Saturday Update

It was nice not having to go to work yesterday. But, I ended up having to spend most of the day with Ilse. I went to her place at about 12 and took her to the grocery store. That took a little while as usual.

She also wanted to take her dog to the vet to get a rabies shot, checkup and nail trimming. When she called they said a doctor would not be in until 3:20. So, rather than go home and have to drive back later, I tried to go through some of my Dad's file cabinets and look for important insurance papers for Ilse. I threw out some junk he had in the files and eventually just gave up. Every time there is a folder that looks important, it either has really outdated material or papers that have nothing to with what it is labeled. My favorite are the folders labeled "In the event of my death". He has 4 file cabinets and each has one of these folders. Everyone of the folders is empty. He really had no plan at all. It is maddening.

Doug came over while we were at the vets. He had to finish setting up the antennae for the TV in her bedroom. She also let me bring home some of my Dad's fix-it books and I found more of his car books for Thomas. We didn't leave until after 5. It was a long day.

Green Tip of the Day

Quit buying new tools

Join a tool-lending library if you've got one nearby. Borrowing that utility knife instead of buying a new one saves natural resources. Producing one shared tool uses fewer resources than producing many copies of the same tool.

Tools aren't cheap - especially power tools, many of which will set you back $100-plus. Lending libraries are typically free.

Many tool libraries even have uncommon tools like vernier calipers - and most let you borrow for several days.

• Wikipedia - list of local tool libraries.
• Neighborrow - online directory that helps you and others in your neighborhood borrow and lend stuff, including tools.
• If you can't find one near you, try renting instead of buying (Home Depot rents big tools, for example; many independent hardware stores do the same).

Friday Update

Happy Friday everyone. I'm glad I don't have to work today. Not sure what I will do today. Most likely check in on Ilse. Other than that it will probably just be a jump start on the usual weekend cleaning routine.

Green Tip of the Day

Go Green With Cotton

Cotton is an all-natural resource that uses sunshine, air and soil to produce fibers that become the shirts, jeans, totes, textiles and other personal items we love. Plus, cotton growers have been reducing their need for pesticides and irrigation water over the past 25 years. So while many industries are just starting to go green, cotton’s green movement started a long time ago.

Cotton is more than just a great green option. It also breathes beautifully, feels soft next to the skin and looks fabulous. So update your closet with new cotton clothes.

Whether you’re going to the farmer’s market, bookstore or beach, cotton totes are convenient, available in several chic shapes, sizes and colors, plus they keep plastic bags out of our landfills.

Instead of throwing away your old sofa and other furniture—or spending money to buy new pieces—make the old new with fresh cotton covers. Brighten up a room with a crisp, white sofa cover. Drape a cotton cover over an old chair or table for an fresh update, or use bright cotton pillows to add a splash of color to your space.

Thursday Update

I took a vacation day tomorrow, so today is my Friday at work. Yesterday was a fairly good day at work. The phones were still slow, but my sales were the best for this week. I did get a lot of game playing in as well. We are still checking out the new games we will be selling during slow periods. I played Scrabble, Jewels of Cleopatra and Hoyle Miami Solitaire.

Last night we watched 2 hours of American Idol. It was the second round of elimination for the groups of 12. Most of the people were pretty bad last night. I'm not sure who is going to make it through. We think Nick Mitchell (Norman Gentle) actually has a chance to make it through.

Created for Campbell in celebration of the red dress symbol for heart health, Red, White and Seamed was America's favorite Nicole Miller design.

Click on this year's winning dress. For each click, Campbell's is donating $1 to the Go Red For Women® movement.*

* Up to $275,000 from 12/18/08 - 3/2/09

Green Tip of the Day

Reusable Bottles

Almost 90 percent of the cost of bottled water is for the plastic bottle, lid and label. Americans buy an estimated 28 billion plastic water bottles every year. Plastic bottles are produced from petroleum, so investing in a reused bottle cuts down on oil use. In fact, in 2006, it took more than 17 million barrels of oil (excluding the oil used in transporting the plastic) to produce these plastic bottles.

• A small investment up front can save over the long run. Use your reusable bottles while exercising, at the office or around the house.
• Keep one in your car at all times, for those unexpected trips and stops. You can fill it up at any gas station or fast food restaurant.
• When you do buy a plastic bottle, make sure to wrap it up with reuse or recycling
• Give the gift of reuse, the options are endless.
• Buy matching reusable bottles for your department, co-workers or member of your book club.
• Encourage your employer to hand out reusable bottles as promotional gifts, or give them away as party favors at your next major event.

Wednesday Update

Yesterday was another boring day at work. I can't wait for things to pick up. We are getting closer to moving in to our new office in the Granby Building next door. They have the cubicles built, they are very nice with upper cabinets and two sets of desk drawers.

Last night we watched Good Eats, Dirty Jobs-200 Jobs Look-Back and Wreckcreation Nation with Dave Mordal.

Presidential Address to Congress

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Tuesday Update

Yesterday was a trying day at work. It seems the new company was doing some penny pinching by buying only 10 licenses for us to connect to our server. That means that if we all connect to everything we need to do our jobs easily and efficiently, some of us loose internet connectivity. Everything we use for our jobs is internet related, so this makes absolutely no sense. The company realizes this now and have told us they will be getting us unlimited access, however we do not know how long it will be before we have this. I was not able to get online form 9AM to 11:30 AM yesterday. It could be a long week.

Last night Doug and I had leftover riblets for supper. Yummy! We watched our Monday show "Top Gear". Then we watched Two & a Half Men. After that there really wasn't much else on. Not an exciting night.

