A New Heartsease...

Toilet Paper Conservation In the Age of Covid-19

 

Is this happening to you?

 

    Are you afraid you cannot buy more?

    Are the paper goods aisles empty of TP?

    Yikes! What are we all gonna do?

    Where I live there simply isn't any toilet paper to be had in the stores. And, it is a rare commodity online. I haven't yet been able to order any, but due to my slightly "survivalist" proclivities and LDS upbringing (year's supply of food, etc.) I've always kept a supply of needful things on hand at all times.

    If you have some TP and want to conserve it, I may be able to help you extend the supply you do have with the following suggestion:

    Use a minimal amount - three to five squares - for the "big" jobs...you know...#2 (aka pooping).

    For peeing don't use any.

    Instead, use a personal rag or old, clean washcloth - each member of the family being assigned their own. Rinse and hang for the next pee. After a couple of days sling all the cloths into the washer and wash them. Be sure to have backup cloths for every fanny in your family while the current batch is being laundered.

    This idea probably won't work with young kids unless you do the wiping for them. The danger with kids is that they'll toss the rag in the toilet and FLUSH. This leads to BIG TROUBLE of the plumbing variety. This is not the time for a clogged loo.

 

Will the days of toilet paper abundance return any time soon?

 

    Another possibility is the installation of a bidet. It's eco-friendly and will vastly reduce the amount of toilet paper used to very little or none, leaving your tush feeling as clean and as fresh as those of the majority of Europeans that swear by this modality.

 

Bidet and toilet arrangement

    If your bathroom has room, a bidet is generally installed next to the existing toilet. If not, Amazon sells an attachment for your toilet that enables its use as both toilet and bidet. The price runs from $30 to over $300 for a variety of types and models. These are likely found online from plumbing suppliers, as well. Supposedly you don't have to be a plumber to easily and fret-free install it yourself...

 

Bidet conversion kit on a conventional toilet. A small hose hooks into the water supply coming out of the wall that fills the toilet tank. You aren't being cleansed by water from the tank or bowl...a comforting thought.

    The only downside of going the toilet-into-bidet route is that you'll be "douching" with cold water. Perhaps this is the reason for that "fresh" feeling bidet users refer to?

    I'm sure there's some way around the cold water issue...perhaps hooking into the hot water line of the wash basin and possibly having to wait for the water to warm up? Well, where there's a will, there's always a way. 

    I haven't done much researching on the bidet-conversion kit, so it's likely that the manufacturers have solved the cold water issue.

    A cautionary note to the National toilet paper woe is to secure your supply from toilet paper vandals. They're usually furry and scamper about on four paws. Don't be taken in by their cuteness or the fact that they're members of your household.

 

 

This is one type likely to be found lurking in your own home!

 

Cute and clever often go hand in hand.

 

    Stay safe. Be well. And, may the toilet paper fairies visit your home soon!

 

 

 

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The French Paradox: Solved!

 

Oui! Oui! How do all those French people consume all that butter, those creamy sauces, and simple carbs and still not gain weight? 

 

    Scientists and nutritionists call this unanswered enigma, "The French Paradox". Simply, no one, has been able to understand how the French manage to frequently eat multi-course meals rife with calorie-laden foods over a period of several hours with wine accompanying each course, of course, and still remain slender.

 

Wine, beer, creamy entrees, BREAD! However, do the French eat these foods and remain, well, thin?

 

    What is the magic, the mystery, that enables them to do this? 

 

...especially when they wrap nearly everything "en croute" ...IN PASTRY! MADE WITH BUTTER!

 

    Varying aspects of this comestible conundrum have been studied. Is it the wine they consume with their banquets?

    Some have postulated that French people consume as much as three bottles of wine a day per person! However, this is a fallacy. Most do not. On average, a French person may drink two to four glasses a day, slightly more than Americans, on average.

     Wine simply adds calories and alcohol. We don't see many diet books touting, "drink wine, lose weight"! A reasonable person - me - would conclude that wine is not the answer to why French folk are more svelte than Americans.

    It has been suggested that it might be because they eat communally?

    Most people, Americans included, do eat some or most of their meals communally i.e. with friends and family. And why would that make a difference?

    It doesn't. Because...distraction, of any type, has been proven to cause people to eat more, not less! TV, other people, partying, texting, talking, laughing, playing games, and reading have all been blamed for mindless overeating. We can cross off communal eating as the answer to French skinniness.

    Is it that they eat smaller portions than Americans? 

    There could be something to this. In the US, plate and serving  sizes have increased exponentially over the years. So have "all you can eat" restaurants and buffets! In the US, we simply eat more.

    People serve themselves more food if plates are larger. This is proven! Restaurants in the States have increased portion sizes over the last three to four decades and it has contributed to the increasing weight of many of us. Most food in US restaurants now comes, not on a plate, but on a platter. No wonder our nation is growing by leaps and pounds! 

