HELLO CENTRAL
This week in NC has been fraught with calls from a bogus vendor calling senior citizens who likely will not understand what the 'scam' really is. At this point the Attorney General of NC is on the case. 

These robocalls (pre-recorded, automatically dialed calls) use what is called an avatar recording, meaning the recording can understand some of what you say and respond with a stock answer. In the recording, “John” promises you a medical alert system and says it’s already been paid for.   1-877-5-NO-SCAM, is supposed to take your number off the list.

For some reason the 'robocaller, i.e., John" has targeted us numerous times and while screaming obscenities makes me feel better it does nothing to avert the next call. How much of your life can you spend answering the phone? 

Worse yet, I am wasting more time pretending that I know what I'm doing - spent 20 minutes this morning trying to download and print Avery labels for the containers of de-fatted Chicken Broth make yesterday and skimmed to a .001% fat this morning. Only when I was affixing the labels did I notice that 'Checken' was misspelled. What was I thinking?

My new summer cooler; since I have not been drinking mixed drinks or wine for some years, a friend introduced me to the "Arnold Palmer" a 50/50 blend of iced tea and lemonade. As I do not keep lemonade on hand as a general rule, asked for it at the dining room last night and got a delightful treat. This is not the branded beverage but just the server's mix of unsweet-tea and a commercial lemonade with extra wedge of lemon. Not as sweet as the brand but very cool and tangy. Why did I not think of this before?

Not thinking before because my usual summer cooler involves DH's morning decaf leftover, mixed with Silk Soy Vanilla (easy on the calories!), and all or part of a package of Maxwell House International Iced Latte mix  (60 calories for the iced-version as opposed to 90 for the flavored latte mix).  But here's the best part, I put 1" of coffee into a 1-quart deli container (the type with a snap on lid).  About .5 inch of soy milk, fill the carton with ice and add water to the top.  For the lid I punched a hole (usual paper punch tool), that is just the right size for a plastic straw. Shake well and put in the fridge for about 30 minutes - or until I've finished dressing for the day. Frosty cold, just dilute enough, minimum caffeine and big enough to last me the rest of the morning. You're right; the stuff would be better full strength but I began to dilute the mix when warned 'not to drink all your calories.'  Sage advice; since then I have tried to dilute most of my daily beverages. 

Off to deliver a trio of salads to a neighbor couple - he's had 'airplane flu' after a long flight and she just broke a foot. Chicken salad, Egg Salad and Broccoli Salad should keep them noshing for a bit without having to shop. I know from my own experience last summer that trying to wheel around a big store with a 'boot' in one of those electric-go-carts is the pits.

After that DH is taking me to Sunday Brunch - a rare experience for us. 
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