Great Household Tips

Great Household Tips

Ants Problem : Ants hate cucumbers. Keep the skin of cucumbers near the place or ant hole.

What made me post this Great Household Tips was this article on how to eliminate ants. Just imagine you see an ant trail one day.  The next, you might probably see an ant hill.  Might you not wonder whether they have dug a tunnel beneath your house by the way they so industriously marched past?  Must remember to keep some cucumber skins to try a little elimination.  Not polluting the environment with any Ridsect nor Shieldtox anyway. 

Nope, it is not working.  Tried twice during the last two weekends.  Still have ants crawling past my window sill.

To get pure and clean ice : Boil water first before freezing.

To make the mirror shine : Clean with spirit

To remove chewing gum from clothes : Keep the cloth in the freezer for an hour.

To whiten white clothes : Soak white clothes in hot water with a slice of lemon for 10 minutes.

This I have to try.  I have used Amway, I have used Top.  Currently I am using Liquid Dynamo.  The clothes now do have a pleasant smell after being dried under the sun.  But my white clothes still do not stay white.  Just bought Attack.  Thought soaking the laundry overnight and some hard scrubbing might work.     

To give a shine to hair : Add one teaspoon of vinegar to hair, then wash hair.

To get maximum juice out of lemons : Soak lemons in hot water for one hour, and then juice them.

To avoid smell of cabbage while cooking : Keep a piece of bread on the cabbage in the vessel while cooking.

To avoid tears while cutting onions : Chew gum.

To boil potatoes quickly : Skin one potato from one side only before boiling.

This I have tried.  It works.  It is definitely must faster than what I was used to.

To remove ink from clothes : Put toothpaste on the ink spots generously and let it dry completely, then wash.

To skin sweet potatoes quickly : Soak in cold water immediately after boiling.

To get rid of mice or rats : sprinkle black pepper in places where you find mice or rats. They will run away.

Have not tried this. I can't find it in my heart to think these furry creatures adorable.  They give me the squirm.  Any one love rats?

The Quickest Way To Stop Diarrhoea‏

If you always like to “lau sai” until damn “chiak lak”, perhaps you can follow the remedy below. No need to pay money!

This is an age old practice, which is true provided the diarrhoea is not cause by virulent pathogens such as Cholera and Typhoid, which will need added antibiotics.

Please read on…. 
 

QUICKEST WAY TO STOP DIARRHOEA
by: A Singaporean

When someone gets diarrhoea, sometimes the solution is so easy, we wonder why anyone has to suffer.
 
Of all the ingredients here, the most potent is Rice, but not in the usual form we eat it in, and neither would rice porridge work well too.

The secret is in rice water.

This is already known in this region. Ask your maids -- Sri Lankan, Indonesian, Filipina and they would know about it. My Malaysian relatives know about it.

(My mother) knew about it. When Dr Albert Winsemius came to Singapore for a farewell and thank you dinner in his honour, he brought along his wife, Aly and his granddaughter, Jolijn. Both women came down with very bad gastroenteritis. They saw the doctor who gave them medication. It was slow to work.

My mother boiled some rice in lots of water and went to their hotel with two 1.5L bottles of rice water.  I cringed in shame at the offer of this folk remedy, which seemed so primitive to me. Never heard of this cure before. To my surprise, it worked, and they were even able to go out for dinner the next day. Both were exclaiming how the rice water did the trick of making them well again. Well, luckily it worked, I thought to myself.

I was discussing this some years back with Kim Ng, the ex-matron of KK Hospital.  She said, yes, that is what Professor Wong Hock Boon, the notable pediatrician teaches. I was shocked and made some comment how could he?  It was common knowledge so what had he to do with it?

Many months later, I regretted laughing at it.  Dr Christina Shanta Emmanuel,  who is the CEO of...uh, which group I have forgotten, either National Health Group, or Polyclinics, or whatever.. regarded me seriously when I brought up the topic like it was good fun. She said that Prof Wong Hock Boon had presented a paper on it at some conference after he had done clinical trials. 

Then his results were published in the Lancet, the Medical Journal all doctors read. In fact, said Shanta, he was credited for saving the lives of 2 million African babies
by this method.

I am impressed.

It is rice water and not rice, that does the trick. I have found it effective again and again.

THE EXACT RECIPE FOR THE REMEDY
 
You take a handful of rice and boil it in a large saucepan with lots of water. Like three or four large glasses. Then you cool that and drink the water. If you are in a hurry to relieve the ailing person, take the saucepan off the fire and stand it in another saucepan or basin of cool water with ice cubes if necessary. This gives the patient a chance to drink the rice
water sooner and cure himself or herself sooner.

