2016 Reading List Update Book Review

 

I know! I keep adding books instead of reading what is on the list! Hubby is probably upset that I haven't picked up Dostoevsky in a while.

Anyway.... if you are looking to delve into the insanity of Martin Luther even a smidgen then this is the book for you! Written in 1884- it is a summary of some of Luther's statements that seemed to be ignored while the Reformation is celebrated as something good.

I am blown away at his reckless and diabolic behavior and can't understand how anyone would follow him except to gain some kind of permission to live an unholy life.

For those who do not want to spend the money on this book- it is in the public domain and you can read a copy of it here.

It is 62 pages and a quick read. Let me know if you read it!



2016 Reading List Update

1. Abortion Free
2.Codes and Ciphers
3. Lady Audley's Secret (Braddon)
4.Uncle's Dream (Dostoevsky)
5. Winter Notes on Summer Impressions (Dostoevsky)
6. A Gentle Creature (Dostoevsky)
7. Short Stories (Dostoevsky)
8. Humiliated and Insulted (Dostoevsky)
9. Ruth (Gaskell)
10. The Paraclete
11. Treatise on Prayer and Meditation  (Alcantara)
12. The Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ
13.Consecration to Mary
14.Finish the writings of St. John of the Cross
15.Continue reading The Liturgical Year (this is every day)
16. The Book of Gomorrah (St. Peter Damian)

17. All for the Love of Mothers
18. Saint Vincent De Paul

19. The Obesity Code
20: Luther's Own Statements Concerning His Teaching and Its Results

Freezing and then Ironing- have you tried it?

A lady at work mentioned that her mother used to freeze shirts and then pull them out when ready to iron. I had never heard of this and decided to scour the internet to see what I could find. I came across a forum which had the following posted:

This is quoted from the book Laundry by Robert Doyle:

"after drying, garments to be ironed are best sprinkled with warm water to dampen them thoroughly, then each garment rolled up into a tight ball, placing each into a plastic bag and into the refrigerator for a couple of hours so that the items are thoroughly dampened and chilled.  .... then with a dry iron, set at the cotton setting, proceed to iron out the wrinkles ...   the dampened and chilled garments will iron more efficiently since the iron glides effortlessly over the chilled fabric."

He also writes that heavier irons work better than lightweight ones and that a dry iron with a mist bottle works better than a steam iron.  This is on cotton and linen fabrics. 


So, for kicks and giggles- I decided to try this out and see if ironing is easier.

Spraying down the dry shirts

Rolling tightly and placing into a plastic bag

Into the freezer it goes!

I ironed both chilled and not chilled shirts





And the results?
It was true! The iron seemed to glide more easily over the shirts when they were chilled compared to those at room temperature.

The Deck is Done!

Old Is New Again!

 

My mother-in-law asked me if I wanted a rug that she had in her home because she was looking to purchase a new one. I said yes as it was in much better shape than my current rug.

The funny thing is that she bought the same rug!

Update on the Deck Project

It has been a roller coaster ride with this deck and very expensive! We had a lot of wood damage due to water and termites. I think we are about $3,000.00 over the original budget but this all had to be done.
In addition to replacing the deck- the back door has to be completely replaced because all of it is rotted. I think we will have to wait and save money before we tackle anything more-sheesh!
Anyway- here are a couple of pictures!

I changed the location of the steps and I think this will work better!



Maybelline Superstay Better Skin Powder

 

Influenster sent me Maybelline's latest "skin-transforming" powder.

 

Tag line "It covers like a foundation and controls shine all day."

 

I tested this out and here are my results-enjoy!

 

Coverage: this is a very light coverage which evened out my skin but did not cover any imperfections. All of my blemishes could be seen through the powder.

 

Texture: soft and smooth- it is a nice feel.

 

Shine coverage: I would say this was about a medium. I didn't have a huge amount of shine or feeling oily, but there was room for improvement.

 

Lasting Power: Low to medium

 

Would I purchase this product with my own money in the future? No, I would not, as I have better products that handle the humidity and my blemishes better.

 

Demolition of the Deck

Don't step down!

August Recipe 2016: Bone Broth

I slathered ghee all over the body of this gorgeous chicken

She thought I was just giving her  a massage...

Carcass plus onions, carrots, salt and pepper simmering for 20 hours









 

Here is the finished product. I took one to work for a meal and then froze the rest for future use.

 

I'm not really sure of the source for broth or stock but I don't think many of us know about the rich nutrients of bone broth.

 

What is bone broth? It is just like making stock but you simmer the stock for up to 24 hours for chicken and 48 hours for beef bones. Dr. Fung suggests using it as a meal replacement during fast periods which I attempted. I must admit that drinking it plain was a little hard but I was filled by about 8 ounces.

This is a much richer base for soups or if you are making rice and the nutrients are explosive! The next time you make stock- cook it longer and then hold onto your flavor hat! What, you don't have a flavor hat? Hmmm....

 

Recipe here

Goodbye Old Deck!

I'm not sure why the builders did this.....

The stairs were becoming a hazard to use..

 

After three long years of looking for someone to replace the deck- we finally made it!

 

Here are pictures of the deck in it's worn out and poorly constructed state.