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I was perusing Facebook a few days ago when I saw a post about a back-to-school sale and I sadly realized that summer is half over! It seems like yesterday we were getting excited about the first nice days after the winter thaw and really, Thanksgiving and Christmas will be on the horizon before you know it. Despite how quickly time goes, do not despair. There is still a lot of summer fun to be had in the month of July. You can get your country groove on at Jamboree In The Hills in Morristown. The four-day event kicks off today with quite the lineup throughout the weekend. Then, July 21-23 Little Italy comes to Downtown Wheeling with the Upper Ohio Valley Italian Heritage Festival. I can’t wait to have a Son’s of Italy sausage sandwich! Mmmmm! That same weekend on July 22, the OVAC Rudy Mumley All-Star football game will be held at the Dave Bruney Football Complex in Martins Ferry. Spend a little time supporting the Ohio Valley’s student athletes. You can conclude the month at Marshall County Fair slated for July 23-29 at the fairgrounds in Moundsville. Food, carnival rides, animals, 4-H projects and more. There’s something for everyone. Of course we can’t forget the entertainment. Trent Tomlinson and David Lee Murphy will take the stage at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. respectively on July 29. Aside from the organized events in the Valley, I am sure you have your own favorite summer activities whether it be boating with friends, a camp fire under the stars on those cooler nights or a late-summer vacation with family. So before you start thinking about school clothes and supply lists, savor summer just a little longer. Tom Turkey and Santa aren’t ready to make an appearance just yet.

Whether you are moving to a new place temporarily or you are moving for a fresh start or new job, the first few weeks can be daunting. You may find yourself thinking repeatedly that you just want to go home.  I’ll admit it happens to the best of us and I have come to believe that we all go through a series of stages after moving somewhere new. Stage 1: Excitement.  At first, you are so excited for this new experience that nothing can bring you down and each novel thing you encounter you meet with awe because it is new and exciting. Stage 2: Distress.  Suddenly, you think of all the things you have to handle and locate in this new place.  You must find a new grocery store and pharmacy, you have to figure out how to get to and from work and you may have to become accustomed to public transportation.  Lastly, you may not know many people here and so you will need to make new friends and find a support system.  You may want to click your heels together and return to the comfort of home. Stage 3: Determination.  Once you pass this early stress and you begin to get into your groove as you become comfortable with your new routine, you find yourself thinking that you can make this work.  You realize that things are not as bad as they seemed a couple days ago and they are miles better than they were last week.  Slowly, you begin to have a little bit of that excitement returning and you are finally at peace with your new surroundings. Stage 4: Contentment.  Lastly, you reach contentment.  You are happy in this new place.  You have found good restaurants and your favorite shops.  You have made new friends and while at the end of a long day at work you may still feel yourself yearning for home, you begin to realize that home is here.

As a girl growing up, I couldn’t wait to be a wife and a mom. I envisioned driving around town in a Volvo SUV, picking up the kids from practices. Oooh, the idea of grocery shopping, cleaning my home, baking, wow – it would be so nice.  I would grow up to be a June Cleaver extraordinaire. However, since becoming an adult, I’ve changed my mind. Laundry has pushed me over the edge! It doesn’t matter the day. It doesn’t matter the season—in my house it is constant. Wintertime adds extra layers and snow clothes to the mix.  Summertime adds beach towels and bathing suits. Unlike you and I, my kids cannot use something more than once nor can they tolerate wearing a wet bathing suit or damp snow clothes. They must break out an entirely set of clothing which also ends up in the laundry. These kids don’t know clean from dirty. Outside of bathing suits and snow clothes, they can’t make decisions on what to wear and they change their clothes three times a day, so in the end, a mix of clean and dirty all get combined and end up recycled through the laundry mill.  I am the laundry mill. Sure, my family members would gladly do the laundry for me and I’ve weighed that option. However, chances are pretty good we would all be walking around in similar shaded apparel, bubbles would be flooding my basement floor and the appliance repair man would make a mint off me. As a result, I generally take on the bulk of this very important job. Sadly, it doesn’t stop with the kids. I have a husband who wears many hats and with that comes many types of clothing.  He wears business attire for work and is casual for our businesses which generally have him covered in paint and many other oily, dingy kind of things, so there are a number of clothing changes daily for him, too. Quite honestly, my washer and dryer are of little help.  I feed them things and they never give it all back to me.  I mean where do the mates to those socks go?  And have you ever seen how nicely a string from a jersey can get wrapped around other clothes so you find a knotted mess later?  Let’s not forget the stray pen that accidentally makes its way into the laundry and explodes on everything or the gum left in a pocket that melted into the stitching of the fabric. I think every woman has been there or is there with the laundry war, but none of them have ever won. So, I will continue to carry the baskets of dirty clothes down to my basement.  I will continue to sort, remove stains, fold and put away.  I have accepted the responsibility.  However, I no longer aspire to be June Cleaver and live the impossible dream.  I just try to stay that one step ahead and, at the end of the day, I wrap myself in my favorite laundry-fresh smelling blanket and say I did it.  I may not have maneuvered through it as gracefully as June Cleaver, but I did it – for another day I took care of them, the ones I love most.

