New Treatment For Nut Allergies

In an about face on treatment of peanut allergies, scientists are now recommending giving peanuts to infants  to reduce the possibility of the child becoming allergic.  Nut allergies have been treated for years by NOT giving nuts to children.  Keep nuts away  from kids that may become allergic or are allergic.  Keep the Epipen handy.  Parents always had the fear that a child would eat nuts, unbeknownst to him while away from home.  Now the approach to nut allergies is changing.

Starting with infants, at around four months of age, researchers are advocating giving small amount of nuts to children.  Over time, the amount of nut should be increased.  The research shows that this will prevent most children from developing the allergy in the first place.  It's the exact opposite treatment that we've been using for decades!

Unfortunately it has not proved useful for children that have already developed an allergy.  Apparently it can't be reversed once it has been developed, but this new approach says we can keep children from developing the allergy in the first place.  This is great news for parents who have worried for years about whether their nut allergy children might inadvertently ingest nuts.

I wonder if this might work for other allergies, like milk, shellfish, and garlic.  We'll have to wait and see what the research shows, but the new research on nut allergy treatment is very good news.

Why I'm Glad My Kids Are Already Grown

My son Phil was the first of our children to have children of his own, so I remember this incident vividly.  He and Deborah, with infant son Lennon in tow, came to visit us in Los Angeles.  Phil looked like a pack mule as he carried all the baby equipment into the house.  A car seat, a stroller, and Pack and Play were the main pieces of equipment, but there were also bags and bags of blankets, diapers, bottles, toys, and clothing. You'd think they were going to some far off land where there was no Costco or WalMart.  Since then, Brian and David have both traveled with their children, and both have brought similar equipment with them.  Did we travel that way with our children?  Absolutely not!

When we went somewhere with our kids we took an infant seat, a bucket like basket that infants could be shleped around in.  We also brought a big diaper bag, for food, diapers and clothes.  That was about it.  There were no car seats or Pack and Play's.  We'd hold the kids in our laps in the car, or as they got older just dump them in the back seat.  As for sleeping at night while we were away, we'd empty a dresser drawer, put down a blanket, and put the child to sleep.  No we didn't close the dresser drawer!

Rules and regulations have changed all this.  Children must be in a car seat until they weigh more than 60 pounds, usually around 7 years old.  That makes it pretty inconvenient for carpooling.  Each child has to have his own car seat, so this is a great inconvenience for parents.  When our kids got a little older and sat in a high chair, we just put them in the chair, then locked the front tray.  Today they need to be buckled up on the off chance that they might climb out.  The same goes for strollers, with elaborate straps across the chest and up the crotch, so that the child can't possibly get out.

Kids are safer today, but parents have a much more difficult time keeping them safe.  It seems we have so many regulations today.  There must be a happy medium.  I haven't even started on the  topic of how to raise the child.  Should they sleep on their back or stomach, should they take one nap or two, at what age should they start to eat solid food?  Parents have a difficult task raising kids in the 21st century.  I'll take the 1970's and 80's anytime.

Mekong Laos and Thai Restaurant

Our quest for the best Asian cuisine on Convoy Street continued in February, with a trip to a Laotian and Thai restaurant.  Seven of us went for lunch, and as my birthday was just a few days later, Fran arranged it as a little birthday celebration.  Gifts for everyone, thanks to Fran.  She had just returned from a long trip which included Singapore, so everyone got a beautiful pair of colorful chopsticks from Fran.  Thank You Fran.  She also provided dessert, by bringing a box of Tim Tam cookies from Australia, which she piled up in the shape of a cake, and topped with a candle.  So creative.  We ordered a lot of appetizers, noodle and rice dishes, and a pork and vegetable dish.  Everything was delicious.

Our waitress helped us order, as we wanted to avoid anything too spicy, yet taste the restaurants most popular items.  We had appetizers including beef jerkey (delicious), deep fried tofu, fried calamari rings, spring rolls, egg rolls, all with either a peanut dipping sauce or a sweet and spicy orange sauce.  We had a cellophane noodle dish with vegetables, pork fried rice, and a vegetable and pork dish.  To wash it all down, many of us ordered Thai iced tea.  Sweet, thick and creamy and so delicious!  The grand total for lunch was $14 per person including tax and tip. Next time you're on Convoy, try Mekong Laos and Thai Restaurant at 3904 Convoy Street.  Excellent food, good service, and some dishes you may not have seen before.  It's a chance to try something new!

