A Review Of Tower Fans A Powerful Cooling Solution

 

When it is hot weather a lovely cooling breeze is the perfect solution. However we cannot always be out by the beach when the weather is uncomfortably warm  and when we are working or sleeping especially, a cooling tower fan is invaluable.

For perimenopause and menopause many of us have to deal with hot flushes and night heat at any time of year and a cooling breeze can be very welcome. 

We bought our tower fan a little while ago. It is a Pro Breeze  and we are very happy with it. 

We wanted to buy a good cooling fan so that we are not caught out in the height of summer. We do not have air conditioning in our older home and it would be very expensive to retro fit it, so our best solution is a good fan.  

I often get too hot even in the winter and as our bedroom and main living room is west facing getting the afternoon and evening sun, it can be really very uncomfortably warm for us there. 

We find that our Tower fan provides a great lovely breeze that really helps to cool us and we do find it much better than our round fan.

 

 

Places To Use A Tower Fan 

In the Bedroom is perfect as it is especially on the lower speeds, really quiet. I can sleep through it easily and I am a light sleeper. 

It really does help us to sleep more comfortably and drop off to sleep quicker rather than trying to find a cool spot in the bed. We love it being a tower fan and we feel the breeze rather than our round floor fan which never really reached us. 

In the Living Room and Dining Room it is good to keep the whole room and everyone in it at a comfortable temperature and is quiet enough that you can talk, play games or watch tv when it is on.

In the Office, which for me is again west facing, it helps to provide a gentle breeze keeping me cool and calm which if course helps me to work better. Again it is quiet enough if you need to do a phone call or zoom meeting. Especially in the summer when working at a computer, I find it feels hotter because of the tech, so this for me is now essential. 

Key Features To Consider When Buying a Tower Fan  

Here I can tell you what we appreciate about our Pro Breeze Tower Fan and they are points to bear in mind when choosing any tower fan. 

• We are impressed with the powerful cooling performance and choice of it being static or oscillation. We usually have it on oscillation so that the cool breeze of circulated around the room. 

• Fan Speeds and Wind Modes. It is best to have a fan with different speeds and wind options. We can choose from several fan speeds: eco, one, two and three and three wind modes. We find this flexibility very useful.

• A Remote Control means convenience. The wireless remote control allows us to adjust settings from across the room. We can easily change the airspeed, wind mode, and timer functions. This is especially good when you are already in bed or engrossed in a film and want to change the speed or wind mode. So I would recommend a remote control.

• Built-In Timer. A timer function is very useful indeed. We can time it to work for an hour, two hours, four and eight hours. I often set it to one hour as we drop off to sleep and this is often enough. This helps to save energy costs rather than having it on all night which we don't really need most of the time. When it is hotter or if we have a heatwave, I will set it for longer. 

• The control panel lights light up when pressed but go off after a short time. This is a great feature as if you are using the tower fan to sleep there are no lights to disturb. I feel this is an important feature. 

• Design Features. Our Pro Breeze Tower fan is Black and fits in to any of the rooms in our home. It is very slim and tall, yet completely stable on its base which is an important safety feature. So it does not take up very much space in any room. I think it looks fairly stylish for a fan and not out of place. You do need to make sure you have a recommended amount of  space around it for safety reasons so it is important to check that for each machine.

• Portability. Our Tower fan is portable and the weight is no problem for me to carry alone from room to room. So if it is likely to be moved from room to room weight and carry function is important. However I did find it more awkward to carry upstairs, the weight was Ok but it was just awkward with being tall. However we wanted a tall fan so accept this.  It has a big carry handle which makes it easy to move. It is not heavy and I can easily carry it alone. 

• Power Source. Ours has an electric cord and must be plugged into a mains plug point. It does not run on batteries so you do need to be reasonably close to a plug but it does have a long cord so this is not an issue. These are relevant things to check.

Good Points Of The Tower Fan We Own.

• It is slim and tall and does not take up much space.
• It is tall so circulates air at a better height.
• Our Pro Breeze Tower Fan was simple and easy to assemble and fix the base and then the tower on to the base which only took a few minutes. 
• We have found it to be energy efficient.
• It has different speeds and wind modes to suit any situation and the desired cooling effect is excellent. 
• The timer function is invaluable. 
• We feel it is a safer option than fans with moving blades.
• It has a big carry handle and is not heavy to move around.
• Control panel lights go off after a short while to enable restful sleep. 

