There. I said it. I think it would be so much fun to buy an older home with sturdy bones that was looking unloved and abandoned and whip it into shape. Renovations can be a pain, I know that. It would be still fun, however, to take something from a run-down status to a thriving space. The only problem? I have this thing called a job. And student loan debt. And I haven't won the lottery yet. But when I do ...
... that whole renovation thing is going to happen.
DIY is awesome.
Turning an old door into a coffee table? Yes, please.
Turning an old dresser into a bench with storage? You betcha!
Making a wood block lamp? Bring it on.
Using old windows as photo frames? Easy!
Turning an old shutter into a bill organize or mail holder? Totally cool.
Using mason jars as hanging lights? Awesome.
And we don't even need to mention the fire pit I've already discussed.
There's something fulfilling about being creative and making something new out of something old. Re-purposing is a better way to say it, I guess.
But you don't re-purpose a house. You RENOVATE. And I would love to do that.
Busting out walls? Fun!
Laying new floors? Exciting!
Shopping for colors and appliances and furnishings? Delightful!
Gutting bathrooms? Cool!
Re-doing a kitchen? Exhilarating!
Demolishing gross cabinets? Awesome!
We're not renovating our house currently, nor do we have plans to buy a home and renovate it any time soon, but one of these days I've GOT to do a renovation. Even if it's only to say I did it, I want to do a renovation.
If you're doing a renovation invite me over, okay? Maybe if I kick in your walls I won't feel the need to do it in a home I own. Deal?
Showing posts with label Good Ideas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Good Ideas. Show all posts
Thursday, August 13, 2015
Monday, June 29, 2015
Lawn Mowers
Let's talk lawn mowers. We currently have a Craftsman riding mower. It does the job and works well. We've had some issues with it (blades needed sharpening, a tire problem, etc.), but it's not very old and still in good shape. But I don't like that mower. It's big, but still feels cramped when you ride it. The turning radius is terrible. The bag and catcher have never worked correctly. It has ... problems.
Something like one of these is what I would *love* to have instead:
The first one with the steering wheel would be ideal. I would worry about trying to work the other one. It might be a little too ... complicated for me? How do you work those bars? Left down to go left, right down to go right? Plus, what would happen if it tipped or something? It feels like you'd be more trapped with that one, but maybe not.
What I do like is the container for your feet. It looks very solid. The engine is also in the back, so no more hot legs (that are already scorching hot because of the 100 degree days we've had). The thing I don't get is where the bag goes. Or does it not have bags available? We really need a new bag and catcher on our Craftsman, but they cost a good chunk of money. If these mulched, etc., it might be worth it to invest in a machine like this than trying to find the exact bag and catcher that will work with what we currently have.
Our current tractor has a 42" deck, so it would be nice to have something wider, but still compact. These "dream machines" are both 42" as well, but it's their design that does it for me. Guess I'd better start saving my pennies and hope the Craftsman doesn't give out too soon. Until then, I'll try to be grateful that we even have a mower, especially since the grass is shriveling up under all this heat. We might not even need a mower when this summer gets over!
Something like one of these is what I would *love* to have instead:
The first one with the steering wheel would be ideal. I would worry about trying to work the other one. It might be a little too ... complicated for me? How do you work those bars? Left down to go left, right down to go right? Plus, what would happen if it tipped or something? It feels like you'd be more trapped with that one, but maybe not.
What I do like is the container for your feet. It looks very solid. The engine is also in the back, so no more hot legs (that are already scorching hot because of the 100 degree days we've had). The thing I don't get is where the bag goes. Or does it not have bags available? We really need a new bag and catcher on our Craftsman, but they cost a good chunk of money. If these mulched, etc., it might be worth it to invest in a machine like this than trying to find the exact bag and catcher that will work with what we currently have.
Our current tractor has a 42" deck, so it would be nice to have something wider, but still compact. These "dream machines" are both 42" as well, but it's their design that does it for me. Guess I'd better start saving my pennies and hope the Craftsman doesn't give out too soon. Until then, I'll try to be grateful that we even have a mower, especially since the grass is shriveling up under all this heat. We might not even need a mower when this summer gets over!
Saturday, June 27, 2015
Fire Pit Station
We've had a fire pit for years now. I originally bought one that was medium-sized, and it served us well. But then I found a great deal on a large fire pit, so I bought it and gave the other one to my brother. I like the fact that the fire pit is mobile and can be dragged to wherever we want to use it. It's come in handy to use it in the front yard during the summer when the back yard is a sweltering 2,506 degrees. We sit in the shade of the front yard with a fire burning and enjoy the fire pit, even in the thick summer heat.
As part of my home improvement "wants", I'd really love to have a fire pit station in our backyard. We can still use the mobile pit for fires out front, but in the Spring and Fall a fire pit station in the backyard would be really nice. Mom is in agreement, but things like this take time, money, and effort. Mostly money.
I've been pricing pavers through Lowe's and Home Depot. It seems they have some at a pretty reasonable price. We don't need anything fancy. They have some red-ish pavers that would complement or maybe even match the bricks of our house. We do have some landscape curbing, so even some of the gray cement looking pavers would work well. It would take some cutting, however, since the section of yard we would use has some curves. The idea is to build a stationary fire pit that is easy to access and clean year-round and also adds some variety to the yard.
The following are some images that spark my imagination about possibilities, and they make me excited to get started on a project like this that's useful and adds value to our yard. (All images were found by Googling "diy fire pit".)
I like this one because it leaves the grass as-is and is still off the ground enough that little kids can't fall in. (They can climb in, yes, but it's also got a big enough lip that parents would likely catch them before they got too far.)
For now, I'll keep dreaming about my fire pit station. At least Mom is on board with it, so when we do finally decide what we want and get the measurements and supplies, it will be gung-ho with the project. I can't wait! If/when we ever get it done, I'll have to take pictures to show what we finally decided to do. Sounds like a good summer project, right?
As part of my home improvement "wants", I'd really love to have a fire pit station in our backyard. We can still use the mobile pit for fires out front, but in the Spring and Fall a fire pit station in the backyard would be really nice. Mom is in agreement, but things like this take time, money, and effort. Mostly money.
I've been pricing pavers through Lowe's and Home Depot. It seems they have some at a pretty reasonable price. We don't need anything fancy. They have some red-ish pavers that would complement or maybe even match the bricks of our house. We do have some landscape curbing, so even some of the gray cement looking pavers would work well. It would take some cutting, however, since the section of yard we would use has some curves. The idea is to build a stationary fire pit that is easy to access and clean year-round and also adds some variety to the yard.
