Wednesday Update

I was slightly disappointed there was no OT yesterday. Several of my co-workers shut up for most of the day and actually got down to work. I guess when they don't want to stay late, they actually can stay focused.

Last night we watched Idol. It was big band night and the mentor was Jamie Foxx. Most of the contestants were pretty good, although we think a few fell short. Unfortunately, the person we want to stay the most will probably be in the bottom three again tonight. I though she did a very good job, but Simon was a bit harsh with her. She is of course Allison Iraheta, she just turned 17 this week.

Next we watched Deadliest Catch. Most of the show was about the search for survivors from Katmai, a ship that has never been on the show. They also talked with 3 of the 4 survivors throughout the show.

Leningrad, then and now

The photographer, Sergey Larenkov, starts with pictures taken during Hitler’s blockade, revisits the locations, takes new shots, and conflates the scenes: In one, a man stares down at frozen bodies while modern pedestrians walk nearby. In another, soldiers carry anti-air-raid balloons down a bustling 21st-century street. The entire series is a stark, beautiful reminder of the past’s stubborn hold on present-day Russia.

Green Tip of the Day

Eco- Friendly Wedding Decorations


As featured in Better Homes and Gardens ® do it yourself section, this cotton napkin fold is a great wedding centerpiece when placed in a vase.


Recycle previously used tin cans into easy and inexpensive wedding décor. Just empty a few vegetable cans, removing the labels, and adorn with cotton ribbon and organic flowers for an attractive wedding decorating piece. For further instructions, please visit Michaels.com.


This wedding cake made of plush cotton towels was featured on Thinkweddings.com, a site that offers a variety of creative ideas for the crafty bride. Wedding towel cakes are a unique way to decorate the tables at your ceremony. The best part? They are made of 100% cotton towels that can be reused at home another day.

Tuesday Update

It looks like today might be a little less cloudy. I could use some sunshine.

We are very busy with emails at work. There has even been some mention of mandatory overtime if we do not get caught up. I actually don't mind overtime, because of the extra money of course. No one else at work likes it much though.

Last night was a slow night for TV. We watched The Big Bang Theory and several episodes of Antiques Road Show (US & UK versions). We also watched HGTV for a while.

Thomas and Diedre have water in their basement from all the rain they are getting. Last night Thomas said, "It's kind of like back at home." Our sump well has been filling about a quarter of the way full, but no water on the floor like last year. (Knock on wood).

Sumo Paint 1.0 in action

See Sumo Paint 1.0 in action.

Sumo Paint is a professional image editing and painting software in your browser. But it is free. The feature set includes e.g., layers, adjustments, filters, shapes and text. It has it's own unique tools and properties like shape trails and gravity and a large community to share your masterpieces.

http://www.sumopaint.com

Green Tip of the Day

BATTERY RECYCLING

Americans buy 3 billion batteries per year; recycling prevents battery toxins from leaching into soil, waterways, and the air. 60% of the world's lead supply comes from recycled car batteries alone. Just drop off old ones at a participating retail store when you're picking up new ones.

• Earth 911 - find out where to recycle alkalines; just type in your zip and it will give you a list of nearby drop spots.
• Call2Recycle - same as the above, but for rechargeables.
• Big Green Box - service that will send you a box that you ship back for recycling (postage paid) when full; great for offices ($63).

Remember: Alkalines are like incandescent light bulbs - a waste of cash and energy - so switch to rechargeables (which last for up to 1,000 charges) if you haven't already.

Note: Rechargeables lose their juice faster than non-rechargeable alkalines, so you probably want to stick with conventional batteries in your smoke alarms.

Monday Update

Another weekend went by very quickly. Last night we had regular beef chili and white chicken chili. Both were delicious, I had two bowls of the white chili. We also had two cakes, Wanda brought a pink lemonade and raspberry cake and I baked a spice cake. Everyone loved both cakes.

After supper we watched part of the video of Ana's Spring program from school. We had to see her rapping in action. After everyone except for Wanda left, Doug decided he wanted to go on a drive to see what happened in Alburnet from the tornado touch down. It was close to dark but we thought we might be able to see something anyway. When we went outside we could not believe how ugly the sky looked, it was a little scary. As we drove the rain came down heavier. We saw a few flashes of lightning but not much else. We did not see any storm damage in Alburnet, we just drove down main street and turned around at the school. It was a nice drive though.

Iowa Tornados from last night

Noteboek by Evelien Lohbeck

Noteboek from Evelien Lohbeck on Vimeo.

Green Tip of the Day

Reduce Your Home’s Carbon Footprint

If you replace an incandescent bulb with a compact fluorescent light (CFL) in a room that’s lit six hours a day, you’ll save 126 kilowatt-hours of electricity by year’s end. This translates into 170 pounds of CO2 emissions. Multiply that by the number of lights in your home, and you can see that making this simple switch makes a real difference.

CFLs have moved beyond the standard spiral coil and now come in shapes that fit many different fixtures. For example, globe shapes work well in bathrooms while dome shapes (which look similar to conventional bulbs) should be used in lamps with shades that clip directly onto the bulb. Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are also efficient—some bulbs last as long as 60,000 hours—but because they don’t provide a sufficient amount of light for most people’s tastes, they are best used for reading lamps or under-cabinet or shelf lighting.

