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Life Values

Embarrassing Moments in Our New World

July 29, 2021

By Lorie Ham

Ever since the pandemic began, our world has constantly been changing. Over the past couple of months, things have been opening up again and it has been a big adjustment for most of us. After over a year of working from home and only visiting people via Zoom, we now find ourselves having to put on pants and shoes and make ourselves presentable again to actually leave our house. The pandemic has even changed how we date. The Washington Post recently published an article with tips on how to learn to date in person again.

As more of us try to go back to some of our previously normal activities, it can bring about some awkward situations, which can be frustrating, but sometimes it can also be funny, and we all could use a reason to smile right now.

disposable face mask hanging off of a car's rearview mirror

Even the simplest of things, like not bagging your own groceries, can feel odd now. Recently Reedley resident Kathy Smith was at the local grocery store and suddenly a worker was bagging her groceries—something that hadn’t been happening since the pandemic started. “It’s confusing…. I didn’t know how to stop myself from bagging them myself.”

Fresno musician Mallory Moad recently played her first show with her band since the shutdown and realized she had forgotten how to apply mascara. “It was a challenge. I felt like I was back in high school. I didn’t even attempt eyeliner. I knew from the get-go I’d need more practice.”

For Kathleen Costa, who lives in Stockton, things haven’t changed that much because she rarely went out even before the pandemic due to mobility issues, but for her husband even something as simple as getting the mail feels odd. “My husband feels a bit naked not wearing his mask walking over to our complex’s mailroom; he carries it always, and still is not able to remove it at the store.”

The couple also recently decided it was safe enough to get drive-thru from their favorite restaurant and found themselves stuck at the speaker for longer than normal because they couldn’t remember the numbers of their favorites anymore. “They were nice, though, and accommodating, and we relished in our tacos and enchiladas. We ended up ordering extra, in case (in case what, I don’t know) and had leftovers, too.”

For some, even meeting in person with fellow vaccinated friends or coworkers presents the problem of do we hug, do we still just bump elbows, or what? Jayce Ham recently met his new coworkers in person for the first time and faced that now challenging question that before would have been simple. “It was very awkward and we all had to laugh because we kept going back and forth between starting to hug someone and then hesitating and going for the elbow bump.”

Even now though, things are changing yet again. Some places are bringing back some of the restrictions, so it is important to stay up with the latest news so you know what you should or shouldn’t do.

Do you have any funny stories you would like to share about your attempts at going out into the world again? Please share them with us on our Facebook page, a little laughter will do us all some good.

Filed Under: Life Values

Fourth of July Traditions and Memories

July 7, 2021

By Lorie Ham

Many Americans have favorite memories of the Fourth of July, as well as special family traditions. For some, it’s going to the local fireworks show, watching a parade, or a special family meal and setting off fireworks at home.

“As a kid, we would always go to my Grandma’s house in Reedley for dinner,” shares Mennonite Insurance employee Stephanie Heier. “Then we would go to Reedley High to watch the fireworks show. I loved going to the fireworks show with all my cousins.

“As an adult, we try to get together with family. We BBQ, swim, and then when it gets dark we drive out to watch the aerial show at Wild Water Adventure. Then we go home and light our own fireworks.”

When I was a kid, we would sit in my grandparent’s backyard, eat homemade ice cream, and watch the Reedley city fireworks. Over time, the trees got too tall so we started finding places to park in town where we could see the fireworks.

Mennonite Aid Plan Board of Directors member Larry Miller also has memories of eating homemade ice cream on the Fourth of July while watching the Reedley city fireworks from his parent’s yard. However, his most memorable Fourth of July was in 1965, and that one was life altering. “As my family was leaving Church that Sunday, a young lady I had never seen before approached and asked if I was Larry Miller. I told her I was; she brought greetings from a cousin of mine in Oklahoma. She had come to Reedley for a summer fruit packing job.”

Before the day was over, Larry asked the young lady, whose name was Jamie, out for a date the next evening, July 5, to go to the community fireworks display at Reedley High School. Since the fourth fell on a Sunday that year, the event was held Monday evening. “When we arrived the stadium was mostly full,” continues Larry. “Jamie spotted an open space so we climbed the bleachers and took that space, only to find my parents and siblings were seated right behind us! The whole family for chaperones! The next two months passed quickly and we said good-bye as each of us went back to school. However, the story does not end there, two years later we were married in her home Church in Clinton, Oklahoma.”

