blog #105 >> Sleep is Sweet

I love sleep.
A lot.
But lately I haven't been sleeping well. Last week my electric mattress pad bit the dust. It was very old, and I did leave it on 24 hours a day, 7 days a week... It was always so nice to get into a snug, warm bed at night. I wish it had lived at least until July. It's been pretty cold here so far this summer, and I've been shivering and sleeping poorly every night. So last Saturday I went in search of a new electric mattress pad. I looked at Target, Walmart, Bed Bath and Beyond and more. But no one had even an electric blanket in stock, "They're out of season." they said. I was out of luck. I can't be the only person who sleeps with an electric mattress pad, and a giant feather comforter every night, all year round? First thing I did Sunday morning, after shivering half the night away, was ordered a new one (at 50% off) from JC Penny's online. It shipped yesterday. YEAH! But I've still got to wait for it to come. Until then, I've been doing my best to keep warm. I tried turning up the thermostat to 75 degrees, but with the central heating, it doesn't really get to my bedroom. I tried sleeping in flannel pajamas and a sweater, but I still wasn't sleeping very well. I'd roll over, and be cold again. But then last night I finally figured it out. I got the other full-sized feather comforter out of my closet and folded it in half. (I don't use the full-sized comforter because I have a twin-sized bed.) And then I went and found every hot-water bottle, and microwavable-rice-filled-polar fleece-keep you warm-thing, I could find and heated them all up. Then I put them all inside the fold of the full-sized feather comforter. And I used that as my heating pad, turned up the heat, put on my heavy sweater, flannel pajamas, and covered up with my other feather comforter... Ah, it was like sleeping in a cloud above the sun... only darker.
I feel a little like the princess and the pea.
T

blog #104 >> A new way to pop popcorn.

I used to laugh at the people who said cell phones caused brain damage and call them crazy. Now I can envision my brain exploding into little kernels of popcorn in my head.
Scary.
T
(see here also)
(and here)
(and finally here)

blog #103 >> The Amazing Jello Goldfish

Here is The Amazing Jello Goldfish. The Amazing Jello Goldfish is made with orange D'Gari Gelatin Dessert from Winco and a can of Butterfly Fruit Cocktail from Fubons containing pineapple, guava, papaya and coconut gel. I also added an envelope of Knott's unflavored gelatin, just in case it needed some extra hold.
The Amazing Jello Goldfish turned out quite delicious...
Although, I guess there isn't actually any Jello in it.
T

blog #102 >> How To: Darn it!

Yesterday, I noticed I had a gigantic hole in my favorite sweater... Darn it! But luckily, when things got slow at work I watched this video on YouTube teaching how to darn a sock... and I figured, if you can darn a sock... Why not a sweater? Here follows my account of how I saved my sweater's life.



Step 1. Supplies: You are going to need, something with a hole in it, scissors, a giant needle, darner, and yarn. Preferably yarn a similar color to the holey garment, but contrasting is a fun change too.
Step 2. Turn sock, sweater, scarf, hat, knitted/crocheted thing inside out. Place your darning mushroom, or in my case, a tumbling-tumbler inside the thing you're darning.
Step 3. Weave the needle in a straight line, about a half inch away from the hole, catching every other stitch. Keep in mind the finished size will be a square.
Step 4. Weave the needle the opposite direction, catching every other alternating stitch. It's kinda like weaving a lattice top pie.
Step 5. Continue weaving, when you get to the hole go across in a straight line, continue weaving on the other side.
Step 6. Continue weaving until you get a half inch beyond the hole. Stitches should form a square.
Step 7. Start weaving the opposite direction, 90 degree angle from where you started.
Step 8. Weave every other stitch across the hole. Tuck stitching in through here tightly.
Step 9. Continue until finished. Tie off.
Step 10. Turn right side out. Admire your good/poor work.
The End
T

blog #101 >> How does the garden grow?

Very well... but unfortunately so do the weeds. I may be trying my sister's homemade weed-be-gone very soon.

blog #100 >> Blog One Hundred

Wow, one hundred blog posts. I never thought I'd blog that far... And if I ever get to blog #1000 my numbering system will be dreadfully off.

Oh well. To celebrate 100 posts I'm going to post about simply random things... Well, I suppose I usually post about random things, but today's will be extra random. Let's see I haven't been up to much lately. I've got an eye infection and I've been to Safeway every night this week to buy some new type of cleansing soap or eye drops. (These ones work really well if you or your kids ever get pink eye.) And so much shopping, work and doctors appointments has really eaten up all my time.

Let's see... I did watch two good movies this week. I watched the BBC presentation of Jane Eyre. It was excellent. I realized I had never read the book, and now I feel I really need to. That will be next. And I also watched "The Triplets of Bellview" a French cartoon. It was kinda strange.

Um... random thoughts... here's a funny movie we made at work back when Fawn was still here:

Hmmm... deep thoughts... oh, if you're feeling bored go visit Deep Thoughts by Jack Handey. They're hilarious... if you're really tired and full of caffeine.

Oh, but I was busy this weekend. Friday, I celebrated Dentist Day and took the day off to visit the dentist. I'm finally getting that crown I deserve. Saturday, was my sister-in-law Amy's baby shower.

(Me and my niece Maggie looking pretty.)



I painted Amy and Ada this really cute monkey growth chart for the nursery. Sunday, was my nephew Zack's confirmation day. After church we all went to their house for some Mongolian Grilling. And I got to tromp up the hill to visit their tree house in the woods. (picture coming) Then me and Will started a bridge over the mud but it didn't get finished. It was really muddy.

blog #099 >> Green Things

Here's the latest craft project I want to try. Making plastic sheets from plastic bags. Recycling DIY style. And the possibilities for these are endless. You could make shopping bags, raincoats, drapes, clothes, shoes, purses, lunch bags, bibs, quilts, table cloths, tents, wallets, lamp shades. It's a great fabric substitute, especially for oil cloth.

See how to's here
and here.

And for other good green living tips and ideas, go visit my sister's blog Good Green Livin'. She's got lots of great ideas on how to spend less money and waste less stuff.

T