” recipe is always the same.  I start with one of my homemade stocks, vegetable, beef, chicken or turkey.

Then I add the main protein (beef, chicken, turkey, peanut  butter).  I also, add Brewer’s Yeast, Wheat Germ, Oatmeal and shredded vegetables (usually carrots).

This makes a pretty healthy treat.  I had one problem though.  Being homemade with no additives they did not have much shelf life.  They did not last much after 3 weeks unless refrigerated or frozen.

Gramme's Cookies fresh cooked

I have been researching natural preservatives.  I found that vitamin E is a natural preservative and so is citric acid.  They are not only a natural preservative but they are actually healthy additives.   So, the new additions to my dog cookies will be Vitamin E and Citric Acid (vitamin C).

Well, if you have a great dog treat recipe that you would like to share please feel free to post it here in the comments.  If you are interested in more about “Gramme’s Cookies” you can find more here: http:/athomelifestyle.com/blog/grammes-cookies/

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Man’s best friend, is our dog. As I get older I appreciate my dogs more and more. I have been working in feeding them more nourishing meals and more nourishing treats.

Most of my family have dogs of their own and they are just as much a part of the family. We love all of our pets that have become part of our lives.

I have been making my dogs treats for some time now. By giving them out to others they have become rather popular. The kids started calling them “Gramme’s Cookies“. I make them for a lot of people now.

I developed a basic treat recipe and add different flavors to it that the dogs really like. I have beef, chicken, turkey and peanut butter. I am going to start making a lamb and rice also. I make the stock that I use for the liquid in the recipe from scratch.

I have decided that keeping “Gramme’s Cookies” healthy for the dogs they would need some other basic additions too. Brewer’s yeast, wheat germ and a vegetable. I am also going to start adding bone meal to the recipe too.

You can find out more about “Gramme’s Cookies” here: http://athomelifestyle.com/blog/grammes-cookies/

Do you have a favorite dog treat recipe? What do you consider to be a healthy treat for your dog? Please leave me a comment to share this.

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I guess my dogs are not the only dogs that love my “Gramme’s Cookies”.  I am sure baking up a storm here at my home. 

The quality of the food you can buy commercially is very disappointing.
Have you checked the ingredients lately?  Most dog foods contain corn and for most it is the main ingredient.

And all the additives are shocking.  I grew up learning from the “old school”  and if we had a dog it was an outside dog.  It was not allowed to stay in the house.  But, I grew up in California where the winters were pretty mild and it was not such a health threat as it is here in Upstate New York.

It seems the “ALERTS” for contaminated food or recalls just never stops. All of a sudden that commercial food you have been buying for years and really trust is now poison for you dog and you have been unknowingly feeding poison to your loved pet because you don’t get to know about it until it is too late and you have already fed it to them.

Thankfully you can now go on the internet and research your dogs nutritional needs and get all kinds of advice and helpful articles. And you can make you own nutritional dog food and treats.

I was very interested in what vegetables were good for dogs consumption and could be added to their diet on a daily basis.  I found that there are some very good vegetables that can be safely added and that they mostly have the same benefits as they do for us humans.

For instance, Carrots, Green Beans, Cabbage, Green leafy vegetables, broccoli are all very good for you dog.  The main issue is that they should be cooked to insure ease of digestion. I will continue to research this and post more on each of these vegetables and their benefits.

So, I plan to add at least one of these to my basic recipe for Gramme’s Cookies.  It will be more costly but it will help keep the treats more nutritional for them too.

Gramme’s Cookies has become very popular here at home and continues to get more popular.  If you would like to check them out you can get more information here:  Gramme”s Cookies

What do you do for a treat for “our best friend”? Please leave a comment and help create a discussion here. I am determined to continue to learn and research this topic so any helpful hints are very much appreciated.

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Gramme's Cookies-fresh and packaged ready to go

I had to work on this a bit as they got more popular.  I have been making my dogs treats and most of the food that I feed them since the big dog food scare in 2008.  You remember, the Poison Melamine found in the protein used to make the dog food and dog treats that came from China.

The fact that we could be unknowingly be feeding our dogs that we love so much a poison I just could not bare.   But then I made my children’s baby food too for the same reason (this was more than 25 years ago).  What really bothered me was that there was no consequences to anyone who made the dog food.  I mean no real consequences.

When more people started asking for the dog treats I decided to come up with a basic recipe that I could just change the flavors that I used in it.  My dogs really enjoy the cheese, beef, chicken, turkey and peanut butter “cookies” (as we call them).

So, then I had to get busy and find a better price and look into getting the supplies in bulk because this changed from just adding more flour and such to the grocery list.

