I have not got a clue! Is there a 'Skin Care for Dummies' out there?

To start, I need to get rid of the {unmentionable number of} years of neglect - meaning lots of dermabrasion. Also known as carefully sandpapering away the dead skin of a thousand lifetimes. Orbital sander notwithstanding, this is a fine line. As once you see bone you've, pretty much, gone too far.

Assuming I make it through Stage 1 without needing a transfusion and cheekbone reconstruction, I then have to find a way to nourish this (hopefully) new-found younger-looking skin. When my hands and feet turn into leather, I slather them with petroleum jelly, throw on clean white cotton socks and let the moisturizing begin.

Somehow I just don't think that's going to be a good recipe for my face. Not to mention - without a field of cotton, a gin, cards, spinning wheel, and a really big crochet hook - I am probably not gonna find a sock that big.

Frankly, after reading and researching all of the wondrous beauty products on the market, I'm leaning toward making my own skin care products. All-natural ingredients, designed to support what the skin does on its own. I've even found an intriguing book - written by a nutritionist/skin expert - that has a lot of information about how skin works and what it takes to keep it happy. Especially, after 40.

Years ago, when I still had reasonably healthy skin, I owned a book by Diane von Furstenberg that was filled with recipes for gentle, effective skin care. The ingredients were fairly inexpensive, easy to use, and did (as I recall) keep my skin looking healthy. Of course, at 20-something, that's probably not too difficult.

We'll see if the same process works 30 years later.

Don't get me wrong. I love my glasses. (Well, except when I look in the mirror; then, I hate them.) I can see the TV from across the room, and even read street signs. I can read the fine print on the cereal box and even thread a needle. It's great; really.

It's just that I can't - at a comfortable distance - see the screen on my laptop clearly. The top of the bifocals focuses a little too far away; the bottom, a little too close. Meaning I either increase the length of my already-so-long-I-bump-into-everything arms or I have a joint inserted in the middle of my forearm, cuz right now I don't bend that way.

I do have a third option - contacts and readers. The combination works. I can clearly read the print on the monitor without balancing the laptop on my shins or bumping my nose on the screen. But, somehow, putting in contacts and putting on glasses feels a bit like putting lifts in high heels - redundant and ridiculous.

The real kicker? The contacts and readers I had - before I spent a king's ransom on new stuff - managed to do about as well as this new stuff for computer work. Thereby invoking the no-good-deed-goes-unpunished portion of today's entertainment.

But, since I have about 10 hours worth of work to do and no surgeon in sight, I guess I'd best go put the ol' contacts in. {sigh}

For lounging in front of the laptop. Or even a run to the store for soda and smokes. Seriously!

I see students from the local nursing program at the corner store all the time. If they can wear that medical scrub top (and comfy pants) out and about - so can I. In this incredible summer heat, scrubs have to be more comfortable than even my jean shorts.

Don't get me wrong, I'd never throw on a lab coat or try to create a "doctor uniform." Although, if you haven't checked out the styles lately, you might be surprised at just how non-medical many lab coats look. I actually could see myself throwing one, just a simple white jacket, over a tank top and jeans for a lunch date or trip to the grocery store.

What I didn't expect to find was scrubs for kids. These are seriously cute and incredibly practical. With their easy-on tops and elastic-waist pants, how great they must be for busy parents.

For adults or kids, I imagine part of the attraction - beyond comfort - is that they wash and dry like a dream. Who needs to stand over an ironing board for hours every week? I own an iron, but that doesn't mean I routinely buy clothes that will ever get to meet it.

First - I was really, really, Really in need of new glasses. If you've ever looked through a pair of binoculars, but didn't quite have the focus right - that's been me for heaven knows how long. I put my new specs on and it was like someone put the world back in focus. It was shocking how much clearer everything suddenly became.

Which leads me to the second problem - everything is so much clearer! You would not believe how smooth and even my skin was this morning. Now? I have blotches all over. And where in the world did all those lines come from?!

I'm thinking this new improved vision was a very, Very, VERY bad idea! Because now I need industrial-strength skin care, Botox, and what is with that hair color? Oh, mercy! I am in deep, deep trouble!

