After a few seconds, we gave up, and as he turned it off, the ensuing silence was a welcome relief. I used the vacuum cleaner to talk about how we have this noise in our heads all the time. Our thoughts are creating a swirl of sound, and it can be exhausting to try to concentrate, relax or get creative with all that racket going on. This mental vacuum sucks our energy and makes it difficult to gain clarity, let alone peace of mind. We need to turn it off in order to have the quiet space we need to truly pay attention.

The surprising part of this is that turning on a REAL vacuum cleaner and running it across your floor provides an excellent opportunity to quiet the noise in your head. You can use your power switch to make an intentional shift toward mindfulness, and let this housecleaning task become your chance to watch your thoughts. Any slow repetitive physical task lends itself beautifully to mindfulness practice, and the back-and-forth motion of your vacuuming can give a soothing rhythm to your thought-watching. Set your body on auto-pilot and focus on the thought parade in your head. Or, you can choose to use your dust-sucking time to focus on the physical activity required.

Feel the muscles as you move. Focus on your shoulders and arms as you stretch and retract, stretch and retract. Switch arms and watch how it feels to relax that one side while flexing the other. The point here is to make use of the task as a trigger for mindfulness, but remember this: fun is a huge motivator in all things. So, if you can't get too excited about vacuuming in general or thought/body-watching in particular, I heartily recommend Option #3--the "Mrs.

Doubtfire" approach to mindfulness. You remember the scene in the movie, Mrs. Doubtfire, when Robin Williams, dressed as the matronly nanny, rocks out while vacuuming to Aerosmith's "(Dude) Looks Like A Lady," right? This must be the greatest housework scene ever. It makes me want to go to my cleaning closet and dance with the vacuum wand myself. That's what I'm talking about.

If you've ever been stressed about something and gone on a cleaning binge, you know how good it feels to scrub the floor and wipe away your frustration at the same time. You might as well get something done while you've got that adrenaline pumping, right? So, if a meditative vacuuming session doesn't inspire you, you can still use this time to be mindful by focusing on your air guitar moves. Pay attention to your sense of fun as well as your sense of perspective. Exercise your concentration. Focus on what it feels like to cut a rug while cleaning it.

Mindfulness doesn't require stillness, and it certainly doesn't have to be serious. Turn on your vacuum, and let the focusing begin. Suck it up..

Talk with your veterinarian to find out the best products available. You can have your pet dipped; buy flea collars, and other products that will eliminate the fleas from your pet. Now, that your pet is flea free, how do you get rid of the fleas inside your home? You should now vacuum your entire home including any furniture that your pet has laid on. Once you vacuumed, be sure to throw the vacuum cleaner bag out immediately. The bag is probably full of fleas and you do not want to take the chance of them somehow finding their way out of the vacuum.

If your pet has a pet bed, wash it completely or discard it and buy a new one. Any other bedding, towels, and rugs that your pet has been on also need to be cleaned. Sometimes, the above steps may not be enough to rid your home of fleas. You may need to invest in an insecticide that can be used on carpets, baseboards, and cracks. Fleas can hide in very small places and if you have one flea, soon you will have many.

Before using any type of insecticide, talk with your veterinarian to be sure that it is safe to use around your pet. You do not want your pet to ingest any type of toxic chemicals that could make them sick..

On a whim, I pulled out my DC500 the next time I had a sanding job, and placed the end of the vacuum hose into the DW421 and found that the hose fit perfectly. I turned on the vacuum, turned on the sander and proceeded with my job, sans sawdust. It worked perfectly! I was VERY pleased with this thoughtful feature.Changing the dust collection bin is as easy as unclipping two hinge clamps and pulling the dust bin off the bottom and dumping in an appropriate place.This vacuum also handles wet jobs, and has a drain plug in the collection tub for just such occasions, helping you to drain the wet stuff BEFORE you spill it all over.Even more features await. You can purchase the DC500, which is just the vacuum - no batteries. Or, we stock the DC500K and DC500K-2 that include a battery and charger, or batteries and charger respectively.

With a cordless battery, the DC500 now becomes totally portable and runs completely off the battery attached.he only negative to this tool is that it's not a charger. However, for the price, the DC500 series is quite a handy little addition to anyone's tool shed.Recommended. You can find the DC500 Here:http://www.toolup.com/productinfo.asp?ID=DC500&Man=Dewalt&feed=ContentDeskYou can find the DC500K Here:http://www.toolup.com/productinfo.asp?ID=DC500K&Man=Dewalt&feed=ContentDeskYou can find the DC500K-2 Here:http://www.toolup.com/productinfo.asp?ID=DC500K-2&Man=Dewalt&feed=ContentDeskYou can find the DW421 Here:http://www.toolup.com/productinfo.asp?ID=DW421&Man=Dewalt&Feed=ContentDesk.

