Compost Happens

noreply@blogger.com (Daisy) — Fri, 06 Jul 2012 22:57:00 +0000

Dear, dearest readers; Compost Happens has moved. Please change your bookmarks to http://compostermom.okaybyme.net. See you there!

Daisy

The healing begins - or does it?

noreply@blogger.com (Daisy) — Sat, 09 Jun 2012 18:02:00 +0000

from the day after the recall election: June 6, 2012

We were all rather subdued at work today. The cubicles that are usually full of laughter and happy talk were quiet, with only the minimal phone calls taking place. We huddled in our own little cloth-covered squares, finalized report cards, and mourned the loss of the recall election.

It was our loss as much as anyone’s. We public school teachers were the central target of the Governor’s attack on collective bargaining. We were not the only group that got hit hard when Act 10 passed, but we were the most noticeable and the easiest target for the general public. We public school teachers (now perceived as public enemies) joined forces with progressives all over the state of Wisconsin to campaign for Tom Barrett to replace Scott Walker.

To read the entire post and more current content, go to Compost Happens' new URL. Bookmark it there, please. This site will be totally migrated sooner rather than later, and I'd hate to lose any of you.

Have you missed me?

noreply@blogger.com (Daisy) — Sat, 02 Jun 2012 15:49:00 +0000

I'm over at my new URL talking about - well, you know me. I'm talking about everything that matters. Check it out!

Those who can - teach.

noreply@blogger.com (Daisy) — Thu, 24 May 2012 21:42:00 +0000

There's an old saying that goes something like this. Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach. I'll tell you the truth: Those who can, teach. Those who are really, really capable also write about teaching.

Enjoy the whole story here, at the new Compost Happens. Remember to change your bookmarks!

Daisy's Garden Takes Shape: Part One, The Plan.

noreply@blogger.com (Daisy) — Sun, 20 May 2012 19:13:00 +0000

Here's the plan:

Here are the raw materials.

To see the whole story, go to the new Compost Happens. While you're there, please bookmark the new URL.

What will I tell the grandchildren?

noreply@blogger.com (Daisy) — Fri, 18 May 2012 11:44:00 +0000

t was 2011 or 2012, you youngsters. I forget which year, but I can never forget what went down. And oh, boy, did it go down!

Wisconsin’s newly elected governor decided to take a piece out of all the people who worked for the state in any way, shape, or form. His goal was to destroy our unions’ rights to bargain, to cooperate with our employers and negotiate. He focused in on teachers, but we (yes, that included me back in the day) weren’t alone by any means. All public employees began to feel like public enemies as he vilified (look it up, honey, there are still dictionaries in this home) vilified us for daring to earn a living from a public source, a.k.a. tax monies, instead of a private company.

Find the rest here, at the new Compost Happens.

To educate or not to educate?

noreply@blogger.com (Daisy) — Tue, 15 May 2012 13:03:00 +0000

Overheard: "Educated people aren't as happy underemployed as uneducated people."

Scary thought, isn't it?

Educated people expect more. Educated adults tend to raise educated children. Educated people value education and vote for candidates who will fund and maintain successful education systems.

To read more, go to the new Compost Happens. Update your bookmarks, too!

Chairs and Flowers and Mother's Day

noreply@blogger.com (Daisy) — Mon, 14 May 2012 12:32:00 +0000

What do these two chairs have in common?

To read the whole story and see all the pictures, go to the new Compost Happens. See you there!

Romney: None so Blind

noreply@blogger.com (Daisy) — Sat, 12 May 2012 11:57:00 +0000

My son, known to readers as Amigo, stands with his white can and tells a good joke.

Mitt Romney, on the other hand, isn't funny. Mitt is gaining notoriety for his bullying behavior in high school, behavior he calls "dumb things." I'd take it farther than just dumb or dumber.

To read the rest of the post, go to the new URL for Compost Happens. Trust me. It's all there.

