I love these articles where you learn how to use simple everyday items to do something really helpful around the house. I saw this list on Pinterest and I thought what a great monthly column this would be. All of the tips are so good. I love the one about the hard-boiled eggs, the one about limes and headaches and also the many uses for Alka- Seltzer!!! But they really are all good!!!!
Images Pixabay
1. Stuff a miniature marshmallow in the bottom of a sugar cone to prevent ice cream drips.
2. Use a meat baster to “squeeze” your pancake batter onto the hot griddle and you’ll get perfectly shaped pancakes every time….
3. To keep potatoes from budding, place an apple in the bag with the potatoes.
4. To prevent eggshells from cracking, add a pinch of salt to the water before hard-boiling.
5. Run your hands under cold water before pressing Rice Krispies treats in the pan and the marshmallow won’t stick to your fingers.
6. To get the most juice out of fresh lemons, bring them to room temperature and roll them under your palm against the kitchen counter before squeezing.
7. To easily remove burnt on food from your skillet, simply add a drop or two of dish soap and enough water to cover bottom of pan, and bring to a boil on the stovetop.
8. Spray your Tupperware with nonstick cooking spray before pouring in tomato-based sauces and there won’t be any stains.
9. When a cake recipe calls for flouring the baking pan, use a bit of the dry cake mix instead and there won’t be any white mess on outside of the cake.
10. If you accidentally over-salt a dish while it’s still cooking, drop in a peeled potato and it will absorb the excess salt for an instant “fix me up.”
11. Wrap celery in aluminum foil when putting in the refrigerator and it will keep for weeks.
12. Place a slice of apple in hardened brown sugar to soften it.
13. When boiling corn on the cob, add a pinch of sugar to help bring out the corn’s natural sweetness.
14. To determine whether an egg is fresh, immerse it in a pan of cool, salted water. If it sinks, it is fresh, but if it rises to the surface, throw it away.
15. Cure for headaches: Take a lime, cut it in half and rub it on your forehead. The throbbing will go away.
16. Don’t throw out all that leftover wine: Freeze into ice cubes for future use in casseroles and sauces.
17. If you have a problem opening jars: Try using latex dishwashing gloves. They give a non-slip grip that makes opening jars easy.
18. Potatoes will take food stains off your fingers. Just slice and rub raw potato on the stains and rinse with water.
19. To get rid of itch from mosquito bites, try applying soap on the area and you will experience instant relief.
20. Ants, ants, ants everywhere … Well, they are said to never cross a chalk line. So get your chalk out and draw a line on the floor or wherever ants tend to march. See for yourself.
21. Now look what you can do with Alka Seltzer:
Clean a toilet. Drop in two Alka-Seltzer tablets, wait twenty minutes, brush and flush. The citric acid and effervescent action clean vitreous china.
Clean a vase. To remove a stain from the bottom of a glass vase or cruet, fill with water and drop in two Alka-Seltzer tablets.
Polish jewelry. Drop two Alka-Seltzer tablets into a glass of water and immerse the jewelry for two minutes.
Clean a thermos bottle. Fill the bottle with water, drop in four Alka-Seltzer tablets, and let soak for an hour (or longer, if necessary).
Unclog a drain. Clear the sink drain by dropping three Alka-Seltzer tablets down the drain followed by a cup of Heinz White Vinegar. Wait a few minutes, then run the hot water
Are you sick of the Royals yet? I have been meaning to share this week’s book with you but I think today it is quite fitting…The Royal Governess: A Novel of Queen Elizabeth II’s Childhood by Wendy Holden. I know how popular The Crown is so I thought this story of Queen Elizabeth told by her tutor would be so interesting…
“A beautifully woven and exquisitely detailed story of strong upstairs/downstairs women.”—Heather Morris, New York Times bestselling author of The Tattooist of Auschwitz
Sunday Times bestselling author Wendy Holden brings to life the unknown childhood years of one of the world’s most famous figures, Queen Elizabeth II, and reveals the spirited young governess who made her the icon we love today.
In 1933, twenty-two-year-old Marion Crawford accepts the role of a lifetime, tutoring the little Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret Rose. Her one stipulation to their parents the Duke and Duchess of York is that she bring some doses of normalcy into their sheltered and privileged lives.
At Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle and Balmoral, Marion defies stuffy protocol to take the princesses on tube trains, swimming at public baths, and on joyful Christmas shopping trips at Woolworth’s. From her ringside seat at the heart of the British monarchy she witnesses twentieth-century history’s most seismic events. The trauma of the Abdication, the glamour of the Coronation, the onset of World War II. She steers the little girls through it all, as close as a mother.
