I don't have any photos of my laundry whites hanging in the sun, and even if I did I probably wouldn't post them. Like you all need to know the sweat patterns of Todd's and my bodies. But I did want to bring up something that I'm not sure a whole lot of people are aware of: Sunning whites can bleach out sweat stains and discolored whites!
It's true. The sun is also powerful enough to moderately sanitize stuff. Now, don't set your surgical instruments out in the sun for five minutes and expect a clean operation, but as far as sunning rugs, drapes, pillows and non-washable comforters or quilts goes, it can really help to disinfect and to freshen. Plus it leaves that singular summer smell of sun in your things which, while it won't last for long, is still a nice kickback, at least for me, to outdoor slumber parties in high school, where we'd wake up in the sunlight.
So next time the dog sleeps on the sofa one time too many and the Febreeze just isn't cutting it, give the sun a chance. Leave any bulky items like pillows or rugs out for a handful of hours and let the sun do its work.
Oleander
Ugh. This shit. Not only is it damn near impossible to get rid of once it has settled into your yard, but it's horrifically poisonous. For those who live in Tucson, you'll probably remember that the male giraffe from Reid Park Zoo died not too long ago, and he died from oleander poisoning. Oleander is extremely toxic, and reports state you can die from ingesting half a leaf. And a famous ghost story revolves around using oleander to poison a woman and her two children by putting the stuff into a child's birthday cake.
I'm posting this because I don't think everyone knows it; Todd and his brother Scott were incredulous when, after dating Todd a few weeks, I talked about oleander being toxic. They simply couldn't believe it, mostly because the shit is everywhere in Tucson, including the zoo. Oleander poisoning actually happens to be one of my biggest fears (aside from sharks in swimming pools and all my teeth falling out), and I'm terrified for Alexandra as she gets older and more adventurous. I implore everyone to let everyone know about this plant and its nefarious dark side.
Restless Legs Syndrome
Ugh. This shit. I have what I would call a mild case of restless legs. I say mild because I've read stuff online about how bad it can get. Occasionally it will keep me up until 2am or 3am, but mostly, it's never that bad. I work out regularly, take walks regularly, and when the RLS strikes I do squats, pace the house, etc. And sometimes it just doesn't help. And that really, really sucks. For those who have the pleasure of a RLS-free life, imagine being dog tired, reading in bed until your eyes cross, setting your book down, turning off the lights, settling into bed, drifting off.... zzzzt. You twitch your leg a little. Was that a bug bite? Maybe the sheet was tickling you... No matter... zzzztZZZZT. You kick your leg out as if a doctor was testing your reflexes, but it wasn't really you kicking it. You couldn't help yourself. It happens three more times. Four more times. Now you're wide awake. And you are pissed. off.
That's what it is for me, and it happens almost every single night now. It got SO much worse during my pregnancy, as if my sleep wasn't robbed enough, but while it's much better now, it's still more persistant than ever before. I refuse to take medication for it because come on, it's lame. But I do think I've finally found a solution:
Too-warm temperatures. I have obviously no scientific backing on this, but I do have empirical evidence. Several nights ago, frustrated with the creepy-crawly onslaught of RLS, I kicked off the covers and flipped onto my stomach. This way I can let my feet hang off the end of the bed and I push my toes against the edge of the mattress as an exercise to exhaust the muscles. It only works some of the time, but it's also a good way to vent my RLS-induced rage. But this time, with only a sheet over me, my legs cooled down, and....
I went to sleep. What! So I tried it the next night, and the night after, and the night after that. It works every single time. I'm in bed, exhausted, I get ready to sleep and before the Restless Legs even strikes me, I just kick off the covers, take only the sheet, and boom. I'm asleep. Later when I wake while rolling over, I'll grab the blankets and it's all better (I did some online research and the RLS tends to strike only in the start of the night, so after a few hours it's good to go).
Anyways, I just wanted to share that
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