As much as I hate it, part of the 49andcounting life happens to be aches and pains! Darn it! I’ve got this little back thing going on…and knee thing, and wrist thing…I been told it’s called “arthritis”. I know, I know…that’s an old lady word…my grandma had arthritis…not me! Guess again. Darn back!
On one of my little shopping trips I picked up the sweetest little “Flannel Heating Buddy”. A soft flannel pillow, with little country stars on it (just like I would want), filled with beans. (or so I thought!) The directions says that you can put it in the microwave for up to 5 minutes for a heatpad, or the freezer for a coldpack. The whole concept seemed great to me, something I could stuff in the waistband of my pants while watching a good movie, and…relief!
So last night, My Big Boy and I were watching a movie when I decided it might be time to 
break out the Flannel Heating Buddy. Zipped that baby in the microwave for 3 minutes, took 3 Tylenol Arthritis. And then it hit me. “Honey, do you smell popcorn?” “I smell popcorn!” “This Heating Buddy smells like popcorn!” “Surely noone would put popcorn in a heatpad intended for the microwave?” We laughed at such a thought, and I positioned my Heating Buddy just right for the rest of the movie.
But, this morning…I just couldn’t stand it! Curiosity killed the cat. Out came the seam ripper and a few simple stitches (that i’m going to have to find my needle and thread to repair later). And you won’t believe it! It’s filled with corn! Maybe not popcorn, maybe it’s field corn. But in my books…corn, is corn. Darn lucky I only went 3 minutes instead of the full 5.
Here’s my question for you farm girls. If I put it in the microwave for the full 5 minutes will any corn pop? Or maybe will I get that burnt popcorn smell? Am I the only one that thinks beans would be the better choice? Or rice?
What a crack-up moment. And is just another reason that I can laugh my way through the tears of middle-age!
49andcounting 
Dear 49 and counting in PA,
You are so about 10 years ago. I can remember crafting these babies up and putting regular dried corn in them. They work great, but after much use, they start smelling like burnt corn. While that might spark up the love life for some, we found it awfully stinky. BUT, it was a great thing while it lasted. Can’t remember how long we cooked it for, but you can try googling it.
Love ya-48 and Forgetting How to Count in KS
Popcorn has a hard outer shell that causes pressure to build up inside when heated and then suddenly explode. You won’t have a cloth bag full of popcorn after heating yours, but it sure will smell like a bowl of freshly popped corn! But just a thought from you lil husker girl…..mice love feed corn! so beware you may end up having to sacrifice a lil aches an pains or have a new house pet!
LOVE ALWAYS….husker hanna