Cancer is a strange cell.
You can go along for years in remission
and then one day it pops its head up again.
Pray for the day there will be a permanent cure.

Prayer is a marvelous thing - trust me. When Mark was dying, people around the country started prayer circles on his behalf. Amazing things happened.

Those amazing things included the liver transplant that saved his life. They included support from places and people we didn't know - which kept our spirits and our hopes out of the basement. It could be considered miracles happening. I, personally, don't know.

I do know that the people around us made some major efforts to reach out and help. Emails, phone calls, an incredible collection of inspirational CDs from the sister of a friend. We were surrounded by love and support.

Recently, I was introduced (via the Internet) to Rachel Hunnicutt-Knight, a young lady - younger than my own children - who is battling cancer for the third time in her short life. Diagnosed with ALL at 14, she has done everything (as has her family) to have a reasonably normal life - school, work, marriage, family - while undergoing treatment.

After years of remission, the Big C came back recently. Not only came back, but settled in her bone marrow. The best, and only hope, is a transplant. Luckily Rachel has insurance through her job.

Unluckily, the co-pay for that transplant is $80,000! Seriously! 80K! as a co-pay! But that isn't carved in stone - it could be much higher.

If that weren't insulting enough, the co-pay (that could be any amount - starting at $80,000) - must be raised before the insurance company will consider paying for the bone marrow transplant. This $80K involves Rachel and/or her family paying all of the expenses for the donor - of which they have found (last I heard) 2 perfect matches.

Okay, that isn't the final insult, much as I wish it were.

Rachel is currently going through chemo - again - apparently another requirement before the transplant will be considered. No offense - okay, yes I'm offended - but at what point is the insurance company going to stop punishing this amazing young lady by insisting on chemotherapy, when they could be putting their money where it belongs?! - A possible cure!?

So, yes, pray for this family. Put all of your mental energy behind ensuring that the right things happen. But every day, there is a need for support and friendship and, for everyone who can to share. Visit Got-Marrow.org. I'm not asking that you give financially - but it would be tremendous if you could. Give of your heart. Encourage and support Rachel - who has been through this so many times, and still hasn't given up.

According to the US Population Clock, there are 310,069,018 (and counting) people in the United States. If everyone gave $0.01 - that's right a penny for everyone in the United States - we could raise enough to cover the co-pay. And maybe just enough to keep Rachel and her family financially safe.

Unlike the recently publicized scam artist who claimed to have cancer and personally went running around the Internet to get money from people - Rachel didn't start this campaign or ask for this help. A friend of the family - Rob Jones, my hero - saw the need and created a way for all of us to help.

So, what are you waiting for!?

First of all - hats off to MemoryStock.com! Free Shipping! that got here from Stockton, CA in about 48 hours. (Actually less, but I'm too lazy to calculate the exact time involved.) And the right part - the first time! Once I adjust my laptop's attitude, I am definitely going to order from them again.

Now for the bad news. I have an off-lease IBM ThinkPad R40e 2484-NU2 that we bought (okay, Frankie bought it) from a third-party on eBay. It's not the speediest of laptops and, in fact, came with only 384MB of RAM - of which, the BIOS (Basic Input Output System) recognizes about 366MB. (I'd swear the description didn't mention this dearth of RAM, but then I'm old and forget things.)

For an oldie, moldie laptop - at least the RAM is upgradable to 1GB. Unfortunately, the BIOS doesn't know that. So, we (meaning me) need to update the BIOS. Easy, peasy - right!? {buzzer} Nope!

In order to update the BIOS, I need a solid A/C connection and a fully charged battery. Go on the A/C; no-go on the battery. It quit charging about 6 (or more) months ago. Since the A/C works and I never (okay, hardly ever) accidentally pull out the adapter plug - not an issue. Plus - have you priced laptop batteries lately!?!

Well, now it's an issue. In order to use the RAM we just bought, I have to purchase the replacement battery that I have been trying desperately not to need. If you follow JMark Afghans on Twitter, you may have noticed a Tweet that mentions "Visions of Laptop as Frisbee {film at 11}" recently.