The following are some images that spark my imagination about possibilities, and they make me excited to get started on a project like this that's useful and adds value to our yard. (All images were found by Googling "diy fire pit".)
I like this one because it leaves the grass as-is and is still off the ground enough that little kids can't fall in. (They can climb in, yes, but it's also got a big enough lip that parents would likely catch them before they got too far.)
I like the looks of this one because it's square. So many are round (our mobile one is round), so this gives a little different detail to the yard. Plus, since we would put it in a somewhat circular space, it would be interesting to have the different shapes together for more angles and interest. I also like the height and the idea of having grill options for the top. There's nothing like a burger cooked over a hot fire!
This is kind of a cool idea because it would put the mobile fire pit to use and still allow it to be mobile if we wanted to move it to the front yard. These are a similar shape/texture to the pavers I've seen on Lowe's and Home Depot's websites.
This is more what I imagine doing. Although, the area where we would like to have a station is not nearly this large. (That is one HUGE pit!) But I like how the pavers are put down and spaced out to give the fire air. I also like the idea of being able to size it however we want. The mobile fire pit is large, but we could go a little larger on a permanent one for the backyard.
This is a more simplified version of a pit station. Again, it would leave the grass intact, and I like the larger rectangular pavers. They are cheaper, too, plus they look pretty neat offset like this. I'd definitely want to create a couple or three more "layers" of the pavers to keep it off the ground. I think it would look similar to the station above, but uses the rectangular pavers instead of the naturally curved ones, which might be easier. The reason I say easier is because the curved pavers kind of have to match up in order to look decent. These rectangular ones wouldn't need an exact line up to look good.
For now, I'll keep dreaming about my fire pit station. At least Mom is on board with it, so when we do finally decide what we want and get the measurements and supplies, it will be gung-ho with the project. I can't wait! If/when we ever get it done, I'll have to take pictures to show what we finally decided to do. Sounds like a good summer project, right?
Friday, June 26, 2015
Recipe: Bowtie Caprese Toss
I found this recipe online through Good Housekeeping, and it looks SO good. We really enjoy eating bruschetta with the toasted bread, fresh mozzarella cheese and basil, and drizzled with a little olive oil and salt and pepper. It's a tasty and fresh summer time dinner/treat/appetizer/snack that takes only a little time and doesn't heat the house up to boiling.
Since we've already had some 100 degree weather (and since we're in for a LOT more in the coming week), I thought this was a good way to enjoy caprese served cold. I haven't made it yet, but when I do I'll probably make some adjustments (because that's how I roll). It might end up being our go-to pasta salad. I mean, look at these ingredients. YUM, right?
Bowtie Caprese Toss
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 ounces mini bowtie pasta (farfalle)
1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion
2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 Tablespoons water
1 clove garlic
6 ounces fresh mozzarella
1 green onion
1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves (Since I'm not a huge fan of parsley, I think I would omit this ingredient and put basil in its place.)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
In large bowl, combine tomatoes and salt; set aside. Heat covered 3-quart saucepan of salted water to boiling on high. Add bowtie pasta and cook as label directs. Drain pasta and transfer to bowl with tomatoes, stirring until well combined. Cool completely.
Meanwhile, in 10-inch non-stick skillet, heat olive oil on medium for one minute, then add onion. Cook one minute or until onion begins to soften; add balsamic vinegar and water, stirring to coat. Cover and cook 5 to 7 minutes or until onion is soft and almost all liquid has evaporated, stirring occasionally.
Uncover and add garlic. Cook 2 to 3 minutes or until garlic is lightly browned. Cool completely. Add onion mixture to pasta and tomatoes, along with mozzarella, green onion, parsley, and black pepper.
Doesn't that sound delish?! I can't wait to try it and hope to find time to make it soon.
I'd also like to add that Costco is so very good and so very bad for me. Costco has an amazing selection of cheese. They have fresh mozzarella that's already pre-sliced (works perfectly on that bruschetta!), and it would be so easy to dice up for this pasta salad. I was at Costco last night and noticed they have a selection of the cherry tomatoes as well. I should have bought some, but didn't. Another reason (excuse!) to go back, I guess. Maybe that will give me time to stand in the cheese aisle and dream up recipes for each of the cheese flavors. And yes, that is a true source of entertainment for me.
Since we've already had some 100 degree weather (and since we're in for a LOT more in the coming week), I thought this was a good way to enjoy caprese served cold. I haven't made it yet, but when I do I'll probably make some adjustments (because that's how I roll). It might end up being our go-to pasta salad. I mean, look at these ingredients. YUM, right?
Bowtie Caprese Toss
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 ounces mini bowtie pasta (farfalle)
1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion
2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 Tablespoons water
1 clove garlic
6 ounces fresh mozzarella
1 green onion
1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves (Since I'm not a huge fan of parsley, I think I would omit this ingredient and put basil in its place.)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
In large bowl, combine tomatoes and salt; set aside. Heat covered 3-quart saucepan of salted water to boiling on high. Add bowtie pasta and cook as label directs. Drain pasta and transfer to bowl with tomatoes, stirring until well combined. Cool completely.
Meanwhile, in 10-inch non-stick skillet, heat olive oil on medium for one minute, then add onion. Cook one minute or until onion begins to soften; add balsamic vinegar and water, stirring to coat. Cover and cook 5 to 7 minutes or until onion is soft and almost all liquid has evaporated, stirring occasionally.
Uncover and add garlic. Cook 2 to 3 minutes or until garlic is lightly browned. Cool completely. Add onion mixture to pasta and tomatoes, along with mozzarella, green onion, parsley, and black pepper.
Doesn't that sound delish?! I can't wait to try it and hope to find time to make it soon.
I'd also like to add that Costco is so very good and so very bad for me. Costco has an amazing selection of cheese. They have fresh mozzarella that's already pre-sliced (works perfectly on that bruschetta!), and it would be so easy to dice up for this pasta salad. I was at Costco last night and noticed they have a selection of the cherry tomatoes as well. I should have bought some, but didn't. Another reason (excuse!) to go back, I guess. Maybe that will give me time to stand in the cheese aisle and dream up recipes for each of the cheese flavors. And yes, that is a true source of entertainment for me.
