TIDBITS Issue 2 CDA Idaho 2020 by TIDBITS Kootenai County, Idaho

of Kootenai County, Idaho Issue #46 Nov. 13th 2017Issue 2 Jan. 6th 2020 of Kootenai County, Idaho

www.tidbitscda.com

For Ad Rates call: (208) 755-9120

TIDBITS® RESEARCHES UNICORNS

by Kathy Wolfe Unicorns … fact or fantasy? Tidbits offers the info and lets our readers decide! • The word unicorn has its origins in the Latin language, with the word “unus” meaning “one,” and “cornu” translating “horn.” • In the fifth century B.C., the Greek historian Ctesias, personal physician of Persian King Artaxerxes II, penned the earliest record of unicorns in his book “Indika,” in which he described the creatures as “wild asses, fleet of foot, having a horn a cubit and a half (28 inches/700 mm) in length, and colored white, red, and black.” The body was white with a purple head and blue eyes. Ctesias claimed the animal could be found in India, and that the people there drank from the colorful horns and were cured of diseases. Sculptures at the ancient Persian capital depict unicorns as Ctesias described them. • Roman author Pliny the Elder described the unicorn in his book of natural history in 77 A.D. with a body resembling a horse and feet like an elephant, with one black horn in the middle of the forehead, declaring that “this wild beast cannot possibly be caught alive.” • In Chinese mythology, the unicorn is known as “Qilin,” with its two syllables, “qi” translating to “male” and “lin” meaning “female.” turn the page for more!

evelyn2318@gmail.com

Page 2

TIDBITS of Kootenai County, Idaho Issue #2 Jan. 6th 2020 UNICORNS (continued): • Qilin makes rare appearances coinciding with the forthcoming birth or death of a wise scholar or great ruler. It’s said that the Chinese unicorn appeared to the pregnant mother of Confucius in the 6th century B.C., spewing out a jade tablet inscribed with a prophecy of greatness for her son. Legend also maintains that Confucious saw a Qilin shortly before his death. • Chinese folklore also declares that the Qilin carries extraordinarily gifted children on its back to earthly parents. The Qilin can walk on grass without crushing the tender blades. Chinese carved its image on gravestones to ward off evil spirits. The image is used in Feng Shui, that system of harmonizing individuals with their surrounding environment, to attract wealth and eliminate negativity. The unicorn is thought to bring joy, wisdom, and long life. • According to legend, in the 13th century, the Mongolian warrior Genghis Khan turned back from his conquest of India after meeting a unicorn. When the animal bowed down to Khan, Khan considered it as a sign from his dead father and pulled his army back. • Italian explorer Marco Polo claimed that he had come across unicorns during his travels in the late 13th century. But after reading his description of having “hair of a buffalo and feet like an elephant’s” with a “single large black horn in the middle of the forehead” and a “head like a wild boar’s…very ugly brutes to look at,” it was apparent that Polo had stumbled upon a rhinoceros! • The word “unicorn” is mentioned nine times in the King James Version of the Old Testament. The word was used by translators of the Hebrew Bible for the word “re’em,” which means “rimu,” or a wild ox.

www.tidbitscda.com

CONTACT INFO FOR TIDBITS of Kootenai County

Evelyn Bevacqua Howe 212. W. Ironwood Dr., Suite D,# 224 Coeur d'Alene, ID 83814 Cell: 208.755.9120 Email: Tidbitscda@gmail.com www.tidbitscda.com Facebook tidbitscda

* “I bought a mesh laundry bag at the dollar store and hang it from a hook in the closet where I keep my hamper. Socks go in the bag. When I’m ready to do laundry, I tie a knot in the bag and toss it in. Socks stay together.” -- T.O. in California * Last bowl’s worth of cereal? If you don’t like the cascade of bits and dust at the bottom of the bag, simply empty the contents into a colander before you put it in the bowl. * “Our neighbor’s dog kept getting into the trash while they were out. They bought a crate, but he barked too much when he was in it. They saw online where someone put their trash can in a dog crate and let the dog have the run of the house. He tried it, and it only took a couple of weeks before they were able to stop using the crate entirely. Mr. Dog doesn’t mess with the trash anymore.” -- C.M. in Virginia * Break in new shoes with a thick pair of wool socks. Wear the socks with the new shoes around the house while tidying up. * “My dad keeps a pants hanger in the bathtub to hang up the small nonstick mat that he keeps in there. He says if he hangs it, it doesn’t get mildew on the bottom around the suction cups.” -T.K. in Missouri * Common substitutions: Recipe call for semisweet chocolate? Per ounce, use one square (1 ounce) of unsweetened chocolate and add 4 teaspoons of sugar.