When drinking the rice water, make sure there is lots of it. You have to tell the patient that enough water must go in to line your guts from throat to other end, all 10 to 12 metres of it.  If you take rice, it stays in the stomach. If you take broth, some of it may go into the small intestine.  But if you take rice water, it will carry rice grains to every inch of your small and large intestines to the end where the problem is.

How does it work?  Even Prof Wong Hock Boon doesn't know. Read the article by going to this site: http://rehydrate.org/dd/dd06.htm#page2

It is good to pass on the news to everyone you know because the complaint is so common and people suffer unnecessarily. You would be doing your friends a great favour to relieve them of their misery when the occasion arises.
 

Maya Angelou

I just want to share the thoughts she lives by!!!

In April, Maya Angelou was interviewed by Oprah on her 70+ birthday. Oprah asked her what she thought of growing older.
And, there on television, she said it was 'exciting... '

Maya Angelou said this:
'I've learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow.'

'I've learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights.'

'I've learned that regardless of your relationship with your parents, you'll miss them when they're gone from your life.'

'I've learned that making a 'living' is not the same thing as making a life.'

'I've learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance.'
'I've learned that you shouldn't go through life with a catcher's mitt on both hands; you need to be able to throw some things back...'

'I've learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision.'

'I've learned that even when I have pains, I don't have to be one.'

'I've learned that every day you should reach out and touch someone. People love a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back....'

'I've learned that I still have a lot to learn..'
'I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.'

Maya has some fine thoughts and I tend to agree with her on her last line ... that people will never forget how you made them feel.  I remembered how I wanted to do more and tend to work even more efficiently when I knew my ex-boss appreciated my work. 

Be Thankful!..

I AM THANKFUL: FOR THE WIFE

WHO SAYS IT'S INSTANT MEE TONIGHT,

BECAUSE SHE IS HOME WITH ME,

AND NOT OUT WITH SOMEONE ELSE.

FOR THE HUSBAND

WHO IS ON THE SOFA

BEING A COUCH POTATO,

BECAUSE HE IS HOME WITH ME

AND NOT OUT AT THE BARS.

FOR THE TEENAGER

WHO IS COMPLAINING ABOUT DOING DISHES

BECAUSE IT MEANS SHE IS AT HOME, NOT ON THE STREETS

FOR THE TAXES I PAY

BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM EMPLOYED.

FOR THE MESS TO CLEAN AFTER A PARTY

BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE BEEN SURROUNDED BY FRIENDS.

FOR THE CLOTHES THAT FIT A LITTLE TOO SNUG

BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE ENOUGH TO EAT.

FOR A LAWN THAT NEEDS MOWING,

WINDOWS THAT NEED CLEANING,

AND GUTTERS THAT NEED FIXING

BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE A HOME.



FOR ALL THE COMPLAINING

I HEAR ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT

BECAUSE IT MEANS WE HAVE FREEDOM OF SPEECH.

FOR THE PARKING SPOT

I FIND AT THE FAR END OF THE PARKING LOT

BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM CAPABLE OF WALKING

AND I HAVE BEEN BLESSED WITH TRANSPORTATION.

FOR MY HUGE ELECTRIC BILL

BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM WARM.

FOR THE LADY BEHIND ME IN THE CHOIR WHO SINGS OFF KEY

BECAUSE IT MEANS I CAN HEAR

FOR THE PILE OF LAUNDRY AND IRONING

BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE CLOTHES TO WEAR.


FOR WEARINESS AND ACHING MUSCLES AT THE END OF THE DAY

BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE BEEN CAPABLE OF WORKING HARD.


FOR THE ALARM THAT GOES OFF IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS

BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM ALIVE.

AND FINALLY, FOR TOO MANY E-MAILS

BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE FRIENDS WHO ARE THINKING OF ME.

Live well, Laugh often, & Love with all of your heart!

True enough, some of us are blessed with most of the above.  So before we voice a complain, think back on these phrases.  How lucky we are to be alive, living in a relatively peaceful part of this world.  We even have eateries open 24/7 if we want to pamper ourselves, affordable food and clothing, sunny weather on most days.  

So, begin your day with a smile.  Give your love one a kiss in the morning, begin your day on a positive note. 

And this I must share with you.  One second hand luxury car dealer once told me that I should encourage my husband to constantly change/upgrade his car.  Guess what she gave me as a good reason ...... so that he won't have that much excess money to spend it on another lady.  So, the numerous times when my husband  changed his cars, I have kept quiet.  Yes, yes, I know.  That luxury car dealer was very astute, had really perfected her marketing skills.  She had once told me she will never let a customer out of her grasp.  Till now I still remember her reasoning.    

Colon

I would suggest whoever visit my blog, not to skip this page.  You might find it distasteful but mostly true.  We might at one time or another, experienced any of the following listed below and disdainfully dismissed it.  But, do give it a thought what your colon is trying to tell you......... 