The very first printing of the Declaration of Independence did not include a list of all the signers. In fact, only two names appeared on the original document:  John Hancock and Charles Thomson (president and secretary of Congress respectively).  The very first printing of the Declaration of Independence, with signatures, including the members of Congress, was done in January 1777, some six months after the July 4, 1776 independence declaration itself.  This printing with signatures was expressly ordered by Congress in these words:  “That an authenticated copy of the DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCY, with the Names of the MEMBERS OF CONGRESS, subscribing the same, be sent to each of the UNITED STATES.”  The job of printing that copy fell to Mary Katherine Goddard. The printed copy with the signatures was a significant event.  Indeed, at the time, the action itself—an independent break of the colonies from Great Britian—was treason.  Mary Katherine Goddard, who clearly supported the ideals of the new nation, made sure that she was identified on the document.  Hers is the only woman’s name on the printed version of the Declaration of Independence. Mary Katherine Goddard was one of America’s first female publishers.  Previously, she had published under the gender-neutral name, “M.K. Goddard;” however, when offered the job of publishing the Declaration of Independence, she used her full name, along with the original signers’ names.  Although it is true that she did not sign the Declaration of Independence, she certainly  made her proverbial mark on the document by printing her full, obviously female name.  On all copies that she printed that were distributed to the colonies, “Printed by Mary Katherine Goddard” was included at the botton of the copy. A significant player in early America’s free press, Mary Katherine Goddard, as a woman, was not permitted full independence.  She served as Baltimore Postmaster (“Postmistress,” actually) for 14 years.  She was removed from that position when the U.S. Postmaster, Samuel Osgood, decided that he did not believe a woman could handle all of the travel associated with the job because, he maintained, a woman lacks stamina.  Alas, after her capable service of 14 years, she was removed and replace with a man who had no experience.  She appealed that decision to the U.S. Senate and to George Washington himself, but the decision was not reversed. Mary Katherine Goddard died on August 12, 1816, at the age of 78.  She was an early champion of freedom of speech and press and the rights of women, and she most definitely took full ownership of her work.

Summer is a time when people seem to get the urge to get into shape. Maybe it is to feel better about how you look without the layers of clothing associated with winter or to be proud in your bathing suit during that rare vacation time from work. Whatever your reasoning, it can sometimes be difficult to choose what type of workout to start. Burning fat, it turns out, is more complex than simply doing cardio.  You have to understand what types of movement tend to use fat as fuel and which tend to use carbs.  The big picture is this - muscle burns fat.  This means that the more muscle you have the more fat you will burn.  This is good because it means you don’t have to spend your evening running miles upon miles in the humid air and you don’t have to plant yourself on that stair stepper for hours on end.  Instead, combine resistance training with your cardio. Resistance training can mean anything from lifting weights to yoga.  Many may choose to do bodyweight exercises that do not require a gym or equipment such as air squats and lunges or pushups and planks.  Exercise routines like these can be found online or on Pinterest and you can find quick routines that activated your muscles and help your muscles to become more toned.  If you combine this with some short cardio or interval workouts a couple days a week you will get yourself looking better than ever! Something important to remember when trying to lose fat is your diet as well.  This does not mean you should cut out all your favorite foods or do an extreme diet, but if you are consistent with your workouts and practice moderation with your food you will find yourself with more energy and better mindset!  Good luck and happy summer!