Monday, May 18, 2015
What I'd Do if I Won the Lottery
This is a post that will probably change a million times before it's final final. The reason for that is not because I keep thinking of other ways to spend the money, but because I'm torn over what I would give away and how much and when and ... gah! It stresses me out, and the money isn't even real! Imagine if the money were real. I'd be a wreck.
But there are some things I would like to do if I won the lottery. In no particular order, here they are (another list!):
Donate to Humanitarian Aid and other welfare-based charities
Retire early (I'd do this after a few years so I'd know how the money had "settled")
Design and build a house - a one level house that would be easy to get around in old age (the plans are already in my head, just need the cash to do it)
Buy property (like, 25 acres)
Adopt or buy more dogs
Spend a lot of time researching a successful way to build/run/manage a homeless shelter
Do Family History
Travel (in order to do Family History, of course)
Learn how to make my own cheese, yogurt, etc.
Grow a HUGE garden
Maybe even make a community garden (fun, right?)
Take all sorts of college courses on whatever topics I wanted
Make a gazillion quilts
Have a library in my house
Have an outdoor kitchen
Make sure each of my siblings had a home that was paid off and a vehicle (or two) that was paid off
Pay for a funeral plan and buy a cemetery plot
Make an iron-clad will
Volunteer at schools to help kids learn to read and write
Tutor for free
Make my own bread
Cook and cook and cook and bake and cook and bake and bake
Buy ATVs so I could ride with Mom
Learn photography and buy a very nice camera
Have an indoor gym and an outdoor tennis/basketball court
Make pajama pants for every family every year for Christmas
Write, write, write, write, write
Maybe even write a book
Buy an iMac so I can write a book
Projects, projects, projects - I could project every day
Do a lot of reading and studying
Visit the temples around the world
Build a cabin and property in the mountains so we have a family time share
Have a paved walking/running trail around my property
Have a built-in fire pit station
Plant a lot of trees
Grow fruit!
Eat better - a lot better because of all the cooking and baking
Regularly make homemade ice cream
Make my own pasta - with my Kitchenaid Mixer and all its handy tools and attachments
Join or create clubs (book club, sewing club, quilting club, etc.)
Make my own curtains
Take a few classes in interior decoration/design
Start a scholarship fund in memory/honor of my mom and dad
Get healthy and stay healthy
Exercise every day (lots of dogs = lots of walking)
Have a projector and a white screen so we can watch movies outside
Take the family to Disney World - all expenses paid by me
Have a totally awesome two year supply of food, water, and whatever else
Find a place to put a barn (because I like them)
Build a pergola
Share my garden crops with family and neighbors
Maybe learn to ride a horse (the thought actually scares me as much as I'd love to do it)
Pay off the homes (or buy homes for) a few of my very close friends
Live debt free (after the government sucked me dry paying off student loans, of course)
Make my own weed killer and perfect it (dang dandelions!)
Learn how to knit and crochet (but I don't know how much coordination it would take or if I have enough of it to manage)
Build up the town library with books, magazines, etc.
Start my own newspaper or magazine
Learn how to make pottery
Paint ceramics
Be organized (oh please let me win the lottery just for this one!)
Make a play house out of an Airstream trailer
Install a playground (a big one) on my property for the neighbor kids
Stay busy with civic stuff and be involved in the community
Maybe teach some music courses (big maybe - not sure if I'd enjoy this or not)
Spend every minute I possibly could with Mom
Have enough money, time, and strength to take care of Mom in her "old age", or provide the means for someone highly qualified to do it
That's a long list, I know. Basically, I just want to do good and have the time to do good. I'd retire, yes, but I'd live a VERY full life and not just sit around being dull or boring. A lot of good comes from donating, so I definitely want to do that, but I think more good comes from actually doing. I want to get out there and do good. Learning is also important, so that would be at the top of my list. Never stop learning.
The thing about winning the lottery is that you could let it all go to your head, blow all that money on cars or gambling or whatever, and never accomplish good in the world around you. That's what happens to a lot of people. There's even a well-known curse on lottery winners that most of them end up going bankrupt. For me, I want to have nice things (as in secure things, e.g. a nice home), but I'd like to spend my time learning, growing, and doing.
Think how much a community garden could benefit a neighborhood, especially if some of those neighbors were really struggling to eat (much less eat well) and what that good food would do for them and their families. The idea would be that I pay for what is planted and provide the property to grow it, but each family that wants to participate has their own little "plot" to care for. If they let it become overgrown with weeds they lose their portion. If they care for it and love it and encourage its growth, they reap the rewards when it's time to harvest. It's an "earn your keep" mentality, but also provides a way for the earning to be there for some people. It's just a cool idea I've been mulling over for years.
Same thing with the homes and vehicles for my siblings. I would want them to always have a place that they owned outright. And, of course, I'd want them to have a vehicle that was new and capable of getting where they needed when they needed to get there. I would want reliability for them, not just for me.
I realize much of these would take a lot of money to accomplish, but many of them would require mostly just time and effort. If I won the lottery and retired, I'd definitely have the time to put in the effort to make them happen. And a lot of lives could be blessed from that time and those efforts. How many people can afford to volunteer at a school? Not many, but it would be so much fun! Those kids would be able to teach you so much. What you could teach them would be invaluable as well. It's a win-win. And I'd love to do that kind of thing.
Wishful thinking, right? You can't win unless you play, right? All true, but it's fun to imagine what I could or would do! All good things, I hope. For now, I'll keep dreaming.
But there are some things I would like to do if I won the lottery. In no particular order, here they are (another list!):
Donate to Humanitarian Aid and other welfare-based charities
Retire early (I'd do this after a few years so I'd know how the money had "settled")
Design and build a house - a one level house that would be easy to get around in old age (the plans are already in my head, just need the cash to do it)
Buy property (like, 25 acres)
Adopt or buy more dogs
Spend a lot of time researching a successful way to build/run/manage a homeless shelter
Do Family History
Travel (in order to do Family History, of course)
Learn how to make my own cheese, yogurt, etc.
Grow a HUGE garden
Maybe even make a community garden (fun, right?)
