Mustard do you like it on your sandwich, how bout your feet?

Here in "Sunny" So Cal, we are basking in the first few rays of sun after almost a week of rainy weather. I know some of you think that's not bad, and I would agree if I didn't have a couped up two year old, but this post is for all of us with cold wet weather.
We spent most of Sunday in the rain, our feet staying wet and cold. When we got home we all were feeling a little off, so down went all the vitamins and greens we could stand. I was reminded though of an old practice that also helps ward off the colds, a mustard foot bath. Yeah I know could be messy, but oh so worth it. So put a towel on your floor, find a pair of your warmest socks and a tub that will fit your feet, heat up about a gallon of water on your stove or microwave, and just before boiling add two heaping tablespoons of ground mustard. NOW WAIT, I want to remind you to wait until the water is cool enough not to burn you, but it should be just as hot as you can stand. Once it is the right temperature for you add your feet, and sit there soaking your feet for about ten minutes or less. Take your feet out and towel dry, put those warm socks on and get comfy you might just nod off then and there.

Staying warm,
Head Bather

Have you ever been labled?

My father in-law is an amazing writer and recently sent us a reminder of his prowess with prose.

Defining People by their Actions and Ideas
In America, we have shown a real inclination to label people. Often the labels are gross exaggerations or ad hominem attacks for political or ideological purpose. That doesn’t necessarily mean that labels are a bad idea, but maybe it would be better to derive labels from specific actions and ideas. Here are some examples:

• Starting a war and refusing to institute a tax to pay for it – irresponsible
• Believing that lowering their taxes would encourage businesses without customers to stay in business and create jobs – detached from reality
• Deregulating the financial markets to enable short term profiteering – destructive
• Preventing Medicare from negotiating prices with pharmaceutical companies – corrupt
• Destroying the environment for short term profit – pillager
• Using tax policy to redistribute the wealth to the rich – thief
• Allowing soaring health costs and declining public health in the name of maintaining a failed health care model – blind
• Denying science and making laws according to evangelical dogma – fanatic
• Eliminating the citizen soldier so that the poor-as-mercenaries fight the wars for the rich – sacrifice averse
• Hoping, as Rush Limbaugh does, that the government fails in fighting the economic crisis – traitor

Check out his book My Brain My Future
Heading to the tub,
Head Bather

Hookin'

http://vickiehowell.blogspot.com/2009/01/free-pop-goes-crochet-preview-pattern.html
So excited just checked my favorite blogs and found out Vickie Howell who you may know from such things as: knitting gritty, Austin craft mafia, and other crafty ventures is putting out a crochet book (due out in May 2009) now that is worth learning to read a pattern for.

The oldest facial cleanser in the world

Back in the second century Greek physician named Galen created many healing ointments while tending to the gladiators one of them was our beloved cold cream. Originally it was only olive oil, beeswax, water and rose petals, it was called cold cream because when the water ingredient evaporated it created a cooling sensation. This emulsion softened skin,conditioned it, and gave you a subtle aromatherapy treatment. There has even been a poem written about the virtues of cold cream credited to "Dr.Russell" here is a portion:
Whoe'er with this cream shall her countenance smear,
All redness and roughness will strait disappear,
And the skin to a wonder be charmingly clear;
If pimples arise, this will take them away;
If the small-pox should mark you, those marks will decay;
Over the many years of use and change in ingredients it still remains on the shelves of our drugstores for purchase. Many are most familiar with Ponds (still the top seller) or Noxzema cleansing cream, these can be wiped off with a tissue or washcloth.
I personally like using a warm wash cloth it heats up the essential oils in my cold cream and gives me a touch of exfoliation. I don't know that I will ever buy a face wash again, I love how my skin feels after washing now, and my minor crows feet have softened. It is in my mind better for my skin with all natural nut oils, essential oils, distilled water and a touch of borax (to give it that creamy color) than some of my other options . I have been so impressed with this personal experiment I should go make more now.

Whipping the cream,
Head Bather

Marketing Genius

Well the fam and I spent the early morning on an adventure or a moment in pop culture. Some of you may have heard about a national dinner chain giving away a free signature breakfast to anyone who showed up at their stores. Well heaven forbid we pass up pancakes (which I don't make often), eggs, bacon and sausage for free (the kid and I are carnivores so it really is a good deal with the price of breakfast meats).
Now I don't know what kind of money this marketing took and what the return will be, with the TV spots, print and the cost of food they were giving away, but the place was packed! The closest I have come to seeing it that packed with people waiting outside was when all the local high schools in my smallish hometown had a dance the same night.
There was a fairly even display of Americana, teenagers (skipping first periods) moms with their kids, business people, construction people, retirees, servicemen, and most everyone was fairly amicable. The line moved quickly we only waited for twenty minutes or so, and the service was pretty straight forward, you got a drink and the deal, then you were out. Or at least we were.
I was told that it was a way to remind people of the great value they have and to get them into the store to receive coupons for future purchases. I think it was a fabulous idea, what a way to get people in the door, I just wonder if it make them want to come back?