Biding my thyme on election day

noreply@blogger.com (Daisy) — Wed, 09 May 2012 11:30:00 +0000

Elections get me wired up. It's not the adrenaline rush of a candidate running for office. It's not the excitement of a journalist covering the story. It's a little simpler than that, but at the same time, it's more complex.

To read the rest of this post, go to Compost Happens' new home! While you're there, update your bookmarks to the new URL.

noreply@blogger.com (Daisy) — Tue, 08 May 2012 12:30:00 +0000

You've seen this one already. It's a symbol of the slipshod lawmaking without care for detail or quality. I searched for something else with which to illustrate the upcoming election and the frightening actions in our capitol.

To see the rest of the signs and read the rest of the post, go to the new Compost Happens.

There's a storm coming in.

noreply@blogger.com (Daisy) — Mon, 07 May 2012 11:34:00 +0000

It's literal and it's figurative. There's a storm brewing in my state.

Skies are clouding over and the temperature is dropping. The radar shows lots of green (rain) with patches of yellow and red representing the stronger storms within. The forecast predicts thunderstorms overnight and through tomorrow.

That's the literal storm.

To read the rest of this post, go to the new Compost Happens.

Isn't my blog the center of the universe?

noreply@blogger.com (Daisy) — Sun, 06 May 2012 13:03:00 +0000

Actual evening conversation in our home

Me: Oh, no! Our Internet connection is really, really slow!
Chuck: May I recommend you wait a day? There may still be some problems caused by last night's storm.
Me: But I'm in a Blogathon! I have to get tomorrow's post ready!
Chuck: Life goes on, dear, despite your blog.
Me: But it's part of my marketing strategy for the new domain and new URL!
Chuck (now trying not to laugh): Life goes on, dear, despite your blogging needs.

Luckily, I got online at that point.

Yes, we are still married.

And I'm cross-posting for a while at both URLs while the new Compost Happens is under construction. You can check out the progress here: http://compostermom.okaybyme.net. Let me know how you like the new look!

Quieting my Inner Cynic

noreply@blogger.com (Daisy) — Wed, 02 May 2012 11:00:00 +0000

If every cloud has a silver lining, every environmentalist has an inner cynic. We're the ones who say, "Earth Day? I do this kind of thing 24-7-365." True to form, I had a field day today when I came home from school.

The weather outside was delightful, so I was able to walk to and from work. I brought my own lunch, refilled my own water bottle and coffee mug, and handled the workday in my usual green way. Then I came home.

A package was on the porch: a product review sample left by FedEx. While overnight shipping has a significant carbon footprint, I understand the need for marketers to get their products out to their bloggers quickly. I can swallow this one.

The mailbox had a book in it, a title I'd ordered from a swap site. This book will go to the little free library in front of my school building. Wrapped in recyclable brown paper, this secondhand book quietly and firmly channeled my inner Kermit the Frog green.

The newspaper had an article about reducing trash. A nearby city is considering a pay-by-the-bag policy instead of the current property tax billing. I laughed out loud. When we moved here 16 years ago, we filled our large garbage bin to the brim every week. Now we have a garbage bin that's half the size (and a fee of $0), and if we miss a weekly pick-up it doesn't matter. We generate very little garbage. Recycling, composting, and a sincere effort to reuse instead of disposing all contribute to our lack of trash. Charge by the bag? I'm so there.

Well, I opened the box to find a half-axed attempt at enviro-packaging. First, they'd sent me both items instead of the one I wanted. Hint: I didn't sign up to review a kids' product because my "kids" are grown-ups now. Second: the box was way, way over-packaged. I might have let this go if the only packaging had been the (reusable and recyclable) shredded paper, but atop the paper was a plastic sheath and underneath were two - 2! - layers of puffy plastic pillows.

Deep breath, Daisy, deep breath. Not everyone has the same eco-standards as the Okay Chorale. Finish supper, settle in with laptop, and relax.