My father's niece and her husband didn't seem like the kind of people who would leave in a huff because their host hadn't put out new dishtowels.What next?Perhaps I'd better see if I could lay my hands on Mom's best tablecloth. A tablecloth had always been one of the things my mother insisted upon when we had company. I went to the drawer where Mom kept her tablecloths, and sure enough, there it was.But when I pulled out the hand-embroidered tablecloth, the one that it had taken her months to complete, I gasped in dismay. Right in the middle was a big stain. Now how in the world did Mom's best tablecloth end up with a stain?Oh yes, that's right.

We'd all been here for Christmas, and one of the kids had accidentally knocked over a glass of soda pop. The sight of her grandchild sobbing with remorse had been more important than the tablecloth, and Mom had said she was sure the pop would come out when she washed it. All right, so it looked like I'd have to forget the tablecloth, too. Maybe I'd be better off attending to the big things right now, anyway, like vacuuming.Satisfied that I was finally going to make some progress, I got out the vacuum cleaner. Except.

. .why did it sound so funny? And why wasn't it picking up those bits of paper on the living room carpeting?I pulled out the attachments hose and flipped the switch again. Ah-ha. That's why. No suction.

The hose was plugged.Well, of COURSE the hose was plugged. I couldn't find the new dishtowels. Mom's best tablecloth had a big stain. Why wouldn't the vacuum cleaner hose be plugged? And right then and there, I started to cry. Now what was I going to do? Would a wire hanger work? Thirty minutes later, however, the vacuum cleaner was still plugged.Where was Dad? I knew he'd gone outside and was probably puttering around in his garden, seeing as it was the middle of April, but why wasn't he in here when I needed him? After being a farmer for 50 years, he could fix absolutely anything.

Just at that moment, my father came into the house. "What's wrong?" he asked, noticing that I had been crying.Although it had been years since I called him "Daddy," it just sort of slipped out, and along with it came more tears. "Oh, Daddy ? I can't find the new dishtowels. The tablecloth has a big stain. The vacuum cleaner is plugged.

And?" I stopped and swallowed hard. "I miss my mother."There. I'd said it. And in that instant, the whole world seemed to stop while Dad drew a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I know you do," he said.

"So do I."You see, only three weeks earlier, my mother had been diagnosed with advanced gallbladder cancer. Mom died Saturday night, and this was Monday. My father's niece and her husband were driving 275 miles to attend the funeral, and they would be staying at the house. As Dad gazed at me, I noticed how much he seemed to have aged in the last few weeks. And his face was covered with silvery stubble.

It was a rare morning when my father didn't shave, but then, the past couple of days had been far from ordinary."And you know what?" Dad continued. "You always WILL miss your mother. In fact, it won't ever go away completely. Not even when you're as old as me."Dad was 70. I was 26.

I never knew Dad's mother. She had died before I was born. Mom had been stricken with polio in 1942 when she was 26 and paralyzed in both legs. At the time, the doctors had told her she would never have more children. I was born 16 years later.After the funeral was over and my father's relatives had gone home, I found the dishtowels.

Mom had put them in her dresser drawer. And with several washings, the stain finally came out of the tablecloth. Dad had been able to fix the vacuum cleaner too.But nothing could fix the fact that my mother was gone.Mom died in 1985, and all these years later, I realize that Dad was right ? I AM always going to miss her.But I've also figured out what else he was trying to tell me on that April day so long ago ? that missing my mother keeps her alive in my heart. **********************.

The condenser tubing is usually seen on the rear of a refrigerator. It is produced in a serpentine form with additional fins running across it for added heat dissipation."Heat, I thought we were talking about refrigerators, not stoves".You will have to believe me when I say: ?a refrigerator does not produce cold air'. Rather, its job is to transfer heat from inside the refrigerator cabinet to the outside. While doing this it removes heat from your food and that results in your food becoming cold. So, who cares! You should.

Because a major part in this transferring of heat is the ?black coil thing' we have been talking about. Yes, that's right, the condenser. Without the condenser our refrigerator would not operate. Therefore, we are going to learn how to do basic maintenance of this part and keep our refrigerator in tip-top shape.------------------------------So let's begin Tools required:?Vacuum cleaner?Brush or vacuum brush attachment?Cotton rag?Light strength household cleaner?Garbage bag1.Pull the refrigerator away from the wall and unplug it.2.The condenser will be the radiator-looking part on the rear of the refrigerator.3.Use a brush or vacuum cleaner to remove any dust buildup on the condenser. Remember, the condenser is made of thin tubing and is full of a high-pressure (130 psig) gas.

