Ask Happy Homemaker!

by compound complex 337 Replies latest jw friends

  • compound complex
    compound complex

    http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Sfingi/Detail.aspx

    Sfingi
    SUBMITTED BY: KITTYCATGRL PHOTO BY: fogwood214

    "Sfingi are also called zeppole. You'll never realize you're eating ricotta cheese! These are very good - be sure to eat them while they're warm."

    PREP TIME 20 Min
    COOK TIME 20 Min
    READY IN 1 Hr 40 Min

  • compound complex
    compound complex

    Dear Happy Homemaker,

    "Out with the old, in with the new." My husband can be so cavalier! We are remodeling our home on the coast and I have a question on how to properly frame in the view of the ocean. The great room gives onto the sea itself while the other rooms face the dunes and other homes. This exposure affords an array of possibilities, but my husband wants to replace the 4 floor-to-ceiling picture windows (a total linear distance of some 40 feet) with mullioned panes.

    We live in Bodega Bay and he has this inordinate fear of seagulls and terns careering into the plate glass. He allows that this debacle has yet to occur; still, he insists that the 400 mullioned panes proposed for the redo are a smaller and more easily accommodated repair, should the "inevitable" occur. My worry is that the aesthetics - the free flow of land-to-sky - will be ruptured, resulting in an insidious and irreparable tear in the fabric of nature. Not to mention my poetic soul.

    I will leave no tern unstoned to find an answer ... can you help?

    Tippy

    Dear Tippy,

    Ah ... the eternal question of the proper manner in which to juxtapose the practical against the spiritual! There is always a solution, yet who of us possesses the Solomonic wisdom that might cut through the Gordian Knot of an architectural conundrum?

    We are ever at the mercy of nature. Your living upon the seashore presents monumental challenges against security and peace of mind - erosion, tsunamis, enemy invasion by sea, nosy tourists - but birds? Mullioned windows are a delightful means to slice up and box in the view of charming woodside cottages, New England manor houses and quaint French cafes. But in an ocean-front home giving onto the Pacific? Absurd!

    Please consult with the architectural firms whose references and contact information I am enclosing under separate cover. Unless your husband is willing to go to great and needless expense on this proposed remodel, elements of which are clearly triggered by a long-submerged Hitchcockian fantasy, I would rather he use those funds for some very serious analysis. Or move to a charming woodside cottage.

    I hope this helps!

    Happy Homemaker!

  • compound complex
  • compound complex
  • compound complex
    compound complex

    Dear Happy Homemaker,

    What's the best cleaning solution?

    Larry

    Dear Larry,

    If you mean 'an answer to a problem':

    Name the cleaning problem and I'll give you the answer.

    If you mean 'a liquid containing dissolved substances':

    3:2:1 - Water, Isopropyl Alcohol, Dish Soap (just a few drops)

    Hope this helps!

    Happy Homemaker!

  • compound complex
    compound complex
    10 Tips for House Cleaning

    Housecleaning can be a tough chore. You may find that you need a little help. If so, then consider these 10 quick tips for cleaning your home.

    1. Vacuum often. While you could spend the whole day vacuuming, especially if you have children or pets, you probably don’t want to. Still you should vacuum each room in your home at least once a week and frequently used areas three to four times a week. That will keep dirt from getting stuck in the carpeting and wearing it out more quickly.

    2. Make a schedule for periodic jobs, such as cleaning baseboards and organizing cabinets. You may want to go through your cabinets every six months, for example, but you cannot remember the last time you did it. Schedule your cleaning time right alongside the doctor’s appointment and business meeting so that you won’t forget.

    3. Wipes aren’t just for babies. You can find antibacterial wipes, furniture wipes, glass wipes, and more. Take advantage of these inexpensive cleaning aids. Wiping down the bathroom sink everyday with a wipe can permit you to go longer between full cleanings.

    4. Do it now! This phrase is the mantra of organizational gurus, who know that the key to keeping one’s home clean is to do every task as soon as it needs to be done. Putting that ice cream bowl in the sink now is much easier than putting three away tomorrow.

    5. Simple is better. Keep things simple, and cleaning will be easier. Stick to one illustrated book on your coffee table, for example, instead of an arrangement of figurines. The former will be easier to dust and keep tidy, making your job to clean, easy.

    6. It’s okay to cut corners – sometimes. You can vacuum around the furniture many times, but you do need to do a good job and move everything once or twice a month. Vacuuming along the walls and furniture is easier to do monthly than annually during a big cleaning day.

    7. If you haven’t used something in a year, throw it out. If you’ve looked at that green sweater in your closet and shrugged everyday this winter, you have moved passed the sweater. Just get rid of it, and you won’t have to worry about it anymore.

    8. When you find a problem, fix it. Many people tend to just allow cleaning problems to build up. If you’re always tripping over the kids’ shoes when you come in, put a shoe rack at the front door. Move the cleaning supplies so they’re easier to reach. Put the broom in a better spot. Fixing problems can make cleaning go much more smoothly.

    9. Have a filing system for paper. Make it a point to deal with paper as soon as it comes in the house. Sign papers. Pay bills. Toss junk mail.

    10. Keep a laundry basket in frequently used rooms. You can toss in items that go in other rooms of the house to make cleaning much easier. Then just take the basket around at the end of the day and deposit items in the right spot.

    © 2003 Geyser Vacuum Center
    Toll Free Phone: 1-866-654-2580 In 518 Area Code: 587-2177 E-mail: [email protected]
    Geyser Vacuum Center offers Vacuum Cleaners and Vacuum Cleaner Bags

  • nameless_one
    nameless_one

    This thread is an absolute delight! It has made me smile :-)

    My humble query:

    Dear Happy Homemaker,

    For one who has been grossly negligent with cleaning duties over a long span of time, at what point does it make more sense to just burn the house to the ground and start over?

