Bissell Steam Mop – Review

This isn’t a sexy post but a real life Covid cleaning review. I have always been a bit clean freak and I love to clean – weird I know, but I find it therapeutic – this can be addressed in another post.

I’m always looking for new, environmental and efficient ways to appease my cleaning obsession and I think I’ve found it. I recently bought a Bissell steam mop for my hardwood floors and I want to let you know it’s a life changer. I don’t know why I never got on this train before but now that I have, I may never leave. 

I have 2 pups who are bougie and don’t shed and the condo gets dusty just because they have been working on a construction project not too far from me. I thought vacuuming and using my Bona was good – then I invested in this steam mop and I can’t say enough about it. The first time I used it I knew we were meant for each other. The dirt (yes dirt!) that it picked up was incredible. I also noticed that less dust and hair accumulated before my next full cleaning.

I got my steam mop on sale for around $135 CDN through the Bissell Canada website. It’s quiet, it’s compact (great for small places), it works and it’s environmental – just filtered water which becomes a heavy-duty steam.

If you want to clean with steam instead of chemicals this one’s for you. You will not be disappointed.

Yours,

Guilty Pleasure – TicTok Edition

Hi Gals,

I know it’s been a while and I’m happy to report I am no longer single. I’ve actually been in a relationship for over 7.5 years, which in my world is a lifetime. With all the craziness in the world and being off and on with quarantine as well as living in a 1 bedroom condo with my boyfriend you need to find little guilty pleasures that you can enjoy, and which keep you sane.

People have a love, hate with social media as do I, and it’s not like I subscribe to all forms of social media, for example I don’t have Facebook, but I’ve found a guilty pleasure in TikTok. I don’t even remember why I downloaded the app, maybe I liked the idea that you don’t have to have an account to be a Tiktokker, meaning no subscription is needed. You just get the app and easily scroll through random people’s accounts and see what they are up to or what’s on their minds.

The appeal of TikTok.

1. You hear songs you may or may not know but also see dances that people have created for them.
   1. In my head I can and do the dances flawlessly so I’m an expert.
2. I assume the algorithm is different if you’ve logged in but whatever they are using I do see find people on repeat who appeal to me.

It’s my guilty pleasure and aside from ruining some songs for Francesco – sorry “Tricky” and RunDMC it provides me a nice little break.

The funny thing about this platform is that I see people saying parents or people over 40 etc… shouldn’t be on it. Well I’m a puppy parent and over 40 so screw you, plus my mom is addicted and I find this amazing because she is in her mid-70’s. I tried to see what she gets on her feed but she wouldn’t let me, but I did joke with her that I want to see her TikTok dance the next time I visited.

Anyways this isn’t an ad and I’m not telling you to sign-up to Tiktok just letting you know that this is something I’ve embraced which has brought smiles to my face and kept me in the know with music.

I think I have a problem…

I love traveling, it’s the little things that make people happy and for me that little tor maybe big thing is traveling. I have a tendency of coming back from vacations only to find myself booking another one. I think the universe works with me and knows that traveling makes me sane. I say this because it seems like there is always a seat sale calling my name. They also seem to magically appear right after I return from holidays. I can’t explain this it’s just how it is.

As you know I went away to El Salvador with Hopeful and we just got back on the 15th of Feb. As luck would have it, there happened to be an AMAZING deal to NYC. I love NYC and I couldn’t just ignore this deal, and since I wasn’t able to plan a big trip for my birthday, a weekend getaway to the Big Apple is the answer.

Traveling isn’t a cheap or always a convenient option for many but one of the benefits of being single and making your own money is that you can spend it where and how you want. I also have the luxury of jumping at things when they come up because it’s only me and my travel partner(s) that need to be involved.

I hope all you ladies (and men) find what makes you happy and if you haven’t may I suggest you look into traveling. As you may have figured out it’s not really a problem for me it’s my answer J

Any problems you wish to share?

Queen B

Are U Flexible?

So ladies it’s another year and well as with any new year you start thinking what do I want to accomplish, be and do? To be honest I haven’t really thought about things in detail and maybe it’s for the best. I say this because sometimes we set goals in our life that take over or trump opportunities that come up because they conflict or interfere with what we think we need to do.

What I recommend for anyone is to be flexible. One of my goals for the year was to go away for my birthday, as it’s a milestone. Things got a little complicated as my new move in date for my condo is close to my bday which made the timing less than ideal. So what did I do, I went away before (with Hopeful).  I also plan to postpone a bday getaway until the fall or winter of the next year (when other friends will be celebrating milestone years), this trip may be big or it may just be a weekend away but whatever it is, it will be fun and exciting.

