ANSWER TO THOUGHT FOR THURSDAY AND EARTH-FRIENDLY FRIDAY

ANSWER: Sardine and spinach sundaes. YUMMY for your TUMMY ;)

Bonus Question - answer: Pickle Juice.

NOW, for Earth-Friendly Friday. This is info (which I got from my work via Beverly Michaelis-Kongslie) to help clean up out there in cyber space.

Living green means not wasting wattage by having a slow running computer.

Is Your Computer Performance Lagging?

Over time, computers can become sluggish due to unnecessary applications as well as fragmented files. Take time to clean up your computer periodically to improve its speed and efficiency by following these steps: . . .

•. Uninstall any applications you no longer use. Don't just delete the icon - it's only a shortcut. Use the uninstall feature that came with the software, or go to the Control Panel in Windows and. choose Add or Remove Programs. Once the program list is populated; select the unnecessary program and click Remove. For help with this step, try the PCDecrapifier: www.pcdecrapifier.com. This program is free for personal use.

• Delete any downloaded or temporary files you don't need. These may reside in C:\Temp or C:\Windows\Temp, or C:\Documents and Settings\(your user name]\Local Settings\ Temp. Be careful NOT to delete any downloaded programs you still use. These can be found at C:\Windows\Download~d Installations or C:\Windows\Downloaded Program Files. If you aren't sure whether a file should be deleted, leave it. Your computer will still benefit from the other steps described in this article.

• Run Disk Clean-up and Disk Defragmenter from your built-in System Took (In Windows XP, click on Start, All Programs>Accessories>System Tools.) If you want a more aggressive clean up tool, consider the freeware application Cleaner available at www.ccleaner.com.

THOUGHT FOR THURSDAY

Okay, this one should be EZ-smeezy for all you parents out there.

Take a guess.

QUESTION: What is the favorite food of Sesame Street's Oscar the Grouch? And, if you can get that one, then try to guess his favorite drink too.

(Come back tomorrow to see the answer.)

ANSWER TO WORD FOR WEDNESDAY

Answer: To talk to oneself. If you want to read more about it, check it out here.

Word for Wednesday

Word: Soliloquy.

Take a guess - what do you think it means?

COME BACK at 3:00 p.m. (Pacific time) to see if you were right.

EZ Cooking Craft for Kids

Butterflies, Dragonflies and cupcakes? What could be better?

Almost nothing.

Here's an EZ cooking craft for kids. Just make a batch of cupcakes, and one small bread loaf pan cake. Place them on a flat platter, baking sheet or even wax paper. Arrange the loaf/cake as the head, the cupcakes as the body, and use licorice whips to form the wings. Pour a caramel glaze into the wings, (which you can make with brown sugar and butter, melted slowly in a cast iron pan), then use rolo candies for eyes and you have a dragonfly. When you've eaten the loaf, just downsize the cake into a butterfly.

I used to make all sorts of things like this for the kids, when they were little. And they and their friends just ate it up ;)

Frida by Carmen T. Bernier-Grand

FRIDA won the Notable Award from the American Library Association and the silver seal of the Pura Belpre Honor Book.

It tells the story of Frida Kahlo who was a native of Mexico. Her story is told in biographical poems along with her artwork.

She had a traumatic life, which is reflected in her artwork. She had polio as a child and her right leg shriveled then she got into a horrible bus accident when she was young. The handrail pierced her hip bone and she had multiple broken bones. Then her husband had an affair with her sister and he asked her for a divorce.

She got pregnant and her baby died in the summer and then her mom died in September. Frida said she paints her pain.

She had a pet fawn and painted pictures for family and friends. One of her artworks was done on glass and the Louvre bought it: it was a self-portrait in which Frida was framed by birds and flowers.

It may be classified as a picture book but, I think it is so beautiful, it could easily be a coffee table book for children and adults to enjoy.

UNTIL TOMORROW

Poetry is such a nice way to give a voice to feelings. I wrote a lot of poetry when I lost loved ones.

My father passed away in 2002. I wrote and then read this poem at my father's funeral:

UNTIL TOMORROW
by: Kim Kasch

Letting go… is so hard for you
but this is what you have to do.

I know… my passing may be hard to face
but – remember - I’ve merely left ‘this’ place.
So when you think of me, don’t cry,
remember
my soul lives on – it cannot die.

Think of me, with a smile –
I’ll see you soon, in a while –
And then
I’ll hold you close - to my breast
until then – I merely rest.

Still, we can visit in your dreams.
Time passes quickly, or…so it seems.

Think of me: don’t say “goodbye”
Love lives on… and so do I.
I am not gone – I did not die.
Remember that and please don’t cry.

Our Father stands with me today,
I am not dead – merely away.
Remember this and be brave
My soul is not in my grave.

Soon we’ll meet at heaven’s gate,
Until then, I’ll simply wait.
Remember in your heart and head,
I am not gone – I am not dead.
I’m with the Father, just ahead.

So do not think of me in sorrow
We’ll be together – UNTIL TOMORROW