... it can reveal surprising facts about your health! Kids are proud to show off their poop?  But most adults rarely glance inside the toilet bowl. But the truth is...

...Examining your poop is one of the best ways to find out what's really going on in your body.

So take this quick quiz to get the inside scoop on your poop!

Question #1: How long does it take you to have a bowel movement?

Less than 60 seconds

More than two minutes

Answer: Healthy bowel movements happen within 60 seconds of sitting on the toilet. The stool should easily come out without straining, grunting or any discomfort. It should have the consistency of toothpaste. If you have time to read a newspaper while sitting on the toilet, you'll probably have a problem with constipation or poor bowel health.

Question #2: What is the shape of your stool?

Long like a banana, round, hard pellets, thin, pencil-shaped

Answer: Healthy stool averages about four to six inches long and are shaped like a banana or a torpedo. Very narrow, pencil-shaped stool is a sign your colon walls are impacted or you have polyps or growths on the inside of your colon or rectum. This causes the stool to squeeze to get through.
Stress can also create narrow stool.
Hard, round or pellet-shaped stool is a possible sign of poor liver function, lack of exercise, dehydration or constipation.

Question #3: Is your stool accompanied by foul odor?

Yes / No

Answer: Gas or odor is a sign of a bacterial imbalance in your intestinal flora. The "bad" bacteria release foul-smelling gases and toxins that can cramp your colon and create embarrassing odors.

You can eliminate this odor by removing debris and encrusted faeces from the walls of your intestines and restoring the balance in your intestinal flora.

Question #4: What color is your stool?

Yellow Green Brown

Gray Black Bright red

According to Mayo Clinic research, all shades of brown and even green are considered normal stool colors. And the foods you eat can affect the color of your stool. For example, beets, tomato juice, blueberries, popsicles and green leafy vegetables can affect your stool color. However, a distinct change in stool color can be a warning sign for health problems.

Yellow-colored stool indicates your food is moving too quickly through your digestive tract as in the case of diarrhea. If stool is greasy or foul-smelling, it may indicate excess fat caused by malabsorption of nutrients.

Green-colored stool means your food isn't properly being processed through your intestines. As a result, bile isn't broken down, which gives your stool that green color. Green stool can also mean you're eating too much sugar, fruits and vegetables and not enough grains or salt.

Gray or ashy colored stool indicates undigested fats or heavy use of prescription or over-the-counter drugs that contain aluminum hydroxide. It can also indicate a lack of bile in the stool that may be caused by a bile duct obstruction. Black stool is a serious warning sign for bleeding in the upper gastrointestinal tract, possibly the stomach.

Bright red stool may indicate bleeding in the lower intestinal tract - possibly the large intestine or rectum. Hemorrhoids may also be the source of the bleeding.

Question #5: Do you pass gas while you're having a bowel movement or have you noticed air or bubbles in your stool?

Yes / No

Answer: Air or bubbles in stool can indicate an intestinal imbalance. Gas producing bacteria may be overgrowing and competing with the healthier flora in your gut.

Please know this: A normal bowel movement happens within 60 seconds of sitting on the toilet. There should be no straining, pain, bleeding or foul odor accompanied with your bowel movements. And wiping afterwards should be easy and simple, using just one or two pieces of toilet paper!

If that's not your experience in the bathroom, then you need to give your intestines a thorough internal cleaning!

When your colon is in danger, it will do anything and everything to send out an S.O.S. for health!

That means giving you "dragon breath" and "B.O."! If you notice strong body odor, especially under your arm pits...

...Or if your friends shy away and frequently offer you breath mints?

LISTEN to your colon!  It's screaming for help!

And INTESTINAL parasites can also trigger:-

Painful gas and bloating

Irritable bowels

Runny stool or diarrhea

Allergies

Skin outbreaks

Insomnia

Poor immune system

Muscle pain and joint soreness

And much more!

The Shoebox

A man and woman had been married for more than 60 years.

They had shared everything. They had talked about everything.

They had kept no secrets from each other except that the little Old woman had a shoe box on top of her closet that she had cautioned her husband never to open or ask her about.

                                    For all of these years, he had never thought about the box, but

One day the little old woman got very sick and the doctor said she would not recover.

In trying to sort out their affairs, the little old man took down the shoe box and took it to his wife's bedside.

She agreed that it was time that he should know what was In the box. When he opened it, he found two crocheted dolls and a stack of money totaling £95,000.

He asked her about the contents.

'When we were to be married,' she said, ' my grandmother told me the secret of a happy marriage was to never argue. She told me that if I ever got angry with you, I should just keep quiet and crochet a doll.'