Where Do Crows Go At Night?

I'm an animal lover, but I hate crows.  I guess I don't hate them so much as fear them.  They travel in numbers and are often very aggressive.  Most crows don't live even a year, due to predators  and death of young crows for a variety of reasons.  If they make it to adulthood, they live around six years.  The mate for life, unless their marriage has not produced children.  In that case, they may break the bond and try another husband.

I see a huge flock of crows flying south every afternoon around dusk.  There may be several hundred of them.  They are going to their roost for the night, which is usually in a park or wooded area with trees.  They hang out together overnight.  There is safety in numbers.  Then, just before dawn, they are off again to do what they do for the day.

I'm not the only one who fears the crow.  They often hang out in groups, and swoop down on small children and dogs to pull the hair from their heads.  I had an 80 pound Akita who was petrified to go in our backyard.  The crows would swoop and pull hair from her back, then fly off.  Living in urban areas has emboldened them.  They are more aggressive than they used to be.  I have read that in some areas there are up to 100,000 crows in a roost.  Wow, I'm scared just thinking about it.  It makes me think of the Hitchcock movie, The Birds.  I guess they are necessary in the food chain, but I will continue to stay far away from them.

Rolo Pretzel Drops

A few days before Christmas I took Pepper to the dog park for his afternoon of exercise and socialization.  Dolores had made a sweet treat for everyone at the dog park.  It was so delicious I asked her for the recipe.  When she told me how easy it is to make, I just had to share it with you.  It's a great hostess gift, or something you can keep in your freezer and serve any time, that is if you can keep from eating them all before you get a chance to serve them.  I hope you enjoy them.

                                         Rolo Pretzel Drops

24 small twisted pretzels, salted
24 rolo candies
24 nuts (pecans, walnut halves, or almonds)

Place 24 twisted pretzels on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.  Top each pretzel with an unwrapped Rolo candy.  Bake in over at 250 degrees for 5 minutes.  Remove from oven.  Take the walnuts and press one into the top of each Rolo candy.  The candy is slightly melted, so it is easy to press on the nut.  Remove from cookie sheet and let cool completely before storing.  They can be stored in jars or cookie tins.  Either way, they're absolutely delicious.  Enjoy.

Things That Have Become Obsolete Due To Technology

Here we are in 2017.  Another year has flown by.  My mother was here a few weeks ago, and we got to talking about all the changes she has seen in her life.  When you've been around for 93+ years you see a lot of changes.  Here are some of the changes that I have seen since technology has taken over our lives.
1.  Phone numbers are stored in your phone, so there it is no longer necessary to have an address book, or to remember phone numbers.  Every number is on speed dial.
2.  Phone booths (public phones) are a thing of the past.  There are no phone directories or phone booths.  You better have your phone with you at all times.
3.  No one makes photo albums anymore.  Pictures are stored in your phone, in the cloud, and are there for your use whenever you want to view them.
4.  How do you find out where and when the movie you want to see is playing?  In the old days, you would call the theater or look it up in the newspaper.  Today you look it up on line, then order your tickets and your seat online and avoid any line at the theater.
5.  Years ago, people would read the newspaper or magazine and cut out articles that interested them.  They would save them in a file, and probably never look at them again.  Today, you can bookmark the article or download it to your hard drive.
6.  Alarm clocks are obsolete.  You can set the alarm on your phone, or probably even your watch.
7.  Who watches shows when they're actually first shown on TV anymore?  We all have such busy lives that we record shows for viewing at our convenience.  The good part of this is that I get to see many more shows than I used to see, without advertisements.  The bad part is that I watch more TV.
8.  Maps.  Whether you're planning a long distance trip, or just driving to an unfamiliar part of town, Google maps will get you there with explicit directions almost instantly.  Love it!
9.  Cameras, except for the real photography buff, are obsolete.  Still and videos can all be taken on your smart phone, and the quality is excellent.

10.  Newspapers and magazines are quickly becoming obsolete.  I still get the newspaper, such as it is, but it's available on line as well, and within the next decade may disappear in print form.

