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Friday, February 24, 2012 – Daily News 5A FEATURES Feverous female fazes frigid family Dear Annie: For the past year, my wife, ''Janie,'' has been getting hot flashes. She is always broiling in the house while the rest of the family freezes. She insists on keeping the temperature at 70, while the rest of us are most comfortable at 74. She recently purchased warm slippers for everyone and suggested we wear long sleeves. Annie, I like to wear T- shirts and walk barefoot. I work long hours, and when I come home, I like to shed most of my clothes. I pay the mortgage and should not be freezing in my own home. Our fam- ily doctor said the hot flashes could last for years. I say she is disre- spectful to all of us. She says I am insensitive. We are at an impasse. I found out she is looking for an apartment. I love my wife and beg you to help us before it's too late. — Upstate New York Where It's 20 Degrees Outside Dear New York: You think Annie's Mailbox by Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar hot flashes or visit a health food store for more natural remedies. A pair of slippers and some hot cocoa seems a small price to pay to save your marriage. Dear Annie: My mother has three brothers. My grandmother's eyes are blue, and my grandfather's are blue-gray. My mother and two of her brothers have brown eyes. From my college biology class and some Internet research, I understand this is genet- ically impossible. This leads me to believe my mother and uncles may not be my grandfather's children. I also know that my grandmother had many miscarriages and a stillborn. My grandparents also have marital issues and have come close to divorcing on a few occasions. Should I speak to my mother about this? I'd like to know my bio- logical family. — Brown-Eyed Girl Dear Brown-Eyed: Eye color is you're uncomfortable? Imagine how your wife feels with an internal thermostat that periodically sets her on fire. The U.S. Dept. of Energy recommends that your home ther- mostat be set at 68 degrees in winter (78 degrees in summer). You can warm up more easily than your wife can cool down. We recommend a compromise. You offer to be comfortable in sweats if she will speak to her doc- tor about medication to control her very complicated. While not com- mon, it is indeed possible for blue- eyed parents to produce brown-eyed children. And if your grandparents carry a mutation, it would make sense that more than one child would have brown eyes. So please don't jump to any conclusions. If you are concerned that your genetic background is inaccurate, speak to your mother. Dear Annie: You printed a letter from ''Put Out in Peoria,'' whose sister boycotted the nephew's wed- ding because her children were not invited. I've photographed weddings for 15 years and can relate numerous accidents that have happened while parents were ignoring their children at receptions. I have seen cake tables topple because kids were playing underneath. They slide across the dance floor while their ignorant parents think it's cute to see them knock people over. Once, a toddler ran up behind my husband, who stepped back and fell over the boy. The kid wasn't hurt, but my husband tore a liga- ment in his arm. I've seen children run into stone walls and glass doors and need to be transported to emer- gency rooms. Take it from me. If you want an enjoyable evening, leave your children at home. Every- one will be safer. — Photographer in Houston Dear Houston: Not all children are so wild, and not all parents are so negligent. And often, the bride and groom want their little nieces and nephews in attendance. To avoid disasters, we recommend that bridal couples who wish to include young children hire babysitters to entertain and watch the kiddies. Annie's Mailbox is written by Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar, longtime editors of the Ann Landers column. Please email your questions to anniesmailboxcomcast.net, or write to: Annie's Mailbox, c/o Creators Syndicate, 737 3rd Street, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254. Upcoming slow food events in the region Slow food offers the following events in March: • Lentamente Due, The Art of Slow Food, March 1- 10, For the second time, the 1078 Art Gallery in Chico celebrates local food and art with Slow Food Shasta Cascade. On exhibit will be local artists' interpretations of the North State's seasonal bounty. Reception: Friday, March 2, 7–10 p.m. Tastings by local chefs. No host bar