**Chick Stuff**I Love Face Serum Sticks

Correction: the title should read "I Love Olay Face Serum Sticks"

Being someone who has always tried to use primarily natural oils on my skin, I'm not big on a lot of branded facial care products. I do like Loreal's Age Perfect cream and the Moistfull cream from Etude House. The only Olay product I've ever liked was the Regenerist Serum I discovered about 10 or 12 years ago. Then I went back to my oils.

I found the Regenerist again a couple of years ago, but either they've changed the formula or else my skin no longer likes it. However, I have found another Olay product that my skin adores...And now that I'm sliding into the second year of my 6th decade, I am having to spoil my skin with more than cooking oils. 

Enter Olay Serums in stick form. 

(l to r) Brightening, Refreshing, and 
Cooling

I've been using the Refreshing/pink formula for over 2 years. I love that it's moisturizing without being heavy or greasy. Also, just one stick lasts so long. It took me around 9 or 10 months to go through my first one and it wasn't completely depleted before I ordered the next one. I ended up giving the 2nd (and partially-used) stick to one of the SILs (she tried it and loves it) and I'm now on my 3rd stick. When I went back to order that one, I noticed there were 2 more formulas. In total, there is the Refreshing (pink), Cooling (green), and Brightening (white).

While I will always want to have the Refreshing serum around, I can live without the Cooling one. It does nothing noticeable to my skin. However, I do like very much the Brightening formula. While I like the skin brightening (brightening, not whitening), I stay for its hyper-moisturizing properties - again while being weightless. I use it at night when my skin tends to dry out no matter the season.

Well, let me deep-dive into what I think about each of these.

They are slightly waxy-feeling
but are not waxy on the skin

The pink/Refreshing stick formula sake kasu and vitamin B3. The green/Cooling stick has vitamin B3 and cactus water. The white/Brightening stick has vitamins C and B3.

 Honestly, I didn't expect there to be much of a difference. However, I could immediately smell a difference in the green stick as it has the slightest scent, one that I can't place. It's not strong or offensive but I did notice it.

I think I am partial to the pink one - maybe because I am used to it - but it did seem to be much more moisturizing than the Cooling stick. It also goes on heavier. 

The green one is a bit moisturizing but not like the pink one and I don't notice anything "cooling" about it. Maybe I need to wait for a day when my skin feels inflamed? And by "cooling", I think what they mean is that it's supposed to be "calming".

When I smooth the pink stick over my face, it leaves a trail of cream that I can see. Of course, I dab it in with my fingertips so it doesn't stay visible. Although I can feel the green stick leaving a trace, I can't see it. 

Now the Brightening stick is pricier than the other two. They run around $6.50-$7.00 while this one is around $15. I treated myself for my birthday and, honestly, I think it's worth it.

The main thing I like about each of the serums is that they are in stick form. Also, you do get the benefit of moisture without a heavy film. I've seen reviews complaining about the lack of moisture. I thought that when I first started using the Refreshing serum. What I finally realized is that the moisture from these sticks is not like that from a jar of cream. You have to glide the stick over your face, then sort of pat in the residue with your fingertips and it disappears. Unlike with some jar creams, I can't see the moisture but I can definitely feel it. 

long-lasting

Because it costs more, I've been saving the Brightening stick until just before bedtime. Of course, in the very dry winter weather, I will probably use it along with the Refresher serum during the day. I notice that if I use either stick on my skin before applying perfume, it helps with fragrance longevity. So that's a plus.

The best thing is that these are priced reasonably - even the more expensive formula - because they last forever and a minute. I will replace the pink one regularly and just get the white one as my budget allows.  I won't buy the green one again though. At the rate that my pink ones have lasted in the past, I don't think I will need to replace any of them for another 8 months to a year.

Peace

--Free

P.S.: As for the prices, I used what they were on Amazon the last time I checked. These serums can be found at other retailers at a variety of prices. The Amazon prices fluctuate often - as much as a dollar or two - depending on who knows what?

Things I’d Like Never To Run Out Of

 Instead of thinking about the things I need, as I do every time I put together a monthly shopping list, I wanted to switch it up. Of course, I can't actually do this for real, but I can dream.

This morning, while looking through my Amazon Wish List(s), I realized that it's not a very good list. Most of the things on it are Needs, not Wants. A more accurate list would look like this:

• 3 of my favorite hair products - Honey Hydrate, TGIN Miracle RepaiRX, and Silicon mix bamboo leave-in (my hair is lost without this stuff)
• Glossier's You compact solid perfume (because the spray has zero longevity).
• Olay's Skin Refreshing Serum Stick (best facial product ever)
• Huggies Nourish & Care Baby Wipes (best face cleaning product ever, ever, ever)
• Candle Science's Lemon Pound Cake fragrance oil (because I run through Walmart's Iced Lemon Sugar Cookie wax melts way too quickly)
• Yoga pants (even though I won't be caught dead doing yoga... the pants are life itself.)
• A good weighted blanket - one for winter and one for summer. (I've gotten to where I have trouble sleeping without mine but it's too hot for summer)
• Ninja Foodi (because it has replaced every other appliance I have except for the coffee pot)
• Those nail stickers that are so cute and lack the mess of wet polish. (I like the Diva nail brand but have to find something more affordable.)
• EOS lotion. (I get the Vanilla Cashmere for the fragrance but that lotion itself is, hands-down, the best I've ever used - including those 20-dollar special formulas!)
• A Rocketbook notebook and erasable pens. (My notebook and pens are lifesaving workarounds for my lousy memory)

I could add at least 10 more things, but they would all be various perfumes. 

