Human joints come in many shapes and sizes and allow us to move and carry out normal activities of daily living. Without joints, we would be rigid and immobile. But they are also often injured, causing pain and discomfort. The most commonly injured joints are the knees, shoulders, ankles and spine. Approximately 30 million doctor visits a year are due to knee and shoulder injuries alone. Some 150 million to 200 million cases of back pain send people to the doctor every year—and many of those are related to joint injuries. Most sports-related injuries involve damage to the joints.

It’s in the Head!
(or Is It?)

As I write this article, next week will be Thanksgiving. I am thankful, among many things, for opportunities and health to share meals with good friends and coworkers. One of the greatest honors for me is to be invited into someone’s home for a meal or be bought a meal in public. It is also a great honor to be allowed to purchase meals for friends. I have never purchased a meal for anyone that the kindness wasn’t returned many times over.

It was the crash that was heard around the world. Well…not exactly. It was the crash that was heard all over Tim’s parent’s house. After the crash, the next sound I heard was Tim’s mother calling out, “Oh no!” I jumped up and ran downstairs. While I knew she wasn’t hurt, I knew something was wrong and it was most likely my fault.

When I reached the kitchen, the first thing I noticed were pieces of a dish spread out across the floor. It had completely shattered. Standing next to the pieces was Tim’s mother.

Thanksgiving is here;
The big day has arrived.
We're all here together.
Dinner's at five.

Aunt Tilly is mad;
Uncle Matt's in the sauce.
Matilda is sad.
We're all feeling cross.

Let's sit down and eat;
Bow heads and pray.
We're all here together,
Friends for the day.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING
TO ALL!

Shirley McMurtrie

If yesterday you had leftover turkey, then it must be after Thanksgiving. What about the leftover dressing that is working its way to the back of your fridge? All this recipe takes is a cup and half or so of leftover dressing. If there is still any gravy, that would make a great sauce for the patties. Of course, cream of chicken soup, thinned with a little milk and a shake or two of poultry seasoning mixed in would be nice.

DRESSING PATTIES
1 1/2 cups leftover dressing
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil

It has been mighty cold lately. Doesn’t matter where you live, the temperatures have dipped. And early, too. There have been reasons given, most of them summed up with the initials c.c. (I will not get into that discussion!) But even over the past four decades, the mercury had done similar nose dives at various inopportune times. We expected after moving from Wyoming to Tennessee that such dips wouldn’t happen. After all, Tennessee has a mild climate. Oh, boy, were we wrong.

Hunting is a challenge no matter the species. There is a peacefulness and stillness in the woods. An indescribable amount of adrenaline in the body. Out of sight does not mean out of mind. The deer are always on alert and have a keen sense of hearing and smell. Frustration. Success. Skill. It pays to sit still and blend in. You just never know who is watching. See and not be seen. That is the goal. Most predators fail most of the time, that is what makes a success so rewarding.

Thanksgiving, a time to stop and truly appreciate all the people, things, and blessings in our lives. Take some time this November to be still in that moment, and sit down in your place of peace and comfort. Reflect on the past year, find delight in those moments that you were blessed with, and rejoice in those that shared your laughter. Thank God for the many things that have come into, or maybe drifted out of, your life this year. Be grateful going forward into 2020 and do not take your loved ones and good things in your life for granted.

A good way to maintain your health is to eat nutritiously. In fact, even a few simple changes in your diet can have a positive impact on your health—and may prevent a variety of chronic health problems in the future. As part of their extensive education, chiropractors are trained in nutrition and wellness promotion, and they can offer you dietary counseling as well as lifestyle tips to get you moving in the right direction. Start today to make better choices that will fuel and strengthen your body. Here are some simple suggestions:

The day had finally arrived and I was giddy with excitement. I can still remember standing in the long line outside the Civic Coliseum as we waited to get inside.

It was winter 1977 and my parents had bought tickets to an ice skating show. It was a treat for me since I loved to watch people ice skate. It fascinated me how they performed all those jumps and twirled around on a thin blade as they glided over ice.

Being the klutz that I am, I have never attempted to ice skate. I had and still have no desire to wear a cast for a few weeks.