Reader's Digest : Home and Garden

How To Spar According to Christie Blatchford

jharding — Tue, 21 May 2013 20:44:41 +0000

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From Readers Digest Canada, June 2013

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How to spar according to National Post columnist, Christie Blatchford.

Win a fight
The secret is not to think of it as a fight. Look, I make my living as a bigmouth. I voice my opinion on everything, and people have a right to disagree. If you see it that way, it becomes a victory of common sense over bad temper.

Avoid a fight
I try to be civil. I might get an angry email, and if I answer politely, briefly and sign off cheerfully, I’ve learned that often people respond well to that. It’s not always going to be perfect; just don’t make it worse.

Say sorry and mean it

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13 Things Your Weight-Loss Consultant Won't Tell You

sgoodman — Tue, 14 May 2013 10:00:45 +0000

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Here are the experts' secrets to resisting food temptation in its many guises.

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Just decide how much ahead of time. Passing on your colleague's cake looks as curmudgeonly as refusing to sing "Happy Birthday." The socially acceptable way out is to ask for a thin slice, and then eat a small number of bites you've decided on beforehand. Or just eat the cake and leave the icing.

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<h3>2. Kiddie Cones Are Not That Bad </h3>

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When your best pal wants to go out for ice cream and you can't shake off 1,360 calories and 89 grams of fat — the going rate for a banana split at Ben & Jerry's Scoop Shops — a 3-ounce kid-sized cone weighs in at about 220 calories at the same shop. Frozen yogurt or sorbet may have even less.

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<h3>3. Beer Isn't Off-Limits If You Choose Lite — or Right </h3>

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The most refreshing, easy-to-drink beers are the highly carbonated, lower alcohol "lite" brews. As a rule the darker the beer, the more calories, so if your yen is for craft-beer flavour, stick to the trendy new wheat and white (weiss) beers and avoid higher alcohol ales, even so-called "pale" ones.

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<h3> 4. You Can Do Okay At The Drive-Thru </h3>

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The big boys have begun to grasp that customers want some reasonable options. Just stay away from anything with the word "crispy", steer clear of mayo-heavy sauces (use mustard!) and keep dressings no-fat.

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<h3> 5. Starbucks Has Low-Calorie Options </h3>

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This chain isn't just about additions that turn a cup of coffee into an ultra-sweet high-calorie dessert. While the tempting, calorie-rich offerings are generally at eye level, look down. Starbucks now offers sensible snacks, but they're going to make you find them. As for drinks, begin any order with the word "skinny" and you can cut the calorie count by up to a third.

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<h3> 6. Don't Skip The Sauce; Share </h3>

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A meal in a top-flight restaurant is all about the sauces and special preparations made by a chef who is closer to an artist than a cook, and you're not going there to skip them. Instead, order less food, and be confident that the intense flavours will satisfy you.

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<h3> 7. Sharing Is Caring </h3>

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Appetizers to share, broth soups, and salads are great options when you're out to eat. If you can't resist a delectable dessert item, share that, too.

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<h3>8. Nibble On The Move </h3>

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If you are shopping and fading from hunger, avoid settling in at the food court. Instead nibble your way through a shopping marathon. Pick up a snack, such as a hot pretzel, a small bag of roasted nuts from a kiosk, or even a chicken taco, and nibble on the move. Portable meals, of course, can still seriously weigh you down; check calorie counts before you go or on your mobile phone.

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If the only foods at the picnic are hot dogs, hamburgers, and drenched-in-mayo "salads," then go ahead and smell the burgers, but eat the hot dog. A dog on a bun with a smear of ketchup will set you back about 250 calories. That's as many as the burger has in fat alone. Load up your plate with the low-calorie burger fixin's, like lettuce, tomato and onions, to round out your meal.

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<h3> 10. Remember Water! </h3>

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Douse your afternoon slump or hunger pangs with water. The energy drop that hits in afternoon is likely a combination of perfectly natural factors: the result of a light lunch, mild dehydration, a momentary lack of iron, or a crash off that coffee you had at the late-morning meeting. Before wandering to the cafeteria or fridge, start your recovery with a tall glass of water, which boosts your blood flow and, as a side benefit, makes you feel full.