Or more hair products.

I got into a comment discussion once on Reddit about things we can't live without. Everybody has their certain something that just makes their daily life better. One person said that they have to keep a large jar of Jolly Ranchers and Jelly Beans around. It's their go-to snack for when they have anxiety.  One person shared their version of retail therapy. They peruse their favorite shopping site for about an hour but then empty out their cart when they feel better. I wish I had that kind of willpower. I have an Amazon cart loaded right now worth around $200. All that stuff will go to my Save For Later basket.

My late best friend (a gangsta-level shopaholic) could afford any kind of food she wanted but the only thing she to always had to have in her house was fresh fruit. Fruit and tea. She had a pantry the size of my bedroom closet and it was completely filled with every kind of tea that you could think of. All that tea but she had to run out and buy a coffee pot for when I visited her...Weirdo! (RIP Barbie girl.)

I just realized that I don't have food or coffee on my list up there. A few years ago - or even just last year - coffee would have taken up at least 3 spots. 

In 10 years, I imagine my list will consist of things like Ben-Gay or Aspercreme. Who knows? Lord willing, I hope to live long enough to find out.

Peace

--Free

**REVIEW** Fantasy Intimate Edition Eau de Parfum (from Britney Spears)

 This is the other of the two fragrances I bought for my birthday:

You already know about the first fragrance from my previous post. I love, love, love that one but I have to say... this one is also getting to be up there with my top 5 of the past several years.

As with all my fragrances, I always want to see what Frangrantica has to say. For this one, as with the Cheirosa ’62, Fragrantica listed some of the accords I love the most.

 

The only thing missing for me on that chart is the caramel. However, I can actually smell a little of it in the actual perfume. This is the "pyramid" of notes for this one:

The very first time I tried the perfume, I was not impressed. As a matter of fact, I really regretted buying it. It was, I thought, too candy-like and "young-ish" for me. Of what smelled slightly grown-up, I got too much citrus (lemon?) and something flowery that I never like in a perfume. 

I hate when I blind-buy a fragrance only not to like it. I don't have money to play with like that. So I was upset with myself. (But I have to say that the bottle is super cute. From the online photos, I thought it looked cheap and toy-like, but, nope. It's glass and heavy enough to use as a weapon.)

Now, I'd had a fresh shower that morning and had used one of my lotions without paying attention to which one it was. I have several lotions and creams and oils that I use, depending on the weather. It's really humid this past week so I haven't been using my heavier moisturizers. When I checked, I realized I had used some Palmer's. Palmer's lotion has cocoa butter in it and you definitely smell that ingredient! I realized that this might have thrown off the Fantasy perfume.

I waited a couple of days before giving Brit-Brit's fragrance another try and, in the meantime, I just enjoyed some body mists. (And, oh, yeah, I lied about getting only two things for myself so I will have to tell you about the other things later...)

After my next shower, I remembered to go fragrance-free with the moisturizer. I used some of my fragrance-free Neutrogena oil. I love that stuff for these hot and humid days. It's light and silky-feeling without being greasy. 

This time Fantasy was everything I wanted. It hit all the vanilla and amber highs that I like and had just enough "powder" scent to make me feel super-feminine. It's light enough for daytime wear but I think that it could be used for date night if I, you know, felt like dating.

The longer I wore the perfume, the more I loved it. I'd put it on around 8-ish that morning and by the time I had my second coffee at 10, it was doing something new. The sharpness of the citrus had died down and the vanilla and that caramel I'd sensed were showing up and showing out. Nicely. 

Damn! I smelled so good I wished I did feel like dating! Someone else needed to experience this grown-woman sexiness. I went out of my apartment - as I try hard to do as little as possible - to return something to the building manager. As soon as I was in her office, she did a double-take. "Ooo, you smell good, Ms. Trudy." (Note: She is the only one around here who notices things like this. She's young enough to still have a good sense of smell and sight.) So...

Thank you. Thank you very much, Britney boo. I hope that you find all the love and happiness you yearn for, you darling lady.

By the way, the perfume lasted well into the evening. I think I stopped being able to notice it around 7 or 8 that night. Not bad. Just like with the Cheirosa '62, I will start spraying some on my clothes if I want them to last even longer.

Buying this fragrance by Britney reminds me of something. Some years back, when one of my older nieces was visiting, I had asked what she was wearing. She is not big on perfumes and usually sticks to body sprays. This time, she smelled luscious and it could not just be a simple body spray. She looked a little embarrassed and, as if she were admitting to a crime, she whispered, "Jessica Simpson. It's called 'Fancy'."

What is up with these formerly teeny-bopper hotties? How are they killing the game with these amazing fragrances??? I love the idea that they are capitalizing on their celebrity to enrich themselves without becoming has-been jokes. 

I checked (yes, Fragrantica) to see who or what is behind Britney's perfumes. The parent company is Elizabeth Arden and there are at least 6 perfumers working on the scents. Simpson is with a different parent company but also works with several perfumers. (Guess which perfumes I will be putting on future gift lists?)

Back to this Fantasy fragrance...

I have now worn this solo for several days but I have also paired it with the Solinotes Vanille (which was a total disappointment by itself) and also with some Eos Vanilla Cashmere lotion. Fantasy elevates the heck out of the Vanille. I'd been wanting to toss that odorless mess in the trash at one point. Now I will keep it because it creates a sweeter vanilla scent when combined with Fantasy.

