I was today-years-old when I discovered the 5-minute stay-in-your-car oil change didn't literally mean 5 minutes.
It was a busy day. Over coffee and my GPS map, I planned my route and my stops to the minute. I put on fancy but comfortable clothes to give me a good attitude. Made me feel like I meant business.
So when the 5 minute oil change in fact took nearly 55 minutes, I was bummed. (There were two cars in front of me so should have taken 15 minutes, I'll admit that.)
The stay in your car, stay in your car, stay in your car (!!) signs all over the place kept me in, but I'll tell you I desperately wanted to get out in my serious clothes and clip clop my heels over to give them a good reprimand and let them know I mean business today.
Instead, I took a deep breath. Crossed a few things off my to do list and rerouted my map.
What a refreshing feeling to Let It Go. To not get all upset and huffy puffy. What a way to live, to just go with the flow and cooperate with whatever crosses your path. And even to give a smile to the guy who messed up your plans, who lied to you with the 5-minute promise.
Big smile, "Hi Mr. Liar-Liar-Pants-On-Fire, you can't ruin my day, you are powerless! Have a wonderful day you nasty, wasty skunk."
I shifted gears, slid my shades down and winked at him. B-bye!
I think I'll make it my New Year's resolution to just have a good day. Every day.
I've a growing concern about the health damages we incur from increased cell phone and WiFi use, the carcinogenic factors from the RF and EMF radiation. More and more studies are coming in and proving this to be true. Environmental Toxins Information
In this past week's Thriving Child Summit, Dr. Libby Darnell, DC gave us some practical tips for reducing our health risks from. EMFs. I'm going to summarize them below for you. Following that, you can see a video from 2014 wherein Dr. Devra Davis, author of Disconnected, presented the scientific data supporting this claim about wireless radiation. Worst Wireless Products
Baby Monitors. There isn't a safe one on the market. If you really must have one, try to have just audio and not visual which has a stronger signal and keep it as far away from your baby as possible.
Computers. Try to have them wired, not WiFi. If not wired, say on a laptop or chromebook, etc, don't use it when it's plugged in, that makes it worse. When plugged in, you're using a worse type of current. Your cell phone is worse when it's plugged in as well. Using a laptop is safer than using a desktop because desktops have to be plugged in. Using a laptop with WiFi turned off is even better. If you have to use a desktop, there are filters you can buy to clean dirty electricity. Use two filters per desktop.
WiFi. The ideal situation is to have everything wired and skip the WiFi. If you must have WiFi, go to Home Depot or Lowe's and get an outlet timer. Plug your power cord for your WiFi into that timer and set it to be off at night when you're not using it. Give your family a span where it's not transmitting. Also, have the router as far as away as possible, especially away from your kids.
Cell Phones: As much as possible, keep your cell phone in airplane mode with the WiFi turned off, especially for your children. Why do they need a cell phone anyway? The radiation penetrates their brains much deeper, much worse than adult brains. If your kids are playing games on the cell phone, you can have it in airplane mode with the WiFi turned off. Always use head sets, never use Blue Tooth. There are actually warnings deep in your phone's settings about not using your headset. Laws are being drawn up to ensure cell phones must be sold with headsets.
Keep your cell phones away from your body as much as possible. Keep it near a window so every time it looks for a signal, it is not pinging your body. Studies are proving that cell phones stored in a woman's bra have directly led to breast cancer. Studies are proving that cell phones in men's pockets are leading to infertility.
Teenagers seem to be especially difficult to convince to take this issue seriously. As a parent, do what it takes to protect their health. Dr. Libby's advice? Bribery actually works. Monitor their phones. Each time you find it in airplane mode with the WiFi off, you reward them.
If you are pregnant and need to use your cell phone a lot, there is a uterine cover you can purchase
Electric Meters. Most electric companies now use Smart Meters to monitor your electricity usage. These smart meters transfer information a set amount of times and each time it is responding, it is dangerous to your health.
