Okay, Listen Here

Okay, Listen Here

Monday, December 5, 2011

I Get By With a Little Help

You probably think I am about to get all sappy about how my friends give me strength, my husband always has my back, and my faith sees me through. Wrong. Well, not really wrong. All that is true, but I am in no mood to preach today. You are probably in no mood to hear it, so that works out.

No. What I am talking about today are some little concrete things that I can buy at the store. Cheap. These are things that I rely on make my life better and they work 100 per cent of the time. That's a comfort—especially in a world where Christmas is peeping over my shoulder and I am not done decorating or shopping.

Neosporin. I am the clumsy sort. I cut and burn myself. Cats scratch me. I run into things and break the skin. My little friend in the tube has never failed me. A little dab and most of the time, my owie isn't even sore the next day.

Swiffer Wet Jet. This product changed my life. Really. I like a clean floor but hate a bucket. Also, there was that nasty wringing out of the mop. No more. This little baby (or perhaps I should say babies, since I have one on each story of my house) is always there for me.

Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion. I've used this every day of my life since I got a job after college and could pay for it myself. Technically, I guess I don't pay for it myself anymore. The Guy pays for it, but I mop the floor (see above) so I think I earn my keep.

Burt's Bees Lip Balm. It is the best. Chapped lips feel better immediately. I do love some instant gratification.

Dawn. Not only does it cut the grease on dishes, I use it pretreat stains on clothes. Also, it comes in a pretty apple green. It isn't mandatory that that I have dish detergent to please my aesthetic senses, but why not take joy where you can find it? Except not Joy, in the bottle. Dawn in the bottle.

What little things do you depend on to make life easier?

9 comments:

  1. My shark floor cleaner is my favorite toy for quick clean ups. I am a neosporin girl as well. Constantly cut myself shaving, burn myself cooking and I am a Klutz.

    Great post!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Good list, Jean! Always good to have something handy or something you can rely on, especially in a pinch.

    Btw, did you know Dawn is good for washing cats and killing fleas? Recommended by the vet and it works! I've used it on two strays.

    Curex relieves chapped lips. I keep this on hand always.

    Aveda's Hand Lotion! Never leave home without it. Soothes and relieves chapped/dry hands in seconds and keeps them moist.

    Advil for those days when you've shopped till evey muscle in your body is sore or the family has gotten on your last nerve. LOL!

    Soft furry lap blankets and hot chocolate. Nuff said.

    ReplyDelete
  3. 1. Love me some Neosporin.

    2. Melitta coffee. So mellow it makes Starbucks taste like swamp swill. Oh, wait. It does anyway.

    3. Microfiber cleaning cloths.

    4. I'm grateful for Dawn detergent, but not for dishes. I'm allergic to the stuff. But it's great for cleaning gravestones, as long as it's someone else doing the cleaning.

    5. Pill Pockets. I can't imagine having to give Molly all of her pet medications and vitamins without them. She thinks they're treats.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hmmm, y'all have listed some really good stuff!

    I am a Neosporin and Dawn girl myself. I didn't know the trick about the gravestones, but I will pass it on to my mom.

    I am going to have to go out and try at least of few of them, especially the Melitta coffee!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Well, heck, Stephanie, I thought everyone cleaned their tombstones with Dawn :-).

    ReplyDelete
  6. Christine--I have a Dustbuster but it's not all that.

    Kathy--I don't wash cats. They do it themselves. When The Guy takes in a stray, we hire it done.

    Linda--I love Melitta coffee. During the storm aftermath in the spring, I was the goddess of the block because I had a gas stove and a Melitta coffee maker. Then they got their power back and I was back to being nobody. I miss those days. Some. At least that part.

    I have a funny story about a tombstone. My friend Brad Gurgannus went to Mexico for his senior class trip when he was 15. (Yeah. 15. He was smart.) He ran away from the class and moved into a hut and apprenticed with a stone mason, during which time he made his own tombstone. He brought it home with him 8 months later when he couldn't take Mexico anymore and called his sister to fetch him. The tombstone lived under his bed until he died--too soon, and too young. Anyway, having become obsessed with death, he decided cremation and scattering was the way to go, so that's what happened. I don't know what happened to the tombstone. It was nice. I saw it. He did a good job. He was fairly capable even at 15, though he never understood that UPS was not affiliated with the United Postal Service. The tombstone is probably dirty by now and could use some Dawn.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Okay, so I will probably get in trouble but there is a HORSE product named Nu Stock which is used to treat injuries on horses (not recommended for humans...). I have found that it treats poison ivy in two days. I was not the one who discovered it. The boys, after a long day of weed-eating funny looking vines, discovered they were covered in poison ivy. So, when at the barn, why not try it? No one claimed they had much sense. However, after one application, the next day their whelps were gone and no more itching.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Yeah, and they'd ask if you meant Rome, Georgia...

    ReplyDelete