All in Columns
Before I get to my main topic today on happiness, I want to highlight some deadlines pertaining to our big and very important election this year. Be sure that you are registered to vote. Regular Voter Registration forms must be postmarked or delivered to your county board of elections office by 5 p.m. this Friday, October 9. However, voters may also same-day register at any one-stop early voting site from October 15 to October 31.
You may laugh at the old saying “an apple a day keeps the doctor away”, but much about that is rooted in truth. Apples provide multiple nutrients and compounds that help promote good health and weight management.
Within just a couple of days my mom, Irene Parker, will turn 92. She lives alone, has a driver’s license she renewed just weeks ago, and handles her own affairs. I can only imagine how much the world has changed for her through the years since 1928.
With all the lawlessness, looting, rioting, and violence going on in our country today it is sometimes difficult to maintain a positive attitude, but we have many reasons to be positive, and that's what I want to concentrate on today. There is beauty even in sadness.
This year, the leading candidates for lieutenant governor are giving North Carolina voters a sharp contrast. The Democratic nominee, Yvonne Lewis Holley, says she will use the formal and informal powers of the office to check Republican majorities in the General Assembly (should those majorities extend into 2021) and to move North Carolina in a leftward direction. The Republican nominee, Mark Robinson, says that as lieutenant governor he will help GOP lawmakers continue the conservative reforms of the past decade.
Turnips, in season in our area from October to March, is a vegetable most often grouped with root vegetables, but in reality, belongs to the cruciferous family whose cousins are Brussels sprouts, kale and broccoli.
Sandra and I are just two of the – ah – victims of fallout from the “virtual learning” Mondays decreed by Pitt County Schools. For the past few weeks, we have taken granddaughters Abby and Hannah home with us after church so they could spend the night and do their virtual assignments on Monday. Since Rachel and Joe both are teachers and must report to school on Mondays, they did not want to leave their girls home alone.
Recently, I was in a friend’s office concerning a matter unrelated to politics, but we ended up discussing the upcoming presidential election. His first comment was in a forceful tone: "We've left God out! We've got to get back with being a Godly society!" With that as a starter, let me identify our two basic problems as I see it:
Mail-in balloting has always been viewed with skepticism because it is conducted outside the supervision and overview of elected officials and it destroys the secret ballot concept and allows states to send out ballots to every registered voter in the state, with very little or no supervision. This is distinctly different from what we know as absentee balloting.
If you are like me and cannot bear to throw out any leftovers, especially vegetables, here are some ways to turn those old veggies into incredible dishes!! Be creative, just because you don’t usually use spinach or kale in your spaghetti sauce, you surely can, and add extra nutrition at the same time!!! You will be surprised to find some of these new combinations make great meals!!
September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month.
My nephew is serving in the United States Air Force. Currently, he is on a remote deployment. He accepted a challenge to do 22 pushups each day for 22 days in memory the 22 veterans who, on average, take their lives each day. He recorded his efforts and put videos on Facebook to help increase awareness of the problem.
Over the past week, the case growth rate has reached new lows, and case growth is now below 30,000 per day for the first time since June 21. The pandemic remains under control, and things continue to improve. The control measures are working.
It is hard to imagine the mindset of anyone who calls for defunding the police. This past Friday, September 11, we remembered those who, nineteen years ago, moved unhesitatingly into the line of fire to save the lives of others, while putting their own lives on the line.
The inconsistent rules between restaurants that serve alcohol and bars that serve food have forced bar and nightclub owners to choose between the failure of their small business, or remain compliant with the many laws and regulations that control the sale and consumption of liquor. It’s apparently fine for the state-run ABC stores to make money off alcohol, but not local bars and nightclubs.
Peanuts are currently being harvested and if you are lucky enough to be able to snag some fresh green peanuts, you are lucky. Did you know that North Carolina farmers produce approximately 102,666 planted acres of peanuts? This equals about 441 million pounds and ranks NC fifth in the United States in peanut production.
Set aside the blame game and partisan theatrics surrounding the issue, and simply ask parents and kids about their experiences. You’ll get mostly frowns, grimaces, complaints, even tears. Although there are certainly exceptions — children particularly well-suited to online learning, technically savvy parents who are superb educators in their own right — most will tell you that their 2020-21 school year is off to a poor and frustrating start.
A friend of Dr. Simmons Patrick shared with him an exchange she had with an elderly relative of theirs who was nearing the end of his earthly life. She said her Grandpa was seated on a patio bench, looking rather frail. She didn't want to disturb him, but she wanted to be sure he was OK, so she sat down beside him. He assured her that he was fine, and then he asked, "Have you ever REALLY LOOKED at your hands?"
While it may not feel like Fall yet, it is almost here, and fresh pears are abundant this time of year and are an excellent choice for nutrition! The good news on pears is that they are very low in Saturated Fat, Cholesterol and Sodium. They are also are a good source of Vitamin C, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber.
In the past two weeks, we’ve had good news on the pandemic front. The second viral wave has continued to come under control, case growth is down significantly from the peak, and the case growth rate has returned to the lows seen in mid-June. Overall, despite the higher case counts, the pandemic is once more again control.