TIDBITS of Kootenai County, Idaho Issue #2 Jan. 6th 2020 UNICORNS (continued): • Unicorns have been widely used in coats of arms, most commonly as a symbol of Scotland. Because the creature was believed to be the natural enemy of the lion, the symbol used by the English royalty, the Scots used the unicorn to affirm that they would fight to remain unconquered by the English. On other Scottish coats of arms, the unicorn wears a collar with a broken chain, symbolizing freedom from bondage. Scottish gold coins from the reign of King James III in the 1400s were called the unicorn and the half-unicorn. • Even William Shakespeare was interested in unicorns, mentioned them in three of his plays. In 1599, in “Julius Caesar,” Shakespeare described how a unicorn could be caught by a tree. He also wrote of the creatures in “Timon of Athens” in 1605, and in “The Tempest” in 1610. • According to tradition, unicorns have many magical qualities and abilities. Although they might eat grass or hay, they really don’t need to eat at all, absorbing their energy from the sun through their horns. Touching a pure white unicorn will bring happiness and joy for a person’s entire life. Mythology asserts that unicorns can discern truth and will pierce the heart of liars with its horn. Its power is colossal, with the ability to easily kill an elephant. The unicorn is attracted to purity and innocence, and will fall to the ground when someone with those qualities approaches. It can bestow wisdom on those with a pure heart who are virtuous in their deeds. Even if captured, the unicorn can never be tamed, although some mythology does claim that a virtuous young maiden can tame a unicorn. • Although we mainly think of unicorns as white, they can be any color – black, brown, glittery gold, or bright red. Typically, eyes are depicted as blue or purple.

Page 3

Page 4

® of Idaho TIDBITS of Kootenai Issue #2 Jan. 6th 2020 TidbitsCounty, Dallas County UNICORNS (continued): • Although some unicorns are depicted with wings, a species known as the Pegasi, similar to the winged horse known as Pegasus, most mythology claims that unicorns are bound by the law of gravity. • Throughout the Renaissance and through the 17th and 18th centuries, European pharmacies touted the medicinal properties of unicorn horns and sold a powder marketed as ground horns. Claiming the healing powers along with protection against poisoning, the powder became one of the most expensive remedies of its time, with traders selling the horns for many times their weight in gold. In the mid-1600s, a Danish physician published his theory that the alleged unicorn horns were actually the ground tusks of a marine mammal known as a narwhal. This medium-sized whale, related to the beluga whale, has a large protruding canine tooth that can reach lengths of up to 10.2 feet (3.1 m). The tusk is hollow and weighs around 22 lbs. (10 kg). • The Throne Chair of Denmark was created between 1662 and 1671, ordered by King Christian John. Legend has it that the chair is made of the horns of unicorns, but the truth is that the throne was crafted from Norwegian narwhal tusks. The chair is guarded by three life-size figures of lions, made of silver, with their rumps covered in pure gold. • According to fictional character Harry Potter, unicorn blood is silver, and drinking it can extend one’s life. However, according to the novel Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, “The blood of a unicorn will keep you alive, even if you are an inch from death, but at a terrible price. You have slain something pure and defenseless to save yourself, and you will have but a halflife, a cursed life, from the moment the blood touches your lips.”