My inbox had a note from a consulting group recruiting bloggers to try a program called the One Bag Party. Their goal is (are you ready for this?) to keep trash bags out of the landfill by making their bags stronger with less plastic. I stopped myself from snorting cappuccino out my nose at this one. This is supposed to be eco-sensitive? Make the bags bigger and stronger so people can throw away more garbage? People, check out the graduation party for Amigo and La Petite - a true One Bag Party. We didn't even use the lyrical Red Solo Cup.

Oh, sigh. I guess the world isn't ready for the Compostermom standard. Quiet, inner cynic, quiet.

4 X 10 - a Grassroots Recall Effort

noreply@blogger.com (Daisy) — Wed, 02 May 2012 00:26:00 +0000

Anyone who's tried converting a patch of lawn into a garden knows the power of grass roots. The grass will keep trying to come back. Fifteen years after turning the soil of my first garden plot, I still find corners with grass trying to grow. I fight it back, and I consider the metaphor.

Grassroots organizers are powerful, too. This kind of political activist group works at the ground level, hangs on tightly, and doesn't go away. Instead, a grassroots campaign spreads its message by canvassing, calling, and other direct to-the-voters techniques. Wisconsin Education Association Council (WEAC) has a lot at stake in this election.

WEAC's grassroots style plan for the recall: hit the pavement and the phones. They call it 4 x 10: a plan for success. If each WEAC member accomplishes these four goals, the recall will be successful. The plan, like many grassroots plan, makes the election personal. Since it's personal, I ask myself "How do I measure up?"

Collect 10 signatures on recall petitions. Yes, I did that. I set a goal of being personally responsible for at least ten people signing petitions. My ten became part of the larger whole: more than one million signatures, nearly double the number needed to request a recall election.

Donate or raise $10 to the recall effort. I haven't done this yet. It might be best if I stop in at our local Democratic Party office and make my donation there. The Democrats are looking split right now between four candidates; by donating to the party itself, I can be a little more certain that my money will be part of a solid effort to defeat Walker.

Reach out to ten voters. I've started. I talked to two friends who vote absentee because their jobs require a lot of travel. Both plan to request their ballots early this week. Amigo will vote absentee as well, since he is in school out of town. That's three: I need to reach at least seven more. I'm aiming next at young parents - those who will see their children hurt by Walker's policies.

Give ten hours of time to help with the effort. Does blogging count? Maybe. In addition, I should look for another way to help turn voters toward a state of healing, not hurting.

I'll reclaim my garden.

Let's work together to reclaim Wisconsin.

This post is also on my new URL: http://compostermom.okaybyme.net. It's still under construction; I'll let you know when it's ready!

Care for Fabric and Life

noreply@blogger.com (Daisy) — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 11:31:00 +0000

It was a thrift store find. $4.99, with a purple tag, which meant it was 50% off. I tried it on in the aisles, and it fit. I read the tag: "Genuine leather shell" and "Over for care". I thought I'd turn over care of my new garment to the dry cleaners. After all, I've wrecked fabrics less valuable than leather.

I didn't plan on the dry cleaning place refusing to take it. "We don't have very good luck with leather, so we contract our leather work out to a professional leather cleaner." She quoted me the price, I cringed, and she showed me the car instructions on the tag. Apparently, she thought I could read these and handle the cleaning process myself.

So I did, and it survived, and I'm thrilled with my "new" jacket. Pink leather jacket, a good pair of jeans, my snazzy boots, and I'm ready for.... well, I'm ready for a day of meetings and training at school. Oh, well. My thrifty coworkers will love it!

But wait - there's more. Did you see it? The second tag in the first picture? My fabulous deal came with its own fortune, sans cookie.

I might have phrased it differently so that the singular "everyone" makes a better match, but "their" will do.

A new jacket, a fabulous deal, and sage advice as well. For 50% on a $4.99 jacket? Can't be beat.