Green Tip of the Day

Uses for bread bags

Many families wind up with hundreds of bread bags each year. So what to do them all?

We probably can't keep them out of the waste stream forever, but perhaps they can be used for other purposes that may prevent the use/purchase of another product. Here's some ideas:

- For packing sandwiches
- As packing material when shipping goods
- General storage for small items
- A replacement for freezer bags
- Plastic bag crafts
- A cake icing piping bag
- Handy bags for picking up dog poop
- Makeshift gloves
- Punch holes in the bag and use as a seedling tube
- Car travel sick bag
- Car travel rubbish bag
- Seasoning bag; add seasoning and meat and shake

As mentioned, these ideas won't keep the bread bags out of the waste stream, but they might take the place of something you'd otherwise buy for the tasks. Lowering consumption of anything and everything is something we can all do to reduce our environmental impact.

Monday Update

Yesterday was a usual Sunday; cleaning, laundry and cooking. The cooking was done mostly by Doug of course. Although we had riblets, only Mark and Wanda showed up. After supper we watched the Academy Awards. Slumdog Millionaire won the most awards. We will have to see this movie.

Here are the Winners of a 2009 Academy Award

THE WINNERS

Best motion picture of the year - "Slumdog Millionaire"

Best actor in a leading role - Sean Penn in "Milk"

Best actress in a leading role - Kate Winslet in "The Reader"

Best actress in a supporting role - Penélope Cruz in "Vicky Cristina Barcelona"

Best actor in a supporting role -- Heath Ledger in "The Dark Knight"

Achievement in directing - "Slumdog Millionaire" Danny Boyle

Best animated feature film of the year - "WALL-E"

Achievement in art direction - "The Duchess"

Achievement in cinematography - "Slumdog Millionaire”

Achievement in costume design - "The Duchess" Michael O'Connor

Best documentary feature - "Man on Wire"

Best documentary short subject - "Smile Pinki"

Achievement in makeup - "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" Greg Cannom

Best animated short film - "La Maison en Petits Cubes"

Best live action short film - "Spielzeugland (Toyland)"

Adapted screenplay -- "Slumdog Millionaire" Screenplay by Simon Beaufoy

Original screenplay - "Milk" Written by Dustin Lance Black

Achievement in sound editing - "The Dark Knight"

Achievement in sound mixing - "Slumdog Millionaire"

Achievement in visual effects - "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"

Achievement in film editing - “Slumdog Millionaire" Chris Dickens

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original score) - "Slumdog Millionaire" A.R. Rahman

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original song) - "Jai Ho" from "Slumdog Millionaire" Music by A.R. Rahman, Lyric by Gulzar

Best foreign language film - "Departures" Japan

Green Tip of the Day

Don’t Throw Away Your Television

Our TVs are part of this growing e-waste problem. Electronic circuit boards, batteries and color cathode ray tubes (CRTs) can contain hazardous materials such as lead, mercury and hexavalent chromium. If improperly handled or disposed, these toxins can be released into the environment through landfill leachate or incinerator ash.

Responsible recycling of your TV will help mediate the risks of disposing of this common household electronic device. In fact, in just one year, over 112 million pounds of valuable materials were recovered from disposed electronics, such as steel, glass, plastic and precious metals.

Don’t throw away your television, recycle it! Use Earth911.com recycling database to find a location near you.

Sunday Update

Yesterday was a wonderful day spent at Thomas and Diedre's house. I woke around 7:30 and did a quick update of my blog. Diedre woke up shortly after I did and joined me in the computer room. Thomas woke about the time I was finishing my blog, so we went out to the family room. We decided to wash dishes from the night before so we could make breakfast. Chloe and Doug woke up just before we finished the dishes. Doug showed Thomas how to mix up batter for French Toast. It cooked the French Toast while everyone else sat down to watch TV. The French Toast was very good.

At some point we started watching Ratatouille. When that was over Thomas and Doug started building a computer for Diedre's parents. Us girls watched 27 Dresses while they worked in the computer. Chloe had to leave after the movie was over. She had homework and had to be home to go to work at 7. After she left we decided to get a Casey's taco pizza for lunch. We ate most of the pizza and then Doug brought up a story about a show he had seen a video of a pooping hippo on and wanted to show us the video. Diedre wanted to take a nap which was probably a good idea as she was spared seeing all the pooping hippo videos. We never found the exact one Doug was thinking of, but we did see a lot of pooping hippos. After all of that fun, it was time for us to go home. Thomas woke up Diedre and we said our good byes.

On the way home we continued to listen to Alice in Wonderland. It wasn't finished by the time we got home. We still have about 20 minutes of the story to listen to.

Oscars Time Capsule

Take the interactive tour featuring rare photos and video clips!

Green Tip of the Day

Disposable Dishes

The U.S. throws out enough disposal dinner ware every year to circle the equator 300 times.

Investing in a good set of bamboo or steel travel wear would do you some good. They often have their own little cases or fold down to fit nicely in your purse, pocket or backup. Just pass on the plastic and use that nifty travel fork again and again.

If you’re at home, use a ceramic or reusable dish. Though the cleanup is more, the overall consumption is lower.

Reuse plastic forks, spoons and chopsticks around the house. Once their food ship has sailed, use them to help hold up plants as they grow.

Paper plates might be your choice for your next party, however, there are other ways to save money and resources. Most people often have a bring your own drink policy so why not a bring your own plate one? Go for it and make your next party easy to clean, with no waste…BYOP

Bring in a set of reusable dinner ware to work, and encourage your co-workers to do the same. That company potluck tastes a lot better off your favorite ceramic plate.

