Karen

On The Go Portable Solar Panel Review

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Fangrandpa and I were asked to review the 50 watt portable solar module, On The Go Solar Panel from Anywhere Solar. This solar panel arrived in pieces that we had to assemble. It has four interlocking panels that snap to together, then attach to the legs. The included cord has aligator clips that attach to your auxillary battery.

This portable solar panel is lightweight, weighing in at under 10 pounds. When disassembled it takes up very little space. It comes with a storage bag so you can put it under the bed, in the closet, or in the back of your pickup truck and not have to worry about losing pieces of it when traveling with it. The shatterproof panels are extremely durable and scratch resistant.

We set this solar panel up in our backyard in Georgia in late December, and connected it to our travel trailer battery. It only took Fabgrandpa about thirty minutes to put it together. We then set the thermometer on the furnace at 55 degrees, and unplugged the shore power. On sunny days the panel gathered enough solar engery to recharge the battery enough to run the furnace all night when temperatures were in the low 40’s. It would be an excellent setup to use in campgrounds where no electric hookups are available, such as the campground at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.

The kit retails for about $279, and includes:

Four SS-2406 Anywhere Solar panels giving you a 50 watt, 12 volt system to charge your batteries
Two bracing rods for structure and support
Extension cables for connection to batteries up to 16 feet away
One charge controller to safely charge your batteries
A versatile stand for easy set-up
One durable carrying bag for easy transport and storage

The only thing we didn’t like about this kit was that the instruction booklet was not very clearly worded, and the print was way too small for us to read without a magnifying glass.

For more information, visit their webiste, or their Ebay Store.

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The Toilet Paper Chronicles, Part 1

Karen · 3 Comments

/we all need it, right? — We all need it, right?

I can remember long long ago when I was a young girl that toilet paper didn’t come in packages sealed in plastic. They came in one roll packages, wrapped in paper. At least I don’t remember seeing my mother bring home packages of 4 or more rolls back then. I do think she bought Scott Tissue. I have used Scott for as long as I can remember.

When we lived in our RV, we didn’t buy large amounts of toilet paper because we didn’t have much room for storage of things like that. We’d buy the four roll package, and only buy more when we were on the last roll. Sometimes, if we were taking a long trip, such as going from Arizona to Georgia, we’d buy two four roll packs so we could use the rolls to keep things from rolling around in the cabinets.But it is normal for us to only buy four rolls at a time.

Last week, we went to Wal-Mart to pick up a few things. Because I still have in pain my abdomen if I walk very far, I usually get one of those electric carts when we go shopping. The baskets on the front of those carts are not very big. This is important to the story.

Fabgrandpa usually takes part of the items on the shopping list and goes off on his own to get them. I take the other part of the list, and this helps get the shopping done in half the time. So, the toilet paper was on my list of things to get. When I got to the toilet paper aisle, the smallest package of Scott Tissue was the 20 roll pallet. I asked someone in the aisle to get one off the shelf for me and put it in my basket. That brick of toilet paper took up almost the entire basket!

When Fabgrandpa caught up with me, he started laughing. He asked me what I was going to do with all that toilet paper. I was already embarrassed by it and had been thinking that people who saw me were thinking to themselves “What in the heck is that lady gonna do with all that paper? Why do we get embarrassed by things like that? We ALL use it, right? Anyway, I had to laugh too, because it really did seem funny that there are only two people in our family but we were stocked up for months with that half a barge of toilet paper.

The other night, I was in the bathroom, um, taking care of business, when I glanced over at the toilet paper holder, and OMG! it was empty. I sort of drip dried, then got up and looked in all the cabinets in the bathroom, but there was NO TOILET PAPER in there at all. What the heck was going on? It had been only a week since we bought a years supply of the stuff. I stuck my head out of the bathroom door, and asked Fabgrandpa where the toilet paper that we bought last week was?

He had left it in the truck. He was already in his pajamas, so he had to get his shoes and coat on and go out in the rain to retrieve the log of toilet paper. I am happy to report that it is now put away in the bathroom cabinet, averting a toilet paper war.

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Win A Novica $40 Gift Code

Karen · 81 Comments

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Have you heard of Novica? Novica is an organization that wants to give artists and artisans around the world a global platform to express their true artistic talents and to spur their creativity. They want to provide you with access to unique, hard-to-find items at great values that only the Internet infrastructure can allow.

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They want to create a bridge between you and the many talented artisans across the globe. NOVICA. The World is Your Market.

