Life's Simplicity

How I got my home 100% cockroach free in two weeks’ time without spending much.

Mae Salinas — Wed, 18 May 2011 11:48:59 +0000

Roaches all gone!
Finally, I found the answer to rid my home of those crawling insect pests. It was not a new idea but it is truly the best solution and alternative to those expensive pest control services and those aerosol insecticidal sprays that are dangerous if inhaled specially by children. I have only applied it once and surprisingly, in just a matter of 2 weeks all the roaches were gone. My husband was all praises to my discovery of the method which I in turn attribute to the experts from those sites that explained how to go about it.

Roaches invasion of homes
What prompted me to search relentlessly for the answers from these sites is the ever-growing colony of roaches in my house. These experts were right to say that a single cockroach that made way to any home will spell disaster in terms of growing colonies through time. When we transferred to our house 18 years ago, it was newly built and roach free . However after more than 10 years, I started to see 1 or 2 roaches a month that I manage to exterminate, or so I thought. Unknowing, these insects had already made nests inside the house and they come out to search for food to bring to their litters. As months dragged to years , I can see at least 2 or 3 roaming the house in a week’s time until a few months ago when I could find 1 in every corner of the house which means they have outgrown their nests and they are simply looking for other places to build new nests. It came to a point that I can already see disgusting sites of 2 to 3 roaches in one corner and they were not even bothered when people were around. They simply marched around not minding the fact that they could be smashed-killed. Sometimes they even fly, what a frightening sight.

What worked and is it safe?
In the past, all our efforts to get rid of these annoying house pests were to no avail. We have spent a considerable amount of money for all existing brands of insecticides and they only worked for a while but it never got rid of all those nasty organisms. It was also proven that these creatures are capable of producing antibodies to counter the effects of chemicals in insecticides they were earlier exposed to. So it is given that the insecticides we had used so far, no longer serve the purpose as roaches have become immune to them. In my earlier blog, I have mentioned using a soap and water solution to rid those roaches in the open but technically, more, maybe even hundreds were hidden and needless to say, unless they come out, I won’t ever bother searching for them as I don’t know if I can manage them when I see them in the hundreds.

What is the source of this solution?
Years of studies revealed that there is but one cockroach killer that really worked effectively to eradicate cockroaches from their nesting sites according to Mr. Arthur Heyer.
You can check it out from this website: http://ww.mouthstick.net/tipsbits/boric.htm. Yes, it’s boric acid that does the job but, I rather find it quite bothersome to just spread the white powder all over the place. So what I did is I tried mixing it with flour and stirred in the left over apple juice that we bought in a grocery store from days back and added more sugar until the mixture became a very sticky paste. I find it better and hygienic that way. Then I liberally spread the paste-form boric acid all over the places where I suspected these nasty creatures lurked specially the dark corners and crevices and guess what?! It worked splendidly and I didn’t have to worry that any member of my family, specially my little girl, could accidentally ingest it.

What were the results?
It only took a little over forty-eight hours to see results. I found a few number of them have already died and more were crawling aimlessly, wandering all over the place as if they had just been sprayed with insecticide including their lair. These roaches eventually died a few minutes after they came out in the open and everyday afterwards, I can see a growing number of them dying and amazingly, this went on for just two weeks. I also found out that ants and flies have died too.

What is Boric acid?
Other good links to find out more information about boric acid and it’s beneficial uses are the following: http://www.natbat.com/What%20Is%20Boric%20Acid.pdf
According to this article, “boric acid does not kill bugs on contact using highly toxic chemicals. Rather, it acts as a desiccant that dehydrates many insects by causing tiny cracks or fissures in their exoskeletons.
This eventually dries them out.”

http://www.ca.uky.edu/entomology/entfacts/ef614.asp

This is a narrative of the Emphasis on the benefits of using Boric Acid and How to use it as an Effective Cockroach Elimination by Extension Entomologist Mike Potter of University of Kentucky College of Agriculture.

