My Library

Milk And Wine

Do you still drink milk? I know a lot of people that have totally stopped drinking milk. While I have long stopped drinking milk myself, I still get my milk from adding a good amount into my coffee everyday. I just make sure I go for low fat (Skinny Cow is my brand), but I have to admit, I sure miss the good taste of full milk. And that is why, on top of the milk added into my freshly brewed coffee everyday, I add a teaspoon of cream. In short, I cheat.

Seriously, there are benefits of incorporating dairy products into our diet. One of which is protection against colon cancer. In fact, 800 milligrams of calcium per day as experts say, can cut ones risk of colon cancer by 25 percent. Sure, we can also get the requirement  from supplements but when we get it from food, even if we only get as little as 400 milligrams per day, the payoff is better.

Just like wine, if taken in moderation, we also get good benefits from drinking. It is good for heart health they say. So the concerned me have started looking into wine clubs so that I can get them delivered in my door and avail of the wine of the month too. This for sure takes the guesswork from picking good bottles at the liquor store. Lesser trip to the store means more time for something else.

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Know What To Toss Out

It’s a new year and there’s no better time to clear out your medicine chest and check for expiration dates. Most of us follow the expiration dates printed on our over the counter remedies. I have read though, that it is fine to use most drugs that are past their expiration dates for another 12 months, BUT these OTC remedies will have to be trashed if you notice  the following conditions:

• If your aspirin smells like vinegar, it means that this is already ineffective and has already broken down into acid.
• General rule dictates that nose drops and eye drops should be thrown away after the course of treatment regardless of expiration date because they can become contaminated.
• If that OTC tablet have changed texture or color.
• If the OTC capsules are sticking together. Chances are, they have been damaged by moisture or heat.

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Battery Storage

Where is the best place to store batteries? Growing up, I was told that storing batteries in the refrigerator will ensure longer battery life. Well, this turned out to be just another old wives tale.

As of late, battery technology has changed and therefore, the refrigerator is not the best place to store them. It is best to store batteries in a dry place, preferably at room temperature. Ensure that they are not kept in a very highly heated environment or in close proximity to open flame. As long as batteries are properly stored, they are sure to last up to five years but take note of the sell-by dates.

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Hide Or Embrace?

Help! That first gray hair has started to come out. I wonder how some people panic at the sight of that first strand of gray hair.  I can’t really say much about it because I have yet to experience that, but nowadays gray hair is no longer just associated with old age. One of my niece and a nephew for instance already have a few strands of gray, and they are in their teens.

Do you know that there is really no truth to that old wives tale that pulling ones gray hair will cause three to sprout? But let not that be the reason to start plucking those gray strands. When we pluck, the follicle does not die. That means, the hair will grow back and that will still be gray. Worse, that strand will remain to stick out until it is long enough to blend with the rest of the hair.

So what do we do as soon as those first few grays start to show? Either you embrace it and decide to go silver naturally or you can start concealing by using those easy to apply touch up kits. Hey, it’s not that tough a decision to make. Whatever your choice, it’s something that will not cause any pain. Unlike when you decide to wear an ill-fitting shoes, you know that the morning after a day of wearing that pair, it is likely that you’ll suffer from Plantar Fasciitis. With gray hair, it’s just a matter of deciding whether to hide or to embrace. It’s your choice!

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Update What You Own

My interest for decorating has fueled me to get my hands on every decorating book that gets my fancy. For as long as it is easy to understand and not very technical I go for it.

Having said that, I have learned that in decorating you don’t have to keep acquiring new stuff to change the look or refresh a room. You can always work with what you’ve got.  It’s so much like dressing up or putting together an outfit. Affordable alterations can bring a lift of an extreme makeover to any room of your home.

A new coat of paint for instance is an inexpensive way to transform a room. So is reupholstering a well made sofa. Perhaps, refinishing a cabinet from its old color to a different color. Or one of the things that can be done which is less likely to pop on once mind is to replace those old ugly legs of a dresser, or a sofa. Imagine swapping them to modern chrome or pretty wooden spindles. Lastly how about replacing that old entertainment center to a more sleek tv stand just like this one.

Your new television for sure deserves a more modern piece. This you may say is not updating but replacing, but if you just got that new TV it does call for a new TV stand.

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Window Cleaning

How do you clean your windows? Come spring, we will once again embark on this cleaning job. No, I don’t hire a professional window cleaner since all our windows tilt. With the help of my husband, it can be done. If the windows were not very heavy, then I can even do it alone.

Having said that, whenever I clean our windows, I often use a microfiber cloth instead of the more popular crumpled up newspaper. I know, this has been the norm but nowadays, ink and paper formulas have changed. Some papers are now less absorbent and the ink can leave smudges on the casings and windows which often calls for another round of cleaning.

What about you, what do you use?

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Handwash Or The Dishwasher?

My mother is an advocate for hand washing dishes. She’s very vocal about it that whenever she visits she always tries to insist I should always do so. The problem is, I’m so used to my dishwasher. It’s a big help and I consider it as one of the greatest inventions. It’s okay for my Mom to say so, because she does not do it herself anyway, as she relies on the house help to do the dishes. I don’t have that right here.

Come to think about it, it’s like woman versus machine! I have learned that the keys to squeaky clean dishes is a combination of very high water temperature and a good scrub. That said, tap water is definitely not hot enough to sanitize dishes sans addition of bleach. That would then mean it can wreak havoc to women’s hands and fingers that you wonder how their wedding bands and engagement rings would look like on dry, rough hands.

That’s why I love the dishwasher because that very clean state of dishes can very well be achieved by running the antibacterial cycle. And one great thing is that, dishwashers now are using less energy, water and soap and they perform better than the human touch.

I seriously recommend that you assess which is the best method for you though. But for me, my dishwasher is my best friend in the kitchen. I run mine twice a week, since we are only two in the household. In between, I run the rinse cycle to keep the inside “clean” while waiting for a full load. If you have to adapt mine, just ensure you have dozens of kitchen utensils, plates, glasses and the like. I do, so I have no problem with that.

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Candles

Do you love candles? I do. In fact, candles are almost always incorporated in different vignettes that I create in our entire home. The Diptyque brand is one of my favorites. I love this scent or  I should say, I love almost all of their scented candles.

Not all candles are created equal, I know, as they are also made of different types of wax. Does the type of wax matters? Experts say, it does! So, let me decode the different types of wax.

Paraffin wax is most commonly used thus, it is the least expensive. This wax is typically used for pillar candles( the wide and tall type) because it holds and keeps it shape well. Soy and palm wax on the other hand, are normally used on candles in jars. The label will indicate this type of wax, which is vegetable wax. If your candle is made of beeswax, this burns faster because it contains less wax. It is delicate thus, it is recommended that this type of candle is wrapped properly before storage and when transported.

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