Take all sorts of college courses on whatever topics I wanted
Make a gazillion quilts
Have a library in my house
Have an outdoor kitchen
Make sure each of my siblings had a home that was paid off and a vehicle (or two) that was paid off
Pay for a funeral plan and buy a cemetery plot
Make an iron-clad will
Volunteer at schools to help kids learn to read and write
Tutor for free
Make my own bread
Cook and cook and cook and bake and cook and bake and bake
Buy ATVs so I could ride with Mom
Learn photography and buy a very nice camera
Have an indoor gym and an outdoor tennis/basketball court
Make pajama pants for every family every year for Christmas
Write, write, write, write, write
Maybe even write a book
Buy an iMac so I can write a book
Projects, projects, projects - I could project every day
Do a lot of reading and studying
Visit the temples around the world
Build a cabin and property in the mountains so we have a family time share
Have a paved walking/running trail around my property
Have a built-in fire pit station
Plant a lot of trees
Grow fruit!
Eat better - a lot better because of all the cooking and baking
Regularly make homemade ice cream
Make my own pasta - with my Kitchenaid Mixer and all its handy tools and attachments
Join or create clubs (book club, sewing club, quilting club, etc.)
Make my own curtains
Take a few classes in interior decoration/design
Start a scholarship fund in memory/honor of my mom and dad
Get healthy and stay healthy
Exercise every day (lots of dogs = lots of walking)
Have a projector and a white screen so we can watch movies outside
Take the family to Disney World - all expenses paid by me
Have a totally awesome two year supply of food, water, and whatever else
Find a place to put a barn (because I like them)
Build a pergola
Share my garden crops with family and neighbors
Maybe learn to ride a horse (the thought actually scares me as much as I'd love to do it)
Pay off the homes (or buy homes for) a few of my very close friends
Live debt free (after the government sucked me dry paying off student loans, of course)
Make my own weed killer and perfect it (dang dandelions!)
Learn how to knit and crochet (but I don't know how much coordination it would take or if I have enough of it to manage)
Build up the town library with books, magazines, etc.
Start my own newspaper or magazine
Learn how to make pottery
Paint ceramics
Be organized (oh please let me win the lottery just for this one!)
Make a play house out of an Airstream trailer
Install a playground (a big one) on my property for the neighbor kids
Stay busy with civic stuff and be involved in the community
Maybe teach some music courses (big maybe - not sure if I'd enjoy this or not)
Spend every minute I possibly could with Mom
Have enough money, time, and strength to take care of Mom in her "old age", or provide the means for someone highly qualified to do it
That's a long list, I know. Basically, I just want to do good and have the time to do good. I'd retire, yes, but I'd live a VERY full life and not just sit around being dull or boring. A lot of good comes from donating, so I definitely want to do that, but I think more good comes from actually doing. I want to get out there and do good. Learning is also important, so that would be at the top of my list. Never stop learning.
The thing about winning the lottery is that you could let it all go to your head, blow all that money on cars or gambling or whatever, and never accomplish good in the world around you. That's what happens to a lot of people. There's even a well-known curse on lottery winners that most of them end up going bankrupt. For me, I want to have nice things (as in secure things, e.g. a nice home), but I'd like to spend my time learning, growing, and doing.
Think how much a community garden could benefit a neighborhood, especially if some of those neighbors were really struggling to eat (much less eat well) and what that good food would do for them and their families. The idea would be that I pay for what is planted and provide the property to grow it, but each family that wants to participate has their own little "plot" to care for. If they let it become overgrown with weeds they lose their portion. If they care for it and love it and encourage its growth, they reap the rewards when it's time to harvest. It's an "earn your keep" mentality, but also provides a way for the earning to be there for some people. It's just a cool idea I've been mulling over for years.
Same thing with the homes and vehicles for my siblings. I would want them to always have a place that they owned outright. And, of course, I'd want them to have a vehicle that was new and capable of getting where they needed when they needed to get there. I would want reliability for them, not just for me.
I realize much of these would take a lot of money to accomplish, but many of them would require mostly just time and effort. If I won the lottery and retired, I'd definitely have the time to put in the effort to make them happen. And a lot of lives could be blessed from that time and those efforts. How many people can afford to volunteer at a school? Not many, but it would be so much fun! Those kids would be able to teach you so much. What you could teach them would be invaluable as well. It's a win-win. And I'd love to do that kind of thing.
Wishful thinking, right? You can't win unless you play, right? All true, but it's fun to imagine what I could or would do! All good things, I hope. For now, I'll keep dreaming.
Saturday, May 9, 2015
Strange Life Hacks
You know how some people come up with amazing and useful ideas for products that are already out there for another use and you wonder, "Why didn't I think of using it for that?" It happens to me all the time. Items I use every day have the potential to be life changing if I'd just stop and think about how else to use them. It dawned on me last night that I've come up with a few of my own that might be helpful for others, so I thought I'd jot them down and share them here.
This stuff
is not just for what the bottle indicates. Honestly, I don't have problems with what most people use this for, but I have had another problem it has completely eradicated from my life (as long as I'm consistent about its use). In the summer (mostly) I tend to get heat rashes. Whether it's in my armpits, under my breasts, in creases of skin, etc. - doesn't matter. (TMI? Sorry!) This beats those heat rashes into submission. Just make sure you've washed yourself well and dried off the affected area. Shake your bottle of MoM up, and apply it to the rash. It doesn't take much - just enough to cover the problem area. Voila! Let it dry, get dressed, go about your bizness. Overuse of water tends to dry out my skin, so I usually shower every other day and apply it when I get out. It does the job for 48 hours (it has for me, anyway), and I don't have to deal with the stupid heat rashes that itch and hurt and bother and annoy. It's been a lifesaver for me. No more misery! And it lasts a lot longer than hydrocortisone cream, which only masks the symptoms anyway.
This stuff
is not just for dandruff, people. Dandruff is not an issue for me, but I do tend to have a rather sensitive head when using certain shampoos and hair products. (It just plain itches!) Head and Shoulders was my go-to once a week ritual to get rid of the build up of products in my hair and level out the ph so my head didn't itch.
But then, I developed a problem with a stinky belly button. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get it (or keep it) dry enough to keep the stench away. It wasn't obvious to other people (at least nobody said anything ...), but it was terribly bothersome to me. I did some research online (the internet knows everything, right?) and found out that it's something about the zinc in this product that can prevent a lot of things if you use it as a body wash. For several weeks, I tried it, and lo! It works! I just use it on my loofah like a regular body wash. I actually buy both the 2-in-1 and the regular (without conditioner). The 2-in-1 I use on my hair and as body wash. It really helps keep my skin from drying out and itching. Plus, you can get it in other scents (the apple is kind of fun, especially as a body wash). The regular kind, without conditioner, I use on my face, and it has helped reduce face acne. Weird, right? Totally a life hack that has solved annoying problems.