All I can say? If this $30 memory upgrade gets any more expensive? I'm buyin' a hammer. A really big hammer. {film at 11:15}

Eventually, we got really good at being just-the-four-of-us. Okay, maybe not really good - but, hey, nobody died and we're still together. But, starting in 2007, the kids started to disappear. First Frankie; then Michael. We were back to just-the-two-of-us and, although sad at first, we got good at it again.

Over the last 18 months or so, we've had one kid move in and out and in again. It really changes the dynamics - and floor space - when you add a third body (and personality) to the mix. He's been here for about 10 months now and we've adapted, as much as we're going to. Then, last night -- he left.

Granted, it's not a permanent move; he just went to spend the weekend with his older brother. But - Wow! It's quiet in here! And he's not even that noisy. If the room were bigger and you couldn't see him - constantly - out of the corner of your eye, you probably wouldn't even know he was here.

So how does the presence, or lack thereof, of one not-so-noisy person make the whole place seem different? I don't know, but I'll be glad when he gets home on Sunday. The silence is deafening!

Before you jump to conclusions, let me tell you a little about Rachel Hunnicutt-Knight. Diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia at age 14, she has battled this disease through chemo, high school, and an attempt at a normal life. Rachel worked, healed, grew up, married, and gave birth to a daughter. After 7 years of remission, the leukemia returned.

For the last 2 years, she has been in remission treatment. However, tests show that the cancer has now spread to her bone marrow. The only answer is a transplant. Rachel is employed; she has insurance, which will cover the surgery - with a co-pay of an estimated $80,000.

She doesn't have that kind of money; neither does her family. This is why my friend - and theirs - has stepped up to enlist our help.

Here - very simply - is what I am asking from you:

• Please visit www.got-marrow.org.
• Give if, and whatever, you can.
• Leave your good wishes for Rachel and her family. Never underestimate the power of positive energy.
• Share links to www.got-marrow.org everywhere you visit,
  Tweet and Retweet Got Marrow on Twitter,
  Fan Got Marrow on Facebook,
  If you have a blog or a website, show your support with a note and a link.

And here - very simply - is what I am doing. Starting today, and continuing until Rachel is physically and financially out of the woods:

• JMark Afghans, etc. is donating 15% of every purchase to Got-Marrow.org

Scammers and spammers use the Internet every day to cheat, steal, and threaten our online safety. Let's see how much good we can do, instead. Please help us help this family.

Some blame, I would imagine, falls at the feet of the owner of our complex. I doubt that he is actually shelling out for the best available service. But, to be fair, when our cable and Internet was rolled into our rent, the rent didn't go up. That does count for something.

On an average day I get up, grab coffee, and fire up the laptop. Within the next 60 - 90 minutes, I can count on getting dropped at least 3 times - at least! There are days when it's actually worse - especially if I'm working on something that I consider critical. (I swear sometimes they actually know!)

Then we have the regular daily (for lack of a better term) crap-outs. Between 5:30 and 6:30 - every day - we can count on losing our connections, at least once for at least 5-10 minutes. I'm beginning to think the local techs go to dinner and 'turn out the lights,' as it were.

So, no we don't write a check or pay a bill to our Internet provider. But, trust me! We Pay!

For starters, this month looks to be a food fest, which is just fine with me. I love the seasonal goodies flooding the stores right now. Fresh fruits and veggies are always the top of my grocery list.

But July brings even more to enjoy. Firing up the grill and dusting off those summer recipes is what it's all about. This is a month for celebrating ~ Baked Beans, Culinary Arts, Ice Cream, Hot Dogs, and Blueberries.

If those aren't enough, take a look at the first seven days of July:

1. National Gingersnap Day
2. National Anisette Day
3. National Chocolate Wafer Day
4. National Barbecued Spareribs Day
5. National Apple Turnover Day
6. National Fried Chicken Day
7. National Strawberry Sundae Day, and Chocolate Day

Okay - that did it! I'm off to the store for turnovers, baked beans, and fried chicken! Oh, and a pint of ice cream and blueberries. And some gingersnaps and ribs. And, in anticipation of the end of the month - lollipops, milk chocolate, and cheesecake!

And some stretchy sweatpants. And an exercise machine. This could get veddy, veddy bad.