To conserve energy, turn off lights when you leave a room, and unplug stereo systems, phone chargers, and video games when you’re not using them. Clean your house with chlorine-free, natural supplies, and wash clothes in cold water. Limit showers to no more than five minutes if you can, install aerating showerheads, and fix leaky faucets.

Sunday Update

Yesterday was an excellent day. In the morning I did some of my usual Weekend chores; laundry, dishes, a little cleaning. In the afternoon we went grocery shopping. We needed a few things for the chili today and we had also invited Mark and Wanda over for supper Saturday evening as a thank you for tilling our garden.

Supper was excellent. Doug barbequed charcoal steaks and pork chops. We also had fresh green beans, sauteed mushrooms, onions and peppers, party potatoes, salad and dinner rolls. Wanda brought a nice bottle of Uplands Reserve dry red wine. Mao was very brave once again and came to Wanda during supper to beg from her. He would not take anything from her at first but after Doug and I fed him he went back to Wanda and took something. I think he may have even taken a scrap of food from Mark. He do now lets Mark pet him a little. As long as Mark pets once each time, Mao does not grawl.

After supper we sat and talked for a while and then we decided to watch Quantum of Solace. James Bond movies are always so fast paced. But it was a very good movie. I was up very late last night it was around midnight when I finally went to bed, although I think Markl and Wanda had left around 11.

Susan Boyle Singing aged 25:

A forgotten video unearthed by the Mirror shows Britain's got Talent sensation Susan Boyle has long been amazing audiences with her voice.

Shot during parents Patrick and Bridget’s golden wedding party 23 years ago, the footage reveals Susan belting out the Jesus Christ Superstar hit I Don’t Know How To Love Him.

Susan Boyle - Britains Got Talent 2009

Green Tip of the Day

Green Barbeques: By the Numbers

1. 250 pounds per year: The amount of CO2 you'd save by cutting your beef consumption by one quarter.
   
2. 3,000 pounds per year: The amount of CO2 saved by becoming a vegetarian.
   
3. 60 million: The number of Americans who fire up the grill during summer holidays.
   
4. 225,000 metric tons: The amount of CO2 released by these celebrations.
   
5. 75 percent: U.S. households who own at least one barbecue.
   
6. 11 pounds per hour: The amount of CO2 generated by a charcoal grill.
   
7. 6 pounds per hour: The amount of CO2 emitted by a propane grill.
   
8. 13 pounds per year: The amount of CO2 saved by letting your leftovers cool to room temperature before putting them in the refrigerator.

Saturday Update

It is gloomy outside and it looks like we may have gotten a little rain overnight. I did not hear any storm and slept quite soundly.

Last night after work Doug and I cleared some of the brush in the back yard. Mark and Wanda stopped by with their new tiller and Mark tilled our garden plots for us. They are such good friends.

We now have the normal garden space. Plus a couple of areas in the back behind the garage and one small space beside the house outside of Chloe's room. We are not sure what all we will be planting. Doug says that is half the fun. He can't wait to go to the nursery to see what crazy exotic vegetables he can find. We will grow some more traditional veggies as well. Green beans, tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, cucumbers and squash of course.

George's Secret Key to the Universe - Lucy Hawking

Take a rollercoaster ride through the vastness of space while discovering the mysteries of physics and the universe. Watch Lucy, who co-wrote this book with her father Stephen Hawking, tell you all about it.

Name a Star

Green Tip of the Day

Building Your Own Worm Bin

Friday Update

I am glad it is Friday. I wish the weekend weather forecast was better though. Hopefully the weather will hold out so we can clear some of the brush from the back yard this evening. We need to clear a spot for a garden plot in the back yard by the pear tree.

I don't have much else for my update this morning. So I hope everyone has a fantastic Friday.

President Obama's new dog

Green Tip of the Day

Feed your garden compost made from your very own kitchen scraps.

Americans throw away over 160 pounds of food per person each year. Composting recycles the nutrients in your scraps into plant food.

New in-kitchen compost gadgets make composting easy and isolate the stink.

Just a few of the items you can compost: bread, cereals, and pastas, coffee grounds and filters, eggshells, fruits and veggies, grass clippings, and most teabags.

Compost This - UK site that lets you know what you can and can't compost.

Thursday Update

The cold is much better today. My head is hardly stuffed up at all. The week is still moving very slowly though.

Yesterday our supervisor informed us that this December she will be taking six weeks off. You know what that means. She says although she and her husband are happy, it was a surprise and not planned. She has two other children 11 and 14. We were teasing her that her new office is so much larger than her old office that she could add a nursery on one side of the room. She said, "That's funny, my husband said the same thing."

Thomas and Diedre got their garden plot tilled yesterday by the custodian from the elementary school. It will be interesting to see what they plant. I hope it is a good year for gardens, ours included.

Green Tip of the Day

Disposable Dishes

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

• Invest in a good set of bamboo or steel travel dinnerware. They often have their own little cases or fold down to fit nicely in your purse or pocket. 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 they wear out, 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 have a bring-your-own-plate rule? Go for it and make your next party easy to clean, with no waste.