Saturday Update

We almost made it a full week with everyone at work. One of our temps did not show up yesterday. So I guess technically, the whole full time crew was there all week.

Yesterday after work I rushed home so we could leave to Diedre and Thomas' house. We had a nice drive and listened to Alice in Wonderland on the Way up. When we got there Diedre and Chloe were cooking bacon and chicken for pizzas. They made pulled bar-b-que pork, chicken & artichoke and pepperoni. They had also made rosettes before we got there. Needless to say the pizzas were delicious! So were the rosettes! Diedre opened her birthday gifts during supper. Thomas knew we had gotten her the Rachel Ray Big Orange Cookbook, so he was ready with his ears closed. She let out a very loud squeel when she saw it.

After supper Thomas and I went to the store for a few things. Almost everyone we saw there called him Mr Howe. When we came back we all watched the movie Igor. It was a very funny movie. Chloe went to bed first followed by Diedre and Luke. I stayed up until almost 11.

Green Tip of the Day

Green your bath.

A typical shower uses 12 gallons of hot water, while a bath takes about 20, but if you fill your bath up an inch less than regular, you will save up to 4.5 gallons.

Up the relaxation ante with inexpensive eco-trimmings such as bath salts.

Bathing with a friend is a great way to save water, naturally (showering with a friend works too).

Save baths for special occasions or stressy evenings.

Put the plug in from the beginning to save water (the hot water should warm up the initial cold water).

MolecularMovies.org is a clearinhouse for animated illustrations of otherwise obsure cellular and genetic processes. There are 96 films in all.

Friday Update

Amazing, everyone was at work again yesterday. At first I thought our supervisor was going to be out. But, she was just late because they had some lambs born on her farm. This is a sure sign that Spring is near.

I hope the weather holds out for our trip to Eldora later today. The last time we visited we got a parking ticket. There will be no parking on the street this time. We will be celebrating Diedre's birthday a week late. I am always excited to visit Thomas and Diedre. Chloe will also be joining us tonight. It will be fun having the family together.

Green Tip of the Day

Your library card gives you free access to books, movies, and music - plus borrowing keeps paper and plastic out of production. Movie rentals run $3-$5 a pop, albums cost $10-plus, and a new hardcover can set you back $20. Most library memberships are free.

More than 3.1 billion books are purchased in the United States each year, and most are made using nonrecycled paper and petroleum-based inks. And don't get us started on CDs and movie dics...

Libraries are constantly adding new media. Many libraries offer other free benefits, such as wireless Internet, author appearances, and art exhibits.

PaperBack Swap - if your local library system doesn't have the book you're looking for, use this site to trade for it by mail.

Not a joke

Tell The New York Post: This isn't funny

The New York Post has published a shocking cartoon that appears to compare President Obama to a dead chimpanzee that was shot by police. It evokes a terrible history of racial symbolism and violence at a time when Obama has received a record number of death threats and hate crimes are on the rise. But The Post is standing by the cartoon, refusing to even acknowledge that these concerns are legitimate.

Please join us in demanding that The Post apologize publicly and fire the editor who allowed this cartoon to go to print.

Thursday Update

It was 3 for 3 yesterday. Everyone was at work again yesterday. This might be a record week for the year.

Last night I stopped to check on Ilse. I got a few things at the store for her. Health wise she seems to be doing alright. She has been trying to pay her bills on her own, which I keep advising her not to do. And now it 'seems' she has lost her check book. She gets agitated every time I mention that she must balance the check book.

Doug made supper while I was attending to Ilse. We had salisbury steaks and mashed potatoes. This has become one of my favorite meals. After supper we looked through some more letters and pictures that I found in my Dad's things. Most of the pictures I had never seen before.

We had to wait until after the UNI/Drake basketball game to watch American Idol. UNI blew it at the very end of the game, they could have won it. Two of the three chosen to go on to the Top 12 were who Doug and I had picked; Danny Gokey and Alexis Grace. The third, Michael Sarver, we would not have picked. He was a favorite of the Country Western viewers evidently. This year they will have a wild card round, where some of those voted off tonight will be called back for the judges to choose three more finalists. This will happen after the next two groups are voted on by viewers.

Last month, the Prado became the first museum to open its collection to Google’s mapping technology, allowing you to take a virtual trip to Madrid and see super-mega-resolution views of 14 masterpieces.

See a new masterpiece every day in Google Maps
To view all masterpieces together, use Google Earth .

Green Tip of the Day

Though this isn’t the most pleasant job, a trash audit is a necessary step to really getting a hold on what you currently throw out, and more importantly, what you can save from the trashcan. The audit itself is simple, just follow these easy steps:

1. Pick a time period –A week is a good place to start.
2. Get everyone on board - If they live in your house and they make trash, they are involved, so catch ‘em up to speed.
3. Throw stuff away - Go about your normal routine, and throw away what you usually do. It is important that you be honest with yourself and not try to be on your “best behavior.” Remember, you are trying to get an accurate measurement of your waste output.
4. Weigh in - If you can, weigh your trash. Each time you take a trash bag out of the house, plop it on the scale. This way you can have a baseline for comparison (sort of like “before” and “after” photos when you’re starting a new workout program). Though you will visually be able to see your trash dwindle, the satisfaction of cold, hard facts is the icing on the cake.
5. Put on some gloves - Check daily to see what you threw away that could have been recycled, composted, reused or avoided. This part is the “eeewwww” moment - we are talking about trash here. But, by doing it daily, it wont be as bad. Don’t be deterred by what you find. Remember your mission; you can do it!
6. Get graphical - Make a list, chart, pie graph, power point…whatever you want. Just write down your findings, and use those findings to make a plan. What can you recycle that you are currently tossing in the trash? What can be composted? What can be reused and, in turn, what didn’t need to be there in the first place?

