Even though this blog isn't really "about" housecleaning stuff (and that's one of my least favorite topics/activities), I did want to share this quick tip, gleaned from a kind friend of mine who used to clean houses for a living.
If you've got one of those bumpy fiberglass showers or tubs, you'll know what a drag it can be to remove soap scum and water stains from them. (Or, if you've got an antique cast-iron, porcelain-coated clawfoot tub that was last cleaned 15 years before you took it over...) The quick and clean answer? Oven cleaner. Cheap off-brand stuff works just fine here. Spray it on and leave the offending room for an hour or so (close the door behind you so no pets decide to head in and sample the neat foamy stuff). When you return, removing stuck-on goop is a cinch. Make sure to use gloves and turn on the exhaust fan or open a window, lest all the good guck in your lungs also be stripped away.
So that's my tip -- probably the extent of my miniscule cleaning knowledge, other than using liquid dish soap to treat grease stains in the laundry. Hope it helps somebody out when prepping for holiday guests.
May your Monday be fast and nonsucky.
Piper Denna
Romance is sexy!
USA Today Best of 2012
Monday, December 7, 2009
Friday, December 4, 2009
Wee spot o' news
So I was playing tag yesterday (well, not playing, so much as working, and it wasn't really hard to catch the object of my attention, because I was actually on Amazon tagging my books so they'll come up in searches more readily) and came across something quite thrilling. Pardon me while I yell it:
PRINT COPIES OF LONE STAR TROUBLE ARE AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER ON AMAZON!
Yes, I know. I was excited, too. Release date shows as December 31st on our Amazon, but in Canada it says January 1. Either way... squeeeeeeeee!
This means all those people I know who don't really "get" ebooks will finally believe I am a published author. squeeeeee!
In other news, young Fuscius-etta turns a strapping 12 years old tomorrow. (when I think back to 12 years ago... hoooboy. What a miserable time. I didn't even wish for it all to be over -- I was certain it would be soon, and I'd be dead. ugg. Having another baby wouldn't be so bad if I didn't have to have the baby, ya know... it was not a good childbirth. Definitely not a textbook delivery) Anyway. We're going to see David Archuleta (double squeeeee on her behalf) live -- in concert -- and I'll bare my soul further today and admit this is my. Very. First. Concert. Aside from seeing part of a live Nelson performance at a 6 Flags park in 1992, when I'm pretty sure they were already on their way out, oh and whiny little SIL was along so we had to stand in BACK because the loud noise hurt her ears. Good God. I dare say, this will be much more fun. One swooning pre-teen, a good galpal, me, and about 1000 other screamin tweens and their kind moms. Oh, and one cutie petutie ArchieKid up on stage crooning to us all.
Are ya excited yet, eA? :)
Happy Friday, I'm off the 5th Grade class of Children of the Corn today. Pray for me and wish me hair at day's end.
Autumn Piper
Got romance?
PRINT COPIES OF LONE STAR TROUBLE ARE AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER ON AMAZON!
Yes, I know. I was excited, too. Release date shows as December 31st on our Amazon, but in Canada it says January 1. Either way... squeeeeeeeee!
This means all those people I know who don't really "get" ebooks will finally believe I am a published author. squeeeeee!
In other news, young Fuscius-etta turns a strapping 12 years old tomorrow. (when I think back to 12 years ago... hoooboy. What a miserable time. I didn't even wish for it all to be over -- I was certain it would be soon, and I'd be dead. ugg. Having another baby wouldn't be so bad if I didn't have to have the baby, ya know... it was not a good childbirth. Definitely not a textbook delivery) Anyway. We're going to see David Archuleta (double squeeeee on her behalf) live -- in concert -- and I'll bare my soul further today and admit this is my. Very. First. Concert. Aside from seeing part of a live Nelson performance at a 6 Flags park in 1992, when I'm pretty sure they were already on their way out, oh and whiny little SIL was along so we had to stand in BACK because the loud noise hurt her ears. Good God. I dare say, this will be much more fun. One swooning pre-teen, a good galpal, me, and about 1000 other screamin tweens and their kind moms. Oh, and one cutie petutie ArchieKid up on stage crooning to us all.
Are ya excited yet, eA? :)
Happy Friday, I'm off the 5th Grade class of Children of the Corn today. Pray for me and wish me hair at day's end.
Autumn Piper
Got romance?
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Gone Tubin' Again
Today's tube is the special Christmas trailer for Waiting for Revenge. Since the story is set between Thanksgiving and New Year's, I made both "regular" and holiday versions. (and only a minute long, too, which is tough)
Waiting for Revenge Christmas
Have a great one and stay warm.
Autumn Piper
Got romance?
Waiting for Revenge Christmas
Have a great one and stay warm.
Autumn Piper
Got romance?
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Can we heal the rift?
We have a serious, swept-under-the-rug problem in this society. Nobody really talks about it, but it's there, destroying things we hold dear and undermining relationships.
I think it's a fairly modern problem, although our ancestors may have dealt with it in milder form. Today I'm looking for solutions, suggestions, and similar stories. With any luck, maybe I can start a grass-roots movement and get some public education going.
Educating couples (particularly men!) at the onset of committed relationships would go a long way toward closing the gap.
So, you might be asking (WTH is she yammering about?), what is this big conundrum?