During Britain’s darkest hour, as Hitler’s planes fly over Windsor, she shelters her charges in the castle dungeons (not far from where the Crown Jewels are hidden in a biscuit tin). Afterwards, she is present when Elizabeth first sets eyes on Philip.
But being beloved confidante to the Windsors comes at huge personal cost. Marriage, children, her own views: all are compromised by proximity to royal glory. In this majestic story of love, sacrifice and allegiance, bestselling novelist Holden shines a captivating light into the years before Queen Elizabeth II took the throne. – Amazon.com
For more information or to purchase this book, click HERE.
It’s a new year, so why don’t you get into the spirit of things and make a fresh start on yourself? Too many people – especially women – suffer from self-confidence issues. For whatever reason, you don’t feel totally comfortable in yourself, and you lack confidence. Well, you’re about to see a few subtle ways you can change this and feel far more confident in 2021 and beyond! I have also incorporated a bunch of daily swipe ups on my Instagram stories, of current, fashion, beauty, and health items to keep you feeling the best you can be all year round.
Improve your smile
A smile says a lot about a person – people who smile a lot are often seen as very confident. However, you may avoid smiling or smile with your mouth shut because you don’t like your teeth. They could be stained or wonky, becoming a major cause of your confidence issues. You can change this in a couple of subtle ways. Firstly, consider some clear braces to straighten your teeth without anyone knowing. Then, get some home teeth whitening kits to get rid of the stains. In a few weeks, you’ll have a straight smile with white teeth! Now, you feel more inclined to smile all the time, boosting your confidence to the high heavens.
And if you’ve got gum issues, you can sort out gum diseases with the dentist in Williamsburg.
Dress to impress…yourself!
We’re all guilty of getting caught up in different fashion trends now and then. Younger women and teens are probably more inclined to do this than others. In essence, you see certain fashion items become popular, which makes you go out and buy them. You’re dressing to try and stay fashionable and impress others, but you may not feel comfortable in what you’re wearing. In turn, this leads to confidence issues as you’re wearing clothes and thinking ‘oh boy, I really can’t pull something like this off.’ The simple fix is to dress to impress one person only: yourself! Wear clothes that you like and that make you feel comfortable. That’s the key to self-confidence: feel comfortable in your skin and the confidence will flow.
Change your hairstyle
Giving yourself a change of hairstyle is another excellent way to feel more confident. It’s this idea that you make a change and almost feel like a new person. This might mean giving yourself a fringe, cutting your hair shorter, dying it blonde, etc. Doing something different can help you feel like you’re turning a page and starting a new chapter in your life. Plus, the benefit of making a hairstyle change is that people notice it right away. Especially if it’s an obvious change – like dying your hair or switching up the style. This leads to lots of compliments that act as positive reinforcement for you! It’s great to see so many people comment on how cute your new hair is – it fills you with confidence.
You see, confidence can be found with just a few subtle changes. Mostly, it’s about identifying the main causes of your self-consciousness. Sadly, for most of us, the causes tend to revolve around the way we look. So, a change to different aspects of your looks can help you iron out self-consciousness and feel a lot more positive.
It seems like peace can be hard to find at any age. We’re all in this mess together, both young and old. And we have all seen how the isolation of quarantine has affected all of our family members, most importantly our elderly parents. At least when you’re young, you can embrace the madness somewhat, and see where it leads you. When you’re older, a lack of peace becomes more problematic. There’s no denying the fact that the older you are, the less amount of time you have. And if you haven’t found peace, then that can cause a lot of heartache and anguish. As a capable adult, you’ll be in a position to help your aging parents find peace. Here’s how.
Keep the Good Times Rolling
It’d be sad to live with the knowledge that all your happy moments were behind you. But who says that has to be the case? As people get older, they’re much less likely to be a self-starter; they’re unlikely to make grand things happen in their lives. But that doesn’t mean that they’ve lost the capacity to experience joy and have fun. If you’re going to do something exciting, then why not look at inviting them along? It’s sometimes worthwhile really emphasizing how much their presence will mean to you, because sometimes older people can be a little resistant. They’ll love it when they’re there.
Find The Right Living Arrangement
It’s hard to feel at peace if you feel like you’re living in the wrong environment. A place might not be right for many reasons, such as it’s not friendly for people with reduced mobility, or it’s too isolated. At some stage, it might be best to look at nursing homes. But remember that even these spaces can be problematic. If you suspect that your parents aren’t being treated as well as they should, then you’ll need to get in touch with experienced nursing home abuse lawyers. While it can be a process to find the ideal living arrangement for older people, it’s a journey that’s a worthwhile undertaking, since it can have such a big impact on their happiness.
