Ten on Tuesday: 10 Tips

My apologies go out to my fan club, who extended their concern (or maybe it was frustration) when they checked my site to find no Ten on Tuesday. I would say "let's just pretend it's Tuesday" but heck no...don't we wish it was Friday night?

You see, I had to catch up on The Bachelor. Priorities people. And just when I got ready to get on the computer, of course, it starts storming (weather radio went off twice). Nope, no avalanche, no tornado, no cyclone...just a thunderstorm. But I figured it wasn't worth my computer's life to be at risk for a post. So, after much delay...here ya go...

Ten Tips I've Learned

1. For long time readers you learned already that my friend, Sophie's, mother-in-law passed down to us that if you cut up the stick of butter before putting it in the microwave, it won't explode and splatter onto every hard-to-reach crevice.
2. Coke Rewards are worth it! (PS--If you already donate your Coke Rewards to Matt Ervin then this is not true, go to #3). I would also add that the 1% cashback from Discover is also highly recommended.
3. My high school math teacher always made the yummiest, softest chocolate chip cookies. Years later I learned the secret: Add 1 small box of instant vanilla pudding mix to the flour mixture.
4. Matt & I are a little strange....in just one way....we like to paint rooms! I'll have to remember that when I go on my next job interview (I hate it when they ask you what your hobbies are. That questions always stumps me. I don't want to look like a loser who only watches t.v.) Anyway, we've bought a lot of paint in our lifetime. There is no need to tape if you just buy a good, angeled brush (and have a steady hand). And between coats, just put the roller or brush in a Wal-Mart bag until you are ready to paint again.
5. I just learned this but it may have changed my life. After you take the cake out of the oven, let it cool slightly. Then put a cover on it. The steam from the cake soaks back in and makes it extra moist.
6. Got a barking dog or a rooster living next door? Sleep with a fan next to your bed and you'll never hear a thing. Maybe not a good idea if you have children.
7. When we lived in the country, we had this adorable older couple, Ed and Barb, that lived next door. Ed taught me that the best way to wash windows was to take a small bucket of hot water, about 1/4 to 1/2 cup vinegar, and a drop of Dawn. Rub down the windows with a sponge and use a squeegee to clean it off. It works amazing!!
8. Again giving my sister, Sharolyn, credit for this--She taught me that the best way to organize and store my necklaces was to use a tie rack. Of course, mine are also color coordinated :)
9. And Sharolyn's hubby, J.R., gets credit for this change-your-ways idea. Add a spoonful of cottage cheese to your scrambled up eggs before cooking and wowzer, you will end up with extra creamy, extra yummy eggs (I really didn't eat eggs till I had J.R.'s. The cottage cheese melts and you can't even tell it was there)
10. Last but not least, my favorite--You know how you go on vacation and you have to park your car at the airport. Of course, a week later, you have no idea where you wrote down where you parked. Was it F2 or P2. There's a difference! Let me just tell you that I learned this the hard way. After arriving back in Charlotte last year after going to see Matt in Little Rock, I got on the bus that takes you to the car lot. I knew I just drove in the aisle straight in and parked near the end. The bus deal was waiting when I arrived so I hurried and just jumped on (not noticing that each bus terminal had a letter assigned to it). So when I got back to Little Rock about 10pm I got on the bus. Imagine my face when I heard them say "stop C". OMG--I had no idea what letter I was at. But, I knew it was the last stop. Whew. Wrong. The last stop in that lot. After walking up and down several long aisles, alone, pulling my luggage, late at night, I finally lost it. A man saw me crying and told me where to go to get help. Ends up, you tell them your license and they know where you parked. Someone marks it every night. But the moral of the story is--pay attention. I read in a travel magazine to take a picture on your phone of the F2 sign and when you get home, you'll know where to find it. Never again will I need that parking dude to help me find my car.

When you are finished changing, you are finished -Benjamin Franklin