Now, the Vanilla Cashmere lotion is the strongest scented lotion I have ever used. Ever. If you ever wanted a vanilla scent without buying a perfume, this is your groove. It's lovely and, pro tip: it really does remind me of Donna Karan's Cashmere. Truly.

About 7 bucks 
worth every nickel

The lotion though did not pair well with Fantasy. The lotion's scent was kind of trying to outshout the vanilla in the Fantasy. The combination had me smelling like a food fight between vanilla custard and lemon-nilla pie. I like dessert scents but this one was just a bit too much.

Oh well.

Anyway, as I said, I had added this perfume to my top 5. And my top 5 for the last 5 years? They are, in no set order:

1. Lalique (I've only ever tried a sample because, you know, my budget🙄)
2. Fantasy Intimate Edition
3. JHAG Not A Perfume (usually at the very top of the list)
4. Glossier You (the solid, not the bottle which never lasts more than 5 seconds)
5. Cheirosa '62 (this is another new favorite & I actually would prefer the Cheirosa '71 if it came in a perfume instead of just a mist)

Back in the day, I had a couple of "signature" scents with Shalimar (the vintage because the stuff from the past 10 years is, in my opinion, garbage) being the all-time Number One. The Flori Roberts Gold fragrance is no longer being made, but I loved it so much that I once thought about having a reproduction done by one of those formulating houses. This is back when I was making good money though.

Oh, and remember when I said I lied about only getting myself two gifts? Well, I used some of my gift card gifts (?) to get a couple of other fragrances. Technically, I didn't buy the gifts but, since the cards are from Visa, I suppose I could have bought something a little more necessary. But it's my freaking birthday month!

Using my Target cards, I got a Mix Bar Discovery set of perfumes. I fell in love with 2 of the scents so I used the card balance to get full-sized bottles of the hair and body mists in Cloud Musk and Vanilla Bourbon. And I liked the Vanilla Bourbon sample enough to get a full bottle of the perfume. 

I haven't used any of the Mix Bar items enough yet to fully review them. I can say that I do love something about both scents. I will do a post when I've had more time to use them. I'm wondering if I will be adding to or rearranging my Favorites list???

Speaking of celebrity fragrances, when I was telling a family member about loving Fantasy, she mentioned that I will just have to try Mariah Carey's Dreams. She swears it's right up my alley as far as the notes. I checked Fragrantica and she's so right.

When my birthday month is over, I will get back to buying only necessities. For now, I'm having fun. 

Peace

--Free

Y'all, This Popcorn Popper...

Snacking is problematic for most of us. I found my safety snack: Popcorn.

Popcorn is something I can have as much of as I want. Thank Jesus. I can even have a little bit of sea salt or some popcorn seasoning with it. When I want (but can't have) chips, crackers, etc., I substitute popcorn.

Eating popcorn is not the issue now. Making it though...

I was using the Ninja for a while. I can cook just about anything in that magical appliance. However, popcorn takes a long time and it tends to scorch the pot. I needed some other way to fix my snack - an easy and quick way. I found the solution with this 10-dollar thinga-ma-jig.

The concept is that you put in some kernels, put on the cover, and pop this into the microwave for a few minutes to get what you see in that picture above.

Well, that didn't happen because that picture is a promotional, eye-teasing lie. My popper did not fill up to knock the lid off. The lid is made to sort of suction down and trap heat. That's kind of how it helps the kernels pop so fast. So, yeah-nah, that photo is for seller purposes only, apparently.

What I do get is a nice bowl of popcorn in about 6 minutes.

Trust me, that is more than enough popcorn for 2 or 3 people on Netflix night. I will make up a bowl and set it next to me while I pay bills or return emails. It keeps me from reaching for another, less-healthy snack.

By the way, I tried using this popper oil-free and that was a total bust. Almost half the kernels were left unpopped and the ones that did pop were bland as cardboard. I did see reviews on Amazon that said the popcorn turned out great without any oil so I guess it depends on what you like.

I always use either about a quarter tablespoon of salt-free butter or a couple teaspoons of olive oil. If I use butter, I put it in first and then sprinkle about 3 tablespoons of kernels on top. Using oil, I put the kernels in first, then the oil. I stir it all around to make sure the oil coats the kernels. I always add my salt or butter seasoning last. Sometimes, I don't add any seasoning.

You have to figure out how much time your microwave needs to work with this. My microwave is about 1000watts and it takes about 4 1/2   to 5 minutes to pop 3 tablespoons with butter or oil. Keep your eye on this while popping though. I walked away once to answer the house phone and let the microwave go over by a few minutes. I singed the popcorn badly.

Once I learned to use this contraption, I was in love. I have popcorn almost every day now. Some days, all I eat is popcorn. I like this thing so much that I am going to be buying more for Christmas presents this year. Kids love popcorn and this way they can have a snack that is a lot healthier than what they will get pre-made.

Oh, and this is a cheap way to snack. I can get a large bag of popcorn at the local market for about a dollar. Those packaged pouches of buttered or otherwise flavored (and not as healthy) popcorn can run a 50 cents to a dollar per pouch - even for the store brands. So this popper has paid for itself a couple of times.

If you like popcorn, look at getting this or something like it. There are various sellers online. The one I have is the Korcci Microwaveable Silicone Popcorn Popper and it cost just under 10 dollars when I got it. I'm sure that there will be some on sale during the holidays.

