Cub Center Chats By Pat Curtis
Wow! Mother Nature left the porch light last weekend, and what a light! The last full moon of the year made a grand exit by lighting up the sky for more than 15 hours, making that the longest full moon of 2021. I hope you enjoyed that spectacular view.
We had two visitors from Dumas come to eat with us on the 21st. The man and wife team of Thomas and Thelma Cannon were visiting Thelma’s brother, Edward Furr and his wife, Sylvia. Thomas, who has a long, full, white beard and a jolly demeanor, was heading back to fulfill his Ho, Ho, Ho duties in Dumas. A delightful couple, indeed!
Let’s talk about sodium that NaCl you learned about in high school chemistry class. It is essential for our health and well-being but can also be a topic of concern from our doctors. Yes, it’s that stuff in the saltshaker. Guidelines say a person should consume less than 2300 milligrams of salt per day. Sounds like a lot, right? Not exactly, that is a scant teaspoon. So why worry about salt at all? There is abundant evidence linking salt to high blood pressure (a risk factor for cardiovascular disease).
We all know that chips, pretzels, and crackers are loaded with salt, so they should be consumed in moderation, if at all. Most of our salt comes from processed food, not from the saltshaker. Fast food, like sauces, fries, lunch meat and salad dressings, is loaded with salt. One biscuit with egg and sausage has a whopping 1,141 milligrams of salt. One cup of spaghetti sauce contains 1,203 milligrams. One packet of dehydrated onion soup mix has 3,132 milligrams. One cup of seasoned breadcrumbs contains 2,111 milligrams. Check the canned or boxed food labels for sodium and note the serving size. If you eat double the quoted serving size that means you’re consuming twice the salt. You should taste before adding more salt.
Fresh and frozen vegetables are preferred to canned, but if canned, buy salt-free or low-salt varieties and use herbs and sodium-free spices when cooking. Salt is an acquired taste. It takes three weeks to get over it, and then you get used to the natural flavor of food. Beware of TV dinners, soy sauce and monosodium glutamate!
Remember Jerri’s retirement party at noon on the 30th. Join us! Smiles required!
Three weeks ago, I lost my sweet roommate, confidante and friend. She was sometimes a trash-digger, sometimes an insistent-barker, sometimes a tissue-shredder, but always a loyal and loving companion who never failed to greet me with great gusto. She no longer whines in pain, and after 15 years of being greatly loved and returning that love tenfold, she earned her rest. The silence is deafening at times, but what sweet memories!
Put away those heavy coats for another week or two. Jack Frost is taking a vacation to Florida for a couple of weeks and leaving us with temps in the 70s and 80s. Ahh! Take a walk or ride a bike to ease your conscience about consuming all those holiday eats and treats.
Happy birthday, Angela Lockard! I hope you have a blessed one. Please give our new Director a Hand greet her with a big Texas smile!
Our family of eaters has been gradually increasing, so I hope that trends into 2022. I love meeting new people and making new friends, so please come to enjoy the warmth and fellowship offered up free of charge here, eat a low-cost nutritious meal, and allow me to make new friends. I love Olney!!
Enjoy the holidays and remember the reason for the season. Forget the commercialism and enjoy the PEOPLE in your life!
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL, AND TO ALL A GOOD LIFE!