www.tidbitscda.com

by Samantha Weaver * It was Samuel West, the founder and curator of Sweden’s Museum of Failure (which showcases disasters in design and innovation), who made the following sage observation: “Each failure is uniquely spectacular, while success is nauseatingly repetitive.” * Those who study such things say that the earth is more flattened at the South Pole than the North Pole. The weight of all that ice is to blame. * Clams can live for more than 200 years. * You know what a mortgage is, but do you know how the word came to the English language? The “mort” should give you a clue. The roots trace all the way back to a Latin term meaning “death pledge.” * The reason for the correlation is not clear, but some studies suggest that hay fever is more common among people who are shy. * Judge Roy Bean was a justice of the peace in Texas in the 1800s -- he called himself “The Law West of the Pecos.” It’s interesting to note, though, that his earlier endeavors included rustling cattle in Mexico. * A famous and oft-quoted line from Sherlock Holmes is “How often have I said to you that when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth?” However, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle didn’t come up with that one himself; he took it from a story by Edgar Allan Poe, another pioneer of the detective genre. * According to historians, basic training in the legions of ancient Rome could take three or four years. * If you know someone who, for some reason, is overly fond of sneezing, your friend is a steruphiliac. Thought for the Day: “There is a fatality about all good resolutions. They are invariable made too soon.” -- Oscar Wilde

TIDBITS of Kootenai County, Idaho Issue 505-0674 #2 Jan. 6th 2020 For Advertising Call (334)

* On Jan. 16, 1605, Miguel de Cervantes’ “El ingenioso hidalgo Don Quixote de la Mancha,” better known as “Don Quixote,” is published. The novel gave rise to a number of now-common idioms, including the English phrase “tilting at windmills.” * On Jan. 18, 1803, Thomas Jefferson requests funding from Congress to finance the Lewis and Clark expedition. Though he did not disclose his intentions to Congress, Jefferson planned to send Meriwether Lewis on a reconnaissance mission to assess future territorial expansion into the west. * On Jan. 19, 1915, during World War I, Britain suffers its first casualties from an air attack when two German zeppelins drop bombs on the eastern coast of England. * On Jan. 13, 1939, Arthur “Doc” Barker is killed while trying to escape from Alcatraz Prison in San Francisco Bay. Barker, of the notorious “Bloody Barkers” gang, was spotted on the rock-strewn shore of the island after climbing over the walls. As he waded into the water, the guards shot and killed him. * On Jan. 15, 1951, Ilse Koch, wife of the commandant of the Buchenwald concentration camp, is sentenced to life imprisonment in a court in West Germany. Nicknamed the “Witch of Buchenwald,” Ilse collected lampshades, book covers and gloves made from the skin of tattooed camp prisoners. * On Jan. 14, 1969, an explosion aboard the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise kills 27 people in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. A rocket accidentally detonated, destroying 15 planes and injuring more than 300 people. The Enterprise was the first-ever nuclear-powered aircraft carrier when it was launched in 1960. * On Jan. 17, 1977, Gary Gilmore, convicted in a double murder, is executed by a firing squad in Utah, becoming the first person to be executed in the United States since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976.

Page 5

Page 6

TIDBITS ofTidbits Kootenai® County, Idaho Issue #2 Jan. 6th 2020 of Dallas County

www.tidbitscda.com

By Dr. Holly Carling

HEALTHY CHOICES FOR THE NEW YEAR

As the holidays come to a close, we begin contemplating the New Year and the improvements we would like to make in our lives. Invariably, it comes to being healthier, eating better, losing weight. On that vein, can I make a few suggestions? Veggies, veggies, and more veggies! That’s my first suggestion. Make it a habit to eat raw and steamed vegetables at every meal. If you are good at including veggies, try upping the ante some: instead of canned, use fresh or frozen. If you’re already there, use organic. Cut the sugar. This applies to all categories – all “white” foods. This means breads, cereals, pastas, white rice, and potatoes. And of course the sugary foods we all know are not good for us. Replace them with brown rice, lentils, beans, whole grains, quinoa, and other wholesome foods. If you have digestive issues, rule out gluten intolerance by 100% avoidance of gluten for 2 weeks. Observe how you feel. Then bring it back in and observe how you feel. If you feel good without it and bad when it’s reintroduced, eliminate it whether or not your lab tests say you’re gluten intolerant. Is it worth it? Curtail or cut coffee and black tea consumption. Replace with coffee substitutes that are not so acidic. Teeccino™, Pero™, Gano™, roasted dandelion tea, Bengal Spice™ tea, Roastaroma™ tea, and others are better alternatives.