I'll go ahead and pop out now. Hahaha

Peace

--Free

Milkadamia Macadamia Milk Is...

 (This is cross-posted from my blog about CKD)

 After trying cashew milk - and dang near going broke in doing so - I wanted to try yet another non-dairy milk. I found some macadamia milk from Milkadamia. They had some different flavor/blend choices on Amazon:

• Original
• Unsweetened
• Barista (sweetened)
• Barista (unsweetened)
• Vanilla
• Veggnog Macadamia

Since I hate regular eggnog, the macadamia version made me shudder just to think of it. The Original and Unsweetened were a bit confusing. I mean, is the Original sweet or not? Why don't they label the Original as sweetened or not?

My natural inclination was to go for the Vanilla. I know that the only soy milk I like is the vanilla kind. However, the Milkadamia Vanilla was pricier - running from the mid-30s to over 50 dollars. It might be cheaper to buy some unicorn milk...

I ended up choosing the sweetened Barista version. 

The unsweetened version has 
a red label

Notice that the label doesn't say this is "Sweetened"... I figured out that instead of saying "Sweetened" on their labels, Milkadamia will prominently label the unsweetened version and use a different label color. Child, just say it already!

Most of the reviews mentioned that the Barista is the best-tasting in coffee. And, let's face it, I'm looking for something to use mainly in coffee. I have got to replace the sugary-wonderful Sweet Italian creamer that I'm so in love with.

This stuff sure isn't cheap. I paid about 30 bucks for a pack of 6 32-ounce shelf-stable cartons. Actually, when I started to think about the per-ounce price (less than $0.15) and the more positive-than-dairy effects on my health, it was worth at least trying.

Okay. So. How does this stuff taste?

In coffee, it's not bad. It softens the coffee taste, which is nice, but there is zero sweetness. And I mean none. Dentists must hate this stuff. I really think I will have to find a single carton of the vanilla to see if it's better. 

By the way, there are pros and cons to this brand, depending on your own situation. Looking closer at the labels once I received the shipment, I realized that there are some additives that aren't great. But, again, it all depends on where you are in your health.

sounds good - so far

Until you look closer...

Not bad because I use this by the tablespoon.
Cup by cup though, watch out for those minerals

And these additives are not as prominently
displayed on most retail sites

Like all the other non-dairy options I've tried so far, macadamia milk doesn't have much of the whitening effect I like from a creamer. It's such a visual thing for me with coffee, I guess. I found the only white cups I have to show what a half cup of dark roast coffee looks like before and after adding a tablespoon of the macadamia milk.

Flat black

Tablespoon of macadamia

You can see how watery this product is.

I made a smoothie with the macadamia milk and, again, not bad but... so bland. It's as if there is no weight to this milk. Dairy milk has more of a "fullness" to it, whereas this milk is the same weight as water, in my opinion. Come to think of it, that was the same thing missing with the rice and cashew milk. I think that I will try adding a couple of tablespoons of Greek yogurt next time.

Pretty but... bland

Since I have 5 more cartons of this stuff and I can't afford to be wasteful, I will be cooking with the macadamia milk. I have already tried it in overnight oats and it was decent - watery but decent-tasting. I mean, oatmeal is already so bland. I did find that in using the macadamia milk, I didn't need to add any sugar. It was the same with the cashew milk so I guess there must be some sweetness to these nut milks (And because I have a filthy and somewhat sinful mind, just saying "nut milk" makes me crack up every time! I must be hearing a Chris Rock in my head.)

I have an idea that adding a little butter to macadamia and cashew milk mile give a boost to the flavor and texture. I know that I always loved using ghee in my coffee back when I was on the bullet-coffee train. Butter is another thing in the dairy family I have to limit but I won't need much to bump up the flavor and weight in a cup of coffee.

Anyway, that's how my experience is going so far with macadamia milk. If I had to  I'd rank macadamia, cashew, rice, and soy (vanilla), for overall taste, it would be:

1. Soy vanilla
2. Rice
3. Macadamia
4. Cashew

For use in my coffee:

1. Rice
2. Soy vanilla
3. Macadamia
4. Cashew

For use in smoothies:

1. Soy vanilla
2. Cashew
3. Macadamia

By the way, I probably will not ever drink cashew milk again. I think I mentioned in another post that it seemed to be irritating my skin. My face became itchy the first day and was trying to break out. I never have problems with my skin even though it's sensitive. I couldn't use any of my moisturizers and had to pat my face down with water and honey every few hours. Very weird. After I stopped drinking it, my skin started to calm down after about a day. I had about half of the one (almost-8-dollar) carton so I gave it to my neighbor. I warned her about what it did to my skin but she hasn't reported any problems.

I'm going to have to ask around about coconut milk creamers. ..

Peace

--Free

Cashew Milk Is...

(This is a cross-post from my blog about CKD.)

In trying to get away from cow milk and other creamers filled with the stuff I can't have too much of, I am going plant-based. (NOTE: This one has 145mg potassium - but that is for each 8-ounce glass. I use about 1.5 to 2.5 tablespoons at a time, depending on the amount of coffee I am drinking.)

I've been trying alternatives to milk-based creamers for my coffee and, after trying soy, almond, and oat, I landed on rice milk. Then I tried cashew milk.

Cashew milk might be my favorite plant-based option for using in coffee. I've still got to try the barista blend of macadamia milk but for now, cashew milk is a winner.