If you are looking for ways to make your own Fourth of July memories and traditions, a great place to start is with food. You can find more than 60 BBQ recipes for your July Fourth celebrations in this article on the Country Living website, and even more recipes for the holiday on AllRecipes.com. And don’t forget the homemade ice cream! If watching a fireworks show is part of your celebration, you can find a list of some of the best City fireworks across the country in this recent article from Parade and a listing of some of the ones happening in CA here.

What is your favorite Fourth of July memory or tradition? Maybe it wasn’t life changing like Larry Miller’s, but every memory is special. We would love to have you share yours with us on our Facebook page. Have a great Fourth of July!

Filed Under: Life Values

Beat the Heat With Video Games For the Family

July 7, 2021

By Lorie Ham

Many areas of the country are seeing record heat this summer, which makes outdoor family activities not only unappealing, but in some cases even dangerous. So what can you do for fun with the family this summer while staying indoors where it is cool?

There are many options—reading, watching movies, playing board games, or even playing video games.

While there are some negatives to kids playing video games, there are also a lot of benefits. According to an article on the website Understood, those benefits include kids getting to practice their visual-spatial skills, learning problem solving, making social connections, and kids who play video games are often very creative.

There are many video games that the whole family can play together, but which games should you choose?

My oldest son Jayce has been playing video games most of his life, he also writes a monthly video game news column so he keeps up with the latest in the video game world.

His top five video games to play as a family are:

  1. Mario Kart 8
  2. Super Mario Party
  3. Super Smash Bros Ultimate
  4. Overcooked
  5. Minecraft

“All of these games are great because they all are games that more than one person can play and all have a happy, family friendly vibe that will set a good atmosphere for an evening of play with the family,” shares Jayce.

“All of them also encourage friendly competition and collaboration, which are good skills to learn. My favorite of all of these games is Mario Kart 8 because it is the easiest to learn and easiest to have a good and fun time competing with your friends and family.”

There are also an abundance of different consoles out there for playing video games. All of the games mentioned here are on Nintendo Switch, which is the most accessible console as it is the most affordable and has a portable option.

Minecraft and Overcooked are also available on PC, Xbox, and PlayStation.

If you are already a gaming family but haven’t kept up with what’s new, a brand new game was just released on the Switch called Mario Golf: Super Rush. “It is a cute and fun way to learn the basics of golf and compete with others while playing as your favorite Mario characters,” continues Jayce.

“This year, on October 29, a new Mario Party game called Mario Party Superstars will be released. It will feature game boards and mini games from previous Mario Party games.”

For more video game suggestions, you can check out these articles on Understood, and GameDesigning. And if you are worried about your kids still getting exercise, there are a number of dancing games out there as well!

So beat the heat this summer with some indoor video game fun. Both as a family and for your kids on their own.

Do you have some favorite family friendly video games? Pleases share them with us on our Facebook page!

Filed Under: Life Values

Jewelry Appraisals

May 27, 2021

By Jerry Linscheid

Some pieces of jewelry are priceless, like that macaroni necklace your kindergartener made for you.  Sentimental value is real, but it is hard to quantify.

I recently spoke with a gemologist I know well, Liz Linscheid.  While watching kids play in the park, our conversation drifted to jewelry appraisals.  What follows is the gist of our conversation between telling the kids to be careful.

You have a ring that you think might be valuable, so you take it to a jeweler to get it appraised.  One of the first questions you should ask the appraiser is “Are you a certified gemologist?”  Assuming the answer is “yes,” you can continue.  If not, do some more research to find a jeweler with a gemologist on staff.  “Why,” you might ask, “is using a gemologist important?”  A gemologist is trained to determine:

  • the type of gemstone,
  • whether it is a natural gemstone, lab created, or treated to improve the appearance of a stone,
  • its weight, cut, color and clarity. 

They will also provide a detailed analysis of each gem as well as an appraisal of the metal in the ring.

