SerenityNow
-
Posts
100 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Events
Blogs
Classifieds
Store
Posts posted by SerenityNow
-
-
I used to leave my oven on while I was gone for short periods (like 30 minutes while I walked in our neighborhood). Then one day my son was using the oven and all of a sudden it started beep-beep-beeping. Like the timer going off, but continuous. I got up immediately, walked into the kitchen, and by the time I got there his food was burned black and the oven was boiling hot even on the outside. Turned out the temperature sensor had failed, and the oven's response to this was to super-heat itself. Even better was that we couldn't turn it off!! Finally my son ran to the garage and flipped the breaker to shut it down. It was so scary and if we hadn't been home I have no doubt it would have burned the house down. So... no more walking while cooking for me I guess! :glare: (Oh, and btw... the oven was only 3 years old! Who designs these things!?)
-
Amazon Prime has all the seasons of Frasier right now. That's been fun to watch again. Hope you feel better soon!
-
1
-
-
I was losing a ton of hair... like a handful whenever I brushed! For me the main problem seemed to be wearing my hair pulled back. In my 40s my hair just wasn't strong enough to take that constant stress. I also read that sulfate-containing shampoos can cause hair loss for some people. (Here's a link about that: http://www.hairlossinwomen.org/hair-loss-causes/sodium-lauryl-sulfate-cause-hair-loss/) I ended up getting my hair cut short, handling it very gently, and switched to a sulfate-free shampoo. It's been about 6 months, and my hair is much stronger and I'm only losing what I would consider a normal (small) amount.
Good luck finding what works for you! I know it's very stressful!
-
My son had a sore throat he described like that.... a swallowing knives feeling. I had him gargle every couple hours with diluted apple cider vinegar (Bragg's). We used maybe a tablespoon per 1/2 cup water. By the end of the day the sore throat was gone and didn't come back. Could drainage from her sinuses be causing an irritated, slightly infected throat? ACV is supposed to be anti-bacterial, so it may help. Hope she feels better soon!
-
I keep a string of white lights along our mantle, and another framing a very wide doorway in our living room until closer to Spring. They add a nice sparkle during dark, dreary, winter days. Are your decorations somewhere easy to access? Maybe you could get a few lights back out and do some "winter decorating". I always wanted to do a grouping of glass jars filled with strings of lights. Maybe with some silvery ribbon and pine cones. Anyway.... just an idea. :001_smile:
-
9
-
-
Do you use liquid detergent? I had been having trouble with that same mildewy smell and residue around the top of the drum. Then I read somewhere that liquid detergent can be the problem -- apparently it leaves some sort of residue behind which is the basis of the problem. I switched over to powdered detergent and problem solved! No more smell and no more residue! Anyway.... just an idea. :001_smile:
-
1
-
-
We just watched McFarland USA and really enjoyed it. :001_smile: (Rated PG)
-
I wish we could stop doing stockings. I hate trying to come up with new ideas to fill them. Stockings for little kids are fine but I'm tired of doing the same old things every year for my husband and young adults. Hot cocoa mix, tea, pens, candy ---> all things we have around the house anyway.
Last year I was really tired of doing stockings for my teens. It cost soooo much to fill them up! So I basically told them that they could either keep getting stockings or I could use that money to get them one more pretty nice gift. They both chose to get another gift. I did end up sewing new, much smaller stockings so they could still get a bit of special candy, but it was such a relief to not have to look for "filler"! Dh and I quit doing stockings for each other, too. He was really relieved to be rid of that job! Lol. Maybe you could offer your kids an option?
-
1
-
-
We have donated two cars to the local high school to use in their auto repair classes. Kind of like donating your body to science, I guess! :lol:
-
1
-
-
I'm actually sewing a new one this week as a surprise for my husband. A white, furry Yeti! :lol: Last year he wanted some yeti ornaments, so I'm also making 2 smaller white yetis and three brown, furry bigfoots. Lol. Obviously I've given up on beauty and perfection in favor of humor and weirdness!
-
1
-
-
I love https://www.threadless.com/ They have great sales if you sign up for their emails.
I also shop at http://www.redbubble.com/ They had some video game specific stuff my son wanted.
This one's cute, although I haven't ordered yet http://www.snorgtees.com/
And, of course, http://www.cafepress.com/
(Can you tell we're big on t-shirts!? :lol: )
-
1
-
-
There's a whole series of books called Mini Weapons of Mass Destruction. They use household stuff/office supplies to build little contraptions. That's kind of science-y.... physics maybe? :001_smile:
-
3
-
-
This may be irrelevant, but since you mentioned taking Allegra, I'll go ahead with this idea. I've decided that most of my "allergy" problems are not so much allergies, but a low histamine tolerance in general. There are many high histamine foods that I can no longer eat because they cause regular allergy symptoms (coughing, sneezing, itchy eyes) and also things like inflammation and constricted breathing. At the time I started looking into this I was taking Claratin every day, and it had gradually stopped providing any relief. Then I read this interview on The Low Histamine Chef:
http://thelowhistaminechef.com/dr-janice-joneja-histamine-intolerance-interview-pt2/
(the transcript is down below the two video screens) After reading this (especially the very first question) it really made me wonder if the antihistamines were making things worse. I spent a couple of horrible weeks getting off the Claratin, and after a while my body really did start to stabilize a bit. I still have lots of problems with histamines, but they feel more under my control. I definitely have less inflammation now.
