Happy Pumpkin Wednesday! Tips for Savvy Traveling

Hello friends and Happy Pumpkin Wednesday!  Only two work days left till we are smack-dab in the middle of what I hope is another glorious fall weekend!

This week, in preparation for your fall trips and upcoming holiday travel, Pumpkin wanted to send some friendly reminders about how to behave with your carry-on and checked luggage.  A quick disclaimer, Pumpkin has not traveled via airplane, but you'll find her advice still sounds like it comes from a well seasoned traveler.


One awesome change to airline de-regulation in the late 1970's was that air travel became available and affordable for the general population.  However, one of the unfortunate consequences of the current economy is that airlines are looking to make cash any way they can.  There are fees for everything from snacks, to pillows and blankets, and of course seats with leg room.  But, one of the biggest, and often unavoidable, expenses is the checked luggage fees.


The blog Airfare Watchdog maintains and updates a chart identifying the fees associated with checked luggage for almost every airline.  Fees can range anywhere from $20 for the first checked bag, to $125 for the third bag, and the possibility of charges for checked bags each time you have to change planes!  There are some airlines, like Southwest, that don't charge fees for the first two checked bags, and other airlines, like Delta, which offer to waive checked bag fees when you have their airlines reward credit cards.

While most people have responded by jamming as much into their carry-on bags as possible, there are some vacations where you just need to check a bag.  While checking a bag is not a problem, making sure you can find/get your bag when you arrive at your destination is crucial to a successful vacation.

Pumpkin advises to make sure you arrive at the airport on time/earlier than you think you need to if you are checking a bag.  While you can never guarantee your bag gets where its supposed to be, your chances of having that bag on the plane increase when the airline employees have plenty of time to get it to the right area.

Don't laze around!  Get to the airport early!

Don't forget to put a name tag on your bag.  Invest some money on a good name tag that is sturdy, and has large print.

Lindsay always makes me wear my name tag...like I could forget my name

Also, if you own a medium sized navy blue or black piece of luggage, there is a strong possibility that the baggage carousel will contain several others which look exactly the same.  Differentiate your luggage so another traveler doesn't mistakenly take your bag.  Some way to do this are to use colored ribbons or strings, or invest in a luggage band.

Lindsay marks me with these kitty scarves

If you do decide to avoid the mess of checking bags, make sure that you follow the most important piece of carry-on etiquette.

If you have a rollerboard bag, i.e. bag with wheels, make sure that when you put it in the overhead bins you place the bag lengthwise, not width wise.  With overhead bin space at a premium it's simply unfair to take up more space than necessary. Also, if your bag is small, opt to put it in the space in front of your seat, not in the overhead bin!

Place your bags in the bin lengthwise, not width wise, like below

What are your tips for getting to your vacation destination in one piece and with all your luggage?

Looking forward to a lovely Thursday!

Miscellaneous Monday: Fall is Upon Us!

Last week Friday marked the beginning of Autumn.  I can't say that the weather has completely been in tune with the calendar, but it's nearly October and I'm ready to indulge in some of my favorite fall activities.




Tonight, for Miscellaneous Monday, I will share with you a recipe for Hot "Spirited" Cider.  The recipe, adapted from Epicurious.com is the perfect complement to a crisp fall evening, and easy enough for the novice cook/home entertainer to throw together.

Here's what you'll need:

• 4 cups Apple Cider
• 1 tablespoon Unsalted Butter
• 2 tablespoons Brown Sugar
• 1 orange
• 8 Whole Cloves*
• 1 tsp. Allspice* 
• 1/4 cup Applejack Brandy
• 1/4 cup Dark Rum
• 4 Cinnamon Sticks*

*I know buying spices can be expensive, but think that if you buy these sweet/savory spices, you won't have to purchase them during the Thanksgiving/Christmas/Holiday rush.

Here's what you will need to do:

Grab a sauce pan and place it on the stove on a low temperature.  Melt 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter.  When the butter starts to melt, add 2 tablespoons of brown sugar.  While the butter is melting, use a vegetable peeler and peel the rind of the orange into several large strips.  Add the orange peel, along with 8 whole cloves and 1 tsp of allspice into the butter/sugar mixture.  Add four cups of apple cider and bring to a simmer.  Don't forget to put in a few cinnamon sticks!  Once you get everything simmering, reduce the heat and let the cider simmer for about 7-9 minutes.

Now comes the discretionary part of the recipe.  You can stop and drink the cider as is---which is delicious---or you can throw in some alcohol and make this an adult beverage.

If you add alcohol, remember the golden rule of cooking.  You can always add more, but it is very difficult to take things away once they are in the pot.  Start with about 1/4 cup of the apple jack brandy and 1/4 of the dark rum.  Adjust the amount of alcohol to suit your taste and the occasion. 

One small note regarding the list of ingredients, apple jack is not the same as apple pucker.  Applejack is not straight apple brandy, but about 35% of the alcohol is made from fermenting fruit.  This method of using fruit for fermentation is different from most other alcohols which are made from fermenting grains. You can likely find apple jack at a decent sized liquor store (Cleveland folks, I got mine at Simones).  

Photo courtesy of the Laird and Company website

In the coming weeks, I'll be passing along a few more of my favorite fall recipes.  What do you get excited to cook and bake once the weather turns cool?

Looking forward to a lovely Tuesday!

Happy Pumpkin Wednesday!

Happy Pumpkin Wednesday Friends!  You have made it halfway through the week, congratulations!


This week, Pumpkin, a fan of shoes, shares her tips for keeping your footwear in good repair.


