As I write this, the wind has kicked up again. Flames are still visible from my vantage point, directly outside my balcony. As I write this, the calm that we've all felt for the last 12 hours is interrupted briefly, and I remember that, while the fire is still 2 miles away from me, it's creeping ever closer to the town that my parents live in on the other side of the mountains. It's not over for all of us. Colorado Springs ... it's been on fire. If you haven't heard. At 2:30 p.m. on ... Continue Reading
Archives for June 2012
Turn That A/C Off: Clever Ways to Keep Your Sanity When It’s Sweltering
It started a few weeks ago, when temperatures were still in the low 80's. My bedroom window overlooks not just one air conditioner - not just mine - but four of my neighbors. And one of them, one blessed sensitive soul, found the need to turn on the air conditioner - at night. It was, like, 50 degrees outside. That's 15 degrees plus a bucket of hamburgers for those of you who use Celsius. I don't know how to convert to Celsius, but I'm sure it involves buckets of hamburgers. Fast ... Continue Reading
Still, Don’t Actually EAT Your Dishwasher Detergent
This is a true story. Or, rather, it's true insomuch as I wasn't there, and I heard it third hand, so I'm going to embellish a little on the unimportant parts. Why? Because it makes me feel important. I am the creator of this story. Although, technically I'm not. The creator of this story, the instigator of this inspiring tale of relief, the mastermind behind all the knowing is none other than my 1-year-old niece, Holly Ann. Last week, my sister, Lindsay, called ... Continue Reading
Thyme and Again – Guess What Else It Does? Goodbye Inflammation!
Two weeks ago, we talked about a study done on thyme that showed it to be superior to benzoyl peroxide in treating the bacteria that causes acne. SO many of you were elated at the thought, and many of you vowed to do the experimenting yourself - to see if it worked on you. To date, two of you have checked in to tell us how it's going. If you've been experimenting and haven't checked in ... YOOHOO? WHERE ARE YOU? Probably too busy admiring your gorgeous visage. Ah, such are the perils of ... Continue Reading
Foolproof Homemade Mayonnaise – Full of Super Secrets
A long time ago, in an apartment far, far away ... it is a period of ingredient wars. Rebel olive oil, striking from an overactive food processor, has won its first victory over the evil egg yolks. In non-nerd terms: Two years ago, I tried to make homemade mayonnaise. Several times. Not once did it work. The olive oil and the egg yolks, in my wild food processor, would not emulsify. All was lost. So I gave up. Until a couple of months ago, when I found the strength to try again. And ... Continue Reading
Heat Got You Down? Make Some Keep Your Cool Spray
When you come from hearty German stock, like me, red face is an issue. But it only happens upon extreme exertion. Like, say, moving a king-sized mattress all by myself. You should've seen my face, yo. It was like a tomato and a firetruck had a baby all over my cheeks. While growing up, this caused me great consternation, and was, in no small part, a source of extreme embarrassment at the roller skating rink. It never crossed my mind that the embarrassment, instead, should've come from ... Continue Reading