August Amazon Top Five Favorite Things

I really love to write.  It is like talking but it doesn’t matter if anyone is actually listening.  I decided to post an article that had nothing to do with my grief or pain.  I just couldn’t go there today, but I still wanted to write something useful, so I decided to post reviews for my top five favorite purchases in August from my boyfriend, Amazon.  I hope you find it helpful.  If you don’t, just keep it to yourself.

Backstory:

I have been purging the house slowly but continuously during Pandemic August.  One thing I have learned in the process of cleaning out many shelves and drawers and closets, not even close to done, is that we have a lot of Shit.  Shit we didn’t use, Shit that didn’t work well, Shit that didn’t have a specific place it lived so we were always searching for it, multiple items of the same Shit because when we couldn’t find something we bought a new one, Shit everywhere. 

In this process I have made decisions by asking: Do I need it? Do I use it, like in the last year?  Is it a quality item that is going to last a long time? Can someone else use and enjoy it?  Can I recycle it?  I tossed in some Konmari, does it bring us joy?  Yes, I also made Scott thank that pair of boxers with the holes for serving him well before he tossed it.  I won’t quote him directly, but the word “skid” was involved.

Now I can purchase new favorite things because I now have a place to put them.  Some may seem silly, again these are my opinions not yours.  All these items either bring me joy or I have found I actually use them.  Nothing mind blowing, but right now, unemployed during a pandemic, it is the little nonpolitical Shit that I am getting excited about.  I also am writing this entry because Scott now refuses to listen to me when I start my daily show and tell.  The Amazon and UPS man hates me, I was out watering and the dude said, “another package for you”, with emphasis on the “another”.  Whatever, I am keeping you employed dude.  Links to the items are included.

Dawn’s Top Five Favorite Things from Amazon purchased in August

1. Cost- $12.99  Purpose – Opening those Amazon Boxes and popping those air pillows that I can now recycle with my new Ridwell service.  My new favorite thing is a Fiskars Pro Retractable knife.  We were always using scissors we could never find or kitchen knives that was not very safe.  Both items are now very dull.  I decided to invest in a utility knife.  I was skeptical, we own an ancient box cutter that I am scared to use.  It has no safety features and I am very clumsy.  Plus I can never find it.  It has been left outside so it is rusty.  I don’t want to risk a tetanus shot.  This new tool has been in my pocket of my lounge pants nearly all week.  Super safe and super amazing.  You need one, trust me.  I always keep it in the same drawer. (we will see if that new healthy habit sticks).  It is also amazing at that Damn packaging a lot of companies insist on using, you know the hard-plastic shit, that usually cuts you.  It breaks boxes down for recycle Tuesday like a breeze.  Click Here

2. Cost $16.99 Purpose – Power, tidiness and some laziness.  As my phone has gotten older, it doesn’t hold a charge as long, plus I use it A LOT.  Scott and I both have our “spots” on the sectional.  Yes, they both are recliners.  We are THAT couple, we both regret not getting the divider that had storage and drink holders.  I thought it was tacky, now I want it.  I usually have at least 2 devices going during couch time; my phone and a laptop.  Scott has at least 2; iPad and phone.  Under the old way Scott is closest to the outlet.  He has one charger plugged in to the wall outlet that he takes turns using with his devices and it won’t quite reach to his lap, so the item sits on the end table while charging. I use an extension cord over the top of the couch.  I have gotten it caught up in the recliner mechanism many times.  This solution is another new favorite thing.  Anker Power Port Cube.  I love it.  It is tidy, it sits between us on the couch, we can plug in all the things we need to charge.  Plus, we can conveniently use the item while it is charging.  It comes in White or Black if you need to match your décor.  I have bought a ton of products from Anker over the years.  The items are always high quality.  The other first world problem I had is that I didn’t own a long enough charging cord to use my phone in bed while it charges unless I am on the edge of the bed on my left side.  The dogs don’t like it when I turn my back on them.  Instead of paying more buying extra and longer cords I got one of these cubes for our room.  I can put it on the bed and charge and use whatever I need!  Phone, Kindle, Laptop, etc.  I loved it so much I got the small two port version that I have set up on the table between my porch chairs also known as the new Mom Porch Cave.  I have a phone charger plugged in and a small USB powered Fan.  Henry mocked me for the Fan outdoors.  But who is sitting there inching closer to menopause, enjoying the nice breeze on my Mom Porch Cave?  This girl.  Click Here

(Scott is snoring in this photo)