Wednesday Update

Yesterday was another slow day at work. We also had everyone there again, two for two. Can we make it all week? In this economy it makes me nervous that we are so slow. I hope things start to pick up soon. It's hard to sell if you don't get any calls.

Last night was pretty quiet at home. We watched American Idol, which was 2 hours. We don't care for the way they are doing it this year. They have the top 36 in groups of 12 and each week those 12 sing and then America votes for only 3 to stay out of those 12. The top 36 only have one chance to sing. Not much room to improve. If they would have done this before, Jennifer Hudson would have been voted off right away.

Green Tip of the Day

Use your reusable grocery store bag at restaurants to cart home leftovers and when picking up take-out orders. In addition to bags, add other items to the bring-your-own repertoire like coffee mugs. Starbucks, for example, offers a financial incentive (a 10-cent discount) for supplying your own. Coffee lovers apparently are taking advantage of that approach: according to a Starbucks spokeswoman, customers in 2007 supplied their own beverage mugs almost 20 million times.

If you enjoy take-out regularly from specific places, ask those restaurant owners if they’d stock reusable to-go containers, such as glass or stainless steel. Tell them you’ll return the container when you’re back for another dinner. It’s sort of a library approach to packaging. You drop off the used containers and pick up fresh ones packed with food each time you go. The advantage to the restaurant is reduced costs on disposable packaging and loyalty of regular diners.

If the restaurant doesn’t like the idea of reusable containers, bring your own. Some eco-minded restaurant-goers tote around personal food storage containers to wrap up their leftovers and also use them for take-out items - just make sure the restaurant agrees to use them.

Hubble's Next Discovery -- You Decide

Watch the video: Trying to decide? Let a Hubble astronomer tell you about the science highlights and enticing features of your six choices.

"Hubble's Next Discovery -- You Decide" is part of the International Year of Astronomy (IYA), the celebration of the 400th anniversary of Galileo's observations. People around the world can vote to select the next object the Hubble Space Telescope will view. Choose from a list of objects Hubble has never observed before and enter a drawing for one of 100 new Hubble pictures of the winning object. The winning image will be released between April 2 and 5, during the IYA's 100 Hours of Astronomy, a global astronomy event geared toward encouraging as many people as possible to experience the night sky. Vote by March 1 to swing Hubble toward your favorite target.

If you're an educator, visit Hubble Classroom Collage Activity, an interdisciplinary activity centered on the "Hubble's Next Discovery -- You Decide" contest. Participating US educators could receive a special education package.

So_Many_a_Second

So Many a Second fills your computer screen with cascading graphic icons. Each one represents an event — a birth, a death, or one of the great many things in between — that’s occurring somewhere every single moment.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will be carried out with full transparency and accountability -- and Recovery.gov is the centerpiece of that effort. In a short video, President Obama describes the site and talks about how you'll be able to track the Recovery Act's progress every step of the way.

Tuesday Update

Yesterday wasn't too bad at work. Everyone was there for a change on a Monday. It would be strange if we made it a whole week with everyone being there everyday.

Last night I checked in on Ilse. She's doing fine for the most part, but when I asked if she needed anything she said no. We looked over her new bills that arrived and as soon as I asked her a few questions she became agitated. She gets angry very quickly and easily. I calmed her down, but I definitely don't want to turn my back on her if I am alone with her. I brought home some more of my Dad's old cards and letters and found some more old family pictures. It will be nice to put together a photo album with what I have been finding. Although there will be a certain group of photos that will not be in the album (I think everyone knows which ones I'm speaking of).

Green Tip of the Day

As you break or lose plastic and wire hangers, orient yourself with eco-friendly hangers made from bamboo, corn, or wheat. Bamboo is a highly renewable plant, and options made from wheat are actually compostable. Petroleum-based plastic, on the other hand, never fully biodegrades. Take old wire hangers back to your dry cleaners - most will gladly reuse them.

Target and Wal-Mart, carry bamboo and corn-based hangers ($7/6 bamboo hangers; $4/5 corn-based hangers).

Congress grilled Wall Street CEOs about their lavish bonuses last week

Monday Update

I don't have much this morning. Yesterday was a great day. It was Diedre's birthday. I hope she had a wonderful day. Her parents and sister came for a visit and they went out to eat, so I'm pretty sure she did.

The Italian Wedding Soup and Vegetarian Italian Wedding Soup both turned out fantastic. It was nice to see some old faces; Jamie, Susannah and Justin. My Red Satin Cake also turned out very good. Everyone liked it and they were surprised that it contained pureed beets. Ana must have gotten a burst of energy from her piece of cake because she started bouncing all over the living room and acting like a cat. What a still tiny girl.

Green Tip of the Day

Recycling your old tighty whiteys gives your undies a new life and helps save landfill space - one panty at a time.

Help reduce the nearly 9 million tons of clothing tossed into our landfills yearly. Each pound of clothing that you recycle spares 1.7 pounds of CO2 from entering the atmosphere (since creating new materials uses more energy than recycling).

A few creative uses for old undies:

Project Underwear - donate good-condition, clean underwear through the mail to this Italian org, and it'll find its way onto a lil' butt in Ethiopia, India, or Romania.

Patagonia Common Threads Garment Recycling - send in or drop off your worn-out thermal underwear (and other clothes), and Patagonia will turn them into new apparel.

Goodwill and Salvation Army - many of their branches accept clean, gently used underwear (again, emphasis on clean).

