Save money at the pumps

Here are some tips on how to save money at the pumps! Get the most out of your gas dollars.

Tip #1: Only buy or fill up your car or truck in the early morning when the ground temperature is still cold.
Remember that all service stations have their storage tanks buried below ground. The colder the ground the more dense the gasoline, when it gets warmer gasoline expands, so buying in the afternoon or in the evening….your gallon is not exactly a gallon. In the petroleum business, the specific gravity and the temperature of the gasoline, diesel and jet fuel, ethanol and other petroleum products plays an important role.

A one-degree rise in temperature is a big deal for this business—service stations do not have temperature compensation at the pumps.

Tip #2: When you’re filling up do not squeeze the trigger of the nozzle to a fast mode.
If you look you will see that the trigger has three (3) stages: low, middle, and high. You should be pumping on low mode, thereby minimizing the vapors that are created while you are pumping. All hoses at the pump have a vapor return. If you are pumping on the fast rate, some of the liquid that goes to your tank becomes vapor. Those vapors are being sucked up and back into the underground storage tank so you’re getting less for your money.

Tip #3: One of the most important tips is to fill up when your gas tank is HALF FULL.
The reason for this is the more gas you have in your tank the less air occupying its empty space. Gasoline evaporates faster than you can imagine. Gasoline storage tanks have an internal floating roof. This roof serves as zero clearance between the gas and the atmosphere, so it minimizes the evaporation. Unlike service stations, most trucks are loaded and have temperature compensated so that every gallon is actually the exact amount.

Tip #4: If there is a gasoline truck pumping into the storage tanks when you stop to buy gas, DO NOT fill up; most likely the gasoline is being stirred up as the gas is being delivered, and you might pick up some of the dirt that normally settles on the bottom.

And lastly, put a smile on your face. ..at least you have a vehicle and the money to put gas in it.

Life, Magic & Pasta

They say life is a combination of magic and pasta. Add good friends to the recipe and you have a great memory that makes you smile for a long time!

“Laughter is brightest when the food is good.” – Irish Proverb

Lavender Oil 

Pure Lavender has a Sweet, floral, and herbaceous aroma that inspires feelings of calm and relaxation. Originating in France & Bulgaria, Lavender has been an important ingredient in cleansing and calming rituals for centuries! The Romans even named the plant after its use in their bathing routines (“lava” means “to wash” in Latin). In Elizabethan times, when bathing was uncommon, lavender was used to perfume clothes and bed linens. 

Some Usage Ideas: 

  • Evening Wind-Down: Add 3–5 drops of Pure Lavender to a warm bath or to your pillows and bedding at night. 
  • Healthy Skin & Hair Blend: Mix 3 drops of Lavender with a quarter-sized amount of lotion and shampoo or conditioner to promote healthy-looking skin and hair.
  • Sweet Lavender Perfume Blend: Apply 2–3 drops of Lavender to your pulse points as a natural perfume.
  • Relax & Moisturize Blend: Dilute 1–3 drops in your favorite lotion (such as Renew®) or add Lavender to Pure Sweet Almond Oil or Pure Fractionated Coconut Oil and apply to skin.
  • Lavender Tension Release: Massage 2–5 drops of Lavender on temples, forehead, and bottoms of the feet to ease feelings of tension.
  • Diffuse & Be Calm: Diffuse 3–5 drops of Lavender for a light, luxurious, and calming aromatic experience.

Clorox vs. Sol-u-Guard

How Healthy Are You Eating Habits?

Eat smaller portions.

Sunday musings

Thoughts for a Saturday morning

The Cleanest Clothes—Even in Cold Water

I Love Soup…..

but homemade is the ONLY way to go for me!

It will soon be soup season and I’m getting ready. Did you know I was recently reading soup can labels and the label on Campbell’s Chicken Noodle Soup says: “Contains bioengineered food ingredients”.
What?
If you google it, you’ll find that…..
The USDA defines bioengineered foods as containing “detectable genetic material that has been modified through certain lab techniques and cannot be created through conventional breeding or found in nature.”
Ummm…makes me a little nervous, what exactly are we consuming? Plastic? Chemicals? I don’t know. Do you?
So it is only homemade for me from now on!
Do you have a homemade soup recipe that is your favorite? Let’s share!

How Do You DETOX?

When we go on vacation, we eat differently (and usually more) than we’re used to. When I was in away recently, every restaurant greeted us with complimentary drinks and then I had wine with dinner. We never eat dessert but often our meals came with one automatically. (What’s a girl to do?)

I love my vacations, but I hate feeling bloated, etc.

What’s YOUR secret for detoxing and getting your body back to pre-vacation status?