Healthymealexperts.com lists the 10 "worst" foods, the foods they say are most responsible for weight gain, extra fat, diabetes, heart failure and general unhealthiness (please don't say Oreos please don't say Oreos..). They are:

white bread

potato chips

ice cream

canned fruit

soda

fries

frozen pizza

cinnamon rolls

cheesecake

bacon cheeseburgers.

Okay, well so much for everying else I like!!!

Well, Lisa and I have now officially run out of excuses. My daughter has wanted a dog since she turned 3-days-old, and we've been using this as a bribe or threat for as long a we can remember. "You want a puppy, but you can't even keep your room clean?"

For a while there was an issue with two of our family members having, or believing they had dog-fur allergies. Test results: negative.

Then there were the "Let's wait until after our vacation/move/operation/trial/incarceration/parole" excuses.

So, now it's our "D" day. We're starting to keep our eyes open at various rescues and shelters. Our daughter must have a dog that is A, white, B. small, and C. fluffy. Especially fluffy. This is the key.

There's been a lot in the news lately about business owners complaining about online reviews. I'll tell you that as a former small-business owner (that's my frozen yogurt store above) I just hated those anonymous on-line reviews.

Some people gave us bad reviews because we didn't have the flavors they wanted! Somebody gave me a horrible review because I asked her daughter to please not shoplift! Another gave us a bad on-line review because she didn't like my facebook posts! Seriously! As a business owner, you're stuck with these things forever.

The system is deeply flawed. Anyone with an axe to grind, any competitor, any disgruntled former employee can go online and anonymously contribute to ruining your business. And some on-line review sites are accused of only publishing the "positive" reviews if you agree to advertise with them. I won't read them any more.

Before you read online reviews, please take it from me that people are much, much, much more likely to post a review if they're mad about something, than they are if they were satisfied. Go to the store and try it for yourself!

And thanks for supporting small, local businesses!