Wigglebutts Spa

While heading to a golf course in Tennessee, I noticed a roadside ad for "Wigglebutts Spa."  I thought the name was very strange and wondered what kind of clientele they drew.  A short search revealed it was a spa for dogs and cats.  They offer services like "Face, Feet & Fannie", "Quick Wash Only", and "Full Spa Treatment".  You can find some really cute pictures at the link below.

https://www.wigglebuttsspa.com/fun-photos

Wamsutta Sheets

We fought for years with fitted bedsheets that would not stay on.  Part of that was having a pillowtop mattress, and part was that we couldn't find deep enough pockets.  Gourmet Chef Elaine solved the problem when she found the Wamsutta sheets you see below.  The pockets on these sheets are 16 inches deep, more than enough to fold under our mattress and stay put.  A much-appreciated tag that says "TOP or BOTTOM" allows us to put the sheet on properly, as the king-sized mattress is almost as wide as it is high (~76"x78").  

She ordered the following at the Wamsutta link below.

• Essentials "Original" Percale Sheet Set - $200
• Essentials "Original" Percale Pillowcase Set - $40

https://wamsutta.com

Lodge Factory Store

We visited a Lodge Factory Store in Sevierville, Tennessee, and we went in just to look around and see if there was anything interesting.  Indeed, there was, and we left with the collection of items you see below, plus a pair of plastic cast-iron scraping tools I forgot to include.  We didn't need the grill pan, but it was on sale for $19.99, so we couldn't pass it up.  The cast-iron melting pot will be used for melting butter, and the red sleigh will be filled with candy at Christmas.  Impulse buying at its best!

https://www.lodgecastiron.com

Cheesesteak Perfection

Gourmet Chef Elaine made up the over-the-top delicious cheesesteak you see below.  She started with Trader Joe's shaved beef cooked on a griddle and topped it with slices of provolone cheese.  In a pan, she cooked pre-sliced mushrooms, thinly sliced green peppers, and onions.  This all went on a Trader Joe's baguette, to which I added some Duke's mayo.  It was huge, but I couldn't stop eating it until it was all gone.  Philadelphia has nothing on her!

Caramel Apple Martini

On the Walnut Grove Country Club fall drink menu was the Caramel Apple Martini you see below.  It's made with caramel vodka, apple vodka, and Apple Pucker, with a caramel rim.  A caramel sucker is used as a stirrer.  There are a variety of different recipes for a Caramel Apple Martini that you can find using the search link below.

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=Caramel+Apple+Martini+recipe

Cleaning Wiper Blades

On our trip back from Tennessee, the first few hours were in the rain, and the windshield wipers were very noisy as they did not slide well.  That noise was so annoying that when we got home, I asked AI what caused it and what I could do about it, short of buying new blades.  The surprising answer was to clean the blades with isopropyl alcohol.  That did the trick, so I also cleaned the blades on our other car, which you can see in the picture below.  With all that black gunk removed, the blades are like new.

Watt CS And Ampere

I was having trouble charging my iPad with the six-port charger I carry on trips.  I didn't know if my iPad, charger, or charging cable was at fault, so I asked AI for ideas, and it pointed me to Watt CS, a $0.99 app on the Apple App Store.  As you can see in the screenshot below, my iPad was trickle-charging, which pointed to the charger.  I changed ports, and I got better results.

I thought that might be handy on my Google Pixel 7 smartphone, searched a bit, and found the free (I love free) Ampere app on the Google Play Store, and it delivers the same information. 

https://apps.apple.com/me/app/watt-cs-charging-speed-meter/id6766040428

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.gombosdev.ampere

Cutting Board Holder And Baking Sheet Organizer

We store our cutting boards, cookie sheets, and wire trays in two overhead vertical cabinets, as shown in the first picture below.  It's OK, but occasionally, when we went to pull out one of them, several others would come with them and come crashing down.  We solved that problem with a pair of organizers in the bottom picture.  They're sturdy and measure 5.5" deep, 7.4" wide, and 3.3" high.  There are two 1.0-inch dividers and three 0.6-inch dividers, so the thick boards and the deeper cutting boards went in the larger dividers on the left and right of the racks.  Much safer and easier to locate the right board for the job.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0H8BXGGFZ

 

Rootie's Blue Cheese

You can find some of the best chicken wings in Buffalo, New York, and on a recent trip, I was introduced to Rootie's Blue Cheese dressing/dip, which you see pictured below.  Best I've ever had!  Ultra-thick and extra-chunky!  Rootie's fans call it "Liquid Gold Mold" and refer to themselves as "The Blue Cheese Mafia".  If you're in a Wegmans grocery store in Buffalo, I recommend you pick one up.  It has to stay refrigerated, so bring a cooler.

You can also order it online at the link below, and they will ship it appropriately packed.

https://buffaloship.com/rootie-s-blue-cheese-15-fl-oz

Premier Protein

I've become a fan of protein drinks, but when my usual CorePower Strawberry Banana doubled in price, from $2 to $4 per bottle, I said, "No way, Jose," and began searching for a reasonably priced alternative.  While I haven't found a permanent solution, I ran across a deal during the recent Amazon Prime Days and ordered the 12-pack of Premier Protein for just $15.56.  I think the Pumpkin Spice wasn't selling well, and they wanted to get what they could.  The taste is a bit over the top, but adding a few ounces of whole milk gets it to where I like it.  

You can search for protein shakes using the link below.  There are a few options for around $2 per bottle, which is my happy price.  

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=protein+shake