Reuse old underwear as a rag. If it's cotton (and as long as you didn't use the rag to wipe up toxic stuff like car oil), you can compost it when it's no longer useful - just make sure to cut off and toss elastic bands if it has any.

Happy Birthday Diedre!!!!!!!

Sunday Update

Happy Birthday Diedre, we can't wait to visit you both next weekend. I hope this week goes by as quickly as this weekend did.

Yesterday was a good day. We had steak and salad for our Valentine's supper. It was very satisfying. I gave Doug some Lindt Truffles and bought myself a new pair of jeans. I also went to Menards and picked up my yearly Menards birthday gift. This year it was a 13-in-1 tool.

It has: 1. LED Flashlight 2. Large Blade 3. Saw Blade 4. Scissors 5. Can Opener 6. Slotted Driver 7. Bottle Opener 8. Key Ring 9. Philips Screwdriver 10. File 11. Awl 12. Corkscrew 13. Leather Pinch.

Green Tip of the Day

A dirty filter makes your furnace work harder, so cleaning or replacing yours can cut your heating costs by as much as five percent. Clean filters keep dust and mold spores out of your house, helping reduce allergy symptoms. They can also prevent more expensive maintenance work or even the failure of your furnace.

Cleaning or replacing the furnace filter

Step One: Turn off power to the furnace, either from the circuit breaker or the switch at the furnace itself.

Step Two: Vacuum around the base of furnace. The furnace blower draws air from the room, so any lightweight material around the furnace can get drawn into the filter, shortening its life.

Step Three: Remove the filter. The filter's location varies between furnace models, but a safe place to start is the service panel located at the front. No tools should be necessary, and the panel, which you should find below the return-air duct, will either lift or slide out. In some cases you may need a screwdriver to remove it.

Noting how the filter is positioned, in particular the directional arrows on the filter frame, remove and inspect it for dust build-up.

Step Four: Determine if the filter can be reused.

A cardboard frame indicates the filter is disposable and should be replaced with one for your specific make and model of furnace (even during periods of low use, no more than three months should pass between filter changes).
A plastic or metal frame means it can be cleaned and reused. Vacuum the mesh, spray it clean with a hose and let it dry. If the plastic frame or mesh is torn, the filter should be replaced.

When replacing a filter, you'll find a range of prices, but the cheapest products will be less effective. Look for a Minimum Efficiency Report Value (MERV) rating of between 7 and 13, which the EPA says is nearly as effective as a true HEPA filter (which most furnaces cannot use).

Step Five: Before installing the new filter, inspect the interior of the furnace from the access area. Using the wand end of a vacuum cleaner, remove dust and cobwebs, and try to improve your reach by removing any other furnace parts.

Step Six: Install the new or newly cleaned filter, replace the access panel and turn the power back on.

Valentine's Day Update (Saturday)

Happy Valentine's Day everyone. I think I got a little caught up on sleep last night. I actually slept 8 hours straight. The sun is shining here and it looks like it will be a nice day. Maybe some of the new snow will melt. I plan to bake a cake for Soup Sunday today. I will also do the regular weekend cleaning, etc.

It sounds like Thomas is having a good day. He went to the store this morning to get milk and loaded up on surprises for Diedre. Oh to be young and in love...

Green Tip of the Day

Want superhuman powers...in bed?

Try natural aphrodisiacs like oysters, organic chocolate, and certain herbs (rather than endangered animal parts). Using food to get in the mood started in China more than 2,000 years ago. Aphrodisiacs like Spanish fly and ecstasy can cause everything from heart palpitations to death (plus they're not exactly legal).

Endangered animals like rhinos and sea turtles are often poached to make mojo-enhancers, so options like oysters (rated as sustainable by eco-org Environmental Defense) are a better bet.

You might want to try:

• Farm2Market Cultured Oyster Sampler - extravagant oyster feast for two, rich in zinc and amino acids; comes with five oyster varietals and an oyster knife ($80/60).
• CocoaVino Bonbons - amazing organic bonbons with wine in the middle to get you in the mood ($35).
• Aphrodite - Isabel Allende's (The House of Spirits) cookbook details the aphrodisiac qualities of everyday fruits, vegetables, meats, and spices ($9).
• Cobra Sexual Energy Capsules - blends libido-boosting herbs, like horny goat weed and yohimbe, with ginseng, which helps increase blood flow, ahem.... ($7).
• Nature's Answer Damiana Leaf - Mexican herb recommended as an aphrodisiac by wellness expert Dr. Weil; in veggie-cap form ($4).

Happy Valentine's Day

Safe Sex | STI | Contraception | STD

Friday Update

Friday at last! I hope today goes by quicker than the rest of the week did. Last night was quiet. We just watched our usual Thursday night shows. Tonight I plan to pick up some of the Friday 13th specials at Hy-Vee. Tomorrow is Valentine's Day. Doug and I agreed a long time ago that we won't do anything special on Valentine's Day. We will be having steak which is always a treat. Hopefully it will be nice enough to cook it outside on the grill.

Green Tip of the Day

As you use up conventional products, replace them with more environmentally friendly options—household cleansers that use essential oils for fragrance, laundry detergents formulated for cold water (which saves the energy normally required to heat the water), cloth napkins to replace disposable ones. You'll reduce your chemical exposure and trash a little less. In addition, you'll send a message to manufacturers to produce more environmentally friendly products. "When you vote with your dollars, corporations listen," says Trish Riley, author of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Green Living

Darwin Day Celebration

February 12th

An international recognition of science and humanity













Portrait By: G. Richmond

PHOTO PROJECT
“We’re All Gonna Die — 100 meters of existence”

Danish photographer Simon Hoegsberg spent 20 days on a Berlin railroad bridge, photographing the passersby. Then he stitched together a single, staggering, 100-meter-long composite picture, which you can now scroll online.

