Loving the home made deodorant.

I made it out of necessity, about a month ago. Tom ran out of his Old Spice High Endurance (or some other super cool name) and that boy needed something STAT for those stinky man-pits.

He tried rubbing alcohol, I tried the internet. Of course I found about a kazillion recipes for home made deodorant. Most of them called for coconut oil as the carrier. Who in the heck has coconut oil just sitting around? But I DID have a random bottle of massage oil from the organic foods store. It was a blend of food grade oils; sweet almond, olive, peanut and jojoba. Unscented organic goodness. So into a baby food jar I mixed 2 tablespoons baking soda, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, enough oil to make a paste and a few drops of geranium oil for a pleasant scent (and supposed antibacterial properties).

We both used it and were amazed at how will it worked day after day. It became a game; come here babe, smell my armpit! I learned that the oil will float to the top and sometimes needs to be mixed back in. I learned that it goes on a lot smoother when it is more like a cream instead of a paste (more oil). I discovered that our armpits STUNK at the end of the day after using commercial deodorants and anti-perspirants, but they didn't after using the baking soda/cornstarch concoction.

Since we've been using the home made stuff, I've started reading about all the bad crap in anti-perspirant. I'm talking BAD stuff. And most of us put that right next to our lymph nodes everyday? Crazy! Since I had been sweating naturally now for a few weeks I decided that sweating wasn't all that bad. I could definitely live without anti-perspirants. But what about all those clear deodorants at the store? Would those be bad also? Well, they are full of things like triclosan and artificial scents too. But I picked up some 'natural' Arm and Hammer deodorant, just to try it out. It smells nice enough and is certainly easier to apply than our stuff, but at the end of the day, after the scent starts to wane, I can smell BO. So - Nina's HomeMade Deodorant wins.

And it has really passed the test today. It was 95 hot and humid degrees here. I spread a little on in the morning, and yes, I did sweat a little but it wasn't uncomfortable and I didn't smell!

Most importantly, Tom loves it. Last night he said 'We're out!! Make more!' So I did.

I guess I can quit clipping the Secret and Old Spice coupons now!

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I caved in, Because I wanted to take a Nap

The first summer I lived here, I vowed to not use the air conditioning. I had just spent the last 6 years of my life without windows open; if it was 75 or better, the AC was cranked. So now I wanted to feel hot. I wanted to leave the windows open and lay in my bed sweating my a$$ off on a July evening. I wanted to hear crickets and frogs, not the steady, stale hum of the central air conditioner. I didn't want expensive electric bills. I had a million reasons, but mostly, I wanted AC to be special again. When I was growing up we only had a window unit. Dad would close all of the bedroom doors and save the AC for the living room and kitchen. On muggy nights we would sleep on the floor in the living room. Drag mattresses off the beds.... fight for the couch. It was fun.

I moved in July. I think it was the hottest day of the year, or damn close. I didn't have all that much to move, but ANY activity and you were sweating buckets. Did I turn on the AC that first night? HELL NO! And I didn't the entire summer. Not only was I boycotting cool air in the house, but in the car as well. I'm sure any passengers I had that summer didn't care for that! I felt some sort of 'I can survive this' satisfaction and looked down upon those people with their car windows rolled up tight and their suburban houses at a constant 70 degrees.

(it should be known that I also went to an extreme when winter came - I set the thermostat to 64 at night and 66 during the day. I could wear extra socks and sweaters, damnit)

Anyways, the following summer I relaxed my AC rules and did use it occasionally. You see, I have never had a 2nd level before. I soon learned that the muggy 85 degrees on the first floor turned into a stifling 92 or better in the upper level. I even tried sleeping on the pull out couch downstairs a few times. But for the most part, I did without the cool air.

So spring of 2010 begins and we have had a few warm days. On my neighborhood walks I have noticed some people with AC running and have lifted my nose in disdain; it is not even JUNE yet! What wimps. Sheesh. And today, May 22, it was hot and muggy. I had the windows open. Ceiling fans on high. Pulled the extra fans out of the closet. I was movin' air and determined to stay cool.

