Recently I had the opportunity to ask an interesting question:   Q.  An inhaled vaccination is a live virus, right?  What is to stop the person who has been innoculated from sneezing and spreading the virus to the unsuspected?   A.  To answer your question, yes the nasal vaccine is a live virus. As far as what stops it from spreading to those who haven’t been inoculated there are a couple of things, all of which stem from the way the vaccine is developed. For one, the vaccine is engineered in such a way that it does not reproduce (or reproduces very ineffectively); this is a sort of trademark of live vaccines –that and the attenuation of its virulence (i.e. making it so the virus does not cause disease). The other way the vaccine is engineered so that it can only survive a very specific temperature. If the temp. goes above or below this the virus automatically dies. As with everything else this is not 100% and according to the CDC there is a 0.6%-2.4% chance the attenuated virus can be transferred immediately following inoculation. As a personal anecdote, I had the nasal vaccine last year for the seasonal flu and they made me stay put for about two minutes with a Kleenex over my nostrils to keep this from happening. But like I said this is a non-virulent virus, so if you were to spread it,  you wouldn’t be spreading the disease, you would be spreading the vaccine. Thank you Nick for sharing your medical knowledge,  greatly appreciated!

From Southern Living .. food for today Prep: 20 min., Bake: 52 min., Cook: 25 sec., Cool: 1 hr. Be sure to sprinkle the peanut topping around the edges of the pan to seal in the jelly mixture. Yield: makes 24 servings Ingredients 1 1/4 cups butter, divided 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup powdered sugar 1 1/4 cups grape or strawberry jelly 1 cup creamy peanut butter made with USA-GROWN PEANUTS 3/4 cup light roast peanut flour made with USA-GROWN PEANUTS, divided 1 cup salted USA-GROWN PEANUTS, chopped 1/2 cup uncooked quick-cooking oats 3 tablespoons light brown sugar 2 tablespoons granulated sugar 1/8 teaspoons salt Preparation Preheat oven to 350° . Line bottom and sides of a 13- x 9-inch pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil, allowing 2 to 3 inches to extend over sides; lightly grease foil. Cut 1 cup butter into small pieces. Pulse butter pieces, all-purpose flour, and powdered sugar in a food processor 5 to 6 times or until mixture is crumbly. Press mixture into bottom of prepared pan. Bake at 350° on an oven rack one-third up from bottom of oven 22 to 24 minutes or just until golden brown. Meanwhile, whisk together jelly, peanut butter, and 1/4 cup peanut flour in a small bowl until smooth. Microwave remaining 1/4 cup butter in a microwave-safe bowl at HIGH 25 seconds or until melted. Stir in peanuts, next 4 ingredients, and remaining 1/2 cup peanut flour until well blended and crumbly. Spread jelly mixture over crust, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Sprinkle peanut mixture around edges of pan and over jelly mixture. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or just until jelly mixture begins to puff. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack (about 1 hour). Carefully and quickly lift baked bars from pan, using foil sides as handles. Place on a cutting board, and cut into 24 bars. Note: We tested with 12% fat light roast peanut flour. Nutritional Information Calories:298 Fat:19g (sat 8g,mono 7g,poly 3g) Protein:6g Fiber:2g Cholesterol:25mg Iron:1mg Sodium:149mg Calcium:17mg

As many of you know, this weekend was my birthday; thank you, for all of your kind wishes … I decided to spend my day where my heart feels the fullest, with my family.  I surprised my children by spending a fun filled day at the Festival of Trees addressing the holiday spirit, playing games, making crafts, and visiting Santa Claus.   The smiles created are keepsakes I will treasure forever.  Truly a wonderful day, but as fate would prevail, a Mother still worries. For my birthday, my youngest son presented me with a wonderful single rose and huge heart saying “I love you”, while my older son presented me with a beautiful, large plant.  Each birthday gift was a heartfelt gesture picked out by each child.  But as time passed I found my youngest son beginning to worry that his gift wasn’t as large as his brother’s. Just as any parent, I kindly explained that one does not determine the worth of a gift by it’s size, color, or monetary value, but rather the heartfelt intentions of the person giving the gift.  Both gifts mean the world to me for different reasons and neither can fade in comparison. I bring this lesson up because we often place far too much value in monetary possessions and gifts during the holiday season.  Giving is not about who brought the biggest or coolest presents, the most food, or who spent the most money.  The “Holiday Season” is about showing that we care; showing our respect and love for one another.  A simple heartfelt hug or kind gesture can make the world of difference!  So remember … It isn’t the size of the gift that matters, but the size of the heart that gives it. -Quoted in The Angels’ Little Instruction Book by Eileen Elias Freeman, 1994 Blessings To You …       And To Those You Hold Dear To Your Heart!