No, I Haven't Died

I just realized it's been 11 days since my last post and thought I should say that I haven't died!

On the contrary, I've been working hard on...

(1)  Walking.  It's hard for me to get exercise in these days since:

1. I don't have a car during the week.
2. My neighborhood, while safe-ish, isn't somewhere I feel comfortable taking walks by myself.
3. My glider squeaks and I haven't been able to get WD-40 to correct the problem yet.
4. I can't find my Pilates DVD.

But Justin's temp job ended on Friday, so we've been walking almost every day since then.  I know it's only Wednesday now, but hey, something is better than nothing!  We both feel better (well, Justin doesn't say so, but I think he does anyway lol) starting the day off with a brisk(ish) walk around the apartment complex.

(2) Cooking.  I've started incorporating more fruits and veggies into our meals.  We get tired of just steamed veggies, so I spend some time being creative!  I have a good broccoli casserole that we like, and right now the corn-on-the-cob is amazing.  Fruits are also on great sales, so I've made a lot of fruit salad.

(3) Working.  I started working for TPS a few weeks ago, and right now I'm doing a policy manual and working on some editing for them.  A few hours a week adds up!

(4) Cleaning.  We have bugs, as I might have mentioned before, lol.  I've been cracking down and spraying like crazy!

Also, we got a cast-off couch from a friend that was "kitty territory" for several years.  It's a very comfy couch, and we didn't want to turn down something free that would just end up in the dump if we didn't take it!  So I've been perfecting my cat-urine-removal skills. 

For those of you interested, my method follows:

•  Vacuum thoroughly so you find all the icky spots.
• Spray the whole surface with vinegar.  This apparently neutralizes the ammonia in cat urine, so your couch will smell like vinegar, but this goes away fairly quickly.
• Then, work in some baking soda to get rid of the smell.  I used my fingers 'cause I'm hardcore like that.  :-)
• Then, spray the whole thing with Lysol.  (Maybe this should have come first, but I didn't do it that way!)
• Wait for the baking soda to dry and vacuum it off.
• Brush the whole thing with hydrogen peroxide mixed with a little bit of dish soap and water.  I used a basting brush for this (and washed it VERY well afterward!)
• Dust baking soda over it again.  Vacuum it up each day, and replace it until you can't smell it anymore.
• I also have Fabreeze meant for pet odors.  It works fine for a while, but doesn't have a lot of long-term results.

Also, I took the covers off the cushions and washed them, except for two on which the zippers were corroded.  Those are soaking in the bath tub and drying outside!

So there you have it.  All my secrets.

(5) Shopping.  I ordered a new bed frame since the legs on ours are bending and probably going to snap fairly soon.  I also got some new tennis shoes from Lands End for $20 (originally $50).  Plus free shipping.  So I can't complain there, right?

And also a prayer request.  As I mentioned above, Justin's temp job ended on Friday, so he's been job-hunting lately.  He hasn't been able to find anything, really, so we're hoping the temp agency will call him next week and have a good job for him!  Please pray that God will send us something good.  =)  Also, Justin's been sick today (we think he has the flu - fun stuff), so getting over that would also be helpful, lol.

I'm off to make supper - Italian casserole, corn on the cob, and broccoli casserole!  :-)