If you read

me regularly you know I have offered a great many

stress-busting tips and relaxation techniques over the

years.

And, if you know me, you

know why I'm always looking for new ones.

Am I wired? Sometimes, but

not often. Mostly I just overextend. Could be that

"oldest kid" syndrome, along with a few other

quirks I've picked up over the past 50 years. But I won't

bore you today with how I got to be me. What I want to

share is one of the neatest stress busters I've ever

discovered.

Note: I do not recommend

this on a regular basis. In fact, whatever health

benefits you gain from the awesome experience of doing it

probably will be neutralized by what you are actually

doing. But don't let that little tidbit keep you from

enjoying what I am about to suggest.

Ready?

If you don't have an ice

cream freezer, you are going to have to buy or borrow one

for this treat of treats. And don't forget the ice cream

salt. Table salt just doesn't cut it.

Ingredients for the ice

cream (not the stress-busting technique - that's coming

later): - four eggs (I use fresh ones straight from my

chicken pen) - one and one-half cups sugar - one

tablespoon flour - Jello instant pudding (3.9 oz -

chocolate) - one can Eagle Brand milk - one can

evaporated milk - four mashed bananas - Lactose free milk

- one teaspoon vanilla.

Combine sugar, flour and

condensed milk in saucepan over medium heat. Mix well

with electric mixer. Add pudding and mix, mix, mix. Don't

walk away. Keep stirred while heating for approximately

eight to ten minutes. Add well-beaten eggs. Stir, stir,

stir for another couple of minutes. Remove from heat. Add

Eagle Brand milk and mix well. Add vanilla and mix. Stir

in mashed bananas and continue mixing well with electric

mixer. Pour into four-quart ice cream freezer. Finish

filling to marker with lactose-free milk and stir well.

Place in freezer for one to two hours to chill. Remove

from freezer and get started turning the crank (the best

way) or plug in your ice cream freezer if it's electric.

NOW... Share what you must

with family or guests. The secret to really successful

stress busting is to have at least one-third of a gallon

left. Put that back in the freezer.

Go about your business.

Care for your family, friends. Tie up any loose ends that

the day is still dangling in front of you. Get your bath

and go to bed if you are sleepy. The ice cream will hold.

Timing has to be right. It'll be fine in the freezer for

a week or so. Rest in the knowledge that it's there.

Waiting.

What we need at this point

is an extremely exhausting day. Real fatigue. The kind

you can't shake. The kind that crawls in bed with you at

night daring you to close your eyes, reminding you with

every breath of all you did not get done during the day,

and all that's waiting on you as soon as the sun rises.

NOW! Go find the largest,

fluffiest towel you own and go to the freezer. Take out

that metal container with your name on it. Remove the

top. Wrap the canister in the towel. Retrieve the largest

spoon in the kitchen - literally the biggest one you

can find that you can slide into the container. Go back

to bed. Be sure your pillows are just right. Curl up

cross-legged with the frozen treasure cradled in your

arms and dig in.

You have to trust me here

- until you try it for yourself, that is - it

is impossible to think about anything else while

indulging this elegantly. No deadlines. No chores. No

relationship issues. Nothing can enter this time if you

focus on the phenomenal experience I have prescribed

here.

Wiggle every frozen

smidgeon around on your tongue well. Taste the chocolate

as you have never tasted chocolate. Search for a minute

hunk of banana. Let yourself totally experience the

pleasure of every bite. When you are finished, set the

towel wrapped container on the floor by the bed. Lie

back. Cuddle deep and go to sleep with full knowledge

that God loves you even more than you have just loved

yourself.

Sweet dreams...