Wednesday Update

It feels like it should be Thursday, not Wednesday. I guess that means the week is going by slowly. Probably because of my cold. I think I am getting better. I did not wake in the middle of the night coughing for a change. Although I do have a slight tickle right now.

Today is Earth Day so remember; reuse, reduce, and recycle.

Last night we watched Idol and Deadliest Catch. Idol was disco night and I wasn't crazy about most of the songs. But they are down to a good group and no was was terrible. We are pretty sure Lil is going home tonight. We are not sure about the second person going home. Deadliest Catch had a depressing ending to it. A ship went down and 11 people were lost. It was not one of the ships that they follow on the show, but still very sad. They had found only one body by the end of the show. I am sure they will probably talk about it some more next week.

Happy Earth Day 2009

Green Tip of the Day

The average person goes through 1.5 pounds of paper every day. A great way to cut this number down is using both sides of paper and recycling it when done.

“Recycling one ton of paper saves 17 trees, two barrels of oil (enough to run the average car for 1,260 miles), 4,100 kilowatts of energy (enough power for the average home for six months), 3.2 cubic yards of landfill space and 60 pounds of air pollution,” according to the book, “Trash to Cash.”

Set your printer for double-sided printing, take notes on the back of draft documents, use both sides of a Post-it note.

Set up a recycling bin wherever you use paper. This includes your car, work, your garage, your backyard and kitchen.

From PDF to online file sharing, there are now more alternatives to printing. Do a double-take before you hit print because every sheet counts.

Tuesday Update

I survived the day at work yesterday. I started out having a hard time talking with customers without getting a bad tickle in my throat. I drank honey-lemon tea and used lots of cough drops. By afternoon I was able to talk on the phone without coughing. I found out that I probably got the cold from my supervisor. Last week when I was in her office making the phone recording, I did not realize that she was sick, a co-worker told me about it yesterday. Now there are about 3 people in the office coughing and choking up on the phones. This morning I feel better than yesterday and my head is less stuffy, so I think I should be better by the end of the week.

Garbage Bag Potato

Earthday Crafts

Earth-Friendly Crafts

MARTHASTEWART.COM

Monday Update

This weekend went fast. I guess you could say I feel a little better today. Although I woke up very early this morning and had to do a saltwater gargle for my throat again. Right know my nose is just drippy and my head is a bit stuffy.

Yesterday we had a small gathering with just Mark, Wanda, Doug and myself. The food was excellent though. We had hamburgers, brats, hot dogs, pasta salad, avocado & black bean dip with tortilla chips and apple slaw. For dessert we had Twinkies covered in strawberries and whip topping. For a treat we had Wanda's Scotcharoos.

Extreme Home Makeover was a re-run, so we just channel surfed after supper and did a lot of talking. Mao even came in and joined us eventually. He has gotten where he will let Mark pet him, sometimes he growls at Mark and sometimes he doesn't. He also came in while we were eating last night and begged from Wanda and Mark.

Cat Guitarist

Green Tip of the Day

Make Some Upgrades, Spend Less Money

Upgrade old appliances to smaller, Energy Star models. Target your refrigerator, dishwasher, washer/dryer first. Move your fridge away from the oven. Replacing a fridge older than 1991 will pay for its replacement costs in less than a year.

Replace your thermostat with a programmable model. Look for ENERGY STAR pre-programmed model. Save $180 a year on your heating bill.

Shop at your local farmer’s market. Not only does it benefit your local economy, but it also saves on carbon emissions associated with importing produce from other locations. Plus, you might find a great deal while you’re at it.

Caulk and seal around your windows and exterior doors. Most homes average a 20 percent air leakage. Replace leaky single paned windows with low-e, double-glazed ones.

Invest in smart strips. Using smart strips or manually unplugging electronic devices that are not in use saves both energy and money lost from Vampire loads. “Vampire power,” also known as “phantom load,” is the electricity that electronics and appliances use while they are turned off or in standby mode.

Purchase recycled toilet paper and paper towels. Extremely frugal Green consumers can always opt to purchase brands like Marcal, which saves 230 tons of paper annually, and each ton of paper saves 17 trees.

Buy in bulk. Buying in bulk means less trips to the store or online orders, saving gas money and carbon emissions. The more of a product you buy, the less cost you’ll endure per unit because the manufacturer will give you a bulk price rate.

Reduce food-related paper use. The average American family uses 1.5 rolls of paper towels each week. Use reusable cloths for cleaning the house. You’ll be cutting down on your paper towel consumption. Cutting your use to one roll a month would save $45 per year.

Use rechargeable batteries. The average family buys 32 batteries a year. Rechargeable batteries can be recharged hundreds of times. Plus, it’s easier to find recycling locations for rechargeable batteries.

Sunday Update

Yesterday was a pretty typical Saturday. I went shopping in the afternoon, Doug and I did some house cleaning and then we had supper. After supper Mark and Wanda came over to watch Drew Barrymore's new HBO movie Grey Gardens. It was a very good movie based on a 1975 documentary about two recluse women, they were the aunt and first cousin of Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis. They lived together for over 50 years at Grey Gardens in squalor and isolation.

