The Night Before Spray That Meant I Did Not Scrape Ice at 6 AM

Six fifteen AM. Seven degrees outside. Late for work. Ice on the windshield thick enough to skate on. My ice […]

I Baby Proofed My Entire House in One Hour Before Holiday Guests Arrived

My sister texted me three hours before Thanksgiving dinner: “We are bringing the baby. Is your house baby-proofed?” My house […]

My Shoulders Were Lobster Red After the Beach — These Four Kitchen Items Saved Me

I reapplied sunscreen. I swear I did. But the water at the beach was perfect and I stayed in for […]

My Farmers Market Flowers Used to Wilt by Tuesday — Now They Last the Whole Week

I buy flowers at the farmers market every Saturday. By Tuesday they were drooping. By Wednesday they were dead. I […]

Pack the Perfect Beach Bag Without Forgetting the One Thing You Always Forget

I have forgotten sunscreen three times. Three separate beach trips. I now have a permanent checklist taped inside the closet […]

How to Get Your Grill Ready for BBQ Season After Sitting All Winter Long

I fired up my grill on the first warm Saturday in April a few years ago. The flame was weak. […]

How to Protect Outdoor Faucets from Freezing Without a Cover

The first winter I owned a house, I did not know you had to winterize outdoor faucets. The pipe burst […]

How to Dry Wet Sneakers Fast After Getting Caught in a Sudden Downpour

I got caught in a downpour three blocks from home. No umbrella. No jacket. By the time I reached my […]

How to Clean Sand Off Everything After a Beach Day

I found sand in my car three months after a beach trip. Three months. It was embedded in the carpet […]

How to Remove Snow Without a Snow Shovel When You Are Totally Unprepared

I moved to a place that gets snow and didn’t buy a shovel. I don’t know what I was thinking. […]