Take a look at these great Tower Fans on Amazon.

Dreo Tower Fan  

Honeywell HYF260 Quiet Set Tower Fan

Tower Fan, 22" Bladeless Fan with Remote

Digital Screen Oscillating Tower Fan with Remote Control

All in all a Tower fan is a great solution for warm and hot days in your living room, bedroom or study and at any time of year if going through peri menopause or menopause and coping with hot flushes, all without spending too much money or taking up much space in your home.

A Review Of Blackout Curtain Liners

More Reviews By Raintree Annie

More Product Reviews By Contributors On Review This Reviews 

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Simple DIY Hack to Help Organize Your Kitchen Drawers

DIY Hack for Organizing Kitchen Drawers

Yesterday was the day I tackled the massive kitchen drawer disaster.

It was Instagram's fault. An amazing organized drawer systems stole my attention and that was all it took. However, the Instagram post featured a stunning brand new kitchen with professional pre-installed drawer sorters.

So that got me thinking …. How can I DIY this with things I already own?

DIY organizational hacks are one of my fave things to do. For me, sorting and organizing is relaxing. Yah, I know, to some of you, that's crazy talk. It's the end result that drives me. I'll work my tail off to get to that finished look!

A Flower Vase to Hold the Important Cooking Utensils

First I had to lessen the amount of utensils in the drawers. So I put all the most useful cooking items in a vase, and placed it beside the stove. Very handy indeed. If you hate counter clutter, put it inside a cupboard or pantry.

Use a Flower Vase to Hold Cooking Utensils

Line the Drawers with a Piece of Carpet

No, not shag or thick carpeting. We used a piece of industrial hard twist with shallow grooves. They're actually extra rugs we have on hand. The most important part of this DIY hack is to ensure the carpet has a rubber non-slip backing.

Just measure the drawer and cut the carpet to fit. With a non-slip backing, even if it's not a tight fit, it won't slide around.

Carpet with Rubber Backing Keeps Utensils in Place

We open and close the above drawer multiple times a day and not one utensil slips or slides. Each item has a spot and stays put. When we need an item, it's clearly visible. No more digging!

The Carpet Prevents Slipping and Sliding

We already had an inexpensive silverware divider in the top drawer, however it kept sliding around. The constant opening and closing of the drawer would cause the items placed in front to get caught or slide completely under the sorter.

Take a look at the silverware drawer now. With the rug as a base, the plastic sorter doesn't slide and the few items we keep in the front no longer move.

With the Carpet as the Base

the Sorter and Loose Items Stay in Place

The same thing applies for the third drawer. The plastic sorter no longer slides and the items along the side and edges stay in place.

The nice thing about using a piece of carpet (with rubber backing), is that even if your plastic sorters don't exactly fit, they won't move around on the carpet. So you can put utensils in front, behind or on the sides, and they too will stay in place.

Line the Kitchen Drawer with Carpet

Since renovating our kitchen is on the agenda, I've been avoiding tackling any projects, because, well, I want the reno more! But this DIY hack was fun. Glad we did it. 

If you're planning a kitchen reno, check out these professionally design pantries! There's nothing DIY here, they're all 10s!

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Safety Floors that Are Practical and Decorative

I Was Introduced to this Idea by an Accident while watching a TV Show! 

Safety Flooring with Style

The TV Show featured a family preparing to cover their gorgeous hardwood floors with safer hardwood look-a-like interlocking foam tiles.

When they opened the box and started pulling out the pieces, I was impressed by how closely the color matched their home's hardwood floors.

You Can View Flooring Styles Here

After seeing it completely placed over the top of their natural hardwood, I was convinced I missed out when my kids were young! What a fantastic safety solution for kids without compromising design style!

These safety floors did not detract from their stunning decor. The playroom looked like any other main rooms in the home, except it was filled with toys.

Choose Interlocking Foam Floor Tiles that Match Your Existing Flooring

You can find light, dark, grey, black, and more hardwood-look-a-like foam flooring colors. When you've spent a great deal of time and money decorating a room, foam tiles help to maintain the look and structure of your space while simultaneously serving as a safety feature.

Given the growing number of people caught in the 'sandwich generation' (those caring for both kids and seniors simultaneously), safety flooring can go a long way as an investment. Best of all, when you're finished needing it, simply remove it.