I played around with packaging ideas and label set up for awhile until I found something simple but descriptive  to put on each cookie package.  Now, I am looking into shipping and mailing prices.

It really is a good feeling to have so many really like something you are doing.

There continues to be ongoing alerts in the press that we don’t hear much about anymore. I personally don’t understand why. I think we need to be more aware of what is going on in the pet industry as far as how our dog food is being made and what it is being made with. I plan to continue to research this and make further posts on my future findings.

ALERT!

Here is an Alert on a recent recall that we need to pay attention to  FDA has issued a recall on certain Merrick Beef Filet Squares Dog Treats you can view more information here.

FDA Health Alert for Merrick Beef Filet Squares Dog Treats Packaged and Distributed by Merrick Pet Care Products may be contaminated with Salmonella

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We are now experiencing a Heat Wave here in Upstate New York.  The temperatures have been in the high 30s this week to over 40 degrees here today.  The sun is shining and the snow is melting away.  This is not the weather the Ice Fishermen are looking for.

We are right in the middle of the region called Finger Lakes.  In some places the Ice on the lakes is frozen enough to continue to Ice Fish on but some of the lakes around us are not going to continue to be safe at these temperatures.

Owasco Lake, Keuka Lake and Skaneateles Lake there has not been a report out yet that it is safe for Ice Fishing so it would be extremely unsafe with the temperatures we have been getting.  At Oneida Lake and Otisco Lake have reported that anglers were getting out but again with the temperatures this last week you need to be extremely cautious.

Whitney Point Reservoir has anglers reporting great Walleye fishing and 6″ to 8″ of ice.

Seneca Lake anglers are reporting good Perch fishing in about 30 to 40 feet depths.  Sandy Pond has a report of 8″ to 12″ of ice and anglers are reporting Yellow Perch are hitting on small minnows and some Pike hitting on large minnows.

So, for now be aware that the temperatures are not low enough to keep the ice on the lakes safe to be out on in some places, be cautious and check all reports before going out.

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Well as the seasons change we go on to the next hobby or interest.  Now that the cold has set in and temperatures have dropped for a long enough time to freeze the lakes over we are getting ready for Ice Fishing.

It is important to wait for the lakes to freeze and get the reports from the local authorities that it is safe to go out onto the lakes.

Getting the equiptment ready and inspecting it for any needed upgrades or replacements is important.

Ice Fishing  is a winter sport that is high on the agenda in my area.  I live in Upstate New York and there are a lot of lakes (i.e. most of The Fingerlakes, Lake Oneida, Lake George, Black Lake, etc).  Some of these lakes have a lot of shallow areas that freeze up fast and provide lots of ice fishing fun.  One of the winter events that is part of the lifestyle here.  Even the larger lakes freeze up to some extent.  You will usually see the ice fishing huts or shanties on the lakes in January here unless it has been an unusually warm winter.  Even in the lakes that are more on the shallow side you still need to be very careful.  Usually the local news is a good source for ice fishing conditions.

Even when the weather is a little warmer than usual here you need to be dressed appropriately.  Layering is a great way to insure comfort.  Remember, you can put more on if you have it with you and take it off as needed.

The equipment you are going to need is an simple sled.  This can be used to pull your equipment and supplies out on the ice.  Then you will need an auger that is suitable for your conditions or how thick the ice is where you will be fishing.  You are also going to need a skimmer to keep the ice from recovering the hole as you fish.  Depending on you available funds you may consider a hut or shanty.  There are a wide variety of different types that will help to block some of the wind and add some comfort to your outing.

The next thing you will need is a rod suitable for ice fishing.  You may consider a rather inexpensive one to start with, until you get a feel for what you may like.  Just as you fish any other season of the year you will need different tackle for the different types of fish you are fishing for.  So, you will need to either know ahead of time the area you are planing you outing for or you will need to do some research on it.  A lot of your bait and tackle shops have people that are very much at home with this sport and would just love to share their knowledge in this area.

Pack some snacks and have a great outing.  Please feel free to leave some comments on anything you may want to add or any interesting links.

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I have been reading about all the additives that are in the soaps we buy and have been getting more and more concerned with it. My biggest concern is I have limited access to shopping so I like to be well stocked up or have things on hand to make anything I may need. I last winter I worked on making my own pasta, cheese and other things around the house.