Look at your electric meter.If you have 5 clock looking things, you’re ok, it's still analog.If there’s a number, digital number, you need
to take action. If you have a digital meter, call the electric company.Find out how often that signal is transmitted,
and is it transmitted through space or through wire?Then you can purchase a material, similar to tin foil, to put around the meter, wrap it, look for videos on how to do it
– don’t want to focus it to your neighbors, either, encase the whole thing.Some companies come out and do it.You, legally, aren’t supposed to touch the
meter.
Also, you could call and see if you can opt out,
swap your digital meter for analog, which might require a small fee.I recommend paying the fee to have someone
come out and read it.
Where is that meter located?Do you have a child sleeping next to that wall?Move them away right now.Same thing with major electronics.Fuse boxes and main energy sources, get
kids away from them, a WiFi router – get it away from blasting yourself.Fridges give out a lot of dirty electricity as well.
Light Bulbs. Light bulbs have become an issue for dirty electricity now as well. Just use the old fashioned ones, they are a lot safer. LED Bulbs.
Microwaves. Just don't use them. If you must use one, stand as far away from it as possible while it is in action.
Here are some tips for cleaning yourself from your exposure to EMF and RF radiation. First, test your house and buy filters. Then, take an Epsom bath daily or several times a week. Spend a few minutes each day with your bare feet in the dirt. Spend a few minutes each day simply standing on tin foil. Yes, this works, all that excess energy flows out into the foil. Do it at night while brushing your teeth.
Should you use those expensive grounding mats or grounding sheets?If you're in the US, England or Australia – don’t do it.If you do it, you’ll be bringing IN that
dirty electricity.You’re plugging in a
very expensive fabric covered tin foil.You plug it in, then you’re bringing that electricity into it and then
you lay on it.That dirty electricity
goes through it.If you stand on it NOT
plugged in, it works.But it works just
like tin foil!Just buy tin foil. Check your symptoms of radio wave sickness here.
Once you are protecting your children at home, what should you do about school or the dance studio or wherever they spend a lot of time? Find out where their WiFi routers are located and make sure your child is not near them. Then offer to buy filters for the classroom. Talk to the principal or school superintendent. Arm yourself with research from Stetzer Electric. Once they are aware of this, they may offer to test the rooms for dirty electricity and put filters as needed. Some people get shielding clothing for their children, but this is usually difficult for the children. France has already outlawed dirty electricity and more places are outlawing WiFi in public schools.
The following research is from 2014. I'm sure there is updated information elsewhere, but this can get you started. The labyrinth of YouTube is exhausting to me. Besides, I need to go get my feet in the dirt right now. Love you, mean it!
I have a really good tip for you, and by you I mean Uncle Doug.
If you currently have to write everything down so you don't forget it and you have millions of sticky notes all over your house, start using your phone's alarm clock as a sticky note.
I title my alarm with whatever I would have written on a sticky note. The advantages are numerous... I create no trash, I don't lose it, the alarm factor helps me get it done...
This really has been working great except I cannot have a long title on my alarm so I have to do a lot of abbreviating.
It's time now to start your DIY Valentine's Day projects and I've gathered some of my Internet favorites for you. Valentine's Day used to be my favorite holiday; hearts, my favorite shape. I used to make cards smothered in Victorian lace, glittered hearts and gooey love cliche's. But this year, I'll let you do the work.
My #1 Favorite Valentine's Gift Idea for 2014: Cookie Dough......
I've recently been concerned about the everyday products I ingest through the air or through my skin everyday such as makeup, lotions, hair products, air fresheners, candles, etc. Things we don't usually think much about, but use repeatedly. Trying to buy smarter is challenging. It takes a chemist to interpret ingredients listed on a label. It takes a lobbyist or activist to interpret a company's environmental stance.
Not anymore! Try the GoodGuide App. This app has all the product information you want with the touch of a button.
I just downloaded the GoodGuide app and scanned my Crest Toothpaste.....
