Squared Away

We've been spending the last 8 days getting my husband squared away for his upcoming mobilization with the Army Reserves - he's leaving this Thursday for Ft. Knox, KY for a one year activation.

We've done this once before - he was mobilized from Jan 2006 - July 2007. We had a bit more notice for that one; this one we've known was a possibility since the beginning of August, but thought the timeline would be around November or January.

But, things got pushed forward and here we are, getting him packed, getting cattle and bees ready for the winter and having some family time before he heads out.

Keep us in your thoughts and prayers over the next year - but stay tuned, because I'll be back in a few to get you up to date on what's been going on around our homestead!

Happy Fall!

Nature Valley Granola Nut Clusters

Have you guys had a chance to try these yet? I was able to sample all four different varieties recently by participating with My Blog Spark. Well, actually, my husband got to do the most sampling! He's been gone quite a bit this summer and fall with the Army Reserves, and he really like to have quick and easy items for snacking or a afternoon pick-me-up. I often make him a homemade trail mix; when we got these to try he was really excited to take them along and give them a try.

There are 4 different flavor options: Roasted Cashew, Nut Lovers, Roasted Almond and Honey Roasted Peanut. Hubby like the Roasted Cashew the best, but he's a cashew guy. In all, he said they were all really tasty and liked being able to have a quick and easy snack for the car, the office or out in the woods.

You can find these at your favorite grocery or online grocery - they'd make great snacks for school lunches, field trips or an afternoon snack! You can also check Coupons.com to see if there are any coupons for these in your area of the country. Enjoy them - we certainly did!

Swine Flu Spreads After Fever Gone

Sorry it's been awhile since I've had a chance to post - things have been really busy here around the household, but hopefully I'll have a few more minutes this week.

First up - I found this new research this morning and wanted to share it with you all, especially for those of you who might have family / friends in the high risk category:

Link: National Terror Alert.com: Swine Flu Spreads Long After Fever Stops

When the coughing stops is probably a better sign of when a swine flu patient is no longer contagious, experts said after seeing new research that suggests the virus can still spread many days after a fever goes away.

The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been telling people to stay home from work and school and avoid contact with others until a day after their fever breaks. The new research suggests they may need to be careful for longer _ especially at home where the risk of spreading the germ is highest.

Swine flu also appears to be contagious longer than ordinary seasonal flu, several experts said.

“This study shows you’re not contagious for a day or two. You’re probably contagious for about a week,” said Gaston De Serres, a scientist at the Institute of Public Health in Quebec.

And one more that I found in my research over the weekend:

Physicians are noting that about 2/3rds of the pediatric deaths from swine flu so far have had underlying conditions such as asthma, diabetes, epilepsy, MD or other diseases that suppress the immune or respiratory systems.

In 1/3rd of pediatric cases, however, they are unsure why otherwise normal, healthy children have died from this virus.

They do note that these seem to be exacerbated by a bacterial infection:

But they did say that when influenza combines with a bacterial infection, such as pneumonia, the patient often follows a pattern in which his symptoms start to subside but then suddenly worsen. That pattern — which includes symptoms such as vomiting, chest pain, a racing pulse, breathing trouble, bluish skin or trouble staying awake — is an indication that the flu has turned deadly, and it means a sufferer should talk to a doctor immediately.

So, as I've said before, there is no need to panic, but it pays to be prepared. Treat this as you would any other flu unless a child experiences the symptoms noted above or if a family member starts to have shortness of breath.