Beginning Friday, July 7, 2017, California will become the first U.S. state to require Monsanto to label its notorious weed killer, Roundup, as a possible carcinogen. A recent decision by Fresno County Superior Court Judge Kristi Kapetan will allow California to proceed with the process of listing glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, as a chemical "known to the state to cause cancer" in accordance with the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986, better known as Proposition 65. This labeling follows the World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) issuing its report on glyphosate, which classified the chemical as a "probable human carcinogen." Glyphosphate has been linked to cancers, including non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas, as well as a host of other health maladies including gastrointestinal diseases and endocrine system disruption. And lest you think glyphosphate is only an issue for far-away Californians to deal with, it is important to understand that widespread use of glyphosphate over the past 40 years has led to essentially the wholesale contamination of our entire American food system, including even organic foods. In the past 20 years, there’s been a massive increase in glyphosate use directly linked to the introduction of Monsanto’s Roundup Ready genetically engineered crops, including engineered soybeans, cotton, corn, canola and sugar beets plants that have been genetically manipulated to survive being sprayed with glyphosate weed killers. In one form or another, whether as refined sugars from beets or corn (in the form of high fructose corn syrup) oils, vitamins or binding agents, ingredients derived from these genetically modified plants are included in 75 to 80 percent of the processed foods sold in grocery stores across the country. In fact, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture data, a staggering 93 percent of all soybeans and 89 percent corn and cotton planted by farmers in the U.S. are genetically engineered to be Roundup Ready or glyphosate tolerant, which results in a much greater concentration of glyphosphate being used nationwide. Research confirms even very low level exposure to Roundup can cause liver and kidney damage at only 0.05 ppb glyphosate equivalent, as reflected by changes in the function of over 4000 genes! And the truly terrifying news is that many of us are consuming 20,000 times that dose simply by eating supposedly heart healthy grains. Testing on Cheerios, for example, shows glyphosphate concentrations at over 1,000 ppb! Kudos to California for taking steps to bring heightened awareness to the very real dangers associated with Roundup and other glyphosphate-containing chemical products. This is an important first step that will hopefully be built upon to protect the American people from this ubiquitous hazard. In the meantime, if you have been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and have been exposed to Roundup, you should contact an experienced attorney to explore your rights.

Do you remember when Marsha got hit in the nose with a football? Or when Barney got locked in the vault at the Mayberry Bank? And then there was the time Klinger dressed as the Statue of Liberty. All are scenes from classic television shows popular in the 60s and 70s. MeTV is now bringing our favorite characters back to life by airing classic comedies from years ago and I’ve been tuning in. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed taking the walk down memory lane. It reminds me of a simpler time - being gathered around the TV as a family before the days of a television in every room and the distraction of cell phones and gaming devices. And then there’s the fact that the notion of a 60-inch TV was unheard of back then. Shows were being watched on an old black and white. You know…one of those you had to wait for to “warm up” before the picture would come in clearly. While some of the broadcasts are a trip down memory lane for me, others go so far back that I am seeing them for the first time. Gunsmoke, Car 54 Where Are You and Petticoat Junction are a few where old is new, but nonetheless, they are enjoyable. In addition to the shows mentioned above, there’s a whole host of others on the broadcast schedule. You can visit metv.com for specifics. Check ‘em out!

