WOMEN’S REVENGE
‘Cash, check or charge?’ I asked, after folding items the woman wished to purchase.
As she fumbled for her wallet, I noticed a remote control for a television set in her purse.
‘So, do you always carry your TV remote?’ I asked.
‘No,’ she replied, ‘but my husband refused to come shopping with me,
and I figured this was the most evil thing I could do to him legally.’

UNDERSTANDING WOMEN
(A MAN’S PERSPECTIVE)
I know I’m not going to understan d women.
I’ll never understand how you can take boiling hot wax,
pour it onto your upper thigh, rip the hair out by the root,
and still be afraid of a spider.

How do you pack a school lunch that’s nutritious-and will still get eaten? As school starts up again, I’ll be facing that challenge every day. Like you, I’m always looking for ways to make lunch fun and healthy. I’ve come up with a few ways to pack some love and nutrition into the lunchbox this year:

* Cheese kabobs: cut mild cheese into bite-size cubes and skewer on a straw
* Dried fruit, or a homemade trail mix combo of dried fruit and nuts
* Baked crackers with portable portion of peanut butter
* Flavored milk, water or 100% juice
* Homemade cookies or bars
* A surprise note with a cheerful

Keeping Teeth and Mouth Healthy

Is it better to have the perfect smile at a job interview or at your wedding? Which is more important: a clean body or a clean mouth? And if women could share their sink with a Hollywood hunk while brushing their teeth, who would they choose?

The makers of Arm & Hammer Advance White Toothpaste recently conducted a survey to uncover the answers to these and other fun oral care questions. Some of the most interesting tidbits include:

“You’re Hired!” Trumps “I Do!” Three out of four respondents want their smile to be its best at a job interview, while only half vowed that they needed a sparkling smile for their own wedding.

First Impressions on First Dates. While the nose knows that body odor ranks first on the list of biggest turn-offs during a first date, bad breath came in a very close second.

While many people used to believe that the cold winter weather put us at greater risk for illness, the truth is that it’s not the cold, but the spread of germs through the environment -such as the hundreds of surfaces we touch everyday-that cause illness.

During the warm-weather months, we spend lots of time outdoors, whether at the playground, local zoo, or sports arena, to name a few favorites. As we’re traveling or simply out and about, we rarely stop to think about the germs that our hands pick up in public, outdoor places-settings that offer fewer opportunities to wash hands at a sink with soap and water.

According to Dr. Charles Gerba, nationally known germ expert and professor of environmental microbiology at the University of Arizona, eighty percent of all common infections are spread through the environment around us-meaning we’re more likely to come into contact with germs at all those crowded public places that we frequent in the summer months.

Worried about money? Many, if not most of us, are economizing these days to make up for higher gas and food prices.

Parents are often reluctant to talk about money to their children. We all want to spare our kids from the worries of life. We don’t want our kids blurting out information about our bank account or mortgage. I was raised in Boston where it was considered mad manners to talk or ask about money.

Here is an interesting question sent to me recently: “I am a fourth grade teacher with two children, a girl 5 and a boy 7. In my class only 3 children live with both parents, the rest are children of divorced or separated parents. Is there anything parents can do to raise their children so they are divorce-proof?”

A good question. Is it possible to divorce-proof your children so your grandchildren will live in an intact family? Right off the top of my head it seems that one good way to divorce-proof your kids is to be in a stable, loving marriage yourself. This means your children will have the privilege of seeing how two people who love each other interact. Your kids will also learn the arts of communication and compromise without which no marriage can survive in happiness.

One  morning the husband returns after several hours of fishing  and
decides to  take a nap. Although not familiar with the lake, the
wife decides to take  the boat out.  She motors out a short
distance, anchors, and reads her  book.

Along comes a Game Warden in his boat. He pulls up alongside the
woman and says, ‘Good morning, Ma’am. What are you doing?’

‘Reading  a book,’ she replies, (thinking, ‘Isn’t that obvious?’)

‘You’re in a  Restricted Fishing Area,’ he informs her.

‘I’m sorry, officer, but I’m not  fishing. I’m reading.’

‘Yes, but you have all the equipment. For all I  know you could
start at any moment. I’ll have to take you in and write you  up.’

‘If you do that, I’ll have to charge you with sexual assault,’ says
the woman.

‘But I haven’t even touched you,’ says the game  warden.

‘That’s true, but you have all the equipment. For all I know you
could start at any moment.’

‘Have a nice day ma’am,’ and he  left.

MORAL: Never argue with a woman who reads. It’s likely she can also think.

Lasting Memories
Unique Ways to Remember a Lost Pet

The death of a pet is something many families face but don’t know how to handle, especially with children. An important thing to remember is that grieving over a pet is normal. Pets are a part of the family and the bonds are deep and real.

Amy Cantazaro, M.S., Human-Animal Bond Counselor at the Iowa State School of Veterinary Medicine Teaching Hospital, counsels families on how to deal with their loss. “Sometimes people don’t understand that a pet’s death can be as deep of a loss as a loved one,” says Ms. Cantazaro. “They’ll get responses from others like, ‘It’s just a dog,’ or ‘It’s just a cat,’ which are not very helpful.”