Since I am on a soap making frenzy this month, I thought I include some other beautiful soaps I’ve found on the net. These are called Soaprocks and are handmade by Todd Pink. There are many varieties to chose from, but my favorite are the ones pictured here. I think it looks so natural, yet so supple and not at all rough to the touch. As T.S. Pink describes his (soap) work of art:

“Jade, found primarily in the metamorphic rocks of Upper Burma, actually refers to two minerals, jadeite and nephrite. Jadeite is highly prized in many cultures and the emerald green of your SoapRock has the soft, sophisticated lustre of the “Imperial Jade.” Ingredients: With Extracts of earth: Aloe, calendula, chamomile, comfrey, lavender, vitamin E, vegetable glycerin, chlorophyll, almond oil, jojoba oil, olive oil, essential oils, mineral earth, kaolin clay, and glycerin dewâ„¢.”

M’s mom is so sweet!  The last time we saw her was in 2004.  I can’t believe how fast the time has gone.  I actually found this old picture of a fruit salad his mom made for me on one of our breakfast together. Once she found out how much I loved fruit, she got up extra early to make this - it’s so pretty I had to snap a picture of it. It was filled with all my favorite fruits too.

Vancouver, B.C. fruit salad - lychee nuts, melon, grapefruit, and Satsuma mandarins. Yummy!

I was actually nervous about meeting his mother at first, but right from the start she was super nice and wonderful to be around. She has a great sense of humor and such a positive outlook on life too. And most of all, she has a tremendous amount of kindness (just like the rest of his family!). I don’t know what else to say, but I’m really lucky to be a part of this family.

This article is from a Danish study done with women who spent too much time on the computer. They had the usual neck and back pain. Similar to what I have when I spent too much time in front of the computer too. So I thought this would be great advice for anyone who needs it.

Ballet stretch! They know how to exercise and are happy about it too.  Photo by Tom@HK via .

“The results suggest that specific exercises targeting sore neck and shoulder muscles can bring more pain relief than general exercise, according to lead researcher Dr. Lars L. Andersen, of the National Research Centre for Working Environment in Copenhagen.

Strength training itself boosts the metabolism of protein in muscle, he told Reuters Health, and this might help repair painful muscle tissue.

In addition, stronger muscles can bear more of a workload, which might help prevent pain from developing.

Neck pain can have various sources, including arthritis and chronic headaches. According to Andersen, tightness and tenderness across the upper back and shoulders are clues that the pain stems from the trapezius.

The strength exercises used in the study were simple, standard ones for the shoulders and upper back — like slowly shrugging the shoulders while holding a weight in each hand, arms extended by the sides of the body. So they can be easily performed at home.

Also from Denmark: Denmark is Happiest

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” - Mark Twain

“Time is a companion that goes with us on a journey. It reminds us to cherish each moment, because it will never come again. What we leave behind is not as important as how we have lived.” –Jean Luc Picard

Quit monkeying around. The little girl gets jump kicked by the monkey because the chip bag was empty. So mean, but so funny!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jZciVDOwqo&rel=1&border=1]

I have been thinking about making my own batch of luxury handmade soap since last autumn but never really got around to it. But ever since I’ve tried my first set of handmade soaps from Bath & Bloom’s line last Christmas, my interest has been revived. I have read 5 different books on soap making. And hope to be ready to try my first batch next weekend.

So far I’ve had a difficult time finding the main ingredient - lye (sodium hydroxide). I will have to try again tomorrow and see if the local hardware store carries them. Other then that, I am also in need of some essential oils. I already have my favorite peppermint oil from Boot’s. I really like citrus and fruity scents too. But I haven’t done my research on getting my hands on those yet. I also have my own organic aloe vera from my pot I could add too.

But I was really inspired by these scents from the Bath & Bloom line: bamboo charcoal, tumeric honey, lemon grass, and mango rice.

Here is some more info from BATH&BLOOM (including the oriental tea soap pictured above) - “natural soap is made from a cold process with only the finest quality of natural ingredients. With an enrichment of moisture from olive oil, natural vitamin E from rice bran oil and laxurious lather from coconut oil” Althought in my own batch I would like to use more olive oil, aloe vera, and some herbs and summer dried flowers.

Other cool online soap shops that I love include: jennylane handmade soap & pink planet designs.

Gudule a un bébé by Fanny Joly is one of my new favorite children’s book. But currently they are only published in French. There hasn’t been such a character from children’s book that has warmed my heart since Amelia Bedelia.

The books must have been really succesful since there is is also a French Canadian (animation) cartoon titled, Miss BG - from TV Ontario. In the computer animation, BG is showing the ways of the world to her little brother George.

Every episode is a great learning experience in which she finds a useful lesson on being kind and fair. The little girl is so lovable and so is her family and friends.  I would definitely recommend this book & cartoon for the kid in all of us.

Miss BG - TV Ontario. She’s on !