As a women who is driven and motivated it’s easy for me to say I’m going to do this or that and set a date out. This is not a bad thing, it’s human nature, but if your goals don’t allow you to be flexible or to seize opportunities they aren’t good goals. I won’t lie I’m a little disappointed that my bday timing doesn’t work but it’s not like I won’t celebrate in a big way and who knows maybe more friends can attend, and if not, that’s fine as well.

Remember to live for the moment, planning is great and needed but you need to roll with the punches and make the most of situations no matter what.

Queen B

Twi-Hards everywhere just got dose of real life..Welcome to reality

So I’m not a Twi-Hard and don’t really care about Kristen Stewart of Robert Pattinson but the media attention surrounding Stewart’s cheating scandal got me thinking.  I am not a cheater and I don’t condone the behavior of Stewart or Rupert Saunders, but I have a problem with how this is playing out in the media. Why are the women always portrayed as the vixen who lured an innocent helpless man? Why is nobody asking why a 41 year-old married father of 2 is pursuing a 22 year-old women? Oh yeah, I forgot we live in a double standard world where we throw stones at girls/women who stray but are supposed to forgive the men who do.

Don’t get me wrong, I also understand that millions are at stake. Stewart single handedly ruined a book/movie franchise that is counting on young girls thinking they can be the next Bella. If you have sat through any of the movies or read any of the books, I think poking pencils in your eyes would be less painful, but may just be me.

For the record I think Stewart and Saunders are equally at fault and if their partners take them back it is there choice not ours.

For all the Twi-Hards reading this, love does exist, sometimes it has bumps and hopefully you don’t get cheated on. Although people like me are looking for a romantic comedy, the reality is, people make mistakes, you either live with them or you don’t. I wouldn’t but that’s because the trust would be gone, for others this isn’t the case. There isn’t a right or wrong answer, it’s personal and it’s your choice. What would you do?

Hit a Pub it’s Euro Cup 2012 Time

So single ladies it’s a good time to hit a pub with your single friends and start mingling as it’s European football’s quest for the Cup.

The games start on Friday June 8th and they are being played in Poland and the Ukraine.

For those of you that don’t know the rules of football, I’ve included the basics below:

* A match is played in two 45 minute halves, by two teams of eleven players each. The game begins with the toss of a coin, and the winning captain decides which goal to defend or to take the first kick off.

* All players must use their feet head or chest to play the ball. Only the goalkeeper is allowed to use their hands, and only within their designated goal area. The aim of the game is to score a goal, which is achieved by kicking or heading the ball into the opposition team’s goal

* If the ball touches or crosses the side line, it is thrown back in by the team that was not the last to touch the ball.

* The game is controlled by a central referee, and two linesmen. They award free kicks and penalties when rules are broken. For continual breaking of rules or for a bad foul, the player may be sent off.

If you want to know more, go to Wikipedia and read up on the teams and players: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Euro_2012_qualifying

If you don’t care to know the rules or whose playing, just know that there a ton of foreign cuties who you can stare at for 90 minutes. Enjoy!

I’ve joined a pool at work and I’ve picked the Netherlands to take it all, who are you cheering for?

The things that can make a girl cry…

I am such a girl and I don’t have any problem with it. I cry during commercials, I cry at YouTube proposals, I cry during sad movies, I cry sometimes for no reason whatsoever. Don’t get me wrong I’m not a crazy crying women, I’m actually quite stoic and always appear to be in control. On the inside though, that isn’t always the case.

I wonder sometimes if men just feel like letting go but don’t, fearing they won’t appear manly enough. That is why I’m so happy I’m a girl, if something makes me sad I can cry and if people think I’m emotional well I am and if you don’t like it, too bad.

I’m writing this piece because I was watching the below proposal and started crying. I don’t know these people or anything about them, but I could feel the love and as single girl sometimes you need hope or a reminder that true love exists. If this proposal doesn’t give you hope, I pray something else does.  Enjoy……

Did you cry?

Vacation Bliss

I’m not going to review my trip to Italy with Hopeful because I don’t want you to live vicariously through me (or others) when you’re more than capable of experiencing it for yourself.

If you’ve been to Western Europe you already have knowledge of the working to live and not live to work mantra that so many follow. Why we don’t adhere to this in North America is beyond me but as I’ve been told time and again they are in financial trouble so don’t go thinking the grass is greener. Even if this is the case may be getting into some trouble to maintain a good work/life balance is not such a bad idea because at least they appear to be enjoying themselves.

