Articles written by Darlene Houseman

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About me - Darlene Houseman

I'm blessed to be a stay-at-home mom of 2 boys and 1 baby girl and I have an insatiable lust for the written word. I love history, art, and research and am only a few credits away from graduating with an honor's degree in humanities. I love the outdoors, all

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Pets & Animals > Cat Care & Health The life expectancy of cats: 1 of 20
15 to 20 years? Or less than 5? The answer to this question may just lie with the answer to another question - WHERE does your cat live? Sunshine and fresh air, trees to climb and tall grass to leap through are some of the joys that await the outdoor cat. But among these joys lurk deadly diseases and predators of both the ani... More..
Pets & Animals > Cats (Other) Buyer's guide to litter box accessories: 1 of 11
Who would have thought that one day there would be an assortment of accessories for a cat's litter box? Does a cat really need accessories? Of course not, but accessories help the owner by making it a whole lot easier to clean the kitty's litter box and keep it cleaner longer! With so many choices, it's also alot easier to me... More..
Food & Drink > Cocktails Drink recipes: Flaming Dr. Pepper: 1 of 10
GOING DOWN IN FLAMES is another way of saying IT'S ON FIRE! That's what happens literally and figuratively when a Flaming Dr. Pepper is consumed. The fuel for this fire starts with Amaretto and then the dangerously potent Bacardi 151, (that's 75.5% alcohol content) is added. The fuel is then lit and allowed to burn a bit befo... More..
Pets & Animals > Cat Care & Health Plants that are poisonous to cats: 1 of 9
PURRFECT POISONS! Those long trailing vines of your hanging ivy plant are the envy of neighbors and guests that come into your home, but they can also be an invitation to disaster for your feline companion.You've no doubt heard of childproofing your home, whereby anything and everything that may pose a hazard to a young child... More..
Pets & Animals > Cats (Other) Buyer's guide to cat odor removal products: 1 of 9
How can one of the most dainty, fastidiously clean creatures create such a foulsome odor that, with just a whiff, can bring tears to the eyes? The bigger question is how can that malodorous stench be removed? Whether it's carpet, furniture, the living room wall or the front door, cats are notorious for leaving their "calling ... More..
Pets & Animals > Cat Care & Health Signs a cat is in heat: 1 of 9
EVERYTHING ABOUT A CAT IN HEAT IS EXTREME, and the cat is not shy, in the least, about letting everyone know. When a female cat, is ready to mate, she is considered to be in heat, in estrus, or in season. It can begin as early as four months and sometimes starts with extreme affection. You knew your kitten was lovable, but no... More..
Health & Fitness > Pediatrics Are children overdiagnosed with attention deficit disorder?: 10 of 89
YES! ESPECIALLY WHEN IT MAY JUST BE HIS COCOA PUFFS!My son was mis-diagnosed by his teacher and I was NOT happy. He was my baby, going off to Kindergarten after not being away from me for more than a few hours in his life. I had a hard enough time in the preceding weeks getting used to losing my child for hours upon hours, we... More..
Pets & Animals > Cat Breeds Cat breed facts: Abyssinian: 1 of 8
PICTURE IN YOUR MIND THE ANCIENT EGYPTIAN CAT STATUES AND BEHOLD- THE ABYSSINIAN! With their slim, lithe, muscular body, large ears always on the alert, wedge shaped head with contoured brow and cheek and large almond shaped eyes, the Abyssinian looks like a small wild cat. And although the origins of it's existence are not c... More..
Health & Fitness > First Aid First aid for poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac: 2 of 12
DON'T LEARN THE HARD WAY!Which is what I did! After days of literally GOING MAD from the itching and spreading, of what I later realized must be an allergic reaction to one of these plants, I learned a few things that I will never forget: CORTAID POISON IVY TREATMENT CARE KIT - After all was said and done, this is what I fina... More..
Creative Writing > Short Stories Short stories: Losing love: 22 of 112
MISSINGI miss you.The words whispered in his head, tugged his heart low in his chest. His hand trembled as his roughened fingertip passed over the words, one letter at a time. Slowly, deliberately, almost as if he could absorb the very essence, a tiny spark of the warmth of the spirit, of the soul who left these words. He jer... More..