Expensive but tasty

I heard so much good stuff about oat milk as a coffee creamer that I splurged on a single carton only to be moderately impressed. At first. Then I found it gross. At first, it added some of the creaminess that I miss with rice milk. It added weight to the coffee if that makes sense. Rice milk is good because it "softens" the coffee so that I can drink it without adding any additional sugar or cow milk creamer. But it is so thin that I got bored with the flavor. I could drink my morning coffee without the bitterness but I didn't look forward to it.

Elmhurst cashew milk is "clean"

Oat milk gave my coffee a nice feel in my mouth - at first - but then I noticed a weird texture that was slightly... slimy? Once I got that notion in my head I couldn't get rid of it. I gave the oat milk to a neighbor who loves it. Different strokes.

Almond milk is another one that people rave about. I do not see why. To me, it's bland but unpleasant. I never was crazy about almond milk when I first tried it a few years ago. I still don't like it and it does not one positive thing for coffee, in my opinion.

I have always liked soy milk - as long as it has a bit of vanilla and sweetener in it. It's been a favorite for smoothies and cereals. As a matter of fact, Silk's vanilla soy reminds me of the leftover milk from sweetened cereal. Drinking "cereal milk" was always the best part of some of my childhood breakfasts.

Plain soy is not a favorite.

Cashew milk is totally new for me. Also, I now know not to buy it in my local health food store if I don't want to take out a personal loan to do so. What a ripoff! Almost 8 bucks for a carton on our Main Street. Eight dollars. For a quart. Serves me right for shopping like a tourist. However, this brand is about the same price on Amazon. Must be worth it.

Anyway.

Not bad since I only use
a couple of tablespoons in my coffee

I tried a very "clean" brand called Elmhurst. Its ingredients are cashews and water. Period. Can't get any cleaner than that. I was surprised at how much I like it in my coffee. Of course, I had to add a couple of teaspoons of brown sugar. It lightened (or whitened) my coffee which is a big thing to me for some reason. It softened the flavor a lot. I really enjoyed the way it made my coffee less bitter without killing any of the actual coffee flavors the way a heavy and sweetened creamer can.

By the way, the taste of this right out of the glass is fairly bland. There is some minor kind of a back taste that I can't place - a soft nutty flavor, maybe? It's not bad and it reminds me much of low- or non-fat milk. Then again, I don't like plain cow milk out of the glass, so...

The one problem with Cashew milk is availability. Other than on Main Street, the only place I can find it around here is at Target. Apparently, it's a popular milk alternative because Target sells out of it quickly. While I was out for a doctor's appointment, I put a carton in my online cart to pick up but it was sold out before I could get to check out and pay for it. Wow.

Amazon has a ton of macadamia milk - sweetened, unsweetened, regular, or "barista blend" - but cashew milk is harder to find. 

"stains" a glass similar to cow milk

Okay.

Now I am going to give macadamia milk. The only problem with that is I have to find it in a single carton. Amazon sells it in multi-carton packs. At least, that is true for the barista blend that is said to be best for coffee. I will have to let you know what I think of it.

By the way, my kidneys are doing well. Well, not well but they are holding steady. This semi-renal diet I'm on is working well and I am even losing weight.

Peace

--Free

**USEFUL** Organizing for the Unorganized

Because of a medical issue, I have great difficulty in organizing and keeping track of important information. I live alone and no longer have the same close-by support system to help me take care of paying bills and keeping track of medications. Now I also have to deal with keeping on top of different doctors, bills, and other life-is-messy stuff. 

I had to come up with a fairly simple system to keep the most important stuff organized. My best friend and I devised a little system a few years or so ago. Recently, she was suddenly very ill and in hospital for days and I'm sure that her family appreciated her having most of her important day-to-day stuff in some kind of order. Sadly, my friend passed away. In my grief, I'm taking time to post about how we set up our little "order out of chaos" system.

What I Use:

• Spiral notebooks. The cheaper, the better. I use one spiral for "general stuff" (I will explain that and another just for bills and regular payments that I call my Bill Pay sheet). You should arrange a system that works best for you.
• Pens and/or pencils (in at least 3 different colors. I use blue, black, and red. A permanent marker with a fine tip is also useful.
• Highlighters in at least 2 colors. You may want to add more.
• Sticky notes. They don't have to be the pricy name brand type but should not fall off easily. (I will tell you later how I have started making my own.)
• Colored tabs or something to "flag" pages and sections. I have cheap tabs that I can write on and reposition.
• A stapler and/or good paper clips.

What I do for my general information:

• If I talk to anyone about anything important - for example, medical insurance or my apartment lease, etc. - I try to immediately record the information in the spiral. At a minimum, I note the date and time and who I was speaking with, and why. If I don't have my spiral, I jot notes on any piece of paper that I can copy, clip or staple into my spiral later.
• I make a tab/flag for each situation. If I make a note about my apartment lease, I make a tab for "Apartment" or "Lease" and try to leave a few blank pages behind it in case I need to add more information later. This helps me find things at a glance when I need to.
• When I fill up a spiral, I start another. I try to keep all the old spirals bound together by type - General, Bills, Medical, etc. I always mark the year on the front.
• I will staple or clip the small relevant loose notes and receipts into the appropriate space in the spiral. If something is too bulky, I will put it into a baggie labeled so I know which spiral and section it belongs to. Cheap envelopes are also good for holding receipts and other flyway papers.