Technology is changing our lives so quickly, it's mind boggling.  Since the invention of the computer, life has changed faster than at any other time in the history of man.  When I think about the fact that children born today may never see a telephone, a record or CD, a phone booth, a map, a book, a newspaper or may never drive a car, it is hard to believe.  Keeping up for those of us who are seniors is going to be our big challenge. 

Chinese Food in San Marcos: Panda Garden

What are the chances of walking into a Chinese restaurant you've never been to before and meeting two friends there, who are both dining there for the first time?  Well, that's exactly what happened to me a few weeks ago, when Ron and I decided to try a new (to us) Chinese restaurant in San Marcos.  Panda Garden had been recommended to me by some of my dog park friends, so we gave it a try.  I knew it was good.  It was crowded.

Right away I noticed one of my Newcomer friends, Marie, sitting in a booth at the back of the restaurant.  A few minutes later another Newcomer, Debbie, entered with a party of four.  For all of us, it was our first visit.  We've already got plans to go again.  The food was delicious.

Panda Garden is a typical family run Chinese restaurant, where the whole family helps out.  Mom and Dad are in the kitchen, one of the older boys is hosting, and some of the younger children are waiting tables.  We were there on a Saturday night, and the place was packed with customers and lots of boxes of take out orders waiting to be picked up.

Panda Garden has a huge menu, and many of the dishes can be ordered from mild to hot.  Pepper salt fry chicken wings is one of their specialties.  One of my friends ordered it and loved it.  I enjoyed the egg drop soup, but there are many other soups to choose from, including lots of noodle soups.  Double pan fried noodles with seafood, chicken or beef is one of our favorite dishes, and we weren't disappointed.  They also offer a garlic fillet, which I plan to try next time.  Sweet pungent beef (better known to me as orange flavored beef) was delicious.  The beef was thin sliced and tender, and the sauce was sweet, but not too sweet.  The best thing about their food was that it wasn't the slightest bit greasy.  The next best thing is that it's in the same shopping center as Rita's frozen custard, so you can always stop there for dessert after a delicious Chinese meal.

What's Old Is Still New

With the Superbowl over, I was thinking about appetizers:  what was served 50 years ago, and what we serve now.  Our super bowl party had chicken wings, hot, mild, and sweet.  This was not on any buffet table at superbowl 1.  Other than the popularity of chicken wings, not much has changed in appetizers over the years.

Deviled eggs are as popular today as they were in 1960.  Not only are they served as an appetizer at home parties, they're on many menus, in the fanciest restaurants.  There was a time when you couldn't find a deviled egg on a menu or at a party, but they've made a big comeback.

Canapes were probably the most popular hors d'oeuvres in 1960.  A small round of bread or cracker with salami, ham, anchovy, cheese or some other spread, was served at home dinner parties as an appetizer.  Today, we have enhanced the canape.  You might find the cracker covered with bruschetta or goat cheese and pear.  The toppings have changed somewhat, but they're still canapes.

Shrimp cocktail has never gone out of style.  It's popularity has been sustained for many years.  Then and now, shrimp cocktail is in.

Dips have always been popular too.  In the 1960's it was onion or clam dip.  Through the years the dips have changed but have maintained their popularity.  Veggies are used to scoop the delicious dip.  New veggies, like jicama and snap peas are in, but the idea of dips has been around forever.

One popular appetizer that we have now, that wasn't around 50 years ago, is the charcuterie platter.  Gourmet salamis and meats, a variety of cheeses, fruits, fresh and dried and nuts.  It's a wonderful appetizer, and there's something for everyone.  Meats and cheeses were used as appetizers years ago, but today they are much more elaborate.

One final item missing from today's appetizers, that was on every table 50 years ago, were gelatin squares with fruit inside.  This was so popular years ago, and has almost completely disappeared from our culture.  For the most part, though, the appetizers we had 50 years ago are still around, some of them just in a more updated way.

Standing Up For What's Right

In these days when  people are openly speaking up, saying minority races and religions should "go home,"  there are Americans that are standing up for what they think is right.  I heard this story at lunch today and had to share it with you.