To begin with, I've always (no offense intended) thought that bow ties were just a little nerdy. With the exception of a really snazzy tux, they just don't scream stud. I mean look at Orville Redenbacher! (Okay, not a fair example.)

In an attempt to update my attitude, I went searching for Men in Bow Ties. I found some pictures at the late, great Berkley Magazine that did not make me giggle and cry "Nerd!"   In fact, some of the looks were terrific and I can see, now, how bow ties could be a great deal of fun. Especially the not-so-rigid styles.

Still can't quite see one on Mark. But maybe that's just me. And my odd little dream.

The last (and only) vegetable garden I had was in Colorado, in the late 70s. I grew the world's best (and smallest) cantaloupe and learned to love baby lima beans - fresh off the plant and steamed with a little butter. We had beefsteak tomatoes that were the size of baseballs and effectively spoiled me forever.

We had some amazing flower beds in Michigan in the 80s and even grew cherry tomatoes outside the kitchen window of our townhouse. Moving out of a house and into apartments didn't slow me down. Granted, I couldn't have tomatoes, cantaloupe, and leaf lettuce, but I could (and did) have anything that could tolerate limited light and the confines of a pot or terrarium.

At one point - I kid you not - there were 120+ pots, 'window' boxes, and terrariums, growing madly and filling every spare inch of my Waterford apartment. I became a macrame maniac, creating 2- and 3-level hangers, just to get everything as close to the windows as possible. Watering days were a marathon event and I really should have gotten one of those contraptions that hooks up to the sink, has a mile and a half of hose, and let's you wander from pot to pot without refilling a can.

Many of the plants, and all of the terrariums, required regular misting / higher humidity. (Just what you need in Michigan - more humidity!) The muscles in my forearms would have made a body-builder proud! But my 'babies' were amazing, and worth the work. (Apparently, my cat agreed - he regularly ate all of the new growth on my Sago Palm.)

A lot of what I grew were succulents and cacti, which is rather an odd choice for an east-facing apartment with trees blocking the windows. But they are really low maintenance - preferring to be left alone for a good part of the year. I'm sure that has to do with the fact that they really aren't 'designed' to be kept in a four-season environment.

Our bedrooms and den had the best exposures, so that's where the light-loving plants clustered. My aforementioned Sago Palm, several small barrel- or globe-type cacti (one of which bloomed faithfully twice a year), Haworthia, Opuntia, and many more whose names I no longer remember. The Sansevieria preferred filtered light, so it stayed in the living room.

I still remember the first time I saw a native version of one of my little house plants, here in Arizona. You cannot imagine the shock when confronted with a 4-foot-tall (or taller) version of the little 3-inch baby that sat in a pot on the windowsill. Mother Nature's little reminder that not everything belongs in a container in one's living room.

This time of year makes my green-thumb a little twitchy, and I do miss puttering and pruning. But, seeing how nature grows her 'babies' out here - I think I'll leave it to the expert. Now - where's my camera!?

It all started with taking the dining table apart, which isn't quite as radical as it sounds. Sitting in front of the living room window, the table was basically just an extra flat surface for storing what didn't fit anywhere else. With it gone, Frankie's bed moved under the window and out of the way. It even gives him a headboard, by butting up against the side of the computer desk.

Of course, the table wasn't the only thing on that wall. But moving the portable washer into the walkway between the bedroom and living room, freed up half of the wall opposite the window. The 'stuff' crammed into the corner is now neatly stacked across the room. The whole area just feels bigger now.

Today was the real test of the new set-up. Every month or so, maintenance comes in to 'inspect' the apartment and replace the furnace filters. In anticipation of this inspection, we decided to do a quick steam-clean of the carpets. (We do that twice a month, anyway; but it was a good excuse to pull out the machine a little early.)

Needless to say, with all of the furniture and 'stuff' out of the middle of the living room, cleaning the carpet was almost fun. Well, if not fun, at least a whole lot easier. I will never scoff again.

Okay, I'll probably snicker a bit. He does have some wild ideas, after all. But I solemnly promise to never pooh-pooh out loud!

The seven extra shipping charges overdrew my PayPal account. So, on May 28th, I called the USPS again - to have the 4 pending charges cancelled; which they did (surprisingly) without a problem. Then, I called PayPal and asked them to do the same. Again, no problem. Hey! Life is looking up!

