Interestingly, lots of men were buying items usually purchased by women.  They were not buying early for Mother’s Day gifts.  Turns out they were buying tools and materials to facilitate their gainful employment.  Two guys were painters and were buying fabric remnants (cotton) for painting rags.  One young man bought used pillows and “batting” along with his fabric remnants in dark colors – he makes dog beds to supplement income. And 2 Hispanic men purchased a Wolfgang Puck hot plate (“stove”) to use in their motel rooms to prepare their meals when they travel around with their jobs. 

The women seemed to be pretty traditional in their purchases but I did find one artistic woman buying chipped bright colored dishes to take home and break in order to make a mosaic.  And one pregnant woman and her husband bought an antique dresser to adapt into a changing table for their baby.

By dusk on Saturday, the garage sale event was over, the mess was cleaned-up and we discovered some sunburn along with the usual exhaustion.  But it is so good to know that this unique method of exchanging items benefited so many and brought laughter, smiles and  fellowship as we burned a “boat-load” of calories in the 12 hours of  moving, loading and packing all the stuff as it changed hands.
 
Now I am ready for Level Two of the spring cleaning process. 

In the past,  I have taken my grandchildren around town on May Day with disposable cameras and instructions to photograph their favorite signs of spring.  Unable to limit their selection to a few favorites, they took many many shots of the grandeur.  Didn't matter; they learned photography skills and we had a great outdoor experience thanks to God and someone planting it forward.

In North America, we tend to think of these infectious diseases as "someone else's problem" but they may be coming to our neighborhood soon.  .....................I thought you should know.

First off, here is the correct pronunciation for Acinetobacter baumannii:  (ace-ih-nee-toe-back-ter  bow-mon-ee-eye)  This bacterium is a gram-negative rod that usually appears in pairs so that is why there are 2 of them in the nanobug image.   The usual abbreviation is A. baumannii or often just the name of the genus - Acinetobacter.  This nanobug lives in water and soil.  However, it can survive for several days on surfaces including cell phones and keyboards.  It causes bloodstream infections, pneumonia and wound infections.  People with a weakened immune system and hospitalized patients are at greatest risk of infection from A. baumannii - especially soldiers injured in Iraq, Kuwait, and Afghanistan.  AND there were infections with this nanobug among soldiers injured in the Vietnam War.   To prevent infections from Acinetobacter, good hand hygiene is important - especially by health care workers.  Wound cultures in military personnel should be monitored for Acinetobacter baumannii.  To further complicate matters - this bacterium is often resistant to many antibiotics!  This contributes to the high mortality from infections related to Acinetobacter.   Hence, the slogan we have assigned to this nanobug:  "We often come in sets of two and do our best to eliminate you!  We have not yet animated this nanobug but it should be fun when we do.  - that is, if you like to see pathogens like this demonstrate their bad attitude.

For decades, baby poultry, particularly chicks and ducklings, have been known to be a source of salmonellosis. Recently the source of birds associated with salmonellosis outbreaks have been traced back to hatcheries. Investigations of these outbreaks show that many persons who purchase baby poultry remain unaware that handling these birds puts persons at risk for salmonellosis, especially children.

During springtime and the Easter season it is important to remember that children are more susceptible to infection from baby chicks and young ducklings because they are more likely than others to put their fingers into their mouths after handling the soft cute little birds.  The immune system of a child (especially those under 5 years of age) is still developing; the CDC emphasizes, and may not be ready to protect the child from the Salmonella they are exposed to by the pets.  Adults and children should be educated on how to avoid contact with bird feces and should wash their hands with soap and warm water after handling baby poultry or anything that has been in contact with them. Additionally, children younger than five years of age should not be allowed to handle baby chicks or other baby birds. In past years, state health departments across the country have identified outbreaks of Salmonella infection in persons who had been in contact with baby poultry (especially chicks, ducklings, goslings) purchased at agricultural feed stores. The feed stores received the poultry from hatcheries.   

Note:   This issue of salmonellosis is also a possibility with other pets like rabbits, gerbils, and hamsters.  Good handwashing practices after handling the animals and/or cleaning their cages is important. Adult supervision is critical.

Dentists have long preached that everyone should brush and floss 2-3 times a day especially after meals.  Dentists and dental hygenists have been quite effective in teaching techniques for brushing and flossing.  However, if we want to prevent the development of dental caries (cavities) we must affect attitudes and change behaviors - so that people go to the sink and brush!  That is what Nanobugs attempts to do.  Since Strep mutans has an ability to stick on the teeth - brushing and flossing are needed to get rid of the plaque and bacteria.  But getting compliance is the challenge. Recently Nanobugs, inc. created a "static cling" that can be easily placed on the bathroom mirror or ceramic tile to stimulate and remind kids and their parents to brush and floss.  Wearing a temporary tattoo of Streptococcus mutans could serve as a friendly reminder for kids too.  Or try sending a toothbrush to school in the lunch box.

And don't worry...it is a head and shoulders portrait picture of me fully clothed in the calendar - In case you were imagining this "February Girl" in some skimpy red Valentine duds and hot red lipstick.  Maybe next time.