with local wine and beer mak- ers. Purchase $25 tix at: http://www.brownpapertick- ets.com/event/212600 From 7-8 p.m., Laura Stec, co-author of Cool Cui- sine: Taking the Bite out of Global Warming and a keynote speaker for the This Way to Sustainability Conference VII at CSU Chico, will sign copies of her book. All proceeds from sales go to the 1078 Gallery and Slow Food Shasta Cascade. Stec is Corporate Chef for Pescadero Foods, Inc. and their local-food brands Wattle & Comb and Zoupka, She is also Culinary Health Educator for Kaiser Permanente, former chef for LifeLong, Inc., and Kaiser farmer's markets, and former consulting chef at The International Culinary School (Art Institute of California). In 1988, she found- ed EcoEaters, one of the first food and environment programs in the U.S., and has been connecting healthy people to a healthy planet for over 20 years. As a green- cuisine consultant, she lectures nationally and interna- tionally. • Children's Art Workshop making images of sea- sonal foods, conducted by Amber Palmer: Saturday, March 3, 11 a.m.–1 p.m. Limited space; advance regis- tration required. Ages 6–12. $5 materials fee. To regis- ter, email Lori Weber at Lweber@csuchico.edu. For more information go to: http://www.1078gallery.org/events.html • Third annual Seed Swap, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sunday Feb. 26, GRUB Cooperative, 1525 Dayton Rd. Chico. Parking is limited, please carpool. Join us as we cel- ebrate seeds, local food and genetic diversity. For more information: Stephanie- permagaia@gmail.com or call 828-6390 or Sherri - sherri@grubchico.org or call 342-3376 • Farwood Bar and Grill in Orland for the second of its "12 Tastes of 2012" with Gale Vineyards, Divide Ranch Beef, Pedrozo Cheese and more. Saturday, Feb. 25, Cost $10. Call 865-9900 to reserve a seat or visit http://www.farwoodbarandgrill.com/special-offers-- events.html. Barking cough could indicate croup DEAR DOC- TOR K: There have been a few cases of croup in my son's day care. I'm sure it's just a matter of time before my son gets it. What do I need to know? DEAR READ- ER: Croup is a fairly common ill- ness in children in the age range of 3 months to 3 years. It is unusual in kids older than 6. It results in a hoarse voice and loud, raspy breathing. Taking in a deep breath, which should be nearly silent, instead is quite noisy. The most recognizable symp- tom is a harsh, brassy cough that sounds like a seal's bark. Motrin) or aceta- minophen (Tylenol) to relieve any dis- comfort; Dr. K by Anthony L. Komaroff, M.D. — Drinking plenty of fluids. This will prevent mucus in his lungs from getting thick and difficult to cough up. — A cool mist vaporizer. Cool mist soothes and moistens the inflamed airways and helps mucus drain. Croup is an infectious respiratory illness, usually caused by a virus. The virus first infects the throat, then spreads down the back of the throat to the voice box (larynx) and then to the breathing tube (trachea) that leads to the lungs. The lining of the throat, larynx and trachea become inflamed. The virus spreads easi- ly from an infected child to an uninfected one through coughing and sneezing. It also can travel on dirty hands, used tis- sues, toys, drinking glass- es and eating utensils. If an uninfected child touch- es one of these infected objects, and then puts his fingers into his nose or mouth, it can launch the infection. Children with croup often have a low-grade fever and mild cold symp- toms, such as a runny nose and nasal conges- tion, before the barking cough and raspy breath- ing begin. If your son develops croup, your doctor proba- bly will recommend the following to ease his breathing until the infec- tion goes away: — Rest or quiet play; — Ibuprofen (Advil, Symptoms of croup usually go away within three to five days. A mild cough may last a bit longer. In some cases, your doctor also may pre- scribe corticosteroid drugs. These will help reduce inflammation of the airway. It's very infrequent, but croup sometimes can cause severe breathing problems. If your son does catch croup, there are sev- eral red-flag signs to watch for. Is he having trouble breathing? When he takes in a deep breath, is it noisy? Are his lips or fingernails a blue hue? Has he developed a sud- denly increased fever (a possible sign that bacteria have infected lungs weak- ened by the virus)? Does he seem unusually pale? Is he listless? If you see any of these danger signs, call for emergency help immedi- ately, or take your son to an emergency