After the movie Mark and Wanda stayed a while and we talked and tried to find something else to watch, we mostly channel surfed from what I remember. I was very tired and although I woke up at 4 this morning for about an hour and a half, I went back to bed and slept until about 9.

I have not heard from Thomas yet this morning, so I have not heard how prom turned out last night. Thomas did call last night at around 10 and said the kids were having a great time. So, I am sure everything went fine.

The original trailer for GREY GARDENS

Official Grey Gardens promo trailer from HBO

Return to Grey Gardens

Green Tip of the Day

Energy bars are convenient, sure, but what about the 800 million wrappers discarded each year? Now they and other selected junk can be sent to, TerraCycle, a company that's making big business out of household garbage.

• Collect your wrappers, juice pouches, and plastic yogurt containers, send them to TerraCycle and see them reincarnated as purses, backpacks, and planter pots on the shelves of Target and Home Depot.
• To participate, sign up for a specific program on TerraCycle's website. The company will provide you with postage-paid collection bags.
• For every wrapper, juice pouch, and yogurt container received, TerraCycle makes a donation to the school, charity, or nonprofit organization of your choice.

Saturday Update

My sore throat turned into a head cold. I was very sleepy last night and dozed off and on while watching TV on the couch. I slept pretty well last night, although I had to get up several times for a drink and to blow my nose. I actually don't feel too bad this morning.

Today Doug and I talked about going out to the garage to start cleaning and try to get it arranged better. There is barely any walking room right now. Tomorrow we are are going to grill out, so I hope we don't get a lot of rain.

White House Easter Egg Roll Highlights

Highlights from the 2009 Easter Egg Roll, a tradition that dates back to 1878. On April 13, 2009, some 30,000 guests from 45 states and the District of Columbia converged on the South Lawn under the theme of "Let's Go Play!"

Doug is following Ashton.

DeepLeap Game

Scrabble meets Tetris

Friday Update

I am certainly glad that it is Friday. Yesterday I woke up with a sore throat and it is worse today. We had the window opened in the bedroom Wednesday night and someone in the neighborhood was burning something very nasty. We think that may have contributed to the sore throat.

I hope the weather report about rain tomorrow is wrong because I have been putting off my yard work and really need to get to it now. It is hard to get out there after work during the week, I just feel like relaxing when I get home instead of going to the yard. I used to be able to do it no problem. I guess I am getting old.

Ice Truck Found!!

Green Tip of the Day

Thursday Update

Yesterday my supervisor asked if I would record the new phone message for when people call in to our technical support line. I said, "Sure." She was not given much training for using the recording system, so it took us about an hour and I had to re-record about five times. A few of those time were because I missed a word or said the wrong word. It is hard when you know thousands of people will eventually hear your voice on the recording.

We figured out the mystery of the Barbie body parts in our freezer. It was Amber, with a little help from Wanda and Mark. I can just hear the conversation with Mark explaining what she was doing.

We watched American Idol last night. The judges used the Judges Save last night. Matt Giraud was voted off and he gets to come back next week. Although next week two people will be sent home.

BallDroppings Game

The Java Script-based app lets you create Pong-style paddles, which deflect the tiny balls that fall from the edges of your screen. You’ll hear a ping each time a ball bounces off a line you’ve made, and if you keep enough balls in play, those pings will turn into a silly symphony. (Hint: Adjust the GRAVITY setting for an extra-trippy effect.)

Thinking green in your classroom?

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What is available at ThinkGreen.com/Classroom?

Harness the importance of the 4 R's- Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Recover-and bring critical awareness of key science concepts to your students.

• K-12 lesson plans
• Videos
• Take home extensions
• Puzzles
• and more -- all powered by Discovery Education.

Visit thinkgreen.com/classroom

Green Tip of the Day

Over 32 percent of our solid waste is some sort of packaging, and much of this ends up in our kitchen. Depending on your community’s curbside program, you should set up one bin for all recyclables or a different bin for each one. Make sure you are recycling:

• Aluminum cans
• Glass bottles
• Paper (including mail and cardboard boxes)
• Plastic bottles
• Steel cans

You can find out where to recycle packaging using Earth911.

Wednesday Update

Yesterday was a very long day at work, it wasn't a bad day, just long.

After work I was doing a few things in the main kitchen and I needed to look in the freezer. When I opened the door I got quite a surprise. I asked Doug to come take a look, he was very surprised as well. We thought it was part of the gift that we thought Chloe had left when she was here on Sunday. Later in the evening I called her to ask about it and she knew nothing about it. In fact she said, "I wish I was that cool."

I have the pictures Doug took below. Doug found the head magnet on the refrigerator door Sunday night. The body parts were found last night. If it was not Chloe, we strongly suspect Wanda or possibly Amber. Doug tried to call Wanda before I went to bed, but he did not get an answer. He may have talked to her later, because he left a note that says, "We have the coolest friends."

It seems someone is missing watching Dexter...

Very suspicious, is there a serial killer among us?

The “Blog” of “Unnecessary” Quotation Marks

Green Tip of the Day

• Use a broom instead of a hose to clear your driveway.
• 
  
• Your lawn only needs .5 to 1.5 inches of water per week, so use an empty tuna can to measure when you've reached the limit.
• 
  
• Air drying uses 15 to 50 percent less energy in practically the same amount of time, so use your dishwasher's air-dry setting instead of the heat-dry option. If it doesn't have an air-dry setting, simply open the door once the final rinse is complete.
• 
  
• If each U.S. household installed one low-flow sink faucet or aerator, it would save more than 60 billion gallons of water annually.