    However, the French, while being served smaller portions on smaller plates, habitually have many more food courses to a meal then we do. And they do this often! Rule out plate and portion size.

    Many learned people have looked into these questions and have ruled out each of these suppositions. Eventually. What took them so long?These were silly questions to begin with!

    However, I, an American, with neither scientific degrees, nor nutritional education - and having never even been to France - have stumbled upon the answer to The French Paradox!

    Perhaps, my answering of this profound, dietary dilemma will earn me some type of award...the Nobel Peace Prize, a heavy weight championship, an Emmy...?

    It undoubtedly will make me very wealthy as I "weigh" in on the talk show circuit. Maybe President Trump and the First Lady will want to invite me to the Oval Office to offer their congratulations.

    My mind boggles at the fame and fortune I shall reap!!!

    Oh, but back to answering The French Paradox...

    Have you ever watched French people eating? Well, I haven't either, but I've seen pictures on the Internet and in magazines.

    These pictures tell their own story, a true story, that scientists cannot glean because they're too busy doing scientific things like weighing calories and measuring BTU's in food units.

     Similarly, nutritionists are far too absorbed in thinking about vitamins and fiber, and such, to see the obvious answer.

    And food manufacturers? Forget them, they're way too busy adding salt, fat, and sugar to their products, and plastering questionable food claims on their packaging!

    But, I have few of those concerns. I just look at stuff. Simple stuff. Everyday stuff. Stuff on the Internet and in books and magazines. And here's what I've seen! Herein lies the answer to the French Paradox!

 

French people DO NOT EAT! 

 

    They do everything but eat, when sitting down with food! Yes, food is present, but they DO NOT EAT it. They do everything else, however. Yes, the guy in the red shirt, above, seems to be looking at his food, maybe prodding it with his fork, but he's NOT EATING!

 

Just to further prove my point, here is a banquet table filled with French people. Note, they are NOT EATING! In fact, they have plates in front of them, but NO FOOD!

 

    French people do everything at their bistro and banquet tables EXCEPT EAT!

 

    Case in point...

 

Yes, French people do sip wine - some a bit, some a lot. So, along with other libations such as coffee and beer - oh, and they do nibble a little chocolate now and then - their caloric needs are being somewhat met. But NOT BY FOOD! 

    The French people DON'T EAT FOOD! However, they do cook it and serve it, even admire how nice it looks. French cooking, after all, is legendary...but NO ONE EATS IT. They simply decorate their tables and shops with it! Nobody who is French eats it!!! Only tourists actually EAT French food, while in France! The French simply observe their food, surround themselves with it, and decorate their plates and tables with it. 

    There are, on the other hand, many things French folk do at their tables besides NOT EAT (and sip a variety of beverages supplemented with the occasional nibble of chocolate). Here are a few of those things...

 

They talk with their hands!

    French people, rather than using their hands to eat, use one or both, to illustrate what they are saying. Not much eating gets done at their communal tables because of this cultural custom!

 

This NOT EATING thing has been going on for hundreds of years. Note that these renaissance guys have a nicely food-decorated table, but they ARE NOT EATING!

 

    And...

..the French are taught from infancy to talk with their hands! In addition to NOT EATING, French kids don't get much PLAYING done either!

 

Introducing texting into NOT EATING, and TALKING WITH THEIR HANDS, likely means that the French will only further reduce their beverage sipping and chocolate nipping to the point that many of them will simply dry up and blow away! OMG! We must do something to save them!

 

    And, last but not least, is the French National dish...

 

...would you eat this? Neither do the French! They simply decorate their tables with it!

 

    In fact,this "gastropodic" National Dish may be the prime reason why the French drink more wine than many other cultures. If this was on YOUR table, wouldn't you wave your hands, text, chat - and definitely DRINK - to avoid both seeing and eating this?!

    Case made! The French Paradox has been solved! The French simply DO NOT EAT! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     

Saving the Season by Kevin West

 

With this book as inspiration I made quince jelly from the flowering quince that landscapes my condo's common areas and membrillo, a Spanish appetizer that's usually served with Manchego cheese. Membrillo is made with the quince pulp left over from jelly making. 

 

My quince jelly and parchment-wrapped membrillo - my first two recipes from West's book

 

The membrillo recipe page from West's book. Mine turned out looking just like it was supposed to and it's delicious paired with Manchego cheese and crusty, artisan bread.

 

     I always thought that one had to grow a big garden, have one's own fruit trees and berry bushes in order to have a harvest to save. And, that now that I lived in a condo, I no longer had the extensive food-producing gardens of Heartsease Cottage and therefore didn't have the resources needed to do much food preserving.

    West's book belies that notion completely. The author lives in the Hollywood Hills area of California and relies on foraging, farmers' markets, and friends to provide his "harvest".

