Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone

by: W. H. Auden

Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone,
Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone,
Silence the pianos and with muffled drum
Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come.

Let aeroplanes circle moaning overhead
Scribbling on the sky the message He Is Dead,
Put crepe bows round the white necks of the public doves,
Let the traffic policemen wear black cotton gloves.

He was my North, my South, my East and West,
My working week and my Sunday rest,
My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song;
I thought that love would last for ever: I was wrong.

The stars are not wanted now: put out every one;
Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun;
Pour away the ocean and sweep up the wood.
For nothing now can ever come to any good.

If you have a Dad who likes to work around the house, you might want to visit Craftsman.com's "Man-A-Cure”, a contest that will award more than $1,000 worth of Craftsman tools. To enter your Dad, log-on to Craftsman.com and describe in 100 words or less why your father deserves a “Man-a-cure.” The ten best entries will win. The contest runs through June 30.

So I was just the tiniest bit skeptical when last month, a representative from Tempur-Pedic asked if she could send me two pillows and get an honest review of them on this site. I rarely accept items to review, and I only do it if I am truly interested in them, and if the sender is willing to accept an honest review, even if it's not a good one. But I have so many friends that use Tempur-Pedic items that I was curious. And since I am not the best sleeper (tossing and turning, a snoring husband, and occasional hot flashes), I figured it couldn't hurt.

I began my test week with the NeckPillow. It was an interesting shape and provided me with a very "different" sleep experience. I am not sure what exactly it was or why I felt just a little better and more, you could say, "in line" with my body after sleeping on this pillow for a few days. I liked it, and was pretty comfortable, but still, I felt like this wasn't the perfect pillow for me, perhaps because I have never had any neck issues. My teenage son, however, whose body is knocked around daily by his skateboarding habit took it and now can't sleep without it. So I moved on.

For the week that followed, I slept with the ComfortPillow. The first night or two, I had to become accustomed to the "heaviness" of the pillow. But I did love the way I sunk into it right from the start. After about a week, I noticed that I was waking up feeling rested--I mean really rested. Like how you feel with you are on a long, lazy vacation, going to bed early, and sleeping a full eight hours. But I was home, practically passing out onto my bed after a long day at work. And my day job as a language teacher at an elementary school can be physically tough on my 40+-year-old body.

Now, several weeks later, I am close to being in love with my Tempur-Pedic ComfortPillow. Although these pillows don't come cheap, I think some things in life are worth the splurge. For me, this pillow is one of those things.

Knitted toilet seat covers are common in Japan, where central heat is not standard in homes. A California-based couple who previously lived in Tokyo decided to start up a company to offer the knitted toilet seat covers in the U.S. Check out the photo below.

Start snapping photos now! The contest will run until June 30, 2009, at midnight.

Click on the image to learn more about Earth Hour and how you can be part of this historic event.

According to wikipedia:

"Sustainable design (environmental design, environmentally sustainable design (ESD), environmentally-conscious design) is the philosophy of designing physical objects, the built environment and services to comply with the principles of economic, social, and ecological sustainability."

If you're looking for advice on green decorating, you have plenty of choices these days. HGTV's Red, Hot & Green shows how to create stylish, eco-friendly rooms. The network is even sponsoring a Green Home Sweepstakes again this year. You can also check out Green Decorating Basics From Linda Woodrum while you're there.

If you live in an apartment, check out A Guide to Greening Your Apartment from Utne Reader. The New York Times can help you get your green homestyle started in Five Beginners’ Steps to a Greener Home. Also stop by domino's Complete Green List for lots of great, eco-friendly home design ideas.

I set out to find some ideas I could use to make my outdoor living area on that could be enjoyed even on chilly nights. And just in case you're facing the same dilemma, I wanted to share what I found:

• Add a fire: Many of us can't afford to build an outdoor fireplace like this beauty. But chimineas and portable fireplaces are a great, inexpensive alternative. A warm, crackling fire can instantly make an outdoor patio cold-weather-friendly.
• Outdoor Heaters: If the fire isn't enough to warm up your patio, check out these tabletop outdoor heaters.
• Blankets and throws: Whether you're home alone and just want some fresh air, or hosting a group of friends for some outdoor entertaining, there's something very comforting about curling up under a warm blanket. They can also serve as beautiful, decorative touches for your outdoor furniture.
• Outdoor Curtains: If chilly breezes are a problem in your outdoor area, try hanging weatherproof, outdoor curtains in strategic areas to block them out.