Dealing with cockroaches in the open…

Mae Salinas — Sat, 29 May 2010 20:18:42 +0000

Many times I have read topics that discuss about dealing with household pests. As my house is not immune to these kind of insects, I am looking into possibilities of finding a more effective way to treat such without having to use insecticides heavily inside the house especially as I have kids. In my younger years, my father tried and exhausted all those popularly known products that is known to kill these roaches and mosquitos, but it was never enough and it is quite expensive too. After a while, we met an old man peddling a green solution in a bottle that he claimed as a non-toxic formula that could kill roaches big and small. The procedure was to distribute small cotton balls soaked wet with the sweet apple scented green thin liquid into wall crevices and dark covered places in the house. True enough, his potion worked magically and almost obliterated those pests including the litters on first application alone. What was truly amazing was that you’ll find them scattered in big numbers around the withered ball of cotton that used to be plump with liquid only few hours before. That was the first time we filled a large dustpan of killed roaches. Well, I don’t know whatever happened to that old man and his magic exterminating formula because after a few months and a few bottles bought, we never saw him again. I wish I had the formula so I could make it myself. I would say that it truly was the most effective means of ridding the house of those yucky little organisms because it took a long while after we have used up the last bottle before the house got infested again with these crawling objects.

While I can not find anything that could match the efficacy of that green thing, I think somehow I found a way to deal with those nasty crawlers that we see in the open. A few years back, I discovered what I call a non-toxic and hygienic way of dealing with those creatures that roam the house. I found out that I could kill roaches with simply soap and water, yes that’s right, SOAP AND WATER. Actually any water and soap solution will do. But for me, an excellent and more effective choice is ‘Axion’ or any dish washing liquid for that matter and plain tap water, about 1 part soap solution to 50 parts water is ideal or you can mix a stronger solution if you like. I find this a lot safer because this is what you use to wash the dishes you eat with, therefore it is not toxic. It is even a lot hygienic than splattering the gooey mess or spraying the toxic insecticides inside the home where most of the fumes are inhaled by people, it is even cancerous if inhaled frequently, not to mention the economy in cost. You just need a good spray/squirt bottle that could spurt the fluid in a straight and solid line to as far as maybe 3 meters and that’ll do the trick, but you should have a good aim, steady hand and at times you even need a good set of running feet if in case the thing flies toward you. I found this technic very effective as I even had a couple of pairs down while they were doing that thing — the act of reproducing litters. I got one pair photographed and there is no mess totally. I have been doing this for a couple of years since because I could get them down easier most times, even my 8-year-old daughter could do it. With insecticides they could run faster than the fumes and if you’re not lucky to bring them down, these roaches and the rest of their litters will be immune to the solution you used on them. Sometimes, when you try to knock them out with slippers or any hard thing on hand, they still survive and run even when they’re hit several times over. Think now of the goo they’ll be spreading around as they run.

Mating roaches killed by soap and water solution

Although there is no guarantee you’ll rid your house of these insects by this method alone, still this is one good way to get rid of those insects that are out in the open in line of your sight. It’s worth a try. For those insects lurking in the dark, you’ll still need to use one good brand of insecticide to get rid of them if you cannot afford pest extermination services like us, but you need to do this with extreme caution and just do it if people will all be out of the house.

Philippines turning point

Mae Salinas — Tue, 04 May 2010 12:49:13 +0000

I don’t care what your opinion is, my conviction and my conscience rule over my decision to vote for the best Presidentiable I know. This country needs a working president, someone with a conscience, someone who doesn’t take pride and get the credit in the accomplishments of others, someone who does not speak bad of others, someone who can stand tall by his own good example and principles, someone who knows the real meaning of giving without expecting anything in return, someone who could volunteer himself for the good of the many and someone’s whose heart beats for the Filipino. He need not be compelled to do something way beyond his means as he is not someone whom you’ll need to persuade to run for the highest seat of government because his desire to serve is innate and his drive to serve is coming from the heart and geared from within and not provoked because when such a person fails, I don’t doubt that that person wouldn’t hesitate to blame and point fingers to those responsible in inciting his decision to run in the first place. He must be someone who is sure of himself, ready and able physically, mentally, morally and spiritually and not someone who thinks that accomplishments of his forebears are his own or that it would make him even more of a person. He knows how to listen but is not easily pushed. He knows when to say yes and when to say no. He always has the best interest of the people in mind as shown or evidenced in his own household and his own backyard.

