Money is for Spending

“Sit still,” the mother commanded.

A little girl, a precocious child, sat in a hard chair while her mother brushed her hair from behind.

“So he’s getting a raise,” she continued the conversation with her sister.

“Good for you, I wish Chuck would get a raise soon,” said the aunt.

“Doesn’t he get cost of living raises?”

“Yes, but not until the end of the year.”

“Ouch,” said the little girl.

“You make me pull when you wiggle,” she scolded the girl, then continued with her sister, “Well, you’ll have more then. We’ll be able to do so much more with the money.”

“It won’t be more by the time you get it,” said the girl of five years.

“What are you talking about?” the mother demanded.

“The money,” she replied.

“She thinks she’s so smart, this one,” she said to her sister, as she biffed the back of the little girl’s head.

“Ow,” the girl complained.

“What about the money?” asked the aunt.

“You should only get more money when you do more or do it better,” said the girl, “because it’s not really more money.”

“Yes, it is,” the aunt said.

“No,” said the girl turning around in the chair to face her aunt. “If you get a little money then the prices go up, then you get more money then the prices go up, it’s what they do, it’s a game,” declared the child, “there is a way to make the game work for everyone but grown-ups don’t understand the way the game works.”

“It’s not a game, and you need to keep your mouth shut!” the mother yelled and sent the child to her room.

After the aunt left, the mother came into the girl’s room. The mother said, “It’s for your own good. You need to learn to not be so smart.” Then she spanked the girl until the girl’s face felt hot.

But the girl didn’t cry because she knew she was correct. She decided she’d keep the answer to the game to herself until it was time for a change or forever, whichever happened first.

And Johnny can't read... really?

This photo of the cross walk in front of an elementary school provides the answers to so many questions...
why can't Johnny read?
why can't Janey write a letter?
why can't the cashier make change?

Now, how do we fix the problem?

Getty's Garden

The Getty’s kitchen garden exhibits the best of a cloister garden or a pre-refrigeration household. Herbs were used as flavoring for cooking, medicines, preservatives for food storage and aromatics. The variety of herbs in the garden include:

Peppermint ~ Mentha varieties brew splendid teas, cook into candies, cakes and other dishes. This herb grows well in the sunny beach location.

Lavender ~ Lavendula officinalis from the Latin “lavare” means to wash. Using lavender in the wash or placed in clothing during storage not only kept the moths away but gave the fabric a pleasant aroma. Lavender serves as a multi-use herb, good for food, drink, aroma, cleaning, medicine and crafts. It grows in abundance in the Malibu climate.

Chamomile ~ Matricaria chamomilla has a mild sedative action but is primarily known as a disgestive. Mother Rabbit gives Chamomile tea to Peter after he overindulges in Mr. MacGregor’s garden.

Sage ~ Salvia officinalis means to save or preserve in Latin. Sage originates from the Mediterranean and is added regularly in meat dishes.

Thyme ~ Thymus vulgaris, another Mediterrenean plant fills the Getty's boxes with flowers and brings the bees to the garden. This filler plant grows in the spaces and crevices of most herb gardens.

Basil ~ Ocimum basilicum, a popular herb in Italy, comes from India. The savory herb compliments tomato dishes and Pesto.

Porridge in the morning, M-M- Good!

Oatmeal in the morning isn’t just for athletes. We can get all the same benefits weight lifters and other exercise fanatics get from their morning bowl of porridge. Health benefits include a leveling of metabolism, lower blood cholesterol and a stabilizing of blood glucose levels.

Oats grow on an Oat plant, also called Avena sativa. The top three producers of Oat are Russia (5.1 metric tons), Canada (3.3 metric tons) and the US (1.7 metric tons). Oats grow in temperate climates and require less heat and thrive with more rain.
Oats grow inside the hull of the plant. The plant is processed and the oats are rolled or ground for human consumption, while horses and cattle will eat the entire plant. Truly oats are an eco-friendly life cycle with every part of the plant being useful.

Health Benefits

The beta-glucan in oats is responsible for reducing the risk of heart disease, especially if combined with a low-fat diet. The fiber of rolled oat keeps digestion moving while providing maximum energy from the complex carbohydrates. Oatmeal is also high in B vitamins which are important for energy and overall good health and especially important for non-meat eaters.

Traditional Cooking Methods

Scotland: Oats have been a staple in the Scottish diet for centuries. Often cooks will soak the oats with some salt overnight then in the morning cook over a low heat until the mixture thickens.

Switzerland: Oats are soaked in milk, honey & cinnamon overnight then in the morning, add fruit & nuts, serve cold.

Vermont: An American version via Scottish settlers of the 19th Century, oatmeal is soaked overnight with a pinch of salt and maple syrup. In the morning, the mixture is cooked with nutmeg, cinnamon and ginger. This must be the best recipe because Vermont leads the US per capita for oatmeal consumption.

Clearly, oatmeal is a breakfast food of champions!