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Novica lets you browse gifts from across the globe, but it is more than that. It allows native people around the world to be able to sell their wares, and thus helps them make a living. One of the features I like best about them is that enable anyone to finance an artist or entrepreneur anywhere in the world through Microfinance Loans. From their website:

In a climate where the world’s most challenged entrepreneurs are subjected to painfully high interest rates, we’ve cut out all the financial middlemen, and in true Novica fashion, we’ve taken matters into our own hands.

We are proud to have launched the first-ever microfinance website where customers can purchase products and lend money directly to artisans, with loans at 0% interest!

0% Interest…. are we crazy?! It sounds too good to be true, but this concept is only possible due to the presence of Novica offices in each of our regions. In addition to distributing all customer orders, these offices now also serve as disbursement centers for Artisan Loans, providing artisans access to the credit they need to grow their business.

You can find many, many unique products for sale on the NOVICA site. From Home decor, Jewelry, Furniture, and more. Prices are quite reasonable, and each purchase you make comes with a card introducing you to the person who made the item.

One winner will win a $40 Novica Gift code. To enter, use the Giveaway Tools form:

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Things That Make You go “Hmmmmmm”

Karen · 3 Comments

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When my brother visited me at Christmas, he of course brought his wife, but also brought two of his grandchildren. Ever since then, I have been pondering why, when your own children have children, you get to be called “Grand”, but when your sibling’s children have children, you can only be called “great”? Grand sounds so much more special than Great to me. Grand sounds wonderful, fabulous, extradorinary. Great sounds like, “meh, nothing special”.

Why is it that same person can be so good and special and wonderful and FAB gets to only be called “Grand” by those babies that come from the children you gave birth to. It just seems to me that the title of “Grand Aunt” would be better understood as well. How exactly do you explain to a young child how a relationship exists between the two of you, when the terms change just because you are the sister or brother of their grandfather or grandmother. I know I can’t be the only one wondering about this.

I remember several years ago when my granddaughter visited me when she was about seven years old. We were looking at some old pictures of my children when they were babies. I showed her a baby picture of her father, and she asked me why I had baby pictures of him. I explained to her that I was his mother. “OH! Know I know why you are my grandmother!” It just suddenly clicked with her that a grandmother is the mother of your mother or father. So, it would just make sense to me that second generation aunt should be called GRAND as well, so that children would be better able to understand that if an older woman is the brother or sister of their grandmother or grandfather, then they would be a Grand Aunt or Grand Uncle.

So, what do you think? Does it make more sense for that relationship to be Grand, or only Great? Or am I just that crazy old Great Aunt?

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Have You Seen Parental Guidance? Win $25 Visa Gift Card For Movie Money!

Karen · 282 Comments

Fabgrandpa and I haven’t seen this yet, but we are planning to soon. He loves Bette Midler and has seen every movie she has been in more than once. The storyline is that and old school grandfather and his eager to please wife, played by Billy Crystal and Bette Midler, agree to babysit their three grandchildren while their parents go out of town for work.
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The parents, played by Marissa Tomei and Tom Everett Scott, are type-A helicopter parents, who strictly control their children’s lifes. They give very detailed instructions to the grandparents before leaving, but the grandparents toss the rules as soon as Mama and Daddy leave. It’s when 21st century problems collide with Artie and Diane’s old school methods of tough rules, lots of love and old-fashioned games, it’s learning to bend – and not holding your ground – that binds a family together.

It sounds like a great movie for any age to watch, but because the storyline focuses on how the grandparents in this family handle things, I am especially wanting to see how it ends.

You can see more about Parental Guidance, which came to movie theaters on Christmas Day, by clicking on the link.

WIN: One lucky reader will win the following prize package:

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$25 Visa for a day at the movies

· Retro cassette iPhone case

· Magnetic photo frame

· Crap at My Parents House book

To enter, use the Giveaway Tools form below.

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Eat Smart Precision Tracker Digital Bathroom Scale Review and Giveaway

Karen · 205 Comments

Now that the holidays are over, and everyone, including me, is trying to lose the weight put on from all the goodies we ate, what one thing do you need to be sure you are losing it? A new EatSmart Precision Tracker Digital Bathroom Scale , that’s what.