So be gentle. If you injure the tubing a simple cleaning could turn into an expensive repair.4.If you have a pet expect to see a large accumulation of animal fur on the condenser. If a lot of dust or fur is present then clean off with a dry rag and dispose into the garbage bag. We suggest using the dry rag method first to avoid clogging up the vacuum hose.5.Next, use the vacuum cleaner to finish the basic cleaning of the condenser. The brush attachment of the vacuum cleaner works particularly well at this point.

The brush will allow you to get in between all the fins and remove the dust hiding there.6.Finish by cleaning the condenser with a rag dampened with water. Avoid using any cleaner. Since the condensers job is to transfer heat any residue left by a cleaner could impede this process. Under no circumstances use something like furniture polish (example lemon furniture polish) or a dust removal spray. It will leave a waxy residue that will end up attracting more dust.

Something that works extremely well is a static duster (not the dusting clothes). If you are not sure what I mean, it is the cleaning device that looks like a cats' tail attached to a long handle. They are great because they pick up dust without using any chemicals.7.Use the vacuum to remove dust from the cardboard cover that is near the bottom rear of the refrigerator. It is covering the area where the compressor and electrical components reside. It will usually have holes in it where dust can accumulate.8.Vacuum any dust from the floor and the cavity where the refrigerator normally resides.

Vacuum the sides of the refrigerator. If there is a kick plate (floor level grille) at the front of the refrigerator vacuum it also. Hint: Do not remove the kick plate to clean. Some are very difficult to re-install.9.Plug in the refrigerator and push back into place.That's it ? that's all. The whole process should have taken approximately 15 minutes.In the space of a few minutes you have accomplished a number of objectives.

You have removed a major source of dust from your home; made the refrigerator operate more efficiently; and lowered your electrical consumption. Even though it is an easy job, it is one that usually gets forgotten. So don't wait until the serviceman arrives once every few years to do this. It is a very important cleaning project for the reasons already stated. Therefore, this is a job that should be placed right near the top of your next spring-cleaning list.

Large quantities of pollen can enter your home by traveling in through open doors or windows, on clothing and hair ? and on the family pet.As much as we seem to love dry, breezy days, those are the weather conditions that are just right for pollen to circulate. Avoid being outdoors when possible or, at least, be sure to exercise indoors, if you would normally do so outside. When driving, be sure to keep the windows raised and employ the air conditioning. In addition, you should also keep your windows at home closed and use air conditioning or window screens with filters; remember to remove shoes before entering the house; wash your hair each night; avoid hanging laundry outdoors; engage someone else to mow the lawn; and use HEPA filters on heating and air conditioning units.Those who own pets often have allergic reactions to their dander and need to take precautions in order to eliminate airborne allergens. Keep the pet outdoors as often as is reasonable and wipe down the surfaces of the home's interior; vacuum frequently using a HEPA vacuum; wash your pet weekly with dander-reducing shampoo and use anti-dander spray; wash your hands after handling your pet; wear a dust mask while cleaning; and use vent filters on air conditioners and heaters.While it may seem like a great deal of work in order to eliminate these airborne allergens from your home, the amount of work will be significantly reduced if you perform these cleaning rituals regularly..

We had never even changed a diaper when we brought our bundle of joy home from the hospital. I had heard a few horror stories about babies with colic, but never thought in a million years I would be the proud owner of a colic baby. So, imagine our horror, when on about our third week of parenting, our daughter started screaming every day around dinnertime. And, I'm talking blood-curdling, "I'm-in-severe-pain" sort of screaming. Screaming that lasted four hours and drove everyone in the household to tears.We thought for sure something was horribly wrong.A doctor appointment later, I was assured that my daughter was fine, and she probably just had "a little colic." Not to worry, that the colic would pass within a "couple of months".Yeah, right.

Define a "couple of months".Those of you who have a baby with "a little colic" know there is no such thing. Experiencing a colic episode is extremely traumatic. You feel helpless, angry and frustrated when everything you try to stop the crying fails miserably. You feel like you're a bad parent or that your baby hates you. But, don't despair.

Empower yourself! There are tons of strategies, tricks and products out there to help you deal with a colicky baby. A guaranteed colic-buster we used time and time again was white noise. "What is white noise?" you might ask. Good question. Here goes.White noise is the full spectrum of sound frequencies a human ear can hear combined together all at once.

Huh?Okay, again in layman's terms. Have you ever been in a crowd full of people, for example, at a sporting event? Everyone is talking at the same time. You can't decipher every single conversation, but you do hear the roar of the crowd (it happens to make me sleepy). That is white noise. Oh, yeah, I get it now!Now, do me a favor.

Put your hands over your ears and listen. Do you hear a roaring? What you are hearing is the white noise your own body produces within. The same noise your baby heard for 40 weeks or so while in the womb.So, for a second, imagine you are a baby in the womb. You've spent most of your existence in a place warm and dark, where you were well fed and had no distracting noises, lights or outside stimuli. Then suddenly, you burst on the scene and have a whole big world to absorb.