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<h3>11. Think Hummus or Almonds</h3>

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These are ideal snacks for clearing a cobwebby head, but if your only option is an office vending machine, look for any hint of protein — those orange crackers with peanut butter, at 200 calories, are better than a sugary cookie. Wash it down with a cup of coffee doused in iron-rich cinnamon.

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<h3>12. Have A Bit of Everything </h3>

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You can eat less and still make Mamma happy. Food is love, and when Mamma tells you "mangia" and you don't, she acts like you're rejecting her, not her pot roast. The answer: Have some of everything pushed at you during the holidays or a weekend visit home, but only a spoonful. That means your plate will be more of a tasting sampler than a full meal. Remember: Just one bite of a dish, preceded by a loud "I can't resist!" will do your parents good and won't kill you.

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<h3>13. Try Another Strategy <h3>

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Make yourself useful serving people and cleaning up. It gets you away from your plate, but still makes you a vital part of the meal.

SOURCES: Marion Nestle, nutrition professor at New York University; Elizabeth Somer, author of Eat Your Way to Happiness.

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13 Things Your Pilot Won't Tell You

sgoodman — Tue, 14 May 2013 09:04:38 +0000

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Most of us never get the chance to talk the pilot, but who hasn't wondered what's going on in the cockpit during all those hours of flight time?

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1. We miss the peanuts, too.

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2. I'm constantly under pressure to carry less fuel than I'm comfortable with. Airlines are always looking at the bottom line, and you burn fuel carrying fuel. Sometimes if you carry just enough fuel and you hit thunderstorms or delays, then suddenly you're running out of gas and you have to go to an alternate airport.

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3. We tell you what you need to know. But we don't tell you things that are going to scare the pants off of you. So you'll never hear me say, "Ladies and gentlemen, we just had an engine failure," even if that's true.

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4. We'd like to wait, but we can't. The Department of Transportation has put such an emphasis on on-time performance that we pretty much aren't allowed to delay a flight anymore, even if there are 20 people on a connecting flight that's coming in just a little late.

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5. The truth is, we're exhausted. Our work rules allow us to be on duty 16 hours without a break. That's many more hours than a truck driver. And unlike a truck driver, who can pull over at the next rest stop, we can't pull over at the next cloud.

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6. Some FAA rules don't make sense to us either. Like the fact that when we're at 39,000 feet going 400 miles an hour, in a plane that could hit turbulence at any minute, flight attendants can walk around and serve hot coffee and Chateaubriand. But when we're on the ground on a flat piece of asphalt going five to ten miles an hour, they've got to be buckled in like they're at NASCAR.

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7. The two worst airports for us: Reagan National in Washington, D.C., and John Wayne in Orange County, California. You're flying by the seat of your pants trying to get in and out of those airports. John Wayne is especially bad because the rich folks who live near the airport don't like jet noise, so they have this noise abatement procedure where you basically have to turn the plane into a ballistic missile as soon as you're airborne.

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8. I'm not the best person to ask for directions to the airport. We're in so many airports that we usually have no idea.

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9. We really do know the weather. This happens all the time: We'll be in Pittsburgh going to Philly, and there will be a weather delay. The weather in Pittsburgh is beautiful. Then I'll hear passengers saying, "You know, I just called my friend in Philly, and it's beautiful there, too," like there's some kind of conspiracy or something. But in the airspace between Pittsburgh and Philly there's a huge thunderstorm.

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10. Your plane isn't truthfully labelled. You may go to an airline website and buy a ticket, pull up to its desk at the curb, and get onto an airplane that has a similar name painted on it, but half the time, you're really on a regional airline.

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11. The regionals aren't held to the same safety standards as the majors. Their pilots aren't required to have as much training and experience, and the public doesn't know that.

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12. How you land is a good indicator of a pilot's skill. So if you want to say something nice to a pilot as you're getting off the plane, say "Nice landing." We do appreciate that.

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13. You really are getting there "early" more often. No, it's not your imagination. Airlines really have adjusted their flight arrival times so they can have a better record of on-time arrivals. So they might say a flight takes two hours when it really takes an hour and 45 minutes.

SOURCES: 17 pilots from across the country, including an AirTran Airways captain from Atlanta; Joe D'Eon, a pilot at a major airline who produces a podcast at flywithjoe.com; a US Airways pilot from South Carolina; Jack Stephan, US Airways captain based in Annapolis, Maryland, who has been flying since 1984; Jim Tilmon, a retired American Airlines pilot from Phoenix, Arizona.

