By Audrey van Petegem, Senior Editor

Leave it to the French to be the inventors of the bidet. Invented by a French furniture maker in the late 17th hundreds, the bidet was kept in the bedroom beside the chamber pot. Since, at this time, there was no indoor plumbing or toilet paper, the bidet’s sole purpose was to use after the chamber pot to clean the perianal and genital area. Once indoor plumbing became the norm, the bidet was then used whenever one needed to, shall we say, freshen up.

As teenagers traveling through Europe with my parents, my sister and I saw our first bidet. I remember asking my father what it was and he jokingly said that it was to clean our feet. Taking him literally that is just what I did – daily! It was only later, when we returned home, my mother told me the facts of life. Egad! I put my feet in there!!

Thankfully, Cottonelle has come up with a modern day alternative to the bidet. Their Fresh Care Flushable Wipes clean efficiently and discretely. They are easy to use and to dispose of and take up very little space. In fact, they come with an easy reach hanger that conveniently sits above the roll of toilet paper. In our household we all use them and my husband and I jokingly call Cottonelle’s fresh care routine the Disposable Bidet. And this is exactly what Cottonelle wants you to do.

NAME IT!

Come up with a name for your fresh care routine using both the Ultra Comfort Toilet Paper and the Fresh Care Flushable Wipes and enter it in the Name It campaign on Facebook. You just may win a year’s supply of their products. People can also participate by following @Cottonelle on Twitter to receive exclusive opportunities to win prizes by using the hashtag #NameIt. Plus, check out the Book of Names on Cottonelle’s website to see what others have named their routine and get fun bathroom trivia such as, did you know that in the 70′s most households bought colored toilet paper to match their bathroom decor? I remember my mom doing that!

As for our fresh care routine, the Disposable Bidet, it keeps us fresh and clean thank-you-very-much! And yes, you can even wash your feet with them.

I was compensated for this post. The opinions and ideas expressed here are my own.

By Susan Keats, Contributor &  Seize-the-Day Propagandist

I am running down the hall. In the living room there is a party going on and women are dancing to the music. I’m nervous. Very very nervous. One of the women calls to me. Suuuusaaaaan. Its yooooouuurr turrrrnnn! She has a feather boa in her hands and she wants me to shimmy my way into the center of the circle and hoochie koo around with the birthday gal. So instead, I am running down the hall and hiding in the kitchen. Nightmare? No. Totally true. The idea of dancing, letting myself go, being uninhibited in front of a bunch of people I didn’t know was so uncomfortable, there was no way I was going to dance at that party. No way. Which is odd, because I love to dance.

On my way home I thought about my behavior. Why had I done that? Why did the idea of dancing in front of all those people seem to be more awful than fun? I mean… I’ve been known to do the funky chicken… around the house….in front of my mirror…alone. Don’t you do that? I wondered about myself. Is this really you? You can’t just be silly and have fun in front of other people? What’s THAT about? I cranked up my radio and sang loudly, cabaret style, all the way home. I wasn’t much in the mood for self-reflection.

I didn’t think about it again until one day my cousin put a very silly hat on my head and suggested that I wear it out. I was instantly mortified. There they were, all those feelings again. I didn’t want to feel foolish, ridiculous, embarrassed and self-conscious. I wanted that hat OFF! I didn’t want to be the center of attention…what would people think of me?

And there it was. What will people think?

This is why I call cancer the great clarifier and creator of strange

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By Audrey van Petegem, Senior Editor

Just in time for Father’s Day, a do-it-yourself kit beer making kit from Brooklyn Brew Shop. Whether your patriarch is familiar in the kitchen or not, this no-brainer, easy-to-follow process allows even the I-can’t- boil-water type to make high quality and complex beers on top of the stove.

Brooklyn Brew Shop’s user-friendly beer making kit uses only fresh, whole ingredients, such as cracked barley, hops, spices and yeast, and follows the traditional brewery method to producing beer that has been used for centuries. This kit includes a one gallon reusable glass fermenter, chambered airlock, thermometer, tubing, racking cane, sanitizer and beer making mix.

Here is the video to show each simple step:

With flavors such as Summer Wheat, Chestnut Brown Ale and eclectic sounding Coffee & Donut Stout, the Beer Enthusiast will enjoy experimenting with his micro-brewery. Let him proudly brag to all his friends when he invites them over for a taste and exclaims that, “yes, I, indeed, made this! Cheers!”

Buy directly from BrooklynBrew  or UncommonGoods.