The last time I had a new bathroom scale, I got it with S&H Green Stamps, so that tells you just how long ago it was. Times have really changed since then, because this Precision Tracker Digital Bathroom Scale can keep track of weight lost or gained for up to eight individuals. The touch screen interface and automatic person identification technology make it one of the most user friendly bathroom scales, and makes tracking your goals so easy! What I like most about it is that it has a lighted digital display, with large, easy to read numbers, so there is no squinting or guessing for this old grandma. Yep, that number went up since yesterday for sure!

Just look at these features:

Measuring Functions: Short Term and Long Term Weight Tracking Capabilities
Proprietary Automatic User Identification Technology; Stores personal data for up to 8 users
EatSmart “Step-On” Technology – Get instant readings!
Large, 3.5″ LCD display with white backlight – Easy to read.
4 High Precision Sensors – Consistent and accurate measurement
Measurement Modes: Pounds / Kilos
Graduation Increments of .2 lbs. / .1kg
Ultra thin, sleek design with high quality tempered glass platform
Max Weight: 400 lbs / 180 kgs
Auto Calibrated; Includes 4 AAA batteries

Buy it: You can purchase Eat Smart Digital Scales online at Amazon.com, where they qualify for free shipping with Amazon Prime.

Win It: On winner will receive an Eat Smart Precision Tracker Digital Scale. To enter, use the Giveaway Tools form below:

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What’s Your Perfect Night In With Friends?

Karen · Leave a Comment

Since I have been recuperating from my surgery since May of last year, I haven’t felt much like going out anywhere. So, when we do see our friends, we usually have them over to watch a movie, play cards, or play games. I have always loved to entertain, and love making my guests feel at home. Part of that includes making some delicious snacks to share with them.

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If we’re going to be watching a movie, I keep it very simple–chips and dip and some cold drinks, along with some popcorn. I don’t want the food to be distracting from the movie. But, if we are going to be playing games sitting at the dining room table, I like to do something a little more fancy. Sausage Cheese Balls are always a good choice. I make them gluten free so everyone can enjoy them. This Gluten Free Cranberry Tangerine Quick Bread is so easy to make and tastes delicious with some cream cheese. It really doesn’t take long to prepare a quick and tasty snack for when friends come over.

The games we like to play are Yatzee and Scrabble. I have a deluxe Scrabble game with a turntable that I have hauled around with me in the RV for 13 years. I had it in our house for many years before that. We also love to play cards, with Spades and Gin Rummy being our most favorite games to play.

I recently started playing games online with my friends. It is so much fun to go to a website and login, and be able to play with people you know, no matter where they live. I play Words With Friends, Word Worm, and Hang Man. One of my favorite online games is online bingo from Ladbrokes. It is just like playing bingo at the VFW but you don’t have to leave the house. I highly recommend this game if you like to play online.

No matter what the games, or what food you serve, or whether you are playing with your friends in person or online, the object of the game is to have fun and enjoy yourself.

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Redoing The Office/Sewing Room With Glidden Paint

Karen · 18 Comments

We bought this house in December, 2011, but we didn’t move in until we got back from Arizona at the end of October, 2012. We had lots of plans to do some remodeling, or redecorating in the house, but then life happened and we had to scale back a bit. I think we have done pretty well with the short time we have been actually living in the house. Especially when you think about that we have gotten it all done with Thanksgiving, Christmas, and numerous doctor visits going on around us.

Here is what the room looked like berfore Fabgrandpa started painting:

It was a hideous color of yellow. The sun coming in through the window is great, but the more sun there was, the more yellow the room looked, and it actually hurt my eyes to look at it. Not to mention that the room was stacked up with my stuff in no particular order.

Glidden Paints sent me 8 quarts of their interior paint–4 quarts of Spring Bluebell, and 4 quarts of Swan White.

Fabgrandpa used to do some painting with a company he worked for, so he didn’t think that 4 quarts of paint would cover the little bedroom I am using for an office and sewing room.

But, when he was finished with the job, he said that this was a very good paint, and the 4 quarts covered the 8’X10′ room quite well. He also liked the way the paint went on the wall. It dried to a uniform color all around the room.

My office now looks like a peaceful place to be

I love the way it looks so fresh and peaceful now. Fabgrandpa helped me put all my things in order, and now even though I need some storage options for this room, I can sit in a relaxing atmosphere and it doesn’t hurt my eyes.

Fabgrandpa is quite proud of his handywork!

After working for me for two days to get this room in shape, the man deserves not only an AttaBoy! but also a nap in the recliner:

Fabgrandpa taking a well deserved break.

If you could redo just one room in your house, which one would it be? What would you have to do to get it in the shape you want it to be in?

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