The little old man was so moved; he had to fight back tears. Only two Precious dolls were in the box. She had only been angry with him two times in all those years of living and loving. He almost burst with Happiness.

'Honey,' he said, 'that explains the doll, but what about all of this money?

Where did it come from?'

'Oh,' she said, 'that's the money I made from selling the dolls.'

A Prayer.......

Dear Lord, I pray for Wisdom to understand my man;

Love to forgive him; And Patience for his moods;

Because Lord, if I pray for Strength, I'll beat him to death,

Because I don't have time to crochet.

....Ha, the virtue of patience.  Otherwise there will be many more homicidal cases.  It's just that I won't know how to crochet a doll, perhaps crocheting a table mat also has its redeeming qualities.   But I am too impulsive.  I will rather have it out in the open.  Settle it once and for all, then put it past me.

This Will Touch, Challenge And Transform Any Person

True Story --

At the prodding of my friends, I am writing this story. My name is Mildred Hondorf. I am a former elementary school music teacher from Des Moines, Iowa.  I've always supplemented my income by teaching piano lessons-something I've done for over 30 years. Over the years I found that children have many levels of musical ability. I've never had the pleasure of having a prodigy though I have taught some talented students.


However I've also had my share of what I call "musically challenged" pupils. One such student was Robby. Robby was 11 years old when his mother (a single Mom) dropped him off for his first piano lesson. I prefer that students (especially boys!) begin at an earlier age, which I explained to Robby.


But Robby said that it had always been his mother's dream to hear him play the piano. So I took him as a student. Well, Robby began with his piano lessons and from the beginning I thought it was a hopeless endeavor. As much as Robby tried, he lacked the sense of tone and basic rhythm needed to excel. But he dutifully reviewed his scales and some elementary pieces that I require all my students to learn.


Over the months he tried and tried while I listened and cringed and tried to encourage him. At the end of each weekly lesson he'd always say, "My mom's going to hear me play someday." But it seemed hopeless. He just did not have any inborn ability. I only knew his mother from a distance as she dropped Robby off or waited in her aged car to pick him up. She always waved and smiled but never stopped in.


Then one day Robby stopped coming to our lessons.

I thought about calling him but assumed because of his lack of ability, he had decided to pursue something else. I also was glad that he stopped coming. He was a bad advertisement for my teaching!


Several weeks later I mailed to the student's homes a flyer on the upcoming recital. To my surprise Robby (who received a flyer) asked me if he could be in the recital. I told him that the recital was for current pupils and because he had dropped out he really did not qualify. He said that his mother had been sick and unable to take him to piano lessons but he was still practicing. "Miss Hondorf, I've just got to play!" he insisted.


I don't know what led me to allow him to play in the recital. Maybe it was his persistence or maybe it was something inside of me saying that it would be all right. The night for the recital came. The high school gymnasium was packed with parents, friends and relatives. I put Robby up last in the program before I was to come up and thank all the students and play a finishing piece. I thought that any damage he would do would come at the end of the program and I could always salvage his poor performance through my "curtain closer."


Well, the recital went off without a hitch. The students had been practicing and it showed. Then Robby came up on stage. His clothes were wrinkled and his hair looked like he'd run an eggbeater through it. "Why didn't he dress up like the other students?" I thought. "Why didn't his mother at least make him comb his hair for this special night?"


Robby pulled out the piano bench and he began. I was surprised when he announced that he had chosen Mozart's Concerto #21 in C Major. I was not prepared for what I heard next. His fingers were light on the keys, they even danced nimbly on the ivories. He went from pianissimo to fortissimo. From allegro to virtuoso. His suspended chords that Mozart demands were magnificent! Never had I heard Mozart played so well by people his age. After six and a half minutes he ended in a grand crescendo and everyone was on their feet in wild applause.

Overcome and in tears I ran up on stage and put my arms around Robby in joy. "I've never heard you play like that Robby! How'd you do it? " Through the microphone Robby explained: "Well, Miss Hondorf Remember I told you my Mom was sick? Well, actually she had cancer and passed away this morning And well . . . She was born deaf so tonight was the first time she ever heard me play. I wanted to make it special."


There wasn't a dry eye in the house that evening. As the people from Social Services led Robby from the stage to be placed into foster care, I noticed that even their eyes were red and puffy and I thought to myself how much richer my life had been for taking Robby as my pupil.


No, I've never had a prodigy but that night I became a prodigy. . .. Of Robby's. He was the teacher and I was the pupil for it is he that taught me the meaning of perseverance and love and believing in yourself and maybe even taking a chance in someone and you don't know why.


Robby was killed in the senseless bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City in April of 1995. And now, a footnote to the story.


.... For the love of his mum, Robby made sure he excel.  He wanted to make it a special recital dedicated to her.  So for the love of ........ what challege do we want to take upon ourselves?