Getting Ready for A Trip That Isn't to Be...Not Yet

Getting ready for a trip that we will have to re-schedule leaves me with mixed emotions.
We will only lose our travel insurance $$$ which isn't too bad. We always get it, but this is the first time ever to have to use it.

The trip we have started perparing us for will be a grand tour of China. We were scheduled to leave April 14th. That isn't going to happen~ BOO HOO

Have had two Doctors agree, I have totally worn out one of my hips and both agree, there will be no way I can do this agressive trip. Am scheduled for a total hip replacement March 11th. As I said, mixed emotions...mostly happy they will do it so quickly as I have places to go and things to do.

Because immunizations required are good for five years, we kept our appointment with a Travel Doctor today. He was wonderful.
He is a specialist in maintaining health of people who travel around the world.

He took a full hour with us and was the first time we had a physical exam done before all the vaccines. He also taught a couple of phrases in Chinese (How are you?) and (Thank you). I wrote them down in my little book~ He told us the people will receive us with a happy face if/when we say a few words to them in Chinese. (Don't you know they are smiling at our accents?)

He sent us for:

~Japanese Influenza Vaccination, of all things...
~ PPD (TB) due to all our recent international travel...needed to check.
~ Hep B
~ Hep A is still good from our Africa trip.
~ Typhoid (ours was outdated)
~ Rabies vaccine is required for traveling through the entire country ~ however, he said not to pet animals there...and excused that one. (WHEW)
~ Everything else was up to date.

THEN...we asked and he gave us the SHINGLES VACCINE...
which is new and highly advisable to everyone.

We understand that Shingles is one of the more painful experiences one can have..and continues for about 2 months.
ASK YOUR DOCTOR FOR ONE TOO.

Recipe ~Chicken Marengo

This is a dump recipe. After browning the meat, dump everything in and cook. Can add and subtract things easily. Good for cold weather to leave on stove top and dip into when hungry. Enjoy!

CHICKEN MARENGO

(A very forgiving recipe to change ingredients to taste.)

1 lb sweet Italian sausage
1 lb hot Italian sausage
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp salad oil
2 chickens cut into pieces (Use boneless chicken breasts or chicken pieces as desired)
2 cans (1lb 12oz) tomato puree or crushed tomatoes (which consistency you like best)
1 small can tomato paste
1 6oz can of sliced mushroom with the liquid
1 8oz can of pitted ripe sliced olives with the liquid
1/3 cup sweet pepper flakes
1 Tbsp parsley flakes
1 Tbsp celery flakes
1 Tbsp Italian seasonings
2 Tbsp minced onion
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 bay leaf

Prick sausages and place in large Dutch oven or stock pot to brown. (If you do not want to use large pieces of meat, then cut the sausages into bite size pieces before browning.

Instead of using whole pieces of chicken, cut it into bite size pieces when browned.)

Remove sausage when brown.
Add butter and oil and sauté chicken until golden brown.
Remove chicken and add ALL remaining ingredients.
Return sausage and chicken to Dutch oven or stock pot.
Cover and simmer for at least 60 minutes over low heat.

Serve with rice or spaghetti..

Henry Grady Richards~

My father's oldest brother celebrated his 95th Birthday when this newspaper article featured him. I went to visit shortly after this birthday~ he and I sat on his back porch and he told me he would like to live another 3 year, as he felt he had 3 more books to write. He wrote little pamphlet's of poetry and saying which he gifted to all. He was a very special man. He makes you wonder if you will yourself life as he lived another 3 years.

To help put this story in perspective: Here is a list of the Family Members

Grandparents:
George W Richards 1832 – 1911 (Civil War)

Amanda Lee Richards 1832 – 1910 (From Virginia and listed as of the Lee Family of Virginia)

Father: Rufus Stonewall Jackson Richards Mother: Clara Della Byrd 1872 - 1947
Their children"

Henry Grady Richards 1894 – 1990

Lee Richards 1895 – 1979

Zora Della Richards 1896 –

Samuel Richards 1898 –

Eliphet Richards 1900 –

Catrula Richards 1902 – 1904

Davis Richards 1905 – 1988

Verbon Richards 1907 – 1989

Cecil B Richards 1910 – 1989

La Roy Richards 1912 – 1989 (My father)

I have written an introduction to Amanda, his grandmother. Amanda was educated to be a general physician, which is all they required in her day. She delivered babies and cared for everyone in her District.

She delivered Grady and all of his siblings, no doubt. She had a great influence on his life as well as all around her.

Henry Grady dedicated his life to public service. A Church in a small North Carolina town was named Henry Grady Richards in his honor and a school in Florence, Alabama.

Looking for the School on River Road in Florence, resulted in discovery that the school, which carried his full name is no longer in existence. My heart sank~ but the nice lady remembered Uncle Grady and told me the building now houses the Board of Education... and it is now the Richards Building.

This made me happy that his name is on the Building. He would have liked that too.