Tuesday Update

I hope today is going to have nicer weather than yesterday. I could use some sunshine.

Not much happened yesterday, it was a pretty quiet Monday at work. Thomas had a very busy day, in fact I did not hear from him until after 8:30, very unusual. He had tennis practice after school, after that he had to give a presentation at a meeting and then they went to the Lu's to see the new baby, and they had to get something to eat.

I got home yesterday and found that Doug had washed all of the dishes from our Easter meal. There were quite a few dishes, so this made me very happy. We watch a new she last night call Doing Da Vinci on the Discovery Channel. I liked it overall because of what they built, but I did not care for most of the people they have on the show. They built a tank and it worked.

Green Tip of the Day

Zoe&Zac - Payless's new line of casual footwear, bags, and jewelry made with materials like hemp, organic cotton and linen, natural hemp, jute, recycled rubber, and water-based glues; designed with help from eco-model Summer Rayne Oakes, available now. For every pair you buy between now and May 4, Payless will donate $1 to plant trees ($30 and under).

Zoe&Zac was created to democratize green fashion by making it affordable and accessible, and enabling more people to participate in sustainable living. The packaging is eco-smart too, with 100 percent recycled shoe boxes printed with soy-based inks.

April 19 Only -
Earth Day 1 Million CFL Light Bulb Giveaway
The Home Depot will be giving away 1 million CFL bulbs in support of our environment on Earth Day 2009. Receive a free EcoSmart 14w CFL bulb from participating The Home Depot stores on April 19, 2009. Quantities may vary by store. Limit one per customer while quantities last. No purchase necessary. Offer cannot be combined with any other promotional offer or discount. No credit if offer refused.

Available In Stores Only

Monday Update

I hope everyone had a happy Easter. The food was all delicious and it was nice seeing everyone together for a few hours. It was nice to have Chloe here to help with the preparation. And I guess she left us a little gift that Doug did not find until everyone was gone. I will show everyone next Sunday.

Matt needed a ride back to school, so Thomas and Diedre made room in their car along with the dog kennel and cat carrier. Chloe and Ross left to see a movie, but came back for a few minutes afterward. Amber left shortly after Chloe and Ross left for the movie. Mark stayed for part of Extreme Home Makeover, but it was another 2 hour episode, so he left about half way through. Doug gave Wanda a ride home around 10 because Mark had been her ride.

Today it is back to work after 4 days off. I hope the time goes as quickly as it did the last 4 days.

At Sea, 1959/04/13

News In Brief - USS Skipjack nuclear sub sea trials (partial newsreel)


This movie is part of the collection: Universal Newsreels

Green Tip of the Day

Protect Plants Without Pesticides

Connect with local gardeners to determine the most common problems in your region, then look for organic fixes. Many pest control solutions can be concocted from household items:

• Garlic and cayenne pepper can be used to deter pesky aphids.
• Used coffee grounds make a great fertilizer for plants that thrive in acidic soil, like rhododendrons or azaleas. Sprinkle coffee grounds and eggshells around the base of plants to repel ants (who can exacerbate an aphid problem), snails, and slugs.
• Before you apply organic treatments, be sure to research their effect on beneficial insects like ladybugs.

Sunday Update

Happy Easter everyone. Easter for me is a time when I know I can get the kids together here and have a nice family meal. This year we will be having friends join us as well. I love getting families together.

Yesterday was a good day, Thomas spent most of the day with us. In the morning we went to the Prairie Hill Pavillion and Diedre's parents ended up booking it for the wedding reception. This also means that they set a date. I will let Thomas & Diedre tell everyone when it is.

Chloe also came home later in the evening and she spent the night. She has not spent the night for some time so that was nice. She watched Juno with her Dad. It was getting late and I could not stay awake so I went to bed.

Green Tip of the Day

Gift Boxes

Gift boxes are very handy for oddly shaped presents that are difficult to wrap or soft items (like clothing) that would cause wrapping paper to tear or wrinkle. While gift boxes can make gift wrap a snap, they’re often tossed aside without much thought. Typically made from cardboard or paperboard, they are versatile and often recyclable.

Keep gift boxes for storing items around the house. For example, the long, flat boxes that traditionally accompany clothing are great for storing winter sweaters during warmer seasons, since hangers can damage their shape.

You can recycle old cereal boxes by making your own gift boxes. These paperboard boxes are a delight when a ribbon is added for the finishing touch!

Start a family trend by re-gifting boxes as often as possible. You could begin this by using one of your handmade boxes from above and asking the recipient to use it for their next occasion.

Ask your friends and family to save cards from special occasions for you, as you can easily make greeting cards into gift boxes. You can return your new boxes to their donor, or save them for your next special occasion!

Saturday Update

Yesterday was a wonderful day. Doug and I went to Panera in the morning to meet with Johnny, Mila and Ethan. We bought a loaf of bread to share and ate most of it while we sat and chatted. Doug likes the bread with butter and mustard, I ate it with just butter. We think Mila was jealous of me, she would hardly talk to me.