An elderly woman in Riverside went to Taco Bell for her weekly lunch.  She arrived to find the restaurant quite busy.  A Muslim woman and young child were in line waiting to order lunch.  A large, young (40-50) man came right up to the woman and told her that she was not welcome there, that Trump was now our president, and she should leave.  This man was a customer.  Another customer, a big, tattooed man, who looked like he just got off a Harley, was sitting near by.  He sprang into action.  He came up to the woman, told her she wasn't going anywhere, that she wanted to eat there and was not going to be bullied.  Then he turned to the man who told her to leave and said, "As for you, young man, I suggest you find another place to have lunch today."  With that, the man who had bullied the Muslim woman, left the restaurant, and the whole restaurant applauded.

I hope to hear more stories like this.  We must stand up for those that can't stand up for themselves and not allow anyone to be bullied.

A Quick and Easy Breakfast

I was surfing the internet one afternoon, when I came upon a recipe that I just had to share with you.  It's a quick and easy breakfast or lunch, made in a mug.  From start to finish it takes less than five minutes.  Try it as an alternative  to cereal or scrambled eggs.  I think you will like it.


                                      Quick and Easy Breakfast Quiche

Melted butter
1 egg, beaten
small amount of milk(less than 1/4 cup)
salt and pepper to taste

Bits of bread in small pieces


Additional ingredients:  cut up spinach or other vegetable, tomatoes, grated cheese

Melt butter and put in mug, making sure butter covers bottom and sides of mug.  Add beaten egg, milk salt and pepper, and any additional ingredients.  I like spinach and cheese.  Mix all ingredients in mug.  Add several pieces of bread, broken into small bits.  Press so that a little of the egg covers the bread.  Cook for 3 minutes in microwave.  Use a knife to go around the quiche, to loosen it.  Invert on a plate.  This is delicious as is, or serve with a little salsa.  Enjoy.

Building A Wall Will Keep Out More Than Just Mexicans

I'm one of the many who think building a wall along our southern border is a terrible idea.  The $15-$25 billion cost could be used to beef up border security and according to studies, be more effective.  Where there's a will, there's a way, and tunnels, boats and other methods have been successfully used for those willing to take the risk.  But the wall would not only attempt to keep out illegal Mexicans from entering the U.S., but it would also keep out wildlife, that now roams freely across the border for food and mating.

Border walls are bad for wildlife.  There is a list of hundreds of species that would be effected by the wall.  Ocelot, pronghorn deer, mountain lions and jaguar would have their daily movement disrupted.  When an animal sees a barrier separating him from his natural habitat, they don't know what to do.  They don't adapt.  Many of them will die.  They roam freely across the border now for mating, and if a wall were to be built, they either wouldn't be able to make or they would mate within a small population, causing inbreeding.  The manatees in Florida would be effected too.

I feel the wall is a bad idea in the first place, and now that I know that wall would effect hundreds of species of mammals and fish, I feel even stronger.  (If that's possible).  Studies show that walls do not keep people out.  Yes, it will discourage some from trying to enter the U.S., but wouldn't it be better to improve our patrolling of the southern border?

I Can't Eat Like I Used To

I used to be able to go out for a 7:30 dinner and eat a large steak, baked potato, salad, maybe some appetizers and a dessert and wine, and of course some bread, and go home at 10:00 and fall into bed and sleep soundly.  Those days are gone.

7:30 dinners are out for me.  I enjoy eating around 6pm (a little later if it's a nice, fancy restaurant), to give dinner a chance to settle before going to sleep.  The dinner I described above, is something I no longer eat.  Ron and I almost  always split a steak, if we are in Flemmings, Ruth Chris, or Island Prime.  4-6 ounces of meat is just enough!  And all those sides and appetizers, well, I just can't eat them anymore.  My appetite is smaller, and the heartburn I suffer after eating such a meal, keeps me from eating like I used to.

I think man was meant to graze.  That is when I feel best.  Five little meals is what I like.  I think this is the best way to go, as you never get too hungry.  Ron and I will keep splitting our meals when possible.  It saves money and it gives us just the proper portion.  Americans are famous for large portions, so actually a single meal is probably the right size for two adults, not one.  Now, all we have to do is want to order the same things.  That's our biggest problem.  Ron's a meat and potatoes guy, while I'm a quinoa, kale, sweet potato  and tofu gal.  Hard to see eye to eye on what to order, but at least at Flemmings, we're on the same page.  One salad to share, one steak to share, one side to share, and one glass of wine for the two of us.  A perfect dinner, and a good night's sleep will surely follow.