    I am asking for a friend, of course

    Sign me,
    "Gathering Some Kindling (for my friend)"

  • compound complex
    compound complex

    Dear Nameless,

    It is good to know that my international syndication will not be terminated after all! Your reply was the very tipping point required by the top brass to get us over the top. Thank you! (On cleaning brass ...)

    The simplest solution (not liquid) is for your putative friend to have his home transported to California. Once the relatively simple move is made, "he" can either expect his new and good-hearted though-recently-bereaved-of-their-home neighbors to pitch in and build him a new home, or, if he's adequately insured, let the over-burdened insurers and scampering building contractors take over! I say this because I do imagine that in the very new future all of this once-fair-but-soon-to-be-burnt-out-cinder-of-a-state will have to be rebuilt.

    If "he" decides to take the high road and simply (?) clean house ... well, we'll cross the bridge when we come to it.

    Don't burn your bridges!

    Happy Homemaker!

  • compound complex
    compound complex
    Vacuum Cleaners in the 1950s

    The history of the vacuum cleaner over the years exceeds further beyond the 1950’s. The vacuum cleaner actually goes back to the mid-1800s where sweepers were used with rotating brushes and without any suction. It wasn’t until 1905 that an electric model was invented that used vacuum power.

    Before vacuum cleaners were invented for personal ownership, giant gas powered vacuum cleaners were invented. One person would own the vacuum and for $4.00 a visit, this person would come to your house and clean your carpets for you.

    Then in the 1908, it was the Hoover Company that invented an easier to move vacuum cleaner for private home use. It used a filtered bag system much like some of the models used today.

    With time, the development of the vacuum cleaner made it possible for individuals to have their own in house vacuum. In the 1930’s, the models of vacuums were redeveloped to have plastic parts. At this time the first ‘headlights’ were also included with more expensive models but soon headlights became very popular.

    It was in the 1950’s that the convertible upright vacuums were introduced. This made it possible to move the vacuum around with one hand instead of carrying a small nozzle in front and a heavy vacuum behind you.

    According to old advertisements by Hoover and other vacuum cleaner manufacturing companies, vacuum cleaners ranged from $35 to $65 in price depending on the model. Each model proclaimed to be newer. In most cases it had new nozzles, lights, gadgets, buttons and even made particular sounds as buttons were pushed. As models improved, vacuums were no longer limited to cleaning carpets. You could vacuum your furniture, the drapes, curtains and much more. If you added an extension cord, you could vacuum out the interior of your car. Most of the advertising included women of the day using the vacuum cleaners in various ways and commenting on how powerfully the vacuum sucked up the dirt and made everything clean. Apparently not much has change from advertising in the 1950’s to today.

    Today, we still use the same bag vacuums used in the 1950’s but there have been additional models created since then. The bagless canister vacuum was soon invented as well making cleaning up easier than ever. The history of the vacuum cleaner is pretty fascinating. In fact, there are displays, not to mention entire museums based on the history of the vacuum cleaner, including many models of working vacuum cleaners from the 1950’s. You can also find a number of vintage models of vacuum cleaners for sale today online or through antique stores. You may be able to find some rare models and parts through garage sales or flea markets as well.

    While the style and the models of vacuum cleaners have improved since the 1950’s, most of the same basic principles that were discovered over the years have stayed with the vacuum. The headlights in front of the vacuum, for example, still are used in some models today. Presently, the use of bags in vacuum cleaners is also used. Nozzles and attachments now come in all shapes and sizes. The vacuum continues to improve as each year passes.

    © 2003 Geyser Vacuum Center
    Toll Free Phone: 1-866-654-2580 In 518 Area Code: 587-2177 E-mail: [email protected]
    Geyser Vacuum Center offers Vacuum Cleaners and Vacuum Cleaner Bags

  • compound complex
    compound complex

    Dear Happy Homemaker,

    I do not live in a conventional home. I'm an old woman who lives in a shoe. Cleaning it is a logistical nightmare. Perhaps you've heard of me. Do I know what to do? Nope. My brood of ingrate brats won't lift a finger to help their taxed-to-the-max mama. I knock myself out just to put broth on the table, but they say they want bread. If I whip them soundly, the neighbors (meddling busybodies!) turn me in to CPS. And put them to bed? Don't make me laugh! How do you collect a band of monkeys gone to roost in the trees of The Dark Forest? In fact, I have SO MANY CHILDREN that I've run out of names to call my husband.

    What's a mother to do?!?!?

    Old Woman

    Drawing of the Old Woman Who Lived In A Shoe by Kronheim, c.1875

    Dear Old Woman,

    I'm assuming you don't get out much. I have an entire list of names for your husband, but the law and my unequivocal sense of decency preclude my splashing out such scalding ink here in this column. Do you have female friends in a similar situation in whom you can confide? I don't imagine Sleeping Beauty can be of much assistance, given her current comatose state. And Snow White has her hands full with that unruly gaggle of overgrown misfits.

    Yes, I have heard of you. In fact, all my childhood friends have heard of you and were grateful (we discussed you behind your back - sorry) that you were not our mom. But it never occurred to us that you were married! We just rather sensed - without any real conscious deliberation, to tell the God's truth - you popped them out. We baby boomers were quite without guile and art. Well, all that has changed!

    I am SO SORRY! Give me some time to do a little research on shoe care and repair. Allow me, too, to check into family services available in your community: The Dark Forest - correct? Where is your lout of a husband? I'll send The Giant after him if need be. It will be necessary first to check out the location of the beanstock on global positioning. Call me (private telephone number forwarded). Or messenger if you have no telephone.

    Do you know Prada?

    Hope this helps!

    Happy Homemaker!

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