Except for the fact that, since USPS had hijacked my money, part of the one valid shipping charge, as well as other legitimate charges from May 24th hit when, technically, the PayPal account had a zero balance. With our savings account as emergency back-up, you can imagine what started happening -- and happening, and happening, and happening. (To the tune of $120.00 in NSF fees, as we don't keep a balance in that account, by the time it was all said and done.)

Back on the phone to USPS - and beginning to panic. To paraphrase, briefly (this was not a brief conversation): "Our terms and conditions explain that USPS will put a pending hold on your account [note: have never found that notice] every time you try to print a label. You agree to that upfront. And, because of that, the USPS is not responsible for NSF charges. It's all PayPal's fault. [note: they did actually say that] And, yes, it takes 14 business days to process a refund." Thank you, have a nice day.

Back on the phone to PayPal - and on the verge of hysteria. (Another very, very long conversation.) Not one, but two very, very nice people -- thank you Amy and Craig! -- tamed the lions, jumped through flaming hoops, and walked the wire to help me. (Hey, under the circumstances, a circus analogy seemed highly appropriate.) Within about 36-48 hours, though it wasn't their fault or responsibility, they made us whole. Much more than I had ever expected; and far more than USPS - who was responsible - even considered.

EPILOGUE: As of June 8th - 15 days after this mess started - of the $111.90 shipping fees originally charged, PayPal reversed $97.65 and (as a one-time courtesy) reimbursed us $90.00 of NSF charges. Our bank, which was less than cooperative through all of this, did manage to reverse one NSF fee of $30.00. The legitimate charges, from May 24th, eventually cleared.

The USPS, late on June 7th, notified me (emphasis mine) that:

"We have approved your postage refund request for your online shipping label on 06/07/2010 08:01 PM CDT.

[Personal information redacted]

Please allow up to two billing cycles for your credit card statement to reflect this refund, as the processing of the refund is dependant upon your financial institution's policy."

Note - they didn't say refunded, they said approved for refund - allow up to two months for the credit to appear on your account. Luckily, the refund actually hit by end-of-business on the 8th. So, JMark Afghans, etc. is officially done with the USPS. UPS - here we come!

Oh! The package did - eventually - get to my daughter and son-in-law.

Just for grins, I decided to check my account today - confirm the balance, ya know? Imagine my surprise to see that the USPS had charged me for my package label, not once - but eight (8) times! Yes, you read that right!

Four are pending on my account; four went through. (All 8 reduce my available balance.) If you're keeping score - that's $13.95 x 8 = $111.60! Given that one charge is valid, that makes for a minor overcharge of $97.65!

No biggie, right?! Just contact the USPS for a correction / refund and life is good, right!? {sound of maniacal laughter} Oh, heavens no! That would be {more maniacal laughter} too easy! Too efficient! Too acceptable! Too helpful! Too responsible!

I did contact the USPS about this. They agreed to correct the problem, and refund the extra charges - in 14 business days!

Guess when you're going broke, paying mail carriers who "don't have to come up to the second floor," it's important to increase revenue any way you can.

In the Kitchen

We have so many cooking utensils and knives, we could open a small store. They all get used, at one point or another, and need to be handy. (Did I mention we only have one drawer in the kitchen!?) Rather than spend a small fortune on containers, I decided to recycle some of our empty coffee cans. (The dollar store had a huge sale on vinyl contact paper a couple of years ago and I grabbed all of the marble patterns.)

It took no time at all to 'marbleize' a standard metal coffee can and stick a margarine tub in the bottom - the cans will rust, if utensils are damp when put away. Using the plastic lid as a skid-proof, non-scratching bottom - ta da! - matching utensil containers. There's one container for whisks, spatulas, and wooden spoons used during cooking; one for steak knives, mashers, gravy ladles, and pizza cutters used after cooking.

Because most of the knives are much taller than a single coffee can, I had to get even more creative. After cutting the bottom off one can, I taped the two cans together and covered them in the same marble pattern. One lid went on the bottom, just like the smaller containers. I carefully cut the center out of the other lid and snapped it on top of the tall container, creating a smooth edge. A small plastic bowl (I was out of margarine tubs) in the bottom keeps the knives from touching metal and getting damaged when they get (too frequently) dropped in after cleaning.