Two other things that work great together are Q-tips and rubbing alcohol. Do you ever get swimmer's ear? Did you know that putting rubbing alcohol on the end of a Q-tip and placing it gently in your ear canal creates a "vacuum" effect on the water and sucks it out? I tilt my head to whichever side I'm cleaning out, and it works like a charm. Since it worked on my ears, I thought it would probably work for the wet belly button issue as well. The alcohol would suck the water out and dry it up - and I was right! After washing with Head and Shoulders, just dry out the belly button as good as possible, use some alcohol on a Q-tip, and then use the dry end of the Q-tip to dry out whatever fluid is left. It's legit, cheap, and totally works.
Mom and I have both been battling warts on our fingers. Well, hers is on her index finger, and mine is on my thumb. Hers is worse than mine, and she's had hers for ages. She even went to the dermatologist (three times?) because it was growing from under her fingernail, and they shot her finger full of stuff to "kill" the wart, but it still hasn't worked. What it did give her was a lot of pain and money out of her pocket. One day, I found this:
We've both been using it, and I think it's pretty much killed my wart dead (or it's on the way to death anyway). Mom's seems to be taking longer, but hers was also bigger than mine. We keep putting it on regularly (until it hurts too bad and the skin has peeled off) and I think it's been a relief to know we're at least helping the problem. And all of it is done without extra fees to visit a dermatologist.
When we use the wart stick, we use these bandages:
These are amazing! They let no water in, which basically lets the wart stick suffocate the wart. Brilliant! They're my go-to bandage for almost every owie. And I like that they come in the variety of sizes because sometimes you have a small cut and don't want to wear a HUGE bandage so that it's obvious. Plus, since they're clear, the only part you see is the bandage itself, and it's more of a flesh color which makes it not so obvious.
Lest you think that's all these bandages are good for, allow me to share a life hack. Several weeks ago I was having a really bad bout of insomnia. And I mean really bad. There was one night I only slept for an hour. That's ONE hour. I had to call in to work the next day and take a sick day because I was too afraid to drive the 60 miles to work for fear I'd kill myself or someone else. It was bad. And I couldn't figure out how the problem started because I've always been a pretty good sleeper. I like sleep! Sleep likes me!
Finally, one night I was lying in bed and just as I dozed off I woke up again. I realized it was because of a light that flickered on the air freshener in my room. I immediately got up and moved the air freshener to another part of the room, and it helped. I slept okay that night. But I've noticed since then that if I'm turned toward the air freshener at all and see the light (or my closed eyes detect it) it wakes me up. It doesn't matter how soundly I'm asleep, if it's detected by my eyes it wakes me. Rude!
We've moved a lot of stuff around at our house recently, so I had no idea where the electrical tape was (another life hack that dimmed the little lights on my white noise fan), and I was desperate to find another solution that would help. As I was showering one night, it dawned on me that I could use a small Nexcare bandage over the light and probably prevent it from bothering me, and it also meant I didn't have to dig through unmarked boxes to find the electrical tape. So I tried it. And it worked! I couldn't believe I hadn't thought of it sooner, but those bandages are MUCH more than bandages. They are sleep savers! Bless you Nexcare.
The laundry hack I rely on most is this:
This has literally saved too many of my clothes to count. Did you get grease on you? Treat it with this, let it sit for a few days, wash it. Problem solved. Did you get something oily (peanut butter) on you? Same thing. Did you spill curry sauce? Treat it with Dawn and let it sit for a couple of days. Then, treat it with a little liquid laundry detergent and let it sit for a few days. Wash it. The color is gone and so is the grease. Problem solved! It's rare that I go a laundry day without using Dawn to help me out. And it gets out grease stains that have been washed and dried, too. You have to let it sit a little longer and be sure to scrub it in with an old toothbrush or something, but it does work. It also doesn't add any more bubbly to your laundry water, which means you don't have to use an extra rinse because you've used it. Just wash it like normal and you're good to go. This one is a clothing saver.
I'll have to recognize and document more of the life hacks I use and share them. Maybe they're helpful, maybe they're not. I just figure if they worked for me maybe they'll work for someone else. And if it's any help, I've used the generic in some of these items (except for the Q-tips, wart stick, Nexcare bandages, and Dawn). The MoM, Head and Shoulders, and rubbing alcohol don't have to be any name brand as long as they're comparable to the original. The Walmart or other pharmacy brands work just as well. Plus, buying them in generic is cheaper, and using shampoo instead of body wash is cheaper, too.
I love it when a product invented to do a certain thing ends up doing more than that. I bet there are millions of things we could find to do with products that already exist and we don't even know it yet. Kudos to inventors of products that end up being multi-use and multi-purpose. You were inspired!
This stuff
is not just for what the bottle indicates. Honestly, I don't have problems with what most people use this for, but I have had another problem it has completely eradicated from my life (as long as I'm consistent about its use). In the summer (mostly) I tend to get heat rashes. Whether it's in my armpits, under my breasts, in creases of skin, etc. - doesn't matter. (TMI? Sorry!) This beats those heat rashes into submission. Just make sure you've washed yourself well and dried off the affected area. Shake your bottle of MoM up, and apply it to the rash. It doesn't take much - just enough to cover the problem area. Voila! Let it dry, get dressed, go about your bizness. Overuse of water tends to dry out my skin, so I usually shower every other day and apply it when I get out. It does the job for 48 hours (it has for me, anyway), and I don't have to deal with the stupid heat rashes that itch and hurt and bother and annoy. It's been a lifesaver for me. No more misery! And it lasts a lot longer than hydrocortisone cream, which only masks the symptoms anyway.
This stuff
is not just for dandruff, people. Dandruff is not an issue for me, but I do tend to have a rather sensitive head when using certain shampoos and hair products. (It just plain itches!) Head and Shoulders was my go-to once a week ritual to get rid of the build up of products in my hair and level out the ph so my head didn't itch.
