Grocery bills getting too high?  Is there a reason for that? What can we do about it?

Remember that little guru who ran around in shorts and a top inspecting peoples' shopping carts? Granted, he was looking for things that people should not have in their diet if they wanted to lose weight.  Strange thing was it sort of follows the same trend.

If you have ever sat and waited by the grocery store exit and took a good look at what is in peoples' shopping carts as they head back home again, you would understand what I mean. Their carts contain many items they later plan to eat or drink that cost them, both in money and calories.

How much of what you see in those carts is food that they really need to sustain them and how much will come under the category of "stuff?" That stuff fills their carts, drains the billfold and does nothing to improve their health. You know what I’m talking about...all those pop bottles, of sugar water, hanging on the side of their cart. And we can't forget the bags of chips, the sweet treats, the rolls and candy, and all those other items that come with a large cost, but really don't provide any value that sustains.

Many people today fill their shopping carts with the easy make items with processed ingredients that really don't provide much value for our bodies, and quickly drain their billfolds.

People need to go back to the basics, and start eating foods that sustain them so they are not tempted to eat the stuff that temporally fills them up but doesn't keep them going. Those basic foods also help sustain the billfold too, as they don't come with big costs.

Speaking of change...change is coming fast, so fast sometimes it is hard to keep up with it all. We can only try and retain the memories of things in the past that were valuable to keep in mind.

Would you like to go back to the way times once were? Sometimes yes. Life was simpler then. There wasn't all the hoopla that one had to go through to do things. Paper work, speculation. Some things are sensible. Sometimes you wonder if we put emphasis on the wrong things that are really not worth all the time and controversy that goes into it, some little things we tend to put a lot of mind and matter in that really aren't all that important while we let other things slide that really are important.

If life didn't contain some changes I don't suppose it would be very interesting. Change is the thing that brings about decisions, creativity, new advancements...and the list goes on and on. Decisions call for choice and without choices to make a person can't grow. The only trouble is most of the time it is the difficult changes, and the hard choices you face, that make you grow the most.

It is not easy to be happy and thankful sometimes when circumstances bring changes you might not like or need at the time. But later when you look back at those times you may realize those were the times you grew and matured the most.

Our beloved Clara White will be celebrating her 105th birthday on Sunday, the 26th of July. Think of all the changes she has experienced in her life. How did she do it? By being happy, interested and busy.The way she looks at life should be a lesson to all of us. Life has its ups and downs and how we handle them makes all the difference. To say I admire this great lady would be putting it mildly. Just thinking about her is enough to make a bad day for me a good one. She is my hero. Bless her with birthday cards and letters please. Let her know how much we love her.

Research proves that how we think is the biggest asset we possess. In placebo tests it has been proven that how we think and look at things makes more of a difference than any amount of pills we take.

Some of our Star Eagle readers have commented they like to read about events such as family and school reunions, birthdays and anniversaries, and birth and wedding announcements.  In order to read about these important things we need our faithful readers to pass along the information to us.  Also if you have an idea for a story that you think would be of interest to our readers, please contact me. 

If you have birthdays and anniversaries you would like include, or news to share please contact me via e-mail, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; by postal mail, P.O. Box 192, Geneva, MN 56035 or telephone, 507-256-4405.

This week’s birthdays and anniversaries include:

• Thursday, July 16th: Sue Stieglbauer, Hudson Mrotz, Kyle Ladlie, Jeff Helmers, Nancy Wilder, Kenny & Sarah Price, Dave & Deb Oeltjenbruns

• Friday, July 17th: Kaylee Christine Hanson, Merton Nelson, Ralph Diaz, Sandi Vangen, Victor Christenson, Larry Molenaar, Leslie Schwartz, Lisa & Bob Wayne, Kristine (Simon) & David Freitas

• Saturday, July 18th: Anika Christine McDonald, Nancy Anderson, Matthew DeShane, Katie Dobberstein, Michael Graif, Luke Rye, Roger & Betty Davies, Mark & Mandy Boehme

• Sunday, July 19th: Charlie Glenn Fuller, Cheryl Dunlap, Natasha Marie Peterson, Nicholas Pete Johnson, Carolyn Plunkett, Alyssa Mumm, Travis Jensen, Michael Beckman, Ryan Schmidt, Warren Farr, David Cooper, Angie & Michael Kath

• Monday, July 20th: Pam Muri, Paul Marcus, Wayne Sommers, Brad Eder, Richard Nelson, Cody McCartney, Howard Gallentine, Elvern & Jeanne Holland, Cory & Colette Bauers, Mark & Teri Ravenhorst

• Tuesday, July 21st: Olivia Carol and Lauren Elizabeth Marlin, 2014; Julie Langlie, Riley Marzloff, Violet Elise Aronson, Lindsay Smith, Marilyn Sullivan, Trudy Abel Holm, Marcia DeVriendt, Randy Anderson, Michele Granowski Domeier, Mike Collins, Nicholas Miller, Micki Heimer, Ed & Nancy Ver Hey, Katie & Paul Troe, Mike & Amy Glienke

• Wednesday, July 22nd: Warren Torgerson, Colleen Brekke, Jodie Hohansee Waalkens, Shari Crabtree, Jeff Olson, Joanie Ayers, Jesse Collins, Tyler Joshua Lair, Carl Anderson, Vicki & Kory Kress, Tara & Scott Peterson, Tara & Chad Cliff

• Thursday, July 23rd: Charlotte Joan Tuttle, Barb Kubat, Jackie Layland, Diane Broskoff, Jim Brown, Ron Kaiser, Kelly Pitcock, Carl Glienke Sr., Nathan & Michelle Jacobson, Brooke & Isaiah Lundberg, LuAnn & Keith Miller

• Friday, July 24th: Marilyn Goslee Jurrens, Robert Carter Edwards, Katie May, Joy Peterson, Pat Schulz, Jeff Thompson, Phillip Briggs, Denise & Richard Olson, Trisha & Casey Johnson, Greg & Shari Lassahn

• Saturday, July 25th: Sue Hill, Kari Janka Hareid, Stan Mork, Ivy Oland, Ann Falksen, Rick Hagen, Cole Pospesel, Kristine & Jesse Routh

• Sunday, July 26th: Jordyn Marie Wobschall, Kristine Broskoff Routh, Mark Bartness, Jane Osmundson, Amy Radke, Jean Smith, Scott & Cheryl Christensen and CLARA WHITE, her 105th BIRTHDAY. Wouldn't it be nice if we all could shower her with special greetings on her BIG DAY! Cards, letters and special greetings can be mailed to Clara at the Onalaska Care Center, at 625 Sandlake Road, Onalaska, Wisconsin, 54650.

Let your door open to every joy your special day can bring.