room. Fortunately, croup almost always clears up after several days and leaves no lasting damage. On the unusual occasions when it becomes serious, rapid medical care nearly always turns around a potentially dangerous sit- uation. Dr. Komaroff is a physician and professor at Harvard Medical School. Go to his website to send questions and get additional information: www.AskDoctorK.com. Sustainability conference set for March 1-3 in Chico The This Way to Sus- tainability Conference VII is scheduled for March 1- 3, a change from its previ- ous fall schedule. Regis- tration is now closed, but on-site registration will be available for the dozens of workshops and demon- strations and the three renowned keynote speak- ers. The conference is pre- sented by the Institute for Sustainable Development and the Associated Stu- dents at California State University, Chico and many sponsors. It attracts about 1,400 participants from throughout the state and surrounding regions. A complete schedule of the conference and reg- istration information can be found at http://www.csuchico.edu/ sustainablefuture/confer- The North State's premier supplier of stoves STOVE JUNCTION The Over 25 years of experience COMPLETE AUTO REPAIR All makes and models. We perform dealer recommened 30K, 60K, 90K SERVICES AT LOWER PRICES Tues-Sat 9am-5pm • Closed Sun & Mon FIREPLACE PRODUCTS 22825 Antelope Blvd., Red Bluff 530-528-2221 • Fax 530-528-2229 www.thestovejunction.com K W I K K U T S Family Hair Salon $200 REGULAR HAIRCUT off with coupon Not good with other offers 1064 South Main St., Red Bluff • 529-3540 Reg. $13.95 Expires 2/29/12 Smog Check starting at $ (most cars and pick-ups) 2595 + cert. Pass or FREE retest 527-9841 • 195 S. Main St. James W. Tysinger, Jr. M.D. Eye Physician & Surgeon Fellow American Academy of Ophthalmology We accept Medical, Medicare & most Insurances Office Hours: Tues-Wed-Thurs 8am-4:30pm Mon & Fri 1pm-4:30pm For Emergencies, After Hours, Week-ends, Call 530-567-5001 345 Hickory St. Red Bluff Tel: (530) 529-4733 Fax: (530) 529-1114 ence/. The three keynote speakers are Wallace "J." Nichols, a marine biolo- gist who is a research associate at the California Academy of Sciences; Laura Stew, who is the corporate chef for Pescadero Foods, Inc.; and Peter G. Joseph, M.D., who was recruited by former Vice President Al Gore to help educate people about the conse- quences of global warm- ing on health. Wallace J. Nichols, Ph.D.—Thursday, March 1, 4 p.m., BMU Auditori- um In addition to being a research associate at Cali- fornia Academy of Sci- ences, Nichols is the founder/co-director of Ocean Revolution, an international network of young ocean advocates. He is a catalyst for LiVE- BLUE, an initiative with a Web site where people can go to learn about unknown ecosystems and how they can help them survive. He earned his M.E.M. in environmental policy and economics from Duke University's Nicholas School and his Ph.D. in wildlife ecology and evo- lutionary biology from the University of Arizona. Laura Stec—Friday, March 2, 1:45 p.m., BMU Auditorium Stec is the corporate chef for Pescadero Foods, Inc. and their local-food brands Wattle & Comb® and Zoupka®. She is also culinary health educator for Kaiser Permanente; former chef for LifeLong, Newly Remodeled! RIDGEWAY PARK RECREATION HALL & GYMNASIUM Available for events, meetings & team practices Tehama County Parks for reservation information Reasonable rates Call An alcohol-free facility 528-1111 Inc., and Kaiser farmer's markets; and former con- sulting chef at The Inter- national Culinary School at the Art Institute of Cal- ifornia. In 1988, Stec founded EcoEaters, one of the first food and environ- ment programs in the U.S. Her book, "Cool Cui- sine—Taking the Bite Out of Global Warming," is co-authored with atmos- pheric scientist Eugene Cordero (Gibbs Smith, 2008). She will be signing copies of her book after her presentation. Peter G. Joseph, M.D.—Friday, March 2, 1:45 p.m., BMU, Audito- rium Dr. Joseph is an emer- gency physician at Eden Medical Center in Castro Valley trained by former Vice President Al Gore's Climate Reality Project to help educate the public about the devastating impacts of global warm- ing. He will review the lat- est scientific data and dis- cuss both the technical and political aspects of humanity's greatest chal- lenge. For more information, call Teri Randolph or San- dra Hall the Institute for Sustainable Development at 898-3334 or visit http://www.csuchico.edu/ sustainablefuture/confer- ence/.