1. Easy way to clean the microwave:    Put equal amounts of water and vinegar in a microwave-safe bowl (along with a small wooden object, like a toothpick, to prevent boiling or other dangers). Then, set it on high or 5 to 10 minutes. Wait a couple minutes to let it cool, then when you open it up, all you have to do is wipe down the inside of the microwave with a sponge or paper towel. Viola! Clean microwave without the hassle of expensive (and often non-effective) cleaners. You can also add lemon to the mixture for a fresh, clean scent!

2. How to clean your dishwasher: If your dish-washer isn’t clean, it can’t do its job of cleaning your dishes. Keeping the appliance in tip-top shape will also make it last longer! Luckily, there’s an easy way to get rid of all that nasty built up food debris, grease and soap scum. Gather some white vinegar, baking soda and a dishwasher-safe container—and follow these three steps to make your dishwasher sparkle again!

    A. Remove the bottom rack for easy access to the dishwasher drain. Get rid of any gunk or food that may be caught inside.

    B. Fill a dishwasher-safe container with a cup of vinegar and place it on the upper rack. Run the dishwasher through a hot water cycle. Other than the container with vinegar, keep the dishwasher empty!

    C. Sprinkle about a cup of baking soda across the bottom of the dishwasher and run it through a short cycle using hot water. End result? A bright, clean dishwasher that smells a lot better than it did before! Repeat this process every month to keep your appliance in tip-top condition.

3. Clean stove knobs, grates and drip pans: Throw them in the dishwasher! They’ll come out looking like brand new!

4. Use Magic Erasers on pretty much anything: Magic Erasers can clean pretty much any and everything in your house, including: Converse shoes, faucets, shower curtain liners, sinks, toilets, bathtubs, and toothbrush holders. They really are magical—and sold at the dollar store.

1. The Labrador Retriever has been on the AKC’s top 10 most popular breeds list for 25 consecutive years—longer than any other breed.

2. A dog’s nose print is unique, much like a person’s fingerprint.

3. Forty-five percent of U.S. dogs sleep in their owner’s bed.

4. Speaking of sleeping...all dogs dream, but puppies and senior dogs dream more frequently than adult dogs.

5. Seventy percent of people sign their dog’s name on their holiday cards.

6. A dog’s sense of smell is legendary, but did you know that his nose has as many as 300 million receptors?  In comparison, a human nose has about 5 million.

7. Rin Tin Tin, the famous German Shepherd, was nominated for an Academy Award.

8. The shape of a dog’s face suggests its longevity:  A long face means a longer life.

9. Dog eyes have a part called the tapetum lucidum, allowing night vision.

10. The name Collie means “black.”  (Collies once tended black-faced sheep.)

11. Yawning is contagious—even for dogs.  Research shows that the sound of a human yawn can trigger one from your dog.  And it’s four times as likely to happen when it’s the yawn of a person he knows.

12. Dogs curl up in a ball when sleeping to protect their organs—a hold over from their days in the wild, when they were vulnerable to predator attacks.

13. The Basenji is not technically “barkless,” as many people think.  They can yodel.

14. The Australian Shepherd is not actually from Australia—they are an American breed.

15. ...And the Labrador Retriever is originally from Newfoundland.

16. Human blood pressure goes down when petting a dog.  And so does the dog’s.

17. There are over 75 million pet dogs in the U.S.—more than in any other country.

18. Dogs are not colorblind.  They also see blue and yellow.

19. All puppies are born deaf.

20. Dalmatians are born completely white, and develop spots later.

    Something more I have discovered about the computer era. After purchasing a computer or television, “Now what?” I remember when a person could walk into a radio store, or later a T.V. store, purchase an item, take it home, plug it in, and Walla, it worked. After you paid off the credit card, the item belonged to you. And now? Well, I don’t know about you, but at our house, we purchase an item, take it home, plug it in, and wonder, “Now what?”  We look at the directions and begin laughing hysterically (crying) and keep wondering, “Now what?”

    We, of course, do as most of our generation does nowadays—call in the young couple who lives next door or down the street. If it is a middle-aged couple, we ask their teen child. Or, we wait until one of our children drops by. It is totally frustrating. Having once been in complete control of our lives, ending up at the mercy of kindhearted strangers (before even having to hire a caregiver) is not pleasant, and all happening while we can still live on our own (or thought we could). Go figure.

    How about that new television? First, one needs help setting it up; next, one needs to sign up for cable which offers a very limited selection of programs, and then one needs to add in sports, movies, Disney, HGTV, TNT, not to mention Star, HBO, Cinemax, etc. Oh, yeah, and then there are Netflix, YouTube, Channel O. (How do I use the remote?)

    Then you purchase a computer! Another thing about the computer era I have found! You are never quite done paying. First the purchase price, then the price of the program you need (Quick Books, Windows, Excel, and the list goes on and on), then the price of the Internet, and then there is WIFI. Also, if you want speed, there is another charge. HUH? Why?

    What has the generations after ours done to themselves and us? The price of our utilities are equal to some house payments or rent. “What next?” Oh, yeah, our computer is rapidly becoming obsolete. It’s a whopping three years old!