Thursday Update

Nothing exciting happened at work yesterday. Hills Bank from the 1st floor had their Grand Re-Opening. They brought us all a card to scan to try and win prizes worth up to $1,500. All I won was a door prize. It was a little flashlight to put on my key chain. It will come in handy when we forget to turn on the porch light and come home in the dark.

Doug and I were mad because they moved American Idol back because of a basketball game. American Idol was suppose to start at 7 and didn't start until 9. It was 2 hours long and I ended up staying awake (sort of) until 11. Yawn....

Saturday Night Live - Don't Buy Stuff

Wednesday Update

Yesterday I had a bad start to my day at work. I signed on to my computer and all was well until I launched the site we use for order management. Everything was in Japanese instead of English. I thought restarting the computer would be a good idea. Not such a good idea. I tried to sign on again and this time I kept getting the same error that my computer was not connected to the network. We called our company IT department because our on site "IT" person was out for the day. It seems when my computer was set up for administrator log in something wasn't done correctly and it had caused the sign on problem. The Japanese problem was solved by contacting the company that manages our order management site. They said, "Oh, you didn't want to learn Japanese today?" I'm not sure I explained this all correctly. Any way it was almost an hour and a half before I could actually do any work at the computer. I guess in a way that was a good thing. But, I felt kind of bad because there were already two other people gone that day.

Last night we finally took the van to the car wash. I helped with vacuuming and Doug washed the van. Afterward we wiped down the windows and door jams with towels to make sure nothing would freeze up. At home we watched American Idol and Scrubs.

Addition, Subtraction and Composting the Trash

Everything the Obama kids need to know about green, they'll learn from their school building.

Photo Courtesy of Sidwell Friends School

http://my.barackobama.com/recoveryconference

Monday night, President Obama gave his first-ever prime time press conference to call for immediate action on his economic recovery plan.

Tuesday, the Senate voted to pass the President's plan. But there's another round of voting in both houses of Congress before the president can sign it into law.

Make sure that your voice is heard in this process. Watch the video and share your economic crisis story.

Every registered school gets a FREE Get Animated Red Rubber Ball.*

*While supplies last.

The Pomegranate NS08 Phone

Sure, your smartphone’s loaded with features, but can it fix a cup of coffee? Or give you a shave? Can you play it like a harmonica? The Pomegranate NS08 does all those things and then some. So where can you buy this excellent device?

Will Ferrell relives 8 years of George W. Bush

© AP

Will Ferrell

You can relive those eight years — and more — in "You're Welcome America. A Final Night With George W. Bush," Will Ferrell's merciless and often blisteringly funny raunch roast of the former chief executive who left the Oval Office less than three weeks ago.

Monday Update

The weekend went by way too quickly. We had the venison meal last night. Everyone seemed to like it a lot. I really liked the stew. Towards the end I was getting a little gamed out. I thought the brats were a little too gamey and the hot dogs were a little strong as well. I did try to eat everything on my plate, but it definitely was not my favorite Soup Sunday meal.

We watched some of the Grammy Awards last night. We got to see Adele win for Best New Artist. She also won for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.

Adele - Chasing Pavements

Adele - New Music - More Music Videos

Adele won Best New Artist at the Grammy Awards! Doug saw that one coming a long time ago.

Green Tip of the Day

The Seven Types of Plastic

Why are most plastics marked with a number inside a recycling symbol? The simple answer is that each number represents the type of resin made to produce the plastic.

Because each resin is different, these numbers affect how and where you can recycle plastics. You don’t have to remember the name. Plastics are identified by numbers one through seven.

Here’s some common products you’ll find of each type:

#1 PET (Polyethylene terephthalate)*: soda bottles, oven-ready meal trays and water bottles

#2 HDPE (High-density polyethylene)*: milk bottles, detergent bottles and grocery/trash/retail bags

#3 PVC (Polyvinyl chloride): plastic food wrap, loose-leaf binders and plastic pipes

#4 LDPE (Low-density polyethylene): dry cleaning bags, produce bags and squeezable bottles

#5 PP (Polypropylene): medicine bottles, aerosol caps, drinking straws and food containers (such as yogurt, ketchup bottles and sour cream/butter/hummus tubs)

#6 PS (Polystyrene): compact disc jackets, packaging Styrofoam peanuts and plastic tableware

#7 Other: reusable water bottles, certain kinds of food containers and Tupperware

*PET and HDPE are the most common forms of plastic, so they are the easiest types to find locations where they are accepted for recycling.

Sunday Update

Yesterday went by pretty quickly, as I had suspected it would. In the AM I blogged and did some laundry & dishes. After lunch Doug and I went shopping for Ilse's birthday gift and then went over to her house. Her birthday was Friday. She liked her gift of artificial potted flowers. You can't go wrong with fake flowers for her. I helped her write checks for her current bills. We also tried to help her find their marriage license, which she is finding she can't do a lot without. It looks like she is going to have to order it to be sent from CA. My Dad kept every little scrap of paper way back to the 1950's, but it is hard to find anything current after 2000. Not too helpful when you are trying to put together things for a widow who has no clue about anything.

Last night after supper Doug and I went grocery shopping. After we came home we watched some TV and I went through some boxes of personal letters and cards my Dad had saved. I don't think he ever threw out so much as an envelope from any of his kids, his sister, a cousin or his mother. I also sit here and try to erase images of something we found at his house that both Doug and I wish he had thought to destroy before passing on.

Today will be busy with cleaning and finishing laundry. Doug also would like to wash the van, as we never got around to it yesterday. The poor thing is filthy.