The trouble starts when a non-laundry-doing partner in a relationship leaves something (valuable or breakable or with possible destructive properties such as an ink pen) in HIS pockets and the item gets washed. And usually dried as well. Some items simply do not survive the tumbling and power-jetting of a modern washing machine, which is likely to infuriate the negligent owner of said pocketed item. Of course, other clothing can also be ruined in the process, which is likely to infuriate the owner of said clothing (otherwise why in the name of Hercules would she have bothered to wash the damn clothes??? She'd simply have thrown them in the garbage if she wanted them ruined!).
Inevitably, NonLaundryDoer blames LaundryDoer for Not. Checking. Pockets. (wherein somebody's head immediately spins in circles while green guck spews from her lips)
Hello? Is not the fact that she is washing his freaking clothes enough burden to lay upon her soft shoulders? Now she's got to poke thru his pocket lint in search of useful items too?
LaundryDoer, naturally (and correctly) argues that it was HIS responsibility to remove his shit from his pockets before depositing his clothing in the hamper. *with her arms folded over her chest*
Well, there you have the crux of it, and boy has this caused problems in many a relationship.
Stalemate? I think not. The solution is to find someone these men admire/trust/adore and have him or her educate them, whether through a stand-up comedy act, an episode of South Park/Reno 911, or Public Service Announcements in Sports Illustrated and during half-times and The Victoria's Secret Fall Fashion Show. There's got to be a way to get to these men, I just know it. After all, we know they are wrong...
So please, offer up your war stories or suggestions, or even just a funny laundry-oops story.
Myself, I've washed everything from receipts and checks to pocket-knives (God if only I had a buck for every time the pocket knife when into the washer, and I got hollered at for it. You know, it's not good for knives to get so wet...) to screws, wirenuts, a red ink pen (neato permanent design inside my dryer and on the rest of the load), cans of Copenhagen (yuck and super yuck), too many lip balms to count (and did I yell and berate myself for leaving them in my jeans pocket? heck no), a few Polly Pockets and Legos, Hot Wheels cars, pacifiers, hairbrushes (this is on purpose -- works really well to clean them up, but do pull the hair out of them first) and of course quite a few items belonging to the US Treasury. The last don't distress me in the least. I tend to pocket them with a grin. :D
Have a safe and laundry-surprise free day!
Piper Denna
Romance is sexy! (laundry is not...)
I think it's a fairly modern problem, although our ancestors may have dealt with it in milder form. Today I'm looking for solutions, suggestions, and similar stories. With any luck, maybe I can start a grass-roots movement and get some public education going.
Educating couples (particularly men!) at the onset of committed relationships would go a long way toward closing the gap.
So, you might be asking (WTH is she yammering about?), what is this big conundrum?
The trouble starts when a non-laundry-doing partner in a relationship leaves something (valuable or breakable or with possible destructive properties such as an ink pen) in HIS pockets and the item gets washed. And usually dried as well. Some items simply do not survive the tumbling and power-jetting of a modern washing machine, which is likely to infuriate the negligent owner of said pocketed item. Of course, other clothing can also be ruined in the process, which is likely to infuriate the owner of said clothing (otherwise why in the name of Hercules would she have bothered to wash the damn clothes??? She'd simply have thrown them in the garbage if she wanted them ruined!).
Inevitably, NonLaundryDoer blames LaundryDoer for Not. Checking. Pockets. (wherein somebody's head immediately spins in circles while green guck spews from her lips)
Hello? Is not the fact that she is washing his freaking clothes enough burden to lay upon her soft shoulders? Now she's got to poke thru his pocket lint in search of useful items too?
LaundryDoer, naturally (and correctly) argues that it was HIS responsibility to remove his shit from his pockets before depositing his clothing in the hamper. *with her arms folded over her chest*
Well, there you have the crux of it, and boy has this caused problems in many a relationship.
Stalemate? I think not. The solution is to find someone these men admire/trust/adore and have him or her educate them, whether through a stand-up comedy act, an episode of South Park/Reno 911, or Public Service Announcements in Sports Illustrated and during half-times and The Victoria's Secret Fall Fashion Show. There's got to be a way to get to these men, I just know it. After all, we know they are wrong...
So please, offer up your war stories or suggestions, or even just a funny laundry-oops story.
Myself, I've washed everything from receipts and checks to pocket-knives (God if only I had a buck for every time the pocket knife when into the washer, and I got hollered at for it. You know, it's not good for knives to get so wet...) to screws, wirenuts, a red ink pen (neato permanent design inside my dryer and on the rest of the load), cans of Copenhagen (yuck and super yuck), too many lip balms to count (and did I yell and berate myself for leaving them in my jeans pocket? heck no), a few Polly Pockets and Legos, Hot Wheels cars, pacifiers, hairbrushes (this is on purpose -- works really well to clean them up, but do pull the hair out of them first) and of course quite a few items belonging to the US Treasury. The last don't distress me in the least. I tend to pocket them with a grin. :D
Have a safe and laundry-surprise free day!
Piper Denna
Romance is sexy! (laundry is not...)
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Tube Tuesday
This song says so much... really speaks to me (for me?), some days. Sure makes me wish I had an ocean to run away to, those times.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z50ZveXL-Ps&feature=related
Have a great day.
Piper Denna
Romance is sexy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z50ZveXL-Ps&feature=related
Have a great day.
Piper Denna
Romance is sexy!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)