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Tuesday, May 16, 2023

Reviewing My Experience Of Bamboo Sheets And Bedding Sets

We started using bamboo bedding a couple of years ago. Prior to this, we had cotton sheets in summer and fleece bedding in winter.

However, since I had a severe skin allergy and perimenopause my skin has become super sensitive and I cannot bear anything but the most silky soft materials next to it.

So I was finding our old cotton sheets a bit too crisp and a little irritating and even itchy. The winter soft fleecy sheets were still OK but too warm and unbearable to use in the spring and summer.

People often skimp on good bedding as it is not something people usually see but it is vital for our health. A good comfortable sleep is so important to our emotional and physical well-being. So I started researching alternatives and found that Bamboo bedding has become increasingly popular in the last ten or so years. Given the benefits of Bamboo bedding, we decided to try them.

Our Experience of Sleeping on Bamboo Sheets and Pillowcases.

I was incredibly happy the very first night with the bamboo sheets, duvet cover and pillowcases. They are so silky soft to the touch and did not irritate my skin at all. The pillowcases were lovely so soft and comfortable and had a nice cool feel to them against my face.

It was a real pleasure to get into bed and an added bonus was that they seemed to regulate heat better.

My husband sleeps naturally cold and in recent years I have been throwing sheets and covers off me in the night due to getting too hot.

However using Bamboo bedding for the sheets, duvet cover and pillowcases my husband is warm enough and while I cannot say I am completely cured of the night heat, it is significantly better.

We have bought them gradually and currently have two sets consisting of a duvet cover, a fitted sheet and two pillowcases, one is a light grey and one dark grey. Over time I would like four sets a white one and another dark grey or a soft colour so I can mix and match them.

Why Is Bamboo Bedding A Good Choice

If we are concerned about sustainability and being friendly to the planet bamboo bedding can be a sensible choice.

It grows very quickly and is a renewable resource that needs little water to grow. So if recurrent drought is going to be a factor in our future this is helpful.

Being naturally pest resistant it does not require harmful pesticides to grow as a crop which is helpful to the creatures in nature and ourselves.

Bamboo is resistant to dust mites, mildew and mould which is great for those of us who have to deal with sensitive, allergic skin or asthma.

I have found that the sizes easily fit our bed, duvet and pillows and with the Bamboo being so lightweight and easy to handle it is an easy task to make the bed. Ours came with a zip to close the duvet which is quick and easy and the sheets have an additional elastic strap and elastic edging, making it simple to fit and they never slip during the night. The pillowcases are a simple envelope fitting large enough to cover our pillows easily.

Our Bamboo bedding is very lightweight and folds into a remarkably small package so even in a larger King size it does not take up much room in the linen cupboard.

Also now I have found bedding that works for us, if like me, you like to take your own bedding with you on trips away and holidays it is possible to do that.

Tafts Bamboo Sheets Queen Size Bed Sheet Set, Pure 100% Organic Bamboo Viscose, 17 Inch Deep Pockets – Luxuriously Soft, Silky, Cooling Sheets, Double Stitched, Lifetime Quality Guarantee (Green)

Care Of Bamboo Bedding

As I change our bedding at least once a week I need sheets and covers that are quick and easy to wash and dry all year round.

Bamboo bedding fulfills these criteria easily. I simply put them in a 30-degree delicates machine wash. They are beautifully clean and washing at this low temperature saves electricity costs.

For drying I hang on the washing line whenever it s not raining or hang over a clothes horse inside with the window open or our dehumidifier on and they dry very quickly.

I have also put them in the tumble dryer on occasion on delicate and they come out lovely, though I do not do this often due to the cost of running a tumble dryer these days!

Whichever method you use to dry them there is no need to iron them which is a welcome bonus and they come out perfectly silky soft and gorgeous.

We have had our two sets for a couple of years now and they still look like new. Granted they are more expensive than our other sheets but they are stronger and look and feel significantly better for longer. They have not developed any holes or uncomfortable bobbles. If anything they feel softer now than they originally did and look beautiful on the bed.