We're no longer limited to choosing those multi-colored ABC interlocking foam floors for protection and safety; now, we have this incredibly practical look-a-like hardwood foam as an option.

You can read more about Interlocking Foam Floors here at Funkthishouse.com.

by Barbara Tremblay Cipak
Owner, Funkthishouse.com

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Review of Either Side of Midnight by Tori de Clare

Warning! I Could Not Put This Thriller Down!

I don’t often start a book I think is a thriller or has the kind of suspense that makes me unable to put it down. I really didn’t realize Either Side of Midnight was going to capture me the way it did. But I could not put it down. I read until too late at night, and then had to finish the book the next morning before I could do any real work. So I give you fair warning – don’t start this book if you have urgent tasks to get done or if you really need to get a good night’s sleep.

Photo in Public Domain Courtesy of Pixabay

The Plot

It’s very hard to go into detail about the plot without spoiling it for you. We first meet Naomi Hamilton Stone six hours after her wedding, just after she steps out of the shower before consummating her marriage. She then discovers her special cross necklace is missing – the one she’d never taken off her neck except to replace it with a borrowed family heirloom for the wedding. She searches her room for the necklace, and realizes that in all the confusion after the reception and travel, it must have fallen out of the travel bag and been left behind in the car.

With little on but her underwear, Naomi throws on her coat and ties the belt tightly at the waist and tells Nathan  she is leaving to go to the car to get her necklace and will then be back to meet him in bed. He implores her to wait for him to dress and go with her, but she is already out the door before he can finish dressing. He has not yet caught up with her, and she is obviously enjoying the chase. They talk and flirt on their cells as she bounces down the hotel stairs as he is trying to dress and follow her. She is almost to the hotel door as he says he is leaving their room. They continue to tease each other as he tries to catch up


 She finally reaches the car and as she is unlocking it, a figure in a dark balaclava lunges at her and grabs her phone and she can hear Nathan calling her name, as the abductor tells her not to scream. There is a knife touching her side. She is forced to stumble along, feeling the knife against her bare skin, her head beneath what seems to be a small wool blanket. They finally stopped. Her hands were bound, but she continued to fight and struggle to no avail. A car door opened and her head hit something solid as she realized she was being shut into the trunk. She thought she heard Nathan pursuing the car before she slipped into unconsciousness.

From here on it gets more exciting, with amazing twists and turns. One was so subtle I thought the author must have made a mistake in the character’s name, but after rereading a couple of times, I realized it was just another twist.

I’ll skip what comes next except to say that just as Naomi thinks she is being buried alive in an old open grave, the book flashes back to her parents, driving home from the wedding. Naomi’s mother Camilla  continues to complain about the groom, convinced Naomi has ruined her life by marrying him.  Naomi was a promising music student who had just finished her first year at the Royal Northern College of Music. Camilla had great plans for her. Naomi had been a serious student of piano – unlike her twin sister, Annabel, who cared only to be a social butterfly.

The book keeps jumping from Naomi’s current predicament to the events leading up to it – moving into her rooms at school, learning to make friends, meeting Nathan, who was not a student there, and their courtship. We also see the dysfunction  of the Hamilton family, the competition between the twins, and some of the secrets Naomi has finally told Nathan. We meet Lorie, the employee that is responsible for keeping the Hamilton household running smoothly, but who has also become Naomi’s friend and confidant. We meet Tom, the ex-boyfriend who has badly hurt Naomi.

Analysis and Recommendation

I loved this book, but I wish the author had made more obvious breaks when moving from one scene to another. I found it a bit disorienting to move from one setting to another with no white space or line breaks to alert me. One minute I’m with Naomi and Nathan spending time together and in the next paragraph I’m back at the Hamilton household or in another flashback. Most of the time, though, there is a chapter or a break in the text to keep one from getting too confused.

Although there is lots of suspense, there is not much violence or gore. I appreciated that. Most of the language was clean, too, and there was no explicit sex.  I would recommend this book to anyone who is prepared to read it in one sitting. It took me several hours to finish it. I’m dying to read the sequel. Unfortunately, though it's been a year since this was published, no sequel has been published yet.

I highly recommend Either Side of Midnight (The Midnight Saga Book 1)to those who love suspense and who don't mind a little mental exercise in following the abrupt changes in the setting. Since I read this, the sequel, The Darkness Visible, has been published. Get both books together so you don't have to be left hanging at the end of Either Side of Midnight. 