Rock Garden Re-do, continued

noreply@blogger.com (Daisy) — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 11:26:00 +0000

Chuck is helping with the rock garden. Sort of. A little. Well, he's helping a bit, and he's doing so only a little grudgingly. He makes fun of it, too. Growl.

I pulled all the big rocks to the sides of the garden space and then shoveled up most of the small rocks. The smaller rocks came with a lot of soil. I kept thinking I needed a shovel equivalent to a slotted spoon. The rake was too big, and the shovel brought up so much dirt.... well, anyway, I ended up with a wheelbarrow full of stones and soil.

Meanwhile, I put down the new barriers to (hopefully) keep the mint in its place. I hear you laughing, readers. I think the layer of 20 Mule Team Borax under the barriers will help quite a bit. Oh, and Petunia? The pizza box from the leftovers went to good use as part of the rock garden barrier, so thank you.

Then I attacked the stones. I pulled up a chair next to the wheelbarrow and started pulling stone out of the dirt and dropping them in a bucket. The trouble was, it took a long time and felt like I was only getting, well, a drop in bucket. I started to ask Chuck's opinion. He interrupted with, "bigger rocks" before he'd even heard the full question.

So much for advice from the engineer in the house.

I moved back to the wheelbarrow and got another bucket full of stones. Chuck, full of remorse (not really), came outside and suggested I buy a few bags of decorative stones instead of plugging away at the chore of picking them out and rinsing them off at the rain barrel. I hesitated. It's a point of pride that I created this rock garden last year at no cost - seriously, not a penny. But when reminded that my time investment is worth money, too, I gave in. Chuck dumped the wheelbarrow's load on our soon-to-be berm in the backyard and we bought three bags of rocks from Home Depot.

The rock bags had some ridiculous marketing on them. Who designs these things? "Will not decay." Sure, but will it erode? "Easy to apply." Um, yeah. Open bag; dump.

Readers, look at the above photo. Chuck thinks I need at least two more bags. After I spread these, we'll make a decision. Or, I'll make a decision. This time, I think I'll proceed without the engineer's input.

I am woman, see me vote.

noreply@blogger.com (Daisy) — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 11:30:00 +0000

It was a dark, dark night in the state capitol. In the dark of the night, a killer did his deadly deed. This was not a crime for attention or a plea for help. A pen scratched across the paper, quickly, in the hopes that no one would hear. Then, there was silence. Silence, until the scene became public.

Wisconsin Governor Walker had signed a bill the killed women's rights to equal pay for equal work.

He thought we wouldn't notice.

He thought we didn't really care, didn't really mind being set back fifty years in workplace gains.

Instead of listening to the real women who stretch every dollar of their paychecks, he listened to a wealthy supporter who said that "...You could argue that money is more important for men." The same supporter referred to men as the breadwinners for their families.

Mr. Walker? Over here, please. I'm the primary breadwinner for my family. I'm female, and I vote.

But Mr. Walker, taking his cue from his contributors instead of his constituents, repealed the Equal Pay Law that would guarantee women and men equal pay for equal work. He believes that women are worth less.

Gov. Walker thinks we're worth less. The male teacher in the next classroom with the same education and experience can make more than the woman in the room next door - because of a Y chromosome. The male principal can make more than the female principal - regardless of school size, demographics, or (yeah, yeah, yeah) test scores. The male can bring home more bacon than the woman - because she can, and might, bear a child.

Gov. Walker and his cohorts think we're worth less. Does his Lieutenant Governor know? Her salary doesn't have to equal that of a male Lt. Gov. She wears pumps with her suit instead of oxfords, and therefore she is worth less.

Governor Walker thinks women are worth less. That's frighteningly close to worthless.

Governor Walker thinks we're worthless.

Well, soon-to-be-former Governor Walker, my influence still equals a man's on one important count.

We each have one vote.

Mug shots!

noreply@blogger.com (Daisy) — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 16:04:00 +0000

Inspired by my cousin's post of her Obama mug, I decided to post a few oldies but goodies that chronicle my mug collection. My favorite souvenirs are those I will use: coffee mugs, of course, fit the category. Here's one from Lockeport, Nova Scotia.