That includes eliminating the hydrogenated fatladen creamers. Buy quality meats. Best from a butcher/meat shop such as Tim’s Meats in CDA – ask for natural, no chemical meats. You can also get organic, pasture-raised at the health food store. Next best is to buy from a local farmer who raises it on grass and have it processed to your family’s needs. Ultimate best is to raise it yourself on pasture, not grain, having the ultimate control in quality. Obviously, most can’t do this, so choose one of the other options. Game meats are superb! If you consume dairy, consume it fresh from a local farm – FRESH, unaltered. Instead of hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils, vegetable oils, canola and other non-nutritive or harmful oils, replace them with healthy oils such as coconut oil, high-grade olive oil, and pure butter. Avoid anything in a tub. Make sure your vitamins are made from foods only and not synthetic, faux vitamins with chemical-sounding names. Vitamins are getting a bad name these days because they are mostly junky chemical substitutes to the good food kinds. Start cooking in the kitchen again, and produce wholesome foods for your family. You will find not only are they healthier, but learning is easier, and behavior is generally better. Invite the spirit of health, love, and Christ-like qualities into your home this year.

Dr. Holly Carling is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine, Licensed Acupuncturist, Doctor of Naturopathy, Clinical Nutritionist and Master Herbologist with over three decades of experience. Dr. Carling is currently accepting new patients and offers natural health care services and whole food nutritional supplements in her Coeur d’ Alene clinic. Visit Dr. Carling’s website at www.vitalhealthcda. com to learn more about Dr. Carling, view a list of upcoming health classes and read other informative articles. Dr. Carling can be reached at 208-765-1994 and would be happy to answer any questions regarding this topic.

TIDBITS of Kootenai County, Issue505-0674 #2 Jan. 6th 2020 For Advertising CallIdaho (334)

Bucket Lists for Dying Pets? VA Appeal Hearings Going Bah, Humbug Virtual DEAR PAW’S CORNER: I don’t understand Here’s another reason to hook up with the Department of Veterans Affairs via Telehealth: Starting this year you’ll be able to attend a virtual appeals hearing without leaving your home. Telehealth is a way to get your health care on any iOS, Android mobile or web device such as a tablet or computer, and now its use has been expanded. The VA has been testing this for a year now, using it with over 150 virtual hearings. Some of those were with veterans who would not have been able to attend their hearings without having the ability to use the video connection. Over 99,000 veterans used the Telehealth last year. You can use the video connect for a primary-care medical visit, mental health visit or any type of visit that doesn’t require hands-on from medical staff. Go to mobile.va.gov and click on VA Video Connect. Scroll down and view the how-to videos. Click to get the app at either the App Store or on Google Play. You’ll see training materials linked on that page, including quick guides about your device, as well as a FAQ page. Be sure to look at the yellow box and run the connection test to make sure your mobile device is compatible with the video connect. If you have bad internet access at home, remember that other locations are being opened up one at a time: American Legions, VFW posts and even some Walmarts will have connection spots with ATLAS (Accessing Telehealth through Local Areas Stations). Check into this and test out your options before your virtual hearing appointment to be sure you have the best possible connection. You’ll likely need 3G or 4G and at least two connection bars, but it’s set up to take advantage of low-bandwidth connections. To learn more about what to expect at the hearings, go to va.gov and search for appeals hearings. (c) 2019 King Features Synd., Inc.

this trend of making a “bucket list” of things to see and do with a dog once they get old or ill. Why bother? Does the dog understand that it’s supposed to be checking off this list? Why didn’t the owner make the time to do these things when their pet was younger and healthier? I think owners should just concentrate on making their pets comfortable. -- Dottie J., Philadelphia DEAR DOTTIE: There’s a car commercial that ran on U.S. television where an owner takes his beloved senior dog on a road trip to do a whole bunch of things on a list, like run on the beach, play Frisbee, eat steak and have one final adventure. It’s a nice spot, but its goal is to sell cars, not bucket lists. I can tell you that most pet “bucket lists” are much tamer and nothing to get grumpy about. Most owners concentrate on keeping their pets happy and comfortable in their final months. If they’re able to get around without too much pain, a trip to the park or the beach is certainly a possibility. If a dog can keep a steak down, or a cat enjoy a piece of fish (or Doritos, one of my cats’ favorite treats), even better. Reading comments from veterinarians about pets’ last days, it is clear that being with their owner to the end is a great comfort to pets. A bucket list is fine if it maximizes time spent with a pet to let them know they’re loved and cared for. Talk with the vet to understand the best ways to keep pets happy and as pain-free as possible. Send your comments, questions or tips to ask@ pawscorner.com. (c) 2019 King Features Synd., Inc.