What I do for monthly/regular bill payments (Bill Pay sheet):

• I typed up a sheet listing my set monthly bills to be paid. You want to have at least a year's worth (12). I was able to print mine out but you can handwrite them or have copies made at the library or a store.
• For each month, I show a running tally similar to a basic checkbook with-
• the starting dollar amount or balance that I have to work with
• on each bill line, I show the amount that is due and the amount that I am paying. I subtract what I have minus what I paid, and show the balance left. I move the balance to the next line and repeat.
• I leave space on one side of the columns to make whatever notes I want. I usually note whether I am paying any extra on a bill or if it is an auto-pay, etc.
• I leave space at the bottom or I use the back to make any notes throughout the rest of the month about what I am doing with the remaining balance of my budget - food purchases, unexpected charges, etc.

Of course, I make small changes to my system as I need and you have to practice to see what works for you. I recently changed my "Bill Pay" sheet to add things like the account numbers I need to sign in to pay and the due dates so I don't have to hunt for the information every time.

I pay all my bills at the first of the month even if they are due mid-month. Even if you don't actually pay the bill at that time, you can tally it so you have an idea of your budget.

Last year, I started just stapling my Bill Pay sheet to a page in the spiral because that leaves me more room to jot the many notes I take all the rest of the month. 

It's not pretty but it works. 

You can see that I put a lot of wear and tear on my notebooks! That's because I have to refer back to them so often.

Another thing that I started about 2 years ago is keeping a spiral that is just for information from and for my doctors. I only see my specialist about every 3 months. By the time I get to appointments and he or she is asking, I will have forgotten any specific issues I had in the previous months. One of my doctors is great about printing out info for me to take home - future appointments, changes to make to my diet and exercise, etc. My other doctors tend to forget to do that so I have started taking detailed notes during or immediately afterward. Or my family will mention what they are observing about my health that I need to make a note of.

Keeping track of
important calls...

Even more recently since I changed to a better Medicare plan, I started keeping a whole other notebook for that. I keep track of benefits I'm using or paid OTC stuff I can order, etc.

The bottom line is when you have any kind of issue with your health or memory, etc. you have to be your own advocate and caretaker. I am fortunate to have the best family ever but I live alone. I can't afford to misremember something important like a bill, medication, or something else that impacts my life so seriously.

Maybe you don't even have a specific age- or health-related situation. Maybe you are just disorganized in general. Maybe you have a family member that you are helping. You could set this system up and use it to help them stay on track. At any rate, I hope it's truly useful. It's literally been a life-saver for me.

My mind is very scattered this week & I wanted to come back and add anything I may have missed...

You can make your own Sticky Notes (cheaper than the name Post *ts...) by getting some of this cheap glue. I use scratch paper of cheap newsprint that I cut into different size squares. If you apply the glue to the paper and wait 60 seconds before attaching it to another piece (and another, etc), you can easily re-attach those papers to your notebook. DIY stickies.

I use either pencils or erasable ink for writing in my notebooks. Don't use erasable ink though on anything important such as official documents - or if the paperwork will be exposed to high heat. My Rocketbook ink pens are made to wash away with water or disappear with high heat. I really prefer mechanical pencils for my notes because the lead lasts longer and is cheaper to replace.

I like to keep business-length envelopes around. You can staple them into your notebook to hold a batch of receipts (medical, bills, etc). That way you won't have bits of small papers flapping around in your notebooks.

Have one spot in your home where you can store the accumulation of notebooks. I store mine under a writing desk near my emergency contact stuff. I arrange them by month/year or just year. If we have a fire or other emergency, time allowing, I will grab the most recent stuff.

Make sure that someone in your family or circle of friends knows you have the notebooks. If something happens and they need to help you take care of business, they will at least have somewhere to start.

Setting this up is a lot less complicated than it sounds. Just make a system that works best for you. The main thing is to have some kind of order in the chaos of your life when it comes to important stuff like medical or finances. 

Peace

--Free

Update on the Ninja Foodi

 Well, I have been cooking away using that fabulous Foodi. I thought I would come back and update you on my experiences with it.

Since having the Foodi, I have fixed:

• Boiled eggs (all the time for egg salad and tuna salad)
• Roasted game hen (once but it turned out pretty well)
• Dehydrated sugared ginger
• Baked potatoes (russet & sweet)
• Potato chips (taking neighbor's word that they are awesome)
• Frozen fries (still my favorite, especially crinkle-cut fries)
• Take & Bake style pizza (yum!)
• Hot chocolate (delicious but a bit messy)
• 
  Toast (awesome but easier in a toaster)
• Reheated turkey, baked potatoes, etc.
• Fish (perch, salmon, and tilapia)

I have not yet fixed rice, beans, or desserts in this yet. 

The saddest thing ever was when I managed to do the most beautiful potato chips and then couldn't eat any because of my jacked-up teeth! My neighbor liked them so much that I've promised to make her more.

One thing I am learning is not to trust every recipe. A great thing about using most of the functions on the Foodi is that I can interrupt the cooking cycle to see what's going on with the food. I do that often when using the Air Crisp function. The recipe for the game hen had a suggestion of crisping breast side down for 10 minutes, flipping the hen, then crisping for another 15 minutes. The total time I actually needed to finish the bird was 15 minutes. It would have been burned to a, well, crisp, had I not checked. 

I know that some people think I was joking about not using my stove and oven anymore, but that's real. I even got one of those burner covers to turn my stovetop into a little more counter space.

The one and only thing I have cooked on the stove recently is scrambled eggs. That's it.