#3 – Cost – $24.99 Purpose – Lighting, Laziness, Fun Toy, Saves Electricity Four years ago, I spent months researching (I research everything) backyard string lights.  There are multiple layouts and you want them to stay up once you put the work in.  I had a Pinterest board for the project.  Hayley wanted the backyard to be fun for her Graduation Party.  With my very kind and handy brother’s help Scott made our vision reality.  It was finished about an hour before the party!  If you need to know about String Lights, I am your gal.  Scott spends a lot of time on the back patio in what we call the “hammock of grief” (another Amazon favorite thing).  He loves the lights; I love seeing them from inside the house.  I have always had it on a basic timer that worked intermittently.  I noticed that Scott was not using them very much, he turned the timer off since it really didn’t get enough sun to be accurate.  It was easily confused.  Turning them on required bending over, he just wasn’t using them.  I also didn’t like plugging them in and out because, spiders.  This past week our talented handyman installed String Lights on our side deck.  They are attached to the house and a tree and they are lovely.  He had mentioned that a recent client had hooked up hers with the ability to control them with a remote!  Holy Shit that sounds awesome.  Wait, we can’t have remotes.  First, we would totally lose it, set it down somewhere and won’t be able to find it and Finn eats remotes.  Then I thought, I wonder if Alexa could turn on the lights??  Sure enough Amazon was my hero again.  I bought an Outdoor Smart Plug Outlet.  We plugged the lights into this new toy.  This also freed up one of the outlets so Scott can run an extension cord to the hammock for his Ipad.  I got him a pink cord.  He is comfortable with pink.  This new toy allowed me to set up zones, like Mancave lights only, Deck lights only or All ON!  All controlled by an APP on my phone or by demanding Alexa do it for me.  I have seriously entertained myself for the last two nights, turning them on and off while Scott is in the hammock.  He is very much over it!  Now we will use the lights more plus the APP can program a schedule, saving energy.  I like going to bed with them on and enjoy the view, and now I can program them from my phone to go off when I am sleeping therefore not wasting electricity.  I ordered more string lights for the Mom Porch Cave.  Very fun and useful toy.  I am trying to figure out how to hook Henry up to the APP and program it to take out the garbage when I ask.  Elon Musk needs to get working on this idea.  Click Here

#4 Cost – $29.97 Purpose – Organization, Tidiness, Help locate Kitchen tools The first place I started in August in the Great Pandemic Clean Out was the kitchen drawers.  After having sold Pampered Chef and being a huge fan, I had a lot of tools and accessories.  They were all crammed into drawers and it was impossible to locate an item quickly.  Disclaimer, I don’t like to cook.  Scott and Henry generally don’t like when I cook either.  I am not that good at it and it takes way too much energy that I am lacking right now.  Door Dash is much easier.  I took everything out of all the drawers.  I sorted; keep, donate, gift or trash.  But I still had the issue of the kept items being all jumbled in the drawer.  A standard drawer organizer would not work because the compartments were too small and just didn’t fit the odd sized items.  I was using Amazon to search for organization ideas and ran across these beauties.  Adjustable Bamboo Drawer Dividers.  These amazing tools come in a four pack.  I was able to divide drawers to the width needed to hold all the like items.  It was like getting custom kitchen drawers.  Guess what, I don’t mind being in the kitchen as much because I now can find the fricking tongs!  I am considering ordering another pack to use in our bathroom drawers.  Currently I use little plastic organizers and that leaves unused space.  When we remodeled our bathroom, we downsized the vanity, so space is valuable.  Click Here

#5 – Cost $102.99 Purpose – A fun toy to motivate me to cook, cook healthier foods, cook quickly, save money on takeout meals I saved the big, best and most expensive item for last!  I had heard of the Air Fryer craze.  I thought it would be like the Instant Pot.  Many people bought them; many are not using them.  This is where you can benefit from my research skills.  We bought the Cosori Air Fryer Max, 5.8 quart.  There are so many brands, styles and features available on these bad boys.  They range in size and style, from small round units to the huge small oven like ones that do everything but give you a manicure.  I started by asking friends which model they had, what do they like about them and what feature did they wish they had.  I then started reading reviews on Amazon.  I gleaned enough information to know the following:  Nobody ever regretted not getting a bigger one, but lots of people regretted getting the small ones.  People really liked the units with preset food settings.  I found out which ones cleaned up well, hello, the dishwasher not by hand in my house.  Food turned out more successful with a pre-heat option.  The size and shape do matter.  We bought this specific model that I have named Frank, for the following reasons.  The size, 5.8 quart is big enough to make things for 2 to 4 people.  We did not get the big combo oven; not enough counter space and we like our retro looking toaster.  It has a pre-heat option.  Very non-stick and easy to clean.  I liked the white one, everyone has black, be different.  It fits in our cabinet when not in use.  It has 11 preset buttons for us less than perfect chefs.  The square shape allows you to fit more items, you don’t lose the corners like in a round basket.  The preset buttons beep and remind you halfway through the process to shake the items in the basket to make sure everything cooks perfectly.  Very positive reviews.  The reason I may love Frank a little more than Scott is that it has me cooking for real, in the kitchen!  Not Door Dash cooking, but real healthy cooking. We have sat down as a family of three and eaten meals together at an actual table more times in the last month than we did all of 2019.  I have only tapped the tip of the iceberg on Frank’s talents.  So far, we have cooked frozen food to perfection and in half the time.  Bonus that we don’t use the oven since our AC is broken and it is Summer.  The frozen items we have tried and had success with are:  French fries, chicken wings, and cheese sticks.  Scott and Henry have even introduced themselves to Frank.  All these items came out crispy on the outside and juicy or soft on the inside.  I have cut up baby red potatoes, mixed with olive oil and rosemary.  Tastes like at a restaurant.  Sliced zucchini comes out perfect.  The best thing so far has been not wasting as much food when we do take out.  It reheats leftovers and leaves them tasting like you just picked those fries up.  Trust me you need your own Frank.  I have been told it cooks all kinds of meat and seafood.  It even can bake.  That will be fun to experiment with.  There are hundreds of ideas on the internet with easy instructions.  You just need to know the temperature and the amount of time.  My goal is to become braver and adventurous with Frank in September.  Click Here for Frank.