I set up my new mug on the picnic table outside the rental cottage with the beach in the background. I wanted to show the little lobster inside the mug as well as the one on the front, so I propped it with a few of the seashells and stones we'd found.

Then Chuck got into the act. He insisted on including every little piece we'd found on the beach and arranging it "tastefully" around the mug.

Here it is: Still life with Souvenir Coffee Mug.

And the back view, too.

(It says Nova Scotia on the back.)

Keeping Safe at Any Age

noreply@blogger.com (Daisy) — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 11:40:00 +0000

Age 16: eligible to drive

Age 18: eligible to vote

Age 21: eligible to drink a beer or two

Oops, I missed one. Age 20: Leave behind a statistic. What statistic? I'm glad you asked.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) defines children as anyone aged 0 - 19, and the leading cause of death in children is unintentional injury. Accidents. Car crashes, suffocation, drowning, poisoning, fires, and falls are just a few of the examples.

Our country is getting safer for children - about 30% safer over the last decade. But even with improvement during decade 2.0, we still have issues. Okay, I'll leave the issues behind, but accidents still happen, and happen to the tune of more than 9,000 deaths a year.

The CDC asked several bloggers to help share safety tips, and of course I said "Yes." I'll share some of their common sense recommendations, and I'll point you toward a few web sites chock-full of information.

Common sense isn't as common as it should be, given the - well, common name. For example, under drowning, tips to decrease drowning deaths include this list.

Learn to swim.
Watch kids closely around water.

It's a start. Motor Vehicle tips are also common sense, but these take a little more time and effort.

Always use seat belts & safety seats.
Use booster seats that are correct for a child's age and weight.
Use safe-driving agreements or contracts with teens.

Prevention for falls brings in a few items that aren't necessarily "cool" with kids.

Insist on soft landing surfaces on playgrounds (i.e. sand or wood chips).
Install protective rails on bunk beds and loft beds.
Wear a helmet. Listen up, kiddos, Aaron Rodgers wears one.

I promised links.

The CDC has a page they call "Protect the One you Love."

"Color me Safe" is a coloring book available in English or in Spanish.

This site offers free e-cards related to the topic.

Readers, dear readers, I agree to post on these topics for many reasons. Health posts are never paid posts or sponsored. When the CDC calls - well, when the CDC emails - I'm willing to help because I want our world to get better, not worse, for the generations that follow. I'm teaching one of those generations right now. If I can make a difference, if I can make a suggestion that prevents a child from getting hurt, it's more than worth the blog space.

I'm serious about the disclaimer. This is not a paid post. I'm also serious about making a difference. The U.S. has a higher death rate from preventable injury than Sweden, Norway, the U.K., France, Canada, Australia.... isn't it sad that the list goes on? Let's change it, folks. Add a safety suggestion in the comments or post one on Twitter. Be sure you copy it to @CDCgov so the CDC folk see it, too.

Rock Garden Re-do

noreply@blogger.com (Daisy) — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 11:12:00 +0000

While I wait for the planting season, I'm still playing in the dirt. Chuck turned the soil, and then I took the large rake to it, chopped up the larger clumps, and spread it a bit more evenly. Next on the fill-the-time list: the rock garden.

I usually forget to take the "before" picture that makes a Before and After interesting. Oops, I did it again. In its place I will share two "during" photos. The top shot shows the stones still covering the ground, but most of the larger rocks have been moved, relocated until I'm done with the work.

The next point of view is the long shot, taken lower in order to better share the overview. There's still a little soil in the foreground. I expect that will eventually fill with the ever-spreading mums. Next to the porch are a few bulbs: daffodils, a tulip or two, and a few Asian lilies. The blank spaces in between are temporarily hosting a few of the big rocks.
The plan:

Take the entire collection out.
Place new barriers (corrugated cardboard and/or newspaper) on the mint-filled and weed-filled soil.
Dump stones back on top of barriers.
Artistically place the larger rocks.
Hope for the best.