Page 7

Page 88 Page

ÂŽ ofIdaho TIDBITS of Kootenai County, IssueCounty #2 Jan. 6th 2020 Tidbits Dallas

www.tidbitscda.com

1. Spray a slow-cooker container with butterflavored cooking spray. Layer half of the ham, half of the potatoes, half of the onion and half of the Cheddar cheese in the prepared container. Repeat layers. 2. Stir parsley flakes into celery soup. Spoon soup mixture evenly over top. Cover and cook on LOW for 4 to 6 hours. Mix well before serving. Makes 8 (1 cup) servings.

By Healthy Exchanges

Ham and Scalloped Potatoes

* Each serving equals: About 230 calories, 6g fat, 18g protein, 26g carb., 876mg sodium, 2g fiber; Diabetic Exchanges: 2 1/2 Meat, 1 1/2 Starch.

This is how scalloped potatoes were intended to taste! Just fill your slow cooker and forget about (c) 2019 King Features Syndicate, Inc. it until dinnertime. What could be easier? 3 cups diced extra-lean ham 6 1/2 cups thinly sliced cooked potatoes 1 cup diced onion 1 1/2 cups shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes 1 (10 3/4-ounce can) reduced-fat cream of celery soup

ForofAdvertising TIDBITS Kootenai County,Call Idaho(334) Issue #2505-0674 Jan. 6th 2020 COUCH THEATER -- VIDEO/DVD PREVIEWS

PHOTO: Renee Zellweger in “Judy” Photo Credit: Pathe Films

“Judy” (PG-13) -- Judy Garland comes alive in director Rupert Goold’s biopic starring Renee Zellweger in the title role. It picks up later in the iconic singer’s life, circa 1968, when Garland must take a gig in London, where her star power has not begun to dim, in order to right her rocky finances. This just as she’s attempting to hold on to custody of her children. It also follows her romance with Mickey Deans (Finn Whitrock), who would go on be her fifth husband, as well as flashbacks to her studio days as a child star. The standout performance is Zellweger, who plays Garland masterfully -- perhaps too masterfully, as it’s Zellweger you see, rather than any revelations into Garland. “Adopt a Highway” (NR) -- Russ Millings (Ethan Hawke) is an ex-convict just released from a 20-year stint in the California penal system. But this is no hardened criminal. Instead, Millings is the type of institutionalized person who jumps at a brusque tone. He gets a job at a diner washing dishes and attempts to adjust to the bright and shiny new world he’s been released into. And then he finds an abandoned baby, Ella, in the dumpster behind his diner, setting him off on a gentle awakening of innocent hope in a world that can be difficult to navigate. “The Kill Team” (R) -- Specialist Andrew Brigmann (Nat Wolff) is an earnest young American soldier stationed in Afghanistan at the start of the U.S. conflict. Assigned to a tough unit with a charismatic but cruel leader -- Sergeant Deeks, played by Alexander Skarsgaard -- Brigmann witnesses other team members killing Afghani civilians and other atrocities. As he contemplates blowing the whistle on these violent crimes, it quickly becomes clear that his loyalty is questioned, and his fellow soldiers and sergeant are closing in for the kill. Wolff does a tremendous job of expressing the conflicting forces he’s under. Based on real-life events. “The Gallows: Act II” (R) -- In this supernatural horror from Blumhouse studios, Auna Rue (Ema Horvath), a not-so-successful vlogger, finds a copy of a cursed play in her high school library, from which she performs a monologue with much aplomb. Then she’s approached by an anonymous online fan who directs her to the “Charlie Challenge” -- “Charlie” being a cast member who was hanged during the original production with a “challenge” to record yourself performing a passage and document any paranormal activity. While the challenge amps up her followers, she also finds she’s being “followed” by a malevolent Hangman from the beyond. This is a sequel to the 2015 film. It wasn’t any better. NEW TV RELEASES “Giant Robo” The Complete Series “Medabots” Season 1 “WWE: Survivor Series 2019” “Frontline: Zero Tolerance” (c) 2019 King Features Synd., Inc.