How To Make a Cardboard Chair

President Obama recorded a video to speak directly to you about his economic recovery plan.

Saturday Update

Today's forecast: Mostly sunny. High in the mid 40s. West wind 10 to 20 mph. Mid 40s yeah!!

Yesterday they changed our work computers from the old company to the new company. Unfortunately, the new company seems to think we can get by with some old computers they had. Mine looks pretty old and needs more Ram, which they say they are going to get for it. It should be interesting.

Last night was a lazy night of watching Cops and Renovation Nation. Not much else happened yesterday. Today will be the usual weekend cleaning and shopping. Plus we plan to check in on Ilse and see if we can find any more of my Dad's record to help figure out this mess he left behind.

Green Tip of the Day

To avoid impulse buying, consider if a purchase is necessary for at least a week before taking the plunge. In the meantime, look throughout your house for alternatives that you may already own. Check out Real Simple’s column, New Uses for Old Things for ideas on creative conversions.

Friday Update

Today's forecast: Mostly sunny. Patchy fog early in the morning. High in the mid 40s. Southeast wind 10 to 15 mph. Wind chill readings to 1 below in the morning. Maybe I will find time to wash the van this weekend.

It is Friday at last. Because it is so slow at work the week went by very slowly. Now watch, the weekend will go by really quick. I don't have much to blog about today. Yesterday after work I came home, washed dishes from the day before, had supper and watched our Thursday evening shows. Not an exciting week.

Michelle Obama's Listening Tour

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Thursday Update

Today's forecast: Not as cold. Sunny. High in the lower 30s. South wind 10 to 15 mph. Wind chill readings to 11 below in the morning. It looks like the weekend might be a little warm.

Yesterday was another uneventful day. It looks like we will be short one person at work until the 16th. One of my co-workers was hospitalized with an infection and the doctors want her to stay home for a while.

Last night Doug and I watched American Idol. Then we watched part of The Old, Weird America: Harry Smith's Anthology of American Folk Music.

President Obama discussed his plan to solve our economic crisis with several members of the media. He explained the need for urgent action and outlined the core principles that will guide our road to recovery.

Green Tip of the Day

A throw away fork here, a paper plate there…what’s the big deal? All those disposal eating tools can add up. In Japan, each person discards an average of 200 sets of chopsticks a year. With an estimated population of over 127 million people, that’s a lot of sticks. That may seem far away, but the same is happening in your own backyard. The U.S. throws out enough disposal dinner ware every year to circle the equator 300 times.

Investing in a good set of bamboo or steel travel wear would do you some good. They often have their own little cases or fold down to fit nicely in your purse, pocket or backup. Just pass on the plastic and use that nifty travel fork again, and again, and again.

If you’re at home, use a ceramic or reusable dish. Though the cleanup is more, the overall consumption is lower. Especially when washing those dishes with an Energy STAR dishwasher.

Reuse plastic forks, spoons and chopsticks around the house. Once their food ship has sailed, use them to help hold up plants as they grow.

Paper plates might be your knee jerk choice for your next party, however, there are other ways to save money and resources. Most people often have a bring your own drink policy so why not a bring your own plate one? Go for it and make your next party easy to clean, with no waste…BYOP

Have an eating preference? When hanging out with the crew, choose a restaurant where their policies are as good as the food. Support your local restaurant that’s making responsible packaging choices.

Bring in a set of reusable dinner ware to work, and encourage your co-workers to do the same. That company potluck tastes a lot better off your favorite ceramic plate.

Wednesday Update

Today's forecast: Sunny. High around 13. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph. Wind chill readings to 19 below in the morning. Not as cold tonight. Mostly clear. Low around 5. Temperature steady or slowly rising after midnight.

Yesterday was pretty uneventful. Slow at work with one person out. Doug made a very delicious stir-fry for supper. We watched American Idol and I finally got to see Shatner's Raw Nerve.

Green Tip of the Day

The single most important technique to make your existing car more efficient is speed, or lack thereof. In the city, avoid jackrabbit starts and lead-footed stops — this kills your fuel economy as well as your brakes. On the highway wind resistance is your enemy, and the faster you go the tougher the battle. When Consumer Reports researchers increased the speed of a 4-cylinder Camry test car from 55 to 65 mph, the average highway fuel economy dropped from 40 mpg to 35.

One-on-one with President Obama (Feb. 3)

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

“La Chance Compilation”

You’ll see pedestrians almost mowed down in crosswalks, and racing fans nearly crushed by tumbling, out-of-control cars. The bank-robbery clip is actually a Chevy Malibu ad.

Tuesday Update

Today's forecast: Blustery...colder. Mostly sunny. High around 9. Northwest wind 15 to 25 mph. Wind chill readings to 25 below. I want warm weather...

Yesterday got back to semi normal. It was not too busy at work which was a good thing. Two people were gone yesterday. Plus another co-worker is no longer with the company, she choose to take the severance package. It was our first official day working for the new company. We can wear jeans to work again. Soon we will be selling many additional programs and I am sure we will be much busier. I guess we should enjoy the slow times while we can.

After work I stopped to check on Ilse. She says she is not getting much sleep. She is mostly annoyed by how badly my Dad kept records. He saved lots of junk mail and old newspaper articles, but important papers seem to be harder to locate.

Green Tip of the Day

Make your car greener

The single most important technique to make your existing car more efficient is speed, or lack thereof. In the city, avoid jackrabbit starts and lead-footed stops — this kills your fuel economy as well as your brakes. On the highway wind resistance is your enemy, and the faster you go the tougher the battle. When Consumer Reports researchers increased the speed of a 4-cylinder Camry test car from 55 to 65 mph, the average highway fuel economy dropped from 40 mpg to 35.

