Lynn, your list of breakfasts is amazing, but what's even more incredible these days is that you make it a priority to sit down as a family for breakfast. It's such a rarity in our fast-paced world. Growing up we always sat down as a family for breakfast and I have fond memories of that. Our children ate on the run, for the most part, but did have something before leaving the house, even if I handed it to them on their way out the door! Here's a recipe for steel-cut oatmeal done in the crockpot overnight: Slow Cooker, Apple Cinnamon Steel-Cut Oatmeal By Monica Servings: 5 1-cup servings Ingredients 2 apples, peeled, cored, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (2-1/2 to 3 cups chopped) 1-1/2 cups fat-free milk 1-1/2 cups water 1 cup uncooked steel-cut oats 2 tablespoons brown sugar 1-1/2 tablespoons butter, cut into 5-6 pieces 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 2 teaspoons ground flax seed 1/4 teaspoon salt Optional garnishes: chopped nuts, raisins, maple syrup, additional milk or butter Directions Coat inside of 3-1/2 quart (or larger) slow cooker with cooking spray. Add all ingredients (except optional toppings) to slow cooker. Stir, cover, and cook on low for 7 hours. Spoon oatmeal into bowls; add optional toppings, if desired. Store leftovers in refrigerator. Freezes well. To reheat single servings: Put 1-cup cooked oatmeal in microwave proof bowl. Add 1/3 cup fat-free milk. Microwave on high for 1 minute; stir. Continue cooking for another minute, or until hot. Recipe can be doubled in 6-quart or larger slow cooker. Increase cooking time 1 hour.

Shortly after my wife decided that she preferred to live on her own, I went to board (for 4 years) with an old lady in her 80s who'd been known to our family for years ... Dad was pallbearer at her aunt's funeral (that she'd cared for while bedridden) on the day that psych. hosp. called to say that Mom died and I, age 13, went to tell him. Bessie, never married (fiance soldier killed in W W I) had been a pediatric nurse, was a lovely spirit and in good health in her 80's. I don't think that I ever heard her say anything sharp or nasty about anyone. Everyone in the village loved her ... but they tended to head for the hills when they saw her little blue Falcon coming down the street. I thank her sweet spirit for heading off my feelings of bitterness against females at the time. She spent several years in a retirement-nursing home, couldn't see or hear well near the end of life, but had she lived another 4 months would have achieved 105. She was missed by many. And, I hope, quite a number may have chosen to alter some of the things in their lives for the better as a result of seeing her, a quiet Christian, in action. I am thankful for Bessie's ministry in my life. ole joyful