I made DIY laundry detergent this week, at a friend’s
request, and I’m not sure if I’ll ever do that again.
Happy Homemakers across the globe said this was a great homemade laundry detergent recipe and would save around $30/year.Sounds great until you do the math.That’s around $2.50/month.It’s
too much work and too messy for me to consider it worth saving $2.50 a
month.I’d rather give up one coffee
beverage per month and earn my savings that way.
However, if you’re doing it for other reasons, it might be
worth it.....
I'm dusting Mindy Kaling, again, and thinking, again, about all the stupid things I do for my husband and figured it's probably worth a blogpost.
First, I'm not sure how I feel about my husband tacking a magazine picture of a beautiful actress (Mindy Kaling) on the wall above his desk, but while I'm thinking about how I feel, I have to keep it dust-free. Y'know, to match the rest of the house office.
While I'm dusting, I'm thinking about all the junk we collect and keep. Forever. And the motive behind each object, which, really is for my therapist, not my blog.
Over a year ago, we began building a 600 square foot apartment in which to live for awhile. My motive to downsize was to be forced to get rid of all this junk. (see above photo) Due to hoarding unplanned issues, we put the apartment on hold for a bit and we continue to live surrounded by 4,000 square foot of junk.
In the meantime, I've become a serious student of Marcia Ramsland and her "Simplify Your Life" master plan (OrganizingPro.com) where her delicious and promising motto is
"Keep what is working, change what is frustrating."
Val asked me if I wanted to write a goodbye post. I thought that was a good idea, especially since I was partway through an experiment, of sorts.
Have you heard that you can grow your own green onions on your windowsill? I don't mean from seed or sets, though that is probably a better way to go than this plan.
I kept running into this supposedly great idea---on Pinterest, on the Food Network, on food blogs. Oops! Guess I blew the surprise ending when I used the word SUPPOSEDLY, huh?
I am very sad today to announce that guest post writer, Ruth Morse, a/k/a The Cheap Senior Citizen has retired from my blog.
Ruth has been writing Helpful Hints and Test Kitchen posts on this blog for a few years. We have enjoyed her posts, learned a lot and laughed a ton. Her humor will be greatly missed.
Thanks, Ruth, for sharing so much with us. We will miss you.
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The Cheap Senior Citizen is a Guest Writerwho shares helpful hints and results from her test kitchen.
Jim and I will celebrate our 47th wedding anniversary next week. Believe it or not, in all of that time, we have only owned two toasters. Both of them were 2-slicers.
Up until now, if Jim and I wanted two pieces of toast each, the only option was to make two pieces, set them aside, make the other two while the first two pieces got cold. Being the kind wife, I always gave Jim the hot slices and ate the cold ones myself. Are you feeling my pain?
No more! No more! Wait till you read this nifty idea I read online.
To be perfectly honest, the concept sounded perfectly dumb. I ran it through the MORSE TEST KITCHEN to prove it didn't work.
But!
Oddly enough, it works.
Get yourself four slices of bread. Put two of those slices right up against each other and into slot #1 of the toaster.
Obviously, you don't want your slices of bread to look like that!
I have one very short, very quick tip for those of you who use Windows when browsing the web. The rest of you can tune out, with your smug little attitudes. Don't know why people who hate Windows feel superior, but I have a relative who does and I'm sure he is not alone.
Got this little tidbit in one of those annoying email forwards. It claimed to be able to teach me ten things I didn't already know .
Well, news flash! I already did know a bunch of them, but I sure didn't know this one:
If you want to scroll down on a website, never bother using the mouse. Unless, as the expert on this forward stated, you are being paid by the hour. All the rest of you?
Just hit the SPACE BAR and the page will automatically scroll down about one page......
According to America's Test Kitchen, pepperoni dates back to ancient Rome as a convenient food for soldiers on the march. Much later, other Italians on the move--this time to the New World--brought pepperoni to New York City where it met up with pizza! Wonderful combination.