 The Midnight Saga (2 Book Series)

& 

For more of my book reviews, please see my blog, Bookworm Buffet.

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Blue Diamond Frying Pan, Review

I was browsing the cookware isle in our local grocery store, just to see what might be new. One of the things that caught my attention were the words on a package of a Blue Diamond Frying Pan. PFAS and PFOA-Free. They had my attention. The package also said, Toxin-Free coating - free of PFAS, PFOA, lead, and cadmium. I was sold!

I had been working on using more environmentally friendly items. I did a quick lookup on Amazon, and most customers were pretty happy with their purchase. I bought an 10" one on that very shopping trip.

The company says that this metal utensil safe surface with diamond-infused ceramic nonstick cooks food faster than those made with copper. They are most definitely right!

On my first use of the Blue Diamond frying pan, I set the heater knob on the setting that I had used for my previous frying pan. Pretty quickly I heard the sizzling. Whoa. I quickly turned it down to around two, and that is the setting that I have used since. With my previous frying pan, I usually put the heat setting around 4. So in about half the time and around half the heat, I had my breakfast cooked rather quickly. I was and am still very impressed.

I usually fry my eggs only in a little bit of olive oil. When I include some fresh spinach, I use less oil, with a little bit of water, and sauté the spinach first and then add the eggs. It comes out great every time. When I cooked the fresh asparagus in it, I even had to turn the temperature knob down to below two. I also covered the pan with a 10 inch lid that I had on hand; it cooked in under 10 minutes.

Other pluses listed on the web page include warp control, oven and broiler safe up to 600 degrees F, dishwasher safe, and has an ergonomic handle. It works on most stove tops, but is not compatible with the induction stove top.

You can purchase this skillet to match your kitchen decor. The color choices include, blue, black, gray, pink, turquoise, red, and white.

Pan size choices are 8", 10", 12", and 14". The twelve inch pan apparently comes with a choice of no lid or no lid, with a price difference for with lid. Customers for the most part weren't as impressed with the 14 inch pan size. For one, it is very large; it's quite a bit bigger than the burner. And one was missing part of the coating.

I use an Oxo nylon flexible pancake turner when using the pan, and the finish of the pan continues to look as good as when I first used it. Here is a link for the pancake turner. https://amzn.to/4gutPCV

Overall I am very pleased with mine. I can't comment on the pan's versatility; I haven't used it in the oven, nor have I used any other pan in the oven. However I am happy with my purchase and with how I use it.

If this sounds like a good fit for you, they are available on Amazon.

Blue Diamond Cookware - Check price.

Cheryl Paton

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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Reviewing Calendars for Christmas Gifts

Calendars can make great gifts, particularly if you find a subject that resonates with the person that will be receiving the gift.  Do you have a bird lover on your Christmas list, then the calendar listed above may be just the thing.  The calendar above was created from photographs I took in my backyard of eastern bluebirds throughout the year.  It can be purchased at this link on Zazzle Bluebird Lovers Calendar

Lighthouses

I love lighthouses and after I retired my husband, and I traveled the country photographing lighthouses.  I have created calendars from many of those photographs.  Here is a page from my calendar on Michigan lighthouses.

You can find the above calendar at the following link. Lake Michigan Lighthouses

Travel Destination

I really enjoy traveling and sharing my travel with others through my photography.  Calendars are a great way to share places you have visited.  Here is one I made after our visit to Quebec City in Canada.  It is such a great place to visit and the old town was a great place to capture some unique photographs.

Here is a link to the above calendar, where you will be able to see 12 months of different scenes from Quebec City. Scenes from Quebec City

Covered Bridges

In our travels another subject that caught our interest was covered bridges.  These bridges are becoming a thing of America's past, but there are still many scattered around the country that give you a wonderful feeling of days gone by.  I have read that bridges were first built covered so that the horses that traveled over the bridges would not be scared by the rivers below.  In the calendar above, I have captured photos of the bridges of Madison County.  You can find a link to the calendar on Zazzle at this link Bridges of Madison County

Sports Teams

Sports calendars are favorites for fans of many teams.  Whether your team is MLB, NHL, NFL or college teams you are sure to find a calendar on Amazon.  Here is a link to a calendar of my favorite team the St. Louis Cardinals.

St. Louis Cardinal Calendar

More Calendars on Review This

Here is a link to more calendar reviews on Review This.

