Scrub Daddy

Our favorite kitchen sponge is the Scrub Daddy and while the "eyes" and "mouth" might just look cute, they also serve functional purposes.  As shown below, the "mouth" is used to safely scrub knives and can also be used for forks, spoons, and other utensils.  You insert a couple of your fingers in the "eyes" to get a better grip, particularly useful when washing glasses and mugs.  The texture of Scrub Daddy changes with water temperature, getting softer as the water gets warmer.  With the Scrub Mommy, you get a scrubber on one side and a sponge on the other.  After appearing on Shark Tank and striking a deal with Lori Greiner, the brand has sold over $200 million.  The official product video is at this YouTube link.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyg-yYiDJ2M

Medium Boxes

At $1.58 each, these HomeDepot medium-sized boxes were perfect for our clothing donation to St. Vincent de Paul, not too big nor too heavy, and all six fit in the Jeep.   How two people can fill six boxes with clothes they don't need is a mystery and it's scary to imagine how many boxes it would take to pack up what we retained, which is still more than we really need (IHMO).  At least our closets and drawers now have some breathing room.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/The-Home-Depot-21-in-L-x-15-in-W-x-16-in-D-Medium-Moving-Box-with-Handles-10-Pack-MEDBOX10/316803032

Prank Pack

Crank up your packaging game with a Prank Pack like the one pictured below (which I recently received) and watch your gift recipient's face as they're reading the details and wondering (like mine) WTF!  Check out the link for other ideas.  My favorite is the 12,000 piece puzzle featuring a small half-moon in the night sky.

https://pranko.com/collections/prank-packs

Sheet-Pan Gnocchi

Gnocchi, asparagus, bell pepper, red onion, and tomatoes are tossed in pesto and olive oil and baked.  This makes a great lighter carb and colorful veggie combo side dish for a cold winter's evening.  There's a little more to it, so consult the recipe at the link below.

https://www.today.com/recipes/ree-drummond-s-sheet-pan-gnocchi-recipe-t234542

QR Code Scanner In Control Center

A really quick way to scan a QR code from an iPhone (or iPad) is to use the Code Scanner icon that's available in the Control Center.  A to-the-center swipe from the top right corner brings up Control Center where you can find the icon pointed to by the arrow in the picture below, which you tap.  If it's not there, this link will help you add it.

https://www.howtogeek.com/713885/how-to-quickly-scan-qr-codes-on-iphone-from-the-control-center

Christmas Covid Horse Race

If you need a good laugh, look no further than this 2-minute YouTube video, the calling of a horse race where the horses have names like "Omicron Lad", "The Booster", and "Hepa Filters".  You can discover the name of the last place horse yourself, but it's so appropriate.  The late challengers mirror real-life events as the announcer begins to get louder and louder as the race comes down to the wire.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0Pd19gIxSo

Pie Dough

Homemade pie dough is one of my specialties, a craft I've honed since I began baking as a child.  The recipe itself isn't all that important, but the way I mix the ingredients and add the water is perhaps unique.  After the flour, salt, sugar, butter, and/or Crisco is measured into a mixing bowl, the trick is to try to keep these dry ingredients apart as a little water is repeatedly added.  I rapidly stir the ingredients with a fork in a circular path around the bowl, trying to keep it separated, which is easy at first.  But at a certain point, when just enough water has been added, the dough will just come together, regardless of any effort to keep it apart.  All that's left is rolling it out on a well-floured surface.

Steely Dan

Steely Dan, one of my all-time favorite groups, has recently released new recordings of some old favorites, Northeast Corridor: Steely Dan Live! and a live version of Donald Fagen’s 1982 solo album The Nightfly.  Both are available with our Spotify Premium subscription, which makes easy listening in the car, Alexa speaker, or the web interface on Mac/PC.  I'm jamming to Hey Nineteen as I'm writing this...

https://www.steelydan.com

Cheaper Checks

Clark Howard maintains a list of places to order less expensive checks and the prices vary considerably, as shown below.  These are prices for the duplicate checks version, which we prefer for easier record-keeping.  There are a number of other factors to consider, which can be found at this link.

https://clark.com/personal-finance-credit/banks-banking/best-places-order-checks-online

Razor Clip

On two occasions I've blindly reached into my travel toiletry bag and received perfectly-spaced razor blade cuts across the pads of my fingers, a particularly painful and long-to-heal experience.  This simple solution encases the blade end and works with almost any razor (see the list at the link below).  You just squeeze the "duck lips" (as shown on the right below) to open the "jaws", put the razor in place, and release it to close.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B087D88PXG