Strategy for Lowering the Thermostat

One challenge in the winter is walking the fine line of keeping the heating bill low while keeping the peace among the natives. One of my sons has a circulation problem and his feet and hands get cold really easily. He's always the first one to voice his objections to the relatively precipitous fall of temperature in the house. So my strategy has been to cook the frog slowly.

You know that story about how to cook a frog? You put him in a big pot of cold water and let him swim around happily in there while you turn the heat on low. Slowly the water temperature rises but the frog is oblivious because the water heats so slowly he doesn't notice. Before long it's time for a frog dinner! In like manner, at the beginning of the cold season I leave the thermostat at about 72. The next week I turn it down a degree. The following week I turn it down another degree. I continue like this until someone in the family comments about how dreadfully cold it is. I tell them to put on more clothing. LOL. If I still get comments and I'm feeling magnanimous I might turn it back up a degree and leave it there for a week. Then I try again and turn it down and see how it goes. If I don't get comments I know they can tolerate it okay. And so it goes until I keep getting comments and cannot placate them. Then I turn it up a degree and that's where it stays until warm weather hits at which time I employ the same strategy in reverse.

Thanks for droppin' by! I gotta run now but come back and visit me again soon!

Momoften

Keep Warm with Corn!

Wintertime – time to break out the corn bags! What? You've never heard of corn bags? It's one of our ways to keep warm when the wind is sucking out the warmth in the house without spending a fortune on the heating bill. And they are really wonderful first thing in the morning to keep you warm while the house heats up. We've also used it for sore necks or cramping stomachs.

Here's how you can make your very own corn bag. Get some kind of sturdy cotton fabric. You can buy new if you want but using old towel, heavy shirt, sweatshirt or sewing scraps. Or if you want pretty, you could buy something from the local thrift shop on dollar day and cut that up. You can make your pad any size you want. We like them to be long enough to go all the way around the neck and hang down in the front some. Cut 2 identical pieces of fabric the shape you want it. Sew around 3 of the edges. Turn it inside out. Pour some dry deer corn, filling 75% full. If you fill it all the way you won't be able to bend it very well. Sew it closed by hand or machine.

If sewing isn't your thing, just heat a ziploc freezer bag filled ¾ full. Just be sure to put a cup of water next to the bag to prevent the grain from catching fire. (Wrap it in some kind of cloth to use.) Another alternative is filling a tube sock ¾ full and tieing it shut.

To use it your sewn grain bag, just spray it once or twice with water and stick it in the microwave as is for 2 minutes. Shake before using. The heat will last at least 20 minutes, especially if you put it a sweater or some such over it. Once it starts to cool off just repeat to heat it up again.

I learned from this great website (http://www.diamondthreadworks.com/microwave_heating_bags.htm that deer corn is a better grain to use than rice which is what I used to use. It's got really detailed directions and pictures.

These bags are also great for keeping your feet warm when you go to bed at night!

Thanks for droppin' by! I gotta run now but come back and visit me again soon!

Momoften