Lawn Surprises

Spring and summer means enjoying warmer weather, barbecues, soaking up the sun, and of course, lawn care.  Thank goodness for riding mowers!  Mowing the lawn is really a painless task.  In fact, it can be somewhat zen-like.  You sit comfortably on a cushioned seat, listen to your favorite music, design various patterns in the grass, and zone out.  Sometimes, you may be fortunate to find some treasures when mowing.  This could include forgotten toys, discarded items, and the occasional piece of trash.  However, at our house, you would find something even better:  a pet cemetery.  You betcha!  The first time I mowed at our house, I started in the front and then headed towards the back.  I rounded a group of shrubs and overgrown ferns only to spot several (7 to be exact) small white crosses.  I immediately thought they were relatives of the previous owner or left from Civil War times since our house is so old.  I dismounted the tractor, and on closer inspection, names such as "Sunshine," "Buddy," and "Bonny" could be seen mounted to the crosses.  Now, don't get me wrong.  There are people who would name their children these inventive, unique names but, I realized that these were markers for pets, not people.  At that point, I asked myself, which is creepier?  Immediately, scenes from Stephen King's "Pet Sematary" filtered through my mind.  To make matters worse, a small white fence encircled the area and there were fake, plastic flowers placed there to honor the critters who had passed.  Clearly, someone was very attached to their furry friends.  After deep contemplation, I thought that it really isn't too unusual for people to care deeply about their cats or dogs.  I actually warmed up to the idea, that is, until we mentioned our find to some people who know the history of our property.  "Sunshine," "Buddy," "Bonny," and the four others were all chickens.  Apparently, we have a poultry graveyard next to our house.  Something tells me that the folks over at Perdue would find that quite comical.  Every so often, late at night, we can hear the faint whispered sound of clucking floating on the breeze...

*Product Plug* - Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps

I know, I know...how many different beauty products could I possibly have and use?  It's just that lately I've been getting so many different ones, whether it be on my own or as gifts.  I don't typically try so many new products this frequently.  That being said, I do have another great one to recommend.  I recently bought one of Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps.  What really sold me was the label on the product.  The soap is made with Hemp and Organic Oils.  Not only that, but it is wrapped in 10% hemp-flax / 90% post-consumer recycled paper from Living Tree Paper Co. and it is a Certified Fair Trade product.  You might be asking yourself:  What is Fair Trade?  It means that Dr. Bronner's business takes care of their employees with generous salaries and benefits (no-deductible PPO health insurance and a great profit-sharing/retirement plan that they fully fund).  They cap executive pay at five times the lowest-paid position, and they give all profits not needed for business development to support progressive charities and causes.  Additionally, Dr. Bronner's has extended this philosophy to the farmers and workers around the world who produce their major raw materials (representing over 95% of their annual agricultural volume). Along with their families and communities, they benefit from fair prices, living wages and funding for local development projects. Shifting the supply chains to certified Fair Trade ingredients makes a big difference in the lives of several thousand farmers and workers — and is money well spent.  So, as you use these wonderfully smelling and great lathering soaps (my favorite is the Peppermint), you can feel even better knowing that you are helping your skin, the planet, and other people.  Pretty cool if you ask me.  P.S.  They make more products than just soap.  Check it all out on their website!

Car Wash Fiasco

I always like going through the car wash.  It's so peaceful and I find myself completely absorbed by the sounds and sights within.  I've actually caught myself sitting in my car with my mouth wide open in amazement as the splish and splash sounds zoom around my car.  However, my most recent visit to the car wash was anything but soothing.  My dear hubby and I were driving his Porsche Boxster to my parents' house for Father's Day.  We decided to hit up the car wash on the way.  We drove top-down into the payment lane, ordered the $12 wash, and headed towards the entrance.  My husband pushed the button to put the top up and we slowly drove forward.  As we were getting onto the auto-drive mechanism, my hubby was frantically trying to get the windows up.  They just would not go up.  I started to panic because we were heading further and further into the wash and getting closer and closer to moisture.  My husband put his hand out the window and yelled to the workers to turn off the wash.  They shut everything down and I was so embarrassed since there were several cars waiting behind us.  We couldn't back up and we definitely couldn't go forward.  The windows continued to only go up 3/4 of the way.  I was envisioning us trying to use our shirts to keep the water out and being sprayed incessantly by all the different nozzles and tubes throughout the wash.  Finally, after preparing to take my own shower in the car wash, my husband realized that the roof was not snapped in all the way which led to the windows not going all the way up.  Fifteen minutes later and one near miss of a heart attack, we emerged in our shiny, clean vehicle and went on our way.  Piece of advice:  get the roof and windows up well in advance and always pack an umbrella, just in case.

*Product Plug* - Basin White Brand Body Butter

I currently have two of these body butters:  one in the Almond Coconut scent and one in the Satsuma scent.  My mom purchased these for me in Las Vegas on a recent trip.  However, you can order these online at www.basinwhite.com.  I can't speak for the other products they carry (bath salts, soaps, shower gels, masks, etc.) but, these body butters are probably the best I've ever had.  They are a bit pricey, but if you feel like treating yourself, then go for it.  I love the Almond Coconut one.  It smells so good that I almost want to eat it.  My husband even uses the Satsuma scented one.  It has a hint of orange and is refreshing.  These body butters are great to use after sunburn, after shaving, or if your skin is very dry.  Another product they have listed on their website is a shampoo bar.  I've never heard of a shampoo in a bar form, but if they are anything like the body butters, then they are probably awesome.  These products would also make great gifts for someone who likes quality items and enjoys having good personal hygiene.

Bluetooth Mayhem

This story is brought to you by way of my dear mother.  Just last week she was driving her brand new Hyundai Tucson in the parking lot of her local supermarket.  Her new car has many bells and whistles that she is not used to yet.  To give you a sense of my mother's technological know-how, let me give you some background information.  My mom still does not have a cell phone that she uses on a regular basis.  The phone she does have has a set amount of minutes on it and is never turned on.  When she does need to make a call, she yells into it as if it is a walkie-talkie with limited capabilities and she will only be on it for a maximum of three minutes.  So, you better be ready to listen to what she has to say because, before you know it, the conversation is over and you've said goodbye.  My mom's knowledge of technology is crucial to this story.  So, she was in the parking lot and she got cut off by another female driver who was, of all things, talking on her cell phone.  (That is something you don't want to do to my mom.  Trust me.)  Well, she got so flustered that she hit some buttons on the steering wheel/dashboard.  She began yelling some explicit obscenities at the driver and then all of a sudden heard:  "Pardon me?" come out of some speakers in her car.  Apparently, my mom's bluetooth capabilities in her car were switched on and somehow, she intercepted the phone call of the woman who had cut her off.  I loved this story for several reasons:  1)  I can just see this happening to my mom.  2)  It cracks me up when my mom curses.  3)  We've all wanted to tell jerk drivers what we really think in an anonymous way at some point in our lives.  I think my mom has really stumbled onto something great here.  Now if only I could help her learn how to check her email....