Reviewing My Favorite Hand Held Labelling Machine

Get Your Own Dymo!

I own a pink (yes I said pink!) Dymo Letratag label printer and it really is my favorite hand held labelling machine and not just because the color brightens up my day! I brought my Dymo Letratag when my daughter started pre-school which means it's about a decade old and it's still doing it's job really well so this is an investment that will last.

Now I'll be honest when I went to the shops to purchase a label printer I wasn't planning on getting this one, I didn't think I needed a hand held one, I was looking at one that would sit on my desk.

The reason that I got the Letratag was because it was marked down and the couple of pink ones that were available were marked down further (apparently no one likes brighter colors, they want a subdued label printer!). I'm so glad of my decision because a hand held one is awesome and the only sort I now recommend.

Not only is it a wireless, hand held label printer (it runs off batteries) which means it's portable it also fits comfortably in my hand. The way Dymo have shaped their Letratag allows it to nestle nicely in one hand as you type the label with your other hand. It is also a nice weight, altogether the most comfortable label printer I've ever held.

Dymo certainly know their business as they've been producing label makers for years - can anyone else remember the vintage Dymo label maker that had a dial on it and you had to click on each letter (or number)? My mum had a red one from memory. As kids we thought it was great fun!

The Dymo Letratag printer is super easy to use with no messy ink to worry about or hard to thread tape for labels, let's have a look at the components....

The batteries are located in the back, you simply push down on the bottom of the machine (where there's an indent) to release and the back comes off.

As you can see it takes 6 AA batteries which I thought seemed a lot at first, but I've only changed them twice in about 10 years so in my mind that is pretty good!

I do use my label maker quite a bit so I'm glad that it's economical to run.

If you can change the batteries in your television remote then you can change these!

Now what are the labels printed on?  Well unlike some other machines you don't need to add ink and tape as Dymo have combined the two in a little cartridge.

At the top of the machine there's a flap that you simply flip up to reveal the cartridge.  When one is finished you simply pull it out and put another one in.

There's no threading or anything it just pops in - not quite as easy as popping a pop tart into the toaster, but not much harder!

Now I've always used the plastic labels as I use them to label containers that are going into the freezer and I'm not sure that paper labels would work that well for this job.

There are a range of different types of labels available from plastic to paper and metallic to polyester.   There are also different colors that you can choose from.  I've only ever used the plastic black print on white labels.

I have read that people use different types of labels for different jobs - I'm too lazy for that I pop my cartridge in and leave it until it runs out!

If you're looking to get organized and need a tool like this the Dymo Letratag is hands down my favorite hand held labelling machine and I can't recommend it enough.

Now I can't find a pink Dymo Letratag available anywhere at the moment, but I have found a few in other colors which I'm sure will work equally well for you.   These other colors just may not cause you to smile as you pick them up!

 DYMO LetraTag Labelmaker (Metallic Blue) DYMO LetraTag Personal Label Maker Silver DYMO Grape Translucent LetraTag Labelmaker

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Guardians of the Galaxy 2 Movie Review

Guardians of the Galaxy is a truly fabulous Marvel movie that I would recommend for anyone!   The movie is a mix of sci-fi, great animation, several engaging stories & witty dialog.  There were several times in both movies, Guardians of the Galaxy & Guardians of the Galaxy 2, where I couldn't help myself and laughed out loud.  It is really wonderful to walk away from a movie feeling like you had a great time, not to mention the characters feel like friends. 

For Mother's Day, my son surprised me with the DVD of the original Guardians of the Galaxy DVD and movie tickets to see Guardians of the Galaxy 2.  We spent the afternoon together watching the Guardians.  We started with the DVD and then immediately went to the theater for the second movie.  What a wonderful day and the perfect way to celebrate! 

I highly recommend watching the movies back to back. 

The Plot of Guardians of the Galaxy

 

 Guardians of the Galaxy
(Plus Bonus Features)The original DVD introduces you to  all of the main characters and shows us exactly how several unrelated outlaws end up banding together to become the "Guardians of the Galaxy".  

The movie starts with Peter Quill as a child listening to 80's music while sitting in a waiting room at the hospital.  His mother is dying from a brain tumor and his whole world is about to be turned upside down.  When his mother dies, he runs from the hospital devastated by the reality of what just happened.  It is at that very moment that he is abducted by Yondu and his team of ravagers (thieves) from another planet.  We do find out later that they were hired by his father to retrieve him from earth when his mother dies.

We are quickly fast-forwarded 26 years to Peter as an adult and we discover that he has been raised by Yondu as a ravager.  Peter seems happy enough, but it is a time of unrest in the galaxy.  A peace treaty has been signed between the Kree and Xandar, but not everyone is willing to adhere to that treaty.  Ronan is a powerful Kree who wants more than revenge, he wants complete annihilation of all Xandarians.