With the 4 th of July comes fireworks, fun with family and friends and probably a backyard barbecue. With regard to the safety of those things mentioned, you’d probably expect me to discuss being cautious with fireworks as it is not uncommon to hear about mishaps with such this time of year. But did you know that every year, 7,000 Americans are injured while using a backyard grill? Below are some key tips, according to ABC News, that will keep you safe this Independence Day: Do: 1. Keep your grill at least 10 feet away from your house. Farther is even better. This includes portions attached to your house like carports, garages and porches. Grills should not be used underneath wooden overhangs either as the fire could flare up into the structure above. This applies to both charcoal and gas grills. 2. Clean your grill regularly. If you allow grease and fat to build up on your grill, they provide more fuel for a fire. Grease is a major source of flare ups. 3. Check for gas leaks. You can make sure no gas is leaking from your gas grill by making a solution of half liquid dish soap and half water and rubbing it on the hoses and connections. Then, turn the gas on (with the grill lid open.) If the soap forms large bubbles, that's a sign that the hoses have tiny holes or that the connections are not tight enough. 4. Keep decorations away from your grill. Decorations like hanging baskets, pillows and umbrellas look pretty AND provide fuel for a fire. To make matters worse, today's decor is mostly made of artificial fibers that burn fast and hot, making this tip even more important. 5. Keep a spray bottle of water handy. That way, if you have a minor flare-up you can spray it with the water to instantly calm it. The bonus of this tip is that water won't harm your food, so dinner won't be ruined! 6. Keep a fire extinguisher within a couple steps of your grill. And know how to use it. If you are unsure how to use the extinguisher, don't waste time fiddling with it before calling 911. Firefighters say many fire deaths occur when people try to fight a fire themselves instead of calling for expert help and letting the fire department do its job. Don't: 7. Turn on the gas while your grill lid is closed. NEVER do this. It causes gas to build up inside your grill, and when you do light it and open it, a fireball can explode in your face. 8. Leave a grill unattended. Fires double in size every minute. Plan ahead so that all of your other food prep chores are done and you can focus on grilling. 9. Overload your grill with food. This applies especially fatty meats. The basic reason for this tip is that if too much fat drips on the flames at once, it can cause a large flare-up that could light nearby things on fire. 10. Use a grill indoors. People often think it will be safe to use a grill, especially a small one, indoors. NOT TRUE. In addition to the fire hazard, grills release carbon monoxide, the deadly colorless, odorless gas. That gas needs to vent in fresh air or it can kill you, your family and pets. Please keep the above tips in mind while grilling out this summer. And have a fun and safe 4 th of July!

Two years ago, my family and I went to the beach. Before heading out to enjoy the sand and sun, I made sure that we were all lathered in sunscreen.  We were outside for most of the day with consistent breaks under a canopy to avoid sunburn.  Later that evening, we went out to dinner and as I took my first bite into my jalapeno burger, I had such a severe pain in my lips that I could not finish my dinner.  My lips were sunburnt and I was miserable. It is very important to know that your lips can be damaged by the sun’s UVA and UVB rays and need to be protected.  There are lip balms that contain SPF agents to protect your pucker from these harmful rays, and can be carried easily in your purse, pocket or diaper bag. Remember, children are most affected by the symptoms of sunburn on their lips. So as you are lathering up for some fun in the sun, don’t forget to protect your pucker as well!

You’ve had a long day at work. You just want to go home and relax, but there’s that little voice in the back of your head telling you to stay away from the couch and that bag of potato chips and go get some exercise. Ugh! That is the last thing you want to do, but you know you should. The bottom line is exercise is good for you. According to mayoclinic.org, aerobic activity can help you: 1. Keep excess pounds at bay Combined with a healthy diet, aerobic exercise helps you lose weight and keep it off. 2. Increase your stamina You may feel tired when you first start regular aerobic exercise. But over the long term, you'll enjoy increased stamina and reduced fatigue. 3. Ward off viral illnesses Aerobic exercise activates your immune system in a good way. This may leave you less susceptible to minor viral illnesses, such as colds and flu. 4. Reduce your health risks Aerobic exercise reduces the risk of many conditions, including obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, stroke and certain types of cancer. Weight-bearing aerobic exercises, such as walking, help decrease the risk of osteoporosis. 5. Manage chronic conditions Aerobic exercise may help lower blood pressure and control blood sugar. If you have coronary artery disease, aerobic exercise may help you manage your condition. 6. Strengthen your heart A stronger heart doesn't need to beat as fast. A stronger heart also pumps blood more efficiently, which improves blood flow to all parts of your body. 7. Keep your arteries clear Aerobic exercise boosts your high-density lipoprotein (HDL), the "good," cholesterol, and lowers your low-density lipoprotein (LDL), the "bad," cholesterol. This may result in less buildup of plaques in your arteries. 8. Boost your mood Aerobic exercise may ease the gloominess of depression, reduce the tension associated with anxiety and promote relaxation. 9. Stay active and independent as you age Aerobic exercise keeps your muscles strong, which can help you maintain mobility as you get older. Aerobic exercise also keeps your mind sharp. Studies have found that regular physical activity may help protect memory, reasoning, judgment and thinking skills (cognitive function) in older adults, and may improve cognitive function in young adults. Some studies suggest that it can even help prevent the onset of dementia. 10. Live longer Studies show that people who participate in regular aerobic exercise live longer than those who don't exercise regularly. Just remember to speak to your physician before beginning your exercise regimen and start slowly. And don’t forget to have some fun while you’re at it!

