Stuff I like--Lakeside businesses

We have a new laundromat in Lakeside, and I've used it. I took in a huge pile of bedding and was in and out in 45 minutes for $5.00. I have an apartment size washer and dryer in my tiny basement, just big enough for underwear and t-shirts, but I don't do bedding. It's newly remodeled and owned by Tom and Marcy Winkel who purchased a cottage here in 2001. We chatted a bit. Tom grew up in Upper Arlington and attended Watterson and Marcy used to work at the Worthington Public Library and the College of Medicine at OSU.

Joyce Christman and Erin Rosson have moved Artists 'N Cahoots, the art store, to the former Cokesbury location. You should see the wonderful window display of red, white and blue for this week! Jewelry, Christmas tree ornaments, hand sewn bags, stained glass trimmed mirrors, decorated pots and paintings. If you go inside you can see my husband's paintings and prints. For the most part, they represent the teachers at the Rhein Center.

On Saturday I stopped in at Marilyn's Too on 2nd Street. Always fun to browse through her lake themed gifts, cards, clothing, and furniture. Great Lakeside Cat's Meow stuff. Marilyn is a great cheerleader for all the teen campers at Lakeside. She just loves kids.

Stuff I like--Neutrogena Age Shield Sunblock

I don't "do" sun, but my husband is a sailor and even more fair skinned than I am (and a red-head when he had hair).  So I bought this product for him, Neutrogena Age Shield Sunblock, SPF 45.  One day when I knew I would be outside at an event I used it in place of my regular moisturerizer, and it is just fabulous.  It is non-greasy, has no fragrance, makes your skin feel fabulous, and I haven't seen any reaction with my own make-up.  Neurogena also makes a product called Age Shield, so I assume this is the same product with some sun block added, but I've been fooled before.  I haven't actually tried the one called Age Shield Face, just "Age Shield Sunblock." Therefore, I use it on my arms, neck and legs, too. Maybe it's my imagination, but I think it is a bit reflective--I like that.

More stuff I like--Monday Memories--Merle Norman Cosmetics

Around age 40 I thought it might be nice to learn how to wear make-up.  Must have been a mid-life crisis--you know, you look in the mirror one day and say, Whodat? I had lipstick, mostly red or pink, but foundation, eye shadow, mascara, blush, moisturizer, etc. were whatever I'd picked up along the way. So, I walked into a Merle Norman shop in the Lane Avenue Mall in Upper Arlington, and made an appointment for a "make-over."  Earthtones were all the rage then, but I liked the look and the older saleswoman (about 50) was gorgeous and very low key--just my type.  So I bought the powder base, moisturizer, cleansing cream, that red goop in a bottle, blush, eye shadow, mascara, and a rust colored lipstick.  I know all about bacteria warnings in make-up, but some of those products I must have had for 20 years because I didn't use them often.

I found out from the saleswoman (consultant?) that reds and rose weren't good for my extremely fair, peachy coloring, and I learned to apply foundation sparingly in a connect the dots method and not mask-like in the jaw area. This was a good tip particularly because as women age, we should wear less, not more, to cover facial wrinkles.  The last thing you want is an orangy or rose hue build up in those crevices and valleys. I never did much with eye lid color or mascara.  Makes my eyes itch, and again, as women age, lots of eye liner gives that startled racoon in the garbage can look. And God forbid if you shed a tear--big smears!

Then I discovered that these little stores come and go!  Rents are high in the malls, and women are fickle, it seems. After Lane closed, I went to Kingsdale, and it closed and I drove to Worthington; then to Westland.  Fortunately, in her teens, my daughter became a Merle Norman user, and she started giving it to me for birthdays and Christmas. There used to be a nice Merle Norman shop in a dress store in Port Clinton, but the owner died and it closed.  The last one I found near me was north of Bethel in Columbus, and she closed up after Christmas 2008--I rushed in and stocked up.  But while checking on-line today I found one in Polaris--it's a bit far for me to drive, but maybe there's something else in that area that I'll need, or I'll stock up for another closing.

Time out for a commercial

I love Bounty paper towels. If you're buying the 60 cent kind that melts in your hand as soon as it hits water, how are you saving money? I just cleaned my entire kitchen with 3 half sections of Bounty! First I folded it to fit my hand and then dampened that. I wiped down the glass stove top which is very picky. Then I rinsed it. Then I wiped down the marble counter tops and wood cabinets, rinsed and cleaned around the faucets. Then I sprinkled Bon Ami in my 18 year old ceramic sink which gets stained easily because of scratches and scrubbed hard with the folded piece of Bounty. When it was sparkling (rinsing the towel as I went), I scrubbed the two sink drainers (metal), rinsed, and then the inside of the garbage disposal. I rinsed again, then wiped down the marble floors, which are almost as cranky about what you can use as the glass stove top. No dirty sponge gather bacteria or rag to wash.

I also use Bounty to quick cook fresh veggies in the microwave, by placing a soaked piece on top of the raw veggies in a small glass bowl. It also works marvelously for warming up left overs, because they don't dry out in the reheating--just place a damp piece of Bounty over the bowl or dish. They are soft enough to grab a piece for a table napkin if you are out, or even in place of a Kleenex. I've also used them in place of table mats. When we eat on the deck, a section of Bounty and some Windex (glass table) does the trick in seconds.

I've tried the others, but they just don't hold up! Around here Bounty is about $1 a roll, and if you buy humongous quantities, they may be less, but I rarely buy more than a package of 8, and keep a roll in the kitchen, the bathrooms, and the laundry room.