Yondu's group of pirates have been  commissioned to "acquire" a precious orb.  However, Peter decides to go alone to steal the orb.   Once he has the orb in his possession, he does have to battle Ronan's warriors to keep it.   When Peter goes to the Broker to sell the orb and tells him about his battle with Ronan's army, the Broker no longer wants anything to do with the orb and forces him to leave his shop.

Peter meets Gamora, who has been sent by Ronan to retrieve the orb.  A tussle for the orb leaves both Gamora and Peter vulnerable to bounty hunters who want to capture Peter for the reward offered by Yondu for the betrayer, Peter.  And, this is how we meet Rocket (the raccoon to earthlings) and Groot (a live tree).  

They are all arrested by Nova Corps officers and sent to Kyln (prison).  Because of her association with Ronan, the prison is full of inmates who want to kill Gamora.  One of those inmates is Drax.  

Now, we have been introduced to the characters who become the Guardians of the Galaxy:  Peter Quill, Rocket, Groot, Gamora & Drax.  They form an alliance to break out of Kyln, but that alliance becomes a "family" who battle Ronan for possession of the orb and it's contents, an infinity stone.  Possession of that infinity stone ensures the salvation of the entire planet of Xander.

The Plot of Guardians of the Galaxy 2 - Currently in Theaters

 POSTER STOP ONLINE Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 - Movie Poster/Print (Regular Style/One Sheet Design) (Size 24" x 36")Check PriceGuardians of the Galaxy 2 picks up where 1 leaves off.  The Guardians are now an official team of Marvel defenders.   They have been hired to protect valuable batteries from an attacking monster.   Their payment for that job is given in trade form.  They are paid with Gamora's sister, Nebula.

Rocket can't seem to resist the temptation to steal a few of the batteries and the Guardians are pursued by the Sovereign.  They are forced to crash land after they are saved by a mysterious ship.   When the unidentifiable ship lands, Peter Quill finds himself face to face with his father, a man he has never met before.  Ego (Kurt Russell) invites Peter to his planet.  Peter, Gamora & Drax leave Rocket to repair their ship and go with Ego to his planet. 

A lot of secrets are revealed on Ego's planet and Peter has some difficult realities and choices to make.  

Both of these action packed movies are filled with witty dialog, lovable characters and scenes of strong emotions.  Guardians of the Galaxy 2 forces the Guardians to come to terms with a lot of their own personal relationships and the "people" who they really love.

One additional point of interest about Guardians of the Galaxy 2 is the introduction of Sylvester Stallone as Starhawk, the overall commander of the Ravagers.  

Great Actors in the Guardians of the Galaxy Movies

Peter Quill - Chris Pratt
Groot - Vin Diesel
Rocket - Sean Gunn (on set)  & Bradley Cooper (voice)
Gamora - Zoe Saldana
Drax - Dave Bautista
Yondu - Michael Rooker
Nova Prime - Glenn Close
Corpsman Dey - John C. Reilly (arrested the Guardians & Peter's Nova corps contact)
Ego the Celestial - Kurt Russell
Starhawk - Sylvester Stallone
Peter's Grandfather - Gregg Henry
David Hasselhoff - David Hasselhoff
Stan Lee - Creator of the Marvel characters - appears as random character in both movies

The Guardians of the Galaxy

  

 Marvel Guardians of the Galaxy 6-inch Rocket Raccoon Marvel Guardians of the Galaxy 6-inch Groot Marvel Guardians of the Galaxy 6-inch Legends Series Star-Lord Marvel Guardians of the Galaxy 6-inch Legends Series Drax Marvel Guardians of The Galaxy Gamora Figure, 6-Inch

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Guardian of the Galaxy 2 Movie Review Written by:

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When The Grid Goes Down: A Book Review

If you consider yourself a "prepper" and have both a plan and supplies to support the plan over the course of a major or long-term disaster, then you don't need to read this book or my review. You're good to go and I thank you for stopping by.

However, if you're among the two-thirds of us who don't have an emergency plan in place and have nothing more than a few extra cans of food, a bag of rice, and a case of bottled water in the pantry, then it's very important that you stop what you're doing, read the book, and start working on a survival plan for your family.

The book to which I refer is called When the Grid Goes Down: Disaster Preparations and Survival Gear for Making Your Home Self-Reliant. Its emphasis is more on developing both a plan and a mindset as you implement your plan than it is on where to buy a good bug-out bag. The latter information you can find anywhere; the former is not discussed in emergency prep books nearly as much as it should be. That's one of the reasons I liked this book so much and recommend it highly to those who tend to get overwhelmed when the subject of emergency preparedness is discussed. (What, you haven't started building your passive solar straw bale house yet??)