Anyway, you probably know all this, because I know you're a great researcher, but maybe it will help someone else who is wondering why their antihistamines aren't helping more. :001_smile:
Good luck, Jean.
-
1
-
-
Mine was falling out like crazy, too. It got about 75% better when I:
1. Stopped pulling my hair back in a pony tail, especially when still damp. Too much stress on the roots.
2. Started using a sulfate-free shampoo. Apparently in some people long-term sulfate use can cause hair loss. Or so I read somewhere. :001_unsure:
Scary, isn't it? Seeing all that hair in the shower drain! :willy_nilly:
-
1
-
-
I think painting your coffee table a bright color would be a great idea! I added just a little bit of red to our living room....... a funky wooden candlestick, a big letter from a vintage sign (our last name initial), a print fabric on the giant ottoman we use as a coffee table..... and I'm amazed at what a difference that little bit made. I love that rug you posted.... you could pick any color out of something like that to use and it would look great.
Do you ever poke around on Apartment Therapy? I love to look at the house tours and see what other people have done. I'm a big fan of vintage, so these are a couple of my favorites:
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/hope-and-petes-bohemian-modern-abode-house-tour-202069#_
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/robert-michaels-midcentury-pad-house-tour-191883
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/elises-eclectic-cottage-in-the-mountains-house-tour-208267#_
Have fun with your planning! It's awfully addictive! :001_smile:
-
Ooooo... love that tablecloth! Fab!
Isn't it funny how we can be just fine with our home decor for months or years, but then one day we see a photo or a new blog and all of a sudden our decor has to change NOW!! At least that's how I am. My poor husband never knows what's coming next!
I'm doing a bit of sprucing up now, too. I still have some gorgeous fabric I bought a couple years ago that is destined to become pillows this week. And a matching can of leftover spray paint..... something's gonna get sprayed!! My challenge is to see what I can do with what I already have.
Have fun with your projects! (And thanks for the new blog link. I shouldn't look, but I know I will. :o )
-
Oh, I hear you. I've been here pretty much every day for about 10 years now, and I have what.... 50-some posts? I never feel like what I have to say is smart enough, funny enough, interesting enough. Got room for company in the lurkers' corner? :001_smile:
-
I second the recommendation of Jansport backpacks. My son has one and I am absolutely amazed at the weight the straps will hold up to. I often see Jansport recommended in "Buy it for life" type discussions.
-
I have had that "feels like the flu" thing maybe 4-5 times over the last year. In my case it is definitely a hormone imbalance of some kind. Too much estrogen, I think. I have started to really focus on taking good care of myself.... I take a brisk walk every morning for 30-45 minutes. I avoid sugar (I can have a little bit.... a few sips of a soda, a couple of low-sugar cookies, a couple of those mini candy canes.... per day, but that's it.) And I try to be very aware of feeling stressed or anxious and take time/steps to calm myself. If I stay on top of these three areas, it helps a ton. Sometimes I can still feel that out-of-whack thing hovering around my edges, but if I'm taking good care of myself then I'm able to keep it at bay.
Good luck! Sorry that you're struggling, too. (Oh, and I'm 45, btw!)
-
Hi, everyone! My challenge is to buy nothing.... new or used... for myself this year. I will still (of course) buy necessary groceries, toiletries, and cleaners/paper goods. I will still buy basic clothes/shoes for my boys, but no frivolous purchases. (They have allowances they can save up for that.) I will also buy essentials they might need for school (this should be very minimal). But nothing for me.... no clothes, shoes, craft supplies, home decor items, kitchen stuff, books, dvds, etc. (It sooooo pains me to even write "books" and "craft supplies". *Sigh*)
My challenge started on January 1st, and so far so good. I bought very basic groceries and stopped at the atm to get the boys their allowances. And that's it! I have been wanting a new purse in a fun fabric ever since that Vera Bradley thread, so on the 1st I used some fabric and a zipper purchased last year and made myself one. It turned out really cute! So that was my first "make do instead of shop" moment for the year. Plus... as a bonus... it was so frustrating to sew that it probably cured me of wanting to sew anything else for at least a couple of months! :001_smile:
I'm also trying to address my "stuff" this year. Both in terms of additional decluttering and of becoming a better steward of the things I already own. So far I have decluttered 23 items.