mid ten mama, I've always been curious, tried to observe the world around me. One might even say, "nosey". And discuss it with others. What do they say - some people discuss people, some discuss things, and some discuss ideas? I'm content to visit friends and have no activity laid on - discussion of a number of topics suits me as a fulfilling evening's activity. I think that it helps if we can let our conduct be modified in the way of less risky activities by observing others. Dad was a busy farmer and single parent (my Mom got sick when I was about 5, two younger brothers, and Grandma lived with us) when I grew up during World War II - I was kept out of school to help put the crop in when I was 11. I think that I was about 18 before I knew that Dad would take an (occasional) drink - he liked Scotch. I seldom drink, sometimes a glass of wine. I don't care for the taste of beer - figure that they should pay me to drink that stuff. Except on a real hot day, after major exercise, such as haying. The hotel owner where I worked as bartender a few years ago was really happy to employ me - don't recall that her enthusiasm resulted in much in the way of bonuses, though. Last year when I spent time with my old uncle after his wife died, he liked oatmeal porridge most mornings. I took some wheat flakes, red river cereal, and that white stuff "farina?" that one maker calls "Cream of Wheat". He thought none as good as oatmeal - especially the white stuff (that he was barely interested in finishing). Actually, he "finishes" few of his dishes - the dog gets the last part of most of them. He was some interested in the sesame seed and flax that I added sometimes - and rather liked the raisins and dates that I added for a bit of additional zing. Don't think he uses such stuff now, on his own, though. I should eat a more balanced diet - need more veggies, fruits, especially raw ones. Though I'd have to chop them pretty fine now, having only three teeth. I haven't taken good care of my teeth - they'd likely still be operational, had I done so. May I encourage everyone to brush and floss? Saves in the long run, and postpones the limitations on one's eating habits that store teeth impose. I don't get as much exercise as I should - former landlady suggested that I get more. I told her that if there was some work that it was useful to do, I could do it. But just to go from here to there and back merely to say that I'd gone didn't turn me on too much. She wouldn't let me cut the grass. Kept her lawnmower covered, behind the garage: she wouldn't go in. Her husband (quite an active Christian) had hung himself in there a couple of years before. That seems to have answered most of your questions/commented on your observations. I think that I'm a more open person than many - don't figure that I have a lot of stuff to hide. As for some of my frugal pursuits - I don't say that others should live that way: very few people do. But I learned about scarcity and conservation of resources when I lived among refugees in Korea. I value my freedom, and thus should value the right of other posters here to live as they choose (as long as it doesn't harm others), as well. But I feel that our resources are scarce, and we've been using them, especially petroleum, for less than a hundred years - stuff that it took millions of years to produce. All of us North Americans (and most of the Europeans) are going to have to learn to live much more frugally, for the rest of the world aren't going to be willing to put up with the great disparities of use of the world's resources that we've come to know in the past couple of hundred years. This forum is one where we are sharing ideas about how to achieve our goals in life at lower cost, without undue restriction of lifestyle. I have appreciated a number of the ideas that I've heard here. And the friendships developed, as well. Good wishes to you and yours for a lovely fall. ole joyful

Wow!! Carol, I'm happy for you. Heel to toe for 8 steps takes a lot of coordination, and YOU DID IT. When my kid was 4 years old, she would be so happy when I lost weight on the scale ... health for my friends cheer me up more than roses. I'm elated when I heard Garran home & healthy, and I'm happy about rain for Jess & no more thorns in her toe. I am happy when my daughter is happy. I'm sure that's how God, our Father in heaven, feels .. He's happy when His children (us) are happy. My kid has a friend came over today (same age). The friend was on Ensure (canned nutrition with soy milk) .. her skin was clean this past summer. I did research on soy milk and thyroid disorder, yes, there's a slight link, esp. with carrageenan added. So I e-mailed this teenager info., and her nutritionist switched this gal from Ensure (soy-based) to Kefir (fermented cow-milk). Fast forward today, this friend gets pimples on her face. I feel bad since the bad news about dairy didn't come out until this year. I google thoroughly when I switched my child from soy-milk to cow milk .. could not find a link between cow milk and acne until recently. But I learn something: always look at how many people are involved in any study. The thyroid & soy link are just a few personal testimonies, versus the below: " The famous Nurse's Health Study examining health habits of 47,000 nurses found that those who drank more milk as teenagers had much higher rates of severe acne than those who had little or no milk as teenagers. In other studies of over 10,000 boys and girls from 9 to 15 years old, there was a direct link between the amount of milk consumed and the severity of acne." Today I'm back to the diet that I was on when I was skinny: soy milk (new formula without carrageenan) & high fiber cereal ... I feel so much better & more energy. My kid loves her cereal & soy milk. She could NOT handle cow-milk either .. she's lactose-intolerant. I checked on soy milk again before I switch back: if the soy-protein is concentrated, like soy Isolate in faked meat, then it will screw up the thyroid. If the soy is concentrated and made on aluminum equipment, like tofu, then that will UP the risk of Alzheimer's. But soy milk in low dose with cereal, isn't bad ... at least it's freed of hormones, antibiotics, feces, and pus like in cow's milk. Soy milk is easier to digest, plus zero cholesterol. What I like the most is: it smells clean, NOT strong like cow-milk.