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How To Design Your Perfect Garden

jharding — Mon, 13 May 2013 14:00:21 +0000

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By Liz Connolly from 10,001 Timesaving Ideas

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The first step to creating a garden that’s both easy to maintain and rewarding is to put some simple design ideas in place. Whether you’re starting with bare earth or an established garden, formulate a garden plan.

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<h3> Step 2: Know Your Needs </h3>

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Identify your garden needs, then design and plan accordingly. Think carefully about what you want to do in your garden: Is it a space for inviting friends and relaxing, a play space for children or pets, a small piece of wilderness in the middle of the city, an area reserved for cultivating flowers, or somewhere to grow your own organic produce?

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<h3> Step 3: Talk To The Family </h3>

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Discuss your plans with the family. Take notes and pay attention to everyone’s expectations. Planning, construction and planting happens more quickly and calmly if everyone is in agreement.

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<h3> Step 4: Understand Your Likes (And Dislikes) </h3>

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Draw up a list of the things you like and don’t like in your current garden, and accept a few compromises or short cuts to avoid endless work and major expense when trying to modify the aspects you don’t like.

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<h3> Step 5: Plan For The Future </h3>

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Plan for the future by making your design flexible. Think about how your garden may need to change over the years if you have a growing family, and take that into consideration during planning.

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<h3> Step 6: Consider Your Lifestyle </h3>

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Consider pets and hobbies. If you have pets or special interests, take them into account during the planning stage.

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How To Save Money on Home Renovations

jharding — Mon, 06 May 2013 18:38:37 +0000

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By Julie Cazzin, Reader's Digest Canada, June 2013

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Thinking of doing some home renovations this summer? Read on to discover the best places to splurge and save on the jobs you need done.

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<h3> What's Worth The Money: </h3>

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Revamp exterior components — including the front door, windows, roof and siding — or replace an old brick facade on the front of your home.
Upgrade the electrical system to a minimum of 100 amps if you’re in an older home.
Add moulding to ceilings and floors in living- and dining-room areas.

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<h3> What You Can Do Yourself: </h3>

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Do low-skills jobs yourself. For instance, clean up the site after contractors leave each night.
Purchase building materials (e.g. tiles, paint, plumbing parts) yourself, rather than pay someone to pick them up.
Pay by the project, not the hour. Some professionals will stretch a job out just to pump you for money.

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<h3> What To Watch Out For: </h3>

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Overcharging for faucets and other kitchen hardware purchased at a discount and then marking them up — by up to 200 per cent — is a common contractor scam.
Contractors may recommend replacing air-conditioning systems, heating units and water tanks when all that’s needed is a new filter or for a line to be unclogged.
Be aware that contractors may do the minimal prep work before painting a house. Make sure upper areas have been properly scraped, sanded, patched and primed.

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How To Get It Done In 60 Seconds

jharding — Fri, 03 May 2013 19:36:04 +0000

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From Readers Digest Canada, June 2013

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We've gathered some experts to teach you how to save time and get it done in 60 seconds.

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<h3> 60 Second Shower </h3>

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What you'll need:
    - Shower cap
    - Soap
    - Towel
    - Taylor Swift

How To Do It:
0 sec: Turn on tap.
1–5 sec: Let water heat up.
6–8 sec: Enter stream face first, soak front.
9–11 sec: Turn, wet other side.
12–40 sec: Soap key regions (face, pits, bits, feet, etc.)
41–45 sec: Sing chorus to Taylor Swift’s “I Knew You Were Trouble.”
46–60 sec: Rinse, rinse, rinse.

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<h3> 60 Second Massage</h3>

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Have partner lie down on their stomach. Stand at their waist, facing head.

0–15 sec: Glide hands up the back along spine, over the shoulders and down the sides, then up through lower back.
16-30 sec: Moving toward the shoulders from hips, gently squeeze and release skin and muscle between thumb and fingers.
31–60: Repeat steps.