Shortly after we got back Thomas arrived. He had dropped Diedre and the pets off at her parents, so I have not seen the new setting for the ring yet. We went and washed cars; Hadji, Puck and Blue. Thomas cheated running Hadji through the drive through, but redeemed himself by washing Puck for me in the self-service bay. They are all sparkling clean for a day or so.

This morning I am going with Thomas, Diedre and her Mother to look at Prairie Hill Pavillion. They are thinking of using it for thier wedding reception. It is all starting to seem so real. To think our son is all grown up with a wonderful job, a house, two pets and is getting married.

“Assorted New York City Street Posters”

Green Tip of the Day

Green Your Commute

Riding your bike to work is a great way to stay fit while you go green. As an added bonus, bicycle commuters are eligible to receive a monthly $20 reimbursement from their employers under the new economic stimulus. Companies can deduct the expense from their federal taxes. The Bicycle Commuter Act went into effect on January 1, 2009, so let your employer know that you'd like to participate.

Friday Update

Thomas and Diedre are coming home today. I can't wait to see them. I have not seen the new band for the ring yet, except in the pictures on the blog of course. Chloe will also be coming home this weekend for Easter. It has been a while since we have seen both Chloe and Ross together. We are getting together with the kids and the Jordan family for Easter dinner. It should be a good time and delicious too.

I don't think we have seen Amber since Christmas time. Today is Amber's birthday.

This is for Bobo

Laughing Baby Gecko - The most amazing bloopers are here

This is for Diedre

Otters Holding Hands - Click here for more blooper videos

Green Tip of the Day

Squeeze Please

Thursday Update

I'm doing my update later than usual because I slept in this morning. It is always nice to take at least one day a week to catch up on sleep. Mao of course wasn't happy about me sleeping in.

I am happy about another thing as well. Scott McIntyre was finally voted off and the judges did not save him. He was the worst singer of this season. Now it won't be so painful to watch the show.

Today I don't have a lot of plans. I need to go to the eye doctor to have my nose piece fixed on my glasses. The one on the left side fell off last week and I have been putting moleskin on it to cushion my nose until I had a chance to go in. I also hope I get some nice weather to go outside and do some work in the yard and garden.

The Two Talking Cats (2 in 1)

The Two Talking Cats (2 in 1) - Funny bloopers R us

Green Tip of the Day

SOLAR GARDEN LIGHTING

Go with nonpolluting solar patio lights, an hour of sunlight hitting the earth provides more energy than everyone in the world uses in a whole year. Solar energy is clean and infinitely renewable. Solar energy is free, so most of these lights will pay for themselves within a year. With solar pathway lights, for example, all you have to do is stick them in the ground.

Wednesday Update

Yeah! Today is my Friday, I have Thursday and Friday off this week. It has been a good week for me. No real angry customers and lots of sales.

Last night we watched American Idol. They got to sing a song from the year they were born. Lots of contestants are about the same age as Thomas & Diedre. Most of them chose the wrong song for them and did not sing well or had a bad arrangement or both. Scott was horrible as usual and at least this week the judges told him he was not so good. I really hope Scott is voted off this week.

We also watched Deadliest Catch the Best of Season 4. Some of the footage was never seen before and they also had some of the crew members talking about what happened last season. We can't wait for the new season to start next week.

Talking Cats II

Two Cats Talking About a Site - More amazing videos are a click away

Green Tip of the Day

Opt for a reel or electric mower instead of a gas-powered one

Each year, Americans use 800 million gallons of gas to mow their lawns - and we spill more fuel while filling lawn equipment each year than the Exxon Valdez spilled in '89.

Using an electric mower, you'll pay about $5 per year for electricity. With a gas-powered mower, you'll pay that much in just two mows.

Gas-powered lawn mowers account for up to 5% of U.S. air pollution.

Reel mowers are basically silent, and electric ones make a tenth of the noise of gas-powered ones.

Let your grass clippings decompose on your lawn for a great natural fertilizer. Alternatively, check with your local waste management company to see if it will compost your grass for you.

Tuesday Update

Yesterday was a pretty dull Monday. Nothing exciting happened at work. When I got home from work I finally started the seeds that I bought over the weekend; two kinds of tomatoes, two kinds of peppers, yellow summer squash, zucchini and eggplant. Our Top Gear show is over for the season, so we watched The Big Bang Theory. It is kind of a funny show. Pretty mindless which is always nice.

Diedre and Thomas got the engagement ring back with the new setting. He has pictures on the blog. I can't wait to see it in person this weekend.

Talking Cats

Talking Cats! - Watch more amazing videos here

Green Tip of the Day

Fight Weeds with eco-friendly herbicides that keep weeds away.

The majority of the herbicide you apply doesn't actually reach the target weed, and all of it eventually impacts the environment.

Keep kids and pets out of harms way. There are about 110,000 human poisonings from herbicides, insecticides, and pesticides in the United States each year.

Spray or pour white vinegar directly onto the weeds. Then, continue about your day. Those pesky weeds should be dead in a matter of hours.

The acetic acid in the vinegar does two things: it burns the weed's foliage on contact and it temporarily lowers the pH of the soil, making it hard for the weed to make a comeback.