Once I get some of the word done on my poor teeth, I will try making a bigger variety of food in the Ninja. Right now, I'm on a diet of softer, kinder meals. Ha!

(By the way, I keep forgetting to take pics when I cook something in the Foodi. I'll start eating before I remember that I wanted to show the appliance at work.)

I have to admit that other than cutting down on cooking time, my top favorite benefit of the Foodi is the easy cleanup. Since I use mostly only the Ninja pot (or Crisping pan) for any messy foods, the only other dishes that need washing up are my plate, utensils, and maybe a dish used to season or prep the food. The next best thing is not having to use as much (if any) oil for a lot of foods. I feel like I have cut back on at least 99% of the oil for any foods I would normally pan fry. 

You can see why I am still in love with this thing. And, no, I have not had to buy any more accessories. Okay - I did get a dust cover for the Foodi but it was only 7 bucks.

So I have zero regrets about getting this appliance. Between the Foodi, the toaster oven, and a cheap little waffle machine, I have no need for anything else. And I only use the toaster oven when I already have something already cooking in the Foodi. 

My tiny kitchen is now complete.

Peace

--Free

If You Need a Good Printer

 I won't call this a review because I'm not going to go into details but... I love this printer:

Brother HL-L2300D Monochrome
 Laser Printer with Duplex Printing

I bought the first one almost exactly 6 years ago in January of 2016. That poor thing was carted all over the place - from Alaska to Iowa, back to Alaska, and back to Iowa. I probably could have treated it better because I had a habit of just stuffing it in a packing box with bath towels and crumpled newspapers for shipping it everywhere. It survived cold weather, extremely hot and humid weather, and being thumped on like a drum by my little nephew. I once dropped it (onto carpet) when I was moving it to a different corner of a room. I even spilled coffee on the top once. And it just kept going.

Sometime last spring, it shut off (I usually kept it powered on) and wouldn't turn back on. I was panicked because I was trying to print some important documents to mail off. I searched for possible problems and solutions online and found something from a man who'd had the same thing happen to his machine. 

Don't ask me how the guy came up with the solution but it was specifically for this model of printer. His fix? Unplug the power cord and pull out the paper tray then plug the cord back in - and this is important - while you are holding down the Power button.

The dang thing powered up like new. 

This solution worked until a couple of weeks ago. Once again, I was having to print out a bunch of really important documents - a lot of them - and found that nothing worked to power the printer on.

~Sigh~

I went online and found the exact same printer model. Yay! But the price had gone up quite a bit. Boo! I happen to have a credit card with a flexible payment plan for purchases over a certain dollar amount. I got the printer (and a protection plan) and re-vamped my budget for groceries and any extras for the next few months.

The new printer arrived and the set-up was easy. The old one donated the USB for connecting to my computer and the toner tray - just in case. I will be putting it into the special garbage bin we have for electronics.

I hope the new printer is as reliable as the old one. That thing was a workhorse. Also, the toner cartridges can be found on the cheap and they last forever. 

If you need a good, basic printer that can take a beating, this is the one. It's fairly lightweight and does not eat up a lot of desk space. Of course, it's monochrome so only black print is the only option. I don't mind that because I don't need color.

Here's a shot of it on my desk across the room:

I use the USB to connect to my laptop that doesn't have a CD-ROM drive. However, the printer does come with a set-up disk if you go that route. It also comes with one toner cartridge. Nice.

Keep in mind that you can probably find the same model in a refurbished state for a cheaper price. But for 6 years of service under rough treatment, I don't think that $120 is too much to pay. 

This time, I will treat the printer better. I think that the whole Power-off issue was due to damage to the end of the power cord that connects to the back of the printer. I didn't always do a great job of packing the printer for shipping.

 Peace

--Free

**REVIEW** Farberware 50124 Classic Yosemite Stainless Steel Coffee Percolator

 I talked in a previous post about why I wanted to replace my Keurig. I still have the stupid thing, I've just moved it into the storage closet for now but maybe not for long. I can't count on it for a decent cup of coffee anymore. Oh well. I did get over 4 years' hard use out of the thing.

I have been saving 5 and 10 dollars at a time for a replacement for that Keurig. I just didn't want to spend as much again on another machine that I'll be replacing every few years. This time, I went cheaper - sort of. Keep reading.

What I have now is this:

Nice simple setup. 

I'm really happy with it. As I mentioned in that previous post, there are pros and cons - and some of the pros are personal. But let's talk about it.

The Pros:

It's a nice-looking appliance, beautiful really. I have always loved stainless steel for the kitchen. I also don't like plastic parts for certain items because I think that metal is more durable and sturdy. Farberware has always been dependable when our family has had their stuff in the past.

The percolator was around $24 with tax. Price was a big concern because, as you will read later, I might need to go bigger. So I didn't want to spend any more than I could deduct from groceries for the month without feeling deprived.

Anyway.

I mainly wanted something that, if it stops working in a year, I won't feel ripped off. There's nothing on this to stop working, really. It's metal, inside and out except for the handle and the knob on top. 

It's pretty easy to clean. I've been rinsing it out between uses and I can put every part into the dishwasher if I want. I plan to just do a soap and water wash once a week or so. I do hate that the inside top holds water so you have to shake the pot to get it all out.