I researched a couple of the sites around the internet and found some really good recipes. It is amazingly easy to do. The first site I recommend is: DIY Natural, Making Your Own Laundry Soap

This site has great information for anyone looking for a price comparison or any information on making the Laundry Soap. You can get more recipes to choose from here on Tip Nut Blogs: 10 Homemade Laundry Soap Recipes

Making Home Made Laundry Detergent from Jabs Home Made Laundry Detergent at DIYNatural.com

I tried a little more neutral soap “Dove” and it was a milder smelling soap. I guess it is all personal taste. My son has an allergy to certain soaps that have that over powering bouquet or have any harsh chemicals in it. I made the soap with the Dove bar and he really like it. I guess it is all personal taste.

So give it a try. It really is simple and if you are as upset with the outragous pricing of Laundry soap in the stores now as I am you will love the savings you will get with just a few minutes of your time spent on preparing the soap.

Also, one of my best friends just purchased a new washer. She was told she had to purchase the special laundry soaps that are out now to use in it. If you are like me and haven’t bought a new washer in awhile you will be outraged at the price for a bottle of this laundry detergent. I went shopping with her and the cheapest she could find was $9.00 and it wasn’t a very big bottle. I just can not believe how much they can charge for that stuff.

So, give it a try and leave a comment to let me know what you think. You don’t have to be a real experienced crafter to do this one and it comes out very concentrated batch and lasts a long time making it very economical.

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New Year’s 2010 is approaching fast. There are plenty of parties all around planned. We have always stayed home and spent New Year’s Eve at home. It really isn’t safe here in Upstate New York to be out on the road at this time of the year especially partying.

It is pretty stormy out right now. The temperature is about 16 degrees out, snowy and windy which makes it feel more like about 0 degrees.

We are planning to attend a New Year’s Brunch on New Year’s Day. I live in a very small village but we do have a couple of very good restaurants and one is putting on a very good brunch.

I will be purchasing some Champagne for toasting the incoming New Year this week. We don’t go elaborate but it is a nice tradition. Not that at our age we make it until 12:00 midnight to do the toast but usually get one in before we go to bed.

And, what would a New Year celebration be with out Dick Clark in Times Square, Rockin in the new year?

I grew up in California and it was nice to be able to watch the New Year’s parties on tv as it started from the East Coast. Now I live on the East Coast and have to stay up most of the night to be able to see them.

Well, here is wishing all a very Happy New Year and a safe and fun celebration! If you have any fun New Year stories or plans to share please leave a comment and share.

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Well, recently I was informed by the company that my husband works for that not only was he going to get his wages cut 5% he was not going to be able to have the insurance we have had for the last 5 years.  We got the notice about the 2nd week of November that the company would not be able to re-up the contract with the current health insurance company and there would be big changes.  That we would not be insured as of December 1.  The only insurance they would be able to offer would have a $1300.00 deductible each.

I panicked.  I have a chronic illness that is controlled by medication but I don’t spend $1300.00 in a year.  This is ridiculous.  And you would have to still pay a monthly premium payment also.

I don’t get why the government is not addressing the real problem with health insurance.  Their CEO’s are sitting in their high-rise offices getting richer and fatter and we are struggling to survive.   I think that if we all got together and just didn’t get insurance at all… then what would happen to them?

Since my illness hit me about 5 years ago I lost my job and my insurance with my company.  I went on disability and I was added to my husband’s health insurance and we paid the monthly premium.  I became eligible for Medicare and kept the Medicare Part A.

Well, now that I was not going to be insured by his work insurance I needed to get signed up for all of Medicare.  I really thought this would be very confusing and hard to work through (you know, like anything the government is involved with).  But, to my surprise it was fairly simple.

Being on disability meant that I qualify for Medicare Advantage.  I never even heard of Medicare Advantage.   I was set up with an insurance company in my area that would cover my medications and my doctors and providers were a part of.  I do not pay anything more for the coverage and it is all paid by the monthly fee.  I have very little co-pays for the providers and some are free.  This insurance is better than what I had the last 5 years that cost us twice as much per month.

So, if you are getting close to the age for Medicare or have a need to get it for any reason, do not fret!  It is not that hard to do, or not that confusing.   The insurance company that I chose to go with sent out a representative that met with me to explain all my benefits and gave me all kinds of phone and online supports.  I am very pleased and feel a great relief.  We even went over when my husband would qualify for this insurance and how he is to apply since he is approaching the age of 65 in the next year.

All we have to do now is worry about what the new Health Care Reform is going to do to this in the near future.

What are your health insurance issues?  Do you have some helpful hints or a story to share or some questions?  Please leave a comment.

I added some links to some news releases on the opinions on the passing of the new health bill.  They are all pretty good and worth reading.  It will be interesting to see what happens because of this.  Leave a comment with your opinion.

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