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<h3> 60 Second Seduction </h3>

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According to Bree Williamson,  soap star (Deception, One Life to Live):

0-5 sec: Get trapped in a secret room/dungeon/jet.
6-12 sec: Ask your crush about themselves. This will allow you to determine they’re not an evil twin.
13-30 sec: Have a heated exchange—the louder and angrier the better.
31-40 sec: Point out the dangers! “We’re running out of air/time/altitude!”
41-55 sec: What’s the logical thing to do when faced with imminent death? Clothes! Floor! Now!
56-60 sec: If you’ve done it right, you’ll have a few seconds for a  slo-mo musical montage.

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<h3> 60 Second Office Chat </h3>

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According to Diane Craig, Founder and President of Corporate Class:

0–5 sec: Read body language—approach co-worker only if signs are positive.
6-11 sec: Inquire as to how his or her day is going.
12–20 sec: Reply in kind, either by commiserating (“Yeah, my deadline is crazy too!”) or celebrating (“Yeah, I’m so glad we met that crazy deadline!”)
21–45 sec: Be especially careful to reciprocate if topic turns personal (if they say their son won a soccer game, talk about your kids, etc.).
46–55 sec: Break off with appropriate comment on the last thing said.
56–60 sec: Hold eye contact, then exit.

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<h3> 60 Second Serenity </h3>

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0–3 sec: Inhale deeply through your nose.
4–6 sec: Hold breath.
7–9 sec: Exhale through your nose.
10–25 sec: Relax shoulders. Roll them forward five times, then back five times.
26–30 sec: Tense all muscles, then release.
30–50 sec: Visualize yourself in a soothing setting.
51–60 sec: Repeat three-part breathing cycle.

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<h3> 60 Second Pitch </h3>

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According to Shelle Rose Charvet, certified speaking consultant:

0–5 sec: Explain what benefit your idea brings or what problem it can prevent or solve.
6-11 sec: State idea clearly and concisely.
12–20 sec: State how idea can be achieved: i.e. steps to go through, choices and options.
21–45 sec: Provide an example showing your idea at work using someone in the same position or situation.
46–55 sec: State why solving the problem is important to the listener.
56–60 sec: Show appreciation; thank listener for his or her attention.

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5 Things To Do with Clothespins

dblackwell — Wed, 01 May 2013 19:57:46 +0000

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By Alison Caporimo

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Start pinning the old-fashioned way, and learn cool new ways to use clothespins in your home and garden.

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<h3>1. Keep Fingers Safe</h3>

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Pinch a match with a spring-type clothespin to light fireplaces and tricky candle votives.

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<h3>2. Light-proof Your Hotel Room</h3>

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Clip hotel drapes together to keep out glaring rays (and eyes).

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<h3>3. Seperate Cords</h3>

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Label clothespins with permanent marker (TV, DVR, DVD, Stereo, Phone, etc.), and use them to identify the cords that belong to each appliance.

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<h3>4. Align Your Garden</h3>

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Wedge a clothespin into the fork (or the spot where a branch and the trunk meet) to keep saplings growing straight and strong.

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Clamp a pin onto a page in a book to save your place. If you’re part of a book club, clip together your favorite chapter for an easy way to flip and find.

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5 More Things To Clean Your Car

dblackwell — Wed, 01 May 2013 18:37:38 +0000

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Warm weather or cold, your car gets dirty fast. Here are five household, do-it-yourself solutions to cleaning your car.

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<h3>1. Wash Your Windshield Wipers with Ammonia</h3>

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If your windshield wiper blades get dirty, they'll streak the glass instead of keeping it clean and clear. Make a solution of 1/4 cup household ammonia to 1 litre cold water. Gently lift the blades, and wipe both sides with a soft cloth or paper towel soaked in the solution. Then wipe the blades with a dry cloth before lowering them into place.

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<h3>2. Wash Your Car with Baking Soda</h3>

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Pour 1/4 cup baking soda into a gallon-sized (4-litre) jug, then add 1/4 cup dishwashing liquid, and enough water to fill the jug almost to the top. Screw on the cap, shake well, and store the concentrate for later use. When it comes time to wash the car, shake the jug vigorously and then pour 1 cup of cleaner base into a 2-litre bucket. Fill the pail with warm water, stir to mix, and your homemade cleaning solution is ready to use.