But then, I developed a problem with a stinky belly button. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get it (or keep it) dry enough to keep the stench away. It wasn't obvious to other people (at least nobody said anything ...), but it was terribly bothersome to me. I did some research online (the internet knows everything, right?) and found out that it's something about the zinc in this product that can prevent a lot of things if you use it as a body wash. For several weeks, I tried it, and lo! It works! I just use it on my loofah like a regular body wash. I actually buy both the 2-in-1 and the regular (without conditioner). The 2-in-1 I use on my hair and as body wash. It really helps keep my skin from drying out and itching. Plus, you can get it in other scents (the apple is kind of fun, especially as a body wash). The regular kind, without conditioner, I use on my face, and it has helped reduce face acne. Weird, right? Totally a life hack that has solved annoying problems.
Two other things that work great together are Q-tips and rubbing alcohol. Do you ever get swimmer's ear? Did you know that putting rubbing alcohol on the end of a Q-tip and placing it gently in your ear canal creates a "vacuum" effect on the water and sucks it out? I tilt my head to whichever side I'm cleaning out, and it works like a charm. Since it worked on my ears, I thought it would probably work for the wet belly button issue as well. The alcohol would suck the water out and dry it up - and I was right! After washing with Head and Shoulders, just dry out the belly button as good as possible, use some alcohol on a Q-tip, and then use the dry end of the Q-tip to dry out whatever fluid is left. It's legit, cheap, and totally works.
Mom and I have both been battling warts on our fingers. Well, hers is on her index finger, and mine is on my thumb. Hers is worse than mine, and she's had hers for ages. She even went to the dermatologist (three times?) because it was growing from under her fingernail, and they shot her finger full of stuff to "kill" the wart, but it still hasn't worked. What it did give her was a lot of pain and money out of her pocket. One day, I found this:
We've both been using it, and I think it's pretty much killed my wart dead (or it's on the way to death anyway). Mom's seems to be taking longer, but hers was also bigger than mine. We keep putting it on regularly (until it hurts too bad and the skin has peeled off) and I think it's been a relief to know we're at least helping the problem. And all of it is done without extra fees to visit a dermatologist.
When we use the wart stick, we use these bandages:
These are amazing! They let no water in, which basically lets the wart stick suffocate the wart. Brilliant! They're my go-to bandage for almost every owie. And I like that they come in the variety of sizes because sometimes you have a small cut and don't want to wear a HUGE bandage so that it's obvious. Plus, since they're clear, the only part you see is the bandage itself, and it's more of a flesh color which makes it not so obvious.
Lest you think that's all these bandages are good for, allow me to share a life hack. Several weeks ago I was having a really bad bout of insomnia. And I mean really bad. There was one night I only slept for an hour. That's ONE hour. I had to call in to work the next day and take a sick day because I was too afraid to drive the 60 miles to work for fear I'd kill myself or someone else. It was bad. And I couldn't figure out how the problem started because I've always been a pretty good sleeper. I like sleep! Sleep likes me!
Finally, one night I was lying in bed and just as I dozed off I woke up again. I realized it was because of a light that flickered on the air freshener in my room. I immediately got up and moved the air freshener to another part of the room, and it helped. I slept okay that night. But I've noticed since then that if I'm turned toward the air freshener at all and see the light (or my closed eyes detect it) it wakes me up. It doesn't matter how soundly I'm asleep, if it's detected by my eyes it wakes me. Rude!
We've moved a lot of stuff around at our house recently, so I had no idea where the electrical tape was (another life hack that dimmed the little lights on my white noise fan), and I was desperate to find another solution that would help. As I was showering one night, it dawned on me that I could use a small Nexcare bandage over the light and probably prevent it from bothering me, and it also meant I didn't have to dig through unmarked boxes to find the electrical tape. So I tried it. And it worked! I couldn't believe I hadn't thought of it sooner, but those bandages are MUCH more than bandages. They are sleep savers! Bless you Nexcare.
The laundry hack I rely on most is this:
This has literally saved too many of my clothes to count. Did you get grease on you? Treat it with this, let it sit for a few days, wash it. Problem solved. Did you get something oily (peanut butter) on you? Same thing. Did you spill curry sauce? Treat it with Dawn and let it sit for a couple of days. Then, treat it with a little liquid laundry detergent and let it sit for a few days. Wash it. The color is gone and so is the grease. Problem solved! It's rare that I go a laundry day without using Dawn to help me out. And it gets out grease stains that have been washed and dried, too. You have to let it sit a little longer and be sure to scrub it in with an old toothbrush or something, but it does work. It also doesn't add any more bubbly to your laundry water, which means you don't have to use an extra rinse because you've used it. Just wash it like normal and you're good to go. This one is a clothing saver.
I'll have to recognize and document more of the life hacks I use and share them. Maybe they're helpful, maybe they're not. I just figure if they worked for me maybe they'll work for someone else. And if it's any help, I've used the generic in some of these items (except for the Q-tips, wart stick, Nexcare bandages, and Dawn). The MoM, Head and Shoulders, and rubbing alcohol don't have to be any name brand as long as they're comparable to the original. The Walmart or other pharmacy brands work just as well. Plus, buying them in generic is cheaper, and using shampoo instead of body wash is cheaper, too.
I love it when a product invented to do a certain thing ends up doing more than that. I bet there are millions of things we could find to do with products that already exist and we don't even know it yet. Kudos to inventors of products that end up being multi-use and multi-purpose. You were inspired!
Thursday, April 9, 2015
Things I should blog about (another list ...)
Those who know me know I am a people-watcher. I'm an observer. Good friends know that we can be in the middle of conversing and lunching while I'm gathering tons of information about the people around us. All of that happens while carefully listening to every word my friends are saying. Today, I happened to be at a very busy place for lunch. It's Spring Break around these parts, so a lot of kids are out of school and parents are away from work. There was a plethora of information gathering going on at lunch today! So. much. to. observe!
On my return walk to work, I thought, "There are literally hundreds of things I could blog about simply from what I saw while at lunch today." That thought was quickly followed by, "Oh! I should blog about this and this and that and this." It occurred to me that there's not enough time in the world to blog about everything I'd like to blog about, so the idea came that I should make a list (I love lists!) of things I could blog about. That way, if/when I ever have writer's block and need a topic there will be an entire list waiting for me. Smart idea, no? Meh, I'm doing it anyway.
Things I'd like to blog about:
I'm sure there will be more to add at some point, but these will be a good starting point if I ever need a topic to write about. It's funny to me that one lunch hour could produce so much thought. Think what I could come up with if I had more sleep and didn't have a full-time job! I'd take the interwebs by storm with all the stuff I could write/talk about. As long as I don't have to actually talk to people about it. (See: "being an introvert" above.) It's probably a good thing the only people that read my blog are family. Except sometimes they don't even "get" me.