Page Page 99

Page 10

Â® of Idaho TIDBITS of Kootenai IssueCounty #51 Dec. 16th 2019 TidbitsCounty, Dallas

www.tidbitscda.com

For ofAdvertising Call (334) 505-0674 TIDBITS Kootenai County, Idaho Issue #51 Dec. 16th 2019

Page 11

Page 12

® ofIdaho TIDBITS of Kootenai County, Issue County #2 Jan. 6th 2020 Tidbits Dallas

www.tidbitscda.com

WE BUY

HOUSES We are investors that buy houses in North Idaho and the Spokane area. Some people run into challenges when trying to sell a home and there may be a number of reasons why you require a fast house sale. Whatever your reason for seeking a quick property sale, We Buy Northwest Houses is here to provide assistance. We are an investment company that can buy your house in a timescale to suit you, regardless of condition or location, meaning you can spend your time on other things. Meanwhile, if you are facing financial difficulties, you may find it useful to know that during the sales process there are no fees or hidden charges for you to pay at any stage. Our team is flexible, very easy to work with, and has a proven track record of making win- win deals together.

How We Help You

We can buy your property or help you stop foreclosure FAST, with absolutely NO COST to you! Do you need to sell your property fast? We buy any type of property in any condition: • Houses, Condos, Townhomes • Ugly, beau ti ful, brand new, we buy it all!

We buy property in any situation:

• Agent unable to sell your property? • Need a short sale? • Purchased another property and still stuck with your old one? • Behind on payments (or about to be)? • Simply want out from underneath the payment? • Facing Foreclosure? • Divorce or separation? • Moving or relocating? • Bankruptcy? • Inherited a property and want to turn it into cash? • Too many landlord headaches? • No situation at all, just want to sell

I got a promotion at work which required a transfer to Montana. I had to sell my house fast, and didn’t know what to do. We Buy Northwest Houses worked with my timeline and gave me the price I needed. — Verna H.

(208) 758-8888

For your free, no cost, stop foreclo sure consultation, call or email us at HelpMeOut@WeBuyNorthwestHouses.com

TIDBITS Kootenai County, Idaho Issue #2 Jan. 6th 2020 ForofAdvertising Call (334) 505-0674

Page 13

Seniors’ Perspectives Enhance our Families, our Communities, our Lives! By Matilda Charles

Dealing With Rudeness

I’m not the only one who’s been muttering around town about drawing a line over how we seniors are sometimes treated. Some of us have decided to take a stand and speak up. Want to join us? One elderly man was in the middle of placing his order at the counter of a coffee shop bakery that he visited every day. The cashier stopped in the middle of taking that order to speak at length with someone who came into the shop. There was no, “I’ll be with you in a minute,” to the person who was interrupting. The man was just ignored for a very long three minutes ... when he walked out. He won’t be going back, I’m sure, but he did call the bakery’s owner. Then there was the senior who’d made it clear (or so she thought) at her doctor’s office that she couldn’t make morning appointments, that they needed to be scheduled in the afternoons because of transportation reasons. She was irritated when she received a message from the office that her appointment would be at 8:00 the next morning. Her solution? She left a message for the doctor himself. Another person who gets delivery of his drugs from the pharmacy in town asked for a one-hour window when they’d be delivered. He was told, “They’ll be there sometime this afternoon. You weren’t going anywhere anyway, were you?” His solution? He called the pharmacy manager. When we’re trying to make a fairly large purchase and we’re continually steered toward more expensive items ... when the tech guy thinks we don’t know how to operate a computer ... when it’s assumed we’re uninformed ... when we’re not amused to be called “young lady” or “sweetie.” We won’t necessarily cause a fuss, but we will speak up. (c) 2019 King Features Synd., Inc.