Photographs on Calendars

Reviewing A Folklore Calendar

Inspirational Calendars for Women

Happy Shopping....Best wishes to find a perfect calendar or everyone on your shopping list!!

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Review of Facts and Photos of the Northern Cardinal

Male Northern Cardinal

The Northern Cardinal is one of my favorite birds.  They frequently visit my backyard feeders and birdbath and I never get tired of photographing them.  I find both the male and female to be very photogenic.

Fun Facts About the Northern Cardinal

• State bird of 7 US states
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Kentucky
• North Carolina
• Ohio
• Virginia
• West Virginia
• Diet consists of seeds, insects and berries
• Also known as redbird
• Featured as the name of numerous athletic teams including my favorite St. Louis Cardinal baseball team.
• Beautiful songbirds who sing year round.  Loud whistling song that has many variations including: cheer,cheer,cheer and purty,purty,purty.
• Male sings to defend nesting territory.
• Cardinals do not migrate and live their entire lives within a few miles.
• Cardinal lifespan can be up to 15 years.

Thanks goes to my granddaughter Kate for sharing some of her Cardinal facts with me.

Differences between Male and Female Cardinals

The male Cardinal is perhaps the mostly widely recognized bird in the USA.  Male is completely red except for small black mask and a black chin.  These birds have heavy bills to deal with their diets.

Although the female is duller in color, I think they are equally beautiful.  They are a tawny brown with a small amount of red on the crest, wings and tail.  I love their bright orange/red beak.

Photos of Cardinals in my Backyard

This little guy is all puffed up against the cold winter winds.

I like the look on this Cardinals face.  He seems to be saying "it's my turn here now...stay away!"

Products with Northern Cardinals

Because they are such a colorful and popular birds you can find numerous products that feature cardinals.  A search on Amazon will show you toys, household decorating items and much more.  Here are a couple that caught my eye.

I love this colorful Cardinal trivet.  What a great way to bring this colorful bird into your home.

If you are looking for some decorations with Cardinals for your deck or patio this beautiful wind chime is just for you.  I love the sound of chimes in the wind and I'm sure you will love this colorful decoration.

Cardinal Magnet from my friend Vicki's Zazzle store

Magnet Cardinals appear when angels are near..
by Vimages4you

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The Brickmaker's Bride - Refined by Love Book Series Reviewed

I just finished reading the Refined by Love book series written by Judith Miller and I ran over here as fast as I could to write my review.  I really enjoyed reading this series and was quite sorry when I realized I had read the last page in the final book.  The characters were so well developed over these 3 books that I really do feel like I know the family.  The author, Judith Miller, did an excellent job of resolving a lot of issues that a reader follows though the entire series.  

I had initially planned to review all 3 books in this one article.  However, once I started writing, I realized that would make this post too long.  Therefore, I will be reviewing The Potter's Wife (book 2) and The Artisan's Wife (book 3) in separate posts over the next 2 weeks.  

For this post, we shall focus only on The Brickmaker's Bride which is the first book in the series.

 

The Brickmaker's Bride - #1 of the Series, Refined by Love

The title pretty much gives away the romantic side of the plot, but there is so much more to these books than just the romance.  Since they are historical fictions, the words paint a picture of what life for immigrants in in the late 1800's might have been like.  

The Brickmaker's Bride is unique because the immigrants were taken advantage of by Irish family members who brought them to America to work in Uncle Hugh's brickyard.  You would think that a family member would look out for their family, but Uncle Hugh prefers to profit off their labor and takes advantage of the needs of his own family.


The Plot

 The Brickmaker's Bride (Refined by Love)When Hugh Crothers cheats his way to a small fortune in Ireland, he quickly loads his wife, her sister and his nephew, Ewan, on a boat bound for America.  The Irish immigrants have great plans and high hopes for their new home.  Because of their background working in brickyards, Hugh decides purchasing a brickyard would be their best investment.  Ewan agrees to help him establish the brickyard with the understanding that they will bring his sisters to America as soon as they have the funds and that Uncle Hugh will make him a partner once the brickyard is profitable.  

Hugh purchases Woodfield Brickworks from Mrs. Woodfield and her daughter Laura, who worked in the brickyard office for her father.  When Mr. Woodfield did not return from war, it was necessary for the women to sell the brickworks and few people had the capital to purchase the business.  Winston Hawkins, an attorney with political aspirations that happens to be courting Laura Woodfield, serves as the intermediary between the Woodfields, the bank, and Crothers.