Pure Bamboo - Sheets Queen Bed Sheet Set, Genuine 100% Organic Bamboo Viscose, Luxuriously Soft & Cooling, Double Stitching, 16" Deep Pockets, Lifetime Quality Promise (Queen, Ivory)

So in my experience, Bamboo bedding is a great find and something we will continue to use for our sheets, duvet covers and pillowcases.

It is one of the more eco-friendly choices, easy care, good for allergy sufferers and sensitive skin, beautiful to look at and feels so gorgeous against the skin.

They are incredibly comfortable and soothing to sleep on and have made a huge difference to our sleep comfort.

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Monday, May 15, 2023

Book Review: You Let Me Go by Eliza Graham

I recently finished reading You Let Me Go by Eliza Graham and am still thinking about the characters and setting. Beloved grandmother Rozenn passes away quietly and while knowing that she is leaving a will that she could not explain to her two precious granddaughters. Rozenn leaves her beautiful home on the Helord estuary in Cornwall to Gwen and it appears nothing is left to Morane. Why would their grandmother, who clearly adored them both, drive this wedge between them?

"It's not the first time Rozenn has torn her family apart. Something heavy and round presses into her palm. The silver compass. Her guide through the next leg of her voyage? A mist lowers over her eyes. For the last time she looks out of the window at the water - green, grey and blue all at once, glittering in the sunlight."

The story begins with Rozenn quietly passing in her home Vue Claire. Then the story line alternates between Morane's life in the present and Rozenn's life in the 1940s. Both voices are strong and take us into their world.

Morane struggles mightily with her current situation - a broken relationship, starting over, and trying to salvage her business. Her career. Then adding to that the heartbreak of her grandmother's passing with all the second-guessing that might come from being left out of a will. Morane tries her best to be strong and to accept her grandmother's wishes. But it weighs on her and she wants to understand what caused her grandmother to make this decision.

Rozenn's story starts in Paris with her parents, brother, and eventually her twin sister joins the family. Her father is a doctor and they live in financial comfort and privilege.

"Maman was in the salon with a magazine, distracting herself with photographs of clothes, one of many Parisiennes trying to persuade themselves that early June in Paris was just as it had always been."

Paris was occupied by Germany at that time and things were changing for everyone. Resources were becoming scarce. Young men were forced into labor and Jewish families were taken away. Rozenn's family relocates to Brittany, trying to hide her brother Yann from the Germans.

I LOVED this story. The stress of the occupation, the sadness of a grandmother's passing, and the difficulties caused by family secrets were present but somehow lightened by the descriptions of the settings and the love family members had for one another. Sometimes dual storylines can become confusing. But in this case Ms. Graham pulled me in to each setting so completely that I swore I could smell the water and hear the waves crashing in that coastal village. And feel the peaceful setting of Vu Claire - designed by an adult Rozenn.

FYI for Book Lovers - Readers Coffeehouse on Facebook

I had won this book during one of the Great Big Giveaways at Readers Coffeehouse. Readers Coffeehouse is a Facebook group page for people who love reading. The page organizers enforce a "positive" atmosphere where readers are encourage to share what they currently are reading or recommend. Negative reviews are highly discouraged (frankly, I don't see that they are allowed at all).

Some authors choose to give copies of their books away on this page. However, once a year there is an enormous book giveaway. For the day, authors make a post about their book and members leave a comment. The winner for each book is chosen from the comments. Hundreds of books are given away in this manner. It is in this way that I won a copy of You Let Me Go by Eliza Graham.

If you use Facebook and would enjoy an upbeat place to see what others are reading, I encourage you to check out Readers Coffeehouse.

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Sunday, May 14, 2023

How to Prevent a Door Handle From Hitting a Mirrored Closet

Anti-Collision Bumpers for Door Handles into Mirrored Closets

In 2015 I featured this door-stop hinge as a solution for preventing a door handle from crashing into a mirrored closet door.

We've used the hinge since then; however, over the years, we've discovered that pushing the door too hard leaves marks and slightly gouges the door.

While repainting all the bedrooms, we opted for a different anti-collision solution.

These two simple items don't require any installation or assembly.