The primary joy of working in Assisted Living is, without a doubt, the loving positive impact of the residents of all faiths and backgrounds on my heart. Today was no exception. A lovely resident asked me to read a story she wrote of her personal experience. It seems important to share it with you… “Road Rage” (Written by Barbara Powell with Deeann Chisholm) God has a purpose for our lives. Our purpose will always involve bringing His love and mercy to a hurting and dying world. If we watch, we will see opportunities to fulfill our purpose. Road rage is one sign that people are becoming angrier and feeling more out of control of their lives and environments. Wild and reckless driving, obscene gestures and outright physical violence cause terror for other drives and pedestrians. The rage spreads like a virus as one person responds to another person’s violence in an equally violent way. We all have places we need to go and be at certain times. Sometimes we underestimate the amount of time it takes to get somewhere and drive a bit more aggressively than we normally would. We cut off the person who seems to be moving too slowly; we tailgate, run red lights and stop signs, and exceed the speed limit. We are misbehaving, hoping that we can get away with it. As a senior citizen, I am more and more aware that I have to be very careful and watch what I am doing. It is very easy to make mistakes that could cause an accident, as my friend and I recently learned. After a wonderful dinner one night, my friend, Sandy, and I had just gotten on a street when we witnessed an accident. A woman in a sedan assumed that she was at a four way stop. She pulled out and broadsided a pickup truck. The pickup truck had the right of way. There were two young children in the club cab. The man jumped out of his truck and began screaming at the woman. He then pulled his children from the cab and examined them for injuries. After assuring himself that they were uninjured, he placed them back into the truck. He then got into his truck and pulled it around to a parking area. The woman just sat in her car. She was obviously stunned. Again the man approached her car and ordered her to move her car out of traffic into the parking area. His anger was intense but controlled. I said, “Sandy, I think this is our call.: She pulled around the corner into the parking lot. We parked next to the two vehicles. I said, “I’ll take the woman, Sandy, you take the kids.” The woman was standing outside her car, very upset and crying. She said over and over, “I didn’t do it on purpose. I wouldn’t hurt your children. I love children. I am in an unfamiliar area. I thought this was a four way stop. I am so sorry. I am so sorry.” I wrapped both of my arms around the woman. Sandy went to the children and wrapped her arms around them and spoke calming words to them. A five-year old told me once, “we all make mistakes!” With this memory, I repeated the wise words of the five-year old to the distressed woman. “It’s okay. We all make mistakes.” After the accident had cleared, the man came to where we were standing. He said to the woman, “I’m so sorry that I yelled at you.” He put his arm around her and gave her a hug. That evening God’s will was for us to bring His love and mercy into that stressful situation. We were to be a calming presence for the concerned father, his children, and the frightened young woman. Our response to God’s question, “Who can I send? Who will go?” should always be, “Here I am, Lord. Send me.” For guidance, questions, and tours of The Lodge Assisted Living, call Linda Davis 208-755-3637.

Linda Davis Director of building relationships. 208.457.3403 www.LodgeLiving.net

Page 14

New Year's Resolutions

® of Idaho TIDBITS of Kootenai County, IssueCounty #2 Jan. 6th 2020 Tidbits Dallas

Well it's that time of year again, a new year is upon us full of hope and dreams for our future. Most Americans make New Year's resolutions, and most of these involve our health - losing weight, changing our diet, and exercising. But how useful are these resolutions? The truth of the matter is that 80% of us will fail, by mid -February, to attain our resolutions. If we kept them, most of us would look eternally youthful and be our ideal weight. Why is that, what keeps us from attaining our goals? The problem doesn't lie in the goals we set whether its a small goal or a large, life-changing goal, people tend to fail at the same rate. So is it of any use to keep making new year's resolutions? Absolutely! The only way to improve yourself physically, emotionally or spiritually is to have a vision of what you want to be. Any successful, high achiever will tell you that it all starts with a thought, a dream. Your resolutions are exactly that. To increase the chances that your goals will be reached, is to create a process that will allow you to actually achieve your goal. The plan will greatly increase your chances of seeing your dreams come true. To create a plan: 1) Make your goals extremely specific. “Getting in shape” is too non-specific. It means nothing. A better approach would be “lose 10 lbs in 30 days”. This is very specific and measurable.You now know exactly what you want and can create a process to get you there - set up your workout schedule, lay out your diet plan, etc.