    Among the condo's landscaping I found six things I can preserve! Rose hips, mahonia (Oregon grape), Siberian crab apples, pine cones (yes, there's a recipe for pine cone syrup in West's book), pyracantha (who knew one could make jelly from berries I grew up thinking were poisonous), and flowering quince fruit.

    Then there's the nearby forest for even more foraging possibilities.

    I also receive Full Circle's organic produce delivery every week and there's ample preserving opportunities there. Full Circle is like a farmers' market in a box!

    West's book is full of charming and evocative photographs, some history of the harvests he preserves, foraging for food, and more. It is beautifully depicted and written. The recipes are easy to follow and enjoyable to make, not to mention, nice to eat, share, and gift. In fact, the book itself would make a wonderful gift for the "season saver" in your family.

    The last few weeks I've been making some of the recipes from West's book. My larders are filling up with jeweled jars of Salad Onions, Elderberry Syrup, Pickled Eggs in Sriracha Sauce, Onion Confiture, and of course, Nostradamus's Quince Jelly and Ten Hour Membrillo, and last but not least, Chunky Cranberry Jam With Nuts and Ginger.

    I also adapted his recipe for Citron Vodka. I don't have much use for vodka except when making medicinal tinctures, so instead of Citron Vodka I made Citron Vinegar.

    Most of the recipes in West's book are great for those who enjoy water bath canning - from sweet to savory the recipes are delicious, easy to make, and elevate the results of home-canning to a more sophisticated level.

    Where did I get the citron? In a recent Full Circle delivery! Citron is also called, Buddha's hand, and is an odd looking forerunner of modern citrus.  

* * * *

 

Citron is a strange fruit. It's zest is like lemon rind. If forms long fingers and inside each one is white pith. There is no edible flesh inside as with an orange, lemon, or other citrus.

 

 

    

 

    

 

 

 

Paris Chic Bathroom Cabinet Redux

This newly reduxed cabinet is an improvement on what once was!

 

And, "what once was" was worn, water-stained, plain, and totally lacking in style. My bathroom cabinets needed a face lift!

 

    I'd fixed up the rest of my bathroom to reflect a Paris apartment vibe (see posts  Crocheted Panel and Seashell Mirror Transformation  & Small Bathroom Redux) but the cabinet still needed something done with it. 

    What to do?

    I thought of painting the cabinet to match the walls - an off white - so they'd visually disappear but that idea just didn't excite.

    My inspiration turned out to be a clock I'd purchased for the bathroom from Walmart. The clock frame had an interesting paint technique that I decided to try replicating on my dingy cabinet.

 

I like the paint technique on the metal frame of this clock and decided to try to replicate it on my wooden cabinets.

 

    A little rustic, a bit "faded elegance" - a clock frame became my inspiration.

 

After cleaning the cabinet I dry-brushed on Zinsser primer so a little of the original wood finish still showed through in places. Then, I dashed on bold swipes of red acrylic stenciling paint.

     

I topped that with a heavy "dry brush" of black, matte paint allowing some of the primer and red paint to show through.

    

    The mistake I made with the black paint was purchasing a matte finish. As you can see in the photo above, the matte paint is easily marred and attracts dust. It was like a chalk board and because I would need to clean the cabinet occasionally I could see that I should have purchased a satin-finish paint.

    When examining the clock frame again I could see that it was also satin-finish, not matte, as I'd originally thought.

    Easy fix! I simply rolled on a couple coats of clear satin polyurethane to correct the error. This gave me a durable, washable finish which is important in a bathroom or kitchen.

    But before I added the over-coating of polyurethane, I once again borrowed my Mom's fleur de lis stencil for the two cabinet doors and I used a scroll stencil that I'd purchased on-line from Amazon to decorate the access panel.

   

 After stenciling and applying polyurethane , I added antique-look knobs.

 

       To apply the stencils I used painter's tape to adhere them in place. I "pounced" on a base coat of the red stenciling paint.

    Onto a paper plate I sprayed a puddle each of gold leaf and copper paints (not acrylic) and used pouncing sponges to apply the metallic colors until I got the antique look I wanted, allowing a bit of the red base color to show near the edges.

    When all was dry, I drilled and screwed on some knobs I'd purchased.

    My cabinet redux is done. It was fun, added style to the cabinet, and a bit of Old World drama.

    I already had on hand much of what I needed. I spent about $58.00 on this cabinet project which is much cheaper than having a new cabinet installed. 

    It's fun for me to save money and create something unique using what's already there, if possible.