From the very beginning, Uncle Hugh tries to take advantage of the women and Ewan finds himself caught in the middle.  Almost immediately there is a misunderstanding about the property included in the sale.  Uncle Hugh believes the widow's mansion is included, but the house that is included is a smaller home close to the brickyard.  It was properly spelled out in the contract, but Hugh still maintains he was cheated and should have been given the mansion for the price he paid.  Ewan maintains he should have read the contract, asked questions and even visited the house before signing any papers.  But Hugh had been in a hurry to get on with it.

It is Ewan's knowledge, honestly and integrity that would make the brickworks successful again with the help of the Woodfield women who are willing to introduce him to all the right people.  Neither Hawkins nor Crothers are happy about the alliance being formed between Ewan and the Woodfields. 

Once the brickyard is operational, more reliable workers are needed.  Because it is in his best interest, Uncle Hugh secures a loan from the bank and sends the money back to Ireland for 10 male family members and their families, plus Ewan's sisters to come to America.  Once they arrive, they are all put to work, yet they have a huge debt to payoff.  Uncle Hugh expects each one of them to pay him back for their passage, plus interest, as well as pay him for their housing.  His wife, Margaret, puts a few of the women to work as servants and maids in her new big house.

There is much stress and strife as Uncle Hugh and Margaret continue to scheme and take advantage of everyone.  There are several additional minor plots developing throughout this book since it is the foundation for the entire series.  While it may seem to drag a bit, it is necessary to properly prepare us for the following books.

Even though it is necessary to read this book to have the full background of the other two books, I have no desire to spoil this book for you.  Therefore, I will conclude this review now and let you read it for yourself.  While you won't be surprised by who gets married, you will be shocked by some of the other actions and decisions made throughout this book. 

Be sure and join me for the reviews of The Potter's Lady and The Artisan's Wife. They are all excellent books and the series is definitely worth the time to read.

 

Read More Book Reviews at
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The Brickmaker's Bride Book Review Written by:

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Cat Tunnel Bed Review

This donut shaped cat bed caught my attention the very first time that I saw it. Even I was intrigued by the circular donut shape, and then my cat was as well.

Well actually, my cat was intrigued by it the minute I started trying to put it together. For me, that presented the tricky part.

A simple tip, to tell which side is up, is to place the curved pieces on the floor and observe where the hanging balls are. If a hanging ball isn't hanging, flip it over so that it becomes hanging. Then try to do the zippers!

Another tip for the zipper, I found was when I held the outer zipper in a downward fashion and pushed it down onto the corresponding zipper, while holding the corresponding zipper stationary with my left hand. Once I did that maneuver, I easily zipped the zippers. Before that little maneuver, I was contemplating putting two half tunnels in two different locations!

And before I got those two half tunnels together, my cat was already enjoying laying in the end of one of them. I didn't even realize she was there until I went to move it. It had gotten heavier pretty quickly. It was a hit.

And then when it became whole, it was even more of a hit. She could go around the whole inside.

Our cat was more smitten with the round bed part that fits within the circle, when it wasn't yet attached. It took her a bit of time to reconsider laying on the round bed part, after she figured out getting over the the raised tunnel area. After that, she was okay with that too.

Once I got the tunnel with center round bed assembled, I placed it in my bedroom.

Here is our cat Tori venturing inside the assembled bed.

She has slept in it most nights since then, which is three weeks now. I think that she is in agreement that this is a winner.

This bed does take up quite a bit of space. The measurements given on Amazon are 47.2"L x 9"W x 9"H. Once I put it together as a round tunnel, the overall width is approximately 33-34 inches across. The height of the tunnel part is around 9 inches high. The tunnel part can be left open on two of the ends and shaped into an S shape or a C shape, so that will give cat parents more options on where to place it. The tunnel pieces are also collapsible if they need to be stored.

The fabric is soft and plush on the outside and feels more like a nylon on the interior (kind of like umbrella material). It has a bit of crackle noise to it when the cat is walking in it, touch it, etc.

There are stars designs on the exterior fabric that can glow in the dark for awhile, if you have light or sunlight on it for awhile first. It can be quite intriguing to look over after having gone to bed and seeing the glowing stars. Hmmm. Anyway, I don't seem to notice that much anymore.

