Self Closing Toilet Seat

Okay so this is not the most interesting topic but when you become a home owner you have to learn about all kinds of things. The latest repair or improvement to our home is a new toilet seat. Back in January when I had the main cleared out the plumber replaced all of the gaskets and workings inside the tank and said he thought it would last for several more years. The set on the other hand was, um, well still usable. It was a vinyl covered squishy seat the former owner had left behind. It worked but it was starting to show its age. It was working and clean so we weren’t in a rush to replace it until this past weekend. Our son was spending a lot of time on the ‘potty’ and was getting a rash from the seam of the seat rubbing his skin. It was time to get a new seat. My husband took measurements and headed for the local Home Depot. He came back with a news seat that we all are ‘enjoying’. He found a Bemis® Whisper Close™ toilet seat. While staring at and comparing all of the available seats he recalled an incident where the old seat fell and pinched our daughter’s fingers. This seat slowly and quietly closes with a tap of a finger. This feature helps it to stay open too making emptying the child’s training potty easier too. It really does slowly quietly close itself with a tap of a finger. There is no toilet seat dropping in the middle of the night to wake up the rest of the family. It did run about 3 times the price of the cheapest seat but so far it is money well worth it.

Pilfered Pumpkins

Lessons learned from this year’s attempt to grow pumpkins:

I must plant pumpkins earlier. We have seen 3 beautiful pumpkins try to develop. Two have made it to about the size of a softball. One suddenly stopped growing and then started to decompose on the vine. I didn’t do much inspecting but I suspect it was a case of bugs. It seemed to vanish like the watermelon that met the same fate. The photo shows the fate of the other hopeful pumpkin. Those nasty squirrels didn’t care that there was a gnome on guard, or they must have given him a really good bribe. Considering the damage those little varmints have done I’m really hoping that red tail hawk comes back to take them away. So the other lesson learned is I really need to find a way to better protect my garden from the bugs and the squirrels. Since pellet guns are not even an option within the neighborhood, I’m hopeful to find something which is organic and kid friendly.

East Meets West: Phili Loco Moco

This may seem a bit crazy or even loco but this is the latest way for east to meet west. This is just another variation on the Loco Moco I discovered while visiting in Hawaii. This time I had an idea for gravy and no hamburger. So with a little creative thinking and using what was on hand I made a Phili Loco Moco. The chopped beef that I usually have on hand for the occasional Phili Cheese Steak substituted for the hamburger. The lack of gravy was solved with some beef bouillon, corn starch, and water mixed with the pan drippings. It was a bit salty but worked. I’ll need to find a less salty solution. Leftover short grain rice served as the base with a freshly fried egg on top. It did make a tasty breakfast as the children gobbled up toaster waffles.

November Immortality Iris

This November Iris nearly caused my gardening neighbor to drive off of the road. Irises don’t bloom in November especially in the mid-Atlantic region. Our days are starting to get shorter and the temperature is dropping.

This beautiful white iris is a Germanica 'Immortality' bearded iris. It was planted in April in my tree stump garden. I did loose one of the irises I planted but I am happy to say this one is doing so well it is blooming a second time and the blossom looks even more gorgeous then its first. It is a beautiful contrast to the passing black-eyed-Susan's and the falling Silver Maple leaves.

I am just hoping frost which should signal for it to go dormant does not put it into shock.

Bright Mornings

There is nothing like having your 5-year-old son sing “mommy is beautiful”. I don’t think there is a more perfect way to start a day.

Bentos: Are You Looking At Me?

Do you ever have days when you feel like everyone is watching you?

Even though the kids’ school does not celebrate Halloween I thought I needed to send a little trick or treat for their lunches. This simple bagel lunch has been dressed up with some American cheese cut outs. The cream cheese and mozzarella cheese faces are made from raisins, dried cranberries and mini M&Ms candies. The little cookies are chocolate filled with panda bears printed on them. To make the meal healthy I rounded it out with some more raisins, baby carrots, and a box of apple juice.

My daughter said the faces were so cute she didn't want to eat her lunch. Her teacher had to convince her it was okay to eat her cheeses and bagels.

Social Butterfly Costume

The only sure way to get this man into a suit is to tell him it is a costume. This is our social butterfly dressed up for work. The beautifully embellished butterfly jacket and ‘bejeweled” top hat are the work of a good friend, Gaia.