I learned from the ATK experts that pepperoni is made from cured and FERMENTED** pork with some beef and a lot of seasonings thrown in. Nothing like that garlicky goodness to cover the bleeccch of fermented meat.
Real pepperoni also contains a fair amount of fat. Don't believe me? Let's try some pre-warming.
"Warming up pepperoni in the microwave is commonly done before cooking it. This is because the pepperoni releases some of its fats, in the form of grease, as it heats up. Warming up pepperoni in the microwave also helps to crisp it up."
So, here we go.
Lay a few slices of pepperoni on a couple of sheets of paper towel.
Slide the paper towel on a microwave safe dish....
Here's
another idea from Pinterest. If you remember, in my last post I promised a second
idea for mason jars. Amazingly, I remembered for four weeks! This one is even
simpler than the last one.
You probably
buy table salt in a cardboard box with the metal flip lid. Me, too. It's
cheap in the grocery store. That same metal lid design has been around
since I was a kid. And that's a LONG time!
You know
what? Cheap as it is to buy salt in the grocery, it's even cheaper to get
it at a place that sells spices in bulk. However, it comes in a
plastic bag. There is no way to corral salt in a plastic bag, so you have
to transfer it into a different container.
Any old glass jar would probably
work, but I like the pour spout on the cardboard box, so this
little trick is perfect, combining the best of both worlds: cheapness and
convenience.
Cute, huh?
And so simple!
Obviously
you do need to have one of those cardboard salt containers to retrofit the
mason jar....
I spotted this little trick on Pinterest. Yes, sigh, I've spent some time on Pinterest. I have friends who are avid participants. I've seen things they have made from ideas they got there. I even got one as a gift and it's oh-so-clever and I love it.
So reluctantly I set up an account. However,I don't think I am really cut out for Pinterest. I bumble around in it and almost never seem to find what I really want.
But! In my stumbling, I ran across this idea that I honestly will use! Over and over!
Save the screw-on tops from yourparmesan cheesejars.
Guess what? These can be used on screw onmason jars!
I am so excited!
Look how cute that looks on the jar! This particular jar is...
I have two
rather brilliant ideas for you today. Brilliant may be a slight exaggeration,
but anything that makes my life EASIER and COSTS NOTHING has some level of
brilliance, no?
Take a look
at this picture:
Anything
stand out to you in this shot?
Tip #1:Store your every day coffee mug in the dishwasher.
Yup, that's my mug and it's
in the dishwasher all of the time except for when it is my hot chubby hand. This
has wonderful benefits: I never have to hunt for where I left it. Nobody else
EVER uses it, 'cause they think it is dirty even when it is not. I don't
have to make room for it in the cupboard. Neat idea, huh?
If only I
could convince Jim to store his in there, too.......
Many years
ago, I got an important cooking tip from my Aunt Esther. (pictured)
This is the
perfect time to share it with you!
Why?
Keep reading.
THE VERY
BEST WAY TO COOK LASAGNA NOODLES:
Put your dry
lasagna noodles in a pan. That part may sound easy, but not all pans will hold
a stiff lasagna noodle before it softens and bends. Make sure you find a
pan that does fit the noodle. I happen to have a rectangular pan that does the
trick nicely. Fill the pan with water, cover and put it on a burner
set to HI.
Hang around,
watching the pan until it boils. If you get distracted and turn around even for
2 seconds, that will be the time the pan will reach a full boil and boil over.
All over your stove top.
So
WATCH!
As soon
as the water reaches a full boil, turn the burner off. Set your timer
for 20 minutes. EXACTLY 20 MINUTES.
Good thing
we named our Test Kitchen "MORSE'S" instead of "RUTH'S" Jim saw this little
household hint on American Restoration, did the research, took the pictures for
this whole shebang.
He drew the
line at writing up his finding, though. There goes his
paycheck.
Guess what
common household food item can be used to clean copper?
I know, I
know--everyone says salt and lemon juice can clean copper, but I've tried that
routine with very little success. HOWEVER! This food product actually cleans
copper quite successfully!