These Door Bumper Gadgets Are Ideal for Most Lever Style Door Handles Only

Bumpers to protect mirrored closets from doors hitting them

As noted in the above photo, I discovered two gadgets to replace the door hinge stopper I was using.

1. Suction Cup Slide On Silicone Door Bumper:

This bumper slides onto your lever door handle and offers enough distance to stop the handle from crashing into the mirrored closet.

It's a suction cup, so yes, it does suction onto the mirror. If you prefer to always have a door held open, then this is the better option.

A slight tug will easily break the suction so you can close the door.

Yes, it will leave a slight suction cup mark on your mirror, but honestly, it was barely noticeable. I used it for over a month until I switched to the other non-suction bumper featured in the picture.

Why did I switch? With people opening and closing that door quite often, I didn't want it suctioning off and on the mirror all the time.

Check it out in more detail in the photo featured below:

Available on Amazon

2. Smaller Silicone Lever Door Bumper to Protect Mirrored Closets (Without a Suction Cup)

This bumper is smaller but works very well.

It's easy to use; simply slide it onto the lever-style door handle using one of the holes.

Our lever handles aren't waved or curled, so I used the smaller hole to ensure it was snug and wouldn't slip off.

Despite the smaller bumper, it still fully protects the door from hitting the mirror.

Note: The ones I purchased from Amazon Canada were slightly bigger (one of the circles was .9inches versus .8inches in the Amazon link provided below).

Check it out in the photo below:

Bumpers to protect mirrored closets from door handles

Available on Amazon

Another Option I Could Have Done, But Opted Against:

You can get longer door stops; you know, the door stop that all walls have to protect door handles from hitting the wall.

In this case, you would install the door stop on the door itself, and when someone opens the door, the stop will extend passed the door handle and stop against the mirror.

No, I didn't want door stops slamming into the glass. So "no" to this one!

Added Bonus: A Handy Headboard Hack Using the Silicone Suction Cup Bumpers

The headboard on one of our beds always wiggles and bumps the wall. We've adjusted it several times, but it still happens.

I solved the problem by estimating the distance between the headboard and the wall, then cutting the suction cup bumper to fit and putting it between the wall and the headboard. It acts as a barrier. It's solid! The bed no longer bangs the wall when you turn over!

Tips for the Headboard Hack:

If you do this, be sure to cut them longer, then trim them to fit - make it so you have to force it in a bit
Put the suction cup portion on the wall
They don't have to be in the same spot on both sides of the bed - walls may not be level, so simply put them where they will best grab the bed and the wall on each side.

Check it out in the photo below:

Warning: If you have little kids or pets, be cautious with these smaller gadget suggestions. In fact, if I had little kids and/or pets, I would stick with my original suggestion, a door hinge stopper.

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Saturday, May 13, 2023

Visit Your Relatives Day – A Holiday Review

National Visit Your Relatives Day is celebrated yearly on May 18.

A Holiday Celebrating Family

Having recently returned from a visit to two of my grown children in two different states, along with their families, I was intrigued to discover the delightful holiday known as Visit Your Relatives Day. And I highly recommend visiting family, both your close nuclear family and extended family.

So many events occur in family life – weddings, anniversaries, birthdays, new baby, graduations, etc. - each become more special when family can celebrate together.

Grandson and his G-Ma

On my recent visit, not only did I get to see my daughter and her husband in one city, but my daughter & I then traveled together to a nearby state to visit her brother and his family. The main feature of the trip was to celebrate my grandson's 21st birthday.

In years past, families generally lived near each other, making spending time together fairly easy. Today's lifestyles tend to take family members in many directions, with siblings and parents, aunts & uncles, cousins and grandparents living vast miles apart. Therefore, having a holiday to celebrate visiting family is a nice reminder to find ways to spend time together.

Family Visits

With today's technology of cell phones, video calls, and the internet, it is easier than ever to 'keep in touch' with family on a regular basis with video calls and email.

But there really is no substitute for actual face to face interaction. Physical contact with our relatives both near and far is important to our health and well-being. It is also marvelous to be able to reconnect with each other and celebrate our memories and shared history.

