Yep…they’ve arrived in abundance. Coughs, sore throats, stuffy heads. The kids want to run around outdoors but the colds are slowing them down. Of course, the baby caught it too. I doubt that enzyte would do anything for us…we just need some warm weather and sunshine. Baseball season starts Friday. We’ll be watching #2 son pitch. Then there’s spring cleaning and gardening…Gotta be healthy for that!
My wacky husband has decided to replace our garage roof himself. If I didn’t know better, Id say he’s been smoking something way stronger than buy rocky patel cigars … but that would never be him. So…he’s out there punishing his poor body be climbing around a roof, pulling off shingles, lugging up new ones…you get the picture. It’s not pretty.
I am nearing the grand old age of 44…about a month out. So far, my 40s have been difficult with an unexpected and hard pregnancy. They weren’t kidding when they said aging isn’t fun. At least I don’t need aircast a60 ankle support yet. I’ve got more trouble in my hands, actually. Arthritis runs in my family, so I don’t expect to escape it. At least my parents — in their late 60s — are still avoiding it thanks to exercise!
It’s been a cool spring. We have snow in the forecast again this week and highs don’t seem to want to budge out of the 40s. I’m just itching to get out into the garden and work some dirt. Yeah…I know…at this point I’d need really good women’s rain boots to deal with the mud…but I think I might even enjoy that. I know that spring will come sooner or later…but in the upper midwest it sure does get hard to wait sometimes!
Several years ago I delved into the world of jewelry making and jewelry making supplies. I found that I really enjoy beading and making my own jewelry. There is so much pretty stuff out there to create one-of-a-kind jewelry with. I really enjoy sterling silver pieces and made enough jewelry to keep me in style for a long, long time. I also managed to make something pretty for just about everyone I know. Some of the last pieces I made have been bracelets. But not for me. I have made three bracelets for little Rachel. The first bracelet I made for her she wore as a newborn. It’s far too small for her now, and I have a special keepsake to save.
Anyone else having a hard time waiting to get into the garden? It’s only mid-March, but I’m really itching to get going. I’ve got lots of plans.
I’m wondering if I should invest in something to protect my knees this year as I weed and coax plants to fruition. I know I’d look ridiculous, but a pair of wrestling knee pads might save my knees from soreness.
Then again…maybe I should do what I did last year and get my youngsters out there hoeing the weeds. That works better in the long run…keeps them busy and gets rid of the weeds!
If your dry skin is driving you crazy, you may have eczema. Also called atopic dermatitis, this irritating skin condition can make you uncomfortable with painful flare-ups. Because dry skin can make eczema worse, one of your No. 1 goals will be to moisturize your skin. You also might try to get rid of the itch from eczema with bathing. Add some soothing ingredients to your bathwater and kick back in the tub for a bit to relieve the irritating itch and moisturize your skin.
Step 1
Fill the bathtub with lukewarm water. Don’t make it hot or cold — just plain lukewarm water is best for soothing your skin.
Step 2
Wash yourself up in the tub. Skip the washcloth for sudsing, though, because this can irritate your skin. Lather up the mild soap and wash. Rinse away the soap thoroughly.
Step 3
Soak in the water — experts at Kaiser Permanente recommend a three- to five-minute soak and the National Eczema Association says five to 10 minutes is better. Don’t ever soak longer than 10 minutes, though, because this may dry out your skin.
Step 4
Try adding some ingredients to the bath water — especially if you’re having a painful flare-up. The National Eczema Association recommends adding 1/2-cup of chlorine bleach or 1 cup of white vinegar to a full tub of water to can kill bacteria that may be lurking on your skin. Make another soothing soak by adding a capful of emulsifying oil to the bath water to help lock moisture into your skin. Try adding 1 cup of table salt, colloidal oatmeal or up to 1 cup of baking soda to the bath water to soothe the itch. Soak in your special bathwater for up to 10 minutes.
Step 5
Drain the tub and take a quick shower to make sure you rinse away all the soap and other ingredients from your skin. Leaving any ingredients on your skin could irritate it even more.
Step 6
Pat yourself dry gently. Never, ever rub your skin dry — just pat it lightly until your skin feels dry.
Step 7
Slather on the moisturizing lotion within three minutes of leaving the tub. Ask your doctor to recommend a moisturizer that will help replenish your skin.
I am always looking for ways to save money grocery shopping. Looking for cheap life insurance at www.cometobarter.com might work for some, but I’m thinking about saving money on groceries this week.
Did you know that retailers think we’re lazy? They have discovered that by putting the most expensive items right at eye level that many consumers won’t even look up or down to see if they can find a better price. Therefore, retailers make more money because we just blindly grab the first item we see right in front of our eyes! Appalling!
Did you also know that many times those great deals you see on special displays and endcaps probably isn’t a good deal? If you wander on back to the spot where the item usually sits on the shelf, you will probably find it for a better price…all because the retailer doesn’t think you’ll walk to find it.
Don’t let retailers outsmart you!
Everybody approaches spring cleaning a little differently. This year, I am starting small and slow. With a baby in the house and many other time commitments, I really can’t throw myself into day-long cleaning projects. Instead, I am tackling something manageable every day. Sort of the way my husband tackles a big job like replacing brake rotors on a car, I guess.
So, this week so far, I have rearranged one room, cleaned my desk, rearranged my home office space and cleaned the stove. Every little bit counts, right? By the first day of spring, I’ll be all set!
Getting the itch to get digging? Me too!
After the soil dries out from winter moisture and begins warming in the spring, an eager gardener can head outside to begin digging in the dirt. Before you can begin planting seeds or plants, you must first prepare the soil properly. Break up soil when planting so the soil will be ready to sustain your flowers or vegetables. Properly aerated soil will be light enough to avoid compaction, yet will be rich enough to nourish growing plants.
Wait until the soil is dry enough to work. Scoop up a handful of soil and press it firmly into a ball. Open your hand and poke a finger into the ball. If the ball breaks apart easily into tiny pieces when you press it, the soil is dry enough to work. If the ball holds its shape or breaks up into big chunks, the soil is too wet to work.
Set the rototiller to till the soil down to a depth of between 6 and 10 inches. Alternatively, use the garden spade to turn the soil over to this depth.
Work the soil with the rototiller or the garden spade until you turn it over completely and break up all the soil chunks. Compacted soil doesn’t allow air spaces to surround plant roots. Soil texture with small air pockets will benefit plants.
Spread a layer of compost between 2 and 4 inches deep over the entire surface of the soil.
Incorporate the compost into the soil with either the rototiller or the garden spade until you mix the compost layer evenly into the soil throughout the surface area.
Rake the soil surface smooth and even with the rake to finish preparing the soil to plant. As you work, if you find chunks of soil larger than about 1 inch in diameter, break these pieces up with the tines of the rake.