If you're looking for a new cat bed for your purr-baby, that can also provide some extra play fun, I recommend the cat tunnel by Nasonet. The current one that shows up is pink with stars and moons. The one I got is gray with large and small stars.

Cat Tunnel Bed by Nasonet on Amazon

Cheryl Paton

As an Amazon affiliate, Cheryl Paton earns income from qualifying purchases made through links on this blog.

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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Site Review: House of Rumpley - Home Decor Site

When we first step into any house, we know almost instantly if we feel at home, and everyone desires a home.  

People who have to go to work everyday need a refuge from the stress of the workplace, and that place should be their home.  For those of us who work from home, we need areas of the house where we can go and find our refuge.   We all desire to create just the right balance in a house where every member of the family can feel at home.  That is what you will find in the House of Rumpley. 

From the kitchen to the den, to the bedrooms and bathrooms, you will find wonderful decorating ideas, as well as DIY projects, which happen to be among my own personal favorites.

Let's take a peek through some of the doors at the various rooms and floors in the House of Rumpley.

The Kitchen in the House of Rumpley

As I would do if I were touring any home or department store, I will start in the kitchen area. My own home kitchen is painted blue, so I am instantly drawn to the article about Red Kitchen Ideas.   I love the idea of adding touches of red in my kitchen, but Bev goes further than just recommending small red appliances.  She actually explains the effect the color red has on all of us and why we would desire including it in our kitchens.

I also loved the coffee decor post!

Be sure to take a look at the other fun ideas Bev "rounds up" for us on the Decorating Kitchens floor at House of Rumpley.

More Decorating Ideas from House of Rumpley

While the kitchen demands my immediate attention, the other rooms of our homes are equally as important when it comes to beautiful decor.

There are fabulous ideas for Decorating Family Rooms, Living Rooms, and Decorating Kids Rooms, but don't miss out on visiting the bathrooms in this house.  While there are several really beautiful suggestions for bathroom decor on House of Rumpley, the ideas that really caught my attention were the ones that made me howl with laughter.  I do love a home that is filled with laughter!  You simply will not believe where the toilet brush is hidden.  I am laughing even as I write this article and remember the most unusual accent piece in this bathroom.  (No, I'm not going to tell you!  You have to look for yourself.)

Decorating by Themes in House of Rumpley

When decorating our homes, there are times when we want a consistent theme.  House of Rumpley has you covered there too.  With themes like "Granny Chic Decor", Decorate with Red, White & Blue", and "Steampunk Style Home Office", anyone would be intrigued to explore the depths of these decorating styles and suggestions.

I may not be a "granny" myself, but I gotta tell you.  That Granny Chic Decor has my name written all over it.

The House of Rumpley Network of Sites

Now, we have explored a few areas of the foundation site of House of Rumpley, but I do want to take a few minutes to delve deeper into the complete network of sites.

The House of Rumpley network includes several sites and Bev aptly describes the different areas of her site as floors in the House of Rumpley.  I love that description!  It immediately brings to mind a home with multiple levels or my favorite department store with several floors.

Like many families and homes, the House of Rumpley has expended and grown over the years.  Just as members of any family can be found at various addresses, different "floors" of the House of Rumpley network are found online under different url addresses. They each have their own "personality" or topic, but they are all equally wonderful and fun to visit.

House of Rumpley Website Review by,

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Movie Review: Harriet

During certain U.S holidays, I make an effort to learn more about the people or situations behind those holidays. With Martin Luther King Jr Day approaching I decided to sit down and finally watch Harriet. When it comes to thinking of civil rights and the battle for equality, I always find myself thinking of Harriet Tubman and her epic walk to freedom. I am astounded that a woman, a slave woman, walked from the marshes of Dorchester County, Maryland to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. "I left my husband and family, there's just me and the Lord" she says to William Still up her arrival in Philadelphia. He replies, "I don't know if you know how extraordinary this is, but by some miraculous means you have made it 100 miles to freedom. All by yourself." But it doesn't seem that Harriet felt alone. She had already proclaimed that "I walk with the Lord". 

I am glad that I made the time to watch the movie Harriet and I recommend it to anyone who would like to know more about this one woman who was literally willing to go to great lengths to make sure she gained her freedom.