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<h3>3. Clean Oil Residue with Cream of Tartar</h3>

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In many rural areas, so-called oil roads (some unpaved, others semi-paved) are sprayed with oil to control blowing sand and dust. If you find yourself driving along one of these back roads, your windshield may end up coated with oily grime. To cut through the muck, sprinkle cream of tartar over the windshield, and then wipe the glass down with soapy water, rinse well, and dry.

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<h3>4. Clean Your Interior with Rubbing Alcohol</h3>

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Mix rubbing alcohol and water in equal parts into a spray bottle to help keep your interior clean as a whistle. The mix can be used on most dashboards and dials, but do your best to keep it off any fabric.

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<h3> 5. Use Ammonia To Clean Your Windows</h3>

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Add 1/4 cup household ammonia to 1 litre water, pour it into a plastic bottle with a water-tight cap, and keep it in your car for washing the windows. As soon as your windows begin to get dirty, take out the solution and apply it with a sponge; then dry the windows with a soft cloth or paper towels.

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5 Things To Clean Your Car

dblackwell — Wed, 01 May 2013 16:36:43 +0000

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Cleaning away your car’s winter grime is no easy task, but we’ve found five handy household items to keep your ride looking great all year long.

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<h3>1. Shine Your Car with Conditioner</h3>

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Wash your car with a hair conditioner containing lanolin. You'll become a believer when you see the freshly waxed look, and when you find that the surface will repel rain.

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<h3>2. Clean Your Windshield with Cola</h3>

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When it rains after a long dry spell, a dirty windshield turns into one big mess. Get rid of streaks and blotches by pouring cola over the glass. (Stretch a towel along the bottom of the windshield to protect hood paint). The bubbles in the cola will fizz away the grime. Just be sure to wash the sticky cola off thoroughly or your cleaning efforts will end up attracting dust and dirt.

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<h3>3. Replace Your Wiper Fluid with Vodka</h3>

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When your windshield-washer reservoir needs filling, raid the liquor cabinet to make your own washing fluid. In a screw-top jug, mix 3 cups vodka (the cheapest you can find) with 4 cups water and 2 teaspoons liquid dishwashing detergent. Screw on the cap, shake well, and pour as much fluid as needed into the reservoir.

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<h3>4. Polish Your Headlights With Window Cleaner</h3>

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Keep your headlights polished (and yourself, safe) by applying window cleaner and rubbing vigorously with an old pair of panty hose.

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<h3> 5. Clean Your Windows with Baby Wipes</h3>

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Clean your windshield and car windows by rubbing them with baby wipes stored in your glove compartment. What could be easier?

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5 More Things To Do With Coffee

dblackwell — Wed, 01 May 2013 16:02:36 +0000

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Fertilize your flowers, exfoliate your face, and flavour your stew with these fun and interesting new ways to use coffee.

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<h3>1. Fertilize Your Plants</h3>

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It isn't the caffeine in coffee grounds that plants like azaleas, rosebushes, and evergreens love but rather the acidity and aeration the grounds provide—not to mention nitrogen, phosphorous, and trace minerals. Be sure to dig the grounds into the soil to keep them from becoming moldy, but don't overdo it: Dig about 3/4 cup of grounds into the soil near the roots, repeating once a month. Fertilizing even acid-loving plants with coffee grounds too frequently could increase soil acidity to undesirable levels.

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<h3>2. Eliminate Pet Odours</h3>

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Some pet owners have found they can remove pet odours from a room by heating a cupful of freshly ground coffee beans in a cast-iron skillet over low heat. As soon as the scent is released, remove the pan to the smelly room, and set it on a trivet. By the time the ground beans are cool, much of the pet odour should be gone.

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<h3>3. Exfoliate Your Face</h3>

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Chris Barnes notes in a Stylelist feature that you can exfoliate your skin with coffee grounds. Rub the moist grounds in gently to get rid of dead skin, then rinse.

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<h3>4. Bake Bread</h3>

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Caught without cookware? A quick bread will bake just fine in a coffee can. Be sure to spray the interior with nonstick cooking spray and dust with flour.

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<h3> 5. Flavour Your Food</h3>

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To give lamb stew a beautiful dark color and great flavor, add one cup of black coffee to the stew pot about halfway through the cooking process. You can also look up great dry rubs with coffee for beef, pork, and other meat dishes.

(Photo: Thinkstock)

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Want more handy uses for your everyday objects?

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Check out our 5 Things page!

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