One of the first questions the appraiser will ask you is “What is the purpose of the appraisal?”  There are at least three types of appraisals and they may go by different names.  An insurance or replacement cost appraisal will give the highest value.  This is what it would cost to buy an identical piece of jewelry from a retail jeweler or have it made from scratch.  If you have a piece that you intend to keep for a long time, this is the type of appraisal to get.  If you schedule the ring on your homeowner policy, your insurance company will ask for this appraisal and a high- quality photo for their records.

The next lower level of appraisal might be called estate value.  This can be thought of as similar to the wholesale value of the ring.  When jewelry is part of an estate and the family is trying to divide the estate fairly, this valuation would be close to the amount you could sell the ring on the open market.

The lowest level of appraisal would be liquidation or scrap value.  This would be the value of the gems not in a setting and the weight of the metal in the ring.  You would be able to pawn the ring for something close to this appraisal.

What is the cost of an appraisal?  It depends on how complicated the piece of jewelry is and the level of the appraisal.  Does the jewelry have many gems or different kinds of gems?  An average appraisal cost for replacement value could be around $250.  The appraisal should itemize each significant gem.

How often to reappraise?  A rule of thumb has been every 5 years.  However, the price of gold has fluctuated a lot recently (i.e. gone up in price).  Every 3 years is not too often in these situations.  If you take your jewelry to the same gemologist, the costs for reappraisals can be less than the original.

Generally, there are limits on jewelry coverage under your homeowners insurance policy.  If you wonder if you have enough coverage, please contact our office at 559-638-2327 or email us at [email protected].

So, if that macaroni necklace becomes water damaged, we can try to send instructions and photos to help your child to recreate it.  You could help others by posting a picture of your macaroni necklace on our Facebook page at MennoniteInsurance.

Filed Under: Life Values

Summer Meals That Don’t Heat Up Your Kitchen

May 27, 2021

By Lorie Ham

a basket of vegetables

Summer is here, and in much of the country, that can mean very hot temperatures. When it is that hot, no one wants to heat up the house even more by turning on the oven. So, what can you do? There are many options. You can use a crockpot, BBQ outdoors, make salads, or even use stovetop recipes.

Spoon University has a list of 21 recipes that don’t use the oven or stovetop. Some of the ones included are Yogurt Parfaits, Overnight Oats, Tuna Tartare, and a multitude of interesting and unusual salads.

Thrifty Frugal Mom offers 45 different no-oven dinner ideas and recipes for your summer eating. The article includes several crockpot recipes such as Creamy Crockpot Mexican Chicken and Slow Cooker Black Bean Enchiladas. They also include many Instant Pot recipes like Smothered Pork Chops with Mushroom Gravy, as well as stovetop and grill recipes, and ones for salads, sandwiches, and wraps.

If you want to do some BBQing this summer, Delish.com has a list of 45 BBQ recipes including ones for fish tacos, loaded grilled cauliflower, cabbage steaks, Balsamic Grilled Mushrooms, and more traditional grilling fair like burgers, chicken, and steak. Also on Delish.com, you can find 62 recipes for summer salads.

On Don’t Waste the Crumbs, they recommend cooking ahead before it gets really hot, and then heating the food up in the microwave at dinner time. They also suggest batch cooking, and approaching the idea of meals a bit differently.

If you are wondering how to pick the right slow cooker, the Food Network has a great list of product reviews. If you are looking to buy your first outdoor grill, cnet has some good advice. Picking the right grill for you means deciding on fuel type, size, price, style and extra features.

For some cool summer cooking suggestions that you won’t find by doing a Google search, we chatted with some mystery authors who feature cooking and recipes in their books to see what they would recommend.

Victoria Hamilton, who writes the Merry Muffin Mysteries, prefers cooking ahead of time in the cool of the morning or evening. “I usually have bean salad in the fridge (here’s where you can find Victoria’s recipe for bean salad). I loathed bean salad as a kid. Couldn’t even look at it. And now it’s my go-to vegetable side dish! And so simple. It will keep for up to three weeks in the fridge! I store it in glass Mason jars. Other make aheads can be a whole chicken cooked, or a ham, and a pasta or potato salad. Pasta salad—such as a tortellini salad with a lemon and olive oil dressing and cherry tomatoes—tastes even better the next day.”

Author Edith Maxwell, who writes the County Store Mysteries, likes to use a lot of fresh vegetables. “I like lots of salads, cold soups, and grilled foods.”