Harriet the Movie

Harriet was released in 2019 and stars Cynthia Erivo. Cynthia plays Araminta "Minty" Ross, a slave owned by the Brodess farm family in Dorchester County, Maryland. As a slave, she married John Tubman (a free black man). The movie begins as John presents a letter from a lawyer to Mr. Brodess, stating that legally, Minty's mother was to be released from slavery at age 45. And therefore, they are asking for Minty to be freed so that they can raise their family without fear of their children being sold. That conversation, of course, goes badly. From that point, we watch as things become increasingly difficult. Minty and the fictional Brodess son, Gideon, have a complicated relationship - having been raised together but in the role of slave owner and slave. The farm is facing financial difficulty. And Mr. Brodess dies, leaving the decisions of the farm to his wife and son.

After the death of his father, Gideon posts flyers for the sale of Minty. And she runs. Minty is given one name and location after another along the underground railroad and she flees, narrowly missing being caught. At one point, she jumps from a bridge into a river after stating that she was going to "be free or die". Everyone believes she drowned. But miraculously, she continues on. 

At one point, near the Pennsylvania border, Thomas Garrett is one of the angels along the way. "May I help thee Friend?" he asks her. Although brief, I am glad that one of the characters depicted was of Quaker background. Quakers played a very important role in the success of the underground railroad and I am not sure that is well-known information. It is astounding to me in light of the risks (physical, legal) involved when helping slaves escape during the days of the Fugitive Slave Act that such a peaceful group of people would help others. But they did. Peacefully, they helped free many enslaved people.

After Minty arrives in Philadelphia she is helped by William Still and others. She takes the free name of Harriet Tubman. Harriet obtains a paying job and is living free in Philadelphia. Her story could end there but she feels she can't live fully without her husband and family. 

Harriet returns to Dorchester County to get her husband to come with her. During that trip is when she begins helping other slaves to freedom. She becomes so good at it that advertisements are hung announcing "Moses" the slave stealer and everyone is trying to catch Moses. Some believe Moses is a man in black face. Imagine the surprise when they find that it is the drowned Minty who is stealing their slaves.

Of course, the fight for freedom and stealing slaves is not an easy thing. There is some conflict, physical or emotional, at every turn.

My Personal Thoughts of Harriet the Movie

I think part of the reason I hadn't watched this movie sooner is because I didn't want to ruin some of the images I already had of Harriet Tubman in my head. Sometimes I prefer my imaginings and Hollywood's version isn't the version I want to see. As a young girl, I was amazed that a woman would walk to freedom. As an adult, visiting Dorchester County, I was amazed that a woman would walk through that marshy area to freedom. I was once visiting the area around Fishing Bay, Maryland during a tropical storm. The rain was falling in sheets off and on the entire day. The wet marshes were even more full of water and water was across the roads. And that was the first time I realized that I was in the area where Harriet Tubman (I didn't yet know that wasn't her birth name) was born and raised. We passed a historical marker along a country road. Despite the rain we stopped to read the sign. Off across the field, barely visible through the rain, was a small cabin. The marker listed it as a Harriet Tubman home.

photo by Dawn Rae

Currently, if you travel to that general area, you'll find the Harriet Tubman Museum that was completed in 2019.  It is a small museum but worth the visit in my opinion. And you can drive the Harriet Tubman Byway - a driving tour with many sites related to Harriet Tubman's life.

This movie was not filmed in Dorchester County. I was a bit disappointed about that fact. Hiking 100 miles is a huge feat but walking 100 miles through marshy areas is terrifying to me (I have a great fear of snakes). Also, the movie was an abbreviated depiction of her life. I'm sure it was not easy to pack a lifetime worth of information into a two hour and five minute movie. I would have loved this movie to have been mini-series length. Despite those two things, I enjoyed this moving very much. I loved watching Ms. Erivo as Minty. I think she was perfect for the role. The singing was touching and perfect for the setting. I enjoyed Erivo's voice immensely. 

It will never be determined whether Harriet's head injury (being hit in the head by an overseer) led to her "spells", whether she had a neurological disorder such as seizures, or whether she fell out when God gave her visions, but it is clear that she had an unshakable faith. And she saved lives through that faith. Harriet Tubman was pretty amazing and I recommend this movie to anyone who wants to get a more clear idea of who she was and what she was able to do with her life.

Finally, I rented Harriet for $1.99 on Amazon Prime and watched the movie twice (once for each day of the rental). I don't think you can beat that price for good entertainment. I highly recommend an Amazon Prime membership for good deals on movies and books among other benefits.

find your copy on Amazon

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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