Cats And Coupons

Something every pet owner can enjoy is a digital photo frame. Actually, I can’t think of anyone that wouldn’t enjoy one. Digital frames have come down so far in price since they first came out that they’re actually affordable now. They come in many different styles and sizes so you can get one for yourself or give it as a gift. And they aren’t just for personal use. Businesses are now giving branded digital photo frames to their clients to keep them in the front of their minds. Now that’s a cool gift, far better than the jar of candy and gym bag that one of my other jobs gave out. Digital Frames Direct specializes in digital picture frames and has an incredible amount of selections to choose from. They even have some video reviews of digital frames that take the viewer from delivery to setup. I really got a kick out of the idea of using digital frames as a tool in a call center. That’s an awesome idea that would have worked great when I was selling computer products. If you want to see all sorts of different frames and ways to use them all in one place then Digital Frames Direct should be your destination.

I have a friend who frequently mentions to me how her cats get into everything. We animal lovers love to see our pets happy and playful but should be aware of potential dangers within our own homes. I recently wrote about foods in your own kitchen that can be dangerous, today I am writing about potential dangers in another room, the bathroom.

Most people know to put their medications away to ensure the safety of children. But are they aware that those same meds can make their pets sick? Both over the counter and prescription medications should be kept in a sealed bottle and inside a higher cabinet. Some of the non prescription drugs that are dangerous to pets include acetaminophen, antihistamines, cold medicines, diet pills, aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen and vitamins. All prescribed medications should also be kept out of reach of reaching hands and paws.

Toilet bowls with treated or colored water, as well as those with automatic cleansing bottles and tablets used should be kept closed. Also, cats have been known to fall into a toilet and be unable to get out, drowning.
Soaps, if licked, eaten or swallowed, will upset your pet’s stomach and probably induce vomiting and diarrhea.
Grooming tools. Keep razors, scissors, knives and any other sharp tools safely out of reach.
Floss. Make sure discarded floss is inside a tissue or in a trash pail with a lid. If a pet swallows it it could get wrapped on their intestines.
Cleaners. Household cleaners are often toxic and should remain out of reach.
House plants. Make sure the plant you have in your bathroom is not one of the toxic ones.

That’s all of the tips I knew or have found. If you have others, please feel free to share.

Going back a couple of years we had to replace our old metal swing set. It had rusted and was falling apart. My oldest son wanted something big enough that his friends could play on. We wanted something that would last a while and be affordable. So off we went to look at and price swing sets. We looked locally and everything we wanted or liked was out of our price range. Unwilling to give up, I decided to search online to see who else in our area carried them. I had never considered buying one online. I was so surprised to find out that some really big manufacturers sell their wood swing sets online for mush less than you can buy them elsewhere. And they’ll ship them to you on a freight truck. We saved about $400 on the swing set and it’s still standing and in excellent shape. So, if you are considering getting a swing set I recommend doing a little surfing online. You might find what you’re looking for at a really nice price.

Well, Christmas is over and the new year is under way. We took the tree down this past weekend as well as the decorations. All I have left to do tonight is take the wreath and the sleigh bells off of the front door. And then there’s the gifts. I need a place to put them. I also need to clean again, and get find good spots for the exercise equipment. See, my youngest got Thomas the Tank train sets that are currently up in two different rooms. The one in the living room is right in front of the picture window where we put the exercise bike. That train can’t stay up full time out here. I’m actually looking for a train table with drawers or bins underneath that everything could be stored in. I’m thinking we can put the new smart cycle next to my exercise bike so that my younger son and I can “ride” together.

Well here’s how you can enter a contest that’s giving a really nice one away.

A Cowboy’s Wife is having a contest on her food blog! You can win a Hamilton Beach® Stand Mixer and she’ll ship anywhere so everyone is eligible!

The Prize:

The winner will receive a brand new
Hamilton Beach 4.5-qt. Eclectrics Stand Mixer, Pineapple Yellow!!