Author Tony Nester is a survival expert and teacher with an impressive resume, well-respected in the survival training community. He also has a good writing style and presents this important information in a way that makes sense rather than trying to scare us into buying the latest gadget, gizmo, or fad on the prepper market.

In his book the author discusses in depth six key survival priorities then encourages us to tackle those basics in a "layering" method (for example, start with your case of bottled water, then add water jugs, later add a rain barrel, and eventually learn how to purify water from surrounding ponds or springs). This method will enable our families to survive short-term first, then long-term as our plans and prep levels progress. He convincingly encourages readers to take action, step by step, to bring their plan into a workable reality. No reason to get overwhelmed if you follow this advice.

Who will take care of your family
after a disaster?
Photo: FEMA/Jacinta Quesada
In the Public Domain

Being prepared means something different for everyone, depending on where they live, size and makeup of their family, geographic and weather considerations where they live and work, and even income, but there are important overlaps. No matter whether you're more likely to deal with the aftermath of a hurricane than a tornado, the six priorities you'll learn from Tony apply to everyone. That's why I believe every beginning to intermediate "prepper" can benefit from the information in this book. And if you're in the very beginning states of planning and prepping, that especially means you.

Whether the cause is a cyber-attack, a natural disaster, a nuclear attack, or something somewhere in between, chances become greater every day that you will be called upon by circumstances to take care of yourself and your family during a major service and power outage. Such an episode could be lengthy and certainly could alter your life in a major way, starting within hours of the event, when you least expect it. This excellent book will help you prepare.

When The Grid Goes Down by Tony Nester is available in both paperback and e-book format for your Kindle or other reading device. The book has received 4.3 stars from over 225 reviewers and is a bestseller in multiple categories on Amazon.com.

Books From Author Tony Nester

~ Susan
Read more of my reviews.

Posted by Susan Deppner

About the Author

Susan Deppner is a baby boomer, a cancer survivor, and a Southerner who believes in the Golden Rule. She enjoys writing about food, faith, and fitness; health, home, and holidays; people, places, pets, and patriotism, and more. Follow Susan on Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest.

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Excellent Advice for a Balcony Gardener: What You Need Know!

I love to garden, it's not secret!  But, and this is a big BUT,  gardening on a balcony is totally different than growing your garden on level soil!  Let's review some of the differences.

At some point in everyone's life, they must re-evaluate what is important in their lives.  So it came to pass with my husband and I.  We have lived in the same home for almost 40 years and the daily upkeep of the gardens, grass and the household was becoming arduous to say the least.

We started looking for ways to make our lives easier and less strenuous on our bodies.  Apartment/Condo living was looming before us.  Neither one of us could do the stairs well any longer.  So to that end, we made the decision that many find difficult!  We gave up our primary residence for an apartment.

                                                     https://pixabay.com/en/home-facade-architecture-barcelona-964537/

So What's So New About That?

Well anyone who knows me, knows that I can garden from morning till evening without stop.  What will I do when there is no longer a patch of ground that needs my attention?  Truly I was a little distressed at the upcoming move.  But, at this point I am here to tell you that so far I have survived without having the time to weep over the weeds, mourn the loss of the dirt, or sympathize over the lack of sore muscles after having over done the weeding in the first weeks of May.  

Let's Review What Can be Done 18 Stories up in the Air!

Reviewing what I can do in my new space has given me a new direction for my gardening abilities or lack thereof.  Well let's just agree that my gardening skills 18 stories up in the air have not been tested yet.  One thing is certain, after only two weeks in my new surroundings, I know that my gardening efforts will be different.  No Question About IT!

There are a list of things that you need to know about your new surroundings!

1. You need to know which direction you face.  Is your apartment facing north, south, east or west or a combination of those.
2. You need to know if your growing zone has changed.  That will depend on how far away you have moved.
3. You need to know what is allowed and what is forbidden as far as growing things on your balcony. (This assumes that you do indeed have a balcony)
4. Then you need to decide what you absolutely have to grow, like tomatoes or cucumbers or beans.
5. Now you need to do some research.  What will grow well in pots and how big do those pots need to be?

When you have reviewed those answers then you can make some decisions.  

I am blessed in that our apartment faces south, so sunlight is abundant, but not overwhelming.  Having an overhang helps to keep the balcony sunny but it does not become an oven, even in the heat of the day.

So for my particular circumstances, I will be able to grow tomatoes, peppers, beans and more.  What I need now is a way to grow all of these without loosing so much space that there is nowhere to go out and enjoy the view.  