On my return walk to work, I thought, "There are literally hundreds of things I could blog about simply from what I saw while at lunch today." That thought was quickly followed by, "Oh! I should blog about this and this and that and this." It occurred to me that there's not enough time in the world to blog about everything I'd like to blog about, so the idea came that I should make a list (I love lists!) of things I could blog about. That way, if/when I ever have writer's block and need a topic there will be an entire list waiting for me. Smart idea, no? Meh, I'm doing it anyway.
Things I'd like to blog about:
- Prejudices (EVERY PERSON in the human race is prejudice)
- Children (and sometimes their lack of parental supervision)
- RECIPES!!! (because I'm a pretty good cook and sometimes make up my own stuff)
- Feelings of inadequacy (we all have 'em)
- Word usage (their/they're/there, your/you're - incorrect usage kills me! *update - done!)
- More word usage (I drank, but I have drunk - seriously, lots of people don't get it)
- Things that annoy me (this is actually one I almost posted this week because I was annoyed about something, which doesn't take much)
- Grandma and Grandpa Koyle
- Grandma and Grandpa Miller
- Broken bones and stitches (*update - done!)
- Summers as a kid
- Big wheels and diarrhea (believe me - this one is a must read) (*update - done!)
- Dog bites
- A homemade green dress and the jealousy that ensued (*update - done!)
- I can't make Jell-O (but boy, can I cook/bake!)
- Living in Mexico
- Places I've visited (spoiler: least favorite place was Paris, France)
- Places I want to go (this would have to be another list complete with the reasons why I want to go to those places) (*update - done!)
- Music
- The 24th of July
- Why I suddenly had a hate-hate relationship with winter after loving it forever
- Friends (in all their varieties)
- Anything sentimental (because I'm a sap)
- Christmas memories and Christmas stories (maybe I'll even share some I've written?)
- Funny things from elementary school
- A fly in my Mexican food (*update - done!)
- Dad's rain stick (or is it Mom's rain stick?)
- I'm a dreamer
- Favorite movies
- The guy who calls me Jackie (*update - done!)
- Grounded from recess by Miss Jordan
- Cousin (and principal) Beckstrom's sneezes
- Childhood friends
- Ice caves and igloos
- Golfing up a sidewalk hill
- Trampoline bouncing (and some involvement of power lines)
- Crushes
- Patriarchal blessing (I don't know that I'll ever write this one; it's a little personal)
- Learning to sew (and realizing I kind of enjoy it)
- What I'd do if I won the lottery
- The dog that followed me to school (*update - done!)
- Why technology is great and why it's ruining us as a society
- Most memorable birthdays
- Dad's death
- Margarine
- Choking on bacon (*update - done!)
- Weight can be genetic (I don't care what anyone else says/thinks about that issue)
- Reading The Book of Mormon in Spanish (yes, I actually did it)
- The Mormon Miracle Pageant in Manti, long hair, and ... gum
- Girl's camp (this one will bring back nightmares for me) (*update - done!)
- Why I'm a realist, not a pessimist (Mom's probably laughing at that one)
- Rationalizations (about anything and probably everything)
- Things that speak to my heart/soul
- Being an introvert
- Mowing the lawn and *shudder* snakes
- Keeping the peace
- Family BBQs and volleyball (we're hip like that)
I'm sure there will be more to add at some point, but these will be a good starting point if I ever need a topic to write about. It's funny to me that one lunch hour could produce so much thought. Think what I could come up with if I had more sleep and didn't have a full-time job! I'd take the interwebs by storm with all the stuff I could write/talk about. As long as I don't have to actually talk to people about it. (See: "being an introvert" above.) It's probably a good thing the only people that read my blog are family. Except sometimes they don't even "get" me.
Tuesday, March 24, 2015
The one in which I product rave and long for the good ol' days
When I was in high school I was blessed enough to not suffer from much acne. A few pimples here and there was about as bad as it got. I never really thought much of it because it wasn't an issue for me. In my late 20s and early 30s and after major surgery, however, I started to have these weird break outs. It's like my hormones decided to finally show up and give me a run for my money. It wasn't terrible, but it was enough to annoy me and make me feel a little self-conscious about my looks.
A little while ago we realized Le Dog (aka The Bear) had an ear infection that was yeast based. I did a ton of research trying to figure out how to "cure" his infection naturally because we'd already had him to the vet three times, each with a round of treatment and/or steroids, and nothing was touching this infection. Over $400 later and the thing was still raging. He was miserable, and Mom and I thought we'd lose our minds listening to him scratch, dig, and cry over his ear.
In my research, I came upon a couple of really great products that we've been using (along with a 50/50 vinegar/water wash) that have helped tremendously. For the first time in a long time, I think his ear is actually getting better instead of worse. He's even scratching and digging at it less. It hasn't changed his smartie pants way of trying to get out of treatment though (hiding under my bed, hiding under Mom's bed, pretending he doesn't hear us when we call him ...), but at least he's feeling more dog-like instead of monster-like.
We clean out his ear with a washcloth and the vinegar/water mix, rubbing gently to get the debris out that we can actually see. Then, we use this amazing stuff:
Holy cow, it is incredible! We've only been using it once a day (taking the healing process slowly in hopes of actually getting rid of this thing) instead of twice a day, but it's mind boggling to see how well his ear is doing over a couple of weeks of treatment versus struggling through antibiotics, ointments, blah, blah. And not even close to the same cost as what we got from the vet.
After we flush his ear out with the Eco Ears, we use this stuff:
I told Mom what I'd found out about Witch Hazel and she said, "Yeah, it used to be that every house had some Witch Hazel in it. Everyone used the stuff. It was a must-have in every home in the good ol' days." Well, seriously, why have I never heard of its uses before now?!?! Jeesh. We just wet down a cotton ball and soothe Bear's ear with it as the last part of his treatment, and it has worked wonders in keeping his skin free of scaly patches and redness and itchiness. Totally worth every penny I spent on it, and I'm not sure now that I can ever live without it again.