What this country needs is a head strong, highly capable, mentally stable, physically fit and courageous leader, an ultimate warrior because he needs to fight the perils of this society. He has to have a mind-set and determination that will change the course of our country, our society and make the people truly proud to be called Filipinos, a disciplined generation of citizenry. He has to have the best running mate who is at par with him, as head strong as he is and someone who shares his ideals and dreams in making the Philippines a world-class country of highly disciplined and morally structured people.

I couldn’t think of any other team better fit to do this gargantuan restructuring work than the GORDON=FERNANDO TEAM because I believe that real changes starts when people start to change and all else will follow.

I love PANCAKES!

Mae Salinas — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 08:25:51 +0000

Fluffy or fluffier Pancakes? I love mine fluffier.

I was browsing the net for about 6 hours when I suddenly felt a craving for a homemade snack. Since I am an avid download-er of free recipes from the net, I turned to my collection and searched for that recipe to satiate my appetite for a hasty yet tasty snack and found this easy to cook basic recipe for a homemade pancake from scratch.
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Ingredients for Basic Pancakes Recipe
• 2 cups flour
• 2 cups milk
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup melted butter
• 1 Tbsp. sugar
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
• In a small bowl, beat the eggs and set aside.
• In a large bowl, blend the dry ingredients thoroughly (flour, salt, sugar and baking powder).
• Add the butter, milk and eggs to the dry ingredients and stir until the pancake batter is just blended, with no large lumps.
• Spray a griddle or non-stick frying pan with pan spray or lightly oil, heat it until drops of water sizzle.
• Pour spoonfuls of the pancake batter onto the hot surface. When bubbles rise in each pancake, it is usually time to flip it. Cook until golden brown.
Serve with butter and maple pancake syrup or fruit sauce. Pancakes are also excellent with fresh fruit.

(I think I downloaded this one from allrecipes.com or another great food site. Sorry if I missed keeping notes on that one. To it’s author, my sincerest apologies.)
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But as this is me, I usually prefer doing it my way using only the above recipe as a guide to ingredients. I was never used to following these recipes to the letter because first, I don’t have most ingredients readily available in my kitchen, instead, I leave out and substitute some of it or I add or deduct from the measurements called for depending on what I believe would give me the best result; and second, I love to put my very own personal touch in every food I lovingly cook for my family. Many times I would experiment on and at most times, they turned out good, gauging from the approving look on my eight year old daughter’s face. Although I did not use the above recipe, I know in all fairness that it is a good one but I want mine fluffier.

My personal preference for a fluffy pancake calls for 3 to 4 Eggs instead of 2; one and a half to two tablespoons of Sugar; and three and a half teaspoons Baking Powder. I substitute the butter to two tablespoons of Vegetable Oil and three heaping teaspoons of Powdered Milk (any brand) per cup of water instead of evaporated, whole or skimmed milk. My procedure is slightly different as I mix all dry ingredients first making sure they are sifted a third time to equally blend the mixture then I set this aside. Next, the secret to a more fluffy pancake — I beat the egg whites all at the same time until soft peak stage before adding the yolks then I add the milk and the oil stirring just enough before I mix in the flour mixture all at once taking care not to overwork the batter. At this stage, I heat the lightly brushed or oil sprayed pan until water droplets sizzle and bounce, avoiding scorching the pan then lowering the heat just before I pour in the batter. When the sides of the pancake dries out a bit and most bubbles gone, it’s time to flip or turn it over with a wide spatula. You’ll know it’s done when the underside no longer sticks to the pan or it has browned a bit. This would make 10 – 12 plump and fluffy pancakes.