I have to say that I have come back from this trip a lot more chill and relaxed. It might be my body’s reaction to detoxing from all the booze and food that has altered my attitude but I think I had a sort of wake-up call that life is too short to fret over things you can’t necessarily change. Aside from some passionate conversations between couples and people talking about politics I didn’t see a lot of miserable or stressed out individuals and it was nice. Even the homeless man was having a great time but I guess when you’re homeless and wearing Prada pants life isn’t so bad….

Since I’ve been back home I’ve noticed (even more so than before) that people aren’t happy. It’s a miracle if someone smiles at you or looks you in the eye or even holds a door open. We are so busy being busy that we don’t have the time to be human beings.

I will be honest I don’t know how long my new outlook will hold for but I will enjoy it for as long as it lasts.

My  Recommendations:

Places to stay: http://www.domusboccadileone.it

Find comfortable shoes as cobblestone is not your friend.

Best time to visit Apr – June then Sept – Oct

Drinks to try Prosecco before dinner & Lemoncello after dinner

To Shellac Your Nails or Not to Shellac

Single girls if you don’t get mani’s and pedi’s please book an appointment now and treat yourself. Like your hair, your make-up, your grooming, your skin care routine, you need to take care of your nails. The big thing for nails is Shellac. What is Shellac you may ask? Well according to my brother in law it’s a car polish for your nails, instead of polish and dry, the process is polish and UV onto your nails.

My verdict on Shellac is that it is a must for your hands. If you have ever experienced the feeling of walking out of the nail bar and a minute later ruining your nails, then you will find Shellac a God send. The colour lasts for approx. 10 – 14 days and if you don’t mind nail re-growth (which I do) you could probably have it on for a lot longer. Another option to eliminate the re-growth bother is to get a French manicure, again not my thing but if it works for you this is another great option.

There is a downside to Shellac in that you can’t use regular polish to get it off and the removal process is a lot longer (approx. 10 minutes a hand). Most nail bars will remove the polish for you, but my inner Martha Stewart and laziness of going back to the nail bar has resulted in me removing my own polish. The removal process does take time and I won’t bore you with the details except to let you know that you will need to get 100% acetone polish remover. There are many “How to remove Shellac Polish” videos on Youtube so please refer to  one  of them for the step-by-step process.

I don’t feel the need to Shellac my toenails, as I don’t have any issues with the regular polish and dry system. As with any polish Shellac should only be done sporadically. Your nails need to breath and be free but for holidays and special occasions where nails need to last it’s a great option.

Have you Shellac-ed your nails?  How long did it last for you?  Would you recommend this, let us know your thoughts.

Single Gals Guide to Home Ownership

It’s time I grow up or at least commit to something and unfortunately my car doesn’t count. So a couple of years back I decided to start looking for a condo. I had been on the fence for so long that I finally signed on the dotted line.

I bought a pre-construction condo in the Queen East part of DT. I like the area, I like my unit and I liked how things just fell into place. It’s not a large space but it’s my space, so what’s not to like?

In all honesty my purchase didn’t really hit me until this year. Sounds weird but I didn’t even blink when I wrote 4 large cheques but now that it’s coming closer to my condo being a reality I finally am feeling it.

I don’t know how many of you ladies have taken this step by yourself and trust me I wouldn’t have thought I would be doing this on my own but I am and I did and I couldn’t be happier.

Here are some things I have learned along the way.

1. Save – You don’t want to be house poor and if you’re single you definitely don’t want to not have money for a social life. Save all you can so that your mortgage payments are low.
2. Don’t buy above your means. – See point number 1, you don’t want to be house poor and you still want to go out so don’t buy something you can’t afford.
3. Make sure you have a plan.                                                                                                                        a)Plan how much you want to spend, where you want to live etc…

This isn’t a new dress or shoes, this is a house or condo in my case, so make sure you love it.

4. Don’t be afraid to talk to people about mortgages, interest rates, ways to save etc…Your friends and family are free and the insights they can provide could save you a lot of time and money.

5.Don’t think you have to have it all done at once. I was stressing myself out thinking I needed to have my place all set when I moved in. This isn’t going to happen and it’s not a big deal. Take things as they come and don’t worry if you’re sitting on pillows for 8 weeks waiting for your new sofa.

Last but not least, enjoy every moment. You have worked really hard to own property, take pride in that and know that you have done something for yourself.

BTW – I know my condo will be delayed and I should find out this month for how long, so wish me luck, I really want to be in by the end of the year.

Queen B