By 2pm I was dying. The house was only 84 degrees, but it was a wet, humid, THICK 84 degrees. I had Jack stripped down to his diaper to try and keep him cool. But he wouldn't listen to his mother, and when I said 'Jack it's too hot, quit moving so much', he just ran around more. Probably faster. He was sweating and uncomfortable. He wouldn't take a nap. I wanted to nap. I REALLY wanted to nap.

So this afternoon, I turned on the air conditioning. I caved.

And now he's sleeping... peacefully...

Thank God. And Air Conditioning.

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I wish I was Swedish.

We went to Ikea on Saturday. I love to wander through the show floor; I have fantasies of living smartly in a tiny house with bright colors and clean lines. And maybe a tall, blonde Swedish lumberjack named Sven. KIDDING TOM! You're the only Swede I want, honest!

Anyways, we were on a mission. I have wanted a Poang chair for a long, long time. And I got one! But before we went shopping we had an early lunch at the Ikea restaurant. They had these really yummy open faced egg & shrimp sandwiches. They were SO yummy that I bought shrimp and fresh dill so we could make them at home today for dinner.

Here's what you'll need for 3 sandwiches:

3 hard boiled eggs
3 slices wheat bread
18 small shrimp, cooked, deveined, no tails
mayonnaise
fresh dill
sliced tomato
lemon wedge

Spread mayo on the bread and load the rest on like so....
oh, and don't forget to squeeze lemon juice on top!


And here is the new chair, all settled into it's new home...

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Tuna Boat goes to Potato Skin Town

I couldn't think of a good name for this creation, hence the blog title (loosely based on Burgess Meredith's character in Grumpy Old Men.)

My cupboards were pretty bare tonight. I had frozen chicken but was too lazy to thaw it. My fresh veggies consisted of onions and parsley. I had some grapes. Potatoes. Canned goods. BLAH!

I hit allrecipes.com for ideas. I found POTUNAS. Part twice baked potato, part tuna salad. Gross? Maybe. Only one way to find out! I put my own Nina spin on it and let me tell you, THEY ARE GOOD! Seriously.

I made enough for 2.5 people (Nina, Tom and Jack).

3 potatoes
1 can tuna
1/3c. mayonnaise
1/3c. sour cream
1/2c. cheddar cheese
1/4c. chopped parsley, fresh
1/2 tsp. Old Bay seasoning
salt
olive oil
fresh chopped chives

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Nuke potatoes till soft (my fancy microwave senses automatically when to stop - maybe 6 minutes? )
3. Rub potatoes with a little olive oil, slice in half, and scoop insides into a bowl. Lightly salt the outside skin of the potato halves and place on a baking sheet.
4. Add tuna, mayo, sour cream, parsley, cheese and Old Bay to the bowl of potato guts. Mix well.
5. Spoon potato/tuna mixture into potato skin halves and bake for 20 minutes.
6. Let cool, sprinkle fresh chopped chives on top and EAT!

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Little Moments

I'm sappy tonight. And sick. So here I sit, sniffling and typing, in bed with kleenex scattered to my left and a glass of ice water at my right. I'm thinking about the little miracle sleeping in the room next to mine. I often have these 'moments' when I'm with him. Moments where I pause, in total awe, at this little person we created. I love the sound of his giggle and the way his brow puckers as he is thinking about who-knows-what. I love watching him interact with his Daddy (who, by the way, is a fantastic daddy and better at this parenting business then I could have ever predicted). The sound of his little feet pitter-pattering around brings me comfort and joy. What was life like before Jack? I barely remember.

I'm afraid that as time passes I'll forget these little things that warm my heart so well now. I have always had an obsession with 'lasts'. Everyone remembers firsts, but no one remembers lasts. I'm sure we have already had some lasts in this house. His last bottle. When was that? Weeks ago. The last time he fell asleep in my arms? I don't know!!! Months ago? It's so rare when he wants to lay in my arms like a baby. He still does... sometimes. But maybe he won't anymore. Maybe that has already been a last, too.

He's a mere 15 months old and already it seems like so much has passed. I can't imagine looking back after 10 or 20 years!

And I should probably record some 'firsts', before those are lost or filed in some dusty corner of my brain. First tooth: 11 months. First steps: 14 months. First pucker-his-lips up lemon wedge: 7 months at Ansari's Mediterranean Grill. :)

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