Ground Hog Day Results

With record snows and low temperatures across the country, Punxsutawney Phil predicted six more weeks of the same when he came out of his burrow yesterday morning.

Monday Update

Today's forecast: Colder. Partly sunny. Isolated flurries in the morning... then scattered snow showers in the afternoon. High around 20. Temperature steady or slowly falling in the afternoon. Northwest wind 10 to 20 mph. Chance of snow 20 percent. Wind chill readings to 6 below.

We had a good day yesterday. Chloe showed up fairly early and called Ross to come over. We had not seen him for a while. Chloe helped me make the cheese ball for the Super Bowl party and she sampled the red jello jigglers. Doug made everyone lunch and then they had to leave to get ready for a Super Bowl party at Ross'.

It was pretty relaxing watching the game this year. Not quite as crowded as years past. We were all able to sit in the living room and watch. There was Doug and myself, Mark, Wanda, Matt and Sara. Nick and Ana watched cartoons in the day kitchen and joined us for the 3D commercials. We all agreed, the 3D commercials really were not worth all of the hype. In fact there were no spectacular commercials. I kind of liked the Mr & Mrs Potatohead one. The game was close and I think the Cardinals could have won if they had not made some mistakes. I actually enjoyed watching the game.

I did stay up late to watch The Office episode that was on afterward. That was probably a mistake, because I get grouchy when I am tired and it is past my bedtime. Sorry everyone...

Groundhog Day

The legend of Groundhog Day is based on an old Scottish couplet: "If Candlemas Day is bright and clear, there'll be two winters in the year."

Every February 2, people gather at Gobbler's Knob, a wooded knoll just outside of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania.

Residents contend that the groundhog has never been wrong.

The ceremony in Punxsutawney was held in secret until 1966, and only Phil's prediction was revealed to the public. Since then, Phil's fearless forecast has been a national media event.

The groundhog comes out of his electrically heated burrow, looks for his shadow and utters his prediction to a Groundhog Club representative in "groundhogese." The representative then translates the prediction for the general public.

If Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow, it means six more weeks of winter. If he does not see his shadow, it means spring is just around the corner.

Approximately 90% of the time, Phil sees his shadow.

Phil started making predictions in 1887 and has become an American institution.

Green Tip of the Day

With the phasing out of traditional analog broadcasts in favor of digital ones, millions of TVs will become obsolete on February 17. You can either get a converter box or recycle your old set - no lucky rabbit's foot necessary.

• Electronic waste is multiplying at three times the rate of other municipal waste. (Just make sure you recycle at a dependable facility - some recyclers just ship TVs to overseas dumps.)
• Analog TVs contain toxins like chromium, lead, and mercury that can leach past landfill liners. If video killed the radio star, just think what it does to our groundwater.
• Converter boxes are available at big retailers and listing your old set for pickup online or taking it to a drop spot is easy.

• Take Back My TV - find a responsible recycler (one that won't just ship it overseas).
• Energy Star - go for an energy efficient TV next time you buy.

Sunday Update

Today's forecast: Mostly sunny. High in the upper 30s. Northwest wind 10 to 15 mph. Isolated flurries after midnight. Low in the lower 20s.

Yesterday some of my close family got together and reunited. It was because of my Dad passing away this past Monday. Although it was for my Dad, he really wasn't mentioned all that much. We mostly talked about the fun we had as kids getting together at our Grandparents house. We also got caught up on what everyone has been doing all of these years: jobs, service, kids & grandchildren.

We had quite a buffet and lots of people in the house. I'm sure Mao was very disturbed, although you could tell he really wanted to come out and see Tommy.

There was Doug & myself, Thomas & Diedre, Susan & husband Dave, Mark, Dan & wife Gail, Tim, cousin Julie & husband Jim, cousin Jana & husband William, and Amy showed up a little later with Ella & Chase.

It was great fun and everyone had lots of hugs and laughs.

Left to right: Susan (45), Kathy (51), Dan (56), Mark (54) & Tim (55). My Sister Debbie choose not to join us.

Left to right: Cousin Jana Long, Susan Lambeth, Kathy Howe, Dan Husmann, Mark Husmann, Cousin Julie Dye & Tim Husmann.

My Brother's and I talking with Dori (wife of my Father's Cousin Art).
Dori's quote of the week: "Old too soon, wise too late."

I remember sitting in the "cave" in the hot Summer with my siblings eating bread and sugar sandwiches served by our Great Aunt Minnie.

My Brother Tim entering the old family root cellar "cave".

Reflections on a time long past.

Green Tip of the Day

Cork forests are endangered, but surprisingly, if we opt for wine with real corks instead of the newer plastic and metal caps, we'll support these forests' existence through the magic of supply and demand.

Cork is made from stripping bark off cork oak trees without damaging the trees. Cork trees can live for well over 100 years and keep regrowing their bark, while new metal and plastic has to be mined and manufactured for those non-cork caps. Rare wildlife, such as the Iberian lynx, depend on cork oak forests for their survival. Corks do just fine plugging wine bottles - they've done it for centuries. Screw caps just aren't the same as popping the cork on wine bottles.

• ReMake It Wine Cork Trivet - metal contraption that turns your old corks into a table-top protector for hot plates ($13).

• Yemm & Hart - send in your used wine corks, and it'll recycle them for you.
• Put used corks on top of the soil in your houseplant pots - they're compostable and work great as mulch. Check this blog for other crafty reuses.

37 years’ worth of Super Bowl commercials