Benefits of Killing Weeds with Vinegar

• inexpensive
• non-toxic
• fast-acting
• doesn't do long-term damage to the soil

Tips and Warnings:

1) For best results, use on a sunny, dry day.

2) Vinegar will kill any vegetation that it comes into contact with, so avoid using it around plants that you wish to keep.

3) A teaspoon of dish soap can be added to the vinegar to help it stick to the weeds

4) Some weeds are persistent, and may need to be treated more than once.

5) For larger areas where you don’t want any growth, lay down old fabric or newspaper. Some gardeners use old army blankets as fabric ground covers – weird, but true – they decompose over time.

Monday Update

Eldora-New Prov. Schools: Delayed 2 hours - It looks like Thomas & Diedre have a couple extra hours on their hands this morning.

We got some of the little frozen snow pellets and a little snow, but not even enough to cover the ground. I am very tired of the cold weather and I hope it warms up later this week, especially since I have a short work week. If the weather is nice we will start cleaning the garage and I will probably work on prepping the garden.

We had another good Soup Sunday yesterday. I can't spell the soups so just go to the blog and look at the pictures Doug posted.

Hubble's Next Discovery – You Decide Winner!

Go to image download page

April 3, 2009: On April 1-2, the Hubble Space Telescope photographed the winning target in the Space Telescope Science Institute's "You Decide" competition in celebration of the International Year of Astronomy (IYA). The winner is a group of galaxies called Arp 274. The striking object received 67,021 votes out of the nearly 140,000 votes cast for the six candidate targets.

Educators can still involve students in the Hubble's Next Discovery Classroom Collage Activity. US educators can win a special education package, which includes a visit from a guest speaker and the loan of an astronomy exhibit.
http://amazing-space.stsci.edu/youdecide/

Green Tip of the Day

About 380 billion plastic bags, sacks and wraps are used each year. But, a collection of canvas bags decreases this need for plastic. Reusable bags only cost about a dollar, and some stores will even give you a small credit for utilizing a reusable bag.

• Look for reusable bags at thrift stores. They can be any fabric type or size, as long as they’ll suit your needs
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• Sturdy bags from clothing stores can be reused for shopping trips until they wear out
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• Retailers sell inexpensive reusable bags, some of which collapse down to reduce space in your car or purse

• Keep extra bags on hand at the office in case a co-worker is ever in need of an extra sack
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• Get your kids involved by letting them decorate their own reusable canvas bag. They’ll love adding their own touch and helping you with the groceries
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• Package gifts to friends and family in reusable shopping bags. You’ll save on disposable gift bags and share some reuse karma with others

Sunday Update

I don't see any of the bad weather yet. Doug says if we get the ice pellets they are predicting, we might be eating alone tonight. I think the kids will be getting the worst of the weather as they are farther north than us. Chloe told us earlier in the week we might see her today. We did not hear from her yesterday, so I don't know if her plans have changed.

Jamie stopped in for a visit yesterday. I was gone shopping and he left shortly after I got home, so I really didn't get a chance to talk with him. He was going to a chili cook-off and brought us a taste of his entry. We had charcoal steaks for supper last night, so we have not tried the chili yet. Maybe lunch today.

Why Print Cannot Die: The Funniest Newspaper Articles

Green Tip of the Day

You can save a few hundred bucks a year by unplugging electronics that aren't in use. Put simply, you're paying electric bills for stuff you aren't using. As long as they're plugged in, your computers, peripherals and home electronics are eating up energy when you think they're off -- and in no small amount, either.

This phenomenon is often called "vampire energy loss," and it's easy to see why. Like the blood-drinking creatures of the night, your devices are sucking down power while you sleep.

Anything that's plugged in pretty much these days is drawing some current.

Experts estimate that standby energy drain accounts for anywhere from 5 to 10 percent of an average home's annual power usage. Convert that percentage into dollars, and you've got around $4 billion in wasted spending across America every year. For most families, that means a minimum of $130 a year -- more than some people spend on a typical month's electric bill. Even things like cell-phone chargers tack on an extra couple bucks when left plugged in, with nothing attached. Factor in other always-on appliances such as DVRs and stereo receivers, and the total rises quickly.

The wasted cash is bad enough, but the toll on Mother Nature is worse. Vampire energy accounts for 1 percent of the world's carbon dioxide emissions, Meier says. In the U.S. alone, that's equal to the combined annual production of dozens of power plants.

Saturday Update

This post is very late because the Internet was out when I woke this morning. I had to wait for Doug to wake to get it going. I don't know what I would do without him. I think it would be very quiet around here. I would not be able to work TV's or the computer if something went wrong.

I slept in this morning, I woke around 7:30 which is very late for me. There was no Internet, so I watched the end of a movie called The 12 Dogs of Christmas. Good thing it only had 25 minutes left, because I don't think I could have watched the whole thing. I don't even know why I watched that much. The dogs were cute I guess.

I also did some laundry, washed last nights dishes and started a shopping list. I am going to get some seeds at Walmart today. Probably tomato, squash, cucumber and pepper.