For a man, fatherhood can be one of the most blissful events in his life. That small bundle of joy that comes into his life not only brings with it great pleasures, but also adds a whole new dimension. While mothers

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By Audrey van Petegem, Senior Editor

Some men take their grilling pretty seriously. My husband Scott is definitely one of them. He would, if he could, barbecue everything. We have been loyal owners of both the charcoal and gas Weber barbecues for most of our married life. My husband faithfully cleans them, pampers them and loves accessorizing them. To Scott, grilling on a fine barbecue is like driving a fine car. It is not only about the performance but also about being aesthetically pleasing. Here are three that Scott has put on his wish list.

	All Purpose Outdoor Grill with Pizza Stone and Griddle – The Element by Fuego is a compact and mobile cast iron grill BBQ designed with dual cooking zones. The center cooking zone, heats up fast and hot, allowing for the perfect seared steaks and burgers, while the outer burner and roasting lid create a perfect convection-like cooking environment for slow cooking, smoking or baking. Add the Pizza Stone and Cast Iron Griddle and you will never have to cook in your kitchen again. Buy on Amazon for $750.00
	Table Q – What is more fun than social grilling? The Table Q is all about getting everyone into the action. Beautifully designed and made of anti-rust alloy aluminum this BBQ table can seat between 4 – 8 people. The outdoor grill allows guests to sear, grill, smoke, bake or stir-fry their own food. When not in use the grill has a sleek cover to convert to a regular table. It also comes with stylish wicker chairs. Go to AfireInc to purchase. $4500.00 – $5500.00.
	Eva Solo BBQ Grill – This Cadillac of charcoal grills would be any serious griller’s dream. The grill is elegantly designed and is made of stainless steel inside and out. This Danish design is not only known for its beautiful lines but also for its functionality and efficiency. The charcoal sits in a coal bucket and once done, it easily lifts out and emptied. Also, the BBQ can be transformed into a fire pit by placing small logs over the glowing coals and removing the grill, creating the perfect ambiance for an after dinner drink. Buy from Amazon from $700 to $1200.

By Audrey van Petegem, Senior Editor

This year I am challenging myself to grow a vegetable garden. I have tried in the past and failed miserably. Having a green thumb is obviously not an inherited trait. I have many fond childhood memories that are all about helping my father in our garden, going out to pick the lettuce for our evening salad, or simply pulling out carrots, beans and sugar peas to munch on.

I want my children to have similar memories and to see firsthand how food is grown. My childhood memories are from living in a small town, in a house with lots of property. Here in this quaint ocean side town in Southern California, our property is very limited. Although, I have successfully grown a herb garden, I am now looking to grow an edible garden. When I came across ALLOTINABOX, I thought this was the perfect solution. These “grow your own” kits are specifically designed for urban settings where space is limited.

Whether you have a spot on a balcony or a patch in your garden, this kit supplies you with everything you need; from organic seeds to accompanying equipment, such as organic jute twine, plant tags and a garden grow wheel. The kits include seeds for such veggies as carrots, spring onions, leeks, spinach, swisschard and chives. The company’s website is full of simple practical advice and ingenious tips and tricks on how to plant the seeds, helping to make the whole process feel very approachable.

Go to ALLOTINABOX to view their entire selection. Beautifully packaged, these gardening kits would also make a great gift. Personally, I am looking at the annual subscription, so that I can enjoy eating the fruits of my labor all year long (because in Southern California, I can actually do that!).

For more ideas on gardening products see our previous posts on this page and this page.

By Anne-Marie Kovacs, Chief Wife

Just like any other perfectly normal, healthy, emotionally well-balanced woman, I have a thing for shoes. Do NOT ask me how many pairs I have. That is completely irrelevant to this conversation.

I know you understand. There are so many reasons to love shoes. They can elevate a seemingly blah outfit to one that begins new trends. They can make you feel like can conquer the world… Comfort? Pfffftt… No kingdom was ever conquered on the basis of comfort. Or walkability factors.

But, most of all, I’m quite certain that women love shoes so much because they are that part of the wardrobe that will always fit, no matter how much we cheated on our gluten-free diet. Shoes would never betray us like a pencil skirt would. Traitor.

Here’s an ode to shoes, appropriately titled God Save my Shoes. If anything, view it with your husbands or boyfriends as demonstrable evidence that shoe-love and addiction is a universal condition (notice, did not use the term “problem”) that they should just accept. Nothing anyone can do about it.

For you shoes addict out there, the film is available on iTunes and to buy or rent on Amazon.