I would love to ask those of you who identify as minimalists (Runningmom 80 and any others!).... are your husbands also minimalists? Does your minimalism apply to your whole home? Or just to your own personal items? I am a minimalist at heart (when I say I'm decluttering it just means peeling back one more layer to become even more minimal. I'm not starting from chaos!), but my husband is the complete opposite. Wondering if anyone else has this issue, because I'm finding it very stressful!
Keep up the great work everyone!
-
Did any of you see "no impact man?" It's a documentary about a man who tried to diminish his carbon footprint over the course of a year. (So he made progress as the year went on) I watched it a few years ago and found it really inspiring.
I did. (I actually think it's on Prime streaming right now.) There's also a book by the same name which I really enjoyed. No way am I ready to be that hardcore, but I admire people who are willing to really push the limits on something like that.
Speaking of hardcore, I'm trying to remember where I read this: The writer was talking about not buying things, and her example was hair elastics. She couldn't understand why anyone would ever buy one when she saw them tossed away everywhere. In the street, on the floor in stores, wherever. So for a month she picked up every hair band she saw, and ended up with some crazy number. Then, rather than buy new ones, she just used the ones she had found. I don't know why, but this seemed totally incomprehensible to me! Lol. I don't know if I'm hardcore enough to use someone else's hair elastic that I found in the gutter. Ewww. Things like this are why I need to challenge myself. Lol. Anyway, does that story sound familiar to anyone? I was thinking maybe it was in the Zero Waste Home book.
-
I've been planning to do this, too, although my parameters are a bit different. I would like to buy nothing... new or used... during 2015. Of course this doesn't include food, toiletries, or things like laundry soap and toilet paper. :001_smile: My challenge applies to me only. I'll still buy new clothes/shoes for my kids if needed. (The catch to this is that I have boys and they never ask for new clothes. I have to beg them to try on shoes when theirs are completely worn out!) I won't buy them any frivolous things... but they rarely ask. I also won't apply my challenge to my husband. (Not that I could if I wanted to!)
For me, it's more about learning contentment and learning to be a good steward of the things I already own. These are areas where I *think* I already do pretty well, but this year I really want to push it. Plus, I am just so terribly tired of stuff. Tired of owning it, cleaning it, caring for it, moving it around, arranging it, thinking about it, managing it, replacing it when it wears out,........ so why do I ever need to buy more? On this same train of thought, I also hope to significantly minimize my possessions this year. We'll see how that goes! :rolleyes:
Anyway, if you start a weekly thread, I'd love to participate. (And I'm sorry you didn't get a more positive response to this thread!) Good luck!
-
I always ask one of my kids for a new wall calendar for Christmas. They seem to enjoy looking through all the options to find one I'd like.
What about a DVD and basket of snacks for a family movie night? I think How to Train Your Dragon 2 just came out.
I like to get fun office supplies.... bright post-it notes, new highlighters, decorative file folders.... that I can use for our school stuff.
Oh, and socks! I love to get new socks, and it's fun for kids to pick crazy ones. :-)
(The theme seems to be I ask for things that I know they'll enjoy choosing. Kind of like I'm giving them the gift of learning how to give. Or something like that. Lol. :))
-
We moved 3 years ago with a relocation package. I don't know if it was handled by a relocation company or just the company that hired my husband, so I can't help with any info about Sirva. (Sorry!)
The four things I do remember are:
1. Yes, the realtor's fees were covered as part of our deal.
2. The company sent out three realtors who had some kind of special "relocation specialist" certification. (Probably the wrong term!) They each valued our house and the company used those valuations to determine how much we would be "allowed" to list our house for. This was a problem for us because only one of the three realtors was actually from our (small) town. The other two had no clue how to value our home and submitted really low values. We ended up having to get some sort of exemption in order to list for a high enough price (and still lost money on the deal!).
3. We also had that "once a buyer has been found the company will take over and handle closing" deal. Sounded great, ended up being almost worthless. Basically they weren't willing to "take over and handle closing" until about one or two days before it was time to close. So we still had to handle all the inspections, all the problems, all the questions, all the last minute deals...... all they did was show up to sign the documents. (*I* could have done that! Lol. It was all the other stuff I was hoping to avoid!)
4. They did arrange and pay for professional movers.
All in all it was worthwhile. Like I said, they did pay the realtor's fees & the moving fees, they did pay for us to do a house-hunting trip (travel money, hotel costs, and a food allowance), and they did pay to put my husband up in a hotel until the new house closed. (Would have put us all up in the hotel, but we stayed in our original house until time to move.)
Hope that helps a bit! Good luck! :-)
Nothing New/Mindful Spending Week Four
in The Chat Board
Posted
I've been quoted! I'm so proud! :wub: :hurray: :wub:
(I'm trying to use that same thought to keep myself on track. Good luck to both of us!)