"By 1995 American women and girls were spending more than $100 million on "cellulite busters," at $60 a tube."

"Liposuction has become the most popular kind of cosmetic surgery in the United States."

"I really had little to teach them (adolescent girl students) about what it means to live in a culture of unrelenting objectification where women's bodies are used to sell everything..."

"One million teenage girls get pregnant in America every year... only 45% of the pregnancies come to term and are cared for by the biological family."

"In America, girls under fifteen are at least five times more likely to give birth than girls of the same age in other industrialized countries."

I can go on and on with the stunning statistic given in this incredible book, about the evolution of the American girl: From corset laced to promiscuity. Joan Jacobs Brumberg uses the diaries of girls from the late 1800's to the mid-1990's as the back-bone of her incredible essay on what has happened to American teenage girls, and how

there really is a need to educate them as females.

How our culture has really "dropped the ball," figuratively speaking, in regards to training up this young women in how to be wise in their decisions as young women, how to act responsibly, think maturely, and realize that when their sexuality, being powerful, ought to be protected, and then how to protect it.

Starting with Menarche, Brumberg goes through the (rather short) list of ways young women are expected to make themselves presentable to the public (which should, more appropriately, be stated as "perfecting themselves for the ever-watching media.")

From the first signs of puberty (or menstruation) to the flaw-less skin-look; from svelte, dieting and image identity to the birth of shapeliness; from the cultural obsession with showing the pelvic bone in "trendy" jeans and swim-suits to head to near-toe piercings...

Brumberg covers all those bases which define the modern-female adolescents sexuality, how it has evolved, what America's concerns SHOULD be, and what we, as individuals can do to help the younger generation be more knowledgeable in who they are as young-feminine human beings.

(p.s. the only reason I finished this book in two days was I was, quite literally, obsessed with Brumberg's ideas, and simply captivated by the statistics and history this book is saturated in)

EVERYONE'S (getting) SICK!

AAAAAAAAH!!!!

In response to both mom, Hannah and Ethan getting sick (with the flu, no less), I have done something terribly drastic, and utterly disgusting!

Now....

"I'm feeling... happy..."

I got myself to this point of happiness, by following basic principles of health, nutrition, and antique medical skills... (yes, they do [sometimes] work)

Okay, c'mon, this isn't too drastic! Everyone should have some form of vitamin C supplement in their home. If you aren't, and have money to afford it, you should go out and get some. Vitamin C is the "wonder" vitamin in our home... at least for my sister, mom and I. If we have a cold "take vitamin C." Flu, vitamin C. In the morning, along with your Complete Multi, "don't forget your vitamin C." It's a wonderful little mineral that is quite essential for the well-being of humanity...
Okay... so I downed a few of these...


Next on the list, Vitamin D.... and... apparently you can get this in a "non-dry" form... at least, that's what's implied on the label, aye?! Weird!
Mom bought this Vitamin D after talking with a health-nut friend of ours (one of the many who have made their ways, comfortably, in our lives). Our... mom's?... friend buys this in the fall and "feeds it to all her children every day... they are rarely sick..." !? And why doesn't it work as an "Anti-illness-miracle-pre-cure-vitamin" for our family, well I don't have a clue!
But I took one of these... rather in terrifying fear of getting sick with *coughs* the flu, as apposed to a "Pro-active, Healthy Life Style" initiative.
:) Just one to satisfy me, thanks!

"Spirulina!" "Barley Grass..."
Sounds so Scientific, or idyllic (as if from some farm, far, far away).
Don't get your hopes up! This drink is fondly known of as
"Pond Scum,"
in our home...
"And I mean that in a very caring way!"

Basically one chokes down the watered-down, sea-cow-grass, while anxiously looking forward to the, literal, scum, sitting gleefully at the bottom of your unfortunate cup.
(And they make it look SO good on "Iron Man.")
One, tall, glass of this will set any human being up forever.
Actually, honestly, I can tell a physical difference when I drink a cup-a-day, and when I don't. It's not too bad (it might taste good with lemon juice in it), when watered down and well mixed, and after you get used to it... God definitely intended it for the Sea-Cows, to stay IN the Sea, and for SEA CREATURE CONSUMPTION ONLY!!
But... it's mineral-rich...

Last, but certainly not least, our vintage-miracle-remedies-antique-all-cure....

*drum roll please*


GARLIC!
This is, truly, the love of my culinary-kitchen life. Garlic makes the world go round. Garlic is an incredible flower-garden-decor. Garlic should be our National Plant. Garlic heals the sick. Garlic smells intoxicating. Garlic creates amazing kitchen-aroma. Garlic is a healing herb... *sigh*... What else needs to be said?

Garlic is amazing!

When we were on the acreage, I cooked everything (almost) with our fresh, home-grown garlic... (would cake taste good with garlic?)

If someone was coming down with some ailment, mom would promptly cut a clove of garlic of a fresh garlic-head, peel the skin off, and "offer" it to the ailing relation. It actually nearly always worked!!

And now....

I'M FLOATING IN HEALTH.... AND VITALITY.....

God richly bless you and keep you, and your entire family.

And may God heal you from the sickness' of the winter ;-)

Miss Elisabeth