Beth Oquist

Sorry to hear you were throwing up in the midst of all the rest of the nastiness of pneumonia. It makes keeping suggested remedies down problematic. However, if you are able I would suggest garlic, garlic, and. . . did I say garlic? Years ago I was struggling with a compromised immune system from Epstein-Barre and frequently had colds that twice a year would go into bronchitis or pneumonia. One year I was away from home and could feel pneumonia beginning to set in from a cold. I told my host I needed to go home because my remedies (goldenseal at the time) were at home and I needed to shut down the progression before I ended up on regular antibiotics. She felt I needed to stay. Then I discovered someone had minced a gallon size freezer bag of fresh garlic and given it to her. I also had some powdered vitamin C that I began taking in high doses. I consumed 1 tablespoon of garlic about five times a day for the next couple days, took two grams of vitamin C (buffered or it would have eaten a hole in my stomach!) a day, soaked in a bath as hot as I could stand it, used a combination herbal oil rub on my chest and back (not sure what was in it, though it smelled like a combo of peppermint, eucalyptus, pine, rosemary, oregano, lavender and who knows what else!) and put some on a cloth to breathe into throughout the night.

The final touch. . . my host prayed for me. Within two days the virus was gone along with all symptoms of the pneumonia trying to set in.

I've heard garlic referred to as "the poor man's antibiotic" and it was commonly used in Russia.

Another word about garlic. . . Several years ago I planned several backpacking trips with my younger son and, once again, began having symptoms of Epstein-Barre. (Mostly fevers that would come and go.) I was determined to do the trips anyway as I didn't know how much longer he'd be around to hike with. I began consuming a lot of garlic once again until everything that came out of me smelled like it. I wanted to use it as a natural mosquito control as the little blood suckers generally love me. By the time we left for our trip a week and a half later the fevers had disappeared and never came back. I figured it must have been the garlic and that it must be an antiviral as well as antibacterial.

Yes, Glen Herbert, you got it right. It's not so much portable we are after, but moveable once or twice. Thanks for the tips. I'll check it out!

O.k., so I'm not much of a techie. However, I CAN follow good instructions. Loved the vids on the moveable RMH done in the wooden box. I've been reading the threads, looking at books, purchased and watched the DVD set, and am a bit overwhelmed at this point. I know there are detailed plans for RMH that aren't portable, but I live in a rented home and when I go, it will need to go. I don't care if it means taking it apart to do so, it just needs to go!

Talked with my hubby about it and he said we could probably put one in the attached garage. However, he's no more a techie than I when it comes to RMH so he needs detailed plans as well. Do you happen to have any detailed plans for a total newbie available for barter or purchase? Thanks!

Hey, Paul, I appreciate your wonderfully analytical mind that presents a topic logically so much better than my intuitive one would. I glean much from your presentations. AND I appreciate your attitude about learning good things instead of being mad at bad people. So much more productive.

I want to comment about the "sexism" idea. I used to work as a farm hand on a CSA (when I had a younger, less cranky body.) Out of the five farm hands, I was the only female. Isn't it possible some things really are gender biased for one reason or another? Or perhaps women are "quieter", as was mentioned, about sharing permaculture, but are doing it all the same. Personally, I would rather share it with a group of friends, working on our own permaculture projects together and promoting a quiet grass roots movement. It's unlikely you would ever see me among the permaculture "who's who" and I'm fine with that. I wonder what the percentage of other women interested in permaculture are "fine" as well.

I suggest you ignore the sexism accusations as being untrue and move on. Seems to me it's a low and underhanded blow to try and derail you, perhaps by those who are insecure in their own positions.

Frankly, I think you rock! I enjoy your honesty, commitment to the truth (as well as you know it), humility, and desire to make the world a better place.