Cleaning up in 2013

Make your own laundry soap.

Ingredients:

1 bar Fels Naptha soap, or any (sold by the mops in most stores)

1 cup Borax powder (sold in the soap aisle)

1 cup washing soda (sold in the soap aisle and is by arm and hammer)

1/2 cup oxyclean. (I use the generic stuff from the dollar store)

Grate your bar of soap. You can you use the grater blade on your food processor. Add all the ingredients to a large bowl. Mix well. 

To use:

Use 2 heaping tablespoons per full load. Add it at the beginning before the clothes so that it has time to dissolve. This will not suds up. But your clothes will be very clean and fresh.

Store in a container with a lid.

If you find that your clothes still look dingy, it could be because you have hard water. Try adding a little salt (a couple of tablespoons) to help soften your water.

Enjoy.

Obamanomics

 So Why are we footing the bill for this one?

Malia Obama.

Photograph by: Archive photo , Getty Images

OAXACA, Mexico - The elder daughter of U.S. President Barack Obama is spending her spring break in the historic Mexican city of Oaxaca in the company of 12 friends, a state police official said.
The young tourists, including 13-year-old Malia Ann Obama, are staying at a downtown hotel in this city famous for its colonial architecture and well-preserved native American traditions, the official said.
"We are here to block access to the hotel by other people and escort the vehicles that are carrying the visitors to tourism sites," the police official told AFP under the condition of anonymity.
Malia Obama and her friend are guarded by 25 U.S. Secret Service agents as well as Mexican police, the official noted.
The group, which arrived in Oaxaca Saturday, has already visited the architectural zone of Mitla and the tree of El Tule believed to have one thousand years.
The sightseeing plan also includes visits to Monte Alban known for its archeological research sites and Oaxaca’s famous artisan quarters.

Double Rainbows

I've had a couple of very trying and tiring months. I wouldn't wish them on my worst enemy.

However, I am blessed!! Do I have worries? Sure I do. But, I am choosing to trust in my faith; For through Christ everything is possible.

So, we are going back to the philosophy of using it up or doing it without.

I'm toying with the idea of a no spend November. I need to run it past my wonderful husband and kids, but I think it is possible.

Christmas will be home made items or re-purposed items. I'm an avid couponer so I will try to get some items for free or nearly free. 

I'm back and hope to be more productive on my blog. Sorry about the hiatus, but we all need one once in a while.

Crisis 101

I'm a strange bird. When crisis hits my family I go into hyperdrive and deal with the day to day tasks.

I often forget to take care of me. So, I'm having a huge fibro flare and have tons of paperwork to get caught up on.

I admittedly have had the worst week of my life., so far. But through it all, I kept telling the devil he wasn't getting my soul.

I have work to finish here.

For my faithful readers I will do a much better job in the next few days.

Happy Fall!

Love on the Internet?

   

I met my husband on-line. Which website you ask? I will not tell. However, I will tell you what I did learn about internet dating.

• It's a lot like high school, but now involves a computer.
• Don't use your real last name. Some weirdo will call your house.
• Have fun. Remember that the anonymity of the internet lets everyone be who they want to be. So ask yourself, "Why would a successful millionaire, recently widowed, need you to send him money to take care of his sick and dying child?"
• One rule I had was I made them show me what they look like on a webcam. If they wouldn't, I didn't go meet them.
• Never meet someone at your house for the first few times. 
• Meet in a public place and let your friends know where you are.
• Text your friends specifics about the person you are meeting (this goes for men and women). Such as: Make and model of the persons car, license plate, physical description.
• Stick to a time limit.
• I had kids so I also only gave out my cell phone number.

My best advice is to listen to your gut. If something feels wrong, it probably is.

My New Family

Well truth be told, it's the same family with a few revisions. I got remarried to the man of my dreams a little over a year ago, I acquired a beautiful stepdaughter, and my daughter had my first grandson.

Now for the revisions. My daughter moved home with my grandson. For some reason I don't find it too strange. My mother thought it was odd, but it just feels right.

Sure we are a bit crowded but we couldn't be happier.

So, I began to question the whole idea of what a family was made up of. I have found that we are the new norm. 

Even if it wasn't considered "normal", that wouldn't bother me. I have never been accused of being normal, and quite frankly, I am a bit afraid of anyone that says they are.

Here's to our new happy family and it feels so good. :)

Big Green Caterpillar

This is a tomato horn worm. The precursor to a very large bat looking moth. I detest them both. So I've been reading of non-poisonous ways to get rid of them. You can pick them off and drop them in soapy water. (Um, this is not happening. It is about 5 inches long and swatted at me). You can spray it with a hose and hope it falls off. This did not work. He was hanging on good and when you got near, he tried to attack you! Or you can sprinkle cornmeal around and hope it eats it. It can't digest it, so it will die. The last method involves soap. This will be what I try next. My wonderful husband said he'll pick them off, but EWWWWWwww!!

I'm learning lots along the way with our garden. I must say that next year I'll be way better prepared.

Sjogren's Syndrome

I was diagnosed with sjogren's syndrome this year. I was also diagnosed with fibromyalgia and rheumatoid arthritis. I felt like the wind had been taken out of my sails. All I could envision was a future where my new husband would have to take care of me. Something that I just couldn't fathom. I mean I am the care giver.

For those of you that don't know what the symptoms are, here is a list:
Symptoms vary from person to person but may include:

• a dry, gritty or burning sensation in the eyes
• dry mouth
• difficulty talking, chewing or swallowing
• a sore or cracked tongue
• dry or burning throat
• dry or peeling lips
• a change in taste or smell
• increased dental decay
• joint pain
• vaginal and skin dryness
• digestive problems
• dry nose
• fatigue

I went to the doctor because I would wake up about 2 a.m. with horrible joint pain. I didn't think it was arthritis because I wasn't stiff in the morning. I suspected the sjogrens because I get cavities easily, even though I have no plaque or tarter.

