We saw “Ford versus Ferrari” last night and it was really excellent. Matt Damon absolutely nailed Carrol Shelby. He had the accent, the swagger, AND the just right cowboy hat.

The race scenes were amazing if just a bit long. Ken Miles was depicted as exactly the super hero knowledgeable guy that he honestly was. Very humble but also the acknowledged expert. I also found it fascinating to see Henry Ford II depicted as being surrounded by “suits” who were nothing more than yes men.

Go see this movie even if you are not a car buff. Highly recommended.

It is cold here and predicted to get much colder very soon.

Get a flu shot

Keep your ears and the back of your neck warm

Keep lotion on your skin-especially face and feet

Drive more carefully

Sleep cool-warm jammies but not heavy covers

Many more tips to follow!  Happy Winter-Yes, I am told that many people actually enjoy winter and thrive on cold weather. Who knew???

“Up in the morning and off to school.”

The teacher is teaching the Golden Rule.

American history and practical math,

I’ll be lucky if I pass!”

Yes, I love that old Chuck Berry song. Kids are off to school now and catching the bus right down on the corner in front of my house. So, this comment is two pronged.

Number one-Watch out for children because chances are they are not watching out for you.

Number Two-Help a teacher. Many teachers, no all teachers except college professors, are woefully underpaid for the responsibilities they have. Find out about a teacher in your local school or find out about some needs for supplies, food donations, clothing help etc. and extend a hand to these real heroes.

Our church asked our teachers to list their needs and they we put out a box in front of the Sunday School classrooms. It was full in a week. There is a teacher in my neighborhood who shared with me that her greatest need is not for tissues or pencils, but for earbuds! Yes. they are frequently lost, broken, etc. and are costly to replace. Another teacher at my local school told a woman’s group that I belong to that her greatest need (Believe this or not!) was for children’s clothing. Second grade kids who wear the same shirt every day, have no coat, have holes in their shoes, and do not wear socks have little need for expensive pens.

Food-Well, yes. Juice boxes, health bars, trail mix and so on are all good to give to a classroom teacher, but you could also find out about the Backpack Buddies in your area. These are groups who pack a special “weekend addition” to those children who get school lunches, but do not have a food source over the weekends. Such things as cereal, staples, canned goods, and donated seasonal items are always needed.

Do a little “homework” and fill a need. I get that it does not help a teacher with salary negotiations with the local School Board, but you can help a teacher help a child. Try it-I  promise that for a very small investment you will feel VERY good.

My laundry multiplies in the closet over night! It seems I am never actually laundry free. There is always something dirty. I wash the colors and the whites are still there. I get all set only to find I am out of detergent or bleach or both. All this being said and also true, I set out to find some helpful stuff that might make all of this less of a chore. This is some of what I found. Please feel free to add to the list in the comment section!

1. Try to organize your laundry room, or lack of a laundry room in a way that makes sense to you. I have a small laundry room so I keep dirty clothes baskets in my closet. I keep one for whites and nearly whites and wishing they were whites in one basket and coloreds in the other. I also regularly wash towers and sheets and I do them together. I do not have a basket for these as I just dump them in all at once when I have time. Everyone’s organization will be different. Try several different methods to see what seems to work out for YOU!
2. Separate special treatment items. Stains, woolens, a blouse that needs to be washed by itself-you know what I mean, right? I do not have a separate basket for these things but I put them on top of the washer so I will remember not to put them in with regular things.
3. Watch what you buy. If you need something special for stains, unless you are a mechanic or horse trainer you may not need this often. Buy a small size. Be sure that your regular detergent works for you and if you have a special brand, watch for it to be on sale. I use TIDE liquid and prices vary a lot. I use dryer sheets and brand does not matter to me. I use what is on sale. If you add a liquid softener you may have a brand you like. Again, watch for it to be on sale. Don’t hesitate to buy extra of these two items. they keep for ages.

Add your tips in the comment section. I know there are many others out there.

As promised, I am going to elaborate a bit on my PINK article regarding so called “clean” make-up. Skin cleansers and moisturizers generally make several claims:

First of all, natural means ingredients sourced from nature. Ingredients can be animal, vegetable or mineral but they have been minimally modified. Watch out if you want to use a product with no animal products.

Naturally derived can mean ingredients may have been processed with chemicals  Be sure to check the label to see what percent is actually the “natural” product.

Nontoxic and chemical free are vague terms at best. Look for disclaimers like Parabin free or contains no formaldehyde. Be very careful to read all labels if you are allergic.

The terms green or sustainable can be misleading. I once bought a tube of acne cream that was labeled green only to find out that the term referred to the package, not the product!

The most specific term to look for is organic or better yet, look for what per cent is actually organic. Even in this case, always check ingredients for fragrance free, dye, free, pesticide free, etc.

Many of these products are very expensive. I suggest you find sample sized items of something  you wish to try. As always, carefully read labels and be sure you understand what you are buying. Just an added note: if you have been buying the same product for years, do re-read the ingredient list. Many times a product will be “reformulated” without notice and you may not like one of the new or different ingredients.