Stuff That Works

In living our lives, we've found things that work - none of these things listed are paid adverts - they're just stuff that works that we pass on.

Stuff for the Home

Sleep Number Beds - We first tried one at a Marriott in Dallas. Over several nights use, we were hooked. We went to a store and did a demo/test to find the bed and general number that suited us - the bed is composed of an outside soft framework with an interior chambered airbed, topped with your choice of thicknesses of foam and wicking fabric. The "number" relates to the amount of air that the pump (you use a handheld remote to put in your number) puts into the airbag - the numbers work in 5 degree changes, from 5 to 100. I like a moderately firm bed that allows my hips to sink in while supporting my shoulders - my number is 55. We bought the bed and have had no back trouble (at least related to beds or sleeping) since. No more sagging bed! No more permanent indents! Check it out.

The Litter-Robot is the BEST helper for those of us with cats. No more frequent scooping and no smell - happy noses, happy cats. Caris is a life-long cat owner, and was told about this amazing machine... it sounded good so we got one - our kitties were trained to it quickly and we will never be without one again.

Stuff for the Body

SHOES - Caris has spent most of her working life at jobs that require a lot of standing and walking on hard, unforgiving surfaces - concrete sound stages, winery cellars and kitchens. She's tried many brands of shoes and wasn't happy until she found: Keen Footwear - Caris wears their Newport H2O and Whisper sandals all summer, and the Sydney maryjanes anytime. New Balance - After trying Nike, Adidas and Rebok sneaks, NB walking shoes are our preferred brand. Her preferred website to buy shoes is Zappos.com - HUGE selection, fast and often free shipping, and easy return/exchange policies.

SPORT - CURLING - Most folks have hobbies or sports they spend time on. We really don't spend enough time on hobbies since we're usually working, but one thing that captured our attention during the Winter Olympics in Torino was the old Scottish sport of curling. Yes, curling. There is a curling league here that draws folks from all over North Central Texas. We joined a Tuesday night league, and are playing once a week (at the Duncanville Dr. Pepper Stars ice center) for eight weeks. A blend of strategy and skill, it's been likened to "chess on ice". We like the people that are involved and really love the game. There are "open houses" frequently during the off seasons where you can learn to curl and see if it's something you'd like to be more involved in. It's just good fun with sportsmanship and a way for most people to play, despite bad knees or big bellies. Check out the local website at DFW Curling.

Stuff for the Spirit

CREATIVITY/ART/CRAFT

Artist and teacher Merlene Walker of Arlington, Texas offers PMC (Precious Metal Clay) workshops and ties to the greater PMC world. PMC is a form of clay that fires to solid silver, gold or bronze, and you can make amazing jewelry at home, with just a few tools and a microwave. Check out Merlene's world at www.thealchemygroup.biz

Caris has a few sculptures around the winery, and is, in her words, an 'advanced hobbyist' - doing it for pleasure and the personal rewards of rendering emotional expressions and forms in clay. She studied with George Davis of Dallas. George offers sculpture classes in 10 week sessions, and single evening one-shots. He's been teaching sculpture for 30 years and is a wonderful man - if you want to learn figurative sculpture, he's the go-to guy. http://www.georgedavisstudio.com/gdavis.html   George's wife Annie is a sculptor also, and is in demand for her portraits of children and other commissioned pieces. http://www.anniedavissculpture.com/

Stuff for the Mind

FUN AND WHIMSY

http://icanhascheezburger.com/

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