Women in art 500 years of female portraits in Western art

Green Tip of the Day

Rechargeable batteries last three to four times longer per charge and give you up to three years more use than single-use batteries. Plus, they can be used in a number of products around the house, including remote controls, digital cameras and alarm clocks. Worried about the extra expense? Any additional cost to buy rechargeable batteries will be offset by how many uses you can get from each. Rechargeable batteries are also easier to recycle.

• Do a battery audit. Go through your house and write down every item that uses single-use batteries. Set a goal date and exchange your single-use for rechargeable batteries one item at time. This way, the cost is spread out
• Recycle your old single-use! Programs like Battery Solutions will take all types of batteries back for recycling
• Check the individual before tossing the bunch. Invest in a battery tester and try each battery before you throw it away - one bad battery could spoil your charge.

• Next time you purchase someone a battery-operated gift, go the extra step to include rechargeable batteries
• Send away for a recycling kit from Battery Solutions for your office. Tell your co-workers to simply bring their dead batteries with them to work. This saves a trip to a store and gets the word out about battery recycling

Friday Update

It looks like we might get some sun and a little warmer weather today. That is nice for a Friday.

Nothing too exciting happened yesterday, except of course Mao broke the computer for a while. Doug did get it fixed which makes me happy because I don't like trying to navigate the Mac.

Green Tip of the Day

If you have a tank water heater, turn down the temperature a bit to save major energy.

• Many installers set heaters to 140 degrees, but you can comfortably get away with closer to 120 - which is hot enough to get your dishes clean, but will save you 6%-10% on water-heating costs.
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• If every U.S. household turns its water heater thermostat down 20 degrees, we could prevent the same amount of global-warming-causing CO2 emitted by Kuwait or Libya.

• You might want to check the manual and give it a test run before you commit, but generally you just find the thermostat on your water heater, and turn it down to 120 degrees (if the gauge doesn't have degrees on it, try halfway between the low and medium settings. After turning it down, you can check the water temp with a thermometer at the tap farthest from the water heater).
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• If you're going be out of town, you can turn electrics off completely, or turn gas ones down to the lowest setting (note: it'll take 30 minutes to 1 hour to completely heat back up).
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Thursday Update

The first day in the new office went very well. My first call of the day was an April Fool joke from the home office. It is nice being able to look out windows.

This morning Mao caused us some computer trouble. In fact I am doing this update from the Mac which is frustrating. He was setting on my lap like he has been doing most mornings for some time now. He jumped down and his leg bumped the tower and the whole computer shut down. I could get the power back on but the screen stayed black. Doug was awake so he came out and did some things and it still won't work. I am confident that Doug will fix it after he gets some sleep. He had a restless night.

Green Tip of the Day

According to the National Car Wash Association, automatic car washes use less than half the water used when washing your car at home. The average home wash uses 80-140 gallons of water while the commericial average is 45 gallons.

Wednesday Update

Today is April Fool's Day so watch out for those tricksters. I wonder if students play tricks on their teacher's.

I stayed late at work to get moved to the new office. We certainly have big cubicles which is nice. I was afraid we might have tiny ones like I have had before. I hope everything runs smoothly today. Usually when we move to a new space there are a few issues either with phones or computers.

Last night we watched American Idol as usual. The judges always say they love Scott McIntyre, he is not a good singer and is no where near being Idol material. I wish America would vote him off, but Doug says there are too many people out there with a tin ear.

http://www.terracycle.net

Tuesday Update

Yesterday was very busy at work, although it did not seem to make the day go by quickly like it does sometimes when we are busy. Lots of people still having trouble ordering on our website. I really don't know what is so complicated about it.

Last night we watched Top Gear it was a special long episode because it was the last show of this season. That travels 1,000 miles through Vietnam on motorcycles. Only the Top Gear team could make this hilarious.

Green Tip of the Day

Popcorn isn't just for movies...

Americans consume 16 billion quarts of popped popcorn annually - that’s 54 quarts per person.

• Popcorn makes a great replacement for non-recyclable packing peanuts. Just advise your friends not to eat this filler when their package arrives.
• Save old popcorn for your next trip to the park, and use it as feeder for birds.
• Compost your old kernels rather than trashing them. This is recommended for popcorn that hasn’t been loaded up with butter and salt.

• Show your kids how to use old, unpopped kernels as the noise-making component in homemade instruments.
• Make arts and crafts projects with the family to be used as decorations around the home and gifts for friends.
• Get a group together and start stringing! These strings of garland can be used as decorations for parties and holidays.

Monday Update

Another Monday already, the weekend goes too quickly. Yesterday turned out to be a small Soup Sunday, but we had two wonderful soups anyway. We had Posole and Corn Soup. We had never made the Corn Soup, it was very good. Wanda made a very tasty dessert as well, it was a Marshmallow Chocolate Chip Pie. It has a graham cracker crust with a marshmallow and grated chocolate filling. I had also made the Brownie Swirled Peanut Butter Cups (I over baked the brownies a bit).

We watched the first hour of Extreme Home Makeover and then turned to Comedy Central for Jim Gaffigans special. He is very funny. Doug had recorded the rest of Extreme Home Makeover, so we finished watching it after the comedy special. They did a makeover for the people who run the Forever Wild Exotic Animal Sanctuary.