Readers, I'm sure I'll have an After shot for you when it's done. While you wait, tell me: what kind of projects are keeping you busy while you wait for planting season?

Respect and Politics: can they coexist?

noreply@blogger.com (Daisy) — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 11:29:00 +0000

Once upon a time, about two weeks ago, on a very busy Tuesday, a friend and former colleague ran for local office: County Board Supervisor for her district. After the April 3rd election, she had lost by 19 votes. Careful examination of the absentee ballots found two more votes in her favor.

She (we'll call her Ann) asked for a recount. She didn't see the recount in terms of who won or lost, even though she was eager to serve. She saw the process as necessary to assure voters of accuracy - assure each and every voter that his/her vote did indeed count.

The recount, a tedious 11-hour process, ended with her opponent at 642 and her own tally 625. With 17 votes in between, she had lost. She conceded, congratulated her opponent, and moved on. I'm disappointed, like many of her supporters, but I'm so, so proud. Her statement contained no bitterness: only appreciation for the recount workers, thanks for her supporters, and the pride that comes with a record voter turnout in her district. She told us, "I am feeling very satisfied with the process and the outcome, as we all can be sure of the accuracy of the voting results."

Meanwhile, back in in Walkerville, Wisconsin's Governor Walker again demonstrated that he considered himself above all others and immune to suggestions and requests. That is, he's immune to requests from anyone who doesn't donate millions to his campaign. Gov. Walker campaigned recently on a six-city swing through our fair cheese filled state. At each rally, he warmed up the crowds by entering to the song, "Small Town" by John Mellencamp. Great, right? A musician from the Midwest (Indiana), a song with a title that acknowledges Wisconsin's rural roots - what could be wrong with this scene?

Plenty is wrong with this scene. Mellencamp doesn't support Walker. In fact, his publicist contacted the Governor's campaign to state firmly that he is pro-union, pro-collective bargaining, and he supports the fight for workers to earn a living wage. Add to that Mellencamp's performance of "Small Town" at a rally for President Barack Obama in 2008, and Walker's use of the song sounds even more out of tune.

John Mellencamp's representatives asked John McCain not to use the musician's "Our Country" in 2008. McCain complied. So far, Gov. Walker has ignored the request to stop playing "Small Town" during his campaign.

Which candidate has more class, shows more respect for the voters? Ann, the local county board candidate, or the one who (temporarily) carries the title Governor? Soon-to-be-Former Governor Walker doesn't respect the famous musician John Mellencamp; I certainly can't expect him to respect me, an ordinary citizen. As for classy, in tune with constituents, and worthy of my respect, I vote for Ann.

Random Leftovers, thoughts, and reactions

noreply@blogger.com (Daisy) — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 11:08:00 +0000

For lunch I reheated leftover Chinese take-out from last night. The fortune cookie said "Your dearest wish will come true." I'm still waiting for one that says, "Be careful what you wish for. You might get it."

Heard on Twitter: "Just because it's stormy doesn't mean you're not headed for sunshine."

This might just be a new variation on the old --

"Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you."

Either way, the grammar leaves a lot to be desired.

Speaking of errors, yesterday I saw a classic example of poorly used spell-check.

The student meant to say ridiculous. Instead, his answer used the word reticules.

I had a strange dream last night, too. I dreamed I lost my wallet - it was stolen. When I got it back, the lovely embroidery and needlework was in bad shape. Threads of many colors were hanging loosely all over. In my dream, I found most of my money still inside the wallet. That which was missing had been replaced by (are you ready for this?) lottery tickets.

I suggested the loose threads are a metaphor; I have too many loose ends hanging that need to be tied up and secured. Chuck nodded and then added, "The lottery tickets were just a reference to last week's big jackpot." I suggested, "Maybe it means I should take more risks." He shook his head vehemently and replied, "No."