But let's go back to the beginning of this here post. My acne. What does that have to do with the dog's ear infection you ask? I will enlighten you. Witch Hazel is a natural skin toner. Yeppers, I just wash my face with normal soap (SoftSoap, actually, because it's convenient and really gets the grease and grime out) and then use some of this same product (different bottle - don't worry, I'm not one of those weird humans that shares everything with her four-legged human friends) on a cotton ball and slather it on my face. I let it air dry, hit the sack, and voila! My skin is like new in the morning. The few pimples I did have quickly dry up. It keeps my skin moisturized without being greasy, and the rose petal gives it a nice smell without being too flowery or Witch Hazel-y. Plus, my skin is way soft, and if a pimple does happen to come along it is very small and goes away very quickly. I think it's even helped with the crow's feet along my eyes (they weren't really bad, but *I* noticed them). I can't believe the difference in how my skin feels, and I'm completely amazed by what it has done for Bear's ear. Who knew?
Raving about a product is not something I generally do. If I like something and it comes up in conversation with someone, and I find it might be helpful if they know about it, I'll mention it and go about my merry way. THIS is a whole different story. I would legitimately tell everyone I knew about Witch Hazel (and Eco Ears!) if I weren't such an introvert that hated small talk. If you're reading this blog post, you're in the know now. You can't say I didn't tell you.
What I would like to know is why we don't have more things like this in our homes from the good ol' days. What else am I missing that could completely change my life? We still believe religiously that J.R. Watkins Petro Carbo Salve can cure literally everything. Watkins also has a lip balm (raspberry flavor) that keeps my lips from drying and cracking. Burt's Bees has a lip balm, too, that cures what ails you. It's their new coconut and pear moisturizing balm. Between the two, my lips never crack anymore. It's because the products have REAL ingredients in them that you can actually pronounce. Now, I'm not going on an "it must be natural to do any good and I'll never go back to anything that is not completely natural or organic" rant, but I truly believe after using these products that they had it better in some ways during the good ol' days. I say we bring back the real stuff and throw out the rest. Witch Hazel is sticking around our house for good, even after my acne decides it's gone for good. That stuff could probably cure the common cold and flu for all I know. It should be in all of our emergency supply kits just because.
In the meantime, it's still going on my face every night (and sometimes every morning because I can). And I think Bear would give two thumbs up if he actually had opposable thumbs because his ear is getting better even if he hides every time we say, "Let's go to bed." Somehow that's code for, "Let's clean your ear out." Who knew?
A little while ago we realized Le Dog (aka The Bear) had an ear infection that was yeast based. I did a ton of research trying to figure out how to "cure" his infection naturally because we'd already had him to the vet three times, each with a round of treatment and/or steroids, and nothing was touching this infection. Over $400 later and the thing was still raging. He was miserable, and Mom and I thought we'd lose our minds listening to him scratch, dig, and cry over his ear.
In my research, I came upon a couple of really great products that we've been using (along with a 50/50 vinegar/water wash) that have helped tremendously. For the first time in a long time, I think his ear is actually getting better instead of worse. He's even scratching and digging at it less. It hasn't changed his smartie pants way of trying to get out of treatment though (hiding under my bed, hiding under Mom's bed, pretending he doesn't hear us when we call him ...), but at least he's feeling more dog-like instead of monster-like.
We clean out his ear with a washcloth and the vinegar/water mix, rubbing gently to get the debris out that we can actually see. Then, we use this amazing stuff:
Holy cow, it is incredible! We've only been using it once a day (taking the healing process slowly in hopes of actually getting rid of this thing) instead of twice a day, but it's mind boggling to see how well his ear is doing over a couple of weeks of treatment versus struggling through antibiotics, ointments, blah, blah. And not even close to the same cost as what we got from the vet.
After we flush his ear out with the Eco Ears, we use this stuff:
I told Mom what I'd found out about Witch Hazel and she said, "Yeah, it used to be that every house had some Witch Hazel in it. Everyone used the stuff. It was a must-have in every home in the good ol' days." Well, seriously, why have I never heard of its uses before now?!?! Jeesh. We just wet down a cotton ball and soothe Bear's ear with it as the last part of his treatment, and it has worked wonders in keeping his skin free of scaly patches and redness and itchiness. Totally worth every penny I spent on it, and I'm not sure now that I can ever live without it again.
But let's go back to the beginning of this here post. My acne. What does that have to do with the dog's ear infection you ask? I will enlighten you. Witch Hazel is a natural skin toner. Yeppers, I just wash my face with normal soap (SoftSoap, actually, because it's convenient and really gets the grease and grime out) and then use some of this same product (different bottle - don't worry, I'm not one of those weird humans that shares everything with her four-legged human friends) on a cotton ball and slather it on my face. I let it air dry, hit the sack, and voila! My skin is like new in the morning. The few pimples I did have quickly dry up. It keeps my skin moisturized without being greasy, and the rose petal gives it a nice smell without being too flowery or Witch Hazel-y. Plus, my skin is way soft, and if a pimple does happen to come along it is very small and goes away very quickly. I think it's even helped with the crow's feet along my eyes (they weren't really bad, but *I* noticed them). I can't believe the difference in how my skin feels, and I'm completely amazed by what it has done for Bear's ear. Who knew?
Raving about a product is not something I generally do. If I like something and it comes up in conversation with someone, and I find it might be helpful if they know about it, I'll mention it and go about my merry way. THIS is a whole different story. I would legitimately tell everyone I knew about Witch Hazel (and Eco Ears!) if I weren't such an introvert that hated small talk. If you're reading this blog post, you're in the know now. You can't say I didn't tell you.
What I would like to know is why we don't have more things like this in our homes from the good ol' days. What else am I missing that could completely change my life? We still believe religiously that J.R. Watkins Petro Carbo Salve can cure literally everything. Watkins also has a lip balm (raspberry flavor) that keeps my lips from drying and cracking. Burt's Bees has a lip balm, too, that cures what ails you. It's their new coconut and pear moisturizing balm. Between the two, my lips never crack anymore. It's because the products have REAL ingredients in them that you can actually pronounce. Now, I'm not going on an "it must be natural to do any good and I'll never go back to anything that is not completely natural or organic" rant, but I truly believe after using these products that they had it better in some ways during the good ol' days. I say we bring back the real stuff and throw out the rest. Witch Hazel is sticking around our house for good, even after my acne decides it's gone for good. That stuff could probably cure the common cold and flu for all I know. It should be in all of our emergency supply kits just because.
In the meantime, it's still going on my face every night (and sometimes every morning because I can). And I think Bear would give two thumbs up if he actually had opposable thumbs because his ear is getting better even if he hides every time we say, "Let's go to bed." Somehow that's code for, "Let's clean your ear out." Who knew?
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