The stimuli eventually stresses you out, and since you can't communicate very well, the only way you know how to blow off steam is to cry and cry and cry some more. This is the latest scientific explanation of the cause of colic. Your baby is over-stimulated throughout the course of the day. To relieve stress, they cry uncontrollably for several hours. Oh, man.So what can you do as a parent?Recreate for your baby the feeling of being in the womb.

Lower lights, reduce visual stimuli, swaddle the baby and turn on some white noise. Babies seem to be positively effected by the noise frequency of a hair dryer, clothes dryer and vacuum cleaner. Unbelievably enough, this works! When I first heard about this theory, I was extremely skeptical. But out of desperation one day, I pulled out the vacuum cleaner and plugged it in. It was like turning off a water faucet.

Immediately, our baby quit screaming. If you unplugged the vacuum, she started screaming again. It was weird. But, it worked.Wait, though! Don't just plug in your vacuum cleaner and run it for several hours. The noise decibels will damage your baby's hearing.

You need to be able to control the volume of the white noise your baby is hearing.White noise downloads and white noise CD's are available for purchase almost everywhere. Just go on Yahoo! or MSN and do a search for "white noise baby". For just a few dollars, your baby can have the comfort of white noise, and you can have your sanity back..

The lesson learned: Misery is the mother of invention. The Bag Button was born. "It's just amazing how simple this device is and how well it works," said Larry. You place something you want to protect in a regular plastic bag, pull the bag through the two-inch diameter rubber ring and hook it up to your vacuum or a hand pump. When the thickness is reduced you tie a knot and slip off the BagButton and o-ring.You can reduce a pillow to three quarters of an inch.

It works well on sleeping bags, clothes, and camping goods, yard debris, things you want to reduce the volume to conserve space when you go traveling. It also protects family heirlooms and works well with food. The Storey's received their first batch of Bag Buttons in March 2004 and have been marketing with help from family and friends ever since. Feedback from users is excellent. They have signed a contract with the Home Shopping Channel.

Bag Button protects valuables from water damage, dust, dirt, mildew and insects. The Bag Button retails for $14.95 and works with regular plastic bags. Bag Button is a totally Made in America product, manufactured in Portland, and packaged by another Oregon company. The BagButton can be found at QFC/Kroeger, Bartell Drugs, Shurgard Storage, Urban Storage, Fort Lewis WA., Participating True Value Hardware's, We have been accepted by Winn Dixie and are waiting for air time on Home Shopping Network, added Storey. The company BagButton.com was formed in 1996, then received there certificate of formation as BagButton LLC.

February 09, 2004 in Washington State. From 1996-2004 they went through the patent processes and several mold changes and entered into the market on March 29th 2004. They are into there second year of manufacturing and distribution and coming on strong. Larry Storey is available for interviews at (360) 939-2469..

In other words, wipe with a dampened, not wet cloth. Adding a capful of vinegar can help and is suggested by the National Wood Flooring Association. However, I have heard one floor finish manufacturer dispute this, believing the vinegar is too acidic and can break down the finish eventually. The absolutely simple and safe way to clean any sort of wood that is finished with a urethane is to use polyurethane cleaners which are manufactured by both hardwood flooring manufacturers and manufacturers of polyurethane. I use Squeeky Cleaner from Basic Coatings.

Any hardwood flooring supplier near you should carry this or similar product. Also, Home Depot is a likely place to look, since they do sell hardwood flooring. This cleaner is usually blue in color, and is mixed 4 parts water to one part cleaner in a spray bottle. Mist some on a cloth and wipe. You can use this to clean any wood finished with urethane top coats.

Q: "We bought a beautiful old home with wonderful wood floors throughout which were installed in 93. They looked pretty good when we moved in two years ago, but now they look dull and mottled. Our cleaning person uses ****** for floors and some floor dusting cloth called ********. Could they be the problem? What can we use to get the shine back?" A: There are any number of cleaners on the market, found in supermarket that say they are for hardwood floors. Your safest approach is to purchase a cleaner created by hardwood flooring manufacturers or floor finish manufacturers.

This can be purchased (these products, as far as I am aware, are all basically the same) from local hardwood flooring retailers or a big box store that sells hardwood flooring. Best bet is the Hardwood retailer who specializes in hardwood. I use "squeaky cleaner" manufactured by Basic Coatings. See their web site: www.basiccoatings.com.Mirage cleaner is another one. It sounds likely that the cleaners being used on your floors are leaving some sort of film on the wood surface.

This can create the situation you are describing and can make buffing and recoating in the future impossible to achieve due to adhesion issues. To sum it up, your best bet to make your floors shine is to purchase a cleaner created by hardwood flooring manufacturers or floor finish manufacturers..