Okay. I'll refrain from Megabucks for a while.

Zero Water Pitcher Review - How's your TDS?

noreply@blogger.com (Daisy) — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 17:45:00 +0000

I live in the Great Lakes basin where water is plentiful. In the Great Lakes basin, municipal water goes through mandatory primary, secondary, and tertiary treatment stages. Look it up. It's fascinating.

Even in the Great Lakes basin, unfortunately, water can contain particles that slip through the water treatment plant. People in the know refer to these as Total Dissolved Solids, or TDS. TDS can contain lead & chromium, among other metals; pharmaceuticals (unneeded medications flushed into the water supply), and more. These particles are tiny; they're measured in PPM, or parts per million. It's a wee bit scary, isn't it, to think of these microscopic dangers in our drinking water.

Enter the solution: the Zero Water Bottle for filtering water.

I have a water pitcher with a filter already, but I have no idea how much it filters out of my tap water. I offered to test the Zero Water brand filter because my current pitcher is an awkward shape for the refrigerator and because the Zero Water pitcher comes with its own water meter for measuring TDS. Before taking a sip, Chuck and I read the directions.

Chuck: This has more instructions than a broadcast camera!

Me: No problem. Clear instructions are good.

Chuck (reading enclosed pamphlet): Actually, it's not that bad. What is TDS? It's measured in PPM, parts per million.

Me: Total Dissolved Solids. See above for explanation of TDS.

Chuck: Why should I care?

Me: Those dissolved solids can be lead, chromium, medications... you name it.

Chuck: Ah. I get it.

Me: This will be fun. I don't get enough hands-on science any more. Hand me that meter.

Getting started using the TDS meter was indeed fun for me. I looked up the directions, made sure the meter started on zero, and then filled my new Zero Water pitcher. Meanwhile, I measured my tap water at 117 ppm.

You can find an estimate of your own TDS by entering your zip code at the Zero Water site. According to the site, my reading should have been higher: 275 ppm. I sent my own reading to the webmaster to help correct their data, something you can do if your reading is not the same as the one they have on record.

Now back to the pitcher. After going through the ion exchange filter in my new Zero Water pitcher, the TDS reading was an impressive 000. This process only took a few minutes.

So far, I'm impressed by the Zero Water pitcher. It fits nicely on my refrigerator shelf. It has a spout for pouring and a dispenser button at the bottom. In addition to these practical aspects, the filtration met, no, exceeded my expectations. I'm very pleased with this product.

Would you like to win a Zero Water filter pitcher of your own? You can, courtesy of MomCentral and ZeroWater. They're giving two readers a chance to own their own pitchers just like mine. Readers, leave a comment to be entered into the pitcher drawing. That's pitcher drawing, not picture drawing. Ahem. To make this even more interesting, leave your TDS reading from the Zero Water web site. It'll be fascinating to compare the data.

Make sure I have your email in your comment profile or already in my address book so I can contact you if you're a lucky winner. The drawing closes at midnight on Wednesday, April 25. It'll be worth your while. Limit yourself to one entry, please, despite my enthusiasm.

While you're waiting for the contest to close, you might want to visit the Zero Water web site and their Facebook page. If you don't win, or if you want to buy one for someone else, you can use MC30 for 30% off on a 10 cup pitcher at this site.

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of ZeroWater and received a water pitcher to facilitate my review, two pitchers to giveaway, and extra filters to thank me for taking the time to participate. Participation was fascinating and fun.

Matchless Match or Does the Shoe Fit?

noreply@blogger.com (Daisy) — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 11:20:00 +0000

I enjoy walking to work. I pack my school shoes in my schoolbag, tuck my lunch in on top of them, put on my walking shoes and jacket (if needed) and walk out the door. I can do this routine almost in my sleep, without even looking.

Maybe I should look more closely. I got to work one recent day, took off my walking shoes, and realized that I'd worn a unique pair. Oops.

Note to self: no more sleep walking through morning routine.