About the mixer:

From Hamilton Beach’s “Eclectrics” line, this all-metal stand mixer comes with a host of accessories – a Flat Beater for cakes and cookies, a Dough Hook for bread and a Wire Whisk for whipped cream or pudding. The 4.5-qt. stainless steel bowl comes with a Pouring Shield that helps prevent splattering while in operation. The pouring shield has a built-in chute for adding ingredients. Powered by 400 watts, the stand mixer has a two-way mixing action to ensure all ingredients are incorporated into the mix. The quick-release, tilt-up head assists when removing the bowl. 9 x 14 x 14-in. When you’re ready for a kitchen re-do, don’t call in the carpenters! Instead, “counterscape” your kitchen with Hamilton Beach’s retro-designed, affordably priced electrics in happy, sun-saturated colors. Their “Eclectrics” line includes updates to those classic appliances from the 1950s. All of their “Eclectrics” are available in six colors: Apple Green, Moroccan Red, Pineapple Yellow, Intrigue Blue, Sugar White and Licorice Black.

Lori over at My Wooden Spoon has created many ways to earn entries into this contest, so everyone has a chance to win. Good luck to all!

Did you ever work for a really cheap employer who didn’t care about the employees? I used to be the administrator of a business that relocated in order to save money. They moved from a nice first floor location pretty close to major highways and public transportation to a fifth floor space in an old five story building. That building had the worst heating and air conditioning. In the summer we roasted, even when the air was on you couldn’t tell the air was on. In the winter frequently the furnace didn’t work at all, but the owner expected us to stay even if it meant working in our coats. When the furnace did work it was still cold and several of us put little portable heaters under our desks. Then the owner complained what that did to the electric bill. We couldn’t put in gas portable heaters which are more economical because the suite wasn’t connected to natural gas. Business really declined after that move. I’m sure glad I don’t work there any more.

I have a friend whose house is always cold, probably because it’s basically a converted porch on a really old house. She only has propane in the house, and has been supplementing the existing heat with space heaters. I did email her about the DESA Outlet because they have some propane wall heaters she might be interested in looking at.While I was on their site I saw a nice natural gas fireplace almost 50% off on their site. We used to talk about our dream of having a fireplace but I hadn’t realized at the time they made them for natural gas. Hmmmm.

I would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas, full of family, love, warmth, joy and kindness. I also want to express my thanks to all of my blogging buddies and my blog visitors. I hope we can share each others company for a long time to come.

Merry Christmas!

I have this habit of planning all of the improvements we need or want to do at our home. The “old” bathroom is called that because it is as old as the house, about forty years old. Some of the stuff in that bathroom is probably that old. The bathroom is split in two halves, separated by a door. The front half has two sinks side by side and the back half has the toilet and the tub. Every fixture in there needs to be replaced, particularly the sinks. The two sinks are a gross mud beige color and they’re chipped. When we put our “new” bathroom in we looked at a lot of styles and brands of sinks. We ended up going with one of the Kohler sinks because they looked nice, have a good reputation and were priced competitively. Now all we have to decide is if we’re going to stay with two sinks or drop down to one. I have a little time, I’m hoping to make this project happen in 2009.

Who remembers the Johnny Jump Up? For those that need a reminder and those that don’t know, the Johnny Jump Up was for babies. It hung on the doorway sill, and the baby was put into it to sort of sit/stand and bounce to his or her hearts content. Some people felt that it strengthened the childs legs. I never bought one because I was always afraid that it would come down and the child would be hurt. Recently I came across a product called the amby baby, which made me think of the Johnny Jump Up. It’s a motion bed for babies with sleep problems. The bed is a sort of a baby hammock that hangs from a crossbar on a stand.  I’d still be afraid of the product falling and the baby getting hurt. Sometimes the more things change the more they stay the same….

Many years ago, shortly after I was married, I became a Tupperware lady. I thought I would make some money doing it, and have fun. It was at that time that I discovered I’m not the schmoozy type of person who can sell stuff at home parties. I didn’t book many parties, and retired after a few months. I did take advantage of being a rep by buying all the samples I could. I still have unopened Tupperware underneath my counter. A woman I used to be friendly with looked underneath my counters once and forbid me from buying any more food containers like Tupperware, Rubbermaid, whatever. She was right, and I haven’t since. I recently put a small round frozen pizza in the microwave on a square Tupperware plate. I had the pizza in for three minutes. I was shocked when I took it out of the microwave to discover that a hole had melted right in the middle of the plate. I recall being told these were microwavable. Tupperware can be a bit expensive. It ought to do what they say it will do. I wonder if it still has a lifetime warranty. I’ll have to check that out. Have any of you ever returned something bought at a home party because it didn’t do what it was supposed to, or live up to their promise? What was the item, and did they take the return?