                                                                        https://pixabay.com/en/fordon-slope-view-residential-area-904300/

Vertical Gardening

I have found the answer to my prayers.  The biggest new fad in gardening seems to be making the most of the space you have available.  That for me is a blessing.  My space has diminished by at least 50% and of that 50% I want to be able to sit and enjoy my surroundings.  So my actual space is quite a bit less than I had before.

When you can't grow wide, you need to grow tall.  Use the space in the air for everything that you don't have space for in the ground. It makes a whole lot of sense really.

My old garden was probably about 20 feet by 35 feet.  My balcony is about 20 feet by 6 feet.  So my choices in ways to garden have been severely changed.  I will grow flowers to make my soul happy in balcony planters which are allowed in my building.  Having two already, I will increase that number to six within the next few weeks. Then for my vegetables I have decided to go with a vertical garden that also combines the ability to compost.

These choices that I show you here, don't allow you to grow in abundance, but will be great for herbs, some smaller flowers and just the ability to get your hands dirty.  For me this would be just a tease.  For many gardeners though, this would be enough to keep them happy.

Is it enough for me?

For my own purposes and for my joy of gardening I have gone the whole nine yards(no puns intended).  My choice is a little expensive, but offers me the ability to grow many vegetables, herbs and flowers in one place. It also offers the ability to compost all my kitchen scraps and have a vermi-culture happening all at the same time.  For myself it is a win-win proposition.  I didn't have to think about it for too long.   I'm talking about the Grow Tower 2.  I saw an ad for this unit and researched it further.  I am convinced that it will be my new favorite growing station all in one place.


This unit is my newest addition to my balcony since moving two weeks ago......and here's a link for you to see why I think this is going to be one heck of a great addition to my living space. Garden Tower  Project will let you see why I'm so excited to be gardening in this totally new way. I can control the plants I want to grow.  I can use the composted material to naturally feed my plants and I can see that there have been no pesticides in use too.  All natural and good for us is the way I want to garden and I will do so in a very limited space.  I'm looking forward to this new escapade and will keep you all in the loop.

Stay tuned! 

I promise to keep you updated on the results of my new foray into the world of gardening in a limited space and let you see my pictures of the Garden Tower Project so you can review the changes as they occur on my own balcony in a zone 6a growing area.  Maybe this Review will help you to make the leap into vertical gardening and have you enjoying the fruits of your own labor too!

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Caught Dead In Wyoming Series Reviewed

A Fun Mystery - Detective Style Series

Western scene courtesy of Pixabay.com

I have just recently become a fan of Patricia McLinn and her series called Caught Dead In Wyoming. I was looking for a mystery to read and the title of the series caught my attention since my youngest lived in Wyoming for a while several years ago. 

Suffice it to say, I have not been disappointed in the books. I just started the 4th book in the series last night. Ms. McLinn has me captivated with her plots and characters. Each book has moved along nicely with plenty of interesting little twists and turns. 

I think one of the things that has captivated my attention is the ability of Ms. McLinn to describe living in a small town in a believable and sometimes humorous way. The stories take place in and around a small town in Wyoming. Having grown up in a small town, I recognize the excellence in her writing by the characters she has included in her make believe town. Every small town would have people like them. One of my most favorites is the check-out gal at the one and only grocery store, Penny. That woman is hysterical!

The premise of each book is that E. M. Danniher (Elizabeth) has had a rather successful career as a TV news broadcaster in cities like Chicago, New York and Washington D.C. All was fine until her divorce. Her now ex-husband was on the management side of television and had really messed her up in the last contract that he had her sign. Should I mention she didn't pay close enough attention to the dirty little details until it was too late? 

So, Elizabeth finds herself working at a small little television station in Sherman, Wyoming. She is to finish out her contract with the network in this western town. The only job that the station manager will give her is a consumer affairs position called "Helping Out". No longer will she report on National News but will help people resolve problems with defective toasters and such. 

It doesn't take long for an event to crop up that causes Elizabeth to use her journalistic detective skills and to solve a mystery and crime. 

Sign Off Book #1 in Series

I do not like to spoil stories for people so I am not going into a lot of detail for each of the books that I have read so far. What I will say is that the cast of characters that the author has created are so well thought out that you almost feel as if you know them. I also get the feeling that the author knows first hand what it feels like to be an outsider in a small town. All of this makes the stories enjoyable and the plots believable because they seem so real and are entertaining to boot.

The main character, Elizabeth, is funny, smart, good at her job but also a little broken and vulnerable. She finds a way to make some new friends and enemies. All in all, I think that if you like to read mysteries that this series; Caught Dead In Wyoming is a great one for you to begin to read. 

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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