My wife always hated the rabbitbrush that grew all over our property in Utah. She would have torn out all of it. While I will admit that it is an invasive plant, it has benefits that she just doesn’t appreciate. Rabbitbrush blooms a gorgeous golden yellow from mid-summer to early fall, and in September it is in its glory. This plant, chrysothamnus nauseosus, was useful to the native Americans who lived out west. They made chewing gum with it, cough syrup, and yellow dye. It can also be used to make rubber but that process is not cos...

Hi Gang,   Here's another musing that just popped into my head.  How do we see ourselves?  It's an interesting question.  I think our view of ourself changes as time goes on, I know mine is doing that right now.  Hopefully this will be a pick-me-up to those who are new ostomates and struggling with their new self.  When I got my unexpected front-butt back in 2014 I was devastated.  I mean I had issues with Crohn's and was in a lot of pain, but I hid it well and maintained a pretty normal life, with the e...

I SUPPOSE I’VE GRILLED a million burgers. Fast food joints all over sell hamburgers by the billions. There must be a zillion of these places. Zillions, billions, millions…math is not my strong suit but I know that’s a lot.Yet the history of the invention of the hamburger is murky at best. Six different 19th Century food purveyors are variously considered to be the innovator of this now common meal, and whatever the truth is has faded into ground beef history.LOUIS LASSEN, who had a lunch wagon in New Haven, Conn. in 1900...

Many words have multiple meanings. The word TIP, for instance, could be the extremity of something, or a gratuity for someone who has done you a service, or a bit of practical advice. The word ACCIDENT has more subtle variations. It can be a car crash; it might mean most any unfortunate, unforeseen incident that occurs unexpectedly, typically resulting in damage or injury; it even has been used euphemistically to refer to an incident of incontinence, as in “uh oh, he’s had an accident.”But let’s narrow the scope of ...

DECEMBER. For as long as I remember  frosty days of each December  highlight the fact that winter’s come  and the autumn days are done.   Chill winter’s winds will resonate,  plants...

 Just a brief note to our friends north of the USA.  Happy Canada Day !!!   I join in the celebration of your country and invite you to join with the USA in the celebration of our country this coming Juy 4.  Despite being a different kind of celebration considering the pandemic, considering excessive heat warnings and fire dangers, considering hometown fireworks bans and beach closures, and considering social distancing and face masks, we must remember to appreciate everything we DO have, and we will still celebrat...

First off, I'm a gay man with a very healthy mojo who was diagnosed with anal cancer in 2015. My colostomy was not made permanent and my surgeon has indicated that he will be willing to see if he can surgically remove scar tissue that could poss...

Good Afternoon, O'mates~ In the spirit of the Season - and during this year that has been tragic for so many families - rather than mail greeting cards or ship parcels that may end up COVID-contaminated before reaching their destination, I am donating the money I would spend on family and friends to a local food bank, and an animal shelter.  In the continuing effort to stay healthy, I am also asking that my family and friends not send me anything, either, but donate to a charity of their choice. Lily17~ 

IN MY LATE seventies, I didn’t need to come across this article. As reported in THE WEEK magazine, research regarding the effect of aerobic activity on age-related brain deterioration indicated that after people hit forty years of age, their brains commence to shrink by about five percent every ten years. Even though I was an English major, I can do that math, and it is unnerving. Some scientists set out to study the impact of exercise on the hippocampus, that area of one’s brain where memories are created and stored. What they...

Howdy folks,   Ok, so this virus crap isn't going away anytime soon, so it looks like masks will continue to be required fashion thru the hottest part of summer.  Has anyone found a really good mask?  I don't mean good enough......they're all that.....I mean one that you actually don't mind wearing.  I've tried a number of types and still haven't found any one to standout.  So I'm hoping one of you guys has stumbled onto, or made, something that does the job and isn't a total nuisance to wear.  If you have......

hey Bob I see you have a new hat I like it and that looks like a nice coat for keeping warm taking care of the aminals, Best wishes and stay safe

ROSCOE WAS A SWEET BOY who lived in the boondocks of central Utah with his human family, the Brownes. He spent a lot of time on his open front porch watching the world go by, but it happened to be February and it had snowed the past two days. Other than whatever was in his food bowl, few things excited this dusty black medium-sized, mixed-breed dog more than snow. With ears that rose up from his head like the sails on a skiff, he headed out one morning, the fresh snow about three inches deep, his nose either close to the ground or up in th...

    Hi all,  If you want to discuss or give an opinion on politics I suggest you strictly post in a "political" titled post. It is blurring into health related posts.  Believe it or not some of the people come to this website to discuss and ask questions related to ostomy health, recovery, and helpful support.  If you want to complain about politics and government concerns leave them to a bi*ch blog! Others DO NOT WANT to hear it.  Do you want people to have a comfortable place to ask questions, get supp...

Sun Feb 14, 2021 7:23 pm    Perusing practical posts to cover my posterior in pleasing purple perhaps, no Pink or Polyster please  just Manly Budgie Smugglers in Cotton or Hipsters for the Hip .    If it makes the Meat...

The year 2020 has been an unpredictable ride through world politics, the pandemic, numerous protests and many more difficulties that had made living life quite hard for most. Let us embrace 2021 with much-needed hope and happiness. Just, K.  

I ADMIT FAILURE. My desire was to write a positive, apolitical, amusing little post about the coming of the new year. I can’t do it. To begin with, under the circumstances, with an estimated 1.8 million people dead of Covid-19 worldwide, over 344,000 and counting here in the USA, and no end in sight, I’m not feeling particularly positive about the immediate future. In addition, although the Republican albatross is getting shoved kicking and screaming out of the nest, I wouldn’t want his replacement’s job. He’s...

I had a real beauty of a Tome ...Blog all written and finished and suddenly I don't know which key I hit but POOOF.....all disappeared  !! I'm pissed !! 

It has happened to you, I know. You’re going about your day and all of a sudden you hear it, the song in your head. Perhaps it was playing in the restaurant where you just had breakfast. Maybe you heard it at home before you left for work. It might even have been some guy whistling a fair rendition of it when he passed you in the hall. DO YOU KNOW THE WAY TO SAN JOSE?I’VE BEEN AWAY SO LONG, I MAY GO WRONG & LOSE MY WAY It can last for days, replaying itself without prompting from you, a musical automaton, a song in your h...

It's said that hindsight is 2020, though 2020 was far from a hindsight let's all hope that 2021 will become more than that. Being a New Year is now approaching let's Pray that the numbers 2021 will become more fun and prosperous for all. Ch...

Ostomates,   It's that time again, the Holiday Season!  Whichever holiday(s) you celebrate it's that time of the year when we all try to act a little nicer to each other, give thanks for what we have (and especially this year....what we don't have), attempt to spread peace and goodwill to all our fellow man....and then kick this stinkin' crappy year out and welcome in a new, hopefully fantastically better one.     I got thinking about some of our friends on here that haven't been around for awhile.  Those th...

There is something about a ceremony that has always troubled me. Because of that faint discomfiture, I usually avoid ceremonies whatever they are if at all possible. A ceremony is a formal occasion and I do not feel at home with formality. Ceremonies are celebrations with traditional rites of some sort; I have never been one for tradition. There is usually hype and lots of embellishment at a ceremony; I will always shun that too. When they’re for me, of course, it’s sort of difficult to stay away. I have always disliked weddin...