Make Emergency Arrangements
Your parents might be a little bit worried about various aspects of life, such as their financial standing or what they’ll do if they fall in the home. While you can’t keep all of these problems at bay, you can help to put their mind at ease by making emergency arrangements. If they know there’s a plan in place should they have a medical emergency, then they’ll feel all the better for it.
Trips Down Memory Lane
It can be hard to feel as if the world is moving on without you. Your parents will have lived full lives, with many happy moments — you’ll be included in many of those memories. As they get older, take some time to take a trip down memory lane. This will give them an opportunity to relive some of the happy moments of their lives, and give you a chance to get to them better. Opening up a bottle of wine, going through some old photographs, and sharing stories is a surefire way to have a fun evening.
So you have been finally decided to give in to the thought of having an extra-marital affair on the Ashley Madison dating site and wondered what to expect on the platform. You may find this piece to be insightful in finding out how the pricing system works and what to expect from using the service. You can check here to find out about the Ashley Madison price list and learn more about their dating services below.
As you may already know, the Ashley Madison dating service is famous around the world for their adult dating service. While many of their users are married couples looking to have an affair with a stranger, you could also find single folks or divorcees looking to connect with the opposite sex. So how can you get started on the platform, and what should you expect from using their service?
Getting Started
As with every other dating site for adults, the first thing you would have to do is sign-up and create a profile. You can do this in less than three minutes and don’t have to provide your real details, such as your name, phone number, or address. It is possible not to have your actual photo as your profile picture. You can choose to use an avatar, and other users will respect your decision to remain anonymous.
The registration process is free of charge, but you will have to provide an email address to complete the process. And for this, I advise you to use a new email solely for this purpose. By so doing, you get to separate your private messages from dating services, from other work-related emails.
Meeting Members
Once you have completed the registration on the website, you will get notifications of compatible matches close to you. But you can ignore their suggestions and do your search at your convenience. For this, you will need to upgrade to a premium membership to be able. I will talk more about this when we get to how the pricing system works.
You should know that a female member can begin chats and send emails without any financial commitment. On the other hand, a male user only gets one free message upon registration. And if they happen to connect with a female user, they will need to purchase more credits to enjoy more chat time. Men can also get gifts for the ladies on the platform, but this is entirely up to them. You can read this for how to chat ladies up on dating sites.
Pricing Policy
As you already know, you will need to upgrade your membership status to get the best out of the Ashley Madison dating service. But just before you give up on the thoughts of signing up, you should know that their fees may be within the market average. The good thing is that you don’t get slammed with a recurring monthly subscription and only pay for what you use.
The service is entirely free for women, and only men will need to make a financial commitment to enjoy the services provided by the platform. The guys will need to pay for the messages they send to the ladies and other users, but the females can start chatting right away. One good thing with this system is that you can be sure of finding a lot of female folks on the site at any given time.
How Much does Ashley Madison’s Credit Cost?
The minimum credits you can purchase is 100, and each goes for 0.49 cents. So the guys should expect to shell out $49 to get started on the platform. The good thing is that the more credits you purchase, the lesser it cost. If you are buying 500 credits, the price drops to $0.29 per credit, while 1000 will cost you $240 at the rate of $0.24 per credit.
Please wait a minute, did I hear you say it cost to use their service? Well, you should know that it is expensive to cheat on your partner, and you can check this piece below to find out how much it costs to have an affair.
So now you know how much it cost to get started with using the service, I bet you would like to find out how much credit a gentleman needs to send a message to a lady. It will cost you five (5) credits for every message you send to other users, and that’s not all. It also requires the same five credits to open a letter or text sent from a female user or other people on the platform.
For a live chat with another user, you will need to have a balance of more than 30 credits, and it will cost 50 credits to chat for an hour. And once the first 60 minutes is up, you will be charged another 30 credits and an extra 20 at the end of the hour. If you wish to send virtual gifts to your female friends on the platform, you could end up spending between 20 and 50 credits.
Buying credits is not an issue, as the site accepts all credit cards and also has the option to use PayPal instead. The good thing is the payment is billed under “online services.” and does not mention the name Ashley Madison. So you can be sure your spouse won’t get suspicious at the end of the month when they receive the monthly transactions. Of course, you won’t have to worry about this if you don’t share the same banking details or make use of PayPal.
Final Notes
The Ashley Madison dating service is excellent if you are not looking for a long term relationship. It also appeals more to married men and women interested in having a fling that doesn’t end up ruining their marriage. While your user information such as name, photos, and other details are protected, there is usually little information about the people you meet there. So you may have to spend on credits to get to know other users on the platform. But at the end of the day, there is a high probability you may find someone who isn’t looking for anything serious also.