2) Make your goals personally meaningful. Do you want to get in better shape to feel better about yourself, or set an example for your kids you're more likely to be successful. If the goal is to get in better shape so other people will notice and think better of you, not so great - less likely to succeed. Or let's say you want to do pushups, which I personally despise. I could not do a single push-up, and made it my goal to be able to do 10. It took 3 months for me to reach that goal, 3 months! But now I can to 10 easily. For men, 50-100 might be more reasonable. Either way, be specific. 3) Make your goals positive. "Stop smoking" is great, but it's also negative. A better way to frame this perhaps would be to have healthy lungs and better endurance while exercising, which would require you quit smoking. Always work on becoming something new, rather than avoiding being something you no longer wish to be. 4) Set your goal. Then plan the steps to get from here to there. Just like when I couldn't do a single push-up, my initial goal was to do one, then two, etc. All extremely successful people set a goal, and then focus all their attention on the process necessary to achieve that goal. What do you need to do today to push yourself one step closer to you goals. Even tiny, incremental successes provide the motivation to keep going another day. By doing this you're savoring the small victories. If you do what you planned today, you're a winner. And tomorrow. And the next day. And the next. 5) Focus on the process. Create a process that guarantees a series of small improvements. Check your progress regularly and be willing to modify your goals rather than abandon them. If you fall off the wagon, don't worry, the important thing is to get right back on track. And have a Happy and Healthy New Year!

Dr Ashley is board certified in Family Medicine and in Anti-Aging and Regenerative Medicine. She provides a mix of traditional with alternative medicine and specializes in bio-identical hormones for both men and women.

healthylivingll.com

www.tidbitscda.com

ARIES (March 21 to April 19) Events could inspire adventurous Lambs looking to make a major career or personal move. But as always, get all the facts before rushing into any sort of deal or commitment. TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) What seems to be a great opportunity could cause even usually practical Taureans to ignore their inner caution cues. Best to move carefully to avoid falling into unseen traps. GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) Need a holiday now that the seasonal festivities are behind you? Good idea. Plan to go someplace wonderful. You’ll return refreshed and more than ready for a new challenge. CANCER (June 21 to July 22) Progress continues to be made on that pesky workplace problem. Meanwhile, don’t assume a personal situation will work itself out. Best to get more involved earlier than later. LEO (July 23 to August 22) Catnaps are definitely recommended for Leos and Leonas who had been going at a hectic pace over the holidays. Adding relaxation time to your schedule helps restore your overdrawn energy reserves. VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) Sure, some of the new friends you made over the holidays might move out of your life at some point. But at least one might show significant “staying power” with some encouragement. LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) Encourage family members to join you in supporting a relative who could be facing a difficult emotional challenge in the New Year. Showing your love and concern helps keep his or her hopes up. SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) While a long-deferred decision suddenly might take on some urgency after news on a related matter, you still need to weigh all factors carefully before deciding one way or the other. SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) This is a good time to reassess the earlier plan you made for the New Year. Some elements you felt you could depend on to make it work might no longer carry that assurance. CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) Forming a renewed connection with a former associate is only the first step toward working out your new plans. Be prepared for problems, and deal with them as soon as they arise. AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) A romantic situation that was going smoothly not too long ago might take a new turn. Be honest about your feelings before you decide whether to follow it or take another path. PISCES (February 19 to March 20) The wise Pisces (that’s you, of course) will make sure everyone knows your plan to keep your options open and listen to all sides of the situation before making any decisions.

BORN THIS WEEK:

TIDBITS of Kootenai County, Idaho Issue #2 Jan. 6th 2020

TIDBITS PUZZLE ANSWERS

Page 15

Page 16

TIDBITS of Kootenai County, Idaho Issue #51 Dec. 16th 2019