One great part about the summer months is the opportunity to fire up your grill and cook outdoors! For me personally, food just tastes better when it has been cooked over a hot flame outside.  I have recently discovered foil-baked meals, which consists of meat, potatoes, vegetables and seasonings all packed inside an aluminum sealed makeshift bowl and then baked on the grill (or even in the oven if it’s not grilling season). This fine way of dining is so simple and the clean up is almost nothing if you choose to eat your meal out of the same “bowl” in which it was baked. Also, your options are endless.  Why stop at just dinner? I’m sure there are recipes for great desserts made in the same fashion…I’ll get back to you on that one!  For now, I am posting a Shrimp Boil Foil Pack recipe that is just simply delicious and so easy.  Serves 4.  Enjoy! Ingredients: 1 pound shrimp, peeled and de-veined 2 ears of corn on the cob, husked ½ pound andouille sausage 1 pound baby red potatoes OR baby yellow potatoes 3 tablespoons old bay seasoning OR homemade seasoning (see note) Salt and pepper, to taste 3 teaspoons minced garlic Juice of ½ lemon, plus lemon wedges for serving 3 tablespoons, melted + ½ cup butter, divided Chopped fresh parsley, for topping Instructions: Chop corn into thirds, then chop each third in half lengthwise. Chop potatoes into 2-inch pieces. Boil corn and potatoes for 10 minutes. Drain and set aside. In a large bowl combine shrimp, sausage, corn and potatoes. Stir together melted 3 tablespoons butter, Old Bay seasoning, garlic, juice from half a lemon, and salt and pepper to taste and pour over shrimp, sausage and veggies. Stir to coat. Divide between four 12x12 inch sheets of aluminum foil. Fold edges of foil up around the food to create a closed packet. Cook on preheated grill over medium-high heat for 8-10 minutes on one side, then flip and cook another 5-6 minutes on the second side. Alternately, you can bake the packets at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes until corn is tender and shrimp are pink and fully cooked. While packets are cooking, melt remaining butter in a medium sauce pan over medium-high heat. Once melted, continue to stir gently over medium heat for 3-4 minutes longer until color changes from pale yellow to a golden amber (but be careful not to burn it). Serve shrimp boil packs topped with chopped parsley, lemon wedges for squeezing, and browned butter for drizzling over the top or dipping.

While I was in college, I took a world religion class. My instructor was a nun who was a lovely person and well-informed on the different religions of the world. It was really an interesting subject to study. It was, and still is, fascinating to me that many of the other religious works are similar to the St. James version of the Bible, which is my personal choice for spiritual instruction. How did the other religions come into being? Was it from a main religion that took off in different directions? Many scholars believe this to be true. For instance, Christianity and Islam is an offshoot of Judaism, and Buddhism is an offshoot of Hinduism. This is fascinating stuff, and, I believe that is the reason all the different religions have similar stories. A site regarding the origin of religion is here. http://www.allaboutreligion.org/origin-of-religion.htm Several years ago, I read a book written by a self-professed atheist. I don’t remember the author’s name but recall he said religion ruined the world. Religion in and of itself cannot ruin the world. Only people can ruin the world by their refusal to accept that everyone has the right to believe the way they choose to believe. If your neighbor believes differently than you do, it’s not your business. If you think they are going to Hell for their beliefs, it’s still not your business. God says in his Word that he will separate the wheat from the chaff. If you think your neighbor is chaff, don’t fight with them. Pray for them! My youngest child is an atheist, despite being raised in the church from the time he was a baby. He thinks that when he dies he’ll just go poof and be gone from existence. No Heaven. No Hell. We have had many philosophical discussions over the years. He believes that because many of the religions have similar stories they all must be false. Lucky for him because of my beliefs (and many hours of prayer), and the promises that God made us, I know he will come to accept the existence of God and go to Heaven when he dies. Of course, I’ll be long gone by then receiving my reward in Heaven, but I’ll be waiting to greet him when it’s his time to leave this life, and lovingly tell him I told you so.