Using this is simple. You can make coffee with or without a filter and not get a lot of "grime" in your brew. I spent a few bucks on filters specific to it but they haven't arrived yet. In the meantime, I've made coffee both with and without filters that I've cut to fit. I can't tell much difference, honestly. I did think that one design feature could be having a strainer built into the inside to cover/strain where the coffee exits to pour. ~shrug~ To be honest, I wish now that I hadn't bothered to order filters. They aren't necessary.

finally got the Breakfast Blend
right!

The aroma when brewing the coffee in the percolator is stronger and more delicious. My whole apartment smelled like fresh-perking coffee. I'm sure that it has a lot to do with the coffee I was using, but I have used the same coffee in the Keurig with a universal filter and the smell wasn't as alluring. 

I can see when the coffee is getting strong enough by watching the color as it perks. And there's so much about watching the percolating action that reminds me of days with my late mother. A big part of my decision to get a percolator was to do with memories of Mom and my youth.

The whole process is soothing and relaxing. Setting up the appliance with coffee and water, then bringing it to a boil, and watching it brew makes me feel calm and peaceful. I don't know why this is. Maybe because I have to stop long enough and take the time to make the coffee instead of just plugging in a pod?

My favorite thing about percolated coffee I think is the temperature. I love, love, love piping hot coffee. With the Keurig, the output is decently hot but not enough to stay that way once I add creamer from the fridge. When I added creamer to the percolated coffee, I still had the perfect sipping temp.

Now, let's talk about some of the hassles.

The Cons:

While going through the ritual of making coffee in a percolator is part of the appeal, it can also play the other way. If you are in any kind of a hurry, you better have a backup machine or some instant. I do have a really small 2-cup travel machine. It fits in the smallest part of my pantry and takes about 7 minutes to add coffee, water, and run a brew through.  That's my backup but the coffee it turns out is not that great. It's really old and has started clogging up a lot. It's something to do with the little plastic tubing that the hot water runs through. Maybe it's in cahoots with that Keurig? Whatever the case, I will not be replacing that when it dies out.

It takes a little practice to get measurements of coffee-to-water right for different roasts. My first cup was perfect. I used some of the Green Mountain Dark Magic that time and got the brew just right. When I first used the Green Mountain Breakfast Roast, things didn't go as well. Because I went with more grounds (because of the lighter roast), I let the coffee perk too long. I had a strangely weak but burned-tasting brew. Ugh. But I don't really like light roasts anyway so that won't happen much.

One benefit of the Keurig vs the percolator is the same as with the Instant Pot vs stovetop cooking. Heat and steam. The percolator fits best on one of the front burners of my stove, but the steam still fogs under the hood unless I turn the spout just the right way. And, of course, the steam warms the kitchen. This will be lovely in the winter months but it's already way too humid where I live. I can turn on the hood ventilator but that thing is noisy. So... oh well.

The biggest downside is the time this takes to brew. When I have the time, it's wonderful. When I am on the way out to appointments or not feeling well, it's... tedious. I don't ever want to have to buy a coffee on the go. 

But, really, that's about it for the negatives. And I think that the positives outweigh them. 

I can't tell you what a money saver this is. Not only is the machine inexpensive, but there is no need to buy filters. And whole bean or ground coffee by the bag is much more affordable than pods. I can adjust the amount of ground (or whole bean) coffee I am using to my needs. With Kcups, you have to use the whole pod - whether you want to make 6, 8, or 10 ounces (the settings on the K-classic Keurig I have). With a pod, you are adjusting water for strength and with the percolator, I am adjusting coffee or water. Also, I can mix coffee if I need to. I currently have some really super-dark roast coffee that I plan to even out with the too-light breakfast roast I have.

Well, not always

I know that there are coffee lovers who look down their noses at percolated coffee. They might think that coffee made in a French press or a pour-over system is better. That could be - if you are really into tasting every tiny atom of difference from coffee to coffee. Personally, I have had coffee done in a French press and I don't find much difference in the quality of the brew. My Polish relatives have made me coffee that they steep right in the cup and that was kind of tastier than mine. I think that perhaps I or the coffee I drink are, as the kids say, too 'basic'. After all, I don't even grind my own beans from pot to pot.  How common!

But...

Now, since I had saved up some Amazon credits to use, I also got an electric percolator. My goal is to use both machines for a time and decide whether or not to keep one or both. That will depend on money, Amazon credits, and some budget necessities. If I keep the electric percolator, I will be selling my Keurig to a neighbor who wants one no matter how it works. Poor thing... I have until mid-August to return the stovetop percolator. So... we will see what we will see. I really don't want to get rid of the stovetop percolator. I like it so much.

The one reason I have to maybe keep the electric percolator is that it doesn't raise the heat in the kitchen. That's a real consideration in the summer months. Even if I keep both machines, I'm still nowhere near what I paid for the one Keurig - even with an extra 3-year warranty. Yes, I have spent a lot of time thinking this all out. You have to plan and make all your pennies count when you don't have a lot of them! I've probably spent more time and research choosing a coffee pot than many people do when buying a washing machine. That's life.

In the meantime, I do have one brand of coffee that I can't brew in any of my machines - it's a mushroom coffee (yes, child, mushroom, and I will do a review). I only brew 6 ounces a day - which is the suggestion and the only amount I can afford to brew. For the mushroom coffee, I use a little single-serve filter thingie that I have in the cabinet. (By the way, that filter is the best thing ever for when you are visiting someone who either doesn't drink coffee or doesn't drink the kind you like. You can baggie up some of your  own grounds to stow in your luggage and have it when you want.) I will have to do a review on the mushroom coffee and maybe even the filter since I never got around to that.

Peace

--Free