If you have a favorite pair of heels, like Pumpkin does, you want to keep them looking good for as long as possible.  Pumpkin's first tip is to wear a different pair of shoes (not your heels) to work, and then change into your fancy heels once you get inside.  You will prevent some wear and tear from the outside sidewalk on the heels and the balls of your feet.

Another quick tip when you carry a pair of shoes to work, don't place your shoes uncovered inside your work bag with your other daily items.  Your shoes, even if you only wear them inside, can get full of bacteria.  This is not a huge problem, but you don't want your shoes inside your tote bag touching all your things like phone, keys etc. So follow Pumpkin's advice and make sure your shoes are in a bag before you put them in your tote bag.

I love this shoe.  

If you are wearing heels, the first thing to go on my heels are the tips of the heels.  Fret not.  A broken heel tip doesn't mean you need to throw them away.  Rather, just take your shoes to your local cobbler/shoe repair person. (If you don't know where to find a shoe repair store, try a local dry cleaner, they often fix purses and shoes in addition to cleaning and repairing clothing).  They can quickly and inexpensively bring your shoes back to life.  I have never tried to replace the heel tips myself, but if you have a DIY method, please share!

I tried to fix these shoes but the lack of opposable thumbs made it difficult

There also comes a point in every athletic shoes' life that they simply cannot be worn anymore.  It's a sad time, but there is no need to throw your athletic shoes in the trash.  Nike has a program where you can drop off your old shoes, they break the shoes down and turn them into their raw materials to use for other things such as the rubber track at high schools.  Check out this website to find out where your local NIKE drop off zone is located and get to recycling!

Recycle, Reduce, Reuse!

Last, as we transition from summer to fall, it's time to put your summer shoes away.  If you have the space, get some shoe size plastic boxes to store each pair in.  Clean your shoes and make any repairs before you put your favorite sandals and flip flops away for the winter.  You can also put a potpourri sachet in the box with the shoes in order to keep them smelling fresh.

I'm not ready for summer to leave, where will I take my nap?

How do you keep your shoes in good shape?

Looking forward to a lovely Thursday!

Miscellaneous Monday

Hello friends, I hope you all had a wonderful weekend!  I was fortunate to spend some time with my boyfriend in Nashville at his alma mater, Vanderbilt.  Not only was the weather beautiful (see below)

but Vandy won the football game and we got to see the victory flag raised.

Go 'Dores!

How did you spend your weekend?

In the spirit of bringing the blog back to life, tonight I present a few unrelated topics for Miscellaneous Monday.  Enjoy!

• Don't throw away those Pantyhose!

Even though I am technically an adult, I have yet to master the art of wearing pantyhose.  Despite my best efforts, I usually manage to get a large run in my hose the first time I put on a new pair.  I just bought a new pair today, so I'll be trying a technique I suggested earlier whereby you soak the pantyhose in salt water to strengthen them before wearing.  I'll let you know how that goes :)

Regardless of whether the salt actually strengthens, it is pretty much guaranteed that I will develop a huge run in the front of my pantyhose.  It is also inevitable that I will not notice said run until I am meeting with someone important in my office, or am out in public...

Wow, I am still really far off topic.  The point of this bullet point is that you can still use those ripped pantyhose for at least one thing... shining your shoes.  Start by wiping the dirt and gunk off your shoes with a dry cloth.  Apply a shoe polish as normal.  Once the polish has begun to set in, use the pantyhose to buffer up and get a great shine on your shoes.

• Cleaning your stinky washing machine

Do you ever wonder what happens to all that stink and yuck that comes off of your clothes in the washing machine?  Sometimes the stench may build up over time and it can rub off on your clothes.  One way to clean the stench in your washing machine is with a product called "Affresh."  They are tablets, like the kinds you use in your dishwasher, and you run them through a regular wash cycle (with no laundry in the washer).  I just bought a pack of the tablets today and will be testing them this week.  I'll follow up, but wanted to let you know where to turn if you have some funky smells coming from your washer.

Photo courtesy of this blog 

• Password Managers for your Electronic Devise

These days we have passwords for everything, and I mean everything!  I do my best not to use the same password over and over for the sake of security, but often run into the problem of trying to remember which password phrase/combination of numbers and letters I used this time?  If you have an Iphone/Ipad or other type of smart phone device, there are a number of different programs available to help you safely and securely remember your passwords.  Check out this article for some reviews of the different password apps available and their ratings for security and ease of use.

Looking forward to a wonderful Tuesday!

Wish I Hadn't Been Gone So Long...but Happy Pumpkin Wednesday!

Hello all my long lost friends/readers!  Shame on me once for not updating my blog, but shame on me twice for depriving you all of Pumpkin Wednesdays!

Yes, this is me, judging you, for not blogging on Pumpkin Wednesday

Today marks the return of the blog.  Pumpkin told me she has really missed being a part of the blog, but let's face it, she has been really busy carrying out her usual daily routine.

It all starts with the morning noms

I love dry nuggets

Followed by a quick morning snooze in the windowsill

Best place for sleeping in a the hot summer days

Then while the humans are at work, I manage to sneak in some TV watching

I watch bad TV when Timmy is not around

Then I hit the couch/home gym for a little bit of aerobisizing

Trying to hold in my core

And of course one more nap before the humans come back from work

I love this blanket

But I can't wait to get back to being a part of the blog, wearing some awesome kitty scarves and outrageous outfits, passing along new recipes and household tips.

I look forward to seeing all of you on Pumpkin Wednesdays!

Looking forward to a wonderful Thursday!