Malaysian Hotels pictures

Malaysian Hotel room
Malaysian Hotel out view
Malaysian Hotel best color
Malaysian Hotels decoration
Malaysian Hotel night view
Malaysian Hotel swimming pool
Malaysian Hotel

Malaysian Hotels pictures

Malaysian Hotel room
Malaysian Hotel out view
Malaysian Hotel best color
Malaysian Hotels decoration
Malaysian Hotel night view
Malaysian Hotel swimming pool
Malaysian Hotel

My new favorite multi-purpose cleaner

There is always something new to try. Most of the time I find myself rather disappointed when I pay (what I consider) too much for a so-called green cleaner. They usually don't clean any better than mild soap or vinegar mixtures but the very first time I used this cleaner I was impressed.

It is a disinfecting multi-cleaner from Seventh Generation that uses thyme oil to kill 99 percent of household germs. It also really cleans, too.

I have used it in the bathroom and kitchen with success and it is the first product I am sure I will buy again, though it is rather expensive.

It also leaves a clean fragrance behind, but it's not an overpowering smell and because of the botanical base, it is mild and fresh.

I bought it at first because I had a coupon. I probably would never have tried it without one. I am glad I did. It is one product I highly recommend.

Barnes & Nobles offers a free online story each month.  Hear Favorite Kids’ Stories Read by Authors & Celebrities!

 

January's selection is Strega Nona, read, written, and illustrated by Tomie DePaola.

Click here to access this offer.

Souper book

I am looking for a few good soup recipes -- with conditions. The recipes must be low in calories, high in nutritional value and MUST also taste good. Impossible? Maybe, but I will try in January and February to see if that recipe exists. It may not be a "crowd-pleaser" but I will surely come something that my family will eat without groaning.

The first book I took off the shelf was this book by Robin Robertson, Fresh from the Vegetarian Slow Cooker.


Actually, it had a recipe I had to try right away, for slow -- cooker beans. It also has some soup and stew recipes I will be trying, but so far, nothing that makes me really excited. I have tried the Beans Bourginon recipe in another cookbook by the same author, but not the slow cooker version. I did like the recipe, cooked traditionally so I probably will like it slow cooked.

I also know I really like lentil soups and stews but I am usually disappointed in lentils cooked in the crockpot because they are usually over or undercooked.

This week

It's almost a relief after all the celebrating to get down to business and start planning for the new year. Thankfully I already have my "tools" ready for planning and organizing. This year it will be my iPad, my small Moleskine calendar (for my purse or bag), my recipe journal and my cell phone. If I can't keep up with things with all those tools, I am hopeless.

I am working on my New Year's resolutions. It may be a bit late but I like to give them some time and check over last year's list to see what I missed (and to see how relevant last year's goals were). I am hoping this year's list will be ready by the end of the week.

I love making resolutions to see how many I can keep. I am not one who gets frustrated about making them and I don't feel like a big failure when I don't succeed in keeping them. I know it is hard. I just like the challenge.

I went to a seminar once where the speaker said it is best to "aim high." I do often aim too high but I also refuse to feel bad about my self over something as silly as a few broken resolutions -- and if I do keep them, I get to pat myself on the back a little.

My resolution for the week -- make resolutions.

Storage bin shopping tip

One reason I haven't been posting quite as often this week is because I am frantically working on organizing and rearranging to make room for some long-term house guests. I know it is time to celebrate the end of the old year and beginning of the new one and I will be doing that (on a small scale), but this morning I am working on filling these bins. I hope I won't need them all!

The comment and "tip" I want to share is more about shopping for bins rather than anything else.

I received an online "ad" from Lowe's that these great slate blue bins were $2.50 each through January 3rd. They are regularly $4.99. I thought it was such a great price and I had an immediate need for them, so I sent my very nice husband out for some. 

When he arrived at the store, they were priced at $3.50 each and he called me to ask if I was sure they were on sale. I double-checked my Lowe's email and sure enough, the price (not an online price only) was $2.50. By the time I called him back to give him the model and item numbers, they had already checked it out and the price was indeed $2.50 and he purchased 20 of the bins you see above.

I guess my tip is be sure to check online prices and make sure the people at the stores give you the price they advertise. (I wasn't the first customer who asked for the $2.50 bin, by the way but the $3.50 price was not changed. Hmmm.) I can't imagine why the "memo" didn't get to the people at the store but I can just see many really nice customers going to the store because of a great sale and then paying one dollar more than they should pay because they don't want to cause problems. It is OK to nicely ask them to check the website or bring your phone or a printed copy with the ad price.

It is hard to imagine that the corporate offices would send out an email with a price and then not change it at the store, but I know it's hard times and maybe they would do that. That is why you really have to check the prices carefully and then stick up for yourself at the store. Let the buyer beware is an old legal term that we need to remember while shopping because companies can resort to trickery -- and get away with it -- unless we hold them to their word.