72 Hour Kits and the Allergy Monster

There are many many reasons that I know of for having Emergency and 72 Hour Kits…and probably many many more reasons I haven’t even thought of.  I’m a little bit embarrassed to admit that the closest we are to having these kits is the stack of camping stuff buried in the garage.  Dealing with a disaster, I think, would be easier then digging that stuff out!  Now some of you are thinking “Wait a minute!  You’re supposed to be the Ward Emergency Preparedness Specialists!”  Ya, well…let’s not even think about that right now.  Let’s just talk about why I don’t have these kits put together.

Beans, Beans and More Beans

My family likes to eat things like chili, refried beans and baked beans.  But dry beans are not my favorite things to cook with.  I never seem to be able to get them cooked right no matter how long I cook them.  They never get soft enough no matter how long I cook them.  So it’s always been easier to just buy the canned stuff.

D.B. Tip #3 & #4

Tidy D.B. Tip: I have discovered the best cleaning and dusting cloths!  I’m probably the very last to know this…but just in case I’m not, I’ll share my find.  Ok…I can’t take complete credit because someone had recommended using them to make my own swiffer cloths.  But I discovered how wonderful they are for cleaning…for myself.  I used one out of almost desperation to clean the floor of  the bathroom the other day and was amazed at how easy and quickly the job was done.  And the best part was how quickly the baseboards cleaned up!  My house has horrible baseboards…horrible in the fast that dust and dirt accumulates there and they’re horrible to clean.  I love the microfiber cloths…I don’t think my baseboards have ever looked so good!

I plan on making some swiffer cloths…trying to make some swiffer dust cloths…and make some other things as well.  When I get the design all figured out I’ll share.

Oh and a Provident D.B. Tip: Costco has a huge pack of microfiber cloths for a good price.  They’re in the auto section…sold as auto cleaners.  And they’re a bright yellow color…but that’s a minor point if they do a good job…at least for me.

D.B. Tip #2

Provident D.B. Tip:  Keep an eye on those little numbers on the bottom of the packaging of your favorite foods.  If you’ve been relieved to see that the average price of a lot of foods hasn’t changed all that much in the midst of these hard times,  you might be amazed to see that most of those are decreasing in weight to compensate.  Example: an 18oz box of cereal is now 15oz.  Most of the time it’s not a lot…though I’m sure a couple ounces can save companies a lot.  But the ones that I get really frustrated with are the companies that are drastically cutting sizes AND increasing prices.  It’s always a good idea to watch unit prices as opposed to the sale price when you’re trying to find the best deals.

Pomegranate Harvest — Removing the Seeds

The red juicy seeds are the edible part of the pomegranate fruit. And anyone who has spent a warm summer/fall afternoon digging them out with minimal mess, knows this can be a tall task. But those delicious tidbits are sooooo worth it. They’re good for snacking, as toppings for salads and ice cream, and make very yummy juice and syrup.