She also suggests using the microwave more. “Want potato salad? Cook the potatoes in the microwave. Steam corn on the cob in the microwave. Boil water in the microwave. You can even cook bacon for your BLT in the microwave.” You can find two of her favorite summer time recipes—Cucumber Dill Salad and Pell’s Yogurt-Honey Fruit Salad Dressing, here.

Peg Cochran, who writes the Farmer’s Daughter Mystery Series, prefers grilling. “I love grilling because there are no pans to wash afterwards and I get to stand outside on the deck in the nice weather! Also, everything tastes better grilled. Throw a steak, chicken, burgers, or fish on the grill, make a big salad, cook some corn on the cob in the microwave, and dinner is done without creating a heat wave in the kitchen.”

One of her favorite things to grill is Chicken Satay. “Thread strips of chicken breast on skewers and grill. Serve with peanut sauce, some basmati rice, and cucumber salad or Asian slaw. I also love to do shrimp on the grill—marinate in some olive oil, oregano, and garlic (lots!) for a few minutes, put on skewers and grill—they’re done in no time.”

Peg also suggests using an air fryer, or serving up a casual “antipasto” dinner of cheeses, dried salami, prosciutto, roasted peppers, olives and whatever else suits your fancy!

Here is Peg’s recipe for Peanut Dipping Sauce:

  • 1 cup peanut butter
  • ¼ cup soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons red chili paste like sriracha 
  • 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
  • 2 limes, juiced
  • ½ cup hot water.

Combine all of the above except for the hot water in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Add enough hot water to thin sauce to dipping consistency. Enjoy with grilled chicken.

If you are also a mystery reader, you can find even more recipes in the author’s books!

To find fresh fruit and vegetables for your summer meals, be sure to check out fruit stands and farmer’s markets. If you live in the Fresno County area of California, you can find a great list on the Fresno County Fruit Trail website. Wherever you live in the United States, check out Local Farm Markets to find a guide to your local farmer’s markets.

We would love it if you would share some of your summer beat-the-heat meals with us on our Facebook page!

Filed Under: Life Values

Celebrating Pi Day

March 1, 2021

By Lorie Ham

On March 14, it will once again be Pi Day. But what exactly is Pi Day? According to Wikipedia, it is an annual celebration of the mathematical constant π (pi). The reason it is celebrated on that particular day is because 3, 1, and 4 are the first three significant digits of pi. The House of Representatives recognized March 14 as National Pi Day in 2009.

Pi is one of the oldest and most recognized mathematical constants in the world. It is the ratio of any circle’s circumference to its diameter. Its value is approximately equal to 3.14159265, or 3.14 for short.

The earliest known official or large-scale celebration was organized in 1988 by physicist Larry Shaw at the San Francisco Exploratorium. Staff and the public marched around one of its circular spaces, and then ate fruit pies. The Exploratorium continues to celebrate to this day.

Timeanddate.com has several suggestions for celebrating this unusual day, which include eating pies, baking pies, having a pi recitation contest, and watching the 1998 movie by Darren Aronofsy called Pi.

Among the many who celebrate Pi Day, NASA celebrates every year. On their website they offer 10 different suggestions for celebrating, which include making and eating space themed pies! PiDay.org offers resources for teachers who want to celebrate Pi Day in their classroom, math tutorials and videos, and even pi merchandise! One thing that Chiff.com suggests is to include other round foods in your celebration such as pizza and donuts, and not limit yourself to pies. You can also celebrate with meat pies. There are also pi songs all over YouTube, and there are pi trivia games.

While some suggestions such as pi recitation contests and Pi Day marathons, will mostly appeal to the math fans in your life, on Holidays Calendar, you can also find some more unusual and messy ways to celebrate such as pie drops. Pie drops are an activity in which people drop pies from the top of a building to see who gets the biggest splatter. For even more ideas, check out Wiki How.

However you choose to celebrate, I think in times like these we should celebrate every chance we get! I am not really into math, but I think I might celebrate this year anyway by eating my favorite kind of pie, chocolate! You can find an easy recipe here on the Pioneer Woman website!

Please share with us on our Facebook page how you plan to celebrate this unusual day!

Filed Under: Life Values

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