Summary

Virtual communication is a long-distance treat between real-time visits, but there is really nothing that replaces an actual hug from a grandparent, holding your sibling's new baby in your arms, or being there in person to share your grandchild's birthday.

So, on National Visit Your Relatives Day, reach out to a relative in any way you can, and always keep in touch.

National Visit Your Relatives Day
May 18

For More Holiday Reviews, Check out ReviewThisReviews: Holidays

The Relatives CameCheck Price Visiting FamilyCheck Price

*Holiday Review of National Visit Your Relatives Day is written by Wednesday Elf

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Friday, May 12, 2023

SentrySafe Safe Box Lock Box Review

When our daughter went to college, we made sure she had a lock box for her spending cash and jewelry.

One of our biggest concerns about dorm living is that she wouldn't know all of her roommates. She was allowed to request one roommate, but the other two would be assigned. Plus, they would all have guests visiting the dorm room. Again, they would be students they had just met on campus.

Our daughter didn't have expensive jewelry or a lot of cash. Mostly, she had her class ring and cash for the laundromat. We made sure she had several rolls of quarters so she could use the washing machines. Ironically, the quarters were highly sought after.

Something we did not think about in advance, was is the need to lock up her wallet, car keys and computer flash drives when she went to the swimming pool or gym. That little lock box turned out to be an essential item for her dorm room.

Yes, someone could carry off the entire box, but they would not be able to slip it in their pocket like you could keys, cash, or flash drives.

After graduation, she was able to continuing using that box for her passport, birth certificate, etc. The SentrySafe lock box adds the additional protection for those documents by being fireproof and waterproof for an hour.

The only downside that we have found with the box is that it is heavy. However, since she rarely lifted it, that was not a problem. Better to have the fire and water protection than to have a lighter weight lock box.

Because she had so many uses for this lock box at college and afterwards, we also purchased one for our son when he went to college.

SentrySafe Fireproof and Waterproof Safe BoxCheck PriceSentry Safe Lock Box

We opted for the smaller lock box since it was plenty large enough for their needs.

Key Lock
Exterior: 14.3" depth x 15.4" wide x 6.6" high
Interior: 12.8" x 8.5" x 4.4"
Fireproof for 1 hour (depending on temperature)
Waterproof for 72 hrs. of submersion
Approximately 27lbs.
Made in Mexico
Great for Dorm Rooms or Home
Perfect for Under the Bed Storage

For a full college dorm room checklist, click here!

Thursday, May 11, 2023

Review of Spring Flowers 2023

I love photography and, in the springtime, flowers make particularly great subjects. Each year I have been trying to post some of my favorite flowers from that year. In this post I will highlight some of my favorites from 2023. The photo above is of some daffodils in one of our city parks. It was taken in early March when they were just starting to bloom and since it was a rather cloudy morning the blossoms were "bowing down" waiting to be warmed by the sun.

A Few Tips for Photographing Spring Flowers

Cloudy days are great for showing off the colors in the flowers.

Right after a rainstorm you can get some great photos including raindrops on the flowers.
Be sure to get some closeups and some wider shots of a grouping of flowers.

Look for unusual angles.
Set your aperture to blur out the backgrounds.
Don't forget to photograph the beautiful blossoms in trees as you see in the photo above and the one below.

I like taking photos of the buds of a flower and then of the fully opened bloom.

Flowers around my Neighborhood

The great part about spring flowers for me is that I don't even have to travel far. I can find lots of spring blooms in my own yard or on my neighborhood walks.

Enjoy the Beauty of Springtime!!

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Wednesday, May 10, 2023

Your Back Will Love This Practical Laundry Bag Backpack

Carrying laundry to and from the basement laundry room in our old house has always been a bit nerve-wracking, thanks to the narrow, steep basement steps that wouldn’t meet today’s building codes. I can’t navigate them safely without holding onto the handrail (which is only on one side). So, when I was perusing Amazon and accidentally happened upon a laundry bag backpack, I got quite excited.

Today, I’m sharing my review of this spacious, practical laundry bag backpack that turned out to be the perfect solution to my clothes-toting challenge.