I made half of the recipe today and it yielded 6 pancakes that my daughter and I shared and enjoyed. Yum! And oh! Of course I also made my syrup from scratch.

Ingredients for the Syrup (modified from source)
1 Teaspoon of Maple extract, this is Optional (mine, I got the McCormick brand)
½ cup of Granulated white sugar
½ cup of Granulated brown sugar (second grade, this is the lighter brown colored sugar)
½ cup of water
¼ cup Table spoon light corn syrup ( to keep my syrup from crystallizing)
I just put all ingredients in a sauce pan and let boil for about 5 to 8 minutes until I achieve the consistency of a light syrup. Allow to cool a little bit before transferring it to a dried sterilized bottle to avoid spoilage. I always make mine ahead of time and if prepared properly, the shelf life is about 6 months.

Note: Don’t overdo the syrup, otherwise it will solidify when it cools down.

My Acknowledgement:

I especially thank these food networks—All recipes, Prepared Pantry, I-village, Panlasang Pinoy, Pinoy Cook and all the others, where I find loads of great food ideas, learning their most valuable tips, instructions and how-to’s giving me the inspiration to try new great recipes. I am not saying that I have tried all these wonderful fares and cuisines but now and then I get to try something new that I find worthy of the time and money spent.

Blogging, a waste of time!

Mae Salinas — Sun, 04 Apr 2010 14:50:21 +0000

Blogging? What is it anyway? I’ve heard it thousands of times but never really gave it any importance as it’s just another waste of time or so I thought. What I didn’t know is that a lot of people are already earning big time because of the wonderful blogs they have created. It didn’t occur to me it could become a lucrative source of income for those who give good sense of it.

A few weeks ago, I met a co-parent at CFA where my daughter is now enrolled for homeschool. She opened up the world of internet blogging to me as she has been into it for some time, earning for herself a decent and good enough sum on a regular basis to pay for her children’s schooling leaving her husband’s income to fend for the all the other needs of the family and a good enough amount for savings. I said, Wow! I might as well try it not knowing that it entails a lot to get to where she’s at but luckily, she’s generous enough to give me some of her sources. Thanks to her marvelous help, she’s an angel.

After browsing several sites she recommended, I found out that blogging is not that really hard to do and anyone who wishes to do blogging can do so. Nobody’s stopping anybody. There’s just one hitch though, you really need to love what you are doing, writing that’s what and you have to find your niche and stick to it. Cool huh! If you are one with brains bubbling with ideas no end, then this one thing is for you. We’ll like anyone else who’d like to give this a try, I’m one to venture in, hoping for the best.

Remembering a son who never had a chance in this world

Mae Salinas — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 10:28:17 +0000

It would have been wonderful if I had the chance to make him feel how much i love him. I never had the chance to cuddle his little frail body, never had the chance to even carry him in my arms. I never had the chance to see his eyes and know their color for they closed before I could even had a glimpse of him looking back at me. I never saw his smile, it could have been a most rewarding experience. They only told me hours later that he did not make it and I saw him when he was all blue. I couldn’t move as I was in pain mostly due to complication brought about by my CS operation. How I wish I had the chance to at least whispher to him how much I love him. How I wish I heard his speaking voice, I heard him cry out loud but it was brief before I passed out while giving birth but that was my only memory of the sound of his voice as his life was cut short. He was taken away from us so soon. Though it had been 20 years since, it seems like only yesterday.

If only he had lived, I would have been the happiest mother to have three beautiful children. I don’t even know where he lies now after what they did to his grave. It breaks my heart to know that the cemetery administration did not bother to inform us and give us the chance to transfer his remains to a proper resting place where we could visit him before they proceeded to build those level niches.They robbed me of the chance to even offer candles and flowers on his grave.

To my baby Earl, my little angel, I love you dearly and you will forever be in my heart. I’m very sorry son if we were not able to put you in a better resting place, but where you are now I am sure it is the best place to be where you are joined by Lolo Amon and Lola Naty. I am sure you are much better off in that place. I just wish you remember us when it is our time to join you. I love you more than you’ll ever know!