Baby Kittens, and Pandas and Pooph, oh my
Cure animal overload with a side of cleaning.
Welcome back, Substack friends to the last week in February!
For some reason knowing there is a cleaner called POOPH makes me giggle every time I see it because of the name. But POOPH is actually an environmental brand that is great for eliminating odors:
“Fragrances found in common household products have been found to be dangerous to your health--causing migraines, respiratory, neurological and cognitive problems, and even immune system problems. That's why Pooph created an entire line of fragrance-free odor solutions that utilize our safe, Patented Odor Elimination technology and don't contain any toxic chemicals or fragrances—browse and discover the whole Pooph line-up of safe and smart odor solutions.”
For around $15, you can have your own POOPH. If you do buy a bottle of POOPH, let me know how it works for you.
Onto the good news to help you slide into this week….
From Goodgoodgood: “This building in Detroit was transformed into permanent housing for veterans experiencing homelessness.”
“Freddie Tucker joined the army because he needed a job. He ended up making friends and seeing the world.
He finished his service in 1983. Many years later, he faced hardship and stayed in a homeless shelter in Detroit, a harrowing period. After work, he would sit in his car until evening came.
Tucker was determined to find a more comfortable way to live. Thanks to a mental health counselor, he learned about a recently renovated 60-unit apartment building for military veterans like himself.
The building, operated by nonprofit Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries, gives veterans like Tucker a much needed permanent housing option while stripping away some long-standing rental barriers, such as bad credit or a record of evictions, depending on their circumstances.
These barriers often hinder veterans going through a rough phase from securing an apartment.
On top of that, as more veterans like Tucker move into the complex, the city is a step closer to achieving a key goal in the fight to curb veteran homelessness.”
Awesome book store news from CBS News:
“A Maryland-based nonprofit opened a free children's bookstore in Dundalk to provide diverse reading selections.
Our Kids Read held their grand opening Saturday morning at Eastpoint Mall, committing to promoting proficient literacy among underserved children.
Our Kids Read is behind the Free Children's Book Store and Literacy Hub inside Eastpoint Mall. The store holds thousands of donated books.
Plus, thanks to support from Scholastic, the Baltimore Community Foundation, and the Petrucci Family Foundation, the store will offer free books to children, ensuring access to literature that showcases various cultures and backgrounds. “
An interesting article for the New York Times asks what meal time should be the smallest meal of the day. It looks like dinner should be the smallest meal:
“The maxim has been around for decades: “Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper.” It’s not bad advice, experts say. It’s also the opposite of how most people in the United States eat, with dinner often being the largest meal of the day.
In the morning, your body is primed to handle a big meal. It is ready to absorb nutrients and distribute them to your cells to fuel the day’s activities. But gradually, as the day wears on, the organs that help you metabolize nutrients, like your liver and pancreas, start to respond more sluggishly.
Research also suggests that consuming large meals at night can increase the activity of certain metabolic pathways that lead to fat storage while you’re sleeping, Dr. Scheer said.”
Personally, lunch is my biggest meal of the day. What’s yours?
This Baked Oatmeal with Blueberries and Bananas recipe at Skinnytaste looks perfect for any meal time.
All you need:
2 medium ripe bananas, (the riper the better) sliced into 1/2" pieces
1 1/2 cup blueberries
1/4 cup honey
1 cup uncooked quick or old fashion oats
1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp cinnamon
pinch of salt
1 cup fat free milk, or any milk you desire
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
Uber cuteness overload- A kitten and baby panda can be friends.
This week’s book recommendation is from and old school romance from 1990- Shadows and Lace by Teresa Medeiros.
With one roll of the dice, Rowena's drunken father gambled her away into the service of a dark and forbidding knight accused of murder. The Dark Lord of Caerleon used Rowena to slay the ghosts of his past, but he would be ensnared in his own trap--slave to a desire he could never hope to quench.
Why I’m recommending this book- Rowena and Gareth are written with such feeling and insight along with a story with so many twists and turns that the reader will be in the dark until the very end.
Gareth is such a dark soul but with such underlying feeling for Rowena due to a big secret that explains his true feelings to Rowena. Some may feel Gareth borders on obsession but everything is explained perfectly. Rowena is unlike any heroine you will ever read in fiction. Her innocence and tender love is practically the opposite of her hero, and vital to the story.
There are secrets galore among the passion between Gareth and Rowena. The love scenes sizzle and are moving. This is truly a classic for this author and a must for any fan of Medeiros or any romance reader.
“I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order.” -John Burroughs