Whether you have a large family, hate doing laundry or know a busy college student who makes trips to the washer and dryer only when they're running out of clean clothes, toting around large loads of laundry can be a real pain in the back, especially for those of us who already suffer from back pain. Fortunately, the smart folks at Ãzhido have made toting multiple loads' worth of dirty or clean clothes back and forth to the laundry room or laundromat a lot easier on the back with their extra-large laundry bag backpack.

Here's what I love about it.

Hands-Free, Comfortable, Back-Sparing Design

Because it's a backpack, my hands are free to hold onto the banister as I lug my tops, pants, underwear, socks, etc. up and down the stairs to the washer and dryer. There is also much less strain on my back, thanks to the lightweight fabric and the weight load of the contents being balanced behind me and distributed evenly between the comfortable, thick, foam padded straps.

As a result, I can easily carry multiple loads' worth of apparel to and from the laundry room in one trip, something I could never manage with a conventional laundry bag or basket.

Extra-Large Capacity

Excluding the gray, drawstring-top extension gusset (which folds down into the bag when not needed those dimensions increase to 39.4"L x 15.1"W x 15.1"H with a 115-liter (4.06-cubic foot) capacity, easily enough space to accommodate three to four loads' worth of clothing.

There is also a 15” x 11.2” outer pocket to hold laundry detergent and other items, which is especially useful if you are going to and from a laundromat. I have also used it to keep delicate, hand-washable items separate.

Even filled with two loads' worth of clothing, the bag is just half full.

Perfect for Bedding and Oversized Items

Because of its generous capacity, this laundry bag backpack can be used to carry large quilts and comforters, king-size bedding, pillows, down coats and others large, bulky items that can be unwieldy.

Adjustable Size

Just as the extension gusset at the top accommodates extra-large loads, the webbing strap can be folded over the top and securely latched to make the bag more compact when carrying smaller loads. The length of the shoulder straps can also be adjusted to fit the wearer and balance the weight optimally.

You can gauge the size of this extra-large laundry bag backpack on my 6' tall husband. The gray webbing strap can be folded over the top and securely latched on the other side to make the bag more compact for smaller loads. You can also see the large outer pocket for detergent, delicates, etc.

Sturdy Fabric and Durable Construction

The main body and padded straps of this laundry backpack are made of sturdy, rip-resistant 600-denier oxford cloth fabric. All points of wear have reinforced stitching, and the durable webbing straps and secure locking catches are also made for heavy-duty wear and tear over the years.

laundry backpack with foam padded straps

You can see the reinforced stitching and sturdy webbing on all the straps as well as the loop for hanging on a hook or doorknob or to carry the bag by hand for smaller loads.

Convenient Carry Handle / Hanging Loop

The sturdy loop made of heavy-duty webbing can be used to hang this laundry hamper backpack from a doorknob or hook or even carry it if your load is light.

Wide Opening

The wide opening at the top makes both filling and unloading this laundry bag extremely easy.

You can see how easy it is to fill and unload the bag, thanks to the wide top opening (the gray extension gusset is opened up here to accommodate up to 3–4 loads).

Compact Folded Size

When not in use, this laundry bag backpack folds down to a very compact size for storage.

laundry bag backpack folded to compact size

Wide Choice of Colors

At the time of this review's publication, this laundry bag backpack comes in a choice of 13 colors: Teal (the one I chose), Army Green, Black, Dark Blue, Light Blue, Khaki (a pale tan, like chinos), Light Purple (a plum color), Orange, Pink, Purple (a grape color), Red (a deep crimson), Yellow and Charcoal Grey. The wide selection of colors is especially nice if you plan to give these as gifts.

Very Affordable

At the time of this review's publication, the price of this extra-large, heavy-duty laundry bag backpack on Amazon is on sale for less than $22 ($20.49 TO $21.49, depending on the color), regularly $22.99-$26.59, making it an affordable and effective solution to a frustrating problem.

Makes a Great, Practical Gift

The manufacturer emphasizes the usefulness of this product for college students, and I agree that these would make wonderful graduation gifts for high school seniors or anytime gifts for college students.

I also think they would be terrific gifts for anyone who uses a laundromat, has their laundry room on a different floor from the bedrooms or just does a lot of large loads on a regular basis.