Supplies for this project:

One wide paintbrush - about 3-inches

One narrow, tapered paintbrush - about 1-1/2 inches

3-inch roller for applying polyurethane and paint tray

White Zinsser waterbase primer (hanging around from several previous projects)

One quart of waterbase, custom-mixed black matte (should have been satin finish) paint from Ace Hardware at about $18.00

One quart of waterbase satin polyurethane from Ace Hardware at $9.99

Fleur de lis stencil (borrowed from Mom)

Scroll stencil purchased on Amazon from Designer Stencils - $20.00

Red acrylic stencil paint on hand from a previous project by Apple Barrel in Flamenco Red for both color swipes and stenciling

Gold leaf spray paint (non-acrylic) on hand from a previous project

Copper spray paint (non-acrylic) on hand from a previous project

Four knobs at about $10.00 total from Home Depot

* * * *

 

    

    Here's a handy hint. If you don't have paint tray liners, use plastic grocery bags or small wastebasket bags to line the tray. If using grocery bags you may need two. Insert the paint tray, tape them in place, winding handles around paint tray legs, then remove and toss the bags when finished.

 

 

 

Goal Prescription for the New Year

 

 

 

Occasionally ask, "What is the connection between what I want most in life and anything I plan to do today?"

~Robert Brault, rbrault.blogspot.com

 

   

Goal Setting Instead of Resolution Making

 

 

Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars. ~Les Brown

    I ask myself, "Is the making of New Year's resolutions a recipe for failure? How many of us keep resolutions, anyway.

    If a resolution is too far out from our usual comfort zone, it's likely we won't keep it very long. Perhaps, the setting of goals is more attainable because goals are reached a little at a time until we find that we've accomplished what we've set out to do.

   

   

We All Deserve A Nap!

 

   

 

    We survived another busy Christmas! If you didn't schedule some time off or a little time out during the pre-Christmas weeks and days, now's the time. If you can.

    Hopefully, during this week-long break between this holiday past and New Year's, you can sit down, lay down, give yourself some downtime. To read, think, knit, rest - even nap - because we all likely need to take a break to, re-group, re-new, inhale - even exhale a deep long sigh. Because we made it this far!

 

    

 

 

 

Read It Again! Simple Abundance - A Daybook of Comfort and Joy

 

There was a time some years ago when nearly every household had a copy of this book...when we actively embraced gratitude, simplicity, joy, and more.

    The busy Holiday and shopping season is upon us! This means we're about to get even busier than we already are.

    This is the perfect time to soothe ourselves with some inward looking to balance the outer frenzy of our lives.

    Who couldn't use a dose of gratitude, simplicity, order, harmony, beauty, joy, authenticity, grace, and abundance?

    If you still have this book on your bookshelves pick it up, start by reading the entry for today, and continue on through the New Year reading, contemplating, and incorporating its messages throughout 2017 and beyond.

    I guarantee you'll be happier, less stressed, more authentically your true self. 

    In only a few minutes per day, the hints, thoughts, anecdotes, and heartfelt messages of spirit and soul will soothe and balance hectic outer lives with greater contentment and inner peace.

    Some things need to be revisited. Cultivating "Simple Abundance" is a healing journey to be travelled anew.

 

Related articles

Things Learned...Simple Grace

Now That We've Voted...

...we come together as a Nation to welcome our new President Elect!

    U.S. politics are messy, divisive, slanderous, lots of "mud" is slung, and name-calling is the order of the day. And, we go through this every four years as two of the major political parties duke it out, hurling money and insults.

    As seemingly chaotic as our election system appears to be there's a reason people in other countries want to come here, to live here, to be Americans.

    That's because we get to choose our leaders. We get to vote. And once we've voted we come together as a Nation - a united people governed by a Constitution that is our proud legacy.

    Regardless, of who we each voted for, a winner has been declared and it's time for all Americans to welcome our new President Elect. 

    Respectful concessions speeches have been delivered and victory speeches given in a spirit of unity and respect. 

    Yes, our politics are loud, bold, and exciting! We get to vote our conscience, our hearts, our opinions. Let us all be grateful, - regardless of whether our "guy" or our "gal" won or lost - let us all be grateful that we live in a Nation of Unity and Law.

    Let's welcome our new President Elect! And sing out, "All Hail to the Chief"! 

An Anticipated "Read"

 

    I've just received this book from a recent on-line order. I can't wait to start reading it!

    In the preface are a few paragraphs titled, Saved by the Garden. I've skimmed this section and can resonate with the sentiments shared by many gardeners.

    My garden has indeed saved me on many levels. Food, fragrance, beauty, privacy, healing, seclusion, sanctuary, enlightenment, peace.

    Yes, I've been saved, supported, satisfied, and invigorated by my gardens. These ephemeral qualities make worthwhile the "work" a garden requires, and transforms ordinary folks into avowed gardeners.

    These non-plant attributes - virtues - found in a garden are its saving graces.

    I firmly believe that in nurturing our garden spaces we too are thereby nourished and become the blessed recipients of garden grace.