Canister options abound, but we found that they were either too tall for our cabinets or simply too expensive. With guys who aren't always careful, it made more sense to make my own - unbreakable - canisters. Two plastic coffee containers, the kind with the seal-tight lids and indented grips are perfect. Folgers, not Maxwell House. (MH has closed hollow handles that fill up and don't easily release their contents.) The Folgers website even has downloadable designs to print out and stick over the product information. (Or they did over the holidays.)

Now, we get down to the other food storage needs: rice and corn meal. Two round oatmeal containers, a little marble paper, and - voila! - canisters that hold 4 lbs of rice and a big bag of corn meal. The lids seal tightly, so we don't have to worry about spillage or bugs. No muss, no fuss.

In the Bathroom

Things are pretty standard. One of the small wash tubs that the hospitals sent home with Mark are holding the myriad bandages, tapes, and small bottles that we acquired after Mark's and Frankie's surgeries. There is just no other way, to my mind, to keep a slew of roly-poly, slip-sliding, gotta-get-at-this-someday items together and out of the way.

Another tub holds bathroom electronics: curling iron, blow dryer, electric razors. I could definitely use another one for all of the light bulbs we have distributed around the apartment. But, putting someone in the hospital to get a cute, pink tub is not exactly tops on my how-to-solve-a-storage-problem list.

I have a small basket, with straighter sides than the tubs, that holds nail polish and removers, nail clippers and files, lotions, creams, mousse - all my personal 'beauty junk' in one consolidated place. I can get at it, but it's not in anyone else's way. I also have a great zippered vinyl pouch, free with sample Herbal Essence products, that squeezes in almost anywhere and holds items I don't use as often.

The sliding rack out of our dead freezer holds all of my cleaning rags, under the bathroom sink. Next to that is an old, gigantic cat litter container, with handle, that keeps the cleaning supplies together and doubles as a mop/scrub bucket. It also ensures that any damp items don't come in contact with the bottom of the cabinet.

Tomorrow? The Kitchen!

Muscle pull? Been there, done that - a lot, actually. In my experience, I wouldn't be able to lift my arms, turn, move, and/or, basically, dress myself. As I have not been forced to run around naked or have Mark dress me, I'll eliminate that one.

Back out of alignment? This is always a fun one - leading to pains in places that, at first blush, have nothing to do with the location of the problem. Nothing like chest pains to get your attention. But, adjusting my 'spinal attitude' hasn't really helped. Guess we have to eliminate this one.

Bruised rib? (See Muscle Pull) Although the mid-rib area of my left side is occasionally tender to the touch and I do have some minor, occasional issues with movement, I can probably eliminate that one, too. The pain is just not, for lack of a better word, right.

Not happy with where this is leading. I'm starting to see a doctor visit in my future.

Lung problem? Hmmmm? Not so sure. I've had pneumonia, bronchitis, and pleuresy (some more than once) - and this just doesn't feel like how I remember those pains. Which could be selective amnesia, truth be told.

And yet - Can't take a full breath without pain. Smoking just upsets everything. Coughing is something to be avoided, at all costs.

Soooo!? We have interesting options: infection, inflammation, or the big C. Frankly, I'm leaning toward some sort of allergy-related complication, after my recent 2 week bout of something. Either way, it looks like it's time to call the doctor.

I hate it when that happens!

Just today, I read that ABC/Disney is reportedly canceling Legend of the Seeker, a well-written series with (as they say) tremendous production values. Apparently, Tribune Company - which owns WGN and many of the CW affiliate stations - is dropping the show. That 24 stations could shut down a series is amazing to me.

Our local CW affiliate is not owned by Tribune, but will Belo (and their 20 stations) step up to help? Who knows. Probably a mute point. (Though I'm still hunting for contact information.)

It's just a sad, sad day. Another great show, destroyed by the broadcast company that could find no value in 'Firefly' - yet, is willing to throw money at 'Dead Like Me' and 'Friends' reruns. So, so sad.

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