I suppose I could take the woe is me approach to this but I don't. I am learning how to say no to requests of  my time and focus only on things that are important to me. I have learned not to get exhausted because it makes my symptoms worse. I am also on a quest to finally take off the weight, just to feel better.

What prompted this journal entry?  I have yet another toothache. I have been pondering if I should fill it or pull it. It is pretty inevitable that I will eventually need dentures but I have nice teeth and want to keep them as long as possible.

I'm open to suggestions if anyone wants to let me know what has worked for them.

Looking for a New Job

 

I am blessed to be employed. I have a pretty good job and have the luxury of having my summers off. However, I did just graduate from college and thought it couldn't hurt to see what is available. 

Let's just say looking for a job is daunting at best. I mean do you go the traditional route by looking through the newspaper, use monster, go to an employment service, linkedin, google it. I just have no idea. 

With unemployment at an all time high, how do you make yourself stand out in the sea of applicants?

When you are searching how do you know what is true, and what is a scam.

Sigh.

Skunk!

I am a city girl. Born and raised about a half mile outside of Detroit Michigan. I married the love of my life who loves the country. Meet my new neighbor. The skunk. At first glance I thought it was a large black squirrel this morning. Admittedly, I did not have my glasses on. (I am blind as a bat without them). Thankfully I was looking out the window and my wonderful husband said, "No, that is a skunk".

I tell you...I would never have had this conversation in Michigan.

We watched the skunk go up the hill and didn't think much about it until tonight. As we were watching tv we got a horrible whiff of skunk. Then we realized that one of the dogs was still outside. Hubby looked out the front, I looked out back. Then I spotted the new neighbor, said skunk, walking under the clothes line.

Thankfully the dog didn't get a full spray. But, the dog, did get some. For now she is allowed to come in the house but will not be sleeping in our room.

Hopefully Mr. Skunk will move on, so we don't have a repeat of Pepe' Le Pew's perfume.

The amazing plastic milk jug ring

 

 To some the ring will look like trash. However that plastic milk jug ring has many uses:

1. Use to expand your closet space. Place the ring over the hook on the hanger. Then hang the second hanger on the ring. Forgoing the cost of specialty hangers for your closet
2. Pull dirty socks through the ring and toss in the laundry. You will have matched socks when you take them out of the washer. Remove the ring before going in the dryer.
3. Cat toys
4. Cover with ribbon or fabric and use as napkin rings.
5. Use them to close up chip bags just pull the open end of the bag through the ring.
6. Slide the stems of cut flower through and place in a vase. Be careful not to break or crush the stems.

Middle Class Americans and Poverty

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NOTE: The poverty guideline figures below are NOT the figures the Census Bureau uses to calculate the number of poor persons.
The figures that the Census Bureau uses are the poverty thresholds.

2012 Poverty Guidelines for the
48 Contiguous States and the District of Columbia

Persons in family/household	Poverty guideline
1	$11,170
2	15,130
3	19,090
4	23,050
5	27,010
6	30,970
7	34,930
8	38,890
For families/households with more than 8 persons, add $3,960 for each additional person.

Dateline aired a series called "Lost in Suburbia".  As I sat and watched the show I couldn't help but wonder how many other American's are facing the same thing.  I know many well educated people that are currently working somewhere not in there field just to be employed,

According to the poverty guidelines I am "poor".  I don't feel poor. I feel very blessed. All of my families needs are met and than some, yet I do not receive any government assistance.

Instead we have chosen the attitude of making due, doing without, or repurposing items we already have. We waste nothing and do everything in our power to add to our existence instead of detracting from it. (Cook at home, garden, fix our clothes, use everything up, line-dry our laundry, etc.)

I find it very odd that many people do not know how to cook. You can get a cookbook at the library, search on the web, or ask a trusted a friend. Not to mention all of the cooking shows aired on TV. Cooking at home saves you a fortune.

I have always been thrifty. I think I was born that way. Plus I was blessed with a family that believed in doing for themselves. I am also blessed with a husband that has the mechanical touch (most machines tremble when he comes near them) and I am very crafty.

I will start to include some of my favorite cost cutting strategies in the blog posts to come.

What to do with an unwanted Wedding Dress?

On my list of things to get rid of is my wedding dress from my first marriage. Although it was beautiful in its time, it is now very outdated. I also had had it preserved and now the fabric feels funky.

I have been searching the web for ideas and came across 3 that stood out from the rest.

1. The Mary Madeline Project.  They turn wedding dresses into burial outfits for stillborn babies. The website brought tears to my eyes. Check it out here  http://marymadelineproject.org/
2. Turn the dress into a family heirloom by making it into a Christening gown for my future grandchildren.
3. Trash the dress. (This one has some hidden appeal. I can burn the dress in effigy. Have it go up in smoke just like the marriage did).

I'm open to suggestions.  But, this is one I would like to take care of by the end of July.

Thanks!

Bill and Hillary

My kids and I found these in a discount book store. Yep! It's the former President and first lady. The whole idea just cracked me up especially since the Monica Lewinsky scandal. 

I hope it brings you a chuckle.

Bread in a crock pot?

I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't tried it myself! Although I wasn't crazy about the texture, I did count it as a success. I used a standard white bread recipe, let it rise one time, and put it in a greased oval crock pot on high for about 2 hours.

I have read that it works better in a loaf pan set in the crock pot and cooked but I wanted to try to cook it without any additional dishes.

The bread was moist and a bit dense in texture. It reminded my husband and myself of cornbread.

I might experiment with this again.